Ha Anga Bayou National Park

**Ha Anga Bayou National Park** is a national park in the Aurlûnor Velande. It occupies the region of the Ha Anga Bayou (formerly known as the Big Iron Bayou) and its neighboring wetlands in Nir Province, roughly from Hloamar to the border of Hampo Province.

As a national park, all logging, building, and other surface construction is banned. Fishermen can still apply for special licensing to fish certain sections of the park, though most of the park is catch-and-release fishing only.

## Geography

The park's climate is a humid subtropical-to-tropical climate, experiencing heavy rainfall year-round. Winters are mild and snowless, rarely dipping below 20 degrees Celsius, and the summers are long, hot, and muggy. Tropical storms are uncommon however as the nearby Lothranis Sea is too small to generate cyclone systems.

The park's northern half occupies the wooded regions of the Alligator Bayou and Sheep's Key, as well as the peninsula region upon which the highway connecting Hloamar to Hampo, Vorosan, and Tamaka provinces. The peninsula contains the highest point of the park and second-highest point in the Nir Swamps as a whole. Upon this highest point, an old Yi'yen ruined stone calendar sits.

The southern part of the park contains the bayou itself, as well as the Big and Little Orchid Inlets. Though they appear to be isolated lakes, they are in fact connected to the ocean, covered permanently in mangroves.

The Park's eastern boundary is the Hunshui River, which discharges most of the water in the wetlands. The Gulf of Heaven, part of the Lothranis Sea, makes up the western coast of the park. The Binteo Marshlands of Hampo are located just outside the park's proper boundaries, as is Lake Paddlefish.

## History

The swamps themselves formed sometime during the Melwendian period, as erosion from the inland Central Nir Ridge built a floodplain as rivers led to the shores of the sea to the west. The earliest instances of intelligent habitation are known from about 74,000 years ago, when the first tribes of Ghuren people settled. Their artifacts are still found in the bayou occasionally- most notably the Yi'yen Stone Circle, presumed to have been a site of sun worship. The human tribes of the swamp were first consolidated under the Kingdom of Yi, which ruled for centuries before its conquest by Almador during Maxion's conquests.

The swamps remained mostly unpopulated after the wars, as many of the local peoples were killed by famine, warfare, or taken as slaves by the army of Almador. Thusly the region remained a quite-literal backwater even after the Almadoran collapse and warlord era, and into the period of Takumakken rule over the Nir region. In 932 ACA the region was handed over to the Aurlûnor Velande and remained so ever since.

The swamps became used for logging, hunting, and fishing by residents of Sokalis/Hloamar and other towns in the vicinity. The thick wood of the Nir Water Oak (*Quercus nigra nirensis*) is prized for its use by shipbuilders, and as such the stands of trees became thinned. A terrorist attack by a squatter tribe known as the Raktrokii resulted in a clearing of nearly every tree in the swamps and much of central Aurlûnor. Luckily, divine intervention restored the swamps to their natural state after the defeat of the Raktrokii and their cult of Kellerism in the Battle of Sawiya Oasis. This prompted the government of the Velande to pursue protecting the new swamp by law, as it had become known to the nation that it had something truly unique on its hands. Thusly, the park itself was established on 11/15/941 ACA by Chancellor Mao Meili to protect the new swamps.

On 11/27 of that same year, RiskyFisk (then of Scarlet Isle, a squatter settlement in Erume Province) logged nine chunks of the reserve just outside of Hloamar in revenge for being ousted from his settlement. This event let to his further criminalization in Aurlûnor as he fled to Sparwood, and while a spectacle was made over the affair, the forest was restored and RiskyFisk evaded punishment for his crimes.

## Flora

**Black Junglewood (*Basidiofolia tenebria*)**

Similar in shape to other Junglewood trees in Rathnir, the tree was almost extinct in the wild prior to the swamps' restoration. It bears darker leaves than other memebers of its genus, but otherwise has similar growth structure. It is the tallest tree species in the swamps, with its characteristic thick trunk. It prefers to grow mostly on the hammocks and dry ridges above the wetlands proper.

**Kumiho Moss (*Gyeongjagia lichenoides*)**

Kumiho Moss is a tangly bromelaid that lacks roots. Despite its name, it is not a moss at all, as it is a flowering plant. It hangs from trees in bunches. It is edible when boiled, and is regarded as a famine food. Some affectionately refer to it as "swamp ramen".

**Mangrove-of-Heaven (*Rhizopora aethera*)**

The species of mangrove commonly found growing along the Gulf of Heaven, these aquatic trees thrive in the salty waters of the bayou. Their roots play host to all kinds of creatures, both above and below the water. Being incredibly common, they can be seen in large monocultural strands lining the coasts for miles on end.

