Let me first direct you to Sartar Companion which has a section on Fords of the River. The pertinent bit is on page 65:
"For much of the year, the River can be forded at several points below the Highwater Falls. The River is impassable most Sea Seasons and often much of Storm Season as well. Ancient carved stones mark most of these fords. Some have village or hamlets nearby, living off the traders who pass through. In addition to these fords there are many ferry landings up and down the River's length."
The five fords of the River (Dwarf Ford, Goranthal Ford, Salor Ford, Centaur Ford, Willford) are then described.
The two major tributaries of the River (the Creek and the Stream) are much wilder than many seem to imagine. Above the Nine Leaps Chute, the Stream is not navigible. The tributaries are fed by all the rain and snow that fall on the Quivin, Indigo, and Eastern Rockwood mountains. For mental impressions, we do not have the peaceful and placid rivers of England in mind, but the wild tributaries of the Sierra Nevadas, Cascades, or the Alps. Think the Inn, Feather, or Nisqually rivers.
As a final aside, crossing rivers is always possible but also usually quite difficult. A safe If you look at old maps of road systems or paths across the American West, people would detour for many many miles to find an easy (and safe) river crossing.
Jeff
>
>
> <matthew.cole_at_> wrote:
> > I need to have a reason in my story for the journey to be actually in it at all. Maybe you can start your next scenario a lot closer to where the action starts - or even at that point?<
>
> Agreed.
>
> However, for info, Dragon Pass,Land of Thunder tells us quite a lot about the various rivers.
>
> First, fording the Creekstream is possible until Centaur Ford in Beast Valley.
>
> Dwarf Ford is similarly a strategic crossing for the River. We know that The River is "The River is deep and calm, about 650' wide where it flows through the Hollow", so that may give you an idea of why it is dangerous to cross.
>
> The best crossing of the Creek is at Dangerford - armies can and do cross at this point - so implicitly no other crossing of the Creek is as good (I have placed a ferry at Red Cow Fort). From some material I am working on for The Coming Storm "The crossing is between one bank and an island called Isle Dangerous and from the island to the far shore. The Creek widens to 700' wide at this point, Isle Dangerous is 500' wide, and travelers only have to wade across two 100' stretches of water. The banks on the northern side are far steeper than those on the south. The island is some 400' across and 1200' long. Trees cover the island, but a section of the royal road cuts clearly across it at the best fording point."
>
> The implication here is that neither the Creek not the River can be bridged with available technology or social organization.
>
> Again, from Dragon Pass, the Stream seems smaller: "The Stream flows from the pool and washes down the mountain in a growing cascade of bluish water, retracing the route of its ancient assault that almost cleared the mountain of all defenders.It roars into Kjartan's Pool at Nine Leaps Chute, its thunder still calling its followers to join it. It flows out of Kjartan's Pool with a greenish tinge, still pure essence, but now navigable. Tributaries below Kjartan's Pool add mixed water to the flow, but the pure essence water runs down the center of The Stream to where it joins the Creek River."
>
> So I would suggest plenty of fords to cross it, but dangerous if you fall of the rocks and crude logs into the raging whitewater below. Of course, such fords would be well-known ambush points, perhaps a large fellow with a staff challenges you to fight with him or pay his toll :-)
>