The Empires Rise

Having summoned all of those that I could, I state with what little confidence that I have built up to go out past the territories border. "I know that everyone wants to know more about what is going on. I know that everyone here other than myself and thankfully Ritotorous," I quickly gestured to my raven companion, "that there was hardly any information given to you about what is going on here. My suggestion and as you all have asked is to sit down and talk about what our next steps should be."

On that note Laxreal, Strauvana, and Zul'Zara nod their heads in agreement, and from what I can see Uxa isn't against it, at least fully. His hands are back on the pommels of his swords after he has removed them for the brief moment to summon the last person here.

Looking around I remember that there isn't anywhere to sit other than the ground. Sighing to myself I plop down onto the ground and the others slowly follow suit.

"To start I am quickly going to reintroduce myself. I am Drake Taldrit, I am a human, I selected the mage class, and have the enchanting profession. I have been here the longest and have some information about the surrounding area that I know will be of use to all of us. We will get to that later, for now I would also like to mention that next to me is Ritotorous, he is my soul bonded companion, he is also a mage class which has worked out better than anticipated. One last thing to note, I come from a planet called Culhara."

Completing my brief introduction I look around to see if anyone else wants to take the next introduction and to my surprise it is Zul'Zara that speaks up in her very heavy accent.

"As be stated earlier, I be Zul'Zara, me kin be of Trolls, I be picking the mage class, and alchemist. I am coming from Usa'Nov."

Not to be outdone is Laxreal, "My exquisite self am Laxreal Wraithwhisper, I am of the undead persuasion quite obviously," gesturing at his skull and hands, "I picked the mage class as well since it is of my main subject of study back on my home realm." A quick snicker escapes from Strauvana at the mention of his main study to the dismay of Laxreal. "I have also picked the profession of a formation master and my home realm is called Thelatera."

"Since that failed sorcerer has finished." Laxreal gives her a glare that only a skeleton could. "My name is Strauvana Void, I am also of the Undead but a different house as compared to our "esteemed" sorcerer is from. I picked the hunter class, and I am a scribe by profession now. I am also from the same planet as Laxreal."

Finally my eyes land on Uxa, with his arms crossed over his chest and still a slightly hostile glare focused on the two undead, he states in a huff. "Uxa Sizzok. Warrior. Blacksmith. Troberia."

Seeing as that is all we are going to get out of him I ask one more quick question more focused on Strauvana since she at least seems to be willing to talk about her class but also towards the rest of the group.

"So what does your hunter class do and do you have any information you would be willing to provide what a scribe does?"

Bowing lightly in my direction she responds, "With the hunter class I got the bow and arrows and a small dagger. I also got a skill called 'Hunter's Mark' which states that it can help guide my attacks towards hitting a target that I mark. It is level one as well as my analytical ability. As for being a scribe, the profession didn't really state much as to how it could help out here." She gestures around her, "It requires something to write on and herbs to grind down. Also I need books of formulas in order to know what characters should go where on the parchment. At least that is the beginning. I feel as if in the long run I should be able to make my own."

Nodding along with what she is saying I note a key difference between the two, while enchanters can enchant anything as long as they deal with the nodes in the object, scribes can only use paper and there aren't nodes they work with but how the characters flow together to create an effect.

Without wanting to be second fiddle Laxreal speaks up. "Formation masters are very close to the same as a scribe, they use either artificially created formations or natural formations to cause an effect. A lot of it is about how the environment can help with the process or hinder if you don't set up the formation correctly. I will mostly be using different woods, or ores to make the formation flags."

Again I can see how that would be beneficial. Having a long-standing formation for protection in the territory could make it so we can survive some of the harsher groups that we might be facing in the near future.

Zul'Zara is next to explain a bit about what she could do with alchemy. "Alchemy be about mixin' different herbs together to create potions, elixirs, poultices, or pills. Based on quality of the herbs and the energy they be causing different effects. Though I be needin' more tools in order to craft them."

So we have 4 different professions that require herbs, this could get complicated quickly if we don't figure it out sooner or later.

Everyone turned to Uxa. He just looks up and spits out, "Warrior's take the damage and dish some back. Got a skill called 'Power Attack'. Blacksmith's be what they are, they make weapons, armor, and tools out of ore."

With a big sigh I just let it go for a second. I look Ritotorous and ask. "So with all of these new people here I am curious if there are any ways to make a party, or guild, or something along those lines."

He nods at me. "All you have to do to create a party is look at someone and think 'Invite to Party' and they will receive a prompt asking if they want to." I nodded in understanding and was about to start when he quickly interrupted my train of thought. "I would first look at your other options to see if anything else has changed."

Getting the hint I open the menus and go right away to the settlement screen.

