Ark E3: Farmlands
Stepping out from the narrow opening and out into a broad and sturdy catwalk road, you turn around to find yourself in an untamed wilderness. Sagging under the weight of negligence, the road zigzags through the mossy walls of stone separating the arching, rootbound roof to the shimmering lake below. Glowing, serpentine figures swim gracefully beneath the water, and your ears tickle with the sounds of insects small and large.
"Where are we?" Nashu asks, leaning back in awe at the scale of the room.
"This is a farm," Ramshanti explains. "As the coral shell of the ship grows, the outermost lands are carved away and filled with stable farming ecosystems. I am surprised this one is so healthy."
"We're going to have a look around," Squazi says as Unker'ra follows after with a friendly departing wave.
"We will go on ahead, stay withing Comm range, we can't help you if we can't hear you or get to you in time." Nashu orders. Squazi nods. Uker'ra grunts. They depart down a branch in the road, off towards a cluster of maintenance buildings clinging to one of the cliffs.
Several key points catch your eye. Ahead of you alone the bridge, several vehicles lay abandoned. They may contain clues, or valuables, though they're definitely far beyond salvage.
Below the main bridges are a series of smaller utility catwalks, only wide enough to walk single file. Many have sagged below the water and rusted away.
Overgrown Gate
Densely overgrown with Coral, the main gate is completely blocked. Breaking through the dense structural growth will require some heavy tools, more than what you have at hand. The growth is old enough that you spot the shapes of insects and critters living within the porous growth.
You notice with trepidation that your approach seems to have excited many of the creatures in the wall. The chittering of limbs and high-pitched squealing of eager mouths preclude the swarm of Flashgin that rush out of the wall, eager to take a piece of the fresh meat before them.
Congested Bridge
The widest bridge standing is populated with the rusted shells of vehicles. The old vehicles have been reclaimed by nature, growing inside and out with fungus, corallum, and leafy vines.
Walking nearer to the vehicles, you see that while nature has taken its due, most of the resources within the vehicles remain unclaimed. Tool boxes are closed, luggage is still zipped tight. It could be good looting, but it will require work to free finds of their overgrown mooring.
Slog Pits
You're certain that a Jhoutaioan ecology like this would be incomplete without the appearance of Sloggums—large, hollow, rootlike tubes which contain and release Slog. To get through one would be a challenge, but there would almost certainly be nothing inside to surprise you.
On the lower level, you see the entrances to the sloggums. Cave-like entrances carved through the Corralum. Tight fits, acid pools, and all mannerisms of odd Coral could await below the natural processes of Jhoutai.
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