If you are good and kind, you will not find a more peaceful valley than the Valley of Firs. Forged from the side of a mountain by the surging water of a stream, there are rugged steppes and frequent waterfalls beneath the trees. The firs are a spectacular sight. They have huge 30 foot trunks and can tower up to 300 feet high. Their needles are as blue-green in color as a peacock’s wings. Their bows are so thick that the tree branches can be used to form snug shelters. Their trunks are straight and dense, but here and there a good aligned, weary traveler might find an old hollow tree that can hold an entire adventuring party for a camp or overnight stay. The home of the Fairies is a three storied citadel at the end of the Valley. The citadel is formed completely of fir wood shaped by magic. It is hidden against the rock that surrounds the Valley and protected by the mist from detection. No man has seen the Castle of Wood since the first Age. Now, however, foraying parties search for the Valley of Firs. Even the secrets of the Fairies will not be safe for long from the arm of the Charge Supreme, who would kill the Fairies for the fun of it. There are three little-known Arvetan facts that you should know about the trees: First, if you take some needles or branches and boil them in water, you will find that you have made an exotic but pleasant tea. If you drink the tea it will heal you of all damage and diseases -- including any mental damage, blindness, deafness and poisons. The tea will banish the need for sleep for three days. It will also protect from and heal a person of the effects of evil disease, otherwise known as the darkfire breath that beings such as wraiths and evil Eyri (yipes) possess and pass on by exposure to their spirits. Second and also virtually unknown, is the fact that the wood of the tree is completely fire retardant. Third, wood harvested from the trees can be used to build air ships -- that’s right: Ships that have the ability to fly! There are two more interesting things about the Forest home of the Fairies: First, there are no paths under the trees. The forest floor is covered with large ferns. Second: Just above the lowest bows there is a four foot space cleared out for flying. Flying? Surely there is not a being that flies... As the home of the Northern Fairies is good aligned, any fell beings that try to enter the forest by day become lost in the mist beneath the trees and are never heard from again. Any enemy that camps in the forest at night suddenly feels like the trees have eyes and that the firs are staring at them. Creepy, huh? The whole forest seems to react to any enemy and keep strangers away. All beings that have forgotten the lessons of the First Age stay away from the Forest, especially at night -- because of the rumors of strange glowing creatures flittering about. They are, of course, true. To Chapter 5 Turn 3 Back to Arveta 5 Table of Contents Back to Arveta List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2001 by Abram Paradies. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com