Taluaine

Taluaine is a heavily forested region in Lontano, most notable as the birthplace of Asphixias and the setting for multiple calamities orchestrated by the Mad Wyrm. Today, it is a thriving paradise for various plant creatures and those who would seek to preserve nature.

Realm of Asphixias. During the Second Age, Asphixias rose in power and prominence, creating several calamities throughout the region (including the Jade Genocide, Viridian Vengeance, and Forest Fratricide). As a result of the desolation of Dornwald, Asphixias became the de facto ruler of the region, which at the time was not yet a unified realm.

The influence of the green dragon greatwyrm polluted the region's flora; plant life began to become more sinister and twisted—thorns began to appear on trees and bushes which should not have had any; even assassin vines and treants were not spared from his corruption. The rise of more and more Asphixilytes and Children of Asphixias formed a nigh unstoppable army of fanatics dedicated to serving the green dragon.

The borders of Taluaine eventually became defined by how much of the area could be controlled by the Asphixilytes at any given time. Although Asphixias eventually abandoned Taluaine for other lands and worlds, the area would remain under the dominion of Asphixias well into the Third Age.

Death of a Legend. With Asphixias was largely absent from Taluaine during the Third Age, the region began to recover from his corrupting presence. In 1003, the Mad Wyrm was finally slain by the Heroes of the Verdant Realm above the skies of Argones. News of Asphixias's death spread throughout Taluaine, and a combined military strike force from across Lontano was able to purge the realm of any lingering Asphixilytes, finally freeing the region from the green dragon's tyranny.

Without the threat of Asphixias, green dragons slowly began to return to the region, vying for power and attempting to claim authority over the disjointed townships and forest-dwelling creatures. Cultists of Zuggtmoy began trying to establish a presence among the lingering corruption left in Asphixias's wake. Even otherwise isolated circles of druids found themselves either pulled into the conflict, or struggling for survival.

In response to the problematic power vacuum, a group of fringe druids decided that rather than stake a claim, they would create someone worthy and capable of ruling the region. This led to the creation of Ogham, a wood woad tasked with protecting Taluaine from those who would despoil it.

The Woodking. Under the stewardship of Ogham, Taluaine has flourished and almost returned to its original splendor prior to the rule of Asphixias (although Dornwald remains permanently barren, a scar on the otherwise verdant landscape). Ogham's original creators have long since died, but the wood woad carries out his original task of protecting the nation through constant vigilance and steadfast determination.

Ogham's allegiance is to the realm, and the Woodking cares little for concepts of good and evil. As such, the region is rife creatures of diverse alignments, which are kept in check by  insurmountable plant army. Communities of druids, rangers, treants, and awakened plants are common. Green dragons have returned, but even the strongest among them wields a fraction of the power of Asphixias. Tribes of mycanoids and vegepygmies can be found, often with shriekers and violet fungus. While not uncommon, blights are permitted but culled if they become enough of a threat to catch Ogham's attention.

In the deeper and darker forests, assassin vines, bodytaker plants, corpse flowers, mantraps, shambling mounds, tri-flower fronds, and yellow musk creepers abound. Millennia later, Asphixias’s latent corruption still lingers, and there is a 20% chance any of these creatures has unnatural thorns, acidic vines, or especially poisonous pollen.

Facts about Taluaine

• Volcanic ash blown from the skies above the Overdark keeps the soil particularly rich and fertile.
• The Fairying Forest is coterminous with the Feywild, and is full of things like candy houses, people who speak exclusively in verse, giant mushrooms, talking animals, and so on.
• Forests are mostly deciduous, becoming more coniferous further south until forests are exclusively evergreens.
• Shared borders with the Overdark have more monstrous inhabitents, such as lycanthropes and undead.