username; corgi,
name; dr. arnold smith
gender; male
world;
Have you ever posted a picture on social media and chosen not to share your location? While in reality the coordinates for this are NULL, NULL, weaker technologies often put them at 0, 0 - where the equator and prime meridian intersect off the coast of Africa. Known as Null Island - and nicknamed the most populated place on earth, due to all the photos that allegedly take place there, it is said that the only thing you'll find is a sad little buoy. But in reality, there is a magic much darker going on...
Dr. Arnold Smith was a botanist, looking to study the rich flora of the Congo River Basin. He rode on a small ship - the "Catherine," an old vessel that was barely sea-worthy, as he lacked the funds for anything fancy. A terrible storm overcame the little boat, and for lack of a life boat, Arnold grabbed a life preserver and jumped off, hoping to find some sort of land. Weary and drenched with rain, the kalon soon found himself battling sleep, and finally dosed off, despite the torrential rain. He woke up some time later on the shores of an island. It was dry land, at least, and despite there being something not quite right about it, Arnold went to look for shelter.
Soon he learned the truth of the island - Null Island - for it was a terrible place to be. Large packs of little, frilled cats scourged the shores of the isle, and the plants were ferocious. Some let out sweet aromas that would lead to hallucinations before luring victims to their death - others struck quickly, when you least expected. Still more led to other, more gruesome deaths. The animals of the island were unspeakably dangerous - besides some small, innocent chubby chipmunks. Nothing amiss there. Truly a wonder of science that they survive at all- wait, are those fangs?
Arnold has spent an insurmountable amount of time trying to escape by water. He's built sad little rafts that were thrown about by the unrelenting waters, canoes that are mercilessly shredded by the barrier rocks, and little sailboats that can barely withstand the winds - all to no avail. After countless attempts at trial and error, the fluffy kalon soon realized that the only way out was something large, strong, and seaworthy. Not only would he have to build a well-fashioned boat of a reasonable size from scratch, he would also have to man it, and guard it from the animals while building it - not to mention not die, though that goes without saying. Now, after what seems decades - and perhaps was - the ship is almost complete. Whether Arnold will escape or not is another question.
(In truth, he has spent about five years on the Island. The days drag on when you're all alone.)
Though there are some flora and fauna in Null Island found elsewhere in the world - elephants, for example, as well as smaller mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects, these will not be mentioned. Instead, favor will be granted to the more mythical creatures of Null Island.

The blossoming beast is a horse-like creature with
a long flowing mane made of plant-like substances.
It has short, stunted legs and muscular shoulders,
as well as a broader face than a normal horse.
Normally a peaceful grazing animal, its' sharp
hooves can do a lot of damage. It wanders
the thick jungle of Null Island in search for
small clearings, though when it is down in its'
luck it resorts to browsing. In height, the
blossoming beast is the size of a small pony.
It falls prey to the leotard leopard
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The 'Big Pig' was discovered while Arnold was
in search of firewood in the jungle. It appeared
out of no where and startled the poor kalon,
causing him to shout 'Big pig!' Really big pig!'
Though the Big Pig is more similar in appearance
to a large tapir, the name stuck. It is a browser
but will not hesitate to consume a carcass
found in the jungle. They appear to have
2-3 offspring at a time, and live alone.
Big pigs are very large, the size of a small
apartment and extremely aggressive. Any
sign of threat will lead to them goring it
with their tusks. Big pigs have coarse guard
hairs along their back.

The Greater Tusked Sea Lion - or rather,
a male tusked sea lion - was originally named
because Arnold believed the two genders of
the same species to be two different species.
Though eventually proved incorrect, the names
still stand. The male sea lion has a large ruff
on his neck and head, with a fluffy 'fin' on the end of
his tail. He has large tusks and sleek, waterproof fur.
Tusked sea lions mostly eat the small fish that inhabit
the rivers of Null Island, and any small mammals that
wander near the river bank.
Mating rituals include gory fights between males and
a comparison of mane and tail tuft size.

