Slorend River

The **Slorend River** is the longest and arguably most important river in Ahremia, ending in the Sea of Gadfral and stretching through the majority of the Ahremian provinces and running through many major cities. The river was originally fed by the Velosi Mountains, and technically still is although that part of the river is known as the Mara River. The river splits near Cornoa, and then these two separate ends flow into the sea at Slorend and Eagle Inlet, respectively.

## Etymology

The Slorend River is Ahremian in origin. The root *"sloure"* is old Ahremian, while *-end* or *-esd* is a uncommon Ahremian root suffix (other examples include Litriest and Terend).

The Slorend River's source, the small Mara River, derives its name from the Old Ahremian goddess Mara/Mala. In Old Ahremian mythology, Mara is a child of the god *Pfepta* - just as the Mara River is sourced from the highlands near Mount Pfepta.

## Geography

For the first part of its course, the Slorend is known as the Mara River. The river rises in the highlands of the Velosi Mountains, as a tiny stream draining a wet meadow. The river winds throughout the foothills while being fed by smaller tributaries. The river then passes through its first city, Fosorn. The river then passes through both Antilogne and Nareen. The Mara then splits into two forks at Cobbler's Topping, a butte that rises over the plains of Sectinia. Here, the river is split into the Upper and Lower Slorend rivers.

### Upper Slorend

The Upper Slorend begins at the diversion of the Mara River at Cornoa, upon which it begins a northeasterly route throughout the plains and wetlands of North Sectinia. The river begins to become much wider near Cabonne. The river begins to take a marshy turn near Belvil, but quickly reverts back to a more stable current by the time it passes through Dilare. The river then continues northeast until it enters the Sea of Gadfral at the site of the city of Slorend.

### Lower Slorend

The Lower Slorend, after beginning near Cornoa, takes a southerly route through the lower regions of Ahremia. The Lower Slorend is noticeably more thin than its northern counterpart. The Lower Slorend runs through Hamhall, Athlin, and Dilbura after being fed by the Janus River. After running through Dilbura, the river makes a sharp curve to the east, caused by a c-shaped ridge that exists in the region. The city of Sirien lies on the bend. The river then begins its homestretch through Eroda Province, before reaching the port of Euritas and flowing out of Eagle Inlet into the Sea of Gadfral.

## Great Flood of 1526 SY

In 1526 SY, a catastrophic flood of the Slorend River cause major damage to farmlands and communities throughout Ahremia. The flood began after heavy snowfall on the Velosi Mountains in the winter of 1525-26 SY caused an unusual swelling of the wet meadows lying in the highlands beneath the mountains, the same wet meadows which the Slorend (Mara) River drains. The flood first affected the city of Fosorn, where the fish markets and jetties along the riverbank were decimated, and the surrounding farmland was ruined, as the irrigation canals either burst or rose far above their limits.

The major cities of Antilogne and Nareen were affected to a lesser extent, being situated considerably above the river, and sporting stone wharfs which protected the riverfront markets. A second rain in central Sectinia would further escalate the flooding, destroying much farmland in the Ahremian provinces of Sectinia and Althura. The city most affected was Cabonne, where river levels caused a massive fire which burned most of the city to the ground. The resulting refugees mostly went to Orroux and Belvil, two already extremely impoverished cities.

By the *end* of the flood in the fall of 1526 SY, thousands of people had had their farms destroyed and their houses swept away. Although the river had returned to normal by the spring of 1527, many cities had been decimated by the flood.