《Dungeon Life》


 Chapter One: A Strange Opportunity

    As I behold the dusty basement, I wonder if I made the right choice.  The car crash was instant, at least.  The angels don¡¯t exactly pay much attention to why people die, but a semi barrelling down a hill is usually because of failed brakes.  They told me I could go see about the pearly gates, or get reassigned.  Apparently accidents like that are a bit of a loophole.


    Also apparently: those weird isekai stories are a thing.  There were a whole bunch of weird different worlds out there to send adventurers and such to, but I wasn¡¯t all that interested.  That kind of thing is fun in a game, sure, but in reality you only get one life.  Or two, I guess?  I was about to leave to talk to Saint Peter, when the lady angel presenting the options tried one more.  It was to become a dungeon.


    I was incredulous, but also intrigued.  How does one become a dungeon?  Well, one gets hit by a semi, I suppose.  But how does one actually be a dungeon?  Would it be like Dungeon Man in Earthbound?  It was such a weird option, and she looked so desperate to fill that position, that I shrugged and accepted.  I figured, worst case: I¡¯ll end up back here eventually, and I can just head to the gates instead.


    After accepting, I started to just¡­. dissolve, and the angel seemed so happy, telling me I wouldn¡¯t regret my decision.  She was wrong, as watching my feet fade away filled me with regrets pretty quickly, but I had already agreed, and I can¡¯t stand backing out after agreeing to something.  Even if it seems like it¡¯s going to immediately suck.


    Which brings us to the basement.  Do note that I said behold, and not that I looked around.  As far as I can tell, uh¡­ I don¡¯t have eyes.  It makes sense, if I¡¯m a dungeon.  I¡¯m just curious what kind of definition of a dungeon equals what feels like a run-down house.  If most of those isekai stories are like playing an RPG, I feel like this one is more like a weird city-builder, like maybe Dwarf Fortress.  I just hope it¡¯s not as difficult.


    I feel like I¡¯m a floating viewpoint, and it¡¯s pretty weird.  I can also focus kind of out and feel the whole house.  I even have a few little indicators for things.  For one: I have denizens, which feels grandiose to call some rats and a bunch of spiders.  I also have invaders in the form of roaches and flies.  What I don¡¯t have is any idea how to do anything.


    After observing around a bit, I notice a tiny little orange gem that pops up with the word ¡®Core¡¯ above it.  I don¡¯t know what it is, but the cupboard I found it in is labeled as my ¡®Sanctum¡¯, so that¡¯s probably important, even if the gem is super tiny.  More like a shard or a chip than a gem.  Either way, I¡¯d really like to put it somewhere more secure than just a cupboard.


    The spiders seem to want to protect it, though.  I¡¯ve seen them weaving an impressive tangle around it.  Well, impressive for spiders.  Maybe they just like the little glow it gives off?  The flies definitely do.  I watch one of my spiders finally scuttle up and bite into the first of the captured flies, and feel something weird.


    Mana Obtained!


    Yeah, weird.  More little notifications pop up as the spiders dig into their meals, each showing over the little flies before fading.  So I get mana from the spiders doing things.  What does mana do?  It¡¯s gotta do something, right?  If this is like a city builder, I probably use it to build my city of spiders and rats, though that still doesn¡¯t answer how.


    I try mentally yelling at the rats to do a backflip or file my taxes, but they ignore me.  They do occasionally eat a roach, which seems to be more mana than a fly, but I get the feeling that¡¯s not saying much.  I focus back on the spiders, since they seem to be actively, if accidentally, protecting the core.  I notice one just starting to build a new web, and try to give it a command.


    Hey.  Spider.  Weave a heart into your web, instead of it just being a circle.


    Woah.  That took a bit of my mana.  Not a ton, but more than a couple flies would give.  And sure enough, I can already see the little spider weaving a heart for her web. While interesting, what does that actually do for me?


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    I mentally sit down to consider.  Denizens seem to be on my side.  Invaders seem to be against me.  I get mana for killing invaders.  The core is probably important.  I mentally nod to myself as my next task is decided: get the core somewhere safe.  Where would be somewhere safe?  The cupboard is safe-ish, but I feel like I can do better.  Pretty sure I¡¯ll need more mana to do that, though.


    <hr>


    Did I call this a city-builder?  Because I think it¡¯s an idle game, and I can¡¯t even click things to make it faster.  I did find a few things of interest, at least.  I found my¡­ spawners, I guess?  There¡¯s a rat¡¯s nest in the basement, and the little room under the stairs leading to the second floor has a spider egg sack.  I mostly discovered them on my quest to find something to click.  When I focused on those two, though, I was presented with the option to spawn rats or spiders, respectively, for a mana cost.  Spiders are dirt cheap, and rats are a bit expensive, at least at this point.


    I spawned one of each anyway, and after a little timer ticked down, a spider crawled out of the sack.  Not a spiderling, a grown spider.  Similarly, an adult rat came out of the nest in the basement.  I tried clicking them, too, and discovered they are much easier to command than the normal spiders and rats.  Looking closer, they¡¯re listed as ¡®Scion Spider¡¯ and ¡®Scion Rat¡¯.  So I guess I have kinda creepy little avatars?


    Well, with creepy little avatars, I can at least move the core.  The rat can¡¯t exactly get up into the cupboard, and the spider would be too vulnerable out in the open.  But teamwork makes the dream work!  It¡¯s not too difficult to get the spider to web the core and carry it, though it does seem a little bigger now.  Maybe it¡¯s from me having mana?  Either way, I need to get this thing secured sooner, rather than later.


    With the spider holding the core, I have it dragline down to land on the rat, and we¡¯re off to the races!  And by races, I mean basement.  There¡¯s a little hole in the wall under the stairs that seems like a great place to put the core.  The rat can just barely squeeze into it, and the little space is about the size of my fists put together¡­ well, my fists as they used to be.  It¡¯s gonna be weird getting used to not having fists.


    I even get the idea to have the rat gnaw a bit of wall from a different part of the basement to make a cover for the little hole.  With the spider¡¯s webbing, the whole thing seals up and you¡¯d never know it was there.  It even changed the title of the little hole to ¡®Secret Sanctum¡¯, so I¡¯m pretty proud of that.  Seems like my mana generation has taken a hit for it, though.  Probably because there¡¯s no little glowing source to attract flies.


    <hr>


    I found more things to click.  Or rather, I have enough mana that clicking things actually gives me options now.  Specifically: I can make traps.  Or grow traps?  I don¡¯t know what else to call it.  When I click a door, I can make it have a squeaky hinge, which doesn¡¯t sound like much of a trap to me.  The description is interesting, though.


    Squeaky Door


    Detectability: moderate


    Chance to activate: guaranteed


    When opened, the door emits a loud squeak from poor hinges, alerting all denizens up to one room away.


    It¡¯s not like roaches and flies will be opening my doors, but for bigger stuff, that could be nice to have.  I spend the mana to do it, mostly just because.  I also set a rotten floor board in the main room of the house.


    Rotten Floor Board


    Detectability: impossible


    Chance to activate: low


    The rotten floor board will snap under a careless foot, briefly immobilizing the intruder and alerting all denizens up to two rooms away.


    Playing with traps gives me something to do besides just spawning more spiders and rats.  Only the first ones are scions, which kinda sucks, but the new ones are cheaper, at least.  They also seem kinda weak compared to even the normal critters.  The normals seem to almost listen to them, though.  I started having my spiders build webs around my various windows and other places flies could get in, and the normal spiders seemed drawn to them.


    Similarly, I had my rats actively patrolling for roaches, and the normal rats started frequenting those areas more, and so ate more roaches and got me more mana.  Which I¡¯ve been spending on upgrades for my rats and spiders.  Well, upgrades on their spawners, at least.  For the spiders, upgrading the egg sack seems to just make more egg sacks, which will passively spit out more spiders over time.  With the various entrances mostly covered, I set a few of my spiders to just webbing up the basement, which the normals seem to take to with gusto.  Anyone arachnophobic is going to stay well away from my basement.


    They even register as a swarm now, instead of individual spiders, which is encouraging.  I¡¯ve only been able to afford one upgrade for the rats so far, though.  As far as I can tell, it just spawns slightly-tougher rats now.  Which is fine, it¡¯s not like roaches are dangerous to them.


    Oh.  That could be, though.  Someone just knocked.

 Chapter Two: The Visitor

    My front porch has felt fuzzy to me ever since I got here.  Maybe it¡¯s technically outside my borders?  I can feel someone standing there, and what sounds like speech, but I can¡¯t make anything out.  Not like they¡¯re speaking a language I don¡¯t know, but more like they¡¯re underwater.  Or I am.  Either way, I¡¯m pretty sure my front door isn¡¯t locked.  I don¡¯t think I even can lock it.  I can trap it, but I can¡¯t just keep people out.  Probably for the same reason I can¡¯t just keep flies and roaches out.


    I decide to spend a bit of mana to pull everyone back, my rats and spiders all scurrying to whatever hiding places are available.  Whoever is out there is either in no hurry, or has great timing, because the door only opens after everything is hiding.


    My first thought is to wonder why an elf decided to come visit.  Yeah, I know what an elf is, and I¡¯m not all that surprised.  I¡¯ve played DnD.  The only people who lose their crap over an elf are people with the hots for Legolas.  This one doesn¡¯t look too far off from that, though he looks almost bored rather than attentive.  He¡¯s also talking to himself¡­ or into some kind of recording device.


    ¡°Can confirm house is a dungeon.  I could feel its attention when I knoc- shit!¡±


    Hah, suck on that rotten plank.  I even got some mana for that, which is the first time I¡¯ve gotten it for something besides killing things, which is nice.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.  I managed to find a rotten floor board.  Nothing came to try to eat me, though.¡±


    Oh, right.  If I¡¯m supposed to be a dungeon, I should probably at least make a token effort.  I wouldn¡¯t want to be rude.  I spend a bit of mana to send the wimpiest normal rat to go see what he¡¯s about.  I spend the extra for a normal, not one of mine.  I wouldn¡¯t want the normals to follow one of mine and swarm the guy.


    I don¡¯t think I need to worry about that, though.  His eyes lock to it as soon as it enters the room, even with furniture and stuff in the way.  This guy might be a bit high level for me.


    ¡°Level one rat, single, passive spawn.¡±  The elf pauses for a moment as the rat continues to approach, the little thing not even aware it¡¯s been spotted yet.  ¡°Roger, engaging.¡±  He whips out a knife and tosses it at the rat, killing it instantly.  He¡¯s definitely too high level to be slumming it in a newbie little dungeon like me.  I got mana from him killing the rat though.  That¡¯s weird.


    Huh, that¡¯s also weird.  He¡¯s not listed as an intruder, but as a Delver.  I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve seen the roaches get a spider or two, and I didn¡¯t get any mana for it, so why for him?  As I think on it, he looks around and talks to his device¡­ or team.  It seemed like someone was talking back.


    ¡°No sign of the Sanctum, nor any other specialty rooms.  The one under the stairs is close to becoming a spider lair, looks like.  Level three spider swarm in the basement, and a level two rat¡¯s nest.  No hostility aside from the single rat, looks specialized for pest control still.  No resource nodes¡­ one minor chest in the attic.¡±


    Woah, wait, hang on there elf guy.  Resource nodes?  Chests?  I can do that?!  And hands off my chest!  I¡¯m no lady, but you should still buy me dinner first!  I briefly consider siccing the swarm on him, but decide against it.  He didn¡¯t sound too concerned about it being level three.  I don¡¯t want to waste that kind of resources for them to just be killed¡­ though with what happened with the rat, it might be alright?  Nah, we¡¯ll save that for later.  For now, I should put up at least some kind of defense of the chest.


    ¡°Lots of movement, looks like it wants to protect the chest.  The swarm is staying put, though I see a new one forming on the stairs up.  Level one swarm confirmed.¡±


    Yeah, what¡¯s your stupid knife going to do against a swarm of spiders, huh?


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    Oh.


    Skills are a thing.  He doesn¡¯t shout the name of his attack, but a few flourishes of his knife sends winds to scatter my swarm and destroy the webbing they were putting up.  I got a bunch of mana from that, though, and he didn¡¯t even kill many of my spiders.  He just dispersed my swarm.  Ok, uh¡­ need to stall him.


    ¡°Swarm dispersed, minimal damage done.¡±  His bored look shifts to a smirk for a moment.  ¡°I told you I know what I¡¯m doing.  Besides, this one doesn¡¯t seem actively malevolent.  If it was, it¡¯d bring out the big guns and try to bury me in rats and spiders all at once.  Or put a spike under that rotten floor board.¡±


    While he takes his time climbing the stairs, I spend some mana on more than just moving rats around.  I can upgrade my traps, see?


    Squeaky Door


    Detectability: moderate


    Chance to trip: guaranteed


    When opened, the door emits a loud and annoying squeak from rusty hinges, alerting and attracting all denizens up to one room away.


    It¡¯s subtle, but it¡¯s there.  Now stuff doesn¡¯t just know a door is opened, they are incentivized to go look, instead of probably hiding.  There¡¯s another upgrade still, but it¡¯s a bit expensive for me just yet.  Now to see what elf-guy does with my new trap.


    ¡°Eugh¡­ upgraded squeaky door.  I hate that trap.  It¡¯s not just annoying to the Denizens.  Alerted¡­ two level two spawned rats and four level one passives.  Engaging.¡±


    He pulls out two knives and I¡¯m worried he¡¯s just going to do the same to my rats as with the spiders, or even with that first rat.  Thankfully, it¡¯s either on cooldown, or he just doesn¡¯t want to expend the effort on rats.  He still takes out each rat with a single attack, but my brave little rodent soldiers do their job of slowing him down a little.  None of them even come close to biting him, but they make a good effort.  With their sacrifice, my last defense is in position, at least.  I seriously doubt I¡¯ll be able to take him down, but if I can even score a hit, I¡¯m gonna count it as a win.  And, if I keep getting mana for what this Delver kills, I should have enough to do something interesting.


    ¡°Successful encounter.  I don¡¯t see any other movement, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s just going to give me that chest.  Proceeding with caution.¡±  He quietly continues to the ladder to the attic, and I¡¯m already a bit proud of making him be cautious.  I hope he¡¯s not too cautious, though.  I want to take at least one of his hp to keep.  At least, I think he has hp.  My spiders and rats don¡¯t, which is probably why he can take them out in a single attack.


    As he climbs into the attic, I can hear a bit of surprise in his voice and see a small smile on his face, which now looks attentive.  ¡°Confirm boss encounter, level two mixed rat swarm¡­ with Scion buff.  Negative on Scion position.  Engaging.¡±


    He does his windblade attack again, but the rats are heavy enough they can¡¯t just be scattered like the spiders were.  They¡¯re definitely blades of wind, though, as I see many rats in the swarm sliced into.  The rest surge forward and he acrobats around my dusty attic, occasionally sending another blade of wind at them.  They get close a few times, and I think the Scion buff he mentioned might be making them a bit tougher, as I see a few rats actually wounded and still trying to attack, instead of simply dead from any damage.


    Still, the outcome was clear from the start, and soon the swarm loses cohesion and scatters.  ¡°Boss complete.  Checking chest now.¡±  He walks over to the chest, and as he lifts the lid, my rat Scion pops out and bites his hand before darting away, leaving him startled as he watches it vanish into a hole in the wall.


    ¡°Stupid mistake, didn¡¯t get the exp from the boss fight, so it wasn¡¯t over.¡±  He shakes his head before continuing to talk.  ¡°Exp gained, now boss is complete.  Chest contains¡­ potion of minor healing,¡± he relays as he plucks it from the chest.  He pops the cork and drinks the potion, causing the little bleeding wound on his hand to quickly fade.


    ¡°Dungeon is cheeky but not overtly hostile, despite lack of resource nodes.  Dungeon is suitable for low level small parties up to the attic, basement is forbidden.  Path to Secret Sanctum is probably down there somewhere.  Note that dungeon already displays unorthodox methodology and ability to adapt to Delvers.  Intruders at minimum, dungeon seems to prefer a clean house, dust notwithstanding.¡±


    That seems to finish his report, and he heads for the ladder.  I don¡¯t bother sending anything else to mess with him.  Partially because he¡¯s cleared me, I guess.  That¡¯s just how you do when you¡¯re cleared.  Partially because he doesn¡¯t do more than simply peek into the basement, so he respects that I want to keep something to myself.  But I mostly don¡¯t want to spend the mana on it.


    I have just enough to upgrade me, not just my spawners.

 Chapter Three: Expansion and Upgrades

    Upgrading myself was definitely a good idea.  My porch doesn¡¯t feel fuzzy anymore!  I can even feel my roof and a little of the land around myself, too, though there¡¯s a little tower thingy on my roof that¡¯s still beyond my reach.  I can feel movement outside, but I can¡¯t tell if I¡¯m some creepy house in the woods and that¡¯s trees swaying in the breeze, or if I¡¯m a rundown house in the middle of a huge city.


    Even better, though: I have two new spawners!  I have a nest of blackbirds on the roof over my porch, and I have an ant hill in the yard.  Of course, with new spawners, comes new Intruders.  Wasps have started showing up, and they love to harass my poor spiders.  The spiders sometimes get them in the webs and eat them, giving me a nice bit of mana, but the wasps sometimes can get the spider.  I¡¯m just glad I went a bit overboard with the spider spawner, and they spawn as fast as the wasps can get them.


    And I can confirm that Invaders don¡¯t give me mana for what they kill.  Stupid wasps.  There¡¯s also Invader ants, which don¡¯t seem to be able to take over my hill, but I¡¯m still a bit concerned about it.  I¡¯m going to be putting a lot of mana into that thing once I get more.  The ants seem like they¡¯re designed to handle the roaches as well as the other ants, too, so they¡¯ll be able to pull double duty once I get them more upgraded.


    And I¡¯ll want them to, too, because the last new Invader is my new gold standard for getting mana: mice.  The rats go after them, so the ants get to pick up the slack with the roaches.  The mice didn¡¯t come in from me upgrading my awareness, though.  They came in after I made a resource node!


    I checked all over everywhere I could find and it looks like I¡¯ll be hosting herbalists for the foreseeable future.  I managed to grow a little patch of herbs in the backyard, and even sprouted some mushrooms near the foot of the stairs in the basement.  I¡¯m going to make them work at least a little for the mushrooms, kinda reinforce the idea that the basement is for me, not them.  And the mice love the shrooms, so I keep several rats nearby.


    Oh, the room under the stairs on the first floor is now, officially, a spider lair.  It even spat out a venomous swarm the other day.  And speaking of spiders, my Scion doesn¡¯t fit in my Secret Sanctum anymore.  Little guy is a tarantula now at least, so I have him in a little nest near the mushrooms to eat more mice.


    While my spider is working on being a tank, my rat seemed to like the hit and run on the elf, and he¡¯s very sneaky now.  If I didn¡¯t know everything about this house, I¡¯d swear he¡¯s teleporting, but he¡¯s been making little tunnels through the walls that it seems like only he can fit through.  He¡¯s my little Scout.  He¡¯s great.


    That¡¯s Scout with a capital S, by the way.  My scions have titles now!  The spider is a Guardian, and the rat is a Scout.  It seems like they give different buffs, too.  My scout gives things extra awareness now, which I think means an extra room worth of distance for noticing things.  The Guardian makes things tougher in his room.  Since he¡¯s in the basement, that means the swarm in there is even more of a hindrance and more difficult for invaders or delvers to get through.


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    So, with a good scion rat, I decided to upgrade the nest several times.  You know, give him more rats to buff and stuff.  After a certain point, I got to decide a path for it, which confused me.  Rats don¡¯t have paths.  They¡¯re rats!  On Earth, maybe, but not here.  I¡¯ll start with the path I didn¡¯t take: Plague Rats.  Yeah, no.  If I¡¯m in a city, I don¡¯t need to bring the black death, thanks.  Besides, I think the one I took is more interesting: Packrats.


    I¡¯m not exactly sure how, but they seem to spawn random stuff every so often, and put them places.  I still only have the one chest in the attic, but now adventurers can look in my various drawers and cupboards and find interesting little things.  Rough little gems, coins, sometimes they¡¯ll even put some fungus caps somewhere.  They love hiding stuff in the chest, though, which makes sense.


    The blackbirds I quickly upgraded to crows, partially to help with the mice, and partially because crows are cool.  They also like to collect shinies¡­ or that¡¯s where the packrats get the stuff.  Either way.  The crows also find the wasps delicious.  I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s how the food chain worked on Earth, but I¡¯ll take it.  Good birbs.  Protect my leggy-bois.


    My real project, though, is with the ants.  They spawn a bit differently than the other things.  For my other things, I just queue up what I want and bam, I get it.  They also periodically spawn stuff on their own, too.  With the ants, though, they only spawn workers passively.  And I can¡¯t tell the hill to spawn more workers.  I can upgrade it, or I can trigger a nuptial flight.  I upgraded it several times, and then the option for nuptial flight started blinking.


    So I went ahead and spent the mana for it, just to see why it was blinking.  Well, that lead to interesting things.  For one: despite having only the one hill, there were several different types of ant available in the mating flight.  I steered clear of the carpenter ants, at least for now.  I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they can do actual carpentry eventually, but I¡¯m just a house right now.  I don¡¯t need ants chewing through my wood to find a place to live.


    The option that stuck out to me, though, was the leafcutter.  That¡¯s the ant that farms fungus to eat, and I thought that¡¯d be a cool one to use as my Guardian.  Army ants and fire ants could be interesting for offense, but I like me some defense.  I had her hitch a ride on my Scout down to the basement, and he stopped by the mushroom patch for her to get a bit of the mycelia.


    I had honestly expected her to just suddenly have a little bit of fungus to grow and nurture, but that works for me.  I¡¯ll bet those mushrooms attract Delvers almost as much as they attract mice, so I definitely want more of them.  She¡¯s a pretty active queen, too.  She put her little bit of fungus next to my core, which is looking about like a marble now, laid her eggs, then went out to forage.  I mean, I guess she¡¯s safe enough in the house, especially after I told a few spiders to watch over her.


    Only the flies seemed interested in her, so spiders were the obvious choice for protectors.  She gathered a bit of paper to bring back for the fungus, and sat down to just chew and process it for the thing.  It¡¯s relaxing to just watch her work.


    Oh, my crow scion says we have Delvers approaching.  Multiple?  This¡¯ll be interesting.  I didn¡¯t get a chance to do much outside yet, aside from the herb patch.  I had also wanted to get a chest in the basement, but was more concerned with getting my new Guardian settled.  Ah well, they¡¯re here now.

 Chapter Four: The Pitter Patter of Little Feet

    I approximate a squint at the ¡®Delvers¡¯ my crow alerted me to.  Is he sure they¡¯re Delvers?  They look like kids.  One looks a bit bigger and is green, so probably an orc or something?  The other is also green, but is shorter.  Like a lot shorter.  Probably a goblin.  Once they step onto my property, I listen in on what they¡¯re saying.


    The goblin looks nervous, but the orc is putting on a brave front.  They look kinda dirty and poor, but mostly healthy.  Are they from an orphanage or something?  The nervous one speaks up.  ¡°I dunno, Freddie¡­ are you sure this is a good idea?¡±


    ¡°Sure it¡¯s a good idea!  I saw the inspectors check this place out, it¡¯s definitely a Dungeon!¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean we should stay away?¡±  I¡¯m with the scaredy cat on this one.  Dungeons don¡¯t seem like the kind of place for urchins to play.


    ¡°No!  If it was a big established one, yeah, but this one¡¯s fresh!  Old Staiven said he¡¯d apprentice anyone with an ounce of magic if they could bring him some spellspores, and this is just the kind of place they¡¯d grow!  I think.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ you don¡¯t have any magic, Freddie.¡±


    The loudmouth just waves that off.  ¡°But you do!  So come on!  A party has to help each other!¡±  Huh¡­ that Freddie seems like a good sort, at least.  I thought I was looking at a bully situation.  But do these kids even have levels yet?


    Well, I still can¡¯t lock the door, so I guess they¡¯re coming in.  They each ready their weapons, which are just two different sticks, looks like.  Freddie there has a hefty stick, not quite a club, but it looks like it¡¯d be up to dealing with rats and spiders.  The other kid has a more whippy stick with a little shard of glass tied to it, I guess to act as his wand.


    I spend a bit of mana to send two wimpy rats to greet them.  I don¡¯t want to overwhelm these kids just yet.  It takes them a bit longer to notice than the elf did, but Wimpy¡¯s gasp alerts Freddie.  The kid stands between his friend and the rats and yells at them, trying to scare them off.  But these are my rats, they¡¯re not gonna run off.  They have a job to do, and they are going to do it to the best of their abilities.


    The two rodents scurry forward, and I¡¯m just hoping the kids can run away before anything too bad happens to them.  I didn¡¯t need to worry, though.  Freddie would have a good golf game back home and sends a rat sailing into the next room.  Wimpy, however, points his wand at the other rat.


    ¡°Frost!¡±  The little thing ices up and decides that running is preferable to dying.  Which is fine by me, I still get mana for them being defeated, not just for them getting killed, which is great all around, really.


    There is a pregnant pause before Freddie whoops in triumph.  ¡°Yeah, we did it!  See, your magic is good enough!  Now we just gotta find those mushrooms.¡±  He looks around, obviously without a clue as to where they could be.  He heads for a cabinet and Wimpy calls out to him.


    ¡°Be careful!  You don¡¯t know if it¡¯s trapped!¡±


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    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, don¡¯t worry!¡± he says as he opens the cabinet.  His eyes shine as he sees the silver piece sitting in plain view.  ¡°Wow, a whole silver!  We should come here more often!¡±  The boost in mana I get as he takes the coin makes me agree with that idea, too.  Packrats and crows were definitely the right choices for upgrades.


    The two poke around the main room, gathering coins from various containers.  Freddie is not as observant as Wimpy, though.  That kid peers at the spiders in the windows and the rats hunting roaches, keeping a distance as he watches.  When Freddie makes to open the door to the spider lair, though, Wimpy actually grabs his hand.


    ¡°Not in there!  Look,¡± he says and points down at the slow stream of spiders coming from under the door.  Freddie¡¯s eyes widen and he backs up a bit.  ¡°Yeah¡­ I don¡¯t think we could handle a swarm just yet.¡±  Ah, good.  He knows his limits, too.  I like these kids.


    Wimpy looks around and points at the stairs going down.  ¡°Uh¡­ I think the mushrooms will be down there.  They like darkness.¡±  Freddie readies his stick and Wimpy makes his little wand act like a flashlight, and the two slowly descend into my basement.


    I actually spend a bit of mana to keep things calm down there.  Everything knows the basement isn¡¯t for visiting, but I¡¯m willing to give these kids a chance.  They seem to know they¡¯re getting in a bit over their heads, but the brave little buggers keep going, as careful as two kids can be.


    The spider swarm hisses at the light and the presence of the kids, but don¡¯t attack.  From Freddie¡¯s look, I think he might be arachnophobic.  Still, he does his duty, standing between Wimpy and the swarm, even as his stick wobbles in his hand.  ¡°How long t-to get those mushrooms, Rhonda?¡±


    Rhonda?  A girl, then.  Huh.  ¡°Just a few seconds¡­¡± she says, sounding a bit sorry about the situation.  She focuses on the mushrooms and plucking several of the bigger ones.  Once I get the notification that she¡¯s gotten three units of mushroom (I have no idea what a unit actually is, but it¡¯s more than just three caps), I decide that¡¯s enough for now.


    I¡¯m not a mean dungeon, but I feel like I¡¯d lose my license if I just gave this stuff away.  Not that I actually have a license, but still.  I have my spider scion start to emerge from his little nest, in clear view of Rhonda.  At the same time, I let the swarm start to slowly advance.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Rhonda!  They¡¯re coming!¡±  Her ¡°Eep!¡± of reply gets him to look and see the scion emerge.  He¡¯s my biggest denizen by now, about the size of a dinner plate if you count his legs.  To the kids, he probably looks the size of a horse.


    ¡°Run!¡± orders Freddie, and Rhonda is all too happy to oblige.  The two book it, and I keep my spiders from giving chase.  I got a bunch of mana for ¡®defeating¡¯ the ¡®delvers¡¯, and I can¡¯t help but smile to myself as the two slam my front door and lean against it, panting from the run and from the fear.


    After about a minute, though, the two start laughing, relieved to have escaped.  ¡°That was crazy!¡± exclaims Freddie, riding the energy of his adrenaline tapering off.  ¡°Did you get enough?¡±  Rhonda nods and pulls a double-handful of mushrooms from her pocket.  ¡°Yeah!  Old Staiven will have to apprentice me now!¡±  Rhonda¡¯s happy smile slips, even though Freddie is still beaming.  ¡°But what about you?  You still don¡¯t have any magic¡­¡±


    Freddie shrugs.  ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.  Maybe the Church of the Crystal Shield will accept me?  We got in and out of a dungeon, after all!¡±  Rhonda smiles at that.  ¡°You¡¯d make a good Paladin, even if you¡¯re scared of spiders,¡± she adds with a giggle.  Freddie gasps.  ¡°Dude, you saw the size of that Guardian spider!¡±


    She laughs and nods.  ¡°Yeah, I also didn¡¯t argue when you said to run, hehe.¡±  He laughs as well, and I get a new alert.


    Quest updated!


    The Next Generation completed their quests in you!  Mana rewarded.


    Oohh, that¡¯s a lot of mana.

 Chapter Five: The Second Inspection

    So, what am I to do with this sudden windfall of mana, thanks to those kids? I¡¯ve got enough to upgrade myself again, and I do want to, but I want to make sure I¡¯m prepared before I do that. My ant queen has been busy, her little workers finally hatched and all got to¡­ well, work. I¡¯ve been mostly spending my income to upgrade her, keeping my total above the point for me to upgrade myself, but not spending it just yet.


    She can make majors now, which are just bigger and meaner ants. They¡¯re not all majors, still need workers, but invader ants are basically a solved problem now. Her workers have been digging into the dirt of the little Secret Sanctum, as I want my large marble of a core to be beyond the reach of anything strong. Fittingly enough, the ants are hard workers, and progress has been going pretty smoothly. A foot a day might not sound like much, but after a week, it¡¯d take adventurers with picks and shovels to get at my core.


    Which makes me more willing to let delvers into the basement. I even grew a new chest down there, too. Nobody¡¯s shown up to try to get to it yet. My swarm is now level five and venomous, but I know it¡¯s only a matter of time before some strong delver comes by to clear it out. There¡¯s even a magic dagger in the chest, so that¡¯s sure to draw delvers.


    Also sure to draw delvers are the new mushroom nodes. With my queen around, I can put new nodes in little other spots around the house for a discount. They¡¯re mostly in cabinets and cupboards and such, just a small patch for the ants to feed from, and for mushrooms to grow. I¡¯m kinda proud of my little ecosystem.


    Oh hey, elf guy¡¯s back. Maybe he wants that dagger? I focus in on him as he does a loop around my yard.


    ¡°Dungeon has expanded since last inspection, crows refuse to shut up.¡± Good crows. ¡°Patch of herbs in the back yard, not high level. Birds upgraded to crows, anthill appears heavily upgraded, but no obvious signs of ants outside. Appears Dungeon prefers to focus on interior at this time.¡±


    He gathers a bit of herbs from the patch before walking around to my porch and knocking. ¡°Hmm¡­ no movement inside after announcing my presence.¡± Ah, so he could sense me shuffling my things around last time. He heads on inside and looks around the main room.


    ¡°Entrance busy with patrols of rats and small spiders. Dungeon not reacting to me this time, may be trying to lull me into a false sense of security. Spider spawner in the spandrel is now a minor lair. What? Spandrel?¡± He facepalms at whoever he¡¯s reporting to. ¡°That¡¯s what the little room underneath stairs is called. Speaking of rooms, still no sign of Sanctum or other specialty rooms.¡±


    He seems to double-take as he glances at the stairs to the basement. ¡°Lesser chest in the basement, behind a level five venomous swarm with Guardian Scion buff.¡± He gives a low whistle. ¡°Surprised it spawned a chest down there, though. Last time, basement was a clear no-go zone. May have moved path to Secret Sanctum.¡± Hah, you wish, elf guy. I¡¯m a smart dungeon.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    He starts to poke through my various containers, pocketing the loot and getting me a nice bit of mana in the process. ¡°Container loot above average for level, to be expected with both packrats and crows. I can sense several small mushroom nodes scattered through the house, so probably leafcutter ants as well. Dungeon seems to prefer to be cooperative, though not a simple toybox. Rat swarm upstairs still level two, most of house still recommended for new adventuring groups. Will examine basement to investigate report of orphans having been down there. From this growth, someone has definitely been in here.¡±


    I should have expected the kids would talk. They seemed really excited about those mushrooms, so someone would ask where they got them. I hope those two were able to do their things. They seemed like good kids.


    Elf guy cautiously descends the stairs, and I make a note to put a rotten floorboard or five there for next time. ¡°Confirm spell spore mushrooms just past landing in the basement. Guardian spider nest nearby, and venomous swarm as well. Dungeon could have easily finished the kids off.¡±


    His eyes lock to the chest in the back. ¡°Chest contains a magical weapon. Permission to retrieve? Acknowledged. Engaging.¡± Oh, he does want the toy! I spend the little mana it takes to alert the swarm and the Guardian spider. Tiny, as I like to call my spiderbro now, is definitely bigger than any spider back home could ever dream of getting, about the size of a cat. His aura not only makes the spiders nearby tougher, but also makes them do more damage, too.


    Nothing personal, elf guy, but you gotta pay the toll if you want the goodiebox. ¡°Deliberate pincer maneuver by the spiders. Dungeon definitely could have kept those kids if it wanted.¡± He smiles and pulls his daggers. ¡°This is gonna be fun!¡±


    He decides to engage my scion instead of the swarm first, probably because with all the webbing around, he wouldn¡¯t be able to acrobat around like in the attic. He stabs poor Tiny, but the little guy seems to be able to take it. He webs one of the elf''s feet as the swarm closes in, but that grin of his stays on his face. He kicks Tiny back and pivots on his stuck heel to unleash those windblades of his at the swarm, and the big mess of webbing. There¡¯s too many spiders for him to keep them all away, though, and he gets many little bites.


    I can even see the little poison effect floating over his head now. It doesn¡¯t seem to have dampened his spirits, though, even as Tiny jumps onto his back and sinks his fangs. Is he going to leave soon? I kinda like the friendly rivalry we have, I don¡¯t want to accidentally kill him.


    ¡°Shadow Blade!¡±


    Oh. I didn¡¯t need to worry about that. He seems to melt into shadow before flashes of steel permeate the room, and he even kills Tiny! No! My swarm is done, too. I wish I still had eyes to glare with at the jerk who killed my Tiny!


    ¡°Whew, boss encounter finished. Confirm had to use Shadow Blade, basement is for high level solo or medium groups. Grabbing loot before Scion respawns.¡± Wait, ¡®respawns¡¯? I focus on my spider lair while the elf guy opens the chest to get the coins and dagger, and sure enough, I see a little portrait of Tiny with a timer counting down. I look over at my mana for that fight and if I had a jaw, I¡¯d need to pick it up off the ground. That¡¯s a ton of mana from that fight.


    Elf guy drinks one of his own potions as he ascends the stairs, and I let him go. I still feel a bit sore about him killing Tiny, but at least the little guy will be back before too long. As the elf reaches for the knob of the door, he pauses and glances back into the room. ¡°Don''t spend it all in one place. I¡¯d hate to lose a dungeon like this.¡±


    Wait, lose?

 Chapter Six: Making Friends

    Chapter Six: Making Friends


    Ill admit: elf guy shook me up with his cryptic parting words. Well, at least it seems to confirm that my core and my Sanctum are important. Definitely keeping it Secret for now. Some of his other words also make me curious. He mentioned other rooms. Other rooms like what? If theyre anything like the Sanctum, Ill probably want to keep them secret, too. And, if theyre anything like the Sanctum, the room can be tiny.


    I set my queen to digging out a few extra chambers for me, and to keep expanding the Sanctum. The Core is about a golfball now, so I cant getcent with the chamber its in. I wouldnt want it to get stuck. It actually doesnt take long for the first chamber to be finished, and when I focus on it, I see a couple interesting options: Library and Lab.


    Hows that supposed to work? Well, no time like the present. I designate the first chamber as a Library, and it pops up as a Secret Library. Cool. A small scrap of paper also appears in my library. I focus in on it as I wonder what it does.


    <em>Whats this?</em>


    Oh. Its like a little notepad. Uh erase? Ah, good, that worked. I dont exactly have enough paper to just go putting useless questions like that on it. The second chamber is about finished now, too, so I designate it as a Lab, and sure enough, its now my Secret Lab. No papers appear in it, though. How do I make it work, then? I poke around with it a bit, though I dont get anything to pop up. Until an ant wanders through with a bit of mushroom in her mandibles. Combine, eh? Well, that has all sorts of interesting implications. I tell the queen to send a few workers to get some of the herbs from the patch and a bit of the spell spores, because I think its experimenting time!


    No, wait its visitor time. Oh hey, its the kids. Theyre looking better now, too. Rhonda has a simple little robe on and a wand that doesnt still have bark on it. Freddie has some clothes that look simr to denim on, and a little wooden shield to go with his club. It still has bark on it, but its a bit thicker and has a decent knot on the business end. Seems like a good upgrade in gear to me.


    This time, interestingly enough, its Freddie who seems uncertain about being here. Really, Rhonda? <em>Thats</em> what you want as a familiar?


    Well no, actually. Freddie seems to rx at her reply, at least until she continues. That was a Scion, so I cant make that my familiar. But there might be a different big spider like that to tame. Freddie visibly shudders at the idea of taming a spider, and Im curious. A familiar? Interesting. I have been getting a decent number of oddrger spiders recently.


    So how do we go about taming one, then? Beat it up and nurse it back to health? Rhonda looks aghast at the idea. What? No! I have to befriend it!


    How do you befriend a spider? Freddie asks incredulously, and Rhonda looks a bit bashful. Im, uh not sure. Old Staiven has a bunch of books on familiars, but he says he believes in learning on the job. Freddie doesnt look very impressed about her mentor, and Rhonda cant help but speak up to defend him. He didnt send me out with nothing, though! He said I should find out what my familiar wants, and provide it.


    Then whats a spider want, besides to crawl on peoples faces while theyre trying to sleep? asks Freddie, shuddering once again. Rhonda just giggles. Well food and safety, I guess? But these arent just normal spiders here. They also want to guard their dungeon.


    But if theyre your familiar, wont they not be able to stay here to guard the dungeon?


    Um kinda. But I had an idea for that!


    The bucket?


    The bucket! she exims with joy, brandishing a wooden bucket with a small nk over the top.


    So hows that help the spider defend the dungeon?


    Well just catch some invaders, then feed them to a spider!


    Without feeding us to the spiders, too, Freddie deadpans. Rhonda simply smiles and nods, and he rolls his eyes before continuing. OK, so whats an invader? Uh us?


    She shakes her head. No, were delvers. Were kinda supposed to be here. Invaders want the core. Old Staiven said with a new dungeon, mice are probably the biggest invaders.


    We saw rats, though. Thosere bigger.


    Those are denizens, theyre also supposed to be there. Lets try to catch a mouse out here, then try to find a big spider to feed! Huh, thats interesting. I set my crows to leave the kids alone and observe, giving them a chance to catch something.


    Hey, what about this big bug, instead? asks Freddie, holding up arge hissing roach in his hand. Rhonda recoils a bit before steeling herself. Thatd probably work? With that, she removes the nk, and Freddie plops it in the bucket.


    I mentally shrug and leave them to their hunting, because I can also sense my two reagents are in theb now. I even have a use for the scrap of paper in the library! Let me see Ochredill and Spell Spore


    <em>Ochredill + Spell Spore = ?</em>


    Perfect. Hey, ants. Come chew these two things up and mush them together. Im amazing at science. A couple worker antse to do my bidding, and theyre soon chewing and mushing. Its taking a while though, so I go see what the kids are up to.


    I never expected a bucket of roaches and mice to be so easily identifiable by the sound, but it is. The kids look pretty proud of themselves, too. So, we have spider treats. Whats the next step? asks Freddie, seeming a bit more at ease. Kid seems the type to prefer doing than just talking, but at least hes smart enough to know to follow a n.


    Well now we go inside and look for big spiders, and see if any of them are tameable. Freddie still doesnt like the quest, but hes not backing down, goodd. Well, lets go then. He leads the way back to my porch and heads inside, casting a weary look at my various denizens. I have them stand down, despite the big bucket of invaders they have, and the two start looking around.


    What kind of spider are we looking for, anyway?


    I think I want some kind of hunting spider. Weavers are cool, but I dont want to have to deal with webs everywhere.


    So how do we find one of those?


    Well theyll be hunting, I guess? A hunter, eh? Well, the bestid ns of mice and men, as they say. Sure, I have a couplerge wolfspiders wandering around, about the size of a hand. Thosere probably exactly what she wants. But that bucket also gives me an idea to make their quest a bit harder.


    Dont look at me like that. Im still a dungeon, not a supermarket. Or a pet store. I send one of my wolfspiders to scurry through the room to get their attention. Then I send a couple more. Theyre kids, not the elf guy. I cant expect them to spot everything. Freddie actually is the one to spot the 5th spider I send through. Like that one?


    Yes! Don''t lose it! Rhonda says with excitement and dashes after the spider. They both try to be quiet, but have you ever heard a kid be fast? They can be fast or quiet, not both. Still, I get them to the kitchen, where my little trap is set for them. I do have a couple wolfspiders milling about, mostly because they hadnt wandered out after I had sent them yet.


    The real fun is up on the ceiling. Adorable little newbies havent learned the importance of looking up yet. Rhonda hands Freddie the bucket, who puts his club away to take. Kid has a good mentor. If you have to choose between a weapon or your shield, take the shield. Rhonda removes the nk and levitates out a roach, and tries to coax one of the wolfspiders toe eat it. Freddie is keeping a look out, but I dont think the kid has a great spot check, you know?


    On the ceiling, my little traps prepare themselves. Ogre-faced Spiders are cool. They have the usual eight eyes, but two of them are huge. Probably because they dont make normal webs and dont do the normal hunting like wolfspiders. They makes. And they need those eyes to aim thoses.


    While Freddie is looking away from the bucket, and Rhonda is distracted, one of the spiders descends, opens her and plucks a mouse from the bucket without being noticed. She returns to the ceiling and quickly enjoys her meal, before preparing another.


    Come on tasty invader to eat! tries Rhonda, having little luck feeding the spiders.


    Maybe they prefer the mice? suggests Freddie, even as another mouse is plucked from the bucket without him noticing. Rhonda sighs and returns to the bucket, tossing the roach back in and levitating out a mouse. I hope so, she says, sounding worried that her n wont work.


    I know the wolfspiders do prefer the mice, but the ogres dont really care either way. The two young delvers return their focus to the wolfspiders, while another plucks out a few roaches. The wolfspiders immediately notice the mouse, and the nearest one prepares to pounce. There you g-Eep!


    I guess she wasnt prepared for them to move quite that quickly. Probably fortunate for her that she was levitating the thing. The mouse is dispatched with a crunch and quickly eaten, and I can actually see a little bar over the spider''s head starting to fill.


    Its working! Quick give her excited face turns to one of confusion then concern as she turns back towards Freddie. Sitting on the bucket for stability, her dragline keeping her weight off it, one of the ogre-faced spiders is staring at Rhonda as she chews on a mouse.


    Freddie says Rhonda, not wanting to startle her friend. I, however, can see the little taming bar fill, and silentlyugh as it looks like Freddie gets a notice.


    Tamingplete? Wha-AAAHHH! His outburst scatters the wolfspiders as he backs away from the bucket and his new tame. She simply holds the bucket now, and reaches a leg in to pluck out a roach to eat as she watches her new master and his party member.

 Chapter Seven: Moving Day

    Chapter Seven: Moving Day


    Ah, those crazy kids. After Freddie found himself with a new animalpanion, there was much consternation. He wanted to release it, of course, but thats only an option for rangers and tamers, silly boy. He definitely looked like he was considering cross-ssing in the near future, though. Rhonda, however, still needed her own familiar, and the two got the bucket back with hopefully enough mice to spare.


    They actually tracked down the one that Rhonda had started taming, partially with the help of Freddies spider who Im going to call Fiona. Fiona seems to take her new position seriously, as sheted the wolfspider as soon as she spotted it, which was significantly earlier than the two kids. Im pretty sure the taming bar filled slower, what with the wolfspider being restrained like that, but Rhonda got herself a spider familiar.


    I let the two kids go on their way peacefully, and got another pile of mana for them finishing a quest as well. I smile to myself as they leave my perception, hoping theylle back for some more shenanigans. For now, though, I have an experiment in theb to check up on.


    Its definitely done something, but I dont know what. The mush is faintly glowing yellow, which might be a good sign? It didnt blow up, or melt through the dirt, so I consider it a win so far. Not knowing what else to do with it, I tell the queen to have a few workers eat some. If they explode or something, theyre just a few little worker ants.


    And hey, they didnt explode. They didnt die, either, which is even better. I watch the ants and notice a pretty immediate change. Theyre quick little buggers now, wow. I tell the queen to keep tabs on them and turn to other things for now. Ive been sitting on quite a pile of mana for a while now. My core is close to the size of a tennis ball now, so I should do something with it.


    Now, my new upgrades for me will let me expand up, out, or down, and theyre all tempting. Up will let me get that little tower thing on my roof, which feels like a great ce to put some stronger stuff, maybe something between the strength of the basement and the attic. Out would give me more ground to look at, maybe let me see the fence or wall or whatever. The kids more or less confirmed to me that Im in some kind of town. Its not like urchins can just go wander out into the woods and expect toe back safely.


    Down is also really tempting, though. There could be caves there, or maybe ores or something. If Im going to live up to the title of dungeon, Ill need to head deeper eventually, right? Well, deeper is probably also more dangerous, and I want to be ready for dangerous stuff.


    Up it is, then. It feels weird to not have the run of the whole house, when I <em>am </em>the house. Ah, its a belfry. Fittingly enough, I have a bat spawner in there, too. I dont know what my new invader is yet, though. Bats eat bugs or fruit, and I doubt Im gonna get attacked by killer tomatoes. I feel like I have bugs more or less handled, so what will they throw at me? Feels like something sneaky, whatever it is.


    Or maybe itll actually be nothing? It wasnt all <em>that </em>much mana, and didnt give me that much extra floor space. It more gave delvers roof ess and the belfry than it gave me new rooms, so not all that much, really.


    I decide to risk expanding out, since I still have a lot of mana to spend. Man am I d I did. I do, in fact, have a wall and a gate, but I also have a huge expanse of a yard. My new spawner is a personal favorite, too: snakes! Heck yeah Ima have noodles wandering around. I upgrade my little snek den and the bat belfry until I need to choose a path, and leave it hanging for now. I want to see what happens with the new invaders before I make any choices.


    <strong>Mana Gained</strong>


    Wait, what? A new mana thing? Where is aha! One of my snakes got something! Its a mole? Uh-oh. My Sanctum is still Secret, but moles will eventually stumble over it and the core! Ok, I need more sneks, and I think I need them small, so were going vipers. I wanted constrictors, but no way is an anaconda going to be able to hunt moles.


    Alrighty sneks, go and my snakes! Seagulls! I hate seagulls! The vipers fight back a bit, but these gulls are bad news, wow. My only real options to fight them in the air are my crows and my bats. I could make them vampire bats, but I dont think thatll do too much against seagulls.


    I spend most of my mana to upgrade my crows nest to a ravens nest, and the new birbs descend on the gulls like theyre the new taste sensation. A group of crows may be a murder, but these ravens are definitely an unkindness to those stupid seagulls. Aahh thats some nice mana ie now, though.


    Right, surface secured again, need to secure the Sanctum. My rat scion has been working on my walls and various nooks and crannies, making all sorts of secret passages and such around, and I see a great spot for my new sanctum. Im d he hasnt really been getting bigger, unlike Tiny. I thought he would be, especially after the nest spat out a dire rat the other day.


    A scout needs to stay lean, I suppose. Anyhow, the location for my new sanctum is going to be in the chimney on the second floor. Well, technically in the attic. Theres never been a fire in there since I got here, and with the spiders and ants to build a little chamber in it, I can move my core!


    Of course, I need to be careful about that. First thing: Scion roll call! Tiny! Keep doing your thing, buddy. You hang out in the main room for now. If you keep getting bigger, Ill need to give you an actual room for yourir, too. Youre about the size of a small dog now. If anything says Dungeon closed for renovations, its a spider big enough to y fetch.


    Scout rat! Congrats, your names Teemo now. Get the other rats on high alert, especially along the route to the chimney! Youre going to have to be the one to carry the core, so Im counting on you!


    Queen ant! Youre moving shop! Well leave theb and library for now, but get ready to hitch a ride on Teemo. Get as many majors as you can to eat the rest of the ball of go-juice. Oh, and how are those workers? Theyre still speedy? Awesome, we need to get more of that stuff made, butter.


    Raven, Poe! Youre my early warning and first line of defense on the surface! I dont expect the gulls will be able to do much, but keep an eye out. And if any delvers show up, do your best to discourage them. I dont want anyone inside until my new secret sanctum is secured!


    Bat Scion! Uh sleep tight? Not a whole lot for you to do right now, sorry. Ill get back to you.


    Fluffles, my new snake scion! I see that mp bar, mister. Youre running escort with Teemo. Dont go burning me down or something. OK, we all know the n? Then break!


    Outside the new dungeon, the quiet port town can feel the shift in the activity of the old abandoned manor. While before, the ce had been almost weing, today it is not. People can see the ravens staring at them as they walk by, and can hear the asional squawk of a seagull being intercepted as soon as it enters the grounds of the old estate.


    The representative of the Dungeoneers Guild stands at the gate, scribbling furiously as she takes down notes, her pointed ears asionally twitching as she works. Suddenly, the mood seems to change like someone flipped a switch. The ravens caw and rx, and the electricity seems to just vanish from the air. She notes that, too, for when the inspector next returns. It could be a sign of something having gone wrong.

 Chapter Eight: A New Project

    Chapter Eight: A New Project


    Ah, everything went right with the move! I even learned exactly what the go-juice actually does! Well, almost everything went right. Let me exin. My ants started moving my core through the tunnels and towards the crack in the wall, when a mole finally found the core! I tell you, at that scale, moles are terrifying!


    The Queen, though, quickly rallied the troops to fend off the invader, and the little soldiers started zapping it! Lightning ants! Isnt that cool?! Anyway, I only had about a dozen lightning majors, but with them and the normal majors, and the Queen directing them in the fight, the mole barely even got to touch my core.


    It took a tiny bit of my mana before they could push it back, and the affront of it touching my core seemed to send them into a frenzy. The lightning majors are all dead now, but that mole is also very very dead. Queen got the ants moving the core the rest of the way, and Teemo soon got ahold of the orb, and Queen, with Fluffles watching over them all.


    With the mole incursion making me cautious, Teemo led everyone through a secret passage and into the crawl spaces in my walls. He wasnt taking any chances, which I definitely appreciated. It seemed like the various invaders could all sense the core was vulnerable, even if they didnt know where it was. Ive never seen the invaders number that high! It feels like every hand, foot, talon, wing, w and tail was on the ground to repel them, and I cant help but be a bit proud of my denizens.


    Thanks to the secret paths, my core was quickly ced in the new Secret Sanctum, safe behindyers andyers of thick spider silk and packed dirt, as well as the stone and mortar of the chimney itself. My raven Scion even set his nest on top of the chimney, with various spiders actually protecting the opening from various insects. All in all, a very sessful relocation, and I signal the all clear.


    Everyone goes back to their normal doings, and I ping Tiny to head outside. I have an idea for what to do with all that free real estate, and Ill need his help. I also set my bats to be fruitbats. I want to make me some agriculture, and is there any more cultured agri than a hedge maze?


    See, I have all sorts of interesting things I can grow out here, and a thorn hedge is one of them. If I set them up right, I can make a maze. If Im gonna have abyrinth, Im gonna need something to live in it, and I dont have a minotaur. I do, however, have Tiny. I also have variousrger critters to help popte the maze, too. I have a couple dire rats and even a small swarm of crows. That should be plenty to popte the maze, at least for now.


    I also have the ability to make a ton of nodes out there. Ive got several options for herb nodes, and a bunch of spots for various wood nodes, too. I go a bit crazy with spending my mana to get the thing up and running. I dont need to expand downward right now anyway, and the increased numbers of invaders means more mana production, too.


    I havent seen any Delvers in thest few days, though. I had a few, aside from the elf guy and the kids, but none recently. I wouldnt mind a bit of extra mana from them doing stuff, but Im not exactly hurting for it. Im definitely d I made my bats into fruitbats, too. The hedge maze is a bit out of the range of Queen and her workers, and fruitbats are just the kind of things to help make my herbs and trees grow better. More herbs and trees should mean more Delvers, right?


    I even sprout a few chests out in the maze, along with the aforementioned various nodes, just to sweeten the pot. Theyre all listed as Least chests, which Im pretty sure means they kinda suck. That might be from how Im organizing everything out here, though.


    See, in the house, its basically dungeon business as usual. My critters defend me from invaders and challenge delvers, everything to the death or to retreat/rout. Out in the maze, though, Im setting things up differently. Ive had Teemo out to teach the dire rats a few things, and Ive also had Tiny practicing his webbing. Hes approaching the size of a horse now, and I wonder if even the elf guy might have to actually try to be able to beat him.


    Which would be difficult for me. See, if nobodyes to get my stuff, I dont get that bonus mana. So I have a new job for Tiny: hide and seek. I want to get Delvers to explore the maze and have to avoid Tiny. If he catches them, hell web them up and dump them outside the maze. I think I can even have Fluffles levitate them from there to just outside the gate.


    The dire rats will be ying annoyances, stealing stuff from the Delvers as they spot them. I wonder if the Delvers will consider the area even more dangerous than the house. HP are a lot easier to rece than stuff sometimes. Im not too worried, though. I think challenge trantes to reward levels, for the Delvers and for me. Its a weird and different challenge, but one I hope will pan out.


    And if it doesnt, well Ill have more herbs and things to experiment with in myb. Ive tried a few otherbinations, but so far, the Bottled Lightning (despite not being in a bottle) is my only sess. I get the feeling that I dont want to mix everything one to one, but I dont think I have much other option at the moment. Id need a biggerb to upgrade it, but I want to keep it secret. I think that will have to wait until I expand downward a bit and can get into stone.


    I have upgraded my library a bit, and moved it into the wall not far from the chimney. Its not the most efficient as far as working with myb, but its secret and a bit bigger, giving me a full piece of paper to work with now! It might not sound like much, but Ive been able to keep track of eachbination Ive tried in theb


    Speaking of theb, Queen has started to produce a specialized worker for in there. Ive been calling them alchemists, because thats basically what theyre doing. Theyve been slowly producing more bottled lightning for use in the rest of me. I actually want to get the basement swarm of spiders to be venomous <em>and</em> lightning powered! Thatll be quite a boss fight! Itll also take a lot of bottled lightning to aplish. I like that it seems permanent, but its a pretty significant dose to achieve.


    Theck of Delvers still has me concerned, though. The maze is still growing, and while the fruitbats are upied, other vors of bat are just kinda milling around. Sure, some help look for moles, but the number of snakes is starting to increase now that I have enough ravens to handle the gulls. I focus in on one of the normal bats, wondering what I should do with it. Theres not a whole lot of stuff to do at night, after all.


    Oh hey. Thats a new option.

 Chapter Nine: House Keeping

    Chapter Nine: House Keeping


    I have an option for the bat, but I have no idea how itd apply to a bat.


    <strong>Mount Expedition</strong>


    Hows a bat mount an expedition? Its a bat, not an archeologist. Well, one way to find out. Mount that expedition, my bat! Oh, number to send. Uh three? It epts three. Good. Where to? Thats a good question. I already know basically everything in my reach. Its kinda cool, actually. Outside my walls, though its still a mystery. Wait can they actually go outside? Bats! Your expedition target is across the street, past the main gate!


    And off they go, huh. Cost a bit of mana, but not too bad. The little guys do that bat flutter over the top of the gate and vanish from my awareness, and now I see I have some Denizens on Expedition. At least it looks like they should be back in a few minutes.


    Is it a few minutes, yet?


    How about now?


    Still no?


    Ah, there we go! Wee home, bats! What news do you bring of the world outside the walls? A bakery? Seriously? Im a dungeon with a bakery across the street? Im not sure what I was expecting, but a bakery was not it. Well, that fully confirms Im in a town. I just hope the whole town around a dungeon thing works better than it did in the first Diablo game. Yarnam? No, I think that was Bloodborn. Tristram! Or something like that, anyway. Well, as long as nobody goes and tries to jam my core into their face, it should go well, right?


    Either way, I want more info, so I start sending out expeditions with my bats, keeping them in groups of three for just because. I also give themrger areas to identify, which takes them longer, but doesn''t cost me extra mana. I guess its because it technically leaves me vulnerable to have them out for too long, or leaves them vulnerable. While they explore, I look in on my library and see about sketching out a rough map.


    And I immediately run into a problem. I can only put words on stuff in my library. Or numbers. Or drawings, wait what? How can I draw a lightning major, but not a wall?! Queen, do you have any ideas? Nah, shes busy organizing her ants and following the list ofbinations on my paper.


    Do I need a map room? That seems kinda specialized. A whole room just for a map? None of my room options were for a map room. I focus in on one of the little chambers that doesnt seem to be in active use by Queen, and see what my options are.


    Armory is a bit beyond what I can actually use right now. Maybe if I get carpenter ants I can give them little spears, heh. Garden? Yeah, dont need that any time soon. Prison? That sounds like it could be interesting, but I dont need anotherplicated project. Im still growing my maze. Workshop sounds cool, but I still dont have anything that would work in it.


    War room? Why would I need a war room? What does a war room even do? I dont have wars to n. I dont need to push figurines around a map? Is that what the war room does? Because a cartography room would be too easy? Its also not exactly cheap, even as a little ant chamber. I mentally sigh and spend the mana.


    A little bit of leather pops up in the new Secret War Room. There are two dots. Dungeon. Bakery. Well, at least its some kind of map. It doesnt even have apass rose to say which way is north. As my bats start toe back, though, more dots appear. Looks like Im smack dab in the middle of amercial district. Am I not the first dungeon here?


    Elf guy did say he didnt want to lose me as a dungeon. It could also just be luck in my spawn, though I dont know why someone would leave an abandoned manor with a big yard to just stay abandoned for however long it takes a dungeon to happen. I doubt just any old random ignored basement can suddenly be a dungeon over a weekend.


    Most of the dots are pretty boring and probably not much use to me. Tailor. Cartwright. Haberdasher. Apparently the town is big enough to have someone make a living making hats, so thats cool. Alchemist. Enchanter. Oh hey, a church. I wonder if its the Shield one that Freddie goes to. I wonder if Rhonda is apprenticed at one of the magical ces, too.


    I dont get any shop names, though, and I dont know if thats because bats cant read, or if I need to upgrade the war room to get more details. Either way, I probably shouldnt spend any mana on it just yet. The maze is hungry, and nobody hase to visit in a while. I should double check my scions.


    Tiny is doing great. Theres a small grove of trees growing near the center of the maze, and hes webbed it up good to make his nest. He hasnt gotten much bigger just yet, but I havent been able to spare him much mana for it. Hes still listed as a guardian, which Ive taken a closer look at. Basically, if hes in his guardian area, he buffs my stuff and gets some good buffs himself. I dont have any numbers to go by, aside from his level (Lv 8 now, by the way), but I can see him moving quicker in the maze than not, so his transfer isplete.


    Teemo is being the best sneaky rat, and seems to be teaching my other rats things. Hes still a scout, and making various paths all over the ce, which seems to let my other rats get to where theyre getting to quicker. I had considered making him electric, but I want to wait until I get venom for him instead. I named him Teemo, he should be able to do poison stuff. The packrats have been asionally getting electrified, too. Queen must be doling out bottled lightning outside her ants asionally. Fine by me. Faster packrats means faster umtion of goodies for Delvers.


    Speaking of Queen, she got a title that I wasnt expecting. I had put her around the core to be a new guardian, but I guess I should have expected shed be my Alchemist with what Ive been having her do. I definitely appreciate the discount on upgrading theb. For hertest project, I actually had Teemo grab a potion out of one of the chests. That cost me about twice the mana I would have gained if a Delver took it, but I want to test something. Now I have an actual Alchemist, I wonder if Queen can analyze stuff. This trial and error stuff is taking up way too much paper to keep track of. If I can get me some healing ants, or maybe healing spiders, thatd be cool. They could even weave their own bandages!


    Poe is keeping a good lookout, and I might send him on an expeditione daylight. If Tiny is lord of the maze, and Teemo lord of the house, then Poe is lord of the yard. Hes been coordinating with Coda and Fluffles to keep the moles and gulls at bay. I wouldnt be surprised if he gets some title of his own soon, too.


    Fluffles has been growing well, thankfully not as well as Tiny. I do want him to be able to get into all those nooks and crannies, after all. He also seems to be specialized in force magic, by which I mean picking up and moving things without hands, which is fitting, in retrospect. Ive seen him snag a gull out of the air and bring it down for vipers to bite. If he keeps catching things like that, maybe I should get a jail soon.


    Coda, the bat scion, has been mostly upied with tending the maze and most of the nodes outside the house. He has also been sure to keep the sonar bats on a good rotation to keep helping Poe scan for moles. Hes probably my least effectivebatant out of my scions, but hes doing a great job with the nodes and maze. Ive been getting steady discounts on growing and upgrading everything out there, and Ive even seen him getting seeds from the expeditionary bats. So maybe I <em>should </em>get a garden or greenhouse or something, actually.


    Finally! Someones at the gate!

 Chapter Ten: The Party

    Chapter Ten: The Party


    Oh, I wonder whos there? It doesnt feel like elf guy. For one, theres too many feet. I focus, and see an actual party, neat! First inside is some kind of half-bird person with a bow. Probably their version of elf guy. She has a modest-but-noticeable swell at her chest to make me call her a her under that leather armor. Id make a white-meat joke, if I could make it not sound cannibalistic.


    Behind her is a dwarven fighter. Big beard, big axe, big shield, smol legs: dwarf. Him and the birb give a wary eye around the dawn-lit yard, looking more serious than the elf guy ever did. Behind himes an elf or maybe half-elf? She doesnt look as graceful as elf guy, but definitely has the ears. Maybe its because hes such a high level? Or because hes a rogue or something. Either way, shes definitely a caster. Shes got a blue robe with some embroidery, but not the conical brimmed hat. Her staff is painted white with a bunch of small gems bedazzled at the top. Is she a light mage? Or maybe shes not specialized? Thatd be interesting. I havent seen anyone do multiple elements yet.


    Wait, they brought the kids? Poe peers down from his nest as he awakens and confirms it: thats Rhonda and Freddie. Its not like theres a second pair of kids with spiders following them around. Fiona, the-casting ogre-faced spider has gotten a bit bigger, and seems to have marked Freddies shield with one of her webs. At least the kid doesnt seem scared of spiders anymore. Rhondas jumping spider, Lucas, is riding on her hat, his big eyes keeping a lookout.


    Did we have to bring them? asks birbdy, and I agree. I mean, adult supervision is probably a good idea, but that party looks like they want a more traditional dungeon crawling experience. I dont think bring-your-kids-to-work-day is a thing here.


    Hey, speaks up Freddie as he looks around. The only person who''s been in and out of here more than us is the Guild Inspector! I mean hes not wrong.


    The dwarf chuckles and motions for Freddie to stand next to him. Alright, Laddie. Youre our guide, so guide us. Were here t take a look round and try n see if aught has happened tyer dungeon between inspections. So, what dyou see?


    Freddie and Rhonda both look around, and their spiders do as well. Aw, theyre so cute. Im d they got spiders, the kids have terrible spot checks. Fiona and Lucas have great vision, I just dont know if they can alert the kids to anything besides simple threats. Rhonda speaks up first.


    Well theres a lot more activity outside than there was before. Last time, we didnt get the feeling of a dungeon until we went inside, but now we feel it passing the gate.


    Yeah, continues Freddie, pointing up. Theres also birds and stuff now, too. Look at the size of that raven up there. All eyes turn to Poe, who preens himself a bit. No, I dont think you have a fanclub, Poe. Well, maybe the birbdy. Shes squinting at you.


    Raven Scion. Doesnt look hostile. You kids said they all were staring at people a week ago? Huh, I dont remember that. The kids do, though, and nod their heads.


    Yeah, one afternoon the whole energy of the ce shifted. It went back to normal, but people have been nervous ever since. Rhonda fidgets and leans out like she could see around the house from the gate. Should we look around a bit more outside before going in?


    Birb and dwarf both nod at that suggestion, and the casterdy speaks up. Alright, Ragnar and Freddie in front, Yvone, Rhonda, and myself in back. Freddie looks a bit nervous about that, but doesnt make any moves to return to the back. Ragnar just smiles and nudges the boy with his shield.


    Ach, dinae worry,d. If aught happens, Ill protect ye. Its mjob, after all! he says with augh, which helps Freddie loosen up a bit. Now, Im all for a nice field trip and tour, but I need some mana! Wheres my weakest viper Ah, there you are! You and a couple rats, lets give the party a nice encounter to gauge their skill.


    Movement, warns Yvone the birb as she nocks an arrow, and the front line readies their shields. Around the cornere my little chosen fight: a level one viper and two level two rats! Pretty sure elf guy could handle that fight without even batting an eye, but the party seems to be taking it seriously. Or at least taking the viper seriously.


    Leave the snake tme,d. I can handle a wee poison. Keep the rats off our squishies, aye?


    Uh aye? Freddie replies. I can practically see his practicing running through his head as he slowly advances. Looks like good form to me, but I havent exactly trained with a shield. Fiona, the left one. He hardly finishes before she does just that, immobilizing the one rat, though it doesnt look like itll stick for long.


    Ragnar swings at the snake and misses, and takes the counter on his shield, keeping its attention nicely. Freddie is luckier and hits the rat with his hatchet, before Rhonda sends a little icicle to finish the rodent off. Yvone catches my snake with an arrow in the neck? Do snakes have necks? Not far below the head, and that seems to end the little noodle. Im a bit sad to see the little guy bite it like that, but I needs me some mana, and hes given me quite a bit for the cause.


    The other caster doesnt get to do anything before my rat escapes the web, and then escapes the encounter, giving me a nice bit of mana for the whole thing. Elfdy speaks up. I sensed hardly any malice in that encounter. What do you think, Yvone?


    No. If the dungeon was murderous, it could have sent far more than a weak viper and a few rats. Just the raven scion up there may be able to handle all of us. Oh, dont puff up at thatpliment, Poe. Youre probably not *that* tough though you are level three. I think these guys are level one. I still cant quite tell.


    The encounter finished, the party soon rounds the corner, and I see them all stop and stare. I wonder what has their attention? Theres the ochredill patch by the house, which isnt anything to be stunned by. They can see the anthill from there, though I dont think thats it, either. They can see the hedge maze from there, but its hardly knee-high yet. Theres the various herb and tree nodes in there, and the couple chests, too. Maybe they like the look of the chests?


    Oh, nope. Its not that. Its Tiny. Hes very inly sunning himself not far from his webbed up copse of trees. Rhonda manages to put to words what everyone is thinking.


    ...Thats a big spider.


    I think thats the one that was guarding the spell spores the first time, adds Freddie.


    Well I dinae think yer dungeon has gone murderous on ye. That thing woulda been a much more deadly fight than the snake and rats. Everyone nods, and Yvone squints at Tiny.


    That is strange, though. Ive never heard of a dungeon growing such arge bramble field. Nor having such weak chests guarded by something like that. Elfdy nods.


    I think thats a question beyond our expertise. Perhaps we should check the house? If it really has been a while since anyone has delved, there should be some very nice rewards inside. Oh yes! Poppa needs moar mana! You guys might level from some encounters, too. Hey Poe! Coda! Get me a few weaker fliers inside! Ima rally the spiders and see if the party knows to look up, and see if the kids learned that lesson.


    Turns out, the kids did learn the lesson, and the party hadnt yet. Thanks to Rhonda and Freddie, they spot the ambush of ceiling spiders. Elfdy gets webbed, but everyone gets out of the fight with all their hp intact, and I get some more mana. Yvone finds the rotten floor board, and the looks on everyones faces was worth far more than the mana I got for it.


    There is loot a-plenty for them, too, and I think everyone is going to be able to get some kind of upgrade for their gear after this. Rhonda finds some stonelily petals in a drawer and gasps at them, so I guess theyre a good ingredient. I still havent found a use for them yet, but I will eventually. Or rather, Queen will, eventually.


    At the stairs up, I toss a spider swarm at them. I was starting to get concerned it might be too much for them, until Rhonda and the elfdy cast their spells. Rhonda casts a freezing gale, while the elf calls her spell earth pulse. Then the two raise their implements together and shout Avnche!


    For a moment, Im worried they might have overdone it. I dont think Im rated for avnches. Thankfully, it just seems to be the name for abined earth/ice spell, and the swarm is frozen and/or squished. I wonder if I should tone things down, but I think thats about the difficulty I want for a decent encounter for them. The next few are fairly simple: a few bats, a few crows, a dire rat guarding a room with more containers than usual.


    While they work on that, I decide to change the encounter in the attic. I like the rat swarm, but I dont think the party is quite equipped for a boss swarm encounter. If they dont smoke it like the spiders, everyone will be pretty quickly overwhelmed. Besides, I have a good idea for a different boss.


    Ragnar is the first to climb thedder to the attic, and he goes nice and slow. Hes not exactly a stealth master, but Im also not exactly going to let the encounter just rush him as soon as hes spotted. His eyes widen as he sees what I have in store, and he quietly climbs back down thedder.


    Whatd you see? asks Yvone, and Ragnar exhales. Two dire rats, lightning enhanced. Looks are exchanged as everyone weighs their options. On the one hand, theres a chest up there with quite a bit of loot by now. On the other, theres some pretty serious potential pain between them and it. Ragnar seems to get an idea.


    Ara you know protection from elements, aye? Can y teach thess?


    The elfdy, apparently Ara, considers that for a few moments. Perhaps. Its not a particrly difficult spell. Would your master disapprove, Rhonda? she asks the girl, not wanting to step on the toes of the one shes apprenticed to.


    Well he does believe in learning on the job, admits Rhonda, and Ara smiles. Ah, he sounds wise then. Now, Ill only be showing you how to protect from electricity for now. You can work against any element, but that will take a bit more time to teach than we have.


    I pay attention, too, and write what I can in my library. Fluffles will be practicing thister, definitely. Im pretty sure the rats lightning will still do some damage to the group, but it should be much more manageable for them now. The casters look pretty tired by the time theyre done, though. Im afraid well be down to simple cantrips for the fight itself, apologizes Ara, and Rhonda nods. Personally, Im impressed the kid had enough to cast it on two people.


    As the party starts to ascend, Freddie offers a n. I think I can keep the attention of one of them, with Lucas and Fionas help. You guys can focus on the other with Ragnar, then get mine? Ragnar chuckles. Theyll focus yours first,d. Im nae gonna let ye try to tank one o those for longer than needed.


    Yvone and Ara nod, and Freddie nods as well. Ragnar is the first to climb onto thending, and the time for nning is over. I keep the rats from leaping forward, letting the party climb up and organize themselves briefly, then allow the rats to attack.


    Yeesh, are those dire rats or pikachus? Definitely d they had the foresight to protect from lightning. Everyone looks a bit crispier than theyd prefer, but nobody is grievously wounded, even if Ragnars beard is smoking. Him and Freddie leap to their n, and it seems my rats need to recharge after that. Yvone looks like she has something up her sleeve as she takes a few precious seconds to focus on the rat being harried by Freddie and the spiders.


    True Strike! she shouts before losing the arrow, right into the eye of the one being ganged up on. It had taken a few other attacks from the others while she prepared, and that attack of hers finishes the first dire rat off. Over with Ragnar, Im not quite sure how hes doing, actually. Hes been bitten several times, and though hes bleeding, hesughing and I think swearing at the rat in dwarven. He doesnt look too concerned about his blood slowly leaking out, and it looks like his hp, while below half, are pretty stable there.


    Yvone doesnt have another true strike in her, apparently, but everyonesbined efforts soon finish the second one off as well. As the mana rolls in for me, I see Ragnar stagger, his hp dipping dangerously. I think he has some ability to let him put off damage for a bit? Ara is on him quickly, though, and even with only cantrips she gets him stabilized.


    Ach, that was a good fight, he says, taking a seat on the floor, not even bothering with the chest. Speaking of, I make sure Teemo isnt nning a hit and run on whoever opens it. I neednt have worried, though. Looks like hes in the maze, zing trails for the thieving dire rats.


    Yvone nods, cautiously approaching the chest. Good thing Ara insisted we bring our guides. I dont think we could have handled that on our own. The two kids exchange looks before Freddie speaks up.


    I think you would have. Last time we were here, it sounded like a swarm was up here. And you guys havent seen whats in the basement. This dungeon he trails off, uncertain of his dungeoneering knowledge. Rhonda, though, soon picks up the ck.


    It doesnt do normal dungeon things. The first time we were here, we went into the basement to get some spell spores. There was a huge swarm of spiders watching us the whole time, but they didnt advance. Well, not until I got enough spores for Old Staiven. Then the spider scion crawled out of the wall and the swarm started to advance. We ran. I dont think they even climbed the stairs toe after us.


    Freddie nods. Yeah. They had us, but let us go, after scaring us half to death. He shrugs as Yvone seems to decide the chest is safe, and opens it. This dungeons weird, but I dont think it wants to just kill people.


    Its generous with loot as well, adds Yvone as she pulls out a nice shield from the chest, and the sound of coins sliding off it as she pulls it out can be heard clearly around the attic.


    That looks like a good shield for Mr. Ragnar, says Freddie, and the dwarf chuckles and shakes his head. Id never hear the end of it if I ever used anything but mah family shield, Laddie. I think its about enough to cover yer guides fees, though, aye? he says, looking to the other two adults, who both share a small grin and nod.


    Im sure well find something in that chest to pay young Rhonda as well. She holds up her hands before the two can try to refuse. Its non-negotiable, young ones. Even if it wasnt guild policy, none of us would befortable with you two not getting at least some share of the loot after putting your lives on the line with us.


    The two kids look a bit bashful about that, I guess they never really considered that their lives could be on the line. I mean, they werent. Even if I had to spend all my mana to call the rats off and loot myself for potions, I wouldnt let the kids get hurt. Still, I like this party. I hope theye back. Good role models for the kids.


    They take their time looting and have a bit of a rest to divy everything out. Rhonda gets herself a nice scroll of Frozen Armor, which Ara says her master should be able to teach her how to transfer it to her spellbook more permanently. Freddie, of course, gets his shield. The party gets most of the coins and potions, which the kids are more than fine with. They have full pockets from the other containers anyway.


    They leave, and I send a few ckbirds after them on an expedition to see where they go. Looks like the longest expedition Ive assigned yet. I also have a huge pile of mana after all that, my core is looking more like a softball now. Im pretty sure Ill be fine in the chimney until about basketball size, so I have a fair bit of time left. Still, if people starting back to delve, Ill finish the maze sooner than I thought.

 Chapter Eleven: The Third Inspection

    Chapter Eleven: The Third Inspection


    Alright, so, good news: Delvers have returned! Herbalists can handle the asional low level thing, so I go fairly easy on them, especially since they tend to wander in solo. The bad news, though, is that nobody wants to try the hedge maze. Its grown enough that they cant directly see Tiny, but they can see the trees and webbing around his nest. Hes even been working on putting a web roof over the whole maze. Good thinking, Tiny. Dont need cheaters in my maze.


    Also good news: Queen was able to identify what goes into a healing potion! Also bad news: I need actual equipment to let her do her work. Ive upgraded the secretb a few times, and Im pretty sure its allowed to have equipment now, but Im having trouble getting it.


    I havent been able to afford carpenter ants yet, but I might need to get on that. Ive been trying to make at least some equipment for theb, and it hasnt outright failed, at least? If I had fire ants, it might be simpler, but I dont. I have lightning ants. Ive been sending crows out on expeditions to try to get me some iron wire, but nobody has had any sess yet.


    With some iron wire, I could have the lightning majors zap it to make a heating element, and use the empty potion bottle for the various processing that it looks like Queen will have to do.


    The kids havee back, too. Theyre the closest anyone hase to checking out the maze. They looked inside from the entrance, but I think Lucas spotted one of the rat thieves, and the kids decided against looking inside. Im pretty sure theyve gained a level now, too. Low-level things arent slowing them down hardly at all anymore. They even handled a regr dire rat on their own.


    The gate opens, and I expect itll be the kids again, but its elf guy! Heya elf guy! Long time no see! He res at Poe as every single bird makes noise at him, and if I could, Id give him a shit-eating grin.


    Dungeon clearly recognizes me. Avians making a racket. Not alerting other denizens, just making noise at me. No unusual staring. Theres that mention of staring again. It must have been from when I moved the core and had everything on high alert. Thats the only time Ive done much different.


    Still no obvious rooms. I see alchemical creatures, though, so it must have a secretb somewhere He looks around before looking up to the belfry. Perhaps in the belfry tower. Still no chests or anything up there. Acknowledged, investigating.


    Oh, elf guy is actually taking things seriously now. Doesnt mean I have to, though I do still have my dignity as a dungeon. I toss some various moderate encounters at him as he explores the house. He manages to trip one of the rotten floorboards to the basement, and decides he doesnt need to get a closer look. Yeah, that level 6 lightning venom swarm is quite a thing. Pretty sure he could take it, but hes all business right now, no pleasure.


    He obliterates the rat swarm in the attic, and I can visibly see him pause to ensure he gets his boss experience before he opens the chest. Im not even sure he notices what he actually gets from the chest, he just stuffs it in a bag that should not be able to hold all of that.


    On roof. Raven scion is observing me, but not making any moves. Bats appear specialized for fruit bats, which helps exin why all the herbalist nodes. He watches as a trio of crowsnd on the roof, one carrying a bit of iron wire. Oh hey! Good job, guys! Recover a bit, then head out to see if you can find anything else interesting.


    Confirm dungeon is sending Expeditions, must have a secret war room, too. Investigating belfry. Pst, hey Coda. Make sure everyones awake. I dont think elf guy has violence on his mind, but still be ready to bolt if ites to it.


    I dont bother sending any encounters at elf guy while hes on the roof. Partially because my birbs arent really focused onbat, and partially because I kinda see the whole area as unfinished. Maybe Ill make the belfry into a garden or somethingter. Itd make sense to have it close to the ones that bring me seeds.


    He cautiously peers up the stairs and goes, but doesnt seem phased by what I would consider a pretty big anti-climax. Confirmed belfry is specialized towards fruitbats. I can see seeds on the floor, likely have been sent on expeditions at night. Sweeping for hidden rooms.


    Yeah, I think hes gonna be there a while. I make sure my bats will bolt if he gets twitchy, and let him take a 20 searching for something thats not there. I look in to see how Queens doing with the alchemy, and with the new iron wire. Right, I need to get that thing moved and shaped.


    Hey! Whos my closest spider? Ah, there you are. Go get that bit of wire and leave it by one of the mole/snake holes. My sneks dont like being on the roof, and I dont want to just drop the wire off and lose it.


    Fluffles, take that wire with you into the tunnels and coil it up as much as you can. I dont think my ants can bend that thing easily. Queen, make sure theres a big enough tunnel for the ants to move it to theb, and get ready to start rotating whatever electric ants through as you need them. I want some healing ants, dang it.


    By the time the coil is in theb, it looks like elf guy is about done with the belfry. He doesnt look very happy. Negative on secret room in belfry. I was sure itd be hiding something up here. And thats why Im not, bucko. The smart people look for areas being carefully ignored to wonder if thats important.


    And smart dungeons put their core in a ce people walk past all the time. Whos going to look under every brick in a road? Oh hey, hes looking at the maze.


    Confirm odd bramble patch. Looks like Spider scion is in there, as well as several chests. They seem far lower level than they should be, though, especially with this dungeon. Acknowledged. Investigating.


    Finally, someone to check out the maze! He wont be able to get the good stuff if he just picks a wall to follow, either. He carefully approaches the entrance and peers around before talking to his team back at the guild. At least, Im pretty sure theyre at the guild. Ive found a few guild houses from my expeditions, but I still dont have specific names for them.


    The adventurer delvers from the other day went to two different guild houses, so I can only assume one is from a guild for delvers, and one a guild for I dunno, dungeon inspection? At least I know which church is Freddies, and which magic shop is Rhondas. Ive been able tobel things on the map, too, so thats good.


    But back to elf guy. Confirm spider scion in bramble. Its high enough level even Ill need to be careful. Also looks like lower level dire rats in the area, but cant pinpoint. Rat scion probably taught them a few tricks, he says with a grumble as he rubs his hand. Teemo does great work.


    Heading in. Yes! I just wish I could give a quest involving the maze. Thatd be cool. Maybe one of the rooms would allow that? Ill need to check thatter. For now, I watch elf guy as he stalks the maze. He can definitely tell where the chests and nodes are, but looks like he doesnt know the floorn of the maze, which is good.


    One of my rat thieves darts from the hedge, but elf guy has damn good reflexes. It doesnt get very close before a knife finishes it with a single stab. Dire rats are rat thieves. Dont appear to be interested inbat. Spider scion appears to be slowly tracking me, but not in any particr hurry.


    Come into my maze, said the spider to the elf guy. Tiny was the best scion to put in here, since he can actually help change the mazeyout a bit. If he webs an opening and tears down a different web, the whole maze basically shifts. And thats what Tiny is doing. I dont think he forgave elf guy like I have.


    While Tiny slowly weaves his trap, elf guy explores the maze, gathering chests and nodes along the way. None of the thieves even get close to taking any of his stuff, and I feel like elf guy is starting to understand the maze a bit better. Bramble is a different style of encounter than previously observed. Appears to be more of a race than a simple battle. Collect as much stuff as you can before the spider scion gets you, and before the thieves pick you clean.


    As Tiny closes the drawstring and traps the elf guy, he seems to notice. Wait somethings changed. He frowns as he looks around, before realizing whats happened. Ive lost this race. Extracting!


    Thats what you think, elf guy. Tinys webs arent going to be phased by your daggers, so no going up and over. Good luck trying to go through the hedges, too. I dunno exactly how much damage they do, but I dont think you have that many hp, my friend.


    Tiny finally rounds a bend in the maze, the two able toy eyes directly on the other now. Elf guy dons his serious face and draws his daggers as Tiny simply slowly approaches. I can see his spinnerets slowly working on a web, too. Yeah, he definitely still holds a grudge from when elf guy killed him.


    Sorry big guy. You look too big for me to y around with now. Shadow de! As elf guy melts into shadow, Tiny curls in a bit on himself, clearly remembering the attack that ended himst time. Several long gashes appear in his carapace, though not over anything particrly vital. As the attackes to an end, though, Tiny tosses his web.


    Fu-! is all elf guy gets out before the web envelopes him. Tiny! You never told me you had a brain! I guess you really did remember the attack that ended you, and remembered when and where elf guy is when he finishes it. Whos a good spider? You are! Yes you are!


    As Tiny approaches elf guy, I remind the big lug about how the maze works. He detes a little, but he did still win. Elf guy looks terrified, though. Dont worry, my dude. Good effort with the first run of the maze, though! Tiny moves one of his massive pedipalps over the delver, and elf guy closes his eyes, expecting a bite to finish him off. Instead, Tiny takes what Im pretty sure is a bag of holding. He quickly weaves arger bag, webbing elf guy up more in the process, and empties the magical bag into the more mundane one. He drops the bag on the floor and one of my rat thieves zips by to pick it up, and I can see the indignation in elf guys eyes.


    With that, Tiny hauls him and his loot up and takes him outside the maze, depositing him unceremoniously just outside the entrance. Elf guy gets to stew for a few minutes before Fluffles cane by and levitate him outside the gates. Hah! I only wish I could see the reactions from everyone!


    Hey! Birbs! Expedition!

 Chapter Twelve: The Office of Dungeon Affairs

    Chapter Twelve: The Office of Dungeon Affairs


    So, birds are great at finding shinies, but not so great at understanding what people are doing. ording to the expedition I sent to watch elf guy, he got a lot of odd looks from people before someone else ran up to him. He wiggled and mumbled, and they eventually managed to get him unwebbed, and the two went back to one of the guild houses, which Im now officiallybeling the office of dungeon affairs.


    More importantly: the maze was a sess! My core is now easily the size of a grapefruit! Elf guy was worth <em>so</em> much mana, holy crap. Ive got enough to do a few things, and I have a few ideas involving more public rooms.


    First, I go ahead and actually set a garden in the belfry. Not a whole lot of herbalists seem to want to brave the attic boss, but with a garden up past it, maybe theyll bring along a friend or two to be able to see what neat things the fruit bats have managed to bring in.


    The other thing is Ive decided to make my porch a library. Why would I do something weird like making my porch a library? Because with a piece of paper and a bit of webbing, its more of a bulletin board than a ce for a bunch of books!


    <strong>Come See The Maze!</strong>


    <em>Yes, the hedge maze! Can you brave the maze and exit with more than you went in with? Search for chests, herbs, and wood as you avoid Tiny and the rats that want your stuff! If he catches you, the only thing hell give is a very secure nket! Come brave the maze! Located just around back!</em>


    So yeah, Ive got basically a flier with that webbed to my door now. Im pretty sure it doesnt count as a quest, but it should at least get people curious and hopefully willing to check it out.


    Ive also decided to make a more publicb in one of the more normal rooms in the house. I was thinking about the spell Ara showed Rhonda, and figured if people started making potions in a publicb, I could crib off their notes and make better stuff in the secretb!


    Im really tempted to try to make a forge, but thats not happening until I expand downward. Thats probably my next big project, but making the two rooms took about everything elf guy gave me.


    The nerve of that dungeon! shouts the elven man for the 5th time today, pacing and scowling.


    For what? asks the elven woman who is more permanently stationed to the guild building in this town. For defeating you? For not killing you? For taking your bag of holding? For dumping you outside the gate? She fights to keep the unprofessional smile off her face at the memory of finding him. At first, she had feared the worst and the new local dungeon had truly gone murderous and used her associate to deliver a message.


    In retrospect, she supposes it <em>was</em> sending a message, just not one anyone expected. It took all she had to not burst into hystericsughing when the webbed elf started squirming and mumbling curses through the muffling web.


    His snort at her snide question brings her back to the present, even if he doesnt actually give her an answer. Though his pride as an Inspector may have been wounded, she knows its not yet dead, and so she lifts the scroll and quill. Are you prepared to give your official report?


    He sighs deeply and closes his eyes, taking a moment topose himself. You have my field notes to attach to the report as well? When she nods, he takes another moment to organize his thoughts before dictating his report.


    Dungeon is not murderous, but in fact borders on actually yful at times. Unusual behavior observed by civilians was most likely from the dungeon moving its core, which it still keeps in a Secret Sanctum in an unknown location. Dungeon has been sending expeditions, so very likely has a secret war room. Dungeon has alchemical denizens, so certainly has a secretb. Very likely has a secret library as well.


    Dungeon shows unorthodox behavior, but very little hostile behavior. It has created abyrinth of brambles, inhabited by its strongest scion and thieving rats. Despite the power ced there, the maze is almost fully harmless, as I was defeated and simply dumped outside the Dungeon, instead of killed.


    Suggest higher-level Inspector for next inspection, as Dungeon has advanced quickly. I dont know what its next expansion will entail, but it will certainly cause major change no matter what it does. Inspector Tarl.


    She nods as she finishes writing down his words, and gives him the scroll and quill to sign. He does so and returns them to her, and she begins to apply a wax seal as she speaks.


    So, now that I know what you think of it professionally, what do you think of it personally?


    He considers for a few moments before donning a smirk. I think if I didnt have another inspection soon, Id head back now and explore just for the fun of it. Its the strangest dungeon Ive ever even heard of, and I want to know more. And I want a rematch against that spider Scion. It webbed me as soon as I got out of my Shadow de attack! I havent even heard of Epic monsters nning like that!


    He shakes his head as he takes a seat in the lounge area in the guild. Fourdock is going to be a much more interesting ce soon, I can feel it, thanks to that Dungeon.

 Chapter Thirteen: Changes

    Chapter Thirteen: Changes


    Business has been booming! The maze has be a huge sess! I dunno if it was from dumping elf guy outside, or from the flier on the front door, but people are practically lining up to run the hedge maze! Most people literally run it, too; sprinting to try to find a chest or various nodes, before sprinting out. Its about a coin flip for them to get out without losing anything to the rats like that, which seems to be the challenge most people are after. Tiny has taken to just ignoring the ones that dont go very deep.


    The kids actually did a real run of the maze, though. They got two chests before Tiny caught up to them. Freddie took one for the team and got captured, but Rhonda got to escape with all her goodies. I told Tiny to take his shiny new hatchet instead of his shield. That things a bit of a memento, after all.


    Rhonda actually followed Fluffles as he levitated Freddie out the gate, and Im all but positive she helped him out of the webbing before they went off to do whatever they do. Theyre both looking healthier and stronger each time I see them, too. I swear Freddies grown a foot since I first saw him, and Rhonda is much more confident, though still fairly quiet, seems like. I hope theyre old enough to ship, because I definitely do.


    The bulletin board Library was a great idea, too. Lots of people read the flier to see if anything has changed, and I make sure to note things, like the new garden andb in the house. Theb doesnt really need a warning, as I dont have anything specific in the way of anyone getting there, random encounters aside.


    The Garden, of course, has the warning of the boss in the way, though I dont say exactly what itll ever be. Partially so I can change it as needed for various delvers. Sorry herbalists. If you want to see what fancy stuff Codas been growing, you need to bring a couple friends to help get you there.


    Poe has earned himself a title, which is pretty cool. Marshal. Im pretty sure its not like a sheriff, but more like someone who marshals the troops, gets them doing what they need to do and such. Hes been practically handling my expeditions on his own now, too, which I think is also what a marshal would do.


    The public Lab has also been paying dividends. Ive watched a bunch of herbalists whip up a few potions of this and that in there. Ive written them down in the Secret Library, which Ive upgraded a few more times, and Queen is happily working away in the Secret Lab.


    Speaking of Queen, the healing ants experiment was a sess! Its still pretty difficult to make the goo for it, but I now have a few medical ants stationed nearby the various high-threat areas, mostly the attic and basement. Ive upgraded the Lab a few more times, too, and have been slowly stocking it as my rats borrow little bits and pieces from the alchemists in the public Lab.


    And speaking of the ants, one of my ns has fallen through. I had joked to myself about carpenter ants doing carpentry, and I was starting to wonder if it would actually work that way. Well, from the random ants that the hill spits out, it doesnt seem so. Theyre just really big ants. Well, not <em>really </em>big, but Im pretty sure theyd get there if I upgraded them, but Tiny is all the big I need for now.


    So now Im looking to expand, but have no idea where to expand. Up is somehow still an option. I get the feeling its for somethingter, once I figure out how to build more structures. Or maybe I can build on the clouds? Who knows.


    Out is also somehow an option. Its easily the most expensive, but its also very tempting. The War Room seems to imply that Id get the entire town if I expand outward. Thats interesting, but also concerning. Itd be cool to have truly intelligent Denizens, but how will it work if I try to tell them to do stuff?


    And thatd be a <em>lot </em>of ground to cover to defend. I dont know that the townsfolk would appreciate suddenly having a severe infestation of roaches, flies, and mice, or the spiders and rats to deal with them.


    No, I think expanding outward is something Im just not ready for, and I dunno if I ever will be. What I do think Im ready for, though, is to expand down. I know theres stone down there. I mean, logically, there has to be.


    Theres also probably tons of cool new resources to gather down there, too, like ores and gems and stuff! I could make a smithy and an armory, and actually be able to do stuff with them! And a jewlers? I guess?


    Of course, there will also be new invaders. There always have been, whenever I expand. Im pretty sure theyd basically have toe in through the basement, and the swarm I have there is serious business. Anything digging would be like the moles, so the vipers should be able to handle it, at least until I get whatever my new spawner is established.


    Ive been saving up more mana than I actually need to expand, wanting to make sure Ill have enough to upgrade my spawner and get my other denizens up to snuff for whatever awaits. I wish I could fit Tiny into the basement for when I do this, but Teemo is a good recement. Hes not huge and tanky, but he is small and sneaky, and Ive seen him do some serious damage to invaders that manage to get into the house. With him and Fluffles waiting under the basement stairs, I spend the mana to expand downward.


    In Rhondas Lab (technically Old Staivens, but she has a little section to herself), she prepares to put the finishing touches on a batch of lightning resist potions. With the Dungeon being given the all clear, and the sheer number of lightning-enchanted denizens in there now, its second only to the ssic healing potion as far as poprity goes!


    She grabs the jar of ferromoss before Lucas gives a little hiss and hops onto her shoulder from atop a pile of books. Huh? Whats wrong? Her familiar is usually so quiet, only hissing when


    The various ssware starts rattling in their various holders, and Rhondas eyes widen as she realizes whats happening. Earthquake! Lucas, web what you can to keep it from breaking! Shes just d her potions are at a point where she can rest for now. Lucas literally jumps into action, webbing things that are wiggling too much for his liking. Anything that wiggles too much reminds him of flies or roaches, and hes all too happy to make them stop moving. His goblin is much different than the dungeon was, but hes pretty sure hes much different than he was now, too. Different isnt always better, but when it is, its much better. And he thinks this different is pretty good.


    Master! The Lab! she shouts up the stairs, and he shouts back down at her. You and that spider mind theb! Im keeping the shop from exploding up here! Rhonda sheepishly nods, even though her master cant see. Theb, ironically enough, is one of the most stable ces in the store. The selling floor is just chocked full of various enchanted things designed to help defend oneself. If they started going off from falling in this quake, some broken ssware would be the least of their worries.


    Freddie meditates in his small room in the church. While part of him wants a bigger room with at least a window more designed for looking than for just letting in a bit of air, another part of him reminds him that this is still a far better situation than being on the street. He has a bed, he has warm or cool clothing, depending on the situation. He has brothers and sisters to support him, as is only proper for followers of the Crystal Shield.


    He also has Fiona, his spider. When he first got her, he thought she was some curse or test of his burgeoning faith. But now, he feels she was a lesson sent to teach him to look beyond simple appearances. Fiona has been much better of apanion than he could have possibly imagined. Shes even helped him sneak a spare sweet roll from the kitchen on asion. He knows he shouldnt, but if he were perfect, he wouldnt have much use for a god, would he?


    As the floor starts to rumble, he nervously offers a quick prayer of apology. Surely a little bit of joking wisdom wouldnt earn him some smiting, would it? Sounds of rm outside make him suspect its not actually his fault, since other people are feeling the rumbling. Come on, Fiona, he says as he stands, grabbing his shield as he exits his room. He still hasnt had a chance to rece his hatchet after that huge spider got him in the maze.


    Whats going on? he asks one of the hurrying sisters. Though she seems busy, she doesnt seem to be panicking, so thats probably a good sign.


    An earthquake, young brother! Come, help me with my supplies. There may soon be wounded to tend to. He nods and follows her, and Fiona follows him. Her orc is a good orc. He feeds her and lets her protect. He doesnt have a core or anything simr, but hes shown her she can protect all kinds of things. Sometimes she misses the dungeon, but she can protect it and her orc at once now, which is nice.


    In the Dungeoneers Guild, the elven woman jerks up from her desk as things start rumbling. She was meditating and mentally processing her reports, not napping on them. It takes her a few seconds to process whats happening and why.


    She quietly swears to herself, d the rumbling would mask it if there were anyone around to even hear. Where did I put that seal?! Ah, gotcha! She snags a sealing stamp from among everything rattling, and deftly plucks a brush and inkwell up as well. Thest thing she needs is a scroll, and she knows exactly where the scroll is.


    Of course she does, its not like any of the other dungeons have been behaving oddly. The rumbling starts to taper off as she paints the seal with ink, and everything is still by the time she unrolls the scroll, and quickly stamps it.


    <strong>Fourdocks Dungeon</strong>


    <strong>DEEP</strong>

 Chapter Fourteen: From Bellow

    Chapter Fourteen: From Bellow


    So, uh I dont know exactly what I was expecting, but it wasnt an earthquake. The various Delvers around looked really worried, and what encounters were happening, I just had my denizens run away. Tiny ushered a couple herbalists out of the maze and is now sitting at the entrance. Maybe I should make some more minor libraries at the various entrances to let people know when certain areas are closed.


    Most of the Delvers took the hint to leave, and the stink eye from Poe and the other ravens got everyone else away from the potentially dangerous spots. Theres still some looky-Lous, but theyre far enough back to ignore for now. Everything seems to be intact, and the Expeditions I had out are returning and saying the town seems to be fine, too. Im not sure how much I trust their definition of fine, but nothing seems to have copsed. Its not like I could do much to help anyway.


    The expansion definitely took, at least. Theres now a ragged cave in the yard, and I have Poe and the unupied vipers keeping a close eye on it. I can still extend my senses into my new section, but I dont sense any new invaders just yet. I do, at least, have a new spawner.


    Because theres always a ten-by-ten foot room for jello. Yerp, I got a slime spawner. I, of course, spend the mana to get a slime paragon, too. She looks like someone took a mixing bowl and filled it with jello, then just turned it out onto the floor. Shes kinda cute, in an adorable blob kinda way. The more passive slimes are looking like theyll be more oozes, though, kinda puddles and such. Maybe Ill get some other varieties as I upgrade it? I dont need Dragon Warrior slimes with eyes and a mouth, but an actual gtinous cube would be cool.


    As I take in my new expansion, though, I start to get a feel for how my new invaders might get in. There are passages I cant sense down, like how I cant sense much past my gate or my walls. So I guess theres an actual underground to be had. I get basically every bat thats not of the fruit variety to fly down into the cave and set up shop, and get a bunch of my spiders in there, too. Roaches and mice look like theyll spawn pretty thick down here. I dont think moles will, though. Most of the caves are fully stone, which is pretty cool.


    Fluffles and Teemo get to work doing their things down here, too. Teemo keeps finding little cracks and crevices to make into shortcuts for my denizens, which helps everyone get into position to deal with the new infestations. New infestations are also why Im not making any nodes just yet.


    I remember how the herbs started attracting the mice. I dont want to make ore or gem nodes and attract I dont know what. At least not until Im better prepared. I need to get me a few more tough mobs to guard the various bits. The basement swarm Ill leave there for now, to help guard the chest.. Tiny? You can head back into the maze, I think everything here is covered, at least for now. Coda, I need you to make sure the bats sweep the new caves with sonar as regrly as possible, so your belfry is upgraded again now.


    Queen, keep doing your thing with the alchemy. See if you can manage anything to get through stone. My core is getting big enough that Id like to move it again. Yeah, it didnt stay there as long as I had hopped, but I guess that just means were growing at a good pace, right?


    Oh hey, Fluffles. Can you use your telekinesis and stuff to work through rock? Im gonna need *something* if Im going to get a new Secret Sanctum. I think the town mostly trusts me enough to make my Sanctum more public, but I want to make sure everyone still feels that way after the quake.


    Most of the Delvers wander off after we go back to DefCon: Normalcy. I dont really me them. Suns getting close to setting now, I think. I do get some nighttime Delvers, but most like the day. Probably because most of my stuff doesnt care about light levels very much.


    Jello is just kinda wandering the caves right now, absorbing mice and roaches as she goes. I wonder what Ill do with her. Shes kinda weirdpared to my other scions, but maybe because I just dont know what to do with her. I know what bats do, what spiders do, birds, etc. I dunno how slimes do.


    Oop, nighttime Delver. Lets go see who it is. Huh, theyre not at the gate? And a second Delver now, too. Where oh! They must be down in the caves! I focus down there, and I find them. Im also not quite sure whats going on.


    For just a moment, I worry one of the kids managed to get down there somehow, but theyre not wearing tattered clothing anymore. Nor do they have a tail. Or scales. Or darkvision, Im pretty sure. Whatever it is, though, its bipedal and has clothes. And is running from that thing.


    Whats that thing? I dunno. It kinda reminds me of an ankheg, which is basically a pincherbug that could go toe to toe with Tiny. But this is more reptilian, I think. Scales are a big tip off. Ima call it a scythemaw until someone puts a book on cave critters in my library. Its big, scaly, and has two big mandible things at its mouth, in addition to the more usual sharp teeth for eating things that have an opinion about being eaten.


    How the crap does that thing count as a Delver?! The smaller ones screams refocuses my train of thought. Questionster, action now! Fluffles, Teemo, Jello! Go help the little lizard person! Queen, Im gonna need medic ants on the double! Tiny, get your spinnerets down here yesterday! Coda, make sure everyone is doing what they should be doing! Youre my Poe for pointing out nasty things down here!


    Fluffles and Teemo make fast time towards the lizard person, with Jello not making fast time at all. Shes definitely going to be posted at one of the cave passages once I get everything better handled down here. Shes not exactly a rapid responder.


    Coda pings a little cave that the scythe-maw shouldnt be able to fit into, and Queen gets the medic ants headed that way. I send a few rats to give them a ride, as theyre way quicker than ants. Tiny is moving as quickly as he can, but he was near the center of the maze, so hell be a couple minutes.


    Fluffles and Teemo get to the lizard person first, which isnt much of a surprise. With Teemos trails, the two can get basically anywhere in the dungeon within a minute or two, and they were already in the caves. What is a surprise, though, is that Fluffles just levitates the terrified person and all three start dashing along Teemos trails.


    The rescued Delver is screaming at the top of their lungs, but theyre at least safe in Fluffles magic. The scythemaw keeps running down therger tunnel for several more seconds before it realizes its prey has vanished. Uh apparently, its not going to ept that answer.


    The thing starts tearing at my rock walls, either in frustration or because it thinks it senses its prey. Well, thats not gonna fly, buddy. Say hello to Tiny. He doesnt roar or anything like the scythemaw, but that tackle announces his presence pretty effectively, in my opinion. Fluffles sinks his fangs, too, before scuttling back out of retaliation range.


    The hostile Delver growls at Tiny, and I can see the venom has slowed it. Just be careful, Tiny. I think all I can really support you with is some medical ants, and theyre still en-route. I can see him working on a web, but itll be a bit before hell have it ready, and in a fight, seconds pass like eternities.


    The scythemaw bellows and charges forward, lunging at Tinys face. The big guy gets a leg in the way, which I think saves his life. The leg is bitten through and the maw starts messily scarfing it down. With its mouth upied, though, Tiny lumbers forward to deliver another envenomed bite. He leaves a thick web across the passage behind him as he scuttles past his foe, and now the hostile Delver finds itself with its back against a wall. No, worse: a normal wall wont stick you to it if you press your back to it.


    I dont think the thing is quite that smart, though. Or Tinys bites are slowing it down more than I thought. Come to think of it, a spider that big would be very bad news for anything of simr size if it got to bite it. The scythemaw might be resistant, but I dunno. Im not an expert in giant lizards with swordsing out of their face.


    It finishes the leg and growls at Tiny again, and I see my spiderbro lift his front slightly. Whats he up to? I dont get to ask any more silly questions before the lizard lunges forward again. For a moment, I worry Tiny will lose another leg, but hes a smart spider.


    Just like he learned how to deal with elf guys Shadow de, he has a n for this things lunging attack. He tips himself over backwards as it rushes forward, letting him bring all seven legs to bear. Thats a lot of hydraulics to catch a lot of lizard, and it works. He grabs it around the neck to keep from losing any more pieces, his other legs curling under its belly before he flings it backwards and into the web!


    It crashes through, but Im pretty sure that was the n. Its not quite immobile, but with webbing and venom, its not going anywhere. Tiny strolls up and bites it a few more times as he webs it more, and I let him enjoy his victory. Ah, theres my medic ants. See what you can do for Tiny. Ima go check on our other Delver.


    In the little cavern, Fluffles has let the fleeing Delver back to the floor, where they promptly scramble to the back wall. As I focus in, I see that she is a girl. Uh, make that a <em>woman</em>, definitely. Is she a kobold? She certainly looks like it. Fluffles and Teemo simply watch her from the only entrance/exit to the little cavern, not making any hostile moves.


    I can hardly me her for being terrified still, though. A snek and a rat snatched her up easier than the scythemaw did. She could probably hear the bellows and fight Tiny gave it, too. As the silence stretches on, broken only by her ragged breathing, she starts to slump to the floor. She manages to say something before she seems to pass out


    Sanctuary.

 Chapter Fifteen: Settling In

    Chapter Fifteen: Settling In


    Thankfully, the rest of the night is much more boring, though a few other things happened that raise more questions. Not long after the kobold copsed, I got a <em>massive</em> pile of mana, and I wasnt sure why. At least until I looked in on Tiny.


    The scythemaw officially kicked the bucket, but I dont know why thatd give me so much mana. But then I start to think about some of the other stuff the Delvers have been saying.


    I used to wonder why theyd think a dungeon would be murderous. I need Delvers to make mana at any decent rate, so why would I kill them? Well, because they apparently give boatloads of mana, if this scythemaw is anything to go by. I can definitely see other dungeons taking the quick payoff instead of ying the long game. I mean, itd still be murder, but itd make logical sense, even if it doesnt make ethical sense.


    So I guess I cant really me the town for being concerned. Ill definitely need to do the next move at night, or some other down time. Its gonna need to happen soon, too. That big pile of mana has my core just barely fitting in the chimney now.


    I also have a pending option with the kobold.


    <strong>Resident Request. ept/Deny?</strong>


    Its not giving me any more details, either. Whats a Resident? Hows it different from a Denizen? Or a Delver? What happens if I deny? Well, best case is she eventually wakes up and just leaves, I guess? We both go our separate ways, even if only one of us is actually able to leave. Not really a fan of that option, to be honest.


    And thats the best thing I cane up with if I deny her. The various other scenarios I can think of all seem to be various vors of she dies. Honestly, her leaving is probably in that category, too. She doesnt have any gear, she barely even has clothes. She might have magic or something, but it was clearly not up to handling that scythemaw. Hopefully its a rare thing to encounter in the far tunnels, but still.


    I dont know how Id be able to help her if she stays, but Ill be able to do <em>something </em>at least, right? Still uncertain, I ept her request to be a Resident.


    At least it doesnt trigger another quake. In fact Im not actually sure what has changed, aside from the fact my counters now show Resident: 1. Maybe Ill know more once she wakes up. I get some medical ants and check her hp, and see shes definitely had a rough time of it.


    Not knowing what else to do, I try to anticipate some of her needs. Shell need food and water. Water isnt difficult, especially with the caves. Theres a nice pond down here, so she wont dehydrate, at least. But whats she going to eat? I could try to send some expeditions to get her some bread or something, but Im not sure thatll actually work.


    I could have a spider web her a couple mice? Seems weird to me, but I dont know what else I could do. Without any better ideas, I do just that. I also have Teemo keep tabs on her between zing trails. I think hes taking Jellos slowness as a personal challenge/affront, and wants to get her response time up to his standards, which Im hardly against. With her being a slime, she should be pretty easily able to go anywhere he can.


    With dawnes the early Delvers, and I update the bulletin board to show that the caves are currently empty. Im also reminded to put signs on my various tunnels for where I stop.


    <em>You are now leaving the dungeon</em>


    Simple and to the point. I have quite a few exits down there now, and I get the feeling Ill only gain more as I expand deeper. I also go ahead and spawn an ore node near the entrance in thewn. Looks like tin, so nothing too extravagant. I advertise that on the bulletin board, too, and see if anyone is interested.


    As slimes spawn, I set them mostly to the various underground exits. I doubt theyd be able to handle something like another scythemaw, but theyd at least slow anything else down. They actually do a fair bit of damage if they catch something, too. I think I should be using them more like easily-moved traps, rather than wandering encounters.


    As the morning progresses, Delvers asionally peek into the cave in the yard. I keep Jello just a little deeper than the tin node, so they know they can get that ore fairly easily, but meaner stuff awaits deeper in. I''m pretty sure the early herbalists tell whatever smiths and/or miners they know about the cave, but nonee check it out by the time the kobold awakens.


    Teemo alerts me as she stirs, and I see her eyes slowly open before she jerks upright, the memories ofst night returning to her waking mind. She stares around the cavern, her eyes wide, as she seems to look for the scythemaw. Yeah, you dont have to worry about that thing anymore. Id offer you a steak from it, but Tiny basically drank everything that wasnt the hide and the bones.


    Queen has been experimenting with the bones to see if theres anything interesting to them. Im pretty sure there will be, but shes the Alchemist, not me. Ive made sure shell leave the two mandible things alone, at least for now. Those could be a neat trophy, or maybe weapons or something? I dunno.


    But Im getting off track. The kobold seems to calm down as she determines theres no threat in the room. She doesnt seem to spot Teemo, so thats why she thinks theres no threat. Soon, her eyes settle on the mice, and she carefully approaches the webbed rodents.


    She picks one up and examines it, before tossing the whole thing in her mouth. A crunch and a cut-off squeak signal to me that she recognizes a meal when she sees one. Probably not the fanciest meal shes ever had, but after encountering that monster, shes probably happy to be on the winning side of the food chain again.


    As she starts to peer out of the cavern, I have Teemo quietly follow her as she explores. Theres not all that much to see down there just yet, and its only a matter of time before she discovers the corpse of her pursuer. Her eyes widen in fear when she first spots it, then they widen further in shock as she notices my various denizens working on the corpse. Rats and spiders work to extract the bones, dragging each out the mouth of the beast.


    I dont want them to tear up the hide, and thats the biggest exit, even considering Tinys bites. The ants are working on each bone, slowly chipping little pieces off to carry back to Queen. Theyre also working around the bite wounds, taking the damaged scales for experiments as well. Personally, Im hoping for some earth elemental stuff. The monster was tearing through the rock way easier than ws should be able to.


    It <em>is</em> a Sanctuary she whispers to herself, seeming to be in awe. She mentioned that before she passed out, too. Does she know about Dungeons? Its not like I can ask her, even if she does.


    She cautiously approaches my denizens as they busily work, and they pay her no mind. She tries to take one of the smaller bones, but a lightning major zaps her to get her to drop it. I think shes gotten the hint to not bother ants at work. She watches for a time, and even helps pull what looks like a rib the rest of the way out of the mouth. The spiders and rats had managed to get it wedged between some teeth.


    She doesnt stick around much longer after that, though. The denizens have it more or less handled there, and theres more caves to explore. She eventually finds the little clear pond of water, and eagerly kes her thirst there. Thats probably the biggest reason why she left the denizens to y with the dead scythemaw.


    She grows very cautious as she discovers the entrance to the yard, and Im pretty sure its more the sunlight than Jello standing guard in the tunnel there. Or maybe she is nervous about the dwarf there mining the tin node. He spots her and pauses in his work, and the two just stare for several long seconds before he returns to mining.


    She looks around a little, before focussing on Jello and looking confused. I mean, Jello confuses me a bit, too, sure. No sense staring at her, though. Might give her aplex. Shes been growing in power quickly, though, which is both nice and concerning. Im worried things like that scythemaw might not be as rare in the deeper parts as I would have hoped.


    The dwarf eventually finishes mining and leaves, and my little Resident cautiously follows to peek her head out to see the surface. If the mining dwarf was confusing to her, I get the feeling the surface is blowing her mind. Todays pretty busy. Theres a few encounters in the yard, some herbalists are doing their herbalism thing, and it looks like a woodsman managed to run deep enough to get something decent before running out of the maze.


    She takes in the whole scene, seemingly mesmerized by all the activity. She even spots Poe up on his perch over the chimney, calmly surveying the action and directing a few groups of expeditionary birds. She nervously slinks towards the house, and while the Delvers give her curious looks, at least nobody thinks shes a new encounter.


    She examines the flier on the front door for a few moments before gingerly making her way inside. She steers well clear of the little party headed for the attic. Im pretty sure they have a quest to go get some of the stuff Codas growing, which would be cool. Quests give decent mana, on top of the stuff they actually do to <em>do </em>the quest. The kobold peers into the basement, and seems to rx a bit as she sees the tunnel in the wall near the chest.


    I expect her to head back down, but instead she heads up the stairs to the second floor. She seems very interested in theb there, though she doesnt have anything to alchemize with. She surprises me again as she quietly climbs thedder to the attic.


    Shes got good timing, at least, as the party has already finished the boss, arger venomous spider, and continued to the roof and garden beyond. She looks into the chest, just in time to see a packrat drop a coin off. She smiles at the rat, but looks confused once again as she looks around.


    She closes her eyes and slowly turns, before she starts walking. Its my turn to be confused for a few moments before I realize where shes walking. Shes headed straight for the chimney! Teemo prepares to attack her, but I tell him to wait. Maybe because shes a Resident? I dont think thats how she knows where my core is, though.


    And she definitely knows. Her hand rests against the bricks separating her from my core, and she slowly opens her eyes with a peaceful smile on her lips.


    Sanctuary

 Chapter Sixteen: A change in Perspective

    Chapter Sixteen: A change in Perspective


    The Kobold


    I slowly open my eyes, feeling a little sore and cold. I suppose its better than wet and warm in the belly of that tunnel horror. My eyes shoot open at the memory and I press against the wall, looking for the monster I was fleeing from for I dont even know how long now.


    I rey the events of earlier in my head, piecing together what was and wasnt a dream. Being chased definitely was real, no matter how I wish it wasnt. Being captured by some strange snake probably happened? I remember being levitated here, not walking here. Is that snake still here?


    I look around and dont spot it, but I do spot three odd little bundles. I slowly approach, and I see theyre mice. My stomach seems to like the look of them, but why are they wrapped in webs? Shouldnt they be dead from spider bites? Theyre definitely still alive, I can see them breathing. Well, its hardly the worst meal Ive had recently.


    I eat one and find it tastes a little better than the mice Ive had before. Theyre usually only little snacks and are a bit nd, but I wouldnt mind eating more of these. Three is a good breakfast, though, and with my strength returning, I also find my mind clearing.


    Could this truly be a Sanctuary? I remember the thought crossing my mind before ckness took me, but could it really be possible? The old legends speak of them being a haven and refuge for my people, but kobolds have been scattered and disparate for ages now. Those on the surface take us as simple monsters, and those underneath it take us as food or ves.


    I need to explore. I carefully peer out of the little cavern, and see only more natural stone walls and little else. Theres not even glowmoss in here. I strangle my imagination before it can run wild with theories of a sealed Sanctuary. With my luck, theres something so vile in here, even glowmoss cant grow.


    Pessimism firmly and reassuringly in ce, I slowly explore barren tunnel after barren passage after empty cavern. Eventually, I can hear some kind of rustling, and only survival instinct keeps me from crying out when I find the source.


    The horror is sleeping, gathering its energy to resume chasing me! No, wait what?! I can only stare as I see a bone start to protrude from its mouth, before a rat wiggles out and finishes extracting its prize. My eyes widen as I finally notice all the activity around what is now clearly the corpse of the tunnel horror.


    Spiders, rats, and ants are all busily doing something to the body of the monster. I slowly step forward as I see signs of a higher intelligence guiding the actions of the simpler creatures. Ive never seen anything like this! The only time Ive even <em>heard </em>of something like this is


    It <em>is </em>a Sanctuary I murmur in awe, my pessimism evaporating. The rats should be eating, not pulling out bones. The spiders should be eating the rats, not helping them pile bones! The ants should be more interested in the flesh, not in the bones of the creature. I reverently walk around the work, wondering how such creatures could fell the monster, when I spot what defeated the beast.


    Or at least, its handiwork. There are several pairs ofrge punctures in its side so the Sanctuary must have something mightier than the simple creatures now processing the body. Somehow, knowing the Sanctuary has something that couldy such a monster low fills me with peace, rather than terror. If it wanted to treat me the same, it easily could have. Does the Sanctuary ept me?


    Feeling more bold, I walk to the pile of bones and select one that I think could make a decent club. Im not great with a club, but its better than nothing. My delusions of grandeur are quickly snuffed, though, as one of therger ants zaps me! I drop the club in surprise and pain, worried I may have insulted the Sanctuary. If even ants can call forth lightning, even at ant scale, what might does the Sanctuary keep secret?


    Thankfully, the other ants and creatures return to ignoring me after I drop the bone. I suppose the Sanctuary has ns for it? <em>Do </em>Sanctuaries have ns? Well, if theyre intelligent, they must have some goals, right? The goals of something like that are surely unknowable to the likes of me, though.


    I leave the body of the monster behind me, d of the fate it suffered, and resume exploring. There are many passages deeper, with writing webbed to the walls. I cant read what they say, but I definitely dont feel the need to go any deeper right now. I know what dangers lurk there, and only safety seems to lurk here.


    I almost shout for joy when I find a small spring pool in a quiet cavern. The water is crisp and clean and wonderful on my parched throat. After taking a drink, I try to consider what I will do next. I have food, I have water, I have safety. If the Sanctuary is going to offer me these things, I need to offer it something in return.


    But what? Offering it my life seems a bit ironic at this point. Well if it has been sealed, maybe it could use someone to explore some more? I dont know what else I can offer it that it might actually find useful.


    I wander around, doing my best to go ces I havent yet. Im encouraged when I spot a new thing that Im pretty sure is part of the Sanctuary: a slime! Theyre incredibly rare in the deeps, and the ones that are there dont just sit in the middle of tunnels. Perhaps its uncertain of the sunlight I can see at the end of the tunnel.


    Ive been on the surface before, but do my best to avoid it. Its too bright, too open, and too <em>weird </em>for me. My musings on the surface world are interrupted by the clear sounds of metal on stone. Does the Sanctuary have other kobolds serving it? Thatd be wonderful!


    I freeze as Ie upon whats making the sound. Its a dwarf! Hes piging the Sanctuary! Whys he piging the Sanctuary?! <em>How </em>is he piging the Sanctuary?! It destroyed that tunnel horror, how is a simple dwarf beyond it? The dwarf spots me as I gape, and though he pauses and looks at me, he soon resumes mining some kind of metal from the Sanctuary.


    I look back at the slime, wondering if its going to actually try and <em>stop </em>the dwarf defiling its home, but it doesnt seem to care. Not that its easy to get a read on a slime, but they usually head towards anything making noise to try to eat it. How long has it been watching the dwarf mine?


    How long have I? The dwarf finishes his scarring of the poor Sanctuary, and heads back to the surface. I dont want to follow but this is the kind of thing I told myself I could offer. Nervously, I peer over the edge, wondering what the poor Sanctuary has been opened to on the surface.


    Its Theres so many! Surface dwellers are practically <em>swarming </em>up there! I spot some wandering what looks like an ill-kept yard, gathering various nts. I recognize ochredill as they pluck some from the earth. More defilers! Over at a gigantic bramble patch, I see a catfolk sprinting with a load of wood in his arms.


    What madness is that? Who sprints with their arms full of lumber? Who stops and takes a breather only a few steps beyond whatever they were fleeing from?! As I look around, all I see is activity! Even on the roof of that abandoned building there, I see more defilers wandering around, fighting various things.


    Im pretty sure Im still in the Sanctuary, but it must be overrun! My eyes settle on arge ck shape on the roof and its eyes settle upon me as well. It Its part of the Sanctuary. Its watching, observing, but not acting against the defilers. I can sense its strength from here, it could easily clear them out, but it doesnt. Why?


    Perhaps the building holds some clue. The various defilers notice me as I nervously pick my way across the open ground, but none make any moves to hinder me, thank all that is good. I dont find any entrances until I get fully to the opposite side of the building, where I see a door with more writing webbed to it. I wish I had been able to learn to read, but theres precious little time to learn for a kobold in the deeps.


    I cautiously try the door, and it opens without fuss. Inside, I can see a multitude of rats and spiders attacking and devouring an endless horde of small creatures, mostly mice and flies. Its hardly a surprise the windows are so thickly-webbed if that many flies are trying to get in. Across therge room, I can see stairs headed up, as well as a small group of defilers at the top. They head into a new room before they can spot me, and Im d for that.


    I explore a little more and soon find stairs down, and am all too happy to descend them. In the basement, I can even see an opening back into the caves below, and Im relieved to be able to get back down there without having to brave the hustle and bustle of the yard. Part of me wants to return to the quiet of the cave system, but I made a promise to myself to pay the Sanctuary back! Im not going to run back to safety until Ive surveyed everything I can up here!


    Even if it seems the Sanctuary is fully aware of what transpires up here. Still, I climb back up to the first floor, and then up to the second via the stairs. There are quite a fewrge ck birds perched on the railing now, but they ignore me as I scurry past them. This second floor seems full of random rooms, until I encounter something Ive never been able to take a close look at before.


    Its an alchemyb. It doesnt seem the most well-furnished, but it is definitely still a ce to brew potions and do whatever else alchemists do. I never thought a Sanctuary could have ab in it. Am I not the first kobold here? I dont think the defilers would set up ab in a random abandoned building.


    I leave theb behind, as I dont know the first thing about alchemy, and resume my exploring. I dont meet the group that I saw at the top of the stairs, and once I find adder, Im pretty sure I know why. I dont want to follow after those defilers, but thisdder seems to be the only way I havent looked yet. I sigh and steel myself, before slowly and carefully climbing up.


    At the top, I dont see the group, but I can hear voicesing from beyond arge window on the far side of the room, past an open chest. Curious, I move to it to look inside, just in time to see a rat drop a coin inside before scurrying off. I go ahead and close the lid, and try to process everything.


    This ce is still within the Sanctuary, but why are there so many defilers? Sanctuaries are supposed to fend off intruders thate to plunder and harm it, right? Is this not a Sanctuary, after all? There has to be some way to know for sure! I close my eyes as I try to think back to the legends, trying to think of something to prove, once and for all, that this is a Sanctuary.


    Creatures following guidance is one of the signs, but it could just be something a wizard or a tamer did? Surely theyd want this ce to themselves, though, instead of letting everyone muscle in on their riches.


    Think, Aranya. <em>Think</em>. Slowly, memories of stories being told resurface in my mind. I can practically hear the voice of my grandfather as he rys the stories of old. Legends tell of the heart of the Sanctuary, something truly vital to it. If you are part of the Sanctuary, you will know where its heart is, and you must protect it. That is a Sanctuarys true treasure, and one that must be safeguarded at all costs!


    If it is a Sanctuary, Im pretty sure its epted me. I just need to follow my heart, and Ill find the one that belongs to the Sanctuary. My eyes still closed, I let my feet take me. I almost stop trying, as I get the feeling that its very close, but that couldnt possibly be right, could it? No it is. I can feel something, and its very close. It feels so warm and inviting.


    My hands brush against bricks and I slowly open my eyes. I can feel it. The Heart. Its here. I cant see it, but I know its there, just on the other side of the bricks. I cant help but smile and just bask in the presence of a legend from my peoples past.


    Sanctuary

 Chapter Seventeen: A Small Gift

    Chapter Seventeen: A Small Gift


    Im d I cant have a heart attack anymore, as I dont have a heart. I certainly gave it my best shot, though, as the kobold just stood with her hand against the chimney. Thankfully, she seems toe to her senses before anyone else enters the attic, and she heads back down thedder.


    She searches the house for the rest of the chimney, and eventually finds the firece thats connected to it. Im d she simply nods to herself before going down to the basement and the tunnels beyond. I think my Resident at least understands that my core is very important and should be kept secret. Otherwise, shed have probably tried to climb up the inside of the chimney. She probably still will, but Im pretty sure shell be doing it at night, when basically nobody is here.


    I need to get her something better to wear, though. To call what she has now rags would be apliment. They only technically keep her decent, and shes gotta be chilly like that. I dont know how to get her some clothes. I cant exactly send Fluffles to the local tailor with her measurements and some coins.


    Maybe I should have the rats try to steal some pants or something from the maze runners? Im not 100% sure how equipment works here, but I dont think I can just snag something from a slot and call it a day. The rats have only been able to get things that are easily physically grabbed. They might be able to tear some clothes off of people, but thatd hardly be much of an improvement. Maybe I could have the spiders repair anything that gets torn.


    Wait.


    Spiders.


    Im not an idiot, I swear. I just overthink things and get focused on one path easily. Yeah, thats my excuse. I dont think my spiders know how to make clothes. I dont either, really. But I can figure it out. I was able to tell a spider to weave a heart, I can get them to weave clothes. Itll probably cost a bit of mana, but I seriously doubt itll be enough to make any kind of dent in my ie now.


    I focus in on my Secret Library, and upgrade it once more, wanting to make sure I have enough space to work on designs on my papers without messing up the alchemy stuff Queens working on. However, this time when I upgrade it, my loose papers organize into an actual book! I leave it open to the alchemy stuff, and start working on designs on the other pages. I can see between them just fine.


    Ok, first probably underwear. Uh softer silk for at least the interior, tougher for the outside. Stretchier silk around the waist and legs and tail,e to think of it. I start to design the usual p/hole/ess thing, before remembering thats a feature for male undies, notdies. I briefly toy with the idea of using something simr for her tail, but I dont want it to be too restrictive for her


    Now for her upstairs. Well shes going to probably like support. She looks like she could use it. Softer inside, tougher outside, stretchier stuff for the actual support structure. Simr to the downstairs, really. Over the shoulders, underneath the boulders, make afy holder. Oh, wait how to fasten? I could try a hook at the back, but that seems a bit difficult. I dont have much metal to make a hook, either. Tie it in the front? I dont think I can make it a single piece that just slips on. Without any other ideas, I go with that, and take a mental step back to consider the designs.


    And realize my Secret Library has basically be Victorias Secret Library. I almost simply erase the designs but she really does need <em>something </em>better to wear. With a mental sigh, I call several different spiders down to the tunnels. Looks like shes returned to the little cavern Fluffles dumped her inst night. Thats as good a ce for her to im as any.


    I call a couple more spiders to bring a few more mice for her, and she gives the procession of arachnids a confused look as they slowly pile into her space. The caterers set a few mice not far from her, before everyone gets to work. She can tell Im doing something, but definitely has no idea what. I cant really me her. Who expects spiders to bring them dinner and then make them some silky underthings?


    I work on some designs for other clothes as well, but after my first attempt at proper clothing looks like a bodysuit thatd leave little to the imagination, I move on to designing a simple robe for her. The bodysuit would be good under armor, which is what I designed it for, but I dont know if Ill be able to do anything like that with the scythmaw hide. And if I had her just running around in that suit, Id be one distracted dungeon.


    By the time I get a robe designed, it looks like the spiders are done with her first bit of clothing, and present it to her. She seems confused at first, wondering why spiders would hand her a very thick bit of web. Once she looks over it, though, she seems to light up with realization, and seems happy to put them on.


    Yeah, Im gonna need the spiders to get that robe made, too. Thankfully, its a much simpler thing than the bra and panties, even if its much more substantial. I wonder if my spiders gained some tailoring skill or something, because they seem to crank it out much faster. The robe looks almost pearlescent white once finished, and I think itpliments her red scales nicely. It looks like shes almost tearing up as she epts it and dons it, and I feel better knowing shes a bit more protected now.


    Its getting close to sunset,too. The various delvers are mostly wrapping their stuff up, though theres still a few parties trying to do the adventuring thing a bit more seriously than the gatherers were for most of the day. Oh, I think that group wants to try to get the chest in the basement!


    I focus in on them to get a look at the daring group. Ah, looks like halflings are a thing here. He looks almost thick enough to be a dwarf, but no facial hair is a dead give away. Hes got the ssic sword and board and te armor, so hes definitely their front line.


    Theres an elf with a spear and a little goatee. Makes him look kinda sinister, but his chainmail isnt exactly dark and brooding. Its not unicorns and rainbows, either, though. It just looks well-used and well-maintained. Hes probably some kind of melee dps kind of ss, if I had to guess.


    I think thats ady gnome under the goggles and knicknacks, but its a bit difficult to tell. She looks like support to me, from how shes handing out bottles to the other two, but I can also see a different style of sk hooked into her belt loop. Looks like she can bring some boom when its needed. Hopefully not <em>too </em>much boom. I did survive the quake just fine, but Id rather not press my luck. She talks as she hands the potions out.


    So, we can all drink the lightning resist potions now, but antivenom only works after the fact. My first grenade should dissolve the webbing in there, and that usually will disorient a swarm of spiders, but not always, so keep your guards up. This salve will help your weapons to actually harm a decent chunk of the swarm with your weapons. The fumes will weaken or kill spiders that get too close to it.


    The elf nods. So more sweeping arcs than thrusts, got it. Anything else?


    The gnome considers for a few moments, then slowly nods as she hands them each a pill. If something goes wrong and we have to flee, or we cant, take the pill. Itll counteract this poison gas, she says, gingerly pulling a reinforced bottle from her pack. I hope we wont need it, but that swarm down there looks mean, and this dungeon apparently likes to pull a few tricks.


    The halfling shrugs, but epts the pill. I hear the dungeon is pretty friendly. I dont think itd drop something nasty on us out of spite. Still, better safe than sorry.


    I wonder where these adventurers came from. They look almost as tough as elf guy, but with more numbers. I make sure my medical ants are around down here, just in case the swarm is too much for them. It <em>is </em>level 8 and both venomous and lightning enhanced. The group drinks the resist potions, apply the salve, and it seems its game time.


    They head down to the basement with the halfling in front, then the elf, then the gnome. The swarm hisses, bringing the encounter to an official start. While the spiders start to surge forward, the gnome hurls a sk into the middle of the room. It seems like its some kind of corrosion bomb or something, maybe something like universal solvent wrapped around an M-80.


    Whatever it specifically is, it does as the gnome said it would. The webbing dissolves very quickly, dropping the spiders from their home, and they have to try to reorient themselves towards the danger. The two melee fighters get a couple swings in before the spiders get their crap together, and loose a bit of chain lightning to hit the three.


    I think its a bit more potent than the party had hoped, but not as potent as they feared. While the party tries to recover from the bolt, though, the spiders are able to advance and start biting the fighters.


    Sciro de! shouts the spearelf as he spins his weapon, a bit of fire trailing as he moves. The heat drives the spiders back, or simply kills the ones that don''t evacuate quick enough. The gnome tosses another sk and shouts a warning.


    Concussion! Clearly theyve practiced how to deal with that attack, as the spearelf moves behind the halfling and takes a knee, the butt of his spear on the ground. The halfling braces his shield just before a heavy <em>Whoomph!</em> sts the swarm. Its scattered a bit, but still not finished.


    The two fighters take the brief respite to drink their antidotes, and I can see the poison status wink out over both of them. However, it seems the recharge on the chain lightning is up, and the group suffers another st.


    The spearelf and gnome each take a knee, looking like theyre almost out of the fight. The halfling sees this and bellows at the spiders as he charges forward.


    Deadblow Hammer! he cries as he brings his sword down, which seems an odd name for a sword move to me. Its a pretty urate name, though. I can almost see a huge hammer hit the swarm, as invisible force squashes arge number t. It seems thats enough to fully scatter the swarm, and the party sags from their hard-won victory. The gnome moves slowly, but she gets potions for everyone passed out, and soon theyre simply looking tired, instead of on the brink of death.


    They cheer at the loot in the chest, and I cheer for the mana I get from it. It looks like theres several different magical thingies in there, so good on them. That chest has been cooking for a while, so Im not exactly surprised its got good stuff in it.


    The party soon takes their hard-won loot and exit, and I think Im going to leave the chest mostly undefended for a while, let it degrade a bit. Thatll give the rat spawner room to breathe some, too. The basement isnt my biggest danger area anymore, after all. I want to get things a bit more gnarly underground.


    Speaking of underground, I should see what my little kobold is up to.

 Chapter Eighteen: Secret Base

    Chapter Eighteen: Secret Base


    It seems getting the robe has filled her with determination. Shes gone back to the corpse of the scythemaw. Shes not after a bone this time, though. Shes after a w. Why would she want a w? One of those big mandible things would probably be a better weapon.


    Once she takes the w over to where the monster tried to dig through my walls, though, I realize what shes doing. She gives a few testing scrapes and smiles as she sees the stone gouge for her. Im pretty happy, too. I wont need to wait for alchemical ants to get some digging done!


    Fluffles! Get down here! Use your telekinesis to see if you can smash a w with a bone, or with another w! Once I get some chips the ants can easily pick up and use, Ill be able to have them start digging real rooms in the stone walls!


    Speaking of the ants: Queen! Get the workers to widen the tunnels from the secret rooms so we can get the stuff out of there. Dont break the surface on them just yet, but get ready. Were going to be moving shop soon!


    I design a quick handle in the secret library before telling the rats in the maze to get a decent knotted piece of wood and gnaw it into proper shape. I need a notch for the end of a w to fit into, and then the whole thing can be secured with webbing! If the kobold wants to mine, Im more than happy to give her a tool to do it with.


    Next order of business, hmm oh! I need to move the spider spawner. The spandrel (yes, I wrote the word down after I heard elf guy say it) is too small for me to be able to upgrade it further. It has been for a while now, actually. I just didnt see the need to get stronger spiders before. Now that I have tunnels and stuff, though, I find myself wanting more things to handle the stuff down there.


    In fact that gives me an idea. Sorry, kobold, but Im going to be invading your personal space. Dont worry, though, Ill help you get more. I have Teemo squeak at her to get her attention, and lead her back to the little cavern. Theres a crack in there that I think would be a good ce to start expanding


    He squeaks at her again and gnaws at the wall. It takes a few repetitions before she seems to understand what I want. Once she does, though, her face lights up and she eagerly starts chipping away at the little crack. My ants start swarming the rubble to break further down and cart off, and I have an idea for how to deal with that, too.


    I dont need all these entrances to let something big and nasty wander in. I dont think I can just block them, just like I couldnt lock the front door on the manor. But I think I can mostly block at least some of them, only letting smaller things in. I have the ants and small spiders team up on one of the passages, using rocks and dirt and reinforcing with web.


    Its hardly pretty, but I expect most big things would go around instead of trying to break through. And if they do try to break through, Ill have time to move a response into position. Between webcrete and slimes, most of the entrances will hopefully be too annoying to bother with.


    The next several days are mostly spent with me focusing on digging. Theres been a few more hostile delvers from the deeps, but nothing like the scythemaw, thankfully. They give way more mana when I kill than even when I simply defeat one of the topside delvers, which just reinforces to me that a lot of dungeons must go after that quick payoff.


    Still no new invaders, but I wonder if the new delvers are filling that role for in the tunnels? At least nothing else intelligent hase in down there. Most of the critters run off when they spot a slime or something. The ones that dont, tend to get got by a slime, and I get a nice bit of mana.


    The kobold seems to be mostly nocturnal. She can be a bit of a night owl, or morning dove? Shell usually be awake to watch the early crafters and suche in to do their gathering. The first time they spotted her in her new robes, I dont think they knew what to do. It didnt take long for them to understand she wasnt going to harm them, and that shes not an encounter, either.


    Theyve been calling her the ghost, and she gave a few of them quite a scare, until they realized she wasnt going to harm them. So yeah, they mostly just ignore her and she mostly ignores them as she goes about her nights and mornings.


    Soon enough, its time to move. Midnight is the nned time for this move, and it hopefully should be thest real move Ill need to make. I get everyone to their various ces. Ive only managed to choke down one of the cavern entrances, so small spiders and rats can watch that one. Poe and the ravens are to guard the surface, and thankfully their increased alertness shouldnt make the people worried this time, since most of them are asleep.


    Coda and the bats are keeping an eye and ear on everything underground, and I have dire rats and spider swarms watching the other tunnel entrances. Fluffles and Teemo are on core duty, along with the kobold. I cant give her directions like I can my denizens, but she tends to follow Teemo when he squeaks at her.


    First stop: the basement. I want to do a bit of a dry run, and moving the Secret Library seems a good practice run to me. Kobold seems a bit nervous about whats going on. Spiders have been encroaching on the cavern a lot recently, and theres a p of silk over the little tunnel weve been digging. She must know were about to put something in there.


    Teemo and a few rats quickly dig out the book that the ants moved to the basement, and Teemo squeaks at her to take it. She nces over at Fluffles, who simply flicks his tongue, and gingerly pulls the book out. She brushes a bit of the dirt off it before realizing shes got something very important in her hands. With wide eyes, she clutches it to her chest, and then follows Teemo down a trail to get back to the small cavern.


    While the rats dug out the book, most of my spiders are moving everything from the spandrel into the new spider cavern. She looks around, but doesnt slow as she follows Teemo beyond the p, which is now teeming with spiders.


    The p, not whats beyond it. Beyond it is well an alcove at the moment. In one of the walls is a little nook for the book, and Teemo doesnt need to direct her for her to ce the book there.


    Beside the book nook is an indent for the alchemyb, which already has a few rats bringing in the various pieces. On the opposite side of the book nook is a divot, and the kobolds eyes widen as she realizes what must be going there. Yeah, Im gonna be bunking with you, hope you dont mind.


    Ill have a spider web the map up on the wall at some point, too. Theyre not going to be the greatest examples of their respective rooms, but theyll be safe and secret and I can easily expand them. Alrighty Teemo, get her pointed at the chimney. Its time to get the core moving.


    Kobolddy seems to understand what the next little quest I have for her is. She doesnt even need Teemo to guide her to the chimney. He does anyway, because thats his job and hes a professional. At the firece, she starts to take her robe off, but then reconsiders and leaves it on. I figure she wanted to keep it clean, but then decided shed rather have the protection or something. Either way, she starts to shimmy up the chimney.


    She doesnt get as dirty as I had expected. She looks more like she tripped into some dust than climbed up a sooty chimney. Probably because it hasnt seen use in who knows how long. Up at the core, the ants and spiders have been thinning the webbing supporting it.


    The kobold wedges herself in the chimney with her legs, freeing her arms to reach towards my core. Its about a basketball in size now, so much more and it wouldnt be able to move without me having to tear the chimney apart. The ants and spiders get the core slowly lowering through the webbing, and she reaches up and carefully extracts it, and then shows probably the real reason she kept the robe on.


    She gingerly wraps it in the hem of her robe, creating almost a pouch. She still needs a hand to keep it secure, but its better than using up both. Itd be pretty difficult to climb down with both hands upied, Id imagine. She also has her tail to help stabilize herself as she slowly descends.


    Once she makes it out, she stares around, eyes wide. She definitely understands how important the core is. Teemo squeaks at her and shes all too happy to quickly follow him down a trail. It only takes about a minute for them to reach the spider cavern, and then just moments to slip past the silk p and into the safety of the secret base.


    She visibly sags in relief before moving to the divot and carefully cing my core in it. Good job, kobolddy. And good job Teemo with those trails. This would have been a lot harder if we didnt have those shortcuts to abuse.

 Chapter Nineteen: The Neighbor

    Chapter Neen: The Neighbor


    Things have been much more rxed in the dungeon thesest few days. The spiders have been busy disguising the secret entrance as just a rock with a bunch of smaller egg sacks on it. I was first going to try to disguise it as the kind of egg you might expect a baby Tiny to crawl out of, but then thought adventurers might actually want to smash something like that. A bunch of smaller sacks on a rock is way less interesting.


    In the Secret Base, the kobold and the ants have been hard at work digging, though the kobold basically spent the night after the move over by the spring, cleaning her robe. Which was fine by me. It gave me time to get the ants and spiders to make her a gift of a bed.


    I don''t know exactly what kobolds like to sleep on, but Id bet theyd prefer something softer than just the floor. I had considered just making a little nest of webbing for her, but decided to make her almost a hammock. I say almost because its not particrly high up, nor is it designed to swing and potentially dump the upant out on the floor.


    Its more like a thick sheet of silk stretched over a divot in the floor. Because thats exactly what it is. I figure it should have enough give for her to befortable, and her confused look upon returning with her clean robe was worth the mana spent. When she figured out it was a bed for her, she even smiled over at my core. I like having a Resident.


    Oh, Ive gotten my new form of invader now, too. Ive been spending mana on getting more mining nodes growing. Ive got copper, iron, marble, and a minor green gem. It says its peridot, but I thought that was yellow? Whatever it is, the Delvers love it. And so do the gremlins.


    The gremlins are little twisted bipedal things, makes me think of a scaled lemur or something. Thankfully, the slimes seem to love the things, and the dire rats like them, too. I dont know if the spiders dont like them, or if they just have difficulty hunting them, but Ive only seen a few spiders get one.


    They love to go after the various mining nodes, and since I dont get any mana for them sneaking off with some, I do my best to keep that from happening. Ive also had a few more Delvers from the deep wander in, but theyve all been less interesting than the first pair. Theyre mostly various critters that I can quickly defeat, and most run away from encounters, and then away from my demesne.


    Operation: block the tunnels has been proceeding well, which also means operation: bigger secret base has been going well. Everything that gets dug out of the base gets taken to the various tunnels to choke them down.


    The library is now an actual book shelf in the wall, and I have a second book, too. Theb has be a full alcove now, and the ants are constantly expanding and adjusting the alchemical stuff ording to Queens will. Shes been interested in iron since I wrote down a few examples of what steel looks like for its structure. I think she wants to either make some, or wants to extract some property of it.


    I think steel ants would be cool, but I dont know if thats a thing. I dont hinder her efforts, though. Shes definitely got the alchemy knowledge, not me.


    Speaking of steel, now that the chimney in the house is open, Ive turned the room with the firece into a little smithy/smelterybo. Most of the miners dont bother with the ce, but a few do avail themselves of it, and I eagerly take notes on how to actually process ore, and how they actually use it.


    Ive also made a workshop on the second floor of the house, a few rooms from the publicb. A few of the woodworkers and masons, and even a jewler like to practice their craft there, which means I get even more notes on how to craft things. Ive been putting the notes in the second book, and making sure to illustrate as I can.


    I dont think the kobold can read, but she likes to look through the book and she tries to copy some of the crafting advice. She even mined a bit of copper and processed a small bar. I dont know what her ns are for it, but she was definitely proud of it.


    Elsewhere in the tunnels, Jello has been growing by leaps and bounds. I wonder if she could somehow hear when I thought that gtinous cubes are cool. Shes hardly a cube, but shes definitely getting bigger and a bit more transparent. Shes basically taken to just sitting at the smallest tunnel exit she can fit in, and practically filter-feeding on gremlins and mice.


    Works for me.


    What doesnt work for me is some of the reports Ive been getting from my expedition birbs and bats. Theyve been steadily expanding the map on the wall for a while now, and Ive been steadily expanding the war room to fit it. If I can web a library to a wall to make a sign, I can do the same with a war room to make a map. Anyway, the town is actually pretty big, and it looks like I would not be able to take the whole thing with an expansion, even with that massive price tag. But thats not whats not working.


    Theyve found the wall and what looks like a bay to either ake or ocean. I actually just sent an expedition to see if its salty or fresh. No, seagull invaders dont mean its an ocean. Those pestilence birds will live anywhere with food, not just on beaches. But thats also not whats not working for me. I mean, its technically not working for me, because seagulls suck and I want to know if Im on ake or an ocean.


    No, whats not working is a newbel on my map. I mean, it is working, but I dont like what its saying. See, I had never really stopped to wonder why people would be jonesing so hard for herbalism stuff, or for the mining stuff I have now, too. I just figured Id want to have some healing potions if theyre a thing where I lived. Probably wouldnt have helped me with the semi-truck, but still.


    There wouldnt be all that demand for my supply just because people want it to put on their mantle or in their medicine cabs. And if I was the only supplier around, there wouldnt be alchemists and such handy to use what I have. I had never considered that, though people seem to make a lot of healing potions at my workshop, people dont tend to drink a lot of them on my grounds.


    But now I know why. The map doesnt lie. It might be vague at some times, but it doesnt lie. And now its showing another dungeon on the other side of the town. My expeditionists say people seem a lot more cautious around it than with me. Im not sure how far Ill trust a birds word on how people act, no matter how many have heard.


    Still, itd make sense. Elf guy was very cautious the first couple times he visited, and mentioned something about me potentially being murderous. I had thought he was talking about some other dungeons far away, but now I wonder if its a lot closer to home than I had originally suspected. For what the other dungeon seems to be, I wouldnt be surprised at all if its murderous. I doubt there are many cemetery dungeons that are all sunshine and rainbows.

 Chapter Twenty: The Meeting

    Chapter Twenty: The Meeting


    I need information. I think the kobold could go out and get it, but I dont know how to ask her, and I dont know how the town would react to her wandering around. And, considering I need info on that cemetery dungeon, I wouldnt want her to head out without a weapon. No, the w pickaxe doesnt count.


    I do have an idea, though. I put a notice on the flier on my front door.


    <em>Freddie and Rhonda, I have need of you. If you are willing to help, please wave and get the attention of Poe, my Raven Scion, and follow the next Scion to approach you.</em>


    Yeah, a bit weird, even for me, but I dont know what else to do. I am, at least, pretty sure it counts as a quest, though. It cost me more mana than it usually does to write stuff. Thankfully, the kids are pretty regr delvers, and they show up an hour or so after dawn to do stuff. I figure Rhonda is in constant need of herbalism stuff, and Freddie is more than happy to help keep her safe and get better goodies.


    When the two read the flier, however, they look very nervous.


    What do you think it means, Freddie? asks Rhonda, looking about as sure of herself as the first time I saw her. Im not sure Ive ever seen Freddie look so concerned.


    I I dont know. I mean, dungeons are supposed to be aware, but Ive never heard of one that wants to... talk? He looks up to Poe, and around the house, like the answer will be on the grass. Should we do it?


    Rhonda looks incredibly ufortable, and I half expect the two to simply leave, but she seems toe to a decision, and I dont think she likes it much. I think we should. Everyone knows this dungeon is weird, but nobody knows why. If we can somehow talk with it, maybe well learn something?


    Freddie nods at that, looking curious about what I could want, but also wary about dungeon danger. Their decision made, they step out more into the grass and wave at Poe. He peers down at the two and caws at them, and I send Fluffles to go meet them.


    While hes on the way, I get Teemo down to the secret base to try to ry some instructions to the kobold. Looks like shes simply perusing the crafting book, looking at the diagrams for various things. When Teemo squeaks at her, she practically falls over herself to stand at attention, and I cant help but smile to myself at her being so formal.


    Alright Teemo. I need her to get the map and for you two to head to a random cavern in the underground. Maybe the spring pool room? Thats a nice room, and the little glowing fungus has really taken a liking to it, so the kids should be able to see, at least. Ill need them to see, too.


    Teemo squeaks at the kobold again, and scrabbles at the wall underneath the map like hes trying to climb up to it. Im pretty sure he could make it himself, but I need someone who can actually talk with the kids, so she might as well carry the map and project at least some kind of authority.


    She looks confused as she watches him pretend to fail to climb the wall, before she looks up and sees the map. She slowly approaches, looking like shes worried she shouldnt, but shes interacted with Teemo enough to know he only squeaks when he wants her attention for something important. When she carefully removes it from the wall, Teemo gives another squeak and heads for the p, and she follows, seeming to be a bit baffled.


    While they were preparing, Fluffles was heading up to meet with the kids. Freddie gives him a wary eye, remembering how he was transported from the maze to the gate when Tiny got him. Rhonda doesnt look too upset about him, though. Shes never been carried around by him.


    He leads them through the house and down into the tunnels, and the kids are very nervous as they walk through the basement. Im just d they followed Fluffles down that way. Yeah, its the fastest way to the spring, but theres still some pretty strong stuff hanging out in there, giving the kids looks. I dont let them do more than just look, though. Theyre practically guests right now, so be nice.


    The kobold has just gotten herselffortable on the floor when the kidse in, and she looks at Teemo and Fluffles, confused. The kids, for their parts, look at the spidersilk-d kobold with equal confusion, and a bit of awe. Theyve probably never seen a robe like that before, and probably also never seen a kobold, either. I havent seen any others in the various other delvers, at least.


    The kobold speaks up first. Who are you two?


    Im Freddie, and this is Rhonda, pipes up Freddie, doing his tanky duty of taking attention when Rhonda doesnt know how to handle it. Girl is terminally introverted. Who are you?


    Im Aranya, chosen Resident of this Sanctuary, the kobold responds with a bit of pride in her voice. The kids, though, still look confused and look around the room.


    This spring?


    Aranya sighs. Not just the spring. The manor, the tunnels, the maze, the yard, everything on this side of those walls; all are part of this Sanctuary.


    Realization seems to light up Rhondas face. Oh, the Dungeon! She shrinks back a bit as all the eyes in the small cavern focus on her. It, uh it asked us toe down here. It said it needs our help? The three look like theyre uncertain how the kids could help me, before Teemo squeaks at Aranya. The sound reminds her what he had her bring, and so she looks to him as she holds the folded map up, clearly uncertain if she should show the kids.


    Fluffles, however, never learned to not be grabby with his not-hands, and so simply plucks the map from her hand with his telekinesis, and spreads it on the floor for the three to see.


    Woah its a map of Fourdock, says Freddie as he peers at the small map. It even knows where we live? he asks with a start, seeing his church and Rhondas shop clearlybeled. Rhonda points out a few otherbels.


    And the Dungeoneer and Adventurer guilds. And a lot of stuff, actually. Fluffleszily waves his tail over the map to get their attention, before tapping the tip against the area with the graveyard dungeon. The kids eyes widen as they realize where hes indicating.


    Neverrest Boneyard? You dont want us to go there, do you? The ce is full of undead! Its supposed to be murderous, too, so guards keep people out as much as they keep the zombies and stuff in! Freddie seems to know a lot about the ce. Itd make sense, I guess. If your church is named after a crystal shield, youre probably expected to be able to protect people, so of course theyd be all over knowing about something dangerous like this Neverrest.


    Aranyas eyes widen at the description of the other dungeon. A fallen Sanctuary? So close? She looks deeply concerned, so I pay a bit more attention. She seems to know a lot more about dungeons than anyone else in this conversation.


    Rhonda looks a bit confused at her reaction. Why wouldnt it be? Dungeons tend to form in ces on the outskirts of activity, so a graveyard or an abandoned building would make sense to be dungeons. She seems to pause as she thinks back to some of her lessons with her master.


    Old Staiven has mentioned this isnt the first time a dungeon has been in this spot, though. Nobody knows what happened, but none of the others ever seemed to get as established as the current one. Elf guys cryptic warning about losing a good dungeon echoes in my memory, and I wonder if the various invaders are more of a potential threat than I had originally thought. I mean, I knew to keep them away from my core, but that was more instinct and wanting to keep creepy thingies away from whatever it was they wanted to get close to.


    Aranya nods solemnly. Fallen Sanctuaries are well, fallen. They despise and destroy, instead of nurture and care. Legends say kobold society was shattered by a fallen Sanctuary attacking its brethren. It was defeated and destroyed, but so too was the unity the Sanctuaries had created. Infighting and suspicion overcame camaraderie, and my people fled or were cast out of the Sanctuaries.


    Dungeon wars? That doesnt sound good. Oh what sounds worse, though, is that Jello wants me to know shes found a new invader: a skeletal hand.

 Chapter Twenty-One: Preparing Defenses

    Chapter Twenty-One: Preparing Defenses


    Call me paranoid, but I dont like the fact that theres a graveyard dungeon on the other side of town, and Ive just gotten my first undead invader. This math is adding up in ways I dont appreciate, but I guess its better than it not adding up at all.


    Just in case, though, I should probably check my math. I tell Teemo toe collect the thing, once Im satisfied Jello is done chewing on it. Aranya and the kids have a bit of story time while that happens, too. Im bad with names and dates, though, so I mostly just pay attention to see if theres anything to give me more detail.


    Theres not. Its an interesting look into kobold society, though, and the kids are enjoying it. Before they can ask much about kobold history after the copse, though, Teemoes back in and plops the skeletal hand down near the map.


    Aranya just looks disgusted, which is fair. A skeletal hand covered in Jellos jello isnt the kind of thing to parade around. Rhonda looks confused as to why the dungeon would bring a hand to them. Freddie, though, stares at the recently deanimated appendage.


    That was undead, he says with the certainty of someone whos seen pictures and heard lectures on this kind of thing. The other two immediately look more concerned, and Freddie leans down to get a closer look. Ive never been to Neverrest, but its supposed to be crawling with undead. There might be some from other sources deeper in the tunnels, but I think that other dungeon sent this.


    Well, I was hoping it wouldnte to that, but sounds like it has. Im gonna need to increase the defense budget, looks like. The other dungeon probably felt the quake, and has been sending expeditions into the tunnels to try to find me. I dunno if it has airborn stuff like I do to make expeditions, but I doubt the townsfolk would ignore zombies and skeletons like they do bats and birds.


    Rhonda looks to Freddie. Should we go tell the guild, then? I know theyve been watching this dungeon closely, and have warned people to stay away from Neverrest. This seems like something they should know about.


    Freddie nods. Yeah, I dont think their inspector has been back in after he tried the maze.


    It seems its Aranyas turn to be confused. Guild? There are surface people who monitor Sanctuaries? The two kids nod.


    Yeah, the Dungeoneers Guild, replies Rhonda. They keep track of dungeons and whats going on with them. They were worried this one had gone murderous, and nobody wanted that. Neverrest is enough of that for one town.


    Can you take me to them? All I know of Sanctuaries is from legends. If Im going to help this one, Ill need the knowledge to do it properly. Aw, I didnt know you cared, Aranya.


    Can you leave? asks Freddie. Im d he asked, because I dont know that, either. Im also d that it implies that the biggest hurdle isnt how the people will react. Makes sense, I guess. Ive seen all sorts of fantasy racese through here. Probably also exins why the delvers didnt think she was another encounter.


    I can sojourn, yes. The denizens do, so I can do the same. Neat. Well, I consider this questplete, and spend a bit of mana to finish it. I dont gain any for it, but with all the new info and connections, I think its well worth it.


    With the meeting pretty much over, I have Teemo and Fluffles gather the map and vanish down a trail to get back to the secret base. I trust the kids, but its a need to know kind of thing, and they just dont need to know. Freddie pulls out a rag that I think he uses to polish his shield, and picks up the hand to give as proof to the guild, and they all head for the surface and the gate.


    Interestingly, when Aranya leaves, it doesnt list her as on an expedition, but on a sojourn, just like she said. Well, while they do that, I should focus on the home front. Delvers are here, and they dont know about the plot thickening down in the tunnels. Speaking of the tunnels, that should probably be my next order of business.


    Ive been mostly sending expeditions on the surface, but I should probably do simr underground, too. I get various groups of bats, rats, and spiders to head out on expeditions down there, along with some healing ants to hitch a ride and provide support as needed. I pay special attention to the tunnel the hand came from, and make sure Jello stays blocking it up. Shes happy with that. Theres been all sorts of things to eating from there anyway.


    Without knowing what else to do, I basically just start upgrading my various spawners. The spider spawner quickly takes over the little cavern it was moved to, so the little camouge p blends in even better. Its started spawning widows, too, which look in mean. I order them around to the various tunnels to make sure nothing can sneak in, and to be able to provide support if something tries.


    The rat spawner is starting to take over the basement, too, and has spawned a ratling, apparently. It looks like a rat developed a hunch and started walking around on two legs. I can still give it orders, but I can definitely feel its smarter than anything else Ive spawned. Well, except the Scions, but theyre special.


    Oh, Ive also designated a Warehouse. If Im going to potentially be at war with another dungeon, Im going to need a ce to store stuff. And an Armory. I think only the ratling and Aranya could actually use it right now, but better to be prepared. The ratling put Aranyas copper bar in the Warehouse, and then started making trips up to the maze to gather some wood, too.


    It feels kinda weird to gather my own resources, but I make sure the ratling takes it slow with that. I still want most of it to be gathered by the Delvers so I can get mana.


    I upgrade the snek spawner a few times, but nothing new has popped out yet. The vipers are looking bigger and badder, but I dont know how theyll fare against undead. I was hoping for constrictors or maybe even quatals, but no big nor winged noodles for me yet.


    After an upgrade, the ant hill started asionally spitting out fire ants, and Queen was all over snagging those to help with her alchemy. They really are fire elemental, which is good. Undead dont tend to like fire, if videogames are anything to go by.


    I dont upgrade my birds nor bats yet, mostly because I dont have the mana for it, but also I dont know what Id do with them. The surface and tunnels are pretty full with denizens, too. I think Ill have to actually take that upward expansion before I do much more with the avians. Maybe Ill be able to build a tower or something once I get some more ratlings. I note in the alchemy stuff for Queen to analyze the mortar between the bricks to see if we can make some of our own. No rush on it, though.


    <strong>Meanwhile</strong>


    Aranya walks with the two defilers, no <em>delvers</em>, she has to remind herself. Theyre not defiling the Sanctuary, especially if it specifically asks them for help. She supposes the other defilers should count as delvers, too. It seems strange to her that it allows them to simply pige like they do, but the Sanctuary must have some kind of n.


    Thats just one of the many mysteries that guided her to sojourn to this guild. The legends certainly have information, but certain details have faded over time. If this guild has more current answers, she needs them.


    She looks at the two children, thinking her Sanctuary has odd choice in help. Why these two? Why spiders she asks herself, though the two hear her and exchange a look. She probably didnt mean to actually ask, but telling the story would at least kill the awkward silence. Its not worth any xp, but itd still be nice to be rid of it. Rhonda speaks up first, as it was technically her idea to go get a spider.


    Well I had just gotten apprenticed to Old Staiven, one of the local mages, and he told me to go get a familiar. But I didnt know what kind of familiar to get. Freddie chuckles and inserts his two copper.


    Something normal like a cat or something was too boring, I guess. Rhonda sticks her tongue out at him.


    Im allergic to cats, she says matter-of-factly, before continuing the tale. Anyway, after thinking on it, I thought of our first adventure into the dungeon and all the spiders around. I just like spiders, I guess, so I decided to try to get one.


    Freddieughs. I think you wanted a spider just to mess with me. I used to be afraid of them, he exins to the red kobold. Too many legs, too many eyes, venom. But he trails off, letting Rhonda continue the story.


    Anyway, we went and captured a few mice in a bucket, and some of the roaches, too, and tried to find a spider for me to make my familiar. Only we didnt think about all the different spiders the dungeon would have.


    Rhonda wanted a jumping spider like Lucas there, and I just wanted to be done, heh. So we followed a couple into the kitchen, and she started enticing one with a mouse. Only while we were both looking at the jumping spiders, there were spiders on the ceiling.


    Rhonda giggles at the memory. We didnt know to look up at the time, so they just kept slowly plucking mice out of the bucket while we were distracted. And I guess that counted as feeding them, because Freddie tamed one without even knowing it was there!


    Freddie smiles at the memory, too. Yeah, I about jumped out of my skin when I saw Fiona here on the bucket, happily munching away. In the end, though, we still had enough for Rhonda to take Lucas home, and I got over my fears and gained a great friend, he says, smiling at the spider with the huge eyes beside him.


    She clearly wants to ask more, but they round a corner and the kids point at a building that looks very simr to the other various ones around, though it has a different sign on it. Aranya squints at the sign, resolving to somehow learn to read. With her Sanctuary apparently able tomunicate in writing, shes going to need to learn to continue to contribute.


    Thats the Dungeoneers Guild building, Aranya, says Rhonda, and soon she opens the door for them all to enter. Sitting at a desk in front of a shelf of scrolls, an elven woman eyes them as she sips some tea.


    Well, youre some interesting visitors. To what do I owe the pleasure? she asks, looking amused at the odd little procession.


    Freddie steps forward and sets the wrapped hand on the desk and exins as he slowly uncovers it. Well the dungeon wanted to talk to us, and it showed us this. The elf coughs into her tea when Freddie says the Sanctuary talked to them, and all amusement is gone from her face as she sees the skeletal hand in the rag.


    Sheposes herself quickly, though, and grabs some paper and a quill and ink, before looking at them all seriously. If you all could, exin what happened, please.


    Aranya straightens herself and clears her throat before the kids can respond. I am here on behalf of my Sanctuary. I need information to help it, and I will tell what I can to trade for it. The elf gives her a considering look before replying in turn.


    You represent the dungeons interests, then? Aranya nods, and the elf continues. Very well. It is a dungeon in good standing, and that hand is from one that is not. I take it your dungeon wishes to know how to protect itself?


    Another nod. I dont know why, but it allows your def-, uh <em>delvers </em>to enter and gather and fight, but I do not think it likes the idea of another dungeon bothering it.


    Very well. I am willing to trade information for information. I believe we both have a vested interest in the wellbeing of your dungeon.

 Chapter Twenty-Two: Battle Lines Drawn

    Chapter Twenty-Two: Battle Lines Drawn


    Alright, Neverrest, knock it off. I know those various undead trying to get in are from you, not from just other underground stuff. I know its probing me, trying to figure out whats up with me, so I do my best to be inconsistent. I leave Jello in what appears to be the most direct tunnel connecting us, only having her move to let a few of my own expedition bats down the tunnel, and to return.


    If Im reading the map right, which is a big if, admittedly, that tunnel seems to run more or less straight towards Neverrest. Ive seen a few other hands in the tunnels, though, so I know theres more than one route. I mostly let the various slimes deal with them, not wanting to tip my hand too much about what I have avable.


    Some manage to get deep enough that I can have spiders get them. Its a bit nerve-wracking to let them get that close to my Sanctum, but theres no real risk of it being discovered. Theres just too many spiders around from the spawner for any hand to have a chance at getting in. I hope.


    In an attempt to get a better idea of what Im dealing with, I even decide to send Teemo on an expedition to scout what he can and return quickly. It costs a fair bit of mana to send him out, but Im confident the little guy can sneak in better than the bats and get me more information than just where our borders sit.


    While he and the kids and Aranya are out, I try to keep myself upied with running dungeon stuff. That doesnt take very much of my attention, though. Woe is me, I have toopetent of scions and everything is running like a Swiss clock!


    Coda is still minding the various herbalism nodes, between organizing the subterranean bats. Tiny is doing his thing in the maze. Delvers have actually gotten brave enough to run multiple parties at a time, trusting in safety in numbers. One group of each set is practically guaranteed to be captured, but the total mana from them gathering stuff has increased, so Im not gonnain.


    Poe has been keeping track of the yard and my birb expeditions, and has been helping map out Neverrests borders and what can be seen from the sky. By all ounts, its a typicalrge cemetery with gravestones and the asional mausoleum. One or multiple of them probably have tunnel ess, but we dont have any way to tell from the sky.


    Jello is just happily eating whatever undead try to get through her tunnel, and the numbers are slowly increasing. I dont like it, but theres not a lot I can do about it yet. At least theyre feeding Jello nicely. Fluffles is mostly wandering and practicing his magic. I think hes fully mastered that protection from elements spell, which will be useful, Im sure.


    And Queen is actually, what <em>is</em> Queen up to? I know shes doing alchemy stuff, but I dont know exactly what. The ants are looking pretty excited over at theb, though. Alright, let me see Healing goop is still being produced, and healing ants are being produced with it, good. Bottled lightning production also continues apace, excellent.


    Whats your third little set up doing, Queen? I see rough bits of iron, and some coal from the forge upstairs, so I guess youre still trying to y with steel? Oh hey, I think you managed to make some. That little group there is looking very excited and pleased with themselves over the little bit of metal in their jaws.


    I watch, fascinated, as the ants start to puke out a little puddle of liquid in a dish. At first, I think its water, but it has a strange tint to it. Are her workers actually able to hold various chemicals for her? Thatd be cool. I know normal ants can store water and food. With an Alchemist queen, itd make sense for her to have some that can store chemicals.


    Once theyre satisfied with the amount of liquid, the ones with the steele over and nudge the bit of metal into the liquid. Slowly, it starts to dissolve, and the puddle starts to look more like mercury than off-color water. Did she somehow make liquid steel?


    The ants are all very excited at the reaction, which is understandable, and a group of majors march up to the little dish. I imagine they might give a little speech in ant, or get a speech in ant from Queen, before they dip their mandibles in the liquid.


    At first, I think theyre just getting a coating of steel, which would be pretty cool. However, I take a closer look, and see their mandibles are fully transmuting to steel! Or at least iron. I cant exactly zoom in far enough to pick out carbon in the iron atoms. They even make little nking sounds as they test their new jaws. Good work, Queen! See if you can get enough of that to transmute one of the mandibles from the scythemaw. That could be a really nice weapon for Aranya.


    Speaking of, looks like shes back! It also looks like the kids had other things they needed to do, because I dont see them. I send Fluffles to go greet her, and she smiles at him as the two head to the Sanctum. Once there, she sits on her bed for a moment to gather her thoughts before speaking to my core.


    Oh Sanctuary I bring troubling news. The Fallen one is truly a blight. Despite the efforts of the people of this town, it has destroyed several other Sanctuaries in its history. The people cant even expunge it, as only a Sanctuary can truly harm another. I fear it, my Sanctuary. Ive only just found you, and youre under attack from an experienced foe and I can do little to help, she finishes, seeming to be ashamed of herself.


    I have Fluffles curl up on herp, since I cant think of much else to try tofort her. I cant exactly just put an arm over her and tell her everything will be alright. At least it seems to help her some, and she gives Fluffles a small smile as she rests a hand on him. Thank you


    Before I can dwell much on what shes said, though, Teemo returns, and his report is pretty concerning. Unsurprisingly, there are at least two different spawners for undead: skeletons and zombies. Actually, make that three. The hands are their own thing, seems like. Neverrest also has guerats, which thankfully only give diseases on bite, not from their fleas, so at least no bubonic gue to deal with.


    It also has wasp spawners, which is especially obnoxious. It seems hes been harassing me for a while, though all he could bring to bear before the tunnels was the wasps. It seems to only have two scions, but they seem like theyre very powerful. One is a four-armed skeleton that seems to be wearing the best stuff the dungeon has gotten off of in delvers. Teemo saw it practicing on a headstone, and there was no headstone by the time it was done just a few secondster.


    The other appears to be a lich, or some other form of fleshy undead with magic, so Im gonna call it a lich. It seems to prefer ab in one of the mausoleums, though it looks to be more an enchantmentb than an alchemy one. I want enchantments. Looks like crystals are a big thing for that, so I make a mental note to look into that. Maybe Fluffles could handle duties like that?


    Back to the report. It seems like its gathering its denizens, too, as there were tons of undead feet for Teemo to hide behind and scurry around. He even managed to find its Sanctum! Sounds like it doesnt care about keeping it a secret, either, as its simply in arge sarcophagus in the most central crypt. The skeleton scion guards it, so thats going to be a thing to deal with.


    With his report finished, Teemo starts to resume his duties, when he notices something, and so do I. Something feels off. I do a quick look around, and everything seems to be fine. Aranyas gasp draws my attention, and I look at where shes focussed. The map?


    Oh. Our borders are touching now. Hes expanded his im in the tunnels.

 Chapter Twenty-Three: The Plan

    Chapter Twenty-Three: The n


    Well, were not at Defcon: Oh Crap, at least not yet. Definitely at Defcon: Caution, at least. None of the other tunnels seem to connect to him, but Im still sending expeditions with my bats to make sure. The hands I found in other tunnels may have been able to sneak past Jello somehow. If I could find a way to sneak in closer to him without him knowing, thatd be great.


    I tell Tiny to web the entrance to the maze, and send all my small spider swarms to guard it. I figure the various venoms of the swarm spiders wouldnt do much to the undead that will surely soone visit. Im just d the big guy fits in the tunnels still. Im running out ofrge animals topare him to.


    Healing ants are all tiny-legs on deck down there, though. I want to see if the healing will disrupt them like it does in just about any fiction with undead. The lightning and steel ants are also in the main tunnel entrance, but theyre mostly on standby


    Jello is still my primary line of defense down there. As far as I can tell, Neverrest hasnt found any other paths in yet, either, and he doesnt have anything that can quite deal with Jello just sitting at the entrance. I figure hell eventually move his lich down to do something nasty.


    My various birbs are keeping an eye on the surface of the cemetery around the clock. Theres more undead headed underground, but none that are anything especially new. Maybe he figures a bunch of zombies and skeletons will be enough? If I had expanded downward as soon as I could have, he would have been right, too.


    But now I have ratlings. Still not very many, but theyre starting to get kinda organized. They like to mine and use the forge/smeltery at night, and though theyre still not very good at it, they at least have some armor and crude swords. Theyre probably going to be important for meter, but for now, I still have them mostly just working on filling my little warehouse and armory.


    Aranya is often in there, looking to see if anything is particrly good. She even spars with the ratlings sometimes, which helps her and them get better. I dont know how good theyll be able to get by the time Neverrest actually attacks, though.


    I also have changed the sign on the front door. Now, instead of talking up the maze, it politely informs anyone who reads it that Neverrest has expanded its borders to be adjacent to mine underground, and that any Delvers who would like to help should seek out Aranya, the kobold.


    Im pretty sure the kids are trying to rally the townsfolk, or at least the adventurers guild. My birb lookouts say the guards at the gates of the cemetery have increased, which is probably why hes sending everything underground instead of trying to storm across the surface. He probably doesnt like his odds of having to fight through the town before even getting to me.


    Ive even sent a few probing slime attacks down the tunnel. Theyve earned me a nice bit of mana, too, but I dont know how much he gets from killing my puddles. I get a lot more undead than he kills slimes, but from the mana cost and gain, I think its about a wash.


    Oh, Ive also officially created a public war room. I might want to work with the townsfolk, but Im not quite ready to allow them into my secret base just yet. Besides, its not like Tiny can fit in there.


    Its the cave next to the little spring, and the ratlings have even slowly been making furniture for it. Theres a rough table, now, and the ratlings are working on chairs, too. Im kinda reminded of that scene from The Patriot where Mel Gibson fails to make a chair and tosses thetest broken one onto a huge pile of failures. Except my ratlings arent smart enough to get mad, I think. They just take the broken chairs to the forge to burn as fuel.


    Traffic has slowed considerably since I changed the sign. Some herbalists stille in to get the easy stuff, and a few miners as well, but practically nobody wants to fight anything right now. They probably dont want to weaken me. I mean, <em>some </em>fighting would still be nice, but I can hardly me them.


    Hey, speak of the Devil, its Ara, Ragnar, and Yvonne! You guys wanna beat some stuff up and train? Hmm, from the way theyre looking at the sign, I think they have something else in mind. I wonder if they got a quest from the office of dungeon affairs? It seems like the kind of thing theyd make a quest for.


    Yvone is the first to speak up after looking at the sign. It really is asking for assistance.


    Aye, nods Ragnar, stroking his beard in thought. And it has a resident for us to talk with, too.


    Then let us go find this Aranya and see what the dungeon has to say, finishes Ara, and the group starts to slowly wander, looking. Teemo, go see if you can guide them to the war room. Ill have Fluffles get Aranya, and we can see about using the public war room for actual war nning. I miss when I thought I wouldnt need it for that.


    When Teemo squeaks at the trio, it seems even Yvone didnt know he was there, and they all take a defensive posture. I think they can all tell hes much more than a simple rat. When he squeaks again and starts walking towards the basement, they look confused. A third squeak and a look over his shoulder, and they seem to get the hint to follow.


    Creepy mutters Ragnar, and the other two nod their agreement, but all three follow Teemo. With Aranya, its much simpler. Shes down in the warehouse, trying to get the ratlings to organize things a bit. They vaguely listen to her, but I think theyre more interested in just getting resources in there, rather than making it easier to actually use whats been gathered.


    She turns to Fluffles when he hisses at her. Im trying to get them to organize! This ce is a disaster! He just hisses a few more times to get her to follow, and she reluctantly does. I wonder if she thinks shes in trouble.


    She seems confused when he leads her to the war room, and her confusion seems to mount when Teemo enters, followed by the trio of delvers. Ara is the first to speak up.


    Ah Aranya, I presume? The kobold slowly nods.


    Yeeesss who are you? she asks, trying to puzzle out why Ive sent some delvers to talk to her or sent her to talk to some delvers.


    I am Ara, and this is Ragnar, and Yvone, she answers, motioning to the dwarf and birdy in turn. And well, the Dungeoneering Guild wanted us to investigate whats going on, and it seems your Dungeon wants the same.


    The sign said to talk to Aranya, adds Ragnar, and my little kobold sighs.


    So thats what it wanted she mutters to herself, before gathering her thoughts and pointing at the map on the table. Well, the Fallen Sanctuary you call Neverrest has made contact with my Sanctuary, and its not friendly. Currently, much of the Sanctuary''s resources are being spent to ensure the tunnels are secure.


    As she speaks, I zoom the map to the tunnels, and everyone can see my various forces in the main tunnel entrance, and the asional zombie or skeleton scout trying to get past Jello. I then move the view of the map towards the war room, and Tiny approaching. The party is stunned at the size of the spider walking into the meeting, and confused as he simply moves to the side. Hes clearly part of the meeting now, even if hes unlikely to be doing much talking.


    I get Teemo to squeak and have Fluffles tap the map again to get their attention, as I do more shenanigans with it. I zoom out a bit, showing both my forces and the war room, then draw a few lines. My forces push into the tunnel, while the line representing the group heads up the stairs and out the front gate. I follow the line on its path towards Neverrest, having it go through the gate and beeline for the Sanctum in the crypt.


    The party exchanges uncertain looks, and Yvone is the first to speak up. I I dont think were qualified for this, she says, and Ara follows up.


    Yes, Neverrest is very strong and absolutely murderous. Wed be utterly outssed in there, says the elf with a bit of regret in her voice. Ragnar, though, doesnt look as demoralized.


    <em>We</em> may nae be able to delve in there, but the guild has stronger parties. We tell the Dungeoneers what weve learned, and try ta get the strongest in the guild t help.


    This time, Aranya speaks up. The Sanctuary seems to want to help as well, and from what Ive learned, only the Sanctuary can truly rid us of the Fallen One. Not only does it seem to want to send several of its scions to aid what delvers will go, but there are also alchemical ants that Im sure it will send to aid, as well. Ive seen them heal wounds.


    The three look surprised at that. Healing ants? says Yvone, finding the concept beyond strange.


    Aranya nods. I know it sounds strange, but Ive seen them in action. The party of delvers still doesnt look too convinced, but any help against Neverrest is good help. Ara speaks up once again.


    Then well go deliver the information to the guilds, and hopefully get stronger adventurers toe. The four all look at the map again, and can see the numbers of undead slowly increasing as Neverrest continues to test my defenses.


    And quickly, I hope. I dont think it will take its time in attacking.

 Chapter Twenty-Four: Reinforcements

    Chapter Twenty-Four: Reinforcements


    Ara, Yvone, and Ragnar jog towards the Dungeoneers Guild. They would run, but running adventurers can cause a panic. Jogging ones are surely simply training, or eager to turn in a quest and be paid. And though they all would appreciate the coin, they all feel the pressure of time quietly bearing down upon them


    How bad do you think it is, Ragnar? asks Ara. Though theyre all the same level, the friendly dwarf is probably the most knowledgeable about dungeons.


    Ah think we should join whatever adventurers from th guild are avable an get back quick. Neverrest doesnae just refer to not lettin corpses sleep. Itll nae stop til one dungeon or thother is destroyed, an a stronger Neverrest is nae good for anyone.


    Yvone nods at that assessment. Ive peered through the gate at Neverrest before. The ce is evil. We cant let it grow stronger. Ara nods as they round the corner, bringing the Dungeoneers guild within view.


    Were all agreed, then. Well make our report quickly, then round up whoever at our guild is avable. The three nod without their strides faltering, and soon enter the Dungeoneers guild.


    Tr sits at her desk, two scrolls before her. One is for the Fourdock Dungeon, the other for Neverrest Dungeon. From the stats, atst inspection, it doesnt look good for the new dungeon.


    And judging by the looks on the faces of the adventurers that took her quest, things arent exactly looking up. She sighs and speaks up as they approach. How bad is it? she asks, hoping she wont have to ce the final seal on the scroll for the Fourdock Dungeon.


    Its bad but it could be worse, says Yvone, prompting a curious look from the elf behind the desk. Ara speaks up to continue their report.


    At the moment, the dungeon seems to be keeping Neverrest at bay, but it also seems to know that a stalemate is unlikely to go well for it. It has also directly asked for our help. Trs eyes widen in shock.


    It asked for help? <em>How?!</em> Does it have a Voice already?! If its strong enough to have a Voice, Neverrest should pose hardly any threat to it, but it would also be much sneakier than anyone suspected.


    Ragnar shakes his head. Nae, no Voice. It <em>does </em>have signs. An scions. An a Resident.


    Ah, yes, the kobold in white. Aranya, I believe. We discussed Neverrest when she visited, not long ago. Shes marshaling the dungeons defenses, then? The party exchanges a look before Ara speaks for the group.


    No. The dungeon itself seems to be seeing to that. It even wishes to work with us to assault Neverrest.


    Tr looks shocked. Work together? How?


    By walking through the gates of Neverrest, rather than the tunnels, exins Yvone. It seems to want to take the spider scion, as well as the rat and snake scions, and whatever adventurers are willing, walk the streets of the town, and assault Neverrest from the surface.


    The dungeoneer chews that idea over for a few moments, still looking like the party might be ying a trick on her. If if Neverrest is assaulting via the tunnels, it would expect a counter from the tunnels. Its never cooperated with us in the least, so would assume any attack on the surface would have to be fliers, since we specifically kill anything that it sends out.


    She blinks for a moment, after getting a grip on the tactical situation. It could work. It could actually work. Most people wont know a Scion at a nce, and if recognized adventurers are with them, nobody would even raise a fuss. Her professional look returns as she refocuses on the party. When does it want to go?


    As soon as possible. Neverrest will only increase its pressure the longer we wait, points out Yvone, and Tr nods at that.


    Yes, its very persistent. Give me a moment. Tr pulls open the scroll with the details of the partys current quest, and signs itplete, before quickly starting another scroll. Take this to your guild. Its an open quest for allers to help assault Neverrest. If Fourdock can take the core, there will be a <em>substantial </em>bonus paid to your guild, and to all participants as well. She signs the new scroll with a flourish, and hands both to Ara, who nods.


    Then we shall go. Ara epts the scrolls and the party makes their exit. They had been hoping to recruit members of the guild for this, and with a significant quest from the Dungeoneers, theyll probably have every adventurer in the guildhouse wanting toe along.


    Whadya mean out?! shouts Ragnar at the balding and skinny orc behind the desk. He doesnt have the look of someone who could lead a guild, but its a carefully-curated facade hes kept from his adventuring days. It generally pays to be underestimated in this line of work.


    The orc sighs and nods. Everyone else is out on various quests at the moment. You lot were my emergency backup, and this is the emergency. He gets up from behind the desk, and motions for them to follow as he leaves the office on the second floor of the house. He talks as he leads them down the stairs.


    And while its not ideal, I get the feeling you three will be able to handle this crisis. Of course, that doesnt mean I wont be able to give you <em>some </em>help. Even without the quest reward, a chance to actually remove Neverrest would be a boon to this guild. He leads them to the basement, and arge door. He smirks at them as he opens it, revealing racks of weapons and armor, clearly with potent enchantments.


    Those guild dues have to count for something. Whatever you see fit will be loaned to you for the duration of this quest, but do only take what you can use. Even with that caveat, the three adventurers look like kids on Christmas morning.

 Chapter Twenty-Five: Into the Breach

    Chapter Twenty-Five: Into the Breach


    Neverrest is a pain in my non-existent butt. Im pretty sure Im making more mana from this than he is, but he just keeps sending more and more undead at me. I get the feeling we are probably just not able to do too much damage to the other right now. I mean, undead get digested as well as anything else my slimes catch, but they definitely keep resisting longer than living things.


    The healing ants do a number on them, though, which is good. Some swarming bites before the jellies get ahold of them speeds the whole process up, but I still get the feeling Im guarding the pass at Thermope; holding my own, giving at least as good as Im getting, but in a worse position as time goes on. I havent had to retreat or anything yet, but Ive been rotating my slimes as quickly as they can move. Ive even upgraded the spawner and Jello!


    Jello seems to love the taste of undead, too. Shes actually earned a title from all the things shes killed: Purifier. It certainly helps, and seems to make her less corrosive to living things, too, which is great for the ants.


    I give a mental sigh of relief as I sense the three adventurers return and then immediately wonder why theres still only three of them. They didnt seem very confident about their odds in the graveyard, even with me supporting them. As they hurry towards the war room, though, I can see why they are back. Theyre all decked out.


    Ara has what I can only assume is mythril mail of some kind. It sure looks to me like what Frodo had in the Lord of the Rings movies. Shes also traded out her prismatic-styled staff for one that looks almost like a thin, living stctite, with arge bit of onyx or something on the t top.


    Ragnar still has his family shield, but I guess he didnt have family armor. If I didnt know better, Id think he was a metal golem or something, but the beard sticking out under the helm kinda gives it away. That te mail looks good on him, and I can only guess what kind of punishment he can take with it on.


    Yvone has some kind of ck leather on. Not like Catwoman, but leather armor that is ck. Looks pretty slick, maybe itll help her with stealth or something? That new bow looks pretty cool, though. The, uh main bow part? Whatever is usually wooden, looks like its made of cloud, and the string looks like a contained tornado. She has a regr quiver of arrows on her back, though, so I dunno how itll actually work.


    Im d Aranyas still in the war room. Shes been mostly staring at the map and watching the battle unfold. Im just d she didnt grab a weapon from the armory and charge in, because thats what it looks like she wants to do. She recognizes her skills, though, and when to stay out of danger. I guess the deep tunnels dont suffer fools to live long down there.


    She perks up when Tiny, Teemo, and Fluffles enter the room, and notices the three adventurers on the map. She seems to take a few moments to try topose herself. Shes basically my representative right now, so I guess her taking it maybe a bit too seriously is better than her taking it not seriously at all or way <em>too </em>seriously. With the stories shes told to my core, I should probably be d shes not founded a creepy cult around me.


    She stands beside the table by the time the three enter, and seems surprised to see the change in their attire. Nobody else woulde? she asks, before looking like she realized how rude that could be taken. Ara and the others look a bit awkward and shake their heads before the mage speaks up.


    Unfortunately, all the other adventurers are out on quests, but the guildmaster was at least able to lend us some potent gear. Aranya looks relieved to hear that.


    It does look impressive. Its enough to change your minds about your chances against Neverrest? she asks, and Ragnar nods.


    Aye! Id wager I could go toe to toe wi th big spider fr a while in this! Tiny doesnt look impressed, though. Yeah, Ragnar probably forgot that you can weave or he doesnt know you can in the first ce. Either way, if you only swiped at him, that armor could probably take quite a pounding, big guy.


    Are your preparationsplete for your dungeon? asks Yvone, and Aranya can only give a slow nod. If I could, Id tell her yes. Tiny has tons of my ants on him, so they can distribute themselves on the walk over. Speaking of, I have Teemo squeak and Fluffles tap the map with his tail, drawing everyones attention back to the n.


    Ah, yes. We believe your n to walk through the streets to be a sound one. With the element of surprise, and some luck, we should be able to destroy Neverrests core before it can rally its troops, says Ara, and the others nod. Tiny shifts from where hes sitting and extends a leg. Its only after Fluffles and Teemo zip up it that the others realize theyre supposed to climb aboard, too.


    Yvone doesnt look like its anything out of the ordinary. Shes gotta be some kind of ranger or something to be sofortable around Tiny. Ragnar looks amused at the idea, though he has a bit of difficulty climbing up, at least until Fluffles just levitates him. Ara looks ufortable with the idea, but steels herself and climbs aboard as well.


    Once again, Aranya looks like she wants to join, but restrains herself. Listen to the Scions, Delvers. The Sanctuary speaks through them without words. They will guide and protect you, but you must be willing to listen.


    I wonder if she practiced that little speech in her head while watching the map. Either way, though, its time to get this road trip started. We didnt pack any snacks, but Im sure itll be fine. Tiny! Head em up and move em out!


    The party clutches onto Tinys tarant fuzz as he starts moving. Despite all the legs moving around, the body stays pretty level and it seems like a smooth ride out of the tunnels. Once on the surface, I have Teemo squeak to get their attention. They all look at him with varying degrees of curiosity.


    I have the ants swarm in front of him, and have Fluffles levitate one of the healers for the heroes to inspect. Ragnar doesnt look too interested, but more for not knowing what hes looking at than for being disgusted by them or something. Yvone and Ara, though, each take an interest.


    The gaster is swollen and red, observes Yvone, and Ara gives her a curious look.


    Gaster? The birb chuckles and points a talon at the rear of the ant.


    The butt. Normal ants will store food or water and swell from it, keeping it safe for the colony. These ones have something else. Ara nods and speaks from her field of expertise.


    It appears to be concentrated healing potion, and I suspect these ants actually create it themselves. Nobody is quite sure how, but dungeons withbs will often create alchemical creatures. This is the first time Ive heard of one making some with a healing element, though.


    At the gate, I have Tiny carefully open it, and am a little nervous. If its like the other expeditions, theyll all vanish from my awareness, which would be bad. I trust my Scions, but I dont know what theyll do without me there to give them orders. Well, its toote to back out now. Tiny. Teemo. Fluffles. If we go radio-silent, be safe, and keep the party safe, too. And be on your best behavior in the town. We want to make a good impression.

 Chapter Twenty-Six: The Battle at Neverrest

    Chapter Twenty-Six: The Battle at Neverrest


    Whew, I can still sense them, and even give them orders! I can only sense what they sense, though. Colors are pretty washed out, but Tiny gives a pretty good view with his various eyes. Fluffles heat sensing is great, and with him constantly tasting the air, I have a pretty good idea of what alls going on.


    The townspeople are giving us curious looks, but they dont look very concerned. I feel like Im in an impromptu parade: something interesting to look at, but nothing to really get excited over. I can at least fill in my map with some good details while Im here. I should see if the delvers are interested in more field trips some time.


    Speaking of, they all look well, not <em>rxed</em>, but pretty at ease. I guess this is kinda their job, so theyre used to it. Theyre not used to getting to ride a huge tarant with ants clustering on their backs, but the calm before a battle is definitely something theyve gotten used to.


    And I havent. I keep thinking of what else I could have done or could do. In fact, I have a second part of the n that Im supposed to do. I tell my stuff in the tunnel to press forward, make Neverrest think Im attempting to counter down there. Hes gotta have most of his forces down there already, but I want to make him get everything else he can.


    The undead get quickly overrun, at least at first. I definitely have the numbers advantage, but his zombies are much tougher than my spiders, rats, and snakes. I manage a good few dozen yards before his lines seem to solidify, and were back to a mostly stalemate, if one much less organized. I fight carefully, doing my best to retreat wounded forces and get the ants to triage, not wanting to give him more mana than hes spending on undead.


    I think its still pretty even, though, which is less than optimal. I just hope he thinks thats all my strength, and so tries to push through to crush me. I mean he might be able to, Im not sure how much other stuff he has to throw at me. From here, though, I get the feeling hes not too concerned about what I can do to him. I kinda want him to bring one of his scions down here but I also kinda dont. Jello could probably stand up to the skeleton for at least a bit, but shes myst realbat scion thats still at home.


    I still prefer her chances against him than the party, though. The scions with them could probably team up and take it down, but I dont want to risk the party. My guys respawn, I dont think delvers do. Either way, though, were approaching the gate. Teemo seems to have some good stealth options, so I send him off ahead to do his things once the cemeteryes into view. With him scurrying off, the party seems to ept that this is go time.


    Ragnar readies his shield and hammer, giving the approaching gates a wary eye. Men th spiderll keep their attention as we make our way t th crypt. We cannae get bogged down or well be overrun, so keep movin. The scionsll do whaever theyre gonna do once there, an well need t make sure they do it.


    Ara and Yvone both nod, and I have Fluffles nod as well. Its more an outline than a full n, but simple is good. Simple means more room to adjust on the fly. No n survives first contact with the enemy, but I dont know any sayings about how outlines fare.


    Meanwhile, Teemo has slipped inside, and it looks like hes not been spotted yet. At least he cant sense anything that indicates it. The main yard is looking much less popted, which is a good sign. Im probably going to have a serious counter-push in the tunnels soon, which is exactly where I want all those undead to be.


    Unfortunately, it doesnt look like the skeleton scion has taken the bait. Teemo can see him at what seems to be his post: standing in the doorway of the crypt. He also has a cape, which he didnt havest time. That lich must have made something new for him, and I have no idea what itll do. Well, its not like we can back down right now.


    I have Tiny stop right in front of the gate, to the suspicious looks of the guards there, but the party disembarking the spider seems to calm them. Ara holds up a scroll for them to inspect.


    Were here on official business of the Dungeoneers Guild. Let us pass. The guards look at the scroll for a few moments, then nod and step aside. Strangeness aside, nobody would be able to fake that seal. Fluffles slithers up Aras staff and settles himself on her shoulders, his tail pointing towards the crypt.


    Looks like things are mostly going well, for now, says Yvone, nocking an arrow. I can see electricity arcing along the shaft, which is really cool. I want some kind of storm thing. The party braces themselves for a moment, before we all charge the gate. Tiny bangs the gates wide open and hurries through, Ragnar right beside him. The huge spider could go a lot faster, but I dont want him leaving the dwarf in the dust.


    A small group of zombies notices the party and moves to intercept, but Teemo darts from cover to nip at all three. I can feel hes done something, and the smile on Yvones beak confirms something has happened.


    The rat scion can mark, she says simply before loosing her arrow. Its not quite a lightning bolt, but it definitely does arc. It hits the first zombie and seems to turn in mid air to pierce the other two, dropping the small group without anyone needing to slow down.


    We sure have his attention now, though. The rest of the undead on the surface start shambling towards the crypt, and theyll get there before we will. I redouble my efforts in the tunnels as well, sending in the ratlings now, and starting to steadily push the hordes down there further back. Cant let him think he can ignore the tunnels, even with the assault on his core.


    Ragnar is the first to hit the crowd of zombies and skeletons, and he does so like a meteor. I wonder if that armor of his is designed and enchanted along those lines. Either way, he bowls a lot of them over, and Tiny helps ensure few are able to get back up.


    Ara is confirmed as an earth mage as she does her best to give the corpses a burial they wont be able to escape from this time. Fluffles does his best to push away any that manage to get too close. A few actually get into range to swipe or bite at her, but the mythril seems to do its job. Thankfully, Ragnar and Tiny are keeping most of the crowd away from the squishies.


    Yvone is shooting arrows as quickly as she can draw them, and Teemo is darting and marking as many as he can. Unfortunately, it seems the skeleton scion isnt going to sit there and wait for us to get to him. He shes his swords together before charging. I guess he cant exactly roar without lungs. He makes a bee-line for Ragnar, and the dwarf simplyughs maniacally. Im pretty sure thats his thing to put off damage. I just hope that family shield of his fares better than the tombstone did.


    Yvone and Teemo try to focus some fire on the scion, but he dodges Teemos teeth and maneuvers his billowing cloak to intercept the arrow. Looks like its specifically enchanted against ranged stuff. Thats gonna be annoying. I try to get Teemo to mark as many of the other undead as possible, hoping Yvone will get the hint and shift her focus to the horde. I also have Fluffles point out the scion to Ara, and the two try to shift from crowd control to single-target.


    Meteor! shouts Ara, and I can feel Fluffles helping as the elf pulls arge rock from the earth andunches it at the skeleton. I can actually hear it break the sound barrier when Fluffles contributes his telekinesis. Block <em>that </em>with your cloak, jerk!


    The apparent enchantment interposes the cloak between the rock and the skeleton, and his armor rings like a gong from the impact. Unfortunately, while the dent would have copsed the rib cage of anything else well, it probably did the same for him,e to think of it. He just doesnt have lungs to be inconvenienced by something like that.


    He does seem a bit hampered by the simple physical shift in his structure, though. It drops two of its swords to wrap those arms around itself, while the other two arms swing at theughing dwarf. Ragnar is able to catch both swords on his shield and grins like a maddwarf. With a wildugh, he counters with his hammer, but the foe is still nimble enough to dodge out of the way. Hes not able to dodge the upward swipe from Tiny, though, which sends the monster flying almost straight up.


    Being in the air like that seems to give everyone ideas. Teemo and Fluffles team up for a kind of fastball special,unching the rodent at the scion to mark it. Ara opens a yawning pit underneath it, which definitely wont be good for it once itnds. Ragnar and Tiny seem to refocus on the zombies, which are much less of a horde already. The dwarf charges once more, and Tiny tosses arge web over a lot of them. Yvone takes her time nocking and drawing her bow.


    True Strike! she shouts, and this time it does look a lot more like a bolt of lightning, if a lot slower. I think the scion knows thats not going to be good for it, and it cocks an arm back to throw one of its swords. Teemo, gnawing on one of his legs, spots the action, and jumps, putting himself in the line of the sword as it leaves the skeletons grip. A momentter, the lightning strikes the scion, and the same thing happens to it as what happens to frogs that get struck by lightning.


    Unfortunately, the sword is still in the air, sailing quickly towards Yvone! Fortunately, Teemo is in the way! More unfortunately impaling him doesnt seem to have slowed it by much. It does seem to have thrown the arc off slightly. Even with Yvone doing her best to dodge, it probably would have taken her in the throat, or maybe in the heart. Her turning, though, and Teemo weighing it down, it takes her just above the floating rib. It cant go all the way through her, once again thanks to Teemo, but judging by the look on Aras face, thats still not good.

 Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Cost of Victory

    Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Cost of Victory


    Yvone! yells Ara as she rushes towards her fallen friend. Ragnar has stoppedughing, and thats somehow creepier than when hes having a good time in a pitched battle. Him and Tiny are handling the rest of the undead, giving Ara a chance to tend to Yvone. Not to Teemo, though.


    He was a champ, but I can already see his respawn timer on the rat spawner. Good job though, little buddy. I think Ara can save Yvone. Honestly, if she can get that sword out of her, the ants can help, too. Poor birb, though, isying down and trying not to cough up blood. Or she cant breathe. That thing probably got her diaphragm,e to think of it. Get that sword out of her, someone!


    Ara seems unsure what to do, but Fluffles is great at moving things around. I have him remove it as carefully as he can, and the healing ants swarm in. That seems to kick the elf into gear, and she adds her own magic to the mix. As far as I can tell, Yvone is getting better.


    Whats not getting better is the situation in the tunnel. I think maybe Neverrest wants to make this a mutual kill or something, because thats definitely his lich down there now. Its not very concerned with aiming, either, and is tossing around all kinds of fire. I guess that when you dont need to breathe, you stop caring about burning things in a tight space.


    Its pretty effective, though. The slimes boil easily, it seems like, and everything else I have still needs oxygen to function. Uh I need to figure out something to stop him. Jello! No, hell see her a mile away and just fireball her, too. Well there are a few twists and turns down there. Jello, fall back to a good kink in the path. Hopefully you can grab him as he rounds a corner or something.


    Back in the graveyard, Yvone seems to be getting better, but Ara still looks concerned. Tiny and Ragnar finish off thest of the undead on the surface, and the dwarf sprints over to his fallenpanion, with Tiny not far behind. Fluffles. I need you to go to the crypt. Tiny wont fit inside. Just be wary of traps. In fact, levitate something and ride it, if you have to.


    Whats wrong? asks Ragnar, doffing his helmet to look at the wounded birb. Ara gives an exasperated sigh.


    I dont know! Ive healed what I can, and the ants are helping, but something keeps hurting her! The dwarf frowns at that and looks to the sword on the ground. He gingerly picks it up, and his frown deepens as he follows the runes with a finger.


    His frown turns to a look of horrified shock as he seems to finish reading them Lifedrinking


    Aras face turns ashen at that, and she looks down to her friend. No


    Yvone, at least, is able to breathe again, even if she looks to be in a lot of pain. Nnf h-how bad is that?


    Bad whispers Ara. Its an enchant that fits this ursed ce and its stronger than I can counter.


    The lich spews fire as it stalks the deep tunnels, moving as quickly as it can. Its master demanded it reach and consume the core of the lesser dungeon. It is, of course, lesser. This new dungeon is not its master, and its master is the greatest by definition. These minions only reinforce that simple truth.


    The filth may have caused trouble for the lesser undead, but the lich is a scion, and master of the arcane! Once into the lesser dungeon proper, it will be child''s y to locate and consume the core. All it must do is-


    Its world bes white agony as it rounds a corner in the tunnels, and finds itself enveloped by <em>something</em>! It draws upon its well of magic to fight back.


    Jello didn''t like having to retreat, but she must listen to the voice. She likes the voice, and what it says has helped her a lot since she came to exist. She enjoyed watching the delvers mine. She definitely enjoyed eating everything that tried toe in at the tunnel she was assigned.


    She absolutely enjoyed all the weird food that showed up recently. It wiggles more, but digests quicker. Thats why she didnt like being told to retreat. Now she sees, though, that the voice is a smart voice. The tastiest thing shes ever eaten just blundered into her! Shes going to need to remember to hang out in curves and stuff from now on.


    Oh. Ow. The thingy is trying to burn her? How dare it! She is Jello, the Purifier! This tasty thing isnt going to kill her! She wont be able to eat it if it kills her! And she won''t allow that!


    The tombstone is not the best thing to try to ride, but it was the best option avable. Fluffles grips it more in his coils as he levitates up the stairs, letting him see the interior of the crypt directly. He can see the open coffin with the glowing core inside,rge enough that the lid could never hope to be closed around it. Its a more jagged and raw thing than the simple sphere of the Denmaster.


    He can also tell thats not the true core. The Denmaster suspected that might be the case, but had hoped it wasnt. Unfortunately for the vile ce hes in now, he can sense the true core not far away. Thermal sense is supposed to help him find prey, and he supposes it has done that job here as well.


    Its behind a sealed grave in the wall. The scion doesnt know the technical term for it, but he knows hell need to get in there. He also suspects he shouldnt touch the floor in here. As a snake, though, its not difficult to grab onto some of the carved reliefs on the walls. It takes him a few long seconds to transfer himself from the tombstone to the wall, but once there, he smashes his former ride against the sealed grave.


    Hes not surprised when it explodes, and hes able to protect himself from the elemental fire before it washes over him. Hes very d he was able to practice that spell since the first time he saw the party of three. The Denmaster is right about them being useful and worth protecting.


    He levitates a line of rubble to slither across, and makes a little tform in the air, just before the evil core. Itsrge enough that it was practically right against the opening, so all he has to do is reach his tail for it.


    Please groans Yvone, in clear pain. Ara and the ants keep trying to help, but theres not much they can do. Ragnar takes her hand in his, trying to give her somefort.


    <strong>CONSUME</strong>


    I mentally jerk back, shocked at the what was that? Fluffles? Oh, you touched the core. Do it again, I got a <em>bunch </em>of mana from that.


    <strong>DEVOUR</strong>


    Screw you, Neverrest!


    <strong>MINE</strong>


    Nope, this is my mana now.


    <strong>STRONGER</strong>


    Hah, clearly not, bucko! Anyst words? Feels like youre about tapped already. No wonder my ants flipped their crap when that mole touched my core. I get the feeling a scion drinks a lot faster than just an invader, though.


    <strong>GOT ONE</strong>


    What? Wait Yvone!


    I focus through Tiny, and see the worst. Ara is slumped over Yvone, sobbing. Ragnar has his hand over her eyes I think he just closed them. He seems to be murmuring a dwarven prayer for her. Dammit


    <em>Resident Request. ept/Deny?</em>

 Chapter Twenty-Eight: Beyond the Pale

    Chapter Twenty-Eight: Beyond the Pale


    Resident Request? What? Who?


    No.


    Does it work like that?! Yes! ept! Come on, be Yvonne!


    Yvonne


    Not how I expected everything to end, but I suppose everything must, eventually. All in all, I think there are worse causes to give everything for. I float just above my corpse, and I think my greatest regret is the sadness Ive caused Ragnar and Ara. I cant help but smile at the corpse of the little rat scion, too. He tried. If not for that enchantment, he would have saved me.


    As I contemte, I notice The Raven circling above, and I watch, curious. I was under the impression my soul would be pretty quickly escorted to the afterlife Ive earned, but its taking its sweet time. It notices me noticing it, too, andes in tond atop my corpse. Not that the others can sense him.


    Yvone Silvercrest, he says, and I nod. For good or for ill, Ill not try to pretend to be anyone else. Legends rarely go well for mortals that try. The Raven gives me a considering look, before motioning a wing above my head. Do you still mean that?


    I give him a confused look, and he nods above my head. Looking up, I see a floating, glowing scroll.


    <em>Resident Request: Pending</em>


    What is all I can say, baffled. I did desperately ask the dungeon to help, but I didnt expect it would actually be able to do anything.


    Do you still mean it? repeats The Raven, and I look back to him in surprise, before considering the question. When The Ravenes to collect your soul, its wise to heed his questions. <em>Do </em>I still mean it? Im dead, so does it even matter? Well it must, or he wouldnt be asking, and it probably wouldnt still be pending.


    Would I actually be able to go back, if I do mean it? Ive followed the teaching of the Golden Wings my whole life, so I dont fear where The Raven will take me. But if I could continue to live, would I?


    I would like to keep exploring, keep adventuring, keep being with my friends and trying to make a difference in the world. Technically, I guess my time hase, but I would like the chance to be able to do even more.


    It will not be easy, speaks The Raven once more in warning. I almost scoff it away. Life isnt easy. Of course, hed know that. There will be something else, then? Ah, right, Resident. There would certainly be strings attached. The kobold, Aranya, seems to be doing just fine. Of course, she also seemed to havee from the deeps. Its arguable very is better than trying to live there. At least ones master has a financial incentive to keep one breathing.


    Although is she a ve? After some consideration, I chuckle at the idea. She seems to be able toe and go as she pleases. And there are royalty who would be jealous of that silk robe she wears. But how far can she roam from her dungeon? <em>That </em>would certainly make things more difficult for my adventuring career, and for making a difference in the world.


    Or would it? Fourdock Dungeon seems to be proactive in the area, and even better, proactively good. Or at least proactively cooperative. It certainly could, in theory, be ying an evil long game, but I doubt that. It seems like half of its spawners are focused on loot and resources, rather than actual dangerous encounters. Itd have a lot of difficulty transitioning to being truly murderous.


    So thats what it reallyes down to, then: go to my final reward, or gamble on the strange dungeon. As I weigh my options, my gaze falls once again on the little rat scion. It tried to protect me even when I wasnt a Resident. And those strange ants, too. They tried to keep me alive. Why would it even <em>have </em>healing ants?


    More of what little I know about the dungeon shes through my mind, and strengthens my resolve. Whatever its true goals are, they are not malicious. I dont know what it actually wants, but I think I trust it enough to want to find out, and help it achieve it. I look The Raven in the eyes.


    Yes. I still mean it.


    Then it is done, quoth The Raven, and never more, as he ps his wings. In moments, he vanishes into the sky, and in watching him go, I can see the scroll change.


    <em>Resident Request: epted!</em>


    I feel myself drifting towards my body, and I smile as things go a bit blurry. I wonder how this will actually work.


    Did it actually work? My counter shows two Residents now. There! Shes starting to move! Wee back to thend of the living, Yvone! Its nice to see youre alive again. She groans and sits up slightly, to the stunned faces of Ara and Ragnar.


    Ugh that was unpleasant Oof! Ragnar and Ara both hug her tightly, and she slowly hugs them in return. I guess shes still sorting her synapses back out. She gives a weakugh at their crying happiness.


    Its good to see you two, too.


    Yer alive! But how?! demands Ragnar, pulling back slightly from the hug to smile at his friend, even as he wonders how she can be alright. Ara seems to be taking a more practical route to identifying the cause, though, and seems to be doing a kind of magical scan. Yvone, for her part, has the answer.


    The dungeon. In my final moments, I begged it for help. Im a Resident now, so I guess I respawn like the scions? Ragnar looks confused at that.


    Thats nae how that works. Scions respawn. Residents dinnae.


    Ara gasps and drops her spell, looking at her friend with horror and pity. You you didnt revive, Yvone. Youre youre undead.


    Yvone looks in shock at the news, and her beak runs with the first thing to pop into her mind. Thats why he said it wont be easy

 Chapter Twenty-Nine: Aftermath

    Chapter Twenty-Nine: Aftermath


    Undead?! I focus in on Yvonne to take a look at her stats and yeah, right there in bold print <strong>Undead, Intelligent</strong>. Better than just a shambling corpse, I guess? She seems to be fully fine, nothing like a lot of fictional undead that are in constant pain and such, so thats good, too.


    The party all exchange awkward looks before everyone hugs once more. Ragnar and Ara dont look like theyre going to give up on their friend just because she doesnt have a pulse anymore, which is great. Nobody seems certain if she can leave me, though, so they decide to y it safe and she stays behind while the other two head off to talk to one or both of the guilds.


    Teemos just respawned, too, so I tell him to go check on her. No, actually get Aranya toe with you. I get the feeling that, out of all of us, she has the best idea of whats going on and how to help Yvonne. Its a pretty long walk through the caverns, though.


    Man, I gained a <em>lot </em>of space, and a boatload of mana, too. Uh and a boatload of problems. Two undead spawners, a wasp spawner, another rat spawner... oh three undead. I keep forgetting the hands. Whoof, Neverrest loved him some traps, too. There was all kinds of nastiness in that crypt he had his core hiding in. I guess I should work on cleaning things up while I wait for Aranya to go talk with Yvonne.


    Well, simplest thing first: wasps. Screw wasps. What can I do to change them? Oof, well, changing it is going to be expensive, for starters, but screw wasps. I also have absolute proof that biology doesnt work here like it did on Earth, or the spawners dont have to make things that are rted. I can change the focus of the wasps over to bees instead. For a significant chunk of mana.


    But as I said: screw wasps. Besides, I think bees will be able to help take over the surface gardening while I focus my bats more towards underground. Ive seen some of them trying to spread some little patches of glowing moss down there, but theyve just been too busy on the surface to make much headway. My surface ecosystem is thriving, but underground is struggling. I spend the mana, but dont bother with a bee scion just yet. As far as I can tell, Neverrest never bothered with a wasp scion, either. Not that I agree with most of his choices in how to work, but broken clocks and whatnot.


    Second: gue rats. I dont want gue rats. Its another decent chunk of mana to change those over, too, but I spend it anyway. I did get a <em>ton</em>, after all.


    Now what the crap am I going to do with all these undead? Sure, I can change wasps to bees and gue rats to pack rats, but undead are still going to be undead. I can focus in on the spawners, and I can at least tell that they dont actually need a corpse to animate something. Theyre all focused in a different mausoleum than the core was, probably for ease of protection. Thats simple enough to, if not fix, at least sweep under the carpet until I get a better idea.


    What undead werent destroyed have fallen under my control, which isnt creepy at all, so I order them all back to the spawner, including the hands. Thats going to take a while, but Ill be able to tell thest one in to close the doors behind them. I figure, if nothing else, itll have to stop spawning undead eventually just for not having any room. Ill definitely need to have Tiny web the door once theyre all inside.


    Actually, I should get this ce cleaned up a bit, too. I have some undead close, and some pretty far in the tunnels. Until the stragglers get here, might as well have the others clean stuff up. Alrighty you corpses! Grab a bit thats not moving any more and get it into a pile. Poe and Coda! Get the bats and ravens to start bringing bits to the various nts and such for fertilizer. Anything that looks or feels weird, put it in this little cave here. Queen can take a lookter.


    Yvonne, for her part, seems to watch the activity with confusion, and maybe a bit of awe? Probably closer to curiosity.


    What should I do? she seems to absently ask. Well, thats quite the philosophical question there, my little birb. I guess the simplest answer would be to do what feels right, but thats the kind of thing that can lead in dangerous ways. Im sure serial killers felt what they were doing was right. Probably not morally or ethically so, but in some way, Im sure.


    Well? she asks, speaking up a bit more, and looking around. Oh. She wanted an actual answer. Sorry Yvonne, but youre not a scion or denizen, so I cant seem to give you actual orders. Hopefully Aranya can clear things up for you once she gets here. Heh, she looks pretty ufortable slipping past all the undead in the tunnels, but at least shes following Teemo.


    Well, Yvonne is looking a bit restless and/or frustrated, I should probably try to do something. Hey, Tiny. See if you can get her attention and I dunno, help with the clean up? Oh, wait! I dunno how much she knows about enchanting, but itd be difficult to know less than I do. Fluffles! Get her attention and lead her to the enchantingb the lich had! I wanna get a better feel for whats in there! And to know what that lifedrinking thing is and if I can make something that counters it. Its kindate for Yvonne, but still.


    The birb jumps a bit as Fluffles hiss, but quickly recognizes the noodle scion. What should I do? she asks again, to which he replies with another hiss and starts to slither towards a different mausoleum. She looks perplexed, but she doesnt seem to have any better ideas than to just follow him.


    Im d my residents, denizens, and scions cant trip my traps, because wow theres nasty stuff through his entire workspace? I dunno what else to call it. Theres the enchantingb, a warehouse, an armory, a forge. None of them appear to be secret, but Id be shocked if anyone breathing hasid eyes on whats down here before. I set basically all the traps to wear off, which will take some time, but is by far the cheapest way to deal with them. And itll give me the time to organize and hide what needs to be hidden.


    I bet that lich was involved in a lot of them, too, kinda like how Queen is involved in my alchemy and elemental denizens. Im probably going to have Fluffles handle the enchanting, though. Huh, wait a second.


    Why didnt I have the option to make an enchantingb? Why didnt Neverrest have an alchemyb? Do dungeons not automatically have ess to everything? I wonder what else I could unlock.


    I mentally shake my non-existent head and focus. Specifically, I focus on my secret area to see if I can make a secret enchantingb. And I can. That was definitely not an option before. I tell Queen to get ants working on digging out an enchanters area, and designate an alcove for the purpose. Were going to need to get whatever research and such Neverrest had and secure it. Im sure some of the people outside would use it to fight things like lifedrinking, but Im also sure some people would want that kind of thing to use.


    Im gonna need to grab as much of the library as possible, too, for simr reasons. For now, though, looks like Aranya and Yvonne are going to meet up just outside theb. Aranya gasps as sheys eyes on Yvonne, and the birb seems to dete a bit as the kobold speaks.


    Youre


    Undead. Yes


    No! Er, yes you are, but youre a Resident now, too.


    At that, Yvonne seems surprised, but Im nodding to myself. She definitely knows whats up, or at least has an inkling. What happened? asks the kobold, stepping closer to look over her new fellow resident.


    ...I died. The dungeon tried to save me, but the skeleton scion had a lifedrinking sword. In desperation, I pleaded for help from the dungeon. The Raven came to carry my soul to the afterlife, butnded and asked me a question. I realized I could go, or I could ept the help of this dungeon so I stayed.


    Aranya looks thoughtful at that information. My peoples legends tell of kobolds serving even beyond death. There are never too many at once, though, as they are a drain on the Sanctuarys energy. She smiles as Yvonne looks concerned at that. Apparently not too much individually, but too many bes untenable. One legend speaks of a Sanctuary that wished to save every kobold in its demesne from The Raven, but the strain became too much to bear, and so Sanctuary and kobolds all went to see him at the same time. She shakes her head at the legend, and Yvone still looks ufortable.


    So what should I do for the dungeon or should I call it a Sanctuary now, instead? Aranya smiles at that question.


    I dont think the Sanctuary cares much about titles. Ive tried various honorifics in trying tomune with it, but none seem to produce any different responses. She brightens as she gets an idea. Oh, you muste see the core! Its magnificent! Surely you can feel the warmth radiating from it?


    Yvonne, looks a bit ufortable, but Aranya simply smiles again. Close your eyes and feel for it. It can be strange at first, but youll know where the core is. As a Resident, your prime duty to the Sanctuary is to guard its core. It triumphed over the fallen Sanctuary because it was able to ovee its guardians and take its core. Should the same happen to our Sanctuary, it will be ours no longer. And I dont think it would go well for you, she finishes a bit awkwardly, letting Yvonne work out the problem on her own.


    Yvonne still looks a bit lost, but seems to decide to try to close her eyes and feel for my core. After a few seconds, she tilts her head like shes heard something, and makes slow sweeps as she hones in on me. Her head stops sweeping with her facing directly towards my core, even halfway across the city, and she opens her eyes with a small smile on her beak.


    I <em>can </em>feel it.

 Chapter Thirty: Learning The Ropes

    Chapter Thirty: Learning The Ropes


    Come, lets go see it together! exims Aranya, taking Yvonnes hand to start to lead the way. Aw, shes made a friend and wants to share. Id like to let them just rx and bond, but unfortunately, I have them outside the enchantingb for a reason.


    Teemo squeaks and Fluffles hisses, refocusing the two residents. Aranya looks at the two scions, wondering why they made noise. What? You didnt want me toe take her to the core?


    In response, Teemo scratches at the door. Ah, theres something in here it wants you and possibly me, to see.


    You can understand the dunge the Sanctuary? asks Yvonne, looking like she wonders if those robes bear more significance than simply to cover the kobolds decency.


    Erm not quite. The Sanctuary tends to not interfere with what Ive wanted to do, so long as it doesnt interfere with its ns. Itmunicates through the scions, most often Teemo and Fluffles here, she says, motioning at the two, then continues. I think it mostly uses them because theyre a lot easier tomunicate with. Tiny is not tiny at all, so he doesnt even fit in a lot of ces. Poe and Coda are usually busy up on the roof. Queen is in the alchemyb basically all the time. And Jello is a slime.


    Yvonne looks a bit lost at all that information, and Aranya cant help but giggle at the overwhelmed avian. Youll get to know them all, Im sure. Most of them have their various areas they tend to focus on, but Teemo and Fluffles are the most likely to be wandering around. She smiles at the new Resident and gives her hand a reassuring squeeze. Youll get used to it just fine, Im sure.


    Yvonne doesnt look so certain, but she seems determined to try to find her ce here. She nods at the door. So we should go in, then? Aranya nods, and Yvonne cautiously opens the door.


    Inside, they see the enchantersb, which looks a lot like aplicated mundane workshop, for the most part. The biggest difference from the one in the house, though, is the number of crystals and various things inscribed with runes. There are tools for working with practically any material, even a loom over in a corner! I wonder if thatd make it more or lessplicated for my spiders to make clothing.


    In the center of the room is a table with a multitude of mps, as well as a legion of lenses on swivels. That must be where the enchanting actually takes ce. Aranya and Yvonne both look on in awe at the things before them. They each slowly enter and look around, carefully examining the various things around. The array of lenses draws Aranyas attention first, and she takes several minutes to simply y with them, learning the magnification properties of the array.


    Yvonne takes a look at the various crystals, beforeing to examine the small shelf of books. She pulls one out and opens it, taking a brief look at a random page.


    It looks like a book on enchanting, she says, clearly able to read it, but not able to get much out of it. I guess itd be like handing a calculus book to an English major; they can read it, but it probably wont make much sense.


    Fluffles, go ahead and take that book, and as many others as you can carry, too. The Secret Library should be big enough to hold them, and if not they can just be on the floor. I want that stuff secured ASAP.


    I want the actual library down here secured, too, but I dont think thats in the cards right now. Its not a small library. Ill focus and examine everythingter. Fluffles telekically plucks the book from Yvonnes hand, and after a few moments of consideration, reshelves it and simply levitates the small bookshelf. Itll be a bit crowded in the secret library for a bit, but I think itll all fit.


    With the stuff I needed them for done, Teemo and Fluffles head off: Fluffles to deliver the books and Teemo to scout all this new territory and make more shortcuts. Aranya and Yvonne watch them leave: Aranya with a shrug, and Yvonne with apparent confusion. The kobold looks to her new fellow Resident and speaks up.


    Looks like the Sanctuary is done with what it needed us for, for now.


    Yvonne looks lost. Then what do I do? It saved me, but I dont know how to repay it.


    Aranya takes a few seconds to consider, seeming to be thinking about her own start, before smiling at some of the memories. It saved me, too, and I still dont know how to actually repay the Sanctuary. In some aspects, its like its straight out of my peoples legends. And in other ways, its utterly different and confusing.


    But I think this Sanctuary, at least in part, wants us to find our own path. It doesnt seem to just want servants or worshipers. It seems to be happy to provide what it can but it is a young sanctuary, and so cant provide much more than protection. She smiles and looks towards my core, and Yvonne cant help but follow her gaze, even if its aimed at the wall of the enchantingb right now.


    Yet its also a wise Sanctuary. It recognizes it cant provide everything for us. And as we learn to provide for ourselves, we can teach the Sanctuary to better provide, too. It knows how important knowledge is. It brought us here, to secure this knowledge, after all. I think, as long as we all learn, we can all improve.


    Aranyas little speech really seems to give Yvonne something to think about, and apparently she already has a question.


    What did you do when you first arrived?


    Aranya blushes a bit, embarrassed, but responds truthfully. I mostly screamed and ran. I was fleeing a tunnel horror, and the Sanctuary saved me, and killed it. After that I slept. I was exhausted. But after it epted me as a Resident, I explored some.


    Yvonne considers that and looks around the room, and at the doorway. Im a ranger, so Im pretty good at exploring, at least. Perhaps we should explore some here, before going to the core? You mentioned safeguarding knowledge, like the books the snake Fluffles? She shakes her head at the strange name for my little telekine noodle.


    The scion confiscated. I doubt thats all the books Neverrest had. If theres more, perhaps we should look for them?


    Aranya looks a little ufortable at the idea, probably because she cant read. After a few moments, though, she seems to steel herself and nod. You can read, then?


    Yvonne seems a bit put off by the question. Of course. You can too, right?


    The kobold sighs and slumps a little, shaking her head. Theres precious little chance to learn down in the depths.


    Yvonne blinks in surprise at that, before stepping up beside her fellow Resident and cing a hand on her shoulder. Then I can help. I can help organize what information the Sanctuary can find. She smiles and kneels down, to look Aranya in the eyes. And I can teach you to read. We can both grow and learn, and help our new home.

 Chapter Thirty-One: Biting the Bullet

    Chapter Thirty-One: Biting the Bullet


    With my two Residents full of resolve, they set about exploring the various other rooms around the enchanting workshop, and it doesnt take long before they find the library. Its not a gigantic library, but it still definitely deserves the title. Its got shelves on all the walls, several rows of shelves away from the walls, and what looks like a lectern or something to do your reading on. Bleh, no couches or anything to befortable?


    I suppose it makes sense. The lich probably wouldnt lounge on a couch reading aic or something. Yvonne doesnt seem to care about theck offortable reading spots, though, and simply grabs a random book off a shelf. She nces inside the cover before putting it back, and grabbing the next book. She frowns when she looks inside, and sighs at the contents of the third book in line.


    Theyre not organized at all. The first was a book on trade routes from a century ago, then a book of poetry, and this one seems to be a cookbook, of all things. She gives the room a wary eye, and I have to agree with her bodynguage. Thats going to be a lot of work to transform into an actual usable library. At least it means theres probably not much actually dangerous in here.


    It looks like theyre both going to be poking around the library for a bit, so I leave them to it for now. I still have a mess in the graveyard to sort out. I dunno if anyone is going to want to use the ce for burying bodies anymore, but I want it in presentable condition.


    I dont need no rubble and dismembered corpses littering the resting ces of whoevers buried here. I dont need wandering corpses, either, so I set them all to the mausoleum and have Tiny web the door closed before letting him head back to the maze. I think he liked the field trip, but the big lug is definitely more of a homebody than a scion like Teemo.


    Speaking of scions Im in a bit of a pickle. At the house, everything is running nice and smoothly because of all my scions. But I dont have any scions over in the cemetery or in the caves. I mean, I have Jello in the caves, and she seems to be just having a ball down there. Its hard to tell with slimes, but Im pretty sure shes enjoying herself. At the very least, shes patrolling and keeping things from getting too far in.


    But she cant handle both the caves and Im gonna call it the cryptplex, for now. It seems like it was more or less the lichs stomping grounds. Theres a bunch of rooms and such. Maybe I should try to move my ratlings in here? Theyre doing well enough in the caves under the house, but its a bit crowded over there.


    Additionally, theres still the whole surface cemetery. I never had much reason to think about how to care for one before I died, so Im not sure what Ill actually need. The more I think about it, though the more I think Ill need to unweb the undead mausoleum after all.


    Alright. Lets take an actual look at what these spawners can do. First: the zombie spawner. Technically, its<strong> Fleshy Undead</strong>, because thats moreforting than just calling it a zombie spawner, I guess. Pretty much all the options are unsavory, in my opinion. Ghouls, ghasts, wights, skinwalks I never thought <em>zombies </em>would be my best bet, but there it is. Ill leave it for now.


    The skeleton spawner has a few options, but they boil down to various vors of fighting or magic skeleton. I dont really want either. Thoughe to think of it, my scions basically grow into whatever role I seem to assign them, so maybe it wont matter, at least for the scion? I do have an idea for what I want him to do. Id love to not have an undead scion, but I think I have to work with what Im being given. Ill check the other spawners before I do, though. I want to make sure I have enough mana for everything.


    I had expected the bee spawner to act like the ant spawner, but it seems like it will let me spawn a scion without much fuss. I wonder if any of the books in the library has info on bees. I thought they would form new hives like ants form new hills, but apparently not. I have an idea for what to use a bee scion for, too, and looks like it wont cost too much, either. Still, on to the next spawner.


    The second rat spawner doesn''t let me have a second rat scion. Lame. At least with packrats over here now, too, I can get loot running and so get more mana.


    The hand spawner has all sorts of options for hands, which I wasnt expecting. Theres the skeletal hands that seem to be scouts. Theres zombie hands that seem to be ambush attackers, maybe simr to my spiders? And then theres just hands. They seem to be gifted with magic, but thats all the info I can get without spawning a scion.


    I take a moment to make sure I have plenty of mana to spend on these, and I do. Neverrest really did give me a boatload of mana. Ive been kinda burning through it, but I think Ill be able to slow things down a bit after getting my new scions spawned.


    I go for the hand scion first, and I of course dub it Thing. It doesnt seem to have the cheekiness Thing on TV has, but thats fine. I send it to the enchantingb to get acquainted with the tools there. I had considered having Fluffles be in charge of my enchanting, but I like him being more able to wander around and deal with trouble. Besides, Im not in any real rush to get magic stuff, so I can let Thing take its time. Ill need to spend more manater to upgrade the secret enchantingb, but that cer.


    Next up is the bee scion, who Im calling Honey. I send her, and her little swarm, to the library. Looks like Aranya and Yvonne are exploring around theplex by now, so they dont get to greet the new scion. I tell Teemo to prioritize a few trails from the library to the surface when he gets a chance. Honey is going to be a busy bee, but if Queen can handle leafcutter ant stuff <em>and </em>alchemy stuff, Im sure Honey can handle a library alongside bee duties.


    Thest scion, though, I have a unique n for. Im d the ratlings can kinda make things, because Im going to need some things. I need my spiders to help with this, too. Thankfully, it doesnt cost much mana, since its not really anything they havent done before. Well, except for the dye, but thats just coal and water. Not exactly aplex process.


    My skelly exits the crypt and closes the door behind him, not seeming to be bothered by the odd task I have for him. From the tunnelse a few ratlings, carrying what I asked them to make. Firstly, a long, ck, robe. Even if Im in good standing, I get the feeling I shouldnt parade around naked undead. Insert boner joke here. Also insert joke about inserting boners here, too.


    The second thing is a scythe. My ratlings dont seem to have mastered steel just yet, but they can handle iron. Its nice and sharp, and he looks nice and sharp in his getup. Ima call him Grim, the grounds-reaper, and I set him to his first task: using a scythe for its intended purpose. The grass here is way too shaggy.


    He barely gets started before I have two delvers, and Im pleased to see its Ara and Rangar. Theyre back in their regr duds now, too, so I think things are more or less settled. They give Grim wary looks, which fade to confusion as they see him mowing thewn. Ragnar seems to be the first to gather his thoughts about what theyre seeing, and heughs.


    Ach! This dungeon as a sense a humor!


    Ara can only shake her head and chuckle in agreement. Indeed. Come, let us see if we can find Yvonne, or a scion to lead us to her. We need to talk about the guilds response to whats transpired.

 Chapter Thirty-Two: Consequences

    Chapter Thirty-Two: Consequences


    Yvonne sighs and hangs her head a bit under the shade of the tree that her and her friends meet under to discuss what happened. I probably shouldnt be surprised Im out of the guild


    Well only technically, speaks up Ragnar, to the confusion of mytest Resident. Ara continues.


    You see, while you have technically fallen in duty to the guild in thepletion of a major quest, theres technically nothing keeping you from rejoining.


    Yvonne looks confused. What? Undead arent barred from joining?


    Ragnar grins. Not technically! Ysee, th normal rquirements keep undead out anyway. No zombie sign a contract, fer example. But nothin in the charter nor in any o th bws specificly excludes smart undead!


    So I coulde back? But Yvonne looks a bit rudderless, and her friends continue to try to help walk her though whats going on.


    The Guildmaster is fully aware of your unique situation and new obligations, and he asked us to remind you that, even as an Adventurer Guild member, youre technically not obliged to take on any quests you dont wish to. If you feel a quest is too far away, or at cross-purposes to the dungeon, simply dont ept them. Ara gives her friend a gentle smile.


    And while you would need to find a party to join, it just so happens the Guild has a party that is tragically shy of a member after theirtest quest. You would technically be back on the bottom rung of cement, but the Guildmaster has set a new quest to return the property that was tragically lost in the conquest of Neverrest.


    Ragnar grins again. Guildmaster dinnae miss a trick, aye? If ya rejoin an juste back wi th fancy gear ya borrowed, he said yell basically be back to where ya were in guild standin, an have a big payment forpletin th quest!


    Yvonne, for her part, still looks lost. Teemo wriggles out of a crack in the ground nearby, and she looks to him. What should I do? Can I truly be an adventurer <em>and </em>a Resident? Teemo looks at her for a few seconds before giving a squeak and continuing on his way. Those shortcuts dont make themselves.


    She turns her gaze back to her friends. And can I even leave, even if I <em>do </em>ept the offer?


    Ara nods. While nobody seems to be absolutely sure, it seems highly likely youll be able to leave for at least some period of time. Neverrest could send its undead denizens out beyond its borders. Additionally, Miss Aranya is also able to sojourn, as she puts it. If undead can leave, and Residents can leave, undead Residents should be able to leave, reasons the elf.


    Ragnar looks around, watching Teemo vanish down the start of another shortcut. An it seems t me yer dungeon isnae opposed t ye rejoining, too.


    Yvonne slowly nods. Aranya did say it seems to want us to do more than just be here. Her resolve seems to slowly firm, and she stands with a nod. Yes. I would like to rejoin the guild, then.


    Her friends smile and all three grasp hands. Theyre been through much together, and they all intend to get through much more in the same way.


    I can only half pay attention to the warm reunion of the party right now, though. After Fluffles took those books to the secret base, I lost track of him. Hes not out on an expedition or something, either. I scour my various ces, and get a bit of an appreciation for just how much Ive grown since I got here.


    Used to be, itd take me just a few moments to scan myself and bring the little vague feelings of whats happening to the forefront of my mind. But now I have the house, the garden, the maze, the tunnels, the cemetery, and the cryptplex.


    Hes not in theplex, thats the first ce I checked. I thought maybe he came back to look at the workshop or look at other books. But no, Thing is still all on its own in the enchanting workshop. Looks like it''s getting ready to head to the secret base to look over the enchanting books and get an actual idea of how to enchant things.


    Hes not up in the cemetery, either. The whole graveyard is pretty quiet and peaceful now, with Grims mowing being the only real movement up there. I wonder if the local churches will want toe consecrate the ce or something. I dont even know if thats a thing.


    Hes not down in the tunnels. Jello is doing Jello things, eating gremlins and other invaders. I kinda get the feeling she misses eating the undead, but seems to be going for quantity of other stuff, rather than the quality of roaming corpses. The ratlings are also helping mine out various new tunnels and caverns, too. Theyre still not especially good at it, but more room means more room for encounters. Ill probably sit down soon and try to design an actual tunnelplex beneath the house soon. Ill also probably need Coda to help. Sonar will help to n and make sure the ratlings mine where and what they need to.


    Its strange, but I feel like most of what I mine of the walls almost vanishes, while the nodes seem to never lessen. Must be some part of the weirdness of this reality. Either way, Ill probably need to designate a few more mining nodes if I want to fancy the ce up.


    Anyhow, back on the hunt for Fluffles. Hes also not in the house. Business has been slowly picking back up, seems like most delvers are content to wait for the official all-clear from the office of dungeon affairs and elf guy. I wonder when hell get back. Its been a while since he took a look around.


    Hes not in the maze, either. Thats still just Tiny and the dire rat thieves. Tiny seems to be nning out a newyout for the maze, cing webs and such and almost sectioning parts off. Looks like hes got an area up to the first chest thats a fairly straight shot, probably for the people that try to just sprint through. The deepest chest, though, is starting to get pretty good. Its no longer a least nor even a lesser chest. Big guy knows how to try to lure stronger adventurers deeper.


    Fluffles isnt even in the yard, and thats thest area to look! The herbalism nodes are getting a bit overgrown, thanks to the lull in delvers while dealing with Neverrest. But now theyre getting pruned back by the more daring herbalists. The ant hill is still spitting out ants. It started asionally producing carpenter majors that are the size of mice, and Queen has been taking a few to help move herrger experiments around, while the rest are helping spread the various fungi around in the tunnels. I dont know how, but theres some new types popping up in a few nooks down there.


    Fluffles isnt even in the snake spawner! Oh wait. He is. Why is he in there? <strong>Ascending</strong>? What?

 Chapter Thirty-Three: Loose Ends

    Chapter Thirty-Three: Loose Ends


    Tr smiles as she ces the final seal upon the scroll.


    <strong>Neverrest Boneyard</strong>


    <strong>Subsumed</strong>


    Couldnt have happened to a better dungeon, she says, d to have that pain in the neck finally dealt with. Fourdock will certainly be doing something weird again soon, but shell drink her inkwell if its anything even remotely as dangerous as Neverrest would have done.


    She gets a second scroll and magically copies the contents. The main guild will want to have the full ount for the records. She almost does the same for the Fourdock dungeon, but refrains for now. It will be best to wait to update the rest of the guild on that once the Inspector can get a good look around. The details as she has them now are vague and sparse at best, and the Guild was formed tobat that kind of poor understanding of dungeons in the first ce.


    No, that wouldnt do at all. So she simply ces the copied scroll aside, and the other two scrolls back on the shelf; one in the section for former dungeons, and the other on the section for active ones, right next to the other two.


    <strong>Meanwhile</strong>


    Karn the Slight smiles as he takes a step back, appreciating thetest trophy for his guild house. Sure, its just a scroll with a seal at the moment, but the Dungeoneers Guild should be making a proper trophy que for the destruction of Neverrest. As with all things withrge organizations, it will take a while, but even the ceholder scroll deserves a ce of pride among his guilds achievements.


    There is, of course, the trophy case of ribbons and true trophies from the various Adventurer tournaments. His own party even came in second ce in the Iron Barony Reliquary Hunt! But that was a while ago. But thetest de is one of the rarest ones as well. Its not often a dungeon even earns the ire of the Dungeoneers so much that it needs to be destroyed, and rarer still that its actually aplished. Most of the time, cores are smashed and the offending dungeon is weakened, rather than outright removed.


    But that small party, and that <em>new </em>dungeon proved up to the task of actually subsuming Neverrest! Karn knows a lot of people will assume it was mostly the partys doing, but a lot of people know practically nothing of dungeons. He knows it was Fourdock that was able to destroy Neverrest, not the party. Still, they hardly did nothing.


    The report he got from Ragnar and Ara was concerning, then tragic, then confusing. Yvonne, not only a Resident now, but undead as well? Intelligent still, too, which for most people is only something theoretical or nightmarish, depending on how the theory goes. He had sent the two to go turn in the quest at the Dungeoneers while he pored over Guild bws, as well as kingdomws.


    Guildw doesnt actually mention undead anywhere, probably because theres never been an undead that could meet the other requirements for membership. Kingdomws <em>do </em>mention the undead, but theres also a lot of wiggle room there. While a perpetrator being undead will impose harsher penalties for most crimes, it seems nobody ever actually put quill to parchment to ouw actually being undead.


    That discovery put a smile of Karns face. While he sometimes misses going out on quests, its things like this that remind him why hes here. Sneaking around and slipping daggers into what needs them may solve immediate problems, but sneaking through legal codes and finding loopholes is more satisfying and lucrative. Its a small wonder that so many rogues retire and go intow. The skillsets ovep so nicely.


    <strong>Elsewhere</strong>


    I hate inspecting the Southwood grumbles Tarl as he moves through the forest. Its not that the Southwood is a dangerous dungeon. Far from it, in fact. Its practically the poster child for toyboxes! Well, if it werent for how bloodyrge the ce is!


    Where a dungeon like Fourdock can be inspected in an hour or two, Southwood takes close to a week! And everything is so spread out! The elf sighs and shakes his head as he continues, trying to keep his focus. The White Stags clearing shouldnt be too far from here, and the core is never far from it.


    He focuses his mind by speaking to his voicecatcher. Closer to a guildhouse, hed be able to magically transmit a copy directly to someone like Tr. In the outskirts of the Green Sea, though, hell have to actually make it back to be able to give his report.


    Southwood remains mostly unchanged sincest inspection. Various nodes appear to have moved, which is typical for its behavior. What few denizens there are appear to still be focussed on growing and nurturing the various herbalism and hunting nodes. White Stags clearing appears to still have antler markings on the trees from the Stag.


    The forest starts to thin, and he can make out the form of the Southwoods only known Scion. Spotted the Stag. Expect to need to barter information to be able to check on the core, as usual.


    He gets closer, and therge stag peers down on him with those solid blue, softly-glowing eyes.


    Outsider. Youe to gain information, and know you must offer information in trade. Speak.


    Tarl manages to not roll his eyes at the great Scion and Voice of the Southwood. If he manages to upset it, hed have a far worse fight on his hands than with that big spider back in Fourdock. For all the Stags apparent majesty and grace, it basically only wants gossip on other dungeons. If thats all he has to pay to be able to confirm Southwoods core is still more or less the same, hell happily pay it.


    The Harbor remains unchanged. It still viciously defends its waters, but shows no interest at all in expanding them. Neverrest appears to be slowly building up again. It must be able to tell Fourdock has a new dungeon, so it will be wanting to try to consume it as its done the others that formed there.


    The new Fourdock dungeon has created a maze of brambles, guarded by its mightiest Scion. The price for failing the trial is not death, however. If captured, delvers are webbed and an item of value is taken, before they are removed from the bramble and eventually the dungeon.


    The Stag tilts his head at that, possibly listening to the cores response to that. The silence continues longer than usual, and the inspector starts to wonder if something has gone wrong, before the Stag finally speaks once more.


    My Lord suspects more has happened since youst frequented Neverrest and Fourdock. The number of wasp invaders has lessened dramatically in thest day. My Lord bids you return with news of what transpired, and you will be graced with news of transpirings deeper in the Green Sea.


    The Scion shakes his head, sending a faint series of chimes from the points of light hanging from his antlers. For now, the ord is met, and you may gaze upon my Lords Heart and behold there is no w nor blemish to be found.


    The elf nods and gives a careful bow to the White Stag as he steps aside, and enters the clearing. Clearing entered. Core appears unchanged. Clearing appears unchanged. Quest offered and epted to give Southwood updated information on Neverrest and possibly Fourdock dungeons. Info on the Green Sea Forest has been offered as payment. Extracting. Should return to Fourdock itself in about a week.

 Chapter Thirty-Four: Fighting Boredom

    Chapter Thirty-Four: Fighting Boredom


    Man, ascension takes a while. Theres a little progress bar under his portrait in the snake den, but it doesnt give a percent or anything. From the slow rate of filling, though, itll probably take a few days before hes done doing whatever ascension does.


    At least I have a vague idea <em>why </em>hes ascending. Hes finally earned himself a title: Conduit. All I can think is that its because he was how I got Neverrests mana. Itd make sense that itd do something to the noodle. That was a lot of energy being moved.


    I havent had too much else to do, though. Yvonne is on her sojourn to the guild to return the stuff she borrowed and renew her membership. I told my spiders to go ahead and make her a set of silk clothes and a hammock/bed thing for her in the secret base, too.


    I also make sure they stay quiet. Aranya has been up way past her bed time, and is sleeping soundly in the secret base. Im pretty sure she gave my core a little prayer of thanks or something before going to sleep, too. I wish I could tell her she doesnt need to do anything like that, but I get the feeling she wouldnt really listen, even if I could.


    Im actually kinda bored. I dont have the mana right now to start any actual projects. Delvers have been slowly trickling back in around the house, but its nothing like it was before dealing with Neverrest.


    I poke around my various things, just kinda letting my mind wander, until I notice something strange with the rat spawner. Its well and truly taken over the basement, and I even have a few dozen ratlings wandering around doing their things. I was wondering if I could upgrade the spawner further, and it looks like the answer isplicated.


    <strong>Rat Spawner: Max Level!</strong>


    <strong>Enve Avable: 1/1</strong>


    Upon investigation, it asks me to designate an area for an Enve. I mean, I had been considering moving the ratlings over to the cryptplex. Seems theres a ton of room over there, and if they get to digging, there will be even more. Itll take a fair pile of mana, but not as much as I would have expected. Itll be basically everything I have at the moment but why not? If another Neverrest attacked or something, I wouldnt have the mana to mount a decent defense right now anyway, and mana sitting there is mana not doing any work.


