Nick and his party arrived near the portal, and he willed the choice to end their run rather than enter the next floor.
[You have chosen Ordeal Exit. You completed the 15th Floor Boss, passing a major threshold. You also defeated the Optional Heroic Test of Might, and finished numerous floors while properly Testing yourself and your party. In the Test of Supremacy, your party utilized a wide array of skills to defeat the enemy kingdoms. Your party and kingdom’s potential has been changed forever, the highest floor completed now the 17th within the Path of Kings. You may continue from the 18th Floor in the future, if you so choose.]
[The Noblefrost Kingdom’s Primary Path 15th Floor has now been completed. Because your Class carries the Lord Archetype, your Convergence Skill has now been enhanced. New features have also been unlocked in your Crown Sanctum.]
[Final Reward: 18,738 Path of Kings DP. Personal Reward: Refined Demon Core.]
[10,235 Hero’s Path DP Awarded.]
Seeing the message about his Convergence Skill, he was a little shocked, but he understood the other parts of the message. Defeating the 10th floor on an unclaimed Ordeal is enough to own it.
But that was basically the bare minimum. The fifteenth floor was a far more major milestone–it wasn’t until you reached that before you were considered a true lord of Orion. To never reach the fifteenth floor would be seen as a major failure for any Lord, and Samuel could not even reach it until his major betrayal of Irene.
It was a massive gain in DP, which would allow Nick to upgrade his kingdom with special buildings. He was excited about looking into the extra options, especially for any Kingdom-related buildings for his Hero’s Path–he now should have more than enough for something special from it.
The demon core was surprising, in a sense it was the pooled reward for the 16th and 17th floor–having already received their reward for up to the 15th. The Ordeal deemed this object worthwhile for him. It seemed he would really need to consider using them to cultivate in some way.
Nick’s party members received their personalized rewards with a similar focus–personal cultivation materials, and then they walked into the portal.
They were all deposited in the plaza in front of his Crown Sanctum. A crowd had formed, the glyphs up and down the monolithic Path of Kings tower pulsing with a brilliant white light. Even the Hero’s Path Ordeal was giving off a light of its own because the Heroic Test of Might had pushed the top floor of that higher as well. His understanding was there was probably a bright pulse of light or similar the moment they had completed it, but it would happen again now.
The people clapped and cheered, the essence stirring around Nick. It was as if he could feel their gratitude as a physical thing. He had promised the varying groups that joined his city, and became his Followers, prosperity in differing words. And now, he had already delivered.
The potential of each person in Frosthaven had just increased through their efforts, a change that would persist even into the next generation. Their children, and perhaps their children’s children, would benefit–so long as Nick survived or did his duty to create a proper Heir.
Lothar and Agatha were waiting near where his party appeared, along with Renzou, his arm now fully restored. The many people on the outskirts of the plaza clapped in celebration, and the orc warriors, scouts and shamans beat their weapons on the ground, the earth shaking from their efforts.
The orc chieftain had a proud smile. “So much progress! Amazing work, young lord. Now, you should be more than a match for Elrash, or whatever trash they actually have over there now.”
Nick nodded. “I’ll need to spend some time on my Throne, but I’m feeling confident. It’s nearly time for us to take on Shadowvale.”
“The men are ready when you are. There’s been a development, and it might be best we move out sooner rather than later.”
Nick had hoped to have quite a bit more time before they moved out, to rest and finish consolidating their gains. “What happened?”
Agatha answered, “Jasmine’s plot worked, but it seems…the result might not all be good. Shadowvale received reinforcements some time ago, hundreds of bandits and mercenaries from the Southwest. We learned their Mayor was killed and replaced. The beetlefolk also captured a few people planning on snooping around here.” She grinned, “Their numbers have swelled quite a bit, thanks to our food and essence pearl offerings, and letting a few join various groups in the Ordeals.”
Nick chuckled as Jeffrey seemed to buzz with pride. It wasn’t great news, but most likely, some level of reinforcements were expected as soon as the merchant reported his findings, as soon as he arrived at the next city–had he been left alone.
They had paid the Blood Price, but that meant tons of mercenaries and bandits would have been sent to replace those lost, the money more than enough to replenish them.
“What kind of forces are we talking?”
Lothar replied with a grin, “Our scouts have learned that this was a stronger mercenary band, many of which are actually far deeper in the second stratum. Nearly three hundred of these higher–quality mercenaries and bandits arrived, but they’ve already split their efforts. It seems a few dozen of them headed toward Silverbrook, likely to learn the situation there and to hunt down the fictional uprising Jasmine created.”
