One important part of campaigns, frequently overlooked, but an important source of adventure prospects and game colour, is travel and other means of communication. WFRP has looked in some detail at river travel, but I find road travel much more interesting.
Empire roads are of extremely variable quality, although within the political boundaries of The Empire, the surface is reasonably maintained compared with the likes of Kislev. The road surface when first laid is generally one of cobblestones, laid on a rubble base. Holes are frequently simply made up with rubble and detritus, and have a tendency to become un-repaired quite quickly. Roads are an "official" four yards wide with road edgings. This might be true on major routes, but should be less elsewhere and since road edgings are less maintained, they will frequently become overgrown or have fallen away. Note that road edgings are to prevent traffic leaving the roads to circumnavigate toll-gates.
When travellers are using the road is important. For example, travelling in spring shortly after the ravages of winter, there will have been little opportunity for maintenance to be carried out. The ravages of winter should be visible on the surface. For a coach and the cart, the journey will have a tendency to become rather bumpy; for riders and foot traffic the potholes are dangerous.
In my view, coaching inns will be located every 25-30 miles, which should be seen as a "safe" days travel for coaches, just about achievable in a day's walking and leisurely - but again safe for horses. Toll houses should be located adjacent to the coaching inns, partially for mutual protection and partially to try and discourage evasion. They conform to the typical booth in WFRP [p 330]. A low wall runs from the outer wall of the inn courtyard to the gate and from the gate to the outer wall of the yard. Toll keepers will check with the landlords to confirm all those who stay have paid their toll. In order to avoid the toll, a traveller must not only leave the road and go around the outside of the inn (on one side) or the toll house (on the other side) but must also refrain from staying at the inn; this is highly dangerous. The toll, in principle, is the traditional charge of a Crown-a-leg. However, most travellers have some form of exemption based upon guild membership or fealty. Tolls have been successfully avoided by most of the Emperor's subjects, except for wandering adventurers of course!
Those travelling by road in the Empire are used to leisurely travel; the roads and facilities allow little else. The coaching inns are just that, and arranged simply as safe resting points for coach travel. Thus they are located some 30 miles apart. It is quite easy to cover the distance in good conditions in a matter of hours for horsemen, but not for coaches operating on treacherous roads in indifferent weather. Nor would any sane traveller dream of pushing on, either in the hope of making the next inn or with the thought of camping in the open overnight.
If the PCs insist on this course of action, the GM should show them the error of their ways…. Characters attempting to travel more than 30 miles in a day will suffer fatigue, and the GM ought to make appropriate tests for them, and their mounts. Be harsh, as anyone stupid enough to push their mounts this hard deserves thrown shoes, limping, and even broken legs. Even sensible travel is by no means this straightforward, and travellers will frequently shelter a day in the face of awful weather, or rest for a day periodically in order to tend animals and equipment. Certain innkeepers have also been known to manufacture problems to keep travellers in the inn for a further day. These include digging up roads, faking a bandit attack and injuring an animal.
As GM, it is important that you make the PCs aware of the tortuous nature of travel. Aside from the state of the roads, and the short distance they can cover safely in each day's travel, do not forget that the weather is an important part of travel. For example, in early spring the weather will tend to be cold and wet with an odd sunny day thrown in. Make wizards wish they had learnt the useful mundane spell Protection from Rain - and make the other players hate them if they did. In addition, do not forget other travellers to add colour to the journey.
In order to stress the nature of road travel, a GM might reasonably decide to penalise players who insist on travelling too far or too quickly. NPC drivers are knowledgeable in their area and will refuse to act in any manner that will endanger their vehicles under normal circumstances. The GM might also like to consider having the road blocked by a broken cart at some stage during the journey.
Road Wardens maintain the peace along The Empire's roads, protect toll houses, enforce Imperial laws in remote roadside villages and enforce excise duties and import prohibitions as required. In theory, road wardens are Imperial functionaries patrolling Imperial roads, guarding Imperial excisemen and protecting Imperial citizens. In reality, this is not quite true, and there are three types of road warden:
Imperial Road Wardens, who act as described. They are technically part of the Imperial armed forces, and own a standard uniform. However, when on duty they are unlikely to wear it, and will simply wear the livery of the current emperor.
Provincial Road Wardens act similarly to Imperialists but are the subjects of particular nobles within their lands. They are simply mounted militias who enforce local laws and taxation. As long as travellers stay upon Imperial roads they are safe from such tolls, but even stepping off a road to relieve oneself is probably an act of trespass and subject to a tariff for entry onto land owned by another lord. Such road wardens also patrol the private roads running through individual counties, provinces and other territories. These wardens will wear the livery and colours appropriate to the region and ruler. Whilst road wardens do have uniforms, they will only tend to wear them for parades and other special occasions. On normal patrol, they will probably only wear an armband and patch, perhaps a liveried surcoat.
