The Fungal Steppes
Vast shelves of pastel fungus grow from this section of the trunk, stretching for miles and miles into the open air. These lands spread for many leagues across and up the bark canyons of the trunk, petering off where the lands finally meet the next branch. Harsh winds scour the smooth fungus, rarely halted by any wind break. Strands of grassy moss and thin fungi cling to the ground, making a pale sea that harbors a surprising variety of life. These are the fungal steppes.
Geography
The fungal steppes are rolling grasslands that spread horizontally and vertically in a largely branchless zone of Arboreus. Much of the region is dry, but some lakes form where the shelf fungus cups, as rain settles in the natural divots. Rivers do flow here, but mostly consist of intermittent streams of runoff from heavy rains. Some foulwater streams flow down the fungus, forming from cuts in the shelf fungus that constantly drip.
Ecosystem Cycles
Throughout the year, animals range through the region, keeping up with cycles of plant growth. There is no escaping the weather in the fungal steppes, so herbivores keep on the move to find fresh feed while predators follow behind. overgrazing drives the most movement of herbivores, and different species have evolved to prefer different stages of plant and fungus growth to limit competition.
Localized Phenomena
Spore storms sometimes build up in the spring, with walls of fungal spores blown like sand across the lands.
Climate
Hot summers and frigid winters claim the steppe, and the wind is omnipresent. Terrible storms blow in here, pushed for miles by gusts of wind as they continue to build. Tornadoes, blizzards, and massive thunderheads are expected in their respective seasons.
Fauna & Flora
Antelope, Dynasty beetles, cheetahs, burrowing spiders, goats, wolves, blacktail wasps, great flocks of birds, squirrels, and many small species of reptile and mammal all call the fungal steppes home. The land seems barren, but the grass, moss, and fungus here provide nutrient rich seeds and spores, supporting a great web of life.
This land is also the native range of the steppe elves, who travel along ancient migration routes and wind currents.
Natural Resources
Metals leached by the fungus and leather of fungal and animal varieties are the main natural resources here.
Type
Steppe
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