Lessevehnes

Most animals of the blue forest strike the traveller as odd, but lessevehnes have made some think they inadvertently landed in the Area. Lessevehnes have incredibly long legs and necks, and flexible antlers, with which they gather fruit, and make noise as well. The water-blue fur is so soft it can barely be felt. Always do they look as if the wind could take them away, and they never run, only walk. Lessevehnes are not hunted, but their antlers are used for a special musical instrument in the blue forest.

"The bard played wonderfully on her instrument, but when we met a living lessevehn weeks later in the forest, and heard what it could do with its antlers - the bard's skill really paled to insignificance."
— Hafjim, traveller

Artists' notes
I painted a creepy giant beast ages ago for a surreal card game, and the basic idea stuck with me until I could make it work for these beasties. It's fun to make animals stick to the general impression of the single coloured forests.

Frullahan

Northern Gdera is where Frullahan lies, between polar Chasland, Elnarland, Dannamar, Omarhan, and small Nalwar, and southern neighbour of cursed Grandrock. Politically, it's unimportant but influential at the same time - there are few alliances and trade partners, but the baseless, twitchy actions of Frullahan puzzle the neighbours frequently and have them take action. A long-dead mage king had led numerous campaigns to conquer surrounding territory, which leads to conflict to this day; since Frullahan makes no gestures of giving back any of it.

"Many have suspected the king sought for the Deep Archive in the expansions, but scouring the conquered lands hasn't turned it up either. Others think the Archive always belonged to the Frulla, and the contents made him take so much land."
— Zounana, historian

The Frulla - the country's largest tribe - are liberal and carefree, but laborious and perfectionistic, and often compared to goldfairies because of it. Their traditional attire supports the assumption that they're not quite right in the head; Frullahanians carelessly throw together colours, adding foreign patterns and accessoires in no apparent order. Typical are the belted long shirt with vertical stripes in various widths, and the jacket with shoulders quilted from triangular pieces.
Frullahan is known among historians and treasure-hunters as the home of the Deep Archive. What it contains is wildly debated and sprung many legends; it is said to be guarded by a fleeter, and while many thieves, robbers, and adventurers have tried to find it, none succeeded.

"Yeah, the capital has been restructured again. We voted on it, but less than half wanted to cover the river, so we built the aqueduct instead and use it for traffic now; but there's already debate if more towers wouldn't be better. With bells."
— Hetcheckran, Frullahanian

Artists' notes
These wonderful countries of which you've hardly ever heard, but that turn out to pretty exciting. With people that barely make sense at first, and secretive rationales to their actions. Frullahan, as so many countries, has more to offer than I admitted to here, so let's see where telling the Genius Loci story takes us.

Golbehls

A golbehl ist a Gderan animal that feels so unloved it's become a proverb. Golbehls are slender, long-legged animals with grey fur and red ears, the markings in the whiskered face make it always look sad. Golbehls quickly approach humans to become friends, but are so easily startled and so emotionally fragile that they just as quickly leave their would-be masters; only to try again with someone else days later. Only in the ninth year of being a pet do golbehls quite suddely evolve into loving, perceptive, and hard-working companions. Then they have unmatched qualities as guards, are smart and quick on the uptake, and can learn surprising tricks. Always do they need much love and appreciation. Golbehls are only kept by few, envied trainers, but many try training a golbehl.
Golbehls live in the lesser green forest and can become fourty years old in the wilderness, and much older in captivity.

"Golbehls are so hard to train it's always a suprise seeing somebody with one, and I've met them as companions of people from adolescents to elders and soldiers to housekeepers. Even the romantic raganaj have no advantage in training them; but a surprising amount of brownforesters are accompanied by golbehls."
— Kihpabe, traveller

Artists' notes
I've been typing 'til my fingers bled inventing animals and plants for all regions lately, and now it's high time to sketch some and make them public. Simple sketches will have to do for many, however.

The Waters of Lurekin

The Waters of Lurekin are an assembly of waterfalls, ponds, and rivers in Gderet. The delta is beautiful on its own, but the waters are also a place of power with some fame in the region. Numerous old battlefields in the vicinity mean lots of spirit collectors, who come here to cleanse themselves of the spirits trapped within them. Also, fleeters seem to have a liking for the spot and can often be met in and around the waters.

"By all rights the Waters should be within Nalsiir's borders. It's unfair they put down their oversized weight to rob us of our rights to possess such an important place. One day they'll learn they can't treat us this way."
— Bakaada Tsureen, Nalsiirian

The waters are a famous place to make the voiceless into speakers, granting formerly ordinary people the power to cast spells by channeling the Fifth Power. There is also a fairly large hall of voices here that manages to remain almost entirely invisible to the visitors unless actively sought, even if the place is teeming with listeners who also accompany the visitors to dangerous tasks if necessary.

