First, a stage was built before the manor to host the first election for the position of Head-Crafter. Next was setting up and preparing for the grand opening of the Adventurer’s Guild. Finally, there were the preparations for tiering up the settlement.
Wanting to look like the lord of the settlement, I wore my noble attire, including a sword strapped to my waist and the finely made vest Bryst made for me. Once I was ready for the day, I made my rounds of the settlement to see how everything was progressing. The first stop was the Adventurer’s Guild. I noted that it appeared completed, so I walked up to the building to inspect what it offered.
Looking at the outside, I noticed it looked like your stereotypical adventurer’s guild building from any video game or novel. It was a half-stone, half-wooden construction, and it didn’t offer much elegance, but that is what you get with a pretty low-tier building, I guess. Nothing like that auction house that I visited.
Stepping inside, there is a mild aura that calms the mind. This aura will likely prevent issues or help adventurers relax after a long day of completing quests. The second thing on a small list of changes that I noticed is that the tables and counter have some slight changes with the completion of the building. Deciding to walk up to the counter, a notification appears.
- Would you like to sign up for the Adventurer’s Guild? Yes/No -
Mentally selecting no, for now, I continue to observe the surrounding building.
The tables have seamlessly matched the surrounding wood panels, and there is now a blank circular disk inlay into their center. There is also a slightly different chair at each table, so a quick guess would be that the party leader is supposed to sit in that chair. There may be options for the chairs to all become the same so there is an equal balance for the parties sitting, but for now, I will continue with my inspection of the building.
Around the room are four banners, each in line with a table. These banners are currently black, though I can feel a light, magical draw from them. My only guess is that these banners showcase the top four parties in the settlement and create a competition to see whose banner can remain up for the longest without being toppled.
Wrapping up my inspection of the building, I head out and continue my route. With one less task on my list, I start to make my way to the walls. Along my way, I run into as many people as possible to inform them of the election that is happening today. After the first couple of groups I run into, though, whoever has been spreading the word has done a far better job than I could have hoped. I continued to the walls without stopping to chat with groups anymore since they seemed to know.
Throughout the inspection and my walk to the wall, I felt the same ever-present set of eyes on me. It isn’t until I reach the wall that I finally meet the set of eyes.
Lennix is leaning against the wall at the base of the stairs that would head up to the parapet.
“What does a young dragon whelp expect coming out here when an election occurs in the settlement center?” He asks, with a toothy grin that displays his lack of enthusiasm for my existence.
“I am allowed to look around the settlement one last time before we tier it up.” I retort, my tone short and clipped, not appreciating his question about my leisure activities.
“Easy boy, I’m not here to pick a fight, at least not if I have to. I would apologize, but I won’t. I won’t judge a whelp based on his activities, but it does surprise me. From what I know, there is no way for someone to awaken their bloodline after the initial attempt when they turn 18. What’s been two or three years since yours? And if I am not mistaken, and believe me when I say this, my nose is picking up a distinctively different bloodline scent from you compared to that codger of a father you.” A look of disdain flashes through his eyes at the mention of my father, which only further cements my dislike for Lennix.
“And what of it? It isn’t against any laws in the settlement to have a differing bloodline than your parents,” I snap at him, fed up with him already and wanting to continue by myself for a bit.
Watching as I turn to head up the stairs, he grabs my arm, his eyes going red, “Tell me, I just want to know how. I have many in my line, and most end up either falling into the madness of the bloodline awakening or not awakening at all. So few of my lineage can awaken; even for those that do, they hardly ever make it to my age.”
Looking into his eyes, I can’t tell what emotion this red comes from. Anger? Sadness? Or has he started to go insane for the various acts he has been asked to accomplish?
“I don’t think I will be able to give you an appropriate answer for what you are asking. Do you even know of my history and the torment that I had to go through for the last four years since my 18th birthday?” I asked, and my frustration started to boil over at this point.
“I remember being sent your information years ago behind your father’s back. They wanted me to be nearby just in case something went awry. But to the surprise of all, nothing happened. You turned out to be just a normal, unawakened runt. A disappointment.”
