Difference between revisions of "Savanna (range)"

From The Authentic D&D Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
 
(37 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
'''Savanna''' is a mixed woodland-grassland environment characterized by trees spread sufficiently wide apart so that the canopy does not close.  The tree density may be high and regularly spaced, or trees may be widely scattered.  The prevalence of large herbivorous creatures and seasonal periods of fire ensure that there is little ground scrub, but fast-growing grasses may reach to six feet.  These areas are found in the central parts of continents, away from the coasts, between 5° and 15° from either side of the equator.
+
[[File:Savanna.2.jpg|right|490px]]
 +
'''Savanna''' is a mixed woodland-grassland environment characterized by trees spread sufficiently wide apart so that the canopy does not close.  The tree density may be high and regularly spaced, or trees may be widely scattered.  The prevalence of large herbivorous creatures and seasonal periods of fire ensure that there is little ground shrubs, but fast-growing grasses commonly grow to six feet (elephant grass may reach ten feet).  These areas are found in the central parts of continents, away from the coasts, between 5° and 15° from either side of the equator.
  
The savanna climate has a distinctive wet season from May to October, with rainfall equalling that of the Equatorial rainforest; the dry season is desert-like, lasting from November to April.  This cycle is determined by the location of the Trade Winds, which delineates a '''parkland savanna''', with many trees, from a '''dry savanna''', with scattered trees, or a '''parched savanna''' where trees occur hardly at all upon a sandy, scrub-covered soil.  These degrees of savanna form as belts along the south edge of [[the Sahara Desert]] in Africa, from south to north:
+
The savanna climate has a distinctive wet season from May to October, with rainfall equalling that of the Equatorial rainforest; the dry season is desert-like, lasting from November to April.  This cycle is determined by the location of the Trade Winds, which delineates a '''parkland savanna''', with many trees, from a '''dry savanna''', with scattered trees, or a '''parched savanna''' where trees occur hardly at all upon a sandy, scrub-covered soil.  Most water entering the ground goes to replacing soil moisture instead of adding to groundwater; in the dry season, this water evaporates away, so that wells and water holes will run dry, forcing persons to rely on large water sources or stored water for months at a time.
 +
 
 +
== Conditions ==
 +
At night, as the air cools, the savanna grass grows damp, so that the surface must be covered in order to bed down for the night; tents are far safer than laying in the open air.  Natives will lay dry leaves down against the damp.  Wood for fires must be obtained directly from the trees, using machetes, which are better than axes because of the hardness of the wood.  Cargos and supplies must be raised above the ground, to keep from rotting; burdens are supported on matted branches or hammocks tied between trees.  Stinging insects are everywhere and must be fended off with gauze curtains; this reduces the effects of insect-borne diseases, such as sleeping sickness or malaria, as well.
 +
 
 +
== Savanna Belts ==
 +
Savanna depends much upon the amount of ground water available; bands of different types occur along the south edge of [[the Sahara Desert]] in Africa, from south to north:
  
 
[[File:Savanna.1.png|center|760px]]
 
[[File:Savanna.1.png|center|760px]]
  
The land enables a culture that is a mixture of pastoralists and agriculturalists, whose identity is affected by the sprawling plains that encourage nomadism.  The presence or absence of water exerts a strong influence over local culture, with the former creating cities, lush environments and irrigated cultivation, and the latter demanding trials in managing flocks that are herded over fast-denuded sparse grazing lands.
+
The land enables a culture that is a mixture of pastoralists and agriculturalists, whose identity is affected by the sprawling plains that encourage nomadism.  The presence or absence of water exerts a strong influence over local culture, with the former creating cities, lush environments and irrigated cultivation, and the latter demanding trials in managing flocks that are herded over fast-denuded sparse grazing lands. Herders will burn large tracts to improve grazing quality and enlarge the grasslands at the expense of woodlands.
 +
 
  
 
