Stunned we look around to see if they had spawned at the Hearthtree. For several hours we tried to get them to answer their stone. Then a bright light appears and they were standing in front of the temple. Hans was wearing Odin’s Breastplate. Neither of them wanted to talk to us yet, they darted into the temple and close the door.

After a few hours, they exited the temple and walk over to the crowd standing around the Hearthtree. “Frigga, Odin and several other of the gods summons us to Asgard. Asking about what Loki did. Apparently, he stepped over the line on targeting my personality disorder. So I got the reward for the breastplate for attempting the quest thinking it was Odin’s quest. I was told they will not interfere with the lizardmen that it is up to us. It would seem that the gods have an agenda and they all do not agree on the course of action.” Hans shrug.

"I hope both of you are alright. Don't worry about the lizardmen, just focus on the two of you, I hope you are planning on staying as a paladin?” I said. Feeling a little envious of the couple as they held each other.

“Was thinking about it. I was told I can become a holy warrior called a Berserker with either a bear form or wolf form. But I declined it seems a bit to uncivilized for me.” Hans said. “The Guardian class looks good. Big on defenses and several skills in protecting one or more people. Still thinking I will remain a Paladin.

I notice Ann and a couple of warriors perk up at the talk of bear or wolf form.

"Cora, can you and Firebrand build a ten-foot wall three feet thick along the seashore? We may not have time for making a solid foundation. We can deal with that later. Should take you both about a few days to finish it. If we are not attacked by then. Ann, I need you to scout the area to the southeast near the swamp to see if they come. I need some people in the tower to keep a watch out.”

“No one goes near the water! I want the sewer stock with two weeks of food and water. All noncombat locals are going to be locked in with you Cora. I want you and two of the guards in there to protect them.” Looking over at Cora, “I also want at least five feet of stone blocking the stairs going down when you do go inside.” looking around at everyone.

Someone spoke, “air?”

“There are drains along the street with one-inch piping going into the sewer. Just to be safe block those pipes if you feel like something might come through. You should have several days of air down there. Hopefully, I can defuse this before it becomes a war.” I said.

“We need supplies stock up. Blacksmiths there quite a few weapons and spears heads that need to be clean up and made usable." looking over at the blacksmiths.

"Joseph, can you set up a wooden weapon rack in the tower and each of the Hovels? Then I need you to look over the ballista and see if you can make any of the wood parts. I will pay for your labor get with me later." I ask.

I turn toward Gema. “Get with the Blacksmiths tomorrow and help Joseph stock the weapons in the towers and hovels.”

Joseph nodded back at me, “Should be no problem, a recipe on the racks would help.”

Hardrock do you or one of the blacksmiths wanting to be a weaponsmith?” Seeing him nodding. “I know the blacksmith shop is not built but the forge is still there intact. Can you check out and see if it workable? I can build the ballista just need parts. See if any of the metal parts can be made? Use the bronze weapons stored in the basement of the tower. Those that can't be salvage just melt them down, please. Also in the basement are some copper, tin, and iron ingots use them. I was hoping to save the iron for swords.

Hardrock started to smile at the mention of Iron Ingots. "We can make some weapons for ya! Mister Mayor!"

“Remind me to show you on the map of several mines of copper and iron in the area. Speaking of the mines, after this issue is over anyone that wants to lay claim to a Mine. I get one-fourth of the ore you mine. That the payment for you to have the rights to them." Hearing some interested murmurs. Both dwarves rub their hand in glee. "I will be posting it when the Town Hall is completed."

“I like to have ten ballistae. But the settlement only allows one per wall and one per tower the wizard tower don't count. So that makes five we can make. I won’t have time to make them but I can put them together. Can you have parts for the four ballistae? Two with bolt and two as catapults?" Looking at both Joseph and Hardrock seeing both of them nodding.

"Rest of you that don't have anything to do can you find small roundish rocks. We need rock from an inch up to two inches in diameter. Hardrock you may have to use the spearheads we got to make the ballista bolts

Turning toward the tree, "Mesa-la can I give out quest?

“It can be done on the Interface under the tab Quest,” she responded.

“Can I buy patterns on the Ballista parts or do I need to buy the full patterns,” I ask as I am scrolling through the interface.

“Check on the fortification tab under Ballista,” she said.

I scan through the tab and click on Ballista. Finding several different recipes for the ballista and its parts. Costing me 50 gold for each of the wood and metal recipes. I gave one to Joseph and one to Hardrock. Getting a weapon rack recipe for Joseph costing me ten gold.

"Okay that all I have, anything else?" Looking around at everyone. "Well, let's get to work!" clapping my hands.

Turning back to Mesa-la as everyone walks away. “Mesa-la I have a few things to talk to you about.”

“Oh you sound serious,” she seems to sound surprised. “What do you want to know?”

“When I summon the troops I didn't get any dwarves. Is there a glitch? I would have assumed being a dwarf I would have gotten dwarves.” I commented.

“Let me look.” After a few minutes. “Found the problem the settlement was not clear from the previous settlement. It was set to humans. I can reset it but you will lose the option for humans or I can add dwarf as primary with humans as secondary. You will have to research for other races and troops.”

“Wait I can research troops?” I asked surprised.

