This. The *only* time "historical accuracy" is a consideration in fantasy gaming is if you're rolling in a mythic Earth themed game. And even then, "historical accuracy" is NOT what most people think. Shit was way more diverse and people far more travelled than assumed. #DnD https://twitter.com/ZakMeow/status/1198033163873857537

Seriously. The idea that common people didn't travel is nuts. Pilgrimages were a huge thing, and not exclusively for the wealthy. Likewise, people vacationed; Sparta, in its declining years, was a tourist trap that capitalized on their fearsome rep and put on shows.

Sure, in the middle ages in Europe, things slowed down, what with serfdom and politically imposed limitations on travel for the bulk of the population; but that's an aberration in comparison with the rest of human history.

Hell; Africa, India, China, Arabia, Oceania, and Persia had a whole thing going on. The only time you really find people living geographically limited lives is specifically when political powers say "No travel."

Then there's the realities of carrying capacity. Land can't support unlimited populations; so you get population migrations, war, and trade. And those three things DON'T have to be interconnected. Migrations don't necessitate war, or trade. They can, but it's not required.

Then there's religion. Want to talk about a mass driver for population movements and cultural exchange? Religion looms large. This has manifested in both positive and negative ways, historically speaking, but it cannot be ignored.

How can religion and ritual lead to travel? Check out Gobekli Tepe. It predates agricultural development, and had people showing up for ritual events through its lifespan. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/gobekli-tepe-the-worlds-first-temple-83613665/