They chose a simple path. Although Morpheus did not remember everything, having the general gist of things would make things very much easier.
So, Halvar created a simple map of tribes around the Sea of Life. The surrounding tribes around the tribe of Life were too exposed and prone to sudden invasion.
Moreover, they needed a wise and powerful ruler. Someone who wouldn't be able to give them the necessary resources to kick it off would be useless.
After sorting it out. Two options remained. The tribe leader of Soulscorned tribe, who used to be a slave, but rose to prominence with his wits and charismatic abilities.
The tribe he took over had deposits of iron, nickel and even a small deposit of gold. This was just the information known to the public.
On the other hand, stood the Barford family. Through ancestral teachings, their family survived for hundreds of years and stood as one of the oldest families.
They also had direct access to the Sea of Life. They constructed an impressive naval power and their conflict with the tribe of life left them on tenterhooks.
The one disadvantage of this option was the long range from Morpheus. While the Soulscorned tribe lacked a few things, it had great potential and was a wise ruler on the surface.
Not to mention that Morpheus almost touched the borders of the Soulscorned tribe. However, Morpheus and Halvar didn't need to be close at all times.
As handy the strengthening proved to be. The quicker they attained influence, the less likely would it be for the tribe of Life to rise.
Morpheus knew too well the power of religion. Especially when wielded in the hand of one individual, they could quite possibly become the most powerful force.
And their plan began. Halvar with his last pieces of money invested in a couple of easy inventions and also the creation of a more modern carriage.
With a blueprint and a couple of made inventions. Halvar left Morpheus. As he didn't have much to do except maybe think of countermeasures against Athánatos, he went into hibernation.
As much as Athánatos proved to be a mortal enemy to Halvar. For Morpheus, he would just die in a few decades.
That would mean a hibernation or two and the whole landscape would change. Morpheus still didn't come to terms entirely.
So, the journey with Halvar would either be a first investment or one of the last rides. Anyway, if he were to spend his life like this.
He might as well hibernate till the end of the world or until he sees a change where he himself can break out.
Right now, as a chained spirit. The prospect of immortality seemed more bitter than sweet.
...
Once the connection between Halvar and Morpheus showed itself, he woke up. This time, Halvar looked much more groomed.
He trimmed his scruffy beard well and cut his hair short. Such blonde hair combined with his black clothes inlaid in purple made him look quite valiant.
A few escorts accompanied him. A knight, two servants, and an experienced hunter. They knew what a terrible talent the man before them was.
In just a year, he popped out of nowhere and transformed multiple fields with his visionary ideas.
The Barfords were quick to notice and not long ago, Halvar shed his old family name. Now, Halvard Barford, with the support of the family, had a lot of resources to squander.
To them, just one of those inventions would be worth decades of research. Just the design of a clipper ship was soon made a top secret.
The merchants were no fool and they very well knew that speed meant money. If the ships were to be produced and truly had triple or even quintuple sailing speed, they would be able to dominate the seas.
Now, unbeknownst to many. The Barford family is trying to make saltpeter in large quantities.
The main contributing reason why Halvar rose so quickly. Gunpowder. Not to mention the pretty unknown use of saltpeter for curing and other things like helping with cheese.
Although better if they found deposits. They couldn't make a huge deal out of it, otherwise other leaders might suspect something.
And what the Barford family pursued the most was stability. Thanks to it, they survived. They wouldn't throw it away just for some potential divine tool.
Better to stay home and wait for others to bring gold than to hunt for it and return home as a cold corpse...
The idea of a specialised private army also made some waves. In tribes, either all were warriors or most weren't with some hunters here and there.
Tribe of Life as an example were a tribe of warriors. They plundered, but also knew to keep farmers and just collect tax.
Training? Didn't even cross their minds, as training tools were pretty much nonexistent.
Just the idea of Spartan like training was too profound. With some persuasion, and a guarantee that Halvar wouldn't get involved with the private army at all except for ideas on how to improve.
The Barford family didn't have much to lose. After the initial investment poured in, Halvard revealed his purpose.
Not only did it prevented the Barfords from finding out and starting some tension, but it also explained why Halvard knew and had so many strange things.
With him travelling everywhere and disappearing for months. The idea of a genius cemented itself.
Of course, the price was quite high. Right now he was a glorified slave working for Barfords in order to not leak information he had on himself.
Still, they treated him quite well. Even his mother and sister were put on a high priority searching list.
Were it for more chains to lock him up or goodwill. Halvar knew too well. In the end, he was alone.
Without a foundation and charisma or absolute talent. While Morpheus gave him revolutionary ideas, the idea of conquering the world proved to be a fool's dream.
Fated geniuses that shine a bit too far beyond their current era are cursed maybe to shine in the future.
But will the genius care that 1000 years from now on, some kind of magical like research is based on his foundation?
No, what Halvar needs is to upgrade. Improve things to a high degree and sometimes introduce a new thing one by one.
People fear change. So, the change needs to be slow enough for them naturally to catch up and use it.
Throw tractors into medieval times and see if they look at it as some kind of divine tool or see the black smoke coming out of it and think that it is the devil himself!
Both sides got what they wanted. Halvard got the chance for revenge, and the Barford family benefited immensely.
He even showed them a way to weaponise business and trade. Mercantilism, if they were to make surrounding tribes dependent on them, and waited for a bit.
They could just swallow the neighbouring tribe.
Now, the ball kept rolling, and Morpheus and Halvar were confident in what it could transform in the future.
...
Halvar travelled back and forth every few years. While he couldn't be called a reality shattering genius, he wasn't stupid.
Morpheus would mull and think of ideas and Halvar would contact him whenever he ran into a dead end.
Together, they explored the mysteries of the world. If a genius could invent such things as gravity or laws in a few decades of work.
Morpheus had the almost complete answer already. Under the advice of Halvar, the Barford family kept the gunpowder and inventions like guns a secret.
With advances made every day. Barfords just collected the golden pie that fell from the sky as the private army was quite the deterrent.
To mask their movement in the dark. They held an announcing ceremony. Almost a year's worth of profit went into the organisation and the scale spanned through dozens of tribes.
Their spending soon caught on. Many tribes had some evil thoughts that soon the private army squashed.
Heavy armoured units, cavalry and divisions of archers marched forth as a one big entity.
Such momentum awed many. Their announcement didn't fall behind. No longer they were a tribe, but a baron fiefdom!
Terms like prince and princess were created. And to the shock of many, the Barfords created the so-called royal list.
From the baron hood to the viscount, count and even higher. The royal list offered nothing more than a pride provocation.
Dare you claim the highest title? Be called the greatest duke or even a king? Just weeks after the ceremony, the Tribe of Life became the Life viscount fief.
The news spread at quite the speed, and ambition rose. Tribes fought and blood flowed so much that it almost formed a river.
Of course, the list alone couldn't do such a thing, but 5 years of careful planning and different spies around dozens of tribes could!
And once it became a trend, the world followed. One of the two neighbouring tribes conquered two tribes and decided to invade Barford fiefdom.
A mob of thousands of bloodthirsty warriors and barbarians made their way into the Barford territory.
Near the border stood an army of 2 thousand tall. The most elite soldiers Barford family now had to prove their worth!