Amstaadian Flora and Fauna

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Amstaadian Flora and Fauna

Post Post #0 (ISO) » Thu May 31, 2018 3:58 pm

Post by Annadog40 »

Since this thread in the old area isn't available in this section, I thought I'd bring it over and put some more ideas I guess maybe others could as well. This post is plants right now, I might make another post for the animals, maybe I'll edit this. Idk.

Plants


Spoiler: Millet
Physical Description: A pillar of white, pearl-shaped grains topping a leafy stalk.

The primary crop of Amstaad, millet was introduced by the Passani and retained for its hardiness. The grains are either roasted for cereals, or ground to a flour used for all types of breads and pastries. Millet is also used for brewing Amstaad's famed beers and ales.

Spoiler: Sharnaal Tree (passive, carnivorous)
Physical description: 90 ft. tall fully grown, on average. Thick trunk. Bark has deep, reddish-brown grooves. Trunk is branchless until about 30 feet up, at which point many long, thin, leafy branches appear. Leaves are arrow-shaped and dark green, and have a dark red border on the fringe of the leaf. Thousands of thin vines with thorny ends descend from the branches all the way to the forest floor, forming a cascade of vines that fill the area underneath the branches.

The vines are coated in a neurotoxin that quickly paralyzes any creature that touches them (within 20 seconds). When the vines are disturbed, thousands of them begin to entwine the helpless victim, raising them up into the branches and using their thorny ends to pierce the victim's body. The blood flows down the grooves in the bark and into the soil around the trunk, where it is absorbed by the roots. The bloodless bodies of the tree's victims eventually become skeletons which stay among the branches, impaled by branches and riddled with vines. These trees are rare, but are often called Bone Trees by young children, as the occasional skull can be seen peering out from behind the thick leaves.

Spoiler: Sahti Pepper (extremely hot pepper)
Physical Description: Hot pepper that ripens to a clean white colour. Sahtis grow to a length of 3 inches and a diameter of 1 inch.

The Sahti's oil is so hot that it is flammable when exposed (in purified form) to sufficient heat. For this reason, Sahti peppers are processed to produce oil for both household and military use.

Boiling the Sahti pepper causes a chemical reaction that negates its more dangerous properties. The flesh can then by used to flavour dishes. Due to the extreme heat of the Sahti, the flesh is normally ground and sold as a sauce. Minuscule portions of hot sauce are sufficient to make even large portions quite spicy.

Spoiler: Chamidis (orchid potpourri)
Physical Description: Annual flowering plant, averaging 1 ft. in height. Has light green leaves in bunches of 3 all over the stalk of the plant. Flower resembles an orchid, and is typically a deep rose color, with spots of lighter yellow. The subtle, relaxing scent of this flower means that it is often grown inside homes to relieve stress.

Spoiler: Gurdak Vine
This small, thin vine grows exponentially quickly as it gets taller and taller, but once it hits twenty feet it is unable to support itself and dies quickly, laying its seeds on the ground. The stalk is thin and the leaves are relatively large. This vine can reclaim a run-down, uninhabited building in a bout a week, and it can also be a nuisance to inhabited buildings. It takes quite a bit of work to uproot a gurdak infestation in your home.

Rumor has it "Gurdak" comes from an ancient dwarven profanity.

Spoiler: Urdiss Fern (decomposer)
Physical Description: Plant with feathery, green leaves with a rust underside. Seeds grow in dead bodies (buried or not), and the plant nourishes itself with protein from the corpse. Colloquially known as "Tombstone Ferns".

Spoiler: Jungo Berry
Physical Decription: A thorny vine with a somewhat tart berry. The berries can be eaten raw, or cooked into a sumptious jam. The taste is a close to a cross between lime and raspberry.

Spoiler: Rollep (lush grass)
Rollep is a plant that looks similar to wild grass (although it's a bit larger). The root is edible, and although tasteless, can provide sustenance in a pinch. Rollep can only flourish in water-dense areas, so exceptionally large patches of rollep are good indications of an underground spring or otherwise concealed body of water.

Spoiler: Linfal Tree (panpipe tree)
Tall deciduous tree with clusters of small leaves that turn bright red in autumn. It's known for the unique structure of its twigs, which are hollow and open at the end. When the wind blows through the branches of a Linfal, the twigs act like panpipes, creating music.

Spoiler: Crabapple Tree
Yep more flora, and more stuff to make jelly out of.

Spoiler: Lotus Tree
Grows to an average height of 8-10 feet tall, with deep emerald leaves. Produces clusters of small, pure white lotus flowers, which later form sweet white berries which are considered a gourmet item. The trees are notoriously vulnerable for the first two years of life, which contributes to their rarity.

Spoiler: Pristek (carnivorous)
This organism resembles a bush from a distance, but upon closer examination, its outer shell of leaves serve only as protection for an inner eyestalk and a strange tube-like appendage capable of shooting an acidic mixture. It often suprise-attacks its prey, spraying acid and then moving to reside on top of its target's old body, which then provides its nourishment. Amount and strength of acid produced varies based on the age of the creature. It moves at about 10 feet per hour - negligible to any combat.

