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Cards77
Senior Scribe
USA
745 Posts |
 Posted - 23 Aug 2013 : 01:35:15
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There seems to be somewhat of a dearth of information on these two rivers. I'd like to know how you used these rivers in your campaign. The Rauvin seems to be described as more of a "wild" river but the lore says 170 miles of upstream travel is possible.
The Dessarin is described as the "main trade route of the region". These appear to be large and deep rivers, the Dessarin apparently the larger and deeper of the two.
However, very little is mentioned about the trade of the rivers themselves. I'm assuming there is extensive barge traffic? Pole barges? Is there a boat-going culture (I think of the Greyhawk barge folk). Are low draft ships able to make it up the rivers?
The layouts of the cities don't really speak to that.
I'd like to have our PCs possibly secure passage down the Rauvin from Everlund all the way to the coast if possible.
Then there is the challenge of how to set up "random" encounters for PC's peacefully riding a barge several hundred miles downstream.
Any ideas of how you've handled this before or any ideas in general would be greatly appreciated. I like to focus on realism, ie how was this sort of travel utilized in the real world during the comparable time period? Thanks.
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 23 Aug 2013 : 14:14:49
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I took a lot of care researching the rivers when I placed them on my maps - there are thousands of tiny streams, tributaries, run-offs, brooks, etc that never appear on any canon maps (so sayeth Ed), so we must assume all the ones shown on the campaign maps are 'major rivers' (accept, perhaps, for a few that are significant for some historic reason).
On my more recent maps - the one of The North, for instance - you will see some rivers have a lighter band down the center; those are the ones navigable by normal ship, for as far as that lighter band appears. Yes, that means Iriaebor is a PORT CITY.
As for barge traffic, I think nearly all the rivers shown on the campaign map should be able to handle that, since they are indeed all major rivers (with a few rare exceptions). The areas where they have a lighter 'stripe' down the middle are just deeper, not necessarily wider. Some rivers - like the River Lis - are better suited for barge traffic, despite being deep-enough for sea-going vessels, due to the treacherous nature of their ever-shifting bottoms. My assumption here is that the two rivers you mentioned would have similar needs - highly experienced 'river captains' to take them almost to the head waters (barge traffic is mentioned somewhere - perhaps in the entry of the Bargewright Inn). There is also a special type of hybrid boat-wagon someone (likely dwarf or gnome) is trying to market (which is also probably in the Volo Guide to The North).
As for the 'Boat People' (Rhennee) of Greyhawk... I love them! 
I've made them halflings in FR, but thats purely homebrew. I also use the race of Riverfolk from Citybook IV (by Flying Buffalo, and I highly recommend it). You can read about them under the River Drake chapter - that boat's captain is a female member of that race (they look like crosses between elves and otters). So I have two (non-canon) river dwelling groups - the halfings on the rivers, and the Riverfolk IN the rivers. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 23 Aug 2013 14:19:37 |
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Cards77
Senior Scribe
USA
745 Posts |
Posted - 23 Aug 2013 : 14:24:16
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| Thanks, excellent information. How did you handle random encounters whilst plying the river? Thank you. |
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Jakuta Khan
Senior Scribe
496 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2013 : 11:11:39
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@markustay, i love those boat people as well.
In europe they were the human race which was driven out by the arian and slavic migration.
They used to live on boat islands kn the middle of lakes for protective reasons. When the arian and slavic people migrated in, they fled into the mountainous areas, and they are the reason for the myth of dwarves living in the deep caves.
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Jakuta Khan
Senior Scribe
496 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2013 : 11:13:11
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@markustay, i love those boat people as well.
In europe they were the human race which was driven out by the arian and slavic migration.
They used to live on boat islands kn the middle of lakes for protective reasons. When the arian and slavic people migrated in, they fled into the mountainous areas, and they are the reason for the myth of dwarves living in the deep caves.
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River Rauvin and Dessarin River in Silver Marches
