The Nanford River flows through the original Vale of Dunstrand. Originally, it met the mountains and flowed south along what is now The Black Shore, into the Loamwold Cut (now Hoolip Coast), where it flowed out to the sea into ColdStream Inlet (now Coldstream Channel). When the shelf on which the Aragratep Chain of mountains sank in a cataclysm, Westmarch sank and Scar Flow took its place. Dwindor Swamp was created and it created a muddy delta and The Black Shore.
The headwaters of this river some from two spurs – one in Broken Feather Hills to the north, and the Valewall Hills to the south.
The Nanford Accord was named after the river, which divided the duchy into trade zones and governed transport.