Lore Entry #1 for May, 2022
More Screecher Facts
Research by Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson
Aloha, my fellow wildlife enthusiasts! We’re back with breaking new information about the mysterious screecher! This bird is simply full of surprises! For example, did you know they take a great amount of care when it comes to their plumage? Or should I say fur? Yes, that’s right. A screecher’s feathers are more hair-like than feather-like. I was amazed as well! But what’s even more amazing is some screechers keep hair spray on them at all times so they can keep their fur nice and bouncy, not to mention plastered to their bodies. It gives them such a velvety sheen, too! This may be another tactic males use to attract the females. Oh, but you might be wondering where they keep their hair spray? You probably didn’t know, but screechers have a sort of pocket in the front of their breast area, sort of like a kangaroo does. Be sure to search that pocket thoroughly, if you’re hunting them! Who knows what else they are keeping safe in there?
Speaking of the mating rituals of the screecher, I’ve noticed something somewhat disturbing. There are only about 1/3 or less the amount of males as females. This is no doubt due to over-hunting of the males, since they are the only ones counted for the containment mission. But it may also be because two thirds of eggs that hatch seem to be female. It’s a compounding problem! I hereby officially enter a request to make the containment mission count females as well.
There are a couple more things I found out about the screecher. First, since we are on the topic of breeding, it appears that after the chicks hatch at the nest, they are taken to either the beach at Paradise landing or to the boar enclosure near papoo village. The ones taken to the boar enclosure actually receive some protection from the boar piglets, which act like older siblings and watch out for the chicks. After the chicks reach some level of maturity, they migrate over to the beach at crystal peak. There may be other places, too, but I haven’t stumbled upon them yet. After the young screechers reach adulthood, they eventually migrate to Screeching Hollow, where the life cycle repeats as males woo females with their mating ritual.
That’s all I have on screechers for now, friends. I am sure there is still much more that can be said about this captivating creature, and I will find out what it is. Until next time, may Tommy bless your every endeavor.
~Your friend, Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson, the High Prophet of Tommy
Lore Entry #2 for May, 2022
Chimera Facts
Research by Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson
Dear journal,
I have been studying the enchanting creatures of Next Island and recording the facts for everyone’s enlightenment. I have known about the Chimera for some time, but never really got a close look at them until the last few weeks. I have been out in the field, north of Oasis Outlook, collecting data about these strange animals.
The chimera is unlike any other creature on Next Island, aside from maybe the desert crawler, its closest relative. What makes these critters unique is that they display attributes of both reptilian and mammal species. What makes them like reptiles is their scaly body and almost turtle-like beak. What makes them like mammals is they have some fur and mammary glands and teets, which I am sure they use to nurse their newborns. I am still unsure whether Chimeras give live birth, lay eggs, or have some other way of birthing their young. There are a lot of possibilities, and I haven’t ruled any of them out yet.
I mentioned their turtle-like heads. They have no teeth, but instead have a serrated beak, like a turtle, or bird. This suggests they have a uniformly carnivorous diet. A lot of creatures on Next Island can subsist on insects and other small fauna for food, but chimeras must hunt large game based on their equipment. I believe the boars that litter the planet are a plentiful source of energy for them, but I haven’t witnessed a chimera eating, so this is only speculation. I have, however, seen the remains of people near chimera, which suggests they have eaten Humans. Unfortunately, I needed to kill a few of them to get close enough to examine their physiology. Chimeras are very short tempered and territorial. They see most other animals, especially Humans, as a threat and attack if you get within 50 meters give or take. At least, that’s my experience with them.
I am certain there is more to know about the mysterious chimera, so I am going to continue to record more about them. I sincerely hope this information finds its way into the right hands. We need to know about the animals of Next Island so that we can respect them and be good stewards of this planet.
Time for me to wrap this entry up. I hear a noise coming from outside my tent.
Lore Entry #3 for May, 2022
Cyclops Facts
Research by Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson
Unless you’ve been living under a rock your whole life, you have probably heard about the mythical Cyclops. They hail from Greek mythology, so it is appropriate that they can be found in none other than Ancient Greece. Of course, the Ancient Greece we visit on Next Island is NOT the same Ancient Greece that was on Earth. It appears to be a parallel version that has similar locations and names, but has creatures that I am almost certain didn’t exist on Earth. Perhaps this alternate Ancient Greece is the source of the legends Earth’s Greece had, but I digress. Back to the topic at hand.
Cyclops are big, brutish Humanoids with dark amber skin and one, single, almond-shaped eye. Their dress is primitive leather and loin cloths and they all seem to wield crude clubs. Cyclops, as one could imagine, don’t have the best eye-sight. They often stumble around and get stuck in trees or bushes, becoming unreachable if you are hunting them. To get them unstuck, simply get them to start hitting you. They usually get unstuck themselves.
