| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| BlackDragonKarameikos |
Posted - 12 Jun 2008 : 14:50:15
I havea question concerning Nashkel.
Can anyone give me some info on the town(e.g. Size, number of people, types of temples, Etc.). The map for the FRCS has the town listed but in the book itself it has nothing listed.
Any info that you can come up with canon or not will be helpful.
Thanks in advance for any help that you can give. |
| 23 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Returnip |
Posted - 01 Jan 2021 : 12:18:17
quote:
Originally posted by Kentinal
quote:
Originally posted by Returnip
I'm just gonna go with a barracks with a small contingent of soldiers, a wooden palisade, a couple wooden watch towers, and call it a day.
The size of troop would need to be between 15 and 30 I would guess (The 30 is one percent of the 3,000 population that town was once listed at). You need to remember troops do have to sleep so not protecting 24 hours a day. Troops clearly would be in the watch towers (You should have at least three, maybe more depending on field of view. Two troops to a tower provides redundancy for detection. Depending on level of danger there might be foot patrols along the wall as well.
A plan for barrack should include officer space and at least enough room for troops off duty to sleep/rest. That depends on your budget, clearly better to have a bed for each troop.
Those are all good recommendations and in line with how I think. When planning military defenses I will calculate it like this:
- Watch towers spaced to cover all blind spots outside the gates. For low risk areas, one soldier per watchtower. If he or she spots something they can call it out to the foot patrols inside the palisade/wall. For high risk areas, two per tower where if something is spotted one stays on target to observe and the other runs the intel to superior officer. And if one of them is killed before they observe something the other can still duck down in cover and relay the alarm.
- Foot patrols inside the walls patrolling the streets, there to keep the peace by presence. Size of each patrol (at least two) and number of patrols depends on the area the city covers. A patrol round shouldn't take more than half an hour to an hour, so I split the city area up into wards or districts and distribute enough patrols to uphold that time limit.
- Gate guards. At least two per gate.
- Multiply this number by three. One third on active duty, one third recuperating, and one third is QRF (quick response force) so the defenses can quickly be doubled if needed, or if a patrol has to deviate from their designated route, station or tower to give chase they can be replaced temporarily by parts of the QRF.
- Superior officers. One sergeant for every group, for a total of ten (9+1). Every soldier is required to know the schedules by heart and always know where their sergeant is stationed at any given time.
- One captain for every fourty soldiers, or four groups.
The barracks need only hold a third of the soldiers for sleeping at any given time since the other two thirds are on active and passive duty respectively.
The sergeants bunk with the soldiers.
The captain or captains have separate rooms, with a bed and a desk for administrative work, and additional chairs for meetings.
The day and night is split up into three parts and each third of the total force will be eight hours on each station - active duty, passive duty, and recuperation.
Those on active duty are allowed to cook food while working, or if that's not manageable for whatever reason the soldiers on passive duty cooks and brings a meal out to those on active duty.
Optional: If it's a high risk area the city will also have patrols circling the city a small distance outside the city walls to extend the safe zone. These patrols are more likely to be made up of scouts or, if there's a lack of professional scouts, local hunters or woodsmen/-women making an extra buck to scout the surroundings.
That's my base. I modify this as needed, changing names of rank for flavour, and so on.
EDIT: For Nashkel the percentage you mention can work. For small cities like that there is usually a city center where the number of people per square kilometer is higher. This is the area within the walls. Then there will be outlying farms. Their inhabitants are under order to abandon everything and seek refuge within the walls in the event of an attack. Since the city center is usually small the number of soldiers needed to keep watch is low. I'd imagine Nashkel has one or two gates, and maybe four or six watch towers of which each gate includes one. Street patrols number maybe four or six, and the outer perimeter is patrolled by local hunters who report to the captain. That would put the number of soldiers at 16 times three for 48 individuals plus one captain. The hunters/scouts are freelance and not included in that number. |
| Kentinal |
Posted - 31 Dec 2020 : 20:32:25
quote:
Originally posted by Returnip
I'm just gonna go with a barracks with a small contingent of soldiers, a wooden palisade, a couple wooden watch towers, and call it a day.
The size of troop would need to be between 15 and 30 I would guess (The 30 is one percent of the 3,000 population that town was once listed at). You need to remember troops do have to sleep so not protecting 24 hours a day. Troops clearly would be in the watch towers (You should have at least three, maybe more depending on field of view. Two troops to a tower provides redundancy for detection. Depending on level of danger there might be foot patrols along the wall as well.
