[Mkguild] Metamor Population, Arable Land, and Valley Size

[C. Matthias]

>Don't worry, this is an easy one...
>
>The Metamor Valley is roughly 10 miles wide.  Population is roughly 15,000.
>A square mile of basic medieval farmland can support about 30 people.  This
>is good land, probably a bit better than around Metamor, but doesn't include
>magic, so lets keep it as a ball park figure.  That means there needs to be
>about 500 square miles of half decent farmland.  I would assume that this
>would exist only south of the Keep.  North has too much war going on to be
>dependently arrable.
>
>Assuming 10 mile width, that means that SOUTH of the keep, the valley has to
>be about 50 miles long.  It also assumes that every square foot south of the
>keep is extensively cultivated.  I'd tend to go for 60 or 70 miles south to
>allow some areas of non-cultivation.
>
>This gives us an idea of how long the valley needs to be.
>
>Oh, and as a side effect, caravans can go something like 15 miles a day on
>half decent roads (as I recall -- this is from memory so take it with a
>grain of salt).  Assuming 60 miles, that means 4 days to get from the
>entrance to the keep.  Curse requires 14 days.  4 days in, 4 days out,
>leaves 6 days to sell stuff, assuming no delays.  :)
>
>Ain't math FUN?

There are a couple of errors with your math.  For instance, the food 
consumption ratio is not consistent with 30 men per acre of arable 
land.  ARs consume less food, and many AMs would consume different 
food altogether.

Secondly, Metamor controls lands south of the Valley mouth which are 
also arable.  The Valley itself does not need to be self-sustaining 
via these numbers.

Now, Lorland, a region south of Metamor which is particularly 
fertile, does lend a lot of support food-wise to Metamor; they are 
the breadbasket of the valley.  But they support mainly regions north 
of themselves.  My understanding is that most people living in the 
valley live in the Southern half which is safer, and which has more 
arable land, and which is closer to the valley mouth where there is a 
LOT more arable land.

So, the valley does not need to be nearly the length you describe to 
attain those population levels.

May He bless you and keep you in His grace and love,

Charles Matthias