Later that day, the Landing was a hive of furious activity. The long-awaited town upgrade was here, and it was time to start making the moves planned by Harold.
The sound of hammers carried across the square in overlapping rhythms rather than lonely bursts, echoing the hope and ambition within each heart. Adventurers gathered in the square for a couple of different escort missions, their eyes alight with the thrill of new quests. New summons came out of the portal, greeted warmly by representatives of Margaret's administrative replacement. Among them, a young girl, hair tied in a bright ribbon, clutched her doll and gazed in wonder at the small bustling townscape. A craftsman, his hands calloused and stained with dye, whispered a prayer of gratitude as his cart of wares rumbled onto new soil, his dreams of prosperity and stability mingling with the town's noise.
Now Harold was summoning sixty people a day, and the change was palpable, the air thick with unspoken dreams. Families spilled out with their kids running underfoot, laughter mingling with the steady clamor, while craftsmen emerged with their wagons of goods and livelihoods, ready to anchor their future in this place of newfound opportunity. Harold realized he would have to make the area around the stele a controlled zone so the process wouldn't be disrupted, but in that moment, he saw what they would become if this kept up.
Harold could see Caldwell, who hadn't even come away from his ledgers to see the town upgrade, get excited about potential recruits in the summons. Caldwell walked out to talk to a scholarly-looking man guiding a cart powered by some kind of donkey. He quickly reminded himself that he would need to thank the man for all his work somehow. The town would not be as smooth without his work.
Harold paused at the edge of it, long enough to see the pattern forming, then turned directly toward the stele.
It had moved with the upgrade to town; the small keep had risen onto a small but steep hill, and the stele was now at the base of the path that led up to the keep. Runes glowed with that blue, quiet, constant light. He placed a hand against the cool stone and felt the familiar resistance give way.
Village Starter Stones were listed as an option to withdraw from the stele. With a deep breath, he selected to withdraw two of the possible five of them. The small stones appeared in his hands, shining with a deep purple light, and he quickly motioned to the people standing nearby with the crates ready for them.
He turned as the interface collapsed, stones already cooling in his palms, and found half the square watching him with an enthusiasm they were trying very hard to disguise. Word traveled fast when the stele was involved.
The people were gathered to prepare to start the new villages, and the excitement was palpable. Harold actually needed to give incentives to people willing to travel and start new areas. The people here had just spent either weeks building this town and not many wanted to travel and start all over again. Harold had promised chits to those willing and land from the new village that would be theirs. Caldwell had protested that decision, but Harold argued that eventually people needed something to call their own.
Two hundred people were lined up to start the march down to the site of their farming village at the base of the plateau. 40 adventurers would be going with them, eager for new places to explore and new perks to earn. They would set their respawn site at the new stele when the leader of the new village placed it.
Josh peeled off, calling orders, while legionaries shifted into motion with the easy efficiency that came from repetition rather than pride. Three wagons were already being loaded with the few tools they could spare, seed stock, preserved food, and the awkward miscellany that never fit cleanly on a list but always mattered later.
The first stone went into a padded chest on the lead wagon. “Aiden,” Harold said.
The man looked up, relief flickering across his face before being replaced by caution. "Lord Harold," Aiden said, his voice carrying the rhythm of his homeland. Aiden stepped away from the crate he escorted into the wagon and walked over to him, "I know we talked about this already. Among the people here, you have the best handle on farming and on the administrative side of organizing people. Get them to walk on the same path. I don't need to impress on you how important it is to get the farming going as soon as possible. We will need the grain and produce from your fields by summer. You do well at this, and I'll give you a title and make your control over the village formal."
Aiden looked pressured talking to Harold, but he also firmed his resolve as he spoke.
“Two hundred settlers,” Harold continued. “Three squads of the legionaries with you immediately, but one full century after the refugees finish crossing. You’ll have protection, but you won’t have much time.”
Silence stretched while Aiden looked at Harold with an overwhelmed expression. Harold continued, “You have good people to advise you, so listen to their advice. I believe in you.”
Aiden finally managed to get out a quick “ Yes, my Lord. I won’t fail you.” Aiden swallowed, then nodded, grip tightening into a fist. “I can do it.”
“I know,” Harold said, and meant it in the most practical sense possible. “You’ll be free to leave when you get your column ready. You need to leave as soon as you can.”
