Jeff

That's totally fine. But if you are trying to world build based on the assumptions in the RQ3 Sorcery rules, you will end up with something very different from published Glorantha.

I have been posting a tremendous amount of material on heroquesting recently on Facebook. Perhaps someone could post a summary in another thread.

Homing circles? Wrong game system.

Nowhere near Black Canyon sized. There are hills that rise some 2000 feet to the northwest of Backford. The Syphon valley is more than a mile wide at the bottom, and the 1000 foot marks are four or five miles apart at the narrowest. The Gunnison base is about 40 feet, and a quarter of a mile wide at the rim.

A possible point in comparison is the Little Colorado River from Cameron to the Colorado River.

For caravan and road travel, my usual source is Donald Engels' "Alexander the Great and the Logistics of the Macedonian Army". As for road versus river, road is actually easier from the New River upstream. The Creek-Stream River descends some 2000 feet from the Upland Marsh to the Building Wall in less than 80 miles. That's about 20-25 feet per mile, which is pretty tough to go upriver from. Downstream is fine, as long as you use the ducks. But for goods coming into the Lunar Empire from the Holy Country, the roads are easier - which also means that the caravan route on the road is possibly easier both ways.

CARAVAN DISTANCES The Caravan Distance Table shows the average distances between points of significance and the average number of days, rounded up, it takes a mule caravan to travel between such places at a rate of approximately 40 km (25 miles) daily along the Royal Roads. Beasts of burden need rest at least one full day per week and rest stops during the day. Typically tolls are collected at each of the places listed. Distance (km/miles) Days Karse to Whitewall 84/52 3* Whitewall to Wilmskirk 60/37 2 Wilmskirk to Boldhome 44/27 2 Wilmskirk to Swenstown 64/40 2 Wilmskirk to Quackford 34/21 1 Quackford to Duck Point 38/24 1* Quackford to Clearwine 20/12 1* Swenstown to Boldhome 40/25 1 Swenstown to Pimper’s Block 24/15 1 Pimper’s Block to Bigglestone 120/75 4** Bigglestone to Paps 60/37 2** Paps to New Pavis 104/65 4** Boldhome to Jonstown 34/21 1 Jonstown to Dangerford 20/12 1 Jonstown to Runegate 44/27 2* Dangerford to Herongreen 26/16 1 Herongreen to Torkan’s Last Fort 48/30 2* Torkan’s Last Fort to New Pavis 176/110 6*** Herongreen to Alda-Chur 36/22 1 Alda-Chur to Slavewall 94/58 3 Slavewall to Furthest 86/53 3* * Extra time is needed between these points because of the rough ground travelled on this route. Local tribes may impose additional toll(s). ** Extra time is needed between these points because of the rough ground travelled on this route. No toll, but also no protection against bandits. *** Extra time and extreme caution is needed on this route because sufficient water and fodder must be carried by the caravan. This takes up at least 70% of the caravan’s carrying capacity.

This is spot on Scott.

No.

And during times of war, caravans generally avoid war zones, as that is too much of a financial risk. So during the invasion of 1602 (which lasted a season or so), there weren't Etyries or Issaries caravans active in much of Dragon Pass - they waited until things calmed down. Same with during the two seasons of Starbrow's Rebellion. It does make me wonder that perhaps caravan traffic with the Holy Country dropped a lot from 1619-1625. Not because it was oppressed, but because the roads were too dangerous.

What is the point of the question? To me this is absolutely no different from asking "could the Red Goddess have been stopped? or "Could Sartar have been stopped." The answer is of course, but we'd have a different setting. Prince Argrath is hard-wired into the setting, just like the Red Emperor is. He's actually been there as long as the Lunar Empire, the Red Emperor, Harrek the Berserk, and the Kingdom of Sartar, and he's older than Orlanth or Yelm - and his name is older still. In short, he's one of the main iconic characters of the setting.

Joerg is wrong here. Merchants regularly travel between Karse and Furthest. Most are Issaries cultists, some are Etyries cultists. During the Lunar Occupation, Etyries cultists were favoured by the authorities (but at the same time the Issaries cultists were often perfectly willing to elect an Etyries cultist as the market priest). With Liberation, the Issaries cultists enjoy that favour. Again, it is worth emphasising that Etyries and Orlanth are neutral towards each other.

Most likely this would have been led by King Moirades and perhaps officers appointed by Appius Luxius. Vostor Blacktooth might have been the senior commander - he would be almost 60 years old if he was still alive. That's pretty old for a military leader (comparable to Fazzur's present age), but he was King Phargentes' right hand man and part of Moirades inner council. Vostor's third son Wassail was definitely there (Farrad and Goslem died fighting in 1582). He was quick to rise in the Lunar priesthood and helped Moirades arrange the difficult magic which helped kill Sartar prince Terasarin in 1600. Fazzur was likely present, but at 26 years old, he's likely only leading a single regiment. I doubt that Jorad Sideburn and Gordius Silverus were leaders of prominence at this point. They might actually be part of Fazzur's little entourage.

That page is a collection of references. I believe this refers to an attempted Lunar military invasion of Sartar in 1591 (led by the Tarshites most likely) but it was defeated and it was defeated by the Sartarites led by Prince Terasarin. This sort of conflict occurs a lot.

In 1600? The Lunar Army is doing nothing of the sort. King Moirades makes a lot of money off the trade as well.

In 1600 Sartar is ruled by Prince Terasarin, whose wealth and power comes from his control of the booming trade between the Holy Country and the Lunar Empire (Prax is a topping). To control that trade and make money off it, you need to first have that trade, which means that merchant caravans need to be able to safely travel on your roads (of course they need to pay you for it). Given that the trade is with the Lunar Empire, many of those merchants are going to belong to the Etyries cult. Orlanth has no beef with Etyries (any more than with Yelmalio, Lodril, or other neutral cults). So the Prince - who has dangerous companions, Telmori bodyguards, Humakti, and mercenaries - says travellers on MY roads are under MY protection. Those who assault travellers on my roads under my protection are assault me - and I am Orlanth Rex. And Sartar's roads were famed for their comfort and safety.

Because those Etyries merchants bring a ton of toll revenues to the Prince and help pay for his armies. Orlanth is neutral towards Etyries after all. And all merchants are spies. Few Gloranthans believe in total war - certainly not the central Genertelans.

In 1600, there would likely be Eytries merchants and some Seven Mothers residents. The roads are under the protection of the Prince of Sartar, who punishes those who screw with caravans. Regardless of whether they follow Issaries or Etyries.

The city is no doubt filled with Sartarites and Esrolians, perhaps more than Heortlanders. There are likely some Eyries merchants still there, as they are protected by the Issaries cult, but I suspect most of the Seven Mothers cultists fled in 1624.

But of course, Karse is going to have lots of inns and caravanserai as it is an entrepôt for the trade through Dragon Pass to Peloria and Prax.

Or:

Yep. Here's a nice reconstruction of Massalia:

Elements of it probably. But those are thousands of years old, and likely much has been replaced.

This is really fantastic. If you ever want to do Snakepipe Hollow, let me know!

And if anything it resembles ancient Massalia far more than medieval Caernarfon.