Project Ariannia Needs YOU!

[Turnsky]

basically, i'm wanting to diversify Ariannia's flora and fauna somewhat, i have 'three' all pegged out, not to mention that gryphony thing rellis used as a beast of burden, basic rules are simple, you can use earthlike connotations for things (potatoes, and the like, a tuber's a tuber as far as i'm concerned) but you can spice up the name, add a different prefix, etc, but if it tastes like a potato, it needn't be called a potato, for example.. eh, i'm sure you'll get the hang of it.

it's really open slather, i'll put the ones that i like up on the site eventually, with full kudos to the creator. 

have at it!

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

So, no .303 bookworms, then?

I'll have to think. Chances are, there'll be some evil puns involved.

[Tapewolf]

One of the first pieces of fiction I wrote since joining the DMFA community was a tongue-in-cheek nature documentary in which Jakob filmed some of the world's most appalling fungi and their bizarre magical effects.
Not one of my better efforts (hey, it was a 14-year writing hiatus!) but if you want to rip any of the ideas off, I can post a link (or extract the ideas for you) and you may use them with my blessing.

[ShadesFox]

I have a few ideas.  I may flesh them out further if there is interest.  And a few do take liberties with Ariannia lore, if anything clashes just let me know and I'll scribble in more agreeable lore.
Gem Phoenix:
A beautiful bird with vibrant and delicate looking feathers.  They look to glow with their own light.  They are not magical by any means, but that only makes them more majestic.  They have small bodies and huge wings, with long tail feathers.  There is no black market or poaching of these birds, as laws regarding hunting these birds involves very painful, very fatal, and very public punishment.

Yellow Bane:
A fruiting plant that is quite poisonous, also referred to as 'pain berries'.  Not typically fatal, but you will not enjoy your life for a week.  It is also thought that this plant is the reason why bright yellow is such an unpopular color.

Armored Torrilio:
A small bug with 3 segments, 6 legs, and some deadly venom.  A typical bite can be fatal in three days, while a refined version of the poison has been known to liquefy major origins in hours.  Fortunately they only live in the very southern most regions of Ariannia and are quite partial to their own venom.  More people die trying to get the venom then are killed by its refined form.

[Turnsky]

I have a few ideas.  I may flesh them out further if there is interest.  And a few do take liberties with Ariannia lore, if anything clashes just let me know and I'll scribble in more agreeable lore.
Gem Phoenix:
A beautiful bird with vibrant and delicate looking feathers.  They look to glow with their own light.  They are not magical by any means, but that only makes them more majestic.  They have small bodies and huge wings, with long tail feathers.  There is no black market or poaching of these birds, as laws regarding hunting these birds involves very painful, very fatal, and very public punishment.

Yellow Bane:
A fruiting plant that is quite poisonous, also referred to as 'pain berries'.  Not typically fatal, but you will not enjoy your life for a week.  It is also thought that this plant is the reason why bright yellow is such an unpopular color.

Armored Torrilio:
A small bug with 3 segments, 6 legs, and some deadly venom.  A typical bite can be fatal in three days, while a refined version of the poison has been known to liquefy major origins in hours.  Fortunately they only live in the very southern most regions of Ariannia and are quite partial to their own venom.  More people die trying to get the venom then are killed by its refined form.

actually, that's good.

[Turnsky]

still after a few odds and ends, this is for a larger project, not just foxfire, though..

There is a Wiki planned, (so far it's pretty damn spartan) but so far it's invite-only.

[Mao]

Hmm.  I've been thinking about moving my chars to a new world setting and therefore a new, hopefully less restricting, wiki.  What sort of rules do you have on your wiki?  I'm not going to be grilled on minutia like my chosen images for profiles am I?

Anyway, if you want I can send you the info on them and you can hopefully get back to me to let me know if they fit in to your world or what changes would be needed to make it so.

[Keleth]

Hrm

Oh the possibilities. . .

[Tapewolf]

Hmm.  I've been thinking about moving my chars to a new world setting and therefore a new, hopefully less restricting, wiki.  What sort of rules do you have on your wiki?  I'm not going to be grilled on minutia like my chosen images for profiles am I?

I guess it depends how much Turnsky wants a consistent look throughout his wiki.
I'll admit can be a bit OCD about things like that, but at the opposite end of the spectrum, these things can look really weird and confusing if every single character has a totally different layout.

