So, I thought it was actually worth going back to the start of the quest and looking at some of our aspirations for our colony, which really played into the choices we made setting it up, because we've gotten to one of the first key junctures now where that plays in. Then I thought it would help to look at some of the problems we face now, and the opportunities they might conceal, before going to some proposed solutions, which inform the plan below. It's a little involved, but thanks for taking the time to give it a look.
Challenges and Objectives
Looking back to the start of the quest, we invested heavily into a vision for our colony, which led to some quite pronounced choices:
- A hub of crafts with a heavy involvement of the Shapers, so that we could become a forge for the North, a fortress city filled to the brim with artifice and crafts which we might preserve even after the demise of Numenor itself.
- We picked our location on the Isen partly because we could be further from the attention of the King's Men, and secondly because it was the closest to the Dwarves of Khazad-Dum, who from the outset the quest wanted to befriend.
- We picked a heavy number of the Faithful because we wanted to remain Elf-Friends, and remain to the original ideals of Westernesse and be friends to all Free Peoples.
- At great expense, we decided to bring our own shipwright, and pick the great iron port, so that our colony would be not just a forge, but a manufactory-port, a hub of industry able to then trade the fruits of its crafts far and wide, and reap the rewards of doing so.
- We decided to pursue trade and diplomatic links with Tharbad and Lond Daer, as well as the local Middle Men - creating a system of alliances and trade links in the North which could resist the rising Shadow, as well as hopefully stay a boring periphery as far as the King's Men were concerned.
This motivates, I think, what we want to try and shoot towards now - a growing hub of crafts and commerce, building fledgling alliances in the North with our neighbours, which can one day form a web of prosperity and an iron shield against the power of Mordor.
Next, we face some big problems here in this update, and also a few opportunities:
- Tharbad is putting its boot to the neck of the local Middle Men. The "protection" they offer is actually from orcs and trolls, not just other
protection rackets sovereigns, so in a sense they are morally better than most sovereigns, but it still wouldn't be acceptable even without the many diplomatic problems it introduces.
- The Dwarves of Khazad-Dum,
who we chose our colony location simply to be close to, want us to help the people who live along the Gwaltho before they will trade with us or befriend us. That makes Tharbad a key objective by itself.
- The Enedwaithrim, our neighbours, are people we really want to have on our side, as they can sell us mutton and wool, grain in bad winters, and will buy our crafts. The issues with Tharbad are also a key point to forming closer ties with them.
- Tharbad apparently has not been paying taxes for centuries and fears any gaze of royal authority in their general direction, especially given their new protection racket. We have reason to fear that too, if it happens, but it also provides a "chink in their armour" as the update says.
- The war of the Blacklocks and Longbeards is unfortunate, and threatens to complicate what we wanted to be a simple alliance. However, both of them want our food.
- There is a growing darkness to the North, wreathing Mt. Gundabad in shadow and malice.
- Our Speakers would like us to befriend and visit the local elves, to send expeditions outwards, and to set up new industries. In short, to expand, grow, and realise our vision for the colony.
Proposed Solutions
On the broad strokes stuff, I think that it is really important that we begin laying as much groundwork now for our longer-term plans. We want to establish trade links with all of the North, we want to begin our fledgling industries, and we want to start the foundations of our mercantile and naval strength. It is less important, though by no means unimportant, that we expand in other areas - we had a focused vision for what we wanted our city to be, a fortress and forge of iron foam, and we should stay true to that.
On the near-term problems, by far the biggest of which is Tharbad, I think we need to act decisively to ensure a lasting compromise is met, or this problem will drag on forever. Peace, alliance and trade with the local Middle Men, and an ally and trading partner in Tharbad, is essentially crucial for everything else we set out to accomplish here. In terms of how we do that, I think the key point would be to use Tharbad's fear of a Royal inspection, as well as offer them some juicy carrots as well as that stick. This will mean a write-in, and I think we want to lay the foundations of lasting diplomatic settlement between us, Tharbad, the men of Brun Gledd, and the other Middle Men.
As far as the Dwarven war goes, for now I think we should deal with our nearer-term concerns and attempt to stay neutral. In the longer term however, we may try to be a neutral trading partner for both sides, or perhaps pick one, although that probably means the Longbeards. Finding Var's ring for the Blacklocks seems like a bit of a longshot.
Plan
[X]
Plan Laying the Foundations
-[X]
Construction
--[X] Build A Shaping Hall.
---[X]
Ûrîphêl
--[X] Build A Shipyard.
-[X]
Options (8)
-[X]
Defence
--[X] Scout Gundabad.
---[X]
Barazîr
--[X] Search For Signs of Gundabad's Influence.
