Exploring the world

After asking Grothar to look over the newly arrived orcs, Liam retreated to the Village Hall.

Finding a room with a bed in it, Liam laid on the bed and started scrolling on the menu.

As he navigated the menu, a flicker of movement in the corner caught his eye. It was the global chat window, a constant stream of text scrolling past.

He saw the usual players boasting about their epic skills and troops. There were even desperate pleas for help from those in trouble.

Intrigued, Liam shifted his focus, and a new section materialized – the Trade Market. This was a game-changer.

Here, he could barter with other lords, exchanging resources and blueprints.

Liam closed the menu and stood, a plan beginning to form in his mind.

"Grothar!" he called out, his voice echoing through the Warrior's Hall.

The orc chieftain appeared almost immediately, his face etched with a look of unwavering loyalty.

"Yes, my lord?" Grothar asked, in a respectful tone.

"We need to explore our surroundings," Liam said, his voice firm. "The oasis has limited resources. We need to find more, especially wood."

Grothar nodded, his eyes scanning the horizon. "Should I gather a scouting party my lord?"

"No only you and I will go. We just be scouting so the less people the better" 

"As you wish my lord" Grothar bowed and left the hall

It was already night time and the orcs had set up makeshift tents.

Liam visibly tired from the day's occurrences fell asleep immediately. 

The night passed away in a blur as Liam's eyes slowly began to open. His stomach rumbling as he had not eaten anything since yesterday.

Liam took out the beasts he had slain during his 3 days of invincibility.

The corpses piled up like a small hill.

As he touched the pile of corpses, a notification rang

[Dismantle]

"Yes" Liam spoke. As the words exited his mouth, All the corpses disappeared and a series of notifications sprang up

[Cindrakes x 3 dismantled. Meat x 700 obtained. Scales x 900 obtained. Beast tooth x 300 obtained. Mana essence x 9 obtained. Beast Essence x 9 obtained]

[Dune Wolf x 22 dismantles. meat x 880 obtained. fur x 22 obtained. beast tooth x 150 obtained. Mana essence x 28 obtained. Beast essence x 20 obtained]

[Scorchback Lizard x 12 dismantled. meat x 240 obtained. scales x 360 obtained. Beast tooth x 100 obtained. Mana essence x 8 obtained. Beast essence x 9 obtained]

[Mirage serpent x 5 dismantled. Meat x 40 obtained. scales x 20 obtained. Beast tooth x 30 obtained. Mana essence x 1 obtained. Poison sac x 3 obtained]

[SandTusk Boar x 5 dismantled. Meat x 200 obtained. Leather x 20 obtained. Beast tooth x 10 obtained]

[All the items have been transferred to the warehouse.]

[*Note*: Food won't spoil in the warehouse.]

Liam took out some of the meat cooked it. He distributed most of to his followers and ate some himself.

After a hasty breakfast, he summoned Grothar. "Let's depart," he said, his voice filled with newfound determination. "We have much to do."

The desert sun beat down mercilessly as Liam and Grothar ventured deeper into the unforgiving expanse.

Liam's gaze swept across the desolate landscape, a sea of sand that stretched as far as the eye could see. The oasis they'd left behind seemed a distant memory, a green oasis in a sea of desolation.

Grothar marched beside him, his heavy breathing a rhythmic counterpoint to the silence of the desert. His axe, a formidable weapon of obsidian and bone, was gripped tightly in his hands.

Suddenly, Grothar's eyes narrowed. He gestured towards a peculiar formation in the distance, a gaping maw in the sand that seemed to swallow the light.

"What is that?" Liam asked, his curiosity piqued.

Grothar's voice was a low rumble, a whisper carried on the wind. "It looks like an abandoned mine," he replied.

Liam's heart raced. A mine? A source of precious resources, a treasure trove hidden beneath the unforgiving sands.

With a newfound determination, they approached the mine. It was like a huge crater in the land with entrances scattered all across the walls.

They decided to go into one and explore what was inside. The entrances were like long tunnel.

Liam took a deep breath and stepped into the unknown. Grothar followed closely behind, his axe raised, ready to defend them from any unseen threats.

