12 replies to this topic

[Azkyroth]

First, is there any information about how mages generally go about constructing their towers, residences, dungeons, etc (magic? Or workers...constructs? Hirelings? etc.)?

Second, any resources on how to calculate travel times between different cities in Faerun?

[Jarno Mikkola]

Don't know about Faerun, but in Kyrnn, there are only few Mage Towers, but they are all magical. And prosuming the game makers/artists didn't "#¤& the visuals, in Baldur's Gate, the two towers/mage dwellings are both made by normal workers. The drow build their homes with magic, though most of the other races in underdark don't. The monsters either dig their own holes, move into human made once or take old dragon dwellings(when the dragon moves into a bigger one). Most of the churches/chapels are made by builders, but few are made with magic. And of course there are few items that can summon towers(Crenshinibon).

So in conclution one can say, that the magic if one desides to make his dwelling with it, is awailable, but really hard to come by, and really costly unless you want to spend hundreds of years in the making of your dwelling and then you can die in peace.

[Daulmakan]

First, is there any information about how mages generally go about constructing their towers, residences, dungeons, etc (magic? Or workers...constructs? Hirelings? etc.)?

Perhaps The Castle Guide can be useful in this regard? It's available for download on Wizards.com here (plus there are a bunch of other books too )

[Azkyroth]

Hmm. All right. Any details on what kinds of spells go into that?

Also, one more question: is there any information available online about portal magic?

[Kulyok]

I suspect it goes just like it goes with the most prominent churches/holy points in the real word: points of bifurcation. In Faerun, such points are eithe whether where the Weave is strong, or because of another factor of significance(divine intervention, a dying or dead mythal, a ritual site, and so on).

Simply put, a wizard will most probably build a tower upon another tower, abandoned or built on ruins, which, in return, is also built on remains of another tower/holy site, and so on. A neverending circle going deep down(or, rather, up) the timeline.

[Ilmatar]

Second, any resources on how to calculate travel times between different cities in Faerun?

Now that's something I would be interested in finding out, too. Anyone?

[Chevalier]

I am sorry if I this sounds too harsh.

Second, any resources on how to calculate travel times between different cities in Faerun?

This a silly question or just badly asked.

What is the method of travel? walking, riding fast horses, traveling with a slow caravan, the (I think griffen) flying caravan between Waterdeep and Silverymoon? Or just useing one of the many portals? Go here or one of the many other maps and calulate the distance and the speed of travel. You can find maps with roads and caravan routs.

[Kulyok]

I fully agree here. As well, many travel distances may have been made different in BG2, for the sake of game convenience - and in-game BG2 takes priority over FR canon.

[cmorgan]

Gotta print the map so the legend works... and I have found that different FR authors tend to play fast and loose with travel time, easily explaining away any differences with oddities of trail, encounters, trade way blockage, caravan travel problems..

28 Myrtle, Trade Way, Amn

My Dear Alaine -

I am writing to you from the Trade Way. I am afraid that this message will beat me to Waterdeep by at least a month, for we are having some difficulties with travel. The trading coster will be sending this on by Griffin Post from Baldur's Gate. I long to be in your arms again, my love, but I am afraid that Tymorra has turned her fickle hand aginst us, at least temporarily.

Our trouble started when one of the hired mercenary protection bands decided that their pay was too small, and began negotiating with the trading coster representative in the caravan. Their attempt to use force to increase thier wages resulted in a slight accidental discharge of lightning from a disgruntled passenger, which damaged the water supply wagon. We were forced to limp along on rations and luckily were able to trade extra parts with a caravan approaching from the rear, in return for their forging ahead of us.

Then, of course, we ran into the spring thaws, and were forced to wait in turn at the fording point where a bridge washed out. Two passenger mages and the caravan mage began levitating the wagons across one at a time, but it took the better part of a day to make 700 yards of crossing. Then of course they had to rest and finish the remaining wagons when they had sufficient numbers of spells rememorized. That set us back a second day.

We had a great run through most of Amn, with wide, flat, well maintained roads, but of course passing a caravan with another caravan cannot be done - it would block traffic. So the mile long backup became much larger when we ran square up against the Builder's Guild shipment of Calimshan Marble, inching its way along the Trade Way pulled by several Oliphants. We did ask why they did not transport by sea, but they reminded us that the northern climates and pirates mae this a much safer (if slower) route for valuable building supplies. We were not able to pass them until nightfall, when they camped, and then had to travel on several miles before camping ourselves. The situation was made worse the following day, when a Noble from Athlaka brough his entourage through, and we were forced to delay. We barely made it on the road before the Builder's Guild, and several other caravans were not so lucky.

