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Trying to envision some forests, dead, dying, decaying, and coming back to life again.
Take a walk though these woods...

The deadwood forests are usually small in size, not very dense, and contain little to no life. At times, ash will blow through from the dry underbrush catching fire, or from the fallout of a nearby burning village. Sometimes the outskirts of the forest themselves partially catch on fire, relating to their small size, if not outright felled for firewood.

Less common is the third type, where life blooms out from the seemingly barren ground with no restrictions. Everything from new strains of weeds to ancient trees grow rapidly enough, with plenty of small critters lurking about and perpetuating the growth.

I did the bulk of this over 2 days, after spending 10~20 minutes in Sketchup for a basic rendering. Spend a couple hours working on the whole thing in grey scale. Then spent the next day coloring and refined details.

From left to right.

Striped Gnoll (1)
Found underneath the highway ramps, this gnoll has some nicely crafted armor from the hides of local stahgs, along with a kusarikama to snare and hunt them with. His main duties include collecting tolls from anyone who would use the ramps...or just happen to pass through the territory itself. A percentage of his income is likewise paid to "the brothers".

Striped Gnoll (2)
A traveler of the wastes, he gets around with ease and is well known for the information he collects in his travels. He is also said to have eyes in remote locations. A common type of hide armor helps him travel, though is usually concealed under a discreet poncho in preparation for the elements. His weapon of choice is a semi-ranged one, the FP-45 Liberator.

Striped Gnoll (3)
Another traveler, this one more of a direct merchant to the scattered cities and trade posts. This is more evident by his fancier form of clothing, and general lack of visible armor. Though rare that the need arises, it isn't well known that he keeps a pair of poison daggers in concealed sleeves, just as his pouches contain as many smoke bombs and caltrops as they do gold and trade goods.

Spotted Gnoll (1)
The smallest of the group referred to as "The Brothers", they lay claim to the department store off the nearby highway ramp. Like the others, he tends to the growing and refining of drugs within the store. This particular brand of trade is lucrative, though it's not just for recreational use. Blowdarts make for a conventional weapon, attacking the nervous system with a localized effect similar to the bite of a brown recluse.

Spotted Gnoll (2)
The distinctly larger member of The Brothers, he is easily recognized as the muscle of the group. His weapon of choice is a sturdy longbow with uncanny aim. This is due to his goggles being retrofitted with lenses to focus long distance...along with the arm strength to reach those distances. Likewise, he is a skilled hunter of the stahgs and others. Alongside of his brother's plant knowledge and trade, they can cook up some renowned stews in the wasteland.

Spotted Gnoll (3)

Larger still, the third member of The Brothers is an altogether different beast. His lack of speech and untanned hides relate to his barbaric nature, just as his hovel within the nearby marsh. Still, he knows the local forest and land better than most, and may understand more than he lets on. To the commoner who crosses his path, they're presented with a few distinct choices.

Attacking is one option, though certainly not an advisable one. This gnoll's face is missing more features than it has, between the scar across his eye, partially severed nose, tattered ears, and missing ring finger.

Running away is a far better strategy. Or, something could be offered in trade, though its really more of a free-roaming toll. Generally speaking, if he tends to like the item in question, he won't smash your head in. If insulted, well, there's always the first two options. His weapon of choice is a metal spear for hunting large game, and more rare predators in the deeper reigons of the marshy forest.

Thinking over what would inhabit this area. I have 2 types of gnolls so far. One is more of a spotted hyena base, the other is based off the striped hyena. Spotted gnolls are bulky and can be more aggressive, while the stripes are more nimble. They tend to craft their clothing and general fabric from Thorn Stahg hide and bones.

Some Gnoll Culture I wrote up a while back for this world...

"Socially Acceptable Standards of the Wearing of Others' Body Parts in Public."
Within the borders of the outlands, it is a common enough sight to find an individual wearing a variety of anatomical trophies, or fetishes, that once belonged to another's body. While this ritual severing may be regarded by those outside the culture as offensive, barbaric, and godless, the connotations of the act involve many different situations with inherent meanings.

The most common items involved in this exhange would be the fingers, toes, and occasionally ears. These are typically exchanged in place of letting blood, as part of a physical pact between brothers. The significance of the bond involves the mutual possession of another, in that their lives and flesh are shared as one. Due to the nature of this exhange, numerous pacts are not usually forged by a single individual. The value of the exchange is increasingly set against the appearance and capibility of the body in society. These physical pacts will unfortunately result in greater bloodshed from time to time, as one seeks to reclaim themselves. In these instances, the blood of another is called for in 'washing away' the perceived bond.

