Codex - Hette Boege Guide to Northern Sabor

Section 1

<A Saborian edition of an introductory section of an old tourist guidebook>
Northern Sabor
Sabor is perhaps the most naturally beautiful and yet architecturally advanced of societies in the west. Nowhere is this more evident than in the northern cities of Agbana, Momoros and the capital Redusa. The difficulty is that tourism is only beginning to find its feet in Sabor, and you will find yourself chaperoned by a delegate as soon as you declare your foreign nationality.

The Saborians themselves are a deeply optimistic and fortunate people. Your guide will be permanent for the duration of your stay (maximum two weeks if you wish to go landside, with no return within a year) and will have been assigned to you from a pool of tourist guides, so it's luck of the draw I'm afraid.

I've been to Sabor twice, and on both occasions had excellent and knowledgeable guides who were quite relaxed about my questions and heading off the beaten track. I have heard stories of less welcoming visits, but I think they are few and far between. The success of the Saborians often incites jealousy, and many take any opportunity to discredit their system.

Section 2

Fees

Politics aside, heading into Sabor proper will come at significant personal cost. To even get in you will need to donate a significant sim in luxury materials (there is a list available at Muskdog skyport). This will determine the length of your stay, up to a maximum of two weeks. I paid six kilogram of Tungsten, setting me back 800VN at the time of writing. Guests are welcome in Sabor, but you must play by the rules, or suffer the consequences (See the section on Southern Sabor for information about "ditching", an illegal activity which is not at all recommended.)

One break that you may not have foreseen, is that paying your fees entitles you to free travel, food and accommodation, chosen by you. Although the fee itself still makes a trip to Sabor more expensive than most holidays, it is made more reasonable by the knowledge that you won't need to open up our purse on the other side. Don t expect all you can eat though. Portion sizes are controlled to the weight of a feather, and over-eating is considered a grave offence, which could see you sent packing. Travel is also quite limited, thought your guide will endeavour to make arrangements at your request.

Section 3

Places to Stay

Accommodation in Sabor being free, you are entitled to stay at any of the purpose-built travel hotels around the central hubs of Redusa and Momoros, or along the ocean view swoosh at Agbana. A Saborian will no doubt tell you that no single hotel is objectively better than another, since they are all furnished identically. Of course, in reality there are many reasons not to pick one at random. in Redusa, Vitellus' Hotel is very popular as it is nearest to both the steeple gardens and Molin's Restaurant (see Entertainments) and its owner seems to take a great more care in his business than others, for example in some hotels you will see signs up for most of the day saying "Out at the cloistrum, back in 20 minutes". The simple truth is, a lot of Saborians don't enjoy the jobs they have been given, and will do the absolute bare minimum. Although reporting bad practice might seem helpful, your guide (who will stay in the same hotel as you) should take care of that for you. Criticism of any kind may land you in hot water. These are gods, remember!

Section 4

Eating

Saborian street vendors are generally worth stopping at. Pilipai attend the stalls, but they are managed by citizens. Produce is always fresh, and your guide will extol the abundant Tava fruit, which Saborians believe very important to maintaining good physique. To my taste it has a strangely savoury note, but it does seem to be doing their health some good - you will find it hard not to gawp at the beauty of the Saborian citizens, whose skin shines, whose muscles ripple, whose hair is rich and dark.
The Saborians spend a huge amount of time outside in the sun, and are always game for sport before mealtimes, or a good walk after. Obviously the standout cookery can be found at Molin's Cafe. I had the pleasure of meeting Chef Gugustus Molin on my last visit, a charming man in every regard. He is only young, but taking the culinary circles of Sabor by storm. You eat very well at Molin's, though it is so popular now that your guide may be unable to make a reservation. If you are lucky enough to get in however, you will find a range of dishes from all over Foundation the set menu taking up an entire day's food stamp (so choose wisely). Regardless, it is an absolute privilege to eat there.

Section 5

Entertainments
Just walking around the centre of Redusa could take up the whole of your two week stay. Obviously the Stalk building is a must-see, being a miracle of design inside and out. You'll be shown to he viewing platform, which is about 435m from ground level. Above that is the Committee and assembly rooms, all contained in the iconic mushroom disc.

Momoros and Redusa have the river delta, and some magnificent gardens. Agbana has a bright and shimmering seafront, with (aquatic) ferries that can take you to the offshore islands. Tonking tournaments are frequent in all three cities - a sport with sticks and glass. There is a well-tended Zoo at Momoros home to the many curious plants and animals of the Mount of Plenty, and in Redusa, the
History of Sabor museum is fascinating if a little partisan (Warning it has no language cards).

Your guide will take you to the local cloistrum on a daily basis. If you don't want to be embarrassed, stay clear of the Boros pool (see page 84), and get a back scrub by the excellent masseuses of the Depurgum instead. You are also welcome to attempt to scale the Apotheon, for the simple reason that it causes the Saborians great pleasure to see foreigners fail at it even more horrifically than they themselves do. It really does take a lifetime to master.

Section 6

Don't Miss

The Redusa University is extremely old, dating from 1186. Situated in the Pilipai town, which you will need to take an elevator to access, the University is a vast splendid building, and still a functional one. The crenelations on its upper stretch of wall are typical of the "crescent" period, during which friezes and murals of everyday life were particularly popular. Many of these depict the god-king Epilomelos and symbolic representations of various city-states that united in the lst millennium.

Due to the lack of uptake in learning above academy level, the University is an empty part of town, perfect for a bit of quiet time.

Section 7

Watch Out For

Heat - Though you may be tempted to stay outside by the water's edge all day, the temperatures this near to the equator can be dangerous. Always drink plenty of water, and carry a sunshade if you have fair skin.

Ageism - If you are clearly over the age of fifty, you may notice a difference in the way you are treated. Since you are not a god, it won't prevent you from visiting, but your guide won't let you enter the Cloistra, and you might find you are treated like a second-class citizen. If you are a Saborian-speaker, you might overhear mutterings such as "no-one's going to clean up after you here." This perception is so prevalent among Saborians that even the Pilipai of the city are individually selected to be young and attractive.

There is almost no crime in Northern Sabor, which is remarkable. There are however, many pitfalls of etiquette that may land you a night in the cells. Do not ask questions about politics, and above all, do not mention rumours of relations between citizens and Pilipai. This is a deep source of shame for Saborians, and may hit a nerve.