Elyria is an expansive world without zones, where mountains are as big as they appear and swamps as difficult to walk in as you would imagine. Plants and animals live where they have nourishment, where they are well-suited to the environment, and where they are safe. All living things in Elyria use goal-based A.I. to live and reproduce and are part of a living ecosystem bent on survival so, when players disturb the balance, nature reacts.
The different biomes in Elyria are distinct habitats for plants and animals with features derived from that area's elevation, humidity, and latitude on the planet. The world maps that are procedurally generated for each server boast unique geography with over twenty biomes to discover! Each biome is home to plants and animals that are adapted to that environment, and will offer unique opportunities and challenges to players and settlements. Forests, Plains, and Wetlands will have abundant food but mostly wood for building and crafting. Mountains and Deserts will have easier access to stones and metals but will have to find different ways to feed their inhabitants. More extreme biomes, such as Swamps and Tundras, will also provide more environmental challenges that will determine everything from where a settlement can thrive, to how travel is handled.
The world of Elyria is so vast that it can't be explored in a single lifetime, but that doesn't mean that it is empty or that there will be nothing to do. Each region will have its own challenges that affect everything from available resources for crafts, travel and trade routes, or even how defensible a settlement is from invaders! People will naturally be drawn to major crossroads, which will only create more opportunity for everyone!
Forests in Elyria contain some of the greatest variety of flora and fauna, from the alpine forests of the Brudvir to the rainforests of the Janoa or the broadleaf forests of the Kypiq. Found in every part of the world except the Tundra, each forest will undoubtedly have a different assortment of flora and fauna. The weather is just as variable, but you can expect rainfall. Creatures such as the dangerous Canis Rabbit, the lumbering Ursaphant, and the sneaky Flower-Cup Porcupine can be found throughout many different forests, but may have different physical adaptations depending on the region.
The deserts are some of the harshest and inhospitable biomes on Elyria but, even still, life finds a way. Intense heat during the day, cold at night, and exposure to the sun are some of the challenges characters will have to contend with here. Creatures are often resistant to drought and have one or more ways to conserve liquid. Rain is infrequent and the heat permeates. They have a considerable amount of specialized vegetation and animals not seen elsewhere. The cool, semi-arid Deserts are home to The Waerd, while the Erishé are said to inhabit sweltering, arid Deserts across the ocean.
The Tundra is the desert of the north, home to the fabled Yoru tribe. Unique in the simplicity of its ecology, the number of flora and fauna is very small, yet all serve an important function. Here you'll find extreme cold, making this a very untenable environment, yet the mineral rich resources one could acquire here may be worth the risks. Adventurers won't find a lot of trees in the vast plains of the Tundra, but they may come across the sly Domino Fox, noble Dryas Elk, terrifying Pteroguin, or the easily camouflaged Flower-Cup Porcupine.
The wetlands are some of the most politically charged of the biomes, with the freshwater marshes of the To'resk bordering the swamps of the Dras tribe and the tropical rainforests of the fierce Janoa. They also feature high levels of floral diversity, and unique physical adaptations. Lying amidst the tropical latitudes, this biome experiences high levels of heat, moisture, and rain, which makes the occasional drought all the more crippling. The flora of the wetlands often possess valuable or unique properties which are used by many professions, such as alchemists and assassins.
The Grasslands of Elyria can be fickle. Home to both the pastoral farmlands of the Neran and the Savannahs where the Owem tribe stalk, these areas are dominated by grasses, roaming herds, and cunning hunters. Wildcats and Canis Rabbits can be dangerous to come upon and are bold enough to approach settlements. The soil is ripe for planting, rains permitting. Storms can be quite spectacular but excessive rain can be a problem.