    I designate the furthest part of the cryptplex for my ratlings. It might have been a barracks or something when Neverrest was using it, but it should be plenty of space for my ratlings to have an Enve, whatever that actually means. The space itself doesnt change at all when I spend the mana, but all my ratlings sprout a progress bar.


    <strong>Advancing</strong>


    Looks like that will take a while, too. The ratlings are already acting a bit differently, though. Pretty much all of them head to the warehouse and grab wood and tools, and head for their new Enve. A couple even grab a fewrger spiders to bring, which the spiders dont seem to object to.


    Once at the new Enve, they first start cleaning up, removing the rotten and decaying bunks. At first, they just pile them outside the area, but a few start taking long trips to the forge to use the things as fuel. Theyll probably make terrible fuel, but its better than just letting them sit around and rot.


    While a few see to the rotten old bits, most of the others see to getting their Enve started. Crude wooden tools are gnawed into shape, and then used to makerger things. Looks like theyre making a crude wheelbarrow, or a couple, looks like. The first ismandeered by the ones clearing out the trash to more easily get stuff to the smelter.


    The next one is trundled up to the graveyard surface, and Grim points them towards a spot near one of the outer walls. At first, I think they are somehow trying to escape, but they actually just want some dirt. I suppose thatrge box down there will be for growing some kind of crop. Probably mushrooms.


    Other ones work on making a few cages for the spiders, weaving their silk into a simplettice to spread over framed boxes. The spiders dont seem to mind, especially since the ratlings keep feeding them mice and roaches. No taming bar appears, though, which is kinda strange.


    Come nightfall, they have about six caged spiders, most of the trash has been burned in the furnace, and their mushroom bed looks about half filled with dirt. They havent tried to make any beds or anything yet, and more or less just getfortable in a big pile to sleep. From the progress on the bars, theyll need about a week to finish this.


    Oddly enough, Ive had a few more ratlings spawn, but they dont have progress bars, and dont seem to have any interest in the Enve. Even more strange: looking at them and the ones in the Enve, I can already see some differences.

 Chapter Thirty-Five: Adjusting Normalcy

    Chapter Thirty-Five: Adjusting Normalcy


    So, thisst week has somehow managed to be both interesting and kinda boring at the same time. I dont mind some boring after all the excitement with Neverrest, but still!


    My new scions have been adjusting and growing into their new niches. Honey has started slowly working on organizing the library, and I do mean slowly. It takes a ton of bees to move a book, and it takes her a while to read it to know where it should go. Im not sure if I should be surprised that she can read or not.


    I gave her what vagueness I could remember of the dewey decimal system, and shes been working on it. Aranya sometimes goes in there just to watch her work, too, when shes not busy.


    Thing has picked up at least the rudiments of enchantment, and it looks like most of the application for me is in trapmaking. No wonder Neverrest had so many traps. I had been avoiding the things a lot since all I had ess to were either so minor that the mana gain didnt make much difference, or potentially lethal.


    Magical traps seem to be a lot more versatile. The first trap hes managed to make is a slowing trap, which is very helpful around the entrances in the tunnels. He takes a crystal, a bit of honeb, a ball of web, wiggles his fingers around, and I have a little slowness trap. I can get behind traps like this. Jello loves them, too. Shes taken to wandering from entrance to entrance to catch whatevers been slowed. I hope Thing figures out an entangling trap, or something simr. Thatd be even better for Jello.


    Grim seems to enjoy tending to the graveyard, and Ive even seen himing over to the yard around the house to keep thewn a bit more managed. The Enve ratlings have been gathering the cuttings, too, to feed their little mushroom farm, and weave a few rough little baskets.


    Aranyas been spending a lot of her time in there with them thest week. Her eyes seemed to light up when she noticed the Enve, too, and shes been trying to help them get their society started.


    Yeah, a society. Theyve been changing a lot over the week. Theyre still listed as Ratlings, but the Advancement bars are almost full. I bet theyll get a different name once it does. They only have a passing resemnce to the ratlings anymore.


    Theyve also started wearing clothing. Its a lot rougher than what I made for Aranya and Yvonne, and they seem to have used a bit of the grass cuttings as reinforcement and/or decoration. It keeps their modesty, at least.


    Theyve even gone on a few small expeditions on their own, and returned with some dead critters from deeper in the caverns. My little ratlings are getting along just fine, it seems, and I think I have Aranya to thank for that.


    As for my other Resident well, she hasnt been around very much thest week. Shees back in to rest, changing into the silk robe and such once in the secret base, and gives Aranya her reading lesson for the night, and is off again in the morning. She doesnt sleep, though. The first night she tried, but after tossing and turning for over an hour, she got up and wandered. I get the feeling that she cant sleep anymore. Shes taken to helping Honey organize the library instead, which seems to help clear her mind. I hope she can get some more hobbies eventually. The library wont be able to keep her forever.


    Shes also mentioned that most of the quests shes been getting have been from various mages and clerics in the city, wanting to study her. Its apparently been a bit awkward, but she wants information as much as they do.


    She seems to be almost stuck in the state she died in, which makes her a pretty intact corpse. From Things studying, it seems Lifedrinking basically just sucks the hp out of someone. Since Ara and the ants healed her as well as they could, shes in as good a condition as shes ever been.


    Shes also not breaking down like most undead do, which is weird. I think its because of the upkeep I pay in mana. The experts say shes been suffused with different energy than what powers other undead. They even did a little test with a pinprick and healing spells.


    That would have hurt a normal undead, but she said it felt a lot like getting healed before she ever became undead. There was a lot of technical talk that she didnt understand, but she was at least able to get them to stop nerding out long enough to tell her that shes in no danger of bing a rotting walking corpse.


    Her mind also seems to be unaffected, which makes both of us relieved. She doesnt want to lose herself, and I dont want to have done something like that to her. Its still something to keep quiet, though. Nobody wants to learn theres an intelligent undead walking around. Thats the kind of thing that draws crowds with torches and pitchforks.

 Chapter Thirty-Six: Starting the Next Inspection

    Chapter Thirty-Six: Starting the Next Inspection


    Today is looking like itll be pretty eventful. Still not much delver activity, though Yvonne was able to confirm that most delvers are waiting for the inspection before returning. She also said the Dungeoneers Guild (or the Office of Dungeon Affairs, as I like to call it) expects him within the next few days to do the much anticipated look around.


    No, the activity will being from Fluffles and the Enve! Looks like both will be finishing up sometime today. I cant wait to see what my favorite noodle will be with the ascension finished. The Ratlings in the Enve are also much different than my normal ratlings. I think Aranya is going to do some kind of ceremony with them once she wakes up tonight, so thatll probably finish that up.


    I can feel my gates opening, which is a bit of a surprise, and I smile to myself as I see Elf Guy! As is tradition, Poe and all my birds start squawking, cawing, tweeting, and generally making a racket. He grimaces and looks up to Poe as two more sets of feet join him.


    Rhonda and Freddie? He cant be nning to bring them on the inspection, can he? I tell the birds to shut up for a second, and the three delvers look around.


    Whyd they stop? asks Freddie, looking pretty good in what looks to be fairly worn ringmail. He has a tabard over it with a crystalline shield, so I can only assume hes getting further with being a pdin.


    Whyd they even start? follows up Rhonda, wearing the most ssic of ck mage robe and hat, and a short staff with a carved swirl on the top. Elf Guy just sighs.


    The Dungeon knows and seems to approve of me, and shows it with the birds making noise when I show up. They stopped because I think it knows you two areing along for the inspection.


    Uh Poe? Would you kindly p down there and get an exnation for this? Elf Guy likes to y with the more dangerous stuff, and I dont think the kids are ready for that.


    The group freezes as Poe gives a louder caw and spreads his wings, casting them in shadow as he takes off. He circles a few times before gliding in andnding before them, the big bird muchrger than any ordinary raven, or <em>any </em>bird back home, for that matter. Hes able to look him directly in the eye as he caws again at Elf Guy, who looks quite unhappy.


    I know! Theyre kids! But theyre also the most experienced delvers in town! The guild hasnt sent anyone to back me up for this inspection, yet it requires I not inspect solo after what your big spider did!


    Tiny, corrects Rhonda and Freddie at the same time. Elf Guy just points both hands at the kids in exasperation.


    See?! They even know your spider Scions name! The kids exchange awkward looks while Poe continues to eye Elf Guy. Hes got a point, but I dont want the kids trying to get around the traps over in the cryptplex. Yvonne hasnt left for the day yet, though. Maybe she can help.


    I mull it over a few more seconds before giving Poe the clear, and he caws at the kids once more. Elf Guy detes a bit and nods.


    Yeah, I know. Theyre my responsibility. I don''t want them getting hurt any more than you do. Poe nods and takes off tond back on his nest, letting him observe the yard and beyond. The kids look to Elf Guy with wonder.


    You can understand the dungeon?! exims Rhonda, looking like shes about to nerd out, and the elf holds up his hand to stop her.


    Not in so many words. It doesnt have a Voice yet, so it has to speak with actions. It takes a bit of practice, and you have to get to know the dungeon a bit before you can interpret with any kind of uracy, he exins, before pulling out his little talky thing which appears to be a magical rock?


    Have entered Fourdock Dungeon via the main gate at the mansion. Dungeon recognized me, but seemed to want to know why I am not solo this time. I exined the situation, and it seems to ept. Proceeding with inspection.


    I let them check out the yard and the manor while I have Teemo get Yvonnes attention. Shes probably a bit bored what with not being able to sleep anymore, so she follows him without much prompting. I wonder if liches delve so deeply into forbidden magic just because its something to do?


    With the party, they take a quick look around the yard, and the kids point out the new cave to the underground area, which he notes into his rock. I dont send anything too mean at them, mostly because I dont have much mean in and around the house anyway. I have some ns for some stuff forter, but I need to get my mana production back up and running with that sweet sweet delver ie. At least they do their part on that front by fighting encounters and gathering herbs and stuff.


    The inspector spots the snake den, and stares for a few moments before pulling out the rock. Snake scion Ascending, looks like itll finish any minute now. Conduit title, so it was the one to drain Neverrests core. Consider this preliminary confirmation Neverrest is Subsumed.


    Inside the house its mostly the same: fight things, loot things. I let them fight a nice swarm in the attic with lightning enchantment, and it goes pretty smoothly for them. Rhonda knows how to protect from lightning pretty well, and Elf Guy is some serious DPS. Freddie keeps the swarms attention and their spiders give what support they can.


    I still get a lot of satisfaction that Elf Guy visibly waits to get the boss xp before opening the chest. Out the window and onto the roof, they get a few more encounters and poke around the belfry, and Rhonda spots some seeds she seems to like, before they head for the basement.


    Basement stairs contain multiple rotten and squeaky floorboards. Rat Warren has overtaken basement entirely. There appears to be an entrance to the cave system, but there is too much rat activity to make it a viable pathway. Possible location of secret sanctuary, but too much activity to confirm.


    They head up and out, and the inspector starts paying more attention, as this is new territory for him. Fresh cave system from the earthquake reported from the expansion. Many various mining nodes observed. Minor gremlin activity drawn by the nodes. Dungeon appears to maintain focus on eliminating invaders quickly and efficiently. Oozes abundant in caves, as well as more bat activity. Dungeon appears to be still working on fully utilizing the tunnels. Likely was distracted by encroachment of Neverrest.


    He chuckles and pockets his rock. I wish I had been here for the fight. If Fourdock hadntunched that surprise attack, it would have been in big trouble. I wonder if Neverrest actually knew most of the adventurers were gone that day.


    It couldnt though right? asks Freddie, suddenly worried that the boneyard had been more informed than anyone had thought. The elf just shrugs.


    Its hard to say, but Neverrest was pretty determined to cause trouble. It had wasps, too, to send on expeditions. They wouldnt be the best at gathering intel, but even they can tell when a guildhall is empty. The kids dont seem to like that, and Freddie speaks up again.


    Do you think Fourdock keeps tabs on that kind of thing, too?


    Probably. That raven Scion is a Marshall, so hes been managing a lot of expeditions. He chuckles at the kids. I wouldnt worry, though. This dungeon doesnt strike me as the type to actually spy on anyone. Besides, birds arent the best at that kind of thing. Better than wasps, but they still dont pay attention to the right things. Youre telling me, Elf Guy. I feel like half the things the bird expeditions want to tell me about are various shiny things they spotted, even when Im pretty sure theyre almost all just shards of ss.


    Rhonda points down the tunnel theyre traveling in. We should being up on the spiderir soon. You can handle a widow, right? The inspector nods and pulls out the rock again.


    Approaching spiderir, guides warn of widow spawning. It will probably be spawning aranea soon, too. The Rat Warren was maxed out and spawning ratlings, so I doubt this one will be far behind. Widow spotted. Engaging. The kids eyes widen and they turn to face the threat. Freddie and Fiona keep it distracted and slowed with webbing, giving Rhonda a chance to freeze a few of its legs to the ground. A Shadow de from the elf, and soon theyre raking in the xp, and Im raking in the mana. Definitely going to need to get tougher delvers in to beat up more of the widows.


    They only take a peek inside their before moving on, as there are a few more widows wandering around as they decide which tunnel they want to patrol. Further down the tunnel, Freddie points out the public war room.


    Public war room confirmed, even appears to be furnished via ratling craftsmanship. Table is rough, but stable. Chairs simr. Large map of the surrounding area and dungeon on top. He takes a few seconds to look over the thing. Secret Sanctuary not included. Likey other details missing as well.


    From the entrancees the voice of my new Resident, and she seems slightly amused by the party. Is this an inspection, or a field trip? she jokes with a smile, and seems to understand why Teemo led her here. The kids are a little embarrassed, but the inspector is all business.


    An inspection, good Resident. I take it youre to help with the more dangerous areas of the inspection? he asks in a formal tone, and my birb nods.


    Yes. The cryptplex has a multitude of dangerous traps from Neverrest. The dungeon seems to intend to let them wear off, but it does take time. The inspector nods, and notices Teemo, his official demeanor faltering a bit.


    Ah and the rat scion. Still no Voice, but its smart enough tomunicate at least somewhat. He turns his focus back to Yvonne. Would you be willing to give information on the various scions?


    Yvonne nces to Teemo, who nods before climbing up to rest on her shoulder, officially joining her to chauffeur the group. She returns her focus to the elf and the kids, and nods. Yes. It seems the dungeon isnt against sharing that information.


    She doesnt continue yet. I dont know if its because she wants them to ask specific questions, or if shes distracted by Fluffles finishing his ascension. She definitely looks up that way, at least. Elf Guy follows her gaze before his eyes widen in realization.


    I suppose Ill start with asking about the snake scion, then.

 Chapter Thirty-Seven: Continuing the Inspection

    Chapter Thirty-Seven: Continuing the Inspection


    Wingnoodle! Yes, Fluffles Ascension has brought with it a pair of feathery wings, officially making him a quatl. Hes gotten a bit bigger, too. He was around six feet long before, but now hes pushing ten. Itll be a tighter fit for him in some of the snake tunnels now, especially with those wings, but he should still be able to get around with ease.


    His MP bar also looks different in that its not there anymore. He seems a little curious about that, too, as he levitates a couple nearby rocks. I can feel the tiniest trickle of my mana being used when he does. He uses my mana to cast stuff now? Thats probably made him my most dangerous scion by far. If he has my full pool of mana to draw on, the snek could probably levitate things all day without breaking a sweat. I wouldnt want him to waste my mana like that, though.


    He seems toe to the same conclusion, and I tell him to head down to the public war room to introduce himself. In the meantime, Yvonne answers Elf Guys question as best she can.


    Fluffles is, as you know, the snake scion. Hes a magic user, mostly force, I think. Im no mage. He and Teemo here both tend to wander the Dungeon and tend to various tasks, though Teemo is usually zing new trails.


    She smiles at the rat scion on her shoulder, and even gives him some little pets before continuing. Teemo is the rat scion and Scout. Hes always exploring the Dungeon and creating shortcuts for the denizens and even residents. He, Fluffles, and Tiny were all involved in the raid on Neverrest. He tried to save me when the skeleton scion threw a lifedrinking sword at me. If not for the enchantment, he would have seeded in that, too.


    So youre actually undead? asks Freddie, looking confused. Ive heard rumors, but nobody actually believes them. Yvonne sighs and nods.


    I am. The Dungeon was able to help me return. The Raven gave me the choice of returning, or going to my final reward, and I chose to stay.


    Nobody really has any reply to that, which I find kinda interesting. I would have thought Freddie would want to grill Yvonne about what the afterlife was like, or about this Raven or something, but no. I guess the crystal shield church doesnt really deal with ferrying souls? Either way, that seems to have answered his question so thoroughly that it just leaves a bit of an awkward silence. You cant just follow up someone telling about how they died and came back with asking how their day was.


    Thankfully, Fluffles shows up not long after, and Elf Guys professional demeanor gets things rolling again.


    Snake Scion has Ascended to be a quatl. Has Conduit title, so at the very least, Fourdock has Subsumed <em>a</em> dungeon. Scion is named Fluffles, and despite the unassuming name, the Scion should not be engaged inbat. If it was able to reach any dungeons core, let alone Neverrests, it was a strong Scion even before Ascending.


    Fluffles likes the praise and coils into a very satisfied position as Elf Guy makes his voice notes, or reports to someone, or however the rock actually works. The kids just look at my wingnoodle with definite looks of awe, which only makes Fluffles happier.


    All right you snekbird, thats enough basking in adoration. Jellos been running around as quickly as she can to try to keep the tunnels clear of invaders. She could use your help down there. He nods to the nothing that is me, and nods at Yvonne and Teemo as well, before pping his wings and gliding down the tunnels. I think hes looking forward to actually putting his new abilities to the test.


    They all head through the tunnels and Yvonne gives what basic information that she can about the other scions, which gives me an idea for something to do once I get delvers back and making me mana. Elf Guy just continues speaking notes into the rock and asking questions, most of which I have Teemo nod to.


    The only real thing I t out refuse to give him info on is my core location, and the other secret rooms. Thats for Residents only. I dont think Elf Guy would do anything nefarious with the info, but I dont know every single person in the Office of Dungeon Affairs. Even in a fantasy world, bureaucracy will get corrupt. I dunno what a normal delver would be able to do with my core, but Im in no hurry to find out.


    He stops trying to wheedle that kind of info out of Yvonne, between encounters with slimes, once they reach the cryptplex, and he starts taking notes on the surroundings again, as Yvonne leads them around the various deadly traps.


    Confirm that Neverrest had numerous potent and deadly traps in its catbs. Also confirm that all appear to be wearing off. This corroborates the Residents im Fourdock has no interest in those traps and has set these to expire. Rmend catbs be off limits for approximately a month, and rmend scheduling the next inspection for that time.


    They get close to the Enve, and Elf Guy and the kids all seem surprised to see the ratlings standing guard at the doorway.


    Ratling Enve encountered, appears advancement will be finishing shortly. He looks to Yvonne to see if she has anything to add, which she does.


    Aranya said she wishes to do some ritual with themter, once she awakens. She tried to exin it to me, but Im not sure what it actually entails. I only understood that it should finish the advancement of the ratlings and make them a true Enve. The inspector nods at that and speaks to the rock again.


    Enve will likely finish advancement tonight, much more quickly than any other enve Im personally aware of. Likely due to guidance of Resident Aranya. Rmend delvers stay away from Enve unless specifically invited. There are guards posted, and though they have made no advances towards us, I doubt they would be so passive if we actually wanted to enter. Looks like ratlings will be Ratkin Dwellers.


    You what? Everyone else seems to think that exins everything, but I dont! Thankfully, I have a library not far from here, and a bunch of bees to deliver a message! Ill just spend a little mana and write why cant I write? I did it before! Maybe if I make it a quest? I try to focus harder on the little scrap of paper in the library, but all I feel is a weird equivalent to a headache as it feels like something else talks to me? Its just a concept in my mind, a quick bit of information, but Im pretty sure I didnt put it there.


    <em>Dungeons may onlymunicate via their Voice</em>


    What was that?!


    And whats a Voice?

 Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Enchanting Lab

    Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Enchanting Lab


    Elf Guy has mentioned a Voice a couple times, but hasnt borated on what it is. I check my core, wondering if it might be an option there, but its not. Thats just where my various expansion options are, and a few more detailed numbers on things.


    I grumble to myself and make a mental note to try to figure it outter. For now, I really should keep paying attention to the inspection. I almost want to pull a few undead to toss at Elf Guy and the kids, but I dont want to go opening that can of worms, or that crypt of corpses, as the case may be.


    Encounters significantly diminished in the catbs, no sign of undead. Neverrest would have certainly assaulted us by now, and Fourdock should have ess to undead if its Subsumed the boneyard.


    Yvonne speaks up. The dungeon does have the undead spawners. Theyre located in a crypt on the surface, which its sealed. There are the two undead Scions, though. Thing, the crawling hand, and Grim, the Grounds-Reaper.


    The whole party all look a bit surprised by that, and the elf speaks up first. Can you take me to see them, then? Undead scions tend to make the guild anxious. Freddie nods at that, looking unhappy at that development. I have Teemo nod, and so Yvonne nods as well.


    Thing should be in the enchantingb not far from here. I believe the dungeon intends to use it to enchant things, just as it uses the ant scion for alchemy. Come. She has to lead them around even more traps, as the enchantingb was one of Neverrests most important rooms. Im just looking forward to the traps wearing off so I can look over the shoulders of whatever enchanterse delving.


    Elf Guy and the kids definitely seem a bit more tense now, which I cant really me them for. Undead scions kinda imply an intent to use more undead, which not many would like to see happen. I do actually have a n to use more undead, but that willeter.


    I give Thing a heads up to expect visitors, so dont get into anything that would require too much focus. I dont want him to blow himself and/or theb up because the inspection interrupts him. Looks like hes doing a few minor testing enchants along some lines I asked him to pursue, which is good. That project has been on the backburner for long enough.


    Yvonne opens the door and steps inside, and Thing gives her a wave before scribbling a few notes and turning to a different page in his studies. Elf Guy and the kids cautiously peer inside, and Thing waves for them to eithere in or go away. Hes got his hand full, and can only juggle so much.


    Theye in, and cautiously look around the room as Elf Guy takes notes. Confirm crawling hand Scion. No Enchanter title yet, but looks to be well on its way. Enchantingb is well furnished, but seems low on books.


    Yvonne nods at that. Neverrest had extensive tomes on enchanting, which Fluffles took to the secret library. I assume on orders of the dungeon itself. Elf Guy sighs at that and resumes talking.


    Fourdock has sequestered Neverrests notes on enchanting in its secret library. Fourdock has shown a pointed interest in information and controlling what information is made avable. Cant confirm definitively, but seems most likely Fourdock doesnt wish knowledge of Neverrests more odious enchantments to be made public. He nces towards Yvonne and lowers the rock as he addresses her.


    Though if it does find something to more easily counter Lifedrinking, I hope youll be able to convince it to share? She stiffens a bit at the mention of that enchantment, and simply gives a tight-beaked nod. Elf Guy may be a professional, but hes not the most diplomatic, I guess.


    While thats been going on, Rhonda has been watching Things experimenting and taking notes, and Freddie seems to be watching Thing itself. Both seem fascinated in their own way. Rhonda is definitely watching Things technique, and I think is trying to copy his motions to remember with her own magic weaving.


    Freddie is watching Things movement, and seems to just be growing more confused. Its not acting anything like a crawling hand should, he finally says to himself, though Rhonda can obviously hear.


    What do you mean?


    He gestures at Thing as he hops off the table to grab a few reagents, tossing them from their various jars and bottles and onto the work surface. Crawling hands are supposed to be grasping, crushing undead. They instinctively seek to restrain victims so stronger undead can get them. This one has no interest in us at all. Thing swats at Freddies ankle to get him out of the way, before hopping back up onto the table.


    Well no interest except when were in the way, I guess, he says, having moved his foot. Rhonda thinks on that for a few moments.


    Well, the other scions dont act like normal denizens, so why should a crawling hand be different?


    The other scions are fully and naturally alive, points out Freddie as he watches Thing measure out the various reagents on the scales. Rhonda watches as well, even pulling out her own little book and a charcoal stick to note the measurements, before she speaks up to Elf Guy.


    Mr Tarl? Do other undead Scions act like normal undead? Tarl, huh? He nods.


    Every other undead Scion that Ive personally seen has been part of a Beligerrant dungeon, at best, and sobat oriented. With this hand, though it would seem their behavior has more to do with what the dungeon wants of them, like with other Scions. Yvonne can only chuckle as she gestures towards the door.


    If you think this one is odd, you should see Grim; the skeleton Scion and Grounds-Reaper.

 Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Graveyard

    Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Graveyard


    Tarl, Freddie, and Rhonda all seem a bit uncertain about going to meet the skeleton Scion, probably all of them remembering the old skeleton scion that Neverrest had. The inspector stifles a sigh and nods to Yvonne.


    I take it its up in the graveyard somewhere, then? I need to inspect there, as well. Freddie nods and speaks up, too.


    I need to look around some, too. The church has long wanted to consecrate the cemetery so it can be used for proper burials again. There are catbs under the church, but they were never intended to house the remains of all of Fourdock.


    Yvonne nces to Teemo, and I have him nod at that, too. I like the idea of the graveyard being used for proper graves again. It also reminds me of something I noticed about the undead I have, but that can be dealt withter. For now, Yvonne leads them up to the surface, exiting the mausoleum in the east.


    To the west is the sealed crypt with the undead spawners, and the former home of Neverrests core is to the north. Grim is she looks around, but cant spot him, so she looks to Teemo. He nods towards the west and squeaks.


    Grim appears to be doing some work beyond the sealed crypt.


    To the west, then. Ill take a look at the sealed mausoleum before examining the skeletal Scion, then the former home of Neverrests core, and that should more or less finish the inspection.


    I can get a good look around the graveyard while we do that, too, says Freddie, already looking around. I cant tell if hes relieved or disappointed at theck of wandering undead.


    Its not long before they all stand before the crypt, which I could honestly seal better. I never got the chance to have Tiny actually web the doors closed, but thankfully undead dont seem to know the difference between a door and a wall. I did put a warning on the double doors, though.


    Dont undead open inside? reads Tarl, confused. Freddie and Rhonda look confused as well.


    That seems fittingly cryptic to put on a crypt, says the orc with a shrug, before the inspector walks towards the doors. He reaches for them when Rhonda gasps.


    Wait! You read one door, then the other! She points and Freddies eyes widen as he sees it, the inspector blocking their view of one of the doors. The inspector takes a step back to reread the warning, and nods.


    Dont open, undead inside. Fair enough. I do need to take at least a peek, though. Stay back, kids. They shouldnt notice me, even this close, but they might notice you. The kids dont look too happy about that, but listen. He goes sneaky mode, and even I have to pay attention to keep track of him now.


    He cracks open the doors and peers inside, seeing the wall to wall zombies and skeletons. He manages to not panic, at least, and quietly and quickly closes the doors before sneaking back a bit. Nearer the kids, he pulls out the rock again.


    Zombie and skeleton spawners are located in the west mausoleum, which has a warning on the doors: Dont open, undead inside, and its not wrong. Theres very little room to move in there, and the undead seem to be in torpor with no stimulus avable. Highly rmend delvers stay well away. Moving on to the skeleton Scion.


    Grim is actually touching up some of the stonework around the mausoleum. Hes hardly a strong magic user, but he has time to spare, and he seems to be earth elemental in his magic, which helps a lot with his duties. Tarl and the kids about crap their pants when they walk around the corner and see him, hand against the wall, hood up and scythe in his other hand. I dont think they have a concept of the grim reaper here, but hes been an icon back home forever for a reason.


    Grim just ignores them as he continues fixing cracks and chips in the masonry. It takes a few seconds before Tarl slowly brings out the rock.


    Encountered skeleton scion. Its its a groundskeeper. Currently, it is performing maintenance on the west mausoleum. Its an imposing figure in a ck robe and a scythe, but has shown zero interest in me and my guides. Rmend delvers ignore it as it goes about its business. Notes made, all of them quickly move on. Grim watches them go. Yeah, I dont know either. Maybe theyre just anxious to be done. The inspections been going on for a while, theyre probably hungry.


    It doesnt take them long to get to the northern mausoleum, and it takes even less time for them to notice the damage from the tripped explosion trap. The inspector looks at the shards of the false core, before looking at the former resting ce of Neverrests true core.


    Confirm Fourdock has Subsumed Neverrest. There appears to have been a false core that was made of ss, with the true core hidden in a crypt in the same mausoleum. Fourdock appears to have spent much of the mana gained from it on changing the wasps to bees, and gue rats to pack rats, as well as various scions. Guards at the cemetery gate are no longer needed.


    Manor appears optimized for new delvers. Bramble Labyrinth suitable for all levels, prior notes on dangers seem to still apply. Tunnels are for low to mid level delvers, appears to be mostly strong spiders and various slimes, with asional bats. Catbs appear underutilized at this time, will likely change as delver activity returns. Church of the Crystal Shield appears free to consecrate the graveyard and resume normal operations in that respect.


    Scions should generally be left alone. Most are prioritized towards support and upkeep rather thanbat. Those that arebat focused are more interested in invaders and monstrous delvers from the deeps. Doubtful the scions would y groups that attack them, but it seems likely they would be dumped outside of the dungeon, bereft of all their gear.


    Still no designated Voice. Still no indication of location of core, nor of various secret rooms. Interestingly, it has several public rooms that likely have secret counterparts. Suggest attempting negotiations with the uing Ratkin Enve of Dwellers to establish friendly rtions. Delvers should stay well away from the Enve for now, until rtions are made.


    He considers for a few more seconds before seeming to be satisfied, and putting the stone away.


    Do you really think itll let the church consecrate the grounds? asks Freddie, and Tarl nods.


    Id be surprised if it doesnt. Dungeons do see benefit to having a proper burial ground in their borders. The Royal Cemetery is actually a dungeon, in fact. Its only known denizens are small fey, as is its scion and Voice. It has no known ie aside from the prayers and respects offered to those interred there. So I wouldnt be surprised at all if Fourdock decides to dip its toes in those waters. It seems to have a lot of ns, and it needs mana for them.

 Chapter Forty: The Ratkin Enclave

    Chapter Forty: The Ratkin Enve


    From the moment she opened her eyes tonight, Aranya looked excited? Nervous? Proud? Lets go withplicated, yeah. She ate her traditional breakfast of a couple webbed mice, and definitely did a little prayer and stuff before tucking in to her meal. She went and cleaned herself up a bit, and now shes about to enter the ratling Enve.


    The guards at the entrance give her respectful bows and allow her to pass, and she gives them each a smile and respectful nod, before heading inside. The ce has changed a lot over thest couple days. Their little farming area ising along great. Theyve got a good half-dozen stacked racks of mushroom plots now. Nothing is making mushrooms yet, but the mycelium is growing rapidly through the dirt and detritus.


    Theyve been making beds as well, in a very simr style as what I made for my Residents. Much like the clothing, its a bit rougher, but still seems to work just fine. They all piled together the first night, but theyve actually been more or less pairing off with their beds since then. It seems like each bunk bed is a couple. They havent done the nasty yet, but I get the feeling theyre just waiting for the right time before bumping uglies.


    The leader ratling is somehow older than the others. Hes hardly hunched and withered, but his muzzle definitely has a bit of gray to the end of it. He also has itsrger than a walking stick, but its not exactly a staff, either. The end curls a bit, starting a little above his head level, andes back down in a crook, ending at the height it started. In the center hangs a small orange gemstone, ground by hand into a rough sphere.


    He smiles as he sees Aranya, and opens his arms wide. Ah, Chosen Aranya! Sanctuary smile upon you!


    My kobold in white smiles back and embraces him. Larx! Sanctuary smile upon you as well! Is everyone ready for the ceremony? He smiles and nods before rapping the butt of his stick against the floor. The guards head inside, and I move Fluffles to guard their entrance. I dont think anything will actually interrupt, but if this goes how I think it will go, Im going to be having some extra responsibilities here very soon.


    The ratlings gather around the back, and Aranya and Larx stand in front of the rear wall, which now has a simple orange circle drawn on it. The two can see Fluffles coiled in front of the doorway, facing outward for any potential threats. Larx looks to be fighting being awed, while Aranya smiles, and gestures for the other ratlings to look. The Sanctuary approves. It guards us as we prepare tomit ourselves, ensuring our safety for this ceremony.


    There are murmurings as they look at Fluffles, and he adjusts his wings to get a bit morefortable, and totally not to just show off a bit. Right, Fluffles? Larx raps his staff against the floor again to get their attention, and speaks.


    The Sanctuary blessed us with this gift, this chance to be more than mere denizens. There are challenges and trials with this blessing, but also gifts. The gift of will. The gift of choice. The trials of sustenance. The trials of our mortality. The Sanctuary does not simply brush the trials aside, for it knows the trials bring strength. We, all of us, have changed, but we all remember our earlier times. We all remember bringing ore to the smelter, watching the intense heat transform the odd rocks into purified metals. We all remember the effort to shape that metal into useful form, and how much more useful it was than the odd rocks they came from.


    We are odd rocks no longer. We have been forged, purified, and shaped by hands more refined than the ones we used to have, and more than the ones weve been gifted with now. And we have been guided by one Chosen by the Sanctuary, he says before stepping aside slightly, letting Aranya step forward.


    She still looks a bit nervous to me, but shes putting on a pretty strong face. Public speaking is never the easiest. Ive been proud to help guide you. The Sanctuary gave you the same blessing kobolds received so very long ago. Our legends say we were much simpler before being blessed with our own will. It was terrifying to be given the blessing, but our Sanctuaries guided and helped us, and when they gave the blessing to others, we guided and helped them as well.


    It has been my great honor to serve the Sanctuary and guide you through the terror that is understanding. Would that I could give you direct missives from the Sanctuarys Voice, but it is quiet. But that does not mean it doesntmunicate. She opens her arms wide to indicate all around them.


    It leads by example! Defend yourselves, but do not needlessly kill. Do not be afraid to try something new. Be clever. Outsiders are not automatically bad. See the opportunities to help, and so to <em>be </em>helped in the future. She gives a small bow and steps aside, letting Larx retake the center stage. He raises his staff high before continuing.


    We all remember the glory of our Sanctuarys Heart, even as the memory of its location has faded. We remember the gentle and warm glow, the slow swirling of its depths, the mesmerizing presence it has. We give it thanks as we step forward, and will continue to give it thanks as we can, and follow its will as we can.


    He raps his staff on the floor three times before raising it again, outward instead of upward. He slowly sweeps it over the little congregation as he continues. We are ratlings no more. We are Ratkin, and we Dwell in our Sanctuary. It is our home, our Sanctuary, and we will do all we can to please it.


    Onest rapping of the staff on the floor, and the progress bars wink out. Just like he said: theyre Ratkin now, and are Dwellers instead of Denizens. I cant give them orders anymore, either. I technically could, up until the bars finished, but it was getting more and more expensive to do so. I hadnt told them to do anything since the bars started, but still.


    Aranya is changed, too. Not physically, though. Shes still a beautiful little red kobold in a white robe. But now she also has a title: <em>High Priestess</em>. She and the ratkin start to sing a little song, and I can feel my mana flow increase. I thought they might give me some mana, but thats pretty good. Their small congregation gives me the kind of mana generation Id get from a fairly slow delver day, which is nothing to sneeze at, especially once I get delvers returning.


    I tell Fluffles he can go back to wandering and helping Jello as the guards return to their post. They watch him glide off with wonder, before taking their position on either side of the door. I watch them all for a few more minutes, trying to collect my thoughts on my new Dwellers.


    I always worried Aranya might start a cult around me. Its not a creepy cult, at least. Kinda embarrassing, but I at least seem to be providing a good enough example that they arent trying to sacrifice anyone, but still


    What do I do now?

 Chapter Forty-One: Reflections

    Chapter Forty-One: Reflections


    Yvonne sits in the secret base, idly petting Teemo and reading a book from the library. Those two have had a special bond since the raid on Neverrest. They both still do what they need to do, but when their leisure time oveps, theyre together.


    I think its kinda cute, and it makes sense. Teemo and her have veryplementary skillsets, and he even tried to save her life. Its not surprising they get along well. Yvonne very specifically didnt want to go join in the ceremony with the ratkin, and Im not really surprised about that, either. She definitely has her own religion to follow, and I doubt Aranya will get her to convert.


    Which I think is why shes sighing and putting her book aside to look at me and at Teemo. What do you think of all this, Teemo? He just squeaks and noses her hand, wanting more pets. Pets are clearly more important than potential drama about a cult.


    She chuckles and gives him a bit more of what he wants. You dont care, hmm? What about you? she asks my core, like I can actually answer her, and she huffs out a smallugh at herself.


    Still no Voice, of course. Well, Aranya always says to read your will in the scions. She smiles at Teemo who wants his belly rubbed, and she cant help but indulge. She looks over to Queen in the alchemyb, ants swarming over everything and not seeming much different. She looks over to Thing, obscured by the book hes perusing in the nook that is the secret enchantingb. I need to get that more dug out soon, but I still have plenty of time before the public enchanting workshop will see any actual use.


    Do you not care what theyre doing, perhaps? she asks herself, thinking out loud. Shes monologued to me before, I think just to have thefort of having some thinking being know her thoughts. She doesnt really do it in front of Aranya, though. I guess she doesnt want someone interrupting her musings.


    She smiles after a few moments and shakes her head. No I doubt anyone could have no opinion at all about being worshiped. I doubt you like it, though she says, her thoughts continuing to chew on the situation. You never seemed to have any inkling that youd want it so why not stop them?


    Teemo squeaks and looks her in the eyes, before giving a little ratty shrug, and she works on interpreting that. Uncertainty? Hmm why <em>not </em>stop them she asks herself, actually considering the question, instead of leaving it rhetorical. She sighs as she seems toe to an answer.


    I suppose why isnt the question, but how. If you tried to punish them, theyd just think they upset you, she says, trying to wrap her head around the idea of being a reluctant object of adoration. She chuckles and takes a light-hearted tone of admonishment. You really should have expected something like this when you gave them true intelligence, you know.


    Yeah I probably should have. Ive never been much of a nner, though. Im just pretty good at improvising. I have my goals and work towards them, and deal with problems that pop up, and try to head off ones I can think of. And then improvise to deal with what I didnt think of.


    I wonder who youll make your Voice? asks Yvonne, looking into the depths of my core even as she continues to idly pet Teemos belly. I wonder what theyll actually have to say?


    Yeah me too. Ive finally figured out how to get a voice, but as for who well, Im about as sure of who will get it as Yvonne is, which is to say I dont know. Ill need to figure it out soon, though. If the dwellers keep this rate of mana going for me, Ill be able to afford the upgrade for one of my scions soon. And if Im going to be the center of a cult, I need to get some actual dogma set down sooner rather thanter.


    What should I actually tell them, though? Getting to the Pearly Gates wasnt exactly a surprise to me, I am a Christian. But its not like I can quote the whole bible for them to write down. I can get the core points, but book and verse will always elude me.


    But I dont think I was sent here to do that. Sure, Im pretty sure an angel could easily descend and drop a bible in my metaphoricalp, but that didnt even happen to Moses. He got ten sentences. Sure, he got to talk with Him a lot, but only those were written in stone.


    And I dont even remember all of those! Im pretty sure the No Idolotry one is going toplicate matters the next time I die, but I dont know what to do about that. Thats part of why Im saving everything for a Voice. Even if I dont know what Ill even say!


    Be excellent to each other might have worked for Bill and Ted, but its not exactly informative. Alright calm down and think. Goals. Improvise. My goal in this: dont screw up and identally a cult like how most people think of a cult. So how?


    Keep it simple, for starters. People will always try toplicate things, sneak in edge cases to try to ease their consciences. Tenmandments in stone, thousands of pages. Sure, its history and all important to understanding the whys of a lot, but the ten are the explicit, stated things.


    And even those can be condensed. I might not remember all of themandments, but I remember the greatestmandment: To love. Love thy neighbor, thy parents, thy God, and all the othermandments will follow.


    Seems like a good ce to start, to me. Love truly, and evil will have a hard time getting a foothold.

 Chapter Forty-Two: Paying Respects

    Chapter Forty-Two: Paying Respects


    Ah, the pitter-patter of dweller feet. I used to think pitter-patter was a quiet sound, until I watched my sisters kids for an afternoon. Now I know its more like what a herd of elephants sounds like.


    Whatever the volume, delvers are back! And they are trying to make up for lost time, seems like, which is fine by me. I need mana to designate someone as my Voice, and theyre handing it over like itll expire soon. They even tried to be extra cheeky and run a bunch of people through the maze at once, thinking Tiny cant get them all. He didnt <em>quite </em>get them all, but I think hes made his point about ying by the unofficial rules.


    And defeating those delvers has me <em>very </em>close to what I need for my Voice, so I should probably sit down and actually have a think about who it will be. Ill start with the easy ones that I wont be doing that with.


    None of my newbies will be my Voice. Honey, Grim, and Thing are all still getting used to the roles Ive given them already. I dont need toplicate things for them even more and try to have them talking to people, too. Besides, theyd all have their hands full even if they spawned as experts in their fields, which they arent.


    It also wont be Jello. While shes friendly enough, and seems to like the delvers, shes about as metaphorically sharp as the room-full of jello that she is. I think I want my Voice to be one of my smarter scions.


    Coda is also out of the running. While he doesnt have too much work to do right now, especially since Poe took over the underground expeditions, too, I have some ns that will be eating up his time soon. One or more gardens is the least of what I hope to put him in charge of.


    Definitely not Queen. Shes sharp as a tack, but the only people who even know what she looks like are Aranya and Yvonne. While I do want to talk with them, I also want to have the option to talk to whatever delvers I need to.


    Also not Fluffles. Some people like to min/max and pile all their bonuses on one thing, but Ive never really liked putting all my eggs in one basket like that. Besides, hes still ironing the kinks out of being a Conduit.


    Which leaves three: Teemo, Tiny, and Poe.


    Poes on the bottom of my list, mostly because the expeditions keep him busy. Aside from that, though, hed probably be a good Voice. You dont Marshall the troops well if you arent smart, after all. Hes also in a good location to talk to people, and maybe even people well outside my borders. And he can fly, so itll be easy to avoid/ignore anyone I dont want to deal with.


    Teemo would be a good voice just because hes basically everywhere. Hes practically my Voice already, just with ratty miming instead of words, just because hes the most convenient to send, pretty much no matter where someone is. Hes also sneaky, so he can ignore people I dont want to deal with. But his sneakiness also kinda ys against being a Voice. Scouts arent generally the most talkative, at least not publicly.


    I like the idea of Tiny being my voice just for the theme and how he works. Wanna talk to the dungeon? Step into my parlor, says the giant spider to the flies. I also feel like hes my smartest scion, which just seems like a good idea to have for my Voice. The biggest problem is that hes well <em>big</em>. If he gets much bigger, he wont fit inside the house anymore, and even some of the tunnels are a bit cramped for him already. Feels kinda weird for my Voice to not be able to get everywhere.


    While I mull over the decision, though, I feel the cemetery gates open. Freddie walks in, looking mostly confident, and about a dozen people in robese in after him. I guess he wasnt joking about the church wanting to consecrate the cemetery quickly. The robed people all look at least a little nervous, even the one with a little crystal scepter thing.


    Youre certain the dungeon wont attack us, young brother? he asks Freddie, and the orc nods.


    We should be fine, Head Acolyte. Ive been in this dungeon a lot, and Mr Tarl said it probably wont have any problems with us consecrating the graveyard.


    But it has undead scions! Several! I can practically feel Freddies restraint as he doesnt roll his eyes.


    It does, but they dont act like undead. After the consecration ceremony, we might be able to find the groundskeeper, if you want? It looks intimidating, but never made any hostile actions.


    The head guy just suppresses a shudder at the very idea of getting close to Grim. Perhaps some other time. The ceremony will likely leave us all drained, and Id rather not face an undead that strong at anything other than my best.


    Freddie just shrugs, and the group cautiously walks to the rough center of the graveyard. As they go, theres some long looks at a lot of the various graves. Im pretty sure I got everyone whos supposed to be in one into one, but hard to tell if theyre all in the <em>right </em>ones. Still, the fresh-ish graves seem to make the priests or whatever their technical ranks are a bit confused.


    Not long after they reach the center, Larx actually exits the mausoleum that leads to the cryptplex, and makes a beeline for the group. Freddie points him out, and they all just kinda awkwardly stand around while the ratkin approaches. Elf Guy was saying people should leave the ratkin alone for now, but I guess he never expected them to be proactive. Imagine that, stuff in my dungeon being a bit weird.


    The older ratkin peers at Freddie before smiling like hes a grandkid. Ah, you must be young Freddie!


    The orc is a bit taken aback at that, uncertain how to respond, but respond he does. Uh yes? Thats me. How do you know me?


    Larxughs. Chosen Aranya has talked about you and your friend, Rhonda. The Sanctuary surely approves of you two and your growth!


    Thanks? Freddie replies awkwardly. I guess the boy never put any points into diplomacy or hasnt had a chance to yet. Pdins dont exactly get a lot of skills, at least if were on DnD rules.


    What are you and your friends up to, young Freddie?


    Well were going to consecrate the graveyard. Mr Tarl said the dungeon would probably not object, and the Church of the Crystal Shield has been running out of room for proper burials for years now.


    Larx seems to absently take the tip of his tail in his hand, idly ying with it kinda like twiddling his thumbs as he looks around. I do believe Mr Tarl is correct, as none of the Scions have made themselves known to interfere. May I watch?


    Freddie shrugs and looks to the Head Acolyte, who seems more impatient to get started than worried about any trade secrets getting out.


    You may, but please stand back and do not interfere. We take this very seriously. Larx simply smiles and steps back and takes a seat on the steps to one of the mausoleums, resting his staff across hisp as he watches.


    Oh Crystal Shield! Light of Purity! Bulwark against the dark! Defense against the unspeakable! We beseech you to bestow your blessing upon these defiled ces of rest! Let them be tormented no longer, and grant all who would spend their eternal rest here the eternal rest they have earned! The head guy raises the scepter as he speaks loudly, the others simply bow their heads and murmur quiet prayers of their own. When he finishes, a little alert pops up for me.


    <strong>Form Pact with Crystal Shield? Yes/No?</strong>


    Hmm. I dont mind the shield helping keep those corpses in the ground, but I dont think Im up for any pacts just yet. So no, but thanks.


    The head guy frowns when the alert vanishes, and raises his voice. ce of darkness! Begone! Flee from the Light of the Crystal Shield and cower in your dark ces! This will be a holy ce of peace, not your home to desecrate those who have earned their rest!


    <strong>Resist Geas? Yes/No?</strong>


    Definitely resist. This one actually costs a little mana, too. But I dont need this guy trying to muscle in on my home. The Acolyte, though, doesnt seem to like that answer. He takes a deep breath, preparing to shout even louder Im sure, before Larx voice cuts him off.


    Would you mind if I try? he asks, giving the best kindly grandpa face Ive seen in a while. Freddie looks a bit surprised, and the head guy looks pissed. He looks ready to give Larx an earful, but stops himself.


    Very well. It will give me time to prepare the censer and a few other holy reagents. Larx smiles and steps forward, and gives a wink only Freddie can see before he raises his staff and speaks.


    Sanctuary, please hear my plea. Let these fallen keep the rest they have earned, and be troubled not by the woes of this world ever again.


    <strong>Consecrate Graveyard? Yes/No?</strong>


    Huh that doesnt cost me any mana. I ept, and a faint wave of orange blooms from his staff, washing over the entire graveyard. It crashes against and around the mausoleums, rather than through them, probably because there aren''t any normal corpses in there? Either way, that gave me a <em>lot </em>of mana! And I can see it ticking up now as well, thanks to the Consecrated Graveyard. Larx smiles and rests the butt of his staff on the ground, looking pretty pleased with himself. Freddie looks impressed.


    The head guy looks like hes gonna blow a gasket, though. How dare you!


    Larx still wears that sweet grandpa look. Dare? You gave me permission, my good priest, he points out, which only angers the guy further. He starts yelling and swearing and making a scene, while the other priests slowly distance themselves from him for being so loud in a graveyard. Or maybe they notice Grim silently making his way over.


    He walks up behind the screaming elf and raps the butt of his scythe on a rock, drawing his attention. The head guy simply sneers and raises his scepter. Begone, creature of darkness! He swings at my Scion, scepter glowing with a soft blue me. Grim casually blocks it with his scythe, and the blue mes bloom out much like the orange wave with Larx.


    Grims robes arent even ruffled from the disy, and the mes die with nothing to fuel them. The Acolytes zeal is gone in a heartbeat, and he looks absolutely terrified as Grim leans closer. He raises a finger to his mouth and presses them to the lips he doesnt have, and gives a quiet hiss, before straightening and simply walking away.


    Only Larx voice and the sound of Grims steps can be heard. The Scion is right. This is a cemetery. Show some manners and lower your voice, please.

 Chapter Forty-Three: Designating The Voice

    Chapter Forty-Three: Designating The Voice


    Freddie and the other Crystal Shield guys dont stick around long after that. The head guy looks pretty cowed, Freddie looks a bit confused, and the priests just look kinda embarrassed. I cant really me them. The silence after Grim left was the kind that makes someone re-evaluate the choices that led them to where they are, and nobody looks really proud of what they did. Well, except for Larx.


    Either way, that little kerfluffle tipped me over the threshold to designate my Voice! And I think Im going to offer it to Teemo first.


    Hey bud. So, uh wanna be my Voice? Nah, Im not exactly sure what it entails, aside from talking to people sometimes. Probably not very often, no. For the most part, I want to keep letting my actions speak for me, which is great for broader things, but there are moreplex ideas Id like tomunicate.


    Yeah, and I need to tell the ratkin about the love stuff, if theyre determined to put me at the center of their cult. Yes, I would like you to keep doing your Scouting. Im pretty sure youll still be able to. I mean, look at Fluffles. He still can do what he did before he became a Conduit, so itll probably be the same with being my Voice?


    Heh, no, you wont need to greet everyone who shows up. Youll probably be talking a lot with Yvonne and Aranya, probably a bit with Freddie and Rhonda, some with Ragnar and Ara, and probably with Elf Guy, too.


    Youre only saying yes because you want to see the look on his face when you talk to him, arent you. Well, I guess it can be for multiple reasons. So, you want the job? Cool.


    <strong>Teemo</strong>


    The boss is an odd one. Its not like Teemo has been a scion in any other dungeons, but he was created with some expectations set in his little rat mind. Some expectations the dungeon met and exceeded with ease. Some expectations never seem to be on the dungeons mind at all.


    Its difficult to tell, sometimes, whats actually on its mind. It speaks clearly enough, but a lot of the concepts go way over Teemos head, and even over Tinys. The big spider takes a pretty stoic look on that fact, saying the dungeons odd behavior has certainly been working well so far.


    Teemo would like to argue that point, but he really cant. Especially not after their victory over the rival dungeon. He still feels a little bad about not being able to save the tall birdwoman, but even that seemed to work out well in the end. Besides, the skeleton scion cheated with that enchantment anyway.


    But now, the dungeon has actually <em>asked </em>if he wants to be its Voice. Asked! Who does that?! A really weird dungeon, thats who. It even talked with him about it, instead of just dumping the responsibility on him.


    Honestly, his first instinct was to just do as ordered, but he wasnt ordered. Then he was going to decline. But the dungeon really <em>has</em> been doing amazing things with its nonsensical decisions. Maybe having a simple rat like Teemo as the Voice will also do amazing things? He doubts it, but he also doubted the maze would work.


    Either way, those doubts are a bit moot at this point, as hes already epted. All he has left to do is head to the ratnest so the bar can start filling. He just hopes it doesnt take him as long to Ascend as it took Fluffles.


    <strong>Freddie</strong>


    Freddie didn''t expect the consecration to go like that. He thought itd be a simple matter, things would go off without a hitch, and the church would be able to start transferring the interred to the cemetery.


    Hes pretty sure thest part will still happen, but Head Priest Torlon has been slowly talking to everyone individually about what happened. The gnome is usually very genial, but was clearly unhappy with how it went. He first talked with the Head Acolyte, and then the attendant priests, and now hes waving for Freddie toe into his office.


    Freddie hasnt actually ever been in there before. Even when he took his initiate vows, they were done in front of the entire church. So he cant help but look around as he enters the office. Shelves line the walls, filled with various books on various subjects. A chipped crystal shield hangs on the wall behind the desk, put there after Torlon retired from his days as an adventurer.


    He smiles as he sees Freddies eyes lingering on it. Ive been asked why not get a new one to hang up, but I think its very fitting. The Crystal Shield does not require perfection. Life will leave its mark on everyone, and you cant be a proper protection if you pretend it doesnt. But please, have a seat, Freddie.


    The young orc nods and takes a seat, and waits a moment for the Head Priest to climb up onto his own behind the desk. Can you tell me what happened today, Freddie?


    He just looks a bit confused. Didnt didnt everyone else already tell you? The Priest smiles.


    They did, but I want your perspective. People can miss things, or have their own perspective on the events. You know the dungeon best of all the ones who went today, so of course I want to hear your perspective on what happened.


    Freddie still looks ufortable, but cant really argue that logic. Well uh, we all got ready to go this morning. The others were nervous about going, and I did my best to reassure them that the dungeons safe. Some were, uh more reassured than others, but everyone had enough faith wed all get through this safely.


    We walked through the gates to the cemetery, which felt a bit strange. I dont think anyone has walked through those gates since before I was born! At least none that werent breakingws. Um He pauses to collect his thoughts before continuing.


    We got to the center of the cemetery without seeing any undead, though we did see some fresh graves. I wouldnt be surprised if the dungeon did its best to try to put people back in their proper graves.


    Torlon smiles at that. Some of the priests said the same thing. Theyve seen graves that had been burst out of, and graves that were freshly filled, too. The dungeon is an odd one


    Freddie smiles at the understatement, then continues. Before we could get the ceremony started, one of the Dwellers wandered up out of one of the crypts. I guess it connects to some tunnels down there? He acted like a friendly grandpa and asked to watch, and the Head Acolyte agreed.


    He just sat on the steps to one of the mausoleums and watched. The Head Acolyte invoked the Crystal Shield and tried to consecrate the cemetery, but I guess it didnt take? Then he tried to exorcise the dungeon, I think? He was getting ready to prepare a full ritual when the ratkin spoke up and asked if he could try.


    Freddie chuckles for a moment before trying to hide it. Uh I dont think the Head Acolyte was paying attention, and just told him sure. And he consecrated the cemetery. The Head Acolyte was uh displeased. He started yelling and threatening and carrying on, which got the attention of the skeleton scion.


    The Head Acolyte tried to Turn Undead, but it failed. Utterly. Like it had no power over the scion. Not that it resisted, but that it didnt even <em>need</em> to resist! Freddie trails off at the memory, before remembering hes in the Head Priests office.


    Uh and then we left. The dungeon didnt kick us out or anything, but we all kinda felt like we should go before we could do anything else like that


    Torlon nods, his subtle smile never wavering. Did the scion threaten the Head Acolyte?


    Freddie looks confused at that, then concentrates as he thinks. No? It leaned forward and shushed him, but that was it?


    Did the ratkin interfere with the rituals?


    Freddie shakes his head without even needing to examine his memories. Nah, he just watched. Er as far as I could tell, anyway. I could feel when he consecrated the area, but never felt anything from him when the other attempts failed. He thinks about the odd ratkin before remembering something.


    Oh! He knew who I was! He said the dungeon knows me, and Rhonda, too!


    Torlon simply nods at that as well, before giving Freddie a crooked smile. Im not really surprised. You and your friend seem to spend much of your spare time there. Were all fortunate its a friendly dungeon. His smile slips slightly at that, before settling back into his usual friendly look.


    Well, if thats all you can think of, I believe were done with this matter for now? Freddie scrunches his face as he tries to remember anything else important, then nods.


    Yeah, thats all I can think of, sir. The gnome motions for him to lean forward, and Freddie does, and he gives the younger a simple blessing before letting him leave. As the door closes, the friendly look copses into one of exhaustion.


    I knew I shouldnt have sent the Head Acolyte he grumbles to himself as he falls back into his chair. The Acolyte means well, but his zeal can lead him to forcing awkward situations like with the dungeon. He just <em>had</em> to invoke the Crystal Shield in the consecration, rather than the simple generic purification rite. And then to attempt an exorcism on the dungeon itself! The Crystal Shield Itself must have been protecting him for the dungeon to not simply destroy him on the spot!


    Possibly even more worrying, though, is that Turn Undead had no effect on the scion at all. The way everyone described it, a simple breeze would have had more effect on the undead scion! And then it just shushes him like a librarian? He sighs and looks up to the hanging shield over his head.


    I miss how straightforward things were when I was an adventurer, hements, enjoying the catharsis of just wallowing for a few moments. Still, he cant just wallow while theres a potential problem to ward off. He takes a moment to recite a prayer, strengthening his resolve to do what he knows he has to do. The Head Acolyte will need to be punished in some way, likely starting with no longer being the Head. And the rest will depend on the dungeon.


    He grabs his quill and ink, and some parchment and gets to writing. If anyone can help him make amends with the dungeon, itll be the Dungeoneers Guild.

 Chapter Forty-Four: Plans For The Underground

    Chapter Forty-Four: ns For The Underground


    Teemos Ascending, looks like it wont take <em>too</em> long? Just a couple days, I think. It doesnt give a time, but I can guess from the progress bar.


    I wonder how much I can change before Teemo wakes up? I hadnt realized how much I was spending on spawning things when fighting Neverrest. Now that I have my delvers back, but dont have that threat looming, my mana is starting to pile up quickly.


    First thing, hmm I need to get the tunnels into gear. Theres that glowing moss in most ces now, so Im pretty sure I can actually get delvers down to adventure in there, too. I upgrade the slime spawner a few times, and it actually starts spitting out little blobs asionally, instead of the bigger pools that are the oozes. Thankfully, still no little faces on them.


    I figure theyll be good for general encounters, and they move a lot faster than the oozes do, too. With faster slimes, I think I can actually maintain some more mining nodes, so I start sprinkling them around through the tunnels, too, instead of just being mostly near the surface.


    I upgrade the spider spawner also, which actually maxes it out! That big ol spiderir sure looks the part now. Good luck to anyone trying to find my secret base. The spider spawner also spits out something kinda ugly.


    Its an aranea, and it makes me think of a pug with too many limbs: ugly, but kind of in an endearing way. It also has little grabbers on the pedipalps, so looks like itll be able to manipte things, too. Its about the size of arge dog, so itll probably be able to do simr things as the ratlings.


    It takes a few minutes to collect its bearings, before skittering off, and I let it. I have things I need to do over in the cryptplex, and I actually need Codas help, along with the ratlings.


    I know what I want to do with my undead. While my manor is more for noobs, and the tunnels are being set up for more mid-level groups, I want the cryptplex to be for higher-level adventurers. But I also dont want my undead to just be marching across the grass to the mausoleum to get into theplex. So Ill need to dig.


    And thats where Codaes in. Well, kinda. Hes not exactly going to be good at digging, but he has his sonar to make sure the ratlings dig where they need to, and dont copse anything.


    They start off a bit awkwardly as he learns how to listen for the higher pitch of areas that are bearing loads, and then be able to tell the ratlings where to dig, but Im confident in him. Its a long way to dig, but Im not in any specific rush.


    I doubt theyll finish the tunnel before Teemos done ascending. Thats a lot of rock to get through.


    Right, speaking of Codas job, I really should upgrade the belfry and the garden there. I made it a garden a while ago, but its about as much a garden as my little signs are libraries. The bats just drop seeds all over the ce, either from eating, or from the inevitable aftermath of eating, and delvers just pick up what catches their eye, with or without some free fertilizer.


    I want to get a good underground garden running soon, too, but I figure I should make sure I know how a normal garden goes, first. The upgrade costs a decent bit, but not really that much with how much mana I haveing these days. nter boxes line the walls of the belfry now, and there are even some on the outside of the various windows and what have you.


    Nothing else changes yet, but thats fine. The bats are still asleep at the moment. Coda was sleeping too, but I woke him to get him to at least get some preliminary sonar scans going. I let him go back to sleep and keep a bit of an eye on the ratlings. Theyre making pretty slow progress, so I doubt theyll be able to get into trouble before Coda can return and check with more sonar.


    I decide to go see what my aranea is up to. Once I find it, Im still not sure. Its managed to make itself a little hiding space above the front porch in the crawlspace there, and it has a nk of wood, and a bit of charcoal. It stares at the board for a few minutes, before crudely scrawling something on it, attaching a bit of silk, and dangling the thing down to be seen from the porch.


    <em>Kil fiv ratz</em>


    What?


    <strong>Rhonda</strong>


    Ratkin dwellers? Interesting. Old Staiven strokes his narrow beard as he finally gets some free time to ask his young apprentice how being an official guide in the dungeon went. A ratkin himself, he cant help but be a bit prideful that his kin are the first dwellers in the strange dungeon.


    Rhonda nods vigorously, excited to be able to finally tell her master about the trip! Lucas, her spider, is less excited about the nodding, as it forces him to cling onto therge hat or be thrown off. He chitters at her once she stops, and she bashfully doffs her wide mage hat and sets it aside.


    But thats not even the best part! The dungeon has a scion its training to be an Enchanter! She starts digging through her pack to find her notebook as her master raises an eyebrow.


    An Enchanter? Already? Which scion is it? Maybe that quatl, or the bat? Rhonda shakes her head, despite it being mostly obscured by her pack, and speaks. The words are muffled, but clear enough to Old Staiven. He might look old and he is, really, but his ears still work just fine.


    Its a crawling hand! Freddie said it was acting weird for a hand, mostly ignoring us except for when we were in its way in the enchantingb. Ah-hah! She pulls herself from her pack, her notebook held high in triumph.


    Old Staiven is d hes had practice with apprentices, or else he would be grinning at the goblin for her excitement. Her growth has been remarkable. Shes still a bit shy around people she doesnt know, but get her interested in something, and shes quite excitable. He just has to y the long-suffering master to help her temper that.


    He speaks up as she starts searching through the notebook. Ah, so you saw it at work? And it wasnt hostile? Crawling hands usually cause no end of mischief. Why, one time, one managed to get into one of my bags of holding while on an adventure. I think I still have that bag around, somewhere. I never did get the nerve to check what actually happened in there to produce that kind of noxious smoke


    Rhonda shakes her head, still looking through her notes. No, it mostly ignored us! Hehe, it pped at Freddies ankles when he was in the way at one point, but other than that, it just was working on something. I was hoping you could tell what it was here!


    She smiles up at him and offers her notebook, and the notes catch Old Staivens eye immediately. He epts the book and starts slowly looking through the notes. Interesting It looks like some kind of spatial enchantment. He holds the book for her to see, and points out the various reagents that were on the table at first.


    These, and a few other reagents and forme, can be used to make a bag of holding, and other deminar items and magics. I wish you could have gotten ahold of its actual writings. Its changed its focus once you started watching. See these?


    He again points out the list of reagents she noted down. These are usually used in various movement magics. These three, and a bit of honey or web, will get you a slowing spell. Those one there, and some oil, will make a greasing spell. He squints his eyes at one of the noted ingredients.


    Unknown yellow fluid? You should know the difference between direwolf piss, frog bile, and lemonade, Rhonda, he admonishes her, a bit surprised at her failure. She shakes her head.


    It wasnt any of those! It had a simple cork, so I would have been able to smell if it was the bile or urine, and it didnt have the little floating pieces for lemonade. I was hoping youd know what it was?


    Old Staiven strokes his beard again as he mentally goes over yellow fluids used in movement enchantments. You didnt mention any glowing, so probably not fermented sunbeam. No bubbles, so not a sulphur elemental heh, youd have been able to smell that anyway


    Oh, it did have a faint glow. Not much, but a little, she offers, trying to remember anything she didnt write down. In fact, she quickly takes the notebook back and puts that in, before giving it back to her master.


    Only a slight glow? Could be distilled moonlight, but thats a pretty advanced reagent to get ahold of He looks out the window, just barely able to see the spire of the belfry for the strange dungeon. An even stranger idea starts worming its way through his mind.


    You said its quite the peaceful dungeon?


    Rhonda slowly nods. Yes? I mean, Freddie and I fight a bunch of things every time we go, but its not actively trying to hurt us, I think. Mr Tarl said its cooperative, but not a toy box.


    Old Staiven smiles at his apprentice. I think we should go take a visit together, then. It has either already figured out how to distill moonlight, or it has someponent I havent heard of. Either way, I think it will be enlightening for the both of us!

 Chapter Forty-Five: A New Scion

    Chapter Forty-Five: A New Scion


    I really hope I can teach my aranea how to write better. Or rather; I really hope Honey can teach my aranea to write better. She sure seems like shes going to try, at least. I had her send a few bees over to read the sign, and what she saw clearly upset her. I did my best to calm her down, and told the spiderpug to head to the library.


    Not before someone managed to ept the quest, though. So yeah the aranea are giving out quests. If this was an MMO, Id say theyre something like a daily quest. Theyre not veryplex, but it does me extra mana, and I assume its the delver extra experience.


    While the first one makes its way to the library to learn how to write properly, the spiderir spits out another aranea, who immediately heads for the little crawlspace. Im just d it doesnt try writing another sign. Actually


    Aw, cant bypass the ban on general talking with people through anything but Teemo. I wanted an Eat at Joes sign. The attic-aranea doesnt seem to think of any new quest by the time the delver returns, though it does toss down a sock woven from silk as a reward.


    The delver looks pretty confused at the singr sock, and seems to wait for a second one, but it soon bes obvious one is all hes going to get. He just shrugs, pockets the sock, and heads back to the town. Im not sure what his actual business was, but he seems satisfied.


    Once he goes, though, the aranea slips out of the crawl space and out into the yard. I guess this one is more of a trapdoor spider than a ceiling spider, because it digs a little hole and puts a simple camouge cover over it. And then it goes and gets a stick with a bend in it, and another nk of wood. It nts the stick and scribbles on the nk, before hanging its new sign and hiding in the little hole it made.


    <em>Git sum erb</em>


    I think Honey is going to be even busier than she was. And speaking of busy, I need to get busy with my undead stuff. I dont think Im actually going to be able to get the new path from the mausoleum to theplex finished before Teemo finishes Ascending. Who would have thought digging through stone would be so difficult?


    Its probably a good thing, though. I want to get my zombie scion at least a little settled in before the rest are unleashed. And hell need some gear to do the job I need. Im not sure where I managed to get some leather, but I know what Im going to use it for. I get my spiders working as I spend the mana on my new undead scion.


    Uh maybe? The mana is spent, and he exits the mausoleum as quickly and as quietly as a zombie can be expected, but hes listed as <em>Undead(?)</em>. Yeah, with a question mark. I check on Thing and Grim, and they both have question marks now, too. Im pretty sure they didnt have that before. I cant check on Yvonne at the moment. I think she and her party are off doing some kind of adventuring elsewhere, but they should be back in a day or two. They seemed to want to test out how far she can go from me, and how much time she can stay out, too.


    But back to my zombie scion and his role. I want him to be my first actual boss scion. I like the idea of being kind of a training dungeon, helping delvers prepare to go deal with murderous dungeons like Neverrest and whatnot. If Im going to be helping delvers prepare for nastier stuff, theyre going to need to actually <em>face</em> nastier stuff. But that also doesnt mean Im going to just sic a super stronk ghoul or something on them. I have my own pride and creativity to consider, too.


    So, with that in mind, my spiders and a ratlinge to give my zombie scion his gear. Red padded gloves slip over his hands, and a roughly carved bit of wood goes into his mouth. Hes understandably confused by this, but seems to enjoy chewing on the mouthpiece, and I don''t try to stop him. Im pretty sure most boxers like to y with their mouthguard when not in a fight.


    Ok Rocky. I dont have any montage music for you, but let''s get them dukes up. A bit more that looks good. Im not sure you actually need to protect your head, but form is important for boxing. So is footwork, so no more just shambling around, got it?


    <strong>The Dungeoneers Guild, AKA: The Office of Dungeon Affairs</strong>


    Tr enjoys her job as the ountant for this area of the country. Last couple months aside, its a nice and boring job. Even with the advent of the new dungeon, its been more interesting than hectic. Well, mostly. The issue with Neverrest had her worried, but the Fourdock dungeon handled itself with aplomb. As long as it stays cooperative, her job shouldnt get much more difficult.


    With the new developments, she absolutely hopes it stays cooperative. It has a Conduit now, it has Dwellers, it will most likely have a Voice sometime soon. Its also going to keep doing weird things, she has no doubt about that. Cooperative dungeons are always a bit entric. Some behave like toyboxes, but still have strong denizens to enforce whatever rules they fancy. Some are almost belligerent, but their monsters and traps have pathetic strength.


    With Fourdock being cooperative, itll need to be inspected more often, whenever possible. Hullbreak Harbor still shows no interest in expansion, and with it being mostly open water, there are few adventurers who care to delve. It hardly needs a yearly inspection, just enough to make sure the status quo is maintained.


    Even the Southwood doesnt need inspection often. It seems pretty satisfied with its current situation or at least it had. Something in Tarls report makes her suspect something is going on, but she doesnt know what. If it werent for the dwellers and likely impending Voice from Fourdock, shed have sent him back out to deliver the information it seems to want. But itd be a poor exchange to give information that will be out of date before you even open your mouth, so hes taken the week off to do whatever he wants.


    Shes also taken the chance to research the cooperative dungeons that are known, as well as how to handle Dwellers. It hasnt been as helpful as she would have hoped, with how different cooperative dungeons tend to work, but it does at least give her <em>something </em>to go on, instead of pure guesswork.


    Her tea and musings are interrupted by a changeling entering the guild. While some people find the shapeshifters to be disturbing in their normal forms, their strangeness doesnt even register for her anymore. Once youve epted youre overseeingrge swaths ofnd and/or sea that have opinions, you grow an appreciation for how rtable problems are for entities with legs.


    He nods at her and she sits up a bit more straight, getting the feeling this is not simply a social visit.


    Uh, hello. The dungeon is kinda being weird, he says, uncertain how to actually talk about a dungeon. This is why they have inspectors. She just gives him a professional smile and motions at the chair on the other side of her desk.


    I take it you mean Fourdock Dungeon? Id almost be more concerned if its <em>not </em>being weird, she says with a small smile, which gets the delver to smile as well, before she continues. But please, what is it doing now?


    Well Im not an adventurer, so maybe its normal? See, I wanted to try to get some pelts and whatnot. Im a tanner and leatherworker. Anyway, I checked the notice board at the front there, and noticed a little rough wooden sign hanging down from the rafters. It wanted me to kill five rats, he exins, and Tr takes notes.


    So I go ahead and decide to do that and ept the quest. Like an actual quest. Not aplicated one, but still a quest! Tr simply nods like its nothing out of the ordinary. It <em>is</em> unusual, but acting like it <em>is</em> tends to make non-adventurers a bit nervous.


    So I killed and skinned the rats. Rats make nice slippers, actually, and returned to the porch. And this dropped down from the rafters. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a simple silken sock. Yeah just the one.


    Tr looks at it like the puzzle that it is, before returning her focus to the changeling. While that is unusual, its not especially concerning. Id need Inspector Tarl to confirm, but it sounds like the dungeon has likely maxed out its spider spawner and gotten ess to aranea. She leans back as she exins.


    The max rank for any spawner gives ess to semi-intelligent denizens. The ratlings the dungeon has, for example, are more interested in gathering and stockpiling than they are in fighting. I wouldnt be surprised if the aranea have decided the best way to help the dungeon is to give quests.


    The leatherworker still looks a bit confused. Doesnt that mess with the dungeon? Tr shakes her head.


    As far as we understand, dungeons gain even when their denizens are killed by delvers. This is partially why Inspectors are instructed to defeat whatever encounters theye across, as well as gather whatever resources are avable, too. This is also why Neverrest was locked down. If delvers dont go inside, they cant beat the denizens and so help the dungeon. But killing anything that leaves the dungeon will actively harm it, as it doesnt gain anything.


    That seems weird.


    Tr just smiles. Thats dungeons.

 Chapter Forty-Six: An Apology

    Chapter Forty-Six: An Apology


    The perplexed leatherworker soon leaves the guild, and Tr puts away her notes to give to Tarl once hes done with his short sabbatical. Her door opens again, and shes surprised to see a certain gnome walk in, though his orcpanion is much less of a surprise.


    Head Priest Torlon! And Freddie! To what do I owe the pleasure? she asks, before remembering. Ah, right. The consecration. How did it go?


    The gnome and orc exchange a look before the Head Priest speaks. Well its consecrated. But I worry we may have insulted the dungeon. Tr looks confused at that.


    Insulted? How? She sighs and digs out a scroll. This sounds like its going to beplicated.


    Torlon looks to Freddie. You were there, son. Go ahead.


    We went to go do the consecration, and the Head, er the acolyte in charge tried to consecrate it in the name of the Crystal Shield, and it didnt work. Then he tried to force it, and that didnt work either. Then one of the Ratkin that lives there tried, and it worked. And the acolyte started making a scene because of it. Grim, the skeleton scion, came up and shushed him, and the acolyte attacked, but it had no effect. Uh then we left, he exins, giving a quick summary of what happened.


    Torlon speaks up next. The former Head Acolyte has been punished and is no longer afforded even the small position of power he had. Hes a goodd, but headstrong, not thinking things through. I told him to do a general consecration, but I fear his zeal may have made things difficult for us all. Is there any way to make amends with the dungeon?


    Tr tries not to groan at the potential mess theyve put on her desk. Well, youre correct to demote the one who tried that. Consecrating an area in a dungeon in the name of any deity forms a pact, which could have been even more of a potential mess if the dungeon <em>had </em>epted. And then trying to force the matter I personally would suggest against him going back into that dungeon for a long time, possibly ever again.


    She sighs. And as for making amends thatsplicated. If it was a toybox, a simple gift and apology would usually be enough. If it was belligerent or murderous, thered be no real point in trying to apologize. But the Fourdock dungeon is cooperative. That doesnt mean its a pushover, that means its willing to cooperate if it can get something.


    She takes a few moments to gather her thoughts, d shes been reading up on cooperative dungeons, and letting the two fidget in difort. She turns her eyes on Freddie. You said you left? Not that you were chased out?


    He nods. Yeah, after Grim shushed him, the skeleton simply turned and left.


    And the Ratkin wasnt hostile either?


    The young orc shakes his head, and Tr rxes at least a little. Well, I dont think it directly took insult, but a proper apology of some kind would be a good idea. Most cooperative dungeons respond well to an expenditure of effort and will.


    Freddie gives her a confused look. A what now?


    She chuckles and continues. Effort and Will. Dungeons allow Delvers to fight and loot because they expend effort and will, which vitalizes the Dungeon. The precise mechanics are still unknown, but in short: go delve. Maybe offer it a gift of some important or powerful item, too.


    This time, its the Priests turn to look confused. Thats it? Just go and be a delver?


    Tr considers for a moment before speaking again. Well, follow the implied rules of the dungeon. If you just go in there and start wreaking havoc, I doubt itll be pleased. But if you wander around, maybe ept and do a quest or two for it, fight some, gather some, just show it that you are not there to try to tame it. And do so in your full capacity as a Priest of the Crystal Shield. It needs to understand that the church as a whole doesnt want to rule it.


    Torlon looks a bit conflicted. On the one hand, that would be no problem for him to do. He actually would very much enjoy at least a small chance to stretch his adventuring muscles again. But then again, thats the problem. One usually doesnt get to <em>enjoy </em>apologizing. Youre certain that would work?


    Trughs. With Fourdock, Im not certain of anything! But I do think thats your best bet if you want to try to smooth things over.


    The Priest cant help but chuckle at that. Ill see what I can do, then. A gift, and do some delving


    <strong>The Dungeon</strong>


    Rockys training is going? I dont know if its going <em>well</em>, but hes doing a little better. All Ive been able to have him do is shadowbox and get him to practice punches. I think I understand the difference between a hook and a cross. Maybe. A jab and uppercut are simple enough, at least in theory. I just have documentaries and movies to remember the theory, and its up to Rocky to put it to practice.


    At least he seems to like it. Im just d his form looks closer to what Id imagine a beginner human would be, rather than the iling of a rotting corpse. So I guess there really is progress being made after all.


    Im also drawing up designs for various equipment and even a boxing ring for him. A heavy bag will probably be the simplest thing to actually make. I dont know where I actually got the leather from, but Im happy to have it. Maybe a mix of sand and web would give it the right feel


    The gates opening at the cemetery side draw my attention away, and I see a new delver and Freddie. From the look, this is Freddies boss. Looks like the two are having a bit of a disagreement about something.


    Are you sure? It seems kinda important to just give away, says the young orc, and the gnome decked out in chainmail, a scepter, and crystal shield nods.


    And thats why Im giving it away, Freddie. Ill miss it, of course, but it doesnt do much just hanging on the wall over my desk. Now, you said the skeleton scion is around here somewhere?


    Freddie still looks uncertain, but nods. Yeah, every time Ive seen him, hes over here somewhere, doing groundskeeper or grounds<em>reaper</em> things, I guess? Huh. Hey, Grim! Youve gotpany! Go see what they want. Im pretty sure theyre not here to start trouble, at least. The skeleton stands from the small flower patch where daffodils have been growing, and makes his way towards the pair.


    Freddie and the Priest head for the center of the graveyard, and the Priest looks around approvingly. It <em>is</em> sanctified, as you said. And seems to be well cared for, too. It broke my heart how Neverrest treated this ce. Im d its in better hands.


    The two mostly wander for a few minutes while Grim makes his way over, the living quietly appreciating the work and the rest of the dead. The priest notices Grim first, which isnt surprising. Id wager this guy is even stronger than Elf Guy.


    Ah, the skeleton scion. You said his name is Grim, Freddie? He does cut an imposing figure, doesnt he? Said imposing figure stops before the two and waits. It takes almost a minute for the two to realize Grim cant speak, so its on them to start any conversation, one-sided as it may be. The priest clears his throat and takes a step forward.


    Greetings, Grim. And greetings dungeon, as well. Grim gives a nod, and the gnome continues. Id like to apologize on behalf of the Church of the Crystal Shield for the behavior of one of our acolytes. He was asked to do a general consecration, not one in the name of The Shield, and he certainly was not asked to attack your scion, he says, raising his voice like I cant hear him. Thats fair, though. He probably hasnt talked to a lot of dungeons.


    So Ivee to make amends, if amends can be made. I offer you my shield as part of the apology, he says, and holds the shield towards Grim, who tilts his head in question. Yes, I mean it. It is yours to do with as you will. It protected me through my days as an adventurer, and is important to me, just as a peaceful rtionship between you and the Church is important to me, too.


    Well, Im d hes taking it seriously. I probably would have just let him be, but he seems to genuinely want to try to make it up to me. Its a little awkward to take his <em>shield</em> from him, but Im not getting any notices of pacts or whatever, so I tell Grim to go ahead and ept it.


    The gnome smiles in relief once he does. Thank you, dungeon. Ive also been told a good way to try to make up for the mistake is to do some delving? Would you be amenable to that? Heck yeah I would be! I even know what I want him to do or at least try to do.


    Grim nods and points past the gates, where the belfry of the house can just be seen over the various rooftops of the town, and Freddie speaks up. Over there is where most of the fun stuff is, sir. This side is still a bit of a mess, from what I could tell with Mr Tarl.


    The gnome smiles and gives Grim a small bow. Thank you, Grim. Ill go delve where its appropriate to do so, then. The two turn to leave, and once theyre out of sight, I tell Grim to take a shortcut. I know exactly where I want that shield.


    By the time the two enter the typical delver gates, I have things prepared. Freddie is looking excited and directs his boss to the porch to see what information there is to see, and stops and stares at the little wooden sign dangling from the rafters. The priest, though, simply smiles at the sign.


    Thats it? That doesnt seem like too difficult a task, he says, peering at the sign. Theyre much more legible already, thanks to Honeys help.


    <em>Loot Tinys Chest</em>

 Chapter Forty-Seven: Tinys Chest

    Chapter Forty-Seven: Tiny''s Chest


    If I still had ears, Id be grinning to both of them. Freddies boss has no idea what hes getting into. At least his rxed smile falters a bit when he turns and sees the look on Freddie''s face.


    Whats wrong? he asks the younger, before looking around. Nah, theres no traps around. Well, aside from that quest, heh.


    Uh you remember the big spider that Yvonnes group rode to go fight Neverrest? asks Freddie, unsure how to actually exin what that quest entails. The small big guy nods.


    Ah, yes, Miss Yvonne. I wish I could have given her more insight to her unique condition.


    Well, that big spider is Tiny.


    He blinks. Thats not tiny at all.


    Freddie smiles. Yeah I think the dungeon named him that just for that kind of reaction. Tiny is also the boss of the maze, he says, and motions for his boss to follow. At the hedge maze, the scene is now a little different than usual. I had Fluffles clear the maze while the two were walking from the cemetery, and hes now coiled at the entrance, and the usual runners are all standing around chattering, confused at the change.


    Freddie sees everyone and raises his voice for them all to hear. The dungeon has a quest in the maze for High Priest Torlon. To loot Tinys chest. The crowd goes silent for a moment, before murmuring about the news. Torlon looks like hes starting to understand the magnitude of the quest now, as Freddie turns to face him.


    See theres a couple chests in there that people try to get, and Tiny tries to catch them before they can. Oh, and theres dire rats that try to steal your stuff sometimes, too. Anyway, Tiny has hisir in there, and some people have said theres a chest in there, too, but nobodys been able to get it yet. Even Mr Tarl hasnt been able to get it, he adds.


    To his credit, Torlon looks more intrigued than concerned. And if Tiny catches you, he webs you and you get carried out? I remember hearing something about you losing something to a spider guardian? He thinks for a few moments before speaking up again. Are we allowed to fight Tiny?


    The young orc scrunches his face up in uncertainty. Uh kinda? I think just about everyone has taken a swing at Tiny, but he doesnt seem to take it personally. He tends to take weapons away after webbing people who try to attack, though?


    The gnome smiles and seems to start warming up; hopping in ce, wiggling his fingers, just getting the blood pumping. Maybe if I was more of a fighting ss Id try my luck, but Im not. Did you know, Freddie, that I wasnt always an adherent to the Crystal Shield?


    Uh I mean, you had to be a kid at some point, right? he replies, clearly having no clue where the priest is going with this.


    The gnomeughs as he starts casting little sparkles over his head, I guess to get his mana pumping, too. I used to be an illusionist, before I took up The Shield. I was pretty good, too, even by gnome standards, he says with a bit of pride. So I think Ill just have to try to stay out of the way of this Tiny!


    With that, he seems to be ready, and turns to face Fluffles. Im ready to brave the dungeons challenge. My noodle nods and slithers to the side to let him pass. Freddie looks like he wants to go, too, but hes a bright kid. He can see that his boss wants to do this on his own. And itd probably be more difficult for him to use an illusion to keep them both hidden from Tiny.


    Not that I expect Tiny will be fooled. Hes got thin webbing all over the ce, so he can feel where people are. Unsurprisingly, the gnome vanishes as he enters the maze, and the hunt is on. Tiny doesnt seem too concerned, though, and does his typical thing when actually pursuing someone. He starts webbing certain intersections closed, opening others, and patiently weaving his trap.


    I notice one of the other chests being opened, and the potion and coins vanishing. Looks like hes going to try to do a proper run of the maze, too. I think hes going for each chest, not just the big one at the end. More mana for me, so Im not gonnain.


    At the second chest, I get the feeling hes realized his invisibility isnt working, as I can hear him tapping the lid of the chest after hes looted it. Probably trying to think of a way to beat my big leggy-boi.


    The gnome reappears and crouches down. Looks like hes spotted the webbing. Ah thatplicates things. He soon smiles, though, and starts creating shoes? They sure look like shoes. Probably illusionary shoes? Hows that going to help him against Tiny?


    He jumps andnds with the shoes at the same time, and I understand how thatll mess up Tiny. Theyre not just illusions of sight, but illusions of touch, too. Heughs before they all scatter, and he takes off in a different direction, too.


    Tiny pauses as he feels the change, and I keep an eye on the real gnome. I dont tell Tiny anything, though. This is supposed to be a fair chase. My big guy seems to think for a few moments before changing his tactics as well. Theres two other chests before the main one, and Tiny knows he wants them both. So he doesnt need to know where the gnome <em>is</em>, just where hes going to be.


    So Tiny has to just y the odds and hope he gets lucky. Or be patient. Tiny picks a chest and stakes it out, and Torlon makes his way to the other chest. Hes even subtle enough to wait for several shoes to get there before he opens it, and doesnt leave until they all get there.


    He seems to be nning while he waits for his illusions to converge. Im not sure how, but he can definitely sense the other chest, and also the main one. He seems to look from one to the other, before making up his mind. y by the rules he says to himself, before he starts to pick his way towards thest of the simple chests.


    He fleshes out his illusions as he makes for the chest, and I only know which is him because Ive been paying attention with more senses than Tiny can bring to bear at a distance. Theyre some pretty serious illusions, too, as one trips over a big web snare and is hoisted up as it closes around it.


    The gnome lets it dissipate with a little pop, and the others start moving in. Tiny seems to be enjoying himself, at least. He throws webs, he throws illusions into webs, he actuallyssos and hogties one of the illusions, too. Then I notice Ive lost track of the real Torlon. Theres only three illusions running around now, at least Im pretty sure theyre all fake. Its getting difficult to tell.


    Its not until I feel the chest being opened that I know where he is. I cant even <em>see</em> the chest being opened. It looks untouched still. No wonder hes proud of his illusions. I give him a couple seconds to get away before telling Tiny only thest chest remains, and the big guy is surprised and impressed.


    He takes one of Teemos shortcuts to hisir, while Torlon weaves his way through the maze to the goal. Tiny gets there first, of course, and has enough time to weave a tangle around thest chest. No more sneaking up to take it while his back is turned.


    The priest/illusionistes to a stop as he sees Tinysir, and Tiny guarding thest chest. The trees make a dense canopy overhead, giving some room for vertical movement, but not much. Sunlight filters through, leaving it bright enough to still see clearly, but also producing shadowy areas to potentially hide. A thicket to the north is Tinys actual spawnerir thing, and the chest and spider are more or less in the center.


    Torlon surveys the area, before his eyesnd on Tiny. Itll take more than a simple Phantasm to distract you now, hmm? he says with respect in his voice. Looks like hes been having a harder time than I thought he might be, which is great. His fight so far with Tiny has been making me some good mana, and I get the feeling itll be a drop in the bucketpared to whatever will happen next.


    He raises his hands and arge shape starts to form overhead. Simcrum! he shouts and it suddenlyes into focus: a giant wasp. Im pretty sure its an illusion? The leaves seem to be rustling from the beat of its wings, and dust and detritus from the ground is being blown around, too, so its difficult to tell. If it <em>is</em> fake, Torlons pulled out all the stops to fool every sense he can think of.


    Blur! he shouts and his form bes hazy, indistinct and multiplies. Theres four of him now, as well as the big wasp.


    But Tiny hasnt been idle while Torlon prepared. Arge web flies at the wasp, as Tiny tries to deal with the major threat first. Its stinger sweeps through the air and slices the web in half, though it can only dodge part of it. The wings are entangled, forcing the angry thing tond with a puff of dust. Its feet even leave marks on the ground as it charges Tiny, and the two grapple.


    The blurry Torlons, meanwhile, all take wide routes to the webbed chest, and start slowly working through to it. Im pretty sure all he has to get through it is some knife or something, but I still dont know which is the actual Torlon.


    Tiny and the wasp tumble and wrestle, trying to web or sting their foe into submission. My spider knows to keep the two ends of the wasp from getting too close to him, but focusing on defense like that makes it difficult to get any offense going properly. And hes against the clock, as well as the wasp. It doesnt need to even hurt him, it just needs to keep him busy long enough for Torlon to get the chest.


    Looks like Tiny has a n for that, though. As they wrestle and roll around, he manages to slowly steer them towards the other half of therge web. He manages tond the wasp on its back on the web, sticking it to the ground for just long enough to get his spinnerets into gear. Just as he gets it restrained enough to no longer be a problem, the wasp vanishes as do the other illusions.


    The initial webbing was never cut in half. Tiny stands over a pile of restraining web, and therge one he threw. Over at the chest, a single Torlon stands, breathing heavily and leaning on the freed chest.


    I hope this counts as a win he huffs, wiping sweat from his brow. It sure counts in my book. Tiny agrees, and walks forward. Torlon stiffens as he approaches, but the big guy just waves a leg at the chest, and the gnome gives a tired smile.


    Whew heh. That took everything I had. Well, lets see whats in the chest. He smiles and hefts therge lid up, coins spilling as the seal is broken. Once he gets it open fully, he stares at whatys atop the pile of coins and gems. His battered shield.


    Tiny reaches over and plucks it from the pile and brings it to his mouth, giving it a solid bite and a new chip, before offering it to the stunned priest. He epts it, his hands tracing each ding and nick, each scratch and chip, memories clearly filling his head. A tear falls and he smiles at Tiny.


    Thank you.

 Chapter Forty-Eight: Thedeim

    Chapter Forty-Eight: Thedeim


    Teemos done ascending! Hes not even crawled out of the rats nest before Im nudging him with what I want him to say first. Come on, say it! Please?


    My rat Voice gives a sigh.


    Captain Teemo on duty. But Im not a captain I think? Im pretty sure he brings up his status to look at, while Im silently celebrating at the top of my not-lungs. I calm down by the time hes done looking, and he looks a bit confused.


    Honestly, I kinda am, too, but Im not concerned. Fluffles became a quatl, but Teemo is still just a rat. Not a dire rat, or a ratling, or some crazy spirit rat or something. Just a rat. Who can talk. How do you feel, Teemo?


    Faster? And I can hear you more clearly. Oh? What did I sound like before?


    You didnt really <em>sound</em> at all. Just feelings and shes of intent. Ooohh, like an Empathic bond. Thats kinda how I hear you guys, too. Anyhow, do you have any questions for me, before we get to work?


    He manages to look a bit bashful. Yeah. Uh why me? I know you were considering Poe and Tiny, but why me?


    Well, theres a couple things. One is the cult. I had a feeling my Voice would be kinda influenced by who I chose, instead of just regurgitating what I say. Poe would be a bit too regimented. He likes things ordered and nned. Tiny would probably give me an air of mystery and wisdom, but after the cult really got started, I started thinking thatd be a bad idea. So I wanted you, Teemo, to keep me grounded.


    The second thing is that youre the best one to get around to actually talk to people. With your shortcuts and size, you can basically get <em>from</em> anywhere <em>to</em> anywhere in less time than itd take Tiny to even get out of his maze.


    And youll be a bit of a test for delvers who want to talk to me. If they cant give you the respect you deserve as my Voice, just because they think youre a normal rat, then I dont have anything to say to them except goodbye.


    Teemo takes a few minutes trying to process that. I felt his uncertainty before he ascended, so Im not really surprised he needs a bit of time toe to terms with everything.


    What should I call you? he asks suddenly, and I regard him curiously. What do you mean?


    Everyone has a different name for you. Tiny calls you the Weaver, Poe calls you Lord, Fluffles calls you Denmaster, Jello just calls you The Voice which is kinda ironic,e to think of it. Grim calls you Master. Queen and Honey both call you Emperor. Huh. What do you call me?


    Boss, he says with certainty, and I take a moment to just think. What should I be called? Most of the scions just have a title for me, not a name. I could give him my name, or even an inte alias or something, but that just feels weird. But what else should I be called? I was never any good with names.


    Maybe a title, then? Yeah, because I was totally a noble before getting hit with a truck. But there are things I had earned. I got my degree in engineering, for one. That feels weird too, though, being a dungeon called Engineer. Hmm that does give me an idea, though.


    Its a pretty fitting one, too, as I think about it. Ive yed a lot of tabletop RPGs, DnD and such, and even ran a bunch of games. Thats probably why I run my dungeon like I do, or at least partially. Death traps are boring, to run and to y, so I never tried to do that. And the whole, you know real-people-dying thing.


    I focus back on Teemo, and his eyes are a bit crossed. You ok? He shakes himself before replying.


    Yeah, sorry, Boss. You think weird. I can hear it all, and know what it all means, but it doesnt make a whole lot of sense. The meaning of a lot of those words feels like a whole book! I chuckle at that. Sorry. Hopefully you can learn to ignore me when Im just thinking to myself, or I can learn to not think in your ears, heh.


    Anyway, I have a name. You can call me The DM.


    Thedeim? What? The DM.


    Thats what I said, Boss. Er, Thedeim. Huh. Howd you get that? You know the meaning of what words I use, right?


    Teemo shifts a bit on his little ratty feet. Yeah, but the meaning is way too long to call you. The word you used sounds like Thedeim. Weird, phic? Oh man, I knew we werent actually speaking English! Is it some kind of trantion magic or something?


    I maybe? Ive only ever been in this dungeon. Right, right, sorry. You dont magically have the answers any better than I do. Though speaking of magically having the answers, I think the first official thing I need you to do, my Voice, is to go talk to Larx and Aranya. Im still ufortable with the cult, but I get the feeling they wont just stop if I asked them to. Aranya is a High Priestess now! And Larx sanctified the cemetery! It kinda rings hollow to tell them I dont have any power or anything.


    Teemo nods at that, and gets moving, to gather them up to talk. Thankfully, the only difficult part is in making sure its only Larx and Aranya. They both wanted to have him address all the ratkin, which neither of us really wanted to. So Teemo put his tiny foot down before the two could go try to gather everyone.


    No! Now, are you two gonna listen to what Thedeim has to say, or not? he asks with a re, and the two slowly dete, before they both realize what he said. He doesnt let them get a word in yet, though.


    Yes, the Boss name is Thedeim. You can call him that, or Boss, or Sanctuary just dont call himte for dinner? What? He looks towards my core, despite being over in the ratkin enve, before shaking himself and continuing.


    Anyway, he only really has one piece of advice for how to live. Love. Larx and Aranya both look confused at this, but at least they seem to have learned to be quiet while my Voice is talking.


    And not lust. Hes not a sex sanctuary. Hes a love sanctuary, so dont go organizing big orgies or something to try to make him happy. Just love. Genuinely care for others, without needing anything back.


    Aranya looks overjoyed, and Larx smiles like hes been given some great nugget of wisdom. When Teemo doesnt continue, Larx speaks up first.


    A wise and caring Sanctuary Thedeim.


    Aranya looks about ready to explode and starts talking a mile a minute, before Teemo gets her to quiet down long enough to get a word in edgewise.


    Settle down! The Boss knows you want to talk, Aranya, but weve got stuff to do. When she looks like he just ate her puppy, he hastily continues. But we can talk in the morning, before you go to sleep, ok?


    The red kobold perks up significantly at that, and I mentally smile at the three, before directing my attention elsewhere. Teemos not kidding about me having stuff to do. I got a very nice pile of mana from the priests battle with Tiny, and even more once he looted the chest.


    Its enough for me to at least finish the first part of what I want for the cryptplex. The ratlings havent broken through to the crypt just yet, but it should be close. Ive also been upgrading the zombie and skeleton spawners, and theyre both ready for me to choose their specialization.


    I take a closer look at my options, and notice ones that I didnt before: Fungal zombies and green skeletons. At first, I want to ignore the fungal zombies, but I actually think theyll be safe. The gue rats that Neverrest had never actually started a gue, they just could infect delvers with stuff with a bite. So I dont think Ill be identally shrooming the city to destruction. Im pretty sure theyll just have chances to drop mushrooms when beaten, which is kinda cool.


    The green skeletons are a bit more vague. I dont think theyre just gonna be a recolor of a normal skeleton. Maybe theyll be kinda mossy? Whatever they are, theyre more intriguing than the other skeleton options. So I go ahead and upgrade the spawners. The zombies dont change much, except for growing a little mushroom on the top of their heads. Its almost cute. The skeletons actually do start developing moss, so yay for guessing!


    Now all I need to do is wait for the ratlings to break through, and they can start popting the cryptplex.

 Chapter Forty-Nine: Round One

    Chapter Forty-Nine: Round One


    Teemos off making more shortcuts, and catching up with the other scions. Hes understandably confused when he meets Rocky.


    Uh Boss? Whats with the zombie scion? I chuckle to myself. Hes a boxer! Which is a kind of martial artist that specializes in punches. The gloves are to help them not kill each other when they fight. I want him to be my first actual fighting scion. I named him Rocky because I expect hes going to be knocked down and get back up a lot.


    Teemo just gives the zombie a weird look as it chews on its wooden mouth guard. Well he calls you Coach. Hah, thats great. Is he happy with what Ive been having him do?


    My Voice nods. Yeah, he seems to enjoy it. He seems a bit more on the ball than Id expect a zombie to be. I mean, hes about on the same mental level as Jello, but zombies and slimes arent really known for thinking, Boss. d hes enjoying it. Maybe its my weird thinking thats making them have to adjust? Who knows.


    Teemo continues on his way, and Rocky continues to practice his punches and footwork. Hes still pretty awkward, but Im not disappointed. He still hasnt gotten a title for being a boxer yet, so I can hardly expect him to be in top form. The other scions all seem to react simrly to Teemo being my Voice. They chat, and I can only get impressions of what theyre saying, though Teemo can trante. They all want to know if theyre doing well, and I assure them they are. I ask if they like their roles, and they all do. Coda is especially happy to be working in the mines, too. He was worried I had forgotten or abandoned him, so hes d to be able to contribute. Hes also apparently started calling me The Foreman, which is kinda cool.


    Eventually, morning rolls around, and Aranya returns to her bed near the core, and I ask Teemo to go hang out with her like promised. She starts offying on the worshipfulness pretty thick, but Teemos pretty quick to shut that down. Shes my High Priestess, she doesnt need to bow and scrape. Not that I want anyone else to, but if Im supposed to be in charge, I get to decide how my direct underlings act towards me.


    She asks about the mysteries of creation, of my grand ns for the world, that sort of thing. Teemos a bit too happy to burst her bubble about that, but I <em>did</em> ask him to help keep me grounded. He tells her I dont know any mysteries of creation, which I kinda do, but only inws of physics that may or may not still apply. He tells her I dont have any grand ns, which I dont. The closest thing I have to a n is that I want to get the tunnels and cryptplex in better shape, then probably expand downward again. Theres a lot of connecting tunnels, so there shouldnt be another earthquake I hope.


    She asks about me, and Im honestly not sure what to tell her. She asks why I saved her, which is at least easier to answer. She was in trouble, so I helped. She asks about the delvers and why I treat them like I do, which leads to a technical discussion about mana ie, and some basics of economics and psychology, and her recollections of the legends of her people. Teemo is looking a bit overwhelmed by some of it, and when Aranya interrupts herself with a big yawn, I tell Teemo to go ahead and tell her to sleep. Well have plenty of time to talk about stuff.


    Im d Teemo and the other scions dont seem to need to actually sleep nor do my denizens, which is convenient. Sure, they sometimes do anyway, but thats more them not having anything to do, rather than an actual need.


    While I just let my attention wander, I feel a familiar pair of feet at my manor gate. Hey Teemo. Elf Guys here. The rat perks up at that, and grins. Now, be nice, Teemo. Or at least dont be mean. I like him, but that mostly means Imfortable ribbing him some, heh. Looks like hes not talking into a rock either. Maybe hes here on a normal delve?


    While I muse, Teemo moves. I even get an idea, and tell the rafters aranea to prepare a special quest for Tarl. He looks almost rxed, yet eager at the same time, as he approaches the porch, though he looks a bit confused at the rough wooden sign hanging near the bulletin board. His confusion only peaks when he hears a voice.


    Well, well, well if it isnt the only delver Ive ever attacked. Hello Elf Guy, says Teemo, hidden under the boards of the porch. Tarl has his dagger out in a sh, and is looking around. Looks like Teemo has gotten better at hiding, because it doesnt look like Tarl knows where he is.


    Whos there?! Are you one of the Ratkin? he demands, his eyes darting around. Probably should dial it back a little, Teemo. I get the feeling hes had some bad experiences with dungeons surprising him. My rat scion actually giggles before speaking again.


    Settle down, Elf Guy. I only took one of your hp anyway. A small price to pay to remember to make sure the encounter is over before looting, right? Tarl looks more confused, before he puts together whos talking. His sharp look quickly falls t. He keeps looking around, but theres a lot less urgency to it now.


    Ah the rat scion. I probably shouldnt be surprised youre the Voice. With augh, Teemo hops up on the porch railing, letting the elf get a good look at him. Probably the most practical choice, really, says the delver, peering at my rat. I doubt theres anywhere in the dungeon you cant quickly get to. And youd get people to drop their guard or at least get fools to drop their guard. He straightens himself and sheaths his dagger.


    Im here as an ordinary delver, dungeon, he starts, only for Teemo to interrupt.


    Thedeim.


    What?


    Thats the Boss name. Thedeim.


    Tarls eyes widen at that. Its already chosen a name for itself?


    Himself, and yeah.


    The elven delver absently reaches into his pocket, before remembering he doesnt have his little note rock, and shakes his head to clear it. Right, normal delver. On vacation, not on a quest he says almost to himself, then focuses on Teemo again. Does the dun- er <em>Thedeim </em>have anything he wishes to say?


    Teemo simply smiles and nods at the rough wooden sign. He thinks you might like that quest.


    <em>Fight Rocky</em>


    Whos Rocky?


    Teemoughs again. Go to the central mausoleum in the graveyard. Hell meet you there. With that, my Voice vanishes down a shortcut, leaving Tarl to try to decide what to do. Im pretty sure hell go do it. I havent done anything to actually harm him before. Tiny has beaten him in the maze, but thats about it. With a sigh, he nods, though he doesnt immediately head for the graveyard. Instead, he heads around back to gather a few herbs, and once he notices the garden in the belfry has been upgraded, he enjoys himself through the house and the boss fight to get to the roof, to look at whats up there, too.


    He gathers a few clippings, but he doesn''t seem interested in getting a full nt for himself. I imagine hes probably traveling most of the time, so he cant exactly keep his house nts watered. I wonder if he makes potions, or maybe even poisons. Either way, hes taking his time and enjoying a delve, and Im enjoying the mana. I can throw my strongest stuff at him in small numbers, and keep him busy enough to have fun, but not in any real danger of being overwhelmed. I feel like Im a thrill park, but you stab the attractions, instead of riding them around whipping corners and massive drops.


    Im not worried about him taking his time, though. It gives Rocky time to get into position, and to practice his ducking and weaving some more. Eventually, though, Tarl walks into the mausoleum, and Rocky spots him. My zombie stops chewing on his mouth guard and instead slots it between his rotten teeth like hes supposed to. He hits his gloves together and does a few jabs to dere his intention, and Tarl just looks confused.


    A zombie scion? What did you you actually want me to fight it? Teemos not there, but Tarl is smart, he can figure it out. After a few moments, he shrugs, and draws his de. Alright. Lets see what weirdness youvee up with this time.


    He approaches slowly, and Rocky keeps his attention on him. Hes got his dukes up as proper as I can tell, but thisll be the first real test of not only how well boxing theory trantes into boxing practice, but also how well Rocky can actually work in this role. Tarl is wary. He doesnt know what kind of fighting style Rocky is using, and hes been in enough fights to know a new style can really throw you for a loop. He tries a simple sh, which Rocky jukes to the side to avoid, and counters with a decent body blow.


    Tarl takes the shot with a grunt and backs off, but Rocky quickly moves forward. Atta boy, Rocky! Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee! Of course, Tarl is way more agile than my boxer, so he gets away, but it takes a bit more effort than he seems to have expected.


    Hows a <em>zombie</em> move like that?! he grumbles before moving back in. The two exchange blows, and I can see the ws in Rockys defense, though Im confident itll work well enough with practice. He can handle slices on his arms as he protects his body, and his counters are nice and quick. Its almost like the boxing stance is a time-tested way to fight.


    Tarl backs up again, sporting a few bruises now, and Rocky has some decent cuts and stabs. Did you actually make a zombie monk? Hes good in melee, but hows he handle ranged? Windde! Rocky ducks to the side, and weaves to the other to avoid a second. Then he grunts with an uppercut, and a line of embers trails behind his gloved fist, blocking the third windde.


    With me affinity? Uh yeah, Im with Tarl here. Whered you get me affinity, Rocky? No, youre not in trouble, Im just surprised. Maybe I can start thinking a bit more Street Fighter than Eye of the Tiger.


    Shadow de! Rocky hunkers down, protecting himself as best he can, but I think all three of us knew who was going to be winning this fight from the start. Ya done good, Rock. Thats just round one. Take a breather and well work on how the fight went once you respawn.


    Tarl is looking pretty pleased with himself. I wonder how much xp he got from that? Your first boss scion? Id have never expected something like this which I probably should have expected from you. Ill be done with my vacation next week, and then itll be time for another inspection, I think. The guild still needs to make official contact with your dwellers, too.


    He heads for the cemetery exit, and even nods at Grim as he spots him, then pauses before leaving. Keep surprising me, Thedeim. I had a good feeling about you from the start.

 Chapter Fifty: Field Trip

    Chapter Fifty: Field Trip


    Tarls dramatic exit is a bit ruined when hees back to the manor to turn in the quest. Ive been trying to convince the aranea that socks shoulde in twos, but the idea of giving two items forpleting one quest is utterly anathema to them. Im not too upset, though. I find it kinda adorable that they have a primitive sense of fairness.


    The spiderir has spawned a few more, and while a couple have taken up ces in the tunnels, it seems like the new ones are focusing more on delivering stuff from the warehouse. My ratlings still arent great at smithing, but knives and little shields have joined the potential quest rewards. Ive even seen a few rough gems get handed out.


    Ive also discovered where the leather came from. Its from my ratkin. It seems like making leather is a lot simpler here than back home. Here, you basically just skin a thing and get thing leather. On Earth, tanning is a lengthy and disgusting process, so Im not exactly going to be crying about how easy leather is to get.


    As for how <em>I</em> got it, since my ratkin dwellers are their own thing? Theyve set up a little I guess offering area? Its not far from their enve, and they just ce part of whatever they make or hunt or gather there. And my aranea pick up whatever they like, though I think like is a bit strong. I watched what they decided to take, and what they decided to leave in exchange, and it seems almost more like osmosis than any actual barter system. High-concentration gets taken to a low-concentration area until theyre roughly equal.


    Which works for me. I think the ratkin will figure out how it works eventually, and probably try to tailor their offerings to what it looks like my warehouse needs. I even had Teemo tell them its not required, but it is appreciated.


    Ive also realized something else: I havent looked at my traps in a while. Like a <em>while</em>. I think thest time I even thought about traps, I didnt even take up the entire house. I have a lot more options in there now.


    Theres the expected pit traps, spike traps, rockfalls, even quicksand. None of which are really interesting to me. Theres also things that are more mechanical than I used to have ess to; things like poison gas, darts, des, trapdoors, and the like. Then theres, of course, the magical traps that Thing has been working on. He finally got a breakthrough with the spatial magics from examining the bag of holding, so hes been experimenting a lot to see what he cane up with.


    Ive asked him and Queen both to try to figure out something for sleep traps, alchemical or magical would be fine, or even both. I think it could be an interesting thing to keep delvers on their toes with. Instant death things are boring, but that doesnt mean other dungeons wont try to spring them, so I need something to emte that. I think sleep will do well for it.


    Ive also been getting an idea with looking at the various traps. I wonder if I could do a ninja warrior thing, or emte one of those embarrassing gauntlet shows that always have annoying voiceovers on tv. Could be another good nonbat thing for people to do. I tell Coda the basic n for something like that, and point out what I think will be a good area to dig to set something like that up. Itll take a while, but Coda and the ratlings are both getting a lot better at digging.


    They need a new digging goal, now that theyve broken through to the mausoleum. The undead flood out at first, fungal zombies and green skeletons sweeping through the cryptplex, but the ce is big enough that they soon thin out enough to not be a deathtrap. A few aranea even set up in the tunnels and the graveyard to hand out quests to go beat them up, too.


    As I sketch ns in the secret library, I feel familiar feet, and unfamiliar feet at the graveyard gate. I see Rhonda with Lucas riding her hat, and for a moment, I think Larx is with her. Only for a moment, though. While Larx almost seems to be ying at being old, this guy is <em>definitely </em>old. His robes are thick, with pockets everywhere, and he leans heavily on his staff. Something about the way he moves, though, makes me think of a certain king earthbender. I hope hes not here to start anything. Hes with Rhonda, though, so its probably fine.


    His eyes look over the cemetery, just taking everything in as he speaks up. So, this is whats be of Neverrest?


    Rhonda thinks for a moment, then gives a slow nod. Shes been learning to not move her head around too quickly. Lucas doesnt like having to suddenly hang on for dear life. Kinda, Master. Fourdock Dungeon subsumed it, and is in charge now. The church has even been bringing bodies to be buried properly! I get the feeling Freddies happiness at them getting proper interment has rubbed off a bit on his friend.


    Whatd they say the name of her master was? Old something? I know she and Freddie have mentioned him several times, but I dont remember what his name actually is. Whatever his name, he seems satisfied with looking around the graveyard, and smirks as he spots the mausoleum with the sign on it.


    Dont Open, Undead Inside. Direct and to the point. Now then, Rhonda. Where did you say this hand was?


    She points towards the mausoleum that leads to theplex. That leads to a lot of tunnels, and hes in there somewhere. Or at least his workshop is. Thats also where the nasty traps are.


    The old ratkin nods and waves that off. Thats fine. If the dungeon wants to be rid of those traps, Ill be more than happy to clear them out as we go. Maybe get some good will from it and itd be more willing to talk about that reagent you saw. I can see his eyes twinkle as he mentions the reagent, but I dont know what hes talking about. Thing, have you been making unobtanium without telling me?


    Well, either way, youre going to be having guests soon, looks like. Teemo, would youe meet these two in theplex? The ratkin seems pretty confident he can handle the magical traps, but Id like you there to make sure they dont get in over their heads.


    The wizened ratkin takes his time walking and seems to enjoy the peace of the graveyard. Its nice to see it like this again. I had actually seen it before Neverrest took it over, you know. I can believe it. He looks old enough to have had a pet dinosaur as a kid. Huh I wonder if dinosaurs were a thing in this world. Maybe theyre even <em>still </em>a thing in this world.


    Now, Rhonda. I dont want you getting near the magical traps, but I <em>do</em> want you to pay attention while I work. You may be more ice aligned than metamagic like myself, but you can still learn to spot the weaknesses in a spell. Ill be picking those apart to let the spell copse in on itself. If you dont know what youre doing, trying that can just set it off, or even focus all that energy on yourself. So I expect you to take careful notes!


    Yes Master! she says with a gleam in her own eye. She grips the straps for her pack a bit tighter, and Im sure she has a bunch of magical stuff in there, as well as her little notebook and charcoal stick. The two get into theplex without any issue, and Teemo gets to them well before they get to any of the traps.


    Hello Rhonda. Whos your friend? No, not you, Lucas. I know who you are.


    Eep! eeps Rhonda when Teemo speaks, and she looks around in surprise. Her master gives a wary eye as well, but neither can see Teemo. After a few moments, the young goblin speaks.


    U-um this is my Master? Old Staiven? Staiven! Right! Teemo steps out of the shortcut and stands in the tunnel for the two to see.


    Ah, so youre her teacher. Thedeim says youre doing a good job with her. Rhonda fights a blush while she also fights confusion at the talking rat, and I think shes losing both battles. Her teacher, though, looks at Teemo calctingly.


    The Voice? The dungeon is called Thedeim, then. He takes a few moments more to think, before giving a smirk. Tell Thedeim hes doing a good job with the cemetery. Heh, I think this guy is going to be tough to impress.


    Teemo returns the smirk, before nodding behind himself. The Boss says youre here to get rid of the traps, and talk with Thing? Youre sure you can handle them? Neverrest had a lot of nasty stuff enchanted down here.


    Old Staiven nods with the confidence of someone who is a master of their craft. If they were fresh and actively upkept, I might have some problems, but I can see the fraying of the spellcraft from here. If they werent so dangerous, Id have Rhonda practice on a couple.


    Rhonda looks nervous at that idea, but her master ignores her as he continues. Thedeim is fine with me dispelling them?


    Teemo nods. He is, if it can be done safely. He doesnt like aggressive traps like these.


    With that, Old Staiven gets to work. Rhonda takes notes as he talks about spellcraft and rune design and all kinds of technical things. I take notes in the secret library, and even copy Rhondas notes, too. Things going to have a field day with this stuff. The first couple he takes his time with, making sure Rhonda understands what hes doing, and he even has her try to exin how to unravel one, before he does so himself.


    He corrects her a few times when she works through it, but he does soon copse it like she suggested. It makes a loud snap, instead of the quiet whump when he does it himself, but she is still a novice.


    After that, though, he starts unraveling them much faster. If he took his time to exin with each of them, theyd be here all day. Watching him work, I doubt Neverrest could have done much to stop him strolling around however he pleased down here, aside from burying him in undead. Im just d for the mana, and for the ce getting cleared out. If I can give him whatever reagent hes after, Ill probably do it. Theplex is basically ready for business now hes cleared the traps.


    Teemo leads them to the enchantingb, and Thing is there, patiently waiting. Old Staivens eyes immediately settle on the disembodied hand, before he lets them wander the room.


    Thats quite the impressive enchantingb. Especially that lens array. He looks ready to get lost in exploring the shop of a fellow magic user when Rhonda gently tugs on his robe to get him focused.


    Ah, yes. Business before pleasure. My young apprentice here noticed an odd reagent thest time she was here. A yellow liquid. Yellow liquid? I peer through the various cupboards as Thing taps a finger in thought. Im seeing a lot of yellow liquids, and while I technically know what they all are, I have no idea what they all do, no more than Id know what a shelf of chemicals in a more traditionalb would do, despite being able to read thebels.


    Thing waves himself to try to get him to give more details, and Teemo speaks up. What kind of yellow liquid? Theres a lot in here.


    The enchanter holds out his hand and Rhonda ces her notebook into it. Let me see ah, yes. Judging by the other reagents, it has properties pertaining to movement? he says, looking to Thing and Teemo to see if they can confirm. Thing thinks for a few more seconds before snapping, seeming to know what it is. He hops off the counter to get it. Oh, youve been keeping some bottled lightning in here? I probably should have figured itd be something that could be useful in enchanting, instead of just something to give my stuff lightning affinity.


    Thing levitates it to the table, before hopping up himself, and he immediately has the Ratkins full attention. What is <em>that</em>? he says like a kid whos seen a candybar for the first time. As my Voice, its on Teemo to respond.


    The Boss calls it Bottled Lightning.


    How do you make it?es the immediate response. Ive never seen anything quite like it before.


    Queen, the ant scion and alchemist, makes it.


    Can I meet her?


    Teemo grimaces and shakes his head. No. Her domain is the secret alchemyb.


    Staiven still stares at the small bottle. Id almost pledge myself as a Resident just to get to talk to her but that wouldnt be reasonable, he says as he tears his eyes from the vial with visible effort. Hmm.


    Hey Thing, Queen. Do you two think itd be a bad idea to let him have a small sample? I dont think it will work the same on delvers as it does on us, but you two are the experts. Unfortunately, neither of them seem to have any actual advice to give. Well, Im pretty sure its something that can only be made in a dungeon, possibly even only made <em>by</em> a dungeon, via scions and such. It wasnt exactly aplicated recipe or used anything especially rare to make. Pretty sure I made the first bit in a literal hole in the dirt with a couple ants just chewing and spitting.


    Alright Thing. Prepare a little sample vial for him. I really do want to thank him for clearing out those magical traps. Teemo speaks up as Thing gets working on what I asked.


    Thedeim says you can have a small sample, as a thanks for clearing the traps. Hes not sure what itll do to you guys, but you look like you know what youre doing.


    <strong>Elsewhere</strong>


    A small purple light forms atop a mat of mycelia. Something primal tells the fungus to protect the tiny shard. Soon, wide-capped mushrooms block it from sight, and spores get produced in more quantity. Usually, the fungus would be happy to let spores travel, or even get lucky and kill a small insect well away from the main biomass but now its different. Working that slowly could endanger the purple source of light. It cant have that.

 Chapter Fifty-One: A Quiet Day

    Chapter Fifty-One: A Quiet Day


    Yvonnes back from her questing with her friends, and she looks d to be able to rx for a bit. Teemo, in contrast, is pacing in one of the shortcuts, mumbling to himself. I think its equal parts adorable and touching.


    After all, its pretty awkward to just say Hey, sorry you died. I tried my best. Well, when not talking to a gravestone, at least. I am starting to get a bit concerned about him, though. I guess survivors guilt is a thing, even when both parties are technically alive.


    Hey, Teemo. Settle down, man.


    My Voice squeaks in surprise. Boss! Im sorry, its just what do I say to her?


    Well, you can always start with hello. I dont think he appreciates my advice.


    And then what?! he snaps at me, before remembering Im technically his creator. He sighs deeply and detes a bit. Sorry, Boss. Its just what do I do? What if she doesnt like me, now I can talk?


    Why wouldnt she like you? Seems like every moment shes not actively doing something while here, shes rxing with a book and petting you.


    But she didnt know I could <em>think</em>! I think? What if she mes me, now that I can actually talk to her? What if she doesnt want to pet me any more?


    Teemo, she doesnt me you. If anything, she appreciates how hard you tried to save her. As for petting you well, just ask her to. I dont think she had any problems petting you before you could talk. Just dont make it weird, heh.


    How do I do that? he asks with genuine concern. All I can do is mentally shrug. I dunno how to do that. Ive never really been petted. Humans are more built to give the pets, rather than receive them.


    Teemo looks confused. Whats?


    What?


    Whats built to give pets, but not get them?


    Oh, humans?


    Yeah, that. That doesnte through. Its like I dunno what its like, but I get no meaning at all from it.


    Huh. Thats weird. Id have expected it to have almost a crippling amount of meaning behind it.


    I mentally shake my head. While interesting, humans, orck thereof, isnt the point of the conversation. The point is: go talk to her, Teemo. Not an order, just advice. Shes not going to be upset with you.


    He still looks uncertain, but he knows he cant just dodge her forever. Well, he probably <em>could</em>, but he shouldnt and he doesnt want to, either. He starts heading for the secret base, which is where shes headed, and I go ahead and focus my attention elsewhere. I feel like hed be embarrassed if I was deliberately listening in while they talk.


    Instead, I watch my various delvers, doing their delving. The house and maze are always rxing to watch, for me. The newbies and crafters are well, I get the feeling most dungeons dont really cater to them. Most of them really are terrible at fighting. Im hardly an expert, but even I can notice when they unbnce themselves with a swing, or put themselves in awkward positions to defend.


    But the ones that gather various things show their skill there, which is interesting to watch. Gently handling herbs to get them gathered without messing up whatever properties they need, chopping at the trees to quickly and efficiently get enough wood to cart out of the maze, or the intricate measuring and mixing in the publicb for making potions. I still pay attention to the people who make stuff in there, but Queen actually has ants in there watching, and shell ping me if she sees something shed like me to write down.


    Im just d my handwriting is way better as a dungeon than it ever was when I still had hands.


    I shift my attention to the caves and tunnels, and am d that things have been smoothing out down there nicely. The fruitbats and ants have gotten that glowing moss just about everywhere down there. I probably wouldnt want to try to read by the light in there, but its bright enough that just about everyone can see and fight properly.


    The asional widows from the spider spawner are almost like wandering mini-bosses, which helps keep the lower level groups on their toes. Ive had to save a couple groups with the healing ants, but most groups are prepared enough to either fight or run away. Thankfully, the lessons of being beaten seem to stick, and I havent had to save any particr group more than once.


    The nodes down there are getting good use, too. Plenty of metals and gems that the delvers love. Theres actually a group of dwarves and gnomes that seem to be trained for mining in dungeons. Their picks have two sides, like I picture a normal pick, but they have one side thats designed for digging, and one side designed for fighting. Im always happy to see them show up, since they make me a bunch of mana.


    Jello has also acquired a bit of a fanclub, it seems. After Torlon ran the maze, other crystal shield folks havee to do a bit of delving. Most of them are newbies, but there are real fighters in their ranks, too. They wouldnt be able to train Freddie to be a pdin if they didnt. Anyhow, one of them noticed my slime scions title, and now I sometimes get a small group that will follow her around while shes patrolling, and theyll help her as they can. One of the aranea even sometimes gives out a <em>Help Jello</em> quest. Jello, of course, is over the moon to have delvers helping her.


    The tougher crystal shield folk have been more focused on the cryptplex. The fungal zombies and green skellies are actually resistant to being turned, probably because of all the nt/fungal life thats part of them. They seem to be a great way for them to practice their stuff, and they also help spread herbalism nodes in the cryptplex, as well as often dropping alchemy ingredients for the delvers when defeated.


    Rocky has been having plenty of action, too. Like Grim, turning just doesnt seem to work on him, and hes tough enough that the asional party that wants to tangle with him has their work cut out for them. I havent been able to get him to throw a fireball or do an actual dragon punch yet, but he has been getting very good with his boxing. My spiders are working on making a speedbag for him to practice on, to go with the heavy bag.


    Elsewhere in theplex, Coda and the ratlings have been making quick progress on the gauntlet, and Ive been setting traps in there. Technically, the entire thing is going to be a water trap. The description more talks about the potential for soaking clothes and people, making them chafe and such for the entire delve, which yeah, it will. It will also be a lot better to fall into the water than just onto stone.


    The traps to knock people off are all a bit of a mishmash, which is fine by me. Some are more like ninja warrior: tests of strength and such, though I do my best to keep them from all being overplicated pull-ups. I dont want my delvers to skip leg day. There are tests of bnce, and even a few simple puzzles. And, of course, various padded things to surprise and push people off the various tforms, just to keep people on their toes. Well, nned, anyway. It still needs to be dug out more, and I have to spend the mana for all the traps.


    The ratkin have started to head into the town to trade, too. Its been small scale so far. Most businesses dont want to do official trading with my dwellers until after the Office of Dungeon Affairs makes official contact, butmerce waits for no bureaucracy, no matter how itins.


    I peek in on Teemo and Yvonne, and smile at the two. Yvonne is on her bed, a book in hand, and Teemo on herp, her other hand idly rubbing his belly. See, Teemo? You were just overthinking it. Enjoy the break, you two.

 Chapter Fifty-Two: Recognition

    Chapter Fifty-Two: Recognition


    A couple dayster, Elf Guy is back, and seems to be all business. He walks up to the front porch and speaks clearly to nothing. Dungeon Thedeim. The Dungeoneers Guild would like to officially dere your intention as we understand it, and treatise with your Dwellers. Please bring forth your Voice, so it may be heard.


    Fine by me. Teemo, if you would? My rat scion just nods from the shortcut hes in, and soon scurries out from under the porch.


    Ok, Im here. What do you need? he asks with his typicalck of decorum. The elf simply looks to him with enough solemnity to make up for it, and speaks.


    The Dungeoneers Guild does hereby dere you to be a Cooperative Dungeon. We recognize the benefits you can grant, as do we recognize they are not simply free. Your mercy has been noted, and in appreciation, the Guild will attempt to inform delvers of the rules as we know them.


    Teemo just grunts at the flowerynguage. Ok, whats that actually mean? Tarl smiles and squats down to be more on Teemos level, dropping the formal act, his deration apparently finished.


    It means that as long as you dont just kill delvers because you can, the Guild will do its best to make sure they behave and don''t make a mess.


    My rat nods at that. Good. Thats pretty much all the Boss wants. I nudge Teemo, reminding him of a question Ive had. Oh yeah, he also wants to know what would happen if he expanded into the town?


    Elf Guy gives him a confused look. Is he nning to?


    Not exactly, he says, shaking his head. Its just one of the options, apparently. Part of why he expanded down a while ago was he didnt know what would happen if he tried to expand out more.


    Ah, says, the inspector as he takes a seat on one of the stairs. As Im sure Thedeim can guess, itd beplicated. Everyone would technically be Dwellers. Some would approve, some wouldnt, and some wouldnt care. The mayor would probably be upset, and itd cause political ripples through the kingdom. He shrugs. Id rmend against him expanding outward, at least on the surface. Hell be stepping on a lot of toes if he does.


    Teemo just nods at that. Thats about what he figured, yeah. Anyway, you wanted to talk with the Ratkin, too?


    Tarl nods and stands. Yeah. I have a formal treaty to normalize rtions with them and the Guild, and by extension the kingdom and even the world. Theyre sovereign, technically. Dungeons are their own territory, which is why expanding outward would beplicated at best. The treaty basically just says theyre recognized as such and offers trade deals.


    Teemo sticks out his ratty tongue in mock-disgust. That sounds like politics, bleh. Better them than me. You can head to the Enve on your own. That Ratkin enchanter came by the other day and cleared the magical traps out. He pauses for a moment before speaking up again. Actually, Ill escort you. The Boss is also working on a new challenge.


    The elfs eyes light up at that. Oh? After thebyrinth, that sounds intriguing. The two talk as they head into the house, and Teemo hops on Tarls shoulder to make it easier on the both of them. He exins the concept as he guides the inspector, who seems confused at my sudden embracing of traps. I notice Tarl looking around the rat nest in the basement, trying to be subtle as he walks. I should see if I cant leverage that desire to get something out of the ODA though I have no idea what Id want.


    Before I can get too deep into thinking of what Id want, though, I feel new feet at the manor gate. Why are most groups trios? Maybe it gives the best bnce of versatility versus splitting loot too many ways. They look a bit off, though. I think Ive seen most of the local delvers before, and these three dont look local. Their armor and clothes look like theyve seen a lot of miles, and are expected to see a lot more.


    The leader seems to be a troll of some kind: kinda tall andnky, purplish rough skin, beady eyes. He has a pair of shortswords crossed over his back, with chainmail underneath. Im thinking another melee damage ss like that one elf a while ago, but with swords instead of a spear.


    It looks like their designated mage is a druid? And a halfling, too. Im pretty sure shes a druid, at least. Shes riding a wolf and doesnt have weapons like Id expect a ranger or something to have. She has a gnarled staff with bones, teeth, scales, and feathers hanging off it. I would say it looks hand-made, but I get a good sense of power from it. And,e to think of it, probably everything is technically hand made. I dont think there are magical factories around.


    Thest member is an olive-skinned elf, which is interesting. Is that a wood elf? Or is that a regr elf and the other elves have been drin? Maybe he just has a good tan? Eh, Im going with wood elf until told different. Hes dressed in hide armor and seems to have a bunch of boomerangs, of all things. Taking a closer look, though, theyre metal and look to be really sharp. He wears thick gloves to protect himself. I would think thatd mess with his aim, but with how his eyes move, I get the feeling thats not going to be a problem.


    The wood elf speaks up first. So this is the new toybox?


    The halfling shrugs. Looks like. Unless you think big creepy mansions have infestations of adventurers to go with the spiders and mice?


    The elf res at her, but the troll speaks up before they can get a proper bicker rolling. Cram it. I heard that gnome priest got one hell of a prize from beating one of the scions. That gets the other two to shut up, and also makes me squint at the small party as he continues. So we just gotta find a scion to beat up. Not the spider. I want a fresh chest. You spot anything, Hark?


    The elf, apparently Hark, looks around before looking up. He grins as he spots Poe up on the chimney. Raven scion up there, Vnarl. The troll looks up, using a hand to cover his eyes, and grins.


    Perfect! Mlynda, help him draw it down here. I dont want to fight it in itsir. The halfling and elf nod. Hark tosses one of his boomerangs, while Mlynda summons a thorny vine out of my nicewn, and has it throw thorns at my Marshal.


    Poe just looks at them with contempt as their attacks either fail to reach him, or are easy for him to duck without even getting out of his nest. As they continue to try to draw him out, I wonder if theyre very stubborn, or very stupid. Almost none of their attacks are actually on target, thanks to the distance and the height. Poe has the high ground, and theres not a whole lot they can do about it.


    Except get frustrated. Which they do. I wonder if the ranged barrage is their main tactic. The boomerangs alwayse back, so their ranged fighter never really runs out of ammo, and the druid seems to be able to coax an infinite amount of thorns out of that vine. The troll, however, is getting bored <em>and</em> frustrated, but soon spots something to take it out on.


    One of my ratlings has an armful of wood from the maze, and Yvonne is helping it. I guess she wanted to get up and do something, rather than just read books all day with her down time. Vnarl, however, seems to just see two walking sacks of experience. He darts forward and cuts down the poor ratling, much to the surprise of Yvonne. She gives him a re before speaking up.


    What do you think youre doing?!


    He just grins and slowly steps forward. I heard you died, Yvonne. Let me help you with that


    While the raven had been content to ignore the pests when they were just bothering him, he doesnt appreciate them hindering the ratlings in their duty. He especially doesnt appreciate the threatening tone and stance their leader has towards Yvonne, and neither do I. Stop them, Poe. And try not to kill them.


    The caw Poe gives as he spreads his wings is otherworldly in its menace, and I can practically hear a certain evil red genie dere that youd be surprised what you can live through. It draws the attention of the other delvers around the manor, and the unwee party all grin as they finally get a rise out of my raven scion. Ravens and crows circle around and blot out the sun over them, and Yvonne takes the chance to slip away.


    Poe is looking significantly more bad-ass than I expected. I check his status and see something I hadnt before.


    <strong>Poe, Raven Scion</strong>


    <strong>Lord of Unkindnesses</strong>


    <strong>Marshal of Murders</strong>


    when did he be a raid boss?

 Chapter Fifty-Three: The Lord of Unkindnesses

    Chapter Fifty-Three: The Lord of Unkindnesses


    The trio (and wolf) seem remarkably calm about the avian apocalypse brewing overhead, which has me a bit concerned. Are they that stupid? Or are they that strong? I feel like delver isnt a career where stupid gets to live for long, but I also feel like the attacks they were trying to use to lure Poe down were kinda pathetic, too.


    Whatever the reason for their confidence, go time is truly upon them all. With a caw and a powerful p of his wings, Poe sends two groups of birds at the trio. The flying ckness moves gracefully like a swarm of fish, moving at hismand.


    The halfling raises her staff and stands tall on her wolfs back as she shouts Enthrall! Power bursts forth and sweeps over the ravens and crows as they near the group, but not a single bird falls out of line. The three notice quickly, but not quickly enough to avoid the iing pain.


    They all hunker down as best as they can as the mixed unkindness wreaks its namesake upon them. The mass of ck feathers soon soars back to the sky, leaving the trio covered in scratches and shes. The wood elf growls at his team mate.


    Yeah, that worked great! Got any other fancy spells to do nothing with?


    She shouts at him in response. I didnt see you do anything! How was I supposed to know that scion would make them immune? It worked on the wolf!


    Shut up, both of you! If you havent noticed, were still in a fight! The troll res at the two, who re at each other, but soon have to focus their attention on Poe. Mlynda, tornado. Hark, fill it with pain, the leader orders, and the two quickly follow it.


    Mlynda raises her staff again and quickly summons a small tornado, and her favorite person to yell at starts throwing his boomerangs into it. It reaches some kind of tipping point as the next attack from Poees in, and the two shout.


    Razor Winds! The two do their best to keep the uncontained blender between them and the birds, but all three still take further scratches. The two that love to argue are looking like they decided to wrestle with barbed wire, but the troll seems to be regenerating through the small wounds, mostly.


    The tide of feathers ebs once more, and before they can get a look at the aftermath, the wood elf is screaming. If he wasnt afraid of heights before, he probably will be once Poe decides to release him.


    <strong>Poe</strong>


    Poe had never understood why Aranya used to call the delvers defilers, but now he gets it. If these were the first delvers Lord Thedeim had encountered, how different would he run his demesne? The screams of terroring from the delver in his talons brings his focus back; deal with the threat first, ponder theoreticalster.


    He would have been happy to continue to ignore the three until they got bored, but then their boredom found a new target. The ratling will be fine once it respawns, but then they decided to threaten his Lords second Resident.


    While Lord Thedeim is still an enigma to all but Teemo, the other scions can still sense his moods. While his presence is most-often soft and warm, a thermal to uplift, it became a storm-swept cliff when the troll advanced on her.


    It warmed slightly once she escaped, which is the only reason hell soon be releasing the arms of his unwilling passenger in a few moments, rather than testing how high he can fly with such heavy prey.


    He snaps a sharp turn and releases the wood elf to gravity, and watches the sloped roof rush to meet him. Btedly, he sends a blunt gale to adjust the fools orientation. Lord Thedeim prefers to not kill thinking delvers. Poe isnt so sure these ones match that description, but hell err on the side of mercy. Its much easier to be less merciful to the living than it is to be more merciful to the dead.


    The elf grunts from the rough righting of his tumble, and Poe feels the attacker should be d to only be likely to break a limb, rather than his neck. He watches, taking satisfaction in the pained sounds as gravity introduces its new friend to all the interesting hard things the roof has to offer, before reuniting him with the ground. The elf lies in a groaning heap as Poe takes a moment to inventory his state.


    Alive, no limbs broken, but likely a few ribs. And a lot of other injuries besides. He doubts the elf will be avable to be introduced to any more of gravitys friends for a while. That just leaves the other two.


    <strong>Thedeim</strong>


    The other two watch as Poe takes off with their well I would say friend, but I think thats a bit strong. The Lord of Unkindnesses has a w wrapped around each of his biceps as he takes off, after having used the cover of the flocks to slip in and snatch him up.


    Im worried Ill have to remind Poe to not kill him, but he releases the jerk barely before clearing the roof, not that he gives him a simple straight fall. He hurls the guy at the nted roof and slings a dense bit of air at him as well, pping him around a bit before he bounces off the roof, the gutter, and several thick branches of a tree, beforending in a pile on the ground.


    Im actually impressed. That was a pretty thorough beating Poeid down without killing the guy. From the groans, he might have preferred that, but this group isnt getting off that easily.


    Speaking of the group, it looks like they arent finished yet. While Poe rallies his birds, the troll and halfling hatch their own n. She summons two of those thorny vine things and the troll uproots them, letting them sink into his forearms. Thats gotta sting, but troll regen makes things like that an option, I suppose. Mlynda has the vines take his swords, wrapping around the handles, and leaving Vnarl looking like a purple Kratos.


    Poes attack is different this time, too. Instead of two wings of ckness sweeping in from two sides, its more like a single river of ck going at them. I dont think hes going to give them the chance to recover between attacks this time. That formation looks long enough that it can loop back in on itself and keep the pain going until the other two are as incapacitated as the first.


    The troll meets the onught head on, swinging vine and sword like this isnt his first rodeo. The halfling is crouched behind her wolf now, rather than standing proudly on top, shouting over the din of caws and ordering the vines to unleash their thorns. Between the thorns and the steel, the river of ck soon bes just a stream, then a trickle, before it peters out entirely.


    The two stand, grinning and exhausted, though not unharmed. The halfling and her wolf are bleeding from so many scratches and shes that Im pretty sure theyre both actually in danger of bleeding out. And they both look better than the troll.


    Where they have scratches and cuts, he has deep gashes and slices. Theyre deep enough that even his regeneration looks like its not going to be up to the job of keeping him in the fight for too much longer.


    He and the halflingugh defiantly at Poe as hends atop the porch to look at them. It takes them a few moments to realize two very important things. One: they havent gotten their boss experience yet. Two: They can still hear a <em>lot</em> of cawing.


    The nearest wave of ravens and crows that were on expedition have been recalled. The grins vanish at the realization, and Poe takes off once more, the Marshal of Murders not finished with his prey just yet.


    He ps his wings, sending des of wind to sever the vines, and the tired duo cant protect them in time. The cawing changes as Poe looks down on them, my raven scion opening his beak to rify the chant from his lesser kin.


    Again!


    The duo can only stare at the oing wall of ckness, and deafening tide of agains. Vnarl quietly speaks as they get closer. But its a toybox The halfling punches him in the hip before the ckness of feathers consumes them, and quickly leaves them in the ckness of unconsciousness.

 Chapter Fifty-Four: Punishments

    Chapter Fifty-Four: Punishments


    Well. Now that I have these three handled, what do I do with them? Taking their stuff is a given. My free ratlings and aranea are more than happy to relieve the trio of all that heavy stuff. My healing ants stabilize the three and the wolf, but dont do anything to wake them up just yet.


    Hmm I could just web them up by the entrance with signs reading free candy with a pile of sticks nearby. While amusing, I dont think I should just let people beat them up even if I kinda want to. They threatened Yvonne! They deserve a good beating!


    Which they kinda already got. Still, Im not letting them off that easily but what else can I do with them?


    Then I get an idea.


    A wonderful idea.


    I get a wonderful, <em>awful</em> idea.


    <strong>Tarl</strong>


    Negotiations with the dwellers are going well. Elder Larx is sharp and shrewd, but doesnt have a malicious bone in his body well, maybe a maliciouslypliant one or two. The elf mentally shrugs. Whatever the malevolence of the ratkins bones, hes a good negotiator. The boring process of a political power recognizing another exists is done rather quickly. The dwellers understand theyre hardly a powerhouse, but being connected with the dungeon helps ensure that nobody would bother with the hassle of trying to subjugate them.


    Not the <em>most</em> ttering appraisal of their situation, but an urate one, at least. The more interesting negotiations are for trade agreements. His guild is interested in information first and foremost, and though the dwellers are reluctant to give much information on Thedeim, they are willing to trade their maps of the deeper tunnels, and what they know of the threats.


    Hes been authorized to offer coin for the knowledge, which Larx is happy to ept. The ratkin understands they have a lot of goods to offer to delvers and even ordinary people, but have little cash on hand to leverage further. They <em>could</em> just go delve, and some of the ratkin like to do just that, but most dont want that kind of life.


    Hes in the middle of suggesting they attempt to sell herbs or other ingredients to Cobble Bread, just across the road, when he notices Teemos ear twitch. Several emotions flicker across his face, before settling into a look of growing confusion. Larx notices as well, but Tarl speaks up first.


    Is something wrong, Teemo?


    The unassuming Voice takes a few more moments to respond. Uh itsplicated. A trio of delvers showed up and tried to egg Poe into a fight. He ignored them, until they threatened Yvonne.


    Tarl groans at that. Can the Dungeoneers Guild negotiate for the bodies?


    Teemo smirks. There arent any bodies. He lets the inspectors imagination run for a few moments with that statement, before continuing. Theyre alive. And the Boss is singing a weird song.


    That raises a few red gs for Tarl. What kind of weird song?


    The look of confusion returns as Teemo answers. About over-the-top insults to an even more over-the-top bad guy?


    Tarl rxes slightly at that, though hes still not fully put at ease. Whats he doing with the delvers?


    Hey Boss? Boss! Whatre you doing with the delvers? The confused look makes aeback before understanding takes over, only to be crushed by the weight of an evil grin. Cool. Enjoy the song, Boss. He looks back to Tarl and straightens himself a little.


    Thedeim has captured three delvers that displeased him. He has imed their equipment to do with as he sees fit, but that is simply what happens to those who challenge one of his scions who does not wish to be challenged. For the crime of threatening a Resident, they are to be jailed until such time as their guild pays an appropriate ransom, or they can pass a trial to earn their freedom, or until Thedeim decides they have learned their lesson. So says Thedeim, through his Voice.


    Teemo looks pretty proud of himself for the deration, and Larx looks interested and thoughtful about it. Tarl fights to not sigh, and opens his mouth to reply.


    Then, as representative of the Dungeoneers Guild, I thank Thedeim for his mercy, and will be attempting to contact their guild so they may attempt to make the proper amends. The elf rxes a little before continuing. So whats that actually mean? he asks with a small smirk, able to throw the rats own words back at him.


    Teemo smiles wide. You remember the gauntlet we passed on the way here?


    ...Yes?


    The Boss is attaching a jail to it, and is making it a lot less fair.


    <strong>Elsewhere</strong>


    The mycelia can feel something wriggling through the mat of its biomass. It is long, with jaws and legs, a foe and an ally to the fungus. The things have long helped break down what needs breaking down, but they also will sometimes eat the mushrooms or nutrient stores.


    It starts to increase spore production as the thing gets closer to the shard of purple, but something stops it. The fungus is a good protection from detection, but it is a cloak, not a shield, nor is it a sword. But the long things could help fill those roles.


    Cautiously, it lets the thing through, and is relieved to see the long insect will be helping the small light. A spark of understanding runs through both fungus and insect, the two knowing they will be rivals no longer.


    <strong>Tarl</strong>


    He watches in rapt attention as the jail is built and upgraded. Its rare to get to see something like this, and he quietly murmurs into his note-stone as he watches.


    Ratlings and aranea are bringing materials from the warehouse to facilitate room formation. Jail bars started as simple stone columns that bent out of the way for the snake scion to levitate inside. Poor steel bars have been brought, and the formerly-stone bars transmute to the material, consuming it and likely energy as well. It must take less energy to upgrade if proper materials are provided. A small, separate chamber has been created for the wolf. Dungeon seems uncertain what to do with it. Other delvers have been stripped down to mundane clothing. Certain sses may be able to bypass the bars in various ways at the moment, but the Voice has indicated there will be magical and even alchemical precautions taken.


    He lowers the stone for a moment before looking to Teemo. Does that mean Queen will be leaving the secret alchemyb? Id like to meet her, if only to be able to provide a description for the records.


    The Voice nods. Shes on her way. She said she wants to personally test a few things. Shell be a bit slower than Thing, though. He wants to get a look before actually enchanting anything, but Queen has a few ideas for what she wants to do already.


    He looks at the upants of the cell before continuing. Do you know them? Tarl shakes his head after only a few moments.


    No. I think theyre from one of therger guilds, to the south. Ill check with Karn to be sure, but I dont think hed let any of his adventurers go delve with what seems to be such poor intelligence.


    Teemo smirks. Yeah, they dont seem very smart. The elf just rolls his eyes.


    You know what I mean. They didnt bothering to the Dungeoneers Guild for thetest information, or they would have known to not have attempted something like this.


    Think anyone will raise a stink about this? asks the rat, looking a bit wary about the idea. Tarl just shakes his head.


    Nah. These three are fairly big fish for our small pond here in Fourdock, but theyre small fry back home. Probably wanted to prove they could handle themselves, maybe that they didnt need to pay for information on a dungeon to be able to beat it. He shrugs before continuing. Whatever the case, their guild shouldnt raise a fuss. Most dungeons would have just killed them, so this is still better for the guild, even if they have to pay a ransom.


    Do you think Thedeims idea will work like he wants it to?


    Tarl taps his foot as he thinks. I dont know, and I dont know if I <em>want</em> it to work or not. In theory, delvers oveing, or failing to ovee traps should generate energy for the dungeon. I dont think any have tried tying a jail to a gauntlet of traps. He sighs and regards the rat. Id actually suggest making the jail and the gauntlet secret rooms, if Thedeim can. I doubt most delvers who earn their way inside will talk much about it, out of shame, but other dungeons might try using something like this as a waterwheel if they learn about it.

 Chapter Fifty-Five: The Lone Wolf

    Chapter Fifty-Five: The Lone Wolf


    I consider Tarls suggestion on making the punitive gauntlet secret. On the one hand, I want to be able to humiliate these delvers for being jerks. But on the other hand, especially if this works, other dungeons could cause a lot of trouble with this. Imagining Neverrest having a mana farm is just no.


    I sigh and get working on hiding the entrance to the jail and gauntlet. At least I didnt make the exit for the gauntlet yet, so that can be hidden from the start. I get working on trying to disguise the entrance, and it looks like Coda can help with that, which is great! Him and the ratlings have been progressing quickly with the mining or stonework or masonry or whatever it technically is. All I know is I can get them to work on it, and itll probably be better than what I can make.


    Its not like I can make another eggsack-covered rock to hide behind. Itd be kinda obvious. I think Coda is looking into some kind of sliding wall, or maybe a hinge. Hes the Architect, so I leave him to it.


    Which leaves me with two more things to handle with this mess. One: I need to talk to Yvonne about what happened. Two: I need to talk with that wolf, if I can. Thankfully, Yvonne doesnt seem too shaken by the ordeal, and is back to helping the ratlings gather some materials. Looks like shes going to try mining some iron, now that Ive used some steel on the jail, and might be using some on the secret gauntlet.


    I know Teemo wants to go talk to her, too, but I think talking to this wolf is the priority. Tarl has left, or at least returned to the Enve to make a better farewell. Im not the only one going to be busy from this incident, after all.


    I tell the healing ants to get ready to heal the wolf enough to awaken, but dont have them actually do it yet. Teemo, you can talk to the wolf, right? He looks uncertain before replying.


    I think so? It sounded like he came from another dungeon somewhere, so I should be able to talk.


    Cool, I just wanted to make sure before healing it or him, I suppose, to consciousness. It takes a few minutes for the ants to get the wolf looking healthy enough to just be asleep, rather than in aa. Teemo starts tossing little pebbles through the bars to wake him up. It takes him aiming one right into a nostril and forcing a sneeze before the wolf stirs.


    He slowly looks around, regaining his senses, before it looks like the fightes rushing back to him. He jumps to his feet and backs into a corner, growling and looking around.


    Easy there, says Teemo, trying to calm the wolf down. Youre safe, from the birds and that halfling. Enthrall doesnt sound like a fun thing to deal with. The wolf locks eyes on Teemo through the bars, and while he calms slightly, he doesnt stop growling, nor does he lower his hackles.


    Teemo winces and nods. Yeah, thats about what I thought. Shes not dead, he starts, which makes the wolf bark and gnash his teeth, getting a good frothing rage going. Teemo sticks a few little rat fingers in his mouth and whistles, high-pitched and loud, to get the wolf to focus.


    Thedeims not going to let her enthrall you again, dont worry. Heh, and shes not getting off easy, either. The Boss is- I mentally clear what passes for my throat and remind Teemo thats knowledge to keep away from dungeons that arent me. Yeah, the wolf isnt a dungeon, but hes from one, it seems. In fact whats he listed as?


    I look and see hes an invader, which is interesting. Im pretty sure he wasnt that when he was enthralled, but I didnt think to look at his status before Poe had toy a beatdown. Teemo talking draws my attention before it can wander too much further.


    Well, lets just say the Boss might be getting more out of leaving her alive. The wolf still doesnt look happy, but hes not looking rabid anymore, which is a good start. He growls a bit more, and Teemo replies.


    Uh thats a good question. Hey, Boss? Whatre you gonna do with him?


    Um does he have any suggestions? I dont think I can make him a Resident. Teemo rys that, and listens to the ensuing growls.


    Huh. He says a jail is usually used to try to get information out of invaders, or even try to turn them. His home dungeon is leagues away, so information on it probably won''t do much. So I guess you can try to turn him to your side?


    Hows that work? I dont want to try to break him or something like that. The wolf growls before Teemo can ask, and I get a popup.


    <strong>Transfer Request: Wolf.</strong>


    <strong>ept? Yes/no</strong>


    Oh. Thats simple enough. It costs a decent bit of mana, but not enough to put much of a dent in anything.


    <strong>New Denizen Type Found</strong>


    <strong>Designate Scion?</strong>


    Oh? Thats what it tells me when I get a new spawner. It costs about the same as it did to turn him, so I might as well, right? What to name him, though. Big Bad? Nah. Lobo? Nah. Lupine? Nah, I only have one of him anyway. Moon-Moon? Heh, nah. Let me see try more obtuse. Sparta was big into wolves, I think, so I could call him Leonidas. Thats a bit of a mouthful, though. Shortening it would be yes.


    Leo. The wolf named lion.


    I watch his name change from Wolf to Leo, and I can feel his confusion. Heh, get used to that feeling, Leo. Youre under new management, and I get the feeling I run my dungeon differently to others.


    <strong>Wolf Scion Found</strong>


    <strong>Wolf Spawner Not Found</strong>


    <strong>Designate Wolf Spawner</strong>


    Youre just causing all kinds of alerts, Leo. I hope youre proud. I actually hope youre proud: new spawner! I can actually ce it, too! Where, though? The manor grounds are kinda spoken for. I might be able to squeeze the spawner in at the side of the maze, but that would be a bad spot for it. Its not like I need more encounters in the yard.


    The cemetery has a fair bit of space, though I dont want encounters in there. Looking around, I see a good spot, actually. Back behind the mausoleums, near the outer wall could work. The graveyard''s north wall has wilderness on the other side, not more town. The ratkin might be able to domesticate some of the wolves, too, to help them with their underground hunting.


    I might even be able to send some wolves on expedition, too. The crows and ravens can get a literal birds-eye view, but the wolves have the endurance to go <em>way</em> further out. Or at least they should. Part of why man and dog are such a good pair is that dogs can actually keep up with moving all day long. Most everything else tires out.


    I nod to myself and ce the spawner near the wall. Ill see about having Coda or maybe Grim make a staircase or something for over thereter. For now, however, I unlock Leos cell, and ask Teemo to give him the tour. My voice hops on Leos back and the two set off, and I tell Teemo to ask him about the job Id like him to do around here.


    I need someone to keep an eye on the prisoners, and also someone to manage any future wolf expeditions out into the wilderness. They might sound unrted, but I think a Warden can handle both.

 Chapter Fifty-Six: Putting Away Toys

    Chapter Fifty-Six: Putting Away Toys


    Alright, with Leo getting himself settled, I need to get a few things prepared to talk with Yvonne and Aranya. I mean, I had known there had to be jerks around, I had just hoped to be able to get a bit more prepared first. Locals are always easier to keep friendly. Nobody wants to go rocking the boat if they have to actually <em>live</em> on the boat after.


    So if that group had some idea about me, others will eventually, too. I cant force people to not be stupid, but I can prepare so I dont get any of it on me and mine. Aranya and Yvonne definitely count in that group. So Ill be giving them something a little before its perfectly ready, but the finishing touches cer. Really, they just need to be filled up, which is something that will take time.


    The other thing, though is Im probably going to be doing the isekai hero thing of introducing new crap. I dont have the inte, so I cant just give a schematic. But I <em>do</em> have my secrets of creation, in the form of an understanding of engineering.


    I just hope reality isnt just magic, and that magic doesnt just override my understandings. I get to making some notes in the secret library while I wait for the sun to set and Aranya to wake up.


    <strong>Leo</strong>


    What kind of dungeon has he signed on with? Theres so many <em>outsiders</em> around! Why does his new Alpha let them just run around?! The tour with the Voice only raises more questions, especially with how many other scions there are. It actually has a scion for everything! How does it support that kind of cost? Letting the outsiders live is so much less mana for the dungeon!


    As the tour progresses, he starts to see how. This Alpha doesnt focus on just felling a few big elk. No, it understands how to get enough rabbits to more than make up for it. This new Alpha may still be a pup, but its got some interesting ideas.


    Like the maze. After meeting the scion in charge of the maze, Leo is just d they decided to try to tangle with Poe instead of Tiny. Poe at least was a straight up fight, more or less. Tiny would have simply incapacitated them, one by one, without ever presenting a target.


    Hes pretty sure Poe could have, too, but the Marshal wanted to y with his prey before going in for the kill. Or the knock out, thankfully.


    He growls at the memory of following that group that <em>halfling!</em> Enthralling him, instead of the proper taming process! He couldnt even abandon her because of that! Not until she stopped paying the upkeep, anyway. With her knocked out, the spell wore off, at least.


    The other Scions all seem surprisingly powerful, too. Most of them dont even fight! They should be masters and mistresses of theirirs, ready to defeat any delver stupid enough to test them! But instead, theyre busy doing practically everything <em>but</em> fight!


    Then again theyre kept busy. A steady stream of rabbits, not the asional elk. Even seeing the results, Leo still finds it hard to believe. He didnt believe the im of the pup of an Alpha subsuming Neverrest, not until the tour got to the graveyard and the mausoleum.


    His old dungeon knew of the blighted cemetery, and was just d it was so far away. But Alpha Thedeim was able to subsume it, and has the Conduit Fluffles as proof. He shudders at the idea of having encountered <em>him</em> instead of Poe or even Tiny. Even therge spider would have expended some effort. Fluffles could have done practically anything to them, without even moving a muscle!


    Seeing the wolf den in the back of the cemetery helps calm his mind, though. It looks basic, butfortable. If his new Alpha can keep this kind of mana flow going, the den will be seeing upgrades soon, and Leo can have a true pack once more.


    Although, after meeting the other Scions, he gets the feeling hes a lot closer to having that already.


    <strong>The Office of Dungeon Affairs</strong>


    Tr fights the overwhelming urge to hit her head against her desk as Tarl gives his report. She somehow manages to resist, but cant stop the groan that escapes her.


    They <em>seriously</em> thought Thedeim was a toybox? <em>And</em> threatened a Resident?!


    Tarl shrugs. Thats what Teemo said. They hadnt recovered enough to be able to give their side, but I cant think of anything else that would earn that kind of reaction. At least the townsfolk arent worried about Poe acting like an avatar of the Raven? he offers his coworker.


    She doesnt look veryforted by that. I got a lot of them checking in that everything was fine after that disy, too. Did you know Thedeims Scions were that strong?


    He shrugs again. I had an inkling. Recall that I suggested a higher level inspector a while ago. Though with the new cryptplex, as Thedeim likes to call it, I might be able to go get me a couple levels. I still doubt I could take any of the scions besides Rocky, even with some extra experience. I think even Head priest Torlon would have trouble if the dungeon decided to get serious.


    So you think it will be more serious from here on out? she asks. Shes pretty sure Thedeim wont change just because of one party, but Tarl is the experienced inspector here.


    She rxes when he immediately shakes his head. No, hes smart enough to know people like that exist. Heh, and smart enough to havee up with a good punishment for those who try. Hes probably going to do a few new things, though. His Resident got a good scare, but I dont think hes going to react like Hullbreaker did.


    They both grimace at the memory of what happened there. Tr continues first. What do you think of the jail and gauntletbination?


    He sighs at that. I think itll work, which is concerning. I asked him to make it secret, and he seems to be working on that. He might have it hidden, or at least secured, by the time that group wakes up. He might even specifically be keeping them unconscious until its all ready. He does have that alchemist scion. Leaf cutter queen ant, Alchemist.


    She nods at that, adding the information to the packet. I take it you wont be telling the Southwood about thebo? What did Thedeim authorize you to share? While technically they could share any information they acquire, certain dungeons like their privacy. It wouldnt do to upset the dungeon in the center of their town. Trs musings on dungeon rtions drift to a halt as she realizes Tarl hasnt spoken up.


    She looks to see him looking off into the distance, thinking, before pping both palms to his face.


    Ah. You forgot to ask.

 Chapter Fifty-Seven: Magic Basics

    Chapter Fifty-Seven: Magic Basics


    Ive got my notes as prepared as they can get. I still dont know how magic works, which can be a <em>big</em> wrench in my ns. I have a couple gues- I mean theories on some of it, but Ill need to talk to my two Residents to get any actual information. I probably should have tried to talk with Old Staiven about this, but if any of my ideas actually work, it could be way more dangerous than a dungeon with a mana battery.


    Dungeons dont get up and walk around, after all.


    When Aranya wakes up, she can feel the anticipation in the air, and even looks over at my core. Teemo just tells her to have breakfast, and that I want to talk to everyone after. Well, to her and Yvonne, at least. I would include the other scions, but Im paranoid enough about this to want to keep it in the secret base, at least for now.


    After a period of time somewhere between a blink and an eternity, its time to have a chat.


    Thedeim wants to know about magic, says Teemo simply, and my Residents look confused at that. My kobold speaks up first.


    Neither of us are mages. I dont know how much we can teach him? Yvonne nods, before Teemo speaks up again.


    He says he doesnt know anything about magic. <em>Anything</em>. He says he needs babys first magic talk, rys my Voice, giving my core a weird look at my choice of phrasing. No sense sugar-coating how little I know. I need the basics of basics here.


    Yvonne slowly speaks up. Well everyone has magic. At least a little, she starts, looking to Teemo to see if shes managed to insult me. She hasnt. Shes confirmed one of my theories, even. Teemo smiles and nods for her to continue.


    Everyone has an affinity that is part of who they are. And their ss can give them an extra affinity. Some dedicated casting sses even have a minor affinity for all magics.


    I mentally smile at that, and ry my reply through Teemo.


    So most dedicated casters, like Rhonda and Ara, focus on their innate affinity, and use the ss broadness to give them more utility with protections, healings, and such?


    The Residents nod, and Aranya speaks up. Most sses that use weapons will give kic affinity, which they use to helpnd and avoid blows. Yvonne nods and continues.


    Ragnar actually has life affinity as his innate, and kic from his ss. If a foe doesnt take him out in one strike, itll have difficulty taking him out at all. Ive seen him handle some ridiculous hits.


    What are the affinities?


    The two look unsure at that, but Aranya forges on ahead first. Well, theres the more ssic staples: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Dark, Light, Lightning, Thunder she trails off, looking to Yvonne to see if shes missed any. The birb picks up the thread.


    And a lot of others that represent the physical natural world. She smiles as a memoryes to mind. Lava and Magma are separate affinities, and Ragnar will dly go on and on about the differences if you let him. Lost in the happy memory, Aranya continues once more.


    Then theres the more weird ones? Life, Death, Kic, Spatial, Time I know Im forgetting a lot more, she finishes awkwardly, and I take a moment to consider the information.


    Theres the ssical elements, and friends. All physical things. I wonder if its a Nature affinity, or if it tends to be broken down into Animal and nt affinity, or even finer? Or does that count as Life? I have Teemo ry the questions, and the Residents dont really know. Thats fine. The other ones are more like forces to contrast the masses of the first set, or maybe verbspared to nouns.


    Its a good ce to start from, at least. Before I set about giving them information in return, I have a few more physical things to give them. Teemo pulls two strange swords out of a shortcut.


    My residents are confused at first, but Aranya recognizes the shapes first. The tunnel horror! Yvonne looks confused, and I have Teemo rify.


    The Boss has been calling it a scythemaw, because of these things. You didnt think hed just thrown them out or something, did you? he asks with a smile, and motions for them to pick up the swords.


    They are curved and sweep back nicely, with sharp spikes on the back of the de. The handles are made of wood and have enough length to use one or both hands to swing. The pommels have a decent knob to them, to help with the bnce, and to be able to whack someone with, if you dont want to cut them. I think Aranya will need both hands for hers, but Yvonne should be able to treat hers like a bastard-scimitar.


    But tunnel horrors dont have metal pincers? says my kobold, gingerly holding the weapon like shes afraid shell somehow break it.


    Queen has a metal infusion form. I dunno how it works, but she was able to transmute them both to steel. But not before making a few modifications. Those spikes on the back have little holes in them, and Queen had her smallest workers burrow channels through them. Theres a cavity in the handle, and the pommel can unscrew to get ess to it. You can fill it with venom. Boss has some of the paralysis venom from the widows in there right now, and has a little jar in their for them to milk into.


    The two look at the swords in wonder as Teemo continues. Thing even expanded the cavity with spatial magic, so they can hold a ton of the stuff. You should be able to just imagine the venom, and itll start coating the spikes. Thing also reinforced them, made them sharper, and better bnced, too!


    An Artifact says Yvonne with reverence, and Aranya can only slowly nod.


    Thedeim was going to give them as normal gifts to you two as something cool to have. But after that trio today Aranya looks confused, and Yvonne sighs, the fun of a new toy slightly soured by the memory of the day.


    A group of delvers showed up and picked a fight with Poe. Then they tried to pick a fight with me. Poe didnt appreciate it, says my birdy with a grin at the end. Thedeim has them in a cell right now, and has an interesting punishment for them, too.


    Teemo nods as Aranya looks concerned. The Boss wants you two to be able to defend yourselves, and those swords are part of it. He doesnt know if you two are very good with swords, but he would ask you try to train with them, at least a little.


    Aranya quickly nods. Of course! Ill never be a master of a sword, but I can at least get good enough to hit someone. If one hit with the spikes can paralyze, I dont have to actually be all that good with it for it to actually work.


    Yvonne nods as well. Im better with a bow, but I had been meaning to get better with a sword or something else in melee. Arrows are terrible for stabbing with.


    Teemo smiles at that, my relief showing in his relief. Good. The Boss just wants to keep you two safe. Whiches to the next thing he wants to share. He gives Aranya a sideways nce. You asked if he knew the secrets of creation. He says he does in a way.


    The red kobold gasps and focuses entirely on my little Voice, and he tries to pop her enthusiasm. He says he doesnt know the whys. That falls under philosophy and such, and he says you need to mostly find your own answers there. What he <em>might</em> know is <em>some</em> of the hows.


    The Residents look confused at that, so he tries to exin. The Boss knows a lot of weird things, but hes not sure if they trante. But if they do, he says he should be able to expand a lot of affinity things. He says Fire and Ice are the same thing, and Kic is closely rted, too. Space and Time are closely rted, and a lot of other things that honestly go right over my head. Hes going to start exining them to Fluffles, since he has Kic affinity, and he says even my spatial affinity could let me do fire and ice stuff.


    He looks to my Residents. So, what are your affinities? Hes pretty sure he can help you expand on them, once he knows.


    Yvonne speaks up first. Mine is Fate.


    Aranya starts at that, causing Yvonne to give her a confused look. What? My True Strike lets me feel the best moment to release an arrow for maximum effect.


    Aranya speaks up. Mine is Fate, too. When I first found Thedeim, I was desperately following the feel of my affinity. That earns a look from my ranger, but my high priestess continues before she canment. And as Thedeims High Priestess, I know what his primary Domain is. Its also Fate.


    The three all exchange nces, and I wish I had eyes to join in. None of us are exactly masters of magical knowledge, but it doesnt take a genius to understand three Fate affinity people probably dont just identally get drawn together.

 Chapter Fifty-Eight: Exposition!

    Chapter Fifty-Eight: Exposition!


    We talk a bit more about Fate affinity and how it works, and it seems to me like Luck might be a little more urate, though that might be splitting hairs. I always felt like Luck was basically quantum stuff, but if thats actually how it works, it destroys my working theory on how magic works.


    I was thinking it was basically controlled quantum observation: observe the wave-form just right, and copse it exactly how you want. Could be a fireball, or it could be a coin flipping heads when you need it, that sort of thing. Sounds to me like, if it <em>is</em> rted to luck, its not the foundation for magic. Or maybe it is. Non-causal stuff is even weirder that most people think it is.


    The other option for how magic works is for it to be a fifth fundamental force. If I remember right, theres the strong and weak nuclear forces. I forget exactly what they do. I think one is what makes it so mass doesnt ovep, despite most mass having a ton of room between the atoms, and the other keeps protons and electrons and neutrons from copsing together? I just remember those two dont do a ton outside of atomic scale.


    The other two forces are gravity and electromaism, which do all kinds of fun stuff. I swear, it feels like potential energy is just a kludge to get around how those two almost cheat. A gravity well will make a moon or a pebble fall at the same rate if theres nothing in the way. And, of course, mas work via friggin miracles, as everyone knows.


    <strong>Teemo</strong>


    The rat grunts from the weight of the thoughts of his dungeon. His Boss <em>might</em> know <em>some</em> secrets? He grimaces at the thought there could be even more! Yvonne notices the change in her small friends face and stance.


    Is everything alright, Teemo?


    He answers, some straining through in his voice. Well I dont think the Boss was joking when he said he knew some of the secrets of creation. Hes not even telling them to me, more like just talking to himself, but the weight of some of these ideas is He trails off, uncertain how to even exin.


    <strong>Thedeim</strong>


    Musings on the so-called secrets of creation I only half remember and half understand aside, I can work with what my Residents are talking about even without knowing where magic actually fits. Well, I hope, anyway. If it <em>is</em> luck magic, its time to try to exin bell-curves and standard deviations, and ways to actually cheat at luck. Theres not a game of chance out there that cant be rigged or cheated somehow. Card counting, loading dice, aces up sleeves;dy luck is not the pure maiden some people like to think she is.


    Teemos spatial magic allows for all kinds of shenanigans when ites to defending himself and others, too! Those shortcuts of his are bigger on the inside than out, so hes got some serious Non-Euclidean geometry going on. He could make terrain that <em>looks</em> t actually be incredibly unstable, or the opposite. If he gets <em>really</em> good, he could just make there not even be a path to himself, or be able to hit someone from anywhere, or allow an ally to do the same!


    Rockys fire affinity should allow for him to at least double dip with elements, and potentially get to kics, too. If his fire affinity lets him move around and manipte heat, not only should he be able to produce fire by turning the heat up, but create ice by turning it down, or create <em>both</em> by <em>moving</em> that heat energy, instead of brute-forcing it.


    <strong>Teemo</strong>


    Teemo wavers and sits down, the two Residents looking more concerned. Can we do anything to help? asks Aranya, a bit unnerved at the state of the Sanctuarys Voice.


    Talking helps, I think. Its its like hes thrown open vault doors of knowledge. Talking helps to keep me from trying to follow. Just hearing him think, its just words. But if I try to understand, its like Im being crushed!


    Then dont try to understand? offers Yvonne, unable to think of any other suggestions. Teemo gives a pained chuckle as something his Boss said a while ago suddenly makes sense.


    Heh, try not to think about pink elephants, especially with them stomping all around you.


    <strong>Thedeim</strong>


    Tiny and Fluffles kic affinities are going to be even more fun. I always liked solid mechanics: levers, fulcrums, pulleys, ramps, and so on. The simple machines that make up what a lot of people think of when they hear the word engineer. For Tiny, I think hed be better to try to make into the proverbial immovable object, show him how a truss actually functions to be able to take the kinds of immense loads they can, and how to abuse angles to deflect kic forces away, instead of just absorbing them.


    And Fluffles would be the unstoppable force, especially with him using <em>my</em> mana. I dont know exactly how much a delver usually has, but Id be surprised if I dont have at least an order of magnitude over all but the strongest of casters.


    Its also interesting that the affinities I feel I can best abuse are the ones my Residents think are the most esoteric. I have no idea how Poes wind affinity would fundamentally work. Is it some kind of mastery over the gaseous state of matter? If so, is fire affinity mastery of sma, rather than thermal energy? Codas seeming thunder or sonic affinity: is it only sounds? Is it any potential wave? Maybe its pressure control, instead?


    And even if I have the things all understood properly, all of this is easier said than done!


    Before I can sprint my way deeper down this rabbit hole, a pained squeak pulls my attention.


    B-Boss s-slow down! my Voice gasps, a little bit of blood leaking from his nose. My thoughts, which had been running a mile a minute, suddenly lock up. I bite back the mental shout to Queen to get him some healing ants, and take a few moments to try to calm myself.


    I can feel Queen directing the nearest healing ants to look over Teemo. Calm. Focus. Stop hurting your friend. Just because he can respawn, doesnt mean he doesnt feel pain.


    My Voice sighs in relief from the ants working on him, and hopefully from me not thinking my way down the paths of tech and science that probably havent been seen in this world yet.


    What <em>was</em> that? asks Yvonne, alternating between looking at Teemo with concern, and at my core with a different kind of concern.


    Teemo pushes himself to his feet with visible effort. That was just some of the Boss knowledge. I saw things some just numbers and weird drawings of numbers, and some as huge things that actually exist! But they dont exist?


    He stiffens when I give him the simplest exnation, and tell him he can tell my Residents.


    He he says they dont exist <em>here</em>. They exist where hes from.


    My two Residents both look confused at that, and Aranya manages to speak through the confusion. Like in the realm of the gods?


    No a realm like ours, but also nothing like ours. He grunts and holds his head for a moment before shaking it off. I dont even know how to begin to describe it, either. I can get some of what he says about it, but theres also huge gaps. Hell talk, but I dont get any meaning at all about it. Its like putting together a puzzle, but some pieces just stop existing when you reach for them.


    I mentally nod, remembering when Teemo said that the word human had no meaning for him. My mind starts to wander down the paths of what that actually means, but I reign it in for now. I can wildly theory-craftter. Maybe after experimenting a little to see if its better if Im zoomed out when I do it, or if its better to be focused somewhere away from Teemo.


    And speaking of experiments, theres a very simple one I can have Teemo exin to my Residents. Flipping a coin is one of the oldest games of chance out there, at least as old as coins. Id expect just trying to look at the result before it happens, while the coin is in the air, would be a good, repeatable, low-effort way to hone that skill. So, if I have them call coin flips to practice, we can get a baseline. And then, when I have them try to call a bunch of flips before tossing the coin, itll be a good introduction to how odds actually work.


    Calling one coin flip is 50/50, but urately calling five flips from the start is only one in thirty-two, even if the odds of calling each individual flip as they happen is still 50/50. Mathematically, its pretty simple, but conceptually its really weird. With any luck, the mana costs will scale in a way to make it easier for my Residents to grasp.


    I keep myself from thinking too far down that path just yet, not wanting to hurt Teemo, but I cant help a little nugget of an idea getting stuck in the back of my head. Theres a system here, reminiscent of a video game. If we can keep running down the numbers of how luck actually works, we might be able to do some actual RNG maniption.

 Chapter Fifty-Nine: Application

    Chapter Fifty-Nine: Application


    The rest of the night I mostly spend with Teemo, confirming the affinities of my scions. Unsurprisingly, looks like everyone has Fate affinity, probably because of me. It makes me wonder if we could actually avoid idental kills. Ive been wondering about when it would happen. Yeah, I know, doesnt seem like something Id worry about.


    Im not exactly <em>worried</em> about it, but more because I thought it was kinda inevitable. Parks and stuff back home have more safety measures than I do, and dont tend to involve any actual fighting, but people still identally die, right? Ive had a few close calls, but the medical ants have been able to get people at least stabilized so someone with better healing magic can actually save them.


    I had thought I was just lucky but now I wonder if its that Fate magic. I dont think Ive ever used it, but if my scions have it, maybe my denizens have at least a little? Either way, it makes me hopeful that I wont actually need to make a memorial or something for the fallen. Im still going to leave some room in the graveyard, maybe even use the central mausoleum, but I dont designate anything just yet. I can still hope.


    Anyhow, back to my scions. Pretty much everyones affinity isnt a surprise. I had actually expected Grim to have Death affinity, but I guess groundsreaperes with Earth, rather then death. Maybe hell get something weird like Burial or somethingter, if thats even a thing.


    Man, I desperately need more information on how magic works.


    I do my best to exin some of the basic ideas to my various scions, without using Teemo to ry it. For one, I dont want to hurt him again. For two I dont know if specific concepts actually will work to exin. I worry itd be like Teemo when he got overwhelmed, if I tried to just exin every detail. Instead, with the empathic bond, I think theyll be able to figure things out a bit on their own.


    And Im not in a rush, which helps. I know Im not simply fabricating a new thing, Im practically having to <em>invent</em> stuff here. Making something new, whether its an idea or a physical thing, takes a lot more time than a lot of people think. Its like getting t-packed furniture. You have everything you need, you even have instructions, but its going to take a lot of time to actually put it all together.


    Except here, only a few things arebeled, theres a few extra pieces that wont fit, but we wont know that until we get into it, and the guy with the instructions has to try to mime them out, instead of telling you.


    So yeah, my magitech Rome isnt getting built in a day. Still, theres already progress. Everyone has been testing things, seeing if any of the concepts feel right. Tiny, for example, has started ying with his webbing and integrating his kic affinity. Tension is a concept spiders understand instinctively, or else they couldnt build webs, and Tinys pretty bright besides. Hes been using a few sticks and branches as pulleys and just seeing how things work. I have no idea if itll be applicable to his magic, but hes still interested.


    Coda has been devouring every bit of engineering concept I can get through to him, even if Im not sure itll work with his Sonic affinity. Yeah, everyone else calls it Thunder, but Im calling it Sonic. Anyhow, it might work for him, its hard to say. If his affinity is more for pressure than waves, it could help him a ton. Pressure is just a distributed force, and engineering is all about forces in their forms.


    Rocky has been the biggest surprise in all this, though. I dunno if hes a savant, or what, but hes been able to move thermal energy around. I dont think hes quite crossed the threshold into what anyone else would consider Ice affinity, but hes been able to do a lot with his fire just from that bit of advice.


    Im not sure if I should be relieved or disappointed that he still hasnt managed a hadouken yet. Either way, Im still proud of his progress.


    Teemo, Im also proud of, though his progress is a lot slower than the others with the concepts. I cant me him, either. Non-Euclidean geometry is a difficult enough thing to grasp, without me trying to pile on the rtions between temperature, pressure, and volume. Besides, hes a natural with the odds-calction stuff. The Fate affinity seems toe naturally to him, which is great. Aranya and Yvonne are having more difficulty with it, so hes happy to give them pointers and what help he can.


    Queen and Honey are both Knowledge affinity, which seems to be a bit of an ironic mystery. The only thing my Residents could really say with any confidence is that its the opposite affinity to Illusion. That makes me suspect theyre two sides of the same coin, but I cant really think of anything to test those two. I might be able to ask Torlon about it, but I dont know how much hed be able to exin. Hes kinda busy what with running a church.


    Dawn approaches, and even with all the theorycrafting distractions, the first iteration of the Gauntlet is ready to go. With it ready, I tell the healing ants to go ahead and heal the jerks to full before clearing out. I also tell Leo he should be there when they wake up, and Teemo, too.


    My Voice entertains them both with throwing pebbles at the trio to try to get them to wake up. He finally gets one to awaken when he tosses a pebble right into the trolls mouth when he starts to inhale a massive snore. He awakens with his eyes bulging for a moment before he coughs up the small rock. He looks around for a few moments, adrenaline clearly coursing through his veins, before he kicks hispanions.


    Wake up!


    The wood elf yelps and curls up from the kick, before groaning and looking around with bleary eyes. I dont think hes a morning person. Or hes still a bit sore from being bounced off the roof. The halfling grumbles something that would probably make her little thorn nts wither, and sits up to re at the troll. The leader doesnt meet her re, though. Instead, hes still looking around the cell theyre all in.


    Where are we? he demands of his underlings.


    The elf shrugs. Jail?


    The halfling just growls at him. Who uses a dead-end cave as a jail cell, idiot? She turns her vicious look on the troll. Were still in your <em>toybox</em>, Vnarl.


    The troll rounds on her with a snarl. I get it! Its not a toybox! I wonder if the two are actually going to throw down, but Hark speaks up before they can.


    So what do we do? They both turn to him to shout their ideas, but it seems like neither can actually think of anything. Theres not a whole lot of options for them to do stuff. Theres no clear door, theyre in just regr clothes, theres not even dirt for the halfling to grow her vines.


    At this point, Leo decides to make his entrance, stepping in front of the bars so they can see him. All three notice the movement and rx a little in relief. Mlynda speaks, authority in her voice.


    Ah, you escaped, wolf. Get us out of here. Her smug look fades when he takes a seat and lets his tongue hang out of his mouth, giving his best wolfy grin as Teemo speaks up from his shoulder.


    Youre not in any position to order him around, Mlynda.


    She shrieks Thats what you think! Enthrall!


    Teemo and Leo just continue to smile at her. Thats adorable that you thought that would work. She shrieks a few more enthralls at the two. Less adorable now. Anyway, wee to the Punitive Gauntlet!


    Vnarl and Hark look a bit confused, and everyone ignores Mlynda as she wears herself out trying to enthrall my two scions.


    Uh this looks more like a cell than a gauntlet, points out Hark, and Teemo nods.


    Thedeim wanted to give you three a proper chance to prepare yourselves before having the challenge presented to you. I think youre going to need all the help you can get.


    With that, the back wall slides down, and the three get their first look at the challenge Ive made for them.

 Chapter Sixty: The Gauntlet

    Chapter Sixty: The Gauntlet


    Rather than looks of terror or concern, or even excitement, the trio wears looks of confusion as they get their first look at the gauntlet. Maybe they were expecting swinging des and gouts of me? What theyre getting is a lot of tforms, ropes,ting, and other things that look like a random jumble with even less of an obvious way forward than if I went with the des and fire option.


    If you all want to escape, you all need to get through the gauntlet, says Teemo simply, which seems to get the jerks to focus. They still look pretty confused, which is fine. Im not going to tell them how to do any of the obstacles.


    Vnarl smirks as he starts to understand the first obstacle. Just a couple little steps for the first challenge? I hope your dungeon isnt feeling too proud of itself for this one!


    The first obstacle is a twist on the ssic stepping stones. I have them set at different levels, so itll be very difficult to go quickly through, but I also have them set up so they can pivot and rock. To get past them, theyll have to minimize their forward momentum. Otherwise, as Vnarl demonstrates, the tform will tilt, and that momentum will send you into the drink with a surprised look on your face. It also gives me a nice bit of mana.


    Harkughs at his leader, and Mlynda sits on the edge, smirking at him as he tries to figure out what happened. When are you going to stop underestimating this ce? she asks, still ming him for their predicament. Not saying its wrong to me him, just saying she still is.


    He grumbles and curses as he climbs thedder back to the cell area. Yeah? Lets see you two do better! With a shrug, Hark steps up.


    You gotta learn to be lighter on your feet, Vnarl, he says before jumping. While he sets himself tond with minimal momentum going forward, his footnds well off-center of the small tform. It swivels away, giving him no purchase, and now Vnarl is the oneughing. Im pretty happy, too, with more mana in the bank.


    I thought you were light on your feet, Hark! guffaws the troll, and Mlynda titters as well at his misfortune. Hark doesnt look too upset at failing, and even swims forward a bit to try to get an idea of what the next obstacles will entail. He cant get a good angle from the water to really see, though.


    He climbs back onto the home tform and gestures for the halfling to try her luck. Well, your turn to show us how its done, heh.


    Vnarl grins and nods, taking a seat. Yeah, show us how its done, he challenges.


    Im looking forward to collecting my mana from Mlynda, too, as herpanions challenge her to do any better. Hmph, it cant be <em>that</em> hard. Its just a couple jumps, she says. She talks a big game, but Im not sure how well shell actually be able to do on the Rocking Stones. She gets a bit more of a run up to jump, and Im practically counting the mana already.


    She surprises me, though, by curling up a bit in the air and using her hands to grab the small tform as shends. She actually manages to cling on, and gives the other two a wide grin of victory. Hah! They look surprised for a few moments, before grinning back at her.


    Hah! shouts Vnarl in triumph as he points. Theres several more stones to cross before she can truly im victory, and without having a run up, theres very little chance for her to actually make the distance.


    She tries anyway, the other two heckling her, but she only manages to flop into the water with a ssh. Vnarl goes next, though he doesnt manage to get any further just yet. Hisnding looks a bit better, but he still cant manage to get a good jump to the next step.


    I also notice I get less mana for him failing the trap a second time. Its about 20% less, looks like. Im a little sad I cant get infinite mana, but Im probably not the first dungeon toe up with the idea of sending delvers across a single trap multiple times. Some other dungeon must have tried sending delvers in a loop over some trap before, after all.


    Ah well. Its still extra mana for me, just not as much as I was hoping. I ask Teemo to head over to the Enve, and let Leo keep watching the group try to get past the first challenge. Ill have to talk with himter about organizing some wolf expeditions, but that cer. I let him enjoy his schadenfreude as Teemo slips down a shortcut.


    Larx is tending to the mushroom beds when Teemo gets there, and he greets my Voice with a smile and a small bow. My rat has tried to get him to not do anything like that, but Larx insists. Ah, Teemo. Have youe to try and find an early mushroom to harvest? the ratkin says with a smile and twinkle in his eye.


    Teemo shakes his head. Nah well, not really. You know those delvers Thedeim captured? Larx nods, so my Voice continues. Theyre probably gonna be there for a while, so theyre going to need some food. Can you guys provide them with something to eat? Nothing too fancy, but Thedeims gauntlet is going to take a lot of energy for them to get through.


    Larx smiles at that and nods again. I should be able to convince the others to help with that. They may get treated as taste testers for new recipes, too. Arthul has been wanting to try his hand at something moreplex than stew for a couple weeks now.


    Teemo chuckles. That should be fine, as long as its edible. Do you guys need anything in return? Thedeim doesnt want to just impose on you for this.


    Larx considers that for a few moments. Could you ask him to send a few more thorough expeditions down our main hunting tunnel? The caverns down there are very interesting and great for hunting, but theyre nowhere near fully mapped yet. Some of the hunters say the air has been feeling different down at the outskirts of our hunting range, too. I dont think itll be anything too concerning, but perhaps he could check and put our minds at ease?


    That sounds good. Leo needs to get some experience organizing expeditions anyway. Itll be a good way for him to get used to it before he has to try to send his wolves out on the surface.


    Then we have an ord, says Larx, holding out a finger, which Teemo shakes.


    <strong>Elsewhere</strong>


    Fungus and centipede work in conjunction to safeguard their little purple source of light. Neither would usually care about light, nor would they always work so closely towards a goal, but things have changed since the tiny fragment coalesced.


    Ever since they started working together, <em>others</em> have been trying to reach the little piece of purple. Roaches were the first, but have made little headway. Spores and mandibles make quick work of them, and their small mutual master wants more to feed upon.


    The second outsider is much more difficult, but makes a worthy tribute for their master. Fur, teeth, and grasping ws, the beast felled a full dozen centipedes before finally sumbing. The guiding force fed well and made <em>two</em> dozen centipedes to prepare for the next beast.


    The presence of their master slowly spreads through the cavern, unaware of its purpose. It just knows it must grow.

 Chapter Sixty-One: An Interest in Outside

    Chapter Sixty-One: An Interest in Outside


    I think Leo could watch the terrible trio fail at the gauntlet all day. Theyve actually started getting a couple stones through it, but havent managed to clear all of them. I dont think itll be too long before they get through that first challenge, though. Probably tomorrow, after they rest up a bit.


    I impress upon Leo the need for him to send a few of the lesser wolves down the ratkins hunting tunnel. At first, I thought the lesser wolves were cubs or something, but they seem fully aware and mobile. Theyre just more sized like coyotes than wolves. I guess thats why theyre called lesser?


    Whatever the reason or rtion to actual wolves, Leo starts heading to the roof, wanting to talk to Poe. Makes sense to me. Poe has been in charge of everything sent outside, so itd be a good idea to get tips and tricks from him.


    He takes a shortcut without much haste, and I notice a familiar person enter from the gates. My birds all make a racket, and I smile to myself as Elf Guy just shakes his head at the greeting. He walks up to the bulletin board and speaks to it.


    Dungeon Thedeim, please bring forth your Voice. The Dungeoneers Guild wishes to discuss a matter, he says formally, and I poke Teemo to go see what he needs. It doesnt take my Voice long to get there.


    Whats with the formality, Elf Guy? greets Teemo with a smirk.


    Tarl can only chuckle. The guild prefers it.


    Well, me and the Boss dont. Knock it off and just talk normal.


    The Inspector smiles at that. Fair enough, heh. Each individual dungeon has to be dealt with differently. Which is why Im here, actually. The Southwood is another dungeon, one the guild ssifies as a toybox. It has few denizens and none specialized towardsbat.


    Ah, thats why those knuckleheads were talking about a toybox. I thought they were just trying to insult the Boss.


    Tarl snorts at that. They might have been. Anyway, The Southwood allows the guild to check up on the core on a condition: that it be given information on the various other known dungeons in the general area.


    Teemo perks up at that. Yeah? Does it know about us?


    A bit. It knows youre a manor in the city and had a conflict with Neverrest, but my information was out of date even when I talked to it. Its Voice actually told <em>me</em> that you may have destroyed Neverrest. It felt the wasp invaders lessen with your victory.


    Huh.


    Tarl nods and continues. So I wanted to know what information yourefortable with sharing with the Southwood. Ordinarily, wed simply give it the basics, but it has specifically asked for information about you, and offered information about the Green Sea in return.


    Whats the Green Sea? asks Teemo as he absently scratches his ear.


    Its a massive forest to the north of here. The Southwood is actually named that because its the southernmost tip of it. There are theories that its a massive dungeon, or even awork of dungeons, but its so remote and the trip so arduous that none have actually been able to confirm anything. And the Southwood implied something is happening there.


    Which could be a big pain in the rear for all of us. So you want to know what to tell it? Will you tell us about it in exchange?


    Tarl nods. The Southwood likes to keep tabs on other dungeons, but isnt too concerned about other dungeons knowing too much about it. The only real restriction is on information about its core, but every dungeon is at least a little cagey about the details of their core.


    Teemo and I huddle up to discuss what to give out, and he focuses on Tarl after a few minutes.


    The basics should be fine: where we are, how big we are, spawners and monsters and stuff. You can even tell it about the punitive gauntlet if you want. He holds up a tiny hand to stop Tarl before he can even say how bad an idea that could be. The Boss says it has diminishing returns. The group woke up this morning, and the mana theyre making is already down to a trickle. He says other dungeons have probably designed themselves to send adventurers over the same trap multiple times before, too. He says the extra mana is nice, but not exceptional.


    Elf Guy actually pulls out his little note rock and repeats that information before looking back to Teemo. Then that should be more than enough to satisfy the Southwood. I dont think Ill tell it about the gauntlet, mostly because I dont think its really feasible for it to try something simr.


    Teemo perks up as he remembers something. Oh, we also have a wolf spawner now, too.


    Tarl looks confused at that. Did you expand out past the cemetery?


    Teemo shakes his head. Nah. That druid halfling had enthralled a wolf from somewhere, and when she got knocked out, the spell broke. The wolf didnt want to go back to her, so Thedeim offered to let him stay here. And then made him a scion, which then also let him make a wolf spawner.


    The Inspector looks fascinated by that. Ive heard of dungeons being able to produce spawners without expansion, but the details are always sparse.


    Teemo nods. The Boss says maybe keep that fact from the Southwood. He says turning invaders into spawners could be a dangerous thing to let get out though he doesnt know if all dungeons have ess to a jail.


    Elf Guy taps his note rock against his chin as he thinks. Jails are fairly rare to find in a dungeon, though secret jails may be moremon. I think most dungeons are just not smart enough to use a jail when theyre young, and dont really need it when theyre older and have the mana to just straight-out pay for a new spawner. Still, Ill keep how you got a wolf scion and spawner quiet. Its not something I think the Southwood would actually try to do anyway.


    <strong>Leo</strong>


    Watching the group fail to get across the least of the challenges of the Alpha fills Leo with a deep sense of happiness. The Voice called it schadenfreude, which is a strange word but not an inurate one. Still, the duties of his new title gnaw at his tail like a teething pup, so he cant just enjoy the show forever.


    Alpha Thedeim wishes him to ensure the safety of thends and people outside his borders, and that job belongs to Leo now. The Alpha wishes him to cut his teeth on some simpler expeditions down in the tunnels in aid of the dwellers, and Leo is happy to have something simple to build his understanding on.


    Hes just a little confused as to why hes expected to do it, rather than Poe. The Marshal has hadmand of expeditions above and below the ground for quite some time, so why would the Alpha set his newest scion such a simr task? He could go and ask. The Voice is happy enough to exin what needs exining, but Leo has a different target in mind.


    You send a new pup with an experienced hunter for their first hunt. So he should go see the experienced expedition leader for advice, and see if he knows why Leo has this duty instead of him.


    Taking a shortcut is an interesting experience. His old dungeon never had a Scout, and so only had a few actual secret passages, and they were all fully mundane. These, though, let him squeeze into a crack even a mouse should have difficulty with, and then walk with ease towards a different one to slip out of. Honestly, these things are probably why the Alpha doesnt worry about crowding delvers. If theres too many denizens in an area, they can easily move without just rolling over any delvers, and if there are too few denizens, more can be easily moved into position.


    He hops off that particr train of thought as he exits the shortcut to the roof, and makes his way towards Poe. He tucks his tail in submission to therge bird, who immediately waves it off.


    That is not needed, Warden Leo. We both serve Lord Thedeim, and so need not bow and scrape to each other.


    Thats easy for you to say after having a go at my belly, grumps Leo as he remembers how the fight went.


    Poe just nods. If not for Lord Thedeim, I would have happily sunk my beak and talons into your belly, but he urged mercy, and his wisdom in doing so now stands on the roof with me. He has a new scion and a new spawner because of you. You should not think lesser of yourself for the method it was achieved.


    Leo shakes his head. His new Alpha has some weird Betas. The Alpha has asked me to mount some expeditions, but I dont know why. And I dont really know how. I was just a regr wolf at my old dungeon, I never had to be in charge of anything.


    Poe nods at that as well. While only Voice Teemo actually knows the thoughts of our Lord Thedeim, he has a reason for treating us as he does. As for the expeditions while my flocks can detail the maps with ease, they cant detail what lives on those maps. On the wing, there is little care about those moving along on the ground, be they mice or bears. Ive tried to get them to understand the need to pay attention but it is difficult.


    Leo sits and lets his tail idly swish back and forth as he absorbs that. So you know thend, but the Alpha also wants to know the <em>life</em>.


    Poe fluffs his feathers in happiness at that. Indeed! There is far more to understanding the surroundings than in simple topography. As for expedition advice Id suggest making sure your denizens know to flee rather than fight, should the need arise. Lord Thedeim does not wish undue death nor harm to anyone. The expeditions we send beyond his borders should follow this as well.


    That makes sense. Why change policy drastically when outside rather than in? Though that also reminds him of something else. Why does the Alpha have so many scions? <em>How</em> does he have so many?


    Poe caws inughter before turning amused eyes on the wolf. I can only guess as to Lord Thedeims secrets, but I do have an idea for that. Your old dungeon; did it give you direct orders to do things?


    Leo nods. Of course. Denizens would get all kinds of orders to do things.


    How many times has Lord Thedeim given you an order?


    Leo opens his muzzle to answer, but slowly closes it as he thinks. ...being made a Warden was the closest thing to an order hes given me.


    Poe fluffs his feathers again. I believe that is why Lord Thedeim can support so many of us. Im honestly uncertain if hes noticed our upkeep costs, partially because Id expect they pale inparison to what he spends his mana on.


    Like the gauntlet.


    Indeed. So he gives us directions and lets us pursue them as we see fit, trusting we will do the job to the best of our abilities. He doesnt need to constantly spend mana to give us orders. He challenges us to grow, and so he grows with us, and us with him.


    Leo is quiet as he thinks about that as well. He never thought being a scion would involve so much <em>thinking</em>! His old dungeon just had them be strong and fight, after all. His old dungeon also progressed a lot slower. Even in the short time hes been here, hes seen more change than in a month at the old dungeon.


    Poe interrupts his thoughts as he speaks up again. Now then, as to how to actually run an expedition, I should be able to help with that. Let me see, where to start

 Chapter Sixty-Two: Idle Planning

    Chapter Sixty-Two: Idle nning


    The terrible trio have finally managed to get past the rocking stones. The diminishing returns for a trap also reset at dawn I think. They reset at <em>some</em> point, at least. It might be midnight, it might be dawn, it might just be from them not triggering the trap for a while because theyre sleeping and I have the wall up. Whatever the actual reason, my new mana source is stable, if not especiallyrge.


    The public gauntlet will probably be a great hit, though. Even the trio seems to be well, not exactly <em>enjoying</em> the challenge, but also not exactly hating it either. Theyre getting stuck on the wave log right now, though.


    I have a log roll thing set up, with the ends stuck into the wall for a track, and it follows a bit of a wave shape, going up and down a few times before getting to the next tform. The log is also fairly rough, which the trio seems to think it just to give their feet grip while they try to walk on it, while also making them be careful about tripping


    None of them have realized they need to just hug the thing and not drop off yet. Its pretty funny watching them get stuck in the first dip, though. Fluffles is keeping an eye on them down there at the moment and is using his telekinesis to reset the log once they fall off. None of them are actually all that adept at log rolling, so I think they might be stuck on this one until someone thinks outside the box.


    Speaking of outside: Leos expeditions areing back with all kinds of actually interesting details! The bats that Poe would send underground have the same kind of intel issues the birds do, except bats dont even care about shinies. I know a lot about how the ceilings are, but thats not exactly useful.


    With the lesser wolves, though, I get great info! This cavern has some glowing mushrooms instead of the moss stuff, that cavern has some old w marks probably from a scythemaw, this other cavern has a little stream and pool, and so on. Nothing is especially concerning just yet. Even the scythemaw marks have moss and such growing over them, so if they were marking territory, that maw is long gone. It might have even been the one that chased Aranya!


    The lesser wolves have also started noticing the weird something the ratkin have been noticing, too, but havent been able to quite put their paw pads on what it is just yet. With both the lesser wolves and the ratkin feeling something weird, Ive decided to slow down on the public gauntlet for a moment at least, and upgrade the wolf spawner a few times to get it to start making actual wolves.


    I also get ess to specializations, but I dont specialize it just yet. I think I might actually go for something offensive with the wolves, but Im not sure what. Dire wolves arent a specialization, which isnt surprising. I figure that will probably be one of thete things the spawner will make, maybe even thest. Some of the specialization options might make cerberusses instead, but I still havent decided on what to take.


    I almost took timberwolves, just because I can taste the pun, but I have enough nt-rted things right now. Im leaning towards either orthruses or tundra wolves, which seem to be physical and magical specializations, respectively. An orthrus is just a two-headed doggo, which is why I expect theyll probably end up with cerberusses at the end unless I can get some kind of wolf hydra.


    The tundra wolves are ice aspected, which could be cool, pun only kinda intended. Im just not sure which to take. Orthruses would lead to very cool denizens, and with cerberusses, Id have some great guards. On the other hand, I dont really have much in the way of denizens that cast spells and such. I dunno.


    Although I could take the multi-puppers and just get a new spawner and set that towards magic. Ive been thinking of the other invaders and catching some to make my own, but most of them arent really tempting. The roaches are just no. Even if theyre a viable option, I dont want giant roaches wandering around.


    Mice are also a no, because theyre basically just weaker rats. I wouldnt be surprised at all if they just <em>be</em> rats if they join me, too. Theres still some wasps around, but I dont need them. I already know theyre the same thing as the bees, even if I also know theyre about as unrted biologically as flying striped stinging insects can be.


    The seagulls are also a no. Im pretty sure theyre just a different specialization for birds, and I already have my ravens. It might be interesting to see a gull turn into a raven, but I dont want to convert one just to have a show.


    There are two invaders that might have some potential, though. The first are the moles. I know they cant dig through stone, at least not as normal moles, but I''d be shocked if I cant at least specialize them into something that could. Thatd make expanding deeper go so much more smoothly. The ratlings are doing a good job, especially with Codas help, but I think theyre better at doing basic crafting than with mining.


    The other invader that could be an interesting denizen are the gremlins that are always after my mining nodes. Theyre quick, sneaky, and at least strong enough to dislodge a bit of ore or a gemstone from a node. They might make good miners, too, as well as potentially being good to send on expeditions.


    Either way, I think Im going to wait before trying to get a new spawner. I could probably fit a spawner or two around, but I want to get more space before trying. I was originally going to start expanding down the tunnel Aranya came from, but recent stuff has made a few other options interesting.


    I could expand past the cemetery walls and get a taste of the wilderness. Im sure theres all kinds of interesting things I could get for my new spawner, and tons of room for more herbalism or lumber nodes. I wonder if animal nodes are a thing. Itd also give me a better foothold to try looking into the Green Sea. Thats a pretty long-term project, though, so no real rush on it.


    The other option is to expand down the ratkins hunting tunnel. Itll help secure their hunting grounds, and maybe I can even get a spawner for whatever is giving everyone that weird feeling. Im kinda in the business of weird, after all.

 Chapter Sixty-Three: The New Dungeon

    Chapter Sixty-Three: The New Dungeon


    The public gauntlet is getting close to being finished. Ive made it a lot simpler and easier than the one attached to the jail. Once the trio finally frees themselves, Ill probably open that one up to everyone, too. The mana gains are decent, but with the investment I put in, I dont think its especially dangerous for other dungeons to try simr.


    It might even encourage other dungeons to capture instead of kill delvers, who knows? The trio has also managed to get past the wave log, too. The troll tripped and managed to cling to the log and did a few spins before it stalled out on him. So now they know to just grab on from the start.


    Its funny seeing them look so unstable when they get off. Nobody has fallen into the water because of it, though. They all just take a seat to let the world stop spinning, and try to figure out the next obstacle: my own take on the salmondder.


    If I had just left the stick free, theyd just take it and probably try something stupid. So instead of a littledder of pegs they have to try to climb, I have it set in a track with the most basic of ratcheting systems. Its basically a bunch of hinges. Theyll let the stick move up past them, but when gravity puts its foot down, the hinge blocks it from falling further.


    And the trio has no idea what to do about it. Im pretty sure Vnarl and Hark could do pull-ups with enough vigor to climb, but I dont know about Mlynda. None of them have actually figured out how it works yet. Its not exactly an intuitive thing to try if you havent seen the show. So far, theyve just been jumping to it, climbing on top of the bar, and looking around confused.


    If they dont figure it out in a day or two, Ill probably have Teemo tell them what to do.


    The expeditions in the tunnels are getting closer to whatever the weirdness is. Theyve been taking it carefully, making sure the weirdness isnt just from them going deeper into the tunnels. The regr wolves seem to be a lot better at getting info than the lesser ones, so Ive been having the lesserse join in my encounters.


    Freddie and Rhonda have been enjoying them a lot, and the kids are actually starting to go and encounter my undead, too. Theyve even gone a couple rounds with Rocky, though they havent won yet. Ive been keeping him from practicing his magic on them too much, just going with his basic fire and ice punches. Once he gets better at it, Im going to exin to him thermal shock. He might even be figuring that out on his own. He likes to alternate hot and cold punches, though that might just be because he alternates his hands to actually throw them.


    _____________


    <strong>Elsewhere</strong>


    ____________


    Giants stalk in the unknown. Mushroom and centipede have valiantly fought off the soft invaders of teeth and w, but outside has much more terrifying things in store. The perceptions of the purple shard have epassed the cavern, but there is a void in one of the sides. And outside that void lurk giants.


    Centipedes have tried to brave the outside, but it is disorienting and confusing beyond the safety of the influence of the shard. Sounds can be heard, rumbles can be felt, shadows can be seen the beasts of teeth and w are among the least of the threats from outside.


    So what can be done?


    __________


    <strong>Leo</strong>


    ___________


    The prisoners are behaving at least as well as can be expected. They eat the stew the ratkin provide, and attempt the gauntlet, bickering the entire time. Leo still enjoys watching them fail, but to be honest, managing the expeditions is so much more interesting.


    The new wolves are eager to prove themselves to him and to the Alpha, and theyve been working well with the ratkin. Leo is pretty sure theyre going to be taming many of the wolves properly, rather than being like that <em>halfling</em> and enthralling them. Its good for both of them, really.


    The wolves have way better senses than the ratkin, and the ratkin have thumbs and pockets to bring things back. One of the first wolf expeditions tried to bring back a few mushrooms, but what wasnt identally swallowed was too slobbery to be useful, and the wolf that swallowed his had a very unpleasant time.


    The next expedition returns as scheduled, and make their report. Theyve been tracking the scent with the help of the ratkin, and believe theyve actually found the source! Leos excitement to aplish this for his new Alpha is quickly tempered when the wolves tell him what the source is, though.


    Its a dungeon. A pup that hasnt even opened its eyes yet. They had considered destroying it, but that would be a fight, and Leo had made sure to impress on them Poes advice to avoid fights. Leo would have told them to just end it before it can be a threat but he gets the feeling Alpha Thedeim wont do that. He cant imagine what his Alpha will *actually* do, but he wont need to even try.


    He mentally tucks his tail and gives his report through the empathic bond. He can feel the mild disapproval of him showing his belly like that, but Poe says the Alpha isnt likely to act on it. He doesnt like to stand on protocol often, which only encourages him and Poe to keep doing it. They want to show their respect, after all.


    Alpha Thedeim seems intrigued by the news, and many emotions and concepts flitter through the bond, too quickly toprehend, before it settles down. Leo is to send expeditions to keep the pup safe, but to not enter its domain.


    He can also feel the Alpha reach for the Voice, and actually send him on an expedition, too.


    ____________


    <strong>The Office of Dungeon Affairs</strong>


    _____________


    Tr works at her desk, industriously transcribing Tarls reports to go into the official record, and preparing to transcribe from the official record regarding both Hullbreak Harbor and the Southwood. Thedeim expressed interest in information on them, and while shed prefer to keep Hullbreaks details quiet, they might be able to barter at least some information to at least get a look at Thedeims core.


    Most dungeons have at least some trick to keep their cores safe. The most obvious is a dedicated scion to attack any that get too close, while the second is to simply hide it. Most do both, like with Neverrest. Sure, its true core was close to the false one, but an effort was at least made to keep it hidden.


    Wheres Elf Guy? asks a voice from nowhere, and Tr only just manages to not upend her inkwell over the papers in her surprise. She looks around the small room that is the public face of the Dungeoneers Guild, but cant find the source of the voice. A whistle calls her attention to the top of a shelf of pamphlets, and she sees a rat?


    Yep, its me. Im Teemo, the Voice of Thedeim. Tr stares for a few moments, her mind racing to try to remember the protocols for talking to a dungeons Voice. Teemo, however, doesnt let her get her legs underneath her, and repeats his question.


    Wheres Elf Guy? You know, the Inspector? Tarl?


    Er hes off to the Southwood to give it the information it requested, tries the elf, wishing she had gotten more training in how to actually talk to a dungeon and its Voice. Shes supposed to be directly dealing with people, not dungeons! At least she doesnt seem to have offended it yet.


    Teemo nods. Right right, didnt think hed be off so quickly. Youre part of the ODA, right?


    ODA? she asks, confused.


    The Office of Dungeon Affairs. Thats what he calls you guys. He knows youre the Dungeoneers Guild, but that still doesnt stop him from calling you that.


    That raises so many questions, Tr doesnt even know where to start. Shetches onto the one thing he said that makes any actual sense. Yes, Im part of the Dungeoneers Guild. I and the guildmistress for this particr branch. How can the Dungeoneers Guild assist you, Voice Teemo of Thedeim? Oh sure, <em>now</em> her training kicks in.


    Well, the Boss found a dungeon in the deep tunnels. A baby one, apparently. He wants to know what to do about it.


    He found another dungeon?!

 Chapter Sixty-Four: Party Up

    Chapter Sixty-Four: Party Up


    It feels kinda weird to watch through Teemos eyes while he talks with the ODAdy. Ive gotten so used to just <em>knowing</em> whats going on around me that just having the directed senses of a rat is strange to me now.


    The Boss is pretty sure its a dungeon, at least, says my Voice. The expedition can taste it, but its really small. The Boss was most of the entire manor when he started, but the little cavern this one is in is barely bigger than the main entrance room.


    Thedys eyes widen slightly at that. You really did find a nascent dungeon, seems like. What have you done with it so far? What do you n to do with it?


    Well the Boss isnt sure yet. He doesnt want to just eat it like Neverrest, but he doesnt know if thats even an option. And if peace can happen, he has no idea how to start.


    She nods and starts digging through her desk. Dungeons can peacefully coexist, though its usually more a matter of them being too far apart for attacks to be viable. I know Ive heard of ones coexisting, but I dont know if I have any of those records handy


    Cool, so we can give peace a chance. But how? Im almost positive any denizens I send in will bebeled as invaders, and probably wont make the dungeon trust me much. And sending a scion could be even more dangerous. Teemo might be alright, a Voice is for talking, after all. But sending someone like Fluffles would probably be a deration of war.


    I dont even know if my dwellers would count as neutral parties, or as delvers for the little dungeon.


    Teemo listens to me thinking to myself while thedy digs through her stuff, and speaks up. Would the ratkin be fine to send inside? The Boss hasnt asked anyone to go in yet. In fact, hes been pretty explicit that everyone stay out.


    She nods as she digs through a cab. Good. Dwellers count as invaders in other dungeons, as they are at least implicitly on the side of a foreign dungeon. Keeping everyone out of it is a good idea for now. Ideally, wed wait for Inspector Tarl to return, but hes likely to be gone for at least two weeks, more likely closer to three.


    Yeah, thats a lot of time to just let the thing sit on the Boss doorstep.


    She sighs as she seems to ept she doesnt have the references shes been looking for, and she sits back in her chair. Well need to get some delvers to go take a look.


    How about Rhonda and Freddie? They seem to be pretty interested in dungeon stuff, and that one seems pretty weak, so they shouldnt be in much danger, suggests Teemo.


    The elf considers that for a few seconds. That could work. If I give them a quest to check it out, that should keep them listed as delvers, even if you help them get down there. Theyll need to check it often, every few days at the worst, daily if they can manage.


    Alright. You make the quest, Ill go see if theyre interested. With that, my Voice hops off his perch and heads out. He doesnt make any shortcuts while outside my borders, though. That was one of the first things he tried, and while he can, theyre a lot harder for him to keep hidden outside. I dont think my outside friends will appreciate shortcuts into their homes, so its the long way for us.


    Thankfully, Teemo is still a rat, so its not exactly difficult for him to move around unnoticed, even without him actually using his various stealth tricks. Closest to the ODA is Old Staivens shop, so he heads there first to check in on the nerdy little goblin.


    Is the dungeon doing some delving of its own now? asks Staiven with a grin as Teemo enters. My Voice is a bit surprised the old ratkin noticed him, but he probably shouldnt have been. I bet Staiven has enough wards and stuff on his shop that hed even notice a fly that enters without his explicit permission.


    Actually, the Boss wants to talk with Rhonda. We found something and the dungeon guild people thinks she and Freddie might be a good fit to check it out.


    Ah, interesting. Rhonda and Freddie <em>have</em> taken quite the interest in dungeons Shes down in theb right now, taking inventory. Theres a few things in there she probably hasnt seen yet, so it was going to be a bit of a test, but it can wait for her to look into this thing for you.


    Er itll probably be a daily thing for her to look into, informs Teemo, but Staiven just waves that off.


    If its something dungeon, she can do it on her off time each day. Goodness knows shell make any excuse to go delving in her free time anyway. He inhales and raises his voice. Rhonda! Upstairs! You have a visitor!


    A muffled Coming!es from the open hatch behind the counter, and soones the goblin herself, hat and spider on her head. She looks around the shop, confused for a few seconds, before she speaks up. Wheres Freddie?


    Staiven just smiles at his apprentice. I didnt say it was Freddie. The dungeons Voice is here for you.


    She gasps at that and looks around, and Teemo takes mercy by hopping up on the counter and squeaking at her.


    Right here, kiddo. Thedeim found a nascent dungeon in the deep tunnels, and wants to make peaceful contact. The dungeon folk say that pretty much anything he tries to send would be treated as an invader, though, so he needs delvers to do it, and suggested you and Freddie.


    Rhondas eyes shine with curiosity at that. A <em>nascent</em> dungeon?! Why us? Shouldnt Mr Tarl be sent for that?


    Hes off to go do a quest for the Southwood, so hes going to be a while. So, you want the job?


    Yes! she shouts, before blushing and calming herself. I mean, uh Master? May I?


    He rolls his eyes and chuckles at the goblin. Thats fine with me, Rhonda. This will be on your own time, though. Ill not have you skipping your lessons to go gallivanting down dangerous tunnels.


    She whoops and thanks him, and Teemo speaks up after she calms down a bit. Alright, lets go talk with Freddie, then, and see if he can go, too.


    She nods vigorously, and her hat doesnt move as much as Id expect. Lucas, her spider, is looking happy with himself, so I think hes webbed it to her head. Doesnt seem like she minds, at least.


    Teemo hops on and nods to Lucas, who gives him a little bow in return. Alright, to the Church of the Crystal Shield!


    It actually takes a few minutes before they can go, as Rhonda needs to mark her spot in the inventory process. Once Staiven is satisfied shell be able to pick up where she left off, he lets them all go. Its much faster riding Rhonda than Teemo walking on his own. A rat on his own needs to be stealthy. A rat on a girls hat, who she is actively talking with, is just another curiosity that the townsfolk just chalk up to the dungeon being weird.


    At the church, Rhonda walks up to one of the priests thats simply sweeping the steps, and asks if her friend is avable. It seems Freddie is in the barracks behind the church, doing some training. She thanks him and heads there.


    Inside, Freddie has his shirt off and has a wooden axe and training shield and is facing off against one of those spinning wooden dummies. Hell hit one of the arms of the thing and itll spin, so he has to put his shield up to block the counter. Rhonda takes a few seconds to enjoy the show before Teemo speaks up.


    Hey, Freddie! You busy?


    The orc stops and steps back and looks over his shoulder at the trio in confusion for a moment, before recognizing his friend. His look of confusion returns quickly, though, as he doesnt spot my Voice. Did you learn a new spell to change your voice, Rhonda? he asks. She giggles and shakes her head, and points to the rat on her hat.


    Nope! Teemos here! He has a quest for us!


    Actually, I dont. Technically, if me or the Boss gave you the quest, itd mess the whole thing up.


    Freddie just looks a bit lost. You have a not-quest for us?


    Teemo chuckles as Rhonda walks to her friend, who is moving to towel himself off and have some water thanks to the break in his workout. The Boss found a nascent dungeon, which is like a baby, or something. Teemo shrugs. He wants to try peace with it, but anything hed send would be an invader. So he needs delvers, and they need to be not technically working for him. Thedy at the guild says shell make a quest for it.


    Why not send Mr Tarl? Isnt that his job? asks Freddie as his own spider descends from the ceiling and plucks Lucus from Rhondas hat. The kids don''t seem concerned about that, so I guess the two spiders will just do spidery things together when their masters hang out.


    Hes off to the Southwood, or we would leave it to him, but the dungeon is too close to just let it grow on its own.


    Hmm. Let me check with the High Priest. Id be happy to explore, but I want to make sure it wont mess with my training. Rhonda and Teemo both nod at that, and Freddie gets his shirt back on while Teemo hops back onto the hat. It looks like the spiders are busy chatting or ying, so they get left to their own devices in the rafters.


    Getting to the High Priest is pretty simple. He runs a pretty chill ship, seems like, and nobody tries to stop the group from knocking on his door. Maybe they just know Freddie and Rhonda well enough to know they wouldnt bother him for something silly.


    I cant help but smile to myself as theyre let in and I see the battered shield above the gnomes desk, and he smiles warmly at the two over some paperwork he had been working on. A bit of surprise crosses his expression as he notices Teemo on Rhondas hat.


    Rhonda and Freddie, howre you two doing? And the dungeons Voice, too? he asks jovially, ncing above himself at the shield with its new chip.


    Freddie takes the lead. Well sir, Thedeim has found a nascent dungeon, and the Dungeoneers Guild would like us to check it out and keep an eye on it. Mr Tarl is out on business, so he cant do it.


    Itll pretty much be a daily thing, too, adds Rhonda.


    High Priest Torlon nods at that. Ah, I see. He taps a finger against his desk as he thinks, then continues. I dont see any problem with that. You go delving often enough in your free time, so I dont think itll interfere with your training, Freddie. Itll need to be on your free time, though.


    The young orc nods at that. Yes sir. Id like to try this, sir. Dungeoneering is interesting.


    Torlon smiles at that. Good! Maybe you and Rhonda will be able to join the Dungeoneers instead of the Adventurers guild when your apprenticeships are done. Pdins are encouraged to go out into the world and spread the word, rather than sit in the temple all day and do paperwork, he says with a wink, before waving the two off. Away with you two, unless theres something else? This sounds like a great opportunity for you two, so no sense dying.


    The kids nod and bid their farewells, and get a quick blessing from him as well, before making their way back to the barracks to collect their spiders, then to the ODA. Inside, its changed slightly. Instead of only thedys desk, theres now two smaller ones pulled out as well. The kids exchange a nce before the guildmistress speaks up.


    Have a seat, you two. I dont mind sending you two off to investigate the dungeon, but I refuse to send you two off without at least some basic training.


    Rhonda eagerly takes a seat and pulls out her notebook and charcoal stick. Freddie whispers to her and she giggles before giving him a few loose pieces of paper and his own writing implement. I wonder if theyd have been so interested if they knew theyd be in school for a bit before getting to go look at the shiny new dungeon.

 Chapter Sixty-Five: New Ways of Thinking

    Chapter Sixty-Five: New Ways of Thinking


    I only half pay attention to what thedy tells the kids, though I do at least catch that her name is Tr. I kinda already know the basics of dungeons just from experience, and from how Elf Guy behaved in those early inspections: beat up a few things, gather a few things, take a look around thats about it.


    Its difficult to pay too much attention over there when the terrible trio are making unexpected progress in the gauntlet. They still havent figured out how to do the salmondder properly, but they seem to have an idea that will probably work in theory, at least. Theyre formting and practicing in their cell area right now.


    Do you two have any better ideas? asks Vnarl, though without the usual snarl. Hark shakes his head, and Mlynda just sighs.


    I know theres more to it than just a bar. It goes into the wall weirdly. I just cant figure out what it does, she says, and Vnarl just shrugs.


    If you figure it out, maybe well try something else, but this is our best bet right now. The halfling wants to argue, but she knows she doesnt have any other ideas at the moment. Hark is looking more rxed than the first day they were all put in here. Hes probably d mommy and daddy arent fighting as much anymore.


    He carefully positions his feet and almost takes a low horse stance, then nods at Vnarl. Well, lets get to work. Once we can do this on normal ground, we can try doing it on that bar.


    The troll nods and climbs onto the elfs shoulders and takes a simr squatting stance. The two look really unstable, and Hark has to adjust his feet a couple times before he stabilizes. Vnarl is still a bit wobbly, though. They decide thats good enough for the moment, and he motions for Mlynda to climb up. She still doesnt look like she likes this n, but she climbs her two party-members and squats on Vnarls shoulders.


    The triopares notes, starting with Hark, as they all try to keep their little pyramid/tower going. I think getting Vnarl into position is going to be the big hurdle. The troll glowers a bit, but grudgingly nods.


    Yeah Mlynda climbing up isnt much of an issue with how light she is, but me climbing onto Hark is awkward. The halfling thinks for a few moments before speaking up.


    Try it closer to the wall, then? Itll give you something else to try to use for support, she suggests, and the guys consider that.


    That could work, says Hark, and the three get their feet back on the ground before moving to the wall to try the suggestion. With a hand on the wall, Hark is <em>much</em> more stable, and Vnarl has a much easier time climbing up, too. The halfling scurries up and nts herself on the top, and the three smile in triumph before Vnarl speaks up.


    And then we stand, I lift Mlynda as high as I can, and she just has to hang on until Hark can climb up!


    Easier said than done grumbles Mlynda, but she seems on board with the n.


    Not the intended way to get past it, but if they start actually working together as a team, rehabilitation might actually be an option. Its actually the <em>next</em> obstacle thats supposed to teach them to start working together, but Im not going toin about them getting their act together a little early, even if theyre overthinking the salmondder.


    The next obstacle for them is a cargo conveyor belt. I have a cargo that loops around two free-spinning things, letting it move like a conveyor belt when someone tries to climb. I think someone could, theoretically, climb it fast enough to get to the top on their own, but have you ever seen someone try to climb a cargo with speed? Its hrious. The solution for that one is simple: just have someone hold the to keep it from moving.


    I had expected that one to take them a couple tries to figure out, but now I think theyll barely be slowed down by the challenge. After that wille thest of the ninja challenges. I had considered a warped wall kind of thing, but thatd put the shorter races at a severe disadvantage. Instead, Ivee up with what Im calling the wedge climb.


    Its kinda like a spider climb, where there are two walls close enough that you have to wedge your arms and legs to keep yourself from falling, but the walls arent parallel. It looks like a big wedge has been taken out of the wall, which will also make it harder to actually wedge yourself into it. That one will probably also take them a while to get through


    The next couple hours, I just busy myself with working on the public gauntlet. People could probably run it now, but I want to get a bit of polish first. Its looking pretty rough right now. The aranea have been pretty interested in ittely, too. They havent given any quests for it yet, but they have woven a fewrge pads and ced them around the tforms. I need to figure out some kind of water-proofing if I dont want them having to constantly rece the things. Maybe Queen can do something? Or Thing? I poke them both with ideas, and suggest they look at the library for more. Honey has finally cataloged everything, and has been wanting to send expeditions to get more books, but I havent let her. I dont need her to go and steal a library. Im hoping I can get Tr to get me a line to a book dealer eventually.


    Not right now, though. Looks like shes done teaching the basics, so the kids are ready to go take a look at the little dungeon. A couple of the ratkin are going with them, so at least nothing nasty in the tunnels should be able to surprise them.


    <strong>Elsewhere</strong>


    Giants stalk at the bounds of perception. The soft invaders could be crushed underfoot of the titans that lurk outside. The master of the fungus and centipedes is wary. Its vulnerable. But how can it hide better? Its already hidden behind many caps, what else can it do?


    The giants are content to lurk no longer. The first enters, and it towers over everything. It is green and has a wide mushroom cap. Could it actually be friendly? Mushrooms are good. What follows the enormous mushroom is definitely <em>not</em> a mushroom. While it is also green, it has no cap, and it <em>towers</em> over the walking mushroom.


    It rumbles, and the walking mushroom rumbles back. Uncertain, the master of fungus and centipede sends a wave of defenders to stop the intruders. They dont feel like an existential threat like the invaders, but they should still be driven back.


    The centipedes answer the call and move to assault the titans, but they are destroyed by ice. The master gets a lot of energy from that, and so starts to send waves of valiant centipedes to assault the intruders. They only rumble at each other as they walk around inside, and its not long until the titanic walking mushroom finds the shard of purple. It was plucking its smaller kin and happened upon the fragment.


    It rumbles and the not-mushroomes and looks. In desperation, the master sends all its forces, but to no avail. However, the two dont harm the shard. With the energy gained, it regrows the mushrooms hiding itself, and the outsiders leave it alone and leave.


    What are those enormous outsiders? The master is stronger after their visit. It must strengthen its denizens. Stronger mushrooms, stronger centipedes. Should it kill the invaders, if they return? The fragment is much stronger after their visit, so should it try to get them to return many times? Mushrooms use outsiders to spread their spores without needing to kill. Can the master gain from the outsiders without destroying them? Are they truly friends? But only fungus and centipede are friends right?

 Chapter Sixty-Six: Planning and Adapting

    Chapter Sixty-Six: nning and Adapting


    As far as I can tell, the baby dungeon hasnt gone nuts. It tried to attack Rhonda and Freddie, but theyre strong enough to deal with anything it might try to pull. Leos been sending more wolves to keep an eye on it, and as far as they can tell, it hasnt really changed its behavior.


    Its still making centipedes and mushrooms, which is interesting. I thought it somehow had the mushrooms as herbalism nodes, but the wolves say the fungus is whats dealing with the smallest invaders. Thats cool. I want active mushrooms.


    Its borders are still slowly expanding, which I think is a sign its a baby dungeon. I could only expand in leaps and bounds, not the slow but steady way this one is going. Maybe different dungeons expand differently? I know not all get the same rooms, but what if not all expand in the same way?


    Also: Im tired of calling it just the baby dungeon. The kids say the core is purple, so Im calling it Violet. Violets a cool name. I had considered trying to give Violet one of my denizens, but theres a couple problems with that idea.


    For starters, Violet definitely doesnt have a jail yet, so its probably not even an option right now. Beyond that, it might not be a good idea to give it denizens anyway. What if it takes a page out of my book and does something really weird, but its not as peaceful as I am?


    I wouldnt mind stealing its denizens, but I need more room for that, and more room is expensive. Coda and the ratlings have been working on helping me use the volume underground, but the going is slow. in old rock isnt the worst building material, but it only really supports stuff when its inpression, rather than tension.


    See, different things work under different loads. A string can handle tension, but does nothing if you try to squeeze it. Stone is great for squeezingpression, but abysmal for tension. Steel is great at both, which is why people build with it. But I dont have ess to that much steel. So Coda has to take things slow and n to make sure everything stays inpression.


    Making everything arched helps, but theres still only so much that can be done. I think Ill be able to expand the current caves to befortable with slimes, wolves, and spiders, and expand the catbs to be better able to handle the undead, but Im going to need more room before I get any more spawners.


    Right, I also should make Rocky an actual boss room. Hes pretty much just been hanging out in the central mausoleum, but thats a temporary solution at best. I want to give him an arena, maybe even a proper squared-circle of a boxing ring, but I also want to have spectator seating. But I dont have room on the surface for something like that, and building something like that underground will be difficult.


    Hmm magic might be able to help, though. Ive been meaning to upgrade the hidden alchemyb seriously for a while now, and Things secret enchantingb is also in serious need of upgrades, too. I could ask Teemo to pull some spatial shenanigans, but I feel like thats a bit of a long shot. Hes still having trouble pulling spatial shenanigans besides his shortcuts, and I dont want to put something this important on his tiny shoulders if hes still figuring out how to do what I want.


    Ill probably need to settle for Queen using the steel transmutation to weave reinforcements into what will have to be a dome over the ring and stands, and probably have Thing reinforce it with some enchanting stuff, too.


    Can I manage an actual boxing ring? The ropes and turnbuckles are rtively simple, but I dont know how the floor is handled. It has some kind of give to it, but not too much. Its a ring, not a trampoline, so it has to be more than a thick bit of cloth under a ton of tension.


    I make a note in the secret library to brainstorm it a bitter, though. All the ring stuff is in the future. Its maybe not incredibly <em>far</em> in the future, but still far enough away I have time to n a bunch. Queens going to need herb upgraded a ton to be able to make the steel transmutation in the quantities Ill need anyway.


    No, the more immediate thing I should probably spend my mana on is in specializing my wolves. In seeing how my delvers deal with my encounters, myck of magic denizens is bing more and more obvious. The lightning stuff is nice, but thebs level still makes it difficult to produce enough to make it particrlymon. But with my wolf spawner making tundra wolves, thatll not only make my delvers have to think about the ice element too, but give more magical things in general theyll need to deal with.


    Besides, Im starting to feel the seasons change. From Poes expeditions, its been in to me for a while now that Im in a bit of a temperate forest kind of climate. If we were much more south on Earth, it might count as the kind of thing that makes giant redwood rainforests.


    Im pretty sure I showed up sometime in spring, and the weather has been mostly warm and things have been growing. But now I can tell the leaves are changing colors and the air is getting a bit cooler. I dunno how quickly winter hits around here, but I can tell itsing. So if Im in a cooler climate, my new ground expedition guys should be well-able to handle cold and maybe even deep snow.


    And the other wolf options just dont catch my attention. So I go ahead and spend the mana, and the spawner starts making tundra wolves to go with the normal ones. I wonder if anything interesting would happen if I gave a tundra wolf some of the go juice? Would they have ice and lightning aspects? Or would it just overwrite the ice aspect?


    Ill need to do some experiments once I have more of both wolves and go juice. Or I could experiment with the couple fire ants Queen has gotten from the anthill. She doesnt have enough yet to just experiment all willy-nilly, but the little ants are more expendable than the wolves. I go ahead and poke her with that as an idea, and let her organize and prioritize it as she wants.


    With theb getting expanded soon, shell probably want as many of her fire ants as she can so she can actually make the go juice in the first ce. We cant go and cripple her ability to do her work just for idle curiosity, after all.

 Chapter Sixty-Seven: Progress

    Chapter Sixty-Seven: Progress


    I watch the terrible trio as they bnce precariously on the salmondder bar. They still havent figured out they can do pull ups to raise it, so theyve been working on their terrible trio tower technique. Theyre actually at a point where they can all get on the bar, so now they just need to finish the maneuver and cling onto the ledge.


    The three all take a deep breath and start counting to three together.


    One says Mlynda, her eyes locked on the ledge thats currently out of her reach. She shifts her feet only slightly, confirming to herself that Vnarl has her properly in hand.


    Two continues Vnarl, feeling a bit awkward as the center part of the tower, but hes the best suited for it.


    Three! finishes Hark and they all three stand and start falling towards the ledge, and Mlynda manages to catch it this time!


    I got it! she exims with excitement. She has her hands on the ledge and is clinging as best she can, but it will get a lot harder once they start the next part of the n. Shell have to support Vnarl and Hark at the same time. It shouldnt be for too long, but its still going to be quite a strain.


    Vnarl adjusts his grip on her feet as Hark carefully prepares himself. The elf speaks up one hes ready.


    Let me know when to start, Mlynda!


    She takes a few more breaths to calm herself, then tightens her grip on the ledge. Ready!


    With that, Hark steps off the bar and the trio swing to the wall and hit with a dull thud. Its not too much of an impact, but they need to work quickly if they dont want to end up in the drink again. Hark quickly climes Vnarl and reaches the ledge. He transfers his weight there instead of on the troll, before climbing up. He grins in triumph at being on top, before turning and hauling up Vnarl. The troll gives Mlynda a shove to get her up onto the ledge before Hark gets him all the way up, the leader seeing the smallest member struggling to keep her grip.


    As I thought, the cargo conveyor barely slows them down. They take a few minutes to recover, before Vnarl goes and tests the cargo. Once he sees it move, he just holds it and Hark and Mlynda climb up, and then they hold it for him.


    They all just kinda stare at the wedge wall for a few moments before Mlynda voices whats on everyones mind. What are we supposed to do with that?!


    Vnarl looks just as lost, but Hark squints as he gazes upward. I think we climb it.


    Mlynda rolls her eyes as a bit of her venom from before seeps into her words. Oh really. How?


    Hark doesnt rise to the barbs, and instead points at the wall. You wedge yourself in and climb up like that. Ive had to climb a few trees like that before. Here, watch. He steps forward and jumps at the wall, and sys his limbs as he gets inside, wedging himself in ce. He wiggles a bit to get himself into afortable width for climbing, before looking over his shoulder with a grin. Then you just climb! He demonstrates, and the other two look impressed.


    Mlynda goes next, and though she almost flubs thending, she manages to keep herself from falling. It takes her a bit longer to get into afortable position, but she starts climbing. Hark helps her up as she nears the top, and I can see her arms are looking pretty weak. I dont think shell be getting back up there today.


    Vnarl follows suit and wedges himself in, though hesnky enough he has to climb using his elbows and knees, instead of his hands and feet. Before long, though, Hark hauls him up, and all three are sitting on top of the ledge, which is revealed to be yet another tform, though the challenge is different than theyve seen before. Theres no handholds or weird walls or other things that would fit with the other challenges. Instead, there are tworge pots, and an obvious pressure te. One pot sits on either side of the te, with the potsbeled three and five, with the te betweenbeled with a four. Additionally, in the wall, is a little fountain.


    Im actually a bit proud of this puzzle, even if I did steal it from Die Hard. Using the two jugs, put four gallons of water on the te. Mechanically, its a modified flood trap. If they dont put the correct weight on the te, water will push them all off the tform and into the drink once more.


    The three look around, wondering if theyve missed anything, and Hark speaks up first.


    Wheres the four jar?


    Mlynda frowns. Well, its not here. I dont think there were any pots at the previous obstacles, either. She looks back the way they came, but the position makes it difficult to see much.


    Vnarl thinks as well and shakes his head. I dont remember one either. Maybe its hidden in the water? Hark looks in the fountain and shakes his head as well.


    Not in here, unless you meant the water down there? he asks, pointing over the edge.


    If we go looking, well need to do it all at once, points out Mlynda, and none of them are especially eager to throw away their victory so soon. They spend a few minutes looking around, and even pick up the pots, but dont make the connection of what to do with them just yet. With no other ideas, they collectively sigh and dive into the water, and I let my mind wander to other things.


    Honey has been getting a bit frustrated with the library. Shes got it cataloged and organized, but she is starving for more books to put in it. Shes been asking to be able to send expeditions to get more, but Ive been telling her no. I get the feeling something isnt tranting through the empathic bond, though, because she keeps requesting.


    I poke Teemo to go and talk to her, and its fun to watch him talk with Honey. The other scions make their various sounds which he seems to just hear as words, but bees dont reallymunicate with sounds. They either use pheromones or they dance. Im pretty sure she uses some pheromones, too, but she mostly dances to talk to Teemo, which I find to be just too adorable.


    When he gets to the library, shes working in the hive,ying some new eggs for new workers, but hes able to get her attention easily enough. Shees out and dances for him. He says she and Queen call me the Emperor, and Teemo is my Emissary, and no matter how many times we try to get them to drop the formality, they refuse to.


    The Boss wants to know why you keep asking about expeditions, despite him telling you no.


    She dances and he trantes after a few seconds. She says she doesnt want to go stealing books, but to get knowledge.


    Ok, but how does she propose to do that? He rtes my question, and she dances her answer back.


    ...She wants to write her <em>own</em> books from her own knowledge, gathered from expeditions.


    Oh? Now <em>that</em> sounds like a good n. Tell her to start coordinating with Poe and Leo for her bees to join their expeditions. I might send an aranea along with them, too. Theyre not the most dextrous, but they have facsimiles of fingers at least, and can make bags to bring back samples. Ill probably try to get them to offer trades of silk stuff for nk books, too. I have my notebooks, but I dont think I can just make nk books for her to use in the library. Does she have anything in specific she wants to study?


    He chuckles at her response. Shes very interested in nts, but she says she wants to gather pollen from all the flowers of knowledge.


    Hmm. I wonder if I should try to teach her what I remember about math? Algebra is pretty simple, all things considered, but theres also a lot of stuff that I dont know what the function actually is. Trigonometry is all about sin, cos, and tan, but I dont think Ive ever had to actually try to do those functions without a calctor. In fact how do you even do a square root? I can work backwards and guess, but that feels awkward.


    Well, shes a clever bee. Maybe she can derive that stuff?


    <strong>Honey</strong>


    The Emperor is wise and possesses an endless garden of knowledge! The Emissary speaks of things of such wonder, and Honey only wishes she could ask her Emperor her questions directly! Even if she has to respawn a thousand times, the pain would be worth it for the knowledge!


    Though the Emperor also trusts her to find knowledge herself. He is willing to share some, but there is so much for her to learn on her own! Thats why she had kept requesting to have her workers join the expeditions. There are so many nts and creatures to discover and learn about! The Emperor had been wanting his scions to expand their aspects, after all, and she thinks this is her best option.


    She sends workers tomunicate with the Marshal and the Warden. They each have their duties to attend, but perhapster that night she can ask about joining them, as well as about having an aranea along, too.


    She still feels a sense of horror when she thinks of them. No, not because they are arachnids, nor that they can be simply unpleasant to look at. No, her sense of horrores from their senses of <em>spelling</em> and <em>grammar</em>! At least shes been able to get through the thick chitin of their heads the fundamentals of writing. They still prefer three-word do-the-thing style of signage, but they now do so properly, and so dont insult the Emperor.


    She doesnt dwell on that thought for long, though. No, she still has eggs toy and ns to make. She has a few ledgers and such she can write in. Perhaps she can make a proper presentation to the Marshal and Warden? The Emperor had managed to gift her with a sh of a bearer of knowledge projecting an illusion to help illustrate their points, writing and pictures created on arge curtain for all to see, rather than the smaller print of an individual book.


    Could her aspect allow her to do that? Perhaps. She idly flexes her magic as she works and ns, following in her Emperors footsteps and delegating what can be delegated as she works towards her goals.

 Chapter Sixty-Eight: A Sweet Presentation

    Chapter Sixty-Eight: A Sweet Presentation


    Looks like Honeys working hard to prepare to talk with Leo and Poe. Shes doing something with her magic, but I cant really tell what. Whatever it is, I dont think itll be ready by the meeting, but I''m d to see her practicing. Im not sure that the graphs and such shes writing down will do much to convince the two to bring her workers on expeditions, but it probably wont hurt her chances, either.


    Especially since I can see the two have kept a few expedition groups in reserve. They seem to have already decided to at least to a few test expeditions with her. I hope they let her do her presentation despite that. Shes looking like such a happy little nerd bee, heh.


    I decide to watch the terrible trio while I wait for evening, but theyre not doing much today. I think theyre all grumpy about the puzzle. They still havent found the potbeled four yet, because it doesnt exist. I think theyre starting to realize that, too.


    Fine, if theyre going to be boring, Ill check in on Aranya and the ratkin. Shes been hanging out with them even after the whole ceremony that made them officially dwellers. I think shes just d to havepany. Theres not a whole lot of chance to socialize in the deep tunnels, after all.


    She hasnt joined any of the hunting expeditions, but thats mostly because shes not a very good hunter. That, and her only weapon is still the sword I gave her. She practices with it every day, but its still something more designed for self defense, rather than hunting. Ive tried to have Teemo tell them they can hunt and eat the stuff in me, but they dont want to be a drain on me like that.


    Its not exactly a drain, but I can appreciate their desire to be able to support themselves. While delvers killing and gathering will give me mana, and invaders give me nothing, my dwellers doing stuff is basically a zero-sum. I get back some mana, but only enough to cover the cost. I guess its <em>technically</em> a drain on me to wait for stuff to respawn, but thats no big deal. But my dwellers dont want to impose even that much, and Im not going to force them. Besides, Im proud of them for being able to find their own path and have the strength to walk it.


    But back to Aranya, shell usually talk philosophy with Larx, or whatever crystal shield guys the ratlings allow to visit. Interestingly, the former head acolyte has beening down to talk a lot. It looks like his demotion and punishment has taught him some humility. Hes still pretty gung-ho about the shield, but now hes willing to actually debate and listen, instead of smite and exorcize. I wonder if I should suggest they do a couple public debates? My dwellers interacting with the delvers earn boatloads of mana.


    There are several different merchants thate by over the course of the day, and trade for stuff. They mostly want hides and meat and such from the various things the ratkin hunt, and the ratkin mostly like to trade for cloth, though one of the merchants is looking for crops that might grow underground.


    With the feel of winter on the way, thoughts turn towards making sure everyone has food. Nobody is exactly <em>worried</em> about making it through the winter, but everyone would like to have more food. Besides, with underground stuff, crops can grow basically year-round. Temperature doesnt change much underground, so theres no real single growing season.


    Hopefully they can get a bunch of spores for stuff before the routes basically lock down for the winter. Listening in on their conversations, it seems were not usually snowed in for <em>all</em> winter, but theres generally a couple weeks with too much snow to make it worthwhile, and its not a consistent few weeks. Besides, in the depths of winter, theres not a whole lot of new things to get to trade. That might change with my ratkin, but theyre not established well enough to really be able to do much this year.


    By the time thest merchant leaves, its about sunset and so most of the activity dies down. Theres more night delvers than I used to have, but thats still not saying much. Its mostly a group or two of lower-leveled people doing stuff in the manor, which gives Honey her chance to talk with Poe and Leo. I poke the two to let them know shes ready, and I poke Teemo to go trante for me.


    Honey seems surprised to see Teemo along with my two expedition leaders, but he quickly exins.


    The Boss mostly just wants to listen in on the presentation, Honey. He likes your idea, and wants to be able to offer any assistance or ideas. And he can tell youve been working hard on the presentation, so he wants to hear what you have to say.


    I dont need to speak bee to know thats her happy dance. Teemo takes a seat a little further away than Poe and Leo, mostly because hes going to be quietly tranting for me the entire time. Honey passes out a few small packets of information before she starts.


    Esteemed Marshal, Warden, and Emissary; thank you all for your time and presence. Ive asked the Emperor to allow my workers to join your expeditions. Our library should be overflowing withbs full of knowledge, but our stocks are practically bare! So, I would gather knowledge like pollen: by going out and obtaining it directly.


    Ive made several graphs to show how I expect our stores of knowledge to increase, but I also want to get into a few details. While I dont think well be able to get much information in fields like history or mathematics, there is a wealth of information to be gathered on biology! There are numerous nts, animals, insects, and arachnids and more to discover and study!


    How do you propose to do that, Librarian? asks Poe. He looks interested, but hes ever the pragmatist, so wants details.


    If youll refer to the packet, I can help exin, starts Honey, who gives the two a chance to take a look before she continues. For the surface expeditions, nt and insect samples should be simplest for the ravens to gather. They may be able to gather specimens of smaller birds and animals like rodents, too, but I want to start a bit more simply.


    For underground, Emperor Thedeim has offered the service of several aranea to apany the expeditions. Ive calcted a wolf should be able to carry one with little difficulty, can you confirm that, Warden?


    Leo thinks for a few moments before nodding. There are some spots theyll have to get off and walk on their own, but my wolves should be able to carry them to wherever were going to get samples from. Youre not going to use the ratkin?


    Honey wiggles her rear in negative. While they are very helpful to our Emperor, he doesnt want to impose on them for this. If the first expeditions go as well as I hope they will, there also simply won''t be enough ratkin to keep up, too. The aranea can weave some kind of packs for the wolves to be able to bring back samples, too. Ive included a diagram of what they may look like, and the design can be improved with field testing.


    Teemo speaks up at that. Heh, sounds like the Boss is going to need to expand the tunnels around here, then. If youre going to be getting that much stuff, youre gonna need a lot more room to examine everything. Hes also going to need to have the aranea offer trade quests for nk books.


    Honey does a little embarrassed shuffle. On the back of the packet, I have projections for those, yes. I dont wish to impose on the Emperor like that, but I couldnt think of any other way to get and keep the knowledge. That is, if the Warden and Marshal are willing to allow this?


    Poe fluffs himself up and nods. I think it is a great opportunity to extend our Lord Thedeims knowledge, and it may be just the thing to whip my ravens into proper shape. Ive been having trouble getting them to pay attention to the details. With your workers wanting samples, they may finally start to understand that shiny things are not the only valuable things.


    Leo speaks up directly after. I also think it would be a good thing to do. The ratkin have some knowledge of the deeper tunnels, but theres a lot of room to keep track of, and a lot of stuff in there besides. And with that Violet down there, too, I want to know as much as possible. The Alpha says a Warden is supposed to protect his territory and his charges, and I need to know what I need to protect them <em>from</em>.


