If you want to build a stronghold you need to claim some land to build it on - However, that doesn't really mean anything until you you take possession of the land and develop it in some way.

The land might be

• Unclaimed Wilderness: You must explore the hex, map it and clear out any monsters before you can develop it.
• Tribal Lands: A hex might be home to a tribe of humanoids, barbarians or other intelligent creatures. You must either clear out the tribe, or come to an arrangement with them. The deal you make will vary from hex to hex,
• Your Lord's Land: If you are colonising an area for sovereign or a noble, they may charge you a fee for registering land or they may help you out with costs.
• Someone else's Land: This could be another noble, another country or another PC, and you must come to a private arrangement with the owner.

However, there is a basic cost of 1 BP to claim a hex in any meaningful way. Think of it as the cost for making a final check on the land, registering your ownership and putting up signposts.

For the purposes of these rules, Henry leMaistre counts as your Lord. He is the one who has been chartered to colonise and secure the land, and he is the one responsible to Restov and Brevoy. He would like to see the land colonised quickly and thinks that is best achieved with a number of small lordships rather than many large ones. So he will …

• Hex 1 - Henry helps out by sending people to help with the first hex you claim. The first hex is free.
• Hex 2-7 - The next six hexes can be claimed at the standard rate of 1BP.
• Hex 8+ - Further claims cost 2BP per hex. Think of it as an extra 1BP levy towards maintaining the highways and byways, or as a tax for owning lots of stuff.

You may always ask Henry to reserve hexes for you and he will be sympathetic, although he may make stipulations such as making sure the land is claimed in good time and that roads go where they need to. However, it isn't automatic.

If your potential 'seven hexes' are restricted by other ownership and developments, Henry will probably be sympathetic and come to some arrangement. If he has developed the land, he would expect to be reimbursed. If someone else has already claimed that land, he may allow you to build a second stronghold else where.

Henry is likely to be sympathetic and give you a discount if you ask to develop a second holding later in the game.