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Fulmos

November 22nd, 2009 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Plants, The Balandic Mountains
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Fulmos

Fulmos (humus arduus) The Fulmos is a large fungus that grows high in the Balandic Mountains. It reproduces by releasing tiny spores, which attach themselves directly to the rocks. These fungi feed on rotting plant material and nutrients in the rich volcanic soil. They have also been seen attached to carcasses and skeletons of perished animals in the area.  Fulmos can grow up to 91 cm in height and are highly adaptable, living in some of the harshest climates in Solturna and all throughout Orcura.

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Snow Weed

November 22nd, 2009 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Plants, The Balandic Mountains
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Snow Weed

Snow Weed (nivas herbas) A small weed that grows all along the Morae River, The Snow Weed is believed to be the ancestor of all the variations of weeds that grow along the banks of the Morae. In the spring, Snow Weeds release thousands of tiny seeds into the wind during late spring. These seeds will travel for miles on the small puff of fiber protruding from it’s top. Snow Weeds are asexual plants and produce seeds without pollination, a process called apomixis. This is form of reproduction is effective but results in the offspring being identical to the parent which can result in a weak lineage.

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Snow Weed Pod and Seedling

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The Balandic Cula

November 22nd, 2009 by admin | 6 Comments | Filed in Animals, The Balandic Mountains

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Female Balandic Cula

One of the more notable mammalian creatures in the Balandic Mountain region is the Balandic Cula, a small scavenger that can be found scurrying around the slopes of the mountains and just above the tree line. The Balandic Cula is the smaller of its larger cousin the Morae Cula  |Môr-rā koõ-lah|. Culas are known to live near freshwater and can be very vicious animals. They do not live in packs but every so often young males will pair off to travel and hunt together. Inevitably, groups will form around kills and fighting will almost always ensue. The Balandic Cula mainly feeds on carrion.  They follow herds of Mountain Uru waiting for the sick to finally die and will even eat each other if food is scarce. They also hunt very small game including The Banded Terrinsc. They have even been noted eating eggs, grasses, fruits, berries, and fish.

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Male Balandic Cula

Balandic Culas have very deep chests that host a large set of lungs for running about the Mountain slopes where the air is thin. Their nostril is also large and is not divided by a septum (it is hollow from side to side). It is believed this allows more air to pass through the nostril to supply more oxygen to the body because of their hyperactive lifestyle. Another theory is that when picking though rotting flesh it allows meat and debris to slide through it rather than getting stuck, causing infection.

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Male Balandic Cula Fight

This species of Cula is believed to have migrated up to these mountains about 950,000 years ago. Because of their rapid rate of reproduction, (females can have up to four litters a year) they have quickly adapted to the cold climate by growing thicker coats than their southern cousins.

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The Banded Terrinsc

November 7th, 2009 by admin | 2 Comments | Filed in Animals, The Balandic Mountains

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Male Banded Terrinsc

Banded Terrinsc are the most peculiar of all the creatures that live in the Balandic mountain range. They are small amphibious burrowers that were isolated here before the mountains were formed, about 300,000 years ago. They are thought to have descended from a large species of amphibious fish called the Sabulo that lives further down south near Yabun pass.

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Detail of Banded Terrinsc's face

They have almost lost their eyes and are mostly blind. They rely on their sensitive whisker-covered noses to lead them through the deep darkness under the tundra. Banded Terrinsc burrow deep under ground with some burrowing as deep as 15 feet but most usually stay within the range of plant roots. Banded Terrinsc eat a variety of grasses, roots and insects. They move slowly and rarely surface. Their leathery skin is covered in small, unseen receptors to help locate moving prey deep underground. Females are usually larger than males but both exhibit the same markings and color. The underground of the Balandic Mountain range stays at a mild 55 degrees year round and so the Banded Terrinsc can live here year round.

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Female Banded Terrinsc

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The Mountain Uru

October 19th, 2009 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Animals, The Balandic Mountains

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Male Mountain Uru

The Mountain Uru is a large three-toed herbivore that lives along the slopes and ridges of the Balandic Mountains. They differ little in appearance when it comes to gender; however, males possess large antlers that are shed bi-yearly. Their fur is thick with two coats: an undercoat of soft wool and a topcoat of coarse hair to keep out moisture and to insulate during colder months. Mountain Urus are well suited to climb because of their flexible, modified toes. The presence of a dewclaw on the front and hind feet also helps in preventing the animal from slipping around slick rocks.

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Female Mountain Uru

Mountain Urus are social animals and tend to travel in groups of 10-15 (all related females and their young) with a matriarch. Males travel alone and are known to be aggressive toward each other even killing the young in competition. Males will seek herds of females only to show off to potential mates. They do battle by emitting deep growls, clashing horns, and chasing each other along the slopes and rocks, trying to knock the other off balance. This fighting can result in severe injury and even death. Once males decide who is more suited to mate among themselves, they prance about displaying their prime for the females. Females give birth to young in mid spring when the weather is less turbulent.

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Male Mountain Urus

Most Mountain Uru can usually be found climbing along the slopes and tundra looking for grasses and Fulmos, a large fungus that grows in the area, to graze on. They have to eat constantly to compensate for energy used in keeping warm.

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The Balandic Mountains

October 1st, 2009 by admin | 2 Comments | Filed in Environments, The Balandic Mountains

The Balandic Mountains - A Male Mountain Uru Calls for a Mate

The Balandic Mountains - A Male Mountain Uru Calls for a Mate

Gateway to Solturna

The Balandic Mountain range is the third largest in Orcura. They were formed by volcanoes 2000,000 years ago making them one of the youngest in the region. The highest point, Mount Gruich, stands 2.7 miles above sea level and was the last volcano to have gone dormant in the Balandic Range, about one thousand years ago. Volcanic activity still occurs occasionally causing violent rockslides and tremors that constantly reshape the slopes. The volcanoes have left behind rich black soil that peeks through the white of the snow making the Balandic Mountian range the most distinguishable in Orcura.

Clouds travel west on eastern bound winds from the Dura Sea and end where the Balandic Mountains begin. It is here where rain falls and transforms parts of the mountain range into Lake Roac, the dominant source of the Morae River. The mountaintops stay snow covered throughout most of the year and the weather toward the peeks can be treacherous. Lightning storms, strong winds, intense fog, and blizzards plague the mountains through fall until early spring. Snowfall can reach 300 cm every two weeks during late winter and melts off about 40 cm in late spring. There is little contributed to the Morae except, of course, nutrients.

One could say that the Morae carries life from the Balandic Mountains. Nutrient rich soil runs off the mountain slopes with the spring melt and flows into the river causing lush forest growth below. While the Balandic Mountains can be inhospitable, there are quite a few organisms that call this place home.

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