The interior of the cave rippled. Expanding all around, new entrances opened with a colored symbol above each. In the center a structure formed. A stone building about the size of a full sized truck. We all looked on in wonder. Keith walked up to open the door… he squealed… he actually squealed like a young girl. He rushed inside, after that display I had to check also. I opened the door looking inside. There off to the side was a large anvil, above it was a strange hood. I’m not sure what it was for, but hood works for me.
Next to the anvil was an unlit brazer about four feet off the floor. Across the room was a strange fireplace. Again i’m not much of a medieval blacksmith. So excuse the obvious ignorance. Keith did not look a bit confused. He was standing over three barrels by the fire place. Licking his finger as he dipped a finger in each. Baffled, I exited facing the rest of the group. “Looks like Keith found his candy store. It’s a blacksmith shop, plus possibly a forge. Let’s go examine the three tunnels. We walked over examining the strange symbols above each tunnel.
As I approached a tooltip popped up. [You are about to enter the copper tunnel.] I turned to the second again a pop up. [You are about to enter the silver tunnel, (your mining level is too low to enter)] I turned to the last. [You are about to enter the gold tunnel. (Warning!! You are too low of a level to enter)] Well looks like Keith will have plenty to do in his offtime.
The rest of us discussed the meaning of each tunnel, after a few minutes we decided it had to do with the level of the person, and/or mining level. Which made sense. No point in trying to forge mithril, when you can’t melt copper yet.
I turned to the group. “Ok we have Keith’s professions covered. Mine will probably come from loot. Have any of you decided on a profession for yourselves?” Katie jumped in fast. “I’ll be going leather working. That way both us girls can wear armor.” I nodded turning to Erica. “You?” Erica rolled her eyes. “Already told you i’m going alchemist, for poisons.” I snapped my finger. “Yes you did. I forgot, my bad. Aiden?” He shrugged. “Not sure yet, i’ll go for something eventually. But right now i’m more interested in figuring out what is going on with the world."
I nodded my head. “OK, so that covers most of us. Let’s check outside to see if it’s changed like in here.” We walked together towards the cave opening. We stepped outside seeing that it had developed into full dark. The stars, and moon were on full display. It gave us enough illumination to outline a strange collection of boxs. We slowly, carefully walked closer. I touched one of the boxs to receive a tooltip box.
[For capturing this area you are supplied three buildings of your choice. From list: General store, shrine, pub, barracks, simple home….]
The list went on, and on. Approximately fifty different buildings. We got to choose three. I listed off each choice to the group, but said that the shrine was required. A teensy little lie, but Mythra helped us get this location. So she got priority. I let them discuss the other buildings they wanted. I selected the shrine mentally placing it next to the opening of the mine. Poof like magic… it was built.
I walked over, seeing a small white column with a gold triangle on top. Touching the shrine. I mentally sent a message. “I set this shrine to be a place of power for the Goddess Mythra.” The gold triangle dissolved into a gold figure about 1 foot tall. It was of a woman in stately robes arms raised. It was so detailed I could see the smile on her face. I bowed my head to the Goddess. “Thank you for choosing me, I hate to ask another favor. But any idea which way we should go? Or what we should be doing next?”
I heard the voice of Mythra. “Your welcome my champion… who's name will not be spoken by me.” I chuckled, always fun to cause annoyance for their own knowledge. She continued. “You went allot farther from where you started than I first expected. Thankfully it came out all right. I would advise searching around your area. Outside the safe zone. As time goes on it will be a focus point for magic. The farther away you travel, the stronger the natural monsters. That does not include those minions of evil gods. They can show up anywhere, at any time. I would send you against one of them now. But your group is still low level, you also have no true equipment. I would advise you use one of those boxs. To build a general store. It will be automatically staffed by one of my followers. He shall have a magical store. He will be able to outfit you. He will also buy useless loot. So you can buy better gear. That leaves the last box. It is a quandary. On one hand building a woodcutters hut. Will staff it with a logging team, and a carpenter. He will be able to fashion wooden products. Eventually he will be able to build other buildings. That will take time. Another thing to consider is that any high tier monster, or champion can just walk in to capture the orb. If they do, it changes to their control. So getting the barracks will staff it with a squad of soldiers. They will defend the town, they will also get higher level the longer they patrol. The choice is yours.” With that I felt her leave my mind.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
I walked over informing the group of what she had said. The majority voted on the general store, for the second box. As for the third the vote was split between a barracks, or a tanner.
