02 - Iron Kingdoms W.. - Captain Spud Is Amazing

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Every kingdom has patrols on the roads these
days, though Cygnar is by far the best patrolled. Road
wardens are tasked not only to keep an eye out for
trouble—banditry or threats to the monarchy—but
also to lend a helping hand to the citizenry. Road
patrols consist of anywhere from four to forty soldiers
ready to mete out whatever form of justice is necessary.
Patrols are assigned to a stretch of road measuring
anywhere from ten to a hundred miles long and are
customarily stationed at fortified towers or fastnesses
somewhere along the route. These road wardens keep
a sharp watch for any wrongdoings and will almost
certainly request the notarized writ issued by the
border guard from any suspicious or foreign travelers.
After all, in such hostile times it is necessary for
nations to monitor who and what crosses their borders.
International travel is supervised. To allow for trade,
every government has a trade board that regulates
travel and dispenses licenses, or “Letters of Request,”
notarized by public officials to merchants, diplomats,
and other special cases for road and sea travel. To gain
these papers, one typically goes through an interview
process and pays a nominal fee usually set by the local
trade board along with any centralized taxes or duties.
Indeed, the common traveler often joins with trade or
diplomatic caravans to avoid interrogation at borders,
city gates, and harbor docks.
Overall, because of the strained relations between
nations, the roads of the Iron Kingdoms are more
dangerous to traverse these days than they have been
in some time. The rule of thumb is to trust no one,
carry a sharp blade or loaded pistol, and always keep
alert. Make it to the next waypoint, city, or town and
you can relax if just for a moment.
rumor has it…
of all the major roadWays in Cygnar, most folk agree that
the king’s highWay betWeen fort falk and king’s vine is
one of the most dangerous. despite patrols from fort falk,
banditry is an ongoing hazard. this seCtion of road has also
suffered periodiC raids by idrian barbarians attaCking aCross
the river from the bloodstone marChes. evading Cygnaran
patrols, the savage idrians have established several villages
near the marChfells, a relatively lush if sWampy region
Compared to the barren Wastes to the east. fort falk has
requested additional troops from Caspia, but they have yet
to be granted. most Caravaners prefer to CirCumvent this
stretCh of the highWay and travel the safer road through
fharin. While slightly longer, this route also offers the
advantage of a stop for supplies and repairs in fharin as the
route betWeen Caspia and Corvis Can be a very long haul.
The Advent of the Rail
If anything can be blamed for less merchant traffic
on the trade roads and along the rivers, it’s the rail.
The first rail lines were built in the Khardic Empire
as early as 1000 BR. These primitive railed roads
consisted of wooden rails over which horse-drawn
wagons or carts moved with greater ease than over dirt
roads. Arguably, these wagonways were the progenitors
of modern railroads.
Development of industrial production in the city of
Korsk—most notably Drago Salvoro’s steam engine—
might have had a significant impact on western
Immoren if importancenot for the Orgoth invasion.
Surely industrial production would have taken place a
millennium sooner if not for the intervention of that
sorcerous race that supressed all modes of technology
and innovation among the Immorese populace.
Even the Orgoth could not completely eradicate
great thinkers and innovatos. Steam technology
resurfaced during their dark reign in various forms
including the magnificent colossals. Centuries later,
Khador began anew a major rail project conceived
during the final days of the Khardic Empire, the Khorsk-
Skirov line. Begun in 451 AR, the rail would allow ore
from the mines of Skirov to be transported rapidly to
refineries in Korsk. On Vendarl the 3rd in Khadoven,
478 AR, hundreds of residents of Khardov witnessed the
arrival of the first self-propelling steam engine or steam
locomotive, the Korska, which was undergoing a series
of test runs between the two cities. This first railway was
a line approximately 218 miles long, and the Korska,
which was able to pull a load of 30 tons at a speed of
about 16 mph both day and night, could make the trip
in roughly fifteen hours—a journey that would take at
least nine days by foot or wagon.
Rail travel proved much faster and more efficient
than road travel, but accidents did happen. Adhesion
proved to be a problem. Iron wheels on iron rails often
resulted in slipping, and more than one engine and
tons of cargo were destroyed in the beginning years.
This has been partially corrected in modern times by
using cogged wheels and mooring stabilizing racks in
problem areas along the rail lines.
Khador had intended to extend the rail line
from Korsk to Khardov immediately following the
initial success of the Korsk-Skirov line, but plans were
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