The Branch

The Branch is a man-made river system in the Aquilon that connects Freywall to the eastern shores of The Outer Rim.

The Branch has extraordinarily fast currents during the spring-time due to the ice caps melting throughout the region's mountains. This current enables quick travel and trade time to The Capital. During the spring, Freywall can reach The Capital quicker than any other city, including The Capital's closest neighbor, Southport.

Float the Branch Festival
A festival occurs every spring when the ice caps begin to melt known as Chase the Branch Festival.

Float the Branch evolved from its early days of children crafting wooden boats to drift down the river into an event that involves the fastest, most daring boaters on Nidus. Each contestant begins near the summit of The Frey mountains and races down its wake as the caps melt. Boats reach speeds of over 170 km per hour as they navigate the waters. The first to reach The Capital wins the race and wins a valuable, solarium medallion.

The origin of the festival is unknown, but people believe a man of Freywall crashed his ship while traveling through The Branch with Freywall's note to The Council. The man clung to the ship's mast as it snapped apart from the rest of the ship, and he drifted to The Capital with precious cargo still in hand.