Green Maw

https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1X5Jlx_a-0GeqW7eMqNVEmC0XTc06QpBskz0OFuiJ3fo/edit

Dense forest that seems to change more than usual over time. Mapping efforts have met with change.

The Great Pollen Wars continue to this day. The wars are caused by trees, now sentient, to carry out grudges from when they were mere plants. The tomb meteor caused an arcane storm, which inspired the forest halflings to create rituals to make the trees sentient. These sentient trees are now known as Dreamers of the Maw.

The trees of the Maw are extremely tall, and there are various sub layers within it. In the forest there are also giant bugs, including 10 foot long centipedes, and dragonflies with 6 foot wingspans.

The forest is intentionally cultivated by the forest halflings, who foster mushrooms, fruits, and insect hives, and live in settlements around these food rich areas.

+ Forest halfling ethnic groups were historically defined by their alliances in the war. Outriders, Oaks, AntiOaks, etc. Halflings evolved large eyes to see in the murky forest. Their hands and feet are equally dexterous.

Biomes

The Abyssal Layer

Terrible luring monsters live in the sunless depths. Largely uninhabited except for expeditions.

Twilight Layer

In some areas the trees are so thick that rivers flow through the middle layers among the branches some 40 feet above the ground.

Canopy

Most inhabited zone, filled with sunlight. Tree houses.

The Crown

Very high up yo! Direct light, birds.

Flora & Fauna

Flora

• Chokevine - A colloquial term for any of several varieties of vines and runners that seem to have no other purpose than to clog up the Twilight layer and above, and interfere with commerce. They are just large enough to be a nuisance while too small to be useful for travel. In the Canopy, chokevines form massive, suspended, mats that collect leaves, branches, dead creatures, etc. These mats create suspended island ecosystems sometimes referred to as cloud islands.
• Fir, Parasitic - Parasitic Fir grows up from the Twilight layer by sending its roots deep into the bole of its host. In this way the Fir becomes a graft of the host tree taking on many of that trees properties and characteristics. While not technically a Fir, the Parasitic Fir often finds fir trees as a host due to the softer wood of that tree. The Parasitic Fir produces fruit for both more of it's kind as well as that of it's host thereby creating a somewhat symbiotic relationship. The Parasitic Fir is not a true symbiote as its presence tends to weaken the host and diminish the fruit the host produces.
• Oilseed Tree - A tree of the Canopy that grows from the dense mats formed by chokevines and miscellaneous detritus. Although short in height, it spreads out widely and prolifically producing a round nut with a fibrous husk. The nut is harvested for oilseed oil which has a wide range of uses. The thick husk is soaked until the fibers fully separate, then it's spun into a soft, pliable, thread similar to cotton.
• Orchid, Dream - A common but difficult to find and harvest orchid that lives high in the Crown. The flower is small, white, and broad resembling a small phalaenopsis. The Dream Orchid is a prolific producer of nectar. While it doesn't appear that any known nectivores in the Green Maw are effected by the nectar, to halflings it has a strong narcotic and entheogenic effect and is called Dream Nectar. The nectar is sometimes harvested for recreational and spiritual use but it's primary use is as an important ingredient in healing potions.
• Orchid, Radiant- An uncommon flower that lives mostly in The Twilight layer in colonies. As it's name suggests, it provides a natural light as part of it's natural growth process. Often times, prey creatures will hide among these orchids as the light can discourage some predators. Little nutritional value.
• Balefire Tree - This plant grows in the abyssal layer, and is named for the phosphorescent light found near its top. This light makes use of the phototropism of nearby plants, as leaves from the twilight layer dip down towards this light. The balefire tree makes use of this phenomena in that the leaves from the twilight layer dipping down to this light source create a kind of sand trap, and hapless creatures fall in and slide into the gooey digestive substances of this carnivorous plant. In lean times the light of the balefire tree will extinguish, causing the nearby leaves to die and fall into the digestion pit. Halfling denizens of the abyssal layer will often cultivate paths of Balefire Trees to mark out safe paths and trade routes, and eradicate trees that are not part of the path. Maintenance of these paths often requires feeding the Balefire Trees in the path.

Fauna

• Abyssal Render - This titanic creature is a deadly predator in the Abyssal layer which hunts through vibrations generated in the Twilight layer and above. Its devastating attack is to send tentacles from its massive body in the Abyss up into the upper layers. The tentacles are sent up quickly but stealthily and, once in position, flash patterns and lights that confuse and terrify it’s prey sending them into either panic or paralysis. The Render then proceeds to destroy everything in the vicinity causing its prey to fall through into the Abyss where it can be devoured, thus earning its name. In this way, the Render destroys trees, Dreamers of the Maw, and Halflings alike. Fortunately, Renders are very rare.
• Beetle, Firborer - This family of medium sized beetles range in size from about that of a Halfling to about twice that. Once believed to be found only on Parasitic Fir, varieties of this beetle have been found an nearly all tree species indigenous to the Green Maw. They prey upon the larvae of other beetles by partially burrowing their abdomen into the bole of their preferred tree and generating a series of strong vibrations that drive larvae in the tree out to the surface for the Firborer to harvest. There are unconfirmed reports of Firborers preceding an attack from an Abyssal Render. If true, it's unknown if the connection is accidental or intentional.
• Beetle, Threadwing - The Crimson Threadwing is the rarest and most valuable member of the Threadwing family of beetles. Threadwings are small beetles, about the size of a sheep, whose underwings can be pounded into fine, but strong, fibers. These fibers are then spun into ironthread which is, in turn, used to weave ironcloth. The underwings are occasionally shed and grow back. The Crimson Threadwing is unique in that the fiber not only provides the finest ironthread but it serves as a natural dye for a highly prized and vibrant crimson hue.
• Swarmother - A large floating omnivore that slowly travels The Crown grazing on anything edible foods it can fine. In order to feed, it spawns small flying drones specialized for various purposes (leaf cutting, cargo transport, hunting, etc). These drones have limited to no intelligence and cannot survive without the mother unit. The mother unit, however, displays near higher order intelligence as it will spawn drones with tools that indicate creativity. While this creature could be a terrifying and deadly predator, it is mostly content to eat things that are easy to catch, like plants.