>>6303030Your kingdom spreads across the dense forest heartland, villages clustering along rivers and fertile clearings. Around thirty-five thousand souls live here, mostly farmers, hunters, and craftsmen, with a fraction trained for war.
At your command are 3,000 warriors: Schwertung, your own, 500; Eberfang, 400; Speerschneid, 450; Baumhart, 350; Tannenstamm, 300; Ulmenruh, 250; and Lindwurm, 250. Another 5,000 able-bodied villagers can be armed in times of danger, though they need training and iron. Loyalty first runs to the clans, but all respect the authority of Konrad the Ash-Born, sanctioned by the ancestors.
Fortifications are modest but strong—hillforts, palisades, and watchtowers guard the rivers and forest edges. Iron from the hills allows your smiths—three hundred strong—to forge 20–25 tons yearly, enough to arm warriors and maintain tools. Silver reserves of 200–300 kg fund wages, gifts, and trade.
The forests themselves are a resource and a shield. Lumberjacks supply timber for fortifications, which can be built or repaired at a steady pace. Fields and rivers feed your people, while iron and silver sustain arms and trade.
Together, food, iron, silver, timber, and people form the backbone of your power. The clans respect your rule; your uncle Edrik leads the Sword-Born, and the council maintains order. Your kingdom may be moderate in size, but it is strong, self-sufficient, and ready for whatever threats the forest heartland may bring.