    Honey looks like she might explode from how hard shes doing her happy dance, but Teemo can still trante for her. Wonderful! If the Emperor could get the aranea to weave the packs tonight, we can start the first expeditions in the morning then?


    Nobody has any objections, so I spend a bit of mana to get the aranea to do the weaving. The first pass is basically just a pair of open saddlebags, though theyre designed more toy across the wolfs withers than the side. I cant wait to see what interesting stuff Honey discovers.

 Chapter Sixty-Nine: Nice

    Chapter Sixty-Nine: Nice


    Having all this mana just sitting in my proverbial pockets is making me a bit antsy. I wonder if thats a dungeon thing, or a me thing. Having a big bank ount doesnt make me want to spend it, but in games, I tend to spend my resources as I get them so I can get more resources.


    Whichever the case, those expansion options are calling to me. Ive been upgrading the alchemy and enchantingbs so Queen and Thing can do their things, but I still have a good chunk saved up, and I really want to get some more room to do stuff.


    I also think Ivee full circle on how Im going to expand. Past the cemetery could be interesting, but Itd make me more than a bit lop-sided to do that. Up keeps whispering like a temptress, but I keep thinking of what happened the first time I expanded downward. I dont want to cause a hurricane or tear a hole in the sky or something to actually facilitate my upward expansion. Maybe I can ask the ODA about that. Tr seems to be working on an information packet, but I think shes going to wait for Tarl to get back before she tries to tempt me with it.


    The ratkins hunting tunnel was a really tempting direction to go, until I gave it a bit of thought. They are deliberately hunting outside me. If I expand down their hunting tunnel, theyll be back to hunting inside me. Not to mention that Violet would probably freak out at having a powerful neighbor rubbing elbows with it. So I think Im back to the original n: expand down the tunnel Aranya came in from.


    I take a few seconds to simply look at the area Id be getting, though look isnt really the right word. I can just sense a volume that will be mine. Oddly, the volumes for the different expansions are not all the same, nor are the costs. The smallest expansion would be taking part of the town, but thats also the most expensive, while expanding up gives a ton of volume and costs less than everything else.


    I wonder why? Probably another question to ask the ODA. Alright, enough waffling. Time to either do my business or get off the pot. I spend the mana to expand down Aranyas tunnel.


    <strong>Yvonne</strong>


    Yvonne, Ragnar, and Ara walk through the wilderness on their patrol. The birdkin ranger feels shes shirked her duties in this regard long enough, and her friends are happy to help her with it.


    Well, for certain values of happy. While the dwarf manages to look vaguely interested at the wooded surroundings, Ara the elf is looking a bit haggard.


    Why are we doing this, again? asks the city-elf rhetorically, once more. Yvonne smiles at her friend and spreads her arms to take in the nature around them.


    Ranger duties, she says with a smirk, which earns a snort ofughter from Ragnar, before Yvonne continues. I suppose were deep enough out here now that I can actually show you. Its not some secret ranger rites or anything like that. Im actually surprised you havent figured it out, Ara. I thought you studied magic.


    Ara sighs and mentally puts on her big-girl pants. I have, but more in actually using it. I can feel the mana around us, but if I paid attention to it all the time, Id never be able to focus on anything else.


    Well, focus on it now, encourages the birdkin. Ara obliges, and she can even feel Ragnar giving it a shot. With her elven friend, its like shes opened her eyes and is now looking around. With her dwarven friend, though, its more like a blind man reaching out and poking whats around him. Its not too surprising to Yvonne that his mana sensing is terrible. Like most physical sses, his magic is a lot more internal, so hes a lot less sensitive to magic around him.


    Ara starts to look intrigued as she takes in how the magic is behaving around them, and speaks up. I can tell something is different than in the city, but I dont know how to put it into words.


    Yvonne nods at that. It is different, yes. In cities and towns, and even some forests, the ambient mana is turbulent. Ranger teachings sayplex life makes mana move, and like life itself, its more than a little chaotic. But in quiet ces like this, the mana is still and stagnant. Its like the difference between a frothing river and a scum-covered pond. And like a scum-covered pond, unpleasant things can develop in stagnant mana.


    Monsters? says Ara with interest. None of her studies really talked much about monsters. Now she supposes she should have been looking for ranger texts instead of diving deeper into wizardly mana theory.


    Yvonne nods. Yes, monsters. Some seem to breed like ordinary life, but others seem to simply form from the stagnant mana. They attack because the waves we cause are a threat to them. They want to make the mana stay stagnant, while we seem to only churn it more and more.


    Ach, reminds me o wha the cragstriders like t talk about. They say th dungeons try t smooth th mana out, making a middle ground btween rapids and ponds, as yed say? says Ragnar, and Yvonne nods before he continues. Thas why they attack dungeons. We make a mess o th mana and dungeons smooth it out and get th mana movin over a huge area. Th beasties try t destroy it so they get back t whatever it is they do.


    Yvonne nods again. Yes, or they maye after various settlements instead, ignoring the dungeons. After all, the dungeons need the energy of delvers to exert their control over the local mana. If the monsters destroy the food of the dungeon, itll starve and the mana will go still once more.


    Are the monsters really that smart? asks Ara with concern, and Yvonne shakes her head.


    Its not so much intelligence that guides them to attack people. To them, there are two threats: the big dungeons, and the smaller people. If they cant attack the dungeon, theyll attack the other threat to them: people. Its like when tworge predators territories start to encroach. Neither really wants to try to fight the other directly, so theyll insteadpete for food. Either theres enough for the both of them, or one is eventually driven off.


    Ara gives her a t look. I dont think I like the idea of being dungeon food.


    Yvonne just shrugs. Its not my best metaphor, but its not that far off. Wandering monsters are a threat to people and dungeons alike.


    Is that why youre out here, then? To protect Thedeim? asks Ara, and Yvonne smiles and shakes her head.


    Technically, I suppose, but Ive had this duty for longer than Ive been a Resident. Besides, I like being out in nature like this, even if I sometimes have to cull undesirable things, she says and points down at arge print left in the loose soil, an obvious sign for her friends of what she''s been tracking for a while now, before giving her friends a yful smile.


    Though thats where you twoe in. Its a lot easier to deal with wandering monsters with a couple friends at my side.


    Aye, and the experience isnae alf bad, either.

 Chapter Seventy: Teamwork

    Chapter Seventy: Teamwork


    Man, have I really not expanded since I ate Neverrest? I had forgotten how much goes into actually making the new space liveable. I didnt forget about the new spanwer I get, but Ill focus on that in a moment.


    For now, Im just taking a few minutes to get a feel for what Ive got now. Its one thing to be able to list off the volumes of moveable space, gallons of water, and raw volume of area I gained with the expansion, but its another to actually understand what that all means and how it all rtes to each other.


    While the tunnels immediately under the manor are mostly tunnels and small caverns, the new expansion has more <em>cavernous</em> caverns. Im pretty sure the rock is different, too. The tunnels were some kind of brown stone, probably something sedentary? The new caverns seem to me more like granite or something, probably more igneous. Im hardly a geologist, though. All I know is the rock down here seems to be much stronger than above, which allows for thoserge caverns.


    I hardly need to tell Teemo to go head down there and work his magic, though I do tell him to pay special attention to how he makes his shortcuts. Hes been making no progress at all with trying to expand his control into temperature, which makes me wonder if his shortcuts are <em>really</em> non-Euclidean and somehow manage to haverger inside dimensions without actually increasing volume. Or he might just have trouble visualizing it, I dunno.


    So Im having him concentrate a bit more on how his magic flows and actually works when hes making his shortcuts. I figure, worst case, hell understand his spatial magic better. You know, get a bit more depth before trying to widen it into temperature and other stuff.


    I <em>do</em> have to tell Coda to head down there and survey, though. I think he expected his assignment would be mostly in the general tunnels, but if hes going to be my Architect, Im gonna need him to get a good look at each expansion. I wonder if I can get him to go on expeditions to survey stuff before I expand. Maybe Ill even get a discount? Getting my scions to do stuff has gotten me discounts on everything else, so why not?


    I think the first thing Im probably gonna have him do, one hes finished surveying, is to dig a more direct route from thergest cavern up to the tunnel system. I think Im going to keep working and making the cryptplex be my strongest stuff, so now the caverns will get to be my tier between the tunnels and the crypts. Besides, most delvers tend to stay away from the undead. Thankfully, the crystal shield guys love the area. I bet that gnome high priest is telling everyone he can toe here to train, too.


    But, if Im going to leave the crypts as a ce for priests, pdins, and whatever other divine sses are a thing, Ill be using the caverns to help train up the more ordinary delvers. So Ill need a good path there for them to reach. The only problem is that I dont know if my little ratling crew is going to be up to it.


    Pretty sure explosives are the preferred way to get through tough rock, and I dont really have any boom. With theb being expanded, I think Queen is looking into making some, but Im not exactly holding my breath on it. Not that I dont think she can do it, just that I think Ill have a better way to get through that stuff: my new spawner and scion.


    While most of my stuff has been pretty mundane, my new spawner is probably the most fantasy of the stuff Ive gotten so far. Yes, I have undead and slimes, but theyre both still fairly normal, at least in my head. My new spawner is an elemental spawner. An earth elemental spawner.


    Right now, its just spawning stsprites, which are little vaguely-conical stone things. They make me think more like snails than sprites, though. They have a single foot like a snail, and they like to climb and rest on ceilings, and drop on baddies. They seem to be really good at dealing with the gremlins, too. The little resource thieves just cant pick them out from the normal outcroppings on the ceilings. Im gonna want to get them to propagate in the tunnels and my various mining nodes, to help keep them secure.


    My new scion, though, is different from them. Hes a vaguely-humanoid pile of rocks and sand. He has shoulders and arms, and a head, and even fingers when he wants them. Aside from that, though, hes a kinda lumpy column all the way to the ground.


    I have a vague idea for what I want him to do, mostly because its a terrible pun and I cant resist. Itll be a while before I can even start working on that, though, so Ill just name him sh and leave it at that for now. I tell him to take a look around, meet the other scions and just get a feel for how things will be working around here.


    And, with the extra room, I can try to get those other two spawners Ive had my eye on ever since Leo joined: gremlins and moles. Moles are my top priority for the moment, though, and are the reason Im not going to pressure Queen for explosives too hard. If I can get a mole spawner, I can either upgrade it enough for it to make some kind of mole-thing that can dig through rock, or I can have Queen transmute their ws to steel and they can dig that way.


    Or both. I remember how quickly that scythmaw was tearing at my walls before Tiny took care of it. If I could get something simr, but with <em>steel</em> diggers, Coda would be able to carve out stuff with ease! But, before I go counting my moles before they hatch, I need to actually catch and convert one. I tell Leo I want him to capture a mole and convert it, and then look into what other upgrades I can make to the jail. Ill probably be able to decouple it from the punishment gauntlet soon, but not quite yet.


    The upgrade options seem to lean more into inquisition territory, rather than rehabilitation, though. Ill probably have to finagle something


    <strong>Leo</strong>


    The Alpha has a new mission for him, and Leo is excited for it. The trio with that <em>halfling</em> are probably going to be freeing themselves within the next week or so, which will leave his jail rather empty. But with the new expansiones a new order: convert a mole! Hes not certain how well that will work, but the Alphas strange thought process isnt too oundish. Thankfully, the Alpha doesnt seem to expect it will go as smoothly as it did for him. Leo didnt have much other option, so had no problem changing his loyalty to the new dungeon.


    So now he needs to find a mole which is the first hurdle. Hes a wolf, not a ferret. He cant exactly go diving down a mole hole to grab one of the things. He might be able to with the help of the Voice, but he has his own new duties to attend to.


    The other problem with catching a mole is that its shockingly difficult to grab one without just killing it. He still doesnt have thumbs. Ok think outside the box. Maybe an aranea can help him?


    He goes and tracks down the one that will likely be going out on expeditions, and shes weaving the sample bags as he approaches.


    Aranea. I need your help to weave a trap for some moles.


    No,es the simple reply, and Leo growls.


    Why do you refuse?


    Not my job. Job is weave. Job is make. Make to wear. Not to grab, she exins, and its pretty clear to Leo hes not going to get anywhere trying the aranea. Sure, theyre smart for denizens, but theyre still pretty simple. If the Alpha ordered them, theyd probably listen, but Leo doesnt want to go running to him at the first sign of trouble with his task.


    So, if the denizens are too simple to help, he should try a scion. Fluffles could probably handle catching a mole without too much difficulty. The only problem is hes almost as hard to track down as the Voice. Leo patrols the tunnels as he thinks, trying to figure out who he can ask for help. He notices Jello oozing by, and stops in his tracks.


    Could the Purifier help him capture a mole? Could she even help to convert the mole? His instinct is to ignore her but trying this is just the kind of strange thing Alpha Thedeim would do. He thinks it over a bit more andes to a decision. If it wont interfere with her duties in the tunnels, there shouldnt be any harm in trying.


    He approaches her, and she notices him. She burbles in friendly wee, and he nods in return. Purifier Jello. Could you assist me on the surface? Alpha Thedeim has tasked me with capturing and turning a mole, but Im having difficulties catching one, he exins.


    Jello can help friend Leo! Tunnels are full of friends, so Jello can leave the defense to them for a while. Where do you need Jello? He simply motions for her to follow, and the two quickly slip through a shortcut to the surface. Many of the delvers there look with confusion at Jello, but nobody does more than give the pair strange looks.


    Leo shows her a few of the more active mole tunnels. Queen and her ants do their best to copse the tunnels as they find them, but some are good to leave open for the snakes to be able to hunt. Here is one of the main mole tunnels. If you cover this entrance, I can cover a different one, and hopefully with the two of us, well be able to capture one.


    Jello burbles in affirmative and moves to literally cover the entrance, and Leo moves to a different one. It doesnt take him long to notice something strange with Jello. Shes burbling again, but not saying anything. Perhaps she cannot handle the sun very well? Shes been in the tunnels for perhaps her entire life.


    Is everything alright, Jello? he asks, concerned he may have made a mistake in asking her to help.


    Yep! Jello is fine! Shes just exploring these tiny tunnels some, she says without further exnation.


    Leo tilts his head at her in curiosity. Exploring? How?


    In answer, she oozes herself off of the entrance, and soon reveals a long thin tendril that she had sent down the hole. Like this! Jello likes to be a cube most of the time, but she doesnt always fit like that. So sometimes she does other shapes. She leans towards him and whispers. Shes even tried to be a sphere like the Voice, but a sphere is a lot harder than it looks!


    ...Teemo is a rat, not a sphere, is all he can think to reply, and Jello just burbles inughter.


    Not <em>that</em> Voice! The other Voice! she says, like that exins anything. After a few moments, she tries to help her fellow scion. You know, the Voice that tells us what to do? Voice Thedeim?


    That makes not quite <em>sense</em>, but at least Leo understands what shes trying to say. And with that understandinges the understanding that he made the correct choice in asking for her help in this, too. So you can extend yourself down these tunnels without difficulty? Can you grab a mole for me like that?


    Jello would love to! she replies, and takes her spot above the hole once more. Leo watches and wonders if this is how his Alpha tends to get such strange ideas for how to do things. He didnt expect to be spending his afternoon watching the slime scion hunt for a mole, but thats what hes doing. None of the steps along the way were too oundish, but the final result is just the kind of weirdness hed expect from Alpha Thedeim. He supposes hes doing his job right, then.

 Chapter Seventy-One: Miscellany

    Chapter Seventy-One: Misceny


    I dont know what I was expecting when I asked Leo to capture and try to turn a mole, but Im pretty sure I wasnt expecting him to get Jellos help. The two barked and burbled at each other before she followed him, and now she has a mole in a little pocket of air inside her. The mole looks pretty upset about it, too. I have no idea how Leo will turn it, but Im sure hell figure it out. Even if it takes a few practice moles to learn.


    Jello has started wandering a bit further, now shes had a taste of the surface, too. She seems to really like watching the various delvers gather resources, or maybe she just likes catching the invaders that want to nibble on my nodes. Either way, I dont tell her to get back down to the tunnels. I go ahead and tell Rocky he should patrol.


    In fact he really <em>should</em> patrol. Im not sure it applies to someone who I dont think breathes, but cardio is a big part of boxing. He seems happy at the idea and jogs down through the catbs, asionally throwing a punch or juking his head. I wish I could get him a real mouth guard, but I have no idea where to even start with stics. I might be able to manage something with some leather, but thats going to taste terrible though Rocky probably wouldnt care.


    sh is still learning how things work around here, but I think hes fitting in well so far. Hes met all the other scions now, and I think theyve all given him what advice they have to give. From what Teemo says, it mostly boils down to: Yes Im weird, yes delvers are cool, youll probably get a weird job and/or title soon, dont worry about it.


    Hes also found the ratlings doing their mining, and he seems to have decided his best job for now is to help them. Im not going toin. The rock parts like weak styrofoam for him, which makes the expansion on the library a lot easier.


    I dont have ess to a researchb room, but Im not letting that stop me. I seriously doubt itll stop Honey, heh. Maybe shell even be able to turn it into one? Her workers on expeditions have been bringing her all sorts of interesting things, and even Queen has been taking an interest. While Honey seems to want knowledge for its own sake, Queen is hungry for new things to try alchemy on.


    Shes been working on making a lot more go-juice, as well as liquid steel, but storing it is a bit of a problem. The alchemyb doesnt really have many options for industrial storage of products, which is annoying. I might need to figure out how to make ss to get her storage. I know it needs silica sand, but I dont know how to actually identify that. The stone in the caverns might be silicate, but I honestly have no idea.


    Im leaning towards the shallower stone being silicate, but even if I have the right rocks to grind to sand, I dont know if I have the right <em>heat</em>. I might be over-thinking it, though. The ratlings have been able to make steel in the forge, and Im pretty sure thats supposed to be a pretty big pain in the butt to make without modern processes. Maybe ss will be easier than I thought? Either way, I ask sh to grind some of the stone as fine as he can, and the ratlings to take it to the forge and see what they can do to get it to melt.


    If it works, I expect itll be dirty and cloudy, but thats fine. Ill probably try to line a barrel or something with rough ss before trying to get anything clear. I think I read something about it needing sodium carbonate to make clear, but thats probably as useful to the full process as knowing stainless steel has a bit of chromium in it.


    The trio, who Ive stopped thinking of as terrible now, have started to puzzle out the water jars. Mostly, theyve realized they can put water into them from the little fountain up there, and putting the wrong weight of water will wash them out to do the whole thing over again. They seem to understand that they need four gallons, but they havent realized they need to math it properly, instead of trying to guess and pour the right amount into the five jar.


    Still, I doubt theyll be too much longer in solving it, and then be on to the final puzzle Ive made for them. Its kind of like an escape room thats been cut into thirds, like three escape hallways. Theres sliding blocks, scales and all sorts ofplex things theyll have to figure out, with the solutions only obvious with propermunication between the three. I think theyll understand what they need to do fairly quickly, but the execution will probably take them a bit.


    I turn my attention elsewhere as they seem about ready to wash out again, and instead focus on Freddie and Rhonda, who have just returned from the ratkins hunting tunnel, and presumably Violet. I poke Teemo to go and chat with them and see if theres any new updates with the little baby dungeon.


    The kids are taking a little breather with the ratkin and with Aranya, and my little kobold is possibly even more interested in Violet than I am. Shes been asking all sorts of technical questions that the kids just dont know the answers to, but she relents once Teemo makes himself known.


    Hey kids. Aranya still trying to chew your ears off about stuff you dont know? My kobold blushes a bit at that, but the kidsugh it off with smiles.


    She just knows so much more about dungeons than we do! exims Rhonda with a tone of wonder, and Freddie nods.


    Yeah, she needs to talk more with Mr Tarl once he gets back. I think theyd both learn a lot. WIth us, though its like showing advanced axe forms to someone whos only just picked one up for the first time.


    Im sorry, apologizes Aranya, before she continues. Its just that Ive never been close to a nascent sanctuary before! The legends mention them, but usually focus on the First and his children once theyre established. Theres so many questions!


    And speaking of questions: anything new with Violet? asks my Voice, and the kids nod. Rhonda pulls out her little notebook while Freddie gives the basics.


    The borders seem to have stabilized, so I think its fully established now. It still just had the mushrooms and centipedes, no scions yet, either. I saw a couple stronger centipedes and a different mushroom, but Rhonda has the actual details on them. Freddie looks to his friend, who now has her book open to the correct page.


    The nascent dungeon had least centipedes, but now has some lessers mixed in. Miss Tr told us a few signs to look out for if they got specialized, but I dont think they have yet. The mushrooms have also upgraded a bit. They are still mostly aggressive cordyceps to deal with insects and such, but today we saw a spotted sweet demise. Theyre a poisonous mushroom that I think its using to help deal with the mice down there. The rodents love to eat the caps, which doesnt go well for the mice. Rhonda realizes shes talking to a <em>rat</em> about pest control, and looked a bit abashed. Teemo, however, justughs.


    I eat mice all the time, so Im not going to feel awkward about Violet killing them. Rhonda rxes a bit before he continues. Still, if Violet is a bit more situated, it might be time to say hello.


    The kids look confused, so Teemo exins. See, the Boss has been wanting to talk to the little dungeon ever since we found it, but he doesnt want to freak it out. But with it now more established, we might be able to make contact. Im a Voice, after all. I should be able to talk to it. He looks over at Aranya before continuing. The Boss also would like to ask if you want toe, too. Just because it should be able to understand me, doesnt mean Ill be able to say anything it wants to hear. You know a lot about dungeons, so you could help with what I should actually say.


    Do you think itll listen? asks Rhonda, looking a bit nervous. What if its more like Neverrest than like you?


    Thats why the Boss wants to talk to it. If its nasty like Neverrest, he can just subsume it. If its friendly, like it seems to be with you two, he might be able to give it some pointers. Everyone is always going on about how the Boss does things differently. Well, he wants to see if doing things differently will work out for dungeons besides himself.

 Chapter Seventy-Two: To New Friends

    Chapter Seventy-Two: To New Friends


    Teemo and Aranya get ready to head to Violet, and I tell him they can loot a couple potions, just in case. Aranya also needs to go get the sword, so itll be a little bit before they head out. In the meanwhile, I look in on what Jellos up to.


    Shes been hanging out with Leo ever since they got that mole together, and shed had to get a couple more since then. The moles act kinda rabid, or at least what movies say is rabies, just minus the foaming. They lunge at the bars whenever they notice my scions, and theyll lunge at the walls when they sense the trio resting in their own cell. And just like a bird diving into a window, it doesnt end well for the little fuzzy missiles.


    Leo growls as he disposes of thetest mole, and thinks aloud. A lot of my scions do that when frustrated or confused, so I try to give them what advice I can through the bond, or have Teemoe say something. Hes a bit busy, though, so Leo just vents to the air.


    I dont get it I knew theyd be more difficult than I was, but this is getting ridiculous! Ive made no progress with them at all! He growls and paces as he waits for Jello to return with a fresh mole, and I dont have much advice to give, unfortunately. The only thing I can think of is to try some of the more unsavory build options in the jail, but I want to avoid that. I dont want my new mole scion to be traumatized into joining me.


    He paces and I think, and before long, Jello returns with another mole. Leo sighs and nods at the cell. Just put it in wait He pauses and looks closer at Jello, and I do the same, wondering what he spotted. Even Jello seems confused and is trying to look at herself, which mostly has her bending her cube in weird ways.


    What is it? Did Jello identally get a mouse again? she asks, hoping she didnt mess up, but Leo shakes his head.


    No, its a mole. Its just a lot more <em>calm</em> than when theyre in the cell. Did you knock it out or something? Jello wobbles a negative.


    No, Jello just grabbed it. Oh, she <em>is</em> quietly singing to it, though. Otherwise, they try to escape, or screech about noise.


    Noise? repeats Leo, tilting his head once more. The moles in the cell never make any sense, just bellowing in mad rage.


    Jello just wiggles in affirmation. Jello cant hear the noise, but the moles all shout about it when she grabs them, and start working themselves into a fit as she carries them. So she started singing to them, which calms them some. She doesnt think they really <em>like</em> her song, but it seems better than whatever noise theyre hearing.


    Thats interesting and strange all at once. I even listen in close to her, and I hear no music, but Im certain shes doing <em>something</em>. Jello can be really bad at exining things, though. So shes doing something to calm the moles but what? Maybe shes gained some strange ability?


    I take a moment and focus on her status, which I rarely do anymore. Its partially because I dont want to go sticking my nose in other peoples business, but also because it takes a bit of effort to do, and details can kinda fuzz out if Im not paying attention. I wonder if Im not actually supposed to be able to peek? Or maybe its something about my Fate affinity? Either way, I should focus on her status.


    Shes level 12 now, which puts her just above the average for my scions. Come to think of it, shes about the middle kid right now, as far as scion age goes I think. Slime, gtinous cube, yes, thank you for the obvious. Jello the Purifier for name and title.


    Huh.


    Does Purifier not just mean shes good at dealing with undead? I guess its time to try an experiment. I do my best to impress the idea upon Leo, and he seems to nod in understanding.


    The Alpha and I both think you should try keeping the mole for a little bit instead, Jello. Just keep singing to it and try to get it to like the Alpha? Sometimes a yful bark will get you further than a growl.


    OK! Jello will do her best!


    <strong>Teemo</strong>


    Teemo fetches a few useful potions for Aranya while she prepares for her sojourn to Violet. The rat scion isnt too concerned about her getting hurt, but its hardly a <em>bad</em> idea to bring a few things for an emergency.


    He has to ferry the potions one at a time, but with the shortcuts, it doesnt take him long at all. He gets to see the little kobold prepare like watching a slideshow. With the first potion, he sees her putting on the studded leather armor the ratlings have made. Its not the best, but theyre getting better with time. With the second potion, shes putting on the sword, and with the third, shes putting the sword on again, after having put on her white robe. Three should be more than enough, so he speaks up.


    Ready to head out? he asks, and though she looks nervous, she nods. Hes not too convinced. You sure? I think thest time you looked this skittish was when you helped move the core.


    She sighs and slumps a bit, and nods. Ok yeah, I <em>am</em> really nervous, but thats not going to change, so we should probably get going.


    Whatre you nervous about? he asks as he hops onto her shoulder, letting her lead the way as they chat.


    Its just Sanctuary Thedeim asks so little of me. So when he <em>does</em> request something, I want to do a good job!


    The ratughs at that. So thats what the Boss means when he says something is like seeing his life from the outside. Aranya gives him a confused look, so he continues. Thats just how he works. Tiny and I have been here from the start, and we could probably count the actual orders for the both of us on his legs.


    Aranya just looks frustrated at that revtion, rather than relieved. But youre his scions! And Im not just his first Resident, Im his High Priestess now, too! Shouldnt he be guiding us all more than that?


    Teemo calms a little and shrugs. Should he? The Boss isnt above giving advice on stuff, but he doesnt like forcing anything. And I think its been working wonders so far. Even Leo and sh are adjusting quickly. sh is a bit lost at the moment, kinda like Coda was for a while, but I know the Boss has a n for him. And he doesnt make sh do nothing until the n is ready. He lets him help as he can.


    "So how can *<em>I</em>* help? asks Aranya, slumping a bit.


    Teemo considers that for a few moments, then shrugs. I dunno. Aranya looks like she wants to throw him against a wall, so he just chuckles and continues. I dont know what a High Priestess does. Do High Priestess stuff, I guess?


    But *<em>how</em>*?! she insists, and Teemo can only shrug once more.


    Talk to delvers? I dont know, and I dont think the Boss knows anything else to try, either. You talk to the Crystal Shield guys a lot, right?


    She nods. Yeah, but theyre interested in this kind of stuff, and some of them just want to make sure theyre not allowing a dark cult or something to take root under their noses. But theyre not going to convert. Theyre kinda all spoken for already.


    Then try the other delvers. Maybe even get the ratkin to help. Larx would probably be happy to spread the word a bit, hes definitely an adherent already.


    But she shifts ufortably and Teemo just smiles.


    You still feel awkward around the delvers, hmm? Well, you won''t get better by hiding from them, and you won''t be able to do your High Priestess stuff if you hide from them, either.


    She detes and nods at that, and Teemo gives an encouraging squeak. You''ll get the hang of it eventually. Just keep it as casual as possible. Its been working for me.

 Chapter Seventy-Three: Violet

    Chapter Seventy-Three: Violet


    While Teemo and Aranya walk and chat, I use the time to go over what I want to do with the new expansion. One of the big things is to get the aranea Enve going. Ive been sitting on that for a while now, and now I actually have the room for them to grow. Im also going to need to upgrade some of my other spawners to help fill in the caverns a bit.


    My snakes have an upgrade or two before they max out, and theyd probably do pretty well down there. I spend the mana to upgrade the spawner and it spits out a couple spitting cobras, which is pretty cool. Im a bit low on denizens with ranged attacks. I dont think theyll be good for in and around the manor, maybe one or two in the tunnels? They look pretty tough. They should be fine in the caverns, though.


    Im not going to upgrade my birds for down there. Thatd just be kinda mean to put them that far down, away from the sky. I could upgrade my bats, though. Im gonna leave off on them for the moment. Ive been ignoring my slime spawner for way too long.


    I havent even specialized them yet. Looking at the options, theres a couple that are interesting. The choices look like either slimes, jells, or oozes. The slimes look like theyll be the walking-jello-mold variety of slimes: big squished spheres that may or may not have faces. Im leaning away from that one, mostly because, while they look cute in a cartoony way in a lot of games and such, I feel like theyll sit squarely in the uncanny valley in reality. Theyre the physical specialization. I could use some more bruisers, but I think Im going to be taking my earth elementals down the bruiser route.


    Jells appear to be the magic specialization, and I think I can give them any aspect I want. I wish my experiments with breaking the magic system could have progressed further by now, so Id have a better idea of what could really break things. Still, more magic could be nice. On the other hand, I have my tundra wolves and the go juice, so I do have <em>some</em> magic to throw around. Physically, the jells are vaguely humanoid, looking like someone took a soft y doll, removed all the detail, and mmed the thing down so the legs squish into a puddle. They get a maybe.


    The one thats drawing my eye is the oozes. Theyre the resource specialization, but I have no idea how theyll work. My other resource denizens are mostly focused on nts, though the ravens and pack rats get general loot stuff. What would an ooze do? Would they be like gold slimes or something, rare spawns that drop really cool stuff? A big experience reward would be cool, but I dont know if that kind of thing even exists here. This ones tempting just for the mystery. What to go with oh, looks like Teemo and Aranya are there now. Lets meet the neighbor.


    <strong>Violet</strong>


    Dangeres. Strong far too strong! What is it?! The new centipede and mushrooms will not be enough, but they muster all the same. If they are to perish, it will not be without a fight!


    The doom looms close, and the young dungeon can finally sense with more detail what it looks like. One is arger invader, the soft ones of teeth and w. Unlike the lesser vermin, this one radiates power and purpose. It alone could very likely destroy the young dungeon!


    The other isrge and unique. It is neither hard like the centipedes, nor is it soft like the invaders. It <em>wears</em> softness, but underneath, its like a moving pile of stones. It, too, radiates power the same power of therger invader.


    These are not simple invaders, nor are they the delvers like the big mushroom and bigger not-mushroom. These are Conquerors! The denizens gather to make the outsiders pay in blood if they wish to take their dungeon!


    The Conquerors deliberate just outside for a few minutes and then they are inside. They dont simply step across the border. They move strangely, and just suddenly exist deep in the dungeon, well past the desperate denizens.


    The one of stones says something that the dungeon doesnt understand, and a wave of orange spreads from it. It washes over the denizens, and their movements are slowed, their panic calmed. It washes over the small core, and the dungeon itself is much less terrified as well. Before it can work itself back up into a tizzy, the invader speaks.


    Easy there. Were not here to hurt you.


    Not hurt? Lies!


    The invader shakes its head. Its the truth. We havent harmed you nor your denizens. And if you dont believe that, just check our designation.


    The dungeon cautiously does so, knowing it will simply be told there are two Conquerors inside. It looks at the designation with confusion, and the invader smiles.


    See? Were Envoys. Were here to talk. The dungeon doesnt know how to respond, and so the invader soon continues. Im Teemo, and this is Aranya. We represent Thedeim, a dungeon not too far away. Hes known youre here for a while now, and even helped get Rhonda and Freddie toe take a look and help you.


    The big mushroom and bigger not-mushroom?


    The invader <em>Teemo</em>ughs and nods. Yes, them. They can help you grow stronger, and soon other delvers wille to interact, too. Thedeim would like to help you grow, give you some pointers and help you avoid pitfalls. Will you ept his help?


    <strong>ept Mentor? Yes/No</strong>


    Protection?


    Teemo nods. Yes. He already has been sending expeditions around to ensure nothing too nasty stumbles into you.


    epted. Protect. Help?


    The dungeon can feel a portion of its mana ie be reserved for its Mentor, and it worries if its made the correct choice.


    Dont worry, Violet. The Boss will do everything he can to help you. Hes got two things for you to do, too. First: secure your core. The mushrooms arent fooling anyone. Even worse, if something biges and actively <em>wants</em> to eat them, your core might get gobbled up along with them!


    rm!


    So you should get it somewhere secret. I even see a good spot for it. Youve got a lot of cracks in your ceiling. Delvers never look up, so you should hide up there. He looks to the one of stone. Can you give me a toss up there? That little space between those two stctites? Thanks.


    Therge one moves and Teemo sails towards the small crevice, and somehow disappears inside. The dungeon can feel <em>something</em> happening, like an expansion but on a smaller scale and without costing mana. After a few minutes, Teemo jumps out and is caught by the one of stone.


    There, that should give you plenty of room for a secret sanctum for now. Your centipedes should be able to get you up there, and a few mushrooms should be all you need to keep flies and stuff out.


    The dungeon looks at what Teemo did, and is confused, impressed, and grateful. The space is perfect to secure itself. It can feel some strange kind of magic, but it appears it will not fade unless it is deliberately broken. As it examines the new space, Teemo speaks up again.


    The other thing the Boss suggests you do is to get a resource node. Normally, that might draw a stronger invader and could be trouble with you so young. But with the Boss here, his expeditions should be able to keep anything too nasty away. Delvers love nodes. Theyve been picking your mushrooms probably thinking <em>those</em> are a node, too.


    Why?


    Well delvers like to make stuff. It doesnt matter if its a big powerful sword or a simple mushroom stew, delvers will take what they can get their hands on and do something with it.


    Mentor Thedeim does stuff with me? Change me? He is delver?


    Teemo seems taken aback at that for a moment, but thinks it through and nods. A bit, yeah. He doesnt want to change you into anything different. He wants to make you a better you.


    Better me? Its a strange concept, but an appealing one.

 Chapter Seventy-Four

    Chapter Seventy-Four


    I was a bit surprised to get a notice to be a Mentor, but I epted it without difficulty. What I had Teemo propose really was a mentorship, more or less, and Violet epted. So now I have a Protege, which is interesting. I can take a look in on Violets territory, and it seems like any denizens and even dwellers are seen as friendly, so they can wander in and do stuff and generate mana. A couple ratkin have already gone and picked a mushroom or two. Probably looking to expand their options with their mushroom beds? Oh, and while I can leave little suggestions around, or offer quests (like the two that Ive already given), I cant make any decisions.


    If I had to guess, Id say thates with the next option I have. I havent floated the idea to even Teemo just yet, but he probably knows its an option and Aranya probably knows its a thing, too. I could take Violet as a Vassal. Yeah, not really interested in that right now. I have enough on my te running just <em>my</em> stuff, without having to try to run a <em>second</em> dungeon. I could probably delegate a lot of stuff, but I dunno. Maybe if Violet asks, I might.


    But speaking of my own stuff, I think I managed to miss the trio figuring out the water jar puzzle. I guess they finally stopped trying to cheese it and actually used their brains. Or they just started pouring one jar into the other and realized theyd get there if they keep doing that eventually.


    Either way, theyre on to the final challenge, and theyre doing about as well as I expected: steady but slow progress. I get a lot of satisfaction listening to them chattering away as they try to figure out the bigplex puzzle in their own corridors, and I get a lot of mana from it, too.


    This lever do anything for you two? I cant see anything changing here, says Hark. His current section has a bunch of different levers, as well as a slot for something.


    Mlynda hums as she moves a peg in the wall along a track. She can see itll eventually be able toe out, once she gets to the end of the track, but theres a lot of hidden blockers between where she has it, and where she wants it to be. I cant tell anything different over here.


    I might have something, speaks up Vnarl, his own puzzle involving pressurized pipes and needing to get the pressure just right to get it to spray into a specific hole. These two valves are acting different, I think.


    I might actually miss them when theyre gone.


    Leo wont, but I dont me him. I get a sh of loathing from him whenever he sees the halfling in the group, but hes a good Warden and hasnt been sabotaging their efforts, which Im d for. Hes also been busy with Jello trying to convert a mole


    Theyve managed to calm a couple down enough so they stop braining themselves trying to escape, but something in what Jello does seems to pull all the fight out of them or something. As far as I can tell, they all just want to be let go once theyre out of Jello. Leos getting a bit frustrated, but I do my best to encourage him. Theres plenty of moles to try.


    I also have him try with a couple gremlins, just to see if maybe moles are just weird. The gremlins dash themselves against the walls if they dont get purified by Jello first, and also just want to be let go after. Maybe I need to try a different approach? Getting them calmed down feels like the proper first step, so now I need to figure out something to make them want to work for me. I need some incentive, but I have no idea what to offer moles or gremlins. I could try to bribe the gremlins with ore or gems or something, but that doesnt feel quite right. I dont think I need to pay any of my other denizens? Maybe a little mana, I dunno.


    I think I might have something to tempt the moles with, though. If they like digging, I can offer them the metal transmutation on their ws, which should let them even dig through the stone. I bounce the idea off the empathic bond with Leo, and he seems to approve, which is great.


    Especially since Queen should be able to make bigger batches of stuff now. Theb is nicely expanded, so all she needs is something to be able to store the stuff. The ratlings have managed to make ss in the forge, too. Its ugly and lumpy, but still seems to be ss. At the very least, dipping it in some of the metal transmutation doesnt change it, so its good enough for me. I spend a bit of mana to get a couple aranea toe help, and they get the test barrel up on some webbing, and should be able to rotate it easily as the ratlings pour the molten ss inside.


    They have to work in batches, but they have everything set up so that the previous section shouldnt be <em>fully</em> set before the next section gets poured. If they do it right, the entire inside should get a single coating of ss. I hope.


    They start to work, and the forge fills with smoke. Its a delicate bnce to keep the wood from just burning out of control without cooling it so quickly that the ss just shatters. I tell them to keep pouring water on the outside and just let the inside char. I dont want water inside, because that will <em>definitely</em> shatter the ss. I probably should have asked Rocky toe and try to help,e to think of it, but its a bit toote now.


    Its smokey, dirty, hot, dangerous work, but it seems to be sessful! I let my denizens take a break and ask Queen to inspect the barrel to make sure its still sealed. Once she gives it the go-ahead, she can get down to some serious alchemy.


    Coda has finished with the surveying, so now its time to actually do some stuff with the caverns! First thing: sh, please go help Coda and the ratlings with the ess tunnel. Thats probably going to take a bit, which is fine. Theres still the normal tunnel to the caverns, I just want to give a more direct route to thergest cavern in there.


    This cavern over on the side, though, should be a great spot for my new Enve! Im a little nervous about making more intelligent people, but it worked well with the ratlings, so I think pitfalls can be avoided and hurdles ovee without too much issue. I designate the enve.


    Interestingly, only about half of the aranea get the progress bars. When I did it for the ratlings, all of them got it. Though,e to think of it, I have a lot more aranea than I did ratlings at the time. The ones with bars are nowbeled spiderkin. I guess theyre not suddenly going to be half elf/half spider then.


    Much like with the ratlings, the ones with bars start gathering things. It looks like spiderkin are going to be a bit more martial than the ratkin, because they grab a lot of simple spears and a few picks, though they also grab a few things from my couple underground herbalism nodes. Do mushrooms count as herbs?


    As they prepare to go to the enve, I also notice the ones that go are the ones that seemed to have the least to do. The ones with signs and the ones that have been organizing the warehouses and such all seem to be staying. The exception seems to be the one that weaved the sample baskets for the wolves. Im actually surprised none of them managed to convince a wolf to go with them now, actually.


    Either way, with an Enve getting settled in there, I poke Teemo to let Aranya know. She did a great job with the ratkin, so her help would be greatly appreciated with the spiderkin, too.


    I think thest thing Ill spend my mana on for the moment is to specialize my slimes. The oozes with their im for resource specialization have a grip on my curiosity and wont let go. The spawner immediately spits out a copper ooze. Its mostly clear, but it has some green flecks throughout, which are probably oxidized copper? I think the name is a good hint for what itll do, too. Sure enough, the thing oozes its way to the nearest copper vein and does something. Im not sure if its purifying it or adding more copper or what, but the node ticks upwards a tier.


    Instead of moving on, the ooze just kinda absorbs into the node, leaving it looking a little wet, but otherwise fine. Maybe itll help deal with gremlins and stuff, too. Between oozes and the stctsprites, maybe I can get the gremlins to join me just so they dont have to face those terrors to be near my resources. I doubt thatll be all it takes, but a dungeon can hope.

 Chapter Seventy-Five

    Chapter Seventy-Five


    The caverns areing along nicely. Itll probably be a week or more before theyre truly <em>ready</em> for delvers, but theyre not barren anymore. The ess tunnel is going well, sh is being a great help, too! I cant help but hum sixteen tons to myself as they work and they seem to be working to the beat. Im pretty sure hes trying to sing along or something, its difficult to tell. His rumblings are changing in pitch, so I think hes at least trying.


    It makes me wonder what I can do to make progress on my n to basically make him a bard. I need to figure out how to make an electric guitar for him, and how tobine that with an axe. The puns run deep with him, even if nobody here will understand them. I also need to get him a top hat, but the axe is the more important thing.


    Im pretty sure I can at least get the basics for an electric guitar, though I might need to give sh some go juice to give him electrical affinity. Heh, thatll be a good surprise for anyone who fights him. Who expects an earth elemental to sling lightning? I look into the stores of go juice, and it seems sh will need a way bigger dose than the more ordinary denizens do, but thats fine.


    Ill probably need to ask Teemo to talk to the ratkin about actually forging the axe for him. I dont think my ratlings can manage the kind of quality I want for it. Grims scythe is fine to be a bit rough. shs axe needs some style to it and needs some specific detail work done to make the guitar part work properly.


    For one, I need to actually make the guitar stuff. The basics are simple: strings with adjustable tension to change the pitch. The first thing is that guitar strings are not simple wires. Theyre really long springs, basically. I <em>think</em> my ratlings can manage that. Its fine work, but once they draw out wire thin enough, they just need to wrap it around a stiff separate piece of wire, so I dont think Ill need to bother my dwellers with it.


    I wonder if silk would vibrate right? Eh, Ill put it on the list to test. I dont think itll do the job, but it should be simple enough to test. Which makes me d Honeys library expansionb is up and running. Its still not officially a researchb, but there doesnt seem to be anything actually stopping us from using it as one.


    Strings nned, now I need the pickups. A normal guitar uses the hollow body as an amplifier, basically, to make the small vibrations of the strings actually loud enough to hear at any distance. An electric guitar uses pickups to change the vibrations into an electrical signal. I might be able to just get Thing to enchant something, but I also want to try something there.


    Im pretty sure actual electric guitars use mas to get the electrical signal, but I want to try using quartz instead. Im pretty sure its piezoelectric, which means pressure will get it to squirt out a bit of electricity. Its not a <em>lot</em> of electricity, but its the principle that sonar works on, and I think quartz watches actually use it for power? Maybe?


    Either way, sound waves are pressure waves, so it should make electricity. My hope is to use some magic to grab the electricity, amplify it, and transmute it back into sound. So yeah probably going to take a lot of work to actually make viable. Maybe I can get the aranea to trade something for some instrument, just so sh has something to practice on until his actual axe is ready.


    Still, I do my best to exin the concept to Thing and Honey. The little bee just seems to adore any new information, while the hand is looking happy to have a direction to take his studies in. Hes hit a wall in trying toe up with some counter to lifedrinking, aside from just overwhelming it with healing magic. As far as I can tell, thats the only epted way to deal with it. Considering the level one needs to reach to be able to drop that kind of magic, I dont think its a very viable counter.


    Hes tried attacking weak points in the spell, but it looks like it tends to go off like a bomb, rather than just copsing into rubble. Im sure hell think of something eventually. Maybe ying with electricity and sound will inspire him. At the very least, he should be able to confirm if sh will even need the electrical affinity to use the axe. Im not going to force either on the guy, but if he really has been singing along while digging, hell probably be more than happy to help introduce the world to some rock music.


    <strong>Tarl</strong>


    The seasons are certainly turning. Down in Fourdock, its a bit less extreme, but further ind and higher up, it feels like winter is already preparing to bully autumn out of its ce. Theres already been some snowfall, which has not helped his trek at all. At least he doesnt need to inspect the Southwood this time, so thats a good week trimmed off the trip already.


    Hes a bit surprised the White Stag didnt meet him at the border. It seemed like Southwood wanted the information more than usual, but its not making it any easier for him to deliver it. He mentally shrugs and exits that train of thought. Hes almost at the clearing, so the Stag should be making his entrance soon anyway.


    As if on cue, the soft sound of chimes drifts on the wind, and soon the White Stag steps forth from the trees. Inspector Tarl. My Lord bids you wee and hopes you have brought news of the new dungeon of Fourdock.


    Tarl takes a few moments to straighten himself and let his breathing calm a bit from the rough journey. Indeed. As representative of the Dungeoneers Guild, I havee toplete the quest: to exchange information for information.


    The Stag regally nods, sending more chiming music from the lights adorning his antlers. Then proceed, Inspector.


    The dungeon is named Thedeim, and has been officially recognized as a cooperative dungeon. Each of his spawners has a scion, and he shows little sign of straining under their costs. He has a Voice now: his rat scion and Scout. He has a ratkin enve, who are peaceful and cooperative, still feeling out their ce in therger world. He has a Conduit, gained from subsuming Neverrest.


    So Neverrest is truly gone?


    Indeed. Whats more, he has remade the cemetery to allow its intended use. Heh, hes even assigned a scion to care for it: the skeleton scion, Grim. Despite having inherited several undead spawners and having created scions for each, his outlook appears unchanged.


    Tarl starts to continue, but the Stag tilts his head, clearly listening to Southwood itself. The elf waits patiently, knowing how displeased the Voice can get if his lord is interrupted inmunicating with him.


    This Thedeim truly subsumed Neverrest while so young? The same Neverrest that has consumed other young dungeons? asks the Stag once more, and Tarl nods.


    Yes. He nned with the local Adventurers Guild to help. He feinted with his denizens in the tunnels below Fourdock, while sending three of his scions along with what adventurers were avable on the surface. One of which is now his second Resident.


    The Stag listens to its lord again, before speaking. My Lord would entreat with this Thedeim. Something is stirring in the Green Sea. If this Thedeim can defeat the likes of Neverrest, perhaps he can defeat whatever is out there. My Lord has been forced to upgrade his spawners to deal with the influx of invaders from the north, and is uncertain how much longer he can manage. His mana gains are up, but so are his expenditures.


    Bring his Voice, so we may speak.


    Tarl just stares for a few seconds, before his brain kicks back into gear. I will try, but winter is not far off. I dont think hell be able to send anything until the spring at the earliest, if hes even willing to help at all.


    The Stag looks unconcerned. My Lord should be able to hold out that long, at the least. The orcish nomads slow their wandering in the winter months, and so tend to delve more often. But that ister. For now, tell me more of what you can of this Thedeim. If my Lord is to ally with him, I would hear his measure.


    Tarl chuckles and nods. I can do that. Hes told me not to reveal too much of his current strengths, but even if I were to tell you everything I currently know about him, hell have many new tricks to spring, besides even the ones hes kept secret.

 Chapter Seventy-Six

    Chapter Seventy-Six


    The aranea/spiderkin are developing a lot differently than the ratlings/ratkin. I dont know why that surprises me. Basically the only thing they have inmon is that theye from my spawners. I guess the biggest difference is the dimorphism and trimorphism? Have I mentioned Im not a biologist?


    The ratkindies gained boobs as the bar filled. Not enough to go bouncing around me, but enough to feed their children like the mammals they are. The spiderkin are well, Im pretty sure if I <em>was</em> a biologist, Id be yelling about how thats not how any of this works. Where do I even start with how theyre changing


    Well, Ill start with the male spiderkin, since theyre not changing much at all. Well, ok, thats not fair. Butpared to the women, their changes are pretty minor. Their faces are changing, gaining a bunch of smaller chitin tes that can move a lot more, making them way more expressive. It makes me think of maybe a detailed helmet or mask with some animatronics. Theyre getting over the hump from being ugly to being cool. I wouldnt be surprised if some version of power rangers had helmets like their faces. Their mouth is also kinda sideways, its weird to exin. I think that might be more like their lips than their actual mouth parts, though. Theres a jagged vertical line around a rough square for their mouth. Ive seen them yawn, though and past the lips is a nightmare of mandibles and pedipalps and whatever the words are. Still not a biologist.


    The males arent growingrger, though. Im pretty sure most male spiders are smaller than the females back home, so I guess it makes sense. I just thought theyd grow to simr size when theyre smart. The other big difference between the spider sexes is that the males are still staying pretty low-slung. While the two pairs of legs at the front are gaining definite hands for both sexes, the male hands are still being used to help walk. They kinda knuckle-walk on the ground, and then use the hands to actually grip when climbing stuff. The women only sometimes use their hands to help climb, and theyve been moving more towards a spider-centaur body shape.


    So Im pretty sure theyre growing a lot of extra bits. Pretty sure spiders only really have two sections: the butt that has their organs or equivalents, and the section that has all the legs attached. I think the head just kinda is tacked on to that part? I could just go look, but thats not really my point. My point is theyve gained a torso bit that stands more or less straight up, and that two sets of arms have migrated there. They also have actual heads. They seem to still have eight eyes, but only the two in the normal eye spots are big. They even have an irising lid, like a camera. Its really cool. The other eyes are smaller and ring the head and are easy to forget about if youre not looking.


    They also appear to have grown <em>something</em> on their chests. It could be boobs with a chitin te covering them, or spinnerets, or venom sacks or even just muscle. I honestly havent been brave enough to try to take a closer look. The nightmare of seeing inside the mouth of one still haunts me.


    The part that I really think would make a biologist have a fit, though, is I think theyre growing an internal skeleton or maybe just in certain ces? Or certain species? This is what I meant about the trimorphism earlier. While the males are smaller and a lot different from the females, Im also seeing three races, I guess would be the proper term?


    Theres rtively small ones that seem built like jumping spiders. There are a lot of different colors and patterns, though the ssic wolfspider grays and stripes seem to be the majority. Theyre busy little spiderkin and seem the most inclined towards going out to hunt. Theres always at least one party of them out in the tunnels and caverns past my borders, looking for food. Im not exactly surprised by that, at least. Ive never heard of a spider growing mushrooms to eat or anything like that, so my spiderkin being carnivores is no big shock. I do wonder if theyll be able to eat other stuff, too, or if theyll be staying with meat.


    The normal sized ones are definitely more based on ck widows. They have shiny ck carapaces, rounder backsides, slender limbs, and have the red hourss marking. I expect they have potent venom, too, but they havent really bitten anything. Instead, they seem more content to stay inside the area for their Enve and build. Widow web is supposed to be stupidly strong, so I suppose it makes sense. Interestingly, the males help out a lot with building, too. They seem to be the ones to use the picks they brought with them, and with stone and webbing, the Enve ising along nicely. I think theyre even building a little animal pen, so maybe theyll be able to ranchter? Oh, I should have Aranya try to introduce them to fishing. Theres gotta be <em>something</em> aquatic around here worth eating, and should be a lot easier to domesticate than something like a scythemaw, or whatever else wanders around onnd down here.


    Therger ones seem to be based on tarants. Theyre built stockier and their carapace looks like its growing around muscle. It makes me think of roman ab-armor, as seen in movies. But the presence of abs is why I think some of them are growing internal skeletons. Normal spiders dont really have muscle. Instead, they have hydraulics, basically. Muscles need internal bones to be able to leverage for movement. I wonder if theyre doing a hybrid kind of system? Muscles for fast movements, hydraulics for strength? However they actually work, the tarants are taking the ce of guards, with a couple helping move around heavy stuff.


    Interestingly, Tiny has taken a couple trips down to the Enve, too, along with Aranya and Teemo. The big guy has apparently been dispensing the Wisdom of the Weaver, which even has Aranya listening. Great, just when I thought the whole cult business might quiet down. Hes also apparently being something of an oracle, saying he can read the pattern of the weave. I would usually ignore that kind of talk but I <em>do</em> have Fate affinity. I probably should have expected at least one scion would lean into that aspect, instead of whatever else they have.


    I should actually try to grill the big lug about how that works,e to think of it. I poke Teemo about the fishing potential, and he squeaks at Aranya from her shoulder.


    Hey Aranya, the Boss suggests trying to teach them how to fish, maybe with weighteds? He says a rod and reel might be a bit much for them to try right now.


    The kobold brightens at that. Ah, fishing! That should be a lot simpler than trying to teach them how to domesticate whatever is walking or flying in the deeper tunnels. Thank you, Thedeim! she says with a slightly-bowed head, and Teemo takes the chance to hop off and onto Tiny.


    Im gonna stay here with the big guy. The Boss wants to talk with him. Aranya simply nods at that and heads off to gather as many spiderkin as she can to teach how to fish. Tiny shuffles his legs slightly when he hears Teemo say I want to talk.


    So. Reading the weave?


    I cant hear anything from Tiny as he exins what he can from my question to Teemo, which makes me wonder how my favorite rat actually hears everything. I cant chew on that puzzle for very long, though, as Teemo starts talking.


    He says he can see the tapestry you''re weaving, and if he concentrates, he can see the greater tapestry around us being woven as well? says Teemo, clearly weirded out by the description. Thats pretty cool, though. Can he tell if the winter will be a harsh one?


    Teemo asks and is answered, and shakes his head. He says he cant read that far ahead or that far away? He says theres a lot of distance between the cause of a harsh winter, and the effect of feeling one.


    Hmm. I probably shouldnt expect him to be a more urate weatherman than people with radar and satellite images and stuff. Maybe if he could get a read on more of how the weather is on the entire, hed be able to make a guess. I go to ask Teemo another question, and see him rubbing his head. Oh sorry about that.


    Its ok, Boss. You werent too focused on those things, so it was more disorienting than painful. Ive been getting better at ignoring deeper implications for things, but how am I supposed to ignore the idea of an eye so high up it can hide in the stars? He shakes his head and chuckles. Were both getting better at it, though. What else did you want to ask him?


    Oh. Uh I was going to ask him how he reads the stuff, whats it like. He must be using Fate magic to do it, but I know almost nothing about it, and only have the vaguest ideas of what it even <em>could</em> be.


    Teemo rys the information, and soon replies. He says its like he can see a web as its formed right now, also also see the ways it might be finished, all at once?


    Ah, brace yourself then, Teemo. That sounds like quantum superposition. Ask him if looking changes things.


    Even with the warning, it looks like Teemo loses his bnce for a moment, but thankfully only a moment. He looks a bit confused at my question, but rys it anyway.


    He says no?


    Maybe not quantum, then? Or magic can measure without changing the results, because magic, heh. Either way, thats very interesting. Does he spot any potential snarls in my web?


    Teemo shakes his head. Tiny says he doesnt see anything, and he likely wouldnt say anything even if he does, barring something catastrophic. He says you integrate problems much too smoothly for him to try to keep them out.


    I chuckle at that. Well, tell him thanks, I suppose. Im a regr Bob Ross over here, making happy little idents, heh. Still, that does make me want to keep prepared for something potentially dangerous. He seems to need to be able to observe the various causes to see how the web will change, so some big surprise could make a mess of things and blindside him, and so us.


    Tell him thanks for me, and to keep up the good work. The hedge maze is the wild sess it is because of him. And hes the only one who seems to be delving into the Fate magic, so Im sure Ill need to pick his brain about it eventually, too. I get the feeling I wont be able to ignore that magic forever.

 Chapter Seventy-Seven

    Chapter Seventy-Seven


    Over twelve says Vnarl, peg in hand at what looks to be the final puzzle for the gauntlet. Each previous room gave part of the solution, and now they just need to decipher the clues and put the pegs in the correct hole. The only problem is that the final chambers are all covered in holes. Still, I think theyve managed it.


    Up five, says Mlynda, confident in her answer. Im still surprised at how much theyve all grown just from the gauntlet. Then again, growth is the whole point of the ce, so thats a great sess.


    Back seven? says Hark, and all three ce their pegs. Theyve tried this several times before, and on a failure, they get washed back out to the start. They all flinch at the click once the pegs are inserted, but instead of a wall of water, the doors open.


    The three cautiously head through, and Hark is the first to speak. Did we do it? Are we free?


    That depends. Did you learn your lesson? All three jump at the sound of Teemo, but at least none of them try to attack.


    What do you mean? demands Vnarl, before he remembers how well provoking my scions wentst time. Mlynda elbows him and he looks abashed at his response, so at least theyre still trying.


    Teemo just grins at their antics. Yeah, I think you have. Next time, dont go assuming things about a new dungeon. Not all of them are as nice as Thedeim.


    All three look wary at the revtion of my name. Wait it has a <em>name</em>? asks Mlynda incredulously, and Teemo justughs.


    Of course he has a name! You three could have learned it earlier, if you had just asked!


    The three exchange looks that say they all just dodged a bullet. It seems like dungeons with names are not ones to trifle with, and probably have harsher punishments for those who draw their ire.


    After a few moments of appreciating life, Hark speaks up. So were free to go?


    Yep. Thedeim isnt banning you from the ce, either, though he does suggest you take the time to learn the rules before you try delving again. Oh, and probably go get some gear. Hes not giving it back.


    The three slump slightly at that, but dont argue. Vnarl straightens up slightly before addressing Teemo again. Then well take our leave. Please give Dungeon Thedeim our gratitude for his mercy.


    The other two murmur simr before the group heads off towards the exit from the tunnels, and the front gate beyond. I think that went pretty well. What do you think, Teemo?


    Yeah, I think youve actually managed to beat some sense into them, says my Voice, nodding. Need anything else?


    Not right now, no. You can get back to making shortcuts or doing whatever. It seems like hes leaning more towards whatever and he hops into a shortcut that leads towards Violet. Shes done the two quests I gave her, and seems to be pondering which way to expand. For the moment, my only advice for her is to not expand in a direction that doesnt have an obvious path. Shes deep enough that she probably wouldnt make the kind of quake that I did, but going deeper just yet feels dangerous, and going up will only make further upward expansions more likely to produce a dangerous earthquake.


    For now, she seems to be happy to just upgrade her mushrooms and centipedes, and her little animal node. Yeah, animal node. She has a little cave bunny node or something? The things are adorable and fluffy and apparently pretty dang tasty. The ratkin like to hunt one or two on their way back from the deeper tunnels, which seems to suit Violet just fine.


    Shes even specialized her mushrooms into some resource spec. Its called Nutritious Hyphae, which seems to make the mushroom patches produce little fungus balls, and the cave bunnies love them. With a stable source of food, the bunny poption would be spiraling out of control if the ratkin werent keeping their numbers manageable.


    Spawner and node upgrades aside, shes saving the bulk of her mana to see if Codas surveying will give her a discount on expansion. To be fair, Im looking forward to seeing that that idea pans out, too. Hes currently out on Expedition right now, surveying what will probably be Violets next expansion. The caves kinda west-down have a lot of water in them, looking a lot like smallkes andrge ponds, along with shores.


    Hes been staying away from the water, happy to survey via sonar from well above the surface. He hasnt seen anything leave the water yet, but hes not taking chances, especially since some of those shapes and sizes hint at scythemaws. I might actually let Honey send a few expeditions to try to learn about the life in there, but Ill probably need something to give the bees either water or wind affinity to get an actual look under the water.


    If that <em>is</em> where scythemawse from, why was one chasing Aranya? If thats <em>not</em> where theye from, where do they <em>actually</em>e from? Ive seen a couple signs that I think are from scythemaws, but nothing looks especially fresh. I dunno. I rub Honeys bond with the idea to study them and she looks to be all for it. The smaller gathering expeditions have been going great, so I think shes been looking for some bigger research to tackle. Learning more about what seems to be the apex predator in the deeps can only be a good thing.


    I also rub Queen with the idea for something to grant either air or water affinity, and she also seems happy for a bit of direction. Shes been dutifully experimenting with the expanded setup, as well as producing more of the three alchemy things we have avable: Bottled Lightning, Liquid Steel, and Healing Essence. We had basically stopped production of thetter, once the healing ants got up to a good poption. I want to get a bit more, though, and see if I can make a healing <em>slime</em>. I feel like the ants are good for more minor stuff, but a healing slime would be like a portable sci-fi healing pod. I dont even need Queen to run the numbers to know its going to take a ton of the stuff to make even a single healing slime, but Im not worried. Slow and steady wins the race. Besides, she has her ants working on constantly expanding theb now, thanks to the ratlings taking most of the digging duties elsewhere.


    Speaking of elsewhere, the Spiderkin Enve is shaping up nicely. The bars are about halfway full now, and it seems like everyone is mostly the shape theyre going to be. Aranya has been working with their apparent leader, Frn, who used to be the aranea who made the sample baskets for the wolves. Shes thergest of the tarant spiderkin, and has actually made arge axe for herself, rather than the simple spears the others prefer.


    Shes pretty no-nonsense, and has shot down a couple of Aranyas suggestions for how to do things. But the ones she <em>does</em> take into consideration get her full attention until theyreplete. Take fishing, for example. The watery caverns outside my borders are more swampy than the ones outside Violet, which actually makes fishing a nightmare. After just a couple attempts, Frn put the kibosh to the idea.


    I had Teemo exin to them the idea of a basket fish trap, though, and that seemed to get their attention, especially after Aranya exined the basics of aquaculture. Im pretty sure theres a book on that up in the library, too. Frn didnt seem to like the idea much, but allowed a couple traps to be made as a pilot.


    The traps worked like a charm, and they caught a bunch of lobsters. Well, probably not technically lobsters, but theyre way too big for me to call a crawdad. They have more of a mottled gray shell, instead of the mottled brown that most lobsters have, and turn a bright blue when cooked.


    And the spiderkin love them. As bottom-feeders, they should be pretty easy to care for, too. Aranya is currently helping them dig out some ponds to keep them in, while some of the other spiderkin are gathering various nts and other stuff from the swamps. Teemos warned them about potential scythemaws, but none of them look too worried about it. Theyre not exactly <em>ignoring</em> the warning, but theyre confident and cautious enough to not let something like that scare them off. Not when theres tasty cave lobsters to domesticate.

 Chapter Seventy-Eight

    Chapter Seventy-Eight


    Most of my current projects are proceeding nicely. The ess tunnel from the caverns up to near the tunnels entrance should be done in a day or two. Sure, I could have just dug a straight line, but thatd hardly be useful as a way up and down. It kinda spirals and loops and wanders, and Ill probably have Coda and his crew dig out a few rest areas, maybe with some aranea trading/quest posts.


    The easy gauntlet and the hard gauntlet arent the major draw that the hedge maze is, but the maze is also designed for non-adventurer types. The more physically active people have been enjoying them a lot, though. The easy one has been beaten a couple times now, but nobody has managed to get past the water jar puzzle on the hard one yet. I think they can smell the chest at the end, though. Its probably going to be an amazing bounty once someone actually gets there.


    The spiderkin enve is also progressing nicely. Theyve been weaving tight baskets to bring in water to their ponds, and are working on figuring out how to get it just the right level of stagnant for the cave lobsters to thrive. Theyre also experimenting with some of the nts theyve found. Theres some kind of tuber that Im going to call a swamp spud, and the spiderkin seem to actually like it once its cooked. I figure their bars will probably be just about full once they get the ponds running smoothly. No idea how long that will take, though.


    One project thats <em>not</em> going smoothly is trying to convert a mole or gremlin. Leo is starting to get pretty stressed about failing, too. I poke the bond to get him to rx and suggest he focus on the wolves and expeditions for now. The tundra wolves havent had a whole lot of guidance, and could use him to help get them into shape. While I want them mostly in the caverns, I also want a couple in the catbs to be strong encounters, and to mix things up a little for the crystal shield guys. If they only have experience with undead, even with my ones that are resistant to a lot of holy magics, theyll be unprepared for going out into the world atrge. I think.


    Its not like I actually <em>know</em> what threats are out there in the world atrge. I can guess, but thats really all I <em>can</em> do. I could ask, but asking what threats are outside even back on Earth would produce a list that drags the floor.


    Im also going to ask Jello to try to do things a little differently. I think shes using Fate magic to calm the invaders, but even Teemo cant get much detail out of her. So Im going to try to get her to do a bit more Fate stuff. Instead of just grabbing the first mole/gremlin she sees, I want her to wait and grab one that feels right to her. Im not sure if itll work, but the idea had her burbling in what Teemo said was a thoughtful manner, so I guess well see.


    My three research scions, Honey, Queen, and Thing, have all started working together more closely. Honey is all for working with the two to learn more, but Thing and Queen hadnt done a whole lot together. I guess enchanting and alchemy dont have that much ovep. But that changed when Things work with the quartz started yielding results. Hes still a long way from making pickups, but he <em>has</em> been able to produce a measurable current from quartz, and been able to make a separate piece of quartz vibrate from the signal. I dont think thats how it works back home, but then again, there is magic involved. Anyway, once Queen heard about that, she had toe see for herself.


    So now all three areparing notes on basically everything and seeing if they can produce anything else interesting. I think Queen is experimenting with using quartz in the go juice process to try to make a kic affinity potion, or maybe a sonic one? Either way, she seems more inspired than usual. Not only does she have some interesting new ideas to y with, but with Violet and the underswamps, theres a bunch of new reagents for her to try.


    Coda is still doing his thing with the digging crew, along with shs help, and my bat scion has been experimenting with a few concepts I was able to squeeze through the bond: harmonic resonance and interference. Theyre just fancy words to describe how sonic waves (and basically any wave, pretty sure) can affect each other. They can add together and make quite a bit of force, or they can cancel out, or they can even be aimed to only be stronger at certain points, which has been the major application so far.


    Hes been trying to use it to cause weak points in the rock so the ratlings can hit the wall and basically produce a stone block with a single swing. Hes still got a long way to go, but theyre reliably hitting outrge chunks of the wall with each swing now, instead of just little pebbles or sand. sh is also helping out, and Im wondering if hell somehow manage to be a bard or some other sonic ss just from helping out Coda. He doesnt have the affinity yet, but I can already see his earth magic moving more in a wave, rather than just grabbing a chunk of earth and moving it.


    Teemo, on the other hand, isnt having any luck at all with expanding his magic. Hes making so little progress that I think were going to have to do some experiments to see just how things work. It feels like Im missing something on a fundamental level in trying to exin pressure, volume, and temperature to him. Hopefully a few experiments will rify things.


    On the other end of the spectrum is Rocky. Hes kinda bing a beast. Hes got that ice affinity now, officially, and Im pretty sure hed been going easy on Rhonda and Freddie for a while, too. Im going to try go have Teemo exin some new concepts to him and see if I cant get him to have kic affinity and maybe lightning maybe sonic? I dont know if itd be easier for him to take the concept of kic and apply the vibrations of heat to get to sonic, or get him to make the energy bob and weave into the waves of the electromaic spectrum. Or maybe I should have him focus on the heat part of fire to more or less distill the idea of electromaic waves out of thermal radiation. I dunno, Im gonna have Teemo talk to him soon.


    One scion that has hit a bit of a wall in basically all magic has been Fluffles, though. Hes basically stopped casting things. Im pretty sure hes obsessing about efficiency and not wasting my mana, but if hes my Contuit, I want him to be a magical powerhouse. And hes going to need practice for that.


    So I poke Teemo, Rocky, and Fluffles to meet up in the caverns for some practice and maybe a few experiments. Teemo gets there first, of course, and perches on a blunted stgmite to wait for the other two. Rocky elects to not take a shortcut, yet he still gets here before Fluffles, who seems to want to slink in and avoid notice as much as possible.


    Yeah, thats not happening. Teemo, would you ask Fluffles why hes acting so skittish?


    Hey, Fluffles. You ok?


    My wingnoodle hisses and Teemo doesnt even bother to trante before he answers. That doesnt answer the question. Come on, Fluffles. Youre making the Boss worry.


    Fluffles head shoots up at that, before he detes and starts to exin.


    He says hes sorry for wasting your mana?


    Tell him to waste more.


    Fluffles starts to object to that, but I have Teemo just talk through him. The Boss needs you to practice, Fluffles. Youre his Conduit. If Im his mouth to speak, youre his hands to smack someone who needs it. You need to practice. If youre worried about wasting mana, he says to get used to efficiency. Thats partially why he has Rocky here, too.


    My zombie scion stops idly chewing his mouthguard and focuses on the two before him as Teemo nods. Yeah, you too, Rocky. Thedeim says youve surprised him with your progress with getting the ice affinity, and he wants you two to practice together and spar to learn.


    My Voice looks at Fluffles as I start to exin what I want him to do. For starters, Fluffles: smash that rock there. Fluffles looks a bit uncertain about that but does as asked, producing a loud crack and a spark of heat from the kic impact he puts on the rock. Rocky seems to notice the spark of fire, and I can feel his rotten brain trundling along, trying to figure out how that happened.


    Thedeim says the sound and the heat are inefficiencies. The kic energy gets wasted into sound and heat. So he has three things he wants you to do, Fluffles. Firstly; learn to reduce those. Trante the kic force directly into movement, without wasting any on heat or excess sound. Second: expand your affinity. Youve seen how kic can create fire and sonic affinities, so learn to harness them directly. And thirdly: spar with Rocky and teach him about kics. Youve both seen how kics and fire can be rted. The Boss says he can give some technical detailster, if you guys end up needing it.


    The rat looks to Rocky and continues. You, Rocky, should listen to Fluffles and learn about kics, and hopefully sonic as well. And once Fluffles picks up fire, teach him how to trante that into ice, too.


    The two nod, and start to talk and demonstrate to each other. Fluffles is looking relieved, too. I guess the thought of wasting my mana was a big weight on his proverbial shoulders. But now he not only has my blessing to use a lot more mana than he was, he also gets to teach and spar with someone who can give him a run for his money.


    And if this works out, Ill probably bring in sh to practice with them, too. If he really can trante sonic from his earth affinity, he might be able to teach them how to work backwards from sonic into earth. Its not like I have any other ideas for how to get from the various scientific aspects into the more arcane ones.

 Chapter Seventy-Nine

    Chapter Seventy-Nine


    <strong>Mana Gained!</strong>


    Woah, its been a while since I got that popup. Last time was thest time I got a new invader! I have a new invader! I have a new invader? I thought I basically already <em>had</em> all the invaders I was going to get.


    <strong>Mana Gained!</strong>


    Again? Ok, whats going on? I start looking around in the caverns, as its my newest expansion, wondering what could be my new invader. Its been open for like a week now, so its probably something sneaky. Hopefully not <em>too</em> sneaky. I dont see anything down deeper in the caves, so I try to backtrack the notification.


    Ive never really had to do this before, and its weird, like trying to remember something thats on the tip of your tongue. So I do what works for me when that happens: I try to go over what I was thinking, or what I was doing, looking for something that will make the thought finally click.


    So I zoom out and try to only focus on areas with activity. It was something active, that ping happens when my denizens kill some new invader. So whos looking busy? Well everyone, more or less. Whos doing something different, then?


    Rats? No. Snakes? No. Stctsprites? No, and I should probably upgrade their spawner again,e to think of it. Spiders? Hmm maybe. Something feels weird with them. I zoom in on the webs nearest the caverns, and after a couple minutes, I finally track it down. My spiders have caught a mosquito!


    Just when I thought wasps were the worst, mosquitoes had to show up and remind me whos throne it is. Ugh, I hate mosquitoes! Thankfully, theyre pretty small, so I start nudging my various small spiders to head into the caverns and keep the little vampire bugs at bay.


    Speaking of spiders, I check in on my spiderkin Enve, and notice theyve nabbed a few mosquitoes, too. But these ones are about the size of Teemo! Thankfully, the denizens-for-now are handling the dire mosquitoes well. I listen in for a few minutes, and the general consensus seems to be: not bad, needs a bit of pepper, kinda gamey. Cave lobsters are tastier.


    I think theyre going to hunt and eat them as a backup to the lobsters, as theyre still getting them all settled in and trying to work properly. Im probably going to ask Yvonne to give them a hand with that once she gets back. I think shes more an expert on life above the ground, but shell probably know at least something about domestication.


    I reluctantly take a closer look at the dire mosquito, and yep, thats a <em>big</em> mosquito. Oddly, though, I dont think it was one of the mana pings. I get mana from the technically-still-aranea killing them, but I guess the notifications just count them as big mosquitoes or it counts the smaller ones and tiny dire ones.


    Before I can try to track down the other ping, I can feel my Protege having a bit of a panic attack. When I look over at her area, I can see why.


    One of my wolves has dispatched a I dont know what. It makes me think of an amalgamation of a ferret and a badger, with just a dash of fox in there for vor. Whatever it was, Im pretty sure its the new invader, seeing as theres several dead cave bunnies around Violets little area, too.


    I take a few minutes to focus back on the notification, and Im pretty sure these things are thergest mana per kill invader Ive encountered so far. It looks like I got the lions share of the mana for that, but its still a good windfall for Violet, even with my cut taken out.


    I dont bother Teemo with trying to talk to her right now. Shes a bit shook up, but not in any danger. She <em>is</em> a bit sad about the bunnies going without producing her any mana, though. I just give her a quest to upgrade her centipedes a bit more, at least to where she can choose a specialization. I also try to impress on her that expanding would be a bad idea, even with the discount from Coda. Shell be getting another invader when she expands, so shed better be ready to handle <em>this</em> one before she goes and adds another.


    Part of why I dont bother Teemo is because I have him setting up for a couple experiments to try to figure out how his shortcuts work. I actually drag in Leo, Grim, and Poe to help. I have an inkling of what might be going on, but I need bigger people to be able to test it.


    The three arent upset about being asked to join the experiment, but they all seem a bit confused at what I want them to do.


    Yes, guys. Thats what he wants you all to do. Just go through this shortcut together, and Ille get you each after, one by one, repeats Teemo, also clueless as to what Im trying to discover here. Ive tried to exin it a bit, but his attention wanders pretty quickly. Im not sure if the concept is one that he wants to let slide off his brain without thinking about it, or if its boring for him. It could even be both, honestly.


    The three scions all nod their understanding for their parts, at least, and take the shortcut down to the training room. I wonder if that room will eventually be an official training room if I keep having Fluffles and Rocky work in there. I still want to make Rockys boss chamber look like a boxing <em>ring</em>, but Id still need a ce for a boxing <em>gym</em> for him to practice. And if hes getting to practice, I should amodate the others, too.


    Anyhow, back to the experiment. I tell Teemo to take a separate shortcut and tell Leo toe back using the shortcut he took to get to the training room. My Warden still looks confused about what I want, but doesnt argue. Once hes back in the war room, I get Teemo to ask him a couple questions.


    The Boss wants to know how much room you had when traveling as a group. A couple growls and yipster, Teemo trantes for me.


    He says it felt like the wall was just slightly further away than he could reach, and same with the ceiling.


    And when returning by himself?


    Leo tilts his head when Teemo rys my question, and clearly thinks for a few moments before answering.


    He says it was the same, like the walls and ceiling were just out of reach? rys Teemo, now looking really confused. Im trying to not groan at that revtion, and instead ask him to bring Grim back.


    He gets the same questions, and gives the same answers, which only confuses Teemo and Leo more, but confirms my suspicions all the more. I have my Voice go get Poe, and tell him to fly through the shortcut instead of just walking, and then he gets the same questions, and gives the same answers. That leaves me with four confused scions, and one annoying result of the test.


    I think distance in the shortcuts is subjective, rather than objective. That means, instead of something being a definitive x feet away, it is simply <em>over there</em>. Thats why I couldnt get Teemo to notice the change in pressure and temperature when he makes his shortcuts. Hes technically not messing with the volume at all! Trying to consider the math makes even my non-existent head hurt, though, so I dont think too hard about it.


    Is teaching me new magic a dud then, Boss? asks Teemo, a bit disappointed.


    Heck no. It just means we need a different approach. Ill find a hat and figure out how to eat it if a bag of holding isnt spatial magic, and they definitely <em>do</em> have a defined interior volume. I think the shortcuts are more like balloons, but with a constant volume, instead of a mostly-constant pressure. It makes me d we didn''t get one to pop while anyone was inside. I dont know if them popping is even a thing, but Im in no rush to try to test the limits and find out.


    Anyhow, Teemo. Youre going to be spending a bit of time with Thing. Ask him to get a good schedule going so you two can work on making a bag of holding. We still have that one from Tarl topare with. I want you to feel that thing out and how it works, and how its different from your shortcuts. I dont need them to be more defined like the bags of holding, but I <em>do</em> want you to be able to make a defined space into arger defined space. Once you do <em>that</em>, Ill be able to teach you some serious stuff.

 Chapter Eighty

    Chapter Eighty


    Yvonne is back, and so she and Teemo are rxing a bit. He demands belly rubs, and shes more than happy to give them. I want to ask her about what her ranger stuff actually entails, but that can wait for now. Shes been on the road for a while, so I want to give her at least a bit of time to just rx with Teemo and not need to do anything.


    Ill also probably ask her to look around in the caverns and in the area by Violet that Im going to call the aquifer. The various expedition wolves are getting unsettling feelingsing from both the aquifer and the underswamp. Right now, my worst case scenario is an army of undead from a piece of Neverrest that somehow managed to escape.


    Its also probably the least likely scenario, but better to be prepared. My most likely scenario, and honestly still pretty bad, is some unknown dungeon with scythemaws as denizens. Then the next couple on the list are other variations of lots of scythemaws want to eat us all. Im considering asking Thing to try to make magical traps that I can trigger directly, but not yet. Hes got a lot on his te right now.


    The work on the axe has stalled a bit. Hes made some serious progress, though. It wasnt difficult to make the quartz pickups, and not difficult to get it to make a separate bit of quartz vibrate with it. The problem is getting it to actually sound right.


    We first tried just putting it in several different boxes, to see if the vibrations would work. It made sound, sure, but it sounded like a box with a big bee in it, not like an electric guitar. We then tried a couple ts of wood, trying to sound like a xylophone, but well, it sounds like a xylophone. It also wouldnt work to do a wide range of sounds with. Itd take an entire array of crystals and keys? Do xylophones have keys? Either way, Im not going to make sh haul around something like that.


    My next idea was to try a pipe and be more like an organ, but after the xylophone experiment, I shelved that idea. Besides, now that I think on it, it mighte out sounding more like a kazoo than a pipe organ. And, you know, pipe organs arent exactly the most portable instruments either.


    I do have an idea for an amp that could sound how I want it to, but thats going to take a lot of effort. Right now, I have Thing experimenting with copper coils and steel tes, to help him get a better understanding of how electricity works. Hes going to be making a magical te coil, and once he has that running as efficiently as I need it, well work on making it sing. If all goes to n, it can be integrated into the tophat.


    sh is going to make a lot of invaders and hostile delvers wish they wore their brown pants, once hes ready.


    The ratkin have been working on making the axe itself, too, but theyre having some difficulty with the processes. They dont have any problems smelting the ore, at least. They also dont have any problems working on the alloy kinda. Actually <em>making</em> alloys is a breeze for them. Smelting was one of the first things I had my ratlings do back when I first got them, before they even became ratkin, so its basically in their blood.


    The real trouble is in making the correct alloy. Theyve been mixing various different steels, adding in various other metals to get it right where I want it, and Honey has been helping test the parameters.


    I need a steel that hardens properly, so itll keep an edge, but not so hard that itll shatter from the repeated impacts. Id like to make it stainless, too, but Im uncertain how well stainless works for weapons. Considering the process involves an acid bath and maybe electrolysis, it might be a bit tooplex for a weapon. It might mess up the hardening, or might mess up the edge, or just stop being stainless once its resharpened.


    Maybe some magic can make the weapon stainless, too, but Thing still has more than enough projects to keep him busy right now.


    Another trouble the ratkin are having is that they simply dont have a lot of experience makingrge weapons like an axe. Theyve made ones for chopping wood, or spears and arrowheads, but an axe is a totally different beast.


    For starters, a ssic double-headed battleaxe is <em>big</em>. Like big enough that there are a lot of people who argue that something like that would have never been used in actualbat. Weight is less of an issue here, at least. Pretty sure sh can swing something heavier than a battleaxe all day long without tiring out. The problem with it being big is actually forging something thatrge.


    I think its going to have to be done in three pieces: two separate heads, and the piece in the middle. The middle will need to have the space for the pickups as well, and the three will have to be forge-welded together. I might be able to get some of Queens fire ants to weld them together, though but were nowhere near ready for that.


    And speaking of people getting ready, Larx is on his way to greet his soon-to-be fellow Dwellers. They still have about a quarter bar to go, but I get the feeling he has a lot he wants to talk with Frn about.


    He makes his way to the caverns easily enough. My denizens dont stop him, and hes still in my territory, so theres not a whole lot of other potential trouble toe get him. When he approaches the enve, the tarant guards dont bother him, and so he enters and looks around with an approving eye.


    Aranya soon notices him and brightens up. Larx! I didnt expect youde visit!


    Frn simply eyes the elderly ratkin as he approaches, using his staff/scepter/whatever as a walking stick. I can see her tense slightly, though none of her arms move for the axe on her back. I guess shes not going to let the grandpa schtick get her guard down.


    Larx, for his part, utterly ignores her tension, and smiles at her like shes his daughter. Frn, right? Aranya has said so much about you! She was instrumental in helping my fellow ratkin ascend to dweller status, you know. He smiles and looks around. Looks like your people are growing strong quickly.


    Frn slowly nods, still cautious of the ratkin that smells so strongly of magic. Seeing as its <em>my</em> magic, though, shes not hostile. Yes. I take her advice when I feel it will work for us, and refuse when it wont.


    Aranya chuckles at that and nods. I think its about 50/50. Ive tried to push a couple times, but the decision really is on her and her people. Thedeim doesnt like to force a specific choice on someone, after all.


    Larx and Frn both nod at that, and the tarantdy speaks up. The Weaver adapts to the situation at hand, instead of forcing the situation he might prefer.


    Indeed! says Larx with a wide smile. I might have toe down here more often just to discuss theology, Ms Frn. As it is, though, I came more to ask you about what you have on your back.


    She gives him an odd look, but takes the axe from her back to hold in her hands. Why?


    Because Lord Thedeim wishes to make something simr for one of his scions, and has asked my enve to try our hands at it. He wishes one made of metal, rather than stone, as well as some other differences. He shakes his head as he avoids getting off topic. My point is: you''ve made one already, so you know at least the basics. Together, our people could forge the artifact Lord Thedeim wishes.


    Frn seems to weigh her axe along with the decision. She looks around the enve for a few seconds, before focusing back on Larx and nodding. We will do this. We will build forges down here together. You will teach us to use them, we will make weapons and armor, and this axe the Weaver desires. Your people are the intricate swirls of fine threads in the weave. My people are the thicker strands of support and strength. Without both, the tapestry would be lesser. Together, the Weaver makes us more.


    The other two smile at that, and soon Frn and Larx are talking shop about forging and weaponsmithing. I expect theyll probably talk about their ceremony for bing true dwellers, too, so I let them have their fun. I let my mind wander with the implications of what Frn said about the spiderkin.


    I was actually getting a little worried for them. Theyve been growing more militant, and I was afraid theyd go full skull throne on me. Thankfully, they seem to appreciate the finer things in life, even if they seem to feel they cant produce them on their own. Im going to need to have Aranya remind them about their weaving. I dont mind them wanting to take up a position as strong support, but I dont want them to think they cant have a softer side, too. Just like with the steel I need, if the spiderkin are too hard, theyll shatter.

 Chapter Eighty-One

    Chapter Eighty-One


    Teemo lounges on Yvonnesp as she reads by the light of my core. Its kinda adorable, watching the two interact. Im tempted to just let them rx some more, but I really do need to ask her what she was doing with her ranger duties. They sound important, but I dont actually know what they are.


    Alrighty Teemo, breaks over. You two can rx some moreter, but I really want to ask Yvonne about what her ranger duties actually are.


    Teemo sighs but doesnt fight. He knows Ive been letting them have some time, despite my burning curiosity. He rolls over to his feet and speaks up.


    Hey Yvonne. The Boss wants to ask a few questions.


    She quirks an eyebrow at that, wondering what I could want to ask about, and marks her ce in the book. Whats he need?


    Well, I also want to ask her to help with the spiderkin domesticating the cave lobsters, but the <em>real</em> thing I want to know is what she was doing. I thought rangers were basically violent hippies, but hippies arent real big on duties.


    What do Rangers actually do? The Boss seems to think theyre just people into nature who use bows.


    Yvonne giggles at my apparent naivete in regards to rangers. It does look like that from the outside, doesnt it? People always talk about encountering a ranger in the wilderness, just giving vague warnings or hunting some random thing. But we actually have a big duty.


    Teemo sits up and pays attention as she gathers her thoughts. I suppose Rangers arent so different from dungeons,e to think of it.


    Uh what?


    Teemo also looks confused. What do you mean?


    I mean we both do simr jobs.


    Youre a source of loot and xp?


    Youre a source of loot and experience?


    Sheughs at that, thinking its a joke, but her smile fades as Teemo continues to give her a genuine expression of curiosity. You really dont know what a dungeon does? She pauses as she lets that sink in, before smirking over at my core. I suppose that exins some things, heh.


    So what do dungeons do? repeats my Voice, and Yvonne takes a few moments to answer.


    Ok, um you <em>can</em> feel mana, right?


    Yeah. Its like Im in a bubbling hot tub with the mana around here. Its warm and active. My own mana feels more like a pool at the perfect temperature, circting enough to keep algae from forming and just the right chemicals to keep the water nice and clear. Below ground, though, it feels more like a cold pond, with all kinds of stuff growing that I probably dont want to get on my feet.


    Teemo rys my metaphors, and Yvonne nods at them. That sounds like youre feeling the mana around here, yes. Normal life agitates and I suppose warms the mana just by living. But, just as everything goes to the bathroom, its unhealthy to let it build up. It bes difficult to actually use the mana when its hot and agitated, and Ive even heard some rangers say its a cause <em>of</em> slums, rather than just caused <em>by</em> them.


    She shrugs and continues. And simrly, the cold, stagnant mana is also difficult to use. Even worse, monsters live in the stagnant mana, and need it to survive. They cant stand warm and moving mana, which is why they attack people and dungeons alike.


    Because dungeons are the equalizers of mana. They cool and calm the mana of life, and warm and move the mana of monsters. She smiles at Teemo and my core. So while dungeons like you treat the disease of stagnant mana, rangers are more concerned with treating the symptoms, by hunting monsters and helping out natural life that wanders into the stagnant ces.


    Huh I do all that? I thought I was just a yground, but now Im a sewage treatment nt.


    Eugh, didnt need that idea in my head, Boss.


    What? Youd rather all that just get dumped out into rivers and oceans?


    Please stop.


    Whats wrong? asks Yvonne, and Iugh as Teemo answers.


    The Boss apparently has ideas to turn gross sewage into something <em>not</em> utterly vile and disgusting, says my Voice with a shiver, and Yvonneughs as well. I would have never expected a <em>rat</em>, of all things, to be concerned with cleanliness.


    <strong>The Trio</strong>


    Mlynda and Hark sit in the tavern, nursing their ales. Vnarl is trying to get a message and reply to their guild about whats happened, and hes taking a while. The message service in Fourdock isnt the <em>best</em>, but this kind of dy feels more like hes getting news he doesnt want, rather than not getting any message at all.


    What do you think is the hold up? asks Hark, and Mlynda can only sigh.


    I dont know. Hopefully theyre just making him fill out some paperwork for a new regtion or something.


    Hark nods at that. There was talk of a deal with a crafters guild before we came here, yeah? Maybe hes having to negotiate something with them to get us new gear.


    Mlynda absently nods to that. She doesnt think thats what the dy is for, but she can hope. They all have a bit of savings, so it shouldnt be <em>too</em> difficult to get new stuff. If it <em>is</em> a deal with a crafters guild back in the capital, though, theyll have to wait for it to get shipped here. With winter not too far off, they could be stuck without gear until spring!


    Her thoughts are interrupted by Vnarl stomping through the doors of the tavern. He quickly spots the two and stomps over to them, before copsing into a seat with a scowl.


    Are we going to have to buy our gear from a guild back at the capital? asks Hark. Vnarl growls and shakes his head.


    If only. No, the guild dered us dead! It was easy enough to clear up with the kingdom, but the guild is refusing to let us back in! They said the best they could do is to start us fresh, including our pay! He only just manages to not shout, but the entire tavern hears. Its not exactly crowded, but there are a few sympathetic nces at the table.


    They cant do that! objects Mlynda, and Vnarl detes a bit.


    Thats what I said. They said they can and have.


    Where does that leave us? asks Hark, and the three all exchange nces. Before being captured by Thedeim, they would have just burned their savings on new gear and be frence delvers. After having ack of information bite them in the collective butt, though, they all want the security thates with a guild, and the steep discount on Dungeoneer Guild prices.


    Before any of them can voice an idea, a fourth chair is pulled up to their table. Three sets of eyesnd upon a skinny orc, but none of the eyes are relieved at the sight. Theyve been adventuring long enough to recognize a rogue when they see one. Its something about the smile, not quite a smirk, and the way they seem to even <em>sit</em> light on their feet. The signs arent too difficult to spot, if one knows what theyre looking for.


    If I could make a suggestion? he says, meeting their eyes, one after the other. Vnarl immediately shakes his head and lowers his voice.


    Were not doing work for the thieves'' guild.


    The orcughs loudly at that. Hah! Ah, its been a while since someone thought I was working for them, heh. He takes a few more seconds to calm himself, while the trio looks confused.


    I couldnt help but hear youre between guilds at the moment, he says, and the three look a bit embarrassed about how loud they were. Nothing to be ashamed about. How many others spend that long inside a dungeon and emerge unscathed? I imagine thats why your old guild dered you dead.


    Its small constion for the three, so the orc continues. Im Karn the Slight, leader of the Slim Chance guild, the local adventurers guild. He smiles as they all perk up, and Hark lets his mouth run first.


    We can join your guild?


    Well, that depends. On what terms did you leave the dungeon? he asks, his whole demeanor tightening slightly. The trio exchange looks again, and they all see the truth in what hes not saying: if theyre on poor terms with the dungeon, theyre going to be on poor terms with him, and possibly the entire town as well.


    Amicably, answers Vnarl. The dungeon put us through a gauntlet, and we couldnt leave without escaping it, first. We eventually worked our way through it, and that rat Voice told us were free to return, but suggested we get some new gear first.


    Karn rxes and nods at that. Sounds like water under the bridge, then. Now, I can offer you three a party slot, though you will be starting at the bottom. The three dete at that, but he just smiles and continues. Dont be like that! Were a small guild, so the bottom isnt so far down, heh. I even have a quest that I think you three would be uniquely qualified for.


    They look suspicious, and Mlynda speaks up first. What quest? Were unequiped.


    The orc answers by pulling out a small nk of wood and setting it on the table for them to read. Im sure its changed at least some since youve escaped, but I want to be the first guild to be able to hang this up as a trophy forpleting it.


    The three look down, and slowly they all realize what the orc is getting at. Guilds love having trophies to show how good they are in various dungeons. Vnarl speaks up before any of them can get blinded by the stars in their eyes. We get to keep the loot?


    Guild dues aside, of course, replies Karn, and holds out his hand. All three shake with him over the crudely painted sign.


    <strong>Beat the Gauntlet</strong>

 Chapter Eighty-Two

    Chapter Eighty-Two


    I watch as Yvonnes head emerges from the cave lobster pond, quickly followed by the rest of her. She stands by the pond as she considers what Ive asked her to look into.


    What do you think? asks Teemo, and Yvonne hums in reply.


    I think Im better at stuff that lives above ground. Still, its an interesting challenge. I think itll work, though theyll probably have an easier time of it if they just section off a small part of the underswamp. Im going to go take a look there, next. From what I can tell, theyre getting what they need. I dont know if full domestication will be an option, though. That usually entails the creature seeing you as not a threat at all, and I dont know if these things are smart enough for that. Im pretty sure theyll be able to breed and feed, at least, so thats close enough.


    Its not too stagnant? asks my Voice, and Yvonne shakes her head.


    You really want stagnant water with these ones, actually. They live to eat stuff like algae and moss that will grow in stagnant waters. The spiderkin will just need to introduce fresh lobsters every so often to keep inbreeding down.


    Cool. Shall we go check out the swamps?


    Yvonne grins at him. I dont know swamps can be pretty gross. You sure you want toe?


    He gives her a t look. Im never going to hear the end of that, am I.


    Sheughs and kneels down to let him hop onto her shoulder. Of course not! He grumbles, but climbs aboard, and they head out towards the underswamps. Yvonne speaks with wonder as they walk. I never expected underground to have so many biomes! I should have asked Ragnar toe, see if he knows more about this than I do.


    Teemo snorts at that idea. I dont mind himing along, but I think hed be more at home in a mine than wandering the great indoors.


    Yvonneughs at that and nods, though she takes a few minutes to inspect something on the wall, instead of answering right away.


    Whatd you find?


    Im not sure. Its covered in moss, but it looks like a territorial marking. She reaches out a hand and brushes away the nt, and traces two long gashes in the wall that meet at the ends. Ive never seen a wmark like this before. Teemo peers at the markings, and he has the same worried inkling that I do.


    I think I have. Test your sword in the gashes, suggests my Voice, and so she does. Yvonne pulls therge curved de from her belt and tries several ways to make it fit the mark on the wall. After a few different positions of shing, she seems to have one that she likes.


    I think youre right, Teemo. Its sword shes. My best rat sighs and shakes his head.


    It wasnt always a sword, remember? You never saw the scythemaw it came from. Its a mandible? Big nasty theethy-things that stick out of the face sideways.


    Whats a scythemaw? asks Yvonne as she looks more closely at her sword. Its pretty easy to tell shes trying to gauge how big one would be, based on the weapon in her hand. I dont think she likes the picture its painting.


    A big scaly lizard thing with two of those sticking out of its face. One actually chased Aranya to the Boss. Thats how she got here. He had to bring in Tiny to handle it. I think she called it a tunnel horror.


    Yvonnes eyes widen as she looks at Teemo, then back to the sword in her hands. This is an <em>actual </em>tunnel horrors fang?! I thought it was just modeled after one! She looks like shes ready to have a panic attack before she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.


    When she opens her eyes again, shes all business. This wasnt the only territory marking I saw, just the one that looked freshest. Theres not a whole lot known about how they actually live. Most people who try to research donte back to report their findings. The ones that do were usually too busy running to take any notes.


    My Voice attempts to lighten the mood a little. Dont tell that to Honey. Shell take it as a challenge. Yvonnes demeanor softens a little, but shes still in business mode at the moment.


    We need to investigate. There are way too many markings for a lone horror.


    Yeah now that Im looking, Im seeing a lot of those shes in my walls all through thisyer of the caves. The tunnels under the manner are looking fresh, but theres gashes in the walls all over the ce deeper. I ping Coda, sh, Rocky and Fluffles toe take a look, and let Teemo know.


    Looks like the Boss wants to help, Yvonne. Hes got a bunch of scionsing down to see what to look for, and then check the rest of the walls and such for more signs. Dont forget Honey, Boss.


    Ah, right. She should be able to help organize the markings. Are you two still going to the swamps? We havent found scythemaws anywhere yet, but with all these markings, they''ve got to be close, and the underswamps are the closest ce they could be hiding.


    Teemo nces at Yvonne while she walks, a hand on the wall as the feels out more gashes. Yeah, looks like, Boss. Well be careful.


    Youd better. We might need to make some kind of rowboat or something to travel in there, too. A fanboat is the peak of swamp travel, but we should probably crawl before we try to sprint.


    Ooh, thats a neat boat design, Boss.


    Hmm? says Yvonne, the odd statement pulling her from her focus for a moment. Teemo takes a few moments himself before he replies.


    The Boss has an idea for a boat to travel swamps. Its a t, shallow boat with kind of a windmill on the back. But instead of capturing the wind with the des, they <em>make</em> wind and push the boat along.


    Yvonne considers that as she returns to looking at the wall, and the slow transition from light mushroom forest to mushroom swamp. Its an interesting idea. I dont know if itll be practical for cave swamps, though.


    Itd still be neat to make. Teemo chuckles at himself after a few moments. Itd also be a long ways off to make it. Thing has his hand full enough already.


    Yvonne doesnt answer before shimmering wings can be seen, and Fluffles makes his entrance. He nods at the two as hends, and Teemo speaks up. Yvonne has found a lot of scythemaw markings on the walls here. Were going to be heading to the swamps, but you stay here for the others and show them what were looking for, then all go search the other deepyers. The Boss says hes seeing a lot of these markings, but itll be a lot simpler if we get a lot of scions on this, instead of just me trying to dictate what Thedeims seeing.


    Fluffles nods at that, flicking his tongue as he examines the wall. After a few moments, he hisses at Teemo, who frowns. Yeah, Fluffles says he tastes scythemaw. Its been a while, but thatst one made a pretty significant first impression.


    Oh joy. Well, better to have bad news with time to prepare, rather than it just showing up unexpectedly. Teemo nods at that, and soon he and Yvonne continue on their way. At the swamps, they cant make too much progress, unfortunately. Its almost all water and kinda mangrove-mushrooms. They look cool, but arent exactly the best things to try to traverse dangerous waters by.


    Yvonne still manages to pick out a few shallow paths, but its slow going. Meanwhile, my scions scour the deeper passages for more of the signs. Weve spotted a couple before, but never paid them much mind, thinking they were old and the scythemaws were more lone hunters. From the number of gashes everyone is finding now were looking, though Im getting a bit anxious.


    It takes Yvonne about half an hour before she gives up on trying to traverse the swamp on foot, and she and Teemo start working their way back. Ill talk to a shipwright and see if they have anything for a swamp.


    A canoe would probably be best. Nice and narrow for easy maneuvering, and easier to ditch than a kayak, says my voice, and Yvonne gives him a confused look.


    A what and a what?


    Oh, uh different boats. Thedeim says theyre usually made from single logs which would be pretty heavy,e to think of it.


    Yvonne shrugs. Boats arent exactly light. Ill ask the shipwright, though. Id really hate to get stuck because the boats too fat.


    They chat for a few more minutes until they get back to the spiderkin enve, which gives Coda the time to give me more bad news, which I ry to Teemo to pass on to Yvonne.


    Uh so. Theres markings all the way to, through, and past Violets area. Theres a big aquifer not far from her territory that also has a lot of scythemaw markings.


    Yvonne slowly blinks as connections seem to get made, and she nces at the lobster ponds. That could be bad. This much marking says its clearly their territory, but the markings are also old. Theres also two different areas with water for them to potentially hide in. I think theres two options


    She holds up a single finger: Option one: they live in one of the bodies of water and migrate periodically across thend, possibly to mate. The other option she points her finger at the lobster pond. Is that there are *two* scythemaw poptions and they migrate to mate, so they dont inbreed too badly. They might even mate onnd, who knows! One things very clear, though: theye through here a lot, for whatever reason. I dont know how long between active periods but my gut says it wont be too much longer. If the markings were new, theyd have just gone through. With the age, though I think were getting very close to a scythemaw migration being due.

 Chapter Eighty-Three

    Chapter Eighty-Three


    Hey Tr, says Teemo, deliberately waiting for her to start to take a sip of her tea before he speaks up. She jerks to a more attentive position and looks around, but doesnt bless him with the spit-take he so desperately wanted.


    Voice Teemo! she says as she stands and gives a small bow, which makes her miss him rolling his eyes at her formality. What can the Dungeoneers Guild do for you? Im still working on that information packet you asked about. I just need Inspector Tarl to check it over, she says, still ufortable talking with me.


    I dont get the feeling shes scared of me, at least. It feels more like shes scared of her boss, or scared to mess up the ount of some bigwig client. I can spot the extra books on her desk that look to be about etiquette with dungeons. While Im ying Sherlock with her and her desk, though, Teemo sticks to the business of why I asked him to talk to her.


    Do you know anything about scythemaws? Or tunnel horrors? he adds, liking my name for them a lot more than the colloquial term for them.


    Trs eyes widen a bit. <em>Tunnel Horrors</em>? Im sorry, I dont, but they dont sound pleasant. Has something happened?


    Eh more that something is <em>going</em> to happen. The Boss has been exploring outside his new expansion, and around Violet, and has been seeing a lot of signs of scythemaw activity, but no scythemaws. As far as we can tell, the various caves between the aquifer and underswamps are their breeding grounds. The markings and such are pretty old, too, so were expecting them to want to use those grounds fairly soon.


    Instead of answering, Tr starts digging through scrolls and books, mumbling to herself. She opens up one of the books about talking to dungeons and seems to be referring to it as she scribbles something illegible, and then shes off to look at a map one of the ratkin sold her, looks like.


    Its quickly apparent that, though shes taking the question seriously, shes also taking her duty to her guild seriously. Notes are written, scratched out, rewritten, references pulled out, put away, pulled out again


    Now I understand why you try to stay away from bureaucracy, Boss mutters Teemo before turning to leave. Yeah, I dont think were getting any answers from her today. Maybe go check and see if Yvonne is having any luck with her guild?


    Teemos not about to turn down a chance to go hang out with Yvonne ande to think of it, I havent visited the Delvers Guild yet. The birds on expedition dont count. It doesnt take Teemo long to get to the guild and slip inside. Right now, it looks a lot like a tavern, and is fairly busy. Looks like a lot of various parties are either winding down after some quest, or winding up to go do one.


    Oh hey, I even see the trio over there. I resist asking Teemo to go see what theyre up to, as were here on business, not simply exploring. He heads up the nearby stairs to what seems to be rooms for sleeping, so he heads for the stairs to go further up. Hes stopped by a bootnding right in front of him, quickly followed by a second boot and a voice connected to the person in the boots.


    At first, I think hes a tall goblin, but the features just dont add up. Goblins almost have little fangs that dont pass their lips, but orcs have definite tusks, for starters. He smiles at Teemo.


    Ah, You must be Teemo! At least I hope you are. I dont usually let rats stay long, heh.


    Uh yeah, Im Teemo. Is Yvonne up the stairs?


    He nods, but doesnt step aside just yet. Instead, he kneels and offers a finger to my Voice. Im Karn the Slight, leader of this guildhouse. Its nice to finally meet the Voice of Thedeim.


    Teemo slowly reaches out and shakes the finger, after I prod him to. Uh thanks?


    Karn stands. Did you spot that group downstairs? The ones that recently escaped you?


    Teemo nods. Yeah, they made it through the gauntlet and earned their freedom. I thought they were from a different guild, though?


    Karn sighs. They were, but they were dered dead when they didnte back. So I took them in. Theres no bad blood between you, is there?


    Teemo shakes his head. Nah, theyre fine. They were obnoxious at first, but Thedeim was able to beat some humility and cooperation into them.


    Karnughs and steps aside. Thats what they said, too, hah! I just wanted to take the chance to verify that with you. Librarys on the third floor. With that, the orc heads down the stairs. Wait wasnt he at the bar when Teemo came in?


    ...Im pretty sure he was, yeah, Boss.


    Then I think you might not be the only one around with shortcuts. Teemo doesnt dwell on that, and instead heads up the stairs, only to find Yvonne ring at the full shelving.


    Something wrong? asks Teemo, and Yvonne turns her re on him for a moment, before she softens and slumps slightly.


    Yes. Karn does his best to buy everything about monsters, delving, geography, and more. He wants to make sure his delvers are armed with knowledge as well as weapons and spells. The only problem is he hasnt had a guild librarian since he started. She waves a frustrated hand at the books. They might be in even worse disarray than Neverrests books!


    Oof, dont say that where Honey can hear. Shes liable to pull out her own secret raid boss mode and take over the ce. Teemoughs, and after rying my joke, Yvonne joins in.


    But seriously, Teemo. Its a disaster! Im pretty sure I can find what I need, but itll take time.


    You have your nights pretty free, Yvonne. Maybe you could start organizing the ce?


    Oof thatll take a long time to do.


    I think she could get Honey to help. I think I can keep her from obsessing over the library here if I keep reminding her about our library, not to mention her researchb. The ratlings should be able to make a card catalog, too, so people can actually quickly ess what they need.


    The Boss thinks you can get Honey to help at night, when her other duties wont demand her attention. Itll still take time, but not nearly as much.


    Yvonne smiles at that idea. Thatd be nice. Once its organized, I might even act as the librarian here at night; reshelving books, putting new ones in their proper ce, and making notes about the gaps in the knowledge kept here.


    Cool. Ill help you find the thing on scythemaws today, and well see about making this an actual library maybe tomorrow. With that, the two get to work, and I turn my attention to trying to prepare for the scythemaw problem.


    Probably most pressing is making sure my spiderkin are going to be alright. Aranya is working with them to ensure they have most of their residences built more towards the ceiling than the ground. I think Frn was more inclined to fight any scythemaws that try to start trouble, but after Aranya told them about how much of a fight just one gave Tiny, they seem to ept that discretion can be the better part of valor at times.


    Im d, because Im still not sure what to actually do about the impending scythemaw invasion. On the one hand, sure, theyre big and dangerous. They even count as delvers, so Id get boatloads of mana from killing them.


    But I dont really <em>want</em> to kill them. Killing one thats chasing someone: sure, self defense right there. Killing a bunch of them who are just looking to make babies: not so much. Besides, I dont know what they might be keeping at bay. Big predators tend to be a good way to keep other things away. The scythemaws are scary, but seem to mostly keep to themselves.


    I dont want to go and destroy the ecology in the caves just because Im scared of an overgrown alligator/insect thing. People may have killed wolves for the threat they pose, but people also domesticated the things also for the threat they pose.


    Which is another opportunity, too. Im pretty sure actual alligators like toy their eggs on the shore and then just wait for the babies toe back to them. We might be able to steal a clutch or two to try to raise. Thats a lot of mights and maybes, though. For all I know, they give live birth by the babies eating their way out of their mom! Hopefully not, because ew, but Im pretty sure at least one insect does that, and the scythemaws have those big bug mandibles. I dunno, still not a biologist.


    No, Im an engineer! So how do I build a solution to this? I dont think its going to be as simple as a salmon slide thing that lets them get around dams so they can spawn, not that <em>that</em> is a simple thing in the first ce! Even if I do dig out a bypass for them, I think they actually need drynd to do their thing. There will probably be fighting for mates, fighting for good spots to make a nest, fighting for everything, really. Somehow, I doubt their courtship involves just peacefully making the best wall-marking to attract a mate.


    Still, might as well get that project at least started. Im hopeful Yvonne will be able to say we have plenty of time to make the bypass, but I seriously doubt well be that lucky. And I do mean <em>we</em>. For me and everyone in my dungeon, itll be simple enough to just get out of the way and clean up the mess after, like dealing with gigantic army ants.


    But Violet is going to be in some serious trouble. Shes been working on getting her centipedes to dig out a proper core room for her in the ceiling, instead of the little space Teemo made for her. She seems to find the ce weird to be in, which I dont me her for. Everyone else just goes through them in a couple minutes at most, but she was nted in one for a while. She''s technically out of the inted space now, but it will take her more work to get a proper sanctum made.


    But all her spawners and nodes are on the floor. And she seems to be just off the main path of the migration/breeding ground. Thankfully, shes not panicking, which is great. She seems to be taking it as the proof of the wisdom of getting her core up off the ground and hidden. She seems confident Ill be able to keep her safe.


    So that makes one of us.

 Chapter EIghty-Four

    Chapter EIghty-Four


    I have an idea for how to help Violet. Its not exactly the kind of thing I think my scions would expect of me, which is actually kinda hrious. Theyre all expecting something big andplex, or some strange concept that makes no sense to them. My idea is probably going to disappoint them for how simple it is and maybe for how long it took me toe up with it.


    Its a door. Just build a big stone door at the entrance to her main cave. It wont even lock. I cant lock my door, after all, so Im not going to provoke the system by trying a work around. It hasnt popped anything up at me in a while, so I dont know if its giving me the silent treatment, or if Im just behaving better now.


    But yeah, I want to build a door for Violet. Just a simple thing that opens outward. To a scythemaw, it should just look like a weird wall. Itll probably get a couple gashes in it, but that should be all they do. Her cave isnt really connected anywhere else, its not a thoroughfare, just a little cave on the side.


    Of course, <em>building</em> a door for her is another matter. In theory its pretty simple: big hinges, two stone bs, bam easy. In practice: I need to make hinges strong enough to support a huge b of rock and still be able to move with the friction of all that weight. And I kinda need it to open outward, not inward. If it opens inward, a scythemaw could just push it open, which would be bad.


    Ill probably end up using something like a vault hinge for the two doors At least I think vault doors work like this. No, not a big gear that has to be rolled out of the way. Lower-case v vault, like a bank. Basically, one entire side will be a hinge. Lots of points to hold weight, lots of stability. The downside is needing everything to line up perfectly to open smoothly, but I dont think I have much other option.


    I wonder if metal or stone would work better for the hinge. This will require some testing


    <strong>Tarl</strong>


    The elven dungeon inspector smiles as Fourdockes into view from atop the final hill in his way. The travel to and from the Southwood is long, but it was worth it. The Southwood needs some help with the new invaders its somehow attracted, and Thedeim seems just the type to be willing to lend a hand.


    He smiles as he imagines the crazy things Thedeim might do to aid the Southwood. He especially enjoys the absurdity of the idea of using bats to carry hands to drop on whatever foes need to be dealt with, literally lending the Southwood hundreds or thousands of hands, instead of just one.


    The image, along with home in sight, helps put a spring in his step, and soon hes opening the door to the Dungeoneers Guild. At her desk, sits Tr, looking a bit sleep-deprived, but not too worse for wear.


    Thedeim keeping you up at night, Tr? he says with a smile as he moves to rx in a chair. She sighs before answering.


    Only tangentially. Hes been busy since you left, but hes easy enough to work with, for the most part. Whats been keeping me up is trying to learn and follow the regtions for actually interacting with a dungeon! She res at the pile of regtory books stacked on one side of her desk, like everything is their fault. To be fair, it mostly is.


    Tarl justughs at that. Thats why inspectors have to apprentice before they can work on their own. It takes experience to understand which regtions can be bent, which ones to follow, and which ones to ignorepletely.


    Tr looks scandalized just by the thought of ignoring a regtion, so Tarl continues before she can work herself up into a huff. Whats he been wanting to talk to you about?


    He wants information about <em>everything</em>! He wants to know about other dungeons, the surrounding area, the kingdom, <em>beyond</em> the kingdom


    Well, at least theres only two dungeons to tell him about.


    This time its Tr who has the mischievous smirk. True, but thats only because <em>hes</em> the expert on the third one thats shown up.


    Tarl freezes for a moment, then leans forward on his chair. A new dungeon? Do I need to go and inspect it?


    Eventually, but its not too pressing. Thedeims Voice told me he found a new dungeon in the deeps, and it only recently graduated from being nascent. Dungeon Thedeim has been guiding it, and Rhonda and Freddie have been acting as provisional inspectors. Ive been teaching them what I can of the basics, and everything seems to be going well with it so far.


    Give me details! What spawners does it have? How big is it? Does it have any scions yet? <em>Whats Thedeim been teaching it?!</em> he presses, emphasizing thest question.


    It has centipede and fungal denizens so far. Yes, fungal <em>denizens</em>, not nodes. It does have an animal node, though. She pauses to rifle through some papers before finding the report. Cave rabbits, to be specific. Theyve attracted deep stoats, but Thedeim has been helping the dungeon deal with them. Ah, yes. Hes also made her his protege.


    Tarl rolls his eyes at that. Because we need more dungeons like Thedeim. Tr smirk and nods.


    I think we do, yes.


    After a few moments thought, Tarl agrees. ...yeah, we do. Hes hard on the paperwork, but thats really it.


    Youre telling me, says Tr, nodding at the stack of scrolls on a different part of her desk. Ive beenpiling as much information as I can, but Im uncertain what knowledge I should actually offer.


    Tarl gets up and looks at her desk. Do you have any reports on Thedeim? I can rx and look them over now, and go inspect him and the new dungeon tomorrow.


    Tr stands and hands him a couple scrolls before heading towards the back rooms. Would you like any tea? A few gatherers have given me a nice blend that goes well with the bee scions honey. Its somehow both rxing and focusing. I feel like Ive been running on nothing else for thest week.


    Sure, Ill try some, he says as he epts the scrolls and gets to reading. Hmm good, none of his denizens nor dwellers were involved with the new dungeon for a while mentor and protege rtionship established looking like a toybox in training, which could be interesting. Theres a lot of good stuff to be had that far down, but most dungeons that deep are belligerent at best.


    Wolf scion is a Warden, interesting. I havent seen that title before. Usually itd be a Jailor or maybe Inquisitor in charge of a prison. Jello has been seen on the surface? Odd, but shes peaceful enough, and earned enough of a reputation among the Crystal Shield followers that people leave her alone


    Expeditions have been changing? Strange but that lines up with wanting more information. Bee scion is involved in them, seems to be gathering samples of all sorts of things? Ill need to look into that tomorrow, then. Ah, thank you, he says with a smile at Tr as she hands him a hot cup of tea. He takes a sip and is greeted with a gentle sweetness alongside a bright and acidic undertone.


    Ah, that <em>is</em> nice, he says, and Tr nods.


    Anything of particr note? she asks, and he shakes his head.


    Nothing so far, but Im not too deep into it yet.


    She leaves him to his reading as she organizes her desk.


    He takes another sip before returning to the scrolls. Let me see, where was I ah. Scion activity. Uptick in lightning affinity denizens, ant scion has likely expanded theb. He pulls out his note-stone and speaks into it. Note: attempt to barter information to get a look at the secretb as well as Thedeims core. Oh, and the bee scion''s work with expeditions. With that, he sets the stone on hisp as he resumes perusing.


    Raven Scions new titles recorded, do not engage inbat. Heughs at how understated the official record is on what Poe can do. Oh, a new scion? An earth elemental scion named sh? Not Bash? He looks over to Tr who just shakes her head at his suggestion of a typo.


    Thedeim probably has something weird nned for him already, then. He squints as he looks at the next entry, and reads it aloud. Rocky: zombie scion, boxer. Affinities: Fate, Fire, <em>Ice</em>?


    Tr just nods at that, but Tarl frowns. He has ice affinity now?


    She gives him a confused look. Hasnt he always?


    No. When I tested him, he only had fire. Have other ice affinity denizens been spotted? He flips through the scrolls while Tr thinks, before she shakes her head. I dont believe so. There have been some with metal transmutations, but nothing else with ice.


    Tarl frowns at the scrolls for a few more seconds. Hes done something that Im pretty sure is impossible. Tr smirks at that, but it fades as the Inspector doesnt seem to share in the humor. Ice and fire are opposing affinities. A scion with both is rare, but not unheard of. A scion <em>gaining</em> an opposing affinity, however, <em>is</em>. If it was alchemical, wed see other denizens with it, too. With this, though


    He picks up his note stone once more. Note: ask and barter with Thedeim for the knowledge of what hes done with Rocky to grant him an opposing affinity.

 Chapter Eighty-Five

    Chapter Eighty-Five


    The birds are making a racket, so that can only mean one thing: Elf Guy is back! I should get the aranea to make him a hat or maybe a shirt that says Elf Guy on it to give to him. It looks like hes the one bearing gifts today, though. Hes got a backpack on, and I can tell theres books and stuff in there just from the shapes.


    Heh, I should get Poe to teach the ravens how to say Elf Guy, too. But that cer. The birds settle down and get back to their various jobs as he steps onto the porch, and he looks at the notice board before clearing his throat.


    Dunge-


    Whats up, Tarl? interrupts Teemo with a cheeky grin. With the growing concerns of a scythemaw apocalypse in my basement, I think everyone is looking for a bit of an excuse to have some fun and keep from just worrying in circles.


    The inspector gives Teemo an exaggerated re for a few seconds before cracking and smiling at the rat. Hello Teemo. Tr tells me youve been busy while I was away.


    Heh, yeah. The Boss gets bored easy, so hes always up to <em>something</em>. You probably want to start with Violet?


    Tarl gives him a confused look. Violet? Did you get another Resident, too?


    Teemo chuckles and shakes his head. Nah, thats what the Boss calls the new dungeon downstairs.


    Ah. While that dungeon <em>is</em> one of my concerns, its not my biggest. What have you been doing with Rocky?


    Its Teemos turn to look confused. What do you mean?


    I mean that, not only is he a zombie with fire affinity, but hes also picked up ice affinity somehow. That <em>should</em> be impossible, he states, staring at Teemo like a teacher whose student has given a suspiciously-correct answer.


    I had suspected my experiments with magic would shake things up, and now Tarls confirmed it. Sorry buddy, but thats need-to-know information. Come back when youre a Resident and maybe Ill share the secret.


    Sorry, Tarl. Boss says thats a secret.


    Hmph. At least he understands the potency of that kind of thing. Its not just some new affinity potion, like the lightning elixir, then?


    Heh, nope. Im pretty sure I <em>can</em> say that Rocky isnt the only one working on expanding their affinities. So dont be too concerned if more pop up. Heh, or if Rocky gains more.


    Tarl just sighs and shakes his head. A lich with arcane power wouldnt be a surprise but you just <em>had</em> to figure out some way to make a <em>zombie</em> do it instead. He grumbles for a few more moments before stepping back into his Inspector shoes. Then my other concern is exchanging information. Tr says youve been wanting to know more about whats going on around Fourdock and beyond. Additionally, the Southwood has requested you send an Envoy at your earliest convenience. It has somehow attracted more and stronger invaderstely. After hearing how you were able to handle Neverrest, the White Stag of the Southwood has asked to normalize rtions and to see if you are willing to lend aid.


    A dungeon wants to ally with us? Where is it? Somewhere to the south?


    Tarl shakes his head. Its to the north. Its called the Southwood because its in the southern-most area of the Green Sea forest.


    Hmm Im all for making friends, but I dont know how much I can offer in aid to him. Id probably be able to send some tundra wolves, but I think anything else will have to wait until spring.


    Boss says he can send some tundra wolves pretty quickly, but anything else will have to wait until after everything thaws.


    Tarl nods. That should be fine. Hes not expecting <em>anything</em> until spring anyway, and is confident he can hold out at least that long. The other piece of information Im hoping for he shifts his pack to draw attention to it. I have a lot of information, but I need something in return, Thedeim. Can I barter this pack full of knowledge for ess to your core and other secret rooms?


    Hmm. I really would like to have that pile of info on his back, but can I show him my core? I trust <em>him</em>, but Im a lot less trusting of a big guild that specifically peddles knowledge.


    Why? asks my Voice.


    Because the Guild gets nervous without being able to check a dungeon core. And there are theories that core shape and color influence how a dungeon works. I can vow to not give away the location of the core or other secret rooms, and only give a basic description of the core itself, he offers.


    I consider that for several seconds, before giving Teemo my answer.


    Come back tonight. The Boss will let you in to see his core, and the other secret rooms, too.


    Tarl smiles at that and shucks his pack, setting it on the porch. I know it takes a lot of trust to let me see it, so I will trust you and pay you now. With that settled, Id like to inspect Violet and then probably you, too.


    That works. Follow me, says Teemo as he opens a shortcut for Tarl to use, and they quickly arrive at Violets cave. Immediately, Tarl looks confused.


    What are you doing?


    Building a door. Ill exin whyter, answers Teemo. He lets Tarl do his job, and just watches as he pulls out his recording rock.


    New dungeon is deep underground and is the protege of the established dungeon Thedeim. Some influence can be seen, but nothing that seems domineering. With that, he steps inside and looks around. Confirm centipede and fungal denizens. Fungal denizens are odd, but not unheard of, especially for deeper dungeons.


    The centipedes watch him for a few minutes before deciding to ignore him as he wanders the cave that Violet inhabits. Centipedes appear non-threatening, despite size. Cave rabbit node spotted,rger centipedes likely a reaction to the stoats it has drawn. No sign of core. He looks around and even up, but doesnt spot anything, even with his experienced senses.


    Mentor likely told protege to hide the core. Will ask for description of itter. He plucks a mushroom and nods as he puts it in his pocket. Experience gained for taking a mushroom, could be an even better ce for new adventurers than Thedeims manor. Dungeon appears to be a burgeoning toybox, likely intending to rely on mentor for protection. Considering mentor, though any scions should be avoided. Speaking of He looks around some more, but cant find a scion, either.


    No scions apparent. May be in secret sanctum, or possibly doesnt have any yet. He nces out the entrance, where Teemo sits waiting for him. Unlikely, but possible. Dungeon seems safe to delve, if sparse at the moment of inspection. Will follow up soon. With that, he pockets the stone and returns to Teemo.


    Does it have any scions yet?


    Right I knew I had been forgetting something in my advice for her. I give her a quest to make a scion as Teemo chuckles.


    Not yet, but the Boss just suggested she get one. Hes been a bit distracted with the new expansion and the spiderkin enve. And the other problem he wanted to ask you about.


    Another problem? I thought Fate affinity dungeons were supposed to have <em>good</em> luck, answers Tarl with a smile, and Teemo chuckles in return.


    Well, we keep surviving. Id say thats pretty lucky.


    I hope its nothing like Neverrest. He pauses at that idea. ...its not another murderous dungeon, is it?


    No. Thatd be a fairly simple solution. Here, let me show you. With that, Teemo scurries up the nearest wall and into a particrly-deep gash. This is the problem.


    ...moss?


    Teemo shakes his head and motions at both ends of the deep gouge in the wall. This slice in the wall. Theres a lot of them. Do you know what made them?


    Tarl examines the room, noticing the cuts in the wall and their age. No what made them?


    Scythemaws. Tunnel Horrors. Big mean lizard things with mandibles. Yvonne thinks theyre mostly-aquatic, because theres two big areas of water down here: the aquifer over there, and the underswamps over by the spiderkin enve. There are markings all through the caverns and tunnels between the two. Were pretty sure theye out every so often. And its been a while, so were about due for them toe out.


    Tarl looks concerned at that, before looking uncertain. But isnt that a simple solution? Just fight them? It wont be easy, but its notplicated.


    Theyre not monsters. Thedeim says that, if he destroys the apex predator in the area, the ecosystem could copse or something even nastier might move in.


    The elf thinks that over before slowly nodding. If you cant just kill them that <em>does</em>plicate things Does he have a n?


    Part of one. The door for Violet is part of it. Hes mostly hoping to just stay out of the way and let them do whatever they do quickly. The spiderkin might be in trouble, though.


    Right, you said theyre near the other body of water. Ill inspect the new expansion and see if I can introduce myself. The two take a quick shortcut to the caverns, and Tarl pulls out his stone to take notes as he looks around.


    Average encounter level higher in caverns than even in the crypts. Dungeon continues to follow an idea of progression. New spawner is earth elementals, not earth spirits. Stcsprites abound, as do more valuable mining nodes. Mining guild will probably want to post to the adventurers guild for escorts. He lowers the stone and looks to Teemo. New scion?


    sh, an earth elemental. The Boss says hes on his way to bing a bard. Hes making a few special things for him, too.


    Scion confirmed to be an earth elemental dubbed sh, nned to be a bard. Special equipment also nned. Advise against attempting to fight scion for said equipment, whatever it ends up being.


    Before too long, they get to the enve, and things are busy. The spiderkin have their bar most of the way full, and Im not sure whats keeping it from finishing. Their forges are basic, but functional; built high up the wall to be out of the reach of scythemaws. The ponds seem to be doing fine. Maybe they need to actually get the things to have babies before theyll count as having domesticated them? And then theyll probably have a little ceremony to finish it off, like the ratkin did.


    The bustlees from what looks like a fresh hunt gone right. Tarl can see a dead scythemaw in the enve, even past the tarant guards who silently bar his way. At least theyre being chill about not letting him in. Theyve just done the ssic of crossing their spears in his way, rather than pointing the sharp bits at him.


    Still howd they get a scyhemaw?


    Howd you guys get a scythemaw? asks Teemo. The guards share a nce before one speaks.


    Hunters ambushed it at the shore. Frn wishes no interruptions while they prepare the meat, hide, bones, and fangs. They look at Tarl with mild suspicion, and Teemo sighs and hops off his shoulder.


    Im gonna try to get some better info out of them, but I dont think they want to share with you, Tarl. Come back tonight, yeah? You should get to see the core and other rooms then, at least if were not up to our ears in scythemaws.

 Chapter Eighty-Six

    Chapter Eighty-Six


    Thankfully, it doesnt seem like the scythemaws are gearing up for anything just yet. My spoderfolk wanted to confirm if the scythemaws were even a thing, so they started baiting the shoreline. It would have been quite a fight if they werent prepared, but they were. ording to their retelling, the thing was pretty much dead before it even knew it was under attack. And now that they have a corpse to poke and prod at, they seem to being to the same conclusion I have: one isnt too bad, but several could be <em>real</em> bad.


    I kinda wish they hadnt killed one, but alls well that ends well, I suppose. Despite having killed one without too much effort, it was still the best-case scenario, and Frn is smart enough to understand that, at least. Theyre still going to keep an eye on the swamps, but I dont think they are expecting to keep scythemaw on the menu.


    I think they were considering trying to use the mandibles for the axe, but the shape is all wrong. Maybe theyll just use them as a trophy, or ask for them to be transmuted to metal for swords. Whatever their ns for them, theyre working on butchering the big beastie and processing the meat. I think smoking it is their best option for now. Salting it might be the ssic, but I dont think we have enough salt.


    Im sure the town has plenty, but even my ratkin have only just normalized trade rtions. My spiders still need to officially be dwellers before they can expect to trade in the kind of bulk theyd need to salt the whole scythemaw.


    Anyway, Ive been getting everything ready for Tarl toe visit the sanctum and see my core. Aranya and Yvonne say its pretty cool, but theyre kinda biased, heh. I think its pretty cool, too, and Im clearly not biased in the slightest. Mostly, weve just been organizing the secret rooms a bit and tidying the ce up some.


    Its not exactly a <em>mess</em>, but it is lived in and worked in. The alchemyb is basically running non-stop, Thing is doing a lot of work in the secret enchantingb, the war room has expanded quite a bit since Ist actually needed it. It used to just be a map on the wall. Now its its own entire room, with a model of the town on it, and various other maps on shelves. Poe and Leo have been doing good work.


    I still havent gotten proper beds for Yvonne and Aranya, but they both enjoy the modified hammocks, so there hasnt been much of a need. Id like to stuff a slime into a mattress for them, but wed need something slime-proof and two slimes who would be willing to do that. I bet some would volunteer, but even with how mentally slow the slimes are, I think theyll get pretty bored pretty quickly as mattress stuffing.


    Tarl arrives at the gate exactly on time, and I send Teemo to greet him.


    Heya Tarl. Ready to see behind the scenes?


    Almost, Teemo. First Tarl clears his throat and stands straight. I, Tarl, the Unseen de, swear on my honor as a Dungeon Inspector to record only that knowledge which Thedeim deems fit. In no way will I pass on what he wishes to keep secret.


    <strong>Impose Gaeas? Y/N?</strong>


    Oh wow, hes serious about not betraying my trust with this. For a moment, I consider selecting no. I <em>do</em> trust him, especially after this, but it somehow reminds me of how Tr was acting around me. I might consider him and her to both be my friends, but they do work for someone who doesnt know me from a hole in the ground. Better to dot my Ts and cross my Is when ites to the ODA.


    <strong>Gaeas Imposed</strong>


    Tarl rxes a little at that and smiles at Teemo. Now Im ready. Most of the official stuff is just busy work, but sometimes a regtion is passed thats actually a good idea, heh. So, howre we going to do this?


    The Boss wants me to shortcut you to the entrance and you can walk in from there. With that, my Voice jumps to Tarls shoulder, and the two are quickly off to the spiderir.


    The various spiders all look at the elf warily as he enters reality proper, but dont stop him as he looks around. Ah, it <em>is</em> in here somewhere. Its a good spot to hide the entrance. Even a strong party wouldnt want to go wandering around in a spiderir when they only know of one entrance. Its a good way to get trapped.


    He slowly walks around, looking for the entrance on his own. By now, there are a lot of different rocks that are covered in webs and eggs, so the fake rock is hidden well among doppelgangers. Even with his elf-eyes and other senses, he cant pick out the actual entrance.


    Wheres the entrance? I can feel the core is closer in this room, but I cant feel the path to it.


    Thats because the Boss went through a lot of effort to make it hard to find, heh. To your left, four boulders over.


    He follows the instructions, and even staring at the fake rock, he cant seem to figure out how to get past it. Is there a switch?


    Teemoughs. Nope! Just pick it up!


    Tarl gives Teemo a suspicious look, but moves to do as told. As soon as he touches the edge of the rock, he realizes something is up. It only takes him a few more moments to lift the silk and see the passage beyond. He reces it and looks closer, and eventually gives a low whistle of respect.


    Fully-mundane camouge? Well not <em>fully</em>, but no illusions or anything. The only magic is to make the mana flow around the rock and entrance like they were mundane stone. Very subtle. He nods in approval before ducking through the cloth, and making sure its properly in ce, before he takes in the small hallway.


    Ive had to expand the secret base quite a bit since I first made it. It used to open practically right into the sanctum, but now its a decently-long hallway. Its pretty in, too. Maybe I should see if the ants or ratlings want to try carving something in the walls?


    The first arched doorway leads to the alchemyb, on the left. Tarl peeks inside, then steps inside once he sees theres room to. Ants cover practically every surface thats not covered in alchemy. Its quite the scene of organized chaos. He doesnt go and look at the various stuff going on though. Hes probably not an alchemist. He, instead, walks over to the barrels and cautiously peers into them.


    What are these? he asks, looking confused at the contents.


    The yellow is go juice, or bottled lightning. Thats how we get lightning affinity on the denizens. The Boss is considering trying to give it to sh, too.


    A lightning bard? asks the elf, an eyebrow raised, before chuckling. Not the strangest thing hes done. And the other two?


    The metallic stuff is liquid steel. It transmutes stuff to metal. Were not quite sure if it grants a metal affinity, or just transmutes. A couple ants tried to drink it and it didn''t go so well for them. So were only dipping things into it for now. And the red barrel isnt blood, its healing essence. Thats how the Boss made the healing ants, and hes working on healing <em>slimes</em>, too.


    Is it granting life affinity, then?


    We dont think so, but we havent had enough of it to do much testing until recently. Queens been inspired by something with quartz, so thats been her main focus for new stuff.


    How much does Thedeim want others to know about his alchemy progress?


    As little as possible. Old Staiven has a sample of the go juice, so you can probably record whatever you know about that one, but the others should be kept a bit closer to the vest. Especially the transmutation elixir. Queen was inspired by something the Boss told her about how reality works to make that one.


    Tarls eyes widen at that, but he just nods instead of asking questions. Ill leave the metal one out of the report fully. The bottled lightning and life essence are not too far out of what dungeons with ess to alchemy have produced.


    He pulls out a notebook instead of his rock, and a charcoal stick, and jots down a few quick notes, before returning to the hall and going through the first door on the right: The Secret Enchanting Lab.


    Honestly, the crystal array in the publicb is still better, but the one in here is cheaper and easier to rece when something explodes. Which has happened several times. Tarl runs a hand over some of the scorch marks as Thing watches... or does whatever he does to sense things.


    What made these marks?


    Failed experiments in countering lifedrain. Thing blew three arrays before epting he cant just pick them apart like with a lot of other enchants. At least he knows what to look for in ones he cant do that with now.


    Thing slumps slightly at the retelling of his failures, and Tarl just chuckles. At least he learned from his mistakes. Ive had enchanters t out tell me some enchantment is impossible even after tripping over the same magical trap a dozen times.


    His mirth falters a bit as he sees his bag of holding next to a chalkboard with the runes sketched out. Is that my bag of holding?


    It was, but its ours now, heh, says Teemo with a smile, and Tarl soon smiles at the situation as well.


    What are you doing with it?


    Were trying to figure out the spatial magics that make it work. And Thing is trying to teach it to me. The Boss says something about how a bag of holding works will let me expand my affinities.


    Like Rocky?


    Yep. Probably dont let that tidbit out either.


    Tarl just nods and absently takes a few more notes, mostly about the secretb being used for research into countering lifedrinking. Well, take good care of that bag. It cost me a lot. I liked that bag Teemoughs as they exit and take the stairs at the end of the hall down, leading to the secret war room.


    Thats a detailed model, says the inspector simply, and Teemo nods. Yeah, Poes been working his tail feathers off to get the details for this right. Theres also a bunch of maps for further out and down in the various drawers.


    Tarl opens a couple drawers and nces inside. Nothing too out of the ordinary in here, seems like.


    Leos working on getting more detail for the other maps, too. The Boss wants to know whats living out there, instead of just the topography.


    Makes sense. Ive seen some dungeons have hugeplexes for their war rooms, with little enchanted figurines for particr people of interest to walk around and keep up to date in real time.


    Thats kinda creepy.


    Im actually surprised you dont have something like that for Freddie and Rhonda. And me.


    Teemoughs again. The Boss doesnt need to keep that close an eye on everyone! Besides, its not like he can react quickly enough for that to make much difference.


    Across from the war room is the apartments, I suppose? Theres a dining area, cooking area, the secret library is in there too, as well as the sleeping quarters behind onest set of doors. Tarl looks over the books for a few moments before nodding.


    Neverrests books, and a few notebooks I cant read?


    Heh, thats the Boss writing. He says he can read it, and Honey and Queen can make it out, but I can only tell what it says because Im his Voice. Boss has <em>terrible</em> handwriting.


    Tarl just slowly nods at that, then looks at thest doors. Thats the sanctum?


    Teemo nods. And Aranya and Yvonnes rooms. The Boss offered them both separate rooms, but they both like sleeping close to his core.


    Tarl nods at that as he heads for the doors. Thats pretty normal. Residents have a closer bond to their dungeon than anything except the scions. As he opens the doors, he can see the truth of his statement. Yvonne and Aranya both stand just inside the Sanctum, wearing their spidersilk clothing and their scythmaw swords at their hips.


    Inspector, says Yvonne with a slight nod of her head, and he nods slightly at her in return.


    You will not harm our Sanctuary? says Aranya with full seriousness, and the elf nods once more.


    Hes taken a gaeas to only record what Thedeim will let him. Its alright, reassures my Voice, and the two share a look before stepping aside to let him in. Yvonne breaks from the pomp and circumstance first.


    Youre our first visitor to the core, Tarl. We had toe up with some kind of ceremony or honor guard.


    Maybe I should get a staff or something like Larx has ponders Aranya as she thinks about their duties to guard my core.


    Nah, the sword and silk looks good. Maybe a ne or a little tiara or something to show off your high priestesslyness? suggests Teemo. Yvonne sniggers at that, and Aranya smiles, though it bes contemtive as she chews on the idea.


    Tarl, for his part, it looking at the thick silk curtain keeping my core from sight. Do I just walk past it, or


    I cut off Teemo before he can joke about how looking directly at my core would melt his face or something. He sulks a little before speaking. You can just pull it aside. It parts in the middle. We put the curtain in to make it easier to sleep near.


    My Residents let him open the curtain to my core, revealing my kinda boringness, in my opinion. Maybe Im just used to looking at it. My core sits in kind of a giant egg cup. Im over a yard across now, my sphere slowly swirling with various shades of orange. There areyers to the swirls, as well as little sparkles. I think I look like an over-filled sphericalvamp that ate a glitterbomb.


    Tarl just stares for about a minute, before shaking himself and speaking up. Core is an orange sphere with swirling depths. Close to four feet in diameter, approximately. Emits soft light to match the movements inside. Rests in receptacle. He looks to Teemo to see if he has any objections to him writing that down, and I dont mind if he records that. So he does.


    So, whats the core theory thing say about the Boss?


    Hmm?


    You said theres theories about how core shape and stuff determines things about the dungeon. Whats Thedeims core say about him?


    The elf shrugs. I dont put much stock in the theory. Ive seen a lot of cores, and at best, it gives vague guidelines about how a dungeon is and will progress. Its a lot easier and more reliable to get to know the dungeon, rather than trying to look at the core and guess.


    Aw, thats boring, says Teemo, and my Residents agree. Tarl just chuckles.


    Thats most of Dungeoneer work, really. Anyway, I should get out of your hair and get to bed. Late night inspections arent the worst of my duties, but I still have to get up at a decent time and report back to Tr.


    Teemo nods. Ill get you back to the gates in a jiffy, he deres and points the way from Tarls shoulder. The elf gives my core onest look before going, his expression unreadable.

 Chapter Eighty-Seven

    Chapter Eighty-Seven


    Aranya and Yvonne exchange a look when Teemo leads Tarl out, and its not difficult to tell what theyre thinking. Something spooked him, and spooked him good. I just cant imagine what. He was unhappy about the affinity broadening, but I think this is something well beyond that.


    Teemo quickly returns once Tarl is gone, and he doesnt waste any time.


    What do you think has him worried? he asks my Residents, but they can both only shrug.


    Whatever it was, it was in as soon as heid eyes on the core, points out Yvonne, and Aranya nods before giving her two cents.


    Nothing about the core seems out of line with the legends, but I havent seen any other cores to be able topare. The inspector has probably seen more cores than even most in his field. Hes pretty knowledgeable, it seems.


    Yeah, which makes me concerned. Do I have core cancer or something? I think hed tell us if that was the case. I just hope that whatever scared him is something he can keep secret. If he entered a gaeas with me over information, hes probably entered one with his guild, too.


    <strong>Tarl</strong>


    The elf lets his feet slowly guide him home as his mind races. Even sote at night, Fourdock is safe enough that he doesnt have to worry about potential muggers trying to stop him and generally low enough level he wouldnt need to worry about muggers who actually might try.


    Its part of why he likes it here. Its quiet, for the most part. Sure, there was Neverrest, and Hullbreak, but the cemetery was mostly contained. Even with the painful memories from Hullbreak, its content to keep to itself and ignore the world around it.


    After what he saw in Thedeims core, though he worries for the peace and quiet of not only the town, but the kingdom as well. Maybe even the world. He shakes himself to keep his imagination from running away from him, and tries to process what he saw in the core.


    He had heard that Fate affinity dungeons could produce visions, but he never expected Thedeim to give him one. If only he could fathom what he saw. It started simple enough. Theyered swirling orange depths almost seemed to part, and showed him hes not sure.


    Perhaps even stranger is that it didnt seem to be deliberately done. Teemo didnt give him any cryptic or sarcastic clues to what he saw. There were no knowing looks from the Residents from having their own visions. Hes just d they didnt try to press why he needed to go. It wasnt his most subtle of exits, but he needed to get some fresh air and try to make sense of what he saw.


    It hurts to try to remember the details, so Tarl tries to focus more on the big picture. Teemo has talked about being hurt from trying to understand some of the things Thedeim does and thinks, and the elf isnt in a hurry to test how resistant he is to mental damage. So what <em>can</em> he understand about what he saw?


    Danger, for starters. The talk of expanding the affinities avable to his scions may only be scratching the surface of the danger that Thedeim poses. And yet, despite the intense feeling of <em>danger</em>, he gets very little feeling of <em>threat</em> from the dungeon. After all his experience inspecting, he trusts his gut when it splits hairs like that. It was almost the opposite as with Neverrest,e to think of it. The cemetery dungeon always gave off an aura of threat, but very little actual danger to back the threat up, scions aside.


    His thoughts continue to race as he enters his small home, and his body practically moves on its own as he gets out of his work clothes and into his breeches to sleep. He closes his eyes, trying to get some rest, even as his mind continues to race.


    Neverrest wanted destruction, but never truly had the power to back it up. So does Thedeim have that kind of power? It doesnt take him long to admit that yes he does. Just the <em>number</em> of scions the dungeon has gives him incredible power, and <em>none</em> of them are slouches when ites to strength! And thats just the known capabilities. Hell be shocked if the other scions dont have secret levels of power they can tap into like Poe did.


    Even Teemo probably has a few tricks to let him punch well above his level, and thats not even counting the insanity of expanding affinities!


    He grumbles and tosses in bed, hoping maybe hell find afortable enough position to take his mind off of Thedeim, but hes not too hopeful. He tries a different tactic to get <em>some</em> sleep tonight, and tries to focus more on the mundanity of most of the secret areas in the dungeon.


    The alchemyb, while busy, isnt anything for him to get too worked up over. Even with the cryptic remark about the metal transmutation elixir, hes not too worried about it. Petrification is a rare thing, but not outside reason. Curing being metallic should be simr to curing petrification, and thats even assuming Thedeim would ever use the stuff like that.


    It seems a bit difficult to manufacture, so even if he <em>did</em> want to fill pitfalls with the liquid, itll be a long time before hell have enough to do that, and he doubts Thedeim would want a trap like that.


    The enchantingb is also something to help ease his mind. Maybe Thedeim will stay focused on a counter to lifedrinking. Itll probably keep him out of trouble for a bit, and if he actually seeds, thatll be a positive for the world as a whole.


    He rxes slightly at that thought, finally letting some of the tension out of his muscles. He can feel his mind finally starting to drift, and he nudges it to Thedeims core itself. If anything will help him sleep, itll be thinking about the inanity of coreposition theory.


    He chuckles in bed as he thinks about the arguments just about spheres. He couldnt have been a shape that adherents of the theory agree about, could he? Facets of a core are generally taken to be howplex the thought of a dungeon is, how many ways it tries to approach a problem.


    Spheres and eggs and other round shapes are always argued, as some think it means theres only one facet, while others argue theyre theoretically infinite facets. Someone once tried to show him the math behind it, but the equation took up an entire wall of chalkboards, and Tarl had better things to do with his time.


    He finally drifts off to sleep as the theories of colors and movement of those colors drift through his mind, and his sleep is deep and dreamless. In the morning, he feels much better and the details of his vision arefortably muddled. If thats the kind of thing people with Fate affinity have to deal with regrly, they can keep it.


    He goes over his notes as he enjoys the morning air and the rising sun, mentally mapping out what he can and cant put in the report. Hes d nothing shes with his promises to the guild or to Thedeim. Sure, theres dangerous stuff in the dungeon, but thats dungeons. As far as hes concerned, theres no actual threat, so no obligation to y word games to get the guild extra information.


    His preparations for work are interrupted, however, as he gets close to the guild. Sitting on the sign is a seagull, squawking its little bird brain out. As he looks, curious, he also notices it has a scrap of parchment in its beak, too. It eventually notices him noticing it, and gives a louder squawk before dropping the paper and flying off.


    His instincts tell him theres something odd, and so he spends a few minutes searching for the dropped paper. He gives it a shocked look after reading it, and reads it a few times to make sure hes not misunderstanding. He even takes the time to examine it to make sure its not just some joke but everything seems to check out.


    He briefly considers just destroying the note, but soon sighs and just stuffs it into his pocket and heads inside. He doesnt like Hullbreak Harbor, but he cant bring himself to hate it, either. And even if he did, he doesnt bear the dwellers any ill will. If their dungeon really <em>is</em> starting to starve, something will need to be done.

 Chapter EIghty-Eight

    Chapter EIghty-Eight


    Ive been trying to get Tiny to help narrow down the window for the scythemaws to do their thing, but the big guy cant get much of a read on them. He agrees that itll be soon, but he also says it seems like it wont just start instantly. So the best he can do is say its not imminent, but still should happen soon. Ugh, its like waiting for a patch for a game that forums insist will ruin the whole thing.


    If I had an actual time, I could amodate the stupid things. You know: dim the lights, put on some good music, maybe light some candles set the mood. But no, theyre going to do it on their own time and just improvise. If I thought anyone would get the joke, Id make a bunch of fake cars so they can do their business in the back seat.


    Alright, enough grumping like that. The door is progressing as smoothly as can be expected. Its difficult to line everything up so each part of the hinge actually helps support the weight and will let the door open, but its not impossible. Queens ants have been life savers for the fine adjustments that have been needed.


    Speaking of Queen, I finally understand what she was so interested in the quartz for: she wants to grow crystals. Im not exactly sure why, but the idea has Thing inspired, too. Maybe if they can get specific shapes, certain spells will work better? I also wonder how theyll react when they learn that quite a lot of various gems are the same gem, but with different impurities. I just dont remember what gems are in that family.


    Still, I think theyre nning to grow the quartz pickups for the guitar to their specifications, and then well be that much closer to bringing some rock music to this world. sh is definitely going to blow some minds.


    Speaking of minds being blown, Rocky is kinda blowing mine. Hes figured out kic affinity. He was sparring with Fluffles and something just clicked. He tossed a cool swirling vortex of ice and fire at Fluffles, who put up as strong a barrier as he could manage. It was quite a drain on my mana, too. Luckily, the attack wasnt held together too well, and hit the barrier with all the force of a wet noodle. Still, Rocky has another affinity under his belt.


    Fluffles is having a harder time with gaining affinities, but at least his kic mastery is being refined pretty quickly. Hes a lot more efficient, and I almost wonder if hell manage wind affinity out of the blue instead. I dont think hes quite figured out that air is still made of matter, but I also dont know if grabbing air and throwing it around with kics will count as wind affinity. If anything, that might count as sonic instead.


    Im probably getting ahead of myself, though. Rockys hardly a master of kics yet, and even Fluffles has a ways to go before I think hell have the fine control to get an extra affinity. Stop worrying about the tools you don''t have, get ready to do the job with the ones you do.


    I start drawing up an ess passage for the scythemaws, if only to feel like Im doing something. Maybe Ill get lucky and not only get it finished, but the things will actually use it.


    <strong>Old Staiven</strong>


    The aged ratkin cant remember thest time he had something so interesting to experiment with! Nor can he remember thest time he had something so <em>frustrating</em> to experiment with, either!


    Hes distilled, desated, crystalized, and everything else he can think of to get at the secret of the bottled lightning, but it continues to insist its made with only Ochredill and Spell Spore! With trace amounts of ant drool, soil, and other impurities. But no matter what he tries, once he separates the reagents, they refuse to rbine into the yellow fluid!


    Oh, but what he can get that fluid to do! He didnt have much left after the initial experiments to use on making something useful, but even a minor infusion of the liquid into a wand made from a tree struck by lightning made it the kind of lightning spell conduit that even a master mage would pay dearly for!


    Maybe hell try to trade it to Thedeim for some more of the bottled lightning or something else. Hell round his ears and dere himself a giant mousekin if the dungeon doesnt have other unique alchemical creations. He had joked with himself about bing a dweller or even a resident to get ess to just the bottled lightning, but now he finds himself sometimes pondering the logistics.


    Of course, they never work out. At the end of the day, he has hisb just the way he wants it, and moving it would be too much of an ordeal not to mention there would be various dungeon things poking through everything at all hours, wanting to pick his brains as much as he wants to pick theirs.


    He smiles at that thought and stands from his notes. Hes out of bottled lighting now, but theres a master alchemist not far who knows how to make it. Maybe he can make a new friend.


    Rhonda! he shouts, and soon hears her muffled reply drift down to theb from the store floor. Im going to the dungeon! I want you to practice with that lightning wand I made the other day! If youre going to earn a proper mage ss, youre going to need to get a feel for mana more than meta and ice!


    She shouts an affirmative at him as he gathers a few things. If hes going to go and try to make friends with the dungeon, he should do some delving. He''s hardly a battlemage, but hes learned enough tricks over the years to get close enough.


    <strong>Hullbreak Harbor</strong>


    The First Mate swims slow circles around the shipwreck-turned-jail. The whole situation makes her uneasy. Shes not surprised the Captain put the dweller in there. The great white had hoped hed somehow not notice when the merman swam off, like the First Mate pretended to not notice, but they had no such luck.


    She was pushing it to not immediately go chase him down when he wandered away from the fishing expedition, but chasing after the one would have left all the others without her protection. That didnt stop the Captain from wanting to keel-haul the merman for wandering off, even if he actually was chasing arge fish.


    Whatever he was actually up to, the First mate is pretty sure he aplished it. She cant imagine what it could be, though. As far as she could tell, he swam off, outside of even her senses, and swam back not long after. She had actually expected him to have abandoned the Captain. She wouldnt me him.


    Things have only gotten worse since that fateful day, so long ago. She can remember the sound of the anchor chain snapping on that merchant vessel, then the horrible crunching of it being swept into and onto the trading hall atop the reef.


    And then a frenzy. The next thing she remembers clearly about that day is there being so much blood in the water and an inspectors badge stuck between her teeth. She returned it to the journeyman inspector at the time, and now full and experienced Inspector Tarl.


    He stilles back every couple months, in that little dinghy. He still heaves the anchor over the side, still respects the border, still asks if delvers can return. She longs to be able to tell him they can but the Captain refuses. He was always suspicious of the delvers, but the mana they brought eased his concerns for a time.


    But when his precious dwellers were killed, even in an ident, every paranoid whisper in the Captains head started screaming. She tells herself hes just mad with grief but mad is still <em>mad</em>, no matter the cause. But what can she do?


    Shes a scion, and the Captains Voice to boot. Even if she knew how to stage a mutiny, she just couldnt do that to the Captain. He just wants to keep his dwellers safe. But hes killing them, and hes too scared to see that.


    She peers through the hole in the hull, where she can inly see the adult merman in the brig inside, idly floating behind the bars and looking off in the distance. Hmm off towards where the delvers used toe from. Just what did he do? If he somehow got their help she doesnt think itll make much difference. The delvers havent been able to do anything in the years since the disaster to help the Captain. Nothing could have happened to change that.

 Chapter Eighty-Nine

    Chapter Eighty-Nine


    The new day brings a new delver, and thankfully not of the scythemaw variety. It feels weird to have the old ratkin delving, but it sure looks like thats what Old Staiven is nning to do. Looks like hes warming up by checking the herbs in the back yard first.


    Whats your secret he grumbles to himself as he gathers quite a bit of ochredill, and I mentally smile at that with equal parts humor and relief. Looks like the master alchemist wasnt able to recreate the bottled lightning, despite knowing what its made of. I wonder if its a magic thing, a dungeon thing, a me thing, or a Queen thing? Either way, I might be able to start giving small vials of it away as rewards asionally. Even if he cant recreate it, and I dont think he tried to drink it, it seems like the kind of thing to be a rare reward at most.


    The aged ratkin looks over at the maze for a few long seconds, before shaking his head and turning back to the house. I wonder if he doesnt like his chances against Tiny, or if he wants to do something different from the gnome. Either way, he pauses on my porch to look at the notice board and the various hanging signs for quests.


    Such a strange dungeon, he says to himself as he takes his time to read the notices and consider the quests.


    Hey Teemo, mind asking him whats up?


    My Voice has no problem with that, and soon the rat pops out of a shortcut near Old Staiven.


    Rhondas teacher, right?


    The ratkin looks confused for a moment before smiling and looking at Teemo. I had forgotten the dungeon had a Voice. I was a bit more interested in the leftover traps from Neverrest than in socializingst time.


    Teemo smiles at that. Thing really appreciated the help with those, too. Hes gotten a lot better with the runework, as well.


    I should think so. He seemed a rather focused hand. Has he had any breakthroughs with lifedrinking?


    My Voice detes a little and shakes his head. Not really. Hes learned a lot about taking enchants apart from studying it, but no real progress on easily nullifying it.


    I hope hes not too hard on himself. Countless mages, clerics, artificers, and more have tried to find a counter to that foul enchantment, but none have seeded.


    Heh, but none of them have the Boss giving them weird ideas to try for it.


    Staivenughs at that. Those weird ideas are partially why Im here, actually. Im out of that lightning essence tincture, and was hoping to get more, and maybe get a look at whatever other alchemical oddities I might be able to get my hands on.


    I dunno if Im willing to give him ess to the liquid metal or the healing essence, and Im definitely not ready to let him into the secret alchemyb, but if Queen wants to talk shop with him, thatd be fine.


    Thedeim isnt sure how much to give you ess to just yet, but Queen canpare notes with you. Itll be a bit before shes ready, though. Shes working on a thing right now. Maybe in an hour or two?


    That should be fine. I was going to see how dull my edge has gotten by doing a bit of delving anyway. I still need to get some spell spores, too, says the ratkin with a nod. He reaches up and takes the quest to kill a widow, and nods to himself. This should be a good way to stretch my legs. My venom stocks are a bit low


    Teemo looks a bit uncertain about the elderly ratkin fighting something like one of my widows, but I get the feeling it wont be out of his ability to handle. Do you want a tour, or to just explore on your own?


    Old Staiven smiles at the rat. Thanks for the offer, but I think Ill explore on my own. If Im going to take the time of a scion, Id rather it be of the Alchemist, no offense. And I should do a bit of delving to help pay for that time.


    With that, he heads inside, and Teemo returns to working with Thing. Their progress on the bag of holding is going slow, but steady. They both have a lot of other things theyre busy with anyway, and the affinity expansion is definitely more of a long-term project.


    I go ahead and keep an eye on Staiven as he explores the manor and deals with the denizens therein. Theyre all used enough to delvers that they start slow and ramp up from there, though the alchemist is more than a match for the spawns in the house. I could have them all converge on him at once, but thats hardly fair. And Im pretty sure hed deal with them all at once with an actual alchemical thing, instead of just bonking things with his staff.


    I bet he has some kic affinity on it, too. Even Freddie would be jealous of some of the distance he gets on my various rats, snakes, and whatnot. He drinks a bottle of lightning resist before heading up to deal with the attic boss, and I let him have fun with an electric spider swarm. He seems to actually have fun with it, too. He runs around, swinging his staff and avoiding the worst of the attacks as he sprinkles some dust around, which seems to be some kind of contact poison. It must only work on spiders or something, because he doesnt seem concerned at all about getting it on himself. Maybe hes already taken an antidote?


    Either way, hes soon dispatched the boss and looted the chest, and continues up onto the roof. Poe peers at him from his nest near the chimney as he approaches. The ratkin holds his hands up as he gets closer.


    Im in no rush to make the same mistake that one party did. I just want to see if I can get a few cast off feathers, he exins as he slowly moves forward. I can feel Poe asking what to do, but I leave him without an answer for now. He awkwardly watches as Staiven pulls a few feathers from the nest and gives my Martial a respectful nod, before turning towards the belfry.


    Oh, dont be like that, Poe. It was only awkward because you made it awkward. Heh, watch how Jello interacts with people if you want to get better at it.


    Staiven looks around the various nters, taking samples here and there, but not taking any seeds. A few of the bats watch him as he works, and he speaks to them. I never could get the hang of actually growing herbs. Always was easier to go gather from the wild, or pay adventurers to do it for me. I shoulde back again, some time. So few adventurers know how to properly handle so many herbs.


    He looks out over the yard as he finishes gathering, watching the delvers fighting and gathering, and soon eyes the cave in the yard. His gaze flicks up to the bats and he speaks again. What do you think? Should I take that cave, or try the basement? The fruitbat just yawns and wraps itself in its wings in reply.


    I imagine you take the cave, rather than go through the house, hmm? Ill try that, I think. He nods to himself as the bat nods off, and he heads back through the house and out to the yard, then down to the yard cave. He meets a group of miners getting ready to head in, and chats a bit with them.


    Where would I most easily find a widow? he asks the leader after some small talk, and the elf shrugs.


    You could juste with us for a bit. Theres an ess tunnel that goes down to the caverns, which is where we want to mine. Theres a branch that leads off to the spiderir from there, so you should be able to spot one without too much difficulty.


    I think Ill do just that, thank you. He joins their party and they head deeper, fighting my various spawns in the tunnels. They go fairly slowly, but Old Staiven doesnt seem to mind. I bet he gets a lot of his metals from these guys or if not these guys, whoever these guys sell the ore to.


    They part ways as the tunnel splits, with the miners going deeper and Staiven looking down the winding tunnel that leads to my spiderir. He takes a few minutes to prepare himself, and even ties a few bits of leather to his staff. I can see theyre some kind of rune or something, but I dont know what they actually do. I could ask Thing, but I dont want to interrupt them and I kinda want to be surprised.


    Staiven takes his time creeping down the tunnel, hoping to have some element of surprise on his side, or at least to not get the attention of more than one. Luckily for him, theres only one in the tunnel right now anyway. They spot each other at the same time, and each freezes for a moment, before they both spring into action.


    The widow scurries up a wall and soon along the ceiling, hoping to use height to her advantage, but the ratkin tracks her without fail. He points his staff and shouts to send a beam of yellow magic at her. Fumble!


    The widow immediately loses her footing, but manages to stick thending and keeping at him along the floor for a few moments, before she tosses a line of silk at him. He dodges out of the way and it hits the wall, before the spider pulls on it and uses the force to propel herself at him.


    Woah! he exims and gets his staff in the way of her fangs. Repulse! he shouts and sends her backward before she can overpower him. He follows the motion with a whirl of his staff, one of the tied-on runes shing. Blizzard!


    Wind and snow buffet the spider, forcing her to hunker down and giving the delver time to breathe and pull out a sk. He lets the blizzard end as he throws the sk, and swings his staff in an arc as a familiar attack shoots from it. Wind de!


    The widow dodges the de, but that puts her in the perfect position for the sk. It gets split by the de, and spills oil over therge spider. She doesnt have any issues with her footing as she warily circles Old Staiven, looking for an opening. He pulls out a pouch and tosses it against the top of the tunnel, sending little pink particles around.


    The spider flinches back from the movement, but after a few moments, she resumes her circling. It doesnt take long for it to be clear something is weird about the particles, as her motions be sluggish and her stance uncertain. Thats all Staiven needs to finish the fight with the old ssic.


    Fireball! The impact sends the spider onto her back, and the oil ensures he quickly gets his experience. Snuff! he shouts and leans on his staff as the fire poofs out, leaving a crispy outside on the widow, but I dont think much heat actually transferred too deeply inside. It better not have, if he wants the venom he said he was after.


    Huff whew! Never seen them jump like that before, he says to himself as he catches his breath, then walks to the dead widow. And, if I did it right he says as he leans his staff against the wall and grabs her fangs, then carefully pulls. He grins as they slide out easily, along with a bit of the mandible and the venom sack. Perfect! Cook them just right, and the venom sacks will slide right out. He smiles before chuckling at himself and gathering his staff. I guess hes gotten pretty used to Rhonda being around to learn stuff.


    Itll be a nice change of pace for him, I imagine, to be able to talk with someone who can teach him a thing or two. Queen is done preparing the solution that should grow the quartz pickups, so the two can talk shop in the publicb soon.

 Chapter Ninety

    Chapter Ny


    Teemo goes and gets Staiven so he and Queen can talk some shop. Ill leave them to it, too. Queen knows what she should and shouldnt ry, as does Teemo. Shes tried to talk some with me about alchemy, but its a bit outside my wheelhouse. I understand the concepts of mixing things, and most of the technical terms, but Im a mechanical engineer, not a chemical.


    It kinda makes me understand how Teemos been getting better at just rying information without having to understand it. I guess thisll be good practice for him, as well as good PR with Staiven. Im pretty sure most magical stuff around here is either from me or him, and I prefer mypetition to be friendly than anything else.


    Speaking of friendlypetition, the Trio have beening back to tackle the hard gauntlet, and theyve been behaving themselves. They do a few encounters on the way, but they dont go trying to start crap with my scions or my Residents.


    Theyve been making quick progress through the gauntlet, too. Theyd be going a lot faster if there wasnt an actual line to try it. From the chatter, a few of the more distant guilds want to be the first to finish it, but the local guild isnt going to let them have it without a fight.


    With the Trio having <em>joined</em> the local guild, they have quite the advantage, seeing as they managed to work through it to escape me. Ive been sure to mix things up some, though, so they dont have a free ride. My favorite reaction from them had to have been when they saw someone doing the salmondder properly the first time, instead of their little tower maneuver.


    Ive also added an element of time management in the final section, too. Even with me being easily able to change the specific answers, people were just endlessly theorycrafting what the solution could be. So now they get washed out after a couple minutes, though it resets with each section of the puzzle they manage.


    Ive also been wanting to talk with the halfling and see if she knows anything about scythemaws. From Leos opinion, she doesnt seem the most one with natures bnce and harmony of druids, but shes still a druid of <em>some</em> vor. Maybe shes an expert in scythemaws and we dont know because we havent asked?


    I mean, I doubt it, but its possible.


    <strong>Queen</strong>


    Oh, the Emperor should try to keep this one. She can feel a thirst for knowledge from this one, and not like Honeys thirst. The bee scion treats information like honey: something to be stored and appreciated for its own sake. She understands its sweetness, but doesnt feel the need to partake, to <em>apply</em> it.


    But to ants, like Queen? Sweetness is to be gathered and used, shared with the colony and utilized. Sweetness that sits there is just going to make a mess. Of course, honey doesnt go bad, but the ant scion still likes her metaphor.


    And this Staiven may look like the ratkin the Emperor uplifted, but he is an ant at heart. He hungers for knowledge, and is willing to share his own to get it. It also doesnt hurt that he recognizes her talent.


    It takes that much of the bottled lightning to grant the essence to a denizen? You must have quite theb hidden somewhere, then, says the old ratkin, and Queen gives off a pleased scent at that. Shes so happy the Emperors Voice can understand her nativenguage of pheromones. It makes things so much simpler.


    Teemo smiles at him. She thanks you for thepliment. Herb really is something, but not for visitors, heh.


    Can you show me anything here, then? I could give a few pointers or even a recipe for something in return? says Staiven as he looks over the publicb. Its not the best ofbs, but its leagues ahead of her firstb. She still cringes when she thinks of how primitive the firstb was: dirt floors, go juice being produced atop small leaves and other things to try to minimize the contaminants. She still remembers how ted she was when the Emperor gave her her first bit of ssware!


    She shakes off her nostalgia to focus on now, and on the alchemists request. Is there anything in specific hed like to see?


    Anything in particr you want her to make?


    Could she make the bottled lightning? I have the ingredients, at least as far as Im aware, but I havent been able to make it myself, Old Staiven exins as he pulls out some ochredill and spell spore.


    Queen is surprised he hasnt been able to produce it. Its easily the simplest thing she can make, with her supply more limited by the growth of the ingredients than the difficulty in making it. She cant even fathom the process is eluding the elderly alchemist, either. She takes a few moments to consider the process, checking and re-checking for anything the Emperor wouldnt like to share, but it really is simplicity itself!


    Well, the original version, at least. In herb proper, she can distill out exactly what she needs from the reagents and get a lot more product. There shouldnt be any harm in showing the most basic recipe for it.


    Her mandibles quiver in excitement at the idea of him somehow still failing it. Itd make no sense! Or rather it would mean theres more for her to <em>learn</em> about alchemy, some fundamental shes missed! While she doesnt like the idea of missing something so foundational, she very much <em>does</em> like the idea of <em>discovering</em> something foundational.


    She quickly rys the basic form to the Emperors Voice, who gives her a strange look.


    Thats really it?


    Yes.


    He shrugs. Alright. Well, Staiven, she says all you have to do is grind them together in equal parts, with a little water to help everything mix.


    Staiven sighs at that, but nods as he produces a knife to start chopping the ingredients for easier grinding. I was afraid itd be something like that. I tried every method I could to get them to rbine after separating the sample I got thest time I was here, but nothing worked.


    Queen perks up at that, so Teemo questions. Really? Is that a known thing?


    The alchemist nods as he sets aside a small portion of the chopped ingredients, and motions for Queen to do her thing. She sees no harm in it, so sends her ants to process the go juice in the old way.


    My old mentor used to say that, way back in antiquity, it was thought alchemy could only be performed in dungeons. The unique mana flows in them can influence the process in unknown ways. But as the ancients worked and experimented, they eventually started to figure out how to produce various things even outside dungeons, he says as he works, his hands deftly grinding the herbs into a fine paste.


    The first true alchemist was said to have gained a unique affinity with his ss, or so the legends say. Personally, I think he was the first to gain the meta affinity that most crafting sses get. Whatever the truth, he was supposed to be able to make anything a dungeon could.


    Nowadays, though, alchemists make all sorts of things that dungeons dont. Maybe the processes are tooplex for them? Who knows. But look, he says, as he shows the results of his work.


    The texture is perfect, the mix fully homogeneous, and yet it just looks like an unptable tea. He motions at Queens work, where she already has a few shining droplets of the go juice.


    Theres still something about dungeon alchemy that we just dont know. I can tell Ive done it just as she has, if only on arger scale, and yet something eludes me, hements, though not too deeply. Queen very much likes this Staven and his ant heart. Setbacks happen, but can be ovee.


    Teemo gives her an odd look at her request, but still rys it. She wants you to put the mortar down so she can try something.


    Of course, Staiven replies, and sets it next to her busy ants. Quickly, she has them swarm the contents, specifically using her alchemical storage ants for it. This sort of thing is their job, after all. Her pleased scent returns as the mixture is quickly finished in her ants, and they start adding it to her sample in the little dish she was working in.


    Staiven chuckles at what hes seeing. See? Something about dungeon alchemy is different. Or maybe I didnt use enough ant spit in mine.


    Teemoughs at that, and Queen cant help but enjoy the joke. She does think he has a point, though. Not about the ant spit, but about the scale. She knows it takes mana to infuse the ingredients, but she and Staiven are working on a different scale at the conceptual level. If watching the zombie scion gain affinities has taught her anything, its that the conceptual level is vital when ites to magic of any kind.

 Chapter Ninety-One

    Chapter Ny-One


    Leos been working with the tundra wolves to get them into shape to actually go and help the Southwood, and Ive been slowly absorbing the information Tarl gave me on it, as well as everything else. It takes time to properly process all that, and Ive been busy trying to not freak out over the scythemaws.


    At least the stupid swordgators seem content to be on my backburner for now, thank goodness for small blessings, even if they feel like a sword of Damoclese hanging over my head. Im pretty sure, in the myth, it was hanging over the guys throne for some reason. I dont remember if it ever actually fell on him. Id brush up on my Greek mythology, but its a little out of my reach, heh.


    Anyway: Southwood. Its a long way off. No wonder Tarl is gone for like a month when he goes to visit. Its at least a hundred miles of rough country to get there, and the winter will only make it rougher. Ive talked with Poe about sending some ravens with the wolves to act as messengers, and he says they should be able to handle it, especially if they can ride the wolves and hunker down for warmth.


    My Warden and Marshal have been working on coordinating, and its been going pretty well, what with the practice of having Honeys bees along for a lot of expeditions. None of them will be going to the Southwood, though. Itll be <em>way</em> too cold for them to do much of anything.


    Theyre sending a few scouting parties where the map says they should need to go, and are practicing a bit of a pony express system for rying reports and results of the expeditions. Its working pretty well so far; weve got two outposts set up already. Theyre not Outposts with a capital O yet, or whatever the official designation might be. I dunno if theres not an official term for it yet, or if Ive missed some requirement for them. Either way, theyre just a little spot in a thicket and a small alcove in a hill that the wolves and ravens can rest and recover in. They dont exactly have running water, and Im not nning on moving in anytime soon.


    Still, I think the system will work, and Leo and Poe are both looking forward to organizing further afield, so I give them the go-ahead. I get the feeling Leo wants to go with the first actual force I send to try to help, but thats forter. I probably wont stop him, though. Leonidas is a name that wants to stand in the face of the impossible tide, after all. I just hope it goes better for mine than the one in history.


    Im also working on upgrading my earth elemental spawner, and it spat out something that sounds a lot more scary than it actually is: a living rockslide. It <em>sounds</em> like something that would just obliterate everything in its path. It <em>looks</em> like a pebble swarm. To be fair, it <em>is</em> more dangerous than it looks. For smaller invaders, it might as well be an actual rockslide, and forrger, its quite the tripping hazard. Theyre cool, Im letting them wander around more or less as they like, and they mostly like the tunnels and caverns.


    Im considering asking Poe to send some on expedition into the underswamps and/or aquifer, when I feel the familiar feet of Tarl on my grass. He doesnt get the typical birb greeting, though, as hes over in the graveyard section, rather than the manor. He doesnt make any derations, either is he here on personal business, then?


    He spots Grim and simply nods at him as he walks slowly through the gravestones. He clearly has a destination in mind, so my scion leaves him be. Hes seen the look of someone needing to pay respects enough times to recognize it.


    I should probably give him some privacy but I cant help but follow him, trying to be quiet and respectful, as if anyone could notice my presence anyway. The elfs hands idly brush over a few of the tombstones, a small smile teasing at the corners of his lips. Yeah, Grims done amazing work in here. Im proud of him. Eventually, Tarles to stop in front of a grave and simply stands there a few minutes, lost in thought or memories.


    <strong>Inspector Listor Greybrows</strong>


    <strong>Honored Mentor</strong>


    <strong>Loving Husband and Father</strong>


    Your focus isnt quite as subtle as you think it is, Thedeim, he says evenly. Im just d Ick the ability to crap my pants now. He just gives a bittersweet chuckle as I try to take my focus elsewhere.


    You dont have to go. Itd be rude of me to demand that. Besides I could use someone to just listen. He pauses and looks at the tombstone, trying to gather his thoughts. Where do I even start?


    Well, I guess I should say hes not my dad. Listor was an orc from the Wandends. He always had this innate understanding of dungeons. I couldnt have asked for a better mentor. He was understanding, both of people and of dungeons. I think Im decent with one, at least. He sighs and looks out over the wall of the cemetery.


    He died not far from here. We could only put up a memorial stone and embed his badge in it. Hullbreak Harbor killed him. Yeah the other dungeon. He shakes his head before continuing. It wasnt always belligerent. In fact, it was a pretty standard toybox. Good fishing, good pearling it even eventually got dwellers who were happy to trade.


    And then disaster struck. You can read what details we managed to get from the survivors, but an ident killed a few of the merfolk, and Hullbreak went mad. Listor was delving at the time. His hand gently rests atop the tombstone, where the fallen inspectors icon of authority sits. This is all we got back.


    He sighs once more and straightens slightly. Thats the risk of the job, and why people were so nervous around you at the start, you know? Nobody wanted a repeat of Hullbreak. Everyone else is content to just ignore the water dungeon, and its happy to ignore everyone else, too. His hand slips into a pocket and pulls out a letter, which he spreads out on the tombstone for me to inspect. But ignoring a problem doesnt make it go away.


    <em>Please, Dungeoneers, help us. Hullbreak is starving. His spawners are fading, his nodes atrophying. He just wants to protect us, but hes killing himself to try to do it! Save my people and my home!</em>


    <em>Yendo</em>


    A seagull left that for me, at the guildhouse. As far as I can tell, its from one of the dwellers. I dont know how they managed to get this message out, but I cant ignore it. Hullbreak killed my mentor but I dont think I can me it for that. I know <em>he</em> wouldnt me it for that


    But I dont know how to help it, how to help <em>them</em>. Hullbreak only avoids beingbelled murderous because it doesnt send out hostile expeditions. How can I help it if it will just kill anyone who tries? He closes his eyes in frustration, and soon feels a hand on his shoulder.


    Opening his eyes, he sees a yellow daffodil offered in the other bony hand of my skeleton scion. My Voice speaks from the shoulder of my Groundsreaper. Well figure something out, Tarl. Thedeim will put things right, he promises for me, and the elf takes the flower with shaking hands, and sets it atop the tombstone. Ah, such a terrible day for rain.

 Chapter Ninety-Two

    Chapter Ny-Two


    Tarl eventually calms down and heads home to recover. A good cry, er rain shower can take a lot out of someone, but its good to let it all out sometimes. I cant me him for havingplicated feelings about Hullbreak. Honestly, when he started his story, I was making vague ns to kick in Hullbreaks door and give it the Neverrest treatment.


    But in the end, its a bit more clear what the situation is. Neverrest was rabid and had to be put down. Hullbreak is a wounded and starving beast. I might have to put it down, too, but thats thest resort. Theres still hope to get it fed and healed. But how?


    Focusing on the reports and stuff he gave me, the details dont really give me anything to go on. Almost every delver inside when the ident happened were killed by the sharks and other denizens of the dungeon. Any that managed to get out were able to survive, but its pretty clear that Hullbreak doesnt want anyone from outsideing in.


    Im also starting to suspect I might be part of the reason why its starving now. The seagulls that Ive been dealing with for a long time are probably from Hullbreak, or at least some of them are. The wasps were mostly from Neverrest, after all. I still have some wasps, but not nearly as many. I think Hullbreak was basically sustaining itself on Neverrests wasps, and what raids on me it could get away with.


    But now with Neverrest gone, and my defenses much improved, theres not a lot of profit in raiding around here. So how can I fix it? Raid it right back?


    Maybe? I have the excess mana to spend on failed raids, but what would I actually raid <em>with</em>? Itll probably figure out that something is weird if I try to send spiders or snakes or other things that clearly dont belong in the ocean. Im sure itd still take the mana, but itd also keep its guard up, which I need to avoid if Im going to help it.


    I need information, too. Everything the ODA has looks to be at least a decade out of date. I dont want to try something like this with old information. Ill probably only get one chance, and then have to resort to the Old Yeller treatment if that fails.


    Although I wonder. If we have old info on it, how up to date is its info on whats been going on around here? I could pretend to be Neverrest, at least as far as raiding goes. I dont have the wasps, but I <em>do</em> have undead. Skeletons would probably be the best to try to raid Hullbreak with, if I want to do that kind of act.


    Ill need to be careful about it, though. Too many, and itll put its guard up even more surely than if I sent random stuff against it. But if I send a slow stream of skeletons, it should assume Neverrest has graduated from wasp harassment and into undead harassment. And with it focussing on bigger invaders, I might be able to slip in a few that are sneakier.


    I think I have two options with that, but Ill need to do a bit of testing. I might as well get the skeletons in on the testing, too. Just because movies say skeletons can walk around underwater without much issue, doesnt mean they actually can. I mean, that same movie thinks two guys can walk a rowboat upside-down under water without a bajillion pounds to help weigh it down. Buoyancy does not like having big air bubbles under the water.


    Anyhow: testing. I dont want to use the underswamps or the aquifer for this. I dont need to go stirring up the scythemaws before their mating season, or migration season, or whatever it is they actually are going to do. So that really just leaves the hard gauntlet for testing. Thats not too bad, though. Its pretty deep, and if nothing else, my denizens can be lifeguards while theyre practicing in there.


    I ping a couple rockslides, a handful of skeletons, and several of my more transparent slimes to head there, and testing can get underway. The rockslides make quite a ssh when they dive in, but are thankfully unhindered by the water. Well, not <em>fully</em> unhindered. Water has a lot more resistance than air, but they dont need to breathe, seems like. So rockslides pass the first test with flying colors.


    The skeletons are in next, and have a bit more issue. Theyre quite a bit lighter than the rockslides, so they have to be more careful with their movements. If they move too fast, they basically propel themselves backwards, which isnt ideal. Im also going to need to leave my various nt/skeletonbos out of this mission. Salt water does not like nts that are not used to it.


    Ill just need to give my skeletons some kind of weighted shoes or something. Heh, if I had ess to limestone, I might be able to give them actual cement shoes. As it is, Ill probably end up tying rocks to them to keep them grounded. Itll give them a good base to be stable from, at least.


    The slimes are thest to show up, which isnt a surprise. Even with shortcuts, theyre pretty slow. Jello evenes to see what everyone is up to. The various slimes slip into the water, and Jello follows. While most of them arent quite as clear as Id like, Jello is basically invisible. If she wasnt my scion Id send her to get intel on Hullbreak. Thankfully, one of the oozes is also more or less invisible in the water, so Ill be sending some of them.


    From the bond, I get the feeling Jello would like to go, but I gently tell her no. She still needs to find a good gopher or a good gremlin to convert. And, if Hullbreak actually manages to spot her, itll definitely lose its crap. Scions in another dungeon are one of the biggest dangers we seem to face. Hard to make a friend if you show up to their house carrying a bomb. It doesn''t matter how many times you assure them you won''t use it, you''re still a new person in their house and pose a clear danger.


    So now I know who Im sending, I need to figure out <em>how</em>. Even with me being on people''s good side, I don''t think theyll appreciate skeletons, rockslides, and slimes just strolling down main street. So how do I get them to the dungeon in the bay?


    Theyll use the stairs over the wall in the graveyard I built. I had just been using it for the wolf expeditions on the surface, but I dont see any reason my other denizens cant use it, too. First, though, I want to get the route scouted, at least as much as possible. As far as I can tell, they should be able to just hop the wall and head roughly northwest to the ocean, then more or less north under the water to get to Hullbreak Harbor.


    But I want to be sure, so I have Poe and Leo send a few expeditions along the nned route. I dont want to send my other stuff only to discover theyll be stomping through someones big garden, or trip over <em>another</em> baby dungeon, or somehow unseal some unspeakable evil, or something.


    But if it all goes to n, Operation: Mend the Break can actually start. I hope Ill be able to get it to open up to me and delvers, but Im not exactly holding my breath on that one. Its been isted for too long, had to fight and scrape for existence for too long. Theres very little chance of this happening without someone having to be smacked a few times to listen. I dont think Ill have to eat Hullbreak, though. While Violet is calm and small enough for me to just mentor, I think my most likely action with Hullbreak will be to subjugate it and make it my vassal. Thats hardly the best option, but like with a lot of wounded and scared animals, sometimes dominance has to be asserted.


    Itll be a delicate process, though. I have to show it theres no point in fighting me, but also that I dont want to hurt it. If it thinks it can fight me, itll hurt itself and its dwellers, to try to keep doing what it thinks is best. And if it thinks I want to consume it, itll fight tooth and nail because it wont want to die.


    Itll be a tough tightrope to walk, but if I can strike that bnce, Hullbreak might be able to be released back into the wild and thrive on its own. If I <em>cant</em>... well, the zoo is a better option than behind the shed.

 Chapter Ninety-Three

    Chapter Ny-Three


    With the route to Hullbreak being scouted, youd think the home front would be nice and quiet. Or at least <em>Id</em> hope itd be nice and quiet, but there are two things looking to ramp up. Firstly: were starting to see more scythemaw activity. None are wandering out of the water yet, but were definitely seeing more of them closer to shore.


    So not quite defcon 1 or is it defcon 5? I always forget if it counts up or down. Ill just say were at three: a moderate pucker, but still nowhere near a panic. The bypass isnt done yet, and I seriously doubt it will be done by the time this thing kicks off, but Im not ordering Coda off the project. Ive given him the suggestion, but he wants to keep working. Im proud of that bat.


    The other thing thats ramping up is the spider enve. It looks like theyve figured out what the bottleneck was. It was their leadership. Frn may have been stepping up into the role, but she very clearly doesnt actually want the role of leader. So, between the various preparations for dealing with scythemaws and in making their enve the best it can be, two other major figures have arisen, each from the other two main spider types.


    From the widows and orb weavers,es the Master Seamstress Norloke. She seems to be more of a pumpkin spider than a widow, which is interesting to me. I would have thought one of the widows would have stepped up, but thats just not the case. I think partially because Norloke is just a really good fit for leadership.


    Shes a bit chunky and quite orange, as any healthy pumpkin spider should be, and has that air of a mom who knows everything that happens under her roof; the kind to wield a wooden spoon both to make dinner and to keep rowdy children in line, yet can be more soft and caring when needed, too. Shes definitely more focussed on keeping the enve running smoothly and dealing with internal issues, though.


    From the hunting/jumping spiders, we have the Huntsmistress Vernew, who seems to be based on a jumping wolf spider, or at least what we used to call them back home. Small and lithe, colored in various stripes of grey, shes one of the smaller jumpers, but probably the best hunter. It was actually her n that led to them getting that one scythemaw not long ago.


    Shes pretty brash and boastful in the enve, but is all business when out on a hunt, at least so far as Ive been able to tell. Some of the expeditions spot her doing her thing, or more often cleaning a kill after shes done her thing. She seems focused mostly on hunting, obviously, but also on other threats that the deeps might send the enves way. Shes also the most spiritual of the three, and keeps a small orange gemstone on a string of her own silk on her at all times. I wonder if she might be a shaman or something, instead of a ranger.


    And of course, Frn of the tarants is more or less the military leader, and reluctant face to outsiders. Shes very good at keeping her people safe, but a bit out of her depth when ites to the other duties of leadership. Norloke is excellent at keeping them housed and clothed, but despite her expert wielding of the mom voice, shes not a fighter. And Vernew can keep the spiderkin fed, and talk about The Weaver of the Threads (me, bleh), but has little desire or skill to do much else.


    Which I think is why they were stalled for a bit. I think Frn understands the problem, though, so shes asked the other two to meet with her to discuss things. Frns home is rather spartan, unsurprisingly, but she has done what she can to make her guestsfortable. She has a few different slings hanging from the ceiling for them to rx on, and has prepared a couple cave lobsters for them to eat.


    Vernew is the first to arrive, and greets therge tarantkin with a smile. Frn! Howre you doing? Those delvers arent making you rub a bald spot on your butt, are they? she jokes before hopping onto a sling to lounge. Frn simply rumbles a soft chuckle and shakes her head as she moves to rx on her silken floor.


    No, theyre no trouble. Aside from the inspector and the two green children, its mostly miners who venture this deep. Theyve traded for a few things, but say they cant do much more until we be officially independent from Weaver Thedeim.


    Vernew slightly bows her head at my name. Yeah, I hear the ratkin had to deal with the same thing. But you said you think you know why our bars are stuck?


    Yes, but I would like to wait for Norloke before exining. If Im right, it will require at least us three to resume the progress of our bars, and our ascension to true dwellers and spiderkin.


    I like the sound of that. The delvers have all kinds of interesting things to trade for, and we might be able to do some hunting up there once were recognized. Maybe we can get some bread from that bakery across the street, too. The Reader of the Web says the Weaver of the Threads likes baked stuff. Ive never actually had any!


    Frn chuckles once more. Scion Tiny is likely right about that. Ive heard some of the minersining about only being able to afford hard biscuits for a week because of a failed wager on something. The Weaver likes to see all enjoy the smallforts in life. Scion Honey says it is mostly wheat, and Ive seen a picture of the nt. Perhaps we can obtain some and try to get it to grow down here.


    Vernew winces a bit at that. I dont think itll work, at least not without someone with a good affinity for it. Stuff down here grows way differently than on the surface.


    Frn shrugs. Youd know better than I. Still, I think we could figure out something. The two chat for a few more minutes until Norloke pokes her head in at the entrance.


    Frn? Ah, youre both already here! she says with a smile and Frn gets up to embrace her while Vernew simply waves.


    Come take a sling and rx. Frn says she has a n to get our bars finished.


    I do, but first, let us enjoy a meal together. If my n works, I feel we will be doing so regrly.


    Norloke looks interested in the idea, but is patient enough to climb into a sling and ept a cooked whole lobster from her host. The three eat quickly, and for me, its like watching a trainwreck. Their mouths have so many moving pieces youd think theyd make a huge mess. But no, all those pieces grab and move and bleh. This must be how some peoplee to be afraid of spiders and bugs.


    Thankfully, it doesnt take them long to eat, and once theyre done, it seems Vernew cant hold her curiosity in check. So? Whats the idea?! she asks with excitement, earning a motherly smile from Norloke, and an amused sigh from Frn.


    I have, reluctantly, been taking the role of leader of the enve for a while now, she starts, and the two simply nod. But there is much I cant do. She looks over to Vernew first. I cant go out and hunt, or go out and gather. While Im certain I could fell any beast out there, with the possible exception of a scythemaw, Im also certain I would ruin much of the meat.


    Yeah. Spears and javelins are great because they put smaller holes into important bits. A big axe would kill the thing dead, but make a huge mess to try to dress, she small spiderkin says, nodding. Frn nods and turns her attention to Norloke.


    And while I can keep the enve from outside danger, I cant give them homes and jobs and guidance.


    Oh, dont sell yourself short. But I get what you mean. Trying to keep the fighters fit while also trying to organize and ce everyone thatd be too much for even tarant strength to bear.


    Forlorn nods at that once more. Then you two see the problem. I cant run this, but I think you two, together, can.


    Vernew stands in her sling and points a dramatic and using finger at therger spiderkin. No way! Youre not getting out of this that easily!


    Norloke smiles and nods at that. You most certainly are not, no. The outsiders are too used to you now, for you to try to step into some quiet subservient role.


    Frn looks pretty unhappy at that, but she doesnt argue. Fine. We three together can run this enve. Vernew: the hunting and the spiritual needs of our people. Norloke: the internal needs of clothing, housing, and peace between ourselves. And I will handle our protection and our diplomacy, if you two insist.


    The two smile wide and nod, with Vernew speaking first. Think of it as punishment for trying to get out of this.


    Youre much better at it than you think you are, Frn, adds Norloke. Frn doesnt look too convinced, but shes not going to try to overturn the decision of her fellow councilwomen.


    While Im d for them figuring out the hurdle, the timing makes me a bit nervous. I think theyll want to do a ceremony like the ratkin did to finalize the transition, and they sure seem to want to do it before the scythemaws do their thing. On the one hand, it makes sense. Theyll probably have to wait quite some time for the scythemaws to settle down, if they try to wait.


    But on the other hand, theyll be fully independent, so they cant respawn if the worst happens. Ugh, its no wonder Hullbreak went nuts when some of his dwellers died. Theyre like my children, in a way, and I want to see them seed, and do what I can to protect them.


    But I wont make Hullbreaks mistake. Maybe my perspective is weird from having died, but danger is part of life. People can be bottled up, and sure, they might survive. But people dont want to simply survive. They want to <em>live</em>.

 Chapter Ninety-Four

    Chapter Ny-Four


    Your minds are all made up, then? asks Teemo of the aranea triumvirate, and the three spidedies all nod. Frn speaks first.


    Not just ours, but all of us in this Enve. My fellow tarants are no stranger to difficult fights, and we understand the desire to protect. But we must have the room to grow to be better protectors.


    Norloke speaks next. The weavers are also in agreement. We all appreciate the intricate and robust web youve created, but we must have the space to create our own, to hone our own craft.


    Vernew speaksst, looking the most nervous of the three. The hunters <em>need</em> to be spiderkin. Your Weave is glorious, but there is even more to see and experience outside! We need to see it, and hopefully help you integrate it, Weaver.


    Teemo sighs at the three, mimicking my own reaction. I dont doubt their conviction, and theyre not wrong about needing room to grow, space to learn, and wonders to see. I just wish theyd dy until after the scythemaws. But theyre all resolute in this, and not just the triumvirate. I can feel the anticipation in the other aranea. They know the scythemaws will be trouble, but they want to be able to stand on their own feet to face it.


    Thedeim respects your decision, even if he disagrees with it. Its still <em>yours</em> to make, not his. Youll be doing the ceremony soon, then? The three nod, and this time Norloke speaks first.


    I believe Aranya will be by shortly after sunset to officiate.


    Vernew speaks quickly after her, not-quite able to hide her excitement. Elder Larx said hed be showing up, too!


    My Voice cant help but chuckle a bit at that. I think Tiny wants toe and watch, also. The Boss says hes going to have Rocky and Fluffles watching the entrances, so all of you can be present.


    Frn smiles and bows slightly at that. We thank the Weaver for that. My warriors would never shirk their duties but nobody wants to be left out of this.


    The final confirmation made and prep done, Teemo takes his leave. Its not going to be too long until sunset, so theres not a whole lot I can do before the ceremony. I wonder if that was part of the point of them wanting to do it quickly. Not so much that they worry I might try to stop them, but more to try to minimize <em>my</em> worry, kinda ripping the bandage off.


    I go ahead and focus in on Rocky and Fluffles as they spar, and cant help but admire the progress the two have made. My zombie boxer is a force to be reckoned with. He hasnt been working on expanding his affinities since gaining kic, and has instead been focusing on honing his control with them. I think he saw Fluffles progress and identified a hole in his own training.


    Part of that hole is his magical defenses. The few spars that Fluffles has won against Rocky was when my wingnoodle would just grab him in telekinesis and Rocky would have to tap out. Getting his own kic affinity has helped him to be able to parry Fluffles invisible grabbers. I think Rocky is starting to apply some fire concepts to his kic defense, too, because I can see something a lot like ash, but made of mana, when he parries. Im not sure how else to describe it.


    Its a really good way to spend the kic energy thats trying to get him, too. All the potential goes into the ash that just fades into nothingness, without letting the energy actually impact Rocky. It makes me think of the ative tiling on the space shuttle. Hes got a long way to go before he hits <em>that</em> kind of efficiency, but hes got the concept now.


    And for his offense, hes working hard on antipode. Im surprised he has that idea, but I guess it must have slipped through the bond at some point. I probably <em>shouldnt</em> be surprised hes picked that up. Luca and Nadias Antipode spells are too cool for me to <em>not</em> think about them when I see him practicing. He hasnt been able to make it click yet, but I know hell figure it out eventually.


    As for Fluffles, my quatl has been progressing incredibly well with his kic control. I can feel him examining the mana ash in the moments in their sparring that he can spare, trying to figure out how it works. He hasnt managed to wrap his head around fire or ice yet. In fact, I think hes going to be getting wind before those two.


    I can feel him brushing up against the concept to let him expand his telekinesis into wind affinity. He can feel the air with his wings, knows he can push against it to fly, he just hasnt put together that he can <em>grab</em> the air with his telekinesis. I mean, it might not be how to expand into wind affinity, but something about the idea just feels right.


    Im not sure which of them I should put facing the underswamps. There still havent been any scythemaws wandering on the shore, but the expeditions are starting to see heads breaching the surface. I dont know which of the two fighting scions would be better suited to stopping a potential incursion. Fluffles still has the raw power advantage, but Rocky is simply the better fighter.


    Actually I shouldnt think about who would be the best fighter for it, but who can get there quicker if theyre <em>not</em> stationed facing the swamps. In that light, the choice is easy: Rocky will be facing the potential path of the scythemaws during the ceremony. If anything happens, Fluffles should be able to cross through the enve much faster than Rocky could.


    And if Tiny will be down to watch the ceremony, too, that should be security handled, hopefully. I cant imagine anything overwhelming those three quicker than the enve could evacuate. Well, I <em>can</em> imagine a few things, but none that actually would fit down there.


    I have Teemo give out the posts before letting him do his thing, which hell be doing <em>with</em> Thing, looks like. The two are both interested in the bag of holding. I think Teemo is finally starting to understand how it works, so he and Thing are working hard to replicate the enchantment.


    I idly watch them to pass the time, and soon Aranya awakens and does her morning (dusk?) routine. She even invites Yvonne toe, but she politely declines, to nobodys surprise. My kobold meets up with Larx, and soon everyone is gathered in the enve.


    Much like with the ratlings-turned-ratkin, Aranya starts everything off once everyone is ready. Aranea! You have had a difficult journey to this point, but you have persevered to reach the culmination! Lord Thedeim has given you the opportunity to be more than just denizens, and you have worked hard to achieve that! Lord Thedeim smiles at your efforts, and offers you the protections he can while you prepare to truly be dwellers.


    It is a dangerous path to walk, but a fruitful one. Lord Thedeim provides as he can, but there is an entire world out there to explore and discover, friends and enemies alike to meet. Hes not made a secret of this, but you still continue, braving the strange and the new. There will be difficulties, but there will be opportunities as well. I know you can and will face them as theye, and will be able to find the benefits hidden in the hardships, and will weave a strong tapestry that Lord Thedeim will be proud of.


    She steps aside, letting the triumvirate of Frn, Vernew, and Norloke take the attention of all gathered. Vernew speaks first, though she gives Tiny a bow before she starts. The Weaver of Threads was so strange for us at the start. Even with time and the progress of the bars blurring our memories, we all remember the strange designs he had for us all. Hunt the invaders, guide and challenge the delvers. Grow ourselves.


    Norloke stands and gives Tiny a bow. We wove traps for the invaders. We wove secrets for the Weaver of Threads. We made signs, we helped guide the flow of delvers, all to help, putting our clumsy strings where we thought they could help, and watched how they were integrated with graceful ease.


    Frn stands and gives Tiny a bow. We have protected the core from the very start. The Reader of the Web and Guardian is a testament to how seriously we take that responsibility. Now we will protect not only that, but ourselves, and those outside. We all know of the looming threat of the scythemaws. Instead of cower, we will face them without the benefit of the cycle of the Weaver.


    If our threads will be sheared, so be it. But we face that danger with the full knowledge of it. We may watch it pass beneath us from our webs, we may descend and pluck our prey from the hordes. But whatever we do, it shall be by our will. We will always hear the advice of the Weaver of Threads, but it is not forced upon us. We will strive and struggle, and though our web may be tattered by wind and foes, we will rebuild. We are spiderkin! Beautiful as our webs may be, our <em>people</em> are what supports us, not silk. We are far stronger.


    With that, the bars wink out. After a pregnant pause, the spiderkin all roar with apuse and begin the celebration. Aranya and Larx stay and mingle, and Tiny continues to watch as well. I can feel him tapping into his fate affinity, and a few concepts pass through the bond to me. This was something important, and not just for my new spiderkin. Its like its a new spoke in a web, a new anchor point to be built on.

 Chapter Ninety-Five

    Chapter Ny-Five


    Maybe a day after the dweller ceremony for the spiderkin, the scythemaws start leaving the water. It looks like the ones in the underswamps are a bit ahead of the schedule of the ones in the aquifer, or the aquifer ones are a bit slow. Either way: Happening level is raised to Its.


    The spiderkin are as prepared as they can be, and mostly watch the scythemaws from high up the walls and from the ceilings. Theyre only in danger if they slip, and I dont think Ive ever seen one fall. Im still nervous about the whole thing, but theyre being diligent and watchful, which is all I can really ask.


    The only thing they have on the floors are the lobster ponds, and even those they managed to cover with a few big bs of stone. Im pretty sure the tunnel horrors could easily get through, and I even spot a few scratching at the lids, but none put in the effort to actually get in. They can probably smell the lobsters, and dont really care too much about them. They have cave lobster at home, no need to get at these ones.


    Besides, food seems to be on the bottom of the list of their priorities right now. Looks like it <em>is</em> mating season, with a bit of migration thrown in. I cant say for certain, but it looks like the male and females both have their ownpetitions. I cant say definitively which is which, because they all look like big armored lizards with mandibles to me, but I do see two basic sets of behavior going on right now.


    One set is settling in and spreading out. The bigger and meaner ones are more or less settling in the middle of the spiderkin vige. I think they want to be close-ish to water, but not too close, and the biggest ones are stomping around to settle their nesting area, seems like. I dont know if the spiderkin will need to run them off or not. I dont think the scythemaws will be able to cause any trouble, but I also dont know if theyll like the vige going on overhead. Its still early, though, so well just have to wait and see how they behave, and if the enve decides they want the beasties further away.


    The other group seems to be the males, and theyre trudging through the various tunnels, fighting and marking the walls. The one in the front seems to be the strongest. First one to the other side gets first pick of the lovelydies, I suppose. Considering how much fighting is going on, theyll probably be fighting their prospective mates to find a good match, too.


    Their fighting is loud and looks pretty brutal, but Im not seeing a lot ofsting injuries. I did see what looks like a younger buck manage to snap a scythe off of one of the horrors in front of him in the rough line, but that seems to be about it. The other ones ahead of him have been giving him wary looks, but I think hes happy in his new ce, at least for the moment. Well see if he lets sess go to his head.


    Heh, listen to me. Im a nature documentary. Id probably lose my funding for how much Im interfering in their natural stuff, though. Theyre still delvers to me, so Im going to send at least some stuff to mess with them. Unsurprisingly, they dont care about my various nodes at all.


    They also dont pay much attention to the living rockslides. I think they just dont process the little pebble swarms as things they should bite at, and their nature makes it difficult for the denizens to mess with them much. The slimes and oozes are simr, and most of the maws either go around or ignore them.


    Stcsprites have been surprisingly effective, though. They havent killed any of them, but the things dropping on them from the roof tends to make the maws vacate the area, which is worth a nice bit of mana. The one thing the maws <em>do</em> pay attention to are the widows and otherrger spiders I have to throw at them.


    I dont know if theres some rivalry or if the maws prey on something spidery in the water or what, but they attack the spiders on sight, if at all possible. I even sent arge group of spiders at them to see what would happen, and they actually banded together to fight them off. I think the pecking order changed a bit from that fight, too.


    My testing of the scythemaws aside, the surface is aware of the new danger in the deeps. Ive been sure to keep the ODA well informed of whats going on, so delvers know the deeper tunnels and caverns, while not off limits, are a <em>lot</em> more dangerous than usual.


    That doesnt stop all of the delvers, though. Theres more than a few quests to bring back some part or another from a scythemaw, so the more adventurous delvers are weighing their options. Even Yvonne and her party are getting in on the action. Theyve been trying to get Aranya to join them, too, as a more dedicated support role so Ara can lean more into her offense. So far, everyone is just spying on the big lizards, trying to suss out any weaknesses, or find one injured or sick or something. Ive been keeping the few healing slimes I have on standby, just in case something happens.


    Oddly, Grim has been taking an interest in the whole thing. He still tends to the cemetery and the flower garden there, but he also has been showing up around the delvers who want to take a look at the scythemaws. It feels less like hes waiting to reap, and more like hes a butterfly pping its wings.


    Ive seen him wave an encounter off from one duo of delvers, and they were able to get into a little hiding spot to observe some scythemaws just before the beasties arrived. Hes swept up some sand in one area, spread some in others, and even set a rock at a precarious bnce, which tumbled and drew the attention of a maw so a solo delver could slip away before being spotted.


    I was confused at first, but I think hes using his fate affinity to help delvers. Hes got death affinity, too, so he can probably tell if things would go poorly for the surface delvers. Its like watching a final destination movie, but the coincidences are keeping people from dying, rather than killing them in convoluted ways.


    He gets a thumbs up from me for it, and I think he can feel my appreciation through the bond, too. Hes stoic and hard to read from the outside, but the sense of aplishment I get back lets me know he gets the idea.


    Violet is taking the whole thing really well, too. Shes saved up quite a bit of mana and could expand at any time, but Ive been encouraging her to wait to see how this ys out before she tries that just yet. She has her two scions now, too. Theyre both still pretty weak, but she has them. For now, theyre mostly staying in her Sanctum with her core. Ive pointed out she could start working on making one strong like Tiny, but she doesnt seem to be too worried about that.


    Her mushroom scion is pretty interesting, though. It looks to have knowledge affinity, and has been slowly spreading beyond Violets borders. Right now, its more focused on keeping an eye on the aquifer maws than anything else, which is fair. Aranya, Yvonne, Ara, and Ragnar have been using the little dungeon as a bit of a forward observation base, coordinating with Teemo to help them get in and out.


    He hasnt made any shortcuts from me to Violet yet, because I want to make sure she has room to grow. There are a few in the unimed tunnels, but only big enough for Teemo to use, nothing bigger. Theyre a lot easier to hide in my territory, and I dont want to go identally making problems for Violet when she expands and suddenly finds all kinds of security breaches in her new area. Still, Teemo is a Scout, so this kind of thing is right up his alley.


    Aranya is actually having fun with the delvers, too, quietly and carefully observing the maws as more and more slowly fill the tunnels.


    I kinae believe ye outran one a those, Aranya, says Ragnar as they all rx behind the doors, and my kobold smiles at that.


    It wasnt for very long. By the time I stumbled into Thedeims Sanctuary, I was on the brink of exhaustion, she points out.


    It must have been incredibly hungry to chase you all the way to his territory, says Yvonne as she goes over the observations theyve made so far. It looks like they mostly prefer to hunt in the water.


    I give Teemo my own theory on the matter, and he rys it. Maybe it was wanting to fatten up for the migration? They dont seem too interested in eating right now, so maybe they need to eat a lot beforehand?


    Yvonne hums at that and adds it to the notes. Its possible, and would exin some of their behavior. We need more information to know for sure.


    The elven woman speaks up. Luckily there are people willing to pay for that kind of information. So little is known of the horrors, we could im they sprout little wings and disintegrate into butterflies, and thered be little evidence to contradict it, she says with a smile, and they allugh at the idea.


    Im most curious to see if theyy eggs or give live birth. If theyy, we might be able to try to domesticate them. Can you imagine having one as a mount? asks Yvonne. Only Ragnar seems to like the idea.


    Och, thatd be a sight, aye. Th best mounts in Homeholdre jus diremoles. Theyre nae very indimatin, though.


    Ara giggles at that and nods. Ive seen them before. Those star noses are somehow hideous and adorable at the same time, and their little beady eyes always look more lost and innocent than what should be on a mount bred for war.


    Aye, but theyre still th best option. But if we get <em>scythemaws</em> fer Homehold, wed be bloody rich!


    Dont go counting your tunnel horrors before they hatch, points out Aranya with a smile. They seem pretty troublesome. They might not take to domestication.


    Ragnar shrugs and Yvonne speaks once more. Well just have to see. I think a lot of parties are getting close to trying to kill one, and then well have a better idea of how they work.


    Are we close, too? asks Ara, and everyone looks at Yvonne and her notes. My birb Resident considers the question before answering.


    Maybe. If we can get Violet to help, it might be even easier. We could try to lure one in here, separate it from the rest, and then only have to deal with one, instead of however many might take notice out in the open.


    Itd also get her quite a bit of mana if it dies in here, too, points out my little kobold, and the others look like they like the idea.


    Violet? asks Teemo, to get her attention. Would you be willing to let them lure a scythemaw in here and kill it? You should get a lot of mana once its dead.


    Violet seems more nervous about that idea, but she doesnt reject it out of hand. Shes not saying no, but I think shed like us to have a more concrete n before trying.


    Aye, so would I, agrees Ragnar. Jus cuz Im th shield, dinnae mean I want more dents ''n I have t take. They all agree on that, and get down to brass tacks with nning.

 Chapter Ninety-Six

    Chapter Ny-Six


    Aranya, Yvonne, Ragnar, Ara, and even Teemo are all for luring a scythemaw into Violet (who is also onboard, tentatively), but as they all sit down to n, they realize something: how will they actually lure the scythe maw in?


    They dinna seem ta be hungry, points out Ragnar as the group carefully peers out of Violets doors. A couple various wild critters scurry by asionally, and the maws dont seem to care about chasing them down to eat.


    We could try having the Boss send a spider? They seemed to like to go after those, suggests Teemo, but Yvonne shakes her head.


    Theyre a little <em>too</em> interested in the spiders. If they notice it on the ceiling, we could draw in more than one. And Thedeim seems reluctant to make shortcuts to allow them to get here unseen, she points out.


    What if we try throwing rocks or something at one? suggests Aranya, and the others weigh that option, with Ara voicing her opinion first.


    Itd be risky, but would be easiest to pick exactly which one we want.


    Yvonne nods at that. If they behave like other territorial nesters Ive seen, the weaker ones will be more aggressive in guarding their territory than a stronger one, which should make it easier to draw it off. If we bide our time, we can even try to instigate something, too. Wait for a stronger one to eye its territory, draw it towards us, and if the stronger one moves in, the weaker will have little other option than to try toe get us. We even have a clear territory here in Violet that it might want to im.


    Violet doesnt seem happy with that, but Teemo does his best to ease her concerns. We wont let it <em>actually</em> im you for its nest, Violet. Were just nning around how it thinks. All the maw would see is an unimed area, and then we spring the trap.


    Are you guys going to be able to handle even a shrimpy scythemaw, though? The one Tiny fought was pretty gnarly, and Ive spotted a few that look even meaner.


    Teemo rys my concerns, and they all nod.


    Were certainly not strong enough to just go charging out there to fight allers, says Ara, But thats what the n is for. Well lure in a smaller, weaker one, and deal with it once the doors are closed. If something goes wrong, well take an emergency shortcut back to Thedeims territory. You can do that, right Teemo?


    My Voice reluctantly nods. Itll be a drain, but I think so. Itll be even more of a drain to properly copse it afterward but yeah, I think I can.


    Sounds like we have a n! says Ragnar with a wide grin. Well draw the beastie here, Ill keep its focus, and you lot put it down bfore it turns me intae dwarf jelly. They all nod at the simple n, and Teemo rys it to Violet. She still seems a bit nervous about it, but she gives her permission. She even points out to Teemo a patch of puffballs to try to draw the scythemaw through. Shes not sure if itll actually do much, but shed like to contribute more than just the doors.


    The n set, the group returns to their careful scouting and observing of the scythemaws, looking for a good opportunity to try their n. I nervously watch for a few minutes, but its quickly obvious itll take a while. Yvonnes party is experienced enough to be patient and wait for the proper time, and Aranya is smart enough to follow their lead. I should probably stop worrying about them, but its not that simple.


    Bah, leave the pros to do their job. Obsessing will just wind you up, so go do something else like checking in on the Not-So-Terrible Trio in the gauntlet. With the scythemaws in town, a lot of the adventurers are checking out the new show, instead ofpeting to be the first to beat the hard gauntlet. It also helps that the trio have been significantly ahead in their progress, too.


    Theyre back to the final room, and theyre very close to victory. Theyre also very close to washing out again, though. Theyve traced the pipe they need to connect, and now its a matter of putting the handles on the correct valves to send the water where it needs to go.


    Mine should be set! shouts the halfling, Mlynda, looking nervous and excited at the same time. She looks more in her element than I think Ive seen her before, too, even without an animalpanion.


    Done here! exims Hark, the tanned elf, as he points a finger at his own set of pipes, taking a moment to doublecheck everything is how it should be. Yeah, looks good! Vnarl?


    The troll leader of the group growls at his challenge. My pipe goes into a box or something! Its not the only one, too! Im not sure which is the right valve to close for it!


    Whats it look like? asks the elf, knowing that the solution for one room is often hidden in a different one. I made this gauntlet to make sure people cooperate better, after all.


    Were low on time! warns Mlynda, and shes not wrong. I dont have an hourss or anything set up, but after getting washed out so many times, theyre getting a feel for the rhythm of how long they have.


    Grrah, Ill just have to guess! grumbles Vnarl to himself, and sets the valves before running over to the main one for his room. Ready? One!


    Two! follows Mlynda, hoping they have it right, and that even this brief dy wont wash them out. They still have about ten seconds, which isnt a whole lot, but plenty for this, at least.


    Three! finishes Hark, and all three open the flow valves. Its a tense couple seconds as the water rushes through the pipes. Theyve had to endure this wait many times, and only once have they tasted victory after it''s over.


    Make that twice, now. They flinch as the doors open, before they allugh and rush through to the reward room. Their old stuff is long gone, but I think theyll appreciate their first true stash from me. And, atop the coins and stuff,ys a simple wooden board with words carved by my aranea.


    <em>First toplete the Challenge Gauntlet</em>


    Vnarl grins wide and holds the sign high, and the other two cheer.


    We did it!


    What rank do you think well be? asks Hark. Vnarl shrugs while Mlynda considers that, the guys checking through the loot to see if theres anything of special interest.


    Well, were some of the top in the guild as far as raw power goes. Thats probably one of the reasons he recruited us.


    Yeah, but a lot of the others are gaining fast. Thedeim is a great ce to train, grunts Vnarl, looking forward to turning in this particr quest so the three can get back to some more typical delving. The gauntlet was an interesting challenge and test, but the troll knows where his particr talentsy.


    It really is. Did you know there haven''t been any deaths in here yet? says Hark, and the other two look at him like hes lost his mind.


    Of course there have been deaths, Hark. You saw what that raven scion did to us! points out the halfling as she joins the guys in sorting and gathering the loot.


    Yeah, I did. But we also survived, right? Im telling you, Ive been checking. Theres been some good scares and some close calls, but nobody has died in here, he insists. Vnarl still doesnt look convinced.


    Even if thats true, which I doubt, itll only be a matter of time. Even the most peaceful toyboxes have had people die on ident.


    What if its a death or life affinity dungeon? insists Hark, and its Mlyndas turn to give him a look.


    What makes you even think that?


    Well, Yvonne is alive or not. You know what I mean. He saved her, what if hes saved others? What if the close calls were closer than people think?


    I think youre crazy, Hark. Death and life affinity dungeons are pretty obvious in their affinities. Besides, other people would have that same condition if it was doing the same to them as it did to her. I think its earth affinity.


    Whys that? asks Vnarl as he examines a pair of boots.


    It hasnt been content to just expand into natural caves and tunnels. It maniptes the stone to make what it wants.


    I think its water. The only reason it hasnt gone to the sea yet is it doesnt quite know its there. The two look to Hark to see if hes changed his mind on what aspect I am.


    Youre sure its not death? he asks, and Mlynda nods. ...then I think its life. Thats why Yvonne is a weird kind of undead, and why nobody has died in here.


    The other two shrug, and Vnarl speaks up. Whatever affinity it has, we should finish looting and get back to the guild. Were still on the bottom rung until we turn this quest back in to him.

 Chapter Ninety-Seven

    Chapter Ny-Seven


    I let the Trio enjoy their loot and look back at Aranya and the others. Theyre still waiting, with Yvonne giving a bit of a y-by-y of the shifting hierarchy among the scythemaws.


    Most seem to be more or less settled into their spots, but theres one that seems a prime candidate for them to draw out. Its a bit skinnier than the others around, but a whole lot meaner. Id probably try for one of the others, but from how Yvonne talks about that ones position, its going to be their best bet.


    Arger one has been wandering around, and Yvonne thinks its waiting for someone to make better progress on a nest before simply muscling them out. Itll probably get a few cuts from the fight, but theres little doubt itd be able to oust the smaller one, and it seems to be the best one for it to go after, too. The others are big enough they might be able to break something, so the skinnier one would be the clear choice.


    Its taking a while, though. Long enough for my attention to wander back to my spiderkin and their new enve. Im kinda surprised the scythemaws are mostly treating the cave like the enve isnt even there, considering how much they seem to hate spiders.


    In fact, the first couple days they were in there, they were always stomping around, growling, and generally trying to get the spiderkin toe down and fight. The spiderkin, of course, have no intention of going down there at least as long as they finish up rtively quickly. The cave lobster ponds are safe, but they dont know how long the things will live without any help from the vige.


    The wranglers are fully confident that two weeks will be no problem, and are pretty sure they should be fine for a month or so. After that, opinions start differing, but theyre happy to leave the concern mostly for the future. The male maws have started showing up and strutting their stuff for thedies, but no business has been conducted just yet. If theyre happy toy fairly quickly and leave, the enve can easily just wait. If they stick around to try to protect the eggs we might have a problem.


    Its a pretty outside chance, though, so theyre content to wait. While its possible the mother scythemaws will starve themselves protecting their eggs, Yvoinne gives it pretty long odds.


    And speaking of my favorite birb (sorry Poe), she speaks up from Violets doors, where she and Teemo are keeping a careful watch.


    The big ones back. I think its time. With the males mingling now, she needs a nest if she wants a mate. Everyone remember their parts? she asks, and everyone nods their heads. Then get ready to open the doors all the way.


    I watch through Teemo as the scythemaw swaggers through the area outside. She sniffs at a few nests, but the ones there growl and convince her itll be too much hassle. She could probably take most of the scythemaws in the area, but they might get in some good licks. Yvonne calling that shed bully the smaller one is right on the money, as she puffs herself uprger as shees closer to the nest of the smaller one.


    The outsider growls as she approaches, and the smaller roars, leaving therger one unimpressed. She roars again as the other steps a foot into her area, but doesnt yet attack. She knows this isnt a fight she can win, but she also doesnt want to give up her hard work.


    A second leg intrudes on her domain, and its time to put up or shut up. She dashes forward, mandibles wide open, and her foe meets her. They lock maws, and it bes a lot like a sumo match: first pushed out loses. Of course, with the difference in size, the smaller one never stood a chance. If she had managed to avoid locking mandibles together, she might have been able to use her speed, but she didnt, and is pushed out without too much fuss.


    She hisses and roars at the usurper, but the new tenant simply snaps her mandibles at the loser, showing shes more than willing to defend her new home.


    Meanwhile, at the doors, Yvonne gets them open and Ara hurls a stone at it from across the cave. Everyone except Ragnar hides, and the grinning dwarf raps his hammer on his shield, taunting the angry tunnel horror. Whether its the insulting look, irritating sound, or the seemingly-empty room behind him, it doesnt matter: she charges.


    Ragnarughs and runs back inside, taking up position behind a patch of puffballs. As the angry creature rushes in, Yvonne and Aranya work to get the doors closed as quickly as possible. Ara prepares an earth spell as Ragnar stares down the charging monster. It doesnt seem to even notice the puffballs popping as it rushes through, though I can see a slowed effect pop up over the scythemaw.


    Cmon, ye wee beastie! Ive pulled worse things than ye outa me ale! yells Ragnar as he nts his feet and blocks the scythes; one on his shield, the other with his hammer. Ara releases her spell, rooting Ragnar to the spot and helping him deal with all that momentum, while at the same time destabilizing the ground the maw stands on.


    It roars in anger, and the dwarf responds with augh and a kick to the snout, causing it to rear back. Och, yell be a grand tale to tell! he shouts, before getting his shield up just in time to block a swipe from the tail.


    Ara releases another spell, causing the floor under the maw to turn to sand for a moment, its feet sinking in. Then it hardens, leaving the monster restrained for a few moments. That gives Yvonne and Aranya the time to finish closing the doors, and can now join the fray.


    Thedeims Temper! shouts Aranya and a soft orange glow surrounds Ragnars armor, shield, and hammer.


    Barrage! yells Yvonne as she looses a handful of arrows at once. They dont do much damage, but they do draw the maws attention for a moment, letting Ragnar step in and wallop it with his hammer.


    Hides tough! Need to hit it in the eyes or mouth! yells Yvonne, more to let the others know she needs to be at the front. Aranya doesnt have too much in the way of offense, even with the sword at her hip, and Aras earth magic should be able to do a lot of damage if she actually decides to switch from hindering to damage.


    The maw, though, isnt just going to take this lying down. With a roar, it frees its legs, and swipes the debris at the ones at range. Ragnar whacks one of its mandibles from the opening, though, and I get the feeling he has the maw''s full attention now.


    Thas right, beastie! Keep yer eyes on Ragnar!


    The maw starts to realize its in trouble, so attempts to deal with the small bearded menace. It moves its head to swipe at him, getting Ragnar to raise his shield, before dipping low and cutting into the earth like its butter. With a flick, Ragnar is sent into the air with a curse, before being snatched into the wicked mandibles.


    True Shot! shouts Yvonne over the sound of strained metal, and the maw releases Ragnar with a roar as the arrow finds one of its eyes. Hends in a heap, but staggers to his feet with a manic grin. His chest piece has matching dents on the front and back now, though the orange glow has vanished. He coughs up a bit of blood, which only seems to make him grin wider.


    Weavers Tangle! shouts Aranya as she finishes another spell, this time doing something to the scythemaw. The others seem to take it as a signal, and prepare attacks.


    Hol th Line! bellows Ragnar, red spittle flying as he stares down the enraged scythemaw.


    True Shot! follows Yvonne, her arrow glowing slightly as she waits for the perfect moment to let it fly.


    Stctite Call! finishes Ara, pulling arge spear of rock from the ceiling, directly overhead of the scythemaw.


    The monster charges Ragnar, ready to meet and ovee his challenge or die trying, before a twist of Fate seals its doom. Bold Gambit! shout all four, their effortsbining. The orange glow nudges its leading foot just a little before winking out, causing it to fall into the gap left from when the maw sent Ragnar into the air. It stumbles with a surprised grunt, and Yvonne releases her arrow into its throat. The beast rears back in pain, before the plummeting stctite catches it right at the base of the skull and drives it to the floor with an echoing boom.


    The party watches for a few moments to make sure the maw is dead, but the body doesnt even twitch. Nobody wants to be the first to dere victory, but Ragnar soon grunts and takes a rough seat on the floor. Urg m gonna feel this tomorra, he groans, tracing the long dent on his chest armor.


    That seems to pop the tension, and Ara walks over to heal him with a smile and shake of her head. I was worried when that thing grabbed you, Ragnar.


    Aye, how dye ken <em>I</em> felt? he jokes, before looking over at Aranya. What was that prayer y cast? I could feel it fightin tha bite.


    Aranya looks a bit embarrassed before she answers. Its inspired by the ratkin, actually. They remember working in the forges when they were still denizens, smelting ore and making crude gear. They like to ask to be tempered to never shatter, only to bend under great force. A bent sword can be straightened, or reforged much easier than a broken one.


    Weavers Tangle is inspired by the spiderkin, then? asks Ara, and my High Priestess nods.


    They like to focus on his Fate aspect, saying he weaves small starts into glorious finales.


    Id certainly call that a pretty glorious finale, says Yvonne as she examines the dead scythemaw, and the others all nod. Ragnar stands, seeming to be feeling much better after being healed, but his face falls as he looks at the dead beast.


    Howre we gonna get it outa here?

 Chapter Ninety-Eight

    Chapter Ny-Eight


    Everyone stands around the dead scythemaw, trying to figure out the answer to Ragnars question: How <em>will</em> they get this thing out of here? Its too big and heavy for them to lift, and even if they manage to cut it into pieces, theres still the matter of all the other scythemaws between them and my territory.


    Maybe a shortcut? suggests Ara, but the others dont look too sure of that.


    Even if Teemo made one, we still wouldnt be able to lift the entire thing, points out Yvonne.


    Teemo tilts his head slightly as I tell him Ill help, and he smiles once I exin. The Boss says hes sending Fluffles toe get the scythemaw. He should be able to levitate the corpse without much issue, and probably us with it. Once back in Thedeims territory proper, you guys should be able to get a cart and someborers or something.


    Ragnar grins at that idea. An we parade this thing through town. I ken were the first ta fell one. The others enjoy the idea of the fame that will bring, before Yvonne speaks up.


    Oh, Aranya. Did you want to officially join the guild? Your prayers made that fight much smoother, she points out, and the other two nod as the kobold considers that.


    What about my responsibilities to Thedeim?


    Teemo shrugs. You know how his ns can change, but hes not nning any new enves for a while. Im pretty sure the other spawners still have quite a few upgrades to go before any of them would be ready, too.


    She thinks while the others idly chat and poke the dead maw, taking their time to examine their prize as they wait for Fluffles to get there. He has no trouble flying high and over the scythemaws, and theyre content to ignore him. He earns the asional growl when he flies over some nests, but thats it. Once he arrives and slips past the doors, Aranya seems to take that as her cue to announce her decision.


    I think I will join the Adventurers Guild, if youll have me in your party. You <em>are</em> allowed more than three, right? Ive only ever seen trios or solo people, sometimes a delver leading a nonbatant to the nodes.


    Ara nods. Theres no official limit to a party size, but three is the traditional number. It tends to give a good bnce of roles while minimizing the need to divide loot and experience.


    You all are fine with me having a share of both?


    They all nod, and Ragnar speaks up. Aye,ss. If na fer yer prayers, that maw could ave left me as half th dwarf I am now.


    Aranya smiles and looks to Teemo. And Lord Thedeim is fine with this, too?


    Yeah, hes fine with it. Dont go leaving him <em>too</em> lonely, he says with a wink, and everyone shares augh. Fluffles hisses for everyones attention, to see if theyre all ready to go.


    I think we should climb aboard the scythemaw and pretty much just hang on? suggests Teemo, and the others all agree to that n. They all pile on, give Violet thanks again, before Fluffles lifts the whole show in his telekinesis and flies out the doors.


    The trip back is only slightly more interesting than the flight in. A floating scythemaw is a lot more attention-grabbing than just my wingnoodle on his own. Hisses, growls, and roars all follow, but all the maws take more defensive than offensive positions as Fluffles goes past. They dont want a fight, but they want to try to establish themselves as something Fluffles doesnt want to fight, either.


    Im pretty sure he could take them, but he has more important things to do. He deposits everyone up on thewn, just outside the cave entrance, drawing looks from everyone else on the surface. Ara and Ragnar head outside to see about a wagon and a few stoutds to help load the thing, while Yvonne and Aranya stay with the body to make sure nobody messes with it.


    The two get asked all sorts of questions, and Aranya lets Yvonne handle what information they get to hear. My birdkin is more familiar with the terms of the quest, after all. She gives out only the most basic of information; the maws are fast and strong, dont get grabbed, hit it hard to get past the scales, and so on.


    Before too long, the other two return with a mule-drawn cart and a few badgerkin, looks like? They fit the stoutds description, thats for sure. It doesnt take them too much time nor effort to get it loaded up, and the party heads off to turn in the quest and get Aranya officially signed up, and the other delvers return to their own delves.


    The next couple days sees more parties wanting to bag a maw of their own, but theres a lot fewer opportunities to snag one. The maws squatting in the spider enve have settled in, with only a few of therger ones deciding they dont like having my spiderkin overhead. So with the nesting seeming to be settled, its time for the guys to strut their stuff and try to impress ady enough to do the nasty. As such, most maws are all gathered up together, and even the most reckless of parties would rather not try to fight a whole cavern full of horny tunnel horrors.


    Still, dominance disys will always leave a couple on the outskirts, which is generally outside my borders in the hunting tunnels. I watch a familiar group as they prepare to head out: the same group that got the chest in my basement a while ago. The halfling is still done up in shiny armor with a sword and shield, though the shield is closer to a tower shield now. Im pretty sure he had more of a kite shield back in the basement.


    The spear elf still has his spear and chainmail, and thedy gnome still looks like a walking alchemy shop. They all look in pretty high spirits, though the jovial tone of their conversation quiets as they near my border and put their game faces on.


    Remember, says the gnome as everyone does onest check of their gear. These things are dangerous. The Hardening Oil for Jurls armor should protect him from the worst, but well all drink the stoneskin potions once we have a horror picked out. The Keen Oil should help your spear get past the scales, Dirnos, but watch for the tail. Im going to try a Frozen Fulmination when I get the chance. It might have more trouble breaking free of ice than from earth.


    The other two nod, and the elf grins. And if were in over our heads, run back here and hope Thedeim can keep the angry maw from eating us, right Quitly? The gnome sticks her tongue out at him before nodding.


    Right. The Fleet Ointment should help us stay unnoticed, and also help us run, if ites to that. With one more nod, the three head out, and I wish them luck. They seem to be the only ones risking a fight down there right now, with everyone else either doing more ordinary delving or giving the gauntlet or maze a try. The gauntlet has been less popr since the Trio took the first true clear, but its still an interesting challenge that keeps the delvers on their toes when the deeper sections are just too dangerous for more parties to y with. I watch a couple runs in there, and a few people in the maze, though I keep an eye out on my borders, just in case.


    I start to get a bit worried for the group when I notice Grim make his way down to one of the tunnels, and I set a few healing slimes to follow him. Theres only that one group thats hunting right now, so I hope things are going well for them.


    Things dont seem to be going well for them, as I soon feel the elf sprinting into the tunnel with Grim, the gnome and halfling over his shoulders. The halfling is looking like a rabid can-opener attacked him, and the gnome is looking pretty pale from blood loss. The culprit is probably that deep gash on her thigh. I can see something smeared over the wound, but I dont know what it actually is.


    And not far behindes a rampaging scythemaw, roaring and chasing as quickly as it can. Grim watches them all, and motions at the elf before indicating the two red slimes behind him, and slowly walks forward. The elf rushes past him and gives the two slimes a weird look, before the gnome manages a few pained words.


    Into the slimes she groans, recognizing the healing properties even in her state. Grims scythe makes a rhythmic sound as he uses it as a walking stick, continuing his pace towards the tunnel horror, seeming to pay no mind to the scenes before or behind him.


    The elf, apparently Dirnos, manages to get hispanions into the jells before he looks back, and his eyes widen as he feels Grim tap into his true power. My Groundsreapers robes seem to softly billow in an unseen breeze as hees to a stop, the scythemaw practically upon him. If I had eyes, theyd widen, too, when I take a peek at Grims stats. Hes got a few new titles.


    <em>Grim, the Groundsreaper</em>


    <em>Skeleton Scion</em>


    <strong>Bloom of Life</strong>


    <strong>Touch of Death</strong>


    <strong>The Bridge Between</strong>


    Grim doesnt even move as the maw copses like a puppet with its strings cut, a faint caw echoing through the tunnels. Momentum carries it to Grims feet, where he reaches into his robe and pulls out a simple daisy andys it upon its snout. His taskplete, he turns and walks back past the stunned elf and the recovering others. Theyre in no position to say anything, but he quietly swears once Grim passes out of his view, and he looks back towards the dead scythemaw.


    By the Raven


    I dont think hes too far off.

 Chapter Ninety-Nine

    Chapter Ny-Nine


    After they recover and get some people down to deal with the scythemaw body, it starts to feel like scythemaw mania is about finished. Those three are considered pretty dang stronk and cautious, and if even <em>they</em> had to be bailed out of a hunt, it makes the other delver groups reconsider their options.


    And speaking of delver groups: Aranya is officially part of the Adventurers Guild! Shes been getting to know everyone there better, and hanging out with Ragnar and Ara more, too. Shes suggested to them asking to be Residents, but neither is too interested, which is fine. My two Residents have also been keeping an eye on various quests, which helps me to adjust for demand.


    In low demand now are scythemaw quests, for example. Theres plenty of bits for the curious to y with, so the only quests left seem to be to observe them. Its still not exactly <em>safe</em>, but the maws are settling into homemaking to go with their baby making. There are very few solo maws left, so the various pairs mostly guard their territory and work on deepening their nests.


    Its nice to have the delvers get back to more usual delving, at least. The cryptplex is busier than usual, thanks to the deeper caverns being taken up by the maws, but its simple enough to aim the tougher spiders and other harder encounters over there, as well as the various nt/undead hybrids that are already calling that area home.


    The scouting operations outside the borders are going well. Progress proceeds apace to get into contact with the Southwood. Leo has set a few packs to head there directly, now that we have a few little outposts established. I dont want him going himself just yet, though. I want to get him a bit more experience directing my denizens before I let him run off to an unknown fight.


    The path to Hullbreak looks pretty clear, and Im going to need to have Teemo drop in on Tarl and the Office of Dungeon Affairs soon, to let them know to not freak out if they see skeletons and stuff outside of town to the north. Tying rocks to them is still my best option, seems like. I considered trying some metal transmutation, but theres a couple problems with that. The first is that salt water does not y nicely with most metals. The second is that I just dont have enough of the stuff to transmute enough of the skeletons to make them sink nicely. And the third: I dont want to tip off Hullbreak that I have alchemical stuff. It might think its just a skeleton upgrade if I was able to transmute an entire skelly, but that is <em>way</em> too expensive to keep up for long.


    So just rocks for now. Besides, itll give my rockslides a good cover to get inside. With new rocks littering the seabed, other little piles wont stick out as much. Well be getting into the water from a steep rocky beach, and Im pretty sure Hullbreak doesnt own that section, so we should be able to slip the slimes in without too much trouble. Poe is setting a flock of Ravens at the beachhead just in case, to make sure Hullbreak cant get too close of a look at whats going on.


    I think thats basically all the nning I can do before actually doing this. I need to see how Hullbreak will react, and try to get information on his dwellers before I can do much more. First thing Ill probably have my spies try to do will be to get in contact with the one that wrote that letter. Alright, Teemo. Go let Tarl know what were up to.


    <strong>Tarl</strong>


    The Inspector has been feeling rather goodtely, actually. He hadnt realized how much he was bottling up with regards to Hullbreak, and having Thedeim listen in was a great weight off his mind. And then the crazy dungeon promised to somehow make it right!


    He chuckles at that idea as he helps organize the yearly paperwork. Tr does an excellent job keeping everything in order through the year, but even she needs help going through everything for the official records and the tax collectors, of course.


    Has the Boss really made that much of a mess for you thisst week?es a familiar voice from atop a cab, and Tarl smiles at the local Voice.


    Ah, hello Teemo. And no, this isnt just from this week. Were getting started with the year-end paperwork. Tax collectors are more formidable than anything Ive encountered in a dungeon, he replies with a smirk. He watches as the scion makes a couple jumps tond on his desk, and he decides he can take a quick break to chat. It something up?


    Teemo nods. Yeah. Remember what I said in the graveyard? Well, the Boss is about ready to make his first move on that.


    Tarls face turns serious as he adopts his inspector mode, understanding this is an important business topic. What are his ns with Hullbreak?


    Well n is a bit strong, but he does have a few things hes going to be doing. Hes going to send sacrificial raids of skeletons at Hullbreak to help keep it from starving, and hes going to infiltrate it to get more information.


    Sacrificial raids? repeats Tarl, surprised Thedeim would go that far. Hes not just going to subsume it?


    I mean, its an option, but Hullbreak sounds like its hurt and scared, rather than just outright evil and dangerous. He wants to try to talk to it.


    And if that doesnt work? asks the elf, looking like he seriously doubts that will work.


    Hell try to Vassalize it.


    Tarls eyes widen at that. He can do that already?!


    Teemo nods. He technically could have done that with Violet, but hasnt. Shes still open to learning and doesnt justsh out in fear. Hullbreak is probably going to take a heavier hand.


    Tarl slowly nods at that. Hes aware Hullbreak wont just ept Vassalization?


    Yeah, he knows itll be a fight if ites to that, and that it will probablye to that, too. But he wants to take it slow and careful, and see if the carrot will work before he has to employ the stick.


    The inspector sighs at that, not having much hope for the carrot approach, but unwilling to call it a lost cause already. Can I put his ability to vassalize into the records?


    The Voice tilts his head slightly, listening to Thedeim, before nodding. Thats fine. Unless Hullbreak somehowes to its senses without needing to be shown force, itll be pretty obvious before too long anyway. Also obvious: people are going to see skeletons, slimes, and living rockslides to the north of town.


    Tarl nods at that, then starts leafing through the more recent reports. Well start letting people know, if only so they dont flood us with reports. Speaking of pretty obvious where is it ah! He pulls out the report he was looking for, and holds it for Teemo to see. Is this urate?


    Teemo peers at it for a few seconds before nodding. Looks like. That group went into the caverns to try to bag a scythemaw, but got in over their head. Grim dealt with it.


    That simply?


    That simply.


    How?


    Teemo shrugs. I dont understand his magic, but I think his affinities tell a pretty clear story. He lets Tarl get a scrap of paper and a charcoal stick to take notes, then continues. See, he started with Earth and Fate, because of Thedeim, yeah? Once he earned his Groundsreaper title, he picked up Death.


    Tarl nods at that. Pretty standard so far. Scions tend to start with one affinity of their own, and one affinity granted by their dungeon. Titles often grant affinities, too.


    Teemo nods and continues. So, hes also been growing flowers and stuff, and listening to mourners at the graves. The Boss said hes managed to make the connection and expand his Death affinity into Life.


    Tarls eyes widen at that, and when Teemo doesnt continue, he fills the silence. So Rocky isnt the only one hes been working on affinities with?


    Teemo chuckles. Hes been working with all of us, but he was surprised when he saw Grim had managed to get Life somehow. The Boss understands the link, but I sure dont.


    Tarl doesnt understand any link either, but hes not exactly a mage. And that somehow let Grim kill the tunnel horror without seeming to move?


    Teemo nods. Im not an expert, but I figure someone who has Life, Death, and Fate affinities could manage something like that without too much trouble.


    Tarl stares for a few moments before sighing and crumpling the paper and tossing it into the fire. Not information to be shared with the Guild atrge. Any other terrifying revtions?


    Teemo chuckles and shakes his head.

 Chapter One Hundred

    Chapter One Hundred


    <strong>Hullbreak Harbor, First Mate</strong>


    The great white prowls the waters, efficient movements seeming to bezy with how easy they are for her. She watches the Invaders as they defile her home and her Captain with theirmere presence, but she takes her time lining up to charge. The skeletons are slow and clumsy, but can still do a lot of damage if they manage to grab on. She spots her chance and charges forward, and the first skeleton in the group shatters under her assault. Simple bones are no match for the Voice of Hullbreak Harbor.


    Sometimes she wishes she could properly growl while under the water. Even at her most-intimidating, trying to make any actual noise just sounds like a drowningndlubber. She internally shelves the frustration as she rips apart another skeleton. Its not like theyd even be intimidated anyway.


    Neverrest doesnt seem to care too much about the undead its sending, or maybe it hasnt figured out a better way to attack the Captain yet. She was vaguely aware the Captain had found another dungeon out in the town, and it seems their old foe Neverrest managed to subsume it. She cant think of any other way for the old cemetery to have gotten ess to ravens.


    Or they <em>are</em> kind of fitting for it to have on its own. Whatever the reason, the Captain doesnt share everything with her, and hes not the most informed on whats been going on in there anyway. Shes just d to see the Captain not starving anymore.


    Shes been a lot busier with the sudden stream of undead, but its better than being bored and having plenty of time to watch her home and Captain slowly shrivel. The rush of mana from the first skeleton that morning was like fresh deep water on her gills. The Captain quickly reinvigorated the shark spawner first, then started at least stabilizing the various nodes so the dwellers could be morefortable.


    The mana flow has lessened a little, now that the initial rush is over. Still, the skeletons are making quite a mess with their crude rock anchors. Stones litter much of the Captains seabed, but a small mess is a fine price to pay to keep her Captain healthy.


    He really doesn''t like the new development of Neverrest raiding <em>him</em>, though, so hes trying to upgrade the seagull spawner back to a decent level so he can try to get a better look at the situation as a whole. He has his strength up now, but he also has his guard up. Neverrest has always been rather single-minded in trying to consume everything, but its no fool. Itll realize eventually that its raids are only strengthening the Captain, and that itll take more than just a thin line of skeletons to defeat him even if the line seems never ending.


    Shes sure the Captain wille up with something eventually, though. For now, theyll quietly build their strength and try to get the gulls to get information.


    <strong>Thedeim</strong>


    See, this is the kind of thing people mean about ns not surviving contact with the enemy. Most of the n has been going great. The rockslides and slimes seem to be infiltrating without much issue, and Hullbreak seems to be a lot healthier already. Even the scattered initial reports are showing nodes and spawners healing and replenishing.


    The sharks and fish returning in force I expected, too. Im sending invaders, so of course Hullbreak will beef up his defenses. Unfortunately for me, I forgot about the seagull spawner. Its healing up, too, which will make keeping secrets more difficult. The slimes and rockslides might be practically invisible in the water, but they stick out a lot more onnd. I dont think changing the number of undead I send will do much to stop it, either. If I try to send more, it might actually get strong enough to fight me more directly and <em>still</em> have gulls. If I slow the flow, itll start starving again. So Ill just have to deal with the annoying little spynes.


    Ive asked Poe to keep a lot of ravens out to intercept as many gulls as possible, but its only a matter of time before they start being able to spot things they shouldnt. So how do I deal with this.


    Problem: seagulls are going to eventually notice the line of rockslides and slimes among the skeletons. A lot of the path is covered by trees, but the beachhead and the stretch just past my walls are wide open. And I need to get a denizen back to get their actual report on whats going on.


    Solution: Uh? Well, I dont need too many more slimes and slides in there, so I can slow the rate of deployment. Maybe Ill just send them at night? Im pretty sure seagulls dont do well at night. Hmm I should probably also establish a bit of a beachhead actually in the water, too,e to think of it.


    If Hullbreak has enough mana to work on the seagulls, it might get enough to try sending an expedition or two out to hit the skeletons before they even enter its waters. I really dont need it realizing Im sending more than just skeletons under the waves.


    I still need to get the information back here though, too. My rats could do that maybe. The gulls seemed to be more interested in my snakes than the rats when Hullbreak was able to raid me more consistently, but Id bet they can handle a rodent at least as easily as they could handle a serpent.


    Maybe dig a tunnel? Itd only need to be rat-sized but thats a <em>long</em> way from the treeline to the shoeline. Theyd also be in danger from the wall to the trees, but thatd be a lot easier to defend without giving away the position of the rocky beach.


    Maybe I should send Coda out to supervise it? He should make it a lot easier for them to dig. Hed probably need to only go out at night, though he could also receive the reports from my little spies.


    Huh actually, that gives me a better idea. If I had thought about the tunnel beforemitting, it might have worked, but its way toote in the game to try that now. If I had moles, it might be possible, but even with Jello hunting them more actively, she still hasnt found a viable candidate. Instead, Ill send Leo on expedition to manage my denizens. Itll be a good practice run for him before I try to send him off to help the Southwood. If things go pear-shaped, itll be a lot easier to support him at the beach than way deep in the forest.


    I nudge my wolf to expect Teemo, and nudge Teemo that Leo is expecting him. I exin as Teemo takes a shortcut, and Leo is sitting at attention once my Voice arrives.


    Hey Leo. The Boss has a special mission for you, if youre ready. The wolf barks and Teemo smiles.


    He says he was spawned ready, heh. OK Leo, Thediem knows you want to be the one to head the support to the Southwood. Well, consider this a practice run. He wants you to manage the operation to get info on Hullbreak. Getting the denizens all the way back here is too big a risk, so he wants you to set up a forward operating base in the woods near the beach, and organize things from there.


