Chapter 19

The population growth for the giants was much faster than I anticipated. In ten years it would be well over the required 5,000. So, I was now on a limited time scale to do the best I can for the giants.

I begin reading through my library. I skim through most of the books and somewhere between 3 out of 5 books are about history, wars, or politics. 1 in 4 is about science. 1 in ten was about the arts and 1 in 20 were about magic. The sociological books were not helpful beyond being mildly interesting and even then most of them were incredibly boring. I don't know why I thought the science in a medieval analog would be more helpful then what I already know, because they were remarkably unhelpful. The books on the arts were nice, but not helpful to my current endeavors. The final book the journal I found in the vault was the most disappointing. I was so sure it would help me find out what caused the doom, but it was just the ramblings of a petty and insecure dude. I did find out that the area I was looting was the poorer district of nobility the truly wealthy were near the epicenter of the doom. So going back toward the 'true' treasure would involve heavier volcanic gas, a lot more lava, and potentially already being destroyed.

The books on magic were horrifying. All but two were Valyrian magic and required dragons and or human sacrifices. There was a single text on old tongue runes. It was one of the books I found in the Valyrian library ruins. It described the hypothetical effects of each rune, but the only way it mentioned being able to use them is with the blessing of the old gods or extensive human sacrafices.

The final magic book was on the water magic of the Rhoyne. Water magic seemed cool and not immediately horrifying. Valyrians had the opinion that magic was personal power. They also thought why should they make a sacrifice when they can have a slave do it instead. Maybe their magic was different early on, but based on all the books the Valyrians started as humble goat herders. Then they found dragons and almost immediately conquered essos and enslaved everyone who wasn't them. I also wasn't able to find any specifics on the magic items I found, so I'll continue leaving those alone. Rhoyne water magic was different though it instead focused on power as a group and all of the magics are rituals that require minimal sacrifice, but a lot of people to perform them. I could maybe apply this to Valyrian magic, but even the nicer water magic can still have terrible consequences for mistakes. Like accidentally removing all of the water in your body. So, with that in mind, I'm not touching any of these spells until I have a better understanding of magic.

The only thing of note I found that would be useful was the Valyrian recipe for concrete.Which actually was an improvement on the modern version only requiring mixing a couple natural ingredients. Even the farming sciences, despite having to endure unnatural weather phenomena were really mundane. I show a couple of hunters and warriors everything they need to make concrete. I gather it with them, make it with them, and construct ice molds to shape the final product. Given our size, any buildings made of lumber would require us to cut down numerous trees. However the materials for concrete are abundant, so we find a clearing a begin to construct a small permanent village.

I consider what I can do about the medical situation without Walts here to heal everybody. So I talk to the Children of the Forest and renegotiate for closer relations. Giants as hunters and warriors and the Children as scholars and farmers/gatherers. It seems with their instinctive nature magic they're extremely adept at growing and healing creatures. The necromancy stuff was not really their area of expertise which is probably why it went so badly. They were trying to create something in direct opposition to their affinity.

In order for them to properly grow things though they needed samples. I returned to Bravos to buy staple crops of the north as well as much stone fruit and apples I could find. I spent another 50 gold dragons on this shopping trip. Renting out a warehouse to store all of my purchases temporarily. Then I bought out as many produce stands I could find as long as I thought it could grow in a cold climate. Apples, plums, potatoes, whatever. Then I also bought 50 large fishing nets. I brought it all to my temporary warehouse then to my real warehouse then to the north. I'm sure I stood out and brought attention to myself, but I don't intend to return. I give the produce to the children and then move on to teaching giants to fish. Whenever there was a dead ice spider I had the pregnant women remove the thread and weave it into rope. Eventually, there should be enough to make new fishing nets or whatever else they might need.

With how useful the Rhoyne magic seems I decide on a second expedition to the sorrows or Chroyane their fallen capital city. However unlike Valyria which was protected by physical barriers, Chroyane I think was protected magically. Whenever I got close to it I felt sick and like I was being watched. I decide it's not worth it. I consider re-exploring Valyria, but that month was miserable and I now have reason to believe I won't find better loot in other parts of the city. So with that in mind I return to the north.

Years have passed and I realize that my time here will soon be at an end. So I visit the children and give them most of my library. I the magic books, the books written in valyrian, and a handfull of the more general westerosi books.In return they gave me some weirwood tree seed. I don't know if either of us will get any use from each other gifts, but it was nice none the less. I thought about keeping the books on the arts, but I would like to see the giants develop their own culture more so I give the giants a large section of the valyrian art books.. For the giants, I also help select their next leader. Or well old leader Mag Mar Tun Doh. Mag the mighty was still young for a giant, but he also had the most experience leading them as I left most of the mundane ruling to him. I know everything I buy as part of coming to a world is restored if ever destroyed so I leave him Great Reason my valyrian steel great sword. With my final preparations complete and satisfied with the giant's progress I relax for a couple of days before walking up in my warehouse.