A Question for Mark on the Bekkayin states

[Warmaster]

You wrote in the historical atlas:

"The equatorial Zone of Fire has prevented significant contact and even trade between the hemispheres. Humans (uesti) in the northern hemisphere have not advanced beyond garden agriculture and tribalism, except in the Bekkayin states (an exceptional extension of Nanese culture) and the ktuvok empire of Kowon in Curym."

How did this "Exceptonal extension" occour. the one think that it keeps me thinking of is underground tunnels, but that isn't totally apropriate for the technilogical age. so, may i ask how they did it?

[Oerjan]

A very good question!

The "Zone of Fire in Curym" thread discusses some options - in particular, if there are trans-equatorial monsoons during some periods of the year it would be possible to sail from Nan to Bekkai... but those options have various other problems, like recurring every year or cooking the neighbouring areas as well

As for tunnels - well, the uesti wouldn't have the technology to tunnel that far, but what about the elcarin/murtani?

Later, Oerjan

[Drydic]

You wrote in the historical atlas:

"The equatorial Zone of Fire has prevented significant contact and even trade between the hemispheres. Humans (uesti) in the northern hemisphere have not advanced beyond garden agriculture and tribalism, except in the Bekkayin states (an exceptional extension of Nanese culture) and the ktuvok empire of Kowon in Curym."

How did this "Exceptonal extension" occour. the one think that it keeps me thinking of is underground tunnels, but that isn't totally apropriate for the technilogical age. so, may i ask how they did it?

I believe that Mark said it was basically some ships that had somehow made it across. And there is some current of news between the two: otherwise how would the guy recieved word that he had inherited a duchy in K'aitan?

This is probably one of those things that won't get answered until Mark get a good handle on what the hell causes the Zone of Fire.

Maybe there's giant glass walls on either side of the Zone, and the Bekkayin settlers managed to find the tunnel thru.

[zompist]

I have a feeling I've answered this question before, and forgotten the answer... in the D&D campaign we treated the Zone as extremely difficult to cross, but possible for intrepid and slighty crazy adventurers (as any good D&D group, of course, is). There may be times when the Zone is less fierce, or you may have strong magic of your own, or the guardian deities don't mind a straggly band of Nanese making it through-- or it may require a combination of all of the above.

[Glenn]

I have a feeling I've answered this question before, and forgotten the answer...

You might be thinking of one of my first posts to the old Virtual Verduria board; the post in question (and Mark's reply) is right here.

p@,
Glenn

[zompist]

Thanks, Glenn. It's not the first time I've remembered that a question was asked but now what I said. And now I see why you thought the Zone predated the ilii.

Basically I'll stand by the answer in that posting, except for the part about the iliu records, which is superseded by the Count of Years, which we can assume is true to the general import of the iliu records, though not to details or to chronology.

[Ihano]

You provided more information on the Bekkayin states here, in Verdurian, as well. This answer involves caves through mountain ranges.

[Glenn]

For the sake of completeness , here is an additional post of mine (one of the last on the "old" board), concerning the means used by the ilii to cross the Zone, along with Mark's reply.

p@,
Glenn