The Sluck

The Sluck is a large region in Zone 14 that covers most of its central and southern areas. It has low elevation basins that receive water from many branches of the Great Lake of Crunk in the north. This water supply makes the land rich in plants and animals. The Intabi River, which flows from the lake to the south, is essential for preventing floods of the lake during the rainy season. The Sluck people, who have lived in this area for centuries, are the main inhabitants of the land, sparsely populating it with small towns and minor settlements.

## Etymology

The origin of the word Sluck is a matter of debate among experts, but some think that it could be related to the extinct Samal people, who also had a name that started with S. However, this theory is weak and based on a superficial similarity. Due to recent immigration of Sluck's to District 11, Sluck cultural experts say that a common belief among the Sluck is a belief in the swamp as a natural deity itself. This has brought forward new hypothesis that the word could come from a real entity that resides in the swamp, similar in nature to beings like Ghomet.

## Geography and Climate

The Sluck occupies most of the central and southern parts of Zone 14, extending from the southeast edge to the border of New Crunk City District 13 in the north. Some of the wetlands north of the Sluck have been destroyed by minor deforestation over time. The climate of the Sluck is cool and humid, with temperatures ranging from 50F to 80F. The water levels vary by 2-4 meters throughout the year due to large amounts of water coming from the north, but the swamp’s vast area allows most of the water to evaporate before the next rainy season.

## Wildlife

The Sluck is a swampy region that hosts a diverse range of wildlife. Among the animals that inhabit the Sluck are frogs, toads, salamanders, mangabeys, freshwater garloids, and the infamous swamp pig. The most common plant in the area is the Sluck Cypress, a conifer with deep roots that stabilize the ground during the frequent flooding the region tends to experience. Some other trees that grow in the Sluck are Crunkwood trees (especially on the west end of the swamp), red oaks, aspens, and black maples. The ground is dotted with shrubs, while duckweeds and black swamp lotuses float on the water. The black swamp lotus is known for its Black Lotus root, a rare ingredient that grows under the waterline.

## Population

The Sluck are the only known permanent ethnic group of the region that can trace themselves back centuries. They are characterized by a rural lifestyle based around foraging the plentiful swamp and farming a smaller breed of domesticated swamp pigs. They are a highly adaptable people that have created a lifestyle around the varying water levels of the region as well as the ever-present force that are the swamp pigs.

## Conservation

In recent times, the creation and expansive of Gramble Grove has caused an upset in the natural ecosystem. The Intabi River flows directly through Gramble Grove, which has caused speculation of water contamination throughout the entirety of the Sluck. Recent tests show this might be accurate, but no immediate harm has been shown in the environment at large. However, the hostile environment of Gramble Grove has been encroaching on some of the northern swamps, causing an exodus of people and animals alike.

Furthermore, water from the Great Lake of Crunk has been decreased in the past four decades, leading to an all time low of water in the swamp. This has upset climate experts as a change in the Sluck's ecosystem could have a continent wide impact. However, it is too soon to tell.