“ With that as one of our goals, I think we can blacklist certain technologies and the magic equivalent. Preserving our world should be a top priority. First, I would like to suggest that anything that comes from the mountain ultimately returns to it in a sense. I know a little about refining metal and that can poison the land if not properly dealt with. The same as our castoff outside the mountain. Otherwise, we risk disease and illness.”

The two nod agreeing with him. As Gark taps the table to interact with the city map they were looking at. The perimeter of trees appeared highlighted because of this.

“ In our haste to house the thousands, we have deforested a fair area. That has already altered the landscape severely.”

“ Right now we have not done anything irreversible. And I am not going to be unreasonable and say we got to preserve everything perfectly. Just limit the damage so our world is sustainable.”

Silve looks through the technology tree David added and tried not to focus on the parts about alloys and advanced materials and focused on the negatives.

“ I hate to say it, but advanced industrialization got to go. Too much damage.”

Gark moves further back on the list.

“ I believe anything past the steam engine must go. Even now I hesitate to keep it.”

David rubs his chin in thought.

“ We might be able to magic a way to replace the heat aspect. But what I hesitate on most is plastic.”

The two find the substance and they both wince. Silve seeing how versatile it is and Gark how damaging it is.

“It's too much a risk.”

The dwarf turns from the positives and winces seeing the known negatives.

“ Aye, our dragonkin friends survive mostly on fish. They will not take it kindly anything that risks that.”

David hesitates before bringing up the next technology.

“ I see your concern Laddy, but I think this one can be allowed. After all, we dwarves have made similar weapons before. But never truly focused on them. We can do anything with the single-shot repeater. Like with your revolver. I see a few other variations on this tree as well. Lever action and bold action rifles and single load shotguns. But this might not be in my lifetime.”

David sighs relieved and labels a few of them accessible, like simple revolvers and blunderbuss and such, but kept anything that could use a cartridge marked for 200+ years from now. With the exemption of the Stargaze, as it is the Warden's first standard issue weapon.

As they worked they eliminated one technology after another. Some they had unlocked immediately. These were mainly older tech. Like windmills, the printing press, or aqueducts. Others they put under time restraints. Such as engines or computer chips.

With that done David focused on the map again and the hundreds of log cabins haphazardly put up.

“ Gark, I know your people put a lot of effort into the housing, so try not to be offended when I say...”

“ You need to tear them all down?”

David nods and Gark sighs and rubs his arm.

“ Growth is not easy for my people. We have spent too long living in fear of discovery. Often times that mean abandoning our homes. My people will grumble about it, but accept this.”

“ Silve, I know you have a large stockpile of stone castoff. Do you have a plan for it?”

Silve shakes his head.

“ We have been quarrying large stone out of the mountain for a wall, but much of what we get is not suitable.”

“ Perfect...”

David brings up the tech tree and highlights a few. This caused Silve to start rubbing his beard in thought.

“ I won’t say it can’t be done, but this is not in my workshop as it were.”

David nods and sighs.

“ Yea and the census of those with us have a definitive lack of people with the predicate knowledge and skills. I mean Rick could, but I need him building the Warden’s Armors.”

Gark taps the table and swipes his finger and the map of the city vanishes to show a new menu.

“ I discovered this about three months ago. I had not told you David about this, but this seems to be a personnel shop. It ranges from lots of people with random skills and abilities and ages to more select and specialized individuals. To give you an example of some of the people I found. John’s mate Lonouni would have gone for half a billion credits a year if she was still on the market.”

Gark does something and the three at the table appear. Silve snorts in annoyance and David could see why.

“ A bloody fifty thousand a year. I work more than any two of me clan and that is what they value me by.”

David could not help but chuckle at that as he recalls he overpaid for the dwarf clan. The lycan however has a closer to the actual value of his payment on him than what David paid. As for himself, he had to blink at that number. A quarter of a trillion a year was mindboggling. A quick search found both John and Rick valued in the millions as Azanii was worth about half of her sister.

“ I think these numbers are based on your value at the end of the transition. You got to remember they have essentially been frozen in time this entire time. I bet I am worth a lot less now than I was before this meeting started.”

David returned to the main page and started to rub his chin.

“ So let's start scouting.”