Meeting in Trebon (PM)
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"The way I see it, we've got two good options for handling the mines. Either that we both start with 50% ownership, handle any big problems like defense, labour and transport together splitting the work as seems most viable and then any improvements to the mines one of us pays for, be it surveying and constructing new ones or purchasing better machinery to the old ones, all profits go to whoever paid for it. That'd allow us to pretty much independently sell or use our goods and so on. But it's inefficient and would probably result in competition.

Alternatively we could work it as a joint venture. I'll be negotiating with the City folks to sell what we have, you can of course do the same to any of your contacts, we work and protect the mines together and all profits we gain are split evenly. In this case I'll have to insist on gaining the first sale (1 p.Wealth from Gears Chosen for 25% of current copper output) to the Wardens for our previous contributions into making the area secure, mostly because I have to admit that we really need that money right now. And lumber required for our fortifications, transport and mines can be provided from our lumber camps at least until the Upper Circle is dealt with.

I would prefer the latter option, but will work with either one you choose.

As for the Chosen, they'd currently be customers, and we could purchase machinery for the mines from them or the Technists later if we decide we need it. We would also need to find expert surveyors to hire from somewhere to find more mineral veins.

Finally, for your defensive proposal, a single larger fortification near the middle of the region is a good idea, as any larger incursion will have to be held there. But I feel that we would require several watchtowers lining the area to deter small raids, as in such terrain the fort would be unable to respond to calls for aid fast enough. Signal flares would, of course, make things more efficient.

As for the Mercantile forts, we've noticed they don't really man them properly. A real raid against one of those forts, it's going to fall. And if it isn't burned down, I think we should take the opportunity to seize it for ourselves when that happens."