The RoG map, and roads

Member: 322
Joined: Nov 2 2009

Are there any major roads that can/should be marked on the map? I assume that due to the Empire once being so grand there there were once trade ways, and roads between major cities. Are these left to be created by people making new works? Or are there any that should be made know to us?

Member: 4
Joined: Sep 2 2008
Roads & the Map

The scale of the main map made us reluctant to add roads. We didn't want to lock that sort of detail into the broadest map - instead we leave it to Artisans to establish various types of roads & paths as needed for their tales in more detailed maps of the areas in which their stories take place.

That said, it would be safe to assume Imperial Roads run between the major cities depicted on the map. These roads can also be added anywhere it would make sense for them to exist as needed for individual Works.

An example of this is the Imperial Road that has been established running along the shores of Gull Bay and into the High Hills.

Tony Graham
Steward of Gallidon

Member: 322
Joined: Nov 2 2009
Thank you very much! I just

Thank you very much! I just wanted to make sure, because what I write may or may not include the need to travel on roads.

Member: 880
Joined: Feb 18 2011
More on Roads

Roads in a pre-technology world usually are not "set in stone." (Pun more or less intended.)

They get washed out by rains. Land/mud slides cover them up. Wars change ownership of the land. Robber barons/highwaymen force travelers and trade caravans to select alternate routes. Towns and cities are wiped out by war/famine/plague.

Usually they were maintained by local governments or trading companies/guilds. When the money ran out, so did the road.

Even in these modern times, things change. Old US Route 66 was THE road to take from Chicago to L.A. Then the US Interstate Highway System came along and killed it.

So there will always be a lot of leeway when it comes to mapping out roads in the Empire, I would imagine.

Member: 5
Joined: Sep 2 2008
Re: More on Roads

This wasn't as much of a problem with Gallidon due to the runeweavers.

Certainly, after 5,000 years, some roads fell into disuse and were not maintained by either local nobles or runeweavers. The major trading routes, however, are still around, and much of the other road infrastructure is still around, though in varying states of (dis)repair.

This was covered in the forums, but I need to update The Mythos to reflect this - thanks for pointing it out!

Scott Walker
World Steward

Jim
Member: 145
Joined: Jul 10 2009
mileage

At one time, I measured the pixels on the map and calculated actual estimated distances between cities using the scale bar. I think I might have this spreadsheet somewhere if you need it. It's only to estimate the number of days to travel (via horse or whatever), not really should be used to put down mile markers between places.

Member: 5
Joined: Sep 2 2008
Re: Mileage

Wow! I'd love to take a look at it, Jim.

Also, if you want to spend a little time to turn it into an 'in-world' Work (off the top of my head, I'm thinking of a scanned image of a hand-written travel log from perhaps an Imperial official or Administrator pre-Destruction), I'd be happy to post it as an official Work (just submit it normally)!

Scott Walker
World Steward

Jim
Member: 145
Joined: Jul 10 2009
Mileage

It's rather complex system of six tables that covers the routes in total miles (land), total miles (sea), walking (days), horse (days), caravan (days), and ship (days) using a standard set of calculations:

24 miles/day - human walk
48 miles/day - light horse (heavy horse is 40 but didn't compute that)
16 miles/day - wagons and carts
84 miles/day - sailing ship is 48, warship is 60, longship is 72, and galley is 96. I have no idea why I used 84. It's been over a year or more since I created it :)

I think I'll just add it into the DnD RPG book since it'll be easier to format and display there. At one time, someone (Scott or maybe Tony) said the requested I make a story out of it, but I couldn't figure out an easy way to do such and convey all of the tables.

I can send it to the stewards for review and so you'll have the magic formulas that convert the pixel distances to miles to everything else.

Member: 5
Joined: Sep 2 2008
Re: Mileage

Sounds great, Jim, thanks!

Of course, I'm guessing these are averages and subject to vary based on many variables....?

Scott Walker
World Steward

Jim
Member: 145
Joined: Jul 10 2009
Yes

The actual usage of the numbers should be subject to many variables. For example, if it takes X days to sail from Port A to Port B and you have a bad storm then it would take X + Y days, etc. These estimates are just based on distances, doesn't include any problems or conditions encountered.

These numbers would just be raw data that artisans can use as estimates. For example, it might say it takes 35 days to travel from A to B via horse. That could be +/- days depending on how hard/light they ride, but it's an estimate so the artisan doesn't think it's 5 days or 50 day ride :)

So yeah, I'll add in a disclaimer that the numbers shouldn't be used as factual, but as estimates to help judge distances in the world.

Member: 5
Joined: Sep 2 2008
Re: Mileage

Perfect!

Scott Walker
World Steward