View source for Aagr'ozla Lush River

{{Infobox Region
|Name = Aagr'ozla Lush River
|Other Names = Unknown 
|Biome =  Lush River
|Size = Unknown 
|Continent = Unknown 
|Subcontinent =  Unknown 
|Firstsettled =  Unknown 
}}

==History==
===Historical Overview===


The Aagr’Ozla Lush River has run for many years, and has been a constant source of food and water for nearby zu'aan settlements for almost as long. Since before the Awakening age, it’s had a reputation as being particularly rich in fish, and the grassland around it has been considered more fertile than average. Over time the river earned a reputation for being cursed with bad luck, as almost everyone who tried to claim its plentiful bounties suffered some sort of misfortune, either at the hands of their fellow zu'aan, or kin'toni raiders.

Many wars have been fought for control of the river’s banks, as well as over various clans polluting or overfishing. One particularly notable event was when the Akaragi zu'aan tribe left their ships unattended as bait for the Kirinoga, a rival tribe. When the Kirinoga fishermen boarded the ships to claim them for their own use, the Akaragi let loose a barrage of arrows that had been set on fire. Unbeknownst to the Kirinoga, the hulls of the ship had been filled with a mixture of blubber and plant oil, which burned at exceedingly high temperature. 


As the ships caught on fire, the Kirinoga rushed to escape, but most of them perished in the ensuing chaos. It’s said that the fire floated downstream on the river for days after the event, leading to many to interpret it as some sort of supernatural event, further adding to the river’s reputation. 
As the Akaragi had lost most of their fishing fleet, and the Kirinoga had lost their fishermen, both tribes began to suffer the effects of their brutal and foolish conflict, as their food stocks dwindled. Finally, before both of the tribes perished, their leaders managed to strike a bargain, ending the war and pooling their resources together to continue fishing.

Another cause of the river’s nefarious reputation is the rampant kin'toni attacks. Much like the zu'aan tribes are drawn to the plentiful fish, so too are the kin'toni drawn to the fat, prosperous zu'aan that inhabit the area. The fishermen are no easy targets, being well fed and armed with harpoons, so the attacks rarely make more than a few victims. Occasionally, a more cunning or powerful clan leader can muster up a force large enough to actually lead a full assault against the fishing parties, or even threaten the nearby settlements. 


Since no tribe can actually settle directly on the river banks without provoking the other tribes in the area, by mustering up their forces around the river, the kin'toni can virtually cut the nearby settlements off from their food supplies entirely, effectively laying siege to the towns without lifting a finger. Lastly, the rapid and deceptively shallow waters claim plenty of victims all of their own. Because of the river’s speed, it’s very hard to see the bottom, and many inexperienced fishermen try to sail boats that are slightly too large, they are promptly sunk as soon as they leave the shore.

===History by Age===

====Stone Age: Before 1E 0====

====Copper Age: 1E 1-1E 2200==== 

====Bronze Age: 1E 2200-1E 4400====

====Iron Age: 2E 0-2E 700====

====Ancient Age: 2E 700-2E 2200====

====Middle Ages: 3E 0-3E 2050====

====Early Modern Age: 3E 2050-3E 2600====

====Industrial Age: 3E 2600-3E 2700====

====Machine Age: 3E 2700-3E 2800====

====Atomic Age: 3E 2800-3E 2850====

====Space Age: 3E 2850-3E 2875====

====Information Age: 3E 2875-3E 2900====

====Genetic Age: 3E 2950-3E 3000====

====Awakening Age: 3E 3000-3E 3415====

====Twilight Age: 4E 0-4E 500====

== Geography ==

The Aagr’Ozla originates in the far north, high up in some unknown mountain peaks. It follows a very steep course down to the [[Besusy Pastureland|Besusy Pastureland]], where it’s joined by various small tributaries. For most of its course thorough the rocky mountainous terrains and hills, the Aagr’Ozla is a lean, fast river. Once it reaches the Pastureland, and widens, it mellows out somewhat, though it still maintains it’s fast, turbulent waters, as well as its rocky basin. 
Said rocky basin is a rather unique feature of the river. Formed by sediment accumulated over the years from the waste of the Yaranga Rockfish that inhabits it, it takes the form of extremely sharp, obsidian-like rock. 

