Rogs

Rogs are a fictional, semiaquatic amphibian native to the wetlands of the fictional world of Veridia. The name is onomatopoeic, derived from their distinctive two-note croak, described in field guides as the rog call. They range from small to medium size and inhabit marshy habitats rather than forests or deserts.

Rogs typically measure 15 to 25 centimeters in length, with a stout body, smooth damp skin, and webbed hind feet. They have a broad snout and a short, rounded head. Coloration varies from olive to brown with faint mottling that provides camouflage among reeds. Males develop a throat sac to amplify croaks during the breeding season.

They inhabit freshwater marshes, floodplains, and river deltas across Veridia's lowland wetlands, preferring emergent vegetation and muddy banks. They feed on aquatic invertebrates, small fish, seeds, and occasionally plant matter. When water is scarce, they retreat to damp burrows or moist hollows.

Rogs are primarily nocturnal and live in loose social groups called rafts. Communication relies on vocalizations, scent cues, and surface gestures. Breeding occurs in late spring; females lay eggs in floating vegetation or shallow ponds. Eggs hatch into aquatic larvae that metamorphose into juveniles within several weeks; juveniles reach maturity after one to two years.

In Veridian folklore, rogs symbolize resilience and elusive grace. They appear in regional art and poetry, and their croaks are used in stories and games, sometimes as environmental indicators of wetland health.