"Lurekin is a fascinating name. It's the name of a nearby city that now lies in ruins; three speakers of the name are known, but only two came through here; finally, there's an artifact called Lurekin's cap, which isn't a hat at all."
— Ma'apik, historian

Artists' notes
That mages aren't only born but can also be made is one of my most important decisions about Genius Loci, I think. It's also nice for the artistic side because, naturally, places where such a change can be accomplished will be mysterious, legendary, remarkable in many ways and therefore, fun to paint.

Art on deviantArt: Repaints, Nightly Traveller, Red Forest

I have recreated or rather expanded some older works for Genius Loci: the Yellow Forest Borderlands, Fog in the Ryaq, and the Salt Flats. Now they're much more grand and therefore closer to what I had wanted them to be. The Nightly Traveller from a recent blog post was also published on deviantArt, and finally, there's another landscape piece of the red forest.

Suras

Of the greater predators in the great green forest of Gdera, suras are probably the largest - animals that are bigger still usually are herbivores. Suras are six meters long without the tail, and have a powerful jaw. Their thick, saggy, blue-grey skin has a small mane of greenish brown fur. Hunting sura is dangerous and needs well-trained surabans to accompany the hunters; but several parts are considered delicacies, and the skin is a great trophy.
Suras are perfectly aware of their place at the top of the food chain, and are often impolite to travellers by striding into camps, taking food and scaring pets. But, suras will not usually openly seek trouble, and the greatforesters have taken to wearing sura bells; small bundles of bells worn at the ankle, to announce themselves to the predators and make them take a different route. Suras are true to their homeland and easy to expect.

"Our nearest neighbours exiled their head hunter last year. It turned out that she had not, as she claimed, hunted and killed the sura alone, whose skin she wore; but that she had bought it from nomad traders. Sentries say she made a hut up on the fallen sky fig; we tell the children to stay away from her."
— Haamhile, Greatforester

Artists' notes
Suras aren't even that important (but how can any animal be, when there are so many), they are mostly the reason for a local custom of wearing bells to make suras go elsewhere. I do believe however, that some animals will quickly learn that bells in the forest mean food, toys, and easy prey. And the choice between meeting a sura, and being pestered by nureewings may just go the way of not wearing bells; at least suras don't attack without provocation.

Burrmo

The burrmo are large predators of the Great Forest in Gdera. They are about three meters long, with a plushy tail, long head, and dirty-looking greenish fur. Burrmo are man-eaters - literally, in a group of people, they'll go for the humans first. Otherwise they hunt appropriately large quarry. The burrmos' ferocity is infamous, and being allowed to wear any part of them is an honour; most wanted are the thick fur and hide, claws, and teeth. Several body parts make a festive dish for hunters. Only skilled and extremely shrewd hunters will get a burrmo, however.

"Korr the mage invented burrmo-steel, that is all but indestructible. Entirely appropriate, but the good joke didn't bring my arm back."
— Kalvemar, hunter

Burrmos have been long known for stealing children from humans and other species, and also other animals. Rrani, gubras, even pervons have been seen hunting alongside them and obvioulsy been part of the pack. The best known abductees are the burrmo princes Darous and Darem, elven twins that have been their spokesmen for years, and are taken as bad omens by travellers these days. The actual lord or lady of the burrmo are not publicly known.

"They dropped down from the branches, struck down everyone but the humans, ate the iunas, and fled with their victims. Nine days later two of them emerged from the forest again. They never said how the got away from the burrmos, but they had been given provisions and pointed the way. I later heard they left the Forest for good."
— Ninkang, Greatforester

Artists' notes
I love inventing animals, and burrmo are among my current favourites, from their spelling to the abduction habit, but sketching them was hard. This is often the case for especially my critters since there are so many possibilites and my descriptions usually come first; but writing and drawing work differently, and sometimes I describe things that are really hard to get across visually.

Council City Clom Vah

"The discrepancy between the rough cliffs and the friendly citizens, the bright port and light-dappled city, the carelessness and involvement of Clom Vah is nothing short of puzzling, and amazing."
— Lerronor Stronghand, traveller

Clom Vah is the council city of Gdera. All Gderan states and peoples send emmissaries here for talk, trade, and dispute. It lies at the bend of the Mahal Bay on the east coast, atop a sheer cliff, and is built into the gigantic trees of the Great Green forest, the boroughs connected with hanging bridges, high streets, passenger birds, or even sailgliders. Its only competition in importance is mighty Gderet's capital Etnaprishta.
Most famous is the Clomvahian voice hall, the largest there is, roofless and housing the sitting dryads' statues, as well as a large number of voices, and a veritable army of listeners.