The 'Lesser Tusked Sea Lion,' or rather,
a female tusked sea lion, is lighter and has
a smaller mane than males. However, she
considerably larger and her fangs, though
shorter, are much sharper. Like the male,
she has a little third 'fin' on her tail. She
has a broader face than her male counterpart
but like him has a sleek coat.
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The Honey Badger more so resembles a classic
badger than its African counterpart. They are very
small, about the size of a large cat, and are very
protective of their young, using their large
canines to slash and tear. They mostly eat berries
and roots. Bees often congregate around their back,
turning the secretions off the badger into honeycomb
in exchange for taking some of it for themselves.
The badger uses this honeycomb as food as well,
so a healthy badger will be self-sustaining. Badgers
live in small dens usually under the roots of trees.
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Named for having the appearance of a clouded leopard
with the addition of large frills, the leotard leopard is an
interesting creature indeed. It uses its' frills to ward
off any predators and attract mates, explaining their color
and size. The frills can be extended or folded away at will,
allowing the cat to move freely and unseen without
the encumbering 'fins'. They prey on mammals from the size
of a vampmunk to a blossoming beast, and hunt large
game in packs.
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The Vampmunk is a chipmunk, for all intents
and purposes. It has large fangs and
'spines' on its' back - actually just scaly,
rigid flaps of skin similar to those of
a bearded dragon. It is very small and
generally harmless, but has a bad habit
of stealing other animals' stores of
food. It is very hard to catch and
while not deadly it gives a nasty
bite that can easily become infected.
Once caught they are very meaty
and, according to Arnold, taste very
good with a drop of lime.
Though there are some every-day flora and fauna in Null Island, such as tropical fruit-bearing trees, shrubs, grasses, and the like, favor will be granted instead to the more unusual flora of the Island.
In truth these flowers don't have a name.
Arnold could think of nothing better with-
out getting a closer look, which would be a
bad idea considering the properties of this
flowers' scent. The potency of the pleasant
aroma causes victims to draw nearer and
nearer towards the source until face to face
with the plant. The sweet smell is poisonous
and when within a 2-foot radius of the tall
plant will begin to shut down the organs.
Once dead, the plant will stick a sharp vine
into the victim to liquify their insides, and
then slowly draws them inside to be devoured.
Named for the succulent that they
resemble, burro's tails are very deadly.
They quickly snap out from their root
source to grab hold of prey and suffocate
them. The plant itself is harmless and
has no need of prey- instead it is
possessed by malign fungus who use the
decomposing body as food.
More carnivorous plants? How exciting!
This plant resembles a venus flytrap,
though is different in most respects.
Its' roots come up through the soil to
create a vampmunk-like form, attracting
unsuspecting predators. The huge plant
then gulps them up. It is possible to
eat the 'chipmunk' if one cuts it
away while the plant is digesting,
and it goes very well with the actual
animal in soup.
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For some strange reason, a special
breed of palm tree native to the island
secretes a gas that causes anyone nearby
to fall asleep for an undetermined amount
of time. Those who do sleep will do so
until wakened by another of their species,
or a loud noise. Victims are normally eaten
by predators. The trees always have straight trunks,
and don't seem to benefit from the release
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Arnold is, in every definition of the word, an introvert. He is shy and prefers to be alone or with a few people rather than with a large crowd, often warding him away from lecture halls in his later years. He enjoys gardening and studying plants, as well as reading - or writing - a good book. While not the best artist, Arnold has gained some skill by sketching his beloved flora. He is eccentric as well, and gets very excited about new ideas and the chance to discover something novel. He wants to see the world, and despite his hatred of most vehicles, he is determined to achieve his goal. Determined and with very little social life, Arnold has lots of time to devote to his studies - and once he is on Null Island, despite the conditions, he appreciated the solitude at first - though as time went on he thirsted for some company. Although quick to leap on a an idea, Arnold has a negligible self esteem at best. All of that time alone on the Island isn't the best thing for anyone's mental health, especially one who never had a strong will.
Arnold was born to a religious family, though later dropped any idea of God in favour of science. On the Island, though, with no hope of ever leaving, Arnold resorted back to his old ways - praying to his previous religion in hopes of forgiveness and mercy. Sometimes he thinks that because he gave up his faith, he was sent to the Island to find his way. He has vowed never to forsake his Lord again.
Arnold grew up in a small family in a small town. He had no siblings and his parents, busy with their own jobs and hobbies, payed little attention to him, though they were never cruel in the usual sense of the word. Left to fend for himself during his early childhood, Arnold became independent and antisocial. He hated school and would cherish every moment away from it, wandering the fields or the woods or the surrounding cliffs. His family was never rich, but through some experiments Arnold managed to land himself a place in a prestigious school. He graduated with an associate's degree after two years of what he considered torture, and went on to become a little-respected scientist, known for growing and studying plants. An opportunity to study in Africa led to him traveling on a boat to the West side of the continent. The only way he managed to mount the vessel was through sheer luck - there happened to be room for one more man, and the captain only asked a small fee, though it could be considered expensive, looking at the boat's condition.
(Word Count: 453)