by Dean Henegar
“Wrend, see to the men. Once we leave the transition point, begin the physical training like before. There’s no point in losing our edge so soon,” I ordered and Wrend went about the task efficiently. I found a spot on the wagon next to my friends and hopped up.
“Looking forward to getting your garrison back, Raytak?” Delling asked.
“You bet. Being a gladiator was interesting, but I missed my old class. How much was changed by the guy that replaced me?” I asked, curious if the garrison had been upgraded at all while I was gone.
“Well . . . he did upgrade the overall garrison to level three, but that was only so he could improve his own quarters. I think all the money and resources he received went into his own personal comfort. By the way Raytak, did you really invite a clan of stone giants to live in our zone?” Delling asked.
“Ugghh, I hope I’ll have at least some coin and resources when we get back. As of right now I’m completely broke. And yes, I did invite the giants to move in, Delling. It seemed like a good idea. Having a friendly clan of stone giants living in the mountains near the plateau would help in our defense if the town is attacked,” I responded.
“That’s true, though I may have to redesign the market and the let the inn and shops know there may be giant-sized customers they’ll have to accommodate if they want their business,” Delling said as we entered the transition point. I was able to attune to this spot now that I was a free man; it would make future trips to the capitol a bit faster. I needed to make it a point to get out into the larger world. Was I wrong in thinking a commander should get leave at least once in a while? For now, thoughts of leave could wait, I had a garrison to get back into proper working order. Thoughts of possible changes and upgrades for the garrison consumed my attention during the long trip back to Hayden’s Knoll.
Chapter 30
We completed the transition back into Hayden’s Knoll, and instantly, I could tell things weren’t going so well.
The garrison protecting the transition point was larger, true, but it lacked anything in the way of formidable fixed defenses and they were still using the simple staked pit and small observation tower that had been built previously. Our journey back toward Hayden’s Knoll was thankfully quiet, the roads well patrolled by defensive garrison forces, and I was happy to see progress being made on paving the surface. The defensive garrison troops had increased in number, but they were all level 5 which I recalled was the level of the lieutenant that had replaced me; the system had mentioned that any defensive garrison forces would match the level of the commander’s troops and be equipped to the same standard
While we were on the portions of the road that had been paved by the troops, I noticed a small buff icon showing a five percent movement boost. Not a huge percentage, but it was enough to make a difference if you were a caravan that made its money based on how many trips you could eke out in the shortest time possible. The other players, save for Delling, logged out during our journey, their real lives calling them back. As we finally reached the town and the caravan finished climbing the steep pathway that led up to the main gate, I caught a glimpse of some of the changes and upgrades that Delling had added. The main gate was now protected by flanking, stout wooden towers and the wooden palisade around the town itself was slowly being replaced by tall stone wall.
“I thought you would approve, Raytak. As the resources come in, I’ve been upgrading the defenses. I didn’t have the same level of confidence in Lieutenant Burnside that I had in your ability to defend the zone. After the wall is completed, iron-shod doors for the gate are next. Any upgrades after that I was hoping to get your opinion on,” Delling said.
“The guards are all level eight now to match your level. Good work, Delling,” I said approvingly. “The only thing I would recommend in the immediate future would be to upgrade the towers flanking the entrance to stone and install some siege equipment up there to whittle down attackers coming up the road. Look at some scorpions. They have good range and wouldn’t take up too much room. Let me know if you have options on that stuff and want some input,” I offered.
The town itself was bustling and I noticed the Petty Dispute Inn had grown in size and attracted new competition. The Boiling Peddler was now situated down the street from the Petty Dispute. The Peddler’s sign showed a man and his cart of goods falling into a giant pot. The new tavern was smaller yet still seemed to service a steady flow of guests. The town had grown enough that both places should thrive, though I enjoyed the food at the Petty Dispute enough to make it challenging for the Boiling Peddler to earn my custom.
“This is my stop, Raytak. We’re turning toward the exchange and the warehouses,” Daegan told me. I had the men hop off the wagons and form up again as we marched to the garrison. The caravan headed the other direction, Delling staying with us as the town hall lay down the same street as the garrison.
The garrison improvements were readily apparent. The stout, defensive log wall completely encircled the large footprint of the garrison area. Guard towers studded the walls at regular intervals, manned by the defensive garrison forces. The main gate stood open, and soldiers of the garrison were on hand to check any who wished entry. As we approached, the guard at the gates gaped at our formation before snapping to attention, spotting me at its head.
“Soldier, call the officer of the watch immediately,” I commanded and one of the guards ran off to the defensive garrison headquarters which was smaller and separate from my old headquarters. Soon after a soldier bearing lieutenant’s stripes jogged over to the gate, looking at me in astonishment. I could see the lieutenant was named, which made him the first named npc of the defensive garrison.
Lieutenant Gamble. Imperium Officer, Level 5.
“Captain Raytak, how may I be of service?” the lieutenant asked, keeping his military bearing, yet obviously shocked at my presence here, not to mention the appearance of the Legio Ignominia.
