The Silver Way Caravan
David R. Baldwin

In the spring, the goods of Azadmere begin moving to the south, towards Pedwar. During the last month of winter, even while the snow sits hard on the hills, people pack and prepare. Gradually, crates and wagons move from Azadmere and Habe to the village of Pedwar, to wait in storehouses and bonding areas. In the last few days, it is hard to find camping space on the extensive commons outside the village, and the local merchants are busy indeed.

When the trail from Pedwar south along the Silver Way is almost passable, the caravan begins to assemble. On most years, the Silver Caravan numbers more than a hundred pack animals (mostly donkeys), and well over two hundred people - mostly human. Wagons are not allowed on the caravan; the mountain end of the trail is narrow and treacherous, effectively impassable to wagons. Khuzan crafts in iron and bronze, silver and gold; artistry in wood and paint and metal; cloths and tapestries, clothing and bundles of Khuzan wool; hides, furs and leather goods of all sorts; scrolls and newly-copied books; salted fish from the mountain rivers -- all are packed in saddlebags and piled high, all prepared for the long trek south to Tashal. Only when Kaelar, the grizzled dwarf who leads the caravan, is satisfied that all is ready, the donkeys move out.

The route
From Pedwar south along the cataracts of the Nephen River. The first half-day is a straightforward and easy trip through mountain hills; it is used to shake out positions and give those new to caravan travel an idea of what to expect. After that comes the baptism by fire - the Nephen River passage is a nasty, narrow trail along several precipices. Over most of its' length between Lake Arain and Uldien Keep, the Nephen River is fairly flat and reasonably passable - but there are also 3 stretches of narrow twisting water and 4 waterfalls that make it effectively impassable by boat. The staff is well aware of the 17 places that are particularly difficult, and try to warn passengers a bit in advance. The hard portions are balanced by extraordinary views in numerous places. In several areas, the roar of the waterfalls drowns out normal conversation; travelers are warned to keep their loads carefully covered or the spray will soak their goods.

This portion is only about 15 miles, but the going is so rough that crossing it normally takes 2 hard days. Crossing to the north side of the river is not possible - the terrain is much too rough. The south side has been carved and shaped into the caravan trail; it is common for each of the guards to take a hammer swing or two or a wrench of a crowbar at troublesome outcroppings as they pass. Over time, this improves the trail.
For most of the way, the trail is not much wider than a single yard, and the dropoff varies from a few feet to nearly a hundred yards. The easiest way to get from the front to the back is to find a crevice in the mountain side and stay there until the caravan passes. Most commands from the front of the caravan are simply shouted from one set of guards to the next, rather than trying to get a person back there.

At lunchtime of the second day, there is no good place to draw the caravan around and cluster for a meal. Instead, the cooks and their supplies are spread throughout the caravan on the second day, and at noon they begin cooking for those nearby. Meals are passed hand-to-hand, and feedbags given to the donkeys and mules while they remain in harness. By dinnertime, a much better campsite has been reached.
Leaving the Nephen River and cutting overland to the rapids of the Guthe River. Typically a single day. The campsite at the rapids has spectacular scenery and an abundance of good water. The fodder for all the animals is generally excellent. Like nearly all the campsites, it has been used many times, and improved a bit more each time. In most sites, short posts are driven into the ground to mark out areas for each merchant. Vegetables and other edibles are more abundant near all such sites; the staff makes sure to tend the plantings.

At this point, the rivercourse is only 100 yards wide, but everything is against such a crossing: the high water speed and the numerous whirlpools in the current; the gusty winds; the fact that the western side of the rivercourse is nearly a hundred feet lower than the meadow where the caravan stops, and marshy; the fact there are Gargun in the area. The Fana complex is only 3 leagues away, and is the most serious threat on the entire caravan route. A big reason no one has seriously explored putting a permanent bridge across the rapids is that the rapids block the Fana Gargun from moving into Kaldor.

