[Maplore] The Jungles of Beleth

[squakhawk 7955]

The Jungles of Beleth

 

 

The native Green Hell of Southeastern Aevos, The Jungles of Beleth sat neatly between the crescent mountains which shielded the continent from the monsoons which came in from the southern seas. The desert met with a fertile oasis from the lifeblood of rivers which ran through The Jungles in full saturation, providing life and nourishment to the harsh and brutal rainforest.

 

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The Jungles of Beleth

 

The Jungles of Beleth were among the most hostile of any environment to live, and yet the resources abundant made it difficult to avoid. Minerals rich in the fertile, mineralized soils filled with rich and nutritious sand that fed the earth greatly, and thus, whatever fed upon it. The Jungles were gargantuan, as tall Palm trees, Brazilnut trees, Kapok, Rosewood, and Acacia trees pierced the sky above and canopied the thick underbrush below rich and full of life. The weather was unsustainably hot year round, as thick humid air stuck to the skin like a neverending sweat. The sun looked favourably upon the jungle for most hours of the day year-round, where it's shine was most unwelcome in the already scorching heat. 

 

When the sun did not show, thick grey clouds did which rolled in from the sea in as short as minutes. Typhoons and monsoons which tore and ripped apart trees showered the land in harsh waters that caused the rivers to surge with life, local floods often taking up portions of the jungle for themselves. Yet, as one found themselves in greater highland of the jungle, more mild weathers and storms were seen more often. The monsoon went from an existential terror of flood and downpour to a heavy, calming rain almost welcomed in times of stress.

 

This however, was a luxury few were afforded.

 

The Jungles of Beleth were filled with creatures both kind and harsh; Dixie Dart frogs, Musavis, Caedilus, Hernta, Bearded Pike and Arazi Lotus which uniquely haunted the region; and found scarcely elsewhere upon Eos, if anywhere. The fauna and flora unique to the jungle were unlike those encountered anywhere else, outside of the staples found within The Jungles that grew despite adversity. Cacao trees, tigers, monkeys, countless reptiles and avians which plagued both the ground and skies. 

 

Even with this, various creatures venomed with a psychadelic toxin that caused vivid hallucinations, terrors, and paranoia as one entered another world when threatened by even a mere butterfly; corrupted by The Jungle's harsh living. Jailor's moss proved a thick and barbed deterrent from various parts of the jungle, whilst Mandragora grew in scarcity in the underbrush. Bitter reed grew in irony to the diseased jungle that surrounded it, whilst Gislocinovi, Diddyfunkle, and Aquanymph too hid between the large brush and flora that grew vibrantly within the jungle.

 

Despite it's wildlife and splendor, The Jungles of Beleth would be an environment cruelly harsh to the most unprepared of descendants; even those arriving to Aevos, the seas were littered with remnants of dead pirate upstarts and broken ships that had come from places far and times past. But The Jungles of Beleth held their namesake for one thing, and one thing alone...

 

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The Beleth Expedition

This tale is provided by the unreliable narrator of Legend, and thus, may not be wholly accurate. Characters may spin, add to, or redact parts of this tale as they so please as they may have heard it in character to further develop it's story and legend.

 

An infamously failed expedition from the distant republic of Berillia far across The Southern Seas, Captain Darius Beleth was a skilled captain from the kingdom who's town was raided by pillagers of unknown origin. Their magics were foreign, and they disgusted him greatly; sorcery of unknown origin that even the court mages, despicable as they were, provided him with little information. Driven by something; perhaps rage? Fear? Revenge? The good Captain with this in his heart and mind would form together a crew of expeditionaries from a charter of exploration by a mixture of The Great Guilds within the city. Three ships were raised, The Cordelia, The Cressida, and The Catherine. 

 

Three ships left, and yet none returned. Wary by the prospect that the guilds may have been scammed, a mercenary ship by the name of The Carcharodon had departed too to the seas north of Berillia, where they too would not return. Cut from their losses, and struck with great superstition as one of the great cultural movements of their time; a time among few where the squabbling republic could agree upon one foe, and one man's purpose, conspiracy and tall tales arose. Countless among them, were the "True" fate of Captain Darius and his three ships.

 

Many spoke of Darius landing upon the continent, and plundering it for it's splendor; pocketing the gold of the guilds and of the islands found, and making a fleet of his own. Sometimes of pirates, sometimes not. Others spoke that Captain Beleth had set upon an island, and in soontime had been killed; be it by wildlife, natives, or even his own men. The most sadistic and twisted of tales spoken fewest were that of cannibalism, betrayal, and massacre as hundreds of good men had disappeared to never return. Few spoke ever of the vessel sent to recoup losses, The Carcharodon, which too had never returned. Though few care for mercenaries, fewer within Berillia. 

 

With unknown tales at the mount, a song arose as prominent from some of the most popular of tales. Supposedly sung by mad bard accompanying the crew whom had returned as a bloated corpse walking who still yet sung before being cut down. Regardless of origin, the song accrued popularity; particularly in Berillia, but as a sailor's ballad of grim grief and wanderlust, for wherever revenge brings one, death is surely to follow.

 

The Folly of Good Captain Darius

O'er the waves they go

Vengeance was his goal

The ship rocking to-and-fro

His men's fate soon to be known

Captain Darius

 

Committing sin and slaughter

For the life of his own daughter

The Captain let his men die

 

Drawing closer to fate

As his end met the date

The Captain heard his men cry;

 

You traitor you traitor 

You've damn killed us all

For our wives will be longing

And our children's lives small

You promised glory and fame

But you've only brought us shame

It's time you meet your end

 

But the good Captain tried

And yet still he died

The Good Captain lay bleeding soon-to-go

Yet soon did he see

His world turned to snow

The Captain's daughter saw him in red

And soon did he die, his body had bled

Yet tears wept from his eyes

 

The young daughter saw

Her hero did fall

Softly her jaw

Let words that did crawl

 

Oh father oh father

How close you did seem

To meeting your dream

Was all that you gleamed

Yet now you lay dead

Your heart no longer red

A knife in the back

Is all that it took

To kill the good,

Captain Darius

 

 

With the arrival of The Descendants upon Aevos, remnants of The Beleth Expedition would permeate not only within The Jungles of Beleth, but elsewhere throughout Aevos aswell. Tales and signs of his failed expedition would show up in legend and tale throughout the continent, though sparse and difficult to find. The Expedition itself could be seen in tattered remains in various places throughout The Jungles of Beleth, from broken camps to destroyed huts and tents of more permanent civilization. Corpses either taken by the wildlife or so ancient the tale truly is as old as legend itself, slowly over time would they come to find out what truly had happened to Captain Darius Beleth and his failed expedition. 

 

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OOC Information

 

The Beleth Expedition is another maplore piece similar to Ailmere which hosts countless connections with other pieces of maplore, and hopefully, events throughout this map. There are many events in the jungle and opportunities to explore the backstory, truth, folktales, and fate of The Beleth Expedition that are to come this map through various eventlines with a lot of special interactions, items, and character artefacts. 

 

The psychadelic poison mentioned some creatures maintain is for strictly, non-combative narrative use of players, and free use for ET on how they may wish to utilize it. Venom is not gatherable nor acquired by tameing, nor is one able to inject the venom into another person by any means of control, magic, taming, or gathering. One may emote the venom being injected by themselves only, acting as a strong psychedelic and hallucinogenic.