Chapter 57 “In the Heart of Innovation”

Violet

Part of my brain was listening in on a conversation between two of my citizens. Amelia and Thomas, two weary Oath Bound humans, sat on a rickety wooden bench outside their modest cottage. They had just finished their evening meal, a meager spread of boiled potatoes and a few scraps of salted mushrooms. The taste of disappointment lingered in the air as they began to argue about the quality of their food.

Amelia, her voice tinged with frustration, spoke first. "Thomas, I can't take this anymore. Every day, it's the same bland, tasteless food. Boiled potatoes and a sliver of mushroom if we're lucky. How are we supposed to survive on this?"

Thomas, a practical man who had known hardship all his life, defended their meal with a resigned sigh. "Amelia, you know times are tough, but the food is better than before. The wolves were worse, remember, or is your memory so short? And we can't afford to waste what little we have. This is all we can afford right now."

Amelia's eyes welled with frustration. "I understand that Thomas, but it's been like this for months. We used to have hearty stews and occasionally some fresh vegetables from the community garden. Now, it's just this never-ending monotony. I can't even remember the last time we had a good meal."

Thomas put a comforting hand on Amelia's shoulder. "I miss those days too, love. But we can't change our circumstances overnight. We're doing our best to make do with what we have. What we have is better than being beaten or killed for no reason."

Amelia's frustration grew, and she snapped, "But Thomas, it's not just about the taste. It's about the hope it gives us. A good meal used to bring us joy, even in hard times. It made us feel like we could get through anything. Now, it's like we're just surviving, not living."

Thomas nodded in understanding. "I hear you, Amelia. I miss those days too. But we're resilient. We'll find a way to improve our situation. Maybe we can barter some of our goods with the neighboring farm for fresher produce. Or maybe Violet will come up with something, I believe in her."

Amelia's face brightened a little at the suggestion. "That might work. And I can plant more fruit trees next spring. We'll make our own luck, even if we have to work twice as hard."

Thomas smiled, relieved to see his wife's spirit returning. "That's the spirit, love. We're in this together, and we'll find a way to make things better. One day, we'll have a feast like we dreamed, and it'll taste all the sweeter for the struggles we've endured."

As the morning sun rose above the horizon, Amelia and Thomas continued to discuss their plans to improve their food situation. I listened in their argument had slowly transformed into a conversation of hope and determination, a testament to their resilience in the face of adversity.

Until they started fighting about onions.

Anyways, once that argument started, I shifted my focus to the others around the domain.

Alright, I know I have been focused on war and building defense. I think we need to go beyond our little valley in the rocks. I am going back to one of my first advantages: Sanctum-Engineering Bay. I remember the little clock work puppet. I think they would be perfect for working in my underground hanger. Superheroes, eat your heart out.

I pulled my mind out of my overhead god view and placed my view into one of my higher end robotic bodies. I hunched over the cluttered workbench, a mosaic of gears, springs, and metal scraps spread before me. The task was daunting, but I was determined. I felt my inner core burned brighter than the workshop's lamplight. With nimble fingers, I carefully selected a delicate brass gear, polished to a shine, and a tiny, ornate clockwork spring.

I envisioned my creation—a clockwork puppet that could dance with the grace of a ballerina. It was a challenging endeavor, for I aimed to imbue my puppet to have some life to it, or at least the illusion of it. The puppet's joints needed to move fluidly, mimicking the grace and beauty of a human dancer.

My memories started to take me back to a time when life was simpler, filled with the warmth of family and the joy of shared moments. One that I hadn’t ever remember before, but the focus, and my new skills must have brought it forward. This new memory brought a smile to my face, and it was of my dad picking me up from dance class. He was wearing that goofy Indiana Jones hat stylized hat.

I could still vividly recall the scene: the dance studio's soft, wooden floors, the sound of music lingering in the air, and the excited chatter of children as they left the class. And there, in the doorway, stood my dad, a tall figure with a rugged charm, wearing that iconic fedora.

He had a mischievous twinkle in his eye, and as I rushed into his arms, he would dramatically tip his hat, just like the famous adventurer he admired. I would giggle, feeling like the luckiest girl in the world to have a dad who could make even a mundane moment feel like an epic adventure.

"Hey there, my little dancer," her dad greeted her with a gentle pat on the back. "How was class today?"

I beamed up at him, my eyes shining with excitement. "It was amazing, Dad! I learned a new routine, and Ms. Eve said I did great!"

My dad chuckled, a soft and reassuring sound. "I'm not surprised at all. You've got the grace of a swan and the dedication of a marathon runner. I'm so proud of you, noodle."

I blushed, feeling a surge of warmth in my heart. My dad always knew how to make me feel special. "Thanks, Dad. I love dancing, and I love that you come to watch me."

He knelt down to my eye level, his eyes filled with pride and love. "I wouldn't miss it for the world, Vi. You know, when you dance, it's like watching pure magic unfold."

Little did he know that I was currently mixing some magic with a boiler.

My dad's words were like a comforting embrace, and as we walked out of the studio hand in hand, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the unwavering support and encouragement I received from him. I wonder how my life would have been different if he had lived. Then I looked up at his hat, as he placed it on my head before lifting me into the back of our truck.