Agatha added, “If we assault it before they return, we may leave Blackthorne the furthest in the dark. In the end, it probably won’t make much of a difference, and he will come with his army either way. But who knows? Our recommendation is to assault Shadowvale within a week. That will prevent them from learning anything about here or Silverbrook beforehand.”
Lothar chuckled. “Word is he’s after these people called Outlanders, and even Elrash is a part of this chase. Most of his forces have been chasing them for months.”
Sable chuckled. “You got men close enough to hear rumors? Their security must have been poor.”
“It was.” Agatha replied, “In that fight near Silverbrook, we took out their first string climbers. Their people with talent before they were reinforced was minimal. If we had attacked a few weeks ago, they would have only been capable of a token defense. The best time was a few weeks ago, and the next best time is now. If we wait too long, Elrash might return because his distraction came to an end.”
Lothar added, “The Conflict will be seen as a Trial equivalent, and will provide a commensurate reward–one that will increase the strength of our whole kingdom, including rewards for individual contribution and development points. Then, the sooner we conquer Shadowvale, the sooner you’ll own another Ordeal. It’ll increase the number of climbing slots available to us and the essence within our Kingdom, allowing us to train up more warriors. Before long, it won’t matter what army he shows up with. Ours will more than be its match.”
Nick was a bit surprised that they wanted to be so aggressive against the bandit warlord, taking the city so soon. They had talked before, but they were still under the assumption that they had a few more months before they would be forced to show themselves as enemies to Blackthorne. The Altar of Subordination–the essence draining building–was not due for a few more months, and that was the deadline for Nick to become an exposed nail that must be hammered.
He knew that Blackthorne would likely take a minimum of a month or two to arrive, as he would need to gather his army and travel the thousand–plus miles, perhaps even more than that. Even if he had some kind of mount that could make the trip much quicker, his army certainly didn’t.
Thinking about it further, Nick realized he was less worried about Blackthorne now than ever. He knew enough about the world now to understand that no matter how strong this man was in the third stratum, it was only that. There was a big difference in strength, but one man or party could not win a battle against an entire army. With Shadowvale taken, the entire North would be Nick’s.
He understood why Lothar was excited about taking Shadowvale. This was going to be a true test of his people, everything he’d ever worked for. The honorable fights his raiders would experience would establish them on this shard, and all he had to do was beat a bandit warlord later. They would be able to patrol the entire North once he was dead.
Nick said, “I do believe I have some purchases to make, but I’ll agree and move the plan we discussed forward. We’ll finish our preparations and begin our assault in the next week. I might even have new options for the Conflict, thanks to completing the 15th Floor and becoming an Ordained Lord of Seraphara.”
As Nick talked to Lothar, Lumos was standing off to the side, and those with spatial pouches in Nick’s party worked to hand over much of the resources gained into waiting vehicles. But a special pouch containing the numerous, much more rare treasures was handed over separately from Eirwen to Lumos.
It turned out that the special pouches, now that they were out of the Test, would only allow them to take items out but not put them back in until empty. They had a week to empty them before they emptied themselves, and became simple spatial pouches like the one he kept in the breast pocket of his robes.
They still had to hand over the objects from the other floors to empty out their bags, however, as only what was earned within was inside them.
The automaton looked inside the pouch. “Wow! This is quite the take. Our crafters will have much to work on for weeks, thanks to your many successes. Anything you’d like me to work on first?”
Eirwen replied, “Anything that can be cultivation resources for each of us. The Ordeal granted most of us weapons, and our armor is generally holding up still, thanks to Jasmine’s petrasilk supplementing it. That’d be the second priority.”
Lumos nodded. “Got it. I’ll work on these personally. It looks like we have a ton of high essence meats and hides, as well as unique alchemical components. Looking at some of these, I think I am really going to need that special alchemy room. It’ll be a valuable investment.”
Eirwen replied, “I’ll make it a priority. These resources are of the upmost importance, both for us but also for our diverse people. If we have enough, I’m sure we’ll make the purchase.”
“Thanks! We won’t let you down!”
What followed after was some promising reports from Renzou and Lothar about the training and success inside and outside of the Ordeals, for the orcs, monsterfolk, and the many people that arrived from Silverbrook. Many of Lothar’s men had pushed through the Samurai ordeal, even himself and Renzou.
Renzou grinned. “We got to the 17th Floor ourselves. Then, the gains among the men and women that have been climbing has been substantial. Whether the orcs or the guard of Frosthaven, the training provided has been perfect.”
