The Road to Adventure

[Terquem]

What is your opinion on the roads of Cidri? Are there major roads between the distant capitols of the various principalities, kingdoms, city states, and republics or has the presence of gates led to a situation where only the bare minimum of byways exist?

[hcobb]

I unwaggon the gates so you don't push entire ships through the gates.

https://www.hcobb.com/tft/house_rules.html#Gates

So you must use alternative transport for bulk cargo and things you don't want the WG to see.

[phiwum]

I've chosen to make gates pretty rare and no extensive gate network. First, often getting to the destination is part of the play. Second, I want a recognizable middle ages with magic, something that doesn't require me to make up a whole economy based on cheap and easy travel. Some people like to think about such things. I like to get on with the adventure.

Not that a wildly different economy would result in fewer adventures, but they would be different than the kind I want.

[TippetsTX]

I think the the right answer is... "it depends".

Cidri is certainly large enough to have hundreds, if not thousands, of civilizations at various stages of development. I run a campaign set in a renaissance-esq fantasy metropolis within a centuries old empire so a well-maintained transportation infrastructure is a given. Beyond the borders of the 'known world', however, road quality will deteriorate rather quickly.

[Shostak]

My little corner of Cidri has a "road" that is equivalent to the Silk Road; it is not so much a well-maintained roadway as it is a general route. Parts of it, and some areas within nations are better maintained than others.

[hcobb]

I've run the numbers and a functioning mass gate network requires a 80%+ favorable view of the WG. If the mages are less popular then there can be a partial hidden gate network, but the reliability will be very low.

[David Bofinger]

Originally Posted by Terquem

What is your opinion on the roads of Cidri? Are there major roads between the distant capitols of the various principalities, kingdoms, city states, and republics or has the presence of gates led to a situation where only the bare minimum of byways exist?

Gates get more attractive as the distance increases. The background is fairly clear that some are used for quite mundane reasons so presumably the long-distance travel is by gate and the long roads are really just lots of short roads joined together.

[hcobb]

Read a temple of the six gates for the lengths a gate conspiracy has to go to gain public acceptance in order to operate.

[Steve Plambeck]

Originally Posted by David Bofinger

Gates get more attractive as the distance increases.

Gives me the idea that Gates might be required to have a minimum distance between ends. Set it at a thousand miles, and now they no longer compete with regional road networks, while far-off lands can still be reached in a short amount of in-game time.

[David Bofinger]

Originally Posted by Steve Plambeck

Gates might be required to have a minimum distance between ends.

You can get around it with doglegs. So not a huge effect.