His works stung on a level I thought wouldn’t be possible. At this moment, I could also tell he was angry at me as if I had anything to do with what happened in our world.
“Enough,” I commanded, and a pulse from my mana heart surged out, trying to bring Lennix to heel. “Your anger is misplaced, Lennix. I don’t know how this happened or why exactly, but I can tell you this. If you continue down this road, nothing in this world will keep you safe from me. This world is filled with enough danger that you act like an attack dog at everything, and everyone will not help you.”
Seeing nothing in his eyes but the burning desire to try and get more information out of me, I can’t help but shake my head at him.
“If that is all, I will continue on my way.” I start to stomp up the stairs, thinking of one thing; I call over my shoulder, “And if you feel like it, there will be an election that you are more than welcome to participate in, but I don’t expect much from someone like you.”
I can tell he hasn’t taken his eyes off me; he responds with his teeth, “I know about it, and I’m not going.”
Shrugging my shoulders, I continue but ask, “Then what is your plan?”
“Don’t worry about it; you have other people you need to handle.” He turns and walks through the gatehouse and out of the settlement.
Rubbing the back of my next, I can only lament the situation he is putting me in and the whole settlement if he decides to do something stupid. “I will have to do something about him sooner than I thought, huh?” I can’t help but to speak aloud.
“Right, you are,” I hear in my head. Looking around, I spot Ritotorous perched not far from me.
“Have you been keeping an eye on him?” I asked.
“Someone had to, and he doesn’t know about our connection, so it seems prudent that I became his shadow.”
“Has he done anything that would warrant action in your eyes?”
“So far, he has only been looking around the settlement. However, how he is doing makes me think he has no good intentions. He has talked with some of the more disgruntled people of the settlement and seems to have noted some of the defensive measures around the settlement. From this perspective, I think he is planning to use this information for a purpose I don’t know, but he doesn’t know much about this world, so we can only make assumptions.”
“I guess the first thing we should look for is some form of jail; I would like to have some semblance of due cause.”
“I agree with jail, but sometimes you just have to take action even if there is minimal proof. Sometimes, it's better to kill one innocent life than let a potential enemy run amok in the settlement and lead to the deaths of hundreds.”
Hearing that Ritotorous would kill someone so leisurely raises my hackles. “Would you kill him if he showed that he would be such a person?”
“If that needs to be done so we can continue to grow strong individually and as a settlement, then yes, I wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate this potential threat.”
Thinking about the only two interactions I have had with Lennix, I give some thought and offer my only potential defense for his sake, even with my holdups about him. “Even by your standard, he is just looking around, and the only thing he has officially done is spout off at my father and me.”
“In most societies like what we are slowly being directed towards, that sort of attitude could kill someone. We will soon be at a point where one wrong move could be our demise.”
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Sighing, I voice the only response, “I understand; I will try and figure something out soon.” Not wanting to think on this topic anymore, I inform Ritotorous of my intentions and make my way around the settlement via the parapet.
It takes me about 20 minutes to get back to the gatehouse, and standing there is Laxreal. As I approach, he gestures for us to start heading off the walls and towards the manor.
“How are you feeling, Drake?” He asks me.
“Not great, but I will figure something out sooner or later.”
Nodding in acknowledgment, he asks another question, “Are you ready for the election?”
Thinking about this question, I come up with my own. “What am I going to do while people are putting in their votes?”
“You are there more as a symbol of their leader. You won’t be voting as you already have a voice on the council as the main voice and one other voice acts on your behalf when you aren’t there.”
“I can understand that stance for myself, but who is the second person you are talking about?”
“Drake, if you don’t think I am not on your side, you truly don’t understand how your council works. While we as a council haven’t voted on anything yet, there will be a day when we are making policies, and if you are out, then I am to fill in as your second.” He answers my question with a slight chuckle and shakes his head.
