'The Land - a Natural History'

[peter]

Chapter 1. The Land - An Overview.

Covering an area some 3 million square miles, the Land is the name given by it's inhabitants to an area, almost completely surrounded by mountains and open to the sea only on it's eastern side along a stretch of coastline some 300 leagues in length. Bisected by a 500 league north-west, south-east orientated fault , known as 'Landsdrop' the Land is efectively divided into an upper [western] part comprising of two-thirds of it's area and a lower part to the east comprising approximately one third.
Consisting of a large central region of plains and hills, more peripherally areas of forrest and foothills are to be found abuting the surrounding mountains. In earlier times much more of the central region of the Land was covered by forrest but chiefly due to human activity the deforrestation of this area has been extensive. A large north-eastern area is devoted to marshy flats and more easterly still, a swamp of significant size and no small danger.

Although we have little information as to the position of the Land in respect to other areas of the World, or indeed its position re the 'globe' at large, from its temporate climate and seasonal distribution we can surmise that the Land occupies a position in the Northern Hemisphere approximately mid-way between the pole and the equator. Of the size and position of the globe upon which the Land is found, we can make no conjecture, but in respect of the Worlds other inhabitants and some of it's physical features we are perhaps a little less in the dark.

We can say with absolute surity that the Land and its occupants are but one of a number of 'states' to be found in the World. We know of some six or seven other 'peoples' [of greater or lesser human type] that occupy other regions of the Globe and from visits made to one or two of these areas we know that there are lands both much hotter, and much colder in climate than that experienced in the Land. We also know that much of the 'Earth's' surface is covered by sea, with large open oceans of great difficulty in respect of navigation and great danger in terms of currents and winds. The uncertain nature and reliability of stars in the night sky are a particular scource of hazzard when attempting to navigate by this method.

The division between animate and inanimate matter on the Earth seems to follow the pattern of that seen elsewhere in the Universe and 'life', while by no means always adhering to the main charachteristics used in our definition, does at least seem to be [in the main] carbon based and subject to the major demands as seen in other places [re nutrition, excretion etc].

In respect of the major laws pertaining to physics, chemistry and indeed mathematics, there seems to be a large degree of agreement with the situation pertaining to other places in the Universe [eg gravity still makes things fall, light is still needed to illuminate dark places etc], but the situation is somewhat complicated by the presence in the World of 'forces and powers' not seen elsewhere. As such the Land and other areas of the world occasionally exhibit properties not readily explainable by the standard Laws of Physics and causality. As such it is unlikely that our current state of scientific knowledge would be of much use in the Land or the Earth generally, where these alternate 'powers' often provide a quicker and less demanding solution to the problems encountered in daily life.

[peter]

Chapter 2. Plant life.

ALIANTHA; A perenial flowering shrub with indigo colored berries, small ovulate leaves and a bell shaped pale pink or whitish flower. Of widespread distribution and able to thrive in a variety if soil types these evergreens are colloquially known as 'treasure-berries' due to the highly nutritious nature of their fruit which, in need, will sustain life for a long period even in the absence of other food types.
Revered for this property, the plants have achieved almost sacred status amongst the Lands inhabitants and have, due to their hardy nature, been seen to survive changing climatic conditions in which other plant forms have perished. Covered in a powdery coating of epicuticular wax [or bloom] the berries have a sweet 'peachy' flavour with a slightly dry aftertaste. Related to the genus Vaccinium they differ in that there is no specific fruiting season, but rather fruiting bodies may be found on plants on an all year round basis. The property of blueberries to lower cholesterol and total blood lipids - and the subsequent improvement of cardio-vascular health - may account for the annecdotal peice of folklore that states that a person may walk from one end of the Land to the other living on nothing but aliantha and be healthier at the end of the trek than at the beginning.

[peter]

AMANIBHAVAM; An angiosperm of the Tragopogon genus, amanibhavam is found growing cheifly in the Plains of Ra with infrequent occurence reprted from the Center Plains as well. Amanibhavam grows typically as an annual or biennial forb, on a tall thin stem that often reaches 20 or 30cm in height. Renowned for both it's healing and nutritional value in respect of the 'greater beasts' of the Land, it's potency is regarded as being too great for lesser beings, humans included, in which if consumed it produces delerium, dissorientation and in extreme cases even death.
The small yellow flowers and long stems are woven into totemic symbols by native residents of the Plains of Ra, by whom they are worn as both a badge of office and as a ready scource of healing for the fabled horses under the natives care. It is not unknown for these native peoples to consume amanibhavam in very small quantities in order to utilise both their healing and psychoactive properties. A hardy plant, known to be able to survive extreme weather conditions, amanibhavam will retain it's nutritive and healing properties for some considerable time after cutting. There is limited anecdotal evidence of humans having survived ingesting larger quantities of amanibhavam and in the single case on record there is a high possibility that 'treatment' for the poisoning may have been administered soon after consumption by person or persons unknown.

[Frostheart Grueburn]

Why don't you come over to the wiki to write these.

[peter]

I like it here.

