The Lord's advisor was changed first, followed by the granting of titles to a batch of new nobles, and finally, the appointment of officials.
The first person called to be granted a title was naturally the one with the highest rank, the one most favored by Wright. Aside from those who attended the meeting last night, everyone in the hall was guessing who it would be.
When the name Gendry Waters was read aloud, many were extremely surprised to find out it was a humble blacksmith! A buzz of discussion started among the crowd.
"You're from Volantis, right? Let me tell you a secret, but don't tell anyone else. Gendry is King Robert's illegitimate son!"
"Ah, I see!"
Although Gendry wasn't a noble, Wright had him manage the Lord's direct blacksmith shop, and he earned a decent income.
Today, he had combed his slightly curly hair back, wearing a set of pale gold armor he had made himself, with his double-handed war hammer strapped to his back, and a finely crafted bull's head helmet held at his waist with his right hand, the two golden metal horns hooked on his arm, one in front and one behind. As for martial prowess, Gendry's strength was great, but he couldn't compare to many knights who had been trained since childhood. Nevertheless, this attire made him look quite imposing!
Wright and the Citadel had worked hard to elevate the status of craftsmen. In this era, blacksmiths were still not valued by the nobility, regarded only as people who made money for the nobles. While they were paid handsomely, their social status was forever disregarded. It wasn't about how much money they made, but the contempt for their status—nobles had no interest in mingling with craftsmen.
As Gendry walked from the far end of the hall, passing down the central aisle, city guards and mages he knew congratulated him, and he smiled and nodded at each of them. Only then did many people realize that the small blacksmith had a truly wide network of contacts.
When he reached the front row, someone suddenly struck his back armor hard. The blow was so forceful that it made a loud bang, nearly knocking Gendry off balance.
Almost embarrassing himself in such an important event, Gendry quickly stood up straight and turned around, ready to scold whoever it was.
"Fool, I knew you'd make it!Hahaha."
It was the familiar voice of Ashara Dayne.
"I was wondering who had such strength, turns out it's you. You were at the meeting last night, weren't you?" Gendry scratched his head and laughed widely.
"Mm! Hmph!" Aurane Velaryon, sitting in the front row, coughed. Ashara had been sleeping during the long meeting last night, barely hearing anything, while now she was the only one in high spirits in the upper circles of Tyrosh.
Gendry quickly walked up to Wright. Maester Sarella took out a scroll and began reading aloud.
Gendry's merits were for improving the craftsmanship in the Tyrosh workshops, successfully creating a gear winch system, contributing to the development of wands, and successfully making cargo wagons. He was granted the title of Lord, with the domain of Crane Hill, a territory in the Tyrosh province.
Crane Hill, now a vast area of hills and marshlands, home to cranes, located in a disputed inland area, not near the coast or a river. It was a small village with only a northern innkeeper and a few households. The reason for placing Gendry's domain here was that there was an open coal mine nearby. Wright wanted to develop metal manufacturing, so it had to be convenient for Gendry's workshop to smelt metals. This place would later become the largest metal and weapon production area.
Not being granted a title based on military achievements was not unusual in Westeros; titles could be awarded for tournaments or the offspring of great nobles. But it was rare for someone like Gendry, with land, to be granted such a title. Many believed he was benefiting from his connection to the king, but Wright and the Tyrosh officials knew that it wouldn't take long—just a year or two—and the power of the gear mechanism would be fully demonstrated.
The mention of an Lord's title was a collective request from the Tyrosh officials. Crane Hill would eventually concentrate a large number of craftsmen and merchants, and a knight wouldn't be enough to manage such a large area. Additionally, people thought that since King Robert had no male heirs, and Gendry, who resembled him most, might be highly valued in the future, they were eager to support him.
Gendry's official family crest was a black shield with pointed corners and a golden charging bull's head.
The second person granted a title was Kana Rogare, Lady of Eastport.
Her true merit was reaping the wealth of Myr under a false identity, though this could never be made public. Maester Sarella read aloud her fabricated accomplishments, all related to Tyrosh's economy.
Kana, dressed in golden jewelry and a pure white ceremonial gown, knelt halfway in front of Wright. Wright did not use his great sword to grant her title but instead took another sword from Captain Balon of the personal guard.
"Kana of House Rogare, in the name of the Warden of the Narrow Sea and Lord of Tyrosh, I grant you the title of Lady of Eastport. I also return to your house the Valyrian steel sword, Truth."
Kana accepted the sword with both hands and said formally, "I will always be by your side."
"Sorrow was actually in Lord Wright's hands?"
"House Rogare actually revived through Kana's branch!"
"The main line has been long dead; now, all who bear the Rogare name are from the collateral branches."