    As far as Hullbreak should know: all youll have ess to are undead and ravens. Youll need to help get what slimes and slides are still needed into the water without it noticing, and Thedeim also wants a defensive perimeter under the water at the beach. Hullbreak is using gulls to try to get intel, and though well be slowing that as much as we can, itll only be a matter of time before it sends sharks and such to try to hit the undead before they even get inside its borders.


    Leo growls and yips as Teemo trantes, and then gives my reply. You can get ess to the other denizens if you can keep Hullbreak from realizing theyre Thedeims.


    Leo nods and I can feel his mind churning with ns, my Warden preparing to protect my denizens and my n, and hopefully protect even Hullbreak from itself.

 Chapter One-Hundred One

    Chapter One-Hundred One


    <strong>Leo</strong>


    Leo thinks as he prepares to go on his expedition. This is the most important thing the Alpha has asked him to do, and is possibly the most important thing hes asked <em>any</em> of his scions to do, and so the wolf wants to do the best job he possibly can. He first checks with Poe to see if theres any extra information he can get.


    There is, but not much. Its mostly topography of the area, but that does at least give him a better idea of what hell be working with. The rocky beach should not be too difficult to secure, even beneath the waves. There are a lot ofrge rocks and other things that would spell doom for a boat, and also disrupts the waves. At low tide, it gives him several choke points that the skeletons can secure. At high tide, hes more uncertain of how to deal with them. Sharks and other dangerous denizens may be able to swim over, but theyd also risk dashing themselves on the rocks. Hell have to get a better look himself before he can make much in the way of ns there.


    The biggest challenge will be the stretch ofnd between the beach itself and the woods hell be hiding in. The Alpha is correct in transitioning to just skeletons to avoid the spying denizens getting spotted. Hed like to get even more inside Hullbreak itself, but he cant risk bringing in more for that. Perhaps he can get the delvers to help? A few quests to deliver boxes or barrels to the local docks, and slimes and slides could slip out and into the sea with minimal chance of being seen.


    He nods to himself and files that idea away forter, in case its needed. He still has the problem of actually <em>acquiring</em> the reports from the spies. He could use skeletons, but hed prefer not to. Skeletons leaving the ocean ys against the idea of Neverrest just sending constant raids to try to gain mana or whittle Hullbreak down. So he needs to use something sneakier, something smaller.


    His first thought is to try the rats, maybe at night. Theyre quick and should blend in well, but can he manage anything better? He gets an idea and heads for the library. <em>He</em> cant manage anything sneakier than the rats, but he thinks Honeys bees would be an even better option.


    Hes actually quite fond of the bookish little bee. He had expected her to be annoying or useless with her idea to go get samples of things around the Alphas territory, but was willing to humor her if the Alpha was. But her bees have been proving themselves invaluable in getting details, and she has this infectious energy when she goes on about whatever weird thing has captured her interest at the time.


    The bees only give him a passing nce as he enters theb, before continuing their own work. He soon finds Honey dissecting what appears to be a dragonfly of some variety, and he wiggles his rear in a pale imitation of a bees dance of greeting. Hes pretty sure he manages to say something crude each time, but it does a good job of gaining Honeys attention and making the mood light.


    Leo! How can I help you? she asks, handing her tiny tools off to a few other workers while she focuses on her fellow scion.


    I was hoping I could borrow some of your bees, Honey. The Alpha has given me a task, and I think some bees would be perfect for one of the roles.


    She buzzes in excitement. The Hullbreak situation, right? Id love to help, though I do have a condition.


    That is?


    Id like for my bees to be able to investigate the area when not actively doing whatever youre going to have them doing. What <em>are</em> you going to have them doing? she asks, realizing she should probably know what shes agreeing to before she actually agrees to it.


    I will have them ferry the reports from the shore to my FOB, and ferry any orders I have back.


    Honey buzzes in a little circle in approval. Ah, messengers! They should be fine to do that, and they should have plenty of time to explore and find me new samples, too!


    Once I get situated, I may be able to organize deliveries back here so you can examine things yourself, too. My priority will be on Hullbreak, however.


    She floats side to side, waving off the concern. Thats fine. The Emperors ns take priority, but theres still a lot of opportunity to <em>learn</em>!


    He nods. Good. Ill return to get your initial contingent of bees before I leave for the expedition. Enjoy your work, Honey.


    You as well! she buzzes happily, before returning to her dissection.


    Leo next visits the other insect scion, Queen, to see if the ant has managed to make any potions to breathe in water. Her workspace is a bit more chaotic to his eyes, but he knows its an illusion. Not a single ant is where Queen doesnt want it. They part for him as he makes his way to the main table, where Queen typically works on her experiments and notes.


    Ah, Leo. I hear the Emperor has given you a special task. Youre here to ask my help? she says without looking away from her ants carefully measuring powders.


    Yes. Have you made any progress on a potion to breathe underwater?


    Its difficult to read her expression, thanks to both her size and her simple anatomy, but he gets the feeling shes smirking at him. I have, but you dont want it.


    He gives her a confused look. Why wouldnt I want it?


    Because breathing underwater is not actually especially useful. You need to be able to move freely underwater, too.


    Leo still doesnt get it. I can swim just fine, Queen.


    Sheughs and motions for her ants to pause so she can focus more on Leo. Can you swim as well as a fish, Leo? How much more nimble is a fish than you in the water? Even if a fish could breathe onnd, would you have any trouble fighting one if it flopped into the Emperors territory? It will be the same with Hullbreak. Breathing will help, but <em>mobility</em> is the key to actually trying to win any fights with Hullbreak.


    Leo frowns, not liking her tone, but also not able toe up with any real retort. Have you made any progress on <em>that</em>, then?


    Her confidence fades at that and she eventually must shake her head. No, unfortunately. The Emperor has given me some interesting ideas, but I havent managed to make anything with the properties to try to use them yet. That ratkin delver, Staiven, may be able to help with that. I believe he has forme for what we want, but I also suspect it requires reagents I just dont have.


    Leo sighs at that. I was afraid of that.


    We still have some hope, though.


    Oh? says the wolf, perking up.


    The Emperor has agents inside the harbor now, correct? Id wager that any missing reagents can be found inside it. A few subtle snips, and we could have what we need to bring a fight to them, should the need arise.


    Leo cant help but grin at that, d he decided toe to her. Ill keep that in mind! The Alpha hopes for a peaceful resolution


    But he <em>prepares</em> for the worst. The Emperor is wise and merciful, daring to hope without letting it blind him.


    Leo can only nod at that. Ill keep you in the loop if it looks like the spies can sneak out anything from inside. The Alpha wants to get into contact with the dwellers, and they may have a much easier time of gathering than our invaders will.


    And I shall continue to work on the water problem with what we do have avable. The Emperor has suggested I look into how oil repels water, to see if that could be useful. He thinks it will only be part of the solution, but a part is better than what we have now.


    Leo nods once more and takes his leave, trying to think of what else he needs to do. He has the foreseeable problems nned for, and with the bees he should at least have warning for anything <em>un</em>foreseeable. He needs to actually get out there and get the FOB started, and secure the beachhead before he can try to solve any other problems. Those two will certainly present issues, but if he keeps a level head, hes certain he can do the Alpha proud.

 Chapter One-Hundred Two

    Chapter One-Hundred Two


    I watch through Leos eyes as he explores the woods, looking for a good spot to set up his FOB. Its a bit of a grandiose name for whats probably going to be a glorified hole in the ground. Theres quite a few divots in the sides of hills, and hollows in some tree roots, but he hasnt managed to find anything quite to his liking just yet. That hasnt stopped him from sending a few orders, though.


    Thetest batch of skeletons are to stay near the beach and start securing it, and hes set up a line of rockslides along the beach so the bees wont have to try to dodge waves to be able to ry the reports. It looks like hes going to try to make some wooden spike walls to put atop the natural walls, to help keep any aquatic attackers from being able to actually get into the secured area.


    Hes letting the bees help him look for a good spot, too, so Im sure theyll find something to his liking soon. If ites to it, I should be able to sneak Coda and a few ratlings to expand whatever he decides to set up shop in.


    Ive also realized another problem with the n, or at least the next step. I want to get into contact with the dwellers in Hullbreak but how am I actually going to manage that? I might be able to skirt the rules with a few signs from my aranea, but they might be a bit too obvious. Driftwood is all well and good, but most of it floats, rather than sticking to random rocks.


    Its not a fatal w, at least not yet. Leo has gotten a few more reports already, and my spies are still settling in and getting a feel for what is normal in there. I don''t believe theyve spotted any dwellers yet. If their enve is anything like the ones Ive made, theres still plenty of room to hide it. I also wouldn''t be surprised if the enve is close to the sanctum. That note made it sound like the dwellers are precious to Hullbreak, so itd make sense to make their enve as secure as possible.


    Its looking like I only just managed to get out ahead of the seagulls, too. Ive asked Poe to make it look like were only barely able to handle keeping the gulls away from sensitive areas, even if Im pretty sure Poe could easily go and scour the spawner from the little ind or reef or whatever its on all by himself. I need Hullbreak to feelfortable before I spring on him how outssed he is. Otherwise, vassalizing him will take a lot more pain than is strictly required.


    Hullbreaks defenses are swelling, and though my spies havent found the spawners yet, I can get at least a rough idea of how strong he is by how quickly the skeletons are handled. I kinda want to overwhelm his defenses so my spies can get deeper quicker, but I need to take it nice and slow. I might have been able to get deeper with a more aggressive initial attack, but now is just toote to send another surge or too early, I guess. If I send another surge, I need to make it look like Ive had to build up skeletons, and possibly send a new variety, too.


    But either way, now is not the time to rush. Even though I really want to. Its times like this that make me miss having thumbs to twiddle, or an inte to wander for stupid stuff. Its a lot harder to distract myself when I really need to hurry up and wait. Watching my scions can help with that some, though.


    Most of them are still doing what they do. Teemo has made just about all the shortcuts he can think to make, so hes taken to doing a bit of people watching and practicing his Fate affinity. I dont know where he got that dice from, but he rolls it sometimes to try to call what it will be. Im not sure if hes trying to read what the destined roll is, or if hes trying to influence it himself, but he seems to be having a small bit of sess with it, getting it right about 20% of the time. I may have spent a couple hours keeping track of it. Dont judge.


    Queen and Thing have finished growing the crystal pickups for the axe, so now the former can focus more on trying to get a working aqua potion, or whatever shes going to call a thing that will let people both breathe and move properly under water. A water affinity potion would probably be ideal, but I seriously doubt shell be able to stumble over something like that any time soon. A mer-potion might be more achievable, but thats not really saying much. The only thing we have that actually transforms something is the metal stuff, and I think something to turn something into a half-fish would be even moreplex than turning to metal.


    Thing has been running experiments with the pickups and working on the enchantments to take the electricity from the quartz and amplify it into the singing te coils that I want in the hat. It seems like its not tooplicated for him, but it is delicate work, so hes going slow. They have a few spares, but hed rather not break them by ident.


    The actual axe head is making pretty good progress, surprisingly. The spiderkin have been able to walk along the ceiling and avoid the scythemaws, and have been visiting my ratkin to help forge the des. Its a pretty good working rtionship they have going, too. The ratkin have been making various steels and the spiderkin forge them into weapons, and they all do the testing. Most of the des either shatter or bend, but theyre taking good notes and have discovered a lot of interesting ways to not make an axe.


    As for the recipient of the axe, sh has managed to pick up a lute or something from somewhere, maybe Tiny captured a bard in the maze? Either way, he spends a lot of his time in the tunnels, just practicing. Theres not a ton of digging to be done right now, so he has the free time. Hes got a long way to go to live up to his namesake, but he has to start somewhere.


    Jello is hunting moles and gremlins with more focus than I think Ive ever seen from her. I dont feel any frustrationing from her, but I do get a sense she feels like she needs to try something different with her approach. I tickle the bond with the idea of asking Teemo to help, and she readily epts the suggestion. I let him know shell be on her way, so he puts the dice away and goes to head her off at the pass. And by pass, I mean thewn, where shes been hunting.


    <strong>Jello</strong>


    Jello hums as she works on thetest mole shes captured. Shell be able to calm it, shes not worried about that. Shes just wondering what shes doing wrong to not find one that would want to join. She can already tell this one will just want to go. Leo would probably suggest she just eat it, but that just feels kinda mean, to start calming it down only to eat it when its not going to do what she wants.


    Then the Voice in her head suggests asking Teemo, and she brightens at that. Hes almost a mole, right? Maybe hell have a better idea of what to offer them! She burbles happily as she makes her way towards the nearest shortcut, only for the Voices Voice to appear from it.


    Ah, heya Jello. The Boss says you could use some help with the moles?


    She jiggles in affirmation. Yes! He wants to get a mole so he can have a new spawner, but none of them want to join! They all just want to leave. Should I just eat them? she asks, clearly ufortable, but Teemo smiles and shakes his head.


    Nah, you can keep catching and releasing them. Its their choice to stay or go. Have you been trying to use your affinity to find one that would want to stay?


    Ive been trying, but havent had any takers. Should I try offering them something more than just soft dirt to dig and a warm spawner? I cant think of anything else to offer a mole.


    Teemo thinks on that for a few moments before shrugging. I think thats about all we can offer. Well, that and friends.


    Oh, friends! Right! How could I forget that? That should make it a lot easier! She wiggles in happiness before Teemo speaks up.


    I think the Boss wants me to help you try to use your affinity to find a good one, too. Have the moles been feeling any different?


    Yeah, some. I can tell which ones I can actually calm down, and which ones are just kinda <em>off</em>. But I still havent found one that would stay. Ive even tried with gremlins, but no luck there, either, she says, slumping a little in defeat.


    Teemo just gives her a reassuring smile. Thats what Im here for. The Boss says Im starting to get the hang of luck with this dice I found. The numbers dont sound too impressive to me, but he says its still statistically relevant.


    Whats that mean?


    The Voice smiles and climbs atop the big cube of slime. It means that, even if youve gotten zero, I might help you get <em>one</em>. Its not a huge number, but its still more.

 Chapter One-Hundred Three

    Chapter One-Hundred Three


    Theres something in the air today, but I cant ce what it is. The bakery across the street isnt making anything too special, as far as I can tell, though the delvers are of the opinion that <em>everything</em> there is special. I wonder if the spiderkin are still wanting to try their hands at baking, once the maws clear out?


    But whatever the situation is on my dwellers learning to bake, I can feel <em>something</em> in the air. Im pretty sure its not Hullbreak about to do something nasty, at least. It feels more like the tension before getting to jump out at a surprise party, rather than the tension of a looming threat. Ive even asked Tiny, and hes not telling much. All Ive been able to get Teemo to wheedle out of him is that its not a threat, but thats it. I could probably order him to spill the beans, but thatd be a dick move. Besides, if its not an actual danger, theres no need to be so rash.


    Even if my curiosity is driving me to distraction.


    <strong>Freddie</strong>


    The young orc hums an upbeat hymn as he walks down the street. Hes in mostly ordinary clothes, though he has his round shield on his back. He wears it partially as a connection to the Crystal Shield, but also because its the perfect size for Fiona to cling to and peek her head over his shoulder. He and Rhonda have been so busy thest few weeks with their training and studying, but theyve been able to keep in touch with their spiders. He was surprised when Lucas slipped through the shutters in his small room at the church, and surprised again with the small letter he was carrying.


    He smiles as he thinks of his short friend. Her hat may be a bitrge for her head, but it might be a tad small for her brain. Having their spiders send notes not only lets them keep in touch when their situations keep them apart, but it also helps the two arachnids keep healthy and active. In fact, thest letter Rhonda sent him is why hes walking to the bakery just outside Thedeim before dropping in to surprise her. Her master says shes doing very well in her studies and is giving her a bit of a break today. His own work has been going very well, too, so he also has the day off. What better way to spend it than with a bag of sticky rolls and his friend?


    The bell above the door to Cobble Bread dings as he enters, and therge troll woman smiles at him from over by the oven. Freddie sometimes wonders if shes bigger around than she is tall, not that he could me her. If he had to spend every day around the wonderful things she bakes, hed fare no better.


    Ah, Freddie! Its been a while! I was starting to wonder if those god botherers had gotten you to swear off sweets! That, or your beastie decided to wrap you up as a snack, haw! she says with a heartyugh, and Freddie cant help but chuckle with her. Many might take the term she used for his brothers and sisters in the Shield as an insult, but hes known her long enough to understand she tends to only insult those she cares about, and the more vile the better.


    She does try to watch her tongue around him and Rhonda and the other children, at least.


    Thatd be quite the test of my resolve, to swear off your baking, Freida! Ive just been busy with my training, but I have a day off today. A dozen sticky rolls, please, he says as he reaches for his coin bag. Delving with Rhonda, and his stipend from the church, have given him at least enough coin to be able to afford something like this.


    A dozen, eh? Looking to put on a second chin or two? she says with a wide grin, knowing exactly how little room she has to speak, and starts moving the small pastries into a bag.


    Not just for me. Im going to be visiting Rhonda today, too.


    Ah, good. She could use a bit more meat on her bones, too. Here, have a blueberry muffin for each of you, also. On the house, she says with a motherly smile, dropping the two extra treats into the bag.


    Thank you, maam, he says with an earnest smile, and pays for his order. She waves as he leaves, and he has to resist the temptation and stay out of the bag of treats until he reaches Old Staivens Emporium. Hes still not certain what differentiates an emporium from a shop, but the ce certainly has a different feel than the other various ces adventurers might look to if they want to gear up in Fourdock.


    The bell dings as he enters, and he smiles as he hears his friends voice.


    Wee to Old Stai- Freddie! Her polite customer service tone vanishes into familiar warmth as she recognizes her friend, and she dashes around the counter to jump at him. He kneels slightly and catches her as the two embrace and then winces as she cuffs his ear.


    Why didnt you tell me you wereing? I could have put on some fresh tea! she scolds him, and he offers a quick prayer of mourning for his lost quiet friend, followed by a more earnest prayer of thanks for how much life seems to have improved for her. Gone is the quiet and nervous little goblin from the orphanage, grown now into a fledgling mage with an intense thirst for knowledge.


    You too, Fiona! she gives the spider a re, and the arachnid manages to avoid meeting her with any of her eyes. Soon, though, Rhonda giggles and gives Freddie another squeeze before hopping down and letting him finally defend himself.


    How am I supposed to surprise you with sticky rolls if I let you know Iming? he asks, and her eyes sparkle at the mention of one of her favorite treats.


    Watch the counter for me while I get some tea, and some tes for the rolls, ok? He nods and makes for the counter as she dashes up the stairs to the living area. Fiona takes this as her chance to slip away and find Lucas, leaving Freddie with his thoughts and a smile on his face.


    A couple fistfuls of mushrooms from a dusty basement has certainly resulted in quite the change for both of their lives. They both have ces they truly belong, and a fulfilling direction to take in their lives. In fact, thats partially why he wanted to visit her: to be able to tell her face-to-face, rather than just in a note.


    Hes drawn from his thoughts as Rhondaes down the stairs and joins him behind the counter to sit on her tall stool. She hands him a te and sets her own down, before setting the tea kettle on a small stand. She pulls out her wand made of simple ck wood with a rough quartz set on the end, and aims it at the kettle.


    Heat! she exims, and a lick of me settles around the base of the tea kettle. There! That should only take a couple minutes.


    Freddie chuckles. Looks like your studies really <em>are</em>ing along well.


    Yeah! Master Staiven says I should have no problem solidifying an ice mage ss. I mean, I got that fire spell without even looking at my notes! she says with pride, and her friend cant help but burst her bubble at least a little.


    I mean, if a zombie fist-fighter can manage it, so can you, right? he says with a grin, and she punches his side.


    Rocky doesnt count and you know it! Thedeims scions are weird, like how Grim ignored that Turn Undead, she fires back, and Freddie can onlyugh.


    You should have seen the look on the acolyte''s face! He thought it was going to be thest mistake he ever made. The twough at that and enjoy a bit more small talk while they wait for the water to boil, and enjoy a sticky roll each, as well.


    Once the kettle whistles, Freddie decides its a good time to talk about the other reason hes here. So, you said Staiven thinks youre close to your ss? She nods, and he continues. High Priest Torlon says Im close to finalizing bing a pdin, too.


    Rhonda gasps in excitement for her friend. Thats great!


    He nods. It is. So I was thinking we should both head to Thedeim and try to get our ssester.


    Rhonda thinks that over as she pours tea for the two of them. She waits to set the kettle aside before replying. I cant think of any reason not to try. Master Staiven has been pretty quiet on how to actually <em>get</em> my ss, and I guess the church isnt giving you much, either?


    Freddie nods. Yea, they arent giving me much else to go on. I''ve sworn the appropriate oaths to the Shield, but theres still something missing. I think figuring it out ourselves is part of the point?


    Rhonda nods to that and takes a sip of her tea, sighing at the pleasing hot liquid. That sounds like Master Staiven, yeah. They can prepare us for what we want to do, but its up to us to actually do it.


    Freddie smiles around his own cup of tea, and pulls out the two blueberry muffins, handing one to his goblin friend. Just like with the spell spores.


    Yeah if we want it, we need to go get it. It wont just be handed to us.


    Shall we go after Staiven gets back?


    Hes taking a nap right now, actually. Once he wakes up though yeah. Rhonda picks up her muffin and holds it high.


    Freddie holds his muffin up as well, and taps it to hers. To getting our sses!


    To our sses!


    They each take a big bite of their muffins, and after a few moments, cough a little before swallowing. Freddie manages to speak up first.


    A bit dry


    Rhonda nods and takes a drink of her tea, and after a moments thought, dips her muffin in it and tries that. Its good with the tea, though.


    Freddie follows suit and nods. It is, yeah. Heh, I think I know why Freida gave me the muffins for free. Theyugh and enjoy some more small talk and goodpany as they wait for Staiven to finish his nap. Gaining their sses will be a great aplishment, but theyre in no big hurry. After all, theres still most of a bag of sticky rolls, and they won''t eat themselves.

 Chapter One-Hundred Four

    Chapter One-Hundred Four


    Is it Christmas morning? Because it feels like Christmas morning. I dont see any presents, but I can still feel that kind of tension in the air. I even make sure things are going smoothly for the two big potential problems, in case Im reading this energy in the air wrong.


    The scythemaws are well, as behaved as I can hope for, really. Theres definitely some magic involved in their reproduction, because I can see thedies are full of eggs. The males will probably get even more territorial once they get ready toy. Theyre looking a bit skinnier, so that raises my hopes that theyll finish with their stuff soon and go back to the water.


    Leo and the FOB are also doing as well as can be hoped. The spies are still slowly spreading out, and fresh spies have stopped flowing in. Leo found what seems to be a big hollow under some kind of bramble, maybe wild berries of some kind? Its toote in the year for any to still be there, if there were any in the first case. Either way, though, he has a nice spot to hide and direct the efforts against Hullbreak. Ill probably send Coda and a few ratlings to help expand it soon.


    But neither of those are the source of what Im feeling. Im starting to think its just in my head, but then I feel some familiar feet enter the main gate that draws my attention like a ma. Its the kids! Man, they havent been back in like a month? Not since the scythemaws showed up, or so.


    Theyre both looking good, looking healthy. Their spiders are also looking healthy and alert, too, which is also a good sign. The slightly-less good sign is how uncertain the kids look. Theyre trying to look determined, but Ive seen them in here enough times to know when theyre <em>actually</em> confident.


    Uh Thedeim? Can we talk? speaks up Freddie, and Id nod if I could. But I cant, so I settle for sending Teemo to see what the kids need. Hes still helping Jello look for a mole and/or gremlin to join us, but they still havent managed one. They both feel like theyre on the right track, though, so thats good. Teemo bids my favorite big blob of jelly farewell, and its only a minute or two for him to pop out of a shortcut near the kids.


    Ah, hey you two! Whats up? he asks, happy to see them.


    The kids look happy to see him, too, but their smiles dont stick around too long under the weight of whatever it is they want to talk about. They exchange nces a couple times, and I can practically see them hot potatoing whatever the subject is, neither really wanting to be the one to start the conversation. Freddie eventually epts the duty, and looks at my Voice.


    ...Can you help us get our sses?


    What?


    What? echoes my Voice, just as confused at the question as I am. Shouldnt you be asking Staiven and Torlon about that?


    The two exchange looks again, and Rhonda speaks up this time. Well we have, but they said thats not how it works.


    How <em>does</em> it work?


    The kids shrug. I dunno, they both say in unison, before Freddie borates. But were both pretty sure were ready. Ive taken the oaths, Rhonda has been able to cast a lot of things but theres still something missing. We think its something we have to figure out on our own, and our best guess is to ask you.


    Ask me? Why? Hmm is it a dungeon thing, or a me thing? Either way, Im pretty sure that weird feeling is from these two, and I like the kids, so of course Ill try to help. But how do I help them get sses? Is it simr to how my scions get titles? Seems as good a ce to start as any. I need something magic for Rhonda, and something uh <em>pdin-y</em> for Freddie. Three. Yeah, three for each feels right, too. Thing, Queen, and Rocky for Rhonda but who for Freddie? Ive been trying to stay as far away as possible from the kind of stuff that might help Freddie. I could just throw him at the cryptplex? I think that would work, but I also <em>know</em> I can do better.


    Well, I do have three people who are experts in that kind of thing, though Ill need to have Teemo ask them. Vernew, the small spiderkin mistress of the hunt; Larx, the ratkin elder; and Aranya, my own personal High Priestess. I dont think any of them know the specifics of how the Shield does things, but I dont get the feeling theyd mess anything up between Freddie and his god.


    Yeah, I think I can make this work. Ill just need to


    <strong>Rhonda</strong>


    The young goblin can only wait as the Voice seems to be listening to Thedeim, trying desperately to not lean closer in excitement or nervousness. Anxiety? Oh, this sounded like a much better idea back at the shop. But now that theyre all here, her thoughts and emotions feel so jumbled up! She feels her friends hand on her shoulder, though, and feels her confidence returning. Freddie thinks its a good idea, too. Its difficult to get too worked up over something with him around.


    Teemo chuckles at the two. Well, sounds like the Boss is willing to help, and hes sounding pretty inspired about it, too.


    Is that good? she asks, her natural curiosity spilling out before she can contain it. The Voice just grins at her.


    Its not <em>bad</em>, but the Bosss weirdest stuff tends to happen when hes inspired. You two sure you want this? Last time you tried something like this, you <em>both</em> ended up with spiders, he points out.


    Rhonda and Freddie meet eyes, then meet the eyes of their spiders, and they smile. Yeah, says Rhonda. We want this. Lucas and Fiona have been wonderful. I think if Thedeim has more tricks like them up his sleeve, well be just fine.


    Freddie nods, then gives a small smirk. Hes not nning on giving us more spiders though, is he? Im not sure either of us has room.


    Teemoughs and shakes his head. No spiders to bring along, no, but your first challenge will involve one. Well, if she agrees, at least.


    The pair looks confused at that. <em>First</em> challenge? asks Rhonda, starting to wonder if their big mouths have gotten them in deeper than they had thought.


    Three challenges, yeah. Ill be back in a couple minutes. I need to go ask Vernew if shes up for this. Before they can raise any objections, the Voice vanishes down one of his countless shortcuts, leaving them on their own on thewn.


    Lucas peers over the edge of Rhondas hat at her, and she smiles and holds her hands out for him to jump into. Yes, I meant what I said about you.


    Fiona chitters as she peers over Freddies shoulder, and he smiles and gently pats her. Of course I feel the same, Fiona. I didnte in here expecting to make a new friend, but thats what happened.


    Lucas chitters and the young goblinughs. No, I dont think youll be gettingpany on my hat. Thatd be too heavy, for starters!


    And neither of us are trained to be Tamers or anything like that, points out Freddie. Still I wonder what Thedeim will have in store for us.


    Rhonda nods, looking off into the distance as she tries to guess what the dungeon is thinking. I dunno boss fights?


    Her orc friend shrugs. Maybe, but that sounds a bit too simple. Teemo sounded like Thedeim has ideas. From a different dungeon, Id be concerned.


    Im <em>still</em> concerned, but more because I dont have any idea what he might do! half-jokes Rhonda. The four decide to lounge on the grass as they wait for the Voice to return, and he eventually does.


    Alright, that should be ready. The kids stand, and the spiders resume their perches as Teemo clears his throat. Thedeim has decreed you shall face three challenges to obtain your sses. The first of which is this: capture or otherwise subdue Vernew, the spiderkin mistress of the hunt. You must do with <em>without</em> harming Queen, who will be aiding her. Do this, and your first challenge will beplete. So says the Voice of Thedeim.


    Rhonda suppresses a shudder as she feels powerful magic settle over her, and from Freddies reaction, he can feel the same. Shed wager their spiders can feel it, too. So how do we do that? she asks, and Teemo just grins.


    Thats for you to figure out! Don''t be too worried, though. Vernew has her own rules she has to follow for this, one of which is that the deep tunnels are off-limits. Those scythemaws are <em>way</em> too dangerous for you to go in there.


    The kids nod at that, and he continues. And thats about all. Go track her down, but dont expect it to be simple. The rest of Thedeim is open to you and the denizens will encounter you as usual. And good luck. Vernew wont take it easy on you, heh.

 Chapter One-Hundred Five

    Chapter One-Hundred Five


    The kids exchange nces after Teemo finishes talking, and Freddie is the first to break the silence.


    I think were going to need more than a bucket of mice to capture this one, he says with a sideways look to Rhona, who cant help but giggle.


    Yeah, were going to need to dig deep if were going to have any hope of capturing a Mistress of the Hunt, she agrees, and tries to think of what to do. I dont suppose you know anything about her?


    A little, actually, admits the young orc. Rhonda looks surprised and motions for him to continue, which he quickly does. Shes visited Elder Larx a couple times while I was also visiting. Shes an adherent of Thedeims and calls him the Weaver of Threads. Its weird how she and Larx would focus on different aspects of him.


    Anything we can use to try to catch her?


    Hmm not that I can think of, besides knowing at least what she looks like. She stands about as tall as you do, Rhonda, but shes all spider below the waist. She likes to use spears and javelins, or at least Ive never seen her without them. Im pretty sure she wont use them on us? Shes quick and agile, too. And if shes a Mistress of the Hunt, shes probably really good at the whole hunting thing.


    So keep an eye on the ceiling. Good thing we learned that lesson early! says Rhonda with a grin, and motions for Freddie to follow her around the house. I think the first thing we should do is get some alchemical assistance. If she has Queen along, Vernew will definitely have some of her own.


    Oh? asks Freddie as he follows, and the two soon encounter a couple vipers. They easily assume their stances and continue to talk, even as they deal with the fight.


    Yeah. Master Staiven says shes the best alchemist hes met in a while, and that shes the ant scion! sh Freeze! she shouts as one of the vipers spits venom at her. Her spell quickly freezes the projectile solid, making it much easier to sidestep.


    Freddie decapitates a viper with his axe, before stepping in to keep the other one busy while Rhonda prepares to finish it off.


    Icicle! she shouts before hurling a small spear of ice at the distracted viper, catching it in the side of the head and ending the encounter. Whew. Anyway, I think I want to make some agility and perception potions for us, so we can spot her, and be able to chase her, too.


    Freddie nods to that, and the two soon get to the herb patch in the back. While they gather and n a bit more, I turn my attention over to Vernew and Queen, who are currently in the tunnels. This is not to be confused with the caverns, which are currently overrun with scythemaws. The spiderkin is happily walking along the wall, idly swirling her spear.


    You dont get out of theb too much, do you? she asks Queen, and my alchemist releases a subtly-sour scent. I guess either Vernew has hunted enough things by tracking pheromones to have a rough idea of what they mean, or my spiderkin still use pheromones tomunicate at least a little.


    Not calling you out for it, just saying, is all. The Weaver of Threads has you doing important stuff, so its not like you know the whole ce back to front. <em>I</em> dont even know His territory that well, and Im always moving around! she says with a shrug. The two continue for a few more minutes before she speaks up again.


    What do you think of the two delvers He has us testing? This time a pleasant scentes from Queen, and Vernew nods. Yeah, theyre probably something special for Him to take a special interest in them. Ive seen the orc boy a couple times, seems like a good kid. Larx treats him like his own grandson, so he cant be <em>too</em> bad, she jokes as theye to an intersection.


    What do you think? Should we head up and see how well they can chase us, or head down and make theme find us. She frowns at the neutral scent. No opinion? She grumbles and taps the butt of her spear against the wall shes still standing on as she thinks, before she seems toe to a decision.


    Were going up. Even if theyre supposed to be the ones after us, Im a hunter, not prey. Besides, I havent been to the surface too often. Maybe Ill get a chance to try to talk with the Reader. She grins as she starts heading up. Besides, if its unfamiliar territory for me, it might give the kids half a chance, hah!


    I watch her for a few more minutes as she goes, seeing her do a few quick forward jumps asionally. Yeah, the kids are going to need to work hard to catch her, but thats part of the point. If it was easy, I dont think theyd be motivated enough to push themselves to get the best sses they can.


    Back with the kids, it seems like those potions Rhonda wanted are not too difficult to make, as she has several brewed already.


    Ok, so, the perception potions are a bit weaker, but shouldst an hour or so each. The agility potions are stronger, but wontst as long. So well try to keep the perception effect active, and only drink the agility ones once we actually find her.


    Freddie nods at that and drinks his first perception potion, and takes a few seconds to get used to noticing more than usual. I might know where to try to look for her, too.


    Yeah? asks the young goblin as she gets the spares sorted and stored on her person.


    Yeah. Shed often talk about the Reader of the Web with Larx. Im pretty sure she meant Tiny.


    Rhonda looks uncertain at that. I dont think we can hide from him for that long in the maze. And wed have to run from him while also trying to catch Vernew and Queen, she points out. Freddie doesnt look too concerned, though.


    Then we dont go in. We go <em>on</em>. Im pretty sure its not sticky on top. If she goes on top, we can try to ambush her around Tinysir. The maze itself is pretty t, but the trees in his arena should give us ces to try to hide. And if she goes inside, she should have to run the maze like anyone else. If you can slow her down, Tiny can get her, and well just pick her up at the maze entrance.


    That all depends on her actually going there but its not like I have any better ideas, says Rhonda with a shrug. The two head to the maze, and send their spiders up to test that the covering will be enough to support them. Tiny doesnt make sub-par webbing, and they quickly decide it should be fine. Freddie helps Rhonda up first, by having her run at him and jump up off his shield, with him giving a good push to help.


    Its a little more difficult to get Freddie up, though, since the bushes arent really made for climbing. After a few minutes of discussion, Rhonda pulls out a small stone and takes her time inscribing a rune onto it. Freddie backs up, and at her signal, charges towards the thorny wall. At thest moment, Rhonda drops the stone and activates it.


    Earth Thrust! The ground under Freddie surges upward, and he jumps with all his might. He just manages to clear the hedge andnds gracelessly on his face beside Rhonda and the spiders. The group takes a few minutes to just enjoy the webbing and the unique view from atop the maze, before simply walking over the top, towards the lumpy bulges of the trees in and around Tinysir.


    The big lug, of course, feels the unusual movement on top of his domain, and actually lets a runner get much further than normal as he tracks down the kids. They give him a sheepish look once he appears below them.


    Uh hey Tiny, starts Freddie. Were not trying to cheat the maze. Were doing something else.


    The huge spider doesnt look very convinced, so Rhonda tries to exin. See, were trying to get our sses, and asked Thedeim for help. So he wants us to try to track down and capture Vernew, who is getting Queens help! Freddie thinks our best bet is to try to hide up here and hope shees by to visit you.


    Tiny considers that for a few long moments, before giving a series of shrugs that ripple along his eight legs, much to the kids relief.


    Oh, and if she <em>does</em>e by, can you try to keep her distracted? asks Rhonda. Tiny again doesnt look inclined, until the group uses their secret weapon: puppydog eyes! Even Lucas and Fiona get in on it, and Tiny is forced to relent under the onught of twenty big watery pleading eyes. With a whoop of triumph, the kids head for the webbed trees, and Tiny returns to chasing those who would brave his maze.

 Chapter One-Hundred Six

    Chapter One-Hundred Six


    Is bemused the right word? Knowing youve been had, but not particrly minding it? Whatever its called, Id say that describes Tinys feelings on having been defeated by the kids puppydog eyes. Theyre pretty good at it, and shameless in using it, too, heh.


    I split my attention between the kids and Vernew, with the former refining their n for how to catch thetter, and thetter obviously getting more excited by the idea of killing some time with Tiny. It looks like Freddie wont be even trying to use an improvised club or anything in the uing fight, opting to focus on his shield and grabs/punches. His hatchet could hurt Vernew, and even a club could identally crush Queen. So can his hands and shield, but the kids are pretty sure it will be safer all around if he doesnt use an actual weapon.


    Vernew and Queen, meanwhile, are just enjoying looking around as they wander the yard. Queens ants were and are important to keeping the various herbalism nodes healthy and growing, but she herself hasnt had much chance to actually see the fruits and herbs of theirbor. Vernew has been to the surface a few times before, but I think this is her first time up here in the day, not counting any time she may have spent on sign duty before bing a spiderkin.


    She earns a few curious looks from the various delvers, but nobody tries to stop or talk with her. People are busy with their own stuff, and a new spiderkin doesnt even register on their scale of oddities around here anymore, I guess. I wonder if I should do something ssic and y it fully straight, just to keep them guessing. If you only ever do weird stuff, it stops being so weird, right?


    My own musings aside, Vernew grins as she sees the hedge maze, her legs shuffling a little in excitement. Im not sure if Queen is physically capable of rolling her eyes, but Vernew at least catches the scent, andughs as she starts to climb the hedge.


    Maybe youll understand it better once the Weaver gets an ant enve. Antkin? Whatever they are, theyll want to get some of your time, or just watch you doing your thing. Heh, theyll probably see you as even more mysterious and wise than we do the Reader. He has a pretty public domain, and you dont.


    I can practically smell the Hrmph! through the bond, and Im pretty sure the pheromone she releases means the same thing, as Vernew justughs again. Over at Freddie and Rhonda, their eyes widen a little as they hear newughter in the distance. They try to subtly look around the web-covered trees, looking for the source, and it actually takes Fiona tapping Freddies shoulder and pointing for them to spot their target.


    Vernew strides forward, confident as she twirls an empty spear haft. The kids arent the only ones who needed to adjust their usual setup for this. I dont think shes noticed them yet, but its hard to say. She might be able to feel through the web like Tiny can. Even if she can, though, I dont think she knows how the top web is supposed to feel without two kids and their spiders on it.


    Her eyes almost sparkle as she sees Tiny through the dense covering over his centralir. I can tell he nces at where the kids are, but he doesnt directly rat them out as he stands and walks towards Vernew. Rhonda and Freddie drink their potions and start to carefully advance as Vernew gives my spider scion a respectful bow.


    Reader of the Web! I hope Im not intruding on your duties? she asks, fidgeting a little as she realizes shes kinda barged in on his work ce. He waves a forelegzily, dismissing her concern.


    Oh, good! I was uh she tapers off as she realizes she didnt have much of a n to talk with him. An amused scent wafts from Queen, and Vernew res at her for a moment, which only makes Queenugh harder in her own way.


    I was hoping for some wisdom? Or maybe just to see you work? The Weaver has given me a task, and- she stops as Tiny moves a little, and I can feel a bit of Fate magic reaching out to Vernew. She looks a bit defensive as the magic fades. I <em>am</em> doing it! Im supposed to test the two green children by forcing them to catch me! Its not my fault theyre not!


    Ensnaring Gale! shouts Rhonda as Fiona hurls arge web at Vernew. The summoned wind elerates and widens it as it flies at their foe, but the Mistress of the Hunt is not so easily captured. She leaps into the air without looking backward, though she turns in air andnds to face the two with a look of shock and budding respect on her face. She even spares an using nce down towards Tiny.


    You <em>helped</em> them! Tiny doesnt look even the least bit chastised as he rxes to watch the ensuing battle. Vernews attention is forced back to the fight on her hands as Freddie charges, and she catches his shield with a cross block. Right, first rule of any hunt: dont get distracted! she says before grinning.


    She kicks out at Freddies feet to try to trip him up, but he keeps his bnce. The moment of solidifying his stance gives her a chance to slip away, and the two sides enjoy a small standoff.


    And here I thought itd be a boring hunt with you two! Er, four, she corrects as the spiders chitter at her. She holds her empty spear like it still has the head on it, and Freddie keeps his shield up to catch any attack from her. He also keeps himself between her and Rhonda. She could jump over him, but hes not so far away that even something like that would give her more than a few moments with Rhonda and Lucas.


    After a few moments, she grins and turns to flee, hopping up onto one of the taller web-coated trees and forcing the kids to chase her. Theyre no fools, though, and stay close as they pursue her, not giving her the satisfaction of breaking their formation and giving her an opening.


    Theyre good. I see why the Weaver likes them. Alright Queen, which one was the distraction? she asks as she watches the kids approach. My ant scion taps at the back of her neck and she nods, letting one of her secondary hands grab a small sealed jar from her belt.


    Shes not the only one who was preparing, though. Lucas maneuvers his legs as Rhonda channels a spell, helping her keep the magic correct as she focuses more on movement. As they get closer, she takes over the spell and points her wand. ck Ice! The webbing and tree around Vernew quickly are coated with incredibly-slick ice, and even the Mistress of the Hunt loses her footing. Freddie jumps and quickly climbs, closing the distance between them and Vernew.


    The dweller tries to entangle him with some of her own webbing, but he brings his shield up and the ensnarement finds no purchase. She bites back a curse as she tosses the jar up into the air. You waxed his shield?! Fine, deal with <em>this</em>!


    She jumps after the jar and shatters it with her staff, and within moments the area is covered in thick smoke. It looks like its not difficult to breathe in, but visibility is basically nil in there. I can see Vernew grin as she slowly stalks towards the kids as they put their backs together after a few words, their spiders running around on the webbing beneath them.


    Who is the hunted now, hmm? she says as she slowly circles them, using their movements on the webbing to guide her. I didnt think Id need this one, either, so consider me impressed, kids. She stops as she prepares to leap at them. But there was only one way this hunt could have gone. She leaps forward, only to find Freddies shield directly in her way. How?!


    Youre not the only one with some alchemical help. Now! responds Freddie before the webbing beneath them all copses. Shouts of struggle andints drift from the cloud of smoke until it clears a minute or twoter and reveals the result.


    The entire group is tangled up in webbing, mostly of Tinys make, though Lucas and Fiona contributed to help actually use therger spiders work to entrap their prey. And themselves. The entire group awkwardly turns as one whole, limbs and faces sticking out of a big mess of silk.


    No, really: How!? repeats Vernew, struggling against the tough silk around them all.


    Perception and agility potions, answers Rhonda. We could hear you talking through the smoke. We knew youd be just as blind as us, so we set a trap. We uh we werent supposed to get caught too, though. Lucas and Fiona chitter apologies.


    Tiny smiles in his way at the scene as he gets up, and Vernew looks quite a bit embarrassed to be in this kind of situation where he can see. He turns the mess so Rhonda and Freddie can see him, and the aspiring pdin speaks up.


    This counts as catching her, right?

 Chapter One-Hundred Seven

    Chapter One-Hundred Seven


    Iugh to myself as I watch Tiny untangle the group from the web, and manage to ask Teemo to be there once theyre free so he can tell them about the next challenge. It looks like hell have plenty of time, too. Theyve made a proper hash of the webbing.


    I count it as you catching me, even if the Weaver doesnt, says Vernew as she has to suffer the indignity of admitting defeat.


    You would? asks Freddie with a mix of hope and surprise. I get the feeling its not a usual hunt that ends with you tied to your prey.


    The spiderkin shrugs as much as she can right now. I mean, its not a <em>wless</em> hunt, but you still have backup nearby to clean up the mess and put everything right. Even if recruiting the Reader is cheating she grumbles, and the kidsugh.


    Thank you for the help, too, Tiny. Wed be in well a <em>bind</em> without your help, admits Rhonda with a giggle, and Freddie chuckles as well, before speaking up.


    So, you call Thedeim the Weaver and Tiny the Reader? he asks with curiosity, and Vernew strains to try to get a better look at him.


    Why oh, right! You follow the Shield! Yeah, I follow Thedeim, the Weaver of the Web. The Reader of the Weave is well, kindaplicated.


    Im not going anywhere, replies Freddie with admirable stoicism, even if Rhonda giggles at the understatement.


    Vernew chuckles. Heh, fair enough, kid. Well, the Reader was one of the Weavers first scions, and is probably the most in tune with the Fate affinity they all have. We dwellers still have the vague memories of when we were still aranea, and feel a connection with Reader Tiny.


    Freddie looks thoughtful at that. But the ratkin dont revere Teemo like that right?


    Vernew shakes her head, making the whole mass of webbing and people and spiders wobble a little and earning herself a deep chitter from Tiny. Oh, sorry. Uh, the ratkin. Well Teemo isnt She looks around trying to find the words without sounding insulting. After a few more false starts, she sighs and just plows forward.


    Hes not exactly majestic or mysterious. No offense to him, but hes just not. But he also doesnt pretend to be. The Reader will try to guide you to a truth, or let you figure out yourself that youre doing something stupid. Teemo will just tell you if youre being dumb. She sighs again. Like if you underestimate a couple kids and dont use everything a certain Alchemist prepared for you because you let your pride get in the way.


    Freddie looks thoughtful as the web ball slowly turns, considering Vernews words, and I cant help but feel a little proud of her. It takes a big person to admit when they mess up, and Im d shes not too prideful nor fearful to admit it. Tiny pats her head in encouragement, and I can practically see her resolve solidify. Ill do better next time, Weaver, she murmurs in a simple little prayer.


    What else did Queen prepare for you to use, anyway? asks Rhonda with curiosity, changing the subject and helping to keep Vernew from dwelling on past failures.


    Uh let me see Oh! She had a strength potion, and a modified version of the go juice for me. I uh I didnt think Id need them to handle a couple kids. She also had a really weird one. Some kind of exploding ice trap or something? She wriggles a little, though a look from Tiny gets her to stop pretty quickly.


    Exploding ice trap? That sounds a bit dangerous, says Rhonda, wondering just what kind of bullet they managed to dodge.


    Nah, it was Queen, help me out here? What did it do again? Tiny moves to let Queen hop into Vernews face, and she takes a spot on her forehead as she tries to exin via pheromones. Slower please. Slower! Its all muddling together! sheins, and Teemo finallyes out of a shortcut to save her. Well, metaphorically. Mostly. A little?


    Not majestic or mysterious, hmm? Vernew withers as much as she can under his re, before he cracks andughs. I gotta keep you all grounded somehow! Hard to do that and keep an air of mystique, heh. Anyway, Queen: what were you trying to exin?


    He listens to her scents for a few moments before looking to Tiny. Can you get me to her belt, please? This thing sounds cool and I think a demonstration might be in order. Tiny nods and points at a small hole in the webbing near Vernews hip, and Teemo slips inside quickly, and also quickly slips out with a sealed sk in his mouth. He sets it on the floor in front of Rhonda and collects himself for a few moments.


    Ok, so this thing is something Queens pretty proud of. Im not going to go over the technical stuff in detail. Sorry Queen, no, I refuse. Maybe if it was Staiven, but its not. He looks back to Rhonda and shakes his head. Anyway it creates an ice slick and also a disorienting bang and sh of light. Its based on something Thedeim knows about, and a few tricks that weve all been toying with. Ready for a demonstration? he asks, and Rhonda nods vigorously, shaking Freddie out of his thoughts.


    Hmm? asks the young orc, trying to figure out what hes missed while deep in thought.


    Alchemical ice slick explosion bomb! replies Rhonda, not quite as helpfully as she might think. Freddie doesnt have time to try to get any rification as Tiny picks up the sk, and tosses it out into hisir area. The ss shatters and a coating of ice quickly forms on the floor, as well as a swirling and strobing mass of energy floating above the center of the slick. After a few seconds, it explodes with a bright sh and a loud crack. Instead of shattering the ice, however, the ice is unharmed, and all the energy seemed to have gone into the light and sound.


    All gathered jump (or the best they can manage while in a big ball of web), and Teemo even falls over on his back with a surprised squeak. After a moment of stunned silence from everyone, Teemo rights himself. Well, I think you did it, Queen.


    Yeah, but <em>how</em>?! exims Rhonda, her eyes wide as saucers at what they just witnessed. Teemo just smirks and answers.


    I already said how. He smirks over at Vernew as Tiny seems to be getting close to unraveling the webbing keeping everyone ensnared. See? I can do mysterious sometimes.


    With onest flick of his legs, Tiny gets the webbing loose enough for everyone to spill to the ground with a collective grunt, and Rhonda leaps to her feet and immediately has her notebook out. She scribbles furiously about what she just saw, at least until Teemo clears his throat.


    You have passed the first trial. The second trial will be easier to find, but perhaps more difficult to pass. In theboratory in the cryptplex waits Elder Larx and Thing. They will have your next challenge. So speaks the Voice of Thedeim.


    The kids whoop in triumph, and the spiders chitter in their own celebration. They all do a little dance, though theres no victory music yet. sh will need his guitar for that to be a reality. After their celebration, they all dust themselves off and gather whatever they dropped. Freddie even gets Rhondas hat and dusts it off before giving it to her.


    So, the cryptplex. Well need to be on our toes on the way to theb over there, exins Freddie as they make their way out of the maze.


    Yeah, I hear the church does a lot of training in there because of the undead, right? Think well have to fight through them?


    Freddie nods. Teemo said wed get normal encounters in the first challenge, and I dont think thatll change for this one.


    Im d he counted our capture. I thought for sure we messed up by getting caught in the webbing, too, admits Rhonda as they chat.


    Yeah, Im surprised, too. Im also surprised Vernew took it so well.


    What do you mean?


    Well she failed a task given to her by The Weaver of the Web. I dont know if Id be that calm if I failed something the Shield asked me to do.


    Maybe she didnt fail? suggests Rhonda, and Freddie shakes his head.


    No, she did. But Thedeim wasnt upset. He didnt even set her up to fail, I think. She had Queens help, too. If she had used that weird ice sk, she could have gotten away from us, but she didnt think she needed to.


    Rhonda gives him a sideways look, knowing when hes working towards something. So, why dont you think he was upset with her? He seems pretty rxed to me, and I dont picture him being mad over something like this.


    Yeah, I dont think hed be mad at her, but what she said stuck with me. Shell do better next time. I dont think its about him being mad at her, but more that its about her being mad with herself. It makes me think of High Priest Torlons battered shield on the wall.


    Yeah? asks Rhonda, not really seeing a connection there.


    Yeah. I always thought the chips and such were just there to be reminders of the grace of the Shield. But now I dunno. That shield is all battered and scarred but it never shattered. The mistakes dont define it, or weaken it. Its still a shield. It can still protect. The marks are reminders to do better and reminders that you shouldnt let a mistake break you.

 Chapter One-Hundred Eight

    Chapter One-Hundred Eight


    Freddie and Rhonda elect to take the streets over to the cemetery and cryptplex, rather than try to slip through the tunnels, and I can hardly me them. The scythemaws are mostly settled in now, but why take the risk?


    I look in on Thing and Larx to see what theyre up to. I didnt have Teemo tell them too much, other than their challenge should be something that doesnt involve fighting, and should be something to help the kids with their sses. Thing looks to be nning to get Rhondas help with the axe, specifically with getting the pick ups to trante properly into the singing te coils. The hat isnt finished yet, as I wanted to make sure the magitech amplifier setup would actually work beforemitting to the design.


    Im not sure how electricity and sound will help Rhonda with her ice ss, but something about it feels right, so I dont try to convince Thing to do something else.


    Larx, on the other hand, seems to just be writing in a little book, trying to glean wisdom from how I run things. Im not so sure how well thatll work, but hes over halfway through this one, so what do I know? As far as I can tell, hes nning some kind of debate or something? A discussion? Hard to say without having Teemo ask him.


    Soon enough, the kids enter through the cemetery gates, and they even wave at Grim before they head into theplex. Its interesting watching them fight the various verdant skeletons and fungal zombies, as well as the smattering of more ordinary undead that still wander out of the spawners sometimes.


    Freddie doesnt try to turn any of the hybrids, instead seeming to draw on the Shields power to strengthen himself, rather than weaken his foes. Rhondas cold magic works pretty dang well to immobilize and weaken them enough on its own, seems like, and Im actually pretty impressed at how well theyre handling themselves in there. It gives me some confidence in them for the final challenge against Rocky and Aranya.


    Before too long, they enter the public enchantingb in the cryptplex, and Larx gives them a warm, grandfatherly smile and greeting. Ah, youve made it! I hope Vernew didnt take her loss too hard? he asks and motions for them to take a seat. Theres no need to rush into things, after all.


    The kids nod and sit on some stools, and their spiders hop off and explore a little. Freddie soon realizes they were asked a question and shakes his head. She seemed to take it with grace. Well, with as much grace one can have when wrapped in a big bundle of Tinys web.


    And a goblin, an orc, and two spiders, adds Rhonda with a smile, and Larx grins at that.


    Ah, not the most graceful of victories, but epted with grace all the same? Very good, very good. Id offer you cookies or a drink, but Thing has made it very clear to me that thisb is not a ce for snacks, he says with augh, and Thing just shrugs somehow.


    Master Staiven says the same thing. Theres stuff in ab you dont want to identally eat or drink, and delicate stuff can be ruined by a spill, points out Rhonda, earning herself a thumbs-up from the wandering hand.


    Indeed! So, without much to distract us, what sses are you two hoping to get? asks my dweller with a gleam in his eyes.


    Ive been training hard to be a pdin of the Shield, says Freddie, and Rhonda quickly follows up.


    I want to be an ice mage! I like ice, but I also want the versatility a mage has. I think Ive been getting pretty good with other aspects, and Arcane would be just amazing to have!


    Larx nods at that. Those both sound reasonable, and I think Thing and I will be able to help in our own ways. For you, Rhonda, he would like you to lend him a hand, he says with a grin, and Thing manages to convey a t look before Larx continues. To help him with a tricky bit of enchanting. The details go well over my head, but its something about lightning mana transforming into thunder in specific ways.


    Rhonda looks intrigued by that, but manages to keep her questions to herself as Larx continues.


    And for you, Freddie, I wish to plumb the depths of your wisdom.


    Freddie looks a little confused at that. Quoting scripture? he asks, and Larx chuckles and shakes his head.


    That would just be you repeating <em>their</em> words. I want to hear it in <em>yours</em>. I wont pretend to be an expert in the finer details of what the Shield demands, but I get the feeling theres more than a few points it and Lord Thedeim would agree on. Are you both ready? he asks, and the two nod, equal parts nervous and determined. Then lets begin.


    <strong>Thing</strong>


    The Enchanter hand scion wonders how well this will work, but he doesnt attempt to deny the wishes of the Master. He hasnt been able to make much progress on the amplifier for a while now, so a fresh set of eyes could do a lot of good.


    He takes a few minutes to try to exin the details to the goblin, but even with Lucas trying to help, he doesnt get very far. He detes a little and resorts to using the chalkboard to walk her through the process, which works much better. She takes meticulous notes and asks pertinent questions, and he finds himself enjoying being able to talk a bit of shop with her. Shes not an expert yet, but she knows enough to at least understand the problems.


    So these will actually turn the vibrations from the strings into lighting? Wow! Thing cant help but preen a bit at her appreciation of his and Queens hard work. He knows the Master appreciates the work, but having an outsider feel the same is different, somehow.


    And then they go over here and make tiny lightning bolts to make the thunder? She looks at the board and her notes for a few seconds before continuing. But you want it to sound a specific way, because its some kind of musical instrument? She looks at the whole setup, looking a bit lost as where to even begin, and Thing understands that feeling all too well.


    Well, Im no bard she starts before letting the thought trail off as she plucks a string, then puts her finger on it to pluck again. If it was working, it should make a higher note, but theres no appreciable difference in the sound produced.


    Thing motions for her attention and assistance, and the two get to work to try to make it sound better. The working assumption is that there is some kind of interference, but there are a lot of potential ces for it toe in. Connections are checked and rechecked, different pickups tried to see if those are the problem, and even the coils are put through their paces to see if there is something wrong with them, but everything seems to be working properly.


    Rhonda slumps in her stool as Thing taps a finger on his notes, both trying to think of what the problem could be.


    This is some advanced stuff youre up to, Thing, shepliments, and that does at least lessen the sting of failure, even if it reminds him of his failure with the lifedrinking enchantment, too.


    You and Queen both, and dont even get me started on Rocky, heh. Have you seen Queens new ice bomb thing? Thing has not, and so he motions for her to continue.


    I have no idea how she did it, but she made something that spreads an ice slick while building up energy for a really loud explosion! I dont know how she managed to mix together ice, fire, and <em>thunder</em> of all things together into a sk!


    Thing nods at that, letting his mind wander how it would work. Rhonda wouldnt know about how energy works like he and Queen do, and the other scions as well. The ice slick is created <em>by</em> the building explosion as it sucks the energy out of an area, and is then deliberately released with little direction.


    Hmm sonic waves and electrical waves. What if the release on the coils isnt as properly organized as he thought? If the sounds are released wrong, they might be interfering with each other and canceling each other out.


    Thing locks up as that thought mingles with the lingering bitterness of failing to defeat lifedrinking. He had been trying to pick it apart or otherwise destabilize it. Harmonic interference should be able to just make it vanish!


    He scrambles to clear a space on the workbench, and the confused goblin does her best to help, even ordering Lucas to help put things away as Thing dashes about like a hand possessed. Once he has some room to work, he quickly creates a lifedrinking enchantment, and motions for Rhonda to look closer. She gasps as she realizes what it is.


    Lifedrinking?! Whats that have to do with she starts, but once again quiets as Thing starts weaving his new attempt at a counterspell for it. Thunder? No, its close, but what are you <em>doing</em>...? she asks as she takes notes. Thing hardly hears her as he carefully works his magic, and he walks himself through the entire theory to help focus.


    A wave has peaks and valleys, simple enough. If two waves meet, they will add together; peaks be bigger, valleys be deeper. But they can also lessen each other. A peak and a valley meeting will produce a smaller peak, a shallower valley. If you match them up perfectly <em>wrong</em> they will cancel each other out! Its much moreplex when the waves move off of a simple piece of paper, and moreplex still with magic, but he can feel it in his bones that it will work this time!


    Oh! quietly exims Rhonda, and Thing realizes hes done it. The enchantment thats been his bane has just vanished like a bubble of soap. Hes actually done it! He does a little dance before holding himself up for a high five, but Rhonda is staring wide-eyed at where the enchantment used to be.


    You did something with thunder or lightning, and countered <em>Lifedrinking</em>?! How does that even work?! she demands of him. Her need to know is quieted a little once she realizes shes been leaving him hanging, and she ps her palm against his. But seriously, how?! That implies that implies <em>so much</em>!


    Thing worries as he realizes he might have spilled the beans on one of the few things the Master has wished to keep secret from the delvers, but he can feel pride and happiness from the bond. Master Thedeim is proud of him for solving the long-standing problem!


    As Thing looks over at Rhonda, he doesn''t even need his Fate affinity to see shes making great strides towards her ss as she theorizes wildly and chases possibilities. Hes a little nervous about that, but the Master trusts her and her friend. These secrets could be devastating in the wrong hands but they could be revolutionary in the right ones.

 Chapter One-Hundred Nine

    Chapter One-Hundred Nine


    While Thing and Rhonda get ready to work on the quartz pickups, I pay more attention to Larx and Freddie. I always find it interesting to listen to philosophy and how people think, but Im also curious about how pdins actually work here.


    In the games Ive yed and run, pdins arewful good, meaning they have honor for agreements, and are good. The problem is that a lot of people dont understand how that actually works, and end up yingwful stupid instead. Theres no shortage of horror stories about people ying pdins and falling and being the only ones at the table confused about it, and there are also horror stories of people ying pdins being deliberately set up to fall by their DMs setting up situations wherew and good conflict, and then simply forcing the pdin to fall no matter what they do.


    But here, I dont know the mechanics. Is falling even a thing? I dunno. But listening in, I might learn. And even if not, Ill at least get a good idea of what kind of philosophy Ive identally been teaching my ratkin. I may not appreciate the situation Im in with them, but I do want to make sure theyre doing things right.


    The ratkin elder simply sits on his stool, looking somewhere between being lost in thought, and remembering a joke. Freddie sits on his own stool, and fidgets as the silence drags on.


    So, uh how do we start? asks the young orc, and Larx finally focusses on him with a smile.


    Ah, a grander question than I think you realize, he says with a chuckle, but mercifully continues quickly. Thats what I was thinking on, actually. Theres a lot of things we could start with, and while beginning at the beginning is usually a good idea, I think it might drag on a bit, hmm?


    Freddie simply nods, and Larx continues. We couldpare writings and have a longwinded talk about people who are well known for how long their winds are, but theres a bit of wisdom Lord Thedeim has given, and I think your Shield understands it as well: words are noise, actions are change. Ive heard the Voice say this in many ways, and Ive seen the truth of it myself. So let me ask you this, young Freddie: Why did the consecration of the cemetery go as it did?


    Freddie looks confused. What?


    Larx smiles with a twinkle in his eyes. Why did the consecration of the cemetery go as it did? Talk and think your way through it,d. There was much more happening than a couple acolytes and an old rat.


    The orc doesnt look very confident, but Larx hasnt lead him astray yet. Why? Uh He takes a few more seconds to get his mind into gear, then starts. At the beginning? Well High Priest Torlon said we should go consecrate it, and sent the Head Acolyte at the time to oversee it.


    Good. Why? prods Larx, and Freddie frowns as he actually thinks about the why of the mission, instead of just doing as asked.


    Because the Shield wanted it consecrated? It doesnt like undead, so that makes sense, right? And its pretty in why it wouldnt like undead, right? I mean, Thedeims undead arent bad, and Miss Yvonne is a special case, but most undead are just mindless destroyers.


    Larx nods, d Freddie is thinking things through now, and motions for him to continue.


    Ok uh other whys why send me? I was one of the people whos delved in here the most, and part of the Church, so I could give advice and stuff. And the Head Acolyte was the Head Acolyte, so he should have been able to do the consecration without any problem.


    And yet there was a problem, states Larx simply, and Freddie nods at that.


    Yeah. He tried to consecrate it, but that didnt work, then he tried to attack Thedeim, I think? That didnt work. Then <em>you</em> consecrated it just fine and he got mad. Then he tried to turn Grim


    Larx chuckles at the memory and nods. Do you know why the first try didnt work to consecrate it? Freddie just gives an awkward shrug.


    Not really? I know he did the wrong kind of consecration, but I dont really know much about doing that kind of thing yet Freddie admits, and Larx simply nods.


    Ive actually talked with the Voice about that many times, because its an interesting example of that wisdom I mentioned at the start of this. The consecration the acolyte tried was in the name of the Shield, but that cemetery is part of Lord Thedeim. Trying to dedicate it to the Shield would be forming a pact with the Shield, and Lord Thedeim declined.


    Freddie looks confused at that. Why would he decline?


    Larx grins wide at that. Why <em>would</em> he decline? he fires back, wanting Freddie to think through his question.


    Freddie looks lost for a few moments as he tries to gather his thoughts and reconcile the idea of me and the Shield being at odds. Thankfully, hes not stupid, just inexperienced at thinking things through, but he gets there before too long. ...Hes not against the Shield, or he wouldnt be helping us train with his undead, and the Head Acolyte probably wouldnt have been allowed to leave the cemetery that day. So why wouldnt he pact with the Shield


    Larx rxes and gives Freddie the time to think it through, and after a few minutes, the young orc brightens. Oh! What kind of pact was it? If its anything like the pdin oaths, not everyone would want to take those. You dont have to be against the Shield to not take those oaths. Rhonda is fine with the Shield, but I dont think shed even even take the initiate vows, let alone the pdin ones. Freddie looks pretty confident, and Larx is looking pretty proud of the thought process.


    Exactly, Freddie. A bond is not to be taken lightly. While Lord Thedeim holds no ill will towards the Shield, hes not going to bind himself to it. So why was the acolyte so upset?


    Freddie looks like hes suffering a bit of second-hand embarrassment. Well I dont think he really respected Thedeim. I dont think hes done much delving, so he really only knew Neverrest, which didnt give him a very bright view on dungeons, I guess. When Thedeim rejected the consecration because of the pact, he must have thought he had another threat on his hands, and tried to attack with that exorcism.


    And even you, Freddie, seem to feel Lord Thedeim would have been fully within his rights to strike him down on the spot. So why didnt he?


    Freddie takes much less time to start talking it out. Well Thedeim doesnt really do stuff like that. Hes not against punishment and stuff, like with that one group that attacked Poe, but he only knocked them out. So he just doesnt like killing people? Freddie doesnt look too confident in that, so Larx motions for him to keep going.


    ...why doesnt he like killing people? Huh. Freddie pauses at that. Miss Tr says that dungeons gain a lot of power for killing, but Thedeim doesnt do that. I mean <em>I</em> know killing people is wrong. A dungeon can know that, too?


    Larxughs and nods. I wouldnt just worship any old hole in the ground, would I? he asks, and Freddie shakes his head.


    Yeah, I guess not. So he didnt attack the acolyte because killing is wrong, and I think he wasnt really a threat? If the pact and the exorcism didnt work, I think the acolyte was pretty much out of tricks, even if he <em>could</em> have gotten special incense or whatever. And thats even without the fact that Grim is immune to turning.


    So what can you learn from that?


    Freddie thinks for a few moments, chewing over the memories in a new light. To not jump to conclusions about someone, or even if they <em>are</em> a someone? I never really thought about it, but Thedeim really is aware, isnt he? I never thought dungeons were that smart.


    Larx just grins at him, and it takes Freddie a moment to realize he said he thought I was stupid right in the middle of a challenge Ive given him. If I could, Id be grinning too, andughing as he tries to stammer out an apology. Thankfully, Larx calms him down and waves off the nervous stumbling over words.


    I think he knows what you meant,d. I dont think he takes it personally, either. Even the Dungeoneers Guild seems to be caught by surprise by him and what he does, so he can hardly me you for doing the same. But I have one more question for you, Freddie. What happened to the Head Acolyte?


    Well hes just a normal acolyte now? Freddie pauses and mulls the question over, not even needing the prodding from Larx to examine the situation in more detail. The young orcs eyes widen once he makes a few connections.


    Wait Head Priest Torlon asked him to consecrate the cemetery. It might not be a direct mission from the Shield, but its at least something it would want done, right? But the acolyte failed. <em>You</em> consecrated it, not the acolyte. I mean, it still got consecrated, but the acolyte still failed to do what the Shield wanted Freddie trails off for a moment, before ncing upward and I can only assume hes trying to look towards the maze. ...like Vernew failed to do what Thedeim asked.


    Larx beams with pride but doesnt say anything, not wanting to distract Freddie from his train of thought. They kinda both let their pride get in the way of doing their task. But the acolyte didnt get kicked out. He just lost some privileges. He still has some anger issues, I think, but hes also working to get past them. And I think Vernew will also work to do better, too, like she promised.


    And what can you learn from that, and how does it rte to the wisdom I shared with you at the start?


    ...dont get a big head just because someone important asks you to do something? And dont give up on someone if they fail? Larx nods and motions for him to continue. Because its easy to just <em>say</em> you forgive someone for something, but thats just noise. Giving them more chances is the action to let them change.


    I smile to myself at that. Freddies a good kid, and I think hell be a good pdin. I think, no matter what kind of system or situation, the honor of a pdin is about actually <em>doing</em> good, not just saying it.

 Chapter One-Hundred Ten

    Chapter One-Hundred Ten


    Ok, well that went a lot better than I thought. Not only does Freddie seem to be on a path to understanding what a pdin actually does, but Rhonda helped Thing to get a breakthrough with the lifedrinking problem! Im a <em>little</em> nervous about her getting hints about the deeper ways things work, but I dont think shell be making any disasters with it.


    But now she and Freddie have finished their second challenge, its time for the third and final one. Its going to be a bit of a practical exam, if you will. I give Teemo the TL;DR and he heads off to go tell the kids.


    The kids, Larx, and Thing are all rxing a bit now, everyone taking a bit of a break. Freddie and Rhonda both have a lot to think about now, and the ratkin and hand can take a moment to bask in a job well done. Everyone sits up a bit as Teemo exits a shortcut, and as he seems to have everyones attention, he goes ahead and speaks up.


    Youvepleted Thedeims second challenge. All that remains is the third, which youll find in Rockys Arena. He and Aranya will give you yourst task. Thedeim says youll need to apply what youve learned to seed. He also says making a few more potions might not be the worst idea, heh. So speaks the Voice of Thedeim.


    Whats thest challenge? asks Rhonda, the little goblin hoping to get some information so she can decide what potions to make.


    I let Teemo give them a hint, and he takes a few moments to phrase it how he wants. Its not quite abat challenge but its also not <em>not</em> abat challenge.


    Freddie smiles as he speaks. Did you take the whole not mysterious thing personally? he asks, earning augh from Rhonda and Teemo.


    Nah, not really. You two are just lucky in getting to see me trying it out some. I like to be direct, but sometimes its not the best option, says my Voice with a shrug. Larx looks intrigued, but doesnt press right now. I bet hell be chewing Teemos ear about itter, though.


    Oh, and Thing? Great job with the lifedrinking! The Boss had practically given up on there being a good solution, but you got one! Thing frantically starts signing, and Teemoughs it off. He knows its still rough, but you can actually work on refining it now. Well, not <em>right</em> now. Hed still like you to work on the pickups first. Thing gives a thumbs-up as the kids stand and gather their spiders.


    Is Rockys arena fully finished? asks Freddie with interest, and Teemo shakes his head.


    Its all dug out, and some stuff is done, but the Boss wants a fancy ring for it to bepletely done. Itll still have plenty of room for your challenge, though, so dont worry about that.


    Larx makes his exit as Rhonda gets to work on a few potions. They still have a few leftover from chasing Vernew, and Rhonda adds to their stockpile with what she exins are strength and durability potions. Thing lets her use some of his reagents for them, probably as thanks for her help with the lifedrinking. Before too long, she has several potions to add to what they already have.


    With that, the kids make their exit and head through the catbs to find the arena. At the moment, it looks a lot like an underground diatorial arena which it kinda is, really. Its a ce for fights to happen and for people to be able to watch. Maybe I can do some exhibition matches in here even without the ring? I know Rocky would be up for it. I should ask my other scions to see if anyone would be interested.


    On the way there, I can see the kids doing things a little differently, too. Rhondas spellwork seems a little less stable, which I think means shes trying to do things differently, or maybe trying to get a better feel for her magic. Freddie is also being a bit more attentive in his actions, too. Hes not just getting in the way and holding various undead at bay, but also trying to knock them off bnce and being a bit more offensive with his shield.


    It takes them a little longer than I might have expected, but they <em>are</em> experimenting a bit with applying some of what theyve learned today, so its not too surprising. When they finally get there, Aranya is rxing on one of the benches while Rocky shadowboxes. My kobold isnt the only one on a bench, though. Looks like most of the ratkin and spiderkin enves are here to see the show. She raises her voice as the kids enter, so everyone can hear her.


    Ah, youve made it. Wee to Lord Thedeims final challenge. In concept, its pretty simple. But like with a lot of what He does, it wont be so simple to do. Its a bit of a game of tag. Tag me, and you win.


    The kids look a little nervous as they wait for the other shoe to drop, or about the people watching, and my High Preistess smiles at that. The catch is that Rocky will be trying to stop you. And, of course, Im not going to just sit around the whole time, either. Poes Uplifting Wings! she speaks and hops from the stands, and translucent wings sprout from her back, letting hernd gracefully on the floor of the arena, before they fade away.


    Rocky takes up his position in front of her, mming his gloved hands together and causing a swirl of fire and ice to envelop them, before fire settles on one hand, and ice the other.


    Are you prepared for this challenge? asks Aranya solemnly, and the kids exchange a long look, before nodding.


    Were ready, Aranya, says Freddie, and the two drink their potions. Looks like theyre going all out with them, too, going with the strength and durability ones as well as the perception and agility. To be fair, though, theyll need everything they can get. Ive told both Rocky and Aranya that this needs to be a serious test of their ability and resolve, so punches probably wont be as pulled as they might usually be.


    As the final potion is quaffed, Aranya speaks. Then let the challenge begin!


    Grah! shouts Rocky as he performs an uppercut and a hard cross, the movements sending two des of energy at the kids! With the distance between them, though, they have plenty of time to react. Freddie steps forward and kneels as he brings his shield forward, letting the horizontal ice de pass overhead and catching the fire on the symbol of his faith. As soon as its dealt with, the kids run forward. They try to circle around, but Rocky easily can keep his position between them and their ultimate target.


    Rocky sends a few more attacks as they close, but the kids handle them in much the same way. Rhonda pulls a stone from her pocket as they get near, and passes it to Lucas to hold onto. Fiona hops free from Freddie as well as the group prepares to square off against my zombie scion.


    Rocky grunts at them and motions for them toe closer, practically daring them to try him, but theyre in no hurry to get into true melee range with him just yet. Icicle spear! shouts Rhonda, sending a long and sharp shaft of ice at the undead.


    Instead of juking it, he meets it with a punch with his fire hand. While the mes lessen and the spear vanishes into his fist, the ice around his other hand grows thicker. In a smooth one-two punch, he not only destroys the spear like it never existed in the first ce, but he alsounches his own icy projectile at Freddie. The orc nts his feet and yells for Rhonda to back up as the flying fist of ice quickly approaches. It hits and shatters on his shield, sending Freddie skidding back several feet, but leaves the young orc none the worse for wear.


    Rhonda pulls out what I first think is another notebook, but instead of scribbling in it, it seems to be full of runes for various spells. Where is ah! Fiona! She calls for the spiders attention as she prepares a spell, and Freddie slowly moves closer and closer to Rocky. Hes still well out of melee range, but should be able to close the distance quickly, should he choose.


    Now! Shield Charge! yells Freddie, and Rhonda holds her runebook high.


    Misdirection!


    The rock in Lucas grip shes brightly, and Fiona throws arge web at Rocky. The ground shakes as several pirs erupt around and behind my zombie scion, leaving him in quite a pickle. The pirs will hinder his movement, Freddie is barreling down on him, and arge web ising to entangle him. Moving will either get him tangled in the web, or will let Freddie around him to chase Aranya. None of these are viable options for the zombie scion.


    He grunts as he lets the thermal energy around his ming glove go out. He needs to focus on a different affinity to deal with this. A swift hook sends a de of kic energy at the web, neatly slicing it enough for it to miss him. Another hard hook with the ice-encrusted fist meets Freddies shield with enough force to stop even an attack like that in its tracks.


    Except instead of stopping Freddie, it passes through him without effect. Rocky grunts in surprise as the illusion takes a few more moments to dissipate, and it takes him a few moments more to realize what the kids have done. Freddie rode one of the pirs to jump over Rocky, just like how he got on top of the hedge maze. Therge web was never aimed at Rocky at all, but at the pirs behind him, forming a wall that will take him time to get through. Worse: hed have to turn his back on Rhonda to try to deal with it, too.


    He focuses his attention on Rhonda and the spiders as Freddie charges my High Priestess, but she looks delighted more than worried. Teemos Disjunction! Freddie trips as the world seems to shift sharply to the right, and his sense of bnce really doesnt like suddenly being on apletely new heading. He rolls andes up quickly, but Aranya is already running.


    <strong>Rhonda</strong>


    The aspiring goblin mage tries not to show her nervousness as Rocky turns his attention squarely on her. Freddie had been apprehensive of her wanting to deal with the undead scion mostly on her own, but she <em>needs</em> this. After seeing the hint from the freezebang vial, and working with Thing, she can almost feel what Rocky is doing. She knows he started with fire and fate affinities, and expanded to get ice and looks like kic.


    She doesnt know how, but she can feel <em>something</em> Its like a whisper on the wind, or movement out of the corner of her eye, things that vanish once she focuses on them. She needs more, needs to observe more! She grits her teeth and passes the runebook to Lucas as she holds her wand tight. Windst, page 30 or so. Bookmark and help stabilize me, she orders as she walks forward, Fiona moving to her side to help.


    Rocky watches for a moment before resuming his fire and ice style, willing to meet Rhonda on her terms. A straight sends a wall of ice towards her and empowers the fire fist. Another straight sends a multitude of small balls of fire to rain upon her and the spiders.


    The ice wall cuts off some of her maneuvering, but it also gives her a way to avoid the firestorm. Lucas dutifully helps stabilize her magic as she wrenches control of part of the ice wall from Rocky, reshaping it upward to protect her from the fire, and giving her a moment to think.


    Its just like the grenade somehow making ice and empowering a separate spell. But that makes no sense! Fiona motions to move, and Rhonda runs without a second thought, escaping the arced ice sheet just before Rockys fist shatters the fortification.


    Windst! She orders Lucas as sheunches her own spell: ck Ice! Rocky raises his fists in the ssic boxing block as a sheet of ice forms under his feet and extends behind him. Lucas invokes the rune for windst, and though Rocky clearly isnt harmed by the attack, thebined efforts send him sliding along the ice. He doesnt see much way to stop himself until the end, and sounches a smaller fist of ice at the goblin.


    Fiona, however, isnt just about throwing webs. She holds up a stronger web between her forelegs like a shield and catches the ice, and Rhonda sags slightly with relief for a moment, before trying to get back on her mental track.


    How can ice empower other spells? Thats the biggest question, and she has no idea how to answer it. Its clear it <em>can</em> empower other magic, but the secret eludes her. She doesnt get much chance to think, though, as Rocky reaches the end of the ice patch. Instead of getting off it, though, he seems to get an idea. He kically punches behind himself, sending him shooting back down the ice towards her this time. Whats more, he starts creating more ice on the floor.. right towards Rhonda! All the while, the congration on his other fist grows further and further in intensity.


    How can he create heat and cold so effortlessly?!


    Rhondas eyes widen as it suddenly clicks. In <em>magic</em>, theyre two different affinities. In normal life theyre temperatures. A word, a <em>concept</em> seems to whisper into her ear: <strong>Thermodynamics</strong>. Her magic doesnt add ice, it removes fire! Lucas, Stabilize! she shouts as she digs deeper into her magic than ever before. Its amazing what kind of motivation a charging elemental boxer can provide.


    There, his control! Just like with over the ice, she can feel him moving the fire around, draining it from the floor to make ice, and imbuing it into his fist. She needs to fight that. At first, it seems impossible, like lifting a boulder the size of Freddie. But she can feel it shes doing it! Lucas helps stabilize her gains, letting her elerate her efforts to redirect Rockys control.


    She and Rocky are both surprised when his control suddenly shatters. The me around his hand vanishes, as does the ice hes sliding on, and he doesnt even have the time to put his guard back up before hes forced forward by simple momentum to m face-first into the floor.


    <strong>Freddie</strong>


    Freddie doesnt like the idea of leaving Rhonda to tackle Rocky on her own, but he knows why she has to. He can feel the same need to be the one to face Aranya. Theres something fundamental he can learn, he knows it.


    Just like he knows he needed to leave Fiona to help protect Rhonda. With her help, his friend will neverck for a shield. He trusts in his friend to ovee the odds and defeat Rocky, somehow, just as she trusts him to tag Aranya andplete the challenge for them both.


    He focuses his attention on the fleeing kobold, sending a silent prayer to grant him speed. Even with the potion helping him, Aranya is still <em>very</em> fast. He smiles as a gentle warmth seems to wash over his legs, and the distance starts to close.


    Jellos Grip! she shouts, and reality seems to <em>thicken</em> somehow around Freddie, slowing his movements significantly. He struggles to get through it as he tries to apply some of the lessons of the day to capturing Aranya. Why capture her? To get his ss, duh. Why cant he capture her? She has Thedeim.


    That doesnt feel quite right, but hes out of the whatever it was, and the chase resumes. Hes gaining. With the Shields blessing, hes faster now! Just a little


    Things Grasp! Ethereal orange hands suddenly grip Freddie and hold him fast, and he has to fight his anger and frustration. Its not just that she has Thedeims help, its like she has all his scions, too! How can he fight that?!


    He struggles against the hands, though he stops for a moment as he can almost hear Larx in his head. How <em>can</em> he fight that? He refuses to believe that any dungeon less than a year old, even one as special as Thedeim seems to be, can be mightier than the Crystal Shield. Thedeim has allies, then so does Aranya, that makes sense.


    But so does he. He first wanted to join the Shield because of the simple fact he wouldnt be alone. But the Shield has allies, then so too should Freddie! The hands finally fail and fade, and Freddie stands unopposed for a moment. A wordes to Freddie, foreign and strange, but perfect for him. A concept of togetherness and support in more than just battle.


    His shield glows a soft blue, and several more ethereal versions materialize. Phnx Charge! The shields work as one, moving and hemming Aranya in as Freddie rushes forward and grabs her arm.

 Chapter One-Hundred Eleven

    Chapter One-Hundred Eleven


    Freddie smiles in triumph as he holds Aranya by the forearm, the challenge done. If I could, Id be smiling with him. I dont know how I was expecting the kids to beat Aranya and Rocky, but I wasnt expecting them to split up and face the two individually! The young orcs look of victory soon turns to one of uncertainty, even as Rocky drags himself to his feet without any hint of wishing to continue the challenge.


    Did did we win? asks the orc, and Aranyaughs.


    Of course! Youve tagged me, havent you?


    Rhonda approaches the pair and hears that, but she also looks a bit confused. But theres no big fanfare? No sh of light, rush of power you know, dramatic stuff!


    Aranya giggles at that and shakes her head. Have you two been listening to the adventurers at the guild? sses dont tend to be that dramatic when they unlock, though sometimes the situations are dramatic enough to make up for it. Like, say, chasing down a fleeing priestess while her guardian tries to stop you? she says with a smirk.


    Personally, Im enjoying their look of anticlimax as they check their status, and their reactions are a bit odd. They each whoop with joy as they see they have sses, but the joy quickly gives way to confusion. Aranya can see that, and so speaks up.


    Is something the matter?


    I dont know? offers Freddie.


    Yeah, its kinda weird, confirms Rhonda.


    Curious, I go ahead and spend a little mana to take a peek, and while they make sense to me, it doesnt take long for me to realize why theyre confused. I poke Teemo to head down there as the kids try to exin.


    Yours is weird too, Rhonda?


    Yeah, theres she starts, but Freddie finishes her sentence for her.


    A word you dont recognize?


    The goblins eyes widen at that, and she nods. You too?


    Yeah.


    Aranya butts in, her own curiosity burning. Well, dont leave me in suspense! What did you get?


    The kids exchange looks once more, before Freddie speaks up. Im a <em>Legionnaire</em> Pdin of the Shield.


    Aranya looks confused as Rhonda speaks up. And Im an Ice <em>Sage</em>. At my High Priestesss continued confusion, Freddie cant help but smirk.


    Yeah, thats why were confused. I can feel that the ss is <em>right</em>, but I dont know what a <em>Legionnaire</em> is.


    Yeah, I know Im a caster, but Ive never heard of a <em>Sage</em> before.


    Thats because theyre some of Thedeims words, replies Teemo as he steps out of a shortcut, doing a darn good job of catching up on his air of mystery. Aranya looks intrigued at that, but the kids dont seem to think its anything too unusual.


    What do they mean? they both ask at once, and Teemo hops up on Aranyas shoulder before responding.


    Well Ill start with <em>Sage</em>, since its a bit simpler. In essence, its a person of great learning and great magic. The Boss gave me the rundown of what you kids did, and I think <em>Sage</em> is a pretty good fit for you now, Rhonda. Youve learned one of the fundamentals of how Thedeims scions do what we do. Hes been careful about giving out hints with this, too. Imagine what something like Neverrest would do with just what you know about ice and fire now.


    Rhonda winces as she imagines that, and Teemo smiles before continuing. Still, the Boss cant make you keep quiet, and part of truly being a <em>sage</em> is in teaching. Just be mindful of who your students are, heh.


    Rhonda looks pretty relieved at that, and Teemo turns to look at Freddie. Yours has a bit of history behind it. In ages past, there was a society of warriors or perhaps <em>soldiers</em> is the more urate word. They fought withrge round shields and short spears, and were experts in tactics and positioning. They would fight side by side, presenting enemies with an imprable wall of shields, and would stab out of the small cracks with their spears.


    Ater empire, or maybe one born from the original society? The Boss isnt the best with history, so the details are a little muddy, but the idea of soldiers with shields, working together, was improved on. Instead ofrge round shields, they became more rectangr and easier to hold together in formation. They still sometimes used spears, but generally preferred short swords. They were the <em>Legion</em>, which means many. A <em>Legionnaire</em> is one <em>of</em> the legion.


    Freddie looks a bit shocked at that, and Teemo chuckles for me. Yeah, the Boss and I both are kinda surprised the Shield hasnt managed anything like that before. Otherwise, Im pretty sure itd use that word, instead of one of Thedeims.


    Many so thats why I had so many manifestations? asks Freddie, still trying to wrap his head around getting a ss that has probably not existed here before. Teemo can only shrug.


    Probably? I dont know much about sses, and the Boss mostly just has guesswork. Itd be hard to be a legion of one, though. How about you, Rhonda? Do you have any questions?


    She slowly shakes her head. Not really. I mean, I have a <em>lot</em> of questions, but I dont know what to ask first! I think I need some time to think about it and maybe ask Master Staiven what he thinks.


    Freddie nods at that. Id also like to talk with Head Priest Torlon about what this means, too. I can feel a closer connection to the Shield now, but I think Id like to get his advice on what to do. He shakes his head, trying to clear it, but his mood lightens a bit as he feels Fiona climb onto his back. He reaches up and pets her some, before returning his focus to my Voice.


    Its never simple with you, is it, Thedeim? We first came in here for just some spell spores, and both got put on a path for our lives. We then came in just for a familiar for Rhonda, and we both left with a new friend. Now we came in here for our sses, and youve gone and given us something weird. Again.


    Rhonda grins at that. Its our own fault, though. Weve known from the start you dont behave like other dungeons. We should have guessed youd be weird with sses, too.


    Aranya and Teemo just smile at that, before Freddie speaks up once more. Still, we should probably head home. Its prettyte and people will probably wonder what weve been up to, not to mention that we need to talk about our sses.


    Ill lead you two down a shortcut to the gates, offers Teemo before hopping off Aranyas shoulders. She speaks up before he can vanish down a shortcut, though.


    Ill meet you in the Sanctum after? Yeah, she wants to talk about those words, and probably more. Itd probably be a good idea, too. Im not deliberately trying to keep this stuff from her, there just hasnt been much point. Well, ok, I <em>am</em> going to try to keep my origin from her, partially because these new sses are probably going to cause enough of a wave as it is. I dont need to go talking about other dimensions and being from them, especially since it seems like not only were humans never a thing here, but they seem to be specifically not <em>allowed</em> to be a thing. I cant think of any other reason why even Teemo cant hear the word.


    Thatll be fine, yeah. The Boss isnt sure how much more he can exin, but just hanging out isnt bad. Aranya smiles and seems to ept that answer, and Teemo and the kids soon make their exit.


    I try to gather my thoughts, and before I know it, Aranya and Teemo are both in the sanctum. She bows her head and gives a little prayer, before rxing on her little hammock/cot/bed thing. Theres gotta be a word for that, but I dont know it.


    The kobold takes her time to getfortable and regards my core, therge orange sphere with swirling depths, seeming to try to gather her own thoughts on the matter. New words?


    My Voice chuckles at how much just those two words imply. Yeah, heh. Theres a lot of concepts and stuff floating around in there. Personally, I think thats why his core looks more active than Neverrest did, or Violets does.


    Where did he hear about those soldiers with shields? Ive never heard of that kind of legend.


    I take a few moments to measure my words, before passing them on to Teemo. The worlds a pretty big ce, and Neverrest has gotten a lot of weird bits and pieces from the people he killed.


    Its a tale captured from Neverrest?


    Its a tale from far away, and a long time ago.


    She seems to think on that for a while, before giving a sly smile. And youre sure its not something He made up, another of His strange concepts that just needed a little nudge to make it real?


    I dont know what to say to that, and Teemo doesnt seem to have any answer, either. Aranyas smile slowly turns to a grin as she takes the silence as an answer, then nods. Theyre still both good ideas and I think will be good for the world. I wont tell anyone, she promises.

 Chapter One-Hundred Twelve

    Chapter One-Hundred Twelve


    With the challenge done and settled, and Aranya rxing, I can take some time to go over what else has been happening. Its not like everything else stops just because Im distracted with something else.


    Its looking like the scythemaws are finally starting to pack it up and head home. Poe says the expeditions down there have been seeing themying and burying the eggs. Im pretty sure I saw a documentary once that alligators (crocodiles?) do basically the same thing. I think they tend to put the eggs closer to water, though? If I had to guess, I think gators are the better parents, but I probably shouldnt count the monsters before they hatch.


    Once a nest is buried, the male seems to head back towards whichever body of water he came from, but thedy is sticking around for a bit more. Probably to make sure nobody decides to dig her eggs up. The fact that she also goes and stomps a few other divots around to be fake nests also lends credence to that. Im definitely going to try to dig some upter, but that can wait. The spots just need to be marked on the map, and we can get at them at our leisure. Well, I assume. They probably will hatch well after the maws have to head home.


    While its nice to have that distraction winding down, theres still the issue of the kids sses, and of course Hullbreak Harbor. I got a boatload of mana from them getting their sses, but Im not sure what to spend it on. Im thinking Ill just hang onto it for now, no matter how weird it feels to have a big pile of it just sitting there. But I want to have some to be able to spend on whatever surprises Hullbreak manages to spring.


    Leos FOB is looking a lot more secure, and with the sun down, I even send Coda and a few ratlings to give it the finishing touches that Leo needs. The wolf is doing a great job organizing things, too. He practically has the entire underwater dungeon mapped out now. As suspected, the enve seems to be around his core. Leo isnt 100% certain on that, but we havent been able to find it yet, so the ces it could hide are pretty few.


    Hes also found a shipwreck that seems to be of serious importance. It might be where the core is, but my gut says its in the enve. Still, the fact that the shark scion seems to constantly patrol around it tells me theres something important in there. The slimes are working on getting a better look inside, but even from outside, theyve spotted a merman in there.


    I wonder if hes an important Resident like Aranya and Yvonne are for me? If he is, spying on him could be a great way to get information. Still, we have to take it slow so nobody notices the slimes slipping in.


    It also looks like Hullbreak is building up his forces under the waves, so Im going to be slowing the flow of undead now. I think Ive been giving him too much, and I <em>really</em> dont want him to be able to build up his strength. Besides, if I let the stream start to slow, I can build up my standing army. The risk is that hell attack the beachhead, though, if he senses weakness. I dont know how something like that would go, either. I dont think hell be able to just crush the forces there, but it wont be trivial to hold it while also keeping up the charade. Hmm that <em>does</em> give me an idea, though.


    See, if he attacks the beachhead, hes going to expect to see at least one of my scions. I dont know exactly how much he knows about Neverrests scions, but I should probably assume he knows about the skeleton and the lich. Even if he doesnt, mimicking them would still make it look like the kind of thing Neverrest would have.


    But Grim will never pass for the skeleton scion, and none of my other skeletons or other scions will, either. Nobody has the kind of armor hed have, and all my skeletons only have two arms. Tiny could pretend, but nobody is going to buy that.


    But I <em>do</em> think I can have someone pretend to be the lich: Rocky. Hell need apletely different outfit, but his mastery of several affinities should make him a very believable lich. He doesnt even need to breathe, so he can easily enter the water to help fight off whatever might need him.


    Itll take a little bit to get him ready for that role, though. First, I should probably make sure hes willing to pretend and to put on some other stuff besides his boxing gear. I take a few moments to track him down, and find hes not in the usual ces Id see him training.


    Instead, hes in the enchantingb, looking like hes having a talk with Thing. Curious, I poke Teemo to go check it out and ask him, and my Voice is happy to go look.


    When Teemo exits a shortcut in theb, Rocky seems to stiffen slightly, and Teemo raises an eyebrow at that.


    You ok, Rocky?


    He shifts slightly towards a defensive stance for a few moments, before he lets his arms drop and his head hang a bit. He doesnt seem to have replied, though, and soon Thing signs some.


    Teemo nods as my enchanter finishes. Ah, ok. Thing says Rocky is trying to figure out how to fix the hole in his fundamentals.


    Uh what? Hes far and away the scion thats been doing the best at expanding his affinities.


    Yeah, but he says thats just fancy moves. Rhonda was able to, as he put it break his stance with the magic andpletely throw him off bnce. So hes asking Thing to help him with that, exins Teemo. Rocky slowly stands up straight, maybe expecting to be told to stop bothering Thing, but Im not going to shoot down his attempts to improve his style.


    How goes the work on the pick ups? I ask, and Teemo dutifully repeats, then dutifully trantes. He says hes had a breakthrough. The coils were a bit too uniform and the soundwaves really were canceling each other out. Hes tuning them to be better, but he says theyre actually working now!


    Awesome! Alright Rocky, You can help Thing with his stuff in here and get some better work on your magic fundamentals. That actually ys into something else Id like you to do, too.


    Teemo rys, and Rocky looks confused. My voice just chuckles at his reply.


    He says Watchya need, Coach?


    Im going to need you to be able to pretend to be a lich. Youll have to be ready to toss off the gloves and toss on a robe, in case Hullbreak actually attacks the beachhead.


    Rocky looks at his gloves like hes forgotten he has hands under there, then looks to Teemo and gives a grunt.


    Teemo smiles as he speaks. He wants to know if he can keep the mouthguard.


    Hah! That shouldnt be a problem. Oh, Ill need Thing to make him some fancy enchanted stuff, too, to help sell the trick. Itll probably help Rocky with solidifying his control, too, if he helps.


    They both seem to like that idea, and Thing helps Rocky get his gloves off for the first time in ever? It doesnt seem like his hands are any worse for having been in boxing gloves for so long, but its difficult to tell with a zombie. He flexes his fingers for a few moments before he does a few practice jabs, and I wonder if this is like him taking his limiters off or maybe removing the training wheels?


    While he gets used to bare air on his rotten skin, Thing seems curious about the gloves themselves. He gives them a few testing pokes before he struggles to crawl into one! I watch as he manages to sit back on his wrist, fully encased in thick glove. He hops a couple times before falling off the table. He hits the floor with a muffled p, and I can only assume he cant see while in it. Probably not surprising, but how <em>does</em> he see?


    He quickly wriggles himself out of the glove and telekically tosses it against a wall, much to the amusement of Rocky, Teemo, and myself. Rocky might be willing to fake being a lich, but I dont think Thing will be signing up to pretend to be a boxer any time soon.

 Chapter One-Hundred Thirteen

    Chapter One-Hundred Thirteen


    <strong>Staiven</strong>


    The aged ratkin steals a few seconds as he and Rhonda work to simply observe his apprentice. While he couldnt be more proud of her for gaining her ss, they still have a business to run. These healing potions won''t brew themselves, after all. She came inst night, looking equal parts exhausted and ted, and barely managed to say she got her ss before stumbling off to her bed.


    He hasnt been able to get much else out of her about it yet, but working together can be a great opportunity to chat, at least once the mixture is set to simmer. So your ss, Rhonda?


    The young goblins eyes brighten as shes reminded she hasnt had much chance to exin just what happened. Yes! Freddie and I both got our sses! We asked Thedeim to help, and he set three challenges for us!


    Staiven nods and starts preparing ingredients for the lightning resist potions, and Rhonda cleans the various dirty ssware as she continues to talk. First, we had to capture Vernew, one of the ruling Triumverate of the spiderkin enve! Even more, she had Queens help!


    Oh, the Alchemist Scion? Id wager it was a difficult challenge to beat, then.


    Rhonda giggles. It was, but we also got pretty lucky. Vernew didnt take us as seriously as she should have. We only barely won, though, by catching her in a web trap and catching ourselves, too. Tiny helped us out of the web and Teemo told us we won, and Queen wanted to show off a weird alchemical thing she created to help Vernew, but she never got a chance before we won. So they demonstrated it!


    Staiven waits a few seconds for her to say what it was, but a nce shows shes trying to get him to ask, instead of just telling it herself. He smirks and decides to give her the satisfaction. Its part of her story about gaining her ss, so she deserves to tell it how she wants.


    Well, what was it? he asks, honestly curious what Queen came up with. From what hes sen of her work, shes got a lot of interesting ideas, like that water breathing potion she came up with.


    It was a two-part reaction! First, it would spread a slick of ice and build up energy above the center of it. Then itd release all that energy in a loud and bright explosion! But its not like a fireball, but more like a thunderp; more disorienting than damaging! Ive been calling it a frostbang.


    Hmm says the ratkin as he considers what a sk like that would require. Thats an oddbination of affinities. Howrge was the sk to be able to contain all that mana?


    Thats the best part! It was normal size!


    Staiven looks at her like he doesnt believe her, and she just smiles wider. Right?! I kinda know part of how it was done, too! Thats how I got my ss, but Im getting ahead of myself.


    He considers just telling her to exin, but holds himself back. Shell get there eventually. So what was the second challenge?


    It was a lot less strenuous than the first, at least physically. I had to help Thing with an enchanting array that would turn lightning into thunder mana for a weird instrument Thedeim is working on. I think its some kind of lute or something? It uses plucked strings, at least. But no matter what we tried, it didnt make different notes! I was pretty sure it was beyond me, and I said so, but something about what I said seemed to make Thing realize something incredible!


    Whatd you say?


    I dont remember something about how he was working with advanced stuff, kinda like Queens frostbang. All I knew is one second, hes working on the array, and the next hes clearing the workbench as fast as he could! And then, he created a <em>lifedrinking</em> array!


    Staiven pauses in his work to stare at her. What?!


    Yeah! I didnt know what it was until he motioned me forward to examine it, and I realized what it was! And then he <em>countered</em> it! He didnt copse it, he just negated it!


    The ratkin puts down his tools to stare, and Rhonda tries to exin, now that she has her mentors full, undivided attention. I dont know <em>how</em>, but he did something I dunno? I could feel it was somehow rted to thunder or lightning, but it made no sense, like using earth mana in a windde rune. Whatever he did, though, the lifedrinking just winked out of existence.


    Staivens gaze grows distant as he tries to work through what Rhonda could have seen, but his imagination fails him. Using an array meant for one mana type but channeling a different one? It should just be a waste of effort! But he doesnt doubt Rhondas tale. She has a natural eye for a lot of this, even if she doesnt know the technical details just yet. He shakes his head and focuses on her once more.


    I take it that counted for clearing that challenge? She nods and he continues. So what was the third challenge?


    To get past Rocky and tag Aranya! she exims with excitement.


    You two whittled down the zombie scion before chasing her, then?


    Nope! I faced Rocky while Freddie went to go tag Aranya!


    He looks incredulous, and Rhonda just giggles again. I mean, I had Lucas and Fiona to help, too. We tricked Rocky with a team-up attack that let Freddie get past him, and then I got to see some of his magic close up a bit closer than Id have really wanted, she admits, and Staiven is just d she doesnt seem to be hurt.


    How did you beat him? he asks, unable to fathom how his little apprentice could best that beast of a zombie scion.


    I figured out how he does his magic, and broke his control over it! He was kinda in the middle of an attack with it, and face-nted pretty hard when his control broke. Thats how I got my ss!


    Staiven cant help but give his apprentice a small smirk. So youre a boxer now?


    She giggles and shakes her head. No, Im an Ice Sage!


    He looks confused. An Ice what?


    A sage! I was confused at first, too, but Teemo said its one of Thedeims words for someone with a lot of knowledge and magic, kinda like a teacher, student, and mage all rolled into one! She practically vibrates with excitement at being able to talk about her new ss, but Staiven is practically reeling from what shes said.


    How


    How did I get my ss? Because of how I realized what Rocky is doing! Here, look! She holds her hands out, and forms a small ball of ice, and a small ball of fire, but Staiven can feel shes hardly expended any of her mana to do it! Rocky isnt just making both ice and fire! Theyre <em>temperatures</em>! He takes the heat out of one spot to make ice, and puts it into a different spot to make fire! Hes just moving the fire around!


    Staiven sits down heavily on his stool, and Rhondas excitement turns to concern. She lets the two opposing elemental balls equalize as she rushes over. Master? Are you alright?


    Im he takes a few moments to try to collect himself. Physically, hes as fine as ever, but Rhondas story seems impossible in so many ways! And yet he saw her manipte ice and fire like theyre the same affinity! But it makes no sense. At least theres an easy way to tell if shes telling the truth, or if shes somehow wrong about all this.


    May I scry your ss? he asks, and she nods without hesitation. Its hardly any effort for him to create a scrying enchantment on a handy lens, and he almost drops it at what he sees. Shes an Ice Sage, and shes picked up the Fire affinity now. She doesnt have the Arcane affinity he would have expected, but if shes right about what shes learned, it might be a bit of a moot point. While Arcane can mimic a lot of other affinities, its not especially powerful. If she tried to do that fire and ice trick using Arcane mana, it would have cost a lot more.


    But how did she get a ss hes never heard of before? Its apparently because of Thedeim, which probably shouldnt be surprising, but it <em>is</em> concerning. A young dungeon like that has concepts powerful enough to create new sses? He tries to keep his hand from shaking as he sets the lens down.


    Did Freddie get a new ss, too?


    Rhonda still looks concerned, but answers him. Yeah. Hes a Legionnaire Pdin of the Crystal Shield.


    Another strange word, another new concept, another new ss. Hes going to need to talk to Torlonter, and possibly Inspector Tarl and <em>certainly</em> Thedeim. Rhonda didnt say it was her own word, but one of Thedeims. There is a lot more going on in that dungeon than its been letting on.


    Before his thoughts can spiral too much further, wondering what Fourdock has gotten into, the distinctive scent of a potion on the verge of being ruined reaches his nose. Existential crisester, potions now!


    Kill the fire and pull the heat out of the batch, Rhonda! Put your ss to use saving our work!

 Chapter One-Hundred Fourteen

    Chapter One-Hundred Fourteen


    <strong>Torlon</strong>


    Last night was a strange experience for the Head Priest. He might not have as close of a connection to the Shield as the High Priest in the Citadel, but he is the closest of anyone in Fourdock. So it came as a surprise to him that he could feel someone with a strong connection even before they entered the church.


    It was even more of a surprise to see it was Freddie! He knew thed had the potential to be a great pdin, but he didnt expect thed to vanish for the day ande back with his ss!


    Perhaps most surprising of all was the vision he received from the Shield as he slept. Dream visions are always difficult to interpret. Dreams can be so ephemeral, and visions in general are often so vague, sobining the two can be a metaphorical nightmare, no matter how pleasant they are.


    He saw Freddie leading and inspiring a whole new generation of pdins, and felt the need to help the young orc in sharing what hes learned. Upon awakening, he cant recall much more detail than that, but he trusts the Shield has given him at least the gist of what it wants: to guide and help Freddie.


    He cant help but smirk to himself as he gets out of bed, imagining himselfmenting in all the most extreme ways over the most difficult task of something hed do without even needing to be asked. He genuinely likes Freddie, and so is d to take up such a burden, and more genuinely happy to the Shield for being given something he is confident in doing.


    It doesnt take him long to do his morning routine and head to the kitchen, hoping to catch Freddie there and maybe share a meal together. He quickly finds the youngd at a table having some simple porridge with some dried fruits and nuts, and even spots the spider, Fiona, not far away and munching on a rat. He waves at Freddie, and the young orc smiles and waves back, and Torlon gets himself a simr bowl for his own meal, and sits across from the new pdin.


    I see youve gotten your ss, he says with a smile, and Freddie nods with excitement.


    So did Rhonda!


    Oh? What did you two get up to, then? Not a lot of people get their sses together, Torlon says simply, before digging into his breakfast. Freddie takes the cue to tell the story, and is all too happy to do so.


    So, I went and visited Rhonda, and we decided to go to Thedeim and see if he could help us with our sses. We both knew we were missing something, and you and Old Staiven were being kinda deliberate in not telling us, so we thought he might be able to do something.


    And it looks like he did,d. A big part of a ss is in figuring it out yourself, and challenging Thedeims denizens is a good way to do just that.


    Freddie nods. Yeah, but we didnt just go and fight stuff! We actually asked him to help, and he gave us three challenges toplete!


    Torlon looks a bit surprised at that. Challenges? Like when Thedeim asked me to go loot Tinys chest?


    Kinda? He actually got some of his dwellers to help, and even Miss Aranya! And some of the scions, too!


    ...That sounds like quite the challenge <em>challenges</em>, rather. What did you do?


    Well first, we had to capture the Huntsmistress of the spiderkin, Vernew, and she even had Queens help!


    Thats the bee?


    Freddieughs and shakes his head. Nah, thats Honey. Queen is the ant and Alchemist. So we had to capture Vernew without harming Queen. Rhonda made us some potions while I tried to think of a good ce to try to catch her, and I remembered hearing her talking with Larx about Tiny. I figured she might try to hide in and around his maze, so we got on top and convinced Tiny to distract her if she showed up.


    And then she did! She was talking to him and we attacked, trying to get her in one of Fionas webs with Rhondas help, but she dodged and threw a smokebomb or something. We decided to try to entangle her in the webbing Tiny has on top of the maze, and when she leaped at us, we struck!


    Freddie looks a little embarrassed. It, uh it worked, but we got tangled up, too. Me, Rhonda, Lucas, Fiona, and Vernew: all stuck in a huge ball of Tinys webbing, just kinda hanging there and slowly turning.


    Torlon does his best to not make a mess whileughing, easily able to imagine all of them stuck together like that. After a few seconds to calm himself, at least enough that he wont interrupt himself with anotherugh, he manages a reply. I take it that counted, then, since you have your ss?


    Yeah, it counted. Heh, I even asked and Vernew said she counts it. And I think that was one of the first things I learned about, and was kind of a theme for at least my part of the challenges.


    Oh? asks the gnome, wanting to hear what wisdom Freddie had gained yesterday.


    I only had a vague idea of what it was, until the second challenge. I had to talk with Larx.


    Torlon quirks an eyebrow at that, confused. That doesnt sound like a challenge. You often go and talk with him when you can spare some time between your training and delving.


    Freddie inhales deeply. It definitely was a challenge. He wanted me to exin why the consecration at the cemetery went like it did.


    Torlon nods in understanding at that. Ah, that makes more sense. It was a bit of a delicate situation.


    Yeah, but he also asked me about the former head acolyte, too, and how actions have more meaning than words. Vernew worships Thedeim, but she failed to keep from getting captured by us, even though he specifically asked her to do that. And the acolyte failed to consecrate the cemetery, even though the Shield wanted it. But theyre not just cast out for failing. They get more chances, even if punishments have to happen, they can do better if they keep trying. Its kinda like the shield you keep on your wall. It has chips and dings, but its still going to protect. It didnt break at the first problem.


    Torlon nods along as Freddie talks. Thed is jumping around a bit in his exnation, but its all core to the entire point of the Crystal Shield and what it wants of its followers.


    And then, for thest challenge, we had to face Rocky and Aranya in the arena!


    Talons brow furrows at that. Rocky is the zombie scion with far more magic than usual, right? Freddie nods and Torlon continues. So you faced off against the zombie while Rhonda went after Aranya?


    Freddie sheepishly shakes his head. No, actually. She faced Rocky and I went after Aranya. Rhonda said she needed to face him herself, though I was at least able to have Fiona help her. I was still pretty nervous about her fighting him, but she was pretty sure it had to be done. And I had the same feeling with having to face Aranya.


    Really? Why?


    Freddie shrugs. I dunno? Something about her connection with Thedeim I felt like I could learn something from it. And I kinda did, too. Freddie continues before Torlon can even prompt him, the gnome forgetting his porridge as he listens.


    So, a lot of her magic has her calling on aspects of Thedim and his scions. She called on Poes wings to let her jump into the arena without hurting herself and maybe to give her some extra speed. But with the Shields help, I was able to outpace her, just barely. But whenever Id get too close, shed call on one of those aspects to slow or stop me, and shed get away!


    It was pretty frustrating, because it felt like I wasnt just facing her or Thedeim, but all of Thedeims scions, too! It hardly seemed fair she could call on so much help, but then I remembered why I wanted to be a pdin in the first ce: so I wouldnt have to face stuff alone. I mean, Im not exactly lonely, but having the help of you and everyone has been amazing for the hard times, you know?


    Torlon smiles at that and nods, and Freddie soon continues.


    So I thought, if she can call on help, so can I. And I was able to call a bunch of Shields to help corner her, and grab her to win. I called it Phnx Charge, and I just somehow knew it was a formation of a lot of shields.


    Talons eyes shoot open at that, but Freddie continues before he can ask any questions. And I got my ss, too. Im a Legionnaire Pdin of the Shield, a pdin of many. Its one of Thedeims words, I guess? Im still getting used to it, but well, let me show you. With that, Freddie closes his eyes for a moment to focus, and several ephemeral manifestations of The Shield appear around him. Even more interesting, Torlon even sees Fiona move into a ce in the small formation with her own shield, before they fade away and Freddie breathes heavily from the effort.


    As Freddie catches his breath, Torlons mind races at what he just saw. Every pdin hes had the chance to meet could only imbue their personal shield. While it would often grow in size to be an imprable barrier, it was still only one shield. With something like this he doesnt even know what the potential power for good it could even hold! So many possibilities, especially if Freddie can teach his way of thinking to other prospective pdins.


    As Freddie returns his focus to his breakfast, the effort seeming to make him hungry, Torlon can only offer a quick prayer for forgiveness, for thinking guiding Freddie properly would be a simple task. He is no less resolved to do it, though, both for the Shield and for Freddie himself. That kind of power requires a firm will and resolve to not misuse. Thankfully, Freddie isnt the type to let something like that go to his head.

 Chapter One-Hundred Fifteen

    Chapter One-Hundred Fifteen


    With the scythemaws pretty much done with their fun, and the surprise fun of helping Rhonda and Freddie getting their sses finished, I return my attention to the problem of Hullbreak Harbor. Im still trying to get more info, and set up a few safeguards, but I think Im getting close to needing to make a move.


    I think. Maybe? I was never terrible at strategy games, but I also would tend to just turtle up until I had enough troops to steamroll. But steamrolling Hullbreak is pretty much thest thing I want to do. I think he can be theoretically reasoned with if his dwellers are safe. If they get hurt, though I think itll get ugly all around.


    I just need to make sure I strike the right bnce between preparing and not giving Hullbreak the time to prepare too much on his side. From the reports from Leo, I think hes going to try to strike the beachhead soon. I just wish I knew how soon soon is. Hes started sending out expeditions, so hes sure to find the beachhead eventually.


    So now I need to make sure I have some contingencies for if he attacks. I would say when, but theres no guarantee. He could find the beachhead and try to negotiate. I mean I wouldnt put money on it, but it could happen. Anyway, contingencies. First is who can I actually try to bring in to fight? Pretty much all my denizens that could work under the water are already doing stuff: the skeletons are doing their thing, the slimes and rockslides are being sneaky. Despite Queens best efforts, I dont think shes going to manage a water affinity potion before this fight pops off, so I need to n with what I have.


    While Rocky should be a good n A for dealing with an attack, I need to have a solid n B in case the attack is too much for him to ovee. In which case I think the subtle route will have to be tossed out the window. At least that will let me bring in some of my other scions. Not the best silver lining, but if I have to take the kid gloves off, itll be time toy down thew.


    Jello will probably be very good under the water. While she still wont be very fast, the little bit of water testing we did a while ago showed shes not much slower in the water, either, so shell be at her full strength. Probably even stronger, actually, considering how she practically vanishes when submerged.


    Grim has a lot of potential, but I get the feeling he wont want to go on the offensive. Hed be an absolute nightmare on a battlefield, but thats just not his temperament. I might be able to get him to defend the beachhead while the others attack, but Im inclined to not even try to push him for this. Besides, after seeing him stop that scythemaw like flipping a switch, I worry it could send the wrong message if he starts just ending whatever Hullbreak sends at him. Gotta wield destructive potential carefully if you dont want to have to keep using it.


    sh would probably do well under the water, but his involvement will depend on if we can get the axe finished in time. With the hurdle of actually making the sound finally cleared, were basically just down to actually producing it now. The ratkin and spiderkin have settled on a good alloy for the head, and while its not going to be the shiny stainless steel that I think would be perfect, its going to be a proper weapons-quality steel, so I cant reallyin. I dont even know if stainless steel would be good for an axe. Pretty sure its what scalpels are made of, but theres a big difference between that and an axe. Besides, I still havent managed to make stainless steel anyway.


    The enves are now able to work on the tophat now, too, with the aranea more than happy to weave the hat itself, and the ratkin working with Thing to get the magical te amplifiers installed. sh has been by to look at the work, but hes been staying out of it for the most part. He knows how to make music, not how to make an electric guitar. He <em>does</em> actually know how to make music, too. He finally got the title of Bard from ying on the lute that I still dont know how he got. Hes plucked out a few bars from a couple songs he must have overheard through the bond with me, but he hasnt tried to string them into a true song yet. I think its because theyre not designed for a lute, but theres also other songs hes picked up from the delvers and even some of the dwellers in the enves.


    Let me see, what other scions might be able to fight well, Poe can <em>kind</em> of fight. Which is to say he can <em>definitely</em> fight, but not too much under the water. He could deal with the gull spawner, but I dont think its going to actually make much difference for whats happening under the waves.


    Fluffles might be able to, but unless he pulls a water affinity out of his serpentine behind, hes going to have trouble moving well. Which really only means I could bring Jello and maybe sh to the party. The biggest problem with them being my emergency n is that neither of them is especially quick. Its about half a days walk to the beachhead from home. Its not a big deal for the skeletons, since they can just walk and dont have to be there in any real hurry. But if I need an emergency response, I need to get there in minutes, preferably seconds, not hours.


    I do have an idea for that, though. Hey Teemo, you busy?


    My Voice is currently lounging on Yvonnesp in the Sanctum, my lovely birb taking a chance to rx after having spent much of thest few days on paperwork. Taxes and inspections and such for the guild, as she exined it. Aranya is just d she doesnt actually have anything new to report, seeing as shes only just registered as an adventurer recently.


    I can see Teemos ears twitch when I talk to him, and I can practically see him weighing if he wants to respond. Im pretty sure he can sense my amusement at him shirking his duty, because he soon sighs and speaks up.


    Nah, Im not busy, Boss. Kinda deliberately not busy, even, he says, and Yvonne smiles at his snark.


    Thedeim needs something?


    Yeah, Id like you to make a new shortcut, please. Im sure you could hear me plotting and thinking, and I want to be able to respond quickly if Hullbreak attacks the beachhead.


    Teemo wrinkles his nose. I thought you didnt want a shortcut from inside to outside?


    I dont, but I have an idea for where to put it. Inside the treeline, past the cemetery wall for one end, and inside the treeline near the shore for the other end. You should be able to hide the entrances with more mundane means, and even if Hullbreak somehow finds it, well already know everything about it. If he tries to use it to counter attack, ambushing his forces would be a cakewalk.


    Teemo thinks on that for a few seconds as Yvonne rubs his head, and he soon nods.


    That should work, Boss. How big do you need it?


    I just need enough for Jello and sh. If you can make it fit an army, thatd be nice, but I really only need it to be able to handle them. Itll be a bit of ast resort to use, since itll give away that Im not Neverrest, but Id rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.


    Yeah, that shouldnt be a problem then.


    What are you going to be doing? asks Yvonne, sitting up a bit more so she can focus better.


    The Boss wants an emergency shortcut through the woods to the beachhead, incase Hullbreak attacks there.


    Yvonnes eyes light up. Ah, I had forgotten you were making moves against the water dungeon! Is there anything we can do to help?


    Teemo shrugs. I mean, I wouldn''t mind somepany outside. Ragnar and Ara can see what were up to, right Boss?


    Yeah, that should be fine.


    Boss says you all can take a look. Hes clever, and he talks like hes vaguely familiar with stuff like this, but your party has more experience with fighting and such. An extra perspective would be nice to have on everything. Think theyll be up for it?


    The hawkwoman nods at that. Ragnar would love to give his advice onrger scale battles. I dont know if he was ever involved in any himself, but he at least has a lot of historical knowledge of dwarven battles. If nothing else, Im sure hell have advice for defending the beachhead.


    Cool. Is tomorrow fine for working on that?


    I tell him thats fine, and Yvonne says that should be enough time for her to let the group know. Theyll ask if Aranya wants toe once she gets back from chatting with Larx and Vernew. Hmm I wonder if Frn might want to take a look, also. I let Teemo know to check with her sometime, too. No rush, though.


    He smiles and rxes back into Yvonnesp, enjoying herpany. From her smile as she resumes idly petting him as she reads, shes enjoying hispany, too.

 Chapter One-Hundred Sixteen

    Chapter One-Hundred Sixteen


    Around sunrise, Yvonne, Teemo, and Aranya go to meet up with Ara and Ragnar to take a look at the forest and the nned shortcut, so I take a chance to talk with the dwarf through Teemo and see what he thinks about making a move soon.


    It takes Teemo most of the walk out to the treeline to exin the basics of the situation, and the dwarf looks contemtive as he takes it all in.


    I dinnae envy ya for this one, but Id try t get more info afore attackin. Some sieges can be avoided by a quick attack, but more just fail and lead t a longer fight.


    Teemo chuckles at my reply. The Boss says thats the feeling hes getting from Leo, too. Hes just getting antsy about waiting, I think.


    Ragnar nods. Aye, hes still young an new t this. Patience is th key to most wars,d.


    I grumble to myself for a few seconds before taking a metaphorical deep breath. Crafting an attack n is just like crafting anything else: it takes a lot longer than most people think. And it will take even longer when the inexperienced keep second guessing the ones who know more about it. It feels kinda weird that Leo would know more about this kind of thing, but Ragnar taking his side helps reinforce that I just dont know that much about waging war which this kinda is. Its not the grandest war, but its definitely more than just a big fight.


    Teemo smiles as he hears meing to terms with the advice. I think he knew that, but its good to hear it out loud from someone else. Makes it harder to make excuses, heh.


    Gee, thanks, Teemo.


    Always got your back, Boss, he replies with a grin, deliberately ignoring my sarcasm. I chuckle and try to focus on the delvers, letting Teemo and the party work without me hovering. A watched pot never boils, and me staring through Leos eyes wont make the reportse in any faster. Ill just have to trust him to let me know if anything new develops, or if he gets any ideas about potential gaps in the defenses.


    Actually, checking in on Violet wouldnt be a bad way to pass the time. Id still need Teemo to actually <em>talk</em> with her, but some bare basics can still be done with just the protege bond. Ive only done the basics of checking on her since the scythemaws showed up, mostly just making sure shes doing alright and isnt in any trouble with them.


    Shes got a nice stash of mana now, even with the upgrades I can see to her two scions. Im not sure if shes named them or not, but theyve both made good progress. Her centipede is a bit bigger than when he first spawned, but I don''t get the feeling hell be rivaling Tiny for size. Something about it strikes me more as a mage of some kind, rather than a big brute. Still, its a Guardian now, so maybe Im wrong? Or maybe Guardians have a lot of room for their own growth.


    The mushroom scion is the kind of weird I think the Office of Dungeon Affairs would expect me to get up to. I wouldnt have expected something without legs to be so knowledgeable about whats going on outside Violets borders. I probably should have, though. Fungus can cover <em>huge</em> areas, like square miles, if Im remembering some random thing I read on the inte right. Because everything on the inte is true, and my memory is iron-d.


    Either way, I can feel how far hes spread, and where. It looks like hes growing more towards the aquiferkes than into the hunting tunnels, which suggests to me which way Violet might want to expand next. I poke the bond to see if she wants to start expanding, and I get a feeling of her being in no hurry. She very clearly doesnt like the scythemaws, and I cant really me her. I dont think theyre much of a threat anymore, but better safe than sorry. It feels like shell be expanding out into the cavern past her door, then start working towards the water. She seems to like the idea of getting some mining nodes of her own, and eventually some aquatic animal nodes.


    She seems to think shell get either water mushrooms or water bunnies, if Im reading the impressions from the bond right. I just smile and leave her to it, d shes doing just fine.


    <strong>First Mate</strong>


    The great white shark scion of Hullbreak Harbor is restless, because her Captain is restless. Neverrest is slowing in its attack, but not stopping. The gained mana is slowing, too. Has it realized its been strengthening the Captain?


    Probably not. If so, itd just retreat and let the Captain starve himself again. Which only leaves one option: its building up its forces. The Captains no fool, he knows a concerted attack from the undead could overrun him and the dwellers. So hes been sending expeditions.


    Its not too difficult to track the undead from the treeline to the beach with the gulls, but the woods have been imprable so far. Even more, the expeditions sent to the town have not been able to get far without getting destroyed by the ursed ravens the cemetery dungeon has picked up.


    Still, they know the beach the undead are using, and so some fish expeditions can shed some light on the situation. The initial reports have starteding in, and it doesnt look good. It could look worse, but it would at least be a change of pace for them to look better.


    The undead are fortifying a rocky beach, dotted with spires and a reef. Itd be a terrible ce to try tounch a boat from, or to try to swim, but as far as defensible positions go, its a dreame true. Or a nightmare, for her and the Captain. She and most of the shark denizens could probably clear them out, but itd take a lot of the Captains resources, and it would be a lot closer than theyd prefer.


    Itd also leave the dwellers and the Captain undefended. He has an idea to make it worthwhile, but the risk to the dwellers if it fails is one of the big reasons he hasnt tried it yet. Of course, the risk to the dwellers is also why hes considering it in the first ce. They need <em>something</em> to be able to bring the fight to Neverrest and keep the dwellers safe.


    When can I return to the enve?


    Speaking of dwellers. The First Mate sighs and changes her route, heading towards the shipwreck, rather than just swimming around it. The merman has been confined there for quite some time now, stuck in the brig with only her and the asional merfolk toe give him food.


    When you tell me what you were doing, swimming away from the group like that, she repeats for what must be the hundredth time.


    I thought I saw a big fish, and I wanted to get it, he repeats, sticking to his story. She still doesnt believe him. She sighs and swimszyps in front of the window to his cell in the brig.


    Which you only happened to spot when I was on the other side of the school that you were <em>supposed</em> to be hunting with the others. What were you really doing, Yendo?


    The merman gives her a long look, and she wonders if hell finally give her the truth. She decides to try to bait the hook a bit. We know you did something, Yendo. You slip away on a hunt, and not long after, we start getting raided by Neverrest. I know you wouldnt harm the Captain on purpose, but you must have done something to attract its ire.


    Yendo detes a bit, looking less like the dissenting voice that hes always been, and more like the tired widower that he is. I was after a big fish.


    The First Mate sighs and moves to resume her path around the wreck. Hell tell her eventually, she knows. Maybe after the Captain finally deals with Neverrest. She doesnt like the Captains new n, but she has to admit they wouldnt have much other way to strike back at the cemetery. She nods to herself as she continues her patrol, unaware that the rocks had ears for the conversation.

 Chapter One-Hundred Seventeen

    Chapter One-Hundred Seventeen


    <strong>Tarl</strong>


    The Inspector of the Fourdock branch of the Dungeoneers Guild grins as he finishes his foe with one final sh. It was a long and arduous battle, but it joins its brethren in the pile of the defeated, and he cleans his weapon, not letting it drip, before putting it away.


    He takes a moment to relish in his victory, d to have the horde beaten back, even if only for another year. He nces over to hispanion, d to see her enjoying victory in her own way. Truth be told, she is the far more experiencedbatant in this field, with nary a stter anywhere on her.


    He nces at his own hands, and can only shake his head at how easily they tell the tale of the conflict. Still, theyre victorious. How do you manage to fill out so many forms without getting any ink on you at all? he asks as he leans back in his chair, the paperwork and taxes for the end of the year finallyplete.


    His desk bears many dried blots of ink, but his stack of papers only has the minimum of blemishes. The ones with too many have been destroyed in the firece, never to betray Tarl with the truth of his penmanship. His quill and inkpoty in their spot on the desk, the feathered instrument of bureaucracy and itspanion finally finished with their duties for now.


    Experience, Tr replies with a smile over her hot cup of tea, and Tarl cant help but give her an exaggerated roll of his eyes.


    Fine, keep your secrets. A master of her craft is entitled to some, I suppose, he says with augh as he stands and stretches. Is there any tea left?


    Of course. Im not a barbarian to make you do all this and not let you have at least some kind of reward. Were running low on honey, though. You might want to go on a more ordinary delve if you want to get us some more.


    Heughs as he pours himself a cup, and adds a bit of milk and honey, too. Itd probably be a good idea to see how Thedeimsing along with Hullbreak, too. He hasnt sent Teemo here in a panic, so it cant be going <em>too</em> poorly, he says with a chuckle, before giving the teapot a shake and listening.


    Should be plenty for at least one more cup, he says as he nods, and takes his seat at his desk once more. Theyll need to clean up some and magically send the forms, but that wont take too much longer at all.


    Tarl enjoys the warm tea as he turns over in his head his ns for how to delve Thedeim. Hes seen the gauntlet, but never actually tried it


    His thoughts are interrupted as two figures enter the guild, and hes a little surprised to see its Torlon and Staiven. They seem to be in the middle of discussing something, too.


    -impossible! insists Staiven, and Torlon just smiles.


    Clearly not. The gnome raises his hands to stall Staiven before he can try to argue more. Magical theory was never my forte. But now were here, you can ask Tarl yourself.


    The aged ratkin sighs, but epts that he should talk to the one with more expertise. Tarl, for his part, waves the two to have a seat as he enjoys a sip of his tea. After a few moments to collect his thoughts, Staiven speaks.


    How old is Thedeim?


    He was discovered roughly eight months ago.


    But how <em>old</em> is he?


    Tarl smiles as his attempt fails. How old do you think he is?


    Staiven throws his hands up. I dont know! But Ill tie my tail in a bow if hes only eight months old!


    Tarl raises an eyebrow at the exmation, and Torlon takes over to let Staiven try to calm down some. Rhonda and Freddie got their sses from Thedeim, and theyre unusual.


    Are they alright? asks Tarl, worried something could have happened.


    Huh? Oh! Torlon smiles and shakes his head at himself. I meant the <em>sses</em> are unusual. As far as I can tell, the children are perfectly fine.


    Tarl rxes back into his seat, relieved. Whats unusual about the sses? Did Rhonda be a pdin and Freddie is now a mage? he asks with a chuckle, recalling how <em>both</em> kids ended up with a spider.


    Torlon shakes his head. Rhonda is an Ice Sage, and Freddie is a Legionnaire Pdin of the Shield.


    Tarl looks interested, but not shocked. I havent heard of those before.


    Staiven speaks up. Thats because Rhonda and Freddie are the first. Sage and Legionnaire are <em>Thedeims</em> words!


    Tarls eyes bulge for a moment as his body wars with itself. Instinct demands he clear his airway of the sip of tea, but his battle reflexes refuse to let something like a spit-take ruin the results of the trials of thest several days. He manages to swallow the drink properly before coughing, only vaguely aware of Staiven looking relieved to have his concerns taken seriously.


    Torlon looks over to Staiven. I guess you werent wrong about that being significant, after all.


    No, hes not! manages Tarl as he gets his coughing under control. He takes a deep breath before continuing. Youre both sure thats their sses?


    Rhonda let me scry her, states Staiven.


    I cant scry, but Freddie demonstrated for me. Ive never even heard of a pdin of the Shield being able to do what he did.


    Tarl sighs and sets his tea aside. Well, Im not an expert in sses, but I do know dungeons. And youre right, Staiven: a dungeon only eight months old should not have the kind of strength of concepts to be able to help someone manifest a new ss around them.


    Torlon suddenly looks serious. Should we be worried?


    Tarl shakes his head. Not for the kids, at least. Whatever a Sage and a Legionnaire are, they were, in at least some way, always part of them. Thedeim being Fate affinity helps exin it somewhat but not fully. He pauses to feel out the geas of secrecy he took for Thedeim, and measures his words carefully.


    The Guild will probably want to ssify him as Cloistered, once they get the report.


    The gnome and ratkin both look confused at that, and Tarl smiles, d to get away from secrets and into the familiarity of dungeon ssifications. Its a subssification, like Deep or Submerged. Cloistered means it was stuck for a while in a small area, before expanding. Generally, it means a dungeon will be more mentally mature than its size would indicate, as the dungeon spent some amount of time without outside influence and could work through actually forming ideas. And Cloistered dungeons often have strange concepts, since they didnt develop with outside ideas to guide them. Its rare, and even more rare for a Cloistered dungeon to be cooperative. Thankfully, thanks to his Fate affinity, its probably not going to raise too many eyebrows. Fate dungeons are always a bit strange.


    Torlon simply nods at the exnation. Staiven looks a little more relieved at it, but not fully. What about Rhonda and Freddies sses?


    Tarl shrugs. Teach them? Youre their mentors, not me. Thedeim cant exactly take the sses back. Just y them off as obscure, instead of something unique from Thedeim, if anyone asks. I dont have any advice for <em>how</em> to teach them, though, he says, and soon continues, cutting off Staiven before he can interrupt.


    If its some weird magic, go ask Thedeim. Youre probably the magic expert around here, so I cant think of anyone else for you to ask. If hes doing it weird, ask him. If he doesnt tell you well, do you tell just anyone how to enchant something?


    Staiven doesnt look happy, but doesnt argue. He doesnt stay silent, either. Do you have a book on the subssifications that I could borrow?


    Tarl nods. Well need a couple days to get these papers settled, but that shouldnt be a problem. You could probably talk to the Adventurers Guild if you want to research sses a bit more, too.


    The idea of research has Staiven looking much more in his element, and much less worried for his apprentice. Torlon stands in his chair and smiles at them both, before focussing on Staiven.


    Shall we go now? I wouldnt mind researching a bit of the various pdin variants, too. If Freddie is a pdin of many, I might need to be prepared to teach him a wide variety of things.


    Staiven nods and stands, and offers Tarl his hand to shake. Thank you for your time, Inspector, and for taking me seriously. Its been a while since I felt out of my depth about something.


    Tarl smiles and shakes his hand. No problem at all, Staiven. Im sure the kids will be fine, just as Im sure you two have your work cut out for you helping them reach their potential.


    The two mentorsugh at that and soon leave, and Tarl sits back down to finish his cup of tea.


    What would <em>you</em> ssify Thedeim as? asks Tr from her desk.


    Hmm? he responds, in the middle of a sip.


    You said the Guild would ssify him as Cloistered, but not what <em>you</em> would.


    He just stays quiet enjoying his tea, though he does turn and give her a smile over his cup.


    After a few moments, she smiles back. Fine, keep your secrets. I suppose a master of his craft deserves some.

 Chapter One-Hundred Eighteen

    Chapter One-Hundred Eighteen


    With nightes thetest reports from the spies in Hullbreak, and Leo dutifully works through them. Theres definitely an increase in sharks inside, and it looks like their expeditions have finally discovered the beachhead. Theyve even tried a fly over with some gulls, but Poes patrols quickly convinced them its a bad idea. While Id prefer they hadnt discovered the beachhead, Ill settle for them not having much information about it.


    There doesnt seem to be much activity with the gull spawner, but I also havent been able to get any of the spies into a position to get a good look. No news is good news, as far as Im concerned. Theres not a whole lot of defending Hullbreak can do with the gulls.


    The biggest piece of information is about the merman in the shipwreck. Hes been imprisoned, and if the report is urate, he might have been the one to send the note to the Office of Dungeon Affairs. Hes not being mistreated, but hes also certainly in trouble with Hullbreak.


    Which gives me an idea, but itll be a huge risk. If I go through with it, itll be go time, one way or the other. I need to make sure I have everything ready before then.


    The shortcut through the woods is done, and Teemo is taking some time to expand it a bit. Jello and sh should be able to get through it without any problem at all, but Teemo is working to see about letting an army of skeletons get through it quickly, too. I just leave him to it for now. Ill need him for my risky idea, but I dont need to distract him until I make sure I have all the pieces Ill need.


    Like sh and his Axe. If Im going to potentially call down the wrath of Hullbreak, I want to have as much support as possible to fight underwater. Im uncertain how well swinging an axe under water would work, but sound should work great. Water will conduct sound way better than air. The only problem is that it will conduct electricity a lot better than air, too.


    Its not the superconductor that a lot of movies make it out to be, though. In theory, the metal of the circuit should still be the path of least resistance, though Ill have Thing make sure to reinforce a bit of lighting essence to help encourage it to behave properly. Heh, maybe hell manage a magical superconductor. Thatd be cool.


    Im a bit more concerned about making the arc work properly. A te coil is so loud <em>because</em> it takes a lot of energy to get the electricity to jump through the air, so a lot of energy gets converted into sound. With salt water being more conductive, itll need less energy to jump, so less energy to convert into sound. If Im lucky, the quieter sound and the ease of sound moving in water will cancel each other out and everything will work fine. If Im not I dunno. Thing might have to lean more on magic than simple physics.


    Either way, the axe ising along great, and I think Ill be able to give it to sh in a couple days.


    Queen is still working on the water movement potion, and still isnt having much luck with it. While Staiven and her havepared notes, and he has several forme for it, we still dont have the stuff to make it. I havent been able toe up with any kind of good physics work around for it, either.


    Water is a massive pain to deal with. It will drink in ridiculous amounts of energy and hardy heat up at all, its shockingly dense, and it absolutely <em>despises</em> beingpressed. Air is easy to move in, thanks to it not having much mass to be in the way, and its also more than happy to squeeze down. The only thing I can think of to move quickly in water is to more of less turn into a fish and take advantage of hydrodynamic design but that kind of magic is way beyond what we can do now.


    At least the electrolysis potion seems to work like a dream. Oh hey, I should have her team with Thing and see if they can use that principle to create a bubble of air around the hat and possibly guitar. Probably just hydrogen and let the oxygen escape. Im pretty sure it wont be able to explode if theres no oxygen.


    Maybe they can just kludge together something so itll just bring a bit of air with it when it first goes under the water. Id really rather avoid sh exploding during his debut.


    So while that prep will still give me a couple days, I dont see anything to theoretically stop my idea. I just want to run it by Leo and see what problems he sees, and if he thinks we can handle Hullbreaks reaction.


    Teemo? Can you head to Leo? I want to hear what he thinks about us rescuing/kidnapping that merman.


    Teemo just pauses in his work for a moment, before chuckling and shaking his head as he gets his current work into a spot where he can leave it.


    Thats a pretty bold idea, Boss. How do you n on doing that?


    Well Ill exin once you go meet Leo, so I only have to exin once.


    My Voice nods and soon hurries down the shortcut, and before long, hes before my wolf scion. Leo gives him a nod of respect and a short yip.


    Thanks, Leo. The Boss has a crazy n about that one merman in the ship, and he wanted to run it by you.


    Leo opens his mouth and lets his tongue loll out in a grin, and Teemoughs. Crazy even for him, yeah. So, whats the n, Boss?


    So that merman. Im pretty sure hes the one who sent the letter to Tarl. We might be able to convince him to not exactly <em>turn</em> on Hullbreak, but to at least convince him we want to help and that we need someone Hullbreak might actually listen to. So Id like Teemo to sneak in, try to talk him into helping, and if he agrees, get him back to the beachhead.


    Uh Boss? I cant breathe water.


    We have the electrolysis potion. And with your shortcuts and natural sneakiness, you could get in and talk with him, and quickly get him out, too.


    Teemo doesnt look too convinced, but with the obvious objections out of the way, he goes ahead and rys the idea to Leo, who immediately grumbles in that not-quite-a-whine way dogs sometimes do.


    He says Hullbreak will probably immediately attack if we do that.


    Yeah, I kinda figured. Does he think we can hold Hullbreak at bay, if he does?


    Teemo asks, and Leo paces for a minute or so as he considers. Through the bond, I can feel him going over troops and the various tactical options at our disposal. He eventually sits and gives Teemo his opinion.


    He says he feels confident, but that well be tipping our hand about being Neverrest. He says hell probably need sh and Jello, as well as Rocky, to be able to keep the merman safe long enough for the initial panic to lessen. <em>If</em> it lessens.


    Yeah, thats the biggest risk. Hullbreak doesnt want his dwellers to get hurt. Theyre his number one priority. If we threaten them, he might go nuts. But if we dont, he wont take us as seriously. If we manage to get the guy out, Hullbreak will probably immediately attack with everything he has. Well have to keep that assault at bay and make sure he can see the guys unhurt, and hopefully have him try to negotiate with Hullbreak.


    What if Hullbreak thinks the guy has betrayed him?


    Then well <em>really</em> need to make sure hes safe, and hope he can give us some kind of idea to get Hullbreak to listen.


    That sounds really risky, Boss, Teemo points out, and I can only sigh and agree with him.


    Yeah but is it riskier than letting the status quo go on? If you two can think of a better n, Im all ears. You can even ask the other scions, Frn or any other dwellers, or Aranya and Yvonne. Id love a better n, but I dont know that were going to get one.


    The best time to do it will probably be the new moon low tide after shs Axe is finished. That looks to be about a week away. So we have until then to try toe up with something better than forcing Hullbreaks hand while hoping hell hold back because of his dweller.

 Chapter One-Hundred Nineteen

    Chapter One-Hundred Neen


    This is feeling like the longest week of my life, and its only just started. Sure, I havent had all <em>that</em> many weeks since bing a dungeon, but the point still stands. Everyone has been brought up to speed on the n, too, but nobody has been able toe up with anything better.


    Larx and the ratkin are taking a philosophical approach to what to do, and Im just d theyre not being yes men about it. They love a good debate, and while I usually like to hear philosophy discussed I just cant get into it right now. It also doesnt help that theyve been diving pretty hard into hypotheticals and have wandered pretty hard from the original topic. Its good to know they mostly agree with the n, and couldnte up with anything else.


    The spiderkin are taking a more pragmatic approach with their own discussions. Norloke hates the idea of letting anyone starve, and Vernew seems offended at the very concept that dwellers wouldnt be able to go out and explore and hunt on their own. Frn was actually able to look at a diagram of the beachhead, and pointed out a few potential weaknesses. I think shes just more used to thinking of assaulting in three dimensions than Leo is.


    Leo, meanwhile, is shoring up the defenses as best he can without revealing himself. The skeletons are doing their best to keep any fish from getting inside the protected area, trying to keep Hullbreak from getting any other information. Theyre also trying to figure out how to make something to help protect the merman, Yendo, just in case. I havent been able to think of anything that wouldnt just look like a cell. I think our best bet is to let him wander around, if we can actually get him toe along, that is.


    Elf Guy stops by for a more casual delve, and I cant resist asking Teemo to get his advice. My Voice pops out of a shortcut near the gauntlet, where Tarl is waiting in line, and squeaks to get his attention.


    Oh, hey Teemo. Howre you doing? he asks, and Teemo sighs. That good, huh?


    Heh, yeah. Just trying to get somest minute stuff together for Hullbreak, and wondering if you had any advice.


    Tarl grimaces at that, and takes a few seconds to formte his reply. Dungeon fights are delicate at the best of times. The Guild mostly sits back and tries to minimize coteral to delvers, so theres not a lot of help I can give. Your stunt with Neverrest was, if not <em>totally </em>unprecedented, very rare. If it makes you feel any better, even if you subsume Hullbreak, the dwellers should be unharmed.


    Yeah it doesnt really make me feel any better, but Teemo thanks him and lets him do his thing.


    Watching Thing and Queen finish the Axe keeps me distracted for the next couple days, at least. They even manage to get a basic air bubble enchantment on it and the hat. They do a few tests, and everything seems fine, so I call sh toe collect his new stuff.


    Thing and Queen seem a little disappointed that the pair of items dont count as an artifact or something. We can all tell its more than a normal crafted thing, but dont really have the time to try to figure out too much more. My earth elemental reverently dons the silk tophat and takes the guitar in hand. He gives it a strum, and I can feel him just basking in the sound, the juxtaposition of sweet harmony with the harsher sounds of an electric guitar.


    I can actually hear music drifting back from him in the bond, as he just lets himself relish in finally having the instrument meant for him from the start. Youve got a lot to live up to for your namesake, sh, but I believe in you. Eventually, he gathers himself and heads to the tunnels to have some privacy to practice. I keep an ear on him, as the little snippets of songs help keep me from worrying myself in circles, at least for a bit.


    Its only a day away from the n, now, and the scythemaws are almost all back where theyre supposed to be. I wonder if shs practicing helped encourage them to go, or if theyre all just done with what they needed to do. Either way I dont even have scythemaws to try to distract my thoughts.


    My decisions rey as night falls, time seeming somehow to stand still and yet also sprint ahead. Should I have tried just talking? Could it have worked? Maybe but I didnt have any way to actually talk when this started. I had Teemo, sure, but no water breathing potion. And no guarantee theyd listen to the Voice of a dungeon they dont know much about. A new dungeon that subsumed Neverrest, even. While I doubt there was any love lost between the two, the cemetery wasnt exactly a pushover. A new and powerful neighbor, a total unknown, wouldnt exactly fill an apparent paranoid with trust.


    Should I have pretended to be the devil Hullbreak knew, hoping itd be taken better? Its probably not the best way to build trust. But I couldnt think of any other way to get Hullbreak some mana so it wouldnt starve. An actual gift would probably be even more suspicious than a raid, weird as that seems. Someone paranoid expects an attack, and its almost a relief for them when it happens. A gift throws them off bnce, disturbs the delicate house of cards that is their thought process.


    At least, I think it does. Im hardly a psychologist, or psychiatrist, or whatever. Maybe Im just doing the whole thing wrong, and I should have just let Hullbreak starve and pick up the pieces after, somehow.


    You get a lot of crazy ideas, Boss, but thats definitely one you wouldnt follow through with, speaks up my Voice, shaking me from my thoughts as he looks at my core.


    What?


    Leaving Hullbreak to starve. You wouldnt go through with that.


    But what if-


    What if what? If you did nothing, itd slowly starve, and the dwellers would have to watch the whole time. Teemo smirks. Youre too much of a busy body to just watch something like that, Boss. Youre always poking your nose in and trying to help.


    I start to protest, but Teemo just talks over me.


    Like with the kids. If you were any other dungeon, they wouldnt have been able to escape the basement, not with a Guardian there. Or like with Aranya and that scythemaw. Or with Neverrest and Yvonne. Or Leo. Or Violet. Or the scythemaws in general! Some have been messier than others, but I think youve done a good job.


    Maybe but this one is shaping up to be even messier. Most of those were pretty simple.


    Teemo snorts at that. If you call those simple, I dont want to know what you callplicated. Wait I <em>do</em> know what you callplicated. Its the kind of stuff that literally hurts my brain, he says with a smirk, and I have to give him a chuckle. There you go, Boss. The situation is serious, sure, but if you let your nerves get the better of you, it could <em>actually</em> get messy andplicated.


    do you think the n will work?


    Teemo shrugs. I dunno. I havent thought many of your ns would work, Boss, but Ive been wrong plenty of times. As far as the fighting goes, Im pretty confident in you, at least. Ragnar, Leo, and Frn havent been able to find anything ringly wrong with it.


    You think you can convince the merman to listen, toe with you?


    My voice nods. Yeah. From those reports, it sounded like hes kinda desperate for anything to help Hullbreak. Itll still be a risk, maybe hell scream and call that shark immediately, who knows? Maybe hell be able to talk Hullbreak down, or maybe itll finally fully snap. Theres a lot of stuff that could go wrong, but weve nned for that as much as we can. Now all we can do is hope it goes right.


    And if it doesnt? Can we stop Hullbreak from hurting itself and its dwellers?


    Teemos face softens as he smiles at me. Do you think anyone <em>else</em> could?


    I stop in my mental tracks at the question, my worries derailing from the simple directness. After mulling it over, Im still not <em>happy</em> with the situation, but thats just life sometimes. Sometimes youre the only one who can do it. You either do your best, or do nothing, and have to live with that. Sometimes you choose correctly, sometimes not, but you just have to try your best. I focus my attention back on Teemo and chuckle. I think youre hanging out with Larx too much.


    Teemo smirks at that. Who else is going to help me get some mystique? Tiny? Hes got tons to spare, but I cant go stealing his style!

 Chapter One-Hundred Twenty

    Chapter One-Hundred Twenty


    Thanks to Teemo, Im feeling a lot better about the whole thing. It also helps that everyone is doing thest bit of prep, which helps solidify what were going to be doing. Something about knowing this is it helps me focus. Having time to second guess makes it too easy to get lost in my own head.


    Queens ants deliver a bottle of the electrolysis potion to the enchantingb, where Thing is putting the finishing touches on Rockys disguise. I think he was able to put a bit of an enchantment like the oil idea, to help Rocky move easier in the water. I still dont understand why its easier to enchant something than make a potion, but it is what it is.


    It might actually be that its easier to just make a quick and dirty enchantment that will be easy to remove once something better is developed. Whatever the reason, Rocky is looking the part very nicely. He holds himself differently than Neverrests lich did, but not so differently that it should raise suspicion.


    sh has his axe on his back and is looking equally nervous and excited, and the other scions seem to be doing what they can to help his confidence. Hes still a bit nervouscited, but he doesnt seem <em>worried</em>, so thats all I can really hope for.


    Jello is just bubbly and happy and looking forward to seeing what the ocean is like. Its easy to worry she might not be cut out for this, but through the bond, I can feel my soft cubes steely determination. She understands the stakes as well as any of the scions maybe even more. Theres a lot of parallels to be drawn between helping Hullbreak and in rehabilitating a mole or gremlin.


    We dont have forever to prepare, though. Low tide is early in the morning and in the middle of the afternoon, and I want the morning one. Im pretty sure Hullbreak doesnt sleep, nor would his scion or denizens but it just feels wrong to start this kind of fight in the afternoon.


    Rocky and sh gather up a few more potions from Queen, and my four scions head for the shortcut. Hopefully, well be able to talk Hullbreak down without a fight. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.


    <strong>Yendo</strong>


    The mermanys on the bed in the brig, staring at the ceiling. The glorified nk that juts from the wall isnt the mostfortable way to sleep, and he can only imagine itd be even worse for thend folk to sleep on. They dont have water to help buoy them and lessen the difort.


    Staring at the ceiling has be a significant part of his morning routine, since being thrown in here. He doesnt me the Captain for it. He really <em>did</em> swim off when he thought the First Mate couldnt do anything about it, and sent that message that started the siege? Its been a long defensive battle, so he supposes its close enough of a siege for him.


    Not for the first time, he wonders if he did the right thing. Was he mistaken? His gull, Whitecap, seemed convinced Neverrest was subsumed, but Yendo was the only one that believed him. After the endless stream of undead, he cant help but wonder if hispanion was wrong somehow.


    Pst, hey.


    The merman frowns and sits up, looking at the barred window, expecting to need to shoo away another young merfolk who is trying to talk with him, but the window is empty. He just stares through it in confusion, wondering where the voice could being from.


    Down here. Be casual. I dont want attention from anyone but you, Yendo.


    The mermans confusion mounts as he looks more downward, and eventually spots a very strange sight: a rat peeking out from under his ufortable bed. Rats cant breathe underwater. And hes pretty sure they dont talk, either.


    You sent that letter, yeah?


    Yendos confusion shifts gears to a different type of confusion. Yes but not to a rat. Whitecap was supposed to deliver it to the Dungeoneers Guild.


    The rat smiles and nods. Yeah, Tarl got it, and he asked my Boss to help.


    The merman doesnt look very enthusiastic about the rats help. Unless your boss can help stop Neverrests attack, I dont know what else you can do, little one.


    The rat just grins. Thats not Neverrest. Let me introduce myself: I am Teemo, Voice of Thedeim, the dungeon that subsumed Neverrest. Hes been sending those undead so Hullbreak doesnt starve.


    Yendos eyes widen at that, and suddenly the methodology of the attacks make much more sense though the reasoning eludes him. But why? I thought most dungeons dont get along with other dungeons.


    Teemo chuckles. Yeah, the Boss is kinda weird, but he really does want to help. And part of that is making sure he has the situation understood right. Hullbreaks traumatized by losing some dwellers a while ago, yeah? He cut himself off, and was slowly starving. Hed rather die than lose another, and he doesnt trust outsiders.


    Yendo can only sigh and nod. Yes the Captain went mad with grief that day, and he hasnt truly recovered.


    Teemo nods at that. Cool, thats about what the Boss figured. He has a n to try to confront, uh Captain Hullbreak with reality, but he needs your help to do it.


    The merman looks incredulous. How much help can I be? Im in the brig. And how do you know my name? How do you know so much about the Captain?


    Teemo sits back a bit, gettingfortable as he exins. You arent the only one to talk to Tarl. That letter dug up some stuff from <em>his</em> past, too, you know. He told us what he and the guild know. The Boss knows a lot more than they do, now. Im not the first one in here.


    Yendo looks a bit shocked at that, but manages to keep his voice low. But how? Unless your dungeon has some kind of aquatic spawners, anything they send inside would be obvious!


    Teemo grins at that and shakes his head. Nah, you just gotta think outside the box. And speaking of outside the box I can get you out of here.


    But how? Even if youre a Voice, I dont think youre going to be able to break the door down and fight past the First Mate once she hears amotion.


    Who said anything about amotion? I can get you out of here with barely even a ripple in the water. Teemo pauses for a moment after that, his confidence flowing into caution. Itll get messy once they realize youre gone, though. The Boss doesnt want to harm any dwellers, including you, but youll probably be in the middle of a battlefield pretty quickly. He cant guarantee your safety.


    Yendos resolve solidifies at hearing that, remembering how often the First Mate would say that something is forbidden because she and the Captain cant guarantee their safety. Hearing the danger, but still being given the choice this is what the Captain needs to understand, what his people <em>need</em>.


    Ill do it.


    Teemo looks relieved. Great! Now, this will feel a bit weird. I had some practice with shortcuts underwater on the way in, but the transition still isnt as smooth as Id like it. Are you ready?


    Yendo doubts he is, but he nods. Whether hes ready or not, it doesnt matter. This may be thest chance he has to help everyone he cares about.


    Good! Just follow me, and try not to think too hard about how everything looks, ok? Im going to be a little messy about it so they notice pretty quickly. Thedeim wants the fighting, if there is any, to take ce at low tide.


    Yendo doesnt have much chance to question that as the rat does <em>something</em>, and then slips through the something. Hes already starting to regret this decision, but hes not going to balk at the challenge. He swims forward, and does his best to keep his gaze resolutely on the tail of the rat before him. Reality seems to twist and bend, reminding him of when hed poke his head only barely above the surface of the water and see things all strangely distorted.


    Hes dimly aware of exiting and entering several distortions as he follows Teemo, and he can feel when they leave the safety of the Captains territory, but he doesnt get much time to dwell on it. Teemo is still moving. The thought of slipping away crosses his mind, but he rejects it. No, this is the current hes in now, and hell see where it goes.


    Teemo stops and finally lets Yendo get his bearings, and he fears he may have made a mistake. Skeletons are everywhere! Hes in some kind of submerged fortress or something!


    Easy, Yendo. Theyre not going to hurt you, encourages the rat, though it takes Yendo a few more seconds to understand the truth of that statement. The undead arent rushing him to tear him apart. In fact theyre ignoring him. None are moving to try to even restrain him! As he looks around, his eyes settle on two strange figures.


    One is exactly what he would have expected: a lich. Its not acting much like he would have expected a lich to, though, as it seems to just bemunicating with the other figure.


    At first, he thinks it must be a skeleton weighed down with more rocks than usual, but he doesnt see any bones anywhere! It has a strange style of hat, and an equally-strange style of axe on its back, too.


    Unsure of what else to do, he decides to swim over, hoping they might give him some kind of exnation, but he bumps into hes not sure.


    Teemo chuckles. Thats Jello. The Boss has slimes that are basically invisible in the water. The guy in the hat is sh, an earth elemental. The Boss also has smaller elementals to act as spies, too. Thats why the skeletons were weighed with rocks, so they can easily get inside without raising suspicion about sudden piles of rock around.


    And the lich?


    Thats Rocky. If Hullbreak and the First Mate want a fight, Rocky is here to give it to them.

 Chapter One-Hundred Twenty-One

    Chapter One-Hundred Twenty-One


    I watch through Teemos eyes as he talks with Yendo. Id be holding my breath if I could, and releasing it in a sigh of relief when he epts helping us. After just a little more exnation, my Voice makes a messy shortcut out of there, and the two book it.


    Those are the shoddiest shortcuts Ive ever seen him make, but theyre definitely good for getting Hullbreaks attention. Teemo keeps as aware of his surroundings as he can as the two flee. It looks like Yendo is just focussed on my Voices fuzzy butt, as he doesnt seem to flinch at the various denizens that try to stop them. Or he trusts Hullbreak. Could be a bit of both, really.


    Once they get out of Hullbreak, Teemo makes the shortcuts a bit better, though he still copses them behind them as they go. Im pretty sure hes doing that more for a smoother run than anything else. Its not like Hullbreak cant easily guess where theyre going.


    Once safely inside the beachhead, Teemo lets Yendo catch his breath, then introduces him to my scions. While he does that, I poke Leo to make sure he knows its go time. Looks like he expects not much more than five minutes for Hullbreak to get his act together and assault the beachhead.


    That gives my attacking scions time to get to their positions. Rocky stands at one of the openings in the walls and strikes his most imposing pose which mostly involves just standing there and letting the tide idly move his robe.


    sh stays back more in the core of the beachhead. Hes supposed to be more support than full offense in this, if all goes well. Well, if <em>all</em> goes well, he wont have to be either, but you know.


    Jello is sticking near Yendo, d the merman is still moving slowly, uncertain of his surroundings. He soon wanders to one of the smaller openings to look out into the sea, waiting for the response from his dungeon.


    It ends up taking Hullbreak closer to ten minutes to show up, though what he presents is pretty intimidating, not gonna lie. Out of the murky depthses a veritable wall of sharks, looking much more organized than I would have expected. Looking through the eyes of my scions, I can even see more shapes further back. Whoof this is going to be quite a thing if it gets ugly.


    At the head of the shark army is what can only be the First Mate, a massive great white that only reinforces the fact that I would not have been able to get a big enough boat. Shes not scaled up like Tiny is, but Im still pretty sure normal great whites arent quite that great in size.


    She stops advancing and starts swimming back and forth a decent distance away; far enough back she should be able to avoid any ranged stuff I might try to pull, but still close enough for my scions to hear as she starts talking.


    I am the First Mate, Voice of Captain Hullbreak! Return Yendo, Neverrest! You wont like what happens if you dont!


    Alright, Teemo. Time to drop the shoe and hope it doesnt mean we have to throw down the gloves, too.


    Teemo nods and climbs onto sh. Think you can amplify me? he asks, and my elemental nods. My Voice clears his throat and starts speaking, and shs hat shes with electricity to bring his words across the distance to the First Mate.


    I am Teemo, Voice of Thedeim. We freed Yendo because you were keeping him prisoner. You are keeping <em>all</em> of them prisoner, Hullbreak.


    The shark thrashes as she responds. The Captain is protecting them! No matter which side of the foam theyre from, outsiders are dangerous! With the Captain, they are safe!


    Theyre stifled! And you were starving! If it wasnt for the Boss, how would you and the dwellers be faring right now?


    The First Mate scoffs. Youre saying those invaders were charity? At least make your lies believable, Neverrest! You want to subsume the Captain and kill the merfolk! You just miscalcted what it would take to finish off the Captain!


    I already told you: Im the Voice of Thedeim, not Neverrest! The Boss <em>subsumed</em> Neverrest months ago!


    Enough with your lies! Give back Yendo!


    The mermans voice carries over the waves in response. I refuse to go back, First Mate! The Captain is sick with grief, not in his right mind! You know it!


    The shark darts forward a few yards before stopping herself, not wanting to get too close to the beachhead on her own. Yendo?! Is that really you? Are you alright? Did they hurt you?!


    The merman looks back to the various skeletons around him as he slowly starts to make his way out from the barricade, and none of them try to stop him, though Jello quietly follows. Im fine! They even told me I could leave if I wanted, but suggested Ie here. I want to help the Captain, First Mate! And I believe this Thedeim does, too!


    The First Mate takes more than a minute to respond, and she slumps a bit in her swimming before she does. It doesnt matter now, Yendo. The Captain doesnt believe that dungeon can be trusted, no matter what its name is. You eithere back with me, or it and the Captain will both slowly starve.


    Yendo looks confused, as do my scions. Im pretty confused, too, and Teemo soon Voices that confusion.


    What? How do you intend to starve the Boss? Im sure you can feel how strong even just Rocky is, and hes not the only scion here right now.


    The shark doesnt respond immediately, but Poe suddenly wants my attention. The expeditions are reporting somethinging from the ocean. A <em>lot</em> of somethings.


    The Captain has a new scion: The Quartermaster. That great albatros and the gulls will wipe out the town. No delvers, no mana. No mana we both starve.


    Howd you get the mana for something like that?! All those sharks out there should have taken up everything the Boss gave you!


    The First Mate shakes her head and gives a whistle, and the indistinct shadows start moving forward as she exins. No point in hiding it now. This whole thing was just to buy time for the Quartermaster to get into position. Only the front line are sharks.


    The truth of that statement is quickly apparent, as my scions watch, more ordinary fishe out from the obscuring distance. Theyre still pretty big fish but theres a big difference between just a big fish and an actual shark.


    Those are the terms, Neverrest <em>Thedeim</em>. Yendoes back with us, or we all die. Even if you beat me and subsume him, your scions are too far away to stop the Quartermaster from razing that town before you do.


    Well see about that. Coda, ring the bell! I know the bats are settling in to sleep now, but we need to get peoples attention! Fluffles, get at least Frn from the spiderkin and get her to the public war room! Thing will do the same with Larx! Leo, take the shortcut back, as quickly as you can! It looks like Ill need you to help organize and lead a bit more directly over here, instead of organizing the forces beneath the waves! Poe, try to get Tarls attention, then head out! Try to dy this Quartermaster until Fluffles can catch up, unless youre <em>sure</em> you can take him. I dont know how much mana Hullbreaks been pumping into him, nor for how long, so be careful.


    Hopefully, once the dwellers and Tarl see the map, theyll understand at least the gist of the situation, and can help keep the town safe. I eye the option to expand outward, too, but leave it alone for now. People will probably be grumpy enough being woken up by the bell and the sound of corvids and gulls fighting. I dont need to make it worse by having a spawner show up in peoples basements or something.


    I refocus on my scions in the beachhead, and Rocky and sh look ready to make a go of subsuming Hullbreak before the attack can hit, but I do my best to calm them. Looking back out at the First Mate, it looks like shes just waiting for our response to that. She also doesnt look too happy about having to inform us her captain has a gun to both of our heads or at least thinks he does.


    Teemos voice echoes over the waves. The scions here <em>might</em> be too far away, but these are not all of Thedeims scions. Call the Quartermaster back, and we can still talk.


    It takes the First Mate only a few seconds to reply. The Captain says youre bluffing. Hell do anything to ensure the safety of his dwellers. If it takes him getting destroyed to end a threat to them so be it.


    Were not a threat to him, were trying to help him! If he attacks Fourdock, itll just be another mistake hell live to regret!


    I can see the shark slump some more, and probably sigh, though it''s too far away for it to travel to any of my scions. No. The Captain says: if its not a mistake, hell be happy, and his merfolk will be safe. If it <em>is</em> a mistake he doesnt think youll let him live to regret it.

 Chapter One-Hundred Twenty-Two

    Chapter One-Hundred Twenty-Two


    I dont know what I was expecting from the fight with Hullbreak, but this awkward standoff wasnt it. I was expecting to have a big battle under the waves, but my assault force is staring at only a fraction of the sharks I was expecting, and those sharks dont exactly look enthusiastic about a fight right now anyway.


    So while everyone underwater is trying to figure out what they should actually be doing, Im staring at a blob on the map thats only getting closer and closer to Fourdock. Im not exactly worried theyll actually be able to do what Hullbreak was threatening, but Im not so certain that I can keep him from hurting any of the townsfolk.


    Sure, there are a ton of adventurers and such, but theres also a bunch of just normal people in town, too. Im pretty sure even a couple gulls wouldnt be a problem for the average townie, but theres <em>way</em> more than a couple gullsing in, not to mention that Scion.


    I cant say for certain what affinity it has just yet, but theres a lot of storm clouds rolling in with the huge flock of gulls. If he can drop a lightning storm or something on the town thatd be bad.


    The ringing bell seems to be getting peoples attention, at least. Aranya and Yvonne are already out to try to organize the town for I dont even know what. Should they evacuate? Where? To me? Itd probably be easier to keep them safe like that, but I dont know how many people would be willing to do that.


    My regr delvers probably would, but a lot of them are the ones Id need to be least worried about. Even the ones who only run the maze or gather from my nodes still have to do a <em>little</em> bit of fighting. Not enough to fight off a gigantic flock of gulls, but at least enough to fend off a couple, Id hope.


    Ugh, I wish I had more time to organize this whole mess. Leo is still trying to get back, but I dont know how long itll take him, even with the shortcut. Ok, focus. Less wishing, more doing. Larx and the spiderkin triumvirate are on their way to the public war room, guided by Thing and Fluffles, respectively. Ill just have to hope they can provide the manpower to get the town to do whatever theyre going to do.


    Aranya and Yvonne seemed like theyre going to go get Ragnar and Ara, and then either organize the adventurers guild, or get the ODAs help or both. That means I need to buy time. And by me, I mean Poe. I dont want to put this on his shoulders, but he really is the only one I have right now to try to keep that storm at bay.


    Perhaps more precisely: <em>in</em> the bay. As long as theyre over the water, they cant do much damage to the town. Poes a smart birb, though, and doesnt need me to tell him that. He caws as he flies over the town, recalling the various expeditions, and preparing an army of ck to face the invaders of white.


    <strong>Poe</strong>


    The Marshal flies quickly, though not as quickly as he can. Rushing like that is a good way to arrive there without any backup. While hes a strong scion, he doesnt want to try to fight off a literal army on his own. While his wind affinity is certainly a boon in the air, hes starting to suspect this Quartermaster has storm affinity. Its not exactly a counter to wind, but it would guarantee any fighting will be chaotic and intense.


    He caws, loud and clear, to summon any expeditions that are out. While most of the crows and ravens were roosting when this threat was discovered, there are still some out on their various tasks. While Poe doubts a fresh scion could stand up to him, hes not so arrogant that hell bring anything but his best against this foe. The delvers of Fourdock might not be tied to Lord Thedeim like Aranya and Yvonne, but he still doesnt wish to see them harmed.


    The feel of the air changes as he soars over the ocean: a certain saltiness to the breeze now, and weaker thermals. It only takes a small flex of his affinity to maintain his and his armys speed and altitude, but it is still a bit of effort. It will give the gulls a small advantage, but hopefully nothing significant. He estimates the numbers to be about equal, but he knows he and his birds have a significant edge in experience. Theyve been active in defending Lord Thedeim for almost his entire existence, as well as challenging delvers. These gulls, on the other hand, only have experience in raids, and have not been having a good time of it recently, either.


    Poe calls his forces to a halt as they near the army of gulls, and he can see his counterpart among them. The albatross looks to be even slightlyrger than Poe, probably following a simr path as Tiny. If so, it will be a tenacious foe, though hopefully not too far along that particr path.


    The Marshal resists the urge to embrace his titles just yet, and instead ensures the winds carry his caw, demanding the other scion leave. His crows and ravens echo the challenge with a cacophony of Run!, Flee!, and Hide! The chatter is silenced by the albatross reply, carried by thunder. The other scion has no intention of leaving peacefully.


    Poe embraces the power of his titles, the Marshal of Murders and Lord of Unkindnesses having no time for niceties in this situation. If this Quartermaster will not leave in peace, he can leave in pieces.


    He caws his orders and guides his forces, the otherworldly sound and coordination surprising the opposing scion. To his credit, he doesnt back down. The gulls shriek their cries and charge the lines. The Quartermaster starts to gather ominous thunderheads, and that will be Poes focus for his personal attacks.


    The inexperience of the gulls is apparent in the charge, as they dont keep a coherent line. The leaders are easily picked off by ravens diving, and with them uncoordinated, they cant press any advantage of mass to push Poes forces back. His front lines even let some of the gulls through, to be torn apart by the ravens behind. He loses some corvids, of course, but hes clearly getting the better of the engagement.


    The albatross isnt being idle, though, and tries to use the thunderheads as siege equipment, trying to st holes in the shifting tides of the engagement. While some lightning does get through, Poe isnt exactly sitting idle, either. des and spears of wind disrupt the cloud formations, severely weakening the lightning when its not outright stopped.


    Instead of conceding the fight, though, the Quartermaster tries a new tactic. While smaller thunderheads are easy enough to disrupt, there is still a lot of cloud cover. The albatross shrieks and brings forth rain starting with a few drops, but it steadily grows, and quickly puts Poe and his forces on the back wing.


    The gulls are more used to flying in poor weather, and its showing. The chaotic dance of the melee starts to descend into just ordinary chaos. Poe tries to disrupt the clouds, but theres just too many to disperse with his attacks. He needs to wade in and battle the opposing scion more directly.


    He caws his challenge, and the albatross screeches in mocking reply before darting into the clouds. Poe knows hell be at a severe disadvantage in the clouds, but he has to do <em>something</em> to try to stop the storm! He pulls several dozen of his crows into the ceiling of clouds with him, using them as extra eyes and ears to track down the Quartermaster.


    A bolt of lightning takes one of the crows, but several others spot the enemys outline. Poe sends a sh of wind, and is rewarded with a pained squawk from the enemy scion.


    Poe cant tell how long he chases the Quartermaster, but he can feel his crows and ravens regrouping under the clouds, fending off the weakening attacks of the gulls. He also manages tosh out many times at his foe, and seems to hit more often than not.


    Its with surprise that he suddenly bursts from the wall of clouds, into a clear area much colder than the surroundings. In the center is the Quartermaster, looking battered, but also somehow victorious. Poe is confused until he feels dread from his Lord Thedeim, and a strange sort of storm shes through the bond. Usually found in much warmer climates, its a storm that can scour whole inds to bare sand and rock. He doesnt know exactly how strong this hurricane is, nor how the Quartermaster managed to afford it, but he <em>is</em> pretty sure the storm will hit Fourdock even if Poe kills the albatross.


    Poe grits his beak as he prepares to test that theory, before realizing he and the Quartermaster are no longer the only scions in the eye of this storm. Prismatic colors fill the air as Fluffles makes his entrance, the power of Lord Thedeim <em>radiating</em> from the winged serpent.


    <strong>Fluffles</strong>


    As soon as he got the three spiderkin leaders to the war room, Fluffles left. The Denmaster wants him to help Poe as soon as he can. Hes a bit nervous about trying to help the more experienced fighter, but he understands Thedeims reasoning. Fluffles isnt exactly a subtle scion in his efforts, but when fighting an army, theres not a lot of need for subtlety.


    Once he gets to the surface, he can see what the Denmaster meant. Even from here, he can hear the sounds of Poe and the enemy scion fighting, their armies cawing and yelling. The huge flocks can even be seen, diving and fighting through thick sheets of rain. He feels a whisper through the bond to go over the low clouds, and to use whatever mana is needed to do so quickly.


    If it werent for the impending disaster to the town, Fluffles would find the speed invigorating, the mana intoxicating. But the seriousness of the situation makes it difficult to truly revel in the experience. He doesnt suppress the bit of pride he feels, though, at his effective use of the mana. Proper application and proper form lets him fly faster than he would have thought possible, even forming a subtle cone in front of the flying serpent.


    Hes pretty sure it only takes him minutes to get over the battlefield, but it feels like hours. Since he was sent high, he must be after the enemy scion, rather than the birds obscured by the thick cloud cover. He frowns as he spots a hole in the clouds, and soon sees Poe burst into the clearing. At the center, he sees the albatross, looking battered, but not beaten.


    Then the Denmaster whispers why. A hurricane. But Fluffles cant stop something like that, he doesnt even have <em>wind</em> affinity, let alone <em>storm</em>!


    <em>Momentum</em>


    The word is confusing to get in a situation like this. With kic as his first affinity, Fluffles understands what it is, but he doesnt understand how it applies to this situation. Theres nothing moving out here! Just him, Poe, and the enemy scion!


    Fluffles ps his wings a few more times to help stabilize himself from a stray gust, his attention flicking to the slowly-swirling clouds below him. He watches them for a few seconds, the whisper from the Denmaster echoing in his mind soon joined by an odd thing Rocky has said many times: Stuff is made of <em>stuff</em>.


    He always found it to be nonsensical, but Thing and Queen always agree with a conspiratorial smile. They could be ying some prank but what if theyre not. Kic affinity is about movement. If the clouds are moving if the <em>air</em> is moving


    Almost without thinking, Fluffles descends towards the two bird scions. The albatross thinks hes won, even if Poe kills him. Fluffles doesnt know if it has enough power to wipe out Fourdock, but it wont exactly just tickle it. But his epiphany has given him an idea to kill two birds with one stone or one bird with its own stone.


    He fully embraces his Conduit title, and can practically feel the kic energy of the storm singing to him. Poe looks in awe, while the Quartermaster simply tries to flee. It takes but a drop of the Denmasters mana to rob the enemy bird of the kic energy he would use to flee, locking him in ce as he unworks the storm.


    He pulls the energy from the air and focusses it in front of himself, slowly forming a swirling orb of air. A boom emanates from the orb as he adds more and more energy to it, the air inside passing the speed of sound. As he keeps slowing the storm, he muffles further booms, remembering the words of the Denmaster that escaping sounds are inefficiencies. He draws deeply of the Denmasters mana as he works. While moving energy takes much less mana than making it directly, there is still a <em>lot</em> of energy involved. He finally feels the storm reach a tipping point, no longer having the momentum to keep going.


    He turns his focus to the enemy scion, the massive albatross somehow having gone even whiter. Fluffles simply hisses at him, no real malice in it, before unleashing the orbs kic energy on the unfortunate scion. The hurricanes eye blinks, the storm dissipates, and only a puff of feathers remains of the Quartermaster.

 Chapter One-Hundred Twenty-Three

    Chapter One-Hundred Twenty-Three


    <strong>The First Mate</strong>


    The great white scion of Hullbreak Harbor looks across the seabed to the forces of the other dungeon. Thedeim, or Neverrest, or whatever it is, shes given the Captains decision: The invaders leave, or everyone dies. She can feel the Captains confidence through the bond. Hes certain the other dungeon will back down.


    Shes pretty sure hes just killed them all. At least theres a decent chance of the dwellers being able to get out safely.


    The Boss calls that mutually assured destruction,es the odd sound of Thedeims Voice. Shes never heard anything like the odd crackles it makes. The Boss also says it only works if its actually mutual. Youre making this a lot messier than it needs to be, Hullbreak.


    The First Mate can hear the Captains confidence as the Quartermaster approaches the coastal town. She can also feel that confidence move to mild surprise as a ck cloud rises and moves to intercept.


    Thats Poe, the Marshal of Murders and Lord of Unkindnesses, Thedeims raven scion,es the sound of the voice. Its odd though it doesnt sound proud or boastful, but more resigned.


    Her Captain asks her a question, and she rys it. Are you worried he wont win? You dont sound very confident in your so-called scion.


    Her Captains confidence evaporates as the raven scion embraces the power in those titles, seemingly in response to being called out. She cant feel the power directly, but the Captain is scrambling to try toe up with something to counter this unexpected threat.


    She can hear the directions given, and its all but confirmed the Captain has killed them all.


    The Boss isnt worried about Poe losing. Hes worried about coteral damage to the town.


    Then back off. The Captain will leave them be if you leave him be.


    And hell go right back to starving, especially after having spent all his mana on making and upgrading a new scion like that albatross. Then we either do this whole dance again, or the Boss just lets Hullbreak starve.


    The Captain snaps a retort at that, and the First mate rys it. She wants to know, too. Why do you care?


    Because he just does,es the simple reply. The Captain rages as the First Mate simply waits, and thinks. If this other dungeon really is as strong as its iming to be, why doesnt it just subsume the Captain? Why would it try to help?


    Will it even still want to help, after the two winged scions sh? All she can do is try to feel how the battle is going, through her bond with the Captain. She cant see through the Quartermasters eyes, but she can still sense what the Captain is feeling. Mostly, its rage, but she can catch glimpses of more. The ever-present sorrow and pain from the loss of the dwellers. She wonders if the Captain even registers that anymore, or if he just epts it as his baseline. Smug satisfaction. The Quartermaster has figured out something to use against this Poe.


    Movement at the enemy dungeons beachhead pulls her from what shes doing. A skeleton, weighted by rocks? That doesnt seem quite right. It has a strange hat, and an odd axe? Shes never used one before, but she doesnt think thats how thats supposed to be held. The Captain suddenly is in abject terror as the figurees to a stop, but the great white shark cant figure out why.


    And then sound. It has the same odd edge that the Voice had, but no words. It starts with a few simple notes, pure and simple, somehow beautiful even with the harsh edge. Rumbles entuate the notes as they flow in a simple melody of sorrow, of a battle that didnt need to be. Subtler notes join, adding tension to what should be something of simple beauty. It didnt have to be this way it still doesnt.


    A momentary pause before what she can feel should be the final note, the quieter melody and rumblings stop. Even the tides seem to pause for just a heartbeat, before the final note falls.


    The First Mate gasps when it does. She could feel the Quartermaster vanish, the gull spawner now slowly working to respawn him. What kind of attack could obliterate him in a single hit like that?! She was vaguely aware of him taking a few other attacks, but nothing like whatever it was that ended him.


    The opposing dungeons forces stand still and solemn, and the weight of the song crashes down on her and the Captain. That is <em>another</em> scion. A Bard. That song was no battle hymn, no glorious march to war. It was a dirge.


    The first mate shudders, knowing that if its yed again today, she wont be able to hear it.


    <strong>Thedeim</strong>


    I watch through my scions eyes as sh ys, and Im d Fluffles treated that attack with the solemnity it deserved. It took a decent chunk of my mana to do, but it looks to be well worth it. The storm is petering out now, so I let Coda give the bell a break. Its probably still a good idea to let my dwellers continue with their ns to check the city, though. Theres probably going to be a lot of people wanting answers.


    But I also probably shouldnt count my chickens before they hatch. Theres still the First Mate and the sharks ahead of us. I think the song took just about all of the fight out of them, though. I nudge Teemo to try to talk again.


    Will you let us pass? echoes his voice from shs hat, my Voice riding his shoulder.


    I yeses the tired answer from the First Mate.


    I leave the skeletons at the beachhead for now, not seeing much point in having them march in. Even if Hullbreak somehow tries to trap my scions, I still have all the rockslides and slimes inside. Marching the skeletons in would just be kicking him while hes down.


    Rocky, sh, and Teemo walk out from the beachhead, and Yendo nervously follows. Once they all meet up with the First Mate, she escorts them back towards Hullbreak.


    What <em>was</em> that? asks the merman. Its in on his face that he knows something big happened, but he doesnt look like he thinks a song was all.


    It was a dirge, for the Quartermaster, answers the First Mate, and Teemo nods.


    Thedeim really didnt want to fight, but hes not going to hold back if its the only option.


    Yendo and the great white both look like theyre still trying to process that as everyone reaches the edge of Hullbreaks territory, and the merman gasps as he sees it.


    It looks a lot different than I was expecting it to, from the reports. As my scions move through it, though, I get an inkling for why.


    He consumed everything, didnt he? asks my Voice, even though the answer is clear.


    The First Mate nods grimly. The nodes, the other spwaners everything except me, the Quartermaster, and the shark and gull spawners. And the enve, of course. He wouldnt, even if he could.


    sh nudges various rockslides as they go, and the odd elementals distribute the information through the grapevine: no more need to hide. The shark chuckles as she sees the movement.


    Heh elementals? The Captain had no idea.


    Slimes, too, adds Teemo. He doesnt want to pile it on, but at this point, might as well be honest with everything, even if Im sure it hurts Hullbreaks pride.


    As we enter the merfolk Enve, Im surprised to see several merfolk with tridents standing standing in the way of the procession. Rocky can see what looks like a big coral sculpture past them, in the center of town, which is where were almost certain the core is. I cant think of any other reason for the First Mate to lead us here, nor for the merfolk to try to threaten us.


    Go away! We wont let you harm the Captain! speaks up a merman in what looks like some kind of shell or coral armor. He doesnt sound very old, and Rocky can see the shaking of his hands on the haft of the weapon, but the merman isnt backing down.


    Klyrnev, let them pass. Theres nothing we can do, starts the First Mate, but the merman shouts over her.


    No! Theyll kill the Captain!


    We wont, states Teemo.


    Liar! shouts the merman, then notices Yendo among the scions. You! This is all because of you, traitor! With that, he lunges towards the shocked merman.


    Rockys hand moves through the water like its not there, and grabs the haft of the weapon. Judging from the loud crash an instantter, Im pretty sure he brute force moved it with his kic affinity. The speed and sound makes the merman release the trident and both he and Yendo stumble backwards. Terror is clear on Klyrnev''s face as a lich just disarmed him mid-strike, while Yendo is in a new variety of shock from being saved by an undead scion.


    I get a notification as Rocky simply looks at the merman.


    <strong>ept Geas? Y/N?</strong>


    <em>Hullbreak offers fealty in exchange for no harm ever befalling the merfolk.</em>


    I sigh at the popup and select no.


    Thedeim will not make an impossible promise, Hullbreak, speaks my Voice as Rocky raises the trident, then plunges it into the silt of the sea floor.


    Pain and hardship are just part of life. He has no intention of harming them, and will protect them as he does his own enves. And hes going to help you, too. He has no intention of subsuming you, either. Things are going to be weird, hell do a lot of stuff that doesnt make sense, stuff you wont like, maybe even hate but the merfolk and you will all be better for it.


    <strong>Lordship epted, Hullbreak Harbor Vassalized.</strong>


    ...The Captain epts Admiral Thedeim.

 Chapter One-Hundred Twenty-Four

    Chapter One-Hundred Twenty-Four


    The first thing I feel through the new bond with Hullbreak is abject misery. The First Mate seems to be taking it a bit more stoically, but none of them seem too happy with the new situation. I cant really me them. Im looking around, and Im not really looking forward to this right now, either.


    Hullbreak really did consume everything to try to beat me. I can at least respect themitment, even if it means I have to do a lot more than I was hoping to fix this. I can see a bunch of various depreciated nodes and spawners as I look around.


    Right, well, just staring isnt going to make the problem fix itself. I try to push a bit of encouragement through the bond as I start nning how to get Hullbreak back into shipshape. Nodes and spawners are going to need toe back online. Looks like he had a crab and sea slug spawner, too. It also looks like the fish and shark spawners are different things. It seems kinda weird to me, but then again, Violet has a mushroom spawner, where I have mushroom nodes.


    I look through the crab options before I spend any mana, wanting to try to n out a little more than just kinda flying by the seat of my non-existent pants like I usually do. There are a few options for magic crabs, and a couple resource ones that look interesting, but I think Im going to try to aim them towards being tough melee fighters. If delvers are going to delve properly, they need something they can fight. Sharks and gulls are not the easiest things to deal with, being in the sea and air, but a crab battle can take ce on a beach or something. Ill probably have to expand Hullbreak towardsnd or something for that, but might as well have a n for it now.


    Speaking of the sharks and gulls: theyre both more specialized for dealing with invaders than as being something a delver can actually fight. The problem is that, while there are still the ordinary invaders, I dont think there are any more dungeon invaders around, so theres a lot fewer to actually deal with.


    I have a few ideas that might work for them, though. Ill still keep most of them to help keep invaders at bay, but I think I can do something interesting with the gulls and their little ind thing. It seems like a great ce for a lighthouse, to me. Itll take a lot of work, but if we can give Hullbreak an above water section for more ssic delving, that should go a long way towards making him mana solvent.


    The extra sharks, Ill probably send out on expeditions out into deeper water. Maybe theres an actual deep water dungeon out there? I dunno.


    The fish have a few interesting options, but one immediately catches my eye: Goldfish. Sure, its a pun, but it also seems to be a specialization for more rewards. More rewards means more delvers means more mana. That one is definitely on my list of upgrades for Hullbreak.


    Im more uncertain what to do with the sea slugs, though. They seem to be mostly magical, though there are a lot of interesting affinities they seem to be able to be specialized towards. I have no idea how fire affinity would even work, but its real tempting to go down that path just to see. I think Ill put a pin in upgrading them beyond just enabling the spawner again, at least for now.


    The nodes are an easy decision, at least: bring them all back and upgrade them. Lots of various sea herbs, corals, even a couple beds of pearl oysters, all are on offer, and I want them all and more. I take a few minutes to look deeper at the coral nodes, though. Back on Earth, Im pretty sure trying to harvest coral tends to go very poorly for the coral. Here, though it looks like it behaves simr to an underwater mining node.


    Oh, that gives me an idea for the sea slugs! I dig through the options there, and eventually find what Im looking for: an upgrade simr to what I got for my slimes back home. Where my slimes seem to help crystalize more ore in my nodes, it looks like sea cucumbers will help feed the coral and so grow better. Bleh, just dont think about how a sea cucumber feeds something else.


    Ah, I almost forgot: Hullbreaks core. As suspected, its in that big coral structure in the center of the merfolk enve. That needs to move. I can understand him wanting to be close to his dwellers, but theyre both going to need room to grow, and in more ways than one. My first instinct is to get it under the gull spawner, but Im not sure thatll work too well for Hullbreak. The guy definitely doesnt like delvers, and hed probably be constantly on the verge of a panic attack if theyre running around in a lighthouse right above where his core is.


    I look around a bit more, and eventually find a spot that could be good. Theres a nice area that doesnt have much going on, but could be a great spot for a thick kelp forest. Itd be pretty easy to hide the entrance in there. Im not sure how Ill be able to move him, though.


    Hey Teemo, can you ask the First Mate if she has any ideas for moving Hullbreaks core? I dont think its a good thing, long term, for him nor the dwellers for him to stay in the middle of their enve.


    My Voice perks up when I talk to him. It looks like more and more merfolk have beening out to see whats been going on, and everyone just looks a bit lost, even with the First Mate trying to reassure them. Teemo simply swims over to her and perches on her dorsal fin before speaking up.


    Hey, First Mate. Is there any way to move Hullbreaks core without tearing apart that coral?


    The shark looks confused for a moment, before looking towards where her Captains core is, and considering. Ordinarily, no but the Captain is rather drained after today. I should be able to get him out without doing too much damage.


    The gathered merfolk look dismayed, but dont make any moves to stop them. My Voice tries to exin. See, the Boss wants to make sure your Captain and you all have room to grow. If Hullbreak wants to tell you how to get to his new sanctum, thats his decision, and the Boss wont stand in the way of it.


    That doesnt seem to make them feel any better, but at least theres nobody else trying to use a trident to stab anyone. Which reminds me: wheres Yendo? Thankfully, it looks like nobody else is ming him for what happened, and he seems to be talking to a merman who looks on the verge of being an adult. Theyre being quiet, though, so I dont try to interrupt them. I just wanted to make sure nothing happened to him while I was distracted.


    In the short time I was looking at/for Yendo, the First mate is already at the coral. A quick chomp puts a hole in the big mound, and a little bit of water mana is all thats needed to wash the core into her waiting mouth. The blue tetrahedron is only about the size of a basketball, which is a bit concerning. From the hole, it looks like he used to take up a lot more space than that, poor guy.


    Well, lets get him into some new digs. sh, Ill need your help. Rocky and Jello, you guys can head back now, or take a look around if you like. Teemo guides the First Mate out of the enve, and the merfolk watch them go. The mood is tense, like they think they wont ever see the Captain or his scions ever again.


    Which is fair. All theyve seen is mee in like I own the ce and walk out with Hullbreaks core, with only a few words to try to cate them. Time to put some action to back up the words to try to ease their fears. Its expensive, but I should be able to afford the upkeep on all this, as well as the actual cost.


    As the dwellers watch, the sea seems toe alive around the scions as they leave. Coral rapidly regrows, kelp and other sea flora grow thick and lush. Beyond what they can directly see, the spawnerse back to life and start rapidly producing their new upgraded denizens. Copperfins and Silverscales start to form schools and meander, while the sea cucumbers start the slow journey towards the various corals. I dont add any new scions yet, leaving that decision to Hullbreak.


    It doesnt take long for sh to create a small sea cave for the First Mate to deposit Hullbreaks core in, nor does it take long for the new kelp to grow in nice and thick, obscuring the entrance as well as a decent bit of the sea bed.


    I cant help but feel a little proud of how Hullbreak Harbor looks right now, and Im encouraged by the small ember of hope I feel from the bond with the paranoid dungeon. Theres still a lot of work to do, but Im already feeling pretty aplished.

 Chapter One-Hundred Twenty-Five

    Chapter One-Hundred Twenty-Five


    <strong>Tarl</strong>


    The elven inspectorys in bed, awake far earlier than hed prefer to be. Thedeim told him today is the day he moves on Hullbreak. Even now, hes trying to sort out how he truly feels about the water dungeon. He definitely doesnt like it, that much is simple. It killed his mentor. And yet he feels sorry for it.


    He could have just left the whole mess at that, until that letter. And then he told Thediem about it, and that crazy dungeon actually said hed do something about it! Hes been doing a lot about it, too, and has been keeping Tarl at least vaguely informed of whats going on: infiltration, espionage, battle ns, and more.


    He should feel relieved that the whole situation will be resolved soon, but hes just nervous. Dungeon battles are always messy, and even with Thedeim doing what he can to keep it contained, the elfs teeth are still on edge about it.


    He sighs and gets out of bed, finally epting that hes not going to get any further sleep this morning. He decides to put on his full inspecting gear today. If things go well, he might want to go delve Thedeims new area. If it doesnt go well


    He shakes his head to banish the thought, and focuses on putting his armor and gear on. Its aforting ritual, requiring his attention to keep everything ced just right, but not so active as to work him up into more worrying. Once properly dressed, he grabs a fruit and a crusty roll before heading out the door. Hed like to stop by Cobble Bread for breakfast instead, but it probably wont actually open for close to an hour still.


    Maybe he can surprise Tr by having a hot pot of tea waiting for her when she arrives. His mood lightens as he imagines surprising her in her domain, though his mood drops slightly as hes reminded of her question about Thedeim.


    <em>What would <strong>you </strong>ssify him as?</em>


    He stayed quiet at the time, not wanting to try to worm his way around the geas. Even without it, hes not sure he would have replied, just for the implications of what he would ssify Thedeim as.


    Honestly, Cloistered isnt too far off, if you think about it. Its just a period of istion at the start of a dungeons life, before being exposed to the outside. He thinks Thedeim <em>did</em> have a period of istion, just that it was more in the <em>middle</em> of the dungeons existence.


    The Guild calls them Lost dungeons, ones that have somehow been sealed from the world, often as a result of either a disaster or a fight between dungeons. Tarl cant think of anything else to exin that strange vision he got when he first saw Thedeims core. Some kind of society with incredible magic, some kind of people living mundane lives full of wonder. The people or the <em>holes</em> where people should have been, seemed to have ess to incredible arcane devices and incredible architecture. Probably wonderful music, though he couldnt hear anything in his vision.


    His mentor used to talk about kobolds sometimes, about how theyve probably forgotten more about dungeons than the guild will ever know. Hes tried to get Aranya to talk with him about kobold legends, but she generally changes the subject, or talks in the kind of vague riddles that historians sometimes do. Its the kind of talk that Tarl always takes to mean the historian doesnt know the answer, but doesnt want to admit it.


    Stuff like that is why Tarl never fancied himself an academic. Maybe if he was, though, hed have more evidence to support his suspicion that Thedeim is somehow one of the kobolds ancient dungeons. He has no idea how he could have ended up in Fourdock, if thats the case, but he cant think of anything else that could exin his development.


    His musings carry him to the Dungeoneers Guild, and as he unlocks it, he hears a bell ringing. He, at first, ignores it, taking it as maybe a call to prayer from the Crystal Shield church or maybe someone signaling dawn. Hes not usually up this early to hear such things. Its not until hes in the kitchen, filling the teapot, when he realizes something is strange. The bell is still ringing?


    He sets the pot over the firece, but doesnt light it yet. Instead, he returns outside, trying to figure out whats going on. He hears Poes cawing, which sets his instincts on edge. Its not the kind of menacing cawing like when he faced down that one group of delvers, but its still strange to hear him. Its even more strange to see therge raven scion winging over the rooftops. Tracing his path back, Tarl finally notices the source of the bell: Thedeims belfry.


    He curses and quickly ducks back inside and scribbles a quick note to Tr, and ces it on her desk.


    <em>At Thedeim</em>


    <em>Tarl</em>


    Hed like to give more information than that, but he simply doesnt have it. He quickly locks the door on his way out, and rushes to the dungeon. It feels <em>wrong</em> to not be greeted by a chorus of caws, but he does his best to ignore it. Hes also not greeted by Teemo, which also just feels weird. Thankfully, he spots Tiny exiting the maze, and so hurries over.


    Tiny! Is something wrong?


    Therge spider considers him for a moment, then extends a leg for the elf to climb aboard. He hesitates but a moment before doing just that. Its not like Tiny is the Voice. Hopefully he can just take Tarl to someone who can exin whats going on? Teemo would be the best, but if Thedeim is hoping to negotiate with Hullbreak, the rat scion will be indisposed there.


    Entering a shortcut is always a strange experience, and its even stranger when riding Tiny. It really drives home how he shouldnt be able to fit through one. He just closes his eyes and tries not to focus on the surreality of it, and soon finds himself in the public war room. He also finds hes not alone. It looks like Thing is here with Larx, and as he hops off Tiny, he spots the spiderkin triumvirate exit a shortcut with Fluffles.


    Hes not even sure the Conduit noticed him, as he quickly goes through a different shortcut. He stands for a few moments, awkwardly looking at the spiderkin, before the smallest one speaks up.


    So whats going on?


    I wish I knew, replies Tarl, his confusion growing.


    Theyre rescued by the voice of Larx, the elder ratkin speaking up so they can all hear him. If youd alle take a look at this, I think youll understand. He steps a bit back from the map, letting the others move forward and see what he is seeing.


    It takes Tarl a few moments to understand what hes seeing, and he quietly curses when he realizes what it is. Hullbreak is pulling something, he grumbles, his eyes fixed to the encroaching mass of invaders depicted.


    Vernew and Frn look grim, but Norloke still looks like shes in the dark. What am I looking at?


    An army, replies therge tarant woman, and the Huntsmistress nods.


    But what is it doing? asks the orbweaver. It looks more like its trying to attack the town, rather than the Weaver.


    Thats because he is, speaks up Tarl, gaining the attention of the dweller leaders. Ive read about some dungeons trying simr when they get into a war with a dungeon closer to a town, or situated in the middle of one like Thedeim is. If they can kill the delvers, they can cripple the rivals mana at the source.


    Norloke looks horrified at that idea, and hesitates before speaking up again. Do do you think Hullbreak could manage to do that?


    Tarl frowns as he considers the question, before slowly shaking his head. I dont <em>think</em> so but I dont know if Thedeim can stop him from making a mess of the town and killing at least <em>some</em> people. They all look grim at that, but Tarl continues. Whats more: if Hullbreak actually manages to severely injure or kill any of the townsfolk, itll be ressified as Murderous. The only thing thats been keeping it from that ssification has been that it wasnt sending hostile expeditions.


    The dwellers all exchange looks, and Larx is the first to speak up. What can we do to help? Evacuate the people closest to the sea?


    ...Maybe? replies the inspector, looking frazzled. Ive never dealt with something like this before. The standard procedure <em>is</em> to evacuate if dungeons are fighting, but there isnt really anywhere to evacuate <em>to</em>! Fourdock never really saw a point in nning for something that seemed like an impossibility!


    Norloke speaks up. We bring them to the Weaver, at least the ones willing toe.


    What about the army of birds? asks Tarl, and Larx replies this time.


    Leave that to Aranya and Yvonne. Theyve already gone ahead to rally the delvers to provide a defense, should anything slip past Poe.


    Tarl still looks out of his depth, but at least he feels like he has a raft in this storm now. Ok ok. You get your people prepared to help and meet at the Dungeoneers Guild. Tr should be there by now. Between the two of us, we should be able to give groups quick paperwork to show that youre all sanctioned to help them evacuate.


    Tarl sighs and sags slightly in relief at having a n now, then steels himself, standing straight. And after this is all over, Im going to have a long talk with the mayor and the other guild heads. This is exactly the kind of n that <em>should</em> have been in ce, not something we have to throw together at thest moment.


    All gathered nod, and quickly go where they need to go. Its a lot to try to do on the fly like this, but the consequences for failure could be dire.

 Chapter One-Hundred Twenty-Six

    Chapter One-Hundred Twenty-Six


    <strong>Aranya</strong>


    The two residents of Thedeim hurry through the streets, both trying not to worry too much about the clouds rolling in off the ocean. They both saw the map, they both know Thedeim is making his move on Hullbreak today.


    What theyre uncertain of is if he can keep Hullbreaks counter from destroying the town. Thankfully, he wont have to try and do it on his own.


    How long do you think it will take for them to get ready? asks the kobold of her more experienced feathered friend.


    Some will already be awake, and so should take no time at all. Some may sleep through this in its entirety, Yvonne admits. Aranya cant imagine someone sleeping through this well, maybe. Shes seen Ragnar win drinking contests with people who take days to wake up, and whos hangovers make them wish they never woke up at all. The dwarf always seems to weather such escapades just fine. He doesnt seem to be much of a morning person, but he has that professional demeanor of a soldier who can wake up and get right to marching, even if it takes a few miles to truly wake up.


    Shes not sure shes ever seen Ara even yawn, much less sleep, so shes not too worried about her being groggy for something like this. Shes just worried how many other adventurers theyll be able to gather in what little time they seem to have.


    Her fears are partially assuaged as they near the guild hall, and she can hear morning activities from within. While the sounds at night are often of raucous party and merriment, the morning sounds are more industrious; the sounds of people eating and chatting as they prepare for the day. Adventurers always have a day of danger ahead of them, and celebrate a day of adventure behind them, she supposes.


    The two Residents burst into the guild, only drawing a few eyes. Once Yvonne makes a line for the thin orc behind the bar, she draws a few more.


    Karn the Slight greets the two as they approach, but doesnt offer them something to eat or drink just yet. It couldnt be more clear they have something important to discuss if they had the aranea carve it on a sign over their heads. Heya. Whats up?


    Yvonne cuts to the heart of the matter with her words, as she often does with her arrows. Hullbreak is attacking the town with an army of seagulls.


    Aranya can see him start to smile, thinking its a good joke, but he can read the seriousness on their faces. How bad? he asks, all business.


    Bad enough that Thedeim is mobilizing his dwellers, too, answers the red kobold. Karns widening eyes signifies he understands the seriousness of the situation. He inhales and speaks loudly.


    Raid Quest!


    The general murmurs of the guild go silent for a few moments, as they all get the notification and option to join the raid party. Aranya and Yvonne join without hesitation, and they can feel the other adventurers quickly joining as well. In a matter of a heartbeat, the atmosphere inside the guild changes from people enjoying breakfast to people preparing for war. Breakfast still is eaten, but much quicker now.


    Any more details than that? asks Karn of the two, and Aranya speaks up after a few moments.


    Lord Thedeim is making a move on Hullbreak Harbor. This must be the Harbors attempt to strike back at him. We had all thought he was limited to only having significant forces under the waves, and so disregarded the seagull spawner.


    She closes her eyes for a moment, the orange sphere of her pendant gently glowing for a few moments as she tries to divine details from her home sanctuary.


    ...there is a scion with the gulls. Lord Thediem has sent Poe, and will be sending Fluffles soon, too. The dwellers are focussing on ns to get the townsfolk to safety, with the help of the Dungeoneers Guild.


    Karn considers that for a few moments, then nods. Sounds like hes got a better civilian response than the mayor. They can keep the townsfolk out of the fight, so well get ourselves <em>into</em> it. Any better directions than the sea?


    Aranya slowly shakes her head. None yet, Im afraid.


    The thin orc shrugs. The docks should be as good a ce to gather as any. He raises his voice before speaking again. Raid leaves in five minutes. If you cant make that, either catch up at the docks or go to the Dungeoneers Guild to offer them assistance. With that, he makes his exit to start spreading the information about what, specifically, is happening.


    Aranya and Yvonne take the chance to head up to Aras and Ragnars room. Inside, Ragnar is putting his armor on maybe even literally in his sleep. The kobold watches for a few interested seconds, before Ara gets her attention.


    Whats happening? Theres a Raid Party, she says with mild concern.


    Hullbreak is sending an army of gulls to attack the town. Lord Thedeim is sending forces to deal with it but it will probably get messy, answers Aranya.


    Ragnar grumbles an unintelligible insult to seagulls as he continues putting his armor on. Ara just smirks at that. So mostly mages and archers and other ranged attackers will be the most useful?


    Yvonne nods, before giving Ragnar a sideways nce and a small smirk. He might be able to insult them enough to draw the attention of any that slip past Thedeim, though.


    The dwarf mumbles something vaguely insulting to <em>everything</em> with feathers, earning augh from the gathered women. Thats the spirit, says Ara with a smile, though it slips some as she looks out the window.


    Do you think the townsfolk will be alright?


    Aranya and Yvonne both nod, with the hawkwoman speaking up first. Protecting them is our job. Even more than that, Thedeims dwellers are working with the Dungeoneers to help keep people from the worst of it.


    Further questions are waid by the voice of Karn. One minute!


    Ara meets her friends eyes as Ragnar gets his shield onto his back, and his axe at his hip. Let us go do our jobs, then.


    Back down the stairs, most of the adventurers are gathered, and Aranya even spots the trio that tried to attack Yvonne. She still doesnt like them but she has to admit that her Lord Thedeim seems to have knocked some manners into them, at the least.


    Alright, lets get going. Ill be giving more specific assignments on the way, says Karst, and leads the way out of the guild. Unsurprisingly, most of the adventurers with ranged attacks, of whatever variety, are to be stationed at the docks to help attack any gulls they can reach. Most of the more melee focussed people are to be runners and help coordinate, especially with the dwellers and Dungeoneers Guild.


    The rude trio are assigned to be wanderers, to move wherever is needed to get anything that can slip past the main group of defenders. Aranya doesnt like it, but has to admit its a good use of them. Their party isnt exactly melee, but theyre also not capable of operating at the kind of ranges that true archers and mages can.


    The orders given, the adventurers split off to go do their duties. Ragnar is much more lucid as they approach the dock, and at Karns nod, he steps forward to be the vanguard. Yvonne may have said it jokingly back in the room, but Ragnars unique ability to get and keep an enemys attention can help give the ranged defenders more time to deal with their targets.


    A gnome walks through the loose formation of mages and archers, passing out potions as she goes, and Aranya moves to help in her own way. Minute orange threads spread from the small orb around her neck as she weaves her faith around all gathered. Weavers Gentle Touch, she intones, calling upon the subtle actions of her Sanctuary to help guide them all to victory, and to keep them all safe.


    Her contribution made, she and the others can only stare out at the ocean, and the battle being waged between the forces of Thedeim and Hullbreak. No gulls seem to be getting past Poe and his multitude, but she can feel a growing tension from the others.


    Somethings wrong, says an orc with the look of a shaman around him. Aranya looks at him, confused. What do you mean? None of the gulls are getting past Poe.


    He shakes his head and points up, to the clouds over the chaotic battle. The gulls arent the actual threat. Look at the clouds.


    Aranya does, but doesnt know what shes looking at. Shes used to there being rocks over her head, not clouds. A few others, however, look at the slow motion of the cover, and frown as well.


    The enemy scion is doing something. That causes everyone to frown, but what else can they do?


    No whispers an elf who looks like hed be more fit standing on a deck than a dock. Ive seen a storm like that, once. Way to the south. The ocean swells and rages as the skies tear at anything in the way. Our ship was out past its wrath, but the port we were trying to get to just wasnt <em>there</em> afterwards.


    A loud boom causes everyone to flinch, and Yvonne squints as she gazes at the hole in the clouds. I see Poe and Fluffles. And I think the enemy scion. It looks like an albatross.


    Before she can exin further, the orc shamans eyes widen in shock. What is <em>happening</em> out there? he demands with fear and awe.


    Fluffles is building something. Some kind of orb, answers Yvonne, uncertain of what she''s actually seeing.


    Hes devouring the storm, speaks the orc as he makes a gesture, calling a natural spirit in the form of a turtle, and starts working his magic to ensure the safety of those around him.


    The nautical elf, and a few others, warily watch the skies, and Aranya suspects they have storm affinity. While the others can only watch in confusion as weaker booms reach their ears, the ones presumably with storm affinity seem to be getting more and more concerned.


    They and Yvonne all gasp at the same time, while the others can only look on and behold the result of whatever happened. The hole in the clouds closes in an instant, before the storm simply starts to dissipate.


    Everyone stands around in different states of confusion or shock as the looming threat just fades. Nervous cheers are heard, though the ones with storm affinity dont join in. Eventually, the orc shaman seems to remember something, and looks at Aranya.


    What did your dungeon just do? he asks, less as an usation, and more as someone who just witnessed something profound.


    I dont know. What do you think he did?


    The orc looks back to the clouds, his eyes tracing therge raven and the winged serpent making their way back towards town.


    It ate a storm, and spat it back at the one who made it.

 Chapter One-Hundred Twenty-Seven

    Chapter One-Hundred Twenty-Seven


    After the mornings excitement, delver activity is <em>different</em>. Most of the gatherer delvers are basically delving like everything is the same. I dunno if they managed to sleep through the whole thing, or if they think its something that doesnt really concern them. Either way, theyre all happily delving and gathering, and its situation normal on that front.


    The crystal shield guys are also more or less normal, though they seem to be enjoying the return of the more ordinary undead. I think their lower-level members were having difficulties with the vined skeletons and fungal zombies, and their resistance to a lot of anti-undead stuff. With the normal skellies not needing to go harass Hullbreak, they can train a lot smoother now.


    I probably shouldnt be surprised the more adventure-y delvers are taking a break to evaluate. Fluffles put on quite a show with that storm. Hes picked up wind and storm affinity both, as well as a new title: <strong>Stormeater</strong>


    Im pretty sure he could easily expand to get lightning, water, and probably thunder/sonic, too, but hes been training with Rocky enough to see my boxer working on his fundamentals. I think he agrees that he should focus a bit more on truly mastering his new affinities before trying to expand out to new ones. A strong house needs a strong foundation, right?


    And speaking of strong foundations, Im working on managing that with Hullbreak. I think what he has now should be a good stepping stone for getting back into the ck, as far as mana is concerned. His dwellers are still looking pretty uncertain about things, but Yendo is trying to raise their spirits about the whole affair. It looks like most of them are just going to explore Hullbreak and the changes, while Yendo actually has convinced a few to go explore a bit outside! I consider sending one of my scions out with them, but decide not to. They need to take some steps on their own, even if they dont have feet.


    Hullbreak is building up a good head of worry over it, but he hasnt tried to stop them nor send the First Mate out with them. She has her jaws full trying to keep the dwellers calm already. My new vassal is trying to distract himself by looking at the various new nodes and refreshed spawners. I can still feel a good knot of worry through the bond, but theres also a bit of I think peace is a bit strong of a word, but something along those lines.


    Im probably going to try to keep new changes on hold for the moment there, let them try to get a feel for their new normal. Hullbreak will have to deal with new delvers eventually, but for now, I want him to get a bit morefortable with the idea of a new way, first.


    I think his first delvers might be my own dwellers, though Ill need to wait for the leaders to get back before I can even float the idea and Ill need Teemo to get back for that, too. I nudge him about that, and he just nods from atop the First Mates dorsal fin before speaking up.


    The Boss wants me to start heading back so he can give people more details and n stuff with his own dwellers. You have everything in fin? he asks with a smirk, and the First Mate smirks and nods.


    Yes, Teemo. The Captain should be fine with his new Sanctum and the dwellers just need time to adjust. She pauses for a moment, uncertain, before continuing. ...The Admiral is really fine with the Captain revealing his Sanctum to his dwellers?


    Teemo nods. Yeah. He keeps his own pretty secret, but hes not going to force Hullbreak to do the same. Besides, him and the merfolk are too close for the Boss to expect them to be able to just cut ties.


    What are the Admirals further ns for the Captain? she presses, looking like shes worried shes pushing too hard. She detes a bit as Teemo chuckles.


    Heh, I dunno if Id call any of it a n, but he has some vague ideas. Long term: he wants to normalize delving again. He knows thats going to take a bit of time, probably for you and Fourdock both, but the sooner he starts, the sooner itll be done. For the next couple days, hes gonna just let you guys try to adjust though you might see a visit from his own dwellers, heh.


    I admit to wanting to meet them and hear their development, the shark states.


    Cool. Welp, Im outta here. You guys go ahead and explore and adjust. Its different, I know, but the Boss is pretty good at different. With that, he releases her fin and starts shortcutting his way towards the beachhead. Oh man, I should probably clean that up some or maybe leave it as it is and eventually get Hullbreak to expand to it. Could be a good spot for small encounters or something.


    As Teemo makes his way back, my prodigals return as a group. Aranya, Yvonne, Ara, and Ragnar, along with the skinny orc guildmaster Karn; as well as Larx, Vernew, Frn, Norloke, and Tarl. My dwellers all inhale and sigh at being back home, and Aranya and Yvonne both look happy to be back, too. Ragnar and Ara smile as they see the activity of the gatherer delvers, while Karn looks like hes scheming or just looking. Hes kinda hard to get a read on. Tarl has his business face on as he approaches the porch.


    Dungeon Thedeim, the Dungeoneers Guild would ask you bring forth your Voice, so we may talk about what happened today, he says solemnly. I dont think Im in trouble, but theres definitely a lot to talk about, hes not wrong there. I poke Fluffles to lead them to the public war room. Hopefully theyll see Teemos location and understand that theyre on hold until he can get back.


    My wingnoodle uncoils from atop the belfry and glides down, and the orc tenses for a moment as he sees my scion. Thats not the Voice. The Voice was the rat, right?


    Larx chuckles and nods. Indeed, Teemo is the Voice. Lord Thedeim tends to use his Conduit when Teemo isnt immediately avable. Tarl nods at that, and Karn rxes slightly and stumbles a bit as Ragnar elbows him.


    Calm down, Guildmaster. Th Conduits perfectly safe!


    Karn looks like he strongly disagrees, but doesnt voice it with Fluffles settling on the ground before them. My noodle gives the gathered group a hiss and motions with his tail for them to follow him, which they do. The walk is quiet, but thankfully not very long, and soon they all can take seats around the map table. Fluffles points at Teemos location, and though they can see him moving much more quickly than he should be able to, thanks to the shortcut, its still going to be a bit until he arrives.


    Tarl sees that and sighs, deting a bit in his chair, but doesnt speak up yet. Karn follows suit, but I can tell hes feigning being rxed. Theres still a bit of tension to him, and his eyes keep wandering to Fluffles. Yeah, he probably saw what Fluffles did, or has had a bunch of reports on it.


    The silence grows more than a little awkward, and soon Larx does what he does best. Tarl, you said there was a merfolk enve in Hullbreak?


    It takes the elf a moment to realize hes being addressed, then he nods. Yes, Hullbreak Harbor had a merfolk enve.


    <em>Has</em>, corrects the aged ratkin, pointing at the area that is still clearlybeled. Tarl squints as he scrutinizes the map, then is forced to nod.


    Right, has. After a moment, he groans and rubs his face with his hands. Vassalized, not subsumed, then.


    Frn quirks an eyeridge at that. Youd prefer the Weaver subsume Hullbreak?


    Tarl sighs. I dont know. I mean itll probably be better for everyone with him vassalized instead, but its going to be a mess for a while not to mention all the paperwork he finishes with a grumble.


    Aranyaughs at that. You have a whole year to prepare for it, right?


    Oh boy, a stay of execution, replies Tarl tly, earning augh from everyone, and the tension mostly evaporates. Karn still keeps an eye on Fluffles, but I dont see his fingers twitching anymore.


    Well, we can at least tell him whats been going on in the town, says the Guildmaster, deciding he''d rather talk than just wait. He might not be able to talk, but he can still listen, yeah?


    Aranya nods, and Karn continues.


    Well, on the adventurer side of things at least, people are uncertain. Feelings are mixed. On the one hand, Thedeim dealt with a threat to the town. On the other hand, its arguably a threat he caused, and theres a potential <em>new</em> threat.


    Fluffles, says Yvonne as a statement, not a question. Shes probably noticed Karns unease. He nods at her.


    Yeah. Everyone has known hes a Conduit, but knowing it and <em>understanding</em> it are two different things. Most of the guild can only guess at the actual power needed to do what he did, but theres a couple people with Storm affinity that could feel what he was doing.


    If I had blood, itd run cold at that. Did I identally let out the secret of affinities and science linking them?


    They could feel Fluffles there taking apart the storm and focusing it. Ive heard of mages being able to steal the strength of an enemys spell to power their own, but its the kind of talk you hear rumors about, not something you get to watch unfold out in the bay.


    I rx a bit at that, and feel Fluffles rx some, too. Theyre not putting it together just yet, seems like, so thats good.


    Are they scared of the Weaver? asks Norloke, and Karn shrugs.


    I wouldnt call it <em>scared</em>, but theyre definitely reevaluating how they feel about him. The various storm affinities seem to be in awe, especially Basger. Thats the shaman, he rifies as he nces at Aranya, who nods in recognition. Hes probably going to try toe visit Fluffles for wisdom or something. I doubt hell be thest.


    Fluffles looks surprised at that, and Iugh to myself as I imagine a Fluffles fanclub. I feel a bit of indignance through the bond at that, which only makes meugh more.


    So yeah, finishes Karn, things with the guild are going to be a bit messy for a couple days as people adjust.


    There are various nods around the table, and it takes a few seconds for someone to speak up and put in their two cents. Said person is Tarl.


    The Dungoneers Guild, officially, doesnt have much opinion now that its in that Hullbreak has been vassalized. Itll be more paperwork for me and Tr, mostly Tr, but thates with the job. Unofficially, I think the townsfolk are going to have a reaction to this, as well as the Mayor.


    Frn sighs and speaks up. The people we helped evacuate, while appreciative of the help, seemed to want to know what the town government was doing about all this. We didnt have any answers to give them. While some were upset with us, most were understanding and seemed to be saving their ire for a different target.


    Tarl nods at that. Most towns with an active dungeon, like Thedeim, will create and prepare various contingency ns for things just like this. Even without a potential dungeon sh, there are always potential monster attacks or brigand sieges, other things that could pose an existential crisis for the town. As far as Im aware Fourdock doesnt have any ns.


    Karn speaks up to add I dont know of any, either. I called a Raid Party once Aranya and Yvonne exined the situation, because I couldnt think of anything else to get a response going any quicker.


    Ara groans after hearing that, drawing the eyes of everyone gathered. I understand what you two are hinting at. It really <em>is</em> going to be a mess for a while, isnt it. Tarl and Karn both nod, though everyone else looks confused. After a few moments, Ara continues.


    Thedeim has identally stepped on the toes of the Mayor, and he may or may not see it as an ident. The dungeon identified a threat, organized a response to protect the entire town, and dealt with the threat, all before the Mayor could even get out a statement. He snubbed the established political power, making it look both weak and ipetent, and he did so publicly.


    nces are exchanged around the table as that sinks in. Its not a very charitable interpretation of what happened, but its also not inurate. Ive been deliberately trying to stay out of anything with the local government or politics, but that might have just led to me identally jumping into it with both feet.

 Chapter One-Hundred Twenty-Eight

    Chapter One-Hundred Twenty-Eight


    Alright, what are you guys all talking about that has the Boss feeling so out of his depth about? demands Teemo as he finally is able to join everyone in the war room.


    Im not <em>that</em> intimidated.


    Teemo just smirks. Sure you arent, Boss.


    I make a note to figure out a way to properly huff,ter. Short version: Ive stepped in politics.


    Teemo shudders at that. Id rather you stepped into a sewer, Boss.


    Tell me about it.


    Further snark is derailed as the gathered people start failing to stifle their humor at the half-a-conversation theyre hearing.


    Here I thought our gracious Lord Thedeim was letting us govern ourselves so we could grow. Now I find out its because he hates politics, says Larx with a grin as he feigns being offended. The spiderkin triumvirate grin and nod, each pretending to be scandalized in her own way.


    It can be both, retorts Teemo, and everyoneughs. He lets them get it out of their system, waiting for them all to calm down before continuing. So, how bad is it?


    Tarl and Karn both consider the question, though Karn speaks up first. It depends on how the Mayor decides to take it, and how much spin and lies were willing to make.


    Tarl sighs and nods at that. Ive only seen the Mayor a few times, so I dont know how hell react to something like this.


    Ive only seen him once, admits Karn. Though I try to keep up on noble intrigue.


    Tarl nches at that. Better you than me.


    Karn just smirks. Helps keep the rust off, heh. Anyway, our Lord Mayor Rer Herjan Kalsorthoth Niyeroul ifGofnar the Eighth is probably not going to react poorly to whats been done, but hes going to need to do <em>something</em> if he doesnt want the various guildsining to his father. Rumor is, his family sent him here to try to get him some backbone. Live a more rugged life, deal with the humble people who arent going to just kiss your boots because they cost more than their house, stuff like that.


    Ara sighs. Instead, hes holed himself in his manor and left the actual running of the town to the various guilds, she says, clearly used to the games nobles y.


    Karn nods at her. It wasnt a bad situation, to be honest. Even with Neverrest, things were pretty stable. A noble who doesnt interfere is way better than one that sticks his nose in and ruins everything. But things like trade deals and such are implied to have his consent. The dungeon dealing with a threat like that is clearly not something the Mayor nned, and clearly only happened <em>because</em> the Mayor didnt have a n for a situation like that.


    So whats the Boss do? Send me to negotiate something? Pretend there actually <em>was</em> a n? asks my Voice, and Karn shakes his head.


    Negotiating would probably be a good idea, but theres no pretending there was a n. The guild members will be talking about how I had to call a Raid Party to try to deal with this.


    Tarl speaks up. And the citizens we evacuated will have noticed how fresh the ink was on the letters of affiliation we gave the dwellers. I imagine theres a crowd of unhappy people around the Town Hall already, and probably some outside the Mayoral Manor, too.


    Are we looking at a revolt? asks Teemo, echoing my concern. Even if the absentee Mayor was absolute scum, things can get really messy if the people decide to oust him.


    Karn shakes his head. Nah. Politics actually acts in our favor on this one. Hes the only noble in town, so the only means to remove him are not pretty. People will be upset about all this, but nobody is going to want to go <em>that</em> far. It should mostly be a lot of yelling andining, and probably letters getting written.


    Hmm a letter. I give Teemo a quick exnation of my idea. He doesnt look so sure about it, but he floats it for the others.


    What about a formal apology?


    From the Mayor? Karn grimaces. I wouldnt bet on it. Showing that kind of weakness could get his father to recall him and send someone else.


    Teemo shakes his head. Not from him. From the Boss.


    While most of the table looks confused at that, and my dwellers look in unhappy, Karn and Ara both look thoughtful. Teemo decides to continue the idea.


    Something that says the Boss knows he overstepped, he made a mistake in underestimating Hullbreak, h h, the kind of thing that says he still understands who the town belongs to.


    Karn chuckles. I think everyone will see through it, but its still a good idea. The Mayor can even pretend to be magnanimous and ept your apology.


    Will the townsfolk buy that? asks Aranya, not looking very convinced.


    Karn just shrugs, and Ara speaks up. Hell have to present a n for dealing with dangers going forward, but it could work. People will see through the pretense, but as long as its clear something is being done, most will be willing to let it slide. Nobles hardly ever apologize to each other, let alone to ordinary citizens, so thats the closest they can reasonably expect.


    But he <em>doesnt</em> have a n, points out Norloke.


    Karn just grins. Which means we can hand him one and let him pretend it was his the whole time.


    Norloke gives him a t look. <em>We</em> dont have one, either.


    Karn detes a bit at that, but presses onward. We dont <em>not</em> have a n. Evacuate civilians, marshal the fighters He winks over at Teemo. Petition the dungeon for help, heh.


    Evacuate where? Fr how long? How will ye feed em, keep em safe? asks Ragnar, getting into the kinds of details that will be needed.


    Here, for now? suggests Karn. Thedeim should be able to feed and keep people safe for at least a couple days, and we can work on some kind of mini-hold or something?


    Ragnar strokes his beard as he considers that, and Larx speaks up. My people will help. Were working on expanding our warrens, and should be able to house at least some people, should the need arise. Well also be working on our own evacuation ns, too, should something decide to attack from the depths instead of from the sea.


    Frn nods at that. As will we. We need to make sure were ready for the next time something like this happens. Weve been working on ns slowly, since we expect the scythemaws will be a semi-regr urrence, but after this, I think we need to get ns solidified sooner, rather thanter.


    I let them get to working out the details as Im reminded of something I asked for a while ago, but never actually got around to looking at. I had asked Tarl for records of as much as he could give me a while ago. While he delivered, Ive been too distracted to actually sit down and pay attention to them. No time like the present.


    It doesnt take me long to find the books and notes, and of course Honey has organized them into the library. I focus on them, and the information therein. Its weird, bringing the information to the fore. Its less like Im learning a new thing, and more like Im remembering something I already know.


    Some bits were already obvious to me, like were pretty northerly located. Snow by the ocean isnt something you see in the tropics, after all. The ocean out west is also in. To the north is mostly mountains, and to the east looks like rivers and farnd. Far to the east is ake, and beyond the rivers that feed it are the Orcish Wandends and the Beastkin Principalities. Further east past themy more mountains, imed by the dwarves, seems like.


    To the south of Fourdock is more of the Kingdom of Horlon, apparently the country Im in. It looks like its mostly farms, rolling hills, and loose forests, though theres only so much detail Tarl could reasonably give me, without giving me an entire library. It would have made Honey happy, though, heh. It does show were a long way from the capital, at least. No wonder theres not much worry about defense, were in the back end of nowhere. The orcs are apparently nomadic, but have agreed to not cross the Gofnar, which I suppose exins why theres ake Gofnar, Gofnar River, and <em>Also</em>-Gofnar River.


    Wait Gofnar? Isnt the Mayor something something Gofnar? Maybe his family is from around theke. That looks like itd be a pretty big trade hub. Waterways are always great for trading. Theres not much info about it in the packet, which is disappointing, even if its not surprising. I might need to start asking the aranea to give some quests for various books. While just seeing Honeys happy dance is a pretty good motivation, I also need to get more info.


    Now that I have a vassal <em>and</em> a protege, Im probably going to be a major economic hub all on my own. Depending on how the stuff with the Southwood goes, I could be even more of a mover and shaker. Im not really looking forward to having to butt heads with nobles and other political entities, but thats the price to pay for prosperity, I suppose. You get more, people want some. The hard part is making sure to share with the right people, and to make sure the ones that <em>dont</em> want to share cant just take what they want.

 Chapter One-Hundred Twenty-Nine

    Chapter One-Hundred Twenty-Nine


    I look over the maps and try to figure out what my next goal is, while the others continue to n what to do with the mayor and such. Im pretty sure that I could just fully ignore him and therger government if I really wanted. Tarl said Im my own thing and nations tend to try to stay out of dungeon business, after all. Still, I dont want to be a jerk of a neighbor. Im confident they can hammer and smooth things out, especially if I give the mayor the lipservice of an apology.


    So what else do I need to do? I need to sort out Hullbreak, thats definitely a major thing I need to do. Hes all set for delvers now, but how do I actually get delvers to go delve? After the days events, even <em>Im</em> seeing a bit less activity, and I dont have the reputation of being dangerous to delve.


    Theres also the simple fact that, even if Hullbreak had no problem with delvers, everything except the seagull spawner is under the water. But Im pretty sure it used to be friendlier, before the ident. So how did people delve? I take a moment to look through what Tarl gave me on it, but nothing really mentions how Hullbreak was actually being delved. Were people just able to make the water potions and so delve like that?


    I take a moment to get Teemos attention, and he hops over to Tarl while the others are discussing a few details.


    Hey Tarl how did people delve Hullbreak?


    The elf blinks for a moment. What? Oh, right, your new vassal. Ah I believe most of the delving was fishing.


    That counts?


    He nods. A lot of aquatic dungeons are prime fishing locations. Its a different sort of contest, but its still a battle between delver and denizen.


    Teemos thoughtful look mirrors my reaction to that. If fishing works that could be a lot easier.


    Thanks, says Teemo with a smile, and lets Tarl slip back into paying attention to the discussion at the table.


    Fishing shouldnt be too difficult to get going, at least. Hullbreak doesnt seem close enough to any of the shores for it to work without a boat, but thats at least an option. Ok other goals.


    Violet, definitely. I think shes procrastinating expanding past her door, but now that the maws are done, Ill probably try to encourage her to do that. From what I can tell, shell get the immediate cavern thats past her borders with this expansion, and I think itll take another to get next to the aquiferke. I cant tell if shell be able to get the entireke in one go, or if shell have to take bites, but I can definitely feel her curiosity about the water through our bond.


    I also need to check the progress of the trail to the Southwood. Thest reports from the expeditions was everything was progressing slowly yet smoothly. With Hullbreak no longer needing his butt kicked, I should be able to send Leo out to help direct and keep track of the progress. I should also see if Teemo can help, maybe making shortcuts between the little outposts or something. Ill just need to be mindful of when, or even if I send him. Helping the Southwood is probably a good idea, but if Teemos out making shortcuts, hes not going to be here, able to talk to people.


    Come to think of it, though Ill need to send him to talk to the Southwood at some point. Talking is his main job, after all.


    On the home front should I work on my next enve? It feels a bit early for that, though. My spiderkin are getting a lot more settled now, but I think I want to wait a bit longer for that.


    I could expand again. I consider that for a few seconds before setting the idea aside, too. No, I should consolidate my territory and get working more on the deep caverns areas, first. My earth elemental spawner is still really low level, and I should put the finishing touches on the ce before getting more.


    That was always my biggest problem in games like Civilization and Steris: expanding too quickly, instead of developing what I have. Of course, in those, you have to war if you want to expand after the early game, as everything gets colonized. I havent seen another dungeon down here except for Violet. There might be more, but my gut says I wont find another for a while.


    So if theres no pressing need to go grab everything first, I might as well make sure I develop what I have properly first. So what <em>do</em> I have?


    I have the main manor house and the yard, as well as the hedge maze, for the surface. Tinys in the maze, Poes on the roof, and I keep most of my low level stuff in the area; rats, snakes, birds, the asional slime. Hmm I never realized it, but my snake and bird spawners are pretty low level. I could get some tougher birds for maybe the rooftop? The back of the cemetery, with the wolves? The birds will probably have to wait until I expand out past the cemetery. I just dont have a good ce for them.


    Stronger snakes could be a good addition to the deep caverns, though. Right now theyre mostly elementals and a few spiders. Ill put a pin in that for the moment, and think harder about it once I get down to brushing up in there.


    Below the manor are the tunnels. Snakes in there <em>would</em> rule, maybe I should test in there, first. Right now, theyre mostly bats, slimes, and spiders. With the bats specialized as fruitbats, and the slimes specialized for purifying ore its mostly spiders and a few of the tougher vipers and rats. Ill see about encouraging the stctsprites toe in, especially since they seem to do such a good job on the gremlins.


    Right, I also need to get a mole and a gremlin to join and maybe one of those cave stoats that like to eat Violets cave bunnies. Pin in that, back to taking stock.


    Below the tunnels are the deep caverns, which really only have the rockslides and stctsprites. Definitely need something more normal for down here. I think the snakes will be a good addition here, along with the new things, if we can get them. The ess shaft also runs from the caverns up to near the entry cave in the yard. Theres also the spiderkin enve down here, of course, with the underswamps past them. The cave lobster hatcheries seem to be working just fine, and help round out and stabilize their diet with what they hunt in the swamps. Oh, and the dire mosquito invaders. Yeah not really in the market to add them to my spawners, thanks.


    Back on the surface, theres the cemetery. Its mostly for ordinary cemetery things, though there is the wolf spawner in the back, as well as the zombie (technically fleshy undead, but theyre close enough to zombies for me), skeleton, and crawling hand spawners. Oh, and the second rat spawner, as well as the bee spawner.


    Thats a thing I should have my ratlings do: make some apiaries. Most of the honey stuff is down in the library. Even with Honey running a tight ship in there, messes can happen. I could set up the apiaries in the back of the cemetery, and let the wolves guard them. Ill keep it basic until I expand past the wall up there. Dont want fights to range too far or get too loud in there.


    Under the cemetery is the cryptplex, where its wall to wall undead, with the asional wolf or widow thrown in for variety. I like my green skeletons and fungal zombies. Theyre encouraging some new herbalism nodes in there that the Crystal Shield guys seem to love.


    The ratkin enve is deeper in, and theyre nice and established by now. They have some good mushroom beds stacked in rooms in there, and theyre cultivating all kinds of different varieties. Their staple is something that looks a lot like a portabe to me: big fat caps with short stems. Theres even a weird one that grows tall and thin that they dry out, grind, and use simr to flour. The mushroom bread is still a work in progress, but it fills bellies and supplements their hunting.


    Theres Rockys arena down here I should give that the polish it deserves before I go do anything else with spawners and expanding and such. Its been dug out and the arena itself is made, but the boxing arena is still sadly missing its boxing <em>ring</em>. How do they even make a boxing ring? Boards with a tough silk tarp will work for now, but Im pretty sure theres a lot more give to the floor of a proper boxing ring.


    I chew on options as my mind wanders, and my attention drifts to the underswamps past the spiderkin, reminding me of something that Ive been idly wanting to do for a while, but seemed to far out of my reach. Its still a ways off but close enough for me to actually consider, now.


    Im pretty sure Aranya must havee from somewhere past the underswamps. The aquiferke isnt something you just cross on foot. The swamps arent a pic for that either, but its at least feasible. Somewhere past the scythemaws, there must be more kobolds.


    I look over my goals as I consider that. Hullbreak needs proper delving, get fishing boats. Violet need to expand, just give her a little push, maybe a quest for it. Spiderkin need to get settled properly, just need time. The caverns need more encounters, add in snakes and maybe moles/gremlins/both. Assimte moles/gremlins, just need to let Jello do her work. Rockys arena needs finishing, shouldnt be too difficult to get a basic ring built. The Southwood needs help, Leo can focus more on that now Hullbreak is my vassal.


    Aranyas people are out there. Find some way to contact them.

 Chapter One-Hundred Thirty

    Chapter One-Hundred Thirty


    Alright, so: what first? I really want to get delving going with Hullbreak, but I really should give him a bit more time before I start trying to give quests to fish in there. Itd probably be a good idea to let Tarl inspect before I try that anyhow.


    Violet is probably a good ce to start. All I need to do to encourage her to expand is to give her a quest to do it. While my ie isnt as far out ahead of my expenses as Id prefer, I still have plenty saved up to pass a quest through the bond. I can feel her taking her time to examine and consider what she should do with it, and leave her to it. Im not trying to shove her out of the nest, I just want to give her the little nudge she needs to do a bit more.


    I also tell the aranea to start asionally giving a quest to do something in Violet: hunt a rabbit, pluck a mushroom, something like that. With the maws done, delvers should be able to delve her properly, without needing to worry about getting eaten.


    Next up get Rockys ring made. I had been putting it off to try to get the flooring just right, but the whole thing seems like its moreplex than I expected. Or maybe Im overthinking it. What if boxing rings really <em>are</em> just a wooden floor with a thick cloth over it? At least the turnbuckles and ropes shouldnt be too difficult to make. I spend a little time drawing up some basic ns, before giving them to Coda. Its not <em>quite</em> in his wheelhouse, but he seems to like building stuff, and his ratlings are only getting more and more sure in their craft. Most of their craft was digging and carving, but theres still the smithing ones he can get help from, so Im not too worried.


    Now, the snake spawner. I havent been paying it the attention it deserves, even with my Conduit calling it home. I have normal little bitey snakes, venomous little bitey snakes, bigger venomous bitey snakes, and spitting cobras that are not technically cobras I think. I specialized them for venom a while ago, and looking at it closer, it seems to be a variety of magic specialization. So whatever else I get will probably be things you dont want to bite you, and maybe things that will be able to cast actual stuff at you, too.


    Welp, might as well spend the mana and see what we get! I pour the required amount into the spawner, and watch with excitement as I wait for what itll make! And it makes two snakes at once? Thats it? More spawn speed? Not the <em>worst</em> upgrade but oh, Im wrong. Thats a single snake, two heads. They(?) look around a little before taking a shortcut down towards the cavernyer, and I take a moment to get a better look at what they are.


    A Twinsnake. Fair enough, I suppose. Thats an interesting little critter, and I think they is the right term, since each head apparently has a different job. Its like someone stapled a ssic fighter to a ssic wizard. And made them both snakes. One head has kic affinity and the other has poison affinity. I wonder if they differentiate between venom and poison affinities here? I hope not. If youre venomous, its bad when you bite someone. If youre poisonous, its bad if someone bites <em>you</em>, and it seems like the kic head is all about avoiding that.


    I watch as they stalk a small swarm of dire mosquitoes, and am d to see the poison head is definitely able to be offensive with its affinity. The kic head can be a bit offensive, too, as it starts telekically grabbing and smashing the invaders. The poison headunches little poison projectiles venom projectiles? I feel like the distinction falls apart a bit when the nasty stuff is being thrown around. Whatever the technical term, the doublenoodle has no trouble dealing with the small swarm, so Im calling it a win.


    I watch my new denizens as they start to spread out in my domain, enjoying the new little bit of weirdness they bring.


    <strong>Karn</strong>


    The thin orc cant help but smile as he slips into the Mayors manor after sunset. Used to be, if he was doing this, he was going to be taking as many valuables as he could unreasonably hold. This time, though, he hopes to drop something off, and maybe even leave with something valuable that he cant actually hold.


    A good deal can be worth well a <em>good deal</em>, after all, and is a lot harder to stuff in a bag and sell to a fence. Those candlesticks are tempting, though. He resists his rusty urges as he slips through the estate. The guards are trying, bless them, but a rogue who has survived to be able to retire is way above their pay grade.


    He finds the young lord in his chambers, looking like a student who has gotten behind. Except, instead of books surrounding him, its letters, scrolls, and whatever else the people could send to show their ire. Long auburn hair is looking frazzled and frayed, either from the stress itself, or from the young elf trying to tear it out. Mysterious blue eyes are looking shallow and unfocused, the angry words hardly able to make the journey from the page to his mind with those as their portal. Expensive silks are rumpled, pale skin is even paler, and ink stains manicured hands. Thed is an adult, if only just, and clearly has no idea how to handle the mess that Thedeim has identally given him.


    Karn nods to himself as he sees thed. Someone that deep will take any rope to get out of it, even if they have to wrap it around their own throat. Luckily for the young lord ifGofnar, Karn is there to offer an actual lifeline. He considers how to best approach him, and attempts some unsubtle subtlety. He quietly paces around the room, looking for a loose board, and finds one without too much effort.


    The noble elf slumps as he hears the sound, and speaks as he stands. What should I <em>do</em>, Mill he stops as he sees Karn standing there, the orc''s hands behind his back. ...youre not Miller.


    Karn chuckles and shakes his head. No, Im not. I also know its not something that actually inspires confidence, but Im also not here to hurt you. Im actually here to help.


    The elf just falls back into his chair, and gestures listlessly at the pile of angry correspondences. I dont think I need an assassin for any of them, thank you.


    Karnughs and shakes his head. Im not an assassin. I never was. I always preferred burry to assassination. Always sat easier on my conscience to make off with a few trinkets than a life.


    ...is that what youre here for, then? Come to pick over the corpse before the other vultures can swoop in? asks the young noble elf bitterly. Karn shakes his head and pulls the fat rolled scrollcase from behind his back, the result of the long meeting in Thedeims war room.


    Actually, Im here to help, to salvage the mess and save you a lot of face amongst the townspeople, he says as he holds it out for the beleaguered elf to take. The mayor just stares for a few seconds, before reaching out to ept the scroll.


    Thatd be a trick. Whats the price for me to only have my name dragged through the mud, instead of being disowned? he asks with a sigh.


    Im not here to offer to pull you out of the mess with a noosed lord Rer, Karn corrects himself. The elf before him might be battered and beaten in the political sense, but theres no point in adding insult to injury.


    He just rolls his eyes at Karns informality, and opens the case, to look over the papers therein. His defeated attitude chips and frays as he quickly skims the papers, and he looks at Karn with respect and a spark of hope.


    Is is the dungeon actually on board with this?


    Karn nods. Thedeim is. He is fully willing to apologize and pretend ns had been in the works, and you just needed funding from the kingdom atrge to implement. His rapid development has put you in an awkward spot, but also gives you an opportunity.


    The elf starts looking more uncertain, now that his future is not certainly ruined, and looks back at the papers. Yes thats in the draft of a speech for me to give, too. But why? Why not try to oust me and prepare Fourdock to be taken as an enve?


    Karn shrugs. Because he doesnt want to. Politics, atrge, seems to repulse him.


    Lord Rer sighs at that. At least he gets a choice in it, he states quietly, before speaking up a bit. But what do <em>you</em> get out of it?


    Karn grins like a teacher whose student has aced a test. I get a stable town for my adventurers to recuperate in, and a stable dungeon for them to delve <em>three</em> stable dungeons for them to delve, in fact.


    The Lord Mayor considers that for a few seconds, before his face lights up. Ah, Miller! <em>There</em> you are!


    Karns blood runs cold as he hears a polite voice from behind him. I was making tea for the Young Master and his guest. A silver tray with two steaming cups of tea make themselves known in his periphery, supported by a spotless white glove. Its attached to an immacte ck sleeve, which is in turn supported by an older elf with gray skin and short slicked white hair. If there was a butler affinity dungeon, this elf would be its scion and Voice.


    Sirs is the cup nearest him, offers Miller, and Karn slowly epts it. He doesnt drink as the elf moves to offer Lord Rer his own cup.


    Ah, thank you, Miller. My friend here, uh


    Karn, fills in the orc, still trying to process whats going on. There was nobody else in the room. As the young lord starts to exin to Miller what Karns proposal is, Karn absently takes a sip of the tea, and locks up again. He knows this blend. He knows the spicy honey in it. Its his own blend that he dabbles with, something more for energy than taste. The spicy honey is the only thing hes found that makes it ptable.


    Miller meets Karns eyes and his mouth tilts upward just a hair as Karn swallows his sip heavily. Those guards arent the only ones in here trying to deal with something outside their pay grade.

 Chapter One-Hundred Thirty-One

    Chapter One-Hundred Thirty-One


    <strong>Rer</strong>


    Today has not been a good day. Miller woke him up just after dawn, warning him the town was under attack! How could it be under attack?! The orcs have shown no intentions of crossing the Gofnar, theres no bandit groupsrge enough for something like that, and theres nothing else around that could have the numbers toy siege to the city!


    Yet Miller opens the curtains and the window behind them, and Rer can hear the tolling of a bell, and see an unnatural storm blowing in off the ocean. Before the young noble can even ask for details, Millers attention snaps to the cloud, and Rer isnt sure hes ever seen his butler look more focused.


    Interesting Young Master, the situation has been resolved, but now we have a different problem to deal with, he says with an apologetic bow.


    Wh what do you mean, Miller? asks the still-sleepy young noble, getting the feeling hed rather deal with a surprise siege than whatever this new problem is.


    You will need to address the people and guildmasters, and make a show of truly taking the reigns of Fourdock, Young Master.


    Rers eyes widen at that. Hed <em>definitely</em> rather deal with a siege! At least attackers already hate him! The idea of saying or doing something to get the people upset, or even worse, trying to <em>inspire</em> them


    He shudders at the very thought of so many eyes on him, weighing and judging his every word and action. Just the guildmasters are bad enough, and hes only had to meet with them in person a handful of times!


    Young Master,es Millers voice, slicing through the growing panic, and getting Rer to focus on him. I would humbly suggest breakfast. Change is often easier on a full stomach.


    He sighs at that and gets out of bed, d Miller is there to help. The simple wisdom definitely helps him get through the day, too, as he finds himself too busy to have time for lunch, and only has dinner at Millers insistence. Theres so many letters ofint to try to get through, and so many hurried reports of what happened.


    While he had been vaguely aware of a new dungeon, and even of it somehow subsuming Neverrest, he simply never gave it much thought. Its not even a year old, how much trouble can it cause? From the reports, it seems like its actually trying to find out! So now hes scrambling to try to read the various updates from the guilds about it, while also dealing with the growing number of unhappy letters and messages. Hed love to simply toss them in the fire and hide in his room, but Miller insists thats both rude and wasteful.


    Many noble houses have found themselves in ruin, financially or otherwise, from ignoring the will of the citizenry. He might feel less helpless about it if he actually had any idea of what to <em>do</em>.


    And then Guildmaster Karn appeared. He hadnt even known he was one of the guildmasters until Miller addressed him with his title. Thankfully, the thin orc made his exit fairly quickly, after finishing his tea. His entire proposal was on the papers in the scollcase anyway.


    What do you think, Miller? Will it work? He pauses for a moment as his butler simply looks at him like he hasnt finished his sentence. What else oh! ...can I trust him?


