Also, a question, how would tenant farmers work exactly?
In theory, you would grant a family of farmers some land (let's say 5 fields) and a house and they would give you some of their harvest (let's say 1/3) In practice you would be hard-pressed to find anyone to agree to these terms, as the people head North in search of land to call their own, rather than to become villains under yet another lord.
An alternative is to hire a farmhand for stable wages and let them farm your land alongside your family.
(I previously said a competent worker could be had for 2 silver, but I have reconsidered and it's now closer to 5 copper + room and board after all)
Other than time to mature, is there any additional cost for raising calves into oxen, dairy cows, etc? How long does it take for a calf to grow to maturity?
Also, what about other animals, such as fowl, goats, and pigs. Unless you have loads, you shouldn't need to spend all your time looking after them? Or sheep, although they would need focus for a flock... now I'm thinking about working dogs.
I'm going to regret bringing animals into this, won't I?
Let's see, it takes 5 years for a bull-calf to become large enough to be an ox (and the hard life of an ox will shorten its lifespan too, so oxen live for 10) it also takes some training. I don't want to leave this to chance, so I'm going to rule that as long as you have 5 skill in ranching, ox training is automatic for 1 ox/year.
Fowl are a status symbol- each chicken uses 1 unit of grain to make 1 unit of eggs.
Goats are micro-cows - you can ranch 3 on each fallow field, and they produce 1 food unit worth of milk per year. You can also eat them (3 units of food.)
Pigs require no pasture, are fed 10 units of grain (in addition to any old garbage they find and eat on their own) and after 2 years sold for 5 silver (or eaten as 25 units of food.) You do need a pig sty to keep them safe (from cold and wolves) though. Let's say 10 to a sty.
Actually you probably need a cowshed for cows too. 5 to a shed.
I doubt our village has any established code of laws, and even if it did he’s not of the village it would likely have to go to a popular vote to banish me and I’m hoping some of the NPC’s share clan Riley’s anti southern sentiment.
Surprisingly this won't get you the death penalty. It is, however, customary to require weregild (money)to be paid to the family if your murder is proven. I suppose it would be a good test for the rest of the candidates to express their opinion as to what the penalty should be.
And you will definitely won't be allowed to seize their possessions just because you killed the noble.