The “average Acuminian” varies from day to day. This is because of the sole fact that more people visit Acumin each day than actually live there. The population of permanent residents is about three thousand. Thousand five hundred work as serfs on the farms or lumber camps. (the term serf doesn’t really apply though…its explained later on.) Fifty families are “free farmers”, having bought their own land they try and become something more that just…them. Many hundred work in or around Acumin in conjunction with trade or other business. The last of the classes are the nobles, they own most of the land surrounding Acumin and help in the defence against the rogue bands that roam the forest.
The serf of Acumin
is in his own right not a serf. Acumin has neither the manpower, nor the
resources to accept a serf uprising. Having already to contend with thieves and
other scum the thane urges any and all nobles to keep bad moral and behaviour
out of their small communities. Giving the serfs some luxury and even the time
to enjoy that luxury solves this. Buying the confidence of the serfs is what
keeps the town of Acumin above the teeming lure of absolute chaos.
A serf lives on the
land owned by his noble. Given protection by the noble’s walls and soldiers he
is expected to work hard at his duties. Them being mostly managing the land by
either planting/ploughing/harvesting the fields or tending to the livestock or
working on the lumber mills. The average serf is illiterate and quite ignorant,
not understanding happenings beyond his noble’s lands and sometimes not really
understanding things happening within them either…
“Paid” two coppers
week and given the second part of the last day of the week off the most part
seem to be content with their situation. They have a roof over their heads,
have money for more than food, are protected from the roaming bandits not much
more could be asked for…
The hundred that do
not work under the noble could be classified as middle class, though that might
be debatable is certain instances. They are able to bask in all the gains that
free life brings, but also have to fight to stay in business or else they would
end up with less possibilities than the serfs.
These folk make up
most of the residents in Acumin proper. They are the main targets of the merchants
as the middle class holds wealth almost rivalling the nobles.
The nobles of
Acumin, Numbering a few dozen they carry quite a weight when decisions are to
be made. They control most of the lumber camps and farming industry. Heaving in
the big money they are able to buy…just about anything.
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The merchants that
visit Acumin come from all walks of life. Some are first time traders, hoping
to strike it lucky, others veterans in the trade knowing just about everyone
and everything. There is always a steady stream of them either coming or going,
but the times when their numbers really exceed the carrying capacity is during harvest
time and some times during early summer and late fall, when goods of one sort
or the other are at a premium.
Though some come
solely to trade with the Acuminians the vast majority only use Acumin as a
relay station, either swapping products between themselves or sheltering behind
its walls and regaining strength for the continuing dangerous trek past the
rogue infested Dolwood.
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Free farmers are
citizens of Acumin wanting to own and use land, either through cultivation or
live stock management or forestry. They do this hoping to get lucky and perhaps
someday earn more than what is necessary to just scrape by. Unfortunately
almost none manage this. The odds weigh too heavily against any who try, as
competition from the nobles hinders their sales and the Dolwood bandits hinder
their progress by either looting their farms or extorting them for money.
The sad truth is not
many improve their position in Acumin by becoming a free farmer. Most succumb
to the pressures of both noble and bandit to end up toiling their lives away
for mere pennies in return.
