Underdark- Unending Abyss Region

I studied the inside of the completed Town Hall and made my way inside as both Jigibs and Abraxxus followed me. "This front room will be a common area, any requests the people have can be shunted through here. Any Quests you or your Seneschal create will also be posted here. Anything related to your rule is pretty much done here, my lord." Jigibs commented as I looked around the interior.

While we didn't have much for comfort, not yet anyway, there were several tables, couches, and chairs scattered around the room. All of it could easily be reorganized. The Goblin led us deeper into the building past various offices where the various administrators or envoys could work. "This room is where you can work from my lord. You can manipulate the table to bring up all the information on the settlement, direct work crews, create work orders, issue quests, anything and everything related directly to the settlement you can view from here." Jigibs stated as he pointed to the ornate desk and chair.

I moved behind the desk and touched it causing it to activate as a prompt appeared.

>>

Notice: Do you wish to establish and claim this settlement? Yes or No

Note* If you do not claim the settlement, anyone can.

>>

"YES!" I snapped out causing the prompt to disappear as another appeared.

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Notice: Do you wish to establish your own kingdom? Yes or No

Notice: Do you wish to pledge your allegiance to one of the following cities in your Region, Ineford or Eternal Night? Yes or No

>>

I went through the option and quickly discounted founding my own kingdom and quickly choose Eternal Night causing another series of notifications to pop up, but they were minimized as I reviewed the information on the table in front of me. However I made a mental note to research Ineford, if the city was close by and had a way to the surface, I now knew where I could link up with my friends.

Settlement Name: Nightwell Fortress*

Settlement Level: 1*

Settlement Ruler: Jacob Longstrider

Settlement Structures: Dread Hall, Long Houses (X 6)

Settlement Resources: Iron Mine (Operational/Unmanned), Silver Mine (Operational/Manned), Quarry (Operational/Manned), Mushroom Farm (Operational/Manned), Dark Oak Grove (Operational/Unattended), Platinum Mine (Compromised)

Settlement Status: Ruin

Settlement Loyalty: +100 (Neutral)

Settlement Morale: +100 (Neutral)

Settlement Productivity: +100 (+1%)

Settlement War Spirit: +100 (+1% Armor and Damage to all Defenders)

Settlement R&D: ---

Settlement Health: ---

Settlement Crime: ---

Settlement Edicts: ---

Citizen(s): 1

Guest(s): 330

Diplomat(s): (Locked, subordinate to Eternal Night)

Active Defenses: ---

Passive Defenses: Wall (Compromised)

Note* Settlement Levels will indicate how developed they are. At Level one, your Settlement is more of a hovel then anything else.

Note* Your Settlement is subordinate to another power, Eternal Night. The only way you can found a Kingdom is declaring your independence.

Besides the basic information, the display showed an overhead view of the fledgling settlement. "Why is it considered a 'ruin' still?" I asked the obvious question in my mind.

Jigibs cleared his throat and looked at the Lich who sighed, "We are considered a ruin because there are few core buildings built and the ruins of the previous settlement are still present. Once the remains of the ziggurat are gone and more core buildings crucial to the development of the settlement are constructed, the Settlement Status will rise." Abraxxus responded and I sighed in frustration. "Before you ask until people swear allegiance to you, they are considered 'guests', and envoys are self-explanatory." Abraxxus tacked on. I nodded in understanding and brought up the information on the settlement structures.

Building Name: Dread Hall (Town Hall)

Building Level: 1

Building Durability: 25,000

Description: Town Halls are the center of any settlement, despite their size. Vampire Town Halls are crafted to emulate the Race's dominance and power it once held, and perhaps someday will hold again, over Arakon and its people.

Effect 1: Decrease Loyalty and Morale losses by 10%

Effect 2: +5 to Loyalty, Morale, and Productivity (Daily)

Effect 3: Diplomacy is unlocked for your Settlement, and Diplomats can be sent and received from foreign Settlements. Can have up to (2) Diplomats and (4) Treaties. (Locked due to being subordinate to Eternal Night)

Effect 4: Can now Tax your populace (Current: 0%)

Effect 5: A Level 1 Town Hall can be used for Storage and House up to (20) people.

Effect 6: Can create Settlement Quests for Citizens, Diplomats, and Guests. A Level 1 Town Hall generates 500 Experience per Day. (Max: 50,000 Experience)

Building Name: Long House

Building Durability: 5,000

Description: Long Houses, while considered 'Core Buildings' because they can house a large population within their confines provide no additional benefits for their settlements. Long Houses can house 20, 40, or 60 sentients without degrading Loyalty, Morale, or Productivity.

"So the town hall has additional effects on the settlement. Does that apply with every building constructed?" I asked them and they both shook their heads.

"No, only some buildings will provide additional benefits for your settlement. The Town Hall, which is unique based on the Race that rules the settlement, has benefits-oriented towards the Town Halls function. For Goblins it's a Goblin Hold and its effects increase all Gathering and Crafting Skills gains while an Orc Hold will increase Combat Skill gains and which the rate its citizens gain experience in battle." Jigibs explained and I nodded in understanding but then focused on a few things I did not understand causing more information to appear on the display.