Up the Guthe to a decent crossing, 12 miles. One day. This section used to be much worse, but has been gradually improved by the caravan staff over the decades.

The crossing has been dramatically improved over the decades; on each trip, the staff tries to make it just a bit better. Crossing at the rapids instead is often discussed, but so far no building has been done. The usual campsite is just across the river, as the crossing itself occupies much of the afternoon.
Note for foragers: tucked away in a valley about a mile southeast of this campsite is a small freehold. Several extended families have been there for many years, growing quite a variety of orchard fruit; apples, pears, cherries, several kinds of nuts. Kaelar made friends with them decades back and has an arrangement with them. The scouts make sure the crossing is secure, then make contact with the settlement to arrange delivery of produce. The settlement knows when the caravan is due and usually has waiting quite a selection: several barrels of dried fruit, about a hundredweight of nuts, several hundredweight of grain, and a couple of hogs. The pigs run with the caravan until they are slaughtered. In return, Kaelar pays them fairly, and has made arrangements to provide them with Khuzan weaponry and fortification advice - they have no real fears about a Gargun raid (or bandits, for that matter). They also provide supplies for the caravan on its'return trip to Azadmere. Both sides are quite satisfied with the arrangement. The existence of the settlement is not advertised; when the main caravan gets across the Guthe, the provisions are already waiting.
This campsite is particularly nice, with a grove of apple trees (planted by the caravan over the years) that bears fruit in time for the fall caravan.

From the west side of the Guthe on west to the Naniom Bridge. Before leaving the Guthe, the caravan pauses to top off water barrels; any barrels that have been emptied are cleaned and turned into water barrels. Much like the campsite at the ford, this site has fairly extensive plantings. There is a grove of apple trees here as well.

Moving up the Guthe and back several miles along the western side of the river typically takes another day.
This is pretty easy travel, coming down the foothills into western Kaldor. It generally takes 5 days from the Guthe crossing to Naniom Bridge. Typical tolls apply at the bridge. Commonly, a small group of merchants leave the caravan the day before reaching the Bridge and take a side trail south to Nenda Keep, Pendeth Keep, and Minarsas. The trail is well-marked and the crossroads is a well-known caravan commons.
This is the driest portion of the trip, and water for the animals is given a priority over water for the passengers.
The bridge at Naniom is about as far up the Nephen River as river traffic goes. It is possible to pull a boat upriver for another half-league, but there is little incentive. The Bridge itself has developed into the center of a hamlet. Bargemen and their oxen are usually waiting for the caravan. Much of the evening is typically occupied with unloading mules and loading barges for departure in the morning. On this trip, the caravan will require 25 separate barges for all their animals, and cargo, and people. It is possible to board mules at the Bridge, and some people do. The rate for caravan animals (arranged by Kaelar with the local ostler) is 2f per day, payable in advance. The usual rate is 3f per day.

The eastern shore is part of Vemionshire, and the hamlet there pays tribute to Earl Caldeth of Minarsas. The eastern shore is part of Nephsire, and the hamlet there pays tribute to Earl Curo in Gardiren. This arrangement makes for some interesting politics from time to time. It is agreed, however, that the way across the bridge will not be blocked to travelers.

The custom is to bypass the keeps on the river (Uldien, Fisen and Shebra), and proceed directly to the superior market at Kiban. This town is rapidly becoming the favored place for major trade with the Khuzdul, a point that rankles many in Tashal.

Rates for barging are the same as the tolls for crossing the bridge, paid daily. The bargemen require the first days' pay up front. The usual route is to start from the Bridge at sunrise and not stop until Uldien, a bit after sunset. Although there is not a formal market at Uldien because goods are not unloaded, it is common enough for people to climb aboard the barges and conduct business anyhow. From there to Kiban is about 14 miles, which is an easy half-days' travel downriver. This gives the merchants the afternoon to unload at the Kiban docks and set up for the Kiban market. In the next couple of years, the intent is to set construct new docks and a toll booth outside of town, to simplify the unloading / reloading process.
Barge fares are not covered by caravan fares.