Spoiler: Shadow Root (radish)
A black raddish that grows solely in the wild. General Consensus believes that this is a cursed plant, poisonous for consumption and just generally cursed. Certain cultures have complicated rituals to purify a field tained by Shadow Root. General Consensus is in fact horribly wrong; with proper preparation Shadow Root makes a good stew, although it must be cooked (as it is quite bitter when eaten raw).

Spoiler: Oranges
Not native to the area (wrong cliamte), but they are a frequent import. (Some small groves do exist). Oranges are round, orange, and prevent scurvy.

Spoiler: Dandelions
We all know what this is. Comes in many varieties, such as the large Flying Dander and the blood-drinking Carnivorous Weed.

(1/2 laziness + 1/2 tiredness + 1/2 silliness = inspired!)

Spoiler: Larna Casova (white flower)
A small white flower (imagine a white rose) which is considered a symbol of purity and faithfulness by several cultures. Frequently seen in churches, at weddings, and often given as a present to one's true love.

The seedier side of town will see Larna Casova potions sold as aphrodesiacs. In reality, such a potion is worthless snake oil (although not actually harmful).

Spoiler: Gungarra Elm
Physical Description: A smallish tree (typically reaches at most 5 feet tall at maturity), whose leaves have been used for centuries as dressings for wounds by the Tiktuk tribe. Will blossom with a relatively drab blue flower.

Spoiler: Kathari Herb
A plant use for medicinal purposes with a bitter taste. Can be brewed to make potions, or smoked and inhaled.

Spoiler: Avaslihna Tree (aphrodisiac)
incredibly rare, found only where nothing could possibly grow, its pollen induces a lovesick feeling in those who inhale it that causes them to fall deeply in love with the first person they see. Effects last for about 1 to 2 weeks depending on how much pollen is inhaled.

Spoiler: Rainbrush (baobab-like shrub)
Scraggly, low plant that grows in the summer. The roots of this plant extend aboveground and are very adept at absorbing vitals, especially water. After rain, children will go find rainbrush and pick these roots - they turn from fibrous to quite bulbous, and are sweet tasting.

Spoiler: Arana (nut-producing)
Medium-size deciduous bush with characteristic long, sapphire-coloured leaves. These are cultivated for the arana fruit, which are iridescent red and grow from similar-colour flowers. The fruit itself is quite inedible, but the nut inside is delicious -- a subtle blend of sweetness and bitterness that is eaten raw, used in dishes, or pounded into a paste for use as a condiment.

Spoiler: Summer Snow (white clover)
white clover (in the seven-leafed variety for extra-special luck!) that grows like wildfire in the summertime, mainly located south of the docks.

Spoiler: Strangleweed (carnivorous seaweed)
An aquatic, kelp-like plant that grows only in deep saltwater, this is only distinguishable from other plants of its type by its slight red tinge. When touched, it instantly contracts and folds around the point of disturbance until the creature has suffocated. Small tubes protruding from the face of the plant then enter the creature and rapidly suck the nutrients out for about 5 minutes, at which point the creature is released.

People who have been poisoned can subject themselves to Strangleweed attack as a primitive form of antedote, provided they can prevent themselves from drowning.

Strangleweeds cannot realistically pull a standing human underwater, but they can make things very difficult for an average swimmer and they can easily drown a weak one.

Spoiler: Preffa (edible flower)
A small, bright blue flower that grows in hilly areas. Its pollen tastes like a spicy kind of saffron (redundancy acknowledged), and is used as a flavoring for foods. A bit on the expensive side, but some countrymen make their living by picking, grinding, and selling these flowers.

Spoiler: Ythen (anaesthetic flower)
Prolific creeping plant distinguished by trefoil, bright red flowers. The flowers have anaesthetic properties.

Spoiler: Giant Iridis (hallucinogenic flower)
Comes in a variety of colors but can be primarily found in purple and pink,
Wild flower rarely seen in the mountains, extremely difficult to find and even more difficult to grow for an industry, extremely valuable as its roots can be crushed into a powder that has powerful hallucenogenic effects. Often used by mountain shamans in religious rituals and unscrupulous characters as a method of exchange. Recent government crackdown on the distribution of Iridis powder has caused the street price to move from its already high levels to one that makes the underground drug trade extremely lucrative.


This is lalaladucks entry gained from the method I used in the post below.
Spoiler: singing tree
grows songs
Last edited by Annadog40 on Tue Nov 13, 2018 11:37 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Post Post #1 (ISO) » Sun Jun 17, 2018 10:54 am

Post by Annadog40 »

I saw that there goal was 100 total but they barely failed to reach this goal. They were doing switches where one person would suggest then the next person and so one. I shall continue this but slightly differently. I will suggest one life form to be included. Once I do that, I'll use a google doc in the speakeasy and two options suggested by different people will complete the list. This happened here.