"There's no point in denying one's own fault, and stupidity and pride along with it. Better, and wiser, to admit, and fix, and no tears will have to be shed."
— Gderan saying

The Clomvahians dress in vividly coloured chestcloth and hip-wrap, and what skin shows is bedecked with large jewelry and graphical shapes of paint. They are, as most Gderans, happy to share living space, and Clom Vah's streets are bustling with animals. Clomvahians embrace the new, are optimistic to a fault, very forthcoming, outspoken, and open-hearted. Some visitors are irritated by this, but the chance of meeting an actual Clomvahian amidst all the travellers is only one in three.


Artists' notes
I remembered adventure novels of my childhood, describing the foreign ways of exotic peoples, and wanted some of that to be mirrored in Clom Vah's culture - almost radical, but suitable to their environment; certainly strange, but relatable; and smart, even noble, once understood. The idea for the traditional dress came from the elven race sheet. I recently developed institutions of Clom Vah which will be introduced later, like the Mage's School.

Sabiré's Wall

Glaspia, a southern Gderan country, spent centuries pushing its border northwards. Its neighbours might have objected, if it hadn't been for the wall of Sabiré, growing in Glaspia's hinterlands for almost three millenia. During a speaker war in 3602EL, the spell relic was caused, and the wall that rose due to it didn't stop growing until two centuries ago. It is only a few hundred meters wide, but now over four thousand meters high and several hundred kilometers long. It influences local weather significantly and has created drylands on its western side.

"Ah, the mages around here never let you hear the end of it. A wizard appears, and they start whispering there's going to be another wall, as soon as we cast a spell. It might be interesting to the voiceless that most civilized regions were disrupted by mages' spell relics, not wizards'."
— Emketju, wizard

As all landmarks of importance, Sabirè's Height, as the wall is also called, is inhabited by a nature spirit. Ednini is very tall, and strange. He has not been at the wall for long, but his presence has caused local plantlife to improve greatly. Unlike other spirits, Ednini speaks a lot, is easily upset, and wants company. But since most people think the wall to be cursed, scary, or uncomfortable, he has little of it and jealously guards what few people he has.

"I almost pitied him, being so alone, if he hadn't been so creepy. There are almost no mid-sized spirits around the wall, only Ednini and the tiny ones in the plants he helps growing, and in some rocks. Maybe spirits, too, go mad when left alone?"
— Wenemmes, traveller

Artists' notes
This is one of those places where the things you hear about it are almost all wrong, over the top or way too harmless, and most things you can't learn at all. Nature spirits had personalities before, but with Ednini I discovered they could be influenced by supernatural affairs as well. 

Art on deviantArt: Gubra and the Great forest caravan

Two new artworks are now published on deviantArt with new quotes: A concept of the gubra, and a caravan trekking through the mid-level of the Great Green forest. Both have their own articles in the blog as well, which the gubras share with their Lord Gahatenge, while the forest has more room to itself.

The Stairs of Grandrock

Gdera's northernmost country Grandrock is hard to reach because of its position high up its plateau, a series of cliffs and steep rocks making up its southern border, encompassing the entire land. This is not natural, however. Long ago, a placespirit - whose reason for existence is wildly debated - caused the plateau to rise, effectively cutting off Grandrock from the southern lands. Ages later, another placespirit enslaved anyone nearby to erect an elephantine staircase up the sheer cliffs. When the stairs were done, the remaining workers threw themselves off the cliff. Needless to say, the natives dislike the cliffs very much and won't even lead their flocks near it. To the unaware traveller though, the stairs are a blessing; their rise is perfect, and there are even niches to rest in on the long way up.

"Yes, we're safe from invasion. We were safe from Frullahan's insane expansions. Nobody enters the lands unnoticed, the cliffs are all but impossible to climb. As captain of the guard, I praise the stairs. As a being with a heart, I despise its memory."
— Quarin Tolmor, the queen's guard

The plateau is the most widespread relic known to remain of a placespirit, whose powers are normally restricted to their direct domain, which can still be very large, but not usually along an entire country's border. This has given rise to the belief the spirit was the result of a speaker exhausting herself to death with a spell, although there's no proof of that.
If the staircase itself is cursed is debated as well. There is an unusual amount of dead spirits around and on it, and the majority of those who die here become spirits. The Grandrockers take no chances and, while money doesn't stink, they much prefer traders arriving by boat or by Area over those that took the stairs.

"We have no friends. Our neighbours are scared, travellers are few, allies are too hard to reach because of the plateau. I hear some pity us, but they don't call either. We are quite alone."
— Penaka Ultor, citizen

Artists' notes
Every decent fantasy setting needs some monumental landmarks, doesn't it? There are a few in Genius Loci, but the stairs are among the useful ones, which I discovered while telling their story is worse to the natives than an entirely useless one. It's like employing knowledge gained through torture - you can't ignore it, but you feel dirty using it.