Noblemen from Lys were particularly interested, having heard that Kana was the only foreign noble granted a title by Wright. With this precedent, they too hoped for similar recognition.
Eastport, the closest point on Essos to Tyrosh, would one day store large quantities of food and raw materials brought from the mainland. With limited capacity at Tyrosh port, many merchant ships would unload here. Such an important place, Wright would either entrust it to someone close to him or someone easily replaceable. Power had to be firmly in his hands, and Kana was a good choice.
The main branch of House Rogare had died out over a century ago, and the side branches, including Kana, had been suppressed in Lys, never able to associate with the nobility. Now, she sought to free herself from the disputes over the main branch and redesigned the family crest: a white, single-layered bank building on a black background. As she watched the servants take away this flag, thinking that it would be raised on the walls of the Tyrosh Castle from today, Kana felt a great sense of joy.
The third individuals to be granted titles were Asha Greyjoy and Theon Greyjoy. Theon had been sent by Wright to meet with Petyr Baelish, so only his sister Asha came forward to receive her title on his behalf. As Asha walked down the center of the hall in Tyrosh's standard navy armor, there was not a single sound of discussion.
The two famous criminals from the two continents being granted titles by Wright left the people hesitant to speculate on his intentions. It wasn't until Sarella raised King Robert's pardon decree and read aloud their achievements that the hall erupted in applause.
Asha Greyjoy was granted the title of Lady of Kaos, a small town on the mouth of the Myr River, which had been bought by Wright. It was a chaotic place where taxes could not be collected, so Asha's title was symbolic, and she would need to deploy troops to quell unrest.
Meanwhile, Asha's brother, Theon, was granted the title of Ser, but no lands, as his achievements were not sufficient for a territorial grant. They had both worked undercover for a long time, living with constant anxiety. Upon their return to Tyrosh, they had been waiting for the King's pardon, which had been delayed due to an assassination attempt. They had rarely appeared publicly, worried that something had gone wrong. Now, with the official pardon, Asha finally felt relieved, and a smile appeared on her face.
However, their troubles were not over. Theon's impulsive act of taking the Nightfall and killing someone was an unforeseen event, and Wright and Robert had written to the Harlaw, to mediate the conflict. Despite the royal treasury offering compensation for the damages under Theon's name, the Harlaw refused, threatening to come after the Greyjoys and reclaim the sword.
"Asha, the Harlaws won't dare cause trouble in Tyrosh!" Wright said as he handed her the pardon and grabbed her arm.
"Thank you, Lord Wright," Asha said, her tone confident, "This is nothing. Those fools from the Harlaw won't be a problem. If I see them, I'll chop off their limbs and throw them into the sea to feed the fish." But in her heart, Asha had already decided to seek refuge in Tyrosh's navy.
The fourth person granted a title was Sansa Stark, as Lady of Riverkwood. Her contributions to Tyrosh were minimal, only having protected Wright during the conflict in Volantis. Many of the people in the hall wanted to laugh but dared not, for she has strong connection.
Magicians automatically earned the tittle of Ser upon graduation, which was equivalent to a knight, but it was a title with little substance, as one still had to earn a living. Wright's granting of a title to Sansa was not just symbolic; he was granting her land and intended to keep her in Tyrosh.
Currently, Tyrosh had a ten-year agreement with the Stark family of the North, allowing refugees from the North to lease land at extremely low prices. Wright placed Sansa's fief on the most fertile land to attract more Northerners to come and farm. House Stark had high prestige in the North, and Sansa owning land in Tyrosh, as opposed to not owning land, would have a significant impact on attracting people from the North.
Her fief was Creekwood, a flat plain. The small town was originally inhabited by lumberjacks, but after development, some wanted to rename it Creekwood. When Wright visited the town on his dragon, he pointed to a three-meter-wide ditch running through the town and told the locals that it was not a river. Thus, it was officially marked on maps as Creekwood.
The final title was granted to Wendel Manderly. This large man was granted the title of Ser, but with no land, though Wright gifted him a set of oversized armor.
Land was also granted to three men for their work in logging and pioneering: Lord Aurane Velaryon, Lord Gunthor Hightower, and Lord Hobber Redwyne.
Aurane Velaryon, the Lord of Seagull Island, was granted Black Tidesport and its surrounding lands. Gunthor Hightower, the Lord of Crabskeep, was granted Breakwind Town and the entire Breakwind Peninsula. Hobber Redwyne, the Lord of Torture's Deep, received land in the Dreanor Mountains.
These three had the support of their houses, and their lands would be populated by immigrants brought in by their houses. Wright, watching the other, less capable vassals, wondered if these three could inspire them with their land grants.
