Kalem Savanna Plateau

Place

Place Name:

Kalem Savanna Plateau

Biome:

Savanna Plateau

Size:

2500 km2

Continent:

Unknown

Subcontinent

Unknown

Geography

Kalem Savanna Plateau is a mostly flat region that begins inland at the river Tamaris. Tamaris flows along the western border of Kalem and curves up beneath the southern border where it ends at the ocean. This river provides a degree of protection from the regions to the west and south. The easiest way to enter Kalem is through the northern border. The eastern border is lined with towering cliffs that look out over the East Sea. The climate in the region is very dry and clouds seldom come into Kalem. The cliffs that run along the eastern border are also the home of the local Wor’ardi kin’toni clan and their home city of Namina.

Namina was once a rich and powerful zu’aan city state but it was conquered by the Wor’ardi. The city is several hundred kilometres in size and is one of the largest individual zu’aan cities to ever exist. The city is mostly comprised of stone houses with wooden roofs. The more modern buildings made by the kin’toni conquerors are made of traditional bricks. Despite Namina’s size the city does not have any walls or other large defences due to its size. The Naminan zu’aan could not spare the resources and manpower to construct such a massive defensive line.

The new owners have also decided that they would simply be wasting time building walls. They specialise in cavalry attacks, defending behind fortifications was never their forte. Below the city are a series of rope bridges attached at one end to Namina and at the other to the large floating wharf called Arbask. Arbask is a large zu’aan built wharf that floats on its own slight offshore. The zu’aan builders didn’t want the wharf to be too close the jagged rocks at the foot of the cliffs so they made sure it sat one hundred metres offshore. Arbask is equipped with fishing equipment and also has several fishing boats docked.

The locak Wor’ardi kin’toni clan have continued to use these facilities after its builders were gone. The fish they catch could sustain them while they still searched for zu’aan blood. The Wor’ardi have also worked on several new fishing boats so they can increase their fleet and thus their fishing haul. The Heart of the Savanna is natural wonder that can be found near the centre of Kalem Savanna Plateau. It is a series of white rock that forms into the shape of a massive spire, reaching for the heavens. The Heart is estimated to stand two hundred metres tall.

The spire is covered in various different coloured crystals. The higher the crystals are on the spire, they larger they form. The base of the heart is comparable to that of a mountain. Whilst it is still white and chalky in appearance, it is dotted with caves and still full of mysterious crystals. A species of native predators made these caves their home. What lies deeper within the Heart of the Savanna is unknown to the local Wor’ardi but many of them believe it is some sort of ancient artifact that they creatures are protecting.

Plants

Due to the dryness of Kalem Savanna Plateau only plants that can live with minimal water can survive here. There are some small waterholes and a large river that circles the region but in general the region is devoid of accessible water. The local plants have had to adapt to this situation, and many of them have come up with remarkable ways to combat the problem.

Tyreen

Tyreen are a species of plant that are native and unique to Kalem Savanna Plateau. These plants are bright red in colour and can be found almost anywhere throughout the region. These plants are able to store rainwater in large pouches that grow on some of their branches. Their leaves are yellow and so are the pouches. Each pouch is around the size of a kin’toni hand and can hold a few litres of water each. When the rains come in Kalem, the pouches will open up and fill up with water. When the rains stop the pouches will close and that water will now last for months.

The plant is able to sustain itself for months on each pouch, the more pouches the longer it can last. Due to this the tyreen barely grow any roots as they do not require them after they have lived through their first rain shower. These plants can also be lifesaving to kin’toni who are lost out in the savanna.

Kalem mitka

Kalem mitka is a type of grass that is native and unique to Kalem Savanna Plateau. This grass covers almost every inch of Kalem. It is able to survive without water for months as it has very little dietary needs to function. Each grouping of Kalem mitka roots sprouts around ten to thirty individual blades of grass. The blades grow to heights of around forty to sixty centimetres. The grass is yellow in colour which fades the longer the plant has been without water. If the plant fades too much it will eventually die but will likely be replaced by a new one very quickly.

