While born from my development of Monvesia, this post really isn't really setting or even rule-set specific.Should measurements and distances in a game be measured in terms that can be digested by players of a game, or by characters in a story? While it would be nice to accomplish both, I personally favor the latter. When determining your mapping scale, you should consider how characters in the setting describe the same measurements and distances. "5 feet" is an arbitrar unit of measurement, and characters are not likely to have a tapemeasure handy when mapping a dungeon; a pace, howeve,r is roughly the same size--and is a likely measurement for on-the-go adventurers.
Here are the terms I prefer to use in-game, with a few extra for flavor thrown in.
Small-Scale Measurement
A finger is the average width of one finger.This is the common diameter of the average coin in Monvesia--of any denomination; approx. 18 – 21mm [dime/nickel/penny].A palm is the average distance across the palm, equal to four fingers. Palms commonly used as a multiple of fingers
A hand is the average distance across the palm and thumb (a little more than five fingers [5 1/3]). Hands are used independently of fingers and palms; they are typically used to measure heights of living creatures:
- Goliaths stand between 21 and 24 hands (roughly 4 or 5 cubits).
- Humans stand between 15 and 20 hands (or 3 to 4 cubits).
- Elves stand between 14 and 19 hands (roughly 3 to 4 cubits).
- Rakasta stand between 14 and 16 hands (about 3 cubits).
- Dawrves stand between 12 and 15 hands (under 3 cubits).
- Gnomes stand between 9 and 11 hands (about 2 cubits).
- Halflings stand between 7 and 9 hands (under 2 cubits).
