As I watch through the eyes of one of the skeletal knights I see the last of the adventurers crumple to the ground his soul severed from his body. Things have gone well, the adventurers were pincered by the veterans with mages in front and the bone claws behind and archers all the time taking them down. This last finishing touch when I had the knight go with my newest crossbows was not actually needed as Or’tharn was doing just fine with its banefireball just about to wipe the rest of them out. I never actually expected it to be able to combine the rest of the mages with itself to cast it, otherwise they would only have managed a small fireball instead.

I suppose that was why it only had them casting revival and fear spells so far to have that last finishing move, still that level of skill qualifies it to be considered a skeleton archmage. While not the same rank as the majiers it is still a strong ranking just below liches. For that sort of tactical thinking the core must be close to forming a true soul, a strong achievement and the first in this land for one of my creations. If I can have him become a lich then I can have a reliable second in command, now for the after action work.

We took mostly losses to the boneclaws and archers but nothing that can’t be fixed. Since the priests were so busy casting heal or shield spells they never got around to actually cleansing the bones. I just have to have the mages stick them back together or if some parts are too broken stick them in a growing tank. The silver marked bones are a bit harder to work with but a bit of scraping off of the affected parts by bone setters I made works just fine when it is placed to regrow in tanks. Now that I have this nice dungeon system I can easily expand my laboratory which I did.

It now extends for several miles below ground and makes most of what I need, some hidden passageways and expanded tunnels made transport simple. All I needed to do was set up a dedicated cart system along with some winches and everything goes where I want it to. Fixing and actually growing my forces is a simpler task with more things in place, I can quickly arrange units to head to where I need them to be as better stamped earth and cobble roads connect the villages with the castle.

Now as I have my minions start carting the bodies and gathering equipment I look over the body of their leader Yaoric. I feel something off from him and seeing that he has a rather prominent amount of trinkets hidden under his clothes with the same symbols as the priests well let us just say that I know which god set this up. Too bad I could not capture the souls of Yaoric or the priests since they were shielded by holy power as they left. I will need to ask about this later but for now the issue of the slaves. I had my forces ignore them for now in order to kill the adventurers quickly but that leaves about 30 odd slaves.

Taking the knight which I was controlling directly over to them I see them start cowering more if that was possible. The slaves are currently hiding either in or under the wagons not that that does much. I start speaking in what must be a terrifying voice to come out and they will not join their compatriots, stay and well... This has them scrambling out and kneeling a bit away from me to spare them and that they will leave and never come back. Im surprised honestly that they are not screaming in fear but I suppose that the full plate that covers everything gives them some hope that it is someone alive in here.

I have some of the minions drag the wagons away after checking them, that done I look once more at those still here. They have shut up now and are simply holding each other terrified, honestly I thought they would be more ragged. They do not look in the best of shape but neither are they looking like what happens to convict work gangs. I do not see the mark that would indicate they are born slaves or too many scars. These ones seem odd, obviously they are currently slaves but what were they before.

I point to one who looks vaguely in charge judging by how he is trying to shield some others and speak

“Who did you all use to be?”

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“Great lord we used to be part of a traveling tinker’s group, we refused to pay taxes and alms to the church and we were enslaved. The others with me were those from different faiths who were also enslaved by the church. Please we will agree to anything just spare us my lord”

When I heard this and started pondering I hear a voice in my head

“As your patron I ask if you may spare those who were from a different faith, a few actually worship me and the rest are from friendly gods. I did not know about them being in this region until they entered your domain, my eyes are limited to only where you placed shrine to me. The rest I also ask you extend your hand to, the church of Holy Light is a bloated and corrupt thing. Sparing these now will give you some favor from my group not to mention they may be of use”

“Very well since you have requested it, I would like to know more about the church of Holy Light at another point. For now I need to finish cleaning up and preparations for any other attacks, which do you know of?”

“Thank you, I will share some knowledge with you on the church in the future and as for new threats....I feel some stirrings of other powers, one is a shadowy feeling that draws slowly closer. The rest are farther away and will likely not move for some time, you have some time to prepare but more will come and especially from the Church of Holy Light”

“Very well my patron, any other thing I should be aware of?”

“No, and remember spare any others that do not follow the faiths that attack you when possible and especially my own”

“Of course I will do what I can”

I feel her fade away and I look once more at the group before me. I see a bit of hope in their eyes since I have not taken any aggressive actions towards them so far.

“You will be spared for now, those of the different faith move over a bit”

Turning to those of the tinker group I ask “but what crafts do any of you know?”

“I know how to make leatherwork!”

“I am a seamstress!”

“I can forge!”

“I can cook and bake!”

“I can make trinkets and carve wood!”

Hmm I am somewhat confounded that the church wasted craftsmen, even if they are not as good as they think they are it is still something. Still I was not planning on actually killing them since that would take too much time right now to be worth it if I extracted their paltry energy and peons are pointless for me at this point. Any talents are a side bonus at this point and looks like I got very lucky.

“I will allow you all to live but you will have to work and pledge yourselves to me”

I have one of the dire wolves I had in reserve come over here, sending my power through the knight I turn the dire wolf into a series of plaques and needles.

“Pierce yourselves in the hand with these needles and splash some blood onto a plaque, you will swear loyalty to me and if you betray me then you will know the consequences”

They quickly splash some blood on the plaques and I bind them with a blood contract, having them sign a soul contract would be pointless since they are not that valuable. Still a blood contract will ensure that they do what I say, after that is done and I collect the plaques and needles I wave for them to leave.

“You will have to work but for now you may rest. Any who do not have a craft will be spared but I will find work for you to do later. I will send you to a village nearby, when I am ready you will sent what tasks I have for you.”

I will over a few warriors I feel on standby for the battle and give them the orders I wish.

“Go with these minions for now, I will arrange living areas and food”

They start thanking me heavily and leave quickly, I will have them at the nearest restored village till I can put them to work properly. Those that do not know anything can just become farmers and oversee the peons currently working. Since some of them worship my patron I feel that there may be some latent talents hidden there, if not then what of it they are only a few refugees that will not take much. Having a viable population who may provide a mage every once in awhile is not something I find so bad, perhaps a few with talents can be inducted to the group as time passes.