Category | Marvels |
Location | across many regions |
Alias | Skree Ruvalk |
Owner | none |
Built | varies by world |
Map | see below |
Found underground, the Earth Seam is an channel of earthen elemental matter that flows like a lazy river. On the world Bal-Kriav, a Creationist named Benevolence used this river in the making of the world around it.
Where a river runs with water, the Earth Seam is a flow of sand and rock. From collisions and constant grinding, much of this stuff is of the finest sand.
- Dalun Irak, of the Tharag - "Skree Ruvalk"
In the Demon Spawn War (89 GE - 269 GE), the Earth Seam was a means of moving supplies and soldiers to distant war zones. Security and transport was provided by legions of Earthen under Geb, a reluctant ally of the Covenant.
One of the earliest peoples to use the Earth Seam as a means of settling distant lands, were the gnomes. Fleeing the demons taking over Hezmort, these Svirfneblin passed into the Krephus Sink then to the Earth Seam. Others to use it were the Akthol and the Tharag. In 310 LE, they formed a joint expedition with settlers from each clan. From God Anvil Launch, they were sent along the earthen flow. After passing through several Seam Portals, they established the settlement of Felak.
Early travel along this elemental river was done by barges. These were constructed by earth elementals, then in exchange for gems, they offered to tow and pilot their customers along the river. In the First Epoch, a Lith-Crillion research vessel came ashore near the God Anvil Launch. Empty of crew, a ghost ship, it was studied at Khulbarazâr. Reverse engineered, the Mhornar Skree, or Dirt Barge was invented.
Navigation on the earth seam is rather simple, hang with a bunch of big boulders and you got it easy - unless of course they collide with a seam spire and then you got trouble. Travelling up stream is not like sailing a ship, wind does not move you through this elemental stuff, it requires shadow magic and the taming of earth elementals . These workers will then literally drag you through the stuff at a slow and somewhat safe rate - this is why Mhornar Skree have wedge sterns and aft, each strong of weld, and blessed by Danzar-Khâl. As for getting the help of earth elementals, they gladly accept metals and gems, which though they consume, are not digested since we all know they don't work like flesh and blood, its a strange custom even for their kind.
On the journey, we passed innumerable passages and crossed caverns so vast that many days passed before it narrowed back to normal. The diversity of peoples and civilizations we encountered were far beyond any of our expectations.
- Dalin-Gumil, expedition leader from Smizerak, fragment from the Lost Series - "The Long Flow"
When Geb became a lesser power, he acquired the ability to create earth seams; serving as a counter to the fiery machinations of Surtur and his Great Vein.
Region | Map |
---|---|
Badmaer | Gullvar |
Dhark Bolg | Aerruxa |
Faeglor | Greroch |
Goulnacus | Dymus |
Imgangreth | Garathral |
Sakal | Ezel, Rubeth |
Unaraggumak | Khelan |
Urizigar | Berolaz |
Seam Portals
The Earth Seam has entry and exit points called Seam Portals. Passing through one can take you to far away places. Before the Second Epoch, going the reverse - back through these portal was impossible for anything other than an Earthen. This changed with the advent of specialized Mhornar Skree called Nalgu Skree. This ship type, very expensive to build and operate, can pass through Seam Portals in either direction.
Entrance | Exit | Distance Apart |
---|---|---|
Baruk-Agan | Baruk-Sigil | 6500 miles |
Baruk-Aphalur | Baruk-Galib | 4200 miles |
Baruk-Felag | Baruk-Nur | 1800 miles |
Baruk-Gind | Baruk-Khâl | 4600 miles |
Baruk-Mand | unknown | |
Baruk-Gathal | Baruk-Gulin | 600 miles |
Baruk-Ragal | unknown | |
Baruk-Taruz | Baruk-Ulin | 4800 miles |