Tomb of Eternal Night

Palace of Night- Council Chamber

Muttering and outright arguments filled the chamber as the Advisory Council argued like a Senate causing endless debate as Jacob sat back and tried to be patient. "ENOUGH!!! Sanitation, Health, and Water are our priorities right now for the people. Stores, Marketplaces, and Crafting can wait, it won't matter what we produce if disease brakes out and starts killing everyone. Now, the Bathhouse's and Healers Huts are all being upgraded in the Middle Cty, Cisterns are being dug in the Upper City to alleviate the drinkable water problems for the Upper City. That has been a problem since I have gotten here people and I got here months ago and I should have fixed it as soon as I was put on the throne. Now, how are we doing with housing?" Jacob got the council back on track.

Glagor immediately spoke up, "Housing in the upper city is fine, but more then half of the occupants of the Middle City are still living in tents, we need to double the number of apartments we have there and get people off the streets. We have enough water to support such an expansion. We also need more Bathhouses in both the Upper and Middle portions of the City. Perhaps we should also consider closing our doors to any more refugees until we have both the homes and support facilities to support them. I hate to say it, but Eternal Night cannot support another influx to its population at this time."

More than one of the advisors nodded their head in agreement, but others also glared at the Dwarf thinking he and his people were the ones that started the problem in the first place. Either way, it didn't matter, it was a problem that needed to be fixed and complaining about it did not fix the problems. "Understood Councilor Ironbreaker as far as closing our doors to those in need...I will consider your advice and will make the decision on the case by case basis. I will not make a blanket statement but we should not be receiving any more large influxes of former slaves for the foreseeable future and if we do, I have some ideas on how to handle that."

"Which are?" another councilwoman asked.

Jacob considered what to tell them, they would learn of certain plans sooner rather than later anyway. "Farming, some of those that have come here have the skill to farm land. Farms also require general laborers."

The council member snorted, "I am sorry my king, but we lack airable farmland down here in the Underdark." She looked like she was amusing a child as she said that...idiot Jacob thought.

"Truly you are amazing councilwomen Richards, but the Arathia Basin has plenty of unclaimed lands that could easily be turned into farmland for the Empire of Night. Does it not?" Jacob replied causing Glagor and most to sit back and contemplate what Jacob said. Richards connected the dots faster though.

"You plan on annexing the whole Arathia Basin...The Free Cities Alliance will not like that.' Richards mused, 'But who cares what they like." Her smile was feral.

"Setting them up as farmers will end our long-term food problems while giving us a larger hold on the basin itself. The current denizens might like our patrols and assistance with larger problems, but it does not mean they will submit lightly to our control.' Jacob responded. More than one of the Councilors liked the idea no matter the result, but it would be weeks or even months before they got to the point the basin was under their control. 'Moving on, what is next?" Jacob looked at the dormant Mechanized Golems, "So your Artifactors and Engineers can produce these in steady numbers?" Jacob asked as they toured the Workshop.

"Yes, they can continue to produce the Golems on a consistent basis as long as we have the materials we need. It takes time to produce them though.' Glagor responded as he ran his grizzled hands over some of the more sensitive materials of the Golems that an Artifactor was currently working on. 'At current production levels with the level of these Workshops, we can produce 60 Golems every month, we can double those numbers once the Basic Workshops get upgraded. I assume you will want them for as added defenses for the Palace?"

"I want some of them in critical areas of the palace and every fortress and town we have. Protecting control rooms, Council Chamber of Ineford, Gate guards at Middlebrough, as examples. Can they be equipped with True Vision, or something similar, to see pierce a Rogues Stealth abilities and those who use invisibility potions?" Jacob asked as he studied the Mana Battery closer.

"Yes, Guardian Golems have something that counteracts Stealth/Invisibility, it is standard with that model of Golem. Which is what we are mass producing currently." Glagor replied as he stepped back from the table and out of the Engineers way that was coming to assist the Artifactor.

