Geographical errors...

Frozenblaze

Mongoose
Ok, I found something quite weird in Magic of Magnamund. In the sage of Lyris class, we can read that Karkaste is the "city of sails" being an important port for Lyris. Though with a map like those provided in the LW books (referring to the Stornlands map), Karkaste is lost east of the Storn river, right on the slopes of the Varetian hills. No major river or stream seams to go through the city. I think Soren would most likely be the biggest port of Lyris for it is situated on a crossroad and the river is near... Is it an edition error ? If not are there any tributaries of the Storn that are not shown on the map ? I would gladly switch Soren with Karkaste because to me, Karkaste has no reason to be a port-city while Soren should be the most important port of the nation by looking at it's situation...
 
Here's the map in question:

http://www.projectaon.org/xhtml/lw/06tkot/maplarge.htm

You would appear to be right.
 
Yeah I noticed this a while back when I was working on a Lyris Prestige Class. It does seem to make little sense.
 
August... we are in need of guidance here !!! Or at least people who read the thread should consider giving an opinion...
 
Also from this map it seems clear that Karkaste cannot be a port city:

http://www.projectaon.org/xhtml/lw/16tlov/maplarge.htm

The only ports would be Soren and Quarlen.

By the way, one curious fact is that it seems like Joe Dever changed his mind regarding what country Karkaste belongs to...

In Book 6, we have this:

Some general info in Section 5:
Lyris is embroiled in war with Magador, Delden with Salony and Salony with Slovia.
Then you can meet the soldier Redbeard in Section 181:
He is sergeant-at-arms to a captain of mercenaries and has recently returned from battle against the Magadorians.
Then if you allow Redbeard to take you to his captain in Section 211:
The captain and his men have grown tired of the war in the north. Prince Janveal of Helin is close to ruin, having sold all he owns to pay for a war against Baron Maghao of Karkaste that he cannot hope to win.
(Actually the page says "Helm", not "Helin", but I think that this is a transcription error.)

From this, it clearly seems like Karkaste belongs to Magador. Also note how the maps shows that the largest road from Karkaste leads to Vakovar, a Magadorian city. And also the map of the "Political and geographical divisions of Northern Magnamund" in The Magnamund Companion seems to place Karkaste in Magador.

However, on Book 16 you may meet a certain hunter, and it's said in Section 340:
The hunter tells you that he has travelled all the way from Karkaste, in the realm of Lyris, to hunt for Black Corvayl.
Funny. But, this is the Stornlands, where borders may change every now and then...
 
Angantyr said:
However, on Book 16 you may meet a certain hunter, and it's said in Section 340:
The hunter tells you that he has travelled all the way from Karkaste, in the realm of Lyris, to hunt for Black Corvayl.
Funny. But, this is the Stornlands, where borders may change every now and then...

This is also my take on it, the city may have changed hands a few times in its history. Although according to your quotes, it doesn't say explicitly that Karkaste belongs to Magador, although its loyalty may be constantly shifting between Lyris and Magador.


Angantyr said:
The only ports would be Soren and Quarlen.

I also think Kron, Luyen, Rhem, Eula, Tekaro and Chod have ports, according to the map in book 6, and in fact LW stops in a few of them on his way to Tekaro.
 
columbob said:
Angantyr said:
The only ports would be Soren and Quarlen.

I also think Kron, Luyen, Rhem, Eula, Tekaro and Chod have ports, according to the map in book 6, and in fact LW stops in a few of them on his way to Tekaro.

Of course - but the question was about Lyris, and these towns and cities belong to other Stornland countries.
 
If it's a problem exchange Karkaste with Soren and vice versa. The maps of the gamebooks aren't quite exact either. Another perhaps radical solution is moving the location of Karkaste! or perhaps moving the river! The geography of Magnamund has been somewhat transformed in the RPG adding new towns and cities never heard of before.
 
Angantyr said:
(Actually the page says "Helm", not "Helin", but I think that this is a transcription error.)

It is. The book says "Helin".
 
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