    Miller gives a slight smile. Hes of no threat to you, Young Master. I believe his stated goal is true; that he wants a stable city and stable dungeons for a stable guild. He may want more at someter point, but for now, I believe he is trustworthy in at least this.


    And the n?


    It is remarkably detailed and thought out, Young Master. They had to guess on the specific budget, but I believe it is a workable n, at the least. The dungeon has significantly increased our tax revenue, and so too our defense stipend. A few of the other guilds will need to be pressured to discount or donate time and supplies, but public sentiment is that something needs to be done, so I dont see much problem.


    He gives another small smile. And the dungeon apologizing will help Young Masters legitimacy in the eyes of the people and the nobility. The townsfolk will recognize that the dungeon is helping you, Young Master, but they generally like the dungeon, so will be more willing to let you fix this and guide the defensive response. A hold, or simr, in the mountains to the north could work, especially if you can negotiate with the dungeon to help.


    And the speech? asks Rer, knowing the answer, but still wishing to be wrong. Millers smile dashes those hopes.


    An excellent idea, Young Master. The people have not had the pleasure of making your acquaintance yet. Might I also suggest something to help you with your further negotiations with the dungeon?


    Rer sighs and slumps, but motions for Miller to continue. He might not <em>like</em> all of his butlers advice, but hes not going to pretend hes ever lead him wrong.


    Delve the dungeon. Young Masters fencing form is getting quite good, to the point where you will need practical experience, rather than just my small tutge.


    Rer snorts at that. Sure, Miller. At least Ill be safe with you at my side.


    Millers smile drips ice into the young elf nobles veins. Not with me, Young Master. But there is an entire guild that specializes in helping a young adventurer find a party.


    But but theyll know who I am, especially after I give the speech! he tries in desperation.


    Identities are simple to fabricate, Young Master especially if a favor is offered to the master of the Adventurers Guild.


    ...do I have to? mutters Rer in defeat.


    Of course not, Young Master. Its simply a suggestion from your humble butler, Miller says without missing a beat and bowing, not even giving Rer the dignity of taking the decision out of his hands.


    Hed dearly love to ignore this particr bit of advice, but he is forced to admit he cant afford to. Getting some real levels can only help him, and from the reports on the dungeon, hes probably safer there than in his own manor Miller aside. What galls him and almost makes him decide against it just in spite is he knows what else Miller is trying to do.


    Hes never been wee among his peers, seen as too quiet and reserved, too shy, too worried about what they might think. He wouldnt even be surprised if thats the <em>real</em> reason Miller wants him to delve. He could use more friends than just his butler.


    He sighs, knowing hes going to ept the advice, and yawns as thete hour catches up with him. When should I give the speech, Miller?


    Tomorrow after breakfast, Young Master. The people must believe swift action is being taken on their behalf.


    Rer groans, but doesnt argue. Im going to bathe and get to bed, then. Good night, Miller, and thank you.


    Miller gives a small, genuine smile. Young Master is too kind. Sleep well, Young Master Rer.


    Surprisingly enough, he does, though he awakens with a sense of dread. He briefly wars with himself to decide what he fears more for theing day, but the answer is clear: the speech. He eats breakfast without tasting it, too distracted by the impending presentation to the town to appreciate the skill that went into preparing his morning meal, but as Miller said: change is better on a full stomach. He just hopes he doesnt manage to puke it back up from his nerves.


    By the time he arrives at the town hall, hes more worried about fainting than vomiting, taking some smallfort in how well breakfast is actually sitting. Miller directs him into his Mayoral office, where a strange sight is awaiting him, strange enough to derail his nervousness.


    On his desk is a rat, wearing a small hat, and a bowtie. Even stranger, as it sees him, it stands and takes the hat off in a theatrical bow. Ah, youre the Mayor, yeah?


    Rer just nods dumbly, and the rat puts his hat back on and takes a seat on the desk. He gives Miller a look, before continuing. Im Teemo, Voice of Thedeim, the dungeon thats been making waves. The Boss wanted to get a look at you before we do this whole speech thing.


    Rer just moves up and takes a seat in one of the chairs usually meant for people wanting to talk to him, still trying to understand what hes seeing. But the dungeons scions are big and threatening. A giant spider in a treacherous maze, a huge raven thatmands enough birds to cken the skies, a beautiful and terrifying winged serpent, a simple yet imposing skeleton in a robe, an intimidating zombie elementalist he starts listing the scions that stuck in his mind, only for the ratsughter to interrupt him.


    And me, the Voice of Thedeim. Tiny, Poe, and the others are for when negotiations break down. If someone cant deal with talking with just a rat, thats their problem. They can talk with me, or they can try to deal with them.


    Miller hmms at that, and Rer does his best to push down his confusion. The reports said the dungeon was strange, and hed certainly ssify having a simple rat as his Voice as strange. He falls back on what he can remember of etiquette and holds forward his hand for a few awkward moments, before instead offering his pointer finger.


    Um pleased to meet you, Voice Teemo. Im Re- er, Lord Mayor Rer Herjan Kalsorthoth Niyeroul ifGofnar the Eighth, he manages without stumbling. The rat gives him a humoring smile and shakes the offered digit.


    I hope you dont mind me just calling you Rer. Thats a mouthful.


    Something about the tone makes the young noble fight to notugh. It is, yes. May I simply call you Teemo?


    The rat nods. Fairs fair. You read the whole thing and are on board, then? he asks, getting straight to business.


    Rer nods. Yes, its a good proposal. He pauses for a moment before continuing. I thank you for this. I never thought something would show up to threaten the town, so never tried to have something nned.


    Teemo shrugs and waves it off. The Boss didnt think itd happen, either, so he cant me you. Heh, he says he screwed up by underestimating Hullbreak, so he acted quick to screw it back down. While its your job to get the people prepared for something like that happening again, it doesnt mean he cant give you a hand.


    Rer doesnt know what to say to that. He cant remember thest time someone talked so candidly to him. A rat, talking to a noble like like twomoners! Even his family doesnt speak to him so informally!


    Young Master, the hall is gathered and ready for you, speaks up Miller, once again slicing through Rers thoughts and bringing him back to reality.


    Lets go knock em dead, heh. Mind if I ride your shoulder, Rer? asks Teemo, and the elf just nods, uncertain how to respond to something like that. Permission granted, Teemo hops onto his shoulder.


    Rer follows Miller out to the packed main hall, trying not to think too hard about how much has changed in just over a days time. He actually finds his nerves more under control than he expected, as he starts to read the speech. Maybe because his mind is more focused on his nned delve,ter. Maybe his new party wont be the only potential friends he could make today.

 Chapter One-Hundred Thirty-Two

    Chapter One-Hundred Thirty-Two


    I watch and listen through Teemo as Rer starts his speech.


    Citizens of Fourdock, I am Lord Mayor Rer Herjan Kalsorthoth Niyeroul ifGofnar the Eighth. Many of you have never even heard my voice, let alone seen me. Its not because of ack of interest, but because of the simple fact that the day to day life here is so stable. Theres no need for me to interfere when life and business are working so well already.


    He nces at Teemo before continuing. Then we got a new dungeon,st spring. Fourdock has not had great luck with dungeons, so ns started to be drawn up for what to do about it. For those somehow unaware: Thedeims growth has been <em>much</em> quicker than usual, which makes nning difficult. An ordinary dungeon may take a year or more before its first expansion, and typically a decade before its first enve.


    ns are hardly made before theyre woefully out of date, thanks to his rapid progress. He pauses, which is Teemos cue.


    Im Teemo, Thedeims Voice, if anyone didnt know, he says and looks around the crowded hall, and sees a few faces light up as they realize why Rer had a rat with him. He wont apologize for his quick growth, nor for taking decisive action against Neverrest and Hullbreak, though he <em>does</em> recognize hes put the local government in an awkward position. He understands that he could just ignore all this and just do his thing, but he says he wants to be a good neighbor.


    And while a good neighbor will do his best to fix any mess that spills onto someone elses property, a good neighbor also lets the neighbor know if a mess might be iing in the first ce. The Boss didnt do that, so he apologizes not only to the Lord Mayor, but to the people of Fourdock, too.


    Rer smiles at that, and at the surprised murmuring of the crowd. He lets them do so for a few moments, before clearing his throat and continuing. And a good neighbor epts an honest and earnest apology, so: thank you, Thedeim. Moving forward, hes agreed to work closer with me and my people to ensure further ns can keep up, as he seems to have no intention of slowing down his growth.


    Teemo grins, earning a few chuckles from the crowd, before Rer continues once more. Which is something that will be good for Fourdock. Revenues are up across the board, delvers and crafters alike are seeing a spike in their growth, thanks to his unique style of challenge. Much like I had no intention of interfering in the lives of Fourdock, I have no intention to interfere in Thedeims.


    He holds up the scrollcase. I have here some preliminary ns, primarily focused on security for the town and trade routes. With the increased wealth all aroundes increased tax ie, which will be put to good use to ensure that, should another evacuation be necessary, a proper shelter will be avable. The guards will also see increased funding, both to be able to facilitate such emergency measures, but to also patrol and secure our road to the rest of the country.


    Ill be inmunications with the various guild heads to work out the specific details and to hear their input, as well as keeping in touch with our local dungeon. For us both to grow strong, we must work together. Thank you, he says and nods at the gathered people, before heading back out the door he entered from. Teemo follows him, so I get to see the young noble dete once out of the view of everyone else.


    His butler is there to help guide the shaking elf to a chair, and offers him a warm cup of tea without prompting, which he sips gratefully.


    That was a good speech, Rer, says my voice, hopping up on the arm of the chair.


    Do you really think so? he asks, sounding more battered and tired than a lot of my delvers after a boss fight.


    Yeah. The boss isnt a great speaker, but you avoiding uhming and stuttering, had good posture, and made eye contact with people. He says those are important, encourages Teemo, earning a small, relieved smile from Rer.


    Well he is not wrong. Rer sets his cup aside for a moment and just shakes out his limbs, working the stress away before he takes his cup back. Will you be able to help with the construction of a hold in the mountains?


    Teemo nods. Yeah, the Boss says he might even get Coda to help with the design. I dont know if the ratlings will be able to provide much help, but they do pretty good work for the Boss, so who knows? I can even make a shortcut to it, once you guys find a good spot. Probably cant go looking until spring? he asks, and the young elf nods.


    The town itself has manageable snow, but not even the dwarven citizens are going to want to wander the mountains until after the thaw.


    Teemo nods at that. The Boss says he could spare a few tundra wolves to survey, but theyre not exactly experts in whats actually needed to build a hold.


    Nor am I, admits Rer. Theyll probably look over what maps of the region we already have and look for a ce near a river source. ess to water means ess to food. As for how to actually carve thats up to the miners, masons, and carvers. He sighs in relief as he finishes his tea, and sags in his chair, at least until Miller clears his throat.


    If the Young Master is recovered, perhaps we could see to the rest of the business of the day? asks the prim butler of his charge, who sighs deeply, but nods before standing. He pauses in mid-step, and gives Teemo a weighing look.


    Teemo would Thedeim be upset if I delved in disguise? Or at all? he asks, and Miller raises an eyebrow at that.


    Young Master?


    Rer grimaces, but pushes forward. I know its supposed to be a secret, but it just feels wrong to not at least let him in on it.


    Teemo smiles. And the Boss will be less likely to let it slip if he knows you want it to be kept quiet. Hes not against it, but he says youll get the same treatment as the other delvers.


    Rer smiles in relief at that. Miller bows at him in acquiescence, though I get the feeling he would have preferred I not know. Id probably be able to tell pretty quickly anyway right?


    Thank you, Teemo and Thedeim. With that, thed and his butler make their exit, and Teemo soon does the same. I turn my attention to the ratlings and Coda working on Rockys ring, watching them go through the process of prototyping the strange arena.


    <strong>Karn</strong>


    The skinny orcish guildleader looks over his desk at histest applicant, and nces at the gentleman at his side. Miller has done an impressive job disguising the two. Rers hair is darkened to almost ck, and his skin is far darker, making him look like a wood elf, rather than the city elf he actually is.


    The light leather armor and other adventuring gear also helps hide the identity of the young noble, as well as the rapier at his hip. Rather than some fancy filigreed thing, its much more simple and practical. At least the Lord Mayor is smart enough to know the difference between something for some aristocratic duel, and something thats going to see actual sustained use.


    Miller is done up to look like theds father: simr skin tone and hair, as well as well-used equipment. He wouldnt look out of ce as part of the guard in any caravan.


    Honestly, he wouldnt have even realized who they are, if not for the fact the forms are incapable of recording falsehoods. He doublechecks the seals to confirm, and theyre still fully functional. Rers full name is clearly there, though his adventurer alias simply has him as Larrez


    I take it youd like the public records to be redacted? he asks, and Miller gives a nod. Alright, thats fine. Lots of people get into adventuring to get away from something, so thats not going to raise too many brows. Youre not joining? he asks, already knowing the answer from theck of a second form for the butler, but itd be rude to ask directly.


    Miller shakes his head. The Young Master needs to grow on his own. Despite my desire to safeguard him from every potential danger, he must still learn to handle some things on his own.


    Karn nods at that and taps his foot as he considers the situation. Itll be a bit awkward for him starting without a party, though. I have a few solo delvers, but theyre naturalworkers, so they dont have trouble proving their worth to get quests.


    Rer looks nervous about that. There are no open parties?


    Karn shakes his head. Nope. Weve had more adventurers showing uptely, but were still out of the way enough that only solidified teams or dedicated soloists have actually joined.


    The orcs foot stops as he gets an idea, and he grins at the newest member of his guild. Though there <em>are</em> two strong people in town who havent joined up yet. They only recently got their sses, so thats fair, but still. I want them in my guild. He grins as Larrez shrinks a bit in his seat. I think your first quest for the guild will be to recruit them. Theyre a bit younger than you, but dont let that fool you. Inspector Tarl is probably the only person in town who has more experience with Thedeim than they do and possibly not even him.


    Miller frowns slightly at that, while Larrez looks confused. How can they have only just gotten their sses, then?


    Karn shrugs and smirks. Youll have to talk to them and probably their mentors, too. Id like your first quest to be to recruit Rhonda and Freddie to the guild. And make a good impression with them, alright? Theyre probably your best bet to form a party with.

 Chapter One-Hundred Thirty-Three

    Chapter One-Hundred Thirty-Three


    <strong>Rer Larrez</strong>


    The young elven noble does his best to suppress his anxiety as he walks down the street. This is the first time in a <em>long</em> time that hes not been apanied by Miller. There is, at least, the smallfort that nobody seems to be paying him any attention, thanks to the disguise.


    He suppresses the urge to look around for his butler, knowing it wont do him any good. Hes appeared between blinks before. If he doesnt want to be seen, hes not going to be seen. Still, hed like to have the reassurance of his presence which is probably why, if he even <em>is</em> around, hes not going to make himself known. Rer is supposed to be learning to stand on his own. If he cant even walk down the street without help, how is he supposed to run even a small backwater like Fourdock?


    Especially with the town making strides towards being a frontwater, at the minimum. He sighs and takes a moment to collect himself. Nobody recognizes him, nobody has any cause to bother him, everyone is just trying to do their thing, which does not include scrutinizing his every move. His eyes wander as he repeats that to himself, showing the truth of the little mantra. The only people around paying him any attention at all are merchants hawking their wares, and even that is simply because hes there, not that they have a specific interest in <em>him</em>.


    Nerves calmed, he continues down the road, following the directions towards Staivens Emporium. Hes vaguely aware of the establishment being one of the premier alchemy and enchanting stores in the town, with Old Staiven being a well-respected member of themunity. Even if he didnt need to pick up Rhonda from there, itd be a good idea to stop in and get some potions. Hes confident in the status of his equipment, but he doesnt have much in the way of consumables.


    He steps through the door, and a little bell rings to alert the goblin sitting behind the counter, a spider the size of a hand sitting on her wide hat. She smiles at him as he enters.


    Wee to Staivens Emporium! Is there anything I can help you with, or would you like to browse some first? If youre looking for true aqua affinity potions, were out of stock, but Master Staiven has plenty of water breathing potions, inspired by the dungeon Thedeim! she says, going through the spiel. Rer probably shouldnt be surprised that people are apparently asking about water affinity potions. He has no intention of going there, but proper adventurers are always pushing boundaries. Even with what happened just a couple days ago, its no surprise that some are looking to delve the watery dungeon.


    His thoughts are interrupted as he realizes hes staring and hasnt said anything yet. He coughs and looks away. Uh Ill browse a little, I think.


    The goblin smiles and gestures at the shelves. If you have any questions, just ask! With that, she turns her attention back to her book on the counter, resuming scribbling in it.


    Rer peruses the shelves as he considers how to try to approach her. If theyre going to be a party, the direct approach is probably the best, but he doesnt know what to say! He picks a red potion from the shelf, seeing itsbeled as a healing potion. He considers how many he should get as he considers his options with Rhonda.


    Just blurting out he wants to join her party would just be too weird so how to approach the subject? He sets the bottle down, resolving to get five, and looks at the lightning resist potions, wondering why there are so many of them. Is Thedeim a lightning affinity dungeon?


    He examines the bottle as hees to a realization. Karn seemed to be at least passingly familiar with Rhonda and Freddie, so perhaps he should bring up the guild. Itd be a better preamble than nothing. He nods to himself as he takes a resist potion to the counter, then brings several healing potions as well.


    Rhonda looks up as the first bottle meets the countertop, and smiles as she watches him gather the rest. Will this be your first time into Thedeim, then? she asks, and he almost drops the healing potions on the floor at her question.


    Is it that obvious? he asks, uncertain how else to respond.


    Eh a bit. I know the regrs, but I havent seen you before. Are you a caravan guard or something? she asks, making conversation as easy as she breathes.


    His cover story is easy to remember and rte, thankfully. Was. I was a guard for a caravaning up here. I heard the local dungeon is pretty good for learning the basics. I just joined the Adventurers Guild, actually. He shows his wooden emblem, and she nods at that.


    Guildmaster Karn seems like a smart guy. He usually sends all the neers here to make sure theyre prepared. Thedeim hasnt killed anyone, but that doesnt mean theres no danger.


    Rer jumps on the opening. Guildmaster Karn actually <em>did</em> send me here, and for more than simply potions.


    That gets her to tilt her head in curiosity. Oh?


    Rer nods. He says you and your friend just got your sses? Hed like to offer you two membership, and I dont have a party yet he weakly finishes.


    Rhonda seems to chew that over for a few seconds, before letting her eyes wander over Rer. Shes clearly taking his measure as an adventurer, her eyes lingering on his leather armor and the rapier at his hip.


    Hmm Freddie and I do pretty good, but we <em>could</em> use a dedicated damage dealer. Is that what you specialize in? she asks, and Rer nods.


    Yes, Im a Fencer with kic and water affinities.


    Rhondas eyes widen at that. Water? Ooohh, that could be really good. Im an Ice, er, I have ice affinity, so we should be able to work together great! She beams for a moment, before deting slightly. Ill need to ask Master Staiven if hes ok with it, though. Hes been teaching me so much ever since I got my ss, I wouldnt want to mess anything up. She looks up and shakes her head slightly. Lucas? Could you go get him?


    The spider on her hat, apparently Lucas, chitters and jumps off, quickly making his way through a hatch behind the counter.


    Rer realizes he hasnt introduced himself yet. He starts a formal bow, before remembering what Miller said about how to blend in properly. Bows might be tradition in higher society, but handshakes are moremonce in the rest of the citizenry. He holds his hand out a little awkwardly and tries to put on a brave face.


    Im Larrez, by the way.


    Rhonda smiles much more naturally and shakes his hand. And Im Rhonda, pleased to meet you! Though you probably know my name already, she finishes with a giggle. It fades after a few moments as she seems to realize something.


    Does Karn know what my ss is? Or Freddies?


    Rer quirks an eyebrow at that. Not specifically, no. He said youre some kind of ice caster, and Freddie is a pdin? he offers, uncertain what she seems to be fishing for. Whatever she was hoping to hear, he apparently said, because she smiles.


    Ah, good! Our sses are she trails off, uncertain how to exin it. A new voice from the hatch, though, saves her the trouble.


    Nothing to be embarrassed about with your ss, Rhonda. An Ice Sage might be a rare ss, but it still takes diligence and work to use, like any other. An aged ratkin climbs out of the hatch in the floor, spider on his head. Once up, he plucks the arachnid off his head and lobs it at Rhondas hat. Back home with you, you hairy leg-beast, he says with a smirk, before turning his attention to the new elf in his shop.


    So, youre here to get Rhonda to join the Adventurers Guild, he says, clearly not as a question. Rer gulps and nods.


    Er, yes sir. He tries not to sweat as Old Staiven peers at him, weighing and sorting everything about him. After a few ufortable seconds, the ratkin speaks, looking and sounding much less intimidating.


    I had expected Karn himself toe trying to beat my door in, or try to sneak a letter or something to her. Rhonda, do you want to join? he asks, and the young goblin nods.


    Yes! Freddie and I delve so often anyway! Itd be a great resource for us!


    Staiven nods at that. Yes, it would. Just be sure to read whatever quests before you ept them. Youre still my apprentice, and Ill not have you running halfway across the continent because you epted a quest you shouldnt have!


    Rhonda giggles at that. No, Master Staiven. Ill be careful.


    He hmphs, though the ghost of a smile ruins his crotchety master look. Good. You three go run along and talk with Freddie. Thetest batch of potions are cooling, and Ill have you bottle them and clean the cauldron once you return. Ill mind the store until then.


    Rer is confused about the number of people Staiven seems to think will be leaving the shop, at least until Rhonda whoops in excitement and hops off her stool.


    Come on, Lucas! We need to get our stuff! Rer watches her go, surprised at how apparently intelligent the arachnid is. His thoughts are interrupted by the voice of Old Staiven.


    You make sure shes safe, Larrez. Freddie does a good job of it, but Ill be holding <em>you</em> responsible if anything happens to her. The aged craftsman is staring at him again, making Rer feel like hes a specimen in a jar. He gets the feeling that, if he somehow manages to get Rhona hurt, that might be a preferable fatepared to whatever else the ratkin might do to him.

 Chapter One-Hundred Thirty-Four

    Chapter One-Hundred Thirty-Four


    <strong>Larez</strong>


    The elf stands in awkward, tortured silence as he waits for Rhonda and her spider to return. Old Staiven seems to be relishing in the silence, seeming to dare Rer to break it. The ratkin is lord of his domain, and Rer isnt certain hes seen higher nobles use silence more deftly than this shopkeeper.


    Mercifully, Rhonda and Lucas dont take too long to return, likely because she only needed a change of robe and hat, and to bring an odd staff with her. Where her shop robe is a bit looser, this one is more close cut, so as to not get easily caught on various dungeon things, yet still loose enough for her to easily move in. Her hat has several little crystals, fangs, ws, and other odd bits tucked into the band around the center cone of it, and her spider is walking around, checking on them all.


    Her staff has two small gems near the end, but the entire thing looks deliberately unfinished, though the red and blue of the gemstones contrast nicely. At her hip, she has a small book and charcoal stick, as well as pouches with potions and other nicknacks.


    She smiles as she hits the floor, already making for the door. Come on, Larrez! Freddie is over at the church! She all but drags him out, and the smirk on Staivens face tells Rer this is exactly what he expected would happen.


    The silence with Rhonda is morepanionable, at least, and much less awkward for Rer to break.


    So an Ice Sage? he asks, curious about a ss he hasnt heard about. He can make some guesses, like the fact that shes obviously a caster and seems to specialize in ice affinity spells, but he would still like to know more about his potential party member.


    She smiles, happy to share the information. Yes! Its, uh pretty rare, as Master Staiven said. I guess the biggest difference between me and a lot of other casters is that I didnt get Arcane affinity.


    Rer frowns slightly at that. So youre an ice specialist? But your staff? he asks, not finishing his sentence as he realizes he doesnt know very much about how caster sses actually function.


    The goblin smiles at him and holds the staff in question up for him to see. Looks kinda unfinished, right? Thats because it <em>is</em>! And Im not quite an ice specialist, either. I have fire affinity, too! she says with pride as she conjures twin spheres of ice and fire around the tip of her staff. She has them orbit each other for a few moments before letting them dissipate, leaving Rer looking rather impressed.


    Opposing affinities? No wonder its a rare ss, he says, surprised shed be able to get a ss like that from any dungeon around here. Fourdock is supposed to be unlucky with dungeons, and generally weak besides. Rhonda continues, and keeps him from retreating into his thoughts too much.


    Theres more to it, too, but it gets pretty deep into magic theory. She blushes a little in embarrassment. Ive tried to exin to a few people, but only Master Staiven has been able to make any sense of it at all. But! She brightens and Lucas chitters. That just means I need to learn more! Learning is definitely part of my ss, too, which is great!


    Rer smiles at her enthusiasm. He was never one to delve into books and scrolls, but his teachers often were. He could always appreciate that gleam in their eye when theyd get ess to some new scrap of knowledge, even if he doesnt feel the same drive they do.


    Before too long, the group reach the Church of the Crystal Shield, and an aged wolfkin smiles as he recognizes Rhonda. Ah, are you here for Freddie? he asks as he leans on his broom, and Rhonda nods.


    Yep! Larrez here is an adventurer, and he wants me and Freddie to join and be a party!


    Oh, a party? he asks, turning a measuring eye to Rerr. He seems a stout enoughd for it. Well, dont let me stop you. Freddie should be in the training yard, I expect, he says with a smile and opens the door for the two.


    Rhonda enters the church like its a friends house, rather than a ce of worship, and Rer awkwardly follows. While he will pay the gods their dues, he prefers to try to stay beneath their notice. Getting the attention of mortals is nerve-wracking enough, he wouldnt want something like a <em>god</em> to pay attention to him!


    The various acolytes and scattered worshipers mostly ignore them, though some smile and nod at Rhonda as she leads the way, all of them clearly used to her presence here. She leads Rer through a few doors and halls, before theye out into arge room for training the more martial adherents of the sect.


    Inside is a sight that Rer was not prepared for. Four elves surround a young orc and a spider. The elves look practically identical, except for the weapons they are using. One has a spear, one a sword, one an axe, and one has a pair of daggers, though all are training, wooden weapons.


    The young orc has a shield with a spiderweb on it, as well as a wooden training axe. His shirt is off, helping him stay cool in the intense training, and Rer can see Rhonda enjoying the view of her friend. At the orcs side is arger spider than Lucas, its body more narrow and long, its legs lithe and thin. Three are held up in front of itself with a web between them, like its own version of a shield.


    Off to the side, a gnome watches. He nces over at the neers for a moment, but doesnt acknowledge them just yet. Instead, his focus is on Freddie.


    Begin, he says simply, and all the forms leap into motion. The sword and axe elves immediately engage Freddie and the spider, while the spear elf stays back slightly, poking his spear forward to try to catch openings hispanions create. Such openings are rare, though, as a spectral shield manifests at Freddies side. The orcs shield, the spider, and the ghostly version all work in tandem to deny any clean hits from the attacking elves.


    The fourth elf, however, is hanging back and slowly circling, trying to stay below notice as he tries to maneuver into a nking position on Freddie and the spider. With the three harrying them, they cant turn properly to keep him in easy view. Soon enough, the elf senses an opening and lunges forward.


    The spider chitters and Freddie responds. Phnx Press! Two more shields manifest as he rushes forward, bodily forcing the three elves back and giving Fiona the room she needs to engage the elf with the knives. He wasnt expecting something like that, and is soon tangled in webbing, before the three others can recover and try to save him.


    With the tide turned in the orcs favor, soon the others are incapacitated, and then suddenly vanish. The extra shields fade as Freddie slumps, and his spider goes to fetch him some water as the gnome and Rhonda both apud. While Rer is impressed as well, hes still confused about what actually happened here.


    The gnome speaks up as the apuse ends. Good work, Freddie! I thought I had you with the sneak attack, but Fiona was on top of it.


    The spider chitters as she hands Freddie the water, and he eagerly drains the cup. She says thank you, Head Priest.


    The gnome rolls his eyes at that. You both know you dont need to be so formal with me, Freddie.


    The orc grins as he epts a towel from the spider and wipes the sweat from himself. But we have guests, Head Priest Torlon.


    Your friends and a guest of theirs. I dont think formality is going to be a major concern for someone Rhonda and Lucas bring along, says the gnome with a chuckle, before turning his attention to Rhonda, Lucas, and Rer.


    You dont usually bring someone else, though, Rhonda. Whats the asion?


    Rhonda smiles and gestures at Rer. Hes from the Adventurers Guild, and he wants to recruit me and Freddie! He needs a party!


    Torlon strokes his chin as he considers that. You two <em>did</em> get your sses, didnt you. Hmm Freddie? What do you think?


    Freddie gets a shirt on and joins the others, his own spider seeming to like to cling to the shield on his back and peer her face over his shoulder. Id like to join but are we ready?


    Torlon nods. Yes. Honestly, youre more than ready. Not ready to <em>leave</em> just yet, but joining the guild would be a good thing to do. Karn is smart enough to not go sending you off abroad. Im not even sure he has the abilities to ept quests that arent local,e to think of it he says, trailing off as he thinks, before shaking his head and continuing. Yes, I think you joining the guild would be a good way to grow, Freddie.


    Besides, speaks up Rhonda with a wide smile. We go delving enough were practically members already! This will just make it official.


    Torlon chuckles and nods. That too, heh. So, this is to be your third member? he asks, looking at Rer. The elf noble tries his best to not shrink under the gaze, and theck of judgement helps him manage it.


    This is Larrez! He says hes a fencer! We could use some dedicated damage, right, Freddie? says Rhonda, and her friend nods.


    We could. We do pretty well, but from what the experienced adventurers say, we take a bit longer to deal with encounters than most. The spider on his back chitters and Freddie smiles. And Fiona says itd be nice to have someone else in melee. Shes right, its a lot easier for me to manifest a phnx with friends closer to the action.


    Is that was that was? asks Rer before he can stop himself, and Freddie nces at Torlon before answering.


    Yes. Im a rare variant of Pdin, who focuses onbined shield teamwork, instead of a single shield.


    Rers eyes widen for a moment at that. <em>Two</em> rare sses? No wonder Karn wanted them both in the guild! Im, uh Im going to have to work hard to keep up, then. Im just a fencer. Uh, water and kic


    Freddie steps forward and ps a hand on his shoulder, and smiles at the elf. Im sure youll do great with us, Larrez. If were going to be a party together, well have to work together to seed!


    Rer still feels hell be slowing them down, but its still nice to be relied on, to be trusted. His fears of failing to live up to that trust re for a moment, but a squeeze of his shoulder trips it before it can get a grip on him. Can he live up to their expectations? Hes not sure but he also gets the feeling theyll help pull him back back up if he falls, instead of pushing him further into the dirt.

 Chapter One-Hundred Thirty-Five

    Chapter One-Hundred Thirty-Five


    I spend much of my morning watching Coda and my ratlings working on Rockys ring, though I do check in on Violet, too. Im trying to not get impatient and rush her, especially after Rer saying Ive been growing way faster than other dungeons.


    Shes actually sending centipede expeditions to scout the area before she expands, being cautious. To be fair, I dont know what will happen with the scythemaw eggs in the area when she expands. They scythemaws proper are delvers, so would they be Residents? Dwellers? Delvers? I think Tarl said the townsfolk would be Residents if I expanded or did he say Dwellers? Id think Dwellers, since Residents seem a bit more connected.


    Violet doesnt seem too concerned about them, though, and seems more like someone looking to buy a house, and wanting to make sure they dont discover the pipes are garbage or something. Whatever the eggs do, I just have to be patient and not push her too hard. Shell get there.


    Around noon, I feel familiar feet, with an unfamiliar set joining them. I smile to myself as I see Freddie and Rhonda, along with Fiona and Lucas, as well as an elf who feels familiar, but I cant quite ce him. I dont need to send Teemo to go say hi, as hes already on his way.


    The kids are looking eager to do some delving, while the new elf is looking a bit nervous, but doing his best to hide it as Rhonda points at the porch.


    And theres the notice board and the quests from the aranea!


    We should get a quest. Itll be a good way to help him get used to how Thedeim works, points out Freddie. Teemo walks out from under the porch and grins as he sees the new elf.


    You guys snagged a newbie, eh?


    The kids look a little confused at the term, and the elf blushes a bit in embarrassment, so Teemo continues. Nothing wrong with it. Everyone has to start somewhere. And with these two, youll be just fine.


    Hell be a great help to us, too, points out Freddie. Hes a fencer. Weve been missing a good damage dealer.


    Could have fooled me and the Boss. You kids can pull out some serious hurt when you need to.


    Rhonda waves that off. We have to do a team up attack to do most of that kind of stuff. I only beat Rocky that one time because I tripped him up and basically made him hit himself.


    The elfs eyes widen at that, as does Teemos grin. You think the new guy could go toe to toe with Rocky?


    Freddie and Rhonda exchange a look, before Freddie shrugs. We havent really seen him in action yet. I think the three of us together could at least give him a proper challenge.


    Teemo is definitely enjoying the poor elfs misery at that idea. Whats your name, anyway? Sorry about talking about you like youre not here. Freddie, Rhonda, Lucas and Fiona are friends of Thedeim, and any friend of theirs is a friend of his.


    He looks even more terrified at that thought, but Rhonda and Freddie smile and motion for him to introduce himself, so he tries to steel his courage. Im Re- er Larrez. Uh just Larrez, he manages, tripping over his words a bit.


    Teemo eases up on him a bit at that and nods. Im Teemo, Thedeims Voice. Just Teemos fine, heh. Anyway, you kids were looking for a quest? he asks of the whole group, and everyone, even Larrez, nods. There should be one to do something down in Violet. You kids could take that one and take the long way. You know, show him the ropes and what all the Boss has to offer, maybe introduce him to a few of the other scions.


    Is Rocky avable for a sparring match? asks Freddie, clearly wanting to actually test if hes right about how theyll fare.


    Eh kinda. The Boss is working on a new arena for him. The big lug wont say no, of course, but he might be a bit distracted by the call of his new ring.


    Freddie looks interested at that, and Rhonda speaks up. Maybe well just stop by to say hello, then. Id love to learn more magic from him, too, but I wouldnt want to interrupt.


    Teemo shrugs. I dont think hell mind if you drop in. Anyway, Ill let you get to it. It was nice to meet you for the first time, Larrez. Just take it slow and learn to work together, and youll all be fine. Larrez pales at Teemos exit, which makes me certain Ive seen him before, but I still cant ce him. Teemo chuckles as he heads down a shortcut, and I decide to keep watching the young party as they look over the quests.


    As they peruse the hanging pieces of wood, Rhonda speaks up. Oh, this reminds me! She levels a finger at both Freddie and Larrez. You two should get a gathering skill! Larrez looks confused, while Freddie looks thoughtful.


    We probably should, yeah. I dont think Im interested in any crafting skills of my own, but gathering could be useful. What do you think, Larrez?


    The elf, still looking a bit ufortable after having talked with Teemo, slowly nods. It would probably be smart, yes. I do not know if I would be any good at a crafting skill, but gathering is a good way to supplement adventuring ie. He gets a little more confident as he speaks, and I can practically see him reading it out of some book or another on adventuring.


    Anything stick out to you two? asks Rhonda, excited her suggestion is getting followed through on. Freddie shrugs.


    I think the ssic for a pdin would be mining or maybe lumberjacking. I even have an axe. But neither really sounds that interesting to me. Larrez?


    Um I have always been intrigued by mining, he admits, to the curious looks of his party. After a few moments, he continues. It just seems rxing? Slow and methodical, nobody around to bother you while you work?


    Freddie nods at that. You could even take up smelting to turn your ore into ingots. Its not the most morous crafting job, but theres no shortage of demand for metals.


    Larrez looks relieved for the support, and is even bold enough to ask his own question. And you, Freddie? If not mining or lumberjacking, what gathering skill would you like to pursue?


    Freddie considers as his eyes wander the quests, before he picks one. Field dressing is interesting. Theres a lot of magic in the herbs Rhonda gathers, but theres also a lot of stuff in the things we fight, too. If nothing else, most skins and hides are worth something to a tanner. And maybe cooking as a crafting skill. He chuckles as he nods to himself, and smirks at Rhonda. If were going to be a party, <em>someone</em> should learn to cook. Alchemy doesnt count.


    She sticks her tongue out at him. Alchemy soup totally counts, she says with mock seriousness, before giggling and not arguing the point. She grabs a quest que to gather mushrooms in Violet, and Freddie shows his to skin three cave bunnies.


    How about you? Violet doesnt have any mining nodes I think, but Thedeim has ones all over in the tunnels and caverns, says the goblin.


    I do not have a pick, admits the elf, but Rhonda doesnt ept that excuse.


    We can get one from a ratling. Or, if they dont want to let us have one, you can use your water affinity to erode the rock and get some ore, right?


    ...in theory?


    Great! Then grab a mining quest, and well give you the grand tour of Thedeim!


    He reaches out and takes a quest to mine some tin, then looks confused as he looks over at what the other two epted. Why do your quests say Violet?


    Ah, says Freddie, realizing they havent been exining things very well, and motions for Larrez to follow him off the porch. Violet is another dungeon, one pretty deep down. Thedeim found her and has taken her as his protege.


    His eyes widen in concern. <em>Another</em> fast-developing dungeon!?


    Rhonda giggles and shakes her head. Nah, shes a lot more mild than Thedeim is, at least as far as Freddie and I can tell. Though she <em>was</em> kinda stuck behind the scythemaws for a while, so there wasnt much expanding she could really do anyway.


    But now the tunnel horrors are gone, points out Larrez, still looking worried. Freddie smiles.


    Sure, but shes still young, and Mr Tarl says shes still acting like it. Thedeim is helping guide her and giving her advice, but if she was like him, she would have expanded as soon as the maws were gone. Im pretty sure she still hasnt.


    Shes also looking like shell be a toybox, points out Rhonda as they round the house and head for the simple herbalism nodes. Her quest might be for mushrooms in Violet, but the simple herbs seem to be a base for a lot of things, so might as well get some on the way.


    A <em>deep</em> toybox, emphasizes Freddie. Apparently, most deep dungeons are belligerent at best. If she keeps this up, the Dungeoneers will probably expand their guild here to ensure shes safe and happy. The kind of resources she could provide could end up putting Fourdock on the map, even if Thedeim wasnt here. <em>With</em> him here


    Larrez sighs and I finally recognize him as he speaks. With them both, the Mayor is going to have his hands full.

 Chapter One-Hundred Thirty-Six

    Chapter One-Hundred Thirty-Six


    I might know Larrez is actually Rer, but it seems the kids havent realized it. Its not like theyve shown any indication of paying attention to politics. With Teemo off helping Jello, its not like I could tell them, even if I wanted to. No, I told him Id be willing to keep that secret, and I dont see why I should change that.


    At least I know why Teemo was grinning and acting like he was. He probably recognized him as soon as he saw him. Well, whats done is done. I look through what I have avable to send to greet the group, and decide on a significantly harder probing encounter than usual. A viper and a few rats wouldnt even slow down Rhonda or Freddie, so I need to step up my game a bit.


    Oh, I should try painting some of the snake scales with the metal transmutation stuff some time. If we can get it to only infuse the scales, that should be a good way to toughen a snake up. I file that idea away forter as I nudge an electric dire rat and a spitting viper to go test the kids. The gatherer groups give the two denizens a wide berth, and its not long before Fiona taps the back of Freddies head and points.


    The young orc looks and nods as he readies his shield and axe. Looks like Thedeim is ready to get started. Electric dire rat and a spitting viper.


    Rhonda nods at that as Lucas pulls a little shard of metal from the brim of the goblins hat, the goblin herself opening her book to a specific rune. There should be an opening to attack after they start. They like to fire from range before closing, she says as magic starts to awaken the rune in the book.


    Rer looks pretty nervous, but seeing the confidence in the other two helps steady him. He takes a deep breath before shifting his feet. Tide Stance he murmurs as he settles into the ssic fencing stance: feet wide, sword forward and raised slightly, back hand held behind and high for bnce. Im a bit surprised to see a watery duplicate of his rapier appear over his head. I can still see a bit of unease in his eyes, but his form looks pretty solid to me.


    I can counter the spit, he says as he steps up beside Freddie, and the orc smiles.


    Rhonda and I can handle the lightning, then. Funneling Bulwark! he shouts as the dire rat starts to spark with the beginning of its attack. Back with Rhonda, Lucas metal shard glows slightly as the rune on Rhondas book shes.


    Lightning Rod! Freddies ethereal shields help channel the bolt of lightning as the dire rat unleashes it, focusing it into the earth at Freddies feet, thanks to the magical influence of Rhonda and her familiar.


    The spitting viper hisses andunches a glob of venom/poison, and this time its Rer who reacts.


    Riptide Riposte! he shouts as he lunges towards the dire rat, the watery rapier intercepting the attack from the viper. It turns an unpleasant purple as it absorbs the attack, but thats not all Rer is up to. His lunge meets the dire rat and scores a good gash down its side, and the water doppelganger of his weapon shes forward to deposit the unpleasant purple into the wound.


    Rer steps back as Freddie steps forward, raising his shield to deflect the enraged bite from the wounded unusually-sized rodent. Freddie sidesteps to take the attack from the viper as Rer steps in once more, and I start to get an idea for why he called it Tide Stance. Each time he hits, the water rapier hits again a momentter. Its like watching waves on a beach erode a sandcastle. I kinda want to see him fight the rockslides, hed probably do pretty well against them.


    Fiona, still on Freddies back, weaves a quick and manages to entangle the viper, giving Rhonda an easy target for an Icicle Spear. The group holds theirbat stances for a few moments, until they get the experience, and then they rx. Rer brings his water rapier to ovep his regr one, before flicking it away to ssh on the ground, carrying with it the blood from the electric dire rat.


    Freddie smiles at the newest member of their party and ps him on the shoulder. Good work! That would usually take me and Rhonda a lot longer to clear! Rer looks a bit embarrassed at that, but doesnt argue as Rhonda pipes up.


    Yeah! Thats some fancy swordwork, Larrez! With you, I think we can take some of Thedeims more defensive monsters, like the slimes and rockslides!


    Is that a good idea?


    Rhonda shrugs. Its not a <em>bad</em> one. Weve been avoiding them because they take too long for just me and Freddie to handle, but your Tide Stance looks like its great for getting through defenses!


    Rer slowly nods at that. It is, yes. Water is very good at getting around defenses, finding the smallest weakness and expanding it. It works very well with my fencing, he says, looking morefortable talking about theoretical application than actually applying it. Luckily for him, (or unluckily, depending on how one looks at it) Rhonda is all about applying theoreticals.


    Great! Well show you the maze, and then head down to the caverns to see if we can handle stuff in there! n made, the group sets off. They dont end up going into the maze, as the line is looking a bit long. That doesnt stop them from getting on top and getting a good view of whats going on.


    I can feel Rer tense once Tiny looks at the group, but the big spider simply waves a foreleg at them and continues on his way.


    Is that normal? asks the poor noble, and the others nod.


    Yeah, says Freddie. If youre just up here to look, hell ignore you. I dont know what hell do if you try to get through the webbing up here and cheat the maze, but I wouldnt try it.


    I half expected to see Vernew up here, Rhonda idly states, scanning the t expanse that is the top of the maze, interrupted only by the trees of Tinysir.


    Freddie shrugs. She must be busy.


    Yeah maybe we can visit her in the enve? With Larrez, we should be able to get through the encounters there without having to spend so much time.


    Vernew?


    Freddie smiles and starts walking back the way they came. Yeah, shes one of the leaders of the spiderkin enve. Shes the Huntsmistress. Kinda bold and brash, but shes cool.


    I wonder if her spear and javelin techniques would trante into fencing, asks Rhonda, looking to Rer for the answer.


    Maybe? Ive sparred against various spears before, and theyve never been especially insightful for my own techniques, but Ive never sparred with a spiderkin, he admits.


    Shes hard to pin down, I feel like you two would be chasing each other all over the battlefield, trying tond a solid hit, says Freddie as he thinks on how the two might face each other.


    Rer quirks an eyebrow at that. Youve seen her fight?


    Rhonda nods. Yeah, beating her was one of our challenges to get our sses. We were lucky and she underestimated us, and we managed to get her caught in a big web tangle.


    Fiona and Lucas both chitter, and Freddie chuckles. Heh, and ourselves, too. It took Tiny several minutes to untangle everyone. I think shed be up for a friendly spar, if she has time. She might be out on a hunt, too, he points out. A <em>Huntsmistress</em> isnt likely to justze around the enve all day, waiting for plucky youngsters toe challenge her to a spar.


    We could follow our first n and go check in on Rocky, then? suggests Rhonda as they start to get off from the top of the maze.


    Might be the better idea, yeah. I dont want to be out <em>too</em>te. Im supposed to do a vigil around sunset.


    Yeah, and I need to bottle some potions, too.


    Rer doesnt seem to have anything pressing, or at least nothing hell admit to. Where are the mining nodes? We could let me mine some tin, make our way to Violet for your quests, and go visit, uh Rocky before calling it a day?


    Freddie frowns as he goes over the timeframe. I think well have toe backter to y with Rocky. We can get some mining done on the way to Violet, but well probably see enough encounters on the way that we should just head to the ratkin enve and through the cemetery to get back home on time.


    The group nods to that, and set off, having a n to be done before their other responsibilities have to be attended to. I watch them go about their fun as I nudge Queen with the steel scales idea, and she seems all for it. She even wants to try giving electric affinity, which I like the sound of. The kids might not get to spar one of my scions or one of the leaders of an enve, but I still want to give them a boss battle. You know, something to remember their first delve as a party by.

 Chapter One-Hundred Thirty-Seven

    Chapter One-Hundred Thirty-Seven


    The kids make pretty good time as they head deeper towards Violet, and I make sure one of my ratlings drops a beat up pick along their path before it continues on its way. They dont miss it, and soon enough, Rer is whacking away at any nodes theye across in the tunnels.


    Even I can tell he has a lot to learn about mining, but hes pretty good at pacing himself, so hes not wearing himself out. Freddie is also slowly learning how to field dress things, though hes still making a pretty big mess. He doesnt have too much difficulty getting a hide off of a dire rat, and skinning a viper is pretty simple, too, but any magical bits of my denizens are still out of his reach.


    Rhonda isnt having much difficulty with her gathering as they journey underground, easily plucking various lichens and fungi as they pass the nodes. To be fair, though, shes had actual experience with her gathering. She gives Freddie a few pointers with some of the dressings, but she has clearly learned more about herbalism, despite how easily I saw Staiven process that widow a while ago.


    While they travel and have fun, I check on how the scale painting is going for the twinsnake, and it seems to be going great! It might <em>look</em> like the snake is being devoured by a swarm of ants, but theyre actually carefully applying the metal transmutation to the scales, and the snake doesnt seem to be suffering any for it. Queen is waiting to give it the lightning essence until after the scales are done, not wanting either process to potentially interfere with the other.


    Thats fine by me. While the twinsnake would respawn if anything goes too poorly, I wouldnt want to waste the time on failing. I would worry about traumatizing them with a brutal death, but my denizens dont really seem to mind dying all that much, as far as I can tell. Death is probably a bit less traumatizing when you know youll just respawn.


    I take my time to watch the ants work on the twinsnake as the kids get close to Violet. Theyll be safe with her, and Queen would probably like me to ry anything particrly interestingter, via Teemo.


    <strong>Violet</strong>


    The young dungeon takes her time deciding when to expand. While her mentor has given her a quest to do so, theres no true urgency to it. She has the mana for it, but shes still a little nervous about expanding beyond the solid door her mentor gave her.


    Her mushroom scion is confident there will be no danger in the small cavern outside her current borders, even with the scythemaw eggs. He doesnt know what theyll do when she expands, and thats honestly part of why shes been dying her mentors quest. What if she gets a scythemaw spawner? What if she gets a scythemaw <em>enve</em>?! What if the poor eggs just <em>die?!</em> She doesnt really like any of those possibilities, and her scions cant think of anything else that might happen when she expands.


    Her mentor doesnt seem to know what might happen, either, but hes not worried, which makes her at least pretty sure the eggs wont just die on her. Theres still the possibility of her gaining scythemaws, though, which she doesnt like. Theyre big and scary and mean. Her centipede scion thinks they could be nicer if she raised them, but she doesnt know how to do that. She doesnt have the kind of water a scythemaw would need to live in, anyway.


    She could upgrade some of her own things a bit more to further dy, but her mentor is right about her needing some more room. Her little cavern is pretty overrun right now. She likes the movement of her denizens and her bunnies, with thetter being great bait to lure things for the former to kill. She doesnt like hurting delvers, but she has no qualms at all about destroying invaders. They only give mana when defeated, not when they beat her denizens or kill a bunny, and her mentor has no problem with wiping them out, either, so shes happy to follow his lead on this.


    Her door slowly creaks open, and she sees some familiar faces, though their clothing is different. Oh, and theyve brought one more, too. She still sometimes thinks of the two as walking mushrooms, remembering her first experience with Rhonda and Freddie, and their spiders. She still thinks Rhonda looks a lot like a mushroom, even after Teemo exined her wide cap is a hat. Shes been hoping her mushrooms will develop caps like hers. It just looks interesting.


    Freddie is at least easier to identify as not a mushroom, though his shield on his back makes her think one is growing from him, sometimes.


    Their new friend is not a mushroom at all, though he seems friendly enough. He has a new weapon that she hasnt seen before, which reminds her of one of her centipedes legs, except it doesnt bend and move like they do. She simply watches as they enter, their weapons ready. She knows they know she wont actually attack them, but outside is still dangerous, and something could have slipped in.


    They quickly see everything is as it should be, and so rx and put away their weapons, and Violet enjoys them simply wandering around. Rhonda starts picking mushrooms, and Violet enjoys the mana gained from it. Shes a bit surprised when she gets a surge, but a question through the bond to mentor Thedeim gives her a simple answer: quest.


    Teemo had told her about her mentor giving quests, about how it gives more mana all around, and she would very much like to be able to give her own quests if thats how they work.


    Rhonda continues to walk around, gathering some mushrooms and just being a good delver while Freddie and the new one start to hunt her bunnies. Her bunnies are quick, but so are the delvers, and the neers sharp leg easily dispatches whatever bunnies he gets close to. Freddie takes his time to skin them, and another surge of mana lets her know he had a quest, too.


    She watches the neer, wondering if he has a quest, but it soon bes clear he probably doesnt. He says something to the others, who simply shrug and shake their heads. Maybe he was asking about a quest? She should ask mentor Thedeim about itter or Teemo. She thinks its aplicated enough answer that shell want the Voice to help.


    As the delvers prepare to leave, she gets a feeling from her mentor. He wants to have a boss fight in her territory? Shes reluctant, remembering how scary the scythemaw was, but he assures her it shouldnt be as dangerous as that. He even indicates hell have some healing ants and slimes nearby, just in case, which eases her concern a lot.


    She decides to let her mentor challenge her delvers, knowing theyre some of his favorite ones, too. He wouldnt hurt them just to give her some mana. Just a few seconds after she gives permission, she feels the doors open, and she sees what the boss fight will be.


    The delvers do, too, and immediately draw their weapons and watch as the odd monster enters. Shes seen some of her mentors snakes before, but this one isrger than most, and has two heads! Even more, its shiny, looking like its made of the same stuff Freddie is wearing. The ten-foot long snake rears up as it coils itself some, an arc of electricity traveling up the connection of the necks to the body with a crackle. The lightning dissipates as the two heads hiss, one revealing wicked fangs, and the delvers prepare to deal with her mentors challenge.


    Freddie draws his shield, then draws it another few times. Violet doesnt know how he does that, but she cant think of any other way for him to have so many shields around him. He shouts as he ms them into the ground, forming a wall.


    Palisade! While their conversation may elude her, skills are a lot easier to understand. The neer conjures a water version of his stabber as Rhonda and Lucas start working together on some kind of spell.


    In response, the twinsnake starts its offensive. The two heads hiss once more, and each has an attack to test the delvers. One sends a strong kic punch at the shields, as the other delivers a bolt of lightning that arcs along the barrier. Something in the protection fails, letting some of the lightning through, giving all of the delvers a nasty shock.


    Fiona jumps forward to start patching the barrier, but Freddie lets ite apart as the attackse to an end. He, Rhonda, and the neer all charge the snake, which seems to catch it off guard. It recovers just enough by the time Freddie barrels into it, catching his charge and only being pushed back a few inches. The heads try to strike around his shields, but Freddies friends dont give it much chance to do so.


    Fiona is working on trying to tie the two heads together with her silk, while the neershes andnces with his weapon, the water double striking a heartbeat behind each time and driving the fanged head back. Freddie gets a good swing of his axe, but it only skids along the shiny scales of the boss, rather than biting in.


    He shouts and the neer stabs at the main body of the snake, and he has better luck. The shiny protection has small gaps, Violet realizes, which the stabber is perfectly made to take advantage of.


    Not that the snake is going to just let him. It tries to focus on the stabby one, but Freddie and Fiona are experts at getting in the way. Rhonda shouts from the back, and the stabber nods uncertainly as his water stabber intercepts a stream of green fluid from the fanged head. After a few more moments of attack and defense, the stabber takes a step back and shouts.


    Undertow! Water seems to just bubble from the ground and move with speed, breaking the stability of the snake. Rhonda takes the opportunity to unleash her own attacks, and the stabber shouts with her.


    Rime Tide! the water crytalizes, holding the snake in an awkward position for a few moments, though the snake quickly starts to regain its posture.


    But not quickly enough. As the ice formed on the snake, fire started to lick around Freddies axe, and this time its him and Rhonda who shout.


    zing Strike! The heat of the attack,bined with the snake being off bnce, lets Freddie find or perhaps create arge enough gap in the scales for his axe to bite deep. The fanged head gurgles a hiss before going limp, and the other head shatters the ice with a kic burst.


    It brings its tail around and bashes Freddie back a couple steps, and turns its focus on the stabber. He looks nervous, but a shout from Freddie helps stabilize him and his nerve. Freddie shouts again and the stabber shouts as well.


    Urchin Stance! Freddies shields move to surround the stabber, as he draws several more of his water stabbers. He goes on the offensive, his attacks poking through small holes in the shield coverage to score hits on the wounded snake. It tries to attack back, but each strike is not only blocked by the shields, but then countered with the sickly-green water of the stabbers.


    The snake fights valiantly, but each strike weakens it, slows it, and before long, the stabber gets a clean shot through one of the snakes eyes, and the beast falls. Rhonda whoops with excitement as they get their experience, and Freddie smiles wide. The stabber, though, practically copses to the ground, rolling to his back to stare upwards as he tries to catch his breath.


    Violet is surprised at how well the delvers fought. It wasnt the singr overwhelming attack she saw defeat the scythemaw, but it was still very impressive! And it wasnt as scary as the fight with the scythemaw, either. She lets them rx as she digests the fight. Should she try to make a boss? She doesnt want to have a fight like that all the time but maybe a scion would work?


    Her mentor has a scion intended for fighting, maybe she should copy that? She looks at her own scions, and slowly decides neither of them would be really fit for something like that. Her centipede protects her core, and her mushroom keeps her informed of the outside. If neither of them will work maybe a new one? She considers the expansion avable past her door with a new perspective. Not only would she get new territory, but she should get a new spawner or two, and her mentor will certainly encourage her to get a new scion for each spawner. Perhaps shell try to make one of them into a boss.


    Shes still not going to do much fighting but she <em>did</em> get a lot of mana from that scuffle. Maybe an asional battle wouldnt be so bad.

 Chapter One-Hundred Thirty-Eight

    Chapter One-Hundred Thirty-Eight


    I smile as I watch Rer copse after the fight. Hes not hurt, just exhausted. I cant really me him, either. He did a lot of heavy lifting in that fight, which Freddie and Rhonda clearly appreciate. The goblin pulls a little blue potion from her belt and hands it to the supine elf, who eagerly downs it. He sighs as energy fills him, or at least his mana. I dunno if its technically a different thing from something like stamina.


    He gives Rhonda a tired thumbs-up, to theughter of all gathered, and I let them enjoy their victory. The twinsnake was a great challenge for them, and Im d to see it seems to be keeping the properties as it waits to respawn. I think it might need the asional touch up, but theyll be great as a wandering boss in the caverns.


    I can feel Violet looking more seriously at the expansion, too. She seems to be a bit inspired by the show, which I didnt even intend. Still, if it gets her to expand quicker, Ill take it. Expanding gets a dungeon so much good stuff to y with.


    I dont quite cross off getting Violet to expand from my to-do list yet. Dont go making checks before theyre cashed or something. I also cant quite check off Rockys new boxing arena, even if its progressing nicely. It does make me look at two of the other items on it that I should really get going officially on.


    One is in getting Leo to go check on the Southwood and the progress of the trail there. I could just poke him to get going, but I instead poke Teemo to go check on him. Hes been gathering a few supplies and ensuring the tundra wolves will be ready to join him. As I focus in on him, I even see Honey buzzing around, which seems strange. Probably a good idea to get Teemo in there to see what theyre up to.


    Only a minute or two pass before Teemo exits a shortcut in the library, where Honey is buzzing around, her bees covering Leos saddlebag things. The wolf scion stands stoically as Honey works, though he nods at Teemo as he enters.


    Heya Leo, Honey. She helping you get ready? asks Teemo, unable to keep from smiling at the scene.


    Leo considers for a moment before shaking his head and growling a response.


    <em>Us</em>?


    Honey does a little buzzing dance before returning to her work, and Teemo looks confused.


    Uh Boss? Honey says shes going with him.


    Huh. Why?


    Teemo rys my question, and Honey starts doing an borate dance routine, which Teemo quickly interrupts. The Boss doesnt need an itemized list, Honey. He just wants to know why youd want to leave the library, especially for something potentially dangerous like this.


    Her reply dance feels a bit curt, and I dont doubt for a moment that shes upset about not getting to actually dance out a detailed essay on why she should go. Still, she gives Teemo the tl;dr, which he rys.


    She says she wants to make sure Leo has all the information hell need. She can create maps and explore easier than he can at least for a while. She has calctions to prove Leo and the wolves can keep her and the colony shell be taking warm, too, but I dont think shell need to show them, yeah?


    Uh, yeah, I believe her. Im not against her going, just a bit surprised, is all.


    Leo yips with a grin, getting augh from Teemo.


    Leo says she just wants to get closer to the new information. Theres not much on the Green Sea, so of course she wants to be one of the first to actually provide details.


    Honey manages to huff and buzz at the same time, before returning to her packing.


    Shes probably loading up a few other wolves with stuff, too? Teemo asks, and Leo nods. Thats fine then. Bats and birds will still be sent out, too, so you should be easily in contact with the Boss. When will you two be ready to head out?


    Leo tilts his head as he things, before giving a soft wuff, which Teemo nods at. He says not long after sunset. Itll be easier to rally the tundras and make a quieter exit that way.


    Works for me. Do they need anything special?


    Teemo asks and Leo shakes his head. Nah, looks like they have everything they think theyll need. Honey actually has some go juice and a bit of the metal elixir, too. I have no idea what shell use it for.


    How about healing?


    She says shell be bringing along a lot of healing ants. Shed like a healing slime, but they just dont fit in a saddlebag.


    Ah, right. Did you and Thing ever figure out how to make bags of holding?


    Not quite, but I think we can manage. Probably not until after they go, though.


    Thats fine. We can send a wolf with a healing slime in er. Heh, probably along with you, Teemo. Id like to have shortcuts between the outposts, if you can manage that?


    My Voice whistles at that. Thats gonna be a thing. I should be able to manage, but it wont be quick.


    Can you manage before the end of winter?


    Hmm probably. Having a tundra wolf to ride would make it a lot easier, too. Winters supposed to be pretty rough, but at least it cant snow inside one of my shortcuts.


    Cool. Well, if Leo and Honey dont need any help preparing, I do have one other thing Id like to at least get started on today.


    Sounds like you have another something big in mind, Boss.


    Yeah I want to ask Aranya more about how she came here. Shes implied there are more kobolds, and that theyre not doing great. If I can, Id like to be able to do something to help.


    Where is she?


    Looks like shes hanging out with Norloke, having a nice bit of tea and chatting.


    Then Ill be there in a couple minutes, Boss.


    No rush.


    I focus in on their conversation, and I see Aranya smile as she sets her tea down.


    Ah, Lord Thedeim is here.


    He always is, replies Norloke with a motherly smile, before realizing Aranya doesnt mean it metaphorically. Oh! The Weaver is paying us attention? She looks around, and Aranya nods.


    He is, though I dont think its anything too serious.


    I should hope not! He considers things like the scythemaws and the attack by Hullbreak to be serious! Ive had enough seriousness tost me a while, thank you.


    Well, you know the Weaver, Norloke. Hes not happy if hes not whittling away at something that most would just leave alone, Aranya replies with a grin. She might be able to hide it from Norloke with her cup, but I can still see it. Are all High Priestesses so cheeky, or am I just rubbing off on her?


    The Boss says youre being cheeky, says Teemo as he enters the cozy room, and Aranya simply smirks.


    And yet I havent been smote. Teemoughs with her, though Norloke just rolls her eyes like a mother whose child refuses to be as reverent as they should be. Does Lord Thedeim need me? she asks with more seriousness.


    Yeah, but nothing dangerous. Well, nothing that he expects will be dangerous, at least. He wants to know more about how you got here, and how the kobolds are faring deeper down. Hes going to be expanding more eventually, and he wants to help more than just the people on the surface, you know?


    Aranya grimaces as several emotions flicker across her features. Not really a surprise that her past isplicated. She takes a deep breath and tries to focus herself, and nods.


    I had been hoping He would be interested, but didnt want to ask. Hes already given so much. She sighs again and firms her resolve. This is probably a good time to talk about it, too. May I ask the rest of the Triumvirate to listen, as well as Elder Larx? The enves may have to deal with more than just tunnel horrors if You expand much deeper.


    Thats fair. Teemo, you want to go get Larx?


    You want me to bring Larx here, or do you all want to go visit him at the ratkin enve?


    We can go visit him, speaks up Norloke. No need to make him walk all the way here, even if he uses a shortcut. Ill gather the others and we can meet him at his enve.


    Aranya nods at that. Would you please tell him to expect us, Teemo?


    Yeah, I can do that. See you there! With that, Teemo slips into a shortcut, leaving Aranya and Norloke to prepare to get going.


    I leave them to it as I try to not let my mind wander with the possibilities of what Aranya will say. Ive been trying to ignore this partially because I didnt think I could do much about it. With her state when she first got here, its easy to guess kobolds arent doing so hot. If I cant change it, Id rather not know the details. But after dealing with Hullbreak, or at least getting past the first hurdle, theres a very real chance I could actually help them.

 Chapter One-Hundred Thirty-Nine

    Chapter One-Hundred Thirty-Nine


    As Teemo exits the shortcut into Larxs kinda open-air temple thing, I see the ratkin easily chatting with Freddie, Rhonda, and Rer. Hes smiling as they recount the fight with the electric twinsnake, enjoying their youthful energy as well as Rers fidgeting as the other two talk him up.


    Larx spots my Voice, and waits for a lull before saying something.


    Is this an official visit, Teemo, or did you want to hear how they handled Lord Thedeimstest challenge?


    The kids and spiders all look to Teemo, happy to see him, and he takes a moment to bask in the attention before speaking.


    Official kind of. Aranya and the Triumvirate are going to be visiting. She has something important to discuss.


    What is it? asks Freddie with a tinge of concern, but Teemo waves him off.


    Just some underground stuff, he deflects. Rhonda and Freddie seem to ept that, but Rer seems to have more experience being deflected. He doesnt ask anything right now, but I wouldnt be surprised if he asks about itter when hes here in a more official capacity.


    We should probably get going anyway, says Rhonda, and Freddie nods as he stands.


    Me and Rhonda have stuff we need to do, too. Tell them we said hi, Elder?


    Larx nods. Of course. Theyll be sad to have missed you, but wouldnt want to keep you from your responsibilities. May Lord Thedeim bless you, he says with a wave of his hand, and a subtle breeze of orange drifts across them all.


    Rers eyes widen at that, but Freddie and Rhonda get him moving before he can work himself up into the panic that it seems he wants to. Once theyre well out of the enve, Larx breaks the silence.


    So thats the young mayor.


    Teemo bursts intoughter, and I still need to figure out a good way to give a t look to my Voice. After a few moments to calm down, Teemo finds his ability to speak. So, whatd you think?


    Hes not what I expected. Thed needs to learn some confidence to go with whatever schooling hes had and will have. I think Freddie and Rhonda will help him with that. Nothing builds confidence like sessfully doing a challenging delve. He pauses to muse, before continuing.


    So, what does Lady Aranya and the Triumvirate actually need?


    To talk about underground stuff. Specifically: her past, and how the kobolds fare.


    Larx leans back into his chair. Ah, that makes sense. Lord Thedeim acts above and below. He feels Hes ready to tackle the darkness of deeper down, which even the glowmoss cant dispel?


    Teemo nods. Yeah, though I dont think hes going to actually tackle it. More like sneak in and take it apart, piece by piece.


    Larx nods at that and takes his staff in hand to stand. Then Im going to need more tea, and some of the mushroomsnap cookies. We havent managed anything like actual bread just yet, but some of Honeys honey and some ginger makes a decent cookie to dip into some warm tea.


    Teemo follows as he heads into his chambers. While Larx prefers to keep the little temple fully open to the public, he recognizes something like this might be the kind of thing Aranya would like to keep private. A subtle orange glow envelopes things as Larx works, his faith helping him prepare for guests. His timing is incredible, too, as hes pulling a second kettle from the fire as a knock sounds from his door.


    Come in! he says as he ces thest jar of tea leaves on the table, next to arge te of cookies, and my Head Priestess and the Triumvirate enter his humble abode. Its a little cramped, thanks to Frns size, but it feels more cozy than anything as they all settle around the table.


    Would you like some tea and cookies before we begin? he asks.


    Just some tea for me, please, says Aranya, and Frn echoes her.


    Those cookies smell <em>good</em>, speaks the eager Vernew as she grabs a couple, mostly ignoring the tea. Norloke is more patient, however.


    Both for me, please, and thank you.


    Larx smiles at them all, and soon everyone is enjoying his hospitality. Norloke even gets Vernew to have a cup of tea, and shows her to dip the cookies, much to her delight at the new vor and texture.


    Aranya lets everyone get settled before she begins. If you all dont mind, Id like to start. Nobody seems to mind, so she continues. Lord Thedeim has asked me to tell more of how I came here, and about where I came <em>from</em>, and I wanted you all to hear this. You are His dwellers and live below the surface. If He expands much further, I think the Deeps will start to truly notice us, and we all need to be prepared.


    She pauses to let everyone take that in. Half-eaten cookies are quickly finished, and soon the red kobold has everyones undivided attention.


    She takes a few more seconds topose herself, then she begins. While Lord Thedeim is a Sanctuary in the truest sense, the ones deeper earn being called dungeons. There may be other Sanctuaries there, but Ive never heard of them, at least not in anything besides legends.


    The Dungeons of the Deeps are Im not even sure where to start, she admits, and takes a few more moments. My enve was in one of the dungeons. It had no spawners we could have developed from, which isnt a surprise. My people are treated as ves there, and were probably taken instead of developed. Theyre forced to do the dungeons wishes, which mostly involvebor. There is a settlement not far from my home, mostly pale elves and pale dwarves. They worship it, and delve to make it stronger. They tithe much of their materials gained, and we kobolds must collect and process it.


    Ores are smelted, metals forged, weapons, armor, and more are made, and the dungeon uses it as loot for the delvers. The town and dungeon grow together, almost a mockery of how Lord Thedeim nurtures us and Fourdock.


    She closes her eyes, trying to resist tears as she continues. My people are <em>sacrificed</em> to the dungeon, murdered by the pale followers so the dungeon can grow. They sacrifice anything else they can get their hands on, too, but my people seem to be what the dungeon likes the most.


    <strong>I</strong> was to be sacrificed, but I wasnt the only one, that day. They were also going to offer some monster they had found, some terrifying mass of tentacles and mouths. I dont know how they captured it, or even what it was, but it got loose and started wreaking havoc. It picked up my cage and threw it, and I fled in the confusion.


    I ran until I copsed, and only then did I realize I had no idea where I was. I slept in a crack in the wall, then began wandering. Eventually, I came to what Lord Thedeim calls the Underswamps, and I slowly made my way across. I was almost out when one of the tunnel horrors decided I looked delicious.


    She stops there and slowly smiles at the memory. And I found Lord Thedeim, and he killed the monster, and took me in. He gave me clothes, He gave me a weapon, He gave me a true home He gave me <em>purpose</em>. I never brought up my people, because I didnt think there was anything to be done for them. I dont even know where they <em>are</em>, how can I help them? And He already gave me so much, I couldnt try to ask for more.


    She stops there, unable to think of anything else to say. Everyone is clearly digesting her story. Larx looks sad to hear that a dungeon could do something like that. Norloke looks like she feels simrly, but is leaning more towards horror than sorrow. Frn has all her arms crossed and is frowning. I can practically see battlens forming in her head. Vernew looks like she wants to skewer something, but has to settle for snatching up and devouring a cookie. Teemo is looking almost shocked at how bad it is.


    And Im trying to resist getting Poe to send as many bats on expedition past the underswamps as possible. Its certainly going to be the priority for underground expeditions going forward, but rushing will only make a mess. Being angry is one thing, but just letting it explode into a fiery rage doesnt help anyone. No, Im an engineer, and making heat do work is practically the profession in a nutshell.


    So lets get down to business.

 Chapter One-Hundred Fourty

    Chapter One-Hundred Fourty


    Unfortunately, its easier to <em>want </em>to get down to business than to actually <em>get</em> down to business. The biggest hurdle is that I know even less than I did about Hullbreak when I started. At least I knew where Hullbreak was! So time to do what I can. The most I can do directly is ask Poe to focus the underground expeditions out past the underswamps. If I want to kick that dungeons butt, I need to find it, first.


    The other thing I can do is to make sure the home front is well and secure, which means making sure Violet and Hullbreak can support themselves. Violet is fine on that, technically. She doesnt have many delvers, but she also doesnt have much in the way of expenses. With me sending quests for delvers for her, she should be getting a lot more mana now, too. I can also feel her shuffling closer to expanding, so I poke Teemo to go visit and see if she has any questions or wants any guidance for her first expansion.


    Thankfully, it looks like the mood has lightened significantly in the meeting, my dwellers doing their best to reassure my High Priestess, who reassures them in kind as she can feel me moving. Theyve moved on to the more idle chatter between friends, which lets Teemo slip out without making much of a fuss.


    Whats up, Boss?


    Heya Teemo. Can you go check on Violet? I think shes about to expand, and Id like to be able to answer any questions or worries she has.


    Like with the scythemaw eggs? he asks with a cheeky grin, before slipping through a shortcut.


    Har har. Like with help with whatever new spawners she gets, and with whatever the eggs do.


    You still think they wont cause any problems? asks my Voice, letting his sarcasm fall by the wayside.


    Yeah. I get the feeling they wont do much at all. I think, worst case, theyll count as delvers who arent doing very much.


    Any idea for how to help them hatch?


    Mostly to just leave them alone. Id probably suggest she keep an eye on the temperature and humidity, and probably mana, too, but try not to interfere with anything. The maws have been doing this long enough to know how to make it work, right?


    Teemo shrugs. I guess?


    Its not like either of us has any better idea. Its not too much longer before Teemo exits the shortcut, and then its just a little further until he can slip into Violets area.


    Heya Violet! Howd you like that boss fight? He listens for a few seconds, before rying her opinion. Sounds like it wasnt as scary as she thought it would be, and she kinda wants to have a scion she could use for fights like that.


    Oh yeah? Which one is she thinking to use for that?


    Hmm she says she wants a new scion for it. She likes Legs as her guardian, and Cappy for information.


    Nice, shes named them? I can feel my happiness at the thought filtering through the bond, and Teemo smiles.


    She says shes d you like the names. So yeah, she ns to expand and get a new scion or two. Do you have any advice for her before she does?


    Nothing specific, no. Just to take a moment to take it all in before she spends more mana on various upgrades. She has enough to cover expanding as well as some upgrades to things, yeah?


    Teemo nods. Yep. Sounds like shes as ready as shes going to be. Go ahead, Violet.


    A couple beatster, I feel her territory expand, rapidly iming the entire small cavern outside her door. A few more seconds pass before I get a notification as her mentor, giving me a basic list of what shes gained. What I see has me interested, too.


    She says she can make mining nodes now, and she picked up a pair of spawners. Wait, really? He listens to her reply while I nod to myself.


    She got moles and shadow spirits, and I can see the spirits can upgrade to gremlins for practically a song.


    Yeah. Thats probably not a coincidence. I can feel some concern through the bond, so I pat it to reassure her. Nah, you didnt do anything wrong, Violet. It just seems like one of the Boss experiments wasnt going as badly as he thought, he finishes with a grin. I dont dignify him with a response as I instead take a closer look at my proteges new spawners.


    Looks like the gremlins are a resource specialization, which could be good for her mining nodes. The moles also have a mining specialization, but I cant get too much detail. Its probably more efficient to just go with the gremlins for the resources, and decide on what to do with the molester.


    Teemo rys that, and Violet quickly takes the discounted upgrade. We all watch as a gremlin almost flows out of a crack in a wall like smoke, before moving to one of the nodes, looks like tin or something? Either way, the gremlin picks with its ws at the rock, leaving the metal ore behind, and I can even see it somehow adding to the metal there.


    I take a closer look at the gremlin, and see why. Huh, looks like they picked up metal and earth affinities. Thats cool.


    Teemo speaks up, drawing me from my examinations. Hey Boss, Violet wants to know if she should make scions, and if she should make any of them fighters.


    I take a quick nce at her mana flow, and give Teemo the go-ahead. Its a good idea to get scions, but what kind of fighters does she want?


    Teemo snorts when Violet gives him her reply. She says she wants something like what you have, heh.


    Well I think shell need to do some more prep before she can manage someone like Rocky or the Jakobs Ladder snake. She should probably make a few basic rooms before trying to specialize her new scions. Her mushroom scion will probably make a good marshal, so she should make a war room for a map.


    I take a few moments to see what rooms she has avable, before continuing. I dont see alchemy or enchantingbs but she has ess to a metalworks, which could be interesting. If she wants to pull some kind of surprise, thats probably her best bet.


    Oh! Speaking of surprises


    I trail off as I focus on one of the scythemaw nests, and see something surprising, but not shocking. The nests each count as a very small enve, with the eggs counting as dwellers. Violet notices, too, and I can feel worry dripping through the bond, until Teemo speaks up.


    Hey, easy there, Violet. Youll be fine, theyre still just eggs. Just keep an eye on them, dont bother them, and they should hatch and head out for the water. The Boss says the maws know the best way to let them grow, so try to just not disturb them, ok?


    I can tell shes still nervous about the eggs, but the little pep talk from Teemo seems to keep her from doing anything rash.


    Any advice for how to organize her new denizens?


    Well Id leave the moles mostly alone for now, maybe a couple upgrades to make them stronger, but dont specialize them just yet. Moles and centipedes are probably good to send on expeditions, but make sure she keeps enough at home to deal with whatever new invader she has. She might actually see wild gremlins, so she might want to upgrade her centipedes to be able to deal with them,e to think of it.


    For her new scions Id suggest giving them both turns in running the metalworks, see which one likes it better. Whoever doesnt like it, she can try to see if it likes to fight. If it still doesnt feel quite right, let it focus on dealing with invaders and helping out wherever it can. Some of my scions I had a good idea of what to do with them, and some of them took a while, like Coda. Poor bat was kinda just pping in the wind for a while.


    Teemo rys that, and Im happy to see Violet not just implementing everything I said. Shes her own dungeon, Im just giving her advice to avoid pitfalls. For the moment, it looks like shes getting those rooms I suggested, and getting Cappy to organize a few expeditions.


    I lean back and idly watch her work as I think. Its <em>definitely</em> not a coincidence she got spawners for the two things Ive been trying to gain. Were the ones we released just hunkering down in here, waiting for her to expand and join her? Is that even how it works? I could try to experiment with other invaders but the only other one thates from down here are those dire mosquitoes. I feel like having those as a spawner would traumatize Violet even more than a scythemaw spawner!


    Ill let Jello know shes kind of seeded with the mole/gremlin stuff, though I doubt thatll get her to stop. I dont think Id want her to, either. If she can pacify them and they go to Violet, thats perfectly fine by me. Ill probably ask Violet if I can have one of each once I do my own next expansion. For now, though, Ill just let her get used to the new stuff she has to deal with.


    Violet is making strides now its Hullbreaks turn. Im going to need to ask Tarl to do an inspection. Thats probably going to be difficult for everyone but it still needs to be done.

 One-Hundred Forty-One

    One-Hundred Forty-One


    It doesnt take me too long to decide if I should check on Hullbreak or Tarl first for an inspection. While its not likely to be easy for either of them, I think the consequences will be worse if Hullbreak isnt ready. With that in mind, it just takes a bit of the electrolysis potion for Teemo to head to Hullbreak to check in.


    Ive spotted a few delvers in the days since the battle, but theyve all just barely looked around, maybe snagged a little coral or something, then scooted on out. I dont think the Delvers Guild has any quests in there, so it should just be delvers being adventurous and taking risks.


    I can tell Hullbreak isnt happy about them, just as I can tell hes uncertain what to do about them. His instinct is clearly to attack, but after seeing what I did to repair his territory, hes been fighting that. It probably doesnt help that the delvers are skittish when theyre there. Makes me think of how most dogs only chase cats because they run.


    Yeah I think Ill ask Teemo to kind of be a dry run of an inspection. Itll be a good chance to try to get to know the dwellers a bit better, too. From what I can tell the merfolk enve has organized itself simrly to my ratkin, in that they have an elder who tries to give the will of the dungeon, and the others mostly follow it.


    After the whole thing, and Yendos part in changing things, they all seem a bit aimless right now. I think theyre just getting used to having actual freedom to do things, and the elder is trying to understand Hullbreaks new perspective. Heck, <em>Hullbreak</em> is still trying to understand his new perspective, so yeah, not a surprise things seem a bit off in there.


    With Teemo popping through a shortcut into Hullbreaks territory, its time to actually chat, instead of just trying to look and infer things. The First Mate doesnt take long toe say hello, either.


    The great white shark scion bobs in the water in an approximation of a bow. Greetings, Voice of the Admiral.


    Teemo blows a raspberry at that. Just call me Teemo, you know that. Howre you guys doing?


    We are rudderless, she admits, and I can feel a sh of shame through the bond with Hullbreak. I send a bit of understanding through the bond as Teemo speaks up.


    That sounds about right, to be honest. The Boss has really upended stuff for you guys. Hes given you some space to try toe to terms with it, and now hes ready to give some advice for how to move forward.


    The First Mate sags in relief, and I can feel it echoed through the bond, and Teemo smiles as she speaks. The Captain has been reluctant to do much. He says he feels like all his maps have suddenly been reced and the stars changed. These waters are new and he doesnt want to run aground.


    Is he alright with people delving properly again?


    The shark hesitates at that. I I dont know. Hes willing to try, but hes so used to repelling borders.


    Teemo smiles in encouragement. The n is to start slow and easy. Tarl said that fishing boats count as delvers, and you have those copperfins and silverscales now. The Boss isnt very sure how to make a true underwater encounter anyway.


    I can still feel a bit of nervousness through the bond, but its also backed by a subtle feeling of steel, of wanting to try.


    The Captain likes that idea. The early days of boats and lines those were good times, she reminisces. Teemo lets her enjoy some happy memories for a few seconds before speaking up once more.


    The Boss also wants to get to know your dwellers a bit more. Them and Hullbreak are close, so they also seem like theyre floundering a bit. And if Tarl is going to do an inspection to clear you for delving, hell probably want to try to normalize rtions between them and Fourdock, too.


    I can feel a spike of fear through the bond, which Hullbreka tries to quickly smother, and Teemo can see the First Mate tense for a moment.


    Easy there, calms Teemo. The Boss isnt going to let another ident befall them. Trade and such will be slow to start. And if the dwellers want better trade, the Boss and Coda can get a <em>proper</em> dock built. A proper ce to moor ships, strong enough that even a deliberate ramming attack wouldnt hurt it, let alone a freak wave catching a boat.


    And if they dont want to trade? If the dwellers wish to be left alone?


    Then they can do that, too. The Boss isnt going to force them, but they will need to decide how to handle growing. Their enve is bigger than the ones the Boss has, so logistics and stuff are more pressing concerns.


    The First Mate slowly nods to that. Their growth was a strain on the Captains resources, but he couldnt bring himself to try to stop them, especially since they were trying to not drain his resources.


    Teemo nods once more and swims up to hold her dorsal fin. So lets go talk, and see about hashing some things out, yeah? Once you get some regr delvers, Hullbreak should be able to afford to support the dwellers a bit more, but I expect theyll need to learn how to swim in the waters outside if they want to really thrive.


    The First Mate silently leads the way to the enve, and on the way, they pass several merfolk doing some small gathering: a few mining coral, a few spearfishing, even a pearler. It seems like most are staying in the enve.


    The First Mate isnt too difficult to spot at a distance, so much of the enve is gathered by the time she and Teemo arrive. Theres a lot of curious murmurings as they notice Teemo hitching a ride. Im sure they all remember the sea around them blooming back into life thest time he was here.


    Some of the faces look curious, some hopeful, some are even angry, though a few look conflicted, too. Looks like theyre still not quite sure what to make of me.


    The Admirals Voice is here, deres the First Mate, and the crowd murmurs until Teemo speaks up.


    Just Teemo is fine. The Boss has been trying to let you all adjust before making more changes and its about time for more. Probably not quite as drastic as thest time I was here at least not at first. I know you guys are conflicted about delvers, but the fact remains: Hullbreak will starve without them. Now, the Boss isnt going to just open the floodgates. He wants to take things slowly, and that will start with small fishing boats.


    Some of the older merfolks eyes widen at the memory, and Teemo continues. Hullbreak has some good fish for this now, so that should be enough to easily get him back into a positive mana flow. The Boss also has a few other ns to help with mana, but those cer. For now has anyone gone outside, yet?


    The merfolk all shift awkwardly, looking like theyre not sure if theyll get in trouble for having done so, or for <em>not</em> having done so.


    The First Mate speaks. You wont be in trouble either way. The Admiral simply needs to know. And the Captain knows some of you definitely <em>have</em> left.


    After a few more seconds of silence, a few hands tentatively raise, and I recognize Yendo and his apparent son among the group.


    You have a house or something, Yendo, where we can all chat? asks Teemo, and the merman nods. The other merfolk take that as their cue that they dont need to stick around, and Yendo leads the group to a modest coral house near the edge of the enve.


    I just want to thank you again, Thedeim, for helping the Captain, he says as everyone gets close, and he starts ushering them inside. Things have been much better since you, uh intervened?


    Teemo chuckles at that, though the other merfolk still look a bit nervous. The Boss is happy to help. So, what all have you guys been up to outside of Hullbreak?


    The merfolk exchange nces until everyone is looking at Yendo for direction. He doesnt look too happy about it, but he <em>is</em> the one with the most experience talking to my Voice.


    Weve mostly been exploring. The others prefer to look more towards the open ocean, while Ive been taking a closer look at the shoreline. Theres actually quite a lot of lobsters and crabs not too far from your beachhead, Thedeim.


    Anything interesting out deeper? asks my Voice, and Yendo nods.


    Theyve been finding some great spots for various fish as theyve been mapping out the currents. Lots of stuff gets carried out to attract them.


    Have you considered trying to nt anything outside, either to eat for yourselves, or to bring in more wild fish?


    Yendo and the others all stare for a few moments, having clearly <em>not</em> thought of something like that, and Teemo smiles at them.


    You should probably look into it, then. A lot of the Boss dwellers like to hunt outside, but also farm. Right now, they can fit their farms in the enve, but you guys are big enough youll probably have to nt out past Hullbreaks territory. If you can be self-sufficient on food, thats a <em>huge</em> pressure relieved, informs Teemo.


    The merfolk look thoughtful at that, and seem to be nning how to make that work in their heads. They soon start to voice their ideas, and Teemo and the First Mate mostly stay quiet, letting the merfolk figure things out. Theyll need to talk to the others, since its going to take a lot more farming than just this handful, but its a start. Sometimes, all someone needs to walk on their own feet is a little help to find a path. Drop someone at a crossroads, and they wont know where to go. But just a little information about where the paths lead can get them walking on their own, get them thinking about what they actually want to do, where they want to go.


    Even if its a long road to travel, having at least some idea where it leads can bring a lot of confidence and peace of mind.

 Chapter One-Hundred Forty-Two

    Chapter One-Hundred Forty-Two


    Watching through Teemos eyes as the First Mate takes him around Hullbreak really helps put things in perspective, which makes sense, now that I think about it. Most of Hullbreak is still a work in progress, but we do identify something that he should probably work on himself: the location of his core.


    Riding the First Mate, its not difficult for Teemo to spot the various merfolk around the kelp thicket that hides the small cave with Hullbreaks core inside. He told the dwellers, then?


    The shark nods in her odd way, undting her entire self up and down a few times. Yes. You said thatd be fine? she asks with a little hesitation.


    Yeah, thats fine. The Boss likes his secret, but you do you. What are you going to do about delvers being around, though?


    The First Mate freezes for a moment, and I can feel Hullbreak is blindsided by the question, too. Uh


    Teemo chuckles as I get an idea, and pass it on to him. The Boss says it shouldnt be too big of a problem. Back in one of his first inspections, Tarl said his basement was off limits, thanks to the presence of the Bosss strongest stuff at the time. If you put strong denizens in and around, he could do the same especially if the merfolk act as guards, too. Strong denizens can sometimes <em>draw</em> delvers, rather than discourage them, but dwellers are a different story.


    Would the merfolk be safe? asks the First mate immediately.


    Not perfectly, but if they look official and have the backing of not only your strongest denizens, but also official ODA info that the area is to be avoided, theyll be as safe as we can make them.


    Hullbreak isnt exactly thrilled with that answer, but his scion doesnt argue the point, and soon they continue on. The only other real ce to take a look at is the gull ind. The First Mate cant join Teemo on thend there, but he doesnt stray too far from the shore as he looks around.


    So, whats Hullbreak think of building something here? he asks as he pokes around. The various gulls eye him, but stay out of his way.


    He hasnt really thought about it. He doesn''t have much that <em>could</em> build, points out the shark.


    The Boss does, though. He thinks a lighthouse here could be a good way to give some traditional delving, and would fit the feel of the ce. Teemo hops up on arge rock to look over the rest of the ind, and the Quartermaster finally notices him. The albatros eyes widen and he scrambles from his nest of seaweed to stand at attention.


    Nah, none of that. The fight wasnt personal, you were just getting ready to do something the Boss couldnt allow.


    The Quartermaster squawks a reply that gets Teemo to sigh, even as the First Mate grins. Then at ease? As you were? Whatever I have to say to get you to sit down and settle down.


    The sit part is simple enough, but the Quartermaster looks anything but settled in his nest. Teemo gives him a t look, before speaking up again.


    How about you? What do you think of a lighthouse here?


    Teemo frowns at the squawk he gets. No, I dont want what you think I want to hear. Whats your honest opinion?


    The Quartermaster nervously nces at the First Mate, who somehow manages to convey a shrug. Just tell him what you think.


    Uncertainly, he gives a few squawks, and Teemo smiles. See, that wasnt so hard. It <em>would</em> give you guys plenty of space to perch, and give you a good chance to actually challenge some delvers, yes. Itll probably be mostly crabs inside, though.


    The Quartermaster looks thoughtful at that, and seems to be actually rxing some as he chews it over. Teemo takes the chance to focus back on the First Mate. The Boss also thinks you should try expanding towards the shore, once you get the mana for it. Tidepools or a sea cliff cave could also be great ces for delvers to do their thing.


    The Captain was thinking something along those lines, but didnt bring it up since itll probably be some time before he has the mana for something like that.


    With luck, it might not be so far away after all. Teemo looks out over the waves as we both think about what other ns I have, but thats really all of them for Hullbreak.


    Oh, actually


    Teemo looks a bit surprised as I tell him, but hes more than happy to pass it along. The Boss would also like for your Quartermaster to visit his territory eventually, so the Captain can have a better idea of what Thedeims goals are, and how he aplishes them.


    The Quartermaster stops looking rxed and instead looks positively panicked at that idea. Hullbreak, however, seems to like it the more he chews on it.


    The Captain says that could be arranged. When should hee see?


    Teemo shrugs. Probably in a few days or something? Poe cane escort him after the inspection some time. The town would probably be nervous if he just flew in on his own, after all.


    The scions look a little ufortable at the understatement, but dont say anything. After a few moments, Teemo fills the silence. Thats about everything, though. Ill head to town and see when Tarl can do his thing.


    Let me give you a ride, then. Unless you have some shortcuts from here to there, Ill probably be a lot faster, offers the First Mate, and Teemo smiles as he epts. True to her word, she makes great time back to Fourdock. The shark earns more than a few stares from the people at the docks, but no shouts of rm. A few quick shortcutster, and my Voice is at the ODA, atop his favorite shelf.


    From there, he can see Tr working away at some paperwork or another, while Tarl is reading some ledger, looking lost in thought.


    Heya Tarl, says Teemo, and the elf jerks in surprise before looking to the shelf and my Voice sitting on it.


    Ah Teemo. I was wondering when Thedeim would want an inspection for Hullbreak, he says, sounding a bit hollow.


    Maybe he just wants his own inspection? Or one for Violet? She just expanded, you know, tries Teemo, attempting to lighten Tarls mood, but the elf just gives a rueful chuckle and shakes his head.


    Heh I can schedule those, too, but I know he needs Hullbreak cleared for general delving. He makes a lot of mana, but supporting Hullbreak means he cant do whatever other crazy things he wants to do. It might make for easier paperwork, but Thedeim isnt the type to let a problem like that sit, especially when the solution is so simple he trails off as he looks back to the ledger and sighs.


    Even if simple doesnt mean easy.


    You alright?


    Tarl sighs again. I dont know? Your support at his grave helped a lot, but this going back? He closes the ledger and sets it down. Ive been back close to fifty times since then, for inspections. Each time, I take the small boat out, each time I think about that day on the long trip out there, each time I anchor just outside and each time, the First Mate tells me no delvers will be allowed in, that those few who do manage it will not be allowed <em>out</em>.


    He shakes his head and stands, starting to pace. I almost want to be turned away again. Itd be easier to not have to confront the past like this. But he wouldnt want me to shy away from this. Not only is it my duty as an inspector, but this is the kind of thing Listor <em>believed</em> in. He was a Ranger before bing an inspector, and he always said dungeons were part of life.


    He stops and rubs his face. He was always better at exining it than I am. My point is I dont even know what my point is, he finishes with another sigh, then looks to Teemo.


    I guess my <em>actual</em> point is: no, Im not ready to do the inspection, but yes; Im willing to do it anyway. Thediem needs it, Hullbreak needs it, and I need it, too. His posture straightens, though his face looks tired and worn. Is Hullbreak ready for an inspection?


    Teemo takes a few moments, then nods. Yeah. Me and the Boss just did a check of our own. Your fishing idea should be a great start, and theres some various nodes under the water, but no real intended encounters. Theres a no-go zone, but Ill let the First Mate fill you in on that once youre there. Its not something people should be able to just blunder into.


    Tarl nods and heads into a room in the back, and Teemo follows. It looks like where Tarl keeps his delving/inspecting gear, because hes putting various things into a new bag of holding as he talks. Then Ill head down to the docks once Im prepared. He has his inspector face on, looking all business, but Teemo and I both can see hes still apprehensive about this.


    Mind if I tag along? asks my Voice, stopping Tarl in his tracks. The elf gives him a nk look for a moment, before giving a small smile.


    That would be most appreciated, yes.

 Chapter One-Hundred Forty-Three

    Chapter One-Hundred Forty-Three


    <strong>Tarl</strong>


    As he takes the small dinghy out towards Hullbreak, his thoughts return, as they always do, to the day his mentor died. The day Hullbreak went mad.


    However, much as his mind would like to wander down those dark paths, its difficult to get a proper brood going. For starters, Teemo is with him this time, and the Voice is enjoying the speed the small boat makes across the waves, thanks to the enchantment.


    His presence also reminds Tarl that a lot has happened since thest time he made this trip out here. Thedeim has grown incredibly quickly, and been an impossible boon to the town and to himself, if hes honest. He might affect an air of detached optimism when inspecting, but thats more thanks to his training and experience, rather than how he actually feels or felt, rather.


    The day at Listors grave was like alcohol on a wound: not exactly pleasant, but a good start towards actual healing. This inspection will be another step towards that, too. He doesnt doubt Teemo when he says Hullbreak is making a genuine effort towards being delveable again. Its just theres a lot of dust on how he and the watery dungeon interact. Itll be difficult to get used to doing things in a new way.


    Even now, he finds himself slowing the boat and preparing to heave the anchor over the side, though this time he does so under the curious gaze of a rat whos far too smart to still be an ordinary rat. The ssh of the anchor is echoed by the ssh of the First Mate bringing her head above the gentle waves.


    Tarl clears his throat before speaking, falling back on the way hes greeted the shark scion dozens of times. The Dungeoneer''s Guild would ask the Voice if delvers will be able to delve in peace.


    Instead of a hard look and firm refusal, the First Mate actually looks <em>uncertain</em> as she speaks. The Captain doesnt know if he can promise it, but he dearly wishes it. Come, Inspector. Much has changed.


    Tarl just stares at her for a few moments, uncertain what to do now the well-trodden path must be abandoned. The First Mate doesnt look like she quite knows what to do, either, until Teemo speaks up.


    Well, weigh anchor! Or draw anchor? Pull the stupid thing up and lets do this.


    Tarl shakes himself and gets to pulling the anchor back up, and Teemo takes the chance to help the elf back into his inspection.


    Youre gonna try some fishing first, yeah?


    At his nod, the First Mate speaks again. The eastern part of the Captain should be the best for that. The fish spawners are away from the enve and reefs, so anchors shouldnt be a hazard to those below.


    With the anchor soon back in the boat, Tarl pulls out his note-taking stone and speaks to it. Entrance granted, inspection will proceed. Hullbreaks Voice is guiding, along with Thedeims voice as an observer. Will attempt fishing before attempting a more in-depth inspection.


    The two Voices exchange a nce at the formality, but he doesnt exin further. The rigidity helps him concentrate, helps him keep his mind focused on now, rather than years ago. He follows the shark to the designated fishing area, before getting the boat secured and getting out his tackle. He was never very good at fishing, but a few enchantments on some lures helps cover that weakness.


    Teemo looks out over the expanse of blue, his ear twitching for a few seconds, before he looks to the First Mate and speaks up. The Boss says we should make some buoys to help designate the fishing area. He might need to send some ratlings out on an expedition to try to build them on the shore somewhere. Wood will probably be easier than metal, Boss.


    Tarl returns his focus to his fishing rod as hends a fish, mostly ignoring the talk of how a proper buoy is made and secured. His first catch is a decent-sized silverscale, close to two feet long. He tosses it into his holding bag and resumes fishing, and soon adds tworge copperfins before pulling out his stone once more.


    Fishing area is in the east, appears to have silverscales and copperfins. He pauses and looks to the two Voices, who nod, and the First Mate speaks up before he continues.


    The Captain should also get goldfish eventually.


    Tarl nods at that and speaks into the stone again. Voice confirms fish poption, and indicates Hullbreak intends to invest more into fishing as well. He tucks the stone away, and puts away his fishing gear before looking around.


    May I anchor near the gull spawner?


    The shark nods and motions for him to follow, and it doesnt take long before they arrive at the small ind, covered in gulls. He watches them as they take off, though they dont seem interested in trying to fight him at the moment. He pulls out the stone once he has his boat secured.


    Inspecting gull spawner. Gulls dont seem interested inbat, but not confirmed yet. He trades the stone for his daggers as he explores the small ind, and therge albatross scion stands at attention as he spots the elf, much to Tarls confusion. After a few seconds, he switches back to the stone and speaks as he walks back towards the boat.


    Little of interest on the gull ind. Rmend leaving it alone, as it is the roost of the albatross scion.


    The Admiral wishes to build a lighthouse here, eventually, and have crab and gull encounters, informs the First Mate, which Tarl nods at.


    Its a good n. Most delvers who would want somebat wont be able to get much. Potions of the Sea are difficult toe by. Of course, he has several. He cant expect to give a proper inspection without them, can he. He pulls one from a belt pouch and downs it, before pulling out the stone once more.


    Potion of the Sea consumed, proceeding with inspection. Stone secured, he dives into the salty water. Only the First Mate follows, which earns her a curious look.


    Ah the Admirals Voice forgot to bring his water breathing potion. He intends to return with it, but doesnt want to slow your duty, inspector. She looks as ufortable being without the rat as Tarl is, but the elf doesnt let that stop him.


    He simply nods and continues to dive deeper, and records his observations as he does. Crab denizens confirmed, appear to be melee focused. Will be difficult for most delvers. Engaging.


    He swims down towards a stout looking crab and draws his daggers. The crustacean cks his ws in challenge and scuttles closer, and Tarl dodges a few swipes. He can feel how sluggish he is in the water, but thankfully crabs arent exactly known for their grace. Tarl wishes he had more attacks that would be appropriate for under the waves, and resolves to brush up on that part of his training. He does at least have <em>some</em> answer for this. Shadows lick along his des for a moment before he stabs them both forward.


    Murky strike! Twinnces of darkness skewer the crab, and it manages a few weak cks of its ws before going down. Tarl quickly removes the tworge ws to put into his bag, before speaking once more to his stone.


    Crabs are resilient, and the water makes it difficult to bring to bear most attacks. Piercing techniques still work well. He nces at the First Mate to see if she has anything else to add, but she looks lost in thought. With no guidance, he decides to wander, though he stays away from the west. The merfolk enve shouldy in that direction, and he intends to speak with them after the rest of the inspection is finished, to see what rtionship they wish to have with thend dwellers.


    The central portion of the dungeon is full of various nodes and life, and he cant help but feel a pang of sadness at seeing what was lost with the tragedy of so long ago. He tries to distract himself with gathering, pulling out the various tools as needed from his bag of holding. Once hes sampled enough, he pulls out the stone. Central areas appear to be focused on gathering. Various kelps and other herbalism nodes abound, as do coral and mining nodes. Have spotted at least two m beds for potential pearling, too.


    As he puts the stone away, he notices the First Mate has wandered off at some point, which leaves him with mixed feelings. Her presence and absence both stir warring emotions, but he does his best to put them aside for now as he heads west, towards the merfolk enve. Along the way, he spots a dense field of kelp, with armed merfolk swimming around it. At first, he wonders if thats the enve, but swimming up shows there to be no bare area in the center for an actual enve to live. He makes a mental note of it as he continues west, and soon finds the enve, as well as the wayward Voice of Hullbreak.


    Most of the merfolk are staying well back, though one that looks to be a High Priest seems to be waiting by the scion, watching Tarl approach. He stops outside the enve, not stepping into their territory yet, and speaks.


    Enve of Hullbreak. The Dungeoneers Guild would ask what rtionship you wish to have with those above the waves.


    The merman nces at the First Mate, then speaks. Our Beloved Captain wishes peace between us, and we are more than happy to echo His desire. He looks at Tarl, then back at the First Mate before continuing. However there is an old matter that still clouds these waters. Come, inspector. Be wee in our enve, and swim with me, that the path can be made clear once more.


    Tarl is d the lump in his stomach only <em>feels</em> like lead, so that it cant weigh him down as he swims forward to join the priest and the scion. The merman leads the way, and soon speaks once more.


    The Tragedy. Many lives were lost. Our <em>way</em> of life was lost. We even feared our Captain was lost. In the aftermath, he was inconsble in his grief, and yet we tried. We tore down the old reef that held the trading post, and built a memorial. The Captain even ced his core there, that he would not be far from their memories. We carved their names, so none could forget.


    He leads the two to the center of the enve, where arge coral structure stands, and Tarl can see the names and icons of the lost: an underwater memorial.


    The First Mate takes over as they continue to move towards it. But we <em>have</em> forgotten. More were lost than the Captains precious dwellers. In grief and rage, heshed out. Only now does he understand it helped nothing. No, it only added to the Tragedy. So we need to add to the remembrance.


    Merfolk swim forward and add pieces of coral and smoothed stone, and the High Priest turns to give Tarl his full attention. I know you wont have all the names right now, inspector, but are there any that you would add now?


    After a few stunned seconds, Tarl slowly nods. It takes him more than one attempt, but he soon croaks out Listor. Inspector Listor Greybrows.

 Chapter One-Hundred Forty-Four

    Chapter One-Hundred Forty-Four


    At least theres not much more inspection to do after that. The merfolk show Tarl to the kelp thicket and he simply notes that the thicket is to be avoided, and is happy to leave it at that. Teemo doesnt manage to get back by the time Tarl is ready to leave, so the First Mate sees him off instead. He gives Hullbreak a tentative ressification as a cooperative dungeon, and assures the First Mate the info packet will be full of warnings and directions. I think most delvers will be swimming on eggshells for a while, but Im happy with the effort of my vassal.


    Hullbreak might still be a bit of a work in progress, but who isnt, right? And speaking of works in progress, its probably a good thing Teemo didnt get back to help with thest of the inspection. With the sun starting to dip below the horizon, I should probably give Rer an update. If Im going to go picking a fight with one or more dungeons in the depths, I should probably give him a heads up.


    Probably a good idea, Boss. I dont think youll be able to cause much actual trouble any time soon, but best to give him as much warning as possible. He might even have some advice for this. Should I ask Aranya if she wants toe, too?


    If shes up for it, sure. She might have to act as a bit of an official liaison for my enves to him, Fourdock, and the kingdom, though. Larx and the Triumvirate probably wouldnt mind doing that themselves, but I dont want to overwhelm Rer.


    My voice nods at that as he slips down a shortcut to the Sanctum, where Aranya looks to be simply rxing and reading a book. Shes not as quick as Yvonne, but ever since my birb resident helped her learn, reading has been one of her favorite pastimes.


    She looks up as Teemo enters, and marks her ce with a finger for the moment. Ah, hello Teemo. You just missed Yvonne, I believe shes off to the guild to see if they have any maps of the local depths.


    The rat shakes his head as he hops onto the small table. Actually, Im here to talk with you, if you dont mind?


    She smiles and marks her ce with a scrap of cloth, and sets the book aside. Of course not. What do you need?


    Well, the Boss is going to let Rer know about his ns with the depths and stuff, and wanted to know if you wanted toe, too.


    The kobold taps her fingers on the book as she thinks. Reluctantly, she answers. Not <em>really</em>, but it would probably be a good idea.


    Teemo chuckles at that. Yeah. You could also bug him about an actual trade agreement between the dwellers and Fourdock, too. Larx and the Triumvirate could probably do that on their own, but the Boss doesnt want to overwhelm Rer.


    Aranya sighs and nods as she stands to put on her scythemaw sword. From what I hear, hes high-strung? she settles on, uncertain of a more diplomatic way to put it.


    Yeah, kinda. Hes a good kid, though, just needs the chance to actually do something so he can prove to himself that he actually <em>can</em> do something.


    And what is Lord Thedeim actually nning to do about the depths? I could feel Him moving, but I dont know His n.


    Teemo smirks as he hops onto her shoulder, the two now ready to go. Ill save the details for once were at Rers, just so I dont have to repeat myself. For now, though: nothing <em>too</em> oundish, even for the Boss. Just more expeditions and looking for a good way to expand deeper.


    My High Priestess looks relieved at that, and takes the indicated shortcut as she talks. Ah, alright. I admit I thought he might send Rocky or Fluffles past the underswamps to tear a swath through the depths until they find something.


    Oh, the Boss considered it, but hes smarter than that. Besides, if he let Rocky and Fluffles off the chain, they might copse the depths and make a huge sinkhole!


    Aranya giggles at that, not taking it too seriously. Not that they probably couldnt, but that they <em>wouldnt</em>. They both know how dangerous they could be if theyre not careful.


    Teemo and Aranya chat until they arrive at my gate, and I ride along Teemos senses as they head for Rers manor. Huh I wonder who owned my manor before me? Maybe some early noble or even founder? Maybe just a rich merchant whose fortune waned? I let my mind wander, with Teemo asionally snorting at my increasingly-wild imagination.


    By the time they reach the manor, Im theorizing about a family of creepy-but-friendly kooks, and Teemo knocks me out of my thoughts.


    Hey Boss, were here.


    Aranya smiles as she greets the guard at the gate, who is eyeing her and Teemo with curiosity. Excuse us, but could you let Lord Mayor Rer know he has guests? Teemo and Aranya, of Thedeim.


    The guard wordlessly nods and turns to someone behind the wall, though Teemo cant quite make out what theyre saying. He <em>does</em> notice when the guard stiffens and quickly nods, before turning his attention back to my rat and kobold.


    Uh yes. Mister Miller will lead you in. The young lord will soon be having dinner, if youd like to join him?


    Teemo looks suspicious, but if Aranya noticed, shes better at hiding it, as she answers for them. If it wouldnt impose on him.


    The guard nces to the side before shaking his head. Uh no imposition, maam.


    Then wed be delighted and honored.


    Ah, excellent,es the voice of Miller from behind the wall, and the guard does his best to not flinch when a hand rests on his shoulder for a moment. Ive informed the young master hell be receiving guests for dinner. If you would please follow me?


    He offers Aranya his arm as a gentleman, and she epts it with dignity and grace. Teemo continues to look suspicious, but also continues to remain silent for now. Miller leads the way, making conversation as he does so.


    What brings the High Priestess and the Voice of Thedeim to call on my young master? he asks, and Aranya answers without missing a beat.


    The promise of closermunication and cooperation. A matter hase to my Lord Thedeims attention, which maye to concern the lord mayor.


    Miller tilts his head slightly, possibly in surprise? I still have such a hard time getting a read on him. Oh? Is it something pressing?


    Aranya waves it off and smiles. No, but thats why were here: to inform him before it can be pressing, and possibly even keep it from ever bing so.


    He smiles at that and changes topic to the various bits of art along the walls as he leads them towards the dining hall, and soon he enters the room before them and speaks clearly. Lord Mayor Rer, I present Aranya, the High Priestess of Thedeim, and Teemo, the Voice of the same. With a flourish, he steps aside, letting Aranya enter and give a curtsy to the elf noble.


    Said noble looks about as nervous as Ive seen him, but he manages to keep it out of his voice as he speaks. Wee to my table, High Priestess and Voice. Please ept my hospitality and enjoy yourselves.


    Teemo finally decides enough is enough and speaks up. Cut the formal crap, its just me and Aranya. I dont even have my hat and tie he grumbles as Aranya giggles. While Miller dons a sly smile, Rer still looks ufortable.


    Apologies, Teemo, but my young master could use the practice, admits Miller. But please, take a seat. Tradition would dictate you sit at the opposite end, but I get the feeling there will be business discussed over the meal, so sitting closer will be fine, too.


    Aranya takes the seat at Rers left, with Teemo hopping onto the table to sit at her own left. Miller, of course, pulls out her chair for her, and helps push it in for her to easily sit, and she thanks him for the assistance. My Voice takes a moment to get settled, before looking to Rer and speaking.


    Why do you look so nervous? You look like youre about to go give another speech in front of the town or something.


    The young elf looks to Miller for help, but his butler is the very image of stoicism as he simply stands with his arms at rest behind him, ready to help his master with anything <em>except</em> whatever has him so unsettled.


    After a few moments, Rer detes slightly, looking less like hes rxed, and more like hes epted his doom. Why didnt you tell me Thedeim was a god?


    Ah. Thatsplicated. So much for trying not to overwhelm him.

 Chapter One-Hundred Forty-Five

    Chapter One-Hundred Forty-Five


    When someone asks if youre a god, you say yes, right? Not to argue with Winstons wisdom, but theres some valuable context to keep in mind. If youre staring down a 7-foot tall freakshow nked by monster dogs and a weird extra-dimensional pyramid/staircase behind them, probably a good time to build yourself up, maybe avoid having to fight a giant mascot.


    But when youre sitting at someones table, someone who is a bit prone to overreacting, maybe go with some more humility. Its kinda hard to just say no, though, with my High Priestess sitting at his left. Itd ring a bit hollow, even if I dont think I actually have anything to do with her magic? At least no drain that Ive noticed. I may or may not have been trying to not think too hard about it.


    Teemo also seems to be uncertain how to respond. Thankfully for the both of us, or all three of us if you count Rer, Aranya speaks up smoothly.


    It wasnt important at the time.


    How is something like that not important?! exims Rer, avoiding a screech only by not being particrly loud about it.


    Aranya sighs and looks Rer in the eyes. Because Lord Thedeim doesnt like to throw His divinity around. He could have chosen Tiny or Fluffles to be His voice, to present an imposing or majestic front to those He interacts with. Instead, He chose Teemo. She gestures at my Voice, who gives her a t look.


    Thanks, Aranya, he says, dripping with sarcasm, though the twitch of a smile at his lips shows it for the act it is.


    The kobold smiles. Any time, Teemo. I fully agree with Lord Thedeims choice, too. Fools look and see just a rat, even a rat that talks, and assume Lord Thedeim is simple or weak. But just like you, He has hidden strength.


    She shakes her head and turns her focus back to Rer, who is looking pretty lost. Sorry, sidetracked. The point is that you engaged with Teemo like a person, instead of as some jumped up noble talking to a rodent. How you treat the least is a show of how a person is.


    Rer fidgets in his seat for a few moments before Teemo steers the conversation towards the actual reason were here.


    You two can talk theologyter if you want, but the Boss wanted to keep Rer informed on what hes doing.


    The elf continues to look ufortable, but at least he looks like hes in familiar ufortability. What <em>is</em> he doing? I understand Hullbreak just had an inspection, did something go wrong?


    Teemo shakes his head as a sd is brought out for each person, including a smaller version for him. That seems to be going as well as can be hoped. Delvers can delve there again, but should take it slow and not push things. Mostly, theyll be fishing.


    Rer looks relieved at that, though only momentarily. Then what else? Has he learned something of whats bothering the Southwood?


    Nah, but he has sent Leo and Honey to go investigate and secure the supply line for actual support. Ill probably be going that way fairly soon, too, to make shortcuts. What the Boss needs to talk about is well, about the depths. The deeper tunnels and caves, where Aranya came from.


    See, theres other dungeons down there, not a shocker, right? Well, they dont seem to treat kobolds right, or <em>anyone</em> for that matter. Her old dungeon would sacrifice kobolds and whatever else the local town there could get their hands on.


    Rer looks horrified at the idea, and even Miller looks displeased, but neither interrupts as Teemo continues.


    As you can imagine, the Boss doesnt like that. We dont know exactly where this dungeon is, but the Boss figures he should let you know hes probably going to be picking a fight with a dungeon that actually has its act together.


    Does he know when? asks the mayor, his concern shoving aside is unease for the moment.


    Not yet, admits my Voice, shaking his head. Like I said: we dont know where it is. Aranya crossed the underswamps to get to the Boss, but before that, she basically wandered without knowing where she was going. Well keep you informed, though. Theres a settlement of pale elves and pale dwarves, too, so just trying to sneak in and go for a decapitating strike is probably off the table.


    Rer thinks for a few moments, before looking to his butler. What do you think, Miller?


    He bows before answering. I think it will be a most delicate situation, young master, but not one that can just be left to continue. My humble advice would be to try to expedite the construction of the hold in the mountain as much as possible, and perhaps offer quests to gather materials in Thedeim. Having a stockpile for the spring will make the excavation and construction go quicker, and if I understand dungeons correctly, it will help Thedeim have the resources to prosecute his war in the depths.


    Rer perks up, his eyes bright as he seems to feel much morefortable with logistics and nning than in dealing with people. Ah, excellent idea, Miller! Teemo, does Thedeim have the kinds of nodes wed need for something like this?


    I take a moment to consider my nodes, and what would be useful for a vault, or a hold, or whatever you want to call what amounts to a panic room big enough for an entire town. I have plenty of metal, and Violet can even get in on the fun once she upgrades her own. Shell probably need to expand again to be able to provide the kind of volume theyll want, but every bit helps.


    Timber is probably going to be a big deal. Ill probably see about removing some of the hedge walls around a few of the wood nodes and let them atrophy a bit. Right now, theyre fancy wood that seems to be used for crafts and maybe furniture. The difficulty of getting to them helps make them easy to rank up and maintain at that level. If they need beams and stuff, though, I dont want Tiny chasing them through the maze the entire time. I can probably aim for some volume upgrades, instead of value, once theyre free of the maze.


    My various stone nodes are simrly more focussed towards value than volume, but the caverns should have easily enough room for me to expand one into a true quarry. Ill just need to ask what stone they need. Id think granite for strength or we could do like the Romans do and try some cement concrete? I always forget the technical difference, but we should be able to grind limestone, add gravel and water, and make something good. I think volcanic ash is also a part of it, but normal ash might work? Sounds like something for my ratlings and maybe even Queen to experiment with. Honey is going to be sad she missed this.


    For food I dont think I have much. My herbalism nodes are more for alchemy and enchanting than cooking, I think. People can cook some of my denizens, but I dont think most of them are very good eating. We <em>did</em> just get Hullbreak set up for fishing, though. I have no idea how edible the fish are, but they sure look like mostly-normal fish to me.


    I nod to myself and Teemo speaks up. Between him, Violet, and Hullbreak, the Boss thinks he can provide a lot of supplies for this. He and Violet have metal nodes, he can adjust the maze to make some of the lumber nodes more essible, Hullbreak has fish and Violet has bunnies for food and the Boss has a weird liquid rock idea.


    The others gathered all look curious about that, but Im more mentally patting Teemo on the back for remembering Violets bunnies as another source of food.


    Aranya eventually breaks the silence, as Teemo is refusing to borate without someone asking. Liquid rock?


    Yeah. The Boss says you crush limestone, mix with gravel and maybe ash, then add water until you make a thick mud. Once it dries, its supposed to be incredibly strong, and since it starts out liquid, you can shape and apply it easily.


    Is it really that simple? asks Rer, to which Teemo shrugs.


    The Boss says theres probably more to it, but ground limestone and gravel are the two big parts. Hell test on his own to see if theres anything else, and if you can give him a few samples of the stone that would normally be used, itd help him have a goal to beat. If he can get it to work, it has uses beyond just making holds.


    Aranya and Miller both look politely interested, but Rer looks almost enthralled by the idea. Id bet hes learned more than just a little about infrastructure and how much of a pain it is to actually make big projects. If nobody has been able to make actual concrete here, itll be a quantum leap forward for cities. Stone and mortar can only do so much, can onlyst so long. Literal magic has to help a lot, but I seriously doubt ites cheap. But a proper concrete is why Roman stuff is still around on Earth, and is arguably one of the big reasons they were so sessful. A good army will <em>get </em>yound, but things like concrete improves the lives of people, and so lets you <em>keep</em> it.


    And it looks like Rer understands that. While the topics drift to more ordinary things as they all start to eat, I get the feeling Rer is chewing on that idea more than he is the food. I wonder what hes imagining making, and just how much hes underestimating what it can do.

 Chapter One-Hundred Forty-Six

    Chapter One-Hundred Forty-Six


    The next couple days see a sharp increase in delvers. I think its a bit of abination of them wanting to get in some more quality delving before winter really sets in, and of Rers quests being put out. It also helps that people are checking out Hullbreak now, too. For the moment, people seem content to mostly fish. Theres been a few people diving in to get at the nodes, but its getting pretty dang cold to want to get soaked and then have a long boat ride back to town. Still, hes mana solvent now, so thats a weight off me.


    Violet is also raking in the mana, at least for her size. Shes picked up gremlin and mole scions, named Onyx and Nose, respectively. Onyx is fairly self-exnatory, but Nose I can only think is because its got that star-shaped nose that some moles do. Oddly, neither seems very interested in the metalworks, but Legs, her centipede, is.


    With both of them being pretty self-sufficient, I have my mana basically all to myself, so I should probably do something with it. With the boxing ring finallyplete, Rocky is probably going to be bringing in a lot of mana soon, too. So what should I do?


    Expanding is always an option, and while I have the cavernyer about where I want it now, I dont want to go expanding until I have a better idea of whats out there. And I dont really want to expand into the Underswamps. Im pretty sure I could leave plenty of it for the scythemaws to live, and for my spiderkin to easily hunt, but thats not the most defensible of territories. Sure, itd be a pain for invaders from an enemy dungeon to slog through, but its also not something I want to build a castle on. Id need to let two sink, then another to burn down, fall over, <em>then</em> sink, just to give me a foundation for a fourth. Thats a lot of work.


    Poes been sending expeditions through the other various passages, and Im just d hes trying to keep track of all that, instead of me. Theres countless tunnels and cracks to chase down and try to map, and most dont have much interesting in them, though deep to the north seems to show signs of volcanic activity. That could be a good direction to expand in, but that will have to wait forter, until we get more information. So lets turn our attention inward.


    Theres a couple spawners that could use some love. I upgraded my birds to ravens pretty quickly, and have basically ignored them since. My bats have been even more ignored, just having the fruitbat specialization and I left it at that. The most neglected, by a mile, is my poor crawling hand spawner. I switched it to crawling hands instead of the skeletal ones Neverrest had, and then never did anything with them except make Thing.


    Thing is doing great, but his spawner is kinda shameful, really, and its my fault. So let''s see if we can fix that. What niche do I have that could use some filling? Well a lot of my stuff is more physically focused, than magically. If things arent specialized towards resources, theyre usually more specialized towards mundane fighting. The Jakobs Ladder snakes are a good step towards fixing that, but theyre for the cavernyer, which is more geared towards stronger groups.


    While I have electrical stuff in the house and generally around, people basically have that problem solved with electricity resist potions. So I need to diversify. The crawling hands are more me removing a specialization than setting one, so I take a good look and settle on a magic specialization that should give me just what I want: arcane hands.


    Listening to delvers talk shop as they delve, Arcane seems to be an affinity thats a bit of a magical catch-all. Its not individually strong with any of its spells, but it can do weaker versions of practically everything. My gamer sense tingles at that bit of bnce, even as my engineer sense grouches about that only being feasible if magic is an extra fundamental force, and so arcane should be incredibly powerful. Maybe its specifically limited to only magic, instead of massaging other forces, like a sledgehammer to open a door, instead of just using a key.


    I should leave that kind of spection to Honey, and not just so I dont explode Teemos brain or something. Chasing theoreticals is too easy to distract from doing actual practical things. And the practical thing is to get practically-Things all around the manner and the cryptplex to spice up encounters and get people thinking how to counter more magic than just lightning.


    Other practical things I should do include actually doing the node stuff I told Rer Id do. It doesnt take Tiny long to web off a few of the wood nodes in the maze, and then my ratlings can get to work tearing the hedge down in those spots. The fruitbats will be able to grow new hedge probably in the spring, actually. For now, Tinys webs are more than enough to keep people from sneaking in that way.


    It costs a pretty penny in mana for me to change the nodes, but the delvers seem ravenous for the wood. I wonder if any of them are intending to use it as firewood? Not that I mind. While the mana per gather is a lot lower, there are a <em>lot</em> of gathers going on now. It might actually be making more than before.


    I also set a limestone node not too far from the ess shaft in the caverns, but dont upgrade it to a quarry just yet. I have the room to, but I want to make sure our concrete mix is up to snuff before I get into industrial-scale production. And thats a job for Queen.


    It doesnt take long for Teemo to exin everything I know about concrete, because I dont know all that much about it. I know limestone dust, sand, and gravel, but theres probably more to it than that. Will any sand work, or does it need to be silicate? Is all rock silicate, technically? What actually makes granite and marble and limestone so different? Is ash needed? Does it specifically need to be volcanic?


    Sheesh, maybe I shouldnt be so surprised concrete doesnt exist here yet. I hedge my bets and make sure I have at least basic nodes for as many types of rock as I can, then let Queen loose on the problem. She immediately calls on Thing, sh, and Coda to help her out. I can feel her intense hunger to figure this out, and Im just d her nature is turned more towards learning thanbat. Shed probably be a nightmare to fight, if she ever actually needed to.


    The selected scions are also eager to help her figure this out. While Thing is also a scion who enjoys new information, it seems like Queen wants him to be more than just someone to bounce ideas off of. Hes probably one of my scions who knows the most about magic, and getting a bit of magical knowledge could let them make a magical solution to the mundane goal, or to refine and improve it once they figure out how to make it work.


    sh isnt too interested in the academic aspect, but he likes working with the stones and doing some of the heavy lifting. Hes easily thergest of the scions involved with the experimenting, so hes basically ying Igor to the mad civil engineering going on.


    And speaking of mad engineering: Coda has this fire in him about the entire affair. I can feel his drive even without the bond, and Id put money on him listening to his fate affinity along with his Architect title to guide the creation of concrete. Its all in the gathering phase right now, but once they get down to mixing it might end up being his show even more than Queens.


    As it is right now, Im enjoying watching them work together as I consider further ns. I should probably see about maxing out another spawner and getting another enve going, but Im hesitant. Any enve is going to need more room, and that means expanding. If I expand deeper, the risk of Aranyas old dungeon noticing us increases, or we could trip over some other undiscovered one.


    I have the option to expand up, but Im also nervous about that option. It could be something as simple as a beanstalk or something sprouting and blooming a huge cloud at the top, or I could identally bring a hurricane that will stick around. It might even just float chunks of the town around me, or do something else destructive. Maybe itll just tear a hole in the sky which may or may not be full of unpleasant things. Theres just so many unknowns with it, no matter how curious I am about it.


    No until I get more info about what it entails, Ill leave that big shiny button unpressed. Hopefully thinking about it like that will help keep the temptation at bay. Sure, big shiny buttons are tempting, but how often do they actually do something besides blow something up? I think Ill try to keep everything from exploding for a while longer, at least until I know exactly what will detonate, and what the minimum safe distance is.

 Chapter One-Hundred Forty-Seven

    Chapter One-Hundred Forty-Seven


    <strong>Honey</strong>


    The bee scion sighs and takes flight, unable to fight the twitchy feeling she has. Its nothing she can do anything about, which is probably the worst thing about it. If it was something in her reach, some detail she needs to fill Leo in on, she could do it and be done with it. But no, this is something beyond her reach right now.


    The Emperor is sharing knowledge with the others, and shes not there to witness it! If she were less rational, shed suspect hes doing it on purpose, too! But no, she <em>is</em> a rational bee, and she knows she cant expect the Emperor to stall his ns just so she can raid the flowers of his knowledge. No matter how much she might <em>like</em> him to.


    Are you alright, Honey? asks Leo in his gruff and direct way, almost knocking her out of the air with her surprise. Has she really been <em>that</em> obvious about her well, to be honest: <em>jealousy</em> of not being able to hear what the Emperor has to share? Apparently, if Leo feels the need to speak up.


    She buzzes a sigh andnds on his nose to do an apologetic dance. He watches as he walks, nose twitching to pick up the nuances of the pheromones that help guide the meaning of her movements.


    Ah, Alpha Thedeim is revealing one of his secrets? No wonder youre perturbed, he says with a chuckle. I could send you back with one of the wolves, if youd like?


    That earns him a stubborn dance of refusal, which in turn earns her augh. Fine, fine, I know, Honey. Youre not going to get distracted from this, no matter how sweet the tempting nectar is. Besides, Im sure hell be willing to share it with you once we get back.


    She gives a curt nod before letting her demeanor soften. She doesnt mean to be so defensive abouting along. Its just that nobody seems to think she can handle this! Sure, its a challenge, but just think of the rewards! And even more than learning something new, she can help Leo protect the Southwood, and so advance the Emperors ns, too!


    Were close to the next outpost. Are you ready with the inspection n and reports? Leo asks, once more pulling her from her thoughts. She buzzes and gives her best dance of salute before returning to the hive to gather her drones. The travel hive isnt much, but its at least enough to house enough of her swarm to let her make notes and organize reports.


    She swarms out and quickly into the bags of the wolf behind Leo, as even the scion can only carry so much. This wolf carries the papers andpleted reports, and while its cold outside, its warm enough in the bags to at least check everything. She even takes a moment to go over the reports for the preceding outposts.


    The first outpost is located in a bramble thicket about a days travel by wolf outside the Emperors territory. While neither she nor Leo are particrly happy about the state of it, there isnt much other option, at least not much discovered yet. At least its moderately defensible, and the fruitbats have been tending it to ensure it can dissuade all but the most determined of curious intruders. If the location is discovered by an actual hostile force, it wont hold long, but with how close to the Emperor it is, thats a minimal concern.


    The next outpost is another day from the first, located in a small cave. Its much more defensible, but also a bit more obvious. Leo ordered them to encourage the growth of various nts around the entrance to conceal and discourage others from taking a closer look.


    The third is in an abandoned shack in the woods, slowly being reimed by nature. Its honestly Honeys favorite one so far, and she agrees with the bats stationed there that the firece is nice, thanks to the clogged chimney. Theres still a bit of soot, but its secure and dry. The wolves have a bit of trouble staying out of the rain and snow, but its still better than just being outside.


    This uing one will be the fourth, and is supposed to be situated under the branches of a cluster of pines. She pokes her head out of the bag, and sees what must be their destination. From the outside, it looks like a solid clump of trunks and green needles. Before heading inside, she and her swarm return to Leo and they make ap around the outside, the wolf scion nodding as Honey makes notes. She doesnt see any way inside, nor does she see any sign of activity. Only knowing its supposed to be here gives anything away.


    After her scribbling ends, Leo steps forward and is granted entrance, as the wolf inside pushes aside a bow of green needles and white snow to reveal the interior. Its hardly grand, but theres still room for several wolves to fit, along with plenty of perching space for the bats.


    Its also much warmer inside the enclosed space, the wolves proving themselves to be excellent heaters. Its hardly like a nice fire to rx near, but its much morefortable than outside. She lets her swarm out to rx on the low branches, where they can be out of the way while still taking notes. Leo gives her a few moments to get settled, before turning his focus to the wolf that let them inside.


    How has the outpost been faring?


    The wolf tucks his tail and lowers his head in a bow before speaking. The outpost itself is secure and safe. The scout bats have been keeping an eye on the surroundings, and none havee to disturb us. If the longer scouts are right, were about the halfway point between the Southwood and our home, yes?


    Leo nods at that. Yes, roughly. Honey? he nces to the bee, who dances an affirmative. Are there any problems with the outpost?


    Only that its a bit small, Warden. The bats have enough room, but the pack has to pack in fairly tightly at night.


    Honey makes a note of that, and dances that shell make a note for Coda to attempt to expand the space in a more mundane way, if Teemo cant.


    Duly noted. You have enough supplies?


    Yes, even in the winter, food seems abundant. It might change once winter truly sets in, but the bats say there is a fruiting vine that enjoys climbing the pines. They call it a frostplum, and it is the favorite of the squirrels, so we and the bats both are well-stocked.


    Leo nods as Honey makes a note. Send a few of the plum pits back when you rotate out. The Alpha seems to always be on the lookout for new seeds.


    Yes Warden, the wolf replies, and is hesitant before continuing. And word of home?


    Leo gives an understanding smile before answering. The Alpha is healthy and strong, and has made a vassal of Hullbreak. My and Honeys presence here is because he wishes to make good on the promise to aid the Southwood. I can also feel him making ns for the depths below even the caverns and beyond the underswamps, but I dont know the details.


    The wolf looks relieved, and Honey buzzes in sympathy for him. For the scions, they can always feel the bond with the Emperor, no matter how far away. Or at least as far as theyve been able to test. For the denizens, though theyre more or less on their one once they step outside of the Emperors borders. She can hardly me the wolf for wanting some details about how the Emperor fares.


    Is there any word on the Southwood? asks Leo, shattering Honeys thoughts for the third time today. Shes been so easily distracted, ofte!


    The wolf shakes his head. None yet. Ive heard the sixth outpost has had somemunication, but I dont know what. Its probably not especially dire, at least. How soon do you think well be able to start to actually support them?


    Leo sits for a moment to consider that. Once Honey and I get to the Southwood, I expect operations will be picking up a lot. Voice Teemo will likely be through to help secure the supply lines and route before we can truly provide much assistance, though. The Alpha wants to get ears and nose on the problem before hemits any sort of solution. Once the Voicees through to truly talk with the Southwood, then I think well see an actual mobilization.


    The wolf nods at that. Youll be staying until the morning, and heading to the next outpost then?


    Yes. Myself and the entourage will take the guard shifts tonight, so we dont try to all cram in here at once.


    The wolf bows his head and tucks his tail again in appreciation. At least the next outpost should be roomier. Its in a crevasse in the hills. The top is overgrown, so theres really only one way in, but much more room than these trees give.


    I look forward to it. Letspare and update our maps, and then Ill get the watches squared away.


    Once the wolf produces the maps, Honey and her swarm descend on them to ensure both are updated properly, much to the relief of Leo and the other wolf. While the bats are passable as scribes and cartographers, she and her bees are much better equipped to handle the fine details. She rather thinks she and the wolf scion make a good team together. She records and reports the details, giving him what he needs to carry out the Emperors will properly. Much like with her swarm and flowers. She gathers nectar and pollen, helping the flowers do their duties and getting her dues at the same time.


    It makes her warm and fuzzy inside to think of the stores of knowledge she has, to know she can use it to help the Emperor and those he deems worthy. One of the concepts hes gifted her that she holds dearest is that knowledge is power. The fight with Hullbreak truly showed that, with the tricks and counter tricks at y. So she is proud to follow Leo to the front lines, even if she never draws a drop of blood. She will do her utmost to reveal the tricks leveraged against them, and so take away their power. That kind of help will be far sweeter than her namesake.

 Chapter One-Hundred Forty-Eight

    Chapter One-Hundred Forty-Eight


    I dont know how they dere winter officially here, but Im willing to call it with the first snow in town, which started about an hour before dawn. Its not a very heavy snow, nor is it really sticking, but its there, so Im counting it. And with winter officially-by-me here, its time to make sure Im all adjusted for it, and to make sure the other ns will be able to handle it.


    Under the ground, its like winter doesnt even exist. Its not like it snows down there. So I dont think the ns to find that dungeon and kick its butt will be slowed much, at least not directly. Miller wasnt wrong about saying Ill need mana to actually apply boot to butt, and lessened delving above ground would hinder that.


    Im not seeing too much dropoff just yet, but it cant help but lessen at least some right? While on the one hand, theres not a whole lot else for people to do in winter, on the other hand, I wouldnt want to try to have an encounter in a foot or more of snow. My snakes have already transitioned to being mostly inside, with the ravens and crows swapping in for yard duty when theyre not out on expedition on the surface.


    My herbalism nodes on the surface are slowing down, but Im actually surprised to see theyre even still working at all. On Earth, theyd be dead and drying on the surface and either wintering in their roots, or waiting for volunteer seeds to sprout in the spring. But theyre all still doing their thing, if a bit slower. I think its because the fruitbats have been stepping up their game.


    I was all resigned to letting Tinys webbing secure the maze wall near the exposed timber nodes, but my bats are working around the clock to nurture new hedges even with the gentle snowfall. Theyre also paying extra attention to the herbalism nodes and even the timber, ensuring they keep doing their thing properly. Its kinda weird to see them flying around and active in the daytime, too, but they seem content enough to work harder in the winter.


    Further abroad, Ive been peeking through Honeys and Leos eyes, checking up on them as they travel, and its a <em>lot</em> snowier out in the mountains and forests. I can see why the Southwood isnt expecting much in the winter to happen. He doesnt even need strong denizens with the help of good old general winter guarding his borders. Still, with the progress my two scions are making, I should probably get Teemo ready to head that way and get the shortcuts rolling, too. I dont know exactly how long he can make them, nor how short, but he doesnt seem too worried about it.


    I think hes more worried about what Yvonne, Ragnar, and Ara are nning to do. Theyve been mostly wandering around in the woods outside, doing ranger things. What with winter being here now, they didnt want to go out too far, even if theyre pretty confident that Yvonne doesnt have to constantlye back to my territory to keep herself perked up.


    After hearing Aranyas story, though well, what do <em>you</em> think a group of adventurers is going to do when they hear a story like that? Especially about one of their friends and technical party members? Yeah, they want to help track the dungeon down, even if they understand they cant assault it on their own. Theyve even managed to im a standing quest from the Office of Dungeon Affairs. Apparently, they are always looking for new dungeons, which is technically what theyll be doing.


    Right now, everyone is in the public war room, looking over the maps that are avable. The Adventurers Guild somehow have a map of the depths, but its basically a bunch of faint scribbles on faded leather. Even the basic topography is in question, considering the quake I triggered to get ess with my downward expansion, way back when.


    Ragnar idly toys with his beard as he looks over the maps, and Ara looks rather frustrated as she tries to match them with my own maps from the expeditions. The elf sighs and stands, stretching her back with a grunt.


    I dont think were going to get much use out of the old map. It doesnt show anything remotely like the underswamps, nor the aquiferkes. It might connect through one of the various cracks, but


    Yvonne sighs and finishes. But thats not the way Aranya got here. She came through the swamps, at least enough to attract a scythemaw. I wouldnt be surprised if one of those cracks eventually can weave its way to this dungeon through other tunnels, caverns, and tubes, but its not the way she got here.


    My kobold inhales like she wants to apologize, at least thats how she looks, but Ragnar cuts her off. Its nae yer fault yer no cragwalker,ss. Theyd have a tough time retracin their steps after what ye went through, too.


    She still looks more than a little ashamed that she cant help more, but at least she doesnt try to continue with her apology for something thats not her fault. Instead, she takes a calming breath before speaking.


    Where should we start, then? Just go through the underswamps and explore from there?


    Thats probably our best option, admits Yvonne, to the nods of the other two.


    Its not the perfect start, but its at least a start, confirms Ara. Well need to supply ourselves for this, too. Its pretty simple to forage in the woods, but I dont think any of us has much experience finding food in the depths?


    Only some. I might keep mself fed, but I wouldnae want t bet on even tha much, says Ragnar, and nobody looks too surprised at that. If even the dwarf doesnt think he could scrounge up much food, theyll probably want to bring everything they n to eat, instead of nning to find something in their travels.


    We should be able to at least resupply without too much issue, speaks up Aranya. The spiderkin are working on setting up a scouting outpost past the underswamps. Im certain we can get at least basic supplies from them to make our own scouting forays.


    Yvonne nods at that idea. That would also make it a lot easier for us to give our reports, and update everyones maps. Thediem will probably have the most urate ones, but we can help with our own contributions.


    Aye, an we fight through things easiern th bats.


    Even if we wont be quite as sneaky as they can be, says Ara with a small giggle. They can find the routes to sneak information, we can focus more on the routes that will let Thedeim attack.


    My Voice makes his presence known by speaking up, having been listening and silently trying to not worry about them scouting underground. Dont forget that, with my shortcuts, the Boss can even use the small cracks to send big attacks, he points out as he hops onto the table. He looks over the maps, like he hasnt been eavesdropping the entire time.


    Yes, but youll be busy with the Southwood for a while, securing the routes that way first. Besides, points out Yvonne, the other dungeon will have to use more traditional movement to get its troops mobilized against us. While we can probably avoid provoking that kind of reaction, it will surely notice something is amiss well before were trying to batter its walls down and take its core. Well need to have those passages scouted anyway.


    Sure, but the Boss can scout those, too.


    Yvonne smiles at him, and pats his head. The two are close enough that she can recognize when hes trying to keep her safe. Well be fine, Teemo. With Aras earth magic and Ragnars dwarvish senses, the only ones doing any ambushing will be us. And if something goes wrong, well have Aranya to patch us up after.


    Teemo grumps at being shot down like that. He pouts for a few moments and sits, folding his arms. I still dont like it


    Ragnar and Ara try to hide their chuckle/giggle respectively, while Yvonnes smile softens. I know, Teemo, but this is what I do. Youre not the only one allowed to take risks to help people. Her soft smile shifts to a cheeky smirk. And Ive been doing this a lot longer than youve been alive, so I know what Im getting into.


    Teemo holds his little sulk for a few more seconds before finally relenting with a sigh. Fine yeah, youre right. Its what you do. I just dont want to be missing the next time someone needs to jump in front of a sword.


    Ragnar grins at that. Thats <em>my</em> job, ye little weasel. But be assured: well be turnin tail and fleein back home if theres any lifedrinkin around. He confidence slips as he nces towards Aranya. Will there?


    Aranya looks ufortable. I honestly dont know. I dont think so, but that does sound like the kind of enchantment it would want to pursue. Hopefully it wont be an issue, at least for now. If wee across anything actually familiar to me, we should immediately return to Lord Thedeim and have Him investigate.


    Everyone easily agrees to that notion. The very best case of making contact is spotting them without being spotted. The cases get a lot worse pretty quickly after that. The pale elves and dwarves are not exactly going to throw a wee party for the group if they catch them. And if they do well, the party will probably be the appetizers for the dungeon.

 Chapter One-Hundred Forty-Nine

    Chapter One-Hundred Forty-Nine


    <strong>Coda</strong>


    The Architect scion finds it difficult to focus, despite how excited he is! Probably <em>because</em> of how excited he is, honestly. The Foremans idea, this concrete, the very concept sings to his soul! The kinds of things he could create with it


    The bat shakes his head, refusing to get too far ahead of himself. He and the others have only just started, and there is so much to figure out! The Foreman has only vague guidance for them, but Coda knows theyre on the right general track, as does Queen.


    Its always a bit awkward trying to talk with her about most things, but with this, its like they both speak the samenguage. Forces, mixtures, ratios, reactions there is so much more going on with the ugly-looking mixtures than meets the eyes!


    They have already created their first tests of the concrete, attempting to just follow the sparse instructions from the Foreman to just get an idea of what theyre working with. All of them, even Foreman Thedeim, know it wont be very strong, but even failures teach how to reach sess.


    The drying process takes enough time for them to get some testing devices created, too. Queensb was starting to get a bit cramped, until the Foreman had mercy and created a secret workshop for the process. Thankfully, the actual testing equipment is very simple. The first is to testpression: a small divot in the floor with four steel posts around it, and a te that will slide down the posts. The sample is ced in the divots, the te ced over the sample, and weights added until the sample fails.


    The next is a simple hole in the wall, which a sample can be ced into, several inches left to hang in the air. Weights can be hung from the end, and get its strength from that kind of force. Andstly: a threaded hole in the ceiling. The samples will have to be carved slightly (with shs help) to thread the samples like giant bolts, and weights can be suspended from that, too, until it breaks.


    It was such a strange thing to learn, when he was first being directed how to build and carve the stone of the underground, that things have different strengths in different directions. The beautiful slopes and arches the Foreman required were not simply artistic, but carefully designed. Stone is stronger when pressed, and weak when pulled, like the opposite of a rope. Pull a rope, and it will resist. Push a rope, and it wont resist at all.


    If they can get this concrete to work properly, it should be very strong no matter the direction! Yes, it will still be strongest when pressed, but should stand up to pulling and even attempts to bend it, like what will be tested with the hole in the wall!


    He shakes his head again, trying to focus on the paper before him, and the charcoal stick in his grasp. The concrete samples should be ready by now, and theyve received several blocks of various stone to be able to test with, too. sh has already manipted them to the dimensions needed, so the testing can begin.


    Most of the process isnt especially interesting, but getting numbers is important to actually knowing theyre making progress. The only real surprise in the first round of testing is that granite is stronger than what they can bring to bear on the test, but more than fifty weights is still a number to keep in mind.


    The bending tests go quicker, as everything breaks before they run out of weights, and the pulling test is simr. Thenes the test with the first batch of concrete. Unsurprisingly, its weaker than the other samples in all tests. While it did at least set and seemed to be like any other stone, it crumbled pretty easily under the various loads.


    Not surprising, but Coda cant help but feel a twinge of disappointment. That there is no echo of disappointment from the Foreman helps ease the sting, at least. He and the others created it as well as they could, and the Foreman epts that it wont be a sess on the first try.


    So now to get working on other batches. But where to even begin? His Fate affinity and his title both resonate as he tries to think, and both point at the limestone first. He doesnt need the entire thing, but <em>something</em> in it is core to making this work. He can feel other resonances in many of the other potential ingredients, but they wont be able to do their job if they cant refine the limestone somehow.


    While Thing and sh are at a loss for how to actually do that, Queen has a glint in her eyes at the proposition.


    Pieces,ponents, <em>elements</em>... yes, purify, distill, extract


    Coda still misses much of the subtlety by not being able to understand her pheromonalmunications fully, but hes hardly alone in that. Besides, she understands what he needs, and is all too happy to run her own experiments to help him find what he needs for this.


    Limestone is ground and powdered, sifted, separated, dissolved in water, dissolved in acids, and yet nothing quite feels right. On a whim, he suggests taking some to the furnace. Maybe the limestone is actually like an ore for what he needs, and it just has to be smelted out? Neither he nor Queen are particrly confident in that, but its not like theyre short on limestone to try. sh delivers the samples to be smelted, and even tries different coarseness of grind, from powder to sand, gravel, rocks, and even a single solid piece.


    While they smelt, he considers the other ingredients. The sand and gravel feel right, but he also feels there could be something else added, something that doesnt quite integrate like the various powders are supposed to.


    Hes seen shes from the bond, of concrete being not simply poured into molds, but being poured overttices of metal. He knows this is important, and he suspects ites back to strength working in directions. Metal is very good in most directions, but seems to be very good at pulling. If one needs a stronger rope, reach for a chain. But metals rust.


    While the Foreman has a concept of a strong one that doesnt, none of the ratlings nor ratkin have been able to quite replicate it yet, so perhaps it wont be the best solution. So what else can he use that could be good at being pulled?


    The obvious solution is spider silk. Foreman Thedeim has countless spider denizens to provide it, after all. He chews over that solution, scribbling notes as he thinks. While the silk is <em>very</em> strong for pulling, it also has a lot of give to it. If just put in the mix like the gravel, the concrete will have crumbled away before the silk will actually start providing resistance.


    They could try to pre-stretch it? He frowns at that idea as he draws a few diagrams, not liking what hes seeing. Stretching it would be putting force on the whole thing before anything else, which will be like adding a few tes of weight before even starting the experiment!


    erhaps the spiders can make silk with less give to it? Or it can be worked out of it somehow? He lets his gaze drift as he thinks, and his eyes fall on the barrel of metal transmutation elixir. Could that work? Or would it have the same rusting problem of other metals?


    Well, either way, hell need to get some silk, so he may as well see if he can recruit some of the aranea. It will take time for the limestone to smelt, so talking will be a more productive use of his time. With a nod, he ps off to the spiderir to see about recruiting some help.


    <em>Not</em> stretch silk?es the reply of the first one he asks, looking at him like hes asked her to walk on only one leg.


    Yes, I need it to not have any give at all, or at least as little as possible.


    The aranea looks askance at him, but calls over a couple others to discuss this strange new idea.


    But bad socks!


    Help strange job?


    What can do?


    They take a few more minutes before they seem to get an idea, and the first one Coda talked to returns to him. Not us. Them, states the aranea and points at one of the widows. Bad sock silk. Good you silk?


    Huh maybe? Hed still prefer to have the aranea make the silk, as theyre the experts. Then again, if the experts are pointing at a widow, he should at least give it a shot. He ps over to stop one before she can go out to patrol, and she regards him with eight curious eyes.


    Can you make silk that doesnt stretch? he asks, and her pedipalps twitch as she considers that. Without a word, she weaves a short segment of thread and offers it to him, and he can feel the attention of the Foreman upon them both.


    <em>Dragline. Strong.</em>


    The two concepts drift through the bond, and Coda is encouraged. He epts it with a small bow. Thank you. Ill test this and get back to you. He swiftly returns to the workshop, eager to see just how stretchy this silk is, or isnt. He has a good feeling about this, just as hes getting a good feeling of the limestone down in the smelters. He doesnt think these two pieces will be the full solution, but they feel like two of the proper steps to take for this.


    Hes heard Tiny say that every journey starts with one step. If he can start this one off with <em>two</em>, hell be on a very nice pace.

 Chapter One-Hundred Fifty

    Chapter One-Hundred Fifty


    So, Im looking at the map for the stuff beyond my borders, above and below the ground, and I think I have my timescales messed up. Below the surface, I was expecting to be tripping over Aranyas old dungeon fairly quickly, or at least finding some trace of it with the long scouts. But so far, theyve not seen hide nor hair of the thing.


    Its making me wonder if I could expand underground and maybe set up a third enve after all.


    Above the surface, Ive underestimated how much the snow will slow things down. While the tundra wolves have been making great time with actually moving around, setting up the outposts is going a lot slower than I was hoping. Travel time isnt a problem for them, but building is. I should probably try to design something to standardize the outposts, too.


    Or maybe not. Coda could probably make quick towers or something even with just wood and whatnot, but thats not exactly stealthy. And hes a bit preupied with the concrete. He had a really good idea with the dragline silk, and I hope he can get it to work simrly to rebar. It could also be a good use for the metal elixir, depending on how resistant it ends up being to rust.


    None of the mixes seem quite right yet, but with the baked limestone, they seem to be making some real progress. I almost wish Fourdock had an actual need for an aqueduct or a dam or something. Probably better to start with roads anyway. Waterstuff is big and impressive, but roads are the ultimate test for durability and longevity. If Im <em>really</em> being honest, though the lighthouse might be the firstrge-scale use of the stuff, once Coda gets a mix he likes. Hard to say, really. My personal instinct is to go with the lighthouse since it will be able to start on bare rock. Ive dipped my toes into a lot of waters, but one of the things Ive never had to deal with is soil stuff and how it will react to say, a huge b of concrete being poured over it. It might make a nice road to start with, but then water can erode the soil away and make potholes, or all sorts of problems.


    Ugh, I really hope we dont have to make a sewer system before putting in roads. I think Fourdok has some kind of sewer system already, but not the kind of thing that can handle the change in drainage from concrete roads all over the ce.


    Anyway: expansion. I really am starting to feel a bit cramped, and I dont know if its just from me being me, or if its something about being a dungeon and having a growing cache of mana that I could be using. Ive already basically upgraded my spawners as much as I feel like I can right now. Sure, theres a lot of upgrades left, but where will I let the new denizens do their thing?


    I could also expand on the surface. Ive been so focused on the undergroundtely that its easy to forget I could expand out past the cemetery. Itd give me a ce to really let the tundra wolves do their thing. I wonder if they could actually keep the area cold, even in the summer? Thatd be cool, pun only kinda intended. It could also be a ce to let my birds do their things, too, stretch their wings and all that.


    I could probably see about taking the forest towards Hullbreak, even, and do stuff in there. I could even be <em>really</em> stupid and expand above and below at the same time. Pretty sure thatd be stupid, but its still really tempting to take a big bite and test just how much I can chew.


    I wouldnt go for two enves at once though, even if I do decide to be reckless. Testing limits is one thing, but I want to give each enve the attention it deserves, make sure theyre going to be good to be mostly-independent before working on the next.


    Besides, winter is a terrible time to try to set up a settlement on the surface. It might not be the worst time to set up a wintery section to give my delvers something new and challenging to face, though. I stare at the cost for a few seconds before noting it down. I want to know how much Id have left over if I do decide to follow this wild hair and expand both ways.


    Deep underground, I look towards the volcanic area. Its a bit of a downward north direction to get there, and might end up being two expansions on its own to actually <em>get</em> to the volcanic stuff, instead of warmer and probably more dangerous passages. Looking at the maps and reports, it looks like I dont know ifva tubes is the right term, but it feels like something along those lines. Theyre not exactly lined with obsidian, but the way they twist and loop makes me think ofva tubes.


    Whatever they are, they dont look like theyre even remotely active. The reports show all sorts of the glowmoss around, as well as other signs of life. Id imagine itd be a lot more barren and hot ifva was still asionally passing through. The actual volcanic area isnt as well scouted, at least not yet. I hope my bats can handle the heat of an area like that. Can they even breathe there? If this was home, itd be a suicide mission to send them in, but here its hard to say. I trust Poe to know what hes doing with the scouts, though, so I dont worry too much about it.


    I do look at the cost to potentially expand out that far, and whoof, thats spendy. I could get the tubes without too much difficulty, but the volcanic area beyond it would be a lot more than I want to spend right now, even with reckless being on the table. Ill want to wait for the scouts to get a better idea of it, first, and let that lower the cost.


    That still leaves me feeling kinda cramped, though. The woods could give me a good ce to do some stuff, but no enve yet. Theva tubes could get me an enve, but I dont know how good of an area itd be to set one up. Of course, the volcanic area isnt going to be all sunshine and roses, even if magic will let people actually live there.


    Theres really only one enve Id put in the tubes, at least right now: the snakes. Itd just be cruel to put a birdkin enve so far under the ground. Oh, wait theres one other enve that might work perfectly in the tubes.


    I have one other spawner that Ive been kinda neglecting, partially because it just works so much differently than the others: the ant spawner. Queen technically produces most of my ants, but the hill still spits out other varieties seemingly on its own, and I think two of them could be very useful in theva tubes, if I do end up expanding that way. Firstly, the fire ants. Fairly obvious why they might be good in there. Fire affinity has to count for something close to magma and such, right?


    The other would be the carpenter ants. Bigger ants in the tubes could make the whole system into basically a huge antfarm, which would be neat. But how do I make an ant enve? Is it even an option? I take a closer look at the hill, and see a confusing mess of options. Right theres a reason I havent kicked this particr anthill very hard.


    Well, youre out of excuses now, my guy. Get in those trenches and figure this thing out. I mentally roll up my sleeves and dive in.


    Well, the first thing I can do is to just immediately rule out various things. While the hill will happily spit out practically any ant up to the tier the hill is at, the odds lean it towards the specialization. It also looks like Queen has more than a little influence on what it makes, too, as it seems like leafcutters are the top, followed by carpenter ants, then alchemical, then fire, then arborists (which look to be a subss of the carpenter ants), and then a huge list that I dont think Queen even bothers to add to her army. That particr list is <em>gigantic</em>, and just snipping it off at everything below 1% chance helps clear the confusion a ton.


    Theres also an option for other entrances to the hill. While I can feel that the hill takes up a space on mywn, the feel of it gets a bit fuzzy as it goes deeper, reminding me of one of Teemos shortcuts. Which would make sense, if Im allowed to put in little entrances practically wherever. They look to have a <em>lot</em> of restrictions, though. For starters, only ants can use them, and any ant that wants to go back <em>in</em> looks like it has to wait for a respawn timer like everything else.


    Still, the advantages are pretty nice. While most of them dont really matter to the leafcutters, the other ants will have much easier times getting to where they need to get to. Queen cant just hatch a carpenter or fire ant, so I could put an exit in herb marked for them, and shell be able to integrate them easily. One more for arborists in the lumber nodes would help, too.


    And thats without upgrading and designating more ants. The leafcutters are basically as good as theyre going to get, seems like. Well, without Queen further specializing them. She definitely has more leeway here than what I seem to. Could I make a leafcutter enve, then? I dig a bit, but dont even see an option for it. I wonder why not? Are they too closely linked to Queen? Whatever the answer, the hill isnt telling me.


    How about the others? I dont even bother looking at the huge list, and instead focus on the fire and carpenters. The carpenters seem to have the option well down the line, but I can see it requires ess to a forest. While I do have ess, or I guess <em>could</em> have ess with an expansion, Im not going to make them try to get situated in one in the winter. Looking at the fire ants, they also have the option to make an enve, and they dont even have any requirements! Well, they cant be ced underwater, but duh.


    I eye the costs for the upgrades and the expansion, and how much it would cost to put in hill ess that far down. Oddly, it doesnt seem to matter how far from the actual hill I ce them, just the maximum allowed rate for that exit. While it looks like the whole thing will cost a lot, I dont need to spend everything all at once. In fact, Id prefer not to. Not only can I keep a healthy reserve in case I actually need to do something in an emergency, but if I take my time, I can get more used to the new ants and how they behave.


    Nodding to myself, I purchase theva tubes and sprinkle in hill ess for the fire ants. What better way to help keep me sane in the winter months than an ant farm?

 Chapter One-Hundred Fifty-One

    Chapter One-Hundred Fifty-One


    In hindsight, in my eagerness to get an enve and so a project to keep me busy, I may have forgotten that an expansion gets me more than just a bigger sandbox. I me how long its been since I expanded. Totally a good excuse, right?


    Well, this is why I drill into Violet the need to have plenty of extra mana before expanding. Before I get into the new stuff, I focus a bit on my fire ants, first. The basic ones arent all that impressive, but I have easily enough mana to upgrade them to cinder ants. Interestingly, the resource focus Ive taken the main hill into seems to work even with these. I might not actually need to get into the volcanic section if I want volcanic ash for Coda to y with for the concrete. Even better, the ants seem to build little nests out of coal and what Im pretty sure is coke. If my ratlings can get that, steel production should get <em>way</em> easier.


    Ill probably want to encourage the bats to help the nts in here along, too, as the ants are working on processing them. nts be coal, coal bes coke, coke bes steel once my ratlings start gathering it, at least.


    Interesting as the cinder ants are, theyre far from my only denizens down here. Yes, a new expansion means a new spawner! Its even dragons! Technically. They dont look very draconic to me, but they have the little tag, or whatever it technically is. What they actually look like are tiny graboids from tremors, but made out of magma. Theyre wyrms, and are magma affinity.


    As is tradition, I spend the mana to make a new scion, and watch with interest as she crawls out of the little wyrm den. Little being rtive. The wyrms are around a foot thick and around six feet long, but I get the feeling they could easily get big enough to take up a fullva tube with enough upgrades. But back to my new scion what should I name her?


    Cinder or Ember are pretty ssic, but they dont quite feel right. Sure, shes fairly small right now, but if she ends up being a big actual dragon, the name just wont fit anymore. I could call her Grendel, but that doesnt feel right, either. I should lean more into the fire and heat, rather than the dragon. Not a lot ofdy dragons to name her after, feels like.


    Corona? Thats certainly leaning hard into the heat aspect. People often like to talk about the surface or the sun as being hot, but its tamepared to the corona. I think the surface is around 10,000 degrees, while the corona can top 100k? I honestly dont remember, just that the corona is the hottest part. The name feels closer, but still not quite right for her. Whats hotter than a stars corona? Hmm well, theres one other thing stars can do thats probably hotter. I dont know if its <em>technically</em> hotter, but a Nova has some ridiculous energy output.


    Yeah Nova sounds perfect. She seems to slump a bit under the weight of the grandiose name, and I do my best to encourage her. I dont need her to live up to the raw power of her namesake, but I figure we might as well aim high. Even if we miss, wellnd among the stars, right? For now, Nova, just try to get used to life and living. Im sure the other scions wille visit you, soon.


    In fact, I poke Teemo to visit her and help her get settled before he heads out. Weve kinda both been procrastinating on that, but we really should get on it. I think Ill send him out in the morning with a tundra wolf. I dont think theres much else that Ill need him here for, even if Id like to have him around anyway. While talking with delvers is good and helps build trust, I kinda <em>need</em> to start building it with Southwood, especially if Im going to be helping him with defense.


    I watch my wyrms and ants as they start to popte theva tubes, and wonder what kind of invader Ill be attracting, as I wait for Teemo to make his entrance. If its anything like in the caverns, I might be getting the attention of something from the next biome, or whatever it technically is. If the caverns got those dire mosquitoes from the underswamps, what kind of critter will the volcanic area send at me?


    Maybe just someva variant of what Ive already seen? Lava slimes, fire bats, obsidian snakes? Hmm. Those sound pretty cool, but I dont think its going to be something that simple. Maybe an elemental? Or even something draconic? I dont have much information to base my imagination on, so I just let it wander until Teemo arrives in the tubes. Nova is a bit deeper, so I nudge her to make her way to him, instead of making him start making shortcuts just to get to her.


    You know I dont mind looking around and making them, right Boss? What kind of scout doesnt enjoy zing trails?


    Heh, thats fair. I just feel like Im putting more work on youtely, so I want to try to lessen it when I can.


    My Voice smiles. Yeah, I get that. But its good to have something to do. Helps keep me from worrying he trails off as he nces in the direction of the underswamps.


    Yeah I know that feel. Having something to do is why I decided to expand. Id probably go nuts if I didnt have something to work on while waiting for word from the Southwood or from the depths. You can make some shortcuts after chatting with Nova, if you want. Id like to get you on the trail to the Southwood in the morning.


    Sounds good to me, Boss. Try not to be too lonely without me, yeah? he says with a smirk, and we share augh as Nova pokes her head through the wall of the tube Teemos in.


    Ah, heya Nova! The Boss wanted me to check in on you. Things can be a bit hectic, especially right at the start. Howre you doing?


    She rumbles and does a little bow, earning her a resigned look from Teemo. People and scions both are only going to get more and more nervous talking to him for the first time as I grow, after all.


    Just Teemo is fine, Nova. Yeah, I know what your name means. Dont think of it as an expectation, but as a goal. The Boss will take care of you even if you never get a single level. Im still just a rat, after all, he says with a smirk, though it doesnt seem to have eased her concerns.


    Dont worry, Nova, Im sure youll grow into it. And dont worry about the Boss not immediately having a specific job for you to do. For now, just try to get settled, and maybe visit some of the others when you get a chance. Did you have anything else you wanted to ask the Boss, besides your name?


    She wriggles uncertainly and gives a quiet rumble, somehow managing to look and sound rather shy. Teemo just gives her a smile. Yes, you can wander wherever you like, though you might need to be careful in the manor to not burn it down. And you can go talk to the others, too. Youd probably like Jello, in fact. Shes very friendly and mostly patrols the various caves and tunnels for invaders. Most of us did basically that at the start, and a lot of us still do.


    Nova looks like shes trying to chew on that idea for a few seconds, before she turns and looks at the wall.


    You spot something? If its an invader, go kill it, encourages Teemo. Nova looks like she doesnt want to just take off on a hunt where he can see, but a little shoving motion from him gets her into gear.


    Wow, <em>really</em> into gear. Teemos going to need to be on his A-game to make his shortcuts work faster than the wyrms can tunnel, or at least Nova. She dives into the wall like its made of water, leaving behind a plug of molten rock as she goes. As I watch her, I can see its more than just a plug. She really is basically just swimming through the rock, melting it and zipping through like an eel in water.


    I quickly look ahead to see what shes after, and I get to see the new invader. Its I dont know what it is. Itsbeled a fire elemental, but aside from being really hot, its not like what I would expect a fire elemental to be. Its not a vaguely-humanoid me, nor even a floating fireball. Its more like an amoeba made of napalm.


    It doesnt move like my slimes, either. They move more like slugs or snails, mostly gliding forward as a single mass. This thingunches a tendril of itself forward and then flows into it. Its kinda disturbing, actually. Its also surprisingly quick, though thats onlypared to my slimes. Jello can manage about a brisk walk when shes at top speed, but this thing is moving at a jerky gallop. It probably averages a decent jogging pace, but trying to fight something like that in melee would probably be a very bad idea.


    Or a bad idea if youre mmable. Nova does a remarkable missile impression as she exits the wall, and her triple mandibles snatch the thing up before it can react. I think. The elemental is so alien I have no idea. She simply swallows it, and chews a bit of the tunnel that has bits of it left, and I make sure to send her some feelings of praise through the bond.


    Shes certainly not what I expected of a dragon, but shes strong and fierce like one. I can trust her to keep the tubes safe, and depending on how quickly she advances, and how long it takes to find the other dungeon, she might even get to go on a proper rampage.

 Chapter One-Hundred Fifty-Two

    Chapter One-Hundred Fifty-Two


    I mostly watch Nova wander around as night falls, letting Teemo make some shortcuts to help keep himself distracted from worrying. Id tell him to not worry, if it wouldnt make me a gigantic hypocrite. I know the group can handle themselves, but that doesnt stop my mind from spitting out horrifying what-ifs


    Better to have something to do, especially if its something that will help them with their mission. Its a bit of a tangential help, but the ratlings have already started using the coke from the cinder ants to make the forges hotter, and so make steel easier.


    Oh, which reminds me. Steel might be one of the biggest things back on Earth, but I bet theres fancy metals to y with around here, thanks to magic. Something like mythril, orichalcum, adamantine and so on would be great. If unobtainium actually exists, I will refuse to process it just on principle.


    I can actually put in some gold nodes, but I hold off on that, at least for now. It probably has some good uses in enchanting, but I just dont want to deal with that metal. Its too soft, and too likely to get attention I might not want. Maybe a secret node down there, but not yet. My other options do actually include orichalcum and mythril, and I take some time to figure out what they actually do. Or at least try to.


    The menus arent exactly forting with information, but concentrating on them gets me at least some basics.


    <strong>Mythril</strong>: <em>Light and durable metal, often sought for enchanting.</em>


    <strong>Orichalcum</strong>: *<em>Light and hard metal, highly resistant to magic.</em>


    I note that one says durable while the other says hard, and wonder if an alloy of them could manage anything special. I go ahead and put in a node of each for now, and can feel some of my slimes starting their slow way down to do their little slimy business of helping the nodes along. I also put in a few high-purity iron nodes and a smattering of other more ordinary metals. I even notice I can get a diamond node and put in one of those. It doesnt look like it will be especially good for jewelry, but Im more looking forward to trying some industrial applications.


    Id love to get some titanium, too, but Im not exactly going to hold my breath on that. Im actually a bit relieved to see theres no option for a titanium node, at least not in theva tubes. Titanium is actually incrediblymon, but processing it is a massive pain, as the strong metal will actually burn before it melts. I wouldnt be surprised if Queen could manage some kind of alchemical processing method for it, but shes still pretty focused on the concrete with Coda.


    As the night goes on, a few of my scions even go visit Nova. I can feel her curiosity about the rest of my territory, but shes taking the time to get more used to the tubes, first, and to hunt down more of the fire elementals. The other wyrms have been hunting them down, too, but Nova takes to it with gusto, and shes really good at it, too. Still, A little nudge is all it takes to get her to greet whatever scionse down to say hello.


    Fluffles is the first to visit, and seeing my Conduit seems to both intimidate and motivate her. Fluffles is a good role model, and is more than happy to help give her some suggestions and encouragements. Hes curious about her magma affinity, and while shes happy to tell what she knows, I dont think she quite has the words to exin it to him. I dont know how many people here could exin the mechanics of breathing, despite doing it their entire lives, and it seems simr for her.


    Next is Rocky,fortably back in his boxing gear. He had kept the lich outfit for a little after dealing with Hullbreak, but now his arena is up and running, hes more than happy to put back on his familiar gear. Unsurprisingly, he seems to chat with Nova about fighting, and about affinities. I dont think hes tried toy any of the actual concepts on her for expanding them yet, but he did watch her demonstrate some of her magma stuff with great interest.


    Tiny pays her a visit, too, and Id wager he gave her some philosophical stuff about what names actually mean. Hes the opposite of tiny, after all, so Nova shouldnt feel too intimidated nor defined by her name. At least, thats the impression I get from the bonds.


    Grim stops by next, though I dont think the stoic skeleton says much to her. Instead, he seems to have a bit of a housewarming gift for her in the form of a small que with a flower carved into it. Nova carefully epts it, making sure to not melt it, and thanks him for the gift. She doesnt seem to know what to do with it, though, and eventually decides to set it near the wyrm spawner, where the denizens get to appreciate it before going about their duties.


    Even Jello pays her a visit. Im pretty sure Jello was the first to want toe visit, but her speed puts her inst ce to chat. And, like Teemo said, the two seem to hit it off. They talk and hang out for basically the rest of the night, and Jello even gets to eat one of the elementals. I dont think it quite agrees with her, but shes tough enough to not care too much about its opinion on her digestion methods.


    Sunrise starts to threaten, so I ask Teemo to head up to the wolf spawner. Hes gotten a lot of shortcuts done in the tubes, but I can tell he considers the job hardly started. Still, its better than nothing, and we really do need to get the shortcuts to the outposts done.


    You ready to go on an adventure?


    Teemo smirks as he exits the shortcut near the wolf den. Last time I went on anything like an adventure, I got impaled by a sword.


    Yeah, but you got better. Besides, youve been outside a bunch since then.


    Yeah, but not for anything like an adventure. He nces at the wall and the little staircase over it. And never for as long as this is going to take. You gonna be alright with me out there?


    I mentally smile and pat the bond. Yeah, I should be fine. I managed without a Voice for a while. Ill miss you while youre out there, but we should still be able to easily talk, even while youre outside.


    And how about with the delvers, or with Hullbreak or Violet? You still need to take the Quartermaster on a tour, remember?


    I know. Im sure Fluffles can handle that on his own. I might even try to get him to invite one of Violets scions toe along, too. Shell probably get a kick out of basically anything on the surface.


    Teemo chuckles at that and nods. Yeah, she probably will. Want me to head down and ask her?


    Im tempted to say yes, but instead reluctantly decline. Its a good idea, but I think well both keep finding little excuses and things to do that will keep you here, Teemo.


    He detes a bit at that and nods after a few moments. Yeah. You can handle it, it''s just its a bit scary to head out there. Making the shortcuts has me excited, but trying to negotiate with arge dungeon like the Southwood


    Yeah. We havent had great first impressions with most dungeons. Even Violet was terrified of us at first.


    Weve had to work hard to change their opinions to consider us allies. With the Southwood it already wants to be an ally. I just dont want to mess it up.


    I dont think youll mess it up, Teemo. Youve been great at making friends with people who didnt even know they wanted one. Now that we have someone who actively wants our help, Im sure youll do great.


    Besides, who else am I going to send?


    That earns a bark of augh from him, and my Voice shakes his head as a tundra wolf exits the den. Send your best instead of trying to wait for perfection, hmm?


    Eh, I think youre at least 50% of the way towards perfection.


    Such a vote of confidence.


    It is. If I had half-perfect concrete, a lighthouse would be no challenge. I dont need perfect, or even half-perfect. Its the ws that make things interesting, the problems that invite unique solutions. You are my unique solution to talking, and youve been, if not <em>perfect</em>, at least up to each and every challenge. I know you can do it, Teemo.


    My Voice sits there for a few moments, before he clears his throat. Thanks, Boss.


    With that, he hops onto the wolf, and they hop over the wall. I could still talk to him, but I can feel the roiling emotions of his through the bond, and I dont doubt it echoes my own. I trust him to do this. Im not just sending him because hes the best option I have right now. Im sending him because I cant conceptualize anyone being better suited for this.


    If this somehow falls through, I very much doubt it will be because of him.

 Chapter One-Hundred Fifty-Three

    Chapter One-Hundred Fifty-Three


    Just because theres technically no snow on the ground right this moment, doesnt mean its not cold outside. Early delvers are pretty sparse, mostly just the miners with their escort heading down the ess shaft. Theres a few on the ground and in the manor, but not much else. The catbs are mostly empty right now, too. I think most of the Shield people are turning their focus on more spiritual than physical pursuits with winter here.


    There is one big exception to this, as I notice a certain elf step through the gates and get greeted with the traditional mor of caws. I smile to myself as I spot Tarl, looking like hes here on official business. Hopefully not <em>too</em> official, I dont want to need to recall Teemo already. He seems to be in the middle of making a shortcut, and deep in thought besides.


    It doesnt look like Ill need him, though, as the elf simply gives the birds an exaggerated scowl before shaking his head with a smile and taking a look at the noticeboard.


    Hey Fluffles, would you go greet him, please?


    My wingnoodle nods and makes his way up from the tunnels, moving at a quick but not rushed pace. I think he just likes zipping through them at speed, makes me think of riding a roller coaster. He makes his exit via the cave mouth andzily glides to Tarl, who watches his descent with vague interest.


    No Teemo? he asks, curious, but not concerned.


    Fluffles shakes his head and motions for Tarl to follow, and the elffortably falls in behind him. I dont bother sending any encounters, though he does notice the hands. He pulls out his little recording stone and talks as he follows.


    Appears crawling hand spawner has been upgraded, can see arcane hands in the manor. No change in hostility. Without the Voice present to confirm, would specte they are to be a new challenge to broaden the experience of new delvers. Lightning resist potions unlikely to be the only way to protect from magic anymore.


    He nces to Fluffles for any other input, but my noodle simply nods once more. Tarl epts that and continues making notes.


    Currently following Conduit, Voice is apparently indisposed at the moment. Likely being taken to something that will shed light.


    Fluffles leads him down to the public war room, and Tarl looks surprised at how much bigger it is than thest time he looked at it. Public map is greatly expanded and detailed sincest inspection.


    Fluffles gets his attention before he can go into much detail for the stone, and points at Teemo, out on expedition. Tarls eyes follow the tail tip as Fluffles shows him the route, and he speaks as he watches.


    Voice appears to be on expedition towards the Southwood. Thedeim appears to be making good on his word to contact and potentially provide support. He pauses and squints at the map for a moment. Appears Warden and Librarian are checking the route while the Voice solidifies it with shortcuts. Odd Thedeim has marked several small locations as territory, but they cant be actually part of him right? He looks to Fluffles, apparently not willing to bet against me finding some way to im those little spots. Fluffles shakes his head, and Tarl sighs in relief before continuing.


    Conduit confirms locations not officially imed. Appear to be designated resting and possibly nning locations once Thedeim starts sending actual support to the Southwood. His eyes follow Fluffles tail as he points out my new expansion.


    Ah, it appears Thedeim has expanded again. Map dubs the areava tubes. He lowers the rock for a moment before addressing Fluffles. Will I need specialty gear to delve?


    Fluffles shakes his head, but does point at the volcanic area past the tubes. Tarl considers that for a moment before nodding and bringing the stone back up. Territory doesnt require specialty gear, but is in close proximity to more active volcanism. Preliminary estimate that the far reaches of the tubes be avoided, but nearer portions should be fine. Will inspect with caution.


    He shakes his head and pockets the stone. I actually came here to inspect Violet, since Teemo said she recently expanded. Looks like I might as well inspect you some, too. I didnt expect you to expand, though, considering the he trails off as he tries to find a subtle way to put it, and instead decides to start a new train of thought. Thats why the map is bigger now, right? Looking around to find that other dungeon?


    Fluffles nods, and I have him tap the expansion, then Rers home. Tarl frowns as he thinks for a few seconds, then seems to get the gist. You want me to tell him about the expansion? You havent already? Fluffles nods and shakes his head, respectively, in reply.


    Alright. From what Ive heard, the dungeon isnt in that direction. So why expand? Fluffles just stares at him for a moment before Tarl shakes his head at himself. A question for Teemo once he gets back, then. He takes a moment to trace out the route to the Southwood with a finger, then shakes his head again. Probably will be a while, too. He changes his attention to Violets location and taps it, looking like hes making a mental note, before turning his attention towards the cavernyer.


    Id like to take a look over here before going down to Violet, if you dont mind? The miners have said theres a bunch of small stone nodes, and Ive heard there are rare snake monsters?"


    Fluffles nods and motions for Tarl to follow, and the elf pulls out his stone once more. Proceeding to caverns to confirm reports of new nodes and new denizens. He follows my Conduit infortable silence, and my snek seems to be pretty satisfied, too. Its been a while since hes had to step up for something like this, and Id say he might have missed it. If he could talk, I might see if I could have him organize tours or something, but I dont know how that could even work.


    Maybe if I make a museum or something. Could be interesting. Or he could be a good escort for caravans or something to the various enves. I have no idea how were going to try to organize any kind ofmerce at that kind of scale. It feels weird to just let caravans through without a few tests, but I also dont want to mess with the trade of my enves. Probably something else to talk about soon.


    It doesnt take Tarl long to examine the various little stone nodes. Can confirm variety of stone nodes, though inspectorcks the qualifications to tell precisely what each node is. May require a contractor to provide official appraisal of nodes, but no true reason to suspect error in the initial reports for what the nodes contain. Will now attempt to verify new denizen reports.


    He lowers the stone and looks to the Conduit-turned guide. He has some kind of new snake? Fluffles nods and leads the way once more, and I make sure the nearest Jacobs Ladder snake is prepared to y nice.


    Tarls eyes widen as he sees it. He draws his daggers immediately, though his tension slowly drains as the snake calmly observes him. After a few more seconds, he sags in relief and sheathes his daggers, and pulls out the stone.


    Twinsnakes confirmed. While there are certainly ordinary ones around as well, there is an alchemically-enhanced version, too. Appears to have metallic scales and increased size he trails off as an arc of electricity travels up between the two heads.


    ...as well as lightning affinity. Designating Arcsnake. Level too high for inspector to safely challenge solo, rmend for seasoned groups only. Others should take care to avoid.


    He lowers the stone and gives Fluffles an incredulous look. The kids really handled one of those on their own? At the nod, he simply keeps his incredulity apparent. And how much did it hold back?


    Fluffles manages a shrug, and I can see Tarl adding another item to the list of things he wants to ask Teemo. Maybe hell even try to catch up to him on the trail soon. For now, he pockets the stone and lets Fluffles lead him to Violet.


    <strong></strong>Confirm expansion for Violet. Appears to have gained mole and shadow spirit spawners. He watches a few of the gremlins, despite them doing their best to stay out of sight. Appear to be gremlins already. Odd, will need to confer with Thedeims Voice when convenient, but not concerning. Unknown if new scions.


    He looks to Fluffles, who gives another snakey shrug, and I gently nudge Violet with a suggestion to show off her new scions, if she likes. I kept Queen a secret for a while, so I cant really demand she put all her cards on the table. I can feel her thinking it over as Tarl wanders around, gathering as he goes. He takes a peek into her first room, too, and does a little gather in there as Violetes to a decision: shell show him her scions.


    Fluffles taps his shoulder to get his attention, and Tarl smiles as he spots the scions gathering. Confirm centipede, mole, and gremlin scions. Also confirm appears to be a true metalworks, rather than Thedeims simpler forges. He eyes the metallic pieces attached to the legs of the centipede scion before continuing. Centipede is Guardian, and is likely one of the scions will gain a title for the metalworks soon, too.


    As he makes his notes, I can feel Violet asking if she could test Tarl. Feels like her gremlin might want to follow in Rockys footsteps to be a boss. I do my best to gently dissuade her from that, at least for the moment. Her gremlin being a fighter is fine, but Tarl is strong enough that I dont think shed gain much from fighting him. She could probably test the kids the next time they show up, though.


    She seems to ept that, and soon Tarl heads out with Fluffles to see the tubes. He immediately pulls out the stone once they enter them. Fresh expansion, likely in thest day or two. Appear to be volcanic tubes of some variety, hence the designation on the map. Little actual volcanic activity apparent, judging by some very basic herbalism nodes, he notes as they walk. He stops as he spots one of the ant nests.


    Interesting. Cinder ants. Specte Thedeim will lean heavily into them, but too early to tell just yet. Only single small nest observed yet. Will continue inspection. He notes a few more nests before he notices one of my new metal nodes. He brings the stone up slowly, as if sudden movement will somehow scare the node off.


    Mythril node, he says solemnly, as if thats all that needs to be said. I have Fluffles take him to an orichalcum node, too, and he just res at my conduit once he spots the node.


    <em>And</em> orichalcum?! He sighs and pulls out the stone. Orichalcum node, too. At least that exins why the cinder ants. Thediem appears to be preparing to lean heavily into more advanced metals production, which means the local mining, smelting, and smithing guilds will be able to, too.


    He lowers the stone and gives Fluffles a t look. Whats the new denizen, then? And I can only assume scion, too. Hes not going to just give this away for free.


    Fluffles manages a smirk and motions for Tarl to follow, and leads him to the wyrm den. Tarl furrows his brows as he spots the hole in the wall, but it seems to take him a little longer than usual to figure out what hes looking at. Once he does, he gives a short bark of augh, before bringing up the stone.


    Wyrm den inva tubes, magma affinity, looks like. Will need proper protection to challenge for the new nodes. He pauses to think. Will need to confirm new invader. With rare metal nodes, invaders could be danger to delvers.


    Fluffles nods to that and leads Tarl deeper into the tubes, where he can see the wyrms, or at least the signs of their passage. He also spots a smear of soot on a wall, a sign of a piece of a fire elemental, and I see him frown at it as he stops. He seems to re at it for a few moments, until Fluffles hisses to get his attention to keep following.


    After a few more smears of soot, Tarl sighs and pull out the stone. Signs of fire elemental invaders. Attempting to confirm, he says, sounding very unhappy about it.


    Fluffles tilts his head in curiosity, and conveys a bit of concern, too. Tarl waves him off and motions for him to keep leading. No, theyre nothing actually concerning. I just dont like them. They move all wrong, he says, suppressing a shudder. At least Im not the only one that doesnt like them.


    I help steer Fluffles towards one making its way up an adjacent tube, and I even see Nova stalking it. I gently nudge her to not get it just yet, and do my best to get the idea of a guest though the bond to her. The idea seems to be a bit confusing to her, but she epts the direction.


    In the tube, Fluffles grabs the elemental with his telekinesis, not needing to worry about how hot it is since hes not actually touching it. Tarl eyes the floating blob warily as he speaks into the stone once more. Fire elemental invaders confirmed. Shallow depths in the tubes may not need proper fire protection, but deeper will.


    His note done, I let Nova know she can eat the invader if she likes, which she does with gusto. Tarl shouts in surprise, losing grip of his recording stone as Nova bursts from the ceiling and eats the elemental in a single bite, before diving through the bottom of the tunnel.


    Fluffles hisses inughter at Tarls undignified response to my newest scion, and levitates the lost stone to the elf. He res at my noodle, but his voice is the epitome of professionalism as he speaks into the stone.


    Wyrm Scion confirmed.

 Chapter One-Hundred Fifty-Four

    Chapter One-Hundred Fifty-Four


    With Tarlstest inspection out of the way and him certainly writing some kind of report about it, Im back to working on making my new expansion actually be something useful. I still need to get my enve in there, and theres a fair couple upgrades to do to get ess to it.


    Im already seeing some activity in the tubes, which is encouraging. My ratkin are in the middle of a small mining and gathering expedition. Theyre all pretty happy, talking about how it gives them vague memories of when they were still my ratlings and would do this sort of thing for me.


    The two new metals seem to be pretty tough to mine, too. I think theyre only going to be able to manage about a wheelbarrows worth of each before they head home. They have a much easier time gathering the coal and coke, their eyes alight with the possibilities that the fuels will open up.


    Especially since theyve discovered something that I probably should have mentioned to them when I first made some limestone nodes. The rock has more uses than just in making concrete. Which is progressing very well now, too. I think my scions have a mix they like, but I can see Coda working to make something else, too: cinder blocks. I have no idea what theyre actually made of, but they must be made of something simr to concrete, right? Theyre clearly molded instead of carved. My bat scion is toying with molds and new mixes now, too, and I think he wants to make the idea of the lighthouse be a reality with cinder blocks and concrete.


    But toe back to limestones uses, its also used in smelting as a flux stone. I dont know if it reacts with impurities and grabs them for easier skimming, or if it acts as an oxygen barrier to keep the metals strong. What I do know is that they saw sh baking some limestone and wanted to see what would happen if they added some to the ore when they smelt, and they were able to get more ingots than usual.


    Im looking forward to seeing what they can produce with not only coke but also flux. Will they be able to make better steel? More steel? Both? I get the feeling theyll need the flux and coke to process the mythril and orichalcum, but I dont really have advice for them for it. My ratkin are smart, and experienced in the forges and smelters, so Im not worried. Maybe a little anxious to get to see what the new metals actually do, but not worried.


    I am a little worried about how bare the tubes feel right now, though. Definitely need more stuff in there. I upgrade the earth elemental spawner so it will make more, and send the extra stcsprites and rockslides to help popte them, deciding to stick with the rocks and magma theme in there. Miners are probably going to be the main delvers, so Im not against letting them use their picks as effective weapons in the tubes.


    Theyll still need some answer to the ants, after all. I wouldnt imagine a heavy pick would be very good for dealing with a bunch of them. While the cinder ants are generally about the same size as Queen, theyre still pretty small to try using something like that.


    I also need to upgrade them if I want to get this enve any time soon. No rush, but I do want to get the enve ced before I get too settled in how I want the tubes. Wouldnt want to have everything working how I want it, only to realize I need to delete a bunch of stuff to make room for the ant enve. A quick check of my mana shows that Im in no danger of running low, so I go ahead and upgrade the cinder ants.


    The new ants are immediately different from the cinders. For starters, while the cinders act like the spawner ess points are their homes and build hills over them, the new ants immediately have a nuptial flight and disperse through the tubes. Theyre also a fair bit bigger than the cinders. The cinders are about pinkie sized, but the new ones are closer to a hands length from end to end.


    Theyre also called crucible ants, and its not difficult to see why. They prefer nesting near my various metal nodes, so I sprinkle in a few more. They dont seem specifically drawn to the new ones, and look to happily settle near the pure iron and copper nodes. I even decide to put in a gold node pretty far into the tubes. From Tarls reaction, it might not be interestingpared to the orichalcum or mythril, but I still want to be careful with it.


    The crucible ants all settle fairly close to a node or two, and start making their hills. While they mostly seem to dig into the tunnels for it, they also send workers to the nodes to nibble at the material there, and start making the hills out of metal! The ants themselves seem to act like little anty crucibles, which is pretty cool. I wonder if they can alloy things, too, so I drop in a few more nodes to experiment, mostly a tin node near a copper one to see if theyll make bronze.


    I spend some time enjoying them just doing ant things, before I return my focus to improving the tubes. For the moment, theres only one thing else I want to do with them, and thats upgrade the wyrm spawner a little. Im not ready for whatever the next tier of wyrm is, but I would like a few more around. Having some more will give Nova the freedom to explore around a bit and see more than just her starting biome.


    My newest scion helps organize the wyrms to ensure the elementals hardly get inside before they get eaten, which is fine by me. Theyre probably drawn to the fancy new metal nodes, and I dont want the weird little blobs to get away with my cool stuff. With that problem mostly solved, shes free to explore a bit, and I watch her as she wanders.


    She doesnt go into Violet, though she does give her territory a curious look before continuing. I think shed rather get a bit more familiar with my territory before she tries to figure out someone new, even if theyre my protege.


    Or she really wants to see the surface, because after her curious looking, she makes her way there. She doesnt take any shortcuts to get there, and I wonder if she doesnt like not being surrounded by rock. Im pretty sure she can move just fine on a surface but yeah, probably a lot faster when shes swimming through it.


    She causes a bit of a stir when she pokes her head up through the grass, charring whats nearest her but not starting a fire, thankfully. She curiously watches the grass wilt and cken, but the ramifications dont seem to sink in until she looks a bit further and sees just how much grass there is on the surface. She may be young, but she can guess that a fire up here would probably be bad for all the people moving around, not to mention the destruction it would wreak on the manor and maze.


    While shes just looking around, one of my regrs notices her, and decides to investigate. Hes a catkin named Berdol, and usually he escorts various gatherers around. He also usually doesnt pay my scions any mind, happy to do his work and leave them to theirs. I guess curiosity finally got the best of the cat with my new scion.


    Nova spots him and sinks down a little in the ground, giving a soft, nervous rumble as she cks her mandibles in uncertainty. He just gives her a smile as he gets near.


    Well, youre new. I guess Seaside Forges hunch is right, then, he says casually as he stops a couple feet from her. Nova just sinks a little more, before he speaks again.


    Im not going to try to hurt you, dont worry. I dont think I could, even if I wanted to, which I dont. Could you help me? I have a quest to scout Thedeims newest expansion, but I dont know where it is. He speaks gently to her, seeming to recognize her shyness.


    Nova just stares at him for a few seconds before sinking fully beneath the ground. For his part, Berdol doesnt look too upset, and just shrugs. He smiles as he sees her peek above the ground near the side of the manor, though not close enough to harm it any. He strides towards her with confidence.


    Thank you! Ill be happy to fight whatever Thedeim wants me to on the way, too. I just have no idea where to start. As he gets near, she dips beneath the surface, and an electric dire rat rounds the corner. He draws two long daggers, and levitates two more hiltless des as he prepares to fight.


    I prepare to watch, and wonder about his floating weapons. Im pretty sure he has metal affinity, but I still dont know what that actually means. Is it maism? Is it actually just metals? Ive seen him fight before, but never paid it too much attention. While a new affinity can be interesting, I have a lot on my te already with figuring them out. But if hes going to potentially be a friend to my new scion, well, Id like to know more about him.

 Chapter One-Hundred Fifty-Five

    Chapter One-Hundred Fifty-Five


    Berdol and the electric dire rat square off for a few moments, each measuring the other up. Im pretty confident the catkin will win without too much trouble, but I still pay attention to see if I can learn anything about how he fights and how his affinity works.


    The rat isnt going to just give him the victory, though, and charges and releases a strong bolt of lightning! As soon as it starts to move, Berdol swiftly changes the position of his floating des.


    Chain Link! The lightning flies and catches the tip of one floating de, flows down and arcs to the second, before arcing to the ground. The lightning makes a bit of a messy circle, but its still more than enough to ensure the energy cant reach him. Hes already moving before the lightshow is even finished, and gives the rat two shes with the des he holds, before following up with two shes from the still-hot floating ones.


    shing Steel!


    After a barrage like that, the rat can only slump, defeated, and Berdol checks to see if theres anything hed like before he sheathes his des. He looks around for a few moments before spotting Nova some distance away, watching him and waiting for him to follow her.


    As he does, I consider how he handled the electricity. While I didnt exactly have any fancy tools to measure the maic fields, my gut says his metal affinity isnt maic or if it is, he cant use it to influence the electricity. If he could, he probably would have only needed one de to direct the current. Instead, it looked to me like he simply gave the lightning a better path of least resistance to ground out.


    I watch him fight a few other of my denizens, and I get the feeling hes just an experienced fighter, rather than someone who knows how electricity and maism work together. His whole style is about flowing motions and subtle setups. Its not much of a stretch to assume hes dealt with a few lightning attacks before and knows it likes metal better than just about anything.


    Nova also watches him fight, and the bond is practically glowing with inspiration as she sees how he wields his affinity. Even a widow is no match for him, though he does treat the fight with care. He even pulls out two more des to dance with, and I have trouble keeping track of all of them. So does the widow, who finds her webs sheared through before she can use them, and herself constantly harassed by flickering whispers of sharpness.


    She manages tond a solid kick with two legs, sending him back and his held weapons flying. As she lunges forward, I almost tell her to stand down before Berdol smiles.


    Irising End!


    All six des swoop in on separate arcs, like a brutal mix of a camera lens and a guillotine, and the widow falls with two thuds. Berdol exhales as he stands and wipes his des clean. Hard to keep all those eyes looking where I want he mutters to himself. He considers the corpse for a few moments before continuing on. I dont know if he has any of the whatsit skill. What Fredies still picking up. Butchery? Field dressing! Yeah, I dont think he has that. I bet he knows how to mine, itd probably be a cakewalk for him with his affinity.


    I poke Nova to lead him towards Violet before heading to theva tubes, figuring he could be a good first test for her fighting scions. I dont think Nose is really up for fighting, but Onyx definitely is. It looks like she has a sharp-fingered gauntlet now, and it also looks like Legs has gained the simple title of Smith.


    Man, I need to see if I can trade her some rooms or something. My forge and smelters arent bad, but Violets metalworks is so much better equipped to make quality stuff. Berdol is a bit confused when Nova leads him outside my territory, and looks a bit more confused once he sees Violets mining nodes.


    Is that Thedeims expansion? It doesnt look like anything for a dwarf to be particrly interested in he trails off, ncing around before looking to Nova, who shakes her head. He continues to look at her, confused, before she nods towards where Onyx is slipping from a crack in the wall.


    A gremlin gremlin scion? What oh. He chuckles as he seems to put it together. Right, I had heard Thedeim had a protege. I thought she was more of a toybox, though? he asks, eyeing Onyx. The gremlin is smiling wide, looking eager to fight, but also not looking too threatening.


    Berdol seems to study her for a few moments, before shrugging. Well, she doesnt seem like she actually wants to hurt me. She looks like a new adventurer, eager to learn. Is that right? You want to fight to learn?


    Onyxs smile widens and she nods, and does her best to take a fighting stance. The catkin looks amused and draws his more normal daggers. Alright, I can do that. You dont mind if I finish the lesson properly when were done? he asks, and Onyx continues to smile, eager to learn. A bit of time respawning is worth the knowledge. Besides, shell probably earn a fair bit of mana for Violet from it, too.


    He nods at that, and takes a few seconds to try to figure out where to start. He shakes his head and sheathes one of his daggers as he steps forward, and motions for her to mimic his stance. This is why I dont teach much at the guild. My style is pretty unique, but I think I can help you with some of the basics. Gremlins are shadow affinity, right?


    When she nods, he continues, moving to adjust her stance a little. He keeps her in a pretty low stance, the gauntlet forward and hand loose and slightly open. Youll probably want a second gauntlet when you can. Close-in work is better with the ability for both hands to do work.


    He guides her through a few basic swipes and grabs, before standing and speaking again. So, shadow affinity. I dont have any of it, but my style would work really well with it. The whole point is to keep your opponent guessing. If they know where an attack ising from, they can react to it. So, use some misdirection. Here, try this.


    He curls and flourishes his fingers like a magician, and Onyx does her best to mimic theplex motion, catching some of the light in a disy that just naturally draws the eyes. Berdol smiles at that and nods.


    Thats the idea, youve got it. Now, if you do that in a fight, you can try to keep a foes attention on that hand while the other gets into position for a proper strike.


    Onyx is nodding and already practicing the motion, not noticing as the catkin steps back a few paces and draws both his daggers once more.


    Alright, lets do a spar. Make sure you pay attention to how I move. Daggers are a bit different from gauntlets, but you can probably fill in the gaps on your own. Ready?


    The gremlin scion nods and takes her low stance, and Berdol smiles at his swift learner as he takes his own. From the start, I can see him holding back, moving much slower than against the widow. He scores several shallow cuts on Onyxs arm as he slips through her guard, teaching her where to tighten it up with the pain of experience.


    While the transfer is a lot more muted than with my own scions, I can feel her having fun even with the pain, and Violet is having some conflicting emotions about it, too. Shes happy for her scion, though not very happy to see her hurt. As she slows from the wounds, Berdol speaks up once more.


    I think thats enough practice for now. I hope we can practice some moreter. One quick stab and Onyx dissipates like smoke in the wind. Violet is conflicted about that, too, but I think the countdown timer for Onyxs respawn helps ease her concern. Yeah, it was weird for me the first time Tiny ate it. Onyx will be fine. In fact, shell probably be itching to do it again, heh.


    Teaching done, Nova leads the catkin to theva tubes. He looks around in surprise as they get there. Huh, you really can tell when an area is a work in progress with him, cant you? It just feels like theres more to be done in here. Niches he hasnt filled yet.


    Nova nods at that, then kinda awkwardly sits there, uncertain what to do next. Bardol looks a bit confused for a few seconds as well, before smiling in realization. Ah, right. Were here. Well can you show me around? The Seaside Forge thinks theres new metals to be had here.


    Nova is uncertain if she should, or if shes even allowed to, so I pat the bond with some reassurances. Delvers are technically why I made the nodes, so theres no problem with her guiding him to at least a few of them, if she doesnt mind.


    It seems she doesnt mind at all, and she eagerly shows him around. The crucible ants get an odd look from him, as do their nests. His interest is definitely piqued when he sees the special nodes. He uses his affinity to get a good chunk each of mythril and orichalcum ores to bring back, and I get a good chunk of mana from him finishing his quest.


    Looks like his hunch was right. Youre going to be up to your ears in miners, he says with a chuckle, andughs as Nova tilts her head in confusion. Or whatever you use to hear with, hah! Ill probably be down here more, too, once Hrunter exins the kind of things he can make with this stuff.


    His questplete, he bids her goodbye and makes his way back to the surface. Nova, rather than follow, decides to practice her own affinity. She makes a nice mess of the tunnel as she lobs bits of magma around, and Im looking forward to seeing what she can manage. I dont know if what Berdol was doing would be more or less dangerous with magma instead of steel, but I wouldnt want to be the target either way.

 Chapter One-Hundred Fifty-Six

    Chapter One-Hundred Fifty-Six


    <strong>Tarl</strong>


    Tarl considers his report, brushing the feather of his quill against his cheek and not minding the ink staining his fingers. Its not often he gets to update two dungeon reports at the same time, but he really should understand by now that things simply work differently around Thedeim.


    At least the actual contents of the reports arent too out of the ordinary, if one ignores the dates. Violet is progressing slower than her mentor, thank the gods, but still at a rapid pacepared to other dungeons. Her tentative designation as a toybox is still valid, which is nice. He could see the gremlin scion wanting to fight when he was there, but she looked less like a killing machine, and more like a child wanting to show what shes learned.


    Hell have to keep an eye on Violet, if only to ensure delvers understand the implied rules of delving. His gut says shell stay as a toybox, but have a single chest, or maybe a small section of her territory, where delvers will actually need to fight to get whatever goodies she has. Perhaps shell lean hard into various metals. Itd help exin why Thedeim expanded and looks to be focusing on that himself.


    Thedeimsva tubes will be interesting. Mythril and orichalcum will draw miners from across the kingdom once spring returns, as well as adventurers to guard them. While he expects Karns guild will have enough that can handle magma wyrms for the demand over winter, he doubts hell have enough for the influx in spring. In fact, the appropriate adventurers might be more upied with the miners in the caverns. They might shift their operations to the tubes once they learn of the bounty of rare metals in there


    He shakes his head, banishing his wandering thoughts. Those details are for the adventurers and miners to sort out. His job is to provide the information they need to make the decisions, not try to guess what theyll actually do with it. Hell need to pay attention to the local smiths and see if he can get an upgrade for his daggers, though. His steel ones are the highest of quality, but mythril should help him hone his techniques better.


    He sighs and closes his eyes for a moment, setting the quill down. He needs to focus. If he cant stop his mind from wandering, theres probably not much else to add to the reports. He holds that in the forefront of his mind as he opens his eyes once more, and checks the reports for mistakes. After a few minutes, he nods to himself, satisfied.


    Thedeims new expansion is marked as hazardous, partially because of the potential threat the elementals and wyrms entail, but also because the specifics of the area are likely to change rapidly. The adventurers and even the townsfolk atrge are still careful around Thedeims new projects, but they also trust him enough to take a closer look than might be strictly safe. With how remote the expansion is, at least the only ones likely able to get down to look will be ones experienced enough to tread carefully.


    Violets expansion is also interesting, as is her apparent Secret Metalworks. Hell have to wait and see what she actually cooks up. If Thedeim is helping her, Tarl isnt even going to attempt to guess. He might somehow give Thedeim ideas, and that dungeon has enough of those already.


    Before his mind can wander to what absurdity Thedeim could get up to, the door to the guild opens and a catkin enters. Tarl is drawing a nk on his name, but watches as he introduces himself to Tr.


    You guys want information on the local dungeon, right? he asks, and Tr nods from behind her desk, and motions for the catkin to take a seat.


    We do, though our inspector just finished an inspection of Thedeim and Violet just the other day. If you have information you believe to be more recent, however, I can still pay coin for it.


    He takes a seat as she talks, and Tarl can tell he feels less confident in a payout after hearing that. Ah. Well, I had a quest for Seaside Forge. Uh, Hrunter will probably be by soon,e to think of it. I just turned it in with him. Anyway, he wanted me to scout out the deepest sections of the dungeon to check on a feeling he had. I didnt know the way down that deep, since most of my clients prefer the manor or the caverns at most.


    I spotted the new scion, peeking up through the dirt in the yard, and asked her for directions. She seemed pretty shy, but also seemed to agree to help guide me. I fought a bunch of various things on the way down, nothing out of the ordinary, until she led me out of the dungeon. Then into the other dungeon, the small one?


    Tr nods. Violet, tentative toybox designation. She wont receive her proper one until she gains a Voice.


    Oh. Well, she has a little gremlin scion with a ded gauntlet, and she wanted a fight. Not like she wanted to kill me, but she wanted to fight. Does that make sense?


    Tr smirks. Not especially, but I understand what you mean. So you and the scion did battle?


    He shakes his head. No. Well yes, but first, I showed her a basic stance, attacks, and blocks with her gauntlet. It was maybe thirty minutes of training before we sparred. I killed her at the end, and the dungeon Violet? Violet didnt seem upset about it. Then the wyrm scion, Thedeims new scion is a wyrm, by the way. The new scion lead me to the tubes.


    I spotted a mythril and orichalcum node and gathered a bit, and I also saw a bunch of ants in there. Some were making their hills out of weird gray dust, but others were making them out of metals. Those ants looked a lot bigger than the dust ones, too.


    Tarls eyes widen at that and he gets up. Trs eyes follow him as he approaches, and she stays quiet to let him speak up.


    Crucible ants already?


    The catkin turns to look at the other elf. Is that what they are? I havent heard of them before.


    Tarl nods and stands beside Trs desk. Theyre umon in our kingdom, but many dungeons in the dwarven holds have them. Their warrior-smiths will often specialize in fighting them, giving them ess to high-purity metals without needing to pay a smelter or smelt it themselves. Are you a smelter? he asks, curious about the catkin.


    He shakes his head. Technically, I suppose, but Im a Steeldancer by ss. I only have some mining and smelting skills to help pay the bills. Metal affinity makes it a lot easier to gather and purify.


    Tarl nods at that, and eyes the catkin up and down. Well-used yet well-maintained gear, implied to be a solo adventurer, strong enough to delve deep in Thedeim, careful and smart enough to engage the dungeon himself and achieve at least a working rtionship. He nods to himself and holds out his hand.


    Im Tarl, Inspector for this branch.


    The catkin shakes his hand pleasantly. Im Berdol, solo adventurer.


    Have you considered a change in career, Berdol?


    The catkin shrugs. Not really? I like doing the odd jobs and quests in the Adventurers Guild, gives me the freedom to mostly do what I want. Why?


    Have you ever considered bing an Inspector? asks Tarl, and he can see Berdol almostugh the suggestion off. The elfs honest look makes him pause and consider for a few seconds.


    What all does it entail? And will I still be able to delve? Can I be in both guilds at once?


    Tarl smiles at that. A proper inspector needs to think things through, yet also be prepared to take advantage of new situations. Youd apprentice under me, and yes, you can still delve. You can even remain part of the Adventurers Guild until your apprenticeship is finished, though youll have to take a few oaths to not share information for free. Trade secrets and so on, Id expect Karn to get an oath or two out of you for simr secrecy about his business, too.


    Why me?


    Tarl takes a few seconds to consider that question, before answering. Do you know how many people ever even <em>attempt</em> tomunicate with a dungeon or its scions?


    Berdol looks slightly taken aback at the question, and a frown slowly develops on his face as he thinks about it. ...not many? I dont think I personally know anyone who has.


    Yet you did. Not only did you try, not only did you seed with the rather personable Thedeim without the benefit of addressing his Voice, but you also were able tomunicate with Violets gremlin scion, too. Theres more to being an inspector than being strong enough to delve solo. You also need to be able tomunicate with the dungeons and their scions, to be able to recognize they have needs and wants, even if you dont know what those needs specifically are.


    Berdol chews that information over for a few more seconds before smiling. Whats the pay like?


    Tarl grins and prepares to answer, but is interrupted by the door to the guild mming open.


    In the doorway stands the hairiest dwarf Tarl has ever seen. A thick leather apron and rugged pants attempt to hold the tide of red hair at bay, and thick leather gloves cover hands that only <em>probably</em> dont have much hair on them. A bulbous nose sticks out above the braided mustache, and beady eyes perch above that, though they are wide and wild at the moment.


    Orichalcum and mythril! It has orichalcum <em>and</em> mythril!


    Perhaps Tarl should have put some thought into how the local smiths would react, after all.

 Chapter One-Hundred Fifty-Seven

    Chapter One-Hundred Fifty-Seven


    Another day, another set of delvers. Todays set is starting early and they dont look much like my typical delvers. Most of theme in with some variety of armor, or at least a wizards robes, but not these ones. These onese with what looks to me like forge gear, heavy leather aprons and gloves and such. The half-dozen or so at least have picks and hammers that they probably know how to swing, but I seriously doubt they can handle my deeper stuff.


    That doubt turns to certainty as I probe them with a few encounters on the surface. One of them gets a nasty bite from one of my vipers, and he hobbles back towards the gates to recover, giving me some defeat delver mana. The rest of the group decide to turn back when they meet a widow in the tunnels, and Im just d they understand what they cant handle.


    The next group actually tries their luck against the widow, and she leaves them nice and wrapped up for my ratlings to haul to the gates on the surface.


    On the one hand, Im enjoying the mana for victories. On the other hand, Im starting to think I should have been more careful about the fantasy metals. While smiths theoretically could be after gold, I seriously doubt it. These guys look like they make adventuring gear, not jewelry.


    Im sure theyll learn. It doesnt look like it even will take them long to do so. The more experienced miners show up around noon, a bitte in the day for them, but it looks like they were spending their time organizing a big group. I wonder if its even technically a raid party. Thatd be kinda cool, even if itd really show how much I underestimated how desirable those fantasy metal nodes are.


    Usually, mining groups going to the caverns are about 3:1 miners to adventurers, but this group is looking almost 1:1. They all consult with a map and check their route, and Im much less concerned for this group than the others. Id bet they heard about my friendly disposition and the valuable ores, and thought theyd be able to run in and get some quickly. These guys have been in the caverns and know I can bring some heat if I want, so theyve prepared ordingly. Im actually a bit proud of these guys.


    I make sure I have some healing slimes down in theva tubes anyway. They probably have some fire protection, but I dont know exactly how dangerous my wyrms actually are. Theyve been having an easy buffet of the fire elementals, but thats thanks to the ambushes. I dont want my wyrms to just swallow limbs and dive back into the rock. Hopefully itll be good training for my weird little dragons, to actually have to fight, instead of relying on surprise tactics.


    I keep half a metaphorical eye on them as they steadily make their way down, cool and professional. The rest of my attention is on the tubes as I consider what else to do in there. One thing that catches my eye is the herbalism stuff. I had been expecting them to mostly just be fuel to make charcoal and coke for the cinder ants, but it looks like some of the seeds the fruitbats have found on expedition are starting to grow down here with their help.


    Theres even a variation on a lumber node, called a deepapple. I think they actually specifically want to get fruitbat attention, as the mushrooms grow pretty thick and tall, putting the caps close to the ceiling. Instead of the typical mushroom gills, they have little round spore pods, I guess? Makes me think of a video I watched before I met truck-kun, about stinkhorn mushrooms. I think the little pods are full of gleeba, which is not just fun to say, but also basically spores in liquid. Thankfully, it doesnt seem to be too stinky. I think. Id imagine theyd get a ruder name if they were. Deephorseapples, maybe.


    Whatever the smell or nutritional value, they should be perfect for the cinder ants to do their thing, and let me grow some of the more exotic stuff my bats have managed to recover. Im pretty sure theyve gotten them from the volcanic area past the tubes, which bodes well for delvers being able to do stuff in there, eventually.


    One that catches my eye is Fools Coal. I sprinkle a few of them around as I look over the description, which is interesting. The nt looks like it mostly grows inside the rock, and produces a little ck fruit on the surface. It has a lot of alchemical uses, apparently, and is called Fools Coal because only a fool would try to burn it. It looks like it tends to explode when too hot. I guess thats one way to get your seeds away from a ce too hot for them to survive.


    Magmoss is an interesting one, too. It grows close to the surface of rocks and such, making them look like they have veins of magma, but theyre not hot. In fact, they actively cool, and Id bet theyre a primary ingredient in a lot of fire protection potions.


    I have a few others that Id like to nt, but I think Ill need to expand again to get them. Lava Lillys actually requireva pools to grow in, making me wonder if the volcano area will be more like the underswamps but withva instead of water. Magma. Magma is inside,va is outside. Thank you, Dwarf Fortress.


    I also check in on my crucible ants to see if they alloy stuff properly, and it sure looks to me like they can. I see a few hills made of bronze over by the copper and tin nodes. It makes me want to ce a whole bunch of nodes close to each other and see what the crucible ants can cook up, but I think Ill hold off on making more of the fantasy ore nodes for now.


    I might upgrade the ants again, though. I like the crucible ants, but theyre still not going to make me an enve. I think I have at least one more tier of ants before I reach the max ones. My mana is still doing fine, especially after defeating those earlier miners, so its not a difficult decision to upgrade to the next tier.


    Wow, thats a big and <em>ugly</em> ant. Its called a tunnelbore ant, which makes the ugliness make a bit more sense. And the size. Theyre easily going to be my biggest denizens at around four feet tall and around ten feet long. Theyre kinda squat and thick ants, with a huge head like a major might have. Instead of the big mandibles a major would have, though, it has a big t ugly lumpy spiky face. It reminds me of the head of a big tunnel boring drill, but organic instead of metal.


    Im d it doesnt look like it can just rotate its face like one, though. Thatd be some nightmare fuel there. It does like to dig, at least, and I watch as it starts. It just rubs its face against the wall in a circr motion, looking like it wants to wax on, or maybe wax off. Probably off, because the wall of the tunnel is easily being dug away. Once it gets to put its entire face against the newly-ttened part of the wall, the ant crawls around in circles, like a breakdancer spinning on his head. But with more limbs. And on the wall.


    maybe not so much like a breakdancer, then. Whatever the correct metaphor, its making good progress into the wall, and I spend a bit of mana to give it some direction. I''d usually have Coda do this, but hes busy with the cinder blocks and cement. I tell the ant to make a bunch of side chambers along the tunnel for now, and am d to see the next tunnelbore ant start to work on a new one. Im sure theyll congregate a bit once they can start opening the boreholes into proper chambers.


    Im really happy with my new tunnelbore ants, and watch them work as the miners reach the tunnels. It looks like the adventurers have some form of fire protection, which is great for my wyrms. Not letting them ambush is one thing, but how can I expect them to attack if a touch would make third-degree burns? First degree?


    Really bad burns! The wyrms keep them on their toes, opting to start with making very obvious and slow magma holes before leaping out, forcing the delvers to dodge or otherwise deal with the simple momentum of the attack. The delvers strategy is simple, but effective. The adventurers will lock down the mandibles of a wyrm in various ways, and the miners wille in with hammers and picks to get at the more vulnerable sides. Its not especially fast work, but its effective and pretty safe. Burns and wounds still happen, but they have some healing on hand for that.


    I absently nod to myself about that, d I wont need to babysit the delvers as I watch the ants dig. Thats part of the fun of an ant farm, after all.

 Chapter One-Hundred Fifty-Eight

    Chapter One-Hundred Fifty-Eight


    <strong>Rhonda</strong>


    The goblin hums to herself as she carefully measures out doses of potions into bottles, Lucas dutifully following after to properly cork them. He likes to put a thin webbing over them as well, enough to ensure the corks stay put, yet not thick enough to interfere when someone actually needs to quickly drink one. This batch is healing potions, but the two will be working on aqua affinity potions next.


    She might brew a few of Thedeims water breathing potions in the next few days, too. Something about them draws her ss to it. She has a hunch Master Staiven is wrong about what they do, but she has no idea what else it could be. The idea of experimenting to find out tempts her to hurry, but she stomps that impulse down. Fast work with potions is sloppy work, and sloppy work with potions is <em>dangerous</em> work. Besides, if shes been taking stock properly, shes pretty sure there are a couple of those potions left unsold, yet not on the shelves. Her master might be ahead of her in wanting to experiment. She might get to help design one!


    That hope leads to a stronger urge to speed up, and a harder one to ignore, but she manages. Shes been having to learn patience with her studies after Thedeim vassalized Hullbreak. With the dungeon now open to delvers, the demand for water potions has skyrocketed! Once the first wave started bringing back kelps and other ingredients, Master Staiven was more than happy to blow the dust off the old aqua affinity recipe and teach it to her.


    Its easily the mostplex potion in her repertoire now. Its mostly water and life essences, expressed through a transmutation formtion. The gills and fins it gives are weird, but not ufortable. She and Master Staiven had tested the first batch out just past the docks to ensure they had it right. While the water is murkier than she would have preferred, there were no other problems. Shes even been toying with the form to see if she can fix the murkiness issue. She can feel another essence will be needed, but shes not sure what. Her first instinct was light, but that doesnt feel quite right.


    Maybe she can try to talk with the First Mate? All ounts of the Voice of Hullbreak say shes intimidating, but reasonable. Old sailors say sharks are supposed to have incredible senses, but whenever she tries to ask one in the shop about it, they start on a wild fish tale and never reach the point before they need to pay and leave.


    Shes starting to suspect thats the point, and that most of the sailors dont actually know if sharks have good senses. It might be better to get it from the sharks own mouth. The more she thinks on it, pouring doses into bottles, the more she likes the idea. Another delve would be great!


    Lucas, do I have any spell spore in my personal stocks? she asks her spider familiar. He was always better at keeping track of hard numbers than she is, and she pouts slightly when he shakes a negative.


    Well need to delve Thedeim again, if were going to try to delve Hullbreak. Master Staiven would probably let me borrow some, but a proper adventuring alchemist keeps herself and her party stocked with potions from her own gathering. Or pays for the ingredients, like Master Staiven does.


    Lucas chitters approvingly at that, and Rhonda can tell hes looking forward to some adventuring, too. Shes pretty sure hes somehow picked up meta affinity. She doesnt know how else he can use the odd bits and pieces hes gathered to help her spellcraft. Shes also not certain where hes gotten them all. She has no idea what creature could have created the small chip of bone that has earth affinity in it. If it was a whole piece, she might be able to puzzle it out, but a small piece could havee from anything!


    She finishes pouring the potions and scrubs the cauldron, before heading up to the shop floor to check if her master needs anything. His grumpy look doesnt look like an act like it usually does.


    Is something wrong? she asks, concerned, and his look softens slightly before he sighs.


    No aqua affinity potions today. The delvers I sent to gather bubblekelp came back with bubble<em>weed</em> instead! Sure, I can use it in something else, but not the affinity potion, he grouses from the stool behind the counter.


    His sour mood pauses as he sees the considering look in his apprentices eyes. That look means mischief, or some other version of plotting. Hes always equally proud and concerned when his apprentice gets that look.


    What if we get it? Me, Freddie, and Larrez? Wed need to delve Thedeim for some spellspore, but then I can make his version of the water breathing potion, and we can go gather stuff in Hullbreak, she suggests.


    Staiven weighs that n for a few seconds, looking for holes to poke in it. He <em>has</em> kept her brewing a lot recently. Stretching her legs would be good, especially with winter here. Its easy to forget Thedeim has plenty of space below ground to delve, not just the house and yard.


    He nods. Gather enough for warming potions, too. The trip to and from Hullbreak will be cold. With that, he offers her the quest to gather the bubblekelp. You can prepare with Thedeim today, and get an early start on Hullbreak tomorrow. Go have fun, he says with a smile and shoos her up the stairs to gather her gear, and waves her farewell as she leaves with all her kit.


    Getting Freddie is as easy as going to the church and asking. She finds him in prayer and quietly waits. He cracks open an eye and gives her half a smile before continuing, and soon finishes up. It only takes a few minutes to exin, and only a few minutes more for him and Fiona to prepare.


    The hard partes when both realize they dont actually know how to get in contact with Larrez. They know he was a caravan guard, so hes probably guarding something, but they dont actually know where he works.


    Well, besides at the guild. With no other leads, the intrepid youngsters and their spiders head there. Inside, the first floor is more full than usual, the various adventurers taking a bit more time between quests and delves to warm up and unwind. A few groups notice them and nod in greeting, but most are too busy with what theyre doing to even notice.


    One major exception is Karn the Slight. The guild leader smiles at the small group and waves them to the bar. Well! If it isn''t two of my newest members! Howre you kids doing? His eyes shine with mirth as they drift to the spiders. You two keeping them from getting into too much trouble?


    The spiders chitter in affirmation and the two youths smile at the friendly orc. Were doing well, answers Freddie. Were actually looking to do some delving. Old Staiven gave Rhonda a quest to get some bubblekelp from Hullbreak.


    Karn nods at that. Sounds like a good way to expand your horizons, get a feel for a dungeon besides just Thedeim.


    Yeah, but we dont know how to let Larrez know. If were a party, we should delve together, points out Rhonda.


    Karn leans back and folds his arms, his gaze drifting over the tavern as he considers the problem. His drifting gaze freezes for a moment, before he nods to himself and leans forward again. I dont know his contact info off the top of my head. Let me check his paperwork to see what options we have. Ill be back in a sec.


    They let him go to his office without any fuss, and take the chance to look around the first floor a bit more as they wait.


    <strong>Karn</strong>


    He probably should have expected a wrinkle like this in Rers n to keep his identity secret. While he doesnt doubt the young lord has plenty of people to handle most of the work of being the mayor, its not like the kid can just hang out in the guild hall all day. He was trying to think of some way to deflect, when he noticed Miller standing outside a window.


    Their eyes met and the definitely-just-a-butler pointed upward, then vanished. Karn might not have nned for something like this, but its looking like Miller had. The orc suppresses a sigh as he heads to his office, and isnt surprised to see Miller inside, waiting for him.


    So, whats your solution? Karn asks as he takes a seat behind his desk.


    Miller smiles like hed prefer to y this out a bit more, but is decent enough to get to the point. Not everyone enjoys the intricacies of a good cover story. Young Larrez has secured himself a job as a guard to the Young Masters estate. His party should be able to request hispany with the gate guards, though he will not always be avable.


    Karn mulls that over for a few seconds and nods. Thatll do it, yeah. Ill let them know where they can gather up their friend.


    Millers professional smile rxes just a hair at that. Karn is perceptive enough to notice, and smart enough to pretend he doesnt. Theres not a lot he knows for sure about Millers motivations, but one thing has been pretty consistent. It might be yet another cover, a part of the act, but Karns gut tells him its genuine. The butler cares deeply for his charge, and about more than just his safety.


    Its pretty in Rer sees Miller as a father figure, possibly more than his actual father. Seeing that smile makes Karn think Miller sees the young noble as a son, too.

 Chapter One-Hundred Fifty-Nine

    Chapter One-Hundred Fifty-Nine


    <strong>Rer Larrez</strong>


    The young elf noble does his best to ignore the curious nces of his guards as he selects a bunk at the back of the barracks. While he does have his disguise on, his guards <em>do</em> still need to know where he is, at least when on the grounds, so the veterans are at least read in on the ruse.


    When Miller suggested telling even them, Rer was against it. The fewer people who know, the fewer people can b. Miller smiled at that argument, but shut it down with his usual ruthless efficiency. The veteran guards are trusted, otherwise they would not be veterans at his estate. Just as Miller takes his job seriously, so too do they, and they would not be able to do their jobs if kept in the dark.


    Even Rers protests that theyd see it as weird were only met with a smile and a twinkle in the older elfs eyes.


    The so-calledmon folk expect <em>some</em> strangeness in their lords, Young Master. I recall hearing of one lord who greatly enjoyed baking pastries. He and the head baker had a very close rtionship, and the noble enjoyed doing something so uncouth as to leave him filthy and sweaty, and his mother was happy to be able to provide an outlet for that which didnt involve him being in any actual danger. As far as Im aware, while it was an open secret among the staff, none of the nobles ever knew. While Im certain they all enjoyed sneaking some of the baked goods, its also something that endeared the noble to them. It helps break down a bit of the us vs them that so many people think in. If you are them, at least in some small way, they will tend not to question your decisions as hard, and grant the benefit of the doubt, so long as they dont suffer because of the choices.


    When he was even younger, Rer would have gasped at the very idea of the ordinary citizenry questioning the decisions of the nobles, but now understands that the citizenry will always talk and have opinions on it. Any noble who pretends otherwise, or worse: tries to stop it, tends to not have the chance to pass their noble title on further.


    He shakes his head to clear it, and focuses on the task at hand, which is to get his bunk and locker organized and secured. While the veterans know who he is, the other guards do not, so hell be disciplined if he doesnt keep his assigned area properly.


    Speaking of the vets, a halfling with a sword on his back bigger than he ises up to Rer. Youre the new one, Larrez, yeah? he asks, looking amused to be talking to his boss like this, but staying in character. Rer does his best to stay in character, too, and stands stiffly at attention.


    Uh, yes sir!


    The halfling smiles and points a thumb over his shoulder. Your friends are at the gate, wanting to know if youre free to delve. Adventurer Guild rules say we have to give reasonable amodation for delving. He makes a show of looking over the bed and locker. Looks like you need to practice tucking your sheets, but I dont see anything that would bring shame on lord Rer. Youre free to go.


    The elf is surprised at the news of his friends being at the gate, and for a moment cant think of who they could even be. His eyes widen and he barely manages to not facepalm at himself. It must be Freddie and Rhonda! Miller must have learned of their ns to delve, and thats why hes been furthering this alternate identity. They cant exactlye and ask the Lord Mayor to go delving, can they? But asking their friend who happens to be a guard should garner hardly any attention at all!


    He hurries to get ready, and the halfling leaves him to it, shaking his head and smiling. Rer is dimly aware of one of the newer guardsining about him getting to leave, and cant help but feel a spark of pride when the halfling responds.


    Get strong enough to get epted into the Adventurers Guild and you can take off on delves, too. Until then, thanks for volunteering to cover his watch! The guards, vets and new,ugh as Rer leaves, and hes soon at the gate and seeing his party. Rhonda and Freddie both smile as they see him, and their arachnidpanions wave. He doesnt bother to fight his smile as he hurries, and his quick salute to the guard at the gate is returned with practiced ease. So dismissed, he turns to the rest of his party.


    Hello! What is, uh whats up? he asks, trying to remember to talk more casually with them. Among nobles, misspeaking can be leverage to be used against you. With friends, flubbing words is ignored, or a good way to share augh.


    Freddie smiles but stays quiet, letting Rhonda give the details. Master Staiven needs some bubblekelp, so I epted the quest. But I dont have the stuff I need to make water breathing potions, so were going to delve Thedeim today and get the stuff, and then delve Hullbreak tomorrow to get the kelp, and whatever else we can get!


    Rer is nervous about the idea of delving Hullbreak, but Thedeim <em>did</em> vassalize the dungeon. Hes even been getting financial reports already about the fishing vessels, and the jewelers have started selling various pearl pieces already. Freddie notices his unease and nods.


    Yeah, Hullbreak will be different than Thedeim, but itd be a good idea for us to get used to other dungeons. And Im looking forward to just exploring under the water. Ive only really sshed around in ponds before.


    They all chat as they head to Thedeim, mostly about how much swimming theyve all done. The consensus is that Larrez will probably be relied on heavily for their first delve in Hullbreak, until Freddie and Rhonda get more used to water. As they enter their favorite dungeon, the conversation shifts to the details of their delve, and Rhonda exins what theyll need.


    Itll probably be a shorter delve. I need a bunch of herbs in general, but we need ochredill from the yard, spell spore from the basement, and mustard moss from the tunnels. Do you guys mind carrying any extras I gather?


    Freddie and Larrez shake their heads, not minding at all, and look over the hanging quest boards, considering what they should take. They both are looking at the various ying quests, with Larrez wondering if they could handle a rockslide. A tter of wood draws his attention, and the front door squeaking as it opens draws his attention from even that. Freddie picks up the quest offer as Larrez looks at the door. His confusion turns to wary concern as he spots the zombie boxer exit the manor.


    The zombie grins around his mouthguard, showing his sharp teeth for a moment before he pounds his fists together. Larrez growing concern turns to abject terror as Freddie reads the quest.


    Challenge Rocky?


    What kind of fool would challenge Rocky?! Hes Thedeims only scion specifically trained for battle! Even the mighty Fluffles, who <em>ate a hurricane</em> isnt trained for battle! Rhondas gasp at least lets him know she understands the insanity of the quest.


    Your arena is finally finished? she practically squeals with glee, and Rocky happily nods. Larrez just stares at the two, trying to figure out when the punchline will hit. Freddie dashes his hopes of it being a joke.


    Dont worry, Larrez. Rocky was part of our quests for our sses. I bet hes been itching for a rematch ever since. Freddie smiles at the undead boxer, who eagerly smiles back.


    Rematch? You <em>fought</em>?!


    Freddie shrugs. Technically. And technically, Rhonda dealt with Rocky. I had to deal with Aranya.


    Larrez isnt exactlyforted by that, and Rhonda smacks Freddies elbow, before turning her attention to the elf. It was more like a game of tag, and Rocky was it. Staying away from him gave me insight into his magic, and is why I got the ss I did.


    As a demonstration, she and Rocky both summon a lick of me and a thin sheet of snow, before letting them dissipate. The goblin eyes Rocky, who grins at her. It also feels like hes gotten better with his control. I dont think Ill be able to steal it from him again.


    Rocky points at the piece of wood with the quest on it, and makes a pleading look at the party. Larrez is absolutely against it, but the others all look like theyre considering it.


    Id love to have a match, starts Freddie, and Rhonda continues.


    But we need to get some herbs to be able to delve Hullbreakter. I dont think we can afford to lose what we gather if you beat us.


    Rocky waves that off and motions for them to follow him, but Larrez finally digs in his heels.


    You guys cant seriously be considering fighting him! Hes <em>Rocky</em>! Ive heard people talk about full <em>liches</em> with less magic than him!


    Rocky smiles at thepliment, but the kids and spiders all shrug.


    He wont <em>actually</em> hurt us, Larrez, replies Freddie. Hell fight us, and push us to our limits, but we can always just surrender. Even if we dont, Im pretty sure the worst well face is some bruises and losing some stuff.


    Rocky shakes his head at that, and motions for them all to follow him again, earning a confused look from Rhonda. No?


    Rocky shakes his head and motions for them to follow a third time, which Freddie and Rhonda are ready to do. They wait for Larrez opinion, which hes immensely grateful for. He wants to argue to stay as far away from the zombie as possible, but has to grudgingly admit to himself that hes the least experienced when ites to Thedeim and his scions. The others trust Rocky, and Rocky seems to want to show them all something, too.


    He sighs and offers apromise. We follow, but dont take the quest yet?


    Rhonda nods at that. It looks like he wants to show us something about the quest. I guess Teemo is too busy to exin whatever it is? Either way, we can gather stuff on the way, if Rocky doesnt mind a few detours?


    The fighting scion taps his glove to his chin a few times, then nods. While the others are happy at that, Larrez cant help but feel like its only a stay of execution.

 Chapter One-Hundred Sixty

    Chapter One-Hundred Sixty


    Rer is clearly doing his level best to not panic, and Id say hes doing a pretty good job of it, all things considered. The confidence of the others probably helps, as do the few small encounters I send as they do their gathering. I only send some minor stuff, just enough to be a warm up. Rocky would be crushed if I tired them out before he could have a real fight.


    At least, a fight as real as the ring will allow. While Rer looks like hes hoping his will is in order, the others are looking more and more excited as they get closer and closer to finishing their gathering. After hitting a few nodes in the caverns, Rhonda and Lucas discuss their stores.


    Anything else were low on, Lucas?


    The jumping spider chitters and the goblin taps her chin. Bale morels are mostly for antidotes. What we have should be plenty for now.


    Lucas nods and chitters, seeming to agree, and Rhonda smiles wide as she turns to Rocky. Then I think were all good! Lead the way, Rocky!


    Rocky raises a gloved fist in victory, and notes start drifting through the air. The kids have no idea what Eye of the Tiger is, but Rocky obviously recognizes it. sh approaches and nods at the kids and Rocky, and my boxer leads the way. Rhonda and Freddie are looking even more excited now, but Rer is just looking confused as he follows.


    Rocky takes the chance to warm up a bit on the walk, looking a lot like his namesake in the iconic montage as he leads the way. My various denizens along the way simply watch as they go by, and many follow behind them. Over in the arena, my ratkin and spiderkin are gathering, eager to watch the show.


    They cheer as Rocky enters, my zombie reveling in the attention and excitement. Rer looks tempted to bolt, but Rhonda and Freddie manage to convince him to smile and wave at the crowd. Im definitely going to need to get the aranea to make crowd signs for the next big match, and get Teemo to exin how the wave works. Thats for next time, though. For now, Rocky shows the kids the sign with the rules.


    <strong>Only those in the ring are in the fight</strong>


    <strong>Fights willst for three rounds, or until one side is incapacitated or surrenders</strong>


    <strong>Party members not in the fight may cast buffs and heals on fighters in the ring only between rounds</strong>


    <strong>Losing does not incur the typical penalties, and Rocky has sole discretion to hand out what rewards are avable after a fight. Should Rocky be defeated beyond the capacity to do so, Thedeim will provide the proper rewards</strong>


    <strong>Once in the ring, challengers may not leave until the fight is finished</strong>


    <strong>Challengers may not join mid-fight, nor between rounds</strong>


    Rer calms down a bit as he reads, and only Freddie seems to want a rification.


    All of us can fight at once?


    Rocky eagerly nods and hits his fists together. The orc nods and looks to the others.


    Are we all in?


    Yeah!es Rhondas excited reply, and Fiona and Lucas chitter their approval as well. Rer sighs and holds out the nk with the quest.


    Im in. Same tactic as with the twinsnake?


    Freddie nces towards Rocky as the zombie climbs into the boxing ring, weighing their options. If he lets us, sure. Well probably all need to be ready to move, maybe even scatter, quickly. We wont be able to keep much distance between us and him in there.


    The others all nod, and the bell dings to get their attention. Rocky stands atop a turnbuckle, grinning around his mouthguard. He reaches out a gloved hand and beckons them in challenge. The party exchange nces and nod, and move to enter the ring.


    My favorite zombie shouts in excitement and takes his corner as sh stops the music for a moment. Once the kids are in the ring and in formation in their corner, with Freddie, Rer, and Fiona providing a front line defense and Rhonda and Lucas behind, the bell dings, and the boss music starts. Drums beat an energetic tempo as Rocky strides forward, the party readying their defenses, and the screech of an electric guitar is all the warning they get as he sends a quickbo at the party.


    A left hook sends ash of fire at Rer, a right hook sends an arrow of ice at Fiona, and a heavy straight sends kic energy barrelling down on Freddie. Rer parries the fire with his floating water rapier, though it dissipates into steam from the attack. Fiona catches the arrow of ice with a thick wad of webbing. Freddie, though, seems to have taken the real attack.


    A floating shield of light crumples under the assault and winks out of existence, and Freddie grunts as he takes the excess force on his metal one. Rhonda works with Lucas on a response, sending out a pair of spells as Rocky grins and lightly bounces on his feet.


    Ice Armor! ming Weapon! A thick coat of ice covers Freddie and his shield, leaving his joints free so he can still move. At the same time, mes wreath Rers metal rapier.


    Rocky smiles as he steps forward, and this time its Rhondas turn to grunt as he tries to take control of the elements from her. It turns into another grin as she fights him off, Rocky loving to have a challenge. In a blink, he summons his own fire and ice, and meets the front line with opposing elements.


    Rer is forced to summon water around the basket hilt of his rapier to try to block the icy punch, knowing itd be foolish to try to parry or block with his actual de. Whirlpool block! he desperately shouts, the water moving in a quick circle to try to keep the powerful punch from finding proper purchase. His sword arm and Rockys fist both recoil from the meeting, and Rer is pretty sure nothing is broken, so hes willing to call it a draw.


    Freddie takes the iing fire punch on his ice-crusted shield, but theres a lot more follow through than with the ice punch. The ice shatters and melts, and Freddies shield is starting to get ufortably warm already. Shield punch! he grunts as he summons another ethereal shield overtop his mundane one, and forces it forward. He''s used that against some of my other undead before, and they usually stumble back a bit from it, but Rocky only leans back for a brief moment.


    Rhonda shouts as Rocky is momentarily off bnce. Scatter! Dont give him a single target to focus on! She darts between everyones legs as Freddie turns and yields ground to Rocky, this time actually putting the boxer off his rhythm, and giving everyone a chance to scatter to the other three corners.


    The party all give Rocky a wary gaze as he turns to face them once more, my zombie looking like hes having the time of his unlife. He points a glove at Rhonda, and everyone flinches, before he moves on to point at Freddie. By the time the glove moves to Rer, its clear to the kids hes picking who hes going to focus on. The glove continues to cycle between them as Rocky grunts a little tune, shing with the boss music, and they all do their best to prepare their defenses.


    Freddie nts his feet and summons his full phnx of five shining shields, each reinforced with Fionas silk to help absorb blows. Shield give me strength! he shouts, his axe raised high and defiant. Rer digs deep into his training, summoning two more watery rapiers. The floor of the ring around him sshes slightly as small waves roll, his feet moving nimbly in his new stance. Dance of the Tides! Rhondas robes and hat billow as she embraces the secrets of fire and ice, Lucas helping her keep it under control. ming chunks of ice orbit her, her breath a fog and her eyes wisps of me. Inferno Maelstrom!


    The crowd goes wild, seeing the challengers hold nothing back. Rockys glove stops on Freddie, and the orc stands proud against my only scion specifically designed for battle. Rocky moves almost faster than Freddie can see, and he reflexively brings all his shields to bear against the overwhelming attack.


    Stars almost seem to form around Rockys glove, small motes that crackle with the distition of their elements, fire and ice in forms purer than most can even conceptualize. The first shield vaporizes from a fire mote, while the ice mote causes the next to shatter. Raw power obliterates the third, and the cycle repeats in the mere moments it takes for the attack toplete. Raw kic energy impacts Freddies shield, and the brave orc is driven to the mat from the force, unconscious and hopefully unaware of the broken arm under his broken shield.


    Before Rhonda can do more than widen her eyes, Rocky is upon her. His boxing footwork lets him weave through her whirling field of fire and ice, and a gloved hand knocks the wind and the fight out of her with a single, measured, blow to the stomach.


    Rers fencing reflexes let him attempt to take advantage of Rocky not focusing on him for a moment, and his rapiers sh as he closes the distance. One rapier simply evaporates as another turns to useless ice. He feels a little better that Rocky ducks the third, his attack at least enough of a danger that the boxer cant simply ignore it. He doesnt see the uppercuting before Rockys fist impacts, the tide dashed upon the rocks.


    The crowds roar is deafening, and Rocky helps the healing slimes get the kids before he raises both fists, victorious! Even sweeter than victory for Rocky is getting to have a proper fight. I know he held back the force, but not his techniques. Im proud of his skill, even more proud of his control, and proudest of all that he made sure the kids would be fine and get into the slimes.


    I have mixed feelings as I watch the party quickly start to heal. Im <em>very</em> d the slimes work as well as they do, even if Id prefer the kids didnt need to learn that first hand. Should I have asked Rocky to hold back a bit more?


    No, I dont think so. My whole goal as a dungeon is to try to prepare people for other dungeons that wont be as nice. If they keep being delvers, broken bones are probably among the least of the things theyll have to face. Itd be a disservice at best to not make sure theyre aware of that fact. I get the feeling none of them will be discouraged from this, though. Some people, if they get beat at their best, crumble into thinking they just arent good enough. Seeing the defiance in all of them before Rockys final assault makes me confident theyll see not a failure on their part, but a sess on Rockys, and will take up the challenge to match him. Their growth has barely started, and now they know the kind of heights to strive for and achieve.

 Chapter One-Hundred Sixty-One

    Chapter One-Hundred Sixty-One


    Rhonda is the first out of the slime, probably because shes the least injured of the three. Its hard to tell exactly how hurt Rer is, but Id bet Freddie will be outst, thanks to that broken arm. Rocky helps the goblin out of the slime and back into the ring, where he lifts her hand (and the rest of her, too) to the roar of the crowd! Rhonda looks pretty confused about that.


    But we lost?


    Rocky grunts inughter at that and Lucas chitters, confusing the goblin even more, until she takes a few seconds to think.


    ...winning wasnt the point, was it?


    My boxer grins around his mouth guard at her and nods, and she takes a bit more time to think about the fight. Its the hardest pressed Ive seen them be so far, and its not like theyve had much chance to delve anywhere else. Her eyes widen as she seems to recall the end of the fight, and she looks at Rocky with awe.


    What was that what did you <em>do</em> with that attack on Freddie?! It felt like she trails off, apparently unable to put words to what it actually felt like. Rocky mimes scribbling something, and Rhondas eyes widen once more before she pulls her notebook from her belt and starts furiously scribbling. Rocky hops out of the ring and digs around underneath it for a few minutes before pulling out a chest, which he ces in the center of the ring, before helping Rer out of his slime.


    The elf actually yelps and jumps back when he realizes whos helping him to his feet, earning anotherugh out of Rocky before he motions for Rer to follow him to the ring. Nervously, Rer does as bid, and Rocky raises his arm as well. The cheer is a little quieter this time, for the simple reason that a lot of people have made their way out of the colosseum to head back to the enves.


    Rer looks just as confused as Rhonda did, but she gives him a quick answer, even as she continues scribbling.


    Winning isnt the point. The point is to learn.


    Rer doesnt look like thats cleared up much. He looks to Rocky, who nods, and Rer can only sigh and ept he doesnt get it. He takes a seat on the chest, the fight reying in his mind, and eventually he speaks up.


    Did you dodge my one attack because it could have actually done anything? he asks Rocky, sounding like he already knows the answer. Apparently he didnt, as Rocky puts his dukes up, pretends to get hit, and lets an arm hang limp for a few moments.


    Really? You think it could have done that much? Rocky nods, and then I guess its his turn for questions. He points at Rers feet, before doing a bit of his own footwork. The elf just stares for a few seconds before understanding dawns.


    The Dance of the Tides? Footwork is an important part of fencing, so I tend to change stances a lot. The Dance of the Tides is probably my strongest one, it feels like I just let the flow of a fight guide my feet, forward and back with its own rhythm, like waves on a beach.


    Rocky grins at that and encourages Rer to stand, clearly wanting a better look. The elf sighs and stands, then pauses as he gets an idea. He looks a bit nervous, but manages to force himself to talk. Can you show me some of your footwork, too? You dont move like any zombie Ive ever seen, nor any other fighter, for that matter.


    Rocky grins and the two act like theyre on an invisible DDR machine for a few minutes, before Rocky goes and helps Freddie out of the slime. The orc smiles at him, though it falters as he spots his broken shield on the ground, crumpled beyond repair. He soon spots Rer and Rhonda in the ring, and raises an eyebrow.


    Did we win?


    Rer looks away as Rhondaughs. Not even close! Im pretty sure he could have done that crazy punch a bunch more times, and even <em>that</em>, I think, was him holding back!


    Rocky bashfully nods at that, earning him a chuckle from Freddie, before my zombie scion brings him into the ring and raises his hand like he did the others. He gets a cheer as well from the people who had stayed, before they start to make their way out as well, the show well and truly over now.


    The orc sees his two friends in thought, Rer moving his feet and Rhonda tapping her chin as she looks at her book, and he soon follows suit as he mentally goes over the fight. It seems like something sticks out to him, because he speaks up. Rocky? When I did the shield punch to try to get some room, you rocked backwards a little, instead of just absorbing it?


    Rocky nods and holds up a hand and punches it, keeping the punched hand steady. He then shakes his head at that and repeats the motion, but this time more catching the punching hand than simply stopping it in its tracks before nodding.


    Freddie thinks on that for a few minutes before he spots the chest and gives Rocky a curious look. My boxer nods and points at it, and takes a step back to let the kids enjoy their loot. Or talk about it, as they seem to prefer to do.


    Is it really ok for us to open it? We lost, points out Rer. Freddie just nods.


    It should be fine. The chest wasnt there in the fight, so it must be a reward for us, even if we lost.


    Rhondas eyes gleam as she looks at the chest. Learning <em>and</em> loot! I hope all dungeons are like this, she says as she steps forward, the other two right behind her.


    They arent, Rer informs her, but he doesnt seem too reluctant to help open the lid anymore. All three lift the lid together, and they collectively gasp at what they find. Im pretty surprised at whats in there, too. Thats definitely not ordinary loot.


    Rhonda is the first to get her prize, which at first looks like a folded bolt of blue and red silk. As she pulls it out of the box, though, its pretty obviously a robe, and not just any robe.


    Robe of the Sage she murmurs in awe. It reminds me a lot of a graduation robe, but without the hat. It even has the hanging scarf thing, embroidered with arcane runes. No way my aranea made that. I dont even know if my spiderkin could have made it at least not on their own. I <em>could</em> see Thing helping, though. Hes had a lot more time for his own projects after the Axe.


    The next item pulled out is by Freddie, and I know it didnt originallye from me. Well, the raw resources probably did, but that axe is way beyond what my ratlings can make. Id put money on it being made by Legs, and its quite the interesting design. At a nce, it looks like a hatchet. Any longer look shows it to be one made of mythril. Paying a closer look shows its only <em>mostly</em> mythril, with the cutting edge made of orichalcum.


    How the crap did Legse up with aposite design like that?! Has Violet been watching the ratkin at their forges? Cappy might have spread that far? Im going to need to have Teemo talk with the sneaky little dungeon and let her know how proud I am of her progressing that quickly, and ensure she doesnt go eavesdropping in peoples houses. Privacy is important.


    Back to Freddie, hes carefully holding the hatchet like its made of ss. While the weapon shape is pretty simple whenpared to his more traditional single-head battle axe, its very high quality and of course made of special metals. Freddie chuckles as he gets the name for it. Simple Hatchet? Not hardly


    Rer is thest to im his treasure: a new rapier. The leather of the sheath looks different, and so does the de. Threshers Rapier slips from his lips, and Im pretty sure he means the shark, not the farmers activity. The metal of the sword feels weird, and it takes me a bit to realize thats because its not metal. Im pretty sure its some kind of processed coral. I believe normal coral is way too brittle to be an effective weapon, but seeing Rer do a few practice motions with it makes me certain itll serve him well for a long time.


