I have been trying to think of the primary river/sea entities for the Arcos Valley (Balazar river basin, Elf Sea, and Arcos river through Garsting and Jarst). Though the peoples of this area have been suppressed at times by horse nomads, they are beyond the Dara Happan/Lunar sphere of control (though influence is certainly possible/likely). It is also known that the Elf Sea has no mermen and no known reports of elves at present (though the elves giving the sea its name are probably Brown Elves who once sailed it, not River Elves who tend the deep water plants).
I would contend the following for the river valley:
1) it contains intelligent river/sea life (unlike the Oslir valley
where the Conquering Daughter drove such out--therefore arrival of the
Conquering Daughter along the Arcos would portend conflict)
2) the river/sea spirits are capricious (particularly since the Elf
Sea does not support regular trade, unlike the Sweet Sea in NW Peloria--it seems unlikely that irrigation canals have been used along the Arcos)
3) the river/sea spirits are strong (the Elf Sea supports some
particularly large and powerful entities-giant fish, water wyrms,
freshwater crocodiles, and I would conjecture sea turtles and freshwater
sharks, as well as a few more magical beasts like the River Horses of
Prax)
4) the original river dragon still exists beneath the Elf Sea (this
would be Zarkos/Zarka, the child of Nestentos and brother/sister of
Oslir/Oslira)
5) an aspect of the river dragon can be worshipped as divine (this
would be Arkos or Arcos and is primarily a figure in Garsting/Jarst
- --calling this figure along the Elf Sea should bring people into contact
with a very primal sea being)--I think this divine aspect may also be
portrayed as a figure of death or darkness, with some connection to the
River Styx
6) the Balazar river basin is filled with lesser children of Arcos
(these would be Mistress Morande and her children, the Morakin, who come
down from the Rockwoods; Old Man Dwerrow, who also comes from the
Rockwoods; Gaptooth, the wild spirit of the West or Gap River coming
down from Imther; and of course the Damned spirit, a chaos entity)
For the Garsting region (though technically a Blank Land), I think the leading deities must be Arcos and the Earth spirits. The Storm and Sun gods are either considered children or other lesser associates. I can picture an emphasis on wells, caves with water pools, and streams as sources of life. I also imagine one or more Jonah-like stories of heroes of the region being swallowed by huge sea creatures, only to find a way to return and bring some treasure back to the people.
Comments?
Harald
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