City of Lydius

As the sails of your ship dance upon the thassa winds approaching the beautiful Port City of Lydius, your gaze is drawn to the magnificent cliffs, the beauty of the pristine beaches and the many structures rising from this magnificent city.

As your ship approaches the Harbor you realize the enormity of the many guard towers that surround the entire City, your approach seen long before the beauty of this City unfolded to your gaze. The great wall rising before you that protects all within the safety of this beautiful city. On approach to the Harbor you get a glimpse at the vastness of the Lydius fleet as heavy rams and serpents quietly go about their maneuvers and patrols of the cities surrounding shores, the magnificent sails of the ships in the distance as you are drawn to this breathtaking city.

The Harbor teems with activity as the many ships load and unload their cargo, the dock crews efficient and friendly as you are greeted while your ship is safely moored within its berth.

The Harbor Bay Cafe waits to nourish and replenish the many travelers and to welcome all to this beautiful City. As you look upon the cliffs, your gaze is drawn to the Sea Breeze Inn high above; the view from the Inn breathtaking as a friendly and welcoming staff waits to greet you.

The Lydius Market shops bustle with shoppers and the aroma of delicious treats and the sound of laughter and music is heard among the crowd.

The enormous Lydius Arena rises above the landscape as the grandeur of the stone structure captures your view and the serenity of the beautiful gardens with its many fountains and benches to soothe you as you stroll through beautifully landscaped beds of flowers and plants.

Upon the highest cliff rises the Ubar's home, House Rising Storm, the Administrators estate with a panoramic view of the beautiful City, the Laurius River, the thassa surrounding her shores and the northern forest in the distance.

The beautiful Port City of Lydius is a feast that awaits you and bids you welcome. The Laurius River spilling into the grandeur of the thassa that surrounds this city as trade and commerce thrive as this beautiful free port welcomes you.

Lydius is a thriving trade mecca, being one of the four free ports. You will find a large array of goods within Lydius as Lydius was once administered by merchants until the reign of Administrator/Ubar, Trenton De'Shea. A city found abandoned by Trenton upon his return to her beautiful shores, the young Warrior claiming the port city rebuilding this vast free port into a thriving coastal city of the North. A City, once lacking leadership and direction now grows and prospers well under his lead, developing into the glorious city it has become. That which is not found in Lydius is imported and stocked so that those of the Vosk Region and Northern regions can easily obtain supplies. Lydius handles the majority of shipping from North to South and much of the distribution of the raw materials harvested from the great Northern Forests. Her merchant ships roam the thassa heavily guarded by her immense fleet of war ships. Due to the geographical location of Lydius, the soil is moist and rich, the Sloping Valley providing the perfect conditions to harvest grapes from the De'Shea Vineyards as this thriving coastal city prospers.

It is a city of contrasts, combining the roughness of the north regions with the luxuries and civilization of the cities to the south. For example, it is one of the only cities of the northern regions that possesses public baths. Lydius contains a mint and this mint is the only one within a thousand pasangs of Torvaldsland. Many Gorean cities rent buildings in Lydius. Thus, the population of Lydius contains a diverse mix of different origins and cultures. Much wood and hides are brought down the Laurius River to be sold in Lydius. The nearest major town to the east of Lydius is Laura.

The forests of northern Gor, also known as the High Forests, cover hundreds of thousands of square pasangs. The forests are located north of the Laurius River and extend as far north as the start of the border of Torvaldsland. The forests also extend eastward, past the northern ridges of the Thentis Mountains and the lands of the Barrens, and no one is sure how far they actually extend. They extend west to the very shores of the Thassa. The forests are a vast, unmapped wilderness. In general, no one claims sovereignty over the entire forest though certain cities, do lay claim to sections so they may engage in logging.

The forests contain a multitude of different types of trees and vegetation. Certain portions of the forests vary greatly from other sections so it is hard to generalize about the landscape you will encounter in the forests. There is a lot of diversity in this huge area. The most common tree in the forests is the reddish Tur tree that may grow to two hundred feet or more. Tur trees bear some similarity to the great redwoods of Earth. The forests are also the home to many different animals including panthers, sleens, tabuk , tarsk, and hith. In addition, the forests are the haven for various outlaws, including panther girls, and the forest people. The forest people are an indigenous people who have chosen to reside within the great forests. Little is said of them in the books. Due to the various animals and peoples of the forests, it can be a very perilous area to visit. Despite the dangers, people often come to the northern forests for logging, hunting or trade.

The Laurius River is a long river that winds across northern Gor, bordering the northern forests. It slowly flows west though near its end it tends to incline some to the southwest, emptying into Thassa at the port city of Lydius. The Laurius has a number of small tributaries that extend into the forests. Ships from Lydius may travel the length of the Laurius to visit sections of the northern forests. The Laurius can also be crossed at a number of different points through the use of barges. These barges take people to the edge of the northern forests or to settlements on the north bank of the Laurius. They usually charge a free person one silver tarsk to cross and an additional copper for each animal or slave. Past the city of Laura, the Laurius River becomes rougher and less navigable, especially near the end the summer season.

Along the length of the Laurius River and up the northern coast of Thassa, following the border of the forests, there can be found a number of exchange points where outlaws, including panther girls, can display items for sale to passing ships. Most of the items for sale are slaves though other items may also be found. At each spot, there is often a pair of sloping wooden beams, positioned in an upside-down "V" shape. These are very large and heavy structures. Iron rings have been set in these beams to restrain and display slaves that are for sale. The early spring is best time to use these exchange points so that newly purchased slaves can be readied for the busy summer season. The summer is often the busiest season for selling slaves in the cities below the Laurius. Male and female outlaws have an unwritten truce concerning these exchange points. They will not attack, hinder or try to enslave each other at these places. With this truce, the exchange points become practical and effective. If these points were not safe, then their usefulness for trade would greatly diminish and thus harm all outlaws. The outlaws would be largely unable to engage in trade thus diminishing the quality of their lives .

Laura is a small port city, northeast of Lydius, on the northern bank of the Laurius river. It is located about two hundred pasangs inland from the city of Lydius. It is primarily a trading city and it is the only civilized area within a large region. The city is comprised mostly of wooden warehouses and taverns. Stone is not a common building material in Laura as wood is so much more plentiful and cheap. There are quarries to the east of Laura but the stone is still less commonly used. Primarily, raw materials and rough goods, such as wood and hides, are sold here as there is little market for the luxury items of Gor. Laura also acts as a major base and restocking area for many who wish to travel into the northern forests.

* Free Ports: The 4 free ports maintained on the Thassa north and south of the gorean equator are Lydius, Helmutsport, Schendi, and Bazi.
Book 6: Raiders of Gor, page 137

* Free Islands: also known as exchange islands, they are administered as Free Ports by the Merchants. Included are Teletus, Tabor, and Scagnar. Others were Farnacium, Hulneth and Asperiche. In the south are Anango and Ianda, and in the far north, Hunger and Skjern, west of Torvaldsland. These islands, and free ports on the coast such as Lydius and Helmutsport, Schendi and Bazi make possible the commerce between Cos and Tyros and cities of the mainland.
Book 6: Raiders of Gor, page 137