ALISON PLACE wrote:
> As Bryan says, there's certainly a skill to getting
> round in the woods.
Indeed, a skill most people who live near them possess.
> As I've always considered much of Sartar and
> neighbouring territory to be wooded like Ontario and
> Quebec.
I'm not a Sartar expert, but I don't see it as a boreal forest like
the candian areas you are talking about. I think portions may be,
but it seems like it sits on more of a ecotone then canada. That is
to say, there is much more species diversity within and outside the
forests. Species differences from elevational shifts, north south
slope aspects, etc.
I agree that boreal forests are daunting, and I'm certain I would get lost walking around in them without trail. But for most of those forest's history people didn't live in them. I don't think Native Americans lived in their depths either (could be wrong here). Settlements tend to be along the fringes and folk venture into forests for resources. I don't think anyone in Sartar lives literally within the depths of an endless forest. Maybe Far Place is different, but they're all crazy up there anyhow.
> Even when they go raiding, I'll bet
> there's trails!
Sartar isn't as wild a place as one might think. There has been
steady occupation and expanding population for several hundred years
(well for several thousand really). I think there are trails
everywhere. Trails that were already present when humans first
reentered the area after the inhuman occupation. Cattle and sheep
trails abound as well.
> There were
> wolves (less known about them then), there were bears,
> and there were rabid animals from time to time. Plus
> if you did get lost and all the grown-ups had to dump
> what they were doing to come find you, there would be
> much worse trouble!
I see the Sartar parallel being the sacred, magical areas where
humans aren't meant to tread. Your Geography and Survival skills
won't help you once you step into Tarndisi's Grove.
-Mitch
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