Introduction to Duria

From FeyworldWiki
(Redirected from Duria)
Jump to navigationJump to search

Duria is the northeastern continent of the world of Gallorea, stretching over 2,200 miles from the frozen northern shores of the Trollstova Isles to the tropical southern tip of Harshwind Isle (from about 65 ° to 33° longitude). The continent is north of eastern Gallorea and east of the continent of Aurea. It is bordered by the frozen White Ocean to the north, the Endless Ocean to the east and the Betshaban Ocean to the south and west. Though the Pirate Isles are not truly part of the continent, they are considered geographically and culturally connected. The continent includes three seas: the Sea of Blades in the northeast, the Maroshan Sea between the continent and the Pirate Isles and the Valtaani Sea between the northwestern coast and the frozen lands of Valtaan.

Duria has two large mountain ranges. The ancient Divian Mountains in the north are heavily eroded, averaging about 3,000 feet above sea level. The largest mountains in the range tend to be in the western arm, with Mount Josephus the tallest in the range at over 4,500 feet. The Cambrecian Mountains, by contrast, rise sharply in southern Duria, averaging about 12,000 feet above sea level, with the Throne of Balthor being the tallest mountain on the continent at over 15,500 feet. Both ranges tend to be wilderness with a large variety of animals, mystical beasts, giants and humanoids.

Despite the variety of climates on Duria, the climate of the Interior Shores (those bordering the Maroshan Sea) are moderated by the Betshaban Stream, which warms the southern shorelines of the Divian Peninsula and cools the shores of the southwestern coast before it moves south to the continent of Gallorea to be warmed again. The southern Exterior Shores (those facing the Endless Ocean) are warmed by the Gallorean Current from the south. The northern shores of the continent are exposed only to the frozen waters of the White Ocean, making much of the land cold taiga throughout the year, except for the borders of the Webwood, which appears to be supernaturally warmed by unknown methods.

Chapparal is the predominant ecology along the southern Interior Shore, bordering the Maroshan Sea from Danas into southern Koramia. The interior of the continent is mainly dominated by forests, from the coniferous forests of the northern Webwood to the abundant deciduous forest that encompasses the Cambrecian Mountains and the plains surrounding it. Taiga dominates the northern coastline, with tundra found only in the heights of the Divian Mountains, the northern shores of the Webwood and the remote Trollstova Isles. There are no classical deserts on Duria, though the land northeast of the Sea of Swords tends to be extremely dry steppe that can become dusty during major droughts.

The continent itself tends to be fairly stable geologically, with periodic and mild temblors mainly along the Interior Shores. The Island of Tamerynd, in contrast, tends to be very active, with truly devastating earthquakes occurring every two or three centuries. There are at least two major active volcanos on Tamerynd, though they are near the interior plateau and well away from any settlements.

The weather tends to be mild, relative to the other two known continents, with large, violent storms rare. The southeastern coastline tends to be hit by hurricanes periodically, though not nearly as often as the Interior Shore of Aurea. For much of the continent, spring and summer tend to bring ample rainfall, with autumn and winter being comparatively drier. Weather patterns tend to move from west to east along westerlies, though northeast trade winds tend to bring warm rain to the Pirate Isles during the summer months. The northern half of the Divian Peninsula tends to have stormier winters than in southern climes, with blizzards lasting several days not uncommon. The Divian Mountains tend to protect the southern Divian Peninsula from the frigid northern winds. The plains of Lun Dorak have no natural protection from the weather and tornados are not uncommon during the spring storm season.

Duria is peppered with numerous woods, most of which were inhabited by elves at some point. The Webwood in the far north, has one of the largest concentrations of elves outside the elven homeland of Elarean, though their numbers were greatly reduced when the orcish horde burned most of the southern woods after the Mage War at the conclusion of the Third Age of Man.

Cultures

Original article: Cultures on Duria

Duria’s history is one of settlement, war and constant invasion, which has resulted in a rich tapestry of varied cultures, some unknown over a century ago, some whose origins are lost in the dawn of time.

