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Description
When traveling through an arid land, the spotting of green vegetation is often a welcomed sight. It gives hope for some source of water or perhaps the chance for edible plants. Now imagine spotting an entire forest of green on the horizon, that would surely be a miraculous find! At first one would probably think it is a mirage brought upon by a dehydrated mind, but it is no illusion! In certain regions, there are forests that sprout up in these dry places! If you do happen to be in a desert that supports one of these forests I would say that you are quite the lucky soul! These ecosystems are uncommon and it usually calls for a long arduous trek to reach those that are already well known. To just randomly stumble upon one would be a stroke of pure luck! Be sure to appreciate the circumstances that led you to this rare sight, and then turn your butt around and go somewhere else. Unless you got thick bark/skin, a hefty amount of layers and an endless supply of patience, you will find no sanctuary in a spiny forest.

Spiny forests are rare and bountiful ecosystems that sprout up in arid regions, but such riches they hold can only be appreciated by certain creatures. The reason is because the vegetation that makes up these forests have more spikes than they do leaves. The trees are gnarly things covered in skewering thorns and the cacti are as plentiful as grass! Be it a woody plant or a succulent, every piece of green and bark is covered in needles and razor sharp spines. This creates a forest of blades, which would go quite well with the razor mountains that have been found in similar regions. If we could combine these two ecosystems together, they would make a habitat that would a tough contender for "#1 Worst Place to Simply Exist In," though I would personally vote for the volcanic deserts in that competition. All joking aside, the spiny forests are quite inhospitable places to outsiders, as every inch of it is just waiting to jab or slice you. Thorny branches hanging over head, spiny bushes choking your path and the occasional shedding of needles that litter the sandy ground. To enter these places, you need serious protection, which often doesn't go well with the dry air and sweltering heat. Wearing thick layers in a desert land is quite miserable, though I found it preferable to be being skewered! My first expedition into a spiny forest was quite the ordeal, and my hide certainly carries some signs of that struggle to this day! I may have bark, but it isn't nearly thick enough to ward off these blades! A few hours of exploring nearly turned me to mulch, but it was worth it! Such a bizarre yet wonderful ecosystem! Thankfully I have had better luck penetrating these spiny walls as of late, and it is thanks to my new gear and equipment! Nasty as those critters are, I have to thank the Flab Rats for giving me the materials to create some truly resistant gear! It ain't a pretty outfit, but it does the job! While this equipment did well to protect me from the vegetation, that did not mean I had the luxury to slack off! These spiny forests are dangerous by themselves, but do not forget that there are those who call these lands home! Caution and a slow pace will keep you from getting snared by a spiky branch, but an observant mind and a sharp eye is what will save you when that "branch" comes to life and lunges for you!

While there are plenty of creatures to keep an eye out for when traversing these spiny forests, the one I am referencing is the Thorn Snare. They are large, lanky insects that bear resemblance to your average stick bug or stick insect, except for the fact that they are bristling with spines! Their carapaces are coated with chitinous spikes, turning them into walking pin cushions. Unlike your average sword or blade, there is no "pointy end" for these critters as they are nothing but pointy ends! Their limbs end in sharp claws, their abdomens are topped with thistles and even their heads narrow into a slicing edge! It is an incredible arsenal, but it can be quite cumbersome! I imagine some folk are wondering how such a creature even moves with so may jutting blades, and the answer is: Very slowly and very carefully! When traveling, they are quite sluggish, as they have to be quite precise with their limb movements to keep themselves from getting tangled or snapping their needles off. This difficulty is one of the reasons why these insects lead a rather stationary life.

