Swamp
Water, soft ground and water lilies make the swamp a natural home for Aqua.
Swamp plate · Channels, islands and bank vegetation form a connected habitat.
Land woven with waterways
In the swamp, water, soft ground and small patches of dry land lie close together. For Aqua, the shallow channels are not barriers but part of their habitat: in the water they quench their thirst and take routes closed to other slimes. Visitors from elsewhere depend on dry crossings and often reach the same place only by a longer way round.
Small schools of fish travel through clean water. Sometimes only a shared turn reveals the life beneath a quiet surface. Over dry patches of bank, flies dart above the grass; sometimes a quick movement follows them from the reeds.
Not every dark movement beneath the surface belongs to a small school.
Water lilies and mushrooms
Water lilies grow in suitable shallows and are a raw food source for Aqua. Mushrooms appear on damp, shaded banks and can be used by every slime species. Both sources diminish or disappear when eaten or collected. Once set down as a food parcel, their origin no longer matters: the food becomes available to all.
Growth in waves
Taken lilies and mushrooms are not replaced on the spot by a fixed countdown. Over time, the world gathers the potential for new growth; after rain has ended, fresh clusters may emerge. Open entrances, occupied tiles and unsuitable ground are left clear. The banks change without closing over important shafts.
The shower ended shortly before noon. Only then did young lilies appear again among the old reeds.
Damp air and scent
The swamp has the highest base humidity of the known biomes and a high rain weighting. This helps meet an Aqua's need for water even away from a pond. Scent trails fade more slowly here than on ordinary ground, leaving well-used foraging routes legible for longer. Rain itself makes trails that can decay fade faster. A route may thus remain distinct between showers, then lose strength quickly with the next change in weather.
A home, but no haven for all
Aqua found their natural colonies in the swamp. Water and food lie close together for them, though energy and hunger remain separate needs. Gloom find no dependable darkness here, Undead no natural source of toxicity, and Magma lose warmth in water. A route that favours Aqua is not safe for every species. Even Aqua must weigh a reachable lily against a dry overland path and the journey back to their own nest.