A tanner takes leather, and well tans it. Making the production of leather items that much faster. The debate went back, and forth for what felt like hours. I held up my hands calling for silence. “Simple way to break the tie. We go ask Keith which of the two he prefers.” I looked at both girls adding. “But we won’t tell him who prefers what. It will be on the simple choice of barracks to defend our site while we are gone. Or a tanner to increase leather production. Simple as that. Agreed?”
The girls grumbled, but agreed it was fair. I walked into the forge, seeing Keith pumping away at a big fan blowing air into the fireplace. I tapped him on the arm to get his attention. I explained the choices to him. He shrugged saying. “I don’t give a fuck. Whatever Erica wants is my vote.” I sighed nodding. Went back outside to place the general store, and tanner. I placed the tanner farther away from the shine. I knew what medieval tanners used to tan their leather with. I wanted the smell as far away from the shrine as possible.
The general store appeared right next to the cave opening. Almost looking like a ticket vendor for a carnival ride. A wooden building just large enough, for maybe three people to stand shoulder, to shoulder apart. It’s front half was half open with a wooden front, coming to just about waist height. I had an unreasonable desire to run up asking if they sold funnel cakes.
Before the counter stood a bizarre figure. An elf I would assume the ears kind of gave it away. But fantasy elves in stories have always been the aloof, stick up the butt type characters. This one had long multicolored hair, every shade of the rainbow. Very bushy eyebrows, above glazed over half lidded eyes. Seeming not to notice anything around. The clothes he wore if you want to call them clothes. We’re a very lumpy set of robes, just as tie-dyed. The swirls combined into vague geometric shapes. It caused my eyes to water, just from the confusing visual effect. He smiled with the whitest teeth I had ever seen. Just bright enough it reflected the light. Wait light? When did it turn to morning?
Thats when I noticed the huge spotlight above the store pointing straight at the storefront. Advertisement is everything I guess. I hesitantly walked up to the booth, I couldn’t call it a store in my mind. “Uh hello there, welcome to our umm, area.” Ya that was smooth, I groaned internally. “Why hellooo there human, I am River Moonbeam at your service. How can I help you today?” His voice the sound of something suggestive, that your sure you dont want. It made my mind shudder. I sighed deciding to just get it over with. I said. “Yes i’m looking for priestly robes, or cloth type armor for myself.” His smile somehow grew wider. Any wider, and I was worried his face would peal back to reveal his skull.
“That’s puuurrffeecctt.” He purred towards me. It was actually kind of starting to freak me out. “Please step inside so we can get you.” Deep creepy inhalation later. “Measured.” Not going to lie, alarm bells were going off in my head. Not the your going to die vibes. More like I was afraid he was going to enjoy sniffing me, as he molested me.
An unseen door opened in the middle of the counter. Where I saw a second person. A little person, not a dwarf. Or even a vertically challenged person. Whatever the PC term is nowadays. But a fully formed three foot tall little person. He was very dour, and sad looking. Drooping eyes the color of brown. With long brown lanky hair covering most of his face. Wearing a brown set of robes, almost the exact shade of brown as the stall. He said in a very tired depressing voice. “This way sir, or madam. Whichever your species is.” Than just slowly waved a hand towards me, than slowly towards the opening. Inviting me in.
I couldn’t stop myself I blurted out. “What the fuck are you?” Ya that probably could have come out better. I realized it just after my verbal faux pas. “I’m sorry that was very rude. I have just never met a….whatever you are.” River turned towards us fluttering his hands in the air towards… The guy? “Oh do ignore Mr. depressed, and boring over there. He’s a gnome. A rather good tailor, but has a tendency to keep getting underfoot.” His eyebrows rose, and fell as he continued. “Just between you, and me I think he gets a bit handsy with the customers. So careful if you turn your back on him.”
The gnome slowly turned towards River, flipping him off. “I am not depressing, nor boring” in a very depressing, and boring sounding voice. “And I would never touch a customer in an inappropriate manner. The bylaws state…” River immediately cut him off saying. “Don’t start that bylaws crap with me. Clothing is an artistic expression, in movable art form. The way the fabric flows. The stiching has to blend freely. The colors have to scream ‘I’M FABULOUS’. Or what is the point?” Mr. Depressing replied. “They must fit so they are precise, well crafted, and most importantly blend into the background.”
They continued bickering back, and forth. At first I wanted to stop them. After a few minutes I felt like, and literally looked around for some popcorn. I hate drama in my life. But watching others go through their drama, it was fascinating.