Indeed. But Kralori hiring Praxians is known to occur, and could start off not so much a 'trade route' as a 'trading chain', as they get paid off in things they consider useful, or in things they consider tradeable to other Decadent Outsiders (like Kethaelans, though that sounds like a whole lot of forward planning). etc, etc.
> As far as I recall the goods going to
> China over the Silk Road were gold, silver, jade, medicine, incense and
> spices, with the Indians taking a major role as intermediary between
> europe and china.
Not the Indians, the Central Asians.
> I can't imagine Karawansereis in the wastelands. In my opinion, the
> trade occurs by osmosis: The nomads trade at the Iron Forts (including
> _Praxian_ mercenaries) and in the course of their trekking get near to
> Zola Fel, where they trade with people from Dragon Pass. IMO this would
> also explain, why they are traded with at all (despite the risk and the
> strengthening of the enemy with metal weapons).
>
> I agree that this trade will be at a very low level. The great caravan
> with about 1000 members taking the direct route would be a very rare
> event met with severe resistance by the nomad clans.
Right. I think this former would be the 'usual' method, 'usual' in the context of something that's not exactly quotidian in itself. (The Iron Forts are there specifically to keep people and their Debauched Foreign Ways _out_, not as a way-point in letting them in.) But I hesitate to say the latter would be impossible: it would be extra-ordinary (and extraordinarily difficult) event, though. Dare I say 'HW scenario material'?
This is bordering on being a Rule One Violation, except that I managed to agree with Andreas at such redundant length. ;-)
Cheers,
Alex.
Powered by hypermail