Chapter 16

Stannis did indeed grant me the Lands of the Boggs, Pynes, and Hardys, which expanded my Demesene Considerably. Of course those lands were sparser than what I had built up around the Whispers and Hidden Cove. The Boggs ancestral seat was named Brown Moor and was nestled in a valley, surrounded on two sides by peat marsh, the castle of Brown Moor itself was a squat stone keep out on a Crannog in the Marsh and connected to the Town by a Causeway. Brown Moor's primary economic activity seemed to be Ironmongery, with the Marshes being rich in Bog Iron. The Rest of the Boggs lands seemed to be rolling hills outside the Valley with small sheep herding villages dotting them.

The Pynes seemed to have an abundance of timber and even a small Ironwood Grove. Their ancestral Seat, Firtop was built up in a natural glade in the woods and was an old style wooden castle, though made from Ironwood, much like Deepwood Motte in the North was. They seemed to make a good living off of the timber trade and especially Ironwood. They also did a brisk business in furs as their lands had extensive game trails. Much of the Pynes' lands were not suited well to agriculture, save for a few small farms running along the River Copse, which was a sort of mini river valley in the middle of the woods. All in all the Pynes territory reminds me more of Quebec than the Highlands of Scotland like the Boggs or the Whispers.

The Hardys had the most built up territory of all the three, and probably the most important. They had a proper castle, not a Wooden Fort or a crannog keep, but an honest to gods castle like the Whispers was. If the Whispers and the Boggs Lands were the Highlands of Scotland, then the Hardy's Lands were the Lowlands. Hard Point, their ancestral seat was situated in a fertile plain amongst low, gentle, rolling hills. There were mines in some of the bigger hills, carrying Tin, Iron, Lead, and Copper out of the ground, but mostly it was farming and fishing. Hard Point had an attendant town named Hard Spit, which was situated on the southern shore of Cracklaw point, built up on a spit of land justting out into the sea. It wasn't large enough to be considered a proper peninsula, but it was more than a mere outcropping or sand bar. A Fairly Decent Sized Town of 25,000 People was built up on this spit of land. The Hardys had even managed a small, 3 Galley Navy to patrol their coast, which spoke well of the economic viability of their mines. One other thing of note was that the Hardys seem to have what appeared to be Highland Cows that they farm. I would have to see about importing them to my other lands.

For now I went into my Stronghold Management menu and started mucking about with my new lands. First heading to Brown moor and spending 500 Dragons from the treasury to retrain and outfit the Garrison into something approaching proper troops, then instituting my Agricultural Reforms, which wouldn't bear fruit for another 6 months, but would be worth it. Then I upgraded their Smithy to a Blast Furnace for 100 Dragons, which could be done Instantly. Finally I ordered a Construction of a Road linking Brown Moor to the Whispers for 800 Dragons which would take a month and fortification of the Valley Entrance for 250 Dragons which would only take a week or so.

Brown Moor

Population: 10,000 Town/Castle-50,000 Countryside

Economic Output: 3,650 Golden Dragons Annually

Economic Expenses: 2,800 Golden Dragons Annually

Total Profit: 850 Golden Dragons Annually

Treasury: 550 Golden Dragons

Garrison: 250 Pikemen, 150 Crossbowmen, 100 Light Cavalry

Levies: 500 Spearmen, 500 Archers

Major Trade Goods: Wool, Peat, Iron, Steel, Tools

Castle Status: Decent

Town Status: Average

Country Status: Average

Populace Mood: Decent

I then moved onto Firtop, ordering the reinforcement of the Castle with Stone for 1,000 Dragons, which I paid for out of my own treasury, and which would take three months, the upgrading of their forge to a Blast Furnace, which could be done right away for 100 Dragons, the establishment of a water-powered sawmill on the River Copse for 250 Dragons, a Charcoal Production Manufactory for 150 Gold Dragons, and an Upgrade for the Ironwood Workshop for 500 Gold dragons. The Last 3 would be done in the next month. I then ordered a road built to connect Firtop with the Whispers and Brown Moor for 800 Gold Dragons. Finally I trained their Garrison up to my standards and equipped them for 1,000 Gold Dragons, which I paid half of with funds from my own treasury, and implemented my agricultural reforms on the farms along the River Copse.

