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Knight Nobility for Dummies or How to Become a Millionaire
Dear defenders of the Faith and zealots of Valor! You all know very well that a knight's strength lies in loyal and well-equipped soldiers. But what should you do if roulette and tavern games devour so much money that practically nothing is left for the army? Our simple instruction will help you find the answer. An army can bring profit! Never before has the sweet word "freebie" been so close. While all other races are fooling around, knights will follow the only true path. The path to wealth.
1. Peasants. You'll be amazed, but once upon a time peasants didn't just charge the enemy with pitchforks held high to soak up return fire or block archers with their fat bellies. In the past, peasants worked in the fields, raised livestock, and brought income to their master. So what needs to be done so they can replenish your treasury now?
Necromancers long ago found the answer to a similar question... Follow their example. Sell your peasants.
Sell them to everyone! Sell them to demons for sacrifices, barbarians for training, high elves for a laugh, mages for field work, necromancers for skeletons. Sell peasants to dark elves, even if they don't give a damn about them. While the DEs are protesting, stealthily steal back your crossbows, spears, and clubs.
To prevent the peasants from collectively joining the militia after such a policy, come up with some upbeat motto. Something like "This isn't slavery, it's invigorating labor to strengthen morale!" Just don't specify whose morale it is.
2. Archers/Crossbowmen. While the peasants are suffering in enemy camps, it's high time to send your shooters onto the main road. However, not at all to rob caravans. There are fools on the roads, and you don't need a knife for a fool, let alone a bow or crossbow. It is enough just to teach your warriors simple questions, like: "Tell me, who do you think you are in this life?", "What neighborhood are you even from?" and "Listen, got any gold?" "Listen, how about two, or maybe two more?" "And what if I find some?" The results will be staggering.
About a third of the crossbowmen can be appointed as local guards. If people come to them to complain about road vandalism, let them take whatever remaining gold the victims have and promise that they will "take measures." Law is law.
3. Infantry/Footmen. How do you make grunts toil? An interesting but relevant question. One of the most convenient options for an answer is to get them a job.
No, no, don't even think about trying to sell them into slavery like peasants. If you make even a tiny mistake, the infantry will get angry and sell *you* into slavery instead. Stunned, bound, and gagged. Such complications are completely unnecessary, and besides, infantry is too valuable a resource. We are talking about real, paid work that your infantry and footmen are capable of.
So, what can your elite troops do? Move slowly and cover themselves with a Big Shield. The best job option for them is construction. Infantry as laborers, footmen as foremen. It doesn't matter that your guys aren't familiar with the profession! Believe me, in this day and age, it's completely unimportant. Heaven forbid you leave such "builders" in your own city; send your infantry to the castles of a probable enemy. Two pluses for the price of one — money for the "work" and powerful subversive activity. Well, who's going to grieve over the loss of a couple of tons of iron beams? And cracks in the walls, well, who cares about those? If the employer tries to protest, your infantry will always have time to shout: "Boss, why you yell?!" and cover themselves with a Big Shield. Nothing more is actually required of them.
4. Griffins. The most ambiguous combat unit of your army. Well, what are you supposed to do with them? You can't sell them as poultry — they'll eat the breeders. Sell them as mounts — they'll eat the riders. Sell them as pets — they'll eat the owners. Sell them for meat — they'll eat the butchers first, then come back and eat you. What are they even doing in your army? Whose bright idea was it to "tame" griffins? No, really. Peasants, infantry, archers, monks, knights and then bam — griffins. A new species of human, sure.
Alas, even our wonderful instruction cannot help you extract profit from these feathered ones. Leave them as they are; it's better if they just eat your enemies.
5. Monks. As is well known, monks in the knight army don't fool around. They... that is, they engage in godly deeds. Getting them to do anything else is quite difficult, so we advise you to simply let your monks wander around the outskirts of other cities.
Monks, for example, can beg for alms. Few would refuse a request from a beggar with a huge club on his shoulder. A paltry sum of a hundred gold — and the passerby's head will never get to know the club more closely. Monks can bless good citizens! Also for just a hundred gold and under roughly the same conditions. They can convert people to the true faith, heal ailments (guess how), exorcise demons (guess how), punish godless sorcerers (well, you get it) and so on.
With a lucky turn of events, your monks will bring fantastic profit. Just keep a closer eye to ensure that gold from the pockets of the Warriors of the Lord isn't traded for that notorious "stuff," no matter how divine it may be.
