“My lord, it is an honour for me to be granted this audience”

“Cut the pleasantries, I do not desire them”

“Of course.....my lord”

The little appointed village headman Sebastian requested a meeting with me over a few matters of concern. Frankly even though my schedule should have been a little too packed I still managed to find some space. Only a few minutes after one of my training sessions I decided to meet with him. A few bandages were needed but otherwise I could meet with him quickly. For some reason I wanted to listen to him, not sure why but I felt it was the right thing to do.

“Now your concern?”

“My lord while the village you constructed is adequate for now, these new arrivals may be too many”

He seems to be trying to reign in his anxiety, I would have a cup of something for him to drink but sadly that was apparently one thing I forgot to do. Still I did have some thought to solving this issue before it got out of hand.

“That is of little concern, new residences are being built and the new arrivals will not be sent to live in the village. I need to ensure any weeds are plucked first before I allow them to stay”

A simple matter, allowing potential troublemakers would be tiresome to take care of. It takes time to steal the records of these people’s fall to slavery from the relevant sources or fallen bodies. Targeting whatever they had for pursers and financial officers was a priority during the attacks. I need their records to plan for things. Then I looked for those who had committed undesirable crimes, sorted out a few that looked to be on trumped up charges and left it to those on site. Whoever is left is put on probation till they prove their loyalty or at least that they won’t try anything.

“Yes my lord of course, however the people of the village are happy and well families are expanding. Eventually we will need to either expand or split the village”

“I know, there are plans to fix that. I would like to show you something. Now this is how I intend to shape this nation that I am creating”

“My...My....lord..this... I don’t even....”

“Ah, yes you probably do not understand. Suffice it to say, this is the city that I will have built. Over the course of a decade more than a million people may live in or around it. All you need to know is that your people may move in after another two or three months. Those that wish to stay in their villages may do so. However I plan for most of those with skills to eventually move here to live, they will be well cared for and protected”

“My lord, I can only thank you for the care you show”

“Yes, that is so. If there is nothing else?”

“No, I would like to withdraw now my lord”

“Of course, of course”

The man let the room while looking both confused and reassured. I should probably not have shown him the diagrams. Yes they were the rough layouts but I fear that the numbers and letters confused him. Actually now that I think about it I am not even sure he can read, or that he knows Imperial standard. Yes that is an oversight. While most of the items I wrote for the cadre are in this land’s basic, all my personal notes and plans are still in Imperial. Odd now that I think about it. Sigh I need to establish the schools needed for teaching such things. Just another of the items I need to think about.

First I had to establish the basis for an organized society that consumed most of the first few months here. Creating a code of law, planning out villages, setting routes of communication and the roads needed for them. Then there was creating an army and preparing resources for the cadre. Of course I could not forget about the important research and ensuring everyone is fed. Now I have to consolidate my territory and the exploration of the unknown lands, planning one battle is simply a pittance in comparison. Yes I had the cadre concentrate on preparations but in the end the battle plan itself was incredibly simple. Some skirmishing of forces, key assaults at the right time, and maintaining the battle line. Basically a little warmup to allow them a glimpse at warfare. A battle with living troops is actually more complex, if one is to gain optimal efficiency there needs to be much organizational work. Lines of communication, who had what authority to commit actions, whether troops are adequately supplied with food and rest. This is a simple matter that only experience can solve.

Right now I expect an isolationist society with most of the population coming from immigration and emancipation. Due to the lack of much of an economy I am implementing a mostly state-run system. Various tokens will be the currency, all production will have certain quotas to fulfill for the state and the rest can left to the individual. All products will go to state-run stores and the populace will receive guaranteed supplies for their livelihoods. Anything extra will require them to either barter or receive tokens from a state-assigned job. This should ensure a well fed and prosperous society in the meantime as my capital is built.

Over 40 million square meters of earth will need to be shifted for the walls alone. I have as many of the peons that I have created as possible working on this task at all times. This is at the moment a rather considerable force. My own personal troops number less than two thousand while I have a few thousand auxiliary troops. This is only those I deem capable of combat, what of all the rest? While not deemed worthwhile for combat that is over a hundred thousand bodies. The accumulated death of centuries for a large territory is enough. The preservative soil and magic simply aids in this, many things are unable to decompose in the wasted pits and graveyards.

