The Trading Routes on Dragon Pass
by Efendi (translated by Terra Incognita)

[Though I don't think it is wise to translate it before the release of Dragon Pass Kerofinera...(TI)
23 / Sep / 2003]
http://www.efendi.jp/rq/script/geography/gloranthan/manirian/dragon_pass_routes.html

There are four trade routes between Nochet and Furthest in Dragon Pass.

First is "Mountain Road", (Red Color Line) From Nochet through Lysos River, to Duckpoint. And it goes through Dragon Pass in narrow sense, through near of the Shakers Temple. It reaches to Bagnot, Goldedge and Furthest.

Second is "Plain Road", (Yellow Color Line) From Nochet through Lysos and Runnel River, and it goes through Rich Post, Queens Post and North Post, visiting several grazelander residence, and it crosses Oslir Rive and
reaches Dunstop and Furthest. [TI: there is a good map of grazer area in Ye Booke of Tentacles #4]

Third is "Riverine Road", (Watery Color Line) From Nochet to Lysos River to Wilmschurch. And from here, through "Kings Lord", it passes through Sartarite Cities like Wilmschurch, Boldhome and Aldachur. And it reaches to Slavewall, Goldedge and Furthest.

Fourth is "Sky (Air?) Road", (Blue Color Line) From Nochet to Mirrorsea Bay, and it reaches to Karse. From this place, through "Kings Road". It goes through Boldhome, Aldachur and Sartarite cities. It reaches to Slavewall, Goldedge and Furthest.

*Mountain Road
About Dragon Pass in narrow meaning, from the report of Second Age traveller Hrestol Arganitis, we confirm that already the road from Creekstream Valley through this pass, and to Oslira Valley was used at that age. (But the route was different for the river flew the east side of Shadow Plateau at that age.)

This road is shortest route from Kethaela to Peloria. Moreover, it goes through near of divine place of Wintertop that is the sacred place for Shakers, and it was a summer resort for wealthy people and training place for Draconic Way Monks, the road route was advanced at that age. Thus the area was named Dragon Pass after the name of the pass. [TI: But the area was simply called Greyland, though Dragonkill changed it firmly attached to the fear of the disastor....the map of 2nd Age Dragon Pass can be found at Hero-Quest Mailing list files. (Revised by Roderick Robertson from original KODP blank map.)]

After Dragonkill, the humanity was wiped out from this area, and there have been some changes until humanity began to resettle these areas. Creekstream began to flow the westside of Shadow Plateau [(TI) By Pharaoh.] And in middle valley of Creekstream, dangerous beasts started to settle, and in Upland Marsh, evil Sorcerers and their servant zombies were wandering around.

These problems to the route were solved by cunning ducks. Ducks are friendly to the Beast Valley beasts, and are good at fighting with Upland undeads. Moreover, they are skilled swimmers and even if in danger, they can escape safely from it. For this reason, without duck, going upstream of Creekstream is nearly impossible, ducks charged excessively, their home thrived as Duckpoint. While Upland Marsh turned into too dangerous place, the route Hrestol Arganitis mentioned was unavailable from that period by Dendrogi Pass or Belastran Pass.

Though the route was charged expensively by the barge-ducks, it was shortest way, and Orlanthi can go to worship on it, it was frequently used. But grazelanders living westside of the route often raided the people going through it, danger increased or Wintertop Exiles guarding the route began to increase the toll of their road, gradually traveller number decreased. And after Lunars drove ducks  in 1613 ST, the route is unavailable for travel. But among earth worshippers, some are going through "Plain Road" (mentioned below) and reach to Queen's Post, and after paying worship in Wintertop, they go to Furthest.

*Plain Road
[In Tales #13, "Wyrm's Hold" Scenario treated the dispute between two Quinpolic Houses, Don Capratis and Du Tumerine for the trade route between Nochet and Furthest Area through Grazeland. (TI)]

Before Arim the Pauper entered to Dragon Pass, no doubt grazelanders living in the land chose the green grassy plains fitting for grazing horses. Perhaps, before the Dragonkill, fertile farms widened these areas, and many small and large cities scattered like Smoking Ruin. [TI: Smoking Ruin was Battle Field between Trolls and Dragonewts in Inhuman Occupation.] Today it is entirely Grassy Plain.