Land Animals


Spoiler: Vardanu (pack lizards)
Physical Description: A scaled up version of a Komodo Dragon; adults are typically 12 feet long, 4 feet tall and the main body is four feet wide with two powerful appendages protruding from each side. Their skin is a tough greyish leathery substance that is resistant to piercing and tearing, which developed as a consequence of the low and compact body structure. Their hide also provides some protection against temperature variations; while cold-blooded, a Vardanu can be fully active at anywhere between 40-85 degrees Fahrenheit. Typically the body of a Vardanu hovers mere inches above the ground, but unimpeded the animal can move speedily (up to 15 miles per hour) over even relatively uneven terrain.

Most Vardanu are domesticated and are used by several races as pack animals or for transport. A typical Vardanu can pull up to two tons at a rate of 2 miles per hour for an extended period of time without rest (6-8 hours). Vardanu are herbivores and as domesticated creatures have no natural predators. There are occasionally rumors of feral Verdanu that grow to twice the size of an average Verdanu; these have yet to be substaniated.

Spoiler: Hobgoblins
Physical Description: Standing at about 5 feet tall, these creatures have brown, leathery skin. They are short and squat, often coated in dirt and dust. They often wield crudely constructed weapons and armor, although their physical strength along seems to be enough to compete in battle. They are very sensitive to sunlight, often blinded and at a disadvantage when doing battle above ground.

They live in underground colonies, rising above the ground only to keep intruders away from their turf - hobgoblins are overprotective of their territory. A militiant, although not intelligent, race, hobgoblin are rarely short on warriors. They overestimate themselves, though, and often send out too few warriors to deal with a threat. They can be very greedy, though, and some shiny trinket is often enough to ensure safe passage.

Spoiler: Chicken
Physical description: Your standard Rhode Island Red (obviously not called that). Used as a source of eggs and meat. Everything tastes like chicken.

Spoiler: Wolves
Slightly larger than their Earth cousins, but I don't believe they need any other explanation. :)

Spoiler: Rats
Carry diseases. Come out usually at night. Source of protein for the exceptionally poor. Etc.

Spoiler: Ocelots
A small spotted wild cat. Feasts on small wild prey (mice, rabbits, small birds, occasionally a deer if it can catch one). Nocturnal, it sleeps in trees during the day. Usually found in small groups of 3-6. Somewhat territorial and will attempt to attack/frighten away intruders.

Spoiler: Cats
Coming in a variety of shapes, colors, breeds, etc. Many are domesticated as pets, but some run wild.

Spoiler: Dryads
Demihuman. Shorter than most humans.

Dryads are always female, capturing human males to use for mating and then releasing them. The soul of a dryad is tied to a particular tree in their home grove, and if the tree is destroyed or sickly, the dryad dies or is ill as well. The appearance of the dryad is always directly tied to that of the tree, as well, and changes according to the appearance of the tree and the season.

Spring
hair - light brown, blonde, or pale green
skin tone - lightly tan
Summer
hair - dark green or dark brown
skin tone - tan
Autumn
hair - red, orange, blonde, brown
skin tone - bronzed
Winter
hair - black, white, brown, grey
skin tone - pale

Of course there are exceptions, for example a dryad whose tree is an evergreen or whose tree is in an area that doesn't experience a certain season or whose tree has curiously-colored striations in the leaves (reflecting as streaks in the hair, etc.)

Basically the dryad reflects the color/condition of their tree. Most of the time dryads live in a closely-knit community in their grove, guarding their trees protectively. Some, however, do go out into the world for adventure. All dryads are somewhat mischievous in nature, and always stop travelers through the forest to seduce.

Spoiler: Boar
Your normal European wild boar. What says European fantasy quite like a boar hunt, or feasting on roasted boar? (And there's the added allusion -- the Passani dietary requirement against eating boar.)

Spoiler: Abyssids (cave people)
Abyssids are pale, humanoid creatures that live in caverns and caves beneath the world's surface. They resemble humans, but are somewhat shorter, with pale (nearly translucent) skin flecked with greyish-green blotches, and they are totally hairless. They are completely blind, with eyes that are either pale blue or totally white. Due to their lack of vision, they hunt by emitting shrill screams and clicks and use echolocation to find their prey. Abyssids are usually slight of build, almost to the point of appearing emaciated, to help them slip through the thin cracks in the rock. Their fingers end in tapered points, used to climb rock walls and grasp onto victims. They have numerous needle-like teeth which they use to tear out their victims' throats, and then feast on the body later.

Abyssids are unabashed carnivores. The majority of the time they will feed on shrimp, fish, crayfish, and other animals within the cave, but occasionally they will venture outdoors after dark, hunting other prey, including humans.

Little is known about the organization of Abyssids. They appear to lack sentience, and live in small groups of around 30-40, never with any sort of leader. They are rarely documented, as they live deep within the earth (and many who happen upon them don't return). They are rumored to have descended from the Mar-Dejir, a human sect that worships the earth god and lives deep within caves. The Mar-Dejir deny having any connection to the "abominations", however, so the origin of the Abyssids remains a mystery.

It's also worth noting that their name is a misnomer; they aren't demons.

