The Green Hell

I think I've given the area enough thought to produce a first draft of it, making it as horrifying as its name seems to deserve. If there's anything you like, tell me and I'll change it immediately... just as expected.

It also has a few characteristics that tie directly into Sokkiz' backstory, and if they are out of place, I'll be more than willing to remove them. Such as the fact that Ganivoriona is present in two worlds despite being unable to travel.




THE GREEN HELL

North of Deeper Felarya is a land uncharted and so far uncrossed, from whence seldom anyone returns to report their findings. Those few who do speak of an insane land where the trees are even bigger than in Deeper Felarya, where creatures capable of swallowing a giant naga thrive, and where the danger itself, unlike in the rest of Felarya, is palpable.

An irony in the Green Hell is that most of its inhabitants are mainly plant-eaters. Another irony is that those herbivores nevertheless feed on whole and alive plants, same as most predators. And yet another irony is that they're still likely to search for more efficient and tightly packed sources of energy... such as flesh instead of wood. The need to remove competition for food sources (as tree predation is too easy) also makes the ability to consume creatures of their own size very important. For the sentient predators, trying to deny them the simple joy of having a snack in a life filled with difficulties is unforgivable.

The Green's Hell main predator is Ganivoriona, a predator also known in Tau Borghula IV, or, as the locals label it, "Land Slime". This bizarre predator has a network of channels all below the Green Hell, similar as the one in Tau Borghula IV. Ironically, Ganivoriona is very sensitive to dimensional magic, and known for its inability to survive travelling through dimensions; how is it possible that there are colonies of Ganivoriona fungus both in Felarya and in Tau Borghula IV is unknown. But it's been ascertained through samples acquired from both worlds that it's indeed the same organism. No one knows in which world this bizarre fungus actually originated, but it's widely accepted that it doesn't really matter, specially after seeing the bizarre display of a colossal tree sinking into a purple puddle in the ground that wasn't there before.

Ganivoriona is probably the largest predator in all of Felarya, spanning more than 500 miles across. If there is anything capable of swallowing her whole and alive, then we seriously don't want to know. The local Ganivoriona colony in Felarya is smaller than the one in Tau Borghula IV, however, as Felarya's signature intense dimensional instability in Deeper Felarya keeps it in check, while to the east the Shimmering Sea holds it back (Ganivoriona can only survive up to a certain depth). The rocky mountains to the west keep it in check on that side, and it's theoretized that the Jungle of Perils' soil is somehow poisonous to this aberrant fungus.

Though most trees are nothing but food in the Green Hell, some have found some good defenses against their predators. Among those, the Everburning and Bladeleaf trees. Note that trees in the Green Hell grow very large, but really twisted, as if something were spurring them to grow as large as possible as quickly as possible.

Surviving in the Green Hell is possible, but very difficult. Most sentient predators try to find high ground, where Ganivoriona cannot reach (as it is a fluid, moving upwards is extremely difficult for it; after a certain height, it's not worth it anymore). However, the high ground is usually occupied by very hostile aspen groves, and the only trees capable of keeping away predators are also able to keep out people looking for refuge. This area is mostly inhabited by tree-dwelling dridders, whose usual prey are birds, and hydranagas, most of which learn dimensional magic to keep Ganivoriona away. As a rule this place's fairy-free, since there's nothing good to eat and nobody to play with.

((Moved to Change Suggestions))

there is interesting ideas I think. love the irony of dangerous "herbivores" :p
but I feel you describe more your creatures than the zone itself here ^^;

oopsie... (Damn, we need a sweatdrop emoticon)

I got a bit carried away with the omnipresent fungus... this is only a first draft though. I'll keep trying.

THE GREEN HELL, TAKE TWO

North of Deeper Felarya is a land uncharted and so far uncrossed, from whence seldom anyone returns to report their findings. Those few who do speak of an insane land where the trees are even bigger than in Deeper Felarya, where creatures capable of swallowing a giant naga thrive, and where the danger itself, unlike in the rest of Felarya, is palpable.

The name "The Green Hell" is actually a many-layered play on words. For one, there's a high risk of forest fires in this place, thus making it literally like Hell, only green. For another, despite the predominant huge green plants, in this place trees actually are younger than in the rest of Felarya, being at the same risk that any other being is! Thus, this place is Hell for trees.

An irony in the Green Hell is that most of its inhabitants are mainly plant-eaters. Another irony is that those herbivores nevertheless feed on whole and alive plants, same as most predators. However, they're still likely to search for more efficient and tightly packed sources of energy... such as the fungi on the bark rather than the wood. The final (and greatest) irony is that the need to remove competition for food sources also makes the ability to consume creatures of their own size (and fleshy ones) very important. For the sentient predators, trying to deny them the simple joy of having a snack in a life filled with difficulties is unforgivable.

Trees' defense against predation in the Green Hell is quite particular: fire. Unlike most areas in Felarya, the Green Hell actually depends on regular forest fires to stay healthy, as the local fungi are prone to covering trees quickly and sapping their vitality, plus smoke intoxication can kill most tree-eaters, who are just the right speed to outrun a tree. The fires also keep the soil very, very fertile- which is reflected in the larger size attained by almost all creatures in this place.

