The Nyssan Jungle
East of Taisha's Seraph Mountains, where the prevailing winds trap the moisture of the eastern oceans, lie the lowlands and rivers of the Nyssan Jungle. It is aplace of great beauty, and greater danger; an entirely untamed wilderness of wetlands interspersed with sporadic, hilly, forests.
Situated as it is, sandwiched between the mountains and the sea, this sliver of the continent can experience extreme weather conditions on a par with its much-larger desert cousin across the Seraph mountain range. Torrential rains are so common the area can receive up to one hundred and seventy five inches of precipitation in a single year. Mudslides happen so often on the Nyssan slopes of the mountains, that the trees often have a crooked growth pattern.
Plants and animals uniquely adapted to such a waterlogged environment abound, counting numerous endemic reptiles and exotic ferns amongst its inhabitants. Lizardfolk thrive there, in Nyssa's Jungle. Lizardfolk who worship a mysterious being they call Drakon Nyssa.
Geography
Descending from the heights of the mountains brings one to the lowlands of the Nyssan swamps. Lowlands so prone to flooding that the lizardfolk count on it each year, and have come to ritualistically thank their god, Nyssa, for the bounty provided by the ebbing and flowing of the great rivers and lowly creeks wending their way throughout this exceedingly damp location.
The lowlands make their way down to the ocean in the east, where some of the most beautiful surfing beaches on the planet are located. The pure white sands and totally tubular ground swell have been pilgrimage destinations for generations of lizardfolk surfers, who enjoy the sport so much that they have developed a professional surfing league.
Ecosystem
Nyssa's Jungle provides so much biodiversity that, unbeknownst to many of Tellus' scholars, it contains seventy percent of the insect and reptile life on the planet. Mammals are also present, with critters such as monkees, otters and manatees fitting into their prospective places in the ecosystem with perfect ease. Water-tolerant plants play their parts as well, contributing to the water filtration and carbon sequestering functions of such a vastly diversified system.
Ecosystem Cycles
Every plant, animal, and garden snail living in Nyssa's Jungle spends much of the year preparing for the typhoon season. The storms get so bad that trees can be ripped up by the roots and flung hundreds of feet in random directions. But, while these powerful forces of nature directly impact the mortality of both plants and animals, they also provide a significant level of opportunity.
The typhoons bring with them nutrient-rich organic materials and sediments from outside of the area, lending to the exceptional biodiversity present in Nyssa's Jungle. Reproductive cycles have evolved to take advantage of post-storm calm weather, and the explosion of life and growth after typhoon season is a testament to just how much the massive storms bring to the ecological equation.
Localized Phenomena
Opportunistic animal life has had quite an advantage in Nyssa's Swamps, being able to quickly adapt areas that have been destroyed by the frequent typhoons into fertile hunting grounds and safe living accomodations. In this way, the swamp is a living and breathing entity in and of itself, always changing and adapting to new ecological stimuli.
Climate
The Nyssan Jungle has a surprisingly steady temperature range due to environmental conditions, ranging from 77°F to 93°F, year round.
Fauna & Flora
The Nyssan Jungle, or Nyssa's Swamp, supports a wide array of water tolerant trees and shrubs, such as mangrove, palm, and cypress. Ferns and hostas grow to giant sizes as well, and aquatic species like water lillies, hyacinth, and duckweed are fairly commonplace. Orchids and other epiphytes abound, and lianas drape themselves from the trees' canopies.
Monkees, manatees and otters thrive in the tropical waters of their home swamp, living off of the bounty provided therein, alongside myriad other mammals. Reptiles and amphibians similarly flourish in the slow moving waters of the swamp, subsisting on variegate fish and insect life. Colorful and musical birds of paradise flit hither and thither, building nests, attracting mates, and hunting for their food.
The jungle is a place teeming with life, and all of the noises, sensations, and smells thereof.
Natural Resources
Resources such as timber and edible vegetation abound, as do medicinal plants. These are all taken advantage of by the fish and wildlife that populate the area, which also provide sustenance and vital seed distribution. There is a constant supply of fresh water, and the natural processes of the swamp provide carbon sequestering, and, in turn, a huge supply of peat. The swamp also provides natural flood control, promotes biogenetic diversity, and provides habitats for numerous species and sub species of plant and animal.
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