Getting Around
Restrictions on travel
The only restricted areas within Kalderesh are the Grey Forest (reserved for members of the Royal Family) and the Great Forest of Harl, a sprawling northern woodland. No roads or trackways lead into the Harl: the entire forest is forbidden territory.
There are no restricted travel routes in Kalderesh. The Royal Road is a broad, well-maintained, well-patrolled circuit that connects all the major settlements. An extensive network of minor roads, of varying quality, interconnects settlements of all sizes. These are all public roads for the use of all citizens.
Regions without roads or trails are probably unsafe but are not restricted per se.
There are seven free cities in Kalderesh. While travel up to these cities is unbounded, different regulations may hold sway once inside the city limits, and are best avoided entirely.
Dangerous locations
The rough terrain of, and surrounding, the Krethes and Barobur Mountains, are the breeding ground of a number of dangerous species. These mountains and their foothills should be avoided at all costs. In addition, the weather at higher altitudes is inclement.
Several swamps occur in lower-lying ground across Kalderesh. This terrain is very hazardous and often infested by dangerous species.
The Great Forests of Kalderesh are the demesne of various Druidic Circles. Unwelcome visitors are never heard of again.
The sea around The Shallows, and off the shore of the Grey Swamp, is treacherous and is to be avoided.
The free cities in Kalderesh are not subject to Kalderani regulations. Instead, decrees are issued by local fiat, and there is no recourse to the royal law should a dispute arise. Thus, free cities are best avoided.
Luxury locations
Two cities stand out as magnificent and indulgent: the capital Camfor (the City of the Sun) and Pai (the City on the Lake). Travellers from afar, both local and overseas, regularly visit these cities to revel in their glory.
Immigration/emigration
There is no restriction on emigration from Kalderesh. Individuals who wish to immigrate (i.e. become a Kalderani citizen) need to comply with the proscriptions of subsection A-17(4) of the Kalderani Statutes.
Common methods of travel
Road travel by foot, horse, cart, and wagon is widely used. Details for mounts and modes of transport are summarized in an adjacent table.
Aerial travel by griffon or hippogriff is extremely rare, expensive, and challenging, but not impossible.
Magical travel by fly, polymorph, teleport and ethereal plane is rare, and is usually facilitated by Mage Guilds or undertaken by powerful individuals.
Ocean and river travel is common in Kalderesh, not surprising given the nation’s naval heritage. Barges are often used to traverse navigable rivers with goods, while rowing boats and longships are used for transporting people. All harbours in Kalderesh can accommodate barges, longships and coasters. All but the smallest can also provide anchorage for cogs. Galleons can only be properly serviced in the largest harbours.
Travel times between locations
Travel rates via the Royal Road and via ship (following standard navigational routes) are given in the tables below.
Table: Royal Road travel times (days) between major centres
| Asafor | Azerel | Barforos | Camfor | Coth-Rom | Daernbeck | Londesh | Pai | Torbeck | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asafor | — | 51.9 | 20.3 | 45.2 | 20.6 | 37.2 | 13.3 | 19.7 | 34.6 |
| Azerel | 51.9 | — | 31.6 | 6.7 | 29.0 | 22.5 | 38.6 | 32.0 | 18.5 |
| Barforos | 20.3 | 31.6 | — | 24.9 | 28.8 | 45.4 | 7.0 | 38.5 | 14.3 |
| Camfor | 45.2 | 6.7 | 24.9 | — | 22.3 | 24.7 | 31.9 | 32.0 | 11.8 |
| Coth-Rom | 20.6 | 29.0 | 28.8 | 22.3 | — | 16.6 | 35.8 | 9.7 | 11.7 |
| Daernbeck | 37.2 | 22.5 | 45.4 | 24.7 | 16.6 | — | 52.4 | 26.3 | 28.3 |
| Londesh | 13.3 | 38.6 | 7.0 | 31.9 | 35.8 | 52.4 | — | 33.0 | 21.3 |
| Pai | 19.7 | 32.0 | 38.5 | 32.0 | 9.7 | 26.3 | 33.0 | — | 21.4 |
| Torbeck | 34.6 | 18.5 | 14.3 | 11.8 | 11.7 | 28.3 | 21.3 | 21.4 | — |
Royal Eight: Camfor – Daernbeck – Coth Rom – Torbeck – Barforos – Londesh – Asafor – Pai – Coth Rom – Torbeck – Camfor (141 days).
Royal Loop: Camfor – Daernbeck – Coth Rom – Pai – Asafor – Londesh – Barforos – Torbeck – Camfor (117 days).
