Posts
Alexis recently
finished a series of posts detailing (mostly) his world's economic system. I've been salivating over it for years, and I
immediately set to establishing it in my world.
I immediately ran
into some problems specific to my world.
The problems begin in that my world (at least, the parts that I have
designed right now) take place on the equator - Sahargeen, the magical
rainforest, is on the equator and therefore the Southern Kingdoms, which lie
directly south of it, are in a tropical climate. This means that the Southern Kingdoms have
been carved out of this rainforest, (and the land is mostly hilly, I'll get to
that later), rendering it less suited for a standard D&D economy - horses
do very poorly in jungle, as does grain.
To place resources,
I decided to type each hex in two ways: its topography and vegetation, since
the two can be independent. Here, the
vegetation is all jungle or jungle and swamp (for the hexes featuring rivers),
and the topography is almost entirely hilly (since I started with elevations
for each hex instead of a terrain type, I had to come up with some rules to
apply a topographic type to each hex. My
rule of thumb is that if there is an elevation change of more than 500', then
both hexes will be hilly, and mountains are determined by either hills over
5000' or a difference of more than 2000').
Each topographic and
vegetative option has a distinct set of references that might be found there:
Type
|
Hills;
Jungle
|
Hills;
Jungle Swamp
|
Plain
|
Plain;
JS
|
Mountain;
J
|
Coast
|
1
|
Empty
|
Empty
|
Empty
|
Empty
|
Empty
|
Empty
|
2
|
Empty
|
Empty
|
Empty
|
Empty
|
Empty
|
Roll
twice
|
3
|
Roll
twice
|
Roll
twice
|
Roll
twice
|
Roll
twice
|
Roll
twice
|
Salt
|
4
|
Ore
|
Ore
|
Cattle
|
Cattle
|
Gold
|
Fish
|
5
|
Bricks
|
Bricks
|
Grain
|
Grain
|
Ore
|
Clay
|
6
|
Sheep
|
Clay
|
Fruit
|
Fruit
|
Bricks
|
|
7
|
Clay
|
Fruit
|
Horses
|
Horses
|
||
8
|
Fruit
|
Empty
|
Bricks
|
Bricks
|
||
9
|
Empty
|
Fruit
|
Empty
|
|||
10
|
Fruit
|
Spices
|
Fruit
|
|||
11
|
Spices
|
Timber
|
Spices
|
|||
12
|
Timber
|
Fish
|
Fish
|
|||
13
|
Gold
|
Gold
|
Coasts are
(obviously) the hexes that border the sea.
Since I rolled randomly on the table you see above for each hex, I had
to essentialize my list to make sure that each area was producing the kinds of
things I wanted it to produce - I want coasts to produce primarily salt and
fish, and so I ignore whatever vegetation might be there in favor of the
opportunities provided by the topography.
Similarly, since having a lot of gold references is important to
standardize pricing, I wanted mountains to predominantly offer gold and ore, so
I ignore vegetation there, as well.
You'll also notice
that I do not have any grapes references as mentioned in Alexis' original
setup. This is because grapes require a
hot, dry climate to thrive, but in the tropics, bananas, coconuts, and
pineapples serve the same purpose (the brewing of wine).
The table worked
fairly well for this area, and once I finish the Southern Kingdoms up, I'm
interested in expanding this method to work with my other regions (which are
much more vegetatively diverse). I will
probably make them produce fewer resources, as well.
Part of the reason I
have for a much higher chance of producing references than not is that the
Southern Kingdoms are the player's entry point into my world - it is my Fallow,
to draw from Alexis' How to Run. The culture is based on a European
religio-feudal model despite being on the edge of a tropical jungle (they are
immigrants), and I want this area, therefore, to be incredibly resource-rich. The randomization, as you will soon see,
still makes relative scarcity occur, but most of the reference types are
well-represented, so one can purchase most goods for a reasonable price (the
exceptions being horses, cattle, and grain).