As they ventured deeper into the mine, the tunnel widened, revealing a vast chamber. The walls were lined with shelves, once filled with various tools and equipment.

Liam's eyes scanned the room, his heart pounding with excitement. He found a few pickaxes and shovels, and a small cache of iron ore.

As they ventured deeper, all types of ores could were imbedded into the walls

Gold, Copper, Iron and Silver were present in abundance in the mine.

"We've struck gold!" Liam exclaimed, his voice echoing through the chamber.

Grothar grinned, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "The gods have blessed us, Chief!"

With renewed energy, Liam and Grothar began to gather the ores. Liam filled his inventory with the ores and returned to the surface, their hearts filled with joy.

[Iron ore x 500 obtained. Copper ore x 370 obtained. Gold ore x 120 obtained. Silver ore x 220 obtained].

Liam took out a piece of wood he took from the camp and carved a makeshift map of the mine.

They had found an invaluable resource that could be used for multiple things.

The future was looking brighter than ever.

After exiting from the mine they began to march eastwards hoping to find something worth while.

Hours passed, the desert sun climbing higher in the sky. Their shadows stretched long and distorted.

Suddenly, Grothar halted, his eyes fixed on a peculiar sight in the distance. A crumbling structure rose from the dunes, its silhouette stark against the blinding sunlight.

As they drew closer, the structure revealed itself to be a ruin, a remnant of a temple. The walls were cracked and crumbling, the once-grand architecture now a mere shadow of its former glory.

Liam has also seen numerous such ruins scattered almost everywhere.

It seemed like the desert lacked basic resources but had an abundance of runes and similar structures.

With caution, they approached the ruins. The entrance was blocked by a pile of rubble, but Grothar managed to clear a path.

As they stepped inside, the air was thick with dust and the faint scent of decay. The interior was a maze of narrow corridors and chambers, each filled with the remnants of a forgotten past.

They explored the ruins for hours, discovering ancient writings on the walls and even a hidden chamber. In one of the chambers, they found a staircase leading underground

Liam's eyes widened. "A dungeon," he muttered.

He approached the staircase, his heart pounding with excitement and trepidation. As he reached out to touch the stone steps, a notification appeared before him.

[Do you wish to enter the Dungeon?]

Liam's eyes widened. He had struck gold yet again.

Liam's heart pounded with excitement as he stared at the notification. A dungeon? The very thought sent a shiver down his spine. But he knew he couldn't rush into it.

"We'll return later," he said to Grothar, his voice filled with determination. "With our troops and proper preparation."

He marked the location of the dungeon on his crudely drawn map, a wooden plank covered in strange symbols and markings.

With that, they turned back, the journey back to the oasis a blur of sand and sweat.

As they approached the oasis, Liam could see a flurry of activity. His orcs were hard at work, building new structures and gathering resources.

The sight filled him with a sense of accomplishment. His settlement was growing, his people thriving. But he knew that there was much more to be done.

The undead dungeon was a tantalizing prospect, but it was also a dangerous one. He would need a strong force to conquer it.

With that in mind, Liam turned to Grothar. "We need to train our troops," he said. "We need to make them stronger, ready for whatever challenges may lie ahead."

Grothar nodded, his eyes filled with determination. "As you command, Chief."

And so, Liam thought of building the orc barracks, a place where his orcs could hone their skills and become even more formidable warriors.

Liam did not lack food at the moment. He had all the corpses of the beast he had picked up carefully preserved in his inventory.

As Liam took out the blueprint for the orc barracks, a notification appeared before him.

[Do you wish to build an orc barrack?]

Resource Required:

100 units of wood

50 units of stone

10 pieces of leather

Thankfully, Liam had all the resources he needed. With a nod, he confirmed his choice.

The blueprint dissolved into particles of light, swirling around the designated area. A countdown appeared on Liam's screen: 10 minutes.

As the minutes ticked by, the ground began to rumble. Stone and wood materialized from thin air, assembling into a sturdy, imposing structure.

Within ten minutes, the orc barracks stood tall.

[Orc Barracks: A building used in the training of the fiercest Orc warriors. Also used as a strategizing point for the lord and the commanders.]

[Grade: White(1)]

[Boosts stat gains when troops train in this building. +20% stat gain boost.]

