Population isn't a timer ticking upward on its own; it's tied directly to whether your Tavern's Food and Ale reserves are actually being maintained.

Growth Needs Full Reserves

Population doesn't climb just because time passes. It only grows for as long as the Tavern stays stocked with enough Food and Ale to support it. Let both run out, especially while you're offline, and Population doesn't just stall, it actually falls, showing up as a chunk of Hungry Population that needs feeding again before growth resumes.

Caps Need More Houses 🏠

Even with a fully stocked Tavern, Population stops climbing the moment it hits your current cap. That cap comes from the number and level of Houses inside your castle. So if Population has stalled and your Tavern is full, the fix usually isn't more food, it's more or better Houses.

Two Kinds of Reward 🎯

Crossing certain Population numbers unlocks buffs and rewards automatically, no extra steps involved. Reaching the highest Population figure inside your current tier works differently. That particular milestone has to be claimed by hand before its tier reward actually lands in your account.

With growth, decay, and rewards all riding on two separate systems, are you actually watching your Tavern's Food and Ale as closely as you watch your House upgrades?