Hex
|
-16
|
-15
|
-14
|
-13
|
-12
|
-11
|
-10
|
-9
|
-8
|
-7
|
-6
|
-5
|
-4
|
-3
|
-2
|
-1
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
7
|
?
|
Hills;
J
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
Hills;
J
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
Hills;
JS
|
?
|
Hills;
J
|
?
|
Hills;
J
|
?
|
Hills;
J
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
Hills;
J
|
?
|
Hills;
J
|
?
|
Hills;
J
|
6
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
5
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Mountain;
J
|
Mountain;
J
|
Mountain;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
4
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Mountain;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Mountain;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Mountain;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
3
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Mountain;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Mountain;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Plain;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Plain
|
Plain;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
2
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Plain;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Plain;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
1
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Plain;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Coast
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Plain;
JS
|
Plain;
JS
|
Coast
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Plain;
JS
|
Plain;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Coast
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Mountain;
J
|
0
|
Coast
|
Hills;
J
|
Coast
|
Plain
|
Coast
|
Coast
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Coast
|
Sea
|
Coast
|
Coast
|
Plain
|
Coast
|
Coast
|
Sea
|
Coast
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
-1
|
Plain
|
Coast
|
Plain
|
Coast
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Coast
|
Plain
|
Coast
|
Coast
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Coast
|
Sea
|
Coast
|
Sea
|
Coast
|
Plain;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
Mountain;
JS
|
-2
|
Coast
|
Plain
|
Coast
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Coast
|
Coast
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Coast
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
Plain
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
Mountain;
J
|
||||||
-3
|
Sea
|
Coast
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Coast
|
Hills;
J
|
Coast;
JS
|
Plain;
JS
|
Plain
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
JS
|
||||||||||||
-4
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Coast
|
Sea
|
Coast
|
Coast
|
Hills;
JS
|
Hills;
J
|
|||||||||||||||||
-5
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Hills;
J
|
Hills;
JS
|
||||||||||||||||||||
-6
|
Sea
|
Coast
|
Hills;
JS
|
This table lists all
of the hexes that I consider within the boundaries of the Southern
Kingdoms. Each 20-mile hex has its own
box, and (once I get back to my more powerful computer) I'll assign each hex to
a market. The question marks are areas
for which either I couldn't read the elevation or I haven't mapped yet, but
they are too far from the Southern Kingdoms to provide references.
This area spans
about 100,000 square miles and has 26 markets, concentrated within about 80
miles of the coast.
After randomly
determining my references via the process above, I come out with the following
list.
Hex
|
-16
|
-15
|
-14
|
-13
|
-12
|
-11
|
-10
|
-9
|
-8
|
-7
|
-6
|
-5
|
-4
|
-3
|
-2
|
-1
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
7
|
?
|
Clay
