Graywash River

Fed by the countless tributaries tumbling off the northern slope of Mons Terminus, this waterway winds a circuitous path from Lost Boy Mountain toward the Tradeway followed by a sharp turn southeast where it ultimately converges with the Stoneheart River. The river, which is forded only near the Tradeway and a few other isolated locations for a lack of demand, predominately serves as a political boundary separating Bard’s Gate from the Duchy of Waymarch. Hill dwarves reside in the foothills overlooking the waterway; otherwise, large stretches of the Graywash are deserted or sparsely inhabited. The river derived its name from the high sediment content in the water undoubtedly accumulated during the opening foray of its mountainous journey. The mineral concentration keeps fish populations low and gives the water a foul taste that discourages humanoids from settling around its banks. Some prospectors pan for gold and other precious metals in the shallow waters near Lost Boy Mountain. The occasional discovery of a large nugget of gold or copper sparks moderate interest in the river, but the enthusiasm soon wanes when the lucky strike turns out to be an anomaly. Local legends claim a rare species of fish acclimated to the conditions in the Graywash River roots out and eats metal fragments found on the riverbed. Because the fish cannot digest the particles, the material accumulates in its digestive tract. To date, only two specimens of this unusual carp known as the shiny carp have ever been caught and examined. Each contained several ounces of gold and copper in its distended belly.

Type

River