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CAST YOUR VOTE!
Please vote now for your FIRST PLACE winner. We will vote and second and third after this vote. Depending on our site update first AND second winners will be a new board.
Please vote for the land you believe YOU would make a new thread in the most!
(everyone who participated will receive a cool prize!)
FIRST PLACE CONTENDERS
9. Tamme :: HALCYON FLATS :: Mirrored lake
Coastal sands give rise to thin waters, on a salty, white base, but the colors just beneath the glassy smooth surface are nearly impossible to discern. The sky above is directly mirrored below, the horizon blending with the sky seamlessly. Grass nor trees grow here as far as the eye can see though the land itself is very small. The light warps at the edges like a dome, giving the flats a maze-like effect which has been known to send wanderers into blissful insanity. Only on the rare, rainy day does the Halcyon Flat lose its wild and beautiful magic.
11. Brit :: GREEN LABYRINTH :: Bamboo forest
Greenery stretches farther to the east, ascending towards the sun on thin, hollow shoots. The land is rich and fertile, hidden away and untouched by Helovian denizens for countless generations. Sunlight filters through a swaying canopy of rustling leaves, the labyrinthine stalks deceiving in their rows and patterns, navigable only by the patches of verdant fields. When the fogs roll through they stand as shadowed sentinels against the sky, like an army in the distance, fading out of sight in dizzying arrays. Pools of crystal waters are found interspersed throughout the forest, the water-drawn plants hovering about the edge as if peering into the reflective surface. It is easy to become lost, and even easier enchanted by the endless rows of bamboo and grassy meadows.
18. Snowwy :: BLOODFALL :: Red forest/falls
There's one waterfall that's...different from the others. The water does not reflect the sky, nor even the grass; its ripples are neither blue nor colourless. No, the waters of this waterfall glow red. This land seems permanently beneath the cover of night, an artificial darkness created by the frighteningly tall, close-together red-leaved trees that obscure the sun, but in the weak half-light the waters of the falls and its pond glimmer like fresh blood. Rumour has it that a great dragon died here and its gaping jugular dyed the waters crimson, but truthfully the red colour is created by hundreds of precious rubies beneath the surface, which reflect the light and make the rest of the pool appear red. Treasure hunters may find the cargo beneath the surface too beautiful to resist, but the pool is alarmingly deep and many a horse has been dragged to their death by an unseen force...
21. Chan :: RIPTIDE ISLES :: archipelago
An archipelago of islands lie scattered off the east coast of the Dragon's Throat. Much like the desert realm the climate is hot, however cooler currents lend this mist-veiled labyrinth of shoals, reefs and steep mountain sides a sub-tropical feel where dense forests cling to to the jagged rock. Strong currents and unpredictable winds make this region hard to reach but for those who make it there is a vast treasure of ruins and caverns to explore.
24. Brit :: BLOOD GEYSERS :: Geothermal area
Moist greenery parts and welcomes you, a carpet of verdant mosses and intermixed rock. Water is freestanding and fresh, attracting attention rather than insects. Everywhere you look, color is strewn about, breathtaking mixtures that reflect against intricate pools of water. Every few minutes, a gust of sound is heard, tickling pleasantly against the ears. A little searching unearths the culprit, extravagant earthen mounds painted in vibrant, lurid colors that seem to bleed together. Multitudes of geysers, spraying water and steam into the air intermittently, pepper the land before you. They are vibrant and sporadic, welcoming you to the land with mesmerizing spouting displays.
Entries below
1. Klare :: ORIGINS :: Jungle
The shoreline of the deep forest has a rather... ominous feel as of late. The tide near the shore has lowered, revealing a long strip of sand, leading out to an island shrouded in fog. It's never been there before, right? As the sand bleeds onto the island, thick foliage creates walls of plants. They hang heavily from the branches of enormous trees, towering so high that they fade into the sky. The chatter of a million foreign animals dance around, seeming to come out of nowhere. The further in, the thinner the foliage gets. Eventually, a large, cracked temple stands dressed in vines. From within, dark, dank air rushes forth, and it smells of not new, but old, ancient life.