Current Durian cultures are:

Calmergh: It is believed that the Calmergh Gaels once dominated the entire continent, if not the world, though in modern times they are found in their purest form only in the remote Calmerian Marches in the southeast of the continent. Their language bears a strong resemblance not only to the language of the Hobbits but also to the other Gael languages across the continents. The Calmergh Gaels tend to be a clannish culture, likely not dissimilar to the cultures on the rest of the continent prior to conquest by Aurean or Gallorean cultures after the Second Age of Man.

Cambrecian: Cambrecians first came to Duria as part of the wave of Zetian conquerors in the Third Age of Man. When the Great Empire withdrew from Duria, the Cambrecians were one of the few cultures to remain loyal to the Emperor. Cambrecians have a long history of subjugation to the Church of Zelos, god of the state, though rebellion and strife in the last century has shattered the authority of the Potentate and his Bishops. The Cambrecians in the Fourth Age of Man are a mere shadow of the dominating force they once were and it is likely that their culture will not see another century dawn.

Derlisch: The dwarves of Derlos live beneath the Cambrecian Mountains in southern Duria, with their only periodic contact with humanity generally ending in violence (with the marked exception of the Freecity of Neptaris, which they provided military aid to more than once over the years). Of the various dwarven cultures, the Derlisch have historically been the least isolationist and eagerly began constructing trade settlements in the Cambrecian Mountains to establish contact with the surface world after the restoration of the Goblet of Gundagor at the conclusion of the Third Age of Man. For dwarves, the Derlisch are known to be practically friendly and somewhat adventurous.

Elven: For centuries, the Webwood forest in the north of the continent was the only known enclave of elves on Duria. Early in the Third Age of Man, there were a group of elves known as the Arisian Elves who participated in the rise of the Freecity of Neptaris, but they were eventually massacred by people of the city they helped established. The Webwood elves were extremely reclusive and xenophobic and, for the most part, humans left them to their wood. At the conclusion of the Third Age of Man, the Mage War brought them out of their seclusion as they entered into an alliance with humans, dwarves and even their ancestral enemies, the orcs. Once the Mage King Lucasa was defeated, however, the orcish Horde turned on their elven allies, burning down much of their sacred wood.

The razing of the Webwood lead to the Great Elven Diaspora, as formerly xenophobic elves became refugees spreading across the continent. Though the Webwood has mostly regrown in the last century, most of the elves of the Diaspora have chosen to continue their exile for their own mysterious reasons.

As a result, small elven communities have risen within the human lands of Duria, both in remote wooded areas and at the edges of human cities. The most notable of these is in eastern Enesia, at the edge of the Mistwood. Rumor suggests that the elves have claimed the hinterlands there as something of a penal colony for elves who break some obscure tradition. If this is true, the growing population of elves along the Mistwood are the exiles of the exiled.

Gundage: The Gundage are the dwarves beneath the Divian Mountains. Substantially more isolationist than their southern cousins, the Derlisch, most humans weren’t even aware of a thriving dwarven nation beneath the Divian Mountains until late in the Third Age of Man, when the stolen Goblet of Gundagor was returned and relations between dwarves and man rekindled. Though the Gundage dwarves have since built a trading settlement in the central Divian Mountains north of Koramia, they still tend to prefer to remain within their underground kingdom, working their mines deep beneath the surface.

Hobbit: Despite being a peaceful, almost lazy, agrarian people, hobbits thrive in any human lands where they may farm and drink unmolested. Though each community has its own distinct traditions, most hobbit traditions are focused on comfort, brewing, farming and their unique local superstitions. Hobbits are usually found near human settlements, just over the next hill or around the bend in the river, where they can remain as unobtrusive as possible. They pay their taxes and take what oaths are required of them to be left alone.

