Nearly in the middle of the Four-Faced Forests lies Vandell, also known as Svik's Woods or Svik's Range. Its neighbors are the Verdant Valley to the northeast, the Great Wild Basin to the west, the Broken Vale to the south, and the Fisher's Isles just off its only coast to the southeast. Vandell ends wherever its mountains turn to foothills or a shore of the Center Sea.
Vandell itself is a broad highland of low mountains and rolling hills. Its terrain is predominantly difficult and sloped, but yet nature has covered it with forests wherever possible and with heath and marsh wherever trees refuse to settle. Because of the rocky land and poorer (comparatively) soil, clearings are more common here than in the neighboring dales. Woodcutting and agriculture have taken their toll as well, removing obstructing flora from entire hilltops and mountainsides. The forests are always eager to reclaim lost land, as the overgrown ruins dotting the region prove. Past civilizations had built castles and towns in the highlands. Now they serve beasts as lairs and brigands as outposts. These examples of past failures have not stopped other peoples to attempt settling or roaming Vandell. Its mountains are too rich in ore and its woodlands too lively with prey to leave this region deserted.
An especially cunning Gren folk has evolved among Vandell's mountains – the Vandellans. They are skilled hunters and trappers, and have been steeled by their centuries-old rivalries with the other trezlin – petty realms and savage tribes – laying claim to the highlands. Wolshak packs and the sozlin tribes of the coast and many swamps are the only other notable denizens of Vandell. Aezkul dare not build outposts here because the mountains lack tall peaks; they are too low to keep dragonslayers at bay.
Topography
Vandell is a highland, rich in mountains and hills. Most peaks are beneath the tree line; the rest tops out barely above it. Some areas of Vandell are low and gentle enough in shape that they can be considered an upland instead. Between the higher elevations sit glens among the mountains and dales among the hills. The terrain chiefly features shallow inclines, for a mountain range, but there are rougher and steeper areas, such as river ravines and gorges. The mountainsides are not easy to tread despite being rather gentle in shape. Erosion smoothed them, but it also loosened material. Stones; small, large, and massive; litter the land, which makes traversing it a rocky affair. Evidently, Vandell is the remainder of a mountain range that was created many millennia ago and has been eroding since
The coast towards the Center Sea is difficult terrain as well. Flat shores are hard to find; jagged cliffs and prominent, rocky headlands dominate most of the coastline. Narrow, serpentine paths lead down to the few beaches of gravel and coarse sand. The coast is so rocky and harsh because it practically lies right in the middle of the primordial mountain range Vandell sprang from; the Fisher's Isles are just old peaks of it, lost among the sea, worn down by wind and water.
Hydrography
Because of its altitude and elevations, Vandell acts as a major watershed between the Verdant Valley and the other Crowndales west of it. The mountains and uplands extending northward from Vandell's northwestern tip separate the waters of the Howling Woodlands from those of the Great Wild Basin. However, these elevations are not considered part of Vandell and not truly part of the Verdant Valley either. They are located in a transitional area between all of the aforementioned regions.
Numerous springs dot the highlands. Their water runs down the hills and mountains, forming hundreds of brooks that join to become rivers, of which some fill the valleys and mountain basins. This creates a whole network of streams and lakes of varying sizes within Vandell. Most of the streams are relatively narrow. If they swell to massive rivers, they do so beyond the borders of the highland for the most part. Not all of the water wells up from beneath the surface; rainfall and melt from the snowed upon mountain tops supply a lot as well. The precipitation even fills those natural bowls that no stream ever finds and would otherwise remain dry. Many of Vandell’s rivers flow into the Verdant Valley, the Broken Vale, and even the Great Wild Basin. In fact, many of their streams or at least their tributaries originate from Vandell. The highland rivers themselves are most voluminous in spring and summer, when the mountain top snow melts. Glaciers do not exist in Vandell; its elevations are not high enough. The summer heat increases the evaporation rate, but it is by far not enough to notably mitigate the melt water. By fall, the lowest water level is reached, and, during winter, the bodies of water freeze shut, except fast flowing ones.
