Lost Paths
Underground of the Wandering Forest
Flora and fauna, unlike anywhere else, reach as far as the eye can see. A land of dark whimsy, one of magic and mayhem, lies just below the surface of a place known simply as wonderland, but the darkness marks this place as something else —a place unlike any that one would willingly enter. This place and its inhabitants play by their own rules, ignoring everything established elsewhere in the world. This twisted place is another plane, removed from the world we know, but playing by the rules of ancient beings that once walked the grounds of Isekai.
The Lost Paths should have stayed just that, a lost path that no one should walk unless blessed by whatever Ancient Fey or wandering fiend that possesses that twisted land.The Lost Paths are the underworld of the Wandering Forest, places that are the inverses of the world known as Isekai. Both the Lost Paths and Wandering Forest are separate planes of existence, but ones that are easily reached through gateways and doors scattered across Isekai by the Ancient Fey that once walked Isekai before they moved to create their own realms. These places are bounded by magic, defined by the Ancient Fey and the rules they have inflicted upon their territories. There is little rhyme or reason here; the Wandering Forest is a bright wonderland, while the Lost Paths are a place of dark and twisted whimsy. While some Scholars and Adventurers have traveled through the Wandering Forest and studied the various life there, the Lost Paths are almost wholly unexplored. Being the inverse of Káto, the Lost Paths is full of deep caverns, wandering hallways, and dark caves that create labyrinths over thousands of miles. Few have ever entered this place of their own free will; most were tricked by some magic and twisted sense of humor. Those who have entered the Lost Paths rarely ever leave, as those who claim this place as their territory do not take kindly to trespassers.
Geography
The true size of the Lost Paths is unknown, but it is believed that it spans thousands of miles beneath the Wandering Forest in every direction as well as downward for an unknown depth. It is reached by entering specific caves in the Wandering Forest or by specific magical means from Isekai. Little is truly known about the overall size and entrances of the Lost Paths, but many Scholars argue that this is information that they may not want to gather.
Caves and caverns are frequently found throughout this twisted land, connected by long, branching hallways of dark stone. It is said that the Lost Paths mimics the tunnels and caverns of Káto, but in a more twisted and magical way, as defined by whoever claims a certain area. Some caverns open up like giant open-air rooms that seem as if they have no ceiling, but even the largest of rooms is still wholly underground, no matter what it looks like.
The temperatures of the caves and caverns are often cool due to being underground, but the climate can vary wildly across the many miles. This is again something
Lost Paths
Lost Paths
by
Landscape via Artbreeder, created by RiverFang
The Lost Paths are the inverse of Káto, a land of dark whimsy attached to the Wandering Forest. Few walk into this land willingly, and even fewer escape unscathed.
Localized Phenomena
Various phenomena occur throughout the Lost Paths, but these phenomena are determined by the Ancient Fey that claim a specific territory. Due to their intense magic, Ancient Fey can determine everything about their surroundings, including changing the climate, geography, flora, fauna, and more. Each territory of both the Lost Paths and Wandering Forest is unique to the specific Ancient Fey, and the phenomena there often reflect the whims and personality of those fey.
Skittering Stools
The Skittering Stools are a type of mushroom only found in the Lost Paths. Known for pulling themselves out of the rock and running at potential threats, these mushrooms are also known for the piercing scream they let out as they run.
Flora & Fauna
If the Wandering Forest is considered a wonderland and the Lost Paths is meant to be a darker, and more twisted version of that, then so too do the flora and fauna represent this. Changed versions of creatures either found in the Wandering Forest or on Isekai are common here, such as the Blackened Dire Wolves, but other things that call the Lost Paths home are wholly their own. In many instances, Scholars rarely have the vocabulary to truly describe the oddities that are found within the Lost Paths. Flora is very common in the caves, with mushrooms being the most dominant of plant life. Most of these are luminescent, shedding light in dark places. Others defy what is defined as a mushroom, with some being carnivorous while others have been known to pull themselves from the rock and run at threats. Skittering Stools are some of the most frequent of the odd mushrooms and have been known to give people quite the fright when they begin running and screaming. Some creatures that call the Lost Paths home are not twisted but are more mythical than others. Basilisks have been reported in some places, while some territories are known for their imported lesser fey creatures, such as Fey Dragons and Floral Dragons that the Ancient Fey have brought for their entertainment. Because of the changes made by the Ancient Fey, it is difficult to decide what is truly part of the ecosystem of the Lost Paths and what has been altered.
Type
Plane of Existence
Related Myths
Well, this is a place I never want to visit... I mean, maybe a quick peek at the Mushroom Grove. I love the skittering shrooms. They are relatable.
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