Census of Sartar
Joerg Baumgartner (joe@sartar.toppoint.de)
Thu, 17 Nov 1994 22:39:10 MEZ
A not so short plug inserted:
Jonstown will be the stage for the Glorantha freeform game we work upon
for the German RuneQuest Con 95, in Berlin. We are planning to produce
a booklet with background info both in German and English language, for
all players participating, and to keep printing costs low we think of
producing a lot more than the some 40 copies we need for the game. The
freeform is going to be bilingual, probably with the Lunar citizens
speaking English. The game is still in the development stage, but I'd
like to know how much interest there is among non-Germans to
participate in this game (we need to know how to assign the roles), and
the German RQ-Convention. 1995 is a Convulsion-free year, but there
still is Berlin at Pentecost.
Back to the Sartarite census:
I'd expect Boldhome (listed as a large city in Genertela Book, with
Pavis listed as a small city, though without the Rubble) to house about
10,000 individuals, including a sizeable Lunar garrison and some
hundred trolls. Alda-chur is the oldest city of Sartar, listed as
Medium City, and probably has 5000 to 6000 inhabitants. (Genertela Book
states that it follows RQ city size rules. A Small City in RQ has 500
to 3000 inhabitants, a Medium City 2000 to 8000, and a Large City 6000
to 25,000.)
The Holy Country map from RQ Companion shows Duckpoint, Wilm's Church
and Swenstown as filled circles, indicating 1100 to 2500 inhabitants,
and Clearwine as empty circle, indicating less than 100 inhabitants.
Boldhome seems to have a square as its symbol (the right edge of the
Quivin Mountains ink-blot has a straight edge about the right size for
a city symbol, although this could be just the white background for the
letter "B"). If that is true, it has between 7501 and 12500
inhabitants, according to the map key.
I'd expect around 2500 inhabitants each for most of the smaller cities
of Sartar (Swenstown, Wilm's Church, Duckpoint), with Alone possibly
even smaller (being most recently settled, and far from the major trade
routes), and Jonstown maybe a tad larger. Runegate would have been of
the same size before the Crimson Bat ate its populace in 1602, but its
resettlement hasn't been completed yet.
I find the 900 children mentioned for Clearwine astonishingly many,
compared to the 650 adults. However, this report is dated from 1600 ST
(7/29), probably with the king and his hird abroad at war, or returned
from it with heavy losses.
The war of 1602 is likely to have cost the settlement dearly, and the
Lunar praxis of carrying off slaves will have done its own to keep
population low. The emigration wave after the Starbrow rebellion will
have weakened the town further, with Leika Ballista leading off her
trusted companions and their families. Thus, in 1621 the adult
population possibly is below the 500 mark, and the children might make
up say 700.
Now, if we make say 40% of the Sartarite city-dwellers rural
population, we get up to 30,000 city-dwellers (180,000 inhabitants of
Sartar assumed, 10% of that urban population, i.e. 18,000, and two
thirds of that number again rural city-dwellers). Deduct 15,000 for
Boldhome and Alda-chur, so this leaves 15,000 for the five small cities
(Jonstown, Wilm's Church, Swenstown, Duck Point and Alone), averaging
at 3000 each. Give or take a few, and the numbers fit.
When calculating the size of the tribal population, don't forget that
most Sartarite cities have at least 75% percent tribal population,
belonging to one of the adjacent tribes which have been joined by
Sartar into the city federations. The Colymar are the notable exception
among the Quivini, and the Aldachur tribes (Princeros, Vantaros,
Tovtaros, and Dinacoli since their role in the Righteous Wind and
Starbrow rebellions, which cost them their influence on the Jonstown
federation they had gained in Saronil's reign) are likely to be
differently organised as well.
Torkani and Maboder (or however the remnants of this tribe call
themselves under Jomes Wulf's reign) are too far from any city to be
part of a city federation, thus they will lack a signifincant number of
city-dwellers. The Telmori aren't present in any city except in
Boldhome, where 100 of their warriors (the Prince's bodyguard) live
with their families in the cave complex called Wolf Den.
