What a great, constructive thread this is becoming. Several good points have been made concerning what can/should be expected of a rural liege. Something to keep in mind is that frequently what should be expected and what people are actually willing to do aren't the same thing. Wherever possible, it's best to take the path of least resistance. This is (at least for me) the philosophy behind the complaint that food is vitally important and a bitch to get working reliably.
