Connects to: 03.30
Overview
Thorny Gulch begs in 04.30 and ends in 03.29.
The corn farmers (03.30) throw their victims – naked and toothless – into the Thorny Gulch, a narrow valley overrun with thorns and briars. The gulch itself is a valley some hundred yards wide at its widest point, but there are many paths through its tangles. Some are dead ends, others turn back on themselves and some lead to caves in the sides of the gulch. Even though travellers can see the sky and the sides of the gulch, it is not unusual for them to get lost, turned around or trapped.
The gulch is also exposed to the sun with little shelter beyond the occasional cave in the side or a wattle that has grown to the height of a man. Water is also scarce, although seasonal flash floods will fill most of the gulch.
The farmers thrash their corn in circles around the gulch and their winnowing sends chaff falling down into its depths. If they see travellers, they will sometimes throw stones or pieces of grain at them.
Wild maize grows throughout the gulch, some of it reaching 12 yards in height. Giant voles and mice are also plentiful, as are the giant crows and dire butcher birds that feed on them.
The shamans of the corn farmers venture into the gulch to consult with their mysterious god – the galeb duhr (03.29), whose circle of stones marks the only clear part of the gulch. Any who have eaten wisdom-teeth tortillas instinctively know their way through the briar maze of Thorny Gulch. As such, it would not occur to a shaman that someone could leave the gulch by climbing up the galeb duhr itself. What the galeb duhr might think of that is a question of theology I am in no position to answer.
Hooks
- What else lives in the gulch? Perhaps kenku, warded off by shamans dressed as scarecrows, or maize goblins driven from their plants.
- Who else has been thrown down here? Are they still alive? Did they leave anything behind, if they managed to escape?
- Does wisdom-teeth flour have any other effects?
