Done a bit of research on Arachne Solara's world wide web (OK I went to the Britannica site). Britannica has the following to say on the histry of windmill technology:
<<The earliest-known references to windmills are to a Persian millwright in AD 644 and to windmills in Seistan, Persia, in AD 915. These windmills are of the horizontal-mill type, with sails radiating from a vertical axis standing in a fixed building, which has openings for the inlet and outlet of the wind diametrically opposite to each other. Each mill drives a single pair of stones directly, without the use of gears, and the design is derived from the earliest water mills. Persian millwrights, taken prisoner by the forces of Genghis Khan, were sent to China to instruct in the building of windmills; their use for irrigation there has lasted ever since.
The vertical windmill, with sails on a horizontal axis, derives directly from the Roman water mill with its right-angle drive to the stones through a single pair of gears. The earliest form of vertical mill is known as the post mill. It has a boxlike body containing the gearing, millstones, and machinery and carrying the sails. It is mounted on a well-supported wooden post socketed into a horizontal beam on the level of the second floor of the mill body. On this it can be turned so that the sails can be faced into the wind.
The next development was to place the stones and gearing in a fixed tower. This has a movable top, or cap, which carries the sails and can be turned around on a track, or curb, on top of the tower. The earliest-known illustration of a tower mill is dated about 1420. Both post and tower mills were to be found throughout Europe and were also built by settlers in America.>>
So the technology behind windmills does not seem byeond the Heortlings. OK so that 'Dutch' windmill from the DP illustration is probably a bit off - tower windmills are probably a kingdom of Malkonwal innovation in DP, they are listed as 1420 - but post- windmills or, if gears are too 'high'tech' for your heortlings, a horizontal windmill are quite possible (just replace the oxen with cloth sails) do look technically possible.
I'm not sure about enslaving umbroli to work them though - umbroli are guests not thralls - better to live as Orlanth and Ernalda and be thus blessed by the winds for your windmill.
Ian
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