**Nir Water Oak (*Quercus nigra nirensis*)**

Also known as the Nir Live Oak. This is the most common tree in the Park, known for its wide crown of foliage and its tolerance of being immersed in water. Well-desired for its high quality lumber, its unique shape also makes it ideal habitat for nesting birds, arboreal creatures, and many kinds of vines and epiphytes. It is an evergreen, unlike most temperate-climate oaks.

**Nir Cypress (*Taxodium yiyenicum*)**

A rare tree, also prized for its lumber. It is a tall, thin, deciduous conifer, often found with Kumiho Moss hanging from its branches. It is also well-adapted to living partially submerged, as its trunk widens significantly at the bottom. Parts of its roots known as "knees" jut out from beneath the ground to stabilize the tree during floods. It is a keystone species in preventing erosion in the swamp due to this. Its slow growth rate makes it not-ideal for sustained logging.

**Opal Orchid (*Vanilla independens*)**

This light-blue flower has an aroma similar to culinary vanilla, as it belongs to the same genus. It is commonly referred to as the "gemstone of the swamps". It has extensive use in making dye and as a garnish in local cuisine, and is a revered symbol of the Seraan culture in Nir and Hampo provinces.

**Phagosian Turtlegrass (*Thalassia phagosum*)**

As its name suggests, this abundant marine grass is the favored food of sea turtles. It is a very important plant, securing underwater soil from erosion during storms and improving water quality. It provides habitat for all kinds of invertebrates and fish as well as food for the turtles. It grows in the bayou itself and just offshore of the barrier islands, and is able to tolerate brackish and salt water.

**Saw Sedge (*Cladium serratum*)**

A sedge with toothy edges sharp enough to cut skin. It is used to make thatch by modern Yiyen people and many other locals in the swamps, and it is favored by alligators to make nests. It is a hardy plant, able to thrive in low-phosphorus soils.

**Swamp Cane (*Arundinaria palustris*)**

The native bamboo species of the swamps, *A. palustris* is used to weave baskets and provides habitat for many ground-nesting birds, reptiles, and mammals. It often forms large monotypic swaths of marsh called 'canebrakes'.

## Fauna

### Fish

**Blue Snapper (*Lutjanus caeruleans*)**

Commonly called *Lûtjian* by local fishermen, this fish is the type species of the *Lutjanus* genus. It is a prized yet common shallow-water fish, commonly consumed by all classes and found readily in fish markets and the wild alike.

**Sand Grouper (*Epiniphelus arenatus*)**

Another commonly-eaten fish. This grouper has a sandy gray color with red splotches present in males. They are protogynous sequential hermaphrodites; they are born female, and may transition to male after reaching adulthood. Generally found in deeper water, they eat mollusks and crustaceans.

**Red Dolphinfish (*Coryphaena erythra*)**

A pelagic predatory fish, the Red Dolphinfish only comes to the shallows to spawn. Its fry live in the mangroves and seagrass beds before maturing and moving to the open waters of the Lothranis Sea. Favored culinarily for having a taste more similar to land meat than most fish.

**Lothranic Puffer (*Lagocephalus lothranicus*)**

Also known as the Rabbithead Puffer or *Tutouhetun*. Used by high-class chefs in making fugu for wealthier diners. In the wild, the pufferfish inhabits shallow waters and eats shellfish and crustaceans, including barnacles; they can be commonly seen around docks and even the bottoms of ships.

### Reptiles

**Canebrake Viper (*Agkistrodon striatus)***

Also known as Woolmouths for their characteristic pale mouth, the Canebrake Viper is a deadly venomous snake found in the freshwater parts of the swamps. It is venemous, and can easily kill a large humanoid. It eats mostly fish, as its genus name *Agkistrodon* means "fish-hook tooth". It is a dull grey-green color with stripes, and has a diamond-shaped head.

**Guojiang Weaseldragon (*Paraophidophysis musteloides*)**

One of the two dragons native to the swamps, the Weaseldragon makes its living hunting small prey. They locally prefer to hunt birds and lizards in the trees as opposed to on the ground.

**Lesser Wyvern (*Wyvernis communis*)**

The Lesser Wyvern, one of the most common small dragons of the world, is a not-uncommon sight in the swamps. They congregate around any patch of open ground they can find, and have a particular interest in eating freshwater turtles and clams. They use their fire breath to cook their prey alive and crack its shell.

