After more than half a month of flying, the group finally arrived at their destination: the vicinity of Dustwallow Marsh on the Kalimdor Continent.
Twenty massive goblin zeppelins descended, safely escorting the five human Magic Ships to the shore. This was the destination Rhodes had chosen—their first stop upon reaching Kalimdor.
The future site of Theramore, which Jaina would establish, was excellent in terms of geography. As a port city, it would facilitate trade and communication with other cities.
The nearby Dustwallow Marsh was also suitable for development; fertile land could be reclaimed for crops, and marine aquaculture was also an option.
To the west lay Mulgore, where the land was incredibly fertile and ripe for development. Moreover, it was far from the influence of the Night Elves, allowing him to use this place as a base for outward expansion.
Even when the Tauren arrived in the future, Rhodes was confident he could maintain peace with them. The Tauren race was very peace-loving; as long as you didn't proactively infringe upon them, they wouldn't attack and might even offer assistance.
After the Magic Ships landed, many human soldiers and paladins stepped out, opening the hatches to let the civilians, who had been cooped up for over half a month, out for some fresh air.
Everyone seemed exceptionally excited. They had spent over half a month inside the airship cabins and were quite smelly; they desperately needed to find a place to bathe and breathe in the fresh air.
"We've arrived, Rhodes. Is this our new home?" Princess Calia asked as she stepped off the Magic Ship and took a breath of the fresh air.
"Yes, Princess Calia! For a long time to come, we will live here. This is a natural harbor, a place designated for me by the Titan Keeper, and I believe it suits us perfectly," Rhodes said.
"I agree, Rhodes. This is a very suitable place to establish a port. Once we have a proper harbor, we can open a safe trade route between the Eastern Kingdoms and the Kalimdor Continent," Jaina added.
"Alright folks, we've reached the final stop of this journey. Thank you for flying with the Lordaeron Trade Company. I hope we have the chance to cooperate again in the future," a goblin artisan said with a smile as he hopped down from a zeppelin and approached Rhodes.
The implication was clear: they had completed their task, and it was time for Rhodes to pay. goblin zeppelin services were certainly not free.
"I know, but our transaction isn't fully complete yet. You promised that once we found a suitable settlement!"
"You would help us transport the necessary materials and provide a subsequent three-month supply of food. Right now, we only have five or six days' worth of food left," Rhodes said.
"Of course, Mr. Rhodes, we naturally remember our deal. The Great Trade Prince intends to come personally this time to finalize things with you. I'll send them our location right now."
"Dustwallow Marsh isn't too far from our base. It should only take a few days for the Trade Prince to arrive with a large shipment of supplies. Have you decided to build your city here as well?" the goblin in charge of the handover asked with a smile.
The Trade Prince placed great importance on this transaction. Upon learning that Rhodes and his group were coming to Kalimdor, he had decided to make the trip personally.
As soon as they landed, they would send word to the Trade Prince.
The Great Trade Prince would immediately lead a convoy to meet Rhodes in person for commercial negotiations.
"I'm not a stingy man. Take these first as a one-third deposit."
"I will pay the remainder—the two Magic Ships and the Anti-magic Metal—after the Trade Prince arrives." Rhodes nodded to the goblin and produced several tons of Anti-magic Metal and special Anti-magic Diamonds from his system space, handing them over.
Anti-magic Metal was truly worth little to Rhodes now. During the seventeen days at sea, Rhode's Ice Condensation had refreshed three times, allowing him to buy nine more Gold Golems. He had also discovered a new way to exploit the system.
His medical tent could also treat the injuries of Gold Golems. By simply placing a damaged Gold Golem or Diamond Golem inside, they would recover within a few hours.
This way, he even saved on mana. Rhodes could just set up several tents and have the Gold Golems continuously produce for him.
Over these seventeen days, Rhodes had hoarded a massive amount of Anti-magic Metal through this method. In the future, he could use these materials for trade or for forging weapons.
In addition to recruiting Gold Golems, Rhodes had acquired 6 Diamond Golems, 18 Stone Golems, and 18 Iron Golems. The Refugee Camp had also refreshed three times. The first time yielded Troglodytes, which Rhode converted into Skeletons.
