Baria Canyon

Baria Canyon is a deep gorge on the continent of Mamota.

Geography
Baria Canyon is located on the eastern edge of Jakaar. Nestled among the Asarandes Mountains, the canyon is roughly 8000 miles deep at its lowest point. It stretches south to the Granus Desert, and to the north it stops just before the port of Cyranopolis; this leaves its total length at roughly 700 miles.

Several small, unnamed tributaries of the Legero River spill into the canyon from the mountains. During the spring, they tend to overflow due to glacial runoff, filling the canyon with 2-3 inches of water. Additionally, one may consider the Ghoarz Flies, whose annual migration between the canyon and the Cyranatic Islands has become almost mythical, with fluctuations in the migratory pattern being argued as omens of various sorts.

Wildlife
The Canyon is home to a fairly sparse amount of fauna, but this is offset by a great abundance of plant life. Plants that only grow in or near the Canyon include, but are hardly limited to, Red Olives, Elloric, and Ariana's Love. It is believed that at least one new species appears each year, and that over one thousand species remain undiscovered.

The most notable animal life is the Trans-Lucic Hornet, whose luminescent nests glow brightly in the dead of night. The Trans-Lucic Hornet nest at the very bottom of the canyon-- undisturbed for over five hundred years-- is the subject of the painting Nature's Lantern on a Snowy Night, by Jered Merak.

History
Baria Canyon is believed to be the location of the former Oarspur capital, if it could be called that. This has been gathered from various buildings carved directly into the rock, as well as a great deal of artifacts-- vases, mosaics, murals, and poetry have all been discovered in the area; they clearly depict heathen gods and contain very little artistic merit, marking them rather obviously as Oarspur relics. Especially fascinating is the oddly-shaped lantern in what is believed to be the Baron's palace, which appears-- based on the shape, and what appears to be petrified honey coating the sides-- to have been constructed for the barbaric purpose of trapping Trans-Lucic Hornets for use as a light source.

Carbon dating has shown most of the artifacts recovered to date roughly to 1830 MEC, suggesting that the Oarspur Catastrophe occurred shortly thereafter. Various incredibly outdated scientific texts found around the area suggest that the Catastrophe may have been a direct result of a misguided attempt to develop a superweapon, which then backfired due to a poor understanding of the Ezrahim Reaction.

The ruins were first rediscovered in roughly 2800 MEC. The discovery led to an explosion of archaelogical activity in that and the surrounding area, no doubt a direct influence on the so-called "Cyranatic Abandonment."

In 3424 MEC, Modern Eminent Saint Martin Seamus made his legendary pilgrimage across the entire valley over the course of one month with no provisions.

Due to its location near Jakaar's infamous capital, the Canyon is also believed to be a common hideout for fugitive criminals.

Sr. Cyrus Elfonzi

New

 * Ezrahim Reaction

Existing

 * Ghoarz Flies
 * Jakaarith City
 * MEC
 * Oarspur