The Valley (Urcea)

The Valley is a term referring to the central region of Urcea and its most populous. It includes the Archduchy of Urceopolis, the provinces of Westglen, Eastglen, Northgate, Goldvale, Killean, the Cape, Yustona, and Niallsland.

The Valley is so named because it sits between the Ionian Mountains to the east, the Pralia Mountains to the north, and the Hortus Mountains to the south. With the exception of the western most parts - Yustona and Niallsland - the Valley is a large, flat, sweeping plain which has historically been the site of significant settlement and agricultural use. The Urce River runs down the central and northern portions of the Valley, serving as a major transportation corridor as well as a major ecological site, being the source of significant irrigation throughout the Valley.

The Valley is one of the most populated places in the world, and its residents form the majority of the population of Urcea as well as the place of origin of the Urcean people. Prior to the resettlement of the Valley by Gaelic people and the cultural exchange that created the Urcean people, it was the seat of Great Levantia, one of the ancient world's largest empires and the largest empire in the history of Levantia. The agricultural yields in ancient times allowed the Latinic people who settled in the Valley to become numerous and prosperous, spreading out throughout the rest of the continent. Following the collapse of Great Levantia, the Valley was divided among many different states, including the Duchy of Urceopolis, the cities of the Latin League, and other polities. It was gradually reunified by the Julian dynasty under the Holy Levantine Empire, culminating with the creation of Urcea as a Kingdom in 1098, though the unification itself would not be fully complete until centuries later.