Settlement Information Updates Only:

Task: Have a population of 5 (5/5) Complete

Seeing that I have completed one of the tasks already but feeling that that wasn't all I needed to look at I delve into the building options of my menu.

Building Options:

*Increased Options Due to Varied Types of Humanoids*

Basic Tomb Level 1 - Available 2: 2 Ready to build; Basic housing for Undead races. Comes with a place to sleep based on who claims the tomb and a small personal chest. 3 meters X 3 meters

Small Cemetery Level 1 - Available 1: 1 Ready to build; Can bury bodies here to provide basic food for Undead races.

Basic Hut Level 1 - Available 3: 2 Ready to build, 1 Built; Basic housing for Non-Undead races. Comes with a place to sleep based on who claims the hut and a small personal chest. 3 meters X 3 meters

Small Alchemy Hut Level 1 - Available 1: 1 Ready to build; A basic workshop for an alchemist. Tools not included. 3 meters X 3 meters

Small Blacksmith Hut Level 1 - Available 1: 1 Ready to build; A basic workshop for a blacksmith. Tools not included. 3 meters X 3 meters

Small Scribes Hut Level 1 - Available 1: 1 Ready to build; A basic workshop for a scribe. Tools not included. 3 meters X 3 meters

Small Formation Masters Hut Level 1 - Available 1: 1 Ready to build; A basic workshop for a formation master. Tools not included. 3 meters X 3 meters

Small Enchanters Hut Level 1 - Available 1: 1 Ready to build; A basic workshop for an enchanter. Tools not included. 3 meters X 3 meters

Looking at the plethora of options that are now available to my settlement to build I look around to see everyone staring at me which I give them a look of confusion.

"What, might I ask, have you been looking at that has kept you so engrossed?" Laxreal says looking at me is a bit odd.

"Yea, what could be so interesting that you would space out with such a weird look on your face. I mean, I know I'm pretty and all but that was creepy even for me." Strauvana who is now up and pacing a bit states with a bit of caution in her voice.

"What face?" I ask and look at Ritotorous for an answer.

"I don't know how I should phrase this for you to soften the blow, but everytime you look at your menus and see something that interests you, piques your interest or makes you happy you get a very creepy grin on your face." He tells me.

I am shocked as to why I wasn't told this before!

Trying to snap out of my shock, I answer Laxreal's question. "I was looking at the settlement menu and the building options since I know at some point today we will need to get your homes constructed so you aren't just sleeping out in the open. Also there are now options to build different profession building, while they don't seem very useful now since they don't come with tools, and I know that we don't have any tools of our own we will have to think of a way to get them or make basic tools so we can start to craft more items."

"Would you rather we split up for a bit and have some people work on the housing while some come with me to go and explore a bit or do you have anything else you want to discuss?"

Uxa huffs one more time and then says. "Weren't you also going to give us some more information about the area and what we should be expecting?"

Smacking my forehead since I had completely forgotten with all of the information that I have been provided. I tell them quickly what the situation is and about the different monsters in the different areas, though I am a bit more delicate when it comes to talking about the skeletons since Laxreal is one.

Seeing my reluctance to talk about the skeletons Laxreal speaks up. "Not all skeletons are sentient like my esteemed self. You need a High level magic user to either grant the sentience, or to enslave them. Otherwise they are just as much cannon fodder and monsters as if you were to have bandits in a land."

Heaving a huge sigh of relief I continue with the explanation which takes a couple of minutes. I also mention the fact that when you analyze a monster unless you have a high level you will not see health points, you would just see question marks.

Wrapping up with the information about the different monsters and the areas that they have been spotted in currently, I continue to talk about the food and different resources.

This takes a little while as I don't know everything and I am stumbling as this is the first time that I have had to explain it to anyone.

"Are you telling me that in order to build something there has to be the available resources and that we can complete the buildings at a much increased rate as compared to us having to personally do all of the manual labor?" Laxreal states.

"Correct. There would be no way that I would have been able to get all of the things done around the territory if I was stuck here on my own if you consider I also setup a build to quickly get the fence put into place yesterday so I could sleep with less concern about getting attacked in the middle of the night."

Rubbing his "chin" with a bony hand Laxreal looks to me and ask, "If that is the case is it possible to queue up the buildings that need to be built and then we can go out and explore as that seemed to be your plan before you summoned us."

"We can definitely start getting things arranged so that way they can complete before we get back."

I jump back into the settlement information menu and look at the cost for all of the buildings that I should get started today.

Building Requirements:

Basic Tomb Level 1 - 40 units of Tier 1 or higher Stone

Small Cemetery Level 1 - 20 units of Tier 1 or higher Wood and 20 units of Tier 1 or higher Metal

Basic Hut Level 1 - 40 units of Tier 1 or higher Wood

Going to the overview option of my menus I look at where would be the best spot to place the small cemetery. Just like with the garden the ground turns different shades of colors. Looking for where the efficiency would be the highest I find that in those areas that are less fertile for the plants to grow would be a great spot for the cemetery.

