Town enrichment projects

Early one day, the Sheriff is seen walking through the Shadowdale farmlands, specifically the properties that were abandoned during the Zhent occupation and never reclaimed. He'd have a copy of town records with him to see which properties are still owned (though the owners might be absent) and those which might currently be ownerless and been defaulted to the town. He'd be surveying the farmlands for soil quality and lighting conditions, as well as for the size and conditions of the farmhouses attached to the property, before he would head back to town and begin sending out inquiries as to the desired price on the various properties.

It would be rather easy, given the messengers he's sending out, to learn that the Sheriff was looking for land to open a vineyard to make more jobs for those in town who were still put out after the Zhent occupation.

He would also ask a few of the local builders to look at the various farmhouses he'd looked over to see what work they would need done to be used for housing for the workers.

Towards the outskirts of northern Shadowdale are four abandoned farms - all suitable for the sheriffs purpose.

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Farm 1:
Has been abandoned for years now - the owning family was scattered by the Zhents - the men force-enlisted into the Zhentarim ranks and the women either vanished or died under the oppression.

This farm is large and well suited in terms of ground, but the long abandon means the buildings are all dangerous to walk in and almost collapse.
The fields are overgrown with weeds and there are signs that wolves and goblins have claimed the parts that are close to the forest.

Before anyone can work on these lands the buildings would need rebuilding, the fields would need at least two years of recovering from their current unworked state. But it is the largest farm and unclaimed.
This farm would need permanent guard-presence on the outskirts for one year to deter the goblins and wolfs.
Reconstruction of the buildings would take 2-3 months and 10 builders.
About 20 Farmhands could be put to work there to recover the state of the fields - but there would be no harvest for two years
About 40 Farmhands could be put to work there 2 years from now - and paid with the harvest the farm brings in.

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Farm 2:
This farm belonged to a farmer who's whole harvest was taken by the Zhentarim during the winter - As a result most of the family starved and died. The two youngest sons are still alive - as they were taken in by a kindly neighbour when the parents died - they are of age 8 and 12 now and by right own the farmlands.

The neighbour has petitioned to get their lands added to his own to "keep it in shape for when they grow up".

The fields of this farm are close to the roads - wolves or goblins haven't gone close to it. The buildings are in need of heavy renovation, The fields have lain abandoned for two years - but could be brought to carry harvest within one year.

The city could buy the farm from the two sons, ending the families dynasty in Shadowdale as landholders, but providing them with some coin for the coming years.

The buildings of the farm could be renovated within a month by a team of 8 carpenters.
The fields could be repurposed to carry wine within one year by 15 farmhands.
30 Farmhands could be put to work there after one year and be paid with the harvest they bring in.

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Farm 3:
The third farm is closer to the city and well maintained. According to the town records it belonged to a family that was killed by the Zhentarim for treason early in their reign. However when you inspect it you find the farm occupied by a family not mentioned in the records.

The landlord would tell you that he and his family was forcibly taken from Zhentil Keep and relocated to the farm to work it. He's been integrating with the locals for 4 years now and is generally accepted and well liked.

By law and record the man has no claim to the land.
This farm is in very good condition and could instantly provide work for 40 farmhands. The current landlord employs only 30 + his family, but he pays them above average.

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Farm 4:
This farm is a poorly worked assembly of fields scattered by the river and some wooden shacks. Inspection shows that a group of 12 teenagers who are both homeless and mostly orphans have occupied the buildings and kept them in shape to their best (rather limited) ability just to have a roof over their heads. They are neither the owners nor do they know anything of farming.

The neighbours tell you that they regularly steal crops and livestock to survive - but the neighbours have agreed amongst each other to not press any charges against them.
You discover that the actual owner of the land is still alive - he's a crippled man of advanced age who is taken care of by the teenagers. Unable to leave the house he does not know anything of their actions and is just grateful they are there.

The old man could be convinced to sell the farm.
It would provide work for 30 farmhands by next year. A team of 5 builders could bring the buildings back to shape within a month.

Philanthropic capitalism, the sheriff would find, is going to be costly.

Farm 1, being abandoned and ownerless, is much less complicated. Arjay would look into what local land claim procedures were, along with collecting estimates for demolishing and rebuilding the buildings and for the guard postings would be. He'd ask the farmers what they thought the cost would be, labor and all, to bring the fields to a workable condition.

As far as farm 2 was concerned, Arjay would recommend to the council that the land be held by the city until the oldest of the boys reached an age of majority, but to allow their present caretaker to work and profit from the land in the meantime, provided that the boys are well cared for. Working these new fields, he would point out, would increase jobs whether he ran it or this neighbor did so.

Arjay would allow the current situation in farm 3 to remain, and would petition to the city that since the farm is well maintained and contributing to the overall benefit of Shadowdale, both in terms of production and employment, that the currently vacant title to the farm be granted to the farmer running it.

At Farm 4, Arjay would, again, ask for quotes on the rebuilding of the buildings (again modified to the needs of a vineyard and winery in addition to housing). Then he would go to the old man who owned it to propose buying the land with the following concessions:
1) the old man would be allowed to remain in residence if he so wished (Arjay would go in assuming he would want to remain in his home)
2) the boys would be allowed to remain, and would be put to work, either as builders or farmers, so they'd learn some marketable skills to live off of.

To the boys he'd stress that he had no desire to put them out, since they'd cared for the old man through the occupation (presumably) which spoke to good character, but that theft had to stop. Should the land purchase fall through, he'd talk to the neighboring farmers about giving the boys work to cover what they needed.

*Hearing the talk of checking out the farms for possible use and who owns them, Jarrin goes back through his small notebook checking the locations against the list of which farms were most likely Zhent sympathizers and which were good folks that had their women and children evacuated before the final battle by himself and Tonan. Any discrepancies would be relayed to Arjay.*

The Sheriff would soon find a missive on his desk

Dear Sheriff,

I have learned that you intend to go into the business of investing in this community's future, specifically in rebuilding its agricultural base. Giving more of Shadowdale's citizenry decent jobs and increasing the area's overall economic productivity are goals worthy of both praise and support. As a priest of Waukeen, I would like to put my fundraising skills, divine gifts and my personal financial resources at your disposal in helping you to complete this undertaking.

If you would like to take me up on my offer, please don't hesitate to find me at the Old Skull.

Sincerely,

Lann Jorinson, Coin of Waukeen

The bottom of the letter is embellished with a seal of golden wax in the shape of Waukeen's Coin