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I was going over the background in the history of Sandpoint and one thing kind of bothered me.
Basically the story is that the four founding families from Magnimar opened up Sandpoint and formed the SML. They are responsible for most of the primary economic activity in Sandpoint.
So you had:
House Scarnetti, who built the mills and set up both the logging industry and grain buying from nearby farmlands. Cut timber and flour gets shipped to Magnimar.
House Valdemar, who set up a shipyard and a fishing fleet. Much of the fish are sent to Magnimar, as are many of the ships who become part of Magnimar's merchant fleet.
House Kaijitsu, who set up the glassworks, making fine glasswares to be traded in the markets of Magnimar for local use and for export.
And House Deverin, who... did what exactly?
They are supposed to be "known for their leadership." But if you get a bunch of rich people together for a joint venture, it is pretty rare that you also get someone who isn't bringing any coin to the table but gets nominated to be the leader of the operation.
I made House Deverin the prime mover in quarrying stone. Magnimar continues to have high demand for cut stone for building purposes, and the Devil's Platter looks like a quarryable limestone formation. So I put a few limestone quarries on the north side of the Platter along the Turandarok River.
Some other things...
I made the Turandarok River a bit more important on the local scale. I turned the farmstead that is actually on the river across from the Tors into a village called "Flanders' Landing" and it is from here that a lot of grain and other farm goods gets to Sandpoint by river boat. The farmlands shown on the local map are not nearly large enough to support a town like Sandpoint, so I also assumed more farmland existed in the interior and that the Turandarok River was the primary means of getting the goods to town.
Of course, the use of the river makes things tense between the various houses. The stone comes to town by boat, and so does the grain. But the Scarnetti lumber operations in the Tickwood tend to just dump their logs in the river, which makes it difficult for the boats (often operated by house Valdemar) to get upriver when the river is full of logs, which also annoys the Deverins as the stone from their quarries also has to get moved by river. So the governance of river traffic is a big issue in the Sandpoint town council.
Riverboats are much more efficient for cargo transport than wagons, so they will be used whenever possible.
The Deverins are farmers and brewers by trade.
A large part of the 'leadership' aspect of their family history stems from the role they played in the founding of Sandpoint.
From the Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition:
The foundation of a new town is not a matter to be taken lightly, nor one to be funded by a single investor. Four powerful families from Magnimar had designs on the region, and rather than work against each other, they consolidated their efforts and formed the Sandpoint Mercantile League. These four families— the Kaijitsus (glassmakers), the Valdemars (shipbuilders), the Scarnettis (loggers), and the Deverins (farmers and brewers)—sailed north to claim their land after securing the rights from Magnimar. Yet when they arrived in the spring of 4666 ar, they found the place already settled by a large tribe of Varisians.
Refusing to be set back, the Sandpoint Mercantile League began a series of talks with the Varisians, promising them an important place in the new township. Unfortunately, after a week of talks that seemed to be going nowhere, an impatient man named Alamon Scarnetti took matters into his own hands. Rounding up a group of his brothers and cousins, the Scarnettis mounted a murderous raid on the Varisian camp, intent on killing them all and leaving evidence to blame local goblins for the deed. Yet the Scarnettis, too drunk and overconfident, managed to kill only five Varisians before they were themselves forced to flee, leaving behind three of their own.
The Sandpoint Mercantile League fled back to Magnimar, and in the months to follow were embroiled in the repercussions of Alamon’s assault. Magnimar’s Varisian Council demanded punishment for all four families, but the High Court arbitrated a peace between them, in no small thanks to the remarkable diplomatic skills of a young bard and member of one of the families accused—Almah Deverin. Not only did she manage to assuage the Varisians’ call for blood payment, she also managed to salvage the plans for Sandpoint by promising not only to incorporate the worship of Desna into the new town’s cathedral, but also to pay the Varisian Council a generous share of any profits made by Sandpoint businesses over the course of the next 40 years. One year later, the Sandpoint Mercantile League began construction on several buildings with the full cooperation of the Varisian people. In the years since Sandpoint’s foundation, the settlement has flourished. Although the initial term of the compact with the Varisian Council has passed, Sandpoint’s government has elected to extend the compact another 20 years, much to the consternation of a few locals.
Of course that's not to say that any of your alterations aren't as good or better - just injecting some canon history in there for those who were curious.
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I've also made the Deverins the noble family least affected by their affluence in Sandpoint. Sure, they're some of the richest people in town, but Mayor Kendra hasn't forgotten the people that got her family to that lofty position, and she runs the town asking herself "what does the most good for everyone?" Titus Scarnetti is the complete opposite - he's the latest in the line of a noble family that sees nobility as one way to wield power over others, and feels that they shouldn't have to share it with anyone. It would be bad for Sandpoint if the Scarnettis took over, but for the last sixty years, they've not been able to break the hold the Deverins have had over the people.