The Kiban market occupies the entire western Commons, lasts 3 days and is a major point of trade with the Azadmere artisans. People at this market are able to purchase Khuzan work before those in the much larger market at Tashal. Prices are rarely different. Kaelar and his staff are very difficult to find during the first day, as they are arranging supplies; they are much more visible during the final day.

From Kiban, the barge convoy continues downriver to Ternua for a half-day market. In the morning, the barges travel only a couple of miles to the junction with the Kald River. Mules are unshipped along the northern shore and harnesses set in place; from there to Tashal is upriver and the mules tow the various barges. This leg of the trip is two days, with an overnight stop at Douny.

The Tashal market is extensive and the caravan remains there for a full tenday before returning along the same route. For much of the tenday, Kaelar and the senior staff are rebuilding their supplies for the return trip.

In addition, acting under the direct auspices of the King of Azadmere, Kaelar does much of the kingdom's negotiations with brokers for the annual food imports to Azadmere. Several hundred tons of various foods are involved; the brokers arrange for the supplies to be sent by ship from Thay to a landing site west of Kuza Point and brought overland to the city of Azadmere. This is a complex operation, but well understood; it is generally handled with few difficulties. When the caravan leaves, the brokers carry contracts out of Kaldor to shipping points for eventual delivery. The caravan itself is not an efficient way to transport hundreds of tons of high-volume, low-value cargo such as grain.

This aspect of Kaelar's business dealings is very secret; the Khuzdul do not want outsiders to know how much food they currently have to import. A portion of the imported grain is used as seed stock and reserves, allowing more acreage to be cleared in the hope of eventually making Azadmere self-sufficient again.
Like all traders and merchants of the era, few merchants intend to leave the Tashal market with much money; they barter as much as they can and spend the local currency on goods they plan on reselling at the next market. Their cash profits will come when they return to Azadmere and sell the accumulation of goods from all these markets. If all goes well, they will return with cargoes far greater in value than what they departed with.

After the market closes at Tashal, the caravan loads again onto river barges and moves upriver. This leg is a three-day journey. Two leagues north of Tashal, the river forks, and the caravan holds to the eastern fork, continuing up the Shem River. Heru is only a half-day upriver from Tashal and is bypassed.
Instead, the caravan makes a long day's journey and stops at small village of Dushat, some six leagues from Tashal. A minor and unofficial market is a common occurrence, and the next day's journey stops at a bend in the Shem, about five leagues north of Dushat. In the morning, the caravan heads for Bidow for the night, five leagues away. No market is held there, as Bidow is only a half-day's journey from Gardiren. Usually arriving just after noon, this provides time for the merchants to start market preparations and complete arrangements with the Baron's taxmen while Kaelar and his staff set up the encampment.

At Gardiren, the caravan has its' last market. It remains there for 2 days. Those who stay on the caravan commons are charged for doing so; those who wish to stay in town may do so without adding to their caravan fees, but will pay more to stay at an inn. Kaelar and his staff are very busy during those 2 days buying supplies for the next leg of the trip.

The trip from Gardiren to the Naniom Bridge generally runs between 2-1/2 and 3 days. It is treated as 3 days.
Crossing the Naniom Bridge, the caravan moves east, and is joined a day later by those returning from the Minarsas circuit. From there, the full caravan (less those who stayed at one place or another) returns to Pedwar along the same route mentioned above. Hopefully, the pack animals that came down the trail laden with Khuzan and Jarin goods are now laden with silver and human wares. That, and the fact that they are now laboring uphill the entire way, makes the return trip no faster than the outbound journey.Fares
Passage on the caravan is not free. This is a money-making venture.

