Chapter 195 - 194 Fort Darklight

"This place is seriously amazing. I mean, the details you put in already, just to prepare the surface for decoration makes it nicer than most noble houses." The almost human-looking wolf girl exclaims, climbing the wall to get a closer look at the crown moulding that the Elementals created based on Cain's designs. 

"I had them leave it deliberately thick, so you can carve into it and not need to use earth magic to alter it first," Cain informs them as the group heads up the stairs into the keep. 

"This, did you build it entirely of marble?" Symbia asks, gesturing at the building in general. 

"Of course. I used Elementals, so everything had to be Earth-based. So the whole building is made of solid stone. I hope you like it. As we put in the contract, the crown moulding, those decorative ceiling bits, a lot of stained glass and some pillars need to be done here. It's pretty large, and a lot of it is repetitive, but that might make it easier for those working with magic."

"Yeah, we will do the repetitive bits. I've got a spell that can do it from a drawing, so once we're decided on the designs, I can do the whole keep in a few hours. It's the individual statues in the pillars that will take time. Unless you want us to use existing drawings." One of a pair of human twins explains. 

"I don't see why not. I'm told you guys didn't sell much of what you made and designed, so it's all new to anyone who might visit. If you use up all your saved designs here, where the most people will see it, you'll have all the time you need to make fresh ones for the underground."

"About that, just how big is the underground?" Symbia asks. 

"First, follow me outside. You'll enjoy the ancient architecture and it will help me explain." Cain says, leading the group out the front door. 

"The keep is roughly in the center of the castle. The underground extends almost to the walls, multiplied by four levels, only two of which will need to be fully decorated. But Symbia here will be busy because the bottom level is a treasure labyrinth and will need all sorts of hexes and enchantments. Speaking of which, we can make and equip the other forty Guards now, and have them patrol the city and keep watch from the towers."

Symbia is very skeptical that forty of anything less than Dragons is enough to secure this place, but she's happy to get started creating the Guards. 

"Why don't you Summon a Lieutenant to run things here?" Carlos suggests. 

"I Appointed two, Misha and Char, and it told me I couldn't do anymore, see." Cain says, using the [Lieutenant] ability to try to Summon another. 

[Target may only be selected as Lieutenant 1 Time. Randomize Lieutenant?] Y/N

Oh, maybe he can Summon the other two, he just needed to try it that way instead of trying to appoint a Lieutenant. 

"I stand corrected. I can Appoint two and copy them with my summon duplicating ability, but the appearance is randomized I think." Cain says, selecting the yes option. 

[Lieutenant Created. Please Select A Name to finalize appearance.]

Is it creating the Lieutenant based on the name? Or is he risking a horrible name for a Lieutenant it has already created? Cain is almost 100 percent sure the system is just messing with him at this point. 

But he'll play along. How about a good Orcish name for his new Lieutenant, see what the system does with that?

[Name Selected: Magnoth]

[Creating Lieutenant] 

The form it created looks like an Orc. 190cm tall, heavily muscled, almost an identical match for Cain's current physique. Short for an Orc though. Maybe it's a Half-Orc? The Summon is surrounded by a haze as it forms, like looking through a frosted window, so Cain can only guess what's happening by the silhouette. Dark coloured armour, which seems to be a set of full plate is forming around the indistinct figure, so he guesses it's a warrior-type Lieutenant. 

The haze clears to reveal an Orcish woman, light-skinned for the Green Orc race, an almost mint green colour. She's wearing a black chain mail over a black leather skirt, and what looked like plate armour is a polished black leather chest plate over a sleeveless chain vest. With sturdy leather boots and a leather bracelet with dangling feathers and gems, her long black dreadlocks tied with purple string, Cain suspects this might be a Shaman and not a Warrior type. Based on Char, who he appointed last maybe? 

She carries no visible weapons, but that's not surprising if she's a caster type. Cain inspects his new Lieutenant with the interface, hoping for more details as it finalizes.

