As I sat down on the raised chair, I got a new pop-up.

Claim Castle (Garrison/Outpost) Core?

Yes/No

I am sure that there could be an argument made as to why someone wouldn’t want to claim a castle core. I don’t know what that argument could be or if it would ever sway me. After all, what kid didn’t grow up wishing that they lived in a magical castle? While I am sure that the Thickets had tricks that this castle didn’t, I was also sure that I was claiming the castle.

I selected yes and then got the core interface. I smiled as I started to review what I saw.

When I opened the interface for the Castle, the words were written in glowing orange.

Castle Core

General

Arn’s Garrison

Level 5

Type Large Core

Class Rare

Durability 300000/300000

Castles and forts the strongholds that provide peace through power. Like all fortifications, your castle core is designed to control the area around it, projecting the rule of law in the chaos of the world. Your castle will provide a secure location that will let you sleep soundly, rest and train. It can function as your seat of power to bring others to see your greatness.

This Castle Core is an outpost core, a sub-category of garrison cores. Where the garrison focuses on housing troops, the outpost focuses on its ability to view the area around it. Outposts can be moved but sacrifice curtain walls. An outpost can be changed from the outpost accession chain to the standard Castle core chain but can not be changed back.

Castle cores can be reproduced when a Castle reaches level 30 or when a Settlement reaches level 81. Castle cores can also be created through the sacrifice of 10 other building cores level 10 or higher.

>Growth

To level your Large core you must provide for it items needed to move to the next level of the building type.

Wood 75% Mana 0% Magical Items 160% Stone 5% Steel 45% Leather 23% Siege weapons 50%

>Traits

These are the abilities or traits that your Castle has.

Dry: your Castle keeps all things in it dry from weather Furniture: Your Castle provides basic furniture which will repair itself. (Bed, Table, Chair) These items can not be removed. Defense: Your castle is built from stone and will heal over time given access to the correct materials. Attack: By the command of the commander or by the watch the castle can attack those who are targeted. (An automated system can be activated through interface) Your outpost currently has 1 catapult(s) which will fire at a rate of once every 35 seconds. Armaments: Your castle will provide common grade weapons and armor for all who are inside of it. This equipment will last as long as the troops are within 10 miles of the core, or until captured or lost. Sick room: Your outpost has a room for the sick. This room decreases the spread of illness and increases speed of recovery by 20%. Movement: Your castle can change locations. 8 hours to pack into a single 50 pound block. 16 hours to unpack will adjust land to match needs may increase unpacking time due to poor location. 200 mana to pack/unpack. Line of sight: As far as the eye can see nothing can pass unnoticed. View castle map for updates of movements. Commander or Owner of castle can filter map.

>Layout

Enter into sub-interface for building options.

>Trigger movement

>Creation

This is locked until level 30

I slowly smiled. “This world is amazing.” I whispered to myself.

I pulled up the sub-interface for the building options and found that the door to the cellar had been removed, but the room still remained. The door to the stable was also close, and there wasn’t a stable listed as being connected. I also saw the hidden room that I just hadn’t picked up on because of the building layout.

On the second floor, between the garrison rooms, there was a single long room about four feet wide. I wasn’t sure what it was meant for, but the access to it was from under the stairs leading to the 3rd floor.

I triggered the addition of the cellar door. It would appear under both sets of stairs leading from the first floor up. Perhaps that’s where the lances were; however, I was thinking that it was more likely that the weapons went on the patrol or counted as the magical items that the castle was using to level.

I stood up from the throne and said. “So the cellar’s still here just the door vanished. I have added that back. Looks like the stable is gone so no door to it. There’s a room that we missed on the sweep of the building. It appears to be in the middle of the second floor. Renfry know anything about it?”

The revenant shook his head. “No my lord. This is the first I am hearing there was another room. Perhaps that is where the core is or even the lances?”

“Might be. Let’s go check it out.” I said as I headed towards the stairs.

Blink ran over, grabbed my hand, and smiled up at me. “Sounds funs, yous no leaves me this time.”

I laughed and looked down at the murderous lizard girl. “I didn’t mean to leave you last time. I just had to run to catch up to Kasidy as she went right into the unknown. It worked out this time but yeah, would have like you there with me.”

Blink nodded as we got to the stairs. “Kasidy tells me whole story. She so smarts figured out what needs to happen. She fairest bard ever.”

I didn’t say anything as we went down the stairs, but I did toss a look back at Kasidy. When she saw me, she blushed a little and broke eye contact. I wasn’t sure what she told Blink, but I was pretty sure it wasn’t the full and complete story of what happened.

We got to the bottom of the stairs and ducked back towards their base. We stopped, and all looked at the wall. There was nothing different about this wall, just stones being used to build up the stairs.

I started to feel the edges of the stones. “Everyone look to see if a stone moves or if you can find a button or something. The interface showed that the entrance is here.”

As I was looking high, Blink was looking low. Kasidy and Renfry both were on either side of me, looking at the walls. We were all feeling the stones and pushing. I thought I had found something, but it turned out to be just a coin that someone had wedged between stones.

Then Blink said. “Daddys I founds something. Looks same but feels different. Little hole!”

I looked down to see where she was pointing. I couldn’t see anything different, but the tip of her claw had vanished. I knelt down and felt the hole. It wasn’t very deep, and it felt like it had a symbol on the other side. I looked at my little finger and smiled.

I pressed my signet into the hole, and the wall vanished. Before us was a narrow hallway that went forward and then turned right. It wrapped around the back of the castle until it came to the middle. Then it would turn right again into the space between the rooms.

I pointed in. “Lets go.”

As I stepped in, the magical lights on the ceiling turned on. It was a tight fit, and we had to turn to the side to fit through. Once we got into the middle hall, the four feet felt like a whole house. I felt my tension leave my body as the wall wasn’t pressing on me anymore.

In front of us was a pedestal with a glowing core on it. Unlike the ones I made, this one was the size of two fists and pulsed with power. Coming directly off the pedestal were two thin metal rods that ran directly up.

I pointed at the rods. “I bet those led to the underside of the throne. It is likely why I don’t have to touch the core directly to access the interface.”

Kasidy asked. “What happens if that core is removed?”

“The smaller ones I have seen don’t seem like they can be removed. So I am not sure that this one could either. But there has to be a reason to protect it like this.”

Renfry spoke softly. “Cored weapons can be used by anyone. Perhaps if someone were to touch it directly they could claim the core and the outpost. It might be a way to keep others from using it?”

I nodded. “Well there’s nothing else to do here. Lets head back.”

As we turned to head back, I heard Blink in my head. “Daddy the core is asking me if I want to claim it and start a struggle with the current owner.”

I glanced over my shoulder. Blink was standing with her feet on the pedestal and her hands wrapped around the core. It looked like she was straining, trying to pull the core out of its mountings. I smiled and shook my head.

I thought back at her. “Did you think through what might have happened if the core popped out? We are in a magically created building. If it had come out we don’t know if the whole thing would have just fallen apart with us inside. Now stop trying to steal my castle and catch up.”

I watched for just a moment as Blink's shoulders sagged, and then she flipped backwards and thought to me. “Yes Daddy.”

A heartbeat later and she brushed by me as I slowed for the narrow spot. Blink laughed and called out. “Race yous outs!”

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