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As Nostromo finished his dissertation, the first person to speak up was DozingDonut. Speaking of persons that had become mostly useless since the shift to the New World, DD was one of the few combat specialists in the Syndicate, and as they weren't a raiding guild, he didn't contribute anything of particular use to the guild's goals. It didn't surprise Nostromo that he could only see this situation in terms of battle, utterly missing the finer details.

Nostromo sneered at DD, looking down his nose at him with eyes of red. "[color=9e0b0f]Allow me to explain some 'priorities' to you. As of the current moment, we are utterly ignorant of this world, its history, its culture and its inhabitants. It is sheer luck that we speak the same language, but that will not always be sufficient. Contracts will need to be drawn. Treaties will need to be signed. It is integral to the fundamentals of our guild that we should master the written word.[/color]" Nostromo got the feeling that DD still didn't get it. He rubbed his temples wearily, and continued. "[color=9e0b0f]Even now, our dwindling rations will demand that we branch out and trade for our essential supplies until we achieve self-sufficiency. Local farmers do not have the stock we need to feed our workers; we will need to procure these supplies from the storehouses of larger settlements. These trades will be drawn up in writing, and things like grain and meat have market prices; we do not wish to be swindled. The land our very guildhouse sits on could possibly be owned by another party, and we would need to buy a deed to secure it. Before you say it, I know that these issues could be solved with violence. However, taking a hammer to these issues will eventually end in one of two ways,[/color]" Nostromo held out two fingers for emphasis, "[color=9e0b0f]Either with us as rulers over a dead and empty world, or with all of us killed.[/color]"

Nostromo sighed. That was about all he had to say on the matter. He didn't really have answers for the other inquiries, as he had ordered his scouts to keep their distance from human settlements. He didn't need the locals associating a large influx of vampires with the huge fortress that happened to appear at exactly the same time. The idea to conceal the Ragnavault with illusions was a good one, and he would back the idea if Toasty found it acceptable. Or if he didn't find it acceptable; Nostromo was an individual, not a sycophant. LadyPastry suggested trading raw materials with the populace, and wondered why Nostromo hadn't mentioned it. He hadn't brought it up because it was so obvious that he assumed that everyone had already figured out that much already. Nostromo's head hurt; this is why he spent so much time on his own during the YGGDRASIL years. There was also the matter of flooding the local area with their resources or money, and making either useless by crashing the economy. It was a delicate game that they were playing, and one that they could not master until they had sufficient information.

In any case, they would have to start outings on their own very soon. They couldn't stay cooped up in the Ragnavault forever. LP could perform reconnaissance at her leisure, she seemed well adjusted for such ventures, after all. However, as Mercuria brought up her proposal to personally bodyguard any of the guildmembers that ventured on such outings, Nostromo felt an unusual aura slowly gather behind him. It took him a moment before realizing it was Wolfgang. He was still getting used to how... tactile magic had become, and how it interacted with his senses. Of course, now it was too late to prevent whatever Wolfgang was about to do.

At Mercuria's suggestion, Wolfgang cleared his throat loudly. "[color=fff79a]That should be quite unnecessary, Mercuria.[/color]" He looked in her direction without turning his head. Though his body, an intensely trained weapon of steely muscle, was perfectly calm, his eyes shined with barely-contained bloodlust. "[color=fff79a]At least, in the case of Nostromo-sama. I am more than a match for anything that would dare to wish harm on my master. Your services will not be required.[/color]"

Wolfgang's life had not changed in the least since the shift to the New World. Whereas many of the other former NPCs of the Syndicate had been left "orphaned" without their creators, Wolfgang served Nostromo as he had always done. With his master, he had direction and purpose in life. A value to commit his life to as a warrior. That as more than sufficient for Wolfgang, and so he was merely pleased to continue to stand at Nostromo's side. That was not to say that he was not... anxious about this new world. He silently wondered what strange beasts and mighty warriors lurked outside the walls of the Ragnavault, for Wolfgang to test his skill and strength against. Perhaps in this world he could find an opponent worthy enough to challenge him.