The Bleeding Depths
The Bleeding Depths are the interior heart of the Overgrowth, a gnarled and twisted wilderness hidden behind the more traversable terrain of the outer forest. Thick veins of barbed vine cling to fungus-coated trees. Deep lightless passages cut through the undergrowth, traversed only by native animals that have adapted to the permanent dark. Bioluminescent growths born of fevered mutation illuminate the depths in sickly pulses of color, casting the landscape in a glow that feels both alien and familiar at the same time.
As the barely traversable animal trails dive deeper, the faint radiance of mutated plant life and eerie insect luminescence creates visions bordering on madness. Near the center lies a span of hundreds of miles of multicolored crystalline structures dotted with erupting water wells. The pillars stretch thousands of feet high, surrounded by hardened sediment, and on the ground beneath them thousands of smaller crystals vibrate gently. The humming, the visual cues, and the pulse through the sponge-like soil trigger an unshakable sense of deja vu in every visitor, as if the place is remembered rather than discovered.
Sponge-like soil pools with brackish water in the footprints of animals. Shimmering lichen clings to everything. The air itself carries weight: thick with moisture, spores, and the faint chemical tang of crystalline toxins seeping from warped trees. In the oxygen-rich atmosphere, multi-foot-long termites thrive among the root structures, their mandibles loud enough to hear from a distance.
The Poisoned Thorn, a tribe of the Unborn of Teixiptla, resides within these crystalline fields at the deepest recesses. They are more deeply colored with infection than even other Unborn found in the surrounding wastelands, as though the Depths have stained them. They guard their territory fiercely, and those who wander too close to the crystal heart without invitation seldom wander back.
As the barely traversable animal trails dive deeper, the faint radiance of mutated plant life and eerie insect luminescence creates visions bordering on madness. Near the center lies a span of hundreds of miles of multicolored crystalline structures dotted with erupting water wells. The pillars stretch thousands of feet high, surrounded by hardened sediment, and on the ground beneath them thousands of smaller crystals vibrate gently. The humming, the visual cues, and the pulse through the sponge-like soil trigger an unshakable sense of deja vu in every visitor, as if the place is remembered rather than discovered.
Sponge-like soil pools with brackish water in the footprints of animals. Shimmering lichen clings to everything. The air itself carries weight: thick with moisture, spores, and the faint chemical tang of crystalline toxins seeping from warped trees. In the oxygen-rich atmosphere, multi-foot-long termites thrive among the root structures, their mandibles loud enough to hear from a distance.
The Poisoned Thorn, a tribe of the Unborn of Teixiptla, resides within these crystalline fields at the deepest recesses. They are more deeply colored with infection than even other Unborn found in the surrounding wastelands, as though the Depths have stained them. They guard their territory fiercely, and those who wander too close to the crystal heart without invitation seldom wander back.
Geography
The Bleeding Depths occupy the interior of the Overgrowth, deeper than the traversable outer forest. The higher canopy gives way to gnarled, twisted wilds where thick veins of barbed vine cling to fungus-coated trees and deep lightless passages are traversed only by native animals. Bioluminescent growths illuminate the darkness in pulses of sickly color. Crystalline structures seeping toxins grow from warped trees, shimmering lichen clings to every surface, and sponge-like soil pools with brackish water in the footprints of passing creatures. The oxygen-rich air supports insects of extraordinary size, including multi-foot-long termites.
At the center, the terrain opens into a vast field of multicolored crystalline pillars stretching thousands of feet high, surrounded by hardened sediment. Erupting water wells dot the formation. On the ground, thousands of smaller crystals vibrate gently, producing a hum that visitors describe as simultaneously alien and deeply familiar. Yellstown Settlement lies near the northern border. The Mountaina region surrounds the outer approaches, though the Depths themselves belong to no human authority.
At the center, the terrain opens into a vast field of multicolored crystalline pillars stretching thousands of feet high, surrounded by hardened sediment. Erupting water wells dot the formation. On the ground, thousands of smaller crystals vibrate gently, producing a hum that visitors describe as simultaneously alien and deeply familiar. Yellstown Settlement lies near the northern border. The Mountaina region surrounds the outer approaches, though the Depths themselves belong to no human authority.
