Rivers and Lakes

Vareth’s major rivers follow a limited number of large drainage systems rather than covering the continent in an undifferentiated web. Rivers are described from source toward mouth. Lakes are grouped with the regions and drainage basins they belong to.

Northern Rivers

The northern river systems drain the Northern Crown, the Westwall Mountains, the northern plains, and the Northeastern Spine. Their valleys make Avereth one of Vareth’s most fertile and heavily watered broad regions.

Drelar

The Drelar rises from the eastern and southeastern watersheds of the Northern Crown and the northern Westwall Mountains. Mountain tributaries gather through foothill valleys before the river enters the western part of Avereth and continues toward the Mereth Sea.

The name is Merethi, from drel, “river,” with the old geographic formation -ar.

The upper river is traditionally called Keldor in Dwarven, especially in the mountain and foothill country.

Averen

The Averen drains the central Northern River Country. It gathers water from broad plains, tributary valleys, and Lake Averen before reaching the Mereth Sea.

Its Merethi name is built from aver, “plain” or “broad open country,” with -en.

Narel

The Narel rises in the northern interior and flows generally northward through the plains before entering Dresael Bay.

Its Merethi name derives from nar, “north” or “northward,” with -el.

Ruun

The Ruun rises among the watersheds of the Northeastern Spine and descends through the eastern side of Avereth and the Ruunmar lowlands before reaching the Mereth Sea.

Ruun is an old Trollish river name meaning broadly “great river” or “enduring flow.” It is one of the principal waterways connecting northeastern Vareth with the central inner sea.

Northern Lakes

Keldor Lake

Keldor Lake lies in the foothill country of the Northern Crown and feeds the upper Drelar system.

Its Dwarven name combines keld, “cold,” and or, “flowing freshwater” or “natural mountain water.” The same name is traditionally used for the upper river downstream from the lake.

Lake Averen

Lake Averen lies within the central Northern River Country and drains into the Averen system. It is a substantial freshwater lake surrounded by fertile lowlands, local wetlands, and river country.

Eastern Rivers

Eastern Vareth contains several major drainage systems divided between the Mereth Sea, Lethmer Gulf, the Elaren Ocean, and the Sunward Sea.

Vaeleth

The Vaeleth rises in eastern uplands and forest country and flows westward toward the Mereth Sea.

Its Elven name combines vael, “valley” or “sheltered lowland,” and leth, “river.”

Thalael

The Thalael gathers headwaters in the greener eastern uplands and Highwood country before flowing toward Lethmer Gulf.

Its Elven name combines thal, “living growth,” and ael, “stream” or “flowing freshwater.”

Saeren

The Saeren drains eastern country north of Lethmer Gulf and reaches the Elaren Ocean directly.

Its Elven name derives from sael, “sun” or “daylight,” and ren, “path,” with the compound smoothed to Saeren.

Sarenor

The Sarenor rises in the eastern and southeastern uplands, gathers numerous spring-fed tributaries, and flows southward through the wetter southeast before dividing across a broad delta and entering the Sunward Sea.

Its Elven name combines saren, “spring,” and nor, “confluence” or “gathered flow.”

Eastern Lakes

Lake Merenel

Lake Merenel lies within the eastern forest and river country. Its Elven name is based on meren, “lake,” with the older geographic formation -el.

Central Rivers

The Central Plains are crossed by several substantial rivers draining toward the southern and western shores of the Mereth Sea.

Ferenel

The Ferenel crosses fertile agricultural country before entering the western side of the Mereth Sea.

Its Merethi name derives from feren, “field” or “cultivated ground,” with -el.

Ardrel

The Ardrel is a major river of the central heartlands, flowing through broad settled country toward the southern Mereth Sea.

Its Merethi name is an old contraction of aren, “homeland” or “familiar settled country,” and drel, “river.”

Dalenar

The Dalenar follows a broad valley system toward the southeastern shore of the Mereth Sea.

Its Merethi name combines dalen, “valley,” with the old geographic formation -ar.

Central Lakes

Lake Norelen

Lake Norelen lies in Central Vareth within the wider Ardrel basin. Its Merethi name derives from norel, “hill” or “raised ground,” with -en.

Southern Rivers

Southern rivers are fewer and more strongly tied to mountain runoff and permanent drainage corridors. They are particularly important within Serenar, where reliable water sharply shapes settlement and vegetation.

Azansor

The Azansor drains the Stormward Highlands and western Redstone country, crosses the western drylands, and enters Varamar Bay.

Its Orcish name combines azan, “red” or “scorched,” and sor, “river.”

Serevan

The Serevan is the principal permanent river across much of Serenar. It gathers water from the southern mountain belt, crosses the dry interior through a long greener corridor, and reaches Varamar Bay.

Its Merethi name combines sere, “dry country” or “arid plain,” and van, “watercourse” or “natural channel.”

Thalren

The Thalren rises around the Thaliren Range and eastern uplands, then crosses increasingly fertile southeastern country before entering the Sunward Sea.

Its Elven name combines thal, “living growth,” and ren, “path” or “way through.”

Southern Lakes

Lake Thalen

Lake Thalen lies in the southeastern lowlands and supports an extensive surrounding marsh system. Its Elven name is based on thal, “living growth,” with an older geographic formation -en.

Lake Zhalmar

Lake Zhalmar is the largest important saline and mineral lake of the Southern Drylands. Its extent changes substantially between wet and dry periods, and broad mineral flats may surround it during dry years.

The Orcish name combines zhal, “salt,” “mineral crust,” or “bitter mineral deposit,” and mar, “plain” or “open country.”