Golden Road

Trade and travel rule the pathways of the so-called Golden Road, known for its shining sands and economic strength. Much of this region consists of sprawling desert wilderness , but this does not mean that the Golden Road is sparse in population. Coastlines and Rivers serve as the lifeblood of this region, and some caravans brave the heat and dangers of the desert to trade across northern Garund. Some of the oldest nations in the Inner Sea region command this region, and ancient lore and valuable treasures can be found amid the shifting sands and storied cities.

The largest of these cities is the cosmopolitan Katapesh, where mercantilism is overseen by a strange group known as the Pactmasters. Much of the trade in Katapesh in in goods that can be freely exported or imported from throughout the Inner Sea region, but the city does just as much business in avenues normally regulated in the black market of other societies.

Qadira's cities may not be as individually large as Katapesh but the nation's economy is perhaps the strongest. It's certainly the oldest in the region, with support from the long-established Padishah Empire of Kelesh to the east. This, coupled with the church of Serenrae - Perhaps the nation's most successful cultural export to the rest of the Inner Sea region - has secured Qadira's status as one of the most important centers of influence on the Golden Road.

To the west, the five city-states of Thuvia control a legendary artifact called the sun orchid elixir, which grants near-immortality to those who consume it. This treasured commodity is the keystone of Thuvia's place in the Golden Road. Further west, the nation of Rahadoum is perhaps the weakest mercantile link, but the fact that this society has eschewed the worship of gods to place its faith in industry talent of mortals alone gives the nation its own compelling draw.

At the center of the Golden Road lies mighty Osirion, one of the oldest nations of the Inner Sea region. While Osirion was for a time ruled by Qadira, the legacies and monuments of its early days still stand tall and are an indisputable and iconic source of pride and identity to its people. The influence of Osirion's artisans, philosophers, and spellcasters has spread far and wide, particularly via the Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye, far to the north in Ustalav, and the faith of Nethys, whose not-so-humble beginnings as a mortal wizard can be traced to the very beginning of Orision's history during the ancient Age of Destiny.