Three Land's Run

"A river born from ruin, carrying the weight of kingdoms upon its waters."

The Three Lands Run is more than a river, it is a scar upon the world, a deep wound carved by the fury of the earth itself. Born from cataclysmic quakes four decades prior that reshaped the southeastern reaches of Everwealth, it now flows ceaselessly, a liquid lifeline threading through Merchant’s Meet before plunging over the treacherous Borderbreak Falls into the far-off lands of Kibonoji and Kathar. What once was a dry and desperate expanse of war-torn soil has, in mere decades, become something else entirely. The river, unwelcome in its arrival yet impossible to ignore, has rewritten the fate of entire peoples, altering the balance of power with every passing tide. For Everwealth, Three Lands Run is both a boon and a threat. The river has enriched its trade routes, provided fresh channels for commerce, and granted Merchant’s Meet an even stronger grip upon the region. But for those who see farther, who understand the implications of its course, it is an omen of uncertainty, of shifting allegiances and brewing conflict. Kathar, once reliant on Everwealth’s steady shipments of food and water, has found self-sufficiency in the wake of the river’s gift. What once necessitated peace now fosters ambition, and already there are whispers, of Orcish chieftains whose blades are no longer dulled by desperation, of smugglers and mercenaries growing fat off both sides of the war, of alliances held together by nothing stronger than a handshake and the fear of what may come. A river does not choose where it flows. It simply moves forward, unburdened by the struggles of those who build their futures upon its banks. But war does not start with swords, it starts with opportunity. And Three Lands Run has created a great many of those.

Geography

Three Lands Run originates in the southeastern highlands of Everwealth, its waters gathering force as they descend through Merchant’s Meet, a hub that has only grown richer since the river’s birth. The true spectacle of its journey, however, is found at Borderbreak Falls, where the river plummets violently into Kibonoji, a cascade of mist and crashing water marking the very edge of Everwealth’s reach. From there, it carves its way south through Kibonoji’s mist-wreathed mountains, cutting deep channels through the stone before spilling into Kathar, where the land is far less forgiving. Here, it stretches southward still, feeding into Lake Lionspit, an oasis that has turned once-arid Orcish lands into something almost unrecognizable, a region rich with fish, crops, and fresh water that Kathar had never before possessed in such abundance. The river has breathed life into a land that once relied on Everwealth’s generosity, or, more accurately, its control.

Ecosystem

Three Lands Run does not merely flow through kingdoms, it reshapes them. Wherever its waters reach, life follows. In Everwealth, the river bolsters trade and agriculture, feeding into Merchant’s Meet’s vast network of markets and granaries. Fishermen have flourished, and the fertile banks have drawn settlers eager to claim land along its course. Beavers and river otters have built homes in its shallows, while migratory birds use its path as a waypoint between the north and south. In Kibonoji, the river is a force of erosion and renewal, carving out new paths through the mountain stone while creating pockets of lush, mist-fed greenery in its wake. Rare river lilies, long thought extinct in the region, have begun to bloom again. But in Kathar, the changes are far more profound. The river’s bounty has restructured the entire region’s economy, turning former raiders into farmers, traders, and, for the first time in many generations, people who do not have to steal to survive. But there are others who see the river for what it truly is: a chance. And those who have waited for an opportunity to tip the balance of power do not hesitate when the moment finally arrives.

Ecosystem Cycles

Unlike most of Everwealth’s waterways, Three Lands Run follows an unpredictable seasonal pattern, as its origins lie in the fragile and unstable mountainous northeastern lands.

• Spring and summer bring heavy rains, causing flooding along its lower stretches, a boon for farmers, but a constant threat to settlements near its banks.

• Autumn calms the waters, allowing trade and travel to flourish as roads dry and the river slows its relentless expansion.

• Winter is the river’s most dangerous season, as unexpected freezes in the highlands sometimes choke its source, leading to water shortages in the lands beyond. When the ice finally breaks, the floods return with twice the fury, sweeping away anything unprepared for its sudden force.

