This caravan is one of the largest with a population of 900 Medai. The people reside in wagons that are mobile houses drawn by draft horses or donkeys. It wanders the domains of Dragoria, Arcanara and the Southern Freelands. It travels alongside the established roads but it leaves them for cross-country travel when the road is narrow so as not to hamper traffic and create ill will. Their circuit is well-established by now and the population has stabilized. Until recently, this was known as the Verbenus Caravan and many Vitallians may still know it or call it so. The change in name occurred because the archonship passed to a different family, the Parx. Its population is predominantly of the Medra but all clans are represented.
The caravan’s members are craftsmen and traders of common and luxury goods such as jewellery, gemstones, fabric, wood, clothes, paints, utility items of metal and wood, weapons, spellbooks, potions, tonics, elixirs and more. They do not carry perishables because the caravan moves slowly from one place to the next but all other goods are traded and stored to be sold at the first opportunity. The caravan’s needs are met by its own people and their personal labour. The leader is Archon Seth et Parx an Medra who took the title after the previous archon’s death as he was wedded to the latter’s daughter. He’s young for the post he’s holding and this has created friction with the elders. Seth is a capable mage and one of his duties is to mentor young Medai who have aptitude for magic. Certain of its members are dedicated guards and mages and they also hire for mercenary work. The caravan’s revenues come from shrewd trading and from hiring its expert craftsmen and men-at-arms. They also provide services and entertainment and they set-up a circus wherever the caravan camps for a long time. Along its circuit, the caravan usually halts for a week except for the cities where it halts for two weeks and sets up the circus. The Medai rarely extend their stay and only when there is much work for them and profit to be made. Otherwise, they move on before they overstay their welcome at any one place.
Non-Medai are forbidden from staying with the caravan unless they follow with their own vehicles, mounts and supplies or unless they have money to spend for shelter, goods and services. The Medai do not welcome strangers and need valid credentials to allow others to travel with their caravan.
Unlike smaller caravans, the Parx pays taxes to the domain lords so as to stay on their good side. Certain elders of the caravan who possess the proper temperament, wisdom and learning are charged with maintaining good relations with the lords of the domains and essentially serve as diplomats. They often stay in the courts even after the caravan departs or visit them before the caravan arrives to gauge the situation and deliver gifts to the lords. When the caravan is threatened with violence, they prefer to depart immediately and avoid escalation. When there’s open or brewing conflict, the caravan may change its course—one of the rare occurrences.
When the population exceeds the caravan’s limit, transfer of people is arranged with other Medai caravans such as the Felisti Caravan which wanders the Southern Freelands. In other cases, Medai settle permanently at some location or they begin a small, family caravan which may in time grow.
The Parx Caravan offers many opportunities for adventure. Adventurers may seek the caravan in order to avail themselves of some rare service or item that can only be found in the caravan. Alternatively, they may be after the services of an expert craftsman, loremaster or trainer in the arts of war or magic. They may be hired to steal an item from the caravan which was thought lost but was discovered by the Medai or which is simply coveted by some noble or rich merchant who’d rather obtain it for a fraction of its true price. The adventurers could be hired to escort a noble or diplomat to a clandestine visit to another domain, facilitated in secret through the caravan which can cross borders freely and without much fuss, even among warring domains. Alternatively they could escort an escaped prisoner of quality who’s desperate to return to his own land and promises riches or a princess who carries on a secret love affair. Also, many Dragorians attach themselves to the caravan when it wanders through the Dragorian deserts, and pay for the privilege of traveling in safety. The Parx family or an elder could hire the adventurers for any number of reasons where they’d rather use non-Medai to resolve a situation. The caravan has herds of animals and local livestock thieves often steal them. Gangs of locals are formed to bully the Medai in places where they’re not welcome. In both of these cases, the archon or an elder would rather resolve the situation through agents rather than have Medai do it. If nothing else, the caravan also offers entertainment wherever it goes primarily through its circus but also in more mundane and exotic areas.