Settlement Loyalty determines how loyal the citizens are towards the Settlement Ruler. Settlement Loyalty can affect the overall settlement in many ways just like Settlement Morale. Do not mistake one for the other though. While your people might be happy, that does not mean they are loyal to you. Settlement Loyalty has nine stages, Traitor, Disloyal, Unreliable, Cautious, Neutral, Enthusiastic, Loyal, Trusting, To the Death, and depending on your Citizens Loyalty the Settlement War Spirit, Productivity, Crime, and even if new settlers will come will be affected. (Current Loyalty: Neutral)

Settlement Morale determines how loyal the citizens of the Settlement are. Do not mistake Morale for loyalty, for your Citizens could follow you to the death, they could be miserable. Settlement Morale can have an overall effect on the settlement as a whole, so keep your people not only loyal but happy as well. Settlement Morale has nine stages, Rebellion, Angry, Miserable, Unhappy, Neutral, Happy, Elated, Ecstatic, Pure Bliss, and depending on your Settlements Morale, War Spirit, Productivity, Population Growth, and even Health can be affected by the Morale of a Settlement. (Current Morale: Neutral)

Settlement Productivity is how fast Buildings and Crafting Skills will be produced for its citizens. Settlement Productivity can be affected in many ways, not just by Settlement Loyalty and Morale, but buildings and even people in official Positions within the Settlement. (Current Productivity: 1% Bonus)

"So Loyalty and Morale are two different aspects of running a Settlement, but Productivity is a pretty general description. What about Health, Crime, and Edicts, what are those?" I asked Abraxxus as I studied the display trying to get the information, but nothing came up.

"You will need to construct a Healer's Hut first to access the Settlement Health. Settlement Crime will not be unlocked until a crime is committed, you appoint a Magister or an Inquisitor. As far as Edicts, they are bonuses Settlement Rulers can issue when they are unlocked. You can only issue one Edict per Settlement Level. I should warn you, my lord, I understood why you kept the Goblin Tribe working the Silver Mine, but you should expect some losses from graft." the Lich warned and I snorted.

"I understand keeping the Goblin Tribe employed is a risk, but our manpower is limited. Besides the ten percent of Ore harvested, I expect to lose up to another five percent being 'lost' somewhere along the way. As long as it does not rise above it, I can stomach working with the Goblins. If it rises above that, I go back and kill the current foreman for theft and renegotiate for better terms." I told the Lich as I dismissed the display and looked at Jigibs. "What about Settlement R&D, what is that and how do we go about unlocking it?" I asked the Goblin.

"We would need to construct an Engineer's Hut, but until we get the basic Core Buildings finished, I would suggest we wait on that building my lord." Master Jigibs responded and I grunted.

"Agreed, what about a castle. Do we have the necessary resources and manpower to build a castle?" I asked the Goblin who studied me like I was crazy.

"Yes my lord, but it would take a large number of resources to build a castle, even the most basic castle," Jigibs responded before looking at Abraxxus.

"You want a fallback point for the people?" The Lich asked and I nodded. The Lich hummed and gestured at the table causing the display to light up again with the overall image of the chamber the new fortress was in. "Perhaps we need to reconsider the dimensions of the proposed wall master Jigibs, or the fortifications themselves." Abraxxus prodded and I frowned as I remembered what I had read when I had started all my research.

"What about a double wall? With a ditch in-between with a drawbridge? If we lose the outer wall, we still have a place to fall back too and the attackers will have an even more difficult time getting into the fortress." I told the Goblin who frowned and manipulated the display and highlighted the proposed defenses.

"So you want a double wall, with a mote in-between them, and a drawbridge as the only way to cross the mote. Correct?" the Engineer asked as he studied the hasty plans. I nodded and the Goblin added a second mote outside the outer of the two walls. "If we do this, we do it correctly and it will effectively make the two walls twenty feet tall. We will have to do all the preliminary work before the additional Geomancers get here, but it will make it nearly impossible siege towers to be used to breach the defenses and it will leave attackers one avenue to attack without extensive preparation." Jigibs mused as he studied the redundant defenses.

"Ok, have two of your work crews working on building a smithy and barracks, the last crew I want to be split between tearing down what remains of the ziggurat or doing the initial assessment of the wall," I told Jigibs before considering my other options and everything that needed to be built and what I wanted to be built. I already had two Quests related to the settlement.

"Master Jigibs, you already fill the role but I want you to consider taking on the official role as the settlements Chief Engineer," I told the Goblin who had the stunned look again before glancing at Abraxxus who shrugged. "Abraxxus, as you already are my Seneschal, do you have a problem with taking up the position of Chief Administrator for the settlement?" I asked the Lich causing him to jerk in surprise. Woohoo, one for me!

The Lich's glowing eyes studied me, seeing if I was serious before nodding his acceptance. "We need to do an official ceremony where those who wish to swear allegiance may do so." Abraxxus prodded and I sighed.

"Add it to the list of things to do. Choose a date that is acceptable, preferable after we are more secure and the core buildings are constructed and our defenses are in place." I told the Lich as I contemplated everything I had to do today, including that damned dungeon. Funny thing was, it wasn't the most dangerous thing we would face today. "Well gentlemen, have a good day. I am off to try and save the world, wish me luck!" I called over my shoulder as I headed out. I would read the notifications later once everything had died down.