Gazetteer of Qish
Heights in brackets (for towns) are of the highest and lowest syntei in use.
Heights in brackets (for towns) are of the highest and lowest syntei in use.
Shaaluy
Grossest Midden, (altitude 500m–1600m: no human habitation) largest marsh on the planet, site of Magog and Valkyrie squelchdown.
Golden Mountain (peak 2872m), core of the cities of High and Low Feoff, Western Vanduul.
Hardane (1887m–1963m), town on the Little Yandoory.
High Feoff (2752m–2803m), town near the source of the Little Yandoory. Height would make it more useful if it were connected to Low Feoff by more than a narrow stairway, chipped out of a cliff face by a century of labour (and seventeen casualties). Social contact and trade is mainly with Quantry, at the same height with easier vertical connections.
Principal economic activity: quarrying.
Horgun (1520m–2015), southernmost large town, renowned for skilled astrologers.
Low Feoff (1985–2112m), town near source of the Little Yandoory. A major hub, because the peak of Golden Mountain is at a height shared by many population centres (in particular, in the foothills of Two Mountains), whose downhill access is more difficult.
Onyx (1923m–2108), in the Wembet peninsula, birthplace of Augustus Sadruddin.
Sackbane (1840m–1872m), village on the Yandoory River, closest to Grossest Midden. Oldest surviving human settlement on the planet.
Toon, (1480m–1924m), a town in Crosswit Beyond the Mountains, only place with a connecting synte at the elevation of Sackbane: a brasure just large enough for a small child to bring through sunsyntei, falasyntei, dropsyntei, etc, that work without height matching. There was a wyzand, but it died thirty years ago and discussions of a replacement are continuing.
Most Sackbane inhabitants thus have at most a five-year-old’s experience of the world outside, and do not wish for more.
Two Mountains, (2800m–4932m), administrative and religious centre, middle of the Scantle Range.
Vanduul, wine-grape region.
Golden Mountain (peak 2872m), core of the cities of High and Low Feoff, Western Vanduul.
Hardane (1887m–1963m), town on the Little Yandoory.
High Feoff (2752m–2803m), town near the source of the Little Yandoory. Height would make it more useful if it were connected to Low Feoff by more than a narrow stairway, chipped out of a cliff face by a century of labour (and seventeen casualties). Social contact and trade is mainly with Quantry, at the same height with easier vertical connections.
Principal economic activity: quarrying.
Horgun (1520m–2015), southernmost large town, renowned for skilled astrologers.
Low Feoff (1985–2112m), town near source of the Little Yandoory. A major hub, because the peak of Golden Mountain is at a height shared by many population centres (in particular, in the foothills of Two Mountains), whose downhill access is more difficult.
Onyx (1923m–2108), in the Wembet peninsula, birthplace of Augustus Sadruddin.
Sackbane (1840m–1872m), village on the Yandoory River, closest to Grossest Midden. Oldest surviving human settlement on the planet.
Toon, (1480m–1924m), a town in Crosswit Beyond the Mountains, only place with a connecting synte at the elevation of Sackbane: a brasure just large enough for a small child to bring through sunsyntei, falasyntei, dropsyntei, etc, that work without height matching. There was a wyzand, but it died thirty years ago and discussions of a replacement are continuing.
Most Sackbane inhabitants thus have at most a five-year-old’s experience of the world outside, and do not wish for more.
Two Mountains, (2800m–4932m), administrative and religious centre, middle of the Scantle Range.
Vanduul, wine-grape region.
Samdal
Armazem Azul (8075m), peak in the Blue Ramparts, important centre of the syntelic arms industry.
Clona (210m–1632m), a town in in the south-eastern Promensel plains.
Paiol Branco (7764m), peak in the Blue Ramparts, important centre of the syntelic arms industry.
Piggott (5532m), a semi-autonomous peak at the tip of the Andilleras.
Scythery, in the Southwest, where toilets are unusually private.
Sensifoy (3251m–4112m), above Sinda, connected by a narrow track: location of the only wyzand leading to Shaaluy (specifically, to Two Mountains).
Sinda (2512m–3103m), city at the Eastern end of the White Ramparts, where much of the rainfall of Tenchur drains through natural syntelic fountains.
Swelt, north-east, mostly 1km–2km, an area known for beautiful women.
Tenchur Plateau (3449m–5100m), centre of the Tenchurian Empire ruling all Samdal.
Trupine (3485m–3721m), east of Sensifoy and a little higher.
Vervant (5623m), a Western peak of the White Ramparts.
White Ramparts, Southern wall rising above the Tenchur Plateau.
Clona (210m–1632m), a town in in the south-eastern Promensel plains.
Paiol Branco (7764m), peak in the Blue Ramparts, important centre of the syntelic arms industry.
Piggott (5532m), a semi-autonomous peak at the tip of the Andilleras.
Scythery, in the Southwest, where toilets are unusually private.
Sensifoy (3251m–4112m), above Sinda, connected by a narrow track: location of the only wyzand leading to Shaaluy (specifically, to Two Mountains).
Sinda (2512m–3103m), city at the Eastern end of the White Ramparts, where much of the rainfall of Tenchur drains through natural syntelic fountains.
