Dalanya is a long, narrow region along the coast of northeastern Hepekeria. For purposes of discussion, the area can be broken into 3 geographic/climatic regions. The coastal lowlands and river valleys are the richest and the soils there are excellent for farming. The mild Dalanyan climate, which is relatively warm year round, is well-suited to citrus crops. The northeastern slopes of the Dalanyan Mountains are rough and difficult terrain, but receive ample rainfall to make them hospitable. The southwestern slopes of the mountains are dry and harsh, completely unsuited for most agriculture.
Five major rivers originate in the Dalanyan mountains, all flowing north or east into the Venarian Sea. They are, moving west to east, the Nasrat, Yaghi, Wasit, Shawar, and Hawwul. The city of Vitho lies at the mouth of the Hawwul and the next four largest Dalanyan settlements are at the mouths of the others.
The leading edge of the main Haonic plate lies just to the east and north of Dalanya, giving rise to substantial seismic activity nearby. Earthquakes in Dalanya proper are rare but along the easternmost coast they are fairly common. Menema, just off the coast, has more seismic activity and most of the offshore islands are of volcanic origin. There are two known active volcanoes in the island chain extending south and east of Menema. Mt. Veramel, the smaller of these two, last erupted in 491 TR. This is variously attributed to the passing of Ziryab the Elder, or the disfavor of Agrik with the local Azeryani. Mt. Makurel, the larger of the active volcanoes is continually active, on a small scale fortunately, and is a site of pilgrimage and sacrifice for Agrikans.
Dalanya's placement and geography leave it the richest and most fertile of all the lands in Hepekeria. Northeastern Hepekerian weather is governed primarily by winds moving south and southeast from the Lythian mainland across the Venarian Sea. During 3 seasons, Spring, Summer, and Fall, these are mostly dry winds and Hepekeria receives very little rain. The Winter winds however are wet and produce a quite a few storms. The mountains and hills of Dalanya catch most of this moisture giving a generous rainy season but leave little moisture for the interior. The northeastern slopes are hence wet enough to support agriculture and runoff makes the coastal plains quite rich indeed. The southwestern slopes of the Dalanyan Mountains are arid year round, in stark contrast to the northeast slopes. Just southwest of the mountains is a shallow band of dry steppe which grades into the desert of the Hepekerian interior. The southwestern foothills of the Dalanyan Mountains mark the border of the territory, as most geographers have recorded it.
Each of the three chief regions of Dalanya has its own native peoples. The southwestern, arid slopes of the mountains are home to the Turazim, the Agrazhim live on the northwestern slopes, and the several closely related peoples collectively called the Baltazim live in the coastal lowlands and river valleys. The inland steppe and desert are held by the desert Numec and the islands of Menema and the area around Vitho both support substantial Azeryani populations.
The straits between Dalanya and Menema have a very noticeable current, flowing west to east. Called the Dalanya current, this is a portion of the general counter-clockwise current which runs around the entire Venarian Sea. In the constricted area of between Menema and the mainland the current runs fairly hard and causes some strong tidal fluctuations. The islands at the eastern end of the Meneman chain are noted for their difficult tidal swirls and races, making them quite dangerous to navigate.