As we all know, in the Maelstrom we have been experiencing food shortages at times. While these shortages have been staved off temporarily through a timely delivery of aid from across the White Tenebrous, we may not be able to count on coordinating adventurers to make such deliveries on a regular basis. Yet, nevertheless, the fact that it is possible to transport significant quantities of food through the White Tenebrous means that this may form part of the solution. For instance, it might be possible to set up supply lines where we regularly purchase food and send it through the White Tenebrous, perhaps with the aid of people other than adventurers. I am interested in starting a discussion of possible solutions so that we can come up with a long-term plan to deal with the situation.
In order to come up with solutions it is first necessary to understand the situation as it exists now. Thus, I am interested in the answers to the following questions:
Anyone who knows the answers to any of these questions, or has ideas of how one might figure out these answers, it would be very much appreciated.
-Andrew the Bard
In order to come up with solutions it is first necessary to understand the situation as it exists now. Thus, I am interested in the answers to the following questions:
- How large is the total population that we need to feed? I observed about 20 fellow adventurers last time I was in the Maelstrom; are there other adventurers? And how many non-adventurers do we have?
- How much food (measured, say, in pounds) does each individual need to consume per day? Is it possible to operate on reduced rations in an emergency, and if so what would be the consequences?
- Is there someone in charge of the food supply and food distribution? If so, how?
- How much food do we have left in our current reserves?
- Are we currently producing food by any means? If so, how much? By what means are we currently producing food – is there farmable land underground in the Maelstrom?
- What options do we know of for producing food in the Maelstrom?
- How much food can an individual take across the White Tenebrous in one trip? Is an individual limited to what he can carry on his person, or can larger carts, etc. be transported through the White Tenebrous? For instance, what was the volume of food that was delivered to us in the shipments that we learned of at the last gathering in the Maelstrom?
- Can only adventurers travel the White Tenebrous, or can anyone? Is it possible to hire non-adventurers to act as porters to transport goods through the White Tenebrous? If so, how much would this likely cost? What is the going rate for a porter?
- How long does a trip through the White Tenebrous take, in one direction, say, from the Ceriopolis to the Maelstrom?
- When you travel the White Tenebrous, can you control where you land? Is there a risk of landing in an area surrounded by monsters?
- How much does bulk food cost outside of the Maelstrom (e.g., in the Ceriopolis, or New Acarthia, etc.?) This may be relevant if the solution involves importing food through the White Tenebrous.
Anyone who knows the answers to any of these questions, or has ideas of how one might figure out these answers, it would be very much appreciated.
-Andrew the Bard