[WTC] What the fog?

[Darnok]

The new year had just started, the winter fog held Mesabi Landing in its grip.

Kadeus Mordo had come to meet Arthur Mengsk in his office, both speaking loudly with two stacks of sealed letters silently waiting on the desk in front of them.

"Kadeus, long time no see! What brings you to me on this dreadful winter morning?" Arthur seemed to be in a good mood, even though Mordo apparently did not share the sentiment.

"Long time no see? No sh*t, it feels like the last two years went by in a blur of craziness. What matters is that I am back right here right now - and we need to get the WTC back in action just the same. No more silly newspapers or extravagant military operations, back to business it is!"

 

Mordo continued: "I believe the best way to go forward is to focus on our original strengths!" Mengsk interrupted: "Blowing stuff up and getting away with all the valuables?" Mordo chuckled, then continued: "You know, this is actually not too far away from my plans. I have set up a new branch of the WTC, with the express purpose to use our expertise with explosive for mining and the likes. In a sense: blowing stuff up and getting away with the valuables, indeed! However, this branch will also deal with affairs of trading, agriculture and getting necessary supplies to where they are needed when they are needed."

"Sounds good to me, even though I feel like you have not come here just to share the new plans with me." Mengsk wondered with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course not. Things have been silent lately, but you have proven yourself reliable. Thus I will make you the chief of this new Division for Unrestrained Mining, Bartering, Artisanship, Supplies and Stuff. While I will be the public face of things and the one responsible for all orders and technicalities on paper, you will run the everyday affairs from the background."

 

"I like the basic concept of it all, but something feels odd to me here. Wait a minute... Division for Unrestrained Mining, Bartering, Artisanship, Supplies and Stuff... D. ... U. ... M. ..."

Mordo interrupted Mengsk abruptly: "Sadly I have to leave again already. I have left you a schedule and specific orders. A couple of related letters have been written in advance by me, you will send these out on certain dates. There are also some blank papers with my official signature, just in case I am out of town and you need something specific. And last, but by no means least: we will closely cooperate with the Crown of Corrington whenever necessary. So remember to play it nice with them. And pray to Promethous that fool of a Count does not interfere!"

 

"This whole thing has been set in motion, the first letter is already sent out. Do not disappoint me here Arthur - if you do this right, your future in the WTC will be bright. I will also personally bury you under gold beyond your wildest imagination!"

 

===

3rd day of the 1st month, 622

Mesabi Landing

 

To the honourable Colonel Sir Dirk Allcock, Colonial Governor of the Paradise Isles, Knight of the Order of the Compass Rose, Secretary of the Royal Society of Natural Philosophy,

 

Dear Sir,

while it has been quiet around the WTC lately - which I am sure you will appreciate in some regards - this is about to change. I therefore approach you with a series of requests you will hopefully find reasonable and in line with the greater interests of the Crown of Corrington.

You are without a doubt aware of the WTC's experience with explosives in general and mining in particular. It has been decided to expand our business in this field, while cooperating with the Crown whereever possible for our mutual benefit. In less flowery language: we propose to take care of the mining groundwork in a vriety of places spread out over the Brick Seas, and share the profits in locations where we assume to get better results with the Crowns direct support.

More specifically:

1. The settlement of Black Beach in Gunpowder Island is in a delicate place. We have had some... experience over there in the past. Remember that pirate hunt from 618? See attached some notes of our venture (note #1, note #2). It is my belief the WTC can not only help keeping the settlement a safer place, but also in extracting those riches I am informed have already been discovered at least once. I hereby request permission for the WTC to set up a presence to organise our work on location, as well as the right to construct a mine. The latter would be under supervision and protection of the Crown, with a substantial portion of the mining yield going to the Crown as well.
2. The construction of mines requires wood. As you are probably aware, vegetation is in short supply on our beloved Argentia. However nearby on Cascadia, Camp Isaac is known for the strong trees in its surroundings. So while the WTC is (for now) not primarily focussed on scientific endeavours there, I would still appreciate a permission to set up yet another WTC office in Camp Isaac. The WTC is no stranger to the settlement, we would merely expand our business there to farming proper jungle wood. At a later point we might come back to you in regards to some potential prospecting near the settlement - but this is a topic for another day. Rest assured: nobody will take matters into their own hands.
3. Assuming you agree to these motions, there might be more joint ventures like this coming in the future. You are of course always free to suggest ideas on behalf of the Crown - the WTC will help willingly where and when possible.

