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Action Id: 2638 Crisis: Participants: Mirk, Vercyn(RIP), Arik, Bethany, Tesha, Violet, Sasha, Harlex, Rowenova, Draven, Juniper, Kace(RIP) and Taldolf
Status: Resolved Submitted: Sept. 10, 2018, 11:01 p.m. Public: True GM: Puffin

Silver: 350000
Economic Resources: 2200
Military Resources: 1200
Social Resources: 700
Action Points: 90

Action by Mirk

At his family's urging, Mirk has brokered deals to secure the necessary help to start the project of creating a proper township out of the small settlement growing up around the Great Northern Shrine to Mangata, at the origin of the Grey River in the runoff of the White Peak Mountains (see: Halfshav landmarks at http://play.arxmush.org/topics/org/54/). A month of meetings and promises had gone into the project, before he so much as turned his eyes to the North.

It's a massive undertaking, involving numerous people and resources, but with the flow of support, hopefully it will be the beginning of a prosperous township, called Cascade Springs.

As the first step, Mirk will clear out land around the settlement and secure the site with fortifications. This will also require investment in housing for soldiers and construction crews.

Mirk will be leading the entire project, but he will also oversee the land clearance personally. He will bring in foremen and workers as necessary, but his goal is to organize the residents of the settlement to do as much as possible, and he'll offer them silver and favors to secure their service - this village elder gets a position in the new township, that one places his niece as a House servant, and so on. He will bring in offerings to the spirits for each place where brush must be cleared out or a tree cut down, while consulting with the planners and engineers to insist that nature must be preserved wherever possible. It will be a delicate balancing act, but one Mirk is confident that he can accomplish.

An overview of the rest of the project:
* During the land clearance, Kace will survey likely farmlands, and Draven will harvest and catalogue herbs from the countryside for local apothecaries.
* Construction, overseen by Bethany, of wooden fortifications designed by Vercyn, with Tesha's assistance. They'll begin with a small palisade around the settlement, and expand to include the entirety of the planned township. It'll also include modest housing and other infrastructure needed to support a population of soldiers and workers, such as the beginnings of an expensive chapterhouse for Violet's Crimson Blades.
* Establishment of a military presence in the area under Arik. He and Taldolf will train guards to man the fortifications, while Rowenova will provide scout support to locate potential threats. Violet will lead Crimson Blade mercenaries on patrol to keep Shav tribes away from the settlement, while Harlex leads soldiers on surgical strikes where threats are identified.
* Import deals and support from allied Houses to secure building materials, military stockpiles, and necessary supplies. Sasha and Tesha will provide this support, and Mirk will add his own favors and resources to facilitate their efforts.
* Whispers will spread news of the settlement and its upcoming expansion throughout Halfshav lands, with Juniper as their point of contact. This will draw people - and workers - to the settlement.


Action by Arik

Lord Arik Halfshav the Sword of Whitehold supports the township project by seeing to the training of the longterm town guards with Taldolf. The pair of them drill the guards on things to watch for, shav tactics, the way Halfshav expects the law to be handled in the town, and other forms of honor and discipline. Once the guards are trained and their martial skills approved by Arik they are handed off to Scout Rowenova for some field experience during construction.


Action by Sasha

Marquessa Sasha Sanna answers the Halfshav call for investment in the township project. Not only does she aid with financial favors but she aids in seeing ever silver and favor called due for supplies goes just a little bit further. She has a mine for economics and trade and utilizes it thoroughly to increase the efficacy of the entire project from the clearing of the land to the hiring of labor to the supplying of food and equipment. If there is a ledger Sasha has her hands on it and is ensuring everything is following a common sense approach.


Action by Tesha

Tesha travels north with the Halfshavs and assists Duke Vercyn on the fortifications. While he handles the overall design of the fortifications, she adds in details such as arrow holes, strategic spots for burning pitch atop the wall, or signaling methods to quickly convey information between the troops. With those added insights and refinements on his design, she conveys the plans to those in charge of the construction and insures that their vision for the fortifications is realized.


Action by Rowenova

Scout Rowenova and Sir Flop (the soulful hound) are prime spotters on the trip North, making sure commanding individuals are swiftly notified about any potential benefits/hazards. Upon finally arriving, these two lead forth those trained guards (from Arik and Taldolf) to scout out hunting grounds and any nearby shav tribes. She draws up detailed reports concerning all the surrounding terrain (good and/or bad) for future roads which will go toward Whitehold (and eastward, too). While staying attentive to Nature's needs, the whole group sustainably fishes/hunts (new stock being given over to Bethany), too. During breaks/camping, she helps out with verbal/written translation for whatever Draven might need to clearly communicate, also making sure he and everyone else is staying safe with survival advice and so on for good health.


Action by Taldolf

Commander Taldolf takes a break from his duties to House Sanna to support House Halfshav's newest expansion efforts. While Lord Arik is taking the lead on training the new longterm guards for the settlement the Sanna Commander is helping keep the women and men being trained in line. Proper motivation and passing along orders from Arik to other trainees to ensure communication is open and well understood by the recruits.


