3.57 - The Punishment is Death


    Theo sat at his regr table with Alise, Tresk, and Alex at the Marsh Wolf Tavern. It was clear they would need more ces for townsfolk to eat. Xam was working hard to keep everyone fed with luxury meals, but for the first time she had to turn people away. The backup system of dried and fresh food stored in [Dimensional Storage Crates] would bridge the gap for now. Until then, the alchemist enjoyed his position of power, sipping on his moss tea and eating through the leftovers from the feast.


    Alise exined the schedule for the day, something Theo wasnt looking forward to. Hed nned to grind more alchemy and herbalism levels, and sort out his golems. Instead, that same position of power forced him to check in with all the production groups of the town. He hadnt even worked with Sledge for the towns new upgrade. But the refugees, hungry to dig into the towns coffers, wouldnt wait for anything.


    At the current market rate, wed be fine, Alise said, tapping a quill on a ream of parchment. She hadnt touched her food, or her tea. But our trade contracts from the north have already been canceled. People are fleeing south, and well be cut off soon.


    It wasnt a great first day of the season. Word had alreadye to Theo that Laedria might not be what she imed, but that didnt diminish the hard work she put in. The woman was up all night with Sledge, working on sourcing their materials for the boats. A list of required materials had alreadye his way, and it boiled down to timber, ropes, cloth, and pitch. If he hadnt nted the [Starbristle x], that would put them behind by a few days. All that concern for boats fell away to ensuring the Elves were settled into jobs.


    How long can we fund the town without trade? Theo asked.


    Alise shrugged, underlining some numbers on her parchment. A few weeks. Maybe.


    Alright, Theo said, standing. He hadnt finished his tea, or his meal. Alex chirped, begging to go into her satchel. The alchemist scooped her up, cing her inside. Tresk dropped some worms in the bag. Lets make the rounds.


    It didnt matter which stop they made first. The sawmill was closer, so that made sense. When Theo and Alise approached Sledges operation, the Elves mingled with their new neighbors in orderly rows. The Marshling taskmaster was shouting orders, pointing her finger and making grand promations. She wouldnt need help, but theyd check in on her anyway. It took a while for her to finish her speech.


    All good? Theo asked.


    50 new workers, Sledge said,ughing. Yeah, Im <em>real</em> good. Real good! Im great!


    You didnt sleep, did you? Theo asked.


    That woman, Sledge said, narrowing her eyes at the alchemist. Is a monster. She has an unlimited supply of energy. I suspect stamina potions.


    Theo nodded. Despite Sledges erratic behavior and sleep deprivation, she had organized her operation well. She never issuedmands for work directly, favoring a military-like structure where orders filtered down. Each group had theirmander, who nned for the day, and everyone reported to the operator of the sawmill. That freed the Marshling up to do her fabricator work and reduced her stress greatly. The addition of 50 additional workers didnt affect her at all.


    How is the boat project? Theo asked, snapping his fingers to get Sledges attention.


    Thatdy is organizing everything, Sledge said. You got her list of supplies, yeah?


    So, Sledge was useless until she got some sleep. Theo pped a hand on her shoulder and moved on, happy enough with her organization to check on the next producers. Alise was worried about the Marshlings ability to work without sleeping, but it was fine. Everything was fine.


    If the forester can keep up with their pace of cutting, it should be fine, Theo said, reassuring himself. He made note of the piles of [Ogre Cypress Bark] next to the sawmill. Perg hadnte calling for a while, which would be worrying if he wasnt so busy.


    Ill just put a checkmark on the wood list item, Alise said. Farm?


    Sure, Theo said.


    The streets of Broken Tusk were busier than normal. The familiar faces of Humans, Half-Ogres, and Marshlings were now mixed with Elves. It was reassuring to see they werent so gaunt. A day of rest and a good meal did wonders for their health. The school was also packed, the y yard filled with screaming children. Despite the noise, it was a pleasant sight.


    Banus farm was packed. Theo found him scrambling around the fields, barking orders to his farmhands. Unlike Sledge, his organization was chaotic. There was nomand structure, and no wiggle room for the Half-Ogre. Orders came from him, and no one else, creating a mad scramble to nt and harvest whatever he said. Where the sawmill got 50 workers, the farm got 100.