Nick was a bit surprised. “17th Floor? Damn, nice job.”
Lothar chuckled. “I’m sure Kaya would have managed the same if she had the time. This man and I make a great team.” He clapped Renzou on the shoulder, and Renzou nodded in response, his grin becoming more proud.
Agatha added, “Don’t forget our son Zarog, and Andross. With more slots opened up, they managed to reach the fourteenth themselves, along with many others. Many of the Monsterfolk have taken to it, some heading through the Samurai Ordeal and others through the Path of Kings. We’ve filled every slot every week, and each has made personal progress.”
Marissa cleared her throat. “We have good news as well, Lord Noblefrost. We managed to obtain the Faith Conduit. With your permission given previously, we’ve already installed it.”
Irene gasped. “Already? How? You were under half way when we left!” She floated to and hugged Marissa, stunning the taciturn woman.
Marissa smiled. “We all improved on the weekly challenges, and we also increased our numbers within the Ordeal. Thanks to the vast recruitment, we now have several new paladins and priestesses that completed their initial training, and have subsequently completed their first runs through the Ordeal. We even had a few priestesses become paladins, joining and training the new ones.”
Rebecca smiled at her. “That’s amazing news! How far did the recruits manage?”
“None of the recruits were ready to take on the first Boss, all were instructed to leave after the fourth floor. But we’ve more than doubled our numbers, returning us to where we were before Samuel’s…”
Seeing Irene’s stilted expression, Nick changed the subject, not wanting to talk about the man for now. “That’s good news, but we’ve got some good news of our own for you. We should be buying the Ancestral Archives right now.”
Marissa gasped. “Oh, that’s wonderful! I can’t wait to see it!”
After meeting with the various leaders and receiving updates, they headed inside their Crown Sanctum minus Jeffrey, Jasper, and Birdy–the latter two heading out to hunt in the north. Jeffrey was heading home, to meet with his beetlefolk brethren, hand over the special food, and show off his gains. Thanks to the last run, Nick imagined he was now stronger than their king and queen.
Nick’s Wolfen girls were quick to gather around the couch, happy to be home at last. They settled in for a couple of minutes and relaxed, turning on the music and just enjoying finally being back. But eventually, Nick spotted how restless Rebecca and Irene were–they wanted to see the archives badly.
Nick asked, “Vi, how much DP do we have currently?”
“You now have 32,238 Path of Kings DP, 21,227 Path of the Samurai, and 19,142 Hero’s Path. Installing the Faith Conduit had wiped out much of the Seraphara Ordeal, leaving only 8,248.”
Kaya was shocked. “Our climbers earned nearly as much as us. They must really be getting Tested.”
The more risk and difficulty experienced, the more DP the kingdom would earn. There was a level and party size sort of multiplier, and all the other influences such as essence that increased this. But the first two were the largest factors.
Vi responded, “When you completed the Fifteenth Floor Boss, the number of climbing slots immediately increased. For the last three weeks you were inside, mixtures of parties of five and ten, a total of forty climbers attempted the first stratum. There was even a party that attempted the second stratum, making it to the 13th Floor on their first run.”
“Okay Vi. Go ahead and purchase the Ancestral Archives. I’d like to place an underground path between the church and it, allowing Seraphara’s Faithful to come and go as they please. Just restrict the entry into our home, please.”
“Yes, Milord. Processing.”
A wave of golden light went out, and the hallway shifted. The entry was added near the secondary entrance of Nick’s personal study. The party eagerly moved to see the new room from Nick’s Heritage.
They entered the room, and the view was not like any library he’d ever seen. Like most of his Crown Sanctum’s rooms, the room was mostly white on black. There were numerous white cubes stacked vertically on one another, with a black tablet in the front of them. Almost like filing cabinets, Nick realized.
Irene floated over, and began to tap the tablets. “They don’t do anything, and there are no books. What gives?”
Vi replied, “The Ancestral Archives requires an Archivist in order to function. Assign one, and they can interface with the tablets and the records stored.”
“Oh, hehe. That’s me!”
Eirwen asked, “What does the Archivist role entail?”
Vi answered, “The Archives will be bound to the archivist, allowing them to interface with the knowledge and resources contained within the archives. With effort, they can then produce knowledge crystals, transcribing the information in a way that is easier to consume, among other options that can be made available once unlocked.”
Rebecca asked, “Bound? What does that mean?”
