Flight Rising Discussion

[img]https://i.imgur.com/V1kRILL.png[/img] [center][size=5][b]E: Sunken Garden[/b][/size][/center] The landscape of the Labyrinth evolves in tune with the Behemoth. Land that was once fully exposed to the sun can gradually sink into a bower, then a dip, then a root-cave. Shallow tunnels can have their roofs caved in, exposing them to sun. However they're formed, "sunken gardens", loosely defined as green spaces neither buried nor exposed, honeycomb the surface. They're the resting place for generations of fallen timber, making them a popular hideout for all sorts of critters, and a hunting/foraging ground for fungal warrens. They also act as natural pit traps; breeds who struggle to fly in the Labyrinth should watch their step! All sorts of above-ground life filters in through sunken gardens. Depending on the undercolony, this may result in them being blocked off. Some undercolonies instead cultivate the gardens, albeit with Nature's typical light touch, clearing out enough deadwood that they can serve as a sort of meditative retreat or meeting ground: enough sun for the sun-starved, enough dark for the deepdwellers. [center][size=5][b]K: Go No Further[/b][/size][/center] There are plenty of reasons to find a native guide when visiting the root bed, one of the most critical being flower language. A strategically-placed planting can indicate all sorts of things; some plants mean "safety this way", others "I met someone I love here" or "be careful, the steps get slippery." In some places, flower language is used for encryption. Should you find yourself in a settlement of Nature dragons outside their native territory, pay attention to the variety of plants on windowsills! In undercolonies, though, it's used out of necessity. Where carvings are overgrown and signs consumed, Behemoth-meshed plants will regrow. There's no expectation of out-of-Flight eyes needing to interpret it; the assumption is that the meaning is clear to all viewers. This species is a very old one. It used to mean something like "harvest." Its modern meaning is "go no further."

I'm loving the "environmental" storytelling you're incorporating here... VERY ominous.

[quote name="Nelsothy" date="2021-03-03 16:44:14" ] Quote: This species is a very old one. It used to mean something like "harvest." Its modern meaning is "go no further." I'm loving the "environmental" storytelling you're incorporating here... VERY ominous. [/quote] Ominousness? In MY Flight? Surely you're mistaken... ... [emoji=wildclaw winking size=2] Also I just want to say I really, really appreciate y'all who've been commenting on the posts. It means so much to know someone's reading my worldbuilding headcanons, let alone saying nice things about them. So thank you <3 And to non-Nature people, there's like four Nature lore threads floating around right now, this IS a challenge, I want to see your BEAUTIFUL FLIGHT HEADCANONS, I want to [i]drown[/i] in player map lore. To Nature folk: you're beautiful. Your threads are beautiful. I love them. Keep it coming.

Oh oh oh geography lore, I love it!

I haven't really updated my own lore (god I need to) but since I've now put my clan in the wetlands - I love the idea that the particular giant Behemoth root right next to their location is basically the main way to reach them, as a massive footbridge of sorts.



Just imagine some out of flight dragon, thinking they're walking on a dragon-made bridge, and then they get to the end to discover this whole thing was just a natural outcropping. I think it'd certainly make an impression, wouldn't you?

if it inspires you for any of these locations, here's some lore I've developed recently that may be of interest to you:

supposedly, when something is buried beneath a tree, the trees roots not only absorb it, but are also shaped by the creature they ate

so ofc i had to incorporate that into my lore. whenever a dragon dies, its corpse is buried and a tree planted atop it. eventually, the roots absorb the body of the dead dragon, and grow in the shape of said dragon. large parts of the clan believe that dragons are reincarnated as the tree as a result. the tree then provides shelter and food for the dragons who live in the clan after their death.

so i guess that I'm suggesting is--root graveyards

whole family lineages growing out of the roots of a single tree, or many dragon-shaped root structures where many dragons have fallen in battle... there's a lot of fun ways to play with the idea!


Edit: actually, before I go to bed, here's a bit i wrote in Champagne's bio about the process:


“I’ve seen it myself.” Champagne silently recalled how Banana had once taken him to the den beneath the clan’s largest tree. There was a tangled knot of roots in the heart of the root system, in the shape of a Fae--Banana’s deceased father, and the clan’s namesake, Aikka. “The tradition has two purposes: to give back to the Gladekeeper by using the nutrients from the deceased to nourish Her trees and expand Her domain; and to have the spirit of the dragon reborn through the roots of the tree.”

Ooh, regarding root graveyards- many generations of trial and error have taught Nature clans the best plants to bury Imperials with to ensure their bodies decompose as quickly as possible... There's ALSO definitely specific flowers that are used to mean "Imperial buried here" so passerby know not to leave others too close. The flowers have been bred so that they only bloom as long as they have a body fertilizing their roots...

I absolutely LOVE the idea of flower language and communicating with specific flowers! Im defiantly gonna have to incorporate that within my lore. I love the idea that you could be traveling and see a certain flower/plant and know what it means; could be I met someone special here, someone important rests here, danger stay away, a great battle was here, this is a sacred place, magical energies are close...

It could also be a way for Nature troops to communicate as well without being intercepted by enemies. Say a scout drops a certain flower or pollen to indicate an imminent attack, or a planted flower as a way to communicate troop routes. Would be hard for another flight to decode the message without studying nature culture. Gosh the possibilities are endless I love it!

