The Bane River

While the southern half of Soirenta is heavily populated, it's northern half is significantly sparser. While Paragon Canyon being less populated makes sense to a casual observer, the eastern side of the mountains seems like it should be ideal for habitation. In the short term this may be true, but the Bane River defies any attempt to create long term settlements thanks to its tendency to jump its banks and create new paths every 100-200 years. Found all along its routes, both current and previous, are the ruins of those who have tried to tame it and take advantage of the fertile lands it leaves in its wake. Tales say thousands have died across Saurian history to its waters, as people have made the mistakes of the past again and again. These days it is a bountiful wild land that provides travelers too and from Sentry much to forage on the long journey, and occasionally ambitious young leaders make the attempt to found new villages on its shores, but these are hastily discouraged (sometimes with force from their elders, no one wants to lose the younger generation to mass death via drowning). The Bane River itself is a danger even to ships, as its currents are unpredictable and its changing nature means its bed is not a well worn slope, but has many shallows or rock spikes that could wreck an ill-navigated ship. The risk is high enough that Sentry relies on supplies brought back every year on foot by its migrating denizens instead of the theoretically faster river transport.

There are, of course, rumors of secluded successful Saurian towns along the river's upper reaches which help inspire the regularly made attempts. Some say Dromeus would have an advantage given their capacity for flight, though any sensible Dromeus would point out their light weight bones have no chance of surviving the flash floods The Bane is capable of. Others point out that Errants seem supernaturally capable of wandering places others fear to tread, and while Errant bards may enjoy encouraging an aura of mysterious competence, few believe it actually possible.

Not all is negative about these failures, many architectural advancements beneficial to other river-side towns have come from attempts to build infrastructure that could survive The Bane's moods. What is regular for The Bane may be a hundred or five hundred year flood for another region, and knowing how to build to withstand that is extremely useful. Its lower lengths, which move more regularly than its entirety, have become something of a testing grounds for anti-flooding or anti-hurricane technology.