“Yay.” Hank mumbled sarcastically as he dismissed another window telling him that he had earned a massive six XP for overcoming the bear. He didn’t care, he was exhausted. However, the cave wasn’t a safe resting place. Vultures, literal and figurative, would come, drawn by the smell of blood wafting on the air. Hank drank more water, contemplating a return to camp.

Putting his hand down to leaver himself up, Hank grunted in pain. Not the anticipated pain of his wounds, but a sudden sharp pain as a stone cut the heel of his hand. He glanced down at the offending rock. It glinted in the light. Bending closer, Hank recognising a crystal firmly anchored to the cave floor. “Well that’s interesting. Stupid thing’s stuck” Hank remarked, trying to dislodge it. Wrestling with it for a few minutes proved entirely futile and it wasn’t until he resorted to bashing it with his staff’s metal end that he was able to dislodge.

The crystal was about the size of the top joint of his finger. He picked it up. It was vaguely translucent. He held it up to the light at the cave’s entrance. The stone was definitely translucent, some shade of deep red, he thought. Over the next hour, as Hank waited for his health to recover a little, found another two crystals. Both smaller than the first, with different colours.

Hank was excited. If fossicking for an hour presented three gems, what could proper miners find. “Fantastic. Time to find Gruffly and get a professional opinion,” Hank said. He had no geology nor mining skills. He had a geology book, but he wasn't sure that it was sufficient for categorising gems.

Trudging out the cave, Hank glanced back at the bear carcass left behind. He didn’t know how to skin it, nor how to butcher it. He would just have to hope the scavengers wouldn’t destroy everything before he returned. A brief walk through the gulch brought Hank back to the plains. Looking back, the way he had come he decided could return that way, but advantages lay cutting northwards across the grassland to the Tabor and following it back to camp. He hadn’t ventured that way, past the waterfall Sabine previously mentioned. Besides, he thought it would be quicker and easier than his previous path.

As Hank drew near the waterfall, he realised two tributaries met there. Unsure which tributary flowed from the barbarian plains, Hank assumed the southern, darker, silt laden wash was the Tabor. Looking up the tributary, it seemed the far bank had been a flood plain in times past. The vegetation looked dense and lush, much similar to the south jungles of Miylan. “Worth investigating, but not today” Hank said to himself.

Standing on the wrong bank, Hank couldn’t see up the eastern tributary, but the foam and froth seemed to indicate a tumultuous passage. In any case, he needed to head back to camp. He turned, following the Tabor west back towards camp.

Two hours later, he struggled into camp. Sabine and Fritz were the first to notice both his return, and his injuries. Naturally Sabine had a comment for just such an occasion. “Didn’t you heal yourself on the way home?”

“Nope, all fresh out of magic healing pixie dust.” Hank couldn’t help a snarky response. “Used them all on sir grumpy and his red shirt shadow.” He continued jerking a thumb vaguely in Marko’s direction.

“Ha the brother and his frequently injured minion.” She smirked.

Hank and Fritz shared a grin.

“I’ll magic myself better right after I whip up a miraculous concoction or two.” Hank maintained the jocularity. “More to the point, I killed a bear at the other end of the valley, so I suggest Fritz, Ruadh and Ninyette head off to harvest the fur and meat before scavengers get it all.”

“Unlikely to be much left from the scavengers,” Ninyette’s response had required translation just as the recommendation had.

“Still, I recommend we return the site of the carnage.” Hank continued, “I found one of these…” Hank tossed the smallest gem to Fritz “… in a cave. I imagine Gruffly would like to scratch around for possible brothers.”

“Nice, let me look.” Sabine took it, holding it up to the light. Ninyette and Ruadh joined the group. Hank grinned watching two very tall people bent double trying to peak over the shoulder of a very short person as she held a small gem up to the light. Eventually, after a number of comments in languages Hank couldn’t decipher, Sabine addressed him. “Fritz and I think it’s one of the spinel group of gems. Naturally without more equipment or visiting its previous location we can’t be specific.”

“So come and see where I found it.” Hank responded.

More chat amongst the others, and the arrival of Jamie resulted in everyone deciding to visit the cave. Ruadh and Ninyette ostensibly to salvageable the bear’s carcass, probably just for curiosities’ sake, set off with Fritz immediately. Sabine and Jamie went to find Gruffly by the Tabor. Hank took the opportunity to treat himself and check Marko.

