Stevie Lambert: (via JWB)

2026-05-20T13:25:05Z

(via JWB)

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{{Infobox Region
|Name = Rynhon Cataract Bog
|Other Names = Unknown
|Biome = Cataract Bog
|Size = Unknown
|Continent = Unknown
|Subcontinent = Unknown
}}

==History==
===Historical Overview===
===History by Age===

====Stone Age: Before 1E 0====

====Copper Age: 1E 1-1E 2200====

====Bronze Age: 1E 2200-1E 4400====

====Iron Age: 2E 0-2E 700====

====Ancient Age: 2E 700-2E 2200====

====Middle Ages: 3E 0-3E 2050====

====Early Modern Age: 3E 2050-3E 2600====

====Industrial Age: 3E 2600-3E 2700====

====Machine Age: 3E 2700-3E 2800====

====Atomic Age: 3E 2800-3E 2850====

====Space Age: 3E 2850-3E 2875====

====Information Age: 3E 2875-3E 2900====

====Genetic Age: 3E 2950-3E 3000====

====Awakening Age: 3E 3000-3E 3415====

====Twilight Age: 4E 0-4E 500====

==Geography==

The Cataract bog is dense with immense trees whose trunks are perhaps larger than perhaps any other trees in the whole of Canlai, the ground is completely sodden and is almost completely covered with quicksand. Any travelling done in the bogs is done through the bridges that extend from one tree to the other, and the habitations of the kin'toni are built in the trees themselves. The Cataract bog is an anomaly even among anomalies for it is located in the same latitude as the famous coniferous forest that houses the capital of the Itkali Kingdom which is where the current royal family of Itkal resides.

Although it is located in such a northern place, it remains to be one of the warmer places on the whole landmass of Canlai and this is because of the hot springs that are found within the cataract bog. This means that year round, the snow that falls on the ground is converted to water and immerses the floor of the forest with moisture that never sees the light of the sun which would allow it to evaporate away. Although in other places hot springs in addition to bringing forth water and heat, also add harmful salts and acids from within the surface of the earth.

This is not the case for the Cataract bog, which would have been much transformed for the presence of substances like sulphur in the water would have meant that no plant life would be able to grow in the region. As it stands, the water from the hot springs allows the place to not only be warm enough to grow trees but also fills the soil with precious minerals from within the earth that allow the plants to grow to gargantuan proportions. The presence of the hot springs has transformed the cold desert into an oasis of evergreen trees and warm air.

In addition to that, the place is an essential site for the religion of the shepherd, and so several thousand kin'toni from the Itkal kingdom and some who follow the faith from beyond the borders make their way to the bog in order to participate in the religious ceremonies that are held every year on the date that is estimated to be the date when the first emperor awoke to find himself in the care of the Shepherd. The snows come here everyday but are soon turned to water as they reach the part of the air that has been warmed by the hot springs.

And although the hot springs cover a vast expanse of land, they are only able to maintain a warm temperature within the bog, for as the land is heated it affects the area that is immediately in contact with it also causing it to warm. This warm air is lifted and this creates a low pressure zone which is filled with the cold surrounding air from the region that isn’t in contact with the hot springs, as such most of the outer fringes of the hot spring remain frozen while on the core of the hot springs remains truly warm.

==Plants==

The most important plant in the region must be the ak-lal tree, this is a tree that is endemic to the region, and its very close in physiology and growth to the mangrove tree found in the Ashat coastal areas. The Ak-Lal tree has deep and extensive roots that grow well beyond the part of the soil that is inundated with water, some are even certain that the trees extend nearly to the bedrock itself. None of this has ever been confirmed for no one has dared to dig to along the roots of the tree in fear that it may affect the health of the tree.

In the present time, it is calculated that the youngest tree in the region is about 500 years old, while the oldest trees are expected to be much older than a millennia. And this aspect of the ak-lal trees is why the trees have never before been exposed to any rigorous amount of testing, for no tree has reproduced another since the past five centuries, some of the religious scholars in the region have said that the tree only reproduces in times of sorrow, drawing away the pain of the Itkali people to ease their suffering and allow them an opportunity to lead a happier life.

And so since the presence of the current monarch has itself done much to ease the suffering of the people, there has been no need for another Ak-Lal tree to grow again. Others, smaller sects of worshippers believe in another theory, according to them, the prosperity and the growth of the ak-lal trees is a sign of the blessing of the Shepherd, and according to them the fact that no new trees have grown again in the region since the present monarch took over the Itkali throne is a mark of the displeasure of the Shepherd with the Itkali Royal family.

