Yesterday, Thaddeus completed connecting the walls. Once again, the village was encircled, protected by walls on three sides and the river to the south.
Months later, Thaddeus would return to the wall off the Honey Barrow District. But that was a future problem.
Today, the new settlers, palace guards, builders, and Dustin arrived.
Thanks to the village builder, there were plenty of available homes. The village also had a budding commerce district. There was a bakery, weaver, tailor, butcher, trading post, general store, inn, bathhouse, chandlery, cooper, cartwright, locksmith, metalsmith, farrier, jeweler, tannery, blacksmith, and carpentry shops.
And now the village had a trader, thanks to cultural points finally generating. It takes three months to earn the 100 cultural points to open a marketplace, then six months to earn 1000 cultural points so he could open trading posts in other settlements.
Woodhaerst also had a church, a water-powered sawmill and gristmill, a Hunter's Lodge, Adventurer Guild, and Town Hall. The village was small but productive.
To welcome their guest, the town decided to hold a town potluck. Like the Harvest Festival, Thaddeus donated two sheep and a pig.
Shortly after noon, Captain Joseph announced a large caravan approaching the settlement. Moreover, the caravan was much larger than anticipated.
Standing near the forts crenels, he saw a caravan that stretched on for a mile.
"Let's go captain, and bring the city guard," Thaddeus urged.
Ten guards lined up outside the city wall, with Captain Joseph and Thaddeus standing in front.
Minutes later, the caravan pulled to a stop outside the village.
"Are you the Baron?" ask a tall brown-haired knight wearing expansive-looking armor and a well-made sword.
"I am," responded Thaddeus.
"I am Sargent Ulysses, behind me are my men. We are your guards, and we swear to protect your life as our own," he said kneeling with his men and pledging.
"Welcome Sargent Ulysses, I am Baron Thaddeus Brown, and the man to my left is Joseph, Captain of the City Guards. Welcome to Woodhaerst."
"Thank you, sire," Sargent Ulysses saluted then he stood to his right with his men.
Seeing their new lord, with the guard captain to his left and knights to his right, made his look quite formidable.
Next to greet Thaddeus were the three master builders.
"Good to see you, Baron. We're Quinn, Flynn, and Brynn. We're identical brothers.
We have to be honest. When you hired us, we didn't expect to see such a large established settlement. We thought you were starting a new settlement.
Never did we think we would get the chance to work for an earth mage or an artisan and I hear tell you're both. From the stories the locals tell, you build your settlements yourself from the ground up. If it's true, you have our respect as builders, sire," the brother bowed.
"It's true, I am an earth mage and artesian. It's also true, I built this settlement as a farmstead. Now look at it," Thaddeus laughed shaking the brothers' hands.
"Next, can I greet the leader of the settlers?" asked him.
"Sire, my father is the leader but was injured by a snake at night. Please heal him!" cried a young woman holding an infant.
"Where's your father, dear?" Priestess Thera asked walking over.
"He's here, in the cart," she pointed moving a blanket.
While the priestess worked to heal the man, an elderly woman asked, "Baron Brown is it true all new settlers get free homes."
"Yes, setters who work may rent a home," he answered.
"Sire, what about the rumor you're giving away farmland?" asked a middle age man.
"Do you mean land run this evening? Yes, I'm allowing villagers to rent farmland. Nothing free, in the frontier?" Thaddeus explained.
"If we join your village, you'll let us people participate?" he asked excitedly.
"Of course," Thaddeus confirmed.
"Then we'd all like to join your village. He said pointing to a few other men."
"New shops just opened, so there's plenty of villages available as well. As long as you work, you'll get paid," Thaddeus promised.
Accepting those news residents brought his village to count up to 229, he was only 21 residents shy of reaching a Level 5 Village and 271 residents away from becoming a Level 1 Town. In two months, 72 porters, 60 settlers, and 42 crafters arrived.
Finally, the last person to greet him was a tall muscular white beard and bearded man, Thaddeus had only met once.
"Thaddeus, I can't believe you built all this," Sebus said hugging him.
"Ha-ha, I just finished the walls this week," Thaddeus said leading Sebus into the villager, his 10 personal guards behind him.
The villagers looked at Thaddeus and Sebus curiously. Never had they seen their lord act so familiar with someone.
