Thorp

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A thorp is a small food producing community and what tools and materials are produced there are for food production and basic subsistence. Every inhabitant of a thorp is a part-time cobbler, carpenter, weaver, tailor, and bone and antler worker. Some may take out work for their neighbors, but none are so specialized to cease food production, nor to establish a formal shop. Payment for such work is often barter.
A thorp has 20-80 inhabitants and a gold piece limit of 40 gp. That means that only items under 40 gp can be readily purchased. Even so, such objects are intended for some kind of local use. Finding rope, sacks, a lantern, or waterskin would be no problem, although prices will reflect that such materials will have to be replaced. Without shops there is no sterile inventory of goods awaiting purchase. These goods were in use. Likewise, despite the 40 gp limit horses, both light and heavy are present in the community as work animals. However, one way to understand the 40 gp limit is to argue that such goods are not for sale. Although cash rich nobles or adventurers certainly have the cash to make it worth some peasant's while to sell. The annual income of a peasant is probably on the order of 30-40 gp. More likely, however, would be the direction of a PC to a proper horse rancher or the mere renting of a horse. Would a fine noble or rich adventurer wish to own a broken down plow-horse?