Not even the larger stockades (Clearwine, Runegate) really would sport
an urban population, IMO, they'll just be slightly overgrown farming
(in case of Clearwine, gardening) communities, with the odd seat of a
noble or a temple strewn in.
Thus, we have to divide about 170,000 Sartarites unevenly between 24
tribes, averaging about 7200 people per tribe. The relative strength of
the tribes can be estimated from the 1613 numbers of followers given in
WF 7 for the Sartar High Council freeform scenario:
Sarostip Coldeye (Humakt cult, Malani tribe): 3,000
Kallai Rockbuster (Colymar tribe, Orlanth Thunderous/Rex cult): 6,500
Hofstaring Tree-Leaper (Culbrea tribe, Orlanth Adventurous cult): 3,300
Gringle Goodsell (Issaries cult, Colymar tribe): 3,300
Tonaling Greathelm (Storm Bull (and Orlanth) cult): 1,000
Minaryth Purple (Lhankor Mhy cult): 3,000
Benava Chan (Ernalda cult, in all tribes, herself from Colymar): 10,000
Erynn Mercy (Chalana Arroy cult, all tribes): 2,000
Joseph Greenface (Duck tribe, Duck Point City): 2,700
Chipmunk Bing (Eurmal Cult): 200 or so
Kallyr Starbrow (Kheldon tribe, Orlanth Thunderous cult): 1700
Garaystar Flatnose (Wilms Church City, Wilms Church federation tribes):
1500
Total 39,200 followers (most likely adults only) from central Old
Sartar, excluding the eastern and southern tribes (the Lismelder might
be represented by the ducks), and the Tarshite-speaking part of the
population.
(In brackets: primary and secondary loyalties of the attendants, and
probably to some extent of their followers)
The 24 tribes of Sartar (city federation, if applicable), with clans
where I knew the names, clan numbers from known clans only, populations
my _guesses_ based on the above numbers, or on their military strength
if recorded elsewhere, with the 5,000 entries average values:
Old Sartar (Quivini): c.130,000 natives, plus 10,000 ducks
10,000 Ducks (Duck Point)
10,000 Lismelder
8 clans (Greydog, Poss, Hillhaven, Godweaver, Lonendi,
Bostrop, Marshedge, Goodsword)
16,000 Colymar
12 clans (Narri, Enhyl, Taraling, Varmandi, Hiording,
Orlmarth, Arnoring, Ernaldor, Anmagarn, Konthasos,
Antorling, Enjossi)
5,000 Locaem (Wilm's Church)
(clans including the Lysang)
5,000 Balmyr (Wilm's Church)
(10 clans in the early 1300s)
5,000 Kultain (Wilm's Church)
5,000 Sambari (Wilm's Church)
10,000 Malani (Jonstown)
8 clans (Arsgol, Bluefox, Isortling, Pant, Orleving,
Lysang, Namoldin)
8,000 Cinsina (Jonstown)
5 clans (Bormelder, Tertorae, Blueberry, Drutorae, Osmann)
8,000 Culbrea (Jonstown)
5 clans (Ingling, Gwandor, Ystrad, Elk, Goodhaven)
3,000 Telmori
5,000 Torkani
4,500 Kheldon (Swenstown)
5,000 Aranwyth (Swenstown)
5,000 Balkoth (Swenstown)
5,000 Dundealos (Swenstown)
7,500 Pol Joni (Prax (Swenstown)
5,000 unaligned city dwellers
5,000 Lunar settlers and city dwellers (e.g. Jomes Wulf)
8,000 Lunar occupation troops and officials
North Sartar: c.50,000 natives
10,000 Vantaros (Alda-chur)
8,000 Princeros (Alda-chur)
8,000 Tovtaros (Alda-chur)
7,000 Dinacoli
5,000 Amad (Alone)
5,000 Tres (Alone)
5,000 Bachad (Alone)
2,000 unaligned city dwellers
6,000 Lunar forces and settlers
(Lunar: both Lunar Theyalans and Heartlanders, including Lunar Tarshite
natives)
- --
- -- Joerg Baumgartner joe@sartar.toppoint.de
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