Indoor "Outhouses"

[Arkkeeper]

Despite common belief, nobody threw their stuff out the window. quite the opposite in fact it is known that most major cities had a law against it and almost all village/ town/ etc. wouldn't allow it.

Toilets most commonly came in Three Forms:
Public Bathhouse: For the Lower and most of the middle class, A Public Bathhouse was one of the centralized plumbing fixtures, now yes people did have chamber pots which was commonly mixed with the closest thing to trash then (apple cores, rotten leather, etc.) and then they took to the Bathhouse to empty. Those for the middle class were in much better conditions.

Bathrooms: Yes a LOT of people actually had bathrooms, in richer districts the people would have essentially brick seats with holes in them, the hole would lead to a lead or clay pipe which connected to the municipal plumbing system like the romans.

Composting Outhouse: almost all rural folk had composting Outhouse's, which could be emptied and the Humanure used as fertalizer.

And theres your scatological history lesson for today.

[jfrazierjr]

I hate to continue this subject, but I tend to agree with Arkkeeper. Given that Ageans, Indus, Sumerrians, Minoans,etc had many homes with some type of indoor facilities 3000+ years ago, it is not inconceivable that in many locales that some way would be fashioned. I would say that other than solid rock (in which case there many still be a way) or marshland, the soil could be dug down enough for many if not all homes to have a sewer system installed and properly maintained.

Not even counting the overtly magical solutions of magic items or magical sewer keepers, there are also ecological solutions possible for some of the larger towns, namely creatures such as gelatinous cubes or the like which may be in a chamber built underneath the main city.

Joe

[Torq]

Man, I cant believe this thread has been ressurected again. There has been more time devoted to this topic than almost any other. Who knew . Anyway I believe the points are all well made.

This seems to be the topic that just refuses to flush.

Torq

[ravells]

I think it's time to rename this topic 'The floater'.....eeewwww!!

[Arkkeeper]

Well I just thought I should put in my expertise.

[RPMiller]

Personally I'm glad this thread is still active. I gives folks something to consider as they look for making maps more realistic and by extension their games. Not that I would want to roleplay the use of said facilities, but they could be an important plot point or similar.

In fact, we used a "chute" to enter a border fort in a game once. I won't go into detail, but it was quite memorable and the lengths we went through to keep from getting "soiled" were quite humorous.

[RPMiller]

Well I just thought I should put in my expertise.

What would that expertise be in?

[Arkkeeper]

the pooper. lol. no I just meant what I knew about the subject thats all.