Aldarion
Archmage
What would be the best areas, on land, to house "surviving fossils" in a medieval world? Caves, mountains, caves in the mountains?
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Best areas for "surviving fossils"
- Thread starter Aldarion
- Start date
Finchbearer
Istar
What do you mean by surviving fossils? Do you mean living flora and fauna that are considered ‘living fossils’ such as the ginkgo tree, or animals such as nautilus or coelacanth? Or do you mean preserved cave paintings?
Caves are pretty renowned for preserving ancient things, or crumbling sea cliffs, or very cold places.
Caves are pretty renowned for preserving ancient things, or crumbling sea cliffs, or very cold places.
- Thread starter
- #4
Aldarion
Archmage
By living fossils I mean primarily surviving prehistoric animals, such as coelacanth, except on land.
In this case, Neanderthals, sabretooth tigers and similar.
Finchbearer
Istar
It would be highly dependent on the type of species. Their natural environment would be the most suitable place surely?
- Thread starter
- #6
Aldarion
Archmage
That however depends on what had brought them to the brink of extinction.
And in most cases this means humans. Meaning I'd need place where medieval humans have difficult time reaching... yet still not completely isolated as to allow for some interaction.
So... forests? Mountains? Forested mountains? Cave systems? All of it?
Finchbearer
Istar
Deep and dense forested areas would be my bet. But if you have a cave dwelling creature, you’d need to recreate that habitat, and ideally in an isolated spot. You’d also have to take altitude into consideration too if you’re planning on using mountainous areas.
- Thread starter
- #8
Aldarion
Archmage
Thanks!
pmmg
Myth Weaver
So, the fossil part of this is confusing to me.
It sounds like you are asking where creatures that today are fossils, might have survived and still be living among us, but it could just mean, where is the best place to find their fossilized bones.
I think a good place might be in an impact crater. The crater making high walls outside and a valley in the middle. Large enough to have an eco system.
It sounds like you are asking where creatures that today are fossils, might have survived and still be living among us, but it could just mean, where is the best place to find their fossilized bones.
I think a good place might be in an impact crater. The crater making high walls outside and a valley in the middle. Large enough to have an eco system.
- Thread starter
- #10
Aldarion
Archmage
Living fossil - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
pmmg
Myth Weaver
So, 200 million years ago, the turtles were like....You know, it just doesn't get any better than this.
I still go with a crater as a good choice.
Deep in a jungle, like the Amazon, maybe an island that is unvisited, or in any place surrounded in something inhospitable.
I still go with a crater as a good choice.
Deep in a jungle, like the Amazon, maybe an island that is unvisited, or in any place surrounded in something inhospitable.
Finchbearer
Istar
A crater would be…a terrible place. Probably would turn into a lake once the rains come, and no way out.
pmmg
Myth Weaver
Many craters on earth are not filled with water.
Finchbearer
Istar
Many craters are not known to be suitable habitats for an ecosystem to thrive though, and many do fill with water. Forested areas mimic much of what it would have been like millions of years ago. To survive you need basic tree cover, which provides shelter, any forest provides material for building a shelter too, along with an abundant food source.
pmmg
Myth Weaver
Have we not seen 'the land before time?'
It would have to be a big crater...but a crater would create a natural ring like wall over a large area.
This crater is 60 miles wide.
(And, you are not wrong. Most craters are in the desert or under water. They would not suit.)
It would have to be a big crater...but a crater would create a natural ring like wall over a large area.
This crater is 60 miles wide.
(And, you are not wrong. Most craters are in the desert or under water. They would not suit.)
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pmmg
Myth Weaver
Turns out, one of the worlds biggest craters is right here in the Chesapeake bay. I had no idea. Wonder why the tip of that land mass is not underwater.
Glad I wasn't here on that day.
(And there is an actual dinosaur bone recovery site not too far from my house.)
Glad I wasn't here on that day.
(And there is an actual dinosaur bone recovery site not too far from my house.)
Nordlingen in Germany is in a crater. Craters have met with many different fates over the ages.
At any rate, human beings have proved able to get into the most astounding places. I should think the addition of dwarves etc. extends rather than restricts this. I'd say there's probably no place in Europe that had been visited by no one at all, save for the tops of very tall mountains. Even deep caverns had been explored.
That said, just because *someone* had been there doesn't mean everyone knew about it. There's unknown, then there's unknown to me. You could make use of that.
