Thanks to King of Dragon Pass and the old HW books, many people have an impression that Sartar is overwhelmingly rural and isolated. I think that ends up being wildly misleading.
About 12% of the population of Sartar lives in urban centers – Boldhome, Alda-Chur, Jonstown, etc. Sartar’s cities are the center of tribal activities – they are the location of markets, temples, libraries, and political activity. Boldhome is the City of the Prince, but it is also shared by all the tribes. Roads – paved, stone roads – connect these cities and even traverse the Quivin Mountains. Sartar has a “caravan economy” – sure most people are involved in raising grain or herding livestock, but the big money comes from the caravans traveling through Dragon Pass. Remember the relatively small scale of Sartar. The most isolated area in Old Sartar is the area around Runegate and Tarkalor keep, some 40 km away from the Royal Roads (and from Jonstown). That’s the Colymar – they are the biggest, but also most isolated tribe. But most of population is far closer – with 10 to 20 km of a Royal Road or city.
Most Orlanthi are in a city at least every few seasons for a seasonal holy day (where many of the larger temples are). Some are there every season or more often. Members of smaller cults such as Lhankor Mhy, Issaries, Chalana Arroy, Humakt, Gustbran, etc., are there more often, even permanently residing there.
Even the average Orlanth Thunderous farmer has regular contact with the cities. Major religious ceremonies take place there, and they are places for trade, craft goods, and justice.
Now during the Lunar Occupation this got disrupted (especially for the Orlanth cult ceremonies), but the cities remained important places for trade, craft goods, and justice. Now that Sartar is again free, the Orlanth priests have moved into the city and have seized a leading role.
Remember, the people who live in cities are mostly members of tribes and clans. There are 550 Colymar in Boldhome, 600 Cinsina in Jonstown, 700 Balmyr in WIlmskirk, and so on.
And of course those people belong to clans. So no doubt Yanioth and Vasana have kinfolk who live in Boldhome, etc.
These clan members reside there. Some might live there for a few years, others might have been in the city for generations. Like ANYWHERE else in Sartar.
The most urbanised tribe is the Kheldon – almost a quarter of tribal population live inside a city. Next are the Culbrea, Telmori, Balkoth, Sambarri, Aranwyth, and Cinsina. The least urbanised are the Lismelder, Torkani, Dinacoli, Colymar, and Kultain.
Note that the Wolf Brothers have long had a presence in Boldhome.
So for example, if a tribal assembly needs to know some Lore, they simply ask for the local Lhankor Mhy temple in the nearest city. Or if they want prestigious lore, they send for a sage from Boldhome. If the tribe needs a Healer, they likely just send for the nearest Chalana Arroy temple (usually in a city). And so on. The tribes are for the most part integrated into the city system.