Spoiler: Moroxi (flying snakes)
The Moroxi are an intelligent race that most closely resemble abnormally large snakes with wings. Their wings are white, heavily feathered, and extremely powerful. They are located close to the head of the snake body, and in flight, they carry the snake in wild, bounding arcs. Although they are half again as large as the average human, the flight is much too wild to be rideable. They are also capable of moving across land fairly quickly, but they aren't coordinated enough to navigate easily. They must go significantly slower to navigate forests to get around the trees, for example.

The Moroxi prefer solitude, living in small packs in open areas. They speak their own language. Extreme pacifists, they will run or fly away from any questionable contact with the outside world.

Spoiler: Hiran (bi-horned horses)
Like a horse, but with cloven hooves and two black horns like a bull (coming out of the side of the head and curving forwards). Colouration ranges from white through grey and brown tones to black. Hiran are used for riding, commonly for travel or for war. (Due to a hiran's horns, a charge of hiran-mounted cavalry is quite fearsome.)

Spoiler: Geest (will-o'-the-wisp)
These unusual creatures are sometimes referred to as "will-o'-the-whisp", "marshfire", "swamp candles", and "puffer worms".

The Geest is a foot-long, slug-like creature that lives in damp places, typically swamps. Their skin is pale, translucent orange, with four eye stalks rising out of their head. While Geest have no sense of vision as we understand it, they have an acute sense of smell, and smell by extending the eye stalks.

Normally the Geest is nothing more than a long worm, but when it desires to move around, it begins a marvelous transformation. It starts to suck air into its body via thousands of tiny holes all over its skin. As it sucks in air, the Geest will start to grow larger and larger, expanding its body. It continues to expand until its skin is stretched, translucent, and the Geest resembles a large balloon, over two feet in diameter. The Geest then begins to secrete its own chemical within itself. This chemical reacts with the gas inside to form a new gas that is lighter than air, and thus causes the Geest to float. The gas produced also emits a dull, unwavering glow from within.

Many people have seen the orange, friendly glow of the Geest floating through the marshes at night and been led astray, while the Geest remain unaware of all the men they have accidentally led to their death.

They are completely unable to fight, and will float quickly away if attacked. Their rubbery skin prevents damage from tree limbs and the like, but if stabbed with anything like a knife, they will deflate and fall to the ground dead.

Spoiler: Creepers (sewer dwellers)
While these creatures have no real name, they're referred to in scary stories as Creepers. Most simply believe them to be a tale used to frighten small children into coming home before dark, but in actuality these creatures are quite real.

Creepers are hideous creatures that lurk in the dark, dank sewers beneath Amstaad.

These creatures resemble spiders in a way. Their skin is a fleshy carapace, black and mottled with acid yellow. Their humanoid body is slung low to the ground, like that of a spider. What truly gives them their spider-like appearance, however, are the multitude of arms that the Creeper carries itself along with. The number of arms varies from creature to creature: some are used as legs to walk along on and others are used for grabbing and manipulating things. These arms all strongly resemble elongated, emaciated human arms, ending in four slender fingers. The head of a Creeper is vaguely humanoid, but they have no eyes, relying on their other senses to hunt. Creepers have a humanoid mouth, but it is extremely large in relation to the rest of their face, lipless, and filled with long, needle-like teeth.

Creepers hunt with terrifying precision. Using their many arms to easily climb the sewer walls, they lay in wait inside of a grate after nightfall. When someone or something (usually a child or a family pet) happens by, the Creeper reaches out and grabs hold of its victim with several of its arms. Before the victim can even make a noise, the Creeper bites and injects the victim with a paralyzing toxin. The still-living victim is then either dragged into the sewer whole, to be taken off to the Creeper's lair for later consumption, or (if the sewer opening is too small for the victim to fit through) the Creeper reaches out and dismembers the paralyzed victim so that the pieces will fit through the opening.

Creepers generally live solitary lives, with a Creeper mother laying an egg sack and abandoning it to hatch. Creepers will, however, work together in groups of 2-5 to capture victims, and fight over the portions. The average life-span of a creeper is only 3-years-old (just a bit more than fully grown), and there are never more than a few hundred in the entire sewer, just because they are constantly murdering each other over food.

Sunlight causes extreme physical pain to Creepers' skin, causing them to abandon whatever they were doing and flee. Artificial lights do not cause damage, however.

So far, Creepers haven't left the sewers, but there is always the distinct possibility that they could begin prowling through the town at night.

Spoiler: Morpheon (hallucinogenic lizard)
Pale white lizard, about 8 inches long. Feeds on insects. Secretions from morpheon skin has both somnolent and hallucinogenic qualities, and so can be used to induce a dream state, either for religious, psychological, or recreational purposes.

Spoiler: Otters
These playful, aquatic mammals normally live in rivers, but a small number of them have begun to populate the city, playing around in the fountains and the harbor. The higher-ups in the city regard them as pests and have been attempting to get rid of them, but they are usually well-liked by most of the city's residents, especially the Tiktuk (who go out of their way to keep them safe, and have succeeded in teaching many of them tricks).

