"So here's the plan," I begin, thwacking a long willow stick on a segment of the clay-brick wall we were working on, covered in various charcoal drawings. "Zaru, as the one most familiar with the forest out of the three of us, we'll have to rely on you in that area when material gathering. Herbs, foods, prey, even types of woods we can work with, so on so forth. Do not venture out so far that you won't be able to make it back, whatever these creatures are they're primarily nocturnal predators. I say primarily because we don't have much of a frame of reference as to what these things are other than the one attack they made on your hunters".

I then thwacked another part of the diagram, pointing to a toad-like stickfigure. "Todone, between the three of us you are both the most suited for water and most agile. This gives you a field advantage in aquatic terrain as well as any general situations where mobility is key, and as such means you are most suited for gathering things in the water. Zarusosa can technically keep pace with you in the water, but he'll need to focus his efforts on the forest as he's more suited to that than we are. You will primarily be looking for clay and mud to bring to our main camp without weakening the integrity of our main plots of soil above the waterline, though you will also keep an eye on the crawfish traps I've dropped in the water at locations marked by poles in the banks of the marsh islands".

Another thwack, this time at the stick figure that represented myself. "And then there's myself. I will be maintaining the camp, working on our walls and preparing traps to keep out potential threats to ourselves. Whenever I have time between the bricks drying and feeling worn out from digging holes or should the sun set, I will focus on working on any equipment for ourselves. Spears, bows, armor, knives, anything necessary to satisfy both our needs and wants. Should you wish to request something, I will make it to the best of my own personal abilities. I will also be cooking, cleaning, and making sure our camp is kept in a neat tip-top shape".

I swirled the stick, and pointed to the final diagram to cover with a last thwack. "Finally, the camp itself. I have planned out areas for several workstations with which to tend to our various needs from cleaning animals to preparing potential ingredients for teas, potions, and poisons. I will admit my alchemical know-how is shit at best outside of making tea, but it's still better than nothing. I'm also aware that you two may not necessarily like it, but for our personal safety and efficient time-resource management we will all have to deal with communal housing in the form of our mudhut. It will be large enough to avoid feeling cramped, and I even have plans to install a cooking range and table for ourselves to enjoy in times of nightfall. Of course, to make sure none of this becomes moot, I will need to have you all familiarized with any traps I lay during the day so you may avoid falling into them. In addition, both of you will try your best to attack and defeat any dangerous fauna you may come across, though keep in mind I understand your choice to back off and retrieve any one of us to assist in hunting them at a later time".

I breathed deeply, and held onto the other stick with my free hand. "Any questions, gentlemen? Take your time to think of one if need be, it's a bit to process".

The both of them take a moment of silence for contemplation, before shaking their heads. I sigh, relaxing. "Good. Now, I did take some time on my last two watches to make you both weapons, but armor will have to wait since I had to basically redo the process on the deer hide".

Both of them were intrigued, and were elated to see me pull them out of the Coyote Bag of Holding, something they were both familiar with the properties of at this point. In my hands was a bundle of Shearjaw spears, filed beyond ordinary sharpness and adhered to a strong shaft of oak with fired resin and plant cord. I handed these to Todone, who accepted them gingerly. He took one out of the bundle and examined it carefully, extending it out fully and waving it, testing it's weight.

"It took me some time, but I was able to prepare these spears for you. I have a couple more spares I can hand you once I give Zarusosa his weapons," I said, turning around to go back into the bag. "Now, I'll admit that making a sword out of bones is a little weird, but I was certainly able to make do. And your bow was simple enough, though I apologize if the quality isn't up to snuff. It's been a minute since I've tried my hand at proper fletching".

The first of the two I pulled out was the bow itself. Carved from willow wood, it was a decent enough shortbow strung with the sinew of the deer. I'd treated the wood and coated it in ash, giving the wood a darker charcoal look. With it was a simple quiver, consisting of plant fiber and woven vines, the quiver itself containing several arrows with heads carved from flakes of deer bone. Zarusosa seemed to like it at least, taking up the bow and quiver carefully. Slinging the latter over his back, he took an arrow and knocked it on the former, flexing it before letting the string pull back to rest with a growing smile.

The second weapon I pulled out was a deerbone shortsword, carved from a hind leg and placed in a wooden scabbard carved and glued together with more resin. The bone was worked into a handle, one made of oak, securely fitted into the handle with resin and a small cut of hide from one of the legs, a part that wouldn't have worked all that well for making the armor anyways so it's not as though it needed to be perfect. He slung the bow across his chest and took the sword up in his main hand. He pulled the sword out of its scabbard, admiring the clean and sharp edge I was able to give it, and clasped it back within its home. He strapped that to the belt of his loincloth, and gave me a nod of satisfaction. I breathed a sigh of relief, glad that both of them enjoyed their new weapons.

