Population Question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Population Question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Roger Nicholls
05-22-07, 01:01 AM Hi All,

Anyone got any rough ideas on how large the population is likely to be in the Merylsward region of the Eldeen Reaches ?

Im looking at setting a campaign in the region that will be in an area that is 100x125 miles in size. (Give the characters room to move without being to restrictive).

Thanks for the help.

Regards...
grifo
05-22-07, 05:50 AM this isnt according to anything officiel but id say around 1300-1500 people live in the merylsward area.
merylsward is a small town but its distant so i think it has about 1200 people, add 100-200 from the farms in the area and i think youll be set to go.
Roger Nicholls
05-22-07, 01:40 PM this isnt according to anything officiel but id say around 1300-1500 people live in the merylsward area.
merylsward is a small town but its distant so i think it has about 1200 people, add 100-200 from the farms in the area and i think youll be set to go.

Only 100-200 outside of Merylsward in the whole area seems a bit low. I was actually thinking more along a few 1000 scattered across the area and it still would probably be pretty desolate in terms of population.

Thanks for your thoughts though.
OctaviusIII
05-22-07, 06:27 PM Well, let's say the small town is around 1000 people. Let's say that's the major town of the area, which means it has around one third of the population. That means around 3000 for the area. If, however, you're looking to adjust it into a trading town, perhaps 1500-2000 as your base population is better. That range gives you somewhere between 3000-7000.

Now, Eldeen Bay probably doesn't have great fish stocks and, given that it's at the same latitude as Karrnath, it probably has Nordic weather and would have to rely upon its fishery. The Orien trade road would probably be for the fish and fish products. All of that would make a few thousand people seem reasonable. Let's put it as about 5 surrounding villages and 8 thorps, which gives us most of the population, with the rest being backwoodsy folks.

At least, that's what I'm thinking.
Roger Nicholls
05-23-07, 12:30 AM If, however, you're looking to adjust it into a trading town, perhaps 1500-2000 as your base population is better. That range gives you somewhere between 3000-7000.

I am planning on Merylsward being a trading town so it would make sense to set the population slightly higher. Also i believe there is likely to be a transient population during the spring and summer "trading" months.

Now, Eldeen Bay probably doesn't have great fish stocks and, given that it's at the same latitude as Karrnath, it probably has Nordic weather and would have to rely upon its fishery. The Orien trade road would probably be for the fish and fish products. All of that would make a few thousand people seem reasonable. Let's put it as about 5 surrounding villages and 8 thorps, which gives us most of the population, with the rest being backwoodsy folks.
At least, that's what I'm thinking.

I hadnt thought about fish as being the trading commodity I was thinking along more Canadian rather than Nordic lines and going with things such as maple syrup. In addition I quite like the idea of House Vadalis using the region to trade in "beasts" captured from the largely wild terrain of the region. (Not sure how this fits in with the druids yet though - still working on that one !)
OctaviusIII
05-23-07, 01:44 AM Canadian, eh? Well, the stereotypically maple syrup regions of Canada - namely Quebec - offer forestry (lumber and paper or pulp), fish, mining, and, of course, maple syrup. I like the idea of a beast trade, too. Farming is usually things like potatoes and dairy.

The small population means that really only a few of those industries will actually happen, with the beast trade on the side. Still, the trade road means something lucrative comes out of Merylsward. (It may also be that there are some diamond mining colonies on those islands to the north-west of the Demon Wastes, with Merylsward as the port of call.)
Roger Nicholls
05-23-07, 05:07 PM (It may also be that there are some diamond mining colonies on those islands to the north-west of the Demon Wastes, with Merylsward as the port of call.)

What made you think of that idea ? Not to say I dont like it just seemed a bit of a curve ball coming in from the side thats all...
OctaviusIII
05-23-07, 05:30 PM I thought about why the northern islands of Canada get all the diamond mines, then I remembered they were wiped down to the bedrock by the last ice age. Figured those islands would be similar. As for why Merylsward: if there's a west to east prevailing wind and a east to west prevailing current, Merylsward makes a decent choice as a port. Anything on the west coast is too far or too remote, and the current probably comes down from Fostfell, loops around in that bay and then takes off towards the east. I figure that the first available port, Merylsward, would make up the most logical place to reprocess, store, and repackage into freighters whatever comes off those islands.
Roger Nicholls
05-24-07, 12:23 AM I like this idea a lot although ive placed Merylward slightly inland as the map wasnt too clear. I can always have a coastal port "suburb" as such. I would guess that during the winter anyway the port possible ices up so it makes sense in some ways not to be a permanent oepration there.

Thanks for the input into this it certainly has helped :)
OctaviusIII
05-25-07, 04:45 AM If the Merylsward port doesn't ice up the islands sure do, and the winter storms would make it more than a little difficult to get out of port anyway.

