After getting done with Greyjoy Rebellion Sam returned to the North. Now the real game begins as Benjen Stark has returned from his voyage with all the things that he was asked to bring and will arrive in Winterfell in a fortnight. But before we could start, Ned Stark returned after the end of siege of Pyke and Lannisport Tourney. And he was very angry about what I did in Iron Islands.
"Sam, how could you do that. You commited a genocide against a whole community. I thought I raised you to be honourable but you. How could you massacre so many people. Your father and our ancestors will be so ashamed of you." Ned admonished Sam.
"Oh! You know so much about our ancestors, but I am confused which ancestor are you talking about, the Stark ancestors or your Arryn ancestor. You are forgetting these are the same ancestors who ended the line of warg king, marsh king, barrow king. They didn't spare their own branch house. They were the same ones who decorated our coast with their heads on pikes. If you think you know anything about them, think again because you know nothing." Sam said. "I refuse to let them rape and reave their way through my land and my people and if I have to be the villain to make this lesson stick, then so be it." The talk ended there and a long silent treatment toward each other began after that.
His mood was brightened only when he found that Benjen had not returned with only what was asked of him, but he also came with some extra products and blueprints, like the blueprint of a distillery and paper mill from Volantis that was better than the ones used here in Westeros and board games played all over the world. Because of him Sam will not have to start from the beginning and could make do with some basic changes to make them even better.
The crops were planted in different parts of Stark lands to be shown in the next harvest feast. And the animals were sent to Hardhome to check whether they can survive the cold or not. The prospectors also submitted reports that our mountains are brimming with metals, minerals and gemstones.
When the crops were ready, Sam had to teach the cooks of winterfell various dishes that could be made from them. Thankfully, Benjen Stark again proved a saviour as well as he had brought several recipes of the dishes made from these crops. Because of this he didn't have to work around getting correct ratio of beet root for sugar making as well. And Sam already knew the ratios of various alcohol. The only thing that took time to figure out was maple syrup.
During this time, Sam also got contacted by the men he sent to infiltrate the citadel as acolytes and copy as many books as possible secretly, they said that they were able to recruit many like-minded people who believed that education should be freely given and were not treated well due to their background and copy all the books that contained any knowledge that was worth keeping as Sam didn't need the biased history or useless records of maester's diary or marriage records that citadel likes to hold onto for some reason. Of course, the diaries were given a read to find any useful knowledge but for every maester who discovered something that even he didn't realise, there were hundreds who spent their time just teaching lords and their heirs.
It was done very secretly. They posed as the second son of rich merchants and bought an apartment there where they used a printing press and paper send from North to copy all the books. And now they will be coming North to teach in our own college, that will be made and opened soon and all whether they be male or female will be allowed. It will not have the system of making everything cram inside their heads as we know making a single men learn all the subjects is a waste, instead focus on specialisation.
Finally, all the preparation were done, and the Harvest Feast also came up. The lords gathered and the feast began with all the new dishes. The lords were truly delighted from all the new dishes that were brought and when they tasted the new drinks, they were truly overjoyed. The talks soon turned to all the different foods and drinks that were being served and finally when all the lords had their fill Sam stood up.
"My Lords, I believe you have all tasted the different foods and drinks that were served. This was the result of the voyage that my uncle Benjen Stark, lord of Sea Dragon Fortress that remains to be properly named, has brought from his voyage. All of these are the crops that can be easily frown in the hard climate of the North. Not only that, but he has also brought many animals that can be reared for wool, milk and meat. We have tested these animals' survivability in the harsh climate of Hardhome, as Lord Hard can account for." Sam paused at that as every lord looked at Lord Hard who nodded in agreement. "This year all these crops will be spread all around the North according to the climate and soil condition they prefer, and the recipes will be spread among you and the inns in the North. But not only that, today you all will be leaving with something that will help you make lots off gold in the future." At that all the Lords became excited.
"Starting from Lord Umber, I hope you enjoyed the drink that we served because you will be the one to be making it with mashed dished that are potatoes. I will be providing you with the process and tools for its production and a man who will supervise it for you.
Lord Karstark, for you I have been able to get a contract with bravos for providing timber for their shipbuilding industry. Along with that I am giving you the blueprint of ships that you can have constructed at White Harbor or Frostport that are used by Ibbenese in whaling.
Lord Burley, I have sent prospectors to your mountains, and they have found several metal, mineral and gemstone veins that can be mined. I will have a men show them to you.
Lord Bolton, there are many new iron and copper mines found in the Lonely Mountains.
Lord Hornwood, I am giving you the designs of a paper mill and how to make them along with a printing press that you can use to print books. It is faster than copying them by hand.
