The world ship contains several Vivariums along the skin of the vessel allowing the Visitors to study and experiment on organic life long after they have moved on from a world. All such enclosures had windows facing to space with retractable shutters allowing natural sunlight to bathe their interiors. Many of these enclosed terrestrial simulated environments along the forward or side of the ship were destroyed during the impact, but several remain intact to this day. None are more famous than the Arboretum Jungles to the north east of the ship (at the aft main deck).
From the perspective of the vessel itself the jungles are around 36 miles long from bow to stern at the longest point. Overall they form a trapezoidal shape with the longer surface towards the bow of the ship at 54 miles in length, the shorter 18 mile length is towards the stern. At the stern end the roof is over 12 miles high, more than adequate for high level cloud cover, this slopes upwards to 18 miles in height at the bow end.
The jungles roof cavity is intact and open to the sun making the overall internal environment quite humid in nature. The steel windows allow light in but not out, allowing inhabitants to see out, but anyone outside would just see a metal surface. The high water content makes the native environment perfect for jungle conditions and its Dinosaur inhabitants.
The Dinosaurs themselves range from various terrestrial types and several hybrid designs. Those who have explored the jungles speak of humanoid hybrids that are reptilian in nature lurking in the Jungles. Others say they are a lost tribe of humans who once sought to occupy the jungles forming a great empire in its midst.
The Observatory
At the southern end a large structure juts into the jungle that in its prime contained various laboratories and test observation points. This allowed the Visitor scientist to monitor their subjects in the wild. Rumors of lost Visitor treasures continue to this day with many exploring the observatory for lost technology, with few ever returning to tell their tale.
(GM notes: this would contain a high level adventure in the wilderness far from civilisation).
The lost City of Khester
Early on the forest was seen as a natural habitat for the humans stranded on the world ship. In their effort to make a new home the mountains, stone and wood of the Jungle were seen as prime real-estate for colonisation. The famed city of Khester was formed, but in time it fell to ruin, survivors moving into the Boarder Kingdoms or dying out in the jungles. It is said that the jungle itself resisted these colonisers, rising up to destroy them. Others tell of lost secrets uncovered by the Khestarians that led to a strike from the Visitor armies around the core. Nobody knows the ultimate cause of its fate but in its destruction much of its wealth was left behind.
(GM notes: this would contain a long and moderate level adventure in the wilderness. It can be accessed easier through the north hangers and the Boarder Kingdoms).
Exploring the Jungles
For a bit of fast fun I created this table. When entering a hex a random encounter occurs on a 3+ on a d6. When rolling for random encounters roll 1d20 to determine encounter. For encounters in hexes adjacent to dinosaur symbols add 5, for encounters in the marked hexes add 10. Have fun in the jungle and good luck!
Encounter
|
Source
|
Roll
|
Velociraptor
|
BCK p.73
|
1
|
Giant killer bee
|
ACKS p.156
|
2
|
Giant Cockroach
|
BCK p.68
|
3
|
Giant carnivorous fly
|
ACKS p.169
|
4
|
Deinonychus
|
BCK p.71
|
5
|
Visitor soldier
|
BCK p.88
|
6
|
Giant tiger beetle
|
ACKS p.156
|
7
|
Giant black widow
|
ACKS p.194
|
8
|
Edmontosaurus
|
BCK p.71
|
9
|
Giant ant
|
ACKS p.154
|
10
|
Timurlengia
|
BCK p.72
|
11
|
Giant Mantis
|
BCK p.80
|
12
|
Archer fungus
|
BCK p.75
|
13
|
Balroach
|
BCK p.68
|
14
|
Giant python
|
ACKS p.193
|
15
|
Carnotaurus
|
BCK p.71
|
16
|
Terror bird
|
BCK p.88
|
17
|
Giant Leech
|
ACKS p.179
|
18
|
Triceratops (variant)
|
BCK p.72
|
19
|
Alamosaurus
|
BCK p.70
|
20
|
Anklyosaurus
|
BCK p.70
|
21
|
Flying saucer, scout
|
BCK p.74
|
22
|
Giant parasitic wasp
|
BCK p.89
|
23
|
Otyugh
|
BCK p.81
|
24
|
Titanosaurus
|
BCK p.72
|
25
|
Shambling mound
|
BCK p.85
|
26
|
Digester
|
BCK p.70
|
27
|
Tyrannosaurus (variant)
|
BCK p.72
|
28
|
Destrachan
|
BCK p.69
|
29
|
Giganotosaurus
|
BCK p.71
|
30
|
Note: I'm reading too much of Tomb of Annihilation lately, anyway the table is ranked by experience points, up to 10 gives an equivalent of a dungeon of around level 3. After that it steps up fast with over 20 being levels 5+, so be careful in here. The lost tribes are a myth, feel free to insert them in place of any roll.
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