Nindrol, Prince of Eriar and Lord of Blackhearth, recognized that his fiefdom was not the most powerful in The Twisted Forests, but recognition of this fact did little to calm him. He was one of those people for whom destiny was more than an abstract word. It was a promise to him in particular, and that promise was that he would have control over The Twisted Forests. He had heard of the poverty in the southern fiefdoms, and hoped to modernize them, and bring them under his vassalage of course.
But in his way was the largest fiefdom. It was central to both the geography and the control of The Twisted Forests, and he saw it as his first prize. But such a powerful territory would not simply give themselves over to his control, and so he devised a plan to bring other players into his local power struggle, hoping to draw economic and military influence from his neighbors. But before he could reasonably expect others to help him, he would need to help himself, and so the first stage of his plan involved building Blackhearth into a diverse and influential economy, which could win others to his cause.
He set about a quarter of his staff to drawing attention from the surrounding countryside, trying to convince people by various means that Blackhearth was the place to take their business, educated their children, and make their future.
-2.5 Power, +1.25 InfluenceAn equal part of his administrative staff set about bolstering the already rich agricultural investments. Nindrol saw farming as one of the pinnacles of elven achievement. While other races had their ways of taking from the earth, all for the sake of their so called industry, the elves had learned to truly live with it. As far as he saw it, the reason elven agriculture was so much more effective was because it didn't see the land as a resource, it saw it as a parent. The elves weren't working to exploit the land, they were working
with it, and the gains they achieved were equaled by the work they invested, and the energy they gave back to the land.
-2 Power, +0.04 AgricultureAnd that made what he did next that much more painful. He set groups working on both industry and infrastructure; exploiting the land and covering it up. He told himself it was a necessary evil, and that he would only do as much as was required, no more. But it still hurt to condemn sections of beautiful wilderness to death. He made those administrators taking on these tasks swear that they would do their best to find methods of achieving these ends which had the least impact on the forests of Blackhearth. Having sent his trusted advisers off to tackle those issues, he sent another group to seek investors who would bring economic success to the area. He hoped that if he could bring some wealth to his city the sacrifices he demanded of his forest might be made right, or at least more palatable.
-3 Power, +0.02 Infrastructure, +0.02 Industry, +0.02 EconomyWith Blackhearth as busy as he could make it, Nindrol sought information. Two messengers were sent to the southern fiefdoms, one to each. The messages were simple and concise.
To the Lord or Lady of this Fief,
Words of Plight and Poverty have reached, through long roads, the ears of those here in Blackhearth, the Most Northern of Territories in these Twisted Forests. Please send word of your Conditions, so that we may know how to Process.
With Concern,
Nindrol, Lord of Blackheart
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Topic: Clash Of Empires (Read 5287 times)