Lord Flint (Widow's Watch), we will have a city built in your lands, that will be the favourite vacation spot of the richest merchants along with the many betting games and inns that will be there. I am telling you right now, that due to its purpose, it will follow a seprate tax system than rest of the North but still it will be very profitable. But it will take time to build and make it famous.
Lord Manderly and Frost, these are the blueprints of several ships that I have in mind. I want you to check their feasibility and build them if possible.
Lord Locke, the demand of glass has increased a lot and Wintertown can't fulfill it alone, so I will be sending various glassblower to your lands who will take many apprentices and teach them the art of glassblowing. But you will have to make sure of their safety and keep the process a secret.
Lord Dustin, I will be giving you a crop that will thrive in your lands and could be used to make sugar, a powdered form similar to the sweet liquid that you all enjoyed.
Lord Ryswell, I will be providing you with herds of many horses that could survive in our harsh climate. I think you know what to do with them.
Lord Mormont, you already have your ice trade, I am giving my share of it to you as well.
Lord Wolfe, you also have your wine and spice trade as well.
Lord Reed, the white pellets like thing that you ate are called rice. This crop consumes a lot of water and is perfect for your marshy lands. The best part about it is that, till it is kept dry and away from pests, it can be stored for years. So, for this reason, I will have to prohibit selling this crop other than your own people's consumption. It can be only sold in winters, and you cannot raise its price too much. And this crop will also be grown near riverbeds of whole North as well. I hope you understand.
Uncle Ned you also have the canal, which you can tax and your land will become a prime trading area soon. We will construct a city there as well and soon.
Uncle Benjen, your town is still under construction so we will have to wait and see what works in your land.
Lord Hard, I have been able to get the royal decree that allows us to expand North of the Wall. Now I know many of you hate the wildlings, but they are also First Men and follow the true Gods rather than the false gods of south. They are our brothers. Don't forget we are not considered any different than them by the southerners. So, soon your lands will also be connected with ours.
Lord Skag, your mountains are rich in granite, and marble as strong as granite and your valleys are also very fertile. So, I can only provide you with Cattle that would not die in winter easily and provide an alternate food source.
Lord Mag, your lands are the most fertile lands of the North, so you will be growing grains and fruits for us.
House Stark will do a little bit of everything and will be selling any product I come up with.
I also have another good news for you all. The Earth Singers have agreed to perform a ritual, and don't worry it does not take a sacrifice, that will boost the fertility of your lands. It is through this same ritual that Reach is so fertile. But they will only do it for a cost. So, you better talk up with Leaf about it."
This was a calculated move to put a price on fertility ritual. The northern lords would never have agreed otherwise that Others are coming without a proof which currently Sam do not have. And Sam need to start buying dragonglass now if Sam have to have enough of it by the time of attack. Mind you Sam will have to mine it from the North once all things go upside down. So, right now Sam will be buying it with gold which Earth Singers will earn from the Dragonstone under Renly's control. Here, Dragonstone was given to Renly after Jon Arryn was able to put some sense into Robert. Stannis is still the Master of Ships, and the ships are still docked at Dragonstone. Tarth is being constructed as a place where the navy can be held as Robert dislike to follow the Targaryen in any way.
As for the products that Sam mentioned it was soaps, shampoos and perfumes whose method he has taught to many men who will produce it for him. That's also the reason Sam gave the glass industry to Lord Locke. Sam has already given an idea for them to carve glass in a small bottle but if they tried it here, they may ask for his help. Sam didn't want to micro-manage everything and he had to give him something, so why not the glass, especially since quartz has been discovered in the sheepshead hills. He had already given them and idea, now he will give them some time, if they can achieve it, then good otherwise he will give them more direct instructions.
The next day Sam met with Leaf and Lord Hard and have Leaf tell him about the ice dragon so that his bones can be used to form bows and spear shafts. They are much too valuable to be left to waste away in those caves, especially when the real war begins.
According to Sam, if they rear the new cattle and poultry that has been brought aggressively then they will have enough of these cattle for whole North and export within next 3-4 years. With the completion of this Harvest Feast and the development project being almost completed, Sam stopped taking in people of the South, lest they change the demography of the North. Sam has ensured that they don't converge in a single place. Different families are alloted land to farm in different villages and the native are shifted to newly built better villages.
Anyways they would more likely choose to be labour in construction projects as they have gained a lot of experience in it and experienced labour is sought after in this time as well. And the North has to build 2 cities at a minimum if not more. One at Widow's Watch and one at the northern part of the Great Canal, by the Moat Cailin and it will take a lot of experienced labour.
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Author's Note
The chapters from here on will be the account of major events that happened between Greyjoy's Rebellion and start of canon. For ex. Jorah's selling poachers to slavers.