    You need better structure, my friend, Theo said. Banu gave him an empty stare.


    We can assign an administrator to help, Alise said.


    Oh, not that again, Banu grumbled. Not with what happenedst time.


    Then Ill send Sledge, Theo said with a nod. Banus stare grew more vacant, a hint of panic in his eyes. Sort out a structure, or Im sending sledge. Got it?


    Banu swallowed, nodding. Ill sort it.


    Theo doubted the farmer would sort the problem out, but they could check inter today. The worst case scenario meant that someone like Gwyn would help manage the farms restructuring. In hindsight, the alchemist should have fixed the problem before it was a problem.


    You cant fix everything without growing pains, Theo said as they moved down to Stabby Groves. The Elven adventurers that lived here were missing, likely already working with Aarok on assignments.


    Were going to rename these districts, Alise said, scowling.


    Theo still didnt care what the districts were named. Until they actually did something, it was just vor text. When the pair approached the quarry, they were met with an empty worksite.


    Working on the road, maybe? Theo asked.


    Likely, Alise said, making a note on her parchment. Ziz talked about structuring his workforce like the Qavelli army. Regrs and irregrs.


    Theo voiced his agreement. Ziz always had a decent way to manage his people, taking a simr approach to Sledge. The difference in approach came down to numbers. The lumber operation utilized a massive force, all lumped together, while the stoneworkers segmented their people into specific jobs. How that tranted to building roads would be interesting to see.


    ording to the reports from the administration staff, Ziz got 75 workers for his operation. Alise and Theo left the quarry, ascending the battlements of the wall and walking to the eastern gate. It was faster to take the road south, but this gave them a chance to bump into Elven adventurers. When those fighters spotted the mayor and his administrator, they stopped and performed a salute by cing their palm over their chest and bowing. That kind of respect and discipline was unheard of in Broken Tusk. Normally, the alchemist would get a smile and a nod.


    The wall was better patrolled, now. Aarok did a great job stationing the refugees along the wall. Theo even saw some of them maintaining the artifice towers, shoving motes inside to keep them powered. Once the pair made their way to the north-south running section of the eastern wall, they spotted Zizs crew. They were shoveling out the old dirt road, cing gravel in the bed, and setting stones with their [Stoneworkers Core] powers. At a distance, it was a sight to behold.


    Heres the question, Theo said, leaning against the crentions of the wall. Do we go down there and give them my extra [Tunneling Potions]?


    Alise drummed her fingers on the hard stone, humming for a moment. Wouldnt he have asked for them if he needed them?


    Maybe, Theo said. Could be him trying to build teamwork. Look how coordinated they are. One team to dig, one team to ce the gravel, one team to set the stones Hey, someone on the team has an inventory power.


    Theo watched as an Elf pulled some stone from nowhere, almost tripping and falling over. A Half-Ogre from Zizs original crew rushed over to steady the man. Then theyughed about it.


    Alright, its absolutely a bonding thing, Theo said, dismissing the matter. Theyll hit the bridge soon. Damn, theyre moving quickly.


    Some people think the Elves arent a physically powerful race, Alise said. Im wondering if its just a thing with House Wavecrest, or all the Elves, but theyre hard workers.


    Thats exactly what Broken Tusk needed. Hard workers who knew the value of putting in the sweat. The Elves working on the road below werent dainty things. They were in the dirt and the mud like the Half-Ogres, not shy to get filthy for the cause. Theyd fit in.


    Just south of the eastern gate was a sharp turn, jutting out over the river and enclosing the harbor. Ziz and his workers shouted promations of greatness from below when they spotted Theo and Alise on the wall. The pair only cleared out when the invitations to get dirty came,plete with mud balls hurled at speed. On the eastern wall of the harbor, Laedria spotted them and ascended the battlements.


    Big day, boss! she said, pping Theo on the shoulder. Im collecting materials. Got any pitch? Tar? Uh Glue?


    I can work on that today, Theo said.


