Aquis

The Unending Sea, this is the realm of primordial water. It is sometimes called mundanely the Water Realm. Trefoil Academy has had limited experience to no direct experience with this realm.

## General Description

The Water Realm is a vast, endless expanse of water. Wane light exists in much of it, emitting as a pale omnipresent glow from the water itself, while other areas are pitch dark.

* No surface nor bottom, and **no clear up or down**!
* The **water currents and spaces vary** in salinity, temperature, cloudiness, and light sources.
* **Light** sometimes shines wanly from the water itself, providing a faint glow from the magical nature of the water; sometimes light comes from bioluminescent algae or corals growing upon a drifting, unanchored slab of saturated rock. Some of the currents and tides are **pitch dark**.

Numerous, uncounted life forms exist lurking in these seas, some familiar and some entirely alien. Some are so large as to swallow you and pass you through their gills without even noticing, while others will happily devour you as food. Swarms and schools shimmer through both open expanses and flotsam reefs alike.

### **Known Methods of Access**

* Portals under Trefoil Academy
* A natural Rift, supposedly found sometimes where leylines cross through water. From the books in the Academy library: *"Natural portals will sometimes form under water, whether deep in the sea, in the heart of a maelstrom whirlpool, or in the depths of an ancient well. It is unclear what causes some to appear and vanish, but it is through these underwater portals that creatures of the realm of water, such as Undines and Water Elementals, will reach our world."*
* It seems possible to create a Rift to the realm, though doing so is considered Dark Arts.

## Exploration

Extremely limited; no known maps exist, and books seem to have scarce information on the contents of the realm beyond "water."

### **Survival**

**Breathing charms are NECESSARY** to survive under the water, as air pockets sound like a rarity. It is also possible that water pressure, salinity, temperature, or acidity will become a problem in exploration, though most of the realm seems neutral-temperature seawater.

### **Academy History**

Trefoil has had to battle some water elementals who have come through the portals, but nothing notable.

## Denizens

Some intelligent species of water creatures are decidedly unfriendly, while others can be negotiated with. That is, if you are able to even speak to them, let alone breath under water long enough to locate them. Some species like receiving interesting gifts they can use to build onto their flotsam homes, while others may be insulted by the litter brought to their pristine realm. Leaving an open gate pouring into our own realm, however, will quickly incite the wrath of elementals and intelligent denizens alike, as they view it as a disruption and theft of their favorite tides or currents.

### **Notable Species**

Trefoil has not had any direct confrontation with any water realm species outside of water elementals, but some information exists in books.

* Undines: sentient water elementals capable of changing their shape to look humanoid.
* Asrai: arctic water fae, they are relatives of nixies, merfolk, and water nymphs
* Sharkfolk: sometimes called Adaro, these are humanoid shark-goblins, extremely aggressive, armed and armored, and capable of magic. They are distantly related to Merfolk.
* Kelpie: a water-fae shapeshifter that is usually interested in eating people
* Kraken: an immense, armored crab-squid with spines on its tentacles and a huge, sharp beak.
* Hippocampus, same as the Waverider mascot

## Theories and Questions

Staff

* Some of the staff and NPCs (Seran Vek) have mentioned there was a Water Realm Rift opened by students at Terroville Institute many years ago, causing the school to flood with angry water creatures that killed some of the staff and students. Supposedly, many bloodlines from across Europe came together to help repair the school after the rift was sealed, since only pureblood students attend Terroville.
	+ What sort of creatures came through?
	+ Why did the creatures attack the school?
	+ We know the Veks and the Sloans (including Paws) helped repair that school. Did the Westgaards?

Shard

* It is likely that a Shard from the Heru Prophecy is somewhere in this realm.