The Baratre

Draining into Lake Mekub from the foothills of the Gafahraz and the Children of Aktar, the Baratre is of historic importance to the dwarves of those mountain lands. The valley carved by its passing contains the best farmland in Agbith, and the river itself connects the dwarven kingdom to the peoples of the Mekub. These days, the upriver sailing boats are often called "crusader-barges", as they deliver either troops or basic goods to the Agbithan crusaders.

Besides smaller trading outposts and villages, two major settlements sit on the banks of the Baratre. Guede is built in the delta, making use of the many natural harbors in the lake Mekub. Harhoun is built further up the valley, as far as most Makuubi trading barges are able to sail. To its great fortune, Harhoun has mostly been built up on the northwestern bank, and has been able to use the river for defense when the dragon threat has been at its most severe.

The Gafhi of the mountains have long used the Baratre to transport timber for sale, chopping trees in the mountains and floating them downriver. Irrigation channels are a common sight around the river's tributaries, both in the highlands and the lowlands, though in the valley many have been abandoned and washed away.

Geography

From the montane tributaries flowing down the Children of Aktar, the Baratre is fed by snowmelt from the highest peaks as well as the rain that flows down the mountains into the valley. Its tributaries too numerous to count, individually insignificant streams and underground channels drain into the Baratre. The river tends to gradually widen as it flows down the highlands into the eastern Mekubian plain, becoming a freshwater delta in Guede where it finally drains into the Mekub.

Fauna & Flora

The most recognizable creature in the river is the freshwater crocodile, a reptile found in many of the rivers draining in the Mekub. The apex predator of the river and its major tributaries, it preys primarily on turtles, fish, and other small reptiles. However, the crocodile is equally happy to prey on the baboons and ibex attempting to drink from the streams. In the lowland plains, the crocodile finds its match in the hippopotamus, the one creature drinking from the river that it cannot prey upon.

Though home to perch and catfish, fishing in the Baratre has not been common, as the Makuubi, Gafhi, and Thaner all rely more on herding and farming. In recent times, with the southeastern shores of the river highlands being under threat from the dragon's forces, farmland has been abandoned and fishing has increased to compensate.

The tributaries of the river feed much of the farmland in both the highlands and the lowlands of the Baratre's course, and the banks themselves are home to many flowers and bamboo-like grasses. Some of these plants are harvested particularly by highland Gafhi for various purposes.

Type

River