Having just done the very long drive across America’s Heartland from Madison, Wisconsin back to Colorado, I think it is worth thinking about the Lunar Heartlands as being a magical emanation of the American Heartlands.
Let’s start with some geographical similarities. The American Heartland is dominated by three great rivers, the Mississippi, the Missouri, and the Ohio, and if we feel generous we can add the Arkansas as a fourth. The Lunar Heartland is dominated by three great rivers, the Oslir, the Arcos, and the Poralistor, and if we feel generous we can add the Erinflarth as a fourth.
The vast central area of the American Heartland is a landscape of low, flat to rolling terrain. And hey, the vast central area of the Pelorian Heartland is low, flat to rolling terrain. Both are primarily grasslands. The forests of the Upper Midwest have mostly been cut down, and the forests of the West Reaches have mostly been cut down.
The biggest difference is size. The American Heartland is much larger than the Lunar Heartland. But there are far more similarities between these two regions than any other I can imagine.
So next time you imagine Raibanth, perhaps Memphis or Minneapolis-St.Paul ought to be part of that image. Or perhaps Alkoth is St. Louis with a giant stone ring instead of a Gateway Arch. And believe me – anyone I know in Minnesota and Wisconsin would be glad for the Kalikos Expedition to do something about those winters!
It should be no surprise that Greg lived in Wisconsin for a period, and the shared Heartland is no coincidence. Don’t think Rome or Egypt or London – think the Midwest and its edges!
And the Mississippi-Missouri-Ohio are frankly far better points of reference than the Nile or Tigris-Euphrates.
And if you really want to geek out, read up on Cahokia and the Mound Builders.