diff --git a/main.js b/main.js
index ab2eb08..cc9983e 100644
--- a/main.js
+++ b/main.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { P, O, ball, score, G, setupPoint } from './state.js';
 import { update, keyPressed, solveShot, inServeBox, inCourt, forceZombies } from './gameplay.js';
 import { fitViewport, render, proj } from './render.js';
 import { voice } from './audio.js';
-import { zombies, spawnZombie } from './zombies.js';
+import { zombies, spawnZombie, piles, gore, parts } from './zombies.js';
 import { cv } from './dom.js';
 import './input.js';
 
@@ -54,6 +54,6 @@ cv.addEventListener('pointerdown', e => {
 requestAnimationFrame(frame);
 
 // exposed for in-browser sanity checks and simulated playtests
-window.T = { TUNE, ball, P, O, score, G, zombies, spawnZombie, solveShot, inServeBox, inCourt, proj, setupPoint,
-  step: dt => update(dt), press: keyPressed,
+window.T = { TUNE, ball, P, O, score, G, zombies, spawnZombie, piles, gore, parts, solveShot, inServeBox, inCourt, proj, setupPoint,
+  step: dt => update(dt), render, press: keyPressed,
   get phase() { return G.phase; }, set phase(v) { G.phase = v; } };
diff --git a/render.js b/render.js
index a509adf..dceb271 100644
--- a/render.js
+++ b/render.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { cv, ctx } from './dom.js';
 import { TUNE, COURT, PLAYER_H, BOY_H, UMP_H, BOUNCE_IDLE, SPRITE_H } from './config.js';
 import { P, O, ball, score, crowd, G } from './state.js';
 import { predictLanding } from './gameplay.js';
-import { zombies, gore, parts } from './zombies.js';
+import { zombies, gore, piles, parts } from './zombies.js';
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------- palette ----
 // tennis palette -> drained splatter palette; the transition lerps between them
@@ -130,6 +130,42 @@ function drawRing(x, z, color) {
   ctx.beginPath(); ctx.ellipse(cx, cy, rx, ry, 0, 0, 7); ctx.stroke();
 }
 
+// gore piles: little 3D-ish mounds that accrete where kills cluster. Each pile's blobs are
+// seeded ONCE from p.seed (rebuilt only when it grows), so the pile never shimmers frame to
+// frame and drawing costs one proj() call — blob screen positions offset from that base.
+function mulberry32(a) {
+  return () => { a |= 0; a = a + 0x6D2B79F5 | 0;
+    let t = Math.imul(a ^ a >>> 15, 1 | a); t = t + Math.imul(t ^ t >>> 7, 61 | t) ^ t;
+    return ((t ^ t >>> 14) >>> 0) / 4294967296; };
+}
+const PILE_COLS = ['#6e1414', '#8c1212', '#4e0e0e', '#7a2a18'];
+function buildBlobs(pl) {
+  const rnd = mulberry32((pl.seed | 0) + 1), n = Math.round(6 + pl.size * 5);
+  pl.blobs = [];
+  for (let k = 0; k < n; k++) {
+    const ang = rnd() * 6.2832, rad = Math.sqrt(rnd()); // uniform over the disk
+    pl.blobs.push({ nx: Math.cos(ang) * rad, nz: Math.sin(ang) * rad,
+      lift: rnd(), pr: 1 + rnd() * 2, color: rnd() < 0.1 ? '#cfc9b0' : PILE_COLS[(rnd() * 4) | 0] });
+  }
+  pl.blobs.sort((a, b) => (b.nz - 1.25 * b.lift) - (a.nz - 1.25 * a.lift)); // back/low first, peak on top
+  pl.builtSize = pl.size;
+}
+function drawGorePile(pl) {
+  if (!pl.blobs || pl.size > pl.builtSize) buildBlobs(pl); // rebuild only on growth, never on the mop-shrink
+  const base = proj(pl.x, 0, pl.z), s = base.s, sz = pl.size;
+  for (const b of pl.blobs) {
+    const sx = base.x + b.nx * sz * 0.28 * s;
+    const sy = base.y + b.nz * sz * 0.28 * s * 0.4 - b.lift * sz * 0.14 * s; // depth squished onto ground; lift raises it
+    const r = Math.max(1.2, b.pr * s * 0.035);
+    ctx.fillStyle = b.color;
+    ctx.beginPath(); ctx.ellipse(sx, sy, r, Math.max(1, r * 0.72), 0, 0, 7); ctx.fill();
+  }
+}
+function drawPiles(near) { // split at the net like zombies so height occludes correctly
+  for (const pl of piles.filter(p => near ? p.z > COURT.netZ : p.z <= COURT.netZ).sort((a, b) => a.z - b.z))
+    drawGorePile(pl);
+}
+
 function drawChar(ch) {
   const receiverWaiting = G.phase === 'pretoss' && ch.side !== score.server && ch.pose === 'idle';
   const sway = receiverWaiting ? Math.sin(G.idleT * 3.2) : 0;
@@ -209,12 +245,13 @@ export function render() {
   line(0, COURT.svcFar, 0, COURT.svcNear, 1);
   line(0, 0, 0, 0.35, 1); line(0, COURT.L - 0.35, 0, COURT.L, 1); // center marks
 