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The hat became a symbol of him, even after his death, a connection between father and daughter that transcended the ordinary. It reminded me of the love and support that always surrounded me, no matter where life's adventures took me.

In my memory, I heard the click of the seat belt as my dad brought it across my booster seat, and with that click I snapped back to the present.

I went back to meticulously assembling the puppet's limbs, each joint designed to articulate in harmony with the others. I attached miniature cogs to the joints, connecting them to a complex system of gears hidden within the puppet's torso. My hands moved with a surgeon's precision as I wound the main spring, ready to infuse life into my mechanical creation.

As the puppet came together, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. I had poured her heart and soul into this project, and now, as I turned the key, starting to wind the gears just like an old-fashioned clock back on earth.

I held my breath in anticipation. The clockwork puppet sprang to life, its limbs moving in a mesmerizing dance that transcended the boundaries of mere machinery.

I watched with a mixture of awe and joy as my creation twirled and pirouetted on the workbench. It was a testament to my ingenuity and determination—a tiny dancer brought to life through gears and springs. In that moment, I felt a deep connection to the art of clockwork craftsmanship, and I knew that this was just the beginning.

My goal was to create a doll of sorts that I could put on autopilot or give a simple task too. It was the same idea of Nightmare, but I didn’t want to create another Sion. I just need something to help be my body. This was my success. It was a clock were doll that I could say, go hammer this nail in, and it would. It was a good moment for me.

The system reward me with a notification, which I will look at in a moment, but first I wanted to scan the little clock work, worker. I activate my scan ability.

Character Name

Does not have the ability to hold a name

Race:

Error

Creation: Clockwork puppet- Tool

Class:

Construct

Background:

Mechanical Marvel

Appearance:

* Height: Approximately 18 inches

* Build: Petite and delicate

* Materials: Puppet is crafted from polished brass, with intricate, engraved patterns covering its surface. Its joints and limbs are made of finely wrought steel gears and springs. Its eyes are two small, glowing blue crystals.

Abilities:

Clockwork Mechanism

Puppet operates with clockwork precision, granting it enhanced agility and dexterity. It can perform intricate tasks with ease.

Small Stature

Being small in size allows the puppet can easily navigate through tight spaces and remain unnoticed in certain situations.

Limited Autonomy

can follow simple commands and perform basic actions like walking, carrying small objects, or mimicking human gestures.

Mechanical Resilience

As a clockwork construct, the puppet is resistant to fatigue, illness, and many natural hazards that affect living creatures.

Glowing Eyes

glowing blue crystal eyes can illuminate its surroundings in darkness, aiding in exploration and vision-related tasks.

Weaknesses

Fragile Construction

Despite its agility, the puppet is fragile and can be easily damaged by strong impacts, crushing forces, or exposure to extreme heat.

Limited Autonomy

ability to think and act is constrained by its programming and lacks true sentience or emotions.

Clockwork Limitations

It requires regular winding to remain operational. Overwinding can cause malfunctions, while neglecting winding can lead to inactivity.

Personality: Puppet doesn't possess emotions or consciousness but instead acts as a diligent and obedient servant, following the commands of those it serves. It mimics human gestures and expressions to the best of its abilities.

Inventory:

* Small brass key for winding

* A miniature satchel containing spare gears and springs.

* A tiny, ornate quill and parchment for writing

I then pull up my system notification.

System Notification: You have upgraded your Clockwork Puppet Spawner. Experience unlocked. Subgroup added to spawner but can only be special crafted. Future upgrades will be processed through spawner.

I pull up my citizens of the Kingdom tab.

Citizens of the Queendom

Level

Upgrades

Clockwork Puppet

6

These are in the style of a marionette: a puppet worked from above by strings attached to its limbs. However, the strings have been replaced with gears and a turntable spring.

Basic models are armed with short blades or daggers.

Nightmare Puppet

Error

System limit to one. Create is a Scion. Check Sion’s sheet for more details

Additional add ons

Level

Definitions

Basic

Trap-Doll

Spawn Chance

20-25%

5

This is a small model of a human figure, typically one of a baby or girl, used as a child's toy. The trap doll will come to life and drop on any unsurprising prey. It will team up if in proxy to other Trap-Dolls.

It attacks with knitting needles, scissors, and hooks.

Basic

Trap-Stuffed Animal

Spawn Chance

20-25%

6

This is a toy animal, normally in the shape of a bear. It can be made of fabric stuffed with a soft filling or a dead animal that has been stuffed. Bonus: If created from a dead animal, it will use natural weapons to attack. Example: A teddy bear made from a dead tiger will use the claws and teeth of the original animal.

It attacks with chains, rope and depending on size brute strength.

Special Build

Clockwork

Dungeon Core Worker

1

This is a specialized doll created for use by the Core. Additional information is under tools tab.

Dammit. I completely forgot to be upgrading my spawners. Dammit. Dammit. There is so many things that I need to juggle, and these outside pressures aren’t helping. Okay. I am going to need a to do list. At least, I can get my little workers going on the air ship workshop, I have already dug out the space.

Taking a deep breath, I noticed that my puppets have all leveled up.

I will need to check in with my scions and spawners. Maybe, we can finish that council meeting.