Firtop

Population: 15,000 Town/Castle-45,000 Countryside

Economic Output: 5,320 Golden Dragons Annually

Economic Expenses: 3,620 Golden Dragons Annually

Total Profit: 1,700 Golden Dragons Annually

Treasury: 4,200 Golden Dragons

Garrison: 500 Pikemen, 250 Crossbowmen, 100 Light Cavalry

Levies: 750 Spearmen, 250 Archers

Major Trade Goods: Ironwood, Fish, Furs, Timber, Iron, Charcoal, Steel.

Castle Status: Decent

Town Status: Excellent

Country Status: Average

Populace Mood: Average

Finally I went to Hard Point/Hard Spit. I didn't need to upgrade it's defenses other than the Garrison, who I trained and equipped to my standards, so I focused on economic factors, such as a Smeltery which would smelt the Tin and Copper into Bronze, the tin and lead into terne, and the tin, copper, and lead into pewter. That cost 200 Dragons and would be done in a month. I also upgraded the forge to a blast furnace which cost 100 Dragons and could be done instantly, upgraded the docks to be capable of building caravels and carracks for 1,000 Gold Dragons, which would finish in 3 months, built a road linking Hard Point/Hard Spit to Firtop, and from there the Whispers for 800 Gold Dragons, which would be done in a month's time, and finally implemented my agricultural reforms.

Hard Point/Hard Spit

Population: 25,000 City/Castle-75,000 Countryside

Economic Output: 6,650 Golden Dragons Annually

Economic Expenses: 4,650 Golden Dragons Annually

Total Profit: 2,000 Golden Dragons Annually

Treasury: 6,120 Golden Dragons

Garrison: 1,000 Pikemen, 500 Crossbowmen, 250 Light Cavalry

Levies: 750 Spearmen, 250 Archers, 300 Heavy Cavalry

Navy: 3 Ironwood War galleys

Major Trade Goods: Wool, Grain, Fish, Copper, Iron, Lead, Steel, Tin, Cow Products, Terne, Bronze, Pewter

Castle Status: Good

Town Status: Excellent

Country Status: Decent

Populace Mood: Average

With that I noticed that in total I would Receive incomes totaling 6,650 Golden Dragons Every three months from my various holdings. I could also raise a professional, disciplined force of 6,700 Professional Troops, and could supplement that out to 10,000 troops with levies, fully half the muster of the Point. At this point dominance of the point was contested between myself and the Brunes, at least one Branch of which, the Brunes of Brownhollow, were in littlefingers pocket. I was convinced that money, resources, lands, and levies were split 50/50 between myself and both Branches of House Brune, and that if I was going to complete my Stronghold Quest, I would need to somehow destroy the Brunes and absorb their Holdings. That time might come sooner rather than later, for in about a month, if things hold true to canon, Robert Baratheon was going to be assassinated and the War of the Five Kings would kick off in Earnest.

Of course things hadn't quite held true to canon in that respect, the Imp had never been captured at the Crossroads inn and thus the Mountain had never gone on a rampage in the Riverlands. No Instead I had been attacked by Mountain Houses with Targaryen Sympathies, paid for in Pentoshi Coin and directed by Varys. I had to wonder if he was trying to deny levies that he could raise for Faegon from going to a rival, or if he had determined that I was simply making too many waves and had to be attacked in order to at least be halted from my progress. If it was the Former, well then he had lost his catspaws on the point and could only try more subtly to effect the smallfolk here, not likely as my Agricultural and Economic Reforms would bring prosperity to the Point. If it was the latter, though his gambit had failed utterly and I had gained yet more power. He may try assassination next. I don't particularly like the thought of that, but then, I'm quite possibly the best lord suited to surviving getting his throat slit in his sleep. . .Gamer's Body was awesome like that.

Still I had to prepare for the future war. That meant gathering a warchest, drilling my troops, and building defenses. I was so focused on war, Imagine how surprised I was when none other than Lady Amelia Celtigar decided to pay me a visit not a week after I had taken Lordship of the rebel lands. . .