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
Empty
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
Empty
|
?
|
Timber
|
?
|
Clay
|
?
|
Empty
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
Spices
|
?
|
Ore
|
?
|
Empty
|
6
|
Bricks
|
Fruit
|
Spices
|
Spices
|
Empty
|
Ore
|
Fruit
|
Fruit
|
Spices
|
Spices
|
Fish
|
Fruit
|
Empty
|
Spices
|
Empty
|
Fruit
|
Fruit
|
Sheep
|
Empty
|
Bricks,
Fruit
|
Gold
|
Fruit,
Bricks
|
Empty
|
Spices
|
Spices
|
5
|
Ore
|
Bricks,
Ore
|
Empty
|
Timber
|
Timber
|
Ore
|
Gold
|
Fruit
|
Spices
|
Timber
|
Bricks
|
Fruit
|
Timber
|
Ore
|
Gold
|
Bricks
|
Bricks
|
Empty
|
Fruit
|
Sheep
|
Fruit
|
Sheep,
Fruit
|
Ore
|
Empty
|
Fruit
|
4
|
Empty
|
Gold
|
Timber,
Spices
|
Ore
|
Fish
|
Horses
|
Ore
|
Fruit
|
Gold
|
Empty
|
Clay
|
Empty
|
Fruit
|
Bricks
|
Empty
|
Timber
|
Fruit
|
Ore,
Fruit
|
Timber,
Ore
|
Gold
|
Fruit
|
Fruit
|
Gold
|
Empty
|
Empty
|
3
|
Fruit
|
Fruit
|
Fruit
|
Bricks
|
Fish
|
Bricks
|
Empty
|
2 Gold
|
Fruit
|
Ore
|
Horses
|
Empty
|
Fruit
|
Gold
|
Gold
|
Empty
|
Cattle
|
Bricks,
Gold
|
Empty
|
Clay
|
Gold
|
Fruit
|
Empty
|
Clay
|
Spices
|
2
|
Bricks
|
Ore
|
Fish,
Fruit
|
Sheep
|
Gold
|
Fruit
|
Timber
|
Spices
|
Timber
|
Fruit,
Spices
|
Bricks
|
Timber
|
Bricks
|
Ore
|
Clay
|
Spices,
Timber
|
Spices
|
Empty
|
Clay
|
Timber
|
Fruit
|
Bricks
|
Timber
|
Empty
|
Empty
|
1
|
Timber
|
Bricks
|
Horses
|
2
Fruit
|
Salt
|
Spices,
Fruit
|
Empty
|
Fruit
|
Spices
|
Bricks
|
Salt
|
Spices
|
Empty
|
Horses
|
Empty
|
Empty
|
Clay
|
Timber
|
Empty
|
Empty
|
Timber
|
Empty
|
Fruit
|
Timber
|
Gold
|
0
|
2 Salt
|
Empty
|
Fish
|
Empty
|
Salt,
Fish
|
Salt
|
Fruit
|
Clay
|
Bricks
|
Fish
|
Sea
|
Clay
|
Salt
|
Empty
|
Salt,
Fish
|
Salt
|
Sea
|
Empty
|
Fish
|
Fruit
|
Fruit
|
Spices
|
Bricks,
Timber
|
Timber
|
Spices
|
-1
|
Bricks,
Grain
|
Salt
|
Empty
|
Fish,
Salt
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Empty
|
Bricks
|
Empty
|
Fish
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
2 Clay
|
Sea
|
Clay
|
Sea
|
2 Fish
|
Fish
|
Bricks
|
Ore
|
Bricks
|
Ore
|
Fish
|
Gold
|
-2
|
Salt
|
Empty
|
Empty
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
2 Salt
|
Fish,
Salt
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Clay,
Fish
|
Fruit
|
Spices
|
Fruit
|
Cattle
|
Spices
|
Clay
|
Empty
|
||||||
-3
|
Sea
|
Empty
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Salt
|
Sheep,
Timber
|
2 Clay
|
Fish
|
Bricks
|
Empty
|
Spices,
Fruit
|
||||||||||||
-4
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Salt,
Fish
|
Sea
|
Empty
|
Salt,
Clay
|
Clay
|
Gold
|
|||||||||||||||||
-5
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Sea
|
Fruit
|
Empty
|
||||||||||||||||||||
-6
|
Sea
|
Empty
|
Fish,
Clay
|
My count of each
reference is as follows:
Reference
|
Totals
|
Bricks
|
23
|
Cattle
|
2
|
Clay
|
19
|
Fish
|
21
|
Fruit
|
43
|
Gold
|
19
|
Grain
|
2
|
Horses
|
2
|
Ore
|
16
|
Salt
|
18
|
Sheep
|
5
|
Spices
|
18
|
Timber
|
21
|
Fruit, then, is the
dominant foodstuff, and there's a fair amount of stone, fish, gold, salt,
timber, and spices. The relative
scarcity of timber indicates that, although the rainforest is everywhere, most
of the wood in the rainforest isn't useful for construction purposes (or the
forest's guardians have killed enough would-be loggers that people have learned
their lesson).
The lack of grain,
however, will be problematic - grain forms a huge staple in most standard
medieval diets (especially nonperishable rations, which are kind of important
for roleplaying games). To fix this,
I'll go in as I'm assigning hexes to markets and change what references are
produced by the plains in columns -6 and 0.
I can already see how this is going to change my game for the better, and I'm excited to implement everything.
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