[X] Plan "Boom"
-[X] A census of Akendorf
-[X] Opening the mines with explosives of unknown antiquity
-[X] Starving out the keep
Trying to secure what meager resources we have in the beginning as well as reinforcing our shaky rule.
Starving out the keep would allow us to secure a source of funding as soon as possible, while also securing a strategic defensive location. This would help in gaining additional legitimacy die to wiping out what appears to be the last overt resistance against us, and most importantly, allowing us and our bro to fulfil our childhood dreams of living in a spooky castle.
This comes with the opportunity cost of not sending the expedition to Blackfire Pass. While it offers good relations with the dwarves, it does require sending a large proportion of our military to suffer undoubtedly significant casualties. The military has already been reduced somewhat by Schulman's expedition and we don't know who our neighbours are yet. What we do know about our neighbours is that they're border princes, and will beat us with their signed copy of "The Border Prince" the moment our military crosses the border.
The census would give us basic information of our realm, and in addition to the survey would help us with taxation and making a decision about centralisation vs localisation.
The mines are a source of income that would be useful immediately, with three options; corvee labour (costing popularity), explosives (uncertain, will probably not work or work too well), and dwarf miners (reliable, but making them work in a lead mine will cost extra). Given our lack of funds without the keep's treasure and the expense of dwarf miners, using the explosives seems to be a viable alternative. Hopefully the explosives are reliable as their creators, or else Bratret is about to get some red dye and a shave.