As sidebusiness, perhaps grazers raid merchants going through the boundary of their land, "Mountain Road". Eventually merchants realise that it is better to pay voluntarily than to pay by force. Furthermore, they soon began to trade with grazers, eventually roads that links their posts with spontaneous generation.

This route is through hilly areas horses can run without harming their legs, very easy to walk. But it is not too easy to use wagons, and there isn't enough posts along the route, it is difficult for people without enough physical condition like women or elderly people.

While after "Sky Road" (Mentioned below) fell to the hands of Lunars, many Issaries Merchants hating tax imposed by Empire began to use the route.

The Black Horse County raid merchant caravans as grazelanders in the past, many merchants now go through Muse Roost for avoiding useless troubles.

*Riverine Road
In 1492 ST, after Prince Sartar unified 24 tribes of Sartar, he built Boldhome as center of his Principality. And he thought about the security to receive message rapidly and be able to send his army when the conflict between clans,  in 1497 ST, he built "Kings Road" linking Swenstown, Boldhome and Wilmschurch. later this road extended to Aldachur.

Soon the route through "Mountain Road" used by barge-ducks and "Kings Road" route combined in Wilmschurch, the paved war road changed to very good route for merchants with  wagons.

The route road was expensive for barge-ducks charged high and many clans alongside roads selfishly impose tolls aside from Sartar Kingdom itself, it costs heavily. But it is safest way and many villages can be found along with road and travellers are no need to sleep in the open. So many used it combining the wagon route mentioned above.

But after the Duck Hunt of 1613 ST, the route turned to unavailable.

*Sky Road
[Air Road? For Lunars don't think Air is Evil Element. Storm is Evil for its turbulence. (TI)]

From Dragon Pass to Kethaela, not only the route to Nochet, but there is a route to Karse from Old Days. And it was used as substitutional route when Creekstream was swollen.

In 1602 ST, after Principality of Sartar fell to Lunar Empire, many capitals of Lunar Empire flew to the new land Dragon Pass, and it is easier to intervene lost right land of Sartar than to do same in grazeland allying with Tarsh under the name of "King and Queen of Dragonpass", and I suppose soon after the occupation, most of trade rights in Sartar fell to the hands of Lunar Capitals.

Thus, along the road many Lunar Army garrisons set, with shrines of Seven Mothers, and along road many patrols began to go around, this route turned to safe and convenient, best way for Lunar merchants.

While, for Lunars imposing special tax to Issaries cult, Issaries merchants with guts began to go through "Plain Route" even when they used wagons. But even today, many Sartarites with wagons or not to sleep in the open, reluctantly use this route.

Why this route is called "Sky Road"? Not only for it goes through high above sea level.... but for it was banned to call "Wind [Storm? (TI)] Road", but many people hesitate to call it "Moon Road", they choose to do so out of desperation.

Lunars has deepened the reliance on the route of "Sky Road" in the increasing investment of Lunar capital, alliance with Grazers and stop of "Riverine Road". And many merchants, tax collectors and army make their route through Boldhome. Thus, the Emergence of Dragon in Sartar [Not Boldhome] will damage greatly Lunar Empire, and the successive attacks of Lunars will be concentrated to recapture Boldhome.

(*)This set is created by I, Efendi and Zebraface [called Terra Incognita] with discussion, I don't have sole copyright. The discussion began when our translation reached in the Manirian section of "Trade in Glorantha" (written by Gerald Bosch), he wrote that "merchants from Nochet to Furthest cross the way through Beast Valley and Upland Marsh, going through regulated roads of Sartar." And we discussed its availability.

Zebraface pointed out that normal merchants cannot pass through Beast Valley and Upland Marsh. But I persistently stuck to the convenience of paved road for wagons, could not escape from it. I want to appreciate his effort to remove the attachment from me with patience.

This page map is an amended version of the map of Nobby's Gloranthan Mapping Project in Fancontributed Maps, Hero Wars Official Site.