For a closer look, click the image above!
To fullview the map at its actual size (as it appears in game), click the image below. Be warned, it is MASSIVE!
Biomes Up Close
◘ The Anchor
Within the midst of the aquatic haven, a great anchor of a once massive ship now rests unmoved from where it fell many years ago. It serves now as something of a town square for the local residents, and has been marked with a number of glittering white seashells and coral pieces. It leads North (Top Right), South (Bottom Left), East and West, gesturing towards various sectors of the aquatic haven. The sand here is white and seaweed and kelp make decorative appearances, clearly placed by locals as a sort of welcoming focal point to travelers or new inhabitants.
◘ The Spine
To the north of the Anchor, what was once a great crack in the earth now serves as a reminder why ships no longer venture into the aquatic haven that is Kyroda. Some eons prior, a colossal quake opened the crevice and left giant, sharp jutting rocks to aim towards the sky, many taller than some ships were high. The years have filled in the crack, turning it into a great sandy canyon of rock and white sand, through which currents ripple like ribbons, a breeze through black slate walls.
◘ The Kelp Beds
To the far west and south west of the haven, the valley deepens towards and eventual drop off, and from within the depths and from the tops of great plateaus, kelp rises like a great forest of green and blue, a favored place for rest, habitation and breeding. The forest is massive, many miles wide, and leaves plenty of room for new inhabitants and visitors, but rocks surrounding the valley warn of the drop off beyond, further still to the west, which opens into the great, imposing expanse of the wild blue ocean. The forest, by contrast, is lush, beautiful and constantly in motion with the current, giving the beds a magical, living aura.
◘ The Algae Beds
The valley is home to two different algae beds, one north and one south.
To the far north western border of the valley, black slate sand is overcome with valleys and hills where green algae has taken over, providing innumerous hides and homes for inhabitants, visitors, and prey. Here, one can find caves and sparse corals, lush seaweeds and plenty of fauna and flora to forage.
South of the anchor, rolling white sand hills are carpeted with a lush green coat of thick seaweed grasses, plush to touch and easy to fall asleep on. The sun is easy to pierce the surface here, as on a clear day these beds are warm and glimmering, a favorite place for naps and sleeps, even at night, when the moonlight pools in covering everything in a sheen of silver and blue. Small critters and colorful fishes call this place home, making it an easy place to forage and snack.
◘ The Reef
Perhaps the most expansive part of Kyroda, a sprawling reef of unparalleled color and life surrounds the anchor and takes up most of the valley. Fish and food multiply here in droves, and the corals grow uninhibited, dousing everything they come into contact with. The odd predator can be found in the reef, but they are not so common as the sea turtles and towering coral trees that grow from rock arches and valleys here. Shellfish abound in great amounts, this is easily one of the most profitable foraging and hunting grounds in Kyroda, with even large fish like tuna, marlin and shark making the occasional appearance, along with dolphin and smaller whales. There are caves too, too many to count, undoubtedly home to many of the haven's residents.
◘ The Glimmercove
On the far Northern peak of the aquatic haven, a magnificent cave opening makes itself apparent, massive in stature, it hosts a number of bioluminescent fauna and flora within, glowing constantly within the sunless cavern that is even bigger inside than it appears outside. Countless residents are taken with the glimmercover's ethereal beauty, and call it home. Here, folk are more likely to find valuable resources than standard materials, such as raw, sharp obsidian for forging weapons and tools, light-producing plants and fish, toxic shellfish and corals that can create potent, useful poisons for hunting, though most are harmless unless disturbed. All the same, the glimmercove remains one of Kyroda's most stunning natural wonders.
◘ The Vents
Natural volcanic activity offers the valley a host of caves that steadily bubble with warmth and unique inhabitants, providing a place where all residents and travelers to Kyroda can find a spa-like treatment, where both the heat and native fish are known to offer a cleansing and relaxing experience to all who visit these secluded areas. The warmth of the water here is known to ease pain and tension, reduce stress and ease the mind, perhaps even aid in healing after injuries have been sustained.
◘ The Surface
Not all of Kyroda's residents can venture above the waves, but for those who can, a great mound of rock and sandy beach sits slightly north of the anchor, leading to a small but lush island of tropical flora and shoreline critters. Seabirds make their homes in rock faces, and crabs scuttle to and fro among the waves. Beneath the waves, someone has helpfully etched an arrow into the rockface, letting all beneath the waves know that topside is safe from unsavory travelers. Whether seeking a breath of fresh air or simply some time in the sun, the Surface provides a welcome retreat for those who want to watch the sunset or sunrise above the rolling tide.
◘ The Drop Off
The most dangerous part of the haven, or, more specifically, the place where the haven ends, and the while blue beyond begins. The dropoff is a notorously scary destination for all young residents, who are prehobited from venturing this far out beyond the kelp beds. But for hunters, warriors and guardians, the dropoff is simply the door that must be constantly protected. The world outside the Haven is vast, dangerous, but profitable. Hunters can find any number of great prey animals here- or become prey themselves to more dangerous foe. The dropoff, per its name, seems to start as a shelf that abruptly plumets some hundred feet, into a dark blue, then void-like darkness. There's no telling what wonders, and dangers, lurk beyond the drop off... But there's only one way to find out.
Kyroda is located about a mile off the coast of a tropical island, and as such, has warm, temperate waters. It is largely coral reef, with many smaller biomes within it that host a plethora of wildlife, places to live, scavenge and hide. Kyroda is perfect for anything between peacefulo slice of life RPs as well as more active conflict rps!
