As Alai forces clear through the eastern edges of the Tarim Desert, the northern valley of Ili is discovered. It's a low, fertile valley, dotted with towns and cities that are easy enough to assimilate. They don't even resist, happy to be offered protection. The Commander of the Expedition demands that in return for their incorporation, they must begin providing wood, an essential resource to the Alai.

The low valley region of Ili is home to a number of forests, all of surprisingly high quality woods. Perhaps if given enough time, these people would have been armed themselves and conquering abroad - but instead they will become a component of the whole.

Interestingly, many of these conquered places, having received the opportunity to send an elder across the world to the Alai, simply do not bother. Others go and are surprised by how much, or how little, say they receive. As the great building continues to grow on the Alai Mountainside, so does the progression of people who live and work there permanently. A number of the Bergums advisors have suggested that there is increase amounts of tension in the political strata of the state, as yet untested, and it would perhaps be wise to rebuild the system before the Grand Assembly is opened. Time will tell.

[Improved Forest, again. Edit: Also, forgot the bloody picture.]