[Upgrade requirement: 500 units of wood. 100 units of stone. 20 units of leather]

With the orc barracks complete, Liam gathered his warriors and Grothar. "We have a new training ground," he announced, his voice echoing through the gathering. "From now on, you will train here to reach higher levels."

A murmur of excitement ran through the crowd. The orcs were eager to improve their skills, to become stronger warriors.

[Loyalty +5] X3 notifications suddenly came up in front of Liam.

Their loyalty increased by a significant margin, their faces etched with newfound respect for their chief.

With a nod, Grothar led the orcs into the barracks. The sound of their footsteps faded as they entered the training grounds, their determination fueling the air.

Liam watched them go, a sense of satisfaction washing over him.

Liam retreated to his room satisfied with his progress soo far.

His workers had also been working tirelessly all day and had gathered a significant amount of basic resources.

He opened the panel and decided to upgrade his Village hall to the next grade. In an instant the upgrade was complete.

[Village hall: The heart and soul of you and your land.]

[Health: 2000/2000]

[Grade: 2]

[Area coverage: 5 sq mile]

[Upgrade: Require: 2k units of wood. 1k units of stone. 10 Mana essence]

The area covered by the shield had expanded along with the Hit points. But the upgrade requirement also had doubled.

"Looks like it will only be more expensive in the future." Liam sighed.

Liam sat on his bed and began to think about his next plan of action. 

He had now a stable source of income, the mines. But he lacked one thing. a stable source of food.

Of course He could send out his troops to hunt but there was no guarantee that they would always return successfully.

After thinking about it for a while he decided to ask Grothar about the matter.

"You summoned for me my lord?" Grothar stood outside his room.

"Ahh yes Grothar. I wanted to ask something?"

"Anything my lord. Please ask" Grothar replied in a respectful tone

Liam asked what they used to eat back in their village.

To which Grothar replied that they had domesticated SandTusk Boars which were an extremely good and sustainable source of food. 

They had extermely great vitality and fertility with short growth period.

They could survive on minimal amount of food and water and also produced great amounts of meat.

Liam also remembered that he had encountered these beasts before and that they that provided huge amount of meat.

"Hmm then can you go and find some of these beasts Grothar?"

"Absolutely my lord. I have some idea to where they might be."

"I will depart immediately and return with the beasts. Please grant me permission." Grothar put down one of his knee and knelt before Liam.

"Sure Grothar" Liam replied awkwardly

Grothar got up and left the camp holding his giant war axe.

Immediately Liam commisioned his workers to build an enclosure to keep the beasts

It took the workers 2 days to complete the enclosure. If Liam had a blueprint it would have taken a few minutes.

[Beast enclosure: Used to contain and raise domesticated beast as livestock]

[+10% Growth rate. +10% Fertility rate]

[Capacity: 12/20]

[Beast handler: 0/3]

[Upgrade requirement: Blueprint, 200 wood, 100 stone, 5 leather] 

As the construction finished up, Grothar had also returned with 10 piglets and 2 adult boar.

*Time skip*

3 days passed without much action. Liam had sent his workers to the mine to mine for ores under the protection of Grothar and his supply of ores was steady.

He was slowly accumulating resources by trading with the ores in the marketplace.

He had also explored nearby areas around his base and discovered 4 more ruins with 3 of them having dungeons.

He had also upgraded his Village hall to grade 4 and his Barracks to grade 3

[Village hall: The heart and soul of you and your land.]

[Health: 10k/10k]

[Grade: 4]

[Area coverage: 20 sq mile]

[Upgrade: Require: 8k wood, 5k stone, 500 iron ingots, 50 Mana essence, 50 Warrior essence]

He had the ore but not the ingot and also 0 warrior essence thus an upgrade was delayed

[Orc Barracks: A building used in the training of the fiercest Orc warriors. Also used as a strategizing point for the lord and the commanders.]

[Grade: White(3)]

[Boosts stat gains when troops train in this building. +40% stat gain boost.]

[Upgrade requirement: 4k wood, 2k stone, 500 leather, 10 Mana essence, 5 warrior essence ]

The 6th day approached and a worldwide notification was issued to all the lords.