“Nothing other than creating a special connection between the archivist and the archives–it has no real detriments to the individual. However, the Ancestral Archives cannot be used without a bound Archivist, and the stronger their capabilities, the better and faster they can interface. Binding a new archivist will take time and essence to establish the connection, so do make sure this person is willing to spend much of their time managing this role, and that they have sufficient mental capacity. New slots for archivists will take some time and resources to unlock.”
Irene gasped. “That sounds remarkable! I’m…a little down that there are no books, but I guess I’m ready. How long would it take?”
“It can take up to three days, depending on the archivist’s compatibility and level. Irene is detected to be highly compatible and capable, so it should not take more than a few hours.”
Irene beamed with pride, and Nick chuckled at how happy and excited she looked. He realized that she was possibly the most qualified on this Shard, minus some Third Stratum administrators from the Core Kingdoms. “Alright, that’s pretty good news. Assign Irene to the role.”
Lights gathered, and then a tether formed between Irene and the wall. Her eyes turned white, and she seemed to just stare into the distance as she began to float into the air, a few inches from the ground.
Nick waved his hand in front of her face, and she was just floating there, her eyes blank. “Huh. Well, alright then. Let’s head out, and then come back later? We’ll check the Crown Sanctum for our new options.”
They walked out the hallway, and headed to the modern conference room.
Eirwen tapped the tablets as everyone sat down in the swivel office chairs, navigating the menu. “Okay, wow. Lots more options now.”
[Path Building Options: Path of Kings]
[City Guard Garrison - 10,000 DP]
[Adventurer’s Guild: Owned - Enhancements Available]
[Royal Guard Pavilion - 7,500 DP]
[Establish Knight Order - 20,000 DP - Discounted - Inter-Path Options Available]
[Establish Crafting Quarter - 20,000 DP]
[Defensive Barrier - 3rd Stratum - 50,000 DP]
There were a number of different options that had been filtered from view, that were related to his Heritage having superior options.
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“The Crafting Quarter sounds useful, what does that entail?”
[Crafting Quarter - This allows you to designate an area of the city to receive bonuses. Increases the essence in this area, grants a small bonus to essence gain from craft completion, and provides Weekly Quests to crafters to push their trade and increase their level. These Quests will be slightly more lucrative in essence, and can be used in conjunction with the Quests that Mayors or other administrative classes can provide, even when specialized.]
Nick was interested in this Crafting Quarter, and he had enough to get it at the moment. However, he definitely wanted to wait to see what options were available for the Ancestral Archives before spending anything else of his Path of Kings DP.
Eirwen went back to the Heritage Menu, and pointed at what she saw. “It looks like if you buy some of the Heritage Crafting stuff, this cost will decrease.”
It was something to keep in mind. “Okay, and how about that Knight Order, and the barrier?
[Establish Knight Order - This creates a special building with an armory, garrison, training grounds, and Charter. Those that can join must follow the Charter’s Path. Knights receive bonuses and rewards for fighting and working together, along with maintaining order and protecting the lands. Helps build loyalty among those that join the Knight Order. Charters that follow the Path of Kings, Samurai, and Heroes, and combinations thereof, are available. Depending on their Charter, they may experience alterations within their respective Ordeal runs.]
[Defensive Barrier - 3rd Stratum - This barrier is meant to protect the city and its populace against an invasion. Drastically increases security, as only those who enter the gates under the watch of your Guard may enter. Essence from Ordeal is supplied to protect the city from a siege, enabling the Ordeal Owner time to prepare, return, and defend.]
“Damn, that barrier sure would be nice. No bad guys getting in, and even if Blackthorne showed up while we were in the Ordeal or away, we could feel confident that it could protect our people until we returned. But 50,000 DP is just too rich for our blood.”
The discount on the Knight Order appeared to be due to the fact that they already had a training grounds, and it could instead be merged with it.
Eirwen agreed, but it was clear everyone was excited about this particular building.
She brought up the Hero’s Path special buildings next.
[Path Building Options: Hero’s Path]
[Adventurer’s Guild: Owned - Enhancement Available]
[Beacon of Heroism - 10,000 DP]
[Orphanage - Owned - Enhancement Available]
[Soup Kitchen - Owned - Enhancement Available]
[Hero’s Tavern - 3,500 DP]
Nick spotted the one that stood out the most. “A beacon, huh. What’s that do?”
Eirwen brought up the entry, the party reading it on their own.
[Beacon of Heroism - This establishes a monument that influences the essence of Frosthaven in subtle ways, even other Path buildings. Through the monument and the essence, virtue is venerated, inspiring people to be better–to want to change the world for the betterment of it. As long as the leader is virtuous and stands firmly on the Hero’s Path, people will be influenced to see them in a better light. Increases the likelihood that a True Hero will be born in, attracted to, and take up home in Frosthaven and walk the Hero’s Path.]
