Great Plateau

Location:

Himalayas

(Now with even bigger mountains thanks to Australia and North America colliding with Asia!)

Biome:

Alpine Highlands

(And the last stronghold for mammals in this time period)

Climate:

Cold, dry, and oxygen-thin air with intense UV radiation due to high altitude.

Hazards:

Steep cliffs, harsh winds, predatory spiders, and limited food make survival a challenge.

Bestiary:

Birds

Great Blue Windrunner (Aerocorvus altivolans)

Ancestor: Crane.

Size: 3.5 m (11.5 ft) wingspan.

Appearance: Massive blue bird with four wings, long neck, and aerodynamic feathers.

Niche: Migratory glider, feeding on seeds, small animals, and insects. Dominates the skies, rivaled only by Skybiters.

Skybiter (Falco altihunter)

Ancestor: Falcon.

Size: 1.2 m (4 ft) wingspan.

Appearance: Sharp-beaked, dark-feathered aerial predator with strong talons.

Niche: Apex aerial predator hunting Cloudrunners, Cliffdrakes, and Windgliders.

Cloudrunner (Cypselus velocis)

Ancestor: Swift.

Size: 30 cm (1 ft) wingspan.

Appearance: Streamlined with long, pointed wings.

Niche: High-speed flyer preying on insects while avoiding Silver Spider webs.

Stonebeak (Fringilla durus)

Ancestor: Finch.

Size: 25 cm (10 in).

Appearance: Compact bird with a sharp, chisel-like beak.

Niche: Seed-eater specializing in cracking tough Grass Tree seeds. Prey for Fangrats and Silver Spiders.

Highland Strider (Galliformis montis)

Ancestor: Pheasant.

Size: 1 m (3.3 ft).

Appearance: Stocky, flightless bird with patterned feathers for camouflage.

Niche: Herbivore feeding on Grass Tree leaves and shoots. Travels in flocks for safety.

Mammals

Poggle (Rodentia cavernus)

Ancestor: Hamster.

Size: 15 cm (6 in).

Appearance: Small, round rodent with large eyes, thick fur and large cheeks for seed storage.

Niche: Seed-eater nesting in cliffside caves to avoid predators like Fangrats.

Windglider (Sciurovolans altus)

Ancestor: Flying Squirrel.

Size: 25 cm (10 in) body with 40 cm (16 in) gliding membranes.

Appearance: Small mammal with wing-like membranes for gliding between cliffs.

Niche: Herbivore competing with Great Blue Windrunners for aerial space and food.

Fangrat (Mustelomys ferox)

Ancestor: Rat.

Size: 40 cm (1.3 ft).

Appearance: Slender predator with sharp fangs and muscular limbs.

Niche: Carnivore stalking Poggles, Needleworms, and small insects.

Peakgrazer (Ochotonops montivagus)

Ancestor: Pika.

Size: 70 cm (2.3 ft).

Appearance: Agile, goat-like herbivore with hooved feet and thick fur.

Niche: Cliff-navigating grazer feeding on Grass Trees, evading Fangrats and Skybiters.

Reptiles

Peakcrawler (Lacertis verticalis)

Ancestor: Rock Lizard.

Size: 50 cm (1.6 ft).

Appearance: Gray, camouflaged scales and sharp claws for climbing.

Niche: Predator climbing cliffs to hunt Poggles and insects.

Cliffdrake (Draco volaris)

Ancestor: Draco Lizard.

Size: 40 cm (16 in) body with wing-like membranes.

Appearance: Greenish-brown with thin membranes used for gliding.

Niche: Gliding reptile feeding on insects and competing with Windgliders.

Invertebrates

Silver Spider (Argyroaraea maxima)

Ancestor: Black Widow Spider.

Size: Queens up to 30 cm (1 ft), workers 5 cm (2 in).

Appearance: Shiny silver exoskeleton.

Niche: Eusocial predator weaving massive canyon-spanning webs to capture birds and insects.

Mossmoth (Lepidoptera alpina)

Ancestor: Moth.

Size: 15 cm (6 in) wingspan.

Appearance: Green, moss-patterned wings for camouflage.

Niche: Pollinates Grass Trees and serves as prey for Silver Spiders.

Needleworm (Lepidoptera alpina)

Larval form of the Mossmoth.

Size: 7 cm (2.8 in).

Appearance: Bright green caterpillar with silk-producing glands.

Niche: Pollinator forming silk nests in Grass Trees.

Burrowgrub (Vermis terrae)

Ancestor: Earthworm.

Size: 12 cm (5 in).

Appearance: Pale, segmented body adapted for soil aeration.

Niche: Decomposer enriching soil and feeding insects.

Rockback Beetle (Coleoptera petra)

Ancestor: Darkling Beetle.

Size: 10 cm (4 in).

Appearance: Black, armored shell for protection.

Niche: Scavenger consuming decaying plants and seeds, preyed upon by Silver Spiders.

Stonecutter Ant (Formicidae lapis)

Ancestor: Ant.

Size: Workers 1.5 cm (0.6 in), queens 3 cm (1.2 in).

Appearance: Dark brown with powerful jaws.

Niche: Colony-builder farming fungi from Grass Trees. Competes with Burrowgrubs for resources.

Skystalker Fly (Diptera rapax)

Ancestor: Robber Fly.

Size: 6 cm (2.4 in).

Appearance: Slim, agile predator with sharp mouthparts.

Niche: Aerial predator preying on insects like Needleworms.

Plants

Grass Tree (Graminodendron montanus)

Ancestor: Bamboo.

Size: 6–10 m (20–33 ft).

Niche: Keystone plant providing seeds, shoots, and shelter for the ecosystem.

Creepweed (Vina carnivora)

Ancestor: Parasitic Vine.

Size: Vines up to 2 m (6.5 ft).

Niche: Traps insects and small animals with sticky tendrils for nutrients.