Swabara

In a place as openly hostile as the swamps of Amnisica it’s hard for many prey animals to get by. It’s no place for the faint of heart. But one creature has found prominence in the swamp despite its competitors' astute failure. The Swabara is unique in its ability to survive in such an environment despite its insurmountable challenges for so many. Because of its hardiness and accustomed demeanor to most it’s often kept as livestock, though wild populations vastly outnumber their domestic counterparts even in the expansion of sapient races. It’ll take a lot more than the expansion of urban blocks to knock these hardy rodents down a peg.

#### Physiology and Anatomy

As mentioned, Swabara are rodents, the largest on Ludwag. Unlike other rodents they spend almost two thirds of their entire life in or around water. Swabara have insulatory fur to keep them warm in cool water and protective caps over their eyes to ensure salt doesn’t enter them. They have webbing between their joints and digits to assist in broadening their paddle surface area, making them proficient paddlers. When it comes to swimming beneath the surface the Swabara have that covered too. A tadpole-like tail allows them to make rapid bursts of speed under the water for short periods of time. They can reliably escape predator attacks or get to higher ground but cannot sustain that speed for extended periods of time.

Though entirely useless underwater, Swabara have an incredibly useful adaptation to protect themselves above the surface. They secrete a slick substance from pores in the green splotches running along their backs. This can be seen on a Swabara as a glossy sheen. When it is removed from the Swabara, the substance quickly thickens into a paste-like glue. Should a predator happen to have a coating of this around their jaws it may very likely be sealed shut- even Urgunths would struggle to open their maws with a coating. In order to remove this gluey tomb they must submerge it in water so it may erode, giving time for the Swabara to make their escape.

Swabara are herbivorous but prefer vegetation that grows underwater. They frequently eat seagrass and mangroves comfortably whilst breathing through their upward-facing nostrils. It seems that this particular diet is necessary for the Swabara to gain the right enzymes to produce their secretion as some domestic animals are incapable of producing their own. Juveniles also do not produce their own secretions initially and are believed to get the enzymes from their mothers during their developmental period.

#### Psychology

Swabara are easy-going creatures albeit still fearful of predators. They live in large herds that range between six to twenty five adult  members. The herd may have many lookouts to spot predators before they can get close enough in the water, squealing for their herd-mates to get out of the water as soon as possible. As Swabara are reliant on each other they will build social bonds and trust as they grow. Individual Swabara often have associates within a herd that they frequently play and sleep alongside. Mother Swabara will teach their pups how to socialize and may even collaborate with other mothers to organize meetings between unrelated juveniles. Swabara are only as effective as their ability to communicate with others.

They’re kept as domestic livestock for both their meat and their glue secretions. Swabara are content to dwell under the protection of sapient races and may even be openly social toward them. Ranchers be advised, poor treatment of Swabara will reflect upon more than just individuals as the herd will pass down retained warnings against pain or extended suffering.