The Broken Jaw Rocks

Deep in the yellow forest lie the Broken Jaw Rocks. They are a large, roughly circularly arranged mass of sharply jagged rocks, in a swamp whose permanent mist enhances the mysterious atmosphere, making the entire region unusually inhospitable for the yellow forest. Many researchers tried to learn what might be inside the rocks, but none have succeeded so far - although some claim it, and others have gone insane, building up a legend of the rocks possibly being cursed, or inhabited by unspeakable things.

"The stone isn't from the region, the mist makes it impossible to peek in, there are inscriptions but only half can be reached. The Broken Jaw Rocks are surely among the most frustrating sites there are."
— Mehanid Kopahr, mage

The mage Ralgonkin Lair and his guide have been lost in the rocks many years ago; recently, Ralgonkin was found some distance away, babbling incoherently, and so far has not been able to explain where he was.
Clues have been found that skirmishes of the war against Sii-uri Darkheart have taken place here, most apparent by the inscriptions on the rocks themselves by those who dared venture close. Gold fairies have hinted at the rocks being encircled by protective marks, although it seems unlikely that a circle of such magnitude would have been forgotten, and evidence has yet to be found.

"Seritamifah, who is a friend to fleeters, asked one to go into the rocks, but he refused. She returned from him puzzled and frightened - apparently he gave a reason, but she never said which."
— Prasimur Ohalmar, traveller

Artists' notes
One of those places that came from a painting. It became more mysterious and finally almost hostile as I watched and built it, until finally, it became a taboo place that only the most daring adventurers will go into. That's okay.

Art on deviantArt: The White Night

A new piece of art can be found on deviantArt, showing the white forest: The White Night.
You can also find out more about the white forest here in the blog, here: http://starmakersgaze.blogspot.de/2013/11/the-white-forest.html

The fairy's remark

A short flavour text I wrote, in English (top) and German (below).

English:

[...]
"It is also unknown if it produces the pigment itself, or if it gets it from the host. We have no idea what makes this plant tick", she sighed.
"Fantastic", smiled Sagronn. Mirsruun raised her eyebrows inquiringly.
"I thought mages tried to learn everything about the world? Is it not frustrating to encounter so many unexplored things?"
"Not in the slightest. You see, we are convinced that one day we will know everything. And until then, it's simply a lot of fun to learn it all."
Mirsruun smiled, too. In the next hallway, she pointed at a door with a stained-glass window.
"And here the workshop."
The "workshop" was a lavishly furnished greenhouse with a glass roof, filled with well-stocked shelves; at night, hanging mushroom pots would provide light. Pots, tubs, bowls, and basins housed aromatic plants, insects and tiny nature spirits fluttered through wafts of mists. Each piece of furniture was wonderfully adorned with enamel and inlays. Sagronn often had to remind himself that it was perfectly normal for yellowforesters to live as elsewhere kings resided, and put his bag down on the generously decorated desk, while he tried not to gawk too stupidly - he saw six hundred and fourteen different kinds of plants. Then he spotted the pots with the new flower.
He instantly noticed the differences to the plants Mirsruun had suggested comparisons with. The venation was more regular, the pistils were shaped completely different, the petals two thirds heavier, and the stems at least two millimeters thicker.
Mirsruun waited for a moment besides the door of her messy workshop. The mage stared first around the room, then at the pots, apparently forgot about the world, pulled out notepaper and began schematizing it. With somnambulic sureness he drew up a stool with his foot and blindly reached for a scooper. She smiled again and left the room - she doubted he would have heard her, had she explained mealtimes to him.