Hmm. I like the forest fire touch myself. Everburning trees and the like, I presume.

Okay, let me try this again.

The Green Hell

The Green Hell is the name given to the area north of the dimensional unstability spike at Deeper Felarya. The dimensional unstability manifests differently here, with the consequence that using dimensional magic in it becomes somewhat difficult, if not outright pointless for the least persistent. This uncharted land has been only scarcely mapped, as it is both perilous in the extreme and quite confusing.

Despite its fecundity, large patches of the Green Hell are and stay clean of any trees for months. When it isn't forest fires, there's creatures that bring them down. It's only the swift rate of renewal that allows for a consistently forested zone. Where the trees are cleared, water tends to promptly gather, pool, and then swiftly stagnate, to the benefit of numerous varieties of insects and fungi. Even the trees seem to exude a greenish vapor that extends far above the canopy, coloring the lower clouds and giving this land its name.

The Green Hell's landscape changes quite often, due to the frequent forest fires that sweep through the landscape- one every 100 days, on average. The soil there is not just what it is anywhere else in the realm, but it also counts on a thick layer of rich ash-fortified humus. Further, the dimensional effects create an unique ambient where plants tend to grow much faster than they should, allowing for a staggering rate of renewal after every forest fire. The brutality of the land seems to come from the ground up here, and trees are amongst the victims of the hungry herbivores- or what passes for an herbivore in this place.

Plenty of the so-called herbivores are highly destructive to any trees unfortunate enough to be in their path- and while they're mainly green eaters, many of them are perfectly capable of processing more tightly-packed energy, which they do at the slightest provocation, for they're extremely aggressive as well. The creatures that prey on them know the risk better than anyone- and they're prepared to take risks on anything else as well.

Well I think the idea of forest fire due to everburning trees is a good one and that would make a great theme for a region ^^
But for the zone as a whole ( which is positively enormous ) , I imagine more a very untamed, thick jungle in general. In that the idea of dangerous herbivores fits very well I think. Great job ^_^

So because large areas of forest are being destroyed and renewed every few months and the fact that dimensions shift things in and out of the area all the time wouldn't this increase the speed of plant evolution? Perhaps even wildlife? Creatures would have to be resistant to fire, or at least fast enough to outrun acres of burning trees at a moments notice. With huge barren wastes surviving without food for extended periods would also be important.

The "green vapor" that fills the air must certainly have a purpose in your mind, what is it? Does it serve a purpose to the trees by filtering light somehow? Does it invigorate other forms of life as some kind of steroid? What with the constant fire and destruction this green vapor might even be filled with energy that other plants can absorb to grow faster.

racemaster7 wrote:

So because large areas of forest are being destroyed and renewed every few months and the fact that dimensions shift things in and out of the area all the time wouldn't this increase the speed of plant evolution? Perhaps even wildlife? Creatures would have to be resistant to fire, or at least fast enough to outrun acres of burning trees at a moments notice. With huge barren wastes surviving without food for extended periods would also be important.

Doubt it: all of Felarya is deadly one way or another, and stuff dies all the time anyway. I had thought about fire-resistant plants, too, or fire-dependent ones, like the Redwood Sequoia, dry grasses, and the eucalyptus tree (my favourite), but preferred to leave that implicit rather than explicit. Fire-dwellers more or less don't exist, short of fire elementals... and underground creatures of all varieties. Smoke rises; that's why people are recommended to stay close to the ground during a conflagration in a building.

racemaster7 wrote:

The "green vapor" that fills the air must certainly have a purpose in your mind, what is it? Does it serve a purpose to the trees by filtering light somehow? Does it invigorate other forms of life as some kind of steroid? What with the constant fire and destruction this green vapor might even be filled with energy that other plants can absorb to grow faster.

That green vapor was actually a recolor of the blue vapor found in some places of Australia when it's too hot and the eucalyptus trees are too full of oil. Figured it'd be more outlandish (and fitting) if it were green, for the optic illusion value with the clouds: I mean, trees can only get so big. All of a sudden seeing diffuse forms rising all the way up to the sky might create the illusion there's more than one giant tree- and it's a ghost.
It could've been combustible too, like real eucalyptus haze, but that would've been sort of overkill.

I think the "herbivores" are just creatures that eat without discernment. That is, whatever's in front of them, even a tree, will be consumed. However, since mostly plants ARE in front of them, they've been designated as more "herbavorial" than the other creatres. That's my take on it [them].

I like the fungus, but why not go further, and say that the fungi is so thick that relatively smaller creatures can literally walk (or slither in some cases) across the top of it. There might be some areas where you see standing water that the fungus has been temporarily removed from though.

The fungus - like many other plants could have some sort of ability to eat whatever walks across the top of it, which would make even the ground you walk on tries to eat you and would help give to the rediculous level of danger this place is home to. Instead of just the creatures in the area.

Stabs wrote:

That green vapor was actually a recolor of the blue vapor found in some places of Australia when it's too hot and the eucalyptus trees are too full of oil.

Heh, someone who knows why we have a mountain range called the "Blue mountains."

Stabs wrote:

It could've been combustible too, like real eucalyptus haze, but that would've been sort of overkill

Wait, I thought Felarya was supposed to be more deadly than Australia.