Spoiler: Beavers
(Too tired to even write a good one line physical description, much less do something crazy like a buffalo-beaver hybrid)

Spoiler: Himbni (monkeys)
These creatures resemble small monkeys. Full-grown Himbni are 2-3 feet tall with greyish-brown fur. They feed on rats, insects, and other pests, although they will also eat fruit if given the option. While they are too naturally wild to be domesticated, some citizens will leave a few apples in front of their doorstep to ensure that the Himbni stay around that particular residential area. Their predation of disease-carrying and otherwise annoying creatures gives them value.

Spoiler: Greira (healing lizard)
Small, brownish lizard. They live in small colonies of roughly 1000. They tend to live around marshy areas, as they feed on insects. They molt once a year, and their outgrown skins have alchemetical properties. If mixed into a potion, they can be poured over an open wound to help cleanse it, or the sticky mixture can help stop bleeding.

Spoiler: Strom Kaar (porcupine)
Physical description: These cute, furry and black animals bear a slight resemblance to a combination of a muskrat's body and a porcupine's outer shell. The jet black coat of it's spines is so glossy, it glistens off of the sun's rays during the day almost to to the point where it can create a glare in a passer-by.

The animal is timid, like the muskrat it's related to, so people who see the animal without knowing it think of it as a cute animal and a reason to temporarily stop a walk and admire until it scampers away, deathly afraid of the observers staring at it.

This isn't the case, however. This animal dominates many others; it is an "alpha male" of the animal kingdom (that is with regards to animals that obviously dominate it -- a large, catlike creature would gobble this animal in no time -- but only in regards to the animals it is similar to. To put it more simply, it is ferocious) in comparison with other animals it lives near. This animal is to be taken seriously whenever in a confrontation with it.

It's not like a passerby needs to take a walk and make sure and avoid all sights of a glossy-backed bed of spines with extreme caution. Generally, this animal doesn't like to take on challenges to more superior beings unless it is provoked and feels that it is defending for its life. The animal's whole philosophy is, "don't bother me, and I won't bother you".

If you do, though, you'd best be prepared.

Spoiler: Kinh Bear
Large, black bear. Amstaad's bears have long, retractable claws which they use to spear fish and small animals. They generally won't attack humans unless cornered. The Briaf hold Kinh Bears with some reverence.

Spoiler: Goats
White, four-legged ruminants. Cute. Tasty. Produce milk, which is also tasty.

Spoiler: Maluffs (squirrels)
Mischievous and intelligent squirrels who happen to have an addiction for collecting shining trinkets. Often create large hordes of colorful buttons hidden in trees.

Spoiler: Taberi (tapir)
Grazing, dumb herd animal with a trunk, think Tapir (inspiration of name) and cattle. So slightly larger tapirs that are the staple meat, like beef is for us.

Spoiler: Hooper (turtle)
Looks like a turtle with a small circle of dense, barbed tissue protruding from between the base of its neck and the shell. At will, it can bend its head down and shoot the hoop to snare a creature (no larger than a big rat). Although the creatures themselves are mostly harmless, they are quite capable of disarming aggressors. With difficulty, they can be trained.

Spoiler: Fuzzies (rabbits)
Nickname for miniature rabbitlike creatures with long hair that is constantly at fuzz level. They bounce around and make nice pets for children. They eat rabbit food (lettuce, pellets, etc.)


This is my contribution
Spoiler: Tigers
They look like our tigers but can grow larger and are much more intelligent.

They have a primitive society living mainly in caves and other pre-made structures. They are skilled in fire magic but have poor technology capabilities due to their quadruped nature.

They are quite aggressive and will raid Amstaad regularly. For that reason the species is banned in the city.

Their main goal is to take over the entire planet. They plan to do this by finding a way in order to turn into dragons. So far their effort garnered only minimal success.


This is the second winner submitted by Kublai Khan
Spoiler: Sand cat
"The sand cat (Felis margarita), also known as the sand dune cat, is the only cat living foremost in true deserts. This small cat is widely distributed in the deserts of North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia."
Last edited by Annadog40 on Fri May 03, 2019 2:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post Post #2 (ISO) » Tue Nov 13, 2018 11:59 am

Post by Annadog40 »

Air Animals


Spoiler: Drakes
Physical Description: Flying lizards around 7 feet long from nose to tail. They have strong hind legs, and front "hands" that form a part of their wings. Wings are bat-like, and stretch 6 feet from tip to tip. Amstaad's drakes feed primarily on medium-sized animals (about the size of a house cat), and can often be seen roosting on the larger buildings. Colourations vary widely, but are always bright and showy.

Drakes do not have any special breath weapons (besides the smell of their last meal). They make do with strong jaws and teeth, and the talons on their hind feet.

Spoiler: Seidreks (messenger birds)
Seidreks are birds, often a drab shade of brown, but the underside of their feathers is a metallic blue - the glint of the feathers is often a telltale sign. They are about 1.5 feet long with the same 1.5 foot wingspan. They are commonly used as messengers, as they are intelligent enough to take orders and find almost any location within a twenty mile radius, and the particularily fast ones can travel at about 100 mph in the air. They are prized as pets for the wealthy, but they are rare in the wild - many have been hunted for their valuable feathers or captured for sale.

