Chương 77: CHAPTER 76 — The First Great Project

Mark went and talked to Tom and Dale about the new Regional Infrastructure Project opportunities. Dale and Tom both thought that they were pretty cool, and they all disagreed on which one should be done first. Knowing that it would take more than a month for most of the options and require a team of 10+ people and a huge amount of resources. They decided the best idea would be to call a meeting of all the major groups in the area.

They decided maybe first thing in the morning, and they could send runners out with the time and have them gather for breakfast. With time to kill, he looked around the outpost at all the changes. The longhouse had been completed, and they already had all 10 beds booked out for the next month. They were charging system credits for room and board. The cookhouse was finished this morning, and Dale was moving all his supplies in.

There was room for 10 to eat inside and tables out and around it that could feed another 15-20 in a single sitting. Dale now had 2 assistant cooks and a bus boy/dish washer to help. His food was well desired, and he was feeding not only those that lived in camp, but many people were visiting from the outpost every day or two for the fantastic cooking he was doing. The cabins were now under construction. There were going to be 3 of them.

Tom and Dale planned to share the first one each having a room and a sitting room they shared. There was also a loft that the 2 kids planned to share. Mark was told one of the cabins was reserved for him with a room, an office, a sitting room, and a loft, but only for him. He was still fighting this, as he did not think he needed his own cabin; he could share or sleep in a tent for all he cared. The third cabin had 3 rooms and a loft, and so far they were planning on putting Ava in there and had room for more.

Cora and Lena were planning to move to Wayrest when the first longhouse was done and either stay there or build a cabin of their own somewhere in the woods. There was a crowd at the tables outside the cookhouse when the meeting began. Mark began explaining the regional infrastructure opportunity message. He brought up the message and read it to the group. [Regional Infrastructure Opportunity Detected] Settlement development thresholds reached.

Regional coordination and contribution reserves now support sanctioned infrastructure development. Only one Regional Infrastructure Project may be active within a controlled zone at a time. Projects require: • Assigned personnel • Sustained contribution investment • Long-term regional support Available Projects: • Sanctioned Forgeworks • Regional Road and Bridge Network • Infirmary and Alchemy Workshop Additional regional projects may become available as settlements develop.

Warning: Beginning a Regional Infrastructure Project will heavily impact regional contribution reserves and labor availability. He went on to explain the detailed information he gets when he drills into each of the three projects. Reading each one to the group.

PROJECT OPTION 1 Forgeworks Estimated Time: 35 Days Personnel Required: 10 Assigned Workers Primary Requirements: • Large Stone Supply • Hardwood Timber • Charcoal Production • Ore Stockpile • Water Access • Major Contribution Investment Projected Rewards: • System Sanctioned Forge • Simple Anvil • Beginner Smithing Manuals • Furnace Operation Knowledge • Metalworking Task Expansion Possible Long-Term Benefits: • Improved Tool Production • Refined Ore Processing • Advanced Smith Classes PROJECT OPTION 2 Regional Road and Bridge Network Estimated Time: 50 Days Personnel Required: 12 Assigned Workers The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Primary Requirements: • Timber Reserves • Stone Reserves • Trail Survey Teams • Bridge Construction Materials • Sustained Labor Support • Major Contribution Investment Projected Rewards: • Reinforced Road Network • Stabilized River Crossings • Wagon Construction Manual • Bridge Construction Plans • Improved Regional Travel Possible Long-Term Benefits: • Faster Trade • Safer Routes • Future Wagon Use • Better Supply Distribution PROJECT OPTION 3 Infirmary and Alchemy Workshops Estimated Time: 30 Days Personnel Required: 8 Assigned Workers Primary Requirements: • Herb Supply • Clean Water Access • Medical Storage • Dedicated Healer Support • Specialized Labor • Major Contribution Investment Projected Rewards: • Medical Facility • Herbal Preparation Manuals • Basic Alchemy Knowledge • Improved Healing Efficiency • Recovery Ward Access Possible Long-Term Benefits: • Medicine Production • Injury Reduction • Advanced Healing Classes • Potion Experimentation Mark was really surprised he got through reading the full list before the fight started.

Everyone had an opinion on which one was the most important. They talked about recovery from the fight and the wounds they had. Others talked about tools, weapons, and building supplies for the forgeworks. Others fought for the trail network. They all had various costs and benefits, so even Mark could agree that each and every one of them would be used and, in some ways, needed.

The first option they removed off the list was the Infirmary and Alchemy, both of which Mark felt were good options, but it boiled down to the fact that they did not even have enough people with those classes to support the initial 8 required personnel.

The debate went on for three hours until, through a series of votes, it came to the decision that the Forgeworks would best upgrade at this time, and everyone agreed when it was completed they would check to see if there were more options or the ability to do one of the other two. Mark brought up the screen to select the Forgeworks as their first great project.

Before clicking the button, he scrolled through the list of items that would be removed from the contribution store and outpost inventories; there was not a single outpost in the area that did not have something substantial being taken for this opportunity. Mark guessed that just over half of all the resources they had gathered were going to be taken in just the next click of a button. There was a general system message sent to every person in the zone.

FORGEWORKS ACTIVATED Project Status: Forgeworks — Active Estimated Completion: 35 Days Assigned Personnel: 0 / 10 Available Tasks Generated: 127 As Mark looked at the message, the available tasks counter kept going up. He finally closed the screen when it passed 150. He then opened the tasks screen and saw that there was a new task category called Regional Infrastructure, and it had lists of jobs, tasks, and resources needed.

Mark filled in on the system that the location of the Forgeworks would be at the Cave Camp outpost, and he was able to pick and align its location on the map. He went to the Assigned personnel page and clicked the apply button. He instantly got an applicant-rejected message. And then a list of classes that could apply, which he, of course, did not have. As he was puzzling over his rejection message, he saw John's name pop onto the list and his position title and responsibilities listed.

Then 2 more names popped onto the list, and Mark was not familiar with either of them. He went over and talked to John, who was sitting at the table and was part of the discussion and, of course, led the push for this project. He told Mark that after he selected the button, he received a system notice that he was eligible for one of the assigned personnel options.

The system gave him a contribution signup bonus and a list of personal rewards he would get upon specific milestones that would need to be completed along the path to full completion of the project. He also mentioned that the final reward upon compilation of the project would be a class upgrade/evolution dependent on performance in his role. Mark brought back up the progress page, and it indicated that 6 positions were now fulfilled and over 250 tasks had now been created.

As he sat there he realized that all activity in camp had stopped and that people were reviewing the task list. Mark decided he would get in on the action and started to look. The tasks surprised him. Some were simple, like bringing a load of clay to the worksite. Another was producing charcoal. And the list went on. Haul stone, collect iron-bearing ore, gather furnace stone, and dig the foundation trench. Most of these he expected. Then he saw quests that surprised him.

There was a trade request to take a load of materials east of them to a village name he had never heard of before for trade for some other materials. There were several quests in that category going quite a few different directions. They all said details were given upon task acceptance. Mark sat there a second and clicked the accept task button. And again, he got the "not qualified" message.

He kept going through the list of items and finally realized there were filter options to show tasks that he was most qualified for. After that he had to laugh. Top of his qualified list was delivering water to the worksite. Compensation is dependent on the amount delivered, and it was repeatable. Mark finally closed the screen and decided he needed to finally eat breakfast.