Mesne is a small-scale merchant who, for the first time, decides to carry his wares to the great fair in Tashal. By planning ahead, and saving up all year, he is able to accumulate 400 pounds of Chymaki and Sindarin handicrafts, spices imported from Lythia, and several bottles of locally produced spirits. Mesne decides that instead of joining with other merchants and sharing the expense of a cart or two, he will obtain two pack horses of his own and command his own endeavor.
With only two horses, Mesne decides he can do without the expenses of a teamster. He will lead one horse and tie the other to follow. Mesne relies on the caravan master for security and makes no budgeting for mercenaries. With only his own salary and expenses to account for, Mesne keeps his costs to a minimum.
Merchants (1 x 4d) | |
Teamsters | |
Provisions (1 x 0.5d) | |
Prorated Repairs | |
Depreciation (horses) | |
Total Daily Costs: |
The standard road-use toll for Melsne and his two horses is 2.25d. See here for a list of the toll-stations along the route.
Burzyn to Tashal |
There is plenty of forage available between Burzyn and Tashal, so Mesne needs only to carry enough provisions for himself.
Caravan fee - Burzyn to Tashal (2 x 14d) | |
Fodder |
Way stations such as the one at Oselbridge provide some opportunities to re-provision, but Mesne has room on the horses to haul enough provisions to get him over the long stretch between Burzyn and Kobing. Not willing to trust to chance, and to keep his prices low, he brings along all that he will need for the journey.
Provisions - 11-mandays (11 cf) | |
Fodder | |
Baggage - 30 lbs / person (2 cf) | |
Total overhead: |
Use the information above and an estimate of the passage time between towns (click here: ) to estimate the costs of the journey. Please note that these figures do not include time spent waiting for repairs, or the time involved in arranging the sale or acquisition of cargo.
Daily cost x 11 days | |
Tolls | |
Caravan Fee | |
Fodder | |
Total Cost: |
Mesne's total cost for hauling 0.2 tons of cargo from Burzyn to Tashal with the semi-annual caravan was 100 pence. If he had carried that cargo on a "haul freight" arrangement, and with an assumed profit margin of 30%, he would charge 142 pence for the journey. (99.25d / 0.7 = 141.79d; note the actual price charged will have been negotiated in advance, based on Mesne's estimation of the costs involved.)
The prorated cost of carrying one ton of cargo from Burzyn to Tashal on pack horses as part of this caravan would be about 710 pence. But Mesne is a small-scale merchant and doesn't think in terms of tons. He figures it at 0.36d per pound.
As the horse shuffles, the distance between Burzyn and Tashal is 85 leagues (17 hexes); the cost per hex for one ton of cargo is about 41.76d. Mesne works that out to a cost per hex per pound of about 0.02d.
Not included in the above calculations is the cost of taxes and tariffs on trade. See here for a list of the places where bonding fees will be collected.