The Verduran Colossus - Printable Version +- Sangreal - Fantasy Roleplay (http://193.122.143.38) +-- Forum: Lore of Sangreal (http://193.122.143.38/forumdisplay.php?fid=7) +--- Forum: Lore Applications (http://193.122.143.38/forumdisplay.php?fid=27) +--- Thread: The Verduran Colossus (/showthread.php?tid=47)

The Verduran Colossus - BigDrago53 - 05-04-2025 ?? The Verduran Colossus “Not all that walks on roots is of the forest. Some carry stars in their chests.” —Elder Botanist Luren Thay, Encounters Beyond the Veinlands ? Summary The Verduran Colossus is a legendary, plant-born tortoise-shaped behemoth, standing 50 feet tall and 70 feet long, dwelling deep in the mountainous regions of Grafangu and Neatapori. Made entirely of ancient trees, moss-covered stone, and living vines, the Colossus has no head—only a gaping, tunnel-like void at its front, within which floats a molten iron asteroid bearing a single glowing gemstone eye, suspended and guided by blue luminous energy. This being is believed to be older than the kingdoms, a living convergence of plant-life and star-metal, feeding not on soil, but on coal, which it consumes to fuel its mysterious movement and internal heat. ? Basic Description Size: 50 ft tall, 70 ft long; slow-moving but unstoppable in stride. Body: A mountainous shell composed of interwoven tree trunks, moss-draped stone, and living flora, with birds and insects making temporary homes in its canopy-shell. Front Cavity: A deep tunnel-like opening where a metallic, semi-molten asteroid floats—its single gemstone "eye" rotating slowly, glowing violet-blue. Suspension Field: A blue light (thought to be arcane or elemental in nature) holds the asteroid aloft and directs the Colossus's path like a beacon or sensory organ. ?️ Habitat The Verduran Colossus wanders the high ridgelines, collapsed calderas, and basaltic crags of: Grafangu’s Blackroot Alps. Neatapori’s Broken Range: Especially near geothermal fissures. It rarely descends into valleys, preferring elevations where coal-rich stone meets deep-rooted ancient vegetation. No one knows if it sleeps, or if its slow pace is its dreaming. ?? Properties & Behavior Coal Consumption: Unlike herbivorous beasts, the Colossus burrows its front cavity into coal deposits, drawing the energy up into the asteroid’s core. The glowing eye intensifies as it feeds, releasing gentle tremors and thermal pulses. Mobile Forest: Its shell supports an entire living biome. Flora growing on its back changes with elevation and temperature, suggesting climatic control or resonance. Soundless Movement: Despite its massive form, it moves without footfalls. It causes tremors only when feeding or disturbed, otherwise gliding over the terrain as if partially weightless. Ecosystem Restoration: Trails left behind often bloom with fast-growing plant life, rejuvenating stripped mines or scorched forests. Some scholars believe its steps awaken the land. ? Special Properties Property Description Asteroid Core Made of pre-Sangreal star-metal. Radiates heat and gravitational pulses. The gemstone acts as a sensory matrix, allowing the Colossus to "see" through terrain and emotion alike. Gem-Eye of Kalmarith Said to be a fragment of the Celestial Archon's gaze. When threatened, it flashes bright blue, releasing a pulse that disorients thought and freezes action in sentient beings. Symbiotic Flora The Colossus hosts sapient lichen, bioluminescent creepers, and air-purifying vines, some of which only grow on its body and are used in sacred medicine and memory rites. Root-Sense Navigation It does not see with eyes or hear with ears. It feels the pulse of root, rock, and resonance beneath the soil. It is drawn to coal by heat and emotional memory left in the stone. Mystic Vitality Cannot be harmed by fire or blade alone. Its living body reconstitutes over time, especially when in contact with raw coal or sacred ash. ⚠️ Legends & Beliefs Called “The Walking Shrine” by Neatapori druids, who consider it a sacred beast of balance, walking the seam between life and combustion. Grafangu myth says it was once a fallen star, broken in grief when its twin perished during the creation of the world. Hunters and scholars alike claim that those who gaze too long into the gemstone eye may receive visions—or lose themselves in forgotten memory. ? Known Risks and Curiosities Non-hostile, but territorial if surrounded or if coal is removed from nearby deposits it claims. Its eye-pulse can level small buildings if threatened. Considered a natural spirit or divine custodian—both kingdoms enforce bans on attacking or mining near its path. Alchemists and geomancers offer ritual coal sacrifices to draw its path closer for study, or to reclaim blighted land. “When the stars fall, they burn. But when one takes root, it walks.” —Inscription found on a weathered druidic tablet in the Blackroot Vault