Gazetteer: Monvesien Valley

To date, this is the only map that exists of the known world of Monvesia.  It  has taken a while to upload because I had originally intended on upgrading the map using Hexographer--but I lost the map before that process could completed.  While I still hope to use Hexographer to create new maps for this world, I'm going to let this re-discovred map stand as is.

It shows all of the human (and most non-human) regions of the known world, as well as subdivisions of the Honderreich, Cuorria, and Voztok.  There are even features now out-dated--such as calling out the goliath homeland of Inheritance as "ogre" territory; and referencing the capital city state of the Empire as Dray, not Sena.  The borders seen here are no longer accurate--but the rivers, coasts, and highlands are.

The dominant feature of the region is the Monvesien (the Great River) and its tributaries.  The setting of Monvesia shares its name with this drainage basin--though the map depicts the greater region of Prace.  The major regions and tributaries of the River are discussed below.

The Lower Monvesien (red) flows through western Cuorria in the north, and later through eastern Notopoli in the south--just before flowing into the Ocean Sea.  It is the widest part of the Great River, and the most trafficked.  In Cuorria, several other rivers flow into the Lower Monvesien.  The Werde River is formed by the northern Galben and eastern Albastru Rivers (dark red), which originate in the Granitsa Mountains.  In the west, three rivers dominate "independent" Cuorria (magenta); all three of these originate in the Tjakeer Highlands, and are mineral-rich rivers.

The Upper Monvesien (orange) originates in the Galtish high kingdom of Fhiaigh, and flows through high kingdom of Ardchriche before coming to an end in Iseldir.  Here, two smaller rivers (brown) make their way into the central valley.  The Galtish high kingdom of Iseldir is dominated by the Galtish River and Sea of Galtain (yellow); as the traditional northern boundary of the old Pridelands, the pridefolk continue to call these the Sinil River and Sea.  All of these rivers originate in the icy heights of The Crown.

The Crown is shown on the map above as a moutain range skirting the northwest corner of the region.  This is actually a massive, polar glacier that dominates the arctic regions. Untilamete, the arctic Crown is the source of the Monvesian.

The pridefolk refer to the galtish people as the Sinilasca, or "border folk."  The term pre-dates the arrival of humans in Monvesia, however--and has always referred to inhabitants north of the Sinil River and Sea.  The pridefolk do not speak much about the earlier Sinilasca; when they do, however, it is not in the past tense.

All the rivers of the Honderreich originate in Dvergheim:  The central Guld River (light green) was once the lifeblood of the Hindland; while the River Kleim and Ursprung (teal) served its rival the Kleimland (the region at the center of my first Momvesia campaign), which would take control of both river valleys.  The Achter Rivers (dark green) flow through the domains of Gierland.  In the southern Honderreich, the Zyrndy River (drab green) flows though the imperial Zyrndy Confederation, joining the Guld at the barony of Verderben.

Where the Lower and Upper Monvesien meet the Guld, a lake called the Eye of the River is formed. This is the center of the new High Kingdom of Greater Waschbär, sitting at the junction of the Honderreich, Cuorria, and Galtain.

The Sytru (Sycry) River (blue) flows through the Pridelands, eastern Veldistan, and western Notopoli.  Lake Myansima is the boundary between the Pridelands and Veldistan; it is known for its clear water, reflecting the myriad colors of the Tjakeer Highlands.  The Evcihêye (dark blue) and Jiyaneknû Rivers  (purple) flow through eastern Veldistan. The valley between them was the first human homeland in Monvesia.  All of the rivers in this system originate in the Panjou Mountians (the "spine" of Henjal, stretching from Fuhon to Veldistan).

Several rivers also flow to the east of Monvesia.  Two smaller river valleys in the northeast dominate Voztok, originating in the mountains of Dvergheim.  A third, small river valley flows between Sunnimaa and Inheritance (called Äidin Verta by the elves, and the Kolkob River by the goliaths); it originates in Granitsa, the mountians of southern Dvergheim.

Edited September 13, 2018; September 16, 2018.