What role do peasants really play?

In this episode I’m expanding on my talk of tropes and what role the working class (or in high fantasy, the peasant-class) really plays in your world. When it comes to contemporary fantasy/urban fantasy, I find these people are often as invisible as they are in our daily lives. And then, when it comes to high fantasy, they’re mentioned only when needed by the plot point. (The servant girl, the soldier’s errand boy).

I’m currently reading Beyond by Mercedes Lackey, which details the founding of Valdemar. (This makes it a great place to start if you haven’t read her books.) Because good leaders who take care of their peasant-class is part of her work, and something she believes in so much she wrote a filk song about it. (I’m including the original version here as well as a beautifully done version with a tenor.)