Delmora: Difference between revisions

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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.

~~== Histor ==~~

== 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 ==

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Line 81:

*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.

|Climate=Delmora experiences a temperate and river-driven climate, shaped less by temperature fluctuations and more by seasonal changes in water flow. Its weather patterns are closely tied to the rhythms of the rivers and the influence of the Great Lake, resulting in a cycle of flood, drought, and mist that defines life across the realm.

* '''Spring Floods''' – As snowmelt from the Anvil Range and Northern Highlands pours into the river systems, Delmora experiences widespread flooding. These floods are both destructive and regenerative, enriching the soil and realigning the landscape. Settlements near the rivers are built to withstand and adapt to this seasonal overflow.

* '''The Dry Season (Late Summer to Autumn)''' – Water levels recede, revealing fertile riverbanks and previously submerged ruins. This period is ideal for construction, travel, and harvest, and marks the peak of trade activity throughout the realm.

* '''Lake Mists (Winter)''' – Thick mists roll across the Great Lake and its surrounding wetlands, reducing visibility and transforming the landscape into a realm of echoes and shadow. These conditions are viewed as spiritually potent by the Ulshari, and many rituals are performed during the mist season.

Delmora’s relatively mild temperatures and ample freshwater support a wide range of flora and fauna, but its people remain highly attuned to the unpredictability of water—a force that can nurture or erase with equal ease.

|Flora and Fauna=Delmora’s fertile plains, floodplains, and inland lake support a diverse and adaptive ecosystem. Life here is shaped by the movement of water—plants must endure submersion or drought, and animals follow migratory paths guided by seasonal flow.

==== Flora ====

*Rivergrass – A versatile crop cultivated along floodplains, used for food, fabric, and building material. It regenerates quickly after floods and is central to Delmoran agriculture.

*Blooming Lotus – A symbolic aquatic flower, often associated with Naithis, the Spirit of Renewal. Its petals are harvested for ritual teas and medicinal salves.

*Verdant Willow – Towering, root-deep trees lining riverbanks, known for preventing erosion and providing shade for river settlements. Their bark is used in crafting and water filtration.

==== Fauna ====

*Silverback Sturgeon – Massive, long-lived fish that inhabit the deeper channels of the rivers and lake. Revered by both Ruvin and Ulshari as a symbol of endurance.

*Mist Heron – A long-legged bird that migrates along the waterways, often appearing in myths and folklore. They are believed to carry omens in their flight patterns.

*Fen Serpent – Elusive aquatic reptiles said to dwell in the lakebed trenches. Though rarely seen, stories of their size and intelligence have persisted for centuries.

|Inhabitants=Delmora is inhabited primarily by two distinct sophant species, each shaped by their environment and relationship with water.

* '''The Ruvin''' – Semi-aquatic engineers and riverfolk, the Ruvin are known for their guild-based societies and mastery of hydraulic construction. They build their cities along the rivers, managing flood cycles through canals, levees, and artificial islands. Practical and adaptable, Ruvin culture centers on craftsmanship, cooperation, and reverence for the river’s memory.

* '''The Ulshari''' – Tall, lake-dwelling sophants who thrive in the still waters of the Great Lake. Ulshari civilization is rooted in patience and preservation, with submerged cities and stone temples designed to endure through ages. Their society values memory, silence, and the unbroken passage of time, storing history not in books but in underwater monuments known as the Sunken Archives.

While both peoples share spiritual reverence for water and its cycles, the Ruvin tend to shape and guide the flow of the rivers, whereas the Ulshari endure within it, allowing time to carve its own legacy.

|Native Spirits=The spirits of Delmora are closely tied to the flow of water and the cycles of flood, growth, erosion, and memory. Many are believed to dwell in rivers, springs, rainstorms, or the hidden depths of the Great Lake. They are invoked by both Ruvin and Ulshari communities for guidance, protection, and renewal.

=== Nascent Spirits ===

* '''Driftlings''' – Minor river spirits found in streams and tributaries. Often seen as playful or mischievous, they are said to guide children and lost travelers along safe paths.

* '''Mistwhirls''' – Faint spirits of morning fog, particularly near the lake. They are believed to echo lost thoughts or warnings, and are treated with quiet respect by Ulshari shamans.

=== Mature Spirits ===

* '''The Rivermind''' – A collective spirit formed from the convergence of many streams into one river. It is invoked during rites of irrigation, healing, or remembrance.

* '''Taarith the Leveler''' – A spirit of erosion and balance, revered by the Ruvin as both a bringer of floods and a corrector of excess. Offerings are made to Taarith before major construction or during river redirection.