The other two families have less day-to-day control. House Valdamar is dependent upon Scarnetti wood to maintain their fleet, so they usually take their orders from the Scarnettis. House Kaijutsu is broken - only two of them live in Sandpoint at the beginning of the story, and by the end, only one is likely left alive. That's a power vacuum that Scarnetti can and should try to exploit.
In short, House Deverin is the "good guy" noble house. They're the guys you want to stay in charge of the place.
I vaguely remember the thing about the brewing, but the Deverins don't actually own the Two Knight Brewery, do they? And the thing about farming is it once again puts them somewhat at the mercy of the Scarnettis, who own the mills. Also, being a farmer is kind of the opposite of an aristocrat.
It just seemed like the Deverins needed a boost economically.
They do own it. It was established by two cousins of Kendra. Sadly, one was killed by Chopper. Beside Two Knight Brewery, Hobart, current patriarch of Deverin family and Kendra's uncle, owns the most successful brewery in Magminar (aside from family villa there) - The Fancy Reefclaw. And considering that Magnimar has a guild of brewers, I do think that Deverin family has a considerable weight there.
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I vaguely remember the thing about the brewing, but the Deverins don't actually own the Two Knight Brewery, do they? And the thing about farming is it once again puts them somewhat at the mercy of the Scarnettis, who own the mills. Also, being a farmer is kind of the opposite of an aristocrat.
It just seemed like the Deverins needed a boost economically.
They aren't farmers, they're in agriculture. Among other things, they are the middle men between the City of Magnimar which needs a constant and massive supply of food and the Hinterlands and Sandpoint which was essentially settled for that exact purpose. I assure you, out of ships, glass and even lumber, its food people are going to need most.
Without food and beer there is no lumbermill, glassworks or even sandpoint, so its the other families that owe one to the Deverins:)
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Also, Hobart has a recurring sickness that magic hasn't been able to cure. The Magnimar book makes it sound like it's only a matter of time before the Deverin family patriarch dies, leaving them leaderless in Magnimar. If the noble houses come into the storyline, then resolving this power vacuum would be a good story. Will Kendra take over? What would happen to the leadership in Sandpoint if she does? Who takes over in Magnimar if she doesn't?
Other Items of note.
The famous brewery in Magnimar owned by the Deverins is called the Fancy Reefclaw.
They are known for their connection with the common folk.
They do own it. It was established by two cousins of Kendra. Sadly, one was killed by Chopper...
Ah. Good catch, missed that one. I was looking for the name Kendra.
They aren't farmers, they're in agriculture. Among other things, they are the middle men between the City of Magnimar which needs a constant and massive supply of food and the Hinterlands and Sandpoint which was essentially settled for that exact purpose. I assure you, out of ships, glass and even lumber, its food people are going to need most.
Sure, but what you are describing here means they are in shipping, not in agriculture.
For them to be "in" agriculture, they would need to either be in farming themselves, own the land the farms are on (I kind of doubt that seeing as the negative connotations the term "landlord" has in that regard, considering they are supposed to be "friends" to the lower classes), or have a hand in the processing of said goods - which means owning the mills. Except the Scarnettis do that.
And as I mentioned, there isn't nearly enough agricultural land in the area to feed Sandpoint, never mind send a surplus to Magnimar or provide for the agricultural population. You need to assume a lot of land off the hinterlands map (but still near Sandpoint) that is also farmed.
There are a lot of areas on the hinterlands map that suggest good stone quarry sites, so it made sense to me to give that to the Deverins.
The Deverins are in agriculture. They probably own most of the farmland, or the biggest farms at least, around Sandpoint. It wasn't uncommon historically. Wealthy individual buys a large chunk of land in a unsettled area, pays to bring the needed equipment and laborers there.
At this point, people may consider certain land to be X's farm, but it is actually owned by the Deverin family and X pays rent to them. That's how most farming in England worked(s).
Now, if your livelihood is based off of farmers paying rent to you, you probably want to stay close to the populace. It's fine if the Kaijitsus are stuck up and snobbish. They make their money by exporting to wealthy people in other cities. But you, you need the people to do well because they are you income. You also may have a good deal of unused land still. Hard to attract new renters if you have a bad reputation.
All these renters and the attention you pay to them also gives you a solid political block. Again, the Kaijitsus have a lot of wealth, but don't employ that many people directly. The money the bring in is critical, but is somewhat theoretical to your average person. If Kendra owns your land though, and is there reason you are a reasonably well tenant rather than the farmhand your grandfather was before the Deverins gave him a stake, that's direct. If she supports a position, you probably will too. Both because it makes good sense, don't annoy the boss and because you trust her.
Also, there is plenty of land to support sandpoint. The whole area south of the town appears to be farmland, plus there is the sea.
And as I mentioned, there isn't nearly enough agricultural land in the area to feed Sandpoint, never mind send a surplus to Magnimar or provide for the agricultural population. You need to assume a lot of land off the hinterlands map (but still near Sandpoint) that is also farmed.
