Long Portage
The River Thay cuts through the middle of the tharch of Surthay on its way from Lake Thaylambar to Lake Mulsantir below. It’s impossible to navigate past the point where the river tumbles down the First Escarpment. However, there is a long tradition of portaging boats and goods up the escarpment, where a ship can then work its way upriver to Lake Thaylambar and the port at Eltabbar. The Guild of Portagers used to charge outrageous prices to move goods, three hundred or more years ago. The Red Wizards of the time grew frustrated with the arrangement; homicidally so. They killed most of the portagers and animated them as zombies.
To this day, tireless zombies handle the grunt work of portaging. Although they can be clumsy, they are also obedient, and they never steal from their masters or their clients. And, unlike traditional slaves, they don’t have to be fed, clothed, or permitted to rest.