=== Ancestral Spirits ===

* '''Naithis''' – The [[ancestral Spirit]] of Renewal, regarded by both Ruvin and Ulshari as the soul of Delmora. Naithis is not worshipped as a distant deity but engaged with through ceremony, craft, and observation of the water’s will.

* '''The Drowned Oracle''' – A legendary spirit said to dwell in the trenches beneath the Great Lake. Believed to have once been a prophet who chose to sink into silence, the Oracle is consulted by Ulshari Depthkeepers for visions during times of crisis.

|Factions=Delmoran society is organized not through centralized kingdoms but through interlinked guilds, councils, and spiritual orders. These factions manage trade, infrastructure, law, and the spiritual balance of the land.

=== The Ruvin Guildhouses ===

he Ruvin govern through a meritocratic system of guilds, each focused on a different discipline. While they often cooperate, competition for prestige and contracts is common.

* '''The Leveeguard Guild''' – Engineers responsible for flood defense, canal maintenance, and the expansion of river infrastructure. Their influence is strongest in Kelmarin and the River-Towns.

* '''The Stoneflow Compact''' – A trade consortium of artisans, timberwrights, and masons who manage the economic backbone of Delmoran cities.

* '''The Circle of Flood-Seers''' – A spiritual-technological guild that interprets river patterns and advises major construction projects. They are seen as mediators between Naithis’s will and mortal ambition.

=== The Ulshari Orders ===

The Ulshari operate under a more decentralized, tradition-bound structure, with authority rooted in age, memory, and spiritual proximity to the lake.

* '''The Depthkeepers''' – Custodians of the Sunken Archives and oral history. They guide political and spiritual decisions and are consulted during moments of social transition.

* '''The Stoneguard''' – Ulshari defenders trained in passive resistance and terrain manipulation. While few in number, they serve as the lake’s last defense.

* '''The Keepers of Stillness''' – A reclusive sect that maintains submerged temples and rituals of silence. They are known for long retreats and meditation within the lake’s depths.

While the Ruvin and Ulshari maintain distinct societal models, they frequently collaborate on trade, flood management, and spiritual ceremonies during seasonal transitions.

|Notable Settlements=Delmora’s cities and towns follow the rivers and lakes, forming a network of waterborne civilization. Most are constructed with flood-resilient architecture, and many settlements blend into the terrain to avoid disrupting the river’s course. River settlements emphasize trade and engineering, while lake settlements reflect spiritual depth and endurance.

==== River Settlements (Primarily Ruvin) ====

*Kelmarin – The capital city, located at the confluence of the Twin Rivers. It serves as the administrative and economic center of the Ruvin, renowned for its grand levees, tiered causeways, and guildhalls carved into stone embankments.

*Braskir’s Hold – A fortified dam-city controlling river flow into the Great Lake. It balances defense and hydraulic management, often compared to a fortress and a floodgate in one.

*Zelmari Wharf – A mid-river trade town famous for shipbuilding and flood-resistant architecture. Known for its floating markets and river-carved sculpture halls.

*Toravin’s Mouth – A twin-settlement built on either side of a major river fork, with rotating bridges and ferries connecting the two districts.

*Meveth’s Rise – A hilltown near the river’s northern origins, known for its observation towers and cold-resistant agriculture.

*Halveret Cross – A key crossing where several trade routes converge over a wide floodplain, protected by Ruvin aqueducts and watchtowers.

===Lake Settlements (Primarily Ulshari)===

*Varul’Kai – The Ulshari capital, a semi-submerged city where only the stone domes of temples and watchtowers rise above the lake. Its foundations descend into a labyrinth of sacred halls and hidden archives.

*Kel’Ruun – A nomadic Ulshari raft-city that drifts seasonally along the northern edge of the lake. Its reed architecture shifts with the waters.

*The Archive Depths – A spiritual site rather than a conventional settlement, it houses the submerged stone obelisks of the Sunken Library.

*Ulmari’s Lantern – A lighthouse temple near the lake’s southern reaches, guiding spiritual pilgrims and weathering the mists of winter.

*Rasthir Hollow – A smaller, crescent-shaped settlement near the lake’s western bank, known for water gardens and bioluminescent algae farming.

With thousands of miles of river and the vastness of the Great Lake, numerous smaller fishing villages, ferry outposts, spiritual retreats, and agricultural enclaves dot the waterways, forming the connective tissue of Delmoran society.

