How big is Baldur's gate?

[Dungeoneer]

Regardless of the specific number, Rome was a city that took an empire to feed. The grain dole was such an important job that it fell under the political purview of the city's highest public officials. Grain was shipped in from as far away as North Africa and Egypt. I have seen some writers assert that the Vandal take-over of North Africa and its grain fields is what lead to the Fall of Rome.

The point is, large cities in the ancient world were certainly exceptional. While D&D isn't of course historically accurate I like to see some sort of explanation, magical or otherwise, for how such a city would survive.

 

[MerricB]

In D&D, you have druids and clerics able to use real magic to help crops grow.

 

[Cadence]

In D&D, you have druids and clerics able to use real magic to help crops grow.

And yet, with all of their remaining lower level spells they're unable to eradicate all of the low-level non-magic using threats in the region and need a hoard of low level characters to deal with them.

 

[MerricB]

And yet, with all of their remaining lower level spells they're unable to eradicate all of the low-level non-magic using threats in the region and need a hoard of low level characters to deal with them.

You've got to get the right priorities!

 

[Dungeoneer]

In D&D, you have druids and clerics able to use real magic to help crops grow.

Well I would think that druids would be mostly opposed to agriculture. Seems like they would prefer that the wilds reclaim the farms, wouldn't they?

Clerics or wizards, I could imagine, but if they are performing this sort of service for the farmers you never seem to see them or hear about them doing it.

 

[MerricB]

Well I would think that druids would be mostly opposed to agriculture. Seems like they would prefer that the wilds reclaim the farms, wouldn't they?

Clerics or wizards, I could imagine, but if they are performing this sort of service for the farmers you never seem to see them or hear about them doing it.

There is an actual goddess of agriculture in the Realms. You don't see a bunch of things in D&D, because they're not important to the key part of D&D: Adventuring. It doesn't mean they don't exist.

(My own vision of druids doesn't have them as opposed to farming as in some campaigns...)

Cheers!

 

[Dungeoneer]

There is an actual goddess of agriculture in the Realms. You don't see a bunch of things in D&D, because they're not important to the key part of D&D: Adventuring. It doesn't mean they don't exist.

Why not? If it's important to the functioning of D&D Land than surely it will come up at some point. If the crops necessary to support a city must be magically supported than surely at some point a villain will put a curse on all the crops. Or attack the clerics who are responsible for tending them. Perhaps another kingdom, jealous of D&D Land's magically superior crops, well invade and carry them off. Or try to take over the land. Within D&D Land who is in charge of magical crop growth might be a bone of contention. Perhaps a scheming vizier will attempt a crop coup.

The point is that if it's important, it SHOULD in fact have an impact on the story. Really it's an opportunity for some cool narratives! Crop growth may sound boring but if there's big important stuff that is dependent on it, that's a great story hook.

 

[Edgewood]

It's funny. For a gaming company to get the inner-functioning of a campaign setting to work properly it seems they would have to have staff members with degrees in poly sci, geology, archaeology, sociology, agricultural, business, paleontology, zoology, climatology, engineering, architecture, geography, history, urban planning, criminology, and all of the small things in between to aid in explaining how whole societies interact with one another. How they behave and how they thrive.

 

[GreyLord]

It's funny. For a gaming company to get the inner-functioning of a campaign setting to work properly it seems they would have to have staff members with degrees in poly sci, geology, archaeology, sociology, agricultural, business, paleontology, zoology, climatology, engineering, architecture, geography, history, urban planning, criminology, and all of the small things in between to aid in explaining how whole societies interact with one another. How they behave and how they thrive.

You about got it right, though I think they probably already have a person or two with a business degree or some such, at least at a minimum with the accountants...

Beyond that, if they get a good anthropologist they MIGHT be able to make do....