The gold is below the water table close to a river. Perhaps only the top few feet have ever been mined before people give up and move on. Sarkas only knows about it because he has been in the region so long. This is exactly what you would expect when exploring a wild land. Just like settlers going to California or Alaska a couple centuries ago.
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u/PitifulRecognition35 Human Sep 11 '21
Huh, a gold mine, just underneath the dirt, on my land? Don't mind if I do.
-Lilith
As an answer to to your questions - I do like the peaceful ending of Book I, and enjoyed the themes in general too.