Short Spring, Long Summer, 105 AD
You sit in your solar, your crown in your hands, frowning at its many runes. Some are larger than others; the ones belonging to the First Men are by far the largest, but some are smaller than your pinky-finger and others are not even that large. It seems heavier now that you are aware of the significance of those arcane symbols. How much time and effort went into crafting them, into finding the sky-metal, into the smelting and the forging? It is humbling to wear something so intricate. You think that no one alive could make something like this…then you glance down and see the sheets of parchment describing the process of making concrete, reporting the new taxes from the farms, and a letter from Castle Green asking you to bring your crown once more. +50 gold (farming) from crop rotation.
You might not be able to make the crown or its spells. But you can feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, and make the North strong. You can watch your children grow and see that they will know how to rule. That's good enough, you decide. You turn back to your desk, deciding what orders to send you. A king's work is never done.
Military: Brandon is the Champion of Winter and a skilled commander of soldiers. Most importantly, you trust him with your life and throne. (Choose 2)
[] Guard Equipment: The Winterfell Guard are now the best-trained force in the Seven Kingdoms. The next step is to make them the best-equipped force in the Seven Kingdoms. Full plate is impractical, but while buying them half-plate and good quality weapons and shields will further improve their effectiveness. Time: 1 season. Cost: 700 gold. DC: 50. Reward: Winterfell guard becomes better equipped.
[] Build a Fleet (Location): Ironborn and slavers threaten your coasts, and you have gone long enough without a fleet. Order one of your vassals to begin constructing ships, and offer gold and workers to see it done. Time: 2 seasons. Cost: 3000 gold. DC: 45. Reward: A new fleet.
[] More Watchtowers: Bear Isle and many other of your vassal's lands are vulnerable to Ironborn raids. Ships are costly, but a system of watchtowers like the one you are building could help your lords respond to attacks faster. Time: 3 seasons. Cost: 2000 gold. DC: 30. Reward: Watchtower chain along the western coast.
[] Knowledge is Power: Now that Brandon has the Winterfell guard trained to his standards, he wants to expand it. Just a little. Specifically, he wants to hire some men you are pretty sure are poachers and have them work for you as scouts. He seems confident he can win their loyalty, and you can see the use of having such men serve as outriders. Time: 2 seasons. Cost: 500 gold. DC: 50. Reward: Winterfell guard expanded with scouts
[] Royal Stables: You only have a few horses in Winterfell and generally very few in the North. Work with the Dustins though, and you could increase both the number of horses and the quality. You don't know much about horses, but you can rely on the expertise of others, thankfully. Time: 2 seasons. Cost: 700 gold. DC: 35. Reward: More horses in the North, new options unlocked.
Diplomacy: Jeyne seems a lot happier with you now, and you can see more affection in her eyes, although she is always a proper lady. (Choose 2)
[] Speak to Kings (Kingdom): There are other kings to the south of you. Perhaps you should open up talks with one of them. Though all of them are Andals and ironborn, you doubt any of them would outright refuse you…Time: 1 season. Cost: 50 gold. DC: 50. Reward: Positive diplomatic contact.
[] Speak with Vassals (Region): Most of your direct vassals are loyal and trustworthy, but it's good to keep an eye on them all the same. And if any of them have trouble, you might be able to help. Time: 1 season. Cost: 100 gold. DC: 30. Reward: Vassal relations boosted, aware of problems
[] Go Beyond: There are no kings or lords beyond the wall, but there are Magnars and chiefs aplenty. And giants, and wargs, and many other things dangerous and useful both. Skagos and the mountain clans might be willing to represent Winterfell, and perhaps you could work some manner of deal with the wildlings. Time: 2 seasons. Cost: 1000 gold. DC:50/75. Reward: Peaceful contact with wildlings, possible vassal/ Night's Watch disapproval.
[] Foster Children: The Boltons and the Umbers both want to foster some children at Winterfell, and there will be others. See who else is interested before you make any decisions. Time: 1 season. Cost: 25 gold. DC: 30. Reward: More information about fostering.
[] The First Night: The right of the First Night is a barbaric thing, in your opinion, and you knew many of your vassals and all of the smallfolk agree. Banning it would be a good deed, but it might upset even those who disapprove of the practice. Time: 1 season. Cost: 25 gold. DC: 20/40/60/80. Reward: First Night banned, chance of change in vassal/peasant opinion
[] Crop Rotation Part 2: Convincing the local smallfolk was relatively easy. All you had to do was show up and tell them. Spreading this system across the North will take time…or you could short-circuit the process by inviting your lords to come see for themselves. Time: 1 season. Cost: 1000 gold. DC: 30/60. Reward: Vassals adopt crop rotation system to varying degrees, possible information.