Sagronn was just describing the average length of the anthers when he ran out of paper. Holding two tiny scoopers, he rummaged around in his bag and found nothing.
"Second drawer from the bottom", a high-pitched voice startled him out of his phrasing. He looked up and found himself eye to eye with a lurking gold fairy. He froze a moment, then slowly put the scoopers back into their accustomed holders. The goldfairy watched and nodded, satisfied.
"Sagronn", Sagronn introduced himself a little more relaxed, "Lair. I am here to inspect the new species." He pointed to the pots, next to which the goldfairy had settled itself cross-legged. He had little experience with goldfairies. This one had painted its legs with a raganaj pattern of fourteen stripes and wore the same clothes as the other employees, except the back was cut low for the wings. It was sixty-three centimeters tall, had a wingspan of sixty-seven centimeters, eleven large feathers on the head - which meant male - and weighed, without clothing, four thousand three hundred and twelve grams.
"Driinan of the Racalla", the fairy said and impatiently waved away a bumblebee. "Second from the bottom. Is it a gaskan?"
Sagronn blinked. In the drawer was a glass box with fifty-six sheets of dry paper, from which he picked up nine.
"No. I think it is either a wild form of the salbreela or a new species. I will have to distill them to say for certain."
"Not this one", Driinan nodded towards the largest, which meanwhile had attracted an almost hand-sized spirit, that was putting on a wobbly race with two bumblebees in the pot's coaster.
"One of the smaller", Sagronn agreed. "Is there an apothecary where I can distill?"
"There is the scentmaster's workshop", Driinan explained while he reached for a sheet of paper. Sagronn had put it aside after a speeding bug had landed in the wet ink.
"It has all the tools. A scentless room as well. There are even clothing hooks - just like here, by the way." He pointed at the hooks, then Sagronn's jacket on the stool. While Sagronn put it up, Driinan's long hands folded the paper into a slim, knife-like shape. Sagronn interestedly observed his precision and strength - four folds were no problem to the fairy's thin arms, and he was only four degrees off the perfect angle. When the foldwork was done, Driinan looked up sharply and pointed towards the door.
"Right, second left, blue door. How are you related to Ralgonkin?"
Sagronn blinked again. Ralgonkin Lair was a famous mage of his tribe and had went missing in the Broken Jaw Rocks here in Racallahan. He called up his family tree before his inner eye.
"My great aunt's husband is his cousin. Do you know him?"
"I know his guide. An untidy fellow. I am not astonished that they never reemerged, and the rocks are circled for good reason."
Then he stood up smoothly, jumped off the desk's ledge and returned to the greenhouse's mists from whence he had come. His takeoff had not moved a single paper on the table. Sagronn could not ask his question: It took nine days to hike around the Broken Jaw Rocks. Protective circles of that size could be counted on both hands. Was it broken, or was it still intact?

Deutsch:

[...]
"Es ist ebenso unbekannt, ob sie diesen Farbstoff selbst herstellen oder ihn von der Wirtspflanze aufnehmen. Wir haben keine Ahnung wie diese Pflanze tickt", seufzte sie.
"Fantastisch", lächelte Sagronn. Mirsruun zog fragend die Augenbrauen hoch.
"Ich dachte Magier versuchten alles über die Welt zu lernen? Muß es nicht frustrierend sein auf so vieles zu stoßen was ihr nicht kennt?"
"Nicht im Geringsten. Schau - wir sind überzeugt, dass wir eines Tages alles wissen werden. Und bis dahin ist es einfach ein großer Spaß all diese Dinge zu lernen."
Auch Mirsruun lächelte. Im nächsten Gang wies sie auf eine Tür mit farbigem Glasfenster.
"Und hier die Werkstatt."
Die "Werkstatt" war ein reich eingerichtetes Treibhaus mit gläsernem Dach, voller wohlgefüllter Regale; nachts dienten Pilzampeln zur Beleuchtung. Kübel, Becken, Kästen und Töpfe beherbergten die duftenden Pflanzen, durch die Nebelschwaden gaukelten Insekten und winzige Naturgeister. Jedes Möbel war wunderbar mit Lack und Intarsien geschmückt. Sagronn mußte sich oft daran erinnern, dass es für Gelbwälder völlig normal war zu wohnen wie anderswo Könige residierten, und legte seine Arbeitstasche auf dem großzügig mit Einlegarbeiten verzierten Schreibtisch ab, während er sich bemühte die Pracht nicht allzu glotzäugig zu bestaunen - er sah sechshundertvierzehn unterschiedliche Pflanzenarten. Dann entdeckte er die Töpfe mit der neuen Blume.
Ihm fielen sofort die Unterschiede zwischen den Arten auf mit denen Mirsruun ihm Vergleiche vorgeschlagen hatte. Die Äderung war gleichmäßiger, die Stempel völlig anders geformt, die Blütenblätter um zwei Drittel schwerer, die Stengel wenigstens zwei Millimeter dicker.
Mirsruun wartete einen Moment neben der Tür ihres unaufgeräumten Treibhauses. Der Magier starrte erst den Raum, dann die Töpfe an, zog sofort weltvergessen Notizpapier hervor und begann sie zu schematisieren. Mit schlafwandlerischer Sicherheit zog er mit dem Fuß einen Hocker heran und griff blind nach einem Schäufelchen. Sie lächelte wieder und verließ den Raum - sie bezweifelte dass er sie gehört hätte wenn sie ihm die Essenszeiten erklärt hätte.