That sounded a little strange to Nick, having no direct benefits like the other buildings.
Nick arched his brow at that. “That’s…odd. But I don’t really have that much else to spend my Hero DP on. I suppose I could just spend it on Heritage stuff, but it’s also harder to obtain until… we have more heroes…”
Kaya frowned. “I can kinda see the orphanage and soup kitchen as being heroic, maybe. But why a tavern? That’s a little strange.”
Eirwen cleared her throat. “It appears it’s more about the bard telling tales of heroes, to inspire people to commit virtuous acts. It also grants bonuses to recovery and relaxation, and attracts people from afar.”
“How the hell can it do that?” Nick thought the last part was crazy.
Rebecca chuckled. “Orion can move in subtle ways at times, but more overt ways in others. It could be as simple as adding a listing about this tavern at buildings like your Adventurer’s Guild or Silverbrook’s Merchant Guild throughout the shard, enticing travel. However, it’s easy for me to see that the feature of magical rest and relaxation will spread far and wide over time, and draw people in who want to visit and stay there. Climbers might have access to these kinds of amenities, but the average person on this shard does not.”
Nick could see that now. “That’s true. Some of these options feel a little…strange. I understand how the essence of Orion can feel, but it almost sounds or feels like mind control. The word influence is worrying to me, and I can’t help but question my previous moments where I felt the essence strongly. I don’t like being influenced.”
Rebecca nodded. “I can understand how one might think that, but it’s probably better to think of it as an emotion enhancer. It won’t make someone venerate heroes–it will only heighten the feelings and motivations they might already have, drawing them to feel more strongly about them. It won’t make an evil person good, nor will it make a good person a hero. In a subtle way, it will help someone who already values heroism to value it more.”
Nick could see that, and he knew that the mind could work in strange ways. Smells could incite lost memories, and errant thoughts could trigger a connection, causing one to remember something as well. Perhaps the essence was a little like that, the feelings it gave him had been moving more than once. It helped make those obscure references in one’s mind come to the fore.
“I’m not so sure that sounds much better, but I kind of see what you mean.” He looked back to the tablet. “I notice the enhancements to the buildings we gained from Seraphara’s Ordeal merely improve the effect of the beacon–the orphanage and soup kitchen of Seraphara, and the Adventurer’s Guild benefits to the Quests, besides. So we need the beacon before anything else. Might as well get it.”
Eirwen smiled and made the selection, and then a white light roamed over Nick before disappearing.
Nick frowned, looking over himself. “What the hell was that?”
Vi replied, “That was Orion scanning your appearance for the beacon. It’s now placed at the top of the Hero’s Path tower.”
Nick got a bad feeling, and quickly moved the map around by tapping and dragging, zooming in on the tablet on the table. It had a three-dimensional representation, and he spotted it near the center of the city almost right away.
At the very top of the Hero’s Path Ordeal, was a statue of him holding a white blade of light, at the apex of his downward swing. He was wearing his martial robes with his Cloak of Twilight spread out wide, billowing behind him.
Kaya immediately burst into laughter, and Fang, Luna, and Sable immediately began clapping and woo’ing.
Fang pointed at his statue. “Yay, it’s the Boss! Now everyone can see how awesome he is, all the time!”
Luna nodded, looking at the statue and him dreamily. “It’s a great pose, showing our Alpha at his strongest.”
He groaned, sinking back into his chair. He might be a little full of himself, but a statue was a little much.
Sable smirked. “What’s the matter, Boss? You know, there are a few statues of you already in the forest. Some of the monsterfolk have been making some carvings as they learn to make their totems. Only a few of them actually have Luna’s talent, but that hasn’t stopped many of them from trying and leaving them scattered about.”
Jasmine was also amused, he could feel it over their connection. “I love it. And I know your mother would love it too–she had many statues of your father placed throughout their Kingdom. Don’t forget, it’s not all a vanity thing. This will be a focal point for people to direct their loyalty and devotion to you.”
Eirwen giggled, her ears wiggling. “That’s funny. But it looks cool! I can’t wait to see what it looks like in person. It looks like the Adventurer’s Guild addon, soup kitchen and orphanage are all affordable, leaving only the tavern that we’d need to save up for. Should we get those?”
Nick was still staring at the statue, annoyed. “Yeah… sure.”
Eirwen made the selections, spending the last of the Path of Heroes DP. “Oh, there are also some nice options for the Path of the Samurai.”