“Lieutenant Gamble, I’m here to assume command of the garrison and relieve Lieutenant Burnside,” I advised. Gamble as well as the other soldiers guarding the gate grinned, unable to keep their stoic expressions. I had the distinct feeling that Lieutenant Burnside was not well liked among the defensive garrison.
“Sir, the headquarters stands ready for the change of command. Proceed to the war table to take command,” the lieutenant stated, the AI using the soldier to guide me in the right direction. “Might I say sir, we’ll all be pleased to have you back in command,” one of the soldiers at the gate added. I marched the Ignominia platoon into the garrison and dismissed them to settle into their new home.
Off to the right I could make out the stockade; the windows were covered in bars and the doors to the structure were bound with iron. As for the other barracks buildings, there were a dozen now, and all of them stood two stories in height. The parade ground had expanded, matching the garrison upgrade, and now had the capacity for an entire battalion. It would be some time before we had that many troops, but the previous size wouldn’t have been able to house our current numbers.
The other buildings were the same as I had left them save for the headquarters; only a single soldier stood guard outside the doors. Stopping next to the soldier, I could see the mantrap entrance was also open and there was only one other soldier manning the front desk of the lobby.
“Soldier, why are the doors all open and where are the other soldiers assigned to guard the place?” I snapped. This was a serious lapse in security, and I was more paranoid than ever about security, knowing the truth behind the assassination and the plot against me.
“Sir, Lieutenant Burnside ordered it left open. He was annoyed at having to go through the mantrap every time he came or went. He was also tired ‘of all the guards underfoot’ as he said, so he pared us back to the bare minimum. The guards that were assigned here are now added to the wall patrols,” the soldier answered. I couldn’t blame him for his commander’s stupid and dangerous policies.
“That will change in just a
minute, soldier. I am taking command back and whipping this place back into shape,” I advised.
“Yes sir, looking forward to it sir,” the soldier replied.
I entered the headquarters and walked back toward where the war table was placed. The room holding the war table had more than doubled in size. Ornate artwork in various styles covered the walls. Elegant lounge chairs with overstuffed cushions were positioned around the war table. Next to the war table sat a refreshment station with an impressive assortment of beverages and finger foods. My stunned observations of the gaudy war room décor were interrupted by a soldier clearing his voice.
“Sir, Lieutenant Burnside is currently in the field and has left instructions that his possessions are not to be disturbed,” a soldier dressed as a butler told me.
“Lieutenant Burnside is no longer in command. I am Captain Raytak, here to take command of the garrison. Why are you out of uniform soldier?” I barked, not pleased at his lack of military bearing.
The soldier blanched when he realized my rank and stammered out a response. “Sir, I’m so sorry . . . I . . . I was unaware you were arriving back to take command of the garrison. I was assigned here by the lieutenant to keep the place running while he was gone. He preferred the soldiers on staff to be attired in more presentable garb, should visitors of high station arrive,” the soldier answered.
“That changes today. Do not let me catch you out of uniform again unless you’re on leave, private,” I ordered, dismissing the “butler” private as I activated the war table. I wanted to set this place right once again.
Welcome, Commander Raytak! Do you wish to assume command of the garrison at Hayden’s Knoll? y/n.
I quickly hit yes and watched as the war table populated the familiar information once again. I called up first the garrison details to see what Burnside had done in my absence.
Garrison Level 3, Frontier Fort: The level 3 garrison can house up to a battalion of soldiers comfortably. It has significantly upgraded defenses (currently disabled, resources for defenses are being redirected into the general fund) and provides a strong point for the town to fall back on in times of trouble. Your garrison has the defensive garrison upgrade. The maximum garrison size refers to only those forces controlled by the commander. The defensive garrison forces are AI-controlled and subject to different unit caps based on garrison level, upgrades, and territory conquered. The level 3 garrison no longer requires the commander to pay funds directly for the upkeep of his forces. Upkeep is now achieved by deducting 25% of all coin/resources that the commander acquires from quests or battles. This percentage will reduce as the garrison levels up. Current structures/resources are as follows.
Current available resources: 50
Funds Available: 4 gold, 6 silver, 22 copper.
Headquarters level 3: The headquarters houses the command apparatus of the garrison. The commander’s quarters, the war table, and administration are all conducted here. The “Impressive Décor Level 3” upgrade has been implemented, replacing the stark, bland military style with one that reflects the discriminating tastes of the officer in command. With this upgrade, the headquarters meeting room, commander residence, and war room will be opulently furnished and allow the option of assigning a soldier to act as a personal butler for the commander.
“Uggghhh, the decorations are an upgrade. There’s no way to refund those,” I moaned in despair. The upgraded headquarters was much more comfortable, but I hated living at a higher standard than the soldiers I commanded . . . looks like I might be stuck with the butler as well. At least I can make sure he is in proper uniform. I could only imagine the upgrades to other buildings or the better equipment I could have had for my troops if the resources had been spent there instead of on fancy decorations. I turned the defenses upgrades for the garrison back on and was notified the improvements would be implemented slowly over time; this option was not a single, quick, nearly instant upgrade like most for the garrison, unfortunately.
