[b]Valtegaarde, Capital of Tushienia, HQ of the Engineers and Tinkers Union[/b] Tork looked around the workshop with the glazed over expression of someone who doesn't understand a single word about what the person currently talking was saying but for various reasons they weren't allowed to flat out ignore the speaker or walk away from them. Sadly the reason that Tork couldn't leave was because the speaker was the head of the Engineers and Tinkers Union who was some half goblin, half human named Ponders. Ponders liked to talk about the latest pet project of the Engineers and Tinkers Union in great technical detail that no one other then him could understand but Ponders seemed immune to the standard methods of politely ending a conversation early if you didn't just give him funding right off the bat and let him do his thing. Ponders was talking about Steam and how it could be harnessed... .......................................................... [b]Valtegaarde, Capital of Tushienia, Training Field 3 [/b] Vaewith and Rodrim watched silently as the new recruits that were lined up on the snow covered field nearby took aim at the targets that were downrange. They weren't -bad- per say for new recruits that had just started being trained in the use of firearms. At least none of them had shot themselves... yet. Thankfully they hadn't had some idiot look down the barrel of the gun yet... .............................................................. [b]Valtegaarde, Capital of Tushienia, Stables[/b] The gifts from the Holy Novgorod Imperium had not been expected at all. After the grain had been checked to ensure that it wasn't poisonous, it was loaded up to be sent to a different kingdom in order to help improve relations. The Vladstok Stag was a completely different matter; Shipping it off would have very easily been seen as an insult. However, since none of the Council of Five were inclined to try riding the thing it had found itself deposited in the stables. Some use would be found for it later... The gold coins that had been sent were sent to be melted down and turned into their own local currency, freeing up Tushienia funds to send a gift of their own golden coinage alongside the grain. [hider=Actions] A 'Thank you' note has been dispatched to the Holy Novgorod Imperium for the gifts that they had offered, alongside a promise of an alliance against the Pualirian Empire and 'a darkness that approaches', though it is unclear what they actually mean by that second enemy. The Holy Novogrod Imperium's gifts of gold and grain to Tushienia have been re-purposed and sent to the Kingdom of Zakol, alongside an ambassador to improve relations between the two kingdoms. Recruitment and Training: 1 x Arquebusiers in 10 1 x Arquebusiers in 11 1 x Arquebusiers in 12 Research: Steam Engines- 2nd turn. [hider=Garrisons] 10: 4 War-Mages 16 Mages 2 Cannons 4 Archers 10 Heavy Infantry 1 Arquebusiers 11: 8 War-Mages 32 Mages 4 Cannons 8 Archers 20 Heavy Infantry 1 Arquebusiers 12: 8 War-Mages 32 Mages 4 Cannons 8 Archers 20 Heavy Infantry 1 Arquebusiers [/hider] [/hider]