Travel Within the Silver Moon Empire
Horseback Travel | Common Land Paths | Seacraft Travel | Common Seacraft Paths
To estimate travel, one must know approximately how far one is going.
Land Mass and Size
The Hyathan Peninsula is broken up into seven regions that used to make up the Silver Moon Empire. In its entirety, it is approximately 2/3 the size of the United States. The peninsula is approximately 2,000 miles across, from the eastern border of the Skall Mountains to the western coast. The city of Xieng Khouang in Southern Oceanuus lays 250 miles off the coast of Shadokhan. The total area of the peninsula is 2.9 million square miles.
The six regions measure approximately as follows:
Arboria: 850,000 square miles, the largest of the seven regions in land mass.
Luminii: 540,000 square miles
Shadokhan: 500,000 square miles
Thermador: 440,000 square miles
Balthazor: 340,000 square miles
Cloosidian: 130,000 square miles -- a deceptive number when one considers the vertical ground
Southern Oceanuus, main island: 28,000 square miles
Travel by Land
The main mode of land travel in Hyathis is either by horseback or on foot. A day consists of 30 hours, and average traveling time is about 15 hours, though this varies depending on the season. For general estimation of the length of time it takes to get from one point to another, the following approximations can be used:
Miles, by Horse
An average, well-kept riding horse can travel 20-30 miles per day. Horses trained and conditioned for long distances can travel up to 50-60 miles per day. These factors apply only to a one-day ride, after which it could take weeks for the horse to properly recover!
Walking horse: abt 3-4 mph (45 miles in 15 hours, though the average is 30-40 miles)
Trotting horse: 8-10 mph (96 miles in 24 hours, including 8 required 30 minute rests)
Galloping horse: 25-30 mph (a gallop can only be sustained for 2.5-3 miles; 150 miles could be covered in 15 hours with a fresh horse every hour)
Miles, On Foot
For well-traveled and physically fit humanoids. Nobility and others unused to physical exertion would have much reduced travel times.
Walking, unladen: 30 miles per day
Walking, with pack: 20 miles per day
A strong runner, unladen, can travel 100 miles over mountainous terrain in a single day
Miles, by Caravan
Limited by type, as some caravans would require human walkers and others are all drawn by beasts. Travel time is reduced compared to lone travelers, due to the need for longer resting breaks.
Caravan, by horse-drawn wagon: 30-35 miles per day
Caravan, by ox-drawn wagon: 15 miles per day
Taking Weather and Terrain Into Consideration:
- Through the mountains, traveling distance is reduced by one-half.
- Through the forest, the traveling distance is reduced to two-thirds.
- Through the desert, the traveling distance is reduced to one-half.
- In winter, all traveling rates are reduced to two-thirds.
- In the rain, all traveling rates are reduced to one-half.
Common Land Paths
Damansque to Dreven: Approximately 1030 miles (730 miles through plains, 300 miles through the Sturrbith Mountains).
Walking (w/pack): 66 days (36 days over the plains, 30 days through the mountains)
Walking/trotting Horse: 26 days (14 days over the plains, 12 days through the mountains)
Caravan/horse: 64 days (24 days over the plains, 20 days through the mountains)
Caravan/ox: 88 days (48 days over the plains, 40 days through the mountains)
*Note: If the message is urgent, usually it is not taken by a rider but a messenger, through the portals that are scattered throughout the peninsula. There is an accessible stable portal near the western border of Damansque that allows a messenger to transport to Crosswinds Tavern near Dreven instantaneously. These public portals are accessible by the populous.
Fort Wantlokin to Damansque: Approximately 475 miles (40 miles through mountains, 435 miles through plains.)
Walking (w/pack): 26 days (22 days over the plains, 4 days through the mountains)
Walking/trotting Horse: 9-10 days (9 days over the plains, 1.5 days through the mountains)
Caravan/horse: 17 days (2.5 days over the plains, 14.5 days through the mountains)
Caravan/ox: 34 days (29 days over the plains, 7.5 days through the mountains)
Cennebrae to Dreven: 1775 miles (1325 miles on The Cracked Pass, 450 miles through grasslands).