Sagronn beschrieb gerade die durchschnittliche Länge der Staubbeutel als ihm das Papier ausging. Er wühlte mit zwei winzigen Schäufelchen in der Hand in der Tasche nach und fand nichts.
"Zweite Schublade von unten", schreckte ihn eine hohe Stimme aus seinen Formulierungen. Er blickte auf und fand sich Auge in Auge mit einer lauernden Goldfee. Sagronn erstarrte einen Moment und steckte dann langsam die Schäufelchen in ihre angestammten Behälter am Tischrand. Die Goldfee sah es und nickte zufrieden.
"Sagronn", stellte sich Sagronn etwas entspannter vor, "Lair. Ich bin hier um die neue Art zu untersuchen." Er deutete auf die Töpfe, neben denen die Goldfee sich im Schneidersitz niedergelassen hatte. Er hatte wenig Erfahrung mit Goldfeen. Diese hatte sich die Beine mit einem vierzehnstreifigen Raganajmuster bemalt und trug die gleiche Kleidung wie die anderen Angestellten, aber im Rücken weit um die Flügel ausgeschnitten. Sie war dreiundsechzig Zentimeter groß, hatte eine Flügelspannweite von siebenundsechzig Zentimetern, elf große Federn am Kopf - das bedeutete männlich - und wog ohne Kleidung viertausenddreihundertzwölf Gramm.
"Driinan von den Racalla", antwortete der Feener und wedelte ungeduldig eine Hummel weg. "Zweite von unten. Ist es eine Gaskane?"
Sagronn blinzelte. In der Schublade lagen in einem Glaskasten sechsundfünfzig Blatt trockenes Papier, von denen er neun herausgriff.
"Nein. Ich denke dass es sich entweder um eine eine Wildform der Salbrile handelt oder um eine neue Art. Ich muß sie destillieren um es sicher sagen zu können."
"Nicht diese", nickte Driinan zur größten, die mittlerweile einen fast handlangen Geist angelockt hatte, der sich ein taumeliges Wettrennen mit zwei Hummeln lieferte; als Rennstrecke diente der Topfuntersetzer.
"Eine der kleineren," stimmte Sagronn zu. "Gibt es eine Apotheke zum Destillieren?"
"Es gibt die Werkstatt des Duftmeisters", erklärte Driinan während er ein Blatt Papier heran angelte. Sagronn hatte es beiseite gelegt nachdem ein Käfer schwungvoll in der feuchten Tusche gelandet war. "Dort gibt es alle Werkzeuge. Auch einen duftlosen Raum. Und sogar Kleiderhaken - wie hier übrigens auch." Er zeigte erst darauf und dann auf Sagronns Jacke auf dem Hocker. Während Sagronn sie aufhängte, falteten Driinans lange Hände das Papier in eine schmale Form ähnlich einem Messer. Sagronn beobachtete interessiert die Genauigkeit und Kraft - vier Faltungen waren kein Problem für die dünnen Arme des Feener und er lag nur vier Grad neben dem perfekten Winkel. Als das Faltwerk fertig war, blickte Driinan scharf auf und zeigte zur Tür.
"Rechts, zweiter Gang links, blaue Tür. Wie bist du mit Ralgonkin verwandt?"
Wieder blinzelte Sagronn. Ralgonkin Lair war ein berühmter Magier seines Stamms und hier in Racallahan in den Gebrochener-Kiefer-Felsen verschollen gegangen. Er rief sich seinen Stammbaum vor's innere Auge.
"Der Gatte meiner Großtante ist sein Vetter. Kennst du ihn?"
"Ich kenne seinen Führer. Ein unordentlicher Kerl. Ich wundere mich nicht dass die beiden nie wieder aufgetaucht sind, und die Felsen liegen aus gutem Grund in einem Kreis."
Dann erhob er sich geschmeidig, sprang von der Tischkante hoch und flog zurück in die undurchdringlichen Nebelschwaden des Treibhauses, aus denen er gekommen war. Der Abflug hatte kein einziges Papier auf dem Tisch verrückt. Sagronn konnte seine Frage nicht mehr aussprechen: Die Gebrochener-Kiefer-Felsen waren neun Tage lang zu umrunden. Schutzkreise solcher Größe waren an den Händen abzuzählen. War er gebrochen oder noch wirksam?

The Lower Green forest

Mostly called the Lower forest, this is the most "average" forest of Gdera. However, when called "the forest with no tricks" by outlanders, the natives laugh. The Lower forest is infamous with its inhabitants for its cunning beasts, fast overgrowth, and devious predators. No other forest is as skilled in illusionary art; abandoned settlements are quickly covered up, and so, many secrets lie beneath the thick blanket of moss. The Lower forest isn't picky about climate and is the first to reclaim devastated lands, and holds the soil the best. Minerals colour the wood of many tree species, which sell well and sometimes name the country, like Whitewood.

