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[Ecosystem Lore] - Swamps, Marshes, and Bogs


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Swamps, Marshes, & Bogs

 

Marshes and bogs are biomes of intermittent land and water. Forming in both salt, and freshwater, swamps are renowned for their wetness, biodiversity, and difficulty to cross, many times mucky and difficult to traverse. Swamps can be found in almost any temperature, from the hottest of hots to the coldest of colds. The hospitableness of swamps vary madly, as the wildlife and temperature of said swamps can vary massively. One may be cool, pleasant, with mild summers and cold winters, while others may be hot, muggy, and mosquito infested all year.

 

Flora List

 

Aqua Nymph

Dwarf’s Pumpkin

Night Sap

Aquate Root

Bitter Reed

Swamp Blossom

Mandragora

Jailor’s Moss

 


 

Parhor

 

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Physiology

The Parhor is a species of frog native to Orcish territories, oftentimes growing to the size of a small bear, compared to their larger Toa’Lak cousins. They possess powerful legs for leaping upon prey, as well as a mottled black and green coloration for blending into its native environment. These gargantuan amphibians constantly secrete a harshly colored, foul-scented slime, which serves to ward off predators that might otherwise wish to harm the creature. This slime has the added benefit of acting as a sedative should the Parhor consume it, allowing it to more easily recover its energy.

 

Notably, this creature possesses the ability to consume and digest poisonous mushrooms with ease, drawing energy and strength from the poison to enter a temporary ‘frenzy,’ enabling them to chase down and overpower smaller prey animals within the marshes and jungles, though they are still subject to the effects of exhaustion, utilizing their slime to suede themselves into a deep slumber after hunting, ending the frenzy early.

 

If one were to attempt to refine the slime secreted by this creature, they would be met with a hallucinogenic goop, which when applied to the lips would result in severe auditory, visual, and sensory hallucinations, as well as a severe lethargy.

 

 

Habitat

Primarily, the Parhor may be found in the jungles and swamps close to Orcish lands - migrating to the jungles in the winter, and returning to the swamps once winter has abated.

 

 

Behavior

Parhor are carnivorous, territorial creatures, often found preying on anything from mosquitos, birds, young Toa’Laks, to even small creatures such as Halflings or Musin. They are often found in ‘packs’ of anywhere from two to five Parhor, forming large nests within suitable marshland or jungle tree hollows.

 

 

Abilities

Regardless, a Parhor is merely a very large frog, and possesses many of the same strengths and weaknesses as such. It is able to leap large distances using its powerful legs, and possesses an equally powerful tongue for grappling prey and attempting to swallow it whole. Its strength, un-augmented, is roughly on par with a small bear.

 

As well, if it were to consume poisonous mushrooms, the Parhor would be granted an immensely augmented physical performance for a duration of 6 emotes, able to perform feats of incredible strength or agility on par with an Olog - though, after this time, the Parhor would be left physically exhausted for 4 emotes, unable to move beyond small hops or slow trudges.

 

 

Redlines

  • Parhor’Fal requires OOC consent to have any major effects.
  • Parhor cannot be tamed, and their slime can not be harvested in captivity.

 

 

Deepsnake

 

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Physiology

Coined the “Deep Snake” by the Dwedmar miners of Kal’mugdor, this leviathan serpent often measures in excess of ten meters long, and possesses the girth and heft of a mighty oak tree. There are precious few of these creatures in existence, perhaps half a dozen at most, though no other creature is feared more by those who delve too deep into the earth below. Often sporting black or grey scales for those cave-bound, or greenish brown for those that lurk within the swamps.

 

The Deepsnake possesses scales with strength roughly equivalent to that of standard Ferrum, though they are comparatively brittle compared to actual metal of any decent quality.  While submerged in water, these scales gleam a brilliant azure hue, though the exact reason for this is unknown. As well, its fangs are comparable in size to a large tree branch, easily able to pierce chainmail or weaker variants of plate - delivering a powerful venom into its victim.

 

 

Habitat

The aptly named ‘Deepsnake’ is most often found within the labyrinthian cave networks native to Dwedmar lands, though any cave network suffices for this serpent’s interests - so long as they possess thermal vents, or proximity to magma. As well, they may be found within deep marshlands and swamps, or other suitably murky and temperate bodies of water.

 

 

Behavior

The creature is feared for its extreme animalist intuition and its ability to plan. In the depths, the Deepsnake knows its prey. It can tell their moods, including fear & impatience. It will lurk crowded junctions or follow creatures back to their homes in order to see how each creature behaves. A snake eats a glorious meal like a giant mole, or four humans, and then can spend weeks or months stalking its next target & developing a plan. A Deepsnake has no interest in death, and will stalk powerful creatures long before laying them to waste with its venom, if it even opts to stick around after biting.

 

 

Abilities

In combat, the Deepsnake is an ambush predator, often relying on the element of surprise to sink its fangs into what it deems the strongest combatant, seeking to afflict them with its horrific venom - a sludge-like substance, one bite gives the body an extra one-hundred pounds of evenly distributed weight, slowing down even stalwart warriors & causing those in water to struggle even more to swim. The venom is thick and courses through the body like syrup, wearing off only after a night’s rest.

 

If biting its prey fails, this serpent has no objections to coiling about its prey, suffocating and crushing them to death with its massive bulk. It possesses the ability to swim incredibly swiftly in bodies of water, and it traverses rocky tunnels with ease.

 

 

Redlines

  • Deepsnakes may not be tamed.
  • Deepsnake venom may not be preserved, making harvesting it a moot point.
  • Weapons and armor crafted from Deepsnake scales will only have the durability of steel, at most - though they are more brittle.
  • Deepsnake venom only lasts for 1 IRL day, before its effects fade.

