Eberrons bizzare maps

[WayneLigon]

Valenar is almost the size of India and there are 17 towns, and one river (!?!) I’ve heard people complain about the low population stats (and rightly so) but what about the dodgy geography.

Even without the size misunderstanding, the number of towns and rivers shown is nothing to go by. I hope you're not thinking that in any gaming map that those are the only towns, rivers, elevations, hills, etc? Those are just the most significant ones. There are hundreds of villages, thorps, hamlets, crossroads, inns, tiny little forts and such that are totally unseen in most fantasy maps we've ever gottten. Look at a geological survey map of a county in a state. You'll see dozens of rivers, streams, rills, creeks and other things of that nature. That's what the countryside really looks like.

The Harn maps are about the only things I've seen lately that show everything in an area.
http://www.thechmp.com/MappaHarnica/Files/quivum[1].gif is a good example; I think the hexes at that scale are... 2.5 miles across? 5? I don't remember.

 

[Anti-Sean]

Ah, not awfully familiar with the setting. I'm just a player. We're Breland Militia members, so I think Breland pays for all that sort of thing.

Providing the PCs with a patron or patrons who can front some or all of their traveling expenses in exchange for services rendered is an excellent tactic for the DM to use, at least during their salad days; even better, it gives the DM villians that the PCs are already familiar with when said patrons eventually betray the party later on!

 

[Glyfair]

Even without the size misunderstanding, the number of towns and rivers shown is nothing to go by. I hope you're not thinking that in any gaming map that those are the only towns, rivers, elevations, hills, etc? Those are just the most significant ones. There are hundreds of villages, thorps, hamlets, crossroads, inns, tiny little forts and such that are totally unseen in most fantasy maps we've ever gottten. Look at a geological survey map of a county in a state. You'll see dozens of rivers, streams, rills, creeks and other things of that nature. That's what the countryside really looks like.

The issue that brought the "Khorvaire is too big" up first was the population figures. I agree with your general point, but if you create a reasonable density then you end up with an average town having 3 people or something

Welcome to ENWorld Yaksha. These boards do have search functions, but only to community supporters, those who donate to keep the place running.

And lest we get the "how dare they" responses, there are those of us who remember the days when the massive use of the search feature used to crash the board for days at a time. It was initially done this way to allow there to be a search function, but limiting it's use.

For those who have filter issues, here is Keith's quote:

**the size of the continent, which doesn't seem to match the cultures described for it.**

That's because it doesn't. In my opinion, the scale on the maps of Eberron is off by a factor of ten. In my mind, the Five Nations should be along the size of nations like France and England, not Russia and China. It throws off travel time for adventures, skews population, and makes it hard to imagine events in the Last War pushing deep beyond the borders. This wasn't somehow inherent in the design of the setting (in fact, quite the opposite); in my opinion it was just a miscommunication with the art department that is sadly now part of the core book. But personally, MY Khorvaire is a much smaller place.

 

[Kaodi]

The cost per mile of most forms of transport is just ludicrous to begin with. Operating on the old assumption that the average commoner makes 1 sp per day of labour, then it costs a days pay to travel one mile with an Orien caravan.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

Hmmm... Does any of the people in the art department go under the pseudonym of Plato, by any chance?

Where are the Pillars of Hercules?

Brad

 

[Klaus]

IIRC, Khorvaire is meant to be the size of the continental US. Can't recall where I read that, though.

That being said, Valenar is pretty underpopulated, being mostly arid. I equate Valenar with Arizona.

 

[Stone Dog]

The cost per mile of most forms of transport is just ludicrous to begin with. Operating on the old assumption that the average commoner makes 1 sp per day of labour, then it costs a days pay to travel one mile with an Orien caravan.

That is for passengers, yeah. That includes food, water, possibly wine, a nice seat inside away from the sun and not having to do any work while you go. Commoners can't afford this sort of luxury.

 

[Yaksha_]

Hi all,

Thanks for the replies. It seems by your posts that gamers choose these different options:

1. The maps are erroneously multiplied by 10 (according to Keith). So this would make Khorvaire 500 miles wide, not 5,000. That would make Khorvaire way too small in my opinion; the entire continent the size of France.

2. Others mention halving it. This would make Khorvaire 2,500 miles wide. This seems fairly reasonable. About the same size as the USA or Australia.

On a global scale, the original mileage is probably very realistic, and I don’t have a problem with Khorvaire being the size of Asia. Except for the fact that that is not realistically portrayed in the geography and population and as mentioned in your posts, it throws out the story of the war, travel time/expenses etc.

I think halving the land masses but keeping the circumference of Eberron the same would be the easiest way out. This means if we were to draw a realistic map of Eberron there would be a lot more ocean – quite plausible going by our Earth.

I have the same sentiments as Glyfair, WayneLigon.

Thoughts?

 

[Jakar]

Has a large scale version of the map ever been released? You know like they did in Dragon for Grayhawk and FRs.

 

[Vorput]

1. The maps are erroneously multiplied by 10 (according to Keith). So this would make Khorvaire 500 miles wide, not 5,000. That would make Khorvaire way too small in my opinion; the entire continent the size of France.

2. Others mention halving it. This would make Khorvaire 2,500 miles wide. This seems fairly reasonable. About the same size as the USA or Australia.

I had always just agree with keith about the factor of 10 after I saw him posting it- but you're right... 500 miles across seems too small...