A less consenting exchange involves the loss of an eye. These situations signal the appearance of a rival or enemy, and the social ramnifications are often clear. Between the unwillingness of the act and the circumstances, these individuals are best avoided, or at least treated with due caution. As such, glass eyes are a practical solution. The leaders of rival gangs, being a particularly involved group, will counter this stigma by having their eyes crafted from precious stone. Likewise, such individuals are likely to carry many other fetishes about them, and in pairs.

It is perhaps a lesser known fact that males within the Outlands are not always found to be carrying coin purses. Due to the strict enforcement of population control, procreation doubles as a system of regulation. Whenever a male finds a suitable female and succesfully propegates the given species, it is customary law for the female to remove the testicles in full. This particular fetish is openly worn by the female as a status symbol and similar display of mutual ownership. Males having served this purpose tend to operate as merchants and shopkeeps, running the local trade. It is perhaps an unsubstantiated claim that possessing such a caliberation removes aggressive acts of greed or possession, assisting their profession.

Of all these exchanges, a practice even more revered involves possession of another's tail, either in part or full. It may not be necessary to state that forcibly taking another's tail is regarded unanimously as a deplorable act and of great taboo. The relationship between a tail usually involves a family member or elder, in which the transfer entails an exchange in heritage or ownership.

Last, a sketch for the main character.
"The Bonechild"

Repeated looting hasn't left much worthwhile inside retail stores like S Mart. Electronics have been rendered mostly useless to the common scavenger, causing analog devices to be all the more valuable. Of course, creative reuse can lead to the shells of televisions being used for containers or other purposes. I'll be elaborating on this reversal of technology more once I start covering the cities in depth. Nearly all packaged food has since spoiled or been taken, and what goods remain are generally considered unfit for consumption. Still, aside from the occasional section of collapsed ceiling, these buildings serve as dwellings for various creatures. One can discover anything from timid wildlife, lone scavengers, to gangs of gnolls lying in wait.

	Hrog, A mostly hairless herbivore with alternating patches of mange and scales. Generally the size of a rabbit, the legs are overdeveloped for leaping across large distances. They are generally found in groups, so to discover one is usually to imply several more nearby. This is complimented by the fact that they make for good eating in quantity.
	Thorn Stahg, A larger, hoofed herbivore that resembles a prewar deer. These creatures share an unusual genetic structure with saplings, which are also thought to be a parasitic growth. The 'horns' of this creature tend to grow throughout its life and typically beyond. If left unscavenged, the skull and body will eventually be drawn into the trunk of the tree over the course of decades. Their hooves also bear a mutuation that splits the toes in three directions.
	Pollinator, These small insects begin their lifecycle within the Morninglory Hole's bulb in the springtime. Within a few hours of direct sunlight, their transparant grublike forms harden into a exoskeleton, thereby allowing the insect to metamorphose into a proper flying insect, carrying with it the pollen from its birthplant. In between flowers, they typically live under the dead grasses of the past year and eat the leftover decay.
	Neech, A common ground grub that scavenges and consumes the dead. It is likewise attracted to the smell of necrotic flesh and is very tenacious in reaching the source. Fully developed adults possess the ability to leap in order to access food and avoid danger. However, they do not always survive the landing.

	The Vain Oak, Thick at the trunk's base, a sprawl of gnarled roots twist into one another, as the contaminated soil prevents the tree from fully taking root. This makes a great shelter for smaller wildlife to hide within, where their droppings provide a scarce amount of nutrients. From this, the tree produces fruit early in the summer, which is blood red in color and very sweet in both smell and taste. Just as the wildlife can get drunk on the fallen, fermented fruit, a common wine is made from this tree, baring a similar name.
	Trunk Cap, A commonplace fungus, notably found growing from felled trees and most forms of dead wood. These can be picked and cooked for their peculiar texture and flavor. Their typical brown coloration varies on the season in which they are picked. They are scarce in the spring and summer, yet very abundant in the middle of the fall season.
	Eucanlycthus Pitcher, A vile-smelling plant that attacks and devours low, ground-dwelling grubs as a primary foodsource. Yet, the plant itself is a key diet for other wildlife. The roots have a high nutritional value and grows nearly year-round, otherwise the roots can be dug up in the winter months. To most species, the plant itself smells not unlike rotten meat, and has a sour, astringent taste. Any portion of the plant needs to be boiled to be properly consumed.
	Peacock Weed, Much like a larger form of dandelion, only in hues of muted blue and violet. The bulb itself is considered edible, like a large peapod, before the bulb swells to a more prominent shade and grows wispy white hairs. Since they are found growing in most fields and open areas, some people tend to cultivate them. A diligent planter could produce upwards of either harvests a year if done right.
	Morninglory Hole, This rare plant is only found in areas of constant sunlight. They bloom quickly in the spring, and are present for most of the summer season, carrying into the remaining warmth of the fall. The pollen and pistil are located within the bulb, which serves to pollinate similar to a fig plant. They are a vivid hue of purple and are known to produce a crude form of opiate. This sticky, semi-sweet ichor is toxic in its unprocessed state, which lures pollinators in, but doesn't allow them to leave.