A plan for barrack should include officer space and at least enough room for troops off duty to sleep/rest. That depends on your budget, clearly better to have a bed for each troop. |
| Returnip |
Posted - 31 Dec 2020 : 20:01:30
I'm just gonna go with a barracks with a small contingent of soldiers, a wooden palisade, a couple wooden watch towers, and call it a day. |
| The Arcanamach |
Posted - 26 Dec 2020 : 16:02:03
2e was far more ephemeral with references like that and left much of the work to DMs. My own opinion is that Nashkel has a garrison of soldiers to help protect the mines. Of course, over time, I'd assume a wall and a watchtower or two to be built as well. |
| cpthero2 |
Posted - 20 Dec 2020 : 22:59:42
Learned Scribe Returnip,
I recalled some material from Cityscape that discussed. Looking it up, on page 30, it goes into fortifications, but not what a fortified town is specifically.
Best regards,
|
| Returnip |
Posted - 18 Dec 2020 : 22:50:39
quote:
Originally posted by Kentinal
quote:
Originally posted by Returnip
quote:
Originally posted by Kentinal
A Town tends to be a few thousand people living in it. One web search indicated about 3,00 living in the Town. Population varies depending on year and era.
Fortified Towns generally indicate protected by wooden wall with maybe a few watch towers.
Towns however could be fortified by earthen embankments or even stone walls. Even a fence to establish a barrier around the Town might meet the definition of fortified if protected by a Town Watch or Guard.
Hey, even a contingent of soldiers garrisoned in a town can mean it's fortified linguistically. That's why I'm asking what the rules say the label signifies. It's a big difference to describe a town as walled and describing it as patrolled by soldiers to my players. :)
So you're saying that the addition of any type of wall would qualify as a fortified town as per the 2nd edition rules?
The most general description of a fortified town would be a Town with a wooden palisade and troops enough to defend the walls. That there can be variations on how a town is protected that might be used. A Town can be fortified by magic for example instead of troops and wall.
Fair enough. But is this from the 2nd ed core rules? Or some realms book? |
| Kentinal |
Posted - 18 Dec 2020 : 22:49:05
quote:
Originally posted by Returnip
quote:
Originally posted by Kentinal
A Town tends to be a few thousand people living in it. One web search indicated about 3,00 living in the Town. Population varies depending on year and era.
Fortified Towns generally indicate protected by wooden wall with maybe a few watch towers.
Towns however could be fortified by earthen embankments or even stone walls. Even a fence to establish a barrier around the Town might meet the definition of fortified if protected by a Town Watch or Guard.
Hey, even a contingent of soldiers garrisoned in a town can mean it's fortified linguistically. That's why I'm asking what the rules say the label signifies. It's a big difference to describe a town as walled and describing it as patrolled by soldiers to my players. :)
So you're saying that the addition of any type of wall would qualify as a fortified town as per the 2nd edition rules?
The most general description of a fortified town would be a Town with a wooden palisade and troops enough to defend the walls. That there can be variations on how a town is protected that might be used. A Town can be fortified by magic for example instead of troops and wall. |
| Returnip |
Posted - 18 Dec 2020 : 22:37:15
quote:
Originally posted by Kentinal
A Town tends to be a few thousand people living in it. One web search indicated about 3,00 living in the Town. Population varies depending on year and era.
Fortified Towns generally indicate protected by wooden wall with maybe a few watch towers.
Towns however could be fortified by earthen embankments or even stone walls. Even a fence to establish a barrier around the Town might meet the definition of fortified if protected by a Town Watch or Guard.
Hey, even a contingent of soldiers garrisoned in a town can mean it's fortified linguistically. That's why I'm asking what the rules say the label signifies. It's a big difference to describe a town as walled and describing it as patrolled by soldiers to my players. :)
So you're saying that the addition of any type of wall would qualify as a fortified town as per the 2nd edition rules? |
| Dalor Darden |
Posted - 18 Dec 2020 : 22:31:14
quote:
Originally posted by Returnip
This thread helped me find the information on Nashkel in Lands of Intrigue. But being primarily a 3.x player I'm confused about the denomination "(Fortified town)". What does the city size scale look like in 2nd edition and what does "fortified town" signify? In 3.x it's just something like "hamlet, village, small town, large town, city, metropolis" iirc. Grateful for any help shedding light on this.
Just means it has a fortified wall to me. |
| Kentinal |
Posted - 18 Dec 2020 : 22:30:28
A Town tends to be a few thousand people living in it. One web search indicated about 3,00 living in the Town. Population varies depending on year and era.
Fortified Towns generally indicate protected by wooden wall with maybe a few watch towers.
Towns however could be fortified by earthen embankments or even stone walls. Even a fence to establish a barrier around the Town might meet the definition of fortified if protected by a Town Watch or Guard. |
| Returnip |
Posted - 18 Dec 2020 : 22:01:46
This thread helped me find the information on Nashkel in Lands of Intrigue. But being primarily a 3.x player I'm confused about the denomination "(Fortified town)". What does the city size scale look like in 2nd edition and what does "fortified town" signify? In 3.x it's just something like "hamlet, village, small town, large town, city, metropolis" iirc. Grateful for any help shedding light on this. |
| BlackDragonKarameikos |
Posted - 23 Jun 2008 : 06:52:06
quote:
Originally posted by Alisttair
The computer is too advanced for it eh?