== Major Savannas ==
 
== Major Savannas ==
Below is a list of the most extensive savannas in the world:
+
A list of the most extensive savannas in the world:
  
 
<div style="column-count:3;-moz-column-count:3;-webkit-column-count:3">
 
<div style="column-count:3;-moz-column-count:3;-webkit-column-count:3">
Line 27: Line 35:
 
* [[Southwest Australian Savanna]]
 
* [[Southwest Australian Savanna]]
 
</div>
 
</div>
 +
  
 
== Common Features ==
 
== Common Features ==
Below is a list of elements and features that are common to savanna ranges:
+
A list of elements and features that may be found in savanna ranges:
  
 
<div style="column-count:4;-moz-column-count:4;-webkit-column-count:4">
 
<div style="column-count:4;-moz-column-count:4;-webkit-column-count:4">
 
* [[Border Post]]
 
* [[Border Post]]
* [[Caravanserie]]
+
* [[Camp]]
 +
* [[Caravansary]]
 
* [[Cultivation]]
 
* [[Cultivation]]
 
* [[Dry Riverbed]]
 
* [[Dry Riverbed]]
 
* [[Fort]]
 
* [[Fort]]
 +
* [[Gulley]]
 
* [[Hummock Meadow]]
 
* [[Hummock Meadow]]
 
* [[Lake]]
 
* [[Lake]]
 +
* [[Locust Swarm]]
 
* [[Mine]]
 
* [[Mine]]
 
* [[Natural Orchard]]
 
* [[Natural Orchard]]
 
* [[Pond]]
 
* [[Pond]]
 +
* [[Quarry]]
 +
* [[Rocky Knoll]]
 
* [[Ruin]]
 
* [[Ruin]]
* [[Settlement]]
+
* [[Sandpit]]
 +
* [[Termite Mound]]
 
* [[Thorn Forest]]
 
* [[Thorn Forest]]
* [[Town]]
+
* [[Trading Post]]
 +
* [[Village]]
 
* [[Watering Hole]]
 
* [[Watering Hole]]
 
* [[Wildlife Garden]]
 
* [[Wildlife Garden]]
 
</div>
 
</div>
 +
<br>
  
 
== Savanna Creatures ==
 
== Savanna Creatures ==
The following monsters are common to savanna ranges.
+
A list of monsters that may be found in savanna ranges:
  
 
<div style="column-count:4;-moz-column-count:4;-webkit-column-count:4">
 
<div style="column-count:4;-moz-column-count:4;-webkit-column-count:4">
 
* [[Ankheg]]
 
* [[Ankheg]]
* [[Giant Black Ant|Ant (giant black)]]
+
* [[Asiatic Elephant]]
* [[Giant Bull Ant|Ant (giant bull)]]
 
* [[Carnivorous Ape|Ape (carnivorous)]]
 
 
* [[Axe Beak]]
 
* [[Axe Beak]]
* [[Mandrill|Baboon (mandrill)]]
+
* [[Bat (giant)]]
* [[Giant Bat|Bat (giant)]]
+
* [[Black Ant (giant)]]
* [[Boa Constrictor]]
+
* [[Boa Constrictor (giant)]]
* [[Warthog|Boar (warthog)]]
+
* [[Boar (wild)]]
* [[Wild Boar|Boar (wild)]]
+
* [[Bonesnapper]]
 
* [[Bulette]]
 
* [[Bulette]]
 +
* [[Bull Ant (giant)]]
 +
* [[Carnivorous Ape]]
 
* [[Cheetah]]
 
* [[Cheetah]]
 
* [[Couatl]]
 
* [[Couatl]]
 
* [[Cougar]]
 
* [[Cougar]]
 
* [[Crocodile]]
 
* [[Crocodile]]
* [[Wild Dog|Dog (wild)]]
+
* [[Dog (wild)]]
 
* [[Dragonne]]
 
