In the Interim (Spring 2008) Regarding Roadwork

Also, we must begin working on a road system, first to and from the Huts, and next, to and from the border of Shucassam and Muetar. We need to negotiate with those countries, and also with Pon, to join roads together for our mutual benefit. Muetar may be surrounded, and a little nervous of us, but they control large amounts of river water resources. We have to be able to work together, maybe capitalizing on our friendship with the Yando rivermen.

Negotiating with other countries is a must. Muetar does control vast riverways, but the military would LOVE a road system. Most of their roads just lead to more river docks. New roads would help make friends with them a lot (especially if you paid for it), and yes the Yando rivermen have ALWAYS put in good words for you. Negotiating with them would be fairly painless. You have had next to no contact with Pon. Little is known about how they would feel about a road system. But as a kingdom thieves, don't you think they would like a secret backdoor getaway? Shucassam is another story. They have little use for roads as they are always getting covered over by the sands. They rely on tried and true trade routs. But still, roads could be built as far as the sands and trade routs can be adjusted or added or trading posts can be built. This can all be worked out. For now, Shucassam has more pressing matters and has politely asked for any and all help regarding their leaper problem. At this point, they are rather afraid of being invaded. The Keep has sent no reply as of yet.

The big problem with the road project is money. How do we afford it? We currently have just enough money to keep the keep afloat for 1 more year. Assuming that we start taxing the scum soon, or the party brings in a large infusion of cash with their next adventure, there are several ways to do the road thing.

Road Project A: Stone Roadway. Just like the Romans did, you could get a bunch of stone and make a road. This may be the most costly, but would need little if any upkeep for several years. For this you would need an Engineer (you have the only one in the kindom, a master, on retainer at the keep. This might be a good time for him to take on a few Apprentices), stone masons (a mason can oversee unskilled labor in the quarrying process as well as construction), bricklayers (they too can oversee construction, but not quarrying), unskilled labor, and a quarry or supply of stone. The Banished Lands has crappy stone. Mostly sedimentary. It can be used but would need yearly upkeep. For the good granite and stuff you will need to deal with a country that has mountains. Closest are Shucassam or Pon.

Time/Cose: Rules say a mason can build a road (using a wall laying down) 1' thick by 10' wide by 5' long in one day. (Lets make our road half as thick and twice as long or .5x10x10). We will say the same build rate for bricklayers and assume that Apprentices work at the same rate, but for half cost but can NOT oversee others. Lets also say the unskilled labor can work at half that rate, 1 man can quarry enough stone for one days labor and any master can only oversee 10 laborers at a time.

So, since the distance to the Huts is 6 x108 miles = 648 miles = 3,421,440 feet = 342,144 worker days

We currently have 5 master stone masons(4gp/month) and 5 Apprentices(2gp/month) = 50 labors (1gp/month) +5 = guys quarrying (80gp/month). We currently have 10 master bricklayers(4gp/month) and 5 Apprentices(2gp/month) = 100 labors (1gp/month)+5 = 55 workers(150gp/month). Total cost = 230gp / month.

342,114 worker days / 55 workers = 6221 days = 17 years. Not too bad for 161 guys.
Total cost = 230*12*17= 46,920 gp.

Road Project B: Brick roads. This would be like project A, but instead of stone we use our own homemade brick. Upkeep on the road would be yearly, same as local stone, and quite a bit more costly. Manpower would be the same, but bricks can be made in one-third the time as quarrying, building rate is twice as fast and unskilled labor can move at full rate.

So, with 4 master bricklayers = 40 brickmakers. That leaves 6 master bricklayers and 5 master stone masons over seeing 110 laborers + 10 Apprentices = 120 mason types.

342,114 worker days/2 / 120 workers = 1426 days = 4 years. Better.
Total cost = 230*12*4 = 11,040 gp.

Road Project C: Hard packed dirt roads. This could be done relatively cheaply with skilled/unskilled labor, but has the drawback of needing almost constant upkeep of one kind or another. The build rate is 8 times that of stone and the engineer can oversee 10 skilled workers (2gp / month) to oversee 100 unskilled.

342,114 worker days/8 / 100 workers = 428 days = a little over 1 year.
Total cost = 120*14 = 1,680 gp.

Road Project D: Magic Mud to Rock roads. The end result here would be the same as using our local soft stone (except this one could be dispelled). 1 9th level MU can change a 180 cube of mud to rock. So, if we have a working crew churning up mud and making it flat, the MU can change it into a rock road. Lets say that making mud is the same as hard packed dirt and 1 man can make a 1x10x80 patch in one day. That's 1x10x10 and hour. We would need 180 men making mud to fully use the MUs ability. As in C above, we only have 100 laborers without bringing in more Masters. So lets bring in 8 master Bricklayers who know all about mud and can help the engineer with the skilled laborers. The spell takes 1 hour to memorize and cast, so the MU could cast it 8 times a work day.

3,421,440 feet/180 feet/spell / 8 spells/day = 2376 days = 6.5 years.
Total labor cost = (180 + 20 + 32) * 12 * 6.5= 18,096 gp.
Magic cost = 500 * 8 * 2376 = 9,504,000!!! Even with a discount THIS SUCKS!

Road Project E: Magic Wall of Stone roads. The spell requires that the stone created be connected to existing stone. That makes this idea impractical and sometimes impossible.

Road Project F: Magic Wall of Iron roads. The end result here would ba a 1 inch thick, 10 foot road that only needed repair every few decades (except, again, this one could be dispelled). 1 9th level MU can create a length of 10 foot road 405 feet long. The spell takes 1 hour to memorize and cast, so the MU could cast it 8 times a work day. We would need a small work crew with horses or mules out there to help level off and possibly dig out bumps and fill in ditches and whatever. I would think that 40 men under 4 overseers would do. We could also get the keeps blacksmith to fashion clamps to hold the iron tiles together.

3,421,440 feet/405 feet/spell / 8 spells/day = 1056 days = almost 3 years.
Total labor cost = (8+40) * 12 * 3= 1,728 gp.
Magic cost = 500 * 8 * 1056 = 4,224,000!!!

Road Project F: Ask the ISOT. The school is always willing to research new spells for you guys. "Create Road" or "Transmute Field to Road" sound good. They will need time and sometimes money to research new spells. But if it works.... you KNOW if would help.