The Great North Road

The Great North Road, or the "Long Road" as it is often called, runs east to west across the Northlands, and often serves as the boundary dividing the extent of civilized expansion and the untamed and unsettled Wilderlands beyond. In the far reaches of the Northlands, it is simply known as "The Road". For much of its length, what passes for civilization can best be described as a series of frontier towns clinging to the road for their livelihood and protection.

The Northlands (60 mile squares)

The Road's eastern end is in the city of Rimini, in the Grand Duchy of the same name. Its western terminus is generally accepted as the city of Amilkar on the shores of the Frostwater Reach in the land of Mirraddi, although there are those in Darlish who would argue that it ends within their borders. There is about 660 miles of rugged and dangerous frontier in between. The 250+ mile stretch from Turil to Busana is especially wild.

In Rimini, the Road departs from the Coast Road, which begins in the Kingdom of Alsberg and winds through the coastal lands for over a thousand miles, all the way to the Florian Empire and the gateway to the old kingdoms of the South. Leaving Rimini and heading west, the Road follows the valley of the River Greve, passing below the edge of the Iron Spire Mountains to the north. At the 90 mile mark, the Trollclaw Hills encroach near the south side of the Road, which passes through a gap and then climbs into a wide fertile valley. The western end of this valley is closed in by the Shadowveil Forest to the north and the Greenreach Woods to the south. At the 175 mile mark, the Road enters the Shearingvale, home to many farmers and herders, and reaches the town of Linden. The Road now follows the line of the Silver Hills to its north, arriving in the crossroads town of Turil 60 miles west of Linden.

Skirting the Dragonbane Mountains

At Turil, the Road continues west, while another road heads due south to the city of Crygar. At Crygar, that road splits. The Varlune Road heads southwest, between the Kalber Marshes to the north and the massive Umbral Mountains to the south, eventually making its way to Varlune. The Kalembar Road heads south-southeast to Kister's Gap, over the north end of the Umbrals, and on to Jasla and eventually south to the Kalembar Federation, the Coast Road, and points beyond.

Leaving Turil and heading west, the Road continues to traverse the Elder lands of Onoria, passing north of the desolate Hills of Horeb and the Kalber Marshes. This is an especially dangerous stretch of road, and is one of the least populated areas, with many miles between towns and other signs of civilization. North of the road is the legendary Forest of Kyrell, a remnant of a much larger ancient forest, said to be an Elven stronghold in ancient times. The Road then passes through the towns of Trillen and Gravon, and past the foothills of the Dragonbane Mountains, then bending southwest to the town of Busana (at the 500 mile mark). At Busana, a road splits off to the south/southeast that skirts the Kalber Marshes to the south and joins with the Varlune Road. The Road itself continues west from Busana and comes to Colorna on the northern shores of Lake Sarma at the 560 mile mark. Ithilkar was to the north of here in the Elder days.

From Colorna roads go in two directions; the Long Road continues another 100 miles northwest to Amilkar and its end, and the Darlish Road heads west/southwest, looping around the northern edge of the Blood Peaks and then south into the mysterious and dangerous realm of Darlish.

The settlements along the road exist as outposts in the effort to reclaim the Northlands. Merchant companies, ever anxious to open up new trade routes, pay good money to have their own warriors as well as mercenary companies patrol the roads and keep the settlers safe. For the most part they do a pretty good job, although raids and monstrous incursions against the towns and villages are fairly commonplace.

These frontier towns also serve to support those bravest of adventurers who seek to explore the lost realms of the Elder nations.

[P.S. - I'll work on scanning better images of the maps...]