Swelt, north-east, mostly 1km–2km, an area known for beautiful women.
Tenchur Plateau (3449m–5100m), centre of the Tenchurian Empire ruling all Samdal.
Trupine (3485m–3721m), east of Sensifoy and a little higher.
Vervant (5623m), a Western peak of the White Ramparts.
White Ramparts, Southern wall rising above the Tenchur Plateau.
Lamynt
Bansh, water empire.
Dawling Village (1432m–1441m), a strategically important location in Bansh.
Funambus Head (0–493m), rocky peninsula north of Sumter: vigorous sea winds.
Esmion (1403m–1551m), central alluvial plain of Bansh, ruled by a Queen chosen from among the clanchiefs.
Dunelands, desert, contains secret slave farm (2012m–2048m) of the Vain Vaimoksi.
*Greywraiths, mountain range controlled by the Kuukau, source of the river Sumtry.
*Pardyle (782m), lake and original bazza-growing flatlands.
*Spint, southern neighbour of Bansh and the Greywraiths, good apple country.
*North Quift, *South Quift, (1510m–3103m), sides of a canyon where the Sumtry was partially diverted by synte complexes to the distant continent of Wevory.
Nismolion Range, where the half-wheel was invented, so inhabitants known as 'half-wits'.
Blackpeaks, where the spindler flies create cocoons of fluorescent silk.
Vock (1210m–2107m), mountain town near the source of the Greydrear, with a cliff useful for glider launch.
Vulcan's Anvil (0–600m), volcanic island off Wevory's plate edge, stands in abyssal depths.
Woolvayn (150m–1102m), major textile centre. Initially processed fibre from sheep on the plains of Larby (in Samdal), jute and cotton from Spint, but now dominated by linen: flax grown on the southern edge of Glostmadden.
* directly involved in the Lamynt-Wevory war.
Dawling Village (1432m–1441m), a strategically important location in Bansh.
Funambus Head (0–493m), rocky peninsula north of Sumter: vigorous sea winds.
Esmion (1403m–1551m), central alluvial plain of Bansh, ruled by a Queen chosen from among the clanchiefs.
Dunelands, desert, contains secret slave farm (2012m–2048m) of the Vain Vaimoksi.
*Greywraiths, mountain range controlled by the Kuukau, source of the river Sumtry.
*Pardyle (782m), lake and original bazza-growing flatlands.
*Spint, southern neighbour of Bansh and the Greywraiths, good apple country.
*North Quift, *South Quift, (1510m–3103m), sides of a canyon where the Sumtry was partially diverted by synte complexes to the distant continent of Wevory.
Nismolion Range, where the half-wheel was invented, so inhabitants known as 'half-wits'.
Blackpeaks, where the spindler flies create cocoons of fluorescent silk.
Vock (1210m–2107m), mountain town near the source of the Greydrear, with a cliff useful for glider launch.
Vulcan's Anvil (0–600m), volcanic island off Wevory's plate edge, stands in abyssal depths.
Woolvayn (150m–1102m), major textile centre. Initially processed fibre from sheep on the plains of Larby (in Samdal), jute and cotton from Spint, but now dominated by linen: flax grown on the southern edge of Glostmadden.
* directly involved in the Lamynt-Wevory war.
Wevory
Mount Angrith (2975m–3254m), tallest habitable mountain, dominant power on Wevory and the SVA base.
Calysh Isle (0–2352m), independent island, separated from mainland by shallow water & kelp beds.
Caverns, throughout the mountains, and rumoured connected to mountains elsewhere. Occasionally surface dwellers (and enterprising miners) go exploring. They rarely return to the daylight.
Gloonts and False Gloonts, mountain ranges.
Krig Mountain (5266m), centre of cavern-dweller religion and the Sacred Egg: highest peak on Qish, but exterior too precipitous for access without mountaineering equipment — and mountaineers don’t usually come back.
Pentully and Telvet, fertile plains for bazza cultivation — once given exactly the right irrigation.
Varynt (2993m–3243m), centre of trade with Lamynt before the War, now chief outpost and syntehead of the Kuukau on Wevory.
Vunt (256m–3117m), strategic peak in the False Gloonts, overlooking the plains of Pentully.
All above-ground localities are directly involved in the Lamynt-Wevory war.
Calysh Isle (0–2352m), independent island, separated from mainland by shallow water & kelp beds.
Caverns, throughout the mountains, and rumoured connected to mountains elsewhere. Occasionally surface dwellers (and enterprising miners) go exploring. They rarely return to the daylight.
Gloonts and False Gloonts, mountain ranges.
Krig Mountain (5266m), centre of cavern-dweller religion and the Sacred Egg: highest peak on Qish, but exterior too precipitous for access without mountaineering equipment — and mountaineers don’t usually come back.
Pentully and Telvet, fertile plains for bazza cultivation — once given exactly the right irrigation.
Varynt (2993m–3243m), centre of trade with Lamynt before the War, now chief outpost and syntehead of the Kuukau on Wevory.
Vunt (256m–3117m), strategic peak in the False Gloonts, overlooking the plains of Pentully.
All above-ground localities are directly involved in the Lamynt-Wevory war.