Flora and Fauna of Balúrail
Introduction
The plants and animals of Balúrail are adapted to its long, cold winters and, in the Western Lowlands, to waterlogged ground. The lowlands are dominated by peat bogs, swamps and light forest, and the Eastern Highlands by boreal forest on the foothills of the Mazissage Mountains. This page lists some of the more distinctive plants and animals of the region.
Flora
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Balúrail Pine
The most common tree in Balúrail, found throughout the lowlands and highlands. -
Balúrail Spruce
Grows at the edges of the swamps and forms the dense forests of the highlands. -
Allia Fir
A fir of the higher, cooler slopes of the highlands. -
Bagava Fruit
A fruit found on the alpine slopes of the highlands. -
Lumbage Fern
A pale marsh fern whose leaves are used in teas and poultices. -
Fraie Irir Fungus
A marsh fungus tied to folktales about silent monks wandering the swamps. -
Ipuimbe Bush
A lowland shrub known for its bright red berries.
- Sejene – The peat moss that makes up most of the swamps of the Western Lowlands, cut and dried as peat.
- Espivar – A saw grass of the open marshes, with blade-like leaves.
- Cantuim – Singing reeds whose stems produce song-like melodies in the wind.
- Belerde – The common grass of meadows and dry ground.
- Elurbe – An edible berry and a food source for the Mifajene.
- Talme – An edible swamp berry and a food source for the Mifajene.
- Elhos – A poisonous berry.
- Sendive – A valuable fruit known for its healing properties.
- Deondoa – A bog shrub whose leaves are brewed as tea.
- Oeimar – A lichen that covers the ground of the highland forests and feeds grazing animals in winter.
- Ledel – A large bog plant whose long, sticky tendrils form nets that can trap and digest animals as large as people.
- Porondo – A fungus that grows on the borders of swamps. Its spores can invade a victim and kill them slowly, and it is cultivated for poison.
- Uril – A floating lily of the lakes and slow rivers.
- Urbilar – A floating weed that covers still water.
Fauna
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Aerbicares
Large one-horned herbivores whose wide hooves carry them across marshy peat. -
Oeinsos
Deer-like herbivores found throughout Balúrail and hunted for food. -
Lersumon
Large water birds of the swamps that can swim rapidly underwater. -
Falixes
Predatory birds that hunt fish in the lowland lakes and rivers. -
Oimãos
Venomous swamp lizards that hunt in groups and have been known to bring down lone travelers. -
Quelotoxes
Huge winged insects, territorial and known to attack people. -
Moscanos
Swarming, biting insects of the swamps. -
Preguios
Rare, territorial herbivores of the highland forests. -
Pallas
A fierce mammal of the highland forests. -
Sibelas
Small carnivorous mammals of the highlands. -
Passachs
Grouse that live in the highland woods. -
Zapusos
Small, common rodents.
- Turfels – Wolf-like hunters of the swamps.