Deepwood

There are few places in all of the Aymhelin that are as mysterious,
magical, or vital to the Elves as the Deepwood. A miracle
of both enchantment and nature, the heart of the dense forest
is the collection of towering, powerful trees whose fibers are as
strong as steel and bend but never seem to break. These trees
grow agelessly, stretching ever taller and spreading their limbs
ever wider, until the canopy of the forest obscures almost all light
from its floor.
If the trees are the heart of the forest, then its soul is the collection
of gently glowing ferns and fungi that dimly light the
darkness like hundreds of small candles. Despite millennia of
study, the apothecaries and sorcerers of the Aymhelin are still
trying to truly understand this unique flora, as beautiful as it is
mysterious, that occurs nowhere else in the world.
The Deepwood’s magical nature also draws the attention
of non-Elves. Foreign forces are constantly sending emissaries,
spies, or raiding parties, or offering lucrative contracts for
samples of the life that grows uniquely here. Few few survive
long enough to actually catch a glimpse of its dark beauty.
To spare the lives of those foolhardy enough to attempt the
journey, but also to fend off greater threats, the Deepwood
Archers were established to catch or repel any who dare try to
infiltrate the forest. These elite warriors camouflage themselves
in hues of deep purple and blue to blend in with the perpetual
shadows beneath the Deepwood canopy. Masters of stealth
tactics and capable of hunting in total darkness, the Deepwood
Archers epitomize the silence of death. Yet, incredibly
lucrative contracts lure an increasing number of adventurers
to accept foolhardy quests to the Deepwood each year.