World Valley

The World Valley is a major geographical formation the the middle of the Central Continent. It is surrounded on all sides by the World Mountains and contains the World River and Lake.

World Mountains
The World Mountains are a mountain chain which encircles the World Valley, and extend north and south to roughly split the Central Continent in two. With the exception of a small pass in the west, most of the World Mountains are more than 2,500 meters (~8,000 feet) above sea level, and in some places well over 4,000 m (~13,000 ft) above sea level. The World Mountains form a barrier which prevents most contact between the World Valley and the outside world.

World Valley
The World Valley itself is mostly below sea level, generally sloping downwards from the north to the south, and reaching as deep as 1,200 m (~4,000 ft) below sea level around the World Lake. This combines with the height of the World Mountains to create an elevation difference of over 5,500 m (~18,000 ft) between the Valley's lowest points at the bottom of the World Lake and it's highest points in the World Mountains.

Most of the World Valley is very dry, due to the rain shadow of the surrounding mountains. The Valley is largely composed of deserts and dry grasslands, cut with rivers fed by mountain rainfall and snowmelt. The Valley's rivers flood in the spring due to large volumes of melting snow. Areas surrounding the World Lake have a damper climate thanks to the Lake.

World River and Lake
The World River is a large, freshwater lake located at the World Valley's lowest point in the south. The World Lake is fed by the World River, which is fed by tributaries running from the mountains. The entire World River system is disconnected from the oceans, making it an endorheic system.

Plants
Plants that grow in the World Valley include:


 * African Rice (O. glaberrima)
 * Cherimoya (A. cherimola)
 * Licorice (G. glabra)
 * Dragon Trees (Genus Dracaena)

Animals
Animals that live in the World Valley include:


 * Caviomorphan Hystricognathi (Guinea pigs, capybaras, chinchillas, porcupines, and other New World rodents)