You'll have some Exposition Points that you can spend to acquire land in Exposition. This is a pre launch setup stage of the game and it will definitely allow you to pick land before an adventurer.

You can also purchase land in-game by interacting with the Land Management table located in your county's seat.

To add to Hieronymus' answer, the land will likely NOT have any existing structures on it. those would have to be purchased with EP, or built in the normal manner.

Welcome fellow Bloodliner...

Another possible option to add to those above may also be developing a relationship with the local titleholders in the area you plan to settle in (Mayor, Count, Duke, etc.)...Most Mayors and Counts I know are willing and excited to recruit new players.

Depending on the particular situation, they could help augment what you yourself are able to bring to the game. Especially if what you are planning to do helps them.

They may be inclined to help you with your particular situation (in terms of land grants, ep, or other support, etc.) if they are aware of your situation and any plans you have that might also benefit their settlement or county...

All communities are going to need people who will do things...and certain things even more than others...depending on what they have and what they want to do.

I recommend being proactive and shopping your particular skill set either here in the server specific forums or on Discord.

With respect to the question of whether Gentry [can] pick land before Adventurers, the answer is definitely yes. Adventurers don't get EP, aren't eligible to participate in Exposition (as of this post), and so don't really get to pick land.

is this "land" for a house or a shop or just whatever you turn it in to?

Posted By Awterham at 08:19 AM - Mon May 06 2019

is this "land" for a house or a shop or just whatever you turn it in to?

It's for whatever you want to do with it, subject to local laws and physical constraints. Settlements or the domains they are in may have laws regulating certain activities, like tanneries (they smell bad) and farms (it's not cost effective to include them within strong settlement walls). Physical location may preclude some activities (e.g. ports without access to navigable waterways, logging in deserts, etc.).

Dev Journal #18 Kingdom & Land Management has so much good info about the processes.