Moutray River

The Moutray River forms much of the northern frontier of Ustalav. From its source to the western end of Lake Prophyria, the river runs for 250 miles.

Geography

The Moutray River rises in the foothills of the Tusk Mountains in the south-west of the Worldwound and travels in a south-easterly direction entering the western Shudderwood. It reaches Ustalav at the border between the two counties of Vieland and Lozeri where the Lesser Moutray River (see below) joins the main river's flow. At this confluence, the river called the Troll's Tail also joins as another tributary to the Moutray. The river now adopts a more easterly direction as it meanders along as the border marker between northern Ustalav and the Worldwound. As the northern border of Lozeri, the river effectively bisects the Shudderwood. It becomes the northern border next of Odranto county at the settlement of Ardagh. Past Castle Kronquist, the river widens as it enters county Sinaria becoming Lake Prophyria. In Sinaria, the waters no longer form the northern border of the country: on the northern shore is the Graidmere Swamp, part of Sinaria. At the eastern end of the lake, the waters join the flow of the West Sellen River; this river forms the eastern border of Ustalav.

Tributaries

The Moutray is fed by many rivers along its path, including:

• The Lesser Moutray River in Vieland
• The Troll's Tail in Vieland / Lozeri
• The combined Buestral River and Calscroix River in Lozeri
• The Vhatsuntide River at Ardagh

Lesser Moutray River

The Lesser Moutray River has its source in the southern Tusk Mountains north of Courtaud; for its first thirty miles, the river forms the border between the two Ustalavic counties of Vieland and Lozeri. The river widens substantially before it passes the university city of Lepidstadt on its west bank and the Dippelmere swamp on its eastern shores. Eventually, after a total length of some seventy miles, the Lesser Moutray becomes a tributary to the larger Moutray River (see above).

Ustalav / Worldwound border

As of 4713 AR, there was a line of wardstones placed along the bank of the Moutray River where it acts as the border between Ustalav and the region of the Worldwound, known as the Sarkorian Steppe. In addition, many small forts and fortified villages supplement the protection of the wardstones, supported by local borderlanders. Mendevian Crusaders use these small fortification areas to rest before returning to the fray, as do other adventurers who, for various reasons, wish to enter the Worldwound. The whole arrangement actually helps the local economy.

History

In Odranto, the Moutray River is associated with the command of Princess Maraet Ordranti in 4611 AR to kill any Kellid refugees fleeing what was Sarkoris and crossing the Moutray to attempt entry into Odranto at the beginning of the demon incursion in that land, which is now called the Worldwound. This event was called the Demonskin War, but was little more than a massacre of fleeing refugees.