There’s definitely some major advantages to hunkering down in these small towns. Everyone knows everyone else in town and in the surrounding towns, there’s security of numbers, we’re surrounded by farms, forests and swamps.
“Everyone knows everyone else in town and in the surrounding towns”
And that may be an issue - one needs to provide value to the recieving community, or expect to be turned away.
A blacksmith, now - that guy would be welcomed!