Transportation
The Teleportation Network: The early Magisterium wizards established a vast network of magical portals throughout the empire during the Age of Enlightenment. This network still exist and has been around for centuries with each new senate and House greatly modifying it. Before the civil war, large scale teleportation circles existed between every major city in Halruaal. This apart of the Primary Network. Separate from this was the Secondary network connecting a region's major city with the towns scattered throughout that regions. The Primary and Second network did not (and does not) connect. The magic output necessary to do that would been astronomical - plus no one thought it was really all that important to fully integrate them.
This means that if one was in one region and wanted to go to a town in another region, they would have to go to a major city and teleport to a major city in said other region. From there they'd step through a smaller portal to get to that region's town. Of note, villages were not (and still aren't) included in either Network.
Since the Civil war though, the Houses have cut the Primary Networks significantly depending on allegiance. Loyalist Houses (i.e. Udaku, Odinson, and Aetius) still can teleport to each other's major cities, but cannot access the network of Separatist Houses (i.e. Blackharbour, Hannover, and Clan Oni). The neutral Houses (that of Romanos and Kamose) have completely dismantled the Primary and Secondary network choosing to exist by airship, foot travel, and sailing. Regardless, the Teleportation Network is a experience usually limited to members in the upper levels of the Magisterium.
It is important to note that the Citadels of each House were never added to the networks out of security concerns. To this day, flight is the only viable means to reach each Citadel outside casting a teleportation spell (noticeably more taxing that the teleportation circle spell).
Airship: A true marvel magic and engineering comes from the opulence and military might of an Airship of the Magisterium. These are legendary items of their own right though they are designed in three different classes:
- 1) The Cog (the smallest, fastest, and least expensive ship)
- 2) the Caravel (a comfortable, durable, and fast means of sailing the clouds)
- 3) the Galleons (massive ships designed to take a pounding in war and the defense of a major city or Citadel).
Each airship is crafted using a combination of Ironwood and lightwood with stunning architecture. After this process they are imbued with powerful magics over the span of a couple of months. The truly deadly ones however, are crafted and then enchanted (in a significantly less time) by binding either a fire or air elemental to the hull (or outer ring). Though rumor has it that House Blackharbour and House Hannover have dabbled in binding demons and devils to their ships with varying features.
Ground Caravans: For most citizen of the Magisterium, land travel is the only accessible means of travel. Whether on foot, by cart, or by horse, travelers can move through the majority of the country along the northern route. The Magisterium established a highway linking the cities to the west, up into the north and through far east of the country in the Age of Expansion.
This road is called the Imperial Highway, and it is the longest major road in the country. It spans the length of the northern islands of the country (i.e. the Dytika Isles to the Isles De'L'Est). To the south and the middle of the country in the Heartlands and Sekhmeti respectfully, simple roads and footpaths are the only means of combatting the thicket of the jungle and desert sands. Throughout the various towns and cities, people of means could hire carriages if they can afford them and travel with relative comfort.
Still, between the excessive cold of the north, the unbearable heat in the south, the magical monsters, and/or the savvy highwaymen, ground travel is fraught with dangers. Though there was talk of a new means of transportation being developed by House Odinson and House Hanover before the war. The idea was that it could drastically improve speed and safety over land travel but the project was put on hold when the civil war broke out.
Naut Ships/or House fleets: for the longest time since the birth of the country, large scale sea travel was impossible. Even before the spell plague, wild and dangerous magical disasters filled the ocean with all manner of sea-monsters. Without a highly competent sailor and accomplished mage, many ships were lost within the day of leaving port.
however, over the years certain humans trained in skills akin to the ancient seamen of the elves. These first people became the order now known as the Nauts. Their expertise have become a necessary and highly influential power that they cultivated in dealing with the Magisterium and other factions.
Naut crafts, their ships, and their sympathetic magics have made travel on the ocean possible. With this, the key to moving large scale products unmolested had been solidified. Some Houses (or indeed some minor houses) have been able to replicate this to success to a smaller - but they still pale in comparison to the Nauts. Because of this, travel over sea is possible and available with a Naut crew (at a modest price). And given the vast fleet the Nauts have raised over the centuries, the sailing schedules are fairly reliable.
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