Bookwell

The book well, also often still known as lay river, is one of the largest rivers contributing to the waters of the Rhous. During the golden age of the Library, this river became one of the most busy trading and travelling routes in all the known world. Its new name is obviously earned by the many librarians using it for quick and easy travelling from and to the library. There are however still some locals along the river who refuse to change with the time and loath the many ships passing up and down their river, making fishing - the common livelyhood in this region before the library rose - almost impossible. It is mostly owed to this minority that the former name of the river has survived for generations.

Geography

The river is divided into three main parts by the modern cartographers:
The most upstream region, where many mountain streams find their way down from rocky cliffs and form an ever growing water flow. However the water in this region is wild and foaming, cascading down from the mountains over many rocks and waterfalls. Usage for shipping trade is impossible here, however the waterline is bordered on both sides by well worn tracks.

Marked by the vibrant township of Laytown the stream turns into a river as three confluences find their way together. From here on, small boats may carry trade and passagers downstream, while for any and all that are on their journey upstream, the river journey has to come to an end here.
From here on downstream the river follows its course past wide fields and woodlands as the steep walls of the Sundering Mountains slowly receed into the distance on either side. Many a town is found nestled along the river banks, living on the trade that comes along the river and the many sailors and travellers tat come with it.

The third and last part of the river finds its beginning in yet another town. The township of Arrowhead is larger than Laytown by almost three times the size and is not also home to an enormous port but also hosts the conjucntion of a number of land trading routes. During the time of the library it certainly was to be accounted as one of the largest trading settlements. This city marks the point where the river carries enough water year round to allow larger ships with greater loads downstream. Much trade that comes upstream in these vessels is loaded unto the smaller, flat-bottomed boats for further transport upstream.

From here on downstream the river is hosted by a large bed. Its flow is slow but strong year round. It takes the river almost one thousand miles from Arrowhead to the confluence with Rhous.

History

Before the rise of the library, the river was fishermen´s territory from its springing in the mountains to the already large trading town of Arrowhead. Below that poin the river had already been a well used trading route as stones and metals mined in the mountains east of the town where easiest to transport down to the Riverlands on large ships.
With the rise of the library, the trade usage expanded all the way up to the townsip of Laytown. Many of the fishermen along the shores loathed the many ships at first. However they soon learned that the ships brought money and wealth with them and only few retained their disapproval for the heavy traffic on the water. Many villages along the river flourished and many towns where founded new alongside its shores in that time.

About the time before the Great Darkness, little was known in these times along the river. By studying some of the abandoned villages along the shores, librarians found old fishing materials and fish bones, making the fishing trade one with a probabbly very long history along that river.

Tourism

Due to the heavy traffic not only of traders and sailors but also librarians and such that seek to become them, adventurers, travellers, and other curious folk are often found both on the water and on the land routes along the river. Due to this, many taverns and inns are found along the river, offering the weary travellers rest and refreshments, soft beds, warm food and cold drinks. Many of the towns along the river own their prosperity alone to the traffic passing through. Next to the taverns are often found houses of amusement of every kind and large markets where travellers can find anything they might need on their onward journey.

Type

River