The Palakar Forest & The Town of Macridi (2)
The Palakar Forest
The mighty Palakar Forest spreads across Druma's center, having stoically endured the events of Earthfall and the ensuing dwarven occupation. A variety of fey dwell within the forest, with three distinct courts occupying unofficial subregions naturally carved from the Profit's Flow and Great Goldpan River. Only the Charcoal Wars of the distant Age of Anguish threatened the forest. Signs of the conflict remain visible deep beneath the fertile soil, with charred and burned husks of trees reminding outsiders not to trifle with Palakar's defenders.
The Town of Macridi
The town of Macridi stands at the center of Palakar Forest at the confluence of the Great Goldpan River and Profit's Flow. Long held to be one of the oldest settled regions in Druma, archaeological digs have uncovered the remains of an ancient pre-Earthfall Kellid culture. The modern Macridi settlement is dedicated to three major endeavors: crafts, logging, and trading.
| Demographic | Data |
|---|---|
| Population | 1,200 (1,020 humans, 64 dwarves, 116 others) |
| Government | Autocracy |
| Alignment / Qualities | LN large town; Insular, prosperous, strategic location |
| Notable NPCs | Danum Karland (LN male human expert 2/ranger 4), Pheyess (N male elf sorcerer 5), Sorzmig Koob (CN female gnome rogue 3/sorcerer 1) |
| Base Value / Purchase Limit | 2,800 gp / 15,000 gp |
| Spellcasting | 5th |
The Fey Courts of the Palakar
Beyond the Druman settlement of Macridi are Palakar's three distinct fey courts. Permanent settlements are difficult to sustain due to misunderstandings, leaving mutually agreed-upon logging camps as the only accepted spaces beyond Macridi.
| Fey Court | Ruler / Notable Leader | Primary Dominions | Culture & Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Court of Endless Revelry | Lacks centralized leadership | Scattered bands across eastern Palakar | The satyrs dwell in scattered, ever-moving party bands. Lacking leadership, movements are directed by drunken stumbles. Satyrs occasionally tumble down rivers or foolishly attempt to cross into other fey domains. |
| Court of Seasons | Cyrella (CN female advanced nymph rogue 7) | Southern Palakar glades, rushing water, and sturdy trees | Reclusive but open to negotiations. Presiding mothers from nearly two dozen nymph families meet each season to discuss forest events and scandalous interactions with those who intrude upon southern Palakar. |
| Cedar Court | Ryauhm (NG male advanced dryad druid 9) | Deep northwestern Palakar | Notable home of Palakar's dryad population, structured as a congregation of the oldest dryads' trees. The most reclusive of all the fey courts. |
Outlying Locations & Sites of Interest
The dizzying tall trees of Palakar Forest conceal secrets dating back to Earthfall and before, with several notable landmarks marking its historical landscape.
Reiver's Right
Located on the river bluffs downriver from Macridi, Reiver's Right is a historic logging encampment named after an ancient Macridi Blade warlord. In the town's official archives, the site is infamous for a historical disaster where an entire workforce vanished overnight following severe geological instability and subterranean shifts. Though the camp was eventually reclaimed and put back into service to support over fifty workers, it has recently gone completely quiet once again—its current situation remains entirely unknown to town officials.
Pulgari Estate
Deep within the Palakar Forest stand the ruins of a grand estate built by Bridden Pulgari, an ambitious entrepreneur from Macridi. Known for his grandiose designs and secretive pursuits, Pulgari commissioned the isolated mansion to serve as a private retreat. The estate was abandoned following a catastrophic failure during its construction, leaving behind a crumbling manor that remains a popular subject of local legend.
Desolation Blade Mounds
Rising north of Profit's Flow near the western edge of the forest, these auspicious mounds of hardened clay are ancient archaeological sites belonging to the pre-Earthfall Macridi Blade culture. Explorers and scholars frequently visit the mounds to study the region's early human history, often discovering carved stone markers bearing the ancient symbol of a pale hand and a blackened blade.