The Bite

A long bay created by the collection of rivers flowing north to the Gold Coast from the vast fertile interior of north and central Eirghar. Protected from Lagnia the Tempest's fiercest storms and the great swells and icebergs of the Ledus, The Bite serves as a hub of transport and commerce year round. It's shores boast the largest populations of humans in the world, and some of the longest lasting cultures and civilizations despite the numerous calamities visited upon the region.
The Bite's extensive shore stretches along its over 100 mile penetration into the flat marshy plains, with the eastern and western banks between 4 and 10 miles apart. Not an especially deep bay, large vessels favor the central river channels, while smaller or shallowed hulled craft provide ferry services to the assortment of smaller ports. At its inner reaches the Geltin River of Eirghar's central plains empties into the Geltonas Lagoon, the only part of The Bite to regularly freeze over from shore to shore in winter. The Bite's widest point, and largest deepwater port of Gildenkaup, is in the Sangari sound where the Dykuma River drains the interior slopes of the Paivan Housh and Crown of the World mountains.
Many leaders have built their capitals along the calm waters of The Bite; from the ancient ogre emperor Ardrigan and his sucessors in Kesskolin along the bank of the Geltin and Geltonas in the south, to the many petty merchant kings of the Alliance of the Bite in the north, and King Sigebert Koopman of Gildenkaup in the east.
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Originally written for 2024 Summer Camp challenge, answering Location A NATURALLY SHELTERED PLACE