Note: This chapter has not gone to my editors and events may change before final release. The below is also unedited and in a raw non-polished form.

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The next few days passed by quickly, with everyone doing their part to help out. Sam and Toaby spent most of the morning hunting rabbits to feed everyone. They didn’t get any experience for it but Toaby gained a point in axe mastery, battle wise and even one in dirty fighting when he tossed some dirt into a rabbit's face. The food was enough to keep everyone well fed and receiving the buff providing a ten percent bonus to experience.

When they hunted enough food for the day, usually around noon, they would return to the settlement and take up other tasks. Toaby would spend the first few hours either cutting down nearby trees or refining the logs they had already cut. After that, he would help in constructing the town hall or digging the trench surrounding their little settlement.

It was all tough labor, but he received the general wood chopping skill and leveled it up to level two. It provides a percentage bonus per level toward his chopping speed when cutting down trees. In addition to wood chopping, he earned the laborer skill. It was another general skill that he earned while working on the trench and leveled that up to two as well. It provided a percentage reduction in stamina use when performing manual labor related tasks like digging or cutting down trees. They weren’t impressive skills, but since they both went under his general skills, they didn’t take up any of his precious skill slots.

It amazed Toaby at what thirteen people could get done in two days when they put their minds to it. The base trench was done, and they were putting the last touches on the town hall. The circumference of the trench wasn’t much larger than the space for the town. They originally planned on making it much larger so they would have room to expand, but it became abundantly clear they weren’t going to finish unless they tightened it up. The trench was roughly three feet wide and five feet deep, with all the excess dirt piled up on the inside. It was a good start and things went smoothly with the crude shovels Curtis crafted, but they really needed to widen it and get the spikes in place if it was going to repel anyone.

The town hall was getting its finishing touches as well. They had most of the lumber they needed for the entire structure cut already, so everyone who wasn’t digging spent their days building. The log cabin was a square ten by ten-foot structure with a single door off to the right. Inside they built and placed a desk, chair, bench and table. All of that were the minimum requirements according to Tom’s skill.

The last item they needed to place was a large bulletin board. They put it on the outside of the building, next to the front door. It was massive. Nearly as tall as the building and six feet wide. There was a hammer hanging on one side with a box of nails for people to post town items.

Once they placed the finishing touches, everyone in the settlement received a notification.

Congratulations! You have formed the first official community on Midgard. With the presence of a town hall, you may now select your town's form of management. Currently available based on the level of your community is mayor or council. Note: If you choose council, you can have a maximum of 3 members.

A box appeared in everyone’s vision, asking them to choose a type of management. Before Toaby could select anything, Tom called for everyone’s attention.

“Wait!” Tom called out.

“Don’t worry, Tom. We’re all going to vote for you as mayor.” Ed replied.

“No. That’s not what I want. I don’t want to bear all that responsibility.” He gestured at Curtis. “Curtis has been here with me since the beginning and is our best crafter. Wouldn’t it be better to have a council that's composed of key demographics? Think about it. Curtis could represent the crafters and gatherers, I could be a neutral party and run the administrative tasks and we just need one more.”

This declaration surprised Toaby. He didn’t peg Tom as being power hungry or anything, but he certainly had been taking on the leadership role up to this point. Toaby didn’t even think about it. He was ready to choose mayor and elect Tom.

“I think Toaby should be the third.” Hiro spoke up.

“I second it.” Sam smiled and elbowed Toaby. “He could represent the combat focused individuals and the settlement’s law force.”

Toaby waved his arms around in front of himself. “Woah. I’m not so sure I like this idea.”

Sam’s eyes went distant for a moment. “To late. I just voted for you.”

“Same here.” Added Hiro.

Laura and Tom both gave him a thumbs up. As people filled out their selections, a five-minute timer appeared on the prompt.

Toaby sighed and selected the town council. A list of names appeared asking him to choose three people. He selected Tom, Curtis, and Hiro. His own name was there, but he didn’t select it. A few moments later, the screen updated.

Voting Results

Tom - 13 votes

Curtis - 10 votes

Toaby - 8 votes

Hiro - 3 votes

Ed - 2 votes

Mary - 2 votes

Matt - 1 vote

Congratulations! The decision for council member management was unanimous. You have chosen your council members. Please congratulate Tom, Curtis and Toaby.

Before anyone had the chance to congratulate them, another system message came into everyone’s view.

With the election of your government, the last thing your civilization needs to be recognized is a name. Please enter a name for voting. All entered names will be displayed for council members to vote on.

Names

Hope

Sam’s House

Midgard’s Finest

Village McVillage

Ed is the best!

The Avengers

New New York

Really? Toaby sighed and turned to Tom. “What should we do?” The names continued to grow. It appeared there was no limit to the number of suggestions someone could enter.

“None of them are really standing out.” Tom replied.

Curtis nodded. “I don’t care for many of them.”

A new name appeared on the list that made Toaby raise an eyebrow. “The Crossroads.” He tested it aloud. “How about the Crossroads?”

“Why Crossroads?” Curtis questioned.

“It’s the perfect name. Think about it. We all came to a crossroads in life when entering Midgard. We could have been raiders and followed a life of crime again, but we chose a different path. We chose a better path. We came to a crossroads and made a better choice.”

Curtis didn’t look convinced, but Tom was smiling. “I like it. Since were the first town, we want to send a message. Our message will be, you can take a better path.”

