The Uncharted Jungles of Kru'll: Part 1 of 5

Overview

The dangerous and mysterious uncharted tropical jungles of Kru'll receive an intense amount of solar energy that keeps their temperatures high year round. These high temperatures keep the air warm and wet with an ever-present, and at times, overwhelming humidity. Such humid air produces extreme and frequent rainfall, making these jungles the recipients of the highest amounts of precipitation in all of Helias. In fact they are so warm and wet that they produce a large majority of their own rain through evaporation and transpiration alone.

Such ample sunlight and moisture are the essential building blocks for the diverse flora and fauna that can be found inhabiting them. Roughly half of the Helias’ species can be found there, with most having not yet been discovered. It has the most amount of different species of trees present in each hectare. It is an ecological kaleidoscope, full of colorful sights and sounds. It is home to around 40,000 plant species, nearly 1,300 bird species, 3,000 types of fish, 427 species of mammals, and 2.5 million different insects. Terracotta-bellied piranhas and pink river dolphins swim its waters. Jewel-toned parrots squawk and fly through its trees. Poison dart frogs warn off predators with their bright colors. A plethora of monkeys swing and scamper through the branches. Millions of mushrooms and other fungi decompose dead and dying plant material, recycling nutrients to the soil and organisms in the understory.

The Kru'll jungle is comprised of four layers: the emergent, canopy, understory, and forest floor. Each layer has unique characteristics based on differing levels of water, sunlight, and air circulation. While each layer is distinct, they exist in an interdependent system: processes and species in one layer influence those in another.