This rock is extremely dangerous, and makes the river virtually impossible to traverse by foot, and extremely dangerous by boat in the hands of an inexperienced sailor. This strange geography has warped the entire area surrounding the river, giving rise to a unique culture among the river tribes of zu'aan which inhabit the region. 


There are two large, wooden bridges that are agreed upon by all the areas inhabitants to be neutral territory, but apart from that, there are virtually no river crossings. For all intents and purposes, the river separates the Besusy Pasture into two separate ecosystems, with their own slightly distinct biosphere, and most especially, culture. Another unique feature of the river is its uniquely pristine water. Though foamy and turbulent at first glance, when removed from the river, the water takes on a crystal like clarity, and is especially sweet to taste. 

As much as they are a curse as far as their effect on the riverbed, the Yaranga’s rocky secretions also act as a natural filter for the river’s water, trapping any impurities and also giving it a distinct, though not unpleasant taste. There has been some speculation over the years about the magical properties of the Aagr’Ozla’s water, such as curing diseases or even mending a broken heart, but of course, none of these theories have ever been proven, and they are likely to be just superstition. For most of its run through the pasture, the river is, on average, about 800 centimeters wide and 120 centimeters deep.


Though in practice, behaving like a much shallower river thanks to the sharp, dagger-like rocks that form much of the riverbed. As the Aagr’Ozla travels through the Pastureland, it gradually loses some of its speed, until at the end of its journey it forms a large delta at the tail end of the Pastureland. The river, now split into three arms, continues its course to the sea. Although this portion of the river is still nominally part of the Aagr’Ozla, in reality, it’s lost many of the unique traits. Since the Yaranga thrive in fast waters, they rarely swim this far downstream, and as a result, the riverbed in this region is made up of soft, clay-like mud, rather than sharp rocks.

== Plants ==

There are several species of freshwater algae that are indigenous to the Aagar Ozla, as well as the Oily Sap Sallow Tree that grows along its banks. In addition, the marshlands of the river’s delta are home to a large amount of biodiversity, including some unique variations of plants not found anywhere else. The most notable of the freshwater algae is the intranxi, which can be used to fashion ropes, as well as certain types of rough garments. It’s also technically edible when boiled, but not exactly tasty. The other most common type of algae is the Blue Araja, which is harvested primarily for culinary purposes, and known for its sweet taste.

The oily sap sallow which grows on the river’s shores is occasionally used for firewood, although the eponymous oily sap itself is far too valuable to cut them down in too big numbers. Used in a number of household tasks, including starting fires, cooking, candlemaking and even artisanal fireworks, the Sap is also among the region’s few valuable trade exports. As for the flora of the marshlands, it includes multiple species of giant fungus, including the Ilorima, infamous for its carnivorous tendencies .Often cast as a villain in scary stories, said carnivorous tendencies are  somewhat exaggerated, as the Ilorima’s fungal tendrils move too slowly for it to actually catch live prey.


In truth, it’s a necrophage, preying on the corpses of those who die in its vicinity. In addition to the Ilorima, the Aagr’Ozla Delta is also home to the much less fearsome akrt, a similar species of giant fungus that’s known to sap water from the surrounding ground, and occasionally sprout the excess from the top of its cap, in a dazzling display. Aside from the fungus, the marshlands are also home to some more common plants: the iriga fern, which is extremely poisonous even in small doses, Hiktha Tall Grass, occasionally grown for consumption, Vildred Seaflowers, prized for their beauty, and Akathi wildflower.

As far as trees are concerned, the marshalands is the last known place where a living viruvian root system can be found.  The Viruvian Root system is perhaps one of the largest and most complex organisms on all of Terael. Although on the surface it appears like a regular forest of tall, mostly bald trees, in truth, it’s a single gigantic life form, with an incomprehensible and slowly expanding shape. Burrowing many miles deep and stretching from one end of the swamp to the other, it’s said that if all its roots were to be untangled and arranged in a single line, it would encompass all of Terael many times over. 


