The Bull

Dom headed in to the Gambling House to see what Lucius was excited about, as he walked up the stairs he looked at the impressive building that architecturally was one of the stand out buildings in Riverside. He wondered what use it could have as a building, he was happy there was another entertainment related building, but worried what gambling could lead to when the currency was released.

As Dom entered, he was impressed with how light and spacious the ground floor of the building was. There were several tables with stools surrounding them with a variety of different games jotted around. At both sides of the room were a wooden staircase that led to a balcony above that had even more of the tables with stools around them. Lucius was stood at a table near the entrance, flicking some shells in the air and watching them as they landed.

"What are you playing?" Dom asked.

"It's a game where you throw the shells in the air, and you have to guess how many will land face up or face down." Lucius said happily, "Five Tops!"

As they landed, four were face up and the rest were face down. Lucius grumbled with a smile as he headed towards the next table that had some bone dice on them, that could be rolled and the numbers calculated.

"There is such a variety of games!" Lucius said happily after he had looked at a few other tables, that included Tilia an Ancient Greek version of Checkers, a Chinese Go table and a some other board games from ancient times. "This will be a great release for the Civilians of Riverside after a busy day!"

"I have worries that people may get addicted and loose everything." Dom said, part in worry but also happy to see that Lucius was happy about it.

"We should manage this place carefully and limit what people can spend." Lucius agreed, "Let's assign this to Crassus and Shang Yang to manage."

"Commerce and Law together." Dom agreed with a slight smile, wondering how the two would agree on anything in relation to the Gambling House. "We need to get the right staff hired for here as well."

"I'll speak with the Tavern Manager and see if any of the staff there can move across." Lucius replied, "Actually, I'll tell Crassus and he can ask the Tavern Manager."

Dom laughed in response as they headed back down the stairs and out in to Riverside.

"So, we have the Barracks and Warriors Hall to spawn, as well as two more upgrade tokens." Lucius commented as they headed towards the Military District.

"As well as the armour upgrade for the Hoplite's." Dom stated as they reached the Military District. "Let's upgrade the Ox Animal Husbandry so we have more meat, milk and Oxen for pulling the carts."

"I am thinking the Shipyard or the Docks for the second." Lucius agreed, happy that the farming district was getting some additional support.

.....

"System, use the Barracks Cube and spawn it next to the current Barracks." Dom asked, as the ground shook and another large building appeared in the Military district. Dom had expected the building to look the same as the other Barracks, but was surprised to see that it was an L shape and had created a U shape with the current Barracks.

The few Warriors that were nearby noticed the changes, then continued with their training and activities as if they were used to the random buildings appearing all of the time.

[System Notification, building of higher grade has absorbed the same building of lower grade and upgraded by a level and size.]

Dom checked the Barracks new stats and saw that it could now accommodate over one thousand six hundred warriors, with their being eight warriors to a room and their being two hundred rooms. Dom assumed that there would be changes though as junior officers would want their own space, but was impressed regardless.

"What happened?" Lucius asked as he saw Dom's concentrating.

"The Barracks have both merged to give us a Level 2 Barracks that can accommodate one thousand six hundred warriors." Dom replied as he prepared to use his Warriors Hall Cube.

"That's fantastic, Wang Shu will be grateful to know we have more rooms whilst he builds housing!" Lucius replied. "What next?"

"I am sure that he will. I'm going to use the armour upgrade on the Hoplite Warriors Hall next, and then we will use our new Warriors Hall spawner." Dom said as he pulled the parchment out. "System, use the Armour Upgrade Parchment on the Hoplite Warriors Hall."

[Upgrade Complete]

Unsurprisingly, nothing changed to the Warriors Hall and the few Hoplite that always followed Dom, such as Gregarious, Hector, Homer and Trojan still wore their normal armoured bronze muscle cuirass.

"System, show stats." Dom asked.

[Hoplite Warriors Hall of Riverside

Hall Grade - S

Hall Level - 3

Spawn Rate:

8 Iron Armoured Hoplite Warriors a day, (Can be upgraded with Village growth), 2 Spartan Hoplite Warrior a day (Can be upgraded with Village growth)

Spawn Level - Iron Armoured Hoplite Grade A, Spartan Hoplite Grade S

Spawn Type - Iron Armoured Hoplite

Further Types can be unlocked throughout the Game and Mission Completion

Effects: (Give Me More S Grade - All spawn related buildings will have a random increase in daily spawns or reduction in spawn time)(Protect Me More - Upgraded armour from Bronze to Iron)]

"The Hoplite Warriors Hall upgraded to level three!" Dom exclaimed in shock, and confusion. The daily spawns had increased, as had the armour as he had expected. "System, do the daily spawn on the Hoplite hall."

