Archive | 9:09 pm

Types of Forests

7 Apr

1.    Tropical and Subtropical Forests.

Tropical rain forest. This is a species-rich forest of angiosperm tree species (sometimes known as “tropical hardwoods”) occurring under conditions of high rainfall and constant, warm temperatures. Consequently, the species in this ecosystem are tolerant of neither drought or frost, and the forest itself is commonly in an old-growth condition. Most of Earth’s terrestrial biodiversity occurs in this type of forest eco-system.

Tropical and subtropical evergreen forest. This is also a rather species-rich forest, but occurring in regions in which there is seasonally sparse rain. Individual trees may shed their leaves, usually in reaction to relatively dry conditions. However, the various species do not all do this at the same time, so the canopy is always substantially foliated.

Tropical and subtropical drought-deciduous forest. This is a relatively open angiosperm forest, in which tree foliage is shed just before the dry season, which usually occurs in winter.

Mangrove forest. This is a relatively species-poor forest, occurring in muddy intertidal habitat in the tropics and subtropics. Mangrove forest is dominated by evergreen angiosperm trees that are tolerant of flooded soil and exposure to salt. Some genera of mangrove trees are widespread. Examples from south Florida are red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) with its characteristic stilt roots, and black mangrove (Avicennia nitida) with its pneumatophores, which poke out of the oxygen-poor sediment and into the atmosphere.

2..    Temperate and Subpolar Forests.

Temperate deciduous forest. This is a deciduous forest dominated by various species of angiosperm trees growing under seasonal climatic conditions, including moderately cold winters. In eastern North American forests of this type, the common trees include species of maple, birch, hickory, ash, walnut, tulip-tree, oak, and basswood, among others (Acer, Betula, Carya, Fraxinus, Juglans, Liriodendron, Quercus, and Tilia, respectively).

Temperate and subarctic, evergreen conifer forest. This is a northern coniferous forest (sometimes called boreal forest), growing in regions with highly seasonal conditions, including severe winters. The dominant genera of conifer trees are fir, spruce, pine, cedar, and hemlock, among others (Abies, Picea, Pinus, Thuja, and Tsuga, respectively).

Temperate and subpolar, evergreen rain forest. This forest occurs in wet, frost-free, oceanic environments of the Southern Hemisphere, and is dominated by evergreen, angiosperm species such as southern beech (Nothofagus spp.) and southern pine (Podocarpus spp.).

Temperate, winter-rain, evergreen broadleaf forest. This is an evergreen angiosperm forest, growing in regions with a pronounced wet season, but with summer drought. In North America, this forest type occurs in coastal parts of southern California, and is dominated by evergreen species of oaks (Quercus spp.).

Cold-deciduous forest. This is a northern deciduous forest growing in a strongly seasonal climate with very cold winters. This forest type is typically dominated by angiosperm trees such as aspen and birch (Populus spp. and Betula spp.) or the deciduous conifer, larch (Larix spp.).

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Now, a tune for your retro-enjoyment!

The Fey

7 Apr

Forest of Kynmerley

7 Apr

Forest of Kynmerley

click for larger image

[update: I tweaked the map some more after pondering it… added in a river and repositioned the keep, making the old location an Inn. Also added in the town of Luindel near the Lord’s keep.]

I generated the basic map using Wildgen at The Isomage’s House ( http://axiscity.hexamon.net/users/isomage/wildgen/ ).

Next, I used a graphics program to add a few simple places of interest, the two place names and the compass. Lastly I placed an island on the lake. This was fun for me, as I have not made any maps of any sort for adventuring in some time. Thank goodness for the OSR for kicking me in the butt to make these first steps back into it!

Kynmerley is Old English and just means “Royal Forest.”
Lac des Bois is the French name of The Lake of the Woods.

For my purposes, this is a temperate zone forest with a mix of coniferous and deciduous trees, with ponds, lakes and wetlands.

I envisioned this map as having several possible uses. This is a small wilderness setting based around a wayside inn, town, keep or castle. It can be easily placed in any campaign or used to create a stand alone adventure. The map can be expanded on the borders to create a wilderness area of large or small size. This is one of the reasons I chose this iteration of the maps I generated.

I am going to use this map to help me build the ground up part of my campaign. I am fairly good at Meta World-building, but I need to stop that for now and start with something small somewhere!

While the Gamemaster can re-key this map anyway they wish, I have decide to go with this:

1 – Wayfarer Inn on the Whispering River
2 – Forrester’s Boat House & Stable
3 – Hut of the Swamp Witch
4 – Grove of the Sleeping Druid
5 – Wyvern’s Cave
6 – Green Isle
7 – Town of Luindel
8 –
Falconcrest atop Mount Aeroth
(Keep of Lord Erreth, master of Kynmerley and surrounding environs)

Based on the map and the names, there are a lot of options:

What forces of good and evil lurk unseen by most in Kynmerley?

What truth is there to the “Swamp Witch”, a “Sleeping Druid” or a Wyvern in a cave? Are these folk tales about places that spook the local populace or are these things real?

The Boat House & Stable is a good place to have adventurers go from the Keep. The PC’s could be hired as Forresters to watch over the Royal Woods or could be caught poaching, themselves!

Perhaps the characters could be hired to deal with Goblins in the hills, Wolves, Outlaws making a base in the woods or to deal with the Wyvern itself, thereby gaining the favor of the noble. Is there a dungeon complex at the Cave of the Wyvern or is it merely an empty cave?

Does the “Witch” know anything about the Wyvern? Are they in league with each other? Is she evil or a benevolent Fey being, feared by an ignorant human population?

Who or what, if anything, lives on Green Isle? What legends are told about it?

This could be the training ground of Rangers or low-level druids, etc. So often in games, the characters are just speeded through wilderness areas like they contain nothing except random wandering monsters. This setting would be a great opportunity for “woodsy types” to learn about forest ecology and to have many adventures within the area of Kynmerley.

The possible tales and plot hooks just leap out endlessly!

——
I know the quality is not on par with many hand-drawn or professional maps out there, but in only an hour’s time of searching for a map generator, using a graphics program and writing free-style ideas as they came to me. Now I have something for quick use as an introductory adventure in my upcoming campaign… and I didn’t have to reinvent the wheel 🙂

-Jeff
“Retro”

Grove of the Sleeping Druid