A hundred thousand peons to commit to whatever task I wish. Even if all I can create are mudbrick and rammed earth that is enough. 20m tall walls, 20m at the base and 14m at the top stretching over 120km. Such work would seem monumental to a kingdom that must pay to house and feed all the workers along with the material needed. For me I can throw half my workforce into this endeavor after modifications. Even only creating a basket system to move dirt is enough. I expect about a fourth of the skeletons I send to work to eventually be broken and then recycled. Times like this can showcase just how much an undead workforce can create, yet it requires conditions like the agros de mortis to allow. Never in my time with the Empire did I attempt operations on this scale, I would drain myself ragged to fuel them in less than a week, moreso with the modifications to allow them to work without tools.

Now however, I can afford to fuel such a force here deeper in the lands with the assistance of the ring. The location I moved my castle to was by a river that flowed from north to south farther to the east. Taking the several months of accumulated mana I diverted the river to my task. Changing the course to fill a three layer cake like canal system to act as the moat of my city. Such a work actually speeds up my task even more once I can craft barges to transport the dirt from top to bottom. However I do not know of any better ship building techniques myself, I have used and had ordered barges built at times. Even with the basic knowledge I have stored it does not cover that far.

The planned capital city will compose of a three district city and a several fortresses both within and around for protection. The northern of the three planned districts will be my military-industrial-magical core, the central will be the heart of the city. It will contain many of the key components from an internal agricultural zone, administrative cities, and house much of the military and workers needed. The southern district will concentrate more on the housing for the common classes and their necessary industry. Eight great avenues will be the vessels of the body in addition to the moat/canal system.This ambitious project consumes most of my ‘free’ time that does not include mandatory work, training, and breaks. Still even with such a schedule I find myself wanting.

Sometimes I find myself waiting, expecting someone to speak up whether to approve or disapprove. Then I turn and remember that I am alone, I am the only one to dictate what will occur. Even with all the powers I had in the Empire I was usually not alone. Whether fellow members of the academy dictating school policy or Theresa and my nephew. Either them or the various marshalls of the Empire and the officers of my own legions. I had others around me who advised, acted as overseers, or sought advice. Now I have only my undead and a few subordinate necromancers or commoners. No equals or direct subordinates to share my time with. I took in young David on almost a whim, I never lied but at the same time hid some of my motives. Sadly it fell through, David is too absorbed in gaining strength. I teach him what I know and try to mold him but he is dedicated.

A reason to live is a powerful thing, we go so far to fulfill or protect it. It is how powerful undead are born from battlefields. The despair and hatred they feel fuel them, their sheer resentment and blood thirst for vengeance cause them to return. Particularly powerful individuals can retain some of their intelligence and create plans. Such vengeful events is fodder for the bards and the reason that necromancers were allowed into the Empire. If a country conquered many lands it must beware of the dead lest they be torn asunder. The Empire’s induction of necromancers and a centralized warrior priest system allowed their expansion to the largest Empire in milenium. So large that it is a point to call itself only the ‘Empire’, no other land deserves the title. Few reasons so petty as a name could dictate being a target, yet it still occurred.

No other nation dared expand so far lest the size cause them to suffer from too many internal problems. Often nobles at the fringes grow greedy, nobles in the inner lands grow conceited, and the people are over burdened between. Other nations grow worried and if the conquered people grow resentful, all that is need is a spark. Often undead resurgences provide the trigger for this or simply hammer in more nails.

What was once a cycle of rise and fall of nations changed with the Empire. A meritocratic dictatorship, it is innovate or die. Periods of warfare with resting times to consolidate and create new weapons. Bonds are forged and broken in the fervor to follow the creed. Here I created the bonds with my comrades and subordinates, there I found contentment of some form. Yet here I am in another foreign land, fulfilling what I thought to be my heart’s desire. Unlimited research and manipulation of the dead. That was one of the reasons I felt I could accept the offer, yet I find myself missing home. Perhaps I can create new bonds here, I suspect they have already moved on at home. For their sake I hope they have. However the die is cast, all I can do is move forward. I gave up truly worshipping any god at a young age, all there is is contract. To take and give in return, I hope I can continue to find a reason to live in this new land.