    Rhonda is the first to recover from receiving such an incredible reward, andunches herself at Rocky with a hug and a shout of thanks. Freddie soon steps forward and hugs the confused zombie, and even Rer is able to put his fear aside for a moment to hug Rocky in thanks.


    I just smile as I watch Rocky try to carefully escape the hug, but Lucas and Fiona are working their silk to make it more difficult, and the kids are starting to giggle andugh at finding one of Rockys weaknesses. I can feel him try to get help from me through the bond, but Im staying out of that. You may have outsmarted yourself with those personalized rewards, my guy. Im sure you can manage a way out of the hug eventually. Youre not getting out of that friendship so easily.

 Chapter One-Hundred Sixty-Two

    Chapter One-Hundred Sixty-Two


    <strong>Teemo</strong>


    He has to admit, hes missed doing this kind of work. He certainly doesnt dislike being the Boss Voice. In fact, he very much enjoys getting to talk to the delvers and to listen to the Boss crazy ideas. Being able to talk to Aranya and especially Yvonne is an amazing privilege, too. He enjoys the warmth of thinking of those two for a few moments before putting the thoughts aside for now. If he dwells on them, hell start to think of what theyre doing in the Deeps and start worrying.


    He could also easily worry about all the stuff going on back home. Because of course the Boss expanded while Teemo was busy! Even with him giving Teemo some time and mental space to focus on scouting, Teemo can still hear when hes thinking aloud to himself.


    Teemos not the only one trying not to worry about the party exploring the Deeps, even if it takes a bit more than scouting to keep the Boss mind off it. Hes kinda surprised hes going for an ant enve before a snake one, but then again, hes not wrong about there not really being a good ce for a snake enve right now. Itll probably be his spring project, though.


    Unless they end up needing to deal with that deep dungeon in the spring. No, no thinking about that. Energy spent worrying is energy not spent actually doing something!


    Besides, he really should focus on his actual work. Thesest couple days have been putting his Scout title to the test, and hes been getting a lot of levels from it. Quick little shortcuts in the Boss domain are one thing, but these huge ones outside are something else entirely. Those small ones were practically effortless. Even the one through the woods towards Hullbreak was a breezepared to these!


    The Boss wanted him to make them as long and as short as possible, which sounded weird to him at first. After a little thought, it became obvious what he meant: cover lots of distance outside with minimal distance inside. He does his best not to think too hard about how that works, remembering the crazy math abominations that start using not only bits of the alphabet, but <em>other</em> symbols that make his head hurt just thinking about them.


    Hell take the Boss word on the specifics for how they work. Having math never helped him with making his other shortcuts, so he doubts itll help with these. No, experience will be his teacher for this, and experience is definitely what hes getting. With a lot of his shortcuts back home, especially his early ones, they were mostly just more direct routes, being shorter in distance simply because nobody would have to walk around all the stuff in the way.


    But then he started being able to make them even shorter, just feeling and following his Scout title and his spatial affinity. After working with Thing and the bag of holding, hes been able to make them even shorter. His shortcuts are only about half as long inside as the distance traveled outside, and he can feel he can do even better.


    Hes even been able to start creating what he thinks of as camps, expanding a space without it needing to actually lead anywhere. Doing that for the outposts has been exhausting, but also enlightening. Some of the outposts were pretty simple to expand into camps, like the one under a bramble bush. Even though he could see daylight through the brambles, he had no problem expanding the space to be morefortable for the wolves and other denizens on expedition. On the other hand, the copsed cabin was incredibly difficult for him to expand.


    Hes pretty sure its because of how easily a space is defined. A small clear patch under some brambles is pretty easy to grasp in his mind, but a cabin missing most of the roof and with some partially-copsed walls was harder for him to wrap his head around. He managed it, but only just. The denizens stationed there are going to try to repair the cabin for him to try again, but it will be slow to progress, if its even possible without Codas help.


    Teemo smiles as he thinks of the bat scion. Its almost like hes trying to make up for lost time with helping the Boss. And while, sure, helping the Boss is on the bat scions mind, Teemo is pretty sure hes just reveling in flexing his title. It just feels right to be making the shortcuts and camps. It must be the same for Coda, especially since he has some of Thedeims crazy stuff to work with for building. Even with his aversion to math, Teemo is still sometimes drawn to try to muscle through it anyway. He only needs to look as far as Rocky to know that having some of the Boss knowledge can let a scion do crazy things with their title and affinities.


    And speaking of title, hell probably have to lean on being the Voice soon. Hes not just making the shortcuts because theyre fun. The Boss intends to help the Southwood with them, and send winter wolves soon, and other stuff once spring rolls around. Part of Teemo thinks the Boss should just subsume or vassalize the Southwood, but he ignores that part.


    Sure, the mana windfall would be nice, but the Boss seems like hed prefer apetent ally who can handle themselves, rather than to try to hog all the power for himself. Its been how he runs everything so far. Besides, even with the shortcuts, the Southwood is a bit far away to be the Boss vassal.


    The reports of the Southwoods Voice also make Teemo pretty sure the forest dungeon wouldnt go for it anyway. Leo and Honey have been patiently waiting at thest outpost for Teemo to arrive and officially get negotiations underway. The Southwood is aware of them, but hasnt bothered trying to talk with them much. Thats probably a good sign, at least. If the dungeon was feeling pressured, itd probably immediately try to get them to help without waiting for Teemo. That its keeping polite distance makes Teemo confident theyll be able to go on the attack after the snow melts, or maybe even earlier. That white stag would probably like that, since it seems pretty stuck up to Teemo, but Leo seems to think hes pretty strong, so maybe its even warranted.


    Hes pretty sure Rocky could kick his ass, though. He might not have been there to see him fight the kids, but the Boss has been loudly thinking about it enough for Teemo to wonder if the zombie could even give Fluffles a run for his money.


    He pauses as he thinks about that. Did those two ever keep working on expanding affinities? Hes pretty sure Fluffles picked up wind and storm at least from dealing with Hullbreaks desperate stunt, but he hasnt really paid much attention to their sparring since. Rocky has to have picked up a few more affinities by now too, right?


    He shakes his head and continues on the shortcut, trying not to think about what Rocky has managed with his affinities. Of course, his brain betrays him and focuses on his own efforts to expand his affinities. He stamps down the feeling of shame with hisck of progress on that front, defending himself with the fact he finally understands what the Boss was talking about with him potentially getting fire or ice affinity. Making the camps, the temperature inside would always dip dramatically when hed expand an area. He even tried to shrink an area, and felt it warm up. He just cant manage to wrap his head around the why. Sure, the Boss has shown him some math for it, but thats just not how Teemo thinks.


    He <em>has</em> been noticing something strange when working with space outside of his shortcuts, though. Theres some kind of resistance to what hes doing, and its not constant. Rockys assertion that stuff is made of stuff seems to rte to it, since he feels a lot less of the resistance when expanding space thats just in the middle of the air. But getting close to things, especially getting close to the ground, makes the resistance feel a lot stronger.


    Hell probably need to ask Thedeim about it once hes back. He could ask now, but one: Teemo is a bit busy, and two: itd probably be easier for the Boss to understand if Teemo can demonstrate it within his borders. Besides, he wants to get a better feel for the resistance on his own, before he asks for help with it. He can feel some tickle in the back of his mind, like the Boss has probably mentioned something simr before, but he cant connect the dots to it just yet.


    Hes not worried, though. Hes a Scout, and a proper Scout is all about connecting dots, no matter if theyre on a map or not.

 Chapter One-Hundred Sixty-Three

    Chapter One-Hundred Sixty-Three


    I try not to listen in on Teemos thinking to himself. I think hes better at ignoring it than I am, but the distance makes it a little easier, even if some of the things hes thinking about get my neurons jogging. Spacial stuff that deals with mass and densities? Thats some fundamental stuff there, but I dont want to dump my suspicions about what hes working towards on him. I dont even know if its an affinity that can be imed.


    I think hell be better served if I let him figure it out on his own. None of the other scions have gotten affinities just for me telling them stuff. Theyve all had to figure it out on their own. It''s difficult to tell if the nk looks I get from exining are because the bond isn''t the best forplex concepts, or if they just don''t have the same foundational knowledge. Theres a difference between knowing and understanding, I suppose. Either way, I''ll wait until Teemo asks, if he ever does.


    Kinda like the difference in saying Ill keep Rer more in the loop, and <em>actually</em> keeping him in the loop. Its a bit more difficult with Teemo out scouting, but I really should make an effort. Right, I also really should try to take the Quartermaster on that tour, too. Hullbreak is making an effort, but I can feel him struggling to know what to do at times. Getting him a good view of how I do things would be a big help for guiding him, and might even help me identify what Ive missed or managed to ignore.


    Maybe I should take one of Violets scions, too. Maybe Onyx? Shes probably the one that would have the easiest time of wandering around. Legs is a bit big, Cappy is a bit uh legless, and Nose would probably prefer to burrow than walk. Ill let her decide who she wants to send, though, and figure out how to get Rer toe visit. I think I actually have a few options, surprisingly.


    I havent been testing the limits of the whole onlymunicate via a Voice thing that the system scolded me for a while ago, but I think I have at least two loopholes to potentially (ab)use. The first is my ravens. I havent told them to say anything, but most of them have picked up at least a few words here and there. Id be surprised if they havent learned Tarls name, but Im pretty sure they have. They just prefer making a general racket to chanting his name when he shows up. I dont think I could get actual sentences out of them, at least not without upsetting the system and getting another patch upside my non-existent head, but a word or two would probably be alright?


    My other potential avenue would be my aranea and their signs. While the rules for Rockys arena were fine, Im pretty sure the words were checked before going through, it felt like there was a bit ofg on them. The aranea, though, seem to have carte nche to write whatever they want, as long as its what <em>they</em> want.


    I think Ill try signs as basically a letter. Even the rough and direct words the aranea write would probably be better received than a couple ravens yelling Come,e! at windows. Probably save that for emergencies.


    I spend a little mana and give the aranea the vague guidelines for what I want, and I can feel that little dy again. It doesnt seem to get rejected, and I dont get told off, so I release the metaphorical breath I was holding, and watch what theye up with.


    <em>Come to meet</em>


    <em>Come to learn</em>


    <em>As was deal</em>


    The aranea seem pretty satisfied with their work. Id like a bit more, but I think it gets the point across. I also dont think Ill be able to get much more detail in there, so itll have to do. With two written, I have Poe go deliver the messages while I get Hullbreak and Violets attention. Hullbreak is pretty easy to get to understand, and I can feel his albatros scions nervousness through the bond already. It takes a little more for Violet, but she seems excited once she understands. She first wants to send Cappy, because of course she does, but seems to understand the difficulty with that once I point out he cant really just walk around. She decides to send Nose, and I dont argue with her. She actually has reasons, which is great. She wanted to send Cappy because hes already the one with the best knowledge of outside, which is fair. Legs is busy in the metalworks, which I still need to try to figure out how to get, and Onyx is trying to learn better ways to fight. She heard about Rockys fun, and I think shes inspired.


    <strong>Poe</strong>


    Therge raven swiftly attends his duties, though perhaps not as swiftly as he could. He must admit that he doesnt take to the sky as often as he potentially should. Perhaps hell start taking some of the closer patrol expeditions, so he can keep in proper shape, yet still remain close enough to render whatever aid Lord Thedeim requests.


    He soars towards the Mayoral Manor first, feeling that the Office of Dungeon Affairs is closer to Hullbreak. Flying a bit slower is different from flying inefficiently, and Poe will not excuse thetter for himself. The duty he has is an odd one, and he ponders where it would fit in the hierarchy of strange things Lord Thedeim does. He puts it moderately high on the list simply because of the novelties involved, but it doesnt make it near the top for how unlikely it is to cause great change. Something like the hedge maze was both novel and impactful, but he expects these messages will not cause any great uproar.


    His arrival seems it may have, however, as the guards point and mill once they see him. The ashen elf, Miller, greets him at the balcony with a small bow.


    Ah, Marshal Poe. To what do we owe the pleasure?


    Agreement, answers Poe, and holds out one of the small nks in his talons. The butler epts it as he would any other missive, and takes a nce at the words there.


    Ah, of course. I take it Dungeon Thedeim would like us there at our earliest convenience? Poe nods, and the elf smiles. I shall inform him. I expect he will be eager to attend.


    With that, Miller turns and enters the mansion, and Poe takes flight again. The butler has a strange air about him, one that would usually raise Poes suspicions, but Voice Teemo doesnt seem to mind him. Rocky seems to think hed be a good fight, and Poe trusts his instincts, so he is content to not try to press the odd old elf as long as he continues to be respectful.


    His flight to the ODA earns some points and stares, but no shouts of rm. He even identifies looks of respect from what adventurers notice him. He nods at them as he goes, though he doubts many can make it out from the height he soars at. Hends at the door to the ODA, and tilts his head as he ponders how to open it. The design isnt far from the doors Lord Thedeim has in the manor, but said doors are generally more designed for hands and thumbs, not his talons. He could probably knock it open with a gust of wind, but that would be rude. With no other option, he pecks at the wood to knock.


    Its open!es a voice from inside. Tr, if the expedition reports are correct, and he has no reason to doubt them. He pecks again, and hears a voice that, though not entirely new to him, is not one he immediately can identify.


    Ill get it, the voice says, and soon the door opens to reveal a catkin. Wee to the he trails off as he takes in the sight of the raven scion of Lord Thedeim, and turns slightly to speak back into the building.


    Uh Tarl?


    The indicated elf looks up from his desk, and Poe cant help but give a loud caw at seeing him. How can he not give the traditional greeting to one of Lord Thedeims first delvers?


    Tarl stares for a few moments, then shakes his head and stands. Im not going to get squawked at here at work all the time, am I? he asks with a wry smile, and Poe shakes his head and offers the message. Curious, Tarl takes it and reads it. He takes a few more moments to think, confusion on his face, before speaking.


    As was deal?


    Mayor, answers Poe, and Tarl is quicker to put the pieces together with that hint.


    Ah, right! He mentioned working closer together with Thedeim at the speech. Thedeim wants me there, too? Probably to help trante, what with Teemo out.


    Poe nods, and Tarl looks over at the catkin. Can I bring my new apprentice? Berdol could use some on-the-job experience. Poe tilts his head at the elf and considers the request. His Lord only said to bring Tarl, but not to bring <em>only</em> Tarl. Rer will certainly be bringing Miller at least. Hes also confident that the meeting isnt intended to be anything secret. He nods, and the elf smiles, while the tabby catkin looks uncertain.


    Alright Berdol! Lets get geared up! Depending on how long the meeting takes, we might go take a look at theva tubes, or fight a twinsnake and give it an actual danger rating!


    Poe takes flight before Berdol can answer, leaving the two inspectors to their preparations. Nova will probably be happy to see Berdol, if the two have the time to delve after the meeting, and Poe is d the newest scion is developing a good rapport with the delver. Most of the scions have delvers they enjoy spending some time with, and Poe is certain it has helped the scions and delvers both, which both helps Lord Thedeim.


    He circles in a thermal and builds altitude in preparation of flying to the small ind in Hullbreak. Perhaps he can forgive himself a bit of inefficient flying, after all. He remembers how different the air was over the ocean when he and the Quartermaster fought. While he doubts theyll have reason to repeat it, he still should take the chance to improve his flying. Hullbreak is probably not the only potential problem that coulde from the sea.

 Chapter One-Hundred Sixty-Four

    Chapter One-Hundred Sixty-Four


    When Poe shows up to get the Quartermaster, the albatros is standing at attention and waiting. Poe imperiously inspects his form, and Im pretty sure the only reason the scion isnt sweating is because he physically cant. Poe has mercy on him before too long, giving a caw and letting the albatros rx slightly.


    I can feel a bit of nervousness from Hullbreak, too, but I do my best to calm him. Sure, change can be scary, but itll be good for him and his dwellers. Theyre already changing on their own, too. Hullbreak isnt interfering in their efforts to farm and hunt outside his borders, but hes definitely keeping a close eye on them. I dont tell him to stop, or even to tone it down, at least not yet.


    Not only will him keeping a close eye help keep them safe and help ease his fears, but it also might help hime to understand the dwellers arent helpless. Small steps, though, since the dwellers are still learning how to support themselves some, too.


    Poe and the Quartermaster take off, pulling me from my thoughts on Hullbreaks progress, and the First Mate breaks the surface of the water to say a few words before they truly leave.


    Pay attention and look at everything you can, Quartermaster. The Captain is relying on you, she solemnly informs him, and the albatross nods firmly. Despite his nervousness around me and my scions, he intends on absorbing as much information as he can about how I run things.


    With nothing else needing to be said, the flying scions make their way to me. Its looking like Poe wont quite make it back before the first member for the meeting shows up though, as I see Nose go on expedition. I gently nudge Nova to help guide him to the public war room, and shes quick to do so.


    They take their time, but still are easily the first to arrive. Nova stays well back from the table with the maps, not wanting to set anything aze, but Nose curiously looks around. He cant get too good a look at the model of Fourdock on the table, but he seems to be able to make out the maps on the various walls without too much difficulty.


    Tarl and Berdol arrive next, and I have Fluffles guide them down to the meeting area. Berdol looks pretty intimidated by my Conduit, but Tarl looks more d to get underground and away from my noisy birbs making the traditional racket of greeting.


    Why do they make noise at you? asks Berdol, much to amusement of Fluffles and the chagrin of Tarl.


    Because Thedeim thinks its funny. Or <em>they</em> think its funny. Or both. Probably both, he says, ncing at Fluffles, who nods in confirmation.


    Is it normal for a dungeon to joke like that? presses Berdol. Sounds to me like Tarl chose a good apprentice, asking questions like that.


    Tarl just smirks. No, at least not at Thedeims age. Older dungeons may develop a rtionship with inspectors, but it usually takes longer for them to even understand things like jokes.


    Do they joke around once they get older?


    Tarl shakes his head. Not often. They can understand them, but their senses of humor can be strange. The younger ones will usually manage some truly abysmal puns involving something in their domain, though I had one dungeon that liked to listen in on the conversations of delvers and would have the Voice repeat the kind of crude jokes you could hear in the seediest of taverns.


    Bardol smiles at the idea of a dungeon telling dirty jokes. How about Thedeim? Hows his sense of humor?


    Tarl smirks and steals a nce at Fluffles. Not as good as he thinks it is.


    You wound me, sir. Fluffles hisses and turns his nose up at Tarl in mock indignation for me, holding the act for long enough that Berdol starts to look ufortable. Tarl ruins it byughing, and getting Fluffles to hiss inughter as well.


    But not bad, heh. Looks like were about at the public war room. Probably a good ce to start the meeting, Tarl says with a smile, seeming to be in a pretty good mood today.


    Poe and the Quartermaster arrive only a few seconds before Rer and Miller, as well as a small entourage of guards. The birdsnd before the group, and Poe gives a nod of respect, causing the albatross to give almost a bow to the mayor and his butler. Rer pauses at that, uncertain what to do for a moment, before I can only assume his training kicks in.


    Greetings Poe, Quartermaster. If youll guide us to the meeting, I can let my honor guard stay here at the gate.


    Poe motions a wing towards the house porch, a gust of wind setting the hanging quests to swaying. Rer considers that for a few moments, then nces at Miller, who is keeping his face in that neutral-friendly look he always wears.


    Thank you for your hospitality, Thedeim. I dont mind my guards doing some minor delving as they wait, so long as they are ready to leave once Im ready. Miller''s eyes shine at that, and the guards all look d to be able to do something besides just stand around.


    Poe and the Quartermaster are a bit awkward as guides on the ground, but its not that long of a walk down to the public war room. Tarl is looking at the model of the town with a small smile on his face, while Nova is kind of juggling some balls of magma for Berdol, who looks a bit uncertain what to make of that. Nose is is on his hind legs, his little diggers in the air and making the ssic motions for uppies at Fluffles, who finally relents and leviates the mole so he can get a better look at the model.


    Poe gives a squawk to get everyones attention, and soon everyone is gathered around the table, except for Nova. Shed like to hang out some more, but shed probably set things on fire if she tried to participate. I pat the bond and suggest she find Jello if she wants somepany, but she seems to have her own idea. She slips beneath the floor and settles in beneath the meeting, close enough to be able to hear whats going on, without being close enough to immte anyone.


    Thats fine by me, I have no problem with her listening in. Fluffles hisses to get everyones focus, before tapping the map with his tail tip. Tarl nods while the others lean in to look at the map, where a dot indicating Teemo is far outside my borders.


    Well be mostly talking with Fluffles today, which is partially why Im here: Ill be basically an interpreter. As you can see, the Voice is out on expedition to the Southwood. If you werent aware, Mayor, the Southwood contacted Thedeim to request aid, and Thedeim is in the process of providing that.


    Tarls finger traces a trail on the map. Thedeim is preparing to send tundra wolves to help support the Southwood over the winter, and will probably be sending more denizens and possibly scions in the spring. He pauses as he spots Leo and Honey on the map near the Southwood.


    It looks like hes already sent his Warden and his Librarian? he asks with a questioning look at Fluffles, who simply nods. I dont know why hed send his Librarian, but the Warden will be there to ensure the wolves are properly organized to handle the threat.


    What threat? asks Rer, and Tarls confidence wilts slightly.


    I dont specifically know just yet. Im not sure Thedeim does, either. For the Southwood to request defensive aid, its something trying to attack it. Id suspect either some expansion has triggered stronger invaders to take notice, or some rival dungeon has started to cause issues for the Southwood.


    Rer frowns at that. Even with how remote the Southwood is, its still a valuable source of lumber, skins, and herbs. Will he pauses, probably finding his question to be silly, but voices it anyway after the small dy. Will Thedeim be able to help the Southwood?


    I hope so, because I dont think well have much else to offer on that front if he can''t. If its invaders, some powerful delver groups could help by either fighting them off, or delving to give the Southwood the mana to fight them off on its own. If its a dungeon Thedeim has some experience with fighting those, at least.


    Rer frowns at that, but he cant seem think of any advice to give, or any other way to help. Fluffles points at a different map, one of the area below me, and Tarl starts speaking.


    Thedeim is also aggressively searching and sending expeditions to the Depths. One of his Residents came to him from that way, and only recently did she exin why and how. She fled from a hostile dungeon that has enved her tribe, using them asbor and as sacrifice. She escaped when a monster to be fed to the dungeon slipped its bonds and wreaked havoc. She doesnt recall exactly how long she fled, but it must have been days, before she came upon Thedeim.


    He, of course, doesnt like the idea of a strong dungeon being so close, let alone one thats so actively malevolent. Tarl pauses and peers at the map. It doesnt look like hes found any trace of it yet, but hell probably be sending his forces against it once he does.


    Rer nods at that. I think we may need to step up our ns to help support him, then. We had been nning to encourage more adventurers to delvee the spring, to help with the construction of the Hold outside town. If hes going to be trying to fight a hostile dungeon from the Depths, we should help him by delving and giving him the resources to win quickly.


    Tarl nods and Fluffles points his tail at my newest expansion, and the inspector chuckles. I dont think itll be difficult to get the delvers motivated. Thedeimstest expansion has given him new metal nodes, including orichalcum and mythril.


    Rers eyes widen at that, but Tarl continues before he can say anything. The area is still a work in progress, but it shouldnt be difficult to help him get plenty of mana to do whatever he wants in there.


    Fluffles points at my two enves, then points at the expansion.


    Youre going to be arming your dwellers with the new metals?


    Well I hadnt thought of that, but thatd be a great idea, yeah. Definitely need to get a metalworks. Fluffles slowly shakes his head as he tries to parse what feelings I can get through the bond. His tail taps the cryptplex, then the ratkin enve. Then he taps the caverns, then the spiderkin enve. Finally, he taps the tubes twice.


    Tarls eyes widen as he realizes what I mean. A new enve? At Fluffles nod, Tarl shakes his head. The area is going to be incredibly busy, then. Fluffles nods once more and taps the hedge maze, and the gauntlet, which encourages Tarl.


    Thats fair, hes made busy areas before. Is there anything we can do to help?


    Fluffles nods as I ask Coda toe join the meeting, and to bring a couple things, too. I know he doesnt feel ready to show his ns to anyone yet, but I can see theyre basicallyplete now. My Conduit taps the ind in Hullbreak, much to the confusion of the gathered people, and they have to stew in that confusion for a few minutes.


    Im sure its only more confusing for them when Coda arrives with a cinderblock in one foot, and a roll of paper clutched in the other. The table vibrates from the thump of the heavy piece of construction material, and Rer looks intrigued, before his attention is stolen by the paper being unfurled.


    The lighthouse design isid bare before them, and I think Codas outdone himself with it. Hes finally managed to get the silk reinforcing to work properly in testing, so this will be the first real use for it.


    Build a lighthouse in the winter? asks Berdol, and Coda simply nods. For an ordinary construction crew, itd be a tall order indeed. Its cold, it will probably snow, there could be dys because of storms, and those are just the most obvious problems. A lot of those problems go away, though, with a certain albatros scion and his storm affinity. It definitely wont be easy, but it will be a good investment.


    Ill contact the masons and see if any are willing to help with that construction. If Thedeim is confident it can be made in the winter, I think a lot of masons will want to help just to have their names attached to such an audacious and ambitious project, says Rer, a gleam in his eyes. Not a lot of crafters get a chance to work on projects in a dungeon, besides adventurers. Even adventurers dont get to work on masonry during a delve. Other crafting fields have had breakthroughs because of such work. This could lead to a breakthrough for masonry.


    Coda nods at that, beaming in pride, and I wonder if Rer is maybe underestimating what Coda could do. Hes <em>already</em> made breakthroughs with the concrete and the cinderblocks. I cant wait to see what else my nerd of a bat can manage.

 Chapter One-Hundred Sixty-Five

    Chapter One-Hundred Sixty-Five


    Projects and potential problems presented, pored over, nned for, and possibly even prevented, the meeting adjourns. Rer looks like hes managed to get Coda to show him some more of his stuff in the public workshop, and I encourage my bat and Architect to do so. He doesnt get to show off often, and Rer has a deep appreciation for infrastructural advancements.


    While the two nerds and Miller head for the workshop, it looks like Poe is going to have more than just the Quartermaster and Nose tagging along. Tarl eyes the other two scions, and speaks up once the mayor is on his way.


    So, why the two other scions? Their dungeons must already be vaguely aware of what Thedeim is nning and doing already, he asks my raven.


    Work. Home. How, he answers, and both Tarl and Berdol think over what he means. I think Tarl figures it out first, but he waits for Berdol toe to a conclusion.


    What do you think he means, Berdol?


    I think hes trying to teach them how he works? How he builds encounters and areas? offers the catkin, and Poe nods as Tarl smiles.


    Looks like youve got it. Can we tag along, Poe? Itd give Berdol a good chance to observe and work on a report in the field.


    I dont mind, and once Poe seems satisfied that I dont object, he nods. Berdol looks a bit nervous about it, but dutifully levitates an iron quill and sk of ink, as well as a clipboard made of metal with some nk papers attached. Poe gives the arrangement a curious look, and Tarl answers for his apprentice.


    He doesnt get a recording stone until hes a full inspector, and I dont know that hell use one even then.


    Berdol nods at that. I think better with words written down, instead of trying to listen to my own voice. Poe epts that, while the Quartermaster doesnt react at all. Nose tries to sniff at the quill and ink, but Fluffles isnt levitating him close enough for him to get a very close look.


    It looks like Fluffles is going to be joining, too, as he continues to levitate Nose as Poe leads the way back to the manor entrance. I steal a look at Berdols notes as they go. He has impressive penmanship. I bet Tr will try to steal him from Tarl and keep him behind a desk, instead of being out in the field. I doubt shell manage it, though.


    <em>Meeting with Dungeon adjourned, Inspector Tarl acted as an interpreter. There is a certain hostile somewhere in the Depths, and possibly one harassing the Southwood. Thedeim has ns to deal with both, and will probably require more delver activity to be able to put those ns into motion.</em>


    <em>Currently following Scions Poe and Fluffles as they escort a scion from Violet, and the Quartermaster from Hullbreak. Thedeim apparently intends to teach them how to organize their territories as he does.</em>


    Berdol lets his quill rest as they get close to the surface, and Tarl casually takes the notes to read himself.


    I need to teach you how to condense your thoughts, he says with a smirk to his apprentice, who scrunches his face at the idea.


    I have no idea how you can make sense of your voice notes. Theyre so sparse and clipped.


    Tarlughs and lets the metal clip board float once more. Years of practice, and pretty good visual memory. My voice notes are mostly to make sure I dont forget anything that needs to go into the actual reports. Speaking of actual reports, Im going to have you practice and write one on what you see of Thedeim today. Once we reach the surface, get to writing like its the first time youve been here, and information is sparse at best.


    Berdol nods and gives his sk of ink a shake to feel how much he has, and starts scribbling up a storm as they all exit the front door. Poe and Fluffles both point out the hanging nks with quests on them, and I make my own notes. While itll probably be a while before Violet maxes out any of her spawners, Hullbreak Will probably get there quicker. I doubt hell make another merfolk enve, maybe not any other enves at all, but maxed spawners still give semi-autonomous denizens, seems like.


    My ratlings and aranea both kinda do their own thing, even more than my ordinary denizens. The ratlings help make equipment for rewards, and the aranea give quests. Im still not a hundred percent certain how the more advanced rewards work, but Im inclined to not go rocking the boat, at least when it seems to be in tip-top ship-shape.


    I wonder if any of Hullbreaks advanced denizens could make bottled messages to function as quests? I note that down forter as everyone moves on to the herbalism nodes in the yard, with Poe and Fluffles pointing out how the encounters there are probably the weakest I have. Its not like most gatherers are expertbatants. Still, Im not giving this stuff away for free, even if I get a decent profit from them just picking the herbs. Might as well give them an encounter to get more out of them.


    Ew, I sound like the people who organize stores to deliberately encourage people buying on impulse. I swear Im using it for good! We both benefit! Yeah, sure, I bet thats what those organizers say, too! At least Im not trying to drain wallets. The delvers get more experience and I get more mana, so its actually a win/win.


    I give myself onest squinty look, making sure I dont fall to the dark side, before turning my attention to the Quartermaster and Nose, to try to see if theyre learning anything. The albatros is quietly listening and looking, but through the bond I can feel Hullbreak analyzing every speck of information he gets. I can have Teemo talk to the First Mate about stuff all day long, but actually seeing how it works can make more sense.


    Nose looks a bit distracted, more curious about the surface in general, rather than what Poe is trying to teach him. I get the feeling Violet is the same, but Im not exactly surprised. Shes still a young dungeon, she has time to learn the details as she grows. Hullbreak is more established, so he has a bit more context, and canpare how things work for me with how they worked for him in the past.


    I think, once the lighthouse isplete, Ill let him try his hand at designing the encounters and stuff there, instead of the heavier hand I had to take with most of the rest of his territory. Itll be a good way to build his confidence. Hes following my lead with the upgrades and spawns so far, and seeing more mana as a result, but I need to show him he can aplish something simr, now he knows what to do.


    Once the group gets to the hedge maze, I can feel ideas percting through the bonds with both Hullbreak and Violet. My little protege sees it as a game, and seems to be trying to think of ways to either copy it, or do something on her own with the idea of an encounter thats not just about fighting or gathering. I dont think shell have the room to make a maze yet, but maybe she can think of something else.


    Hullbreak, on the other hand, is fascinated by the unorthodox approach to the entire encounter. While he certainly has the room for a maze if he wants one, I think hes also looking for something to put his own spin on. A scavenger hunt of some kind could be cool, maybe hide keys around that delvers would need to get at some treasure.


    He could practically copy the Gauntlet wholecloth,e to think of it. Hed probably need to upgrade his crabs to pull it off properly. The Gauntlet is a bit more ninja warrior, so the only real interaction I need is to reset the obstacles. Hullbreak would probably be more like wipeout, and would need someone to man the various traps that knock people off.


    Oh yeah, traps. He could probably automate that stuff fully as traps. In fact that gives me a good idea for what Ill do with theva tubes. I can use the tunnelbore ants to make the entire area into a 3Dbyrinth, and strew traps all over the ce. Pitfalls tond people in other parts and get lost, dousing traps, stink traps, slow traps, itch traps theres a lot of stuff that can be done with them that isnt just an instant loss for the delvers. I could even put in a few knockout gas traps that <em>would</em> be an instant loss.


    While I like the gauntlet, I think I kinda failed with the initial purpose for it, in wanting to get people more used to dealing with traps. The tubes could be perfect for it! Heh, Teemos going to have his hands full with shortcuts in there once he gets back, too.


    I scribble ns as I continue to watch the scions of my vassal and protege learn how I do things. It makes me remember something I heard a lot in college, with study groups: one of the best ways to learn is to teach. I might not technically be teaching them directly, but Im still analyzing what Ive done and trying to apply it to what they could do, and in turn getting inspired for what I can do!


    Which could then inspire them, and I smile at the idea of that kind of vicious cycle, especially since well also be helping the delvers and people of Fourdock and probably even beyond. Working together, we can deal with things like whatever is bothering the Southwood, and even that dungeon in the depths. Itd be a good idea to not get too cocky, though. I cant forget that it sounded like it had its own vicious cycle with the locals sacrificing stuff to it.


    The biggest difference, I think, is that <em>my</em> style of cycle is a lot more sustainable.

 Chapter One-Hundred Sixty-Six

    Chapter One-Hundred Sixty-Six


    Fluffles and Poe seem to have the tour well in wing? Yah, they both have wings, that counts. With them focusing on the tour, I focus on working theva tubes. At the moment, things are at a decent baseline. The interesting fiery herbs are growing well, my wyrms are wyrming through the rock, fire elementals are being devoured at breakneck speeds, and my cinder and crucible ants are doing their things to make the entire area be a candy store for anyone who works with metals.


    My tunnelbore ants are carving out various rooms, too, and I start nning out the extra routes and turns I want them to create for thebyrinth. The hedge maze was pretty simple to make, since its really only in two dimensions. Thisbyrinth, though, I want to be fully three dimensional. I might even be able to have Nova and the wyrms asionally block off certain routes like Tiny does in the hedge maze.


    And I cant forget the traps. Ive done that enough already. I aim to make up for lost time with thevabyrinth. I hope to make use of all the main categories of trap that I have ess to: mechanical, alchemical, and magical.


    The mechanical traps are mostly standard fare: pitfalls, crushing walls, rolling boulders, falling cages and so on, things that can be aplished with good old physical force. Ill probably see if Coda can help with them to give a discount, but I think most of his attention will be on the lighthouse. Im not hurting for mana, so I dont mind if he works on that instead. Im nning to use these traps to make thebyrinth really live up to its name.


    Pitfalls cannd people in different sections, though I might need to upgrade the slime spawner and keep some stationed underneath those particr traps. I dont need a crushing wall, but moving walls can change theyout, and I could even make sections of floor flip up to be walls and mess with people like that. Id like to get a surprise express elevator trap going, too, but theyre incredibly expensive for ones that would be safe.


    Air jets are an interesting way to move people up, but I dont like them for safety. Too easy for someone to get hit off-center and just cartwheel into a ceiling. Oh, I could do abo trap to lift people. Combine a cage with a winch system, and I should be able to move people upwards as well as downward with minimal danger. Well, physical danger. Parties are going to be split and people will be in great danger of being lost. Ill probably have either Jello or Fluffles patrolling to remove people who are defeated by thebyrinth.


    And thats just for the ones who can still walk around. The magical and alchemical traps are going to be the real way people lose, I expect. Both types focus on various debilitating effects, they just deliver them differently. Most alchemical traps have mechanical triggers, while the magical traps are well, you get the idea.


    I pick out a lot of things like slows, blinds, deafening, numbing, immobilizing, and more. Even though I dont ce them just yet, I check in on Thing and Queen and see them both excitedly working in theirbs to prepare what theyll need. Thing has several books out on his research table as he makes notes for what specific rune arrays he wants to use for the traps, and Queen has her workers swarming her notes as she also prepares and organizes.


    I think itll be good to give them both a big project like this. Its been a while since I had anything specific for them to do, and it looks like theyre both eager to put their individual research to the test for this. They both do great work, so Im not worried at all for how thebyrinth will turn out.


    I even upgrade the anthill to get some more tunnelbores, as Im pretty sure Im going to need a lot of digging to make this work how I envision it. I resist maxing out the hill just yet, not wanting to adjust to the final variety of ant right now. Theres a lot going to be happening in the tubes, so I should wait until the dust settles a bit before maxing out the hill, let alone assigning the enve.


    Speaking of enves, my current ones are being busy little ants, too. The ratkin are happily ying with the new metals, and seeing the efficiencies the new materials give their processing. The limestone flux seems to be working like a charm to give them better yields, and using the coke to fuel the furnaces increases their speed. Even more, theyre working with the spiderkin to produce armor and weapons.


    The tarant spiderkin are getting set up with heavy te armor and pronged spears, and Frn has been having them drilling in formation. It looks like they are going to be using their own silkens with the spears, and are more there to be defense than offense, focusing on being big tough targets and ensnaring foes in thes.


    The smaller, jumping spiderkin are going to be more of the assault troops, or basic infantry? Theyre going to be doing damage, darting around. Vernew has her hunters training with razor-sharp short spears, and showing them how to put the entire force of a jump behind the point. It looks like theyll be carrying many spears each, as that kind of stab attack can easily get them stuck.


    While most of my ratkin arent very martial, they dont intend to let my spiderkin have all the glory when we inevitably have toe to blows with that dungeon from the depths. While the spiders are very good in melee, my rats seem to prefer ranged attacks.


    Throwing knives are popr enough to start bing a sport among my ratkin. It looks a lot like darts, but the target isrger and it ys differently. Instead of just trying to get to 301 points, yers call their shot. If they make it, they get points. If they miss, they lose points equal to the number they hit. Big numbers are grouped together, so theres a lot of risk and reward built in.


    Unfortunately, throwing knives are not too effective in big battles. Some of the ratkin are sneaky enough to be able to keep the daggers in their hands and slip in to sh at the training dummies, but I think most of the ones intending to participate on the front lines are going to be archers.


    Archery isnt as popr as knives, but the range and power behind them already makes them the preferred weapon for the ratkin hunters. At the moment, theyre using the ssic bow design, and Im wondering if I can share any of the more interesting designs from history.


    Like the I think its a Japanese bow thats taller than the archer, so it has an asymmetrical design. While they look cool, Im not so sure theyll be useful in the caves. Recurves would probably be more useful, but are a bit moreplicated to design. The bow needs to curve forward near the ends, giving more bow to bend for power, but in apact space. The problem is, if you dont get the curves just right, the whole thing can shatter from the forces put on it.


    While Im pretty sure we can manage to get it right, theres another option: thepound bow. With pulleys, it gives the archer mechanical advantage, letting them use stiffer and stronger arms for the bow. Even better, with the proper shape for the cams of the pulley, holding a shot while aiming is a lot easier, too, as they almost lock in ce and help handle some of the tension.


    Im going to need to make one for Yvonne, too. She does great work with her recurve bow, so I can only imagine what shed manage with apound. I might be able to do something special for the jumping spiders, too.


    Watching them practice, their spears sometimes get stuck in the training targets, which is part of their training: to recognize when its stuck and abandon it for a fresh spear from what is basically a spear quiver on their back. The problem is that they can only carry so many spears because of both the weight and the simple size of even a short spear. It gives me two ideas, but I only start scribbling designs for the simpler one. The spears get stuck because of the wide barbed head of the spears. While that design is great for ensuring a kill when hunting, its not great for quickly removing. While they could just change to a more leaf-shaped de for easy in and out, Im not certain even that will guarantee they won''t need some spares.


    So my idea is to make the heads easily-swappable. Theres a ton of different designs for quick-change heads to draw inspiration from: from simple snug fitting to more mechanical locking systems, theres a lot of options. I want something that actually locks in, though. I dont trust a snug fit to stay in ce every time until the wielder wants the head free.


    I think I can manage something for that. Lots of folding furniture uses the little rounded sping rods that click into position when in use, and then you just need to press them down to be able to fold it back up. Something like that could work, especially if I use the shape of the barb to help! Well, maybe. More moving parts in a weapon is usually a bad thing, and this design would need to let the head basically unfold and pop off the haft when it gets stuck.


    Well, thats what testing is for! My ratlings arent as good at forging as my ratkin are but I know someone who has ess to a better metal crafter than I do. While Im pretty sure Ill need to wait for Teemo to get back to be able to try to trade for a metalworks, I dont mind sharing until I get my own. Besides, I think Legs will like having a challenge.

 Chapter One-Hundred Sixty-Seven

    Chapter One-Hundred Sixty-Seven


    I go through a fair few design iterations for the spearheads before Im satisfied. While the concept itself should work fine in theory, it takes a bit more practical time to put that theory to paper, and then a bit more to put it to paper so people can actually build it. Legion are the genius, sleek designs that have to be taken back to step zero because the real world cant no-clip the tools into the tight spaces to turn the screws that keep it together.


    While the spear heads arent <em>that</em>plex, I do need to not only show how everything goes together, but also how each piece is shaped. I have some concerns about the number of moving parts (seven, not counting parts that bend for the locking mechanism), but I dont think I can pull anything else out. Im certain Ill need to add a few more as testing happens and unexpected needs arise, but if I can keep the entire head assembly to fifteen or fewer parts, Ill be pleasantly surprised.


    Im a lot less confident in my design for thepound bow, mostly because I know theres going to need to be a lot of tuning required for the limbs and the cams. Ideally, Id like to use some fairly mild steel for the limbs. Steel is great at the kind of constant flexing and rxing a bow sees. Well just have to get the thickness right. I can run numbers for how thick to make them in theory, but this feels like the kind of thing that really will need to be hashed out with tons of variations in theb and in the field.


    Same with the pulley-wheels, or cams. The cam size will have to be proportional to the draw length, since I want the cam to stop at the same point every time its at full draw, and the shape of the cam will be important too. If you basically squish the typical circr shape into more of a weird oval, thats how you really get to leverage mechanical advantage to make it easy to hold a full draw for longer.


    I get some preliminary designs set and let the ratlings carve the shapes from wood, but itll be a bit on the backburner for now as far as actual testing goes. Thing and Queen are more preupied with the traps in thevabyrinth, and Coda is ramping up production of the cinderblocks and concrete mix, so Im kinda out of scions that are into this sort of thing.


    Its probably good toe up for air on that anyway. Teemos about at the Southwood now, so I should probably give that my attention instead. Teemo and Honey are both on Leos back as he crosses the distance from thest outpost, and its only a few minutester that they enter the Southwoods territory.


    Im a bit relieved when Envoy pops up over Teemo, and my scions getfortable to wait for the White Stag to show up. I take the chance to look around at what I can through their eyes. While outside was pretty solidly winter, inside it feels a bit more like early autumn, and Im seeing a lot more trees with leaves than with needles. Theres also plenty of underbrush around, and Leo can scent a lot of various prey animals in the vicinity.


    Im pretty sure Tarl mentioned something about animal and herbalism nodes, and Rer mentioned lumber and hides and stuff, so its not too shocking. I wonder if he has beavers? Their pelts used to be high-end stuff back home. Magical beavers would probably be amazing.


    I dont get to muse on the possibilities for long before the stag shows up to the tinkling of bells and glow of lights. He imperiously looks at my scions for a few long seconds before speaking.


    I was under the impression you were the Warden, not the Voice, wolf.


    Leo wuffs in confusion before Teemo speaks up.


    He is. Im the Voice. Teemo. My rat hops up on Leos head to make it more clear whos the one that will be doing my talking for me.


    The stag res at my Voice. This is a poor jest. Drop the illusion or bring out the true Voice. My Lord has no time for frivolities.


    Teemo just sits up and folds his arms at the other Voice. Im the only Voice Thedeim has. If you dont have time to waste, then stop wasting it and get to the point.


    The stags nostrils re in anger, the gentle chiming of bells from his antlers starting to sound like theyre caught in a windstorm. He opens his mouth as he rears on his hind legs, before his ear flicks and he lets his forehooves impact the ground without much force.


    But my Lord! He insults you with this farce! Yes, but! Please, at least let me challenge his im to be the Voice of a dungeon strong enough to offer you even paltry aid! My scions all exchange nces at that, and Im wondering if I should just leave Southwood to its fate. I mean I wont. It still asked for my help, and if something subsumes it, Ill probably be next on the menu. Still, not a great first impression.


    The stags pleading look shifts to a wide smile. Thank you, my Lord! I will give you proof of the mettle of this so-called Voice!


    With that, I get a notification.


    <strong>The Stag of the Southwood challenges your Voice to a duel!</strong>


    <strong>ept/Deny?</strong>


    Uh do you see this, Teemo?


    Yeah, I see it, Boss. I got this.


    You sure? I dont want you to get hurt.


    Teemo smiles at that and nods. Yeah, Im sure. Ive been getting to flex one of my affinities on the way out here, but I havent been neglecting the other. Ive been wanting to try something for a while now, and I think this guy will be a great test for it.


    Confident, Teemo does a few stretches while still standing on Leo, before hopping off tond on a stump. Alright bucko, I ept. My Boss is probably going to want a bit more for helping you now, too.


    The stag snorts. Drop the charade, rodent. My Lord will ovee this insignificant problem before you finish respawning. Now, have at you!


    Teemo grins and picks up a pebble from atop the stump and throws it as the stag charges. Teemo smiles and mutters to himself before he slips through a shortcut, giving the stag a wave as he does. The stag swats the pebble aside with contemptible ease, then shes his antlers through the space Teemo vacated.


    My Voice pops out of the shortcut next to a nearby bush, neither looking nor sounding very impressed. Oh, you almost got me. Wanna try again?


    With a snort, a forehoof darts forward to catch Teemo, but my slippery scion whispers and vanishes through another shortcut and appears from the roots of a nearby tree. The hoof only catches a branch of the bush, and Teemos tone mocks as he speaks up again.


    Are we dueling or dancing? he asks with a grin. The stag charges and tries to trample him as he shouts.


    <em>Youre</em> the one fleeing like a coward! Stand and face me!


    Teemo is doing a great impression of a game of whack-a-mole as he vanishes and appears in rapid session, dodging hooves as he continues to taunt.


    Me? Youre the one who cantnd a hit on a little ol rat, oh great White Stag! Butterfly Effect, he adds almost as an afterthought as he continues to lead the stag stomping around the tree, the ground shaking from the force. After almost a minute, the stag finally seems to realize hes getting nowhere, so he dashes a short distance away, leaving Teemo smirking as he leans a hand against the trunk.


    The stag res at him. Fine, I admit youre a more wily foe than I expected, but you are far from victorious yet! The tinkling of bells gives way to a deep gong, and lightning crackles around the stags horns as he charges an attack.


    Teemo looks like hes only half-paying attention to the stag, which only seems to further enrage the scion. My Voice holds a long stick up in triumph, then jabs it under the roots of the tree. He nces up, adjusts the position slightly, then turns another smirk on the White Stag.


    Butterfly Effect.


    Sun Lance! shrieks the stag as heunches a thick beam of light at Teemo. I can see the flight path, so I know it cant be actual light, but that still doesnt mean my Voice wants to be hit by it.


    He darts through a shortcut, and the trajectory of the beam causes it to follow him. A momentter, the beam sts upward into the sky as Teemo tumbles across the floor of leaves, twigs, and dirt. He coughs as he finds his feet, looking a little singed and roughed up, but not beaten.


    Butterfly Effect. You <em>actually</em> almost got me that time. You got another in you, or do you want to see if Im slowed down from that?


    I will grind you into fertilizer for my Lords flowers with my bare hooves! screams the stag, looking more than a little unhinged at how ineffective his attacks have been, and charges Teemo once more.


    My Voice grins as the stag bears down on him. Sucker. Butterfly Effect! As if onmand, a goose or maybe a swan plummets from the sky andnds on the twig wedged in the roots. A bit of spatial magic,bined with how unstable the stags stomping made the ground, easily makes a long enough lever to uproot the aged oak and fell it directly in the stags path.


    He doesnt realize whats wrong before its toote, and his eyes can only widen as his horns bite deep into the wood of the tree, leaving him well and truly stuck. Teemo hops through onest shortcut to pop out of a knot hole in the trunk, and simply bounces onto the stags snout.


    Now then are you ready to talk, or should we just go home?

 Chapter One-Hundred Sixty-Eight

    Chapter One-Hundred Sixty-Eight


    Both Leo and Honey are fighting to notugh as the stag tries to free his antlers, Teemo still perched on his snout. It doesnt take long for his ear to flick and for him to finally sag in defeat.


    I am bested. Finish me and im your mana, Voice of Thedeim, he says, sounding like he finally epts that Teemo is both my Voice and someone not to trifle with. Teemo, of course, blows a raspberry at the statement.


    And wait for you to respawn before getting to have an actual conversation? Youre not getting off the hook that easily. Though, speaking of off the hook He hops to the scions horns and takes a good look at the prongs lodged in the wood. Yeah, you got them in there good. I think I can get you out.


    The stag looks like hed rather just be killed, even if it didnt mean respawning, than have to suffer the indignity of being freed from the fallen tree. While Teemo works, I take the opportunity to politely ask him what the crap that was.


    Oh, the Butterfly Effect? Ive kinda had that one in my pocket for a while, just never had a chance to use it. Youve thought it to yourself a few times, and it sounded like a good use of Fate affinity to me, he idly chats as he taps the various antlers, looking for the ones most-seriously lodged.


    Looks like it was a good use for it, yeah. Id ask you about some of your other affinity stuff youve been ying with, but probably best to wait until youre on the way back for that.


    Teemo turns and gives the stag a smirk and a wink. Cant go spilling all our secrets, right Boss? Anyway, Stag. It feels like these ones here are the most stuck, so Im going to expand the space around them just a hair, and you should be able to pull yourself free. He hops back to the tree and gives it a few pats, then nods. Alright, give it a try.


    The stag gives a defeated sigh and pulls. He doesnt make much progress, but he looks hopeful as he nts his hooves and puts a bit more force into it. He stumbles back a bit as his head finallyes free, and he gives my Voice a deep bow once he recovers.


    My deepest apologies, Voice of Thedeim. I took you as an insult to my lord, and took offense even when he didnt. Too often, outsiderse and hope to take advantage of his kindness, and I thought you were such a vulture, toe and try to take advantage of him in this delicate time.


    If I could, Id exchange a nce with Teemo, but he seems to be on the same page, at least. Thats a pretty quick turn-around on your attitude there, Stag, points out my Voice, causing the other to wince.


    ...My Lord is also displeased with my earlier attitude. He mislikes violence, and so tends to leave it to my discretion after arger invader tried to attack his core.


    Speaking of violence, Im told you have an invader problem? interjects Teemo, seizing on the chance to get the conversation on the track he had been hoping for since even before the fight.


    The stag nods and leans forward, offering for Teemo to jump atop his head. Yes, something has changed in the Green Sea.


    Teemo epts the invitation, and Leo stands to follow as the Stag looks deeper into the Southwood. He takes off with a bounding leap, and Leo darts after to follow. They travel quickly, though I get the feeling the Stag could leave Leo in the dust if he really wanted to. The Voice takes a few minutes to organize his thoughts as they move through the forest, before he exins further, still on the move.


    The Green Sea is a massive ocean of stagnant mana. If there are any other dungeons further to the north, my Lord knows not of them. For a time, the invaders from deeper inside were manageable. My Lords dire bears have been up to the task of handling anything that had tried to attack us, until recently.


    Before now, the invaders had been more or less mirrors of what my Lord spawns: beasts with minimal elemental affinities. Kic affinity abounds, but even Life and Nature affinities are rare, and the invaders roughly reflected this. But now they are showing other affinities.


    Birds with wind affinities are hardly a surprise, but a sylvan wolf was. Then an igneous cobra. Then a luminous hawk. The curiosity at the new affinities came to a head with the stygian hart, a pathetic mockery of myself. At that point, I feared there was something watching, somehow spying on my Lords works to try to pervert them to their own vile designs, but it became quickly obvious thatbination was a simple coincidence.


    Leo speaks up as the pace starts to slow. A wide variety of affinities is strange, but it sounds like you have even those under control.


    The Stag nods as his leap and bounds slow towards a jog. We did, and technically still do. But the attacks continue to slowly ramp up, despite my Lord not having expanded recently. Hes not even made any new varieties of node that could draw that kind of attention. He pauses as his ear flicks, and slowly shakes his head. I dont believe prismatic salmon would draw this many different invaders, my Lord.


    Teemo shakes his head as well. Yeah, whenever the boss gets a new node, the invaders are focused on getting at it. It sounds like these are acting more like expansion invaders, but without the expansion to draw them in.


    The Stag nods. Indeed. And with their strength increasing, my Lord worries he may not be able to keep up. While he has a wide variety of spawners under hismand, hes starting to max them out. If the hordes continue to grow in strength he may be overrun. Yet even that may not be the most concerning thing about these invaders.


    That gets everyones attention, including my own. Something the Stag would consider more concerning than the death of his dungeon? I cant even begin to imagine what it could be. Fortunately, I dont need to try to imagine, as the Stag brings us to a small cave, with a dead invader inside.


    I have no idea what it is. Its about the size of a wolf, and even has some of the basic shape, but none of the fur. Instead, it has bulbous, segmented carapace, colored a dull red. The four legs have ws like a mantis, rather than feet at the end, and a strange spiky tailes off the rear. On the front, the head looks like a giant leech.


    Id be pretty concerned if I had this thing as an invader, sheesh. Even dead, it looks wrong in ways I cant quite put my finger on. My scions also take in the corpse in their own way. Teemo looks partially disgusted and partially creeped out by it. Leo has his lips pulled back only slightly in a wolfy frown at the abomination, and Honey is frantically making notes.


    What <em>is</em> it? asks my Voice, looking at the Stag so he doesnt have to look at the thing.


    Take a closer look. Its status is just as <em>unsettling</em> as the rest of it.


    Teemo does so, and I get a look at it through his eyes. Neither of us seems to notice anything too out of ce, until I look at its type. See, both invaders and my denizens have types, which seem to be roughly like a biological kingdom, or maybe whatever is a step or two below that. Still not a biologist. Whatever its actual ce in organizing, the categories are pretty broad. Beasts cover most of my spawners, even the ants and bees. Undead are another category, as well as elementals, slimes, and dragons. Im pretty sure Violets gremlins are spirits, which feel more primal than undead. I guess theyd need to be, or theyd just be undead.


    Ive even heard people talk about fey, even though I dont have any of those spawners. But the point is: everything has a category. This one doesnt. Or I think it does, but its hard to exin. I know theres something there, even though I cant sense it.


    Teemo frowns as he picks up on my thoughts. Thats the same kind of weird void I get when you talk about some of your stuff, Boss.


    Does your Lord know what it is? asks the Stag, looking hopeful. Im certainly not feeling hopeful about what this thing is.


    My first thought is that its somehow human, but I seriously hope thats not the case. Itd have to take some serious transformation magic to make a human look like that. Itd probably be easier to start with some monster temte and change it to look like this, instead of trying to do it to a human, and thats even leaving aside for the moment that humans apparently cant exist here. While I guess it could be the result of one trying to do it anyway, I doubt it. My gut says the angeldy would only send humans here as dungeons.


    Maybe the connection here isnt as one-way as I had thought? What if someone is peeking back at home? The idea of home hits me harder than I thought it would, but I do my best to shove it aside. I died back home, and I doubt Im going to get a pass like Lazarus. I force my train of thought back on the tracks, and give it a shove to keep going. If someone from here can peek at home, could they make some abomination like this? Its probably better than this thing actually being a human, but not by a whole lot.


    Or maybe not. While itd be a nightmare to be turned into something like this, the restricted supply of humans would limit the numbers pretty severely. From how the Stags been acting, theres basically an army of these things already.

 Chapter One-Hundred Sixty-Nine

    Chapter One-Hundred Sixty-Nine


    Honey and her small swarm move in to examine the thing as the stag repeats his question.


    Does your Lord Thediem know what it is?


    Oh, right. Uh


    Other than something bad, nothing specific. He has a few ideas for what it could be, I think, but I get the feeling that, even if he could put a name to it, there wouldnt be much advice for actually fighting them. Teemo looks over the weird thing, and Honey is trying to get my attention.


    I peer through her eyes at her notes so far, and Im not a big fan of what Im seeing. The more I look at it, the more Im starting to think its something specifically built to kill. I dont mean like a tiger or a lion or something, either. Yeah, theyre good at killing, but they also do things like eat, make babies, and breathe. Honey is having trouble finding any orifices, which would kinda make babies, breathing, and eating a bit difficult.


    She gets Leo to help with a bit of dissection, and I think the White Stag is turning a bit green. Is that necessary?


    Teemo shrugs. If we want more information on it, yeah. Doesnt mean the two of us need to watch, though. We can leave them to it.


    The Stag nods and makes for the exit, Teemo still atop his head. Out in the fresh air, the Stag seems to be regaining hisposure.


    Not quite what you expected when asking for help, eh?


    The Stag sighs. Indeed. My Lord prefers to quickly reim the bodies and the mana, but kept this one as proof. To see some bees swarming a corpse like a field of flowers the Stag shudders, and Teemo snorts with a smirk.


    Thats Honey. I think she hungers more for knowledge than she does pollen. The Boss will probably get a lot more than either of us will really want to know about that invader, but he should get a better idea for how to fight the things. Which reminds me: hes going to be sending tundra wolves, now that Ive zed a proper trail. Probably a pack or two a day, depending on how it goes. Honey and Leo are going to be sticking around to help with the fighting, too.


    The Stag bows to Teemo as well as he can with my Voice still sitting on his head. My Lord is grateful for the timely aid. The snows beyond my Lords borders greatly hinders these disturbing invaders, so being able to engage them in such terrain would be a great boon.


    Teemo nods at that. Thats basically his reasoning for sending them: they wont be hindered by the cold. If we still havent dealt with this probleme spring, hell probably send some widows or twinsnakes, or both. Or maybe just stronger wolves. Teemo shrugs while the Stag gives him a curious look.


    He has stronger wolves than tundra? Why not send them immediately?


    My Voice shakes his head. He doesnt have them yet, but theyll be one of many options by then. The Boss grows pretty quickly.


    The Stag nods at that. I imagine his location helps greatly with that. My Lord enjoys his quiet and peace. I think a city would ill suit him. There are dangers among so many delvers, morepetition from other dungeons, but there are opportunities as well.


    Yeah, thats true, but at least he has the other dungeons kinda sorted now.


    The Stag eyes him with curiosity. Oh? Thest my Lord had heard, Hullbreak was content to stagnate. Unless you count that as being sorted?


    Teemo somehow manages to exchange a nce with me, and I approximate a nod in return. Hullbreak was starving, and one of his dwellers managed to ask the Dungeoneers for help. The Dungeoneers asked the Boss. It ended up being a bit more of a thing than expected, and the Boss Vassalized Hullbreak.


    A Vassal? Not simply subsumed?


    My Voice shakes his head. Nah, the Boss doesnt want to just eat dungeons and take over. Neverrest had iting, but Hullbreak just needs help. Its slow going, but the Boss at least has him making enough mana to keep himself healthy, and has a few projects in mind to help him really take off. He also has his Protege to guide, too, so his metaphorical hands are a bit full.


    The Stag looks shocked at that news. <em>And</em> a Protege?!


    Oh yeah, shes still real young, so she hasnt needed too much yet, but he gives her little guiding nudges every so often.


    The Stag shakes his head. What sort of ally has my Lord gotten involved with, he mutters to himself, and Teemo grins.


    The one that you annoyed, and who expects at least some kind of payment for his help.


    The Stags ear twitches and he tenses. I dont believe my Lord should pledge fealty to yours, he says with measured tone and cadence, clearly upset at the idea, but also desperately trying to not let it show.


    Teemo lets him stew in it for a few moments before smiling and waving the idea off. He has enough dungeons to watch for, he doesnt need another one to be responsible for, heh. He <em>would</em> like to get a look at your herbalism and lumber nodes, though. The Boss is always in the market for new resources to tempt delvers with.


    The Stag detes a bit in relief at that and nods. Yes, I expect my Lord would be more than happy to assist with that. I believe his expeditions have secured many seeds that would simply not be worth the mana to grow, thanks to the climate. Your Lord Thedeim may find he can make better use of them.


    I let Teemo negotiate with the Stag over what seeds and stuff to get from the Southwood. Ill still help him even if the seeds are useless to me, but Teemos not wrong to get at least something for the rudeness earlier. Stopping whatever these invaders are will be good for the both of us. Speaking of the invaders, I check how Honey and Leo are handling their project.


    Yeah, probably a good thing the Stag left when he did. Honey isnt quite going Frankenstein on this thing yet, but I think thats only because she doesnt have lightning affinity. This things insides dont paint a pretty picture, and not just because insides make unpleasant art in general. While Im still not a biologist, I can probably name most of the various organs, at least that a mammal has. You need a brain, a heart, some kind of lungs or gills, something to filter out nasty things in the various fluids, something to digest, usually a couple somethings to make that digestion easier, and something to get rid of the food once youre done with it.


    Im counting a lot fewer organs than Id expect, and I poke Honey to check her notes and get me caught up on whats she discovered so far. So far the inside is looking a lot like the outside: designed for killing, and not much else. The basic interior looks vaguely like what should be in something with an exoskeleton. Theyout is mostly open concept, no real veins or arteries and such, with the bits more or less floating in the goo.


    Honey and Leo finally found orifices, but they all seem to be for air. The invader has little holes along the sides to draw it in, and presumably push it out, too. I have no idea how the lungs actually work, but they take up a pretty good chunk of this things insides. The lungs do look like theyre segmented, though, so one good shot to them will only disable that section, not the whole thing.


    And thats the only intended way in or out of this thing. No stomach or anything like that, though that brings us to the otherrge organ. It appears to be a big sack full of some kind of fluid, and Honey says its sweet. She even has it in her notes as invader honey. I just hope she doesnt eat too much of it. Thats just ew. Still, that exins the things energy: its born with some kind of energy sack, I guess. However, born might be the wrong word, as Honey and Leo havent been able to find anything like reproductive organs. It could be something really weird, but Im going to trust Honey to know what bug naughty bits should look like.


    Theres a few other organs that do organy things, including what seems to be a brain of sorts encased in whatever the exoskeleton is actually made of, along where the spine would be. I think this one basically died from a concussion, as Honeys notes show certain parts to be a bit mushier than others, with no apparent reason. The thing probably got thrown against a tree or something.


    Whatever caused its death, what caused its life was very streamlined. No reproduction and no eating, which cuts down on the number of needed organs a lot, I imagine. But with no reproductive organs, how did this thing even happen? I probably cant discount magic, even though everything else Ive seen seems to be anatomically correct. It also could be what amounts to a drone or something, relegated to only fighting.


    But that doesnt quite feel right. Even specialized fighters in a hive can do more than fight. Even when surrounded by hostiles, fighting can only take up so much time, so a warrior caste insect needs to be able to pull its weight even when not actively engaging threats. I might just becking in imagination, but I cant picture this thing doing anything besides fighting. All the bits are too sharp for doing things like moving brood or building. It might be able to dig, but it''s not moving dirt very far with just those des. If its that specialized, I get the feeling its specifically made for fighting, made to be a disposable warrior.


    Because if youre going to make an autonomous weapon, it kinda needs to be disposable. Umbre and other fictional weapons corporations are always making their zombie viruses, or gically engineered dinosaurs, or whatever, but never make an off switch for them. Even if we assume their zombies are better than just giving trained soldiers guns, theyll still need to deal with a bunch of zombies after hostilities die down. And if the zombies won, they have kinda proven theyre better than soldiers and guns, so whats their n to actually use the area theyve conquered?


    This is why Umbre went bankrupt in the games. I think. But back to the actual point: if these things are deliberately made like Im thinking they are, the onboard honey sack is the off switch. Once it runs out of fuel, the thing stops moving, and the boss can waltz in like they own the ce, because whos going to argue? Not all those corpses, thats for sure.


    But if they are engineered, why is the type hidden? It could be something to do with someone peeking back home, which would be bad. Or it could be someone deliberately hiding it, either on their own, or with the actual help of the system here. Im not sure which would be worse.

 Chapter One-Hundred Seventy

    Chapter One-Hundred Seventy


    <strong>Aranya</strong>


    The red kobold does her best to not sigh at theck of progress, but its difficult to hide her frustration. At least the others seem to be enjoying the process. While training and even delving a little in Lord Thedeim helped them all grow close, its these kinds of longer missions that really show why the trio had stuck together for so long, and its gratifying to know she has her own part to y in the group, too.


    Yvonne is in her element out in the untamed reaches of the world, whether on the surface or below. The hawkwomans eyes are not her only keen sense, and she has the experience to spot potential trouble, even in the unfamiliar conditions of the depths. She was able to pick a path through the underswamps with seemingly little difficulty, and now is helping lead the way through a dense jungle of stgmites, stctites, and hanging moss.


    Ragnars sense of direction and especially of depth helps keep everyone from getting lost, and his general good humor helps keep the long marches from being a slog. His stalwart presence in a fight also helps to keep a sense of control in the chaotic shifting of battle. They havent had anything too difficult to fight yet, but Yvonne seems to think theyre in the territory of somethingrge, so the dwarfs presence is afort.


    Ara, city elf that she is, is still a gifted cartographer. With Ragnars help, she even has the rough depths tracked, too, slowly bringing an understanding to the twisting knot the depths can be.


    And, of course, herself. With her faith in Lord Thedeim, she can help bolster her friends both against battle and against the weariness of such long forays. Poes Uplifting Wings and Jellos Resilience makes the trek much easier, and her other prayers make the variousbats much simpler, too. Her magic is better aligned to help patch up Ragnar and the others after an injury, leaving Ara to focus more on offensive magics. Shes even been stepping into melee with the horror mandible Lord Thedeim gifted her. While shell never be a true frontline fighter, she can at least give Ragnar a few moments of respite when he needs them.


    Speaking of respite, its getting close to time to set up camp, so the group stops to check the map.


    Ragnar is the first to speak up. Dwe een need tae try an find some water? This moss is damp enough tae make a soup jus by putin it in a pot!


    Yvonne smiles at that. I dont think water will be a concern, nor do we need to worry about identally starting a cave fire. I think our biggest concern will be finding anything dry enough to burn for a campfire.


    I hope we get out of the humidity soon, sighs Ara. Im starting to chafe.


    I think the humidity is nice, admits Aranya, earning a few curious looks. She just shrugs. Im probably going to shed soon, and the humidity helps make that easier. Ara and Ragnars curious looks only intensify, while Yvonne nods.


    Ah, I was curious, but thought it might be rude to ask if you shed. I imagine its more pleasant than molting, at least. Yvonne huffs as Ragnar and Ara chuckle at the memory of herst molt.


    Actually shedding is a relief, but the days leading up are constantly itchy. Its a bit earlier than usual for me to need to shed, but after finding Lord Thedeim, Ive been getting back to a healthy weight. Getting healthy after so long makes me feel like Im wearing clothes a size too small, she points out, and Yvonne gives her a friendly jealous look.


    Definitely better than molting. A solid week of maddening itching and soreness, and looking like I have mange, before old feathers are finally reced with fresh ones. Id love to trade, she says with a begging smile, causing the others tough.


    All that aside, we really should find a ce to set up camp. Im getting hungry enough that Ragnars proposed moss soup isnt sounding so bad, says Ara, and everyone focuses on the task at hand once more.


    I dinae ken how well find somece dry grumbles Ragnar. A day or two moren well be deep enough th rock will nae hold smuch water. Doesnae help w our camp now


    We may need to settle for finding a clearing and having a cold camp, admits Yvonne. Nobody likes that idea, but there doesnt seem to be much other option, at least until Aranya gets an idea.


    I might be able to help with getting us a fire, and some fresh water, too. Everyone looks to her, hopeful, and she tries her best to temper that hope. Maybe. I havent tried it before, but I think it will work. I shouldnt need anything special for the campsite for it, so whatever you think will be best should be fine.


    The others nod and Yvonne takes a few moments to choose a heading. This way, Id say. I think the cave opens up a bit in that direction. If nothing else, it will give us a bit of headroom to cut down some of the hanging moss and have a bit of space to ourselves.


    With a n set, the map is put away and they set out. True to Yvonnes suspicion, the cave opens up a bit. Their campsite ends up being near a wall with a veritable palisade of dripstone and moss giving them a bit of protection from the caves atrge. They end up needing to clear quite a bit of moss, which ys into Aranyas hopeful n perfectly. Even better, Ragnar seems to spot something under the dense carpet of life, and pulls a small rockhammer from his pack.


    Whatd you find? asks Ara as the dwarf chips at the stone around some thick lichen.


    Rockbreakers, maybe, he answers, which doesnt tell Ara much. Yvonne fills her and Aranya in as Ragnar works.


    Theyre I dont think Id call them a staple for dwarves, but theyre easy to grow and nutritious. The lichen grows tough little tubers in the cracks in stone, and theyll eventually break it into gravel or even sand if given enough time. Raw, theyre incredibly tough, but can be very tender once boiled.


    Ragnar grins as he stands, holding an armfull of gray roots that almost look like dusty carrots or stgmites. Looks like rockbreakers tme! Yvonne? He holds them forward for her to examine, and she soon nods.


    I think if Aranya can get us some water and some fuel, we could make some rockbreaker chowder.


    So no pressure, says the kobold with a smirk, before looking over the cleared moss. I dont know how well even the dried moss will work for a fire, but I guess its time to try a new prayer. Get the cookpot ready, and maybe an extra one for some more water?


    The others nod as camp prep gets truly underway. Ara helps clear the ground a bit more with her earth magic, and bedrolls areid out as Aranya prepares a few bundles of moss. If this works like she thinks it should, shell only really be able to manage arge handful at a time.


    She soon holds a bundle of moss over the pot, and lets the warmth of her faith wash over her, her doubts washing away as she focuses. Queens Extraction! Water flows from the moss in her hand like a wrung rag, soon leaving water in the pot, and dry moss in her hands. She gives Yvonne the bundle as Ragnar examines the water.


    Will it work?


    Yvonne nods after examining the dried moss. If nothing else, it will work for tinder and maybe a bit of padding under our bedrolls. I can gather some false stgmites that will burn longer so we can actually cook.


    Ragnar dips a finger in the water, then pops it in his mouth. Tastes like water tme. Well boil it, jus tbe safe.


    Then Ill help bundle the moss for you and Yvonne can go get the stgmites while you make some more water. Will you be fine to fill both pots? asks Ara, and Aranya smiles at her consideration.


    Its a very minor prayer, so I should be fine to get us plenty of water to refill our skins. The work goes quickly, with Ragnar taking the dried moss bundles to where the fire will be, and then spreading the extra under the bedrolls for a bit offort as the metal pots slowly fill with water.


    Yvonne returns with an armload of the strange false stgmites; woody fungi that mimic the cave formations. They also mimic stctites, but the ones on the ceiling are harder to harvest than the ones on the ground. Ragnar helps her break them down a bit more for the cooking fire, and the moss bundles work perfectly as tinder to get the thicker fungi to light.


    The rockbreakers get diced up and tossed into the stewpot, along with some shredded jerky and a bit of travel seasoning. Everyone rxes around the fire as Ragnar tends the stew.


    So Aranya, do you think youll shed before we get back? asks the elf, making idle conversation.


    Aranya considers the question before answering. Its hard to say. Im not itching yet, so theres still plenty of time.


    I think were close to having this jungle mapped out, which would be a good time to return. Will you be alright to shed out here, if it takes longer than I expect? asks Yvonne as she reclines against the wall.


    Id prefer the privacy of Lord Thedeims Sanctuary for it, but there shouldnt be anything out in this jungle to prevent me from doing it here, if I need to.


    How long does it take? asks the elf as she subtly reaches a hand towards the stewpot. Its unclear if she means the shed or the stew, but it seems a swat on the hand is all the answer shes getting for the stew.


    If everything goes well, maybe ten minutes. If it doesnt go well, Ill just look a mess and be ufortable until we can get back home and I can scrub the stuck shed off in a bath.


    Ara sighs happily at that idea. Ah, a good soak after a long adventure is the absolute <em>best</em>.


    Even Ragnar nods at that, the dwarf pulling some wooden bowls from his bag. Slops on! he deres with a grin, and startsdling out stew to everyone. Its surprisingly rich and hearty, and Ragnar nods at his creation.


    Coulda used some fireberries, but thosere a fair ways more south. Thats the closest thing to aint anyone has about the meal, and the stew is finished off with aplomb. A bit more water is extracted to clean the pot, and shifts are assigned, with Aranya getting thest one.


    Shes perfectly fine with getting to bed a bit early and rising a bit early. Shes looking forward to making breakfast for everyone as well. She has some oats and dried fruit that should make a pleasant porridge. The extra mossy padding helps her drift off to sleep quickly, her earlier frustrations with the pace of the search forgotten. She just needs patience. Theyll find her old dungeon and her people eventually. While more time will mean more pain for them, trying to rush wont help anybody. Better a proper rescue eventually than a rushed and botched attempt right now.

 Chapter One-Hundred Seventy-One

    Chapter One-Hundred Seventy-One


    <strong>Thing</strong>


    The crawling hand scion drums his fingers as he goes over his list of enchantments. The Master has not quite given him carte nche on what to put into the nnedvabyrinth, but he does have quite a bit of leeway. Some of the suggestions are simple enough, and some will require a bit more work on Things part.


    While he has what he would consider to be rather standard versions for most of the magical traps, he also would like to experiment with some of his own takes. Hell need to be careful and test them thoroughly on the denizens before turning them on the delvers, though. His failed attempts to dispel the Lifedrinking enchantment lead him to a deep understanding of its workings. If he adjusts the spell, he could produce debilitating effects without being life-threatening.


    He gives a longing look to his personal tome of enchanting, before setting it aside. No, if theyre going to be used on delvers, its better to use the tried and true forme and arrays from the other books hes gathered. If hes being honest with himself, its not like that would limit his options much.


    He sighs in his own way and leans back onto the stump of his wrist, letting his fingers weave the telekinesis he needs to move his books and notes. He and Queen are going to organize and n together in the secret war room for what traps to put where. Coda is hoping to join them, but its uncertain if he actually will be able to. The bat scion is still putting the finishing touches on the production of the blocks for the lighthouse.


    With his materials in hand, Thing jumps atop the floating pile and levitates it and himself to the war room. Hes relieved to see he seems to be early, giving him time to organize himself a bit better. He has no idea how Honey manages to keep everything so neat and tidy. Hell need to ask her for pointers once she gets back.


    Queen doesnt give him much time to organize, as he soon notices a trail of ants bringing in the Alchemists own notes. Thankfully, it seems Queen herself is dyed slightly, which gives Thing a chance to get his ducks in some semnce of a row before she makes her entrance.


    Greetings, Enchanter Thing. I hope the day finds you well. While their first attempts atmunication had been a bit awkward, the need to talk shop so often has given rise to their own unique signnguage, with Queen using her feelers and even some workers tomunicate.


    It does, and I hope it finds you simrly, he replies. Queen prefers to speak formally, though that often falls away as they get deeper into discussions of their specialties. It seems we will have to start without Coda.


    It is unfortunate, but unsurprising. The Emperor has the Architect very busy with the lighthouse project. I beli- hmm? She pauses in mid sentence as the Conduit slithers into the war room, a book in his telekinesis. Thing and Queen both give a small bow of respect, which Fluffles receives awkwardly. Much like the Master, his Conduit is not very big on formality.


    The Denmaster wished me to bring this to the meeting. I believe its his own designs for some mechanical traps. With Coda so busy, I think Thedeim wishes to provide his help in this, hisses Fluffles, much to the interest of the other two.


    With Emperor Thedeims more direct involvement, his newvabyrinth will be a wonder to surpass the hedgemaze and gauntletsbined! signs Queen, her formal movements starting to lose their stately grace as the prospect of working with the Masters knowledge trumps her desire for decorum.


    Not that Thing can me her. Master Thedeims knowledge is always exciting to witness. He would have never expected the secret to dispelling Lifedrinking wouldy in his knowledge of lightning, of all things, and yet it was. Even more, Thing knows it can be used to counter theoretically any magic. Hes uncertain if he could ever manage it in the timeframe of a fight, but its worked every time so far in theb.


    Will he be specifically watching our meeting, then?


    Fluffles shrugs with his wings. I dont know. I cant track his attention as well as Teemo can. I think he is more focused on meeting with the Southwood right now, as well as gently guiding the tunnelbore ants in giving thebyrinth its rough shape.


    I hope the Emperor will upgrade the anthill once more, soon. I am very interested in seeing what thest form of ant will be.


    I think hell be doing that soon, hisses the Conduit. Once thebyrinth is shaped, hell probably want to get the enve in so they can attempt to get settled before delvers flock to it.


    They both nod at that, finding Fluffles reasoning to be sound. Then lets get started. Im sure Queen also has a whole host of ideas she could use, too, depending on what is actually needed, signs Thing as he motions for her to confirm or deny.


    She nods. Indeed. And the sooner we get started, the sooner Thing and I can practice our craft and prepare to help the Emperor with the problem in the depths.


    Fluffles looks at the two diminutive scions with mild surprise. Oh? Did the Denmaster suggest something to you two?


    Thing motions a negative. No, this will be more on our own initiative. Depending on the specific terrain, we can greatly help in fortifying positions and securing fallbacks with our traps. We can even help offensively with Queens potions and my enchanting equipment. I think Ill need Teemo to shortcut a tunnelbore into the secret base here to expand the enchantingb for me, and possibly the alchemyb for Queen. I know Ill need the room to teach the ratlings some basic enchantment.


    Queen nods her agreement. And we will both be giving the dwellers an education in our arts for them to leverage on their own as well. The Emperor will certainly give them what he can, but I fear our rate of production will not be enough on its own.


    Fluffles brings his tail around to rest his head on as he thinks. ...I think Rocky, sh, and myself will need to step up our own efforts, too. We cant let the dwellerse to harm with our inaction. I wouldnt be surprised if even Jello is preparing for the fight in her own way. She is very effective in tight tunnels.


    What about Poe and Tiny? asks Thing, curious about the two strong scions.


    Fluffles rubs his chin with his tail for a few seconds before answering. Tiny will most likely be staying behind to be ast line of defense. With him being a Guardian, he should be very good at it. I believe Poe will also be staying to ensure Denmaster Thedeim wont be left unprotected. Therge caverns would be a very good ce for the two to work together to thwart a counter-offensive. And I suspect the delvers would be more than happy to assist, especially if Thedeim promisespensation.


    Dont forget Nova and the wyrms, points out Thing, making Fluffles p himself with his tail.


    Ah, of course! She has been wanting to join in the spars with Rocky, too. She wants to live up to the weight of her name, and this is exactly the kind of thing shell want to help with for that. Fluffles smirks before continuing. And Im sure Rocky will enjoy the challenge of trying to fight someone he might not want to physically punch. His thermal control is astonishing, but thats still a ton of heat to try topensate for.


    Thing and Queen can only nod again. Theyve both run the numbers on magma, but they also both know just having a number doesnt paint the entire picture. Do you think Rocky will expand his affinities before the battlees? asks Queen, earning augh from Fluffles.


    Ill eat my tail if he hasnt gained at least one more besides fire, ice, and kic. He hasnt shown any others off in our spars yet, but I know hes been wanting to focus on each one as theye now, instead of just sprinting ahead and getting as many as possible. I think the young goblin wresting control from him that one time really showed he needed to get more of a grasp on each affinity, or else risk having it turned on him in a fight.


    How about your own affinities? presses the Alchemist, and Fluffles considers before answering.


    Im working on mastering what I have already. Dispelling that hurricane let me gain wind, storm, and lightning affinities. Those three will keep my attention for some time, I expect. Im not the savant that Rocky is. I can feel him resonating with wind and lightning, and he says he can feel the same for me with fire and ice. Im deliberately holding back from them, but I dont know his n for his own affinities.


    The three scions sit infortable silence at that, pondering their affinities. Thing has kic and meta, as well as fate, of course, and has little idea how to expand them. While he vaguely understands that kic, fire, and ice are all closely linked, he honestly has little interest in those affinities. Hed like to gain knowledge affinity, but doesnt know how he would actually achieve that. His hopes will likely rest on Queen or Honey expanding their own knowledge affinities to something, and hoping he can work backwards from their advice.


    He shakes himself to clear his mind, and raps a knuckle on the table, getting their attention. Affinities aside, we should probably work on what we have for thebyrinth. Once we know what we want to put in there, well know what materials well need to make that a reality.


    Fluffles nods and coils up, intending to sit in on the nning, and possibly even give his own suggestions. Queen straightens herself and nods, though her attendant workers look eager to get started, mirroring her true mood.


    Indeed! The Emperor has given us muchtitude in this, so we must show him his faith in us is not misced! So, let uspare what effects we can produce, and work from there.


    Thing takes notes as Queen lists off and exins her relevant alchemical creations, and notes what ones he can mirror. They even start drawing up a few joint ns to inflict the same mdy in different ways, ensuring delvers cant simply create an alchemical solution and expect it to work every time, nor will a magical solution necessarily work, either.


    Already, their coboration has promise, and Thing hasnt even gotten to go over his own presentation! He can only imagine what just he and Queen wille up with, not to mention what they can aplish once Coda can truly give his own input.

 Chapter One-Hundred Seventy-Two

    Chapter One-Hundred Seventy-Two


    As enlightening as the autopsy turned out to be, theres still a lot of questions to be answered, and not just about the weird invader. Well, not <em>directly</em> about it. I still dont know who sent it, why, or from where. It seems like the Southwood doesnt know, either.


    I feel like this is a good example of the difference in quality of scouting with a Marshal and without. Im a bit tempted to get Poe up here to organize a few of my own avian expeditions, but I dont think my birbs will enjoy flying in the cold like that. Besides, they dont call it the Green Sea just because it sounds cool. From the air, its just a dense canopy from horizon to horizon, though theres quite a bit of white on it right now, too. The main point is: birds just arent going to cut it to get information on whats happening on the ground.


    Thankfully, I have other options for scouts. I upgrade the wolf spawner a bit to up the spawn rate, so Leo should be getting enough wolves to send a few out to explore to the north. If we ever want to get some kind of counter-offensive going, well need to know where to actually go off to and offend.


    Much as Id like to let Teemo stick around and try to learn more with the Stag, I probably should get him home. The stopgap with Poe worked well enough, but its definitely a bandaid on something that will require stitches: better than nothing, but not an actual solution.


    My own voice speaks up from atop Leos head, preferring to get to look the Stag in the eyes when talking together.


    Well, seems like the Boss is ready for me toe home. Honey will get first dibs on whatever seeds and such your expeditions bring back, and in exchange, the Boss will do his best to help deal with whatevers going on with those invaders.


    The Stag nods. We have an ord, then. Is there anything else my Lord can offer in return? A few handfuls of seeds seems hardly enough to offer if you can truly fight off this threat.


    Oh, that actually reminds me.


    Teemo tilts his head as I exin my idea to him, and nods when he realizes where Im going with it. Actually, what rooms do you have ess to? The Boss knows of at least one he doesnt have, so hes wondering if theres a way to trade rooms or something.


    The Stag looks a bit surprised at that, but listens to his own dungeon before answering. With each passing year, more options will open up for your dungeon. My Lord has ess to everything, in theory. While something like a magma forge is avable to him, it would take a lot of effort for him to actually utilize it. My Lord has few rooms actually built, as he has little use for them. To gain ess to a new building yourself, you will either need to be patient, or utilize a scion.


    If a friendly dungeon has a room you would like, you would need to send your scion to utilize that room and gain a title, which would then give you ess to the room.


    Teemos nod mimes the one I want to do. Ah, like with Leo. He joined the Boss, and Thedeim made him a scion, but he didnt have a wolf spawner at the time, so he gained ess to it.


    The Stag nods. It is quite the investment, however, to utilize a precious scion to gain something that will eventuallye with time.


    My three scions there exchange nces, but dont argue. I have scionsing out of my non-existent ears! Interestingly enough, they also mostly all have their own jobs to do already, so Im not certain I have one to suggest that to anyway.


    Teemo gives a little bow to the Stag. Thanks for the information. The Boss will be sending more wolves in theing days, too, so you should have a bit more breathing room from the attacks.


    The White Stag gives a more borate bow in return. Thank you for your aid, and for your forgiveness of my earlier rashness. Your unorthodox approach may be just what my Lord needs to weather this storm.


    Teemo just smiles before turning his attention back to Leo, and Honey as well. The bee scion has her swarm buzzing around a wolf besides Leo, the tundra wolf weighed down with saddlebags full of notes and samples.


    Is that everything you want to send back for now, Honey? Yes, I know, I wont try to shelve your notes. Im sure the bees back home can keep them organized until you get back. Yes, and preserve the samples, too. Heughs as he hops onto the other wolf, and motions for him to get going. You can send more stuff backter, so stop fretting! Theres going to be plenty of wolves in and out. Yes, Ill make sure Grim gets that flower, too, dont worry.


    Honey keeps buzzing and dancing as Teemo leans into the wolfs ear and whispers Just run, or well never get out of here. The wolf eagerly takes off, with Teemoughing and waving at Queen and the others, my bee scion in a bit of a huff at the sudden departure.


    While I think the visit could have gone better, it certainly could have gone worse. The Southwood could have been overrun by the time we got there, for example. Still, Im pretty happy with how it went. Id rather have knowledge of a foe than be surprised by it, even if Id prefer even more to not fight in the first ce. I at least have an idea for how to deal with the weird invaders.


    Im pretty sure bugs dont do well in the cold because of the open nature of their cirction, though their size definitely ys a part, too. Stagnant stuff freezes a lot easier than moving. But I also think thats partially why poison works so well on them, too. It might just be that bugs back home are small, so a lethal dose is small, too, but the various sprays seem to work really quickly, and I think its because of the openyout of their insides.


    In a human, a poison has to follow the veins to get where it wants to go. In a bug, it can just diffuse through everything more or less all at once. Im hoping that will mean Queen can whip up some aerosol alchemical things and make fights with these invaders nice and short.


    I also should consider maxing out the anthill, too. The Lava Labyrinth is looking like a big tangled mess, which is exactly what I was hoping itd be. I even made sure to put the elevation changes in ces that would prevent just being able to follow a wall to get to the prize. Or prizes, theres going to be a lot of things to entice delvers. Im going to be spending a bit of mana to reorganize the nodes in there, so the best stuff is deeper in. Ill leave one or two of the mythril and orichalcum nodes more towards the entrance, but theyre going to be in sections I can easily reroute with the moving walls and other options, so even those wont be simple to get.


    Yeah, I should max the anthill and give it the chance to popte thebyrinth with whatever the new ant is. If it follows the pattern of thest two, the nned ant enve will im some or all of the ones that exist and theyll start actually making the enve. Itll take a bit of time to let them build up the numbers for that.


    I spend the mana to max it out, and wait with bated breath to see what I get. One of the smaller ant holes gets widened from the inside, and I see my new ant isnt a gi<em>ant</em> like the tunnelbores, which is a relief. Amazons antazons(?) might have trouble literally fitting in down here.


    As it makes its entrance, it looks sleek, almost spindly, despite the glowing grooves of magma I can see at the seams in its carapace. Its rather low-slung, making me think more of a wind scorpion than an ant, though the head looks like a normal ant head. It has two crude graspers on the frontmost set of legs. Its not as ugly as the aranea are, but this magmyrm, as the little window calls it, isnt exactly going to be winning any beauty contests. Or maybe it will. Maybe this is the Fabio of magmyrms, I dunno.


    Unlike the ratling or aranea, this one doesnt seem like it has anything in specific in mind as it wanders thebyrinth. I watch it as my mind wanders to the information the Stag shared about getting new rooms. Do any of my scions have the spare time to try to pick up some kind of metalcrafting title in Violets metalworks? Most of my scions I can dismiss pretty easily, as just about everyone is rather busy with their projects, or just wouldnt fit in the small room (sorry Tiny).


    In fact, I think I only have two who could even remotely have the time for it, though Im not certain theyll have the inclination. One is Fluffles, who may not have the time for it, after all. Hes been trying to train a lot more recently, and I think hes gotten to a point where he doesnt feel like hes wasting my mana when he uses it anymore. Still, it cant hurt to suggest it to him. Worst he can do is say no.


    The other would be Jello. While shes definitely been keeping herself busy with keeping the tunnels clear, they wouldnt suffer if she picked up a hobby. Im not sure she has the temperament for it, but she does like trying new things.


    I mentally shrug and ask Violet for permission for my scions to use her metalworks, and she readily epts. I think shes actually happy to have something to potentially teach <em>me</em>, which is kind of adorable. I tap the bonds with the suggestion to give metalworking a shot, and it seems like both Fluffles and Jello are willing to at least check it out. I expect Ill probably need a new scion before I get a metalworks, or maybe hope the system or whatever it is will give it to me for my birthday.

 Chapter One-Hundred Seventy-Three

    Chapter One-Hundred Seventy-Three


    <strong>Elsewhere</strong>


    Far beneath the surface, far enough where something like the surface is viewed as a myth,ys The Depths. To those who live there, of course the surface would be a legend. A cavern so big that the top can''t be seen? What would such a ce even be? Some say its a sort of promisednd, a ce of wealth and opportunity, or perhaps a ripe field to harvest. Others say its a hellscape of ces where someone can just fall upward forever, where a searing fire up high bakes everything in its reach.


    To a certain dungeon, it is a fertile and weak ce to consume and recreate in its own image. Its worshipers call it the Maw, and it enjoys the name. Its kobold residents call it Sanctuary, if they know whats good for them. They make the sweetest sacrifices, sweet enough to tempt it to consume them all at once, but it learned to resist that urge after subsuming its first rival dungeon.


    If you eat something, you cant eat it again. Its next rival dungeon, it consumed and did not take the territory, and eventually another dungeon arose. While it cant eat the same dungeon a second time, a new dungeon is not the same dungeon. So it is with the kobolds: let them make more, eat some select morsels, and it can devour kobolds for its entire existence!


    Even its emancipated enves are yet another source of food. With their technical freedomes the ability to feast on their mana more effectively. No longer did it need to subsist on scraps from wild delvers. Even better, the townsfolk worship it, giving it mana in that way, too.


    Yet it hungered for more. It could consume the wild delvers with impunity, thanks to the townsfolk, but it was too slow, they dont show up often enough. So it created a Voice from its metal fey. Instead of the sleek grace of the pale elves, it created a thin and tall thing, tall enough to not stand up in most tunnels, but nimble enough to be able to move quickly while hunched or squatted. Its hands had long metal ws, and the first thing it did was to ughter one of the worshiping delvers. The Maw appreciated the mana, but was wondering how its Voice would talk if it just kills delvers.


    Need hat, Master, it answered the Maw. Am Redcap, need red hat. It fashions a wide hat from the remains, reminiscent of the cap of a mushroom. The grisly chapeau hides most of the Voices face in shadow, save for the eyes. The Maw felt the eyes should have been pinpricks of red light, but they are a soft blue with white sclera instead. The only outstanding thing about them is how they are so inly visible from the dark shadows behind the brim of the hat. The townsfolk seemed to find it possibly more disturbing for it to have such ordinary eyes, so the Maw saw no reason to force it to change. Instead, it gave them its firstmand:


    Bring me more to eat.


    The townsfolk hurried to obey, offering livestock at first. While those gave some mana, it was nd. The food for the delvers is not food for the Maw. The Redcap acquired a fresh hat from one of those with a poor offering, before delivering the news:


    Delvers. Feed me delvers.


    They started sending sacrificial parties to delve, each member honored to be consumed by the Maw at the end of their delve. Each party let the Redcap get a new hat, and gave it new materials to ply its metal affinity.


    While the new mana was good, the Maw was concerned it may notst. It hungered for more, yet its townsfolk were already having trouble keeping up the pace of sacrifices. It was considering letting the Redcap make a new hat of its High Priest, when the High Priest announced a n to the people.


    They would hunt for delvers outside, to feed the mighty Maw. There are some animals that qualify as delvers, and the pale elves and dwarves are not the only people down here, either. They will feed the Maw, and will bask in its power and protection.


    When the hunting started to bear fruit, the Maw was the happiest it had been in a while. Those hunts eventually brought it the delicacy of the kobolds, and the Maw made them dwellers; its own personal pantry to carefully manage and maintain.


    And so it grew, allowing other dungeons to form before devouring them, slowly able to consume more and more, and grow more and more, allowing it to consume more


    Until the hunters came back from a very long and deep hunt with something the Maw had never seen before. It was big and seemed to be a mass of tentacles. It would be a perfect main course, with a kobold for dessert. But then the creature broke out, and started breaking everything!


    The Redcap intervened, but seemed evenly matched. shing and shing steel would sever tentacles, but they would regrow as quickly as the Voice could remove them. The Redcaps des were not so easily reced. The two fighters disengaged, each focused on their foe, looking for an opening, something to end the stalemate, when the Maw got a notification.


    <strong>Transfer Request. ept/Deny?</strong>


    Transfer? The tentacle-thing wished to join the Maw? It told the Redcap to hold the stalemate, wanting a bit of time to consider. It would rather consume the tentacle thing, for it must have a trove of mana but it may not be able to chew this particr mouthful. If it joins, however the Maw could consume even more with its help!


    It epted the request, and the tentacle monster rxed in its new home. While the Redcap left to make more des, the Maw decided to make the new thing a scion. It was very d it did.


    While the connection was not quite as clear as with the Redcap, one concept was very clear to the Maw: to not wait to only consume the invaders when they enter. Let the townsfolk gather delvers, while the Maw can consume the invaders of the stagnant mana! If it can find a dense enough section of stagnation, the new scion can even do something interesting with it.


    The Maw would very much like to have something new and interesting to consume, and so allowed the tentacle monsters n. Expeditions were sent, invaders ughtered and their mana gathered. It was so effective that the invaders even started to flee, rather than blindly throwing themselves at the Maw.


    And then came two discoveries at once. The first was the stagnation point the tentacle scion was searching for. The second was a path to the surface, opening into a dense forest. While the second was interesting, the first was the true prize.


    As promised, the tentacle scion did <em>something</em> to the knot of stagnation, and presented it to the Maw, and it happily devoured it. It felt itself <em>twist</em> as it did, and suddenly it could taste something new. It could taste the mana rolling off the delvers themselves, something that felt like the opposite of the stagnant mana. It also found the stagnant mana was not as filling as it once was.


    As it attempted to figure this out, the tentacle scion made a suggestion: to <em>twist</em> the spawner it came with. This surprised the Maw, as the scion had long argued the spawner should be mostly left alone, that it was useless as it was. With the new tastes developing in the Maw, it could see now why the scion wanted to wait. It followed the scions instructions for how to properly <em>twist</em> the spawner and truly create something to let it devour whatever it wanted.


    And it wanted to devour the surface. It could taste a dungeon on the currents of mana, taste its influence as it forced the stagnation to move. If it had an actual mouth, it would drool at the thought of the moving mana. The scion showed it onest thing: how to properly Devour the mana it receives. No more will the Maw simply nibble the edges of the mana the dwellers produce by simply living, no longer will it have to endlessly chew the stagnant mana into something more ptable. No, it can Devour the mana and leave only the stagnation behind.


    While the stagnation may be unpleasant, Devouring the other mana is sublime, delicious, enthralling, <em>perfection</em>! That it could have a waste product from eating is not so much of a surprise, as it has seen the delvers and dwellers do the same thing.


    It lets the tentacle scion send the newly spawned creatures to the surface, not caring that the type makes its mind hurt. It just needs to not look so hard at it. It can instead focus on Devouring, letting the Redcap focus on the delvers and townsfolk, and the tentacle scion exercise its new title inmanding the expeditions.


    The Maw had thought a Marshal was what would manage expeditions, but the tentacle scion became a Harbinger instead. Its not concerned about the difference, though. Time spent trying to think about that is time spent not Devouring.

 Chapter One-Hundred Seventy-Four

    Chapter One-Hundred Seventy-Four


    <strong>Coda</strong>


    The bat scion nervously pores over his blueprints, feeling like each nce reveals a new design w. But any fix would require a full redesign! While hes confident the structure will hold, he wants it to be <em>perfect</em>! As his nerves threaten to overwhelm him, he feels the soothing hand of the Foreman through the bond.


    It will be fine. He ran the numbers, Queen has checked his math, and even Foreman Thedeim approves of the design. Coda is still a bit uncertain about the numbers they settled on for the force of winds against the structure, but the kinds of forces that it would take to actually topple it are staggering.


    He might not be so nervous about the whole thing if the leader of the local delvers wasnt so interested in the project, as well as in Codas other experiments. Its just unsettling to have someone from outside not only see his ideas, but want to help to make them a reality. Its somehow both encouraging and terrifying!


    He managed to badger a deadline out of Coda for the construction to begin, and said deadline is rapidly approaching! Another soothing pates through the bond, and Coda closes his eyes and takes a breath. Hes taken every precaution he could think of, and then doubled the strength on top of that. He just has to trust the math and hope his safety factor is enough to handle whatever variables he managed to miss.


    He tears his focus from the ns, and instead to the expanded workshop hes been given to help with the production, and the ratlings dutifully preparing sacks of the dry mix, making the hollow blocks, and winding the chosen silk intorge spools to help reinforce the structure. Other ratlings have been making simple boats and carts to help transport everything, as well as mixing troughs and buckets. Poe tells him the masons from outside are preparing, and seem to have even hired a boat to help ferry goods, but Coda is uncertain how much of their expertise hell actually be able to use. Perhaps a stonework facade? While Coda is confident in the strength of his design, hes less confident in the looks.


    Though he probably will require their help with the various archways. The blocks lend themselves to square openings, which is terrible for stability. With their help, he may be able to cut the bricks into proper arches, or have them make them out of stone. Hell need to run the numbers on thatter. While he has the designs for the arches done in the reinforced concrete blocks, hes starting to be concerned about how to actually build them to specifications.


    Probably another thing to lean on the masons for. Hed feel worse about it, if the Foreman didnt seem so amused. From what he can glean from the bond, crossing the gulf between design and actually building is just part of the process. Hes at least tested most of the nned methods to ensure they actually work, so hes confident his designs wont fail on that front, at least. Mostly. The arches will be fine. Right?


    He sighs to himself and takes a closer look at his arch design. The web is set in an arc, the concrete poured, tension applied his eyes widen at the final step, and he sees whats been niggling at the back of his mind. When the tension is applied, the webbing will want to straighten out, not stay in the nice smooth curve! He needs archways, not traingleways!


    His rising panic is interrupted by a happy and curious voice from behind him.


    Whatre you doing?


    He manages no not scream from being startled, though the charcoal stick in his wingw goes flying as he turns. He rxes when he sees its just Jello.


    Oh, its just you, Jello. Im well, I found an issue with the design, and I dont know how to fix it.


    Can Jello help? she asks. Though Coda doubts it, he also doubts shed hurt anything.


    Maybe? Here, see this design? He motions for her to examine the blueprint, and she does.


    Lines in blocks? she asks, not quite understanding what shes looking at. Coda just nods and gets a few scrap lengths of web.


    Here, hold this one like this, this one like this he guides her through the process of aligning the webbing within herself, and makes a mental note to get her help with things like this more often. Paper is good for getting the numbers, but this could be invaluable for actually moving from theory to application.


    Jello still doesnt seem to understand what hes doing, but shes happy to y along and hold the lines as he asks. Soon enough, Coda steps back and nods. Right, so, I need these lines of web to give strength to the thing Im building. What Im using is like a thick mud, so it can hold the strings like that when we pour it in, but then the strings need to be tightened. Hold them at the bottom, and Ill pull at the top, he instructs, and Jello follows the directions.


    She giggles a bit when the lines straighten out from his pulling, and he sighs at that. And thats the problem. I need them to stay in the curve when I put tension on them. To his surprise, Jello seems to understand.


    Ah, Jello sees. She knows how hard it can be to keep a shape. Hmm The webbing twists and moves inside her as she ys with the lines for a few minutes, and Coda watches, wondering if she might figure something out.


    Hmm this is harder than being a cube. It reminds Jello of when she tried to be a sphere. She had to give up on that, she admits, little bubbles percting through her as she thinks. Maybe Tiny would know?


    Tiny? echoes Coda, confused what the Guardian would have to contribute.


    Yes. Tiny makes these strings, maybe he knows how to get them to behave?


    Coda stares at her for a few moments, before reaching up and pulling on both of his ears. Of course! Hes a spider, hed know! He takes to the air, but swoops back when Jello yells after him.


    Wait for Jello! She wants to help!


    It doesnt take them too long to get to Tinysir, thanks to the shortcuts, and the gigantic spider regards his fellow scions with the detached interest that spiders watch the entire world.


    Ah, Coda and Jello. How long has it been since weve had some time together? What brings you to myir? he asks as he settles himself on the thick webbing covering the ground.


    Strings! replies Jello with excitement, showing several little bows shes managed to tie the webbing inside herself into.


    Ive found a w in my archway design, and I was hoping youd be able to offer some guidance with it?


    Tiny chuckles and nods. I was wondering why the Weave was suggesting Id be needed for my skills, rather than my size today. What is the problem?


    Coda and Jello quickly show him the issue, and he nods sagely. Ah, I see. Well its been some time since I had the need to weave in a corner, but I remember the process, he says as he gets his spinnerets moving. In about a minute, he hands Jello some web. Stretch this out inside yourself, please.


    Shes all too happy to oblige, and Coda is more than a little surprised to see half an arch form. He moves to test the tension, reaching into Jello to test the lines. A strong line from the top of the archway to the base, then other lines along that one to bring it into the desired shape, he absently says, locking the process into his mind as he pokes and prods at the work, then frowns.


    Its only in two dimensions right now, though, he says, tapping a wingw to his chin as he thinks.


    Tiny gives an apologetic look to the bat. Most webs are t, yes. Ive made ones that arent, but I dont know how structurally sound they are. I wouldnt try to hang from one.


    I think here, try this, Jello says Coda, the shape slowly taking form in his mind as he works to help it take shape in Jello, too. He starts with a wide cone of webbing, before quickly moving to a cylinder. A loop of webbing pinches it into an hourss shape, and Coda grins as he adds more.


    He settles into a rhythm as he guides the webbing, his minds eye able to see the lines of web that would be in the full structure of the lighthouse, and how to integrate the lines of the archway to keep everything in tension without focusing too much force in any single spot.


    He smiles to himself and plucks one of the strings, savoring the resonance. It takes him a moment to realize more than just the webbing is resonating. His Architect title is resonating, too, and he feels like its off-pitch. And then it shifts. He gasps as it corrects itself, finally clicking properly with his purpose. The weight of a new affinity, knowledge, settles on his back, and it just feels right.


    A Civil Artificer needs to know a lot of things if he doesnt want his works to copse, after all.

 Chapter One-Hundred Seventy-Five

    Chapter One-Hundred Seventy-Five


    Im not sure if I could be more proud of Coda than I am right now. I was kinda confused at first why he has artificer instead of engineer, but its not too difficult to guess why: engineers are fully mundane, artificers use magic. At least thats what my current theory is.


    I really like his design for the tension archway, too. Its prettyplex, but the shape tickles the engineer part of my mind for both how effective I think itll be, and just how cool it looks. Its almost a shame the web will be fully encased in concrete, but thats just how it goes sometimes. Some of the best designs are only obvious to the people who get to take a peek at how it was all put together.


    Coda and Jello soon go their separate ways, with my bat looking pretty energized to build a more proper prototype than the one inside Jello, and my Purifier making her slow way towards Violet. It can be difficult to tell what Jello is thinking, even more than my other scions, but I think she really liked being a part of the design process with Coda, so she seems to be looking very forward to looking around the metalworks.


    I nudge Fluffles to see if he wants to join her, since he didnt reject the possibility earlier, and he soon uncoils from what I think was a bit of meditation and ps his way towards my protege. I take the opportunity to take a closer look at the metalworks.


    As it is right now, its fairly small. Violet has been having her gremlins and moles digging into the walls of her expansion area, and she put her metalworks inside one of the walls. Its technically a secret metalworks, though the entrance is fairly obvious. The reason it still gets to be secret is that the entrance is a lot smaller than even the smallest delvers can fit through. They could probably reach an arm inside, but whos crazy enough to go sticking their arm into a random mole hole in a dungeon, no matter how friendly the dungeon is?


    Legs is pretty long by now, but hes still easily able to slip in, and I dont think Fluffles will have any issues, either. Jello will have no problem at all. While she seems to prefer being a cube, she has no problem taking whatever shape is needed to get somewhere.


    Inside, it bes clear pretty quickly why a metalworks is different from a smithy. For starters, theres only a single forge, and its not a very big one. I dont even mean its puny because of the rtively low level. I mean it just doesnt take up much of the floorspace. The metalworks is definitely more for cold working, rather than hot. A smithy will usually make things that are supposed to be a single piece, too, but the metalworks makes things with moving parts. Lots of files, grindstones and saws involved, not to mention pliers, screwdrivers and so on.


    Though again, lots is a rtive term. The room simply isnt big enough for <em>lots</em> of things, but its enough to know the kind of work that will probably be done in there. Legs is currently working on the folding spearhead, just working out a prototype from the designs so hell have an idea of what itll take to make a real one, and eventually pass the designs on to the spiderkin.


    Looking around in there also reminds me that my magmyrm seem to have decided what they want to focus on. Thing and Queen have started getting their projects rolling, and with Coda having his breakthrough, I think hell be able to find the time to pick up his side of the traps, too. At the moment, its mostly marking the tunnels for what all is nned, and finalizing where the moving walls and such can be ced without having to do too much extra digging.


    The magmyrm have been watching them at work, and I think are trying to help. I would have expected them to kinda crowd Queen, but I think Thing is actually a bit more popr among them. Thing was certainly nervous about them helping at first, especially around his books and such, but if the magmyrm are actually as hot as they look, theyre good at controlling it. No so much as a singe has appeared on Things things, so hes getting less and less reluctant to let them help.


    Queen epts their help readily, and even has some of them heating various mixtures as she finishes and tests a few things in the tunnel. Even if she has a perfect sleeping gas made, it wont work if the airflow in a specific tunnel is wrong, so theres a lot of testing on those grounds, too.


    The project with the lighthouse is getting started, as well. Its probably going to be a bit awkward for the seagulls for a bit, but Hullbreaks crabs are doing their best to clean up and level the rough area. Coda did a survey a while ago, so at least the basic spot is nned out, but theres still a lot of things to do. Leveling and cleaning are simple enough to get started on, and not so much work that it cant be changed if Coda discovers the nned foundation area wont work.


    In theory, foundations are simple, right? Make it solid and then build on it. The problem is, a lot of things can <em>look</em> solid when they arent. A mechanical engineer can generally pick up whatever theyre working on and give it a good whack to test how solid it is. Civil stuff is on a scale that a solid enough wack is hard to produce, and breaking a full-scale prototype to test the strength can be a bit expensive. But thats only half the problems a civil has to deal with.


    A mechanical engineer can just say the ground isnt going to move, and design thusly, mostly because they can design the moving parts to move rtive to the ground. A civil engineer needs to make sure the ground <em>actually</em> doesnt move. Everyone knows not to build a house on sand, but civil engineers need to know what patches of ground might be secret sand co-conspirators. Ground can settle a lot if youre not careful, and can make a house act more like the leaning tower than most might befortable with.


    The other thing is drainage. Even a gentle drizzle puts out a lot of water over the area of a house, and that water doesnt just vanish. Its easy to think of water erosion as a slow thing, because it <em>is</em> slow for rocks and such, but it can be shockingly quick for even seriouslypacted dirt. Do the drainage wrong, and the water might like to flow down and around the foundation, shifting the surrounding dirt away and now the foundation isnt actually supported, and the house is the leaning tower again.


    Thankfully, Im pretty sure that kind of erosion wont be too much of a problem. I dont know how well the concrete willst against pounding waves, but at least those same waves have the tendency to wash away all those tricky dirt and sand patches before some enterprising dungeon decides to build a lighthousebat area. A Fighthouse, maybe. I should probably let Hullbreak actually name the thing.


    Speaking of Hullbreak, Im getting a bit more and more proud of him, too. The progress is still slow, but he had his firstbat encounter with delvers just the other day, and it seemed to go smoothly. A group came to see what was the hubbub on the seagull ind, and decided to have a crack at some of the crabs.


    Hullbreak had all but one scatter, and the delvers dispatched it pretty quickly. He then nervously sent out two more, and they were also pretty quickly dispatched. I was watching the entire time, interested to see what he would do, and was doing my best to not butt in and tell him what to send. He needs to learn, not just be told what to do. I couldnt help but smile when I felt a question through the bond, if four crabs and a couple gulls would be too much, and I told him it should be fine.


    The delvers were actually pressed from that attack, but seemed satisfied, if a bit banged up, after it, and soon got back into their boat. Hullbreaks reaction to the fight was very interesting, too. I could feel him worrying about the delvers like he worries about his merfolk dwellers, and I even had to gently persuade him to not call the attack off when one of the frontliners took a w punch to the face.


    I think its good progress. Its good he sees the delvers as something besides a threat, and maybe being able to see them get a little banged up and be no worse for wear will help him with his dwellers. Hes still a bit paranoid about their protection, but with them starting to thrive properly and mostly take care of themselves, I think hes learning to trust them with their own safety. Its still a long process, and I can feel him chewing his metaphorical fingernails when the merfolk head out past his perception, but hes improving. Just them farming and hunting outside his borders used to send him into almost a panic, so doing the equivalent of nervous pacing is a big step up.

 Chapter One-Hundred Seventy-Six

    Chapter One-Hundred Seventy-Six


    The next few days are that weird mix of rxing and busy, I dont know how else to describe it. Teemo returns, and spends most of the first day tending to Honeys notes and the other little things she wanted him to do. Queen and Coda each even take the time to go over what seeds and clippings were sent back, too, with Teemo letting them know there will be a lot more over theing weeks.


    The lighthouse gets officially underway, with Coda doing a more detailed survey and sinking some holes to give the foundation more support. The masons have a bit of adjusting to do to work with my Civil Artificer, and Teemo spends much of that day exining what Coda wants them to do. A few leave, thinking they know better than my scions, but most are eager to learn. The ones that left even try to return after hearing about the strange mortar that is the concrete, but the Quartermaster is happy to y bouncer. I make sure they know they just need to give Coda a proper apology if they want to learn from him directly. Well see if any of them swallow their pride or not.


    The Lava Labyrinth is also getting going, too. The ratlings and even some of the aranea assist Queen and Thing with their work, with the magmyrm mostly helping Coda at night, since he cant really have the masons doing much with the sun down. And Im pretty sure the low temperatures at night can mess with the initial set for the concrete. I should probably ask Teemo to make some temporary shortcuts for the wyrms, if Coda needs to warm the area up to make things work properly.


    As expected, Fluffles isnt very into metalworking. I dont think he hates it, but it seems like its a pretty passive interest. Jello, however, seems to be very into it. Whenever Legs is in there working on a new iteration of the detachable spearhead, Jello is in there, too, eager to help make it work, and to learn. From what I can gather through the bond, I think the idea of shaping things appeals to her. As long as shes enjoying herself, Im not going toin, especially if it means I can unlock my own metalworks.


    The ratkin and spiderkin continue their build up as well. I dont know if they have the time to go through something like actual boot camp, but theyre certainly not cking on training. Frn and Vernew both are working their recruits hard to ensure they keep as safe as possible. The ratkin are redoubling their efforts with making weapons and armor, though I make sure Teemo lets them know there will be a new weapon for both the jumping spiders and the ratkin archers. The ratkin still seem to prefer throwing knives, but the promise of a new kind of bow has more of them interested. Im also curious if they could field some support sses. Its weird to think of them as kinda my priests, but if they can do the same kind of thing that Aranya can do, they could help turn the tide of a battle.


    And speaking of Aranya: she and the rest of the party return from their scouting mission. ording to them, the swamps slowly give way to basically a mushroom rainforest or jungle. Im not certain what the technical difference is between those, actually


    Anyway, its not ringing any bells for Aranya, so theyre all pretty sure they have a ways to go before we trip over her old dungeon. Ara and Ragnar head out to rx at the guild, and Aranya and Yvonne prepare to do the same in the secret base. Much as Id like to let them enjoy some well-earned rest, I need to ask them both about the weird invader the Southwood is dealing with. Teemo would rather rx, too, but this problem isnt going to go away if we just ignore it. In fact, itll probably get worse.


    I share in Teemos sigh, but Aranya and Yvonne might know about the things.


    Is something wrong? asks the birdwoman, eying my Voice as he rxes on her shoulder.


    No well, yes, but not immediately. Theres something the Boss wants you to look at. You too, Aranya. Its about the invaders in the Southwood. Maybe the Rangers or kobold legends know about it. Its weird. Ill get Honeys notes and meet you in the base, ok? At their nods, he hops off and slips through a shortcut. I tell him to take his time, letting them get to the base and rx a bit.


    When Teemo returns, my two Residents look over the notes. At first nce, Yvonne looks confused, and Aranya looks disgusted. How does Honey know what its insides look like? asks the kobold, and Teemo cant help but chuckle.


    By dissecting one with Leos help. Me and the Stag didnt stick around for it. Im happy to only get the gory details, rather than the actual gore. Do any of the legends have anything like this? Or anything with an unknown or maybe unknowable type?


    Aranya slowly shakes her head. No but if even Lord Thedeim cant discern its type, it cant be anything good.


    Yvonne nods at that and takes the notes to look at them closer, and Teemo speaks up. Do you recognize anything about it, Yvonne?


    No, and thats what concerns me. Teemo and Aranya exchange a nce and let Yvonne concentrate. She takes the time to go over Honeys notes in detail, and its not hard to guess that its not good.


    She eventually sighs and sets the notes down. Its she takes a moment to sigh again and tries to organize her thoughts. Ive seen some insects and read about some fish that dont actually eat. For the insects, its the final adult stage, and they spend therval or pupal stages eating and storing energy, before taking their adult form to find a mate and die to make room for the next generation. But if Honeys notes are correct, these arent mating. It makes no sense


    The Boss says it does, but not a happy kind of sense. Could these be drones of some kind? Their adult stage more designed to defend a hive, rather than have their own kids?


    Maybe but I doubt it. The only kind of disposable warrior I can think of would be in bees, but the ordinary bees do much more than fight, and even their disposability is more as a self-sacrificial attack, rather than simply starving after some amount of time. Yvonne frowns at that for a moment. I wonder if Ara might know something. Ive heard summoning sses often have a timer on their summons. I always assumed they would simply vanish after a time, but Ive never met anyone with that kind of ss. She might have met some in school Can I show her these notes?


    Yeah, hes fine with that. If she doesnt know, the Office of Dungeon Affairs is probably ourst chance to get answers. Well,st chance that doesnt involve kicking down the door to this thing''s nest and getting answers the old fashioned way.


    My Residents smirk at that, and Aranya speaks up. Id like toe along, too. Not for the discussion, but for a good bath. I started getting itchy this morning, so my shed wont be far away. A good warm soak will give me some relief until its time.


    Ill tag along, too, if you dont mind. Itll save you from having to exin it again, at least if Ara knows anything, deres Teemo before he hops onto Yvonnes shoulder. She rubs a finger under his chin and smiles as she nods.


    Then we should go. We might be able to catch Ara before she gets her own warm bath. Otherwise, well have to wait until the morning. With the mood lightened at least a bit, they all set off to the Guild. True to her prediction, they just manage to catch Ara on her way to the baths, carrying a bag with a towel and what seems to me like an entire alchemists shop worth of various bottles. She doesnt y around when ites to a good soak.


    Ara brightens at her friends. Yvonne! Aranya! Come to join me for some luxury?


    Perhaps, but I need to dy you first, if you dont mind? asks the birdwoman. Ara gives a longing look to where she was headed, then sighs and detes a bit.


    I do mind, but this sounds more important. She straightens her back,ying her pout aside for now. What do you need?


    For you to look at this. The guild library might be the best ce? suggests Yvonne as she holds up the loose notes. The elf gives onest longing look towards her original destination, before nodding and following the others. I cant help but feel a pang of sympathy as it seems the library is in exactly the opposite direction as the baths.


    Once in the library and looking over the notes, though, it seems she has a new focus.


    What <em>is</em> this? she asks, knowing she has something strange, but not knowing what.


    Maybe you should tell us what you think it is, first? suggests Aranya, earning a small frown from the elf. She folds her arms and drums her fingers on herself as she thinks, and soon transitions to voicing her inner monologue.


    Well its not a normal bug, even I can tell that. Yvonne could have told you if it was that simple. It also gives me the creeps. Something about it just feels <em>wrong</em> in some way. Why do you think I might know what it is? she asks with suspicion, her eyes falling on Teemo. My Residents exchange a look before Yvonne answers.


    I thought it could be some strange kind of summon? Did any of your peers have a summoning ss?


    Hmm, hmms Ara, her brows furrowed as she chases down that line of thought. I suppose it <em>could</em> be a summon, or maybe a golem. One of my ssmates was an earth summoner. Wed talk about the differences in our magic a lot. There was also a demonstration once, with a summoner and golemancer, both with shadow affinity. The details went over my head, but I could picture maybe someone with life affinity either summoning or making a golem like this? Is that what this is? Some kind of life golem?


    We dont know, answers Teemo simply, and Ara tries not to let her eyes bug out of her head, which gets more difficult as he continues. Its the invader that the Southwood is having to deal with. It didnt say anything about it being a summon, and the Boss cant read the type. Neither can the Southwood.


    Aras frown deepens at that. I believe its type should be summon, or maybe elemental. Or golem, I suppose. I dont know much about dungeons, but I cant imagine those type would be difficult for one toprehend


    Her eyes suddenly widen before she slouches, looking defeated. Were going to go investigate, arent we, she states, not even making it a question.


    No, answers Yvonne, to the surprise of everyone, myself included.


    No? asks Aranya, recovering quicker than the others.


    Yvonne shakes her head. While we could decide to go investigate, I dont know that it would do us much good. Honey is already investigating these things, and there are apparently enough of them to make even an established dungeon like the Southwood ask for help. Even as a toybox, it should know how to deal with invaders. I dont know that wed be able to stem a tide that its having trouble with, especially now that Thedeim is offering aid.


    Ara eyes her friend for a few long moments, before Yvonne relents. And Im honestly a bit scared of these things. Even something like a tunnel horror still has the biology and instincts to do more than just kill. These things look to only exist for that purpose. One, we could handle, maybe even a dozen but there are surely far more than that to deal with.


    Ara looks relieved to hear that, while Aranya looks conflicted. The elf isnt going to let my kobold stew in her thoughts for long, though, and stands, grabbing a hand of both of Residents.


    Then theres nothing to dy us all enjoying a nice bath after a long quest!


    Teemo hops off Yvonnes shoulder and gathers up the notes. Then Ill get these back to the Boss. Youdies enjoy yourselves, he says with a smile.


    But the invaders, tries Aranya, only to be shot down by Yvonne.


    We can decide what were going to do about themter. Aras baths are a rare treat. She swears she doesnt use any magic nor alchemy in them, but I dont see how she can make them so rejuvenating otherwise.


    A look of temptation crosses Aranyas face as she scratches her nose without seeming to realize. Ara grins and pounces on the weakness.


    I bet I can whip up something to help with your shed, too!


    Teemo waves as Aranya lets the two drag her off, and makes his way back to me and the library. Im actually a bit relieved they dont want to go fight the invaders, or at least not just charge headlong into them. Even if theyre not too dangerous for their size, theyre still big enough to be dangerous. And with the numbers the Southwood seems to be dealing with, that danger only ratchets higher. Im going to need to beef up what I send sooner rather thanter, I think. Not only to keep them safe, but to try to keep ahead of any other nasty surprises. If there was a big variety in the beginning with the invaders, theres no reason they wont spring something else new and even more dangerous.

 Chapter One-Hundred Seventy-Seven

    Chapter One-Hundred Seventy-Seven


    The various projects continue overnight, and I think Im finally ready to give Yvonne the firstpound bow once she and Aranya return. I still dont know how strong to make it, but its theoretically just a matter of swapping out the arms to adjust the strength of the draw. While that also means having to put the cams back and string it again, Im pretty sure its still a lot more modr than an ordinary bow. Not that I expect Yvonne will need to swap the arms around, but its an option.


    I settle on what seems like about a fifty pound draw. Im think thats pretty strong for on earth, but I have no idea what kind of draw strength actual soldiers used to use. Besides, the draw lessens significantly at the end, so even if its a bit stronger than Yvonne is used to, she should be able to draw it and then bring it up to aim.


    I even have Tiny web a few circles on some of the trees in hisir to act as targets. I guess Ill need to add a proper range to the list of things Id like to make. This should work fine for now, at least.


    I guess the three had a bit of a girls-night-inst night, as Aranya and Yvonnee back well after dawn. They look more like they slept in a bit, rather than staying up all night. My kobolds sleeping rhythm is probably a bit shot, but shes also been transitioning more away from being nocturnal, so maybe not as messed up as I thought.


    Whatever the state of her sleep schedule, she seems to have some business with Larx, so Yvonne makes her way on her own towards the library. Teemo is more than happy to interrupt her on the way.


    Heya Yvonne! Anything in specific you wanted to do in the library?


    The birb stops and smiles at him, and offers a hand for him to hop onto. Nothing in particr, no. Why?


    My Voice grins. The Boss has a gift for you in the clearing around Tinysir.


    A feathered eyebrow raises as her interest is piqued. Oh? Did he y another scythemaw while were we out exploring?


    Teemoughs and shakes his head, and directs her to a shortcut. Nothing like that. Hes working on helping gear up the spiderkin and ratkin, which includes a new kind of bow. Since youre a bit of an expert on the subject, hed like your help in testing and developing them, going forward.


    Yvonne smirks as she follows the shortcut. Should I be concerned? He seems to be turning Tarls understanding of dungeons on its head, will he do the same for my understanding of archery?


    Teemo chuckles and shrugs. I dunno? Probably for making a bow, but he seems to think actually using it should be the same. Mostly the same. Maybe. Hes not an archer.


    Yvonneughs at that as they exit the shortcut, and Tiny gives her a small bow. She gives him a cheerful wave as she looks around, and Teemo directs her attention towards the trees with targets.


    Those are going to be the targets. Hed like you to take a few shots from whatever distance you prefer, just mark your spot on the ground, and then Tinyll give you the new bow.


    Yvonne gives Teemo a curious look, but sets about properly stringing her bow. Why does he want me to start with my usual bow?


    He calls it a control. Its a baseline, the thing all the tests will be measured against. No fancy skills or anything, just you and the bow and the arrow and the tree, I guess.


    Yvonne shrugs and stands, and gets a fair bit of distance from the tree before marking a line on the ground. Usually I fight a bit closer than this, but for target shooting or ambushes, anything I can take my time with, I like a bit more distance, she exins as she nocks an arrow, takes aim, and lets it fly. She nails the bulls-eye, not quite dead center, but definitely where she wants it.


    She smiles and sinks a few more arrows in a cluster, forming a very tight group with only one outside the center. Teemo gives the impressed whistle I cant, and Yvonne looks rightly proud of her skill.


    Welp, you ready for the new bow?


    Yvonne nods vigorously. Yes. I want to know just what madness hese up with this time.


    Without much ceremony, Tiny takes thepound bow from his back, and holds it out to Yvonne. The archer looks at the contraption for a few moments before taking it. This is a bow?


    Teemo and I bothugh, and I cant me her. A normal bow, even a recurve bow looks fairly simple. At its heart, its a string and a fancy stick. Thepound bow looks like its a piece of someplicated rigging. In a sense, it kind of is,e to think of it.


    Yep, thats it! manages Teemo with a wide smile, and Yvonne takes her time to examine the strange weapon.


    Grip and rest are obvious enough she mutters to herself, talking through her thoughts. The arms are strange the entire contraption is made of metal? Teemo nods, and she looks baffled as she returns to the bow in her hands. Why are there so many strings? Why are there <em>wheels</em>?


    The backmost string is the one that does the work. The Wheels give what the Boss calls mechanical advantage. Its like a block and tackle on a ship, he exins. Yvonne looks confused at that, and looks over the arms before speaking.


    Is that why its metal? Ive seen sailors moverge boxes with ease like that. That kind of force in a bow would need magical wood to not shatter.


    Teemo nods. They also give another advantage. Go ahead and just pull the string all the way back.


    Yvonne gives him a suspicious look, but does as asked. She doesnt seem to have any trouble with the draw, so we can probably make a stronger one. Her eyes widen as she gets it most of the way back, and her arm jerks as the cams do their work of making it easier to hold at full draw.


    What did you <em>do</em>? she asks as she draws the bow past the point of the strength lowering, looking awed.


    The Boss says thats why the wheels are shaped like they are. They change the force needed at that point, letting you hold the draw of a much heavier bow than you might normally use.


    What an odd idea for an enchantment, she says, easing the string back into its default position.


    No magic. This bow is one hundred percent mundane, for now.


    Yvonnes eyes widen again and she takes another look at the bow in her hands. Im sure shes more familiar with the kinds of enchantments bows tend to have, and I can just picture her wondering what they could turn a bow like this into.


    Hows the draw strength on it?


    Hmm? Oh! Yvonne shakes herself to focus, remembering why I wanted her help with this. For most of the draw, its a little weaker than my normal bow. Im a seasoned archer, so I prefer a heavier bow than most. You said Thediem wants to give this to his dwellers? At Teemos nod, she continues. This strength should be fine. They may want a weaker draw to train with, but the trick to make holding the draw easier will let them use heavier bows than typical archers.


    Teemo grins at that. Thats the idea! The Boss has another design he was going to try, but decided against it. He says the power puts this one to shame, but it takes a lot longer to load. Why dont you take a few shots and see how it feels?


    Yvonne nods and takes her stance. She shakes her head with a smile at the full draw, before she takes a shot and misses the entire target, the arrow embedding into the tree way above where she was aiming.


    Sheughs at herself and prepares another arrow. Its so easy to forget that it still has the full draw strength. I was aiming it like it was a childs first bow, instead of a standard issue one.


    Fighting her mirth, she takes a bit more time to let her giggles subside before letting the next arrow fly. This one hits dead center, and she soon sprouts an even tighter grouping than with her normal bow, each arrow within the center.


    Holding steady is so simple with the what did you call them? she asks, pointing at the pulleys.


    Cams, answers Teemo.


    Yes, the cams! Youre certain theyre not magic? she asks with a grin, which Teemo echoes as he nods.


    Absolutely. Its just a trick of how forces work. Oh, the Boss says hes having a ratling bring a few other arms for you to try out, to see what kind of draw you prefer. Here, Ill show you how to get this one taken apart.


    It doesnt take Teemo long to show her how to take it apart, and seeing the limbs cken as Yvonne removes them gives me an idea. I might not need to even switch out the limbs to change the strength, at least within a certain range. If I change the angles of the limbs instead, that should adjust how hard it is to draw, and so how much force is delivered. Itd just take some kind of nut on a bolt of some sort to let people adjust the strength, like adjusting the feet of a washing machine.


    I wont be able to change it for this prototype, but its something to look into. It might not even be needed for an archery squad, or however many we end up needing, but that kind of adjustability would be great for the small-team archer that Yvonne is, and most adventurers, too.


    I let Teemo and Yvonne have fun with archery as I toy with the design. The basic concept seems to have earned an enthusiastic yes from the birdwoman, so all there is now is to iterate on the design and make it more efficient. I know Ill have at least one eager tester to ensure theyre up to snuff.

 Chapter One-Hundred Seventy-Eight

    Chapter One-Hundred Seventy-Eight


    <strong>Honey</strong>


    Despite the cold, Honey is very d she insisted on joining Leo. Not only has she had the chance to learn so many interesting new things, but she can help organize everything the scouting wolves bring back, along with the bees that nestle in their fur to provide some extra eyes.


    Already, shes working to create a more urate map for Leo to n from, and even the Stag is more respectful of her presence, after seeing her contributions. Or Voice Teemo managed to beat some sense into his antlered head. Possibly even both.


    The attacks from the invaders have not changed much since she and Leo started helping, but she has a feeling that wontst forever. Whatever is controlling those odd drones must have felt the tension ramping up in the defenders before, and so must be feeling that tension easing with the tundra wolves proving so effective.


    The first battle went very well, as Leo was able to more or less just overwhelm the drones with numbers and the affinity advantage. Even with the wolves outnumbered by the drones, the surprise counter with the ice affinity wolves left very few casualties for the Southwood or the wolves.


    Leo even was able to form a counter-offensive with some of the Southwoods stronger denizens, sallying forth past the Southwoods borders to catch the drones before they could properly amass for another attack. With that breathing room, Leos scouts have been able to ambush drones and fade back into the wintery woods. From what Honey can tell, the drones arent smart enough to be psychologically impacted by it, but simple numbers reduction makes everything easier regardless.


    The downtime has also let her examine the Southwoods denizens, which has been fascinating. It appears most of the Southwoods spawners are resource focused, including the deer. Their hides appear almost crystalline, and theres no almost about the antlers. Shed love to collect some samples to send back to Thing and Queen, but she doesnt think shell have much chance to do so.


    Most of the other spawners are familiar to her, things like birds and ants and so on, also focused towards various resources. The only two spawners shes spotted so far that are not resource focused are the bears and foxes. The bears are physical powerhouses, and the foxes are magic focused, with illusion affinity.


    That was interesting to learn, and it was interesting to watch the foxes use illusions to deal with the more ordinary invaders. For weaker invaders, illusions seem to work incredibly well, either to hide a stronger denizen so they can deliver a decisive blow, or to outright kill the weak invaders on their own.


    She had a good discussion with a fox, and learned that a lot of illusion use bes rather philosophical. What is the difference between experiencing something and having that something be real? Experiencing all her ck and yellow stripes switching was new, but not anything dangerous. She started to understand the implications when another fox approached and asked her to warm herself in its fur. It was delightfully soft and warm, and then it vanished. The entire fox was an illusion, right down to the body heat. She could still feel the warmth on her fuzz, even after the illusion vanished.


    If they can produce phantom warmth, why not phantom harm? If they can reproduce all the feelings of a severe or even mortal injury, whats the difference? If a heart is stabbed, it will stop, and its difficult to get one beating again, even if theres no actual injury. She declined to experiment with that level of illusion, even if the questions have some tantalizing answers. She has many experiments shed like to try once back home, to potentially expand her knowledge affinity into illusion. If knowledge is about learning, about taking in information, illusion is about putting that information out into the world. She just needs to figure out how to take that kind of step.


    Thats something she can toy withter, though. For now, her attention should be on helping the Southwood and Leo. One of the scouts just came back, so she makes her way out of the small portable hive and buzzes tond atop Leos head so she can listen and direct her drones.


    The ones with the wolves head into the hive to prepare their reports, as Honey prefers them in writing. Leo, however, likes verbal ones.


    Report, states the Warden, ncing up from therge map, and the bits of twig and twine that are being used to mark out the nned scouting paths, and expected enemy movements.


    The small pack of wolves flick their ears in salute, before the leader begins. We were tasked with scouting to the northeast, section C, uh


    Seven. C7, provides Honey, and the wolf nods.


    Right, C7. The terrain is much the same, though we did find a dense copse of trees. I think the bees will be able to update the map more urately than I can. We scented more of the drone invaders and found a trail, but I dont believe its their main approach. It seemed to lead he pauses and looks at the map as he talks to himself. If C7 is there then


    He straightens and speaks louder. I believe into D7 and into D8. We could smell more of their scent in that direction, but I dont think were close to their main force. He looks like he wants to say more, but holds his tongue for now.


    Leo nces at the map and nods to himself, before speaking. What else did you want to say?


    The wolf hesitates, but soon continues. I think theyre radiating from a single ce, rather than marching down some main road. If they organized to a more specific path, theyd attack one part of the Southwood, en masse.


    Leo grins. Why do you think they havent focused yet?


    The other wolf tilts his head in confusion, then tilts the other way as he thinks. Because theyre stupid?


    Leo sighs and shakes his head. Never assume an opponent is stupid. They will have a reason for everything they do, even if you cant see it. Theyre looking for something, most likely a weakness. If they find one they like, theyll prepare to focus on it. I want to find where theyreing from, first. He pauses for effect and grins. Then we can see how <em>they</em> handle a siege. Go rest and recover, youll be headed back out in the morning.


    The wolves nod and make their exit, and Honey takes the chance to speak up.


    Do you think we can siege them?


    Leo considers for a few moments, then slowly shakes his head, not wanting to send Honey flying. Not right now, at least. I want to try to train the bears and foxes before trying something like that. Southwood just doesnt have the temperament to prepare them for an attack on his own, so thatll be on me. Ill also want to teach the Stag a bit more about defensive tactics before were ready to try something like that.


    He chuckles and stands, pacing around the cave theyve been using as their headquarters. And we dont have nearly enough forces to try a siege, even if we had good intel and training. The Alpha has been sending more wolves, but I think itll take a more concentrated force for something like that. Id love to get some wyrms to help breach whatever defenses they have, too.


    Do you think they can handle the snow?


    Leo shrugs. I have no idea. Ill make a request, he says, and Honey can see him concentrate. She follows suit and focuses on the bond with Emperor Thedeim. While Leo may wish for a few wyrms, Honey would like some healing slimes. If they can handle the cold, they could help keep injuries down, and so keep their forces up. And the slimes tend to be rather cheerful, and good for morale, too.


    She can feel the attention of the Emperor upon her, and him weighing her request. It will take the slimes some time to get there which only really means they should get started immediately, instead of waiting. Honey buzzes in happiness when she feels the Emperor ept her request, and the wagging of Leos tail says his own request went well, too.


    Theyll be slow, but theyre on their way. Good idea with the slimes, too. I cant forget that reinforcements are days away, so its good to keep the denizens healthy and able to fight. Hopefully the slimes and wyrms both will work out.


    Honey nods at that, and lets her attention drift to the map. You said you think the drones are looking for a weakness? Have you found any on your own? The first step to fixing a problem is to identify it, after all.


    Leo gives a soft growl of frustration. Yes and no. The entire northern border feels like a weakness. Theres just too much area to try to actually defend on short notice. There are a few good defensive positions, so we can secure the area between them. If were able to reinforce those spots, Id expect them to make an actual effort in attacking around A14 or so. That whole area is pretty t and boring woond. Theres no real mountains or even hills there, nor any bodies of water or other hindrances. Itll take longer than we probably have to be able to actually make it defensible.


    Honey looks at the section, and she has to agree with Leos estimation. Theres not a whole lot in the area to actually make a proper defense. Hmm.


    What about the foxes? she asks, and Leo tilts his head in confusion at the non-sequitur.


    What?


    The foxes and their illusions. They could make the area look less vulnerable.


    Leo considers that for a few moments, before a grin starts to form on his muzzle. No well make it look vulnerable on purpose. Even if the wyrms cant handle the snow, we can work on clearing that section and they can prepare all sorts of nastiness that the foxes can hide. Well put up what looks like a paltry defense of the area, look like were just spread thin and dont have the resources to fortify the area, when in reality itll be a killing field. His grin fades as he thinks it over a bit more, and he shrugs as he continues.


    Assuming the foxes can keep an illusion up over that area for as long as we need it. Ill also need to ensure the patrols closer to the borders are thick, so they cant get too good a look at the area while we prepare.


    Honey nods at that and returns to the small hive, both to get the reports from her bees, and to also update her notes. Perhaps even more interesting than the knowledge of nature and of the dungeon, is the knowledge of battle. The Emperor seems to think it more of an art than a science, and little shes of wisdom sometimes drift through the bond. She has to admit there is a certain beauty to the wisdom of how to fight on arge scale, and shes more than happy to write every scrap down so she doesnt forget it.

 Chapter One-Hundred Seventy-Nine

    Chapter One-Hundred Seventy-Nine


    I had been considering not bothering Tarl with the weird invaders, since Im pretty sure he wont know what they are, either. But Im pretty sure he will at least have a better idea of just how <em>bad</em> they are, and might have an inkling of what we might be dealing with for them, too.


    I almost need to have Fluffles drag Teemo away from Yvonne and ying with the arrows, but reminding them its day now helps remind them how long they were ying with the new toy. I think being reminded also made Yvonne aware of the soreness in her arms she had been ignoring from pulling a bow for so long, so shes back to the guild for another bath and/or a massage.


    I ask Thing to copy Honeys notes so Teemo can deliver them to Tarl and the rest of the ODA. While Ill be keeping secret the fact that the things type isnt the first otherworldly thing Ive been involved with, I dont mind the guild atrge knowing about something this potentially dangerous. If the worst happens, they have a lot more resources at their disposal than I do.


    Teemo gets a lift from Poe, who I think actually enjoys visiting the various people around town. He doesnt get a chance to do it often, and it could help the big birde out of his shell a bit. He pecks the door and waits, and soon Tarl opens it.


    I thought it might have been you again, Poe. Youre the only one who bothers to knock. Teemo usually just barges in.


    Hey! Im not big enough to barge anywhere! I <em>slip</em> in, thank you very much! deres my Voice with mock indignation, much to the smile of Tarl.


    Ah, of course. Howre you doing, Teemo? Oh, pleasee in. Are you going to stay as well, Poe? asks the elf, and I can feel Poe asking for direction.


    You can hang out if you want. The returning expedition birds and wolves can wait for you. Most of the home scouting isnt in any real rush. Hes a bit conflicted, but eventually decides to stay, and so he follows Tarl in with Teemo still on his back.


    How was your trip, Teemo? I would have tried to check in on you earlier, but having an apprentice is more work than I expected.


    Berdol looks up from his books and notes, giving Tarl a glower to try to hide a happy smirk. <em>Being</em> an apprentice is a lot more work than I expected, too! I cant even remember thest time I had <em>homework</em>!


    That earns smiles from everyone, and Tr speaks up from her desk as she stands. How do you take your tea, Marshal Poe? The kettle needs filling, so I may as well prepare some for everyone.


    Poe looks a bit lost, but Teemo is there to rescue him. I think hed probably like it straight, but with some of those cookies. I like mine with plenty of honey, please. In a thimble, if you can manage.


    Tr nods and heads into the back, already knowing how her coworkers like their tea. Tarl rxes at his desk and motions for Poe to take a seat. Poe looks at the chair, then to Tarl with a bird-smirk, before simply pushing it aside to settle himself.


    Tarl shakes his head. Im going to need to get a perch, arent I. Anyway what brings you both? With both the Voice and the Marshal, should I have my recording stone? Or should I very specifically <em>not</em> use my recording stone?


    This can be as official as you like. The Boss has asked around a bit already, but nobody has had much in the way of answers. If your guild doesnt know about these things, they probably should start learning. Take a look, he says and hops onto the desk, where he sets the copy of the notes.


    Tarl looks confused for a moment, and continues to look confused as he takes a closer look. What is it? Id ask if Thedeim did something weird again, but if this was one of his, hed probably bring one along, maybe introduce histest scion, instead of showing these notes.


    Those are the invaders the Southwood is dealing with, states Teemo, not quite dropping the bombshell just yet.


    Invaders? Tarl takes a closer look at the notes, and even motions for Tr to examine them when shees with the tea.


    Im not familiar, Im afraid, she admits. Ive always been more focused on the paperwork and regtions, rather than the fieldwork.


    Tarl starts frowning as he keeps checking the notes, and soon turns his eyes back to Teemo. This is an invader? Ive never seen one like this. The closest Ive ever even heard about was a murderous dungeon that specialized in various insects. But something about this one doesnt seem right.


    Teemo nods. Yvonne and Honey both say they dont have a real stomach, and no way to reproduce.


    Tarls frown deepens at that, and Berdol looks over the notes, though he doesnt seem to have any new insight. Thats not how dungeon spawn are supposed to work, exins Tarl. Every other denizen has at least the parts for reproducing in their own way, even if they dont work quite right. Ive heard the schrs say its because theyre based on life, in all its forms, and life always seeks to make more life.


    Theres more. And this is the part the ODA atrge will probably be the most interested in. Its type is unknown. Not that its listed as unknown, either. Its a weird void, and the Southwood and the Boss are both stumped on what that actually means.


    Tarls eyes widen at that, while Berdol and Tr look confused. Like its been redacted? asks Tr, and Teemo shakes his head.


    Its not just a nk. Theres <em>something</em> there, but it hurts to look at.


    Whats Thedeim n to do about them? asks Tarl, looking a bit haunted.


    Teemo shrugs. Stop them, probably try to wipe them out. The Boss says they look like disposable warriors of some kind, and Yvonne agrees. We dont know if theyre a normal invader, or sent by some dungeon, but they need to be dealt with. The Boss was actually hoping youd be able to give some insight on what could make them?


    Tarl rxes slightly when Teemo tells him these are one of the few things Im not willing to live and let live with, and grimaces when Teemo asks about their potential origin. I cant say for sure what could be the source of these kinds of things. If I had to guess, Id say theyre from a dungeon. Ordinary monsters are pretty well documented, and even if it was something new, it would still have some kind of type that we could make sense of. It being from a dungeon only makes slightly more sense, and even that is because dungeons can sometimes do something weird.


    He chuckles and meets Teemos eyes. Thedeim has a lot of weirdness, but he doesnt have exclusive ess. If it <em>is</em> a dungeon, he should be careful.


    Teemo nods at that. Thats why were telling you, and hope youll tell the guild atrge, too. Getting the word out could be important.


    Tarl looks thoughtful for a few more moments, then stands. Well, why dont I escort you back to Thedeim then, Teemo? Poe can stay and see how he likes tea and biscuits, unless he has other pressing business?


    Poe shakes his head and eyes the tea tray, curious about the little snacks on it. Teemo shrugs. Sure. Ill leave the notes here, theyre a copy of the ones the Boss has. With that, he hops onto Tarls open hand, and the two start walking back to me, with Tarl speaking up once theyre out on the street, though he keeps his voice lowered.


    Can I speak with you in your Sanctum, please?


    Teemo gives him a sideways look. Sure. Got something important to talk about?


    Yes, is his simple reply. That kind of terseness usually means something big, so we should probably get on that.


    Once back inside my borders, Teemo leads him through a long series of shortcuts, not so much to disorient him, but to ensure anyone following will be fully lost, before taking him to my Sanctum. Once there, Tarl doesnt mince words.


    Thedeim knows what these things are, doesnt he.


    Me and Teemo both are surprised at that, and confused. No? What makes you think he does?


    Tarl stares at Teemo for a few long seconds, then detes, slumping into a chair. That night, when I looked at his core. I saw a vision. A vision of cities the size of small nations, of potent and wondrous artifice in everyday life, of towering spires of ss that would blot out the sky just as much as they reflect it. And I saw weird voids shaped like people, living their lives. The way you describe the invaders type, it seems like the same kind of void.


    I was starting to think it was just some weirdness of the vision, showing me some kind of lost age Thedeim is from, maybe even of his own dwellers at some point, I dont know. But the way you describe the type its the same kind of thing, isnt it.


    I really wish I could exchange a look with Teemo right now, but even if I could, I dont think hed have much advice for what to tell him. How would I exin where I came from? I tried once with Aranya and Yvonne, but I dont think they quite got it either.


    But theres no real point in dwelling on my origin, especially when I cant exin it in any way that makes sense.


    He says the things in your vision are not the invader. At first, he thought they might be warped versions, but theres practically nothing inmon, aside from the weird barrier, I guess? The Boss thinks theyre from somewhere else. Somewhere <em>sideways</em>? Its a weird concept of his, basically a ce thats not here, and here doesnt want those things here, which is why the barrier.


    Can he beat them? asks Tarl, looking like hes not certain he wants the answer.


    Hes sure going to try. And if he cant well, thats why he wanted to get those notes to the rest of your guild. If we cant handle them, maybe they can.


    Tarl nces towards the entrance to the bedrooms and my core, and slowly shakes his head. You have more confidence in the guild than I do.

 Chapter One-Hundred Eighty

    Chapter One-Hundred Eighty


    Despite Tarls pessimism, Im pretty confident the ODA can do <em>something</em> if things really go pear-shaped, even if it only ends up being an early warning. Of course, Im still going to do my best to keep things under control. Its difficult to not wonder about Tarls vision, though.


    How much of Earth did he see? How much did he understand? How much detail could he glean about the voids? If they were clear silhouettes, that doesnt hide all that much, honestly. Well, whatever he saw, he has trouble describing it, so I guess its a moot point. Still, it nibbles at my curiosity.


    Im going to need to ignore it for now, and probably forter, too. The search for Aranyas old dungeon and the source of the weird invaders are both important enough that I should try to keep distractions to a minimum. Scouts are still scouting underground, and still not finding anything resembling an actual trail, so that is still normal on that front.


    The other front is turning into a proper front over with the Southwood. Honey and Leo requested some wyrms and healing slimes, which I sent pretty much immediately. Theyre both a bit slow to move, but should get there in another day or two. The wolves should be reinforcing the lines a lot better since I upgraded the spawner, and Im tempted to spend mana there until I get the next variety of wolf, but I hold off for now.


    Instead, I decide to send a bit of everything to go reinforce, too. I dont think the normal leafcutter ants will be able to do much, but Ill leave that to Leo. Maybe helle up with some novel use for them. Honestly, even just using them to help the Southwoods herbalism nodes probably wouldnt be a terrible idea.


    Sending a bit of everything is mostly because of a good bit of wisdom I first heard in a terrible movie: Id rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. I dont think it saved the character in the movie, but its still good advice.


    As for what I expect Leo will use the reinforcements for: I dont know specifically, but I get the feeling the other shoe is getting ready to drop up there. Things have been progressing pretty smoothly, with the tundra wolves being great at hit and run kind of tactics. Id like to think its just tactical expertise on Leos part, and honestly the ease and sess of what hes doing there is thanks to that, but the invaders will have to start adapting to the change eventually, right?


    I dunno, I just dont like it. I dont think Leo likes it, either, and even Honey seems to feel the growing tension in the air. Leos even changing the ns for the defense, at least a little. Before, I think he was going to try to be subtle and nudge attacks and potential observers away from the nned illusory killing field, but I think hes tossing subtle out the window, at least as far as keeping the invaders well away from the border goes.


    He has enough scouts and forces now to be able to project a stronger presence outside Southwoods territory, and with having pushed the invaders back a bit, he can be more proactive about keeping them away. With them not able to get close, the work can continue quicker, now they dont need to be subtle about it.


    I think speed is going to be important, too. If theyre putting up less of a fight, they might be trying to gather their forces and make a more concentrated assault, instead of the semi-random attacks all over the ce.


    Maybe I should see if Rocky wants to go help. Id been keeping him and Fluffles here in case we suddenly trip over Aranyas old dungeon, but thats looking less and less likely. I want to keep Fluffles close still, just in case, but it shouldnt be too risky to send Rocky.


    I could maybe try to send sh, too, but I think Ill keep him close as well. His music would be a great way to help keep my dwellers safe if fighting erupts around here. The only other I might send would be Nova, but I think Id like her to stick close until shes a bit more experienced. And Im not sure she has the temperament for a long expedition and constant fighting.


    Yeah, lets see if Rocky wants to head out with the sampler pack of reinforcements.


    Ill need Teemo, and it looks like hes just rxing with Yvonne as she tests some more bows. The first prototype was basically all steel, which makes it a bit heavy, but easily able to handle the forces. A little enchanting by Thing is enough to make it light enough to carry around, but we also have those fancy new magical metal nodes.


    Right now, shes just methodically going through everybination of metals for both the body and the arms as we can think of, looking for the best mix of weight, strength, and cost. Engineering wisdom says you can pick two, but theres a bit of wiggle room as we find the bnce.


    Hey Teemo, can you go talk to Rocky for me?


    Sure, Boss. The bees have all the writing handled. Hey Yvonne!


    Hmm? She looks up from assembling thetestbination of body and arm.


    The Boss needs me to go talk to Rocky. You good here without me?


    She smiles and waves him off, returning her focus to the bow. Ill be fine. Just make sure he keeps some healing ants around to help with my shoulders. Im enjoying the process, but Ill get sore without some of their help.


    I make sure to send in some more ants as Teemo heads down a shortcut. Queen would usually handle them, but shes up to her gaster in the alchemical traps in thevabyrinth, so I can deal with it on my own.


    My favorite zombie is enjoying himself in his arena, currently beating the sand out of a heavy bag. I need to have Thing enchant something to be strong enough for Rocky to punch regrly, but itll have to be pretty low priority for now.


    Teemo exits his shortcut atop a turnbuckle and shouts. Hey Rocky! Leave that poor bag alone! Whatd it ever do to you?


    Rockyughs and gives the bag a stay of execution as he walks over to my voice.


    Heya Rock. The Boss wants to know if you want to head to the Southwood and lend a hand with the defense? Nah, nothing is going particrly bad there, the Boss just wants to make sure everything will be fine.


    Rocky chews on his mouthguard as he thinks, and grunts a question.


    Will he be in his lich outfit?


    Eh up to him, really. If he wants to, he could even go there in the disguise, and drop it if the fighting calls for it.


    Teemo repeats me and Rocky thinks a bit more. Im going to need to make sure to send a few extra mouthguards for him, too. Another grunted question, and Teemo doesnt bother tranting it straight to me.


    Nah, everything should be safe around here. He wanted to keep you here in case we found the dungeon Aranya fled, but its looking like its going to take longer than expected. Besides, even if things do get dicey, well still have Fluffles and sh, not to mention Tiny and Poe. Nova can probably handle a good fight, too.


    Rocky nods at that and rubs his chin with his gloved hand, then nods.


    Great! Youre gonna pretend to be a lich at first, then?


    My zombie nods again and starts digging around beneath the ring, where he presumably keeps his stuff.


    Dont sell yourself short when ites to fighting, too, Teemo. You handled the Stag like a pro. My Voice just shrugs.


    Eh, maybe, but in a real fight, I dont know how well Id do.


    I think it was a real enough fight for the Stag.


    Teemo grins. Yeah, but not for me. Hes strong, sure, but hes slow enough I probably could have dodged everything even without shortcuts.


    That sounds to me like youd be pretty good in a fight, then.


    Teemo raises a finger to argue the point, but lets it droop as he fails to find a good argument. After a few seconds, he just huffs and folds his arms.


    Hey, Im not going to go throwing you on the front lines or anything, Im just pointing out a fact.


    Yeah, but Im the one whos supposed to knock <em>you</em> down a peg or two and point out what youre missing. Youre not supposed to do that to me!


    Rocky grunts as he pulls his ck robe out from under the ring, and gives Teemo a curious look.


    Nah, not you, Rocky. The Boss is pointing out facts that I dont like.


    My boxer grunts and gets his gloves off, and slips on the robe, and Teemo smirks at what he said.


    Thats fair. Facts dont really care if I like them or not, and its not a great idea to try to ignore them. You gonna practice your affinities on the way there?


    Another nod and another grunt has Teemo tapping his own chin. A staff with an orange ball? I bet you Larx can help with that. You might be able to get Thing to do a few quick enchants on it, too.


    Rocky grunts again and Teemoughs. Thats also fair! You gotta look the part! If youre going to rope a dope, it helps to lean into it a bit!

 Chapter One-Hundred Eighty-One

    Chapter One-Hundred Eighty-One


    <strong>Rocky</strong>


    The undead scion smiles as he walks with therge group of denizens. His day has been very good so far! First, Coach asked him if he wanted to help with the Southwood, which of course Rocky would. He didnt just jump at the chance, though. He had been thinking about why Coach Thedeim hadnt sent him earlier, and he decided Coach must want him to help if anything happens here.


    Teemo said it was fine, though, so Rocky was happy to ept! He even gets to put on a new outfit, which he finds he enjoys more than he thought he would. He remembers back when he was first spawned and given his basic boxing gear. He was so confused, not understanding why there were so many rules for how he should dress and act!


    It barely took a week before he felt the changes in his movement, and though hes tried to teach some of the zombie denizens, hes pretty sure theyll never manage more than a hastened shuffle. Maybe if he gets the aranea to make some gloves and shorts for them, they might improve? Denizens grow much differently from scions.


    What was he thinking about? Right, dressing up.


    He also enjoyed putting on the show for Hullbreak and pretending to be a lich. He thinks he has a bad build for a lich, but if someone sees an undead with skin and fancy magic, theyre not going to notice or care if he has a bit more muscle than he should. He also learned a lot about how people see liches, or at least ones dressed like he was.


    Sure, he likes to cut a powerful figure, but most people are pretty scared of liches. He thinks the new staff will help soften the fear, at least a little. Instead of some gnarled and ckened thing, its a fairly simple staff; polished and stained to bring out the natural wood color, with arge orange orb affixed to the top. Thing even was able to add a few simple enchantments to it before Rocky had to go. Hell have to strengthen it with a lot of kic energy if he wants to whack anyone with it, but if anything gets that close, hed rather just punch it.


    Not that he expects much to get that close. Theres no false pride in his control over fire, ice, and kic affinities. He could probably fight with his arms folded, but thats just not as fun. Of course, to keep his lich disguise, he might need to do exactly that.


    Though speaking of his lich disguise, he has another addition that the Coach cooked up: a wide hat made of aranea silk. Teemo said he looks like Rocky the White, or maybe the Wight, and he and the Coach chuckled at what Rocky can only think was a pun. Coach has a lot of weird things in his mind, and Rocky is d he only gets fleeting glimpses. He remembers Teemo having nose bleeds and headaches until he got used to what Coach knows, and Rocky is pretty sure his own rotten brain would have melted out his ears and then exploded.


    Hes pretty sure the only reason it hasnt done that anyway is that Rocky simply doesnt understand a lot of what the Coach thinks, even if Teemo says he understands more than anyone besides himself. Rocky just understands what the Coach thinks about magic. He even understands that Coach doesnt even think of it <em>as</em> magic, which was a weird thought to wrap his mind around.


    Hes pretty sure its also why he has such an easy time expanding his affinities. He thinks everyone else is still thinking magic first. Maybe Rocky has such sess with affinities is because he understands what can be done without magic.


    Well, thats probably overstating it. Hes pretty sure Coda understands that even more than he does, just in a different way. Coda knows how to apply it. Rocky can move thermal energy around, but if he understands what Coda showed him on some paper once, Coda can use that to do all sorts of weird things.


    Not that Rocky is short on his own weird things. After sparring with Fluffles, hes almost certain he could dip into sound and lightning affinities whenever he wants. He might be able to manage actual storm affinity, too, but hell leave that forter. Hes not quite sure what storm actually epasses, so he wouldnt want to have the wrong idea and have his magic picked apart by someone who knows what theyre doing. Like Rhonda.


    He smiles wider and lets his focus drift to the theory for sound and lightning as he remembers her stealing away his control over thermal energy and earning her ss. The facent wasnt his most dignified moment, but her finally <em>getting it</em> was worth it. If he can get these two affinities under his belt, hell have some more tricks to show her, too.


    He lets the butt of his staff hit any rocks on the way as he walks with the others and brings his kic affinity to bear. Stuff is made of stuff, even the air is some kind of stuff. Coach thinks of sound like the ocean, like how the waves move. It seems weird, but he can feel the air moving from the sound, but in a different way than how it moves for wind. Oh, he can probably get wind affinity, too. That should be a good set to bring back, if he can figure them out.


    He lets his mind drift as he feels and listens, and likens the movement to how his other affinities behave. Ice and fire are moving without going anywhere, like ducking and weaving while keeping his feet nted in a stable stance. Kic is taking a step, actually moving. He can even do both, walking and weaving, and he fights himself to not actually slip into his boxing stance as he walks. Instead, he creates an orb of fire and of ice, and has them dance around the head of his staff as he feels out the sound and how to control it.


    Hes pretty sure its closer to kic, but theres something more. He even puts a smidgeon of kic energy into the next rock, and though it makes a louder sound, he knows its just because it had more energy behind it. So whats the difference? Kic can move things. He could even move things and transfer kic energy without moving mostly.


    Hes punched a rock into another rock before, and gotten the new rock to move. Hes even done a chain of them, but thats still not enough to give the secret to sonic affinity. Remember what Coach said: ocean.


    Sonic is salty? Rocky snorts and shakes his head. No, probably not that. How does the ocean move? Kinda up and down and side to side? Hes seen boats bob on the waves, and even when anchored, they still move around a bit. He feels for that kind of movement as he smacks rocks with the butt of his staff, and starts to slowly feel something.


    It feels a bit like the movement of the ocean, but moreplicated. Well, when things are tooplicated, narrow your focus. The big picture can be overwhelming, but take it in bits and youll get there eventually. He spends quite some time adjusting his sensing, looking at what hes feeling from every angle, changing how much he looks at, spending hours trying to find the ocean in the sound.


    There it is! If he <em>ttens</em> his perspective, the air moves like the waves of the ocean. Is that sound? He can feel hes onto something, and he grins once more as he recognizes the feeling of being on the verge of a new affinity. He just needs to cement his understanding. To do that, he needs to look at the big picture again.


    Now he knows how to find the ocean in the sound, its pretty simple to see why he was having troubles when he first tried. The ocean is mostly t, but these waves even go up, instead of just out! More hours are spent recreating the weird wiggling ball that is sound in his mind.


    He doesnt manage to recreate it with his kic affinity the first time. He just manages to swirl some dirt and dust around. He wonders why that didnt get him wind affinity, but quickly pushes that thought aside. He needs to focus on sonic first, then he can try to figure out wind.


    After the dozenth failure, he at leastes to understand what might be his problem: hitting the different rocks makes slightly different sounds. He can feel the differences now, even if he still cant mimic them yet. So he picks up a stone and hits that against his staff, letting him have the same sound each time.


    The denizens give him confused looks, but none bother him. If the scion wants to hit a rock against a staff as they all head for the Southwood, why stop him? With a more consistent model to work with, Rocky feels more and more confident with his effort. As the sun starts to rise, the sound of a rock hitting a staff sounds once more, but this time, there was no contact.


    Rocky smiles in satisfaction as the new affinity takes root, and he finally understands what Coach meant when he said fire and sound are inefficiencies from applying kic energy. Hes known why fire for a while, as the moving energy gets wasted by letting the stuff wiggle more. Now he understands sonic affinity, he can see more energy escaping without doing anything useful and just making noise.


    Just making noise sounds fun, now that he has an affinity for that, and so thats what he does. He starts mimicking sounds around him as he walks, just getting used to his new affinity. Hell probably want to talk with sh about it once he gets back. He might even be able to talk to him about lightning, too. His axe uses a lot of it, and thats how he makes his music, along with using his earth affinity to make the very ground sound like drums.


    As entertaining as the new affinity is, Rocky is eager to master it and learn to apply it in a fight. He can also feel something about sonic affinity that will help him with wind, but hell focus on thatter. For now, hes figured out how to mimic a fart, and hes going to get as much enjoyment out of that as he can. If Coach asks, its an easy sound to make, so he can more easily practice his mastery with it. That he can make it sound like all the denizens ate a bunch of beans is just a happy coincidence.

 Chapter One-Hundred Eighty-Two

    Chapter One-Hundred Eighty-Two


    <strong>Rer</strong>


    The young noble isnt certain how he feels about paperwork. He certainly prefers it to peoplework, but thats not really saying much. He feels more confident about getting back in the ring with Rocky than he does with talking to people, generally. His acting at being one of his own guards is helping with that a bit, but hes longe to terms with the fact that hell never be the boisterous, outgoing type.


    On the other hand, he is feeling less fond of paperwork as ofte, probably because theres been more of it. Requests for funding for the small hold, financial reports for the proposed financial incentives to delve Thedeim more over the winter, so as to help with the problem the Southwood is having,ints from the masons guild about certain members being barred from participating in building Hullbreak''s lighthouse


    He has to smile a bit at that particr letter. He had even gotten some catharsis by penning a reply telling the guild that, if they have a method to force any dungeon to allow a member to join, let alone Thedeim, hed love to hear it. Of course, he tossed that draft into the hearth and wrote a lot of words thate to the same sentiment, just much more diplomatically.


    He should see if Rhonda and Freddie would like to go see the lighthouse being built. They still need to do the followup delve in Hullbreak for whatever it was Rhonda needed. Bubble kelp? Bubble weed? Hes pretty sure its bubble something, and hes positive itll be on her shoulders for them to get the correct ingredient.


    The pleasant thoughts of delving with his friends fade as he looks at the letter he received from the crown. He doubts the king himself wrote it, but he may as well have for all the power Rer has to stop it. At least it probably wont be too much trouble, its just a basic audit. In hindsight, he probably should have expected something like this. Tax revenue this year was up sharply, thanks to Thedeim. That kind of change in money is going to draw attention, even if everything is fully legitimate.


    Which, as far as Rer can tell, everything is. Oh, hes sure theres some minor embezzlement and other financial wrongdoing going on, but whatever people may be doing it, theyre keeping it subtle enough for him to not need to worry. He wouldnt even put it past Miller to have, if not a hand in most of it, to at least be keeping an eye on it. Much as it irks his sensibilities, that kind of thing simply cant be fully snuffed out, so its better to keep it manageable and not let it get obvious enough for a <em>real</em> audit to be called.


    Still, he should probably put into his schedule some time to check the books himself. He cant rely on Miller to do all the work, and being able to spot ounting oddities is one of his duties as Lord Mayor.


    But he should have plenty of time. If its secretly a deep audit, itll look better for him if they dont show up in a week with him tearing through his ledgers. No, hell take a look in a few weeks, probably after the Hullbreak delve. Any potential spies can see hes not worried, and hes more than happy to waste the time of imagined onlookers.


    For the rest of today he actually would like to visit the Church of the Shield. Hed like to hear their opinion of Thedeim and the fact he has worshipers, and what Rer should actually do about that. Not that he intends to interfere, but that he doesnt want to identally upset someone like Thedeim, even as a dungeon, let alone as a potential deity.


    He misses when he could stay out of theology altogether, but at least getting involved with Thedeim earned him his two most dear friends. He can step out of hisfort zone to ensure he doesnt somehow make a mistake that turns Thedeim against them, let alone the town as a whole.


    It seems pretty unlikely, but hed rather know too much than not enough. He had sent out a message early in the morning, asking if he could have some of High Priest Torlons time, and received a reply not long ago that he would be more than happy to receive Rer after lunch, or even during, should he desire.


    Hed prefer the informality of a meeting after lunch, and so sent the reply. A luncheon is always so weighed down by etiquette and formality. A lunch between friends is one thing, but he doesnt think he quite knows the kindly priest well enough for an informal meal.


    Is the young master ready to go? asks Miller as he enters the room, tidying and organizing the mess that it tends to get into when Rer is attending to the duties of his position.


    I think so, Miller. Is my horse ready? If he were just going as Larrez, hed just walk, but nobles are expected to walk as little as possible. He remembers asking Miller about it when he was much younger, and getting a smirk with the reply that, should a noble be in the rough position of not having a cushion upon which to rest their rear end, one should have enough padding to make do. The memory still brings a smile to his face.


    Of course, sir. White Waves is freshly brushed and awaiting you.


    Thank you, Miller, replies the young noble with a smile, looking forward to riding White Waves. He gets so little chance to take him out for a ride. His gait is incredibly smooth, better than any other horse hes had, hence the name. Riding him, at a walk or at a gallop, is like riding gentle ocean waves.


    Why dont you have a horse? he asks, realizing hes never seen his butler in a saddle. He thinks hes actually surprised the older elf, as it takes him a few moments longer than usual to respond.


    Horses and I only ever get along professionally, at best, young master. Theyll obey me when I drive the carriage, or when I put them up or wipe them down, but they have never epted carrying me. And, to be frank young master, I prefer my own two feet to their four, he soon answers, smirking at the end.


    Ah, thats interesting. Though that does make me wonder how you always get somewhere before me when Im riding.


    The butler gives a small smile to his charge. Thats a professional secret Im afraid, young master, only known to the most secretive ranks of the butling elite. Rer still isnt certain if Miller is joking when he talks like that, but at this point, he doesnt want to know either way. He wouldnt want the joke to die, nor would he like to dwell on the implications of the butling elite.


    He has enough vaguely-powerful things to try to understand, which is what this whole meeting is for anyway. It doesnt take him long to ride to the church, and the handlers there easily ept White Waves with no trouble. Before long at all, he enters the priests personal rooms, finding the gnome rxing in a plush chair with a book. He marks his ce and smiles at Rer once he enters.


    Ah, Lord Mayor! To what do I owe the pleasure? I admit I was surprised to receive your request with my breakfast. Please, have a seat. Would you like something to drink?


    Rer takes a seat on the wide couch and politely shakes his head. No, but thank you. And please, just Rer. I wanted to ask about well, a lot of things, actually.


    Torlon smiles and takes his seat once more. I take it youre not about to ask to take the initiate oaths? he asks with a smirk, and Rer shakes his head.


    Uh no. I mean, I appreciate what you and the church do, its just


    Torlonughs and waves a hand. I know, I know, its just not for you. Honestly, its not for most people, and a good priest needs to understand that. But I think your actual questions are along a simr vein?


    Rer sighs and nods. I usually try to stay beneath the attention of any gods, but did you know Thedeim is one?


    Ah, says Torlon, like that question exins everything. Well youve stumbled into a question all clergy have to eventually wrestle with: what <em>is</em> a god? Its one of the few questions the gods never even acknowledge, let alone answer.


    Rer furrows his brow at that. What? But Torlonsugh interrupts him again.


    Nobody knows why they dont answer it, either. Some gods are more than happy to answer various questions, but they all ignore that particr one, which only raises more questions. Personally, I believe it has something to do with how faith magic works.


    Rer looks lost, but stays quiet to let the priest continue.


    Most people think it must work like arcane magic, or even like martial magic, but just like those two are different, so is faith. Arcane magic is about understanding the world and how it works, and how your affinity works in the world. From what I can tell of martial magic, its about understanding yourself and exemplifying your affinity in yourself. Faith magic is


    He trails off for a moment, looking for the proper words, or maybe to see if Rer is following. The elf noble is leaned forward on the couch now, listening to every word, and Torlon smiles as he continues.


    Faith magic is more about <em>epting</em> and striving for an ideal. Not everyone finds their ideal in a god. Even here in the church, it could be more urate to say some peoples faith is more in a concept than the Shield. But gods are the mostmon ideal of faith, because they epass so many domains. That the Shield is protection is no surprise, and many pdins of the Shield may be cing their faith more in that than in the Shield itself.


    Rer is back to looking confused at that, and Torlonughs again. It sounds a bit heretical, doesnt it? But I think that the Shield provides guidance not just in how to protect, but <em>why</em> to protect, and cing ones faith in a specific aspect of the Shield doesnt lessen anyone involved. Which brings us back to your question about Thedeim.


    I dont think hes actually a god, though as a focus of faith, the difference is a bit academic. I think hes handling it rather well, especially with how he seems to be trying his best to handle it as little as possible, heh.


    What? escapes Rers lips before he can stop it. Hes handling it by not handling it at all? How does that make any sense!?


    Torlon just smirks. What would you do if it were you?


    What? says Rer again, confused to have a question aimed at himself.


    What if you were suddenly the focus of someones faith? If someone believed so utterly in what you do that their magic is focused by it. Heughs again as the elf nches.


    You cant even tell them to stop it! Someone with that kind of faith in you, theyd think they had done something wrong! he continues. So now you have quite a lot of control over someones actions, and I think as a noble, you might understand the weight of that responsibility better than most, and the temptations of abusing that responsibility.


    Rer slowly nods, and Torlon nods as well. Yes, something like that can cause a lot of trouble. Dark cults and more happen when someone misuses that kind of trust and faith. But Ive talked with both Aranya and Larx, and Thedeim has set really only one rule, and I think he could have done a lot worse.


    What rule?


    To love. To care, honestly and deeply, about the well-being of others. Torlon chuckles and shakes his head. A simplemand and yet not a simplemand at all, really.

 Chapter One-Hundred Eighty-Three

    Chapter One-Hundred Eighty-Three


    Rer <strong>Larrez</strong>


    The discussion about deities upies Rers thoughts as he returns home, and makes him wonder if he should try to attend some services regrly. Hell need to talk to Larx or maybe even Lady Aranya, to see if theyre willing to talk more, too. He may even try to attend to both faiths, at least to a degree. He doubts hell ever devote himself to anything wholly enough to change how he works his magic, but both the Shield and Thedeim arent quite so intimidating to him anymore.


    That will have toeter. He has the rest of the afternoon free, and he would very much like to see if Freddie and Rhonda might like to go delve Hullbreak. The very idea makes him chuckle. If someone suggested that just a few months ago, hed think theyre mad! But now its no more abnormal than any other friendly activity.


    When he puts away White Waves, he wonders if he might be able to disguise the horse in some way, too, but has to regretfully abandon that idea. It would just stretch believability, and theres no simple disguise that would hide the health and breeding of the horse. No, hell have to settle for the brief forays, rather than joining Rer and his friends on adventurers.


    Besides, an ocean is no ce for a horse, even if the horse is named for it. It doesnt take long for Rer to get changed, and soon Larrez is walking down the street to go meet his friends. He heads to the church first, and is relieved to hear Freddie is simply reading in his room. He always feels a bit bad to interrupt the young pdins training.


    Freddie has his door open in an effort to get some of the warmth of the various hearths into his room, as he doesnt have a personal firece. Larrez knocks on the frame as he looks in, and sees Freddie rxing on his bed, with Fiona fussing over his shield.


    Hello Freddie, Fiona. I hope Im not interrupting?


    Freddie smiles and marks his ce as he shakes his head. Nah. Im just reading some old ounts from the archives. I think the priests like to pretend like theyre boring history, but they read like fantastical stories. He smirks over at Fiona as she chitters to herself, refreshing the web on his shield. Fionas trying a new design, but its noting out quite how she wants. Itll be fine, Fiona. Its not like I actually have any heraldry in the first ce!


    Therge spider gives him a scandalized chitter as she keeps working, and Freddieughs as he turns his attention back to Larrez. She says thats all the more reason to keep looking for the right one, so itll be ready when I <em>do</em> get heraldry.


    Do you get to design your own? asks Larrez, honestly uncertain how that kind of thing works. He knows all about disying and the meaning behind heraldry, but he doesnt know about making your own.


    Freddie just shrugs. Most pdins either take the symbols of the church, or just use their shield as their heraldry. I was actually reading about Vory of the Torn Banner, and his heraldry. He and his fellows would often suffer hardly a scratch in battles, but his banner would always get ruined in some way. Ance would tear a gash in it, arrows would perforate it, stray spells would singe or even melt some of it, and so on. So, before one battle, he took his sword and rent his banner from the center to the bottom. Some say it was out of frustration, some say it was a bit of humor to lighten the mood before the fight. Whatever the reason, no other damage happened to it in that fight. He used that same banner for the rest of his career.


    Huh. Larrez looks over at the book, wondering if he can get a copy for himselfter. It sounds like an interesting tale. But he didnte here to get distracted by stories. Do you have the free time to go delve? Rhonda still needs to get the bubble moss? From Hullbreak?


    Bubbleweed, I think? tries Freddie. Whatever it is, itll be on her to get the right stuff. And yeah, I should have plenty of time to delve today. Give me a few minutes to get ready, and Ill be right out.


    Alright. Do you think I could talk the archivist into letting me borrow some of the histories of the pdins?


    Freddie shrugs. Maybe? I dont think theyll want to let the originals out, but theres probably some copiesying around done by the scribe acolytes. They have to practice their writing somehow, right?


    It cant hurt to ask, so Larrez does just that as Freddie prepares. As it turns out, they have some copies of shorter histories they could lend, though Larrez holds off for now. He wouldnt want to take a book into the sea right now. If he understands the variety of water potion Rhonda was working on, it will let them all breathe, but wont keep them from getting wet. Itd be pretty rude to immediately ruin someones work like that.


    Hes simply perusing the shelves as Freddie approaches, and he can hear Fiona giving the orc an earful, and the orc trying to not interrupt the scribes with the noise. Foina, please keep it quiet, at least until were out of the archives? I know you said its not ready, but I need my shield for this.


    Larrez fails to suppress his smile as he sees Fiona fold her forelegs and hmmph at Freddie, but at least shes quiet for the moment. Freddie is looking a little embarrassed, so Larrez simply motions for them to exit, and soon theyre on their way to Rhondas. Fiona fusses over the shield on Freddies back the entire time, while the other two simply chat.


    Once at the Emporium, Staiven greets the three warmly. Ah, I was wondering when you two scoundrels would return to whisk my poor apprentice off to danger again! Fiona chitters in response and Staiven nods. I know, my dear. Youre the only responsible one of the lot, and that includes Rhonda and Lucas, he says with a smile, and whacks the hatch to the basement with his staff.


    Rhonda! Your friends are here!


    A muffled yelles up, and Staiven quickly answers. Just finish that bunch for now. I can hang themter, and bundle whatevers still loose. I think they want to go get the bubblekelp, he says before turning his attention back to theds. Unless you two just like to wear your full kit around town for some reason.


    They shake their heads and Staiven smiles. Then shell be up shortly. Shes preparing some herbs for drying, and then you two can help her test her new potion.


    Larrez and Freddie exchange looks at the mention of testing a new potion, but Rhonda bangs open the hatch before they can make any real movement towards the door.


    Freddie! Fiona! Larrez! Good timing! Im pretty sure Ive gotten all the kinks out of the equilibrium potion, so we should be able to get the kelp so Master can make more proper aqua affinity potions! Let me get ready, and Ill exin on the way!


    Freddies eyes follow her as she heads up the stairs, and linger for a few moments, before Larrez brings his focus back to the here and now. We could probably get away before shes done, he jokes, and Freddie smirks at his friend.


    Only for a while. Fiona would probably help them catch us, too. Fiona nods and gives a no-nonsense ck of her mandibles.


    I suppose were doomed, then, sighs the elf with mock defeat, and Freddie smiles at the stairs as he nods.


    There are worse fates.


    Soon, Rhondaes back down the stairs, but not in her typical robes. While not exactly indecent, theyre much more form fitting than usual. Freddie just tries not to stare as Larrez looks confused.


    Why the different robes? Are those even technically robes?


    Rhonda shrugs and heads for the door. Technically, I think? I just know they work a lot better when wet than my normal robe, or even my adventuring robe. I havent had a chance to enchant them with much, but Hullbreak is a lot friendlier now, so it should be fine.


    Larrez elbows Freddie to get him into gear, and the orc shakes his head to clear it and focus. When wet?


    Rhonda nods and waits for everyone to get outside and walking before she exins. The aqua affinity potions are so great because you can basically take anything with you and itll be fine in the water. The water breathing potions that Thedeim designed only let you breathe. They dont protect from all the water. With winter here now, its especially important to get proper potions to delve Hullbreak, rather than what well be using.


    Then why are <em>we</em> using them? asks Larrez. Breathing might be fine, but that water is going to be <em>cold</em>.


    Rhonda grins and pulls out an odd blueish-green potion. Thats what the equilibrium potion is for! I designed it with what I know about fire and ice affinities. Basically, it should keep you at a normal temperature, no matter the environment! She pauses for a moment before continuing. Well, I dont think itd work against something likeva, or even boiling water, but it should make ordinarily-dangerous temperatures feel almost pleasant!


    Freddie looks impressed. That must have been difficult.


    It wasn ok, yeah, it was pretty hard, actually. The first batch was too insting, like wearing a thick nket next to a roaring fire. Then I made it too conductive, and even next to a fire felt like I was soaked to the bone and standing in the wind. Ive made a few more batches since then, and this should be just right! Well have to drink a water breathing potion and an equilibrium potion, and then basically just dive in. Make sure you dont have anything you cant get wet.


    Larrez takes a few moments to go over his gear in his head. I should be alright. With my affinity, I need to take some water into consideration anyway. Ill probably need to oil everything properly once were done, but that should be it. How about you, Freddie?


    Freddie looks much less certain about his gear. I dont know if my armor can stand up to being in water for that long. Even if it can, I dont think I can swim in it anyway.


    Lets head by the church, then, and see if they have something leather or even cloth for you to wear, suggests Rhonda, and Freddie nods.


    Probably a good idea, yeah. I might grab a short spear or something, too. I dont know how well my axe will work under the water.


    Larrez speaks up almost immediately. Swings underwater are difficult. Thrusts are the best.


    Then I think well be doubly-reliant on you in the water, Larrez, says Rhonda with a smile. For your affinity and your rapier. Youll probably be the best suited to any actual fighting we might need to do. If Hullbreak is learning from Thedeim, well probably have to ovee at least a few encounters to gather some bubblekelp, especially for the amount I want to get.


    How much do you want to get? asks Freddie, looking mildly concerned.


    As much as we can carry!


    Everyoneughs at the obvious answer, and Freddie speaks up as the churches into view.


    Then Ill also ask if they have any spare packs or maybe baskets. Something we can take under the water without too much trouble.

 Chapter One-Hundred Eighty-Four

    Chapter One-Hundred Eighty-Four


    <strong>Hullbreak</strong>


    Getting used to lubbers <em>delvers</em> again has been difficult, but Hullbreak cant act like it hasnt been better for his dwellers. Having his own mana to expand and work with has been a warm current to his mood, too. Despite his fears, his dwellers were not immediately gobbled up by some monstrosities from the deeps, nor fished up and smoked by the lubbers as a snack.


    Some of his denizens have been, but thats their purpose, and its been earning him some good mana. The gains have slowed with the cold of winter, but many lubbers stille to fish, at least. The underwater corals and mbeds dont see as much attention, but he gathers its partially because of a shortage of potions. Hes not quite certain what that has to do with it, but a lot of delversin about not getting to actually dive in without them.


    Right, they need to breathe. And they dont move as well in the water as out. At least he can get some extra mana from the lighthouse construction. Not only does he gain a lot from the lubber masons following the directions of the Civil Artificer, but he gains a bit more with his crabs fighting what lubbers wander the ind looking for fights.


    Hes pretty sure this is one of those mutually beneficial things Thedeim has talked about. The masons learn, he gets mana, the guards fight, he also gets mana, and he gets a lighthouse for better surface encounters. The only one who loses out is his Quartermaster, and even that is temporary. Once the lighthouse isplete, the Quartermaster can rebuild his nest at the top and maybe be a lookout, like how the Marshal watches over much of Admiral Thedeims territory.


    Speaking of the Admiral, Hullbreak can feel his attention on a dinghy just inside his borders. He follows, and curiously observes the three young lubbers. One is green andrge, while another is green and small. The third is rather tan, and seems to be dressed for delving. The other two dont seem quite as prepared, with therge green one looking ufortable in leathers that seem slightly too small. The small green one looks ready to take a rxing swim. There are also what are thend not-crabs that make their own rigging?


    Spiders! Yes, those. He watches and listens as therge green one rows, and learns they intend to gather abundantly from his various kelp fields. He inclined to simply let them, especially with the warm feelings he can feel from The Admiral about the group. Confusion seeps through the bond when Hullbreak turns his attention elsewhere, and he can only send confusion right back. After a few more volleys of mutual befuddlement, a question seeps through to Hullbreak.


    <em>Attack?</em>


    <em>Friend?</em> is his reply, and understanding seems to bloom in The Admiral, though Hullbreak still feels lost at sea.


    <em>Fight! Challenge! Fun!</em>


    The watery dungeon is slow to embrace the suggestion, but it makes more and more sense as the group continues to row deeper into his waters. Other delvers are expected to fight at least some. Hullbreak is still trying to wrap his mind around the idea of a fight being fun, even fights that cause injury, but the interactions with other lubbers only reinforces that concept, strange as it is.


    He also gets suggestions for how to challenge this particr group. The Admiral points out many details, like how therge green ones size implies heavier armor, and the poor fit implies hes not at his best. The small green one is identified as primarily a mage, so armor isnt a priority for her in the first ce. Their stated goal also helps define how to challenge them: mostly harrying and harassing encounters on the surface, with a few stronger encounters to guard each dense patch of kelp. Theyre a bit more than what would ordinarily be sent against gatherers, but the Admiral assures Hullbreak they can handle a good encounter. Just not <em>too</em> good. As always, test the limits and slowly ramp up.


    He starts with a handful of his weakest gulls, and watches as the small green one and the tan one prepare for them. Therge green one continues to row, though he also seems to be keeping his eyes on the seas and the skies, with the help of the spiders. The tan one takes some of the water and lifts it, shaping it into several thin swords, mimicking the one in his hand, and the small one creates a few small orbs of fire and lengths of ice.


    Swordfish lunge!


    Firebolt! Icicle!


    The water swordsunch and devastate any birds they hit, and the fire and ice work to remove what gulls remain. He may need to try an actual swarmter, if theyre that good at dealing with the gulls. Still, it earns him mana, so hes content to keep the encounters fairly mild as a bit of a warm-up.


    Eventually, the anchor is tossed over the side, and the group prepares to dive to the beds of kelp. The spiders appear to be staying on the small boat, and will be hauling up baskets of the gathered nts, using their strong silk. He takes a few minutes to investigate the silk rope, and while hes not very impressed with the knots, it should be serviceable enough.


    Potions are drank and the three dive into the water, and the tan one immediately draws Hullbreaks attention. Hes a water affinity, and seems to be a pretty strong one. He looks much more at ease in the water than the other two, and Hullbreak can even feel a slight repulsion in the water. It takes him a few moments to realize that, for some reason, hes holding the water nearest his skin still. He doesnt think its any kind of armor, but its not something hes seen before.


    Turning his attention to the other two, he sees why the Admiral suggested slowly ramping up the difficulty, instead of starting with something strong. The green ones move awkwardly, even worse than most lubbers. He cant imagine theyd be able to handle anything that can actually swim. Still, thats what his crabs are for.


    After a few minutes to get limated, they all dive deeper, the green ones bringing the baskets with the silk trailing behind, and they all soon see the single crab fighter standing by the first kelp bed.


    Strangely, therge green one takes up position at the front of their small formation, and slowly swims towards the guardian crustacean. The choice proves less strange as shields be visible, like ships from a fog, and move with much more grace than the green one himself has. He tries a few clumsy jabs, and the crab tries to respond, but the floating shields prove an impregnable defense.


    Before the crab can think to switch targets, the tan ones rapier suddenly enters the fray, seeking the joints and other vulnerabilities in the crabs armor. Hullbreak watches the mage, wondering what shell contribute, but she looks frustrated with her few attempts at magic. Its no concern, though, and soon the crab is felled, and the green one starts inspecting the corpse for anything useful to im. He gets the tworge ws, and seems to want the back carapace, but he cracks it in his inexpertise, which seems to convince him he has enough from that one.


    As he works on processing the crab, the smaller green one shows the tan what to gather. It seems theyre after bubblekelp, which Hullbreak has in abundance. Hes more than happy to have them thin it out a bit, so he only sends a few paltry crabs as they work, nothing even as strong as the initial guardian.


    When they send the baskets up full of kelp and start looking around, Hullbreak sets a few stronger encounters around the other beds. The Admirals methods seem very effective: let them gather, but a more profitable delve should also be more difficult. Tworge crabs guard the next bed, so theyll have to deal with them if they want to continue gathering.


    They discuss how to tackle the two crabs as they wait for the baskets, with the small one exining her frustration at using fire and ice under the waves. Hullbreak isnt surprised at that. He knows his water is very resistant to both types of magic, though the group seems to have an idea to try to counter it.


    Their n made, they approach the nearest bed and engage the crabs there. Once again, therge one takes the fore, but hes looking much more focused on attack than defense this time. The tan one is right beside him the whole time, too, and Hullbreak can soon feel the mana flowing around the three start to swirl in tandem.


    The water around the spearhead of therge one grows still, even as Hullbreak can feel the small one heating it. The water starts to boil, yet instead of the bubbles rising to the surface, they are captured and kept around the speartip, letting it start to glow with heat. At the same time, the water around the tan ones rapier grows cold incredibly cold. It should freeze over, yet it refuses to.


    Creeping Frost!


    Scalding Thrust!


    The cold water follows the strike of the rapier, and freezes as it washes over the first crab, cracking the carapace and splitting joints. The heated tip of the spear plunges into the other crab, and the boiling temperature quickly finishes it off, too.


    The three whoop in victory and the sess of an untested n working, then start to gather more of the kelp. Hullbreak reys the attacks in his mind, trying to figure out how the three managed to do that. While they seem talented for their levels, it should have taken delvers much more powerful to bring that kind of elemental attack to bear beneath his waves.


    He even tries to ask the Admiral about it, but all he gets is pride in the three delvers. He probably shouldnt be surprised that the Admirals favored lubbers have a few unique tricks.

 Chapter One-Hundred Eighty-Five

    Chapter One-Hundred Eighty-Five


    Theres just something different about watching the kids delve, but not delve me. Its also <em>really</em> difficult to not backseat Hullbreak as he works on challenging them, but not <em>too</em> much. But if I just give him the answer, hell never figure it out on his own.


    The kids are after a ton of that kelp, too. Id probably challenge them a little harder for how much theyre taking, but Hullbreak also wants to get the kelp harvested, its a bit shaggy right now. I guess I cant fault him for taking it a bit easier so he can get a proper trim. I go easier on delvers sometimes too, if a node is past due to be gathered. It kinda chafes, if that makes any sense.


    Besides, hes not just giving it away. He doubled the crabs at the third patch, and doubled again at the fourth. The third patch went pretty smoothly, but the kids got a bit banged up at the fourth. Eight crabs is probably their sweet spot. He doubled it again for the fifth, and the kids decided they had plenty of kelp for now. Probably a good idea for them to head home anyway, their little boat rested pretty low in the water once they all piled back into it.


    Im looking forward to Staiven processing that kelp into the fancy water potions, too. Mine only let someone breathe, but things like temperature and pressure can still be dangers. It wasnt too much of a concern in summer, but with winter making itself at home, most delvers are content to fish instead of take a swim.


    Speaking of making oneself at home: Rocky and the other denizens have arrived at the Southwood! My goofball boxer spent practically half of the journey making everything sound like farts, even the rockslides! He shifted to a more dignified persona once they got close, and the Stag showed more than a little concern at the apparent lich joining the fun. I would say the fears were eased once Rocky started using his kic mastery to help dig trenches and even clear snow, but thatd be a lie. However the Stag feels about Rocky, hes been polite, and I can feel Rocky resisting the urge to rip a big wet one, or at least sound like it.


    I dread the day he gets some kind of stink or poison affinity.


    I can feel him tinkering with wind and lightning, too. Ordinarily, Id expect him to figure out wind first, since its pretty easy for him to observe and suss it out, but there are also some lightning enhanced denizens in the big pile of reinforcements, so its probably a toss up as to which hell actually embrace first.


    Leo and Honey have been working hard thest couple days, too, to get all the new troops settled and integrated. Theyve been able to properly reinforce most of the northern border, and with the skeletons and zombies, theyve been able to build some actual defenses in the big stretch of t area. It looks like theyre still going to use the illusion stuff to make it look less defended, but with the reinforcements, less defended still means decently defended.


    Id be feeling more confident if it werent for the fact that the invaders seem to have all but vanished. What few the scouts find and kill all seem to be scouting parties as well. I dont like it, and neither does Leo. It smells to both of us like whatever is controlling these things is preparing for something. Theres one potential bit of good news, or maybe its just trying to find a silver lining to a dark cloud.


    Leos own scouts have started vanishing. I can find their respawn timers, but I dont think they get to keep much, if any, information from a failed scouting trip. The good part of that is theyre all vanishing around a specific area. Honey has it listed as section H-14, which is pretty far out. Right now, Leo is using some of the more subtle denizens to try to scout, but thats going to take a bit longer to get them into position. Rockslides are great at hiding in in sight, and the wyrms can stay under the ground, but the slides cant report back very quickly, and the wyrms have toe up to take a look around.


    Well, mostly. They can sense vibrations under the surface, but can only give a vague idea of whats actually happening up there. They can tell if something is heavier, or at least steps heavier, or if theres a lot of things, but Leo really wants more than that. Still, some intel is better than none. He has the slides slowly making their way deeper into the Green Sea, and using the wyrms to bring info back, as well as a few other wyrms to try to get at least a vague idea of the numbers in that section.


    None of the wyrms have found much yet, which is starting to get concerning. If theres something <em>else</em> up there killing the scouts, this could get even moreplicated.


    <strong>Elsewhere</strong>


    The Harbinger lets its mind wander as it follows the tide of least, trying to figure out what could be slowing their advance. The first slow was an oddity of the surface: it is cold. It is <em>very</em> cold. If it didnt know any better, itd worry some ice affinity dungeon was already aware and trying to stop them. But as it got closer to the surface, it could feel no signs of the kind of mana that would require.


    Its hardly any wonder life flourishes so deep, if that kind of cold ismon on the surface.


    The second thing to slow the throngs of the least would be the great number of trees. They are different from therge fungi of the deeps, taller and more resilient. While they keep much of the drifting ice away from the ground, they do nothing to hinder the cold. They <em>do</em> however, hinder movement, as well as vision, with their simple presence. It had ordered the least to simply destroy the obstacles, but the trees are slow to fall and great in number. It would take the full lifetime of a least to remove each tree, and though the least are legion, so too are the trees. Paths will be cut, but clearing the surface entirely will simply take too long to be worth it.


    The worst slow, however, is the new slowing force. The surface dungeon was steadily falling to the hordes of least, and then it suddenly wasnt. Even worse, it forced the least back! That was ultimately what drew the Harbringer to journey to the surface. Its new master wishes to feast on the dungeon as soon as possible, and even its true master would want to know what could have happened to counter the least so effectively.


    They may be the <em>least</em> creations, but they are still His, and so should not be something easily stopped. Even worse, as it traveled the long way towards the surface, it was able to start receiving the reports of what <em>was</em> stopping the least: wolves.


    Wolves, of all things, were devastating the least?! The incredulity only lessened slightly when further scouting revealed them to be <em>tundra</em> wolves, wolves with ice affinity. While the least certainly do not handle cold particrly well, a simple affinity advantage should not have resulted in such a turning of the tides.


    More reports, and closer to the surface, the Harbinger has some understanding. The least are not smart. They are designed to kill, not to think. Even basic tactics are generally beyond them, unless explicitly spelled out. It has always been simpler to make more of them, and just bury a foe in the least. With its presence so near, it can give them more instruction.


    No more raids, for now. Scout and learn, leave most of the least in torpor, expand the entrance and make a space for them toy dormant far enough away from the freezing surface. The Harbinger must know more of this foe, so it can be certain of victory. Once it knows how and where to strike, it will be a simple matter to wake the sleeping least and turn them loose. It will be a simple matter of finding the tipping point, of finding how many least it will take to drown the foe. And if it takes too long to get enough to do it, perhaps it can get some <em>lessers</em>. The Maw is gaining mana at a steady rate, and it would not take much temptation of the sweetness of the surface to get it to invest further into the spawner.


    Its tentacles undte in wicked glee, and its own greedy maw vers at the thought of what a lesser would do to some wolves. Yes even a single lesser should be more than enough to handle the tundra wolves.

 Chapter One-Hundred Eighty-Six

    Chapter One-Hundred Eighty-Six


    <strong>Leo</strong>


    The wolf scions tail slowly waves as he ponders the map. Hes hardly pleased with the reports hes getting, but hes more thoughtful than upset about them. H-14 doesnt seem to be the base of the invaders, though it does seem to be something like the tip of their territory. Unpleasant as it is to lose scouting teams, thanks to Honeys idea of dividing the area into sections, even a failed scouting trip gives a good idea of where the danger lurks.


    Sections I-13 through I-15 havent had a sessful wolf scout return yet, nor have J and K, 13 through 15. That gives him a three by three area of information ckout, and hed put the actual base of their operations in J-14, right in the center. Hell need a few more days to get the rockslides into the heart of the enemy territory, but the initial reports from H-14 give him some hope.


    The rockslides have only just gotten into position in the area, but they already have important information to give: the invaders are clearing trees. Ordinarily, that might seem like something of no real consequence, but he and Honey both dont like it. The invaders dont seem to have a need to build, so why clear trees? If they were burning them for warmth, the smoke would be easily seen, or at least scented on the wind.


    Which leaves only one option, in Leos mind: theyre making a road. While theyre hardly setting stones for the roads like back in Fourdock, a cleared path can only mean they wish to move a <em>lot</em> more invaders at once. He takes a bit of sce in that the path seems to be headed towards the killzone, but its also a bit early to tell at this point.


    The clearing of trees does at least give him a chance to use some of the ravens and crows to try to scout, though. He was initially uncertain how to use them when the Alpha sent them, but now he sees the wisdom in having something he may not need. He may have use of itter, andter is now. He still needs to wait for them to return, but hes feeling confident the avians will have more information for him, even if its just to confirm arge clearing in J-14 as their base.


    The invaders havent shown much in the way of ranged attacks yet, so the birds should be safe. Of course, if there are other types of invaders, they could be destroyed, but at least then hell know hell have to worry about more than melee.


    He does have a growing concern about the potential enemy territory. Hes sent wyrms to try to get a feel for troop numbers, and though they can feel the slow progress of the ones making the path, they cant seem to find where all the invaders went. They can sense a bit of movement in J-14, but nothing like the numbers Leo is expecting. Hes loath to have them break the surface to take an actual look, and potentially ruin the element of surprise, but he might be forced to if he wants to ruin whatever surprise the invaders are hiding.


    His gaze drifts back to the borders of the Southwood, and what hes been having the other reinforcements get up to. The leafcutters and fruitbats were an odd choice to send, and he honestly still isnt sure what else to do with them, other than help the Southwoods own herbalism nodes. Hes ced them at themand of the Stag, who has them enriching various nodes to the south. There are no delvers to visit with the snow right now, though the Stag is confident theyll earn significant returns in the spring.


    The cinder ants have probably been the biggest surprise use of the myriad of denizens. They team up very well with the slimes especially, helping them keep morefortable in the cold climate beyond the Southwoods borders.


    The few twinsnakes and other varieties of snake are not handling the cold so well. Even with the more autumnal feel inside the Southwood, they are sluggish. While hed love to be able to use them in the killzone, theyll probably have to be more of ast line, deeper within the Southwoods territory.


    The denizen that hed like to bite himself for not considering are the tunnelbore ants. He only has three of therge denizens, but theyve made digging trenches an act of simplicity, and the illusionist foxes are having trouble keeping up with them! A nice problem to have, in Leos opinion.


    Rocky has also been invaluable in fortifying the killzone. With his ice affinity to clear the snow, and kic to clear the trees, Leo is feeling much more confident in being able to repel whatever the invaders are building up for.


    Confident doesnt meancent, however. Hes also been drilling with the bears and foxes, along with the various denizens from home, to ensure they fight together effectively. Hes even had some sess with pairing vipers with the bears, as the serpents can hide in the bears fur, nicely warm, until its time to strike.


    And the widows pair excellently with the foxes. The widows natural stealth is only enhanced by the illusions, and with clever webwork, the spiders can lend even more credence to the trickery of the foxes.


    Once this is all over, he should try to get Alpha Thedeim to try to trade for a fox. Hes certain the Southwood would happily trade one or two for a wolf. The Alpha can easily expand out into the forest past the cemetery, and the Southwood could very much use a second scion. The Stag is practically running himself ragged to try to keep on top of everything for the forest dungeon.


    Being able to see the Stag in his daily work has been an eye opening experience for Leo. When he was a more normal spawn, back in his old dungeon, he was vaguely aware of the few scions it had. His old dungeon seemed to use them mostly as strong encounters. While the Stag is certainly the Southwoods strongest encounter, hes not really supposed to be attacked. He just tries to do what the Southwood needs.


    Unfortunately for him, the Southwood needs a lot of things, and especially with the invaders, the Stag just cant do everything on his own. Even with the invaders being mostly handled by Leo, the Stag is still constantly on the move.


    He can sometimes feel the Southwood watching him and the others work, though, and he thinks it will be looking into a second scion after everything calms down. A good wolf to pair with the Stag would help bnce the dungeon, in Leos unbiased opinion. Even if the Southwood doesnt want a wolf and just makes a scion from its current spawners, he thinks he and Honey have shown how good it is to have multiple scions, and Rocky can only be helping that idea along, too.


    His ruminations are interrupted by the cawing of ravens and crows, and he focuses as a mixed group of them swoops into the tent andnds next to the map. They all try to speak at once, making an awful racket until Leo barks to get them to shut up.


    He res at them as Honey exits her hive and takes her spot on his head, before deigning to speak to them.


    Youre all the same group?


    A cacophony is the reply until another bark silences them. He points a paw at the closest raven. You. Are you all part of the same scouting group?


    Yeah,es the informal reply, and Leo does his best to not let his annoyance show. How the Marshal gets any semnce of order out of them, hell never know.


    What section? buzzes Honey.


    J-14,es the immediate response, and Leo supposes he just needs to up his threats. The birds had, of course, mostly ignored Honeys attempts at getting them to learn the coordinate system, until she got that dangerous glint in her eyes. Not a glint that promised pain, no, Honey is just not the type. It was the glint of having someone to <em>teach</em>. The looming horror of ravens and crows confined to desks so she can lecture was more than enough to get them to cooperate, at least on that front.


    What do you have to report, then? follows up Leo.


    We took the direct route, over H and I-14. Like the rocks said: big cleared path of trees. We didnt see too many of those weird invaders, though. Lots at the leading edge, and a steady trickle of reinforcements as the ones chopping trees die, but not the army you said to look for. I-14 was boring, just the cleared path and the trickle of invaders. The raven pauses and looks to his cohorts, who quietly caw and consort, before the lead raven is ready to continue.


    J-14 was also pretty boring, but were pretty sure its where the invaders areing from. Its a big hole in the ground, some kind of cave. Theres not much movement on the surface, aside from the steady flow of the tree-cutters. Looking into the hole, we couldnt see too much movement, either. The ant spawner back home seemed more lively. We were gonna take a closer look, but you said to not get too close, so we flew back as quick as we could.


    Leo furrows his brow as he considers the report. No obvious defenses?


    The raven shrugs. Nothing that really stood out.


    Leo thinks for a few moments before Honey speaks up from his head. You mentioned the ant hill from back home. How close is the resemnce?


    The raven tilts his head at her. The same? Just bigger? It was funny to watch them try to carry around some dirt and rocks with those weird legs of theirs.


    Leo frowns at that, not liking the idea of them digging. If they can tunnel past the defenses then why make the road? Is it not a road? His tail thumps the ground as he thinks, but he cante up with anything else the line of cleared trees could be. If theyre not tunneling towards the Southwood, what are they doing?


    He tail freezes as he gets an idea, and the quick buzz from Honey has Leo suspecting she thought the same thing.


    Theyre not tunneling, theyre fortifying. They dont do well on the surface, so theyre rallying beneath it, building their numbers before striking, he says with grim certainty. He looks at the map and considers his preparations, one question at the front of his thoughts.


    Does he focus on his own fortifications and hope they dash themselves on it, or does he strike them first, and hope they havent been able to build up too much yet?

 Chapter One-Hundred Eighty-Seven

    Chapter One-Hundred Eighty-Seven


    I watch Leo as he and Honey seem to be working on two potential ns for the situation. Its a different kind of battle than weve had to deal with before. With Neverrest, I was basically besieged, but I had an out with the surface that the other dungeon seemed to never consider, which let me sneak in a decapitating strike.


    With Hullbreak, it was an infiltration mission mixed with a rescue, and though Hullbreak pulled a couple good tricks, there wasnt anything outside the abilities of myself and my scions to handle. But this ones different, I think because I knew a lot more about the opponent at the time. I could guess a lot about what Neverrest might do because of how it was attacking, trying to go slow and steady, so a sudden change might work before it could really react.


    Simr with Hullbreak, in that he was basically limited to the water. Sure, he surprised me and mine with the Quartermaster, but my own Conduit was able to surprise him right back. Which is another big difference between this looming fight and the others: reaction time.


    In the fight with Neverrest, I could react basically instantly. Even with Hullbreak, I could get reinforcements in about an hour, and I could move Poe and Fluffles to help protect the town in a matter of minutes. But with this fight, if they pull something crazy, help is days away even with the shortcuts.


    Its not a fight I want, but one I have anyway. Im sure actual military people are more used to having to deal with this kind of battle, but Im not one of them. Its times like this when I wish I had paid a bit more attention to history. I have a vague idea of the basic flow, but I was never a battlefield historian.


    Ive yed a lot of RTS games, but this battle is looking more like itll be one of those scenarios where you only get a couple units, instead of being able to make your base and pump out enough to just steamroll. Even worse, I only get a couple units, where the enemy might be getting a proper base.


    I need more information, but I dont know if I have the time to wait for it. This is why actual generals are so important: they know when to seize an opportunity, and when to recognize the difference between an opportunity and a trap. I am at least pretty sure its not a deliberate trap. The report sounds like theyre not very well established yet, and though it could be fake, Im inclined to trust the scouts. If I cant trust my scouts to get me intel, why even send them?


    Alright, let me think if this was a game, Id have some kind of scouting unit and probably something that flies and does a lot of damage. I have scouts in the rockslides and wyrms, but an airborne assault is probably off the table. I think the closest would be having the ravens airdrop some arcane hands, but theyre probably not going to be up to handling the kinds of numbers that will probably be there. And, if its only the one hole, that doesnt give me great chances for an assault. They could just hold the entrance and wed break upon them, especially since they probably have superior numbers.


    I do have sappers, though. With the wyrms and tunnelbores, we could probably turn their fortress into a tomb. Probably not all at once, but being able to copse rooms and actuallye out of the walls would give a nice tactical advantage.


    Leos offensive n seems to be progressing along those lines, too. He has a lot of the forces on the surface, and looks to be organizing into is toons the right word? Or is that toorge? Lots of moderate groups, instead of a single huge mass, in case the invaders can open up their own entrances. Theres the risk of gettingpletely surrounded, especially with the suspected numbers, but better to n for that than get surprised by it.


    Under the surface, hed use tunnelbores and wyrms to bring in the slimes, as well as the various snakes and a few of the Southwoods foxes. From there basically everyone just makes as big of a mess as possible, with the digging team either opening a few more holes to the surface to allow strike teams in, or attacking the invaders when they make their own entrances, getting them from behind and giving the surface forces more routes deeper into the enemy stronghold.


    Leo and Rocky would be part of the assault, with Honey staying behind to make sure nothing can slip in and wreak havoc in the Southwood. Leo on the surface,manding the troops, with Rocky under the ground, taking the fight to the enemy in close quarters like he excels in.


    I like the n in theory, but it all hinges on how many invaders are there, and how fortified the positions are beneath the surface. Theres also probably new types in there that we can only guess at, especially if this is some kind of nest. If its a new nest, we should strike soon, before they can get established. If its already established, however, attacking like this will probably be a disaster.


    So how about our defensive options? Well, the northern border is looking a lot more secure now than when we first got here. The killbox area is looking pretty vicious under all the illusions, as well as the more mundane snow that helps keep the various pits and such a secret.


    The Southwood can also more easily leverage its own denizens in a defensive battle, though I dont know how long he can keep it up. He has a <em>lot</em> of things he can leverage to keep spawning, but if ites down to a proper siege, that might not be enough. I dont have to be a big history buff to know that most sieges that are defended against are because someone came and ran off the siegers, rather than the besieged waiting them out. If the Southwood gets into that kind of battle, theres not really a spare army toe and surprise the invaders from the rear.


    Sneaking Rocky behind them could work, or get my other scions toe y. Poe and Fluffles could probably break a siege with the help of Rocky and sh. Even Grim might help, but Im not sure. Hes not much of a fighter, despite his affinities. Sure, I could probably order him to help, but that feels like itd be a dick move, and it might not even work how I want it to. Trying to force Life, Death, and Fate affinities to do something might not end as well as I might hope. Better to keep Grim as a reluctant trump card and let him use his abilities as he deems fit. He understands them better than I do.


    On the other hand, while the invaders will have a lot of numbers, I doubt theyll have enough to truly encircle the Southwood, so hed just need to survive until spring when delvers return. Thats also a long time


    We could probably hit the invaders with a lot of attrition by attacking the ones clearing a path through the forest, but I dont know if thatd be enough to actually make them start bleeding numbers. I think a steady drain wont be viable as a long-term solution. They have some number of reinforcements a day, and I think their new tactic is designed to let them umte as many as possible. With only one real group above ground now, its difficult to pick them off.


    I think we might need to strike, instead of waiting for them to attack. If we wait, they attack when theyre ready. If we attack now, we at least have a chance of catching them before they can handle us.


    Its fittingly ironic to zerg rush something that kinda reminds me of them. I probably shouldnt just rush off immediately with either n, though. While it hurts a little to give the invaders another couple days to keep entrenching, Id rather have a better idea of what their numbers are before going on an assault. Itll sting if we figure out we missed our chance, but itll be a relief if we learn the attack would have been doomed from the start.


    Either way, Ill leave the timing to Leo. I think he has a better grasp on this sort of thing. Ill work on making sure he has what he needs for whichever situation we get into. Hes good at the actual fighting, so I can focus on the logistics and ensure he has what he needs to keep going. Trying to micromanage is a good way to copse the entire thing.

 Chapter One-Hundred Eighty-Eight

    Chapter One-Hundred Eighty-Eight


    <strong>North of Southwood</strong>


    Many underestimate what earth elementals can do. They see the stony exterior and conclude all they can do is crush and smash, with even the clever ones only being able to add impale to the list of abilities.


    In the defense of those who think that way, most earth elementals would agree. Their nature suggests they should deal with problems rather directly. The rockslides may not be especially intelligent, even by low-tier spawn standards, but even they can tell Dungeon Thedeim uses them in a strange way.


    An especially bright one even suggested they could respawn and find themselves listed as rock piles instead of slides, for all the movement they dont do. Still, its hardly unpleasant work. While their nature may demand threats be neutralized quickly, it also suggests patience and a willingness to simply observe. Rocks are not the most proactive elements of nature.


    And the tactic has proven effective. Their infiltration of Hullbreak showed that they can even quietly slip inside a hostile dungeon and remain undetected. Its even simpler to stay hidden in the forest, as they can simply stay under the piles of needles and other detritus, gather under thick brambles, or even slowly move through the loamy soil, despite the extra solidity provided by the current cold.


    Theyre also getting used to cooperating with other denizens to bring back their observations. The slimes were interesting to work with when under the waves. Theyre another denizen that can be easily underestimated and most-often used for simple blunt work, but their simr ability to stay still and remain under notice was invaluable in the past, even if its not especially relevant at the moment. The rockslides feel for their fellow denizens and their inability to work well under these cold conditions, but at least there is another denizen type that can do that work here.


    The wyrms are strange to work with. Even though they share the bond with Dungeon Thedeim, there is an instinctual fear of the unique variety of dragon. Magma is an odd cousin to earth, sometimes cooling to be more, sometimes heating earth and making more magma. The Librarian has even suggested wyrms could be a natural predator for living rockslides, though she thankfully never tried to get the wyrms to test that hypothesis.


    Despite how ufortable it can be to be near the wyrms, the slides cant pretend they dont work well together. Not only do the wyrms bring their reports back to the Warden, but they also can scout ahead and help guide the rockslides to more ces to observe.


    In fact, that is the current mission. The forward wyrms have been able to roughly map out a growing cavern around the entrance for the invaders, but the Warden has not allowed them to breach into the chambers to see what is going on. The reports from the wyrms make little sense, which is why the Warden is ying it very safe.


    Arge excavation would suggest arge force, but the wyrms report much fewer moving sources of vibrations than there should be. They are light, too, suggesting its not simply some huge single source of the noise. The only motion can be detected at the limits of the chamber as the invaders keep digging, as well as the movement to ferry the freed stone to the surface.


    Some of the slides wonder if the movement might be somethingrge with many feet, like the centipedes of the Dungeon Thedeims Protege. So many feet could make somethingrge sound like many smaller things, after all.


    The Warden also thought of this, and that is why thetest mission is to try to map the individual sources better, to see if they can rule out anything. Well, part of thetest mission, at least. The wyrms are constantly on the move, as they have to ferry back the reports, so they cant keep a precise eye on all the movement inside, just that the movement there seems much less than it should be.


    Which is why several of the smaller rockslides are having the harrowing experience of being moved by the wyrms. While the slides can slowly slip through rock on their own, time is of the essence. The wyrms are the only other denizens able to move so quickly through the rock without disturbing it, otherwise the tunnelbores would be used.


    The unhappy rockslides would rather risk discovery than be carried in the tri-hinged jaws of the wyrms as they move through the earth. Unfortunately, they arent making the decisions. They wont even be harmed from the experience, aside from possibly emotionally.


    It is a relief for the slides as they get deposited in the rock around the growing chamber. The wyrms situate their allies above and below the excavations, rather than in the way, and soon the earth elementals can devote their time to listening to the vibrations.


    The slides even slowly move themselves around to get into better positions. As the wall of the cavity slowly expands, some find themselves too far away to be able to listen as well to the movements, so some repositioning is required.


    The vibrations make little sense to the rockslides, which only makes them listen more intently. The walls continue to expand, which is something easily observed even by the passing wyrms. There is a steady rumble of reinforcements, also something the wyrms can observe. The oddityes in where the reinforcements go. They seem to simply <em>vanish</em>! They don''t like giving that report, but it is all they can give, at least preliminarily. Their pride as spies pushes them to watch closer, and to try to think of what could possibly be happening.


    Are the reinforcements simply dying? Is the expanding space in the earth just a mass grave? The dead dont move, after all, so they would lose track of them, but the slides dont put much stock in that theory. While it could exin theck of movement, this is supposed to be an invading army. If they were losing so many troops, they should either fall back orunch a desperate attack, but theyre doing neither.


    The rockslides think as several wyrms glide through the rock, letting them know theyre off to scout down the trail of the invaders and try to find the true source. The slides acknowledge it as politely as they can, but they are more concerned with the mystery of the reinforcements.


    Perhaps theyre missing something in their observations? They stopped trying to track specific movements once it became obvious they were not dealing with some huge centipede, but perhaps they should look closer and try to find exactly what is happening.


    So they start tracking random individuals, each slide paying careful attention as the current targetes into their range, and being ready to resume their vigil once ites back. Surprisingly, they start seeing a pattern, though the purpose still eludes them.


    A fresh reinforcement will start by gathering rubble and taking it to the surface, and repeat this many times as the diggers work. While some of the invaders do appear to drop dead in the work, its not difficult to follow the sound of the body being dragged away and disposed of on the surface. For the haulers that dont drop, they eventually take their ce in the line of diggers. And this is where the slides make their discovery.


    The digging invaders dont keep stepping forward to keep digging. Once they have their spot, they dig away the earth in their reach and then they stop. They dont simply stop digging, they seem to stop <em>everything</em>. At first, the slides think the digging invaders must die on the spot, but each other death has been apanied by a heavy thud before the sound of dragging away the body.


    The invaders are just standing there? Why? The slides continue to observe, and even track one as it drags away what must be a corpse. Once the invader returns, it takes the vacated spot, and ceases all movement like its predecessor. Perhaps theyre sleeping, somehow? It doesnt feel quite right to the slides, but they at least have something more concrete to report: the invaders are filling the space as quickly as they dig it, and standing still once their portion of the work is finished.


    In retrospect, the rockslides suppose they should have expected something like that. Holding still and being beneath notice is what they do, they shouldnt be surprised theyre not the only ones to figure out how well that works.


    They g down a group of wyrms who are moving quickly towards them from the trail of the reinforcements, and start to give their reports, only to find the wyrms a bit antsy to continue to give their own.


    Why?


    The answer is concerning. The movements of the invaders so far has been light <em>tik tik tik</em>ing of the sharp limbs jabbing into the ground to give them the grip to move. Far down the tunnel, though, there is a new sound of movement.


    <em>Thud! Scraaaaape</em>


    Somethingrge and different ising. The rockslides quickly give their discovery, and the denizens dont need to be the Warden to know these two pieces of information could be very important. The wyrms take off, leaving the slides to continue their watch, and try to figure out what to do.


    The bright one suggests trying to prepare for the battle ahead. While they dont know many of the details, even they can figure out itd be a bad idea to let all the invaders wake up and join the battle. So they quietly work to subtly destabilize what they can of therge cavern. They dont think theyll be able to destroy even a significant fraction of the invaders, but every little bit helps.


    And the idea appeals to their nature. Crushing a foe is not exactly elegant, but it is effective. Besides, they are living rockslides. The only arguable difference between them and a cave-in is if there is a roof.

 Chapter One-Hundred Eighty-Nine

    Chapter One-Hundred Eighty-Nine


    So thats less than optimal. The invaders are building up their forces with each passing minute by using some kind of sleep or hibernation to conserve their internal fuel. Even worse: theres something biging, and I get the feeling itd be a bad idea to let it get to the group of invaders without throwing some kind of wrench into its ns.


    It seems like Leo feels the same, as he pretty quickly orders just about everyone to move. Honey did some quick math for the floor space and the room an invader takes up, and it looks like were still going to be outnumbered, but if we dont do something before the big thing shows up, well have missed our chance. The best time to strike would have been a couple days ago, but the second best is now.


    The worst would be waiting for what I can only assume is some kind of leader to show up and organize everything properly. The defenses are pretty poor, which is heartening. Theres just the one entrance at the top of a huge ant hill, but that choke point is the only real defense they seem to have, aside from numbers.


    Honey and Leo finalize their ns while on the move, and even Rocky seems to be taking the situation seriously. I can still feel him eager to mix it up a bit, but he understands the severity of the situation to not take things lightly.


    Honey has her bees each carrying a cinder ant to keep them warm, and they help exin the basic n as everyone marches. I cant keep too much track of all my denizens with them outside Southwoods borders, but I can look through the eyes and other senses of my scions.


    Almost all of my denizens are on the march, too, though not all of them are actually marching. The tunnelbore ants are covered in the arcane hands, with the crows, ravens, and bats all scouting ahead and reporting back to Leo. The bears and foxes all have snakes or slimes hitching rides to keep warm, though Im not certain what Leos going to do with them once they all arrive.


    The wolves and wyrms go ahead of the column of denizens to strike the lumberjack invaders, clearing a path for everyone else to keep moving quickly towards the beachhead of the enemy. By the time any of my scions see the break in the trees, the invaders there are dead. A few tundra wolves are lost in the fight, but the double-whammy of surprise wolves and surprise wyrms let them deal with the threat before they could form any real counter.


    Leo sends them ahead to ambush the reinforcing logger invaders, and the army marches on. The ravens and fruit bats that return from scouting pick up a hand or two each before taking to the air again. I dont think theyre going to be the best air support, but any is better than nothing, especially when all signs point towards the invaders not having much of an answer to flying foes.


    Once they enter the clearing, the battle is truly on. The invaders screech, and even from so far away from the hill, Leo can faintly hear echoing screechesing from deeper in. He howls a signal, and the army of denizens split to do their assigned tasks.


    It takes only a few moments for the slimes to hop off their rides, then the wolves and bears charge for the hill as the airborne hands rain magic down on the entrance. Bolts of electricity, spikes of ice, des of wind, orbs of fire, and other moderate elemental attacks make it difficult for the invaders to sally forth. Even though each attack isnt too powerful, that kind of mix makes it very difficult to put up any kind of effective defense, besides staying inside.


    Not that the invaders seem inclined. The hordes behind shove the ones ahead, even if the leaders are no longer capable of moving under their own power. While the bodies of the invaders provide some cover, they still keep the horde from being able to spill out.


    When the bears and wolves get there, their jobs be equal parts fighting and clearing. Vipers and spitting cobras riding therge mammals help with the fighting, as well as watching their backs as their rides work to shove aside each dispatched foe.


    While the entrance is upied, Leo has the back line making their own fortifications. The tunnelbores start carving trenches as the foxes obscure their positioning with a bit of mist. Rocky even gets in a bit of practice as he hammers the ground ahead of the bores with kic force, following a rhythm to help make it easier.


    Once the ants are in a good groove, literally and metaphorically, Rocky starts heating it by pulling energy from the air and surrounding ground. The slimes and snakes are more than happy to hop in and wait for the probable counter attack, and Rocky is just trying to keep the cold where he wants it. My zombie knows the invaders dont handle cold well, so if he can keep a lot of it on hand, he can use it to devastating effect when he needs to.


    All the while, Leo and Honey watch and coordinate. Healing ants nestled in the fur of the frontliners have kept minor injuries from building up, but an invader still sometimes gets lucky and injures or even kills one of the denizens. While the bears will respawn and potentially be able to rejoin the fight in time, the wolves will spawn way back with me. Injured wolves limp back to get the more significant help the healing slimes can provide, while the bears seem more inclined to just tough out all but the worst of injuries.


    So far, its going well, but each passing minute, it seems like the forces at the hill are more and more pressed to hold back the invaders. A wyrm pops up near Leo and rumbles at him, causing him and Honey both to freeze for a moment. It gives me a chance to absorb the report, which makes the reaction of my two scions a bit more reasonable.


    The rockslides have been quietly sapping therge cavern, and though they cant copse the entire thing, theyre ready to go with what they have. They just need Leos signal. Leos howl seems to pierce the entire Green Sea Forest as he embraces his title, and Im surprised to see Honey is able to follow suit.


    An air of authority settles over Leo, <strong>Leader of the Pack</strong> and <strong>Warden</strong>. The denizens move with more speed and confidence, the ones holding the top of the hill now able to shrug off all but the most serious of blows.


    Honeyspound eyes glow a soft white as the <strong>Seeker of Truth</strong> surveys the battlefield, feeding Leo information and letting him direct the battle. The denizens move away from certain positions, leaving holes in the masses of the joint forces of mine and the Southwoods, before rumbling is heard and felt.


    Large holes appear in the ground, with the screeching of injured invaders sounding like music to the ears of Leo and Honey. Rocky takes the opportunity to send the freezing gale into the tunnels as well, ensuring any invaders that might have tried to attack from the pockmarked battleground would have a hard time doing so.


    Suddenly, Leos eyes widen and he howls once more, calling back the bears and wolves at the breech, and solidifying defensive positions around the holes in therge clearing. The warground seems almost silent for a moment, broken only by the grinding of the tunnelbore ants still working, and the whimpers and whines of the injured being treated.


    A new sort of rumblees from the ground, along with whispers of mad ideas. Skittering is heard, but without the usual screeching of the invaders. The rumbling intensifies, the loose hill slowly crumbling, before it suddenly bursts in an explosion of ck tentacles.


    Through the dust, glowing green eyes can be seen, and asional gleaming white teeth, far too many of each to fit on a single head. Or any head, for that matter, as the settling dust eventually reveals what I can only describe as a shoggoth. I wish I had read more of the mythos to know any weaknesses. It probably doesnt have much,e to think of it. Those stories arent really about people triumphing over the unknowable terrors from beyond existence.


    It bellows and waves most of its tentacles, mming two into the ground to drag itself forward, and screeches echo up from the multitude of holes littering the clearing. This probably isnt good


    Even worse than one of Lovecrafts nightmares walking around in front of my scions, possibly leading an army of killing machines; it seems my scions arent the only ones with titles to embrace.


    I just hope they can stand up to the <strong>Harbinger of </strong>

 Chapter One-Hundred Ninety

    Chapter One-Hundred Ny


    <strong>The Harbinger</strong>


    The Harbinger res across the battlefield at the opposing force. Rage threatens to overwhelm it, but it cant let itself fall to that. There are three scions arranged against it, as well as an army of mixed denizens. Seeing the opposition, it has to admit the least are not to me for having failed to overrun everything.


    It can taste the mana of the surface forces, and there may be as many as four dungeons fighting together. Arge portion of the denizens are from one dungeon, along with at least two denizen types from a different one. The fewer numbers feel older, so it will have to be careful around them.


    The scions all feel fairly young, at least. The wolf is the leader of the forces, and so probably from the oldest dungeon. Loath as it is to admit, the Harbinger is at a disadvantage when ites to forces. With the wide variety of denizens, he can only rely on the numbers of the least, and the wolf across the field has taken great steps to limit that advantage. For whatever reason, the wolf seems to be trying to hide its origin, but the Harbinger can feel its true source differs from everything else present.


    The bee scion has traces of some other dungeon on it as well, perhaps as some ploy to make the Harbinger underestimate the forces. The Harbinger grins at the scions having to drop the facade and embrace their titles. Most of the forces are from a young dungeon, so pretending to be so inexperienced could have been a gambit that would have paid off, if not for its own presence here.


    The strength of the denizens are bolstered by the wolf, and guided by the information from the bee. Without those two, the denizens should fall easily. The lich scion also seems to be trying to hide its source, but it cant hide its weakness. The wolf and bee have embraced their titles, but the lich has not, so it must not have any.


    Four dungeons, two sending only denizens, one sending two scions, and onest one sending the wolf scion. Destroy the wolf, and the others will follow. Without their <strong>Leader of the Pack</strong>, they will fall before the Harbinger.


    It flexes its mind affinity and starts directing the least, its affinity making it trivial to handle the immense rush of information from the senses of the least. The cavern is a mess and it will be more difficult to join the fray properly, but the numbers of openings mitigates that somewhat.


    The Harbinger roars and the wolf howls, and the tides of forces rush to meet each other. But the Harbinger is capable of so much more than just directing the least. It flexes its mind affinity once more, seeking to confuse and disable the forces of the surface.


    The leading edge of wolves and bears stumble for a moment, before a soothing buzz settles over them, the <strong>Seeker of Truth</strong> girding their minds against the assault. The Harbinger may need to remove that one before it can focus on the wolf.


    Searing pain pulls its focus back to itself, and it sees the denizens arent limited to only the surface after all. Magma wyrms harass the Harbinger and the least still in the cavern, even as the mammalian denizens sh on the surface. The least have difficulty dealing with the wyrms, as the odd dragons can burst from the earth with little warning, and dive back into it just as quickly. The Harbinger, however, can easily deal with such pests.


    Minds are so simple to detect, even with the unique biology of the wyrms. Those minds the Harbinger cant crush find themselves crushed more literally in its tentacles when they try to attack.


    Thats not all the coalition of dungeons has to throw at it, however. Before it can truly savor the pain of the worms in its mental and physical grip, elemental attacks rain upon the tentacled scion. It roars, destroying some wyrms and tossing aside others, before it regains control of itself. Even that smallpse lets the coalition drive the least back some, and forces the Harbinger to do more than simply direct the least.


    It drags itself towards the front, even as it snuffs the minds of the fliers and hands that get too close. Its a devious tactic of the surface dwellers, to take advantage of the open space to attempt to attack with impunity, but the Harbinger is no least to be picked off from afar. Nor are the least to be underestimated in melee, especially with the Harbingers direction and assistance.


    Snuffing minds is more direct, but more difficult than simply stunning. Even with the bee bolstering the minds of the surface denizens, the Harbinger is perfectly synchronized with the least. Even a moment is enough of an opening for the least to remove an opponent, and once the scion clears one of the breaches, the least can start truly pouring out to engage the enemy.


    Unfortunately for it, the breaches closer to the enemy lines start to get overrun, letting the surface denizens swarm into the cavern. For a few moments, the Harbinger thinks to use it as a trap, but the coalition of dungeons are not led by a fool. Slimes literally pour in, giving the least little to actually attack, and they cant evade the slimes effectively with how tight the confines are.


    Well, the surfacers arent the only ones who can cause cave-ins. It will crush some of the least, but it will give the Harbinger more of a defensive position to copse a long line of the cavern, as well as giving the least a much better exit to the surface. Better to lose a portion of the least than lose them all. It guides the least in the controlled copses, even as it wades into the front line.


    Its glee in destroying the defenders of the surface is interrupted for a moment by a disorientating fireball, and it takes a few moments to try to understand the attack. What kind of fireball was that? It felt like the explosion rippled through its entire being. While it is mostly unharmed by the force of it, its a disconcerting thing to feel suddenly.


    Its attention falls on the lich scion, casting a wide variety of spells from its simple staff, keeping the lines of the surface dwellers from being truly overrun. Its magic is odd, but after a few moments of observation, the Harbinger is not too concerned. Its clearly using an Arcane affinity to add a few little tricks to simple spells. While the effectiveness is impressive, it wouldnt have to rely on such surprises if it was actually strong.


    The Harbinger keeps the pressure on the main line of the battle, buying time for its least to prepare the defensive cave-ins. It loses more than it would prefer in the fighting, but those least on the surface and on this side of the copses are effectively lost anyway. This way, they can spend their lives to further the Harbingers n.


    Moments before the Harbinger is ready to trigger the copses, the wolf howls and pulls back its troops. It saves some of the surface forces, but not all, and soon a chasm cuts a ragged wound across the entire battlefield. The Harbinger roars in triumph, echoed by the throngs of least still under itsmand. The least pour from the rent in the earth, ying what denizens arent quick enough to retreat. It spreads them out, extending living walls of death through the forest to start encircling the tenacious surface foes.


    Its mouths drool at the tactical situation it has forced. The surface fools now have to try to either fight while surrounded, or try to punch through the thick wave of least. It deliberately leaves the fewest of its forces near itself, daring the encircled to try to rush past it.


    To their credit, the wolf and bee scions make the decision quickly. The forces rush towards the breaches theyve cleared, to attempt to hole up, while the scions and a portion of the force charge the Harbinger. It licks its many lips in anticipation of fighting the three scions directly. It even allows them to think their little ploy with hunkering in their half of the cavern could work, and keeps the least from tearing into their nks <em>too</em> hard. Leisurely snuffing the minds of the trapped denizens after will be the perfect way to celebrate its victory over the surface.


    It puts aside the anticipation for now, as it still needs to crush these scions, first. The bee rides the wolfs head, with the lich easily running beside them. The Harbinger wees them with bolts of mental anguish, but the <strong>Seeker of Truth</strong> intercepts and weakens the attacks so they ssh uselessly against the minds of the enemy scions.


    They dont take the attack lying down. The lich ms the butt of its staff against the earth, causing the dust and dirt of the tornnd to rise into the air, obscuring the Harbingers sight. The wolf seems to dance and flit around in the improvised sandstorm,unching des of shadow from its ws at the Harginer.


    Unfortunately for them, the Harbinger doesnt need to see them to know where they are. Their minds ze their position to it, even as the wolf slips through shadows to attack from what it hopes are awkward angles. That it hits with most of the attacks has less to do with surprise, and more to do with the Harbingers simple bulk. It loses a few of its thinner tentacles, but they are easy to rece.


    It bides its time as the wolf attacks, preparing its own counter, beforeshing out with a thick tentacle. The wolf is blindsided as it exits a shadow, but the impact doesnt feel right to the Harbinger. The wolf is still sent flying, but it looks more like it was thrown, rather than impacted with such a strong smash!


    The orange glow from within the sandstorm gives the Harbinger the clue as to what happened. The lich must have dampened the blow somehow. The Harbinger grumbles to itself as it has to admit the three scions work well together, well enough that it needs to take them more seriously than it has.


    Its form writhes and shifts, losing what semnce of structure it once had. It seems to change from a ball of teeth, tentacles, and eyes, into a pool, spreading through the entire sandstorm. It brings more focus to the fight, letting the least handle themselves for the moment. With improved focus,es improved mental attacks.


    The bee cant blunt the intrusive thoughts as thoroughly as before, and so the wolf and lich both are having their own focus tested as they try to avoid not only grasping tentacles and shrieking mouths, but maddening thoughts whispering at the edge of their consciousness.


    The wolf slips up first. Just a little nudge to try slipping through a few tentacles, a whisper that hes fast enough, the Harbinger has lost its focus the wolf doesn''t see the wide maw until its toote.


    The bee follows a few moments after, the grief giving the Harbinger all the opening it needs to capture the diminutive scion in a tentacle and crush her.


    The Harbingerughs like a chorus of the damned as the sandstorm disperses, leaving it and the lich standing alone. This battle is all but won, now. It could torture the weak lich to death, but it has so much to do. No, its a better show of its dominance to simply snuff its mind, then move on to the denizens huddling under the ground now.


    It reaches for the mind of the lich, only to find the attack batted aside. With a snarl, it repeats the attack, but the defenses <em>move</em>, letting the attack hit only air. Only when it turns its full attention on the lich does it realize a difference.


    Its embraced its title. The <strong>Affinity Savant</strong> res at the Harbinger, teeth grinding and fists clenching around the staff. Very well then, little lich. Tentacles and teeth should be more than enough to remove the final obstacle in the Harbingers path.


    Whips of flesh with perversions of mouthssh at the enemy scion, yet they find no purchase. The lich almost seems to dance around the attacks, avoiding harm with little apparent effort. More attacks pile on, and one finally makes contact.


    The Harbinger reels from the burst of mana. The attacking tentacle should have snapped the staff in half, yet the tentacle nowys as shattered ice, the connected tissue cauterized through to the ground.


    Not even the Redcap ever struck a blow like that to the Harbinger! It surges forward in a tide of teeth and iling tentacles, intending to rip the lich apart for its insolence, and confident its low on mana after an attack like that.


    The very air around the lich vibrates as it proves the Harbinger wrong, giving it a name to put to the devastating attack.


    Resonance Cascade.


    The leading edge of the Harbinger shatters into ice as it feels force ripple through its entire self again. It tries to regenerate the damage, but the waves of power keeping, keep striking and building more and more damage. The edges of the Harbinger keep shattering, and the wild movements of its entire body only keep growing more and more erratic. It bellows in pain as a piece tears itself away from the wild undtions, and its many eyes can see the fragment get incinerated to ash a momentter.


    It feels more and more of itself torn asunder by the rampaging waves through its entire being. Its vaguely aware of each rent piece being burnt to cinders, but its difficult to concentrate through the pain of its body tearing itself apart. Somehow, it manages to focus on the lich, and it almost wishes it hadnt.


    Heat shimmers around the lich, baffling the Harbinger for how it could have that much mana to produce such an attack as this. As the heat condenses into the final portion of the attack, the Harbinger gets only one hint as to how it could be possible: the lich had a second title to embrace.


    <strong>No Kid Gloves</strong> is seared into its mind as its flesh is seared away. It will have to try to consider the meaning of the strange title after it respawns.

 Chapter One-Hundred Ninety-One

    Chapter One-Hundred Ny-One


    <strong>The Maw</strong>


    The dungeon watches through the many eyes of the Harbinger as it bursts onto the surface, greedily devouring the sights. Its clear immediately that the Maw made the correct decision to invade the surface. Theres so many different things to savor!


    Even the chaotic mana of the battlefield makes the dungeon practically drool at the idea of Devouring all of it. The Maw makes notes to itself about what things look especially tasty. The denizens arrayed against it rank high on the list, as most of the specific types are ones it has onlye to understand via the many options for spawners. To see them moving around only makes it hungrier.


    The top of the list belongs to the enemy scions, however. The wolf looks lean and tough, and its shadow mana seems nicely marbled with fate. It will be a meal to savor. The bee scion may need to be broken and turned, instead of simply consumed. It understands the concept of honey, but the few varieties of underground bee dont produce very much.


    It''s uninterested in the undead scion, at least at first. Liches are not umon, and all the ones the Maw has consumed so far have been a distasteful mess of affinities, or the nd homogeneity of arcane affinity. The Maws opinion shifts as the battle continues, though.


    While it enjoys the taste of the wolf scion via the Harbinger''s senses, and finds the defeat of the bee to be a waste, its surprised at how tenacious the lich is. And then the senses of the Harbinger go haywire, forcing the Maw back. With some distance, the dungeon witnesses its Harbinger torn apart, shattered, and obliterated. Its the flow of mana that has the Maws attention, not the way it''s being used. With its focus pulled back, it can feel the mana blend and merge. It <em>yearns</em> to taste the lich, to consume and savor the unique bouquet of its mana.


    For now, it will have to settle for the memory, though it will certainly have the Harbinger relive the experience once it respawns. The Maw generally doesnt care much for mind affinity, but it knows the Harbinger can rey memories. While it generally does so to harm others, the Maw has no problem ordering it to do so to itself, so the dungeon can enjoy watching the mana flows and imagining how theyll taste.


    But such diversions will have to wait. Not only does the Harbinger need to respawn, but the Maw needs to decide what to do next. Its not dissuaded from its mission to consume the surface, but it is forced to admit it will not be so simple as it had hoped.


    It needs more food. It needs to grow. While its metal affinity fey and elemental spawners are maxed, it has a lot of potential growth in the spawner the Harbinger came with. The Maw is mildly confused as to why it doesnt have its metal affinity, but its not the first strange thing about the spawner.


    Hmm. It also needs to decide what to do about the least already sent out on expedition. If it let them go, the surface dungeons will be able to eat the mana from them. If it calls them back, it will have to spend some of its own mana to keep them functioning. Lose nothing new, but feed the enemy, or recall them and lose its own food?


    It would even cost some to recall them, making bringing them back even less appealing. The Maw almost leaves them to their fate, before remembering it doesnt <em>have</em> to feed the least when they return. It doesnt even need to just let them starve, though the very idea makes the dungeon shiver in horror. No, it can keep them from that particr fate, and still feed itself.


    It needs to inform the delvers of its new need for food anyway.


    It focuses on the Redcap, in the process of creating another new hat. The material for this one seems louder than most.


    Master, what can Redcap do?


    Why is this one louder than the others?


    Master, Redcap is working on his best piece yet. The suffering adds much.


    Finish your meal, then call on the High Priest. He has new work.


    Yes, Master. Redcap is almost finished, if he can just put on the finishing touches?


    Yes. Dont ruin your meal, but dont dy, either.


    The Maw watches in idle curiosity as the materials eventually gurgle theirst breath, and the Redcap leaves to find the High Priest. Not that locating him is especially difficult. The pale elf is holding a banquet and meeting with the ranking members of the clergy. Despite the richness of the food, very few of the Priests of the Maw are overweight. In truth, most are thinner than is strictly necessary, but theyve learned that a fat priest is a tempting morsel for the Maw. Besides, with how busy they are, its difficult to put on much weight in the first ce.


    The High Priest stands and bows to the Redcap. Esteemed Voice of the Great Maw, what a pleasure! Is that Cardinal Birtyl on your head? I hope he was satisfactory for you?


    The Redcap nods, making the grisly disy on its head jiggle in disturbing ways. Yes, traitor was an inspiration. Redcap hopes to keep this piece fresh for as long as possible. But Master did not send Redcap to show offtest hat.


    The High priest nods in understanding, with the others nodding and trying not to stare at the scionstest fashion essory. We are all, of course, hungry to do the Great Maws bidding.


    There will be a cull, states the Redcap inly. While uncertainty shes across many faces, the High Priest is not among them.


    Ill have the guards start rounding up those who are not contributing enough.


    Not of the people. The Master has denizens returning that will be culled. Bring as many delvers as possible. The surface is more difficult to chew than expected. The Master wishes to send more denizenster, as well as dedicated delvers. Those who cull the most of the least will get more training. Those who <em>get</em> culled by the denizens will be food for the Master.


    This time, curiosity shes over the faces of those gathered, including the High Priest. We will be allowed to help the Great Maw to sink its teeth into the surface?


    Yes. Master wishes to grow, and wishes to send more than just a probing attack next time. The surface has delicacies that are jealously guarded. Master will consume all.


    The Maw will consume all, agree the gathered priesthood, before the High Priest speaks up.


    Will we need to send more delvers to harvest from and give to the great Maw? I take it well also be stepping up our hunting parties?


    Yes. Master needs strong teeth to eat the surface. Prepare warmth. The surface is cold. The least could not handle it, but the Masters other denizens should. The Master also wishes to expand the special spawner. Much mana will be needed.


    The High Priest bows again. Of course. We will stock the pantry properly and ensure everyone is working towards the Great Maws goal of iming the surface.


    The Redcap nods and leaves, having said what it needed to, and the Maw turns its attention elsewhere. It needs to prepare to do more than simply attack. Despite how distracting the wonders of the surface are, the dungeon cant let itself get too distracted. If it was on the surface, and something tried to attack, it would try to consume the source, not just the few morsels that saw fit to wander too close.


    Tempting as it is, upgrading the Kitchen will probably not help it too much. The food can give a good boost, but the Maw can already feed all of its denizens to help fight back an attack. Though it might need to upgrade it anyway, if it wishes to feed the delvers.


    It eventually decides to hold off, at least until it knows how many it will need to feed, and how often. It wouldnt want to waste the enhanced food.


    It also starts moving around its denizens, expecting to need to cull more than just the returning least. They will be good training for delvers and are cheap to spawn. The metal affinity fey and elementals will need to be culled as well, to not only equip the delvers, but to better outfit the Maws own denizens. It will give better guidelines for what to attack once the priesthood gathers the delvers. While it would cost the Maw to y its own denizens, it suffers no penalty for processing the ones the delvers kill. They can bring back some to help outfit themselves, and leave the rest for the Maw.


    The Maw smiles as it thinks back to the sublime weave of the lichs mana. If the dungeon wishes to dine on such a masterpiece as that, it will need to ensure its knives are sharp and its stoves hot. Failing to prepare it properly would almost be as much of a travesty as never getting to taste such a fine ingredient at all.

 Chapter One-Hundred Ninety-Two

    Chapter One-Hundred Ny-Two


    I wish I could survey the entire battlefield right now, but Rocky is myst scion standing over there. My zombie boxer is trying to get himself back under control as he stares at the smoldering remains of the Harbinger, and I cant really me him.