Recruitment Center, Level 1. Upgrade cost: 125 resources, 25 gold. The recruitment center allows for more rapid replacement of lost forces. It increases the replenishment of standard soldiers to three per hour, advanced soldiers at two per day, and elite soldiers at two per week. Further upgrades may unlock the recruitment of auxiliary units. Auxiliary units are specialized soldiers drafted from allies in the surrounding region. These forces are often used to supplement existing forces or to add abilities that regular Imperial soldiers lack.
Supply Depot, Level 3. Upgrade n/a: the garrison must be upgraded to level 4 in order to upgrade this building. The level 3 supply depot allows for upgrades to the equipment and gear of the garrison. Open the menu to review/purchase upgrades.
Engineer Barracks, Level 1. Upgrade cost: 125 resources, 25 gold. This building allows for the recruitment of Imperial Engineers. Engineers are a new type of advanced soldier, giving the commander a wider variety of forces to choose from. The engineers are famed for their ability to create hasty defenses and to build siege equipment. Many an enemy has thought themselves safe inside their walls, only to find those walls pounded to rubble once the engineers showed up.
Aid station, Level 1. Upgrade cost: 125 resources, 25 gold. The aid station enables you to treat wounds and disease among your forces more effectively. This building also improves your squads, upgrading one soldier in each to become a medic. The medic fights as well as any other standard soldier and can use magically enhanced bandages to create a heal over time effect for wounded soldiers during the heat of battle. All soldiers are issued a standard medical kit that includes one bandage that heals for 10 health instantly and another 15 over the next 15 seconds. The bandages also stop any bleed effect. If more than one bandage is applied to a soldier in a 1-hour period, the heal over time component is reduced by 5 seconds. The medics in each squad are assigned ten of these bandages and when applied by a medic, the heal over time component is not degraded with multiple uses. Further upgrades to the aid station will improve health regeneration and may unlock other benefits.
I wanted to look at all the possible upgrades, but then my hopes were smashed when I remembered that the garrison had only fifty resources and a few gold to its name. It would be a while before I got to go on a shopping spree. My gear (save for the armor) was the same I had before I was taken prisoner. It was adequate at level 7, but I had to believe was sub-par for level 10. I would have to sink coin and resources into improvements as soon as I was able.
Item Received: Campaign Map. The campaign map allows for limited interaction with the war table while in the field. The commander can receive recon reports, request equipment upgrades, and set rally points for replacements which allows for extended campaigning. The campaign map cannot be used to upgrade the garrison or its buildings. *Note: Supply depot upgrades ordered in the field arrive via supply wagons. The wagons will be defended by a nominal force but can be lost in transit, forcing the upgrade to be purchased again and delaying the receipt of the upgrades. Make sure your supply lines are safe before ordering.
I was glad to have my campaign map back as I suspected it would be used more and more as my forces grew and we were in the field for longer periods of time. Another prompt came up as I looked back at the war table.
With the change of command, your troops will begin to spawn at the parade grounds shortly. Please select the distribution of advanced soldiers you prefer. *Note: Engineers selected at this time will spawn with their appropriate siege equipment for no cost. Further siege equipment purchases must be made directly through the engineer barracks.
Current Advanced Soldier strength: 0/50
Engineers selected: 0
Scouts selected: 0
The scouts had proven effective in all my battles to date, yet the engineers held the promise of increased power alongside our new defensive path. I selected twenty scouts and thirty engineers. It looked like the system assigned twenty of the engineers to crew four scorpions and ten of them to man two small catapults. After th
e selections, I moved outside to meet my new troops. I happily noted that soldiers were now stationed in the murder holes above the mantrap entrance and all the doors were sealed and secure. I made my way through the mantrap and walked over to the parade grounds. Sergeant Wrend and his platoon also moved out from the stockade and formed up alongside the emerging legion.
A portal opened at the far end of the parade ground and columns of troops marched forth, equipped with the same gear that I had on. The total numbers were impressive, especially as the engineers with their siege equipment emerged. The two complete companies were named alpha and bravo, each of their respective five platoons had a numerical designation from one to five. The engineers present included Corporal Tavers who had so skillfully commanded the scorpions against the ghoul lord. Last to emerge were the elite soldiers. Two generic, unnamed sergeants moved to the front of each of the companies; they would be company commanders. With a sigh of relief, I saw the last soldier to emerge was none other than Sergeant Brooks. I had grown attached to the npc and was glad he was able to rejoin us. Sergeant Brooks held the banner of the 1st Legion of Hayden’s Knoll in his hands, the system reminding me of the unit benefits and the battle standard upgrades we had earned.
The 1st Legion of Hayden’s Knoll has been upgraded to a veteran formation: +1 to attack, +1 to defense, +50 to health, +2 to morale for all soldiers and auxiliaries assigned to the legion.
Forged through the heat of battle, these few that have survived became something more than a standard unit. They have become veterans. The 1st Legion is now designated as a veteran formation. Soldiers in a veteran formation have increased morale, attack, defense, and health. Your garrison now attracts experienced soldiers who wish to fight for an acclaimed legion, ensuring replacements are up to the same high standard as the rest of your formation. Gain renown and strive for even greater deeds to increase your legion’s ranking.