Gladesbale Grove [druid, litrpg, town building, slice of life, cozy]

A bonfire burned the chill of the night away, casting Ban's clearing in a flicker of orange. Smoke hung heavy in the air, mingling with the scent of roasted meat to sting Rud's nose. He reclined, leaning back with his hands behind him for support as he looked over the resting figures nearby. The longhouse was more comfortable by far, but there was nothing quite like an open fire on a chilly night. The dwarf on the far side of the fire, licked his lips.

"When the giant wolf promises you meat, she delivers," Taz said, rubbing his hands together. "Feels like we could have done this indoors, though."

"It wouldn't be the same," Rud said.

The massive wolf nearest Rud raised her head, sniffing at the air. She was larger than the other two wolves, emanating a sense of both authority and power. "You're covered in enough hair, Taz. You should be comfortable."

Another wolf raised her head, jabbing her nose at Rud. "Even Rud is too cold!" Sarya said.

"You may snuggle against me, if you wish," Dean said, raising his head to join the other wolves. "I am warm."

Rud shuffled over, using his staff to help himself to his feet. He fell onto the Dire Wolf's belly, wiggling until he found the warmest spot. "How about you, Ban? Nice and warm."

"I am content," Ban said, her ethereal voice echoing through the clearing. It fell on Rud's ears like a pleasant chime, washing away any worry.

The group fell into silence until the roasting meat was done. Rud had grown used to the idea of waiting for Mint to find some enormous creature pushing too far into the grove, or a wayward deer needing culling. He had grown accustomed to the idea of balancing nature that way, and left it all to Mint and the wolves. Snacking on a strip of deliciously salted meat, Rud felt the tree's attention turn to him.

"Any plans for the future, Rud?" Ban asked.

"Aside from meeting his girlfriend?" Taz teased.

"Rud had a girlfriend?" Dean asked. "Congratulations, Sarya."

"Not me!"

Rud clicked his tongue after swallowing another mouthful of roasted venison. "Maria and I are platonic, long-distance friends. She's just nice."

"She sounds mean," Mint corrected.

Rud cleared his throat. He placed his uneaten meat on a plate and stood, thrusting his hands into the air. "The hospitality industry!"

"The what?" Dean asked, his voice muffled. He had a bone in his mouth he refused to share with Sarya.

"We're expecting more mortals, right? I already have a few campsites for them. Our donation bin for crystals and other fun stuff got pretty heavy after the mortals came walking through." Rud brought those thoughts he had over the past few weeks to the front. "We're gonna offer some luxurious lodgings for everyone passing through. And we're gonna sell them tea. Or… give them tea and ask for donations. That's just selling with extra steps."

The grove had expected an increase in mortal travel. A mortal could enter the grove if they wanted, but they were unlikely to get far. The magic within guaranteed they would get lost within the first few hundred feet. Unless they traveled on the road Rud had created, they would get lost. Staying in the buildings he made with his Construction Magic made sure they kept their minds. But the roads and rest stops could be so much more! Instead of a way through the grove, it could become an experience.

Since the people from Sparwyn had a reverence for the groves, they would love it. They were already loving it, especially the longhouse with the giant fire pit. There was much more the grove had. Rud had a few things to get together before that could happen. He hoped there was enough time before the bulk of the adventurers came through, heading west. The local mortals had dealt with most of their problems, so he expected it to happen soon.

The conversation around the fire was light. Everyone was glad, especially considering they expected to add a new member to their pact soon enough. The dormant bear would wake up soon enough. Then it wouldn't be such a wolf party. There was also the owl, Nulsa, who was excellent at watching over the grove at night. Rud would be lying if he said he wasn't jealous of the flying power the creature had. His Flying Squirrel form allowed him to glide, but that wasn't flying.

Taz left to go hang out in his mine as the wolves slumbered near the fire. Rud wandered away, passing through some shrubs to use Thicket Travel. He arrived near the Observatory, ascending those stairs and setting his sights on the radio. His eyes lit with the power of the spirit aspect, activating his Farseeing ability. The dim forest outside of the tower lit in his vision, lighting with the glow of magic. He clicked the radio on as he scanned the forest, too restless to turn in for the night. Static hummed over the channel he shared with Maria, his hails coming back with nothing.

Instead, he considered how he would turn the grove into a vacation paradise for traveling mortals.

Four roads ran through Gladesbale, all leading to the center. Mortals normally came from the town of Barlgore to the east. Most often, they headed west to a series of mountains Rud knew almost nothing about. Sometimes they went south to attack monsters, but there was another trail they favored for that. While he could move through the entire grove in a blink, they were forced to walk or ride. The thing they wanted most of all when arriving at the rest areas was hot food and a warm bed for the night.

Rud had accomplished that already, but some tweaks were required for his new vision. He had created a half-circle of houses in one rest area where mortals could rest for the night. They always left them in pristine condition, taking advantage of the communal area out front. To entice people to use his future store, he wanted to expand this section and add signs to inform travelers.

