Traveling in tehra
Only minotaurs and subaquatic races have successfully traveled all the way around the world. Though Alerius claims to have done so by dragon flight with the Court, it was so long ago that their recollections are inaccurate. Because Tehra, the planet, is so large, travel between continents is difficult if not lethal... and the reward for moving all the way around the world just aren't there.
Because of size and distance, transcontinental travel happens by two types:
- Minotaur world galleons take travellers and cargo across a single ocean. Some common distances:
- Through some mechanism, magical travel via teleport or gate is used.
Because of this being the only other way, magically advanced civilizations tend to discourage landmarks and the development of extraplanar beings who know where they are. Tania has a strict injunction against it. Summoned creatures are brought into a controlled lab and never released. The Allegiance of Blood falls on the summoned creature and the summoner should they escape or be released somehow. Thankfully, most summoned beings don't care to know exactly where they are; they key off the summoner not the land they dwell in.
To ensure that Tania has access to the world, the Mages Guild developed "teleport beacons." These are specially inscribed columns about 14" tall and 5" wide. They are placed in various locations and their placements noted. This allows them to be scried and teleported to. Of note, the Allegiance of Blood will prevent teleportation back if there are any threats to the Isles. The caster will reappear somewhere else with approximate landmarks, just not the Isles. It is not possible to astrally travel to the Isles.
- World Trees' roots are used. These are unique trees, some very large, others nondescript, that are so unique they can be used as if gates by a druid. It is said that Mallaforax fashioned the first with another green dragon patriarch known as Jade, who allied with Krentismar rather than the All Father or Tiamat. A druid attuned to a world tree can move through the roots of the world and come through another world tree. They can send messages and even see/know what is happening where the roots of other world trees lay. So, what is a world tree? Besides being uniquely identifiable the way a teleport beacon is, they have a massive root system that, rather than clumping into a ball, reaches out in single strands for miles in all directions. Regardless of how the upper tree looks, most of the tree is in the ground. Druidic factions argue over what they were, but most of that was lost with Merakor's fall. Treants and ents consider the world trees sacred. Sacred areas in nature are either sacred because of a world tree or else the world tree is drawn to such hallowed places; note - sacred to Tehra, not to the pantheon of Creation necessarily. The drow, during the Kinslayer Wars, harvested or burned the world trees (they were destroyed by Mallaforax). Wood from the trees is powerful for enchantments and strong like steel. Merakor made swords out of its wood that cut like vorpal razors. World trees are special to Sylvan elves, who prefer to build around and live within their structures, above and below ground.
It is said that Merakor fell not because of the drow attack but because of the many gates connecting their empire to extra-Tehran realms. Or, as Tanians would say, "Beware the other side."
Because of size and distance, transcontinental travel happens by two types:
- Minotaur world galleons take travellers and cargo across a single ocean. Some common distances:
- Morbatten to Tauran - 18 weeks
- Morbatten to Merakor - 12 weeks
- Morbatten to Western Lands - 23 weeks (closer to Tauran)
- Tauran to Western Lands - 5 weeks
- Through some mechanism, magical travel via teleport or gate is used.
Because of this being the only other way, magically advanced civilizations tend to discourage landmarks and the development of extraplanar beings who know where they are. Tania has a strict injunction against it. Summoned creatures are brought into a controlled lab and never released. The Allegiance of Blood falls on the summoned creature and the summoner should they escape or be released somehow. Thankfully, most summoned beings don't care to know exactly where they are; they key off the summoner not the land they dwell in.
To ensure that Tania has access to the world, the Mages Guild developed "teleport beacons." These are specially inscribed columns about 14" tall and 5" wide. They are placed in various locations and their placements noted. This allows them to be scried and teleported to. Of note, the Allegiance of Blood will prevent teleportation back if there are any threats to the Isles. The caster will reappear somewhere else with approximate landmarks, just not the Isles. It is not possible to astrally travel to the Isles.
- World Trees' roots are used. These are unique trees, some very large, others nondescript, that are so unique they can be used as if gates by a druid. It is said that Mallaforax fashioned the first with another green dragon patriarch known as Jade, who allied with Krentismar rather than the All Father or Tiamat. A druid attuned to a world tree can move through the roots of the world and come through another world tree. They can send messages and even see/know what is happening where the roots of other world trees lay. So, what is a world tree? Besides being uniquely identifiable the way a teleport beacon is, they have a massive root system that, rather than clumping into a ball, reaches out in single strands for miles in all directions. Regardless of how the upper tree looks, most of the tree is in the ground. Druidic factions argue over what they were, but most of that was lost with Merakor's fall. Treants and ents consider the world trees sacred. Sacred areas in nature are either sacred because of a world tree or else the world tree is drawn to such hallowed places; note - sacred to Tehra, not to the pantheon of Creation necessarily. The drow, during the Kinslayer Wars, harvested or burned the world trees (they were destroyed by Mallaforax). Wood from the trees is powerful for enchantments and strong like steel. Merakor made swords out of its wood that cut like vorpal razors. World trees are special to Sylvan elves, who prefer to build around and live within their structures, above and below ground.
It is said that Merakor fell not because of the drow attack but because of the many gates connecting their empire to extra-Tehran realms. Or, as Tanians would say, "Beware the other side."