They say that the shepherd only ever loved the first emperor and when he was usurped and murdered by the present monarch, the shepherd was much displeased and drew away his blessing from the throne. They further cite the defeats of the Itkali forces at the hands of Adon Armies and the near constantly starving existence of the Itkali common kin'toni as proof that the Shepherd no longer watches over the Itkali Kingdom. The Ak-Lal tree is a lush plant, growing leaves all round the year and never losing them all at once.

Although the top layers of the canopy are mostly covered in snow, they do not ever freeze, for the water that runs through the trees is sourced from the warm ground. The felling of the trees from the cataract bog is strictly prohibited, in fact so is the cutting of the branches from the trees. Not even the devotees of the Shepherd are allowed the opportunity to collect the fallen branches, for all the branches and twigs that fall are burned every night at dawn to mark the end of another night lived in reverence of the Shepherd.

==Animals==

The only animals of note that live in the Cataract bog are those that live within the trees, for there is barely any dry land that would allow creatures to live, all those animals that wish to live and survive in the forest are adapted to climbing the trees, and making their homes in them, and this includes not only sleeping in the trees but also finding food in them. The warm oasis of the cataract bog is also a popular place for the migration of birds in the northern regions,.

It is known that any bird that passes through the north will inevitably settle in the ak-lal trees of the cataract bog for many a flyways pass overhead. Besides the obvious shelter from the cold surroundings that the birds are offered, they are also able to rely on the bogs as a place of abundant food, coming here to find a place where they can recuperate from the arduous journey and build strength for another difficult leg of their journey. A particularly large insect has evolved within the confines of the bog.

And it is the nala-ua, it is a large arachnid that is particularly fond of eating birds and eggs, which it consumes in large numbers, but since the animal is ravenously territorial there are very few of the nala-ua found within the bog. It likes its counterparts of the same species is particularly venomous, however it is not able to spin a web like the other insects of its species, instead it uses its distinct colouring pattern that shifts to match its surroundings as well as lightning fast reflexes to trap and kill its prey.

The nala-ua is harmless to the kin'toni for the venom used by it has absolutely no effect on the kin'toni themselves, and since its changing patterns are said to be so alluring, one of the techniques that the nala-ua is also known to utilise in order to brings its prey closer towards itself, the Yuaa kin'toni the like to invite the nala-ua to nest in the temple buildings that are built to honour the shepherd. Many devotees prefer to visit the temples that have a nesting nala-ua, as it is nearly impossible to see out in the wild.

While against the stark background of the temple walls, the spider makes a truly beautiful sight. In the recent centuries, it has become closely associated with the shepherd, and the Itkali being the Superstitious people that they are, have begun to incorporate the nala-ua into the numerous collection of omens and symbols that they so strongly believe and set stock by. It is especially known that killing the Nala-ua is strictly prohibited, and those that have even mistakenly done something to harm the animal have found themselves on the receiving end of the wrath of the Itkali people.

Few have paused to consider that the Nala-ua is too young an animal, evolving barely a couple of centuries ago, and could not possibly have anything to do with the shepherd.

{{Template:Controllers
|Stone Age = Unknown
|Copper Age = Unknown
|Bronze Age = Unknown
|Iron Age = Unknown
|Ancient Age = Unknown
|Middle Age = Unknown
|Early Modern Age = Unknown
|Industrial Age = Unknown
|Machine Age = Unknown
|Atomic Age = Unknown
|Space Age = Unknown
|Information Age = Unknown
|Genetic Age = Unknown
|Awakening Age = Unknown
|Twilight Age = [[Yuaa Kin'toni Clan]]
}}

{{NeartoDesktop
| Centre = {{PAGENAME}}
| North = Unknown
| Northeast = Unknown
| East = Unknown
| Southeast = Unknown
| South = Unknown
| Southwest = Unknown
| West = Unknown
| Northwest = Unknown
}}

{{CrossSiteAttribution
| User = [https://www.freelancer.in/u/anmoldkaushal Anmold Kaushal]
| Holder = Anmold Kaushal
}}

[[Category: Places]]
[[Category:Anmold Kaushal's contributions]]

Rynhon Cataract Bog - Revision history

Stevie Lambert: (via JWB)