The second time yielded 8 Gargoyles; since they were Tower units, Rhodes gave them to Master Suo. The third refresh gave Rhodes a pleasant surprise: Dendroid Soldiers, nicknamed 'Old Ents'.
These were Tier 5 units from the Rampart faction, and they were already upgraded.
With 9 Attack, 12 Defense, and 65 Health, their stats were decent, but their speed was slow. In the game, they were perpetual city defenders.
They had a special ability: upon being attacked, the enemy would be bound by the Old Tree. Unless the enemy killed the Old Tree, they could not move.
Furthermore, the Dendroid's binding attack was unaffected by magic immunity or resistance. No unit could escape its 'Old Tree Roots,' and it couldn't be removed by Anti-magic Shell or Healing spells.
The only way to clear it was with a Dispel Magic spell, though using Teleport to move away was also a solution!
Rhodes took a moment to summon a Dendroid Soldier to take a look; it was a massive treant, five meters tall.
In Kalimdor, these would be of great use soon, as they were perfect for gaining the favor of the Night Elves.
Rhodes even planned to try and learn some Druidic life magic.
"You are truly generous, Lord Rhodes. It is a pleasure doing business with you."
"I'll take this payment then. You can settle the final balance once the Trade Prince arrives." Seeing Rhodes pay, the goblin immediately broke into a grin and happily stowed away the Anti-magic Metal.
After a friendly farewell, both parties agreed that the Trade Prince would arrive with a large amount of supplies to find Rhodes in four to five days at most.
Once the goblins departed in their 20 zeppelins, Uther, the accompanying paladins, the Dalaran mages, and the High Elves began establishing a settlement nearby.
They set up tents, built camp perimeters, and brought out the supplies stored within the Magic Ships.
"Regent Rhodes, I've just taken inventory. Our remaining supplies of medicine and food can last for 8 days. If we ration them, they could last about 10 days," a paladin reported to Rhodes.
"Rhodes, we cannot rely on these goblins for everything. We must become self-sufficient in this area."
"This is an excellent harbor. We can have the people go fishing here to add another food source," Jaina said as she approached Rhodes.
"There is a vast marsh nearby with rich vegetation. We can harvest timber to build simple houses, and we can also gather wild vegetables and berries, or go hunting in the vicinity," Uther suggested.
"Jaina, Lord Uther, you are both right. We truly cannot rely entirely on those little green guys. The food I traded for will only last three months; we must find a sustainable source."
"Hunting, fishing, and gathering wild plants and fruits are all viable options."
"In the future, we will also reclaim the wasteland here to create proper farmland for crops and livestock," Rhodes nodded, agreeing with them.
"Then I shall go make the arrangements. Fishing can be handled by the common civilians, while hunting can be led by the Dwarves with a portion of the human Militia."
"We High Elves can scout the area, map the terrain, and gather intelligence on our surroundings," Capernian said, stepping forward.
The group, having traveled from afar, did not rest. Instead, with a clear division of labor, some human civilians began making fishing nets to start fishing near the harbor.
Another group of Dwarves led some human Militia into the depths of the forest to hunt for wild game, while other civilians, under the protection of the Militia, gathered wild berries, fruits, and vegetables nearby.
High Elves, Dalaran mages, and paladins formed teams to explore the vicinity and check for any potential dangers.
Most of the remaining people were felling trees and building a simple camp. The entire group was working with great enthusiasm.
As the regent, Rhodes walked around the camp with Princess Calia, waving to the hardworking people and offering words of encouragement to boost morale.
The first day of landing went quite well. That evening, they set up large pots to boil fish soup, soaked some bread, and had the freshly gathered wild vegetables and berries for dinner.
The high-ranking members of the Alliance were served game caught by the Dwarves, such as venison and wild boar.
Temporary shelters had been erected, and most civilians were now housed in tents. Rhodes also had Uther arrange for paladins and Militia to stand night watch.
"At least today went well, Rhodes! Look, the people all have happy smiles on their faces now. They aren't as hopeless as they were before we left," Princess Calia remarked.
"Yes, Princess. Once the goblins deliver the food, we will need to explore further and seek out the Night Elves for negotiations," Rhodes said.
"Rhodes, do you need me to send troops to accompany you?" Princess Calia asked.