[Mao]

It's up to him.  I'm sure he can answer that himself when he gets the opportunity.

[Tapewolf]

It's up to him.  I'm sure he can answer that himself when he gets the opportunity.

Just trying to help.

[Turnsky]

It's up to him.  I'm sure he can answer that himself when he gets the opportunity.

"sane" would be my recommendation, since there's no actual set format going just yet, (let alone a wiki stylesheet) i'm just gonna shoot for "200 pixels wide maximum", since that's the basic width i'm using for character profiles. Racial profiles... 300 pixels max.

[ShadesFox]

Though I am curious about when this wiki will be open for editing.  I'll add in my stuff from earlier in the thread

[Keleth]

Subbles:

Bubble like creatures that reside in certain oceans and rivers that have almost completely faded from recent memory.

They communicate by flashing different colors of the rainbow in a almost morse-code fashion. They vary in size and it's even rumored that they can change their size on a whim, but that's debated. What is remembered is the merfolk in the oceans used to use Subbles as a mail service to their trading partners on the major ports of the mainland before the sundering. It is not known if they eat, reproduce or even what their origin or function are. When found they seem to cluster in coral reefs in limited numbers of 10-40.

[Zedd]

Bzzer

A insect like that resembles a housefly fuzed with a toad yet with bright yellow skin,about the size of a football an weight of one yet uses a hydrogen bladder to float around for when not in flight yet when shot or rather in range of a predator it spontaneously explodes like Molotov cocktail. The meat of this creature is mostly sweet yet bitter yet it is normaly has it's hydrogen bladder before cooking. It's natural diet consists of roaches and fruit. It lives in warmest climates of the world. It is mostly harmless yet never to its large chain of prey. 


Fuzzy Gekkar

A creature that lives in extreme cold or hot areas of the world.  It's mostly a lizard that has a large fur coat yet mostly has the face of a American Possum with extra mandibles and tusks and only about the size of a small house animal. Yet this is a creature not worth of catch due to the alarming ability to explode at random and leave a smell of fresh rank death in the air when startled but gives off a warning sounds of regeneration for least 3-8 seconds in before hand of the explosion. A creature is not worth eating when full grown cause the meat of them all taste much of 2 yr old pudding mixed with gym socks and a dash of stool.
The eggs alone are very fresh and well worth to eat before hatching or raw came from a farm bread Gekkar that is born without a coat. The young ones spend at least half their lifespan with their mother and later on span on a new family of their own. Mostly they have the ablity when they reach into a proper age and a full coat like the parents.

[Dekari]

I've got a plant idea that you can barrow.  I've modified it a little from the original idea and thought up some better detail.

The Krreis-Ra Tree

Also known as the symbiote tree.  The Krreis-Ra is a fruit barring tree that is unable to grow on its own.  In order for the Krreis-Ra to grow, its seed needs to be planted in the root cluster of another tree, usually a tree of a large growing variety.  When the Krreis-Ra seed sprouts, it grows up through its "host" tree changing it.  However this process does not harm the "host" tree, it in fact makes the "host" tree stronger and more resilient.  The Krreis-Ra does this so that its "host" tree can support its numerous, long reaching branches.  Trees that are host to the Krreis-Ra can be distinguished by having two sets of foliage, its own original and then that of the Krreis-Ra low on its trunk.  The leaves of the Krreis-Ra range from white in color to gold, depending on the season, and have a waxy texture.
Being a fruit barring tree, the Krreis-Ra starts its flowering stage around late spring.  The flowers are amber in color and have an aroma similar to wild roses.  The Krreis-Ra fruit begins to ripen early summer and is fully ripened by mid summer.  The fruit it self is roughly the size of a soccer ball and has a blood red skin.  The flesh of the fruit is pale white in color with the texture similar to that of an apple and a taste that is described as a combination of raspberries, strawberries, and kiwi.  The fruit is nonpoisonous and despite its large size is oddly light in weight.


I'm not really good with "critter" ideas, but I do have a "villain" race idea that I'm not using at the moment (due to the fact I'm being lazy in my wittings while working on failed attempt number 32 of trying to teach myself to draw.....I finally made it past the "get paper and pencil" stage this time ) if you want to barrow it.

[Turnsky]

Though I am curious about when this wiki will be open for editing.  I'll add in my stuff from earlier in the thread

give me a poke over at IRC, i'll set you up all nice and stuff.

