Ancient Nests

Dinosaur Nests

The depths of the Great Plains hide many secrets, all hidden behind golden waves of Traveler's Grass that grow infinitely, stretching farther than the eye can see. One of these great secrets is ancient megafauna, creatures larger and more dangerous than elsewhere in the world, born and bred to live in the heat and secrecy of the long-forgotten depths. These creatures survive and breed, bringing forth more of themselves, still hidden from prying eyes, but still known to the world, although not fully.
Nests of stone and dirt, carved into the ground with claws and strong legs, softened and hewn over centuries and millennia, stay hidden as the grass grows closer together in these areas. These nests have seen generations of Dinosaurs, hatched from speckled and mottled eggs, protected from the world by the grasses and their parents. Few dare venture this far into depths, afraid of awakening the ancient creatures that call only these places home.
Some of the oldest landmarks in the Great Plains, the Ancient Nests are considered the safest areas for Dinosaurs to raise their young. Being so far into the depths, these nests have been undisturbed by people and other predators. Only the most stalwart of Adventurers have delved this far, searching for the Jiggawot or the other myths that run rampant here. Most that do come near the nests will not survive long enough to tell of them, quickly erased by the territorial parents that had left their young in safety.

Purpose / Function

The Ancient Nests are the oldest used Dinosaur nests in the Great Plains. Because of their location in the Depths, they are rarely bothered by any predators other than the largest of Dinosaurs, such as the Allosaurus and Tyrannosaurus. These nests are utilized mostly by Triceratops and Brontosaurus, but depending on the year, they have also been used by Ankylosaurus and Stegosaurus. Scholars who have studied the area believe that many of the Dinosaurs will fight over the use of these nests due to their safety.

Traveler's Grass

Traveler's Grass by Image via Midjourney, created by Riverfang

Traveler's Grass is an oddity, even amongst the magical plants of the world. There is no maximum height this grass can grow as a single shoot will continue growing to match the height of the plant next to it. In some places in the Great Plains, this grass can be over thirty feet tall.

Architecture

The Ancient Nests are natural structures that were originally dug out by some of the earliest Dinosaurs to call the depths home. Small walls of stone and mud were built in circles and ovals, then dug out in the middle to create a bowl shape. In most instances, Dinosaur nests are meant to be temporary structures, rebuilt every nesting season, but the Ancient Nests became much more through nature's guidance.
Left empty after their first usage, the Ancient Nests were solidified by torrential rain and raging wind. The mud hardened, holding the stones in place while the wind and whipping grasses smoothed everything to a glass-like finish. When nesting season came the next year, the nests still remained, shaped by weather and time, hidden deeper by the grass that had thickened and closed in, hiding the nests from predators' eyes.

Tourism

Even with the dangers associated with traveling to the depths and visiting areas where Dinosaurs roam, a great number of Scholars and Adventurers attempt the trek yearly, hoping to expand their knowledge or test their mettle. Most only reach the middle latitudes of the depths where the presence of Dinosaurs increases greatly and carnivorous Dinosaurs are more prevalent.
As the danger increases, more and more turn back, not making it to the Ancient Nests before necessity dictates their failure. Over the centuries, a handful of people have successfully made it to the nests and survived.

Ancient Nests

Ancient Nests by Image via Midjourney, created by Riverfang

The Ancient Nests of the Ancient Nests are one of the oldest landmarks in the area, predating the formation of the Human Empire by an untold amount of time.

Type

Nest

Parent Location

Great Plains

Related Species

Ankylosaurus
Brontosaurus
Pterodactyl
Stegosaurus
Triceratops