I'm not a fan of Eberron, but why would they need to fill it up? Historic population wasn't all that high. (Though I think with magic as common as in Eberron, infant mortality should be better than in medieval Ruritania...)

Quote from: SosthenesI'm not a fan of Eberron, but why would they need to fill it up? Historic population wasn't all that high.

Yeah, I have no problem with an underpopulated Eberron. It's easy enough to assume the Last War or whatever it's called was really horrific as far as casualties, and the population probably was never all that high to begin with. There's something kinda cool about being adventurers on a continent largely devoid of civilized life.

The revelation at the end of the Alternity version of Gamma World concerning the 'secret' of the Pure Strain Humans:

Spoiler

Turns out that the Pure Strain Humans... aren't.  They're actually the descendants of aliens, the ones who caused the apocalypse.  Ooh, isn't that so clever? :rolleyes:

Quote from: SosthenesI'm not a fan of Eberron, but why would they need to fill it up? Historic population wasn't all that high. (Though I think with magic as common as in Eberron, infant mortality should be better than in medieval Ruritania...)

1. Not enough people to maintain even a medieval level of technology.

2. The population of any species expands to fit the carrying capacity of the local environment.

Now, compare the symbols of Black Death era Europe and post apocolypse Khorvaire. What's missing in Khorvaire? That's right, the death symbolism.

Besides, Khorvaire is too rich a land to have so few people. It fits 13th century England better than even 13th century Asia.

Quote from: mythusmage1. Not enough people to maintain even a medieval level of technology.

I can't really answer that. From what I remember, the continent has huge wilderness regions, so the human population is crowded together. If you put medieval France in an otherwise unpopulated Asia, they still should be able to maintain their state (or not, judging from French history )

What bugs me more about the population is that the "monsters" should be able to wreak a bit more havoc. With that few people, they should be losing ground to hordes of quick-breeding humanoids or bigger beasts.

Going from "Captain Paladin and Sorcerer Boy" pulp to Chtulhu-pulp wouldn't be such a bad idea for an Eberron campaign. If Iron Kingdoms wouldn't beat WotCs new baby on all grounds, I might even be tempted...

Quote from: mythusmage2. The population of any species expands to fit the carrying capacity of the local environment.

I don't know how many died in that drawn-out fantasy war they had. If it's a third of what it once was, it wouldn't be that far off, would it?

Quote from: mythusmageNow, compare the symbols of Black Death era Europe and post apocolypse Khorvaire. What's missing in Khorvaire? That's right, the death symbolism.

They've got two big death cults. And depopulation by war is different from depopulation by a plague. You think you have more control over the war, so the mentality of the survivors isn't as fatalistic.
Eberron's pulp roots aim for a post-World-War feel, not a medieval mood.

Quote from: KnightskyThe revelation at the end of the Alternity version of Gamma World concerning the 'secret' of the Pure Strain Humans:

Spoiler

Turns out that the Pure Strain Humans... aren't.  They're actually the descendants of aliens, the ones who caused the apocalypse.  Ooh, isn't that so clever? :rolleyes:

You gotta be fuckin' kiddin' me. That takes the cake for stupid twists.

Quote from: ColonelHardissonYou gotta be fuckin' kiddin' me.

I wish I was.

The thing is, I really didn't mind Alternity's take on GW, for the most part, but that one little bit of stupidity pretty much killed the book for me.