"I must admit, these weapons are better than I expected from you Nolan. If I recall from stories, most of your kind would not know how to properly work such materials. You prove to be quite an exception to the rule it seems," Comments Zarusosa, to which Todone chuckles.

"He has a habit of doing that, you'll come to understand him in the next few days".

The lizardman couldn't help but chuckle himself, simply stretching after the fact. "So, what is it we will have to keep a lookout for, Nolan?"

I nodded, glad he was getting down to the meat and potatoes of the situation. "Primarily any plants you know first hand as useful, though gathering any other plants that stick out as seeming like it could be used for something, no matter how simple, would be appreciated. I can identify most plants as well as what they're capable of being used for with relative ease if I can get some time to experiment with them. Everything counts towards keeping our asses safe from whatever these monsters are, and we'll use every trick in the book we can against what we're fighting".

He nodded at that, and Todone decided to pipe up. "What about training our bodies? When will we do that?"

"When you guys aren't out and about. I know it doesn't sound good, but we can't afford to be lazy right now. Every day, every hour before sunset, every waking breath you take must be best planned out and utilized to its fullest. We don't have a whole tribe with us to help pick up the slack here and there to allow us rest, it's just the three of us. It's not gonna be all that fun, but… it's necessary that we steel ourselves".

They nodded in agreement, seriousness washing over their faces. I waved at them, motioning for them to move. "Now c'mon, let's move it guys. We'll chat more when everyone's come back before sunset".

I place another brick town, nearly naked during my work in an attempt to somewhat keep cool. The wood-ash brick molds into the mortar mix, made from slaked lime and mud. A decent enough mixture, one that's held much of the bricks so far. With them gathering food and useful materials, I can focus my efforts almost entirely upon our camp now. While it sucks that I can't really enjoy the forest shade out here, the occasional gust more than makes up for it.

I've been using another tool, yet again made from deer bone. If there's one thing I'm grateful for, it's that our options have expanded with that poor thing's death. A primitive kind of trowel shaped from a clavicle bone was being used to spread the mortar along the brickwork, and doing a fairly good job of it as well. Can't do anything other than dumb labour for shit, but it's that same dumb labour that's been helping my ass time and time again out here.

"Makes me feel better about not being able to go to college…" I muttered to myself, free to let my thoughts out loud now that I'm alone. "... can't see how having a tech degree woulda helped me out here".

Not that I didn't know a few tricks about that, helped a friend with his servers every now and then even if it was the techie equivalent of 'hold the flashlight for me', but it's not as though it'd be useful for me at the moment. Another brick laid, and I start to wonder about all the things I've got planned for us.

"Jars are still in the kiln, half of 'em will probably just crack but that's okay. I can always grind the rubble for dyes and glazing. If we're gonna be stuck with bones and sticks we might as well make it look good".

The final brick of this layer laid, I move around the corner and continue my work, carefully dragging the sheet of bark I'd plopped my mortar on and pulling another brick I'd put in the bag for convenience sake.

"Be nice to have something we can actually seal, have fat stores I can actually put towards making things. Can't wait for the hide to finish tanning as well, sooner we have that the better".

As I continued my monotonous labor, my thoughts wandered from simplistic survival to the future. I couldn't help but think back to the first meeting I had with my… 'Patron'. The memories were still somewhat fuzzy, almost like a dream at this point, but I still remember some of the finer points. He said it would be about ten years before this next 'Pulse', and I needed to be there for when it happened. He also told me that a dragon was responsible for this crap happening, something that I sure as hell wasn't feeling keen on facing even if I was a high level. But why did the dragon start doing this in the first place? What kind of people is he even pulling? Are they from a world like mine, or some other fantasy world? Or is it something so wholly alien I wouldn't be able to fully comprehend it unless I saw it with my own two eyes.

Crack!

"Tsk, damn it…" I muttered, kicking the broken pieces of a brick I'd just dropped off to the side, grabbing another one.

Continuing on my train of thought… If this dragon chose to drag these poor people from who knows where, why did it do so? What did it have to gain from all this? What was it about them that made them worth breaking what was apparently a fundamental law of the universe that wasn't meant to be broken? Was it power? Riches? Did these individuals carry with them some form of knowledge?

I sighed, slathering another dollop of mortar.

"Stupid fucking power hungry lizard… at least you got me a second chance…"

Another thing, why me? He… actually I should probably stop saying that since I'm not sure what it actually is, but my 'Patron' wholly admitted that it was about to grab literally anyone else. So what, I just happened to be able to keep my eyes open for a few seconds? There's nothing special about that shit, grab someone else who won't stress and worry over every little damn thing that could, would, or should happen. Not that I should have room to complain though… I would like to see my little brothers again…

I bite my cheek hard, tasting copper as I try to push those thoughts back. I can't cry. Can't afford to. Not yet anyways. Not until I've got a moment. Can't let the mortar dry. I breath deep and slow, and push those thoughts aside for the time being. As long as I've got things to do, I can't afford to cry.