**Short-Nosed Alligator (*Alligator brevirostris*)**

The largest reptiles in the swamps, the alligator is a fearsome predator. Often confused with dragons, alligators (and all other crocodilians) are their own group of reptiles- though they are related. Fully mature adults measure at around 5 meters in length; the largest reported individual was a 5.6 meter-long male found on Sheep's Key, in the northern end of the park.

**Western Hawk Turtle (*Buteochelys occidens*)**

A large sea turtle species, and the second-largest reptile in the park. It is an occasional visitor, living in the offshore regions. Females come to nest on the barrier islands of the park around early summer, and the eggs usually hatch in September or October. Occasionally seen in the bayou itself, they eat the seagrass and kelp abundant in the shallows.

### Birds

**Bunch Sparrow (*Passer fasciculum*)**

A common bird found across the world. It is found in the swamps as it is in many other parts of Rathnir and Eldham, eating seeds and falling prey to the falcons.

**Speckled Ibis (*Eudocimus canescens*)**

A common, long-billed bird with a diet of worms and subterranean arthropods. They can be seen in small groups, probing the sand and mud for their food. They have a splotched grey and white pattern, but juveniles are a distinct "woody" brown.

**Guojiang Cormorant (*Nannopterum littorum*)**

Also known as the Syltör Cormorant. This bird lives in the brackish and saltwater regions of the park. It is a poor flier, but an expert swimmer, and as such it almost exclusively eats fish. Some populations are tamed by local fishermen to help catch fish.

**Maerun Falcon (*Falco maerunensis*)**

The most common bird of prey in the world. The Maerun Falcon is actually native here, and is not introduced. They nest in the Junglewood trees, high above the swamps.

**Northern Egret (*Egretta syltora*)**

A small, white bird with a long neck. Its name comes from the Fornoisan word *aigrette*, a diminutive of *aigron*, "heron". It prefers to eat small fish, and hides in the mangroves away from larger birds.

**Black Osprey (*Pandion atratus)***

The Nir Swamps have some of the highest osprey population densities. The abundant fishes of the swamps allow these birds to exist in high numbers, and their calls can be heard from all corners of the wetlands.

**Red Spoonbill (*Platalea rubra*)**

The spoonbill is a bird that specializes in eating small crustaceans in the water column. As such, the pigments of its prey turn its feathers a bright pink- on other diets, the bird turns a snowy white.

**Western Tropical Booby (*Sula occidens*)**

A common piscivorous bird seen on the coasts. While they normally nest on rocks, in the Ha Anga region they prefer to nest in junglewood or cypress trees.

### Mammals

**Bottlenose Dolphin (*Turisops truncatus*)**

Found in the offshore regions of the park, dolphins occasionally use the shallow waters to hunt for fish and mollusks to eat. Some local pods have been seen using the inlets in the swamps to corral fish into a single spot for easy feeding.

**Forest Bat (*Silviopteryx communis*)**

The Forest Bat is Rathnir's most common microchiropteran. They feed on the abundant insects of the swamp at night.

**Hampo Fox (*Vulpes rufus hampoensis*)**

The most common canid in the swamps, the fox preys upon the abundant bird and rabbit population. As its name suggests, the fox's range extends far south into Hampo Province, as well as the rest of Nir and Tamaka.

**Kenard's Swamp Monkey (*Kenardopithecus angroviridis*)**

Kenard's Swamp Monkey has a wide distribution, from Najer to Aurlûnor. The monkeys eat nuts, mangrove propagules, and shellfish in the park, and occasionally harass travelers. There is an abandoned witch hut near the Big Orchid Inlet where a particularly infamous troop of monkeys live.

**Nir Cottontail (*Sylvilagus nirricus*)**

A common rabbit in the swamps, and the most common grazer in the park. They eat many of the grasses and forbs of the hammock floor.

**Swamp Sheep (*Ovis aceras hunshuiensis*)**

The Swamp Sheep is a now-extinct subspecies of sheep that once inhabited the northern swamps. It is the namesake of Sheep's Key. It had broad hooves to walk on the soft muddy ground of the swamp.

**White-Tailed Deer (*Odocoileus leuconurus*)**

The most common large mammal in the swamps. The deer here are on average much smaller than they are in the northern parts of their range, a demonstration of Bergmann's Rule in action. They are mostly browsers, feeding on trees and shrubs.

**Syltör Tiger (*Panthera tigris boreoccidens*)**

The largest mammalian predator on the continent. The Tiger is rare, but feared, and eats mostly deer and other large animals. Unlike most felids, it is quite at home in the water, and tigers often prey upon alligators.