You are the prince of a fantasy kingdom (RAR).

[FaxModem1]

I'm taking the opposite approach. Securing things here at the capital, while wiping out the pirate fleet immediately. If there's bad crap out in the dark forest, we don't want to be flanked by pirates.

Also, depending on our military, it's probably easier to deal with pirates and get them out of the way quickly than let them linger and then have to deal with them as well as whatever heebie jeebies are in the dark forests.

[Ralin]

Well, obviously before I make any decision I ask Lilian Quill if her magic gives her any insight into who I should send on the expedition.

[The Romulan Republic]

Quill (and your Court Mage) give you the usual disclaimers about prophecy being an imprecise and difficult to interpret art, and warn you against self-fulfilling prophecies.

However, Quill does say that she has a distinctly negative feeling about sending Sir Armand, that the expedition will face great danger, and that she sees flames in Edmund's future, and snow in Swent's. About her own future she refuses to comment.

I'm taking the opposite approach. Securing things here at the capital, while wiping out the pirate fleet immediately. If there's bad crap out in the dark forest, we don't want to be flanked by pirates.

Also, depending on our military, it's probably easier to deal with pirates and get them out of the way quickly than let them linger and then have to deal with them as well as whatever heebie jeebies are in the dark forests.

I suppose their is merit to not risking fighting on two fronts if you can avoid it.

Or quite plausibly three, if things go to hell with the dwarves.