[Name] Magnoth Elfsbane (Maggie)

[Class] War Oracle

[Lieutenant] to Cain

Cain isn't sure exactly what a War Oracle does, but it sounds like a Shaman. Maggie stretches as she finally forms, looking around at the startled artists. 

"Good Morning Commander. You can call me Maggie, or Lieutenant Maggs. It's a pleasure to meet you." The Orc introduces herself, her voice surprisingly soft and musical, not all matching her physical appearance, which, with a large scar from her forehead down across her right eye, ending on her cheek, is that of a formidable warrior. Though if you disregard the scar, there is no doubt she's beautiful, in an Orcish way, her short lower tusks giving her a permanent smile. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you too. Welcome to the Darklight Host and Fort Darklight."

"Not much of an army. But we can whip them into shape, never you fear Commander." Maggie's smile looks somehow sinister right now, but Carlos is laughing. 

"These aren't the warriors, Lieutenant. They're the Sculptors who are decorating the Fort. You'll meet the actual fighters later."

She looks Carlos over in approval, before holding up a hand to indicate his height.

"Good height, but Vampires are always tall. Strong, well equipped. I approve."

"Thanks. Good to see someone takes their job seriously around here." Carlos says, trying to stop laughing. 

"Castle defence is a serious matter." She agrees, crossing her arms and looking at Cain. 

"Hey, don't be like that. I've got forty Summoned Guards here so far, plus the forces you can Summon. We're quite a ways into the desert, built on a forgotten ruin, and the castle is only a day old. We'll get a proper security force going in no time with your help." Cain insists, deflecting the blame. 

Lieutenants don't get all his summons, only Lesser and Greater Golems and Supporters, but that should be enough to get her started. 

"Do you have a suggestion for my Supporters Commander?"

"I use clones of my Appointed Companion, a Beast Lord called Kone who is a Guild member, for her ability to Summon Snapping Turtle Kin Tanks and healing type Dragons. You can do the same, or you can pick something different to compliment the expected reinforcements."

Maggie thinks a while before getting a big smile. "Then I have the perfect Supporters. The Flame Sisters."

Cain vaguely recalls seeing them in the Yellow Tusk forces. Flame Sister is an Orc Specific fire Elemental Shaman. They are geniuses with attack magic, can use an assortment of Totems and can Summon Fire Elementals. It might not be Kone and Su level powerful, but they're going to have some serious attack power. Plus, fire Elementals in the desert just seems right. 

"I'll go survey the area first, then return to visit once I have defences placed." She declares, her gentle, lyrical voice making the announcement seem harmless when her intentions are anything but.

"Looks like the base will soon be secure, so the Doll Warriors can patrol the interior grounds and just head up to the walls to assist when needed." Cain smiles, watching his Lieutenant happily skip away, Summoning six other Orcs, who each call out two Greater Fire Elementals before Maggie calls for eight Greater Granite Elementals. He can't see if she picked a Lesser Golem option yet, but she's sending Golems to each point of the base and four of the Supporters to the larger arms of the cardinal points. 

There's an enclosed area at each of them, designed for the defence forces to be stationed without being rained on by spells and arrows, but there's nothing in it at the moment. If they're going to be waiting there a long time, Cain should add couches or something. Hiring professionals for this every other time has been a marvelous time saver. 

Once the basic forces are stationed, Maggie returns with a pair of Supporters and six small Beastkin. Almost like Naga, they are fully scaled with snake-like heads and two arms on a more humanoid but still scale covered torso, but these are tan and brown with a Rattle at the end of their tails. Diamondbacks the system calls them. They blend into the desert so well Cain almost missed them at first. 

"First-line defences are set, Commander." Maggie declares, clearly proud of her deployment. 

"Excellent work. Feel free to explore the compound, you'll need to get to know it intimately. Everything here is at your disposal.. As for the Sculptors, pick a spot and start your design process, I'll come back in an hour or two to see what you've come up with for the keep."