| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Arzakon |
Posted - 18 Mar 2010 : 10:33:21
Hi again, I'm not here to discuss anything this time :P. I just wanted to ask if anybody has any source, info, book or anything related to economics. I already have some useful excel sheets (the farming revenue one was quite good :D), but there are a lot of issues that I cannot find in my books.
Here are these issues: National budgets, taxation (in commerce and agriculture) and armies of the realms.
I know it's quite sick to search for this kind of information just for a game, but if any of you could provide me with a good sourcebook, internet page or anything else, I would be grateful. |
| 8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Fizilbert |
Posted - 19 Mar 2010 : 10:35:47
You are correct, but it's a starting point. Knowing what a region may export and import will help determine what their economy may be like. |
| Kentinal |
Posted - 18 Mar 2010 : 22:43:57
quote:
Originally posted by Fizilbert
I thought the 2E Volo's Guides did a pretty good job of describing things such as imports/exports of different cities and regions.
Import and exports do not equal economy. That just describes local resources and lack there of - the reason for trade existing in the first place. |
| Fizilbert |
Posted - 18 Mar 2010 : 21:53:28
I thought the 2E Volo's Guides did a pretty good job of describing things such as imports/exports of different cities and regions. |
| Kentinal |
Posted - 18 Mar 2010 : 21:19:12
No one has really looked at Realms economy, D&D rules does not provide enough resource to make it work. A long time ago Basic D&D did provide a simple guideline, that no way took in the needed details. 1st Edition rules did discussion some about taxation, however that appears was more about keeping PCs poor as opposed to what was done with the taxes.
Things like trade, currency exchange really does not have any source book that I can think of. |
| Faraer |
Posted - 18 Mar 2010 : 17:26:08
So there's lots of qualitative lore, but Realms economics has never been worked out with hard number-crunching in mind. It's not that the quantitative approach is 'sick', it just isn't one Ed or I think other designers have worked with, and you'd basically have to understand the mercantile system as well as possible then make up the numbers from scratch. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 18 Mar 2010 : 14:15:19
With respect to the "status" of trade/economic structures in the Realms, heed the words of Ed:-
"Regarding trade, it’s important to note that any game product covering trade in the Realms or any properly detailed fantasy setting would be a snapshot, out of date the moment it’s published, because a printed book is static, and (in daily detail if not in overall needs and flows) trade is constantly changing. Many fantasy fiction writers seize on the exciting “wheeling and dealing” of trade (the thirteen books by David and Leigh Eddings that include the character of Silk keep delving into his deceptions, swaps, arranged shortages, and so on)." |
| Hoondatha |
Posted - 18 Mar 2010 : 12:12:51
The original Old Grey Box also had a map of the north with trading routes on it, complete with what people import and export. You won't find any hard numbers (ie: Amn's GNP = X millions of GP), because that's info that would vary considerably from game to game. You can, however, fairly easily get an idea of what goods are moving in what direction. A number of 2e area sourcebooks would also have quick import/export details in their city descriptions (ie: Drizzt's Guide to the Underdark).
Probably the best thing to do for more details is what Sage suggests: take a look through Ed's collected replies and then ask him any remaining questions. He worked much of this stuff out decades ago, because his players kept asking him exactly what was in this caravan they were guarding, and why was it going in this direction? |
| The Sage |
Posted - 18 Mar 2010 : 11:10:40
The 3e Power of Faerûn has a chapter on this particular aspect of the Realms. Ed's replies also contain some useful info as well -- just search through the "So Saith Ed" link in my sig. And the various regional sourcebooks feature some basic economic lore for the individual regions covered in each tome. |