"When Gal was founded, they found ruins in the building sites. When digging deeper, there were layers of them; eventually an elder mapmaker discovered there had been five villages on the same spot before. Why they were abandoned, nobody knows. Or if."
— Nirr Molgenkan, villager

The natives take pride in being generalists - they may not be as specialised as other forests' inhabitants, but they know something of everything. The many changes throughout the year encourage adaptability and cunning; the natives are admired teachers and engineers, and feared generals and politicians.

"That a nureewing should be smarter than a person is only funny until one distracts you, while a gang of perwons steals your foodpack and you find them sharing the loot in the trees."
— Hrenno, traveller

Artists' notes
Wow, an actually nice forest - how did I ever come up with this one. Animals here are much closer to what we know. No plants eat you, there's nowhere to fall to your death. Like the European or Native American forest of the legend age, anything can happen in here and no-one will be the wiser; you go around a hill and vanish. There might even be an affinity towards the Area...
With this, all types of forest on Gdera have been described.

The Great Green forest

Commonly abbreviated the Great forest, it grows in tropical climates. Everything's bigger: trees grow hundreds of meters high, animals are the size of ships, birds carry wagonloads of passengers, cities fit on a single treebranch. While not generally hostile, the forest is ignorant towards its inhabitants, and some predators even hunt people. The tallest trees are kilometers apart and a cosmos in themselves. Many legends are shrouded in the misty depths of the Great forest; some of the biggest trees even have counterparts in the Area.

"The outlanders squeaked at the sight of the burrmos, and called us wild when they saw how we got rid of them. I wonder what they would call the darkdwellers down below, who we call wild."
— Erj Ilisess, Great forest hunter

Life resembles that on islands. Anything the Great forest's inhabitants need is on their own tree, and one tree can house several tribes or settlements, and many animal herds; navigating unfamiliar heights is difficult. Travel is all but impossible on the ground  - if it can be found in the first place - and is instead done on high roads, built on stalks, or with climbing mounts. The peoples are hardy, used to unchangeable surroundings, and look down on soft outsiders; due to animal dangers, even city dwellers can handle weapons. Clothes are thin but strong and decorated with prestigious jewelry.

"From the topmost branches, you can see the dryad tree standing out red-leafed against the green forest. Many tried, but no-one ever found it. Or maybe they have and the dryad spoke to them - but that can't be, they returned safely, after all."
— To-pile-mok, gderan merchant

Artists' notes
I've done more illustrations showing the Great forest than the others - this is the secondmost widespread forest next to the Lower Green. I look forward to inventing gigantic animals; riding insects, snakes the size of trains and so forth (even if there seems to be some kind of contest going on in fantasy media who dares use the biggest trees). And some of the most civilized parts of Gdera are here, like Clom Vah or Gderet.

The Red forest

The Red forest is considered the most dangerous of all of Gdera's woods. The Red is poisonous; its plants, animals, even the soil can be lethal. The traveller can be killed by eating, sniffing, or touching the fleshy plants, by being pricked or cut, sleeping under or leaning against them, being eaten or overgrown, and countless other ways. Many animals are venomous as well. Since the dosage makes the poison, the Red forest offers a plethora of medicinal substances that are used all over the world. Among the most known plants are the widely planted meereh tree ("Miere", bright red, tasty fruits on a poisonous tree), and the infamous woundberry.

"Grandmother died of a ral leaf's prick, father from fassalia pollen, my husband of hegitio bark, my eldest child from kabi thorns. For all my knowledge, the poisons are as devious and elusive as master assassins."
— Gewron, apothecary

Its few inhabitants are nomadic, and the Red forest is avoided by travellers when they can. Clothing is more protective than pretty and mostly leather. The natives are always wary and overly careful, often grumpy because of their hard lives, but appreciative of the Red's lethal beauty. Because of high children's mortality rates, mothers are often sent outside the forest.

"We never know whether to encourage or forbid research in the Red forest. Cures for the foulest diseases have been found, but the question always is, will the forest kill the mage before she pries some secret from its poisonous grip?"
— Bouve, mage

Artists' notes
The most alien forest even before the White, the Red offers storytelling opportunities somewhere between hot wire games and tribes with poison arrows. Fantasy classically features lots of strange forests, and this one is hell become wood, with much inspiration from the Sierra Madre. I imagine Red forest scenes as brightly lit, but claustrophobic, like post-apocalyptic movies.

