The Empires Rise

After waiting for a couple of hours for Laxreal and Zul'Zara to get their mana circulation skill they finally came to my hut. They also brought along Uxa with them so we can all talk.

With everyone here and getting them food as they haven't eaten anything either we then start to talk. I let them know about all the things that I acquired yesterday through the boxes.

"Have you figured out how we are supposed to use the blueprint?" Laxreal asks me.

"No, not yet, I thought I would wait for everyone together so they can at least see the blueprints to know what is available before figuring it out just in case they disappear." I responded.

Sensing my question, Ritotorous answers preemptively. "All you need to do to learn a blueprint is think about using it and then it will appear in the 'Building Option' menu."

Trying it out on one of the housing options it disappeared just like I thought it would. Looking at everyone to see if they were done with the blueprints and getting nods of approval I go through them and add them to the 'Building Option' menu.

Finishing that task I ask what we should start to build next as there are a lot of buildings we need to get in place as well as a lot of things that would be beneficial for us.

"I vote that we look at some of the defensive options and get at least 1 of them started so we have something more than just a fence to defend from monsters." Strauvana offers.

"A fine choice, I would also like to look at getting one more of the profession buildings started. I might be biased but I think the Basic Formation Masters Hut would be useful." Laxreal comments.

"Does anyone else think we should get a defensive building in place right now?" I ask the other two and they both nod their heads.

"Then I vote we get the arrow tower started since it should have a longer range than the flame tower." Again there are nods of agreement all around.

Selecting it for placement.

- Basic Arrow Tower: 80 units of Tier 1 Wood, 20 units of Tier 1 Stone. -

Thinking about where to place it I go right behind the current perimeter fence as it would have some basic protections hopefully so it isn't immediately knocked down.

"With the first building decided on, what would everyone like for the next building? We already have 2 votes for a profession building."

"I would like to vote for the mine option as you told us early yesterday that there is an open air copper vein not far from us. We could start to get some metal." Uxa says.

"I be in agreement with the young one this time we should be focusing on getting more raw materials." Zul'Zara offers.

"With us having 2 more options to build I would have to agree with you two, Uxa and Zul'Zara. We should do as you say because that will allow us to get more of the territory that is uncovered by the fog to actually be our territory instead of a no man's land where monsters can come in as they please." I add.

Seeing that Strauvana and Laxreal are nodding and in agreement with the logic behind the choice. I select the Small Mine and it shows the available locations that I can place it. Unlike the garden or the cemetery I only have the option to place it on the copper vein or along some of the more rocky hills that are to the east of the settlement.

- Small Mine: 50 units of Tier 1 Wood. -

Placing it I see that Ritotorous has just gotten back from placing the materials for the basic arrow tower so I send him out on the next errand to get the mine started.

"For the last option this morning I think we should go with getting another of the profession buildings up. We have the blacksmith and I think that I should be able to start enchanting things if what I am seeing is correct in that I can now at least circulate my mana. I will have to experiment but I think it will be a great boon to have." I offer up my explanation to the group.

"I be willing to give another profession building a priority. But me thinks that it should be the alchemy shop as most of us have some of the consumables and having someplace that could make more of those items would be a great boon for all of us." Zul'Zara counters.

The only 2 people that haven't specified which of the buildings they would like to see built are Strauvana, and Uxa. We continue the pros and cons to get them to lean towards one option or another.

Finally Strauvana raises her hands and looks at all three of us trying to sell her on the idea like a bad car salesman. "I can see everyone's point of view on this and while I would like my own scribe’s hut, realize that we don't have tools for anyone. Do we really need to consider this that hard when nothing is available to us to even start working on our professions."

Uxa nods along. "Also with having the blacksmith's hut already built we could try and get the tools for that and maybe some schematics so I can start hammering out the tools everyone else needs for their respective professions."

With a collective sigh Laxreal, Zul'Zara, and myself back up and look at each other. They nod their heads and I make the final selection by picking the Basic Scribes Hut.

