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Pflugzeit -4-2493
From Holthusen to Bogenhafen, and from Bogenhafen to Dunkelberg, the forests of Reikland had been completely purged. A mission that in other circumstances would have taken years was now resolved in a matter of months thanks to the army that followed me and the machinery we had set in motion.
Only a few days into our cleansing campaign, large numbers of local noble troops joined us, eager to take part in the greatest beastman hunt ever organized in Reikland. Most of these nobles had ties to Margrave von Mackensen, who in those days was undoubtedly the happiest man in the Empire. Not only had he seen his firstborn confirmed as Elector Count of the Bretonnian March, but he was also grateful for the gift I had presented to him for this event, which motivated him to work closely with me, sending men and using his influence to draw other local nobles into the campaign.
The Emperor did not stand aside either: he sent his own general of the region, who brought with him fifteen thousand state troops to reinforce the operation. The difference was evident, for having someone competent who did not need constant instructions was a relief; it was enough that he simply replicated the tactics I had laid out.
With the sum of forces —the clergy of Sigmar, the nobles of Reikland, the state army, and my own men— we reached more than eighty thousand soldiers deployed constantly throughout the forests. The campaign turned into a massacre: hundreds of thousands of beasts were slaughtered in record time. But not only beastmen fell: we also hunted down numerous bandits and brigands who had been hiding in the forests near Nuln, dedicated to looting and robbery along trade routes. Their elimination restored safety to one of the Empire's most important arteries.
For the first time in a long while, Reikland was safe. Something that would not have been possible without two factors: the comparatively lesser strength and numbers of beastmen in this region —though their fertility remained alarmingly high, for every infested cave we discovered was filled with offspring born of mutated females or kidnapped human women— and the total backing of the Cult of Sigmar. The clergy had set into motion their full machinery of influence and military power, sending not only hundreds of warrior priests but also hundreds of witch hunters, who hastened the purge and added fanatical discipline to the campaign.
The mobilization was so vast that even thousands of peasants were recruited as lumberjacks to open clearings in the forest, accompanied by entire crews of laborers from Altdorf. Logging became part of the strategy: each area cleared meant fewer hiding places for the beasts and more land to cultivate. In the process, rich silver veins were discovered in the Skaag Hills, a find that made the Emperor smile. The vein was so large that, within days, thousands of workers had already been sent to open new mines, along with entire herds of livestock to populate the hills and establish permanent pastureland.
And I had taken my share. The Emperor had delivered what I had requested of him earlier. Within the Volkshalle debates, the matter of the Central Bank was raised, and it proved far more controversial than any other issue. The reason was simple: it struck directly at the autonomy of the electors, since each province minted its own coins. This tested, like never before, the Emperor's skill and that of his diplomatic envoys in convincing the electors to cede part of their power and accept that monetary policy should fall under a common framework.
The discussions were endless: they negotiated how many coins would be minted each year, how they would be distributed among the provinces based on current minting, and the construction of a bank branch in every electoral territory with its own management council. The Emperor, skillful but pragmatic, managed to impose his will in some provinces, securing majorities on their councils; in others, he only managed to be a minority. But the key point was that all those councils, in one way or another, fell under my direct influence. That was the reward for my loyalty to his plans.
Now I had control of monetary policy in several Imperial provinces, and strong influence in others. All that remained was to send letters to my mountain allies so that they could provide competent administrators for this enterprise. For now, what I most desired was to manage the interest from lending the Empire's coined money to merchants and artisans. I could even lend that gold to myself without interest. And when the time came, with the help of the dawi, I planned to introduce paper currency: I could buy up my own production of those new notes, trading gold for paper, and secure even greater control.
The result was an almost enviable power: much of the economy of Nuln, Talabecland, and Averland now fell within my sphere of control. Once all the dawi counselors took their seats, the flow of gold into my coffers would be constant, drawn from the interest collected to pay the debt the Emperor owed me.
I also left everything prepared for the expansion of the railway toward Nuln, a project delayed precisely because of the numerous bandits in the region. Rarely did the state army or knightly orders bother to cleanse those roads, for there were always other problems demanding attention. As usual, it was the merchants who moved wills, and trade preferred the river: cheaper, faster, and more profitable for their purses.
Now the road to Nuln was clear, the forests largely cut back, which freed up nearly five thousand men who had previously been dedicated exclusively to protecting the railway. They would continue guarding the watchtowers, but could now move toward Talabecland, where the forests remained infested with beastmen and brigands. This spared me the trouble of hiring more guards for the train.
I had received troubling reports: a group had tried to damage the tracks, apparently linked to certain merchant guilds furious with the new economic situation. It was no surprise. The richest merchants had taken over the railway, using my services to move goods; ships were now left for middling traders, and the roads for the poorest. Wherever the railway arrived, ships became obsolete: they no longer had as much cargo to carry to or from Marienburg.
On the march south many troops of faith joined us, for in the search for Sigmar's Hammer no expense was spared: they sent everything available, mobilizing all their religious orders to support us.