“I wouldn’t say that I was discounting you; I just haven’t had much experience managing the affairs of others other than myself. To have someone who is also doing things in the settlement and would vote how I would, if not in a better manner, is refreshing to hear after pretty much being told I was on a potential kill list back in my home world.” I take a breath of relief based on what Laxreal has said, and I can feel some of the nervousness of the upcoming election melt away.
Wanting to change the topic, I asked, “Who are the candidates for the election currently?”
Putting up one finger, he starts to list them. “Koto, you already know, is running. Next is Rhenriqi, who has decided to participate, probably because she can be in my room for extended periods.” He puts up his second finger, then a third, and says, “Autumn is the third candidate. I don’t know her end goal, but she wants to improve conditions for other Shifters who might join the settlement in one form or another.” Lifting a fourth finger, he tells me about the last candidate. “The last person is from the group of five you recently summoned. Brathfolim Oakenbrow. From what I know after his reunion with his daughter yesterday, and with a convenient lack of local alcohol, he has decided to put his help into the ring. As much as I am for any of these candidates to become the first ‘Head-Crafter,’ my honest thought is to have Brathfolim take the helm. Dwarves have always been known for their craftsmanship, so I wouldn’t be too shocked if he were to win the election.”
“Fair enough, let’s plan what we will do after the election. We also plan for the first meeting with everyone to discuss how we should move the buildings during the tier-up procedure with our slots.”
“That is a wonderful idea; I recommend that you listen to the speeches each of the candidates will make before we start to discuss these items since we will be rehashing it with everyone when the meeting starts. Also, I would like to ask if you will make a speech before the election. It doesn’t have to be much, but something to get everyone to feel a sense of community would be wonderful.”
“I will make a speech, but I can’t guarantee it will be something to write home about.”
“Of course, anything other than walking off the stage and rushing into the fog alone would be a plus in most people's eyes.” He jabs at me.
It doesn’t take much longer before we arrive at the stage. There are five chairs on the stage; two are on the left side, empty, while the other three are on the right side, filled with humanoid people. Rhenriqi is in a squat-like position at the end of the row. Looking around at the crowd, I can see that almost everyone has gathered, with only a few stragglers who slowly make their way over.
“Shall we take our positions and start this election?” Laxreal asks.
Nodding, I can feel the nervous energy from before hitting me in the gut like a punch from Rognar.
Stepping onto the stage, everyone’s eyes turned to us. Instead of sitting down immediately, I spoke to the front. “Good morning everyone. I am pleased to see all of you standing here to help us determine who will be our first ‘Head-Crafter.’ In a moment, each of the four candidates will give us information about who they are and why they would be the best fit for the position. Without further delay, Koto, would you be so kind as to start us off.” I asked as I turned toward the four candidates.
She nods, then gets up from her seat before stepping forward. “Good morning everyone. As Drake so kindly informed you, my name is Koto. For those that don’t know, I was the head of a settlement before it was suddenly overwhelmed by a beast tide.” She takes a moment to bow her head toward me and then towards the crowd. “If it weren’t for Drake and his party, I wouldn’t be standing before you making this speech. And if it weren’t for all of you and the hospitality you have shown me and my people that remain, I wouldn’t be willing to try and make this a better place for everyone. While you aren’t here to listen to me explain how grateful I am to all of you, you are here to hear about how I intend to use the power that the ‘Head-Crafter’ position would lend me and the future as I see it.”
Her speech continued for another couple of minutes about how she would do her best to keep all of the crafters of the settlement in mind as we started to incorporate more policies in the future. Once she was done, she gave the crowd another small bow before returning and taking her seat. Following her was Autumn. From her standpoint, she will attempt to use her power to help those who can’t speak fully to have a voice, to allow the minority species groups to be heard more clearly, and to make sure that everyone is heard.
Brathfolim was third, and while I wouldn’t say that his speech was as inspiring as Autumn’s, I can say it had some heart. For the most part, it was about how, after his morning walk with his daughter, he saw improvements to the buildings and their positioning that could be made and how he would be working hard with Nelaedeth to create some beer, wine, and whiskey casks so we could have something to drink after a hard day's work.
