Setting
OVERVIEW
Keldan Mair, a distant cousin of Witchport's notorious story-teller and well-meaning brute Renny, is the third owner of the Redsteppe Ranch, an horse ranch that has been in his family for three generations. Keldan's grandfather served in the Andiran cavalry as an officer and used his discharge payment to purchase a tract of land on the border of the current Stormlord Vayner's territory. The ranch will often send the horses that are unfit for sale (the Vayner's have little knowledge of what a "good" horse is anyways) to House Vayner as tribute, in exchange for being largely left alone.
The wealthy and well-regarded clamor for a chance to purchase a Redsteppe steed, and even purchasing breeding rights with one of Keldan's horses costs ten times what a typical riding horse would be sold for.
The ranch is mostly famous for their two original breeds: the southlander (a sure-footed breed built for speed and overland endurance) and the eponymous redsteppe (an even-tempered and fearless steed of great size and physical power). Keldan dabbles in other breeds far less often, and has recently taken to raising mules as well.
His sarcastically titled "warmule" breed (also called a "dire donkey") was specifically created for the purpose of companionship and protection of redsteppe mounts. Keldan regularly tells the story of how one of his warmules single-hoofedly fended off an aedlion that attacked one of his redsteppes.
The aedlion gets bigger every time he tells the story.
Keldan's hands and breeders are pulled from the ranks of decorated cavalrymen, natural scientists, and scholars that have studied animal husbandry the world over. He pays his stablewaifs a high wage and rents his various shops to skilled leatherworkers and smiths, giving him access to high-quality tack.
Redsteppe Ranch boasts a comfortable and homey two-story estate that houses his family and his most trusted hands. Berthing cottages are set up around a communal kitchen for his other workers, and a number of well-appointed guest homes exist for the purpose of housing wealthy customers. His fifty acres is patrolled by guards and hunters who watch for predators and horse thieves.
Keldan despises killing, even lawful executions, and so the horse thieves he captures he sends to House Vayner for punishment as an indentured servant. And Stormlords are not known to treat their servants very well.
Once a year, Keldan holds a festival at Redsteppe Ranch where Stormlords, the upper class of Witchport, and nobles from all over Andir feast, drink, socialize, and witness demonstrations of equestrian skills. His hands compete in games, and the winning horses are put up for auction.
There have been sightings around the ranch of a wild elf woman who seems able to communicate with the horses and sense their emotions. It is said the woman is a greenspeaker, which would explain Keldan's success.
SERVICES
- Purchase of very fine mounts.
- Very fine horse tack and armor.
- Fine leatherworking.
- Animal husbandry training.
Keldan Mair, a distant cousin of Witchport's notorious story-teller and well-meaning brute Renny, is the third owner of the Redsteppe Ranch, an horse ranch that has been in his family for three generations. Keldan's grandfather served in the Andiran cavalry as an officer and used his discharge payment to purchase a tract of land on the border of the current Stormlord Vayner's territory. The ranch will often send the horses that are unfit for sale (the Vayner's have little knowledge of what a "good" horse is anyways) to House Vayner as tribute, in exchange for being largely left alone.
The wealthy and well-regarded clamor for a chance to purchase a Redsteppe steed, and even purchasing breeding rights with one of Keldan's horses costs ten times what a typical riding horse would be sold for.
The ranch is mostly famous for their two original breeds: the southlander (a sure-footed breed built for speed and overland endurance) and the eponymous redsteppe (an even-tempered and fearless steed of great size and physical power). Keldan dabbles in other breeds far less often, and has recently taken to raising mules as well.
His sarcastically titled "warmule" breed (also called a "dire donkey") was specifically created for the purpose of companionship and protection of redsteppe mounts. Keldan regularly tells the story of how one of his warmules single-hoofedly fended off an aedlion that attacked one of his redsteppes.
The aedlion gets bigger every time he tells the story.
Keldan's hands and breeders are pulled from the ranks of decorated cavalrymen, natural scientists, and scholars that have studied animal husbandry the world over. He pays his stablewaifs a high wage and rents his various shops to skilled leatherworkers and smiths, giving him access to high-quality tack.
Redsteppe Ranch boasts a comfortable and homey two-story estate that houses his family and his most trusted hands. Berthing cottages are set up around a communal kitchen for his other workers, and a number of well-appointed guest homes exist for the purpose of housing wealthy customers. His fifty acres is patrolled by guards and hunters who watch for predators and horse thieves.
Keldan despises killing, even lawful executions, and so the horse thieves he captures he sends to House Vayner for punishment as an indentured servant. And Stormlords are not known to treat their servants very well.
Once a year, Keldan holds a festival at Redsteppe Ranch where Stormlords, the upper class of Witchport, and nobles from all over Andir feast, drink, socialize, and witness demonstrations of equestrian skills. His hands compete in games, and the winning horses are put up for auction.
There have been sightings around the ranch of a wild elf woman who seems able to communicate with the horses and sense their emotions. It is said the woman is a greenspeaker, which would explain Keldan's success.
SERVICES
- Purchase of very fine mounts.
- Very fine horse tack and armor.
- Fine leatherworking.
- Animal husbandry training.
Redsteppe Ranch
Known across Andir for their animal husbandry, the Redsteppe Ranch breeds some of the finest horses available. For three generations they have sold mounts to warriors and nobles alike.
Minimap
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northeast |
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You are here. |
east |
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