Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 lollerkeet Sep 25, 2006 4:11:55	Here a simple way to justify the huge creatures that inhabit the sparse world: 1. Rocs spend most of their lives in a far off land much greener than the Tablelands and Hinterlands; they travel to the Ringing Mountains to lay eggs and raise their young. Once the young are capable, they go back to their homelands. 2. Drakes and b'rohgs prey on the rocs, while kirres prey on the b'rohgs. 3. Birds (parrots, sitaks and kes'trekels) thrive in the resulting nutrient-rich environment. At the start of Highsun, the massive flocks undertake an ancient migration to the Crescent Forest, and return at the start of Sun Descending. Many die on the trips back and forth. Moreover, they strip it clean within a week or so and only those who can survive the short period until leaves and berries return will make it. I got this idea after watching an episode of The Future Is Wild dealing with a desert ecology based on flying fish being blown in by regular storms. It justifies the massive biomass in the water- and vegitation- low ecology. Thoughts?
#2 zombiegleemax Sep 26, 2006 7:58:42	....or, this being a fantasy world where the laws of science need not necessarily apply, they just....don't need to eat much to maintain such a massive bulk. For all we know, 90% of a roc's diet is sunlight, and drakes gain 99% of their diet by consuming rocks, air, small campfires, and so on. --this is a magic-and-psionics-filled setting, so science need not apply in all circumstances NB
#3 korvar Sep 26, 2006 13:10:03	I don't think that works very well, given the heavy ecological themes of Athas. Simply handwaving ecological issues away damages a lot of the feel, IMO.
#4 elonarc Sep 26, 2006 17:57:47	I would like to link once again to the exceptionally excellent "Net Libram of Athasian Ecology" which can be found here. It does provide some great thoughts about the Athasian Ecology. It is by far my favourite Dark Sun net product.
#5 thebrax Sep 26, 2006 23:16:27	Wow. That netbook sure takes me back. Looks like Raddu and I are the last of that crowd still around I miss Teos, Gerald, Darknight, etc.
#6 zombiegleemax Sep 27, 2006 9:01:53	I always had problems with the fact that Athas was densely populated with HUGE beasts (mekillots and drakes) yet had little in the way of natural resources to support such massive life-forms. I never cared for the explanations that "well, it is a fantasy setting so it doesn't matter." Nor was I particularly fond of the tongue-in-cheek explanation: "They eat adventurers, silly!" I like your explanation lollerkeet, and I think that details such as migratory movements make Athas a more believable place. Of course, I don't think that Athas needs to be scientifically precise, but little doses of reality definitely help to add to the depth and flavor of Athas. itf
#7 thebrax Sep 27, 2006 11:19:37	If that bugs you, ITF, you should read the link that Elonarc provided. Some pretty solid ecology thought. My old idea (preserved in the netbook) was that many large predators might have some natural hibernation ability in the deep desert, only coming out when there's more likely to be game (explained in more detail in the link).
#8 flip Sep 27, 2006 12:25:54	Wow. That netbook sure takes me back. Looks like Raddu and I are the last of that crowd still around I miss Teos, Gerald, Darknight, etc. Uhuh. I was there too, if you'll recall. As was Eric Anondson, who's resurfaced recently. -- flip, who remembers with some shame a couple of rather explosive conversations with Kevin ...
#9 lollerkeet Sep 29, 2006 6:24:44	The netbook isn't bad. The explanations of ecology weren't that useful to me, but I imagine that they would be helpful to others. The monsters were hit and miss (the Sunflies were a sensible addition and the Deeklee is a great creature), but it didn't add that much overall. The only major addition was the great hibernation idea. I didn't like the psionics-as-food suggestion, as it would require some explanation of where psionics come from. I've always thought of psionics as physical exertion, using powers actually making some-one hungry. If psi-power was drawn from the Grey, then the idea would work. I suppose that there is a instictive aversion to making big additions such as my suggestion (and for good reason), but was admittedly hoping for more than was in the document. As long as we don't change details, I see nothing wrong with adding them.
#10 lollerkeet Sep 29, 2006 6:58:42	Two things did occured to me regarding the hibernation thing. The most effective place to lie in wait would be at a watering-hole or on a path to one. This would cause problems as only those possessed by humanoids could be approached 'safely'. On the other hand, the necessary symbiotic relationships would certainly add flavour; the big creatures let the small creatures drink, and hunt the medium ones that hunt the small ones or see them as a sign the watering-hole is safe. ("Z'tals! There are dune reapers here...") Secondly, these sleeping monstrosities would be a niche themselves. Think of wasps laying larvae in catepillars... imagine a pulp bee laying eggs in a sleeping earth drake, and the bee-eaters that protect the behemoth.
#11 thebrax Sep 29, 2006 7:56:10	Uhuh. I was there too, if you'll recall. As was Eric Anondson, who's resurfaced recently. -- flip, who remembers with some shame a couple of rather explosive conversations with Kevin ... Of course you're as old guard as me, Flip. Hell, I think you might even predate me by a couple of weeks :D I was just remembering that whole ecology conversation that Teos and Gerald developed and expanded into that wonderful netbook. Was just looking at that particular list of characters.
#12 flip Sep 29, 2006 9:01:16	If I ever use this smily again, hunt me down and shoot me.