Swenstown, like most of Eastern Sartar, is in the rain shadow of the Quivin and Storm Mountains (and of course the Rockwoods as well). No gentle summer rains there – on average…
Tag: Photo reference
Cinsina Flats
Was driving through Sartar this afternoon. We were east of Jonestown in the Cinsina Flats. I have always pictured Sartar as a bit greener and more forested as well. it is early…
Saird and Lunar Tarsh
Thinking about Saird and Lunar Tarsh, there are far worse models than the Snake River Plain of Idaho. Grasslands, alluvial plains mixed with rolling hills, surrounded by a semibowl on snowy mountains.
Good Place
We zipped through the Good Place with the mountains of Dragon Pass in the distance. This is among the most fertile areas of Prax and you can see why it is fought…
Notes on the Upland Marsh I
We made a quick trek to the outskirts of the frozen Upland Marsh. We avoided the Blackthorn trees and were in daylight so no signs of vampires or ghouls. Pretty sure there…
Quivin Mountains I
Spend a long day driving around Dragon Pass yesterday with the family. Here’s a great view of the Quivin Mountains from near Gold Lamb Hill. You can even see the valley of…
The Guardian Hills, near Swenstown or Toena
A few glimpses of a valley in the Guardian Hills, near Swenstown or Toena. Now Prax gets about 18 inches of rain and 21 inches of snow a year, with almost all…
Notes on Oakfed
Oakfed is a major spirit in Dragon Pass and Prax. In the Lesser and Greater Darkness, Oakfed ruled much of Prax, dispelling the Darkness but burning all the remnants of the ancient…
The Plaines of Prax
Spent today out in the Plaines of Prax, checking out the short-grasses and the scrub (mainly manzanita and sumac). The grasslands appeared the Grey Age after Oakfed burnt the remaining forests. Didn’t…
The Machine Ruins
Past the isles of God Forgot, past Talar Hold and Casino Town, are the cursed ruins of the Clanking City, one of the most haunted places in the Holy Country. In the…
Entekos in the Lunar Heartlands
The primary atmospheric deity in the Lunar Heartlands is Entekos, whose cult is largely contained to Karasal, Oronin, and the Silver Shadow). Her cult is closely associated with Dendara, and is associated…
Road vs. River in Sartar
One of the reasons that far more traffic is carried by Sartar’s Roads than by river is the steep slope of the Creek-Stream River. The Creek-Stream drops some 350 meters in about…
Notes on Caladra and Aurelion
Caladra and Aurelion – the Volcano Twins – are the patron deities of Caladraland, and some 20% of the population are devoted to them. They are the twin offspring of Lodril and…
Argrath’s New Pavis
As of 1625, New Pavis has a permanent population of about 5150 people, making it the second largest Sartarite city after Boldhome. Another 1500 people live inside the Big Rubble. All of…
Oasis People of Prax
Native farmers are indigenous to this land and have descended from survivors from before the Darkness. These folk have survived bad conditions for centuries. Whenever a conqueror makes peace for a while,…
The Shadow Plateau
The Shadow Plateau is one of the great centers of trolldom in Glorantha, although it is now but a shadow of the former Kingdom of Night. There are some 41,000 trolls on…
The Web of Arachne Solara
Glorantha is held together by the Web of Arachne Solara, a vast net woven out of the strands of myths – each the encapsulated deed of gods or heroes in the God…
Notes on Tarsh I
So let’s talk about Tarsh a little. First thing to keep in mind is that it is geographically about the same size Sartar, but it is much more intensely settled with more…
The Geography of Dragon Pass and Sartar
A little blurb on the geography of Dragon Pass and Sartar. Not much like Caledonia at all. General Description Sartar is a rugged and seismically active region filled with rounded hills and…
More on drinking
In the Lunar Heartlands, it is the Lodrilli peasantry and workers that drink heavily. And often. The Yelmites put too much importance on self-control and purity, and drunkenness is seen as a…
Drinking
Some notes for an art piece, that I thought folk might enjoy. And of course, you drink your clearwine out of a wide-bowled drinking cup you pass around. These drinking bowls are…
Boldhome Map Preview III
As Matt Ryan and I continue to work on the Boldhome foldout map for the Sartar boxed set, we’ve made a few tweaks based on Greg’s notes. Greg really insisted that the…
A Civilization of River-and-Grasslands
Where Sartar is a silk road kingdom, with its riches coming from its command over the trade routes through strategic Dragon Pass, the Lunar Empire is a river-and-grasslands civilization. Because of its…
Pockets of Boldhome I
Of all the unique architectural elements of Boldhome, the Pockets are to me the most fascinating. Dwarf-made and carved deep into the mountain cliffs, they are an impossible combination of the facades…
Quivin Mountains Map WiP Preview II
Boldhome is the largest settlement in Sartar, comparable in size to all of the other cities of Sartar put together. It is the religious, political, commercial, and cultural center of the kingdom…