Skyriver

In the heart of Ondala, just West of the central mountain range, there sits an oasis. In ancient days it was the only reliable source of water for miles, and served as a key trading point between the Western and Eastern halves of the continent. The Ereduarn in their golden age built the Skyriver, an awe-inspiring aqueduct, so the oasis city could grow and become an even greater point of trade for their ever-expanding empire.

Soon after the Wake, part of the aqueduct several miles off from the oasis was destroyed by an enormous sand beast. With much credit to the ingenuity of its original builders, and thanks to a clan of dedicated guardians that have maintained what wasn't destroyed for thousands of years, water still flows all the way down the main channel to the broken point, where it cascades thunderously into the sand. Over time, this waterfall created a second oasis which now hosts a trade city of its own called Fountainfall.

Purpose / Function

Made by the Ereduarn to bring water from a mountain lake out into the deserts. The bottom tier, built to double as a road, allows easier passageway between the oasis into the mountains.

Alterations

The road tier, being even wider than the waterway, has room and enough through-traffic for a couple stations and even villages to dot the road below their Skyriver. The Watershield clan guards the river above as it flows to the oasis, so these villagers build structures to collect any water that dribbles down from damaged points. Trading this water with passing caravans is how they sustain themselves. They also build staircases and rope elevators to reach the sand below or climb back up if needed.

Architecture

The ancient above-ground style of Ereduarn stonework was simplified somewhat for the scale of the project, with smaller-sized blocks is still evident in its construction even after millennia. The canal itself on the uppermost tier is covered to prevent evaporation, and is 20 meters wide and up to one deep. It has narrow internal walkways on either side, and occasional ventilation points.

RUINED STRUCTURE
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Alternative Names

The Hanging River, the Life Path

Type

Aqueduct

Parent Location

Delan desert

"You think this is a sight? Just wait ‘till you get to the oasis. All the water comes spilling out at the end like a crystalline veil. To hear it’s roar as you watch the sun sink behind that liquid curtain, set aglow by the flame of the sun... gives you your very breath."

— A dry-voiced water peddler on the Skyriver road