    Yeah, alchemist seems like the right ss for the job, Laedria said, twitching. Her team was asleep in the shaded sections of the harbor. Got any stamina potions? Like Any? I need some.


    I suggest you rest, Theo said. I have your list of materials, and Ill get them ready today.


    Yeah. Rest. No, Im good. Alright, bye, Laedria said, jumping from the wall. She rushed over to her workers, kicking them away and shouting. Alise and Theo moved on before she returned to the wall.


    That wasnt the weirdest thing Ive ever seen, Theo said once they were clear of the harbor. But its up there.


    The shipwright went into his mental list of people to watch. She was too important to lose because she refused to sleep. Theo and Alise descended the battlements beyond the harbor, working their way through the sparse forest to find Niras smeltery with only a few new workers. There was nothing to do here, so they moved on after exchanging pleasantries. Gridgen was outside of Dead Dog Mine when they approached. He was smiling, which Theo took as a good sign.


    Cant say Ill turn away good workers, Gridgen said,ughing. The Elves dont seem built for the mines, but they sure are working.


    No issues? Theo asked.


    Well, there arent enough nuggets to mine, so were working on expanding the tunnels, Gridgen said. Couldnt be happier with the arrangement.


    Gridgen invited them in for a tour. The top level of the mine had been expanded significantly, snaking in all directions to get at the [Copper Nuggets]. The nextyer wasnt as well-dug, but provided a few new spots to get [Iron Nuggets]. When they reached the bottomyer of the mine, near where Alexs egg had been found, there were even fewer new tunnels. Thatstyer held only [Drogramathi Iron Nuggets] for now, but Theos hope was to find silver. His intuition said it would appear either on thestyer, or the ironyer.


    With everything being so busy, it wouldnt be wise to dig deeper. Gridgen shared that concern. His team wasnt structured like any of the others. Mining seemed to be solitary work, with only enough space for one person to swing a pick in the tunnels. It was more of a mental game than anything, bncing the stiflingly hot conditions of the mine while keeping ones sanity from theck of sunlight. But they seemed happy enough to take a more leisurely pace, often returning to the surface for breaks.


    Might need venttion, Theo said, standing in a long tunnel on the copper level. The sound of picks rang through the mine, creating a deafening noise that gave him a headache within moments. And ear protection.


    I dont think the mine requires attention, though, Alise said, clearing her throat. Not with the current emergency.


    Alises biggest weakness was her limited foresight. Theo couldnt fault her for it, though. Everyone had their strengths, and her greatest skill was to handle problems immediately. She was reactive, and that had merit. Times like these made it hard to n for the future. Having someone who focused on the present made those problems vanish as they cropped up. Integrating the refugees was proof enough of that.


    Theo wasnt much better at nning for the future. He nned for all possibilities, not the most likely one. That was something he could work on, but his goal was to establish an amazing administration structure to bridge the gaps he had. Gwyn was more cautious with her nning, but she hadnt had the chance to run with it. Sarna, Gridgens partner in the mine, came to interrupt the alchemists thoughts. She gave her opinion on the mines operation, but every word lined up with what the alchemist already heard.


    Alise checked the mine off her list and the pair went to check on the artisans of the town. Throks cksmithing workshop was buzzing with activity. Most of the potential smiths were gone, leaving only a few promising pupils. Thim had his own workstation now, and the cksmith himself was nowhere to be seen. The Dwarf shouted his greetings, beckoning the pair over.


    Ya really made the boss mad, Thim said. Been in that new workshop you gave him for a few days.


    Hell get over it, Theo said. Since hes gone, how are your new apprentices working out?


    There were a few Elves that had the knack for cksmithing. Some even had cores, ording to Thim. But cores didnt make the cksmith, it was more about personality and drive.


    Well enough. Not that we have many orders, Thim said, setting down his hammer. Everyone just wants the Bantaris artificer work. Air condensers for everyone.


    Air conditioners, Theo corrected. That works. Any opinions on the refugees?


    Absolutely none, Thim said, drinking from a wineskin. Theyre working. Theyre getting paid. Who cares?


