The Great Forests

Within Bretonnia are large wild and trackless forests which remain unsettled and unconquered like islands of mystery and peril in the heart of the realm. The Bretonnians continue to carve out feudal domains on the margins of the forests, fighting off Orcs, Goblins and Monsters to do so. This has been going on ever since the Bretonni tribe first settled in the land that now bears their name. In those days the wilderness extended over almost the whole country.

This pattern of conquest and settlement has continued ever since, but the progress of settlement has ebbed and flowed over the centuries. Sometimes whole provinces are devastated by invaders or plague and revert back to wilderness. Nevertheless there are always plenty of Knights eager to reconquer the province: to carve out for themselves new domains: build castles to defend their hard won gains: and settle peasants on the new lands to cultivate the fields, orchards and vineyards.

The Forest of Loren

The vast and mysterious Forest of Loren is located in the far south east of Bretonnia. It lies wedged between the (Grey Mountains and the Vaults. The forest is so big that it changes from huge ancient oak woods shrouded in mist rising from many pools and meres on the low plains to dark pine woods and thick silver birch on the slopes of the mountains. It takes several days for a traveller to find his way through the trackless forest and few except Questing Knights will even attempt it.

Hidden within the forest is the fabled land of Athel Loren. This legendary realm is the last enclave of Fives in the Old World. These are descendants of Elves who did not abandon the Old World with the rest of their kin. but instead hid themselves in the most inaccessible region they could find, protecting themselves with magic.

Although the King of Bretonnia claims sovereignty over this region, in reality it is a separate realm subject to its own laws and with its own rulers. The Bretonnians respect the Wood Fives and do not interfere with them. The kings of Bretonnia have never attempted to extend their authority over the Fives, nor have any barons sought to carve out domains within the forest. Instead. Bretonnia benefits from this mysterious realm defending its south eastern border. This is one of the few regions which Orcs, Goblins and other invaders fear to enter, and if they do, they are never heard of again.

The Forest of Arden

The Forest of Arden is a huge oak forest spreading over the hinterland of northern Bretonnia. It extends up the slopes of the Grey Mountains and for this reason is often invaded by Orcs, Goblins and worse enemies descending from the higher peaks and passes into Bretonnia. In the depths of the forest they are able to hide and organise raids on the surrounding countryside. There are many marshes and lakes within the forest as well as dense thickets making it difficult to track down the raiders when they are pursued into the forest.

Many vile creatures, huge monsters, Dragons and savage beasts linger and breed here and so the forest attracts many Knights Errant and Questing Knights eager to hunt them down, slay them and thereby win honour. Some of these Knights never return. The remains of others are sometimes found centuries later, their rusting armour and bones scattered around the lair of some hideous beast, or glimpsed through the waters of a misty mere.Mere and there the roots of a tree have grown through the visor of a great helm, while swords lie embedded to the hilt in the bark of great oaks which have grown around them.

The Forest of Chalons

The Forest of Chalons is altogether different from die other vast forests of Bretonnia, being located in the high lands west of the rocky crags of the Massif Orcal. This forest extends over rocky ravines and crags. Everywhere knolls of weathered rock reach above the stunted gnarled trees. It is a region honeycombed with caves and cut by streams. There are waterfalls and pleasant pools of sweet water. Vast boulders perch precariously on the edges of cliffs towering above deep chasms covered in a green blanket of ferns and moss.