Chapter 37 - Another Meeting (18 June 25)

Harold's office was quiet.The stone foundation kept the morning chill from settling in too deep, and the air smelled faintly of rough leather, old canvas, and the clean dampness of freshly washed clothes. The space was simple — four wooden walls, a small window, and nothing on the shelves but ledger slates, very little rolled parchment, and field gear that didn't have a better home.The centerpiece of the room was the wide, scarred table at its center — a map of the basin spread across it, held flat with smooth stones and small iron nails hammered through the corners. Lines had been scratched onto the surface with a sharp tool — not elegant, but precise: trails, fields, the forest edge. Ink was too valuable, so additions were etched when needed. The nails were from one of the blacksmiths being trained, and he made them too small, so Harold took them.On the far wall, a second, smaller table held the newer layout — a carved map of the village itself, updated slowly and carefully by Beth and Josh over the past couple of weeks. The detail was impressive — each new building added when finished, each plot marked, adjusted, and redrawn when plans changed. It would be moved to Beth's office when she got one, but for now, much of the zoning was done there.The leaders gathered around the main table, boots scuffing lightly on the packed floor. Most of them looked like they had just come off a week-long patrol — which, to be fair, they had. Despite their seasoned demeanor, a subtle tension vibrated through the group. Margaret's eyes met Harold's briefly before she looked away, her jaw clenched as if holding back a comment. Hale rubbed the back of his neck, his fingers lingering as if to soothe a headache, while Evan's gaze flickered toward the map, an unreadable expression crossing his face. For a moment, silence descended, the room silent save for the shuffling of feet and the faint rustle of clothing, as if an unspoken doubt hovered just above the heads of those gathered.Beth and Josh were near the building map, muttering to each other under their breath. Hale took one of the low stools near the map, favoring his injured side. The wrappings were at least clean. He wouldn't use the healing potion when it would heal naturally with a little bit of time.Evan sat beside him, cloak draped loosely across his shoulders. He hadn't spoken since arriving, but his eyes moved constantly — between the map, the door, the people in the room.Margaret sat like she always did — upright, hands resting on her knees, watching everything.Lira stood near the back, eyes wide but determined, dirt still under her nails from the mine.Caldwell was seated at the table with a small pouch for later.Harold stood at the head of the table, one hand braced on the map.Everyone was clean, or close enough. It was a miracle, considering most had spent the past week sleeping rough or washing in the creek. The new bathing area by the creek had earned its keep. Yet, for all this cleanliness, there were visible signs of scarcity elsewhere. The lack of proper gear and makeshift bandages were reminders of prevailing shortages. Cleanliness seemed like a brief respite, a small victory against a backdrop of missing necessities. While some enjoyed this reprieve, others still wore clothes mended with frayed thread and boots worn thin by constant use.He didn't waste time.He scanned the table — the marks, the notes, the rough plans they'd worked from since the first week.Harold looked up at Hale, "ok start us off, please.""We got the herd. One-thirty-three", Hale says. "They made it back in one piece. So did the dungeon team. His tone didn't change.""We lost a few adventurers. They'll respawn, but it still costs us. We used every healing potion we had on the legionaries to keep them standing. We'll track it. Some of those ambushes were complicated."No one interrupted."The goblins were a constant thorn in our side," Hale continued, nodding toward Mark and Evan. "I don't think we'd have made any progress if the adventurers hadn't been so good at flushing them out. They tried to ambush us more than once — hit us every night. And once the herd got moving, it only got worse. We needed everybody to keep them moving in roughly the right direction."He rubbed his jaw. "The tatanka drew out those forest cats — the ones that stalk the tree line. We lost a few to them. They'd come in low and fast, trying to pick us off at night. It was a constant fight to keep the column moving."Hale exhaled slowly. "We kept the herd mostly intact, but it took everything we had. We lost three tatanka to predators on the second night. Two more slipped off during a weird storm — couldn't recover them."He glanced toward the building map briefly, then back at Harold. "The pens held. The field crews met us just outside and helped drive them in. Took most of the morning. They're penned northeast, same as planned. Temporary fencing is holding, but it won't last more than a couple of weeks. Some of the larger bulls already tested the edges with the herders driving them back. We are lucky they are mostly docile animals."Harold nodded once. "Anyone gored?""One adventurer caught a horn in the leg during the last push," Hale said. "He'll walk again, but not soon. Evan's people covered us the whole way — made sure we didn't get flanked. Garrick's runners kept comms up the whole time. Honestly?" He paused, letting the silence settle for a breath. "We got lucky."There was no pride in his voice—just fact."The herd's calm now, but they're not domesticated. We've got maybe a week before they start testing us again. They need food, structure, and people keeping them occupied and tired. We're burning labor to keep them from breaking the fence."Harold looked around the room. "But you got them here."Hale gave a tired nod. "We got them