Last was Rhenriqi; while she impacted the crowd, I wouldn’t say it was good or bad. From what I could tell, people were finally getting used to someone like her running around the settlement, especially when they were running towards a certain Lich who was off trying to get some alone time.
Overall, her speech was about using the facilities to help ensure that the people who need the materials to work on their professions are easily accessible and that if there is an issue with supply, she will work on fixing them.
From the four speeches, I would be more inclined to lean toward either Autumn or Rhenriqi at this point in time, but since I can’t vote, I can only make my assumptions.
After Rhenriqi’s speech, Laxreal stood up, “For those interested in voting for one of the candidates, please feel free to answer the following question that will appear before you. There are a couple of things to note with voting. First, your vote won’t count until you hit submit; second, all votes are anonymous. Take your time, and please select who you think would be the best fit for this position.” With those final words, he returned to his seat next to me and whispered so only I could hear him. “If you want to see how the voting is going, check it in the settlement screens.”
Taking a moment to dive into the screens, I quickly found what he was talking about.
- Settlement Head-Crafter Election Status:
Koto: 1
Rhenriqi: 1
Autumn: 1
Brathfolim: 1 -
It doesn’t take a few minutes before I can tell people have submitted their votes.
- Koto: 7
Rhenriqi: 3
Autumn: 11
Brathfolim: 6 -
Looking over the crowd, some people think hard about who they should vote for. As time tikes by, it isn’t more than ten minutes before I can tell that there won’t be any more results.
- Final Settlement Head-Crafter Election Status:
Koto: 13
Rhenriqi: 17
Autumn: 21
Brathfolim: 22 -
Of the 98 people who could vote, only 73 decided to vote for the ‘Head-Crafter.’ Overall, this is a high percentage, but I was hoping that everyone would have tried to be more involved.
Not wanting to delay things further, I announced the results. “Thank you, everyone, for being here and participating in the election. For those curious about who the winner is, I would like to mention it was a close count. With a leave of 22 to 21, our first ‘Head-Crafter’ is Brathfolim. I would like to congratulate him on his win, and I hope we can see some of that beer he was talking about sooner than later.” I gave a broad smile to the gathering. “For those who want to join me, I will head to the Adventurer’s Guild for its grand opening.”
Not wanting to be on the stage anymore, I quickly left and went to the Adventurer’s Guild. Not more than a minute later, I saw the building, and waiting for me outside was a sight I hadn’t seen this morning. A ribbon is stretched across the door, and nearby is Draemis, with her sword at the ready.
“Are you ready for the grand opening?” she asks me.
“More ready than I was with the election of our Head-Crafter. What’s with the stance thought?” I asked, wondering why she had her sword ready.
“I have been warding off early lurkers who want to get ahead of everyone.”
“I mean, I was already inside, and there isn’t anything special from what I could tell.”
“While that may be true for you. We can explain it as the lord of the settlement checking on the building, which I know you were doing this morning. For others, they would try and use it as a form of leverage. So, I took it upon myself to be a peacekeeper until the building was open for everyone.”
I am still not used to the attention everyone has given me thanks to my status as a lord; it is something I will have to get used to as it happens more and more. “How long are we going to wait before cutting this ribbon?” Not wanting to wait too long, the lurkers are starting to get a bit closer, almost like they want to pounce on being the first inside the building.
“I was just waiting on you; we can start whenever you are ready.”
Like with the election results, the sooner, the better. Turning to the crowd, I drew my blade and figured I would make a small speech commemorating the building and what it represents to our settlement.
“Welcome to the Grand Opening of our very first Adventurer’s Guild!” I exclaim. I would like to thank everyone who has put in their best effort for the last two days to complete this building. This is our first product as a community, and I would like those who take the missions this building provides to remember all this effort. It won’t be the only building with the community's hard work behind it, but it was our first, and that is something to celebrate.” Taking a moment, I take a deep breath and swing my sword at the ribbon. “I welcome you all to the Adventurer’s Guild!” The ribbon falls away, and everyone gathered starts to rush inside.