Another oddity about Cyclops is that they carry hair spray when they are completely bald. Believe me. There isn’t much hair on them. I checked many dead ones over to verify this. It is my theory that they are inhaling the spray to get a sort of high from it. They probably get the stuff from passing hunters after they kill them. This theory also supports their disorganization and clumsiness as well as their general lethargy as they trudge through the hills of Ancient Greece.
There are a few tribes of cyclops. There are the regulars; the Cyclops. Then there are the Arges, who are stronger and more warlike. Finally, we have the Brontes, who stand head and shoulders above the other tribes and often bully and exploit them. There is a bounty on all Cyclops heads. See Hiresh at Kamba Outpost for one mission. I am told the other mission requires a bit of convincing of one of the factions here on Next Island to do.
What other mysteries do the Cyclops hold? I will find out if it kills me. Until next time, my friends.
Yours, Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson the High Prophet of Tommy
Lore Entry #4 for May, 2022
The Blue Baobab Tree
Research by Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson
Next Island is not only home to unique creatures, but also is home to some very interesting plant-life. One such plant is the sizable blue baobab tree. A baobab is a tree that has a very round and thick trunk that is wider near the base. Baobab trees on Earth have similar leafage as most deciduous trees, but the blue baobab has leaves that more resemble the petals of the magic flower. It is my theory that the magic flower and the blue baobab have some common connection. Perhaps they are evolutionary cousins. Maybe the magic flower is actually a blue baobab sapling! Wouldn’t that be extraordinary! It’s possible. Because of the demand on magic flowers causing them to be picked not long after sprouting, they wouldn’t have the time to become their adult forms. Magic Flowers will be a topic for another time, though.
The blue baobab has bluish green hued leaves that sprout from the top in a fan-like fashion. Their trunks are long and fat, especially around the bottom. The bark is rough and forms in gray rock-like scales. The trunk is also very bumpy and dented, almost creating a twisting look. I have examined several specimens and found that every one of them is virtually identical. Perhaps they are all clones of each other? Wouldn’t that be fascinating! There’s another tree nearby the blue baobabs that I hypothesize are distant cousins of the blue baobab. I call them woolly baobabs, and I will have to research those more next.
They all seem to grow in very specific regions. The ones I took notes on are North and North-west of Oasis Outlook. They don’t appear to grow near water, but I could be mistaken, since my sample size was so small. Judging by the dryness of the areas they are found in, I’d almost consider them a large succulent. Their leaves certainly resemble the succulents back on Earth. Perhaps the magic flower too is a succulent? This requires further investigation.
That’s all the information I have right now on the blue baobab tree. I am certain there is more to know about them, but it will require a few more months of research; at least a month more. I think it is just as important to know the flora of Next Island as it is to know the fauna. Perhaps the plants are less profitable, but there are some that the native critters either call home or use for feeding. As far as I am aware, nothing eats the blue baobab. We’ll investigate further and get back to you guys.
Thanks for reading my report.
Your friend, Fatty, the High Prophet of Tommy.
Lore Entry #5 for May, 2022
The Woolly Baobab Tree
Research by Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson
Despite the name (which I coined, actually), the woolly baobab is not a good source of wool. Sorry, that was a bad attempt at humor on my part. Indeed, though, the woolly baobab has earned it’s name for its shaggy appearance. The leafage on this plant resembles the hair of a woolly mammoth, a long extinct elephantine mammal from Earth’s Pleistocene Epoch. If you’ve seen a picture of one, you’ll know what I mean. I believe the woolly baobab and the blue baobab are close kin to one another. Perhaps in the same family of plants, a divergent genotype. I won’t bore you with scientific jargon, though.
The woolly baobab, like other baobabs, has a thick trunk, much wider at the bottom than the top. It’s bark has long, horizontal striations, not unlike a palm tree. The bark is white and decidedly bitter. Yes, I cut off a piece to taste it, and I am still alive, which is a very good sign. From all of my research into the animals of Next Island, I have yet to meet a critter who can reach the leaves of the taller trees, although the shorter ones’ leaves can be reached. Still, I do not know a single animal who’s diet has this plant in it. Even so, I am sure the woolly baobab plays an important part in the ecosystem, though what part exactly is up for debate.
When the woolly baobab reaches a certain height or age, the crown, where the leaves are, splits into multiple segments. Each segment’s base resembles the trunk. This very well could be how the plant reproduces, since I did not notice any reproductive parts (such as flowers, seeds, or fruit). My hypothesis is that the woolly baobab reproduces asexually by growing these extra segments and then waiting for them to fall off. Once they fall off, they establish themselves as new trees. This is not entirely uncommon in the plant kingdom, so it is very possible.
Truly a splendid plant, the woolly baobab is. I wish I could report more about them, but I literally just discovered them myself! I’m sure many people have walked by this tree not thinking too much about it. It’s just sort of in the background. For most people, this tree doesn’t seem to play a noticeable role in their lives, but I think it plays a much more important role than we think. We shall see. If you’re looking for this tree, go to Oasis Outlook and go North-East, down the valley.
Yours truly,
Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson, the High Prophet of Tommy.