Like any good tea shop, Rud could have samples of the tea he offered. Currently, he could blend sweet, earthy, and citrus to create unique blends. Each blend had a unique effect, especially when infused with the grove's power.

Rud pressed the button on his radio again. "You there, Hagsbane?" he asked, releasing the button and waiting. He made a note as he watched the monsters to the south. It was only a small pack, but the mortals would want to know. "Guess not."

"A rat for your thoughts?"

Rud looked up, spotting the looming form of Nulsa on a branch outside the tower. He smiled into the darkness, the magic around the beast swirling like a vortex. "I'll pass on the rat, but thanks for the offer. I'm looking at expanding our capacity for mortals."

"Yes, I've seen the elongated house with the fire." Nulsa turned his head, looking off into the night.

"Any new adventurers coming into the grove?" Rud asked.

"There is a lot of excitement within the mortal town. I would expect more mortals soon."

Rud rubbed his hands together. This was exciting. Not only would new people come into the grove to enjoy his tea and hospitality, but he might even mess around and earn Rank 1. That came with a boost in power. Not that the druid had much need for power. But he needed the mana that came with an upgrade, along with the influence it would have on his spells.

"Things are looking up!"

"Have they ever looked down?"

"No. Not really…"

"I thought we weren't using our groves as codenames," Maria's voice crackled over the radio. "Gladesbale… Still there?"

Rud spun, snatching the microphone and clicking the button. "I'm here! You're up late tonight."

"I've tanned enough dwarven hide for the day. Dealing with monsters, rotting mushrooms… Wait, why are you awake?"

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"I'm restless," Rud admitted, thumbing the button on the radio. He sighed dramatically. "Talking with my buddy, Nulsa."

Rud held the microphone out. "Hello."

"All I hear is hooting."

Rud released the button. "She doesn't have Animal Communication. Shame." He thumbed the button again. "He said 'hi.'"

"How are things on the surface?"

"Excellent, actually. I've got some fun projects to work on. It's gonna take me some time, but I'm gonna link all the groves together."

"All of them?"

"Yeah. Then we can share resources and help when we need."

"Do you understand how complex that problem is?" Maria's voice came after a long pause.

"Nope. Don't care. We'll make it happen!"

"Somehow, I believe you. Tell Nulsa I said goodnight. I'm heading in for now… I suspect there are a few more barrels of beer to smash."

"Good luck with your prohibition!"

The radio crackled, making a popping noise as Maria tuned out for the night. Rud was left with the owl and a plan. Tomorrow morning, it would be time to get to work. The druid shifted into his Flying Squirrel form, chittering up at Nulsa.

"Time for bed! Outta my way!"

Nulsa hooted, hopping to one side of the branch. Rud flew into the boughs, appearing above Ban as he glided. He angled himself to his mushroom house, shivering as he thought about how cold it would be. After starting a fire, he settled into bed. All the skills he had developed since coming to this world would be put to the test. Cozy under his covers, his wood stove crackled away. He couldn't wait to start the next leg of his project.

###

A decent night's rest did a lot to help Rud focus his mind. The fire had burned out in his wood-burning stove, leading him to prance over to the longhouse for some breakfast. Taz's perpetual stew was perfect for when no one wanted to cook. The wide doors to the building swung open, revealing the dwarf himself dishing out food to passing adventurers. Setting a kettle above the coals, the druid got to work on some Sunshine Tea.

Sunshine Tea was a blend of the pure sweet tea, infused with Rud's Imbue Crafted Item spell. The result was a tea so sweet, it was like southern sweet tea back on Earth. No sugar needed. He poured a cup for everyone gathered, listening to the timid conversation spreading between the mortals and Taz. People gravitated to that dwarf for some reason. Perhaps it was his winning personality, or the fact that he wasn't a sacred beast.

"Not sure why you folk keep going west," Taz said, filling his bowl up for the third time. "Head north to see the mountains.

Rud sipped his Grove Breakfast tea, feeling the energy spread from his stomach to the tips of his toes and fingers. Not only did it provide him with an energy boost that lasted all day, his mana would regenerate 20% faster. It was also delicious, but didn't really pair well with the stew. Oh well.

A human man with a mop of messy brown hair chuckled politely. "I think we're all used to rushing to the newest thing. Dungeons in the west and orcs in the west means money for us."

"And some of us desperately need that money," a human woman said.

"Just make sure to stop by the grove before you head home!" Rud said, rubbing his hands together. "I can't give you money, but I'll trade tea for crystals and cores."

The first guy offered a kind smile. "Thank you, spirit."

"I'll have a shop ready for you the next time you pass through. Probably. Honor system, of course."

All members of the party inclined their heads, performing the gesture of reverence to the grove.

Riding on the idea that no one would be dumb enough to be a dingus in the grove, Rud planned not to man the shop all the time. He would have an honor box where people could make their donations. Perhaps it was a good idea to see if he could set minimum prices, but that might violate the pact the grove had. Tackling a tea industry did more than add crystals to their stock. Plant Care, and Growth Magic were skills that were pretty easy to level. As the conversation rolled on, Rud inspected his main class.