here."Beth was the next to speak, stepping around the table to glance at the etched layout of the village on the far wall. She looked tired, but steady — calloused hands resting on the edge of the map."We got the pens set," she said. "We used everything we had that could hold weight. Took the last of the good cordage and most of the straight beams from the lumber stockpile."Josh chimed in, "Rotation's the next step. If we keep the herd in one place too long, they'll ruin the soil. We've marked two more fields to clear, but it's all by hand. And people are feeling it."Beth nodded grimly. "Not enough carts. No wagons yet, though that's changing soon. Every beam, every stone, every bundle of grass — it's all carried or wheeled in one of the few wheelbarrows. Injuries are stacking up. Strained backs, sprained ankles, hands torn open. The complaints are getting louder."Harold's expression didn't shift, though he sensed the weight of frustration hanging in the air. "People expected work," he reiterated, understanding the gravity behind Beth's words but choosing to address it with quiet acknowledgment. "Understand that your fatigue is seen and your effort is invaluable to all of us." Beth nodded slowly, a hint of gratitude flickering in her eyes before she continued. "They expected work," Beth agreed, "not grinding themselves into the floorboards. No breaks, no ease, no end in sight. They're starting to mutter."Josh pointed at the map again. "We've got three halls in progress: two more sleeping halls, a storehouse, and a roofed general workshop. We can get them done, but not without nails. We could do it without the nails, but it would take almost twice as long to make the joints. Nails make it simpler."Beth added, "We need more tools. More fasteners. We're reusing anything metal we can. Nails are pulled and straightened, and hammers are shared between four crews. We need more metal, or we'll stall."Harold gave a short nod. "Caldwell, can we buy iron ore? Surely someone has some they are selling."Caldwell didn't look up from his slate."We can," he said. "But not cheap. Everyone's building right now. Tools, nails, reinforcement — it's the same story across the forum. Demand's up, supply's thin. Anyone sitting on ore knows exactly how valuable it is."He finally glanced at Harold. "Best offers are north — two Lords with working forges and too much charcoal. They'll trade ore, but they want potions or livestock in return. Not silver or raw goods. Only finished products."Caldwell tapped his fingers against the table."I think if we trade some of the Tatanka, we can get enough ore to satisfy what Lira needs to get the mine going."Hale shifted where he sat, then spoke next. His voice was quieter than usual, but even."Legionaries are recovering. Some minor wounds, two still off drill rotation with strained knees and bad bruising. No fatalities."He looked at Harold. "They're rough around the edges still, but they held formation when it mattered."Evan leaned forward, voice rasping slightly. "Adventurers weren't as lucky."Mark added, "We lost three. They'll respawn — the quests were marked — but that's three people who might not step out again for a while. Spirits are shaken.""They weren't ready," Evan said bluntly. "Not for a long haul like that. They ran hot the first day, burned all the potions keeping the soldiers alive, and after that…" He shook his head. "We were patching people with boiled cloth and pressure. Every night brought something new. Goblins. Those forest cats. Even the weather started hitting harder. They understand why they had to do it, but without proper gear and support…"Mark added, "We've got a few who want to push again soon. But they're all asking the same thing — more potion coverage, or they don't go."Harold folded his arms. "We barely made the last batch. I need more vials and more ingredients; a greenhouse would be a godsend, but we don't have the time to get our glassmaker to do that. I'll see what I can do about the potions."Josh added, " One good plow would make a difference. The tatanka can pull — we don't have the gear to use it. Summer is coming up, and we need to plant everything we can. We can clear more fields, but we need to make some plows. It takes forever to do by hand."That's when Lira spoke up from her spot near the back. She shifted her weight, voice a little rough from the mine dust. "We found a vein," she said. "Deeper in the slope. Looks stable — decent yield if it holds."Mark looked up, alert. "You're sure?""Sure enough," Lira said. "But we need better tools. We're spending half the day prying rocks with bars and breaking picks. It's too slow."Harold didn't answer right away. He looked across the table to Caldwell.Caldwell looked up at Harold, then gave a quick nod."I'll get on the trade today — see if I can get ore moving to the smiths by nightfall. Lira, meet me after this. I'll need specifics so I can tell them what to prep for."​"Ok, Evan, the dungeon now," Harold said.​Evan shifted his stance, then nodded."We've got the dungeon report. One second."Without waiting, he stepped out of the office. The door creaked open and shut again. The rest of the room stayed silent, heads turning slightly as muffled voices came from outside.Moments later, Evan returned — this time with Sarah, Mira, Jace, and Theo in tow.They looked better than they had on arrival — cleaned up, bandaged, fed, and tired. Worn at the edges in a way that didn't wash off. The quiet kind of tired that came after days with no backup and no margin for error.Sarah gave Harold a nod and dropped a flat slate onto the table. It skidded to a stop near the edge of the basin map."That's the route we took. Dungeon's shaped like the lower levels of an old tower — twenty rooms, probably more. It's a maze layout. Half the doors were hidden or trapped."Jace pointed at the slate. "Cramped