They fly clumsily and are no real threat in combat, but their efficient and intelligent flight makes them valuable.

Edit: This is my last turn before I'm gone for the week. Skip me if it comes back around; I'll catch up when I'm back.

Spoiler: Falcons
In nature, fierce birds of prey. Used by people to hunt game, as well as for scouting ahead.

Spoiler: Giant Vulture
Physical Description: A large carnviorous scavenger, an adult Giant Vulture is typically the size of a small hut (10 feet tall with a 20 foot wing span). These creatures are fairly rare; one nest of 5-10 vultures can scavenge a large region of over 100 miles in radius. Has large claws for piercing hides and carrying corpses to the nest.

Spoiler: Phoenix
A single, nomadic Phoenix resides in Amstaad. All kinds of superstition surrounds the lone bird - the commoners believe that the flight of a Phoenix in day is terrible bad luck, but the flight of a Phoenix at night will bestow good fortune for a week. The Phoenix is also said to be a messanger - following the Phoenix will lead you to whatever you most want to find in the city.

Every so often, the Phoenix is reborn - its body erupts into flame and a fledgling springs from the ashes. Any time it would die, the rebirth happens. Naturally, its lifespan is about 100 years.

Towns have been known to spontaneously lynch anyone who spells it with an "eo".

Spoiler: Rocs
Very large raptors, with a wingspan of 25 ft. Plumage is generally ruddy brown. Will eat any animal that fits in its claws.

Not local.

Spoiler: Bats
We all know what this is. Comes in many varieties, such as the large Flying Fox and the blood-drinking Vampire Bat.

Spoiler: Kilit (gull)
Similar to a seagull, these birds live near the ocean and scavenge food from the docks. They are white with reddish feathers on the tips of their wings. They are considered a pest and there have been many attempts to eliminate them by the dockworkers, such as leaving out poisoned food.

Spoiler: Fiiren (songbirds)
Smallish, brightly-coloured songbirds. Colouration tends to be iridescent, with several varieties in shades of emerald, ruby, sapphire, and amethyst. Frequently used as metaphor among Amstaadian romantics.

Spoiler: Kutashunk Dragons (vegetarian dragons)
Large creatures that have a 200 foot wingspan and can change their skin coloring to match the background much like a chameleon. They are strictly vegetarian and quasi intelligent, often planting large forests for later consumption. Also notorious practical jokers, known to swoop down on unsuspecting humans and swallow them whole for a good five to ten minutes only to harmlessly deposit them back again.

Spoiler: Finches
Bird. Eats seeds and nuts. Is eaten by various carnivores. Not particularly big (most can be held in two hands).

(Not inspired, but we have relatively few smallish birds).

Spoiler: Spindlewrens (cranes)
Incredibly long-legged cranes believed to be bearers of good fortune, coming in vibrant red or white plume. They spend 85-90% of their day in the water, and though often elegant and sedative, they have been known to cause quite the uproar near the fish market. It is a sign of wealth and honor to keep a spindlewren in one's wading pool.
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Post Post #3 (ISO) » Tue Nov 13, 2018 12:18 pm

Post by Annadog40 »

Water Animals


Spoiler: Vinzer Crabs
Physical Description: Relatively large (half foot tall, weighs about 15 pounds) crabs, with a tough shell and claws. Generally ignored by the TikTuk, but their eggs and meat are prized delicacies in the Noble's District.

Spoiler: Medicinal Leeches
Black, bog-dwelling invertebrate with tre-fold jaws. Sucks blood, injecting an anaesthetic and blood thinner at the site of the wound. Can be beneficial in reasonable numbers.

Spoiler: Salmon
The TikTuk need to catch something when they go fishing.

Spoiler: Vizid Snakes (venomous sea snake)
Venomous sea snakes. Black and about 5 to 6 feet long. Live only in salt water, and though they aren't large enough to consume a full-grown person, the venom can certainly kill one.

Spoiler: Turriss (fish)
The turris is a reasonably large fish (an average Turriss is about the size of an exceptionally large salmon). It's harmeless to humans, but a predator to almost all smaller fish. Also one of the Tiktuk's fishing targets.

Spoiler: Sharks
Many species, like our modern sharks, and rumors abound of sharks large enough to sink a boat (Carcharadon Megalodon, perhaps...?).

Spoiler: Hareesh (whale)
Physical description: Large, whale-like creatures. Hareesh resemble a slightly smaller, more attractive humpback whale. Their skin is an unusual iradescent green and blue, often freckled with shiny, pearl-like bumps.

Hareesh live in the deep ocean, though they occasionally will swim close to shore. They are quite playful and intelligent, often swimming alongside boats. Sometimes, if a captain frequents the same waters for an extended amount of time, the same hareesh will follow them around every time, almost like a guardian. Legends abound among sailors of hareesh that have defended boats from attack and even saved the lives of sailors, so they are held in extremely high regard among mariners, and it's considered good luck to see one.

