Does anyone know some detail about the New Hills which are just NW of Alda-Chur along the rim of Snakepipe Hollow??? Why are they called the New Hills? Its been fun all these years wondering, now I have reason to seek something substantial. I am doing some writing that requires at least their vague explanation.
Note: They are not part of John Hughes' On Snakepipe's Edge material or of the Kalikos Society's Third Zin Letters on the Eastern Far Place. They are not explained in any of the Satar or Tarsh materials that I have. The earliest mention of them, that I know of, is in Chaosium's Trollpak and they still exist at least as late as A Gazetteer of Kerofinela.
What I think I know:
In the vague descriptions of the Sharl Plain around Alda-Chur from various sources there is an indication of a fair amount of volcanic activity on the Sharl, particularly around Fire Top. Indeed, the character of Yelmalio (and early on the Elmali) in Alda-Chur and on the Sharl includes a fire worshiping component of purity.
At Glasswall there stands waiting an army of glass soldier statues fired during the kiln of the Dragon Kill.
My assumptions:
The New Hills are different from the ancient Gor and Gault of the Lost Man Wilds and of the Tovtaros homeland. Further from Skyfall and nearer the Dragon's Eye, they seem to me a little drier. I also assume that, as there name implies, they formed after some of the surrounding geography. The implication of 'New' in their title might indicate that they formed after time began.
Were they formed during the tumultuous passing of Arkat on his way north to his ultimate goal? Unlikely, while Arkat was a major disruption to the various political and cultural entities of the first age I don't recall any events that indicate that the landscape was being changed.
What about the Dragonkill? Glasswall and Old Salor and at least one sizable army were cleansed by the vengeful eternal behemoths, though it seems that some of this may have been at the hands of the trolls. Could Dragon's fury be the source of the New Hills? This seems like a possibility. But who would have been around afterwards to name them? One or all of the elder races or possibly the surviving experimentations of the EWF? Then, however humanity got the name they must have received if second hand. Or did they?
There is another possibility. Possibly the New Hills simply look or act new. In the short lifespan of humans this area is exhibiting change or possibly even creation. If they are largely volcanic in nature and parallel anything remotely Terran this could be the answer to my question. Not that I am purporting something as mundane as terrestrial geology as the explanation. There is surely and underlying magical or godly event and this is what I am really seeking. So again I ask; does anyone know any detail about the New Hills and why are they new?
I would love to hear something definitive from anyone who is in the know. I am also, of course, open to tall tales, pure gossip and tenuous rumors.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Powered by hypermail