Gold Arrow River

The Gold Arrow River is one of two rivers that flow into the Kirinal Concordance Zone providing water and transporation from the northwest down into the Zone. It is called the Gold Arrow for the yellow sediment it picks up along its course and for the quick flow of its waters.

The headwaters of the Gold Arrow begin in the Ironspike Mountains and gather tributaries from the Silver Range Mountains and Hartshome Forest as it makes its way south. It forms the eastern border of the elvish Kingdom of Amredhel. Further south it also divides the lands of the Royal Duchy of Kirinal and the Duchy of Arro.

Finally, it enters the Kirinal Concordance Zone from the northwest and drains into the lake of Thaya's Tears. There it becomes a tributary, merging with the chaotic Kirinal River on the way to Taristrae Bay.

Ancient Trade Route

The Gold Arrow was the main northwestern trade route for Kirinal, the original capital of Lozar. It forms the spine of the alliance that connected the nation of paladins with the dwarves, elves, and the bowmen of Arro. When the Eternal Paladins of Lozar brought about the Pax Lozaria, their allies along the Gold Arrow naturally became its first members.

The River Tour

Hello and welcome to the Gold Arrow River Tour! We hope that you will enjoy it as much as we enjoy presenting it to you! Over the next week we will take you from the dwarven headwaters, through elven and human lands, before it finally empties into the Lake of Thaya's Tears. We will stop at rustic and charming towns along the way as well as at the great trade cities of (elf city), (human city), and (gnome halfling city). Finally we will enter the Zone itself, passing our home at Gold Arrow Staion and ending at Menelost Telperion, the great elven hub on the Inner Ring.

The Ironspike Headwaters

We begin here at the foot of the great Ironspike Mountains where the western dwarven trade routes end. Here in Hammered Wheel the goods of the Ironspikes; ore, metalwork, and mushrooms; are loaded onto ferries and trains on their way to the Zone or the great ports of Taristrae Bay.

Known as the Gateway to Iron, Hammered Wheel is considered by many insular dwarves to be the end of the world and the height of exoticism. They come here to mingle, as much as they can tolerate, with other people and to experience other cultures.

The Hartshome Run

The Gold Arrow still runs fast as it passes through the elven lands. It marks the border between the Silver Range Mountains to the east and Hartshome Forest to the west. As we speed along on Kuya's back, you can see the elven patrol keeping pace with us in the forest. The elves say they trust us, but they always verify that we're not up to no good. They are especially protective of the northern run of the river. Some say, that part of the forest contains their most closely guarded secrets!

As the Gold Arrow continues south, we come to the elven town of (elven town) that marks the end of Hartshome and the beginning of human lands. The elves come to this trade hub to load goods onto boats and to welcome home their citizens. They do not allow unauthorized folk to enter their forests. For non-elves, it is very difficult to gain enough favor to be allowed into Amredhel.

Silver Range and Golden Arro

The gnome and halfling city of (GHC) in the foothills of the Silver Range Mountains is mirrored by the city of Gold Arro on the human side of the river. The great Friendship Bridge, crosses here, high enough for the great trade barges (and Kuya Buwaya himself) to pass underneath. From ancient times, this was one of the first lands where trade routes would cross.

The Waters of the Waste

And now we enter the Sorrow, also known as the Kirinal Wastes. Be glad that we are riding Kuya Buwaya! The predators, both mortal and spiritual, fear to approach him. We are safe to ride these waters without protection!

This gray and broken land was once full of golden fields and happy people. It was the heart of the Tridenser Age and its destruction marked the beginning of the time of turmoil and struggle that we now slowly emerge from. Nothing grows here and the river we ride upon is one of the few sources of life entering the Waste. The Wastelanders survive by preying on those who travel on the river, on trains, or by skyship. You can earn a healthy living as a guard working these waters!

The Northwest Passage

Now we come into sight of Gold Arrow Station! The home of the Kitchen and Kuya when we're not on these tours! (Come visit us when the tour is done! Your ticket entitles you to a free appetizer!)

As you can see the Station rises on both sides of the river and are linked by the River Gate Bridge! All traffic going in or out of the Zone stop here at the Outer Ring to pay their tolls and get inspected. The spires of the Station handle air traffic. Rail traffic is handled by the Northern Station and road traffic by the Southern Station. Those of us traveling on the water go through inspection under the River Gate Bridge.

Everyone get your papers and ident-a-hedrons ready! Once the Z.A.P.s have verified your Zone status, we can continue our tour in the Zone!

The Lake of Tears and the Lost Tree

Finally, we are at the last stage of our journey as we enter the Kirinal Concordance Zone, the greatest civilization that the world has ever known. People of all kinds meet here at the hub of the world and realities. The River slows down considerably as it winds through the Zone and passes under the Inner Ring bridge. Finally the Gold Arrow merges with the planar chaos of the Kirinal River. As you know, the waters of the Kirinal River originate from a different world every day of the week, changing to match the Manifest.

Here, underneath the leafless boughs of Menelost Telperion, the Gold Arrow River tempers the otherworldy flow coming from the Kirinal Pit. Together they become the Lake of Thaya's Tears and continue south as the Kirinal River.