Private Road Wardens are employed by companies - usually the coaching houses - to protect that company's interests. Those employed by the coaching houses for example protect coaches and inns, and patrol routes in order to deter banditry and so encourage land travel as safe. These wardens will likely wear a patch on their tunic, and perhaps an armband, with the company name and logo.
Needless to say, there is rivalry between the different groups. One final group that might fall into all or any of these groups is the occasional patrol of Imperialist, templar or local knights. They might decide to patrol a road to stretch their legs and flex their swords much as they do the forests in the hope of finding some action.
It is also worth noting that toll collection is a monopoly, and like all Imperialist monopolies might be sold to an entrepreneur for a cash sum where an Emperor is in urgent need to raise revenue.
Warden jurisdiction operates only within Imperialist - or provincial - territory. In practice, Wardens will operate outside their jurisdiction if they feel it appropriate. However, it is quite normal to chase bandits into another territory as a means of avoiding a fight; indeed, both sides tend to adopt an informal rule of such behaviour. As Imperialist staff, however, in times of war they function as an Imperial militia and may command other local militia and levy groups. In fact, road wardens are extremely useful paramilitaries.
Wardens are nominally organised in patrols of five; four wardens and a sergeant. In reality numbers vary depending upon economics and injury (reducing the number) or known brigand activity (increasing the number). Patrols are on duty for four weeks and then enjoy a one-week rest period. Road wardens on main routes are organised around an individual coaching house and patrol a half-day around it ensuring that they rest each night within an inn. This is unsustainable on most of the routes. This means that they sometimes have to sleep rough. Coaching inns are required by law to provide private rooms for road wardens. Whilst they appreciate the security, many innkeepers resent the expense and will hire out the rooms. Of course, sometimes guests will find themselves unceremoniously removed.
Coaching inns might be private or owned by coaching companies. Four Seasons are fairly universal, whilst others are more regional, as described in The Enemy Within. There is thus likely to be competition between companies, and possibly between inns, especially upon the major routes. Plans for the inns [p328-9] and the way temples [p332] can be found in WFRP. Each is also served by an accompanying farmstead that grows additional food and offers extra labour. Many routes offer little profit, and the inns operate on a largely subsistence basis. Visitors will be greeted as both sources of income and of news, entertainment and more.
The inns earn extra revenue from an Imperial stipend that makes them liable for basic road maintenance within their jurisdiction, but the pay is so small that little work is done. The fact that road engineers are a further source of custom hardly engenders efficiency either!
Whilst travelling and staying at inns, it is important that the GM encourages the PCs to set up a routine to enable any plots to develop. Severely penalise those PCs who believe that they are able to stay up on guard all night after a hard day's travel. Travelling on these roads is very wearying, and PCs need a good night's rest.
Whilst The Empire is primarily an illiterate society, there is still a large amount of commercial and private post. Much of it is carried by the coaches and riverboats that traverse The Empire, and is a source of steady income. Those wishing to send a letter need simply visit their nearest coach or boat office, pay the fee and the letter will be delivered. Letters are sorted by location, and all letters for a particular location are wrapped in a wax envelope and sealed with various marks, including the carrier, the destination and the origin. These are usually pictorial so that illiterate workers can arrange delivery. The pictures reflect standard representations, such as a coat of arms. Mail is usually contained within a strongbox mounted on the coach or placed in the hold. Each night, they will be unloaded by the driver and guard and placed in the road warden private accommodation at inns. Road transportation of letters is generally quicker than that by river, but the latter tends to be cheaper.
Internal security of the post is fair. Letters are sealed by the sender, and collected by the receiver from the office. Identification is required, usually on the basis that the collector is known. Letters to rural locations without an office will be sent to the nearest inn, whose owner (or manager) acts as their agent. The sealed wax envelope is used to record marks, signatures or seals of those who receive the letter. In practice, the mail is not quite this efficient, but it is reasonably secure. External security problems such as bandits holding up the coach are a different matter, although mail is usually left as it is seen as having little value to most illiterate outlaws.
Official post can be carried by these same sources, but other methods are available. Road wardens carry post as part of their duty, usually to local garrisons. However, on a personal level, they are willing to carry post to supplement their income. In theory, the Imperial Quartermaster Corps can be used to deliver post, but they are notoriously slow. Whilst this may be (officially) acceptable for ordinary post, more urgent correspondence is sent by courier. Couriers are either private firms or members of the particular organisation who specifically carry messages - verbally or by (coded) letter. The military, temples and guilds use their own couriers.
