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Introduction
Topic Started: Oct 4 2014, 12:05 PM (1,652 Views)
Troll Man
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Approximately 242 million years ago, a piece of land broke off from what will one day be Eastern Africa. At the time, this land was a hot, tropical world along the coast of the mighty Tethys Sea, rich with life repopulating the planet after the recent end of the Palaeozoic. As it broke it brought with it many of these creatures, becoming a life raft of continental proportions, preserving them as their kind became extinct elsewhere. For millions of years, this land harboured life forgotten to the world. As time progressed its collection grew; land bridges came and went, and countless organisms throughout the eras rafted, swam, hitchhiked and flew to this isolated world, continuously adding to the bizarre menagerie of creatures that populated it.

A lush, warm and varying habitat, this landmass was the perfect environment for life to diversify and evolve; animals and plants long lost to history elsewhere thrived in abundance in this haven. Hundreds if not thousands of unique species called this world home, ranging from tiny worms writhing through the forest soil to massive reptilian behemoths trudging in herds of dozens across its lowlands, and innumerable creatures of every form in between. Thousands of millennia have allowed these organisms to adapt to a world long changed, and take on lifestyles and appearances beyond all belief. Competition among the islands’ flora and fauna have caused the evolution of organisms spectacular and awe inspiring in this hostile paradise.

Eons after they have been forgotten by time, they continue to survive in this world.

A forgotten world.

A lost world.

A bygone world.

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Isla del Mundo Perdido! Diyu! R'lyeh!

---

Also can into [天].

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Troll Man
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Biome Map


Altitude Map


General Features Map



Isa
The largest and northernmost of the three main islands, it stretches for over 76 000 square kilometres, being more than twice the size of the next largest island (Telu). It is also by far the most tropical of the three, rarely having snowfall even on the the highest mountain peaks. As such, a diversity of plants, fungi and animal species unrivaled by any other island in the archipelago populate Isa, and the lifeforms of this island are noticeably distinct from the lower islands. The criss-cross of mountain ranges in various states of decay lacerate the island, shaping its rugged landscape and flora. Most of the island is blanketed with thick subtropical forests, hosting a fantastical collection of fauna thought lost to history. Significant portions of Isa are also covered in grasslands and in the drier regions, heathland; great herds of reptilian beasts trim the ever-growing vegetation, keeping it from overwhelming the island.

Within the interior of the island, fed by the many streams and rivers pouring from high up in the mountains is a wetland stretching for hundreds of square kilometres. A world equal parts water and land is confined deep within this world, and organisms of all sorts thrive in this humid environment. Most of Isa's rivers and streams converge upon a large inland lake, before eventually emptying out in the sea. The waterways of Isa perhaps contain the most incredible diversity of aquatic animals that still exist, living fossils that otherwise went extinct thousands of millennia ago thrive in the island's ponds and rivers; everything from unqiue crustaceans to pterosaurs can be found here and here only.

The northeastern portion of the island is considerably drier than the rest of Isa, probably due in large part to the mountains cutting off most rain from the region. This land is a strange world, mesas jut from portions of the area and seasonal forests pockmark the reigion, in-between fields of heathland. Although not quite dry enough for an arid landscape, it is still by far the driest and hottest portion of the archipelago, hosting many endemic species specialized to such a lifestyle. Near this point is a extinct volcanic caldera; isolated from the rest of the island by its high rim, it hosts a menagerie of small endemic species.

Contrasting the dry northern envionment are the wet, southern, coastal forests; the mangroves. While most other portions of the archipelago have estuarine habitats, only the northern islands are warm and wet enough year-round to support mangrove forests. Although very similar to Isa's inland wetland, it has distinct flora and fauna due to the brackish composition of the water that fuels it. Many centuries of natural erosion have created this sunken ecosystem; a shallow bay consisting of a portion of the once singular landmass that has since collapsed beneath the waves.

Dusa
The smallest of the three main islands (yet still having an area greater than the island of Flores), it also has what is likely the most difficult terrain of the islands. It includes both the archipelago's highest point as well as the point deepest below sea level. High, snow-capped peaks pushed up long ago are contrasted by flooded forest ravines carved over millennia by the running water and movement of the islands. Trekking through Dusa is a formidable challenge indeed, as its vast, broken terrain presents a hazardous landscape to survive. Large areas of temperate rainforests blanket the eastern portion of the island, contrasted by the grand sweeping lowlands in the island's western portion. Both host equally fantastic animal and plants species, truly unlike anything that exists elsewhere on the planet.

Located between the two larger islands of Isa and Telu, both islands have contributed to the flora and fauna of Dusa, which has the "in-between" climate of the two, having temperatures not incredibly hot (around 20 degrees in the summer months) and not bone-chillingly cold in the winter (around 2 degrees on average); or at least in the island's lower regions, as the mountain peaks do get too cold for most flora and fauna. The agreeable weather and wide range of different habitats allow for a surprisingly large diversity of organisms despite the relative small size of the island compared to its neighbours.

A large series of ravines several miles long cuts through the western portion of the island; these forest canyons are a unique habitat containing a great many species adapted to a vertical world; indeed many species of animal and plant are exclusive to this stretch of the archipelago.

