Family Reunion

[Iron Dragoon]

Depends on if it'll actually do anything or if it's purely mechanical stuff. That said, I'd probably stay and help pack.

[Anastasia]

Nothing concrete, just character building for Jarem.

[Iron Dragoon]

Either way then. Whatever is easiest for you.

[Anastasia]

Let's move on. Assuming no interruptions, what's your next move once you have them back?

[Iron Dragoon]

Getting them set up, a tour, introductions to the assistants, talking more about the long life, a gift of gold, and research on the new land thing and the scrying thing from lord melweather.

[Anastasia]

We'll cover the research first. What's your play here?

[Iron Dragoon]

Not sure here. I know there's that raise island spell, I think Jarem mentioned it might be in the Red Knight's library? If not, then I guess hunt that down.

[Anastasia]

"Oh, Raise Island?" Emily perks up, "I can help with that, too!"

"Ahem," Jarem clears his throat, "How fast do you need it, Queen?"

[Iron Dragoon]

"Well, the sooner the better, but there are additional issues that go with it to deal with, so a small delay wouldn't be horrible."

[Anastasia]

"Then spend some money if you need it fastest," Jarem says, "It'll take a little time for me to get it."

[Iron Dragoon]

"It's less spending money. While I didn't approve of the way Seira advocated it, your mother is right, Emily. At some point, the Order is going to have to decide between being what we are or something more. I don't intend to flat out use my power to make either happen, or to simply suppress the issues that come with either, but the decision needs to be made. Which means... politics and the council."

[Anastasia]

"Politics and the council," Jarem agrees, "What's your play going to be?"

[Iron Dragoon]

"Well, most of the nations have ignored us because we're inconsequential in many ways. Land mass, residents, resources, and being isolated. Creating new land for expansion is going to change all of that. It'll automatically increase our potential threat proportionally, but it's required if we're going to ever be more than we are. Our primary concern for threat is the Mageocracy, for who the isolation issue is negligible with a spell. Building more defenses against them will naturally increase our magical power, which the other nations translate to military power thanks to how the Mageocracy uses magic. Once we have sufficient land mass, population will naturally increase. Following that, the increase in manpower will result in an increase in production and resources. This'll lead to an increase in wealth, which then increases monetary power and influence. At which point, we'll be threatening the other nations on three fronts: wealth, military power, and immigration from their own populaces, since new lands and resources equate to new opportunities and wealth."

Alyssa leans back. "So, no matter what we do, any expansion will lead to the worldview shifting from considering us as a reclusive research cooperative to a growing national power. The only way I can see to avoid significant conflicts resulting from this is to be inclusive. So, how do we include other nations in our development, have both sides benefit from it, and what can we offer."

Alyssa looks at Jarem, "That leads me back to the fastest and simplest idea from the visit to Lord Melweather: schools. We hold a vast store of knowledge from the mundane to the magical. We've researched the usages of spells from every school of magic. We've successfully integrated mages and non-mages into a single functioning entity, though on a micro scale. We build a system of education that expands that and includes others. We set up schools to educate all, which includes talent development and discovery. Linked with this, we'll offer private tutoring for the nobility and their children. New mages will be discovered, and people who are best suited for things like blacksmithing or calculation will be found instead of locked into a life as a farmer. The farmers will learn about new agricultural techniques, and people with magical talent that would have been deemed too low to rise to prominence in the Mageocracy will find a place using functional magic. Even low-level mages can, in very significant ways, relieve the burdens of drought, sickness, and dangers the common people encounter. Teach everyone how to use what magic they know to benefit others and send them out in a missionary fashion. Send them to teach in schools to connect them to the people and places, and to have them learn how to communicate and lead."

She stops to take a drink, "And all the while, we use this to connect with the local lords and nobility. If we can tutor the nobility, we'll connect directly. There'll be resistance and suspicion, of course, but when their farmers start learning how to produce better, and how to save money and improve themselves, they'll also begin to be able to afford more goods. More trade equals more taxes, equals richer everyone. We'll help them refine their systems of Government and edicts. Through this, lands that have laid fallow because there are not enough farmers will get used since poor harvests and sickness will take fewer lives, leading to more workforce, which needs more land. The more land worked, the more money.

The schools won't be entirely free, of course. We'll work some form of compensation out for the service and the teachings, but those will lead to support. The more we help, the less direct threat we become. We learn from them, improve ourselves and expand out populace and land mass. It'll take time, but eventually, we'll have enough strength to stand directly against them if need be, but also be so entwined with their own economies, leadership, and culture that to consider us a threat would be a hard sell. Make the blade cut both ways, so to speak. And we'll do it to show how counter to the Mageocracy we are. Instead of a looming fist, we'll be the helping hand. Well, on one hand. The other will be pocketing money, resources, and knowledge."

Alyssa smirks. "This will all take a bit of tipping our hand, of course. We'll have to show them that this sort of thing is valuable and in their interests. Explain how high our crop yields are. How much faster we can produce items. Increased speed of trade. How the common folk having money doesn't necessarily equate to them instantly leaving. Things that highlight the elevation of themselves and their culture instead of threatening it. Better ways to defend from the Mageocracy. All of this will make us targets for the Mageocracy as it goes counter to what they want, but if we're clever and do the necessary work beforehand to have things ready to just go and be done, we'll have those allies faster than they expect and be able to leverage them into pausing long enough to consider the cost of a fight with more than just us, which will buy us the time to make our position even more unassailable. That said, my presence is a good deterrent on its own."

Another sip here, and then a calculating look at Jarem, "And, with the logistical know how that comes with running an army helping make things happen quickly and efficiently, that would lead to less manpower required to make those things happen, leaving more bodies free to do missionary work on their own. Recruiting, healing, preaching, that sort of thing."

[Anastasia]

"Going for it?" Jarem says as he listens, pausing to get himself a glass of watered ale before commenting. "I see one giant flaw in your plan - the same flaw on any sort of plan like this. It ultimately requires people not to be cocks." Drinking a good gulp of ale before going on, "Unless the ground turns to gold and angels start flying overhead, we're not a Heaven, so that's not going to happen. People will want to twist your goals and your motives here for their own self gain. I'm not saying it's a bad plan, and frankly I think peace would be better and war shorter if people could manage these sort of things in peacetime, but nature is nature."

"Kingdoms might resist and rebel against your influence and form a bloc against you," Jarem goes on, "Or politics mire and creep into your schools, no matter what your efforts are, turning things into a battle ground of the nobles. Others will resist it simply because it's not how their fathers and grandfathers did it." Drinking more, "And some will fight it because fuck you and fuck what you're doing, no other reason needed. Got a way to manage these problems?"

[Iron Dragoon]

"All true, and all applicable issues no matter what route we take. Regardless, the Council has to agree first. But if they do, I have some ideas on how to make things happen and keep people in check. Geas is a very good option, for example. There will be plenty of opposition and roadblocks, but dealing with them from a vase of peace and strength will result in far less fighting than almost any other route. But yes, we'll need to take precautions and prepare. Find amicable nobility and those desperate for help and build from there. Establish working proof and expand to key areas and people."