The roads in the Empire are of several grades or qualities, and these variations will drastically affect the speed of anyone traveling on them.

Of the highest quality are the five great highways which cross the Empire: the Great Western Road which runs from Dal Shang to Simtakka and beyond across the northern Empire, the Silk Road which crosses the Empire farther down, from Mazgourrah to Miroi T'Chi-Chang and over the mountains to Korvan Saleh and on into the west, and the Coast Road which follows the coast of the Southern Ocean; from north to south run the Diamond Trail which follows the western flank of the Empire beyond the mountains, and the Salenian Way which follows the course of the An-Kiu from Lyn Tirian down to Tilal Ming where it joins the Coast Road. These roads are paved, though the work was done some long time ago, and are kept in reasonably good repair. A traveler will make the best possible time along them. They are called the Great Roads, class A.

The Imperial Roads are of the next quality, paved in spots, graded, and kept clear of brush, they connect the main cities and towns of the Empire which don't happen to lie on a Great Road. As these roads are important to the Imperial government, they are maintained carefully, although the funds and man-power to pave them are not available. Under good conditions, these roads may be traveled as rapidly as the Great Roads, but when the weather is bad, the traveler will be slowed down considerably (increase the suggested travel times by one quarter to one third); they are class B.

The secondary, or Provincial Roads are never paved--unless some noble should choose to pave that portion which passes his estate, in order to keep the dust down. They connect the seat of provincial government with the other towns in that province, especially the towns which are district seats, and are maintained--somewhat--at the expense of the provincial treasury. In the very best weather, travel on these roads is slower than on a Great or Imperial Road; in bad weather they may be impassable. Inquire locally for road conditions. (In good weather, travel on Provincial Roads is at an increase of one fifth to one quarter of the base rate for the mode of travel selected; in bad weather, if the road is not totally impassable, the rate will be half again or even double the base rate.) For more, and more specific, information on the roads and their quality, check the encyclopedia under the individual named roads, and the appropriate Province File. These are roads of classes C and D; with class E status being allotted to all others.

From this point, routes of travel degenerate rapidly to paths and tracks, recommended only for the agile and well-guided who are not in a hurry.