There are over 25,000 human inhabitants of Pavis County – that’s the broad fertile valley in the northern River of Cradles. Most of them are farmers of Sartarite origins who settled between 1550-1610. There are also farmers more recently forcibly settled here from the Lunar Empire – these are mostly of Talastari, West Reaches, or Redlands origins, and primarily came between 1611 and 1620.
About a fifth of the population live in New Pavis. That’s a high population, but New Pavis receives large amounts of meat animals through trade with the nomads. These residents include crafters, merchants, scribes, and plenty of mercenaries. New Pavis has a STRONGLY Sartarite flavor to it, and Sartarite is the main language of city residents. Nonetheless, the city self-consciously maintains some Old Pavic trappings – however, Old Pavic itself is a nearly dead language, preserved only by the members of the Pavis cult.
Maybe 10% of the population live off the river. The River of Cradles is the most important river in Prax and the Wastes, but it is more like the Rio Grande or the Pecos than the Nile.
Finally is the Big Rubble – the inhabited ruins of Old Pavis. It reminds me of Fallout’s Boston outside of Diamond City. There are some 6000 sentients in the Rubble! About a quarter of them (1500) are human – the rest are trolls, elves, dwarves, broo, and so forth.
New Pavis survives by being one of three important places of trade with the nomad tribes. Craft goods are traded for meat animals, allowing a much high urban population than could be supported by local agriculture. The Big Rubble’s population is mysterious, and the Pavis cult claims it is by the magic of the god that such numbers can be supported – even if most are enemies of Pavis!
To the south of Pavis County is the the Yelmalion enclave of Sun County. It is a much older settlement, with about 19,000 inhabitants in total. Yelmalio and the Grain Goddess are the main cults there and the Yelmalio cult is able to maintain a prickly independence and autonomy from New Pavis and the Animal Nomads, and both the Lunar Empire and later Argrath (although it avoids being an enemy of any of these). However, the presence of New Pavis has been a huge boon for Sun County, and for several generations, the Yelmalio cult was led by a Sartarite family descended from one of Dorastor’s boon companions. The presence and power of Sun County explains why Suntown is a semi-autonomous enclave of the Yelmalio cult inside of New Pavis.
Note that the Pavis Sun County is considered to be THE most desolate frontier outpost of the cult from the perspective of the other Sun Domes. It’s the French Foreign Legion fort of the Yelmalio cult.
The main grains of Pavis County are wheat and barley, just like in Sartar. Cereals are augmented by vegetables and common plants like flax, tomatoes, and herbs. Sheep don’t survive well, and have been largely replaced by native beasts, pigs, geese, and ducks.
Exports to the Praxians include metal goods (lots of bronze workers), worked leather and cloth, jewellery, etc.
What happens to the Grantlands? They are pretty screwed without the Lunar Army to protect them. The river valley is rich fodder for the Praxians – Pavis County is under Argrath’s protection and Sun County can protect itself. And Argrath certainly has a lot of interest in letting his nomad allies graze in the southern River of Cradles. That, far more than their Lunar affiliations, are going to drive decision-making.
But who knows? Maybe Jezra is able to cut a deal? Maybe the mercenaries of Raus Fort stage a coup and proclaim their loyalty to the White Bull? Who knows!