This is a world much like our own, only changed after years of nuclear war that has erased most of life as we've come to know it. As always, life finds a way, and new forms have started to emerge.

This new world has been rebuilt from spliced DNA and engineered evolution, though not necessarily by human design. Humanity has been reduced to an unorganized pack of scavengers, fighting over the remains of something long lost. In their place rises a cunning new species, predominantly Gnoll-like creatures. Out from under their dominance, other races flourish and thrive, crafting an altogether new biodiversity.

Within this world, and the few humans which populate it, one wanders alone, lost. Trying to survive while searching for more. I want to focus the next two months on this world, and with each week, a new environment. Within each environment, a speed-painting of the whole, then a set of field notes of the local flora and fauna. Natives and their culture follow after that, and if there isn't one for that particular environment, character concepts will fill in. Likewise, ruins will be detailed where they exist. And then a larger environmental drawing after all the details have been worked out.

Welcome, to my world.

Plains/grasslands/forest/temperate zone

What use to be small jerkwater towns, that thrived on bigbox stores, and used cars. Is now overgrown cars and parking lots, and nature takes it all back. Ruins would be old walmarts/gernal stores.

While the forests have always suffered greatly in recent centuries, the great fires had done much to revitalize the land. Besides the near-absence of man, copious amounts of ash have introduced both nutrients and heavy metals into the soil.

Naturally, the forest grows thicker the deeper one ventures in. In-tact ecosystems still persist in larger territories, though the trees can be seen growing more knotted and twisted in appearance. Almost tentacle-like in appearance, some adventurers have described the bark as having a wet-looking sheen that does not dry.

Perhaps not surprisingly, necrotic plants and animals live in the deeper reigons. Pockets of marshland typically develop throughout, and at times, pre-existing riverwalks provide a slowly crumbling path among the fetid waters. Stilt-shacks are seen, yet only assumed to be abandoned.

Native Flora;
Stalkingweed
Found blooming in the late Spring months, bright and fragrant lavender flowers gradually darken over the change of season. This plant has its stamens housed on the outer portion of its petals, situated atop their own pair of stalks. Meanwhile, the pistil is located at the thick center stalk of the plant. During the transition from Summer to Autumn, this stalk ripens and ferments into a juicy and delectable red-violet fruit. Many small seeds line the interior, which are also regarded as edible.

Bloodtooth Toadstool
Aptly named for the dark red secretions that drip from its pores, the white patterning also resembles a skull. While scattered reports claim the toadstool to have a cloyingly sweet taste and smell, it is highly poisonous. Profuse sweating and the appearance of blood blisters signify the potency of the plant.

The Swooping Tree
An usual-looking tree, named for it's bulbous and rubbery form. Bearing a resemblance to an agitated sea urchin or cuttlefish, the tentacle-like branches are extremely flexible and contain countless spiny thorns. A question of sentience persists, as many believe this hybrid creature to sense the subtle electrical fields in living creatures, of which it reacts to aggressively.

Spiny Gulper
An aggressive strain of choking weed that grows profusely in wet climates. Covered in more thorns than the Swooping Tree, their ability to hunt like a common fly trap lead these plants to be mistaken for saplings of that tree. It is more reliably believed that the plant's stalk and roots contain medicinal astringents, provided one can work around the thorns.

Native Fauna
The Sarcastic Mudskipper
This fish commonly begins its life cycle in a mucous sac beneath a fallen and rotten tree. Apart from their lousy taste, they are defenseless, relying upon the insects and grubs found within rotten vegetation. While they may appear comical with their swollen eyes, they possess a colorful threat display. Witnessed most commonly over territorial disputes, these fish will suck their eyes into their skull and expand their mouths to a great degree

The Moss Boar / Tuskmoss
A lazy creature that spends the majority of its time in muddy, swampy ground.
From this, it has developed a colony of fungus and flying insects upon its backside, which gives off a distinct odor from at least a half-mile radius. These boars are also recognizable by their three sets of protruding tusks, which are often obscured by the layers of caked mud by which they dig with.

