D&D General why do we have halflings and gnomes?

[Maxperson]

A couple of points:

• Byn Shander has walls and a central location. One would expect Ten Towners to flee there if they came under attack. This is pretty much what happens in the real world when villages are attacked;
• The Ten Towns isn't a "human" settlement. A significant fraction of the population are halflings, along with dwarves etc;
• Roughly 20% of the population of the Ten Towns are "tribal warriors" and about 2% veterans. Various races. The remaining 78% are non-combatants.

You can get the percentage breakdown from the 3e FR campaign guide. It's a Human area.

65% Human
10% Dwarf
8% Orc
5% Half-Orc
4% Elf
4% Halfling
2% Gnome
1% Half-Elf
1% Misc.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

You can get the percentage breakdown from the 3e FR campaign guide. It's a Human area.

65% Human
10% Dwarf
8% Orc
5% Half-Orc
4% Elf
4% Halfling
2% Gnome
1% Half-Elf
1% Misc.

Given the 8% orc, I assume that refers to the region as a whole, not just the Ten Towns. The Reghed nomads would push up the human population in that case.

RotFM is also set 100+ years later.

If you go by characters mentioned in RotFM, the Ten Towns seems to support more dwarves than humans, and has zero elves.

 

[tetrasodium]

Wow! Multiple wrong statements there. First wrong statement. That I'm(and it is me you are referring to) am defending plot armor with this. It's not plot armor. Second wrong statement. That I said that it didn't happen because it's not spelled out. Two completely wrong statements in a single sentence. That's impressive. Going for three next time?

Stop moving the goalposts around. If you aren't trying to say things like halflings dont use carts or wagons in trade why protest the very idea other thsn to inject mouse into the discussion as a distraction

 

[Maxperson]

Given the 8% orc, I assume that refers to the region as a whole, not just the Ten Towns. The Reghed nomads would push up the human population in that case.

RotFM is also set 100+ years later.

If you go by characters mentioned in RotFM, the Ten Towns seems to support more dwarves than humans, and has zero elves.

Probably not. Orcs in the Forgotten Realms have a history being integrated into society to a degree. Not all of them are evil.

 

[Maxperson]

Stop moving the goalposts around. If you aren't trying to say things like halflings dont use carts or wagons in trade why protest the very idea other thsn to inject mouse into the discussion as a distraction

I am saying that they likely do not use carts or wagons. I am not saying that it's "because it's not written" or "Because plot armor." The only one moving goalposts here is you, and you're moving mine around like a madman. Leave my goalposts alone.

 

[Oofta]

The % are from Rime of the Frostmaiden. As I said, the Ten Towns is a mixed-race settlement. No reason to suppose adjusting the relative proportions of humans, dwarves, halflings, half elves, half orcs, tieflings and dragonborn (to go by the races of Ten Towners mentioned in the adventure) would change anything.
...

My point is that the numbers you are pulling up are setting and region specific, not a broad default assumption. Therefore broad default assumptions can't be used to say that halflings would never survive. If a series of towns (dominated by) humans can survive without walls, so can halfling villages. There's nothing to indicate that they would not have a similar percentage of warrior types in a dangerous region. If the threat is big enough they flee to safety, just like Ten Towns residents or people throughout history have.

So again, no real difference between human dominated settlements and halfling dominated settlements has been indicated. Yet Ten Towns is still on the map.

 

[tetrasodium]

I am saying that they likely do not use carts or wagons. I am not saying that it's "because it's not written" or "Because plot armor." The only one moving goalposts here is you, and you're moving mine around like a madman. Leave my goalposts alone.

so you finally admit that they use carts or wagons instead of making an astounding number of trips one by one with a pack animal through random nonrepeating routes over days worth of travel in order to bring their harvest to market for trade?

Edit: think hard before you decide on that one because once they start using carts or wagons you lose the foundation for the unbelievable idea that bandits & raiders chased away by other more advanced civilizations with taxes patrols & so on can't find/notice/follow roads to halfling villages or just rob them on the road while going to & from selling their harvest. Not joining advanced civilizations has costs greater than joining them.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Probably not. Orcs in the Forgotten Realms have a history being integrated into society to a degree. Not all of them are evil.

There are no orcs living in the Ten Towns at the time of RotFM, and it is implied that half orcs face prejudice.

 

[Maxperson]

View attachment 131994
so you finally admit that they use carts or wagons instead of making an astounding number of trips one by one with a pack animal through random nonrepeating routes over days worth of travel in order to bring their harvest to market for trade?

Edit: think hard before you decide on that one because once they start using carts or wagons you lose the foundation for the unbelievable idea that bandits & raiders chased away by other more advanced civilizations with taxes patrols & so on can't find/notice/follow roads to halfling villages or just rob them on the road while going to & from selling their harvest. Not joining advanced civilizations has costs greater than joining them.

You re-read that for a while and see if you still think I was saying that they use carts and wagons. If you still do, we're done in this discussion. I'm not going to continue on with someone who is that out of touch.

 

[Oofta]

So suddenly mules can't be used to carry grain and trade goods? I'm sure this critter will be relieved.

These arguments are just so ludicrous. Carrying loads is what mules have always done and still do to this day.

P.S. Instead of "ignore poster" I need "ignore thread". But saying mules can't be used to carry goods to market ... it's just dumb.