Esrolian setting background?

Is there anything released with info about climate, crops, etc in Esrolia? I was trying to write a couple of things up for at least my own amusement, and I discovered that while I have a lot of suppositions about the Many Rivered Land, I can't point to a lot of confirmed facts.

My impressions, without 'facts' to reference, run about as follows:

I'm guessing a roughly mediteranean climate, supporting year round crops and warm weather fruit trees like oranges, lemons, and peaches, not to mention olives. Probably in some years a nasty Valinding makes it out of Dragan Pass and past the mythic husband protectors
(i.e. the shadow plateau and the high pressure off of the warm
Mirrorsea bay) to cause problems, but this would be an exception not an annual occurence. Because part of the year would be quite dry and there are many rivers (coming from surrounding territories), there is probably quite a bit of irrigation.

There is probably a lot of river traffic, especially to deliver enough food into the cities. They probably use some reasonably sophisticated canals, possibly including locks. Canals might be viewed as 'domesticated rivers.'

Despite the many rivers, water mills would be rare as the land is pretty flat, and while there are many major rivers flowing through the land, there are probably not large numbers of smaller streams with enough flow to power mills. They may have wind mills.

If the above is true, then roofs will tend to be flat in many cases
(they don't have to shed heavy rains or more critically, snow).
Inner courtyards would probably be common in larger buildings
(forming a square inside a square). Because the land is so heavily
settled and wood lots are scarce, and for mythic reasons, most building will be primarily of stone. Because the land is seldom upset and the buildings are of stone, they are often long lasting, while roads build up more quickly, so you'll often step down into buildings. For mythic, practical, and esthetic reasons, window baskets and roof top gardens are probably common, growing not just flowers--although I'm sure one of the major cities is nick named "The city of flowers"--but also herbs and vegetables.

If there is not a published reference for this sort of thing, can anyone provide their own thoughts on this sort of thing?

Regards;

Bryan             Received on Wed 26 Nov 2003 - 09:10:57 EET