When they are not lazy, they are highly aggressive and will charge at the slightest provocation. The smoke from uncontrolled campfires and wildfires have been known to greatly agitate the insects, which can drive a given reigon of boars to frenzy. This is referred to as "Tuskmoss", when the otherwise passive vegetation is violently rustled and threatening of attack.

If confronted with a Moss Boar, it is useful to know that these animals possess poor eyesight, to the point of partial blindness. Remaining still or seeking high ground will deter them.

Triad Flies
These chromatic insects favor a type of plant that only grows upon the back of the Moss Boar, where their eggs are laid and left to hatch. It has 3 sets of wings, which allow this insect much control over its direction in flight, as with hovering. Most of its nutrition can be found on either the backside, or the underside of the Boar.

General Sherman
A fabled beast of the lands, commonly sighted by the drunk and drug-addled. It is widely regarded as large enough to loom over a shopping mall, easily able to swallow a gnoll without trouble. Armored coils of the beast have been spotted in several bodies of water, leading some to suspect this leviathan actually dwells beneath and between the land.

Neech,
A common ground grub that scavenges and consumes the dead. It is likewise attracted to the smell of necrotic flesh and is very tenacious in reaching the source. Fully developed adults possess the ability to leap in order to access food and avoid danger. However, they do not always survive the landing.

Hrog,
A mostly hairless herbivore with alternating patches of mange and scales. Generally the size of a rabbit, the legs are overdeveloped for leaping across large distances. They are generally found in groups, so to discover one is usually to imply several more nearby. This is complimented by the fact that they make for good eating in quantity.

Thorn Stahg,
A larger, hoofed herbivore that resembles a prewar deer. These creatures share an unusual genetic structure with saplings, which are also thought to be a parasitic growth. The 'horns' of this creature tend to grow throughout its life and typically beyond. If left unscavenged, the skull and body will eventually be drawn into the trunk of the tree over the course of decades. Their hooves also bear a mutuation that splits the toes in three directions.

Pollinator,
These small insects begin their lifecycle within the Morninglory Hole's bulb in the springtime. Within a few hours of direct sunlight, their transparant grublike forms harden into a exoskeleton, thereby allowing the insect to metamorphose into a proper flying insect, carrying with it the pollen from its birthplant. In between flowers, they typically live under the dead grasses of the past year and eat the leftover decay.

The Vain Oak,
Thick at the trunk's base, a sprawl of gnarled roots twist into one another, as the contaminated soil prevents the tree from fully taking root. This makes a great shelter for smaller wildlife to hide within, where their droppings provide a scarce amount of nutrients. From this, the tree produces fruit early in the summer, which is blood red in color and very sweet in both smell and taste. Just as the wildlife can get drunk on the fallen, fermented fruit, a common wine is made from this tree, baring a similar name.

Morninglory Hole,
This rare plant is only found in areas of constant sunlight. They bloom quickly in the spring, and are present for most of the summer season, carrying into the remaining warmth of the fall. The pollen and pistil are located within the bulb, which serves to pollinate similar to a fig plant. They are a vivid hue of purple and are known to produce a crude form of opiate. This sticky, semi-sweet ichor is toxic in its unprocessed state, which lures pollinators in, but doesn't allow them to leave.

Peacock Weed,
Much like a larger form of dandelion, only in hues of muted blue and violet. The bulb itself is considered edible, like a large peapod, before the bulb swells to a more prominent shade and grows wispy white hairs. Since they are found growing in most fields and open areas, some people tend to cultivate them. A diligent planter could produce upwards of either harvests a year if done right.

Eucanlycthus Pitcher,
A vile-smelling plant that attacks and devours low, ground-dwelling grubs as a primary foodsource. Yet, the plant itself is a key diet for other wildlife. The roots have a high nutritional value and grows nearly year-round, otherwise the roots can be dug up in the winter months. To most species, the plant itself smells not unlike rotten meat, and has a sour, astringent taste. Any portion of the plant needs to be boiled to be properly consumed.

Trunk Cap,
A commonplace fungus, notably found growing from felled trees and most forms of dead wood. These can be picked and cooked for their peculiar texture and flavor. Their typical brown coloration varies on the season in which they are picked. They are scarce in the spring and summer, yet very abundant in the middle of the fall season.