Wauzen

Wauzen
Geographical Information
Location:	Farmlands, rolling hills, the Darian River and the Marxi River
Significant Resources:	Agriculture, Opium, Gunpowder, Salt, alcohol and precious/semi-precious metals
Notable Plant Life:	Papaver somniferum (Opium Poppy)
Civilization
Notable Settlements:	Thresdaran, Bronix Relk, Rathrem Relk
Inhabitants:	Diverse
Common Languages:	Arangothek, Common
Population:	Roughly 1,800

Location

The baronial estate of Wauzen is located in Transdariania, roughly one days travel North-by-Northwest of Drache, bordered to its East by the Darian River and the Marxi River along its Southern edge.

Behind the Name

The meaning of the estates name (pronounced Wohl-Zehn) is unknown to any save for its current Floxod, Uzzo, as the word belongs to neither Arangothek nor to any of the languages of nearby foreign lands. The settlements within include Thresdaran (Farmland on the Darian), Bronix Relk (Spike Village), and Rathrem Relk (Stones Through the Village).

Estate Overview

Due to this baronial estate having absorbed its neighboring estates, it consists of three main population centers. The largest is Thresdaran with nearly 800 people, the second largest is Bronix Relk with a little over 500, and the third is Rathrem Relk with nearly 400. The remaining population (roughly 150) live in several small hamlets and isolated dwellings within the territory. The population is roughly a little more than 1,800 in total, while the estate itself covers approximately 20 square miles all together.

Thresdaran

With its eastern border along the Darian River, and its southern border along the Marxi River, this fertile stretch of land consists of long stretches of open plains dotted with tracts of woodland. Still technically considered a village, not quite a proper township, but with promise of developing into one with the economic management and trade negotiations to make best use of its position astride the Darian River. It's previous Floxod, Medelus Galesurod, had intended to grow it into a proper town and leave it mark on the Transdarianian map, attempting to cultivate its namesake by currying favour and allying with The Crown in Drache's bid for independance, staking its hopes on an ultimately failed endeavor that led the former noble's downfall due to the south's victory in the war. Its newly appointed Floxod, Uzzo, with the special dispensation granted to his lands, has turned this area into the only native cultivator and producer of opium poppies in Transdariania. Aside from its new poppy crops its leading exports are a wide variety of cereal grains and wheats, flax, hemp and other staple regional produce, as well as apiculture to take advantage of the abundance of native wild flowers.

Bronix Relk

Arable farmland in the Transdarian bread basket, bordering the Marxi River to its south, which is a branch of the Darian River. True to its namesake it exports no small quantity of nails into the market from the various independant blacksmiths that call this village home. Various agricultural reforms by its newly appointed Floxod have begun to rejuvenate its economy and is expanding upon the revenue gained from new exports to larger settlements in the form of salt, fertilizers and gunpowder. An expansive open-pan salt producing facility can be found here, along with black earth and salt peter leeching facilities, while coppiced woodland serves to produce high quality charcoal. It's newest addition is the powdermill powered by the Marxi to process and refine top shelf gunpowder. The establishment and growth of rabbit warrens for furs and game meats, while a growing population of sheep thanks to the abundance of new feed sources has led to higher wool production and led to a diversity its goods shipped to market, coupled with a large apple orchard that serves the production of hard apple ciders and cider vinegar.

Rathrem Relk

This swathe of hills and valleys is found along the northern borders of Thresdaran and Bronix Relk. True to its namesake, consisting mostly of territory covered in hills, with arable land capable of supporting dedicated agriculture making up a relatively small portion of its holdings. Viticulture and small scale mining are the backbone of its economy, beyond which it sustains itself on terrace farming and grazing populations of hill sheep and cattle for their meat and dairy. Its hills are dotted with silver deposits, mostly intertwined with its common counterparts of quartz, copper and, to a much smaller extent, gold. Several small local wineries and distilleries that produce respectable white wines and pomace brandy for the region can be found here.

Miscellaneous Info

The residents of Wauzen, although perhaps a bit wary of the fact their Floxod is an extra-planar ooze in the guise of an average looking man, have learned to accept it is a matter of course. It likely helps that their new Floxod has taken control of the estate and instigated agricultural and economic reforms, revitalizing, securing and stabilizing the lands under his purview with an eerie proficiency, a fact all the more welcomed due to his tenure beginning amidst the regions Civil War. The tenants of the land have found their new Floxod a bit strange (the fact he's a literal monster aside), due to how hands-on his administration is. One is just as likely to find him in the fields with farmers as they are to find him taking part in conscript and militia training regimens.

Due the Floxod's holdings having absorbed multiple estates, it serves to avail them a larger retinue of private guards to keep the peace than is allotted to the average nobility twice over. At the head of these forces are fourteen Knights, The Order of Smoke and Ash, lead by the grizzled retired soldier and ex-adventurer Knight Captain Arlire ul-Alathnth Salilis, and Knight Vice Captain Sarith ul-Kycern Galentire, who received martial training under the Sage Guiscard. Another six Knights, dubbed "The Owl Knights", due to utilizing giant owls as mounts serve as an aerial support and patrol unit, are led by Knight Captain Suhrn ul-Bralenth Bathek. Under these two Knight Orders are a retinue of one hundred and eighty soldiers.

Obligations of free tenancy in Wauzen require all male tenants from 15 to 60 years of age (female tenants are admitted on voluntary basis), barring physical maladies that would make them exempt, to attend archery and spear training every Sundas. In times of war or dire emergency this allows the baronial estate to field large numbers of conscript archers and spearmen to reinforce their retinue of soldiers.