Throughout Albion there is a considerable network of roads, the best of which date back to the days of the Selentine Empire. All landed proprietors are obliged, in theory, to watch over the conditions of the highways that pass through their estates. Their tenants must execute any repairs at the lord’s expense. The keeping of roads and bridges in repair is considered a pious and meritorious work that is pleasing to God. It eases the suffering of travellers, considered pitiable persons, and so is a charitable act.

One way of collecting monies for the support of a road or bridge is to build a chapel alongside the fairway and ask for voluntary offerings. Upon well-travelled ways such donations can be very lucrative, and the road or crossing should consequently be found in good condition due to continual maintenance. In many cases a bridge benefits both from tolls and offerings to its chapel. However, once again the honesty of many clergymen appointed to take the donations and care for the chapels can be questionable.

As the player characters travel through the land the referee may choose to make a state of the roads roll each morning; this gives the type of road that they will encounter that day, and the distance they can expect to travel under those circumstances. These rules replace the outdoor travel rules for open country.

Good roads are raised and paved with stone. They are atypical but well used; most of the King’s Highway – the royal way built on the old antique roads which criss-crossed Albion linking the major towns – is well-kept, and lords are supposed to regularly carry out maintenance on the roads that pass through their domains.

Dilapidated roads are raised and sometimes even paved, but are ill-maintained and frequently pot-holed or boggy. Still, they are better than no road at all. The vast majority of roads are in this condition.

Paths are unpaved but well-used dirt tracks. Warm winters and bad weather can turn them into impassable morasses.

Traffic

Chance of encounter by day: 5 in 6.
Chance of encounter by night: 3 in 6.
Roads are busy places and travellers will see or pass many others each day. Encounter rolls need only represent curious or memorable meetings each day. For the rest, the referee can either choose or roll on the traffic table.