What Is The Plan?

They soon reached the Town Centre, and prepared to use the final three Cubes hat they had. The Villager Spawner and the two Elite Villager Spawners. Dom would then meet up with his senior Commanders and discuss the strategy for the next stage of their development.

The sky had opened now and a slight downpour of rain was trickling down on them, relieving them from the hot temperature. Their clothes were getting damn, but Dom and Lucius had no intention of seeking shelter yet.

"System, use Black Cube first please." Dom asked.

[Using Black Cube.....Spawning Villagers]

The Town Centre doors opened and a group of five people emerged, they were all short slim men with with pale complexions and blue tattoos covering their bodies. They kindly introduced themselves and explained that they were fishermen, which Lucius was happy to hear straight away. Lucius directed them towards the docks and had one of the nearby Villagers take them towards the school which they were using as a place to register new members of Riverside. They headed off in the gentle downpour towards the School.

"Ok." Dom exclaimed, happy that they had more people who could help out with the key tasks. "Please use the first Elite Villager Spawner."

[Rolling for Elite Village....Villager Chosen]

The Town Centre doors opened again, and an aged man with a balding head appeared. He walked with a cane, and had a satchel on his shoulder with some papyrus rolls sticking out from it. He was cleanly shaven and even though he was older, he had a look of someone who took care of themselves.

"Welcome to Riverside." Lucius greeted, "we appreciate you travelling all this way to be with us."

"The pleasure is mine." The man replied, "I am Aristarchus of Samos, I am a mathematician and Astronomer."

"Welcome Aristarchus." Dom said, before asking the system to show stats.

[Aristarchus of Samos

Villager Grade - S

Aristarchus is a renowned ancient Greek Mathematician and Astronomer from between 300 and 200BC. He is one of the first European people recorded to work out that the sun was heated from an internal fire and that the stars were suns that were further away. He was also the first person to calculate the order of the planets in the solar system.

He also used geometry to calculate the size of both the sun and moon, as well as their distance from earth, he was a respected mathematician.]

Dom wondered why Aristarchus didn't have a promotion or upgrade mention as Hua Tou and Sostratus did. However before he could ask Game Support he was interrupted.

"Interesting." Aristarchus said, whilst looking at the sky.

"What is?" Dom asked inquisitively.

"The sun is different to the one I was expecting." He replied. "Do you have a table I may use, I want to do some calculations."

"Of course." Dom replied, "You can use the tables in the Town Centre if you wish."

"Or you can use the Mayor's office." Lucius added, "I can be with you in the next thirty minutes if that helps. I have some other tasks and other people to welcome first."

"That would be great." Aristarchus replied, "I'll head inside and wait for you within."

"I'm sure someone can provide you with some food whilst you are there."

Aristarchus smiled at this response before heading inside the Town Hall, using his cane to help him as he treaded over the threshold.

"An interesting character." Lucius commented, "But both are key bits of knowledge that could help us."

"Can you elaborate?" Dom asked.

"An Astronomer can help with mapping out our routes and understanding more of our world. He can potentially understand the weather and it's patterns which will allow us to not stand here getting wet again in the future." Lucius replied.

"I'm quiet enjoying the rain." Dom stated.

"Me too, it was an example." Lucius continued, "Also with his Maths skills, he can most likely help on key projects that we have going on, such as the currency and some of the things that Sostratus is working on."

"Great, I'm sure that you will make the most out of him!" Dom replied, before asking the system, "System, please use the final Elite Villager Spawner."

[Rolling for Elite Villager.....Villager Chosen]

The Town Centre doors opened for the final roll, revealing a man who was tall and muscular, his skin was as dark as ebony in colour and he had a pleasant smile on his face. He had no hair on his head and dressed in a brown shirt and pants. He held a hammer in one hand, and on his back was a satchel of small tools.

"Hey, I'm Himilco." The man grinned, "I'm a shipbuilder and sailor who had no home. I've heard that you are looking for talented people, so I thought I would give it ago!"

"Welcome Himilco." Dom said, before asking the system to show his stats.

[Himilco of Carthage.

Villager Grade - S

Himilco of Carthage was an esteemed sailor from the 5th Century BC, being credited as the first person to sail from the Mediterranean Sea to Northern Europe, through Spain, Portugal and France. He was said to have passed on tails of Sea Monsters, to incite fear in the Greek Cities so they didn't attempt his successful trade routes.]

"Thanks for welcoming me!" Himilco replied, "I'm an adept sailor and have some experience with building ships. I am more than happy to help where ever I am needed."

"We are starting to build our first ships, so having you join us is perfect timing." Lucius stated, "I'll take you to register at the school and then we can head towards the Docks and see if you can give us your expert opinion. I'll then have to leave you as I have some other arrangements."

"That would be great, I'm looking forward to getting my hands dirty." Himilco replied, "What are you building?"

"A Trireme." Dom replied, "It will be the first ship of Riverside, which we can use to explore down the River, and around the coast of the sea."

"A Trireme?" Himilco replied, "How exciting, I have captained one of those myself, a new design and not as sea weary as my merchant ship, but something I wouldn't want to get in a straight on fight against. Let's go have a look!"