Then again, there could always be the Khorvairian equivalent of Deadliest Catch. (http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/deadliestcatch/deadliestcatch.html)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Roger Nicholls 05-22-07, 01:01 AM	Hi All, Anyone got any rough ideas on how large the population is likely to be in the Merylsward region of the Eldeen Reaches ? Im looking at setting a campaign in the region that will be in an area that is 100x125 miles in size. (Give the characters room to move without being to restrictive). Thanks for the help. Regards...
grifo 05-22-07, 05:50 AM	this isnt according to anything officiel but id say around 1300-1500 people live in the merylsward area. merylsward is a small town but its distant so i think it has about 1200 people, add 100-200 from the farms in the area and i think youll be set to go.
Roger Nicholls 05-22-07, 01:40 PM	this isnt according to anything officiel but id say around 1300-1500 people live in the merylsward area. merylsward is a small town but its distant so i think it has about 1200 people, add 100-200 from the farms in the area and i think youll be set to go. Only 100-200 outside of Merylsward in the whole area seems a bit low. I was actually thinking more along a few 1000 scattered across the area and it still would probably be pretty desolate in terms of population. Thanks for your thoughts though.
OctaviusIII 05-22-07, 06:27 PM	Well, let's say the small town is around 1000 people. Let's say that's the major town of the area, which means it has around one third of the population. That means around 3000 for the area. If, however, you're looking to adjust it into a trading town, perhaps 1500-2000 as your base population is better. That range gives you somewhere between 3000-7000. Now, Eldeen Bay probably doesn't have great fish stocks and, given that it's at the same latitude as Karrnath, it probably has Nordic weather and would have to rely upon its fishery. The Orien trade road would probably be for the fish and fish products. All of that would make a few thousand people seem reasonable. Let's put it as about 5 surrounding villages and 8 thorps, which gives us most of the population, with the rest being backwoodsy folks. At least, that's what I'm thinking.
Roger Nicholls 05-23-07, 12:30 AM	If, however, you're looking to adjust it into a trading town, perhaps 1500-2000 as your base population is better. That range gives you somewhere between 3000-7000. I am planning on Merylsward being a trading town so it would make sense to set the population slightly higher. Also i believe there is likely to be a transient population during the spring and summer "trading" months. Now, Eldeen Bay probably doesn't have great fish stocks and, given that it's at the same latitude as Karrnath, it probably has Nordic weather and would have to rely upon its fishery. The Orien trade road would probably be for the fish and fish products. All of that would make a few thousand people seem reasonable. Let's put it as about 5 surrounding villages and 8 thorps, which gives us most of the population, with the rest being backwoodsy folks. At least, that's what I'm thinking. I hadnt thought about fish as being the trading commodity I was thinking along more Canadian rather than Nordic lines and going with things such as maple syrup. In addition I quite like the idea of House Vadalis using the region to trade in "beasts" captured from the largely wild terrain of the region. (Not sure how this fits in with the druids yet though - still working on that one !)
OctaviusIII 05-23-07, 01:44 AM	Canadian, eh? Well, the stereotypically maple syrup regions of Canada - namely Quebec - offer forestry (lumber and paper or pulp), fish, mining, and, of course, maple syrup. I like the idea of a beast trade, too. Farming is usually things like potatoes and dairy. The small population means that really only a few of those industries will actually happen, with the beast trade on the side. Still, the trade road means something lucrative comes out of Merylsward. (It may also be that there are some diamond mining colonies on those islands to the north-west of the Demon Wastes, with Merylsward as the port of call.)
Roger Nicholls 05-23-07, 05:07 PM	(It may also be that there are some diamond mining colonies on those islands to the north-west of the Demon Wastes, with Merylsward as the port of call.) What made you think of that idea ? Not to say I dont like it just seemed a bit of a curve ball coming in from the side thats all...
OctaviusIII 05-23-07, 05:30 PM	I thought about why the northern islands of Canada get all the diamond mines, then I remembered they were wiped down to the bedrock by the last ice age. Figured those islands would be similar. As for why Merylsward: if there's a west to east prevailing wind and a east to west prevailing current, Merylsward makes a decent choice as a port. Anything on the west coast is too far or too remote, and the current probably comes down from Fostfell, loops around in that bay and then takes off towards the east. I figure that the first available port, Merylsward, would make up the most logical place to reprocess, store, and repackage into freighters whatever comes off those islands.
Roger Nicholls 05-24-07, 12:23 AM	I like this idea a lot although ive placed Merylward slightly inland as the map wasnt too clear. I can always have a coastal port "suburb" as such. I would guess that during the winter anyway the port possible ices up so it makes sense in some ways not to be a permanent oepration there. Thanks for the input into this it certainly has helped :)
OctaviusIII 05-25-07, 04:45 AM	If the Merylsward port doesn't ice up the islands sure do, and the winter storms would make it more than a little difficult to get out of port anyway. Then again, there could always be the Khorvairian equivalent of Deadliest Catch. (http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/deadliestcatch/deadliestcatch.html)