Back to the Shore
John's fingers brushed the cold bronze lid of the chest. A soft groan echoed as metal protested against centuries of stillness. Pale-blue light unfurled into the air, forming structured panels and icons that hovered deliberately, like a precise blueprint rather than a chaotic explosion of magic.
IDENTITY CONFIRMED: JOHN ARDEN
SYSTEM ASSIGNED: KAISERFRONT SYSTEM.
SYSTEM INITIALIZATION COMPLETE
John stepped back, staring at the interface. "…This isn't a survival game," he muttered. "It's… leadership."
The KAISERFRONT SYSTEM shimmered before him, calm yet alive. Its soft pulse carried a weight, as though urging him to accept responsibility.
INITIALIZE COLONY STARTER PACK
1. Food Stores
Item Quantity Notes
Dried Fish: 500 kg Smoked and salted; lasts ~4–5 months
Hard Bread (Ship's Biscuit): 400 kg. Dense, long-lasting; staple rationsSalted
Meat: 300 kg of beef and pork preserved in salt barrels
Preserved Vegetables: 200 kg Carrots, cabbage, turnips, brined for storage
Barrels of Cider: 10 barrels (~250 L each) to supplement the water supply and boost morale booster
Barrels of Ale: 10 barrels (~250 L each), alcohol content ~5%; morale and nutrition
Emergency Rations: 100 kg Concentrated provisions for 1–2 weeks in crisis
2. Raw Goods
ItemQuantityNotes
Wool 200 kg Raw fleece for clothing, blankets, and trade
Hemp (100 kg): Rope-making, sails, textiles
Hides 50 kg of leather for armor, tools, and trade
3. Breeding Livestock
Sheep: 20 For wool and meat; hardy breeds recommended
Goats: 10 Milk, meat, weed control
Pigs: 10 Fast-breeding, fat-rich meat
Chickens: 50 eggs and meat; portable in coops
4. Tools & Arms
Tools for Labor & Farming: 50 sets of axes, hoes, shovels, sickles; durable iron
Spears: 50 for defense and hunting
Crossbows: 25 short-to-medium range combat; includes ~200 bolts
Swords: 25 light infantry swords; versatile for defense and labor
Light Armor: 25 sets of leather and chainmail; protects soldiers while allowing mobility
Firearms unavailable
Settler Complement
43 Civilians
Composition: Men, women, and children; farmers, cooks, laborers, blacksmiths, carpenters, coopers, tanners, masons, etc. Each carries specialized tools and knowledge crucial to survival and families seeking a new life.
Appearance: Sun-beaten faces, rough clothing patched many times, hands calloused from labor. Children cling to their parents, wide-eyed and quiet, absorbing the tension.
Strengths & Skills: Basic farming knowledge, simple craft skills, cooking, and tending livestock. Many can follow instructions but lack experience in the harsh wilderness.
Weaknesses & Struggles: Seasickness from the voyage, malnutrition from limited provisions, fear of the unknown, vulnerability to injury or disease.
12 Sailors
Composition: Seasoned seamen, from grizzled old captains to younger deckhands.
Appearance: Weathered skin, scars from past storms, calloused hands, eyes constantly scanning the horizon. Some carry old tattoos marking previous voyages.
Strengths & Skills: Navigation, seamanship, maintenance of sails and rigging, first responder in emergencies. Can organize lifeboats, handle anchors, and manage ration distribution.
Weaknesses & Struggles: Fatigue from constant work, occasional insubordination under stress, tension with civilians over orders. Long-term exposure to saltwater and storms has worn them thin physically.
Collective Mood and Situation
Overall Condition: Tired, hungry, fearful, yet determined. Morale fluctuates daily. Stress, fear, and fatigue gnaw at their cohesion.
Psychological State: Anxiety runs high; children cry at night, civilians whisper of danger, sailors grow terse under pressure, and artisans feel the weight of responsibility.
Daily Struggle: Combatting fatigue, managing rations, tending livestock, maintaining tools and shelter, keeping morale, and facing the unknown dangers of the wilderness or sea.
They are tired. They are afraid. Mortal. Every decision will matter.