6. Knights. Have you ever wondered how hard life is for tax collectors? They are not loved, valued, or understood. How can this situation be changed? Prove to the people that taxes are a useful and necessary thing?..
In general, uh, it's impossible. And therefore only one means remains — fundamentally change the image of the collectors. More precisely — appoint all the knight cavalry of your army in their place. Don't even think about sending your new toll-collectors to your own villages and castles. It is much more logical and profitable to send them (as with the infantry earlier) to collect money in the cities and villages of a probable enemy. While no one is guarding the castles, this will be as easy as pie. When same-to-the-teeth armed knights rush through the streets, hooves of armored horses thundering, everyone will pay taxes. Even the real collectors. The main thing for the cavalry is not to get carried away and do their new job quickly. Otherwise, allied races, who couldn't dig up the dark elves from under the ground, will turn their anger specifically on you.
Success to you in accumulating wealth, noble knights! But still, don't forget that without even the slightest guard, bags of gold have a tendency to evaporate somewhere.
High Elf Wisdom for Dummies or How to Dress Quickly and Fashionably
Dear lords! Due to various circumstances
The entire instruction for elves
Will be done in verse.
Feel the power of the word! And I ask you not to swear,
Because on these pages
Are many cool, wise letters.
Elves are a complex race, they need a special approach
Well, let's figure out
Why they are so cool.
If you place them in the field, as if dousing with cold water,
It's immediately clear: the strength of elves is—
Unearthly beauty.
Beauty will save heroes! But it can be improved,
By applying a little bit of
Money, effort, and other means.
If you go to war, push your sword deeper into its sheath,
Better dress fashionably,
You'll win the battle instantly!
1.
Your fairies and dryads are like kind butterflies
They do over the field
With their wings a flap-flap-flap
Everyone is very glad to see them, and their clothes are convenient
Under the loincloth
It's immediately clear who is who.
If you don't feel sorry for the fairies (war is war, damn it)
Then take off their loincloths,
Let them fly naked.
It will immediately become more cheerful, all enemies will suddenly soften,
And that's when you crush them
Whether into cabbage or salad.
2.
Noble dancers sow death on the battlefield,
Their swords flash so fast
Killing every last pest
Unfortunately, sometimes, absorbed in the fight
Your warriors usually
Forget to dance.
Confiscate their swords, give them leather jackets,
Hats, trousers and bracelets,
Dark glasses on the nose
Let them dance on the field, let them do the boogie-woogie,
Everyone will know — Michael Jackson
Will never disappear.
3.
Elves with bows are the elite in the fierce army of pointy-ears
But their clothes are wretched,
Gods know why.
Fashion is completely forgotten and hands don't obey...
In short, the elves' image needs to be
Cardinally changed.
If archers in green walk like that for camouflage,
Then it's completely unclear
The attire of masters—
Bright orange t-shirts with a strange hood
Camouflage very coolly
Among the greenery in the forest.
Masters — change your gear,
Otherwise, it's just a shame.
4.
Among elves you won't find anyone smarter than druids,
Their outfits tell us a lot
Instantly
The Druid cares for archers, doesn't let fairies be offended,
That's why there is no money
Even for a t-shirt, damn it.
Druids wander in felt boots, they carve their own staffs,
And the high ones, moreover,
Have deer antlers growing.
Century by century, year by year, surrounded by forests
Poor druids freeze
In autumn, winter, spring.
Give money to poor druls
Let them at least buy themselves a sweater.
5.
If you have unicorns, it's just a quiet holiday
For the horses, by their sight alone
Lift the spirit of the troops
Early in the morning before battle show them all at once,
(better — with fairies on their backs)
It will be easier to fight!
Just hide the combat ones,
Their color is too strange.
6.
Ents are powerful guys, real trees.
Their sprawling branches
Strike fear into enemies.
But there's not enough fear in the stormy flames of battle,
It will be easier and more reliable
To eat the opponent's brains.
All that is needed to build a psychotropic weapon is—
New Year's toys
That lie in the attic.
Turn ents into Christmas trees. No need to fight anymore.
All enemies, seeing this
Will quickly go insane.
7.
If you have dragons, better not bother them.
For dragons, unfortunately, don't give a damn about clothes.
...
And they spit accurately, and moreover, with acid.
General conclusion:
Were there money, were there time and a little bit of fantasy,
You would achieve success
And overthrow the enemies.
Fashion is power, believe me. Though not everything happens at once,
Remember that your ears
Will always be pointy.
(c) Garret_Thief Kosha, that's all for now, the author isn't writing anymore =(