LOTHDEW | The Jungle of Life

Introduction

Lothdew is a dense hilly jungle with a wide diversity of life in its sustainable ecosystem. Many have attempted to inhabit the Jungle of Life - Lothdew is littered with ancient ruins of ancient temples from civilizations that used to live there. At the present, the human inhabitants of Lothdew are mostly tribal men, scattered in groups across the large area.

Forest Entry

Gyhenz transitions into Lothdew via a region known as the Flaming Forest - a seldom-seen natural coexistence of Ignis and Natura. Flora here are adapted to the mighty heat of the Gyhenz sun and the tremendous fires of the Gyhenz sandstorms - meaning that they are largely fireproof. This unique trait of flora in the Flaming Forest has made them very valuable in crafting fire-resistant clothing without magical enchantment. The main pathway from Gyhenz through Lothdew is known as the Lothdew Highway. This pathway is an age-old one, used through the years by traders travelling the lands to exchange goods. It meanders around Lothdew to visit the different civilizations.

Lovelorn Basin

The Lovelorn basin is a small, quaint area which splits the path off into a few forks. The first fork leads a tunnel that extends to the mountains of Tangleberry and Slytherstorm in the Domain of Ophiuchus, which enclose the Temple of Life.

Domain of Ophiuchus

Here lives the Serpent Tribe - snakemen, or Naga, who have studied the constellations of the world and gained insight into the origins of life through their observations. They have become well-versed with Healing Magic due to their heightened experience with lifeforms.

The Temple of Life

The Temple of Life is a large circular structure embedded in the ground far below sea level. A large clearing in the center displays the symbol of Ophiuchus the Snake Bearer, and around the center, twelve divided sectors each have a carving of a zodiac symbol: Aries, Taurus, Geminim Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. The inhabitants of this domain believed that the constellation of Ophiuchus could bring them peace and power, and therefore worshiped it.

Levidale Basin

The Levidale basin is the largest basin in Lothdew and is surrounded by Sytherstorm Mountains, Pixiepan Mountains and the Lothdew Highlands.

Levidale City

Levidale City is the capital of Lothdew. This is the largest and most advanced city in Lothdew, boasting trading complexes and large buildings that house the many members of the Levidale Tribe. Delicate magical systems and infrastructure have been put into place for each resident to best understand the synergy between Natura and Lux - the form of magic which the Levidale Tribe prides itself in. This particular combination of Magic catalyzes growth, which helps immensely in generating revenue through agricultural exports.

The Five Temples of Lothdew

Levidale also contains most of the temple ruins from the past, although most of them have been untouched for millennia. They contain some of the world's mysteries kept from the first ages, but everyone avoids the temples in fear of angering the ancient entities which inhabit them.

Pixiepan Mountains

Pixiepan is a rather large, but disorganized civilization formed by the Woodsprite Tribe. They are known as Tree-Whisperers, for they draw their Magic from the trees themselves. Different tree species have different personalities and powers - all harnessed by the Woodsprites in enchantment, spellcasting and brewing. However, Pixiepan is rather secluded due to the only entrance being from the Blighted Caves.

The Blighted Caves

The Blighted Caves are a vast system of tunnels connecting certain Lothdew regions to each other. However, several thousand years ago, a lethal parasite invaded the plantlife in Lothdew. While the parasite was eventually defeated at the surface level, it was discovered that it thrives in the darkness. Plants infected by the parasite developed the uncanny ability to grow in the darkness and sometimes produce light themselves. These infected plants are incredibly strong, eating through stones and rocks with ease and encapsulating the entire cavern. While beautiful to gaze at, many of these plants are poisonous, which makes travelling through the Blighted Caves a risk.

Floralight

The Blighted Caves lead to a subterranean biome known as the Ethereal Forest, where luminous fungi thrive and magical flowers blossom. This is the intersection between three regions of Lothdew, which has been mutually agreed upon by all the tribes to remain uninhabited lest the magic of the flora diminish.

Blightfall

One of the forks from the Ethereal Forest leads to Blightfall, a large branch of the Blighted Caves where the Vinelash Tribe has decided to settle down in order to study the deadly nature of the parasites. Through risky and painful experimentation, the Vinelash Tribe has the best understanding of the intricacies of linking the elements Natura and Tenebrae, which are on opposite sides of the Elemental Rings Diagram.

Lothdew Highlands

The Lothdew Highlands are the highest points in Lothdew, and these are inhabited by the Livingstone Tribe.

Livingstone

Livingstone is a mountainous civilization in the Lothdew Highlands. The researchers of Livingstone Tribe have studied the interactions of life with earth, and have benefited tremendously. Their expertise is in constructing Golems out of stones and metals and breathing life into them, which is a highly complex task.

Lothdew Beach

Going past the mountains in Levidale, heading further eastward, one will reach the Lothdew Beach. The pathway through the mountains hits the coast perpendicularly. Heading northwards will bring one to Oakenstone, the Valley of Mist, whereas heading southwards will bring one along the coasts of Lothdew, bypassing the several fishing villages and ports on the edge of Lothdew. Not much is to be said about these towns other than their names - Aquaform, Shellsport and Seashackle. Heading further east across the sea will bring one to the Isle of Illemana, the House of Sages. Heading further south, however, will bring one to Zapridge, the Shrine of Potentia.