Shaitam is a forested region in eastern Tarleaux. It is bordered to the north by Wondimu, to the east by the sea, to the south by Barston, and to the west by Muftigowen.
Shaitam is the ancestral home of Wood Elves, who migrated there from Fryzyr long ago. For much of its history the Wood Elves were, while far friendlier than the High Elves, just as secretive and closed-off. This changed when Shaitan was occupied by Barston for several (elf) generations. While it regained its independence long ago, the intermixing of Elven, Human, and Halfling cultures there remains.
About 50% of people in Shaitam are Wood Elves, with another 25% Half-Elves. There are also sizeable numbers of Humans and Halflings, with minimal contributions from other races.
Religion in Shaitam centers around Malar, God of the Hunt; Mielikki, Goddess of Forests; Selune, Goddess of the Moon; and Silvanus, God of Wild Nature. Cults of most other deities exist somewhere within Shaitam as well.
Shaitam is covered by deciduous forests. The locals take great care to manage the forests so that there are a mixture of old-growth and new-growth sections. There are no major cities in Shaitam, as that would require an unacceptable level of clear-cutting. Instead, small-to-medium settlements have been set up in places of natural beauty or convenience and paths wide enough for an ox-drawn cart connect them.
Each settlement has a Chief, who is elected by popular vote to a normally lifetime appointment. The settlement Chiefs elect one of their own to serve as the Premier Chief of all of Shaitam for a one year term, after which they become ineligible to serve again for at least a decade. For the most part decisions are made by consensus among Chiefs, with the Premier Chief having administrative responsibility for enacting the consensus viewpoint.
Above all else, residents of Shaitam practice reverence for the forest itself, living their lives in a way that is sustainable without encroaching on nature.
Most residents of Shaitam provide for their basic needs through hunting and gathering, or building or crafting items for those who produce food. The entire forest is systematically swept each decade, removing trees that are diseased or threatening to the larger ecosystem. Timber from these cullings are used for most wooden buildings throughout Tarleaux.
Shaitam is also a gathering place for people with magical aptitude, and nearly ever settlement has a few scholars who collaborate with those from other settlements to further their understandings of arcana, nature, and religion. It is believed by many that magic is just a bit stronger inside the forest than anywhere else in the world.