D&D General Travel In Medieval Europe

[Hussar]

But is the Forgotten Realms a particularly dangerous place for travellers? Maybe according to random encounter tables and some adventures. In lore and setting logic? Doesn’t particularly seem so.

That would be my point. We basically ignore all the parts where it should be very dangerous for travellers. There are lots and lots of stuff out there that actually specifically eats people. Never minding the stuff that sometimes snacks on people.

 

[Ixal]

That would be my point. We basically ignore all the parts where it should be very dangerous for travellers. There are lots and lots of stuff out there that actually specifically eats people. Never minding the stuff that sometimes snacks on people.

Again, if the world would be so dangerous as you suggest there would also be no merchants, far less advanced technology as ressources can't be gathered (especially wizards often need quite varied and often exotic things) and at best city states and no extensive kingdoms.
But all those things exist in abundance in the FR showing that travel must be rather safe.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

But is the Forgotten Realms a particularly dangerous place for travellers? Maybe according to random encounter tables and some adventures. In lore and setting logic? Doesn’t particularly seem so.

The PCs are like Batman, magnets for evil.

 

[Hussar]

Again, if the world would be so dangerous as you suggest there would also be no merchants, far less advanced technology as ressources can't be gathered (especially wizards often need quite varied and often exotic things) and at best city states and no extensive kingdoms.
But all those things exist in abundance in the FR showing that travel must be rather safe.

Why not? There are merchants in Dark Sun and cities too. Why would technology be particularly limited? It's not like extensive travel is required for technological advances.

My point is that all those things exist in abundance in FR because FR makes about as much sense as a rubber hammer. A world where you have an abundance of extremely dangerous animals would very much NOT look like Medieval Europe. And certainly not the Ren Faire Europe of Forgotten Realms. Good grief. Phandalin doesn't even have a wall or moat. Never minding that you have hostile humanoids RIGHT THERE. Numerous monsters within a day's walk, including a dragon.

And you're telling me that travel in this setting would be common?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Why would technology be particularly limited? It's not like extensive travel is required for technological advances.

It absolutely is.

Firstly, more advanced technologies require a broader range of materials. They aren't all going to be available locally.

Secondly, new technologies emerge when people combine old ideas in a new way. the more ideas you are exposed to the faster your technology advances.

There are lots of real world examples of isolated communities having less technology, and zero examples of isolated communities having more advanced technology.

 

[Ixal]

Why not? There are merchants in Dark Sun and cities too. Why would technology be particularly limited? It's not like extensive travel is required for technological advances.

My point is that all those things exist in abundance in FR because FR makes about as much sense as a rubber hammer. A world where you have an abundance of extremely dangerous animals would very much NOT look like Medieval Europe. And certainly not the Ren Faire Europe of Forgotten Realms. Good grief. Phandalin doesn't even have a wall or moat. Never minding that you have hostile humanoids RIGHT THERE. Numerous monsters within a day's walk, including a dragon.

And you're telling me that travel in this setting would be common?

As Paul Farquhar already said, advanced technology (and with advanced I mean things like plate armor) requires a lot of materials not found all in the same place and you need trade to gather them together.

Without trade you can basically forget making bronze. Steel requires tons of wood which is quickly exhausted when not imported from elsewhere as the food requirements of cities means nearly all space around it is farmed. Making good leather required several chemicals and just look at what materials a wizard needs for all his spells.
If travel was dangerous next to nothing in the FR would work as it is described it would.

Thats the reason the entire Points of Light idea of 4E was nonsense. Instead what would work is Points of Darkness.

 

[Zubatcarteira]

I guess one of their 657 archmages could set up some portals for quick trade.

 

[Oofta]

I guess one of their 657 archmages could set up some portals for quick trade.

There are only 656 now. Sadly Billy McCaster got eaten by a monster.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Thats the reason the entire Points of Light idea of 4E was nonsense.

PoL works in a post-apocalyptic setting. The technology already exists, it's a matter of trying to preserve the knowledge. Materials are scavenged or obtained by canablising what you already have. It's not a stable scenario, decay is inevitable in the long term, but it works as an adventure setting.

 

[Bedrockgames]

Things like pilgrimages also give clerics and paladins a very handy role for adventure as escorts