The Aquaterra Aesthetic: Finding Beauty in Decay

Aquaterra is, at its core, an investigation into human resilience. Just because the world ended doesn’t mean style and beauty went with it. They simply had to adapt.

In this imagined world, everything is a little duller, a little more worn, a little more distressed — yet still strikingly beautiful. It’s the art of finding grace in the cracks, charm in the corrosion, and colour in the rust. Aquaterra celebrates that tension between survival and self-expression — because even in the ruins, people will find ways to make things beautiful.

Worldbuilding Through Ruins

Each of Aquaterra’s ten tribes has been tasked with building a location that centers on a signature battle. But these aren’t just battlegrounds — they’re living, breathing environments. Every tribe interprets their theme differently: some through mid-century salvage design, others through improvisation and humour.

The goal? To make spaces that are functional, inviting, creative… and achingly beautiful. The results are as diverse as they are unexpected — from floating arenas and rusted fairgrounds to neon-lit market docks and sun-bleached airfields.

A Post-Apocalyptic Palette

In Aquaterra’s mythology, the moon broke somewhere in the mid-century — a world that never quite made it past 1963. But unlike the dreary greys of most dystopias, this one has colour. Think Fallout’s playful melancholy: teal, mustard, rust orange, washed-out mint — a palette that somehow makes the end of the world look stylish.

It’s retro-futurism with a sense of humour. It’s humanity saying: “We may have lost the stars, but we’re keeping the jukebox.”

Retro, Refitted, Reborn

Aquaterra’s aesthetic is about retrofitting and reusing. It’s about ingenuity — taking what’s left and making it new again. That same spirit infuses fashion, architecture, and storytelling throughout the event.

To step into this world, imagine the 1950s and 60s gone rogue:

• High-waisted skirts and flight jackets repurposed with duct-tape seams

• Cat-eye sunglasses with cracked lenses

• Polished Oxfords scuffed from a long trek through the salt flats

• Pearls and pearls… rethreaded with fishing wire

Add a touch of grime, a dash of defiance, and perhaps an improvised weapon slung over your shoulder — and you’re perfectly Aquaterran.

(You might also enjoy reading our fashion feature: Fallout-Inspired Fashion: 7 Pre-War Subcultures Reborn in the Wasteland)

Beauty, Adapted

Aquaterra isn’t about despair. It’s about endurance — and the uniquely human need to keep creating, even after everything else falls apart. Because in the end, beauty doesn’t die. It just learns how to float.