Alright, no change of plans, on with the turn.
A new day dawns, and the food supply is running rather low again. Calling together the slave teams, you order them to go search for food. They can't claim that they don't know where any plants are, and if they lie, they will be punished.
After you brusquely send them off, you go over to your High Recruiter, who is already drilling the new "recruits". Those that are being difficult and obstinate are whipped, and those that do so for a second time are impaled on spikes, twice as long as a man. They're not so stupid as to incur your wrath twice, so the number of impaled miscreants remains disappointingly low.
All seems well, time to gather some information.
Entering a crude ( but spacious ) tent you erected for yourself and for the lieutenants, you find the scout, sitting as still as a stone on the floor, flanked on either side by your Spymaster and a rankless lieutenant. Time to begin the debriefing.
"Soldier, you know very well our situation. I need to know what lies to the east, other than the temple." You neglect to mention the fact that you can't attack it without incurring the wrath of the empire, which you can't face yet.
"On your expedition with your four other comrades, what did you see? Lakes, hills, any landmarks of note?"
"My lord, we did see a lake. It was far from the temple, no sign of human life nearby, sir. We gathered water plants there when our provisions wore thin."
"Is that all?"
"No sir, there was also a hill, made of solid rock, sir. Just slightly south of the lake."
"Good. You are dismissed". He bows, and leaves.
Going outside, you have another idea. Going to some of the recruits resting ( for just a minute ) you bark at him to tell you where large sources of game, fish, or anything else noteworthy are. The man's will is already eroded, he answers in a slightly hushed voice, that there is a lake, to the east. You are about to tell him that you already know that, but you are surprised when he tells you about the "Scale men" who live in the lake.
Pressing him further, you learn that a group of scaly looking men somehow live
in the lake, coming out to trade with and raid the tribes nearby. According to this man, the scale men worship a nearby large mound made up of various stone, but with a high concentration of metal.
He must mean the hill.
You hear footsteps coming, and see the slave teams approaching. They have all come back, none are stupid enough to run when their families and friends are your slaves. They have brought a good supply of food, enough to sustain you for a day.
Food gathered: 2790
What to do now?
STATUS
Name: Thauldar the Mighty
Age: 26
Gender:Male
Equipment: Iron Sword, Hide shield, Leather ornate armor, Steel helmet.
Army: 519 heavy human infantry ( Status: warmed up ), 200 hunters, 4 honor guard, 5 lieutenants ( Spymaster, High Recruiter, etc )
Other: 1570 women slaves, 20 rebellious adolescent males, 200 adult males ( trainable ).
Holdings: 1 palisade ( at camp, 2 turns ), 1 ditch, 1 camp ( with spikes )
4430 rations
So...any suggestions?