Which brought us to the border. Apparently, there is some difficulty between Baldur's Gate and Amn, and local bandits have plagued the region. The resulting political tensions have brought the Flaming Fist to the region, and they are doing a full customs inspection and magical scry at the border. The delay was several days, before our turn came. They checked everything, even after bribing the Captain. Eventally, we were allowed access to the road, and we made blinding speed (made even faster by the addition of relief teams of horses, so that rotating horses kept us at a much faster pace)... until we ran into bandits and were forced to fight. We won easily, but binding wounds and healing took several rest times and a good bit of supplies. Which meant that the Builder's caravan passed us. Again.

We thought that would be the end of it; after all, from here on to Waterdeep, the roads are stone, wider, better patrolled, and much quicker. Unfortunately, we were forced to wait for military traffic, then some postal express, and finally we were able to (illegally) pass the Builder's Guild after bribing them not to tell anyone of our passing. We were happy, and very excited to see Baldur's Gate come into view, and have our week long resupply and rest period. I, of course, was going to immediately grab a northbound coster, or perhaps book passage via sea now that the ice has become less of a danger; we were very excited...


until we saw the Dragon.


I hope this letter reaches you, for I have been chosen to go and negotiate passage. We can see Baldur's Gate from the top of the hill, and some of our party think that she (either the Dragon or the City, there is a big argument going on about that right now) is merely an illusion by an enterprising thief, but it pays to be very careful in these matters. If I do not see you in a month or two, please remember that I love you with all my heart, and will see you in the next Cycle of the Great Wheel, Tymorra willing. With any luck, I will see you midsummer; but so far, Tymorra's coin has not been landing in my favor.

With all My Love,

Your Faithful Husband,
Grevar



So, while you could use times from the WorldMap project, or from the BG games, the map key is a very, very rough guide for travel times in Faerun. It may take you a 4 mph walk, a 9 mph trot, or you might just have to trust Tymorra, and say "we get there when we get there"

Edited by cmorgan, 13 June 2007 - 01:35 PM.

[Azkyroth]

I am sorry if I this sounds too harsh.

Second, any resources on how to calculate travel times between different cities in Faerun?

This a silly question or just badly asked.

What is the method of travel? walking, riding fast horses, traveling with a slow caravan, the (I think griffen) flying caravan between Waterdeep and Silverymoon? Or just useing one of the many portals? Go here or one of the many other maps and calulate the distance and the speed of travel. You can find maps with roads and caravan routs.

I assumed any such resource would have different rates for different modes of travel.

The main issue is the difficulty involved in calculating the distance with an on-screen map. Printing it would be a good idea, but I'm a bit short of 8.5ftx11ft paper. Mind if I borrow some?

Edited by Azkyroth, 13 June 2007 - 02:46 PM.

[Bluenose]

If you can give me a day or two I did once go through a lot of FR novels and sourcebooks looking at travel times between various places and noting them down. I don't know where it is at the moment but I should be able to look it out.

[oralpain]

Second, any resources on how to calculate travel times between different cities in Faerun?

Now that's something I would be interested in finding out, too. Anyone?

All older versions of (A)D&D had rules for overland travel. I assume 3/3.5E does to.

In AD&D base daily movement, assuming 10 hours of walking per day, with breaks was double the individuals movement rate, in miles. So across clear and level terrain, a normal man or woman could travel 24 miles in a day, without having to push themselves. This fits very well with my personal experiences, as I have about the same distance on foot in that time without wearing myself down, or about 50% more (35 miles) if I don't rest at all, or walk longer, and tire myself in the process.

Adverse terrain slows movement. The same person might only beable to travel 3 miles a day through high mountains or dense jungle.

Roads/trails double the distance one can cover though rough terrain, but will not improve travel much on already clear land.

The AD&D 2nd (and 1st) edition PHB and DMG have rules for overland movement, and I would assume the 3E DMG has something very similar.

Maps of Faerun are all over. You just need to look at them and find the distance/terrain from place to place and compare that to the movement rate of whatever is traveling.

[Azkyroth]

In AD&D base daily movement, assuming 10 hours of walking per day, with breaks was double the individuals movement rate, in miles. So across clear and level terrain, a normal man or woman could travel 24 miles in a day, without having to push themselves. This fits very well with my personal experiences, as I have about the same distance on foot in that time without wearing myself down, or about 50% more (35 miles) if I don't rest at all, or walk longer, and tire myself in the process.

Perfect. I can use the Faerun map, various measurement tools, and a lot of math to figure this out now.

For future reference, Calimport to Waterdeep is ~1800 miles is ~75 days at the pace you describe; Athkatla to Westgate is ~52 days. Now date references shall not be wildly off x.x

Edited by Azkyroth, 14 June 2007 - 06:01 PM.