Monster Continent | Survey Regions [50 G | Variable rewards]
Quest Report - Merdi
Several monsters have attacked from the north or west, so I've taken several trips to scout out those areas.
Following along the river, the forest gets denser and more of the branch rivers that give it its name appear. The shorter vegetation thins out as you get further from the ocean, meaning there are fewer places for critters to hide.
As such, most of the monsters here forgo the use of ambushes, demonstrating higher physical ability and either fleeing or striking with brutal savagery. The notable exception are creatures that take advantage of the dense canopy to hide in the trees, so watch out for ambushes from above.
Additionally, the lack of sunlight means alchemical plants are more difficult to find, though fungi and creepers flourish. But if one is willing to climb, there are many interesting reagents and animals that live in the light above. Just make sure you don't get bit by a snake or wasp. It's a long way down.
During the night, the forest gets a bit stranger. Some kind of magic is at work, makes the place seem scarier than it is. And it's scary enough on its own... The nocturnal monsters here put the daywalkers to shame in terms of ferocity, and anything that's not a vicious brute is decidedly venomous or supernaturally gifted. All the weaker creatures take shelter, and I advise any adventurers to follow suit by returning to the Village at night.
Unfortunately, the most notable feature of the western forest is the numerous Monster tribes that make it their home. There were a number of abandoned camps that were likely destroyed by monsters, but I've also noted active populations of Goblins, Orcs, Wolfkin, Myconids and even Trolls, though I only spotted a pack of twelve individuals. I'm not senseless enough to scout the active places out by myself, though, so I leave it to others to get the details. Just know that you won't be alone if you go west.
Breaking off from the safety of the river, if you head north and west away from the ocean's shore, you'll find the forest is broken up by foothills. The rough terrain is difficult to traverse, but it means there's a lot more light and a lot less waterlogged ground than in most of the places we can reach. Naturally that means there's access to flora that prefer a dryer environment, and the creatures that feed on those plants.
Astonishingly, the whole place has a bit of a 'breathing' cycle. Every hundred minutes or so, the currents of mana change. During a 'warm' current, fire and air mana circulates in from the northern mountains. During a 'cool' current, water and earth mana circulate in from the southern forests and the ocean.
The local magical creatures seem to have adapted to this cycle by going dormant during a bad cycle and frantically going about their business during their preferred cycle. As such, the creatures that you'll encounter are different depending on which mana is flowing- but either way, they're slightly more aggressive than you'd expect.
Although there are slight differences in what appears during the day and night, it's far less important than the arcane cycle. Still, the nightdwellers have a slight advantage against most humans in the darkness, so take shelter in the Village or a cave if you can. Just be prepared to defend the place from hibernating critters every time the cycle changes.
The hills give easy access to decent quality stone(and lichen!), which is a relief. We'll need to set up a quarry if we want to keep the Village stocked up. Just watch out for the denizens of the earth. We've already been hit by those landsharks, but there's also stone elementals and worse out here. Like those blasted Giantkin... Ogres and Ettins seem to pop up every other hill. Usually alone, thankfully, or I wouldn't be writing this report.
The biggest problem I've run into surveying the hills is the Lagomorphs. Some of 'em look like Harekin, and some of 'em like damn giant rabbits. Shapechangers, at a guess. They show up and start waving spears and shouting at me in some Monster language. Needless to say, a very confusing experience, and one I don't care to repeat.
Until those bunnies are pacified, I won't be able to survey the northern mountains or the green belt that separates them from the ocean. A shame, since I'm sure they'll be a good source of ore. Can practically
feel it in that fire mana. Either way, I'll be heading south from now on.
Details about all observed flora, fauna and minerals are included in the attached scroll.
Word Count: 64 + 779 = 843
