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Message: <blockquote data-quote="herald" data-source="post: 387702" data-attributes="member: 1112">Everytime this topic comes up, it would seem that people tend to grab on to on part of the subject and run with it, and forget many other hurtles that might cause economic models for stagnate.Most commercial D&D settings are seemed to be locked into a modified middle ages economic system for many centuries longer than our own world went through.Why? Well, there are two answers. The funny one and the generic long drawn out one.The first answer is simple. People like the idea of Medieval adventure, hence they expect it to resemble that model. Nevermind the fact that many people have a movie/reniassance/medieval fair concept of it.The second answer is life in a fantasy world is much more difficult than our own.1) Magical light is not going to bring any sort of real sort of industrilization if resources are not plentyful enough, and easy enough to get from where ever they come from to the center in which they are mass produced.2) (In most settings that I know of) Clerics and Wizards aren't typical people. Very few of them exist in any areas, and people can't just make the choice of become one. Clerics have to have a calling from the gods and Wizards have to have the right talent that can't just be tought.3) When you become a high level magic wielding individuals, chances are you are a mark from other individuals.  Your alignment doesn't matter. What does matter is simple. There are forces at play in the Universe that opposse your ethos (even if your Neutral) and are going to try and bring you down. Be it people or creatures you crossed on your way up the xp ladder, or a prime target for new adventuring party, or perhaps even a target for extradementional/divinie/profane creatures hoping to shift the ethos of the poeple in that area in a certain direction. You are just as much a target as the opponents that you fell.4) Being a pesant isn't as cut and dry as many people think. I was in Russia recently and was in an actual "Peasant log cabin" The thought that went into the works was alot more indepth than you might think. But lets look more into western Europe from the time being.a) Granted, a fuedal peasant, in other words, a serf, is going to very likely to be poor, and under educated, but have a very short life span. But if they were smart and lucky, they may buy there way out to freedom. Or, if they can't buy there way out, they may just bolt. Running while you are an endentured servant is risky, if you get caught, your going to get dragged back and beaten, or perhaps killed. (Maybe both). But if you can get to a city, and prove to someone there that you have some sort of talent, you might be able to make a living there, and at that point you are a freeman.b) You could be a freeman and a farmer. Many families elevated themselves to some small power this way. But this meant that you controled some amount of land. Chances are that life is better for you than the serf.Now lets take account what might happen in a "peasants" aka "Commoners" life in this fantasy world, with some real world examples.1) A peasant might be pressed into service for a simple seige, or they might even be called into a crusade. (Multi-classing anyone). The peasant might pickup one or two levels in warrior, or worse they might die.2) A peasant might be pressed into/conviced to assist building a religious building and/or fortress. Local peasants would brought into the construction on some days and still expected to farm thier lands. A real hard time, but it happened. Practicality insists that peasants are trained in atleast one or two more skills, if not more. Look to Reading and more advanced mathmatics getting more wide spread. (More multi-classing.) Then again, maybe wall will fall on them. Construction isn't always safe now, it sure wasn't then. Or maybe just the staggering work load will get them.3) Your average peasant farmer has to endure drought, floods, winters, crop failure, insect infestations and many other problems, not to mention disease. Finding fresh, potable water can be a real chalenge. (Many people drank what was called "small beer" instead of water.) Plus you had to hope that your fellow local peasants were trustworthy and sane. You add to the fantasy aspect to that and you can add to you worries things like: ankhegs, bulettes, Orcs, undead, slavers, Necrmancers (Hey, those armies of zombies have to come from some were, this little hamlet looks as good an any place to start). This list can go on and on. The commoner doesn't have to defeat these, he just has to figure out a way to survive these threats. Don't be surprised if some of these learn hide, discern intent, the like to do it.So we can look back at this and see that medieval society is built the peasants back. A back that is attached to a body that has the potential to learn a variety of things, and an even higher potential to die young.If there are no throngs of people tring to make there way into the city, like the enclosurements that happened in England's history (A time that didn't fall until after Henry the VIII died) the beginings of industrilization of a civilization can't really get off the ground.In order to bring a fantasy world like Greyhawk or Forgotten Realms in to an industrial age, you would need to have a reniassance period, where nations start to centralize there governments. (Hard to do when you have high level characters about). And start building a strong middle class in most nations, (IMHO) including the nations that have been considered "evil". Until that happens, these worlds will end up in a bizarre economic model that would find most items prices in flux. Any mid-level character party can play havok with a economy by happering one industry or city.</blockquote>

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