McSwan, your idea is pretty good, but it takes a wee bit longer. The idea for:
Debir-Scarlet-Verona-Elon-Sheterra-Debir came because of:
Debir-Scarlet: 3 hours. Go for the verona map straight away. Get any chests floating around scarlet.
Scarlet-Verona: 6 hours. Elon map is easily kiteable and you can use your ship to land there. Take the map and get any chests floating around verona or treasures that are easily accessible. If there aren't many enemies on the way, you can get the countess. If there are, no big deal.
Verona-Elon: 7 Hours. Sheterra map is in the underground, River of Memory. Use the boat to get near moro, recruit him and get in the entrance hext to him. Take the map, steal around. If there are any dragon eggs, don't miss them.
Elon-Sheterra: 5 hours. Since we're going back to Debir to start the game properly anyway, we may as well get a few more levels. Do the Fasmodey quest, take the sword from Hephestus, get a few more eggs.
- if you want agvares rather than moro for a girl power party, this route also works.
Sheterra-Debir: 7 hours. Now we can properly start the game at a high level, with a number of runes and items already in hand to boost Amelie.
Notes: scan your file for useful items in Scarlet, Verona, Elon and Sheterra, so that you can buy them on your way there without wasting too much time in checking
28 hours is the travel time, a few more for looking around and stealing, so in day and a half you can become powerful enough to get off the right foot. Now you can easily beat the game in 9 days tops
Still, I guess one can go to bolo after sheterra, or skip sheterra at all.
Your route is quite nice, certainly provides an additional option and I like it. However, for me, shettera is very important because it allows you to get a few quests, maybe buy some powerful items and even get some troops you might find useful. Some archdemons to help your dragons and halve the enemy stacks is always efficient