Pagrad

Pagrad.
  The Forest Kingdom.
  Home of the Karasu.
  Primarily blanketed in thick, lush jungles, forests and other woodlands, it is also swathed in grasslands as well, although they are not as common as the widespread vegetation that has flooded the landscape for thousands of years.
  Pagrad is also dotted with large ranges of mountains that had been carved by strong ocean currents before the landscape had risen from the depths, creating irregularly shaped mountains known as Karst mountains, which had been formed over millions of years with the constant flowing of water and even large chunks of ice from when the planet and it's ecosystems had been covered in thick sheets of frozen ice, as well as the constant shifting of the planet's crust when the continents were first being formed under the surface by the shifting of the tectonic plates.
  The primary mountain range of Pagrad is known as the Ye"e Mountains which translates to "Yagi Mountains" from Reethese. The Yagi Mountains border Pagrad and Yesmos, which lies to the east of the forest-covered landscape which occupies the land slightly north and northwest of Yesmos. The Pagradian Wall is the second mountain range in the country of Pagrad, and forms the barrier between it and the northern neighbor, Uthesh, which is provided access into the forests only a few very remote and barely navigable passes that rise and fall through the mountains as they lead southwards into the country's upper region. The Pagradian Wall is the tallest of the two ranges, capped in snow and ice and covered in sheer cliff and mountain faces over a large percentage of their land area.
  The mountains themselves are also well known for being wrapped in their own blanket of forests and woodlands that make the journey through them even longer and more tedious, as drops hundreds of meters high can be found at countless turns and trails along the way, making the path extremely dangerous to navigate without the proper maps and methods to guide those looking for the best way through to the country that waits on the other side. 
  Of the many forests and jungles in the country, one holds the greatest size and notoriety.
  It is called Phofohrea Forest.
  Phofohrea Forest is the primary home of the Karasu and Owl-folk, although the Karasu are credited with first inhabiting the forests and making their homes here inside thick clusters of trees as well as on the ground. These small habitations are not marked on any maps as the races here value their privacy from the world, especially considering the Amazonian nature and evolution of the Karasu race as contrasted to their Owl-folk companions which possess both natural sexes in their own race. Phofohrea Forest stretches for more than ten miles or more, with cliffs, mountains, ravines and other natural formations being quite common near the heart of this large forest. It is a naturally protected landmark and even with permits or licenses, the public companies are forbid from cutting down the trees of this forest due to their ownership being claimed by the Owl-folk and the Karasu. 
  One of the most legendary sights in Pagrad however is not the forests, jungles or mountains that cover this amazing and historic landscape. 
  It is a giant plant that is believed to be located in the heart of the country, growing from the ground below and reaching for the clouds and stars that drift by high above the surface. This tree is regarded in Karasu legend as a birthplace, and it is part of a coming-of-age ritual created and held by the Karasu ever since the birth and spreading of their beloved race far and wide across the country.
  This tree is called The Mother Tree.
  Towering some fifteen-thousand feet above the ground at it's highest point, it is believed to have been the first tree to grow in the country after it had risen from the ocean depths, long before the Karasu or other races first appeared on the surface following the continent itself. This tree is comprised of miles worth of tangled and gnarled branches, with forests of vines, branches and leaves spreading out in all directions along the few safe pathways that lead from the roots of the tree up to the canopy that looks towards the sky at the tree's greatest heights. The Great Hike is a ritual held on the fifteenth birthday of every Karasu child in which they must venture on their own to the top of this tree and bring back a rare silver leaf and a solidified drop of golden sap to prove they had reached the top before making their way home again. It is a dangerous ritual and not all Karasu are known to have returned from it, although the majority have done so and brought back the leaf and droplet to their village to prove to the elder that they had successfully made the journey and had claimed the ultimate prize for doing so. Along the way, they commonly pass along many forest and jungle trails, along which are known to be placed watch towers, which are manned by a single watcher to keep the woodlands safe from fires and other disasters that could put the landscape in danger. The Karasu don't mind the towers and their occupants, as they know those inside are looking out for the same land in which they live to keep it safe and protected from harm. 
  But of the more natural land formations, there is one that stands even higher than The Mother Tree, leaving it in awe of the true spectacle and nature of the magical and historic landscape that so many races call their home. 
  This landscape is known as The Mountain Of Time. 
  This great and towering mountain is said to lie somewhere within the Ye"e Mountains between Pagrad and Yesmos, though these claims have not been confirmed as the mountain is protected like the rest of the mountain range itself. What is known about this peak is that it is one of the highest in the world, and towers far above the others standing around it. It is said that this mountain also rises much higher than The Mother Tree, making it an equally impressive but less approachable sight by comparison. No Karasu or other races are thought to have attempted to climb this mountain, but it is believed to be the home of one of the gods of the Rethium pantheon, namely Yagi, the Goddess of Tranquility and Forests. It is surrounded by the mountains and forests, and all known pathways leading up the slopes are thought to have long-since been grown over or destroyed by vegetation and undergrowth, cutting the peak off from the surface, forever barring those who attempt to climb it from reaching the impossible heights that it would otherwise provide to them. 
  Pagrad is known for many exports, one of them being the rich and pungent Cinder Spice, which is grown in crop beds within many Karasu villages nestled deep in the forests and jungles of the country. The spice is valued for it's flavor and quantity, and is collected several times each year by a female cart driver and her cart and horse. For obvious reasons, the male specimen is not allowed into the villages for fear of exposing the Karasu to dangerous illnesses and other infections, as the last time one entered the village he was reported to have attempted to fornicate with the locals of the village he had been sent to, causing obvious damage during that time and injuring one female almost severely. Therefor it has been agreed upon by the towns and cities that send wagons to those villages and towns that no male will ever be sent to them, for fear of being denied the valuable spices and crops grown by the Karasu. 
  It is known that the first Karasu to emerge in Pagrad from the heights of The Mother Tree were the females Nerora and Laeria, the alpha and beta female Karasu respectively, who first flew from The Mother Tree and landed in the place they called Phofohrea Forest only a few years after being born and raised in the expansive Mother Tree until they had learned how to fly and to venture beyond their home branches to begin their lives elsewhere in the country, where they would also go on to truly give birth to their race, which would continue on for thousands of years afterwards. In this same tradition, it is common to elect two leaders for each village or town in the country, those of which are thought to be the closest Karasu to Nerora and Laeria, the first Karasu of their race.