Graf
Explorer
Building on what Night said a lot of cities are cities and not contries because it's not safe to be outside of the walls (Mithril, Hollowfaust, the Bridged City, Burok Torn, Shelzar, Daggerfall).
As for larger cities only being 2 million.... I presume that the countries which can support larger cities have stable, mostly-protected country-sides. I think that each of these country tends to have reasons why they would tend against a strong urbanization movement.
The one big thing to remember is that it's still a feudal agrarian society with a relatively short history. I think (and I could be wrong, I know little about Europe) that Europe got crowded and that's one of the reasons why people got packed in so tightly. Places that do have stable borders do have a lot of unused land availible.
Calastia: Virduk has put much of his effort into becoming the "breadbasket of Ghelspad". I'm presuming he has a lot of control over his country's people and economic activity. So he can "encourage" people to move to, or remain in, the wilderness and farm for him. I don't see much of an artistian/craftsman class developing in the spartan cities he controls.
Darakeene: People seem to have a cultural inclination toward wilderness living. Sounds kind of weird i know but I perceive it as a generally very agrarian society with a few firmpoints of learning (the vault, the war collages).
Vesh: Relgion.... Tanil discorages order and embraces a sort of simple country living. Cities, with their clear assoiciation with gods like Hedrada and Chardun, would probably be counter to religious teachings.
Dunahnae: I think chardun would rather have 1 strong servant than 5 weak ones. I expect that the mortality rate in the country for all social classes is significantly higher than it's wealth and food supply would normally dictate.
One other comment about population density is that, unlike the true feudal period, the existence of magic means that it's easier to communicate between places you govern. A well equipped contry can communicate through a variety of methods and, with some preperation, move a larger quantity of people and resources than normal.
As for larger cities only being 2 million.... I presume that the countries which can support larger cities have stable, mostly-protected country-sides. I think that each of these country tends to have reasons why they would tend against a strong urbanization movement.
The one big thing to remember is that it's still a feudal agrarian society with a relatively short history. I think (and I could be wrong, I know little about Europe) that Europe got crowded and that's one of the reasons why people got packed in so tightly. Places that do have stable borders do have a lot of unused land availible.
Calastia: Virduk has put much of his effort into becoming the "breadbasket of Ghelspad". I'm presuming he has a lot of control over his country's people and economic activity. So he can "encourage" people to move to, or remain in, the wilderness and farm for him. I don't see much of an artistian/craftsman class developing in the spartan cities he controls.
Darakeene: People seem to have a cultural inclination toward wilderness living. Sounds kind of weird i know but I perceive it as a generally very agrarian society with a few firmpoints of learning (the vault, the war collages).
Vesh: Relgion.... Tanil discorages order and embraces a sort of simple country living. Cities, with their clear assoiciation with gods like Hedrada and Chardun, would probably be counter to religious teachings.
Dunahnae: I think chardun would rather have 1 strong servant than 5 weak ones. I expect that the mortality rate in the country for all social classes is significantly higher than it's wealth and food supply would normally dictate.
One other comment about population density is that, unlike the true feudal period, the existence of magic means that it's easier to communicate between places you govern. A well equipped contry can communicate through a variety of methods and, with some preperation, move a larger quantity of people and resources than normal.
But thanks guys for helping me explain all this and I do think what's been said probably helps out a lot for many people that are unfamiliar with the Scarred Lands.
