Heiferstead
Heiferstead is an agricultural and industrial town located on a high plain near the Free Faces League capitol of Triple Mesa.
Demographics
Like most municipalities within the Free Faces League, Heiferstead is about evenly split between Human populations of New Voxelian and Elovisian heritage, though minorities of former Freelanders are also present. Though the Church of the Unexpected is the predominant religious affiliation among Steadfolk, the Way of the Biocosm is making inroads among ox and cow farmers for its spiritual embrace of the natural cycle; a small minority of Steadfolk remain Eyes of the Void.
The permanent population of Heiferstead are usually farmers or ranchers of some description, though the downtown area also plays host to a small population of service and hospitality personnel. An equivalent fraction of citizens are relatively new (within the last 1-2 generations) transplants to the area and work in the local tanneries, bottling plants, and envelope skin manufactories which have sprung up to support the war effort (see Industry and Trade).
Government
Like all municipalities within the League, Heiferstead is a representative democracy.
Industry & Trade
Heiferstead is situated atop the plateaus which, elsewhere, are broken up by canyons to form huge mesas. This land is rich cropland, but huge colonies of Penrose fescue predominate where rancher's hands don't intervene. To make the best of these regular infestations, Steadfolk have adopted ranching as a major industry, as oxen, horses, sheep, and cattle can graze on the otherwise invasive species. Dairy and beef products of all description remain a major source of trade income for local businessmen, and a "100% Heiferstead Quality!" seal on a packet of steak, bottle of milk, or wheel of cheese is regarded by many grocery shoppers in the Coalition as a point of praise.
In the invention of the dieseltech airship in 9815 AR - and especially the beginning of the War of Reunification in 9899 AR - the ranchers of Heiferstead found that there was a new source of profit to be had in the local production of envelope skins. Factories now dot the outlying rural roads and the town center now features a bus station to take new hires (usually from out of town) to work in these factories. Finished goods are sent over the rail lines to the various outlying war production facilities of the League Dieseltech Armory or Medial Works Equipment Company for further processing.
Infrastructure
Heiferstead's roads have recently been smoothed and paved in a modernization push aimed at making automobile and motorcycle travel easier. Similarly, with the threat of Voxelian air raids increasingly on the minds of local officials, efforts have been made to install new bunkers and convert the played-out electrum mines in the area into agri-mines. Such agri-mines are regarded by the long-standing local ranch familes with disdain, but they would provide a secondary source of shelter and sustenance in the event that bombing or natural disasters make surface farming too dangerous.
Free Faces League Standard by BCGR_Wurth
Type
Town
Population
10,760
Inhabitant Demonym
Steadfolk
Location under
Owning Organization
Comments