aquellia [Lore] Raptorclaw Canyon

[RarityDash]

Raptorclaw Canyon - The Majestic Wellspring of Aquellian Culture

 

The great Raptorclaw Canyon is indisputably the single most defining physical feature within the Republic of Aquellia. Holding all major Aquellian settlements within its high walls, the canyon is home to roughly eighty percent of all Aquellians, Because of this, the Raptorclaw Canyon has come to be all but synonymous with the Republic itself, and in turn one of the most recognizable and significant landmarks the continent over.

 

The canyon rests between two major mountain ranges, the Tarpan Mountains to the west and the Talonclaw Mountains to the east. Just over half of Aquellia's territory is contained within the canyon, with the canyon representing the most habitable areas--the southern and western regions of the republic beyond the Talonclaws being sparsely populated and dominated by untamed wilderness, including the treacherous Soggalong Swamp. The Tarpans, meanwhile, act as Aquellia's border with Equestria and are immediately adjacent with the vast Painted Pinto Desert. At its northern reaches, the canyon opens up into the wild, largely unexplored badlands region.

 

Raptorclaw Canyon was formed by the raging waters of the powerful Raptorclaw River, which cuts all the way throughout it as well as its branches further to the north. The river is fed by the White and Blue Raptorclaw Rivers which start in the Badlands and join just north of the city of Talonopolis, as well as a third branch which feeds from a stream in the Talonclaw Mountains and joins the river halfway between the capital and Rockwington. At the end of the canyon, the river bends to the west, forming the Neighples Delta as it empties into the Reintight Sea. The river is paramount to the prosperity of the canyon and Aquelia as a whole, providing an easy means of transportation as well as fish and fertile land along its banks.

 

The canyon is quite populous, with most living in the major cities of Talonopolis and Rockwington. Griffons and other intelligent species live all throughout the canyon though and even high in the mountains that form its walls. The canyon is generally dry, with most green areas being those along the river, while temperatures vary depending on altitude and distance north. Wildlife flourishes in the canyons and mountains, providing griffons with hunting opportunities. For visitors, the scenic mountains, cliffs and valleys of the region make it viable as a tourist destination.

~Canterlot Research Journal