The Agricultural Town of Altenhausen

You decide to inspect the nearby town of Altenhausen, long famed for being one of the primary breadbaskets of Ostgrenze throughout its history. Growing a variety of crops from wheat to barley, apples and even cabbages, and rearing herds of healthy cows and pigs, the town fed much of your people.

Even so, it was not truly enough for a surplus, though with the new agricultural experts from Axum, things were beginning to change.

Apart from reorganising farming practices and labour to refurbishing infrastructure, they were also introducing some of their own crops to the mix. Better still, the constrution of proper irrigation canals is helping to irrigate fields like never before, greatly easing the farmers' burdens in water sourcing.

As your entourage arrives near the town, you soon see the beginnings of a paved stone road at the edge of its outskirts, becoming progressively more developed and sturdy the closer you went. Milestones lined the road, and all around you could see people hard at work making their lives better.

Where peasants used to live in rotten wooden shacks, many are beginning to build with bricks and stone, and roofs are tiled with clay. Workers laboriously transport carts of seeds and produce, hauling stone and tools to continue road construction.

"It seems the people are much happier with the new knowledge you have brought, My Lord," Said your aide, Oskar Ahrendt, "Though it seems it will be years more before the changes truly take effect."

"Ostgrenze wasn't built in a single day, much less a year, Oskar," You said, "All we need is to be patient, and we can reap the fruits when the harvest comes."

"As you say, my Lord," Said Oskar.

The entourage then neared the walls of Altenhausen, where the guards immediately recognise you from afar and open the gates. Soon, you enter the town, and your eyes quickly drink in the details they catch; old houses that once occupied certain spaces are being replaced by new ones, and streets are regularly cleaned. Disciplined guards regularly patrol the streets, both migrant and Almain alike, and wells are cleaned and repaired.

By stroke of luck, you pass by the poorest areas in the city, and though you expected poor, squalid conditions, it was also a place affected by the changes happening, and now it was becoming marginally better with the lack of a smell and houses looking sturdier.

"Beg your pardon, My Lord, but why are we passing by the poorest areas of the city?" Oskar whispered cautiously.

"A teacher once said to me: To see a city's prosperity, look not at its richest areas, but its poorest," You explained, "And what do I mean by that? Imagine someone putting up a grand facade of gold and silver, concealing the ugly rust beneath. Do you follow?"

"So in essence, by looking at how the poorest are doing, you know just how prosperous and happy the people are," Said Oskar, "Truly, you are wise."

"I wouldn't go so far, Oskar," You said, "But I could say the same of you."

"You flatter me," Said Oskar.

You soon arrive at the keep, where the ruling Baroness Zarina Häberli is quick to greet you with a curtsey, graceful and elegant as nobility demanded. Beside her was her husband (whom you heard she recently married), a man you recall was named Amare Henoke Fekadu, a third son of a noble family. Like Zarina, he carries himself with dignity and prose, showing no weakness.

"We welcome you to Altenhausen, Your Majesty," Said Zarina, "We hope you have a pleasant stay here."

"And we pray that God blesses you and your reign forevermore," Said Amare.

"At ease," You said, "Shall we talk over some refreshments in the meantime?"

"Of course, My Lord," Said Zarina, "Please, this way."

The castle itself was suitably well-maintained and furnished, made with both Almain and Axumite craftsmanship, and the servants and guards healthy and well-dressed. Nothing truly wrong with the place, and certainly nothing indicating any underlying scheme or plot in the air.

You soon arrive at an austere room, illuminated by a brightly burning fireplace imparting the scent of oak in the room. You and Oskar seated yourselves opposite Zarina and her husband, the servants bringing you bread and salt and some wine.

"First off, allow me to offer my best wishes to Your Majesty and your Wife," Said Zarina, "We pray that your dynasty will have a fruitful and long reign."

"I appreciate it," You replied, "So tell me, how has your lands fared with the influx of new immigrants and technology?"

"It is starting to become very productive, though of course it has only been a year since," Said Zarina, "Still, I do hope for continued prosperity for our people."

"In any case, my people are thankful for allowing them the opportunity to settle here, my King," Said Amare, "Though there is one other thing we feel we need to discuss right now."

"What would that be, actually?" You asked.

"The matter of the local priests protesting our presence here," Amare answered.

"Ah, I see," You said, frowning slightly, "By this, you mean the local Almain priests or from elsewhere?"

"Where else but in Ostgrenze?" Amare said.

Your frown lessened slightly, though it did not disappear; you always suspected that the Catholic Priests would stir trouble over the issue of Hebrews gaining any significant positions in your Kingdom, given their anti-Sementic doctrine that has lasted for centuries. For them to stir trouble now could only mean trouble, for all churches answered to the one in Rome, and were the Pope to call a Papal Bull, perhaps a Crusade even...

"How strong is this movement?" You questioned, "What are their connections, their mode of operation?"

"Fortunately, they are nothing significant," Said Amare, "However, they've been easily slipping into the shadows whenever we send our men to arrest them."

"Anything suspicious, my Lord and Lady?" Asked Oskar.

"Come to think of it, we discovered what seemed to be secret doors leading to somewhere, but we could never pinpoint where they actually led to," Said Zarina, "And as you can guess, this has proven to be a source of great headaches."

You nod at this, saying, "Thank you for telling me this. I will make certain to deal with these troublemakers as soon as possible."

Once you were in your private quarters in the guesthouse, you quickly turned to Oskar and immediately said, "Message our spymaster in the capital, order him to have his agents immediately investigate this band of troublemakers."

"Certainly, My Lord," Said Oskar.

"In the meantime, send some other spies and diplomats to Italia, tell them they are to keep tabs on the Papacy," You continued, "If necessary, dispose of those who want to agitate for war, and sow dissent in their ranks. I will not have them stir trouble now."

"That we can do, but we must tread carefully, in this case," Said Oskar, "I suspect the Papacy may have their own agents at work if this band of bothersome monks are able to hide for so long."

"Which is why we must act now, and fast," You said, "I will build this Kingdom to greater heights, and I will not have some religious idiots ruin it now."