Cerage Lowlands

Place

Place Name:

Cerage Lowlands

Biome:

Lowlands

Size:

Unknown

Continent:

Unknown

Subcontinent

Unknown

History

Historical Overview

Over its history, the Cerage Lowlands has drawn zu’aan thanks to its fertile land. It is and has always been a farming region. It is one of the best places to farm thanks to rainwater stilling in the fields instead of running down. This allows the plants to soak up as much nutrients from the soil as they need. It hasn’t seen much conflict, probably due to the sheer size of the region. There’s never been a need to actually fight over territory. Several settlements could inhabit the region and never have to see another one. After the outbreak, the region was left unattended as zu’aan tried to survive the hordes. Any part of the land cultivated specifically for farming became overrun with wild plant life as it didn’t have any self sustaining capabilities.

Geography

The Cerage Lowlands is a region that spans an impressive area of 943,958 square kilometers. While it is mainly made up of flat plains, there are a few gently rolling hills and deep valleys spread throughout. This region is several hundred feet lower than the surrounding regions. There are valleys that go several hundred feet lower than the rest of the region. To the south lies a forest with trees nearly a hundred feet tall. There is a shallow lake to the west of the region. It’s about a hundred and twenty feet wide, but only about twenty feet deep. Thanks to the sediment and rocks at the bottom, the water takes on a slight green tinge. There are no fish or other aquatic animals that live within the lake, but there are a few aquatic plants growing within. This lake is only used by the animals.

Any zu’aan that tries to drink from it ends up sick as it is slightly polluted by all of the bacteria that comes from the animals. There is nothing that can purify it, save for boiling it. The inhabiting zu’aan get their water from the river that runs through the forest. The minerals in the river help to purify the water. Temperatures range between the low twenties in the winter and the high nineties in the summer. On average, the temperature stays in the sixties and seventies. The forest is a bit warmer in the winter and a bit cooler in the summer than the rest of the region. Precipitation comes in the form of both rain and snow, with both being common occurrences. Rain can bring about fifty inches throughout the year, while snow can get to almost six inches when it sticks.

In the winter, the wind can be cutting. For most parts of the region, there is nothing to block the wind. The wind is a bit calmer in the warmer months. Plant life is mainly tall grasses and flowers. There used to be fields of crops, but with no one to tend to them, they became overrun by other plants. The animals inhabiting this region are mostly docile and grazers. Any aggression comes out of a need to defend themselves. While there are mainly grazing mammals in most of the region, the animal population becomes more diverse in the forest to the south, along with plant life. There are carnivorous and aggressive mammals, birds, and even insects in the forest. There are large, leafy plants, moss, and even a few carnivorous plants in the forest.

The Issang tribe decided to build their settlement at the edge of the forest, but not quite in it. They wanted the cover of the trees, but they didn’t want to be trapped in the dense forest. They liked the freedom that came with the open plains. Every time they had to gather wood in order to build their homes, they always thanked the forest for providing them with the resources they needed.

Plants

Plant life is abundant in the Cerage Lowlands as it is an extremely fertile land. With this being said, there is not a lot of variety in the main parts of the region. It is mainly made up of tall grasses and flowers. There is more variety in the forest to the south. Tall trees, larger flowers, and moss are some of the plants that grow there. Iscus is a tall species of grass native to the region. It grows to nearly four feet tall. The thick pale purple stalks grow in extensive patches all over the region. The stalks are strong, and nearly two inches thick. When mature, the end of the stem transforms into thick, small, crimson red panicle inflorescence. The inflorescence is dried out and used to make iscus grains, which the Issang tribe use in their food. Iscus is one of the oldest plants in the region. They grow year round.

