The Scrapped Scrublands

The Scraplands are an arid scrubland/shrubland located to the north east of the Outlands. The land is fairly flat, except near the northern hills that divide the land from the northern praries. Though mostly dry, a few small freshwater ponds dot the area; though the presence of heavy metals in the water prevents consumption by most of the inhabitants. A river marks the eastern boundary of the area. The southern border gives way to the carefully manicured and curated landscape hosting the Fiberline Freeway into Neo City.

The flora of the shrubland almost appear to glimmer with a metallic sheen, the various grasses and heathers offering a unique and beautiful landscape against the large rusted structures that dot the landscape. The few trees that are present congregate near the lakes, with the rest of the environment relying on woody shrubs for shade.

Despite the arid nature of the area, the soil is quite fertile and mineral rich; though the lack of rainfall and common wildfires prevent the area from being used for commercial farming.

One prominent feature that separates the Scraplands from other shrubland, is the presence of a myriad of junk. It is assumed that much fo the junk has existed here for some time, though other pieces are clearly the result of larger cities dumping unwanted materials into what they view as an uninhabited wasteland.

At the heart of the Scrublands is a massive scrapyard turned into a bustling little town. The town is surrounded by a large junk wall with three carefully guarded gates. Packed dirt roads lead out of town and through the Scrublands toward Nexus and the Freeway.

The arid nature of the Scraplands means that plant life is limited to what can survive the long droughts and limited rainfall. Frequent wildfires have also forced many plants and animals to adapt to extreme conditions that would otherwise be ruinous. This results in an overall lack of ground-cover and a sandy/gravely soil for plants to grow from. The presence of the area's 'junk' has also caused many flora and fauna to adapt to consume, absorb, or break down these materials; resulting in an increase of passively magical plants and animals (though non-magical creatures are still present).

Due to the heat and lack of protection from trees, many creatures operate notcurnally or spend much of their time in underground tunnels and burrows. Inversely, the presence of large metallic and woody structures such as abandoned radio towers provides ample space for various bird species to nest, perch, and hunt throughout the area.

Many plants have absorbed metals from their environment, integrating them into their bodies. This allows for some plants to resist the area's wildfires due to reduced flamability, or to conduct/generate electricity as a defense mechanism against unwanted pests. Animals who feed off of these plants have managed similar adaptations that have helped in thier survival scross the Scrapland.

The Scraplands goes through three distinct seasons: Storm Season, Windy Season, and Wildfire Season.

Storm Season

Marked by high amounts of rainfall and thunderstorms (including dry thunderstorms), this season provides the Scraplands with much of its annual water. Flash floods are not uncommon and burrows are flushed out as water finds space to be. Many creatures migrate north into the hills during this time to escape the flooding.

Windy Season

Strong winds signal to creatures that the waters are receding and that they can safely return to the valley. Dry thunderstorms are fairly common during this otherwise gentle season allowing for plants such as Sparkwheat to grow and flourish before the Wildfire season.

Wildfire Season

With the water having mostly dried or settled into underground aquaphors, the Windy Season's lightning storms and the presence of various fiery creatures leads to a series of wildfires across the area. Creatures seem to be able to predict wildfire areas, with those susceptable finding other places to live while they take place, or seeking out the area for shelter if they are unbothered by the flames. Many plants, such as Cindersnap Melons, rely on the fires to grow and flourish.

The shrublands are typically quite dry and settle in temperature ranges between 45 and 100 degrees farenheight with very little humidity depending on the season. The weather is predictable so long as you are tracking the seasons. Evening temperatures tend to drop significantly from the daytime temperatures, due to the lack of humidity.

Notable Plants

• Saltbush
• Copppervine
• Cindersnap Melon
• Iron Nettles
• Sparkwheat
• Leadroot Trees

Notable Creatures

• Sootwing Moths
• Glass Lizard
• Ember Mice
• Spark Hopper Mice
• Magnet Mites
• Lead Scale Pangolin
• Ferrusnail
• Grease Snake
• Rust Roach
• False Phoenix
• Scrap Badger
• Copper Beak Kestral
• Rubble Raptor

Due to the presence of ancient and modern junk, the Scraplands are an excellent source of various metals; though their extraction leaves much to be desired by modern industrialists. Underground caverns do contain raw metal deposits in many cases, but the presence of local wildlife (particularly Rust Roaches) and the dangers of the Storm season make it an unattractive place to mine.

The magical capabilities of local fauna are viewed by artisans as highly sought after, as they can add unique properties to various crafts. Although difficult to tame, Rust Roaches in particular are admired from afar by gardeners and farmers as their waste makes for a potent fertilizer.