The Elderglen Wilds

# The Elderglen Wilds
  ## Geographic Regions
  The Elderglen Wilds consists of seven distinct geographic regions, each with its own character and atmosphere:
  ### The Whispering Thicket A dense, ancient forest where the trees seem to murmur secrets. The canopy is thick, sunlight barely touches the forest floor, and strange glowing fungi light the paths at night.
  ### The Silverfen Marshes A misty, swampy area on the edge of the Wilds with silvery reeds and glowing will-o'-the-wisps. Treacherous to travel, but rich in rare herbs and magical creatures.
  ### The Howling Plains Open, grassy fields where the wind carries eerie, wolf-like howls. Home to roaming herds and nomadic clans who follow the seasons.
  ### Ebonroot Hollow A shadowed valley at the Wilds' heart, where the oldest and darkest trees grow. It is rumored to be a place of powerful ancient magic and sometimes dangerous spirits.
  ### Glimmerbrook Glades Sunlit clearings with sparkling streams and vibrant wildflowers. A sanctuary for peaceful creatures and rare plants used by local healers.
  ### Fangspire Ridge Jagged cliffs and rocky outcrops rising above the forest, with caves rumored to house dragons or other legendary beasts.
  ### The Starfall Heath Wide open plains dotted with strange, glowing crystals believed to have fallen from the heavens long ago. The crystals pulse with faint magic.
  ## Capital City: Thornevale
  **Location:** Nestled at the confluence of three biomes — where the Whispering Thicket, Glimmerbrook Glades, and Starfall Heath meet. It is built partly into the hillside and partly among massive, towering eldertrees that predate recorded history.
  **Description:** Thornevale is a city that blends with nature rather than conquering it. Massive wooden halls are entwined with living trees, their roots forming natural foundations. Buildings rise from the forest floor into the canopy, connected by bridges of woven ivy and enchanted wood. Crystal lanterns glow with soft faelight, lighting the winding paths without disturbing the stars above.
  At the city's heart stands The Valeheart, an ancient tree-keep grown from the First Elder Tree — a living structure of bark and stone that serves as the seat of power. The Valeheart houses the Glenwardens, a ruling council of druids, rangers, and arcane scholars who protect and guide the Wilds.
  ## Minor Settlements
  ### Dunwode **Type:** Logging and charcoal village **Location:** Deep on the western edge of the Whispering Thicket **Description:** Surrounded by ancient trees, Dunwode survives by carefully harvesting timber from the forest's edge — a risky practice, as local druidic orders keep a close watch. The air smells of pine and smoke, and most homes are stout, single-room cabins. Hunters and woodsfolk make up most of the population. Many claim the forest whispers louder at night here.
  ### Fenwatch **Type:** Fishing and foraging hamlet **Location:** On the southern fringes of the Silverfen Marshes, built on raised wooden walkways **Description:** A half-submerged settlement with stilts, pontoons, and narrow walkways over brackish water. The people of Fenwatch are quiet and superstitious, relying on fishing, frog hunting, and gathering rare swamp herbs. Lanterns burn at every door — to keep the marsh spirits away, they say.
  ### Stonemere **Type:** Mining village **Location:** Tucked into a ravine along the northern face of the Fangspire Ridge **Description:** Stonemere clings to the rock, with its rough cottages and mining tunnels partially carved into the hillside. The village produces iron and dark stone used in Thornevale's fortifications. Life is harsh, but the people are fiercely independent. Old tales speak of tunnels that go far deeper than any miner dares explore.
  ### Glenthorn **Type:** Agricultural village **Location:** In the eastern Glimmerbrook Glades, near a spring-fed stream **Description:** A picturesque village with flower-dotted fields, fruit orchards, and bee yards. Glenthorn is peaceful and productive, home to herbalists, cider-makers, and cloth weavers. Though isolated, it supplies Thornevale with much of its food and textiles. There is a local belief that the land here is blessed by the old spirits of the bloom.
  ### Redmarsh Ford **Type:** Trade crossing and waypoint **Location:** Where the Branwyn River shallows out, between the Howling Plains and Starfall Heath **Description:** A muddy river-crossing with a small fort, stables, and an inn. Redmarsh Ford is a key waystation for traders, scouts, and messengers. The fort is manned by a rotating detachment from Thornevale. Rumors swirl about bandits, smugglers, and sightings of strange lights across the heath.
  ### Briarholt **Type:** Self-sufficient woodland hamlet **Location:** In a secluded pocket of the Elderglen interior, surrounded by thorny woods **Description:** Built around a cluster of berry thickets and natural springs, Briarholt is fiercely isolationist. Outsiders are rarely welcomed beyond the outer path. It is rumored that the villagers follow old traditions and guard a druidic shrine hidden among the thorns.