-[X]
Diplomacy
--[X] Send An Envoy To Rivendell.
--[X] Send An Envoy to Brun Gledd. (Write-In, see below.)
--[X] The Lord of the Tower.
---[X] Write-In: (
Imrazôr)
---[X] The League of Enedwaith
---[X] We will attempt to broker a lasting peace settlement between Tharbad, the men of Brun Gledd, and the local Middle Men, To do so, we will create a league in which all of the major stakeholders have representation, and can resolve disputes, raise concerns to be decided mutually. We shall form a League of free Men.
---[X] Tharbad will end the extractative tributes it levies from its subjects through fear and main force - they shall become League members, subordinate but with rights.
---[X] The sentinels of Tharbad may still ask for less penurious contributions for the defence they provide - official League contributions.
---[X] As Tharbad helps us to fight Gundabad,
Târ Nîlon will pay League contributions also, in coin and also through lending our skilled crafts, and our ships. We will also pledge rebuild Tharbad's wall next year, once they have joined the League.
---[X] Through trade with us, and through us the rest of the North, Tharbad should be no worse off and will in time actually grow far wealthier by trade, as we shall do also.
---[X] Brun Gledd will join the League, agree to provide at least some token contributions for its common defence as a show of good will. In return, they will remain independent, their brothers will gain in freedom, and in years to come we will trade together and girt their warriors in steel.
---[X] Braelor of the Enedwaithrim and the Warden of Tharbad shall swear a binding oath of peace, for themselves and their heirs unto the tenth generation, under our gaze and in the sight of Eru and the Vala.
---[X] Raise the rising spectre of Mt Gundabad, sharing
Barazîr's findings, and that free Men standing together for the common defence is the only way forward now that the thread from the Shadow is greater than it has been in a millenium.
---[X] Make it clear to both sides that this is the best deal they are likely to get. For Tharbad, raise the fear that we will go to the King and negotiate with the next Warden, as well as of Mt Gundabad. For Brun Gledd, focus their minds with the prospect that this is their best and only chance of a settlement which does not end with them as the feudal subjects of some Westron prince.
---[X] Try to negotiate firmly, but don't play
such hardball that if a lesser settlement is possible which is still in the spirit of this, we can't agree on it.
-[X]
Exploration
--[X] Explore Enedwaith
--[X] The Gwathlo
-[X]
Seafaring
--[X]
Plan An Expedition
---[X] Inzilbeth Seastrider
---[x] The Pillar of Heaven
---[x] Gather a Volunteer Crew
---[X] Elf-Friendly Colonies: Pelargir to Edhellond, to Lond Daer. (Costs 1 supplies)
---[X] The Three Jewels: Forlond, Harlond, and Mithlond (Costs 1 supplies)
---[X] Trade & Diplomacy: (Trading Stone with Lond Daer, building ties with all, and investigating what they might like to trade on future trips.)
Rationale
- On the construction side, we're getting our shipyard set up, which will be the nucleus of our mercantile and naval power, and is half of our plan for the city.
- We're also building the Shaping Hall, to be an HQ for our efforts to become a massive centre of crafts and industry. This might seem backwards - why not build a Crafting Hall first, and start having fine work for export immediately? But I think it is important to start with first things
first, and given our plans, the Shaping Hall is a necessity.
- On top of that, the ability to conduct multiple construction projects without assigning heroes will be really useful, especially given we will need someone to build the harbour.
- Next, the diplomatic summit. This is a big one, and I will readily admit that it is really ambitious. However, I think we have a lot of things working in our favour here:
- We are offering some really big carrots here. The wall and our skilled labour, which we know Tharbad
really wants. A diplomatic settlement which preserves their image of themselves as honour protectors of the region. Trade, and access to the markets of the whole of Middle-Earth.
- On top of that, we know Tharbad is really frightened of a Royal Inspection, so we kind of have them over a barrel here. (We don't really
want to pull the trigger there, but they don't know that, and if it came to it, we could do so without shooting our own nose off.)
- On top of
that, we have a common enemy in Mt. Gundabad, a rising threat that is probably greater than it has been since a millennium ago. A common enemy always does a lot to help people pull together.
- Scouting our local area seems prudent, since it is important to us and in this early phase of the game, we really do want to get a firm idea of our surroundings.
- In terms of the sea expedition, I think that visiting both all of the colonies which are friendly to the Faithful (or in our orbit as Lond Daer is), and then a big visit up north to Lindon is a really good pairing. Trading stone with Lond Daer should open up a trade connection which we have wanted since the start of the game, and the other options start friendships which we can expand on later.
Got to run and have supper now, but I would welcome comments and discussion! (Also votes.
)
