As I make my way to the stairs I can hear the murmuring of several voices below me and panic a little at the thought of being late to my own meeting. After freaking out for a few seconds I rush down the stairs in the hopes I can have some pride of not being the last one there before I feel my foot slide out from under me and feel my body flying down the stairs. I close my eyes waiting for the pain before I feel a pressure close around me and I'm gently set at the head of the table, opening my eyes I see Wug's hand drawing back and a silly grin on his face as everyone else either giggles or clears their throat trying to hide their reactions.
"Ahem! Ok now that I'm here are we missing anyone?" I ask in attempt to focus everyone on something else. After looking around the room I see everybody that needs to be here and begin with asking how everything's progressing in the camp.
"Well the farm is expanding slowly but my biggest issue is lack of fertilizers and lack of new crop seeds to expand with. Also I've begun trying to get the area around where I planted the young treant to be less rocky so it can expand itself outwards but I've come across a few buried boulders that I can't do anything about." Says Mog as he stands. After thinking for a few minutes I glance at Fey and remember his ability to use magic as well as he craftsmanship so I add a new job for him to retrieve the boulders in Mog's way and break them down for use.
"Ok done! As for the seeds and fertilizers we only have so many options currently. You can use the droppings of the few animals we have as well as using the sewage system Fey created to make some but that's up to you cus its a bit gross. As for seeds we can only bring back what we find as we explore so continue doing your best and keeping up the good work until we can discover some new stuff to plant." I say to which Mog nods his head before hesitating. After a second he finally straightens his back and begins speaking again.
"Also Master Noortain I believe I speak for everyone here when I say that we need to find an actual cook for our settlement. Most of us only know how to make basic foods or not even that, eating the raw meats and produce. We need to find someone who can turn these items into something actually worth eating." Mog says and murmurs of agreement resound around the room.
"Ok I'll try my best to find a chef of some kind and recruit him but they have to be secondary to getting this place established. Next Jeff, how goes the training and such?" I ask and see a glint appear in the hob's eye as he stands and begins breaking things down.
"Simply put that bearsk you killed lit a fire under everyone's asses and now they're starting to focus on overall improvement versus strength and agility. Both Bubbles and Wake have learned new skills as well as gained a few levels so its coming along great. But we still need to increase our population for us to be anywhere near useful outside of an attack." Jeff says before saluting and sitting once again. Before I can respond Slab steps forward from the back and begins speaking as well.
"Master I have to agree with Jeff, we don't have enough people to effectively build the groups you want or work the different jobs that we need to go forward. Just looking at my hunters it's literally just myself right now with the help of Sheer and the guards when they go out for training so we need to find new people or monsters to join the camp. As for my report the Blade bunny is growing well and the doe is in the process of getting used to her new surroundings. The two bearsk cubs are actually already adapted to it here which I think is due to them being so young but we still need a decision on what they'll be used for. We also broke down the mother and managed to get some sturdy bones for crafting, her head which Fey is turning into some kind of decoration I guess, and Stone hide skin which once we get an armorer on board will make some damn sturdy armor." Slab says before his posture gets relaxed and he darts back to the back of the group.
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As everyone murmurs with each other about the issues so far I pick apart everything and realize our biggest issue right now is manpower. After a few more minutes of discussion I finally clear my throat loud enough for everybody to calm down before I come up with a game plan based off my old world gaming knowledge.
"Jeff you said there were swamps and such around us as well as bands of monsters that were controlled by some sort of group right? Do you think anyone from the group would rebel? And what type of tribes live in the swamps cus I might be wrong but normally a lot of amphibious monsters love swamplands including nagas and murlocks right?" I ask the guard captain as he thinks for a few minutes before responding.
"I don't know what a murlock is but the swamp has a lot of Grung and Bullywug tribes as well as a few Naga and the Catswisk people who are peaceful nomads. The naga would never join us because they seek to be the ultimate race, that being said they may have a few banished members who need a home. The Bullywug tribes are a no go since they need water to survive and they have extremly poisonous skin that they can't really control. Catswisk are pretty much these giant four legged catfish people. Very peaceful and intelligent but they're hunted by everyone because both their skin and bones can be made into extremly potent medicine. Plus their flesh is sweet so most people don't view them as more than a commodity. Sadly the monsters under the alliance won't leave due to fear and we can't really protect them as we are now so our best bet is the swamps." Jeff explains as I start thinking on all the information and letting it sink in.
"Ok start getting preparations done after the meeting for an expedition into the swamplands. I want to make contact with the Catswisk and the Grung and see if they're what we're looking for first off. Next I think it would be good to search the swamp for any unique resources they have that we could use. Also probably a good idea to bring Bubbles or Wake considering they're both of the aquatic variety and might be able to work as a guide or translator if need be. Fey already updated me on our building progress so we're good there. Now on to the big event! Wug has the option to choose a class so lets hear his options and see what he's gotten!" I say excitedly as Wug stands up and approaches the table with a blush.
"Thanks Noor. So after training with Tugta I leveled and was offered a choice between two classes. The first is berserker and it says that it would make me enter a rage when I'm weak causing me to due a lot of damage but with little control. The other one I was offered is called a paladin. It said I'd get access to holy magic and righteous fury against the forces of evil. Apparently if I swear an oath to a god or higher being they can even bless me with buffs and stuff but I don't exactly understand what it all means so I thought I should ask everyone's opinions." Wug says nervously as he shifts back and forth on his feet while struggling to maintain eye contact with me.
"You should be a paladin. Ogres such as yourself are always offered a berserker or warrior class eventually but to be offered a paladin option and at your age is unheard of. Plus once you've become a paladin you'll have access to mana so I can teach you the few holy spells that I know including some healing magic. All around it gives more benefits to you as both a warrior and a member of the camp so I think you should go for it!" Says Harold excitedly as he jumps up and down to be seen over the table.
After a few rounds of debating we all agree its the best option and Wug says that later that night he'll choose it so that he can start to understand what he gains afterwards. After we all talk on a few more minor issues we decide to call it a night and get some rest before we prepare for our new adventure so everyone begins leaving the war room. I make my way upstairs and as soon as I open my door I jump backwards as I see a body standing next to my bed covered in shadows, the lithe form waiting patiently for me to enter.