[Druid]

Rank 0 Level 7 Class

Description:

Druids commune with nature to command spells and shapeshifting effects. The closer a druid is with nature, the stronger their abilities.

Skills:

[Animal Communication] R0 L5

[Growth Magic] R0 L5

[Detection Magic] R0 L1

[Construction Magic] R0 L8

[Healing Magic] R0 L3

[Crafting Magic] R0 L5

[Shapeshifting Magic] R0 L5

[Plant Care] R0 L8

Abilities:

[Druidic Spellcasting]

[Druidic Attunement]

The spirits had gifted him with more skills than he knew what to do with. Each was leveling slowly, but if he focused on getting something like Growth Magic up, it might help him push closer to Rank 1. He hadn't used that skill as much as Construction Magic, which was vital to getting everything built in the grove. Rud blinked a few times, realizing that he had fallen into his own thoughts as the others talked. Thankfully, the mortals treated him more like a wandering spirit than a person they could carry a mundane conversation with.

"Gotta go heal a bear," Rud said, shaking his head. "You know how bears are."

Making his way through the nearest cluster of foliage, Rud found his way to the bear and gave some serious healing. Whatever poison pumped through the beast's veins was almost gone. A few more applications of Nature's Cleanse would do the job. Unfortunately, that meant the bear was in a permanent slumber. He patted the future member of the grove on the head and left.

Rud inspected his subclass on the way to assess his tea situation.

[Grove Custodian]

Rank 0 Level 5 Subclass

Description:

Grove Custodians dedicate their lives to tending to Sacred Trees. They gain adaptive abilities, depending on which form their bound tree takes.

Skills:

(LOCKED) [Mining] R0 L6

(LOCKED) [Smelting] R0 L6

(LOCKED) [Farseeing] R0 L5

Abilities:

[Efficient Custodian]

Aspect:

NONE

If Tea-Making was a skill, Rud would have been at a much higher level. Leveling Grove Custodian had been challenging at first. He didn't need to export as many ingots as they had expected, and even then it was only a matter of creating a few. Imbued ingots were rare, but that didn't mean demand was high. But the Farseeing skill was different. Rud used that one as often as he could, scanning the forest for danger and keeping his eye on the weird magical stuff that happened in this world. It was his dream fire watch job, just with a fantasy twist.

"What are you doing?" Mint asked, appearing from the bushes.

Near Rud's mushroom house, just off from the center of the grove in Ban's clearing, he had planted an assortment of tea plants. He even had a building dedicated to drying the leaves quicker, allowing him to defy the cold to produce delicious teas. His plan was to expand it, despite the difficult landscape.

"Wanna help me level this place out?" Rud asked.

Mint pulled her lips back, baring her teeth. "For what purpose?"

"More tea!"

Mint hummed, looking out over the forest. She didn't have a problem with him clearing areas of trees. Rud always replanted what he took. But he could tell something else had barred his way forward.

"You'll need to move the badgers."

"Badgers?" Rud asked, looking out over the forest. He saw nothing. "Ain't no badgers here."

"There's an entire family of badgers here."

Rud cast his Detect Animals spell, a spell he didn't cast often enough. Sure enough, he saw the shapes of little badgers resting in holes. This might be a problem. Did badgers hibernate? Were they hunkered down against the cold, prepared to stay here and never move until warmer weather came? He hoped not.

"Well, guess who speaks badger?" Rud asked, jabbing a thumb at himself. "This guy."

Something of a smile played on the wolf's face. Rud sauntered over to the first hole, sticking his head in to watch the badger through his spell. He cleared his throat, focusing on Animal Communication skill and toggling his Clear Communication skill.

"Dear badgers, please move," Rud said.

He saw the shape of something shift within the hole. Eyes that gleamed in the dim light looked up at him. The badger attached to the eyes huffed.

"My hole!" the badger shot back.

"I need you to move your hole, please."

"Absolutely not! You want to steal my worms."

"I don't want to steal your worms, mister badger."

"Missus badger!"

Rud cleared his throat. Perhaps badgers were harder to deal with than squirrels… While he could talk to them, they were still beasts. They didn't understand complex instructions unless they were ascending like Sarya had. Getting them to move would require tact. A keen mind that could outmaneuver the mind of a determined badger. Only the quickest of wit would do.

"Golly gosh, guess you guys don't wanna go live in Worm Hole Hollow. That place is just full of worms."

"WHERE!?" the badger shouted, rushing forward from her den.

The badger was adorable, with stripes of black running down the length of her face. Her body fur was mottled gray, white, and black and she was low to the ground. Rud felt an amount of kinship to the creature.

"That's an excellent question! Allow me to prepare the area for you. Could you get the others to move with you?"

"For enough worms," she said, her eyes glistening.

The group of adventurers who had just enjoyed the hospitality of the grove walked along the main path, circling near the northern section of the clearing. They watched as a man knelt near a hole, growling at a badger who growled back with just as much vigor.