It is notable that Duria has one of two places in the known world where hobbits congregate in any numbers and involve themselves in national government. Danas, on the southern tip of Duria, has long been a stronghold of the hobbits and it has even been suggested as the ancestral homeland of hobbits.

Kamar: The Kamar are an ancient people that peopled southern Duria prior to the coming of the Empire. Once nomadic horsemen, centuries of Imperial rule all but wiped out the Kamar tribes and traditions. When their Cambrecian oppressors lost their divine might during the Dark Times, the people of Cambrecia rose up against the now toothless priests and re-established the Kamar culture, although in a very modern form. The Kamar of today tend to be a very chaotic people, resistant to any authority except those who are strong enough to hold it. The Kamar culture dominates Daredonia, Kamara, and Numentora today.

Koramian: The Koramian people were once a widely diverse range of Simer and Tracini tribes and clans in constant conflict with one another over the Divian Peninsula. When the Empire came during the Third Age of Man, the Zetian governors sought to unify them along the lines of an Imperial colony, but the people constantly resisted subjugation. With the rise of the Koramian Heresy, the worship of Vortumnus became pervasive among Koramians, who were eventually abandoned by the Empire as too expensive to rule. Eventually, under King William I Greysword in the last century of the Third Age of Man, the Koramian people were unified under one King.

The Koramian people are known for being honorable or stubborn, depending on the point of view of the foreigner describing them. Despite years of civil war during the Dark Times, the Koramian people rose in the Fourth Age of Man a strong cultural force on Duria, even if they do not control as much territory as they did during the reign of King William I.

It is notable that the Koramian language has some strong grammatical connections to the Dwarven tongues, suggesting some ancient interaction between dwarves and men on the Divian Peninsula.

The Koramian culture spans the breadth of the former Simer people, from the Divian Peninsula to Dakra, Illyria, Pelusia and Nagos.

Midal’garash: The Midal’garash are primarily the orcs of Vor Midal, though even relatively isolated bands of orcs across the continent of Duria can trace their cultural identity to the Great Horde that began in Vor Midal at the conclusion of the Mage War and raged across the continent, bringing the Third Age of Man on Duria to a violent conclusion. The Midal’garash are militaristic horsemen who do sometimes establish permanent settlements despite being otherwise nomadic. Like other orcish cultures, the Midal’garash have a well-earned reputation for genocide but are noteworthy in that they are the only orcish people to have allied with dwarves, elves and humans to fight against the Mage King Lucasa of Lun Dorak. Of course, upon the defeat of the Mage King, the Great Horde turned on its elvish and human allies, bringing about the destruction of much of the Webwood and the fall of the human nation of Koramia. Currently, the orcs of Vor Midal and the remnants of the conquering tribes in the Orcish Wastes on the Divian Peninsula have no Great Khan to lead them in battle against the other races, so they mostly busy themselves with fighting one another over perceived slights and nuances of honor.

Neptaran: Concentrated on the city state of Neptaris and the surrounding territories, the fiercely independent and democratic Neptarans are descendants of Aebasan explorers who settled in southern Duria over two thousand years ago, during the Long Night. The Neptaran language has become something of a trade language over the last century, particularly for the Interior Coasts, replacing Zetian as the common trade language. Modern Neptaran has little resemblance to the original Aebasan tongue, having been influenced heavily by Zetian, Tamerish and other local languages.

Unlike other cultures on Duria, Neptarans are rarely found in large numbers beyond the borders of their ancestral lands. Lone Neptaran merchants and small bands of explorers certainly travel far and wide, but excepting a few trade missions in large cities along the Inner Shore of Duria, they do not have a significant presence elsewhere.

Norl: The Norl are the hardy men and women of the extreme north of the Divian Peninsula. The Norl language itself is an amalgamation of Old Koramian and Iceni; the latter language is still spoken primarily by the nobility of Norlund. The Norl are fiercely loyal to one another and tend to be xenophobic in the extreme, resistant to any foreign intervention or traditions interfering in what they consider their affairs, in part due to decades of domination by the Koramian Crown during the waning years of the Third Age of Man.

