Tyranny of Steel

Throughout the next couple of days, Arethas spent his time going throughout the City of Kufstein and learning about its rapid progress. To think that less than a year ago, Kufstein could at most be considered an agricultural town. Though many regions of the City were still undergoing construction, the fact that the walls had been constructed and decent housing was provided for the area ’s citizens was astonishing to a man like Arethas.

The city ’s overall layout was constructed in a way that not only took security status in mind but also made certain districts in place that allowed for organized living. By far, the Industrial District was the largest of these districts, and yet the Trade district was a close second. The greatest part of Kufstein ’s design is that the walls extended far beyond the currently inhabited regions of the city, allowing for the potential of tens of thousands of more inhabitants to dwell within the city in the future. Of course, another series of walls could always be constructed, if the City grew beyond its current limits.

Though the Industrial district was largely closed off to visitors, seeing such a vast quantity of smoke in the air led Arethas to believe that there was most definitely a massive industrial output created in this city. Though, of course, he would not believe the amount of steel produced every month in Kufstein if he were to hear the exact amount.

Arethas had initially come to Kufstein to secure an exclusive trade agreement with silk; after all, his personal territory grew vast quantities of the material, and he knew Berengar was expending a great sum to acquire it. However, seeing how well equipped Berengar ’s garrison was, Arethas believed he might be able to import a great deal of iron into the Empire from Tyrol, which would greatly aid the forces of the empire. He had no way of knowing that the blackened half-plate armor in which Berengar ’s forces wore was actually made out of quenched and tempered steel. After three days, the Byzantine nobleman returned to Berengar ’s castle and once more stood before him in the Great Hall. Berengar was the first to make conversation.

”I am Count Berengar von Kufstein; you are here in my territory and have arrived unannounced, be grateful for my benevolence, for I have granted you an audience despite the disrespect you have shown me. ”