Re: Of Bastards and Exiles
Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 7:35 pm
Lagos Shore – Roj Terre: Three hundred of the hardest kilometers of travel along the Pampana Route will be this stretch as you twist between ever changing tidal flats and sand dunes.
The southern shores of Lake Lagos are stunning to those coming out of the wastes. Shimmering seas appear close while Ananda shines above and are far off pools of black while she is away. The sweeping hard sands of her shores contain rare rock outcroppings of a violet and blue hue providing stunning vistas by day or moonlight.
Where Lake Lagos intersects the northern spur of Roj Terre you will stop at the treaty encampment of Dogfish Point. The small Nal tribe live on the cliffs of the Lagos Sea hemmed in between Taz claimed land and the Roj Terre Mountians. Pilgrims and most members of the southern clans are welcome and safe to stay in the encampments along the outer walls of the small village. Dogfish point has a large seasonal population of both Taz and Minnoc traders. Both tribes have used the tidal flats below the cliffs as a source for much needed salt for centuries. Nal inhabit the flats year round; harvesting kelp, panning salt, and digging for mollusks.
The Nal are an interesting tribe; I was forced to spend a number of weeks here during my return visit on my pilgrimage. They have maintained an existence on the edge of territorial claims of the much larger tribes thru diplomacy for four hundred years. They live in small clustered villages near the tidal flats with structures buried into sand dunes. They deal mostly in tubers, clams, and salt cakes with surrounding tribes. While quite friendly to pilgrims they seldom act as guides. The complex treaties that protect the tribe from aggression are said to date back to a Justinian traveler who was caught here in a sandstorm centuries back. It is said he negotiated the treaty’s to protect himself and his fellow travelers. The story is often told with the classic romanticized ending, "he eventually fell in love with a native girl and never returned to his native world."
From dogfish point you will travel southeast up a long sloping road towards the entrance to the Roj Terre Gap.
Roj Terre Gap: Spanning 110 kilometers of this leg of the pilgrimage is the infamous Roj Terre Gap. The ground has been worn down for centuries by nomads and pilgrims creating a reasonable sized path that ascends steeply 1800 meters.
The uninformed may wonder why the brown-gray rock of the western mountains are called Roj Terre till they reach the summit to discover the rock face turn reddish orange and the horizon filled with rouge and pink sands and blood red rock outcroppings.
The decent down the eastern face takes two paths. The route to the north is primarily a cargo route used by nomad carts and pack animals. It descends towards the north; turning east only 35 kilometers from the edge of Lake Lagos. This provides many nomad parties an opportunity to rest and re-water before heading across the Roj Terre Valley (Loosely translated from an old Urth dialect as “Valley of the Red Earth”) to All-Saints. Travel along well worn paths East by Southeast for 200 kilometers to reach the entry into the valley.
The second path is a narrow set of stairs accessed to the south east thru a metal arched series of pillars. The stairs rapidly change to crude paths that descend quickly thru caverns and gullies before emptying onto the rock formation known as the Mesa in Red. Once upon the mesa one is treated to 60 kilometers of travel along a stunning cliff-top. The sunrises across the Roj Terre Valley are stunning and the sunsets equally spectacular across the gap from whence you came. Travellers should note that this route may only possible going to Urzenkai and not on the return. Talking with Taz guides taking this road in a westerly fashion is far more difficult and not done by “other-worlders.”
The later route is recommended for foot travelers and recommended as part of any pilgrimage along the Pampana Route. In cases of larger parties with larger amounts of gear it may be possible to split the party up with the cargo going the northerly route and the pilgrims the more direct path. This would require careful planning and packing to ensure both teams have ample supplies.
Roj Terre – All Saints: The Roj Terre Valley extends for 500 km of the trip to All Saints. The red sands and great valley make for relatively unimpeded travel. The first quarter of the trip includes crossing the region known as the Red Valley. This is a fabled land of misinterpreted history; locals have myths about this land that are often based on local legend. Do not get into arguments with the locals about historical fact versus local lore, you are more likely to be abandoned by your guides than win an argument.
Tales told by the guides during your travels thru these lands are both fanciful and with historical basis. Prior to the Battle of the Jumpgate (4012) fought between remnants of Second Republic space based forces and a coalition of upstart Noble Houses; a large land battle took place around Roj Terre.
The one monument of note in this region is the abandoned skeleton of a floating city or starship near the Northern escarpment of the Red Mesa. Known as the Bone Frame by locals, stands abandoned except as a camp and shelter during the occasional sandstorm that pass with a slow fury thru this region.
The last leg (150 km) to All Saints is thru dry mudflats most of the year and reasonably passable. Be warned that I have heard tell of spring rains in the region have been known to make this segment wet and cold for some travelers. The last ten to fifteen kilometers can be difficult. Approaching All Saints from the east requires walking around to the north or south. The western edge of All Saints ruins are a steep rocky incline filled with stripped out and treacherous ruins, best avoided.
