Raps Island
Raps Island is an offshore land mass that was once full of fossilized Raptor skeletons, thus where it gets its name. It was highly sought after by the Empire and the Republic, but is thought to have already been excavated for anything of value. The island is mostly only attended by ambitious researchers now.
- Concept Art
The above concepts show off the dig sites on Raps Island. |
- Overview
Excavation, Equipment
Raps Island is covered in excavation scars as it has been worked for so many years. These pits, cut squarely into the ground, can even reach the size of a rock quarry. The current site is equipped with a mechanical lift to take pilots to the bottom of the site, though Ed destroyed this in attempt to trap Byrne inside of the dig site. There's other large excavation equipment in the area, and the carved out silhouettes of Zoids excavated over the years.
- History
Discovery, Decades prior
Raps Island was discovered shortly after the citizens of Zi had migrated to Earth. The huge number of Zoids fossils found on the island became a matter of fierce conflict between the Empire and Republic, who turned the region into a battleground in attempt to seize control. During its hayday, the island turned up various fossils, including velociraptor types, Triceradogos, and Cannon Bulls. Some of these fossils were even complete. However, over the years, everything of value was pulled out of the land, and both armies lost interest. This was more than 10 years ago.
Continued Excavations, The Last 10 Years
One of the archeologists on the project was Ed Mais, who claimed later to have owned the island (though whether or not that was a lie, is unclear.) He stayed on the project, believing that something huge was buried beneath the ground, waiting to be discovered.
Destruction, Episode 10
Over the years, funding for the project ran out, and Ed had extended every bit of courtesy he could from close friends. Forced to find funds or end the project, he turned to bounties instead. He realized Byrne Blood was in the area, a man who'd stolen a high-profile Zoid from the Empire. He called up the Empire and informed them of his location, making a deal to lead him onto the island so that the bridge could be destroyed and the fox trapped and recaptured. However, the Empire didn't honor their word. Rather than destroying just the bridge, they bombed the entire island. Raps Island was considered to be reduced to rubble, nothing left for him to work with, even if he'd had the funds.
Little did he know, the bombing actually churned an incredibly valuable fossil to the surface. The skeletal remains of the Omega Rex.
- Gallery