Stewardship: The Poole's have always served the Starks. You can remember your father telling him that as a boy. Jaime Poole has continued that tradition, and ably. (Choose 2)
[] Purchase Livestock: Most of the smallfolk don't have much in the way of livestock. Some of the poorest have to pull their plows themselves! Poole wants to buy some goats from the mountain clans and some cows and draft horses from the barrowland houses and give them out to your smallfolk. Time: 1 Season. Cost: 1500 gold. DC: 30. Reward: More food produced, increase to farming income, new options unlocked.
[] Hunting and Trapping: Most of the wolfswood is reserved for your use and for that of other noble houses. While it wouldn't do to completely end those privileges, if you expand the amount of free forest, hunting and trapping would be more profitable. Time: 1 Season. Cost: 0. DC: 45. Reward: Small amount of more food, small new income source, new options unlocked.
[] Expand the Forges: There are a few blacksmiths scattered among the various villages, but there really aren't enough to keep up with all the work needed to make sure everyone has good tools. Again, the poorest have to plow with sticks! Have the Winterfell blacksmiths build some forges out by Wintertown and teach a few boys the basics. Time: 2 seasons. Cost: 600 gold. DC: 50. Reward: More farming income, more food, new options unlocked.
[] Survey the Mountains: The mines of the Westerlands give them incredible wealth, but you have mountains as well. While most of these mountains are in the land of various clans sworn to you, some belong directly to you. Search that portion for resources. Time: 1 season. Cost: 100 gold. DC: 45. Reward: You know what minerals are in the mountains.
[] Improve Roads: The roads in Winterfell are little more than mud tracks, and you can quite literally drown in them after a spring thaw. It will take extensive time and lots of gold to make them proper roads, but there's plenty of room for improvement. Time: 1 season. Cost: 1500 gold. DC: 50. Reward: Better (but not good) roads around Winterfell.
[] Concrete Construction: Concrete will be an extremely useful material, but unlike stone, it cannot be simply carved out of the ground. You must set up a building for it to be mixed, train some people in how to make it and use it, and then you will be able to use it. Time: 3 seasons. Cost: 800 gold. DC: 35. Reward: New options unlocked, increase to trade.
Learning: Maester Brynden is an old man who has served your family for many years. And he's not a bad man, for someone born south of the Neck. You gather he's something unusual among the knights of the mind as well. (Locked)
[] Request Books: The Citadel library is vast, and the Winterfell library tiny. Maester Brynden wants to get some books from the Citadel. One of the inner towers is largely empty, and he thinks it will be perfect for the beginnings of a library. Time: 1 season. Cost: 500 gold. DC: 65. Reward: Beginnings of a library in Winterfell.
[] Woodwitches and Midwives: The Citadel supposedly knows everything about healing, but Maester Brynden disagrees. He wants your leave to seek knowledge among the midwives and woodwitches and other hedge healers in and around Winterfell. Time: 2 seasons. Cost: 50 gold. DC: 45. Reward: Maester Brynden is better at healing. Locked 1 Season.
[] Grinding Grain: Brynden was apparently born in Riverrun, where they had a giant waterwheel they used to grind grain. He could design and build a similar one for the river by Wintertown. While it's smaller than the White Knife it joins with, it's large enough to rarely freeze. Time: 3 seasons. Cost: 400 gold. DC: 45. Reward: Increase to farming income, new stewardship options. Locked 2 Seasons.
