What would your party do with 200 acres?

Delemental

First Post
Recently, our FR party decided to purchase a home to use as a permanent base of operations. We ended up buying a plot of land a couple of hours northeast of Waterdeep - an old estate that had been overrun by vampires years ago and was unused. It sits on 200 acres; for those who aren't accustomed to visualizing area in terms of 'acres', it's a plot 3000 feet by 2904 feet. The main house (and supporting buildings, such as the stables, smithy, etc) are in the middle of the property, and a small river runs along the southern border (not big enough for travel or large-scale fishing). The land is largely undeveloped, with a few scattered groves of trees.

We've spent the last two months getting the house into a livable state (fixing the roof, windows, etc) as well as putting up a simple wall around the buildings (courtesy of the Wall of Stone spell). Our elven party member has started up a small orchard as well (of what type I can't remember). We've also had a couple of peasant families move onto the property to care for it while we're away.

So, what would you do with this kind of property, or what have you done if your party has been in similar circumstances? I'll take suggestions from reasonable to outlandish; in terms of resources, we're a party of average level 12, but all of our liquid assets have been sunk into buying the land and restoring the house; thus we're off on another adventure in the hopes of making enough money for our next payment. :)
 

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I would recommend that your group pick up a copy of A Magical Medieval Society: Western Europe. The size and land mix sounds like a nearly-exact match for an average Manor in its rules set. With that for guidance, you can look at becoming respectable members of the gentry, and maybe earn enough gold for a few more such plots of land -- the core of a barony or the like.
 

it really depends on what your characters goals are. Do you want to train some kind of Harperesk group or setup a library, or a training facility. Do you want to hire people to train others while you are away on adventures. Do you want backup? Is this just a resort for you guys to spend time inbetween adventures?

Overall...Why do you want a track of land?
 




Your land is just WAITING to be run over.

If you have any funds left, hire a corps of guards to homestead and protect your property, or at the least a lawful wizard or cleric to look after it, and warn any allies (like maybe the waterdhavian guard) if anything nasty start brewing.

Then, once you have more funding, establish houses for others besides yourselves to live, and establish rent policies. The sooner you have a reeve and a deputy corp to keep order for your lands, the better.

Then, hire a steward, and pay him well, and keep an eye on him. He will be in charge of setting up anything you want to on your lands - a small training school, an armory, a cottage industry, whatever.

The main point is: with 200 acres and larger, you need a good steward.

P.S. Ask the DM where's the mule? You're supposed to get a mule with that 200 acres. :)
 

Henry said:
The main point is: with 200 acres and larger, you need a good steward.

P.S. Ask the DM where's the mule? You're supposed to get a mule with that 200 acres. :)

5 mules. 1 for each of the 40 acres.
 

Henry said:
Your land is just WAITING to be run over.

If you have any funds left, hire a corps of guards to homestead and protect your property, or at the least a lawful wizard or cleric to look after it, and warn any allies (like maybe the waterdhavian guard) if anything nasty start brewing.

Then, once you have more funding, establish houses for others besides yourselves to live, and establish rent policies. The sooner you have a reeve and a deputy corp to keep order for your lands, the better.

Then, hire a steward, and pay him well, and keep an eye on him. He will be in charge of setting up anything you want to on your lands - a small training school, an armory, a cottage industry, whatever.

The main point is: with 200 acres and larger, you need a good steward.

P.S. Ask the DM where's the mule? You're supposed to get a mule with that 200 acres. :)

P.P.S. Sorry, that should've been 40 acres - you did better than most. :)
 

you should give a smallish corner to the church.

nothing like having a bevey of 15 clerics sitting aorund, just in case.

i mean, how do you know the vampires didn't have a friend on vacation? and it is always best to have some blessable types around :)
 

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