    That thing was a nasty piece of work, and I could actually feel its magic subtly influencing Leo and Honey both through their bonds with me. It couldnt control them, but it could give them little nudges, little suggestions, toy with their emotions. If anything that attack of Rockys was too nice of an end for that monster.


    I just wish it was actually the end of it. Ill double check with the others, but I doubt ordinary wandering monsters get titles like that. If its not a random invader, its a scion, and if its a scion, itll respawn in its dungeon. Oh, speaking of spawns: theres still a big chunk of army for Rocky to deal with. At least he wont have to fully deal with it on his own.


    When Leo ordered the denizens into the holes for protection, he also ordered the tunnelbores in there. With them, they can dig through the copsed section and charge back out, if they need to. Rocky is their main target at the moment, as easily my strongest force on the field right now. Thankfully, their weakness to cold gives Rocky a pretty simple solution, and even the killing machines are starting to understand charging at him is maybe not the best idea.


    I ask Rocky to keep an eye on the denizens and watch for any other tricks, but I think the battle is pretty much over, even if theres a lot of invaders still to clean up. Which gives me a chance to try to go over the battle in my head.


    We won, but its easily the most costly victory since the battle with Neverrest. I wouldnt go so far as to call it a Pyrrhic victory, but weve definitely gotten a shiner or two. Leo and Honey are counting down to respawn, looks like itll be in the middle of the night for them toe back. Ive also lost a decent number of the denizens I sent, and I dont know if the mana from killing the invaders will offset the cost.


    Worse than the possible loss of mana, though, is the simple fact this war has only just started. The other times Ive had to deal with hostile dungeons, Ive managed to make it nice and quick, settling it with a single battle, but its not going to be so simple with this one. For starters, I dont even know where it is!


    Its under the surface somewhere, but I dont have much else to go on. Id wager its a pretty good distance away, though. Theres no way it only has those leech-headed things as denizens, not with the strength of that scion. That it only sent them suggests its far enough away it cant react quickly to the things I sent. It could even be far enough away that it couldnt even react in time to send something that just deals with cold better.


    It might even be what the dungeon sees as a token force, a glorified expedition to try to bring back some mana. If thats the case I think were in trouble. My gut says its not that bad, but I also dont have guts anymore, so I dont know how far Im willing to trust them.


    The dungeon even now should have some vague idea of the forces I can bring to bear, which is definitely bad. I feel like Ive done so well in battles so far because nobody knew what to expect. In terms of intelligence gathering, the unknown dungeon definitely came out of this fight better than I did.


    Its not all bad, at least. Rocky didnt embrace his boxer title, so theres still that ace up our sleeves. Ill also definitely need to bring another scion or two over if I want to make sure we can hold the line here. sh will be a huge help with armies shing, and it could also be an excellent chance for Nova to try to get some levels. Hopefully in a few smaller skirmishes before another big battle.


    Im also definitely going to need to focus on my own spawners a bit more, too. Im going to absolutely see more than the leech-heads the next time we actually fight, so Id better have a few more surprises of my own when the timees. From how the battle went I should probably try to focus on the hands, the earth elementals, the wyrms, and the wolves. I might work on the bird spawner, too.


    The birds have the fewest upgrades to reach max, I think theyll only have one or two new things to spawn. With them being focused on resources, though, Im not certain how much benefit theyll be in battle. Or maybe Impletely off base here and theyll end up being the perfect logistics solution to having my denizens so far away. Id rather not spend my mana on maybes, but its an option.


    The wolves are a pretty obvious choice to upgrade, I think they have one or two more new things before they max out as well. Theyre probably going to be great for scouting the tunnels past the hole, and thats without them getting any really cool new abilities with the new types.


    The wyrms are also an obvious choice, as they have a ton of room left to grow with the spawner, and even the basic wyrms are perfect for scouting under the ground. Im going to want some serious power houses eventually, and the wyrm spawner seems my best bet for it. The only real downside is that its pretty expensive to upgrade, enough that Ill probably only be able to get a single new type, at least for a while.


    The earth elementals also should probably get upgraded. They have plenty of room for new types, and I still need to choose a specialization for them. Ordinarily, Id be inclined to go for resources for them. Id probably end up effectively getting mobile mining nodes, which would be cool. But I also should look to see if the physical or magical specializations offer anything in the way of sneaky scouts. The rockslides have been amazing for getting intel. On the other hand, the wyrms might be able to take over that role if I get more of them, freeing the elementals to go for resources.


    I could even pay through the nose to respec them after the battle, but even with my mana ie, that feels like a waste. Im leaning towards the resource focus for them, but Ill wait on actually deciding, at least for now.


    Lastlye the hands. They were a lot more effective than I was expecting, so I shouldnt underestimate the little guys. If further upgrades can pack even more magical might into small packages, they could be a great choice. But what to choose?


    I think Ill actually wait for Leo to respawn before I spend anything, but I can stille up with a few options while I wait. If I build an army like a party, there are roles to fill: heavies, lights, supports, range. By that metric, Id say I have light attackers and range covered, at least to a point. The wolves, in basically all their forms, are great light attackers, able to get in, do a lot of damage, and get out before retaliation hits. The hands and birds are my range attacks, and I could probably swap the birds for bats as we get back under the ground.


    I have some support denizens, but not as much as I might have expected. While I cant forget the healing ants and slimes, Id like to get a denizen that can put out some buffs or debuffs. With my current spawners, its probably the hands who will be most likely to be able to provide that kind of support, though a new wolf might manage something, too.


    Imcking in heavies right now. The twinsnakes are pretty heavy, but thanks to the winter, theyre pretty limited. They should do better once deeper into the earth, at least. I think if I want to get more heavies, Id expect the wyrms to be the ones to offer a new tanky denizen. The earth elemental spawner could definitely do it, too, but Id not only have to abandon the hope of focusing on resources, but Id probably have to kiss subtle elementals goodbye.


    So probably the wyrm and hand spawners for the best chances at filling the gaps in my army. It looks like Ill have enough to get the dragon spawner to cough up something new, but itll be close. I might need to try to encourage more delver activity to cover the cost or try to figure out why I didnt get a boost from that battle. We did kill a <em>lot</em> of invaders, and Rocky even smoked the enemy scion, so wheres my mana?


    It doesnt take long to figure that out, at least. I can see Rocky has arge pile of reserved mana sitting in his proverbial pocket that neither I nor he can ess. Im pretty sure its because hes on expedition. Scouts dont get to keep the intel they gather if they donte back to report in, research expeditions have to bring the interesting things back, so why wouldnt fighters have to bring back the mana they gain, too?


    Ill have Teemo check with Leo, or maybe bug Poe while we wait for my wolf to respawn. Once hes back, we can talk about what upgrades to get, and rotate out the denizens on the front line so we can get at the mana Ill need to actually afford them.


    I also need to talk to everyone about what to do, going forward. Aranya and Yvonne will want to know how the battle went, and Tarl will probably have advice for fighting the other dungeon. Ill also need to check in with Rer and see about his ns for encouraging more delving. This campaign is going to be longer than anyone was hoping for.

 Chapter One-Hundred Ninety-Three

    Chapter One-Hundred Ny-Three


    While I wait for Leo and Honey to respawn, there are at least some things I should do. For one: I should gather my peoples for a meeting. Somewhere around noon tomorrow sounds good. Aranya and Yvonne are obvious to invite, as well as Tarl. My High Priestess and the Inspector both know way more about dungeons than I do, and my favorite birb deserves to have her opinion heard on any risks Im taking.


    The Spiderkin Triumverate and Larx also should hear whats going on. Theyve all been preparing to fight Aranyas old dungeon, but we still havent found any actual leads on it yet. While Im kinda tempted to not tell them about the Harbinger and its dungeon, it wouldnt really help my dwellers. Theyll find out eventually, and either immediately jump in to try to make up for lost time, or think they did something to make me think they dont deserve to fight. If they want to join the fight, I wont stop them. Itd probably be good practice for them anyway.


    Ill also need to invite Rer. I dont know if he has many resources to directly offer for this fight, but Ill probably need his help to convince people to delve a bit more. I need to spend on a lot of upgrades if I want to bring this fight to the Harbingers home.


    And speaking of, I cant ignore my own home. Its easy to forget my projects here with the distraction of the Southwoods troubles. I only really have three ongoing right now, with one just about ready for the public.


    While Ive been focusing more on the north, Queen and Thing have been working hard on thebyrinth. Codas been working, too, but hes a bit more focused on the lighthouse. Still, hes gotten the main mechanical parts of the maze working. That,bined with the magical and alchemical fun, means thevabyrinth is just about ready for business! Im sure Rer will be happy to talk to the miners and whatnot and give them the official Thedeim go-ahead to run around in the new yground.


    And with that project mostly ready, itll free Coda to focus a bit more on the lighthouse. The first floor is more or lessplete, so now Hullbreak needs to decide what to actually do with it. At the moment, its mostly an open floor, though there are several rings of arches to keep it stable. If the water dungeon doesnt have any ideas, Ill probably suggest to him to make the first floor a miniature maze. It doesnt have the massive footprint of my hedge maze, but there should still be room to put in some winding hallways and intersections, sprinkled with a few chests and encounters.


    And the final project: to get a metalworks. Im not really surprised that Fluffles isnt that into it. He gave it a proper try, but it just doesnt resonate with him. Even Nova gave it a try, but I think, if shes going to get into any crafting, shell prefer actual forgework. But the real surprise is that Jello seems to be quite enjoying it. Thest few days, when I could spare a couple minutes to check, Id generally find her in Violets metalworks, working away with Legs on the spearheads.


    She hasnt gotten a title yet, because I dont have ess to the new room yet, but Im pretty confident shell manage it. Im d for her. After the whole mole/gremlin thing, I was a little worried she might take the failure to heart, but I shouldnt have worried. Shes just not the type to worry about that kind of thing. Still, Im d shell have a real sess under her belt, have something to show for all that optimism.


    So that puts all three of my main projects well on the road topletion. Even helping arm my dwellers is going well. Should I try toe up with another something? It only takes a quick nce around for me to see I probably shouldnt. Theres not a whole lot of room for a major project right now. I could expand, but I dont know if I want to try to juggle all the fun new stuff along with the ongoing problem of the Harbinger and its dungeon.


    I should probably just wait. If Im lucky, itll stay in its hole once it respawns, or try to subsume some other dungeon. Or maybe that wouldnt be lucky at all. I wouldnt want it to get even stronger.


    No, I should expect it to try toe back, and I should also expect to be able to track down its dungeon rtively quickly. I mean, my wolves will have a pretty good scent trail to follow. Ill just want to make sure the scouts dont get spotted. A hand or two should be able to keep them hidden, even in the tunnels. And once we get the general area discovered, the wyrms and rockslides can blend in better and get me some of that tasty, tasty intel.


    And speaking of tasty intel: it looks like Leo and Honey are about ready to respawn. I ask Teemo to get them to the war room once theyre ready, and we can all get on the same page, and figure out what to do next.


    <strong>Leo</strong>


    Teeth, darkness, pain, relief


    <em>Life</em>


    Leo gasps as his eyes open, safe and sound back in the wolf den. The relief of escaping that monstrosity of a scion is quickly crushed by the realization that it still lives! He staggers to his paws, eyes wide as he tries to warn his Alpha.


    Easy there, Leo.


    But that thing-


    Its fine, reiterates Teemo. Rocky literally tore it apart, shattered it, and burned what was left to ash. The Southwood and Thediem both are fine.


    Leo takes a minute or two to get his panic back under control, though he finds it much more difficult to control his shame at his defeat. He cant even think of anything he could have done differently. That monster was utterly beyond him. Even with Honeys help, the weight of its focus was


    The wolf shudders and tucks his tail, before feeling a weightnd on his head and scratch his ear.


    Hey, none of that. Youre home safe, and the Boss isnt upset. If youre ready, he wants you and Honey to tell him what happened, and then well all decide what to do next.


    Leo does his best to stifle the whimper rising in his throat, and nods without speaking.


    Hey I mean it when I say the Boss isnt upset with you, Leo. He was able to watch the battle through the eyes of you guys, and hes got nothing but good things to say about your tactics and movements. Once you two give your reports, hes gonna want to hear your rmendations for what directions to take a few spawners, to make sure we have what well need to field a formidable army the next time we fight.


    The number of absurdities in what the Voice just said are well <em>absurd</em>. The wolf is so thrown off, he can only echo thest of what he just heard. The next time?


    Leo can feel him nod. Yeah, the next time. That thing was definitely a scion, which means it has a dungeon to respawn in. It also probably has more spawners than just the weird leach-heads. So get that tactical brain in gear, because the Boss needs it.


    Leo is feeling a lot less secure in his so-called tactical mind than the Voice and Alpha are, but if they still want his input, he refuses to let it be anything but his best. He takes a moment to focus himself, then lets Teemo lead him to the library as he thinks.


    What could he have done better, with what he had? He goes over the battle in his mind, looking for mistakes. While he certainly wouldnt call it wless, there are few ring mistakes he can think of. The biggest one was letting his forces get surrounded. The trenches were designed to be able to push back an assault from the single entrance, but he cant assume an enemy will only attack from the position he knows about.


    Hell need to redesign the defensive positions the tunnelbore ants can dig, to ensure being encircled like that wont force a desperate gambit like charging the enemymander to buy the denizens time to dig out a fresh escape route. Yes his major mistakes were in getting surrounded, and in dying. Hell need to try to join in on the spars that Fluffles likes to organize, before heading back out to the lines.


    He might have to settle for sparring with Rocky instead, depending on how quickly he needs to get back.


    Hes drawn from his thoughts as he enters the library and finds Honey simply sitting on the checkout desk, looking introspective.


    Howre you holding up, Honey? asks the Voice, and Honey jerks at the sound, before giving a timid dance of apology.


    Nothing to be worried about. Respawning can be a bit disorienting, especially after a battle with stakes. Believe me, I know, speaks Teemo with gentle encouragement. Honeys reply is still a bit distracted and uncertain.


    The battle went fine. Rocky obliterated that Harbinger, and thanks to the quick thinking of getting the denizens into the holes, it wasnt too big of a deal to clean up the rest of the invaders. Are you up for a debrief? The Boss wants to hear your guys take on the whole thing, and then your advice on how to upgrade some of his spawners. He has a few ideas, but he wants to make sure hes reading the tactical situation right first.


    Honey dances an affirmative, looking a little more confident by the end, and then the three slip through a shortcut to the secret war room. Leo cant help but tuck his tail and show his belly when Teemo asks him to report, but the gentle warmth through the bond gives truth to the Voices ims. The Alpha isnt here toy me or punishments. Mistakes will be acknowledged so they can be fixed.


    Even with Teemos warning, its still a bit of a shock when he asks for Leo and Honeys opinions on what spawners to upgrade. Leo leans towards upgrading the earth elemental spawner to produce some bruisers, but has to admit the dragon spawner will probably produce something at least as tough. The idea of a stealthy path for the elementals is intriguing, too. The rockslides are excellent scouts even with their poor mobility. If the spawner can produce something stealthy and quick, it could be just what Leo needs to direct the forces of his Alpha properly.


    Hes also more inclined to leave the hands be, at least for now. If ites to anotherrge sh, the Alpha wants sh to be there to bolster the army, so having further effects from the hands is less of a priority.


    Leos rmendation is to upgrade the dragon spawner and see what it produces after wyrms. While hes certainly willing to spend the time to go through the apparent multitude of options with the earth elemental spawner, the wyrms and slides are very good scouts already. The biggest gap in the Alphas forces are in heavy units that can operate in a wide variety of environments. The only ce Leo can think that the wyrms cant work in would be underwater, but theyve already dealt with a hostile in that situation.


    Leo gets the feeling this new enemy dungeon will not be so reasonable as to surrender like Hullbreak did.

 Chapter One-Hundred Ninety-Four

    Chapter One-Hundred Ny-Four


    Leos probably right in that I should upgrade the dragon spawner if I want some heavies, and Im pretty sure I <em>do</em> want some heavies. Dragons are never pushovers, and even the wyrms are pretty tough, especially for the initial spawn! The rest of the debrief and chat takes us until dawn, and Teemo says Leo would like to do a bit of sparring with Fluffles before going back to the front line, if thats alright.


    While Id like him back quickly, I think he can take a day or two to get himself settled, and Honey, too. I make sure I wont be messing with his ns if I send a few wolves with illusion hands into the tunnels, then spend the mana to do just that. Then grumble as I remember theyre on expedition and I cant just give them orders. Thankfully, I can have Rocky give them an order, even if it costs even more. Its probably because hes not amander like Poe or Leo. Anyway, once Leo gets back to the front, Ill have him try to get Southwood to send some kitsune into the tunnel to scout, too.


    All those invaders are sure to have left their scent over the tunnels, so the canids should be able to track them back to the source without too much difficulty. And their keen noses should hopefully warn them to head back once they find the source, instead of needing to get close enough to potentially get caught.


    Wyrms will be the main scouting force at that point, as well as the rockslides, so I dump a big chunk of my mana into the dragon spawner and get an upgrade, but its going to take another two or three, I think, before it gives me something new. For now, Ill just ept more wyrms, and the boost Nova gets from me upgrading her spawner.


    With that, its not hard for Teemo to head out and give the invitations for a meeting. Noon might be a bit short notice, but I think everyone should be informed as quickly as possible. Im also definitely going to need Rers help in upping my mana ie, which just feels weird to contemte. Im pretty sure I make a lot more than most dungeons period, and definitely make a lot for my size. Usually, I dont need to worry about waiting for the mana to rue, but this hostile dungeon has me a little on edge.


    At least thevabyrinth should be a huge uptick in generation. Rer will probably only need to say its ready for business and the ce will be swarmed. Hopefully itll be enough of a mana boost to upgrade the dragon spawner quickly. The wyrms are incredibly powerful for being just the first spawn, but the spawner is also incredibly hungry for mana to upgrade.


    I just need to be patient, which is easier said than done with the mysterious home of that harbinger out there. I do my best to try to rx and watch the delvers as I wait for noon. The miners in the cavernyer have started upping their production, quarrying out strong stone for the lighthouse, and its interesting to watch them work. They drill a line of small holes, then hammer in some special wedges, and then its like theyre ying a song on the rock as they whack away, using the tone of the wedges to tell where the stress is the greatest.


    I would say its nothing on what sh can do, but he stops by to watch and listen a bit, too. I doubt hell be ying anything like that, but its a good example of earth and sonic working together.


    I feel much better as noon rolls around, and I prepare to nudge Honey and Leo to meet up in the public war room. Honey, I dont need to bother. She already has her home swarm setting everything up, including a rushed map of the area north of Southwood. She even has Teemo helping get everything set up to her liking. I do need to remind Leo, though, as hes currently sparring and chatting with Fluffles. I think hes trying to get advice on expanding his affinities, but I dont know enough about shadow affinity to offer any advice.


    I should try to point him towards Tiny for some advice. While the big guy hasnt expanded his affinities either, he can definitely help Leo navigate fate a bit. Thatd probably be a huge boost inmanding armies.


    Anyway, I give him enough time to refresh himself some so hes not panting the entire time, and soon people start showing up. Aranya arrives first, along with Larx, Frn, Vernew, and Norloke.


    My pretty red kobold smiles at my Voice as the group moves to the table. Hello Teemo. Looks like Honey is going all out for this one.


    Teemo chuckles. Heh, yeah. She and Leo have a lot of info to present, so I figure its better to let her handle organizing it all. Wheres Yvonne?


    Shes getting the party, as well as Tarl and Berdol. She would get Mayor Rer, too, but I believe hell want to arrive semi-officially.


    Teemo shudders. Politics, bleh.


    Larx smirks at Teemos reaction. Appearances help keep the people from panicking. If the Mayor rushed to some emergency meeting with the weird local dungeon, people might wonder if something is wrong.


    Teemo still sticks his tongue out at the idea. People shouldnt worry so much, but yeah, I get it. Oh, feel free to have a seat, everyone. I dont think Honey has any specific ces in mind? he says uncertainty, ncing to the bee who does a quick jig in negative. Yeah, just have a seat while we wait. Howre the enves doing? I havent had a chance to take a good visit in a couple weeks.


    Larx gratefully takes a seat before replying. Were still toying with new forge and smelter designs. Its mostly all theorycraft still. We might need to focus on some alchemy first, oddly enough. Our current firebricks wear too quickly for the new designs, so well need to figure something out. Jouler is looking into enchanting instead, hoping runework will be a viable alternative, but well see.


    Frns got a boyfriend! pipes up Vernew with a wide grin. The small spiderkin deliberately chose a spot that puts Norlock between her and therger woman, having expected reprisal for spilling the beans. Instead of a death re, Frn actually blushes a little and nods.


    I invited Yamik to dinner, she admits with little embellishment.


    Hes the lobster wrangler, right? asks Aranya, beaming with genuine happiness for the tarant kin. They all happily chat and congratte Frn, trying to wring details from the taciturn woman. She doesnt give much, though it seems at least partially because there arent many to give. It was a quiet meal together, and a nice talk thatsted well into the evening.


    Yvonne arrives not long after with Ragnar, Ara, Tarl, Berdol, and the guildmaster of the adventurers guild? What was his name again?


    Karn, whispers Teemo for my benefit, before raising his voice. Heya Yvonne! Looks like youve got an extra?


    Yvonne nods. Yes, the guildmaster managed to catch wind of us all gathering, and would like to attend.


    I dont want to force it, though, speaks up the thin orc. If its private, I can go.


    I consider for a few moments, before giving Teemo my answer.


    The Boss says thats fine. He didnt specifically invite you because he figured youd be busy or just not interested, but hes not going to turn down some more help.


    Great! If he has anything he needs help with, I have a whole guild full of adventurers already trying to not be too bored with winter slowing things down.


    They all take a seat at therge table, and Tarl studies therge map. Thats the Southwoods northern border?


    Teemo nods. Yeah, thats where the fighting has been. Ill save the details for when Rer gets here, though. Theres a lot to get through, so I dont really wanna repeat it.


    The elf nods at that and confers with his apprentice, going over notes and the basics of the Southwood in general. It quickly draws in the others as questions are asked, and soon Tarl is practically giving his own presentation on the Southwood and the way it functions.


    As he starts winding down, Rer and his entourage enter the front gate, and Teemo goes to greet him. His honor guard is allowed to do some delving while Miller apanies him to the war room. He looks a lot less nervous than I would expect, when everyone focuses on him, but I dont know if hes just getting better at acting, or if hes genuinely getting morefortable with attention. Either way, its time to get the meeting underway.


    Alright, speaks up Teemo. Just to make sure everyones on the same page: The Boss has been helping the Southwood with an invader problem. Leo and Honey have been the ones mostly handling it, along with the Boss denizens. Things had been going pretty smoothly, until yesterday.


    Looks ranging from curiosity to concern are directed at Teemo, who mostly ignores them as he continues.


    The invaders movements had been strange for about a week before, so the Boss also sent Rocky as a bit of insurance. It was a good thing he did. Honey?


    My bee scion buzzes and dances as her bees take up positions on the map, each carrying a little picture of either one of my denizens, or one of the invaders. The bees move as details are drawn on the map, and Teemo trantes.


    Leo was able to direct the scouts to find the enemy base, which turned out to be more of a beachhead. Theyre from deep under the ground, as far as we can tell, and this was their exit to the surface. They were building up their forces, and if we waited much longer, we probably wouldnt have been able to stop them.


    And thats not counting the enemy scion that joined the battle. Yeah, Tarl, its a scion, unless wild invaders can get titles?


    Tarl taps his fingers against the table as he thinks. They can in theory, but if they were building up forces before attacking, thats definitely dungeon behavior.


    Teemo nods and continues. With its specific title, the Boss doesnt think its wild, either. Heres what it looks like. Teemo pauses for a moment as Honeys bees start passing out drawings of the Harbinger. Its a real nasty piece of work, with mental affinity to boot. The leach-heads, as the Boss is starting to call them, arent exactly tactical fighters, but this thing couldmand them like an extension of itself. It was able to defeat both Leo and Honey, though thankfully Rocky was able to handle it.


    Aranyas gasp catches Teemos attention. It doesnt sound like shes worried about the two scions that are now at the table with her. Shes looking at the picture with trembling hands, not noticing everyones attention.


    Aranya? asks Yvonne, voicing everyones concern for the kobold.


    Her eyes snap to Yvonne for a moment, wild and wide, before she gives a shuddering exhale and turns the paper over, hiding the image of the Harbinger. She takes a few more calming breaths before looking to Teemo.


    That was leading a force from a dungeon?


    Teemo slowly nods. Yeah?


    That is what the hunters brought as tribute to the dungeon on the day I escaped. Thats the thing that went berserk and smashed my cage. I fled in the confusion, and I thought the dungeon would have surely just killed the thing and absorbed its mana.


    Yvonne frowns. Do you think it subsumed your old dungeon, then?


    I doubt it, interjects Tarl, causing all eyes to turn to him. Ive been trying to research the invader ever since you gave me those anatomical sketches. Nothing is even remotely simr to them. Ive never seen anything like this monster, either. You never saw any of the weird invaders when the thing was presented to your dungeon?


    Aranya shakes her head, and Tarl continues. If it was some wild invader and subsumed the dungeon, it would almost-certainly stay put. Theres not a lot of information about invaders subsuming dungeons, but I havent read any reports of the ones responsible heading out to attack more. They seem to settle down for a while, or maybe just dissipate back into the stagnant mana, maybe to guard against another dungeon forming. Either way, they dont go out and attack another dungeon. If it was a rival dungeon and subsumed your old dungeon, it would have sent some of these leach-heads as support, especially if this thing can wield them so effectively. You would have seen them attacking as you fled, if nothing else.


    Tarl pauses and frowns, not liking where his logic is leading him, but also not having any other ideas that seem viable to him. If they work so well together, that implies they have the same type. I dont think it killed your dungeon, nor do I think your dungeon killed it. I think it <em>transferred</em> to your old dungeon, either away from some other dungeon, or was somehow pacified from being wild. Either way, if something like that became a scion, it would create a spawner. These things could be the lowest-tier creature of the spawner, with hopefully the leader as the apex.


    He pauses and shakes his head. Its a lot of ifs and maybes, but


    But it fits, says Teemo with certainty, echoed by grim expressions from Aranya and Yvonne. Even I can feel it in my affinity, despite how much I dont like it. Weve found Aranyas old dungeon, and its somehow gotten even nastier since shest saw it.

 Chapter One-Hundred Ninety-Five

    Chapter One-Hundred Ny-Five


    Much as Id like to brood over the implications of the mystery dungeon being Aranyas old dungeon, Im not the only one considering the information. Larx is frowning as he thinks, while Frn looks determined.


    Well need to start marching soon, deres therge spiderwoman, before turning her focus to Larx. We will need your help in the cold, as well. Once back under the ground, we should be able to move fine, but even with the Scouts shortcuts, the cold will be taxing. Vernew nods at that while Norloke looks thoughtful. She stays quiet as the ratkin elder speaks.


    I believe we can move whenever youre ready, Frn. I think well both be waiting on Norloke to make some thicker winter wear, though, he says with a smirk, and the orbweaver nods absently.


    Yes I havent had to design much in the way of warm clothing. There are a few techniques that should work, but will take at least a few days to test out.


    Thats fine, speaks up my Voice. The Boss wants to get Leo there to direct scouting the tunnels before we send any kind of actual force down there. From all appearances, its probably a couple days march from the surface to the foe, but Thedeim wants to be certain we wont get ambushed or stumble into them only a mile or two deep.


    If you need scouts, speaks up the orc, I have a lot of adventurers who would love to stick their noses into ces that may want to chop them clean off. In fact, you said its near the Southwood? Its a great ce to delve, even in winter, but the snows tend to keep adventurers away thiste in the year. Crafters are always starving for resources this time of year, since most adventurers take this time to try to get some upgrades. Im certain I can get some quests from them. Wed not only get the Southwood a nice mana injection, but help outfit adventurers who would be more than happy to raid some hostile dungeon.


    He smirks over at Ragnar, Ara, and my residents. After you helped take down Neverrest, I had a <em>lot</em> ofints about missing out on that kind of quest. If Thedeim is aiming to take down a second dungeon, half the guild would leap at the chance, and the other half would go along as well, just to have something to do.


    That sounds great to me. The Boss isnt going to turn down help, and getting the Southwood some more mana would be great. And speaking of getting mana: the Boss is going to need a lot for this fight. He wants to upgrade the dragon spawner to get whatever is after wyrms, but the thing is expensive to upgrade. Thankfully, thevabyrinth is pretty much ready. Theres a few other finishing touches to add, but nothing really keeping him from letting the delvers officially in to run around and do their things.


    Rer nods to himself at that. Ill let the smithing and mining guilds know. Theyve been desperate to get at the mythril and orichalcum.


    Ragnar interrupts with a low whistle. Ygot <em>both</em>? Yer lucky they havnae barged in t mine already! One or tothers all well an good, but <em>both</em> is enough t cut off alf yer beard for.


    Rer chuckles at that. That might be underselling it. Bjorn looked almost possessed when he barged into the merchants meeting and started shouting about it. From the looks of the other merchants, its a majormodity. Im not well-versed in the metals trade, but if a dwarf is excited about it, thats all I really need to know.


    That earns some politeughter around the table, before Rer continues. I also think it shouldnt be too difficult to convince the merchants and crafters to step up their delving and trading. Winter is usually a slow season for them. It shouldnt take much to remind the crafters that Thedeim doesnt have to close for the cold, and the merchants will be more than happy to step up trade with the enves. With them moving to a bit more of a war footing, Im sure theyll want a lot of goods. In fact, if youre going to be moving a lot of people a long distance, you might want to see about getting some wagons to help carry the supplies.


    Larx and Norloke nod at that, with the spiderwoman replying. Well need to work with a wainwright to make a yoke for the tarantkin. One or two should be more than enough to haul a loaded wagon.


    When nobody else has anything to add, Teemo picks back up the lead. The first floor of the lighthouse should be done soon, which should also help ease the Boss mana load. Hes been having to help shore up Hullbreak with the winter making it too cold for normal delving.


    Oh, normal delving will probably be picking up there soon, pipes up Karn, and he soon expands. The delving there was slow to start with, what with everyone still being used to Hullbreak being belligerent and difficult to delve in the first ce. But Old Staiven sent me a note the other day saying he should have proper aquatic potions for sale again soon. He had a bit of a supply issue thats been ironed out, so that should help Thedeim keep more of his mana, too.


    Tarl nods at that. I had heard Freddie, Rhonda, and Larrez were able to delve and brought back a literal boatload of kelp. Its probably an ingredient in the potion. Do you have many adventurers wholl want to delve Hullbreak?


    Karn nods. Definitely. I dont have anyone who was able to delve Hullbreak before the uh incident, but theres more than one group of seadogs spending winter here who would love to dive in and keep the rust off.


    Thatd be a big help. If the Boss can keep his mana for himself, not to mention getting new delvers in thebyrinth, he should be able to upgrade a few spawners and maybe even get the ant enve started.


    That earns a few surprised looks for Teemo.


    A third enve? asks Rer.


    Yeah, says Teemo with a nod. Hes been leaning heavy into the ants for thebyrinth, and the spawner is maxed out now. If it wasnt for the Southwoods trouble, hed probably already have them progressing.


    Larx and the spiderkin look happy at the idea of another enve to live with, and Aranya looks eager to help guide their growth to be the best they can be.


    Can you support a third enve? asks Karn, looking a bit concerned.


    Teemo shrugs. I dont see why not. He had a spot in thebyrinth picked out, but itll need to be expanded. It got a bit co-opted for a bit morebyrinth in there, but theres still plenty of room to dig. The Boss is expecting theyll be a bit fiery, and theres a pretty volcanic section past thebyrinth that they should be able to hunt or farm in. He should be able to do like with the ratkin and expand in a way to still give them plenty of room to hunt and grow.


    Speaking of growing, asks Tarl, Hows Violet doing?


    Shes doing well, still filling in herst expansion. The Boss worries a little about her defenses, but you havent seemed too bothered by it?


    Tarl smiles and shakes his head. Shes shaping up to be a toybox, which is fine. I should take Berdol to do a fresh inspection, butst I saw, she had plenty to keep invaders at bay, which is honestly all she needs. If she wants to focus more on resource nodes, theres no problem with that. Shell honestly be cornering quite a niche if thats how she decides to progress.


    Yeah? asks Teemo, voicing my own curiosity.


    Yeah. Shes a deep dungeon, which are usually belligerent at best. If she can offer the kinds of resources they tend to have, but without the danger, shell have more mana than shell know what to do with.


    I smile to myself at that, imagining Violet with a sprawling domain, full of delvers happily gathering from her nodes, probably using all sorts of fancy rooms for crafting. She might even have some kind of arena like Rockys for Onyx.


    How can we encourage more people to delve her? asks Yvonne. Thedeim already has a lot of simr nodes. She only really has her bunny node to stand out.


    Tarl frowns slightly. Thats the hard part. While shed be swimming mana once she gets into more advanced things, Thedeim is already cornering the market a bit on that sort of stuff. She has simpler things right now, so not a whole lot of people are going to want to delve the young dungeon, especially with Thedeim trying to help train people for harder delves.


    Should the Boss try to up his lowest difficulty, and give Violet a niche with newer delvers?


    The elf thinks for a few moments before shaking his head with a sigh. Most delvers are already past the point of needing the beginner challenge that Violet can provide.


    Hmm.


    Teemo quirks an eyebrow at my idea, but decides to pass it on anyway. What about kids?


    What?es the surprised reply from many around the table, so Teemo quickly exins.


    Freddie and Rhonda are probably outliers, but kids need to get their first ss <em>somewhere</em>, right? Probably with their parents guidance or something? What about bringing a ss or two of kids down to do a little delving. You know, bonk a few centipedes, see what its like to do a little mining or rabbit hunting, help the kids figure out what they actually want to do.


    Tarl gives Teemo a t look. I hope youre not about to make a whole generation of kids with rare sses.


    Teemo just shrugs again, before Rer interjects. I believe some towns have programs along those lines. Even artisan sses can gain a lot from knowing how to gather the raw material for their work, and dungeons are where the best materials are. Ill look into those programs, and see if the local parents would be interested in something like that here. I think Thedeim starts well for apprentices, but could be a bit intense for most children. An actual toybox could be the kind of ce a nervous parent could send their child, with adventurous supervision, of course, he says, looking over at Karn. The orc nods.


    Id be happy to provide security myself. If a parent isnt willing to let their kid into a toybox under the eye of the leader of the local adventurers guild, they probably barely let them out of the house.


    Then Ill definitely need to do that inspection. Shell need to be officially categorized by the Dungeoneers if theres going to be any kind of outreach like that. Sending a child to a toybox is one thing, but into an uncategorized dungeon is another. Besides, itll be good practice for Berdol for us to do that kind of detailed inspection.


    Then I think thats about all the Boss needed to bring up? Karn, if you have any groups who want to go scout, or go delve Southwood, let me know. Ill show them the shortcuts thatll make it easier to get there.


    Karn nods and the meeting ends, though nobody clears out just yet. They all start chatting about various details, coordinating for the ns, or just catching up on life with friends. I cant help but smile to myself as I listen. Its easy to get caught up in my head and think Ill have to face stuff on my own, but I have my friends who can and will help. While itll probably be on me and my scions to strike the final blow against the mystery dungeon, Id never get there without help.


    And seeing everyone working together, talking,ughing, helps keep me focused on why Im fighting in the first ce. I should make sure to never get too wrapped up in the fighting to forget what Im fighting for.

 Chapter One-Hundred Ninety-Six

    Chapter One-Hundred Ny-Six


    <strong>Elsewhere</strong>


    Deep beneath the surfaceys the dungeon known as the Maw. Just outside the Maw,ys the town of Silvervein. The inhabitants, almost-entirely pale elves and pale dwarves, are emancipated dwellers, released from the Maw so they can better provide it with mana. The priesthood of The Great Maw holds sway over the town, with varying levels of enthusiasm by the inhabitants.


    Most of them, like most people in any town, do their best to ignore politics. They simply want to live their lives as best they can, with many unaware of how off-putting their society is to outsiders. Most of them dont particrly care what the outsiders think, as most of what lives beyond the guarded tunnel entrances are monsters.


    But there are some who dream of more, and are shrewd enough to consider that maybe, just maybe, its not an opinion that should be shared with just anyone. The priesthood takes a very dim view on dissenting voices, and those whoin too loudly will often find their contributions to The Great Maw to be insufficient. Those unlucky enough to gain the attention of the priesthood will generally find themselves offered to the Maw, as the hungry dungeon can always use more mana.


    For most, its just a further encouragement to stay out of politics. For some, its just another sign that there can be something better, but one must be careful how one dreams. Dreaming in your bed at night is one thing, but dreaming out in the day will draw attention.


    A loosework of dreamers carefully probe, daring to hope for something more. One such dreamer is a cheese maker, Serd. Hes an elf, born into a line of cheese makers, and quite fond of his job, and his decay affinity helps the process along perfectly. In his youth, he tried to raise milkworms, hoping to be able to master the entire process, but the worms are more ornery than he expected. He had to take the worm to the butcher after it copsed a wall in the cheese cer, ruining an entire rack of product.


    As an adult, he supposes it was a good lesson for him to learn: dream, but not recklessly. A rack of cheese is a small price to pay to learn things are moreplex than they might seem at first. So hes left the milkworms to the wranglers, and outwardly turned his focus back to his cheeses. While he does take pride in his experiments with smoking cheeses, his true work is in finding others who would like to have somece better.


    Like the veins running through a proper blue cheese, hes slowly built awork of fellow dreamers. Hes been cautious, ensuring that people dont share names, dont meet up with others face to face, dont even tell <em>him</em> the details of who they might bring in.


    It hasnt been perfect, but he thinks its been working well. Some groups get discovered, but the security measures keep the tragedies to handfuls of people, instead of exposing the entirework. Sometimes he wonders if he might be able to overthrow the priesthood if he went public, but thats a particr dream that is beyond even him.


    Hes no daring leader, and even if he somehow could scrape together enough people with enough levels to challenge the priests, theres nothing he could do against the Maw. Hes seen others try, usually by attempting to sneak an invader deep into the Maw, but nobody has tried in many years. The Redcaps public haberdashery of thest offender was enough to dash any other ideas of simr ns.


    He sighs as he pulls the wire frame curd cutter from the wall, and sets about cutting thetest batch of curd. If only processing guilt was so easy. He had thought it a stroke of luck to turn one of the cardinals, one of the people positioned high enough to actually be able to enact change!


    It had been a long process, dropping subtle words and suggestions off with each wheel of his best work. Only, when he went to drop off this months shipment, the cardinal wasnt there to ept it. Instead, it was an acolyte Serd wasnt familiar with, though the look of zeal in the young dwarfs eyes was unmistakable.


    Oh? Where is the cardinal? She usually collects my offering directly. Is she busy? he asked, trying to keep it casual. It quickly became clear something was wrong, as the dwarf snarled and prepared to spit. The acolyte was forced to simply swallow the phlegm, thanks to all the other food around, but he didnt need to be so concerned with his opinions.


    The cardinal has been hatted for being a traitor, growled the acolyte, and Serd made no effort to keep his face from growing even paler at that. ns to free the kobolds were found in her room. Thankfully, the inquisitors discovered it before they could go much further, he finished with a cruel grin.


    Ah uh, good to catch it so early? he awkwardly replied, which seemed to satisfy the zealous acolyte. His cheese was epted, with even the low-ranked dwarf seeming to be happy to have it. Serd is hardly a cheese<em>master</em>, but his sessful experiments are apparently conversation pieces among the priests, and new challenges for the chefs.


    He shakes the memory off as he shakes the cutter clean, then starts to drain the tub of the whey. He hadnt known he had made such an impression on the cardinal, but at least she didnt sell him out. If so, hed have probably been consumed by the Maw, no matter how interesting his experiments are. He almost wishes she had told him about her ns to free the kobolds, but its probably for the best she didnt.


    Still it could be a good idea. The Maw losing its dwellers could be a blow to its legitimacy and power. If something so jealously guarded and cared for were to be taken from the Maw, the people might listen to calls for change. Or they might not care. Those who believe in The Great Maw see the kobolds as its sacred delicacy. Those people would chase the kobolds to the molten abyss and beyond to get them back. Some others take pity on the kobolds, but dont dare to speak up for them.


    Unfortunately most people just try to ignore them, and with them so carefully guarded by the Maw, its easy to do just that. Hmm could he be subtle about it? Breaking them free would probably only make a mess, but what if he tried to make it so people cant forget about the kobolds?


    While he cant exactly go around giving speeches to argue for their freedom, he could try something a bit more subtle. He might even get the priesthood to endorse it, if he ys his cards right.


    As he lets the whey drain, he goes over his cheese notes, looking for what seemed to be the favored one for snacking directly. Hell need to get new molds made, and adjust the process for a smaller size, but it could work. If he ys up the sacredness of the kobolds, make them sympathetic, the people may take it more to heart, and so be more open to helping them. The priesthood would have difficulty mping down on that kind of sentiment, too, especially if he uses the priests own words against them.


    Hell have to start slow, really emphasize the importance of the kobolds to the Maw, make it seem like a refutation of what the cardinal was doing. Once the new snack is established, itll only take a subtle change in the message to emphasize empathizing with them. Once thats done, the priesthood will have a hard time arguing down the natural questions about how to improve the lot of the kobolds. Yes this could work.


    Kobold cheese, shaped like their namesake. The molds will be difficult to make, but he has some coin to spend for his projects. The texture of a carved mold would usually invite irregrities into the cheese, but with small enough molds, it shouldnt make too much of a difference. Hell need one he can easily elerate with his affinity, probably a softer cheese, but not a spreadable one.


    Kids will love it, he has no doubt. Not all will carry the happy memories all the way to adulthood, and fewer will associate the actual kobolds with the memories, but maybe enough. It will take a long time, if it works at all, but it will still be him taking action. Hed like to do more, but what else can he do? Even something like this risks him being hatted, but he cant stand by and do nothing any longer.


    Hell just have to be patient and take it slow, be prepared for the inevitable investigation. He smiles as he pulls out his notes on the favored snacking cheese. Patience and attention to detail are the hallmarks of making cheese. Even if his affinity can speed the process, hes no stranger to letting time do the majority of the work, and he already knows hell need to leave the brunt of the work to time. Just as with cheese, trying to rush this will make much more of a mess than just a worm copsing part of his cer.

 Chapter One-Hundred Ninety-Seven

    Chapter One-Hundred Ny-Seven


    The new dawn brings the first official visitors to thevabyrinth. Ive had signs at the entrance saying its still a work in progress, but I couldnt technically force people to stay out. Still, most stayed away, or were happy to harvest the metals closest to the entrance. Its one of those natural things: put a distraction out to keep attention away from what you still need to focus on.


    But with thebyrinth being finished, I can seal those nodes behind long looping corridors, so I dont even need to try to move the actual ore vein. sh is hanging out in the area, ying some music and using his earth affinity to smooth a few rough edges. The magical and alchemical traps are polished to a mirror shine, metaphorically. A big shiny trap isnt something people are going to fall for, generally. The mechanical bits are a bit more rough, but I think Coda is going to have some unexpected help.


    Jello has, somehow, gotten a hold of his designs for the mechanisms, and she and Legs both are working away in Violets metalworks to make the parts. I dont know if Jello will be able to install them, but just having the parts avable ought to make it a lot quicker for Coda to do it himself.


    Its looking like thebyrinth is going to be a goldmine of mana, too. People dont seem as inclined to wait for official ODA approval for it, unlike most of the other new things I make. I can see Berdol in therge group thats already making their way down, but I think hes here as a delver, not an inspector. Theck of Tarl is a big clue for that. The elf will probably be by in a couple days to do an official inspection, and Ill see if I can take the chance to talk to him a bit more about the Harbinger.


    I didnt have a good chance to talk about it at the meeting, and I didnt want to just blurt it out in front of everyone. The weirdness about what its a harbinger <em>of</em> is pretty concerning, but I think only Tarl really has any context for it. Even then, its probably just going to be another mystery to shove onto his te. Id like him to leverage some help from the ODA, but he might not be able to tell them about it.


    Either way, its a worry that I cant do much about, so I resolve to watch the inaugural run of thevabyrinth. The trip down is pretty uneventful, even though I toss quite a few heavy things at therge group. A twinsnake might be scary for a small party, but theres gotta be close to two dozen adventurers in the group. I actually manage to pull a good surprise with some of the arcane hands, but once they realize theres magical manual mischief in their midst, they rally quickly and keep the miners from anything worse than a good scare.


    They all gather outside the entrance, and separate into half a dozen groups. Berdol speaks up to get everyones attention.


    Alright, everyone should be familiar with the n, so do your best to stick to it. We dont have much information about theyout inside, so make sure to keep track of where you are. Teemo has said there are supposed to be a lot of traps, as well as being the domain of the wyrms. He wouldnt pull something deliberately deadly, but hell still keep what youve gathered if youre beaten, so dont lower your guard.


    He pauses and smirks at the miners. And the miners will probably not pay very much for missing out on all the ore in there. As long as you all keep a good map, the Dungeoneers will pay for info, so keep that in mind, too. Well split up once we can, and hopefully by the end of the day, well all have enough coin to buy something made from the special metals here. Anyst-minute questions?


    Nobody seems to have any, and everyone seems eager to get started, including Berdol. Then lets go!


    With a cheer, everyone forms into a singlerge group again, but now that Ive seen them split, I can see everyone is sticking close to their specific party, even while in therger formation. The smaller groups quickly start splintering at each intersection, and soon theyre all happily exploring thebyrinth. Most of the groups are taking it slow, going at a walking pace and keeping their eyes peeled. One group is being pushed by their miners to hurry, three dwarves practically vering at the idea of the ores hidden in the maze. Their protectors are a trio consisting of a bearkin with arge club, a changeling that looks like a fire mage, and a goblin with a lot of crystals? While Id guess the bearkin is a berserker, I dont know what the goblin is.


    The typical party makeup would suggest either a ranged attacker, or some kind of support, but I honestly have no idea what the little guy actually does. I decide to watch them as they delve, curious about how they fight, and if theyll stumble into a trap in their haste.


    The bearkin and changeling lead the way, with the miners in the middle and goblin at the rear. The berserker is sniffing as they go, and I wonder how much scent can actually tell him. Can he smell the ores? If so, hes going to be a busy bear soon. With the shifting nature of thebyrinth, hell probably be great at finding the actual path.


    The changeling is drawing the map as they go, while the goblin tries to keep their impatient charges from doing anything too stupid.


    This is as fast as we can go, he says in a tone that indicates its not the first time hes had to repeat it with these guys, and expects it wont be thest.


    We cant let the others beat us to the ore!ins what seems to be the lead dwarf, though he has basically no ent at all. We hired you to get us there as quickly as possible, but this isnt even a jogging pace!


    Do you charge around blindly in a new forge? asks the changeling, trying to keep annoyance out of his voice. The three dwarves look scandalized at the very idea.


    Of course not! Theres dangers in a forge if youre not careful!


    What makes you think this is any less dangerous? rumbles the bearkin, hisrge club resting easily on his shoulder.


    Its just a tunnel!


    Inside a <em>dungeon</em>, points out the goblin. Even if this one is friendlier than most, its still a dungeon. Theyre never more dangerous than when exploring a new area, and even more so when its explicitly said to be full of traps. Speaking of, have you managed to sniff any out, Wold?


    The bearkin, apparently Wold, shakes his head with a frown. Nothing out of the ordinary yet. I can smell a lot of mana around, though. Anything magical would be hard to pick out.


    The goblin nods and lets his hand glide across the crystals in his belt, before selecting one. He gently taps it and speaks quietly, though I can feel mana swirling around him as he does.


    Brownie, I have need of your aid. Mana swirls around the crystal as the goblin holds his hand t, and a small figure coalesces. It almost looks like loamy soil shaped into a pudgy humanoid form, and finishes with a little green stocking cap. Two small pebbles seem to form eyes, and it makes strange noises at the goblin, who shakes his head.


    This would be torture for nixie, you know that. Were in a new ce and there should be traps about. I need you to help us find them. I offer milk, honey, and bread as payment, once were back at the guild.


    The brownie looks like its deliberating the offer, but there was no mistaking the look of naked desire in its pebbles when the food was mentioned. It nods and hops off the hand, and the goblin keeps the crystal held as the party continues.


    I watch the little fey as they go, the small thing moving around much faster than the others. It catches the first alchemy trap, which looks to be an itchbomb, and the party decides to route around it. It also catches a magical slowness trap, which has me starting to get a bit worried. It can spot my traps without too much difficulty, which could put the whole concept of thebyrinth in danger.


    I still think its weird you have to pay your summons, Gerlfi, speaks the changeling, eying the brownie as it points out another magical trap. I mean, you already convinced them to help you, why do you have to keep convincing them?


    Because they can still say no. I dont create them, I just transport a small part of them. They still have their own motivations.


    Hard binding angers the spirits, rumbles the bearkin, and Gerlfi nods.


    Wold has the right of it. Theyre fey, not spirits, but its the same principle. How would you like it, Vieds, if you were actuallypelled to listen to my good advice? asks the goblin with a smirk, which the changeling returns.


    It might not be so bad, if you managed to actually give good advice once in a while. Wold chuckles as Gerlfi pretends to be offended. His retort is interrupted by the sound of the brownie finally missing a trap. Wold and Vieds fall through the floor as it rotates, and before they evennd, the trap ms back into ce and clicks, disabling it and separating the party.


    Gerlfi steps forward before stopping himself, not wanting to fall into the same trap, and instead tries to raise his voice. Vieds! Wold! Can you hear me? Are you alright?


    In the tunnel below, the two groan at the unexpected fall, but they havent injured anything. The changeling summons a small fireball to help light the area, revealing the brownie is with them, too. Wolds ear twitches as he hears his goblin friend yelling, and he looks upward as he shouts his own reply.


    Were safe in a second tunnel! I dont see an obvious way back!


    Gerlfi looks relieved that his friends are safe, but it doesnt take long for the reality of the situation to sink in. Separated. Great. Im releasing the brownie! he yells to his friends, before severing the connection and causing the little fey to vanish with a small pop. He somehow manages to keep from pointing out how much hurrying helped contribute to the predicament to the dwarves as he exins their options.


    With us separated, we should head back. I can call on a more powerful fey if you really want to try to continue, but Ill have to offer it a portion of what you mine. That also assumes we wont trip into another trap before then.


    But the ore! insists the lead dwarf, looking like he knows what he should do, but has to fight with his greed to actually do it.


    The goblin simply shrugs. I think were not getting it, at least not today. Right now, the decision is if you want to walk out, or be carried out.


    And if we decide to press on?


    Gerlfi shrugs again. Then I think youll be doing it without me. Im not in the habit of continuing doomed contracts.


    You cant do that! exims the lead dwarf, looking livid, but the slow smile of the goblin stops his bluster in its tracks.


    I cant? Do you really want to argue thenguage of our deal with someone who contracts with <em>fey</em>?


    The lead dwarf looks like he might, but hispanions seem a bit more level-headed. They mp their hands over the loud ones mouth and shake their heads.


    No! No, thats alright. I think getting escorted back to the front gates now would be for the best. No sense hammering burnt metal, after all.


    The goblins smile grows much more warm and much less predatory. Ah, good! I knew you were reasonable dwarves.

 Chapter One-Hundred Ninety-Eight

    Chapter One-Hundred Ny-Eight


    I dont pay too much attention to Gerlfi the summoner as he leads the miners out, instead choosing to watch the other two as they try to navigate thebyrinth without the help of the brownie to point out the traps. They do better than I would have expected. The mage is able to sense when a magical trigger is nearby, and the two take time to carefully find each one theye across.


    Most of the magical triggers are just proximity sensors and are basically just fancy tripwires. Of course, once they find one, they still need a way to defuse them. The very first one, they actually take a seat nearby to try to think of what to do.


    Can we just throw a rock? asks therge bearkin, which makes the changeling shake his head.


    I dont think itll hurt to try, but I think its a life sensor. I also dont know what the trap will actually do. The only magic I feel is from what Im pretty sure is the trigger.


    Wold nods and picks up arge rock. Ill try a rock, be ready to flee if it trips it. He gives Vieds a few seconds to get ready, and the changeling even helps him aim for the right spot, before the bearkin chucks the rock.


    Vieds is proven right when nothing happens, and Wold just nods at the setback. What do we do then? Try to trigger it then run? Try to find a different route?


    The changeling consults the map and sighs. I think backtracking might get us around <em>this</em> one, but theres going to be more traps. Were going to need to get a rogue or maybe even an arcane affinity mage for next time, to deal with all these traps. Meta would be even better, but most of them are crafters.


    Wold grunts at that and leads his friend away from the trap. We should tell crafters toe along for this area, then. They already want whats down here. They could more easily pick exactly what to bring back.


    Vieds nods at that and makes a note on the back of the map. Well, lets see how much we can map out before we miss a trap and hope the dungeon doesnt take our map as punishment.


    They wind their way through the tunnels of thebyrinth for a while, mostly backtracking around the traps, but they do find a couple that are defeated with just a thrown rock. Theres a couple motion detector magical triggers, and various mechanical ones, which can be set off with a well-ced throw. I consider trying to redesign them, but with the mana they make from just triggering them, Im happy to leave them as is. Theyre going slowly enough that theyre definitely going to bring a trap expert next time, so thats fine by me.


    They almost get defeated even trying to cheese my traps. They spot a pressure te trigger and set it off, only for the resulting sleep gas to chase them back down the hallway. One of my wyrms even takes the chance to try to surprise attack them, too.


    Wolds eyes widen a heartbeat before the wyrm bursts from the wall, and he shoves Vieds forward before diving backwards, letting my denizen fly through the air where the bearkin was just a moment earlier. The changeling quickly gets to his feet, quietly admonishing himself as he casts a spell.


    Right, of course there are encounters in here, too. Protection from Fire! Mana settles over the two as Wold stands there, senses alert for the next attack. I can see my denizen looking confused at the spell, uncertain what to do about it.


    I spend a little mana to give it a suggestion. Just do a little probing attack, see if its up to handling some magma. The wyrm still looks uncertain, but decides to try giving Wold a hotfoot, rapidly heating the stone under one of his feet.


    It seems that protection spell is a good one, as he seems to notice the ground going soft before he notices the heat, and he quickly steps aside and ms the area with his club. Even with all that stone between the impact and the wyrm, my denizen is a bit dazed from the force.


    Detect heat! deres Vieds, and soon his eyes fall on the wyrm. There you are he murmurs, clearly trying to figure out what to do with this information. Luckily for my wyrm, these delvers arent the only ones who can sling a bit of magic.


    The wyrm moves quickly, and soon splits off a few blooms of heat inside the rock, forcing the changeling to try to track more than one heat signature.


    Gah, its trying to trick me, Wold! I dont know exactly where it is, theres a couple fakes around us now!


    Where? asks the bearkin, his heavy club ready.


    There, there, and there! he shouts as his form shifts, taking on the shape of a ratkin and using both arms and the tail to point. He does his best to track the two fakes and the real denizen. Be ready, theyre moving towards the surface!


    Wold simply nods, as thats all the time he has before my wyrm makes its move. Each of the fakes bursts from a wall and the floor, one heading for each of the delvers. Vieds dodges his as a line of fire starts to trail from his hand, while Wold swats his own magma ball out of the air with his club.


    A heartbeatter, the wyrm dives from the ceiling, mandibles wide as it hopes to take a bite out of the berserker.


    me Lash! shouts the pyromancer, the trail of fire from his hand quickly coalescing into a flexible line of fire. He swings it forward to catch and close the mouth of the wyrm, giving Wold the time to nt his feet properly and bring his club to bear on the momentarily-immobilized wyrm.


    Rock Crusher! he bellows as the blow hits home, and it looks to me like that attack is fine for crushing wyrms as well as rocks. Still, good work with the decoys, little wyrm. Good way to keep them on their toes. I also didnt expect the fire mage to be able to help that much against a wyrm. A fireball wouldnt do much, but that fire whip was pretty effective. The fire part didnt do anything, but being able to actually tangle up a wyrm with it is a use I wouldnt have expected.


    The pair manage to get past a couple more traps, as well as another encounter with two wyrms this time, before their luck finally runs out. Perhaps ironically, its a heat detector that dooms their delve. The pyromancer easily spots it, and manages to trick it so they can get past, but unluckily for them, Nova is in the area.


    The shy scion waits for them to be in the perfect spot before she simply surfaces near enough to the sensor for it to trip, causing bars at both ends of the section of tunnel to m down, trapping the two.


    They both stare at her for a few moments, before she timidly slips back beneath the surface. Imughing the entire time, proud of Novas little trick! The two delvers sigh and look at the bars.


    Can you smash them Wold?


    The bearkin runs his hands along the thick steel bars. ...maybe, but Id damage my club. Can you melt them?


    Vieds frowns as he considers. Also maybe, but itd take enough of my mana that Id be more or less useless for the rest of the delve.


    They pace and explore the impromptu cell for a few more minutes, before Wold breaks the silence.


    Should we simply surrender, then?


    The changeling winces at that, before sighing and nodding. I think so. Even if we could get out of this, the map indicates were nowhere near the exit yet. At best, wed just get defeated by the next trap or wyrm. We should just save the time and get out. We might be able to do a quest more towards the surface before dinner, if were quick.


    Wold nods and takes a seat, curiously looking around their prison. How do we actually surrender?


    Vieds looks stumped, but the answer soon manifests itself at the bars. One of my magmyrm slipped out of a shortcut just out of sight, and has two small vials in its arms. It reaches through the bars and sets them to the ground before backing up, and the two delvers consider the situation.


    Do we drink these to surrender? asks the changeling, and my magmyrm nods. He and Wold both examine the vials for a few long seconds.


    What do you think it is? rumbles the bearkin, looking like hes not sure the small vial will even be enough of a dose to work on him.


    Im not an alchemist, but the color reminds me of that cloud we ran from earlier. But we dont really know what that did, either he trails off, trying to think. The magmyrm waves its arms to get the attention of the delvers, and tries to exin what it does.


    The denizen mimes drinking the potion, thenys down and closes its eyes. It even makes an adorable snoring sound, which gets Wold to smile.


    A sleeping potion. We really will be putting ourselves at the mercy of the dungeon if we drink.


    Vieds nods. Its not like we arent already at its mercy. He pulls the cork and raises it to Wold in a toast, and the bearkin mirrors him. They each quickly drink the potion and set the vials aside. They each look like theyre about to ask if its working, before Wold gives out arge yawn.


    The changeling chuckles as heys down, looking exhausted. At least it works quickly he mutters before closing his eyes, and Wold follows not long after. My magmyrm gives them a couple minutes before going to gather up about a dozen others, and they retract one of the sets of bars before taking the defeated delvers through a shortcut. They decide to take a pair of nice daggers from the duo before continuing on their way. Before long, the two areying on the grass, just in time for Gerlfi and the miners to exit the manor.


    The goblinughs and gets the miners to help him haul the two adventurers away, and Im enjoying the nice chunk of mana from defeating the delvers. Theyre not the only ones to fall to thebyrinth today, either. Only the few groups that went for more shallow journeys inside manage to get out with any ore. Ill need to ask someone if I should make it a bit easier, or if this is just right. The ones that made it out sessfully are looking like they just won the lotto, though, so it might be too easy. Ill leave it as it is, at least for now. This has been quite the uptick in my mana generation, and if I can have that and also not crash the market for special metals, this will be a huge sess.

 Chapter One-Hundred Ninety-Nine

    Chapter One-Hundred Ny-Nine


    Its around sunset when thest of the miners either walk out or give up. Its also about the time that Tarl and Berdol enter through the main gates. Tarl looks rxed as he follows Berdol, who looks a bit nervous. I watch them curiously for a few moments before remembering they want to inspect Violet again before giving her an official categorization and recognition.


    I dont even need to ask Teemo to say anything before he hops out of a shortcut at the porch and squeaks at the two.


    Hey guys! Inspecting Violet before bed, hmm?


    Tarl chuckles and Berdol nods, and the elf replies first.


    Its generally a good idea to inspect during off hours. It helps keep interruptions to a minimum.


    Teemo nods at that wisdom, then eyes Berdol. How about you? Looking forward to your first official inspection?


    The catkin nods, trying to hide his nerves. Y-Yeah. Shes a toybox, so it shouldnt be a problem. And you can help with questions and such.


    Nope, interrupts Tarl, drawing the gaze of the other two. Youll be doing this one without Teemos help. Other dungeons this young wont have a Voice to talk with, so youll have to learn how to read between the lines and interpret what she wants without being able to actually ask and be answered with words.


    Berdol looks even more nervous about that, while Teemo looks a little disappointed.


    I cante?


    Tarl shrugs. I cant tell you what to do, but just being there shouldnt hurt anything. Just no interpreting for Violet, please.


    Teemo brightens up at that. Deal! You guys want a shortcut down to the tunnels, or get a few encounters for Thedeim and take the normal way?


    Tarl smirks and looks to Berdol. What do you think, inspector?


    The catkins eyes widen at that for a moment, before he considers his options. Uh the shortcut, please. An inspector should be as prepared as he is able for an inspection. While some encounters would be nice, I should be at my top form to inspect Violet, toybox or no.


    Tarl smiles at that response. Then if you would be so kind, Voice Teemo?


    Teemoughs at the formality and hops onto Tarls shoulder, before pointing the two down a shortcut. That reminds me of something, Tarl, and youd probably know the answer. Why can I hear Violet? I thought I could only hear the Boss.


    Ah, thats a bitplicated, and honestly, I dont think I have all the details. But I think I can give a brief exnation. Tarl takes a few moments to collect his thoughts and Berdol takes the chance to get out his note-taking stuff.


    Well, to start with: you can hear Thedeim clearer than the other scions, correct? Teemo nods, so he continues. Thats part of the power of being the Voice. You need to have a better understanding of what the dungeon wants if youre supposed tomunicate those desires. Youve probably noticed youre not the only scion that can form words, so you have to know thats not something limited only to you.


    Tarl chuckles. Poe was actually doing his best to fill in for you when you were off to the Southwood. He still has a limited vocabry, but he also doesnt have as clear of an idea of what Thedeim wants as you do. In short, he can tell delvers like myself that Thediem would like a meeting, but he cant exactly give a presentation and list Thedeims concerns, point by intricate point.


    Alright, but that still doesnt exin why I can hear Violet.


    Im getting there. You dont hear her as clearly as you do Thedeim, right? Maybe you think its because shes so young, but thats not it. She has clear desires, but you can only hear the gist of them. Its fine for a protege, they need to listen and learn more than they need to speak clearly. You can hear her about as well as her normal scions can, which is another function of the Voice. You facilitatemunication. She can understand what you say, even more clearly than she can understand what Thedeim tries to tell her through the protege bond, because thats part of your job. And once she gets a Voice of her own, youll be able to have a real conversation.


    I mean, I can kinda do that now starts my Voice.


    But its a lot of guessing and considering context, finishes the inspector.


    When do you think shell get her own Voice? asks Teemo, causing Tarl to grin.


    Worried youre slowing her development? You became the Voice when Thedeim was about her age. Well, dont worry. Most dungeons take at least a couple years before they get a Voice. I think shell probably be ahead of the curve, just not as far as you were. Shell be getting a lot of mana once she gets official recognition, and Im lead to believe the Voice upgrade isnt cheap.


    Teemo nods at that. Yeah, the Boss paid well, it was a lot at the time.


    Tarl smirks as they exit the shortcut, before turning his attention to Berdol. There is a small section of potentially hostile territory now between you and Violet. Thedeim doesnt own all of these tunnels, so be on the lookout. You may begin when ready, he says and pulls out his own clipboard and charcoal stick to take notes.


    Berdol takes a breath to focus himself before drawing a pair of boomerangs? He pulls them from their sheath with his magic, and I ask Teemo to get a good look at them. I dont think hes used these ones before, or maybe Im only just noticing them now.


    It doesnt take much looking to know theyre not boomerangs. The shape is all wrong, for starters. It makes me think of maybe a weird shuriken or something? Theyre sharp all over, and look like two knife des fastened at the hilt to each other. Theyre definitely something designed to go with his affinity, because I cant imagine anyone using a weapon like that with their actual hands, even for throwing.


    Berdol doesnt get a chance to show them off on the walk over. With my own expeditions around, theres not a whole lot of unfriendly things around between me and Violet. He keeps the des out as he enters Violets outer cavern, though I can see his stance loosen up a bit in the safety of her domain.


    He inspects differently than Tarl. Instead of speaking his observations, he writes them on his clipboard. I can feel Violets curiosity through the bond, but I dont send her any hints for what to do. This is all on her.


    Berdol inspects the mining nodes and notes the barren patches of floor where the scythemaw eggs are buried. He then pulls out a small pick and mines a little by hand, before Onyx slips out of a crack to greet her friend. The catkin smiles at her and speaks up for the first time in his official inspection.


    Hey Onyx. I cant y just yet, Im doing an inspection.


    Onyx tilts her head curiously, then looks to Teemo. My Voice smiles and shakes his head. Ill exinter. Violet should know what that means, though.


    Onyx still looks curious as she follows, and I feel understanding through the bond as Violet remembers the inspections Rhonda and Freddie used to do when she was first discovered.


    I find Berdols style of inspection kinda boring, but Violets curiosity remains constant, so she seems engaged, at least. I can also feel her considering what he writes about her nodes and denizens, wondering if she should change anything, and mulling ideas for improvements.


    When Berdol gets to the door, he pauses and looks at it, tapping the clean end of his pen on his chin as he thinks. After a few moments, he looks to Tarl.


    Would this count as a puzzle?


    What do you mean? he neutrally replies.


    Berdol gestures at therge stone door. From what I understand, these doors were put in as a response to the scythemaws, right? Theyre something that a beast wouldnt be able to get past, but most delvers will be able to simply open by pulling. Does that count as a puzzle?


    Tarls eyes brighten, but his reply remains neutral. What is a puzzle?


    A type of trap or hindrance that requires thought to bypass, rather than simply power. When Tarl doesnt continue, Berdol considers the door for a few more moments, before he scribbles on his paper. A puzzle, then. A very rudimentary one, but it still counts.


    Tarl cant quite keep the prideful smile off his face as Berdol enters Violets main chamber. Berdol hunts a few bunnies and sets about interacting with the mushrooms and other points of interest, unaware of the look Tarl is giving him. I guess Im not the only one with a protege to be proud of.

 Chapter Two-Hundred

    Chapter Two-Hundred


    <strong>Nova</strong>


    Nova listlessly glides through the rock near the border to the volcanic area, trying more to gather her thoughts than to hunt the fire elementals that try to sneak into Thedeim. She feels a little guilty about that, about letting the other wyrms handle the brunt of the work there, but well, itsplicated.


    Its not that she feels bad for the elementals. Shes seen what happens if one catches one of the spiders or other denizens that arent able to take the heat. Yeah, she has no problem eating them after seeing that, and they honestly taste pretty good. Her feelings getplicated when she tries to link her purpose to stopping them.


    Shes not going to get the power to rival stars by just eating fire elementals. While shes not even sure she wants that kind of terrible strength her name implies, shes getting more and more sure she wants more than to just deal with invaders.


    Shed like to do something with the delvers, but thats a whole <em>different</em> kind ofplicated. Shes seen the grass smolder when she visits the surface, so its not difficult to imagine shed have a simr effect on the delvers as the fire elementals have on the other denizens. Even without Guide Thedeim not wanting to hurt the delvers, Nova wouldnt want to do something like that to them. She actually likes a lot of them.


    Shes just bad at showing it. Like those two that got separated. She wanted to try to interact with them, but she surfaced right in front of the heat sensor and trapped them. That was just embarrassing, even if the Guide found it amusing.


    She sighs as her thoughts settle on whats really bothering her: she doesnt know what she should do. Shes been trying to follow the advice of the other scions, to just get settled and try to get used to everything, but she feels like shes letting Thedeim down by not pursuing a goal yet.


    Just because she knows thats silly, doesnt stop her from feeling that way. Its difficult to imagine Coda feeling lost like she does sometimes, considering how busy he always is. But shes heard the others say he used to worry if he did something wrong to make the Guide abandon him. Does she just need to be patient? Probably but <em>can</em> she?


    She grinds her mandibles at the thought, then sighs and rolls over, trying to getfortable. She should try talking to Coda about it. If he really was like her for a long time, maybe hell have suggestions for how to handle it? If nothing else, itll give her something to focus on.


    She wallows in whatever it is shes wallowing in for a few more seconds, before pulling on her big-girl pants and tunneling to thebyrinth. Its well past dusk, and Coda should be working on the mechanical traps by now. Shes pretty sure he was working on the rotating T-intersection near the crucible antsst night, and she cant imagine something like that is a one-night job.


    She takes the direct route there, though she goes a bit slower than one might expect. Shes just making sure she doesnt leave obvious marks in the tunnels when she dives up through them. Shes not trying to dy, nor does she have a sense of dread to ovee. Hes a fellow scion, not someone she should be nervous around.


    She even mostly believes that by the time she pokes her head through the floor. When she spots Jello there as well, she almost slips back under, but her gtinous friend burbles a happy greeting before she can pretend she was never there.


    Friend Nova! Howre you doing? Did you want to watch Friend Coda work? Jello has been helping make parts!


    That at least exins the pieces of metal floating around inside her. After a moments hesitation, Nova nods and slides out of her hole.


    Yes er, no I didnte to watch him work. It looks soplicated, and I wouldnt want to warp anything by getting too close.


    Nothing to worry about there, Nova, exins Coda as he motions her forward with a wingw. Jello is keeping her parts at a stable temperature, and even once she gives them to me, they should be fine as long as you dont try to melt through the floor too close.


    What <em>did</em> youe for? follows up Jello with a happy squelch.


    Well, uh I wanted to ask him Nova trails off as she feels the attention of both of them on her, and its all she can do to not dive into the floor. Not only would that not solve her problem, she also might mess up Codas work. He very specifically asked her to not do something like that.


    Ask me what? asks Coda as he sends a pulse of sound into the wall, triggering the switch to open the ess panel for theplex mechanism.


    Well I heard you used to, uh struggle? With um purpose?


    Ah, says Coda as he turns to face her properly, then gives her a gentle smile. Yeah, I did. Youre having the same problem? Nova nods, so he continues. Well, I would say you have to be patient, but that didnt help the feeling go away for me.


    What did? asks Nova, trying to keep the pleading tone out of her voice.


    Finding a purpose, he says simply, and grins at Novas groan. Yeah, also not a great help, is it?


    Nova sighs. Not really, no.


    I do understand how you feel, at least. I might have even had it worse than you, if you can believe it. Nova sputters at that, but Coda doesnt let her interrupt. I wasnt always a Civil Artificer. In fact, the Foreman first tasked me with tending the garden and the herbalism nodes on the surface. I did, but the bats didnt really need much guidance on that, and Queen is much better at nurturing that kind of growth. Not to mention she actually has specific things she wants grown.


    Then I was asked to direct the expeditions underground. The Foreman hoped to ease some of Poes burden, but I knew I was nowhere near as good at directing the expeditions. At first, I asked Poe for help, and slowly, everyone just went to him, instead of me.


    Novas mandibles hang ck as she listens, trying to imagine that. Not one, but <em>two</em> jobs from the Guide, and Coda couldnt find his purpose in them?


    Yeah, you can imagine I wasnt too happy with myself about that. Maybe the worst part was that Thedeim wasnt upset with me. I just wanted to do <em>something</em> to show his faith in me wasnt misced. I actually tried to get back into those two jobs, but they really were already handled. Coda smiles as he remembers what came next.


    Then he needed some digging done. Not just any digging, either. He wanted to <em>build</em>. The ess shaft to the caverns, then Rockys arena, then the bypass between the swamps and aquiferkes he trails off at that. They never did take that tunnel, did they? Ah well. Anyway, I found my purpose in building. And now I have more work than I know what to do with! he ends with a chuckle.


    Nova is a bit less jovial about it. So I really do just need to wait for him to need something that calls to me?


    Not really, burbles Jello, earning a surprised look from both Coda and Nova.


    What do you mean? they ask as one.


    Well, Voice Thedeim doesnt always know what he actually needs. Like with Friend Queen.


    Queen? echoes Nova, and Coda looks just as lost.


    Oh yes, Jello and Friend Queen talk a lot, and she admitted he didnt actually n for her to be an Alchemist. He wanted her to be his new Guardian, since Friend Tiny kinda outgrew the sanctum. But she became an Alchemist instead on ident.


    Huh, muses Coda


    I I <em>dont</em> have to wait? whispers Nova, trying to wrap her head around the idea.


    Nope! confirms Jello, and Nova just sits there for a good minute. The other two watch her with patience, letting her try to parse what shes just learned, and to see what shell do with that knowledge.


    I she starts, and the two others lean in, eager to hear what she has to say. I I still dont know what to do, she starts, but she sounds more determined as she continues. But I know I want to go to the Southwood, to help fight!


    Then I hope youre all packed, Nova. The Boss wants us to move out in the morning,es the unexpected voice of the Voice, and Nova almost leaps through the ceiling in surprise.


    Voice Teemo! I, uh


    He waves her off. Just Teemo, Nova. If you want to go, the Boss is happy to let you. Hes been giving you space so you can figure yourself out. If you want to go help fight, you can go help fight.


    Oh, can Jelloe, too!


    Teemo gives the cube of slime a sideways look. I mean, sure, but I thought you were having fun with the metalworking.


    Jello starts to melt a little as she seriously thinks, before her shape snaps back into focus. Yes, Jello does like the metalworking. If they were undead, she might go fight instead, but that dungeon doesnt sound very tasty. Sorry, Friend Nova.


    Teemo smiles at that, then turns his attention to Coda. How about you? You wanna go fight?


    Nope. I have enough on my te already, thank you. With that, the bat scion starts digging around in the mechanisms of the wall section. He calls back to Jello for parts as he works, which she dutifully hands over. Teemo smiles before focusing back on Nova.


    If you want to go, you should head to the caverns for now. Fluffles will being along to relieve Rocky, and he and Leo are sparring andparing notes in there right now. Once the dawnes, well grab Honey and head out with whatever adventurers want toe help scout. That sound good?


    It does. It really does.

 Chapter Two-Hundred One

    Chapter Two-Hundred One


    The sense of purpose I feel from Nova is encouraging. Not for the first time, I wonder if maybe calling her Nova wasnt my best idea, but its toote for that now. Im just happy she seems to have found, if not her true calling, something to strive for. Fighting wouldnt be the worst thing for her to get into, either. Rocky and Fluffles are my heavy hitters for certain, but I bet Nova can work her way up to be their peer inbat prowess if she puts her mind to it.


    A magma dragon is never going to be a pushover, after all. I kinda hope she finds her feet more with a mundane purpose, but if shes happy, Ill be happy. And Rocky will appreciate having someone else to spar with. I watch her, Teemo, Fluffles, and Leo as they mostly just hang out in the caverns. sh even swings by, and Teemo checks if he wants toe for the first wave or wait, and sh says hed like to stay here and hone his music until hell actually be needed, which is fair.


    His music will only really be needed once we find that dungeon and start actually marching. For now, hes better suited to practicing and ying for the denizens and delvers here. Its good practice for him, too. Hes learning not only buffs, but debuffs, so he can make people be a bit faster or slower, not quite hit as hard, hit exactly where they mean to, that sort of thing.


    It kinda makes me curious about how buff/debuff fits into the affinity system, but I havent really had a chance to look too hard into it. Its probably not its own affinity, but scientifically speaking, theres not a lot of reason for a song to produce the kind of effects Ive seen sh pull off. I dunno, maybe its just magic and I shouldnt expect everything to work like physics says it should.


    I should probably leave that kind of curiosity to Rocky, even if he probably wont get much chance to look into those kinds of questions until after we deal with that stupid weird dungeon. At least the next step for that n is starting to gather just inside my gate now. The sky is still fully dark, but it probably wont take too long for things to brighten up.


    I nudge Teemo and he gets the scions moving and they go to get Honey, while Aranya, Yvonne, Ragnar, and Ara enter the gate, too. I was kinda hoping they wouldnt want to join the scouting, but Im not very surprised theyre interested. Aranya and Yvonne havent been around too much since the meeting, so theyve probably been preparing as much as they can for this.


    When my favorite party spots the adventurers gathering on thewn, Yvonne takes the lead and heads over with a smile on her beak.


    I hope youre all prepared for some extended time in Teemos shortcuts, she greets with a friendly tone. Most of the adventurers just nod, though a couple look a bit nervous about the idea. Anky wolfkin in chainmail with a pair of swords at his hip speaks up, his nerves oveing the typical adventurerpulsion to look and act cool and collected.


    Ive never actually been down one before. Should I be concerned?


    The more experienced adventurers chuckle and Yvonne shakes her head. It will just take a little getting used to. A lot of senses can behave a bit oddly in a shortcut. Things outside will be distorted, but inside will feel like anywhere else. If you have a good nose, itll be a bit worse.


    He grimaces and nods at that. I do have a good nose.


    Yvonne gives him a sympathetic look. You won''t be able to smell <em>anything</em> outside the shortcut. Just try not to be too jumpy and keep in mind nothing outside should be able to notice us inside. Teemo is an expert at making and hiding them. Itd take someone with a simr mastery of space to get in if he doesnt want them to.


    The wolfkin doesnt exactly lookforted by the thought of being noseblind, but he does seem to be a bit less nervous. I guess hed rather know and prepare himself, than be caught by surprise. Probably a good attitude to have for a delver, really.


    Yvonne answers a few more simple questions as more people show up, and at one point someone shows up with a bag of sweet rolls from the bakery across the street, and everyone enjoys the treat as the sun starts to peek over the horizon. Once it actually does, Teemo and the scions join the others.


    Alright, this everyone? he asks, getting a mixture of curious looks and nods, before Yvonne speaks up.


    I believe thats everyone. If theyre not here by now, they can try to catch up. Ill be leading the guild contingent for this, and Ragnar will be giving everyone a crash course on how to write maps for the twisting underground. Thedeims sending so many scions? she asks, looking surprised to see both Fluffles and Nova in the group.


    Yeah. Fluffles is going to relieve Rocky. Hes got a lot of mana from thatst fight that he needs to bring back. Leo and Honey are basically leading the whole thing, Im mostly going to be working on the shortcuts and guiding everyone, and Nova wants toe help.


    Yvonne nods at that. Then I believe were ready to go?


    Yeah, lets head to the cemetery and then head on out. Theres also going to be a good number of reinforcementsing with us. Just make sure the adventurers leave them alone, yeah?


    Yvonne nods, and Im surprised to see Aranya step away from the party. They look like this was part of the n all along as she speaks, a hand at her ne, finger and thumb holding the small orange orb.


    May Lord Thedeim bless the journey to be a peaceful one, and keep from harm those who will surely face it. Subtle orange mana settles on everyone, and the party moves in to give Aranya a hug.


    Youre sure you cante with us yet? asks Ara, and Aranya smiles as she shakes her head.


    Ille with the ratkin and the spiderkin. They havent ventured very far beyond Lord Thedeim, only far enough for their hunts. And itll give me a little more time to prepare myself, she admits. I knew Lord Thediem would confront that horrible ce, but it felt like something that would happen in years, maybe decades.


    Ragnar nods at that. Dinnae worry, well ave summat to tell by th time ye get there.


    And if theyve actually found it by then, the Bossll be sending another couple scions with you. Rocky will definitely want a round two with the Harbinger, and sh is going to be a big help against any other big organized attacks, assures Teemo.


    Aranya smiles at the reassurances, and stands a bit straighter for her friends. Ille see you all off. Youre the ones going off into danger, youre not supposed to worry about me, Im supposed to worry about you! she jokingly uses, and earns friendly smiles all around.


    Everyone just walks through town to get to the cemetery, and I see a few of the adventurers have gotten a couple more of those rolls on the way. That bakery must make a killing. How many dungeons can people delve with a weapon in one hand and a donut in the other?


    Grim is there to greet everyone, too. The delvers look a bit nervous about having his attention, but he just gives everyone a flower as his way of wishing them well. Aw, dont worry, Grim, theyre gonna be careful. Im sure they love the flowers, too. Having the flowers even distracts the adventurers a bit from thinking about therge group of my denizens following them as they hop the wall and enter the shortcut.


    There are plenty of tundra wolves, obviously. Theyre just too well-suited to the surface around the Southwood for me to not keep sending a bunch of them. Ill also need their noses to help sniff out the enemy dungeon in the tunnels. Theres also plenty of ravens and arcane hands to reinforce the ranks, too. They were a lot more effective in the fight with the Harbinger than I was expecting. Once I get the dragon spawner high enough to spit out something besides wyrms, I might try to upgrade the hands again.


    Im also sending a group of skeletons, which probably has the adventurers most on edge. With the enves being on a war production footing, Ive had plenty of weapons and armors offered from them. I kinda feel a bit bad about epting the gifts, but the ratlings dont really care. They just keep stocking the warehouse and armory. Rather than just letting the things rust, Ive equipped a bunch of skeletons with what they can wear and wield.


    For armor, its mostly leather. Its strange to think about, but most metal stuff is built with fleshy things in mind, and my skeletons just cant wear most of that properly. It just doesnt sit right. Leather is a lot easier to adjust, so thats what they mostly have, as well as thepound bows.


    I also have some zombies that can gear up in the heavier armor, but Im going to be merciful to the adventurers and not make them march with my zombies. The fungal ones smell a lot better than the normal ones, but thats still not saying a whole lot. Im also not sure if theyll handle the cold well. I think Leo kept the green skeletons and fungal zombies inside Southwood itself. Ill ask Teemo to have him test them out once they get there. It should take them a couple days, especially since Teemo wants to work on the shortcuts on the way, too. Shortening the travel time can only help us in this fight. Itll still be too long to really react quickly to any rapid changes, but getting the travel time down to a day or two would make it a lot easier to keep up with the slower needs.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Two

    Chapter Two-Hundred Two


    Aranya sits atop the wall, waving and watching as her friends vanish into the shortcut, and she sticks around to send off all the denizens that are going, too. Its not difficult to see she hasplex feelings about everyone going, and she probably hasplicated feelings about the dwellers wanting to go, too. I know I do.


    She stays for a few minutes longer, after everyone is gone. The sun is fully up by now, but I dont think shes simply appreciating the view. Instead of just letting her stew in her thoughts, Grim taps his scythe against the wall and offers her a hand down. She smiles at the quiet scion and epts his help, and gives him a long look before speaking.


    How do you do it, Grim?


    He tilts his skull at her, and she soon exins.


    I mean the death. There hasnt been any in Thedeims care, but people still die all the time.. She trails off as Grim nods, then motions for her to follow, which she quietly does.


    He leads her back towards the main gate, and gestures at the flower garden, then back at the rows of graves. The kobold looks confused, and he lets her look confused for a few seconds before he scythes a simple daisy from the patch, and moves among the tombstones. He leads her to an aged and weathered tombstone, the grass on the cusp of being unruly. A swipe of his scythe tames the grass, and a touch of his hand repairs the stone. It still shows its age, and the lettering is no more legible than before, but it doesnt look like its about to crumble. He finishes by cing the flower atop the grave marker, before taking a step back to quietly study his work.


    Aranya watches, trying to figure out what Grim is trying to say, before she detes with a sigh. I dont think Im quite ready for your wisdom yet, she voices, disappointment clear.


    Grim doesnt look disappointed at all, and pats her head as he turns to tend to more of his duties. For her part, Aranya looks briefly annoyed at being treated like a child, before she gives a small smile at Grims back. I suppose I have more pressing issues to deal with, especially if I want to minimize the work youll have to do once this is all over.


    Despite not getting what she wanted, I think she might have gotten what she needed, and she heads for the ratkin enve with a renewed sense of purpose. The guards nod at her as she enters, and she takes a few peaceful moments to just enjoy seeing everyone going about their day. Some move around with purpose, some chat, kids y its the kind of thing I want to defend, and I know Aranya does, too. She greets people as she walks, congratting aplishments andmiserating briefly over failures, and encourages everyone as she makes her way to Larx home.


    The elder ratkin is rxing on a chair just outside his door, almost looking like hes meditating as he sits with a peaceful smile. He opens his eyes and smiles wider as Aranya closes in, and she waves him down as he starts to stand. He looks very tempted to stand anyway, but a t look from my High Priestess keeps his butt nted in his chair.


    Ah, Aranya! How does the new day find you? he asks jovially.


    She does her best to match his mood. With much to do. You?


    With little to do immediately, which I often find to be the more trying option, he answers with a smirk. Would you like something to drink?


    Nothing for me, thank you, she replies, deftly cutting off his sneaky attempt to do something besides rest his bones. The preparations to head north are going smoothly, then?


    Larx sighs in defeat and leans back. On our end, at least. The spiderkin are having difficulties with warm-weather gear. Norloke is still working on warmer silk, but I think their best option is going to be to trade for furs or maybe some kind of warming enchantment.


    Werent you working on warming enchantments for your smelters?


    Larx chuckles. Thatd be a bit too warm for them, I think. Our runesmith is still feeling out the ss. From what I can gather, the forge enchants are like using a sledgehammer on the problem. For warm clothing, itd be like trying to thread a needle with the same sledge.


    Aranya winces at that. Ah. Is there anything else I can help with?


    Larx gives her a considering look. I thought you said you had a lot to do already?


    The kobold freezes for a moment at that, then sputters as she tries toe up with an excuse. Whatever she might try is derailed by Larxughter.


    Worrying doesnt count as something to do, my dear, he admonishes with a chuckle.


    Aranya just folds her arms and tries (and fails) to not pout. Yeah, well Im still doing it


    Larx smile softens. I understand your fears. I dont even need to ask Teemo to know Lord Thedeim has the same ones. He smirks at himself before continuing. Id be lying if I said I didnt share them. But everyone is resolute in this. We want to help Lord Thedeim, even if he doesnt want us to be put in harms way.


    He smiles at my High Priestess. Which is one of the reasons we want to do this, by the way. Another reason is well, you, he admits, which draws Aranyas reply up short.


    Me? she asks, confused. He nods.


    And your people. The thought of a sanctuary being so abusive to its dwellers its wrong in ways I cant put into words. At least with Hullbreak, he was just trying to protect his dwellers. A mistake is one thing, but what you describe He shudders.


    And its not just we of Lord Thedeim, either. If the merfolk had the ability to march with us, they would, even if Hullbreak would have a fit.


    But the danger! she tries. It was a ce of nightmare when I left, but now it must be even worse with those terrifying denizens and the harbinger!


    Larx nods. I know. We all know that we wont alle marching back. <em>They</em> wont alle marching back, he corrects with a note of bitterness. Im not suited to a battle like whatsing, but that doesnt make me any happier to allow the others to go marching off. He sighs as his expressions softens.


    But I cant force them to stay. Lord Thedeim himself wont take the decision from their hands, so I can hardly try to do it myself. All I can do is try to prepare them. And try to ept the truth of the situation.


    When he doesnt borate, Aranya prompts him to continue. What <em>is</em> the truth of it? That they have to live their lives even if it means dying their deaths, too?


    Larx smiles at that. Thats the philosophical core of it, yes, but I more meant the practical situation. This will be the strongest foe Lord Thedeim has faced yet. Even his scions will be tested, and he wont be able to quickly react to send more forces. That fallen sanctuary is old, too. Even with Lord Thedeims strength, the other dungeon has had much more time to gather its own. I hope we wont be needed but I fear we will.


    Aranya looks ufortable as her unstated concerns spill from Larx mouth. Silence reigns as Aranya struggles how to respond, until she squeaks out her fears. What if its not enough? What if I doomed everyone bying here? What if- she starts, before Larx bonks her with his staff.


    None of that. You may be the High Priestess, but I can still try to knock some sense into you. You didnt doom anyone with your fate affinity. Lord Thedeim has the same one, as does Lady Yvonne. I may not focus on the Weaver aspect of Lord Thedeim, but the spiderkin arent wrong in their devotions. I refuse to ept the idea that hed draw two other people tied with fate to him, only to lead to everyones doom. More likely, well be <em>fighting</em> some doom or another, maybe even multiple dooms. If its our Fate to face that, Ill not meet it without a fight.


    His conviction shocks Aranya out of her worry, and I think makes her think about what Grim was trying to tell her earlier. The cemetery isnt tomemorate peoples death. Everyone dies eventually. If theres anything that doesnt deserve a participation trophy, its dying. No, the cemetery is to remember peoples <em>lives</em>. Even that old, weathered grave marks someones life. I think Grim even gives it special attention because it doesnt even need tomemorate a single person.


    Not everyone gets a marker. Sometimes people are just lost, their stories untold and unremembered. He keeps it nk, because he cant tell their story. He keeps it <em>there</em> because he can at least remember.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Three

    Chapter Two-Hundred Three


    <strong>Freddie</strong>


    In the Adventurers Guild hall, a young orc and his goblin friend rx near the roaring fire. Theyve been friends for basically their entire lives, and that friendship has only grown stronger in thest year. They were two of the first to delve Thedeim, where Rhonda was able to gather some mushrooms and secure an apprenticeship with her new mentor, Old Staiven. Freddie was able to join the church and found a family that transcends mere blood.


    And of course, the two gained their sses together, from another delve in Thedeim. Whats more, their sses are unique, or so rare that nobody around has ever heard of them. While Freddie might entertain the idea there are other Ice Sages out there, he doubts it. Theres no other Legionnaire Pdins out there, hes sure of that or attest there werent. Torlon was pretty clear that the Shield itself wanted to have more pdins like Freddie, which was an intimidating thing to hear.


    Hes been exploring his ss and telling the Head Priest everything he can, and Torlon has mostly been encouraging him to take it slow, despite how important it seems. Rushing will only encourage mistakes, hes said many times. Its a bit frustrating to take it slow, but its difficult to argue the wisdom, especially with Rhonda doing exactly that.


    Her Ice Sage ss seems to be focused at least partially on learning, so if she can steel herself and not recklessly dive into her ss, he can do the same. Besides, hes supposed to be the front line. An impatient defender puts his charges at risk.


    Itd be easier to be patient if he knew what Rhonda was actually doing, though. Its not hard to understand why the two of them are here. They both have a day off, but are also both a bit too tired from their duties to want to go delve. The guild hall is not exactly quiet, but it is rxing and friendly. Ever since joining, the two orphans have been weed into the ranks of the adventurers. Even their spiders, Fiona and Lucas, are liked by their guildmates.


    Rhondas familiar, Lucas, is a jumping spider with gray and white coloring, short legs andrge eyes. Around the guild and the town, hes yful and curious, and Freddie is pretty sure hes part of the reason his friend has starteding out of her shell thesest few months. When on a delve, Lucas is excellent support for Rhonda, helping Rhonda weave her magic and he even keeps a small collection of magical bits to help channel the energies.


    Freddies own spider, Fiona, is much more reserved and almost regal, despite her fearsome appearance. Her main eyes are evenrger than Lucas, and herrge mandibles give her a long, severe face. Freddie can imagine her wielding a ruler and sharp tongue as she tries to teach a ss of young spiders how to do something. But shes also not above some fun, and she and Lucas often y when Freddie and Rhonda are just hanging out. On a delve, Fiona helps Freddie keep the front line, webbing foes and ensuring threats dont get a drop on them. Shell even step up and take one of Freddies shields when he manifests them, helping lend his phnx a few extra sets of legs to push back against their foes.


    He smiles as he nces up into the rafters and sees the two spiders chasing each other. Lucas likes to use his speed and maneuverability to his advantage, while Fiona ys the long game and leaves traps and snares in her wake. Still, spidery shenanigans can only keep Freddies attention for so long. His eyes wander to his favorite goblin in the entire world as he wonders what has her looking so pensive.


    Rhonda? You alright? he asks, causing her to jerk to attention.


    Hmm? Oh, sorry Freddie. Just thinking.


    What about? I havent seen you this distracted in a while.


    Its mostly ss stuff. Ive been thinking about how Rocky fought in the ring.


    Freddie nods at that, remembering their friendly fight with the undead scion. Hes a lot stronger than any zombie should be, even a scion.


    And his magic puts actual liches to shame! exims Rhonda. I know Ive said it before, but-


    His magic is at least as good as his footwork, I know. It feels weird to think of, but I can believe it. His punches look effortless, but hit like andslide. He just flows from move to move. It almost makes me want to try learning how to punch, instead of using an axe.


    Rhonda nods. Thats how his magic is, too. When I got my ss, I only barely understood what he was doing. Now that Im a little more advanced with my own magic, I still feel like I only barely understand.


    Is that what has you staring a hole into the firece, then? Trying to figure out how he does it?


    Rhonda shakes her head. No well, not really. I mean, I <em>am</em> thinking about his magic, but Ive been thinking about how he was moving it in the fight. I have the concept behind fire and ice, but I think he was trying to tell me about how they rte to kic.


    That earns her a raised eyebrow from her friend. Kic? How is that rted?


    Rhonda sighs. I dont know, but I feel like I <em>should</em> know. Its like when Master Staiven asks me about something that I know I know, but I cant figure out how to express it, you know?


    Freddie nods. Like a verse I know Ive memorized, but I just nk when quizzed on it.


    The young goblin points at him. Yeah, that! Its frustrating!


    He chuckles. So, something about fire and ice makes you think about kic affinity? But you dont know what? She nods and thumps her forehead against the table. Well, you said you understand fire and ice. What are they? I always thought they were opposites, but I see you using one to empower the other all the time.


    Rhonda shakes her head before picking herself back up, and Freddie doesnt try to hide his smile as she goes into lecture mode.


    At their most basic, theyre just temperature. Fire is hot, and ice is cold.


    So fire is just manifested heat, and ice is manifested cold?


    Rhonda shakes her head. No, fire and ice themselves are more side effects than the actual temperature. Make anything hot enough and itll burst into mes. Well, water will boil, but you get it.


    So if you make something cold enough, itll burst into frost, too?


    Rhonda nods again and sighs. Theres something else there, too, but I dont know what.


    Have you tried asking Old Staiven about it? asks Freddie, thinking surely Rhondas master would know something. Her groan indicates otherwise.


    He says its something I have to figure out. Im pretty sure he has a few ideas, but he doesnt know how I do my magic.


    Maybe ask one of the guild mages, then? Old Staiven is mostly meta, right? Maybe someone with fire or ice affinity can give you the hint you need?


    But <em>they</em> dont know how my magic works, either!


    But they do know how <em>theirs</em> works. Maybe focusing on one will finally jog whatevers been at the back of your mind, he suggests, and Rhonda mulls it over.


    Maybe? she admits. It probably cant hurt, at least. She turns in her chair to look around the hall, and Freddie can see her unsteady resolve already starting to crumble as she idea of talking to a random guildmate starts to intimidate his friend.


    He points at a table with a bearkin, changeling, and another goblin. They might be good to try. Im pretty sure theyve been helping map out thebyrinth, and I think one of them is a fire mage.


    Rhonda still looks reluctant, so Freddie gets up, causing her to follow. He doesnt mind starting engagements, be they social or martial. Thats his job, really. As they approach, they overhear the seated group talking.


    Im not saying brownie isnt good at spotting the traps. Im saying we need someone who can actually <em>disable</em> them, says the changeling, and the bearkin nods.


    Hes a fine tracker, but he cant actually take down his prey.


    The goblin sighs. I know, but hes not skilled in disabling runework, at least at range. If he got close enough to disable the traps, hed trigger them. I have a few that might be able to walk into the traps to set them off, but theyre all contracted forbat, not traps. Tripping over a couple in a battle is one thing, but they wont stand being used just to trigger traps.


    The changeling starts to reply, but notices the two approaching. Oh hey. Uh Frankie, right?


    Freddie, he corrects politely. If you could, sir, my friend Rhonda wanted to ask you about fire magic? She has the affinity, but is having some trouble with it.


    The changeling considers the two before shrugging. Sure, Ill try to help some. Weve been mostly arguing in circles anyway. A break would be nice.


    The bearkin scoots down the bench a bit, giving the kids room to join them at the table, and introduces himself. Im Wold. Hes Vieds, and hes Gerlfi. The bearkin points out his friends as he names them.


    Freddie nods in greeting to them, and Rhonda gives a little curtsy before sitting across from the changeling, and they start to chat, leaving Freddie with the other two.


    So you guys are having some troubles with thebyrinth?


    The goblin sighs as the bearkin chuckles. Yeah, were having problems dealing with the traps there. Theyre not deadly, but clients <em>really</em> want to get deeper. The traps are keeping everyone out so far.


    Freddie nces over to his friend. Well, Rhonda might be able to help with the magical ones, at least. Her master is Old Staiven, and hes been sure to teach her some runework.


    Yeah? asks the goblin, looking interested. Were able to find the magical ones, but havent been able to disable them. Theres also mechanical ones, which weve been having some troubles finding <em>and</em> disabling.


    Freddie nces up at the spiders ying in the rafters. Fiona and Lucas might be able to help with that, too. Fiona has great eyesight. I dont know if shell be able to fully disable any mechanical traps, but she should be able to guide around them?


    Wolds eyes follow Freddie''s, and he rumbles in amusement. A wizard needs a familiar, but I dont think Ive seen a pdin with one before.


    Freddie looks a bit bashful at that. Yeah, it was a bit of a thing, but were inseparable now. Shes a valuablepanion to me, like Lucas is to Rhonda. The bearkin nods in approval as Gerlfi speaks up.


    It sounds to me like your group might have just the skillset we need to get deeper. Hey Vieds. Making any progress? The goblin pauses for a moment before raising his voice slightly. Vieds?


    Hmm? Oh, sorry. We were talking about her affinities, and its no wonder shes having trouble with fire. Her innate was ice, and she got fire because of her ss.


    Gerlfi just nods at that and returns his focus to Freddie. Perhaps we can strike a deal, then? Vieds will help her with her fire affinity, and your group will help us with the traps in thebyrinth.


    Freddie considers that, noting that Rhonda looks receptive to it, so she must be already getting some understanding from the pyromancer. Add a share of the rewards and loot, and its a deal.


    The goblin smiles wide at that. Perfect! I take it you two wont mind participating in the fights, then?


    Freddie nods. Were pretty good in a fight. Oh, there might be a third, too. Larrez delves with us when he has a chance to, between his duties as a guard.


    Gerlfi waves that off. Thats no problem. He won''t get any shares for the delves he doesnt go on, but I dont see any problem with sharing the spoils when he does. He looks to hispanions to see if they have any problems with the proposed bargain, and they both seem fine with it. Well be heading out at dawn tomorrow for our next attempt. Were also going to not be bringing any miners along. The ce is tricky enough that Id like to get a bit more familiar before trying to escort another batch deeper in.


    Rhonda nods at that. Ill let Master Staiven know. Hell probably want me to gather as many herbs as I can in there. People have already been requesting fire resist potions, and he should have enough stock of everything else for me to take a trip into Thedeim.


    Ill make sure Torlon doesnt have anything nned for my own training tomorrow, too. Ille back and let you know if I cant make it. Otherwise Ill see you at dawn?


    The older adventurers nod and handshakes are exchanged before Freddie and Rhonda take their leave of the table, and once they gather their spiders, leave of the guild hall, too.


    Are you looking forward to tomorrow? asks Freddie, and Rhonda nods.


    Definitely. Its easy to see Vieds is very experienced with fire. Even if he cant help me with my affinity breakthrough, hell help me with my fire. I really have been doing basic things with it so far. Im a lot more used to ice.


    Good. Im looking forward to it, too. My trainingtely has been more mental, so itll be nice to get physical again. Ill swing by the mayors manor on the way home and see if Larrez will be avable tomorrow, too. See you in the morning?


    Rhonda nods and Lucas waves. See you in the morning, Freddie!

 Chapter Two-Hundred Four

    Chapter Two-Hundred Four


    At sunrise, I see Rhonda and Freddie enter my main gate, followed by those three that I watched in thebyrinth the other day. The three dont seem very deterred, and the kids look pretty eager to test themselves against my tougher stuff. Even something strong like a Jakobs Ladder snake has to actually attack to potentially endanger them. The wyrms can be a threat just by getting too close. They seem to have taken precautions, at least.


    Vieds eyes a vial that looks like it contains liquid fire, looking uncertain. Are you sure these are safe? Im pretty sure Ive thrown things like this at monsters before


    Rhonda giggles while Lucas chitters an admonishment at the changeling. Im sure. Master Staiven himself brewed these to help us gather as many of the herbs in thebyrinth as possible. Hes had a lot of requests for strong fire resist potions, so he needs good ingredients.


    Im surprised he didnt want to join with us himself. The other crafters wanted to see the materials in person, rumbles Wold, therge bearkin looking up at Poe on his perch near the chimney.


    Well, I <em>am</em> his apprentice. If he can trust anyone else to get the herbs, itd be me, points out Rhonda, and Vieds finally epts the truth as he slips the vial into a belt pouch.


    The group moves to the porch to peruse the hanging quests, which has Gerlfi in a good mood as he browses. Its still strange to me to see a dungeon handing out quests like this.


    Its the aranea, not the dungeon, points out Freddie, which earns a chuckle from the older goblin.


    Which is why its so strange. Usually, its fey offering deals like this. Im not sure if its a shame or a relief that theres no fey to be had here. He pauses as he peers at an herbalism quest in thebyrinth to gather some fools coal. Should we all get an herbalism quest?


    Rhonda looks at the board hes looking at. That one should be easy enough, even if you dont have much herbalism experience. The hardest part of gathering fools coal is in finding it and I guess in keeping it away from too much heat while were there.


    Freddie epts a quest for a couple wyrm mandibles, while Wold takes one for a wyrm hide. How would he even get a hide from one of my wyrms? Gerlfi looks uncertain at the fools coal quest.


    I think keeping them away from heat will be a problem, dont you?


    Rhonda shrugs and epts a quest for a more delicate fiery herb. It takes sustained heat to set them off. A couple attacks shouldnt make them pop, but setting them on fire will get them to explode eventually.


    Gerlfi gingerly epts the quest, looking like he thinks the little board will explode, too. If you say so. I dont have much herbalism experience. No crafting options have really captured my attention, he admits.


    He prefers to gather fey, jokes Veids as he takes a fools coal quest, too.


    How does that even work? asks Freddie as they move into the manor proper, where I greet them with a small rat swarm. His question is left hanging while they deal with my warm-up encounter. They work well together, though, with Freddie, Fiona and Wold holding off the swarm while Vieds and Rhonda send a few area attacks to deal with the foes. Gerlfi mostly is on overwatch, keeping an eye on the battle and calling out tactical advice. Before long, the swarm is dispersed, and they resume their delve.


    You were asking about contracting with fey? he asks the young orc as they move through the house, checking cabs and drawers for any goodies. When Freddie nods, he continues. The short version is that Im a summoner. We deal with magic differently than most others youve seen, I imagine. Im illusion affinity, which can be a bit awkward for a summoner. An illusion mage can simply create their illusions and work to trick their foes, but I need an outside anchor for my magic.


    That anchor gives just a bit of reality to my illusions, making them true summons. Theres a lot of different anchors to use, and ways to get those anchors. For me, dealing with fey has worked the best. He draws Freddies attention to his various crystals.


    These let memunicate with the various fey Ive formed a deal with. I call them forth, offer a payment, and they lend a small piece of themselves to give my illusions weight.


    And their dungeons just let them do that? further questions Freddie.


    Gerlfi nods. I dont know the specifics, but it earns mana for their dungeon. Thats all Ive really needed to know. You could probably ask the Dungeoneers if you want the details. Of course, the fey want more than that. They want something for themselves, too. The simpler fey are usually happy with bread, milk, and honey, and theyre great for support roles. Fighting fey usually want more than that, so I tend to save them for trouble.


    I interrupt their conversation with a trio of widows in the basement. Wold and Freddie can keep two of the big arachnids busy, but Fiona is a bit out of her league to keep the third one upied. Gerlfi quickly speaks into one of his crystals as Rhonda, Lucas, and Vieds try to keep the widow at bay.


    Sprig, please help us hold back this widow. I offer bread, milk, and honey, once were back at the guild. I watch his mana flow and swirl, his exnation for how he summons making it all make sense, and a twiggy little bush pops through the stones of the basement, quickly resolving into a vaguely humanoid shape.


    With the sprigs help, they manage to corral the widow. My spider doesnt seem to know how to bite the little bushy fey, giving Fiona the time to entangle her legs in webbing. With the breathing room that gives, Rhonda and Vieds are quick to finish that widow off, then take out the other two.


    Freddie gets Rhondas help to try to remove the venom nd from one of their fallen foes, while Vieds watches with interest.


    Your magic is interesting, Rhonda. Ive never seen someone weave opposing affinities like that before.


    Rhonda absently nods as she works on heating the widows head properly, trying to copy her masters technique with Freddies guidance. I think it looks a little overdonepared to what Staiven did on his delve, but it was definitely quicker than if the orc tried to just hack the thing out.


    With the other two dissipating already, Rhonda responds to the changeling as they all resume marching. Thank you. Its part of my ss. I guess you could say weaving affinities is a big part of how it works.


    Vieds nods as they head into the tunnels. I can see that. I can also see what you meant about your fire affinity needing work. Rhonda winces at that, and he gives her a reassuring smile. That you can get opposing affinities to cooperate at all is impressive. Wold?


    He speaks up and looks to his fuzzypanion, who grunts in acknowledgement.


    Can you try to keep a bit of distance in the next encounter? And Freddie, too? Can you do that? he honestly asks, and Freddie nods.


    Its more effort, but I can. It sounds like you have something you want to try?


    The changeling nods, and lets a bit of pride slip into his tone. Id like to show the Ice Sage how fire is more than just burning things to a crisp.


    Gerlfi is all too happy to burst his friends bubble with a friendly jab. Maybe we should drink those potions. Vieds res while the goblin grins, and the changeling is the first to look away.


    ...it might not be the worst idea. Were not too far from thebyrinth anyway. I nudge a couple rockslides to get in their path, and the delvers quickly toss back their fire resist potions before continuing on their way. Fiona points out my denizens as the group gets close, and Freddie takes a deep breath as he prepares.


    Rockslides. Theyre not too dangerous, but theyre tough and hard to corral. Can you follow my lead please, Mr Wold?


    The bearkin looks curious as he nods, taking a position beside Freddie. Shield Wall! deres the orc, and Fiona eagerly moves to support the ethereal shields. Wold looks surprised for a moment, before following suit. The rockslides rumble forward, but the shield wall holds, at least for the moment.


    Vieds takes that moment, and a few more, to prepare his attack. I can feel a lot of mana moving, and Rhondas eyes follow the flows, drinking in what the changeling is trying to show her.


    Fire is so much more than mere heat! Heatwave! he shouts and conjures a rolling wall of fire that pushes the rockslides back. Freddie moves to advance, but Wold ces a hand on his shoulder and shakes his head. The reason why bes apparent as Vieds nest attacknds.


    Explosion! The piled up rockslides suddenly fly apart with a sharp crack and fiery woosh as their group cohesion is sundered from the force of the attack. My little denizens decide thats enough fun for today and scatter, leaving an awed Rhonda and a smug Vieds watching them go.


    There, you see? Sure, heat is a big part of fire, but you have to appreciate a good explosion every so often, too.


    Sure, <em>you</em> can appreciate them. Youve never lost your eyebrows to them, snarks Gerlfi, and Vieds snarks right back.


    Missing eyebrows is better than what that lesser chimera would have done to you.


    The banter is lost to Rhonda, who has her notebook out and is scribbling like mad. Wold lets his friends bleed off adrenaline with their usual ribbing, staying out of it as he gives Freddie a considering look.


    I''ve never seen a skill like that before.


    Freddie looks a bit bashful. Yeah its part of my ss. I work really well with other melee fighters, like Larrez.


    Its good. I usually dont get to enjoy melee teamwork. Coordinating is difficult.


    Freddie smiles at that. Thats what a phnx is all about. Each shield supports the next, and The Shield supports us all.


    You should talk with Gerlfi, once hes done bickering and were ready to move on. If you work well with numbers, he can provide them. They both look over to the two, who look to be winding down their fun, before Wold speaks again. If were to reach the depths of thebyrinth, we may need all the help we can get.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Five

    Chapter Two-Hundred Five


    While the kids and their new friends make their way down, I take a chance to look over the entrance to thebyrinth. I should probably do up the entrance a bit. As it is, its just like any other tunnel. It might look a bit twistier than usual, but thats really it.


    I should design a fancy entryway, probably fancy up the area outside, too. I think the delvers are going to take a break just outside before heading in, and I can probably wring a bit more mana from them without wringing any of their hp from them, too.


    First, I should make a kiosk or something for the aranea. I can already see a group of three of them testing the walls, ceiling, and floor, looking for a good way to hide while putting out their little quest signs. Theres plenty to do in thebyrinth, so Im not surprised the aranea want to have a centralized ce for people to ept quests before heading in.


    I doodle a few rough ideas, starting with a normal gazebo. I think thatll be a bit too open for the aranea to really like, though. Sure, I can put in rafters, but theyd have no good sneaky way to get into them. Teemo could make a shortcut, but that feels a bit like cheating. Ie up with a bunker design that might work well, though.


    Slots on the floor will let them just stick through signposts with their quests, and pull them down to put fresh ones, all while letting the aranea keep hidden. Ill need to take some timeter to actually design how to hook them so they wont just fall, but that shouldnt be too hard. Probably just double hooks in the wall with a crossbar on the bottom of the sign, actually.


    I should also put in a more proper rest area. Some benches or something would be good maybe a few divots for healing slimes, so people can recover from getting here before going deeper. I want this area to be difficult, but I also want people to face those difficulties at their best.


    Oh, I should also put in a few workshops down here, too. Not only will I get to see how the fancy metals are handled, but I bet theyll give even more mana than mining if they smelt them here, too. I wonder if I can make little merchant stalls, too


    My musings are interrupted as the five arrive, so I shelve the ideas for now. Ill probably see what Coda thinks about themter. For now, the kids and their new friends are ready to dive deep into the bowels of thevabyrinth.


    Oh, I should make a sign for it too.


    Alright, everyone on your toes. Once we round that bend there, well be in thebyrinth proper, says Gerlfi, to nods all around. Freddie mutters a little prayer, making his shield subtly glow. Rhonda digs through her pack with Lucas guiding her around the various bottles and vials.


    Swiftness, darkness, silence, thunderp I wish I could recreate that cold explosion thing Queen made a while ago. Ah! Perception! She pulls the vial out of her pack and holds it out to Fiona, to mixed looks from the adults.


    Why for the spider? asks Vieds, and Freddie answers.


    She has great eyesight. With the potion, she should be able to spot trap triggers well before any of the rest of us.


    Vieds mulls that as Wold nods. And Gerlfis brownie can spot the magical traps.


    Which Lucas and I can disarm! finishes Rhonda. Gerlfi does his usual offer to the fey, and the little brownie soon hops onto Fiona like a mount. She looks tempted to web him up for his insolence, but lets it slide, this time.


    Freddie and Fiona lead the way, each ready to keep the party safe in their own way. Wold takes the rear, in case of anything trying to sneak up on the party as they go. Rhonda, Vieds, and Gerlfi all hang out in the middle, with the changeling keeping a close eye on the map.


    It doesnt take him long to start grumbling as they pass through the various ways I have to mix the maze up, and he grumbles more when Fiona shows the mechanical method of doing so.


    Properly mapping the area is going to be a nightmare groans the changeling, though Gerlfi doesnt look too bothered.


    We just need to mark the sections that can be changed. I just hope they dont change while were inside.


    Tempting as it is to immediately make him eat his words, I dont n to change it while people are in there. Eventually, people might be able to run through and get theyout down before selling the info to people waiting to get in, but Im not worried. Itll probably still take half a day for someone to do that, and I expect a lot of people will prefer to just brave it themselves, at least once the basicyout is understood.


    Their n goes well, too. Fiona points out the mechanical triggers, and sometimes webs the traps in ce for everyone to get across. Pressure tes are a little more of a challenge, but a silk rope swing is enough to get past them. The brownie points out the magical traps and triggers, letting Rhonda disable them. She even gets a vial of sleeping gas to put into her pack, after a delicate bit of work to get into the ess space without tripping it and letting the vial shatter.


    The fire resist potions show their worth, too, as my wyrms pop in to harass and test the group. Vieds shows off a bit more of what fire can do by basically hogtying one of my wyrms with that mesh of his. I dont think Rhonda is quite going to be able to gain kic affinity yet, but learning to move and put a bit of weight behind her fire is definitely going to be a big help.


    They take a break when they reach what Im starting to think of as the melting pot. Its the area I put a bunch of nodes and crucible ants in, letting them alloy as they go. Its mostly mundane alloys, but theres an orichalcum node in there, too. Im not sure if it actually alloys with the more normal metals, but theres one hill that looks a bit like damascus steel, but with orichalcum and steel. It looks cool, even if I have no idea if itll be useful.


    Wold and Freddie eye the damascus hill as everyone rests, with Vieds updating the map and Rhonda scribbling her own notes about whats there. Eventually, Wold speaks up.


    Do you think we could im that hill?


    Freddie looks thoughtful. Maybe? Theyre big for ants, but theyll still swarm. I should be able to keep them at bay with enough help.


    Help, hmm? What kind of help? asks Gerlfi as he walks over.


    More fey, answers Wold simply, and Freddie tries to give details.


    I think Ill need at least three people, besides me and Fiona, to keep the ants at bay long enough for Rhonda and Vieds to handle the ants?


    Gerlfi hmms as he looks at the crucible ants wandering about. I think itll be mostly on Rhonda for this one. Vieds can say all he wants about explosions, but theres a good reason he doesnt get to use them too often. If he blew up the hill there, the effort would all be wasted. Brownie, would you be willing to take a shield and help with this in exchange for some beer back at the guildhouse?


    The little earth fey stares for a few moments before nodding, and hops off Fiona as Gerlfi turns his attention back to Freddie. He makes one, Wold will make two would I be able to help with the shields?


    Freddie considers that for a few seconds, then nods. I think so. The Shield will guide you, youll just have to listen.


    I dont need to swear myself to it or anything, right? No offense, but I try to stay out of the business of the gods.


    Freddieughs. No, nothing like that. You just have to be willing to be led in this, like listening to a veteran when they give you pointers.


    Gerlfi nods at that. I can do that. He waves Rhonda and Vieds over. Were going to try to defeat the hill with the weird alloy there. Well all keep the ants at bay, can you two deal with them?


    Vieds looks ufortable, but Rhonda looks confident. I think we can, together. I can freeze them, I think, but Ill also make a lot of excess fire when I do. Can you work with that, Vieds?


    He shifts to looking more uncertain as he thinks. Possibly. Itll take a lot of fire to overwhelm even one of those ants, but it sounds like thats exactly what youll be providing? At her nod, he nods as well. Then I think so. I wont be able to handle an actual swarm, but I should at least be able to deal with strays and stragglers.


    Then thats the n, says Gerlfi with confidence. Well hold the ants, you two deal with them. Then Wold will carry the hill and well head home. Everyone nods at that, and moves into position.


    Freddie and Fiona stride proudly towards the hill, with the brownie, Wold, and Gerlfi at their side. As they get near, Freddie raises his shield, and I can see his magic settle on his friends. Phnx Formation! Hem them in! Translucent shields appear on the arms of everyone involved, as well as several additional that float at Freddiesmand. As one, they jog forward, and quickly encircle the hill.


    The ants, of course, notice the threat, and start swarming over the hill as they prepare their answer. Ites quicker than even I expected, as tongues of mesh out at the shield wall, but it stands strong. Gerlfi looks pretty ufortable, but seeing Wold and the others looking calm and collected helps him keep his cool, despite the rising heat.


    A few ants march forward, which seems to have been what Rhonda was waiting for. Siphon! she exims, and I can see her pulling the fire out of the marching ants, quickly cooling them past the point where they can still function and earning me a decent bit of mana for her efforts. Vieds ims the rising ball of heat and forges it into a thin needle, beforeunching it at thest ant not on the hill.


    Searing Lancet! The attack is hotter than even the crucible ant can handle, and it copses as well. Lucas jumps from Rhondas hat to grab one of the cooled ants, before jumping back tond at Rhondas feet.


    Good work, Lucas! Now, get me a good focus. Hes already dismantling the ant before shes done speaking. She returns her focus to the hill as he works, and steals the heat from a few more ants.


    It takes them some time, but theyre doing pretty well with the ants. My denizens try to focus and unleash a torrent of fire that would make a dragon proud, but the phnx holds strong against the attack. Finally, Lucas holds up a little shard of obsidian he got out of the crucible ant, and hops onto Rhondas hat.


    Ah, perfect! Vieds, dont take control of this heat, please, I have a n! The goblin girl grins wide as she works her magic. Freddie, hunker!


    The orcd nods and gives his own shout to the circle of shields. Brace! Wide stances are taken and shoulders pressed to the shields as everyone prepares for what Rhonda has in mind. Lucas helps guide the mana as the little shard resonates, and I can see my crucible ants looking a bit ufortable. It doesntst long, as Rhonda finally finishes her spell.


    Thermal Shock! Heat is quickly drawn from all the ants in and on the hill, rapidly cooling them, before it rushes back in. My ants shatter from the rapid change in temperature, some so violently that pieces ping off the shields of the phnx. Rhonda breathes heavily and grins in triumph at the result of her spell, and Freddie soon dissipates the shields, sagging from his own efforts.


    Gerlfi and Vieds both give low whistles of approval at the results, and Wold steps forward to poke the hill with his weapon. Looks empty.


    Freddie gives a weakugh as he sits down. Good, because Im about empty, too. That many shields is hard to maintain, even with help.


    Gerlfiughs and pats him on the back. Rest up, kid. You earned it. I didnt expect you two to be so good in a fight.


    Rhondaughs as she sits next to Freddie. Rare sses, and we delve a lot.


    Well, you two have definitely earned your share. Well rest up a bit more before making our way out. We might have our prize, but we still need to make sure we can <em>keep</em> it. They all nod, and I would, too, if I could. Im not going to throw anything too terrible at them on the way out, but they still dont get a free ride. Theyll be fine to take the hill and show it off, especially after a rest. Once they do, theyll probably get the miners and smiths all in a tizzy again, too.


    A bit more mana should make getting the entrance spruced up even easier. I poke Coda toe take a look at the designs once hes back from the lighthouse, wanting his input. I could probably just buy the things I want with mana, but it feels better to put in a bit of effort for it. The discount doesnt hurt, either.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Six

    Chapter Two-Hundred Six


    I doodle a few different designs for thebyrinth entrance while the group works their way back out. I could make it look like an obsidian tube, but I think itd look a bit nd just like that. Someva pools could spruce it up, and would even give some light, but I dont think theyd be osha approved. I might make the actual entrance look like the delvers are walking into the mouth of a giant wyrm, though. Thatd be cool, especially if I can get the mandibles to close.


    For the resting area just outside the entrance, I try to blend the ideas of a park and an open-air mall. While I cant exactly get grass and trees in here, a few herbalism nodes could definitely make the area look nicer. Considering a lot of them have a little glow to them, the herbs can even help keep the ce lit.


    The sun eventually sets and Coda is able toe take a look at the designs. He also likes the wyrm entrance, but practically vetoes the bunker design for the aranea quest kiosk. Hes not wrong, either, when he points out that the ratlings could just dig a crawlspace in the roof and let them hang their signs like on the porch.


    I like the variety that using signs stuck up from the ground would give, but it would probably be better to just let them hang the signs. Yet another brilliant design foiled by reality. At least Coda doesnt shoot down my basic design for merchant stalls. The two of us spend most of the rest of the night iterating on what to put in the rest area, and where.


    The resource processing areas will be near the walls, out of the way of delvers looking to head into thebyrinth, but still essible enough to thoseing out with things theyll want to process. Im nning to start with four smelters, and see if the demand is there for more. Theres room for another four or so, but well see. I also n out room for two smiths, and expect to put in the metalworks once I get it. Jello is definitely close to getting the title, which means I should be close to getting the room, too.


    Speaking of getting close to things, I should probably let Coda work on finalizing the design while I focus on the dragon spawner. My desire to minimize the cost of sprucing up thebyrinth entrance isnt just pinching pennies for its own sake. That spawner <em>devours</em> mana for upgrades, but I think I might get a new thing with the next upgrade to it.


    Or I could finally pull the trigger on the ant enve. Im pretty confident I have plenty of room now. The tunnelbores have been dutifully digging to make that a possibility. The magmyrms have been integrating themselves well into thebyrinth, as well as some of my other special projects, too. They seem very interested in the devices and mechanisms of the traps in thebyrinth. Be it mechanical, magical, alchemical, or a mix, they have taken it upon themselves to maintain them. Theyve even started moving into the gauntlets to reset the challenges in there, saving me a decent chunk of mana over if I had reset them myself.


    Im not going to pretend the enve isnt tempting me something fierce, but I should resist its siren song. As much as Id like to spend the mana on something nice and quiet like an enve, I really should stick to the n and get the next version of dragon. I still need to deal with the Harbingers dungeon, and Id much rather send a new dragon variety than fresh dwellers.


    I try to ignore the huge bite the upgrade takes from my mana when I upgrade the spawner, and idly wonder how more ordinary dungeons afford these things. I dont get to think on that question for long before the spawner graces me with another dragon that doesnt look anything like what Id expect a dragon to look.


    I can kinda squint and see the rtionship to the wyrms. Thebel says basilisk, but it doesnt look like what Id expect that to look like, either. The head is weirdly shaped, making me think a lot of a dinner te, but I think most of that is a bone ridge or some kind of weird horn structure. It has two eyes that look like a tiger to me, but that might just be how piercing they are. The mouth is whats really throwing me off.


    If my wyrms have a mouth simr to a graboid, my basilisk has a mouth simr to The Predator, but hidden behind a jackal-like muzzle. A long tongue licks the lips before they creepily pull back towards the rest of the head, revealing the four mandibles with webbing between them.


    And I thought the spiderkin mouths were terrifying. The head sits on thick shoulders, or haunches? They definitely connect to forelegs and not actual arms. They look a lot to me like what a monitor lizard has, but with bulging muscles. After that, I think it has a rib cage, but its hard to tell, because the whole thing tapers into a long thick tail. And, of course, the entire thing has the same living magma look the wyrms do. It rides that line between cool and terrifying, which probably means delvers are going to need new pants when they see it.


    Speaking of delvers, I take a good hard look at its abilities, and Im relieved to not see anything about petrification. While thatd be great for fighting an enemy dungeon, I wouldnt have much use for it in my day-to-day.


    My basilisk decides its spent enough time getting its bearings, and starts to wander down the tunnel and explore thebyrinth. Watching it move, I get a better feel for why its shaped like it is. On the ground, it mostly pulls itself forward with those beefy forelegs, using the long tail more to steer than to help with propulsion.


    It eventually notices a fire elemental through the wall and dives into the rock as the head te folds back against its neck. It keeps the forelegs loose at its side and uses that long tail to swim through the rock like an eel. Its even faster than my wyrms! In no time, it bursts into the tunnel with the elemental and grabs the invader with that freaky mouth, before using those forelegs to tear it to shreds. Once the thing is dispatched, the basilisk spends a little time licking up the pieces with that long tongue, before it resumes meandering around the tunnels of thebyrinth.


    Yeah, thats going to give my delvers nightmares. With any luck, itll give the harbinger nightmares, too. For bigger prey, I wonder if itll wrap that long tail around the victim before savaging with the ws? It seems flexible enough for that. I leave it to wander thebyrinth as I turn my attention to Teemo.


    It looks like theyre making good progress through the shortcut, and my Voice is dutifully working on making it even quicker to traverse. I think itll still be a day or two for him and the whole group to get to the Southwood, but the return will be much quicker, as will further expeditions. Teemo has to go slower to build the shortcut, but once hes done working on it, everyone else can go at their full pace.


    Heya Boss. What was that whatever it was you were thinking about just now?


    Ah, I upgraded the dragon spawner. Now were getting basilisks as well as wyrms.


    Cool.


    Yeah, I think those weird leech-heads are gonna be no match for them. Well see if I get enough of them to be able to send in time. Hows Nova? With her spawner upgraded, I was wondering if shed change any.


    Teemo nces around, but doesnt see my youngest scion. I dunno. Hey Nova! You around? he yells. A few of the adventurers give him curious looks, but soon return to what they were doing. Once their attentions are redirected, Nova pops her head out of the ground nearby Teemo, and rumbles at him.


    My Voice chuckles and waves a dismissive hand. I was hoping itd make it easier for you. Its not difficult to add a bit of ground to the shortcut. I might need to figure out how to add a stream or water or something eventually, too. Imagine how surprised someone would be if I could have the First Mate pop out of a shortcut and just eat an invader!


    Nova tilts her head a bit at that, and rumbles again.


    Right. The Boss wanted to get a look at you, see if anythings different. He just upgraded your spawner and got basilisks, so he was curious if you had changed.


    Nova slides out fully onto the ground of the shortcut and contorts herself to look, but Im not seeing much in the way of a difference. Its more than a little adorable watching her twist and turn, though.


    Yeah, I dont see anything different either, agrees Teemo, and Nova gives him a worried look.


    Nah, its not bad, Nova. The Boss was just curious. She rumbles again and Teemo hops onto her head, then quickly moves to her cooler mandibles. No, the Boss doesnt want you to change, Nova. He just wants you to be you.


    She manages to pout and rumbles once more, earning a smirk from Teemo.


    Thats just something you have to figure out on your own.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Seven

    Chapter Two-Hundred Seven


    <strong>Rocky</strong>


    Rocky has been feeling <em>restless</em> since the battle with the Harbinger. He had thought he could keep his skill subtle, practicing his affinities and supporting Leo and Honey. Almost all the subterfuge went out the window when the Harbinger killed his fellow scions. Even knowing theyd respawn, he still felt their loss.


    And with the Harbinger broadcasting its smug superiority at their defeat well, he couldnt take that lying down. Hes honestly surprised he didnty into the monster with his fists, and kept to only leveraging his affinities. For a brief moment, he got a glimpse of what they could be used for, the walls between the affinities falling away to give a glimpse of the potential behind them.


    Its no wonder Coach is careful about letting those secrets out. Rocky is just d the Harbinger was broadcasting its disbelief up until the moment it finally died. Hed hate to have given something like that a look at the secrets of Coach Thedeim.


    After the Harbinger died, it was practically a workout cooldown to deal with the little demon things, especially with the help of the other denizens. The smaller monstrosities were simple enough to round up and squash, thanks to Leos tactics getting him into a good position. All Rocky had to do was sweep them through the disoriented forces the Harbinger left behind.


    While he cant quite wrap his head around the aftermath on the scale of the entire field, hes been working on wrapping his head around how hes changed. For starters, his sonic affinity feels solidified now, almost as much a part of his skillset as fire, ice, and kic. He wants to put on his gloves and work out his body to be able to use it, too, but he needs to wait until he gets back to Coach for that. But thats not the only affinity hes feeling closer to.


    He can feel lightning calling to him, and his sonic affinity calling back to it. Those two are linked by something deeper than just thunder following lightning. Hed have it backwards if that was the only link between the two. Something about how sonic moves


    But he has another affinity he can feel close to, though he cant figure out how it links to his others. When the Harbinger tried to attack him, he could feel it and react. Hes certain it was something Honey did, though hes not sure what. He could feel her defenses taking the blows, and could feel what they were defending, at least vaguely. Then he could feel the haymaker punch iing, and his boxing instincts kicked in, and he ducked the blow.


    Hes been trying to recreate that feeling, but hasnt had much sess yet. Hopefully he can talk with Honey about it before he heads back home. Coach knows he cant talk about it here, no matter how much the Stag probably wants him to.


    The Stag met him at the border when he returned, looking antsy. Looking back on it, Rocky cant me him. Coach would probably be nervous if a dungeon was protecting him and lost two out of three scions. The amount of mana he was carrying probably didnt help the Stags nerves, either.


    Is it over? What happened? The expeditions said something big came out of the hole, and then I could feel whatever that was. It interrupted the report.


    Rocky nodded and grunted.


    Dead? Then were safe?


    This time the grunt was apanied by a shake of Rockys rotten head.


    What do you mean? insisted the Stag, and Rocky got the feeling that, if he had hands, hed be wringing them. A few more grunts gave a few more details, not that the Stag seemed happy to be hearing them.


    An enemy scion? A dungeon then The stag looked off into the distance past Rocky, towards the battle, as if he could see through the trees and the distance. I see. Ill Ill confer with the returning expeditions and see what my Lord wishes to do.


    That was fine by Rocky. Even though Coach was seeming to be pretty proud of him, hed like a bit of time to rx. He just sat on a stump, going over everything for a while, hardly noticing when the sun set. He only realized how long he had been sitting there when the first rays of sunlight caused him to squint.


    Why hadnt the Stage to talk to him? The scion always seemed a bit of a busy body to Rocky, the type toe demanding answers as soon as he had questions. Rockys mind might literally be rotten, but theres no way the Stag doesnt have more questions about what happened than the Southwoods denizens can answer. So why leave him be for so long?


    He decided he should probably go see whats up. He asked a few denizens, and they quickly let him know the Stag woulde find him in a few minutes. That seemed strange to Rocky, but what could he do? The Southwood is huge. If he went stomping off to try to find the Stag, itd take him days, if he could find him at all.


    So he sat on his stump, wishing he had his mouthguard to chew on while he waited. At least he wasnt waiting long. The Stag bounded into the small clearing, looking to Rocky more rushed than graceful. The situation only seemed to get weirder when the Stag gave him a deep bow, his antlers brushing the ground before he straightened.


    My Lord wishes to give his deepest thanks, as well as a heartfelt apology. He knows respawning your two lost scions will likely not be recouped by the mana from your victory." He meets Rockys eyes, and the zombie scion could feel the sincerity in his next words. Please im my head to help pay my Lords debt. This is not a threat he can be victorious against, and youve wasted enough of your resources trying to help us.


    Rocky just stared for a few seconds, utterly out of his depth. Sure, its probably not cheap to respawn Honey and Leo, but Coach has probably already recouped the loss just from the delvers back home. He tried to get Coachs attention, but he seemed to be busy. It was all up to Rocky.


    He would have no problem doing as the Stag asked, but it sounded like the Southwood was almost trying to say goodbye, not just trying to give Coach more mana. He grunted a question at the Stag, who looked a little confused.


    Why? Youre youre pulling out, correct? Even with my Lords tithe of seeds and nts, youve surely spent more mana than youve gained. We wed be a burden to you in this fight, a wounded faun in the herd while the wolves circle. We should give you what we can, and hope that Harbinger and its dungeon are sated with-


    Rocky grunted a negative at that, cutting the Stag off, before grinning and exining.


    Hes not? Why not?! Rocky holds up a hand to keep the Stag from ranting about why the Coach should abandon them. Sure, it might be a smart move, but the Coach isnt one to do the sacrifice y.


    But why? Asked the Stag again, looking baffled and just trying to understand.


    Rocky gave a firm grunt. That Harbinger is something Coach doesnt intend to just let be. Something is wrong with it, and Coach is going to stop it before it can get too strong.


    He could see the Stag was still lost, so Rocky gave him a grin and one more grunt. That was only round one. Once he can get this mana back to Coach, hes going to be back for round two.


    The Stag looked lost in thought for minutes, before shaking himself and remembering he was technically in the middle of a conversation. Then if youre certain you dont need more mana would you like a few of my Lords denizens? Some noticed your Warden was a transfer, and expressed an interest in joining you, should the opportunity arise?


    Rocky could only shrug at that. Hes not the Voice, so he doesnt know if Coach is in the market for more spawners, and he cant really ask. Still, it wasnt difficult to guess the Voice would being with the reinforcements to chase down and sniff out that dungeon.


    The days after that were a bit awkward. Rocky is pretty sure the Stag is just trying toe to terms with the fact that hes not the baddest on the block anymore, and that he doesnt actually have to be. Its one thing to get punched in the mouth, but its another thing to have someone else take that punch and square up to take a few more.


    As he watches from the southern border of the Southwood, he can feel the reinforcementsing. Theyll probably get here today. He cant help but grin as he imagines the Southwoods reaction to seeing more of Coachs scions. This roster is deep and strong. That dungeon out there better have a lot more to throw at them than just the Harbinger. Otherwise, Fluffles might finish this fight before Rocky can even get back

 Chapter Two-Hundred Eight

    Chapter Two-Hundred Eight


    Its a little disorientating to be able to watch therge group near the Southwoods borders from the outside and from inside. Teemo, sh, Leo, and Fluffles have more-or-less the same view. Honey is currently up in the air, getting a good vantage, while Novas current view is mostly rock. The disorientating part is watching through Rocky and seeing everyone approach. That looks like a lot more than it is.


    Its probably just the quiet of the Southwood making the group seem so much bigger than it is. Rocky nces over at the Stag asionally, who looks even more serious than usual. My boxer has someplex feelings about the other scion, but the details are hard to pick out. At least its easy to see he doesnt dislike the big elk.


    The adventurers with the group are looking in pretty high spirits, and more than a few point at the Stag as they approach. He does cut a pretty regal figure. He looks a bit ufortable as he sees how many scions Ive sent, but he doesnt get a chance to ask about them before Teemo speaks up.


    Stag! We brought some reinforcements! deres my Voice with a wide grin, earning some chuckles from the gathered adventurers.


    ...Indeed you have. And delvers, too?


    Teemo nods at that and waves at the various people gathered. The local guild wanted to have a better hand in rooting out that problem dungeon. They want to spend a day or so to resupply by delving, before they head into the hole and get exploring. Thats fine, right?


    The Stag slowly nods. Yes, that should be fine. My Lord would appreciate the mana they would give for that.


    Teemo nods and looks to Yvonne, Ara, and Ragnar. You heard the guy. Go ahead and get ready. The Southwood probably wants some details and to talk to the Boss some about what happened.


    The party nods at that and waves as the other adventurers head into the Southwood, looking around at the forest that looks more like its early fall, rather than solidly winter.


    My scions gather before the Stag, waiting for him to decide what to do. He looks more and more concerned as he looks over my representatives, before he turns and motions for them to follow. Come. We should discuss matters with a bit more privacy.


    My scions easily fall in line behind him, and it only takes a few minutes before Teemo speaks up with a concern Im trying to ignore.


    Is everything alright?


    The stag winces at the sound of Teemos voice, but doesnt look back as he continues to lead everyone deeper. My Lord might ask the same question. Youvemitted all your scions to this? Are you not worried about reprisals or attacks from other rivals?


    Teemo looks at the gathered scions and slowly shakes his head. I think its time to put our cards on the table, Teemo. At least the ones about my scions. This isnt even half of the Boss scions.


    That statement gets the Stag to stumble and turn around, shock on his face as his disbelief wars with what he sees before him. You, the Warden, the Librarian he pauses to look at the others, and Im pretty sure hes peeking at their statuses. His eyes widen when he looks at Fluffles, but he continues. ...the Bard, the <em>Conduit</em>, and the wyrm. These arent even half your scions?


    Teemo shakes his head. Theres also the Guardian, the Marshal, the Purifier, The Alchemist, the Architect, the Groundsreaper, and the Enchanter. Teemo pauses and counts in his head, and Im pretty sure were missing one. Oh, duh. Teemo smacks his forehead and points at Rocky. And we cant forget the Savant! I guess that does technically mean half of the Bosss scions are here, though.


    The Stag looks a bit overwhelmed, but doesnt try to argue as he resumes guiding everyone. How grand is your lord to be able to field so many?


    Teemo chuckles at that. Im pretty sure you have him beat in raw acreage, even if we pulled all the underground stuff to spread on the surface. He runs things different than the other dungeons weve met. It probably helps that his main entrance is smack dab in the middle of Fourdock, though. Easy ess to delvers.


    The stag nods at that and turns his head slightly to eye everyone, though he pauses on Fluffles for a few moments before continuing. And how does he run things? My Lord has heard of a protege and a vassal?


    Yeah, Violet and Hullbreak. I dunno how much you know about Hullbreak, but the Boss vassalized him a couple months ago. He was starving and one of his dwellers asked for help. It was a bit of a thing, but now Hullbreak is back to letting people delve and his dwellers are learning to stand on their own feet or swim with their own fins? Teemo shrugs before continuing.


    Violet is basically a baby, only having her first real expansion like a month ago or so? The Boss has been helping her out, to learn a few of his methods and such. The ODA ssified her a toybox not long ago, actually.


    The Stag gives Teemo another confused look. ODA?


    Teemoughs and nods. The Office of Dungeon Affairs. Thats what he called them before he learned they were called the Dungeoneers Guild. He still calls them the ODA most of the time.


    The Stag seems to ept that, or at least doesnt try to argue as he resumes leading the way. As they all continue walking, Rocky falls back a little to grunt at Teemo, whos currently riding on shs shoulder.


    Oh? Rocky says youd like to transfer a couple residents to the Boss as thanks?


    The Stag stiffens for a moment before nodding. He doesnt look back, nor slow, as he speaks. Yes, as a small token of my Lords appreciation. One of the illusion foxes has expressed interest, and there is a current of curiosity among many of the other denizens.


    A fox spawner would be really cool, but I should probably wait until I expand into the forest beyond the cemetery to make sure Ill have room.


    The Boss isnt against it, but hell need to expand again to have room. Teemo eyes Rocky before continuing. After Rocky and the denizens rotate out and bring that mana back, he might have enough, too.


    Truly?


    Teemo shrugs, and I would too, if I could. I can tell Rocky has a lot of mana, and I can also tell itll be expensive to im the woods outside. My gut says Ill need a bit more than just what Rocky and the returning denizens will give, but if the new entrance to thebyrinth pans out like I hope it does, it shouldnt take too long.


    Maybe? The Boss still doesnt have a hard understanding of the numbers involved, but itll be close. He snorts at an idea I have. He might have any new fox scion be his ountant to help n his budget.


    The Stag shakes his head at that. I wont presume to tell him what to do, but I believe hes been doing well enough without one so far. Were almost there, he finishes, nodding at a clearing through the trees, where a yellow light can be seen.


    Teemos eyes widen, as well as all the eyes of my scions that have them. Is that where the Southwoods core is?


    The Stag nods solemnly. It is. Only a rare few have beheld my Lords glory, but this is a matter that demands it. My scions quietly follow, and I try to look and listen through them as much as I can. I dont know exactly whats going on, but at least the Stag doesnt seem inclined to keep me hanging for long.


    In the clearing, it looks more like the middle of spring, with a thick carpet of flowers covering the ground. A small spring rests in the middle of the clearing, a steady trickle of clear water seeping from a small rise to pool in a clear pond. In the center of the pond, just above the surface, floats the core of the Southwood.


    Its arge and thick hexagonal crystal, tapered at both ends and looking like something straight out of a final fantasy game. The yellow crystal is semi-transparent, reflecting and refracting the surroundings in its depths as it slowly rotates. It must be close to eight feet tall and probably three feet across. Teemo gives a low whistle, impressed at the scene, earning a small smile from the stag as he moves to stand in the shallows, not too far from the crystal, then speaks.


    My Lord has had much to consider since you first came to lend your aid, lord Thedeim. Your methods were confusing at first and are confusing even now, yet my Lord has gained some understanding of your intentions. Bringing the delvers was thest clue for him toe to understand you. You are a natural symbiont, seeking to grow and prosper together, like the leaf-cutter ants and their fungi. Yet your reach is much further, like an entire ecosystem.


    You integrate and adapt, seeking a bnce. Some new species must be culled to allow the rest to flourish, but you seem to have sessfully integrated more variety than my Lord could have dreamed. He would ask to be part of your pack, of your herd, of your forest. He has prospered in his istion, but if not for your efforts, the Harbinger and its unnatural gue would have imed him and feasted on his corpse. My Lord would swear fealty to you, lord Thedeim.


    <strong>ept vassal? Y/N?</strong>


    I stare at the notification, uncertain what to do. I mean hes not wrong about the trouble hed be in, but Im not really looking to conquer. Can I make him a protege?


    <strong>Release Current Protege? Y/N?</strong>


    Nope, no, nu-uh, no way, negative! Come on, work with me here! Theres gotta be something like a partnership? The notification seems toe slowly, less of reluctance and more from disuse. I can practically see the dust on it and hear the squeaking of pulleys that need oil as ites up. I get the feeling I should ask Aranya about this when I get the chance. For now, I look at it and consider.


    <strong>Forge Alliance? Y/N</strong>

 Chapter Two-Hundred Nine

    Chapter Two-Hundred Nine


    <strong>Southwood</strong>


    <strong>Forge Alliance? Y/N?</strong>


    The Southwood considers the prompt, and as he does so, he finds more and more worth considering about it. While it seemed to appear as all prompts do, something about it speaks of the weight of ages behind it, like an ancient pine. Or perhaps like a cicada with a much longer cycle; something that has not been seen for a <em>long</em> time.


    He considered dismissing it and trying to pressure Thedeim to ept him as a vassal, but that would inly not work. Not only would it be a bit strange to try to force someone to take him as a vassal, the other dungeon clearly doesnt want another vassal. The look on the rats face made that in enough. But why not?


    The other dungeon certainly seems determined to be the symbiont that the Southwood ssified him as a while ago, but even herbivores will snack on an unfortunate rodent asionally. Why does Thedeim refuse?


    As a vassal, or even just being subsumed, the other dungeon would reap many rewards. The Southwood is proud of his territory and spawners, and his countless nodes. If Thedeim consumed him, the dungeon hiding in that hole would stand no chance. Proud of his progress as he is, he knows his capacity for self-defense is sorelycking. If not for the scions of Thedeim, the Southwood would be subsumed already.


    If he wanted a steady harvest, vassalizing the Southwood would be a good choice instead. Losing much of his autonomy would grate on his Voice, but even the Stag hase to understand how outmatched his Lord is.


    As a vassal, he could tithe mana to Thedeim, and have his own growth guided by a mind more suited to battle. He doesnt need to be a fighter to recognize one, even if Thedeim prefers not to bear his teeth without cause.


    He turns his attention back to the prompt, and has to acknowledge the real reason he hasnt epted: fear. He doesnt fear its a trick. If the other dungeon was somehow able to fake prompts like this, why would it bother tricking a dungeon as poor in a fight as he? No his fear is of himself.


    He is unprepared. Whatever this fight will entail, it is not something the Southwood understands how to handle. He would much prefer to just tuck his metaphorical tail and ept the dominance of Thedeim, his guidance and protection, than have to figure it out on his own.


    Although he wouldnt really be on his own, would he? An ally wouldnt just leave him to flounder, especially not after having sent all those scions. If those truly are only half of what he has, Thedeim would be a powerful ally indeed. But what could the Southwood provide in exchange?


    If this really will be a more formal symbiosis, the Southwood needs to be able to provide <em>something</em>. Even after having had a lot of time to think on it, he couldnt think of much to offer though the offer of an alliance perhaps expands what he can offer. Even if he was a vassal, Thedeim would still need to send a scion to work in a room to gain it. The Southwood was willing to make some just for that purpose, if Thedeim expressed any interest, but he hadnt.


    With an alliance, would he be able to offer the rooms more freely? Offer <em>spawners</em> more freely? Thedeim would certainly need to have room to ce them, but if he can offer prizes like that, he could actually contribute! He might even be able to offer some of his more unique upgrades, like his weather control. He still remembers when he first got the option, after a particrly-harsh winter.


    He wanted tobat the damage to his nodes, the effect on his spawners, the suppression of delvers that the harsh winter bestowed. The upgrade was expensive at the time, but he regards it as one of his better choices. He could potentially make his domain as warm as summer, even in the depth of winter, but the mana cost would be prohibitive. But letting fall extend its stay, and convince spring to get an early start is a much more cost-effective way to keep the cold and snow mostly outside. Itd be nice to keep a corridor open to the orcs, or to the town of Fourdock, but that hasnt been something avable to him.


    It probably still won''t be, even if he epts this alliance but its possible. It might not even be necessary, at least in the form the Southwood had been envisioning. Thediem has zed some kind of trail already. Could he do something simr for the orcs?


    Just the possibility is enough to make him want to pounce on the offer like a squirrel on thest nut of the season, but he holds himself back and tries to think this through. What will the consequences be? If he denies the offer Thedeim will still fight the dungeon of the Harbinger. A dungeon doesntmit half their scions if theyre not prepared to finish a fight. The Southwood will still try to contribute, and though it stings his pride a little, he knows he wont be able to make much of a difference.


    While he possibly could be the single snowke that cracks the branch, he doesnt think his efforts will be so dramatic. If Thedeim wins, for theres no point contemting what will happen should he <em>lose</em>, he will gain even more power, and the Southwood will try to stay in his good graces.


    Hmm. Even if he denies the alliance, he will probably be reliant on the other dungeon. If being a vassal is still not an avable path, denying the alliance is pointless. Hell still probably be dealing with the other dungeon in hopefully an amiable way for the foreseeable future. Whatever the alliance does, it cant hurt the options of working together.


    The Southwood epts the alliance. Immediately, he can feel the change, and feel his options and information expand. New options bloom like flowers in spring, and he''s relieved to see he can trade his more precious upgrades and options more freely. He can''t give them away, but he can offer a trade. There is also an alliance pool of mana, that any can contribute to, and any can withdraw from. He can feel the Thedeims protege, like a curious pup hiding behind her sires legs. He can feel Hullbreak in the distance, a wounded predator slowly learning to ept help and recover.


    And he can feel Thedeim. Hes hardly more than a pup himself, but there is a cleverness there, far more cleverness than should exist in one so young. Happiness and confidence radiate through the alliance like a warm breeze in fall. Thedeim has no fear of losing this battle, but hes also not going to just charge blindly in.


    There is a ruthless patience to him, abination the Southwood would have never expected to exist. The closest is how wolves hunt, tracking and harrying their prey until the final blow can be struck. That kind of pursuit is one of hunger and focus, grim determination and desperate hope of securing victory.


    The intentions of Thedeim are different. The Southwood can see Thedeim like one of the delvers, a simr shape, but no detail beyond the outline. Hes pursuing a goal. The pursuit is almost casual, expending the minimal effort while still tracking the prey. Opportunities can be taken advantage of, berries picked or smaller prey taken, but each step continues to close the distance. It can be outrun, but it cant be escaped. Following, always following, always moving at a steady pace. Even the fight with the Harbinger fits into the steady rhythm of Thedeims advance. While the enemy dungeon scrambles to prepare, Thedeim continues his inexorable advance.


    His new allys preparations are simple and deliberate, slowly building momentum towards the goal. A wolf might go out and hope for victory, fight for its life and howl itstest victory against starvation but Thedeim doesnt hope for victory. He knows what it will take, and has prepared ordingly. In his pursuit, foes are felled and allies carried until they can walk on their own. When they stumble, hes there to keep them moving, carrying them again if needed.


    The vision fades, and it takes the Southwood a few moments to recognize it <em>was</em> a vision. The feelings through the alliance bond grow slightly concerned, but the Southwood quickly has his Voice reassure Teemo, and so Thedeim, that hes fine. He had been dimly aware of the dungeons fate affinity, but the vision has, perhaps appropriately, brought that knowledge into focus.


    The alliance may be fresh and new, but the Southwood can already feel himself rmitting to the idea. Thedeims intentions are clear: to nurture and uplift his allies to the point they can stride confidently, and to ensure their foes never enjoy a moments rest.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Ten

    Chapter Two-Hundred Ten


    It feels a bit weird when the Southwood epts the alliance. I can feel the new bond, and feel the old ones shuffling around a bit, and I can feel a bit more information flowing around now, too. Im a bit surprised to see that Violet and Hullbreak are in it now, as well, but looking closer, it seems more of a technicality.


    As Violets mentor, Im in charge of most outsider-rted things, so while shes in the alliance, its mostly because her mentor is in it. Simr with Hullbreak. As a vassal, hes not allowed to do a lot with diplomatic affairs, looks like, but as his lord, I guess? As the guy hes a vassal to, he gets dragged into technically allying, too.


    I take a few minutes to poke around the options, and Im probably going to eventually invite them both to the alliance properlyter. Honestly, Hullbreak has been doing great, and Id love to give him the reins back, but I think thatd be moving a bit too quickly. Hell get there eventually, but for now, I think he needs a bit more time with fewer responsibilities so he can get his feet properly underneath him.


    Itll definitely be longer for Violet. I dont think shes ready to stop being my protege yet. I want to give her the time she needs to grow, without having to worry about things like alliances and wars with crazy dungeons.


    When I take a closer look at Southwood, I can feel him prodding the options, too, as well as politely tapping the bonds with the others. Violet is looking pretty curious, while Hullbreak is trying to put on a friendly face, despite his aversion to outsiders. Im not really worried about either of them.


    Southwood is pretty interesting, too. I can get a better feel for his territory, and hes absolutely massive! Sure, my denizens have scouted his borders, but theres a difference between reading it on a map and being able to get a feel through the bond. I let him take a look at what I have, too. If this is an alliance, we should share what we can. Thats the entire point of an alliance, right?


    I can also feel that Southwood is old. I cant get a specific number, but hes easily the oldest of our little alliance. Its not surprising that hes the oldest, but theres a feeling of weight and wisdom thats going to take some getting used to. It feels kinda weird for him to act deferential to me, considering how much more experience he has being a dungeon.


    We both explore the options for a few more minutes, and I discover the alliance mana pool. This thing is definitely cool. I set a trickle of my ie to flow into it, hoping itll be a good emergency stockpile for if anything happens. Some curiosity and nervousness slips through the bond, and the Stag looks a little awkward as he tries to figure out how to ask whatever it is the Southwood wants.


    Of course, Teemo is more than happy to pounce. Whats up? You look like you want to ask something.


    The Stag looks like hed rather stay quiet, but eventually crumbles under the polite smile of my Voice. My Lord is unsure how much hes expected to contribute to the alliance pool.


    Teemo scoffs. Pft, thats easy: nothing. The Boss is nning to use it as amunal emergency fund. So just put in whatever you can whenever you can, and withdraw whatever you need for whatever you need it for. In fact have you thought about getting a second scion?


    The Stag answers slowly, sounding more than a little ashamed. My own upkeep is all my Lord is able to afford.


    Teemo exchanges a nce with my other gathered scions, before nodding. Lots of orders, yeah?


    The Stag nods, missing the tone in Teemos voice.


    Well, thats easy to fix, Southwood. Just stop giving him orders. The Boss almost never gives us orders. He basically just brings something to our attention and lets us figure it out on our own.


    The Stag looks bbergasted, and I can feel a simr reaction through the alliance bond. After a few seconds, the Stag manages to stammer a response. But but theplex n! The intricate movement of your troops!


    All Leo. My Warden gives a quiet bork and Teemo smirks as he corrects himself. Leo and Honey. Hes the Warden, and Thedeim isnt going to second guess him. Troop stuff is Leos job, so the Boss mostly stays out of it and just makes sure he has what he needs to do it. Thats how he does most of his stuff.


    The Stag still looks lost, so Teemo tries to put it differently. Look, even if the Southwood didnt order you to go do whatever he asks you to, youd still do whatever you can to help him, right?


    Of course, answers the Stag, sounding a little more confident, but still not seeing where this is going.


    Thats how we are, too. If the Boss has something that needs doing, he points out the need to us and lets us figure it out. He supports and helps us, but its mostly on us. Like with the shortcuts here. Reducing the travel time will be a huge help to the Boss, so I do it, even without being ordered to.


    It looks to me like the Stag is still wrapping his head around that idea, but I can feelprehension slowly creeping up on Southwood through the bond, which only gets stronger as the Stag speaks up again.


    So if my Lord had a second scion we could share the duty of carrying out his will?


    Teemo finger guns him with a smile. Nailed it. You should try a second scion. Dip into the alliance fund, if you need to, and get a feel for how it works. Its probably a bit expensive to try to get as many as the Boss has, but with the shortcuts getting shorter each time I go over them, youll have more delvers, even in winter.


    I can feel him thinking it over, which is fine for now. Its a pretty big risk to get a new scion, especially if hes used to giving orders. He could easily bankrupt himself like that, even with the group of delvers we brought doing some delving.


    Just think it over. We should probably also talk about how were going to deal with the Harbingers dungeon. If you do go for a new scion, it wouldnt be a bad idea to try them out as a Marshal or Warden, or something else that specializes in expeditions. Leo and Honey will be leading Thedeims expeditions to get down there and find it.


    Were also going to be rotating out the denizens from the battle, as well as Rocky, so the Boss can get all that mana and keep working on his stuff. Fluffles and sh will mostly be sticking around you, Southwood, to intercept anything funny the other dungeon might try. Nova is probably going to join the scouts? asks Teemo, looking over at my wyrm scion, who quietly rumbles her reply. Leo wuffs and shrugs, before Teemo continues.


    Sounds like scouting or training, then. If youre up for it, Stag, Im sure theyd be happy to have you spar. Rocky grins wide as the Stag nches.


    I, uh appreciate the offer, though I dont know how much of a challenge Id pose.


    My zombie grunts and Teemo nods. Its not about being a punching bag, its about learning. Rocky will probably want to pick your brain about your affinity, but hell probably need to do that when he gets back. The Boss really does need that mana, Rocky.


    The zombie scion slumps slightly as his bubble bursts, but he doesnt look too upset. Hes a good, responsible scion, Rocky. The Stag looks a bit relieved, until Fluffles gives a quiet hiss, reminding the Stag that I still have my Conduit ready and willing to do some training.


    The Stags relief turns to fear as he tries to change the subject. Ah oh! My Lord wished to ask if there are any rooms you may wish to trade for. It seems that allies can trade them directly, rather than needing a scion to train and gain a title for ess.


    Teemos curious tilt of his head mirrors my own curiosity. Yeah? What rooms do you have? The Boss is working on getting a metalworks right now, so I dunno if he has room for another just yet. Getting an idea of what to get next could be great.


    The Stag smiles with confidence for the first time in a while. My Lord has quite theprehensive selection of rooms avable. If lord Thedeim doesnt have much room at the moment, perhaps my Lord could offer an upgrade instead? The confident smile wavers slightly as I get a notification.


    <strong>Purchase Climate Control? Y/N?</strong>


    Oof, that look makes more sense as I see the price tag associated with the purchase. The Stag nods as he sees Teemos reaction.


    There is a minimum price, unfortunately. Even if he doesnt want it just yet, my Lord will be happy to offer it again at ater time. I select no while Teemo nods.


    Yeah, the Boss isnt ready to spend that much on anything right now. Whats it actually do?


    The Stags confidence returns as he stands a bit straighter. It is what lets my Lord keep back even the depths of winter within his domain. With his focus on natural nodes, a hard winter can make them much less effective than they should be. With that upgrade, he can set the seasons at his whim. It can be expensive if he is too forceful, but he can practically have a long fall give way to an early spring, ignoring winter all together, should he wish.


    Teemo gives a low whistle at that, and I can see why that kind of upgrade is so expensive. For a dungeon like Southwood, its an amazing option. Itd be cool for me, too. It gives me all sorts of ideas for the expansion past the cemetery that Ive been eying. Itd probably take at least a second expansion into those woods outside town to give me enough room, but itd be so cool to be able to have a forest of four seasons.


    The Boss already has some ideas for that kind of upgrade. I dont think hell be taking it until spring at the earliest, though.


    The Stag nods at that. Then simply let my Lord know, and hell offer it again. Nobody seems to have anything else to say for the moment, so Fluffles hisses, earning a wince from the Stag. Reluctantly, he nods at my Conduit.


    Yes I think I have some time to train. I fear I will need more advice than I may have hoped. I havent forgotten my embarrassing loss to Teemo when we first met.


    Teemo smirks at that, though the smirk falls when he hears my suggestion. You sure, Boss?


    Yeah, were allies.


    Teemo slowly nods at that, epting the logic, before turning to my wingnoodle. Show him the ropes properly, yeah? Get Rockys help if you need to. The Boss says you should try to expand his horizons.


    Fluffles and Rocky both look surprised at that, which makes the Stag very nervous.


    Is it toote to have sudden business elsewhere? the Stag asks, looking like he might bolt anyway. Teemo shakes his head and chuckles as he hops onto Leos back.


    Nah, youll be fine. Rockys just going to get a chance to pick your brains after all.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Eleven

    Chapter Two-Hundred Eleven


    <strong>Fluffles</strong>


    The serpentine scion knows he shouldnt find the Stags concerns so humorous, but he does. While he can understand where the Southwoods scion ising from, its not like theyre going to hurt him. He will probably be sore for a while, and likely fatigued in both mana and in mind.


    He effortlessly glides behind the Stag as he leads the group to a different clearing. Having a good spar in and around the core would just be a bad idea. Teemo, Honey, and Leo wont be joining them, as they want to either coordinate with the delvers, or check on the denizens on expedition. Theres a lot of organizing to be done with both, and Fluffles is happy to leave them to it.


    Rocky and Nova are both looking excited to train, which isnt surprising at all. Rocky is <em>always</em> eager to practice, and Nova still seems determined to live up to her name. Fluffles has tried to tell her theres nothing to really live up to. Its not like hes fluffy, wings aside. They dont count. But shes still young and needs to find her ce, even if its a bit strange for him to call her young. Hes not even a year old yet.


    sh seems to want to practice his music, specifically in supporting a fight, so this will be good practice for him, too. Fluffles is looking forward to it as well. Itll be a good chance to teach, and to make sure he understands the way affinities interact as much as he thinks he does.


    The Stag leads them all to a clearing with quite a bit of leaf litter, but its simple enough for Fluffles to sweep it away with wind and a bit of kic. Even that earns a startled look from the Stag.


    You have wind affinity?


    Fluffles nods and coilsfortably on a rock, d its modestly warm from the sunlight. Wind, Storm, Kic, Lightning, and Fate. Rocky perks up at the mention of lightning, but is polite enough to not interrupt. The Stag looks rather intimidated by the list, though. Fluffles just smiles. My <strong>Stormeater</strong> title earned me three of those. Maybe we can get sh to tell you the story some time or I can. I was there. Im not as good a storyteller as he is, though. How about your affinities?


    I have Life, Kic, and Light.


    Fluffles can feel the Denmasters interest in the Light affinity, followed by a few nonsensical shes of association. Experience has taught him theyre probably not so nonsensical after all, but he cant fathom how both fire and lightning rte to light. Ah, we share one! I started with Kic, specifically telekinesis. Id be d to give you some pointers with it.


    That has the Stag slowly nodding. I started with Light, and picked up Kic from bing my Lords <strong>Guardian</strong>. Ive not practiced with it much, beyond empowering my hooves.


    Fluffles prepares to respond, but Rocky grunts to interrupt. I think I can get him into fire from light.


    The Stag looks worried at that, but Fluffles is intrigued. Already?


    Rocky nods and steps forward, eyeing the Stag. Hes real good with light, I can tell. You want fire affinity? he asks, causing the worry to shift to confusion.


    Fire affinity? What?


    I think I can teach you to expand your light into fire. Im missing something to turn my fire into light, but I think you can bridge your gap with a little push.


    Expand is that even possible? The Stag looks at Rocky with a mixture of incredulity and hope, and the pretend-lich nods.


    Yeah. I started with fire, and expanded it into ice and kic, then kic into sonic. Im working on lightning next.


    Its still weird for Fluffles to hear it put like that. Part of him still wants to say thats impossible, but Rocky doesnt talk about it as a boast. Its just simple fact. The Stag looks inclined to not believe, but if he got to see what Rocky did to the Harbinger, it probably isnt as unbelievable as it might be.


    ...how? asks the Stag, and Rocky grins.


    Make some light. Just some regr light. Fluffles, get a pile of dry leaves, please. Fluffles eagerly does so and watches as the Stag conjures a glowing sphere. Nova inches closer to watch, too, while sh ys a soothing tune, to help with concentration. Rocky conjures a ball of fire, forgoing the usual ball of ice for now, and scrutinizes the two orbs. The ball of me intensifies for a few moments, waves of heat washing over the clearing, before he calms it down.


    Yeah I can make it hotter, but thats not what I need for light. Change the color, he grunts, and the Stag sets the light to rapidly strobe for a few moments, before Rocky waves a hand at him. No, slow. Slow as you can.


    The Stag obeys, and the ball of light starts shifting smoothly through the colors of the rainbow. Slower,es Rockys grunt, and the Stag focuses more on the orb as the shifting colors go even slower.


    That is remarkably difficult, admits the Stag as the colors continue to slow, and Rocky continues to stare at the light.


    Thats good. Now pay attention to what youre doing. Feel whats changing. Thats the important thing. Feel what youre changing.


    The Stag slowly nods as he continues to focus, and soon his tongue lolls as he pants from the effort. I I think I can feel it. Different colors are less? he thinks aloud. While it doesnt make much sense to Fluffles, Rocky nods.


    Yeah, thats it. I havent figured out how to change that on my own yet. Make it more less, and put more power into it at the same time.


    Fluffles gives his fellow scion a bewildered look, but the Stag seems to understand. The ball starts shifting into warmer colors, from green through yellow and orange, and into red. But warmer colors should be more, not less, shouldnt they? The Stag pants harder with effort as the redness seems to grow both duller in shade, yet brighter in intensity.


    It takes Fluffles a moment to realize he might be the only one there who can truly appreciate the transformation as it continues. He watches the ball fade from his sight, but fade <em>into</em> his heat sense. The transition is difficult to describe, even while watching. Rockys excited grunt refocusses Fluffles.


    Now! Into the leaves! The ball of heat dives into the dried pile, which quickly bursts into me. The Stag copses onto his belly, panting from the effort. Mixed in with the exhaustion are equal parts tion and disbelief, and Rocky grins as he takes a seat. Make a lick of me, he orders, and the Stag grunts as he obeys.


    A small wisp of fire appears right before the Stags snout, and the scion just stares at it while Rocky smiles.


    Coach says yer on the team, so you get in on the secret.


    How? whispers the Stag, still staring at the small me under his control.


    Rocky just shrugs. Coach knows a lot of stuff. I dunno how, but he does. He tries to teach us, but its hard to get. Teemos gotten hurt before just from getting it all without the filter we do. Just from Coach thinking.


    The Stags eyes widen at that, and he looks at his little me with trepidation as Rocky continues. Youll be fine. You can make the light even less if you want. Im pretty sure Coach isnt worried about that. Itll act a lot like fire for a while, I think. Definitely be careful about making the light <em>more</em>, though. That sets off all sorts of warnings.


    The Stag nods before letting the fire wink out, and sighs in exhaustion. I believe Im satisfied for now. I never imagined Id gain an affinity like fire. Just changing light that far was utterly exhausting. Now that Ive done it I believe trying to make the light <em>more</em> would be even more trying. Im in no hurry to try to make it even less, either. I have a whole new affinity to explore already.


    Rocky nods at that and leans back, rxing, as the Stag eyes the other scions. Have you all done this?


    sh nods while Nova looks away, and Fluffles speaks up to exin. sh got to sonic affinity from earth. I got my title by using my kic affinity to take advantage of perhaps one of the Denmasters greatest pieces of knowledge.


    The Stag eyes him, head still firmly on the ground as he recovers. Oh? Will you share it?


    Fluffles nods, fighting back a grin. Like Rocky said: youre on the team. Its not an easy thing to understand, though. I still feel like, besides the Denmaster, only Rocky really understands it. Im pretty sure Denmaster Thedeim puts it differently, but even Teemo hasnt seen fit to try to correct the phrasing Rocky uses. It sounds stupid and obvious, but it really is a vital piece of knowledge toprehend.


    Fluffles motions his tail for Rocky to continue, letting the grin onto his face as the zombie scion reveals the truth.


    Stuff is made of stuff.


    The Stag gives a t look to all involved, and Rocky and Fluflfes bothugh.


    A good joke, grumps the Stag, and Fluffles shakes his head.


    Its not a joke. Everything is made of something, even the air. I ate a storm by stealing away the kic energy in it. I focused it into a sphere of air I kept contained, forcing more and more energy into it, until I unleashed it on one of Hullbreaks scions. I wasnt kidding about it sounding stupid, but its true. I dont know exactly what air is made of, just like I dont know what rock is made of, but both are still made of <em>something</em>.


    Rocky nods. Thats the wisdom of Coach Thedeim. Things dont just happen, and things are a lot more rted than they look at first. Take a close look instead of just epting things. Coach does that with a lot more than just magic.


    The Stag still looks uncertain about all that, but Fluffles can at least see him chewing it over in his mind. Thats good. Its not something to be understood just like that. Fluffles smiles as he sees the Stag toying with conjuring asional wisps of me, too. Hes got a lot to think about now, so he can hardly me the scion for focussing his attention on a new affinity. A new affinity is a lot easier to understand than a secret of creation, no matter how humorously its worded.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Twelve

    Chapter Two-Hundred Twelve


    I watch my scions share some knowledge with the Stag, and its an interesting experience. I can feel Rockytching onto wavelengths and the fact that infrared is thermal. Its pretty cool watching the Stag gain the fire affinity, and funny to feel the Southwoods reaction to it.


    I think he was expecting it to take a lot longer, but Rocky isnt an <strong>Affinity Savant</strong> for nothing. From what the Stag was saying, it also helped that hes so experienced with his light affinity. I also dont doubt Rocky will figure out light if he wants it next. He can already change the pitch of his sounds, so he knows how to adjust wavelengths. He just needs to figure out which part of fire to stretch to do it.


    I think he wants lightning first, though. Hes managed to convince Fluffles to sling a lot of electricity as they start sparring. Whether hell learn it before he has to go, I dunno, but I let them all have their fun.


    I check in on Leo and Honey, and the two are already hip deep in organizing the denizens toe home, and organizing the ones they brought to fill in the gaps. Theyll probably want a day or two to debrief everyone, and not even Rocky will be able to avoid a proper debriefing, once hes had his fun sparring.


    Teemo is hanging out with the delvers, and they all seem in pretty good spirits. A lot of them have never been here before, and Yvonne, Ara, and Ragnar are having to herd cats to try to keep everyone on the same page. Theyve already sent a few of the more ranger-y ones out to scout the clearing and the hole. Most of the adventurers are happy for now to do some low-effort delving and resupplying, and the Southwood is more than happy to let them.


    All of that leaves me with very little to do in the Southwood right now, so I give my new ally an encouraging pat on the bond before turning my attention back to my own territory.


    Coda hasnt been resting on hisurels while everyone is on a road trip, and has managed to get a lot of progress done on the entrance to thevabyrinth. With the first floor of the lighthouse finished, and the masons over there having more of an understanding of what Coda needs them to do, hes had to oversee them less and less, letting him oversee my ratlings more and more as they carve and work the entrance.


    The stalls and other structures were easy enough for them to build, and Coda has even wrangled a few rockslides, magmyrm, wyrms, and even a basilisk to help. The slides arent the strongest in their earth affinity, but they still make it so much easier to properly fix the supports of the buildings into the cavern. My more fiery denizens are working on the more aesthetic aspects, including the wyrm mouth for the entrance.


    For now, were not going to try to make the mouth open and close, and will be staying with a more traditional door for if I need to try to discourage people from heading inside during renovations or something. The wyrms and basilisk have been happy to spew magma where the magmyrms want, and the volcanic ants have been shaping it as it cools, slowly sculpting the open maw of a wyrm. They even infuse a bit of their affinity into their work, which has drawn Thing to investigate.


    The magmyrms are using it more for lighting and because it looks cool, but Thing seems very interested in what theyve done. I think its some kind of runework, but I dont really understand the specifics. I just know it looks cool, and doesnt make the ambient temperature feel like an oven.


    Delvers have been curiously watching the work, but nobody has tried to interfere in anything, which is good. Fewer interruptions means quicker and cleaner work, which means the entrance will be fully functional sooner!


    The new quest board is already up and running. Quest web? Quest dangling signs? Ill need to give it a better nameter, but whatever I end up calling it, its already giving delvers a bit more guidance, and giving me a bit more mana. Ive seen a few strange quests in there, too. Only Turn Left is a weird one, and I dont think anyones taken it yet. Maybe once people get more used to thebyrinth, then theyll be more willing to take a challenge quest like that.


    Some of the ratkin have evene by to help set up the smelters, and I wonder if its simr for them as the lighthouse is for the masons. Either way, my dwellers seem to be happy and enjoy the work, and I get more of a discount for the rooms. One is as discounted as I think its going to get, so I go ahead and just spend the mana for it. Its cool to watch the subtle and not-so-subtle changes when making a room.


    In the old days, the most basic things would just pop into existence, like the bit of parchment in my first library, way back in that small ant chamber. Now, I watch the mana shape and change things, reinforcing the oven there, where it was a little thin, properly setting the basic crucibles, forming pegs on the walls for the tools to hang on, and more. It feels nice to make a good workshop like this, and I can easily imagine the delvers working away, sometimesughing and carrying on as they work, sometimes being deadly serious and focused.


    It makes it easy to understand why a dungeon would go for the full toybox route. Lots of mana generated, hardly any mess. Well, Im sure my ratlings will need to clean the smelters and forges regrly, but thats a mundane, boring kind of mess. The more exciting messes can make even more mana, but all too often have a cost that I dont want my delvers to pay. Its also easy to see why most dungeons go more belligerent. The mana I get for defeating a group of delvers in mybyrinth shows how lucrative that can be. But Im d Ive been able to walk a more middle path, take the road untaken. I can kinda have my cake and eat it, too, which is one of those sayings that makes more logical sense if you reverse it, but eat your cake and have it, too, doesnt flow quite as well.


    My fuzzy philosophical introspection is interrupted by Violet, who sends a sudden spike of worry though the protege bond. I push thoughts of cake and how I probably will only ever have cake and never eat it out of my mind, and focus on what shes so rmed about. Its difficult to narrow it down at least at first.


    Her scions are all on high alert, and I can see a lot more spores in the air as Cappy does his best to defend his home. Legs is suiting up in all kinds of metal and looking pretty intimidating. Nose is buried near Violets core, preparing to grab anything that might somehow slip past Legs and Cappy. And Onyx what <em>is</em> Onyx doing?


    She has two wed gauntlets now, and is slowly prowling around, instead of taking a defensive position like the other scions. She notices me, or Violet does and she gives her some direction. Either way, the shadowy gremlin points out the swirling mana in Violets domain.


    Ive never seen that before. At first nce, its just a huge mess. I can feel Violet getting a lot of mana from it, but I dont know why the flow is suddenly acting so weird! I take a few moments to focus and pay more attention, and start noticing little patterns. Its not just one big mess but a lot of smaller ones. Taking a step back, its easier to see, and I suddenly realize whats happening.


    I bring my attention back into focus and try to figure out whats the best way to put it to Violet. Firstly, I try to get her to calm down, to impress on her that shes not in any danger. Sure, its a surprise, but its also one we probably should have seening. I also start shunting the mana shes getting into the alliance pool for now. I dont know if dungeons can get sick from too much mana, but Id rather be safe than sorry.


    Me taking action seems to calm her a bit, so I draw her attention to the cause of the sudden increase of mana: the scythemaw nests. More specifically, the scythemaw eggs. Even <em>more</em> specifically, the <em>hatching</em> scythemaw eggs.


    Onyx scratches at the surface of one of the nests before Violet tells her to stop, and I suggest sending Nose to poke in and get a better look. I watch the mana flows as some of the eggs start wiggling and moving more, and Violets panic shifts to an intense curiosity. I cant really exin theplex process of hatching and how it differs from spawning, partially because I dont really understand too much about how spawning works.


    Thankfully, I dont need to try to figure out how to exin the birds and the bees, as one of the leathery eggs sprouts a gash. Violet is rmed at that for a moment, before the first scythemaw baby pokes its little head out.


    Oh no. Theyre <em>adorable</em>. While most mammal babies look a bit underdone at birth, and a lot of birds look like nightmares, most reptiles and amphibians look all shiny and adorable, and it seems like scythemaws are no exception. The baby looks just like a baby alligator, with stubby little mandibles poking from its cheeks.


    Im not sure Ive ever missed having hands more than I do right now. I just want to pick it up and hold it and pet it and call it George. Violet seems curious about them, and my own feelings on the matter seem to have convinced her everything is fine, even if she doesnt share my opinion on how cute the things are.


    She nudges me with a bit of concern, and reminds me that I cant just sit here and squee at the things all day. No matter how cute, we have a pile of newborn apex predators to deal with. I dont think theyll be dangerous on their own, but if we want to keep the local scythemaw poption stable, we should probably try to figure out how to get them to the water.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Thirteen

    Chapter Two-Hundred Thirteen


    Violet and I spend quite a bit of time just watching the babies hatch, and I keep moving most of the mana into the alliance pool. I mentallybel it Violets college fund, and hope Ill be able to designate it as officially herster. For now, I should focus on the baby scythemaws.


    The basic solution to what to do is fairly simple, at least: well keep doing what weve been doing. The maws have been doing this for some time, and its been working, so we should mostly just try to stay out of the way. Still, Violet wants to take a bit more of a direct approach in making sure they get to the water, so I suggest a few expeditions.


    Shes a bit nervous about that, too, but if she wants something done, she should do it. She should be able to handle it. The aquiferkes themselves are a bit beyond what she can patrol, but the passages between her and there are mostly safe. Her denizens should be able to handle anything they stumble over.


    I feel her trying to organize as I watch her scions work to do what she wants. Onyx is sticking close to the nests, even though the babies arent trying to dig their way out just yet. I think she wants to both protect them, and to get a better look at them once they get moving. The other scions are being a bit more surprising.


    I was expecting Cappy to be the one preparing to organize some expeditions, but I think Nose is going to be the one handling that. A little mushroom pops up in the metalworks as Legs and Jello both work to make a pair of little digging gauntlets for the mole, and Nose seems to split his attention between it and the two scions making gear for him.


    I can only assume Cappy is giving him whatever intel he has avable on those tunnels, and Nose is more able to focus and listen once Legs and Jello are done measuring him. They get to work, shaping and sharpening, and I notice Legs is taking a bit of a back seat to making the gloves. He does some basic work, and a few fine adjustments, but most of it is being done by Jello.


    I can feel her burbling away happily through the bond as she works, and her technique is a lot different from Legs. He mostly uses an anvil and hammer, as well as the small heating forge to shape the metal. Jello seems to act almost like a hydraulic press, and simply brute forces things into shape inside herself.


    Im d to see her putting the shaped pieces into the heating forge once shes done bending them, too. Cold working metals like that, especially steel, can introduce stresses. While itll be harder, it will also tend to be more brittle. But a nice gentle heating and cooling treatment will let it rx. The sharper pieces will need to be temperedter, but thates mostly at the end, once you have the shape finalized.


    She does do a little hot working, too, mostly in making little connecting pins and such for the joints. She grows little tentacles to grab the tongs and hammer, and shes getting good enough that she can work on bending one piece while hammering out another. She has a pretty impressive rhythm going, too. I think Legs has been teaching her how to properly multitask, also. Ive seen him working on several pieces at once before, as well, using all his legs to his advantage.


    Nose eventually finishes listening to Cappy and goes to get a couple more moles to follow him. By the time he gets back, Jello is almost done with the gloves. I watch as she works on thest rivet, and I can imagine her sticking out her tongue in concentration as she works on ttening the hot piece of metal enough to not fall out, but not so much that the joint will bind while moving. Onest tap of the hammer and she picks up the gauntlet, looking at it with whatever she uses to look. Satisfied, she dunks it in a water bucket, and I get a notification.


    <strong>Metalworks Gained!</strong>


    I stare at the notification for a moment, confused, before realizing what that means. Jello! You did it!


    She seems confused for a few moments, too, before I feel the bond practically explode in happiness and excitement. She does a happy dance in Violets metalworks, and Legs looks on with pride at his student. You did great, too, Legs! I even feel Violets happiness at being able to contribute. Metaphorical hugs all around!


    Nose makes a little noise to remind everyone who the gloves are for, and Jello happily gives him his new gear, which he eagerly equips. I dont think theres any special quality or anything to them yet, but they should at least make it a lot easier for him to dig around, and should be great to help defend himself, too.


    I watch him go as Legs and Jello celebrate a bit more, and I wonder what kind of title hell get. My scions have been more happy to lead the expeditions from home, rather than head out with them. I wonder if hell get Scout like Teemo? Its definitely a cool title to have. Either way, I should let him do his job and get to ying with my new room!


    It only takes a few moments of thought for me to know exactly where I want to put my metalworks. Theres plenty of room at thebyrinth entrance for something like this, and Jello will be delighted to watch the delvers and be watched in turn as she works. I spend a little mana to redirect my ratlings in their efforts in setting up the shops in the area. Theres only a few adjustments to be made to turn a smelter into a metalworks.


    Its mostly just in scaling down the things that make heat, and scaling up the things that work the metal once its cooled. I spend the rest of the mana needed, and my first metalworks is officially a thing! I nudge Jello with that knowledge, and she wiggles in happy excitement. Shes eager to get to work, so she hugs Legs and makes her slow way back to me.


    However, instead of going straight to the metalworks, she heads towards thebyrinth itself. I watch, curious, as she starts gathering my denizens. She starts by unceremoniously absorbing a whole hill of the cinder ants, organizing the coke they produce and keeping the ants together. I get the feeling theyre confused, but not confused enough to actively resist one of my scions in her work.


    She then heads to the melting pot chamber, and stops at practically every hill there. Those ants are a bit too warm for her tofortably grab up like the cinder ants, so they instead trail along behind her. She gets quite a collection by the time shes done, having crucible ants with bellies full of all the different metals and alloys theyve discovered so far.


    Herst stop before heading for the entrance is to grab one of my new basilisks. The strange denizen looks just as confused as the cinder ants, but doesnt object, even when the crucible ants climb onto him for easier movement or because hes morefortably warm.


    The whole strange procession soon emerges from a shortcut and into the metalworks, and Im just d there arent any delvers there at the moment. Jello deposits the cinder ants in a corner of the shop, and I make a note to ask Queen to encourage a few of the hills to move into the other nned smelter and forge areas. I bet I can get a lot of mana out of the little guys. First, delvers will need to get coal or wood to feed them, then I get mana for them gathering the coke, and more mana for them using it to make whatever they want to make!


    I think thebyrinth is going to be even more lucrative than I expected. I should check for coal nodes, too. While I have stone, gem, and metal nodes, I dont think Ive actually made any coal ones yet. I can probably have tunnelbores dig out an area nearby to put in some, too. Ill see about doing that after Jello gets her shop in shape.


    With the cinders settled, she gets the basilisk to settle into the forge. I spend a bit of mana to expand it a bit, too, since the crucible ants seem to want to stay in there, also. Jello calls them out, group by group, to start making ingots around the rim of the forge, and she takes the tongs to pluck them out and set aside to cool as they reach the size and shape she wants. Looking at the shapes, I think stock is the technical term? Theres rectangr pieces, round pieces, thick t pieces, and they all get cooled and sorted by material and shape by my new Metal Smith.


    That thought even reminds me, and I gently take a closer look at Jello, not wanting to disturb her, and giving her a chance to ask for privacy. Im happy to see her new titlees with a new affinity: metal! Thats going to be all sorts of cool to work with. I think Coda is probably going to be hanging out with Jello a lot more, too. Theres a lot of interesting things that metal can do, lots of tough moving parts that will just be easier to work with than stone.


    Ill probably suggest she work on recing a lot of the parts for the mechanical traps, once shes more settled. For now, I watch her work, and watch the ants start heading back into shortcuts towards the melting pot, to gather more materials. I can almost hear her humming through the bond as she works, going at a steady rhythm as she stocks her workshop.


    You done good, Jello. Im proud of you.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Fourteen

    Chapter Two-Hundred Fourteen


    <strong>The Harbinger</strong>


    Existence has been <em>unpleasant</em> as ofte for the Harbinger. The surface was supposed to be soft and ripe for the taking, and it seemed that was going to be the case, until that lich finally made its y. The Harbinger would have happily taken the simple lesson of killing the lich first, next time, but The Maw has other ideas.


    The dungeon actually turned the Harbingers own Mind affinity against it, forcing it to relive the encounter over and over. The Maw covets that lich, building up the undead as a delicacy beyondpare. The Harbinger just thinks its a strong lich, but even it has to admit it is <em>very</em> strong for a lich.


    As unpleasant as reliving being torn apart by that resonance cascade was, the Harbinger hase to appreciate the kind of skill and finesse that went into unmaking it. The blend of affinities utilized was as awe-inspiring as it was unpleasant, and the Harbinger wishes, deep in its core where none can see, that it could figure out what was actually done. The mana required for what was done should have required the lich to be a Conduit, but if it had such a title, it never embraced it.


    But the memories of the battle are not the only unpleasantness of existence recently. The Redcap has been getting uppitytely, too. The nerve of the scion, to imply hed be better at leading the least than the Harbinger! To even imply it would make a better hat than a scion! It would rend the Redcaps mind asunder, if he wasnt already utterly mad.


    Perhaps the Harbinger should attempt to piece the Redcaps mind back together. Itd be a much more difficult attack, but sudden onset sanity could have as devastating an effect on that scion as madness has on other minds.


    The idea at least distracts from the utter <em>boredom</em> the Harbinger is now faced with. It was quite pleased with itself for finding that traitor. It even helped the Redcap with his newest hat, keeping the mind from slipping into the relief of madness, and forcing it to understand what was being taken. If the Maw had a scion with life affinity, they might have even been able to keep it alive for more than a few hours.


    With the traitor hatted, the Harbinger had turned its attention to sniffing out others, but the Maw refused to listen when it pointed out a cheesemaker as a possible ally of the traitor. When it insisted something was wrong with the stupid little curd slinger, The Maw put it on its new tortuous duty: training the delvers. It had fun with the assignment at first, happily throwing them into impossible situations and tearing them apart with the least, but that didntst long.


    Grow them properly before harvesting. The Great Maw will not starve because you refuse to make a decent meal, threatened the Redcap at the time, ending thest bit of fun the Harbinger is likely to have for quite some time.


    Its not even allowed to use its mind affinity to influence them! Theyll only go a little mad, they can still be directed! The Maw is utterly unreasonable in this, however, so the Harbinger must direct them in their delves.


    At least it can take satisfaction in the fact the mana is being properly used. The spawner is so close to being able to spawn lessers. Once it does, the effectiveness of the least will increase significantly! The Harbinger will no longer have to guide them, and can focus on its own actions when they next assault the surface!


    It looks forward to the next assault, even if more than just least will bemitted to it. The metal fey and elementals of the Maw will be joining in the attack, as well as the delvers under the Harbingers tutge. After seeing the incredible variety of the surfaces defenders, even the Harbinger has to swallow its pride and admit it needs some help to deal with certain minor vulnerabilities.


    It will also be a good way to show the stubborn Maw that the Harbingers spawner is easily the best it has. The Harbinger can try to exin all it likes, but a difference in dead denizens will speak for itself. And then oh, and then! Then mana will pour into its spawner, and it could finally get some standards! Any small vulnerabilities will vanish once they join the battle!


    It allows itself some time to be distracted, imagining the destruction it could wreak with some standards, but reality soon remands its attention. While most of the delvers follow instructions well enough, this one has problems. If it was ack of desire to listen, the Harbinger could shatter them and the Maw wouldnt bat a metaphorical eye. No, its a problem of ability.


    The Harbinger internally sighs as it focuses its attention back to the training room in the Maw. ording to the Redcap, the Maw calls it the cutting board: a ce of preparation before actually getting down to business. The delvers are organized into small squads at the moment, working on mobility. While a battle line will need a wall of shields, skirmishes are a reality of war, too.


    Most of the squads are doing their drills properly: shield at the front, spear behind, mage behind that, support furthest back. Shield intercepts spear, support intercepts mage, spear and mage look for openings to exploit. The movements are carefully measured and carried out, the squads going through the vital forms ofbat.


    Except for Lechs group. It galls the Harbinger to even know her name, but shes forced it to learn just from repetition. The mage, support, and even spear all do their best to stick to the forms, but Lech cant. Not <em>wont</em>. Cant. It watches thetest example as it moves forward, not even bothering to interrupt yet. Early disruption only ever makes a bigger mess.


    No escape! shouts Lech, as well as her spear and mage. The Harbinger would almost say shes getting better, since she didnt drag the entire squad into the attack with her. The mage and spear both look a little worried, even as they contribute to thebination attack.


    Lech strides forward, shield ready and short sword raised, presenting an impassible barrier to her imagined foe. To one side of the nonexistent target, a field of shing des appear, the mage of the group unleashing a destorm to also present a blocked path. Lastly, the speares in from the other side, tip shing in a flurry of thrusts as all three bear down on their imaginary target, presenting it with no option but to perish.


    Or so Lech would like to think. The Harbinger shifts its form, allowing it to slip into the center of the group attack, and then dismantle it. The spear is simply snatched from the elfs hand, and hurled at the mage. Even with a blunted training weapon, the Harbinger is strong enough to impale them through the shoulder. The destorm dissipates, leaving a surprised Lech facing down the Harbinger.


    A tentacle thrust dents her shield andpromises her footing, before a second tentaclees from the side and snares her feet. With an undignified yelp, shes hauled into the air, upside-down. It considers eating her, not for the first time, and not for the first time it restrains itself. Instead, it flexes its affinity tomunicate.


    Lech.


    M-Master Harbinger! she stammers, trying to act like shes not dangling in the air.


    What have I said aboutbination attacks? it tiredly asks, putting the smallest of strains on her mind as it does so.


    That theyre a waste?


    Why are they a waste? It doubts repetition will teach the lesson, but it really would be unfortunate to just kill the delver. Shes very good as a shield, despite her ring shoring.


    B-Because a strong foe can disrupt it and take advantage of the positioning! And a weak foe doesnt need that much energy wasted on it.


    Yet you keep doing it. With that, the Harbinger lets her fall, letting the thud of the floor punctuate his observation for her. She groans and staggers to her feet, a trickle of blooding from her nose.


    I cant help it! She exims in frustration, before the eyes of everyone on her gets her to calm down slightly. I just it feels like the right thing to do. A good meal brings the ingredients together and brings out the best of all of them at once.


    The Harbinger fights a groan as its forced toe up with a food analogy to exin it to the pale dwarf. You are not ingredients, you are courses. If you serve the appetizer, main dish, and dessert all at once, you crowd the table and leave two courses at the wrong temperature by the time you get to it. You waste food.


    She gasps and falls to a knee, both from the usation, and from the weight of the Harbinger speaking to her. I I will do better she manages before she copses. The Harbinger doubts it, but its technically possible. It turns its attention to the support of the group.


    Take her to the kobolds for healing, it orders. "The mage will need the spear removed and the wound tended, too. The support staggers back and nods, blood dripping from his nose as he gets the rest of the team to carry Lech. The Harbinger fights its annoyance as it watches them go. It really does need to figure out some way to break Lech of her bad habit. Teaming up for an attack is wasteful, a desperate gambit made by weaklings in the hope of snatching victory from defeat. It ignores the little seed of uncertainty in its gut, that little voice asking how it would defeat that lich without a team up attack. The strong can do a team up to show off, to prove just how strong they are by being wasteful in disposing of a foe that thinks itself worthy.


    It ignores the seed of doubts reply as it turns back to watching the training, preferring boredom to losing an argument with itself.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Fifteen

    Chapter Two-Hundred Fifteen


    While Ive been splitting my time between watching Jello and watching the baby scythemaws, others are still busy. For one, the few nests in the spiderkin enve are starting to hatch, too, giving me a nice windfall of mana. I mostly push it into the ally pool for now. I want to grow that emergency pile of mana for when we need it, and to encourage the Southwood to make a second scion. Having a bit of a safety should help him with the learning process of not really issuing orders anymore.


    Poe went and got Tarl to get his opinion on the baby scythemaws. He thinks theyre cute, too. I knew there was a reason I liked him. He doesnt have much advice for me about them, though. Hes no Ranger, but staying out of their way should be enough for them to keep doing what they do. He did say hell ask the rangers for their opinion, but neither of us really thinks theyll have anything new to contribute.


    Theyll probably send someone to at leaste take a look. I think the more outgoing ones are already off to the Southwood, leaving mostly the nerds, but what self respecting nature nerd could resist seeing and recording a hatching nobody else has?


    Aranya has been working with the enves to make sure theyre all ready, and has apparently gotten help from a snakekin tailor. Ive noticed him visiting the enves, but Ive had more pressing things to pay attention totely. He seems built more like a constrictor, but he has a hood and fangs, so maybe he works out? Or tailoring is more physically demanding than I thought? Either way, hes enjoying a meeting with Aranya, Larx, Frn, and Norloke in the public war room.


    I should probably ask the Southwood if theres a more generic meeting room or something I could trade for. The war room is convenient for gathering and talking, but the maps are kinda in the way for what sounds more like a merchant meeting than battle nning.


    I can see Aranya smile as she notices my attention, and soon she speaks up. Ah, Mr. Harlenss, would you mind repeating your proposal? Lord Thedeim is watching us right now, and I think he would like to hear what you have to say.


    My dwellers perk up a bit at that, while the snakeman looks a little confused. Does he not know already?


    Aranya shakes her head. His attention has been turned to other matters recently.


    He nods in understanding. Ah, the trouble to the north. I probably shouldnt be surprised hes been preupied then. Well to get to the point, I may have a way to ensure everyone stays warm on the march.


    Oh? He had my curiosity before, but now he has my attention. Aranya motions for him to continue, so he does.


    Im a haberdasher by trade, basically a tailor specialized in mens clothing, not just hats, he says with a smile that indicates hes had to exin that many times before. Haberdashers really deal in more than just hats? Of course, I cant exactly interrupt him with Teemo still up at the Southwood, so he continues without much pause.


    Ive noticed the wonderful silks of your aranea and your spiderkin, so over thest week or so, Ive been attempting to form some kind of trade deal. Imagine my surprise to learn they have a pressing need that potentially falls under my purview.


    Norloke nods at that. While weve been able to weave thicker silks, the process is just too slow to be able to provide enough for everyone.


    But I know some sheep ranchers with an excess of wool. This winter is shaping up to be on the milder side, so they have more supply than is needed for the usual winter clothing needs. I can buy the wool and trade it for silk, and everyone wins, he finishes with a smile, and I mentally nod at the proposition. Im hardly an expert in cloth, but I imagine if he trades a bolt of wool for a bolt of silk, hell be making out like a bandit, and my spiderkin will be able to be safe and warm on the journey.


    Hes also at least passingly familiar with leatherworking, speaks up Larx, and the snakeman nods at that.


    I wouldnt be able to outfit an army on my own, of course, but I can also offer pointers to the ratkin, in exchange for their strange mushroom fabric.


    Mushroom fabric? Larx must be able to feel my confusion, because he smiles like a grandfather who has had a gift to a grandchild revealed.


    Yes, Lord Thedeim. Weve been experimenting with the mycelium itself, and weve managed to make afortable and durable fabric. I brought a sample for Mr. Harlenss, too. Heys a square yard of what looks a lot like denim to me on the table, and I can see the look of need in the snakemans eyes. Yeah, he knows his stuff. If he makes mens clothing, hes going to make a killing selling mushroom jeans.


    Aranya smiles as she speaks. Lord Thedeim seems to approve of the trades, so let us discuss price.


    I believe I can get fifty bolts of woolen fabric on short notice, and possibly fifty moreter, should it prove necessary. I would offer trading it, bolt for bolt for silk. For my instruction on leatherworking, Id like ten bolts of the mycelium fabric,es his initial offer, which Norloke parries with a smile on her face.


    Twenty bolts of silk for fifty of wool. Our silk is the highest of quality, and rare in the market besides. Larx steps in andbos with her offer.


    Two bolts for the instruction. I would also offer some of our fabric to help our fellow dwellers, perhaps fifteen silk and ten mycelia for the fifty wool? Norloke nods at that, and the snakeman needs to think quickly to counter their financial attack.


    Twenty-five and twenty, silk and mycelia, for fifty wool. Wool is a known demand, and there will not be any more until until the spring. You would have me trade a known and stable product almost one for one for an unknown in the mycelia, and in a fabric not known for retaining warmth? Instion is valuable to my other potential clients. He weathers the twin assault with aplomb, setting up his own counter-offensive. My dwellers are put on the back foot, but they arent giving up the fight just yet.


    We also know little about your wool, or how to work it, points out Norloke. She and Larx exchange a look before she continues. We could go as high as twenty and fifteen, if you are willing to extend your expertise to show us how to properly clothe ourselves with the wool.


    Their counter leaves Harlenss wallet bleeding, and I can see in his eyes he cant outright reject an offer like that. Still, he will not go down without obtaining his own pound of flesh. I agree, on the condition I also get three bolts each of silk and mycelium for each day of instruction.


    Its my dwellers turn to reel from the financial impact. They know how valuable his expertise would be, just as he does. Another nce is shared before Larx speaks up. Two bolts of one, depending on which you teach that day. Harlenss grins at the counter, and my dwellers realize theyve made a mistake as he counters and goes in for the kill.


    Two of <em>each</em>. I can teach both in a single day. We can even discuss after the first day if you want more of my instruction or not. Harlenss smiles in his victory, already knowing my dwellers will ept.


    Deales the inevitable reply from both Larx and Norloke, and though they can feel the sting of what they had to give, they both also know the value of what they gained. Harlenss ps his hands together in excitement and slithers back a bit from the table.


    So, shall we off to the enves? I dont think either of us is quite ready to deliver that many bolts at once, but if I can get a look at your facilities, and get four silk and three mycelium bolts, I can return in the morning with ten wool and begin the instruction!


    My dwellers are cheered by his enthusiasm, and soon lead him towards the spiderkin enve. The snakeman toys with the sample of mycelium cloth the entire trip down, testing and nning. Once deep in the heart of the weaving rooms, he looks like hes in paradise. The orbweaver spider ply their trade, weaving and looming, sewing and dyeing. He just watches for a few seconds before his mouth betrays him.


    If you had shown me this ce first, you could have argued me down further.


    Norloke smiles and guides him deeper into the busy workce. Perhaps, but Im happy with our deal as it is already. Her eyes gleam for a moment as she meets his gaze. Ill keep that in mind for the next fifty bolts of wool, though.

 Book Two, Chapter One.

    Book Two, Chapter One.


    Up in the clouds and a little <em>sideways </em>is where the Angel of Prodigals likes to think of as her office. The nature of infinite reality makes that a little moot, as she can get from anywhere to anywhere, but shes always enjoyed the idea of Heaven being literally in the clouds. It also makes her job easier to give the newly passed humans a bit of what they expect.


    For those ready to continue on, they get a different sort of orientation. Those who have lived and are ready are those she doesnt really deal with. She deals with the ones who have been cut short. Humans say He works in mysterious ways, and the angel thinks trucks are a very good example of that.


    Theyre not the only way for someone to get to try again, but being hit by one is a lot moremon than she would have suspected. Perhaps her kin should be wary of treading in the street as much as they avoid the threshing floor. However theye to her, she is to help the prodigal sons and daughters prepare for their next journey, and be prepared to wee them home when they return.


    One such son decided to take the path untread, an option she was starting to think was only put there to guide the humans to go over the entire list. Its a strange option, to be sure, to be a genius loci, a dungeon.


    In all her time with this Purpose, nobody had even given that option a second nce, yet that one seemed drawn to it. She had almost thought the option was not actually an option, as she wasnt allowed to give much extra information about the small piece of creation the prodigal would be locked to.


    When she watched the son start to transition, she feared he might rage at what his decision wrought, feared he might fall astray. But after a few moments of confusion came determination and curiosity. She watched him grow and adapt to his new existence.


    She watched as he did what humans always do: their best, with no idea what the consequences could be. He found his core, the crystallization of his life, and he protected it. He hid it, and he weed the outsiders. He could have killed them, and even been rewarded for it, but he forged his own path, and has been reaping the benefits greatly.


    New friends, new allies, battles fought and hard-won, challenges met and ovee in unexpected ways; fulfilling the requirements of his new life without even realizing it. She can see the ripples through the local kingdoms, even from several realities away. She cant fully see what the changes will bring, but she has faith that the prodigal son will be a great benefit to that world.


    Its impressive how much impact someone can have, even when technically immobile. The prodigal is his domain, his awareness spread over all of his territory. He has his defenses in the form of his spawners and his scions, to protect his core and challenge the delvers who woulde to explore his territory. He has his resource nodes, tempting mes for the moths around him, though he takes care to ensure they dont immte themselves.


    He has forged friendships with the outsiders, from children to jaded adults. He has imed two as his residents: one as a natural extension of friendship, the other as a desperate act of protection. An evil dungeon has been defeated, reimed and its resources repurposed. A fledgling dungeon has been taken under wing, guided and helped.


    Eyes are starting to be drawn to the prodigal son, and she can tell he will be drawing those same eyes to a threat very few are aware of. She will need to keep a special eye on the prodigal son who has chosen to call himself Thedeim.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Sixteen

    Chapter Two-Hundred Sixteen


    <strong>Ara</strong>


    The elven woman cant help but reflect on thest year or so of her life as she and her friends travel the winding tunnels, passages, crevasses, caves, caverns, and more. Born and raised in a city as she was, shed usually find the minutiae of nature difficult to care too much about. Wild nts, for example, are obstacles, food, or dangers, and sometimes more than one, so its difficult for her to care too much about the specifics of what each does.


    Shes very much aware thats an attitude that could get her killed, which only makes her appreciate Yvonnes presence all the more. But while she finds the details of nts and animals impossible to keep in her head for long, the formations of earth stick with her much easier. If asked, shed say its because Earth is her natural element. Theres a small part of her that has to admit its at least partially because Ragnar is happy to go on and on about them.


    She doesnt allow her eyes nor her mind to linger on him for long, however. Theyre far from Fourdock right now, and actively searching for a hostile dungeon to boot. Being distracted right now could be a recipe for disaster. Instead, she does her best to focus on her magic, and on the three extrapanions the party has for this particr bit of scouting.


    Her magic is simple enough to work. She can sense the angle and depth of their current path probably even more urately than Ragnar can. Her feel for terrain is partially why shes the partys cartographer, with the other part being that her handwriting is easily the best of all her friends. Aranyas handwriting is shaping up quite well, but shes not here and also still needs to practice if she wants this particr responsibility. Not that the kobold needs more responsibilities heaped on her shoulders.


    She cant let her mind linger on her newest friend, either, so she resumes tracking and feeling the earth around them, searching for dangers. Ragnar and Yvonne both seem pretty convinced any natural dangers have cleared out, thanks to the army of leech-head monstrosities that recently came through, but thats a reason to <em>stay</em> vignt, rather than to lower their guard. That enemy dungeon could have ambushes set up along the route. Ara hasnt spotted any just yet, but shes not willing to bet there wont be some eventually.


    The newpanions help with that, at least. Shes been aware Thedeim has had earth elementals for a while, but she hasnt really interacted with them much until now. Now, Ragnar has a rockslide riding him, and Ara is using her affinity to carry another. And beyond just the slides, theres the wyrms. Most of the parties have a rockslide or two, and a wyrm, but Thedeims scion wyrm decided to join with their group.


    She would have never described something that looks like Nova as timid, but theres really no other word that fits her quite so perfectly. She can feel the wyrm scion as she follows along, feeling the void of earth around the scion as she turns it to magma, before letting it cool behind her.


    She should try to get a sample of the cooled magma. Most of it seems to cool back into more ordinary rock, though its different from what it was before Novas passing. asionally, however, shell leave a bit of obsidian behind in the areas she breaches the surface. The idea of ying with rocks reminds her theyve been traveling for a while.


    Are we going to make camp soon? Or are we nning to get back to the main trail first? Oh, and when should we drop one of the slides to let it do whatever it is its going to do?


    Ragnar hmms at that as Yvonne considers more quietly. Itd probably be a better idea to camp off the main trail, in case reinforcementse up it.


    Ragnar nods at that wisdom. Aye, Id rather no wake up ta all those spiky feet stompin on me.


    Ara shudders at that idea. Me neither. Should I start feeling for water pockets?


    Yes please,ments Yvonne as she squints down the tunnel theyre traveling. It might not be necessary, but good to do it anyway. Theres signs of other things walking these tunnels, and the lichen doesnt look too desperate for moisture. I think its going to open up pretty soon, and therell be ess to water.


    Should we leave a slide there? asks Ara as she nces back to the one shes floating along behind her. Its difficult to get a read on a living pile of rocks, but they seem pretty content with their current situation.


    Ragnar shrugs, causing his own slide to ck and grind from the movement. Ah dunno. Teemo said theyd know when n where ta drop them, an theyd let us know.


    Nova would let us know, too, agrees Yvonne, though Ara isnt so sure.


    Do you think so? She seems like she might not want to bother us.


    Ragnarughs as Yvonne smiles and answers. Shes shy, sure, but shes not going to let that stop her from doing her duty. Teemo says shes trying to live up to her name.


    Ara and Ragnar both nod at that. Ara still doesnt quite understand the full meaning behind it, but she at least knows its a very powerful name, another one of those weird things Thedeim thought up. She also knows a bit about the weight of a name. Still, even with the weight of that name to potentially talk about, everyone stays quiet as they continue down the tunnel.


    Yvonnes instincts are correct, and soon the tunnel opens into a very wide, yet also very short cave. Ragnar shows perfectly why dwarves are so short, and walks with ease, even as Ara and Yvonne have to almost double over to mind their heads. Theyre probably not the only ones who have to do so, as the floor is a rough gravel, and the ceiling seems to be full of the bases of stctites that lost battles with harder heads.


    Ara can feel a lot of divots for small pools of water, as well as the snaking contour of a stream of some kind, and shares the knowledge. We have puddles everywhere, but a stream that way.


    Lets go to the stream, if youre feeling like making us a campsite in the wall nearby?


    That sounds good. I havent had to cast much today, so I should be able to manage something. Itll probably need to be a cold camp, unless you want to leave the fire outside.


    Think Novad be willin ta y campfire fer us? asks Ragnar, and Ara smiles at the image as Yvonne shrugs.


    We can ask. Otherwise, we can do a cold camp. Its not too bad down here.


    Ara nods, and soon the cave opens up a bit for the stream. Theres room to stand, but not much besides that. Still, Ara and Yvonne take the chance to stretch as well as they can, and the elf moves to the wall. She hollows out a section well above the floor to start, splurging a bit to give enough room to truly stretch once inside. From the new chamber, she creates a few divots in the wall big enough for bedrolls, then climbs into the new temporary space.


    The others quickly join her, and she sends a pulse to let Nova know theyre stopping for the night. The wyrm scion pokes her head up right in the center of the main chamber, and looks around curiously before Yvonne gets her attention.


    Nova, would you mind being our source of heat for camp? Youd mostly just need to stay there. You dont have to, if you dont want to, she reassures with a smile. Nova tilts her head as she considers, then nods and settles into ce.


    Wonderful! exims Ara with a wide smile, and moves to sit near the scion. I have a dried soup mix Ive been wanting to try, so this could be a great time to do it. I also wanted to talk with Nova, if you dont mind?


    Nova looks a little intimidated, but doesnt refuse. Ara takes that as permission and sets her rockslide down, letting it mingle with Ragnars as Yvonne gets water from the stream. She gets as close as she can to Nova without feeling like shes sitting in an oven, and gives the scion a smile.


    So, I''ve noticed you sometimes make obsidian.


    Nova already looks confused, so Ara points at the cooling magma around the hole shes resting in. The smooth parts. Most of it cools back into basically ordinary stone, but some of it will make obsidian.


    Nova turns to look at the cooling rock like shes never noticed. While Ara partially wishes she was doing it on purpose, it just means she can exin herself fully, without Nova having any preconceptions!


    Obsidian is special earth. Here, she says as she magically breaks off a small piece of the obsidian, still too hot to handle directly. In a fight, it can be a deadly sharp weapon. She shears a ke off and stretches out a single hair, which the ke cuts without resistance. Its a bit fragile, and not exactlymon, otherwise itd see a lot more uses. But I like to do something a little different with it.


    Nova tilts her head in confusion as Ara concentrates on the obsidian, and it starts to shift and flow like its magma again. Its a little easier with normal stone normal stone doesnt mind being shaped. Obsidian keeps wanting to break, she speaks as she focuses, and she even pulls up a small piece of the stone floor to attach to her project as she gets close to finishing. She smiles once done, and holds it up for Nova to see. The young scion seems absolutely mesmerized by the obsidian rose with the stone stem, and seems to almost blush when Ara presses the stem into the softened rock around the wyrm.


    There we are. You should try it with your magma, Nova. Itll be good for your control, and it might help you to do what you want. She nces at the obsidian rose, and Novas beady eyes follow her gaze. Dont let your name be all that defines you, ok? Its a powerful one, so its easy to be intimidated by. Dont let it define you. Make your name live up to <em>you</em>, not the other way around.


    Nova sinks a little as she thinks, and Ara is d to be distracted from her own thoughts by Yvonne bringing over the water. As she gets some going for tea and digs out the soup mix, she cant help but think back to when she heard those words herself. She needed to hear it back then, and she can only imagine his smile if he knew she was able to maybe help someone else by passing them on.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Seventeen

    Chapter Two-Hundred Seventeen


    Harlenss is true to his word, and shows up bright and early at the ratkin enve. A pretty big portion of the enve shows up, too, all eager to learn a bit of clotherie from an expert in the field. He looks a little intimidated by the numbers for a moment, but thats the only hint of weakness he shows the entire time hes there.


    He teaches at the its still weird to call it that, but the open pulpit that Larx usually gives his sermons from. I can see his eyes linger for a few moments on the various murals around by now, but hes a pro and gives a proper lecture. He even brings groups closer when he demonstrates a particr stitch or cut, repeating for each group so they can have an example to go on.


    By the end, he even has the showmanship to present Larx with a warm coat, produced as part of the lecture. He epts it with grace, of course, and its pretty obvious that my ratkin, at least, are satisfied with the lessons. He takes a break just before lunch to, I can only assume, get some lunch, before heading down to the spiderkin enve to give them their share of lessons.


    The turnout there is muchrger. Practically everyone whos not a lobster wrangler shows up, including all three of the triumvirate. Norloke is especially interested in the lessons, and asks a few technical questions that would go right over my head if I still had it. Harlenss, however, gives her sinct answers that satisfy her and earn nods from the other spiderkin.


    The practical example from this one is more of a group effort than with the ratkin. Vernew gets voluntold by Norloke to get measured, which she does with only minimal grumbling. Shes definitely not grumbling by the end of the day, though. Harlenss makes one of the legs for a snow suit, and the spiderkin make the others as he continues on to the other pieces.


    Theres a ton of buttons and other old-school fasteners involved, too. Getting in and out of the suit is going to be a bit of a thing. I think it might be time to introduce zippers to the world. With Jello being a Smith now, its even feasible!


    I rub the rough idea on the bond with her, which seems to get her attention, and I work on trying to draw out the design for one. Its probably not a surprise theres no zippers here. Maybe someone like the king has them? Without automation, producing them could be a pain, and its a weird idea in the first ce anyway.


    Its also a lot moreplex and precise than most give it credit for. The teeth need to be designed to interlink, but also to disengage easily when the zipper passes. I never had a reason to investigate them before meeting that truck, so the geometry involved is going to have to be made up.


    I give it my best shot, but I think the actual design will be on Jello to iterate on. Still, I have a ratling deliver her the basic design, and she gets to work on flexing that new metal affinity of hers. Oh man, I have <em>no</em> idea how to actually secure the teeth to the fabric either. I think its some kind of sandwich of tough cloth, but after how little of Harlenss lesson I understood, its probably for the best if I step back and leave that mystery to probably my dwellers.


    And <em>thats</em> going to have to wait until Teemo gets back. Hell be on his way soon, now that the adventurers are off to adventure. Ive done everything I can to help keep them safe. They know more about scouting than I do, so I just have to trust them. From Leos reports, nobody has really found anything, aside from a big obvious trail leading deeper. An army of spikey-footed things makes a pretty obvious path, so thats nice.


    Nobody is charging down the trail, though. Just about everyone is checking side passages and tunnels, getting they of thend and making sure any forces I send down wont just get nked, pincered, and obliterated. The other dungeon is going to have the home field advantage this time, rather than just a hole in the ground. Were going to need to know as much as possible if we want this to go smoothly.


    Speaking of knowing, that seems to be what Aranya is working on. Shes been spending a lot of time in town, and telling me about her day when shees back to rest. The adventurers guild library has a lot of information of battles and dungeons, but its not especially organized. The Office of Dungeon Affairs has better information, but she has to jump through a lot of red tape to get ess to it.


    Im starting to wonder if she just likes having something toin about. Not that I mind, shes fun to listen to.


    So then we <em>both</em> started going over the guild bws to see what she <em>can</em> share! I even brought up the info the Southwood is always after, and that was a whole other warren to scout!


    I chuckle as she dramatically leans back in her seat at the little study table, as if I cant see she has some kind of book to look through from the guild. I chuckle to myself at her theatrics, and she can definitely feel something as my High Priestess, as she looks over to my core and smiles before straightening herself and continuing.


    Apparently, info on specific dungeons isnt difficult to get ahold of. Dungeons in good standing can even request a full packet like a delver, if they really want it! Southwood is more of a gossip than an actual strategist, though, so it never asked for that.


    She taps the thick tome on the table and smiles. This is technically that, for a whole lot of dungeons the guild hase across. We abused a few loopholes to get this, too. So, I had to ask for specific dungeons to get detailed info, but I could also ask more vague questions to get there. If I, for example, wanted to know about murderous dungeons, theres a whole list of them. If I want to know about murderous dungeons that have effectively captured towns, theres a list for that, too. There are also belligerent dungeons with captured towns, and its apparently happened enough that captured town is the official term for when a dungeon runs a town in all but the most technical way.


    She smirks and winks at my core. Youre very close to that now, by the way. Anyhow, this is actually a book with dungeons that have or used to have captured towns, and how the guild deals with them. Tr helpfully suggested I ask about the specific dungeons in the book, and then we could pounce on that loophole. Considering the imminent threat to multiple dungeons in good standing with the guild by an unknown and hostile dungeon, she could let me just borrow the entire book, instead of having to make up a packet with the information.


    She smiles and nces in the direction of the library. Im going to let the bees copy it before I return it. They should be able to transcribe it quickly. Theyd better, or Honey will have a fit when she gets back. My red kobold giggles at the idea of my big ol nerd bee trying toe to terms with the idea of not getting to keep a copy, and I chuckle as well.


    So, lets see what he have, hmm? We spend the rest of the day looking through the book, and I resist the urge to read ahead. Honestly, most of the captured towns arent in any real trouble. A lot of them are historical ounts of old dungeons that arent around anymore, most of them with their enves emancipated from the dungeon itself. We actually check the glossary for more details on that.


    I dont know if Ill ever emancipate my own enves. While Id be happy to let them go and grow on their own, it will inly be a long time before theyll want that, if they ever do. Its aplicated feeling, that, but mostly a happy one. Its a lot happier than some of the dungeons in the book.


    Theres only a couple captured towns currently functioning today, including a trio of towns who have to periodically abandon and rebuild when their local dungeon gets too much mana and sends out a huge expedition. Im surprised they dont quarantine it and let it starve, but apparently the mana freed from adventurers killing the expedition kinda settles into the soil and the towns make serious bank farming.


    Theres another belligerent one that managed to get its Voice elected mayor of the nearest town. I have no idea why, and the book doesnt have much in the way of answers. It just says the dungeon has not expanded into the town, and that the crown still gets taxes from the ce, so who knows.


    Theres a few historical ounts of dungeons using their captured town to go to war with other dungeons, but those records seem <em>really</em> old and dont offer much in the way of details. Still, it paints a pretty clear, if not very pretty, picture.


    Warring with a dungeon with a captured town is messy. Rival dungeons dont understand or dont care about the difference between denizens and townsfolk. Offense or defense, dungeons will use them as they see fit. Thats going to make the eventual battle on the more unpleasant end of my expectations, then. How do you sort out an ordinary civilian from a dungeon zealot? Even worse, with the fog of war, how much does that difference really change what happens to them?


    Something like that, the only winning move is not to y, but even thats not an option in this case. My best move may be to set up the chess board, watch my foes moves, and be fully prepared to kick the table over and punch them in the mouth. Itll still be a mess, but hopefully fewer pieces will be lost that way.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Eighteen

    Chapter Two-Hundred Eighteen


    <strong>Lech</strong>


    In the recovery ward of the kobold enve, rests the female pale dwarf, and shes not especially happy about it. Thatstbined attack still sticks in her mind, right alongside Master Harbingers admonishment. Her hands worry her beard, braiding and weaving it as she wrestles with what happened.


    The attack itself was perfect, at least as far as she can tell. Shes pretty sure they could have handled half a dozen least with that move! Six felled quickly with thebined effort of three is efficient right? Shes less certain now. ncing over at her friend on the bed beside her reaffirms her doubts. Merrik is always prickly, but hes been trying to take this particr wound in stride. Lech doesnt know if hes distancing himself from her, or if hes trying to support her in his own way.


    Its one thing when her actionsnd herself in the healing ward. Shes been training to be a Shieldbearer since she was strong enough to pick one up, so shes used to taking painful blows, and sometimes learning the hard way how to properly angle her shield to deflect, rather than absorb a hit. Merrik, though hes a proper Steelmage. Hes not supposed to have to suffer a broken shoulder to learn a point.


    His situation isnt the only unfortunate bit of reality shes having to cope with. While shes been to the ward before, it was in times of peace, where the kobolds could tend her quickly and send her on her way. They might leave something not-quite-fully-healed as a bit of a reminder, but shed still be in and out in a matter of hours, eager to return to training and to not make the same mistake.


    But talking with Master Harbinger for so long has made her suffer bouts of dizziness that the kobolds cant just fix with a simple healing spell. While theyre confident it will pass, shes in no condition to do much besides sit on her bed and worry her beard into knots. She sighs and starts untying the mess shes made. She almost tears her beard clean off when Merrik speaks up.


    Are you alright?


    Ow! She releases her beard and rubs her neck and chin as Merrik chortles. Its actually a bit of a relief that his prickly attitude seems to being back. I thought you were sleeping! You startled me!


    I think maybe you needed startling. Youve been staring at nothing for a while and tangling your beard the entire time. Id call it a lost cause and say you should just shave it and start over, but youre stubborn about it.


    Of course Im stubborn about it! Its my <em>beard</em>! She res at him, but that smirk tells her thats exactly what he wants. She takes a deep breath and tries to release some of the tension, but its not that easy. Besides, shouldnt I be asking if <em>youre</em> alright? Im just a bit dizzy, but you can barely move your arm!


    He unintentionally proves her point with half a shrug. The kobolds keep saying itll just take a bit longer to fix than most. Im almost relieved, knowing it hurt that badly for a reason. Lech looks away at that, and he adopts a small frown when he notices. Its not your fault.


    Her gaze returns to him in a hard re. Im pretty sure it is.


    His frown deepens for a moment before he smirks and concedes the point. But you still shouldnt me yourself.


    Then who <em>should</em> I me? she asks, dangerously close to a whine. Merrik briefly considers a few jabs, but swallows them before speaking.


    Nobody. As a caster, I should be on the lookout for ranged attacks like that, as should Jayle. He didnt protect me with his support magic, I didnt protect me with my magic. By the Maw, Dergol let himself be <em>disarmed</em>! There were mistakes all around, so dont go hogging all the me. He pauses and smirks. You can have a second helping of it, if you insist, but thats it.


    But I dragged you all into thatbination attack!


    You cant force abination attack, you know that. We might have had our doubts, but we could each feel the shape it would take, and we added our efforts to it.


    She folds her arms and sighs as she leans back against the wall, her beard still a tangled mess. I know, but its my job to take the punishment, take the pain, so you guys dont have to. Bruises and scrapes happen, but


    Not shattered shoulders? She winces when he finishes the thought out loud for her, but doesnt argue with him, so he continues. In a real battle, they do. We have to be prepared for that and for worse. You heard what happened to the first batch Master Harbinger was supposed to train, right?


    Lech suppresses a shudder at the reminder of the rumors, and she can see Merriks lips tighten at the idea as well. Before she can try to reply, though, a kobold enters their shared room, and reminds Lech of what else has been bothering her.


    The kobold is a male and wears simple clothes. Theyre not torn nor threadbare, but nothing borate. In contrast, the chains and manacles stand out all the more. Theyre not the thick steel and heavy iron designed to physically restrain someone. No, these are thin and made of silver, or at least silver engraved. At first nce, they could almost be taken as borate jewelry as a thin chain connects the wrist manacle to one near the elbow, then to one near the shoulder, then to the neck. From the neck, thin silver chains connect to a band just under the ribs, then down to the hips, where the linkages at the arms are mirrored with the legs, connecting to bands at the knees and the odd ankle joint the kobolds have.


    Its the traditional garb worn by the kobolds, a sign that they are imed by the Great Maw. While it looks beautiful at first nce, Lech can never shake the feeling that the kobolds are just wearing a cage. Shed never dare speak that thought aloud, though, and especially not with one in the room. Her convoluted thoughts are interrupted when the kobold speaks a second time.


    Miss Lech? Is the dizziness getting worse?


    Huh? Oh, no, sorry! I was just distracted.


    The kobold simply nods. Then please stand and lift one foot.


    She gets out of bed and obeys, and is relieved to be able to stand without much difficulty. Squat down and quickly stand, then lift the other foot please.


    She has a bit of dizziness from that, but the kobold keeps a neutral, clinical expression. He runs her through a few more movements before bidding her return to the bed. Youre improving, miss, but I think it will still be a day or two before I can clear you to return to your duties. She nods at that as he turns to Merrik. Now, this will probably be sore, but please try not to move too much.


    The pale elf grunts as the kobold pokes and prods at the shoulder for a few minutes. It seems to be healing well. By tomorrow, I think we can remove the sling, and test your range of movement. If you need anything before then, please ring the bell. Oh, Im told there will be cheese delivered to the patients soon. Its supposed to be very good, the maker is supposed to be favored by the clergy.


    Neither Lech nor Merrik have anything else they need to say, and as the kobold turns to leave, her eyes trail the chains as she sees they continue down the tail, too. Once hes gone, she nces towards Merrik, and sees his eyes on her, and a small frown on his face.


    Ah.


    She narrows her eyes at him. What do you mean, ah?!


    He gives her a measured look before responding. Well, either you were enjoying the view, or my shoulder isnt the only reason your beard is tied in knots. She blushes and sputters at both implications, not sure which she should try to deny, but his wry smirk keeps her from saying anything coherent.


    Its not something Ive had to think about before, either but something I find myself returning to, with not much else to do in the healing ward than think and heal. He doesn''t borate, and Lech is thankful for that. While shes d shes not the only one who feels like theyre actually seeing the kobolds for the first time, its also difficult toe to terms with what shes actually seeing.


    She almost wishes he hadnt said anything. Itd be easier to pretend nothing is wrong if he hadnt. Her friend soon getsfortable and takes another nap, resting to let the healing magic work without him interfering, and she takes the chance to untangle her beard. Talking has calmed her some, but the kobolds stick in her mind. Shes not the only one who feels something is off. If it was just her, she could ignore it, but with Merrik she shoves the thoughts aside for now, not wanting to tie her beard into knots again.


    By the time she gets it untangled and starts brushing her beard and hair, another dwarf pulls a hand cart up outside the room, andes inside with a covered basket.


    Let me see two? No cheese allergies, I hope? he asks with a smile, radiating a casual uncle kind of feeling. Lech smiles and shakes her head.


    No, thank the Maw. Is that the cheese the kobold said would be delivered?


    Yes it is! Mild and soft, but not soft enough to be spread. The cheesers even got special molds made. Look! He pulls out two things from the basket, but it doesnt look like small wheels to Lech. Instead, they look like kobolds! One is sitting while the other looks to be sleeping, each looking peaceful even with the chains adorning them, the features easily recognizable in the protective wax coating.


    Thats she starts, uncertain how to describe her feeling. Thankfully, the deliverer is happy to finish for her.


    Amazing, right? This is just a bit of a test batch, but if these do well, Im told hes going to sell them as well as donate some to ces like the healing ward and orphanage and such! Itll be a great way to give us all just a taste of how important the kobolds are to the Great Maw!


    She forces a smile and nods at that, and epts the sitting kobold from him, and looks at the little cheese figurine as he sets the other on the table near Merrik. She <em>is</em> a bit hungry, so she peels the back off, and easily extracts the cheese, looking at the kobold one more time.


    While it looked peaceful and maybe a little happy in the wax, the cheese one somehow looks a little sad. Maybe its just her own thoughts. She goes to take a bite, but something just seems wrong about eating the little cheese kobold, like biting its head off is a bit too close to what really happens to them. She tries to give her little cheese kobold mercy and stuffs the whole thing in her mouth at once.


    It really is a nice cheese, perfect for snacking on its own. Is that how the Maw sees them? As she chews, both the cheese and her thoughts, Merriks words echo in her head, about how hes also thinking about the kobolds. She cant help bute to a decision as she finishes the cheese: no matter how tasty, should even the Maw get to eat people?


    Maybe she can ask Merrik once theyre both healed. They should start working on patrols and other training outside of the Maw soon. If theres anywhere she can ask a question like that, itd be somewhere out in the tunnels.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Nineteen

    Chapter Two-Hundred Neen


    .r761ecae6f3f24991aa5e5c7485064998{ disy: none; }


    And thats the basics for my Butterfly Effect, Fluffles. Just subtle things lining up and leading to the next, like dominoes, exins Teemo. While hes specifically exining it to Fluffles, he still has Rocky, sh, and even the Stag listening. The big elk looks a bit lost, but Im pretty sure its just because its a fate thing. From the bond, I think Rocky is interested in the theory, but isnt nning much in the way of application just yet.


    He hasnt really practiced with his fate affinity, so I think hell work on things like true strike and such before trying to do anything too fancy. Still, Butterfly Effect could be brutal in his gloved hands. Or his normal hands, since his gloves are still at home.


    sh seems to be taking it more as a general lesson on magic, though I wouldnt be surprised to see him trying to weave fate into his music. Im still uncertain how bardic magic even works, so hes on his own there. I dont think hell have too much trouble.


    Fluffles, on the other hand, is paying close attention, and I can feel him nning and theorizing through the bond with ways to use fate affinity. If he wants to pull off something special, I have an idea, but I dont know if Ill be able to exin it even through Teemo before the next battle.


    Partially because Teemo needs to get going if he wants to get back in time for it. The scouts, both my denizens and the adventurers, are starting to see signs of civilization. No actual people or anything yet, but the little signs of booted feet moving around, curated wildlife, old campsites, and more. The kind of things found at the very outskirts of a town, where the more outdoorsy types asionally visit.


    With the dungeons territory close to being spotted, I need Teemo to get back with Rocky and the other denizens so I can get that mana, and then double-time Rocky back to the front, maybe with some basilisks, too.


    Alright, but we really should get going. Rocky, you told Leo and Honey everything you could, yeah?


    Rocky gives a tired grunt, and I cant me him. My Warden and Librarian have been grilling him for every scrap of information he could give them. Even Rocky, tough as he is, can only handle so much.


    Cool. The denizens should be ready to march, and the Boss wants us home and back here as quickly as we can. Teemo smirks as Rocky grins and grunts again. Yep, round two. Fluffles, sh, you guys just keep on top of things and hold the fort down if anything goes bad before we get back. Or do whatever Leo says, he and Honey are looking like theyre going to be stepping up the expeditions now they have that dungeons scent.


    The scions nod at that as Teemo hops onto Rockys shoulder, and my Voice gives the Stag a salute. Let your boss know Rocky will be back as soon as he can, maybe even with some of Thediems dwellers.


    My Lord will be happy to host them, and hopes the impending battle wont see theme to any harm, replies the Stag with a small bow. Hes gotten a little less formal since the alliance, but hes still pretty big on appearances.


    Teemo nods at that with aplicated smile. Yeah me too. The Boss doesnt want them to fight, but you gotta let them make their own decisions, you know?


    I can only imagine. My Lord has yet to designate any enves, but Ive seen how protective animals are of their progeny. A dungeon and their dwellers are surely simr.


    Yeah, a birds gonna feed those hatchlings, but theyre eventually gonna fledge and go do adult bird things. They might be safer if you clip their wings and keep them in your care, but then theyll never get to soar.


    The stag nods at that. Indeed. Safe travels, Voice Teemo. I look forward to having this situation resolved, so both of our lords may return to more peaceful and prosperous times.


    Yeah, looking forward to that, and sos the Boss. Take care Stag, Southwood. Rocky turns and waves over his shoulder as he heads for the denizens gathered near the outskirts of the Southwood. Sure, itll still be probably an hour before they even get organized enough to go, but its as good a farewell as any.


    Even if it reminds me about the dangers my dwellers are putting themselves in for me. If I could, Id give a frustrated sigh, but I guess Im going to have to settle for just feeling frustrated as I let my thoughts carry me in circles I usually try to ignore. But that hasnt really been solving the problem, so maybe I should examine them and try to break out of this annoying rut.


    I dont need them to help. I dont even <em>want</em> them to help. This whole situation is a mess that Id rather not expose them all to, but I cant force them to stay out of it. Its not even that I wouldnt try, if I thought it could possibly work. Even setting aside the massive hypocrisy that would be, after helping Hullbreak, my dwellers are smart enough to get around whatever measures I might take to keep them here. Itd be doomed to failure, and only hurt them in the long run.


    Its like Teemo said about clipping a birds wings. Sure, theyd be safe, but theyd never <em>soar</em>. I want them to reach heights even I think are impossible, to achieve their dreams and have the only hardship they ever face be trying toe up with some even more impossible, fantastical goal to achieve.


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    But thats just not life, no matter how much Id like it to be. No matter how much I want to protect them, they need to be able to protect themselves. I''ve given them new spears and bows, Im even trying to help with their winter clothing with the zippers Jellos working on, but it still needs to be them who learn how to use all of that. It has to be them who does the fighting for themselves, even if their first real fighting is for me.


    And thats the real problem there, I think. I just dont want them to get hurt because of me. Maybe Im being egocentric, and theyd march off to try to save Aranyas people even without me making my own ns to do it. Honestly they probably would, or would at least try something. Im proud of them. Thats why I dont want to lose any of them.


    Lord Thediem? Aranyas voice upends my thoughts, and I focus to see her standing in front of my core, looking worried. Her concerned look softens as I watch, and she gently rests a hand on my core.


    Youre worried about the dwellers, she states, and I dont even try to deny it. She smiles softly and continues. They know. They know it troubles you, letting them go to war, but theyre also d youre not trying to stop them. They worry for you, too. She smirks and pats my core. Youve set too good of an example for them. Youre always trying to help others. I dont know why youre surprised others would try to help you, too.


    I want to reply to that, but I cante up with anything. It also doesnt help that Teemo is quietly snickering from Rockys shoulder. I dont know if he can hear what Aranyas saying, but he probably knows were talking, and that Im not exactly winning this conversation.


    They know the stakes are high. Evenbined, theyre only a couple dozen people. Even with your gifts to help them, theyre going to be outnumbered against a foe Rocky had to get serious against. And this time itll be in the dungeons home, not a random outpost. They even know the Harbinger isnt the only scion they might have to face down.


    But they trust you. They know you wont just lead them to pointless deaths. Theyll do their best to follow Leos battle n, using all their training, and try their best toe back alive. They dont want to die, of course, but stopping the dungeon and the Harbinger is a cause they are willing to give their all for. And should they fall in the line of battle, I know theyll be safe and protected in your embrace. You were their home once before, and The Raven will make sure you are again, in the end.


    Wait what? But what? What?! I dont! I <em>cant</em>!


    Boss! You ok?


    Lord Thediem!


    I miss the rut my thoughts were in, because now Im in dangerous uncharted territory I was trying to stay out of. I try to focus on Teemo and Aranya, not letting my thoughts sprint off into crazy assumptions and wild conclusions. Just breathe wait, I dont breathe! Uh calming thoughts! Aranya reading a book by the light of my core. Delvers gathering herbs. The adorable little murder machines that are the baby scythemaws. My scions.


    Ok ok, I think Im doing better. Panic attacks are not any more fun without a body. Now calm and collected.


    Boss?


    Lord Thediem?


    Im well, not <em>ok</em>, but Ill be alright. Just need to process a bit of existential dread. I thought dying made that moot, but apparently not. Just focus. The Raven is basically the reaper here, taking souls to the afterlife. Could it bring a soul to me? Stomp down that rising terror and think it through. What would I do with a soul? I dont think I have anywhere to put one. Ok, good thought. Lets feel around, see if anything might disprove that theory.


    I try to reassure Teemo, and hope Aranya gets the same, before I start carefully looking through my menus. Id think an afterlife would be a pretty obvious section in my options, but if its there, Im not seeing it. I even try feeling around, instead of just reading. If I had anything like that, itd probably feel simr to the spawners? My denizens wait inside when theyre dead, so any dead dwellers (calm, stay calm) would probably need a simr space, right?


    Its easy to feel my spawners even without looking, but I dont feel anything like an extra spawner. I dont feel anything like an extra resident bond, or anything simr to what I feel with Yvonne, either. So so shes probably wrong, right? My dwellers, if they die (please dont) will go to some version of Heaven here, right?


    Logically, it makes sense. Unfortunately, Im pretty sure Im missing something, because it feels like my fate affinity is giggling at me.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty

    Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty


    I spend a bit more time trying to think through the impossibility of being in charge of the afterlife for my dwellers, but I make exactly zero progress. Theres just too much I dont know, and I cant think of anywhere I could get that information. While I think Torlon would share what the Crystal Shield knows, I dont think he has that knowledge himself. It also seems like the kind of thing thatd take a pact to get the Shield itself to share, and I dont really want to do that.


    The closest thing to an actual idea I have would be to try to send them to the Pearly Gates, but theres rules to get in, even if I could send them there. Its just a whole can of worms thats probably better left unopened, and not in the way of me just trying to ignore it.


    No if something impossible like that happens, Ill just have to cross that bridge when I get there. Maybe Ill be lucky and it will only be a hypothetical. Itd be nice.


    But, instead of focusing on a hypothetical, I should focus on more practical and real issues, like zippers. Coda and Jello have both been working on the idea, and though its going well, I seriously doubt theyre going to be much past the working prototype phase by the time my dwellers leave.


    Much as I might like for them to keep training and nning and miss the whole battle, theyre smart enough to recognize the list of things to prepare is dwindling quick. The bows and spears both are looking pretty solid. The training phase has been invaluable in finding those little weaknesses and ws that always slip through the design phase.


    Its so easy to forget about just dirt and such, only for actual testing and use to show some ring w that real life takes advantage of. I think the M16 had a problem like that. At first, troops hated it because itd get dirty and then constantly jam. But then they added some kind of coating to the receiver, I think, that made it so dirt and grime just couldnt stick, and it became the main rifle for a long time.


    Thankfully, bows are a bit less prone to jamming. The spears needed a bit of fine tuning on that front, though. Considering all the things a spear is supposed to be stabbed into, there needs to be a good way to keep anything from gumming up the few moving parts. Still, it seems to be solved well enough for now, with each of the hunting spiders being given a more traditional leaf-shaped de to go along with the telescoping barb version. Cant have my spear spiders running out of ammo, so the leaf head will be a good option for dealing with opponents that dont need the over-engineered toy.


    Armor is pretty easy for my dwellers to produce, especially since I havent tried to reinvent any wheels there. Some kind of magical power armor would be cool, but I dont think Im ready to drop some kind of project like that on Thing just yet. Most of the heavy armor is basically a mshell chestte with lighter coverings for the limbs. A mshell is one of the simplest yet effective bits of body armor, if also one of the heaviest. Its basically two metal pieces that connect with varioustches, ties, and whatnot, and practically be a single piece. Its great for resisting most kinds of blows, and as long as the metal holds, the person behind it should hold up pretty well. The main downside is that its heavy, and if you go too light, make the mshell too thin, itll just buckle when hit and be pointless.


    The tarantkin are strong enough to have not only a mshell on their torso and abdomen, but simr pieces on the first section of their legs, too. Ringmail covers the joints to the body, designed to tangle any weapons that try to swing at the weakness. A spear or pick might be able to get through, but anything else will have to have enough force to break the loose mail to do any damage to my spiderkin.


    The jumping spiderkin wear lighter padded chain on their torso and abdomen, and have metallic bracer-like sections covering their legs and arms. They arent designed to take damage like the tarants, and instead focus on mobility and protection from indirect and ranged blows. My ratkin are mostly in leather and silk, lighter armor that should protect from enemy arrows. If ites down to them being in melee, armor isnt really going to save them at that point anyway.


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    Still, they also have daggers and are quick and nimble enough to potentially attack the joints of anything that gets too close. And, of course, theyll have my denizens around as well. I dont know what Leo will keep close to keep them safe, but I trust he wont leave them pping in the breeze in the battle.


    I watch, trying not to let my nerves get the better of me, as the dozens of ratkin and spiderkin go through some drills in their armor. The enves are about two-hundred strong, each, but theyve still managed to field almost three dozen fighters apiece. Theyre all doing theirst checking and speed drills, getting armor on, getting it off, getting the warm clothing on and off, loading the carts, making camps, breaking camps.


    Theyre going to leave soon. Not today, probably not tomorrow, but maybe the day after. I think theyre wanting to set out with Rocky and Teemo, so theyll need to wait for them to get back before they can all go. Its not just for the pomp and circumstance of a big send off, either. If something happens and they end up having to fight while still on the surface, my dwellers would be in serious trouble, thanks to the cold.


    While theres every indication that the enemy fares even worse in the cold, nobody is willing to bet their life that the dungeon wont have some other denizens to try to engage on the surface with. So theyll wait and march in their snow gear, and suit up once far enough underground to not be bothered by the winter chill.


    I could probably try to convince them to wait longer, but then again maybe I couldnt. If something unexpected happens, theyre going to want to be close enough to respond, instead of having to march all the way from home. Sure, right now I dont have anywhere for them to try to assault, but that could change by the time they get there. And if it doesnt, theyll still be in a position to respond when something does happen.


    With the reportsing in, something will definitely happen eventually. One of the scouting adventurers actually spotted some of the dwellers. Well, not technically dwellers, but close enough. As far as the scout could tell, the pale elf was more or less a ranger, just checking the area around to see if the wildlife is still doing well. It doesnt seem like the dungeon is aware Iming down to get it yet.


    Well see how long thatsts. My own scouts are slowly yet surely making their way closer and closer. The rockslides are careful, and can even use the torn up pathway as cover, hiding themselves among the torn up floor as just more rubble. Its still possible the path is being watched, though, so theyre not rushing. My wyrms are staying deep as they do their own explorations, staying far from any surfaces as they explore.


    I think theyve found the main cavern, unless theres some other dungeon down here. Theres no details yet, and even the location is pretty vague and could be a false positive for a lot of reasons, but I think we finally have a ce to focus our attention.


    Still, that just means we have to be all the more careful. Mistakes out in the wilds of the underground are fine, but making too much noise while close could draw attention. We need to gaze long into this abyss without it noticing. Itll start gazing back eventually, but we need to do our best to be prepared to only show it what we want.


    Im also a bit nervous about what well see when we get a better look, too. From what Aranya was saying, the dungeon is worshiped by the pale elves and pale dwarves. If its a situation simr to mine, itll be mostly just a matter of them getting a morale boost and having a focus for faith casters. But if its actually a deity can we handle something like that?


    The questions are enough to make my head spin. On the one hand, Id love for me and this other dungeon both to just be ordinary dungeons. I mean, I beat Hullbreak, and his dwellers worship him, too. Itll be fine, right? On the other hand, Hullbreak doesnt inspire the kind of insane zeal in his dwellers that it seems this other dungeon does. Hullbreak didnt and doesnt get sacrificial offerings, but this dungeon does. Hopefully, it just means mana for the dungeon, which is already a pretty good bit of power.


    If its more than that I dont know. The idea of fighting a god is pretty scary, but it also ignites my defiance. Theres only one Ill bow to, and this other dungeon is not Him. I dont know specifically what Ill do to beat a god, but I know Ill do my best. I know my scions will, too. My denizens, my residents, my dwellers, my <em>friends</em>, all of us will. If that dungeon wants to put itself on a pedestal, to be above everyone and demand anything of us, well show it just how precarious of a position that can be, just how much more distance there is to fall from up there, and how much more painful thending will be.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty-One

    Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty-One


    Though Im feeling a bit better and more motivated to go kick this dungeons butt, reality forces me to cool my heels. I pretty much spend the entire rest of the day going over the vague ns and tricks, and have to grudgingly admit theres not a whole lot extra for me to do at the moment. Theres a couple things I could do, but I think itd be better to keep that mana for reacting to whatever the dungeon throws at us.


    Upgrading the dragon spawner, for example, would get me more of the basilisks, but I doubt itll get me enough to let them take the role of footsoldier, rather than the roll of a cavalry or tank, a big scary thing on the battlefield that you dont want to ignore, but you also dont want to be the one to go over and try to stop it.


    I could finally make the ant enve, but I think I need to just ept that its not going to be a thing until after this situation with the other dungeon is handled. Its like Im staring at a present under the tree, wanting what it has, and not wanting to wait for the proper time to open it. No, I need to just leave it be until after this war is done, and possibly until after spring arrives, too. Hard to say with underground stuff, especially if they take after the magmyrm and are all magma-y.