Tamerish: The Tamerish people have a well-deserved reputation as scoundrels, pirates and ne’er-do-wells. Located primarily in the Pirate Isles, the Tamerish people are an amalgam of Durian and Aurean cultures modern and ancient. They have historically been extremely resistant to domination by other cultures and were viewed even by the Great Empire as simply too expensive and difficult to conquer. Despite the perception that strength of will, intellect or steel is the only thing that can keep a crew of Tamerish working together towards a single goal, there is a surprising amount of democracy, fairness and law aboard their raiding ships. This system of self-governance is often used on land as well in those few cities and towns they choose to settle together in any numbers.

Utherian: The Utherian people tend to be a peaceful lot, interested primarily in peaceful, agrarian pursuits. Despite this modern reputation, it is believed by some scholars that the Utherian people once dominated central Duria from the Interior Coast to the Sea of Blades. There is little evidence today of any pretense to expansion among the people of Enesia, the only remaining nation dominated by Utherians.

Zaran: The Zaran are the common people of Lun Dorak as well as the rebels of Stenoa along the southeastern shores of the Sea of Blades. Little is known by scholars and historians of the Zaran before the coming of the Dorakian mages and much of their culture today is the result of centuries of subjugation by their wizard overlords. The rise of Stenoa after the Mage War, however, has breathed new life into this ancient people as they establish new traditions based on equality of man and democracy. The Dorakian Mages, it should be noted, are mostly Zaran themselves in modern times, though they publicly resist any connection between their own culture and the Zaran they have traditionally subjugated.

Zetian: Though the Great Empire died a violent death at the end of the Third Age of Man, its attempts to reconquer Duria left Ciritasnia as the one remaining outpost of Zetian culture on the continent. In many ways, the highly organized people of Ciritasnia are even more Zetian than the former Imperial states on the continent of Aurea. Despite the fact that Ciritasnians are a reminder of Imperial domination in Duria, their alliance with Koramia in the War of Two Crowns against the orcs of Vor Scheral has resulted in an almost friendly relationship between the two nations.

Societies and Government on Duria

Societies on Duria range from the simple clans of Calmeria to the complex constitutional monarchies of Koramia and Illyria. Cambrecia has been a theocracy for centuries, though after the chaos of The Dark Times, it has developed into a substantially less domineering theocracy. One notable aspect of Duria is that several regions that were once autocratic in nature have become more democratic since the dawn of the Fourth Age of Man. Neptaris, of course, has been a democracy since its foundation two millennia ago, but with the rise of the Republic of Enesia, the Stenoa Freehold and additional rights for the people of even traditional monarchies, people across Duria have had more say in their local and national political structure, for good or for ill.

Duria is also home to Lun Dorak, the one known Magocracy. Despite their defeat at the conclusion of the Mage War, Lun Dorak remains dominated by the wizard class, with priests considered second-class citizens and non-magical citizens as slaves. Only the rebel Stenoa Freehold stands against their oppression and seeks to overthrow the Dorakian Mages.

