Eorlwaters

From the gates of Marblehall to the shining shores of the Azure Expanse, the Eorlwaters carries the pulse of the realm across more than 750 kilometers of steady, purpose-driven flow. It is not just a river—it is the realm’s great inland highway, connecting the economic heartland around Lake Aurora to the northern part of the continent and eventually, by the river Fridrun, to the sea.   Beginning at the edge of Lake Aurora, the river departs under the watchful bridges of Marblehall and begins to grow—fed first by the lesser river of Silverthread, then by the broader Vyre River, and finally by the strong flow of the Orerunnel, joining as the river nears the Azure Expanse.   Each confluence marks a shift—not only in current but in traffic. By the time the Vyre meets Eorlwaters, the river is broad and bustling, lined with ferry towns, merchant barges, and river guards. Arden City stands at the junction where the Vyre River ads it water to the main stream, its harbors crowded with loading cranes, guild emporiums, and longshore halls.   Though the river’s gradient is mild and its current smooth, two notable exceptions—at Centerreach and Smithersfaire—have given rise to ingenious lock systems that allow merchant ships to ascend or descend the subtle elevation shifts without hazard. These mechanisms, masterworks of engineering and stubborn patience, have become landmarks in their own right, guarded and maintained by river stewards sworn to neutrality.   Eventually, the Eorlwaters empties into the Azure Expanse at Lion’s Rest, a city of power and diplomacy built atop a natural rise overlooking both lake and river. From here, many vessels continue their journeys across the expanse and on to the eastern sea, or upstream the Ambergleam to Gildenquay and beyond.   Among the realm’s many rivers, the Eorlwaters is unmatched in scale and importance. It is a path of commerce, culture, and control—one where fortunes are made, alliances are forged, and where the steady lap of the current has carried generations of history northward.