Edit: Imagine a visitor vacations in nature and brings a flower as a offering to a clan out of kindness. Unknown to them turns out that flower means death and is an omen... Imagine their confusion when they are hastily kicked out of the clan boundaries lol

Cool! :D I got impressed at the behemoth's root is spreading into the ocean.. Salt water resistance? Whoa, the power of life for survive? (Yes, a crazy plagueling is attracted at survival things again lol.)

I'm from plague but I wish there are underground maze-villages beneath the Nature's domain. I can imagine dragons thriving in giant caves with root walls, moss, and waterfalls from above! It'll be awesome XD

Hey folks! I added more links to other folks' ideas into the OP, so if you were pinged, you added something I wanted to spotlight, and you now have a linked post <3 If I didn't ping you, it doesn't mean you didn't have a great idea, I was mostly looking for diverse spread/lore followup and there is a LOT of it in here. Here's the (spliced) list! (there's two lists in the OP) [LIST] [*]@Aikka has some [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/frd/2979998/9#post_46675804]really cool ideas[/url] about [i]root graveyards[/i] and Nature funerary practices! Also see @Nelsothy's post right after about Imperial disposal, it's excellent. [*]@Metalhead's idea of [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/frd/2979998/1#post_46642699]living architecture[/url] [*]@Gryphling's take on an [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/frd/2979998/3#post_46645896]interesting bit of potential symmetry[/url] between the Behemoth and the Wasteland's meat dirt [*]@Pyruvae and @Nelsothy on [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/frd/2979998/3#post_46645932]"Gladekeeper as the Labyrinth"[/url] which is something I LOVE (headcanon dump on a few posts down from theirs, plus Nelsothy's followup!) [*]@MirageTheShadow and @Avessa speculating on our ancient. Perhaps a [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/frd/2979998/4#post_46648724]root-dwelling worldserpent?[/url] [*]@Flyteofheart points out that, according to the loretext, [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/frd/2979998/5#post_46654431]the Behemoth might be even bigger than this post makes out.[/url] [*]@GingerSolstice's absolutely adorable idea about Glademom-Behemoth [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/frd/2979998/6#post_46656409]checking in on hatchlings[/url] [*]@HypoTheBognapper on other Flights [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/frd/2979998/9#post_46675654]encountering our "architecture"[/url] [*]@Dreamcoyote's [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/frd/2979998/9#post_46676027]excellent expansion[/url] on the potential uses of "flower language" in Nature. [/LIST] If you would like your post de-linked, let me know and I'll do so ASAP! Alternately, if you want to expand on the idea or otherwise would like me to edit the description text in the OP, let me know and I'll do so. Thank you all so much for contributing so many fantastic ideas [emoji=wildclaw love size=2]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/V1kRILL.png[/img] [center][size=5][b]B: Overjungle[/b][/size][/center] An extension of a Behemoth sprout responsible for supplying an undercolony with resources. It's the domain of the local keeper and likely consumes quite a bit of their time. That's not to say the overjungle is a [i]tame[/i] place; its state is a serious point of pride for its keeper, and while some prefer a more naturalistic approach, others prefer hyperproductivity, defensive utility, looks, or sheer mad (botanical) science. In general, overjungles tend to be much deeper and darker than their surroundings, as their most basic requirement is capturing sunlight. Beyond this, you may encounter: [LIST] [*]Partially-sunken orchards and wild gardens surrounded by boltholes for root-dwellers to grab a snack. [*]Ruins of "enemy outposts" a la the Pox Consulate or beastclan camps [*]Ruins in general. Undercolonies can survive disasters that would destroy surface settlements (and vice versa). [*]Displays of plants designed by an undercolony or keeper [*]Sister settlement(s) to the undercolony, possibly built right onto the Behemoth sprout as treehouses [*]Feral wildclaw clans [*]The occasional root-dweller (not just dragons, either) [*]Shrines and ritual circles for magic only possible on the surface [*]Signs, tags, talismans, and art hung from trees [*]Plants grown into forms that play strange notes when the wind whistles through [*]Air exchanges and skylights for an undercolony, often disguised in hollowed stumps [*]Defensive briars and mazes [*]Bizarre experimental plants used for [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_tube]channeling light[/url] (with mixed results) [*]Spies skulking about (report these) [*]Trade routes [*]Guest suites for visitor-dragons too big to fit into the undercolony [*]Patrols, messhalls, barracks, outposts, and similar [*]Firewatch-trees, possibly hollow and accessed from below [*]Much, much more... [/LIST] [center][size=5][b]H: Root Reservoir[/b][/size][/center] A series of reservoirs form the heart of most sizeable undercolonies. They're filled by rain channeled down from the sprout's leaves or grooves grown into its roots, though they'll also take from springs or rivers where available. The reservoirs are some of, if not the, largest single constructs within an undercolony, storing enough water to serve the needs of the community without siphoning from the Behemoth's root network. During the rainy season, when water turnover is at its highest, the reservoirs may also be used for swimming and festivals that draw attendees from the far recesses of the local rootbed. While some reservoirs are little more than stagnant ponds, most incorporate filtration and sediment capture through a series of gravity-fed pools with different micro-ecosystems, eventually leading to a large, central basin. Marsh plants and moss are popular filtration media, and full aquaponics setups (typically with edible fish) are commonly found in side pools. It's not at all uncommon for reservoirs to overflow. Some water will be channeled to extra irrigation or aquaponics work, but overflow channels may also lead deeper into the rootbed, guiding the water to be reabsorbed by the water table or subterranean rivers and lakes.