This caravan travels across the Forklands, making a wide circuit of all four kingdoms. It numbers about 350 Medai and a small number of other races who are adopted into the caravan either as spouses or as members who have something to offer—expertise in some art or craft or strength of arms. The leader is Archon Trovia et Omarra an Melidra whose family has ruled for the last five generations. Its population consists primarily of Melidra but all clans are represented.
Each member fulfills a vital function necessary for the caravan’s maintenance and most members have more than one duties. The archon is a shrewd judge of character and an able merchant. The caravan fulfills the typical needs of local communities for simple, utilitarian goods as well as a few luxury items. The caravan even carries produce between villages or when heading to cities. The smoked and salted meats and fish as well as spices and fruit jams prepared by the Medai cooks are much sought-after. Although the caravan has a well-established circuit, it routinely sends one or two-wagon peddlers and traders towards communities up to one day’s travel around their route. This is a custom observed by other caravans as well and so, Medai peddlers are well-known and expected around the Forklands. While the kingdoms of the Forklands are safe enough to ensure the viability of this practice, this is not so for caravans outside these domains.
Another thriving business for which the Omarra are known, is horseflesh. They maintain large herds of horses of a few exceptional breeds and train them well for war or for speed. They practice eugenics through cross-breeding different breeds so as to produce superior specimens. Many are the knights of Lothen and Sol and the horse archers of Sarta who ride horses bred and trained in the Omarra caravan.
Excess population most often settles in Sarta or they join other caravans or even strike out on their own. Nevertheless, all Omarran Medai maintain strong ties with their families, friends and fellow clansmen and look out for the caravan and its people. In fact, the archon and the elders also deal in information—a commodity which is in demand by many lords in the four kingdoms. This information and lore is gathered by the extensive network of friends to the caravan.
Adventurers can be involved with the Omarra caravan for any number of reasons discussed about Parx. Also, they can join this caravan for safe travel or in order to act as monster hunters. Archon Trovia has an amiable relationship with most lords and magistrates of the places her caravan visits and she’s expected to contribute in keeping the roads safe. All monsters encountered are killed and bounties are collected—when they exist. However, quite often the archon hires adventurers to range ahead and face ambushes or actively search for monster presence and their dens. Better to risk non-Medai lives and make a profit—even if it’s only counted in the good will of the people.
This is a small caravan of about 150 Medai, most of them of clan Gowros under Archon Sonorus et Udon an Gowros. They wander the lands of the Rose and Mooncry and do not stay on the beaten path. They are trailblazers, seekers of secrets and visitors to forgotten places. For much of the year, when the weather is good, they shun contact with people and walk the lonely and wild places. In order to be able to navigate mountainous terrain, they have no wagons and few horses. They only have mounts for the children to ride and beasts of burden—donkeys, mules and more exotic animals. When the weather is good they camp and sleep under the open sky but in bad weather or dangerous areas, they set up communal tents. Their camps are surrounded by Watch-Skulls that give warning of monsters and large numbers of people.
The Udonites are poor but content with their lot and they wish to raise their children and follow their traditions in peace. They seek to experience and understand Vitallia better and delve into the Sentinel’s methods and designs. They experiment with herbs and poisons and are very good herders and breeders of livestock as well as trainers and breeders of herding and hunting dogs.
The caravan visits communities to trade or sell goods and offer their expertise on various crafts. They are known for herbs, spices, medicines and alchemical brews and they also trade and sell furs, skins, leather, rope, clothing, dogs and livestock. They’re also known for artistic pieces, mostly carvings and statuettes of bone and wood. Lastly, they have a reputation as mapmakers and their quality maps are much sought-after. They can be found in the civilized parts of the two domains mostly in the winter and they tend to stay for long periods in one place during this season unless they have good reason to move on. Only a few Medai of this caravan can be found outside it for brief spans of time, when they sell their services or apprentice under craftsmen of other races in order to bring back some vital skill.
Their excess population and those too old to endure the wanderings, invariably migrate to another caravan. In fact, one of the times that adventurers are sought by the Udon caravan is so as to escort a small number of elders to another caravan. In such cases, the adventurers are paid with goods such as medicine, tonics, elixirs or a runecrafted item rather than coin.