Errid Kaloum

	Errid Kaloum
	General data Part of Ninth World

Errid Kaloum is a salty region in the Beyond. It borders the Divided Seas to the south, the Clock of Kala to the east. the Ba-Adenu Forest to the west, and Dessanedi to the north.

Background

A shockingly flat lowland region, thought erroneously) to be dry and lifeless, Errid Kaloum is in fact a shallow salt lake that's formed a thick crust over its surface, an extension of the Sere Marica. Throughout the otherwise level, monotonous landscape, occasional mounds rise like islands in a sea. The comparison is apt, because these mounds are, indeed, islands in the salt lake. Each island is surprisingly fertile and lush, even for the climate, for two reasons. First, they're formed due to the geothermic activity below the lake, and thus they're warmer than the general area by about 5 to 10 degrees. Second, some of the mineral structures forced up through the salt lake to form mounds also serve as a powerful desalinizing filter. In other words, within each island is a reserve of fresh water. Thus, the islands are fertile and covered with plants and animals. A few host small communities of human hunters and gatherers who travel across the salt flats in large wagons pulled by salt-crusted therish oxen.

Many of these settlements follow the gory religion of Lhauric, but without priests who can communicate with the Challifani, their version has simply become bloodletting and murder for its own sake. Other villages reject these practices and have to fend off raids from what they call the blood-folk, who continually hunt for victims.

Cities

• Hthumos

Hearsay

Rescue Mission:

One of the blood-folk villages has capture a well-known naturalist and explorer named Brene Fal Koses, most likely for dire purposes. Members of her traveling company offer a substantial reward for her return.

Castle of Light:

On one of the islands of the salt flat, someone has built a castle who's walls appear to be made of translucent energy instead of matter. No one knows who is the master or mistress of this castle, but multiple reports of abykos have come in from the surrounding area.

Weird

Ship Without a Sea:

Half buried in the salt flats, a hundred miles north if the Sere Marica, lie the remains of a sailing vessel made of metal and a material that appears to be synth fibers spun like silken webs.

The Floating Circle:

In the middle of the salt flats is a circle of 300 ft. across that causes some items placed above to become lighter. Objects that weigh less than 300 pounds float above the circle, although anything weighing less than 3 pounds flies off into the atmosphere, likely never to be seen again.

None So Blind:

In the village of Heathian, on the northern end of the salt flats, some of the previous and all of the latest generation of residents have been born without eyes. The local Aeon Priests have fashioned "sight sticks" for these people - devices shaped like hand mirrors, which they hold in front of their faces to gain a kind of artificial sight.