Many wondered why Garlan Tyrell hadn't made a more significant effort, assuming he was content to simply collect tolls on the Stepstones and avoid farming. The truth was that Garlan's decisions had been influenced by Margaery, who had spent almost half a year in Tyrosh and fully grasped its political landscape. She had analyzed the situation for Garlan, explaining that the Tyrosh nobility was divided into four major factions of power.
The first was the faction of Wright and the magicians, the top circle, where only those who could wield magic were allowed in. The second faction was the Reach faction, led by Garlan Tyrell, with Gunthor Hightower and Hobber Redwyne. The three of them, no matter what, were seen as a united force, holding significant economic advantage.
The third faction is the Dorne faction. Many Dornish nobles are active in Tyrosh. Although they do not hold power, Nymeria and Tyene have control over Wright!
The fourth faction, which Margery had specifically warned Garlan to watch out for, is the military faction led by Aurane Velaryon. This faction is gradually taking shape. After some discussion, they decided not to make a move yet but to quietly develop and focus resources on supporting House Hightower and Redwyne, aiming to elevate them. If conflicts arise, the two of them can stand in front; if no conflict happens, they will still remember the favor and offer support to Garlan in return.
Maester Sarella then announced that Captain of the Guard Balon Swann's territory was changed to Mogo Town, with Fire Island now falling under direct control of Wright.
Balon Swann was delighted with the change. Coming from the Stormlands, he felt that Fire Island was too small and not suitable for development. The new land on the mainland was perfect for agriculture.
Wright took Fire Island under direct control because it is the closest to Dorne. With the recent Dorne civil war coming to an end, there were many nobles who had not surrendered. Wright wanted to give them a place to retreat to, keeping them under control to prevent them from making desperate moves. This way, they might eventually surrender.
After the ceremony, it was time for the appointment of officials.
The former logistics officer was Garlan Tyrell, but with the development of Tyrosh, the logistics position was officially abolished. It was split into five roles: Commercial Supervisor, Metallurgy Officer, Agricultural Director, Tyrosh Bank Manager, and Alchemy Supervisor.
Both Garlan and Hightower strongly supported this change. The five new positions required very specialized individuals to take over. In the early stages, one person could handle all tasks, but now the industries in Tyrosh were developing too rapidly, and even they could no longer manage everything on their own.
Garlan Tyrell would resume his role as Commercial Supervisor, handling the manufacture and trade of the Stepstones, as well as military supplies.
The Metallurgy Officer was Gendry Waters, responsible for overseeing mining, metal smelting, and the manufacturing of large tools.
The Agricultural Director was Maekon the Maester, who managed both the Agricultural Department and the farming of warhorses. A large-scale planting wave was coming to the disputed lands, and someone knowledgeable in the field was necessary for proper management.
Agriculture was a new discipline developed by Wright, and Maekon was granted an honorary university degree in the field, giving him credibility with both the scholars and Wright himself.
Tyrosh Bank Manager was Kana Rogare, who was feared by the nobles who knew her capabilities. With just one soldier, she could collapse a city-state, and her beauty only added to her power.
Alchemy Supervisor was Tyene Sand. Given her extensive work in alchemy, she was a renowned authority in the field. It was only fitting that she take this role, as her reputation in the alchemical community surpassed even Wright's.
The navy was reorganized into two separate fleets: the Northern and Southern fleets.
Thus, the original nine-member leadership system of the Stepstones became a thirteen-member structure, plus one Maester Advisor and some position naming change.
Maester Advisor: Maester Sarella
Captain of the Guard: Ser Balon Swann of Mogo Town
Dragon Guard: Ser Dickon Tarly of Skull Island
Commander of the City Defense and Army Commander: Lady Ashara Dayne of Gemstone Island
Northern Navy Commander: Lord Aurane Velaryon of Seagull Island
Southern Navy Commander: Lord Hobber Redwyne of Torture's Deep
Intelligence Chief: Lord Andrew Estermont of Green Turle Hall
Taxation Chief: Lord Allard Seaworth of Stormport
Finance Chief: Lord Gunthor Hightower of Crabskeep
Commercial Supervisor: Lord Garlan Tyrell of Bloodstone Port
Metallurgy Officer: Lord Gendry Waters of Crane Hill
Agricultural Director: Maester Maekon
Tyrosh Bank Manager: Lady Kana Rogare of East Coast Port
Alchemy Supervisor: Tyene Sand
As for the naval roles, Asha Greyjoy joined the navy as a fleet captain, and Wendel Manderly also stayed in the navy.
Sansa Stark, Jojen Reed, and Meredyth Crane, three mages who graduated from Tyrosh, chose not to return to King's Landing. Instead, they stayed at Wright's castle as his assistants and continued their studies under his guidance.