Post by Narrator on Jun 5, 2015 1:51:20 GMT -8
Information
This vast jungle is located roughly in the middle of the continent. The Abcorn Jungle is located four days north of the human kingdom Torana's border. The Ter’ranos Mountains border it to the north and the Ferorian Forest to the west. Though once the jungle grew to the edges of both, its outer most borders are swaths of barren landscape.
Rumors of its ability to absorb magic have long persisted. It was Márin and Kar’ras who confirmed the Kêrath radiate a wild aura. Any who can sense the primal in all things will realize prolonged exposure to the vast untamed energy in the Abcorn. The Broad-Leafed Rising Dawn trees grow in abundance here. This is the home of the Larthan species called the Kêrath.
History
When Shadowflame destroyed the Jungle; it was lost for near eighty years. The Kêrath and other inhabitants lost their homes.
However, two decades ago the trees began to grow again. By the time the Company left the Dream, the Abcorn was completely whole again. Flora and fauna unique to this habitat returned, even the great Ag’wash – not seen in the skies of Gramera’ger for hundreds of years – came back. Although the stories about this complete revival being proof of magic absorption, it was in fact the Roots of Retribution. So far down these roots extend, they entwined and long ago the Abcorn became a single living organism. As long as the roots persist, the jungle can return.
During the present, despite the persistent storms in the north-west and the looming terror that lingers over the Boiling Sea, Kêrath and other inhabitants once again thrive here.
Fauna (Incomplete list)
Mountain Eagle
Other names: Ag’wash (Kêrath)
Appearance:
They are similar in appearance to an osprey and often mistaken as such by humans. However, seeing one close-up would dispel this belief, if only for their great size. They can grow up to the size of a small pony.
General Information
Raptors of unusual size and strength renowned for its expert fishing skills, some believe they are the descendants of the great Eagles.
Shadow Jaguar
Other Names: Kaiyon’kuro, Kêkuro [pronounced k-ear-a-coo-roo] (Kêrath)
Appearance
This tiger-sized feline has the coloration of a jaguar, its fur mottled dark grays and blacks to blend into the shadows of the jungle’s night. The Shadow Jaguar’s coloration makes it difficult to see. When darkness falls it is nigh impossible to spot these creatures, even those with excellent night vision have difficulty seeing this nocturnal predator.
General Information
A native of the Abcorn Jungle, it is one of the major animal predators, these highly intelligent felines are one of the few the Kêrath fear. They have an unerring ability to sense Toranan floor traps. Though they have been seen hunting in pairs, usually mated or two young adults (often female), it is rare to see more than two together in the wild.
After the destruction of the jungle, these jaguars have migrated north into the foothills of the Ter’ranos Mountains and now hunt the low altitude Bukari. However, with the jungle finally returning, the jaguars can be found further south in their natural habitats again. During their stay in the Ter’ranos Mountain foothills they conflicted with the silver-back wolves and it severely reduced their numbers.
Other Information
Few humans know about shadow jaguars as they live too deep in the jungles for humans to know about. If captured when they are cubs, shadow jaguars can be trained by a skilled animal handler as a mount.
Squirrel be-gone
Other names: ? (Kêrath)
Appearance
These bushy-tailed rodents appear in a variety of colors ranging from bright yellow to lavender. There is no dimorphism between genders. They are slightly larger than their non-jungle cousins.
General Information
The primary defense of these squirrels is their ability to teleport away from danger. The range of their teleportation was thought to be short until recently (see Other Information).
They are highly intelligent and make excellent companions if captured when they are kits. Squirrel be-gone are easy to train. They issue a high bark to warn of danger.
They have a diet of primarily nuts and fruits, supplemented by insects. One of their favorite fruits is the cora-cora.
Usually these squirrels are easy to approach, and even in the wild willingly approach anyone with food. However, their unique defense makes them difficult to catch. The Be-gones also have the unfortunate habit of throwing things when they are upset or angered. Fortunately they limit the things they hurl to nuts or anything that happens to be close by. There is no recorded incident of any Be-gone hurling feces.
Other Information
Shortly before the Abcorn was destroyed the squirrels migrated en masse. They disappeared from the jungle and were not seen again until recently. As the jungles return so too do the squirrels. Where they went to seek shelter and how they knew the jungle was going to be destroyed both remain a mystery.
Flora (Incomplete list)
Broad-leafed Rising Dawn
Other Names: Co’solai (Kêrath), Repon (Itok)
Appearance
The roots of these trees are visible above ground, rising in and out of the ground in thick waves. The broad leaves that give this tree its name are orange, yellow and crimson throughout the year, and in the early morning the upper most foliage reflects the rising sun, giving the tree its name.
General Information
The Broad-leafed Rising Dawn trees are one of the numerous fruit-bearing trees of the Abcorn Jungle. The bright red fruit from this tree is the co’solai. Though less abundant there, these trees can also be found in the forests north of Torana.
Petrified Crimson Tree
Other Names: Crimson Rock Tree, Ra’cora (Kêrath)
Appearance
These giants of the Abcorn are the longest living trees of the jungle. They are slow growing trees that have thick bark; it varies in coloration from pale pink to vivid red, giving them their name. Their bark flakes off in large chunks giving them a scale-like appearance when they are shedding.
General Information
The Petrified Crimsons were the hardest hit of all the foliage devastated in the destruction of the Abcorn. Their slow growth meant they did not readily return when the ground was able to support life again. It was this reason, among others, that it took so long for the jungle to grow back. The current P.C. trees of the Abcorn are pale comparisons to their much taller ancestors.
The P.C. trees bear the sweet-smelling cora-cora fruit that is the favorite of squirrel be-gones. The Kêrath eat it directly from the tree, dried or made into a fine cordial from the juice of the cora-cora.
Vengeful Roots of Abcorn
Other Names: Roots of Retribution.
Appearance
The Vengeful Roots of Abcorn form the entire root structure of the Abcorn Jungle. Underneath the ground they are a mass of tangled network, interconnecting all the trees of the jungle, making the jungle itself one living organism that merely has the appearance of individual plants.
General Information
These roots originated from a long-forgotten flora. When the foliage died out, the roots remained. The roots gradually intertwined with the trees and other root-baring plants of the Abcorn until all were interconnected. All the trees in the Abcorn and some of the other plants are now a single entity.
When there are some that are lacking, there are others who must pay. In the Abcorn Jungle, if a large organic structure falls, the root system responds by drawing essential energies from its surroundings. This is valid if the damage is reasonably small, but in cases where a large centralized area of the jungle is greatly damaged, the root system will search far and wide to draw nutrients.
When the Abcorn was destroyed by the Storm Scalla Shadowflame, the Roots sought out the energy necessary to bring about the jungle’s return. Much of the vegetation in the surrounding area was decimated and drained of its essence in order to ensure the Abcorn could live again. There is now a swath of barren land between the Ferorian Forest to the south and the Ter’ranos Mountains to the north.
Other Information
The Kêrath Shaman long warned of the day that the Roots would seek their vengeance. They feared the day that the Roots would awaken. They knew that far and wide a wasteland would well up where vegetation and life had once been. When the day came, the Kêrath were not surprised. When the Abcorn began to grow again at the cost of the surrounding countryside, the Kêrath were not surprised.
Some historians suggest the reason the untamed energy radiates from the Abcorn is due to these roots. Their length so deep they have touched Legends herself, and use her as their power source.