FAR POINTS - RESPONSE ON FARMING, FLORA AND FAUNA Thanks to everyone who responded either publicly or privately to my essay on the farming, flora and fauna of Far Point. If my postings were somehow responsible for the bizarre behaviour (i.e non-arrival) of the Digest on those days, I can only say, 'Whoops' and 'Sorry'. (Its them damned Gift Carriers - they're out to get us all - I wonder why? ; - ) ).
It seems that most people (myself included) didn't receive the Digests containing parts 2 and 3 of the 4-part post. If you'd like the complete Far Point essay, drop me a line, and I'll e-mail it complete with some additions and clarifications from the discussion. Let me know if you need to receive it in parts: the whole is around 50K.
Martin, I'm not sure what your engineer friend was getting at, or how it relates to my general point that harder, stronger, magical iron ploughs are an extremely valuable (if somewhat rare) tool in farming heavy rich clay soils that bronze or flint ploughs can't deal with.
My conception for the iron 'Lodril' or 'Yelmalio' ploughs is based around the Elmal/Yelmalio rivalry that still splits Far Point. The iron ploughs are associated with Yelmalio clans and bloodlines (they are far too costly for individuals to own and maintain - I mean this in both economic and magical (POW) terms). They symbolise the antagonism between Yelmalians and Elmali, and with the ascendancy of Harvar Ironfist this rivalry regularly explodes into murderous violence.
Heavier iron ploughs mean more effective exploitation of land, and the ability to exploit clay soils that otherwise cannot be farmed. (There's a reference somewhere from Greg that talks about the 'Lodril' plough - this is essentially the same technology. Can anyone point out the reference?) If an enemy clan possesses an iron plough (and generally, clans can only afford to collectively own one or two iron ploughs), then its a prime target for raids and robbery.
Iron ploughs are powerful religious artefacts - much more than just farm tools. And its more than just the plough - there are associated rituals, spells and effects - solar birds for example, will keep away from your crop. Possession of the ploughs means that clans can farm rich and fertile heavy-soil lands that other clans cannot, and in the age-old Orlanthi scheme of things, this means jealousy, violence and war.
Larger mills exist: these are nearly always shrines to Barntar. While they may occasionally be driven by running water/undines or by animals (oxen, stunted pentasaurii, enlo), most often a gnome living in the shrine grinds the milling stones. Finally, though I haven't developed this idea, I've always thought the Orlanthi should be using WINDMILLS of some description.
My fellow Far Point explorer Michael Raaterova points out that 'the word "kuk" in swedish means "penis" and cannot be misunderstood as any other thing.' No wonder the men of Far Point invest so much time and energy in kuk fighting!
I once had a supervisor who specialised in 'gastro-ethnography', the study of food and eating in different cultures. Despite his love and expertise on the topic he gave only occasional post-grad seminars; his desire to teach a full unit was held in check by a local newspaper satirist who often highlighted the follies of our national university's 'School of Inconsequential Studies'. Sigh. Instead we got kinship. Just think how different my Gloranthan world-view might have been...
Sticklepick/blackburn is based upon the roman dish of liquified and fermented fish variously known as garum, oxygarum, liquamen, muria etc. It is certainly as strong and 'flavoursome' as I describe - one of Martial's epigrams reads,
'Papilus' breath is so strong that it can change the strongest perfume into garum.'
Like most cultures, the definition of what is good to eat varies enormously, and is partially biological, being fixed at around four years of age (the same time most of our fears and phobias are also set). We would find many Roman dishes unpalatable; let alone those of the Praxians or the Western Lunars. The Romans used garum as a base for almost everything they cooked: an egg whisked in garum was a common snack. It was often served with plums, crushed apricots or quince puree. Far Pointers use sticklepick in similar fashion.
(You've probably heard the rumours that LongRun stead, the exporter of Far Point's most prestigious sticklepick, also breeds large numbers of trollkin. You may also have heard related rumours speculating as to what gives LongRun sticklepick its unique leathery flavour, so prized in Tarsh and the Heartlands. Most adventurers in my campaign usually end up going to find out for themselves. And no, I'm not saying).
TROLLKIN URINE AND OTHER STRANGENESS
Probably all three! ;-) . My own rationale is that enlo urine is used as a fixative in dyeing cloth and in the tanning and dyeing of leather products. Its also a rich source of rare minerals such as phosphorus - perhaps some small mines force trollkin to eat their way along the mineral veins, and then evaporate their urine.
Human urine was a common export in ancient times, and for the same reasons. The Romans particularly valued Spanish urine, though this was probably due to the effects of evaporation during the long journey rather than any peculiarity of Spanish biology or diet.
SALT MINING Dave Dunham asked me to clarify what I meant by 'harvesting' salt. In Far Point as in medieval Europe, salt is collected in two main ways. The first is mining - from simple holes in the ground at salt licks to enormous mines that date from the EWF or even earlier.
By 'harvesting' - the second method -I mean the extraction of salt from water. In Far Point this means setting up evaporation pans to boil the brine from salt springs.
David mentioned the possibility of Aldryami plants that crystallise salt - this certainly exists, but its not something I have explored.
Cheers
John
"The metaphysicians of Tlon do not seek for the truth or even for
versimilitude, bur rather for the astounding. They judge that
metaphysics is a branch of fantastic literature."
Jorge Luis Borges.
"Tlon, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius"
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