Sairawa Jungle

As soon as we made landfall in Gamet's Landing I knew that hiring on to protect a group as scholars as they searched for some rare bird in the jungle had been a bad decision. When the halfling guide was eaten by a huge snake three days into the wilds, I was sure we would all die in that hot and humid place. It took six days for us to stumble our way back to the village, all of us terribly sick and dehydrated.

— from "Memories of a Caravan Guard" by Clais Hiltprandt

Geography

The jungle covers most of the island that shares its name. The Thunderbird Mountains in the center of the jungle effectively divides it into two parts. The northern and western parts of the jungle are dominated by relatively flat terrain covered in huge trees and a dense undergrowth. Large parts of the southeastern part is covered in shallow waters, resulting in a mangrove like jungle. Three major rivers cut through the jungle all originating in the Thunderbird Mountains. The Snake Spire River separates the western and northern jungle, while the Savage Stream marks the boundary between the northern and eastern parts. The Crocodile River feeds much of the wetlands in the southern jungle.

Fauna & Flora

Whether it is caused by especially verdant conditions or some subtle magic, most of the trees and flowers that grow in the jungle seem to be bigger than their counterparts in other parts of the world. The trees reach 50 to 60 meters in height while several species of plants have been found with flowers over 60 centimeters in diameter. All parts of the jungle are home to a wide variety of plants, many of them poisonous to non native animals.

The animals of the jungle are affected by the same increased growth. All manner of giant animals are common throughout the various parts of the jungle. Giant snakes are especially common along the Snake Spire river, while several tribes of giant apes make their home on the slopes of the Thunderbird Mountains. In the southern parts of the jungle giant crocodiles, frogs and toads are all a common sight.

Natural Resources

While many of the plants in the jungle are poisonous some of them also have medicinal properties. These include the Giant Trumpet Flower, the Silver Willow, and Fire Moss. Others are known to be useful in different alchemical creations. These include Shimmer Vine and Purple Oil Fruit.

The animals of the jungle are hunted by some of the inhabitants of both Gamet's Landing and Storm Cove. Especially the skin of the Red Banded Python is currently popular among nobles, while skin and scales from the giant crocodiles are always certain to bring a good price on the mainland.

Old Ruins

Several old ruins, all with distinct serpent imagery, can be found i the jungle. The ones closest to Gamet's Landing have been visited by several adventuring groups, but those further inland are remain largely unexplored. Local superstition claims that secret chambers deep beneath the ruins are still haunted by the undead remains of the original inhabitants and that they sometimes come forth to snatch unlucky travelers in the jungle and drag them back to be sacrificed to whatever serpent god they still worship.

Type

Jungle