Part of my new character's background is encountering a caravan traveling from Tian Xia to Absolom and being trapped "Enemy Mine" style with one of the caravan members.
My character would be traveling to Absalom by land from western Cheliax and the caravan could be coming from the Crown of the World. I need to know which path the caravan would likely take and what might make a good location for two people to be trapped for 6 months to a year along the way.
Any suggestions?
,Matt
Part of my new character's background is encountering a caravan traveling from Tian Xia to Absolom and being trapped "Enemy Mine" style with one of the caravan members.
My character would be traveling to Absalom by land from western Cheliax and the caravan could be coming from the Crown of the World. I need to know which path the caravan would likely take and what might make a good location for two people to be trapped for 6 months to a year along the way.
Any suggestions?
,Matt
Well, looking at the map, it's a very difficult thing to go from Western Cheliax to Absolom and meed up with a caravan from Tian Xia.
They'd probably head through the Realm of the Mammoth Lords (no countries' officials to have difficulties with), Varisia (sparse enough that there's still no issues) and avoiding the Worldwound and Belkzen.
Now, if your GM (or, if your the GM) is amenable to it, there could be problems with Molthune (who have been chomping at the BIT for conquest) with Nirmathas (a liberal, independence-focused country that no one but Lastwall really cares about, and Lastwall finds them tiresome) which could force a caravan used to going through those territories into Varisia, then the Nidal/Molthune border, and thus later along the Chelaxian/Nidal and Chelaxian/Molthune border going from the west to the east. If said caravan picked up some slaves in Cheliax, then attempted to pass through Andoran, they could be harried by a group of Eagle Knights. If any non-slave Chelaxians are in the caravan, things could get ugly quickly - even violent.
Alternatively, for turning violent, if the Tian Xia caravan has some petty noble used to being near-worshiped and having no consequences. Quite possibly this prince is the problem - after such a long trip (his own insistence that he go), his arrogance constantly thwarted by caravan leaders, finally his patience (after almost a year of this) is broken and he simply postures in a way that (for him) is traditional, but for the Andorans seems like an attack. The caravan becomes labeled as criminal and the whole thing erupts in violence.
One confrontation later, the caravan is separated from the people you want to be separated, slaves are freed (whether they want to be or not), and battle is being waged. Further, Andoran would be a great place for them to be fugitives, and they'd basically be forced out of Cheliax (who doesn't want another fight with Andoran). This would be even more true if the Chelaxian is a former slave AND a strong patriot - he couldn't go back because of slavery, but he doesn't want to aid his country's enemies, either. Their ultimate goal could still be Absalom; but, in order to escape Andoran, they might want to got north through Druma; east through Five Kings, Galt, and Taldor; and then back south through Taldor before finally being able to go west to Absalom.
Andoran's Arthfell Forest would be an ideal place to be stuck. Angry druids, lycanthropes (werewolves and the like), and other "forest denizens" are all rather aggressive and are in constant conflict with other people (usually over lumber, but their aggression can easily extend beyond that to a "get off my lawn" approach). This would be a fabulous place to be trapped as, despite the inhabitants, the population is low, over all, and surrounded on all sides by great planes with high populations. Even better, though, would be Darkmoon Vale - the forest to the north, surrounded by mountains, and filled with terrible dangers, and constantly "under attack" by lumberjacks. Perhaps passing through the dangerous Arthfell, quickly hopping over the Andoshen River, and heading into Darkmoon Vale sounds like a great idea... until they discover (too late) that Darkmoon is even worse than Arthfell. Surrounded by high-traffic rivers, nigh-impassable mountains, and plains watched over by the Eagle Knights... it'd be a hard place for anyone on Andoran's bad side.
Anyway, more than you asked for, but those were some ideas that came to mind when I read your set-up. I hope this helps!
Incidentally: I am now and forever more Tacticslion, as I can't alter my name after this. Tenth post, you see!