Yes, the starting fiefs are pretty much poor villages, which the crusaders would be foraging from. In my mind, Lundland is the poor village, and the two empires to the south are the promised lands. Although, I do agree with your concerns. You also have to take into consideration that we're starting off as the scum of the world. The poorest of paupers. Not worth raiding if you're trying to make money, yet. I mean the two empires to the south historically used Lundland as a source of practice.