Wherever water
cannot drain or seep away, or at least not fast enough, the land
becomes waterlogged. Swamps and marshes are commonplace, framing lakes and
rivers, and so are bogs and fens, especially on the flatter parts of heights where precipitation collects. Naturally,
the river high tide in spring and early
summer temporarily expands the size of Vandell's wetlands. When the tide retreats, it leaves vernal pools behind.
Climate
Vandell is humid and temperate. It is largely covered by a continental climate because of its distance to the oceans and the large amounts of landmass surrounding it. It lies just south of the northern convergence zone, where the westerlies and the polar easterlies meet. Both winds are weakened once they reach Vandell. The westerlies all the way from the Endless Waves lose most of their humidity across the stretches of land leading up to the Crowndales, and the polar easterlies are greatly hindered by the Northward Spine. The westerlies stemming from the Center Sea do bring ample humidity, of which plenty is lost upon Vandell. Being this close to the convergence zone also means that the highland barely loses any of its humidity to the passing winds. Precipitation is frequent, especially in the coastal areas.
The seasons starkly contrast. Whereas the winters are particularly harsh, the summers are comparatively warm in return. It is rather cool overall because of Vandell's high latitude and altitude. Severe weather phenomena are rare thanks to the surrounding landmasses and the Fisher's Isles. Only the rare, northwest-to-southeast winds might bring bitter cold, flash frosts, or snowstorms. Winds blowing the exact opposite, which are also unusual, bring especially humid, warm air. This can lead to unusually warm, wet summers, and thus to lightning storms. Whenever both winds meet, powerful storms are born. These tempests are especially strong in fall and winter, when the temperature delta between the north and south is largest.
Along the coast lies a more oceanic climate because of the neighboring Center Sea. However, the numerous Fishers' Isles displace a lot of the water that would otherwise act as a heat capacitor. Consequently, the zone of maritime climate is a relatively narrow strip. It is still notably warmer here than it is in the rest of Vandell thanks to the warm currents of the Center Sea and the warm air brought by the westerlies, and the differences between the seasons are less drastic. Regardless, temperatures drop well below freezing in the cold season in all of Vandell. It is no different than the Verdant Valley in this regard. What benefit it gains from its lower latitude (compared to the Verdant Valley) is lost to its higher altitude.
Generally, fall is the wettest and summer the driest season. Rivers and lakes, whose high number is due to the regional topography, mitigate the lessened frequency of rainfall in summer. Numerous basins store the water of fall well into summer. The volumes stored and flowing increase as the snow begins to thaw, reaching its peak in the summer, when the snow on the mountains melts as well. Major rivers become impassable at this time; their fords are drowned and currents too strong. Travel is easiest in spring, when the rivers are meek and daytime temperatures not too low.
Fauna, Flora, Funga
The valleys between the mountains and the low hills are dominated by dense, mixed forests, consisting primarily of ash, oak, beech, maple, silver firs, and especially yews. The ratio of deciduous to coniferous decreases the greater the altitude becomes, until the pines, spruces, and firs rule over the heights uncontested. Beneath the dark canopies of the trees, and wherever the soil or climate is ill suited for them, shrubs and ferns have spread far and thrive. Heather and blaeberry occur in the woodland as well as in the moorland. Up high, avens, aster, and thistle grow among sedge. Down below – in the bogs and swamps of the valleys – cotton grass, bog myrtle, and further heather thrive. Bracken and hard fern cover the forest floors of the better drained lands, though the former will also spread even in the absence of forests, covering every square inch other plants do not. Moss and lichen paint much of Vandell green, yellow, and white.
Clearings are rare, but they appear more often here than they do in the surrounding Crowndales. The ground of these clearings is often either too wet, poor, rocky, or steep to permit trees. Some are all of these at once. Heaths, bogs, swamps, and moorland establish themselves there instead of woodlands. However, wherever the forests do raise a claim, it is hard to repress. The trezizik concentrated in the neighboring Verdant Valley has an effect even here, empowering the vanguard of shrubs and the following trees. Herbivores feeding on the saplings and offshoots are not able to prevent the eventual conquest because the plentiful predators keep their numbers in check. Keeping land cleared is a struggle even for the civilized cultures, especially near trezizik wells. Axe and fire must be employed regularly to fight back the tree realm.
