A couple other interesting postings on FB by Jeff:
So let's talk about Tarsh a little. First thing to keep in mind is that it is geographically about the same size Sartar, but it is much more intensely settled with more than twice the population of Sartar.
The district around Furthest (which includes the Temple of the Reaching Moon) is the most Lunar area, and the much of the population are descended from settlers from the Heartland. A majority of all Lunar cultists reside in that district, which has approximately 120,000 people (a third of the population of Tarsh).
The most important cults in this district are:
Seven Mothers 33,500
Hon-eel 12,400
Ernalda 10,650
Orlanth 6,900 (mostly Thunderous or Barntar)
Oslira 2650
Humakt 2250
Issaries 1900
Chalana Arroy 1850
Yelmalio 1750
Lhankor Mhy 1500
Etyries 1390 (note Etyries shares the Trade Temple with Issaries in Furthest)
Maran Gor 1075
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There are about 145 "villages" in all of Tarsh, about 47 around Furthest. In Sartar we'd associate these with clans and that's exactly what they are. There are about 100 clans in Sartar - if the clans were the same size, we'd expect about 220 in Tarsh. But the average "village area" in Tarsh is around 2100-2200 people, as opposed to the around 1200 people in Sartar. Again, Tarsh is more heavily populated.
And that's what I want to emphasise - most of Tarsh is dedicated to agriculture. Maize, barley, and wheat.
The villagers around Furthest are mostly Seven Mothers cultists with Hon-eel and Ernalda as the grain goddesses. They look to Furthest for culture, trade, and resolving major disputes.
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Note that Tarsh is not divided into tribes. It is not a confederation of tribes like Sartar - it is a kingdom, centered on the Lunar colony city of Furthest, and is divided into districts ruled by appointees of the king. In Dunstop and Bagnot, the powerful Orindori clan have achieved effectively hereditary rule.
Q: Where does the name “Tarsh” come from?
A: If I recall it means "scorched land".
Q: Is the river trade significant around Kordros island? Where does it become passable for large boats? When is river trade important vs road trade (and Lokarnos wagoners? )
A: Furthest is the furthest upriver that the big Oslir barges can manage, as far as I remember. That means most bulk transport takes to the river here and downstream.
Lesser craft apparently can handle the Oslir further upriver, although I don't know whether both branches flanking Kordros Island are used. There may be a portage or two.
Rafts downriver might brave those portages without unloading, and lumber is probably in demand in Furthest all the time.
Furthest is the main offloading point between the Dragon Pass road system and the Oslira River. There is a military road that runs from Furthest to Filichet, but it is cheaper to load trade goods onto boats and float them downriver.
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Here's another good question - what are the most popular cults in the Lunar Heartlands?
The answer is the Seven Mothers, either collectively or individually. About 24% of the population in the Heartlands belong to the cult. All of the other Lunar cults total about 10% of the population. So a little more than a third of the population in the Heartlands belong to Lunar cults (we are talking more than the minimal lay member rites).
The next biggest cult in the Heartlands is Lodril at about 14%. In third is the Grain Goddess Oria at about 10%.
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So where is Yelm, you might ask? The Yelm cult is very magically, socially, and politically important, but it is comparatively small numbering about 4% of the population.
And Shargash and Polaris are each no more than about 2%.
Dendara is at about 5% overall.
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And again, Tarsh resembles the Lunar Heartlands in that about 25% of the population follow the Seven Mothers and 10% follow Hon-eel. Where it gets VERY different is the rest of the population largely follow Lightbringer gods and their associates.
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