Titles

Human Titles

English Cambrecian Gael Kamar Koramian Neptaran
Noble Titles
Emperor Imperator1 Ard Righ N/A N/A N/A
King N/A Rìgh Brëgë King N/A
Queen N/A Banrìghinn Gëlan Queen N/A
Prince N/A Flath Perëlandë Prince N/A
Princess N/A Banfhlath Kaelan Princess N/A
High Noble N/A N/A Athënoth Earl N/A
Major Noble N/A N/A C’hagënoth Count Cont
Minor Noble N/A N/A Bëlënoth Baron / Lord Arkan
Landless Noble Lord N/A N/A Lord Arkan
Knight Equites N/A Mac’hargë Knight Vittiezo
Clan Head N/A Ceann-Cinnidh Djurënoth N/A N/A
Civilian Titles
Elected Leader N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Elected Senator/Councilor N/A N/A N/A N/A Prytaris
Minister Ministere N/A Shanbëgë N/A Phorade
Governor N/A N/A N/A N/A Domnarch
Mayor Prefect N/A Prëphë Mayor Demarch
Judge Judex N/A Drëthë Judge Krith
Sheriff Censor N/A Bësaldanë Sheriff Kastor
Military Titles
High General N/A N/A N/A N/A Polemarch
Major General Legate N/A N/A N/A Chiliarch
Minor General Duke N/A Djurëdanë N/A Stratego
Lieutenant Centurion N/A Mënc’hargë Lieutenant Captain
Sergeant Decantus N/A Rinc’hargë Sergeant Decarch
Calvaryman Alaris N/A N/A N/A Hippeus
Private Legioner N/A N/A Private Phalangite
Naval Titles
High Admiral Fleet Legate N/A Narrënoth Grand Admiral Magnis Navarch
Major Admiral Fleet Prefect N/A N/A Admiral Navarch
Minor Admiral Squadron Prefect N/A Ümnarrënoth Commodore Drungario
Captain Navarch Sgiobair Bethëc’hargë Captain Kybern
Petty Officer Subnavarch N/A Shanbeth Mate Contraro
Seaman Fleet Legioner N/A Turbeth Seaman Epibatès
Religious Titles
High Priest Pontifex N/A Pontëphë Prelate or Potentate Archiereus
Major Priest Archbishop Prìomh-Dhraoidh Üpiskëpë Archbishop/ Bishop Metropolitan
Minor Priest Bishop Draoidh Arc’hshakëdë N/A Proterio
Temple Priest Sacred Priest N/A Shakëdë Pastor Presbuto
Monk Monk N/A Mennekë Monk Rassaphoro
1: Though Cambrecia still technically recognizes the rank of Imperator for the ruler of Zeth, there has been no true Emperor in over 100 years.
English Norl Tamerish Utherian Zaran Zetian
Noble Titles
Emperor N/A N/A N/A Zortenliz Sain Imperator
King Cyning N/A Erregea Saina Rex
Queen Cwene N/A Erregina Saino Regina
Prince Fengel N/A Printze N/A Princeps
Princess Hlaefdige N/A Printzesa N/A Regis Filia
High Noble Atheling N/A N/A N/A Dux
Major Noble Ealdorman N/A Konde N/A Comes
Minor Noble Thegn N/A Handikiak N/A Baro
Landless Noble Hlavord N/A Jauna N/A Dominus
Knight Cniht N/A Zaldun Bässea Miles
Clan Head Brego Patro Nagusi N/A Pater Familias
Civilian Titles
Elected Leader N/A N/A Lehendakari N/A Consul
Elected Senator/Councilor N/A N/A Kansakari Consiliz Senator
Minister N/A N/A Enplegatu Dräben Praetor
Governor N/A N/A Zuzendari Zortenliz Bäliz Proconsul
Mayor Portgerefa Parfect Alkate Zortenliz Präfët Urbis Praefectus
Judge Deman N/A Epaitu Zortenliz Magi Magistratus
Sheriff Scīrgerefa Mussler Nagusi Zortenliz Muzcul Compulsor
Military Titles
High General N/A N/A Mariskal Handi Zortenliz Legta Legatus
Major General N/A N/A Mariskal Zortenliz Duza Dux Legio
Minor General N/A N/A Koronela Zortenliz Maora Centurion Maior
Lieutenant Stíweard N/A Teniente (Zortenliz) Dabässea Centurion
Sergeant Sergeant N/A N/A (Zortenliz) Dross Decantus
Calvaryman N/A N/A N/A Ecca Alaris
Private N/A N/A Gudari Morzash Legionary
Naval Titles
High Admiral N/A N/A Almirante Nagusi Zortenliz Präfët N/A
Major Admiral N/A Waerkapten Almirante N/A Praefectus Classis
Minor Admiral N/A Caemda N/A Zortenliz Bezaza Maora Nauarchus
Captain Herewisa Kapten Kaio Zortenliz Bezaza Triarchus
Petty Officer N/A Mae N/A (Zortenliz) Bezässea Pentacontarchos
Seaman Flotmann Boskru Itsasgizon Remishez Remiges
Religious Titles
High Priest N/A N/A Aita Handiko Aebariz Pentafax Pontifex
Major Priest N/A N/A Gotzain Menor Pentafax Episcopus
Minor Priest Bisceop Basha N/A Arshesakkedoz Archisacerdos
Temple Priest Preost Pater Aita Sakkedoz Sacerdos
Monk Munuc N/A Fraide Pintao Monnachus

