Mundane Village Life in Cidri

[Jim Kane]

Concentrating on the map found on page 72 of TFT:ITL, which illustrates Southern Elyntia - and the legend contained therein - we see many villages (of various races) indicated on the map. Although most villages will do a bit of everything to sustain themselves - especially the more remote villages - with the exception of the Dwarven Mine with village (indicated by a black circle with a white star inside), I am wondering what are the different types of primary-industries which more prosperous independent villages could move beyond simply sustaining themselves, and enter into larger-scale commerce in a near-by town or city, and having their "trade" being based on the natural resources of the immediate surrounding environment. I am thinking:

• Farming Village
• Ranching Village
• Fishing Village
• Hunting Village
• Mining Village
• Logging Village

What else am I missing based on this map?

JK

[JLV]

Hmm...about all I can think of that could be a function that you didn't list would be if Podliforki was (or also was, in addition to some fishing to give it a legal veneer) a smuggling village.

[Jim Kane]

Originally Posted by JLV

Hmm...about all I can think of that could be a function that you didn't list would be if Podliforki was (or also was, in addition to some fishing to give it a legal veneer) a smuggling village.

Well yes, but it is already listed as a *Fishing Village* (with Pirate Base and activities underfoot). I am really trying to identify as many mundane industry types Cidri could have, which a village could be based around - getting their raw materials from the environment. There must be more than the 6 I listed above, without splitting hairs (i.e. Fishing Village vs a Crabbing Village).

Oh wait! What about this... When I hear *Farming Village* I always think about the typical North American or pastoral European Farm... but what about the fields of Rice Paddies in SE Asia... those would qualify as a *farm* in a *swamp*, no less - would they not?!?

JK

[Skarg]

Having based several campaigns on this style of map (and made many maps of this type, thought about what went on there, etc), I tend to think that the villages shown are "market village" hubs where the open terrain hexes around them probably tend to have farming and farmers and perhaps some less notable hamlets that aren't trade villages, and minor paths and so on.

Otherwise, at 12.5km per hex, that's a lot of space per population, and a very long way for farmers to travel to get to the nearest town.

[Melichor]

Trading village?

[JohnPaulB]

Originally Posted by Jim Kane

I am wondering what are the different types of primary-industries which more prosperous independent villages could move beyond simply sustaining themselves, and enter into larger-scale commerce in a near-by town or city, and having their "trade" being based on the natural resources of the immediate surrounding environment. I am thinking:

• Farming Village
• Ranching Village
• Fishing Village
• Hunting Village
• Mining Village
• Logging Village

What else am I missing based on this map?
JK

A village could be religious retreat or holy site
A trading post village along a King's Highway
A village that centers around collecting hard to find items like truffles or Piranhakeet eggs.
A village that sprang up salvaging Mnoren technology buried underground.
A village of lepers
A ghost town that is a houses vampires and their kin

[Jim Kane]

Originally Posted by JohnPaulB

A village could be religious retreat or holy site
A trading post village along a King's Highway
A village that centers around collecting hard to find items like truffles or Piranhakeet eggs.
A village that sprang up salvaging Mnoren technology buried underground.
A village of lepers
A ghost town that is a houses vampires and their kin

Very nice JohnPaulB; good brain-storming there!

Originally Posted by Skarg

Having based several campaigns on this style of map (and made many maps of this type, thought about what went on there, etc), I tend to think that the villages shown are "market village" hubs where the open terrain hexes around them probably tend to have farming and farmers and perhaps some less notable hamlets that aren't trade villages, and minor paths and so on.

Otherwise, at 12.5km per hex, that's a lot of space per population, and a very long way for farmers to travel to get to the nearest town.

I agree with you on this Skarg, on all points; and therefore, there must be tons of small villages (like the kind encountered in GrailQuest) dotting the landscape between these larger villages and towns. So wherever they are, they have to be self-sustaining - especially the truly remote ones - and/or ideally have a major export with which they can trade with other villages. That's the list I would like to see fleshed-out.

JK

[zot]

Originally Posted by Skarg

Having based several campaigns on this style of map (and made many maps of this type, thought about what went on there, etc), I tend to think that the villages shown are "market village" hubs where the open terrain hexes around them probably tend to have farming and farmers and perhaps some less notable hamlets that aren't trade villages, and minor paths and so on.

Otherwise, at 12.5km per hex, that's a lot of space per population, and a very long way for farmers to travel to get to the nearest town.

Well, the Transport Guild has the solution to your problem! Contact the nearest guild representative and connect your town or village to the CGN (Cidri Gate Network) now!

:-D

[Skarg]

Historically, pre-industrial country folk (i.e. most people) did mostly sustain themselves, with little or no trade except with their immediate neighbors.

It's also probably needed to have a pretty high countryside population (not shown on the Dran map, which lists several villages with 100-400 villagers, and a few cities with populations listed in the 2000-30,000 range, though Winterhome was in the past much larger) to sustain much military and/or adventurer/thug/mercenary population, not just to feed & supply them, but to have, er... people to kill. ;-)

[Jim Kane]

Originally Posted by Skarg

Historically, pre-industrial country folk (i.e. most people) did mostly sustain themselves, with little or no trade except with their immediate neighbors.

Right, and that is my understanding as well Skarg, and the reason I would like to try to list-out what a specific village might focus on - based on topography, terrain, climate, etc. - where a mostly fishing village trades with it's close neighbor, a farming village.

*Additionally*, knowing what kind of villages are in a given area, also helps to determine what types of monsters are attracted to an area - by village activity and primary resource - and how likely certain monsters are to be found in those areas... or not.

I know the more detailed information we have on the surrounding area, the more adventure/encounter seeds are born.

Originally Posted by Skarg

It's also probably needed to have a pretty high countryside population (not shown on the Dran map, which lists several villages with 100-400 villagers, and a few cities with populations listed in the 2000-30,000 range, though Winterhome was in the past much larger) to sustain much military and/or adventurer/thug/mercenary population, not just to feed & supply them, but to have, er... people to kill. ;-)

Completely agree. In fact, I would even go you one better and indicate small settlements of 20-100 people (maybe occupying some abandoned forts - like those indicated on the map key), or simply living in mud huts on the banks of a lake or river.

So much potential to explore here; but I am really stuck after the 6 types of villages I listed in the OP, and then, the Rice Paddy Farming Village I listed later for farming in a tropical, low-land fen area.

There *has* to be more...

JK