The Hollows in the Shadowreach
THE HOLLOWS
Nests of giant sentient hornets (the Hivedrax) make their hive-homes (The Hollows) in the perpetual shadows on the underside of the floating continental landmasses. The undersides of the levitated continents are known as the Shadowreach and are largely inaccessible by the inhabitants of the continents above or the undead inhabiting the wasteland far below. The Hollows are sheltered from most weather phenomenon and are perpetually cool and dark - providing a dry, safe, structurally sound location for Hivedrax hives.
FLORA & FAUNA
The edges of the Shadowreach, closest to light, are home to many hanging vines and plant species such as as saxifrage, wood sorrel, ivy, maidenhair spleenwort, brittle bladder-ferns, hart's tongue ferns and dog violet. However, as one moves further underneath, light becomes scarce so flora and fauna are far more limited - consisting of bats, beetles, centipedes, salamanders, and mites.
HIVEDRAX HABITAT
Hivedrax hives are architectural masterpieces - excavated tunnels burrowing upward miles into the bases of the floating landforms. The entrances are covered by a hanging superstructure of hexagonal hive cells constructed by the Queen. The colony Queen mixes saliva with timber shavings to create the overhanging wood-pulp hive, then recedes into the burrowed tunnels to lay eggs and command the workers and warriors of her growing superorganism. Hivedrax are fiercely territorial, so the various colonies often feud with one another for territory - with prized areas being closer to the boundaries nearer the more abundant plant life. Some few Hivedrax serve as flying mounts for goblins, forming a partnership to pillage surface settlements (though they seldom range far inland) or, more commonly, raid airship convoys traversing the Expanse.
Nests of giant sentient hornets (the Hivedrax) make their hive-homes (The Hollows) in the perpetual shadows on the underside of the floating continental landmasses. The undersides of the levitated continents are known as the Shadowreach and are largely inaccessible by the inhabitants of the continents above or the undead inhabiting the wasteland far below. The Hollows are sheltered from most weather phenomenon and are perpetually cool and dark - providing a dry, safe, structurally sound location for Hivedrax hives.
FLORA & FAUNA
The edges of the Shadowreach, closest to light, are home to many hanging vines and plant species such as as saxifrage, wood sorrel, ivy, maidenhair spleenwort, brittle bladder-ferns, hart's tongue ferns and dog violet. However, as one moves further underneath, light becomes scarce so flora and fauna are far more limited - consisting of bats, beetles, centipedes, salamanders, and mites.
HIVEDRAX HABITAT
Hivedrax hives are architectural masterpieces - excavated tunnels burrowing upward miles into the bases of the floating landforms. The entrances are covered by a hanging superstructure of hexagonal hive cells constructed by the Queen. The colony Queen mixes saliva with timber shavings to create the overhanging wood-pulp hive, then recedes into the burrowed tunnels to lay eggs and command the workers and warriors of her growing superorganism. Hivedrax are fiercely territorial, so the various colonies often feud with one another for territory - with prized areas being closer to the boundaries nearer the more abundant plant life. Some few Hivedrax serve as flying mounts for goblins, forming a partnership to pillage surface settlements (though they seldom range far inland) or, more commonly, raid airship convoys traversing the Expanse.
I'm going to go on record and say I hate flying insects. Still, this is a good article. Even without the picture I can visual this place. It's cool that you're using the light and the shadows to their advantages for what flora and fauna grow/live in the Hollows. I think it would be cool to see quotes from the Queen and her warriors. But that's just a thought on my part.