Table: Ocean travel time (days) between major harbours, along standard sea routes
| Camfor | Staven | Dorbeach | Daernbeck | Coth-Rom | Strongfield | Savimasko | Dromfor | Londesh | Barforos | Torbeck | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camfor | — | 0.9 | 1.3 | 5.7 | 8.3 | 8.4 | 8.4 | 9.3 | 4.4 | 3.0 | 2.3 |
| Staven | 0.9 | — | 0.6 | 5.0 | — | — | — | 9.5 | 4.7 | 3.2 | 2.5 |
| Dorbeach | 1.3 | 0.6 | — | 4.4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Daernbeck | 5.7 | 5.0 | 4.4 | — | 2.6 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 3.3 | — | 8.0 | 7.4 |
| Coth-Rom | 8.3 | — | — | 2.6 | — | 0.7 | 1.4 | 1.9 | — | 8.4 | — |
| Strongfield | 8.4 | — | — | 2.8 | 0.7 | — | 1.1 | 1.7 | — | 8.2 | 9.1 |
| Savimasko | 8.4 | — | — | 2.7 | 1.4 | 1.1 | — | 0.7 | — | 7.2 | — |
| Dromfor | 9.3 | 9.5 | — | 3.3 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 0.7 | — | 5.0 | 6.5 | 7.3 |
| Londesh | 4.4 | 4.7 | — | — | — | — | — | 5.0 | — | 1.6 | 2.5 |
| Barforos | 3.0 | 3.2 | — | 8.0 | 8.4 | 8.2 | 7.2 | 6.5 | 1.6 | — | 1.2 |
| Torbeck | 2.3 | 2.5 | — | 7.4 | — | 9.1 | — | 7.3 | 2.5 | 1.2 | — |
Travel time, in days, assumes perfect sailing conditions, allowing 240 km/day to be covered. Times can double or triple under adverse conditions.
Table: Overland travel rates and daily distance
| surface | km / day | km / hour | miles / hour | max km/day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Road | 35 | 4.3 | 21.4 | 56 |
| Minor Road | 22 | 2.8 | 13.7 | 36 |
| No road | 14 | 1.8 | 8.7 | 23 |
| Rough | 7 | 0.9 | 4.3 | 12 |
Distances and speeds given for sustainable travel: walking for 8 hours with moderate kit, or riding on horseback with heavy kit. The last column gives the distance for one day travel, for 10 hours, after which a full day’s rest is needed.
Table: Waterborne travel
| vehicle | km per day |
|---|---|
| Rowing boat (river) | 144 |
| Canal barge (river) | 96 |
| Coaster/Sloop/Runner | 240 |
| Cog/Brigantine/Hunter | 240 |
| Galleon/Hauler | 192 |
| Longship/Galley | 320 |
Table: Cost of travel-related equipment and livestock
| item | cost |
|---|---|
| rowing boat | 50 gp |
| canal barge | 500 gp |
| coaster/sloop/runner | 5,000 gp |
| cog/brigantine/hunter | 10,000 gp |
| galleon/hauler | 50,000 gp |
| longship/galley | 10,000 gp |
| oar, common | 2 gp |
| oar, longship | 10 gp |
| sail | 35 gp |
| cart | 30 gp |
| carriage, common | 150 gp |
| carriage, ornamental | 2,000 gp |
| coach, grand | 10,000 gp |
| chariot, riding | 200 gp |
| chariot, war | 500 gp |
| wagon, open | 150 gp |
| wagon, closed | 250 gp |
| wagon, wheel | 5 gp |
Table: Animal carriers
| creature | cn | cost |
|---|---|---|
| dog | 150 | 20 gp |
| horse, draft | 2,600 | 200 gp |
| horse, riding | 1,800 | 75 gp |
| war horse, light | 1,700 | 150 gp |
| war horse, med. | 2,200 | 225 gp |
| war horse, heavy | 2,600 | 400 gp |
| mule | 2,500 | 8 gp |
| ox | 2,200 | 15 gp |
Table: Horse accessories
| accessory | weight |
cost |
|---|---|---|
| barding, plate | 850 | 2,000 gp |
| barding, leather | 600 | 150 gp |
| bit and bridle | 30 | 15 sp |
| cart harness | 10 | 2 gp |
| horse shoes | 100 | 1 gp |
| saddle, riding | 350 | 10 gp |
| saddle bags, L | 80 | 4 gp |
| saddle bags, S | 50 | 3 gp |
| saddle blanket | 40 | 3 gp |
Table: Stowage capacity
| item | capacity | dimensions | weight | cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backpack | 500 | 3’ × 2’ × 1’ | 20 | 2 gp |
| Basket, large | 200 | 2’ × 2’ × 2’ | 10 | 3 sp |
| Basket, small | 100 | 1’ × 1’ × 1’ | 1 | 5 cp |
| Belt pouch, large | 80 | 6” × 8” × 2” | 10 | 1 gp |
| Belt pouch, small | 50 | 4” × 6” × 2” | 5 | 7 sp |
| Chest, large | 1,000 | 3’ × 2’ × 2’ | 250 | 2 gp |
| Chest, small | 400 | 2’ × 1’ × 1’ | 100 | 1 gp |
| Sack, large | 300 | 2’ × 2’ × 1’ | 5 | 2 sp |
| Sack, small | 150 | 1’ × 1’ × 8” | 1 | 5 cp |
| Saddle bags, large | 300 | 18” × 1’ × 6” | 80 | 4 gp |
| Saddle bags, small | 200 | 1’ × 1’ × 6” | 50 | 3 gp |