Xhtl Brushland

Place

Place Name:

Xhtl Brushland

Biome:

Brushland

Size:

Unknown

Continent:

Unknown

Subcontinent

Unknown

Geography

The Xhtl brushlands were once a fertile land teeming with greenery and all manner of lifeforms. During this period, the center of the region was occupied by the large Xhtl lake that supplied this old region with its regular share of water for the plenty of water intensive crops and plants that grew all around it. All this changed during a short period of constant seismic activity that formed large faults on the ground that led to the draining of the lake into the neighboring region.

These faults would continue to expand and now form a large canyon that cuts through the region. The dry exposed lake bed lay at the center of this giant natural wonder. The lake bed was covered in a layer of rocks, sand and brushes that had seemingly taken the place of water. Im its absence the rest of the vegetation began to die out slowly, to be replaced by resilient shrubs that could live in the absence of any water source. After the disappearance of the lake, terrain was characterized by an abundance of invasive brushes that took root in any surface.

These plants were very resilient and did not require the presence of water or any ideal soil conditions. The surface of the ground was covered in a mixture of rocks, sand and dry soil. The strong winds would regularly bring new layers of sand and tiny rock fragments that would continue to coat the surface of the terrain. The effects of these winds remained unchecked in the absence of any large vegetation or tree cover, eventually leading to the creation of many rock formations that were carved out of old mountains and hills.

These rock formations were carved out in absurd shapes with many cracks and crevices where water could creep into or animals could take shelter in. Most of the lifeforms that continued to live in the region had to develop body adaptations to compensate for the absence of water on the surface including many ingenious methods of water conservation or collection. The region was arid and had a temperate climate all year round with very low humidity and precipitation. The region experienced two seasons in a year, summer and winter.

In summer, the region would receive no rainfall and the land would grow parched as a result. lifeforms would tunnel underground in search for water reserves underneath the layers or springs that had formed inside rock caves and cracks on the ground. The region would experience hot winds that would blow through the region, bringing with it dust and sediments from far away. The temperatures would hover in the mid to low thirties during the season. In winter, the region would receive light rainfalls in the mornings that would slowly seep beneath the cracks on the ground and collect in underground aquifers and caves.

The winds would continue to blow throughout this season and contributed to the drop in the temperatures. Most of the animals would come out to the surface during this season. The terrain would come alive with all sorts of scampering wildlife that would collect around the puddles and ponds that formed as a result of the rain.

Plants

The vegetation in the Xhtl region could be divided into two phases. The first was before the draining of the Xhtl lake when the region was filled with greenery and had an abundance of both trees and plants. During this phase the region had abundant quantities of both water and fertile soil that helped the productivity of the region and made agriculture a feasible way of life for the zu'aan settlers. The second phase was after the draining of the lake when the region turned to a rough and almost barren land with a heavy covering of brush and a few other resilient plants for vegetation.

The most famous plants of the area included the sertur tree, the asenthard plant, the jarec plant and the yield brush. The sertur tree was one of the old native trees of the region that was found in abundance before the region turned to brushland. The tree was tall, growing to a maximum height of over sixty feet. Its stem was a dark black or brown in color and had light yellowish green leaves. The tree produced a variety of nuts that was food to a wide variety of bird and small wildlife that lived on their branches.

Its wood was famous for its strength and resistance to rot- making it one of the most widely used wood among the early zu'aan settlers of the region. The tree became extinct soon after the draining of the lake as they were quite water intensive and required the lakes constant supply of water to keep it alive. It left behind its legacy in the overwhelming numbers of existing zu'aan shelters and structures that were built out of its wood. The asenthard plant was a common plant that lived in the Xhtl region before it turned into a brushland.

The plant was famous for its purple-colored fruits that were a common source of nutrition for the early zu'aan settlers and wildlife of the region. The stalk and leaves of the plant were also useful for their strength and robust properties which could be used to produce rope or hardy and strong clothes. The jarec was a spore producing fungi that grew around any damp ground or near puddles and pond in the brush land. They would commonly crop up during the rainy winter months when the region would receive a significant amount of rainfall.

They were a common part of both zu'aan and kin'toni diets because of their similar texture to meat. Their only downside was the paralyzing effect they could have on certain lifeforms when consumed in excess. The yied was the most common form of vegetation in the region after it turned into a brushland. The yied was a very resilient plant that did not require much in the way of soil conditions or water in order to thrive. They covered large sections of the Xhtl's grounds and were a regular source of food to the surviving animals of the region.

The brushes were a dull claret in color and had a stick-like consistency with very dry leaves.

Animals

The Xhtl brushland was once home to a wide variety of animals that grazed along its rolling green hills and plains. These included a range of cattle-like herbivores that lived off the abundant grasslands and plants of the region. These defenseless mammals usually grazed in areas closer to the zu'aan habitations for safety. Farther away were the predators and carnivores who lived in the more desolate mountains and hills, coming down to zu'aan habitations only at night to prey on the cattle.

The lake in the middle of the region also contained a wide variety of fishes and aquatic life before its eventual disappearance. Very few of these native species survived after the Xhtl was turned into a brushland. The only residents remaining were hardy animals that could survive the arid conditions of the region. These animals were usually adept tunnellers who could access the water deposits underground. Some of the most famous examples of wildlife in the region included the a'kimorm cattle, the atur, and the marrshlye lizard.

The a'kimorm were cattle that once grazed along the greenery of the Xhtl. They grew up to a height of three feet and could weigh over two hundred pounds when well fed and maintained in farm conditions. They were a regular farm animal for the zu'aan who ate their meat as well as their milk and used the hide to prepare a wide variety of items and tools including shelters, clothes and tools. These cattle had very little defenses against their nimble predators and relied on the protection of the zu'aan for safety.

The atur were predators who lived in the hills and mountains of the Xhtl before it became a brushland. They settled far away from zu'aan habitats and kept a close eye for opportunities to hunt the a'kimorm from under the vigilant eyes of the zu'aan. They were very nimble predators who grew to over four feet in height and six feet in length. They relied on their strong jaws and powerful limbs to carry away cattle after they had first paralyzed them through bites to the neck.

They only operated in packs and were known to be extremely intelligent in their employment of hunting strategies and techniques. Their wooly fur was a valuable commodity that was commonly used for creating warm clothing. The marrshlye was a lizard like creature that lived in the Xhtl brushland. It was quite large for its kind and could grow over four feet in length. It could feed off anything in the environment from brushes to insects and smaller lizards and even the rare cattle.

They had sharp claw on their hands and very grippy palms that allowed them to scale sheer cliff faces and maul their prey. Their mouth was lined with plenty of razor sharp teeth that could bite off entire limbs and other vital parts of their prey. The lizard could also tunnel underground or squeeze through cracks in the rocks to access the water layers located underneath the surface of the region.

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	Dhiordan Kin'toni Clan

Place

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Xhtl Brushland

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This article is written by Jangou. Copyright 2026 Jangou S. All rights reserved.