Vichacil Forests (concept)
Biozone: Vichacil Forests
The Vichacil Forests roll across the southern edge of Kashirya eastward, toward the soft cool peaks of the Southern Kharadan Mountains. The Hills are heavily forested, supporting a vast ecosystem of tropical montane cloud forests that experience a near constant, low cloud coverage that supplies much of the forests moisture. The evergreen wilderness faces two monsoon seasons annually, one in mid winter from the west, and other in late spring from the southeast. The lowlands closer to the coasts have experienced several massive floods, some submerging entire areas ever since, and these floods have had large effects on the local inhabitants and the ways they build their infrastructure. The hills are also incredibly diverse, with many fauna being unknown elsewhere on Aeras. Bovines and elephantids can be found in abundance, though far stranger things are said to lurk in the misty corners and depths of the forests.
Our journey into the hills has been arduous, but well worth the effort. The dew covered grass was slick beneath our boots as we climbed to our vantage point a top a steep hill, and I nearly lost my footing more than once, but what a sight to behold. While the low wetlands of the coast were bright with the colors and movement of city life, the deep wilderness that stands tall through the valleys and groves before us shimmer like a field of milky jade. Dense, misty forests stretch across the horizon, broken by tall fields of watery underbrush and the occasional plantation tucked betwixt the ancient canopy.
We take the plunge deeper, following a snake like stream that courses through the forest. Song birds sing a tune above our heads as we travel, setting an otherwise joyous mood in our hearts.