Walking (w/pack): 123 days (101 days through forest, 22 days through the grasslands)
Walking/trotting Horse: 49 days (40 days through forest, 9 days through the grasslands)
Caravan/horse: 81 days (66 days through forest, 15 days through the grasslands)
Caravan/ox: 162 days (132 days through forest, 30 days through the grasslands)
*Note: There is a stable portal within Cennebrae that is not accessible to anyone but those granted personal permission by Tequin Shaldolf-Sundew. It is magically warded. There is also a stable portal that is just outside the eastern border of Cennebrae, guarded by a contingency Elven Blades.
Fort Klimteg to Dreven: 695 miles (265 miles on The Cracked Pass, 120 additional miles through forest, 310 miles through grasslands).
Walking (w/pack):45 days (30 days through forest, 15 days through the grasslands)
Walking/trotting Horse: 18 days (12 days through forest, 6 days through the grasslands)
Caravan/horse: 29 days (19 days through forest, 10 days through the grasslands)
Caravan/ox: 60 days (40 days through forest, 20 days through the grasslands)
Wadi Medani to Dreven: 1750 miles (450 miles through desert, 1000 miles through plains, 300 miles through the Sturrbith Mountains.
Walking (w/pack): 125 days (45 days through desert, 50 days through plains, 30 days through mountains)
Walking/trotting Horse: 50 days (18 days through desert, 20 days through plains, 12 days through mountains)
Caravan/horse: 83 days (30 days through desert, 33 days through plains, 20 days through mountains)
Caravan/ox: 267 days (60 days through desert, 67 days through plains, 40 days through mountains)
*Note: There is a stable portal south of Wadi Medani.
Malcoven to Dreven: 1425 miles (775 miles through plains, 400 miles through mountains, 250 miles on the Cracked Pass. (This requires passing through Cloosidian and part of Arboria, both regions which strictly control passage.)
Walking (w/pack): 98 days (45 days through plains, 50 days through mountains, 30 days through forest)
Walking/trotting Horse: 39 days (15 days through plains, 16 days through mountains, 8 days through forest)
Caravan/horse: 65 days (26 days through plains, 27 days through mountains, 12 days through forest)
Caravan/ox: 128 days (50 days through plains, 53 days through mountains, 25 days through forest)
Cremens Peak to Dreven: 915 miles (220 miles through mountains, 265 miles on The Cracked Pass, 120 additional miles through forest, 310 miles through grasslands).
Walking (w/pack): 67 days (22 days through mountains, 30 days through forest, 15 days through the grasslands)
Walking/trotting Horse: 27 days (9 days through mountains, 12 days through forest, 6 days through the grasslands)
Caravan/horse: 44 days (15 days through mountains, 19 days through forest, 10 days through the grasslands)
Caravan/ox: 90 days (30 days through mountains, 40 days through forest, 20 days through the grasslands)
*Note: There is a stable portal in the village of Cremen's Peak.
The Aerie to Dreven: varies due to treacherous paths and traps along the cliffside path. 475 miles through mountains to Klimteg, 695 miles (265 miles on The Cracked Pass, 120 additional miles through forest, 310 miles through grasslands).
Walking (w/pack): 93 days (48 days through mountains, 30 days through forest, 15 days through the grasslands)
Walking/trotting Horse: You want to press a horse to speed along cliffs? Good luck...
Caravan: Not recommended due to narrow paths.
Travel Over Water (ships)
Another common mode of travel through the peninsula is by the sea and great rivers. The rate of travel upon a body of water depends greatly on the type of ship as well as type of body of water and the weather. Below are average speeds through moderate weather and calm water. To convert sailing speeds, figure that 1.15 mph = 1 knot. Keep in mind, too, that a ship can travel 'round the clock with no rest periods.