She brought up the next Menu.
[Path Building Options: Path of the Samurai]
[Training Grounds: Owned - Enhancements Available]
[Officer’s Academy - 20,000 DP]
[Defensive Castle - 30,000 DP]
[Training Ground Enhancement Options:]
[Bushido Dojo - 5000 DP]
[Pagoda of Martial Wisdom - Discounted - 5000 DP]
[Cherry Blossom Garden of Reflection - 5000 DP]
[Archery Sanctum - 5000 DP]
The officer’s academy was something that would only see much value as Nick’s kingdom began to sprawl, and he became more like an emperor. Confined to a singular city and one major army, he didn’t see the need for this building. Perhaps one day, however…
The training ground enhancements all looked useful, as they would enhance the essence within to be fitting for their purposes. With a trainer like Renzou, people could build their capabilities far more rapidly.
Kaya noticed that one item was different. “Why’s the pagoda discounted?”
Eirwen clicked on it, looking. “It looks like the pagoda actually includes knowledge on the Samurai-related disciplines, and it’s discounted thanks to our Ancestral Archives. It has Ideals, skills, and even scrolls for knowledge that helps one form related Concepts.”
Rebeca looked over the details with Eirwen. “It really looks like a complete package for establishing elites of the Path, much like our Cathedral. The Bushido Dojo is not much different from the current Training Grounds, granting awarded essence for training and duels. But there’s also a benefit of aiding people establishing their Concepts related to the Path, and it’s the same for the garden and the sanctum.”
Nick had been shocked at the amount of DP that the Samurai Ordeal had stored. They had truly gained a lot in the past month or so, the orcs and monsterfolk taking advantage of all the climbing slots each week.
“I guess we’ll get the pagoda, dojo, garden, and sanctum for now. The garden sounds interesting, but I gotta say, I’m not so sure I can see Kaya, Fang, the monsterfolk or the orcs sitting cross-legged in some garden pondering Concepts for hours on end, when the dojo is right there.”
“T–That…might be true.” Kaya tried, and failed, to refute the truth, her Archaen nature making her unable to. “But I think in the long run, it could be helpful. Perhaps the pagoda might contain wisdom on an Ideal, that might help with meditation, like what Marissa taught us.”
Fang added, “I think I can do it if it’s for Boss! O-Or, at least… for one of his rewards.”
Luna patted her head. “Of course you could. You’re such a hard worker. Boss knows you’re a good girl.”
Fang looked at him with big eyes, and then he had to affirm that she was, in fact, a good girl before they could continue.
He looked over the DP earnings. “At the rate we’re going, we’ll actually be able to build things like that castle within a month or two. Lothar and Renzou getting to the 17th now has enough slots that progress is rapid. Actually, our earnings feel almost exponential. Won’t we have everything in under a year at this rate?”
Eirwen chuckled, and shook her head. “Don’t forget things like the road construction. There’s a lot of buildings that aren’t Path related, and then each of these Path related buildings have their own potential upgrades. But also, each costs a percentage of the kingdom’s incoming essence, so we can’t just build everything or we’ll have to shut other buildings off. Here, take a look a this.”
She brought up more options in the Menu, showing that things were filtered. In addition to these special buildings, there were also numerous general buildings that he could purchase not aligned to any Path, such as the guard towers Lothar had made.
Things like armories and warehouses existed as well, but his artisans could just build these on their own. With the right materials and enchantments, they could even surpass the generalized buildings. Aside from the battle or combat related buildings, the things provided by Orion were basic.
Then, there were also lesser versions of buildings associated with other Paths available to Nick, such as the Merchant’s Guild they saw in Silverbrook. These were largely known to be a waste of DP, however, as their bonuses were too minor in comparison to the specialized Path buildings.
Rebecca added, “In the third stratum, there will be more options for spending DP. You can pay for an event–even a Tribulation if you want. You can spend to have something like your Frostspire Mines created, within a few points of the map. You can convert DP into Gold, or other valuable resources. It’s a waste, but I doubt we’ll ever have too much DP. The reason we’re gaining a lot right now is because we are constantly being Tested, all climbers progressing routinely. But eventually, people will reach their peak potential, and their earnings will drastically decrease.”
Eirwen nodded. “Don’t forget that when people are truly challenged, there is a chance for death. You protect their lives, but this limits their earnings both in DP, and also their gains in potential. If they choose that you can resurrect them on death when they enter, then the potential they earn in the Test of Supremacy, for example, would be less. For example, if it were us on the last run, we’d have arrived in the center to find the spring, but not the fruit, possibly.”
