Administration and recruitment.

You spend the rest of the day attending to various bureaucratic tasks from within the mayor's home.

Around midday, Lysander seeks you out, his face concerned.

"Ulric, there are men here to see you. They say they want to talk to you, they say that Vakanth sent them."

You nod. "Send them in"

He nods and retreats, and a moment later five men enter the room. They are each tall and heavily built, with broad shoulders and calloused hands. They must have been farmers, city men were never so bulky.

As one, the five of them drop to their knees, their heads bowed.

"Drakain." They murmur, their tones reverent.

"Rise." You command, gesturing with a hand. They do, and you continue. "What is your purpose here?"

"Great Drakain," Their leader, a hard-looking man in a faded red tunic begins. "We would serve you as warriors."

You nod thoughtfully. "Very well. Report to the town hall and find a man named Dorian, he will see if you are worthy to be wolves. Tell any others who wish to join my army to do the same."

The men bow and leave you.

You spend a few more hours doing paperwork, before deciding that it was time you put a side project you had been thinking of into practice. You put on your armor and head over to the craft district. After some questioning, you find your way to the greatest blacksmith in Arlheim.

Alia is a stout woman. Heavyset, and with thick, burn-scarred arms, she is no great beauty. Her frizzy black hair has streaks of grey in it, and her soot-blackened face is set in a permanent scowl.

"So you are Alia? The greatest blacksmith in Arlheim?" You ask, squeezing into her shop, an implacable mountain of black steel.

"Aye." She replies, unfazed by your appearance.

"I have a commission for you." You continue, readying yourself for a long process of persuasion.

"Aye. What do ya need?" She asks, still unfazed.

You blink. "Really? I expected you to have objections to working for me."

She looks you up and down. "You going' ta pay my fee?"

You nod.

"Then I've got no objection ta working with ya. What do ya need?"

You detail your requirements for her.

"Aye. Should take about two months."

You blink again. "That fast?"

"I work quick."

You exit the blacksmiths shop, and stare out over the city, troubled. You still have the threat of the fort to deal with, and you don't have long before Estara responds to your brazen secure of a major city. You need a plan.

And you need it fast.