94 - Nature

## KOA-DAKU

Far to the east, and south of Avagard and the forgotten library, Lays a forgotten waste land many tend to avoid on their travels, this barren land is home to many strange creature that have grown and adapted to survive in this harsh part of the world.

This dry barron landscape has had many attempts at settlement in the past by races such as the dwarfs and Elves yes so far there as been zero successful colonization, or at least that was most races had thought. deep with in the dry cracked dessert two tribes flourish uninfluenced by the outside world using there natural abilities to grow, develop and adapt to this harsh enviroment

## Indigenous tribes.

**The Wanjuru -** The Wanjuru are a native group of Thri-Kreen that have made there home among Giant Sandstone mountains, hollowing them out into great hive like cities beneath the ground and spanning deep enough to find large natural water reserves and rivers under the ground. the Wanjuru aren't by any standard an advance race how every they have perfected the art of irrigation channeling this water in pipes all around there hive like cities providing clean and easy drinking water for the colony.

* Very few of the Wanjuru people have ever left the Koa-Daku region and even less speak any language apart from there native tongue leaving any outside affairs to their elders and "speakers"
* They have only have the knowledge of basic weapon crafting using stone to create basic Gythkas and Chatkchas
* Many of the Wanjuru have dotted the landscape of Koa-Daku with cave painting Dictating there Belief that the world is an egg of the creator, a great celestial flightless bird.

**The Baiame -** The Baiame similar to the Wanjuru are a native race to Koa-Daku, again a far from advance race how ever due to there natural affinity to heat and fire they have mastered the ways of the forge crafting weapons from a rare mineral mined from the land. How ever unlike their Thri-Kreen Counterparts these Firenewts dominate the surface of this dry wasteland, basking in the extreme heat.Having many small camps and tribes set up across the land using large flightless birds known as strides to cross the great empty planes.

* The Baiame craft there weapons from a white stone like Material that with great heat can be molded in to an externally hard substance but acts as if it holds no weight, Unknown to the Baimae the Resource they mine from the ground comes from a long dead Tarrasque which they are mining the bones of.
* The Baiame have a Great camp in the center of Koa-Daku where they have hold ceremonies each year to praise there god simply known as the great heat by creating an extremely large fire and offering Sacrifices.

## Native Creatures and Rumored beasts

**Striders (Volos) -** These large, featherless, flightless birds are used as mounts by firenewts. The giant strider is about the size of an ostrich. It has a bumpy, dusky red hide and dully-glowing red eyes. It is often mistaken for a lizard. Having a close relationship and trust with the Firenewts its rare to see one undomesticated ones. How ever if it is recommending steering clear from any seen in the wild, because best case you are face to face with a small tribe of firenewt, worst case your running away from being breakfast for the Giant bird.

* Mounts for The Baiame tribe
* These creatures although carnivorous can go weeks with out eating as they are able to directly metabolize the heat of their surroundings

**Shoosuva ( Volos) -** These Great hyena-shaped demons are far less common around Koa-Daku, but are no less dangerous, preying on what ever it may come across no matter the size. they are even know to travel north to Big thompers Jungle hunting the larger Reptilian game that roams those lands.

* Both the Baiame and Wanjuru greatly fear the appearance of the Shoosuva as once they see one roaming the lands, you can garentee there will be more, and once they start to form a pack they have been known to wipe out whole sections of both tribes.
* These Beast are a weird hybrid of Dingos and scorpions having a dog like body with a large stinger at the back.

**Drakes -** Some of the most common creatures found around Koa-Daku are feral Crimson Drakes, often found picking at the bodies of those not able to cope with the vast heart of the planes

**Sand spiders**- These Horrifying beasts are biggest threat to the Wanjuru people, tunnling there way into the Catacombs beneath the Sandstone mountains these Giant Eight legged monsters lay traps for any unsuspecting folk who are unfortunate to cross there paths, some times even creating clusters of there own becoming an infestation with the Colony of the Wanjuru people.

* "*When a sand spider attacks, its two speckled, tan legs erupt from the sand, plunging forward with murderous speed, followed by a spider the size of a horse. They attack as often in broad daylight as at night." {Tomb of beasts}*

**Giant Kangaroo -** Unlike there smaller counter part which grow as tall as a grown human, this mouse-faced creature stands a whopping 30 feet talk on its powerful hind legs and has a stout tail trailing behind. These great beast are hunted by both types are a right of passage, each tribe sending 5 of its newest warriors out to prove them selves. Taking down on of these beast is no easy tasks, but doing so could also provide ether tribe with food for up two 4 weeks.

* https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/68942-giant-kangaroo - Reference link

**Wild life -**  A vast majority of the remanding wild life is made up of Giant beasts such as Snakes, Spiders, various other Insects, as well as Smaller Kangaroos which still stand as tall as an average Human

## Common Folk of Koa-Daku

Until recently very recently Koa-Daku was uninhabited by any one but the Indigenous tribes and creatures. How ever a small group of adventures was hired to help protect a caravan of settlers and farmers as they ventured into this dry land, and after alot of dangerous encounters and close calls the group was able to Settle next to a small Billabong Erecting there first building, a pub that will soon be come the Center of this brave new town. This pub is known as "The Windy Billabong"

> "It is Said that this town is Protected by a Giant Kangaroo after a young Halfing druid known by the name of Talyn who was part of the group hired to protect the settlers faced down the beast alone, whilst the rest of his companions where to afraid to go up against the beast. The Druid made an agreement on behalf of the town that they would offer the Roo part of there crop once they had started growing them and it would over them protection from the beast that walk in these lands."
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