It was something Nick would need to eventually keep in mind. That his strong performers today may ultimately end up stagnating in the future, hurting his kingdom if he allowed them to continue climbing over others.
Progress was fast right now, but there was actually going to be a bottleneck, too. People moved through the first stratum fast, but the second stratum would take quite some time, take several runs to do it safely, and for fewer slots that refreshed slower. Eventually, the waiting list in the second stratum would be a huge bottleneck, despite how many slots were added.
In their recent Path of the Samurai run, Nick knew that Andross and Zarog probably only barely backed down without taking on the Boss, and the reason was because of safety. Despite the two men seeking good fights and dangers, they still managed their risk. Their wives were with them, after all, and they weren’t about to orphan their children because they wanted to gain more.
For now, his people were driven. They had faced hardships until they were rescued by Nick and his family. They endured and finally found their slice of heaven, their opportunity for a bright future. His people had now gotten a taste of it, and many of them would fight tooth and nail to get another bite.
The DP earnings would certainly decrease when people either reached their maximum potential, or stopped pushing themselves and taking risks. Nick was lucky in that he had the orcs with excellent foundations, that each had a lot of upward growth available to them in the second stratum, and then all of these monsterfolk who sought to become more, and would be willing to die for their Alpha.
“I know we don’t have much, but how about the Seraphara buildings? Anything good for us?”
Winny looked over them, then shook her head. “They already grabbed most of the low-hanging fruit, and there’s nothing available at all other than generic faith buildings. Everything else has already been purchased, though it’s weird because it’s not that much. The Cathedral has some upgrades, but it’s kind of sparse.”
Nick asked, “Why is that, Becca?”
Rebecca sighed. “The truth is, we lack many of the blueprints. It seems the reason you have so many options available in the Path of Kings and Samurai is likely thanks to your Heritage. It must have included many of these options.”
Nick did remember that when he tried to pull up the available paths he could change to, there were countless for him to choose from. And yet, Lothar hadn’t chosen something like Path of the Honorable Raider, or something like that, before he met him.
The reason was simple. It was because he didn’t have the option.
Forming an Ordeal based on one’s personal Concept or what they considered was their Path was possible, but it had an associated cost. Orion did not make a customized Ordeal for free.
“How do we get more? Is it related to those Path books?”
Rebecca nodded. “It’s rare, but those Path books do drop in the Ordeals, and so do blueprints. Not only that, but people can even make them. I’m kind of surprised we didn’t find one yet, but they are often found after the 15th floor. Perhaps as we progress in Seraphara’s Ordeal, they will grant them to us.”
Nick arched his brow at that. Perhaps, they hadn’t found one yet because they already had them all. “Alright, so we got some new buildings now, but let’s look at our Conflict options for Shadowvale. We won’t trigger it today, but it’s good to know what we have for options.
[Conflict Options Available - Shadowvale:]
[Case for War - Known Climber attacked your Caravan.]
[Land Skirmish - Your Control Radius overlaps Shadowvale’s. Cost: 5000 DP]
[Honorable Raid]
[Dark Kingdom Judgement]
[Heroic Justice]
Eirwen briefly checked the first two options. “It looks like the first option would give us the ability to attack Shadowvale, but it allows them to choose the battle option. Orion decides what they would give up, but for conquering the city, that alone might not be enough. It looks like we’d need to win a series of Conflicts to decide ownership, such as the Land Skirmish, and we can’t just do one after another.”
“Why’s Honorable Raid crossed out?” Kaya asked.
Eirwen tapped on it, reading the details. “It looks like it’s incompatible with your Hero’s Path. It has…plunder involved. Raiding their city and looting it is fair game since Lothar confirmed Shadowvale was behind the attack it says, but a hero who walks the path shouldn’t indiscriminately plunder, even if it’s fair or justified.”
It was easy to forget that while honorable, the orcs weren’t all that heroic. They sought good fights and plunder above all else, and sometimes doing good by killing bandits was just a side effect, rather than their goal.
Lothar would be happy ransacking the town, taking the plunder as payment for killing the bandits.
“So that’s a wash. But there are two other options.”
Eirwen brought up the first.
[Seraphara’s Inquisition: Dark Kingdom Judgement]
[You have gathered enough information and testimony from your interrogations that you can testify to Orion that the Kingdom of Shadowvale is not acting as a Lawful Kingdom, working together with a Bandit Warlord. You even have testimonies from your subordinates that can be used to hide this capability.