[By the way - when I make mistakes, miss stuff out or just am plain wrong can you guys [assuming anyone is left to see] let me know either in the thread or by private message. This is fun for me and if anyone else wants to join in then please do so].

[peter]

GILDEN; Acer gildiensis, commonly known as the gilden tree is a golden leaved member of the family Sapindaceae found predominantly in the northern hemisphere wher it flourishes either singley or in groups in rich loamy soil capable of sustaining it's deep and widespread root system. Although the height aceived by different trees may vary greatly it is not unknown for well situated examples to reach heights well in exess of 100ft. The golden hued leaves that in spring and summer exhibit a brightness and vivacity unequeled by any other perennial, prior to sheding in autumn, take on a rich golden red color likened to that of burnished copper. Revered for the strength and color of it's timber [collected only from trees felled by natural means] the wood is also considered to be a fine 'tonewood' [ie apt for use in the crafting of musical instruments] as well as a valued scource of the sugary 'sap' which is used directly as a syrup or fermented into a stong mead of potent effect. Used in the crafting of domestic items such as tables and other household furniture, the wood is also noted for it's ability to channel force in a manner yet poorly understood by science. Such properties have been utilised in the fashioning of keels and rudders for ships and smaller vessels of the waters.
Saddly the palpable vigour and 'wellness' exhibited in the norm by this species has led to it's being used for less positive ends. A particularly unpleasant practice of enforced miniturisation, after which the acute distress and pain of the still living 'victim' may be savoured at leisure, has become fashionable amongst the lower elements in the Land, and it is rumoured that the 'High Priest' of these denizens himself, has an extensive 'collection' of such pitifull specimens

[bahareudut]

After reading reading all the posts it seems like I'm reading a book and which is consisting of chapters 1,2,,, and so on
Fabulous post,, please keep updating with such posts it will be an honor for me to read such chapters.

[peter]

Thats very kind bahareudut. I'm going to try to follow the pattern of Plant life - Animal life - Miscellaneous - and finally geographic features [which probably should have come first]. It's fun and all the more worthwhile if a few people come along for the ride. Thanks again.
[It might be slow at times but by perseverance the snail reached the ark.]

[Avatar]

I hate to break it to you Peter, but I strongly suspect that ol' bahareudut is after a link to his site. (Well, probably not his site, but somebodies.) The keyword rich anchor text in his sig is a bit of a giveaway.

Tell you what bahareudut, prove me wrong and you can have your sig back.

--A

[peter]

And here's simple minded me thinking I had gained a follower for my idea - Ahh! the ways of the internets will ever be too deep for me!

[Avatar]

That's life I'm afraid. Well, life on the internet. In general, most users have only a vague idea of how it all works, and the underlying mechanisms that make it possible.

In practice it's a cut-throat place with people competing madly for attention by any means possible. And not just for attention from users either.

--A

[peter]

MIRKFRUIT: A scandent member of the Family Cucurbitacaea, Momordica dorthonia is an herbaceous tendril bearing vine that can grow up to 5 meters in height. Ordinarliy flowering in the early months of summer, the flowers give rise in late autumn to a yellow green melon shaped fruit with a distictive waxy exterior. A central seed cavity containing numerous oval seeds is surrounded by a yellow white pith, which though inedible due to it's very bitter and unpleasnt taste, is not however poisonous. 20 - 30 cm in length these fruits have narcoleptic and mild anaesthetic properties, which can be utilised in performing minor surgical proceedures - or indeed as a means of rendering a victim temporarily unconcious if held over the airways for a short period of time.
Found ubiquitously in the upper Land, the Mirkfruit is seldom seen below the 500 mile fault known as Landsdrop. Of more significance to the Lands occupants than the actual fruit itself, is the presence of a sap which can be drunk as water if a small nick or cut is made one inch or so above the ring of five eliptical ovate leaves.

[Nb. Due to a poorly understood aberation in the normal climatic processes occuring within the Land it appears that for an extended time period - quite possibly running into the thousands of years - usual seasonal variations of temperature, rainfall and daylength, were interupted and in place a chaotic state of randomly occuring 'micro-seasons' pertained. It is not known how long each 'micro-season' lasted but evidence suggests that transition from one to the next was rapid and unpredictable in the extreme. That the human [and indeed animal] population of the Land were able to adapt and survive such a period can only be explained by assuming a complete re-ordering of the socio-cultural framework and a severe and uncompromising adjustment of moral/ethical norms of the day.
In respect of the plant life of the Land, it appears that many species were able to cope extrordinarily well to the shortened and less predictable nature of the climate pattern. Evidence suggests that the heat and moisture together with the already vigorous vitality of plant life, led to rapid adaption and subsequent shortening of life-cycles; in adition to the accelerated growth and development of vegetation, a concurrent increase in the rate of decay and putrification ensured the rapid release of matereal for the next 'generations' growth. Some scientists have suggested there may have been some kind of bizzare 'terra-forming' experiment in play and which went horribly astray, but such ideas have by and large not been seriously entertained and have in the main receeded to the fringe areas of 'pseudo-science' and 'sensationalism' where they rightfully belong.]