We stopped only a few days in Averland, since there we purchased the supplies for this campaign. In Altdorf, food was somewhat scarce due to the ongoing military campaigns, and on top of that I had already bought much of the neighboring harvests to feed my new cities. This had caused food prices to rise considerably because of my intervention, for with the newly settled Bretonnians there was no other choice but to purchase food in bulk.
The Emperor had already done the hardest part: convincing the Elector Countess of Averland of the necessity of the campaign, as well as obtaining permission to recruit troops and to build a fortress. This fortress would not fall under the command of an Imperial general, but under the administration of the Cult of Sigmar, for it was more effective that it be defended by those prepared to fight daemons. The idea was to secure the place where sooner or later a daemonic invasion would come, and also to ensure that all the alternative passes in the region would be completely destroyed — even if that required provoking earthquakes or other controlled disasters.
After only a few days' march across the plains of Averland we arrived at Grendzstat, a fortress-city that guarded the pass. Yet its position was not ideal. The fortress stood on the road, yes, but it did not block the pass itself, which made it of little use against enemies that did not rely on supply lines, such as greenskins or daemonic invasions. Against armies that did require resupply, the fortress had its worth: sooner or later they would have to besiege it. But against the forces of Chaos, able to advance without logistics of any kind, the fortress did not truly fulfill its duty of sealing the pass.
"Is there… any particular reason why we came to this place?" said Katarin, noticing in the distance the mountains crowned with magma, with columns of smoke rising from some volcanoes.
"A mission of state, Katarin," I answered.
"I know. But it struck me as very strange that an entire religious cult would mobilize completely, following you, so it must be something important. I want to know what we are really doing here. My sisters won't be able to use their magic in this area… or it will be very difficult, especially now that spring is approaching. We are weaker then, and won't be of much use," she said.
"Your duty is more symbolic than practical, Katarin. Your presence is vital, though not with regard to your direct participation," I replied, watching the armies marching behind us.
"And what are we going to do?" she asked, staring at me.
"Raise a fortress in the middle of the pass, instead of limiting ourselves to its exit," I replied.
"That would not have provoked such a massive movement from the Cult of Sigmar… you are hiding something from me, aren't you?" she said, narrowing her eyes.
"Of course I am. It is an Imperial secret," I replied.
"You forget we are going to be married. Don't you think it wise that I know what we are doing?" she said in a glacial tone.
"Indeed…" I answered after thinking for a moment. "Do you know how to block a mage's gaze when they try to read your future?" I asked my betrothed, showing her my dawi ring.
"Yes, it was one of the first things I learned," she replied.
I made sure no one was too close; the guards of both parties encircled the formation, but at a distance. Then I leaned toward her, placing a hand beneath her chin and bringing my mouth close to one of her ears.
"The reason we are here… is to seek the true Ghal Maraz. What exists in Altdorf is a copy, a very powerful runic weapon, but not Sigmar's legendary hammer. I know where it may be, and you must be at my side in this. The Grand Theogonist wants to annul our marriage, and if that happens, terrible things will fall upon Kislev. And my plan to extend the railway into your lands to buy raw materials cheaply would collapse. You must stand with me in this at every moment," I whispered.
She remained silent for a few seconds, surprised, until she regained her stoicism and calmly nodded.
"Ah, here you are," said a powerful voice behind me: a dawi.
"How may I help you, honorable dawi?" I said, turning on my heel and placing Katarin at my side to address him.
The dawi approached, and I saw how a throng began to gather beside our forces.
"I have spoken, as you requested, with the High King Thorgrim. I asked him to hear your petition to the great king of the dawi and, after deliberation of the council, he has offered you an agreement you will surely find fair," said the ambassador. "The dawi people are willing to cede possession of these lands —which belong to our folk— to the heirs of Sigmar, if the Empire promises to continue supporting the dawi in the liberation of the southern Karaks," added the diplomat.
I gently pressed Katarin's back so she would follow me until I stood before the dawi.
"The generosity of the High King has no limits, ambassador. Does he mean to grant me dawi lands for something I already planned to do? He must have been in an excellent mood," I said with a friendly smile.
"Nothing of the sort, honorable Imperial noble. You are among the few umgi truly trusted across the whole Empire of great Sigmar. It was in consideration of this that the High King chose to make this decision. Moreover, it was deemed feasible to retake some of the abandoned Karaks in this area, so assistance was requested from the King of Karak Norn to claim them temporarily, until their rightful owners can reclaim them," he explained, pointing toward the dawi army.
"We are most grateful for the aid given by the dawi people. With a bit of luck we shall regain control of this region, and both our peoples shall prosper through mutual aid," I replied with a smile.
"I hope so, noble Imperial. If you'll excuse me, I shall return now to Altdorf. I also carry information from the High King for the Emperor," said the ambassador, taking his leave.
"It seems you get along well with the dwarfs," Katarin said.
"Of course," I said, gesturing with my hands toward my armor, ring, and runic weapon. "Come, we must lead the search," I added, walking toward the pass.
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If there are spelling mistakes, please let me know.
Leave a comment; support is always appreciated.
I remind you to leave your ideas or what you would like to see.
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