Merchant

Merchants are defined as those who belong to one of Fastheld's recognized guilds and have citizenship papers, but do not have noble or royal title. While having no real advantage over freelanders, they are often elevated for their crown-protected status as crafters of the realm. They make up part of the middle class, the Freelanders making up the larger portion, and are not directly subject to noble rule. There are approximately twenty thousand merchants in Fastheld.