The Pilgrim's Route

While pilgrims arrive from every direction, this route is called the Pilgrims' Route because it is used almost entirely by the faithful making their way up from the cities of the Pantheon. It is a long, hard trek, but many hundreds use it every year. It has two main attractions: it is cheaper than a ship, and it passes near two harams (holy sites).

The route leaves Huzuz through the The Pilgrim's Gate, and heads south through the scrublands. After passing by the Shrine of the Brave, it follows the Al-Akara Mountains east all the way to the town of Zayir. From there it is 150 miles to the Mosque of the Thirsty Jann before turning south for the cities of the Pantheon. Hilm, the City of Kindness, is almost 200 miles south of the Mosque. From there, a pilgrim can find an established route to the other cities of the Pantheon.

This route is not common territory for raiders and bandits, since pilgrims are notorious for their poverty and their fanatical fighting spirit. In other words, it usually is not worth the effort. An occasional raid is reported, but these are the exception rather than the rule. Of more interest are the two harams, for almost all of the pilgrims coming along this route make it a point to stop and visit these sites of enlightenment.

The Shrine of the Brave is the site where a great hero, Komar al-Anni, once sacrificed his life to save a band of pilgrims. While this is not unheard of, Komar is said to have fought off a dozen enraged jann to do it. Since that battle, pilgrims have claimed visions of Komar. A small roofed shrine has been raised on this spot, with a well and several small buildings for passing travelers to use. It is said that a warrior who sleeps in the shrine of Komar may receive insights that will aid him in later battles. No one has ever received two visions from Komar, but this does not prevent the faithful from trying.

Mosque of the Thirsty Jann is a small mosque dedicated to a local god known as Jarmik, the Thirsty Jann. His worshipers are devoted to the ideal of generosity and sharing as the prime virtues. Their symbol is a jann on his knees by a well.

The mosque is not a large one; no more than a hundred worshippers may fit inside at one time. This is not usually a problem, for the staff of the mosque includes only ten priests and another 22 lay brethren. The priests are led by Tufala min-Jarmik. Most of the priests are 5th level or less, and all are pilgrims who claim to have felt the calling of Jarmik.

The primary function of the mosque is to provide food, water, and a safe resting place for the hundreds of pilgrims who pass by. All are accorded a drink from the sacred well, said to be the place where Jarmik left this world for that of the gods. Drinking the water has a beneficial effect: it cures the faithful of any diseases they might have, and it banishes fatigue. The water can touch nothing but flesh or it loses its special properties. Thus, even the richest pilgrim must get down on his knees and cup the water with his hands to partake.