Fares are:
1d per person per day the trip is expected to take.
Check travel times for the portion of the route you intend to cover.
1f per cargo animal per day
1d per 10 pounds of excess cargo.

Excess is anything that cannot be transported on your own animals, whether it is a trunk too large or the results of your animals going lame. This rate applies for each day the cargo is carried on staff animals, and is collected before anyone is allowed to leave the caravan. Fees are also settled before entering a market commons.

Payment is in cash, in full, in advance. Fees do seem high but the costs are justified. Not only is the trip harsh, but the wages of highly-skilled personnel are high. Bear in mind that food is provided, and much of it must be carried from Pedwar. Much of the fees for the first half of the trip are already spent on supplies when the first group leaves Pedwar.

For someone traveling alone with no significant cargo, passage to Kiban costs 12d; passage all the way to Tashal costs 19d (including staying on the Kiban commons).

For a typical merchant (2 donkeys, 1 merchant, 2 assistants), passage to Kiban would run 36d for the people and 24f (6d) for the donkeys; total 39d. Passage to Tashal would run (57d + 38f =) 66d 2f, billed as 67d.
Passage for a typical merchant making the entire circuit costs 120d (a slight cost break) in addition to tolls, town fees, mercantile fees and the like. For this fare, the passenger receives the protection of the caravan staff; food for people and animals is provided but shelter is not. Medical care is available but is not included in the fare - the healers charge each person, or the owner of each animal directly, on a fee-for-service basis. The healers are primarily there to tend the guards and scouts, who are much more at risk than the passengers. Each merchant is expected to do the work of tending their own animals -- mostly donkeys and mules, as there are few horses on the caravan.

Equipment repair work is often available on a fee-for-service basis. At least one blacksmith usually makes the trip with a portable forge; he does not pay for passage, but services to the staff are at a much-reduced rate. Services to merchants are fee-for-service. Also, at least one carpenter and a leatherworker are generally along, under the same terms. If the caravan is accosted, each adult is expected to take part in defending the caravan; the warriors on staff are largely scouts, hunters and guides. They are NOT expected to shoulder the entire burden of defending the caravan; they ARE expected to handle the bulk of the work, and to act as the military leaders and planners.

Size and personnel
This year, the Silver Caravan will have 57 merchant "passengers", totaling 164 pack animals and 155 people. There are also 15 people traveling with the caravan; just people on their way to Tashal or somewhere on the caravan's route - it is MUCH safer to travel with a large group. In addition to these 170 people, there are those that are part of the caravan staff; the guards and cooks, the animal handlers and a half-dozen healers skilled in working with horses and mules and people; hunters and those who remember where good foraging was to be found on the last trip. And there is Kaelar, the Khuzan warrior at the center of all these preparations. It is Kaelar who has overseen the caravan for the last several decades. He is the holder of the various permits and licenses that keep this operation running, and is the undisputed master of the caravan.

In addition to the 164 pack animals, there will also be another 70 loaded with food and other supplies, weapons, and supplies for the staff specialists.

Staff composition for 720TR:
Kaelar
9 Senior guides (1 per 25 donkeys). Kaelar's second-in-command.
14 scouts (1 per 10 donkeys). Mounted on horses. They also act as guards.
24 caravan guards
8 hunters
10 cooks
6 healers
6 animal handlers

Food
In general, food is the responsibility of the caravan and its' cooks. Many merchants cook other dishes as well, at their own fires, but mealtimes are the primary social activity during the trip. The cooks are actually pretty good, and will corral anyone not otherwise busy, to help handle the considerable grunt work. Those who hang around and actively help may get quite an education in large-scale cooking.

The mules carrying food are largely carrying a lot of flour and raw grains, dried peas and beans and the like. They also carry other vegetables that travel fairly well, such as cabbage. Because the Khuzan diet is higher in animal protein (largely fish) than the human cultures, the amount of meat carried along is higher than many would expect. Fresh meat is not brought from Pedwar, of course; that's what the hunters are for. Some ham, dried fish, hard sausage and dried beef is carried along, and relied upon during the early part of the trip -- because the Gargun have cleared out most of the game along the Nephen and Guthe Rivers.

