Re: Magic to aid farming in space

>>In 1820, (yeah, I know, but it was all I could find) 90% of the US
>>population
>>was rural. By, 1990 the number was less than 10%. I would suggest that
>>farming
>>in the 1820's was better, but not hugely better than renaissance farming
>>techniques. I like the 90% number in that it makes any math very easy, but
>>understand that it may not be accurate. For renaissance farming
>>productivity, I
>>would suggest 20 to 1?
>
>Keep in mind that "rural" doesn't mean all of that 90% are farmers. Rural
>would include general stores, village blacksmiths, whole towns that are just
>the miniature versions of cities, and are as dependant on outlying farms as
>the cities. A 90% rural population does _not_ mean 9 farmers for every
>non-farmer.

Consider also the City-States of ancient Greece.  The people lived in the city
and farmed the fields outside the city.  The pattern repeats in the Middle
Ages and Renaissance, with the farmers living in a village that farms the
land around them.  The homes are concentrated for protection and for
convenience.

Once farming technology allowed one family of farmers to tend much bigger
fields, the distance from a village to the fields becomes such an issue that
it is no longer practical to live in the village and head out to the fields
each day.


Introducing a migratory herding people, the
Griffin Riders, or Griffindor
and their rivals, the riders of the reptilian Wyverns, the Wyverin

Each tribe has a high priest or priestess capable of casting Create
Minor Helm.  When
it comes time to migrate, the clerics cast Create Minor Helm on large barges to
transport their cattle.  The utter defenselessness of these ships is
of no great
matter to the tribes because their warriors fight on the backs of
flight capable
beasts.

A 9th level cleric, casting Create Minor Helm day after day, could
power several
barges that last a few weeks, more than enough to transport even a large herd.

Because these tribes travel a lot, they will be familiar with the
natural magical
resources over a large area.  So they could have various types of tamed or
captured monsters and things that amount to natural potions.

These tribes could be peoples who were forced into space, fleeing a
powerful groundling
nation.  Or perhaps they see themselves akin to the Mongols, ruling
their space like the
Mongols ruled the Steppes.  Or both, they might have been forced into
space, but prospered
and grew so much that they have become a powerful nation, or would be
if they were
united.

Michael Sandy