This has not stopped the peoples inhabiting Vandell from practicing agriculture.
Woods are slashed and burned, leaving fertile ash on open ground.
Farmland and meadows are created – on the flat valley bottoms as well as on the gentle slopes – offering an entire new type of habitat
for a variety of small and large animals. The edge between farmland
and wild forest is a minor ecosystem of its own. Fields – no matter if
cultivated, fallow, or abandoned – offer food for herbivores, while
the nearby trees offer shelter. Great habitats for herbivores like
these are naturally lucrative targets for humanoid hunters and
bestial predators alike.
Trezkul are the apex hunters of Vandell. It is a very attractive region to them thanks to defensible nesting sites, such as natural caves and gorges, and the many open areas suitable for taking off and hunting. While trezkul are known to be bestial landscapers, they have less of a need to create artificial clearings in Vandell than they do in the nearby Crowndales. Still, the denser forests do feature clearings made through trezkul strength and overgrown through their magic.
Aside of massive elementals, the other inhabitants of Vandell are smaller than the mighty trezkul. Although open land is plentiful, tight woodlands still cover the majority of the highland, limiting the size of its native fauna. Insects,
avians, reptiles, saurians, and even mammals live among the mountains and hills.
Although
the majority of species belong to the first four groups, the number
of mammal species and individual animals is still notable. The
Four-Faced Forests in general contains a large number of them
compared to the lands south of it. However,
the mammals are all rather small (e.g.
rodents, bats,
mustelids,
hares, etc.). The
largest mammals of the region are the
woolly rabbit and
the thorny wolverine. Both are natives of Vandell, but the rabbits are usually only found in its northern reaches, preferring colder climates. Domestication by the locals has spread it to the entire mountain range. Saurians
and
avians primarily
fill the roles of medium-sized herbivores, omnivores,
and predators. Woodstriders, a saurian
species
brought by trezlin traders and
migrants
from the Whistling Lowlands thousands
of years ago,
graze in the clearings alongside the native,
dense-woodland-adapted saurians, such as
the thickettreader and rockstepper. While the woodstriders and thickettreaders stick to the valleys and gentle mountain feet, the rockstepper can be found even on the highest summits. Dagger-toothed leapers hunt them and the others. Elemental
beasts inhabit Vandell as well.
Svikbarns
are
one of them, and they
prey on and ambush all. Insects
and other arthropods are not to be underestimated in this region
either. Some of them grow the size of hares or even wheelbarrows! Whereas
the smaller types fulfill the niches of scavengers and little
herbivores, the large and largest species are lethal predators in
their own right. The giftkriger – a
venomous hunting spider the
size of a small handcart – may primarily prey on small animals, but it is
also
a formidable threat to a trezlin. A group of them can even fell a
warrior.
In the waters of the rivers and wetlands, swampsnappers are a serious threat. They love the abundance of wetlands, and they hide in their thickets and dark waters, ambushing unsuspecting prey. sozkul live in Vandell, too, but only on the coast. They dig homes into the steep cliffs, from which they bellow to their fellows. River azkul are not at home in Vandell; they cannot traverse the steep, winding rivers, and the many waterfalls are impassable obstacles to them.
Other notable animals inhabiting Vandell are fewiggs, ringtails, forest gryphons, and sparrowdragons. Notable flora includes the slumbershroom, prickle plant, Skog's gift, and Varhal's flower. All of these named entities are detailed on the global fauna or flora compendium respectively, or their own pages.
Natural Resources
Hunting and trapping are great in Vandell. Much can be
gained by slaying the local fauna – pelts, furred and feathered hides,
feathers, meats, fangs, sinews, and bones. The creatures can even be
carved up for alchemical ingredients. Elementals and dragons are a
particularly great source. Overall, it is possible for entire villages to live off of
hunting alone.
