I’ve been fascinated by caravans in Glorantha since the days of Griffin Mountain. Here’s a few notes on a typical caravan you might encounter in Sartar:
The roads of Sartar can be thick with traffic, especially caravans. Trade carried by caravans tie the Holy Country and Prax together with Peloria, and all must travel along Sartar’s roads.
A typical caravan has some 50 mules and includes:
1-3 merchants of the Issaries Goldentongue cult. They oversee inventory, negotiations, and finances.
6-10 muleteers. These are mainly Issaries initiates and likely relatives of the merchants.
3-6 mounted guards. These are Praxians or Orlanthi mercenaries, hired by the caravan leaders.
5 support staff (2 scouts, 3 cooks). This includes cooks for communal meals (using caravan-supplied grain or dried goods), scouts or guides familiar with water sources and passes, and sometimes animal tenders for veterinary care.
These caravans might be carrying wine, silk, wool, linen, spices, grain, tin, copper, weapons, and armor, as well as other trade goods. A minority of caravans are led by merchants of the Etyries cult. All caravans on the roads of Sartar are under the protection of the Prince of Sartar.
Caravan mules on Kaibab trail. Grand Canyon. Arizona.
Why are the roads on the new Dragon Pass maps so strangely straight? The roads were built by dwarves. That RQ3 era map is a little deceptive (Greg confirmed to me that the roads are as he drew them on the master map of Sartar, which is what the Dragon Pass map is based on).