"I know your people need more help Glagor so thank you and your people for doing all this." Jacob told the Dwarf who smiled and nodded, 'We really were not prepared to accept all these people and the sad thing is we are on the clock until a huge surge of Immortals starts coming through here. Less then a year now and we got a lot of work to do to prepare for them and to get these people out of the gutter." Jacob told him as he walked out of the Basic Workshop.

Tents were lining the road on either side as hundreds of Dwarves, Humans, Elves, Duergar, and other sentients moved around. Some had no jobs, while others were on breaks or in-between various duties. Jacob might accelerate his plans for helping set up some farmsteads based on what he saw here currently, the question was how many would want to leave the sense of security they had found here. The most important thing he had figured out today was that he needed a city planner, someone to plan out everything that needed to be built and let him know ahead of time instead of having him scramble from one problem to another.

Tomb of Eternal Night

Iron Mine 2

The pick-ax slammed into the Iron Node and another chunk of Ore fell off. Jacob was less than 1 point of away from reaching 50 in Mining and moving up from Initiate and to Novice in the profession. So far he had mined over 300 pieces of Iron Ore and 2 small Emeralds today. Jacob still had not picked a crafting profession though, but he was leaning more and more toward smithing after seeing what they could do.

Spoiler: Spoiler

Name: Minor Iron Node

Durability: 15/100

Description: Iron is one of the most basic metals in Ithea. Ore Nodes are concentrations of a particular metal where miners can work their craft to increase their skill levels. (+1% Chance that a Gem will spawn)

"Are you done digging into the dirt?" Cathrine called from behind him. The Banshee was kitted out in all her combat gear and wearing the tight leather was distracting to the miners that came and went from the Iron Mine. Jacob chuckled as he slammed the pick-ax into the node cracking it further and lowering the durability down to 13.

"If I was making jewelry, I am sure you wouldn't be complaining so much," Jacob replied before slamming the pick-ax into the Node again shaving off more durability and two more pieces of Ore dropped. Jacob quickly scrambled to put them into his inventory while checking his Stamina level. He had less than 25% left, but he kept chipping away until the Node crumbled dropping four pieces of Ore and a low-grade Diamond.

Alert...

Mining has increased by..1

Mining has increased from Initiate to Novice

For increasing your Mining gathering profession level you gain...10,000 Experience

Alert...

Note* For attaining Novice rank in Mining, the Mining Skill tree is Unlocked and you can spend your Skill points in the Tree.

Note* For unlocking a profession skill tree, you will now get 4 Skill points every 5 levels. (This is retroactive from level 20)

Jacob smiled as he dismissed the Alerts, "Fine, let us go get cleaned up and grab some food. I need to speak to Eiloma anyway." Jacob told her causing her to narrow her eyes at him before rising from her seat and walking away. "So is the idea feasible?" Jacob asked his Seneschal.

"Yes, we can support it both material wise and manpower. If we develop the land between Ineford and Middlebrough to start the area will be more patrolled by the Legions. It will make anyone moving there to feel safer and civilize the land between somewhat. From the Strategic map, there are only 8 small villages and clusters of Farmsteads between the two locations so plenty of room to expand and add new settlements. The South, South-East, and South-West are even more open but until you start building outposts throughout basin I would not recommend it." Eiloma finished.

"So you think we should expand military wise first before pushing settlement of civilians?" Jacob replied. Eiloma nodded at his question

"Yes, and I think it will help streamline your Immortal leveling process. You already secured plenty of territory in the Underdark, now you need to start thinking of the surface. Not to mention we need the food supplies for long-term development." Eiloma replied.

"Well, start asking around those that cannot get steady work and start seeing those with any agriculture and lumber professions want to make the move to the surface and are willing to start from scratch.' Jacob told the Seneschal who nodded and made a note, 'I want a viable resettlement plan with three locations with a list of possible volunteers within a week."