River Mistlereach
The southern river whose irrigation gates decide who receives summer.
The Mistlereach crosses the narrow southern country toward Highby. Mistle roots cling to old gate stones, surviving even when farmers strip them bare. Channels branch toward Athelarden's fields, placing the republic's food supply upstream of Qirarden's mills and crossings.
The Gatekeepers Strike established shared inspections after one gate was held open to warm a landlord's orchard through frost. Today the same gate opens by itself for eleven minutes each evening. Mara Tern suspects a mechanical fault; Neris Damar has ordered the downstream town evacuated during the next full thaw, a precaution that sounds like an accusation.
Inspectors refused private gate orders and secured joint public inspections.
Southern farmers who won a republic and inherited a failing source of warmth.
A steep river town turned capital by controlling the last safe crossing before the strait.
The eastern drainage whose herb scent warns boatmen of a dangerous thaw.
Umarwald’s timber route and the northern measure of an unequal bargain.
An eastern wall of ridges with a road older than the ice above it.