The Salt Mines of Sind

Salt is an essential for preserving all the meat and fish ported out of Akesoli and Akorros and along the trails to the west, but it is not found naturally in the lands near Akesoli, so it has to be ported in. And where better to port in from than the vast salt flats of Nemkin Ylaka in the Kingdom of Sind?
These salt flats cover an area roughly 100 miles north-south by 200 miles east-west in the north-west of the Kingdom of Sind, somewhat to the south of Baratpur and the trail from Akesoli across the Sind desert, and indeed the trail takes a slight detour south after leaving Baratpur to approach the salt mines before swinging north again.
The view from the trail where it approaches the salt flats is dazzling – mile upon mile of bright white as far as the eye can see, interspersed with the dazzling reflection of sun on the pools which break the monotony. These pools grow and shrink depending on how much of the sparse rain there has been, and are home to vast flocks of flamingos feeding on the tiny salt-tolerant crustaceans within the waters.
Mining the salt sounds easy. You just turn up with a shovel and scoop it into bags, right?
Well, you would think, but first you have to find a section that is sufficiently pure – which means venturing far enough from the edge that drifting sands and stones don’t pollute it. But as you get away from the edge, you get closer to the water, and there you need to be careful you don’t break through a section where there is a crust over brackish water or mud – that’s a great way to get yourself trapped or your cart stuck immovably.
The glare from the sun on the salt can easily lead to blindness, so you need to protect your eyes from the strain – wooden eye shades with slits through them are what all the fashionable miners are wearing.
And this is salt – used to remove moisture from meat and fish to preserve it. It’s also great at removing moisture from the miners’ bodies, which along with the intense heat makes dehydration a constant risk, both for the miners and their beasts. A modicum of shelter is provided in the camps with rows of squarish frames with canvas roofs and backs – although they don’t keep the heat away, at least they provide shelter from the intense sun.
Added to this is the obvious risk of salt poisoning. Since this typically starts with a feeling of confusion and jitteriness the miners refer to it as “coming down with the shakes” and teams watch out for each other. If someone starts to show symptoms, they will be taken into a shelter and forced to drink plain water. Hopefully there is a cleric on hand to ensure it is properly purified, otherwise it is all too easy for the stock in barrels to get contaminated by the salt which is all around.
The unfortunate sufferer can start to feel nauseated and their muscles start twitching uncontrollably; if left untreated they can start to suffer seizures, and eventually fall into a coma. There are plenty of dessicated corpses scattered across the flats as mute testimony to the risks the miners endure.