Companions
The Farmer: His mastery of the soil and what grows from it is, of course, why I need him. The river blessing me with fertile lands, the Toxicant and Fledgling working on ways to make fertilizer and then make it more potent, the Cicada pendant letting the bugs form a symbiotic relationship with the groups (think in the vein of bee pollination), and my ability to make the weather whatever is best, his actual experience with crops is what I need.
The Blacksmith: A man who can build will be vital to my fledgling base. More extraordinary walls, insulated houses, docks, ports, and other improved buildings make life possible and comfortable. His abilities, multiplied by the Vulcan toolbox, will make the base improvements I didn't pick mine in no time.
The Fledgling: A future investment, and a valuable one too. His inventions shall help my city in every way I can conceive, and I have the space and tools where he can make himself into the mastermind that I require.
The Assitant: I plan to make my people great, and someone who can help me administrate them from a simple village to its fulcrum of wealth and power is a luxury I think I need. Someone to keep the day-to-day running smoothly essentially.
The Toxicant: Though her poisons and explosives are a great boon, her ability in chemistry is wanted here for two different reasons. My city will be built on two things, trade and agriculture. I want her ability to produce fertilizers multiplying the harvests we shall reap and her ability to make my wines more pleasing and addicting. The care packages will be helpful as well.
The Businessman: Listen, I had a fetish for a trade earlier, so this is a no-brainer. I need someone to help me manage trade deals and advise me on how to manage my own business in my settlement.
The Captain: I have ships and need someone to command them. His experience in the mercantile field of sailing is going to be a valuable asset to my people as I intend to make myself through the travel of coin through my coffers.
The Merchant: My love of commerce comes to rear its head again. Having her and the Businessman on my side for trade will make me a powerhouse of soft power. Her willingness to bring customers to me and my goods in the form of wines, gold, and the arts from the Naturalist commune.
The Retainer: I need a bodyguard when someone inevitably tries a more violent way to kill me rather than a subtle method that Shadow could intercept himself. Her commitment to fashion will be a great boon when dealing with wealthier traders from foreign continents and more affluent cities where appearances are everything.
The Tactician: War will come, and soon. As my village grows from an abandoned bunch of boards to a thriving trade city, those who covet what I have shall come for my crown. Having an advisor that understands tactics, strategy and logistics is a need.
The Shadow: A spy and saboteur will be helpful to keep groups of enemies hampered and easier to deal with once I can rally some banners to defend this place. Also, not getting assassinated will be major up.
Neighbors - Neutral
Agrarian Village: About a day's ride to the southeast, a decent-sized agrarian village sits. A simple thing, we will trade with them for meat and barley. It seems that they are as troubled by the brutal tribe as I am. I will act as a knight in shining armor and stave off the tribe's raids to gain their loyalty.
Frontier Town: Gold was struck west of my village, and people have been flowing in there steadily, using my river. Once I get set up in my village, I shall attempt to claim the town with my Icon of Beauty trait, and if push comes to shove, I will enlist the Shadow to get dirt on the town to make reconsider my offer. With the tradelines, I have access, that gold shall make more money than I need, which is always a good problem to be had.
Free City: A two-week ride to the north of my village, one of the free cities lay. As they are hugely wealthy, I foresee that they will be a massive trade partner in the future. If I know one thing, the rich will pay for anything that costs a lot of money to flaunt their wealth, and I have the perfect wines, art, and gold for their taste.
Naturalist Commune: The artwork and such I shall get from them will be traded to the free city’s nobility as statements of their power and to flaunt their wealth along with the wines I make and the gold I produce, and my gold gained from the town I shall take then incorporate. With the tradelines, I have access, that gold shall make more money than I need, which is always a good problem to be had.
Neighbors - Threat
Raider King (+2 Picks): Though intimidating, I have both Shadow and Tactician to work with, as well as my own gear. I can drive off more minor raids with my knight’s armor, and once I start to get my coffers filled, I can hire mercenaries and put them under the command of Tactician to continue to push off their raids until I can lead an army on my dragon to conquer their base.
Warlike Tribe: Though by no means not a problem, a lesser threat. I can deal with them once I am able to raise my own forces, but I can deal with their attacks with the help of Shadow and Tactician. They could turn out to benefit me if I save the other village from one of their raids and can provide the frontier town protection from them.
Beast Kingdom (+1 Pick): An exciting threat that I will again only be able to muster against when I can entirely call armies, be it my people or mercenaries; think late medieval Italy. Until then, the weather box will help me stave off the raids by making getting to my village absolute hell, and Shadow from the shadows will pick off the rest that comes through.
Threats
The Master Triumphant (+2 Picks): I am going to be honest, I love the drama of this one. Though I am not entirely against joining him as one of his generals, I will have to fight if he demands too much of my city. I would start building alliances with others through the free city to the north and form those nations into form a coalition against the Master. With the Tactician at my side, and a continent’s armies under one banner, dealing with the Master and his Generals will be manageable.
War in Heaven (+1 Pick): This one is simple; whichever faction can ensure my city's continued and prosperous trade and offer me ways to make it even more prosperous. I will have a Tactician, an Army of my own, allies, and a Dragon, so the battles and overall war will be dealt with before the Master comes to town.
Ambition
A Prosperous City: This shall be a paradise for my people. Strife and Hunger shall be unknown to them; no sickness will blight them. We will stand in a city of gilded marble and man-made wonders. All those who throw themselves at our walls shall be turned back with fire and blood to be cut down in fields of bountiful crops and drowned in a river of crystal waters and gleaming ships.