In doing so, you have earned the right to mark this Kingdom for Orion-Sanctioned destruction.
But the people of Shadowvale are not all complicit, and you know this, as you’ve spoken with Turon. You have several choices for how to decide the fate of Shadowvale and its Owner, but the Battle Option for Siege has been removed due to your nature as a Hero.
If the Lawful Kingdom loses the Conflict, the Dark Kingdom’s secret will be kept, and a large parcel of land ownership and resources will be forfeited. Often, this will also lead to the hidden Dark Kingdom gaining means to retaliate.
If the Lawful Kingdom wins the Conflict or the Lord surrenders, Ordeal Ownership will be granted, and imprisonment and enslavement of the criminal members of the kingdom can be decided by the inquisition.
This will be a Sanctioned Conflict of Orion between two Kingdoms, considered equivalent to a Trial. The rewards for the victorious Kingdom and individuals involved will be commensurate.]
Nick said, “It’s a lot to take in. Feels a little weird how Orion like knows our… and even my personal situation in such a precise manner, though.”
Rebecca replied, “Orion is all-seeing and all-knowing within its bounds. As a Lord of Orion, it takes special interest in you. There exists worlds outside of it, but within it is capable of anything, within its Rules and Laws. I like this Conflict option, but how about the last one?”
Eirwen brought up the other available one.
[Heroic Justice: Liberation from Tyrant]
[You have learned that a Dark Kingdom rules Shadowvale, and that its leader is complicit and supporting the Bandit Warlord–carrying out his will, and selling their own citizens into slavery and larger crimes. Sneak into Shadowvale alone or with an elite party and find Elrash, harming as few innocents as possible. Once within 30 yards, Orion will sanction his defeat by establishing a Trial Barrier, and allow ownership of Shadowvale to be claimed should he be defeated. This is a Hidden Conflict option, which will allow you as a Lord to sneak in, and only broadcasts the Completion to the Kingdom and its citizens.]
Kaya said, “But wasn’t Elrash not around? We can’t use that option, even if it sounds great. It won't announce you when you enter their Control Radius, and let you just bust into the city and kill and Judge him, bringing him to justice.”
Nick had to agree with that, it was a neat option, but not the best for them right now. “Alright, so it sounds like the Dark Kingdom Judgement is our choice. What are our Battle Options? It mentioned Siege was disabled.”
[Inquisition Conflict Battle Options:
* Honorable Duels – One on one battles between leaders and climbers. Best of Five or Nine, Single Elimination, Melee. This option reduces collateral damage to lawful citizens.
* Field of Battle – This option allows you to pick a location on neutral ground, and forces the two kingdoms to meet in combat within a Trial Barrier. The victor is granted ownership of the Ordeal, and any unlawful enemies that escape the field or avoid it can be imprisoned and enslaved. This option would normally risk innocents being used in the field of battle, but the Clergy of Seraphara promise the lawful citizens protection and succor, and their inquisition will determine innocence. Orion will assist those who wish to surrender and flee from their ruler’s tyranny.
* Lord versus Lord. The Lords will be the sole decider of this Conflict, the victor winning the kingdom’s ownership.
Note: The defender of the Conflict normally chooses the Battle Option, and can even present those available from their respective Path, but Dark Kingdoms parading as a Lawful Kingdom revealed in this way are forced into a distinct disadvantage. Select a Battle Option and enter Shadowvale’s Control Radius to begin the Conflict.]
Kaya noted, “I like the duels as a means of battle. I get Single Elimination, but what does the Melee thing mean?”
Eirwen tapped it on the Menu. “It looks like it means that someone who wins can choose to fight again, though there won’t be much time for recovery. In theory, they can place their strongest at the final loss and still win against the rest if the person is strong enough.”
Nick nodded at the implications. “A Lord can dig his people out from a complete loss, but it won’t be easy. It means facing the enemy lord fatigued, injured, and drained of essence.”
Reading the details, he knew that this Inquisition Conflict was the right one. Nick certainly liked the Lord versus Lord option, but he realized this was not the best choice.
His people needed the experience. They were all excited about the big battle, and unless they participated in it, they would not gain anything.
Nick was all about investing in his people, as he believed that human… he looked at his wives, none of which were human. That is, people resources, were the greatest resource one could have. This was the mantra instilled in him by his father, and he couldn’t help but agree with that sentiment–even thinking back to his life on Earth, even without some magical essence reinforcing this.
Thinking over how his people had grown and how they would grow, he knew this would be the right choice. He grinned. “Alright. We’ll meet them on the field of battle.”