With their green coloration and prickly exoskeletons, one can easily see that the Thorn Snares are hunters that rely on camouflage. They will mingle with the undergrowth or latch themselves onto branches to get the perfect spot. Once in place, they arrange their limbs in a particular way so that they blend in with the erratic stems and twigs, then they sit perfectly still. When a Thorn Snare is in ambush mode, they are very hard to spot. The scenery blends together into a spiny blur, and most folk are more focused on not getting stabbed, so they aren't the most attentive to things that aren't jabbing them in the face. With good camouflage and plenty of distractions, the Thorn Snare remains invisible to their prey, waiting for them to get within reach. If their prey happens to pass near or below them, the Thorn Snare lunges forth and engulfs them with its many arms. When it comes to strength, the Thorn Snare isn't that powerful, so don't expect it to start tearing victims apart limb by limb. However, their limbs are specially designed to clamp down and lock in place, which is useful for the Thorn Snare and painful for their victims. When they attack, they will try to grab their prey in an embrace, wrapping all their limbs around the victim. Once they strike flesh, the Thorn Snare instinctively constricts its muscles, causing its appendages and body to fold in on themselves. This results in the insect clenching its whole body into an awkward ball, with the unfortunate prey trapped inside. Think of it like a living iron maiden, the open jaws slamming shut once the victim is in place. When the insect constricts, its thorny exoskeleton will impale its victim in dozens of places. By locking its limbs, this will keep these needles jammed into the prey's flesh, causing further damage as they struggle. Though the Thorn Snare isn't strong enough to crush prey like a snake, they do have the strength to keep themselves latched onto their target. With their victim skewered and flayed, the Thorn Snare only has to hang on and wait for their prey to expire. Once they bleed out, it is time to feast!

Though they are not the strongest or most vicious creatures to stalk the spiny forests, their sneaky ways can make them quite the threat to a lot of creatures that dwell here. They use their antenna and limbs to detect movement, and will slam their bodies shut on anything that fits. This means even plant-based creatures have to worry, as the Thorn Snare doesn't bother with details until they have their prey trapped! Size is really the only thing that will truly keep one safe from their attack, as they don't go after those that are too big to engulf. Large denizens, like the Crystal Horn, have no fear of these insects, though the Thorn Snare may have to worry about those beasts! Disguising yourself as vegetation can be problematic when faced with a giant herbivore, especially one that tends to burn unpalatable dishes! They are a threat to those who choose to enter the spiny forest, but not many people face these critters as most folk tend to avoid these lands in the first place! Due to the harsh climate and savage vegetation, there is not much within these lands that many find worth the effort. There are certainly rare and prized ingredients to be gained in these forests, but it calls for a lot of patience and sacrifice. This means that deadly encounters with Thorn Snares are not that numerous, but it can still be a common fate to the unwary. When I traversed my first spiny forest, I had a lot of help from friends and local guides to avoid such a gruesome end. Everyone I talked to recommended a good "whacking stick," which does precisely what its name implies! While slowly making your way through the vegetation, use a long hefty stick to smack the branches and bushes around you, preferably before you get too close to them (It certainly isn't a quiet approach, but it is necessary). By testing the scenery with this stick, you can either scare off a Thorn Snare with an accidental smack to the head, or trigger their attack, which will cause them to latch onto your stick. If the creature runs, then you did good! You can continue on your quest! If it grabs hold of your whacking stick and tries to shred it, let go of your tool and leave it to nature! Time to find another stick before you continue bumbling about! A word of warning, though, when using your whacking stick: Be wary of what you are hitting and remember that recoil is a thing. You may knock around branches and cacti all you like, but those suckers can come swinging right back sometimes! I ran into this issue while I was absorbed in my pursuit of a crash of Crystal Horns! I wanted to get to a better vantage point, but wanted to make sure it was safe. I gave a suspicious thorny branch a solid thwacking and accidentally sent it flying. Thinking it was safe, I moved forward only to find it sailing right back towards my face! Quite the blunder!

The good thing? I caught it with my hand before it whipped me in the face. The bad thing? I caught it with my hand.

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Feels like it has been a while since I have done a plain old entry! Guess I was busy with the themed months!

