d10 Travelers You Might Pass on a Medieval Road
I came across a really interesting video on the travellers you might meet on a medieval road. I summarized the main points into a d10 list (I love a good random table), but the video is worth a watch - it has some nice extra details, e.g. about the kinds of things that might affect their mood.
Who would you have passed walking on a medieval road?
Abandoned roads wouldn't last very long before being overtaken by plants (unless its more of a wildlife path). A road that exists is going to be used somewhat regularly - so you'd probably pass about 1-2 people every half hour. Most commonly it will be locals from the village ahead or behind, perhaps going to market. However, you might also pass some people who traveled regularly as part of their work. The two main groups would be: people who traveled almost the whole year (not winter), and people who traveled seasonally (work in one place for the summer, another for the winter).
d10 Travelers on the Road
People Traveling Continuously
Carters hauling goods: walking with a basket on their back, pony and small cart, big ox train. Carrying food, wool, building goods (stones for a castle), military equipment, etc. The driver, an assistant/apprentice, maybe a local guide for navigating the hills. Note that travel by river/sea is much cheaper, so bulk goods will travel that way if at all possible. Also anything that won't travel well on bumpy roads.
Drovers: people moving flocks of animals (cows, sheep, goats, geese, etc.) heading to a major settlement. Likely in a group of 3-4 (with apprentices), will have other animals like herding dogs.
Traveling merchants ("chapmen"): traveling from village to village selling moderately expensive goods: pins, needles, ribbons, printed pamphlets, etc. Might be walking, pushing a cart or have a pony cart. Often a source of news and gossip - would help bring people to their cart who would hopefully then buy something. Would pass information to each other - an informal communication network; people might ask a chapmen to take a message to the next village.
Tinkers: a traveling craftsperson who would make small scale repairs, working with soft metals (copper, brass, tin, etc.). Might also sharpen your knives and tools with a traveling grinding wheel.
Traveling performers: actors, mummer players, minstrels, etc. Might have a wagon with their costumes and props. Often traveling through to get to the next noble's manor they will be playing at. Locals likely saw them skeptically (like anyone not rooted in a place). Can also be a good source of news and gossip. If you're in an area with wealthier than typical nobles, the performers might have come from far away looking for a generous patron.
Traveling priests and Mendicant friars: part of their vocation is to travel and to care for the ordinary folk - would have a specific area that they tended to. Would typically not be carrying money - relying on charity and/or begging. Symbols of their poverty: simple robes and rope belts, barefoot or simple sandals. Will give public sermons, do funerals, give pastoral care to people struggling/with personal tragedies.
Pilgrims - ordinary people traveling weeks or months to visit a holy site. Will be traveling a standard route, so will know a bit about the area that their journey passes through.
People Traveling Seasonally 8. Tile Makers: would work making tiles out of clay for the local cathedral in the summer; can't do that well in the winter so would go find a different job - going to farms and helping with farm maintenance, hedging and clearing land, digging ditches (would often travel carrying bill hooks). So you'd see them on the road at the change of seasons (spring and autumn)
Builders and Masons: will work on cathedrals and other major building projects during the warm months, can't work on it well during the cold and wet winter months. Might travel around looking for winter work similar to the tile makers.
Vagrants: sometimes called "sturdy beggars" - so not homeless, just people who have chosen not to follow the very rooted-in-place medieval life. Move around the land looking for opportunity and work - might have gainful employment for a while and then move on again. Sort of similar to an "adventurer". Locals might not trust them, as they don't fit into the structure and roles of society.