Titles of Other Races

English Dwarven Elven1 Hobbit Orcish
Noble Titles
Emperor N/A N/A N/A Ka’galkhan
King Kuning N/A N/A Khan
Queen Kuningin Keeper of the Sacred Blume N/A N/A
Prince Furist N/A N/A N/A
Princess Furisten N/A N/A N/A
High Noble Herizogo Keeper of the Foalswort Ardtiarna N/A
Major Noble Graf Keeper of the Mastic Bantiarna N/A
Minor Noble Baron Keeper of the Myrtle Thiarna N/A
Landless Noble Edler N/A N/A N/A
Knight Ritter Keeper of the Elm Ridere N/A
Clan Head Fürstvater/Haupt Keeper of the Fig Clan-Kennið Phatrakhan
Civilian Titles
Elected Leader N/A N/A N/A N/A
Elected Senator/Councilor Abgeordnete N/A N/A N/A
Minister Stadtrat Keeper of the Iris N/A N/A
Governor Pfalzgrafio N/A N/A Bhurakhan
Mayor Bürgermeister N/A Méara N/A
Judge Rihten Keeper of the Sage Breitheamh N/A
Sheriff Friedensrichter N/A Sirriam N/A
Military Titles
High General N/A Keeper of the Oak N/A N/A
Major General Oberst N/A N/A N/A
Minor General Hauptmann N/A N/A Kavrakhan
Lieutenant Leutnant Keeper of the Mulberry N/A Dunekhan
Sergeant Hauptfeldwebel N/A N/A N/A
Calvaryman N/A Keeper of the Elm N/A N/A
Private Feldwebel N/A N/A N/A
Naval Titles
High Admiral N/A N/A N/A N/A
Major Admiral N/A N/A N/A N/A
Minor Admiral N/A N/A N/A N/A
Captain N/A N/A Seebhair Salesh Dunekhan
Petty Officer N/A N/A N/A N/A
Seaman N/A N/A Iascaire N/A
Religious Titles
High Priest Furst Holunder N/A N/A N/A
Major Priest Holunder Keeper of the Mistletoe N/A Dhalkazar
Minor Priest Akoluth N/A N/A N/A
Temple Priest N/A Keeper of the Myrrh Sagart N/A
Monk N/A N/A N/A N/A
1: The Elven language is far too complex (and includes tonal differences) to transcribe here.  Instead, the translations often given to other races are listed.

Calendars and Time

Most of the people of Duria, when they need to count years, count it from the beginning of the reign of their ruler, whether a local ruler or national one. Only explorers, nobles and scholars tend to need a dating system any more complex than that.

For those who do need a more complete measurement of years, three major systems are used across Duria. The Davidian Calendar is prominent on the Divian Peninsula, which traditionally measures years from the foundation of Zeth (though many Koramian scholars have begun measuring years from the discovery of the Glorious Galleon 196 years later). The Neptaran Calendar is popular in the south and is measured from the foundation of Neptaris. The Abarisian Cycle of Years is commonly used among the sorcerers of Lun Dorak.

