Feeding the masses

Writers: Eimi, Rebecca
Date Posted: 16th June 2006

Characters: Benaroy, Royan
Description: Benaroy fills his son in on the problem with feeding the masses
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 11, day 16 of Turn 3

Benaroy looked up as his oldest son strode into the room. "Ah, Royan.
Thank you for coming. Please, have a seat."

Royan took the seat across from his father. He knew there had been no problems incorating the Amythst Cliff heads into to their own so he figured it had to be something else.

"There is a problem that I would like to discuss with you. I'm sure you're aware of it." The Lord Holder slid a hide across his desk for his son to peruse. "These are the estimates of our fresh food stores, as well as the estimates of how much food we will need to last until harvest with the two Halls and Amethyst Cliff incorporated into our numbers. As you can see, the difference is... unsettling."

Royan swolloed as he read the list. It was more than unsettling. "Perhaps some of the outlying holds could help make up te diffrence. We've plently of meat animals." he suggested.

"Yes," Benaroy nodded. "And I think we might be able to trade some of them for some food stores. I would like you to visit a few of those holds and see if we might be able to make some arrangements. You know which animals we can spare, and their worth."

"That won't be a promblem. I've been seperating various animals as they arrive, some just are worth using as breeders."

"Well, breeders are worth an awful lot," his father remarked, speaking his thoughts out loud. "We might be able to get a bit more for a good stud or two. Though we have to be sure to keep the best ones for ourselves. We have our own herds to think about after all."

"I've got the studs with the best confomtion away from the heards for now. I'd rather not lose them in fights for the females. They aren't as aggrisive as runners but it can still get ugly." He told his father.

"Yes... the runners... I would like to avoid trading runners if at all possible. Especially racers."

"There aren't many racers, I'll keep them in another field. The rest are good study animals. I'd like to pull aside of few of the yearlings to work with for some of the refugrees. When we get them settled in holds they'll need ways to get around and help the msettle in. Runners could be useful."

"They will be bringing their own animals, son. Don't worry about setting any aside. We have plenty, and probably more than we can sustain at this point. The most important thing at this moment is _feeding_ the people," his father reminded him.

Royan nodded, he knew many had brought thier own, but it seemed to him that the could use something to help them see Amber Hills as thier home. "I could take Benamil with me. He's a very good judge of animals." Royan was glad that his youngre brother had followed in the same craft, it gave them common ground.

"That would be a good idea," Benaroy nodded.

"Should I start farther out and work back toward the Hold? I'm still not clear on where most of the damage is."

"Our holdings are very fortunate. It seems Amethyst Cliff bore the brunt of the damage. But that is something you and Benamil can investigate for yourselves. You should start with the closer agriculture based cotholds and minor holds." The Lord Holder moved over to the map of his holdings he had hanging on his wall and studied it a moment. "Green Falls Hold would be a good place to start. They specialize in vegetables, and would probably have plenty in their winter stores, while fresh meat is probably becoming scarce for them this time of the turn. Or Fanatar Cothold. He had a bumper crop of asparagus, which is easy to preserve, as well as white roots. He might be interested in a draft animal or two to help clear more land.
Fanatar is an ambitious man, and would love to see his cothold expand to a proper minor hold. But be careful. He is a shrewed dealer."

Royan joted done quick notes, in script that only he could read easily. "He'll have to eran the right to hold more land, but one or two good draft beasts shouldn't be diffacult."

"He has turned that little cothold from a one family little farm into one with a population of almost one hundred. If he needs more land, I'm inclined to give it to him. Shrewed dealing is not always a bad trait. Sometimes it shows a clever minded man who understand the needs of his own and knows how to meet them and then some." A good lesson for any potential heir to learn, Benaroy thought. "Anyway, consult with Shadux. He should have a good idea which holdings are most likely able to deal with us this late in the turn. Cyrek is still learning the area. It might be a good conversation for him to be in on."

Royan made a note to invite Cyrek to the meeting. The more the new steward leaned about the Hold the better."

"If you want more details of exactly what we need, talk to Zelanka,"
Benaroy said as he picked up his pen, his thoughts already shifting to other work he had.

"I will, have a good day father."

"Yes, yes, you too," the Lord Holder nodded as he settled back into his hidework.

Last updated on the June 19th 2006

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Feeding the masses