"... fuck…" I sigh out, feeling a single tear stream down. "... I miss them so much already…"

My little brothers were my life… I did everything with them. With our dads out of the picture, I had to step up to the plate considering mom's habits brought less than stellar influences around. Took beatings for one, changed diapers for the other. I did everything I could to spoil them when I saw them, but those times grew fewer and fewer with each passing year. I wanted to see them, wanted to hang out and game or wrestle, but with each passing year after moving out I just… felt safer and safer. Maybe it was wrong of me to start cutting off contact with them, but every time I was around her it always seemed to bring back so much anger that I could scarcely tolerate being in the same room.

The sound of something coming out of the water distracted me, and I turned to see Todone coming out of the water with another basket of mud. I nodded, letting him place it down by the bank for me to make more bricks the moment I can afford to. Sighing, I slather the last of the mortar and place a final brick, putting my tools down and heading for the basket.

… I really can't fucking wait for sundown.

The three of us sat around the mud slab of a table, eating our meals inside the unfinished walls of the hut. They were only around chest high, and that was simply because we could only make so many bricks. Still, the wood-slat molds for the bricks held well enough, and if I finished up in time I could probably get to starting the roof. Might wanna get some thatch prepared in advance.

Todone already ate his food, having consumed it in that same and slightly off-putting way, leaving Zaru and myself to nibble on our helpings of crayfish and hucklenut stems. As we did so, Todone was asking questions, getting answers when I didn't have food in my mouth. Zaru couldn't care less, I suppose it makes sense he never had that same mindset of manners smacked into his head.

"So, your people… they came here because of the invading humans?" He asked Zaru, curious about the lizardman sitting across from him.

"Partially," He said, crunching on another shelled crawfish. The sound of which genuinely bothered me, but I opted to say nothing as it's not like he'd be doing it for hours on end. "There were already a few issues with our home region, but the warriors of Baharuth were the largest reason which finally gave us the motivation to flee".

"I'm really liking these guys less and less…" I muttered after a swallow, shaking my head at their mention. "Like I can at least kind of understand slavery. I don't like it, but the fact of the matter is that from what I understand they don't have the machines or technologies we do to make a process cheap and efficient. What I don't like is the part where they burned your villages down and slaughtered half of your tribes in an attempt to get you under their fist. Musta blew up in their faces when you gave 'em the slip".

He shook his head. "I was but hatchling at the time, I cannot say I have many memories from growing up other than constantly walking through dry lands and helping my father scout out human patrols".

I scoffed, picking up another crawfish and cracking it open. "I guess your tribes and the toadmen have Baharuth in common at least, they've lost a few of their people to slavers".

"Truly?" He asked, turning to Todone. "Is this true?"

The toadman's mouth flounders briefly, before he gives a disinterested look and turns away. "What of it?"

I sigh, putting the crayfish down for a moment and cracking more open while I talk. "I'm just saying Todone, it seems like a lot of your people's suffering has been both directly and indirectly caused by the Baharuth. It doesn't excuse the lizardmen's actions they took when they came here, but at the very least it does explain their actions and put them in a different light".

The toad scoffed at that. "And so what? Even if they didn't attack, there simply isn't enough of the lake's resources to share. They would have starved us out eventually if we didn't drive them off".

"Perhaps, but that was yesterday and this is today. And today, I say we put aside our differences and work towards a better tomorrow. I'll share what knowledge I can from my homelands if I must, so that both of your peoples can profit from the splendors".

"How so, Nolan?" The old man asked, bits of shell landing on the table from his mouth. I cringed a little at that, but continued.

"Well…" I began. "Now keep in mind I don't know how to do it, I just know that it can be done… but have either of you considered farming fish?"

The lizard cocked his head. "What is 'farming'?"

I brought my eyes to Todone, who could merely shrug. I sighed at that.

"Farming, sometimes known as 'Agriculture', is the process of raising animals and plants for food and various materials they may provide. Fish farming for example, was done in dug-out reservoirs filled with water, plants, and well… fish. The idea is that you would raise the fish and protect them from predators so that they can grow and breed without interference, thus boosting the amount of fish produced. Your people sort of do this actually Todone, though from what I understand you only use your beasts for hunting purposes".

I swear, if I had a nickel for every time I saw these guys look so surprised. Honestly, it's almost kind of wholesome actually.

"And you said this can be done?" Zaru asked.

