Gears of the Kingdom
Twenty-Seventh Day of the Second Month 293 AC
In the end you leave the fountain in peace with only the stares of curious or fearful passersby to show for it. The god and his involvement with the madness of Westheaven will bear investigation in the days ahead. For now, however, you find yourself studying considerably more mundane but also vital matters, the palace documents on matters of commerce and taxation, particularly the flow of food and the major sources of revenue, smithing and dye-making. The task in not a simple one and even with Alinor's help and the assistance of some rather anxious-looking clerks, hours slip by with seemingly little progress in building an overall image of what the city needs to stay alive and how much it produces in turn.
"I'm not sure I'm the best for this task," Alinor says unexpectedly, laying down the latest pile of parchment on the desk with a soft thump. "You need someone with experience running these kind of vast numbers, making proper estimates..."
"You do realize I have been struggling just as much if not more than you have?" you ask wryly, taking advantage that for the moment you were alone in the office of the former 'Keeper of Dyes and Gold'. Then more firmly, "What I need is someone I can
trust first and foremost. You went from household sums to a town of thousands which has since grown to a realm of almost twenty thousand. This is far, far larger, but there are people already skilled in administering every aspect of it. You have only to keep them all working."
"They are not likely to be the most honest, nor the most competent bunch," she counters, though her expression does clear a bit at the encouragement.
"You can sift through that together with Malarys' help, or even Garin's if you need something more discrete than the lawmen to do the job. For now I need Tyrosh not to starve and the hole in my coin purse to be as small as you can make it, no more."
"Alright then," she squares her shoulders "I'm going to need you to follow me around for a bit then, possibly with scales and wings." She grins and it is not a kindly expression. "Best get the tedious questions of why these fine scions of ancient Tyroshi blood should listen to me out of the way quickly."
"Not so different than Gorthos' Crew, are they?" you ask.
"The difference is they smell better... well, most of them do," Alinor corrects herself after a moment. "Some of the perfumes smell like rotting lard."
"That is because they are actually rubbing scented fat onto the skin," you explain, amused.
Grumbling something rather uncomplimentary about Tyroshi personal hygiene she precedes you from the room. Alas you do not think fear will improve their odor.
***
By mid afternoon you had impressed Alinor's authority upon all the major officials, or in two
memorable cases their successors. The only reason you did not have two more prisoners to be hung together with the looters and pillagers is that if you went down the route of punishing everyone who embezzled from the city coffers before they became yours you likely would not have anyone to manage said coffers at all. Still 'politely' telling those particular worthies to never darken your door again rid you of the pestiferous combination of dishonesty and towering incompetence along the upper echelons of the bureaucracy.
What do you do next?
[] Grow the Heart Tree(s)
-[] Write in sacrifices, desired enchantments, appearance as well as any speech you wish to make
[] Deal with the common criminals (looters of various stripes)
-[] Write in speech (optional)
[] Write in