Yep, it won't let me run it, and I did like playing it too. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 13 Jun 2008 : 16:45:18
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
What the Sage failed to mention is that WONDERFUL product is available as FREE Download from WotC - You can get it HERE.
What Markustay failed to do, is read Ergdusch's post that was made just before my own. If he had, he would've noticed that Ergdusch had already provided the link to the 'Free D&D Downloads' at WotC.  
Dagnabbit!
I checked Ergdusch's post, but I only noted the SECOND link, which was to some other site.
I'll trump you yet, Sage.
As a side note - I am almost positive that ALL of WotC's FREE resources will be part of the PAY site once that goes into effect, so I would STRONGLY suggest that everyone download everything NOW while it is still free. |
| Alisttair |
Posted - 13 Jun 2008 : 15:33:26
quote:
Originally posted by BlackDragonKarameikos
quote:
Originally posted by Alisttair
I also suggest playing the Baldur's Gate CRPG and visiting the town and the mines to get a feeling about what it is like there (there is also a small video with a Kobold sneaking in town).
I actually have played the Baldur's Gate computer game. But with the computer I have now, I can no longer do so.
The computer is too advanced for it eh? |
| BlackDragonKarameikos |
Posted - 13 Jun 2008 : 14:37:08
quote:
Originally posted by Alisttair
I also suggest playing the Baldur's Gate CRPG and visiting the town and the mines to get a feeling about what it is like there (there is also a small video with a Kobold sneaking in town).
I actually have played the Baldur's Gate computer game. But with the computer I have now, I can no longer do so. |
| Alisttair |
Posted - 13 Jun 2008 : 13:41:16
I also suggest playing the Baldur's Gate CRPG and visiting the town and the mines to get a feeling about what it is like there (there is also a small video with a Kobold sneaking in town). |
| Ergdusch |
Posted - 13 Jun 2008 : 07:49:00
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
What the Sage failed to mention is that WONDERFUL product is available as FREE Download from WotC - You can get it HERE.
What Markustay failed to do, is read Ergdusch's post that was made just before my own. If he had, he would've noticed that Ergdusch had already provided the link to the 'Free D&D Downloads' at WotC.
Hehehe! Indeed!
BTW, I have checked both Volo's Guides to Baldurs Gate II and to the Sword Coast but found nothing on Nashkel except for the following little reference in the latter:
quote:
Originally found in Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast, p. 92:
Enterprising merchants in Baldur#146;s Gate, Berdusk, Beregost, and Nashkel mount expeditions to view it [Durlag's Tower] for 50 gp a head, round trip, all meals included. Such trips usually feature hunting along the way and always include a daytime foray into a few of the well-known tower chambers, their traps tastefully adorned with skeletons and warnings that the tower is haunted. (The water of the forecourt well is safe to drink, but lone travelers using it should beware lurking brigands and the occasional bugbear.)
|
| The Sage |
Posted - 13 Jun 2008 : 01:21:39
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
What the Sage failed to mention is that WONDERFUL product is available as FREE Download from WotC - You can get it HERE.
What Markustay failed to do, is read Ergdusch's post that was made just before my own. If he had, he would've noticed that Ergdusch had already provided the link to the 'Free D&D Downloads' at WotC. |
| BlackDragonKarameikos |
Posted - 12 Jun 2008 : 18:14:05
Thanks for the info friends.
I do have the Lands of Intrigue boxed set, so I'll look through it and see what it has. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 12 Jun 2008 : 17:05:10
What the Sage failed to mention is that WONDERFUL product is available as FREE Download from WotC - You can get it HERE.
Page 33 of the Amn Booklet. The rest of the product is a treasure-trove of lore as well.  |
| The Sage |
Posted - 12 Jun 2008 : 16:46:10
The Lands of Intrigue boxed set offers some tidbits on Nashkel. As does Empires of the Sands. |
| Ergdusch |
Posted - 12 Jun 2008 : 15:46:17
I am away from my books right now so I can't check myself. However, IIRC Nashkel is located in northern Amn. Therefore you should look into the Lands of Intrigue boxed set which is available as a free download on the wizards site and also look through Volo's Guide to Baldurs Gate II which unfortuantelly is not for free.
Nashkel was also one adventure site in the PC game Baldurs Gate. Though certainly not canon the game featured a map and detailed a few tidbits of the village. Check it out yourself here.
Hope that already helps a bit.
Ergdusch
|
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 12 Jun 2008 : 14:55:35
It's probably one of many, many small towns that hasn't been detailed much (if at all). There's might be something on Naskel in one of the Volo's Guides, though (maybe someone else would be able to point the way). |
