[DF] How big are the settlements built by the PC races?

[bocephus]

Originally Posted by Greg 1

How big are the settlements built by the different PC races in DF 3, when given no outside help or direction?

Which races build cities, towns, villages or nothing? Can these join together into larger political units?

Yes, I know that there's no canonical answer. I'm asking for your speculations.

You can pretty much choose what feel right for you.

*I* tend to keep things in the general sizes, based less on 'population' than whats available in and around. This is pretty generic and depending on your setting you might have to dink around with the parameters. My main focus is to have a general idea of what the PCs might have access to and who might they encounter. Also this concept fits more with the "PCs are starting out in the small areas/villages, and working towards a City if you have one". If your setting starts them in a City then you can ignore most of this and focus more on what your City offers.

Large Farms - These are large successful farms that may have 4-5 families living together. They have things that are commonly available on farms, consumables mostly not durable goods. Generally cheaper goods but people are rarely skilled outside of farming and things that directly support farming. No Master Craftsmen or high skill healers. No priest or magistrate in residence. Might have walls, more likely a mix of stacked stone and good sturdy fences and buildings. Will be less than a days walk to a Village or Town in most cases. Cleared space around the farm is premium, the edges of the farm/grazing land will but up against 'the wild' land.

Village - will have a resident utility Smith, a Tavern (drinking and eating maybe one or two beds to rent), a small 'unitarian' worship space, and an open space where travelers can market their goods in a convenient location for the village(rs). There is no need for a formal market because the village is so small people know who needs what and who has what, for outside goods there will usually be a "General Store" probably run by the Mayor or someone in his family. No local nobility, only their representatives like a mayor and a seneschal/constable to keep the 'Kings Peace' sort of thing. There will be itinerant priests that travel around to bring the word, but they either share the use of the worship space or just do it in the street of tavern. The surroundings will be 'wild' within 200m-500m from the edge of town.

Town - This will have a Mill, multiple smiths maybe a wheel wright, Inn, Taverns, some shops that are supported by bringing in items for the locals and may have things made locally, a small Market area near the shops (but again no real every day people setting up stalls). There will be at least one priest resident in town (depending on your worlds religious structure), but you may not find them at the 'chapel' and there will still be itinerant priests moving through and stopping to preach/heal as appropriate. The town will be surrounded by farming/grazing land and might also have one or two specialty crafts depending on local resources (like a quarry or a clay pit). There may be Permanent or itinerant Nobility in residence, or passing through but they are far from court and probably either out of favor or to uncivilized to be at home in court. There will be small Keeps maintained by the more prominent nobility. Day to day is similar to villages other than the addition of tax collection its probably still mostly run by an appointed Mayor their retinue. Might have a small permanent guard force to man gates and deal with unrest, with a 'jail' or at least holding cells at the Guard house.

Big Town - True shipping ports, organized defenses in walls and soldiers, and crowding (smells depending on sewage technology). Increase the numbers of Inns, Taverns, Craftsmen from Town, and start seeing shops dedicated to craft goods (carpentry, leather work, barrels, pottery, wagons, durable textiles) This is where you find 'Churches', fixed structures that have full time priests and worshipers. There is also a fixed Market area in town and a market space on the edge of town for traveling merchants. Occasional luxury goods from trading or the odd local specialist. There will be some minor nobility in residence in small castles/keeps, they will often try to create a mini-Court amongst the local nobility. This would be the first place you might encounter intrigues that actually touch the major nobility. This is also the first place that caste social structures will be strong enough to cause PCs to need to socially navigate something more detailed than "The Haves and the Have Nots". Organized Crime would also be represented here. Permanent Guard force and legal system will have a Jail and possibly several guard houses.


Large and Small Cities - these are uncommon/rare. Cities primary feature will be the permanent presence of Major Nobility and multiple caste social structures, Formal Guilds, and unique or exotic goods. Mist likely these will have large ports in the City or within a half days travel by water or horse. Large structures will be here, organized defenses for both individual nobles and the City as a whole. Permanent Guard forces with multiple layers, guard houses and specialties. Daily trials, with jails and executions having fixed space.
There will be multiple market spaces on the edges of the city and possibly multiple fixed market spaces inside the City, or maybe a large Bazaar that has 'everything, if you can find it'.
PC's might need a Guide here and definitely will need social introductions to inner circles (or unusual backgrounds with some specific social skills) if they aren't local.

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As for races, I don't really mess about with a lot of them, but hold generally to the same size/scale/goods and services. How its laid out is all just fluff. Races are an unnecessary complication for me unless you have some specific world building in mind. In which case you surely don't need any generic advise form me about races :)

I for one have never been a huge fan of the idea of a Giant Elf City, because their long lives tend to lead to lower birth rates. IMO Elf towns would be unnecessarily ornate and intricate because they have had hundreds or thousands of years to 'add onto the house'. There would also be more 'multi craft Master Craftsmen' among elves and far less children. Lower quantity but higher quality goods, maybe magics depending on your trope.

Dwarves, if you subscribe to a "tolkeinesque" dwarf would be somewhere in between elves and humans.

I just don't know where you pull your tropes from to offer any help on races.