I haven't played Haven much, but it seems like Elaine is the best starting hero. She starts with 80 peasants, and they bring in 2 gold each instead of 1, plus you often get offered Estates early on. We transfer all the peasants to her using 2-3 heroes, and another hero leads the light battles with archers and swordsmen, without venturing too deep – just to deal with the minor enemies. By the third week, Elaine, with a bit of luck, can even compete for a gold mine.