FLORA/FAUNA

Art and Description by @B_D-am

The Halitian Tortoise is an uncommon creature found in underground basins. Many a poacher animal breeder have attempted to habituate the species and it's many rare variants, but only the wealthy and dedicated have managed to keep a breeding population in captivity. the same type that flaunts them any chance they get and sends infertile individuals to circuses, where they then die slowly from lack of basic needs It's considered an example of convergent evolution for similarities between it and turtles, though the tortoise does not swim normally. Known for the salt secretions and deposits upon their shell and legs, these tortoises have a soft shell and egg originally. The egg clutch is laid at the bottom of a shallow pool, with sand kicked atop it to keep it hidden during incubation until the 'dry' season. It is theorized that the changes in the underwater rivers' flows each season helps wash away some of the salt from the parent's backs during laying, and replenish the previous year's dried lakebeds. However, the salt dust still contributes to the overall build-up.

The special mushrooms and succulents (m. & s.) which grow in the same biome are their primary food source, though are inedible to the sapien races. The m. & s. provide essential nutrients in the underground habitats. The m. & s. seem to have a symbiotic relationship with their predator, as long as they escape the grazer by growing out of the tortoises' reach. In return, the m. & s. slowly eat away at the halite. It is not known what would happen if the m. & s. outgrew the halite or tortoise itself.
The overall process goes: sulfuric salt/compounds are absorbed by the mushrooms/succulents. The m./s. is eaten by the tortoise, which then secretes the now-edible salt from it's pores. The tortoise meat is considered very disgusting and rank due to the sulfur and etcetera. Alas, the salt build up which provides protection is often the species' downfall: once it accumulates upon their limbs or head, they are unable to retreat into their shell and eventually are incapable of moving. 

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