Action by Juniper

Juniper travels with the Halfshavs up the river. Her purpose is to speak to those they meet along the way, recruiting settlers and workers. Charming to a fault and willing to speak to anyone, she mingles as if born to the area and targets those looking to make a change in their life, or contribute to something greater than they've ever done before. The benefits of the settlement are extolled, as are the merits of the organizers, their foresight and vision. It isn't all just rainbows and unicorn farts-- she's practical and down to earth about the challenges such an enterprise faces, having come from humble origins herself-- but she's an adept at finding ways to balance descriptions of hardship with the good which can come of uprooting to join the settlement. To lend credence to her efforts, she comes armed with letters of introduction and other outside resources provided by Halfshav and their allies, and she will also be deploying 200 of her own social resources as a glamourous (but relatable!) Whisper and common girl made good.


Action by Bethany

Bethany brings her financial acumen and skill at people-wrangling to act as a steward of personnel for the project. Like a conductor overseeing a grand symphony, she makes sure that supplies and workers get where they need to be when they need to be there, everything runs on schedule, and the construction generally hums along with the brisk efficiency that she expects in all aspects of her work. She brings in assistants from her own family, people who she knows well and knows that they know what they're doing and will get the job done.


Action by Kace(RIP)

Kace will be travelling upriver witht he Halfshavs to look over the land around the burgeoning town. She will be checking soil and grass quality to determine where is best suited for farmlands, where would be the best grazing land for herds, the best spots along the river for fishing, and where to clear out space for a lumber yard as well as a barracks and training yard. In addition, she will be seeking out any potential underground water sources that the city can tap into, as well as any possible hotsprings that may run beneath the city.


Action by Vercyn(RIP)

Duke Vercyn could hardly miss the expansion of the Great Northern Shrine to Mangata. Not only is he a publicly devout member of the Pantheon but this may be the largest construction effort in Halfshav history and it is under his tenure as Duke with his own nephew doing a fair bit of the work. His primary goal is to use his vast experience as a military commander and war chief to design the fortifications and guard assignments so that they are organized in the optimal fashion with the right width and height to the walls, the correct number of towers, and enough guardsmen for the township and wall. In addition his personal participation is a validation that this is indeed the will of House Halfshav and a new chapter in the growth of the domain underneath his families leadership. Also he names the town: Cascade Springs


Action by Harlex

After a discussion with Lord Mirk and coordinating with the Commandant's efforts closer to the settlement, Harlex intends to take a group of mercenaries ahead of the caravans set to venture to the settlement. Their goal? Preemptive strikes. Scouting and clearing out ambush raiders/highwaymen that lie in wait for the traveling merchants, workman, and settlers. It's much more effective than waiting for those ambushes to spring, potentially frightening off commerce. While the caravans are protected, he coordinates riding out with his soldiers to take down any impending threats, traveling up and down the routes; eliminating targets and generally being a suppression force against would-be attackers of the caravans should they be shav, brigands, or others. Specifically only those who seek to harm or destabilize the routes of the new settlement. They utilize the tactics inherit to their Company; swift, precise, and deadly when provoked to violence. All in the purpose of making sure those deep pockets aren't scared off from the township by frequent attacks.


Action by Violet

In terms of military and protection for the building project, Halfshav has hired the Crimson Blades. Especially since part of the new building of the town will include a new chapter house for the Mercenary Company. So Violet herself spends her time in the area. Working as hard as her soldiers and making sure that the protection of the budding settlement is secure. But more importantly making connections with those who are building it. And those who will probably one day live there, or already do. Building bridges for the future of the Blades.

Scouts are sent out ahead of clearing parties. Making sure there are no dangers, human or otherwise, for the new township. Violet herself goes and patrols the area with her troops. They take great care in their sweeps. Never attacking right away unless absolutely necesarry. However problems -are- dealt with swiftly and with the precision and care the company has been known for. Attacking the problem with tactics rather than just lots of muscle and weapons.


Action by Draven

Perhaps much to the dismay to the soldiers he is going with, being allowed to tag along on with the Halfshav party has only left the incredibly energetic Draven even more excited. Quite simply, he can't seem to sit still throughout nearly the entire journey, and the only time he stops talking is when he is sleeping. Everyone in the whole group will have heard about the differences between Things and Stuff at least a hundred times, and none of what Draven says really will make much sense unless translated by someone who knows him well. Then, however, when they get to where he can start his work, they see a whole new person left in his place. When Draven is left to do what he came to, Alchemy and Herbalism, he is entirely dedicated and focused, even if none of the notes he makes in his log make any sense to anyone. He was tasked to help catalog the plantlife in the new township, and to help treat the sick and injuired along the way, which he actually does exceptionally well.


Result

Construction on a new township in Halfshav lands, a place called Cascade Springs, has finally been completed. Under the guidance of Lord Mirk Halfshav, the entirety of the project has been overseen carefully. Princess Kace works hand in hand with Rowenova and her faithful hound to scout the area, selecting the perfect place to build. Marquessa Sasha answers the Halfshav call for investing in the township. Lord Arik supports the project by sending guards he has personally trained to see to its new town defenses, managed and directed by Commander Taldolf.

Duke Vercyn works with the designers to create defenses for the new township, with Lady Tesha assisting him. To add to the defenses, Commander Violet and Harlex Valtyr work to establish a barracks for the Crimson Blades nearby. And Bethany Mercier is established as the steward of this new township, with Draven doing whatever alchemical things a Draven does best. And as Juniper Whisper leads the social scene in talking about all these goings on, it's clear that the township is the talk of the town.

All in all it's a huge success, and the new Cascade Springs is established with care and precision.