Orinilure Valley
| Orinilure Valley | |
|---|---|
| Image |  |
| Size | About 600 miles north to south and 100 miles east to west |
| Location | Between the Irere Mountains and the Orinilure Mountains |
| Realm | Orinilure |
| Borders On | Irere Mountains • Orinilure Mountains |
| Settlements | Hekut • Imish |
Introduction
The Orinilure Valley lies between the Irere Mountains and the Orinilure Mountains in Orinilure. It is about 600 miles long and 100 miles wide. Most of it is dry, open country, but six rivers cross it and end in Lake Heshinum, a salt lake at its center. The Himoja farm the land along the rivers, and their grain feeds much of Orinilure. The valley separates the two Oinien states, the Erden Monopoly to the west and the Orinilure Collective to the east.
Access
The valley is the only land route between the two ranges. Roads run from the tunnel mouths of each range to the river villages and meet near the House of Iriché. The Oinien, who are nearly blind and cannot bear the sun, rarely cross it themselves and rely on the Himoja and on hired foreigners on the surface.
Historical Significance
The Himoja have lived in the valley since the Age of Ascendance. When the first human settlers entered the ranges in 150 ME, the Himoja received them peacefully and came to farm for them.
The valley's farmland was the cause of the war of 626–633 ME between the Orinilure Collective and the Erden Monopoly. The treaty that ended the war set aside a small neutral zone beside the House of Iriché, between the Shebal and Hemom rivers. The Treaty Forts stand in it and are garrisoned by both states. No village lies inside the zone.
Cultural Significance
The House of Iriché, the Ascendant Spirit of desire and greed, stands on Lake Heshinum. The names of the lake and the rivers are Himoja.
Climate
The valley is arid. Temperatures are high by day and fall sharply after sunset, as there is little cloud. Away from the rivers there are few sources of water or shelter.
Notable features
Six rivers cross the valley, three rising in each range. From north to south, the Tohol, the Petut, and the Shebal flow from the Irere Mountains, and the Nakol, the Bemum, and the Hemom flow from the Orinilure Mountains. Each is about 60 miles long. All six end in Lake Heshinum, which has no outlet and is salt.
About 60,000 Himoja live in farming villages along the rivers. Two Himoja towns, Hekut and Imish, stand at road junctions on either side of the Treaty Forts.