What is your favorite biome?

I was thinking about MTG (I'd recommend playing a different card-game that doesn't use the TCG/CCG business model and isn't owned by WOTC) and remembered it had a neat concept where split mana lands could be two biomes converging into something unique or a single biome that represents the philosophy of two mana's and thinking it was the coolest thing! I want to know: What is your favorite geographical biome for a game to set place in?

Alternatively, It could be a normal biome tainted by a magical force such as a green dragon nesting in a forest and making it more hostile/magical as in D&D (I'd recommend playing/reading older D&D editions bought second-hand or looking into other TTRPGS such as Castles & Crusades/Tunnels & Trolls/For Gold & Glory, as they're not owned by WoTC and do not make WoTC a profit) or perhaps a gem dragon nesting in a swamp and causing crystals to appear on local wildlife and attracting otherworldly creatures attracted to gems as in my homebrew.

Or it could be the merging of two biomes naturally or by the cause of natural-disaster/Terra-forming experiments and having profound effects on the native flora and fauna whether it be mutations or natural evolution over millions of years.

Or it could be a unique biome you've created or read about in an established setting!

My Favorite Biome!

My favorite biome is a winter-forest or a barren tundra as the harsh conditions exemplify the spirit of the folk who contend with the natural hardship of the region whether it be desperation to survive the night or the determination to establish an enduring home for one's tribe/village, either with varying degrees of morality and/or success.

For civilized-folk/adventurers it means spending coin/favors to acquire gear, knowledge of the area (whether it be a map, a native guide, or a professional navigator that specializes in winter regions), Beasts of burden, and food/drink; Relying on currency and (possibly) empty words to see them through an expedition, oftentimes without personally knowing the folk guiding them or constructing their gear.

For native-folk/specialists it means living off the land as a way of life or source of income; They learn to traverse the landscape, Breed/tame beasts, live off the land, and/or craft their gear first-hand; They rely on their knowledge of survival and accompanying skills, and if not could acquire such skills through personal connections of a neighboring-tribe/colleague through barter, supplying what skills they do have, or by making companions through saving the life of another or providing an ear to a lonely traveler.

For outlaws/exiles it means living off the land as a necessity rather than a way of life and gladly relying on what gear/supplies they happen upon or plunder from other travelers or abandoned caves/camps/villages when it is available; They rely on their wits and what they've acquired before their flight from civilization, whether it be relying on each other in bands or on the sole capability of one's self.

For beasts/demi-humans accustomed to the climate it is their stalking ground and way of life, they are self-reliant alone; not requiring the comforts of heat or shelter as often or at all compared to those not as accustomed to the climate. They often act as another danger to the biome, their self-reliance usually not lending itself to aiding humans except through taming or other means.

For the reasons above I also enjoy deserts and swamps in my games, although with enough creativity I suppose any biome could evoke the same idea of hardship and arduous adventure!

Edit: I added "Adventurers" to the civilized-folk description.

I'm fond of barren tundra with very thin tainted atmospheres, like if you combined Mars with Siberia and placed it at the top of My Everest. Place those worlds around a red type M main sequence star with regular flare activity and you could easily have life that has been around for a billion years more than our own on Earth. For a taint, I usually just have high carbon dioxide from 1 to 6 %.

Instead of tens of thousands of different species, sometimes I just have one that has highly evolved for that world. Imagine a creature that combines both animal and plant. It grows like a field of grass for the first part of its life cycle, then grows into a tree-like form with fruit that is the embryonic form of the third stage, and then the more animal trait form of the creature emerges to be a seed-carrier and pollinator of the second tree form.

Humans would need cold weather clothing and filter-respirators to survive outside of their homes. Men may grow mustaches, but never beards because that would interfere with the seal of their masks.

Like I said, just a convenient fallback that I use.

Quote from: GiantToenail on May 05, 2023, 02:07:26 PM
I was thinking about MTG (I'd recommend playing a different card-game that doesn't use the TCG/CCG business model and isn't owned by WOTC) and remembered it had a neat concept where split mana lands could be two biomes converging into something unique or a single biome that represents the philosophy of two mana's and thinking it was the coolest thing! I want to know: What is your favorite geographical biome for a game to set place in?

I don't think I have a favorite -- but one of the neat things about my current D&D campaign is the different environment. I'm still thinking about ways to bring it up more in play. The game is set in a fantasy parallel to the Andes. Some uncommon environments for fantasy include:

• Semi-dry but still fertile high-altitude plateaus
• High-altitude cloud forests
• Cold deserts

I've tried to sometimes emphasize this in description, but I'd like to go a little further.

I prefer this one above all others for a fantasy setting climate;

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oceanic_climate

Well I've just started running Shadow of the Ragged King https://xoth.net/publishing/ and I've been loving the desert environment, I think for the novelty. The vast bulk of my gaming is in cool-temperate or cold climes, with a bit of Primeval Thule jungle, so this has a lot of novelty value.

The "Game Reserve" planet from Predators! Tired of the players' shit? Just airdrop the PCs in and have them fight a high-level Githyanki hunting party: whoever gets to the spaceship first wins. Maybe.