Telu
The southernmost of the three main islands, it seems the most average of them at first but it is anything but. With an area of over 42 000 square kilometres it is the largest island in the archipelago after Isa, and by far the coldest overall; during the winter temperatures often fall below freezing. Although its terrain is not quite as varied as Dusa, nor as grand as Isa, it still hosts a varied landscape of grasslands, bogs, temperate forests and the rare mountains. Although very temperate, the climate throughout Telu is quite humid and two large lakes are found within the island. This cool, lush environment calls up images of the faraway islands of New Zealand an ocean away; as does its flora and fauna, rather surprisingly; both contain mostly Gondwanan derived species, many of which have descended from animals gone extinct offshore. The much chillier average temperatures of Telu restrict many animals common elsewhere on the archipelago; many of the Mesozoic-derived flora and fauna species lack protection against the potentially lethal cold of the winter, and so mammals and ornithodirans hold almost complete dominance over this island (some ectothermic animals have adapted to this climate though).

The highly seasonal climate of Telu presents a formidable challenge to its inhabitants; most of which are evolved from tropical-weather animals. In summers it may reach over 35 degrees, while in winter, temperatures may drop below -20; many smaller animals simply go into hibernation or torpor during the coldest winter months while other animals migrate to to milder weather at the Telu’s northern portion. Many species just bare it out, scraping out a living until the foraging gets better in the summer. Many of the island’s native flora are evergreen and thus the forests remain a food source (although somewhat distasteful) throughout winter. Because of the climate, a swamp of the scale found on Isa is not viable and most of the island’s massive inland wetland consists of murky bog, which also contains two lakes of reasonable size.

The overall landscape of Telu is not as mountainous as either Isa or Dusa but it still has mountains of respectable height at its northern and southern coasts, as well as being one of few islands in the archipelago with an active volcano. Temperate cloud forests blanket the sides of these mountains, and ancient tree-covered plateaus often jut from spots where volcanoes once were. A varied collection of life can be found here, adapting to the slightly warmer climate than it is further south.
Isla del Mundo Perdido! Diyu! R'lyeh!

---

Also can into [天].

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Zorcuspine
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Enjoying our azure blue world

Wow this is fantastic! I can't wait to see how this project shapes up
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Monster
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most of the island’s massive inland wetland consists of murky bog,


yaay
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Jurassic MT
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Dinosaur dude!
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Wow, I just saw this today and it looked very promising!
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Caimännir
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Wait, can you describe the forest canyons of Dusa a bit more? Because I was thinking of a concept for them. Like how steep is the ground?
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LittleLazyLass
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The ground is fairly flat - thought the cliff sides are very steep. It slowly gets lower as you go north, and, it becomes dry rather then lush forests.
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Caimännir
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Quote:
 
these forest canyons are a unique habitat containing a great many species adapted to a vertical world
This is the bit that got me interested.
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LittleLazyLass
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I'll probably write up the Dusa Ravine envrionment thing in about a week. But I figured I should check on some ideas before just deciding to make the Canyon like that.

So, in the north (before the two branches spread off) it's fairly arid, and open. There is usually several meters between trees, thought it's littered with shrubs. The cayon walls are steepest here, and it's the deepest and hottest part of the ravine. There's actually a bit of a rain shadow effect going on here. On the left branch, watefalls run down the canyon walls, with water running down from the mountains. A swamp accumulates here, allowing unique fauna not found in the drier, slightly colder forests of the rest of Dusa. There are vines and plants also growing along the walls, and it's overall lush. Birds and insects are really common. It's slightly less deep then the north. On the right branch, there's various tropical forests, and many plant species are found only in the ravine, being hotter, not being able to live on the rest of Dusa. As it's the canyon isn't a low/deep here, a major river runs through the whole forest, weaving it's way down towards a large lake near the top of the branch.

Prosauropods, Silesaurs, and Proboscideans are the dominant herbivores here. Is everyone ok with all this?
totally not British, b-baka!
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Caimännir
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Hold on, shouldn't we wait till the island is more fleshed out first, before we set it in stone and write about it? That's just going to restrict people.
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LittleLazyLass
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See, activity for the project is slowly dying down, and the only creatures written for the ravine so far are titanopterans, bludgeons, and varying parrots. Having a clear description of the ecosystem might boost activity. And if it doesn't, I doubt many people were doing much with it.

And besides, it's design allows quite a bit of freedom, with three very different biomes.
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Troll Man
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Just bumping this to let you know I've made the islands a bit larger to better (For eample Isa; 49 000km --> 76 000km) hold the current ludicrous diversity and potentially allow for larger species of fauna or otherwise a larger number of large fauna.

This will not affect current entries in anyway, but could be something to consider for future entries.
Isla del Mundo Perdido! Diyu! R'lyeh!

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Also can into [天].

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LittleLazyLass
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So has the size limit (overall, varies by habitat) gone up?
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Monster
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Hold on, shouldn't we wait till the island is more fleshed out first, before we set it in stone and write about it? That's just going to restrict people.


Writing up environments (and naming islands etc) is fleshing out the islands. I don't see how having a more defined environment to populate is a bad thing...tbh for projects like these restrictions are essential. And IMO can lead to more creativity and careful thinking than everybody just pulling creatures out and slapping them onto the islands.
Flashlights, nightmares, sudden explosions.

'active'
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Commissions: Open.



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LittleLazyLass
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Is the island to any tectonic plate boundaries? How common are earthquakes.
totally not British, b-baka!
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