Omak are a species of tree that is native to the region. They only grow in the forest in the south of the region. They grow up to almost a hundred feet tall, with a base of nearly twenty feet. They have thick, angular trunks with cracked, dark red bark that covers a pale yellow, dense wood. There are an abundance of short, slender branches that are scarcely covered in small, triangle-shaped, pale yellow leaves with tattered edges that stand straight up. There are barely any leaves on the tree at all. Their roots stretch far beneath the ground, but there are a few that grow partially above ground. They crisscross and look a bit like a web. In the winter, the leaves turn a mottled brown and fall off.

Small, square-shaped, black berries grow in their place, but only for that small window of winter. The berries have a sweet and slightly sour, purple flesh inside. Even though the berries are small, they are very juicy. Most omak have a soft, thin layer of dark blue moss, aecon, covering the bottom of the trunks. Aecon is inedible and can be fatal if ingested. Despite that, it is able to coexist peacefully with other plants. Pretta are modest-sized flowers that are native to the region. They grow up to eight inches tall. Their thin, blue stems grow in bunches of seven. They have medium-sized, dark blue, narrow leaves with jagged edges. They grow at the base of the stem and a smaller pair grow at the base of the flower head.

A single flower grows at the end of each stem. They are about five inches wide. The red and blue, oval-shaped petals are wispy, thin, and form a bell-shaped flower head. They grow all over the region, except for in the forest to the south. Due to their flexible stems, pretta are known to dance in the wind. This has given them the nickname: dancing blooms. They can be steeped into a tea that can help calm the mind. Other than that, they have no other medicinal benefits. Pretta bloom throughout most of the year, but wither once temperatures reach the low twenties.

Animals

The Cerage Lowlands supports a large population of mainly grazing mammals and pollinating insects. There is a wider variety of animals in the forest to the south. Climbing mammals, reptiles, birds, and even a few aquatic species. Most of the animals that inhabit the lowlands are herbivores. The ones that inhabit the forest are a mix of all three types. Vendine are a large species of grazing mammals native to the region. They have six legs and stand at a shoulder height of about five feet tall and can weigh up to nearly two hundred pounds, making them one of the largest mammals in the region. They have a thin tail that trails to the ground. Their thick, rough skin is covered in long, fluffy, black fur that sheds in the summer.

Their long tongue and blunt teeth are ideal for grazing. Their heads are long and narrow in comparison to their bodies, with a blue horn curving upward on their wide foreheads. They have huge, hanging ears that limit their hearing, but their horizontal pupils and large eyes give them a great range of vision. Vendine mate once every four years with a single life partner. Females, which are noted by their lack of horn, can give birth to up to five young. There are usually around ten to fifteen within a herd. Vendine are one of the most docile animals in the region and have no sense of self-preservation. Peneton are a species of pollinating insects that can be found all over Taerel.

They grow to about four inches and have a set of large, narrow, translucent wings. They have four thin legs, two arms, and a small stinger at their bottoms. Their hard skin is covered with short, purple and black hair. There are two antennae on their heads. They mate once every three years and females can lay up to a hundred eggs. They live in large colonies of almost a thousand. Peneton are mild mannered, but can become aggressive when agitated. Being stung by one is not fatal. It only causes a small irritation at the sting site. They are the species with the largest population of pollinators. Sparrida are a species of bird that are native to the region. They grow to about two feet tall and have wingspans of nearly four feet.

Their tails are narrow and long. Their thick skin is covered in long, wide feathers that are a mix of yellow, purple, and white. A tuft of white feather sits on the top of their heads in a spread out mohawk style. They have wide and strong, yellow beaks and slanted, black eyes. They are omnivores, but they lean more towards meat. Their diets consist of leafy plants, small mammals, and small insects. Sparrida mates once every two years with multiple partners. Females can lay up to three eggs per successful mating. They make their nests out of branches, foliage, and bones from the prey. They are aggressive and are known to attack zu’aan at the slightest provocation.

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	Issang Tribal Zu'aan

This article is written by DreamCatchie#3401. Copyright 2026 DreamCatchie#3401. All rights reserved.