Bakari

Bakari is a species of parasitic plant that is native and unique to Kalem Savanna Plateau. These plants grow along the lengths of Kalem mitka. They drain the grass of all its moisture and move onto the next one. Bakari are around the size of a kin’toni fingernail. Each plant is light green in colour, this colour becomes brighter the healthier the plant is. Since bakari are so light, the wind can easily carry them to their next destination. The underside of the bakari is lined with sticky pores that can latch onto passing grass. When a Bakari has successfully drained a blade of grass, it can stop releasing the sticky liquid which will allow it to detach from the host and be carried to the next one.

Occasionally these plants can accidentally latch onto an animal or kin’toni. The sticky ooze they use to stick to the grass is actually very poisonous to kin’toni. To combat this they always wear a layer of clothes so that the Bakari cannot touch their skin.

Animals

Due to the dryness of Kalem Savanna Plateau only animals that can live with minimal water can survive here. There are some small waterholes and a large river that circles the region but in general the region is devoid of accessible water. The local animals have had to adapt to this situation, and many of them have come up with remarkable ways to combat the problem.

Atani

Atani are a species of small mammal that are native and unique to Kalem Savanna Plateau. These creatures have yellow coloured fur to match the grass that grows almost everywhere throughout the region. The also rely on the grass for food and moisture. Their mouths have two larger teeth that are used to slice blades of grass and hold them in place. Then the special vessels on their upper lip will drain the grass of its moisture. After the grass is drained the atani will chew and swallow the grass. These creatures need to eat a large amount of grass each day in order to meet their daily dietary requirements.

They have four small legs but usually they don’t travel very far or fast to conserve energy. The local Osoat kin’toni clan do not hunt them as they are too small to be useful.

Karaso

Karaso are a species of bird that are native and unique to Kalem Savanna Plateau. These birds have lived and thrived in the region for centuries. They populated the grassland long before the Namina zu’aan arrived. They live in large colonies along the cliffs at the eastern coastline of Kalem. Here they keep their young along small juts in the cliffs, far away from any potential danger. These birds a white with black heads. Some of them that have lived long have accumulated more black patches on their necks and bodies. Their have long and wide beaks designed for dragging along the surface of the water to catch fish.

They fish in the ocean mainly, but many also journey to the rivers in Kalem as often these are teeming with fish. These birds can grow wingspans of up to three metres and can live for up to one hundred years.

Mieaka

Mieaka are a rare species of omnivore that live solely inside the Heart of the Savanna. These creatures are native and unique to Kalem Savanna Plateau. Mieaka live inside the caves that run throughout the giant white spire and rarely venture beyond. They protect the caves fiercely against any who would try to enter. Mieaka are black coloured and stand on two, tall hind legs. The have four long but thin arms that can reach things up to three times the creatures body length away. They can also walk on their arms to move faster. Their heads have no eyes, only a mouth full of jagged and uneven teeth.

Although they may look fearsome, they are harmless unless provoked which can be done by walking too far into the caves.

Historical Timeline of Ages

Age Name	Dates	Controller
Stone Age	Before 1E 0	Unknown
Copper Age	1E 1–1E 2200	Unknown
Bronze Age	1E 2200–1E 4400	Unknown
Iron Age	2E 0–2E 700	Unknown
Ancient Age	2E 700–2E 2200	Unknown
Middle Age	3E 0–3E 2050	Unknown
Early Modern Age	3E 2050–3E 2600	Unknown
Industrial Age	3E 2600–3E 2700	Unknown
Machine Age	3E 2700–3E 2800	Unknown
Atomic Age	3E 2800–3E 2850	Unknown
Space Age	3E 2850–3E 2875	Unknown
Information Age	3E 2875–3E 2900	Unknown
Genetic Age	3E 2950–3E 3000	Unknown
Awakening Age	3E 3000–3E 3415	Unknown
Twilight Age	4E 0–4E 500	Wor'ardi Kin'toni Clan

Place

Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown

Kalem Savanna Plateau

Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown

This article is written by tytarys. Copyright 2026 tytarys. All rights reserved.