The Slow Road

originally posted February 16, 2006

It will take better than a hand, I think, to reach the Eastern Gate of Torcadino. Perhaps seven days, maybe more.
It is a fine city, at the crossroads of five major highways. Much of Gor can be accessed from this central hub. The road we are on, of course, is a path to and from Glorious Ar. The others, recalling them clockwise, are; The Northern Silk Road which travels due south to Kasra and the desert city of Tor, The Eastern Way, commonly referred to as Treasure Road, which passes through Samnium en route to the port city of Brundisium, The Northern Salt Line which travels north and west and reaches, too, like Treasure Road, the shores of Thassa, and finally Pilgrim's Road, which ambles mostly north to take travelers to the heavy gate of Black Sardar. All roads, it is said, lead to Torcadino. While that is not strictly true, few times does the phrase 'You cannot get there from here' leave the lips of one of her citizens.
In am in no particular hurry at the moment. The evenings beneath the stars, spent before the dancing flames of a camp fire, are quite pleasant. After loosing them from the coffle each afternoon, the whores hurry about getting our camp set for the day. They get their mouths filled with gruel and are sent on their way, given a generous amount of freedom to interact with the others, free and slave, that we travel with. They are excited, I think, stimulated by the activity. The money they earn for me is not nearly what they were able to manage within the gates of Ar (I doubt any of them will be able to bewitch a silver coin for the mere convenience their bodies afford these fellows), but it is enough to keep them from being beaten. I want them to enjoy themselves.