(1) They first appeared (spelled "dirawaen") in the documents for Ivid the Undying (which appeared in Dragon Magazine). Living Greyhawk Gazetteer changed the spelling to "dirawein." OJ17's article on Kalstrand went back to the "dirawaen" spelling. I favor the -ein spelling, but that's only because I've been using it longer.
(2) The word is said to be Old Oeridian, but the exact meaning is never given. I've assumed it means "magical roads," but I have no real reason for this. If anyone is more familiar with Oeridian entymology, and could shed some light on this, I would be grateful.
(3) The roads crossed most of the Great Kingdom. From what I gather, fewer of them made it into Ahlissa. This makes sense, since Ahlissa was subjugated early, and the original purpose of the roads was to transport troops and supplies.
(4) It also appears, from reading what little has been written about them, that the dirawein may have been built outside of Aerdy-proper. I don't think it would be a stretch to think that the Viceroyalties were connected to Rauxes in this manner. I haven't done so yet, but I'm going to see if there would be a likely route into Nyrond / Ferrond. Surviving portions of these routes might make interesting plot devices.
Here's a little summary I wrote up, based on the sources I cited above. It's woefully incomplete, but feel free to criticize...
- - - - -
The dirawein ("magical roads" in Old Oeridian) were created by Aerdi combat mages during the Great Kingdom's period of expansion, using earth elementals they otherwise commanded in battle. Designed to ease the transport and provisioning of troops, the roads were embued with special weather-resistant magics.
As the years went by, and the Aerdy armies conquered more and more lands, the original dirawein of the heartland came to be used more for commerce and government administration, and less for military purposes. Priests of Fharlanghn laid powerful dweomers on them, allowing travellers to move quickly over long distances without tiring (travelling on the dirawaen doubles land-based movement rates). It is said that no cart has ever broken a wheel, nor a horse thrown shoe or rider while travelling on these roads.
When Schandor framed the Aerdy legal system, part of the code was a duty laid upon landholders along these roads to provide secure accommodations at regular intervals for the traveling judges of the sessions. As a result, a network of fortified coaching inns sprang up along the dirawein. Since judges visited them rarely, the innkeepers obviously needed other custom — and the traveling merchants saw the attraction of stopping over at such secure places. Hence, as he intended, Schandor's legal maneuver stimulated trade. Some of these fortified inns still stand, and merchants usually plan their travel routes to be sure of spending the night at them.
Between the waystations, every tenth mile along the dirawein was marked by toll stations. Often no more than a collection of wooden cabins to house a half-dozen militia, the toll stations provided the local landholders with a means for levying taxes and duties on the commerce that passed through their lands. In return, the local governments were responsible for the upkeep of the roads and the safety of those using them.
As the Great Kingdom crumbled, many of the dirawein went out of use. However, they are still there. In Ahlissa, the dirawein serve as the backbone for the kingdom's new "Windmarch" - designed to strengthen the Ahlissan economy and internal infrastructure. The coach keeps are manned by well-provisioned troops who patrol the roads, and economic activity is flourishing. In less-lawful regions of the former Great Kingdom, however, most toll stations are abandoned or else occupied by bandits and ambushers or desperados who will try to extract whatever they think they can get from anyone passing through.
(2) The word is said to be Old Oeridian, but the exact meaning is never given. I've assumed it means "magical roads," but I have no real reason for this. If anyone is more familiar with Oeridian etymology, and could shed some light on this, I would be grateful.
The suffix -wein/-waen looks similar to the name of a province in Furyondy, Fairwain. "Wain" means "wagon" in English. Perhaps "Dira-" means "speeds," or even "unbroken." However, it does seem more likely to be a cognate of dweomer.
The -ain/aen suffix might also be related to the similar sound in Fharlanghn, though perhaps that's a stretch. If the Fhar- part means the same as Ferr- or Fury- then it means what it sounds like, "distant," perhaps with the secondary meaning of "horizon." "-langhn" might mean "dweller" or "traveler."
The roads sound like a permanent application of the a distance distortion effect. For those who don't know what that is:
Distance Distortion(from 2e PHB)
(Alteration)
Range: 10 yds./level Components: V, S, M
Duration: 2 turns/level Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: 10-ft. cube/level Saving Throw: None
This spell can be cast only in an area completely surrounded or enclosed by earth, rock, sand, or similar materials. The wizard must also cast a conjure elemental spell to summon an earth elemental. The elemental serves without attempting to break free when the spellcaster announces that his intent is to cast a distance distortion spell. The spell places the earth elemental in the area of effect, and the elemental then causes the area's dimensions to be either doubled or halved for those traveling over it (spellcaster's choice). Thus, a 10-foot x 100-foot corridor could seem to be either 5 feet wide and 50 feet long or 20 feet wide and 200 feet long. When the spell duration has elapsed, the elemental returns to its own plane.
The true nature of an area affected by distance distortion is undetectable to any creature traveling along it, but the area dimly radiates magic, and a true seeing spell can reveal that an earth elemental is spread within the area.
The material needed for this spell is a small lump of soft clay.
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