Dragaera

started rereading _TPotD_

Sun Jul 13 00:47:12 PDT 2003

Ok, my complaint for the day is about distances and rates of travel.
The default measure of length in _TPotD_ seems to be the league (aka
around three miles, as is in fact mentioned in the text.)  Now, Dzur
Mountain is (according to Kytraan [as an aside, I'm trying to learn the
Dutch "aa" sound - somewhere between gargling and barfing]) about 70
leagues.  But it takes him and Piro over two weeks (10 days) to get
there, or less than 20 miles/day on horseback, which seems a bit lame -
I think I could walk 30 miles/day on levelish ground.  Also the
expedition to Deathgate Falls starts off at 5 leagues/day until Zerika
decides 10 l/d is more in order.

Ok, so then Pel has come 1500 miles from Kana to Khaavren (Scope plus
finger down the throat) in six days - this comes to 250 miles/day, which
seems like quite a lot, even by post.  I cite for comparison d'Artagnan's
mad dash from Saint-Valery to Paris in Chapter XXI of The Three
Musketeers: he makes more than 60 "lieues" (I think leagues) in 12 hours
by post and we're supposed to be impressed.  And then finally the Teckla
wire conveys news from Mt. Bliaard - some 500 leagues distant - to Pel in
three days - this seems out of control fast...