Free Hamlet

Free hamlets are unchartered rural gatherings of several dozen hovels and half-timbered buildings surrounding a "common," that might be an open green, a ford or road. They occur in Type-5 hexes that lack the presence of significant rivers with 2 pts. or more. They are too small to be considered a village, but are much larger than hamlets that occur in Type-6 hexes, with much greater food production as well as a wide variety of facilities.

Though they may occur in hexes with streams, such places are largely dependent on groundwater wells. While predominantly agrarian, these communities also focus upon storage, the collection of food and cartage, especially the need to supply food to the realm. Thus, in addition to farmlands both close-by and scattered among the nearer environs, free hamlets possess a definite "driftway," as the lane most commonly used for moving flocks, herds, carts or goods out of the hamlet becomes recognised. It is along this driftway that the various facilities can be found, though still in the scattered sense of a semi-organised locality. In terms of their interpersonal associations, they are not as tight-knit as communal hamlets, so that often multiple people reside in these hamlets with no immediate family — yet they are not yet large enough to provide a henchfolk, which requires a village.

Population

In addition to those facilities associated with the communal hamlet, free hamlets are also sure to include a bakery, carter post, granary, graveyard, waterpump and storehouse. In addition to 6 half-timbered "houses" and one bunkhouse, there will 19-28 hovels. This accounts for a likely total of 72-194 people.

Buildings	Population	Dwellings	Presence
bakery	4d4+3	2 houses	always
carter post	6d4+3	2 houses & bunkhouse	requires minimum cart path
communal holding	5d8+40	13-18 hovels	always
garner	2d4	1 hovel	always
gong farmer	1-3	1 hovel	always
granary	d6+5	1 house, 1 hovel	always
stable	2d4+2	1-2 hovels	always
ox tether & hovel	2-5	1 hovels	only if no carter is present
saw pit & hovel	2d4+3	2 hovels	hamlet located in a forested range
shearing station	2d6	2 hovels	always
windmill	2d6+1	1 house	always; count as watermill if not in barren or steppe

Most of these are supported by labourers not directly part of the community: teamsters, woodcutters and suppliers of one kind or another. Wind or watermills may produce a wide variety of goods; freeholders will typically be strung out in various directions related to or along the driftway, along which the bakery, post, garner, granary, stable and mills will congregate, supported by the half-timbered houses. This will give the impression of a substantial community of a dozen buildings, rather than merely a loose connection of disjointed buildings, as we might find in a type-6 hex.

That said, no deliberate planning has occurred, nor is their a clear boundary where the hamlet ends; buildings upon the edges thin gradually into gardens, paddocks and actual fields. Within the community, the residents are comfortable relating casually to those who are not their kin, and are free when speaking with outsiders who resemble themselves: rural folk, peddlers, buyers of food and livestock. Traffic along the driftway continually brings unfamiliar faces, news, animals and goods. The residents are hesitant with gentry, including player characters, but are also interested in far and away places and react well to a light gratuity; it would be poor form to over-tip, probable resulting in the coin being refused. A copper is sufficient to make the point — and it is presumed that any one with obvious wealth will want to purchase at least a little food, a beer, a loaf or employ the stable overnight.

Governance

The presence of the freeholder, that body that controls their land independently, breaks the council of elder's claim to govern the settlement as a single familial body. Because the freeholders manage their own goods through the carter, garner or granary, each acts as a separate household without requiring communal approval. Authority therefore becomes distributed among property holders rather than concentrated in elders who speak for the whole community.

Matters affecting the driftway, water, wandering livestock, fire, drainage or common security require the interested freeholders to meet and reach an agreement. This is not yet a village council with established offices. It is an assembly of persons who possess something affected by the decision. Influence follows property, reputation and practical importance rather than age alone. One respected freeholder may become the hamlet'’s customary spokesman, particularly when dealing with a lord, tax collector or visiting gentry, but this does not make that person the ruler. Other freeholders retain the ability to refuse, negotiate separately or appeal beyond the hamlet. Serious disputes are referred to whatever manorial or provincial authority possesses jurisdiction, since the unchartered hamlet has no court of its own.