Having proposed a question, and hearing the arguments on both sides, I have done what any sane person would do in this case; I took both options.
And thus begins the saga of....
Irma, Queen that Hungers, Sovereign of Sin
Water 3, Earth 3, Death 3, Blood 4
Order 1, Death 1, Misfortune 1, Magic 3
Dominion 5
Castle: Fortress
14 players (all but Ermor/Atlantis/R'lyeh) on the Inland map.
Starting number of provinces: 1
Indep Strength: 5
Special Site Freq: 50
Richness: Normal
Random Event: Rare
Score Graph: Disabled
"And so it begins..."
The keep had fallen, as Irma knew it would. The hunger wrought by the Malediction filled her, as it did all the nobles left in the kingdom. Well, in her case, 'noble' would be overstepping matters a bit. Her darkest secret was that she was the heir to the legacy of the Master Smiths, who had been put to the sword (or the stake) by the Inquisitors of the Black Temple; heir to the knowledge of the Forge that the Inquisitors had stolen; heir to the true strength of Ulm.
For her part, her rise in power was based upon the blood of the Inquisitors. Not that it was pure enough for magical ends. Indeed not. No, she fed upon them, as they had fed upon the Smiths. And now, she was coming to bring the blessing of the Malediction upon the world.
Okay, so I start in Province 19. Doesn't mean a thing to me, but it might to those of you who have played the Inland map a lot. Looking around, I have the plains of Cun Aral, the plains of Fenatice, the mountainous Waywoods, the Cacevic Highlands, and the plains of Dotian surrounding me. Not bad as a beginning location. Hopefully I will be able to blood hunt in one of the plains adjacent to the capital while reaping the rewards of the mountains to the south.
On to the commanders. Karl, the Commander of Ulm, is going to become Irma's prophet, spreading the Malediction to all. Nan Bagor, our humble Wolfherd, is going to check more closely on the inhabitants of the Cun Aral plains. Finally, Irma is going to research Alteration magic.
As for initial expenditures, Rexor's Barbarians are up for hire, so I bid 155 gold for their services. As for more... reliable minions, I pay for a Fortuneteller (90), and 12 Rangers of Ulm (144).
Status Report:
Treasury: 11
Income: 182
Upkeep: 16
Gems: 1S3D1N (+1S+3D+1N)
Bayushi Tasogare