By the Davidian Calendar, the current year is 1352; by the Neptaran Calendar, the current year is 2102; in the Abarisian Cycle of Years, it is the 339th year of the Cycle of the Twin Sky Worlds (the 11th Cycle of the calendar).

Most humans on Duria tend to use the Davidian cycle of months, which begins with Folloch in the spring, followed by Giblean and Beltain. The summer months are Betasha, Mudens, Lunasa and Sheldsmet. The autumn months are Damhar, Sultain and Samhain. The winter months are Nollaig, Eanaire and Gerran, which is the last month of the year. The seven days of the week are Luanday, Mirtday, Ciadain, Ardainday, Anday, Satharn and Domnach.

Even scholars rarely attempt to keep an accurate measure of hours, but when they do they divide the day into 12 equal hours and the night into 12 equal hours (which results in longer daytime hours than nighttime hours in the summer and the reverse in winter). Prime is the time between sunrise and midmorning. Terce is the time between midmorning to midday. Sext is between midday and mid-afternoon. Nones is from mid-afternoon to sunset. At night, measurement of time is even less specific: Evening is the time between sunset and midnight and Vigil is the time between midnight and sunrise. In some areas, particularly in Koramia, Nocturne is a four-hour period around midnight. Needless to say, most farmers and workers aren’t awake long enough to need any measurement for evening hours, though some religions prescribe certain rituals during these periods.

It is generally considered bad luck to leave a raging fire going through Nocturne. It is believed that during the Witching Hour, the hour after midnight, the sinister God of Fire, Dagon, can view the mortal world through flames left burning during this time. Glowing coals and even smaller flames are considered safe. This nightly ritual is particularly observed, and sometimes enforced, in Koramia and Cambrecia.

Weights and Measures

Most of the people of Duria use the Imperial system of measurement, based on the old Aebasan system. Though the Bakali system of measurement is almost never used on Duria, there are some merchants in Neptaris who are skilled at converting between the systems.

Original article: Imperial Measurements

Linear

  • 1 inch = 3 barleycorn
  • 1 hand = 4 inches
  • 1 foot = 12 inches
  • 1 yard = 3 feet
  • 1 fathom = 6 feet
  • 1 rod = 16 ½ feet
  • 1 chain = 4 rods (66 feet)
  • 1 furlong = 10 chains (660 feet)
  • 1 mile = 8 furlongs (5280 feet)
  • 1 league = 3 miles: distance a person can walk in an hour

Area

  • 1 acre = 1 chain by 1 furlong (4840 sq yds): As much area as can be ploughed in one day.
  • 1 bovate = 15 acres: Amount of land one ox can plough in a single year.
  • 1 virgate = 2 bovates (30 acres): Amount of land a pair of oxen can plough in a single year.
  • 1 hide = 2-4 virgates: Measurement of land able to support a single household (varies depending on soil quality and weather).
  • 1 hundred = 100 hides

Volume

  • 1 mouthful = ½ ounce
  • 1 jack = 5 mouthfuls
  • 1 gill = 2 jacks
  • 1 cup = 2 gills
  • 1 pint = 2 cups: A pint of pure water weighs a pound and a quarter.
  • 1 quart = 2 pints
  • 1 pottle = 2 quarts
  • 1 gallon = 2 pottles
  • 1 peck = 2 gallons
  • 1 pail = 2 pecks (4 gallons)
  • 1 bushel = 2 pails (8 gallons)
  • 1 cask = 2 bushels (16 gallons)
  • 1 barrel = 2 casks (32 gallons)
  • 1 hogshead = 2 barrels (64 gallons)
  • 1 butt = 2 hogsheads (128 gallons)
  • 1 tun = 2 butts (256 gallons)

Weight

  • 1 pound = 7000 grains (of barley)
  • 1 ounce = 16 dram
  • 1 pound = 16 ounces
  • 1 clove = 7 pounds
  • 1 stone = 2 cloves (14 lbs)
  • 1 hundredweight = 100 pounds
  • 1 ton = 20 hundredweight