Say there's a monster, or even a group of monsters, living in PlaceX. The locals would know about this. Being sensible folk, they avoid it. They warn travelers away from it. The "outside world" would know of these monsters only as a distant legend, generally mocked.
Where could I put PlaceX?
An island would serve, especially if it were volcanic, like Stromboli Island or the like. Any place off regular trade routes (and their common alternatives) should at least be on the list. Add in heavy forest, as someone earlier suggested. Swamp or marshland (e.g. Pripet Marshes) makes a good candidate. There is a handful of rugged islands off the Atlantic coast. I'm staying European because I know the geography a bit and because the OP specified medieval. A high mountain valley is a candidate, so long as no agreeable passes are nearby. Or you could simply go for remote, like the Russian steppes, the interior of deserts (Sahara, Arabia), the Faroes, or Lapland.
But really, there were isolated communities all across Europe that persisted far into the post-medieval world. At least some of these were large enough to support a small biome with requisite properties.
At any rate, human beings have proved able to get into the most astounding places. I should think the addition of dwarves etc. extends rather than restricts this. I'd say there's probably no place in Europe that had been visited by no one at all, save for the tops of very tall mountains. Even deep caverns had been explored.
That said, just because *someone* had been there doesn't mean everyone knew about it. There's unknown, then there's unknown to me. You could make use of that.
Say there's a monster, or even a group of monsters, living in PlaceX. The locals would know about this. Being sensible folk, they avoid it. They warn travelers away from it. The "outside world" would know of these monsters only as a distant legend, generally mocked.
Where could I put PlaceX?
An island would serve, especially if it were volcanic, like Stromboli Island or the like. Any place off regular trade routes (and their common alternatives) should at least be on the list. Add in heavy forest, as someone earlier suggested. Swamp or marshland (e.g. Pripet Marshes) makes a good candidate. There is a handful of rugged islands off the Atlantic coast. I'm staying European because I know the geography a bit and because the OP specified medieval. A high mountain valley is a candidate, so long as no agreeable passes are nearby. Or you could simply go for remote, like the Russian steppes, the interior of deserts (Sahara, Arabia), the Faroes, or Lapland.
But really, there were isolated communities all across Europe that persisted far into the post-medieval world. At least some of these were large enough to support a small biome with requisite properties.
I'm by no means knowledgeable in this field, but the last (known) mammoths survived on an island called Wrangel in the polar region north of eastermost Siberia I wouldn't underestimate the preserving power of frigid, secluded islands.
Orc Knight
Auror
Not sure what you're aiming at with the living fossils bit, but why not just roll with The Lost World standard or just plop what prehistoric animals you need for your setting into it? Even with living fossils, they have also changed, but they don't always need to change that much because they fit their niche especially well.
And as I tend to suggest, if you want something harder and slightly more scientific (not sure how rigorous you're wanting to go) is to use speculative evolution and biology for it. And if you want a bunch of knights on dinosaurs, just throw them in there. As for the actual question, though. Plateaus generally, either in South America or Africa. Or islands.
And as I tend to suggest, if you want something harder and slightly more scientific (not sure how rigorous you're wanting to go) is to use speculative evolution and biology for it. And if you want a bunch of knights on dinosaurs, just throw them in there. As for the actual question, though. Plateaus generally, either in South America or Africa. Or islands.
Finchbearer
Istar
An impact crater, no matter how small or big is still essentially a hole in the ground that says ‘look at me’! They are not exactly inconspicuous, if that is what you’d be going for.
Although I’m curious now as to why you ask the question. What would be the goal? It makes me think of a zoo setup where you have an enclosure that keeps endangered species inside, with breeding programmes and studies into the animals, or botanical gardens that do much the same thing. Is there an illegal trade in these living fossils that is fuelling the need to protect them?
Otherwise if you’re looking for an environment where they can thrive and survive, that is more along the lines of rewilding. You’d need to consider that there would need to be suitable entry and exit points to the main site to provide a natural corridor that sustains the habitat.
Although I’m curious now as to why you ask the question. What would be the goal? It makes me think of a zoo setup where you have an enclosure that keeps endangered species inside, with breeding programmes and studies into the animals, or botanical gardens that do much the same thing. Is there an illegal trade in these living fossils that is fuelling the need to protect them?
Otherwise if you’re looking for an environment where they can thrive and survive, that is more along the lines of rewilding. You’d need to consider that there would need to be suitable entry and exit points to the main site to provide a natural corridor that sustains the habitat.
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