Suddenly the doors opened and eleven armoured Hoplites walked out, as well as three Spartan Hoplites, as the Give Me More perk increased the numbers as usual. These warriors however wore Iron Cuirass that looked silver and shone in the sunlight, their arm greaves were slimmer and longer and their Corinthian Helmets were also made from Iron, much lighter but stronger than the old bronze ones.

"I am jealous!" Gregorios commented as he looked at the new ones that spawned, that were quickly gathered by the Xun Yan who was waiting nearby for the daily inauguration of the daily spawned warriors. He had taken on this task as he was in charge of the city defence and all of the new warriors before they were assigned to different units.

"Morning both." Xun Yan politely said, "Am I to assume that all of the new warriors are to spawn?"

"Sorry, I got carried away." Dom replied, "I am going to spawn a new Warriors Hall though."

"Xun Yu mentioned it to me, that's fantastic news!" Xun Yan said happily, "I am impressed with the Hoplite's new armour. Will the current Hoplite all get an upgrade?"

"I believe so!" Dom replied, as he said so, Gregorios had disappeared and jogged behind the new spawners in to the Hoplite Warriors Hall. A minute or so later he returned with a new Cuirass in his arms.

"It was on my bed!" Gregorios exclaimed as he ran over towards Dom and his mixed guard of his loyal Hoplite and Forbidden Guard, who all showed happiness for Gregorios, whilst also trying to stay serious as Dom's personal guard.

"I think that is a yes then." Xun Yan replied with a laugh as he bid his farewell and went to introduce himself to the new Warriors.

"New Warriors Hall next?" Lucius asked as the guards had all taken it in turns to go and change to their new armour, looking proud and shining next to Dom and the other guards.

Dom agreed and then asked the system to use his final Green Cube, the Warriors Hall that would spawn at least a Grade A unit.

.....

The ground shook and a single story, silver wooden building appeared, similar to how all of the Warriors Halls had looked like when they had originally spawned. They had all slightly evolved as time had gone on, the Horse Archers Warriors Hall had the Stables attached to it, where as the Legionary Warriors Hall had the Training Camp attached to it.

"System, please roll the Warrior Type." Dom asked.

[Please choose one of the following, Bull, Eagle or Wolf]

Dom thought for a few seconds, expecting that at least once the system would do him a favour and give him more obvious options. He wanted either Heavy Cavalry, Foot Archers, Light Infantry or Naval Troops. None of the options given were obvious to his needs, previously he had been given Ranged, Attacker or Defender, or similar themes.

"I have a choice of Bull, Eagle or Wolf." Dom said to himself quietly, as Lucius listened in.

"I do not know what they could link to." Lucius replied seriously.

"I think an Eagle could relate to a Roman Legion, like the Ninth Hispania that we currently have, as many Roman Legions had these assigned to them for their standards." Dom stated, "The Wolf, could potentially be Viking Warriors who are a strong infantry unit, but I could be wrong. The Bull could be anything, maybe something Ancient Indian as they have a closeness to Cows."

"We don't need more of the same, and we have already upgraded the Ox Animal Husbandry so maybe we should go for the Bull?" Lucius replied in deep thought, thinking that they may as well try their luck.

"Bull it is then." Dom replied with a shrug, "System I choose Bull."

[Choice made, roll Commencing.....Legio I Germanica, The Disgraced Legion, Legionary]

[Legionary - Grade A (can be upgraded)]

Above the double doors, a shield with a bull on it appeared, as well as the Roman Numeral I.

[The Legio I Germanica, were a legion raised by Julius Caesar in his campaign against fellow Consul Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus and was granted the image of Capricorn, the Bull, as were all of the Legions raised by Julius Caesar. They were raised in 48BC and only lasted a short time, as did some of Caesar's other Legions until around 70AD where they were disbanded and merged in to a different legion.

They were known as the disgraced due to multiple disgraceful instances during their short life. Their first instance was in Hispania, where they lost their original title Augusta, this was due to bad performances against the Cantabri rebels. After this disgrace they were dispatched to the Rhine, where they distinguished themselves and were granted the title Germanica.

After being stationed in the Rhine, they received further disgrace after being one of the many mutinous Legions, that argued for better pay and rights for the Legionaries. Due to this, many senior members of the command structure as well as Legionaries themselves lost their lives either through mutiny, in fighting or punishment.

They were then further disgraced in the Batavian Revolt of AD69, where they were dispatched to support Legions who were struggling in the Revolt. Upon arrival they lost and surrendered with what men they still had left. Before being rescued by a general dispatched by Emperor Vespasian and disbanded. Emperor Vespasian was not a supporter of the Legio I Germanica as they had supported his rival for the throne in the previous succession during the year of the four Emperors.

The Legio I Germanica joins you with the hopes of redemption and a fresh start in World Conquest Online.]

Dom wasn't sure how he felt at the new unit that had joined Riverside.