Chapitre 62: Reforged Chapter 62: Gathering Storm
Duke's sense of crisis never subsided, as it was difficult to describe Medivh's current state.
When Medivh himself had control of his mind, he was a kind and wise man, dedicated to protecting the highest human leaders and putting the kingdom's interests above all else.
Over the years, he had defended the world of Azeroth, thwarting numerous invasions, and the people regarded him as an unshakable guardian of Azeroth.
He treated all races equally, with no narrow prejudices. When hearing about the legends and customs of a race, he would sincerely respect the storyteller, regardless of their race, and showed the same strong interest in these legends and cultures from different regions.
However, when Sargeras gained the upper hand, Medivh's personality underwent a drastic transformation.
'He' became somber and reclusive, hardly recognizing his closest friends, and completely indifferent to strangers.
'He' behaved secretively, often going out alone on sudden journeys.
When alone, the Sargeras-controlled Medivh would not hesitate to use spells to drive away or even kill visitors who disturbed him.
But for 'his' plans, the aloof identity of Azeroth's guardian was an essential cover, so in public, 'he' was careful enough not to easily expose Sargeras's true nature.
Under Sargeras's influence, Medivh began secretly studying various evil magics and witchcrafts and built an identical underground tower beneath Karazhan as a place for him to perform dark rituals.
All of this was unknown to Duke.
All he could do was focus on his own domain.
He himself was working on becoming a Sky Mage. Meanwhile, his three loyal followers were methodically preparing for war under his instructions.
Marco had become Duke's full representative to the outside world, being granted considerable authority over gold and almost singlehandedly approving donations to the Stormwind Kingdom's navy.
Windsor helped Duke train sailors, making javelin throwing and ballista operation mandatory for them. At the main channel of Stormwind Harbor, apprentice sailors practiced throwing javelins from small skiffs at straw-stuffed target ships.
According to Duke's standards, a sailor had to achieve an 80% hit rate on a human-shaped target from thirty meters away to be hired as a full-fledged sailor for the whaling crew.
As for ballista operators, they had to hit a target skiff from a hundred meters away to be considered qualified.
This was undoubtedly a demanding task for the fishermen's children who had never been exposed to this field. But the high wages attracted them to Duke's whaling fleet, even if it meant risking their lives.
Duke Sea King's reputation was excellent. Because of the less appetizing parts of the whale, Duke ordered them to be marinated with ginger and other spices and sold at a low price to the common people. The low cost made it affordable for most impoverished families who could only eat dark bread to buy whale meat.
Whale meat, which was not too fishy, became one of the main staples in Stormwind City's slums. .
Improving meals, which was once unattainable for the poor, further stimulated more commoners to hope to join Duke's whaling fleet.
With ample funding, Stormwind City, never lacking in labor, launched three major projects simultaneously:
Constructing massive stone civilian docks. The long docks were about 30 meters wide and extended 100 meters from the shore, taking on a shape resembling a giant "W." There were five of these docks, able to accommodate over 60 medium-sized vessels at once.
Expanding the Stormwind City military harbor. Considering potential invasions from external enemies, the military harbor was built as a sheltered harbor with two massive water gates on the outer ring.
Building shipyards. The enormous shipyard could simultaneously construct three ships, each nearly 50 meters in length.
The fastest project to be completed was the docks.
Originally, dumping rocks into the sea, driving piles, and securing the dock's foundation were incredibly time-consuming and labor-intensive tasks. However, a miracle occurred. Every evening, after the workers had finished for the day, the next morning they would find the wooden piles firmly driven into the rocky seabed beneath the sand.
Even some people wandering around at night reported to the city guards that large creatures seemed to be lurking underwater near the Stormwind Harbor.
However, the guards had not received even a single report of casualties.
One time, a drunkard accidentally fell into the sea at night, only to be carried back ashore by the tide. He was sent flying out of the water, tracing a parabola in the air before landing face-first in the mud near the beach.
The two old sailors who witnessed this incident appeared terrified. Then, Windsor went to dissuade them, even sparing them the trouble of reporting to the city guards.
Nevertheless, Lothar still summoned Duke once.
"Stormwind City has never rejected friendly outsiders, Mr. Duke Markus. Are you sure you don't need to add some naga names to your employee roster?"
"Your Excellency, I don't think it's necessary at this time," Duke replied modestly.
"Actually, I have a feeling that you want more than just money and fame," said Lothar calmly.
"What I want will not harm the interests of Stormwind City. On the contrary, we should be united. Time will prove everything," Duke answered, still maintaining a calm demeanor.
Lothar sighed, "Alright, it seems you have a unique insight into maritime affairs. You are far more knowledgeable than a landlubber like me. All my captains believe that the harbor plan you submitted is perfect. We will entrust the design of the civilian harbor to you, and we are also willing to hear your opinions on the military harbor."
Thus, as the designer of the new Stormwind Harbor, Duke gained even greater autonomy.
First, Duke set a direction for the harbor: all goods and vessels must move in a clockwise manner. This prevented confusion and ensured order during peak times.
Between the military and civilian harbors, Duke thoughtfully suggested building a moat to separate the civilian harbor and ensure the military harbor's secrecy. Additionally, there were numerous deer-horn defenses and tall walls.
South of the military harbor was the civilian harbor, with all warehouses situated between the military and civilian harbors. Duke deliberately left a massive passage between Stormwind City's gates and the harbor, wide enough for a hundred people to walk side by side.
Next to the warehouses was a 50-meter isolation zone, followed by the walls of Stormwind City. Inside the walls was the newly-built fish market.
Three months had passed since the construction of all these facilities.
Suddenly, news arrived that Medivh had unexpectedly returned during a New Year's banquet hosted by King Llane Wrynn. Medivh appeared mysterious, smiling as he presented Llane with an hourglass filled with black sand.
...
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone