updated version
Tidings from the Counties - November 1622

General

Large resources were sent to the far ends of the Kingdom approximately 1.5 years ago, and some have already brought back reports. It has been found that summer is much more pleasant time for travelling than winter, and therefore the future for sending preparatory convoys in most cases needs to be made as early as March (end of Tuesday, please ignore the game that shows wrong month names). If they are still in place by the November deadline (end of Saturday), they count towards the PRE.

Geography

There is no appreciable cartography talent in the Kingdom, so very rough explanations will need to suffice until situation improves. (This takes into account the info received in the latter part of this post.)

The following counties are to the North of CryptoTown:
North Face, believed to be the furthest north
Tavastia
Petrichor
Stonehaven.
Apart from the initial detachment sent back from the Duke's troops, no information from the far north has been obtained.

The following counties are to the West of CryptoTown:
New Liberty, a large area including an inland sea and many islands.

The following counties are to the East of CryptoTown:
(none - the area has been considered part of Rossiya)

The following counties are to the South of CryptoTown:
Ramsey
White Cross
Grass
Plath
At least they left the south route, but it is mostly unclear where the counties actually are located, because most traffic goes that way.

The following counties are believed to be further away as enclaves of Foreign Powers, at least until our borders expand:
Nassau
Armagnac
Forte Spagnolo
Rome

The following counties are in Korea, the homeland of Dr. Paul Choo (Prince of Soul)
Soul
Gangnam

The location and/or "getting there" of the following counties is mysterious
Arda
Neverland

No information is known of the following counties
OZ
CryptoLuna
Sarajas
Naoned
Savannah
Ghibli
Carabas

In the feedback reports, I will have to use short notation because it might get excessive, so please add the details yourself Wink

New Liberty

As some guessed, the Duke himself had left early to prepare his land for the troops. He was in Stockholm and had met the King Gustaf Adolf personally as a (self-nominated but convincing) high representative of Crypto Kingdom. Due to his massive SCI spends he believes to know the geography and political situation rather well. Sweden is a rising power and HKM (His Royal Majesty) has been fighting many wars around the borders with less success but more experience. The area known as New Liberty is vast as the claim historically encompasses both the coasts of Östersjön, the west one the Swedes consider part of Sweden proper and they also claim the east one, including the islands, and "Tavastia, North Face and Ingria", so possibly the majority of Crypto Kingdom. The claims did not make the relations sour, the King was just wary because he needs allies to "preserve the religious freedom" if possible in the continent as well, since apparently the protestants there are bleeding.

The incident with the advancing Duke of NL Company happened simultaneously and unrelatedly based on previous orders. The company had been searching a port town (or a possibility to build one) when they encountered the Swedish regiment. The Swedes gained "victory" as they held ground while the Duke's forces continued northward, mapping the area and making finds.

OldDuchy

The situation in the town had become somewhat intense, so most of the troops were stationed there, from where they could be deployed easily to help the nobles in their efforts, and also protect the town from surprises. Only the Royal Second Company (90 BV) was mobilized in the spring with the objective of going to the road to Rossiya and find out their outpost, "just to check it out" with no high level diplomatic contact sought due to insufficient preparations. The Training Detachments were tasked to divide the land for the Manors, and the main force (312 BV in single command) stayed in the Citadel, making plans for its modernisation.

The secretly-much-hoped expedition to the East managed only a few days from where our settlements ended. There it met a Rossiyan outpost with a staunch attitude and despite gifts, the only real information that was received is that Rossiya starts there and foreign troops are not welcome. (Civilian contact with Rossiya has been mostly unregulated throughout history.)

White Cross

The troops have already sent back first-hand reports.

Stonehaven

The County of Stonehaven, as currently defined, encompasses the area north of TVA Duchy and until the Great River. The river flows very slowly to the west, yet is navigable. The Marquessate of Tavastia is the norther side. The county has a great plain that is by the river, and some sort of hills in the south (historically considered the northern border of the Old Duchy.

In two summers, a camp has been founded in a suitable spot by the river. The peasant population is a mix of Rossiyans, northerners and locals. The Swedes seem to sort of lord it over the area, and have a very efficient engineering corps effort ongoing. They did not let us spy the main camp which is to the east, meanwhile ours is in plain sight. Communication difficulties have prevented contact. We have not seen regular military.

Plath

The County of Plath is likely the furthest contiguous extent to the South where our forces are seen. The Earl has expended great SCI resources for mapping the situation there, but his army proved their ineffectiveness in the Battle of the Ambush, the first encounter in the Crypto Kingdom liberation wars with casualties (4 killed). The local population stayed content with so many of the trolls slain, with no feelings to either side. The local leader "boy-king" escaped so the encounter is a victory. The management is now ready to start Social Policies in the area (private consultation). Notable is that despite their numbers, both the management and the army are hugely ineffective.