Marko, restless in his convalescence, endeavoured to convince Hank of his health. Language defeated them both. Hank’s Compidg was woeful, just like Marko’s common. Sabine returned in time to enforce Hank’s instruction for Marko’s continued bedrest. In all honesty, Hank could have allowed him up, but he had no desire to endure Marko’s complaining at meals but he could have been persuaded. For whatever reason Sabine was much more adamant that Marko remain on bed rest.

Leaving the tent, Hank pulled out the gem for Gruffly. “Definitely one of the spinel group of gems.” Sabine translated Gruffly’s comments. “Not sure which. I’ll need to see the site. Assuming this isn’t a once off, we might have discovered something. Naturally, some spinel species are more precious than others, but who knows.”

Walking back to the cave a second time, Hank felt light. Unnaturally light, despite the effects of his salve and treatment he needed rest and so he had slowed his group down. Fritz, Ruadh and Ninyette, leaving only half an hour earlier, arrived an hour before Hank’s group.

Scavengers, as predicted, had been at the bear leaving little hide and almost no meat, but Ninyette and Ruadh were working busily on the carcass so something was salvageable. Fritz’s time had been more productive. He completed a reasonable survey of the cave, collecting various rocks and stones, which Gruffly examined immediately on arrival.

These inspections occasioned ‘ooh’, ‘ah’, ‘look at this’ and ‘did you see that’ until the fading light of dusk put an end to the excitement. A loud and protracted discussion in Compidg with much pointing and wild gestures finally resulted in comments from Sabine, Hank could understand. “Well, we found no more spinel’s but the formations indicate that this could be a reasonable deposit.”

Hank pulled out another gem. Not the big one of course. “Well, I did fine more than one.” He passed it to gruffly.

Sabine glared at him as if to say you could have told us earlier. But before she could say anything. Fritz and Gruffly started and intense debate. She wadded into that conversation instead.

Finally Gruffly cleared his voice before managing enough common to utter. “Here mine? Answers, yes.” Seemingly enough for the powers that be, Hank’s favourite AI. Suddenly a window appeared in the vision of all gathered.

Development Notice

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Congratulations. A site has been declared fit for a mine

Note: This mine is classified as ‘prospective’. Current classification as ‘gem’ will change. Access to all attributes and properties for this mine are locked pending ownership resolution.

Hank dismissed the notification. Immediately another appeared. From the head movement around him, everyone received this message at the same time.

Vote Opportunity

Please nominate. You have been asked to vote

A number of competing claims have been made for ownership of this mine. All present have been nominated and may vote. You may choose as many or as few owners as you desire.

Fritz

First miner to investigate the site

Gruffly

Senior miner who classified this site as a mine

Hank

Discoverer of the deposit

Jamie

No prior involvement

Ninyette

No prior involvement

Ruadh

No prior involvement

Sabine

No prior involvement

None

Selecting this results in your vote being excluded from counting

Everyone stared intently off into nothing, obviously contemplating the choice before them. Naturally, everyone saw the message in their preferred language. With a simple thought a name could be selected. Further contemplation and another name was added or removed. Somehow the system understood when a choice was final.

If only resolving the various choices was that smooth. An intense argument commenced between the three shorter members of the group gathered. Off to the side Rudah and Ninyette commenced their own discussion. Hank glanced at Jamie, he seemed to be concealing a grin as he alone understood everything everyone was discussing.

“Why do we have to vote now? Gruffly wants to delay the vote.” Sabine asked Hank, obviously translating Gruffly's desire. Ruadh and Ninyette stopped their discussion to hear the response.

Hank had no idea. At a loss he turned to Jamie hopeful that his wider experience would be able to shed some light on the matter. He wasn't disappointed as the tall wanderer responded. “Nobody knows what triggers voting. It just is. Delaying or ignoring the requirement to just means you don’t vote and the results are awarded anyway.”

He paused. "My understanding is that the voting system has a limited tolerance for delay, adjudicating results early. My grandfather believed that it would intentionally close the voting before voters obtained third party advice."

"Doesn't that seem unfair?" Ninyette asked.