The Blue forest

The Blue forest grows tall but fragile plants, wispy and thin, held up by infinitely fine leaves, gaseous bladders, or grass-like built. Most of the fauna flies or floats; even if the sunbathed ground is covered with nutritious plants, most animals stay in the air. The blue forest grows on sandy grounds, on steep cliffs and rocks, and is easy to travel since even tree-sized plants are light enough to be pushed aside. Most spectacular: the air is lighter, they say, and indeed flying is far easier here than anywhere else, and floating down cliffs is possible with simplest devices. It's quieter here than usually in forests, because most animals do not speak in a way audible to people.

"Sometimes the forest is called the blue hole - it seems people going in don't come out again. Once you've felt its calm, you'll understand why leaving the Blue Forest isn't tempting at all."
— Shiteng, blue forest guide

The inhabitants are quiet and meditative. Flying is a popular sport, and clothes reflect this; voluminous sleeves, short capes and baggy coveralls, especially in childrens' clothing, are used to travel quickly. The Blue forest's wealth comes from medicinal exports and building materials famous for their lightness, notably the wood for dustships. Like in the Yellow wood, people are interested in aesthetics, but keep things simple.

"Me love the Blue. Sand float, plants float, me float - I am part o' everythin'. Me feels very important there. Me likes."
— Mimiparo, bug fairy

Artists' notes
As so often, much of my inspiration comes from films. One of the most important here is the chase scene from Crouching Tiger, hidden Dragon in the bamboo forest, which has all the mood I want in the Blue forest. It has a very "asian" flair to it, with dreamy, quiet landscapes, serene dwellers, and calm movements. Must be quite a shock to be jumped on by a predator here.

The White forest

"Night scares us outside the White. Black shadows and lightless skies are unknown to us. We much prefer the White Night - one can see into one's mind much easier."
— Uomiqa, villager

The pale fungi plantlife names the White forest. It grows in tropical regions; tree-sized fungi shadow the ground, bundles of mushroom stems take the bushes' place, but there are some regular plants as well. Many people consider the White forest boring - the inhabitants agree, and love it. There are no dangerous animals or plants, few natural dangers, and the soft, squishy flora prevents most accidents. Finding food in the largely indigestible plantlife is tricky, however. Life in the white forest is slow and soft, and comes to bloom after dusk; the many-coloured glow of plants and animals hold night at bay.

"The rumours about the White night seem true - the inhabitants can apparently read thoughts. Whether this has the same source as the Gderan shimmer or another is unclear. As is the shimmer's source."
— Mage Ralvirr Jix, in a lecture

The people of the White forest are both playful and deep-thinking. They greet change but do not seek it, as they say. Clothing is wide and practical in pale colours, feet bare. Settlements are easy to transport and light-weight and put on the forest's middle floor. They are mostly left alone by the world, and most denizens are human living their vegetarian diet.

Artists' notes
My biggest influence for the mushroom forest was "Nausicaa of the Valey of the Winds", particularly since the film showed many types of fungi instead of the classic champignon shape; I was equally impressed by the fantastic vistas of Avatar. Shroom forests are somehow associated with playful surrealism and Alice in Wonderland fantasy stories, but the White forest is fairly normal (though trickier to paint, since I can't hide everything in foliage).

The Yellow forest

"The apothecary gestured towards a shelf holding countless bottles, some labeled "solvent" or "for lung tightness", but most as perfumes; "perfume, relaxing", "perfume, agitating", "perfume/sleep agent" and so forth, all made up exquisitely in coloured flasks with beautiful labels."
— Tel-regach Khul, "A bottle of assassination", chapter 3

With its myriads of scented blossoms all year long, the Yellow forest is considered the most beautiful forest of Gdera. The export of scents has made the lands prosperous, with much time for art and education. Smells can present a danger on journeys; some are narcotising, others poisonous, bad for breathing, seeing, or thinking. The entire forest seems like a garden, even plantations look like parks. The animals partake in the olfactory symphony. The Yellow forest grows in the temperate and subtropical regions; some plants grow blossoms instead of leaves, most bloom several times a year.

"I have to hurry to finish my dress for the lights festival. I only got the one for the two moons day done in time, and there are still those for the day of four seasons, west holiday, and the Parashinan nights to sew. I wish I'd earn better so I could have some really fancy dresses."
— Moruk, yellow forest boatsman

The Yellow forest inhabitants are vivacious and open-minded and care much for aesthetics. Their clothing is rich, varied, and playful, and include breathing masks against dangerous smells. Poetry is an admired art, and Nuralks poems are widely known and cited. Buildings are open to the wind and its scents, and life happens mostly outdoors.

Artists' notes
The Yellow forest always looks like autumn, which I love like all painters. I look forward to painting the pronounced aesthetics of the people and landscape. The Yellow forest is perhaps the place in Genius Loci where my style definition of "elven orientalism" comes out the most. Stories taking place here will be more about politics and such than natural disasters, and odd effects on people caused by weather.