Fertile Lands
The dark volcanic soil of The Great Plateau, when fed by broad rivers flowing across it, makes for extremely fertile land. Add to this land a culture of people with a disposition towards tilling the soil and watching the world move at a slow, bucolic pace, and the result is an entire region full of incredibly productive and richly diverse farmland producing food and fiber for a significant population.
Geography
The Fertile Lands lay astride the center of the Great Plateau, sitting atop some of the richest soil on the continent (only the Shifting Jungle is as fertile but is not suited for farming - for obvious reasons). The land is mostly flat, with occasional rolling hills, that naturally grows as a vast grassland. Much of that grassland, though, has been turned into well-ordered farmland. Flowing through this land is the broad Lasair River, fed by a trio of tributaries bringing water from across the plateau before crashing over a towering waterfall to the City-States Region below.Farmland
Farms within the Fertile Lands are extremely diverse, with Halfling families largely growing what their family has traditionally grown for centuries. Occasionally a shift in fashion or a culinary discovery will lead to a farm changing what it grows but this often brings along with it (good-natured) scandal among the community. The richest farms of all lay primarily within the delta formed by the confluence of the Lasair River's tributary, though this is sometimes overridden by the tendency of that area to flood during particularly wet years. The major reason for crops being very slow to change (besides halfling traditionalism) is that the conditions across the Fertile Lands have remained largely steady. Some areas (as noted above) do have a tendency to flood, but in those areas crops are simply chosen which grow well under such wet conditions. Similarly, water-needy crops grow closer to the river - the stretch of the river closest to Teneara's river docks are famous for the orchards which surround them - and less thirsty crops thrive in farms further away. Irrigation channels are set up, using the flow of the river itself (supplemented by pumps created by artificer Mages) to push water inland and providing water for several miles away from the river. Common crops include grains, fruits, and vegetables of various kinds, as well as fiber-producing plants which provide base ingredients for clothing and industrial applications.Transportation
One of the primary concerns of such a farm-heavy region is that of transporting crops to their market. While a small network of roads exists within the area, this mostly serves to spread food to the local community. For transport of the masses of crops during each harvest season, the river itself becomes the vehicle. Barges are loaded up with crops at docks all along the river before being guided downstream by pilots standing atop them with enormous poles to keep them from running aground. These barges make their way to the huge docks built around the city of Teneara, where the food is unloaded into warehouses in preparation for being lowered down the lifts that carry good between Teneara and Mytos (and thus between the Plateau and the City-States. The barges are pulled back up the river after delivering their goods by teams of tame Hornbeasts, guided by the same pilots that shepherded the barges downstream. When coming back, the barges are often loaded with goods from the City-States - especially clothing, tools, and other important supplies.People
The Fertile Lands are considered by the population of the City-States Region to be quiet, boring, and backwards. To the population of the Fertile Lands, the area is perfectly pastoral. The population of the region is almost entirely made up of Halflings, who find the pace of life provided by following the slow march of seasons to be a perfect fit for their dispositions. A small scattering of other sentients from the area can be found living among them, drawn to the region either by a desire for that same quiet pace, or a desire to escape from some bad happening elsewhere. To the halflings, anybody is welcome as long as they contribute to the community - regardless of one's past. The only thing they do not abide is a desire for rapid change - those looking to become wealthy through introducing some new farming scheme or selling miraculous devices will not find a welcome audience. The halflings' communities are scattered across the farmland, dotting the landscape as small collections of homes, silos, and barns. Spread out even more are the occasional larger towns, where farmers tend to travel to purchase tools and supplies, as well as to coordinate for movement of crops during harvest. While the small towns consist of maybe a handful of families who tend to the surrounding farms, the larger towns may have as many as a few hundred people living or working there at a given time. These larger towns will tend to be a little bit busier - there is often music of some sort being played and excellent food and drink being served - as the halflings do enjoy the pleasures that come from being around others. Some of the larger towns, when located to the south, will have a somewhat sterner disposition - as well as wooden palisades and even an active militia - due to the bands of Centaurs who will sometimes raid the southern farms.Cities
Only one true city exists within the Fertile Lands - Teneara - a sprawling complex of warehouses and docks. Built on the shore of an artificial lake dug out from the sides of the river, the city serves primarily to warehouse crops and goods before (and after) they go up/down the giant lifts that connect the plateau with the lowlands below. Other than Teneara, settlements of various sizes dot the shores of the river, as noted above.
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