Walden
Walden is a neighbourhood in the southern part of the Vöhren district in Amt Aldáer. It has been owned by the Walda family for decades, with Sjoerd Walda as the current Landlord/Baron. The main house on the land is the farm Grennsted, where the Walda family resides. Scattered around the area are small farms, mostly owned by cottagers or used by Grennsted labourers.
A large part of the neighbourhood is covered by Grenn forest, an ancient forest with a high ecological value that is protected by the Walda family. Additionally, sections of the rivers Kild and Holle are also protected due to their contribution to the biodiversity of the neighbourhood and district. In addition to the main farm Grennsted, there is a watermill called "The Black Poplar" located on the banks of the river Holle. The mill is used not only by residents of the Walden estate but also by people from other areas. Currently, the watermill is used as a flour mill, oil press, and sawmill.
Places
by Zev Chafer (original art)
Farm
Grennsted is a large farm located in the Walden neighbourhood in the Vöhren district. The Walda family owns the farm, with Sjoerd Walda as the current head of the family and owner of the neighborhood and farm. Grennsted is the family's main residence, where they live and breed, train, and trade horses. Surrounding the farm are smaller buildings where cotters, who work on the Walden pastures, reside.
by Zev Chafer (original art)
Watermill
The Black Poplar, also known as Poplar Mill, is a watermill located in Walden in the District of Vöhren. It is owned by the Walda family and features three water wheels. Two of the wheels are connected to the main building and are used for sawing and operating an oil mill. The third wheel, located in a separate building on the opposite side of the water, powers the flour mill. The wheels are driven by water from the river Holle.
Shares
A share grants the owner the right to utilize a portion of the common lands that are collectively owned by the people in the area. Depending on the number of shares owned, individuals can utilize a certain percentage of the land for activities such as grazing, woodcutting, or peat extraction. Shares are typically associated with a specific building and can be passed down to the eldest child of the current owner or exchanged with others through trading.Name
Share(s)
Common land (%)
Owner
Common land
The Common Land refers to an area, such as a district or neighbourhood, that is collectively shared by the people living in that area. The amount of land that each person can use is determined by the number of shares they own.Land
Description
Grenn Forest is an ancient and protected forest that is utilized to a limited extent for wood collection. The majority of the forest is dedicated to agroforestry, producing various vegetables and fruits for the locals in exchange for maintaining the forest's preservation.
The Holle River is the second most important river in the region. It connects the city of Lutheria to the Kild River via a waterway, and is used for shipping, fish trade, power, and recreation. Navigating the river can be challenging due to its winding path and protected status, limiting access to specific types of ships such as flatboats.
The Kild River is the primary waterway in the area and serves multiple purposes including shipping, fishing, power generation, and recreational activities. Navigating the river can be challenging due to its winding path and protected status, limiting access to specific types of ships such as flatboats.
The Wester Wüste is a vast open plain that covers a significant portion of Kilden. Locals utilize it for grazing their animals, cutting and collecting turf, and retting flax.
Rights
The ownership of a share comes with certain rights that a person or group can exercise. These rights often apply to the common land that is shared among the inhabitants who have shares in the area. The number of shares determines the extent to which one can exercise these rights.
Right
Description
Grazing right
Grazing rights allow residents of a specific area to let their livestock, like sheep, cattle, and goats, graze on a designated portion of communal land, based on their ownership shares.
Wood right
Wood rights allow inhabitants of a specific area to collect wood from the forest in that area, according to the portion of the share they own.
Forestry right
Forestry rights entitle residents of a specific area to utilize a local forest for agroforestry and receive a share of its profits based on the shares that they own.
Turf right
Turf rights allow inhabitants of a specific area to cut and collect turf or peat from that area, according to the amount of shares they own.
Water right
The Water right allows an area or inhabitants of that area to use the water for recreation (excluding fishing) or as a power source. This right is often connected to buildings instead of people and is limited.
Duties
A duty is a mandatory task that an inhabitant of an area must carry out in exchange for the right to live in that area. This requirement applies to both people with and without shares in the land, and it applies whether or not they use the Common Land.
Duty
Description
Planting trees
The inhabitants of the area have a duty to replant trees in the forest and plant new trees on the open plains to prevent desertification. It must be shown that when a tree has been cut down, at least two more trees have been planted. If a person fails to do so, they will risk a fine.
Maintaining infrastructure
The residents of the area are responsible for maintaining the infrastructure, including roads, ditches, and dykes. Failure to do so may result in a fine and potential responsibility for repair costs if issues with the infrastructure arise.
Maintaining agroforest
The residents of the area are responsible for maintaining the agroforest that they use. This includes replanting, sowing, cleaning, and ploughing the forest. Failure to do so may result in a fine or loss of rights.
by Zev Chafer (original art)
Name
Walden
District
District of VöhrenAmt Aldáer
Type
Neighbourhood
World
Earth
Landlord
Sjoerd Walda
Comments
Author's Notes