Chapter 23: A Good Barber is Hard to Find

I wasn’t quite what you would call inspired when I drafted the barracks. It was a building I had no background in, so I was drafting from my imagination. I decided to make the barracks more of an extension to a gatehouse. Currently, the only road into town is the Southern Road, so these barracks would be positioned there. Sanso’s golems had constructed a long earthen wall that was 10 feet in height and stretched a two-mile arc around the town to the river, containing the entirety of our small village except a few livestock farms falling outside the wall.

My gatehouse barracks would be two large towers straddling the Southern Road. A bridge would connect the two towers. Two long rectangular buildings would be perpendicular to the earthen wall and connect to each tower. I didn’t plan to build an actual gate, but it wouldn’t be difficult to add later. The towers would be round and fifty feet tall and have four floors. The rectangular buildings would be the actual barracks, forty feet tall and three floors each.

The towers would be identical. The first floor would be the administration offices. The second floor would be the armory. The third floor would be the officer’s rooms. The fourth floor would be for defensive material storage and access to the bridge connecting the towers. It took two draft attempts to finish the tower plans and the bridge connecting them. There were six officer’s rooms in each tower, giving me a total of twelve. So, the barracks buildings needed to house at least 240 people to meet Tanguin’s requirements.

The square buildings both had large storage basements. The first floor of one of the buildings would have a dining hall with seating for 300 and kitchens to match. The other building across the way would be a large training hall for the soldiers. The second floor of both buildings would be the barracks. Rather than one large bunk room, I set a long hallway in the center with open arch doorways into small barracks rooms. Each bunk room had seven beds, small desks and chairs, small armoires, and large chests. There were eight rooms on each side of the hallway. Between the two buildings and towers, I had room for 224 soldiers and 12 officers; I just needed 14 more beds.

The third floor of one of the buildings would serve as my rangers and scout’s housing. I thought the scouts were going to be a very important part of my military forces, so each one would have their own small suite. This added 16 large apartments, housing one scout each. The opposite building would be for the heavy cavalry, once again 16 large apartments. So, my total number of available beds was 268. It took some time to adjust my vision for the interior spaces, and I did my best to make the structure as defensible as possible. It was a very large structure once you looked at it, a massive U embedded in the earthen wall.

I thought 16 cavalry and 16 scouts was probably too small a number, but it felt right in relation to the unit’s total size of 268. I could also build another barracks in the future for just a cavalry unit.

It was mid-morning the next day when I finalized the draft plans. I identified them.

Rare Barracks Gatehouse, Health 250,000, Requires Masonry Foundations 23, Masonry Structures 43, Woodcraft: Carpentry 23 (Bonus: +15% skill advancement for martial skills, +4% health and stamina recovery during sleep)

I was surprised that the building was rare as I hadn’t felt inspired. The problem once again was that I was missing the skill of masonry: structures at a high enough level. I could build it anyway, but there would be a penalty, and I wouldn’t get the bonuses for the troops stationed there. My goal was once again to get my masonry: structures to 43.

I went and found Sanso and Jaesmin. We were going to work hard on excavating the locations for the town hall and barracks all day. I met the requirements for Masonry Foundations for both buildings, so we could at least start both, and hopefully, I could level up my skills.

After a hard workday, I anxiously checked my skills.

Masonry

31

Str

Masonry: Foundations

33

Con

Masonry: Structures

26

Stam

Excellent gains, +1 to masonry, +3 to foundations, and +1 to structures for just a day’s work. Foundations was probably stuck since it was two levels above the primary skill. I had six skill points to allocate and dropped four into masonry, bringing it to level 35. Even with all three of us working and all of Sanso’s golems helping, I was estimating that the foundations of the buildings would take around ten more days. They were just very big buildings. I had probably overdone it. I thought about making a smaller town hall, but that was not my style. Go big or go home!

We were heading to the inn for a quick meal and drink when the announcement hit me.

Attention all players! An incursion event has begun! The realm of the Insectoids has established portal rifts near large population centers! Defend your realm for loot and rewards!

That was my signal to leave. I wanted to make my way to the town of Barrista and see if I could recruit a barber and fine tailor. I wasn’t going to get close enough to the incursion rift, but if anything came this way, I would have time to warm my village. I excused myself, went to the stables, and had the elven girls saddle Titan, who seemed anxious for some action. I rode south past our efforts of the day. I mentally pictured the gatehouse and the barracks buildings. When entering the city, it would be intimidating for new arrivals…walking between the tall towers and long barracks.

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Roads in the game were monster-free if there were established trade routes. We had a trade route with Barrista, so it should be safe. Just NPCs and players could obstruct me during my travels. I reached the village in thirty minutes at a full gallop without any hindrance and the sun setting. Apparently, the speed of travel on horseback was around 30 mph. If my affection with my mount increased to the max, I could travel as fast as 42 mph.

A wooden palisade surrounded Barrista, and farms dotted the countryside, stretching into the distance. I was allowed to enter as two guards in chain mail made no effort to hinder me. The town was a quarter mile across, with dozens of wooden buildings one to two stories in height. Barrista was also on the river, but a large wooden bridge spanned the river to a logging camp on the other side.

The village of Barrista had 280 human inhabitants when I analyzed it, not including the surrounding farms. Larger than my village, all of them were human from what I saw. The game had hinted at the possibility of racism, and with the wide array of playable races in the game, it seemed like I might have issues in the future.

Finding the local tavern only took a few minutes, and I entered and ordered a meal. The food was terrible when I compared it to Fareth’s fare, and I added no buffs. I ate it anyway and started talking to the locals, who responded openly to me. Barrista was an agricultural town. They had exports of grain, lumber, and ale. Usually, they sent a cavern south every four weeks. Being in a VR setting, planting, harvesting, and threshing a crop in a game month was possible. Their logging camp was mainly used to supply the growth of their own village, and they exported surplus planks. Besides minor roaming monsters, nothing interesting had happened here recently.