The hareesh make many noises, ranging from a whistle that is almost like laughter to deep, threatening-sounding clicks to low, melancholy songs that one can hear late at night on the open sea. The hareesh's clicks act as sort of a sonic deterrent to sharks in particular and not other fish, which is another reason that hareesh are well-liked by fishermen.

The hareesh primarily feeds on plankton, algae, small crustaceans, and small fish.

Unfortunately, the hareesh has recently become a hunted animal in some areas. Hunting boats are used to harpoon a hareesh and drag it to shore. The pearl-like growths on the hareesh's skin are then sold as jewelry, and the shimmery greenish oil that covers the animal's skin and gives it its iradescent shine is used in dye, producing a brilliant, emerald green cloth. Hareesh products are generally sold for extremely high prices and are a sign of wealth. The killing of hareesh is looked down upon in most port towns, but the business continues to grow, particularly in wealthy areas of towns.

Spoiler: Derphai (dolphin)
These resemble dolphins with much longer fins - up to 4 feet long. They eat other fish, and can be harpooned by the fishermen.

Spoiler: Reptaurak (rare sea snake)
An aquatic animal that resembles a snake, except its scales are a shiny gold color. Its top speed is slow, but it has extremely quick acceleration and reflexes making it very hard for the fishermen to catch. Its meat is a rare delicacy, and its scales are decorative and said to have magical properties. A fisherman who manages to catch one and sell all the parts off will typically never have to work another day in his life.

Spoiler: Frogs
The local variety is average as far as size goes, green in color distinguished by a deep sapphire belly.

Spoiler: Eipstream (plankton)
Colonies of a reddish-brown plankton that travel through the Amstaadian waters. Although they're harmless to humans, they can be poisonous if ingested to some fish.

Spoiler: Avarex (piranha goldfish)
Imagine goldfish with fangs. These rainbowish see-through fish travel in packs of 200-500. They range from 2 to 3 inches long each. They are very much carniverous and they are very much dangerous to humans, although they swim fairly slowly (they could plausibly be outrun by an average-speed character) and they only live in freshwater that's at least 10 feet deep.

Spoiler: Sprats
Small, oily fish. Once caught, they may be salted and stored for as long term provisions. Certain varieties are also processed for their oil, which when refined can be used in lamps.

Spoiler: Leviathans (giant whale)
Large graceful intelligent whales known to grow as big as 400 meters in length, often hunted for their valuable oil, known to be gentle at times, but can be quite vicious when being hunted. Commercial whaling has the highest insurance premiums as almost 60% of whaling ships never make it back from their battles with these giants of the sea.

Spoiler: Nymphs
Demihuman. Female with pale blue luminescent skin shades, webbed long fingers and toes, and white eyes. Rarely seen out of water.
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Post Post #4 (ISO) » Tue Nov 13, 2018 12:41 pm

Post by Annadog40 »

Insects


Spoiler: Mikri (locusts)
Physical Description: 3" long, locust-like insect. The mikri has 6 legs, the back pair being longer, hunched, and used for leaping. The back legs have sharp spines protruding out of them, but all legs end in tiny claws for gripping onto plant stalks and leaves. The mikri has a hard exoskeleton, usually greenish-brown in color. The head of the mikri is resembles that of a grasshopper or locust, but with two main differences: the mikri has a tinier pair of antennae surrounding its longer ones, and its mandibles are larger than normal, adapted to quickly consume food as well as deal a painful bite, often drawing blood. The mikri's most notable features are its wings, which when expanded, are a brilliant blue.

Life-Cycle: The mikri starts out as a tiny white egg, about the size of a BB. The egg hatches in late spring and releases a mikri nymph: a smaller, paler version of the adult mikri, with a softer carapice, less-developed hind legs, and no wings. Over the next 3 months the mikri develops to its adult phase, also growing wings (and eating continuously the entire time). Finally the mikri takes flight in search of other foods. In the late autumn the mikri mate, the female eating the male directly afterward. The female mikri will hide herself away by either burrowing underground or hiding in the trunk of a tree to stay out of the winter cold. During this time the mikri effectively shuts down its bodily functions for the entire winter, emerging after the thaw of spring. The mikri then lays 5-15 eggs, which are almost completely developed at this point. Unfortunately for the mother mikri, the mass of the eggs have almost completely taken over her body, and she is literally nothing more than a living incubator. Giving birth tears out most of her vital organs, and the mother mikri crawls a short distance away and dies.

Eating Habits: Mikri are omnivorous, feasting readily on both plants and flesh. Mikri usually won't attack animals that are able to defend themselves, but will attack injured animals. Many a time a farmer has gone to check on an injured animal only to find it dead, missing a large chunks of flesh as the mikri has quickly gone to work.

Mikri are almost never found inside large cities, but are semi-rare pests of farms and gardens. Most wear thick gloves when dealing with them, due to their spines and painful bite. Though these creatures are largely individual, approximately every 14 years millions of mikri gather en masse, growing more violent than usual and terrorizing small farming communities and occassionaly large cities that they happen to fly over.

