The Valley

Surrounded on all sides by a nearly impenetrable mountain range, the Valley is an unusual geographic oddity. At the lowest point of the Great Lake that dominates the western quarter of the Valley, the elevation is barely five hundred feet above sea level. At its highest point, a few mesas in the south-central forests, the elevation is only one thousand feet above sea level.
Because of its size, nearly fifty-four thousand square feet, the Valley has several different climates and ecosystems ranging from a giant lake, marches, forests, and a desolate wasteland.

Geography

Southwest

The Southwest of the Valley is, for the most part, made up of the Great Lake. Anglen, the Palti's villages founded on a collection of small islands that jut from the lake's surface, is the major population center in this area.
The shallow Buffalo Jump River empties into the Great Lake along the stony southern shore. Traveling up the Buffalo Jump River, one would pass an area full of wooded, generally uninhabited rolling hills. Eventually, one would come upon Reed Lake. This body of water, much smaller than the Great Lake, is a critical part of the Valley's southwestern economy. A decently sized village focused on fishing, farming, and hunting has sprung up on the shores of this lake. Because Buffalo Jump River is too shallow for most of the Valley's riverboats, this area is fairly isolated from the rest of the Valley.

Northwest

The Northwest of the Valley is also dominated by the Great Lake. The River Lifien's mouth spreads out across a large delta towards the center of the lake. Much of this delta has been overtaken by Vedan, a settlement built largely on old docks. Some of the delta islands are big enough to hold buildings, but most flood during the spring thaw.
To the far north, the Northern Waste creeps up against the lake shore with near desert conditions, causing large dunes to form.

North Central

The Northern Waste continues east along the mountain wall, a fairly uninspiring and bland environment of grey, black, and brown strata of stone. The further east one travels through the Waste, these towers of stone begin to make way to a flat land with short, rolling hills. At the far end of the Northern Waste, a large plain begins.
The River Lifien travels through the Waste for several miles before diving back south into the forests, providing some water to the parched land.

Northeast

The Eastern Plain is perfect for farming and stretches from the easternmost portion of the northern waste to the marshes. There are many farming communities on the plain, especially along the North Fork of the River Lifien, which starts in the marshes.
The Marshes are unique in the valley, a low laying area of land choked with small waterways, muddy islands, and impassible masses of vines, trees, and reeds.

Southeast

The heaviest wooded of the regions, the Southeast also contains the largest number of coal and mineral deposits. Many rivers make their way from the mountain walls to the south branch of the River Lifien. Oss is built at the confluence of the North and South branches.

South Central

The land breaks into rough cliffs and mesas. There are some who believe that this was a mountain range that has been ground nearly into the ground by the passage of time. The Devotee of Excellence makes their home on the largest of these mesas along a tributary of Reed Lake.
Streams, fed by snowmelt from the mountains to the south, crisscross this area. All empty into Reed Lake, and a few are large enough for canoes and other smaller vessels to navigate.