Awan is defined by its flora: the floating plants that dominate the skies. Most plants that float form thick mats to capture water and soil, ranging from a few hundred yards to miles across. The exact size is species dependent, and by far the most common size is from about 500 yards to a mile across. Each matt has a dominant type of plant that formed it: grass, brambles, and trees are the most common. Other plants can colonize the matts, but the basic type of plant determines what the soil of the island looks like. The bottom of a mat is mostly dead roots, but is a favourite resting place for animals that can cling upside down. All mats of a certain type tend to hang out at the same elevation, though air currents can cause mats to be higher or lower. Higher mats are lighter than the lower ones, and thus more susceptible to grazers, constantly being torn apart -- they also have trouble getting enough nutrients to grow. The lower reaches of Awan's sky contain the dying hulks of matts killed by disease, covered in fungus. The surface of Awan is a wasteland covered in extremely fertile dust, with essentially no light and no wind.
Fauna:
Hoppers: Awan's most notable herbivore are many types of oversized grasshoppers, ranging from the length of a finger to beasts over 100 lbs. They are very stupid, and “tame” breeds are notable for their inability to flee or fight predators. Wild breeds defend themselves by taking to the sky, hiding on the mat, or kicking with their powerful spiked hind legs.Beetles: Once again comprising a full range of sizes, the largest beetles are 300 lbs. All of them are herbivores as grubs, though many of the adults are carnivorous. They sport heavy armoured carapaces. The grubs are more common than adults, and can be considered good to eat if caught. The grubs generally burrow into the mat and live off of the roots of the plants.
Dragon Flies: Large and imposing predators, DragonFlies sport massive jaws and strong legs in addition to being the most manoeuvrable creatures in the sky. The largest grow to over 20 feet in length, but at only 400 lbs they don't prey on animals humans ride, though sparrow folk tend to be down right paranoid about the insects. Despite their strength, Dragon flies are comparatively fragile, and will often flee if attacked.
Awan Wasps: while most types of insects are represented by several species on Awan, giant wasps over the normal size only have one. The reason is unknown, though many have speculated its because the species present is so successful. While they are called wasps, these creatures are just as close to winged ants as they are to wasps. They are primarily herbivores, but will in fact eat just about anything. Their hive usually dominates a matt. The wasps are around 25 inches long, making hitting them difficult but frequently rendering them unable to be dealt with through traditional pest control. Burning down their island usually works, though it is quite wasteful. Sparrow folk, however, will on occasion launch a direct attack on the nest, fighting hand to hand, and live in it afterwards
Winged Monkeys: This species would be very similar to howler monkeys if it weren't for their wings. Winged monkeys travel from island to island in packs of 50 or more. This is more for their protection than anything else: Enraged monkeys can badly injure almost any predator, and a smart predator will take only one and then leave quickly. They are a major pest when they land on human civilization.
Gryphons: While the great gryphon is well known, its not the only kind, and the smallest are only around 25 lbs. Gryphons are predators, and behave much like cats. In fact, the only species domesticated is the smallest -- if you can call the behavior of a cat domesticated.
Hippogriff: While the Gryphon is a strict carnivore, the hippogriff is an omnivore. The size range is similar to the griffon. They mainly eat vegetation and grubs, and are social creatures, living in flocks of 10 or more individuals. While not particuarly agile, Hippogriffs are smart and trainable, and several domestic breeds exist.
Pontigriff: Something between a rat and a raven, these creatures will eat just about anything. They tend to follow civilization around, and are considered pests. They are typically black or brown, and have the build of a rat, but a strong beak that somehow seem to be almost as good as a rodent's incisors and pair of wings.
Dove dragons: Dove dragons are large reptilian browsers. they travel in flocks of around 50 individuals, and at 2,000 lbs apeice, are big enough to defend themselves from most predators. They spend most of their time moving from island to island, picking the trees clean.
Cling Dragon: These dragons spend their entire life upside down, hanging from the underside of islands. They fly upside down, and mate and lay eggs in the same position. Cling dragons are mostly ambush predators, and if threatened flee to the nest they built on the bottom of their island. Some borrow, but most are content to live their lives hanging to the bottom of an island. They range from dog sized to tiger sized. Cling dragons are dangerous predators and a community with a cling dragon nest under it will loose livestock and even members until the dragon is driven away.