The southern shores of Lake Lagos are stunning to those coming out of the wastes. Shimmering seas appear close while Ananda shines above and are far off pools of black while she is away. The sweeping hard sands of her shores contain rare rock outcroppings of a violet and blue hue providing stunning vistas by day or moonlight.
Where Lake Lagos intersects the northern spur of Roj Terre you will stop at the treaty encampment of Dogfish Point. The small Nal tribe live on the cliffs of the Lagos Sea hemmed in between Taz claimed land and the Roj Terre Mountians. Pilgrims and most members of the southern clans are welcome and safe to stay in the encampments along the outer walls of the small village. Dogfish point has a large seasonal population of both Taz and Minnoc traders. Both tribes have used the tidal flats below the cliffs as a source for much needed salt for centuries. Nal inhabit the flats year round; harvesting kelp, panning salt, and digging for mollusks.
The Nal are an interesting tribe; I was forced to spend a number of weeks here during my return visit on my pilgrimage. They have maintained an existence on the edge of territorial claims of the much larger tribes thru diplomacy for four hundred years. They live in small clustered villages near the tidal flats with structures buried into sand dunes. They deal mostly in tubers, clams, and salt cakes with surrounding tribes. While quite friendly to pilgrims they seldom act as guides. The complex treaties that protect the tribe from aggression are said to date back to a Justinian traveler who was caught here in a sandstorm centuries back. It is said he negotiated the treaty’s to protect himself and his fellow travelers. The story is often told with the classic romanticized ending, "he eventually fell in love with a native girl and never returned to his native world."
From dogfish point you will travel southeast up a long sloping road towards the entrance to the Roj Terre Gap.
Roj Terre Gap: Spanning 110 kilometers of this leg of the pilgrimage is the infamous Roj Terre Gap. The ground has been worn down for centuries by nomads and pilgrims creating a reasonable sized path that ascends steeply 1800 meters.
The uninformed may wonder why the brown-gray rock of the western mountains are called Roj Terre till they reach the summit to discover the rock face turn reddish orange and the horizon filled with rouge and pink sands and blood red rock outcroppings.
The decent down the eastern face takes two paths. The route to the north is primarily a cargo route used by nomad carts and pack animals. It descends towards the north; turning east only 35 kilometers from the edge of Lake Lagos. This provides many nomad parties an opportunity to rest and re-water before heading across the Roj Terre Valley (Loosely translated from an old Urth dialect as “Valley of the Red Earth”) to All-Saints. Travel along well worn paths East by Southeast for 200 kilometers to reach the entry into the valley.
The second path is a narrow set of stairs accessed to the south east thru a metal arched series of pillars. The stairs rapidly change to crude paths that descend quickly thru caverns and gullies before emptying onto the rock formation known as the Mesa in Red. Once upon the mesa one is treated to 60 kilometers of travel along a stunning cliff-top. The sunrises across the Roj Terre Valley are stunning and the sunsets equally spectacular across the gap from whence you came. Travellers should note that this route may only possible going to Urzenkai and not on the return. Talking with Taz guides taking this road in a westerly fashion is far more difficult and not done by “other-worlders.”
The later route is recommended for foot travelers and recommended as part of any pilgrimage along the Pampana Route. In cases of larger parties with larger amounts of gear it may be possible to split the party up with the cargo going the northerly route and the pilgrims the more direct path. This would require careful planning and packing to ensure both teams have ample supplies.
Roj Terre – All Saints: The Roj Terre Valley extends for 500 km of the trip to All Saints. The red sands and great valley make for relatively unimpeded travel. The first quarter of the trip includes crossing the region known as the Red Valley. This is a fabled land of misinterpreted history; locals have myths about this land that are often based on local legend. Do not get into arguments with the locals about historical fact versus local lore, you are more likely to be abandoned by your guides than win an argument.
Tales told by the guides during your travels thru these lands are both fanciful and with historical basis. Prior to the Battle of the Jumpgate (4012) fought between remnants of Second Republic space based forces and a coalition of upstart Noble Houses; a large land battle took place around Roj Terre.
The one monument of note in this region is the abandoned skeleton of a floating city or starship near the Northern escarpment of the Red Mesa. Known as the Bone Frame by locals, stands abandoned except as a camp and shelter during the occasional sandstorm that pass with a slow fury thru this region.
The last leg (150 km) to All Saints is thru dry mudflats most of the year and reasonably passable. Be warned that I have heard tell of spring rains in the region have been known to make this segment wet and cold for some travelers. The last ten to fifteen kilometers can be difficult. Approaching All Saints from the east requires walking around to the north or south. The western edge of All Saints ruins are a steep rocky incline filled with stripped out and treacherous ruins, best avoided.