Farmingdale

Nestled along the northern shores of the Silverflow River just outside of the eastern Greenwood is the small farming town of Farmingdale. The town is an important logistical point for the transportation of goods coming in and out of the Fertile Valley, thanks to its proximity to both the Silverflow River and the Harvest Road.

Government

Farmingdale utilizes a seated republic governmental structure, specifically a Four-Chair government. As the largest settlement within the Fertile Valley, Farmingdale is one of only two governments to feature at least four guilds represented by the chairs, as the Grain Growers of the Valley, Valley Shepherds Society, Master's Guild, and Verdant Fields Trading Company all play a part in local politics. The VFTC plays a particularly important role in Farmingdale due to it's location along the Harvest Road, making it the primary connection point for the Fertile Valley into the Greenwood, and incredibly important to trade for all industries in the region. Each seat in the village is on a 4-year staggered term, resulting in one of the four seats being elected each year. Elections are held via survey, not only for the mayor, but for both the Farmers' Chair and the Laypersons' Chair as well. These elections often take over a month to complete, leaving enough time for controversy to evolve surrounding the election, particularly in the rich, trade-heavy Verdant Fields Trading Company.

Industry & Trade

Farmingdale serves as an important trading post for those of the Fertile Valley, as more than 75% of the region's imports and exports travel through the village. Farmingdale itself produces a large quantity of processed grains and wool products as the village not only processes the raw materials generated locally, but also imports the vast majority of raw material sourced in the farming thorps northward along the river. Beyond this, Farmingdale has one of the only two sawmills in the Fertile Valley, allowing it to process the rare few trees that are cut down and sold to those of the Valley for construction.

Infrastructure

Farmingdale features a strong infrastructure to meet the demands of the high volume of trade and industry in the area. The Harvest Road is the single most important piece of infrastructure as the road serves as the top source of trade between the Fertile Valley and both the Greenwood and the entire Emerald Shores Alliance. The Silverflow River is similarly extremely important for the village as a more efficient means by which to transport exports. The trade industry also features two smaller warehouses - the only known to be constructed outside of the Emerald Shores. Outside of trade, Farmingdale features a number of windmills and watermills to aid in the processing of grains and wool as part of the farming industry that the village is named for.

Guilds and Factions

Farmingdale is home to branches of the four most powerful guilds in the valley as Grain Growers of the Valley, Valley Shepherds Society, Master's Guild, and Verdant Fields Trading Company all count the settlement among their branches. The VFTC is easily the most powerful of these guilds in the village thanks to the high volume of trade they control. Despite this, the village as a whole retains a strong connection to the work ethic of manual labor, preventing the VFTC from smothering out the other guilds' footing in the government, helping to retain balance in the community. Farmingdale chairpeople are also among the most influential guild representatives for all four of the present guilds as well, typically leading the charge in setting stable prices for specific goods.

Tourism

Though the town of Farmingdale is far from a tourist attraction, it does provide many of the amenities that are common of more tourist attracting locations thanks to the constant flow of goods and people through the town. Numerous inns dot the town's map as the town has enough beds for nearly double the amount of heads on the most recent census, while taverns are often filled to the brim late into the night as drink and money flow freely, though not always cleanly. Travelers seeking to make their trip to the Western Gate one that is efficient and pleasant are strongly encouraged to make their bed early in the evening, and to avoid the temptations that are offered by the night. Locals have long sought to shutter some of these establishments, though there often seem to be struggles to determine who their rightful owners are, making enforcement of regulations nearly impossible.

Natural Resources

Like much of the Fertile Valley, Farmingdale is built upon the rich soil of the valley, providing the means for farming to flourish. Historically the village has been a top grain producer in the region, while the sheep population has tripled over the last 50 years to now being over 900 sheep throughout the furthest stretches of the village bounds. The Silverflow River is also a vital resource to the village, helping power multiple mills while providing a much more efficient option for transporting exports from the region.

Founding Date

17 Seedburst 312, 3E

Alternative Name(s)

Western Gate

Type

Town

Population

978

Inhabitant Demonym

Farmingdaler

Location under

Fertile Valley