Harold turned away, giving a rushed goodbye to Aiden as Margaret showed up by his side. She gave a quick nod to Aiden and motioned Harold off to the side, out of easy earshot.
Margaret began talking as soon as they were away from the others, “The forum posts made by the people here about the upgrade are gaining a lot of traction. Some people are calling it fake, but they’re in the minority. Most people are asking how you did it, but a couple are also asking about the benefits. I know you have a forum message prepared with a lot of the information needed to upgrade to a town. I think this is the perfect time to release it.”
?Harold pulled up the forums and saw the posts she was talking about. The number of replies was staggering, with many people happy about the upgrade. There was so much bad news on the forum, it was nice to get one piece of good news for once.
?“Alright, I’ll post it. I’ll finish the work on the forum about common monsters and what to look out for, and post that later as well. We have some momentum now, let’s maintain that as much as possible.” Harold said as he hit Post on his draft, and it disappeared into the ether.
?“How are we looking on the group going to the farming village? I know you argued for Aiden, but what about the people going?”
?Margaret looked over as they walked towards a separate, smaller group of people being organized for a march down to the river site.
?“Aiden took your oath, but he also took the oath I created for my section. His starter perk is handy. It allows him to achieve 5% greater efficiency in the processes he participates in. It’s part of why I drew him into the administrative section, but I’m hoping that carries over into running a village. I have another 4 people in the group who have taken my oath. I’m confident they will be safe internally and externally. Hale could probably give you a better assessment on that, though.”
?
Harold stopped and looked at the furious activity surrounding them. Two separate groups were preparing to depart. Construction was still going on, the smiths were already hammering away after the excitement, and the loggers were back at work pushing the forest back. Meat was being smoked and rations were being prepared. A tatanka was being guided into the town from the mine, carrying raw ore to be processed by the apprentices of the smiths. Amid all this bustling energy, Harold's gaze caught an exhausted smith pausing to wipe the sweat from his brow with a soot-stained handkerchief before sharing a weary but triumphant grin with a fellow worker. Not far off, a logger, hands blistered but spirit undeterred, exchanged a light-hearted joke with a companion, momentarily easing the burden of their relentless task. Raw material was coming in, and the town was being built. It was time to expand.
?
“Alright, Margaret, I’ll trust the preparations. I know this is something we have been working towards. What do I need to know about your administrative section replacement?”
?
Margaret’s eyes followed Harold as he looked over the activity around them. The sun was high overhead, and the heat was rising as summer approached. It was a pleasant day, and she briefly considered having a cup of tea, but that hope was dashed when she knew she had to go to the river site with Harold to vet the leaders of the proposed village.
?
“Anil managed a hydroelectric plant in Nepal. He’s honest to a fault and doesn't tolerate corruption. He will keep the administrative functions honest. There have already been people attempting to bribe a couple of them for privileges, what few there are. Anil once flatly rejected a seemingly innocent request by a colleague to prioritize certain paperwork, insisting on maintaining fairness.”
“That resolve, though admirable, will easily ruffle feathers later, but you will need it to maintain honest administrators.” Harold raised his eyebrows in surprise, but Margaret continued. “I reported it to our resident judge, who is almost done with our fledgling set of laws. He will handle it.”
?
Harold kept walking and said, “Let me know how that goes and if I need to step in.” Harold stepped up to the crate that was loaded into the wagon and checked the village starter stone that was in it. Seeing the stone glow a soft purple inside it, he turned to Centurion Carter, who was nearby, and asked. “Are we ready to go?”
?
Centurion Carter stepped away from talking to Centurion Garrick, giving a quick salute. “ Yes, my Lord, we are ready when you are.”
?
“Whelp, let's get to it. As it is, we will already arrive at the site after the refugees. Sooner we get there, the sooner we can get it functioning.”
?
Centurion Carter stepped forward to get the column moving. Four wagons of supplies were being carted down to the site. Most of it was construction material, and this would be the last large shipment of this kind. Harold couldn't keep slowing down the Landing the way he was, as vital resources were being strained. Only essential items, such as nails and tools, would be allowed in subsequent shipments due to limited industrial capacity. This decision had already delayed the bathhouse for many unhappy people.
?
