I'm working on background material for an NPC Skald for Tutu. The backstory is that he's journeyed to TSC from the Moonshae Isles, in search of Branwen. To find her, he must follow her movements. All that we know from the existing material, is that she was forced to flee her home isle and served in militia along the way. Well, I started thinking about that. Friends and family may be able to help her get from one isle to the next; but how does someone, on the run, get to the mainland by herself? You're talking an 8-day journey at least. Then it hit me; the trade routes! I did some reading and found that trading partners of the Moonshae kingdoms include Calimshan, Amn, Tethyr and Waterdeep. That means she probably travelled to either Amn or Waterdeep and began her journey to Nashkel from there. The map below shows three possible routes:
(http://mysite.verizon.net/vzer2poa/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/route.jpg)
A. North Kingdoms to Waterdeep
The most direct route. From here, longships strike northward to the distant port of Waterdeep. From the moonshaes, the northmen send slaves and weapons. She is tall in stature and quick with a weapon. Could she have been hired on to a slave ship as a guard?
B. Callidyrr to Mintarn
This route leads to the island of Mintarn off the Sword Coast. The ship builders of Mintarn get their timber from the Moonshaes and sell the ships they build to any of a dozen buyers along the sword coast. Could she have sought passage from a buyer? He would need a crew to man his new vessel.
C. Callidyrr to Amn, Calimshan and Tethyr
Callidyrr is the largest and most accessible port on the islands. The Calishites trade for weapons and the metal to make them, furs and timber. Athkatla is Amn's only remaining free port. This route seems the least likely, to me.
Which of these routes seems most likely? Or, maybe you envison a different route altogether. Either way, this discussion will help me as I prepare to write his story.
Topic: NPC Skald for Tutu (Read 1410 times)
