DnD Granite Quarry

[rusty2667]

Hello,

Near a large town I'm using as a starting point for my next campaign sits a granite quarry. Other than a mark on a map and a few glib phrases used as a general description, I've yet to design a functioning quarry. Now I have no knowledge of quarries or sediments, but fortunately neither does anyone else in our group. I'm interested in maps, machinery, and way to transport granite over long distances (300 miles, if possible).

Campaign details:
*The human controlled quarry is in a temperate, hilly area surrounded by plains,
*Vaguely medieval setting
*Clocks are the absolute cutting edge of technology
*Relations with dwarves are amicable, so their expertise could be hired
*No magic may be used.
*No slave labor, but beasts of burden can be used(fantastic or mundane)

I know this is a broad subject, but any help is appreciated. If you need more info please ask.

 

[DanMcS]

When I think of medieval masonry, I always think first of the David Macaulay books I read as a kid, Castle, Cathedral, and so on. Great illustrations of medieval tools and machines, like a crane that was essentially a human-powered hamster wheel to lift heavy stone. Check your library, they should have them (or be ashamed!).

Check out this castle currently being built in France, it helps give an idea of many tools, techniques, and materials. There are some shots on there of their quarry.

Your quarry might have a smithy and other crafting on site, depending on the distance to town.

The easiest way to move heavy stuff long distances would probably be by boat, because the roads probably aren't great. They'd cart or sledge stuff down to the river (by oxen?), and then float it the vast majority of the distance. Even if the river route is longer as the crow files, it's still faster and easier, because granite doesn't fly. If the quarry has been around a while, they might have dug a canal close to it to make shipping even easier.

The Egyptians moved stone for the pyramids down the Nile, even farther than the 300 miles you require, so it's possible. Oh, there's some good stuff on there about stone cutting technique.

 

[rusty2667]

That video was perfect, thanks! I can develop some good details from that footage (especially the hamster-wheel thingee). I'll have to hit up a library for the author.

A serious flaw in my set up is transporting the stone since I want it to be overland. I could always pencil in a river but I'd rather work within the limitations I have. I guess I'll have to pay attention the next time the History Channel does something on pyramids or Easter Island.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Well, if you have logs, you have rollers to move large stones upon.

If you have draft animals & the wheel, you can put the stones on carts.

With a good slick mud greasing up a stone-lined channel, you can move pretty big loads.

But like DanMcS says, if there is any water anywhere nearby, they're going to do their damndest to float those rocks.

In fact, I could even see them building an aqueduct out of smaller stones for the express purpose of moving the stones via water.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Little history of Columbia SC, it was one of the first places that granite was found for quarried (?) in the US. From the quarry, the stones were shipped down the river to Charleston where it was used for building. It was also a major trade item to other parts of the US.

Columbia, also marked the point the river stopped being deep enough for boats of size and the switch over to locks in our state.



Note: granite weighs about 180 pound per cubic foot.

 

[rusty2667]

Note: granite weighs about 180 pound per cubic foot.

Important info, thanks!

@DanMcS
The link to the Egyptions gave a good sense of the basics for stoncutting. Good stuff.

@Dannyalcatraz
I really like aqueduct idea. Unfortunately, I think mischievous goblinoids and bandits would have a field day destroying it since there'd be no way to constantly guard an aqueduct 300 miles long.

The log-rolling idea would probably work best. Throw some tricked-out treads on those babies and it's ready to roll! I'll have to search through the Monster Manual for a good beast of burden to be used as uber-oxen.

 

[rusty2667]

So this is the scenario I've work out..

Humans from far to the east on the other side of a mountain chain, discover a motherlode of granite hundreds of miles away from their homeland. Knowing that this would be a difficult (but profitable ) operation, they hire dwarves as foremen in exchange for a cut of the stone. Using a churned up swath of earth as a road that runs parallel to the normal one, they transport the stone to the mountain range. At the mountains, the dwarves take their cut and transport the rest by using sloping tunnels that lead to a human city on the eastern side of the mountains.

Sound feasible, so far?

 

[ajanders]

Yeah, you're looking at giant carts.

Drawn by behemoths. Or elephants.
Mage-bred elephants.
Or golems.

Some of those beasties might not be native, and require extensive magical or mundane support.

 

[DanMcS]

Humans from far to the east on the other side of a mountain chain, discover a motherlode of granite hundreds of miles away from their homeland. Knowing that this would be a difficult (but profitable ) operation, they hire dwarves as foremen in exchange for a cut of the stone. Using a churned up swath of earth as a road that runs parallel to the normal one, they transport the stone to the mountain range. At the mountains, the dwarves take their cut and transport the rest by using sloping tunnels that lead to a human city on the eastern side of the mountains.

I think the tunnels under the mountains are excellent places for a canal, or something more exotic, like a roller/conveyor system built by the dwarves. Or else tracks and carts, for that authentic Temple of Doom mine-cart-chase-feel.

You stipulated no magic, but there's not actually much magic that would economically work for helping move giant blocks of stone, unless the wizard was moving the stone for himself, and not charging for the spells. Floating Disk isn't hefty enough for big blocks, and only lasts an hour per level. Shrink Item is somewhat better, but it's a third-level spell, so it would get expensive to hire those just for stonemoving. Enlarge Person and Bull's Strength have a duration of mere minutes.

If they could get a couple of giants to help with loading and unloading the carts, that might help. Let the PCs deal with an enormous labor dispute.

Why are the PCs involved with a granite mine, anyway?

 

[rusty2667]

Why are the PCs involved with a granite mine, anyway?

heh, why bother with this if I never use it, right?

I want to have a solid idea of how things operate for two reasons:

First and foremost, as a possible adventure hook. By understanding how things are supposed to work, I can find interesting ways to screw it up. For example, what if the dwarves decide that they're not getting their fair share? What if orcs get a taste for mastadon meats? etc.

Second, as a backdrop. A brief description of a team of humans and dwarves trying to drive several tons of granite across the plains by using mastadons would at least be mildly interesting.