2. Linds :: BLOODWOOD :: Forest
Where the Deep Forest ends, the Blood Wood begins. The forest itself is made up of Birch and Maple trees sprouting unseasonal, autumn red leaves. The trees themselves are rumored to produce a blood-like healing salve, but it can only be found under the light of a full moon, and such rumors have never been confirmed. Twined between the tree trunks are snow-white routes that are again uncharacteristic to any season but winter. It is said that the leaves of each tree bloom courtesy of the blood from Helovians long passed and upon plucking them from the stem, they will turn to ash. The Blood Wood is a place of worship and remembrance, and at times ghostly visions of the departed are believed to walk the misty trails. Of course, such accounts are still being investigated…
3. Riven :: SWAMP OF SEVERED SOULS :: Swamp/Marsh
Southeast of the Deep Forest a river delta feeds seawater into a long narrow valley. Rickety shale walls flank the region which winds north alongside the Threshold, until foothills rise and interrupt its course. Hidden beneath pungent steam for much of the day, it has long been overlooked by travellers, though as the walls crumble slowly, vague, descending tracks have started to appear. It is a near pristine wilderness like no other in Helovia, where dominant paperbark trees thrive in the stagnant brackish water. Hungry crocodiles appear as drifting logs, while rare marsupial mammals feed upon the boundless variety of insect life and grass wherever the ground is denser. Legend suggests that the spirits of bonded creatures linger in the eerie stillness, mourning aloud, unable to find true rest until the life of their companion has passed on from earth-side as well.
4. Jen :: CANYON WATERS :: Canyon/freshwater River
You wander past the Threshold, East of where you once thought this land began, and the lush forest that took you in begins to thin. The ground dips, slightly at first but quickly forming into wide, steep canyon walls that surround a massive, tranquil, deep blue river. No one could survive the fall down into the waters below, and the only way to access them is by flight or entering them from the threshold, following the descent of the earth. But the waters are not as tranquil as they might seem: even the slightest disturbance of the surface brings on a flurry of activity, causing the river to rush and churn white while underneath the surface, strange monsters have just been awoken from their slumber.
5. Jen :: GARDEN OF COMPANIONS :: Forest/lined trees
The Garden of Companions is a place long lost to Helovians, but their companions have remembered the way. For years they have protected this sacred garden, but the time has come for them to guide their bonded to its lush host of herbs, flowers, and plants of all kinds. The garden is lost to those without companions, appearing only as a dead field shrouded in mist, but those with strong bonds see the Garden as it truly is and are welcomed in through a tunnel of trees. Here, companions and bonded are free to relax and spend time with each other, basking in the warm sunlight that persists through all seasons and resting in the shade of the grove. The Garden reflects the origins of all companions, and as a result can host and sustain plants from any part of Helovia.
6. Jen :: ENDLESS HEAVENS :: Clouds
A large and magical supercell cloud has recently appeared off the coast of the Dragon's Throat, creating a new land in the sky. The Endless Heavens is an expanse of cloud that goes on for miles, and from it all of Helovia can be seen. Those blessed with wings may fly up to the Endless Heavens themselves, but others must make the long trek first to a small island in the shadow of the cloud, connected to both the Dragon's Throat and the Deep Forest by narrow landbridges, and then up the spiral of clouds that falls from the center of the supercell, making sure to watch their every step. Due to its location, the Heavens have become a place of contemplation and for some, prayer. The cloud reaches one of the highest points of Helovia: what lies above and beyond it, only the Gods know...
7. Jen :: FALLS OF YOUTH :: Jungle waterfall Island
A small island remains where the landbridge to the Dragon's Throat used to be, and its secrets are at last revealed. For years the earth covered these hidden Falls of Youth, but the explosion of the landbridge opened the roof of their cave to the sky and revealed the entrance to the underwater tunnel that runs from them to the mainland. In the cave is a lush lake surrounded by heavy green mosses and disturbed only by the quiet churning of the falls. Anyone to step in their waters might feel renewed for a time, but there is something addictive about the return to youth that the lake seems to stir within. Messages carved on the walls warn of those who lingered too long--whose bodies grew too weak to carry them away from the shore, and who perished, becoming the very echoes and reflections of youth that haunt the falls.
8. Ali :: ANCIENT WASTELAND :: Flatland
Located to the South of the Deep Forest is a land that the gods have long kept hidden from the mortals of Helovia as it bears the scars of the war that nearly decimated the land. Bubbling tar pits and spiked pit traps left over from the war dot the outskirts of the wasteland, making the journey toward the center treacherous. Toward the center of the wasteland is a pit that serves as a mass grave to those who fell in battle and remained unclaimed by their herds and their respective Gods.