Sighing, Curtis shrugged. “It’s better than the rest of them and a lot less cheesy than something like Hope.” His eyes went distant for a moment before ‘The Crossroads’ went to the top of the list with the number one next to it.

Tom’s eyes went distant after that, and the number increased to two. Toaby confirmed his selection to bring the number to three.

Attention inhabitants of Midgard! The world’s first settlement has officially been formed. Welcome, The Crossroads. This is the first step in building Midgard and its infrastructure up.

Congratulations! For being the first settlement, The Crossroads will receive a bonus of 250 Town Points or TP for short. TP is a currency that can be used to purchase a variety of things, including items, buffs and upgrade. These points can be earned and spent both at the town and individual level.

“TP?” Toaby questioned aloud. Upon saying it, a new window appeared with two tabs. One said personal, and the other said town. He focused on the town.

Available Town Purchases

Abundant Area Upgrade

Cost: 1,000 TP

Description: Boosts the amount of natural resources in the surrounding area by 25%.

Animal Husbandry Boost

Cost: 250 TP

Description: Animals inside pens will breed 10% faster.

Defensible

Cost: 250 TP

Description: All inhabitants will receive a 5% bonus to armor while defending the town.

Military Force Boost

Cost: 250 TP

Description: All inhabitants will receive a 5% bonus to damage while fighting in near proximity to the town.

Town Well

Cost: 500 TP

Description: Will provide a stone well that can be placed within the town’s limits. The well will provide unlimited clean water and can be used as a bind point for rebirth.

Tom, Curtis and Toaby all looked at one another. “We can have people be reborn in the town? We have to save up for that!” Tom was the first to speak.

Curtis nodded. “I completely agree.”

“It should be something we save up for, but the defensible bonus is something we should look at for the near future.” Toaby advised.

“How do we gain more TP?” Curtis asked.

Tom’s eyes went distant for a moment. “Theres a bunch of additional information under the town management screen. Now that we have a town hall, my settlement management skill allows me to post jobs on the town hall’s board that will award TP to people as well.”

Toaby pulled up the town management screen.

The Crossroads

Level 1 - Settlement

Population: 13

---Resource Production: 1 Miner, 2 Farmers, 2 Hunters, 2 Gatherers

---Crafting Production: 1 Blacksmith, 1 Herbalist, 1 Leather worker, 1 Enchanter

---Other: 1 Swordsman, 1 Arbiter

TP: 250

Daily TP Gain: 8 (+13 citizens +2 town structure - 10% inadequate housing - 10% inadequate infrastructure - 25% food shortage - 10% water shortage)

Efficiency: -10% (-10% crude tools)

Buildings: 1 Basic (Town Hall), 5 Starter (Tents)

Fortifications: Basic Trench

Requirements for level 2 - Hamlet: 25 population, 3 basic structures

“Thats a lot of information.” Toaby stated.

“A lot of good information.” Tom added. “I’m getting some additional information from my skill. It lists some of the natural resources around us like the mine, the river and a brief summary of the local wildlife.”

“That’s great.” Curtis grinned.

Tom coughed loudly to get everyone's attention. “Listen up, everyone! It’s official, we’re official a town! Welcome to the crossroads.” There were roars of excitement. Tom raised his arms to settle the crowd. “Now, now. With that notification going out, were bound to draw attention from both good and bad people. The next day or two are going to be vital. We expect the Void to attack any day so we have to be ready. Let’s all celebrate tonight so we can get back to work tomorrow. Sebastian! Cook the rest of the meat we have so we can feast!”

Another roar came from the crowd as they all headed for the central fire. Tom called back Toaby and Curtis.

“What’s up, Tom?” Toaby questioned.

“I want to try my new ability from the settlement management skill.” Tom walked over to the bulletin board and grabbed the hammer. His eyes went distant and a new notification appeared.

Councilman Tom is offering a town wide quest. At level 1, your settlement is allowed to have 5 active town quests at one time. Do you approve the below quest?

Food Supply

Description: Capture 10 Rabbits for a Rabbit Warren

Availability: 1 Party

Reward: 10 TP

Approve?

Yes / No

Toaby selected yes and found a setting to auto-approve Tom’s quests moving forward. “I set an auto-approve on. I trust your judgment for quests. Question though. How do you determine the TP reward?”

“I don’t. I create the quests from a limited list of things that would improve the settlement, and the system does the rest. I selected to create a quest to improve our food supply and that's what generated. I’m just happy to find out the TP doesn’t come out of the town's supply.”

“Hmmm…” Curtis crossed his arms. “That makes TP more of a currency then. If people can work to earn TP and spend it for personal gain, its just like money.”

“As long as their doing things to improve the settlement, shouldn’t they get rewards? I don’t see the negatives.” Toaby countered.

“Not yet, but wait until people stop doing things without rewards. Why should they dig a trench if they could hunt rabbits for TP?”

“Maybe, but the non-combatants would benefit from the rabbit warren. I’m sure the farmers could use their skills to run it and thus be rewarded from its creation.”

“But without TP.” Curtis added curtly.

Tom shook his head. “I’ll just have to do my best to ensure we offer a wide range of quests. Those that reward both combat and non-combat classes.”

The cheering of the citizens got louder from nearby. Loud enough that it was hard for them to hear one another.

“Ok, ok. We’ll have to worry about this later because were missing the party.” Curtis conceded.

“Something we can agree on. Let’s party!” Toaby threw an arm around the Blacksmith and they walked together toward the crowd. Smiles plastered on their faces.