Erol of Backford

Wouldn't the Puppeteer Troupe performance, no matter the experience, a play, music/song, drama, poetry, etc be an ideal venue whereby the audience is presented with numerous "riddles" by invoking thought/answering riddles placed/presented therein? Wouldn't any traveling entertainer be viewed with skepticism due to this possibility in certain cultures?

So Arkat's Gate leads to the Hero World. Are there more gates noted besides Arkat's Hold and Urvantan's Tower, may we assume a few more exist, some lost or forgotten and others hidden or secret? What others are known? Is there a spell "Hero World Portal" or something known to sorcerers, how is a gate/portal made? Are they like adamantium weapons/truestone? Are Hero Questers not able to enter one and exit another that is known to them? How is it done, do you need a Hero Quest Super Bowl Ring to do so? Also the "hole" that the Syphon drops into in the Footprint falls into the Underworld. Does the Underworld become tainted with Chaos similar to the River of the Damned downstream from Festering Island and if so do the Underworld Beings become tainted as well? Assuming anyone dropping through the hole survives the drop is there a quest/adventure outlined somewhere to come back to the surface world? Maybe they go pay a visit to Ethilrist and see how he did it?

What is the Kobakuruum? Funny, I was looking for it and found Karakorum. Karakorum – The Mongol Capital. What Glorantian city would it possibly be used for? The sculpture of the silver tree in Karakorum, after a mechanical aïrag fountain tree built by Parisian silversmith Guillaume Bouchier... I suppose water elementals could enliven cities easily enough. I imagine water elementals could move water for it, are used to push water, purify it and even "net ~ herd" fish. Thoughts on this? I'd still like to know what was thought of when Erekanst was written up (p. 37 TotRM13) as being a member of the Kobakuruum?

Back to Black Arkat, is the "The Brown Book of Zzabur" still accurate? http://zzabursbrownbook.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-house-of-black-arkat.html Also I have Tradetalk 12 and ToRM 13 with some detail on Black Arkat is any of that still relative? Is Jansholm still the HQ as stated in Tradetalk 12? What is the Kobakuruum?!

I was thinking more along the lines of the depth being 2000' deep. I understand the mile width at the bottom of the valley. The blue of the Syphon is still quite wide at the valley bottom via the maps. Gunnison is much too narrow, see that now. Thanks for clarification... I looked for a scale in the AA but didn't find one. Is each hex set at 5 miles? That's about what I get from superimposing a scale from another old Holy Country map I have.

Joerg, the 290m puts the contour at about 1000' and so it makes sense to me. Thank you.

It almost seems there should be a Lhankor Mhy engineering subcult? "Master Builder" or something of the like, especially with all the larger cities in Glorantha. Canals were being used in 500 BC and so there could be canals built to circumvent any rapids? The Royal Roads could be augmented by Royal Locks? "Locks as we know them today can almost all be traced back to China's Grand Canal and its 10th Century innovations. The canal itself, at over 1,110 miles, includes 24 locks. Construction on the canal began in 486 B.C., but the world's oldest lock came along in 984 AD thanks to the work of the Song Dynasty." https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/development-canal-locks I suppose anything like this would detract from any PC's adventuring but it could be something running in the background of any campaign?

It is a good point Ian, that gravity would tend to pull the goods, barrels, boats, rafts, whatever down towards the Mirrorsea Bay with only the current pushing against it. On a day with the right wind, plus gravity you may be able to sail upriver, down to the Bay from Backford?

Black Canyon of the Gunnison, 2200' deep, maybe the Syphon cutting through the Heortland Plateau? There are 2 contour lines at Backford, at least on the north side of the river? Are the AA contours 1000' each?

Oh, Happy Holidays to everyone!

Thanks again for the explanation Mr. Richard! I see 2 contour lines on the AA p.29 going up the River to Duck Point from Nochet? Would each then add a graduated 1000' to the above sea level mark or there abouts? From Duck Point through the Marsh into the Donalf Flats what would the elevation change be, I assume, relatively low per the name? Either way I am seeing Dragon Pass a lot different now as the severe elevation changes really add a whole new 3D vision to the maps for me, brining even more depth to Glorantha then when I played in the 90's. (bad pun)

To your point on wagons Joerg, What about river barges and their rate of travel, I assume this has been discussed a lot in the past? I assume a good amount of trade would flow between Duckpoint and Nochet on the River? Is anyone able to link the posts on it? Ian, the faster rate of travel doesn't bother me so much as this is a fantasy world and its easily adjusted up or down, cast spells on animals (refresh animal 2?) or something like that. The Aes Sedai Moiraine Damodred uses the one power to refresh the horses in one of the Wheel of Time episodes. (I don't recall that from the books, but it was a few years ago...) Would tolls/taxes be the main reason persons would take some overseas trade items to Karse rather than Notchet? It would seem the markets in Nochet would fetch a larger number of potential buyers than Karse?