Lucius bid Dom farewell and headed off with Himilco towards the School, leaving Dom stood in the rain that was starting to get heavier. Dom decided that it was now time to enter the Town Centre and get out of the rain and did so.

As he walked inside, he looked at the Sabre Tooth Tiger cubs who were asleep in the corner, they had almost doubled in size in the last few days and were now the size of a medium sized dog. They were all cuddled with each other and Dom wondered if it was a good idea having them here after all.

He walked down the centre and saw that Aristarchus had taken over a table with his papers spread across it, his hand moving fast as he wrote down notes and calculations. Nearby some of the town cooks were watching him as he worked, muttering amongst themselves at the old man and his papers.

Dom soon arrived at the door to the Map Room and walked inside. He was greeted by Subutai in deep talks with Tomoe and Tomyris. There were now many more one metre by one metre square map segments, making a strange shaped map in the centre of the room.

The middle was still Riverside, but it now it went more to the east and then to the north, showing the locations of the sea, which was now a sandy block with the outline of the sea. The north went up to the location of the old location of the Nomadic Camp. The map also travelled south in a direct route towards the Red Woods, and there was the symbol of the mausoleum above the lake, signifying the Underground Ancient City. It also went slightly to the south west and showed a valley, which Dom assumed was where the red horses were located. To the west there was the old location of the Gluttonous Chief's Village, which was now a model of broken buildings rather than the small Village it was.

Looking at it, Dom could clearly see that they needed to fill out the other areas to make the map a square again, heading to the north through the forest, the west and north west in to the mountains, south east across the river and to the sea on that side.

Subutai had looked up at this point and noticed Dom's arrival. Tomoe and Tomyris had also noticed, Tomoe had placed her weapons to the side of the room, her Naginata and Swords still sheaved lay next to Tomyris's Sword and Shields. Subutai's Bow and Sword were also lay there, but Genghis was not in sight.

"Welcome Lord Lazarus," He said happily, "We have had some productive conversations, and after my talk with Gan Ning earlier, I think I have come up with some good plans."

"That is great." Dom replied, "however I need to update you that we now have a Ship Yard and the capacity to build Trireme's."

"What are Triremes?" Subutai asked, not being an expert in seafaring, and also them not being around in his time. Tomyris and Tomoe were also unaware and had the same confused look.

"They are an attack ship, swift at frontal attacks, with a strong ram that can sink opponent ships. They need around two hundred people though, one hundred and seventy rowers and then thirty warriors and crew." Dom continued.

"How long until they are ready?" Subutai asked, working out in his mind.

"Normally, around twenty days each, if we have enough ship builders." He replied.

"Ok, it won't affect our immediate plans, but we will need to prepare for it." Subutai replied, before heading over to the map and standing at the east side of it by the Shimmering Sea. Tomyris and Tomoe also walked to it, and stood at both the west Gluttonous Chief's Village and north sides Nomadic Camp. Dom stood at the south side near the Underground Ancient City.

"So what is the plan." Dom asked.

"With the arrival of Tomoe, her particular skillset is better focused as a special force, similar to how Gan Ning is better focused for ambushes and intelligent attacks. Tomyris and myself are better focused at field battles and siege warfare." Subutai started, "Obviously for now, with the four of us commanders we can strategize for the smaller scale we are in, but if we are successful and survive the initial growth stages then we have some clear responsibilities in the future."

Subutai then grabbed the long pole that was in the map room and pointed it at Riverside. Dom looked closer and saw that the newer buildings had also appeared on the map, including the new Warriors Hall, the Blacksmiths and the Shipyard.

"Here is Riverside, to the south is the Red Horse Valley, the Yellow Plains and the Red Woods." Subutai Continued, "My intention is for Gan Ning to take control of the south for now, taking in to consideration we now have a possible Navy, this may need to change in the future. Gan Ning has already done initial exploration here and is suitable for quick thinking when needed."

He then moved his pole to the west side, pointing at the Gluttonous Chief's Village and the Mountain beside it. He then looked at Tomyris and continued.

"Tomyris shall take the west, as we are aware the west is the biggest front for us, as far as we know it has the mountain and forests so is more of an exploration than a battlefield for now. I expect this exploration will take the longest, so from a command perspective she can be based close and have scouts report back." Subutai continued.

He then moved to the east, where the Shimmering Sea was located, the day and a bit march to it and the river that separated it from the southern side.

"I will take the east, from Riverside to the Shimmering Sea, I will also take the River and scout up the Sea and down the Sea, so we know what situations and key locations there are across the water access points. I believe the East is our weakest point of attack, especially with the threat of Tongpai Town somewhere to the North East." Subutai stated, "by taking the east, I can best prepare any defensive or attacking measures and pull the other commanders in for support when they are needed, which they will be."

"So Tomoe is taking the north then?" Dom asked, as Subutai moved his pole to the Silver Forest to the north of Riverside. This area was mainly unexplored, as they slowly cut their way in to it with the Lumberjacks led by Lars.

"She is." Subutai replied, "Tomoe will be taking the unexplored north. She has some ideas on this which I think will work on exploring it quickly and safely."