Stoneheart River

The waters filling the Stoneheart River begin their journey in the upper elevations of the mountain range bearing the same name. Rainfall and melting snow winds its way down the peaks and collects in the waterway bisecting a critical gap in central Akados. The water escaping the mountain tumbles in great falls and rapids until it calms down north of Bard’s Gate where it widens and deepens at a significantly slower pace. The river’s gentle demeanor facilitates the transportation of goods between Bard’s Gate and destinations along the Great Amrin River and distant seaports on the Sinnar Ocean. Despite its dimensions, engineers forded the river at the site of the great metropolis, giving the city mastery of the overland route connecting east and west as well as direct access to the Stoneheart River.
The river is navigable from Bard’s Gate until it reaches the northern edge of the Stoneheart Forest to the south where it narrows and transforms into shallow rapids again. Even the Riverfolk who were intimately familiar with the river’s hidden sandbars and unpredictable currents could not overcome a series of cataracts known as the Stoneheart Falls. To circumvent this daunting obstacle, city administrators expended tremendous financial resources and amounts of manpower to construct and maintain portages around this location. More recently, the dwarven engineer Karling constructed an ingenious boat-lift using hydraulic pressure harnessed from a massive waterwheel. Embraced wholeheartedly by the Riverfolk who initially resented it, this device known as Karling’s Contraption plucks the vessel completely out of the water and moves it past the cataracts to safety in a matter of minutes.
From here, the Stoneheart River widens to a breadth of one mile and deepens to 120 feet at its lowest point as it meanders a slow, dangerous path through the Stoneheart Forest. The trickiest and most perilous spot is a stinking morass known as Kayden’s Swamp. The patch of mosquito-infested wetland acquired its name from the archmage of questionable character who allegedly dwells in this forsaken realm. Travelers making their way through this uncompromising stretch of the waterway typically hug what passes for the eastern bank of the river to avoid becoming hopelessly lost among the stagnant bog waters and marshy islands convoluting the correct route through the clusters of trees, shrubs, and other aquatic vegetation. Crocodiles, giant frogs, and other horrors lurk in these secluded spots. Almost every ship negotiating these confusing waters hires a Riverfolk guide or pilot to safely lead their vessel through the confounding network of dead-ends. Despite these difficulties, the Stoneheart River remains a relatively safe and reliable means of transportation due in large part to the interests who benefit from the river trade.

Type

River