A thousand years ago, the Nameless Kingdom vanished. Someone meddled too deeply with magic beyond their ken, and thereby created the Scar: a 500-mile crater in the heart of Fortunata — a chasm of reality-bending Chaos, which destroyed the kingdom even so far as to erase its name.
(I have even heard rumors that when the name is remembered, it will be a sign of the end of the world . . . but one must not pay too much heed to every murmuring one encounters in the Merry Mausoleum.)
A vast section of what was once called "The Giant's Cauldron" underwent a wild transformation and sank to form the Scar, with spurts of chaos called “the Shuffle” still randomly emanating from it to rearrange reality. This reign of creative chaos magic easier — but also much more perilous. I have heard of many attempts to settle or exploit the Scar; ALL were beset by strange troubles, and ultimately doomed or corrupted.
Most “normal” folk tend to avoid the Scar, content to take the long way around via the Northern or Southern Silver Roads. The journey takes at least two months by camel, hopping between oasis city states. Believe me here: there is no good time to travel. It's lethally cold in winter, baking hot during summer. Still, the roads of Fortunata are usually alive with merchants and mercenaries — adventurers and criminals — mystics and madmen. For water, one can always count on the Children of Cansuyara to maintain the purity of any well or spring (so long as you always carry tribute with you, of course).
Fortunata is enclosed by mighty mountain ranges, which catch the rain before it can reach the basin, then deliver it as flash floods — or more benignly, as seasonal water courses that sustain the oasis cities. The seasons have uneven lengths; summer lasts five months and winter four, with a short autumn and even shorter spring. This is particularly unfortunate, as most of the rain arrives in the spring; but summer does bring melt-water off the mountains. At the end of summer, there are two months of strong winds. Then, finally, for a brief autumn, Fortunata is pleasant — until the hellish winter sets in.
You need warm clothing against the cold of the night and loose clothing against the heat of the day. Have something to cover your face in a sandstorm. Consider purchasing really good boots. Always have a water flask made of a hollow gourd.
Quentin Martelle in the Merry Mausoleum is a good resource for all your last-minute equipment needs, when the questing call is urgent; just tell him Vellir sent you.
Fortunata is hot, cold, dusty, and low on water. And there are no proper roads beyond the long, winding Northern and Southern Branches. For most, the favored mode of travel is the two-humped Valmani camel. Soldiers and aristocrats generally prefer horseback, since any kind of horse can outpace a camel — but none of them can outlast it, especially in the hostile Desert of No Return.
| Mode | Miles per day | Capacity | Eats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foot | 15. Best for bad places, | 60lbs | 2lbs a day |
| Camel | 15 (the only one capable of handling the inner desert, or full heat of the Summer) | 250lbs | 2lbs a day (as long as there is sparse grazing) |
| Sogserrat Stallion | 40 | ||
| Steppes Poney | 30 | 160lbs | |
| (40lbs for month expedition) | 4lbs a day. | ||
| Mule | 20 | ||
| 2-wheeled Cart, 4 mules. | 25, but significantly slower over bad terrain. | 2,000 lbs on good ground | 16lbs a day. |
Named for one region, but ubiquitous in Fortunata, Valmani Camels are good for all landscapes.
They have two humps and are taller than a man at the shoulder. They have thick woolly coats that they shed in summer – there's a whole etiquette around who can gather the hair to spin and weave it. They have flat footpads, sealable nostrils, and long eyelashes, meaning they can cope with sand underfoot and in the air. They have excellent vision and sense of smell, and can detect water from miles away. They can also predict a sandstorm, which is helpful — any time you see a bunch of Valmani Camels start to huddle for safety, you’d best brace yourself.
During loading, Valmani Camels grumble until fully laden, which can mean a burden up to 350lbs. At a pinch, they can manage 2-3mph for up to 14 hours; however, normal travel would be 2mph with breaks, no more than 15 miles per day. They can manage 5 days without water — weeks if there's vegetation. However, when there IS water, they will drink 30 gallons in 15 mins!
It's generally bad luck to kill a camel, so sick beasts — which happens from time to time — and unexpected foals get abandoned en route.
Camels are tough and dangerous if incorrectly handled. They have been known to pick a man up by his head and toss him against a wall — which is why cameleers are a specialized profession. Standard practice is for the cameleer to walk alongside their charges. Cameleer shoes are expensive; made of thick felt with leather soles and costly paper insoles, lined with red cloth and with drawstring at the ankles, all designed to keep the sand out. Cameleers are often at least partially paid in baggage allowance, enabling them to carry out their own trading.
Caravans — "camel trains" — can be up to 600 camels carrying 1,000 rolls of silk, weighing a total of 40 tons. (About 150lbs per camel, leaving another 100lbs capacity for supplies). However, typical merchant caravans might number in dozens. It's possible to work your passage as a guard or cameleer. Actual passengers are expected to alternate riding with walking.