Urbanisation Threats and Adaptation
Neptos is a dangerous world, full of monstrous and supernatural creatures that constantly threaten civilized lands.
Hobgoblin invasions, Orc raids on the frontier, and goblins that infest every known wilderness are constant threats to the nations of Thytika.
As a result, a large proportion of people live in urban settlements with populations over 500. These urban centers are usually surrounded by farmsteads, hamlets and villages no further than 5 miles from the safety of the walled settlement.
Urbanization rates can vary from nation to nation depending on the threats that infest a particular area of the world, but on the frontier, 20-30% of the civilized population live in urban centers.
The famous town of Greenest houses 50% of the regional population behind its walls due to its close proximity to the dangerous Goblin Hills and Noxious Glade.
Agriculture
In order to sustain these high levels of urbanization, a number of agriculture technologies and practices exist to support large population centers.
These practices included crop rotations to preserve soil quality, selective breeding, and improved farming tools like the advanced plow and seed drill.
Magic by druids and the clergy of Ogun is sometimes employed, but mostly in dire circumstances, like events of droughts and plagues.
Mages can also be employed to help improve agriculture, but only at great expense as their services are never cheap.
Militias
To help protect farms most settlements have paid local militia as well as encourage their populations to practice archery.
These local armed populations act as deterrents for many threats like those of cowardly goblins, but sadly others like orcs and hobgoblins are not always deterred.
Raiding armed settlements is seen as a challenge to satisfy their blood lust as well as a way to initiate young warriors within their tribes and clans.
Roads and Rivers
Most major towns (population greater than 1500) are connected either by navigatable rivers or built roads which help facilitate faster and easier travel between urban centers allowing for the flow of goods by merchants.
Mercenaries
It’s not unusual for lone, or small groups of travelers to journey between some settlements, and more often than not the biggest threat is goblins, that prefer to steal rather than commit acts of violence, or bandits that are happy to let folk pass for a small “toll”.
However, many trade routes between major cities and nations pass through dangerous wildernesses, and mercenaries and caravan guards are in high demand.
Commoners wishing to travel between these large urban centers either do so in large companies or with regular trade caravans that are protected.
Adventurers:
Bounty Hunter, Monster Slayers, and Treasure Hunters
The ever-present dangers that lurk in the wilds often find themselves on the footsteps of civilizations. To help counter these threats, and protect civilized lands, bands of specialized soldiers known as adventurers ply their trade all over the world.
Most adventurers are veteran fighters, skilled in the arts of martial combat, looking to gain fame and fortune, and taking on jobs only highly-trained warriors are capable of tackling.
Some adventurers have more unique and amazing skills. Spellcasters of all types including trained wizards and self-taught sorcerers. Holy warriors questing on behalf of their deities, and rangers and druids looking to preserve the balance of nature.
The adventuring life is one fraught with danger, and most would be adventurers meet their end alone and forgotten, their bones feasted on by scavengers or something far worse.
The few adventuring parties that do achieve great success, amass great fortunes and fame. Their deeds are known to both commoners and powerful lords as bards sing their tales far and wide.
One of the most famous adventuring bands on the frontier, in the last century, was the famous force that slew a green dragon in the Noxious Glade.
Many taverns and inns in frontier towns post bounty boards where adventurers seek employment.
These jobs usually involve hunting down bandits and murders. Other jobs include the elimination of dangerous creatures terrorizing the countryside, such as Ogres and Trolls.
More employment opportunities exist with powerful lords and wealthy merchants, looking for specialized parties for even more dangerous missions.
Quests may involve providing security or missions specific skills for an archeological expedition. Others are to collect rare magical herbs that can only be found in secluded regions of the world.
Whatever the task, adventurers are a vital part of the world’s economy, where a few individuals can make a difference in the rise or fall of nations.