    There was amotion on the far side of town. Theo poked his head out of the cksmith and watched as people stopped in the street, casting concerned looks north. But the bells didnt ring, and Aarok didnt send a town-wide message, so he ignored it. He downed a [Potion of Lesser Foresight], just in case.


    Alright. Thanks for the help, Thim.


    Theo knocked on the door of Throks artificer building, but got no response. After knocking the third time, the Marshling shouted back in anger. It was best not to disturb an angry Marshling when they were working, especially not one as angry as Throk.


    We should check with the admin staff, Alise said, pointing toward the town hall. Make sure everything is lined up for the day.


    The town hall was filled with citizens and the junior administration team. Gwyn was directing the chaos, but it seemed to be routine things. Some Elves werent assigned jobs, and they were upset about that. It was only a group of 3, but they insisted on being ced on teams they didnt deserve. Especially not the one iming to be an enchanter. One inspection revealed him to be a level 3borer. Further investigation showed his only core to be a [Laborers Core]. There wasnt time in the day to worry about setting everyone up with their dream jobs.


    <strong>[Aarok]:</strong> Theo, report to the guild. Not an emergency.


    Is it ever an emergency? Theo asked.


    Were good for now, if you want to go, Alise said.


    I mean, the message said I gotta go. So Enjoy this rabble, Theo said, gesturing to the angry Elf.


    Theo made his way to the Adventurers Guild. A small crowd had formed outside, all talking amongst themselves. There was time enough in the day to gawk at whatever the guild was doing, but not enough time to work? The alchemist took a deep breath. People could take breaks if they wanted, they only owed him 3 days ofbor a week. That was the standing agreement, anyway.


    Inside the guild hall was no less chaotic than the outside. Adventurers talked amongst themselves, a tone of anger spiking their every word. Theo found his way to Aaroks office, eyes lingering on the crowd surrounding <em>something</em> on the ground. When he entered the cramped office, he found it not as stuffy as before. Only when he spotted Throks air conditioner in the corner did it make sense to him.


    Bit of trouble, Aarok said, sitting behind his table and scribbling something in a leather-bound book. He gestured for Theo to take a seat and sighed. Well, we figured out what happens when someone breaks your contract.


    Theo searched his memory. The crowd in the guild''s atrium were all surrounding something. A cloth strewn over <em>something</em>, but what was it?


    Ah, Theo said, inspecting his memory closer. How many?


    Three Elves, Aarok said. Registered with the Adventurers Guild and assigned to patrol the marsh. We just hauled them in, still taking witness ounts.


    Thats Luras job, right? Theo asked, letting the memory of the red-stained sheets fade from his mind. What exactly happened?


    Early report says they tried to take out another adventurer, Aarok said, leaning back in his chair. Well, they picked the spot well. Out of range from our towers, and out of sight from the other adventurers. An Elf on the wall saw the air split open, then some beast jumped out and Well, Im sure you saw it. They were torn to shreds.


    Theo leaned back, falling into his thoughts. His early impression of the contracts skill was that the punishment would fit the crime. The entire situation seemed grim, but it was a clean way to deal with new citizens. If they would sign a contract, then break it immediately, they deserved what they got.


    Its a great example for the new citizens, Theo said, shrugging. They read the contract, right?


    They did, Aarok said, leaning in. Not sure youre the same Theo. Figured youd have a negative reaction.


    Theo took a long moment to respond. Theres one simplew in this town. Dont harm Broken Tusk, or her people. Thats it. If someone cant follow that, we cant help them.


    So, the punishment is death? Aarok asked, raising a brow.


    I assume they did more than just plot the murder? There had to be an attack, right? Theo asked.


    There was, Aarok said. The person they targeted was attacked, but thats all the information I have. Shes still alive.


    Then, yes. The punishment is death, Theo said.


    Aarok was pleasantly surprised by that. He fell into conversation about other things, mostly about their new citizens. 3 bad actors out of the 300 wasnt cause for concern. Everyone else was acting in good faith, and all the adventurers hed recruited, aside from the 3, were more than pulling their weight. They worked with a professionalism never seen in Broken Tusk before, bringing with them a breath of fresh air. It was not unlike the cool breeze that filtered through the air conditioner in the room.