}}

[[Category:Delmora]]

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 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.
-== Histor ==
 == 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 ==
@@ Line 95: / Line 81: @@
 *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.
+|Climate=Delmora experiences a temperate and river-driven climate, shaped less by temperature fluctuations and more by seasonal changes in water flow. Its weather patterns are closely tied to the rhythms of the rivers and the influence of the Great Lake, resulting in a cycle of flood, drought, and mist that defines life across the realm.
+* '''Spring Floods''' – As snowmelt from the Anvil Range and Northern Highlands pours into the river systems, Delmora experiences widespread flooding. These floods are both destructive and regenerative, enriching the soil and realigning the landscape. Settlements near the rivers are built to withstand and adapt to this seasonal overflow.
+* '''The Dry Season (Late Summer to Autumn)''' – Water levels recede, revealing fertile riverbanks and previously submerged ruins. This period is ideal for construction, travel, and harvest, and marks the peak of trade activity throughout the realm.
+* '''Lake Mists (Winter)''' – Thick mists roll across the Great Lake and its surrounding wetlands, reducing visibility and transforming the landscape into a realm of echoes and shadow. These conditions are viewed as spiritually potent by the Ulshari, and many rituals are performed during the mist season.
+Delmora’s relatively mild temperatures and ample freshwater support a wide range of flora and fauna, but its people remain highly attuned to the unpredictability of water—a force that can nurture or erase with equal ease.
+|Flora and Fauna=Delmora’s fertile plains, floodplains, and inland lake support a diverse and adaptive ecosystem. Life here is shaped by the movement of water—plants must endure submersion or drought, and animals follow migratory paths guided by seasonal flow.
+==== Flora ====
+*Rivergrass – A versatile crop cultivated along floodplains, used for food, fabric, and building material. It regenerates quickly after floods and is central to Delmoran agriculture.
+*Blooming Lotus – A symbolic aquatic flower, often associated with Naithis, the Spirit of Renewal. Its petals are harvested for ritual teas and medicinal salves.
+*Verdant Willow – Towering, root-deep trees lining riverbanks, known for preventing erosion and providing shade for river settlements. Their bark is used in crafting and water filtration.
+==== Fauna ====
+*Silverback Sturgeon – Massive, long-lived fish that inhabit the deeper channels of the rivers and lake. Revered by both Ruvin and Ulshari as a symbol of endurance.
+*Mist Heron – A long-legged bird that migrates along the waterways, often appearing in myths and folklore. They are believed to carry omens in their flight patterns.
+*Fen Serpent – Elusive aquatic reptiles said to dwell in the lakebed trenches. Though rarely seen, stories of their size and intelligence have persisted for centuries.
+|Inhabitants=Delmora is inhabited primarily by two distinct sophant species, each shaped by their environment and relationship with water.
+* '''The Ruvin''' – Semi-aquatic engineers and riverfolk, the Ruvin are known for their guild-based societies and mastery of hydraulic construction. They build their cities along the rivers, managing flood cycles through canals, levees, and artificial islands. Practical and adaptable, Ruvin culture centers on craftsmanship, cooperation, and reverence for the river’s memory.
+* '''The Ulshari''' – Tall, lake-dwelling sophants who thrive in the still waters of the Great Lake. Ulshari civilization is rooted in patience and preservation, with submerged cities and stone temples designed to endure through ages. Their society values memory, silence, and the unbroken passage of time, storing history not in books but in underwater monuments known as the Sunken Archives.
+While both peoples share spiritual reverence for water and its cycles, the Ruvin tend to shape and guide the flow of the rivers, whereas the Ulshari endure within it, allowing time to carve its own legacy.
+|Native Spirits=The spirits of Delmora are closely tied to the flow of water and the cycles of flood, growth, erosion, and memory. Many are believed to dwell in rivers, springs, rainstorms, or the hidden depths of the Great Lake. They are invoked by both Ruvin and Ulshari communities for guidance, protection, and renewal.
+=== Nascent Spirits ===
+* '''Driftlings''' – Minor river spirits found in streams and tributaries. Often seen as playful or mischievous, they are said to guide children and lost travelers along safe paths.
+* '''Mistwhirls''' – Faint spirits of morning fog, particularly near the lake. They are believed to echo lost thoughts or warnings, and are treated with quiet respect by Ulshari shamans.
+=== Mature Spirits ===
+* '''The Rivermind''' – A collective spirit formed from the convergence of many streams into one river. It is invoked during rites of irrigation, healing, or remembrance.