- Basic Scribes Hut: 30 units of Tier 1 Wood, and 30 units of Tier 1 Stone. -

I place it down near Strauvana's home and tell everyone my choice. I let everyone know the choice that has been made to a bitter Laxreal.

"Next on today's agenda is that I need to show you all one more quest that I have for the settlement." I show them the quest.

"Skeletons, Slimes, and Goblins! Oh My!:

Having found yourself surrounded on all sides either by water or by the monsters of the land a choice has come to you. Do you clear out some of the area of more of the monsters, or do you let them continue to grow more in number until you can't handle them anymore.

While in the immediate area you can't find any place that would allow these creatures to have a place to stay, not all locations have been investigated as to what threats might be there.

Tasks:

Enter the fog and clear out 1 group of enemies (1/1)

Level up your settlement to Roadside Hovel Level 3 (0/1)

Rewards: ???

Special Note: While these monsters are slowly coming into the territory more they will not attack en masse unless there is a large enough trigger."

Zul'Zara asks. "What be the purpose of the reward not stating what it is?"

"Well the reward can increase as there are no hard requirements on when we can complete the quest. So let's say that if we kill 4 groups of large enemies in the fog then there is a possibility that we could get a better reward." I announce.

Continuing, "I had one of these to start on my first day, I completed it with a higher rating because I found more than 1 type of food source to keep myself alive, which benefited me in allowing me to pick a companion guide box." Finally, I point at Ritotorous.

"For the next steps of today I would like to finish the level up task for the settlement and go out into the fog again, though it will be dangerous if we stick together we might have a good shot at fighting a couple of larger groups of enemies." I offer my suggestion.

"Do we know how large a group needs to be to be counted towards the quest?" Ever intrigued with the prospect of learning more about the system Laxreal asks.

"Honestly I think it counts as a group of 3 or more. When we were in the outpost control point, we ran into 2 sets of groups. 1 set only had 2 skeletons while the other had 3 skeletons and a zombie. It only counted the last group of monsters, so that makes me think that it is either at 3 monsters or at 4 that a group starts to be counted towards the goal." I answer to the best of my ability.

"That is interesting and a good thing to know, and it is also good to know that even if the monsters were once in the fog, the moment the set out they are not counted towards this quest while I think that the same could be for collecting settlement experience points for if a monster dies after stepping foot back into the fog." Laxreal is now in theory mode.

Leaving him to his thoughts I look at everyone else waiting for their thoughts.

"I think it would be more prudent to have all of us go as it will keep us safer in the long run." Strauvana says.

"Agreed," Zul'Zara and Uxa state at the same time.

"Ok so it seems it is settled. We will make an excursion out into the fog today and kill some monsters for experience. And then come back and hopefully the tower finishes and we have killed enough monsters in our territory that we could potentially level up the settlement again.

Meeting everyone again at the fence line we look out and Strauvana, and Ritotorous notices several goblins hiding nearby. Strauvana marks one and lets loose an arrow at it. and hits it in the shoulder dealing 3 points on damage.

Ritotorous shot out one of his arcane shots and missed his target. Having alerted the goblins to the fact that we can see them, they start to charge at us.

Laxreal, Zul'Zara and I all release an arcane shot each.

Laxreal hits one of them and it collapses while running towards us dead.

Zul'Zara's shot misses while my shot hits another and also downs it. There are now 3 left with one of them with an arrow sticking out of it.

Running towards us Uxa steps in front of us while also behind the fence so he can swing his blade at them.

We are able to send one more barrage of attacks at the goblins with this wave of attacks; one goes down via arrows, and the other two drop from spells.

All of the goblins are level one based on the amount of experience that they give which gives all of us other than Uxa 1 more point into our classes.

We continue on the way going slowly as we don't want to get ambushed by these monsters. Thankfully nothing is around us and we reach the edge of the territory in a quick time.

Once again I reach out to the fog, and I receive a prompt.

"Would you like to go and explore outside of your territory? Yes/No"