I quickly place that down, next I select the Basic Tomb and put two of them close to the cemetery but not too far away from everything else. With those placed I select the Basic Hut and go to place it down when I am stopped and a prompt fills my vision.

"In order to place any more buildings please finish the current buildings or have a foreman take ownership of the projects to allow for more buildings to be built simultaneously."

Seeing that I close out of the window. "Alright everyone, I have found that there is a limit to how many buildings can be built at time, so for the current time we are getting the two tombs up and the cemetery in place. I know this is not ideal for everyone." I look over at Uxa. "But these are my only options. I have found that if you bring the resources over the construction can start, but if you want to speed up the construction you can help by following the holograms that are placed and can manually place the materials."

"And how long do you think it will be before we are able to get housing for myself and Zul'Zara seeing as what you are making is the housing for those two." Uxa points with hostility.

"Honestly if we pitch in and get the materials in the basic places we should be able to get the huts for you and Zul'Zara up before the end of the day, that is including us going and exploring a little bit since there are more monsters about from even yesterday."

Giving me a curt nod Uxa grabs his blade and jumps over the fence while heading to the east. I think it might be to blow off some steam on the undead population that might be headed our way.

Clapping my hands I look at everyone else, "Now that the buildings are in queue to build we need to go and bring the materials over to them. The easiest way for that to happen is for Ritotorous to bring them over as he has my small personal inventory bag with him that can carry stacks of items without them being a hindrance."

Laxreal stumbles in his steps to look where the buildings were placed and looks at me with a bit of rage in his eyes. "What do you mean to send this fine beast to do all this labor? It is just an honor to have him with us let alone have him work. My esteemed self will go and personally help carry the materials so that way Ritotorous does not have to do such menial labor for one of such high standing."

To which I see him promptly run off in the direction that Ritotorous flew.

Shaking my head at how Laxreal can flip the switch from going from a slightly pompous noble to fanatic religious zealot really has me curious as to what is going on there. I look over at Strauvana and she just shrugs her shoulders while spinning a finger in the universal sign of there might be something wrong with his head.

Sighing I find that a prompt that will be getting more and more familiar to me as my days progress.

"Ritotorous has grabbed 80 units of Tier 1 Stone, 20 units of Tier 1 Wood, and 20 units of Tier 1 Metal from the Lord's Chest in Caelnova."

I jog up with Strauvana right behind me as we look at an odd situation occurring in front of me. Laxreal has grabbed hold of the bag that Ritotorous was carrying in his talons and is now looking at his hands as if he has done something that he shouldn't, all the while getting lightly pecked on the top of the skull.

"What happened to Rito?" I ask.

"This guy, I don't know what his problem is but I was just coming out of the hut when suddenly I felt a tug and the bag was out of my talons and into this numbskull's hands."

Catching my breath from the ever so light jog I just did I turn to Laxreal and in a firm tone. "Laxreal, what do you think you are doing?"

"I-I-I... I just didn't want to see him doing anything strenuous as he is a magnificent being from on high." He mutters slowly, still eyeing his hands.

"Laxreal, Ritotorous is here as my companion. While I don't understand your religion you have to start to see that you aren't home anymore. You need to start working on getting over that as quickly as possible because Rito has great potential in scouting from the air and I will need him to do that and more in the coming days. If you are going to be getting in the way of his duty you will be hurting all of our chances at survival." I am firm with my words, I can tell he isn't taking it well with all of the personality shifts.

"He is right Laxreal." Strauvana says next to me. "While I also venerate the Great Bringer of Death, I also know that I must work for my own survival here on this new planet. Even if it means having one of his envoys helping make things progress faster."

I walk up slowly and take the bag from his hands and pat him on the shoulder. "Look I know this is going to be hard, we are here to help you but you have to also let those that can quite literally make the materials fly far faster than we can walk do the job so we can be safer faster. Once we are all done with the small tedious things I will make sure that there is a temple or shrine or something that you can pray to your Great Bringer of Death. How does that sound?"

"Ok, this esteemed one will wait for that day, but I hope it is sooner than later." Laxreal slowly lifts his head to stare directly in my eyes.

Not being used to staring into semi-empty eye sockets with fire in them, a chill runs down my spine again as I nod my head. "Not too long, we just need to make sure we have a blueprint or schematic to make it a bit easier on ourselves."

With that small fiasco out of the way I carry the bag and bring it to the new construction sites and have Ritotorous bring out the materials and they appear in piles next to the three buildings.