Despite the distance, reaching Plath is comparatively easy - 4 months by a wagon-train, 2 months for foot soldiers and 1 on horseback (summer figures given). This is a very strategic outpost and the construction of a proper road there should be a priority.

The Earl lifted up his gaze and saw a foreign diplomat on the courtyard. Message was:

Good tidings from Castellan and Voivode Palczynski, the ruler of the area. We are happy to inform you that the Universal Catholic Faith reigns supreme in all of Polonia. Good to see that your Kingdom has not fallen to the heretics like that of our archenemy Gustaf Adolf! Join us in our crusade to restore the faith and burn their towns! In return we will recognize your claim not only to Plath but also to the coasts, and strengthen the trade routes. For now, we consider HRH Prince Boguslaw ("the boy-king") to be the rightful lord here, so you should stop fighting between brothers in faith.

Ramsey

Saddam observes the preparations of the others. Many seem to be going to the end of the known world (which, of course, is true!) But, calculating once in his life, he thinks about where the big prize is. Land near the Capital can be brought to production more quickly, tolls charged to wayfarers, farms are safer from invaders... The closest such land lies immediately to the south from what has traditionally been the Old Duchy entrance. Because the land is near, the troops did not cause too much uproar, the peasants knew where they were from (and the 150 BV of course pacifies things just like it should).

Despite the smallness of SCI available, the administrative component of Saddam's force was large enough to find out that the land was indeed large, and clearly wealthier than the sparse Manors at home. But it had been ravaged by war in not too distant past - all the Manors had been burned down and valuables looted. There was no king in the land, so the dwellers had organized a militia system: each Manor holder "Chief" (it could be envisioned that some of the manors had been fledgling seats of counties due to the size) had a life guard of a few NCO, sometimes only 2. But in 24 hours, each of these can muster 10 men from the peasantry with farm weapons. This was readily presented to actually happen.

Saddam's headquarters is founded in a strategic place near what could-and-should-be the highway from Rome to CryptoTown, and he is entitled to starting social policies towards the peasantry (contact GM).

North Face

The well-equipped force of the Duke of North Face has met no resistance from the locals - if there even were any! The locals live a nomadic life drinking vodka (if they can get it) and only gather together to slaughter their animals. No foie gras is produced here, and very few VEG. "If only this god-forsaken place was closer, that meat would be of value!" The locals pay no attention to the preparations, and are apt to trade and cheat in the trading, but don't produce anything. Silver and copper have been sighted but none of the strange coins.

The only question is, what in the world are we doing here? Does it make sense to build a town here? Some rivers are flowing to the south but because of the orders received, the colony has been kept in a hedgehog formation without venturing outside. The locals tell that far in the north is a snowy mountain range that few can cross, far far in the north is an open sea, then a sea that is frozen all-year round, then it becomes warm again, and Ultima Thule is in the far north. The VOD and MUS enjoyed by the reciter of the tale may have contributed. Still, the question is whether to stand against Nature and go further north, or to south, or to home...

After a longish time of questioning around, trying to get the whereabouts of Louhi, the same envoy appeared. Discussion was, if possible, even shorter than last time: "I am watching you, like I have watched all the previous ones. I will contact you, if I want. In the way I want."

Social policies have become possible because of the PRE accumulated.

Grass

The land of Grass is pleasant grassland as far as the eye can see. The Kingdom troops had no difficulty surveying the land but the peasants acted reserved. Here also the ravages of war were seen, which posed a sad contrast to the agreeable nature. CAN production is very strong here with the locals enjoying their full quota. A local slipped that huge secret stashes abound in the land, and due to the war and the Church have amassed all silver, CAN was even used as a currency. Similar to in Ramsey, no definite overlord seemed to be exist.

Scientific advances possible and their benefits

10,000 SCI - Heavy (24-pound) Cannon (almost immobile) manufacturing and proper usage
~30,000 SCI - Borough-22 incl eg. continuous urban planning
~10,000 SCI - Cho-ko-nu an easy to manufacture and use weapon with higher rate of fire than muskets (req. expedition to get plans)
10,000 SCI - Printing press installation and training (incl machinery)
20,000 SCI - Muskets manufacturing without helps
~20,000 SCI - Seafaring 1: coastal and auxiliary navy and basic seaman training
~20,000 SCI - Seafaring 2: wooden ships with cannon, control of Östersjön
~20,000 SCI - Seafaring 3: blue seas navy (in theory at least)