* [[Dragonne]]
* [[Asiatic Elephant|Elephant (Asiatic)]]
 
 
* [[Emu]]
 
* [[Emu]]
* [[Huge Frog|Frog (huge)]]
+
* [[Frog (huge)]]
* [[Violet Fungus|Fungus (violet)]]
+
* [[Golden Jackal]]
* [[Hill Giant|Giant (hill)]]
+
* [[Griffon]]
 +
* [[Hill Giant]]
 
* [[Hippogriff]]
 
* [[Hippogriff]]
* [[Hippopotomus]]
+
* [[Hippopotamus]]
 
* [[Hyena]]
 
* [[Hyena]]
* [[Golden Jackal|Jackal (golden)]]
+
* [[Hylochloerus]]
 
* [[Jackalwere]]
 
* [[Jackalwere]]
 
* [[Jaguar]]
 
* [[Jaguar]]
Line 85: Line 102:
 
* [[Leopard]]
 
* [[Leopard]]
 
* [[Lion]]
 
* [[Lion]]
* [[Spotted Lion|Lion (spotted)]]
+
* [[Lizardfolk]]
* [[Megalania Lizard|Lizard (megalania)]]
+
* [[Mandrill]]
 +
* [[Megalania Lizard]]
 +
* [[Spotted Lion]]
 +
* [[Violet Fungus]]
 +
* [[Warthog]]
 
</div>
 
</div>
 +
 +
 +
See [[List of Ranges]]

Latest revision as of 19:53, 23 November 2023

Savanna.2.jpg

Savanna is a mixed woodland-grassland environment characterized by trees spread sufficiently wide apart so that the canopy does not close. The tree density may be high and regularly spaced, or trees may be widely scattered. The prevalence of large herbivorous creatures and seasonal periods of fire ensure that there is little ground shrubs, but fast-growing grasses commonly grow to six feet (elephant grass may reach ten feet). These areas are found in the central parts of continents, away from the coasts, between 5° and 15° from either side of the equator.

The savanna climate has a distinctive wet season from May to October, with rainfall equalling that of the Equatorial rainforest; the dry season is desert-like, lasting from November to April. This cycle is determined by the location of the Trade Winds, which delineates a parkland savanna, with many trees, from a dry savanna, with scattered trees, or a parched savanna where trees occur hardly at all upon a sandy, scrub-covered soil. Most water entering the ground goes to replacing soil moisture instead of adding to groundwater; in the dry season, this water evaporates away, so that wells and water holes will run dry, forcing persons to rely on large water sources or stored water for months at a time.

Conditions

At night, as the air cools, the savanna grass grows damp, so that the surface must be covered in order to bed down for the night; tents are far safer than laying in the open air. Natives will lay dry leaves down against the damp. Wood for fires must be obtained directly from the trees, using machetes, which are better than axes because of the hardness of the wood. Cargos and supplies must be raised above the ground, to keep from rotting; burdens are supported on matted branches or hammocks tied between trees. Stinging insects are everywhere and must be fended off with gauze curtains; this reduces the effects of insect-borne diseases, such as sleeping sickness or malaria, as well.

Savanna Belts

Savanna depends much upon the amount of ground water available; bands of different types occur along the south edge of the Sahara Desert in Africa, from south to north:

Savanna.1.png

The land enables a culture that is a mixture of pastoralists and agriculturalists, whose identity is affected by the sprawling plains that encourage nomadism. The presence or absence of water exerts a strong influence over local culture, with the former creating cities, lush environments and irrigated cultivation, and the latter demanding trials in managing flocks that are herded over fast-denuded sparse grazing lands. Herders will burn large tracts to improve grazing quality and enlarge the grasslands at the expense of woodlands.


Major Savannas

A list of the most extensive savannas in the world:


Common Features

A list of elements and features that may be found in savanna ranges:


Savanna Creatures

A list of monsters that may be found in savanna ranges:


See List of Ranges