Vívarar Fold

General introduction

The Vívarar Fold is an extensive marshy area south of the lake Vívar. Its name comes from the Skaura Orohlen language and plainly means 'field (or plains) at the Vívar'. It has never been populated by any people, except maybe some non sedentaries who are most likely people from the fringes of the surrounding societies. This is due to the unfertile soil, the treacherous ground itself and probably the lack of notable ressources.

Geography, climate and features

The landscape of the Vívarar Fold is mostly flat. Waterways flow through the plains in ever-changeing beds, leaving pools or stretches of dry land here and there, but never for an extended period of time. The only exception are three or four small hills which rise above the general ground floor leven for a few metres. These are marked by some willow trees. Otherwise most of the Vívarar Fold is an open landscape with little to no bushes or shrubs. most of the plants are reeds.

The water from the Vívarar Fold stems from rain, which has its origin from the evaporation in the Mukebahari Bay to the South. Generally the air flow goes north, where considerable amounts of rain fall from the rising air masses at the flanks of the hills and small mountains there. They provide water for the Austara Hrís but also for a number of rivers and rivulets that ultimately drain into the Vívar. From the Vívar water flows into the flood plains to the South, which also are part of the Vívarar Fold. This causes the Vívar to be quite a special lake as it is drained through more than one outlet. This is probably due to the very flat nature of that general area.

Although adjacent to the warm Mukebahari Bay, the climate is temperate. It is not especially warm, but also snowfall almost never appears. During the warmest month of the year though, the area is a hellscape, being flooded not only with waters, but also masses of mosquitoes. The mosquito infestation is actually so bad, that more mobile animals like deer, elks, mastodons, tongkoro dragons and the like leave during this time and seek shelter in the forest to the North or closer to the Mukebahari bay, where the more salty air offers some protection.

There are different kinds of landscapes to be found in the Vívarar Fold. The few hills are covered with scanty willow forests, sometimes also alders. The lower lieing areas are very poor in wooden plants, although here also alders and willows can be found. Swampberries form thistly brushes here and there. Most of the area though is covered with reeds of different kinds, tall and short and rushes. One particular species of reed is the mirror-stalk, that has fresh green leaves, but an ear-bearing stalk that is silvery and reflects the sunlight in parts.

The fauna of the Vívarar Fold is quite diverse. Several notable invertebrates live here, among which is a giant dragonfly the size of a hawk and the foam-snail that lays its eggs outside of the water in foam nests to keep them moist and protect them from voracious egg eaters in the water like flutter carplets or whip worms. The biggest animal of the Vívarar Fold is the Vívarar mastodon, that feasts on the rush and herbaceous plants as well as swampweed. The Vívarar mastodon is a medium sized mastodon, reaching a shoulder height of about two and a half metres. The most formidable predator on land must be the green hyena, that is much larger than an average wolf, while the waters are haunted by Himera, a form of giant salamander and giant sturgeons.

History and culture

Since the area has never attracted many people, no significant historic event has ever taken place there. Those who venture into the Vívarar Fold have basically only three motivations. Some want to avoid the legal system or have fallen into disgrace or poverty and try to scrape by in the marshes somehow. Others go there to collect bog iron, probably the only noteworthy resource that can be collected there. The third group are hunters.

Type

Wetland / Swamp