Millions of years ago two universes collided (for more on the physics of
this, see the Physics Page).
This cataclysmic collision created a new universe, The Mushroom Zone,
where giant mutant mushrooms live (you should know this by now).
Instead of a typical universe, with planets and stars, The Mushroom Zone
is just a single upside down cone surrounded by atmosphere and clouds.
The "other side" is past the "horizon line", which is where the Mushroom
Zone land mass comes to a point. Gravity reverses at this point,
as the land mass (and all of its inhabitants) on the other side is made
of anti-matter. It is absolutely equal (in the sense that -4 is absolutely
equal to 4) and opposite to the "normal" side. The closer you get
to the horizon line, the more that gravity is tilted. At the horizon
line it is 90° different than at the surface. Also, once you
go above the surface, gravity tends to not pull you directly down.
The top of the cone is mostly covered by a sea (of Cream of Mushroom Soup)
that somehow doesn't fall off the edge. Mushrooms and humans do,
and many are smashed against the bottom of the cone by the strange gravitational
forces. In the center of the sea is a main land mass (called by humans
Mushroomia for no good reason) surrounded by a dozen or so small islands.
Clouds can be found anywhere above the surface.
The Mushroom Zone can be divided into four separate zones:
The clouds
are made of a strange anti-gravity material that draws power from the Mushroom
Zone light source (no one knows where that comes from, either). You
can indeed stand on them, and many mushroom buildings are built on top
of them, including at least one Mushroom Portal. Clouds easily absorb
energy, and will eventually explode if overloaded (with energy). This happens
when they are shot with any humans or mushroom energy weapon (desint-o-ray,
anti-human ray, etc.) They can also dispense small amounts of energy as
lightning. The clouds rain down Cream of Mushroom Soup that evaporated
from the ocean. Most humans trying to get into The Mushroom Zone die here
trying to get to the surface.
The land is made of a yet unknown material, though some have suggested
pure carbon dust. It is stable, without seismic activity, and most
of the mushrooms' buildings are here. There are lakes and rivers
(of Cream of Mushroom Soup) here and there, which all flow into the "sea"
which surrounds the main land mass of Mushroomia. Where do the rivers
flow from? Why, from the frozen Cream of Mushroom Soup in the mountains,
of course!
The Coastal Flood Zone is right near the sea, where the land ends in
actual sandy beaches. Of course, the sea is made of toxic Cream of
Mushroom Soup, so swimming is not encouraged. This zone extends about
4 miles from the coast. Nothing permanent is built here, because
huge floods occur, wiping out everything for miles along the coast.
Strange bits of non-mushroom fungus grow here after each flood. Eating
them (Johnson has tried a couple of times) is extremely deadly.
The Aquatic Zone is where the mushrooms evolved. Somehow, mushrooms
form in this strange sea of Cream of Mushroom Soup, which is replicated
in the Mush Room, where "civilized" mushrooms are born. Some mushrooms
still come from here, but the main population comes from the Mush Room.
It is horribly toxic to humans, but mushrooms don't seem to mind.
It used to be assumed that the Mushrooms were the supreme rulers of
The Mushroom Zone, but a breakthrough discovery a few years ago shattered
this theory. It is now believed that The Mushrooms were (and still are)
just an offshoot of a great mushroom dynasty in the distant past. Besides
them, there are also the Mushroom Gargoyles, horrible winged creatures
that terrorize the outer limits of The Mushroom Zone. No normal mushrooms
live here, but the Mushroom Gargoyles prey on the occasional cherry that
wanders into the outer limits. (We still have no idea how they eat, or
how the "normal" mushrooms eat either.)