Localized Phenomena

• The Borderbreak Surge - Once every few years, the falls at Borderbreak seem to roar with unusual intensity, flooding the valley below and momentarily expanding the river’s reach into new, unintended pathways.

• Lionspit Ebb - In some seasons, the river’s flow into Lionspit Lake slows to a trickle, forcing Kathari warbands to patrol the banks for any sign of sabotage or tampering from their enemies.

• The Veiled Currents - Near Kibonoji, the river’s surface is sometimes obscured by thick mist, creating an eerie stretch of water where boats vanish for hours before emerging downstream with missing crew.

Climate

Three Lands Run experiences the full breadth of Everwealth’s volatile weather patterns, with wet, storm-heavy seasons in its upper reaches and scorching droughts in Kathar’s arid plains. In Kibonoji, the river often disappears beneath thick fog, a result of the mountains’ high humidity and sharp temperature shifts. Rain is common, but unlike Everwealth’s constant drizzle, storms here come in bursts of fury, battering the land before vanishing just as quickly.

Fauna & Flora

• River Stalks - Tall, reed-like plants with sharp, fibrous stems, often harvested for durable rope and woven baskets.

• Glassfin Fish - Almost transparent fish with razor-thin fins, prized for both their taste and the difficulty of catching them.

• Snapping Gullets - Large amphibians with unyielding jaws, capable of clamping onto a man’s arm and refusing to let go until severed.

• Night Drifters - Strange, luminescent eels said to swim against the current at dusk, a phenomenon that has inspired many omens and superstitions.

Natural Resources

The Three Lands Run is more than just a river, it is a lifeline, carving through three nations and bestowing upon them a wealth of resources, both common and rare. Along its lower banks, rich deposits of fine clay can be found, prized by potters and brickmakers alike. This clay, softened by centuries of sediment buildup, is particularly favored for its durability and malleability, forming the foundation for many homes and structures throughout Everwealth and beyond. Beneath the shallows, traces of iron-rich silt accumulate in pockets along the riverbed. These mineral deposits, known as bog iron, occasionally rise to the surface after periods of heavy flooding, where they are collected by prospectors and smiths for refining. While not as strong as traditional mined iron, it remains a valuable source of metal for communities without easy access to larger ore veins. Further along the river’s deeper bends, the waters are known to shelter an unusual abundance of freshwater mollusks, whose hardened shells sometimes contain pale, lustrous pearls. While not as radiant as their saltwater counterparts, these pearls are highly valued by jewelers and mystics alike, their unique shimmer said to resemble the river’s moonlit surface. Beyond these tangible goods, the river’s greatest resource is arguably its sheer volume of freshwater, supporting the lands through which it flows. Without it, much of Kathar’s agriculture and Kibonoji’s forested lowlands would struggle to thrive, proving once again that the true value of the Three Lands Run lies not just in what can be taken from it, but in what it sustains.

History

Before the quakes, the land where Three Lands Run now flows was dry, cracked, and unyielding. The great shift that birthed the river mere decades ago was as sudden as it was devastating, entire settlements swallowed as the ground split, reshaped by forces far beyond human reckoning. What followed was an era of unprecedented change. Everwealth adapted, seeing the river as a trade boon, while Kathar transformed, its people no longer reliant on Everwealth’s handouts but masters of their own fate. The political consequences of this shift are still unfolding, and many fear they have yet to reach their peak.

Tourism

Few come to Three Lands Run purely for leisure. Fishermen, traders, and fortune-seekers travel its course, drawn to the wealth it provides. However, those who attempt to navigate its entire length, from Everwealth to Kathar, find themselves at the mercy of unpredictable tides, hidden dangers, and political tensions that shift as swiftly as the water itself. The river has changed the world. Whether for better or worse, only time will tell.

Alternative Name(s)

'The Border’s Vein', 'The Run of Reckoning', 'The Everflow Divide'.

Inhabiting Species

• Wishfish