Kingmaker AP Travel and running a nation?

[tonaxian]

I am currently running a 6 person group through kingmaker and while reading ahead and looking at the exploration and distances I realized that in order to be in town for 6days of the month they would need teleportation. Am I wrong in thinking that teleportation is nessicary? I considered that roads decrease travel times a lot but its not enough by book 4. So basically what methods of travel work best and how do you handle travel and explorations and nation building?

[Palanan]

I played in a Kingmaker group for several months, and our party used every method of travel we could, including teleportation.

But we saved teleporting for the true emergencies; for the most part we were walking, riding horses, on boats, or some mix of these. I played a druid, so I spent a lot of time scouting while wildshaped. The rest of the party was able to use flying mounts on occasion, and there was also a network of portals throughout the region, which may have been an addition by our DM.

Also, there were periods where we weren't in town any days per month, owing to entanglements elsewhere. I haven't read the AP chapters, but that may be assumed as part of the wilderness experience.

[WbtE]

A reasonable interpretation of the 6 days a month rule would be to spend 1st to 6th of January in town, then leave for adventure. Return 23rd February, reign until the 6th of March before departing for another patrol.

Also, from my experience the calendar is the least of your worries when it comes to running the Kingmaker nation. Hope you've got a good spreadsheet for handling the realm!

[Alcore]

looking at the exploration and distances I realized that in order to be in town for 6days of the month they would need teleportation. Am I wrong in thinking that teleportation is nessicary?
I'll fix your problem; they have to only spend 7 days "attending their duties" (pg200 UC). There is not set town. King decides to spend those seven days in a backwater post in a far flung region? He's done his time.


The point is they need to be in the kingdom. Not a specific city.


Real world dignitaries often spent large chunks of time in other cities before trains planes and automobiles allowed them to cover greater distances in less time. Why should yours be any different?

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by WbtE
Also, from my experience the calendar is the least of your worries when it comes to running the Kingmaker nation. Hope you've got a good spreadsheet for handling the realm!

This in spades. Our DM claimed he had well over 200 named NPCs, each of whom had some role to play in the storyline.

[tonaxian]

Thank you so much each of you! I guess I as harshly interpreting the capital city's importance and that the calander should be kept to.

So what if I gave the group a 5 day window before or after a month to start the week of attending their duties?

As for travel I'll allow them to do the duties at any town so that should help if they are smart.

[Firest Kathon]

Travelling throughout your kingdom has been done in history. In Germany the emperor traveled through the whole empire, staying in a series of castles/palaces set up specifically (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiserpfalz) for that purpose, there was no capital.

[Alcore]

I guess I as harshly interpreting the capital city's importance and that the calander should be kept to.not quite. You were harsh in interpreting the nature of the kingdom. One that has a singular beating heart. Most of the world has them today thanks to it being the information (digital?) age.

Firest Kathon touched on a major point;


In Germany the emperor traveled through the whole empire, staying in a series of castles/palaces set up specifically for that purpose, there was no capital.see... without magic (technology) to allow information to travel rapidly one couldn't rule large expanse of land without vassals. So kings would 'gift' people with estates with the expectation of them ruling well, keep coin flowing and defensive armies ready.


So the 'king' would be the one with the most hexs with a dozen other mini kingdoms. Each would have an 'alliance' with at least the main kingdom and small estates (mansions/noble villa) for others to come visit.


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The reason this doesn't happen in Kingmaker is politics. Taking the stolen lands is a blatant land grab. The kingdom they come from is actually several of at least they used to be. Civil war brews up there while the PCs play around.

There is so much more to say on this but the point is made :(