Sebus joined the caravan in Pine Grove and for 5 days his character rode in silence and never ate.
The people in the caravan wondered who the man intended, but they never expected him to be close to the lord.
The reason why Sebus didn't talk or eat was that he logged out of the game.
Unless players left their avatars in safe zones, the avatar would remain in the same position when you logged back in. Not logging out in a safe zone left avatars in danger of PKers, animal, or monster attacks.
Rather than ride for 5 in-game days in the wilderness, he either went to work or partied. Unlike Thaddeus, Dustin didn't have a full-time job. As a liberal studies major he had a tough finding jobs, and the jobs he did get he didn't like. So, he bounced from job to job, and on more than one occasion was unable to pay his half of the rent.
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Yet, Thaddeus remained supportive. He made enough money where he could afford to pay rent, pay utilities, and groceries. As long as Dustin kept up with the housework and didn't make a mess, he was fine. After all, Thaddeus rarely spent time in the apartment, he was either playing in Heaven's Gate or working at Heaven's Gate.
When Thaddeus led the knights, builders, settlers, and Dustin into the city; he received two notifications.
System Message:
Congratulations, Woodhaerst has advanced to Village Level 3. Reward: Plus 10 cultural points
System Message:
Congratulations, Woodhaerst has advanced to Village Level 4. Reward: Plus 10 cultural points
He was happy to see the messages, but one thing absent was the awarded free building scrolls. Building scrolls were removed in the Doomsday Patch.
Now lords only received building scrolls for major advancements, such as from hamlet to village, village to town, and from town to city. Now, a minor level increase provided lord cultural points. With the additional 20 culture points, Thaddeus quickly appointed another trader.
The new arrivals were happy to revive a feast in their honor. People ate and drank till late in the evening, when they began swapping stories.
It was late in the evening when Quinn, Flynn, and Brynn approached him.
"Baron, we're impressed with your village. Looking around, the housing and shops are plentiful and uniform. This is already better than expected.
Most Petty Lords expect us to build a village this size from the ground up and run out of money before due to poor money management.
From the little we gathered, you have over 200 refugees on your way, and you need additional support building new houses and homes," they said.
"Let's talk tomorrow. Today enjoy our hospitality. Let's meet tomorrow at the inn," Thaddeus encouraged.
"Man, I was so hungry. I'm glad you had this feast prepared," Dustin said returning.
"I'm happy you're here. I'm sure the villagers will be happy to have cobbler."
"Who makes the villagers' shoes?"
"Me. I'm the only general tanner in the village. Originally, I was the only carpenter, blacksmith, and tanner. I can tailor leather clothes and cobble suede and leather shoes."
"Can you teach me?"
"You wish to be my apprentice? Ha-ha, I can't teach you, but I can buy you skill books. But you have to pay me back."
"Okay, stop with the villain voice. It's freaky."
Hearing that, the two roommates laughed.
"It's nice seeing. We rarely see each other anymore."
"That's because you are always at work or playing. Unlucky, peons like me have to search for decent jobs. Last week, I worked as a debt collector in a virtual call center. I've never been cursed at so much in my life. I hated that job. Why is it so hard to find a decent career like you? It's been so long since I played Heaven's Gate. That's why when I got the class change scroll, I thought I'd be able to make some decent money in-game."
"What happened to the University Guild?"
"I quit, it's a bunch of new people I don't know. Most graduates either left the game or were recruited to guilds with signing bonuses and salaries. Alumni, like me, who play on University Guild are looked down upon as weak. So, l left the University Guild to play solo, that's when I found the cobbler quest chain."
"D-Sebus, I never knew things were so difficult for you," Thaddeus consoled.
"It's fine. I appreciate you never pressuring me, like my parents. My father wants me to move home and join him at the truck plant."
"Feel free to stay as long as you like, here or in the department," Thaddeus encouraged.
"Then can you spot me a few coins, I used all my money trying to get here."
"I'll pay you 30 coppers. Minus the cost of materials and books, you'll earn 10 coppers a week. But you still have to pay rent each month and taxes each season."
"I can't tell if you're doing me a favor, or whether I'm doing you one?" Dustin said in astonishment.
'Alfred purchase [Designs for Novices] and see if you can find a book just for shoemaking from the player auction,' Thaddeus directed.
