The Deep

The Deep (working title) is a story taking place primarily in a forest called The Deep or The Deep Woods, a massive forest with a landscape sinking into the land covered by trees that grow larger the more one ventures in. Its total size is unknown along with its borders and secrets. However, invaluable arcane materials and artifacts reside within The Deep making it an equally dangerous and rich resource.

The layers of the Deep Woods are measured using the circumference of trees as their sizes scale the lower one goes. The usage of sea level is not used due to the varying gradual slopes of the forest ground and a lack of connection to the outside from within. Due to the massive size of the Deep Woods, multiple settlements have been created just outside its borders. However, the total size of the Deep Woods is not known, nor the world it inhabits.

While people have attempted to settle within the Deep Woods, their connection to the outside inevitably disappears and their settlements are left in ruin by unknown causes. A mysterious plague known as The Blight infects the corpses of humans in the Deep. The Blight reanimates the corpse into a shambling mass of purple decaying flesh known as the Blighted. The Blighted will slowly hunt the living, leaking purple gas that carries the same plague which will kill and infect others. Specially trained professionals known as Blight Doctors wear beaked masks are tasked to handle them; the masks are filled with petals of Everflame Lilies (name subject to change) that purify the Blight gas until they rot.

The primary characters of the story are a venturing party sent into the Deep Woods to gather Sparkstones for the coming winter for a nearby habitation. However, unexpected changes in the journey force the party to venture deeper into the woods.

The Deep Woods
The Deep Woods is segmented into layers for the sake of documentation. This is done by measuring the girth of the tree trunks.

Characters
Eckhart

Abigaile