There is plenty to eat in the highland's streams and lakes as well. Fishing and gathering seafood by hand can feed a family the entire year, but it nets few materials; at most sea plant fiber, fish bones and scales, and the shells of mollusks and crabs. One might even find turtles in the warmer places. The expansive wetlands offer much in the way of water- and shore-dwelling protein, at least to those willing to eat insects, frogs, and the like. Off the coast, fishing and aquatic foraging is also a worthwhile activity. Rarely, large sea turtles can be spotted. They are good eating and the large shells can serve as bodies for chests or oddly-shaped barrels.
Where leafy plants can thrive, foraging is very rewarding. It is less bountiful high up in the mountains, although some berries grow even there. Vandell's flora and funga offers plenty to eat in the way of roots, bulbs, leaves, or seeds. Good examples are peas, beans, onions, beets, parsnips, mushrooms (e.g. king bolete, grisette, cauliflower fungus) and cabbages. When times are dire, one might also consume the leaves of plants like the common houseleek, sorrel, nettles, or common mugwort. The selection of fruits includes crabapples, pears, and various berries (e.g., rowan, junipers, strawberries, blaeberries, cloudberries, sloes, elderberries). Most limited is the variety of nuts, including only walnuts, acorns, and hazelnuts. Some of the foodstuff has to be boiled or otherwise processed to become edible. It might be toxic or not palatable otherwise. Useful fibers can be obtained from some of the native plants (e.g., flax, nettles, cotto sedge, and linden).
Alchemical, medicinal, and toxic plants grow in this region as well. Most notable in these three categories are the slumbershroom, Varhal's flower, the prickle plant, and Skog's gift. The last on that list is a capable of storing magical energy and grows all over trezizik wells. More on these named plants can be found in the flora compendium. Many of the local plants, especially flowers, also lend themselves to the production of simple dyes, primarily in the colors green, blue, white, yellow, and red.
Many of the native herbs and spices have culinary purposes as well, even if they cannot compete with the more potent and aromatic ones occurring elsewhere in Threa. Among the native selection are mint, hazelwort, wild garlic (ramsons), chives, meadowsweet, and others. Some originally foreign plant species have managed to establish themselves in Vandell's valleys as neophytes, such as parsley, rosemary, horseradish, and thyme. Merchants brought them, and the Gren and other valley people cultivate them. Pepper will not grow here, but salt can be mined in the mountains.
Vandell is a fertile land with a high variety of native and naturalized crops. Agricultural undertakings have great potential here, although the arable land is hard to work in some places and limited in others because of difficult terrain. Barley, rye, emmer, einkorn,
oats, and spelt can be grown in the river dales in great quantities. Broad beans, peas, lentils, cabbages, parsnips and turnips, and more can be cultivated here as well.
Vegetable and herb gardens are fruitful endeavors. Apple, pear, walnut,
and hazelnut trees are good options for local orchards. The south-facing slopes are suitable for growing grapes that are adapted to cooler temperatures, especially along the southern border of Vandell.
Many of the local fauna can be domesticated. Among the smaller forms of livestock are woolly rabbits, ringtails, ducks, and geese. All of them can be eaten or skinned, but they do offer more than just meat and hides. Whereas the rabbits are also a source of wool, the ducks, ringtails, and geese provide eggs and feathers. Woodstriders – not a native species! – provide labor, transport for wares and people, meat, and scaled hide. The dagger-toothed leaper, fewigg, and sparrowdragon have been tamed as well. The first is employed as bestial guard and hunting companion, the second is great pest control, and the third is used for falconry (in place of the falcons).
Naturally, Vandell is rich in building and crafting materials. Timber is available in ample amounts. Fir wood is good for construction and furniture, and there are plenty of strong oaks, too. Yet, it is the yews that Vandell is known for it. They grow in vast numbers, and the elasticity of their wood make it great for bows, especially longbows.
