Geography Issues

[Sir Mathodius Black]

Ok, so ive been reading over the World of Weyrth section and theres still some thigns I cant figure out...  

1) The book keeps talking about how Otamarluk is waging a war on the borders of Dardanet and Helena, but isnt Taveruun in between those countries?  How would Otamarluk get through Taveruun?

2) What is the deal with Dardanet and Otamarluk as far as religion, war, and sovreignty are concerned?  WHat is the relationship between the two countries?  Because it says some of dardanet adhears to the Seven vows, despite the Imperialist powers all around, and im not sure what to think...

3) It says that other common languages in Otamarluk are Helenic, Dardani, and Zaporozhya, although i did not think those three were really related to Otamarluk at all.  Why are those languages common?

4) In the Gelure section under Politics and MIlitary it says its military is not well equipped, but under economics it says it has the very best equipment.  Which is it?

Sorry if this is alot of questions but ive been trying to figure some of these out for some time and i needed to get them out of the way.  Any answers you can provide are GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks,
SMB

[Jake Norwood]

Hi.

The problem is partially that Rick and I worked on the world at the same time, and that I did a poor job connecting our ideas in some places. Some of these issues have come up here before, but it doesn't hurt to revisit them.

1) Otamarluk runs through Taveruun all the time. How did the Turks walk up to Vienna with lots of other states in the way in the 1600s? Taveruun is more of a region than a country, I'm figuring. Maybe the Marluks think they own it already.

2) Dardanet has, in the past, been ruled by Marluks. It is currently "independent," but is has all the signs of a place that was under foreign rule for generations. Dardanet and Otamarluk is almost totally taken from the relationship of the Turkish empire and Albania in the 1400s.

3) These languages are common because at one time the Marluk empire or at least influence spread that far, and/or there are still people of the seven vows in these places who have come to Marluk and settled there, or who make pilgramages there.

4) Whoa! Blame my editor (Stu!!!). I'm for well-equipped.

Jake

[Sir Mathodius Black]

Thanks Jake I appreciate the clarifications.