Types of Ships:
The following is not a complete or exhaustive list.
Cog: Single-masted with a broad beam, bluff prow and stern. Its deep draft, wide beam and flat floor provides plenty of large cargo space. Very high sides make it easier to defend. It carries a square sail on a single mast. Length: about 65 feet. Speed varies greatly depending on weather conditions, but is (i.e.) between 4 and 11 miles per hour.
Ketch: Usually smaller than most sea-going ships, they are usually 40 to 80 feet long. The typical crew on a trading ketch is made up of 6-12 people. Trading ketches are small so they can fit into narrow harbors to load and unload merchandise more easily. A 50 foot ketch under full rigging will sail at a speed of about 8 miles per hour.
Keelboat: Holding about ten to fifteen on board, including a crew of eight, it is a single masted ship about 50 feet long, with a few oars for supplementation. It is able to make sea voyages as well as sail down rivers, and travels about 11 miles per hour.
Rowboat: Transports about three people maximum, it is a 10-15 foot long boat that can travel about 5 miles per hour with two rowers.
Sailship: With a crew of twenty, it can transport additional 150 tons of cargo. It has two masts and two large sails, and only makes sea voyages. It is about 80 feet long and travels about 14 miles per hour.
Sloop: Designed to sail a river's shoal-ridden open estuarial waters and to make occasional coastal passages. A sloop carries a single mast stepped toward the bow of the ship. Rigging is simple, making the ship maneuverable and fast. Its main disadvantage is the large size of the sails on larger vessels. Sloop rigs are specifically designed to optimise upwind sailing. Typically, a sloop might 75 feet by 18 and carry 130 tons. They are heavily used by the Pirates and can achieve remarkable speeds of 25+ miles per hour.
Warship/Galley: Sea-going vessels propelled primarily by oars in battle and equipped with one large sail for cruising. 80-100 feet long and 10 feet wide, supporting 18-24 oars. Galleys were decked at the bow and stern but are otherwise open, the center of the vessel being used for cargo. Average cruising speed under oars is about 3.5 miles per hour; normally oarsmen work in shifts, a third of the complement at a time, and this pace can continue all day. In battle, a maximum rate of 8 miles per hour can be obtained, but only for a short spurt. Able to transport about 125 officers, seamen and oarsmen (usually 3 men per oar) with a small compliment of heavily armed marines.
Commonly Known Paths Over Water
The following times are based on moderate weather and calm water.
Port Ethralest, Shadokhan to Xieng Khouang: 508 miles by sea.
Keelboat: 46 candle marks (1 day + 16 candle marks)
Sloop: 20 candle marks
Warship: 145 candle marks (4.5 days)
Xieng Khouang to Deltameadow, Luminii: 1625 miles by sea (75 miles through delta).
Keelboat: 148 candle marks (5 days)
Sloop: 65 candle marks (2 days + 5 candle marks)
Warship: 456 candle marks (15 days)
Xieng Khouang to Hi'ilani: 1160 miles by sea.
Keelboat: 106 candle marks (3.5 days)
Sloop: 47 candle marks (1 day + 17 candle marks)
Warship: 464 candle marks (15.5 days)
Xieng Khouang to Villisport, Shadokhan: 910 miles by sea.
Keelboat: 83 candle marks (2 days + 22 candle marks)
Sloop: 37 candle marks (2 days + 7 candle marks)
Warship: 260 candle marks (8 days + 20 candle marks)
Xieng Khouang to Hvannadalshnukur: 3175 miles by sea.
Keelboat: 289 candle marks (9.5 days)
Sloop: 127 hours (4 days + 7 candle marks)
Warship: 907 hours (30 days)
Xieng Khouang to Deathsong Port, Balthazor: 3585 miles by sea.
Keelboat: 326 candle marks (10.5 days)
Sloop: 144 candle marks (4.75 days)
Warship: 1024 candle marks (34 days)
