Krigala

Krigala was the first and topmost layer of the Beastlands in the Great Wheel cosmology.

Description
Krigala was a heavily forested layer with trees of all sorts of varieties. The main way in which Krigala differed from the other two layers was its sky. It was perpetually noon in Krigala, with the bright sun directly overhead and never moving. The sun appeared to be at its highest point in the sky no matter how far one might travel. Time did pass, but the sun gave no indication of this; instead, time could be tracked by the fact that precipitation of some form fell exactly once per twenty-four hour period.

Despite the fact that it was always midday, the layer had a variety of climates. Some regions were covered in fog; others even had snow. For the most part, however, it was just warm enough for all of the vast plant life.

The River Oceanus flowed through the center of Krigala in a relatively straight path. When the river did curve, bayous and oxbow lakes were formed. Some of the largest trees were able to bridge the river with their massive branches. The current was strong, and where it flowed from Elysium and to Arborea, the river was marked by white-water rapids.

It was possible to physically move from Krigala to Brux, the second plane. Such portals were invisible and seemingly random. The layers overlapped each other in a similar manner to how the Transitive Planes overlapped the Prime Material plane, so one could be walking beneath an archway formed by a large branch and suddenly find her- or himself in the twilight of Brux instead of the eternal day of Krigala without any other change in the immediate environment. The interlayer portals also tended to be one way, so turning around to walk back under that same branch would not likely return the noonday sun. Fortunately, interlayer portals were very common, so it was not too difficult to find an alternate path back to Krigala.

Portals to Arborea, Elysium, and the Outlands were also present, usually appearing as openings in large, hollow trees. The same type of tree always led to the same plane. For example, silver-plated beech trees that were portals always led to Arborea, as did lightning-blasted oaks. Sequoias connected to Elysium. The portals shifted frequently, so what used to be a portal on one day might be nothing but a dead tree on another.

To reach Krigala with the plane shift spell required a gold planar fork tuned to the note of F.

Locations
The Deeping Pool was a small lake hidden deep within a broadleaf forest. The leaves cast a shadow of green twilight over the whole area, except for the very center of the lake, where light from the sun caused the waters to sparkle like a bowl full of diamonds. No one knew how deep this lake was. It was the only lake for hundreds of miles, and so it was a common drinking spot for the many animals of Krigala. It was said by some that sharing a drink from the pool's waters with one of the native animals granted the visitor temporary animal-like abilities, such as enhanced night vision or scent or improved skill at climbing.

Realms

 * Filchnest was the divine realm of the kenku deity Quorlinn.
 * The Forbidden Plateau functioned as the second divine realm of Ubtao, Father of the Dinosaurs. Thard Harr, lord of the jungle dwarves, also resided here between his wanderings.
 * Goldenroost was the realm of Remnis, god of the giant eagles.
 * The Grove of the Unicorns, the divine realm of Mielikki, was located here.
 * The High Glade, Shiallia's realm, was nearby.
 * The Pridelands of Nobanion, King of the Beasts, contained a portal connecting Krigala with the Gulthmere Forest in Faerûn.
 * Skerrit, god of centaurs also ruled in this layer, his actual realm called Skerrit's Glade almost unnoticeable from the surrounding woods.

Inhabitants
All manner of diurnal celestial animals inhabited this layer. These animals were more intelligent than animals from the Material and able to speak, but they were still animals in their outlook and manner of life. Most of them knew how the interlayer portals worked and could instinctively avoid them if desired.

Skerrit's centaur petitioners also were found on this layer, living in small huts or lean-tos.