"Only the heartiest of explorers would dare take the long, dangerous trek to the Living Lands. While there is no denying its beauty - the diversity of plant life alone is an herbologist’s dream - the inherent risk in blithely trekking through these pristine hills is more than most should undertake.
Let me take a moment to tell you about the land itself - rolling hills, greenery, and sun. The whole area feels like a succession of hills and valleys, each with its own ecosystem. While that declaration is a tad extreme, it can almost be said to be true. The combination of sun, geographical location, proximity to fresh water, valley depth, and the existence of hot springs have given the Living Lands a wide breadth of flora and fauna. Walk down a hillside into a valley and you will find lush, verdant hills. Climb the next rise and you might see nothing but rock and boiling mineral springs.
And the creatures! In my travels, I've seen it all and this place never ceases to amaze me!
Trolls
I will never forget my encounter with the trolls of the Living Lands. I had just narrowly avoided being consumed by a giant plant (more on that later) and was running as fast as I could to get away from it. I broke the crest of the hill and the valley below was wide, green, wet, and covered with low, thick-branched trees. Vines grew everywhere! Between the trees, across the tops of them, down to the ground - it as a mess of vine and green. Cautiously, I worked my way down toward the basin, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. And it's a good thing I did so! I noticed not all the trees appeared to be trees. I froze, dropping to the ground in an effort to minimize my appearance. One of the trees moved, lumbering slowly away from the cluster. It's then that I realized it was a troll, stepping out from among the group of trees it had been resting against. With a few more steps, I would have walked right into their home! The camouflage these trolls exhibited far exceed any I had ever seen before. I hope to return again in the future and observe them more.
Insects
While I have never seen them, I have read reports of giant insects in the Living Lands. Centipedes, flies, mosquitoes, and hornets all ten times the size you would see them elsewhere! Imagine making camp - you've just gotten everything set up. There's a nice fire going next to your shelter. Something is gently simmering in the cooking pot. You sit down, finally feeling like you can relax after a trying day. You feel a tickling at your feet, insistent and prolonged. Reaching down to brush whatever it is away, your hand comes in contact with something hard, long, and flexible winding its way around your boot. You look down to see a centipede the size of your arm casually making its way over your feet, toward the far side of your camp. You would get out of that camp, wouldn't you? That's exactly what my friend did when he realized he had started his fire over a centipede nest.
Plants
And lest we forget - do not let your guard down around the plants! I had discovered a wonderful collection of giant flowers. They were bright pink and grew in a circle around a central stalk. What an aroma! I lack the words to describe how delectable it was. Sweet, fruity, and light with just a hint of something tangy. Looking closer, I saw some berries growing on the stalk in the center of the flowers. Well, I just had to have them! So I started pushing my way through the flowers. Then the vines growing around the base of the plant began to twitch and the blooms turned toward me. It was at that moment I saw the blooms weren't actually flowers, but hinged jaws! I had been fooled by its camouflage! I quickly retreated, pushing my way back out - just in time. The blooms slammed shut. If I had still been standing there, trying in vain to reach the berries, I wouldn't be writing this book today."
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