Description
When traveling through an arid land, the spotting of green vegetation is often a welcomed sight. It gives hope for some source of water or perhaps the chance for edible plants. Now imagine spotting an entire forest of green on the horizon, that would surely be a miraculous find! At first one would probably think it is a mirage brought upon by a dehydrated mind, but it is no illusion! In certain regions, there are forests that sprout up in these dry places! If you do happen to be in a desert that supports one of these forests I would say that you are quite the lucky soul! These ecosystems are uncommon and it usually calls for a long arduous trek to reach those that are already well known. To just randomly stumble upon one would be a stroke of pure luck! Be sure to appreciate the circumstances that led you to this rare sight, and then turn your butt around and go somewhere else. Unless you got thick bark/skin, a hefty amount of layers and an endless supply of patience, you will find no sanctuary in a spiny forest.

Spiny forests are rare and bountiful ecosystems that sprout up in arid regions, but such riches they hold can only be appreciated by certain creatures. The reason is because the vegetation that makes up these forests have more spikes than they do leaves. The trees are gnarly things covered in skewering thorns and the cacti are as plentiful as grass! Be it a woody plant or a succulent, every piece of green and bark is covered in needles and razor sharp spines. This creates a forest of blades, which would go quite well with the razor mountains that have been found in similar regions. If we could combine these two ecosystems together, they would make a habitat that would a tough contender for "#1 Worst Place to Simply Exist In," though I would personally vote for the volcanic deserts in that competition. All joking aside, the spiny forests are quite inhospitable places to outsiders, as every inch of it is just waiting to jab or slice you. Thorny branches hanging over head, spiny bushes choking your path and the occasional shedding of needles that litter the sandy ground. To enter these places, you need serious protection, which often doesn't go well with the dry air and sweltering heat. Wearing thick layers in a desert land is quite miserable, though I found it preferable to be being skewered! My first expedition into a spiny forest was quite the ordeal, and my hide certainly carries some signs of that struggle to this day! I may have bark, but it isn't nearly thick enough to ward off these blades! A few hours of exploring nearly turned me to mulch, but it was worth it! Such a bizarre yet wonderful ecosystem! Thankfully I have had better luck penetrating these spiny walls as of late, and it is thanks to my new gear and equipment! Nasty as those critters are, I have to thank the Flab Rats for giving me the materials to create some truly resistant gear! It ain't a pretty outfit, but it does the job! While this equipment did well to protect me from the vegetation, that did not mean I had the luxury to slack off! These spiny forests are dangerous by themselves, but do not forget that there are those who call these lands home! Caution and a slow pace will keep you from getting snared by a spiky branch, but an observant mind and a sharp eye is what will save you when that "branch" comes to life and lunges for you!

While there are plenty of creatures to keep an eye out for when traversing these spiny forests, the one I am referencing is the Thorn Snare. They are large, lanky insects that bear resemblance to your average stick bug or stick insect, except for the fact that they are bristling with spines! Their carapaces are coated with chitinous spikes, turning them into walking pin cushions. Unlike your average sword or blade, there is no "pointy end" for these critters as they are nothing but pointy ends! Their limbs end in sharp claws, their abdomens are topped with thistles and even their heads narrow into a slicing edge! It is an incredible arsenal, but it can be quite cumbersome! I imagine some folk are wondering how such a creature even moves with so may jutting blades, and the answer is: Very slowly and very carefully! When traveling, they are quite sluggish, as they have to be quite precise with their limb movements to keep themselves from getting tangled or snapping their needles off. This difficulty is one of the reasons why these insects lead a rather stationary life.