[Attic Rat]

Just a random woodland-plant thought here: "Bandit's Bread": A loaf-shaped, brown-spotted, coarse-textured edible fungus that pops up where fallen trees are decaying into the forest soil. It is nourishing, but has a musty flavor that most find unpleasant. Being unpopular, they've come to be regarded as a sort of emergency food for those lost in the woods but lucky enough to find a patch.

[Sicill]

"Vahminno"
A prairie carnivore roughly the size of a small cow. It has a thick leathery skin that becomes similar to a carapace on its long tail. With fairly blunt claws it digs small trenches where it waits for some prey to come near. Once the prey is is within its range it will stun the prey with its tail before attempting to break the prey's neck with its strong jaw. While Vahminno do not generally burrow to close to inhabited areas, they are dangerous for travelers who move in small groups or venture too far from the roads.

"Gigmantis"
An omnivore similar in appearance to an overgrown millipede or pillbug. They are born from an egg about 4 cm wide and in groups of 10-14. Because of their omnivore diet, they will eat just about anything that holds still long enough for them to bite into it. However, they usually only encounter meat in the form of rotting carcasses due to their usually slow nature. They are found in various landscapes, such as forests, prairies, coasts, etc. While easily kept out of most farmers fields, if they manage to get in and are not dealt with, they can easily devastate crops. Despite their slow nature their high birth rates they can be found infrequently in different areas without being completely wiped out. They can be domesticated to a degree offering cheap meat and small amounts of leathery hide in exchange for effectively being fed garbage. Although they rarely live out their full life span both in and out of captivity, they have the the capacity to grow to the length of about two meters.

"Kapeto"
Growing up to 10 cm in height, this small, aggressive, tailless monkey like animal is a vicious pack hunter and a danger unprepared travelers. Kapeto are usually found in small groups of 2-3 but can occasionally be found in packs as large as ten members. Fairly nimble, their usual tactic is use their speed to surprise their prey before attacking with claws and fangs.  While Kapeto clearly hunt socially, they are fairly unintelligent and will engage in attacks they have no chance of succeeding in. Kapeto's natural habitat is forests and they dwell in empty burrows and dens.

"Ad Rask"
A large aquatic mammal, the Ad Rask sport a few fins and a set of 6 short webbed hands. Ad Rask generally live on small islands or atolls but appear to have no problem with living on otherwise uninhabited shores of larger landmasses. They have a tendency to collect various items from shipwrecks and keep them  in jumbled masses and use hull fragments as shelters. There is some indications that the Ad Rask have some sort of extremely primitive communities and language. There have been attempts to study them, however they have generally been forced away when the Ad Rask began to tear the hull in an effort to wreck the ship and salvage the remains.

[McCloud]

I'm new here to this forum, but a fan the foxfire comic. So does Turnsky need help or something? If so what does he need?

[Sicill]

This is what Turnsky said in the first post on this topic.

basically, i'm wanting to diversify Ariannia's flora and fauna somewhat, i have 'three' all pegged out, not to mention that gryphony thing rellis used as a beast of burden, basic rules are simple, you can use earthlike connotations for things (potatoes, and the like, a tuber's a tuber as far as i'm concerned) but you can spice up the name, add a different prefix, etc, but if it tastes like a potato, it needn't be called a potato, for example.. eh, i'm sure you'll get the hang of it.

it's really open slather, i'll put the ones that i like up on the site eventually, with full kudos to the creator. 

have at it!

[McCloud]

so anyone can give him ideas?

[Chakat Blackspots]

so anyone can give him ideas?

He more than likely has the story all written out, so he doesn't need any ideas.  The reason why the comic is so often delayed is because of things in RL.

[Mao]

Yes, but he wanted ideas for things to add to his universe/world.  Ariannnia is a big world and the more things he can fill it with, the better.

[McCloud]

Frong- a nomal frog
ginger hops- ingredient for most alchoholic beverages.
salmon berry- a deliceous wild berry often picked by villiage people.
cleach- an acidic gellatinous mass used to clean dishes(basicly soap)

i got more ideas if you need them.

[AmigaDragon]

He more than likely has the story all written out, so he doesn't need any ideas.  The reason why the comic is so often delayed is because of things in RL.

Just because the story is all written out doesn't mean he can't use new critters and plants to flesh it out more in the comic.

