Delmora
| Delmora | |
|---|---|
| Image |  |
| Spirit | Naithis |
| Native Races | Ruvin • Odrak |
Introduction
Delmora is a realm defined by its rivers, where flowing water carves through fertile plains. 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.
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, 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 Odrak 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 [[[Niseth Range]] in the west and the other from the Northern White Mountains, 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 Odrak 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.
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.
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.
Notable settlements
Delmora’s major cities are strategically positioned along its river systems and the Great Lake, serving as centers of trade, governance, and spiritual practice. These cities are built to endure the cycles of flood and drought, shaped by a deep understanding of the land’s hydrology.
- Kelmarin – The capital of the Ruvin, situated at the confluence of the Twin Rivers. It is the largest and most economically influential city in Delmora, renowned for its guildhalls, waterworks, and role as the realm’s political center.
- Braskir’s Hold – A fortified dam-city overseeing the outflow into the Great Lake. It functions as both a hydraulic control point and a military stronghold, balancing flood regulation with regional defense.
- Zelmari Wharf – A bustling river city famous for its shipyards and floating markets. It serves as a cultural crossroads between Ruvin engineers and traders from surrounding realms.
- Varul’Kai – The capital of the Ulshari, a semi-submerged city built within the Great Lake. Known for its underwater halls, submerged temples, and the Sunken Archives, it is the spiritual heart of Ulshari civilization.
- Kel’Ruun – A nomadic raft-city of the Ulshari that drifts across the lake with the seasons. It embodies the values of mobility, reflection, and adaptation, hosting trade delegations and spiritual ceremonies.
- Mara’s Reach - Mara’s Reach is Delmora’s southernmost city and its primary seaport, where the inland riverways meet the ocean. Mara’s Reach is a fortified delta-city, resting on an artificial foundation of sunken stone platforms and canal locks. It operates as Delmora’s maritime gateway, funneling riverborne goods into international trade routes.