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Excerpt from Part 2: The Seed - The Dark Forest Explained
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...The village was a quiet, peaceful Dwemer community where no vegetation of any kind grew, though there were blackened vestiges of long dead trees scattered throughout the town. Kamdida arriving by caravan looked at her new home with despair. She was used to the forestland of the north where her father's family had haled. Here looked like a dead land.

Her mother's family took Kamdida and her younger brother Nevith in, and was very kind to the orphans, but she felt lonely in the alien village. It was not until she met an old Argonian woman who worked at the water factory that Kamdida found a friend. Her name was Sigerthe, and she said that her family had lived in Lorikh centuries before the Dwemer arrived, when it was a great and beauteous forest.

"Why did the trees die?" asked Kamdida.

"When there were Argonians only in this land, we never cut trees for we had no need for fuel or wooden structures such as you use. When the Dwemer came, we allowed them to use the plants as they needed them, provided they never touched the Hist, which are sacred to us and to the land. For many years, we lived peaceably. No one wanted for anything."

"What happened?"

"Some of your scientists discovered that distilling a certain tree sap, molding it and drying it, they could create a resilient kind of armor called resin," said Sigerthe. "Most of the trees that grew here had very thin ichor in their branches, but not the Hist. Many of them fairly glistened with sap, which made the Dwemer merchants greedy. They hired a woodsman named Juhnin to start clearing the sacred arbors for profit."

The old Argonian woman looked to the dusty ground and sighed, "Of course, we Argonians cried out against it. It was our home, and the Hist, once gone, would never return. The merchants reconsidered, but Juhnin took it on his own to break our spirit. He proved one terrible, bloody day that his prodigious skill with the axe could be used against people as well as trees. Any Argonian who stood in his way was hewn asunder, children as well. The Dwemer people of Lorikh closed their doors and their ears to the cries of murder." 


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More Information
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Lorikh Village: Lorikh Village is the reason for the poisoning of the surrounding forest, once a pleasant little settlement, it experienced a severe tragedy that has cursed the land.

Lorikh Village Features:
Within the ruined village there is the remains of a bed for sleeping in, but beware, you may not get much sleep as the haunting of the area will invade your dreams.
It is said you can still hear the screams of a little girl from the Well in the center of the village during the night.
Lost spirits still roam the village seeking their final resting place.

Ambience Features:
The Dark Forest utilises a progressive mist effect that settles over the water and applied in certain areas, it is activated between 10pm and 5am. Except for the mist around the two graveyards, that is permanent.
Fireflies are everpresent along with a unique species of BloodMoth.
Dungeon Music is selected to add to the atmosphere.
A unique poisonous water type flows through the middle of the forest.

Plantlife:
The Dark Forest is strangled by a unique new vine-type plant. This is a very dangerous plant that is known to cause pain and possibly paralyzation.
Features new re-textured grass and ferns.


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Even More Information (WARNING: SPOILERS INSIDE)
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Lorikh Village Features:
1 of 3 randomised video cutscenes plays when the player sleeps in the remains of the bed between midnight and 3am.
1 of 3 randomised sound effects will play between midnight and 3am when the player steps up to the well.
2 ghosts roam the village between midnight and 3am, they will flee and vanish when the player gets too close, only to reappear later on.

Ambience Features:
The poisoned water will cause minor damage to the player.

Plantlife:
The center of the new vine-type plant features gas effects and a trap damage with paralyzation if approached too close, some of the vines are havok enabled.

Creatures:
Sprite
The Sprite is the natural inhabitant of The Dark Forest. Playful and naughty during the day (Between 5am and 10pm they will dart around and cast a short invisibility & restore magicka spell on the player, while giggling in 1 of 3 randomised sound fx), at night it is a different story. The curse applies to the Sprites and they turn evil and should be avoided. (Evil sprites appear between 10pm and 5am, they laugh maniacally in 1 of 3 randomised sounds and cast a drain health & drain fatigue spell on the player). The sprites are magical beings that cannot be harmed and are mainly for ambience.

Ghosts
The ghosts of Lorikh appear between midnight and 3am, they will wander the village and flee then vanish if the player gets too close, only to reappear later on. They cannot be harmed and are for ambience only.

Spirit of the Wood
The spirit of the wood comes out between midnight and 3am, she will wander around the sanctuary and will vanish if approached while laughing at the player. She will reappear later and cannot be harmed, mainly for ambience.

Unicorn
This creature was already present in vanilla oblivion, but I have added a unique Player/Unicorn faction so that it doesnt attack the player when a weapon is drawn.

Minotaurs
Minotaurs are the Guardians of the Unicorn. I have reduced their numbers to increase the FPS result.
