the Vein

Much of our world remains undiscovered, or perhaps, forgotten. The Vein is the only well known large body of water on the planet. It is known to originate high in the eastern mountains and flow west through dunelands and fjords and eventually via underground rivers to the rubbly deltas of the barren west. Further west, it seems to dissapear into a dark plain of gravel, but thick plumes of noxious smoke obscure everything beyond and all attempts at exploration have yet proved futile. Many large port towns occupy the north shore of the warmer middle region known as the Court Sea. Trade between the farming villages of the south and the mining towns further north encourage a healthy interest in shipping. Plans for a barge-bridge are in the works but negotiations over construction contracts and project funding have stymied.

Geography

A very deep ravine featuring warm waters heated by geothermal activity. Spreading from the high mountains in the east, after falling, winds toward the warmer deeper areas most travelled. Continuing west, thins out and carves through rocky plains of the northwest and finally spills out into unexplored western seas. The waters are fresh, but fairly hard the further west you travel with high mineral content. In some areas and minor tributaries from hidden underwater aquifers and hot springs the water is carbonated and fairly acidic.

Ecosystem

Water falling from high above in the mountains near the source provide oxygenation and turnover. Deep underwater hydrothermal vents seed nutrients and provide useful heat in the deep crevices of the Vein.
The areas surrounding the Court Sea are fairly lush, being hilly grassland which are used to provide the grazelands and farms supporting the surrounding populations. Calm warm waters here are turquoise to clear blue.
The rocky canyons of the midwest are populated with scrappy seagrasses and bulrushes in cooler waters.
Some areas in the far southwest which are mostly unknown there are found rocks shot through with holes, homes to a peculiar species of shipworm that can bore into stone. That unique ecosystem thrives as a sort of artificial reef, shaping the homes of the creatures living there.
In the slow -moving far west the waters lose their oxygen content and  are home to a semi-aquatic crab species as well as stromatolites and fungral growths and biofilms of bacteria and archaea.

Ecosystem Cycles

Seasons are pretty constant in the tropics. A dual sun system bathes the area in a resplendant light at most hours. Tidal forces play little effect from the seven moons that orbit very far from the planet.

Localized Phenomena

There are shallow shifting sandbar areas near the Middle Dunes that cause rushing waves as they collapse into the river. Many geothermal vents are found deep underwater and near the southern shores. The chilly waters originating in the far east rush to the deeper areas, causing a dangerous undertoe effect near the falls. Many brave navigators are aware of the bubble patches from underwater outgassing that can instantly capsize a vessel. Thick mats of algae and fungal growths can catch up motorized vessels in the southern cooler waters where there is shelter from the sandstorms by fjords and steep cliffs.

Fauna & Flora

Seagrasses, Floating flowering plants similar to water Hyacinth, and bulrushes dominate the sandy coastal regions most common to the Vein. Many thick mats of algae, seaplants, and interwoven insect carapaces and limbs float about in rafts and often clog narrower passages, requiring extensive work to remove. A small burrowing seabird pecks about the sand, finding occasionaly the shrewd insects that live about. There are some biting worms that live in the northwestern parts of the Vein, a popular boogeyman for foreigners of the region that is in reality, a minor nuisance. Odd creatures of the deep will beach themselves on occassion, giving insight into the depths.

Natural Resources

Sulfur, Metal salts, Insect chitin, Fish, and Seagrapes all flow from within these waters.

Tourism

Every pious settler of the outlands hopes to make a pilgrimage to the Vein, or 'the Seam' as some other cultures call it. Many beautiful port towns enjoy modest tourism, but offer it mostly as a courtesy rather than a point of trade. Public shrines, fountains, campsites, and orchards are commonly offered to residents and outsiders alike in those coastal towns by tradition. Dyes and shells are a favored souveneir.

Alternative Name(s)

The Grand Vein

Type

River

Included Locations

• Wormwater