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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1882 Posts |
 Posted - 12 Oct 2016 : 13:53:28
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Anyone know of a good document that shows accurate travel times and distances between various locations? I prefer 2e references.
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I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6383 Posts |
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
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shades of eternity
Learned Scribe
288 Posts |
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1882 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2016 : 16:44:34
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Bladewind: A friend is wanting to know the distance and how long it would take to get from Waterdeep all the way to Calimshan.
Shades: I usually do just that (map and measure) but these days I don't like pulling out my old 2e maps and the distances were changed in 3e.
Thanks for the responses and links. My search didn't yield those. |
I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2016 : 18:34:47
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Technically, you do the 'map & measure' thing, with an average of about 30 miles per day (couriers can double that, if they have a second horse and switch every hour or so, and ride hard and long. If the horses aren't trained for that sort of thing, you could hurt or even kill them). Eric & I had to work a lot of that out for the Daggerford/Illefarn project. Its also not an 'as the crow flies' thing - you need to follow the roads! Cross-country actually doesn't take that much longer (unless you are moving through very rough terrain), but the roads are at least 'marginally safe' (patrolled). Once you go off-road, all bets are off - there are about forty gazillion species of monsters waiting to eat you (bandits also stick to the roads, and are the least of your worries).
Horses for anything but couriers (or cavalry on a 'forced march', which they would be loath to do - they'd harm their horses) doesn't actually change the speed, it just makes the trip easier. I've researched it and its a fallacy to think otherwise. You may get an extra 2 hours of travel time, bumping you up to 36 miles in one day, but thats about it (and that includes rests).
As for ships, I had done a lot of research for that for TEGG's Stormtalons setting (many authors only provided me with "it takes about two weeks to get there by boat") but I forget what I came up with as an average. There are also more factors affecting ship - on the Sword Coast, the air currents blow up from the south, and the water currents flow from the north, in a clockwise fashion around the entire Trackless Sea (its on the Maztica map, but the pdf cut that part off). Thus, with 'good winds' you can sail down the coast much faster than up, but if your sails get destroyed and you're 'set adrift', you would slowly drift up the coast. With a good crew who knows how to 'tack' properly, you can over come the wind and use both to your benefit while sailing up the coast. As an aside, this is an odd situation, with the water spinning one way around Evermeet, and the air the other - I blame it on the elves and whatever magic they did to make Evermeet - its almost like there is a swirling 'vortex' in that region, acting as a 'drain' for both sea and air.
And THEN you have STUFF. What is this mysterious STUFF? Weather, monsters, a sudden geological event, magical mayhem, etc, etc... anything the DM wants to throw at you. What that means is that most of what I said does NOT matter - you will get from point 'A' to point 'B' when the DM wants you to, and it will take however long (or short - portals!) he needs it to.
P.S. - I actually started a new FR map last night... but don't get your hopes up. My once-poor ability to focus has now become practically non-existent. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 14 Oct 2016 02:56:39 |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2016 : 23:44:38
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| It won't help you for your specific calculation, but you might have been thinking of the sea caravan travel time chart, on the inside front cover of the Wilderness booklet in the North box set. |
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2016 : 22:10:30
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During several periods of coastal storms and tornados on the Trackless Seas and beyond (particularly in autumns after hot summers), the air might be able to reverse on route down the Sea of Swords. The uppersurface seacurrents could also reverse in some extreme cases.
By assuming slightly favorable weather, because the superstitious sailors of Faerun dare not tread the seas during such stormy weathers, I usually go with the easy 100 miles per day by galley. I guesstimate the distance by boat is about 1800 miles, so: '"A tenday or two".' is a common answer.
With 'good winds in the sail' a galley can get topspeeds of nearly 60 miles an hour, but those are in a zig zag pattern. Average coastal windspeeds are at about 40 miles an hour, perhaps 50. At particular times it might be better to travel by muscle speed as well, cranking about 50 extra miles an hour ontop of the windspeed. Very intensive work. |
My campaign sketches
Druidic Groves
Creature Feature: Giant Spiders |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2016 : 22:20:33
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Well, yeah, I'm assuming normal(ish) weather patterns here. Balmy, 'warm air' currents coming from the south in the nicer months (when most of the seafaring is going on), and then you'd get cold 'arctic winds' blowing down from the north as winter came on (despite the normal flow of air). Storms change everything, so a DM can fudge just about anything he wants.
Which he could always do anyway, without logical reasons, because DM stands for dungeon MASTER. That overrides canon, commonsense, physics, meteorology, etc, etc... |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 13 Oct 2016 22:21:06 |
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1882 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2016 : 23:39:10
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MARKUSTAAAAAY
quote:
P.S. - I actually started a new FR map last night... but don't get your hopes up. My once-poor ability to focus has now become practically non-existent.
If this is true I'm a happy man. I sincerely hope the Misbegotten Realms is back on track. But, regardless, it's nice to see you're working on the world we all love. |
I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one. |
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RavenShadow
Acolyte
USA
16 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2016 : 02:47:09
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| I don't like taking out my 1e or 2e maps either. |
Fate whispers to the warrior, "You cannot withstand this storm." The warrior whispers back, "I am the storm." |
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Cards77
Senior Scribe
USA
747 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2016 : 03:02:44
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I know this isn't the "real world", but my real world experience both on horse back and afoot tends to color my view of the canon travel distances. Even 24 miles per day on horseback is extremely optimistic, unless you stick to a well maintained road (like between waterdeep and daggerford).
However, even the book suggests all but summer and early fall travel is hampered by muddy roads and terrible weather conditions. In my game cross country travel is quite dependent on the weather, time of year, and what roads or not the group chooses to use.
I feel this reflects the reality of traveling on horseback across country. Roads are muddy, rutted, rocky, streams are high in spring time, weather can reduce visibility and worsen road conditions.
No terrain is truly flat and level for any significant distance, as every landform MUST drain in some fashion. Flatter terrain has it's own challenges, moors are fraught with foggy conditions, boggy areas, small lakes, etc.
In my game a trip that may take a few days during summer, could take twice as long in inclement conditions/season.
Not to mention horses must be fed, watered and cared for to get maximum mileage. And like us, they get tired, foot sore and just plain cranky. 24 miles is asking an awful lot on all but a great smooth road. |
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Travel Times & Distances
