The Strangle River drains the northern Foggy Mountains through the Misty Valley before emptying into the sea along the Shipwreck Coast. Despite its ominous name, the river itself is not particularly dangerous—the name refers to the dense vegetation that chokes its lower reaches, creating a green tunnel so thick that the water becomes invisible from above.
Course
The Strangle rises from dozens of small springs and seeps in the northern Foggy Mountains, where the persistent fog condenses on cold stone and runs downhill. These trickles gather into a proper stream within the first ten miles, then cut northeast through a gap in the coastal hills to reach the Misty Valley.
In the valley, the river slows and widens, meandering through bottomland thick with willows, water plants, and the strangling vines that give the river its name. The vegetation is so dense in places that the river effectively disappears—travelers can stand on the bank and hear water flowing without seeing it.
The final stretch drops steeply through a gorge to the sea. Here the river regains its energy, cutting through the coastal cliffs in a narrow canyon that ends in a waterfall directly into the ocean. There is no beach access; the river meets the sea at the cliff face.
The Strangling Vines
The vine species that dominates the lower Strangle is found nowhere else in the Dalizi Highlands. It's an aggressive climber with dark green leaves and rope-like stems that can reach six inches in diameter. The vines grow over everything—trees, rocks, each other—creating a continuous canopy above the water.
The vines are not carnivorous or animated, despite occasional rumors. They're simply very successful plants in a very wet environment. However, the density of growth does make the river corridor impassable in many places. Anyone trying to follow the river on foot must hack through vegetation or wade in the water itself.
Local herbalists prize the vine's sap, which has mild numbing properties when applied to wounds. Harvesting is labor-intensive enough that the sap commands high prices in Dalizi markets.
Navigation
The Strangle is not navigable by boat. The upper reaches are too shallow and rocky; the lower reaches are choked with vegetation and end in a waterfall. The river serves primarily as a water source for the Misty Valley and as a landmark for travelers.
The sound of the river is audible throughout much of the valley, even when the water cannot be seen. This makes it useful for orientation in the fog that frequently blankets the area.
Related Locations
- Misty Valley — The lowland valley the river drains
- Foggy Mountains — Source of the river's headwaters
- Shipwreck Coast — Where the river meets the sea