+* '''Taarith the Leveler''' – A spirit of erosion and balance, revered by the Ruvin as both a bringer of floods and a corrector of excess. Offerings are made to Taarith before major construction or during river redirection.
+=== Ancestral Spirits ===
+* '''Naithis''' – The [[ancestral Spirit]] of Renewal, regarded by both Ruvin and Ulshari as the soul of Delmora. Naithis is not worshipped as a distant deity but engaged with through ceremony, craft, and observation of the water’s will.
+* '''The Drowned Oracle''' – A legendary spirit said to dwell in the trenches beneath the Great Lake. Believed to have once been a prophet who chose to sink into silence, the Oracle is consulted by Ulshari Depthkeepers for visions during times of crisis.
+|Factions=Delmoran society is organized not through centralized kingdoms but through interlinked guilds, councils, and spiritual orders. These factions manage trade, infrastructure, law, and the spiritual balance of the land.
+=== The Ruvin Guildhouses ===
+he Ruvin govern through a meritocratic system of guilds, each focused on a different discipline. While they often cooperate, competition for prestige and contracts is common.
+* '''The Leveeguard Guild''' – Engineers responsible for flood defense, canal maintenance, and the expansion of river infrastructure. Their influence is strongest in Kelmarin and the River-Towns.
+* '''The Stoneflow Compact''' – A trade consortium of artisans, timberwrights, and masons who manage the economic backbone of Delmoran cities.
+* '''The Circle of Flood-Seers''' – A spiritual-technological guild that interprets river patterns and advises major construction projects. They are seen as mediators between Naithis’s will and mortal ambition.
+=== The Ulshari Orders ===
+The Ulshari operate under a more decentralized, tradition-bound structure, with authority rooted in age, memory, and spiritual proximity to the lake.
+* '''The Depthkeepers''' – Custodians of the Sunken Archives and oral history. They guide political and spiritual decisions and are consulted during moments of social transition.
+* '''The Stoneguard''' – Ulshari defenders trained in passive resistance and terrain manipulation. While few in number, they serve as the lake’s last defense.
+* '''The Keepers of Stillness''' – A reclusive sect that maintains submerged temples and rituals of silence. They are known for long retreats and meditation within the lake’s depths.
+While the Ruvin and Ulshari maintain distinct societal models, they frequently collaborate on trade, flood management, and spiritual ceremonies during seasonal transitions.
+|Notable Settlements=Delmora’s cities and towns follow the rivers and lakes, forming a network of waterborne civilization. Most are constructed with flood-resilient architecture, and many settlements blend into the terrain to avoid disrupting the river’s course. River settlements emphasize trade and engineering, while lake settlements reflect spiritual depth and endurance.
+==== River Settlements (Primarily Ruvin) ====
+*Kelmarin – The capital city, located at the confluence of the Twin Rivers. It serves as the administrative and economic center of the Ruvin, renowned for its grand levees, tiered causeways, and guildhalls carved into stone embankments.
+*Braskir’s Hold – A fortified dam-city controlling river flow into the Great Lake. It balances defense and hydraulic management, often compared to a fortress and a floodgate in one.
+*Zelmari Wharf – A mid-river trade town famous for shipbuilding and flood-resistant architecture. Known for its floating markets and river-carved sculpture halls.
+*Toravin’s Mouth – A twin-settlement built on either side of a major river fork, with rotating bridges and ferries connecting the two districts.
+*Meveth’s Rise – A hilltown near the river’s northern origins, known for its observation towers and cold-resistant agriculture.
+*Halveret Cross – A key crossing where several trade routes converge over a wide floodplain, protected by Ruvin aqueducts and watchtowers.
+===Lake Settlements (Primarily Ulshari)===
+*Varul’Kai – The Ulshari capital, a semi-submerged city where only the stone domes of temples and watchtowers rise above the lake. Its foundations descend into a labyrinth of sacred halls and hidden archives.
+*Kel’Ruun – A nomadic Ulshari raft-city that drifts seasonally along the northern edge of the lake. Its reed architecture shifts with the waters.
+*The Archive Depths – A spiritual site rather than a conventional settlement, it houses the submerged stone obelisks of the Sunken Library.
+*Ulmari’s Lantern – A lighthouse temple near the lake’s southern reaches, guiding spiritual pilgrims and weathering the mists of winter.
+*Rasthir Hollow – A smaller, crescent-shaped settlement near the lake’s western bank, known for water gardens and bioluminescent algae farming.
+With thousands of miles of river and the vastness of the Great Lake, numerous smaller fishing villages, ferry outposts, spiritual retreats, and agricultural enclaves dot the waterways, forming the connective tissue of Delmoran society.
 }}
 [[Category:Delmora]]