Harold hopped up onto the wagon to continue working on his forum post about common monsters and the perks they gave, but his mind kept drifting to Sarah. On one hand, she had done something hazardous, ignoring what he said. On the other hand, because she had done that, he was able to direct her to wake the Thresher King.
There were already a couple of posts about a massive crocodile moving through the river, with one even copying the panel that showed up when looking at a Region Boss. It has a simple “Thresher King” in a dark blue light. Indicating that the Thresher King was only a Rare region boss, but that didn't diminish the threat. He had been spotted as far south as Arjun and Henri’s villages. He hadn't heard anything from Dalen about him being seen that far north, but there was no doubt he had been there as well. He was the king of the river, and he was making his presence known.
?
Harold pondered how to handle the situation with Sarah and was quickly coming to an unfortunate conclusion. He would have to give her some kind of punishment. Adventurers were an independent lot, but he needed them to listen to instructions when given. They were too important to be lost in senseless actions. But maybe a dual approach would be better: punishment for doing something he specifically said not to do, and a reward for meritorious actions. Inwardly, however, he felt a pang of regret. The thought of reprimanding Sarah, his own sister, filled him with a quiet sorrow, for he valued his limited family dearly and knew the strain it would place on their bond. Yet, he also understood that leadership sometimes demanded painful choices.
?
Harold steadied himself as the wagon started, and he went back to working on the forum post. It would do a lot of good for many people. The rate of village destruction had picked up. In many regions, alliances were forming among villages that were much closer to one another. Harold never knew why more people didn't start in this region, but he learned to take advantage of it. The closer villages provided early protection but eventually competed for limited space. Here, he had enough room to expand without having to worry.
?
A couple of his guards walked behind the wagon, perpetually following him, and Centurion Carter stepped up to the wagon with Margaret in tow. He helped her into the wagon and sat her down next to Harold.
“Beautiful day for a cup of tea right now,” Margaret muttered.
?
“Sorry,” Harold replied, recognizing Margaret's knack for fairness and precision in assessing people. “I need your perk to vet these people. The village will become a logistical and industrial hub. It’s too important for it to fail this early.” ?
“I didn’t say I disagreed with your reasoning, Harold. I’m simply saying it's a beautiful day for a cup of tea.”
?Harold grinned with her prim and proper tone before turning to Carter. “We good?”
?Carter looked at him, always jovial. “We’re good, from the reports, Raul did good work on the road down to the river site, but we’ll fix anything on the way.”
“Want to spar when we stop tonight?” Carter asked. “You’re looking a little frustrated right now.”
?
Harold looked at him, annoyed, “I am frustrated right now. I was thinking about what to do about Sarah when I see her again. She did a good thing, but went against my instructions. She’s always been strong-willed, but I need the adventurers to follow instructions.”
?
Carter looked at him, confused, while Margaret did the same thing with an awkward look on her face.
“What?” Harold demanded.
?
“Harold, you’re a lovely man, but you’re an idiot,” Margaret said.
?
Carter concealed a large smile and was obviously failing. Margaret pointed a finger at Carter, which did nothing to calm him down.
“You have a large blind spot for your sister. In that battle with the goblins, you flew into a fight you really shouldn't have won if not for your overpowered perks. You gave her a potion that increases her physicality by 15%, and no one else has gotten that yet. You got her perks that first day that no one else in the human sphere can get now. You have done your best to make her as powerful as possible, and Vera and her team still overshadow her with smart, consistent results. The Thornwalkers have been your most effective unit to date. And they have none of those advantages. The only service Sarah and her team have done is waking up that region boss, and that's bad for everyone in the basin, it’s just arguably less bad for us.”
?
The longer she spoke, the more awkward Harold felt and looked as he tried to retreat into the wall of crates behind him, while even Carter had the grace to look embarrassed for him.
?
“Your sister needs a reality check. She may have noble intentions, but she is treating this like a game. Mark and Evan have already reported muttering about it. You need to quell those by showing you won't play favorites with her. Even when you obviously do.”
Margaret said all this in such a matter-of-fact tone that Harold had no choice but to believe her. Harold turned to Margret, facing his emotional turmoil...”I’ll think on it, I know something needs to be done.”
Harold looked at the Landing that was retreating behind him, at the progress that was being made, and at what they had created. He knew he couldn’t get onto other people about standards when he didn’t do the same thing himself.
“Ah damn,” He said.