With their green coloration and prickly exoskeletons, one can easily see that the Thorn Snares are hunters that rely on camouflage. They will mingle with the undergrowth or latch themselves onto branches to get the perfect spot. Once in place, they arrange their limbs in a particular way so that they blend in with the erratic stems and twigs, then they sit perfectly still. When a Thorn Snare is in ambush mode, they are very hard to spot. The scenery blends together into a spiny blur, and most folk are more focused on not getting stabbed, so they aren't the most attentive to things that aren't jabbing them in the face. With good camouflage and plenty of distractions, the Thorn Snare remains invisible to their prey, waiting for them to get within reach. If their prey happens to pass near or below them, the Thorn Snare lunges forth and engulfs them with its many arms. When it comes to strength, the Thorn Snare isn't that powerful, so don't expect it to start tearing victims apart limb by limb. However, their limbs are specially designed to clamp down and lock in place, which is useful for the Thorn Snare and painful for their victims. When they attack, they will try to grab their prey in an embrace, wrapping all their limbs around the victim. Once they strike flesh, the Thorn Snare instinctively constricts its muscles, causing its appendages and body to fold in on themselves. This results in the insect clenching its whole body into an awkward ball, with the unfortunate prey trapped inside. Think of it like a living iron maiden, the open jaws slamming shut once the victim is in place. When the insect constricts, its thorny exoskeleton will impale its victim in dozens of places. By locking its limbs, this will keep these needles jammed into the prey's flesh, causing further damage as they struggle. Though the Thorn Snare isn't strong enough to crush prey like a snake, they do have the strength to keep themselves latched onto their target. With their victim skewered and flayed, the Thorn Snare only has to hang on and wait for their prey to expire. Once they bleed out, it is time to feast!

Though they are not the strongest or most vicious creatures to stalk the spiny forests, their sneaky ways can make them quite the threat to a lot of creatures that dwell here. They use their antenna and limbs to detect movement, and will slam their bodies shut on anything that fits. This means even plant-based creatures have to worry, as the Thorn Snare doesn't bother with details until they have their prey trapped! Size is really the only thing that will truly keep one safe from their attack, as they don't go after those that are too big to engulf. Large denizens, like the Crystal Horn, have no fear of these insects, though the Thorn Snare may have to worry about those beasts! Disguising yourself as vegetation can be problematic when faced with a giant herbivore, especially one that tends to burn unpalatable dishes! They are a threat to those who choose to enter the spiny forest, but not many people face these critters as most folk tend to avoid these lands in the first place! Due to the harsh climate and savage vegetation, there is not much within these lands that many find worth the effort. There are certainly rare and prized ingredients to be gained in these forests, but it calls for a lot of patience and sacrifice. This means that deadly encounters with Thorn Snares are not that numerous, but it can still be a common fate to the unwary. When I traversed my first spiny forest, I had a lot of help from friends and local guides to avoid such a gruesome end. Everyone I talked to recommended a good "whacking stick," which does precisely what its name implies! While slowly making your way through the vegetation, use a long hefty stick to smack the branches and bushes around you, preferably before you get too close to them (It certainly isn't a quiet approach, but it is necessary). By testing the scenery with this stick, you can either scare off a Thorn Snare with an accidental smack to the head, or trigger their attack, which will cause them to latch onto your stick. If the creature runs, then you did good! You can continue on your quest! If it grabs hold of your whacking stick and tries to shred it, let go of your tool and leave it to nature! Time to find another stick before you continue bumbling about! A word of warning, though, when using your whacking stick: Be wary of what you are hitting and remember that recoil is a thing. You may knock around branches and cacti all you like, but those suckers can come swinging right back sometimes! I ran into this issue while I was absorbed in my pursuit of a crash of Crystal Horns! I wanted to get to a better vantage point, but wanted to make sure it was safe. I gave a suspicious thorny branch a solid thwacking and accidentally sent it flying. Thinking it was safe, I moved forward only to find it sailing right back towards my face! Quite the blunder!

The good thing? I caught it with my hand before it whipped me in the face. The bad thing? I caught it with my hand.

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Feels like it has been a while since I have done a plain old entry! Guess I was busy with the themed months!