03 - Geography & Legends

What is the history (geologically) behind some of the really large land features? (Alternatively, a local legend describing it's origin.)

• Maple Thicket - There were once three sisters fell in love with members of a neighboring tribe, but their love was forbidden by tribal law. Unhappy by this, the sisters ran away with their lovers and refused to accept this law. A major tribal battle ensued, and the sisters were turned into trees by an elder to protect them, but he was killed in the fighting and no one else could turn them back. The "Three Sisters" are the tallest three trees in the entire Maple Thicket.
• Marsh - Sometimes singing can be heard in the swamp at night. Don't try to find where it's coming from, it's dangerous enough during the day, you know.
• Kelp Forest - This underwater zone houses the throne of a banished realm guardian. His kingdom sank to the watery depths and he was forbidden to breathe air - cursed to breathe water instead. No one's seen him in a thousand years or more, though.
• Mountains - The occasional hot spring is a naturally occurring formation, but it is said that sometimes when it's too steamy to see your way into the deepest caverns, you'll end up getting turned around and heading back outside - all because the realm guardians are having a meeting inside. Hot springs are the only place they can all agree on.
• Volcano - The 'Mother of Fire' keeps a clutch of eggs somewhere near the volcano, moving her nest from time to time. It's said these eggs can take over a hundred years to hatch, and new eggs replace them from time to time. Over time, the egg shells crystallize into a highly prized type of rock, similar to opal. She's always on her nest to protect it, and no one who's gone looking for egg shell shards has ever returned.
• Brambles - Something slumbers under all these thorns.