Continuing with the trade and caravan subject and wanting to know about how far a caravan would move a day I get this info online for horses: You can ride an average, healthy and energetic horse for 25 and 35 miles (40 – 56.5 km) in one day in ideal conditions. However, most of them will successfully handle only 15 and 20 miles (24 – 32 km) a day with enough water, food, and rest. Keep in mind that distance traveled also depends on you, weather conditions, terrain, and equipment you use. It’s safe to say a mule can travel as far as a horse. Again, there are many variables. A fit and conditioned equine can cover the 100 miles of an endurance ride in less than 24 hours, with breaks for vet checks, food & water, etc. If you want to ride your mule (or if its carrying a load) and it’s going to need to travel day after day, I wouldn’t recommend going much farther than 30 miles each day. Again, terrain, weather, availability of food and water all make a difference. 30 miles would be about 48km and so there are many variables to getting an average. Depending on temperatures/climate and terrain this could be a little or a lot more/less. What would a trade caravan move in a day with walking humans/herd-men, most carrying packs with some goods? 20km? Any input is appreciated.

Ladygolem, that's partly why I was asking, looking for links from Urvantan's Tower to Nochet or other places in the Holy Country... All, this is good stuff and has many plot links for any PC wanting to "discover" the secrets of Black Arkat. Thanks again!

Davecake had posted this a while back: The Temple is in Esrolia, near the Building Wall and Arrowmound, and is the fortress of the fortified city of Arkat's Hold. I just assumed if they were near the Shadow Plateau and the Building Wall/Arkat's Hold there would be some in Nochet as well. Has anyone included them in scenarios in or near Nochet?

Thank you all for the input on trade. I've got a bunch to go on. So back to Nochet and Jaja's nice map: Are there any Black Arkat members in Nochet and if so where would they be hiding/hanging out, assuming they are trying to not draw attention to themselves?

Understood that Etyries would flow between Karse and Furthest when Sartar is not at war with the Lunar Empire or after Sartar has been conquered and under the Lunar yoke. I am not seeing Etyries traders moving through Central Sartar while the Lunar invasion is in progress, as cities are being overrun, while Lunars move south without being molested? Would the US have let German bakeries drop off strudel, elevator components or whatever in New York via merchant ship to be sent to California and on to an Asian market? Trade would be utterly disrupted from Furthest to Karse while the conflict was progressing. Wasn't the need for a port the main reason Corflu was established because they couldn't get through Sartar and the Holy Country until after they were conquered/invaded? There wasn't an easy way to get goods through the Holy Country without paying high tolls and so they invaded?

This makes sense and so the actual evil vile Lunars wouldn't be physically travelling through Sartar. They'd still need to figure out how to cross the "front lines" or "no mans land" with trade goods between where the Lunar forces and the Sartarites are camped... What is the year of the original Apple Lane Adventure pack and how old is Gringle in 1600? Also where might a Half-Elf be from that is a trader/merchant running to the Heortland? Are there any in Nochet with trade ties heading west from there?

What would be anyone's guess as to the composition of the Lunar troops that partook in "Sartar Invasion Expeditionary Force" 1591? Tarshite armies are typically Orlanthi in composition. Several regiments of Lunar professional soldiers are maintained by the king and Lunar temples, and form the core of the Lunar Provincial Army. Tarsh can also call on two regiments of Yelmalio pikemen. (GtG p.170) Being that Tarshites were likely the majority of the forces attempting the Sartar Invasion of 1591 would Gordius Silverus or Jorad Sideburn been part of the leadership? Where would the battle(s) have taken place? Also, just curious, what are the details of Kallyr Starbrow's death? (I saw the illustration on p.169 in the GtG of Starbrow surrendering... when looking for Tarshites in the Guide.) Was it anything like Vercingetorix, who was imprisoned in the Tullianum in Rome for almost six years before being publicly displayed in the first of Caesar's four triumphs in 46 BCE. He was ceremonially strangled at the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus after the triumph. A plaque in the Tullianum indicates that he was beheaded in 49 BCE.

The Well of Daliath shows Sartar being invaded in 1591, maybe its skirmishes, boarder raids, etc.? Maybe its a typo? Or this isn't canon? https://wellofdaliath.chaosium.com/home/gloranthan-documents/timeline-dragonpass/1561-1602-conflict-with-the-lunar-empire/

I was reading the invasion starts earlier than 1602, I'll find it...

Even while the Lunar troops are pillaging crucifying Sartarites and stealing from any Issaries traders they bump into? Maybe he was soft and partly the reason he was assassinated? Militarily-supremacism? When on what planet has a nation allowed trade to continue on their land or waters by an aggressor power who is killing their people? Look to the first two World Wars or during any other conflict, the trade vessels of even neutral powers were searched, seized and or sunk when trading with an enemy nation.. Someone please site where out of the goodness of Prince Terasarin's heart he says "even though my people are being butchered by the kind and benevolent Lunars its OK for the them to move freely through our lands and crucify my people"?

This campaign is set to start at 1600 there wouldn't be many refugees or exiles unless they were from Tarsh or is there another war/conflict I am missing? Also why would any good Orlanthi bandit take issue with assaulting Lunars when they would perceive the Lunars as conducting religious genocide up north? Besides what caravans from the Lunar heartland would be crossing the front lines of a war to get down to Karse?

So Lunar Eytries merchants are actively spying on everything from troop movements, leadership activity and the supply chain while their brethren are in progress with the Sartar invasion up north and the Prince is going to protect them?! That doesn't make any sense. Maybe that's why the bloodline is being assassinated or more like it deserves to be so? What gives here?

Would there be many Lunars in Karse in 1600? I assume not as they are probably not very well received being in progress with the invasion of Sartar and secretly being supported by Belintar the God-King... Eyries merchants would likely be waylaid even more so than other travelers north of Karse on up to Tarsh? Also I was reading about Jaransbyrig? Where is it in relation to Backford and Milran?