The viruvian root system possesses capabilities outside of what would ordinarily be classified as a plant, able to react quickly  to external stimuli, and, to some extent, think. This intelligence is referred to as the viruvian overmind.  Though many exaggerate its intelligence to be above that of the average zu'aan, in truth, it behaves like a simple animal, guided mostly by instinct, which is nonetheless impressive. Apart from being probably the largest, the Viruvian Root System is also without a doubt among the oldest living things on Terael, though its exact age is impossible to determine.


== Animals ==

Much like the flora, the fauna of the Aagr’Ozla, and its surrounding areas is very diverse. Perhaps the most famous species that inhabits the river is the yaranga rockfish. Although similar in appearance to the much larger deep sea rockfish, the yaranga is, in fact, not a type of rockfish. In fact, the yaranga has certain properties that are wholly unique to it. Unlike the ‘proper’ rockfish, its skin isn’t actually covered a hard, rock like shell, but secretes a dark colored gel, that hardens on contact with water, until it eventually shatters and falls off. While their outer shell may look very durable initially, it is actually quite fragile, and can be easily broken off.

This makes them far more suitable for consumption, as they aren’t particularly hard to prepare, and, incidentally, are thought to be quite tasty. In addition to the Yaranga, the river is also home to their main natural predators, the ghelazki, a large carnivorous amphibian. While they are quite ferocious in appearance, due to their stature, large teeth and powerful jaws, the Gelazki are in fact mostly harmless to zu'aan, as they are entirely piscivorous in nature, and they are ill-suited to catching larger prey or hunting on land. 


Though they rarely interact with the native zu'aan in the area, some tribes have been known to hunt them for their extremely durable teeth, which can be fashioned into weapons or even jewelry or other decorative items. Further down in the marshlands, the Aagr’Ozla delta is home to multiple avian species, including the alanti, well known for their majestic multi-colored plumage, as well as the invarka, a species of flying reptile. The invarka are considered especially dangerous because of their ability to spit corrosive acid-like venom at long distances. 

Although they aren’t known to intentionally hunt zu'aan, their preferred method of hunting, which is spitting their venom at their prey from the air, has been known to injure bystanders. The main prey of the Invarka is the pigmy barsh banau, a smaller cousin of the more common lower plains banau, as well as the domesticated common banau. The Aagr’Ozla delta is also home to a few unique species of insects, including the large fungivore kklt’ka, particularly notable for their complex social hierarchies, the hard shelled chitinous vringa, especially prized for their tough shells, which can be fashioned into a highly resistant, if restrictive type of armor. 


Perhaps the most interesting species of insect native to the marshlands, however, is the araki, a species of wood eating bugs which forms a unique symbiotic relationship with the viruvian root system. Unlike most other wood eating insects, which are entirely parasitic in nature, the araki has formed a mutually beneficial relationship with the root system. When the viruvian overmind decides it has expanded too much, or for some reason wants to cut off some parts of its body, it emits a special pheromone that attracts the araki swarm to the areas it needs to be disposed of. In return for this constant stream of nourishment, the Araki never attacks any other parts of the system. 

{{Template:Controllers
{{Template:Controllers
|Stone Age = Unknown 
|Copper Age = Unknown 
|Bronze Age = Unknown 
|Iron Age = Unknown 
|Ancient Age = Unknown 
|Middle Age = Unknown 
|Early Modern Age = Unknown 
|Industrial Age = Unknown 
|Machine Age = Unknown 
|Atomic Age = Unknown 
|Space Age = Unknown 
|Information Age = Unknown 
|Genetic Age = Unknown 
|Awakening Age = Unknown 
|Twilight Age = [[Rhiryn City Zu'aan]]
}}

{{NeartoDesktop
 | Centre    = Aagr'ozla Lush River
 | North     = Unknown
 | Northeast = Unknown
 | East      = Unknown
 | Southeast = Unknown
 | South     = Unknown
 | Southwest = Unknown
 | West      = Unknown
 | Northwest = Unknown
}}

{{CrossSiteAttribution
| User = Alsgrid
| Holder = Alsgrid
}}

[[Category:Places]]
[[Category:Alsgrid's contributions]]