Isn't that 'becoming a Steelfather'?

I could see how one could lead to the other but I don't think they are quite the same thing considering that Steelfathers don't seem to have any other tricks related to Steel and a general power over the Metal would be well known as a power that they all have if they did

He didn't conjure them, he made them. It seemed like he was conjuring iron with Ironbloom and then using...something (presumably, whatever you do to make something Steel normally, plus Forgefire) to transform it into Steel, not just conjuring Steel.

That seems like a valid reading of the text but I personally disagree that it is the most likely option.

Edit: yeah that does seem more likely missed that bit on my reread
 
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...

Hold up a sec.

@Imperial Fister, do we need a specific Trick in Farming to be doing proper Crop Rotations? Or is that assumed to be something we're already doing.

Because Three Field should be on the table at this point in time, and if we're just doing a Two Field (As is the 'Default'), we should be able to pivot to Three with our new variety, which'll improve our output by close to 50%
 
[x] Buy stoneworking equipment (selection of hammers, wedges, chisels and saws)

Yes we can make better tools ourselves, but we need to know what the tool is supposed to look like before we can duplicate it.
 
@Imperial Fister can we in fact buy stone or stoneworking tools? Are either necessary or would our current tools work with there being plenty of stone at home?
There's plenty of stone at home that you can shape with the tools on hand. Halla doesn't really get that different kinds of stone exist in an architectural capacity, so she's assuming that the stone at home will work.
 
There's plenty of stone at home that you can shape with the tools on hand. Halla doesn't really get that different kinds of stone exist in an architectural capacity, so she's assuming that the stone at home will work.

Fair. She's probably right, too. There are certainly stone quarries in Norway used for building. And a little cursory research suggests that while their houses were not stone, most Norse houses in the period did have stone foundations...if you can make one of those, your tools can probably manage other stonework.
 
[X] Plan: Buy Everything (-35oz of Silver, -3 Tokens)

Man.... the effects of Norse mercenaries will be a FUN one, especially when they start to settle in Winchester too, expanding the Danelaw's cultural sphere :V

Also, With the option to go Viking, in service of the crown.... that means there is a honorable out for fighters in Adger..... too bad if our King dies, the provinces under him will get raided still....
Hm....

@Imperial Fister just making sure, Skane is under a different king/jarl than Adger is, right?
 
Using slave labor for anything where mistakes could be critical and damaging is generally a bad call. Too many opportunities for sabotage. A mason, like an architect, is high on the list of things you don't want to rely on a slave for.
The point is not so much to use them for labour as to learn all the things we don't know that we don't know about stonework. The actual work on our soul-house will have to be done with our own hands after all.
 
And even then I think a freeman is better anyway.

This is verifiably true in-setting, as Thralls get less Orthstirr (and probably usually Hamingja) and thus usually have lower ratings in things.

The point is not so much to use them for labour as to learn all the things we don't know that we don't know about stonework. The actual work on our soul-house will have to be done with our own hands after all.

But what's their incentive to teach us right rather than wrong?
 
On the slave topic:
If we go to buy slaves LATER - because, lets be fair, we are staying away from home too long already, what with mission complete - We could always do a timed contract.
Promise them to free them in 3 or 5 years anyways, but do so sooner if they can teach us or make something of either masterwork or better (-1 turn/grade above good).

After all, it would get us the free labor we would want from thralls and give said thralls an easy out as well.
and if they have a home to go back to.... it just so happens we have a ship and like to make deals anyways.

And do remember people. Thralls/slaves is accepted in northern culture. Sure, it sucks to be one, but it IS generous to have a definite time limit on it, and not just be one for the rest of your life, hoping your karl frees you.

And before people start with the "Halla feel bad about it" No, she doesn't.
Gabriel (and Jerasmus) were thralls gotten fair and square in honorable raid. The fact she befriended Gabriel just shows Thralls are not held in bad aspect, culturally, even if Hasvis was an asshole with his when we scouted.
Not to mention Randi, who is still a thrall of Steinarr and who was like a second mother to Halla.

Its bad with our current sensibilities, yes. doesn't mean we can't use it for our advantage.
Or that we can just buy and free thralls anyways, to hire them , but how long would they stick around as a free karl and why would we do that (unless they are our kin, but damn, how did they ended up as a thrall??) ?
Edit:
It is! Skane is in Southern Sweden while Agder is in Southern Norway
whew... we could dodge the war, if we are lucky, with an extended visit to the core family then!
 
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And do remember people. Thralls/slaves is accepted in northern culture. Sure, it sucks to be one, but it IS generous to have a definite time limit on it, and just be one for the rest of your life, hoping your karl frees you.

Buying a thrall in Norse lands and offering to free them would be possible for this reason. Buying one in England? Not so much. Different culture entirely.

But more importantly, we have to feed a thrall same as hiring a freeman and they may well leave when they're freed while the freeman more likely stays. The only advantage to buying a thrall rather than hiring someone is that it's cheaper. And given how much money we have, the amount it's cheaper is not a real concern for us.
 
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