Gods' Gift Riverboats

The riverboats of the God's Gift river are the lifeblood of the Murgothi Confederacy. Situated in the Murgoth Desert, the Confederacy is poor in many natural resources and rich in few. Most villages and towns have developed alongside the Gods' Gift, the only reliable source of running freshwater.

Importance to Murgothi Society

Gods' Gift runs north through the Murgoth Desert, one of the driest places in the world. While the ports of Tor Volare attract trade from the nations bordering the Crystal Waves Ocean, the boats both transport goods from the ports to the people living elsewhere in the Confederacy, they also transport raw and refined materials – primarily iron, glass, jasper, salt, and vegetables – from the interior of the desert to the markets and ports of Tor Volare. Occasionally these boats are used to transport troops in order to deal with unrest or Shrilari raiders near the Sirocco River.

Bearer of Gifts

When merchants are able to sell their goods on at the markets for a particularly good price, many will spend the extra coin on fine clothing, jewelry, and toys to be given out as gifts to the people of the village. Children are always seen at the docks eager to help unload and see if anything was brought back for them. To the children of the poorer villages, these merchants are heroes.
In recent years, these gifts have become less frequent in the villages along the southern stretches of the river. River Blight has taken hold in these areas, making food difficult to grow. Boats headed to these settlements mostly stock up on dried meats from the Tor Valare markets.

Propulsion

Riverboats are usually outfitted with both sails to catch the hot, desert winds, and several rows for when the winds are still or unfavorable.

Speed

~25 miles per day

Complement / Crew

4-10