Behemoths are massive black reptiles that live on the floor of Awan. They are mostly scavengers, but don't mind eating any creature that finds itself on the floor of the world. The creatures have thick scales, strong wings that function more like arms, and large mouths. Most of the time they look quite emaciated, and wait for food to fall from the sky, where one they stuff it into their huge expanding stomachs and digest it.
Mole dragons start out their lives as dog sized flying creatures looking for a good island to make their home in. As they grow larger, their wings become vestigial, and they dig tunnels throughout the island they choose to live on. Mole Dragons grow to quite large sizes, and are rather sedentary. The largest have weighed over 2,500 lbs. They live mostly on grubs and function as ambush predators, striking from tunnels on unsuspecting prey.
Sky Whales look like you took a 50 foot turtle and shaped it like a whale, widening the head and mouth to make the entire creature sleek. They are as buoyant as the plants that support the other animals, supported by their shells. They feed at high altitudes, sweeping up tiny particles of vegetation in the sky and eating some of the more delicate matts. Predators usually stear clear of them: They have hard shells around their bodies, and are just too big. They support ecosystems of their own, with parasites burrowing into their shells providing food for those that dare approach the giant creatures.
Land Eater: Similar to the sky whales, these creatures eat thicker vegetation than their more peaceful cousins, munching on the very islands that make up the world. They have thicker shells and a strong beak that can shear through wood with ease. Even small Land eaters are easily 100 feet long, and the largest are 300 or more. They have no eyes, using echolocation instead. They have no natural predators, and their food supply is abundant, but some insects use them as hosts for their young, which will eventually sicken the creature and bring it to the ground, where the behemoths will tear through the thick shell and eat the creature. They also are frequently slain by intelligent beings defending their homes from becoming lunch.
Native Inhabitants:
Sparrow Folk: The Sparrow Folk are around 18 inches tall, and weigh around 4 lbs. They value stealth more than strength, and those who follow the sparrows into their brambles will find several nasty surprises. They are very fond of and skilled at using poision. They live at TL 0/1, using bone as their hardest material. Sparrow folk elect chiefs to lead them, usually choosing the chiefs for their daring and craftiness.Template [-5]: ST -7 [-70] Small winged Flight [35], +1 DX [20], +2 Fine manual DX [10]
Eagle Folk are slightly smaller than humans, and live by cultivating their home island and raiding other islands for food. They are fiercely loyal to their village and tribe. There are seven tribes: Whale, Gryphon, Dragon, Monkey, DragonFly, Wasp, and Behemoth. At any given time tribes will be in various alliances and wars. Wars usually last for decades, because once peace is declared each village has to hear of it and each village floats around the world. Each tribe has a King-Priest who declares the wars and alliances, but things brew for a while before and they brew for a while afterwards. Winged folk usually rely on bows for combat and hunting. Tribes are determined by the set of customs, not by location (location tends to be quite fluid).
Template [15] : Large Winged Flight [30] Vulnerability (crushing *1.5) [-15]
Use in the Campaign
Awan can be used as a stand alone world, but its really designed to be one world among many, and to be inhabited by people NOT well adapted to the world. If so, the world should be integrated into the wider setting by the GM. Things to remember when doing this are below:- Each island cannot be steered to keep near to other islands -- geography and politics beyond the island level will be dynamic.
- Rafts can be made from the native wood. Moving them around is going to be a challenge though: the classic sails won't work. Low tech rowing/beating fans may work, as will transferring along a rope. If it fits in the setting, its suggested that a fairly simple but powerful magic be used to propel the ships.
- Taming animals to fly between islands is quite important, but they won't be able to tow anything beyond a small cord -- which can be beefed up later on.
- A society capable of gliders and planes will use them extensively, and up to a tech level earlier.
- Minerals are confined to the floor of Awan. Awan's mineral deposits are rich and close to the surface. Food and clothing will need to be shipped down to the miners -- its suggested that a counterweight exchange be used.
The exact civilization here is not explored more, because the truely unique part of Awan is the wilderness, and that is the place I see the most potential for adventuring. While Awan is presented as a fantasy world, it can be used as a weird parallel in and IW -- nothing says that the plants are held up by magic as opposed to super-science incorporated into nature.
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