Once your barracks is made you get can an interface with it and set your research options. Troops, leadership, wall, siege weapons and troop training. It cost money and experience points.”

“Oh, it uses experience points that going to hurt.” I mutter, “Go ahead add dwarves to primary and humans to secondary.”

“Done is there anything else?” She asked.

“I am Dwarven should I be getting dwarven blueprints? I am getting Viking but I figure I should have the ability to build dwarven structures.” I replied.

“Oh dear let me look.” Again she quiet for a few moments. “The Settlement was set to human occupants. Since all your buildings are in the Viking culture style. I am going to change that to Dwarven with Viking influence. Once your Town Hall is built you can research other culture influence to your settlement. As well as diplomacy, farming, infrastructure, and building type. You still will unlock basic building that will be required to go to the next settlement level.

“So what else have I not notice on research?” I looked around.

“Wizard Tower research type of magic user, spells, runes for defenses,” she said. “A dock will add to research to fishing, ships and open port of travel by ships to other port. There are other buildings that do research but you are a long way from that.”

“I better get the barracks done, we will probably need more troops.” waving bye to Mesa-la and headed to the foundation of the barracks over by the West Gate. Touching the foundation of the barracks. A prompt appears showing me a dozen different pattern for a barrack. The one I pick was a squat stone building with a stone roof that is flat with a four-foot battlement. Took me the whole day and half the night to finish the building. Just as the prompt appeared.

Do you wish this building to be a Barracks? YES/NO?

“Yes?” I said.

Do you wish to pick a building design?

I pull up the Dwarven building I saw and click accept

Congratulation you have built a Dwarven Barracks!

Congratulation you have received 1000 Experience.

DING you have Leveled to LEVEL FOUR!

You have received +3 stats points.

You have 9 unused stat points.

You have +3 level to skills.

You have 9 Unused Skill Level.

Pick 10 Troops for Barrack.

Looking through and seeing Dwarven Axemen. Dwarven Pikemen and Dwarven Crossbowmen. I choose five Dwarven Axemen and five Crossbowmen.

Ten warriors walk out of the Barrack. Wearing leather armor, all of at level two with the bonus of the Barrack adding +1 level to all his warriors. Looking them over and satisfied he sent them to the south to guard the new wall being build by Coral and Fire. Each of the crossbowmen reaches into a barrel pulling out a quiver of bolts.

Looking around for the interface I found the research tab. Turning off the names for the leadership in the various Viking languages. And pick a general ranking system easier to understand. Seeing what is listed he see Corporal-at-arms is open slotted, everything else is gray out. Showing five days to research it. Oh well, need some type of leadership No one in Kari guild wants to be a general, chuckling.

Researching Leadership – Corporal-at-arms: 4 days, 23 hours, 58 minutes, 53 seconds. Cost 300 silver. 300 experience. Monthly maintenance of 5 gold. 4 units of food, and housing.

“Wow losing experience as the town grows is going to hurt. But can see how it will keep a settlement become too overwhelming to the area on troops.” muttering to himself.

A Corporal-at-arms is three levels above his warrior. and can lead five warriors they give a +1 morale, +1 Damage, +1 to Defense. A corporal can once per five minutes perform an Attack Command. An Attack Command allows a unit to do Double damage to their enemy for one minute. A Corporal wears leather armor, bronze hand ax, and a wooden shield. Each time a Corporal level so does his men. Losing a Corporal does -5 to morale. -1 to damage and Defense.

Seeing the Sergeant was next Jack rub his hands together. Looking over the research tree he sees a wall branch that shows. Wall strength, wall slot for runes, rune research, and supply line. He can research siege engineering, battle tactic, fortification, troop special abilities and more. But seeing he can only have one research going at a time. Gaining another when Safehaven reach township.

Some of them seem to be linked to other building like runes that can be studied at a wizard tower. Teaching a warrior to read and write can speed up leveling. So much to learn it will take a lifetime to build up a settlement to something great.

Putting Sergeant-at-arms in the next position. Looking it over the cost going to be 500 gold and 500 experience. 5 days to built. Seeing that he has enough to research it he put into the queue.

A Sergeant at arm has up to four corporal and their unit under him. +3 to morale, +3 damage, + 2 Defense. A Sergeant at arm can one per five-minute boost Attack or Defense for one minute. Once per hour yell a Rally Cry +10 to morale. A Sergeant-at-arms wears scale leather armor. Two hand ax.

Seeing a blinking light at the bottom of the screen.

All research has a one percent chance of opening a random class.

Looking over the random class for a second he closes the screen. “Guess that is done for now.” Looking toward where the sun is thinking we need a clock. He heads to the cemetery to talk to his wife and daughter before the sun sets in a few hours.

Ann watch him go to the cemetery to keep an eye out for danger not letting him know he is protected. He walks around the inside of the cemetery and lights each of the grave markers for twelve hours. She knows he is using a lot of mana to do that touching each one and saying a prayer. It took her several days of following to understand that he was saying 'rest in peace.' After he was done lighting everything. He goes over to his wife and daughter stones and lights their markers. Sitting down and starting talking to them telling them everything he has done over the whole day.

She moves back and blends into the tall grass around her letting her senses go out. Finding nothing around them. She watches this man that loves a woman and child so much that he building a settlement for them. A single tear fell to the ground. As she watches him wept.