“A witch ought never to be frightened in the darkest forest, Granny Weatherwax had once told her, because she should be sure in her soul that the most terrifying thing in the forest was her.”
― Terry Pratchett, Wintersmith
From the primeval forests of our genetic race-memories to Sherwood to Mirkwood, to forest-covered moons in a galaxy far, far away. The Forest has long been the boundary between what is civilized and safe to what is uncivilized, untamed, wild, and most definitely, not safe.
The "Goblin" Forrest of Haven
The forested area outside of West Haven in the Haven Valley is an old-growth forest of ancient date. The expanse westward left this forested area surprising untouched. Located north-west of West Haven the forest has always had a reputation of being haunted by all sorts of unsavory creatures.
In the mid to late 1600s when the Haven Valley was first settled, the local parish in what would become East Haven decried the forest, claiming it was the abode of Satan himself and set to burn it down. A tree, that was by all claims to be healthy and sturdy, fell and killed three of the parishioners include the town's Calvinist priest. Several other "bizarre" accidents and people began to claim that the forest was inhabited by goblins and other foul creatures. It was here it earned the name "The Goblin Wood" or "The Goblin Forest."
Even when the Industrial Revolution hit in the 1800s and trees for miles around were fed to the Gods of the Furnace and Industry, the Goblin Wood remained untouched.
Now in the 21st Century, the Goblin Wood remains but there is still an air of mystery and danger about it. While the general population doesn't believe in goblins, ghosts or even witches anymore there are still plenty of strange occurrences.
The local USGS office claims the area is rich in naturally occurring magnetic ore. They claim that the particular features of both the forest and the Haven Valley, in general, disrupt cell phone coverage and GPS signals. One surveyor even claimed he could see the laser he was using for measuring "bend," though no amount of ore outside one as massive as a black hole could do that. People walking into the wood with cell phones or GPS devices will find themselves going in circles rather than a straight line.
While scientists, meteorologists, and geologists have all come up with interesting theories about why the Haven Forest is the way it is, the people of West and East Haven know the truth. And staying out of the forest at night is the one thing both communities can agree on.
If you don't think I have witches guarding all my forests and wild areas in my games you have not been paying attention.
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