Īmuru

**Īmuru** (or **Imuru**) is a dimension that exists parallel to Earth. Not much is currently known about this dimension as it is considered a very hazardous place, and few have entered it and survived, and those that do did not venture far. It was discovered by ISDRAC in the late 90s upon encountering an interdimensional breach that led to it when digging underground.

Recent studies suggest that Imuru is in reality located somewhere else within our Solar System, and these interdimensional breaches are formed as a result of wormholes in space, allowing us to travel in previously-unimaginable speeds to another location.

## Elements

* **Andeoxine:** A common element found in Imurian life-forms; the equivalent of Carbon on Imuru.
* **Canklum**: A dense metal whose only known characteristic is its tendency to create echoes when struck.
* **Dynamium**
* **Hardenin**: An extremely durable metal.
* **Vitriolite**: An unstable element, used as a catalyst for unique chemical reactions that occur with other Īmurian elements.

## Known Inhabitants

### Flora

* **Anchorvine**: These vines are usually seen growing near interdimensional breaches, growing out into either side of the breach into both dimensions. They are named after the fact that they appear as if they are acting as 'anchors' for the breach to stay in place.
* **Breachwort**: Common plant life similar to moss that is usually found around breaches, but also abundant in many other places. It is mainly characterized by red leafy growths and its small size.
* ***Carnecelium***: A species of fungi that spreads fleshy growths around the area surrounding it. Its common name is the 'Meat Flower', though it is not a flower, but is named so due to the 'blooming' appearance the fleshy growths sometimes show, resembling that of a flower.
* ***Draconis***: A plant whose bright, colorful, bizarrely-shaped leaves resemble the appearance of a small, predatory, dragon-like creature known to roam in the same habitat it does. This disguise wards off predators, as it is highly nutritious.
* **Epileptic Evergreen**: These plants grow near highly-concentrated Dynamium deposits. They absorb mana and undergo drastic mutations as they grow as a result, with branches spiraling into every direction and leaves take on a wide range of colors. The older and taller they get, the more bizarre their shapes become. The branches of the oldest Epileptic Evergreens have been known to spiral and branch out up to 10 m in all directions.
* **Five-Fingered Mawleaf**: A carnivorous plant whose appearance resembles that of an Earth crinoid. It has an upright stalk with what appears like jaws at the tip, surrounded by 4-6 large leaves that look like fingers.
* **Hollow Whistlewood**: This tree-like plant usually has holes in its trunk, where several creatures make their home in. However, it is common for parts of these trees to suddenly wither as a result of disease, and the holes are abandoned. When air passes through the abandoned hollows, they mimic the morbid sounds of a human crying for help or screaming.
* **Panacea Shrub**: These plants house the panacea fruit, aptly named as they are said to have many beneficial health properties. The fruit has become the focus of remedy-based and herbal businesses. It has also played a significant role in stem cell research.
* **Shard Blossom**: These plants grow around Dynamium deposits similar to Epileptic Evergreens and form sacs with thick, glowing, cyan-colored sap that can drastically mutate anything it touches.
* **Skyscraper Floatstool:** A gigantic, tree-like fungus. On the tips of its branches grow spherical spores that swell up to the size of a hot-air balloon when ripe, and fly off when carried by strong gusts of wind. It is not uncommon to see the sky filled with large zeppelin-like spores whenever pollination season comes.
* **Terracalcified Conifer**: The rock-hard 'bark' of this plant is actually its sap that is continuously secreted as a means of protection, which hardens within 3-5 Earth days. Through the course of about 1 Earth month, the bark cracks open and shatters, effectively 'shedding' its bark to make way for a new one.

### Fauna

* **Abyssal Angelshark**: A deep-sea shark with four large wings for fins.
* **Bladeray**: An aquatic omnivore resembling an Earth ray. It has razor sharp fins on either side of its body that can slice through prey and predator alike. It is a fast swimmer, and its preferred method of hunting is swimming through shoals of fish, killing multiple fish in a matter of seconds. Otherwise, it likes to stay on the sea bed, feeding on small plants and algae.
* **Blitzbeak**: A small, speedy bird that can achieve extreme speeds when travelling in a single-line path. Its vision is excellent, and its large beak is dense and sharp. It hunts prey by being able to locate the slightest of movement in its field of vision, then zooming in at incredible speeds to impale or crash into it with its beak. However, it is not uncommon for it to miss, and die after hitting a hard surface. Some Blitzbeaks, however, are rapidly evolving dense armor that spreads from their beak to protect themselves. In fact, Blitzbeak are so intelligent that they are learning to drill their beaks continuously into above-ground Hardenin deposits, hardening their beaks and absorbing more shock.
* **Bonehead Rammer**: Large territorial herbivores that live in herds. Their heads and bodies are covered by a dense, calcified exoskeleton, with the thickest bones being at their head. They ram their heads together in battles for territory or mates. Many Rammers have signs of damage all throughout their exoskeletons. Despite this, they are also the preferred prey of Dreadhowl.
* **Brinewraith**: The most elusive aquatic creature. It lives at the very bottom of the sea, being one of the few creatures known to survive deep-sea brine pools. It appears to be a cross between an Earth dragonfish and an Earth Portuguese Man-o-war. Only one picture exists of this creature, and it was discovered only recently by a deep-sea exploration drone.
* **Findrake**: An aggressive, carnivorous amphibian that roams the waters near Brimfell's water-soaked breach leading into Īmuru. They are slender, graceful swimmers that resemble a combination of fish and crocodiles. They have four legs with webbed feet and a dorsal fin that runs along their back to the tip of their long tails.
* **Fodderfish**: Common fish that make up most of the alien biomass in bodies of water in Newheart and Brimfell. They multiply very rapidly and travel in shoals, but are also at the bottom of the food chain.
* **Greater Dreadhowl**: A dangerous, aggressive apex predator the size of an Earth elephant. Despite their size, they are very elusive.
* **Lesser Dreadhowl**: A smaller subspecies of the Dreadhowl. They share a common ancestor, but Lesser Dreadhowl have been known to travel and hunt in packs. Greater Dreadbeasts, however, live alone.
* **Nether Maw:** Ambush predators that lie in wait in superhot environments, revealing only their massive jaws.
* **Pscyhopede**: Centipede-like parasites that burrow into their host's skin and invade their nervous system. Operating under a hive mind, they take control of their host and feed on chemicals that their brain releases, turning the host essentially into a zombie, commanded by a hive queen. With humans, Psychopedes have been known to be fond of feeding on dopamine.
* **Sand Gnasher**: A terrestrial fish-like creature that burrows into sand or dirt, ambushing prey. Its teeth look similar to a human's.

## Trivia

* Its name is derived from the Babylonian phrase 'Sha naqba īmuru' from the Epic of Gilgamesh, which translates to 'He who Saw the Abyss', or 'He who Sees the Unknown'. In this context, Imuru refers to both the abyss and the unknown.