[] Northern Library: So the Citadel will not send you books again, huh? Will no matter, you will just have to do it yourself. Tell your vassals to copy what books they have and send them to you. Time: 6 seasons. Cost: 800 gold. DC: 30. Reward: Beginnings of library
Piety: Frost is extremely strange. He's so quiet you often don't notice him until he speaks, and you have never seen any hint of his skin or his eyes. There's also a faint sense of weight around him. Especially when he is sitting before the heart tree. (Choose 1)
[] The Sword Crown: The Sword Crown dates back to the days of Brandon the Builder, or possibly even before. The runes on it are of no known language. Frost claims not to recognize them either, but he thinks there is a Green Man in Umber lands who would. Let him go talk to his fellow and see what he can find. Time: 3 seasons. Cost: 75 gold. DC: 35. Reward: More knowledge about the Sword Crown/ Crown of Winter. Locked 1 Season
[] Winter's Runes: If one looks close enough on the walls of Winterfell, one can find faint carvings. According to legend, they were made by the Children to strengthen the fortress where the Others were defeated. Have Frost examine the runes and see if there ever was any magic to them. Time: 1 season. Cost: 0 gold. DC: 75. Reward: Knowledge of the original runes of Winterfell, hints about the truth…
[] The Horned Men: On the Isle of Faces, it is said that the Horned Man slays all who trespass on that sacred soil. Frost wishes to create a less…brutal version for the North by making an order of thanes. They will be no different from other thanes except for an additional oath: To protect the sacred sites of the Old Gods from those who would do it harm. Time: 2 seasons. Cost: 250 gold. Reward: Order of the Horned Men formed
[] Ancient Rites: There are many ceremonies of the Old Gods, simple things like the marriage ceremony or the rite of becoming a thane. Many, however, have been lost to time or fragmented. With so many gathered once more, Frost hopes to recall what was forgotten. Time: 1 season. Cost: 100 gold. Reward: Knowledge, new options unlocked
Intrigue: Rivers does not seem to be especially bright. Good at picking locks and sneaking about, but not bright. Still, he's better than you at dark deeds done in the dark. (Choose 1)
[] Beyond the Wall: The Night's Watch doesn't always fight the wildlings. Sometimes they talk and trade. Rivers thinks he can get someone to share what they talk about. Time: 2 seasons. Cost: 25 gold. DC: 50. Reward: Rumor mill (Beyond the wall)
[] Of the Vale: The Vale has been a longtime foe of yours. They are one of the greatest strongholds of Andal chivalry, and the North has fought with them several times. Have Rivers make some contacts among the sistermen and Gulltown, and you will gain some knowledge of their doings. Time: 1 season. Cost: 100 gold. DC: 45. Reward: Rumor mill (The Vale)
[] No Fights This Time: River's arm has mostly healed. Mostly. Send him to the Isles once more, and pray he doesn't get another fit of idiocy. Time: 1 season. Cost: 50 gold. DC: 35. Reward: Rumor mill (Iron Islands)
[] Deeper Secrets: You hear all sorts of rumors. You want Rivers to find the truth behind them. Have him cultivate some contacts in various households so that you can find out about anything your vassals are trying to hide from you. Time: 2 seasons. Cost: 400 gold. DC: 45. Reward: Simple Spy Network (The North). Locked 1 Season
[] An Extra Advisor: Rivers is a bit of an idiot, especially when it comes to outside work. Find someone to help him handle his duties. Preferably without him knowing, you think. Time: 2 seasons. Cost: 50 gold. DC: 50 to hide it, Varies for who you find. Reward: Another intrigue advisor.
Personal: There's always plenty to do when it comes to being a king. Even outside of your official duties, you can make decrees and issue commands. Of course, you can also spend time with your family, help an advisor, or try and explain some of your knowledge to your advisors. (Choose 2)
[] Uplift ____: You recall an invention or system, and try to figure out how it worked well enough that someone else can make it a reality. Time: 1 season. Cost: 0. DC: Varies. Reward: New action unlocked
[] Order a Vassal: You can tell your vassals what to do, although there's no guarantee they will obey and they probably won't like it. Still, it's a way for things to get done without spending your gold on it. Time: 1 season. Cost: Vassal relations. DC: Varies. Reward: Your vassal does what you tell them.
[] Propose Fostering/Betrothal: It's a simple matter for you to agree to the proposals you received about fostering and betrothals, either in whole or in part. Time: 1 season. Cost: None. DC: Varies. Reward: Betrothal and/or Fostering(s) arranged
[] Before a Heart Tree: Spend a long night praying before a heart tree, trying to understand why and how you woke up as Torrhen Stark. Time: 1 season. Cost: 0. DC: 55. Reward: Knowledge
[] Speak to an Advisor: You want to know more about the people you work with. Time: 1 season. Cost: 0. DC: 50. Reward: Gain knowledge of an advisor, improved opinion.
[] Family Time: You have a daughter, a wife, and two sons. Even though Torrhen remembers them, you don't. Time to fix that. Time: 1 season. Cost: 0. DC: 50. Reward: You feel better, your family feels better.
[] The Beast of the Wolfswood: You have heard of this beast several times. Clearly something must be done. You will go yourself, taking along Frost and Brandon along with some guards. Time: 1 season. Cost: 0. DC: Special. Reward: Interludes