10. Tamme :: FIRE-EYE FLATS :: Scrubland/Brushland
Forest fades to plains where the sky is endless and the hills in the distance are much, much further than they appear. Tough, yellowing grass, spiraling cactus and desert plants grow in plenty across the dusty, white earth. Thunderstorms roll through often, creating washes richer in sage and aromatic plant life, and though there is little relief from the sun, the temperature is comfortable with a gentle, rolling breeze. Sunsets, bigger and brighter than anywhere in Helovia only add to the vastness of this land, but at night, strange lights illuminate the darkness. Like fires in the distance, they burn, but they always disappear when you get too close. None have been able to explain the mystery of the Lights of
12. Brit :: WILDWOOD :: Tropical rainforest
Colorful creatures croon and wail from the depths of the old, gnarled forest. Its verdant leaves and humid, moist atmosphere do little to stop the shudders inspired by the haunting, foreign cries. The forest is eternally dripping, it seems, water sliding down wide funneled ferns and from thick overhead branches. Mist is found on all but the hottest of days, cloaking the forest floor and concealing the sudden waterways and twisted roots that trip up new adventurers. In the distance tall, pervasive waterfalls roar, seeming to shake the land ceaselessly with their thundering growls. Alien flora and fauna flourish beneath the thick canopy overhead, concealing the forest floor to all but the most insistent shafts of sunlight. The lakes and rivers bring sun, but also the further dangers of unknown aquatic life.
13. Brit :: FIRE FLATLANDS :: Savannah
The grass is long and dry, the ground more so. Trees fade into shrubbery, and then further into nothing but the open flatland ahead. There is nowhere to hide for slow-footed travelers, predators watching every move from the illusive swaying grasses. Though the heat is not as intense as the southern deserts of the Throat, the sun bears down with similar punishment, little to no shade to be found. Groups gather beneath the rare looming trees which cast spiderweb shadows across the ground, promising ensnarement. Wildfires are a constant threat, smoke billowing often on the horizon and reflecting across the large, shallow water pools that are found. The land promises swift, painful retribution to those who do not take its empty horizons seriously.
14. Dark :: THE PEAK :: Mountain
A titan in size, this mountain towers above the rest, a narrow, winding path twists around the rocky sides, stopping at ruined homes. Entangled in massive trees, stone buildings lay in ruin on the north side of the mountain. These ruins tell a tale of the past, a herd long forgotten. Remnants of this culture are scattered along the mountainside, some snared within the roots of trees. The overgrown civilization is not the main attraction, instead it is the large structure that settles at the end of the path, at the peak of the mountain. A shrine for the deities of this ancient culture, strewn with bones, treasures and other artifacts.
15. Selkie :: ARCHAIC CITADEL :: Structure in forest
To the southeast of the Deep Forest, lies a primordial structure, touched by the brutal hands of Time. The Archaic Citadel lies hidden within a meadow, shielded for years by thick mists and fog. It remains a symbol of what might be ancient Helovia and the days of glory that occurred centuries ago. The Citadel towers above with crumbling stone walls. Inside the stone walls, one will find a cobblestone courtyard and the crumbling structure surrounding it. Inside there are portraits painted on the wall, several containing the gods. There are runes carved across the walls, similar to those within the Heart Caves. On sunny days the few colored shards of glass that remain inside the windows cast a brilliant array of hues throughout the Citadel, bringing color and life back to a silent place.
16. Klare :: FUNGI FOREST :: Fungus forest
Magic never disappears, it just reincarnates elsewhere. All of the plant life just south east of newcomers land seems filled with all this "lost" magic. Towering pines reach so high, that the tree tops melt into the clouds. Fungi of all shapes and colors extend upward, shrouding the damp mossy earth. It seems to be feeding off of this mysterious essence, and you find that even animals seem a little larger than expected. It should also be noted, that in the morning, the sun warms the earth, and the ground becomes shrouded in thick, wispy fog. It only disappears right before dusk, clearing the way to reveal bright, sparkling stars.
17. Jen :: THE LINE :: Various
The line rose from the ground in the middle of one dark night, and there it has remained. The line is not a line so much as a metal division. Though time unseen by Helovians has rusted its curves, it is unmistakably the steel of an old age. But what does it divide, and what does it lead to? To follow its path is a long journey, one that carries you from water beneath the Dragon's Throat, down into the earth and through the shadows of the Heart Caves, across the Thistle Meadows, and to the Threshold, where for so long the lives of many began. But despite its length, once at its side one feels nothing of the exhaustion of the walk, and instead they are compelled to follow and discover its mystery.