"Maybe," Jamie replied, "but how is it any fairer to allow a rich person to buy the best advice. Or give less ethical people time to manipulate voter through any number of means both fair and foul. This way we vote, here and now. Does anyone have any thing to say about why they should be the owner?"

Gruffly wasn't shy, even if his comments needed translation. "It should belong to the Wee people for three reasons. We are the best people to mine it. We will be the most populous portion of any village started here. It is ours as per the agreement signed with Hank."

Hank took a moment to consider a rebuttal. "It should be mine for three reasons. Firstly, I found it. Secondly, I will make it part of the village. So if you have the biggest population in the village you will have the largest voice. Lastly the agreement was that any resident of the village could mine any mines connected. Not that you or anyone else would would own them."

This last comment occasioned a raised eyebrow from Jamie and an angry retort from Gruffly that nobody translated. Hank looked around. "Anyone else have something to say?"

Ruadh asked something that Ninyette struggled to translate. Jamie stepped in curious himself. "Your agreement with Gruffly seems to cover some details about a town with a strange ownership model. Does it guarantee that he will have some ownership stake in everything of the town?"

Hank sighed mentally. This was the last discussion he wanted here and now but as his pappy had always said, reality doesn't care for what you want. Drawing breath he replied. "No. I would be the sole owner of the town. But the agreement is different in that the owner is not automatically the leader. Secondly that leader must have a council with sufficient authority to limit the leaders actions. But perhaps the most important part is that his people are guaranteed a seat as would the owner."

Jamie raised an eyebrow. "And would you allow others to also have such a guaranteed seat?"

This was a delicate moment Hank realised. Cautiously he worded his response. "The existing agreement is brief, and we were drunk when we wrote it. So focuses on granting Gruffly's people rights not limiting other people's rights."

He was on the point of adding to his comments when a timer appeared in the voting window. 2 minutes. Suddenly everyone started chatting with their group.

Slowly the conversation petered out until silence reigned as votes were cast. Suddenly the window was replaced.

Vote Results

Congratulations. You have been voted sole owner of this deposit now recognised as Hank’s Mine

The vote was clear, whilst an alternative ownership structure was proposed it does not have the backing of sufficient voters to gain acceptance.

Note: Your previous agreement has been recognised by the system and weighting was applied to all votes. This weighting has not been disclosed to others and you alone have received this notification. Congratulations, your agreement has proven it’s effectiveness. Further usage of this system may yield further information on its effectiveness.

Reward:

40 XP for discovering a gem mine

10 XP for owning a prospective mine

Hank heard the distinct bing of level change.

Level Increase

Congratulations: Your efforts have earned you enough XP to advance to level 9

Reward :

You have no new class options though some are close.

Remember having delayed your selection at 7 you must qualify to choose an option.

Hank’s joy at acquiring a mine soured. Nothing could change his previous selection. He just had to qualify for classes, any class. He needed to focus on improving his class triggering traits. Whatever those were. “No book help there.” He groused.

Jamie looked over, “what won’t books help you with?”

“Class triggers.” Hank had a moment’s hope.

“Nope. nothing helps with that.” Jamie ended it.

“I just wish there was some indication of which classes were better, and how to qualify for them.” Hank grumbled.

“You’ve completed basic Miylanese education, haven’t you? Doesn’t that include introductory class branch education?” Jamie asked.

It was one of those moments Hank realised he needed to review his fake memories and lie to a friend. He thought about school and class education. Suddenly he knew some things but realised his memories came with a certain amount of ignoring the teacher. A result of choosing the basic education package during character creation he assumed. “Ahh I actually didn’t pay attention properly during those classes.” He confessed to Jamie.

“Well assuming you remember something you just need to think about class rarity and you will get a good indication as to the desirability of your classes.” Jamie commented. “But you probably shouldn’t leave it at that. Do some more research before you commit I say. Anyway I’ll leave you to it.” He wandered off leaving Hank to contemplated the new line that had appeared in each of his disabled class options.

“Farmer is common, nothing surprising there. Thief also common, I guess most people steal at least once.” He smirked. “Some seem to find a different name for their dishonesty though. Maybe that’s the uncommon or rare growth part for thieves.” He paused. “Wow, Wanderer is rare. Perhaps that was worth another thought when he could actually choose it.”