Yeast doughs and sourdoughs are routinely made in the evening, allowed to rise overnight and cooked before breakfast for the next day. Aside from that, no risen breads are made; flatbreads are common and are cooked on the grill. The caravan is sometimes held up en route; weather is the most common, but occasional scuffles have caused Kaelar to remain at a campsite for a day now and then while people and animals recover. As a result, the caravan carries a few extra days' worth of food, typically starting out with food for 15 days. Fodder for the animals is a bit easier; 5 days' worth are carried, and extensive harvesting is done wherever possible.

Typical daily consumption:
People: 2 lbs/day carried = 500 lbs+ forage
Fodder: 5 lb/day/pack animal = 1200 lbs + forage
Water and drinks:
People: 3 pints/day of ale (carried)
4 pints/day water (river and springs)
Animals: water at each opportunity
2 gallons/mule or donkey carried each day
2 gallons/horse carried each day

The caravan menu is not the highest quality, but it is pretty good; surprisingly, it is the equal of many inns. Even better, it is plentiful and filling. Generally, it is even hot - not the easiest thing when serving several hundred people. The guards typically help clean up and get the food and cooking supplies loaded as soon as possible, because those wagons are always near the front of the caravan; this is done so they break for camp early and can get food cooking as quickly as possible.

Throughout the trip, ale portions are somewhat small and watched. Uncommonly for Harn, water is a favored drink, particularly when traveling along the fast-moving rivers. After all, any drinking water pulled from the river is weight that did not have to be carried. At nearly every meal until the caravan crosses the Guthe, the campsite is at a place where water can be drawn and filtered, then used to top off water barrels.

There are several charcoal/gravel water filters; one is kept with each group of staff supply mules, spaced along the caravan. These are a Khuzan design, able to filter a bucket of river water nearly as fast as it is poured in. Aside from filtering out sediment, there is little visible difference between the water poured in and the water that comes out, but Kaelar insists on the practice. There do seem to be fewer illnesses on the caravan than with most travelers. Neither the filters nor the design are for sale.

The daily schedule

Early
When the caravan is moving, the day starts well before daybreak. Caravan guards are on watch throughout the night on rotation; around 4 AM they roust the cooks to begin baking in the ovens built at each of the established campsites (and improved a bit more with each trip). The leavened loaves are generally flat rounds, about a half-pound apiece. Flatbreads are easily grilled and always available. Around 4:30 the smell of baking bread begins to be noticeable, and the guards get more alert. This is a time when anything out beyond the perimeter will get more active, drawn by the smell. Some of the merchants wake up and begin to move about, packing up their things.

By 5:30 breakfast is generally ready, and most people are largely packed. As is common throughout Harn, people are expected to provide their own plates, bowls, mugs, and eating utensils. There is often something of a scramble to be early in line - the sooner you have breakfast, the earlier the cooks can start packing, and they have to be ready before the caravan can get underway. Most of the staff gets in line like everyone else. Scouts, however, get to eat first so they can start checking out the trail ahead. They range between a quarter-mile and a full mile ahead. Generally, the scouts' horses are the only horses in the caravan.

Typical breakfast fare is whatever is left over from the night before, with newly-made grain cakes, oatmeal and ale. Sometimes, if things are going well, the cooks provide sliced ham or bacon.
By 6:00 most people have their breakfast and are finishing their packing while they eat. The cooks are quite skilled at packing something as soon as it is no longer needed, so they tend to be ready sooner than most new people think. While all this has been going on, the animal handlers have been helping both the merchants and other staffers get their mules ready.

