- For other uses, see Gol.
Gol was a province located on Vulcan.
Overview[]
It was located to the southwest corner of Na'nam and was below the provinces of Raal and Xial. The area was bordered to the west by the Straits of Ha'zen which was a shallow channel of water that was between Na'nam and the island continent of Xir'tan. There were only a few small settlements in the area with thin strips of arable farmland dotting the coastline. The majority of the area consisted of untamed desert wastes that were unrivaled on the rest of Vulcan.
Some attributed this to the proximity to Xir'tan whilst others believed it was the province's own unsettled seismology. The deserts of Gol were greatly affected by solar flare activity from the system's star 40 Eridani A which brought about massive lightning suffused sandstorms that sometimes lasted for weeks. The settlements by the desert were, therefore, limited to only a few scattered caravanserai that was located in spots that afforded them natural protection such as the nearby underground caves.
Planetary satellites had confirmed mineral deposits such as Trillium being present below the surface of Gol. However, Vulcan scientist's were unsure on how to extract the minerals without unsatisfactory risk to both personnel and equipment. This resulted in the region being the most economically backward on the continent with many Vulcan's deciding to achieve their fortune elsewhere. However, beyond this, Gol attracted many visitors who were in search of ancient knowledge. This ranged from those that sought to Kolinahr ritual or those that sought to travel to the village of Xen'tal in order to enroll in the Vulcan Institute of Defensive Arts. (Last Unicorn RPG module: The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans)
History[]
A retreat was known to had existed at Gol that predated Surak's peaceful revolt and was the site of the much feard Kolinahru mindlords. (TOS novel: Recovery) The city of Gol was also located in this region. According to the story of Nirak, the city was destroyed by a massive sandstorm during the Time of Awakening. (ENT episode: "Kir'Shara") The ruins of Gol were noted as being vast and was a sanctuary for the more refined with the best sculptors dwelling in the region. In fact, the best of everything often lived at Gol which was also the home of the Sim're'. (TOS novel: Dwellers in the Crucible)
For centuries, the plateau located near Gol was where the Vulcan masters and their students embraced the kolinahr. Following the conclusion of the USS Enterprise's five-year mission in 2270, Spock traveled to the plateau of Gol to undergo the kolinahr. (TOS novelization: The Motion Picture)
- Presumably, the Plains of Gol were located within the province.
External link[]
- Gol article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.