
While the Ivenmoth taskmasters keep pushing Isher towards a career in guarding, she only ever wants to work in the Undergardens. But even there, she's generally put to work in ways that make use of her size.
The thick, calcified mountains that mark Val Salia on the map descend hundreds of feet past ground level, and then flare outwards, leaving a thick shelf of calcified rock that acts as a roof to a series of caves underneath. The shelf extends underneath the nearby beachline, and slowly filters the briny salt water that passes through it, leaving large pools of fresh water underneath.
This is the primary reason Val Salia has never successfully been besieged; the only source of drinkable water within hundreds of miles lies in the most fortified section of the city-state, so all the inhabitants have to do is lock themselves inside the mountains and wait for the besieging army to dehydrate.
The salt-free, mineral-rich water endlessly drips down from the ceiling, fertilizing the soft soil below, making the Undergardens an ideal source of farmable soil. The local bio-luminescent fungi and lichens thrive here, and are typically planted wherever light sources are needed. While the light they emit is no match for the sun above, they still produce enough to allow the city's crops to grow underground.
The thick, calcified mountains that mark Val Salia on the map descend hundreds of feet past ground level, and then flare outwards, leaving a thick shelf of calcified rock that acts as a roof to a series of caves underneath. The shelf extends underneath the nearby beachline, and slowly filters the briny salt water that passes through it, leaving large pools of fresh water underneath.
This is the primary reason Val Salia has never successfully been besieged; the only source of drinkable water within hundreds of miles lies in the most fortified section of the city-state, so all the inhabitants have to do is lock themselves inside the mountains and wait for the besieging army to dehydrate.
The salt-free, mineral-rich water endlessly drips down from the ceiling, fertilizing the soft soil below, making the Undergardens an ideal source of farmable soil. The local bio-luminescent fungi and lichens thrive here, and are typically planted wherever light sources are needed. While the light they emit is no match for the sun above, they still produce enough to allow the city's crops to grow underground.
Category Artwork (Digital) / Scenery
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 1190 x 990px
File Size 425.8 kB
Listed in Folders
I think long, segmented creatures have that way of looking extremely curious when they wave their upper bodies around with their back legs holding onto something; even though they lack facial features.
Snakes, caterpillars, some worms... they all do it pretty much the same way!
Snakes, caterpillars, some worms... they all do it pretty much the same way!
It's hard to believe bioluminescence can ever provide enough light to grow crops by. But this isn't Earth; maybe there it's brighter or the crops don't need as much. Of course, if this truly is the only source of fresh water for miles then Val Salia will never grow too huge. It'll never be Paris or London.
Like Inscrutible said in the first comment, cool worldbuilding. It's neat that you're providing enough information for me to even MAKE these inferences.
Oh, and nice picture, too. The light and dark play off each other nicely.
Like Inscrutible said in the first comment, cool worldbuilding. It's neat that you're providing enough information for me to even MAKE these inferences.
Oh, and nice picture, too. The light and dark play off each other nicely.
I'm glad to be hearing that, rather than "Come on we want the next comic page, not more setting fluff!"
Not that I'm going to stop drawing comic pages anytime soon; I just sometimes like drawing one-off scenes to illustrate parts of the world, so it's reassuring to hear the audience seems to be okay with 'em.
Not that I'm going to stop drawing comic pages anytime soon; I just sometimes like drawing one-off scenes to illustrate parts of the world, so it's reassuring to hear the audience seems to be okay with 'em.
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