 

I am looking forward to a reply from either yourself or one of your representatives, confident in the merits of the propositions above.

 

In the spirit of cooperation, yours sincerely,

Kadeus Mordo

Executive Commander of the WTC

 

================================================================

 

First things first: if this build feels familiar to some, it is because I have used it before. See over there for more pictures.

I only noticed the lack of the previous "background" after the whole setup was taken down again - so now there is fog outside for some solid excuse. This also gave me a nice title.

 

OOC this is an attempt to set up a storyline that might take a while to conclude, as well as give me a good IC reason for some mining builds I want to do in different places. It also diversifies the WTC a bit more, while providing options for both honest actions as well as possibly some shenanigans. Just maybe.

Special thanks go to @Mesabi for providing a working acronym for D.U.M.B.A.S.S. in about three seconds. It changed a bit later on to the final version above, but I would not have had such an easy go without his glorious first attempt.

Spoiler

For those curious: the original version was " D.U.M.B.A.S.S. - Department of Urban Management, Business, Agriculture, Science and Supply".

The Mk.II version then turned out to be "D.U.M.B.A.S.S. - Division for Unrestrained Mining, Bartering, Artisanship, Supplies and Stuff". A bit more silly, while also sounding more ominous and mildly sinister, cutting out the "science" (which felt a bit odd), and a little bit more focussed around trade. Cutting out the agriculture as well: this can be done under "supplies" as well as "just regular WTC dealings".

 

Also for clarities sake in OOC to @Ayrlego and @Bregir:

• I would like to build a fortified warehouse and a saltpeter mine in Black Reach (Gunpowder Island), with the warehouse being WTC property and the saltpeter mine ending up as Crown/faction property. IC this would be a mining operation under Crown supervision. Eventually more prospecting should follow.
• The same applies to Camp Isaac (Cascadia), instead of mining I would like to do some plantations (wood and possibly chili) though. IC the wood is needed for construction purposes, and I'd like to set up a smaller story of the Myzec sharing their knowledge of the chili with Corrington (with some larger scale cultivation as a result). Some prospecting and/or mining might follow, but that would be done only after another "request to the Crown".
• There are more mining builds in other locations planned as a follow-up. As usual I have more ideas than time though, and this all might take months (probably way into 2023) - assuming no catastrophes in the meantime!

 

Everybody else - mostly Corrington of course, but not restricted to them - should feel free to approach me if the WTC would be considered helpful for mining or related things. While my own ideas have priority, this whole storline is meant to establish the WTC as an expert for (among other things) mining, and it should IC work well to set up some solid cooperations.

 

As always, comments and criticism are welcome!

[Jeff of Clubs]

That suit!  A fine little office you have rigged up there!

[Darnok]

Thanks! Yeah, I was quite happy with the build back in 2019, that's mostly why I never took it apart.

The suit is from this Beetlejuice minifig.

[Ayrlego]

Having a neat little office ready to go for scenes like this would defiantly come in handy - I could answer this letter immediately for one thing!!! I will attempt to answer on the weekend, but for now OOC I see no issues with the WTCs plans in the East Prio Sea. Black Beach has an ETTC presence already, so as long as neither TC is looking for exclusivity I don't see a problem - lucky there don't seem to be any horses on Gunpowder Island (yet)!

Governor Allcock is mainly interested in the strategic location of Gunpowder Island - he didn't want to see a foreign (or even worse pirate!!) power establish itself on such an important shipping lane (shipping to the economic powerhouse of Jameston, - and a lesser extent Mesabi Landing all pass here). He's happy to leave the commercial development/exploitation of natural resources to the TCs. Although the Crown will ofc need a piece of the pie!

[Captain Braunsfeld]

I like that Division for Unrestrained Mining .... stuff 

[Bregir]

I like this new strategic direction for the WTC and agree with Ayrlego in agreeing with your plans.

I will be looking forward to following the D.U.M.B.A.S.S. Division going forward! ;)