Delmora

Delmora
Spirit	Naithis
Significance	A land of renewal and prosperity • where rivers carve the destiny of nations.

Delmora is a realm defined by its rivers, where flowing water carves through fertile plains, valley systems, and ancient landscapes. It is a land shaped by renewal, in which seasonal floods restore the soil, and the rhythms of water dictate patterns of trade, agriculture, and settlement.

Prosperity in Delmora is closely tied to adaptability. Its inhabitants—whether river-dwelling or lake-bound—have long embraced the flow of change, understanding that to endure is to follow the current, not resist it. The river is not only a source of life, but a guide, a memory, and a power in its own right.

Geography

Delmora is dominated by a vast river network flowing from highland and mountain sources. Its major geographic features include:

• The Twin Rivers – Two major rivers, one originating in the Anvil Range to the west, the other from the Northern Highlands. They converge at the realm’s heart, sustaining its largest cities.
• The Anvil Range – Delmora’s western border, supplying glacial meltwater and minerals.
• The Northern Highlands – Forested and rugged, home to untamed tributaries.
• The Southern Spur – A mountainous southern barrier that separates Delmora from the harsher realms beyond.
• The Great Lake of the East – A vast inland lake supporting independent lake-dwelling cultures and trade routes.

Climate

Delmora experiences a temperate climate regulated by its river systems. Seasonal change is defined not just by temperature, but by the behavior of the waters:

• Spring Floods – Meltwater from the mountains causes river swelling, enriching the floodplains.
• The Dry Season (Late Summer–Autumn) – Water levels drop, exposing additional farmland and ancient structures.
• Lake Mists (Winter) – Thick fogs roll across the Great Lake, giving rise to legends and reported disappearances.

Flora and Fauna

Delmora’s biodiversity is concentrated along its waterways, floodplains, and lakeshores.

Flora

• Rivergrass – A dual-use crop grown during floods, valued for sustenance and woven textiles.
• Blooming Lotus – A rare flower associated with Naithis, said to open only under moonlight.
• Verdant Willow – Deep-rooted trees that anchor the riverbanks and serve as habitats for birds and amphibians.

Fauna

• Silverback Sturgeon – Large, long-lived fish revered by many Delmorans.
• Mist Herons – Migratory birds considered omens; often depicted in spiritual iconography.
• Fen Serpents – Rare aquatic predators found in the lake's depths, central to several lakeborn myths.

Inhabitants

Delmora is home to:

• Ruvin – River-folk known for their agricultural and spiritual practices tied to seasonal cycles.
• Ulshari – Waterbound artisans and scholars who navigate both river and lake cultures.

Notable Settlements

Most of Delmora’s settlements lie along rivers or the lake coast:

• [Capital City] – Located at the confluence of the Twin Rivers, serving as Delmora’s cultural and economic capital.
• River-Towns – A network of settlements along the Twin Rivers, thriving on trade, fishing, and seasonal farming.
• Lake-Cities – Independent-minded communities along the eastern lake, influenced by maritime traditions and lake lore.

Cultural Significance

Water is central to Delmoran identity, economy, and belief. It is treated not only as a resource, but as a force with memory, intent, and spiritual agency.

• “The River Remembers” – A saying that reflects the belief that all who pass through the waters are remembered.
• Flood Priests and Water Seers – Spiritual leaders who interpret changes in water level and current as signs from Naithis.
• Maritime Distinction – The lakeborn identify as a distinct cultural group, with different customs, ships, and interpretations of Naithis’s will.
• Trade and Navigation – Boats and barges are more common than horses, with river routes shaping economic patterns.

Mythology and Legends

Delmora’s myths revolve around the agency of water, its memory, and its capacity for transformation.

• The Eternal Currents – A belief that the rivers of Delmora do not end, but loop endlessly, carrying voices of the dead.
• The Drowned Oracle – A prophetic figure said to have vanished beneath the river, yet continues to whisper to those who listen.
• The Sunken Cities – Legends tell of an ancient civilization submerged beneath the Great Lake, a warning to those who would defy the river’s will.

History

The history of Delmora is inseparable from its rivers. Early civilizations emerged along their banks, where fertile floodplains enabled agriculture and sustained the first permanent settlements. Over time, rivers became trade routes and spiritual conduits, linking communities across the realm and facilitating the exchange of goods, knowledge, and traditions.

The Ruvin were among the earliest engineers of Delmora, transforming the waterways into structured networks of canals, levees, and irrigation systems. In contrast, the Ulshari developed a more reserved and enduring culture along the Great Lake, building stone cities that withstood both flood and time.

Archaeological evidence and submerged ruins suggest the existence of older, possibly pre-Ruvin cultures now lost beneath the lake and river deltas. Whether these civilizations were destroyed by floods or gradually absorbed into later societies remains the subject of both scholarship and myth.

Geography

Delmora is a land defined by water, where rivers and lakes shape not only the terrain but the lives of its inhabitants. The region’s most prominent geographic feature is its twin river systems, which converge near the realm’s center before flowing eastward into the Great Lake. These waterways form the foundation of Delmora’s economy, ecology, and settlement patterns.

Major Geographic Features

• The Twin Rivers – Two major rivers, one descending from the Anvil Range in the west and the other from the Northern Highlands, intersect near the heart of Delmora. Their confluence is a hub of agriculture, trade, and governance, and is home to the Ruvin capital of Kelmarin.

• The Great Lake – A vast inland freshwater body, bordered by Ulshari settlements. Its fog-covered surface conceals submerged cities and spiritual monuments. The lake serves as a cultural and spiritual counterbalance to the rivers, emphasizing stillness and depth over motion.

• The Anvil Range – Towering mountains along the western border, providing glacial meltwater to feed the western river. Mineral-rich and sparsely inhabited, it forms a natural barrier with the highlands beyond.

• The Northern Highlands – A forested, rugged region that gives rise to the northern river. Less developed than the lowlands, the highlands are home to smaller Ruvin enclaves and untamed tributaries.

• The Southern Spur – A series of low mountains and hills that separate Delmora from the harsher regions to the south. It functions as a buffer, protecting the heartlands from external threats and climatic extremes.