19. Noella :: BUNYIP'S PIT :: Swamp
The Bunyip’s Pit is a ghostly marsh that sits inland, southeast of the Threshold. It is named after the beast whose monstrous skeleton rests deep into the swamp. Natural gas bubbles up from the bottom of the marsh, causing the water to constantly churn and move, and leaving the air with a foul, stagnant aroma. Nothing grows here, and dead trees, boughs decorated in ghostly grey willowy branches, reach upwards towards an always overcast sky. Watch your step, as a simple misstep may lead you into a pit of black tar that will swallow you up. There are countless stories of haunts and spirits taking form from the muck and organic debris, and terrorizing vagabonds and travelers who wander too far in. Creatures do not fly here, for fear of succumbing to the noxious gas cloud that hovers above.
20. Jen :: WHITE CURTAINS :: ice formations
In the northernmost part of Helovia is a beautiful sight hidden from the passing eye. It is shielded by thin ice formations that resemble curtains that in places can even be passed through, melting and shattering at the faintest touch of the living. Their shape resembles a billowing in the wind that invites the traveler to their center. The lake at the heart of these constantly renewed sheets is very small, and can be crossed over without cracking in the slightest. Though the walls around it are no pictures of strength, the lake could hold the force of a thousand. Still, under the thick surface of the ice, the faintest sign of life remains. Jellyfish, endowed with such beauty that they appear to be alive, are frozen beneath the surface, resembling curtains themselves, forever trapped remnants of the past.
22. Chan :: CRYSTAL LAKE :: ancient structure subtropical
East of the Deep Forest the dense woodlands open up by the shores of a vast freshwater lake. Located in the crumbled crater of what once was a giant volcano this glittering expanse is riddled with lush islands, some distant while others are placed within jumping distance from one another. A closer inspection reveal the seemingly natural structures as the remnants of ancient stone buildings, mostly submerged and overgrown yet retaining their splendor - and many an old secret waiting to be discovered.
23. Klare :: WEEPING RIVERS :: Estuary
As exploration continues to the east, a grove of willows cast their melancholy arms across a series of lakes, brooks, and rivers. It is never sunny in this place, nor rainy. Although lacking any sort of precipitation, the land is humid, clammy, and never low on water. It is often said that it is watered by the tears of the dead and lost. Thus, the land is in a perpetual sleep of dark grey sky; The only light around is from the glowing rays trapped above. But be careful, it is said that those who walk to close to the mourning branches are imbued with the sadness that emanates from within.
25. Sarah :: MOUNT BREATHLESS :: Dormant volcano lake
When Mount ?? was a violent volcano, it expelled its stores of magma in a massive explosion that caused the caverns within the mountain to collapse. The crater caused by this shift filled with rain water to form a lake in the lower mountains. This area is prone to acidic rains which, coupled with the subalpine environment, result in vegetation that is twisted and stunted. This vegetation lines the slopes of the of the sunken crater, a sparse and mutated forest, populated with plenty of beautiful, poisonous plants mingling with the safe. Travel here at your risk, the acidic rains are common during the summer and with a lake fueled by their residue, it is dangerous to be consumed by animals... at least none that have been discovered yet. The lake changes colour with the weather, ranging from a light turquoise on sunny winter days to a deep forest green during summer rains. Don't be fooled by the length of the dormancy of this volcano, danger still lurks beneath the surface.
26. Reli :: DAEMON'S LABYRINTH :: tropical rainforest
Deeper into the heart of Helovia, the forest becomes thicker. The trees become massive and grow close together, blocking out most of the sky, and the dense underbrush makes movement difficult. The trees’ branches are laden with greenery and strung with impossibly strong, serpent-like vines. The heavy air is often humid, the ground moist with the dew that never quite leaves. What light manages to filter through the dense boughs is tinted green, leaving the forest below in a perpetual emerald haze. At night, the forest comes alive by the overwhelming presence of bioluminescent organisms. Excluding the dew from plants, the only true collection of water is held in an ancient stone well, from which the very forest seems to originate. It is incredibly easy to get lost in this maze of vines and branches—the narrow network of forest paths only known to those who know where to look.
