Greenfield Manor
Greenfield Manor is the name given to the extended estate that was gifted to Lord Terrin am Nari by his father, Duke Turl am Nari of the Duchy of Hekmo. The manor consists of the Town of Greenfield with its population of just under 1,800 souls and an additional 6 square miles of rich but under-developed farmland surrounding it.
The town is an old, well-established community that has seen much decline in the last 25 years. While the bulk of the structures and buildings of the town center are stone and brick built, there are increasing signs of neglect and decay within the community due to continued economic hardships. The riverfront wharfs and quays are mostly empty and unused, many homes and shops within the town are vacant or abandoned, and the town's population has been in decline every year for the last ten years.
Lord Terrin intends to apply his innovative plans for economic and industrial development to the manor as an example of how a more hands-free governance approach is beneficial to growth and prosperity.
Demographics
Very nearly all Human, with only three Halfling families remaining. The town itself maintains a population of more than 1,600 souls, with another 100 living in the surrounding farms and ranches.
Government
Ruled by the Lord Terrin am Nari in the name of his father, the Duke. Until very recently, this entire estate was part of the Briary of Hekmo, but it was removed from the Briary's tax rolls when it was gifted to the Duke's son. This has not been well received by the Briar of Hekmo, Mathis Holte, who sees it as a slight to his position. While he won't do anything to actively resist his Duke's wishes, he makes his displeasure at the circumstances readily apparent to Lord Terrin at every opportunity.
Defences
The town walls are all but gone, having been used as quarries for stone and brick for the last several generations. There is an entirely inadequate Watch made up of some poorly trained but enthusiastic young men that are paid by the Lord of the Manor himself. This Watch numbers about 21 volunteers who stand an all-night post in groups of three men one night out of seven. It is led by Thad Butler, the owner of the The Dancing Bear Inn and his son, Berend.
Industry & Trade
The small town and its environs produce a moderate quantity of agricultural surplus, mostly vegetables, rye, hay, apples and cherries. There are two charcoal pits operating nearly continuously that produce a remarkable amount of fine lump charcoal from waste wood and branches.
Infrastructure
What was once a well designed and well maintained community is now showing signs of neglect and decay. Cobbled roads are pitted and rough, empty and abandoned buildings are common, bridges are in desperate need of repair or replacement, and the town's walls and gates are all but common quarries for convenient stones and bricks.
Tourism
There is a single functioning inn within the town, the Dancing Bear. It is a multi-story structure located along the edge of the town square. Offering rooms, meals, baths and some (very) few supplies, the building is showing signs of needing repairs in many areas. Rooms on the top floors are prone to leaks in the rain, and many of the windows shutters no longer open. All the chimneys draw very poorly and the rooms where fires are lit tend to be very smoky.
Geography
Greenfield is located at a particularly advantageous location near the mouth of the Hekloth River. The surrounding countryside is relatively flat and very fertile alluvial plain. Where the ground does rise one finds fine stands of yellow birch and blue spruce along the hillsides.
Climate
The manor enjoys warm summers and cold, snowy winters. Snowmelt in the spring can sometimes cause the Hekloth to flood, but no catastrophic event has occurred in living memory and the mild flooding that does occur is just enough to refresh the fields and pastures around the town.
Natural Resources
Fertile soils and adequate rainfall make the area around Greenfield very agriculturally productive. Large stands of fast-growing birch and spruce provide ample sources of fuel and building materials but a lack of labor has made this resource harder to exploit recently.
A view of the town square of Greenfield as seen from the riverfront road
A view of the riverfront at Greenfield, showing the lack of traffic and trade
