Lesser Faydark

The magical races of the fay have resided within the dark, emerald wilderness of the Faydark forest for millennia. Since before the dwarves or gnomes surfaced, and in the time before the arrival of the elves, these creatures were the only civilized inhabitants of the Faydark – living in harmony and dependence upon the untouched purity of the beautiful woods.

When the elves migrated from their native Tunaria – now known as Antonica – most of the fay abandoned the greater forest where the elves had chosen to settle. Not wishing direct confrontation nor friendship with these mortal arrivals, the fay relocated to the lesser, although more dangerous region of Faydark. There, these creatures have resided for generations in relative peace, although the nearby shadow of Mistmoore Castle to the east casts an eerie discomfort over their land.

Their territory reduced to a fraction of their former homeland, the fay races guard the Lesser Faydark with a fierce hostility that would otherwise be uncharacteristic of their reclusive, shy natures. Most creatures retain their natural avoidance of mortals and do not actively seek confrontation, but when one stumbles upon a brownie's farm or a faerie's magical ring, it is not uncommon to never hear from that individual again – be they elf, troll, or human.

The region of the Lesser Faydark is considerably smaller than its sister land, the Greater Faydark, which extends to the lesser forest's southwestern borders. To the northwest lies the pass that connects to the mountains of Steamfont. In the east, the castle of Mistmoore has threatened these lands with its taint and corruption for millennia.

My Quest for Enlightenment by Wu, a humble servant of Tranquility

Long have I traveled across Norrath, trying to learn all I can about our world and its inhabitants. There is much to see and experience, and too often the citizens of the various empires close themselves off from anything beyond their own borders.

The road to enlightenment is long, and though solitary in nature, one still needs a guide to keep on the proper path. I looked to the writings of Zan Fi, a wise monk who not only mastered all forms of combat but learned that the battle within is much more crucial than the fight against any opponent.

It has been my honor to share what I have learned with others when I can. Just as Zan Fi's writings were of benefit to me, I hope that my words bring aid and enlightenment to those who wish to undertake a similar journey. If they do, then my presence in this world will have had meaning.

Of the many places I have seen, the forest known as the Lesser Faydark is of particular interest to me. Though at first glance it is but a sleepy shadow of its more expansive sibling, there is an air of magic and wonder here that transcends even the Greater Faydark.

I believe part of this forest's uniqueness is due to the touch of planar and extra-dimensional forces. The presence of the gods is strong here, and the fact that both Tunare and Cazic-Thule have manifested themselves in this place has touched everything from the flora to its inhabitants.

When the Elder Age was in full bloom, long before the Faydark was divided, the fey (brownies, pixies, faeries, and fae drakes) and the other sylvan creatures (unicorns, griffons, and others) dwelt together in the great forest. They assisted the Woodkine in the defense of their homeland, but, unlike the Woodkine, the fey eventually forsook the Greater Faydark for its smaller and more isolated sister forest. After the Faydark was divided by orcish assaults, the fey tried to maintain their ancestral homes in both forests; however, as the world beyond the forest continued to change, too many creatures began to venture into the realms of the fey. The Fier’Dal left their home on the continent of Antonica and began to settle in the Greater Faydark. Though they disliked the thought of sharing their woods with outsiders, the fey tolerated the wood elves, but grew increasingly uneasy as the years went by and other less welcome visitors began to arrive — dwarves, humans, and orcs; foresters, hunters, raiders, and bandits.

The fey fought these intruders, but even though the wee folk were brave and determined, in the end they proved too few to stem the tide. Faerie warriors perished at the hands of orc centurions, brownies were rounded up and killed or captured as curiosities, and nearly all of the proud unicorns of the Greater Faydark were slaughtered. At length, the pressure upon the fey grew too much, and they began to depart en masse, relocating to the nearby Lesser Faydark. Few remained in the Greater Faydark, stubbornly defending their old homesteads, sharing an uneasy truce with the wood elves and battling the intrusions of the Crushbone orcs and others.

The rest, however, retreated into the ancient and forbidding depths of the Lesser Faydark, where they created the last purely fey settlements. Intensely territorial and fearful of the outside world, the brownies, faeries, and fae drakes all jealously guarded their realm against intrusion, harassing if not ferociously attacking outsiders. For a time the fey held the outside world at bay, and lived at peace amongst themselves. The fae drakes flitted about the forest, serving their royal court and aiding the other inhabitants of the forest. The brownies founded a small but thriving settlement, and mushroom-houses were dotted throughout the area.

Few outsiders came to the forest, and fewer still survived. The best known of the survivors was the human monk called Master Wu, who established a small encampment and spent several years contemplating the wonders and peace of the surrounding forest. Perhaps sensing a kindred soul, the fey generally left Wu in peace, and after a time he moved on, continuing his studies elsewhere. For decades, the folk of the Lesser Faydark continued to live in peace.