Morning
6:15 to 6:30 - Sunrise. The first part of the caravan to move out is the forward guard unit, with their pack animals carrying supplies and weapons. After that are the forward cooks, and whatever loads of food they will need for lunch. After that are a dozen merchants, in order assigned by the staff. This tends to remain the same from one day to the next, but if problems develop between merchants the staff will move people around. Travelers who are not ready when their time comes will find themselves unpopular, and at the very end of the line.

After a dozen merchants come several more staff animals, including a defense load and more bulk storage. One of the water filters will be in each such group. The caravan guards tend to be assigned a pair to each staff cluster. One of the support staff does the driving, commonly the healers and the animal handlers. The guards do not keep the animals moving; their attention is needed elsewhere. Because the pace of the caravan is only about walking speed (about 5 leagues per day on flat ground), they often leave the line and trot out to investigate disturbances.

This is followed by another dozen merchants, then another staff cluster, and so on till the end of the caravan. The last cluster is always staff, so that paying merchants are not exposed to threats from the rear - and so the staff can hustle along any stragglers.
Following this are the trailing scouts, checking for anything left behind or dropped. They are very alert to anything trailing the caravan itself.

Midday
When the forward scouts reach the spot selected as a campsite, they immediately check for threats and (if it is safe to do so) set up a perimeter, clean out the ovens, then gather wood and start the cooking fires. Horn signals are common, and well-understood by all the staff. When the caravan arrives, the defenses are reinforced and the cooking supplies pulled into position. As soon as those are in place, the merchants are brought to their places in the pattern. In this way, time to having lunch ready is minimized. If all goes well, lunch is nearly ready when the last of the staff clusters are set into place. Most days, the animals are left harnessed and given a feedbag, rather than turning them loose to forage.

Lunch fare is often a quick soup, with a lot of grains and vegetables supplemented by bits of meat - generally, whatever meat the hunters have brought in during the morning. (A single rabbit will at least flavor enough soup for fifteen or twenty people.) This is served with bread left over from breakfast, flatbread and ale.
The lunch stop is generally about an hour and a half. After an hour, the cooks start packing and merchants should be checking their harnesses and gear. When the cooks are packed, the caravan gets back underway.

Evening
If travel goes as it usually does, the evening campsite is reached about an hour before sunset. The scouts set up much larger fires, and more numerous ones. Many of these will be used for light and warmth in the evening; some are watchfires. The ovens are lit early, both to help cook dinner and so their coals will be ready to bake the morning bread.

Again, the cooks begin work on the evening meal immediately, while animal handlers assist where needed in getting the animals out of harness and over to the protected meadow area. Anyone available is recruited to help prepare the food. The guards stand watch rotations throughout the night, in two-hour intervals. Generally, those on watch one night will not watch the next. All night, the staff watches the meadow more carefully than the merchants. Additional watchfires are lit and maintained, and a protective perimeter as well.
Dinner is usually a dense savory stew of barley and vegetables with a little meat, thickened further by lentils and beans. It is not the typical Harnic pottage; since it is not practical to keep a pot burning under a stewpot while the caravan moves, the stewpot is fresh with each sunset. Ale, flatbreads and biscuits round out the meal.

Most merchants have developed light-framed shelters, or pitch a tent. Some merely sleep under the stars; others attach low awnings to whatever brush or shrubbery is around to arrange some little privacy. The campsites are arranged so that each merchant is given a personal space of about 10x20 feet, but merchants who crowd the edges of their space are strongly warned not to bar staff's ability to get wherever they need to be, in a hurry. Kaelar refuses to pay for damages caused by a guard running through a crowded camp to defend the caravan.

Dinner is generally over and packed by 8 PM; the cooks are busy setting up bread to rise, and most of the merchants are turning in. Some stay up later, drinking and swapping tales. By 9 PM, staff are banking fires and rechecking the perimeter. By 10 PM, the cooks are done and asleep and the caravan is pretty quiet. It says that way until 4 AM when the scouts awaken the cooks.