Bab 18: Chapter 18: The Wildling Threat
A castle serves as the core structure for human dominion over land and as a visible declaration of a lord's sovereignty.
In Westeros, the kingdom's pioneering edict follows this principle as well: only upon the establishment of an approved castle will the kingdom officially recognize a lord's legitimate claim to their newly founded lands.
Thus, upon reaching the designated territory, Samwell's primary goal was to establish a castle of his own.
Only then could he become a legitimate lord in every sense of the word.
Just after lunch, Samwell gathered the craftsmen from Highgarden to discuss the construction of the castle.
"Lord Caesar, we conducted a preliminary survey of the area and have a rough plan to present to you," said a craftsman named Vito, a gray-bearded man in his fifties who commanded considerable respect among the Highgarden craftsmen. When Lord Mullendore had introduced him, he'd urged Samwell to look after this elder.
"Please, go on, Master Vito," Samwell replied, always respectful to those with skill.
Vito gave a small bow and then began his assessment:
"My lord, we believe that the best location for your castle, suited to your noble status, would be in the northeastern corner of this valley. It's on higher ground and won't be affected by high tides. With mountains on two sides, it would save on the cost of constructing two stretches of the wall.
"Our initial design covers roughly five acres, with a main keep of six floors, thirty-eight rooms, two basements, three outer baileys, a stable, a warehouse, three barracks, and four towers each ninety feet tall. The towers could support heavy crossbows and small trebuchets.
"The outer wall would be around eighty feet high, twelve feet thick, and constructed in three layers with stone, mortar, and a core of rubble for strength. Surrounding the wall, we could dig a moat by channeling seawater to add an additional layer of defense."
Samwell listened intently, then asked, "And what would the total cost be for such a castle?"
Vito stroked his long beard thoughtfully before answering, "Around seventy thousand gold dragons."
Samwell's face twitched. "And how long would it take?"
"With our current workforce, roughly five years."
Samwell's expression tightened further. "And if I were to gather more hands?"
"Then we could complete it in perhaps half a year, though, of course, the cost would increase—likely several times over."
"Understood." Samwell nodded, his mood lifting slightly.
He certainly couldn't wait five years. By then, the White Walkers might have arrived, and it would be too late to make a move in the game of thrones.
He needed an entry ticket to that game well before then.
The question now was how to gather such a large sum in a short time. He couldn't count on raising that much in further investments, no matter how many wealthy but gullible investors Westeros might have.
Still, Samwell wasn't overly worried. He wouldn't have set out to establish a stronghold here if he hadn't had a plan.
When he told Todd earlier that he had ways to generate income for the new lands, he hadn't been bluffing.
But now wasn't the time to discuss that; he needed to settle in first.
"Master Vito, since the castle will take time, let's start with a solid and secure encampment. Do you have any recommendations?"
"My lord, I would suggest constructing a simple wooden fort for now.
"We could start by building a small hill of earth and stone at the entrance to the valley, on which we'd place a wooden tower with a beacon. On either side of this, we could erect three or four shorter arrow towers, all protected by a sturdy wooden palisade.
"A ditch could be dug outside the palisade for added defense, while inside the wall, we could build basic structures such as housing, a stable, and a blacksmith's workshop, all of wood.
"A temporary wooden fort would be cost-effective, quick to construct, and could provide adequate defense. Of course, it has its limitations—it's vulnerable to fire and lacks the durability of stone, meaning it wouldn't qualify as the core of a recognized domain by the kingdom. But for a transitional encampment, it's more than sufficient."
Samwell smiled and nodded. "Good, Master Vito. I'll leave this in your capable hands."
"Yes, my lord." Vito bowed, then added, "I also have some initial thoughts on the port construction…"
"Let's focus on the fort first," Samwell interrupted. "For now, put all efforts into constructing the fort and be sure to build enough barracks. I suspect we may be welcoming more companions soon."
"As you wish, my lord."
After arranging with the craftsmen, Samwell turned to Todd Flowers. "Sir Todd, what are your thoughts on securing the encampment?"
While tensions had arisen between them after Carter's death, neither had openly opposed the other. And on the journey here, Todd had proven himself invaluable.
Once they reached the Red Mountains, Todd's experience was indispensable, helping them avoid wildling attacks and safely reach the northern shores of the Summer Sea.
Thus, Samwell valued his advice on security.
Todd didn't hold back, replying at once, "My lord, I recommend clearing all trees near the entrance to prevent anyone or anything from concealing themselves nearby. And although we haven't been attacked by wildlings, they have been shadowing us along the way, so we should remain vigilant. We ought to post guards outside the valley daily to monitor the surroundings."
"Agreed." Samwell nodded, then added after some thought, "But unless they show hostility, let's avoid initiating conflict with the wildlings. If possible, I'd like to learn more about the local tribes' locations and even meet with their leaders."
"My lord, the wildlings in the Red Mountains bear us no goodwill. The only reason they haven't attacked us so far is that they see we have a large force. Be careful not to underestimate their threat."
"I understand the risk. But as a frontier lord, if we could bring some wildlings into the fold as subjects, our settlement would grow much faster."
Todd didn't argue further and set off to follow Samwell's instructions.
Soon, the quiet valley was bustling with activity.
Meanwhile, Samwell led the recruits down to the seashore to catch fish and shrimp. Eagle's Point was remote, isolated within the mountains. Though they'd brought livestock and preserved meat, resources would have to be rationed.
Fortunately, most of the recruits had worked as dock laborers, spending their lives along the Mander River and well-versed in fishing.
By the end of the afternoon, the recruits had amassed a small mountain of seafood.
Samwell was delighted at the prospect of a seafood feast that evening, but his plans were interrupted when Todd returned, looking grim:
"My lord, we've got trouble. The wildlings attacked the men cutting down trees, wounding three of them, and only two of the three scouting parties have returned."
(End of Chapter)
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Iceswallowcome
Iceswallowcome I feel like the time frame of constructing the castle base on the description is absolutely bull! but it's a fanfic so, who's to say?
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