"Well yes, in fact fish was just a suggestion. You could do the same for snails, crayfish, even fro-..." I trailed off, looking at Todone as I realized what I was about to suggest. I cleared my throat, opting to continue sans that part. "Point being, if you do it right you'll be able feed your people no problem. I would suggest maybe growing some plants as well, if not for yourselves then at the very least to feed any livestock".

"Amazing…" Todone uttered in awe. "What other ideas do you have?"

I scratched my chin, thinking carefully. "I'm… not quite sure actually. I mean that from a practicality perspective at least. I kinda know how to metalwork with copper, but that was more a passing hobby"

Also not like there's a garbage dump in this world I can scavenge for wires from or anything.

"If there were any significant deposits of metal around here then maybe I guess, but I wouldn't even be sure how to go about extracting that in the first place. Other than that… I guess I could show you guys how to make booze if you don't know how? Or maybe show you some tricks I know about masonry? I mean, we'd need to pretty much make the tools ourselves as well as gather the materials for those if I wanted us to learn carpentry, and that's not even taking into consideration whether or not there's any suitable grains or anything with a lot of sweetness to it for the booze part. So, y'know, unless you got that, that's out of the window".

I decided to finally slurp on some crawdads, trying to take advantage of the lull in conversation to catch up on my food. I pick up the stems and bite through them en masse. Honestly, they're kinda like a more bitter form of asparagus now that I think of it. As I ate though, it seemed there was a thought on the lizards mind this time around.

"So, Nolan, how do you know all of these things?" He asked.

I could only shrug at that. "Eh, I was bored a lot growing up, so I'd do some reading and studying on all kinds of weird things. At one point I was hellbent on studying ancient methods and tried practicing them in a patch of woods not far from where I lived".

I pulled my sleeve back and motioned to a scar on it. "See this? I got it from trying to catch fish with a net I made from plastic beer rings, slipped and gashed my arm on a broken beer bottle when I fell in the stream. Never healed right since ma didn't wanna take me to the hospital, but I always look back at it with pride".

"And you… enjoyed doing these things despite your upbringing?" The lizardman asked with a tone I couldn't quite place.

"Yeah, books were pretty much my only friend growing up…" I trailed off, before a lightbulb flickered in my dim broom closet of a brain. "Hey, wait a sec, I think I have an idea".

Nolan Potts, Human (Karma: 50 [Neutral]) [14/15 Spell slots used]

Classes: Brawler (4), Ranger (3), Druid (2), Clothier (3). Total Level (12).

Spells (Druid): Frostbite, Entangle, Create or Destroy Water, Guidance, Jump, Cure Wounds, Dust Devil, Protect from Poison, Hold Person, Spike Growth, Lesser Restoration

Spells (Ranger): Animal Friendship, Speak to Animals, Ensnaring Strike

Gear: Canvas Clothes (Sturdy, Weathered), Oak-Handled Brush-hook, Canvas Coyote Pack of Holding, Bundles of Herbs (Medicinal), Bundles of Chitin, Pot of Tannin, Bundles of Smoked Bug Meat, Dried Deer Hide, Bones, Bone toolkit

Items of Note: {Humble Beginnings}.

Party Members are as follows…

Member One: Todone, Son of Kodrotti, Toadman (Karma: -30 [Neutral])

Classes: Toadman Warrior (8), Brawler (7), Total Level (15).

Member Two: Zarusosa Shaha of the Greenclaws, Lizardman. (Karma: 110 [Neutral-Good])

Classes: Lizardman Hunter (10), Warrior (9), Ranger (5), Total Level (24).

AN: Next chapter, I'm thinking about breaking up the pace a little to do things a little differently. As to how, that's going to be for me to know and you to wonder. At the very least I hope it'll be interesting. Also, I'm genuinely surprised with the pace I've managed to knock these out, but that's probably only because of my recent lack of things to do. Onto the reviews;

Focus on the future: Haven't said much to ya yet, but that's only because you kinda haven't said much yourself so I'm sorry if you felt a little left out. Still, thanks for the vote of confidence on how I handled explaining 'Experience'.

Fleece Johnson: I'm not sure when I'll have the fact that this is Overlord hit him in the face as, once again, I'm mostly playing things by ear, but I honestly can't wait for when that does happen. And I actually agree with you about the Lizardman Arc and the Tombraiders Arc, it really did seem kind of frustrating that few people batted an eye at the lizardmen dying left and right versus Arche getting her proverbial (and in all likeliness literal) cheeks clapped by Shalltear making everyone cry out sour grapes. And the slavery thingy... yeah. It's a pretty nasty subject, a lot of folks immediately cry about it and understandably so, but it doesn't erase the fact that it happens nor that it was seen as a genuinely efficient use of resources. Again, morally wrong, but from a numbers perspective it does bring results that a lot of ancient peoples saw use in especially pertaining to prisoners. It is what it is