halls. Narrow corners. Goblin ambushes every few rooms — tried to flank us in the dark. Theo nearly lost a leg to a pit trap with a slime at the bottom.""I got out," Theo said too quickly to be natural, flexing his knee with a wince. "But not clean."Mira added, "It wasn't just the goblins. The deeper we went, the smarter they got. Spear walls. Leather armor. Coordinated pushes. I think we only beat it cause of some of the potions you gave us."Sarah nodded. "The final room had a shield line. Largest hobgoblin commander we've seen yet — two ranged in the back. They were set up like they knew we were coming."Harold looked at her closely. "Casualties?""None," Sarah said. "We were lucky. If we'd lost anyone, they'd have respawned back here. But everyone mostly walked out. It wasnt an easy fight."Harold gave a slight nod — relief flickered in his eyes for just a moment before it vanished again.Theo stepped forward and dropped a rough sack onto the edge of the table. It landed with a dull thump. He unwrapped the top and pulled it open — gold and silver spilled out, along with a small, gem-encrusted wooden box."Loot," Theo said. "We brought back a small cart of gear. It was a pain to drag through the forest until we met up with the herd. Some pieces we might be able to clean up and use. The biggest wins are the weapons and armor we can get from the dungeon. If it keeps paying out silver and gold like that, everyone's going to appreciate it."Mira added, "The map's rough, but it'll help. We tracked each room. Pathways, trap markings, enemy placements. Saved on slate."Evan folded his arms. "We absolutely need to garrison that tower and rotate our teams through the dungeon. Carter and I talked on the way back — we recommend a full century of personnel stationed there to protect the site and the surrounding area. The goblins were thick, and we had to fight off multiple assaults at night."Sarah looked at Harold. "If we're going back — and someone will — we need potion coverage. We burned every drop we had on day one. After that, it was torn cloth and timing."Harold nodded slowly. "Understood. You'll get priority. Get the slate copied and filed. I want that route known to every team that goes in after you."Theo raised a brow. "So… what about payment?""You'll be compensated," Harold said, voice even. "We'll sort through what you brought back and assign fair value. If it's usable, it'll be distributed. If it's not, it'll be sold or salvaged. Either way, you'll get a large cut. I can already tell you that box is something I've only heard rumors of — and I've never seen one this ornate. I believe only I can open it."Jace glanced around quickly, trying to look innocent.Harold gave Sarah one last look."Well done," he said. "Go rest. I owe your team."Sarah nodded, and the four of them stepped back, quieter now — the weight of what they'd done still settling in.Harold let the room settle. Everyone had spoken. Reports delivered—no more excuses.He planted both hands on the basin map, the faint grooves of trail lines and field plots worn smooth beneath his palms."Alright," he said. "This is what happens next."The room stilled again."Everything on the slate gets finished inside two weeks. No more rollovers. No more stalling. That means the new halls, the smithy expansion, the field clearances — all of it."He looked to Beth and Josh. "Get what labor you need. If you're short on tools, work with Caldwell. If you're short on hands, Hale and Margaret will get you who you need."He turned to Lira. "Start pulling ore from that vein. Prioritize volume. No point in finding good iron if we can't get it out of the ground. Coordinate with Caldwell today. If anything slows you down, I want to know about it, and I want it handled as soon as possible."To Mark and Evan: "Adventurers did well, but I know they need better gear and more support. For the time being, that's just gonna have to wait until we are a functioning settlement. We won't garrison the dungeon until we have upgraded to a town. If teams want to go run the dungeon, make sure they know what to expect."He paused, then continued."We need to start stockpiling food—more than just what we eat. We're on the edge of qualifying for a Town upgrade. One of the requirements is a sustained food reserve."A few brows lifted at that — even Caldwell."I suspect we are close, and I want to see if we qualify at the end of the two weeks. But we start now, and we'll be ready when it counts. I want every surplus root cellared, every bit of excess grain stored. If it spoils, it's a problem. If it disappears, it's a crisis."He glanced at the smaller map — the etched layout of their growing settlement."And like it or not, we're starting to see trade take shape. Even if it's just barter, that's the beginning of an economy. If we keep it moving, we'll have the pieces in place when we need them."Then Harold took a breath and straightened slightly."In one week, I'm taking the garrison out."Silence.Hale's shoulders squared, but he said nothing. A few others leaned in instinctively."It'll be a full operation," Harold continued. "Do not tell anyone outside this room we will be leaving, but the length of time we will be gone should be about three weeks."That word landed with weight."You don't need to know where we're going or why yet. Just know that you need to start preparing your people."He let his eyes move across the room — over scarred wood and worn uniforms, over tired eyes and ink-stained hands."For seven days, you focus on building, preparing, and holding this place together. When I leave, most of the muscle goes with me. That means the Landing has to stand on its own."Beth nodded, quiet but firm. Margaret's eyes narrowed slightly, already calculating. Caldwell didn't even blink — he was too busy thinking ahead.Harold stepped back from the table."I want every one of you ready."