 

 

 

Crackadonks (False Dragons)

 

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Physiology

 

There are few predators which match the cunning and the brutality of a false dragon. The crackadonks, named after their discoverer Craic Donnackly, are often mistaken for dragonkin but they lack the intelligence for such a designation. Crackadonks are crocodilians that through clever trickery have mimicked their draconid betters.

Weighing in at about 800 pounds and ranging anywhere from 12-17 feet in length the crackadonk is much lighter than their saltwater cousins due to their gift of flight demanding it but their hide and bone are deceptively tough. Though curiously capable of withstanding blunt force trauma and puncture wounds due to some of their favorite methods of hunting these reptilian predators are susceptible to cuts and tears from bladed weapons though nothing short of a tempered ferrum sword could hope to cut their scaly hides.

Great fangs capable of piercing hard leather and denting ferrum armor line their jaw, usually about two inches in length each. Much like their crocodilian cousins these creatures are capable of quick and destructive bites of their powerful jaws, though their muscles are ill suited to opening their mouths, a bit of rope or adhesive would shut them completely.

 

Habitat

 

Crackadonks tend to favor warm bogs and swamps where their cold-blooded bodies can absorb the humid heat and keep them energized but it is not uncommon to see them nest in desert plateaus or hot, active volcanic regions (most especially volcanic hot springs). Anywhere a crackadonk can readily find meat and warmth is not out of the question no matter how unusual.
 

Behavior

 

False dragons are known for their clever hunting and exceptional patience, they can conserve energy efficiently and move very little on land when not actively pursuing a meal. They are known to float much like crocodiles with their wings neatly folded behind their arms when in the water, watching and waiting for prey such as wounded crocodiles, boars, horses, deer, and even descendants/lesser races if they’re feeling confident. While clever enough to often quickly retreat from a fight if their ambush should fail a crackdonk prefers hit-and-run tactics, whittling their opponent’s nerves down with overhead flights, shows of fire-breath, hisses, roars, and circling them with faux-snaps of their jaws to scare them into retreating or opening themselves up to a blow.

When hunting a crackadonk often either A: Ambushes from the water much like a regular crocodile or B: Bombing runs from a high altitude onto larger prey, clamps down on them, folds its wings and begins death rolling as it slides along the ground to ensure its prey doesn’t survive the attack.

 

Abilities

 

Crackadonks are resistant to bludgeoning, their bones are light but deceptively strong, the equivalent of ferrum in terms of damage resistance.

Their unique anatomy allows them to mimic dragons by shooting steady streams of flame from their mouth, done by forcing gas out of a special sack connected to their throat that stores methane produced through digestion and sparking a hard, rock-like section of their throats with a harsh ‘clacking’ noise.

Their hides are resistant to puncture wounds from arrows and other small projectiles, but not so much so that a well-aimed ballista couldn’t immediately skewer them.

Crackadonks are capable of surviving great falls and sudden changes in momentum and will use this to their advantage when hunting. Distances of 60 blocks or less vertically will not hurt them.

Crackadonks possess the gift of limited flight, they require a swift running start to pick up air beneath their wings and take off but due to their cold-blooded nature they cannot travel great distances in high altitudes but can ascend quickly for retreat, bombing swoops, and fly-bys.

Crackdonks are highly resistant to flame, though not immune. A crackodonk can withstand temperatures that would kill a descendant with far greater ease but would die much more slowly to being set on fire.

 

Redlines

 

-Crackadonks cannot be tamed

-Any weapons or armor made from crackadonk hide or bones will have the equivalent strength of steel armor and weaponry and isn’t any lighter than steel.

- Any armor made from crackadonk hide is not fireproof, though it does enable minor resistance to fire itself. The armor is exceptionally resistant to burning away; It can survive the heat and bite of the flames, but the wearer cannot.

-Crackadonks are animals, they are incapable of communicating properly and operate off of base instincts.
-Crackadonk flame breath does not have any pressure to it, it’s similar in nature to a lighter being held up to an aerosol can.

 

 

Sign(s):

Air

Fire

 

Symbol(s):

Burning x6

Heat x6

Destruction x6

Silence x6

 

Appearance:

A large, green reptilian eye with a horizontal slit. It’d be roughly the size of an apple.

 

Location:

The eye sockets of Crackadonks.

 

Harvesting:

Careful extraction from the aforementioned.

 

Raw Effect(s):

If ground down to a paste, the sauce-like remnants of a Crackadonk eye is very nutritious, at the tradeoff of tasting incredibly hot, to the extent that elves, humans and dwarves more often than not find the goop impossible to stomach.

 

No known mundane pepper or spice can match the flavour intensity of a Crackadonk Eye, and as such they are prized by Orcish chefs and witch doctors alike, oftentimes being used to prepare feasts meant for only the hardiest of warriors, or occasionally serving as a test of an orc cub’s tenacity as they come of age.

 

Redlines

-The vibrant green colour and intense chili pepper like smell that radiates from Crackadonk Eyes once ground down is impossible to mask in food or drink; any consuming it would be made aware of its potency long before it touched their lips.

-Crackadonk Eyes and subsequent applications of their ‘sauce’ usage require ST signage.

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El Parhor 
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TOALAK TOALAK TOALAK TOALAK TOALAK 

This is an epic victory royal for the swamp gang to have our frogs mentioned. I have seen enough, im satisfied

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YOOOOOOO

 

makes me wanna write Lizardfolk 👀

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