Lao Wan

    Within the northwest confines of the forest, the land rises to an outcrop of rock. Along the crown of the hill is a circular wall of megalithic stones nigh unthinkable in their size. Within the circle are the remains of an ancient city. Three great highways, paved with hexagonal slabs, spiral in toward the center, with curving side streets branching out from each. The doors are low, about waist high, but wide enough for a man to lay stretched out between the posts. Generally a massive stone is used for the lintel but some utilize a shallow arch with curious indentation, presumably decorative.  The layout of some buildings seem to be based on a triradiate symmetry, ranging from simple triangles to Koch snowflakes in the fifth iteration. These generally have small triangular windows, often alternating in direction. What roofs remain are held up by corbel vaulting. A significant minority of other buildings have curved walls and sprawl seemingly at random. Each chamber has its own dome and is lit by an oculus, with a circular receptacle on the floor beneath, presumably to catch water. Some buildings are constructed of stone blocks, others seem to be a type of concrete. A few seem to have been carved from the rock of the hill itself, and these often lead down into broad chambers below. Aside from these, no buildings appear to have had multiple levels. No staircases exist, and both the lower caverns and the battle platforms around the walls were accessed by ramps. Short cylindrical stools seem to have been the chief piece of furniture, at least of what has survived.

    While here and there, detritus blown in by the wind has managed to pile in drifts and give some headway to flora, the city has shown remarkable resilience in the face of both weathering and nature's reclamation attempts. Certainly none of the other ruins within Lin show this degree of preservation. It is perhaps a testament to the scale of the construction as well as to its quality. Or perhaps some other force is at work here.

    Who or what built this place is a matter for conjecture. What few surviving examples of art remain seem to be of the abstract variety, geometrical oddities which somehow cause dizziness and nausea if stared at for too long. As for artifacts, the city has been picked clean by scavengers, but perhaps there is some secret door or obstructed passage which the looters managed to overlook. Two types of artifacts which come from here are of particular note, perhaps. One is a gun of some bright green metal, surprisingly untarnished. It projects a ray which immobilizes a target while it is on them. If held for more than five minutes the subject dies. The other is a disc, somewhat thicker in the center. Balance it on your bare forearm and it will warm and glow, emitting indecipherable sounds with a vaguely musical quality. Prolonged use will leave the holder fatigued.

Apemen of the Central Highlands

    When the gods set aside the Imavant, not all of the apes chose to enter the appointed sanctuary. Preferring to take their chances in the wide world, various groups split off and established enclaves in diverse places. One group, known as the Yeren, migrated to the forest of Lin, which at that time was considerably warmer than it is today.

    They destroyed the remnants of the serpent-men and established cities in the forest. A few of their ruins remain today, mostly scattered watchtowers or underground arsenals. They are recognizable by their distinct architecture, made of seemingly unhewn stones fitted together seamlessly. The windows and doors are half-moon arches without upright lines. Curving buttresses support the larger buildings, almost all of which are capped with domes. The largest extent of ruins is Yuán Chéng, a city notable for its sculptures and monumental structures.

    For unknown reasons, the Yeren civilization began to decline. Records scavenged from Yuán Chéng tell of political unrest and societal decay. What once was a unified commonwealth soon dissolved into petty gangs squabbling over the ruins of their once great realm. Over time the forest began to reclaim its own, and the once-proud simians retreated into the highlands to dwell in caves and drystone huts. Not as flawless as their ancestral structures, the gaps between the stones here are packed with earth to keep out the mountain weather. The various settlements cling to the mountainsides, harboring dwindling populations. Most of the villages seem as hostile to each other as they are to the outside world.

    The few human tribes that live in the forest have little contact with the Yeren, and purposely so. The simians have been known to raid settlements and haul away food and captives. Yeng policy tends to avoid the apes as much as possible. The mountains are comparatively sparse in useful timber and a conflict with the psychic nonhumans is not worth it. However, some lumber camps close to the foothills have reported losing supplies to the simians, particularly iron tools. It is probable that skirmishes will occur the closer the Yeng press in toward the forest's heart.