Encounters of the Tablelands
	Anyone traveling in the Tablelands is assured of a wide variety of adventures. To be certain, not all will be pleasant, but they will be interesting – provided the traveler survives, of course.

Cities

Seldom will an alert traveler encounter a city by surprise. The locations of all cities in the Tablelands are well known, and they all lie along the course of well-traveled roads. In addition, most cities are surrounded by a wide swath of cultivated land, as well as service roads for moving wagons, water, and slaves about without injuring crops. Further, there is a constant stream of travel within several miles of the gates. In short, not even a blind man could approach a city without realizing it. Of course, it is always possible for a wanderer to crest a hill and discover to his surprise that a city lies in the valley below. Even in this case, he will not be lost for long. Any passing caravan driver will tell him where he is - though the wanderer may have to suffer a few bemused remarks for having to ask such a foolish question. In the Tyr region, there are seven cities: Tyr, Urik, Gulg, Balic, Raam, Nibenay, and Draj. The name and location of each is well known, and all a traveler must do reach any one of them is set foot onto the proper road and start walking. In most cases, entry into a city is simple. Unless the traveler is carrying banned goods (be especially careful about anything that could be used as a magical component), the gate guards simply record the traveler s name and reason for visiting a city, collect a tariff (and/or bribe) for any cargo the traveler is carrying, and then let him enter. Each city's unique atmosphere and flavor is detailed in the Cities section of this book.

Villages

Villages are far from common; it is quite possible to travel for hundreds of miles without coming across a single one. On the other hand, you will find them in the most unexpected places: standing in the middle of salt flats, hidden in the labyrinths of the rocky badlands, and clinging to the sides of isolated mountains. The reception given a party of strangers depends upon the nature of the village they encounter. Other than offering them food and water; a dwarven village might hardly notice the strangers. A slave or raiding village, on the other hand, might well attempt to imprison or slay them. Some villages are described in the Atlas of the Tyr Region, which appears later in this book. However villages tend to be temporary communities, so it would be futile to describe them all. Besides, there are no doubt dozens of villages of which I have not heard. For a general description of what to expect when you run into a village, I suggest you consult Villages in Athasian Society.

Caravans

Anyone traveling a major road will certainly encounter caravans of all sizes and descriptions. If they wish, they can usually purchase passage with a caravan in return for money or labor – provided they don't appear menacing or threatening. The primary benefit of caravan passage is safety, not comfort; often, passengers provide their own food and transportation, purchasing only the protection of the caravan's guards. Small caravans, usually mounted on kanks, can be found off the main roads. Those traveling away from the road are usually carrying supplies to an outpost or village. Caravans traveling toward the road are generally carrying raw materials, such as clay, obsidian chips, or even beads of smelted iron. Unlike most caravans, these off-road caravans seldom take passengers. To safeguard against raiders and competitors, Merchant Houses place a high priority on keeping the location of their outposts secret. For more information on caravan organization, take a look at the section I have entitled Caravans, located under Dynastic Merchant Houses in the Houses of Athas section.