Alatúlië, Welcome to the forest of

Taurë

You find yourself hopelessly lost, deep in the forest, where civilization couldn't feel farther away. It is here that you find a pretty looking thing, a woman, the spirit of these woods. She may take on many forms, such as a dainty fairy, flitting between the flowers, or perhaps a strong and tall figure with pointy antlers and hair to her knees. She is Taure, and she couldn't feel more at home here, where the trees grow tall, their leaves whispering in the wind, and the thick moss carpets the earth like a spongy hug. She admires every mushroom cap that springs out of the ground and every spider that spins its web in her domain. She is the forest, and the forest is she.

{ many of my images are being bunked up, I apologize if they are cut off }

Link to more lore ~ https://taure2.carrd.co/

Lore

I am old, and yet not the eldest, for the earth and the stone and the sun and the moon were here before me. Long did I roam after I woke, walking the wide and empty lands until I found a large pillar of rock. There I sat, and there I wept, for I was alone, with only the lifeless tower of stone beside me.Here I remained for the passing of many suns and many moons until, at last, the first blades of green grass emerged from the barren dirt. Soon, I danced among the fields as the wind whistled through the grass. After grass came flower, and with their bright colors came the buzzing bees and insects, and the meadows were finally full of the song of life.The rains watered these meadows until little woody saplings sprung up here and there, and as they grew, little fluttering birds found shade amongst their young leaves. I loved the birds, for we taught each other countless songs in those times, and as we sang, more trees came, and they grew tall and strong, soon shading out the grasses, and thus the forest was born.The forest and I grew old together, and as we grew old, we welcomed many new creatures, from the great lumbering bears to the creeping vines, from the proud buck to the chittering squirrels. Here, all things existed together: plants, animals, fungi, and tiny, invisible things that not even I have seen.The more I saw, the more my form would change, mimicking the life that surrounded me, the life that filled the forest.After all else, one more creature awoke in my forest, the most fascinating of all. I met the elves with joy, for they looked most like me in shape. I taught them how to love and cherish the land, and how to let it love and care for you in return. The elves began to speak in beautiful and intricate tongues, and they taught me of their language, naming me Taurë, a word which came to mean "forest," for they considered me to be the very being of the woods which they now called their home.The Eldar, for that is what they called themselves, dwelt with me for years beyond my count, excelling in music, writing, and the craftsmanship of wonderful things. We learned much from each other, and I loved them as my own children, just as I loved everything in my forest.A world still lay outside of my realm, and the Eldar desired to explore it. Often they would go out, coming back to show me strange things, some beautiful, and some frightening. The more they ventured out, the more ill tidings they would bring, and they began to speak of evil in the world beyond. They told me that they must fight the evil, and many of their men and women left the peace of Taurë to do battle upon some terrible evil.I begged them not to go, but alas, I could not sway them.So few of my friends returned, and those that did spoke secretly to their kin, whispering words I did not understand. The spring did not pass ere the last of the Eldar left me, and I have not seen them since. I know not whether they defeated that darkness, or if it consumed them. Sometimes I wonder if it does not come to consume me as well, and all my home.I can only hope that my old friends were victorious, and I must believe that many perished to protect the good places of this world, for not all beyond the forest can be evil, can it?

Creatures

You have found the place where you may learn more about some of the fantastic and lovely creatures that dwell in my woods. Here, I hope to add an ever-growing list, so please let me know if you want to learn about any specific creatures!

Onya

In the time not long after the Eldar were awakened, I came upon a curious thing in the forest. Some of the trees, those in the deepest and oldest part of the wood, they began to move, moreso than the other trees. And I listened, and I found that their voices were becoming more distinct. Over time, these few trees began to awaken, walking to and fro in the forest, speaking to me and to the elves, and helping to care for the land.The elves called these the Onya. These gentle giants have been a great help to me in caring for and protecting this forest, for though they desire peace and harmony between life, their wrath is quite terrible, and any enemy of the forest is sure to come to sudden doom.

Monsters

Some time ago, dark and horrid things began to infiltrate the serenity of the forest. From the east, twisted shapes of black and pale green crept into my fair domain, and with them came their putrid poison and foul acid. They brought death and despair to Taurë, yet I was, regrettably, too slow to stop them. I was hesitant to kill what I thought may have been a new form of life, yet I soon realized that these monsters were not alive at all, but merely mockeries of life, likely formed by some evil conjurer in a land outside my own. The wrath of the Onya was terrible against these monsters, and they were eventually confined to a small section of the forest. The sun never shines there, and strange things grow from the slimy soil. The Onya keep a fierce guard around the monsters' domain, and on occasion, I venture in to hunt them down and bring their existence to an end.I am not sure if there is someone out there who continues to create these things and plague my woods with them, or if that someone is long gone, and the monsters multiply on their own, but I do know that if Taurë is to be safe, the monsters must be shown no mercy.

Plants

Here lies my knowledge of some of the plants you may find while exploring the forest. There are things of beauty, nourishment, healing, and even peril, so be wary, wanderer!

Elessaranion

The elves named this lovely red flower for its healing properties. Its flowers bloom in the spring, and I most often find it growing in and around water and very wet areas. The flower petals and leaves of the flower can be ground, with water, into a paste, and by eating or smearing on the skin, healing will come.

Places in Taure

In this section, you will learn about some landmarks and places within my lovely forest. Don't get lost, my dear!

Níre Rock

This tower of stone was here before I, and it is the very one that I sat against and cried, before the forest, when I was utterly alone in this world. It is because of my tears that the elves named this place Níre, which means "tear." Níre Rock lies near the very center of the woods. Please do be careful if you decide to climb it, there are some rough steps on the north side.

The Bog

Many people hear the word "bog" and they think of a stinky and disgusting place. Please, get this silly notion out of your head. A bog is an ecosystem where a large mass of sphagnum moss, as deep as 30 feet, floats atop a lake, creating a surface that can be walked on, and that plants can grow on. Some plants that grow in my bog are tamarack trees, blueberry bushes, swamp loosestrife, and pitcher plants. The bog stays cool, though it can be quite nice to lay in the warm sun atop the soft and squishy sphagnum. At the center of the bog is a small, round lake, where I like to swim sometimes, though the water is quite dark, and rather acidic, so be warned.

Ancient Willow

The great big willow tree. It lies deep in the forest, on a lovely little hill beside a small stream. It's great, gnarled roots climb down the hillside, leading up to it's twisted trunk. Wide and ancient limbs spread out far and tall, leaving many comfortable nooks and crannies. The entire tree is draped in long hanging branches and leaves, like an old man in a tattered cloak. Anyone who climbs up inside the boughs of the tree will be well hidden and protected by the spirit of the old willow.

Hantanyel, Thank You

I thank you for taking the time to come and learn the story of Taurë. I beseech thee, if you would like to learn more of the plants, animals, fungi, and places in my woods, please ask me, and perhaps I will add more nature lore, or perhaps more of my various forms. Tullen tye-rehtien, I am here to help you.