World Basics

The purpose of this page is to give us modern readers a few key points to understand just how different the world used to be. If you have engaged yourself in re-enactment or medieval studies, you can probably skip this page.

Daily Life

Nights

Nights can be really dark, depending on the cloud cover and moon phase.

Without electric or gas light, there is very little light outside during the nights, even within the cities. In a forest, when clouds cover the moon and the canopy blocks the starlight, it can be pitch black.

Food

Almost all food consumed is both local and seasonal in nature. Especially the basic foods of peasants and served in low-cost inns will be whatever is available in the area at this time of year. In summer and autumn, fresh vegetables are plentiful, while in winter, the selection of available food is much lower.

This page is still incomplete and missing content or details that are planned, but have not been added yet.

Travel

In general, most people travel much less and shorter distances, due to the absence of cars or trains. Commoners, especially, often travel only within the general area of their birthplace and might take a trip to the nearest city once a year for important matters.

Those who do travel often travel most of the time. Mercenaries and merchants, sailors as well as craftsmen with rare skills, but also generals and high officials and even some kings and dukes spend most of their time in travel due to the sheer amount of time it takes. Many of these people do not even have a permanent residence.

Roads

This page is still incomplete and missing content or details that are planned, but have not been added yet.

Inns

Many wayside inns offer a limited selection of food and drinks, and in simpler establishments it is not uncommon that there is only one dish on the menu.

As far as sleeping opportunities are concerned, most inns offer the so-called common room, which is a shared sleeping room. It can be a room with bedrolls, but very often it is simply the bar room after closing time, where patrons can sleep on the benches, tables or floor for a few copper pieces.

Shared sleeping rooms are the most common accomodation in traveller inns. There will be a bedroll and a chest (that can be locked, for valuables) for each patron. Six, ten or twenty people sleep in such a room, often close to each other. In higher quality inns, the shared rooms will be smaller, down to four places, and bedrolls will be replaced with simple beds.

Drinks

Alcoholic drinks are omnipresent and ale is pretty much the go-to thing an inn serves. One main cause is that in many places it is not safe to drink the water, especially in cities. Sewers are unheard of in all but the most advanced locations, and sewage treatment is a concept nobody has ever thought about. Alcohol kills germs, however, making the drink safe to consume. Most of those alcoholic drinks are fairly light in alcohol. Anything above 10% would be considered a strong drink and only distilled spirits - all of which are considered hard liquours - go above 20%, though sometimes considerably. The exception are dwarven beers, which are at least 25% strong and many go above 40%. Not that precise measuring methods would exist, but that is strong.