[SquirrelWizard]

Thornweed

Thornweed is a tough, hardy, and fast growing plant resembling a cross between a rose bush and a vine. It sprouts many tough whippy stalks that are covered in thorns. These stalks spread everywhere, weaving in and out of one and another, with some of the outlying stalks anchoring to nearby solid objects. The thornweed only sprouts flowers, (which range from pale yellow to pale orange) only during the spring season, afterwhich any fertile flower turns into a small fruit.

Thornweed is extremely useful for numerous reasons. It can be planted in areas to keep people or animals out. Though it is a hassle to harvest, the stalks themselves can be ground up and used as a base in many medicines, and it's fruit can be dried and used as rations. Thornweed will grow in almost any climate, which is a boon in the more arid climes as thornweed stores water in its large bulbous central root.

Edit:

First, I'd suggest veering away from taking an existing creature and tacking a letter onto its name without changing anything. If it looks like a rabbit, feels like a rabbit, taste like a rabbit, smells like a rabbit, and sounds like a rabbit, then don't make it a Frabbit. You could rename a rabbit to be something else, but put some effort into it.

Okay what I've found that helps with coming up with flora and fauna, is to think about how the common folk would see it, and what name they would give it. Rosa californica = California Wild Rose, but most people are just going to call it a rose.

There are three methods of making names for animals/plants in fiction.

A) Nonsense name: Its name doesn't tell anything about the plant or animal. Likely named after its discoverer or some referance to the culture of the realm. This could be a borrowed name from a different race/culture. The problem with Nonsense names is that they dont lend well to interpretation without a visual stimulus being on hand.

Examples: Jhoras Root, Pat'thuk, Makarat,

B) Descriptive name: Its name describes how people see the plant or animal. Typically it gets summed up in two words, and might even be described as a subtype of a more famous plant regardless of whether it is actually a subtype. Descriptive names are helpful in that by reading the name you can typically form a rough mental image in your head.

Examples: Thornweed, Spine Crawler, Clinger, Razor Bush.

C) Usage name: More with plants than animals, some cultures might give it a name based on what it is used for. This could be describing its medicinal usage or economical usage. Usage names vary in utility, some require visual stimulus for people to know what you are talking about, others don't.

Examples: Fever Grass, Weaver's Weed, Brandy Vine

Now naming of a species might undergo some evolution, people have a tendency to shorten long names, and typically this slang overtakes the actual name in conversation. For example: Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus is shortened into SCUBA, and since people do not want to have to spit out a mouthful of words every time they refer to the device, they tend to use the acronym rather than its true name.

This is just some pointers on how I come up with my names. You don't have to follow it explicitly, each realm is its own. Find a method that suits you.

[GhostBear]

slyvr: approximately 1/4" long. a four-legged, exo-skeletal creature which burrows into the skin of a larger creature and nests there. slyvr exude an anaesthetic, so victims are seldom aware they're being eaten.

shahr'd: parasitic animal whose venom forms a psychic link between host and shahr'd. the animal will control the host, using it to hunt and, if the host dies, as a form of nourishment. shahr'd are approximately four inches long (tails not included), possessing six limbs and two prehensile tails (easier to grip the host with). bodies are covered in a silky soft white fur which can be died to match anything. the animal is sought after for its skin. weak of constitution, shahr'd are easily killed - so long as they've not taken a massive host.

ka'hahn: swamp tree known for its bizarre root system (roots grow down from branches into the swamp) and nourishing seedpods. a ka'hahn seedpod is roughly the texture of a peach inside, but covered with a coconut like shell and with the size to boot. the fur on the shell is much like hemp fiber, and can be used, if woven properly, into sacks and nets and of a uniform purple color. leaves of the tree have serrated edges and measure six to eight inches across and up to eighteen inches long.

[LandonOttawe]

ok, not sure if you can use this but i think it would be interesting

Prism Fly:
Prism flies are large gnat-like creatures that live in dense forest. They are about the size of a grain of rice and eat the leaves of the trees they nest in. You can tell where they nest by where large pools of light pour into their forest homes. At times, groups of prism flies will congregate in these beams of light and it will reflect of their bodies forming colorful displays. It is said that the light shows produced can help anyone fall into a relaxing sleep.