-  // gore decals: what remains of the visiting team
+  // gore decals: what remains of the visiting team (flat ground layer, then far-side mounds)
   for (const d of gore) {
     const p = proj(d.x, 0, d.z);
     ctx.fillStyle = `rgba(140,18,18,${d.a})`;
     ctx.beginPath(); ctx.ellipse(p.x, p.y, p.s * d.r * 0.4, p.s * d.r * 0.16, 0, 0, 7); ctx.fill();
   }
+  drawPiles(false); // far-side piles (occluded by the net); near-side piles drawn after the net
 
   // landing rings: white = incoming ball, yellow/red = your shot (red lands out)
   if (G.phase === 'rally' && ball.active && ball.bounces === 0 && ball.lastHit === 'O') {
@@ -240,6 +277,7 @@ export function render() {
   ctx.strokeStyle = '#eeeeee'; ctx.lineWidth = 1.5;
   ctx.beginPath(); ctx.moveTo(nlt.x, nlt.y); ctx.lineTo(nrt.x, nrt.y); ctx.stroke();
   ctx.fillStyle = '#333'; ctx.fillRect(nl.x - 1, nlt.y, 2, nl.y - nlt.y); ctx.fillRect(nr.x - 1, nrt.y, 2, nr.y - nrt.y);
+  drawPiles(true); // near-side piles: after the net (they're closer), before the near actors
   if (G.boy && G.boy.z > COURT.netZ) drawBoy(G.boy);
   zombies.filter(zb => zb.z > COURT.netZ).sort((a, b) => a.z - b.z).forEach(drawZombie);
 
@@ -255,7 +293,7 @@ export function render() {
   // splatter particles
   for (const pt of parts) {
     const pp = proj(pt.x, pt.y, pt.z);
-    ctx.fillStyle = 'rgba(170,22,22,0.9)';
+    ctx.fillStyle = pt.dark ? 'rgba(96,14,14,0.9)' : 'rgba(170,22,22,0.9)';
     ctx.fillRect(pp.x | 0, pp.y | 0, 2, 2);
   }
   if (G.mode !== 'eaten') drawChar(P); // there is no P anymore
diff --git a/zombies.js b/zombies.js
index 6e89544..6d30078 100644
--- a/zombies.js
+++ b/zombies.js
@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@ import { splat, moan, pock, voice } from './audio.js';
 import { splatPoint, cheer } from './gameplay.js';
 
 export const zombies = []; // {x, z, v, walkT, variant: 'a'|'b'|'c'}
-export const gore = [];    // lawn decals {x, z, r, a}
-export const parts = [];   // splatter particles {x, y, z, vx, vy, vz, t}
+export const gore = [];    // lawn decals {x, z, r, a}  — the flat ground layer
+export const piles = [];   // 3D-ish gore mounds {x, z, size 1..4, seed} — grow where kills cluster
+export const parts = [];   // splatter particles {x, y, z, vx, vy, vz, t, dark}
 
 let spawnT = 1.5, moanT = 3;
 
@@ -25,11 +26,15 @@ function splatter(i) {
   ball.kills++;                   // this shot's running streak
   gore.push({ x: zb.x, z: zb.z, r: 0.45 + Math.random() * 0.35, a: 0.85 });
   if (gore.length > 40) gore.shift();
-  for (let k = 0; k < 14; k++) parts.push({
+  const pl = piles.find(p => Math.hypot(p.x - zb.x, p.z - zb.z) < 0.6); // stack up where kills cluster
+  if (pl) pl.size = Math.min(4, pl.size + 1);
+  else { piles.push({ x: zb.x, z: zb.z, size: 1, seed: Math.random() * 1e4, blobs: null, builtSize: 0 });
+         if (piles.length > 30) piles.shift(); }
+  for (let k = 0; k < 24; k++) { const dark = k >= 16; parts.push({ // ~1/3 dark & long-lived: settling gore
     x: zb.x, y: 0.9, z: zb.z,
     vx: (Math.random() * 2 - 1) * 3.5, vy: 1 + Math.random() * 3.5, vz: (Math.random() * 2 - 1) * 3.5,
-    t: 0.4 + Math.random() * 0.4,
-  });
+    t: dark ? 0.6 + Math.random() * 0.6 : 0.4 + Math.random() * 0.4, dark,
+  }); }
   splat();
   ball.vx *= TUNE.zPierce; ball.vz *= TUNE.zPierce; // keep enough pace to plow through the next
   sendBoy(zb.x, zb.z);            // a boy sprints out to mop
@@ -95,4 +100,9 @@ export function updateZombies(dt) {
     if (boy && Math.abs(boy.x - d.x) < 0.7 && Math.abs(boy.z - d.z) < 1.2) d.a -= dt * 1.6;
     if (d.a <= 0) gore.splice(i, 1);
   }
+  for (let i = piles.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) { // piles shave far slower than stains — net growth wins
+    const pl = piles[i];
+    if (boy && Math.abs(boy.x - pl.x) < 0.7 && Math.abs(boy.z - pl.z) < 1.2) pl.size -= dt * 0.25;
+    if (pl.size <= 0.3) piles.splice(i, 1);
+  }
 }