To be honest, I double all thje distances on the Hinterlands map and considered doubling them again. To have Thistletop literally less than an hour's jog from Sandpoint is ridiculous. The Devil's Platter is home to ghouls and hobgoblin tribes - but its less than a mile away from Sandpoint? You could see it from the roof of your house for pete's sake.
Yeah, double all the distances and with it, all the area - or better yet, quintuple it.
+1
Golarion seems quite crowded at certain places. Was the same for me in my Kingmaker game where I doubled the distance from hex to hex (center to center).
Ruyan.
According to the Magnimar sourcebook, the Valdemar family is also facing certain problems. All is not what it seems.
"Keep it Simple Stupid. great advice, hurts my feelings every time"- Dwight Schrutte
According to the Magnimar sourcebook, the Valdemar family is also facing certain problems. All is not what it seems.
Them, too? I only remember the Valdemars' problem. Need to check. Thanks!
Ruyan.
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The Deverins are in agriculture. They probably own most of the farmland, or the biggest farms at least, around Sandpoint. It wasn't uncommon historically. Wealthy individual buys a large chunk of land in a unsettled area, pays to bring the needed equipment and laborers there.
At this point, people may consider certain land to be X's farm, but it is actually owned by the Deverin family and X pays rent to them. That's how most farming in England worked(s).
Now, if your livelihood is based off of farmers paying rent to you, you probably want to stay close to the populace...
Well, owning the land is a totally different dynamic. If you are invoking the model of England as a guide, then you have to realize two things: first, the model of land ownership was based upon traditional feudal rights, with the aristocracy having gained control of the land many centuries (or longer) ago, and that as landlords the opinion of the public (the tenants in particular) towards them was generally negative; it went from grudging toleration to active loathing. The relationship did NOT bring the aristocracy closer to the peasants.
Golarion's culture most closely mirrors the 19th century on Earth in terms of technology and cultural institutions. And it was in the 19th century in England that the aristocracy had begun selling off their land to private holders to raise cash. So the model of tenant farming was already falling apart.
However, Southwest Varisia is a different case. You don't have a landed aristocracy that has owned the land for centuries; you have the majority of the populace being colonists who have only lived in the area for two generations. Culturally Sandpoint and the Magnimar region are going to have a lot more in common with colonial North America than with England. The nobility of Magnimar are not landed aristocracy; they are the merchant class.
The idea of a wealthy individual buying a chunk of unsettled land here in North America did certainly happen, but it tended to require a cash crop that could make the investor wealthy, such as tobacco or cotton or sugar cane. These projects also usually depended on slavery or indentured servitude to get the labor they required. Cereal grains are very cheap relatively speaking and the amount of land you need to get rich doing this is staggering. Nobody ever tried to buy a large chunk of land just to farm wheat until the factory farms of the late 20th century.
In my home town of Toronto a number of large "estates" were granted to wealthy people back in the 1800's in the hopes that they would use their own resources to develop these lands. The project was a dismal failure and most of these plots had to be reclaimed by the city because of lack of development.
So overall I feel that the notion that the Deverins are landowners lacks a certain amount of plausibility.
Also, there is plenty of land to support sandpoint. The whole area south of the town appears to be farmland, plus there is the sea.
This is one of those things where you have to do the math.
According to the scale of the map, I estimate the total farmland, based on the presence of "farmsteads" here and there, as about six or seven square miles. Maybe as much as eight. A square mile has 640 acres.
At this level of technology it takes about 4 acres of land to feed a person for a year; two of those acres will lie fallow on any given year and the other two will be worked. So each square mile can support 160 people. If we go with six square miles that translates to supporting 960 people. If we go with eight square miles, then that's 1280 people.
Sandpoint's population is 1240. So even if we go with eight square miles there is only enough food left to support another 40 people, and we haven't fed the farmers yet.
How many farmers are there? Well, in the historical period we are referencing, the rural population represented over 90% of the total, with the urban population coming in at around or under 10%. The United States did not exceed the 10% urban mark until around 1910. Nations in Western Europe passed this benchmark in the late nineteenth century. (The rural population would remain the majority until mechanization became common in farming, freeing more labor to move to the cities).
So for every person in Sandpoint there are going to be 9 people living in the Sandpoint hinterland; that translates to another 11,160 people we have to feed, or a total population for the Sandpoint area of 12,400. Clearly the amount of land here isn't even close to what is necessary to feed them; best case scenario is that it provides about 10% of what they need. Yes, their diet will be supplemented by fish. But that's a lot of fish.
My solution to that was to simply assume that there was another, larger patch of farmland further along the Turandarok River past the Whisperwood Moor. This also makes the river more important for local transport, which I like.
To be honest, I double all thje distances on the Hinterlands map and considered doubling them again.
This is, of course, another solution, and it's not bad. Quadrupling it multiplies the land area by 16 which makes the region large enough to support Sandpoint. Tripling it might be enough, assuming an active fishing industry. Or you could double it and then also assume another agricultural area upriver. There could also be more farmland south of the Whisperwood Forest, or up the Soggy River and Foxglove River.
Peet