Black Meadow

Black Meadow is a small village, of around 100 people, in the central realm Folde de Wealth within the Council of the Realms. The village is primarily an agricultural village that is utilised by traders as a resting place when traversing Black Forest to the east and west.

The village was largely rebuilt after five nomadic Aketøni males rampaged and burnt much of the farm houses. The legend of ‘two swords’ is disputed to have originated from this event, however some stories place the legend in other areas of the Realms.

Etymology
The name of the village has several stories for the origin, including the black soils present that enable the rich farming fields around the village. Other stories include that the village was established by clearing and burning the forest, and that black ash covered the fields, which gave the first villagers the impression of black meadows. The other story rumoured is that the village was created within the Black Forest, which has a reputation for evil and darkness.

Many cycles after the events that led to the legend of two swords, the Storyteller NAME suggests that the black soils were derived as the cost of a shadow figure that saved the village.

History
The village was established as a trade route with the Fólk and across to fertile floodplains in the west, including to Bridgetown. Furthermore there was a need to provide a resting place and safe haven for those making the journey through the Black Forest. As the village was established as a resting place there is little trade within the actual centre. The fertile soils in the area drew farmers to the clearing and the growth of the village.

The close proximity of the village to Rikki Storr Drengrs border makes it vulnerable to raids by the Fólk for slaves. Although these raids are random and few the Realm established a Lord and soldiers in the village to protect the traders and farmers. The size of the force however is too small to actually engage raiders from the farmers, and instead offer protection mainly to the Lord and traders at the inn.

Governance
The village is administrated by a Lord (Lord Alcott during Ashbrook’s time there as a child, and his son Lord Cleland when Ash returns older) who oversees all the Kings decrees in the village and provides protection for the villagers. In return the villagers tend to the Lord's fields as repayment for their protection, although the protection offered to them is debatable.

Culture
The villagers are predominantly farmers, with only one inn which is used for trading also. The Lord’s keep is fortified with low lying timber walls within a stoned residence. Within the walls is a barrack for the Lord’s soldiers, a stable for horses, an inn and the Lord’s residence. The villagers have little “fight” in them, and spend most their time tending the fields of their Lord and their own (in that order). Festivals are few and far between, however festivals such as the end of winter are celebrated, as are moon festivals.

The villagers are generally hard labourers and not soldiers. Attacks on the farmers are rare, however they are not known for fighting back when attacked.

Economy
The village will trade basic crops with surrounding village and towns, and is a major route between the major cities of the Realms in the east, and all towns to the west.