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Westeros Public Works Department


Pod The Impaler

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OK, despite the funny title, it's not a silly thread.

What sort of building projects or improvements do you think the Seven Kingdoms needs?

If you were the monarch upon the Iron Throne (or just ruled over one part of Westeros), what would you build ?

Canals, roads, bridges, dams, castles, ports, towns etc.

(Doesn't have to be magic-infused mega-structures, but can be just normal ones.)

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For me, I think my top choices would be:

- A second major bridge over the Trident, if posible, near Lord Harroway's Town.

- A sea port on the Sunset Sea for the North, on the Salt Spear / south of Barrowton.

- Fortify the town of Stoney Sept / build a castle there

Secondary choices:

- Put some sort of naval presence in Dorne, because their not being a naval power makes little sense.

- Restore Harrenhal and find a way to man it

- Establish a colony / trading post of sorts on the Sea of Myrth

- Try to do more to rebuild the Night's Watch fortresses

- Settle the gift with those wildlings willing to keep the peace (as Jon Snow or Stannis attempts)

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Build qanats in Dorne as well as reservoirs to collect what limited rainwater they get.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qanat

Hire specialists from the Free Cities to build Valyrian-style roads across the continent.

Develop aqueducts for King's Landing. Include public baths and fountains.

Take a page from Alfred the Great and the Byzantine themes in Anatolia by dotting the Riverlands with fortress-towns that are within a day's march from one another. It'll give the Riverlands defense in depth and refuges for its smallfolk when bandits and armies pillage the countryside. Meanwhile, the soldiers in each fortress-town can sally out and attack isolated groups to wreck communications, logistics, etc.

Build a port/naval base at the mouth of the Fever River.

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Actually build roads where there is just a dirt path (aka the Kingsroad up North)

If technology allows, connect the Blue Fork with the Sunset sea. It will improve the wealth of Seagard in the process.

Build Citadel-esque schools in at least each of the five cities, where the general populous can learn.

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Get bodies out of water supplies!

And encourage great houses to improve the roads in their regions.

I'd also sponsor westward exploration to find out what's there and the trade possibilities. (Currently they think the world is flat, I believe).

But heading into a terrible winter there is not going to be a lot of resources for anything, and after the plague and winter hit together, labour is going to get pricey.

So actually I think Dany and anyone else who can should be trying to keep her hands on some cities/food resources in Essos to assist their people and support their power in Westeros.

And I agree with demolishing the Dreadfort and building some sort of Quiet isle type place with its stones.

In fact another change I'd make is the leader of the Quiet Isle for High Septon!

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Build a canal in the Neck connecting the Narrow and Sunset Seas, possibly using the Fever River. Have a fortress/gate on either side to collect tolls and keep security.

Build qanats in Dorne as well as reservoirs to collect what limited rainwater they get.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qanat

That's a good idea

Introduce dry toilets in KL that separate the urine from feces, and have a collection system to compost both for fertilizer.

Build a public park in KL as well with some trees, bushes and flowers

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I cannot even imagine how rich the family would be that controlled the canal at the Neck.

In terms of other capital improvements, I'd probably build a school in each kingdom for anyone ranked as a knight or above. You wouldn't want everyone to get too much knowledge since that would mess up their whole feudalism thing, but a more educated middle, upper-class would be great. I'd probably force the North to build a navy, since it really makes no sense for all that coast to be undefended. I'd also build myself a Versailles and hang out there. King's Landing makes it too easy for courtiers to cause trouble. Moving the entire court to a rebuilt Summerhall (or whatever) would give the King more control over his ministers, limiting their ability to make trouble.

EDIT:

Just thinking about it, what Westeros really needs is its own central bank. Innovation always happens when credit is incredibly loose. Braavos can fund way more business adventures, shipping, and improvements because they have the Iron Bank. If I were Westeros, I'd create a central bank that would be funded by tolls from the canal in the Neck and perhaps a tariff on some foreign goods. It could be run by a board chaired by the Master of Coin and great lords could appeal for loans to make their own improvements with really low interest rates. That would jumpstart their economy, lower the risk for graft, and make the sorts of improvements necessary for Westeros to hit the Renaissance period.

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This thread has made me realize how batshit terrible Westeros is. So weird to think of a civilization with advanced siege engines and full plate armor... but without basic things like roads, aqueducts, etc.

well the whole no slaves thing makes it difficult to have advanced technology. Not to mention the government is only mildly unified.

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