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Message: <blockquote data-quote="loseth" data-source="post: 4142115" data-attributes="member: 54535">I think that the real answer to this can be derived from fundamental economic theory:The more dangerous travel is, the more difficult it is to get iron etc.The more difficult it is to get iron etc., the more valuable iron etc. becomes.The more valuable iron etc. becomes, the more attractive trading in it (and thus taking the risk of travelling) becomes.In other words, in a PoL world where settlements are at first totally cut off from each other, stocks of iron and other useful stuff will get used up fairly quickly and won't be replaceable in most settlements. As such commodities are used up, they will get more and more valuable until at some point (and it won't take very long IMHO) some crazy and/or tough bastards are going to be willing to take the risk and ply the roads trading in the stuff. Expect merchants to group together for protection, forming huge caravans guarded by veritable armies of mercenaries, paid for with the super-fat profits these valuable goods will bring in. These expensive caravans can porbably afford to make their circuit one or maybe two times a year, but when they show up at a village, boy do they make a killing. The occasion of a caravan visit is also, by the way, when the village receives its anual or bi-anual news/rumours. 'Ho villagers! Did you know that villagers like yourselves from the fine village of Tindale, just 15 miles down the road, have found an ancient tomb with a magical door that they cannot open? It is rumoured that it is the tomb of Kang the Mighty, and is filled with silver and gold. Any adventurers in town?'</blockquote>

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