"Sir, I'd like to remind you, you must control your spending. You made several unplanned purchases from the Mythical Guild. While those were one-time purchases, you must be cognizant of especially of reoccurring expenses on the settlement's budget," Alfred lectured.
'Fine, I promise you more large purchases.'
"Sir, I purchased [Designs for Novices] and [Shoemaking for Simpletons] for 40 silvers. They are in your inventory. Since you plan to sell them to Sebus for a silver coin a piece, that's a net loss of 38 silvers."
'Alfred, I missed your passive aggressiveness. I really did. We just collected rent and you're still worried,' Thaddeus thought sarcastically.
"I'm definitely doing you a favor," Thaddeus replied to Dustin.
During the welcome feast, Thaddeus walked around greeting new builders and new settlers. He watched as Captain Joseph recruited new guards. Everywhere he walked his 10 knights followed behind. Thaddeus never realized how uncomfortable it was having such high-level knights near him at all times.
"Captain Ulysses, after the welcome feast, please coordinate with Captain Joseph to secure my barony," Thaddeus asked hoping to get rid of his tail of knight.
Everyone enjoyed the welcome party, but as 4 pm approached, everyone slowly departed to the South Gate for the Land Run.
A land run or land rush was a homestead race in the late 19th century in the United States. Land Runs were held in territories sieged from Indigenous Americans. Homesteaders lined up at a starting line and ran to the piece of land to grab a stake. The stake represented the land claim. As long as homesteaders lived and farmed the property for six years, they'd own it.
Homestead we're awarded on a first-arrival basis.
This was the opportunity Thaddeus offered to his farmers or anyone who wanted to farm. Instead of paying them a wage, farmers would be paid based on their crops.
This morning, Andrea and Hunter put claim stakes in the ground. Officially, it was a quest to the Adventurer Guild. It was the first of two quests, Thaddeus paid the Adventurer Guild. The second was to kill the nearby Goblin Den.
At 4 pm, Arthur, Mathew, farmers, and farmhands lined up for their chance to own their rent their land.
Before yelling go, Thaddeus used his Surveyor skill to make sure no one was cheating. To his surprise, he found three people hiding, buried underground. Signaling their locations, the guards found them and bound them. The cheaters would be set free to claim a stake, only after every else had.
At 4 pm, Thaddeus yelled, "Go!" He listened as the crowd cheered for the runners. People laughed when one of the runners stumbled or congratulated when the first stake was claimed.
As the land run began, Thaddeus watched with anticipation as the farmers and farmhands sprinted toward their desired plots of land. The crowd cheered and encouraged the runners, creating an atmosphere of excitement and competition.
Thaddeus observed as Arthur and Mathew, along with several other villagers, swiftly claimed their stakes and began marking their chosen farmland. It was a thrilling sight to see the villagers taking charge of their livelihoods and embracing the opportunity to become independent farmers.
Once the majority of the runners had secured their plots, Thaddeus turned his attention to the captured cheaters. He approached them with a stern expression, making it clear that their actions were unacceptable. After a brief scolding, he decided to give them a chance to participate but made it clear that their behavior would not be tolerated.
With the land run complete, the villagers started planning and discussing their new farming ventures. Thaddeus knew that this marked a significant step in the development of Woodhaerst. By empowering the villagers to become self-sufficient and providing them with opportunities to earn a living, he hoped to foster a strong and prosperous community.
As the evening progressed, Thaddeus mingled with the villagers, listening to their stories and sharing their excitement. The potluck feast continued, now accompanied by discussions of plans and dreams for the village.
Amongst the conversations, Thaddeus caught sight of Dustin, who seemed engrossed in a conversation with one of the village residents. It appeared that Dustin was sharing his aspirations of becoming a cobbler and learning the trade from Thaddeus. The Baron couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and satisfaction, knowing that he could support his friend in finding his passion and pursuing it within the village.
As the night drew to a close, Thaddeus retired to his temporary quarters in the Town Hall. He reflected on the day's events and the progress the village had made. The completion of the land run was a significant milestone, but there were still many challenges and opportunities ahead.
Tomorrow, Thaddeus would meet with the master builders, Quinn, Flynn, and Brynn, to discuss the future expansion of Woodhaerst. He knew that their skills and expertise would be invaluable in shaping the village into a thriving town.