Aur River

The Aur River (pronounced ORR) is a major river that runs through the Sangora Desolation. Fed by the waters of Lake Nulukkhaz in the south, the Aur is the lifeblood of Khapesh.

Inhabitants

The Khapeshan kingdom lies almost entirely close to the Aur River, with the vast majority of the nation's inhabitants residing not far from the waters. Along the river outh of Khapesh are a number of small independent cities, most of whom were once Khapeshan.

Geography

The Aur River is fed by Lake Nulukkhaz, hundreds of miles south of Khapesh. Both the lake and the river have highly seasonal water levels, depending on the yearly rainfall in the Skysprings and Xatabra. After winding its way through the deserts of the Sangora Desolation, the river ends in the Aur Delta on the Chaska Sea.

The waters deposit large amounts of sediment as they flow north. This soil is darker than the sands of the surrounding desert, and forms what the Khapeshans refer to as the Black Lands.

Delta

Towards the north, the river splits and slows as it reaches the Aur Delta. The delta has extremely fertile soil, and is therefore the location of much of Khapesh's agriculture. Vast reed marshes and the animals that inhabit them are common here.

Flora and fauna

Some bagiennik live in the reeds along the Aur River. While their pranks can be an annoyance to farmers and those traveling the river, many towns accept or even welcome their presence due to their healing abilities and their enthusiasm to use them.

Society

For many living along the Aur, the patterns of the river dictate yearly traditions. In Khapesh, the yearly flooding of the river serves as the beginning of a series of festivals and rituals, both a celebration and an offering to their gods to ensure an orderly and prosperous year. These festivities vary by city, but typically include the giving of alms and offerings to the major temples, elaborate reenactments of particular stories of their pantheon, feasts, and the consultation of oracles.

The Khapeshan calendar is divided into three seasons - Akhet (inundation), Peret (growth), and Shemu (harvest). As the Aur river floods with great regularity, these seasons end up starting at very nearly the same times every year. Irregularities tend to be viewed with superstition or fear, usually prompting more and greater offerings to the Khapeshan deities. The start of the year is considered to be the end of Akhet, when the river’s flooding ceases.