World Travel Guide

"In Solvar, a rider can leave a desert river at sunrise, ride through ash-choked plains by midday, and glimpse snow veils crowning the mountains by sunset — and never once leave the empire."

World Size:

• Solvar is roughly 500 miles / 800 kilometers east to west at its widest.
• North to south, it is about 600 miles / 970 kilometers.

Major Landmarks:

• From the Blackglass Isles in the southeast to the far western shores (Hallowed Frontier) is roughly 1,500 miles of land and sea.
• From the Wildmarch in the far north to the deserts of Solkara in the south is about 1,500 miles.

Total World Travel:

• On horseback or caravan:
• Traveling across the full continent would take 1 to 2 weeks (with good conditions, resting often).
• On foot:
• Full journey could take 3 to 4 weeks depending on terrain and hazards.
• By ship:
• Sea crossings between coasts (e.g., from Solkara to the Blackglass Isles) take 3-7 days depending on weather and piracy.

Regional Summaries

The Ashen Plains

• Center of the continent; ruined heart of the old empire.
• Wide open plains, broken roads, abandoned cities.
• Dangerous due to bandits, magical storms, and shifting ashwinds.

---

The Sorrowed Expanse

• Badlands region north of Solkara and south of the Ashen Plains.
• Dead trees, dried rivers, dust storms.
• Difficult and slow to cross safely.

---

The Verdant Reach

• Fertile, lush eastern region with great rivers, jungles, and floodplains.
• Natural barriers (mountains) protect it from the Ashen Plains and the Wildmarch.
• Travel by riverboats is common and faster.

---

The Wildmarch

• Northern frontier of highland forests, mountains, and ancient tribes.
• Separated from the Verdant Reach by steep mountains; linked to the Ashen Plains by harsh overland routes.
• Isolated and difficult to invade.

---

The Hallowed Frontier

• Marshlands and great forests along the western shores.
• Many drowned ruins and ancient temples.
• Travel through the region is slow and often dangerous without local guides.

---

Solkara

• Southern desert peninsula; the spine mountains and great river cuts across the landscape.
• Two major oasis cities serve as trade hubs.
• Hard travel across desert without caravan support.

---

The Blackglass Isles

• Located southeast of Solvar’s mainland, across treacherous seas.
• Volcanic islands, jagged cliffs, black beaches, and fertile valleys.
• Sea travel from Solkara or the Verdant Reach takes 3-5 days under good conditions.

---

Travel Methods

• Caravan Routes:
• Used between major cities, especially in Solkara and parts of the Verdant Reach.
• Riverboats:
• Common in the Verdant Reach and along the Great River of Solkara.
• Sea Voyages:
• Dangerous but faster when traveling between coasts and islands.
• Mountain Passes:
• Used for crossing between the Wildmarch, the Verdant Reach, and the Ashen Plains — often slow and hazardous.

---

Quick Distances (Approximate):

From → To	Distance	Travel Time (Caravan)
Caer Hanin (Ashen Plains) → Wildmarch border	100 miles	~3-5 days
Caer Hanin → Verdant Reach (through mountains)	150 miles	~4-6 days
Caer Hanin → Solkara River Cities	200 miles	~5-7 days
Solkara → Blackglass Isles (by ship)	~200 miles sea travel	~3-7 days
Verdant Reach → Hallowed Frontier (coast to coast)	400+ miles by land	~2-3 weeks

---

Important Travel Notes

• Roads exist but are often broken, unguarded, or haunted.
• Magical storms, ashwinds, and divine anomalies can dramatically slow or reroute travel.
• Travelers must always consider water supplies, safe resting points, and the threat of bandits or worse.

---

Closing Reminder for Players

Solvar is not a world of safe highways and easy marches.
Every journey is a story — a trial of survival, desperation, and will.