Specialized Professions
Sir Mark Wellington – Steward & Butler
Acts as John's deputy and manages the manor and settlement affairs. Former butler to a minor noble family.
Elias Thorncroft – Merchant
Handles trade and diplomacy in neutral territories. Once a failed merchant, now seeking redemption.
Professor Lucien Voss—Scholar
Advises on research, agriculture, medicine, and innovation. Dismissed from university for risky experiments.
Master Adrian Locke – Architect
Designs buildings, fortifications, and urban layouts. Exiled architect with bold, practical ideas.
Quentin Harrow – Quartermaster
Oversees supplies, storage, and rations. Former ship purser, known for strict efficiency.
Captain Roland Graves—Master-at-Arms
Trains and commands the militia. Former mercenary captain with battlefield experience.
Magistrate Isolde Carrick—Chronicler & Magistrate
Maintains records, enforces laws, and ensures social stability. Former judge removed for defying corrupt lords.
Captain Victor Dane—Captain of the Galleon (Last Light)
Commands the settlement's galleon and manages navigation, crew, and maritime trade. Veteran sailor with daring experience.
SYSTEM WARNING: These people are mortal. Loss is permanent.
Naval Asset
Colonial Galleon—Last Light
Anchored offshore, containing all settlers, supplies, and equipment. Loss of the vessel risks irreversible collapse.
INITIAL STRUCTURES AVAILABLE
(Unbuilt—require command and labor)
Captain's Tent: Temporary leadership allows initial planning, command, and assignment of labor
Encampment Headquarters: Early governance center; organizes labor, tasks, and minor rations distribution
Temporary Shelters/Huts: Housing for settlers; minimal protection; keeps population alive
Storehouse: Storage for resources. Protects food, wood, stone, and crafted tools
Workshop (Basic): Crafting & production produces tools, basic weapons, and farming implements
Lumber Wood production converts logs into construction materials
Quarry (Basic): Stone extraction supplies materials for buildings
Small Farm / Crop Plot: Food production provides long-term sustenance
Well/Water Source: Freshwater supply is essential for survival
Dockyard (Primitive): Transport & Trade—Allows settlers and goods to move via water
Watchtower (Basic): Early warning alerts the colony to threats, wildlife, or attacks
Wooden palisades: a simple way to safeguard your colony.
Training Grounds: Basic militia training prepares settlers for defense
MAIN OBJECTIVES: STARING WITH NOTHING
The holographic display pulsed, guiding John through the first critical tasks.
Scout and Select Site for Settlement—Identify a safe, resource-rich location. Consider fresh water, forests, defensibility, and proximity to the sea.
Set Up Dockyard—Construct a primitive dock to safely land settlers and unload supplies from the galleon.
Establish Encampment Headquarters—Build the temporary governance center to coordinate labor, resources, and overall settlement operations.
Construct Shelters—Provide temporary housing for settlers to protect them from the elements.
Scout Surroundings—Explore the immediate area for potential resources, hazards, and suitable locations for future expansion.
NEXT OBJECTIVES: GATHER AND PROTECT
Build Lumberyard & Quarry—establish steady production of timber and stone.
Build a farm and a water well—secure a long-term food and water supply.
Build Workshop—To produce tools, light weapons, and essential implements.
Build Storehouse—Secure storage for food, raw goods, and construction materials.
Prepare for Defensive Structures—Consider fortifications or watch posts near vulnerable areas.
Expand Shelters—Improve living conditions for settlers, increasing efficiency and morale.
John exhaled, surveying the beach and the surrounding terrain. The Last Light galleon bobbed gently in the offshore waves, brimming with supplies, settlers, and hope. The settlers waited, unaware that their fates rested on his judgment.
John's hand hovered above the interface. Every command he gave, every choice he made, could tip the balance between survival and disaster. The interface pulsed once, acknowledging his readiness.
"Ten days ago," John whispered, staring at the horizon, "I was just trying to survive."
Now, he wasn't surviving. He was leading.
"The first step," he murmured. "Find the place, and then we build."
The tutorial was simple, yet the stakes were real: survive, build, organize.
And John Arden knew there was no turning back.