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Ironstar
Acolyte
Germany
19 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Mar 2020 : 14:16:21
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I'm trying to have an understanding what percentage of the total population of Forgotten Realms were professional adventurers during 1350 DR - 1370 DR. By this I mean members of adventuring companies and individual adventurers who made their living as adventurers, not including members of armies or bigger mercenary companies.
It was mentioned somewhere that the population of civilized races living on the surface of Faerun would be around 68 million. I couldn't find the estimate of the population of all continents added together.
The reason I'm asking this is to have an understanding, how rare it would be to encounter adventurers during this time. Of course it is clear that this varied among places. Cities and trade routes would obviously see more adventurers than remote villages or forests etc. But still let's say: how normal or rare would it be for a boy in Baldur's Gate's streets to encounter a professional adventurer? Did it happen weekly or was it a few times a day event?
Best wishes and cheers!
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Edited by - Ironstar on 04 Mar 2020 15:09:57
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cpthero2
Great Reader
USA
2286 Posts |
Posted - 04 Mar 2020 : 18:30:46
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Seeker Ironstar,
Well, that is tough. I'll try to do my best to help here though.
Here is a link to "known" adventuring companies:
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Adventuring_companies
There is another link for notable adventurers, but that is clearly not the information you are looking for.
I just don't think that kind of census/demographic information is collected. It is a medieval society that just doesn't have the infrastructure in countries that are vying for a life that is very much pre-industrial. Economics, and other soft sciences, are just not a thing, and those tend to rely the most on that kind of information for data analysis.
I do know you could look at possibly accessories like Cormyr for example as they have requirements to register in their nation. Off the top of my head I cannot think of other nations or city-states that require that. Perhaps Raven's Bluff?
Best regards,
quote:
Originally posted by Ironstar
I'm trying to have an understanding what percentage of the total population of Forgotten Realms were professional adventurers during 1350 DR - 1370 DR. By this I mean members of adventuring companies and individual adventurers who made their living as adventurers, not including members of armies or bigger mercenary companies.
It was mentioned somewhere that the population of civilized races living on the surface of Faerun would be around 68 million. I couldn't find the estimate of the population of all continents added together.
The reason I'm asking this is to have an understanding, how rare it would be to encounter adventurers during this time. Of course it is clear that this varied among places. Cities and trade routes would obviously see more adventurers than remote villages or forests etc. But still let's say: how normal or rare would it be for a boy in Baldur's Gate's streets to encounter a professional adventurer? Did it happen weekly or was it a few times a day event?
Best wishes and cheers!
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Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring |
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AJA
Senior Scribe
USA
770 Posts |
Posted - 05 Mar 2020 : 01:03:32
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Adventurers in the Realms are common enough that the original (Ol' Grey) Campaign Setting box has an entry dedicated to them which specifically notes how common a part of the setting they are! As the Cyclopedia of the Realms states (under the entry for Adventuring Companies):
"Bands of adventurers are many in the Realms; tolerated in most places, they have a long tradition....As with merchant companies, the number of Adventuring Companies is large and constantly changing. Such groups are established, vanish, and change names and locations constantly with the passing winters."
Other than that, it's probably pretty impossible to nail down definitive numbers ("large and constantly changing" and, for places such as "the largest known mass grave in Faerūn today" Undermountain, constantly dying). For your boy in Baldur's Gate, it would also depend in which streets he is roaming; down in the docks and tankard houses you're likely to see adventurers as commonplace, but in the more sedate or upscale parts of town, not so much.
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AJA
YAFRP
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Ironstar
Acolyte
Germany
19 Posts |
Posted - 05 Mar 2020 : 05:08:48
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Dear Scribes,
Thank you for your answers. From a link
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Adventurer I found:
Adventuring as a profession began to rise around 1300 DR, as prosperity levels in the Realms began to increase with the founding of new cities and the creation of merchant powers. Before that, adventurers were regarded as lawless nuisances little better than outlaws, an attitude encouraged by rulers and many temples, who disliked competition to their "lawful authority."
So I suppose there was a significant increase going up from 1300 DR... |
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cpthero2
Great Reader
USA
2286 Posts |
Posted - 05 Mar 2020 : 07:22:45
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Seeker Ironstar,
Agreed, I would imagine that is the case there. It's a really great question, but just not a lot of data on it!
Best regards,
quote:
Originally posted by Ironstar
Dear Scribes,
Thank you for your answers. From a link
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Adventurer I found:
Adventuring as a profession began to rise around 1300 DR, as prosperity levels in the Realms began to increase with the founding of new cities and the creation of merchant powers. Before that, adventurers were regarded as lawless nuisances little better than outlaws, an attitude encouraged by rulers and many temples, who disliked competition to their "lawful authority."
So I suppose there was a significant increase going up from 1300 DR...
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Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring |
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Amount of Adventurers in the Realms 1350 - 1370 DR