I was offered six small fetch quests while I talked to the locals. They did not have a fine tailer but did have a barber. The ale was okay, not great. I got directions to the barber and went to see him. It was actually a woman. Yianna was her name. She was middle-aged and had two daughters in their early teens helping me. She sat me down for a haircut. The interface prompted me to choose the type of haircut I wanted, and I selected a simple one. We talked as she cut, and I learned her husband was in the kingdom guard. He spent nine months in the city of Stillwater and three months home.

Barber has completed your haircut, +4 to Charisma for 48 hours

I did look much better in the mirror. I asked Yianna if she would consider moving to Malcum. She didn’t seem interested, so I promised her a new house and doubled what she had made. She still didn’t seem interested, so I asked about her perception of Malcum. “Malcum? That town has been overrun with giantkin. All sorts of races have been heading there. It is a haven for the downtrodden and probably overrun with crime.”

So, Malcum was getting a very bad rap. I was glad I had not announced to the locals here that I was the lord of Malcum. I might have been met with a very different reception. “Yianna, do you know of any barbers that might want to head to Malcum?”

The woman gave it some serious thought. I waited patiently, and she finally said, “Old man Zion. He lives on a farm about six miles west of here. He has a sheep farm, and brings wool and sheep cheese to town every month. He doesn’t have a family. His wife passed, and his sons moved far to the east, I think. He is a bit grumpy, though.” Well, at least I had a lead. I checked my map, and a new location called Zion’s Farm was on it. I thanked Yianna and went to get Titan.

A cluster of local boys were admiring Titan. “Impressive mount, isn’t he?” I asked the boys, who nodded emphatically. “They are raising these horses up in Malcum. Should be exporting them soon.” It was a total bluff, but I hoped to start rumors of Malcum’s own prosperity. We did have a surplus of horses, so we could afford to sell a few if anyone asked.

I went to the general store in town and had to knock loudly as it had closed. The couple who ran the store were happy to deal with me. I bartered my stock of meat in my bag of holding and then used my copper coins made by Sanso to buy a dozen casks of ale. The coins would promote Malcum, and the casks were needed for the inn. That completed, I mounted up and rode to Zion’s sheep farm. It was dark, and a wild wolf attacked us on the way.

Cleardusk Plains wolf, Level 5

It was almost humorous to find such a low-level monster. Of course, wolves hunted in packs, but the half dozen low-level wolves didn’t hold any challenge for Titan and me. I harvested the pelts under the moonlight and then continued to the farm.

A small fenced-in pasture with forty-some-sheep abutted a small cottage. I was loud riding in and heard a dog barking. I dismounted and knocked. A voice bellowed from behind the door.

“Who the fuck visits at this late hour!” A raging dwarf whipped the door open to see who had intruded on his peace. A grumpy dwarf…how generic.

“Zion? The barber? I am Lord Tannis in search of a barber for my growing village.” He looked me over for a brief moment before replying.

“That be my name. I have the skills you seek but no interest in plying my trade for you, human.” It seemed racism wasn’t just the province of humans. He made to close the door, so I attempted to persuade him.

“Good dwarf Zion. If I may? I have a proposal for you.” He paused. “My village is growing rapidly, and your services are greatly needed. Would you be open to moving your farm to my village? I would pay twice what you normally get for your wool and cheese. All you have to do is come to the village three days a week to ply your trade as a barber.” My voice sounded pleading, but I didn’t care. I needed a barber to satisfy one of Manto’s demands. If he agreed, I would need a fine tailor to complete the quest.

Zion seemed to be considering. “What town?” He asked.

Relief flooded me, “Malcum, just about 18 miles north of here. You can select your sheep pastures from the surrounding plains, and I will build you a house there as part of your compensation.” I added. I took a second to analyze him.

Zion, Male Dwarf, Level ???

Umm, Zion was at least level 100? Thoughts raced in my mind that maybe I didn’t want such a powerful unknown in my midst. He spoke, “I will come if you promise to get me four things. I want a breeding pair of gray merino sheep, a breeding pair of black merino sheep, a breeding pair of white Lincoln sheep, and a breeding pair of Dorset sheep.” I had no idea what any of that meant. And wasn’t that eight things? Don’t make him upset, Tallis I chided myself.

“That sounds exceedingly fair, Zion.” It was all I could say.

“Come in then!” He was now jovial and smiling. I was a little spooked about the sudden change. He opened a bottle of whisky, and we soon toasted a new partnership. I learned that Zion was a nomad dwarf. His subrace were wanderers. His wife, though, had been a mountain dwarf in the range past the mountains to the north. They had settled here fifty years ago and had been a bit isolated by the humans. The humans were not hostile but not welcoming either.

His wife and he had two sons who left to seek adventure some twenty years ago, and he waited for their return and for tales of glory. He would leave etchings in the stone to let the boys know where he moved to. The sheep…well, his wife had been a seamstress, and he turned the wool fine string for her weaving and sewing.

I silently swore. I might have finished the quest for Manto tonight if his wife had still been alive. The new sheep he wanted were to expand his offerings and improve his cheeses. I didn’t know how hard it would be to obtain them, but the quest that dropped into my inbox didn’t have a timeline, thankfully.

A little tipsy, I rode Titan home late at night. Excitedly, I hugged Jaesmin and told her about my minor success getting a barber. We kissed briefly, and she nervously revealed she was pregnant. I showed an abundance of enthusiasm and excitement for the news, and we made passionate love till the sun’s rays invaded the bedroom.

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