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Story Hour
The Ecology of the Giant Beaver (unpublished AD&D 2E Ecology article)
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<blockquote data-quote="Richards" data-source="post: 3654976" data-attributes="member: 508"><p>Some might think me an egocentric old man, sitting alone in my forest glade, writing my memoirs, but this is not so. Were this to be a complete history of my life, such thoughts might have some merit, but I write not to be remembered, but to pass on information that I have gleaned in the course of a long life spent along the path of the druid. Indeed, I have seen many things unseen by most men, and now, in my waning years, I feel it my duty to pass on my knowledge and experiences to those who would follow.</p><p></p><p>I will begin, I think, by telling of my meeting with the People of the Lodge. Most that know of them at all know them by the name "giant beavers."</p><p></p><p>It was early in my years as a druid, having only recently felt the calling of the green. I was something of a journeyman then, exploring the world and reveling in all that nature had to offer. At the time of my encounter, I was exploring a vast forest, having entered it only a day or two before, and seeking out medicinal herbs for my pouch. The sun was close to setting, and I began to search for a place to make my camp for the night, when I heard the unmistakable sound of a tree falling in the near distance. Heading in the direction of the sound, I emerged from the growth of the forest to find myself within a stone's throw of a shimmering lake.</p><p></p><p>I still remember the scene I saw then as if it happened yesterday. The felled tree had fallen towards the lake, missing its still waters by five feet or less. The trunk was pointed, like a stake, as was the top of the stump that remained, thrusting up out of the ground at a height of no more than three feet. Bent over the tree was an animal almost as large as myself, not counting its flattened oval tail, which stuck out behind it another several feet.</p><p></p><p>I think the creature noticed me about the same time that I noticed it, for my mind had just registered it as a giant beaver when the creature darted for the water at a speed I would not have thought possible for a creature of its size. As it hit the water, it slapped down with its paddle-like tail, creating a loud crack that broke the stillness of the evening.<strong>[1]</strong></p><p></p><p>The animal swam well, heading for what appeared to be an island in the middle of the lake. As I watched it, I saw other shapes in the water, perhaps a dozen or more, all converging on the island. Rather than crawl up on the island, though, they submerged upon nearing it, and I saw no more of them that night. I had seen the lodges of normal beavers, and so it was just the sheer size of the "island" that prevented me from making the connection immediately, but it made sense that a giant beaver colony would live in a similarly giant lodge.</p><p></p><p>And giant it was. The thing must have risen up out of the lake a good ten feet or more. It was hemispherical in shape, with a diameter at the water level of at least thirty feet. There was no way in that I could see, but if giant beavers built along the same lines as their smaller-sized cousins, I knew that the entrance to their dwelling would be underwater.</p><p></p><p>By this time the sun was going down, and I could no longer observe the lodge or its shy denizens. Still, intrigued, I threw down my bedroll by the side of the felled tree and vowed to learn more in the morning.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Richards, post: 3654976, member: 508"] Some might think me an egocentric old man, sitting alone in my forest glade, writing my memoirs, but this is not so. Were this to be a complete history of my life, such thoughts might have some merit, but I write not to be remembered, but to pass on information that I have gleaned in the course of a long life spent along the path of the druid. Indeed, I have seen many things unseen by most men, and now, in my waning years, I feel it my duty to pass on my knowledge and experiences to those who would follow. I will begin, I think, by telling of my meeting with the People of the Lodge. Most that know of them at all know them by the name "giant beavers." It was early in my years as a druid, having only recently felt the calling of the green. I was something of a journeyman then, exploring the world and reveling in all that nature had to offer. At the time of my encounter, I was exploring a vast forest, having entered it only a day or two before, and seeking out medicinal herbs for my pouch. The sun was close to setting, and I began to search for a place to make my camp for the night, when I heard the unmistakable sound of a tree falling in the near distance. Heading in the direction of the sound, I emerged from the growth of the forest to find myself within a stone's throw of a shimmering lake. I still remember the scene I saw then as if it happened yesterday. The felled tree had fallen towards the lake, missing its still waters by five feet or less. The trunk was pointed, like a stake, as was the top of the stump that remained, thrusting up out of the ground at a height of no more than three feet. Bent over the tree was an animal almost as large as myself, not counting its flattened oval tail, which stuck out behind it another several feet. I think the creature noticed me about the same time that I noticed it, for my mind had just registered it as a giant beaver when the creature darted for the water at a speed I would not have thought possible for a creature of its size. As it hit the water, it slapped down with its paddle-like tail, creating a loud crack that broke the stillness of the evening.[b][1][/b] The animal swam well, heading for what appeared to be an island in the middle of the lake. As I watched it, I saw other shapes in the water, perhaps a dozen or more, all converging on the island. Rather than crawl up on the island, though, they submerged upon nearing it, and I saw no more of them that night. I had seen the lodges of normal beavers, and so it was just the sheer size of the "island" that prevented me from making the connection immediately, but it made sense that a giant beaver colony would live in a similarly giant lodge. And giant it was. The thing must have risen up out of the lake a good ten feet or more. It was hemispherical in shape, with a diameter at the water level of at least thirty feet. There was no way in that I could see, but if giant beavers built along the same lines as their smaller-sized cousins, I knew that the entrance to their dwelling would be underwater. By this time the sun was going down, and I could no longer observe the lodge or its shy denizens. Still, intrigued, I threw down my bedroll by the side of the felled tree and vowed to learn more in the morning. [/QUOTE]
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