Agrona River

Agrona River by tumblr user @thewatchau

Location of the Agrona River in Duilintinn by tumblr user @thewatchau

The Agrona River originates from the same source as the Pa’Gille River on the southern slopes of the Northern Mountains, before a large rock formation on the mountainside splits the water into two separate streams, sending the Pa’Gille to the east and the Agrona to the southwest. Its path runs through the Monaidh Plains of Duilintinn along the edge of the Draoidh Valley, but does not dip into the valley itself until it reaches the foothills of the Southern Mountains, at which point it dips west and flows into Loch Glas.

The river also marks the border between House Marvin and House Jackie.

## Name Origin

The Agrona River is named after a legendary water horse of the same name. As the story goes, long ago, a young mortal boy was given a quest to destroy the giants that walked the land. He was aided in this endeavor by a member of the Fae Folk who took the form of a water horse named Agrona. However, the boy called her “Agro” for short. A streak of light from the boy’s sword marked Agro’s path, and she followed the brightness toward the next creature, bringing death and slaughter with her in the form of the mortal on her back. When the boy died, Agro used her abilities as a Fae to bring him back as a changeling with small horns.

The Agrona River was named after this legendary member of the Fae as a gesture of acknowledgement towards the Fae Realm and its heavy influence over the Feadhainn Valley, particularly in the Western Forest and Draoidh Valley to the west of the river. Additionally, naming the river after a being that took an equestrian form also indirectly references the large groups of mortal wild horses that populate the Monaidh Plains on the river’s eastern side.

## History

The Agrona River originally flowed directly from the Northern Mountains into the Draoidh Valley. However, in what is considered year “0” in the Duil calendar, the ancient Feadhainn civilization diverted the Agrona River to flow along the edge of the valley before diving into Loch Glas. This stunning feat of technology and construction allowed Feadhainn to irrigate the Monaidh Plains for agriculture and marked the beginning of their Golden Age. Over time, the water that was now being irrigated into the arid Monaidh Plains to feed the growing civilization was no longer flowing into the lake. Over time, the decreased flow from the Agrona River caused the water levels of Loch Glas to slowly drop, where it has remained to this day.

Modern architects do not know how to replicate the feat of redirecting an entire, full-sized river and are hesitant to interfere with the ancient Feadhainn structures under and along the river for fear of flooding the Draoidh Valley.

Today, the river is a political landmark delineating the borders separating House Brody and House Jackie from House Marvin. In addition,  its strong and consistent current has proven to be an invaluable source of hydraulic power for the millers of House Brody and the inventors of House Marvin. Water wheels dot both sides of the Agrona as far as the eye can see. Residents of the Monaidh Plains still benefit from the river as a water source as well, and though modern irrigation practices are not as aggressive as they were in the peak of the Feadhainn Era, many of the old irrigation channels have evolved over time into natural tributaries that snake through the grassland plateau.

## Location

The Agrona River originates from the same source as the Pa’Gille River in the mountains of House Brody. However, a large rock formation in the Northern Mountains splits the water into two separate streams, sending the Pa’Gille to the east and the Agrona to the west.

From the moment it starts flowing down the foothills of the Northern Mountains, all the way to its outlet into Loch Glas, the Agrona river is characterized by dangerous whitewater rapids, steep banks, and complete lack of safe places to ford. It is by far the deadliest river in the Feadhainn Valley, and to attempt crossing it on foot or by boat would be suicidal.

## Crossing

There are only two ways to travel between the Monaidh Plains east of the river and the Draoidh Valley to the west; crossing the Agrona Bridge in the foothills of the Northern Mountains, or sailing across the calmer waters of Loch Glas between the port in Athglen and the docks of Monacoil.

The Agrona Bridge was likely built around the same time that the people of Feadhainn diverted the Agrona River. While less obviously impressive than the feat of diverting the river it’s named for, the Agrona Bridge itself is an incredible piece of Feadhainn architecture. Some even theorize that it is a crucial element of the infrastructure keeping the Agrona on its current path, but no one has proven this with certainty. Even so, the Agrona Bridge is still, without competition, one of the best-preserved bridges of Feadhainn origin remaining in Duilintinn.

However, crossing the bridge today can be a hassle. The Agrona Bridge is heavily guarded by the Watchers of the Agrona Bastion, and with good reason. The bridge is the only way into the northern reaches of Duilintinn from the Western Forest without climbing into the mountains and bypassing the river’s source, making it a major target for The Enemy. As a result, the Agrona Bridge is covered with defenses, checkpoints, and guards, making it a hassle to cross.

For this reason, most people choose to take the boat trip over Loch Glas instead. While this route is a significant detour for travelers approaching the river from the north, many prefer the simplicity of the lake crossing over the intense security on the Agrona Bridge. A ferry-like service has existed for decades for this purpose, able to transport people, goods, even horses and carts full of cargo from the town of Athglen on the lake’s eastern banks to the city of Monacoil on the northwest edge.

While there have been talks of creating new bridges across the Agrona River,  many fear that building additional structures upon the riverbank would disrupt whatever the people of Feadhainn did to redirect it centuries ago, with catastrophic consequences. As a result, no further routes across the Agrona River are being constructed or planned for now.

## Mountain Pass

There’s a pass through the Northern Mountains into Haneul by the source of the Pa'Gille River and Agrona River, accessible via the Agrona Bastion. It’s incredibly difficult to navigate, especially with any sort of heavy cargo. Only messengers between the two kingdoms consistently use this route through the mountains, and even then, it’s usually still more efficient to travel by sea like everyone else. However, during the winter, when the coast of Duilintinn is wracked with devastating storms that prevent any ships from leaving or entering the harbor without serious risk of being dashed upon the rocks, the mountain pass is actually a safer route between Haneul and Duilintinn, despite the snow and hazardous conditions.

## Trivia

* The story of Wander and Agro is inspired heavily by the narrative of the video game Shadow of the Colossus, which released in 2005 for the PS2 and is one of the all-time favorite games played by the AU’s inspiration and source material, Sean McLoughlin.
* In the real world, “Agrona” is the name of an obscure Celtic goddess, who scholars think was a river goddess of either slaughter or brightness. That was all the information I could find on her. The river motif and the dichotomy of characteristics reminded me of water horses, which I was also researching at the time. Difference sources described water horses as either murderers who drowned the unwary or bringers of music and happiness. All of this eventually came together to loosely inspire the river’s name.
* The image in this post is very evocative of some of the architectural and thematic concepts surrounding the Agrona Bridge.