Heortlings sleighs?

From: bethexton <bethexton_at_...> <bethexton_at_...>
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 14:28:10 -0000

Without having researched it heavily, every culture I know of that experienced a regular bout of real winter with well frozen water and accumulations of snow used sleighs of some sort. In most of these areas it was often faster to travel in winter (you didn't have to worry about annoyances like tracks knee deep in mud, finding a ford in the river, or going around swamps, and a half decent sleigh is probably more effecient that most primitive wheels). Of course, most people would be inclined to stay at home and out of the cold, but those who wanted to travel could do so effectively if they were equipped with sufficient furs, etc. (I seem to recall the fur trader, explorer, and geographer David Thompson covered a couple of _thousand_ kilometres one winter by dog sled, while surveying where the 49th parrelel was, so that the North-West fur trade company could find out which of its posts were on the wrong side of the new border with the US).

But there seems to be no mention of sleds in Sartar, despite its deep winters. And it has been implied that travel is very difficult at that time of year. Now, I'll grant you that the hills and mountains aren't the best for a horse drawn sled (no brakes to keep the sled from taking out the horse!), but there are relatively level areas as well. Even in the new darkness when Orlanth is gone, messengers travel by skate, which is also a quick way to go, but like with running is dependant on the endurance of the messenger, while with sleds you have the option of swapping horses with those willing to do so.

But then I notice the lack of mention of carts and wagons too. The merchant key word suggests that most goods are carried directly on mules (or thralls). I'd assumed that this was mostly a comment on the state of the tracks and trails, but now I wonder if the Heortlings just aren't good with harnessing horses? Maybe don't have very good collars, maybe don't have the experience in training horses to pull, maybe more mythical/magical reasons that they don't put them in harness?

Anyone have any thoughts on whether in fact nobles and priests do criss cross Sartar in winter via sled, or whether there is some reason that the heortlings just don't use them much?

--Bryan