The second factor held even more weight in determining the victor than his demons had - Garath had earned gear from a dungeon and Leviathan hadn't. The few pieces of loot he had picked up in Aquawood closed the gap between the Necrologist and an enemy eight Levels above him. Even though each of the four pieces of loot he had acquired raised his stats significantly, Garath knew he still had a lot of work to do. He had only filled four of the available ten Raiment slots and the gear he had gathered so far was relatively low level stuff. What would happen if he came across a foe with a full Raiment of higher level gear? Would he even stand a chance in the Dungeon with the scant gear he already had? Would he and The Band even have enough time during the thirty-day window before humans wouldn't be the only race vying for power to gear up completely AND make it through the Dungeon in Seattle?
Garath wasn't sure if he could answer any of those questions. He only knew one thing: he needed more power. With that in mind, Garath decided to do something he should have done that morning. He created a Guild.
Guild Name?
Garath entered the letters on a mental keyboard.
Do you wish to create the Guild, The Band of the Hawk?
He chose yes, then was surprised when a drop down list appeared with a second prompt.
Choose Guild Specialization:
The options came in the form of a drop-down list.
Battle; Crafting; Dungeon; Exploration; Faith; Fun; Industry; Technology;
As his mind's eye hovered over each of the options, the Guild bonus for each appeared.
Battle - Members of your Guild receive +5% to attack and defense in combat at Guild Level: 1.
Crafting - Members of your Guild receive +10% experience gained toward all Professions at Guild Level: 1.
Dungeons - Members of your Guild receive +10% to all Attributes when inside a dungeon or Dungeon at Guild Level: 1.
*** Additional bonus: If your Guild is in control of a Dungeon, all members of the Guild receive +10% to all Attributes (stacks with +10% when inside a dungeon or Dungeon) and contributions from Guild members toward Leveling the Guild are increased by 20% when earned inside a dungeon or Dungeon.
Exploration - Members of your Guild receive +15% movement speed on all terrains and all means of locomotion at Guild Level: 1.
Faith - Members of your Guild receive +20% increased effects from their individual Wisdom Attribute at Guild Level: 1.
Fun - Guild Hall inviolate.
Industry - Improves yield of all crops by 100% and increases the speed of manufacturing by 30% at Guild Level: 1.
Technology - Members of your Guild are more likely to make scientific breakthroughs.
*** Additional bonus: If your Guild is in control of a Dungeon, contributions from Guild members toward leveling the Guild are increased by 20% when earned inside the Dungeon.
The Guild bonuses were freaking epic! Garath mentally kicked himself for not creating the Guild immediately after he had disbanded the Raid. He did feel like the short description of each bonus left a lot up for interpretation, but every single option seemed incredibly useful. The problem was that too many of the options seemed too good to pass up. Fortunately, Garath already knew exactly which Specialization to choose. He had already decided that, while the little silver egg was incubating, he would begin preparations to take on the Dungeon in what had recently been the city of Seattle.
Garath remembered that one of the prompts at the end of The Culling had mentioned that, 'once defeated, Dungeons can serve as a protected and resourceful home for humans’. And that, ‘the powers, items, and mysteries available within will provide humans with all they need to once again reign supreme on Earth'... or some shit. As much as he would prefer living at BOTH HQ to roughing it without any kind of shelter, it was a temporary stay as far as Garath was concerned. The Tower of Vy’thisrak would be his home.
With a swelling lust for greater power, Garath chose Dungeons as his Guild Specialization.
Are you sure? Yes or No
***Once chosen, a Guild Specialization can be changed. As a result of the change, however, the Guild reverts to Level 1 and all advancements will be lost.
Garath paused. Was he being selfish by simply making the decision on behalf of all those who would join? Yes, he probably was. But he was doing it because it would help him acquire a power that would provide a safe place for survivors within 1,000 miles in any direction to transport to immediately. He would make it a place where mankind could grow and learn, and if the races soon to join the planet were anything like The Culling, a place to survive. And it's not like he was going to force anyone to join anyway... Self-justification out of the way, Garath chose yes.
Congratulations, Garath! You have created the Guild: The Band of the Hawk. See Guild panel for more information.
Seconds later, before Garath had even opened the new Guild option glowing brightly on his MENU panels, another prompt appeared - this one framed by an ornate design and lettered in gold.
Know this, Garath: For leading a Raid during The Culling, a Party through Aquawood Depths, and now creating a Guild, you have been identified as a Leader of Man.
As a Leader of Man, you will receive many blessings. Some will only become apparent in time but the following effects have taken place immediately:
● You now receive 5 Attribute Points per level instead of the usual 3. Points will be added to your unused Attribute Points retroactively for previously earned Levels.
● You receive 2 Skill Points per level instead of the usual 1. Skill Points will be added to your unused Skill Points retroactively for previously earned levels.
● People will automatically be drawn to you.
● People are more likely to take your words to heart.
● People are more likely to accept orders or suggestions from you.
● People are more likely to follow you.
● You have been added to the chat channel, Harbinger's Assembly. To alter channel settings, see the options partition of your MENU.
‘Holy fucking shit-balls,’ Garath thought to himself in wonder - he left the bottom half of his jaw on the grass after that incredibly vulgar approach to excitement. ‘Did I just become a part of a New World Order??’
Garath was stunned. He had never really thought of himself as a leader before. He'd never really been a follower either, though. If anything, Garath would classify himself among the rarer, third option - people that really just don't care. He had never been the type to even care who was in charge, opting instead to just coast through life under the radar. That was in his old life, though. The life he had wasted. Now the Earth itself seemed to be pushing him into a leadership role. He wasn't entirely against it, someone had to pave the way ahead for humanity. In this, his second life, that person was going to be him.
The Culling of Man: A litrpg adventure (Peril's Prodigy Book 1) Page 34
