Aether River

The Aether River is the largest river in the Cat's Claw peninsula. It originates from the Urusian Mountains and flows into the Zhaitker Gulf. The Aether river has an average discharge of PLACEHOLDER per year, greater than every other river in the peninsula combined and around equal to the Alfheim river.

Etymology
The Aether river was originally called the Zhaitker-Nuraq river by the Chevkri riders living in Qeshbago before the arrival of the Aetherians. The Aether river was given it's name during the migration of Aetherians into Umbria, with the Aetherians naming it so due to the people flowing the river's banks, making look like as if the people were in fact the water of the river.

Geological history
Geological studies on the Athinische plate reveal that the Aether river is in fact very young, dating back to only around 20 million years ago, when the Athinische plate crashed into the Uldarashi plate. However, it did not always hold this course, and used to flow into the Baldic Sea, before the creation of mountains there forced it to change course.

Pre-Aetherian era
No information dating back before the arrival of the Chevkri Riders is available of the Aether River. In around 5400 BJC, the Elekfini settled in the area where the Aether river sits today, creating small, peaceful villages. However, when forces of the Ardatian Caliphate landed in the north, they formed the Sindimlemi Dynasty along with the 2 other Chevkri Rider cultures. For 800 years, they lived in peace and continued developing their lands, not all along the Aether river. It is during this time that we can find the first archaeological evidence of settlements along the river, however it is likely there were many more before this time period.

As the Sindimlemi Dynasty collapsed, civil war erupted in the region. Hundreds of small petty kingdoms formed in the region, however soon 6 consolidated power and controlled different areas of the peninsula, with the main goal of controlling this river. The two sides of the river split into different cultures, but this would end as Qadrog Kerim, Emperor of the Barnuraqi Dynasty, conquered the Cat's Claw Peninsula and controlled the river fully. However, the Derzhkezklarfin uprising would mark an end to his rule, removing him from power.

We then know very little of the time period following this uprising up until the arrival of the Aetherians, but we know that not long before they arrive, Emperor Meram I takes power of the Qeshbago Dynasty.