Mikri emit a chirping/screeching noise like a grasshopper, locust, or cricket by rubbing their legs and wings together. A few mikri creating this noise is harmless, but when the creatures swarm, the noise becomes deafening, and resembles the screaming of a baby. This "swarm-noise" has a curious effect on women, hypnotically entrancing them into believing that the noise is their own child crying out in pain (whether the woman has had children or not). There have been recorded cases of women rushing out of their homes, which had been barricaded against swarm attack, to help their "babies", only to be set upon by the mikri swarm, which leaves only the women's bones behind.

Spoiler: Paereb Spiders (large)
The spiders are not so much a species as a hive of giant spiders that lives in Amstaad. Its nursery is underground, but hunters are often sent above to bring food down. These spiders can range anywhere from the size of a standard Earth spider to about 10 feet long... and they aren't afraid to bring humanoid prey down.

The spiders have long mouthparts that crush their prey as well as small needle-like appendage that injects a paralysis poison into the grappled prey (strength of poison is often proportional to size of spider). They are jet-black with a natural oil secretion making their hard outer surface shine in the sun. They can blend in well in the shadows, though.

Spoiler: Bees
You know the drill, they provide honey, pollenize flowers and sting things.

Spoiler: Gnats
Very small, black flying insect with an itchy bite. Breeds in standing water, and can be found in swarms when breeding grounds have been left undisturbed for a long time. May be disease carriers.

Spoiler: Drowse Grubs
Small black grubs that secrete a sedative from their skin that causes drowsiness in most mammals. (The grubs are of course immune to their own sedative). Individually not much of a threat, but they typically works in colonies of thousands, mass swarming a target so it falls unconscious from combined effect of the sedative which is slowly devoured. A typical colony only targets a small number of animals at a time (usually at most 5).

Spoiler: Sraath Plague (cockroaches)
A breed of Cockroaches live in the slums of Amstaad. They are decomposers - they feast on dead animals (including dead people). Of course, they aren't afraid to feast on dying people, either. Anyone still alive being attacked by the plague is quite benevolently put out of their misery.

Spoiler: Termites
Hive-dwelling, wood-eating insects. The important buildings of Amstaad are stone for good reason.

Spoiler: Aushtak Butterflies
These large majestic butterflies often have a wide array of colors on their wings, often given as gifts to potential mates by Kinh Bears.

Spoiler: Lethigies
These annoyingly small, black bugs are ferocious in nature. Usually people and animals can't tell, though, because the worst that they do is be bothersome when buzzing around their heads, and their venom emits a little bit of "sleeping juice" that causes the bitee to get a little bit tired.

Spoiler: Tintrin (fireflies)
Smallish fireflies commonly found in the wilderness. Named after their mating call, which sounds like a bell going "Tin Trin Trin Trin Trin". Sometimes captured and used for entertainment in play houses.

Spoiler: Terrapods (rock bugs)
To the untrained eye, they appear to be nothing more than exceptionally spherical rocks the size of your fist. However, these insects have small grey eyes that function quite poorly, as well as ten long, thin, and strong legs sprouting in a perfect circle from the bottom of the creature (think: 10-legged mosquito with a spherical top). They can be found in hilly areas, and move about using short bursts of speed from their legs, or by folding up and rolling for downhill paths.

If the hard outer shell is cracked, these creatures are extremely nutritional, although they taste something like old eggs.

Spoiler: Scuttlers (decomposers)
Small black insects that live underground in swarms. They don't kill, but are attracted by the smell of decay. Swarms of scuttlers pull dead bodies underground, and process them into nutrients for plants. Battlefields tend to become very green soon after battles have finished in areas where scuttlers are endemic. The existence of scuttlers also heavily influences burial practices.

Spoiler: Pollinifs (giant butterflies)
Intelligent giant butterflies with wingspans of over 30 meters. They like to kidnap little children. No-one knows what they do with them.

Spoiler: Krynoch (crystalline slugs)
A form of living crystal that subsists on mostly inorganic material (dirt, rocks, stones, occasionally metal ore and bone). Typically fairly small and sluglike in shape and movement. Reproduce asexually; when they reach a typical size, they split in two. Size and color depend on food sources; wild Krynoch generlly have dull coloring with blotches appearing on them. There has been some attempts to breed Krynoch domestically.

Spoiler: Giant Mosquitoes
Roughly the size of a human head. Parasitic/blood sucking.

Spoiler: Fire-Ants (giant)
Just like the fire ants of meatworld, except that in Amstaad, the largest-sized colonies have ants that are each about as big as a rat.

Spoiler: Vineworms (earthworms)
Bright green, small earthworms. Their skin is poisonous, except to birds.

Spoiler: Syleria (symbiotic worm)
Symbiotic Worm that likes to wrap itself around the brain-stem of various mammalian brain stems, enhances memory and creativity. Rumored to shorten lifespans or cause sleepwalking.



The list of 100 plants and animals is complete. Yay.
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