- "Hundreds of gallons pouring through an array of gates. Solid stone stretching far into the horizon towards the massive river's other shore. Towers higher than mage spires. This is truly the gift of the Precursors to this region."
"Precursors? What are you talking about? These were built by the Ynnic Empire!" - ―Report on the Ynn River and its People, Adrien síl Terr, Cannorian Explorer
Great Ynnic Dams are multipurpose dams of monumental proportions built along the Ynn River. They work to regulate flooding, filter and accumulate freshwater for irrigation and drinking, and harness the river's energy for a multitude of works, such as milling, sawing, hammering, lifting and ore processing. Each dam possesses a set of gates allowing vessels (primarily funerary barges) to pass through.
There are four Great Ynnic Dams:
- Adbrabohvi. Originally built in the fourth century after Ash as a rudimentary wooden structure, it reached its monumental form in 640 AA, by a decree emitted under the rule of Empress Zeldja.
- Vels Bacar. Originating from a bridge built in 572 AA for Jeborad's invasion, it reached its monumental form in 767 AA, under the reign of Demirad yen Brelar. While the dam took the name of the settlement, it would go on to become the main carrier of the Vels Bacar name after the settlement's razing in 1623 AA.
- Mocbarja. Built from 850 AA to 860 AA by will of Emperor Armynn I, it disastrously turned the territories upstream into swamplands.
- Bosancovac. Built from from 948 AA to 956 AA by will of Emperor Armynn II, in time its reservoir became home to a floating city bearing the same name.
History[]
The Great Ynnic Dams were built by the Ynnic Empire using stone from the dismantled city of Amstenur. The projects were overseen by master engineers and the Myrsarnik functionaries.
Most dynasties of dam engineers died out in the collapse of the Ynnic Empire and by the Age of Greentide the knowledge of how to build great dams was lost.
Ynnic rulers who were fortunate enough to rule over a great dam would be forced to pool considerable wealth into its maintenance, but could conversely enjoy an increased farming output, commercial benefits - as the dams were for a long time the only way to safely cross the main stem of the Ynn River - and be able to extort heavy tolls for the passage of funerary barges sent by lords upstream - as Ynn River Worship holds that the Ynn River is the gate to the afterlife, being denied to reach its end is tantamount to a curse.
Starting with the Age of Unraveling, old engineering techniques were rediscovered and new ones were introduced by Cannorians, with particular help coming from Balgabar Dwarves, allowing the dams to run at a new level of efficiency.