Jin Beetles
Jin beetles reside throughout Ariannia. They are a diverse species but all types of Jin Beetles have two hollow forward-facing horns on their heads. These horns are used for self defense and clearing their nest of unwanted foliage. The Jin Beetle's horns can be used as an anesthetic because of  a potent chemical stored in the tips. Seasoned adventurers know that the Jin Beetle can continuously produce the chemical from it's horns so keeping one with you during perilous travels is a must to treat the injuries.
Jin Beetles found in grassy plains are also called party bugs because if the chemical from their horns in taken intravenously, in produces a pleasant buzzing feeling throughout the body. Only Jin Beetles from the grassy plains can cause this effect. If other Jin Beetle is done this way, death will be preyed for by the afflicted.

Belladonis Flower:
This flower is found in rocky areas naturally but have been cultivated in other places just fine. They grow from within a thick, woody stalk that is brown in color. They bloom in the late summer and can be found in almost any color except white and black. Once the flowers wilt and die in the fall, the stalks catch the wind and whistle slightly. The stalks are harvested and worked by craftsman into chambers for old woodwind instruments.

[LB]

Writing a story myself, building a world from scratch. Had to bin a few ideas, but they might work here... Sorry about the "wall of text", and yes. This is only one animal.

White death/Snow lurker/Arctic tree
(Names vary from culture and location: Mostly the first two are the names used in the regions where the animal lives. Whilst the last is a more "romantic" name, is used by merchants and rich people who trade or own merchandise made from it.)

A strange and rare animal, found in snowy (all year) regions of the world. Part mammal, part plant, it lives off a mix of meat, minerals and sunlight. The largest recorded was about 2½ meters in length, 75 cm in width and a tail 1/3 of its length (think large lizard, with fur instead of scales. Small mole-like eyes and front claws).
With its 6 legs, and a body no higher than 10 cm off the ground, it can sport a top speed about 57 kph for up to 20-25 minutes. With its very weak eyes, it mainly relies on it's keen sense of smell, hearing and touch. These are used to find the right minerals deep under the ice/snow, as well as detect prey several kilometres away above ground (It is theorised that they can hear a heartbeat within 30-50 metres, and can knock out birds, midflight).
Its black thick skin is covered in a dense, bright white fur coat. Very prized by poachers for its unique abilities: Every single hair guides sunlight from the tip, and down to the skin. Here it is caught, and used for both heating the body and producing sugar (photosynthesis). The sugar is stored in the muscles for energy when chasing, or producing body heat during the night. As such, they usually don't use the meat they eat for heat, and can go without prey for up to two weeks. Provided enough sunlight is available.
The minerals they find in the ground are used for bones/teeth/claws, sugar and a very acidic and potent poison.
-Their bones, teeth and claws are black, with traces, patches or even shapes of red, green, silver, gold, orange or even purple colours. These are from metals (oxidised by the blood) found in the region the particular animal has been living. They are therefore very dense and durable.
-The poison is spit from a gland, found beneath its tongue. As it "burns" its way into the bloodstream, it quickly paralyses and kills the prey (hence the name "White Death"). The sharp front teeth are shaped to shred most flesh from the bone, and its back teeth are used to break and grind bone for extra carbon (sugar), or even small rocks (minerals).

During the day, they usually sunbathe. Either standing on their two hind legs, with the other four legs stretched out (hence the name "Arctic tree"). Or down on all six, waiting for a chance to rush prey (hence the name "Snow Lurker").
During the night, they sleep deep under the ice/snow.
Digging a large system of underground tunnels, they have access to most type of minerals. As well as several exits, in case of cave ins or predators/hunters at other tunnel entrances.
Their front claws are broad and strong. Growing fast, as they are used for digging, and scraping the necessary minerals out of the rock/soil (licked up by their large wide tongue). The other claws are sharp and pointy, used for gripping on the slick icy surface of the tunnels.

Coats made from their fur are warm during the day, by the light guided to the surface of the leather. Their skin is thick, providing an excellent resource for leather armour. Their meat is sweet and high on energy, with all the sugar it contains (and therefore extremely prized in the cold regions of the world). Their bones, claws and teeth are used for expensive jewellery, with it's deep black bone, ornate with the coloured metals found in the region. Can be made shiny, if polished the right way.
They are highly prised by poachers, but difficult to hunt. They are dangerous, and more likely to kill the poacher, than the other way around. (earth analogy: It would be like digging for large jewels, if the jewels where rock coloured, you where digging without light, and they could jump out of the wall and eat you.)

I have more ideas. But if the level of detail is too high, I can "simplify" it. Would like to know, before posting more.