Bryan asks:
>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.
I really like your ideas here! Esrolia would have to be my favorite place in Glorantha (after Sun Couty of course). I have some material about Esrolia (Nochet in particular) on my Glorantha Page which could be useful: http://members.ozemail.com.au/~mrmob/nochetstuff.html
There's also my scenario "Beyond the Building Wall" published in Tales #13, which has as a central theme the reestablishment of the river trade route to Esrolia from Dragon Pass.
Julian:
> > Well, I think the _major_ rivers are actually relatively unnavigable.
I respectfully disagree: see my article "The Port of Nochet", published in Tradetalk issue #4 and available on my Glorantha Page: http://members.ozemail.com.au/~mrmob/portofnochet.html
The piece begins:
"The unique geography of the Holy Country is well suited to water transport. A succession of wide, sedate rivers empty into the Mirrorsea Bay, a broad expanse of calm water which laps the shores of five of the six provinces. The Mirrorsea, also known as Choralinthor Sea, has been renowned since legendary times for its tranquility. It is broad, relatively shadow (10-30 meters), well lit and warm, abundant with marine life. The boats that ply the Mirrorsea are generally flat-bottomed and powered by oars, for the air above the Mirrorsea is remarkably stable too, quite unsuitable for sail. Though the barge captains may bemoan the necessity and expense of oarsmen, they are also grateful that only in the Storm season, when the Orlanth winds whip down from the Stormwalk mountains and churn the waves, is the Mirrorsea Bay hazardous to boat travel. For the rest of the year they may ply it in safety.
"The city of Nochet is the greatest city of the many that ring the Mirrorsea, and its port, the busiest and most prosperous. "Port" is perhaps an inaccurate term, for, though there are docks and wharves for the larger, sea-going vessels, most of the river barges and flatboats find it convenient to pull up along a broad stretch of sandy beach, formed at the wide mouth of the Lysos River."
I guess I say here that in Storm Season boat travel is hazardous, but then I think any sort of travel in Storm Season probably is.
Cheers,
MOB
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