Quality stone is another strong point of the region. To reach it, one just has to dig through the shallow soil layer, or find an exposed cliff. Most
common are granite and gneiss. Loam and clay,
thanks to the many bodies of water, are in high supply. Gypsum lodes are uncommon. Flint is easier to find; there are a few large deposits of it along the shore, hidden within limestone and chalk, and surface nodes can be found all over the rocky landscape.
Birches are comparatively low in number, but spruces and firs grow in vast quantities across Vandell,
benefiting the gathering of resin and production of pitch and wood tar.
This mitigates the rarity of petroleum seeps in the region. Furthermore,
the numerous wetlands are a great peat source, and there is also
plenty of coal, especially lignite. While there are surface nodes, big seams can be uncovered by digging.
Vandell is an ore-rich land. It has copper ores, tin ores, galena rich in zinc but poor in silver, and iron deposits galore. Dense fields of surface copper ores – located right above rich veins – can be found in the eastern expanses of Vandell, before the foothills begin. An abundant underground tin deposit is located there as well. More motherlodes dot the rest of the mountainous area. Bog iron can be extracted from the many wetlands of Vandell, but iron ore veins are too common as that it would be worth exploiting under most circumstances.
Gems are a rarity, and the steep cliffs make gathering amber a chore. It also does not appear here commonly. Magical crystals are scarce, too, but Skog's gift alleviates that. The zizik-storing fruits of the plant are highly sought after by spellcasters and alchemists alike.
Places of Interest
The Verdant Valley may appear quite monotone in its appearance because of the dense canopy of its seemingly infinite forests, but there are plenty of interesting locations. Each break in the leafy blanket signifies a place of civilization, a trezkul's hunting place, or a scar caused by some natural disaster. These are just the obvious places. If one pokes their head under the blanket, they find wells of power, ruins long since overgrown, and the hidden homes of wolshaks and mighty beasts.
Disclaimer: This is not a complete list. More notable locations might be added in the future as they come up in stories and roleplays. Suggestions are always welcome.
Willful Spire
The Willful Spire is a peak located in the southeastern half of Vandell, less than a hundred miles from the coast. It is surrounded by a lakes many miles wide, which carries no name of its own, being called Willful Spire Lake or simply Willful Lake. The peak does not stand alone; it shares its isle with a second, smaller mountain. As it appears to hide in the shadow of its taller sibling, it was given little consideration in the naming of this place by the Vandellans. They named the place Willful Spire because of its rather lonely position, standing apart from most other mountains of similar size and being separated by a natural moat. Further, it is known to be favored as a home by the strongest, most ancient trezkul in the region (whichever it may be at the time), making it even harder and more dangerous to reach.
Sometimes, dragonslayers and nobles with something to prove set out to reach it and display their mettle. They rarely return, and they have never done so bringing success.
Lookout Rock
Lookout Rock is a steep mountain located in eastern Vandell, off its northern border. It is a lone mountain, standing tall among the rolling foothills of Vandell. It is appreciated by explorers that head north from Vandell or the Verdant Valley, for it offers a great view across the landscape of either region. Aside of that, it is noted for the facts that gryphons like to dwell in its caves and crevices and that hozizik elementals live at its foot, fed by a hozizik well below. Supposedly, this magic source has filled an entire rock cavern with zizik crystals, creating a glittering spectacle, but this may only be rumor.
Settlements
Most of Vandell is sparsely populated, being home only to trezlin tribes, petty realms, savage wolshak packs, and sozlin tribes – the swamp and the coastal sort. The latter lives along the Vandellan shore, but they are few in number; they prefer to live on the Fishers' Isles right ahead of the cliffs. Exclusively the easternmost bit of Vandell is highly civilized, being inhabited by the Gren that fittingly call themselves Vandellans. They have built fortified towns and villages on the mountain flanks and hilltops there. A traveler is never further than a day from a settlement in that part of the highland.
Disclaimer: This is not a complete list. More notable settlements might be added in the future as they come up in stories and roleplays. Suggestions are always welcome.
Artificial Structures
Disclaimer: This is not a complete list. More notable structures might be added in the future as they come up in stories and roleplays. Suggestions are always welcome.