[Baalz]

Also, when using assassins to take provinces keep in mind you're (almost certainly) using an army and/or pretender to expand as well. Focus your assassins on those juicy farmlands full of knights and leave the bear tribe pushovers for your regular troops. Assassination for initial expansion can be very worthwhile used like this, 2 or 3 assassins can net you a couple extra very nice provinces in the first year which can easily be better than a couple extra mages in some situations.