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Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="SHARK" data-source="post: 4640149" data-attributes="member: 1131">Greetings!Thanks, Genshou! I'm glad you like it.<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />Well, no, I didn't have any kind of specific DMG reference in mind. I tend to build and populate my own campaign based first on a priority of what is reflected by the historical records; then I may tinker with it for additional fantastic elements, and then lastly do I reference the DMG or other sources; mostly to simply apply and make use of specific game mechanics/spells, etc. I don't pay much attention to the DMG population/town rules.By the way--that's a very nice and interesting article, too. The rules for generation, population, densities, agriculture, and so on seem pretty good, as well. I noticed he developed it from data from Western Europe during the High Middle Ages, from the 11th-15th Centuries. I've linked it. I like it a lot, too!<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> Good reference there, my friend!I must admit, my town of Khamanar here is more reflective of agriculture, technology, economics, and population patterns of the ancient mediterranean and near-eastern worlds of mid-late antiquity, say from 200 BC to 600 AD.Ancient Rome had a population of over one million people. (yes, over 1,000,000!)<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />Ancient Persia, India, China, as well as kingdoms throughout the Near East and Central Asia had populations in the millions, tens of millions, and more. They easily had small "towns" of 2-5,000 people; 5-10,000 people; 10-15,000 people, and so on. I haven't precisely made up the population of Khamanar, but I guessed it at between 8,000 and 12,000 people. Probably about 10,000 people or so. Because of the flow of trade, as it is on a important crossroads, in addition to growing river-commerce, I would say it has a permanent population of about 10,000 people; though from month to month, and depending on the season, that could swell by 1,000-1,200 soldiers staying for a few weeks of leave; 1,500-2,000 miners swarming into the town from mining camps in the north; a Jhangshan caravan of 200-1,000 people, from the north-east; and perhaps 1,000-2,000 merchants/caravan workers/mercenaries staying in the town from various merchant caravans from the south-east, as well as several merchant boats and barges from the river. Oh, and plus 200-1,000 merchants/mercenaries/caravan workers from trade caravans from the west. Obviously, these numbers fluctuate, and change constantly, week by week, with a few seasonal or routine spikes. The town is, after all, on a similar frontier between something like the Persian Empire, and the ancient Indian Kingdoms, as well as Central Asian Kingdoms, and trade-routes heading across the great steppes to the north and east.The largest temple of the town having roughly 600 priestesses/soldiers does not seem out of place in such an environment.I suppose for an impoverished, medieval European town, simply change the temple to a simple barn-like thing of wood, with a few wooden worskshops, a small pool of fresh springwater, and give the town a poulation of 2,000 people. The temple can then have, what, 40, 50 priestesses? I mean, sure, it could be changed to more reflect the dirty, muddy, poor existence of most western Europeans through much of antiquity and the Early Middle Ages--instead of the glorious, wealthy, mediterranean cultures where even the smallest towns often boasted marble bathhouses and running water, and fine palaces of slaves and glorious temples. However, a typically dirty, mud-soaked, disease and flea-swarmed impoverished European town of a few thousand poor, superstitious, inbred, xenophobic, half-frozen people isn't quite what seemed the best environment for a sophisticated, sensual goddess-cult of love, sunshine, music and art.<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />I mean, really. The areas have a very different *vibe* to them.<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f60e.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":cool:" title="Cool    :cool:"  data-smilie="6"data-shortname=":cool:" /> As I noted, however, the ideas could be transported to such a dark, Western European environment. It would just take a bit of creativity. Semper Fidelis,SHARK</blockquote>

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