    The only other things I have to do are just smaller upgrades to thebyrinth. Its pretty much down to just fine tuning now, I think. The entrance is still not quite as busy as I might hope, but its getting more use every day. Id say the reason is about evenly split between people just discovering the facilities there, and people watching Jello work. Coda gave her a few shapes for possible zipper teeth, but shes gotten distracted with kinda toying with how metals can be interlocked. I dont try to discourage her, either, as she basically makes little cksmith puzzles among other trinkets. She actually stumbles on something I probably should have tried before zippers, but I got kinda hung up on them: snap buttons. Theyre certainly a lot easier to fasten than normal buttons, and a lot easier to manufacture than zippers, so I think the next iteration of the winter wear for my denizens will feature them, once Jello gets them just how she wants.


    I spend my time waiting for Teemo and Rocky to return by mostly watching delvers and making small changes. I could start another big project, but thebyrinth was basically my project to fund the fight with the other dungeon. I need to bank the mana from it, instead of spending it on another project. If I still didnt know where the dungeon was, I might spend to get even more ie, but with the scouting reports getting more details by the day, I want to keep that warchest full to bursting. And Im curious if the ally pool has a limit.


    As I watch through Teemo and Rockys eyes while they exit the shortcut not far from the cemetery wall, I know itll soon be time to test that out. If I still had a mouth, Id be drooling at the idea of all that mana theyre bringing. As they approach the wall, I can feel Teemo and Rockys satisfaction ating home via the bond, and my Voice speaks up as Rockyes to a stop just outside.


    Alright Rocky, you ready? How about you, Boss? This is gonna be a lot of mana.


    Definitely. I dont think itll be too itchy to get what Rocky has for me, and I dont feel that kind of pressure to use it if its in the ally pool, so Im probably going to put it mostly there.


    Rocky grunts as Teemo nods. Sounds like were as ready as were gonna get then. After you, Rocky. My boxer smiles and hops the wall, and as his feet hit the cold soil, I get hit with a sledgehammer blow of mana. I quickly shunt it over to the ally pool, and am surprised at how much is in it now.


    That almost doubled the pool there, wow. That Harbinger really wasnt a joke, huh.


    Rocky smirks and heads for the mausoleum so he can get to his ring. I think he wants to do a bit of punching before he has to head back out, and I dont really me him. Teemo perches on a gravestone near the wall and helps direct my returning denizens, chatting with me as I keep moving the mana into the ally pool.


    So things have been mostly good while I was gone? he asks, and I try to approximate a nod as I reply.


    Yeah, that little panic attack aside. The scythemaw eggs are hatching, and the babies are painfully cute. Theyve been scurrying to the water in small groups, and me and Violet have both mostly been letting them go. Theres a couple rangers watching, and they grab one every so often to check on it. Nobodys tried to tame one yet.


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    How about that panic? Everything alright?


    I think alright is a bit strong of a word, but Im at least ok. I was just a bit blindsided, is all. How about you? Southwood seemed pretty happy with everything, but I think youre better at judging that kind of thing.


    Yeah, Southwood is fine. I think hes still trying toe to terms with having an ally instead of a liege. Teemo smirks before continuing. Im kinda surprised you let Rocky teach the Stag about fire, though. Its a good move. I think the Southwood really will designate a second scion, hopefully before the espionage turns to outright fighting with the dungeon.


    Have you been paying attention to the reports as I get them from Leo?


    Teemo grimaces a bit at that. A little? I worry about Yvonne and the others, so while I want to hear theyre doing fine, Im also afraid of hearing theyre not.


    Well, they seem to be doing just fine. Thest report Leo got ryed from them was that theyve dropped off theirst rockslide and are carefully probing closer to the dungeon. They sound confident, and I dont me them. Yvonne knows how rangers work, so she can identify what might make them investigate, and so stay away. Ragnars a dwarf, so if anyone is going to be easily able to navigate twisted tunnels and caves to stay under the radar, its him. And Ara has her earth magic. As long as they dont literally bump into a patrol, she should be able to hide them. With Nova there to be able to feel further than the others can see, I dont think thats going to happen.


    Oh, that reminds me!


    Hmm?


    Novas been working on sculpting! Ara made her a beautiful obsidian rose from some of Novas meltings, and shes been inspired. Shes still got a ways to go to reach Aras level, but simpler flowers are in her skill. They look cool, too, since she can only manipte the magma still, so they look a little melted. I think its a neat effect, but I think Nova is a bit self-conscious about it.


    Teemoughs. That sounds like Nova, yeah! Ill have to ask her for one when she gets back.


    Yeah. Im also hopeful shell be able to expand her affinities to get earth from her sculpting, too. Magma is just really hot earth, after all. Im sure shell figure it out, even if only from trying to add some finishing touch as it solidifies.


    Oh hey, that reminds <em>me</em>.


    Yeah?


    Howe you have all kinds of suggestions for the weirder affinities, but not a lot for the simple ones? Water, earth, air and such. Id say fire, but you know a lot about fire.


    Well I dunno. Maybe the others are just so well defined? Theres a lot of things in just earth, for example, so I dont know where to start. Maybe once Nova gets it, she can exin. I get the feeling Rocky wont be able to expand to earth just by using kics to toss around boulders.


    Teemo nods at that, and we slip into apanionable silence for a few minutes, before I continue to try to bring Teemo up to date with the situation at home.


    Oh, Jello got her title for metalworking!


    Oh yeah! I heard you when it happened, but Ipletely forgot about that! Im gonna have to go visit her after the denizens are settled and congratte her on that!


    Theres also the local haberdasher helping keep the spiderkin and ratkin warm on their trip. Did you know a haberdasher is basically just a tailor that specializes in mens clothing, not just hats?


    Huh. Teemo pauses in directing the returning denizens to let that sink in, before resuming his work. Did he actually show the spiderkin a new way to weave silk?


    Nah, he has ess to wool. I think Thing wants to try ying around with some heating and insting spells to make it even better, but as it is right now, the dwellers are basically ready to march once you and Rocky are.


    Id like a day or two before heading back out, please?


    Hah, no problem. Itll give the new basilisks time to spawn some more, too.


    Teemo smirks at that. I wonder if youll ever get anything that looks like the dragons you were expecting, Boss.


    I hope so. Im liking my weird ones too, though. It makes me wonder what else they might look like. Maybe I wont get <em>any</em> normal dragons, and just get the weird ones!


    Teemo smirks again. Itd fit you, at least. You weirdo. We bothugh at that and continue to chat as my denizense home. Im pretty sure we could talk like this even when hes out on expedition, but it just feels right to just hang out here, chatting andughing.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty-Two

    Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty-Two


    Im feeling a lot better about things after chatting with Teemo. Hes good at cutting to the heart of whats bothering me and reminding me whats important. It also helps that hes more than happy to point out mistakes, so when he says something is good, it rings true instead of just hollow praise.


    I like to think I help calm him down some, too. Im not the only one worried about everyone, and both of us being able to vent those worries to each other really helps. It''s technically nothing we haven''t said nor heard before, but it just clicks better, I suppose. Whatever the reason, were both feeling refreshed and ready to get back in action.


    And looking at my dwellers as they prepare, I realize something Ive managed to miss. They should be alright without it, but the idea of them going without it makes me reject the notion that they should. Im Thedeim, the weird dungeon! If anyone can pull a technical war crime out of thin air, its me!


    While I ept it wont be ready by the time they march, I refuse to ept that I cant have it ready by the time the fighting starts! Its going to take a lot of effort from everyone, though. I can feel my denizens reacting to my resolve, and Teemo is more than happy to help exin and get this project moving yesterday.


    First hurdle: manpower. Its almost enough to tempt me to make the ant enve, but theyd have to finish their transformation, and we just dont have the time for that. So Its going to have to rest on the backs of my magmyrm. My ratlings and aranea will probably help, too, but they have their ces in me already. My magmyrm have still been searching for something to contribute, and this idea resonates <em>deep</em> in them. Its not going to be easy, but they are willing to give it their best effort.


    The only potential problem with them is their temperature. Theyre kinda made from magma, or at least dont seem to care about the very high temperatures closer to the volcanic area. Then again, theyve been able to deliver sleeping potions to people who lose in thebyrinth without melting the ss or igniting the cork, and can carry the people out, too. I guess they can handle their temperature well, which is a huge relief.


    I get a group of them headed towards Things privateb in the sanctum while Teemo exins the idea to him. He looks as eager to do it as Ive seen him before, and gets the magmyrm to clear a space for him to teach. I can feel theres a lot he wants to impart to them, but hes also not going to be their only teacher.


    Queen is already organizing her ownb, setting up stations for the magmyrm to learn her trade as well. Alchemy is going to be a vital part of this n, too. I dont know how much Queen can teach them on such a short notice, but she can probably squeeze at least a few basic recipes into them, as well as a bit of herbalism to be able to gather the herbs theyll need, too.


    My ratlings take to the forges, working on the fine and delicate instruments well need. Im notpletely sure if itll be needed, or if the magmyrm will even have the expertise to use what my ratlings are making, but Id rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. Some of the delvers might actually have the skills for this,e to think of it. Ill have to have Teemo ask them once hes back to the front lines.


    The aranea get to work weaving silk overtime, and even process some of the wool and mycelia fabric the enves have offered to my warehouse. Were going to need a <em>lot</em> of fabric, both for uniforms and for the actual work. For the uniform, I make a few alterations to the robes we made for Yvonne and Aranya well, I <em>would</em> say so long ago, but its only been a couple months. How time flies. Anyway, the uniform. I go with what looks a lot like sweatpants and hoodies. I think they look a little cooler than the fabric those usually use, but Im mostly going for utility, not fashion. stic silk at every opening in the fabric will allow for easy fitting without letting loose sleeves and legs to get in the way and snag on things. Even the bottom of the shirt has the stic silk, to try to keep any mess confined to the fabric. The work can get more than a little messy, so thebination of a good fit and ease of changing will help keep things running smoothly.


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    I do need to adjust again after the first batch is made, after I remember the magmyrm are going to be the first ones wearing it, not taller bipeds. I think itll go well, as long as they can cool themselves enough to not set the clothes on fire. Considering Thing has them looking at his books, I dont think its going to be a problem.


    I even get the bees contributing, with Teemo helping direct them. I think theyre a bit confused why I want some empty honebs, but theyre not bothered withplying. Oh, actually, I bet having some honey would be really helpful, too! Its a bit of a mess to get everything organized, but Queens ants are a big help with getting the honey out of thebs and into clean vials.


    I smile as I watch everyone working. Theres still a lot to go, but I think well be able to make this work before the fighting starts.


    Hey Boss? Whyre you calling this a war crime? It seems like a good thing to me?


    I chuckle at his confusion. Its mostly me being silly, though it really is technically a crime. See, in war, people always get hurt, right? There are sses that can or even specialize in minimizing that, but it still happens. There are also uniforms in just about any war, so people know whos on what side. Wearing the wrong uniform can be a big problem. Im going to be stealing a uniform, basically.


    But we dont know what that other dungeon dresses people as. And it probably doesnt even have magmyrm anyway.


    Im not stealing the uniform of that dungeon, Im stealing a different uniform. A uniform of people who dont do any fighting, yet are always on the frontline of wars. Their duty isnt to fight, but to heal. They dont carry weapons, they dont even differentiate sides. Their only duty is to gather the people who are too injured to fight and make sure they dont die, no matter which side they were fighting for.


    Teemo dons a confused look. Thats one of your weirdest ideas yet, Boss.


    Yeah, but its an important one. Honestly, its one I should have remembered a lot earlier. I guess magic healing makes it easy to forget, but even with a few clerics mixed in with the fighters, there are going to be people who get injured too badly to fight, but cant get a magical heal before the literal front line moves on. Theres gonna be people just trying to not die, and even after a battle, theres going to be enemy injured. While Ive heard stories of ancient armies going around after a battle to finish off any foes not quite dead, Im not going to do that.


    I watch an aranea stitch some red fabric to the front and back of the shirt, as well as the top and bottom of the ant pants, and smile to myself at the old symbol. The red cross. Its an old symbol of healing, and a war crime to wear or even disy if youre not actually part of them.


    I pause as I see Grim step out of a shortcut and into the work area, his scythe free of grass and trimmings. He runs his skeletal hand along the edge before moving to help cut bandages, and dip them into the sealing wax to help keep them clean.


    So yeah, I want to bring them here, to make them a symbol of help. If battles are anything like Ive heard they are, wounded can outnumber the dead, or even the living! If I dont want to add more bodies, I need to do something about it, and this will be that something.


    Teemo chuckles as he watches Grim. You know the enves are going to be all over this once they find out, right?


    Yeah, I know. The only reason I didnt already include them is-


    Lord Thedeim?es the surprised voice of my High Priestess as she sees all the activity in the sanctum. She stays well out of the way of my denizens and scions as they work, and her confusion gives way to a wide smile.


    More healing, of course! The dwellers will be relieved to see you taking an even more active role in keeping them safe.


    Not just them, corrects Teemo as he hops onto her shoulder, earning a confused look. Its a bitplicated, but its not just for our dwellers. Theyre going to heal every injured they can get their hands on, ours and the other dungeons.


    She still looks confused at that, but smiles as she turns to walk towards my core and ce a hand on me. That does sound like the kind of crazy idea youde up with.


    Hah, I wish it was my idea. Im not above borrowing the really good ones, though.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty-Three

    Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty-Three


    Its time for the next wave to move out, which includes the dwellers. While Id rather they stay back and maybe go with the medics, Id just have another excuse to try to keep them back when the healers head on out. Theres nothing I can think of to actually keep them home, or at least not anything I havent expressed already.


    My denizens are ready to go, this batch of reinforcements mostly has tundra wolves and basilisks, with a smattering of more arcane hands, too. Theres a few of my other denizens preparing to head out, including a twinsnake that really wants to go, but I dont think theyll manage it. Theyre having trouble just exiting the mausoleum with how cold it is outside right now.


    Rocky is looking reinvigorated, and Im pretending I dont notice he has his gloves hidden inside his lich robe. Hes had a few more challengers to y with in the arena, but nobody has put up the kind of fight the kids did. I think partially because they dont think they can win. The kids were pretty sure theyd lose, but they still had that youthful optimism to still give it their all. The other delvers havent been digging as deep, so Rocky hasnt been digging as deep for their rewards, either. Still, hes been enjoying the fights, and I think the delvers have, too.


    My dwellers are having just onest hup before they can get going. While Larx has grudgingly epted he cant go off to war and potentially leave the ratkin leaderless, my spiderkin happen to have three leaders, two of whom are very good in a fight. Norloke doesnt want either of Frn nor Vernew to go, but theyve outvoted her on that front. She was, however, able to get them both to ept that only one can go.


    Its kinda getting to the point where I wonder if shell actually have sess in keeping them both home. She keeps siding with the other to keep them there. If they cant actually make a decision soon, theyre going to miss the boat, which Im sure is all ording to Norlokes n.


    Right now, theyre all three outside a mausoleum, watching the army muster and arguing. Sorry, <em>debating</em>.


    Why cant you both just stay? asks the matronly spiderkin of her fellows, not bothering to pretend at this point. Frn sighs and speaks up as Vernew stumbles over herself to try to answer.


    Because we cant send them off without one of us. Even with the guidance of the Weaver and Warden Leo, it smacks of callousness and cowardice to not have either myself or Vernew there. The huntress nods and folds her arms as she finally secures her verbal footing.


    Yeah, if we dont go, itll look like we dont <em>want</em> to go. Its one thing to tell someone to do something you cant do on your own, but its justziness to send someone to do something you can do, but just dont want to. Lots of my new hunters act like gutting a fresh hunt is optional and they only get assigned to it as punishment, at least until they see me dressing my own kills. They need to know its important by seeing us do it, not just being told to do it.


    Norloke sighs and reluctantly nods. I know. While my weavers dont get as messy, some of the process is incredibly tedious, and they only ever ept it as necessary after seeing me do it personally. I just


    Frn smiles and pats her fellow triumvirate members shoulder. I know. And youre not wrong that we cant both go.


    You guys really should just let me go, speaks up Vernew, earning a t look from them both. She doesnt let that stop her, though, and barrels forward. Im serious! I even have good reasons! It basically boils down to them not actually needing you in this fight, Frn.


    At therge spiderkins frown, Vernew quickly continues. I mean, sure, youre good at military nning, but thats Warden Leos job. Youd need Teemo there to be able to actually try to make ns together. Hell probably be there, but I dont think hes just going to be there just to trante for you two.


    Im not good at nning, but I know to listen on a hunt. I dont need to try to make a n, I just need to do the one they give me. And I can help scout, at least until its time to actually fight! She pauses and nces away, looking ufortable for a moment, but not shying away from her reasoning.


    And we need you here, Frn. The outsiders, the delvers and townsfolk, they know you. Youre good at talking to them and getting them to listen. If the worst happens wed be in a lot more trouble without you than without me.


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    No! objects both of the other two, but Vernew isnt backing down just yet.


    Im not putting myself down, ok! Im just just looking at the whole web. If we lost Norloke, the enve itself would be in shambles as we try to learn how you can juggle all those domestic problems without losing a stitch! And if Frn was gone, the townspeople wouldnt know who to talk to. Thered be no big gruff secret-softy to approach for negotiations.


    But without me you guys would be sad, I know, and the hunting might be a bit lean, but my hunters would be able to step up. Thered probably be some drama, but nothing you two couldnt handle.


    Now its Norloke and Frns turn to look ufortable. While Vernew is of course more than the hole shed leave behind, should the worse happen, theyre all close enough to be honest with each other, so its difficult to argue against her logic, heartless as that logic is being.


    And, like the master huntress she is, she has a finishing blow tond. I just I want to show Him Ive gotten better. I failed to stop the kids. Sure, it worked out, but I still failed. I need this.


    Frn rests a hand on her shoulder now, too, though she doesnt put too much of her weight on it. You know that, if you go, the only way you could fail Him would be to not return, right?


    Vernew inhales deeply and nods. Yeah, I know. I know its not just me out there. If Leo says the best way I can contribute is to digtrines the entire time, Ill do it with a smile on my face. She pauses for a moment. Ok, not a smile, but I wouldnt try to weasel out of it, at least. She takes another few seconds to straighten herself. So, that said: I call for a vote on allowing me to join our forces and march under the Weavers banner. I vote aye.


    Norloke looks to Frn, who crosses her arms as she considers the vote seriously. ...Aye.


    The weaver detes a bit and nods. Aye. Im still worried, but aye. The decision is unanimous. Huntsmistress Vernew will apany our forces, rendering whatever aid the Weaver and His scions ask.


    All three nod, and the officious air remains for a few moments before Vernew moves forward and hugs Norloke, with Frn joining in not long after.


    Ill be careful, dont worry. I hope theyll have me scout, but I really will do whatever they tell me to. Uh Ill probably suggest they dont have me cook, though.


    That earns her augh from them both, with Frn recovering first to speak. I still dont understand how you managed to burn tea!


    I thought Id only need a cupful of water! And I like it strong! So I tossed in the leaves and only turned my back for a few minutes! she exims, trying to defend herself, but only earns anotherugh.


    Well, make sure you have all your stuff, Vernew. The vote is one thing, but I dont know if the Weaver will dy the whole army just for you, points out the Norloke, earning a scoff from the small spiderkin.


    Hed probably love the excuse, but yeah, I shouldnt tempt Him. I brought my whole kit, but Ill check it now and hope I havent forgotten anything. She heads back into the mausoleum to check over her gear, leaving the other two outside. I nudge Teemo, who points Aranya and Larx towards the spiderkin, all three wearing encouraging smiles.


    Boss says you finally decided on who will go?


    Yes. Id still prefer it was me but shes not wrong in her reasoning. Somehow, that makes me feel worse about it, grumbles Frn as Norloke nods.


    I still wish she didnt need to go. Its one thing to watch the others prepare to go, but another to watch a close friend do it.


    Larx nods at that. Indeed. I dont like letting them go, and I dont like not getting to go with them, but I cant change either of those facts.


    My Voice smirks at the unhappy faces. Sounds like you guys know what the Boss is feeling, then. Hes gonna do his best to bring everyone back safe, even though he knows thats not a reasonable goal.


    That earns augh from Aranya. Since when has a goal being unreasonable kept Him from striving for it anyway?


    Teemo chuckles, as do I. Yeah. If anyone can pull it off, itd be him. Still


    Norloke sighs and nods. Better to be prepared for the worst, than to be ambushed by it.


    The somber mood is waid as Vernew rejoins everyone, carrying arge pack and wearing her warm gear. Alright, I should have everything! Oh, Teemo! She raps her right hands against her spear in a salute. Vernew, reporting for duty!


    He smirks at her. Its about time! I think everyone is about ready to go, too. The Boss says you volunteered fortrine duty, right?


    That earns grins from everyone except Vernew, who is trying to hide her horror at the idea. Uh I guess?


    Good! Its important work, you know? Teemo hops to her shoulder and points her towards the rest of the dwellers as they prepare to move out, extolling the virtues of the unpleasant task. I wonder how long hell string her along? He probably cant manage it for the entire march, right? From the gleam in his eye, I get the feeling he just might try.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty-Four

    Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty-Four


    <strong>Nova</strong>


    As the wyrm scion quietly glides through the earth, she reflects on just how strange scouting duty is. While shes finding she quite enjoys it, that doesnt make the duty any less strange. Its the juxtaposition of heightened awareness with lessened need to actually do anything that makes it so strange. Feeling for vibrations keeps her mind active enough to pay attention, but not so active that her mind doesnt start to wander.


    Shes certainly had a lot of things for her mind to wander totely. Take magic, for example. Shes known affinities can be expanded upon, but knowing and seeing are two different things. The way Rocky taught the Stag to embrace fire it seems so obvious after, but so impossible before. While she cant use the specifics of light, she has been trying to focus more on her magma affinity, to see what she can do.


    From the vague hints through the bond with the Guide, he seems to think she could expand to earth affinity, but her own efforts are leading her towards fire, she thinks. She feels more attuned to the heat than the magma itself. On the other mandible, her work with sculpting might lead her to earth affinity after all.


    She rumbles happily at the memory of the elf making a beautiful flower from her unnoticed obsidian. She had never thought about the molten rock she leaves behind, or the cooled rock thates eventually after. She also hadnt thought that an affinity could be used to make something like that. It would be basically no use in a fight, it probably wouldnt take any interesting enchantments, it cant even be eaten by most things. She took a little nibble, but it tasted like any other obsidian.


    And yet that little flower made from volcanic ss has captivated her like nothing else really has. Shes been trying to make one of her own, but her first try was such a failure that she almost gave the entire idea up. But she changed her focus to simpler flowers, and she thinks shes making good progress. She doesnt like how they alwayse out looking a little melted, even though she can feel the Guides happiness at each one.


    Her thoughts are interrupted as she hears footsteps that dont belong to the Guides chosen party. Theyve been dodging rangers and scouts for a day or two now, but this is the first group theyve found! She retreats a bit before waving a bit of magma through the earth behind her, letting the earth mage of the party feel the moving absence of her element as the signal to hide.


    Shes been trying to listen in on the people theyve been avoiding, but they were all solo, so they didnt say much. This feels like a group of four, so hopefully theyll talk amongst themselves, and she can get some information. She feels the chosen party hide themselves, so she glides ahead, being careful to not get too close, lest one of them is another earth mage.


    She stays back, far enough to get an idea of the groupsposition before trying to get close enough to listen in. Theyre almost certainly from the dungeon, as they seem to be two pale elves and two pale dwarves. An elf with a spear is in the lead, with a dwarf with either a thick wand or a thin mace nking on his belt behind them. Behind those two are the other elf and dwarf, who seem to be trying to keep an eye out.


    While Nova isnt an expert, shes pretty sure an actual scouting party would be quieter, and probably not wear as much armor as some of them. The dwarf in the back has armor to rival Ragnar!


    After a few minutes of them not seeming to notice her, Nova slowly drifts closer, letting her finally pick out words from the indistinct noise of their conversation.


    What about this spot, Jayle? asks the spear elf at the front, sounding like theyve asked the question many times before. The dwarf nearby seems to be looking in a book and nces around before speaking.


    Maybe? Were definitely far enough away now. The field guide says we should try to find clean water, and I see a little trickle out of the wall there.


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    Its a bit cramped, speaks up the elf in the back, and Nova agrees with his estimation. Theyre in more of a tunnel than a cave at the moment. As she understands it, a good camp should let wildlife easily go around. If they camp in the tunnel here, theyll have to deal with local things having to wander through their camp, and some things might be more ornery about it than others.


    Ill mark it on the map, and if we cant find anything better in an hour, welle back, suggests the armored dwarf, which seems agreeable to the others. Nova is a little less confident in that, since the nearest actual cave is the one the chosen party is hiding in. While they are sure to have their camp fully sealed off, she doesnt know how well they will handle needing to stay there and stay quiet.


    Im d you two got cleared from recovering to be able toe, speaks up the spear elf after a few minutes, and the bookish dwarf nods.


    Yeah, if it was just me and Dergol, we would have had to stay home and probably just keep doing drills.


    Id rather get impaled through the shoulder again than spend a week doing drills, dryly answers the other elf, who Nova is suspecting is some kind of caster. He walks much lighter than the others. Or maybe hes some kind of rogue?


    If its one or the other, I think Id rather do drills, snarks back the spear elf, before he continues with a bit less sarcasm. So, how was it in the enve? Ive always wanted to sneak in and get a look at the kobolds, but mom always said shed round my ears if I tried it.


    The book dwarf snorts. Shed probably do it, and be in the right, too. You shouldnt mess with the Great Maws kobolds. Theyre busy.


    I know! But theyre so mysterious! I only ever get to see them at the sacrifices!


    Well, I wouldnt suggest going and getting yourself injured if you want to look at them, answers the armored dwarf, pulling the conversation back on track. I only saw one a couple minutes a day, and thats partially because he was also checking on Merrik.


    Being in the same room is still better than Ive ever been! Whatre they like?


    The group continues walking in silence as the two who were injured consider their answers. The possible caster, Merrik,es up with his, first.


    Special. Theres a certain weight to what they do, even when its something as simple as changing a bandage.


    Like they know the weight of their purpose, adds the armored dwarf, and Nova realizes shes a she, or at least sounds like one. She cant exactly surface right now and take a look.


    Thats so cool. Oh, the tunnels opening up. The group quiets their conversation as they enter the cave, and see another small pool of water near the wall.


    Ah, that should do! The field guide says multiple water sources will help keep wildlife away. Even if we camp right next to the one, the other one is right there and can be used instead of trying to contest us. Nova can hear the book being consulted as the dwarf doublechecks, and soon the group sets about deciding specifically where to set up.


    Think you two can handle this part? Me and Merrik should probably make sure theres nothing too nasty nearby before we get too settled, speaks up the armored dwarf.


    Sure, I think we can handle it. Hang on a sec though, Lech. I got us all a little treat! You and Merrik can snack on yours while securing the perimeter. The spear elf, Dergol, Nova reminds herself, digs through his pack for a few moments before eximing in victory.


    Yes, theyre still sealed! Catch!


    What is this? asks Jayle, the bookish dwarf. Nova tries to keep the names straight, just in case its important with her report.


    A cheese kobold, answers the caster elf Merrik, earning a gasp from Dergol.


    You know?


    Lech answers. Yeah. They gave us some at the enve. Theyre really good cheese.


    Aw, I wanted to surprise you. Oh well, at least I know the cheese is good now. The guy I paid for these said it was good, but he was trying to get my money. Anyway, go secure, shoo.


    The two leave, and Nova slowly moves to follow, though she catches a bit more from the two who are staying.


    The field guide says we shouldnt split up.


    Pft, its fine. If we had to follow it to the letter, the Great Maw would have just sent denizens instead of us. Well just need to keep an eye out until they get back.


    We still shouldnt split up.


    Jayle, give them a little privacy. I think they want to spend a little time together. Theyre acting a little different after the stay at the healers. I think they finally hooked up!

 Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty-Five

    Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty-Five


    <strong>Nova</strong>


    The wyrm scion does her best to stay calm as the two dwellers head deeper into the cave, unknowingly getting closer and closer to her party. She sighs in relief when they finally stop. Theyre close, but at least not directly outside the hidden camp of her friends.


    She can actually join them while still listening in, which she happily does. She doesnt feel very qualified for this kind of thing, so hopefully the delvers will have some idea of what to do about the other dungeons dwellers. She tries to split her attention between listening to the two, even as she does her best to sculpt some magma to let the party know whats going on. Theres quiet sounds of surprise when she first makes a little magma puddle, but with the rough outline of the cave and little teardrops of magma marking the positions, the Guides chosen delvers mostly stay quiet.


    Novas very d for that, as the two hostile dwellers are speaking in hushed tones.


    Should we just leave? asks the armored one, sounding very nervous. Nova can even hear her fidgeting and shifting her feet, clearly ill at ease.


    The other hums in thought for a few moments. Perhaps? Im not sure how much longer we can keep them in the dark.


    Youre still sure they wont see our side of it?


    Yes. Jayle is devout. Im actually surprised the clergy havent imed him yet. Maybe they already have, and hes their eyes and ears into Master Harbingers training. Dergol is not exactly devoted to the great Maw, but he doesnt see. Hed try to convince us to just drop it. And hes known Jayle longer than hes known us. If it came to blows, hed side with Jayle just to keep him from being outnumbered.


    Nova can hear more shifting from the armored dwarf before Merrik continues. I know, Lech. I want to try to convince them, too, but I dont think this is the ce for it. Even if we convinced Dergol, wed never convince Jayle. And if Jayle caught a whiff of what were trying to cook, hed rat us out if given the chance.


    Lech sighs. Yeah if he found out, we couldnt let him get back. I dont think I can do something like that.


    The two stand in silence for a few more moments, before Lech continues. Lets just finish securing the cave for now. I dont even know if leaving is a good idea. Silvervein doesnt feel like home anymore but I dont know where else to go.


    Ive tried to subtly get a look at maps to try to go somewhere else, but either theyre all redacted, or there really arent any other settlements within a couple days. The great Maw has been eating well, I suppose.


    With that, the two resume moving, and Nova surfaces in the hidden camp. While she moves the two drops to coincide with the dwellers position, she quickly notices her party has not been sitting idle. She tilts her head at a recreation of the cave shape, with lines drawn all around and in it. She tilts her head at the gathered delvers, and Ara is eager to quietly exin.


    We want to try to capture them. I know you were listening to them, so they must know something. Even if theyre just regr soldiers, theyd know more about whats happening than we do. We just need to keep them from alerting the others.


    Were thinkin a luring them t a spot an caving it in behind em. Well need you fer that, Nova, Ragnar briefly summarizes, and Nova can start understanding the scribbles in the earthen floor. She nods over to her own little magma map and produces two extra drops before having them pop in a fakendslide, and rushes the two at the camp over.


    Yvonne nods. Theyll know something happened, but cave-ins are a natural danger. If their friends never return from scouting the cave, theyll have to assume they were caught in it. An obvious answer helps keep questions at bay.


    Nova supposes that makes sense. She still has another question, though, and tries to mime it with her little magma drops. She multiplies them, having them all wander around the cave and taking different routes back to the camp. Ragnar and Ara look confused, but Yvonne seems to understand.


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    How will we know where to ambush them? Well try to lure them. If the other dungeon really is sending out patrols this far, we can make a more permanent hidden camp for ourselves, so we dont even have to capture these two. As for how to lure them, thats where youe in.


    Yvonne motions to Ara, letting the elf exin. Ill be busy with setting our thin wall to crumble, as well as preparing a cave in. You can make a little magma flower to try to draw them in. The light should get their attention even without direct line of sight, and unless theyre trained and hardened scouts, a little solidified magma flower will make them curiously get closer. Once we drop the cave-in and reveal ourselves, we should have them at our mercy before they can do anything, and they should know it.


    An if they dont notice, well jus try again wi th next batch, finishes Ragnar. Nova isnt sure about this n. On the one hand, the Guide would love to get more information. Thats what this entire scouting expedition is for, after all. Still, it seems dangerous. Although the delvers seem pretty confident. And it doesnt even need to happen right now. If they cant get ready, or if they cant lure the dwellers to the right spot, theyll try againter. She nods, and the party smiles wide.


    Perfect! exims Ara with a p of her hands. If youd keep your magma map of their position up to date, Ill focus on preparing the ambush site. Just outside seems good, Ill need to make some subtle adjustments to help funnel them.


    Nova does as asked, quietly moving the magma drops on her map as the others prepare. Yvonne and Ragnar both check their weapons and armor, making little adjustments as they prepare for the ambush. Ara faces the wall, slowly moving her arms and waving her fingers as she shapes the stone as she pleases. Nova wishes she could actually watch her work. Once this is done, shes going to need to try to expand her affinities. Earth affinity would just be so useful to have!


    Looks like theyreing back this way to head back to camp. Is everything ready, or are we waiting for next time? asks Yvonne.


    Im ready. It wont be quite as clean as I might like, but if we can get them into position, itll work.


    Ragnar readies his weapon and nods at Nova, who understands it as her queue to try a lure. She slips under the surface and creates a pool of magma, which she then starts to sculpt. She goes a little off the script for the lure. Instead of making a flower, she decides to try something a little different. The dwellers mentioned kobolds as something important. Maybe she could make a sculpture of Aranya?


    Shes d the Guides High Priestess usually wears that robe, as its a lot easier to keep the form stable, and she can pretend the slightly-melted look is just the fabric flowing with her motions. Of course, shes not making the pose particrly dynamic. Instead, she has the kobold kneeling, hands sped in prayer, like shes seen her do so many times before.


    She almost drops her focus and lets the magma slump when Ara sends her a pulse, and Nova realizes she stopped keeping the position of the dwellers up to date. She quickly puts them back to motion. They get close, and she wonders if theyll notice the soft glow of the molten rock. For a moment, it seems like they dont, but then they pause before slowly approaching.


    She lets the magma start cooling, putting her attention more on keeping their positions urate on the map than on her sculpture. She thinks it came out pretty good, but now is not the time for preening over her work. She can feel Ara stiffen as the footsteps get close enough for the elven earth mage to detect, and soon the two dwellers get close enough to see Novas art.


    Did you drop your cheese kobold? asks Merrik as he spots the small sculpture, sounding incredulous.


    No I put it in my bag. How did this get here? The footsteps slow, and though Nova can tell theyre looking around with their heads, their feet are still slowly following where their curiosity demands.


    In position, whispers Ara. Three. Two. One. Now!


    The ceiling rumbles and the fake wall crumbles to sand, revealing the two dwellers looking up like the impending cave-in is impossible. They dont see Ragnar and Yvonne rushing forward. The birdwoman grabs Merrik and hurls him behind her, while Ragnar does simr to Lech, putting them both on the ground, dazed, as the view of the cave vanishes behind falling rubble.


    Nova surfaces, adding her glow to the darkness, letting the two dwellers see they were not necessarily saved from danger. Yvonne has her mandible sword pointed at Merriks neck, while Ragnar has a foot on Lechs armored chest, hammer raised incase she tries anything.


    Ara takes a few moments to ensure the hidden campsite isnt going to copse, before turning her attention to the two on the ground.


    As long as you cooperate, you wont be harmed. We will be taking you with us, however, she informs the two. Merrik frowns with tight lips, but Lech must have been more rattled from the ambush than him, as she cant keep her silence.


    Well, at least now we dont have to try to run away.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty-Six

    Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty-Six


    Watching, or rather: <em>listening</em> through Nova is an odd experience. Ive checked in on her a few times while she and the others have been scouting, but her spike in anxiety drew my attention. I cant really me her for being so nervous. That group was inly different from the very start.


    Im d the ambush went so well, and I just wish I was better able tomunicate with Nova so she could ask what I want to know. Of course, she doesnt talk so good, so Id need to wish for that, too. Ragnar, Yvonne, and Ara are doing great, though. The two new prisoners dont try to resist as theyre stripped of their gear, and Nova even does her part to help make sure theyre not too cold. Im just d shes above the surface so I can actually see, no matter how poor her actual eyesight is.


    My wyrm scion also rumbles at Ragnar as he ties their hands in a weird way. He gives her a curious look before ncing back at what hes doing, then nods in sudden understanding.


    Ahm ropin their fingers. Weave it between, see? He angles Merriks hand for Nova to get a better look, and the pale elf even sighs with a nod.


    It wont fully stop me from casting, but it makes it a lot more awkward. By the time I can manage anything, theyll be able to react and <em>discourage</em> me from trying again.


    Ayed, yeve got it. Y two keep behavin, an we may no need em soon.


    So who <em>are</em> you? asks Lech as she sits not far from Nova.


    Yvonne and Ara look up from the map and exchange nces with Ragnar, before my birb resident answers. Enemies of a certain hostile dungeon down here, though not necessarily enemies of you two. It sounded like you were looking for an excuse to get away from something.


    Lechs eyes widen at that, and even the stoic Merrik raises an eyebrow in surprise. Youre from the surface, then.


    Ragnar nods with a grin and finishes tying Merriks fingers. Aye,d. An yer from th dungeon we dinnae like.


    Actually were from Silvervein, but the Maw emancipated us so long ago that its just history, corrects Lech.


    The Maw? That sounds like a dungeon that would have something like that Harbinger, and would treat Aranyas people like dirt.


    So, you two were looking to get away from this Maw? asks Ara, stepping forward to let Ragnar take her ce at the map.


    Yes, states Merrik simply. He even lets the silence continue for a few long seconds, until Lech nudges his foot with her own. He gives her a t look, which she meets with an encouraging smile, causing him to sigh and relent.


    Fine. If theyre inquisitors, they already know enough that wed be sacrificed anyway. Ive been growing more and more dissatisfied with the Great the Maw and Silvervein for a while now, but Ive kept quiet about it. Lech and I got injured in training, and the time healing seems to have opened her eyes, too. Ive been looking for a way to get us out since. Lech wouldnt be able to keep herself hidden for very long.


    Hey!


    Am I wrong?


    Lech pouts as Ara chuckles, and the earth mage elf motions for Merrik to continue.


    We are on assignment from the Harbinger to help guard and secure the area around the G the Maw. Our friends were setting up camp while we scouted. He pauses and looks a bit ufortable. What are you going to do with them?


    Nothing, assures Ara. The caved in section is thick enough they wont be able to hear us, and as long as neither of them has earth or wind affinity, they wont be able to detect us, either.


    Merrik rxes slightly at that. They dont.


    Youll really let them go? asks Lech with a mix of hope and fear, and Ara nods.


    We really will. Were not here to just ughter. Were going to stop that dungeon, that Maw, with as little pain as possible.


    How? asks Merrik, a skeptical eyebrow raised, earning himself augh from Yvonne. Looks like she and Ragnar have settled on a route.


    With our own dungeon. Several, really. Thedeim is getting to be something of an expert in fighting other dungeons.


    Itll need to be. The Harbinger killed two scions before the third was able to fell it, and the Redcap is at least as dangerous, warns Merrik.


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    Redcap? Youll need to tell us more about that, butter. Lets get moving. You two have a good path out? asks Ara, to the nods of Yvonne and Ragnar.


    Aye. Well need you t cut through a few tunnels, but itll put a least a mile a passages btween us.


    Then we can parallel the graveled path back to the surface. Should take us only a couple days.


    The surface? asks Lech with wide eyes, looking like she was just promised a pony.


    The surface, confirms Yvonne. Youll probably need a couple days to adjust to the sun and the sky and maybe the cold. Its winter right now, but spring isnt all that far away anymore.


    The prisoners clearly want to know more, but the party wants to get moving. With Novas hearing, I can tell the other two members of the little guard/scouts are on the other side of the cave in, trying to figure out what happened. I wonder if theyll immediately jump to the conclusion their friends were caught in it, or if theyll try not to. Im thinking theylle to the narrative of them being under the rubble pretty quickly. Their scouts shoulde running to a disturbance like that quickly, yeah?


    Its about another hour of marching before they break for camp, electing to make a hidden cold camp, though cold is rtive with Nova to provide heat and light. As everyone settles in for the stew to cook, Merrik breaks his silence.


    Youre not dwellers. You work like youve all been together a long time, and I doubt your dungeon has three enves.


    Yvonne smirks and nods. Were not dwellers, no. What can you tell us about that Redcap?


    Merrik keeps a nk face, but Lechs shows several emotions before her friend starts speaking. Hes a metal affinity fey scion. Fighting him would be like fighting an army of des, except an army takes up a lot more room. He likes to make gruesome headwear from his victims. Traitors to the Maw get sentenced to be hatted.


    Lech looks a bit green as she nods, the party all wearing deep frowns.Yvonne speaks up first.


    What other scions does the Maw have?


    The Harbinger, answers Lech. Did it really kill two scions before it could be stopped? Everyone says it was on the brink of total victory before a lucky surprise attack knocked it off bnce enough for it to get overwhelmed.


    Nova rumbles with her weird smile. Does having a triple mandible mouth let her smile three times at once? The frowns of concern from the others flip to grins as Ara corrects the record.


    The two scions the Harbinger killed were not frontline fighters. Rocky is, and he obliterated the Harbinger after it hurt his friends.


    A Conduit, then. The Redcap is probably one as well. The Maw has consumed other, weaker dungeons, though it hasnt had the chance since the Harbinger came. Can your Rocky withstand the Harbinger and another Conduit? asks Merrik, though he looks confused when the grins dont vanish.


    Rockys not the Conduit, Fluffles is. In a straight fight, I cant imagine hardly anything standing up to them working together.


    Merriks eyebrows rise in surprise. A fourth scion? From the same dungeon? He grumbles to himself and his fingers twitch, causing the party to tense. Thankfully, it seems like hes just running some numbers, not trying to cast anything. His thoughtful frown turns into a more ordinary unhappy frown as he finishes his theorycrafting. Even with a dungeon strong enough to field four scions, distance will make it difficult to strike. If it takes days for your dungeon to react, the Maw will still have the advantage.


    It might take days for him to send more denizens, but it wont take him long to <em>react</em> at all. Besides, your numbers are off, corrects Yvonne, ncing at Nova significantly.


    Merrik looks doubtful, but Lech justes out and says it. Thats not your familiar, then?


    Yvonneughs and shakes her head. Ive never been especially good with animals nor denizens. Nova there is Thedeims newest scion.


    Five? responds Merrik, his fingers twitching again. Yvonne doesnt let him run those numbers for long.


    Thats not even half of his scions.


    The two prisoners just stare, with Lechs mouth hanging open in shock, while Merrik tries toe to grips with that statement. Then why not just roll in and subsume the Maw?


    We said were not here just to ughter. We need to stop the Maw, but we dont want to just kill everything. We also want to save the kobolds. With a technically-independent town nearby, well want to minimize coteral damage, too. Right now, were trying to get as much information as possible, while giving as little to this Maw as we can, exins Ara, causing Merriks frown to deepen.


    Thats going to be difficult. While Im pretty sure Lech and I arent the only ones with doubts, theres a lot of people who actively worship and revere the Maw, and a lot more people who go through the motions just to live. If ites to fighting, I think most people will side with the Maw, if only because their friends will.


    Ara sighs as the other two of the party grimace. Thats what were afraid of. But that kind of situation cant be allowed to continue just because itll be too big of a mess to fix. And the Maw and its Harbinger are too big of threats to ignore.


    Most everyone slumps a bit at the unfortunate reality before us, but one looks filled with determination.


    I want to help, states Lech, earning looks of confusion and shock from the others. I dont know how, but I want to help. The people dont know whats going on, the kobolds are ves and sacrifices we just need to open everyones eyes, like mine were.


    Hmm a propaganda campaign? Difficult to do in a war, but maybe in a siege? Ugh, I really hope it doesnte down to a siege. I start tinkering with a few vague ideas as Yvonne smiles and rests a hand on Lechs shoulder.


    Then please tell us everything you can. The more we know, the more we can do to keep the town out of it. Take some time to try to organize your thoughts, too. We have a few days to get to the surface, and then a few days more to get to Thedeim.


    Merrik sighs and speaks up. I want to help, too. I think were going to need a lot of information to be able to give you the info you need, though. It sounds like the surface works a lot different than the Maw does.


    Yvonne chuckles. It does, and Thedeim works a lot different than the surface in general, too.

 Two-Hundred Twenty-Seven

    Two-Hundred Twenty-Seven


    Down in the tunnels somewhere around that Maws territory, Nova watches as the party sleeps. The prisoners are sleeping, too, but I think their status as prisoner will pretty quickly change to defector or maybe refugee after Teemo and Leo get a chance to talk with them. Id say interrogate, and while thatd technically be urate, the pale elf and dwarf seem pretty rxed and epting of their situation.


    It could be a trick, but the kind of paranoid fishing trip they would have to have been sent on is way beyond reason. The Maw would have to send out a bunch of newbies with directions to split up and make themselves targets, and somehow expect all of them to be good enough actors to fool my scouts. The kind of zeal itd take to follow that kind of n is at odds with how Lech and Merrik are acting. Merrik might have pulled it off on his own, but Lech is an open book. Merrik had to wean himself off calling the Maw great, but Lech had already dropped it. Its probably not the kind of thing to earn yourself a trip to the reeducation camp, but itd certainly get eyes on her that she wouldnt want.


    The way theyve been talking about the way Silvervein and the Maw work, Im more convinced than ever to deal with this problem, even if theyve confirmed the like fifth-worst case scenario? I havent done a hard list, but having a lot more scions and having mutant scythemaw denizens would definitely make the situation worse. The situation with civilians pretty much is my worst case scenario, though.


    Some fanatic followers, some sympathetic followers, some neutral, but basically everyone believing anything outside is a threat. Counter-propaganda is going to be difficult, if its possible at all.


    Everything ok, Boss? asks Teemo from Vernews shoulder as the two rx. My forces are making great time through the shortcut, and theyre all camped out right now. Teemos question earns a curious look from the Huntsmistress.


    Hmm?


    The Boss is just worrying.


    Maybe a little. Just processing what were learning about the Maw.


    Thats the dungeon, yeah? I can hear you reacting to what youre hearing through Nova, but I cant hear what shes hearing. Im only getting like half the conversation.


    Cant imagine what thats like, snarks Vernew with a wide grin, which helps lighten my mood a bit.


    Well, the short version is that Yvonne, Ragnar, and Ara have captured a few people from Silvervein, the town outside the Maw, which is the dungeon were after. Theyre technically POWs right now, but theyre probably going to be refugees here real quick. I dont think they want to go back. The town is well, Id call it amunist state, but its probably more a theocratic dictatorship. Less it belongs to everyone, and I get first pick, and more it belongs to the Maw, appreciate the scraps you get to keep.


    Teemo grunts at the weight of the words I dump on him, but waves off my concern before I can apologize. That doesnt sound great, but now Leo can actually n for that, yeah?


    Yeah. I just wish I had advice for what he should try. Im not exactly a student of history, but Im pretty sure a society like that will be difficult to change without a lot of growing pains.


    Anything I can help with? asks Vernew, getting a smile from Teemo.


    Nah, but I might need to leave thefort of your shoulder and go on ahead to meet with Leo. Yvonnes group captured a few people, and while the Boss can hear what theyre saying thanks to Nova, he cant really tell Leo the details on his own. The report should be moving through the rockslides quickly, but I can get there even faster.


    Im fast! I can help! she insists, getting to her feet. I consider for a few seconds, before giving Teemo the verdict.


    Sorry Vernew, the Boss needs you here with everyone. Rocky is friendly enough, but hes not going to be able to organize setting up and taking down camp. If you went on ahead and I stayed, you wouldnt be able to give Leo the details. The Boss needs you to make sure everyone gets to the Southwood quickly and safely. The pace today should be good, so mostly try to keep that for everyone, ok?


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    But she starts, before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Yeah yeah, ok. Itll be like leading a huge hunting party. Her eyes drift over all the dwellers and denizens. A <em>really</em> huge hunting party.


    Hey, it beatstrine duty!


    She gives him a t look. Digging it wasnt that bad. Covering it will probably be a bit less fun, but probably better than having to keep track of everyone. Theres a reason I leave that kind of stuff to Norloke and Frn.


    Teemo pats her shoulder. Youll be fine. Rockyll be here to make sure everyone understands youre in charge with me gone. A bit of her tension eases at that, and she looks over at the zombie as he tries mixing sonic and fire. It looks really cool, especially with the standing wave hes conjured around himself. I dont think hes going to get to lightning with that, but its cool enough that I dont think hes bothered. If nothing else, it helps him train what he already has.


    Right, Rocky. Not on my own, at least.


    Teemo pokes her chitinous cheek. You alright?


    She tenses up and looks ready to deflect, before deting instead. I think so? Im just trying to do better. I dont want to disappoint Him again.


    Hey, Vernew. Look at me. She obeys, getting to see one of the few times Teemo has a serious look, instead of the casual smile or smirk he usually wears.


    The Boss isnt after perfection, ok? Failing to stop the kids wasnt the problem. Failing to take them seriously was. Vernews eyes flick away, and I nudge Rocky toe over for a second, as Teemo continues.


    You need to be a proper web as a person, yeah? Too much tension, and youll snap when an opportunityes along. Too loose, and the opportunity will slip through instead. Dont ovepensate and snap, ok? Vernew dejectedly nods, before her eyes snap to Teemo in confusion. Rocky grunts a chuckle as he hugs the smol spider, and Teemo smiles.


    Boss says you looked like you could use a hug, and Im a bit small for that. Thanks, Rocky.


    My zombie scion grunts and nods, giving Vernew another squeeze before releasing her. She looks a little overwhelmed and a lot relieved as she sinks down into a sitting position, and meets Rockys eyes as he sits beside her.


    I I think I did need a hug, yeah. Thanks, Rocky. And thank You, Weaver, she finishes quietly, closing her eyes for a few moments. She takes a deep breath, and opens her eyes, looking a lot better. Then I guess you should get going, Teemo? The Weaver is always busy.


    Teemoughs at that and hops to the ground. Youre telling me! You kids be good! Ill see you in about two days! He gives them a wave, which they both return, before he scurries off down the shortcut. I can feel him working his affinity as he goes,pressing the distance even further than it already is, and letting it snap back as he passes.


    I watch Vernew through Rockys eyes, and she looks a lot morefortable now, after the little pep talk. Never underestimate the power of a hug.


    Think a hug might stop the Maw? asks Teemo, and Iugh at the idea.


    I seriously doubt it. You can suggest it to Leo, though.


    Yeah, but I gotta get there, first. Got any advice for humble little Teemo, oh mysterious Weaver?


    Dont make me figure out a way to smack you. Teemo chuckles at my empty threat as I consider his question.


    Well, theres a couple things to potentially try. I think youre close to something fundamental with your spacial affinity, but trying to y with that is something to do while sitting down, I think. Not when youre trying to make good time. Right now, youre justpressing the space around you, right?


    Yeah. Its a lot like making a shortcut or a trail, but thosest a lot longer.


    Yeah, I can feel it snapping back into ce behind you, which is a weird thing to sense. Anyway how about not fullypressing space around you?


    Teemo stops and scrunches his face at that as he tries to picture it. What?


    Well, right now, youre making it so you just have to travel less distance, yeah? But if you can unwarp around your feet, I think you can increase your speed, too. Instead of each step being like an inch apart, you could effectively have them be yards apart.


    Teemo folds his arms as he tries to wrap his head around that, and I do my best to not think about the math very hard. That might work? Im gonna go slow, I dont want to identally leave a foot behind or something.


    Yeah, that would make it a bit difficult to go fast.


    Teemo smirks before concentrating, moving slowly at first. It feels <em>really</em> weird when he starts reaching outside of hispressed bubble, but it doesnt seem like its hurting him. I mentally step back, letting him focus, and also letting me let my mind wander a bit. I make sure to try to keep my thoughts distant from Teemo, not wanting to hurt him.


    I realized like halfway through the idea what I was exining to him, and Im just d I could keep my thoughts from running away before I could give him the very basics of the idea. I dont know how well itll actually work, but I wouldnt want to pop Teemos head with the full concept of an Alcubierre drive.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty-Eight

    Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty-Eight


    It takes Teemo about a day to get to Leo, which gives him about a day to prep him for the two refugees. Sure, prisoners, but I dont see much point in pretending theyre anything else at this point. Yvonne andpany have already undone Merriks hand binds. I think the two young adults are a bit too marveled by the stories of the surface to try anything.


    It also helps that Lech is likable. I wouldnt go so far as to call her adorkable, but there is a bit of that thirst for knowledgebined with a bit of awkward innocence. Shes mostly interested in getting defense advice from Ragnar, though shell answer questions for Ara or Yvonne when they ask.


    Merrik is a lot more subdued than Lech, but theres an intense hunger for knowledge in him, too. He tends to alternate between asking Ara about magic and asking Yvonne about ranged attacks. Lech let it slip that hes a Steelmage, and after a deep sigh and a shake of his head, he agreed to give a little demonstration. I was expecting him to be very simr to Berdol, but aside from sharing an affinity, they seem to work a lot differently.


    Berdol needs metal around to control, but Merrik basically summons it. He says he technically can manipte metal that already exists, but its much easier for him to summon it. I dont know if that makes him a summoner or what, but whatever he technically is, his techniques sure look effective to me. He has a couple simple attacks that call a short-lived weapon that appears near his target, swings (or stabs), then vanishes. He also has what I like to think of as a blender attack that fills an area with shing metal. He calls it a dewall, Id probably call it an unbound blender, but the effect is the same: dont go in.


    Ragnar, of course, waded in with a wide smile. Ara just gave him an oh you look, and Yvonne just shook her head at him. Lech and Merrik about panicked, but after he dismissed the wall, they saw his beard wasnt even trimmed from the damage. Im not sure if that makes Lech and Merrik low level, or Ragnar and crew high. Possibly a bit of both, even.


    Im feeling confident in them being refugees after that. If they were spies, theyd probably be a bit nervous after that show, even if only for themselves. The two, instead, seem to be even more rxed. Im pretty sure they feel like they have some actual protection from the Maw now. Nova has been noticing them sleeping better, at least.


    As for Lechs ss, Ragnar says shes a pretty standard Shieldbearer, without her even saying so. Her look of surprise and hisugh pretty much confirmed it. Its a bit different from his ss, in that it relies on heavier armor to not take damage in the first ce, instead of regenerating a lot of it like Ragnar does. She even asked him about it, though he was pretty sparse on the details.


    I get the feeling its less that he doesnt want to help her, and more that he doesnt want to inflict his particr fighting style on anyone else. It sure seems effective, just as it seems like he takes at least a bit of a beating with each fight. It must be sustainable somehow, but I probably shouldnt be surprised if the guy who works to take all the hits doesnt want to see someone else shoulder all that pain.


    I ry all of that to Teemo once he gets to Leo, which takes a good chunk of the night for him to do. Honey takes notes, because of course she does, and Teemo meets Leo''s eyes once he finishes regaling him with all the info.


    So, what do you think?


    Leo stands and paces, his ears flicking as he thinks. After a few minutes, Honey buzzes and seems to pull him from his thoughts, and he gives a tired growl.


    Yeah,plicated is about how the Boss feels, too. Lets break it down to be lessplicated, yeah? First I guess is does it change any of the ns for dealing with the Maw?


    Honey does a little mocking dance and Leo grins and wuffs. Teemo snorts before tranting.


    They say there needs to be a n in the first ce before it can change. Leo gives a grumble, looking a bit more serious with his reply.


    Still not enough for a real n yet, hmm? Well, just be careful and dont get caught, but you already know that. Anything in specific you want to ask the two when they get here?


    This time its mostly Honey who answers, giving a dance and pointing at a sheaf of papers that Im certain already have a ton of questions. Teemo smirks at my reply and rys it.


    The Boss says to ease up, or else theyll be wanting to seek refuge from us, too. What do you two think of taking them in?


    Leo tilts his head and Honey buzzes in a questionmark.


    I mean, not literally. The Boss isnt going to make residents of strangers, no matter how upstanding they seem to be.


    Leo nods and sits, his ears flicking for a moment before he gives a quiet bark.


    Fair enough. Its not like anyone is going to try to just send them back. The Enves might adopt them or something, otherwise I guess theyll move into Fourdock and maybe join the adventurers guild?


    Maybe theyll be cooks instead. They have lots of turns of phrase and idioms involving food.


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    Huh. Leo and Honey both give Teemo expectant looks, so he exins after a few moments. Boss says they might be chefs or something. Lots of food-based sayings.


    Honey notes that down, while Leo looks thoughtful.


    That give you any ideas, Leo? My Warden shrugs and chuffs.


    Need to talk to them first? Fair. How about the reinforcements? The basilisks are looking pretty strong. And theres the dwellers


    All three scions look a bit ufortable at that, but Teemo powers on. You cant just leave them here at Southwood. Theyll go off on their own.


    Leo whines at that and reluctantly nods, causing Honey to droop a bit in the air. Leo wuffs and nods at the pile of maps, getting a nod from Teemo.


    Ah. He says he wont know exactly what to do with them until they have a better idea of the cave systems down there. If the battlefield is going to be some big open cave, thats one thing, but a series of tight tunnels would be another.


    Eew, I never considered the possibility of narrow tunnels. Itd be like urban fighting and give the defenders a huge leg up. I dont think the idea of a carbine would really work with something like a crossbow. Bow skills might make thepound bows effective. Either way, itd probably be a good idea to have them train in tight quarters once they get here.


    Teemo rys that, with Leo and Honey both nodding. They say thats their basic idea, until they can make an actual attack n. Itll also depend on how much the Maw and its forces can shape the battlefield. If they have earth mages, things could get ugly fast.


    Yeah. And if theyre notpletely stupid, theyll protect any earth mages with all theyve got. Underground, having a monopoly on earth magic would be like having air superiority: not a whole lot a foe can do if you have it.


    My Voice echoes me again, and again the two nning scions nod. At least we should have a better idea of what the Maw has ess to once they get here and can answer some more directed questions, instead of just idle chatter.


    Any ns for dealing with that Redcap? Id suggest cold iron, but nobody seems to consider that a thing.


    Teemo shrugs. Probably need to throw Fluffles at it, especially if its a Conduit like you said they said.


    Leo grunts and woofs as Honey dances in the air, making Teemo tap his chin in thought. Thats a good point. Well probably want to be ready to face him and the Harbinger at the same time. Fluffles and Rocky could probably take them, but itd also probably be a messy fight. Leo suggested keeping sh with them. The most skeletal outline of a n is to use those three as part of our main force to keep the Maws attention, and use a sneakier force to try to head straight for the core.


    Oh, that reminds me: should we ask Southwood if he wants to make the Stag a Conduit?


    Hmm. I mean, hed probably like to, but the Stag isnt exactly sneaky. Leo nods and Honey bobs in the air in agreement.


    We can ask. I dont think Hullbreak or Violet would be ready for that right now. Hullbreak would only be able to send the Quartermaster, who also isnt exactly built like solid snake. Violet might send Onyx, but thatd be a long way from home. She hasnt shown much interest in this fight, either, so I think shes wanting to focus on growing and securing what she has, instead of trying to get a Conduit.


    Who were you thinking for us to try for it, Boss?


    Probably you or Nova. I dont know how sneaky someone would have to be to get all the way to the Maws core, or if its even an option. Honestly, if anyone gets the chance, they should take it. Anyone could use the power boost, and I just want to have that dungeon dealt with. Its probably going to be too much of a fight for us to be able to actually decide for ourselves who gets to do it.


    Me?! exims Teemo, missing the rest of what I said. Leo and Honey nod a third time, and he gives them a re. Dont pretend like thats your n, too! Leo just grins as Honey digs out a scrap of paper with a list of likely Conduits. She even has Teemo at the top, followed by Nova.


    I pat the bond with Honey, d to have a second opinion for who will likely be the one to take the core. Did you catch the rest of what I said, Teemo?


    Yeah, I got it. Hopefully Nova will be the one to get it, but it makes sense that whoever gets a good chance should just take it. The Maw probably wont make it easy on us.


    Does that include me? asks the Stag as he enters the little clearing Leo and Honey have been using as their operating base, and Teemo smiles and nods.


    If youre gonna be there, yeah! The Boss was even considering trying to sneak you in.


    The Stag looks a bit surprised at that, and tilts his head as he listens to the Southwood. He doesnt look too happy about what hes hearing, but he rys it anyway. My Lord says I should remain here, in case this Maw manages to sneak something through. Id rather go and fight but my Lord is not wrong. I am ill suited for fighting in caves, especially if theyre as tight as youve indicated they could be. Hes considered making a second scion for the task, but the mana Hed need to spend to raise it to a decent level would be considerable.


    Yeah probably even by my standards.


    Teemo gives an understanding nod. Still, you want to send some of your illusion foxes along at least? They wont be as quick as a scion, but having extra sneakiness wouldnt be a bad thing. Maybe theyll even meet the requirement for a Conduit if you make them a scion after they drain the Maw.


    The Stag smiles. My Lord is willing to help, and will happily take what He can from the Maw, but He expects it will be one of yours to finish the Maw. Whatever forces you may wish, my Lord is willing tomit, within reason.


    Cool. Right now, I dont think we have anything set in stone, but the bears and the foxes will probably have good uses in there.


    Leo nods at that, earning another smile from the Stag. Then I shall return to my duties, though my Lord would request I be present at the interrogation of the prisoners. He may have His own insights and questions.


    Probably a good idea, yeah. We could even practice a technique the Boss knows.


    Oh? asks the Stag, looking interested as my Voice grins.


    It probably wont be too necessary for these two, but good cop/bad cop is supposed to be a good way to get info out of someone. Youd make a good bad cop.


    The Stag frowns at that for a moment, before his ear flicks and he sighs. Exin. My Lord is interested, though the term makes little sense.


    Teemos smile widens and he hops onto the Stags head. This is going to be great, just you wait.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty-Nine

    Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty-Nine


    As the party closes the distance to the surface, Teemo exins the general tone for good cop/bad cop. The Stag still looks confused about the whole idea, but hes willing to try. Teemo even tries to get a few of the illusion foxes to fake an interrogation room like on tv, with a one way mirror and everything, but I have to shoot the idea down. Even if the idea of the Stag and Teemo giving significant nces to the mirror and grabbing the hangingmp to shine in their eyes is funny, I dont think itll work. For one: light in the eyes might actually hurt the two cave-dwellers.


    The ssic dynamic should work, though with a little tweaking. The two arent actually in any trouble, so mming tables and demanding answers probably won''t make too much sense. We can still have the Stag y more stoic and suspicious, with Teemo being more friendly, a bit more chaoswful than good/bad.


    While Teemo and the Stag go over their roles and get set up in the cave Honey did the dissection in, Leo and Honey are more upied with the reinforcements arriving. Rocky and Vernew are at the fore, and my scion takes the chance to catch up with the Warden and Librarian as Vernew does her best to help keep everyone organized.


    The denizens are pretty simple to handle, with Leo giving a few sharp barks and a howl to direct them where to go. The dwellers are a bit more difficult, but with the Stag busy, its kinda up to Vernew to get everyone settled. Shes pretty uncertain at first, but with an encouraging squeeze to her shoulder from Rocky, she gets her many feet under herself.


    Alright! Lets get deep enough we can get this warm gear off, but dont get toofortable. The Southwood might want us somewhere else. The other dwellers ept that, and soon they march off deeper into the southwood. I poke Fluffles to get some warm gear to take to the surface entrance, and make sure he knows to get some good hoods, too. Some sunsses would be great also, but I dont have any of those avable. I might be able to have Teemo exin the concept of prized light to one of the illusion foxes, but thatd probably take too long. For now, the cave dwellers will have to deal with the cold and the brightness with mundane methods.


    Even with a bit of cloud cover today, Nova can see them squinting and shielding their eyes even before they get out of the cave, so I nudge the bond to have her suggest a stop for a few minutes, while Fluffles gets there.


    Why is it so bright? And so cold? asks Lech as she tries to figure out how to deal with both. She wants a hand to shield her eyes with, but she also needs both arms to wrap around herself. Merrik closes his own eyes, deciding full blindness is better than effective blindness. Its probably warmer, as hes not shivering as much as Lech is.


    Thats the surface, supplies Yvonne. Looks like Nova wants us to wait here?


    My shy little dragon nods and makes a little magma image of Fluffles, even as she scoots a bit closer to Merrik and Lech.


    Feels like a cold one today, observes Ara. Think itll snow?


    Ragnar shrugs as Yvonne answers. Maybe, but probably not much. It looks merely overcast out there, instead of deep snow clouds.


    I still dont get how ice falling from the ceiling isnt something to worry about, grumps Lech, earning smiles from the party.


    Aye, was strange t me, too. Y git used ta it. the pale prisoners dont look too convinced, but Fluffles making his entrance keeps their questions in check. His shadow falls over the group, even as his wings make the walls of the cave shine in a multitude of colors. His majestic aura doesntst too long, though, as he drops the winter gear on the two gobsmacked neers.


    He hisses a chuckle as they clear their faces, and the party does their best to suppress their mirth. Nova rumbles at him in greeting, earning a bob of the head from Fluffles before he slithers beside her.


    Go ahead and get those on, suggests Yvonne, and it takes a few moments for Merrik and Lech to realize the cloth is clothing, instead of just nkets or something. It takes them a few seconds to get everything organized, and a few minutes to get everything on, but theyre looking a lot morefortable by the time the march resumes.


    Fluffles and Nova chat as everyone walks, and Nova even shows him the little sculpture she made of him, now cooled and solidified. I can feel Fluffles interest and appreciation through the bond, just as I can feel Novas embarrassment at the praise. Once everyone enters the Southwood, the two prisoners stiffen a bit and look around, clearly aware theyre in a dungeon, and looking a bit nervous about that.


    This is the Southwood, not Thedeim. Its a bit out of the way, but a good example of one of the dungeon varieties, reassures Yvonne. Fluffles? Where should we take them?


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    Fluffles hisses and motions for them to follow, though Nova heads off towards Rocky and the others. Its weird to see Merrik and Lech both looking so nervous and amazed at the woods around them, but it makes sense. Theres a lot of new things going on. They still look a little relieved to see the small cave ahead, though the relief vanishes as Yvonne and the others wave and go their own way, too.


    They look at my wingnoodle with apprehension, and even Merrik jumps a bit as Teemo calls from within the shadows of the cave.


    Come along, you two! Its alright, we just want to talk, and we figured this cave would be the best ce for it. Outside looks like its a bit distracting for you two, yeah?


    The two steel their resolve and stride into the cave, and look confused when they turn the bend and see it empty. The voice of the Stages from behind them, one of Teemos shortcuts letting them get between the two and outside. Not the most subtle of implications, but getting them a bit off bnce is kind of the point.


    Take a seat wherever isfortable. My Lord and His ally have much to ask.


    Merrik has his emotions mostly in check, but Lech swallows heavily as she moves to sit near the far wall. The heavy atmosphere shatters as Teemo pops up from the Stags mane and hops to the end of his muzzle.


    Dont mind him. Well, maybe mind him a bit. This <em>is</em> his dungeon. Im Teemo, Voice of Thedeim, and hes the Stag, Voice of the Southwood.


    Lech looks confused, while Merrik looks suspicious. A rat? They mentioned a rat Voice, but


    Teemo grins. You were executing maybe a dire rat? A gue rat? A swarm? Maybe a giant rat, or one made of lightning that farts tornados?


    The Stags stoic look cracks slightly as the corner of his mouth twitches upward. The two prisoners look confused.


    Lightning?


    Tornados? they ask at the same time, and Teemo detes a little.


    I knew I should have gone with metal and earthquakes. Anyway, Stag, you wanna tell them what kind of situation theyre in?


    The Stag regally nods. You two are prisoners of war in the care of my Lord, the Southwood. While you will not be harmed, you will not necessarily be <em>helped</em> either.


    He means youll be fed and kept safe, but probably kept in the dark. If you two can give us info, though Teemo gives the Stag a pleading look, and therger scion sighs and leans into the role as he finishes the sentence.


    If you two can give us information that will help in this war, lord Thedeim is willing to grant you asylum or refugee status. My Lord is not against offering simr, but he has no enves to house you.


    What if we want to go back? asks Lech, and the scions exchange a look before Teemo answers.


    I mean, after the war is over, sure. But that might not be a good idea, and it definitely wont be a good idea until after the fighting is over.


    What if we wish to simply leave? asks Merrik, and the Stag answers.


    You will be taken to Fourdock and released, though the winter will likely keep you there for another month at least.


    Not released back into the underground?


    Teemo shakes his head. Nope. Again, once the fighting is over, youre free to go wherever you like, including back to the depths. But you know too much to be given a chance of getting back to the Maw. Even if you swear to not say anything, the Harbinger has mental stuff. Thats a major security risk.


    Merrik doesnt look happy, though that seems to be his default look. Lech, though, looks disappointed.


    But how are we supposed to help?


    By giving us as much information as possible, answers the Stag. My Lord prefers to minimize bloodshed, as does lord Thedeim. The Maw must be dealt with harshly, but the people may yet be salvaged. It will depend on you two telling us what we need to know, to be able to maximize our effect against the Maw, and minimize it against the dwellers townsfolk.


    But I dont think we know anything too important. Weve seen a little more than average, but nothing big.


    Ive researched and investigated, but I only have slightly more knowledge than Lech, admits Merrik.


    Teemo just smiles and pulls out Honeys big list of questions. Evenmon knowledge can imply a lot. Just knowing where the main Maw cultists congregate will give us a ce to start.


    And youre sure thatll help? asks Lech, looking uncertain.


    Yes, answers the Stag, and Teemo nods.


    Definitely. The Boss says knowledge is power. Even the simplest question, the simplest answer, could be what tips the scales for us.


    Lech and Merrik exchange a look, then nod before the pale dwarf speaks. Well do it.


    Great! Lets get to it, then! Teemo shuffles the sheets as Honey and Leo enter, with thetter bringing a lot of nk paper for the former to take notes with. Let me see ah, heres the start. Teemo pauses as he reads it, and looks to the Librarian. Really, Honey?


    She bobs up and down in affirmative, causing Teemo to shake his head. Youre the one with Knowledge affinity, alright. So what did you two have for breakfast before heading out into the caves?


    The pair from the deeps look confused, before taking a few moments to think back. I think its a weird question to start with, too, but as the questions flow, their memories seem to just naturally follow, bringing more details than I would have expected. Honey dutifully makes notes and Leo gives her more paper. The war is truly begun, whether the Maw knows it or not.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty-Seven

    Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty-Seven


    Down in the tunnels somewhere around that Maws territory, Nova watches as the party sleeps. The prisoners are sleeping, too, but I think their status as prisoner will pretty quickly change to defector or maybe refugee after Teemo and Leo get a chance to talk with them. Id say interrogate, and while thatd technically be urate, the pale elf and dwarf seem pretty rxed and epting of their situation.


    It could be a trick, but the kind of paranoid fishing trip they would have to have been sent on is way beyond reason. The Maw would have to send out a bunch of newbies with directions to split up and make themselves targets, and somehow expect all of them to be good enough actors to fool my scouts. The kind of zeal itd take to follow that kind of n is at odds with how Lech and Merrik are acting. Merrik might have pulled it off on his own, but Lech is an open book. Merrik had to wean himself off calling the Maw great, but Lech had already dropped it. Its probably not the kind of thing to earn yourself a trip to the reeducation camp, but itd certainly get eyes on her that she wouldnt want.


    The way theyve been talking about the way Silvervein and the Maw work, Im more convinced than ever to deal with this problem, even if theyve confirmed the like fifth-worst case scenario? I havent done a hard list, but having a lot more scions and having mutant scythemaw denizens would definitely make the situation worse. The situation with civilians pretty much is my worst case scenario, though.


    Some fanatic followers, some sympathetic followers, some neutral, but basically everyone believing anything outside is a threat. Counter-propaganda is going to be difficult, if its possible at all.


    Everything ok, Boss? asks Teemo from Vernews shoulder as the two rx. My forces are making great time through the shortcut, and theyre all camped out right now. Teemos question earns a curious look from the Huntsmistress.


    Hmm?


    The Boss is just worrying.


    Maybe a little. Just processing what were learning about the Maw.


    Thats the dungeon, yeah? I can hear you reacting to what youre hearing through Nova, but I cant hear what shes hearing. Im only getting like half the conversation.


    Cant imagine what thats like, snarks Vernew with a wide grin, which helps lighten my mood a bit.


    Well, the short version is that Yvonne, Ragnar, and Ara have captured a few people from Silvervein, the town outside the Maw, which is the dungeon were after. Theyre technically POWs right now, but theyre probably going to be refugees here real quick. I dont think they want to go back. The town is well, Id call it amunist state, but its probably more a theocratic dictatorship. Less it belongs to everyone, and I get first pick, and more it belongs to the Maw, appreciate the scraps you get to keep.


    Teemo grunts at the weight of the words I dump on him, but waves off my concern before I can apologize. That doesnt sound great, but now Leo can actually n for that, yeah?


    Yeah. I just wish I had advice for what he should try. Im not exactly a student of history, but Im pretty sure a society like that will be difficult to change without a lot of growing pains.


    Anything I can help with? asks Vernew, getting a smile from Teemo.


    Nah, but I might need to leave thefort of your shoulder and go on ahead to meet with Leo. Yvonnes group captured a few people, and while the Boss can hear what theyre saying thanks to Nova, he cant really tell Leo the details on his own. The report should be moving through the rockslides quickly, but I can get there even faster.


    Im fast! I can help! she insists, getting to her feet. I consider for a few seconds, before giving Teemo the verdict.


    Sorry Vernew, the Boss needs you here with everyone. Rocky is friendly enough, but hes not going to be able to organize setting up and taking down camp. If you went on ahead and I stayed, you wouldnt be able to give Leo the details. The Boss needs you to make sure everyone gets to the Southwood quickly and safely. The pace today should be good, so mostly try to keep that for everyone, ok?


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    But she starts, before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Yeah yeah, ok. Itll be like leading a huge hunting party. Her eyes drift over all the dwellers and denizens. A <em>really</em> huge hunting party.


    Hey, it beatstrine duty!


    She gives him a t look. Digging it wasnt that bad. Covering it will probably be a bit less fun, but probably better than having to keep track of everyone. Theres a reason I leave that kind of stuff to Norloke and Frn.


    Teemo pats her shoulder. Youll be fine. Rockyll be here to make sure everyone understands youre in charge with me gone. A bit of her tension eases at that, and she looks over at the zombie as he tries mixing sonic and fire. It looks really cool, especially with the standing wave hes conjured around himself. I dont think hes going to get to lightning with that, but its cool enough that I dont think hes bothered. If nothing else, it helps him train what he already has.


    Right, Rocky. Not on my own, at least.


    Teemo pokes her chitinous cheek. You alright?


    She tenses up and looks ready to deflect, before deting instead. I think so? Im just trying to do better. I dont want to disappoint Him again.


    Hey, Vernew. Look at me. She obeys, getting to see one of the few times Teemo has a serious look, instead of the casual smile or smirk he usually wears.


    The Boss isnt after perfection, ok? Failing to stop the kids wasnt the problem. Failing to take them seriously was. Vernews eyes flick away, and I nudge Rocky toe over for a second, as Teemo continues.


    You need to be a proper web as a person, yeah? Too much tension, and youll snap when an opportunityes along. Too loose, and the opportunity will slip through instead. Dont ovepensate and snap, ok? Vernew dejectedly nods, before her eyes snap to Teemo in confusion. Rocky grunts a chuckle as he hugs the smol spider, and Teemo smiles.


    Boss says you looked like you could use a hug, and Im a bit small for that. Thanks, Rocky.


    My zombie scion grunts and nods, giving Vernew another squeeze before releasing her. She looks a little overwhelmed and a lot relieved as she sinks down into a sitting position, and meets Rockys eyes as he sits beside her.


    I I think I did need a hug, yeah. Thanks, Rocky. And thank You, Weaver, she finishes quietly, closing her eyes for a few moments. She takes a deep breath, and opens her eyes, looking a lot better. Then I guess you should get going, Teemo? The Weaver is always busy.


    Teemoughs at that and hops to the ground. Youre telling me! You kids be good! Ill see you in about two days! He gives them a wave, which they both return, before he scurries off down the shortcut. I can feel him working his affinity as he goes,pressing the distance even further than it already is, and letting it snap back as he passes.


    I watch Vernew through Rockys eyes, and she looks a lot morefortable now, after the little pep talk. Never underestimate the power of a hug.


    Think a hug might stop the Maw? asks Teemo, and Iugh at the idea.


    I seriously doubt it. You can suggest it to Leo, though.


    Yeah, but I gotta get there, first. Got any advice for humble little Teemo, oh mysterious Weaver?


    Dont make me figure out a way to smack you. Teemo chuckles at my empty threat as I consider his question.


    Well, theres a couple things to potentially try. I think youre close to something fundamental with your spacial affinity, but trying to y with that is something to do while sitting down, I think. Not when youre trying to make good time. Right now, youre justpressing the space around you, right?


    Yeah. Its a lot like making a shortcut or a trail, but thosest a lot longer.


    Yeah, I can feel it snapping back into ce behind you, which is a weird thing to sense. Anyway how about not fullypressing space around you?


    Teemo stops and scrunches his face at that as he tries to picture it. What?


    Well, right now, youre making it so you just have to travel less distance, yeah? But if you can unwarp around your feet, I think you can increase your speed, too. Instead of each step being like an inch apart, you could effectively have them be yards apart.


    Teemo folds his arms as he tries to wrap his head around that, and I do my best to not think about the math very hard. That might work? Im gonna go slow, I dont want to identally leave a foot behind or something.


    Yeah, that would make it a bit difficult to go fast.


    Teemo smirks before concentrating, moving slowly at first. It feels <em>really</em> weird when he starts reaching outside of hispressed bubble, but it doesnt seem like its hurting him. I mentally step back, letting him focus, and also letting me let my mind wander a bit. I make sure to try to keep my thoughts distant from Teemo, not wanting to hurt him.


    I realized like halfway through the idea what I was exining to him, and Im just d I could keep my thoughts from running away before I could give him the very basics of the idea. I dont know how well itll actually work, but I wouldnt want to pop Teemos head with the full concept of an Alcubierre drive.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Thirty

    Chapter Two-Hundred Thirty


    <strong>The Redcap</strong>


    The unsettling fey scion oversees the excavation, his cid blue eyes at odds with the gruesome thing atop his head. He likes the shadow it casts over his face, though he needs to refresh it soon. This hat was a singr masterpiece, in his opinion, but time marches on, and this hat is spoiled now. Such is the ephemeralness of art, he supposes.


    His eyes wander the workers, wondering if one of them would make a suitable hat. Unfortunately for the macabre artist, while the work goes slowly, none of the workers are cking. He could make a hat anyway, but the Master would punish him for it. Wasting food, plucking it before its ripe, would be an affront to the master. He could hardly plead ignorance, especially not after dressing down the Harbinger not long ago for wasting food so wantonly.


    Perhaps after the cave in is cleared? His lips curl into a smile at that. Yes, the material will no longer have an urgent task to do. He eyes the rubble and flicks a few des where the workers have marked. Some cleave through the stone like its mere flesh, while others spear in to provide support. The workers resume their tasks, clearing what is now loose, and figuring out how to quickly and safely clear what is still supported.


    Its not the workers safety that the Redcap is concerned with, however. It is the safety of whatever the rubble has buried. The trainees have started their scout training, and two are missing. The Harbinger dered them dead, crushed beneath the stone, after personally examining the memories of the other two scouts. The warning about wastefulness was at least heeded, as neither of the two even had to be sent to the enve for healing, but the Redcap thinks the two scouts are wrong.


    He smells no blood here. Even through the rubble, he should be able to detect <em>something</em>, yet all is clean. The Harbinger, of course, argues they are buried too deeply, pulverized and perhaps turned to mud from mixing with the debris. The Master is uncertain, so has allowed the Redcap to dig for the remains.


    He hopes to find nothing, and so prove the Harbingers ipetence once again. First, it failed to take the surface, even after petitioning to only use its vaunted least for the campaign. How it expected to be victorious while leading things literally called <em>Least</em>, the Redcap will never understand. Second: it wasted the potential of the first trainees, not even doing anything with the bodies. Such a waste for them to all be relegated to fertilizer, none of them having the opportunity to be a new hat.


    If the Harbinger has failed here, it will be a third time the transferred Scion failed the Master in a short period. While even the Redcap admits he probably wont be permitted to make a hat of the scion, he can still lower the influence it has on the Master. When the outsider first arrived, the Redcap was all too happy to have a proper challenge! Oh, that day he should recreate another scene from the battle with his new hat, once he makes it. His current one was a monument to suffering, which was an interesting challenge, but he should never forget his roots.


    White teeth show in the shadows of the Redcaps face, encouraging the workers to remain diligent, though he hardly notices them. Forcing the Harbinger to help with his new hat would be a good start for the punishment it deserves. Its advice was excellent at first, giving the Master such wonderful power. Now, though, the Harbinger seems determined to squander that power.


    The Redcap thinks the Harbinger just wants to steal the Masters power, like rot stealing away food. Like time stealing away the glory of a good hat. It is slow and insidious, taking just a little here and there. Once you realize its ruined, its toote to do anything meaningful. The rot has spread too far, nothing can be salvaged.


    The Harbinger insists the Redcap is just being jealous. Its not wrong, but hes not blind to what the other scion does. If he can find evidence of another failure, the Master will have to recognize the Harbinger is fallible, and maybe even consume it. Then maybe the Master will raise a metal elemental scion instead of the Harbinger.


    Hes pulled from his imagination by one of the workers, the lead, nervously approaching. Yes? he asks with a smooth voice, yet the worker flinches anyway. Its no matter, artists are never understood.


    Uh M-Master Redcap? Weve found something, but we dont know what it means. We can take more time to clear the area, or you cane take a look now? You said you wanted to be informed as soon as we found anything.


    Good. Take me to it, and exin on the way.


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    The worker takes him to a tunnel through the rubble that forces him to almost crawl. Even the dwarf has to bend low to get through, though he exins as ordered.


    This team has been trying to get through the rubble, so we have a better idea of howrge the cave-in was. He havent found the wall, nor the other side, but we did find well a kobold.


    The blue eyes of the Redcap show confusion at that. A kobold was crushed? How did it get out? Why dont I smell the blood?


    Ah sorry, not a real one. A sculpture, or maybe a carving of one? It seems to be part of the cave floor, though the stone is a different type than the rest of the cave.


    A carving? Somehow, that seems to make even less sense than an actual kobold being caught in the copse. A real kobold would be easily exined: it escaped. It doesnt happen often, but its possible. Someone carving a kobold into the cave floor makes no sense. He needs to see it.


    How much further?


    Just up ahead, Master Redcap. Ill let you go first. Theres not much room for me to try to get out of your way once in there.


    The dwarf presses himself into a divot in the rubble, and the Redcap can soon see the truth in the workers words. The opening is hardly even enough for a cupboard, let alone both a dwarf and the Redcap himself. He also sees the confusion the worker had about it being a sculpture or a carving. Its a small statuette of a praying kobold, looking at first like its simply sitting on the stone of the cave floor. Looking closer, the robe flows smoothly into the floor, and a gentle tap confirms it is firmly attached. If it was carved, it was from a stgmite.


    As he takes in the piece, he starts doubting it was carved. He sees no toolmarks, though there are a few chips from the ceiling copsing on it. Hes surprised it managed to survive the cave-in. Hes also growing to appreciate the artistry involved. Whoever did it seems to be new, inexperienced. They attempted to capture detail, but stillcked the practice to truly bring them into focus. The imperfections draw his eye, and he wonders if theyre deliberate choices, or some limitation of the medium or the artist. Its like it was dripped on, and the drips were then captured.


    Perhaps it was a stgmite after all? While that would exin the odd blemishes, it would also make it even less likely to have survived the copse. It would have had a matching stctite above it, primed to fall with the rest of the ceiling.


    He ponders the mystery for a few more seconds before pulling out a de and slicing the odd piece of art from the floor, then turns to the dwarf in the divot.


    You said this is different stone than the cave?


    Uh yes, Master Redcap, he answers with a gulp, his eyes on the de used to free the statuette. The cave is fairly soft, but that stone is much harder. I have a worker with earth affinity, if youd like more detail?


    The Redcap shakes his head and motions for the dwarf to lead the way out. No. Just knowing it is different is all I need. It was deliberately done by an artist with talent, but little practice. Its also of a foreign kobold, he states, having noticed theck of chains on it. He doesnt bother exining to the worker about that, instead opting to think while hes led back to the cave atrge. He will need to know more about the stone after all.


    Bring the earth affinity worker. I need to know if these imperfections would be an unavoidable part of shaping stone with magic. He doesnt hear the reply as he resumes studying the enigmatic piece of art in his hands. Perhaps its a shrine or an offering to the Master? Most would carve a feast instead. On the other hand, kobolds are the Masters favorite. No chains though a sacrifice from outside? Its been some time since outsiders were seen in these tunnels, which would exin the drips. Ah, but didnt the worker say it was different from the stone of a stgmite?


    Y-You wished to see me, M-Master Redcap? The pale dwarf goes even paler as the blue eyes lock onto her.


    Yes. This is all one variety of stone, correct? And not the type stgmites are made of?


    C-Correct, Master Redcap. The stone of this cave is much more susceptible to erosion. The stone of that sculpture is usually deeper than thisyer.


    Hmm. These imperfections, he leans forward to point out with a small de, causing the worker to flinch away for a moment. Are they a byproduct of working earth directly with magic?


    The worker tries to keep her fear in check as she looks where indicated, and confusion starts to slowly erode her terror. N No, Master Redcap. Ive never tried to sculpt like that, but texture is very easy to control. It really does look like stctite drip, but that stone wouldnt do that


    Hmm, he repeats and stands, the de vanishing. Resume the excavation, and keep an eye out for stones that dont belong, as well as corpses. The dwarf nods and scurries off while the Redcap turns the statuette over in his hands. He still feels its the work of an ameture, but there is definitely a spark of talent in it. Perhaps one of the workers made it? He snorts at that idea. Its possible, but if any of them had the talent and desire to craft like this, theyd be employed as a carver, not a simple worker. Its possible theyve slipped through the cracks, but he doubts it.


    He needs to meet this artist, even if they are an outsider like he thinks they would be. Finding them is not as important as damaging the Harbinger in the Masters eyes, but its not too far behind. Its so rare he gets a chance to trade techniques and tips with an artist.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Thirty-One

    Chapter Two-Hundred Thirty-One


    <strong>The Harbinger</strong>


    The amorphous mass of eyes, teeth, and tentacles glowers as it stalks the tunnels, making itself look even more unpleasant than usual. Thats fitting, as its feeling rather unpleasant at the moment, and thest thing it needs is someone trying to engage with it right now.


    It had thought things couldnt get any worse after being saddled with the responsibility of training the applicants for the Maws army. Oh, to be so blissfully ignorant again. It had actually started enjoying the training, much to its own surprise. While it takes so much longer than simply dominating the minds and forcing the body to do as its told, the Harbinger has to admit the traineesst longer when they use their own will to carry out the instructions.


    Most of the trainees are doing well. There was really only one group having any difficulties with the Harbingers training: Lechs group. It growls and ms a tentacle into the wall in frustration as it continues to prowl the tunnels. It should have snuffed her when it had the chance. Potential is one thing, but to have the audacity to try to <em>escape</em>?! She even took a steelmage with her!


    The cave-in was a brilliant move on her part, it has to admit. Only someone as spiteful as the Redcap would try to recover the body, or bodies if one counts the steelmage. So now the Harbinger is med for two defectors! It could even feel the Maw weighing if it should consume it or not! It wouldnt be so simple, but the very idea proves the harbinger needs to do something soon to prove its usefulness.


    Capturing the defectors would be a good start, but the Harbinger knows theyre long gone by now. Its not roaming the tunnels to find them. No, its roaming to think. Not to sulk, like the Redcap suggested; think! But what can it do? It convinced the Maw to upgrade the spawner for lessers before this whole debacle, but theres not enough spawned yet to do anything significant.


    Its many mouths frown as it fails toe up with anything. There are no other dungeons nearby to quickly raid, nor other settlements. The maw has kept its territory rather clean. The only thing the Harbinger cane up with is to send an expedition deep to bring back something powerful for the Maw to consume. That will take time, and the Harbinger isnt certain how much time it has to y with right now.


    Its frustration is interrupted by the feel of a mind nearby. It pauses in its patrol to make sure it knows where it is. There should be no elves nor dwarves in this area. Thats part of the reason the Harbinger chose this section of tunnels to sulk think in. Some invader? There shouldnt be any with enough of a mind for it to notice like that. Curious and cautious, the Harbinger makes its way towards the mind it senses. As it gets closer, its more and more confident the mind is not one of the followers of the Maw. The mind feels too simple for that.


    Its also difficult to pinpoint. The Harbinger could snuff it out, but presenting whatever it is to the Maw could get it back in its good graces. Whatever it is, it doesnt seem to notice the Harbinger closing in. After several minutes, the Harbinger realizes its not that its not been noticed, but that the intruder thinks itself safe. Its buried within the rock. It can feel the intruders apprehension as it gets nearer, but not the kind of panic the intruder should have if it thought the Harbinger could actually get to it.


    Well, its time to stop ying. The Harbinger seizes the mind, before growling in frustration as the mind simply copses. Too much force, of course. A weak mind like that cant withstand a firm grip like the Harbingers. It will need to be more gentle. It didnt get much out of the mind before it sumbed, but the Harbinger doubts it was alone. It resumes moving through the tunnels, now actively seeking minds.


    It doesnt take it long to find another, and the Harbinger is more careful as it stalks this particr prey. It wouldnt do to lose it because it sensed the death of the first. Thankfully, it seems to be unaware or uncaring about what happened to the other one. This time, the Harbinger ms a cage around the mind, instead of directly grabbing for it. The mind, of course, panics, mming itself against the unbreakable bars.


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    The Harbinger lets it struggle as it moves closer, and once again finds the mind to be inside the stone of the tunnel. What a strange invader. The Harbinger constricts the cage carefully, restraining the mind more and more, slowly removing its ability to meaningfully resist.


    <strong>Surface</strong> it orders, before immediately sighing. The mind shattered from the order. It snuffs the pathetic thing to ensure it cant warn any of its fellows, should it somehow slip the Harbingers grasp, and resumes seeking.


    The next one is caged and restrained properly, and the Harbinger considers how to proceed. An order will simply overwhelm it like the other. Well, as a simple mind, a little encouragement might be all the Harbinger needs. It considers trying pain to forcepliance, but suspects that would just break this mind like the other two.


    Instead, it takes the time to craft a desire for the simple mind. The Harbinger is no threat to it. It should surface and meet a new potentialpanion. It is careful to not make thepulsion too strong, so as to not break the fragile little mind. It cant take too long with crafting the desire, though. Take too long, and the mind will break itself in its attempts at escape.


    It introduces the desire to the mind, and is surprised how quickly and utterly it rejects it. Fierce loyalty and a sense of betrayal radiate from the mind at the concept, the mind firmly repudiating the idea that the Harbinger could possibly be a friend. The Harbinger snuffs it before it can tear itself apart. It doesnt need that kind of distraction while it thinks.


    It considers the Harbinger a threat on a fundamental level. It must know what the Harginber is, at least in part. If it <em>actually</em> knew how much of a threat the Harbinger can be, it wouldnt happily sit in the wall while it nears. It also doesnt want to associate with the Harbinger, as thatd be a betrayal on a fundamental level as well. So the Harbinger is a threat not only to the mind, but to what the mind holds dear.


    It goes over the possible threats that would fit that profile, but it has the same problem as trying to find something useful for the lessers to do. The only thing that could even possibly know the power of the Harbinger


    Ah. Of course. The surface isnt as short sighted as it seemed. A denizen would have exactly the kind of loyalty the Harbinger felt. Itd also exin how such a simple mind could be working for some great purpose. Its mouths open wide in grins, profane tongues licking at nonexistent lips.


    The surface dungeons are searching for the Maw. They may have even found it by now. This is the Harbingers chance to reestablish itself. It swiftly continues down the tunnels and cages the next mind it finds, this time in the ceiling. It takes its time with this mind, studying it and learning what it can. While the mind is properly terrified the entire time, it doesnt understand what the Harbinger is doing. If it did, itd break itself rather than suffer what the Harbinger will do to it.


    It studies and notes the connections from the mind to the body, figuring out and separating motor functions from higher thought, bodily processes from desires. Once the mind is mapped, the Harbinger makes its move. The mind is severed from the body and quickly snuffed. Ordinarily, the Harbinger would relish in the torment of sensory deprivation, but it has more pressing concerns right now.


    Piloting a body is always awkward at first, especially when the Harbinger doesnt quite know what it looks like. It can make some guesses, thanks to the connections, but they are unlike anything its seen before. It wills the body to surface, letting the muscle memory drive it. It learned long ago to let things that like guide its puppets.


    It moves slowly, but soon a small pile of rubble falls from the ceiling, and the Harbinger can see what its captured. A living rockslide? Hmm a type of earth elemental. It tries to get a feel for the essence of the dungeon it came from, but its a lot harder to do with a denizen than with a scion.


    The Harbinger grins as it moves back down the tunnel, towards the first of the corpses. It should be able to use the puppet to get the bodies to use as proof, and then take the Redcap down a notch or two. The surface ising for them, and if not for the tireless efforts of the Harbinger, they might have been takenpletely unawares! But now the Harbinger knows what to look for, it can make sure the spies only report back what it wants them to.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Thirty-Two

    Chapter Two-Hundred Thirty-Two


    I let my attention wander as Lech and Merrik are questioned. The two have really loosened up, though its a bit more difficult to tell with the elf than the dwarf. Lech happily talks about life in Silvervein, though she gets significantly less happy whenever she notices another disturbing fact about life there. Merrik gives his own stories as well, and gives wrymentary on Lechs ounts, too.


    Honey takes diligent notes the whole time, gleaning tidbits from the innocuous talk. Silvervein seems to be pretty simr in size to Fourdock, for example, but they dont have anything like the adventurers guild. Most townspeople are craftspeople or other working sses, with only really the guard and the clergy having any appreciable levels, or at least any appreciable fighting ability.


    Unsurprisingly, a lot of people have food-rted professions. Food is pretty big for the Maw, which probably shouldnt be too surprising either. What is a bit surprising is that the Maw and its clergy seem to follow the rules for food. They dont just stuff their faces, though they definitely like to take their time with a good meal. The Maw also seems to take it as a personal affront if anyone starves, so I guess it gets a single mark in the positive column.


    The clergy are fanatical to the Maw and seem eager to feed it anything they can, including townsfolk that dont pay their taxes. So yeah, the Maw isnt getting any more positive marks, I expect. Maybe if it has chocte, but I seriously doubt that.


    From Honeys notes, it sounds like were looking at a lot of cramped tunnels, rather than a few open caverns. Thats going to be a problem, if true. Itd make sense, too, considering the leech-headed things. In open ground, they werent too difficult to pick off at range. In a tunnel, though, theyd be a nightmare. With how they can dig, theyd even make decent sappers to copse the tunnels enemies are in.


    It also might make it more difficult to sneak in. My wyrms will have to weave around tunnels to get where they want to be, and any enemy earth mages will be able to spot them. Teemos shortcuts might be our best bet for getting inside their guard.


    On the other hand, it could make it easier to attack. A couple basilisks would be real tough for even a swarm of those abominations to get past. They dont even have any metal in them, so the soldiers, guards, clergy, or whatever will have few options to deal with them. I might need to get a bigger group of tunnelbores up here so we can make our own tunnels.


    The metal affinity is going to make things difficult for my dwellers. From how the two talk, nobody is going to be pulling a Mao, but the metal gear my dwellers have will still be a lot less effective than I might have hoped. The Maw is apparently metal affinity, so all the denizens are going to have it. Itd probably be a very bad idea to send my dwellers to try to face them.


    Unfortunately, that means my dwellers will probably have to fight the guards and such, who will only <em>mostly</em> be metal affinity. Im sure Teemo will exin the problem to my dwellers, and Im almost positive theyll still insist on fighting.


    Im d Leo will be figuring out where they should go, because I have no idea. I should probably have Teemo give him some ear scritches or something as thanks for shouldering that particr burden, too. I know hes the best for the job, but that still makes me feel like Im just dodging responsibility.


    <strong>Yvonne</strong>


    So, wha next? asks Ragnar as he rxes against a tree. He looks pretty happy there, but Yvonne and Ara both know hes a bit anxious to do more. Yvonne feels the same way, and shed wager Ara does, too. The birdwoman nces over to Nova, who is still following them around, but she doesnt seem like she has any ideas, either.


    I dont know, sighs Ara once the silence stretches on too far for her liking. We should probably take some time to recover and resupply, but after that she trails off.


    We could scout more? suggests Yvonne, but nobody really acknowledges the idea. By the time they get back to being near the Maw, the other adventurers should start returning. They could get more information, but the rockslides should soon be in position to ry reports much quicker.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Ragnar grunts, expressing a bit of the frustration of everyone as he closes his eyes, looking like hes going to try to catch a nap. After a few moments, he gives a thoughtful hum and opens one eye.


    We could organize th returnin adventurers.


    Thats a good idea,pliments Ara with a smile, and Yvonne nods in agreement.


    If we can organize their reports, we can tell Thedeim and either send a copy to the guild with whoever doesnt want to go back down there, or take it back ourselves, she reasons, then nces at Nova. Do you think Thedeim would give us whatever information his rockslides are gathering, too?


    The wyrm rumbles in thought as she toys with a blob of magma, doodling with the molten rock as she considers. She gives an uncertain nod after a few seconds.


    Well need t bug Teemo fer the details anyway. An fer paper.


    Ara takes a moment to dig through her pack before agreeing. Yeah. I have some soft leather for maps, but not nearly enough for all the adventurers reports.


    Ill go ask after sunset. Id imagine theyll take a break with the questions for the day around then. In the meantime, we should see if any of the other adventurers havee back yet. We returned pretty quickly, but we also went pretty deep. There could be a couple groups around. Yvonne thinks back to the many adventurers that came along, and wonders which groups would probably return early. She remembers at least a few were nning to explore the more shallow caves, so they might be back already.


    Ragnar gets to his feet and stretches. Then les go! With nothing else to do, they set out. It doesnt take long for Yvonne to smell the smoke of several camp fires, and soon the party exits into arge clearing. Yet, instead of adventurers, they find Thedeims dwellers.


    Oh, theyre already here? slips from Ara in surprise. They all knew the dwellers would being eventually, but its still a bit of a shock to see the spiderkin and ratkin milling about. Theyre all trying to put on a brave face, but the nerves are obvious to the experienced band of adventurers. The camp looks in good condition, at least, and even with nerves, morale seems high.


    Lady Yvonne! Ragnar! Ara! Three heads turn to see the familiar form of Vernew leaping through the air towards them, clearly happy to see them. I heard you were participating, but I didnt expect to see you all! Hows everything going?


    Please, just Yvonne, starts the undead birdwoman, just as she does every time Vernew or the other denizens call her a Lady. And things seem to be going well. We just came back from scouting, and we found a couple sympathizers. The scions are talking with them right now.


    Oohh, sympathizers? Do you think they know some secret entrance we can all slip through and take the dungeon without a fight?


    Ragnar chuckles and shakes his head. Nay,ss. Theyre no elites, jus soldiers, really.


    Though they still know a lot more than we did, admits Ara. The dungeon is called the Maw, for example. Its also metal affinity, which will make things a bit difficult.


    Vernew takes a moment to absorb that before quietly swearing. Tangled web Do you think Lord Thediem will tell us to go home? she nervously asks. Yvonne considers what she knows about him before responding.


    Id imagine hell try to give you the option to, but he wont try to force you. Itll be more dangerous than expected, but I dont think anyone really came here expecting everything to be safe.


    Vernew sighs and sags a bit in relief. Good. Good. So, anything I can help you with?


    Have any other adventurerse by? Were going to try to organize their reports so they can get back out quicker, exins Ara, and Yvonne follows up.


    Theyll probably be attracted by the smoke from your campfires.


    Vernew folds a set of arms as she taps her spear on the ground in thought. None that Im aware of. Are you three going to stick around here for a while, then?


    If y don mind?


    Vernew smiles wide. I dont mind at all! Youre Lord Thedeims chosen party! Wed all be happy to have you share our fires, especially if you share some stories in return!


    Yvonne smiles at that, deciding to ignore being called Thedeims chosen party. Then wed be delighted. I know Ragnar is always looking for new vict- I mean a new audience for his stories and jokes.


    Har har, the dwarf deadpans, but he can only keep the act up for a few seconds before the facade cracks.


    Just dont ept any of his challenges, be they fighting or drinking, warns Ara, earning an indignant Oi! from Ragnar.


    Vernew just grins wide andys an arm over his shoulder. I wont, but I know a few suckers whod leap at a challenge. Cut me in, and Ill encourage a few of them.


    Ragnar grins wide as Yvonne and Ara exchange a worried nce. Theres no hope of avoiding shenanigans now. All the two can try to do is minimize the impending disaster.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Thirty-Three

    Chapter Two-Hundred Thirty-Three


    Teemo gives me a mental poke to get my attention, pulling my focus out and away from toying with someposite ideas. Ive seen Queen working on what looks like aposite using spidersilk andcquer, and Ive been doodling ideas for how to get some carbon fiber going. Im pretty sure thatd all be on Queen to manage anyway.


    You probably want to hear this part, Boss.


    Sorry, right. What do I need to hear?


    The Maws denizens.


    That certainly gets my attention, and Teemo chuckles as he motions to Lech and Merrik. Could you repeat that? The Boss was busy with something else, but now you have his full attention.


    The female dwarf looks a bit ufortable at that, and reaches her hand towards her beard for a moment before forcing it down. Uh the Maws denizens. Well, almost everyone in SIlvervein has fought at least a couple of them. They pretty much need to to get their ss, right? Even the crafters. It has two types of spawners, and I think has multiple of them, too? It has fey and elemental spawners, and at least one of each is maxed out.


    Merrik speaks up to give a bit more information. I have personally seen at least three spawners, and I dont think theyre maxed. Im not an expert, though. I saw two elementals and one fey, but from the numbers in and around the Maw, Id expect at least one more fey spawner. The Redcap was his first scion, and I dont imagine it would invest in a fey spawner like that and not keep its numbers on par with the elemental spawners.


    They keep a lot of the details pretty secret, admits Lech. Im pretty sure I saw a different fey spawner than Merrik, but we didnt get our sses together, so its hard to say. She pauses as Honey scribbles, letting my Librarian catch up. She soon moves to a new sheet and buzzes her readiness, and Lech continues.


    Im pretty sure the weakest of the fey are needleslinks. They always make me think of weird beetles, but theres not much resemnce. They have four legs and one little weird arm thing, with their needle-like head on a long neck. They have a smooth shiny body, but just stepping on them is usually enough to finish one off. They dont do much damage on their own, but they like to smear the needle with dirt and other things. Theyre usually not dangerous immediately, but it can take days to recover from a delve if you encounter a swarm of them, and they do usually swarm. They dont fly, at least.


    desprites do. They have small, thin bodies and one weird foot/hand thing. On their backs, they have ded wings, shaped kinda like axes, but a lot thinner. The whole thing is about hand sized. They sometimes swarm, but I think a swarm is one of the higher spawns from the spawner. They like to charge at targets, flying in a straight line, then close their wings and flip over and hit like a throwing hatchet. The swarms sometimes try to surround someone and slice them up like that, but I think they tend to get in each others way when they do that. Or they werent trying too hard to kill anyone when I delved.


    Lech gets lost in thought at that for a few moments, wondering if the Maw was being magnanimous, or if the desprites are just kinda stupid. Im going to assume any desprite swarm will be simr in power to that dewall spell Merrik showed off, and from Honeys notes, I think shes on the same page. My bee finishes her notes and buzzes to get Lech back on track.


    Oh! Sorry. Uh I think the bolties woulde next? she asks, looking to Merrik. He shrugs in response.


    In rough order of estimated power, Id say so.


    Lech nods at that and returns her focus to Honey and the other scions. Bolties then. Im pretty sure theyre a type of brownie? I dont know enough about fey in general to really say. Theyre around two feet tall and are pretty thin and wiry, but with oversized wed hands. Instead of getting into melee to sh, theyunch their ws like darts. They sometimes will taint them like the needleslinks, but theyre big enough to be dangerous even without that. She pauses again to think.


    I only fought a couple. Theyre thin enough to be able to hide in cracks and crevices and stuff, but tend to just stand there and shoot if they have the option, once the fight is started. Then Id put the desprite swarms She shudders as her thoughtsnd on the next threat.


    Then the pricklethorns. Theyre only a little shorter than a dwarf, but just as stocky. Theyre covered in small hooks and barbs, and have weird wide forearms, like small shields. Their hands are too stubby to really hold a weapon, but they make good fists. Ive never fought one, but I heard about a couple people who tried. It uh it sounded like you should try to keep your distance.


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    Thest ones are the thinlinks. They look like a reallynky elf covered head to toe in chains. Ive only ever seen the chains, but Ive only seen one once, and I didnt want to get its attention by staring. The rumors say they use the chains to grab and choke, or sometimes pull, and just one can be a threat to a full party.


    Honey scribbles as I take that in,paring it to my own spawners. It sounds a bit like the progression for my spiders, and theyre probably physical focused like mine. I consider my potential countermeasures as Lech leans back against the wall, letting Merrik step forward with what he knows.


    Ive dealt more with the elementals than the fey. The weakest, easily, are the living caltrops. They like toy in wait rather than actively attack, though they will sometimes try to trip someone to make them fall onto the little spikes. Metal boots dont hinder them much.


    After those the lode wisps. Theyre floating rough spheres of metal and can attract or repel metal at will. They probably won''t see much use in this fight, though. When I encountered them, they were always alone. I believe they cant exclude anyone or anything from their influence, so deploying them in the fight would disrupt the Maws forces at least as much as your own.


    Rust elementals I would put next. They look like a roiling mass of scrap, and while they can hit hard if given the opportunity, their main threat is in their ability to rust metals with a touch. The guards are alwaysining about their new sword getting ruined after encountering a rust elemental. If you dont have anything metallic, theyre not much to worry about. He pauses and frowns before moving on to the next elemental.


    Sliverstorms <em>are</em> a threat. They look like a gnashing maelstrom of needles and razors, and if thats all they were, thatd be bad enough. But they feed on metal, making themselves bigger. An armored opponent would find himself minced as his own armor unravels like a cheap cloak to feed the sliverstorm. Keeping them away from metal will lessen the threat, but they are still dangerous even without making themselves bigger.


    Then there are the iron maidens. I dont think theyll be on the battlefield, but they will be abundant within the Maw itself. As far as I know, they cant move around, but they can be exceptionally dangerous. They will camouge themselves to look like the floor or wall, or something else innocent, and usually leave a bit of gold or other valuable metal as bait. When a hapless delver thinks theyve found a nice treat, they instead <em>be</em> the treat as the maiden snaps around them. Theye in a lot of varieties, too, and Ive heard them sometimes called steel mimics. Ive heard of ones that disguise themselves as chandeliers, or even as chairs or doors, only to rapidly engulf their victim when they reveal themselves.


    He sighs before continuing. But I think the most dangerous of the Maws denizens are the forgemasters. They look like crude statues of dwarves, or maybe dwarves in crude metal armor. They are metal affinity mages, and tough to kill. They will support and repair the denizens, manipting the metal directly, without needing any fire. They will also hinder or even kill opponents wearing anything metal, twisting armor and weapons to terrible effect. They are rare, but the Maw will certainly use every single one it has if a fightes to it.


    I digest that as Honey scribbles, and Teemo has a question before either I or Honey cane up with a response.


    What about the weird leech-headed things?


    Merric and Lech exchange a nce, with Lech looking a bit embarrassed and Merric looking uncertain as he answers. Ive only heard rumors. Everyone knows the Harbinger has a spawner, but I dont know anyone whos actually tried to fight what it spawns. The rumors call them least, but dont say much. Dergol said a friend of his heard a drunk ranting about monstrous lessers, but the guards showed up before he could give any details. I dont know how much Id trust that as a source, but there you go.


    That doesnt sound good. The rest of the info sounds great, though. Most of my denizens shouldnt be outright countered by anything, and I think the wyrms and basilisks will be a great counter to the swarmy things. Ill need to watch through Leos eyes as he and Honey start working on our n to deal with everything. Those pricklethorns and sliverstorms both sound pretty nasty, especially if they have foregemaster backup. Well also need to be aware of the least getting used as sappers and tunnelers to get behind our positions, or copse them outright.


    Before all that nning, though, I think its time to officially change the status of Lech and Merrik. Teemo hops onto the Stags head to whisper to him, and he nods.


    I and my Lord agree, Voice Teemo. While it would be wise to await confirmation from other sources, these two have been very cooperative. My Lord would like to offer them the chance to stay as delvers for as long as they wish.


    Teemo smiles at that. Sounds like about what the Boss would like, too. He turns his focus to the two refugees. If youre up for it, Ill lead you out to the Boss dwellers and the adventurers. Im sure theyll love to chat and maybe fill you in on what your options are now. You can stay here with the Southwood if you really want, or maybe try to join one of the enves back with the Boss. We can even try to get in touch with the mayor of Fourdock if you want to try to seek refuge somewhere thats not a dungeon. Id ask you stick around somewhat close for a bit before taking off to explore the whole continent, though. We wouldnt want the Maw to somehow find you.


    I mentally nod at that, and am d Teemo left the other reason unsaid. I like the two, but I cant give them full trust just yet. If it was just me, I might give them the full benefit of the doubt, but theres a lot more people than just me involved in this. One source is good to start, but I want as many as possible before I start actually making any decisions. And if theyre an unreliable source, Ill need to be able to ask them more questions to see if theyre deliberately lying, or just wrong about the Maws forces.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Thirty-Four

    Chapter Two-Hundred Thirty-Four


    The rockslides are slowly getting into position and actually sending back reports now, so Honey and Leo are turning their attention more towards that than trying to wring more from Merric and Lech. Not only do they get to go through the scout reports, but they also are getting adventurer reports to organize, too.


    Teemo is more than happy to help be an interpreter, and not just because it lets him hang out with Yvonne. Fluffles wanders by a few times, getting a few more pointers on fate magic from Teemo when theres no reports to be made. I make sure Teemo tells him to spend whatever he needs to practice. Something like Teemos Butterfly Effect could be great in the chaos of a pitched battle.


    When Fluffles isnt getting pointers from Teemo, hes practicing with Rocky, sh, and Nova. Rocky is having a lot of fun sparring in general, but especially trading blows with sh. My earth elemental still prefers ying his axe to swinging it, but I didnt make it an axe just to look cool. Even if I do think it looks really cool.


    Rocky is helping him look cool swinging it around, too. My boxer might be more focused on punches, but he still understands melee fighting. It probably also helps that he has kic affinity. I wouldnt be surprised if sh picks it up by the time we make our move, too. Rocky seems to be trying to hammer into shs head the idea of momentum, and how much more an axe has than a sword.


    Hes also getting sh to take advantage of his unique biology with his swings. A human can only bend in so many ways, but shs joints are basically an illusion. His hip bones arent connected to his leg bones, because neither technically exists. sh toyed with just spinning his wrist like a helicopter at one point, which earned him a lot of grunts and a big lecture. I dont think he was quite in trouble, but he hasnt tried that again. No, now hes starting to swing his entire torso around when he swings.


    Its like a lot of movies where the fighters spin to get more force on an attack, but its a really stupid thing to do for a person. Never turn your back on a foe, after all. But sh doesnt really have a back, and he can keep his head locked on target as he swings a full rotation to really build up steam. Hes tried doing his best top impersonation, but he cant quite get going quick enough to make it viable. While hes still a big pile of rocks, the rotation still leaves him open to hits, so he needs to save that trick to take advantage of someone being off bnce. He can miss with a swing and a foe can move in, only to be taken by surprise as the axe swings around full circle to hit even harder.


    sh has onlynded it on Rocky when they were working it out, but itll still be a good ace for sh to have up his sleeve. Nova is also having some interesting progress.


    Shes been trying to hone her ambush techniques, but my gathered scions are too experienced for her. sh can feel her in the earth, as can Rocky, and Fluffles can just stay high enough to be out of her reach. So my shy little wyrm has had to get creative, and Im liking her creativity.


    Shes been making little magma sculptures of the other denizens, practicing her art. She seems really interested in the basilisks, too, which I dont me her for. I wonder if shell change into them as she gets stronger, or if shell mostly stay as a wyrm if she doesnt get some title that makes her do an ascension like Fluffles. Shes been trying to make her little figures move around, instead of just being still, and after toying with a few while watching Fluffles and Rocky, she seemed to get an idea.


    She pulled up a lot of magma and formed it around herself, managing to look like an even more intimidating basilisk. Rocky, of course, was all about sparring her new form, and has been grunting advice to her between spars. Hes still able to pick her magma apart with sheer kic force, but Nova is improving quickly. Shes moving the magma quicker, recovering more of whats lost instead of having to melt new stone, and generally making a really cool fighting style thats all her own.


    I just wonder if shell get fire or earth affinity first. I think one will follow the other pretty quickly, but I still dont know which will happen first. Magma has a lot of heat in it, and with how much heat she must be throwing around to melt the stone, shes gotta be close. On the other hand, Rocky pressing her has been forcing her to keep ahold of her magma for as long as possible, especially when Rocky starts using his thermodynamic techniques to pull the heat right out of her element.


    Back on the home front, things are proceeding apace, which is great. I havent been paying too much attention to the quarry in a while, but taking a look, it might be my busiest section! The lighthouse is going up quickly, now that the kinks have been ironed out, and I think Rer is working to stockpile as much limestone as he can while the winter stays mild. It feels like Hullbreak is expecting a big storm, but I cant get much detail without Teemo to go ask. It might be a blizzard, it might be some nasty ice storm or something blowing in off the ocean, or it might even just be me not understanding the feeling through the bond.


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    Im inclined to think something will be on the horizon, though. The civilian delvers have a certain urgency to their movements that the adventuring ones dont. What adventurer delvers didnt head out to go poke the Maw are instead having a ball in thebyrinth. Its my strongest section yet, and a lot of groups have been defeated either by the traps or the denizens. The basilisks are not easy to beat. Being beaten and taken back to the entrance just seems to encourage them, though. I think my next expansion, Ill aim for a ssic crawl: lots of tough fights, chests to find, things like that. The special attractions are all well and good, but a ssic room-by-room slugfest is a ssic for a reason. The manor is the closest I have to that right now, and thats definitely aimed for newbies. The more experienced delvers are going to want a tougher version of that to go along with the other delving activities.


    That means my next expansion will probably be out past the cemetery, into the woods surrounding the town. Considering I want to get my ant enve up and running closer to the volcanic area, itd work out well for both. My ants will be able to develop without delvers constantly running around, and the delvers will get to have a more normal experience without having to worry about terrain hazards.


    Of course, I doubt a forest expansion will just give me a proper structure with rooms and such. I idly consider a tower or maybe a castle, and rub the bond with Coda to see if he has any ideas. I get a few vague notions back from him, but I dont press. He still has the lighthouse to finish, and Im not going to be expanding until after dealing with the Maw anyway. Its a good idea to be prepared, though.


    What would I put in a ssic dungeon crawl? Id definitely like a variety. I might even try to design it to let me theme sections of it, though that might be a bit ambitious. I already have themed sections, I dont know how well itd work to condense them enough to fit into a crawl. Eh, I can run the numberster. I should first see if I even have enough denizens to make theming worth it. Sure, I have a lot of them, but not a lot of them are specialized towards fighting.


    Let me see the widows and the twinsnakes would be easy inclusions. Theyre both pretty significant encounters. While I kinda think of them as wandering minibosses in the tunnels and caverns, they could be more regr encounters in the crawl. Ah, the ssic RPG staple of a bosster bing an ordinary encounter. Definitely going to have them in there.


    The basilisks would have a home in there, just need to make sure the structure is fireproof. My wyrms will probably be sticking mostly to thebyrinth, so they can easily tunnel wherever they need to go. While Im sure the crawl will be littered with shortcuts so my denizens can get into what rooms they need, I think the wyrms will feel better burrowing than crawling through a shortcut.


    Tundra wolves might be decent in there? Theyve been great scouts in the winter, but I dont know how well they actually fare in fights. They seem tough enough, but they just havent had enough encounters with delvers for me to get a good feel yet. Theyre a definite maybe, and probably near the top of my list of spawners to enhance for something like a crawl.


    What about my undead? I havent upgraded them in a while. The zombies and skeletons are focused for resources, not fighting, though. Tougher versions could be a good thing to put in the crawl, hard to say. What kind of dungeon crawl doesnt have at least a few undead to have to slog through? The hands would probably be good in there, after another upgrade. Im pretty sure Ill get stronger magical hands with the next upgrade, and theyll be great to mix in with everything else.


    Oh man, theming will be a lot easier once I get that climate control option from the Southwood, too. Make the hot section hot, the cold section cold, the undead section dark and foreboding Ill need to try to save up enough to be able to expand and get the upgrade at once, if I can. Hopefully the Maw will have plenty of mana for me to take, even after sharing a bunch into the ally fund. Ill also need to budget extra for whatever spawner I get, too.


    Maybe Ill get a nt denizen of some kind? Creeping vines, lumbering treants, things like that. I let my mind flit through a couple possibilities, though I dont chase the threads far. The Southwood has a bunch of different things, even if the foxes and bears are the most useful in this situation. Heh, maybe Ill get regr old worms. I could even focus them forbat, just to y against the type and be weird with them.


    Teemo chuckles at my musings, but doesntment. Itd be pretty unlikely for me to get regr worms as a denizen at this point, Id think, but who knows? All I know is its fun to imagine severalrge worms poking out of the ground, one with a shield, one a sword, and one a helmet, and the three acting like a single fighter. I even poke Teemo with the idea to see if Nova or sh would be able to do something like that with their affinity.


    Probably not, but you never know until you try. Weird innovationse from weird experiments like that, and can be the sort of thing to ensure we win the war with the Maw.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Thirty-Five

    Chapter Two-Hundred Thirty-Five


    Information is starting to flow like hmm, what is it flowing like? Water flows nicely, but my information isnt nearly that swift nor clear. Honey and Leo are receiving and organizing the reports from the field, which makes me very d to have both my Warden and Librarian on the case. When a report gets to them, I get a rush of information, but its not especially organized.


    It takes me a bit of effort to focus on whats new, organize it into a way that is actually helpful, digest it, and finally mull over what it means. With Leo and Honey receiving the reports and making their own, though, everything feels nice and organized, easy to interpret and easy to pick out the important pieces. Its the difference between getting the messy notes from someone, versus getting a sinct presentation.


    The problem is what the reports are saying. My denizens on expedition are rying some pretty concerning things. They say theres a lot more strong denizens than Lech and Merrik were expecting, as well as an organized army of the guards and clergy. Were the two wrong, or lying? I cant really see either of those options being the case, though.


    The kind of numbers should be pretty obvious even to civilians, and as basically initiates into the military, the elf and dwarf should have at least a basic understanding of the numbers in the force. Lying doesnt really track, either. Not only would it require the Maw to have nned for them to get kidnapped, but they would have had to n exactly what to say, and be good enough actors to pull it off around the clock. The Southwood has been watching them pretty close, and from what the Stag has shared with Teemo, they dont act any different when alone.


    Additionally, the adventurers are starting toe back and give their reports, and Teemo is helping Yvonne and the others organize and consolidate that information, too. Honey would like to stop by to see what theyre doing, Im sure, but shes a bit busy with the denizens reports. From what the adventurers are saying, things seem closer to what Merrik and Lech said: lots of civilian sses, a smattering of denizens around outside, etc. They havent been able to get close enough to overhear any conversations yet, but they paint a different picture than what my rockslides are creating.


    So yeah, my information is more flowing like mud, and I need to figure out how to rify it before trying to act on it. Could my rockslides be peeking into secretive locations, spying behind a false facade of normalcy and seeing the beating heart of darkness? Poetic and impressive as that sounds, Im doubtful. Still, it cant hurt to check.


    Hey Teemo, does Ara have a map from what the adventurers are reporting? Id like topare it with Honey and the reports the rockslides are giving.


    Lemme check, he answers from Yvonnes shoulder. Said shoulder, along with the rest of her, is perched on a branch high in a tree, feigning rxation like a jungle cat as she keeps watch.


    Hmm? perks up my undead birb resident, giving my Voice a curious look.


    You know where Ara is? The Boss wants topare maps, and shed be the one with one, yeah?


    Yvonne nods. She should be. She and Ragnar have been working on it, consolidating what the adventurers have, as well as with our own. I think Ragnar is still fleecing his way through the denizens and newer adventurers with Vernew, but I believe Ara is rxing in our tent. We havent had any new reports since this morning, so she should be free.


    Cool. With that, he hops off her shoulder and through a shortcut, and quickly pops up in the tent with Ara. She doesnt notice him yet, as shes taking the chance to check on her gear and perform a little maintenance while she has a few moments to spare, humming to herself as she works. Heya Ara.


    She jumps a bit at his voice, but quickly realizes whos snuck up on her. Teemo! You startled me!


    He chuckles and gives a little dip of his head in apology. Didnt mean too. The Boss wanted to see if you had a map from the adventurers? He wants to make sure everyone is on the same page for what it looks like down there.


    The elf nods and picks up a rolled piece of soft leather. This is what I have so far. Ragnar was helping with it, before he went out with Vernew to try to scam a few more people before word gets out to not challenge him to a brawl or a drinking contest, so it should be as urate as we can get.


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    Perfect! Illpare with Honey and Leo and get this back to you soon, as well as one with what we have, too. He epts the map in his paws for the moment, and Ara smiles.


    Im d to hear it. I think most of the adventurers are wanting to stick around, but one of the lower-leveled groups is nning to head back soon, so they can get this to the guild.


    Sweet. Oh, do you think any of the guild will want toe for the actual fighting? I think the Boss is going to bring up the medics and probably Aranya soon, so thatd be a great time for them to join in.


    I think there will be a lot of interest. From what the adventurers are saying, there will be a lot of tight tunnels, which means strong parties will be able to shine and hold back or push through forces without getting overwhelmed.


    Sounds about right. Leo will need to brief them for the overall n once they get here, but the n itself is still being drawn up, so theres no rush. Ill get you something like a formal request when I bring back the map?


    Ara smiles at that and nods. It would be appreciated. Even with that basic outline, I think a lot of adventurers will happily join the fight. Thediem has a pretty good reputation, so I doubt anyone will try to actpletely independently.


    Awesome. Ill get this to Honey, and maybe get it back by tonight? Probably tomorrow. Ara nods and waves him goodbye, so my Voice slips through another shortcut to deliver the map to Leo and Honey.


    Hey guys, he says with nonchnce as he appears in their cave, earning a buzz from Honey and a grunt from Leo. When the wolf spots what Teemo has, he pays more attention and woofs where Teemo should set it.


    Alright, lets see what weve got mutters my Voice to himself as he rolls out the map. Its pretty quickly clear theres a lot of discrepancies. Tunnels the rockslides say should lead to caches and other strategic valuables seem to only lead to dead ends, ording to the adventurers. The location of the main templeplex is also different, with my scouts saying it should be almost in the center of the town, but the adventurers seem to think its more to the south, close to where they estimate the actual dungeon to be.


    I mentally frown, and I can feel and see simr unhappiness from my gathered scions. Where are the rockslides hiding? The Boss was wondering if theyre just a lot deeper and able to see more detail than the adventurers.


    Honey buzzes around the map while Leo makes nondescript wolf sounds. Hmm it looks like theyre a bit deeper than the adventurers got, but there are reports on the same areas. They dont match up. Whats going on?


    Leo gives a tired growl, sounding like he doesnt have any ideas. Honey buzzes in a little dance, though, which Teemo nods to.


    Yeah, they cant both be correct, so which is wrong, and why? All of us try to think of something, but Im stumped. My rockslides have been great scouts in the past, practically mapping out Hullbreak before we headed in, so I cant imagine theyd get so much information wrong. On the other hand, I cant imagine why the adventurers would be wrong, or even be lying. Sure, not all of them are cartographers, but being able to make an urate map is a vital skill in their line of work. Sometimes just to make sure they dont get lost, and sometimes so they cane back and get some more loot that they just couldnt carry all at once.


    And them lying wouldnt make any sense either. Im pretty sure them helping and getting a map back to the guild is an actual quest. I dont think theyd fail something like that just to mess with me. As far as I can tell, most of them are at least professional acquaintances with me and wouldnt want to make me actually upset with them. Itd be hard for them to get any delving if I ban them, especially since Hullbreak would probably follow suit, and also probably not be as gentle as I would be about keeping them out.


    So whats going on?


    My musing is interrupted as Honey darts upward in the air and calls a few more of her bees to her. I watch through Teemo and Leos eyes as her swarm descends on the maps like theyre a small patch of delicious flowers. I can feel thoughts zipping through Honeys mind via the bond, and it takes me a few seconds to realize what shes doing: Shes embraced her <strong>Librarian</strong> title and is working her affinity over the two maps, trying to piece together the truth between the two.


    Its interesting to watch her work, and I can only guess as to the actual thought process running through my bee scion and her swarm. As the minutes pass, the swarm starts to shift, more of them congregating on Aras map than the one from my own scouts. It starts with just a few bees migrating over, but before long, the entire swarm is covering only Aras map. A few more momentster, the swarm disperses, leaving a confused and tired-looking Honey sitting on the middle of the map from the adventurers reports. She gives Teemo a confused buzz, which he trantes after a few seconds to process the information himself.


    She says our map is wrong.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Thirty-Six

    Chapter Two-Hundred Thirty-Six


    <strong>Honey</strong>


    Some small part of the bee scion was worried the Emperor might reject her verdict, but he seems to ept it easier than even she is willing to. How can her map be wrong? She and Leo worked together on it with the reports from the rockslides, and while her affinity is certain its urate to those reports, her affinity is also certain the adventurers map is much closer to the actual truth than her own, now that she has something topare with.


    She lets her legs sprawl out beneath her, physical fatigue matching the mental from working her affinity and title so hard, and Leo gives her a concerned look.


    Are you alright?


    Just tired, she buzzes, not bothering with any dance right now. Teemoes over and scoops her up and plops her on his head, earning an indignant buzz from her, but she doesnt fight it. Laying on the map isnt exactly helping figure things out.


    Teemo taps his foot as he stands on his hind legs, looking at the map with a frown. Honey can feel his ear twitch as the Emperor speaks to him, and soon the Voice rys the message.


    So Boss says we have a couple facts, so we should try to break things down and figure out what could possibly be going on here. So we have our two refugees, the adventurers, and even Honey all saying this map is the more urate of the two. The Boss is confident in Honey, and he says having three sources agree either means the truth is with them, or theres a major conspiracy. Considering how many things would have to happen for all those sources to actively lie, we can basically count that option out. So we will need to n using the map and the info weve gotten from Lech, Merrik, and the adventurers.


    Leo nods at that and gives a sigh. But what about the rockslides?


    Thats the big question. Boss says theyre a single point of failure, so there must be something wrong. Maybe some kind of weird dungeon option, like the Southwoods climate control? Something that would confuse rival dungeons, but not adventurers?


    Teemo doesnt sound very convinced, Leo doesnt look very convinced, and Honey definitely isnt convinced. Maybe, she buzzes, but that seems highly unlikely. We could ask the Southwood if it has any advanced options like that, but I dont think he does. Some kind of illusion doesnt sound like what the Maw would have ess to. Its a metal affinity dungeon, not illusion.


    Teemo nods, making Honey cling to his head, which in turn earns a chuckle from both him and Leo as the Voice speaks. Yeah, the Boss isnt so sure about it, but we can try to ask. Any other ideas that might sound absurd, but at least a little less absurd than that?


    Leo grumbles as he slowly stalks his logic. The rockslides are either wrong or lying for some reason. Both seem impossible, but it has to be one or the other. He quietly growls as he considers, then gets an idea. Whatever the reason, theyrepromised, but to what extent? Is it all of them?


    Honey buzzes and gets to her feet, determination helping fight back the fatigue. We can cross-reference the reports to see. They each have their own reports, so we can see which ones are giving the truth, and which arent. Teemo, can you please get the reports from the adventurers? She takes to her wings as he salutes, and orders her swarm to get out the rockslides'' reports as he slips into a shortcut.


    With Leos help, she gets the reports organized by both date and depth, and as they start going through them, she can already start seeing inconsistencies. Most of the reports seem urate, with the rockslides reporting on the broken road, as the Emperor seems to call the clear path from the surface to the dungeon. Its not inurate, as the least monsters really have torn up the tunnels they traveled through.


    As of several days ago, the reports of even the deepest rockslides seemed to still be urate, with their locations still remote enough that they didnt have much besides topography to ry back. The new reports, however, raise her suspicions. They speak of a marked increase in patrolls, and sighting of strong denizens and high-level guards and other followers of the Maw. When they first received the reports, she and Leo simply took it to mean the dungeon was mustering its forces to make a more concentrated effort to breach the surface, but now she notices little details missing.


    Perhaps thergest error, and one that she and Leo probably should have spotted earlier, is a significantck of logistical support. They had originally chalked it up to the dungeon not being especially experienced with moving around people at that kind of scale. Denizens dont really eat, but people do. The Emperor knew what that meant, and so his denizens marched with wagons full of supplies, but the rockslides have only reported soldiers, not wagons and support staff. With the information about the Maw being so concerned with food, theres no way it would send soldiers off without at least basic provisions.


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    Shes so focused on the task at hand, she hardly slows down when Teemo returns with the elf from the Emperors chosen party. No, she instead has the Voice exin the situation quickly and gets the elf to help with the flow of information. Ara looks a little overwhelmed, but Honey is too focused to worry about that. Teemo and Leo help guide her through the buzzing swarm of a good research project, and Honey lets her affinity guide her through the shaded meadow of information. The flowers are shy, but she and her bees know how to get the nectar and the pollen with efficient ease, and before long, she puts the final period on the updated report.


    Teemo looks it over, and Honey can feel the Emperor assimting the information with ease, thanks to thebined effort of the three scions and the elven adventurer. Said elf is looking at the information as well, looking baffled.


    A couple days ago, the rockslides started giving false reports? But why? How? she asks as she looks over not only the simple written words, but also the attached map that shows the rockslides that are giving false information.


    Those are the questions we want to answer, replies Teemo.


    Does does the Maw have rockslides? she asks, and Teemo shakes his head. The question sticks in Honeys mind, though. Could it? Could it have a secret earth elemental spawner? Her intuition says no, but she also feels like the elf is on the right track.


    How many rockslides does the Emperor have on expedition? Honey asks, her swarm moving to tabte how many rockslides are currently under her and Leosmand.


    Teemo looks like he doesnt understand where Honey is going with this, but dutifully rys her question. Hey Boss? How many rockslides are out right now? Honey can feel the Emperors confusion as he considers the question, then a bit of surprise. Teemo shakes his head and smiles as he rys the answer. Boss is surprised he had so many out. Two-hundred and Thirty-six.


    Honey buzzes in triumph as she gets the number from her own swarm: 263 rockslides are under her and Leos direction! Her jubtion turn to confusion as she checks her numbers, and sees that each and every rockslide is confirmed to have left from the Emperors domain, meaning no sneaky spawner from the Maw.


    Then how has it subverted twenty-seven rockslides?! Its metal, not!


    She almost falls out of the air as the realization hits, and Leos barked concern for her only just pushes through her shock.


    No, Im fine. Its just I know whats going on. Shends on the map and points out thepromised rockslides. We have twenty-seven more rockslides than the Emperor has on expedition. Theyre not secret spawns from the Maw, though. They all have a trail of reports linking them back to the Emperor.


    She pauses and looks up at Teemo, Leo, and Ara, meeting their eyes as well as she can. She can feel the Emperors confusion, before it gives way to shock as hees to the same conclusion as she has, at least if the anger and feeling of self-disappointment are anything to go by. She feels a bit stupid for not putting it together earlier, too.


    The Harbinger is Mental affinity. Its taken over the slides closest to the Maw. They no longer belong to the Emperor, which is why his number doesnt match with ours. Ara gasps at that while Teemo and Leo look grim.


    Mental? I need to warn the adventurers before they head out!


    She gets up to go, though she pauses when Teemo speaks up. Have them swing by here before they go, if any of them are still willing! Ara nods before running out of the cave. Leo growls as he looks at the map.


    They know wereing, then. Theyll fortify their position now weve lost the element of surprise. The Wardens hackles rise with his frustration, and Honey buzzes in grim solidarity with her fellow scion. Teemo looks more confused than upset for a few moments, before he grins wide.


    Boss says we might be able to use this. Leo and Honey both look confused, so Teemo borates. They know wereing, but they think we dont know they know. But we <em>do</em> know. So we can leverage knowing we know they know, without letting them know we know they know, you know?


    What, states Leo, and Honey is with him. Even with her affinity, that all sounded like nonsense. Teemo keeps smiling.


    Boss calls it counter-counter-intel. We make it look like were taking the bait, but were actually preparing to ambush the ambush!


    Leo blinks at that before grinning wide, and Honeys wings start to buzz as she understands. Each of the false points of interest would be a perfect ce to ambush their forces, but there are only a few ces the enemy couldunch an ambush <em>from</em> on those locations!


    Dont send any more rockslides in there, though, says Teemo, knocking Honeys train of thought off the tracks. Tell the suborned ones to get into a better position to keep an eye on the fake points of interest, but dont send any fresh ones in. He doesnt want to send them on a deliberate suicide mission. Danger is one thing, but any others sent in there would be being deliberately sent to their death.


    Honey and Leo both nod at that, and Honey has to admit she was vaguely pondering sending in a few more to try to lure out further ambush positions. The Emperor is right, though. Its one thing to send them into a dangerous location with little information when theres little to give. But knowing theyll be attacked by the Harbinger without giving them some means of protecting themselves?


    Honey shudders at the thought. She knows how twisted the Harbinger is. Even with respawning, its not an experience she''d wish on anyone.

 Two-Hundred Thirty-Seven

    Two-Hundred Thirty-Seven


    <strong>Lech</strong>


    The pale dwarf warily peeks out from the cave she and Merrik have been staying in. The surface is nothing like she had expected. She would take constion in the fact that Merrik has been blindsided, too, but he hasnt been having a great time of it either.


    The first day, they could hardly see anything for how bright it all was. It only made her and Merrik both concerned when the group of adventurers said it was a dim day, and the trees provided even more shade! It was a relief to be questioned at the back of that other cave, shallow as it was. It was a little bright, but much better than being outside.


    After night fell, it was much easier to walk around and explore the dungeon, the Southwood. While it was much colder than shes ever experienced before, it was actually dark, so her eyes didnt hurt! She and Merrik encountered a few other people, mostly ratkin and spiderkin, but mostly kept to themselves, eventually finding another cave to sleep in. It was a bit concerning when arge bear came in, but the Stag followed behind it and exined he would be their bed for the night. It was weird to consider sleeping near such an imposing denizen, but as the temperature continued to drop, she and Merrik both were more than happy to cozy up to the bear.


    But now itste morning, and the big warm fuzzy bed has wandered off to do denizen things. The light is still bright, but somewhat more bearable than yesterday, which Lech will eagerly ept.


    Do you think we could defeat that bear and get ourselves some bedding that wont wander off in the morning? asks her pale elven friend as he joins her, squinting out into the daylight.


    Maybe? But that might be a bit rude, and maybe not as warm. We could make a fire, but she trails off.


    An open fire like that would be a bit bright tofortably sleep near, he finishes for her. He doesnt look happy about it, but Lech has been around him enough to know hes not being grumpy, but rather hes thinking about how to fix the problem. He doesnt look like hesing up with much, so Lech makes her own suggestion.


    We could find the dwellers and ask how they handle all this? It sounded like theyre mostly underground, too, so maybe they have advice theyd be willing to share?


    Merrik sighs and nods, lifting a hand to shield his eyes as he leaves the cave. And we can attempt to get some kind of hat to help protect us from this light. After the Redcap, I thought Id never want to wear anything on my head. Im not quite ready to wear one of his, but I would be very happy to try to work for something much less drippy.


    Lech shudders and nods as she follows her friend. Maybe we can help prepare some meals? I think were a bitte for breakfast, but probably should be right on time to help make brunch for thete risers and thete shift before they go to sleep.


    The pale elf nods and the two make their way for the dweller camp. Lech cant help but let her eyes wander around the forest surroundings, though she resists looking up for too long. The night sky felt so full, like a cavern ceiling high above, filled with sparkling gems. The daytime sky, though, just feels empty, almost hungry. Its also still a bit painful to look at, even when not looking at the sun. Just another reason to not stare at the ufortable expanse stretching away above them. She shakes her head to try to not think about it too hard, but her traitorous eyes keep wandering towards the skyline. At least that makes it easy to spot the smoke from the dwellers fires.


    The camp takes up the entirety of arge clearing, and the two just stand at the edge for a few moments, considering what they should actually do, where they should go. After a few moments, they both close their eyes and inhale. When looking for food, look for the kitchen. When looking for the kitchen, follow the scent of food.


    Lech lifts her hand and points, before opening her eyes. Merrik doesnt look like hes got anything, so she nudges him with her elbow to get him to look. I think I smell something that way. Some kind of bread, maybe? Merrik frowns but doesnt argue as she leads the way.


    The two get a few looks from the dwellers as they walk through the camp, but nobody bothers stopping them. The scent of fruits tickles Lechs nose, and she has to fight increasing her pace. Whatever it is, it smells good already. Soon they exit from the small alleyways between tents and onto more of a road, though its hardly paved. The tracks from wagon wheels split the mass of tents roughly in half, and to the east, the two can see their destination. One of the wagons looks to be a mobile kitchen, and is handing out food in the form of some kind of pancake.


    They approach and see a male spiderkin inside, one of the smaller jumping varieties, if Lech understands correctly. His face looks a bit more insectile than the women spiderkin, and the smaller stature is also usually a good indicator, but she wouldnt want to give insult by getting something so simple wrong. While trying to figure out how to introduce herself and Merrik, the spiderkin spots them and waves, his pedipalps twitching.


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    Ah, you two are the ones from that other dungeon yeah? His voice at least confirms hes a he, though the content of his greeting has Lech looking around nervously. Back in Silvervein, something like that would get the guards attention <em>very</em> quickly. Instead of res and drawn weapons, the dwellers nce at them with curiosity, before returning to whatever they were doing.


    Yes, thats us, replies Merrik. Is there anything we can do to earn a few of your pancakes? We havent eaten yet.


    The spiderkins pedipalps twitch as he thinks. Hmm well


    A mammalian hand reaches from elsewhere inside the wagon and pushes him across the counter, letting a wide ratkin take his ce at the counter. No charge for the pancakes. We dont even have a till. We might get one once we get back, though. I bet we could make a killing selling these at the arena.


    The spiderkin bristles and ineffectually ps at the hand keeping him at bay. Bron! Thats no way to run a business!


    Bron just rolls his eyes. Donny, were not running a business. Were helping feed our people so they have the strength to drive back the evil dungeon, he says inly, before realizing the two people waiting for food are from the evil dungeon. Er no offence?


    Lech blushes. None well, maybe a little taken. It really is evil, but its still weird to wrap my head around, she admits.


    Howre you only just figuring that out? Woah! Donny scrambles to keep his footing, but his rather rude question has Bron push him fully off the counter and onto the floor inside the wagon. Despite the apologetic look from the fat ratkin, Lech tries to answer.


    "Well I never knew anything else. The outside was supposed to be full of danger, and the public sacrifices always reinforced that. Monsters, enemies, sometimes traitors. They always said it was justice. But


    As she exins, Donny climbs back onto the counter, and looks guilty as her answer continues. Sorry. Forget I asked. Uh oh! Youre hungry, right? He tries to change the subject, and Lech is all too happy to let him. She silently nods, and he puts on an exaggerated smile at least she thinks its a smile. Shes not quite used to spiderkin facial features.


    Then youvee to the right ce! Do you like your pancakes sweet or savory?


    Whats the difference? asks Merrik, curious about potentially new cuisine.


    Bron turns back inside the wagon as Donny exins. Sweet ones get berries, while savory gets cave lobster bits. Were still hammering out the bestbination of taste and portability, but just adding them into the batter and then cooking works well enough.


    Can we have one of each? asks the pale elf, and the spiderkin nods.


    Yeah, thatll be fine. Hey Bron, two sweet, two savory!


    Im right behind you, I can hear you just fine,ins the cook from out of sight. Despite the tone signifying a longstanding argument, the two can hear the sound of batter on a hot pan, and the scent of food cooking.


    What kind of flour are you using? asks Lech, the scent not matching quite right with the flour shes used to. Maybe its a new grain?


    Its a mix of sporeflour and wheat. The Weaver says military food should pack a lot of energy and protein, so we use a mix. The texture and taste is a little different, but theyre filling and definitely not bad. Kinda weird, if youre used to normal flour, but youll get over it, exins Donny as he rxes on the counter. His eyes focus behind Lech and he hops off the counter, causing her to look around, curious what could cause that.


    Hey Bron, are these all the empty sacks? Filcys on her way.es the muffled voice of the spiderkin. Lech ignores the sounds of rummaging from inside the wagon as she tries to figure out who Filcy is. It doesnt take her long to notice therge tarantkin woman making a beeline towards the food wagon. She diverts her attention to the two pale outsiders as she approaches, eyeing the two before speaking.


    Youre the two refugees, then?


    Lech is feeling a bit intimidated by therge woman, but Merrik seems to be taking her presence in stride. We are. Im Merrik, and shes Lech.


    Filcy. Have you two eaten, or are you here for seconds?


    Merrik shakes his head. We got ate start, so this will be our breakfast.


    The gruff woman nods at that, her eyes flicking to the wagon as Donny hops back onto the counter, a bulging bag in his hands. Hey Filcy! Got the empties here for you! He looks to Merrik and Lech as he holds out the bag for the tarantkim woman. Itll be just a couple more minutes. Ill get you two something you can use for a te or something, too.


    Filcy silently epts the bag, then turns her attention to the two outsiders as well. Pale elf and pale dwarf, right?


    Lech slowly nods. Yeeess?


    Filcy nods at that. After you eat, head to the other end of the camp, to the infirmary. And try to stay in the shade. You probably dont know what sunburn is, but you two are already looking like cooked sea lobsters. Theyll help you with that.


    Lech and Merrik both look confused, but Donnys eyes go wide with concern at her statement. Move around to the back, in the shade! Ill bring your food out in just a sec!


    Merrik looks like he wants details, but Lech is willing to take things at face value. Donny doesnt seem like the most sensitive of people, so if even he is looking worried, she thinks they should move first and ask questionster. Its onlyter that she and Merrik both learn that was probably the correct choice.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Thirty-Eight

    Chapter Two-Hundred Thirty-Eight


    <strong>Lech</strong>


    As far as Lech is concerned, the surface dwellers can keep the ce. Its bright, its cold, the sky is <em>terrifying</em>, and even if that massive void up there wont swallow you up, itll still cook you medium rare if given the chance!


    The healing salve helps, but she still has no intention of leaving the cave until she stops being as red as one of the Redcaps hats. Merrik seems to have avoided the worst of the sunburn, as the surfacers call it, so hes taken to slipping outside asionally, but even he is mostly staying inside until night.


    The sun really did do a number on you, Lech. Even your temperament is inmed, he teases as he returns with dinner. The reddened pale dwarf would grump at him, but its just not the same without crossing her arms, and that would involve far too much of her skin touching anything besides air. Still, hes not wrong about how sour her mood is right now.


    I think I had a better time recovering from the Harbinger speaking to me, she sighs and leans back against the blessedly cool cave wall. She would say the caves wouldnt betray her, but a cave-in is why she and Merrik are here. The pale elf nods as he sits beside her, taking a moment to enjoy the cool cave all as well. Just because he didnt get it as bad doesnt mean hes not also suffering.


    The spear was a lot more painful, but at least it was just in one spot. Im not certain which Id prefer. Lech grunts in sympathy. Shed much rather a spear in the shoulder than this, but probably because shes trained to take a spear wound. This sunburn


    Do you think the surface folk could win just by retreating and letting the sun cook the Maws forces? she asks in a weak joke. Merrik at least chuckles, making her feel a little better.


    I actually asked a simr question to the healers. While the sunburns can get even worse than what you got, theyre mostly painful, not incapacitating. In a long campaign, the Maws forces would lose a lot of morale, but it wouldnt be enough to actually stop them. And I dont know if the denizens would be affected at all.


    Lech sighs and rests her head against the wall, trying not to think about her burning skin, nor about the idea of the Maws denizens attacking the surface without fear of the sun overhead. Thankfully, the scent of the meal Merrik brought is a good distraction from things shed rather not think about. Whatd you get? she asks, nodding at the wooden boxes.


    He hands her one as he exins. Mushroom bread, with a venison and vegetable stew. I saw some of the dwellers loading everything onto the bread to make messy sandwiches, but I think Im going to eat it as it is.


    Lech tests the meal with her fork, and takes a small bite of the bread, letting the vors mingle. Its not the most bnced profile, but its definitely edible. I dont think I want to make that much of a mess. And having some of the stew drip out onto my arm right now would probably hurt a lot, she agrees, and soon the two settle into a nice quiet meal.


    They both seem to be hungrier than they thought, or the stew was tastier than initially expected, because by the end, they both use thest of their bread to mop up the final bit of thickened liquid. They set the boxes aside after finishing. Theres plenty of time to return them. For now, they both want to rx and not move too much, so as to not anger the sunburn.


    Before long, though, a small spiderkin peers into the cave, and smiles as she sees the two. Ah, youre the two from below, yeah? she asks as she walks in like she owns the cave. From the light armor and odd spear, Lech can tell shes one of the fighters, but the way she carries herself makes her suspect shes one of the better ones.


    Oh, yes. Im Lech and hes Merrik. I dont think weve met? she asks, and the spiderkin nods as she settles on arge rock nearby.


    Nah, we havent. I hear you two got burned pretty bad. Makes it kinda hard to go be social. The ratkin sometimes get it bad on their tails if they stay underground too long. Anyway, Im Vernew, Huntsmistress and leader of the dwellers, at least this batch. She offers a hand to each of them to shake, and Lech nervously epts hers. Merrik looks a bit more confident, or at least less nervous about it, and they both shake.


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    So Id ask how the surface is treating you, but its kinda obvious. Howre you two holding up?


    Merrik takes time to consider his response, but Lech answers pretty quickly. Sunburn aside, were doing well. Theres everything is just so <em>different</em> here! Not just the environment, but the people, even the dungeon is different than I was expecting!


    Vernew chuckles at that and nods. Yeah, heh. Were still figuring out how to work with outsiders. The Weaver only gave us an enve a few months ago. Were still figuring ourselves out, honestly. He helps a lot.


    The Weaver? asks Merrik, and Vernew nods as she fishes out a little amulet from under her armor. The string is simple leather, with acquered orange disk attached to it.


    The Weaver of Threads, Lord Thedeim. Our home, our sanctuary, she says with a smile, looking at what Lech can only assume is a holy symbol. She and Merrik are both put a bit on guard at that, remembering how fanatical the clergy of the Maw could be.


    I thought this was the Southwood? Lech tries gently digging for information, hoping to not offend.


    Vernew doesnt look offended in the slightest. Were currently in the Southwood, yeah, but hes Lord Thedeims ally. Hes a good four days'' journey away, I think? Even with Teemos shortcuts.


    Ally? That sounds nice, but


    Vernew smirks at the two sunburned subterranean people. From your looks, I take it the Maw doesnt y well with others?


    Not really replies Merrik, understating the situation significantly.


    Well, the Weavers pretty friendly. Youve seen the adventurers, yeah? Not just the dwellers? The Weaver is friendly enough with the guild that their guildmaster is encouraging them toe help, and theyre happy to do it, too. ording to them, Hes the best delve Fourdock has had in ever!


    Merrik gives her a curious look at that. Are they really so close to a dungeon? Even though he kills some of them?


    Vernew grins wide at that. They sure are! Probably because He doesnt kill them. Almost a year now, and still no delver deaths. Well, except a few scythemaws, but those dont count.


    Still, only a year. Thats not especially long, argues Merrik, and Lech pipes up.


    That seems like a pretty long streak to me. idents happen. Even after he got chastised for it, a few people have still died in the Harbingers training. What was his record for no deaths before? she asks Vernew, earning an even wider grin.


    He only has the one record. Hes never killed a delver since he started, not quite a year ago.


    Lech looks confused at that, and Merrik processes it quicker than she can. Hes not even a year old?! Thats not even <em>remotely</em> possible! How can a dungeon not even a year old have an ally, an enve, and over a dozen scions?!


    Vernew just looks smug as she settles onto her rock. He has two enves, as well as a protege and a vassal, too. Lord Thedeim isnt any ordinary sanctuary. I dont know how He does half the things He does, but He does them just the same. Ive met the local inspector from the Dungeoneers, and even he doesnt know how the Weaver does it. He just fills out the paperwork.


    How often does he demand sacrifices? asks Lech, trying to wrap her head around how any dungeon could afford that kind of insane growth.


    Sacrifices? echos Vernew, looking confused for a moment, then furious, before she takes a deep breath and continues. The Weaver of Threads doesnt need nor want sacrifices. He grows like He does because He does things differently. Her rigid demeanor softens as her anger truly subsides, and she meets the eyes of both her and Merrik. Look, I know most enves worship their dungeon. High Priestess Aranya even said so, and Ive talked to the High Priest of Hullbreak, too. But The Weaver Hes more than that. Its more than the fact He made us. He <em>cares</em> for us. He cares for practically everyone! Thats why He doesnt just kill delvers! Thats why He didnt want any of us toe join this fight! But we want to help Him, even though some of us probably wont being back from this. Hes always trying to help so we want to help, too.


    Lech and Merrik both stare at her for several long seconds, each trying to process what the spiderkin woman just said. He really didnt tell you toe fight? asks Lech in shock, and Vernews snort helps cut through her confusion.


    He even asked us to stay out of it. When we insisted, he started making us things, to try to keep us safe. Vernew looks at her spear, smiling at the strange head on it.


    Can can you exin more? asks Lech.


    Its a lot different than the Maw, thats for certain, follows up Merrik. He demands sacrifices, demands we fight


    Vernew nods at that. Yeah, I can help you try to understand Him a bit better. Im not exactly Aranya, but I do my best. Heh, thats the closest to anything He demands of us: our best. So where to begin

 Chapter Two-Hundred Thirty-Nine

    Chapter Two-Hundred Thirty-Nine


    Im surprised any of the adventurers are willing to go back and try to keep scouting the Maw. I mostly had Teemo suggest theye talk to us on the off chance, but theres three groups willing to get a closer look. That doesnt count Yvonnes group who will be setting up a forward base camp, and the couple other teams who will be ferrying the reports back.


    The No-Longer-Terrible Trio is even there, though theyre going to be running messages and providing a bit of security for the basecamp. They dont have any specific mental defenses, but theyre apparently strong enough to have a good shot of resisting the more dangerous mental attacks.


    For the scouts, theres a group of scouts. They look like the kind of people Id expect to be in the rangers instead of being adventurers. The trio of elves lookfortable among the trees, and give assurances theyll be just asfortable in the caves and tunnels. Im a bit unsure about letting them go down there, but they say they specialize in getting information without being noticed. I dont know if theyll have what they need to avoid the Harbinger, but theyre confident, and I have even less authority to try to stop them than I do with my dwellers.


    The next is a more solo adventurer, a changeling with some kind of rogue ss. She says she can literally hide in shadows, and implied she doesnt do all her work inside dungeons. While I dont know the exact countermeasures nobles and such might use to stop thieves, I have to imagine the changeling has something to get around mental detection. Shes hoping she can actually infiltrate the town. Im <em>real</em> nervous about that idea, but I still dont really have many options for actually stopping her.


    Thest is a group I didnt expect to see: a party of Crystal Shield followers. I didnt even realize any of them were participating in all this! They dont strike me as particrly stealthy, but the priest leading the small group is confident the Shield will be able to keep their minds safe, secure, and secret behind its protection. Teemo keeps pestering them for more information, and Im happier about their n once they give a few more details. They have a ratkin member, not one of mine, who actually is sneaky. The wolfkin is usually their frontline fighter, and hell mostly be staying back to help keep the basecamp secure. The elven priest will bless the ratkin, and hell go scout and return.


    Once Teemo gets that bit of info out of him, the other two teams ask for a simr blessing for their own efforts, and the priest is more than happy to provide it, once theyre actually out there and doing the job. Hell also be helping secure the basecamp, since he wont be out and about doing the scouting. I bet Aranya will be joining them all and helping ease the burden of keeping the ce magically secure, once she gets here.


    Which means I should probably get Teemo back home onest time before all this gets going. The healing brigade needs to be brought up, and Id like for Teemo to ask Tarl about any weaknesses the known denizens might have. A rusting attack could be nice, but I dont think anyone here has an ability like that.


    Rer might, but no way is he going to be joining this particr fight, at least not directly. Even if he wasnt the lord mayor of Fourdock, hes still pretty young and inexperienced. Even the weakest adventurers here, Im pretty sure, have quite a few levels on him. Crazy as the adventurers are, even they are being careful around a mental affinity as strong as the harbinger.


    Careful is a rtive term, though. None of them, not even Yvonnes group, really wants to wait for the medics to get here before they go. Theyll at least have a chance to get the camp set up before Aranya arrives. And Nova is pretty insistent on going with them, too. I can feel Rocky and Fluffles are tempted also, but theyre going to resist for now. One scion will be easier to keep secret than three, especially with the kind of power those two have. I dont know if that kind of thing would make them more obvious, probably not, but stealth is vital here. The only one sneakier than Nova is probably Teemo, and even he cant just hide deep inside the rock of the tunnels.


    Of course, that didnt keep the rockslides safe, but Im also not going to let Nova get any closer than the camp until Im fully ready to assault the Maw. And speaking of, Honey and Leo are starting to flesh out a n for doing just that.


    Theres a <em>ton</em> of tunnels into and out of Silvervein, but so far, not many of them allow for bypassing the town to strike into the Maw directly. Earlier into the information gathering, I was expecting to be able to pretty easily get around the town to get at the Maw, but now we have a moreplete picture, it looks pretty deliberate. Theres still a few potential direct ess tunnels to the maw, but Im betting the forces the suborned rockslides are reporting are way lower than whats actually there.


    Most of my more ordinary denizens are going to be assaulting those tunnels. Yeah, theyre the obvious entry points, but theyll also be perfect ces tounch further attacks into the Maw from. Which also means theyll be the most well guarded. I dont think Leo expects to be able to take those points easily, but putting pressure there will force the Maw to keep a lot of its denizensmitted to the defense there. Itll probably be a grinder for both of us, but it should at least keep as many of the Maws forces upied as possible, and away from my dwellers and the adventurers.


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    The adventurers will be tripping the traps, assuming enough of theme from the guild for the real fighting. Yvonne and everyone think its a foregone conclusion that basically everyone will want to go, but dont go counting your chickens before they hatch. Anyway, assuming they want to y ball, they should be able to cripple the Maws forces outside the dungeon itself, leaving the adventurers free to either help with the messy business of securing the town, or they cane try their hands at breaking through to the Maw.


    I think the best option for them, after tripping the traps, is to try to strike through the templeplex of the Maws clergy and force the dungeon to spread itself thin trying to keep everyone out. If we cant slip behind their lines somehow, itll probably devolve into a careful siege. The medics will be busy making sure as few of my forces die as possible, and so try to starve the Maw of mana. The adventurers and dwellers will want to y it safe, too. While Im confident my dwellers will be careful, the adventurers are going to be a bit more of a wild card. Still, the ones at the levels that will be needed arent going to be so stupid as to think they can spend their loot if theyre dead.


    If were lucky, we wont have to deal with a protracted siege. Leo and Honey are making ns for if ites to that, but n A is to sneak a decapitating strike past the Maws defenses while its distracted. With the denizens pressing the obvious entrances, and the adventurers wreaking havoc, a strikeforce of my scions will try to break through. Theres a few options for that, with the simplest being to use a few tunnelbores to open my own holes in the Maws territory. Itll definitely notice them eventually, so well have as many as we can digging, forcing the Maw to try to swat them down before they can get too close.


    I imagine a few of the adventurer teams will want to go with the tunnelbores, and possibly a few of my dwellers, too, and Im torn on it. The adventurers are one thing. They know the risks as well as they can, but Im still protective of my dwellers. I dont want them to get hurt, so is there anything I can do about it? Any way I can try to discourage them?


    I pull the brakes on that train of thought, not letting myself think in circles, getting nowhere. Hullbreak is a good lesson on how poorly that goes. If they decide they want to join the tunnelbore teams, I cant stop them. All I can do it try to make each strike team a threat, and hope for safety in numbers to minimize casualties. And mixed in with the various tunneling teams, will be my scions.


    Once they take the field, especially if they manage to get inside the Maws territory, I think the dungeon will have more important things to worry about than my dwellers. Once inside, Rocky and Fluffles will be trying to cause enough of a ruckus to draw the attention of the Redcap and the Harbinger. With shs help, theyll defeat or at least distract those two, letting Nova and Teemo try to sneak off to im the core.


    Thatll be the real goal: to subsume the Maw. Well, the <em>real</em> goal is to protect the kobolds, and that isnt looking to be an easy task. So far, the scouts have gotten exactly nothing on their location. On the one hand, thats probably a good sign. Any rockslides close enough to try to find them have been suborned, so if theyre not trying to bait a location for the kobold enve, they dont know thats the real goal.


    On the other hand, that still leaves us with very few actual leads. From theck of info, Im thinking theyre inside the Maws territory proper, and might even be very close to the core, like with Hullbreaks enve. We need to get a bead on where they are and their status before we can really make any move. Not only will we want to make sure theyre safe to be able to free them, but tactically, we need to keep them safe, too. The Maw likes to sacrifice them, and it must get some mana from it. They could be an emergency mana bank, so we need to secure them before the Maw can try to cash them in.


    Once we do that, <em>then</em> we can move on the core itself. If were lucky, theyll be far enough away that we can do one, then the other. If its like Hullbreak, well have to do both at once. If ites to that Teemo will probably be in charge of evacuating them, possibly with Nova protecting them from whatever else the Maw might throw at the kobolds to kill them for mana. My other scions will be there, too, but in that situation, theyll probably be busy fighting the enemy scions.


    Well probably have to y it by ear, even if we get a good look at the enve and core. Stealth might be an option, and well probably give it a try, but I expect the whole thing will be a mess. Stealth will be n A, with blitzing for the core being n B. C will be the messy fight, and probably the most likely oue, I expect. Either way, even taking the core leaves me with a few questions that I dont think will be answered until after we do it.


    Im not quite sure whatll happen when we subsume the Maw, at least with the territory and spawners. With Neverrest, basically everything just transferred to me. The scions vanished, but any denizens that werent dead became mine. Even the scions vanishing might be more because they were dead at the time Fluffles took the core. If I dont get the Maws territory, will the denizens just be freed? Thatd be a mess, especially if the Redcap and Harbinger also get freed. Theyd be lower on power, but what if they slip away?


    Those two on the loose could be even worse than them working for the Maw.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Forty

    Chapter Two-Hundred Forty


    <strong>Rer</strong>


    Winter is a strangely-busy time for the lord mayor of Fourdock, especially now hes decided to actually step up and do his job, rather than just let the guild leaders do it for him. Winter is usually a time of rxation for the citizenry, as the cold and snow make it difficult for them to do much work. But for the people at the top, the ones who are supposed to direct that work, it is a vital time for nning.


    The first phase of any n is to make sure you understand where you stand, what your resources are, how full your coffers are, who will properly do the job you need them to do, and who is looking for a chance to drain you.


    Thankfully, none of the local guild heads seem to bepletely in thetter category. The head of the merchants guildes closest, but she seems to just be trying to wring everyst coin out of every deal as she can, rather than actually trying to swindle any business partners. Her costs are high, but contracts are clear, even if Rer sometimes suspects its because Karn somehow abused a loophole or two to teach her a lesson.


    Whatever the reason, her people have proven to be worth the high price, with the carts and wagons usually used for caravans showing they can easily move goods around inside the city, too. Ms Silverwheats people are punctual and professional, and the miners and masons guilds speak well of them. The adventures dont have much to say about them, which is a good sign. They dont meet often, but being able to remain professionally courteous is an excellent way to keep things running smoothly.


    And smooth they have been. The limestone quarry in Thedeim has been averaging close to tenrge blocks of limestone a day. Once the lighthouse for Hullbreak is finished, that number could double! The numbers for thebyrinth are less rosy, and Rer should try to talk with Thedeim about creating a proper iron vein once hes done with that business to the north. A more exotic vein would be even better, but Rer has no idea what that would actually entail for the friendly dungeon. Hes been pretty happy to scale up the more mundane resources like the limestone and timber, but keeps the more interesting things behind challenges for the adventurers.


    As much as hed love to have a massive orichalcum mine for Fourdock, even Ms Silverwheat has cautioned against upsetting the market for rare materials. Still, he can ask. If he says no, it should be within his budget to ship iron, ore or ingots, as reinforcement for the hold he and Thedeim promised the town before winter set in. Hullbreak might be able to use the transmuted spider silk, but a hold for the entire town will require more than the denizens can produce, both in silk and the actual transmutation potion.


    The rough design Coda produced for the hold is very interesting to Rer, and he often looks over it again, thinking of improvements. The basic concept is very simple: lots of arches and domes. Theyre hardly new concepts, but the concrete makes it so much easier to aplish the rounded shapes! And the efficiency of volume to surface area lets them get the most room out of the least material. The actual living spaces will be simple enough to make, but the utility space will be a bit more difficult.


    Rer hopes he can just get Teemo to create awork of shortcuts for things like plumbing, but hes not holding his breath. He had originally hoped to use Thedeims smaller ants to just dig the pipes for that sort of thing, but the first time something clogs, itd be a disaster if theres no ess path to the plumbing. Smaller tunnels would be best for something like that the local dwarves and halflings might end up cornering the career market for plumbers.


    Air venttion will also be important, which lead him down an interesting path of research. The obvious solution would be bellows to force airflow, but that just isnt tenable for a hold of the nned size. Theres two potential solutions, and Rer suspects it will end up having both, if they each work. When ites to air, theres no such thing as too much ess. The first solution is one the dwarven holds seem to use.


    Heat rises, and brings air with it. If you want fresh air, heat the old and let it vent, making room for new. The ductwork is a bit beyond him, but the theory is pretty understandable: put the forges, smiths, and other crafting professions that need heat near the bottom of the hold, and provide chimneys for the fires they use. Put air vents all around the hold, with a few clever fluid traps to keep siegers from being able to pour anything nasty down them, and you have fresh air circting! Not as fresh as actually on the surface, but better than nothing.


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    The other solution is one included in the concept designs from Coda, the bat artificer having a lot of interesting ideas to use old things in new ways, like water wheels. Grain has been milled via water power for ages, but Rer hasnt seen anyone try to use it for anything else, at least until he saw these designs. Theyll need a lot of refinement, and Rer isnt sure theyll be viable for the entire hold, but much like the dwarven solution, the concept is pretty simple: use the rotation to turn fans to distribute fresh air. The ducting is just asplex as the dwarven version, so theyll probably be able to use the same system, which makes each a good back-up for the other.


    If neither works quite well enough, Rer is confident theres enough citizens with wind affinity to keep everyone from suffocating.


    The next major obstacle will be lighting. The only real solution to that is either enchanting, or somehow cultivating the disparate glowing nts, lichens, fungi and whatnot from Thedeims underground segments. That will probably be something else to discuss with Coda, once Teemo is free to trante. It will be simple enough to line the public spaces with the glowing flora and let them stay lit, but living spaces will need a way to dim the lights so people can sleep. The only thing Rer can think of for that is some kind of curtains to cover the glowing things. Shutters might be cheaper, or at least easier to source at the needed scale. He cant help but smile at the idea of people needing to close their windows even when deep under the ground.


    Thest major obstacle will be making sure everyone can eat. Thankfully, the enves seem to have the solution to that. The ratkin have their sporeflour to take the ce of a staple grain. Its strange, but not bad. Theyre still working out the best way to use it, the best recipes and methods of cooking. Miller even tells Rer that the owner of Cobble Bread, just across the street from Thedeims manor, is working on making a version of the signature bread that only uses subterranean ingredients!


    He wishes her luck, as a treat like that would definitely help with morale if everyone is stuck in the hold. For meat, the Spiderkin enve is to the rescue with their cave lobsters. The crustaceans dont look like much, but they have a lot of meat in their tails and ws. Their innards can also somehow be made into a delicious and nutritious broth. He knows offal can be healthy to eat, but its always been disgusting to him. Some people really like it, but hes never acquired the taste.


    Other food needs should be able to be sourced from Thedeim directly, especially if he expands towards the hold. Hes talked with Tarl of the Dungeoneers to try to figure out Thedeims next expansion, and after having augh at the idea of predicting what the dungeon might do, the most likely surface expansion is probably out past the cemetery. Tarl says it would probably take a couple expansions to actually get to the hold, but with Teemos shortcuts, it shouldnt be too difficult to get some kind of secret passage from the hold into the dungeon.


    Itd be a good n for him and the city both, after all. The city would continue to get ess to his resources, and hed continue to get ess to plenty of delvers. The only thing stopping Teemo from doing it now is that they havent surveyed to find the location for the entrance to the hold and the fact that Teemo is off to the Southwood again.


    Rer hopes hees back soon, just as he hopes hees back with good news. Hes seen the anatomical sketches of the strange invader, and thats definitely the kind of thing he doesnt want anywhere near his town. If hes lucky, the hostiles will be dealt with before they can be even more of a threat. It shouldnte to that probably.


    While he saw the sketch and wanted no part of it, Karn looked eager to fight something like that. The adventurers can have it with Rers blessing. He might be getting better with his rapier, but he just doesnt have the kind of adventuring drive as most of them. Hes d his friends and teammates have a simr attitude towards delving: its fun, its a good way to get stronger, but its not the highest priority. Rhonda wants to learn, Freddie wants to grow in his faith and inspire others, and Rer just wants to


    He pauses going over the reports and ns as he realizes he actually has something he wants. For the longest time, he just wanted to be left alone, to not create any waves, to not gain any attention. But those were mostly things he <em>didn''t</em> want. But now... he wants to build Fourdock to be prosperous and safe. It wasnt exactly poor and dangerous before, but it can be so much more. He likes the people, even though their attention makes him ufortable. The thought of walking down the street with everyone waving at him still makes his stomach twinge, but the idea of walking down the street as his adventurer identity, with people just talking,ughing, being loud and living happily thats the kind of thing that he could strive for.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-One

    Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-One


    Teemos on his way back home to get the medics and whoever else wants toe for the actual assault. Most of the adventurers are going with him, either just to get back home, or to get a fewst minute things so theyll be prepared for the attack. The scouting teams are already back out, setting up the basecamp to infiltrate from.


    Im still nervous about it, but theyre as prepared as they can be, and are all pretty experienced delvers. Its easy to forget that Im a bit of an anomaly with how I treat my delvers, but a hostile dungeon like the Maw is what the adventurers are used to dealing with. Theyve only just started setting up, so no excursions just yet. I imagine theyll probably wait for the reinforcements to make any real effort of getting a closer look, but who knows with adventurers.


    With my delvers, theyre all making their own preparations for the uing fight. It pains me to see it, but theyre probably right to ditch the metal armor and weapons. Thepound bows are still going to be used, since they should be at the rear, and so out of range of anyone trying to take control of the weapons. If any hostiles get close enough to actually make use of a metal affinity, the archers are going to be in trouble anyway.


    That doesnt mean the melee fighters are going in empty handed, though. Thes for the tarantkin arent metal, so they should still be able to ensnare foes like that. Theyre also swapping out their tridents for oversized bs, reminding me of I forget the name, but that ninja weapon with a weight on one end and a hook on the other. Except theyre putting weights on both ends. Theyre using rocks and ensnaring them in a big monkey fist knot, which looks cool and I dont doubt could be used to devastating effect as a blunt weapon.


    The jumping spiders are making do in their own way, too. The adjusting metal heads of the spears are gone, but the quick swap mechanism is still being used. They managed to convince Nova to stay behind and help make obsidian, and theyve been making a ton of volcanic ss spear heads, attached to the quick swap. While there are apparently skills to help them prate metal armor, theyll still break pretty often. But with the quick swap, they can just change out a broken head on the fly. Not how I expected the spears to work, but Im proud of my dwellers for thinking on their feet anding up with a solution like that.


    Leo and Honey are having the dwellers drill with the denizens when theyre not adjusting their gear, my scions wanting to make sure as many kinks in the system are worked out here, instead of getting blindsided on the battlefield. Theyre also working on changing formation in tight quarters, letting whoever needs to get to the front get there with minimal hassle, while also not just creating a huge hole for the enemy to take advantage of.


    They first tried swapping out half at a time, but that left too much of a gap. Thirds work better, and I think the new drills are trying a quarter at a time. I think thirds will be the best option, since I dont think the tunnels will allow for eight fighters to stand side to side. They might work with four, but I think six is going to be mostmon. Still, more narrow will probably be four, and wider could be eight. Learning to change positions in thirds and quarters will give them options for how to handle the actual fighting.


    While my dwellers offensive needs are being handled, their defenses are suffering. Theyre experimenting with wooden and silk armor, but its really clunky with what tools they have avable in the field. Queen is hoping to fix that, at least partially. Her work withcquer and silkposite armor is impressive, but I dont think its as good as metal armor yet. Still, itll be better than nothing.


    Shes working on standardizing the process and making it work with what she can get in the Southwood. Im pretty sure tree sap is a major part of resin, and silk will be easy enough to source from the dwellers, too. Shes still refining it as quickly as she can, and preparing to take part of herb on the road. Shes intending toe with the medics, and Im not going toin. Not only will she be able to try to outfit the dwellers inposite armor, but she could also help with any alchemical healing that might be required, too.


    Thing may or may note along as well. Hes been experimenting with how well theposite takes enchantments. So far, it doesnt seem they enchant easily, but even a simple durability enchantment would be great. Im pretty sure most metal armor uses a lot of enchanting to make them lighter, but theposite is already nicely light. A durability boost would be perfect.


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    He still hasnt perfected it yet, and if I understand the problem right, I dont me him. Most armors are engraved, etched, or iid with enchantments, because that works best on metal. I''d imagine it works decently with wood, too, but not a whole lot of people wander around in wooden armor. Robes and enchanted cloth have the enchantments woven into them. Hes been trying to use the metal methods, but they arent working.


    I poke the bond with him with the notion to try weaving the enchantment before the resincquer sets, to see if that would work better. He might even be able to try iying something into thecquer as it dries, too. Maybeposite materials requireposite solutions.


    He freezes in his work as he listens to the bond, then scrambles off the enchanting table to go find Queen. I can feel inspiration practically boiling off the bond, so I have a good feeling in regards to what hell be able to aplish with Queens help. I wonder if itll actually let him enchant it even more than a more traditional material. If so, were going to have to try figuring out how to make metallic honeb.


    I eye Honeys bees before mentally shaking my head. No, I think itll be on Jello to try to make something like that. In normalposites, a metal honeb is well, a honeb of metal, with the walls usually only a little thicker than foil. Im pretty sure its usually used in vehicle armor, often sandwiched between carbon fiber or other fibers. Maybe they run the fibers through theb, too? I have no idea, but thatd be pretty cool, and probably a pain to manufacture by hand. Still, if itd allow for enchanting the fiber, the metal, and even iying something into the resin, we could have some serious enchantment density.


    Thats probably why Thing is signing at Queen like a madhand. Oh, maybe we should try using chain or ring mail instead of a honeb, at least for the first prototype. Itll end up being a bit bulky, but probably not worse than some of the full te Ive seen people wear.


    I just wish we had some good weapons that arent metal. Its definitely toote to whip anything up right now, but its absolutely something to try to prepare, so well be ready if anything else with metal affinity shows up. So what are the options?


    ssic weapons do one or a mix of three things: bash, cut, stab. Bash is pretty easy to do without metal. Practically any rock can be carved into a good smashing shape, though they tend to crumble if you hit them too hard. A durability enchantment will probably help with that probably.


    Cutting and stabbing are a bit more difficult. Stone and wood can be used for stabbing, but wood doesnt hold a point very well without some magical shenanigan, and rock weakens a lot when carved to a point. Composites dont offer much in the way of help, or at least normal ones dont. No matter how refined, its still just tree sap and silk. Those can only be sharpened so much.


    Is there anything weird that might work as aposite? Itll be difficult, because metal really does have all the properties a good weapon wants: itll hold an edge, so its hard, but its also strong enough to not shatter when under a high force. Even when it breaks, it tends toward bending rather than breaking. A bent sword isnt great, but probably a little better than just having an empty hilt, and a bent hammer doesnt really care, while a bent spearhead can be bent back into shape for a couple more thrusts.


    So we need flexibility and hardness, which are not quite mutually exclusive, but not far away. Magic might be able to help some maybe a take on a macuahuitl? Ive heard them called obsidian swords, which is pretty far off. Theyre practically a cricket bat with shards of obsidian along the side. Im pretty sure they were more for maiming than actually killing, but refining the idea might work: softer core, harder edge.


    So silk andcquer for the main body of the weapon, and maybe some kind of ceramic edge? I think Ive seen swords that were basically a razor thin bit of steel set into a carbon fiber de. I dont know how well thatd actually work, and itd also still have some metal in it. I dont really like the idea of trying a ceramic or ss edge, though. Maybe a thin bit of metal wouldnt give someone with the affinity enough to actually get a grip on it?


    Ill have to ask Berdol once Teemo gets back. I want to have him ask Tarl about the known denizens of the Maw anyway. I should also touch bases with Rer, too. I dont know if hell be able to contribute much to the fight, but theres more going on than just dealing with the Maw.


    With the lighthouse getting close to finishing, hell probably want to get started on the vault. Coda seems to be looking forward to that, too. The lighthouse gave him some unique challenges, and the vault will, too. I just need to make sure theres no crazy social experiments going on in there. Itll probably be fine, as long as Queen doesnt run the ce.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-Two

    Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-Two


    The problem of a ded weapon helps distract me until Teemo gets here. At least I have a good idea for a sharp weapon thats not metallic, even if well only really have a supply of it after the fighting: the de limbs of the least monsters. If I had thought of it earlier, we could have harvested them from the battlefield outside the Southwood, but theyve long since dispersed into mana at this point. But a properly field dressed limb with a durability enchantment would probably make a perfect short sword.


    Or maybe a pick. Hard to say. Either way, Teemos back, and theres not really time to let him rx. At least he knows my ns, so its not like Im blindsiding him with work. No matter how much he jokinglyins.


    Youre a ve driver, Boss. Poor Teemo, making shortcuts, then no moment of rest before he has to go meet with people. Poor Teemo. His grin and tone give away the game, but its fun to y along.


    Yes, Evil Thedeim! I shall work my Voice to the bone! No rest for you!


    Oh cruel fate! To be the Voice of such a dungeon!


    We go back and forth a few times until Teemo pops into the ODA and does an Igor impersonation. Tarl! The Master needs your brain! he exims, dragging one of his feet.


    The elf just gives my Voice a confused look from his desk. It looks like hes nning out his inspections for the spring. Teemo? Are you alright?


    My Voice bursts intoughter and nods, taking a few seconds to gather himself enough to reply. Yeah, Im fine! Me and the Boss are just joking around, though we really do need your brain for this. Weve got a list of the denizens the Maw should have, so the Boss wants to know if theres any easy weaknesses, or special synergies we need to keep in mind.


    Tarl looks over to Tr at her desk, who perks up at the mention of a list, and she pulls out a scroll. She uncaps her inkwell and readies her pen, then locks her focus onto hopefully her favorite rat. Ill make an official note of it. Ive been preparing a dossier on this Maw, even if its going to soon be subsumed. The Guild will want the information regardless.


    Teemo nods and takes a moment to organize his thoughts. Alright, let me see the Maw has two types of spawners, three if you count the least monsters. Thats the weird leech-headed things. Anyway, two main spawner types, several of each spawner, were estimating between three and five of each: fey and elemental. The Maw is metal affinity, and the spawners match.


    Tarl groans at that, but doesnt otherwise interrupt as Tr scribbles. Teemo lets her catch up before continuing.


    It only has a scion from the fey spawners, as well as the Harbinger. Want to guess what the scion is, Tarl?


    A redcap, he answers with no hesitation. Probably its Voice, too. That many spawners means it should have upgraded by now.


    Teemo nods at that. Yep, a redcap and its the Voice, ording to the two refugees we found. Its maxed out the spawners, too, so it had an elf and dwarf enve, but they got emancipated? he asks, looking to Tarl for a bit more information on that. Tr is still scribbling, so Tarl indulges my and Teemos curiosities.


    Emancipating enves is moremon for older dungeons out in the wilderness. Having an enve gives a dungeon good bonuses and can more easily let it develop its territory, but an emancipated enve allows for more mana generation. When still an enve, the dwellers are usually a neutral on mana and resources. But once emancipated and technically fully independent, they can generate mana for the dungeon by ordinary delving.


    Teemo snorts. Technically independent is right. Theyre independent in name only, especially with the Maws clergy practically running the town.


    Tarl and Tr both nod, with thetter pausing her scribbling to give her opinion. Dungeon worship is quitemon among dwellers and the recently-emancipated, letting dungeons get mana both from the worship and from the delving. Ive heard some inspectors say its only a short-term gain, with people often moving away after a couple generations if the dungeon treats them poorly.


    I mean, theyre not wrong about that. But its a pretty good mana boost, as far as we can tell, and just because dungeons <em>can</em> live for generations, doesnt mean many actually do, supplements Tarl. Like with Thedeims own dwellers. With how he treats them, I doubt theyd leave of their own ord. The only real argument against him emancipating them is political. The Principalities would want to im them as beastkin, the Kingdom would want to im them because theyre in our territory, and the Holds might even try to im them as being below the surface. Itd be a pretty weak im, but they could try it. As long as Thedeim doesnt need more mana ie, theres no need to emancipate them directly into a big political mess like that.


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    Teemo and I both chuckle at that. The idea of giving my dwellers true freedom has crossed my mind, but the political ramifications have kept the idea deep in the fridge, not even close to on the backburner. Yeah, the Boss is aware. Not about the dwarves maybe making a im, but about the big mess itd cause, politically. Hes got ideas for cleaning up a lot of messes, but politics is not one of them.


    Smirks are shared before Tr taps the scroll with a finger. You said you had the list of denizens?


    Right right. The weird spawner has least and maybe lessers. The Boss thinks theyll probably go into normals or standards, before greaters and greatest, but thats just names. We have no idea what anything beyond the least would look like. The fey are needleslinks, desprites, bolties, desprite swarms, pricklethorns, and thinlinks. For the elementals there are living caltrops, lodewisps, rust elementals, sliverstorms, iron maidens, and forgemasters.


    Tarl whistles at the list as Tr jots it down. Those are some ugly denizens. The desprites and sliverstorms work simrly to deny movement, and will both be very dangerous whenbined with the caltrops. Youre going to need some good area attacks to deal with those. Try to minimize the amount of metal your dwellers bring to the battlefield. Only the lodewisps and the forgemasters can really turn metal back against you, but the sliverstorms can tear up any metal they get ahold of and make the swarm bigger.


    I wouldnt imagine theyll want to use the lodewisps too much, though. Theyre very good at controlling nearby metal, but they dont discriminate between friend and foe. They can act a lot like a sliverstorm if they get the chance, but with all the other metal denizens, you can probably just not worry too much about them. The rust elementals are going to be the biggest threat to anyone using metal, though. The elementals are pretty weak on their own, but they can relieve someone of their armor and weapon really quickly, and then theyre vulnerable to attacks from the others. Theyll probably be on the front lines, hoping to devastate anyone wearing armor, then either fall in battle or retreat to make room for the fighters.


    The iron maidens will be ambushers, not actual fighters. Theyll be guarding any side passages, hoping to pick off scouts and other sneaky attacks. Id expect them to mostly be in the dungeon itself. The real nastiness wille from thest three working together.


    Tarl leans back in his chair, folding his arms as he thinks. Pricklethorns, thinlinks, and forgemasters. Those are going to be nasty. Pricklethorns like to grapple and are tough to take down quickly. Usually, grapplers would make it difficult for others to help fight, but thinlinks have enough control over their chains to be able to do just that, no matter how hectic the melee gets. And forgemasters will be buffing them both, as well as tossing around offensive magics, too.


    An overwhelming magic attack would be the best option, but thats easier said than done. In a tight tunnel I think the main priority will be to not let the front line descend into anarchy from the pricklethorns. Thats also a lot easier to say than to do, though.


    Tarl looks thoughtful, trying to puzzle out a solution, before Teemo gives our rough n for the fights. For our denizens, were going to use as many basilisks as possible to try to deal with the caltrops, sprites, and storms. Well also be able to use the wyrms to get around them if we need to, and they can y their own havoc with the enemy lines of the prickles, thinlinks, and foregemasters. Arcane hands can bring some magical pain to bear, too, to try to keep things in our favor.


    For the dwellers theyre swapping away from metal right now, and the Boss is working on recements. I dunno what the adventurers are doing, but Im sure they all have some kind of n, at least if theyre going. Against the area denial denizens, theyll still be waiting on the basilisks to clear them out, and against the enemy denizen parties theyll probably rely heavily on using silk to ensnare what they can and hopefully keep the fights from getting too messy.


    Tarl nods to himself at that. That sounds workable, though Id suggest trying to keep as many adventuring groups handy as possible to help deal with area denial. Basilisks are good and strong, but theyre still obvious targets. Having adventurers supplement them will make progress a lot smoother.


    Then well pass that along. I think Karn is our next stop. The adventurers are going to be needed soon, so the Boss would like to get a headcount.


    Ill work with Tr to get a primer on those denizens written, then. Metal affinity dungeons are pretty rare, so I doubt many of them have had the pleasure of fighting those particr monsters before. Well still need to charge them, but it shouldnt dent anyones coin bag. Tarl looks a little ufortable about that, so Tr speaks up.


    Its against Guild policy to give information for free, but with your contribution and the situation, we can put the payment for your information towards that. And speaking of Guild policy can we purchase any additional information about the Maw, once this is over? Even subsumed dungeon information can be valuable to the Guild.


    Teemo echos my smirk as he nods. I think we can do that. Honey will probably write an entire encyclopedia on the thing by the time were done.


    Tarl looks indifferent to that answer, but Tr looks a bit conflicted. Id say shes trying to decide if the boost to her prestige in the guild will be worth trying to organize that much information, which only makes meugh harder. As if Honeys standards arent stricter than the Guilds.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-Three

    Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-Three


    Teemo chats with Tarl and Tr for a few more minutes, before taking his leave. I was hoping wed be able to ask Berdol a couple questions about metal affinity, but it seems hes delving right now. I take a few minutes to search for him while Teemo heads to the Adventurers Guild, and I only just spot him before Teemo pops out of a shortcut. The catkin is exploring thevabyrinth, so I think well have plenty of time to finish with the guild before trying to catch up to him to ask about metal affinity.


    My Voice scurries through the door and weaves through a variety of feet as he makes for the bar. To Teemos ears, the bar is pretty loud, and it seems a lot busier than I was expecting it to be. He climbs up next to a hyenakin or is she a gnoll? Is there a difference? My confusion doesnt distract Teemo as he gets Karns attention.


    Hey Karn!


    Oh hey, Teemo! Ill get to you after this round, unless its important? he asks as he gathers a double-fistfull of mugs.


    Its important, but not really time sensitive. Karn quickly fills the mugs and ms them on the bar.


    Six ales! Come get it yourself, I got stuff to do! Chuckles resound as arge party gets up to get their refreshments, and Karnes over to Teemos end of the bar. So, whats up? Or do you want to head to my office?


    I think itll be fine to speak here. There isnt really anything we need to keep secret from the adventurers.


    Heres fine. The Boss finally has a better idea of when to strike the Maw.


    Karn raises an eyebrow. The Maw? Is that what the dungeon is calling itself?


    Yeah, and its quite a piece of work. Its metal affinity, and has the Harbinger, which is a mind affinity monstrosity.


    The thin orc whistles at that. A nastybination. What kind of level?


    Teemo shrugs. Pretty strong, but Rocky was able to obliterate it on his own, so a pretty far step from him.


    The guildmaster rubs his chin as he considers that, and Teemo can see several of the bar patrons looking thoughtful as well. If theyre thinking, might as well give more information. We talked to Tarl about the denizens, too, and he didnt seem too worried. Some of thepositions will be nasty, but he didnt seem to think it was anything insurmountable.


    Yeah? Whats the worst of the denizens?


    Thinlinks, pricklethorns, and foremasters. He thinks theyll probably form groups, but the tunnels should hopefully keep them from getting too overwhelming.


    Karn frowns at the list. Hmm that <em>is</em> pretty nasty, but there should be more than a few groups who ought to be able to handle something like that. Anything else?


    Well, we dont expect the Harbinger to be on the front lines, but its possible. Theres also a redcap scion that seems to be a real nasty one, too. Oh, and you should be getting groupsing back soon with info on the dungeon and the caves and such. A couple groups are helping with better intel gathering. Were hoping to be able to attack in as soon as a week, if we can find the kobold enve.


    Aranya doesnt know where it is? asks the orc, looking surprised.


    Teemo sighs and shakes his head. No. Inside the Maw itself, but aside from that, she doesnt remember. She wasnt one of the ones allowed out into the dungeon and the town outside it. When she fled, she wasnt exactly making a map, either. All she really knows is the core isnt inside the enve, or at least not visibly so.


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    Hmm. A town, you said?


    Yeah, emancipated dwellers, worships the Maw. Most of them are civilians. The Boss isnt sure if he should try to leave securing it to you guys, or try to do that himself.


    Fair, that kind of thing can get real messy. My guilders are great at their jobs, but any mistake can lead to a tragedy. Ill try asking the Shieldies if they want to join for that part of the mission. Theyre a lot better at being organized and are used to having the defenses to be able to react, instead of having to act first like most adventurers do.


    Yeah, thatd probably be for the best. You guys are a lot more used to just kicking butt, but the Shield followers actively train in public rtions. Itd probably be a good idea to have a few groups of adventurers around to help them out, though. The rest, Boss was hoping to use to potentially attack the Maw itself, try to open a route for his heavy hitting scions toe and actually bring the fight to it.


    Karn nods, looking like hes mentally sorting a couple lists. The newer groups will be good to help the Shieldies. Not the kids, they dont need to get mixed up in this. I have a few groups transitioning away from being mercs that should be able to do what might need to be done He trails off for a few moments before his eyestch back onto Teemo.


    For the assault, I think basically any of my established parties should be good. Did Vnarls group say what they were going to do?


    Yeah, theyre helping with a forward base for spying. Theyre not especially good at being sneaky, but if anything nasty manages to find the base, theyll make sure everyone gets out. For the actual attack, they havent said, but I cant imagine them wanting to be anywhere besides the front line.


    Karn chuckles at that. Yeah, I dont think theyd let that kind of opportunity slip by. How are you going to keep the adventurers from giving the Maw a whole bunch of mana from killing the denizens?


    Were going to be pairing them up with some of the Boss denizens. I dont know if thatll let the entire group count as invaders or not, but it should at least make the Maw take some kind of a loss on each encounter.


    Hmm, experience splitting isplicated enough without adding that kind of variable in. The Maw only getting half the return is probably a reasonable assumption?


    Teemo nods. Thats what the Boss is figuring, yeah. The exact numbers vary a bit, but only getting half the payback of mana from a lost denizen should be a loss for the Maw. If were lucky, itll count the entire group as invaders and itll get nothing, but well have to see.


    Anything else?


    Oh, Tarl said hes working on a primer pamphlet thing for how to handle the Maws denizens, and he says anyone interested in going should buy one.


    Karn smiles at that. Ill make sure everyone knows, and probably buy a couple copies for the library, too. That Maw probably wont stick around for much longer, but Im always looking to make the guild bestiary moreplete.


    How many adventurers do you think will want toe and help?


    Karnughs at that and raises his voice. If any of you were somehow <em>not</em> eavesdropping, Thedeim is putting out a call for adventurers to help put a stop to a hostile dungeon calling itself the Maw. The delve is going to be a tough one, but youll have at least a few of Thedeims own denizens to tag along with each party! There will also be a need for some help in securing a town, and probably room for runners and other logistics work!


    The bar goes silent at his promation, and Karn smirks at Teemo before he continues. Who wants to go?


    Every hand in the guild raises, and Teemo can even hear the sounds of boots up the stairs scrambling to get down to signal their own desire toe fight. Karns grin only widens as he sees the expected response.


    Im gonna have to force a lottery to keep someone behind with me. Not only are you offering a new adventure to a guild founded to find things like that, but youre also the best delve anyone here has ever had, Thedeim. You might not be an adventurer, but youre still practically family to a lot of the people here. Aranyas one of us, too. Her people are in trouble. Adventurers might have a reputation for being flighty or unreliable, but we protect our own. You saved Yvonne, dont think any of us have forgotten that. We cant buy you a round as thanks, but we can definitely go kick some butt to show our appreciation.


    His wide smile softens to one of pride in his guild as everyone raises a ss, and he raises an empty mug as well. Besides, this is going to be an adventure nobody is going to want to miss. The Slim Chance Guild always defies the odds!


    The hall erupts in a cheer as Teemo and I both are a bit dumbfounded. Ive always tried to treat the adventurers right, but I somehow never expected them to reciprocate, especially not with a situation as dangerous as this. I guess that kind of attitude, of doing what needs doing, no matter the danger, is just what makes an adventurer an adventurer.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-Four

    Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-Four


    After all that with the adventurers, Im feeling more motivated than ever to make the fight with the Maw a quick and decisive one, if at all possible. The adventurers probably would prefer a bit more of a fight, but Id rather have them disappointed and alling home. The frustrating part is that theres probably not a lot more I can do to try to influence that particr oue.


    Ive done a lot of nning, and my denizens, scions, and dwellers have been doing a lot of executing on those ns. Theres a fewst minute things to do, and who knows, maybe the final bit of scouting will reveal some fatal w to exploit in the Maw, but I doubt it. The Maw is big and old, so if it had some fundamental w in its defenses, something would have gotten through by now, Id imagine. Maybe itd be something only I would notice and be able to exploit, but I feel like magic makes having any weakness like that difficult to sustain over a long period.


    You ok, Boss? squeaks my Voice while in the middle of a shortcut.


    Hmm? Oh, sorry. Im just


    Just running around in circles in that big mind of yours. Try to rx or something, Boss. Everyone and everything is about as prepared as we can make them now. Dont go stressing out over something you cant really do anything about.


    I take a deep mental breath and nod. Yeah youre right. Its just easier to say than to do, you know?


    Teemo barks augh at that. Yeah, I know. Go watch the delvers or something. Im gonna check and see if Rer is avable for a meetingter. Go unwind, Boss. Waiting is hard, but its all we can really do right now.


    I let my attention wander over my territory, watching everything going on. People are mining, gathering, fighting, looting, chatting, crafting the life just makes me happy to see. I dont focus on anyone in specific, and instead just kinda soak in the atmosphere. My attention eventually drifts towards the ratkin enve, where I notice Aranya with a mixed group of dwellers around her.


    Usually, thatd mean shes giving or about to give a sermon, but the mood feels a little different for that. Its like just before a movie starts, rather than right before the pastores in. Aranya smiles as my attention falls on the group, and speaks up over the murmurs of the crowd.


    It feels like Lord Thedeim is interested in todays legend, too.


    The murmurings shift to have a mix of surprise and reverence, but Im feeling a bit more confused. Shes been telling legends? About what? The red kobold smiles as she feels my confusion.


    Kobold legends, passed down from before the Maw captured us. Today, Im going to tell our creation legend.


    Oohh, a creation myth? Those are fun. I settle in to listen, and Aranya takes a few more moments to prepare herself for the tale.


    At first, all was still. The earth, the waters, the air the mana. Nothing moved, and though it was very stable, there was no life. Then, there was a disturbance in the mana, causing it to ripple like a tapped bowl of water. The movement was slight and smallpared to all the mana, but the movement was still there.


    The ripples expanded, bouncing, reflecting, until finally chance brought enough of the ripples together to coalesce. This coalescence was the First Sanctuary, born from the confluence of still and moving mana. The First Sanctuary marveled at everything around it, observing and examining everything it could sense.


    The earth was hard and unmoving, stable and secure. It had interesting shapes and structure, but it didnt hold the Sanctuarys attention for too long. The air and water held its attention for even less time. This is partially because the mana was so much more interesting. The mana <em>moved</em>. The ripples were there, creating interesting and intriguing interactions as they moved, as fascinating as they were fleeting.


    It looked out and saw that some mana wasnt moving. In truth, most of it was still and boring. There was so much stillness, with such a small ind of motion. It started to fear the ripples would stop altogether, but looking closer relieved the First Sanctuary. It was helping move the mana, sending out its own ripples to keep the mana interesting.


    But is it fair for the mana to be the only interesting thing? If the Sanctuary can move the mana, can it move the earth? It tried, but earth is stubborn, far too stubborn for the Sanctuary to move. Perhaps it should start with something easier? The water is probably easier to move, but the air would be even easier still! Water likes to sit in its ponds,kes, and oceans, but air seems to be happy anywhere. Not wanting to be anywhere in specific should make it easy to move, right?


    The Sanctuary tried to move the air, tried to use mana to make it react. It seeded! Making the air move was easy! It moved the air for a time, enjoying how it could even coax the water to move at least a little. It even enjoyed how stubbornly the earth would stay still as the air moved around it. But there was a problem: the air would only move when the Sanctuary would do it itself. Can it make the air move on its own?


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    This was far more difficult. Air doesnt mind moving, but it also doesnt mind being still. It needs a will, a reason to move! And so the First Sanctuary wove mana into the air, trying to make it understand how much more interesting movement is! The mana slipped away from the First Sanctuary, and it thought it had failed, but then it noticed a small swirl of air, moving about on its own. It worked! The First Sanctuary had created the first air elemental!


    It made more, and eventually the air elementals learned to make more of themselves. The First Sanctuary watched them dance and frolic, their movement even disrupting the still mana! Now the First Sanctuary could truly enjoy movement without having to make it all on its own. With its sess fresh in its mind, the First Sanctuary set about making a new elemental. It learned with the air how to make movement, and though water was more resistant, the First Sanctuary could get the waters to make waves, to move in rivers, to fall from clouds.


    And with it now used to motion, the First could weave will into it just like with the air. This time, the mana didnt slip away at the end, and instead flowed smoothly into the small drop of water. The air elementals weed their new brethren, and the two groups worked to keep their elements moving. The First relished in the camaraderie, and wished to bring in the earth as well.


    With all the movement, even stubborn earth would sometimes try to move, though it found it much more difficult. Sand would ride the winds, but rarely moved on its own. Rain could move some of the mountains, but once it had slid down far enough, the earth went still again. This would be much more difficult to move.


    The First worked hard to make the earth move, and though it didnt seem against the idea anymore, it still refused to move! It tried harder, and even created an earthquake, but the rumbling quickly subsided. Perhaps the Sanctuary should try making the elemental and let it work on making the earth move?


    Making a single piece of earth move quickly seemed to be impossible, as anyrge rock would shatter instead of flow like the water or air. The First was concerned, but the broken bits of earth didnt seem to mind. Uncertainly, it tried again, gathering the broken bits to suffuse with will and mana, and to the Sanctuarys surprise, it worked!


    The small earth elemental was happy to move, though it didnt move like the other two elements. They would dance and glide, while the earth would rumble along. The Sanctuary tried to ask it why, and the earth elemental was confused. It was moving, as was its element. Wasnt that what the First Sanctuary wanted?


    Of course, but the earth wasnt moving at all! Then the small earth elemental told the Sanctuary to just pay more attention. The earth all around was moving, inspired by the air and water, but moving in its own way. It moves slowly, deliberately. It doesnt need to move at the speed of the others. It will take its time with the movement.


    This was strange to the First Sanctuary, but after watching for a time, it came to appreciate the earths movements, as well as those of the air and water. And yet it felt like there could be more to move. But what else was there? The mana? Its already moving that. It thought as it watched the elements moving, and eventually noticed something interesting.


    The airs movement brought cold air and froze some shallow water. Can ice move? It feels very different from regr water, so perhaps? The First tried to make the ice move, and immediately felt like something was wrong. It was very different from the others, not really stubborn, but missing <em>something</em>. What could it be?


    It thought and observed some more, until an earth elemental brought something interesting it had found deep below: liquid rock! Very <em>hot</em> liquid rock! The earth elemental called it fire, but didnt know what it was. Once it left the liquid rock, the rock became regr earth again. Seeing the fire inspired the First Sanctuary, and it realized what the ice was missing. It needed something to move with! The other elements might be happy to move with each other, but these two would need an opposite to move properly!


    It still needed some of the other elements to move well, however. The ice needed water, and the fire needed the stone, but stone is so difficult to work with! The First Sanctuary tried to get the water to take both of the new elements, but while it didnt mind the ice, it refused the fire. Air, however, was eager to be included, and so took the fire and burst into a brilliant orange color. The Sanctuary was happy at that, but could see it needed to work quickly. The fire and ice were suffused with will and mana, each opposing the other, yet also somehow bolstering the other. The First Sanctuary released the two, and they spun off in a beautiful dance across the earth, the air, and the water!


    The First Sanctuary reveled in the new movement, seeing so many things moving, and coaxing more of the mana to move with it. The endless stillness was being beaten back. After a time, a water elemental came to the Sanctuary with something new. It was a lot like water, but green, and could move on its own, despite not being an elemental! The water elemental left it with the Sanctuary, and the First Sanctuary watched. It saw the green move towards the light, and away form the shadow, and saw another pair to release into the world. At this point, it was used to creating the elemals, and so the first light and shadow elementals were created.


    It continued to watch the green with its strange movements, and eventually saw some of it stop moving. Something about its movement, andck of movement, felt fundamentally <em>different</em> than the difference between moving and still mana, and after watching closely, the First Sanctuary saw another pair to unleash: life and death. While the other elementals created some motion with their release, the life and death elementals created the biggest difference of all!


    New green appeared across thend, some standing tall to get more of the light it needed. Things appeared to eat the green, and things appeared to eat what ate the green.


    Aranya finally pauses the legend and smiles at the gathered dwellers. And that is how everything came to be. Mostly. The creation of kobolds and thinking life is a different legend. Her smile grows mischievous as she nces towards my core, despite the buildings, caves, and stone between her and it. Maybe Ill tell that one tomorrow?


    Aw, but I wanna hear it now!

 Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-Five

    Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-Five


    I spend most of the rest of the day watching the enves, and let Teemo catch Rer up on whats going on. He doesnt really have anything new to add to the nned fight, though he does have a few questions about resources. A full on iron vein would be pretty cool, and I dont doubt itll be sustainable. Just the limestone quarry is pumping out tons of mana from how much the people want it. Making an iron vein wont exactly be cheap, but the upkeep is pretty minimal. Im confident itll be a good mana printer.


    Ill be waiting until after the fight, though. Im sitting on a lot of mana, which I fully intend to let Fluffles leverage for the fight. He and Teemo have been working on something interesting, and I get the feeling its going to eat boatloads of mana to be able to actually pull off. I check for cheaper veins, and while copper and tin wouldnt be too bad, some of the more interesting minerals just t out dont show up. Mythril and orichalcum do, but those are stupid expensive. But more normal things like sulphur or salt dont. I dunno if its because of where Im located, or if theyre just not options for veins. If theyre quarries, I dont see them yet, either.


    So yeah, Ill be adding an iron vein to my to-do list, alongside expanding into the forest and making the ant enve. But all that aside, my dwellers are doing great. The spiderkin have been working hard to make more winter wear, and so theyve been wandering around a bit more on the surface. Im always a little nervous when they leave my view, but theyre grownups, and the town is safe, so I do my best not to dwell on it.


    Im also keeping an eye on where Aranya told that legend yesterday. She promised another one today, and I dont want to miss it. If I didnt know better, Id say shes deliberately taking her time preparing and doing other errands. I wouldnt put it past her to tease me like that. At least being focused on the story keeps me from obsessing over the uing fight.


    I kinda wish she wasnt going to join the next group going that way, if only to get more legends out of her. I bet she was on her way to a historian ss or something before stumbling into me. Maybe she actually was one? I think sses can change, or upgrade, or something? Nobody really talks about it much, at least not where I can hear.


    My mind idly chews on the idea of sses advancing and how, before I notice Aranya making her way to the pulpit, I guess? She smiles as I settle in to listen, and the gathered ratkin and spiderkin nce around. I wonder if they can feel my attention like Aranya can. Tarl said he could sense when Im paying attention, but was that just having good perception, or is it an inspector thing?


    Yes, Lord Thedeim is listening today, says Aranya to the gathered dwellers, leading to the murmuring growing a bit more excited before she continues, and they fall into a respectful quiet.


    I promised the legend of how Kobolds came to be, but its really how all intelligent life came to be. Oh, people argue their own legends of course, but this is the one my people tell.


    The First Sanctuary, after creating so much, was not satisfied to stop now. I can only assume spawning was different, so long ago, because I never said anything about a spawner for the elementals, did I? Sometimes they would make more of themselves, and sometimes the First Sanctuary would make them itself, but there was no spawner for them.


    The First Sanctuary never imagined the need for something like that, and so merrily kept creating, and sending the creations out into the stagnant mana. Some would die, but thats simply part of life. The First Dungeon experimented with life, trying to weave all new and wonderful varieties. The fey came first.


    Did you think a kobold legend would start with kobolds? she asks the crowd with a smile. Though I say the fey came first, it would be more urate to say nts and beasts came first, but they were part of thest legend, so they dont count. Anyway, the fey. They were different than the beasts. Most of the beasts had little use for mana, at least in anyplex form. They would use some, but their type of use was not far from what many today would consider to be martial uses. They would hit harder, rather than throw a fireball.


    The fey were inclined to wield mana more directly. The First Sanctuary even looked back at the elementals, and was intrigued to discover the elementals were rather bnced in their mana usage. With three different ways of handling mana, the First Sanctuary wanted to see if the different varieties of life could handle more mana.


    It took time, but progress was steady. Stronger beasts were created, stronger, elementals, stronger fey. They would impact the stagnant mana more and more, and yet the First Sanctuary felt there was still room for improvement. Finer maniptors, greater intellects, things needed to better guide and better understand mana were needed.


    The First decided to focus on the fey for this new idea. The beasts saw little difference between mana and muscle, and the elementals had difficulty understanding there was a difference between themselves and mana. But the fey actively tried to manipte it. That would make the process much easier to start with!


    And so, after much effort and a great multitude of lesser fey being created, the First Sanctuary created the first elf. The Sanctuary was beside itself with joy, and quickly made many more. The new life naturally brought mana to motion, making the Sanctuarys desire all the easier. The elves were grateful, and though they stayed with the Sanctuary for a time, they were curious about thends of stagnant mana. The First Sanctuary warned them of dangers, of the strange twisted versions of so many of its creations that woulde back, mad with bloodlust.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the vition.


    But the elves needed to go, so the Sanctuary wouldnt stop them. Once they left its territory, it was shocked to see just what kind of impact they had on fully stagnant mana. While it could feel them moving it within its borders, the mana almost heaved and frothed with what the elves would make it do!


    The Sanctuary worried it may have made a mistake, until the stagnant mana tried to resist the movement, and the opposing forces created a new Sanctuary. The first was ecstatic to have another of its kind. It guided the newborn, and the two worked to bring even more intelligent life into the world. With the sess of the elves, the First set about replicating it with the beasts, while the second decided to create different elves, based on different affinities.


    The First created beastkin, apparently many at once. I dont know which kin was first. I personally suspect birdkin, but that might just be from me listening to some of Yvonnes legends of the Goldenwings. She titters at a few memories, before continuing.


    Which was first wasnt important. The important part was that they were, as a whole, much more able to expand into the stagnant mana than the elves. A single elf is versatile, sure, but will not thrive in any particr niche as well as a kin in the perfect environment.


    After the kin, came the dwarves, as the First came to the elementals. The surface was well popted, but the tunnels of the deep were still stagnant, and the dwarves were perfectly suited to the tight confines. The second dungeon was even inspired by the dwarves to create gnomes, having had difficulties with certain affinities to base an elf on.


    Life flourished, and new Sanctuaries were born, new intelligence created. The First continued to learn and grow, observing what made the fey different from the elementals different from the beasts. As it watched and learned, it found something new, some other variety of life. It wasnt quite tied to the elementals, but to something very simr. It was a strange piece of existence, and so the First decided to weave will and mana into it, if only to see what it was.


    It created a gremlin, a primal spirit of shadow affinity. Ive heard some rangers call them nature or natural spirits, not to be confused with incorporeal undead. This new variety of life was just as wonderful to the First as the others, and soon orcs and goblins spread across the surface and below it.


    But still, where are we? Where are the kobolds? Im getting to that, she answers her own question with a smile.


    The First wanted to create more, and felt it had almost run out of things to create. It searched and found no new life like with the primal spirits. It briefly wondered if the stagnant mana could be a life, but every interaction with it showed it antithetical to life. So what could it create?


    Maybe it could weave life together, like with mana affinities? It sounded difficult, maybe impossible, but the First was eager for a challenge. It wanted to weave life together, but how? There is so much to life, in all its varieties. Where to even begin? Well, much like with starting with the elemental affinities, it should start with the simplest forms, the most obvious things.


    Elementals, fey, beasts, spirits. The beasts are strong and incredibly varied, surely at least one of them would provide a proper base? Muscle and bone, but the First wanted more. The elementals had such trouble differentiating themselves from raw mana because they are suffused with so much of it. Can that strength be infused into a form like a beasts? The fey are great with manipting mana, second only to the sanctuaries themselves, so if the First wants the best aspect of them, it will be that mana control.


    But what of the spirits? Perhaps it doesnt need them? It tried to weave the other life and could immediately see terrible imbnce before the whole weave fell apart. It needed more, but could a primal spirit give what was needed? The First understood the spirits the least, but it had a feeling the spirits would prove a vital part of this new life.


    It tried again, and this time with the ephemeral traits of the spirits in the mix. They proved to be thest ingredient, though not the most vital. All parts were imperative to the whole, each needed to strike the bnce and create stability. It was difficult, so very difficult. Easily the most difficult thing the First had ever done, but it finally seeded!


    No, not the first kobold. The first <em>dragon</em>. A wyrm. Aranya smirks and continues. After that, the creation of my people was almost an afterthought. With a new variety of life, all the sanctuaries set about creating dragons with different affinities, and making them stronger, wiser. The First created us. Some of the other sanctuaries were not impressed with us. The intelligent form of the new life, one built from the best of all the others, and its just some short lizardkin?


    She smiles fondly. But the First loved us as much as all of its creations. Thats why we kobolds call them sanctuaries, rather than dungeons. They are our home. We dont begrudge the others for moving away and moving on. Perhaps, if given time, we would have done the same. But before we could, the Great Catastrophe befell the Sanctuaries, sparked by one that even the most devout kobold would readily call a dungeon.


    She stretches and looks around the gathered dwellers, and nods to herself. But that is another legend as well. Maybe Ill tell that one after Ie back. I need to prepare to sojourn to the Southwood with the adventurers and Lord Thedeims denizens. Be safe and be well, all of you. She smiles as everyone stands, and makes some small talk while I digest the legend.


    Theres a lot to unpack, even without how far its probably drifted from the truth over the years. I think the biggest oddity is that I dont hear anything about the system, or whatever they call it here. Were dungeons a lot more free-form, way back when? Or was the system so obvious that nobody thought to explicitly mention it? There was no mention of Voices, either, despite the dungeonsmunicating.


    At least Ill have something to upy myself with while Aranya and everyone travels. Maybe the system was always there, but only started imposing rules after that Great Catastrophe? Its too bad it sounds like theres no dungeons from that time left to ask.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-Six

    Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-Six


    As everyone gathers on the far side of the cemetery wall, I watch through Teemos eyes the growing throng in the pre-dawn light. Everyst basilisk of mine is there, and Ill probably keep sending them as they spawn. Its still pretty slow, and Im tempted to upgrade the dragon spawner again to increase the speed, but I hold off. A couple dozen more basilisks could be nice, but I want to make sure Fluffles has plenty of my mana to throw around when the timees.


    My own denizens and scions are the first to show up, unsurprisingly. Queen has herb packed up and secured to several tunnelbore ants, and I watch through her eyes asionally to make sure things are going well. Sensing her pheromones is kinda weird, but shes calm and collected through the apparent chaos of the ants moving around. Things senses are even weirder, I dont even know how to describe it. Maybe touch, but at a distance? Anyhow, hisb is also strapped to several tunnelbores.


    I think he and Queen are trying to see if they can make theirbs functional on the go, but I wouldnt hold my breath, even if I still had any. The ants are pretty stable as they move, but theres still a bit of motion to them. I think they might be able to get used to working in that kind of conditions, but I dont think they want to waste the materials to learn. They dont have the most resin to y with right now, but they should have plenty once they get to the Southwood.


    The medics gather as well, my magmyrms looking a bit nervous about being on the surface, but also eager to put their training to work. More tunnelbores carry their equipment, as well as empty baskets and bags for gathering. Quite a few aranea are riding along, too. I think some are hoping to make some quests in the Southwood. I dont know if thatll work, but I like the initiative. If it doesnt work, they can help make silk for theposite armor.


    Aranya shows up at the same time the first couple adventurer groups do, and she happily chats with them. I wonder if the timing is an adventurer thing? I cant imagine them keeping to a rigid schedule, but I <em>can</em> imagine them having a rough idea of the best time and way to prepare to go on a long journey. As dawn nears, I think the entire guild is here, except for Karn. Theres probably some unlucky group staying with him, but its not one I recognize as absent.


    The Shield worshipers start showing up only slightlyter, and they mingle with the adventurers. I think everyone is a bit nervous, but also looking forward to doing their part. They all know it will be messy, but they also know the mess wont clean itself. Teemo chats with a few as he wanders, checking in on everyone and rying info to Aranya when needed.


    Just as the sun is getting ready to actually rise, I see two people I wasnt expecting to show up. The birds in the cemetery do their best to give them the appropriate wee, but theres just more around the manor than the cemetery. I dont even need to poke Teemo for him to dart through a shortcut to greet the surprise guests.


    Tarl! Berdol! The Boss didnt think you guys would being! exims my Voice from a bush, before hurrying out.


    Tarl smirks at my scion. Really? Did he actually think I wouldnt want to do an inspection of the Maw? Besides, a hostile inspection will be good training for Berdol. Facing a matching affinity can help lessen the danger for a first run.


    While Tarl looks confident, the tabby catkin looks a bit more nervous. Id probably be nervous, too, bringing that much metal to this particr fight.


    Yeah? Is he strong enough to resist the influence of the nastier denizens, then? asks Teemo, eyeing Berdol. The apprentice gives a small shrug.


    Matched affinities are prettyplicated, especially when they try to directly control the same piece of their element. Its usually too much of a hassle to try to directly grab something under someone elses control. Its better to just use your own de to engage, like a sword fight.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the vition.


    Teemo doesnt look too convinced, mirroring my own worries for the catkin. Youre sure? Im pretty sure Rhonda did that to Rocky to get her ss.


    Tarl snorts at that. To get a very rare ss thats all about examining magic. Berdol should be fine. Id give details, but its rude to give away the secrets of some elses ss.


    Teemo looks to Berdol with curious eyes, and I can practically feel him channeling Honey to get some more info out of the inspector in training. He cant stand against such an onught, and soon borates.


    My personal style of metal magic is well, very personal. It works best with <em>my</em> stuff, and anyone else will have a hard time taking <em>my</em> stuff from me. Tarls been talking about those denizens since you dropped the info on us, and I think the biggest threat to me will be the rust elementals. I wont quite be a counter to a sliverstorm or something, but I should be able to slow one down enough for someone else to finish it off.


    Which will be my job, interjects Tarl. A friendly inspection should be done solo, so the inspector can better bond with a dungeon. But against a hostile dungeon, a partner is practically required. Metal is a little more difficult for me to deal with, but with Berdol able to interfere with the denizens, I should be able tond hits on weaknesses a lot easier than on my own.


    Teemo nods at that. Fair enough. Do you want to try some of Queen and Things new armor, Tarl? Id offer some to you too, Berdol, but theres no metal in it. Heh, theyll probably want your input on a few designs that incorporate some, though.


    They both look intrigued by that, and the senior inspector speaks up first. New armor? What madness has Thedeim cooked up this time?


    Teemo smirks and hops up onto Berdols shoulder and motions towards the gathered crowd, letting the two continue walking as he exins. Its basically a thick silk weave encased incquer. It will scratch and gouge pretty easily, but getting fully through it is hard to do. The Boss is still working on improving it, but they shouldst for at least one battle, which is hopefully all well need for now.


    What does he want to know about adding metal to it? asks Berdol as Tarl considers the benefits of a good ative protector.


    He mostly wants to know how much metal you need to get a grip on something, and if thats a general limitation, or a you limitation.


    Thats a bitplicated. I can pull metallic buttons off of someones shirt, but I wont think to try to grab a hidden de if I dont know its there. Ive met a few that could sense metal better than I can, but its not verymon.


    Can you grab thin metal? Like really thin?


    Berdol thinks it over as they join everyone else. Ive never had thin metal to test against, at least not thinner than a de. Would metal that thin help with armor, though?


    Teemo nods. It seems weird to me, but the Boss is pretty confident in it, so Im not going to doubt him. Do you think youd be able to tear metal out of ayer ofcquer and probably silk, too?


    Berdol slowly shakes his head. Even if I knew it was there, I doubt it. If you, for some reason, put a bunch of des into the armor, I might be able to get them to cut free, but more blunt metal would be pretty difficult to tear through something like that.


    Would you be able to immobilize someone wearing it?


    ...maybe? Id have to try it. I dont think anyone has ever had to test it.


    Poor guy, he just said the secret word. Every ant and hand within earshot looks at him, with the ones further turning their gaze on him like a tide of eyes and fingers? I still dont understand how the hands sense things. Berdol, at least, can sense the danger hes in, but hes in too deep now. Teemo gives him a sympathetic look before turning to Tarl.


    Queen and Thing want to borrow him for the trip, and probably for the entire time up until the attack.


    Tarl solemnly nods, regretting having to give his assistant away like this, but he has no other choice. Poor Berdol. When they say curiosity killed the cat, I dont think they usually mean it like this. Im sure hell be fine.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-Seven

    Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-Seven


    The next couple days are almost a bit of a halfway point between waiting and doing, like packing your bags for a big trip. It doesnt feel like theres much to do, but youre also incredibly busy while doing it.


    Berdol actually works great with Thing and Queen. They have him test all sorts of things for moving metal embedded in other materials, and he heads to bed with an eager tiredness each time. The kind of tired that makes you look forward to getting tired again, knowing youve actually done something.


    The tests are looking pretty encouraging, too. It looks like the force Berdol can exert on metal inside materials is proportional to the strength of the metal. A stronger metal mage could probably do some damage, but even they will only be able to do so much with a bit of foil. Aposite with metal also looks to be more resistant if the metal is a single piece, instead of links in chainmail.


    It looks like the pieces can move a bit against each other, but with a singlerge piece embedded, its difficult to get traction to do anything. And again, with the embedded foil, its difficult to do much anyway. I think a honeb will give a bit more to grab onto for a metal affinity, but all the resin and silk in and around it will basically make it impossible to tear out of the armor. Other materials also seem to get in the way of noticing the metal in the first ce, and I wouldnt be surprised if Thing can obfuscate it further with enchantments.


    At the Southwood, were starting to get reports back from the forward scouting base. Theyre pretty confident theyve mapped out the Maws borders, and have a few potential angles to try sending in the tunnelbores to dig our own way into the Maw. The team of scouts have sessfully done a delve, and are carefully mapping it out.


    As far as Leo and Honey can tell, the information seems legit. The details contradict with some of the suborned rockslides, so Im cautiously optimistic theyre as good as they said they are. It also hints that the Maw isnt more attentive than me, which is a relief. Id imagine it would have an easy time getting an exact number from the townsfolk or the clergy about how many are delving, but it hasnt bothered to cross reference. Three people isnt enough to make it notice extra bodies, so it also probably has regr delvers.


    From what Lech and Merrik said, it probably has more delvers than usual right now, what with the recruits needing to train and gain levels.


    The changelingdy has also started her infiltration of the town. She hasnt reported much back just yet, but she warned everyone thatd probably be the case. She cant be tracked back to the base if she doesnt go back. My other eyes and ears havent noticed any significant change in the activities of the town and the Maw yet, so things are probably not a disaster yet, right?


    <strong>Jen</strong>


    She really hopes she hasnt bitten off more than she can chew. She told Thedeim she could sneak in and get information about the town, and she doesnt intend to make herself a liar.


    Still, shes nervous. Shes used to working solo, but even on her own, she always had the guild to retreat to, whether it was the thieves or adventurers, it didnt matter. But here, she doesnt have anyone even theoretically nearby to try to pull her out of any mess she might get into. No safety makes her a bit nervous, but just like any acrobat that might work without one, shes good enough to not need it.


    Hopefully.


    She crushes that small bit of doubt just as she crushes the urge to scratch her beard. She should have taken a pale elf form, but the best ce she could find to slip in as an unnoticed worker was in an industry with mostly dwarves: hauling. Moving goods all over has enough turnover and crossover between different overseers that she had no trouble slipping into the role.


    Well, maybe a little trouble. She did some careful exploring to learn the tunnels, but changing her shape can only change her strength so much. Thankfully, she was able to shyly admit to her superior that she hasnt been hauling long. He just gave a deep sigh, clearly being used to having sudden inexperienced people on his payroll.


    Shes been assigned a regr route thats not too long, though the loads are heavy. She almost asked where they would even get milk down here, but managed to keep her silence and her cover intact. Seeing the caverns with rich loamy soil didnt exin anything, until a fat worm poked out and crawled over to a dwarf with a pail.


    She couldnt hide her stare at the process of a worm getting milked, and the dwarf doing it chuckled beforeing over to greet her.


    The worms never look like what people expect. First time seeing them in the flesh? he asked with a friendly grin. She could only mutely nod, earning a guffaw at her expense.


    This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Milking them is harder than it looks, too! But youre not here to hear me jaw, youre here to bring Ol Bessys juice to the cheesemaker. Her reaction to him calling it juice earned another heartyugh from the rancher, and he waved her and her cart over to the side of the pen, where canisters of milk awaited.


    Her first couple deliveries, the cheesemaker was busy, so she just put the canisters in their ce outside, gathered the empties, and returned them to the worm ranch. The deliveries took most of the day, and shed take her pay to a tavern to drink and listen.


    In her experience, taverns are the best ce to gather information without arousing suspicion. <em>Everyone</em> talks in a tavern, and most people are not as subtle as they think they are. She heard lots of rumors, but nothing especially actionable. She did, however, start noticing an interesting trend.


    The kobold cheese has been getting more popr, which isnt especially surprising. ording to the two defectors, its a campaign to reinforce the kobolds ce in their society as the Maws chosen. Most of the townsfolk would simply enjoy their cheesy treats and move on.


    But some would take the time to examine the cheese, to see the details. Those ones often ended up looking a little conflicted before eating. Even more than that, the tavernkeeper seems to notice those ones, and on subsequent nights, he would take their cheese from under the counter, instead of from therge crate.


    Jen only noticed thanks to her particr ss and set of skills. Its like dealing from the bottom of the deck to guide a game where the dealer wishes. Today, her mind chews on the possibilities as she makes her deliveries to and from the cheesemaker, wondering what the significance of the cheese could be.


    She hadnt noticed any messages tucked into the cheese, nor any particr differences on the outside. They seemed to be more kobolds in various positions. So why give the thoughtful ones special cheese? Could there be some kind of magic involved? Maybe a bizarre cheese-based alchemy to shield their minds from the Harbinger?


    She snorts at that thought as she rounds thest bend to the cheesemakers shop. Weird alchemy isnt out of the question. Shes had cobble bread before, so she knows effects can be put into food. No, the ridiculous idea is that just looking sympathetic to the kobolds would make someone a target for the Harbinger. That kind of paranoia, on the Harbingers part or the peoples part, would cause the situation to copse without Thedeim doing anything.


    As she nears the shop, the door opens, and a tall pale elf exits, his focus on the canisters by his shop. His pointed ears still work, though, and he turns at the sound of Jens carting down the tunnel. He smiles at her and waves, speaking as she gets nearer.


    Ah, youre the new milk hauler! Ive been hoping to catch you, but it looks like weve both been busy, he says with an amiable tone. Jen, for her part, grunts and sets her cart down, ying her role as a bit of a rough, business-like dwarf.


    Catch me? What do you need? she asks, giving the elf a weary eye.


    Her suspicions dont seem to bother the elf, who reaches up to pat one of the milk canisters. I actually wanted to ask if you could pour them, instead of leaving the canisters here?


    She squints at him. What, just dump it in front of your shop?


    Heughs and shakes his head, and leads her to what she mistook as a partially buried barrel. When he removes the lid, she can see shes not fully wrong about that. The barrel has arge hole in the bottom with a pipe leading deeper. My tank is buried, with my workshop in my cer. Im surprised nobody noticed you not bring back the first set of canisters. But youre supposed to pour the milk and bring them straight back, instead of leaving them here.


    She looks surly at that information. "But there were empties outside that I brought back."


    The elf just looks apologetic. Those were decorative. You couldnt know. But now you do. Oh! He brightens as he gets an idea. Come with me and Ill get you a bit of cheese as an apology. Its very popr.


    She puts on a cautious look and nods. Shes usually not too much of a cheese person, but the locals are pretty skilled in making it. Even if the image of a worm getting milked will haunt her dreams. She follows him to arge cer door and down a wagon ramp.


    Whats with the ramp? I didnt know you did the kind of volume to need a full wagon, instead of a hand cart.


    He chuckles as they get to the main floor, and she can see the simple equipment required for making cheese. I usually do bulk orders, but Ive also been experimenting with new varieties. Mytest one has been much more of a sess than I could have ever hoped. If theres much more demand for it, I might not get to make simple wheels for much longer!


    He leads her to a rack of lumpy molds, and its not until he upends one and hands her the contents that she realizes what shes looking at.


    <em>Youre</em> making the cheese kobolds? she asks, shes of the tavernkeeper ying in her mind as he nods.


    I am! I thought it might be the perfect way to help.


    She nods absently at that, her mind churning. Theres something more to this cheese maker than meets the eye, shes sure of that. She just doesnt know what. For now, she files his statement away and offers her hand.


    Im Jen, by the way. Never introduced myself. Im still getting used to hauling.


    The elf smiles and shakes her hand. Im Serd.


    The two make small talk as they head back up and pour the milk into the bottomless barrel. Shes d her current persona isnt exactly chatty, it gives her time to think about what Serd said.


    He said he wanted to help, but never said who. The townsfolk would assume he means the Maw, of course. Shes starting to suspect otherwise. Shell need to be careful, though. If her suspicions are wrong, she could be captured as an ordinary rebel or heretic or something, rather than a spy. The end result probably wouldnt be much different. But if shes right She might have a valuable insider to find not only the kobold enve, but to keep the townsfolk from all attacking when the timees.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-Eight

    Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-Eight


    <strong>Jen</strong>


    The next time she enters the tavern, she takes the time to appreciate the cheese kobold. It really is a good mold the cheesemaker is using, or two molds, rather. Now she takes the time to pay attention, she can see each figurine must have two molds: one for the cheese, and one for the cheese to rest in once dipped in wax.


    She takes careful note of the subtleties that transform a figure from looking peaceful and serene to looking weak and downtrodden, all while maintaining usible deniability. The Maws clergy might not notice it, but as a changeling, she can recognize subtle differences to influence perception.


    Its definitely deliberate, she has no doubt now, not after getting one of the cheeses from under the counter, instead of from the crate. These are a little less subtle, though still not crossing the line to be easily recognized. Now she has a potential mastermind for undermining the Maw, she needs to discover how deep the plot goes.


    Unfortunately for her, the threads are difficult to track. She probably shouldnt be surprised that people are exceptionally subtle with the Harbinger possibly able to just rip secrets from whatever minds it fancies. Still, difficult is not impossible, and her next several days involve quite a lot of shadowing people, assuming temporary identities, and other quiet ways of gathering information. She even earns a level from her efforts, which already makes this all worth it.


    Most of the people she follows dont seem to have anything subversive in mind, or at least dont make any moves to indicate they are. No checking on hidden stashes of weapons or potions, no disappearing down secret passages, no ndestine meetings in quiet alleyways or darkened corners of dive bars.


    There are a few that catch her attention, for the frequency she encounters them, and what they are doing. It could be coincidence, as theyre all involved in making, selling, and distributing food, but her instincts tell her theres more to it. Even with so many here upied with food, she would have expected <em>someone</em> in this secretive web to be in some other industry.


    She might have left it alone at that, taken it as some paranoid conspiracy theory, but every single one of them had two separate stores of cheese to give out, always giving most from the obvious spot, but sometimes slipping one from a more private stash when someone sympathetic woulde by to purchase.


    Theyre influencing public opinion, and being careful about it, but why? Why theyre being careful is obvious, but why try to make people feel sorry for the kobolds? Whats the next step in their n? She doesnt know, but she suspects the cheesemaker, Serd, will be able to answer her questions.


    So,e the morning, she takes her route to deliver milk, hoping to catch the pale elf as he works. Unfortunately, he seems busy, and doesnt exit his workshop while she makes her first delivery. Hes nowhere to be seen for the second delivery that day, either. The third is more of the same, and she has no more deliveries to him today, but she cant just leave empty handed!


    She sets thest empty canister back in her cart with a hollow bang, trying to figure out how to get his attention. She could try all sorts of subtle things but her current persona isnt exactly subtle. She nods to herself and pounds on the door to the house, and gets no reply. She grumbles, not even needing to feign annoyance at this point, and tries the cer doors, but pounding on those doesnt summon the cheesemaker either.


    She tests the doors and finds them unlocked, so she bangs one open and shouts into the basement. Hey! Serd! Are you down there, or am I yelling at cheese!


    The silence makes her suspect thetter, but a shouted reply gives her hope. Ah, Jen! Sorry, I was upied with my work! Feel free toe down, if you need to talk, or if you just want some more of my work!


    She cant help but smile at that, and soon shouts her reply. I need to return the cart and canisters, but can we talk after?


    Thats fine! Im cutting the curd right now, so Ill probably have it packed away by the time you return!


    She grunts at that, not caring if he cant hear her, and closes the cer door with more care than she opened it with, before hauling her cart and canisters back where they belong. She resists hurrying, not wanting to draw any attention as she finishes up her work, and collects her pay.


    Before long, she returns to the cheesemakers home and ce of business, and tries knocking on the ordinary door, but its as fruitful as thest time she tried it. Opening the cer door earns her a shout before she can even announce herself.


    Ah, Jen! Perfect timing! Ill be waxing some cheese, but I can talk and work at the same time. His cheerful voice echoes up the ramp, and he gives her a friendly wave once shees into view. She gives a grumpier wave in reply, but her surliness continues to go unnoticed or ignored by the genial elf.


    You need any help? she asks, looking resigned to some menial task, but also subtly not looking too upset about the idea. Grumpy friendliness is a difficult rope to walk.


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    If it wouldnt be too much trouble? I need to do much of the work myself, but can you hand me the cheese and mold, and put them back after Im done? Itll make it go much quicker.


    She snorts but doesnt argue, and is even d to see a rollingdder attached to the rack of cheese that will be worked on. Getting closer, they seem to have a thinyer of wax on them, but not enough to protect the cheese as its moved around with carts and wagons.


    His dipping vat is on wheels, so it must be simpler to to move that than to move the racks of cheese. Considering just how much cheese is down here, shes not surprised. You make a lot of cheese, she states as she grabs the bottommost upied mold, and hands it to him.


    Heughs at the understatement and epts her offering, smoothly freeing the contents as he replies. I do! Id even go so far as to say, if I stopped making cheese, the whole of Silvervein would quickly run out, used as they are to my rate of production!


    Whats your favorite? she asks as they settle into a rhythm. Shes going to be covered in wax by the end, but aside from that, the process is pretty simple.


    You may as well ask whos my favorite child! That said myst batch of pepper cheddar came out especially well.


    That does sound pretty good. Shell need to ask about itter. For now, though


    I was expecting you to say the kobold cheese.


    He smiles at that, but Jen can recognize the unease in his movements now, though his voice doesnt show it. Ah, they are very popr. A lot more popr than I could have ever imagined, really.


    Im not surprised. Its good cheese, and good craftsmanship on the molds, too.


    Thank you, Jen. I put a lot of work into them, but its still surprising how well theyre doing.


    Jen grunts in reply, letting the conversationpse as she considers how to proceed. Being too direct might scare him off, but she feels like she doesnt have the time to beat around the bush. She doesnt know when Thedeim wants to attack, but it cant be too far away now.


    Direct it is. If hes on the Maws side, shell have to just bolt. If hes not, beating around the bush will only be against character right now.


    Whats your next step for them, then?


    Serd shrugs. Probably make more, maybemission another set of molds to keep things fresh, and to keep up with demand.


    I mean the kobolds, not the cheese.


    He freezes at that, though his eyes flick toward the ramp to the cer doors. What do you mean?


    Youre going through a lot of effort to make them sympathetic, so what are you going to do with the sympathy? She holds out another mold of cheese for him like shes not suggesting hes a traitor to the powers atrge.


    He slowly takes it, trying to read her face, wondering if he should run or maybe attack. He decides on neither, and instead dips the cheese and hands it back. I I dont know. I want to help them, but I dont know how. I was hoping to get the people on their side and somehow just convince the Great Maw to stop eating them.


    Do you think itll work? Do you think itll stop eating them? she presses, still handing and taking cheese like their conversation is nothing out of the ordinary.


    ...maybe? Itll be years before public sentiment will even support asking a question like that.


    Would you be interested in a faster way?


    He takes the offered cheese and sets it aside, turning his attention fully on Jen. Like what? Try to free them? Wed get hatted for certain.


    Jens lips slowly curl into a smile. Maybe not. Itll be a drastic change, but its possible.


    How? he asks, frustration clear in his voice. The Great Maw cares too much for his favored delicacy, he wont let them go without a fight. What, do you think you can <em>fight</em> the Great Maw?


    Jen shakes her head. Not me, no. But I know someone who can.


    Serd freezes at that, his gaze locked on her. ...who? he asks in a whisper, afraid to even entertain the idea of someone able to fight the Maw.


    Before I tell you, would you be willing to help? Theyre willing to deal with the Maw, but they dont want to have to fight all of Silvervein, too. Can you do anything to keep the city from trying to stop them?


    Serd leans on his vat for a moment, before the heat causes him to flinch away. I dont know. Ill try, but a lot of people will ignore me, especially if someone just charges through the tunnels to attack the Great Maw.


    Convincing anyone will mean fewer people theyll have to fight.


    He sighs and looks at the racks of cheese kobolds. Just like with them. I knew not everyone would see the kobolds in a new light, but even just a couple would make it worth it. He sighs and nods. Alright, Ill help, at least as much as I can. So, who do you know?


    Jen smiles and steps back, giving herself a bit of room to slowly change her form as she speaks. I know a lot of people from the surface, for starters. A whole guild of adventurers who dont appreciate the Maw making waves for their favorite dungeons. Her body narrows and grows, her hair vanishing as her skin darkens slightly. Few would call changelings tanned, butpared to a pale dwarf, gray is darker than stark white.


    Serd is dumbfounded by the change in the pale dwarf, but the dramatic reveal makes it difficult for him to argue that shes a fake, ironically enough. Its a tall tale, but when confronted with something impossible like her changing forms, it bes easier to swallow.


    And I know a dungeon who has a personal stake in stopping the Maw. He has a resident who escaped from here, and he promised to free her people. He only needs two things before he can strike: a good way to keep the town from resisting too hard, and the location of the enve.


    She lets Serd slowlye to terms with what she said. Its a lot to take in, really. Emotions y across Serds face as he tries toprehend the position hes in, as he tries to weigh the risk and rewards.


    Do do you think your dungeon can defeat the Great Maw?


    Jen grins. He already did. He crushed the Maws attempt at invading the surface, and now he intends to make sure it wont get a second chance.


    The pale elf looks surprised to hear that, but Jens confidence in her statement is like a gentle breeze on the embers of hope. Then yes, I will help. I know where the enve is.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-Nine

    Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-Nine


    I cant believe the changeling actually found the enve.


    Jen, Boss, absently corrects Teemo as he studies the updated map.


    Right, Jen. Not only has she infiltrated the town, but shes found sympathizers! It doesnt seem like theyre going to actively fight on our side, but they should be able to keep at least some of Silvervein from joining in the defense. Even more, we have not just the info for where the enve is, but where the core is, also.


    The enve is pretty much right in the center of the Maws territory, and the sneaky delving scout group is trying to verify that before we make our actual move. The other scouting parties have been carefully guiding the tunnelbore ants. Weve been going slowly, not wanting to make too much noise and arouse any suspicion. We also havent gotten too close to the Maws territory with them just yet, either.


    We have a rough idea of the range the Harbinger can sense thoughts, so its been a tricky thing to guide the ants to dig routes that stay far enough away from the known tunnels and passages. These are going to need to be a bit of a feint, I think, thanks to where the core is: the templeplex.


    The main temple entrance is in Silvervein, but its vast and sprawling, and has a section that goes well into the Maws territory. I dont want to give the Maw credit, but its pretty clever. Most dungeons will have their cores deep in their territory, or nearby a valued enve, at least from the ones Ive seen so far. The Maws is actually not too far from its borders. Its also in a kind of ce that I think a lot of dungeons wouldnt think to check.


    I wasnt expecting it to be there, at least. But from that position, it can have not only the clergy protect it, but easily bring denizens or even scions to bear for extra security. Id also bet the lions share of the iron maidens are going to be in there, along with a healthy dose of denizens to slow people down. The Maw has a lot of those types, so if it can bog down any hostiles, it can bring in other forces to destroy them.


    The templeplex seems to be well, prettyplex, with lots of rooms, passages, and probably lots of secret doors to let the clergy and denizens move around freely, while confusing any would-be invaders. We know the rough way to where the core should be, but getting there is going to be easier said than done.


    Leo, Honey, and Teemo are holding a bit of a briefing with the Stag, Aranya and a few other adventurers, and were all trying to figure out just what to do for the battle. Were looking at probably three major fronts: Silvervein, the templeplex, and the kobold enve. The problem is the fronts are going to ovep a lot, and we could even consider the Maws territory in general to be another wide front, too.


    Teemo thinks out loud as I think in my own mind, trying to organize the information so far. Alright Silvervein itself will be mostly up to the Crystal Shield church with some adventurer and denizen help. Their job is the messy one of urbanbat, finding hostiles and eliminating them, and protecting civilians. The adventurers are going to be attacking the templeplex and the ambush areas, generally sowing chaos and trying to keep the Maw from being able to mount any organized defensive effort. The dwellers and denizens, with some adventurer support, as well as Tarl and Berdol, will be going with the tunnelbores to make their own mess deeper in the Maws area, and try to secure the enve.


    Leo growls as the others present nod, with the Stag speaking up next. What will the Maw try to do to stop us?


    Honey shuffles some notes while Leo growls and yips. After a few moments, Teemo trantes. We can only guess right now, but the Maw should have two priorities: protect the enve, and protect itself. It will probably try to protect the town as well, but it will probably be much lower in priority than those. It also definitely knows were snooping around, so a true surprise attack isnt going to be an option. If we attack the town, the Maw will probably be on alert for sneak attacks, especially if it thinks were using only a token force there. We might be able to feign weakness at the start and get it to ovemit, sending denizens to try to nk or flood our forces in the town.


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    Honey gives a rude buzz to that idea, earning a chuckle from those who can understand her, before Teemo continues. Yeah, Honey isnt too sold on trying to do that, especially since the Harbinger would probably be really effective in that kind of fight. We dont know exactly how many least the Maw has spawned now, nor do we actually know what the lessers do, if they even exist. In the winding tunnels of Silvervein, the least would probably be able to nk and overrun our forces in there. So we probably shouldnt try to specifically draw any attacks there.


    Teemo taps the map at the two major entrances to the Maw, the ones that are sure to be the most defended. These are probably the best ces for us to try to engage the Harbinger, or at least the least. Theyll still have their potentialrge numbers, but at least they should only be able to attack from a few directions. This is probably where the Harbinger will be, if its going to bemanding the least. The scouts havent mentioned the least much, so either they spawn a lot slower than expected, or theyre keeping them hidden. The other ce the Harbinger will probably be is around the enve.


    My Voice gestures in the general vicinity of the target. The whole area is basically a no-go zone, which would be a great ce to keep the least. With how convoluted the tunnels in the area are, they would also give the least a huge advantage in fighting. The final ce we expect the Harbinger to be is in the templeplex. Again, lots of convoluted passages, lots of ways for them to slip behind us, could be a very bad ce to try to fight. That assumes the Harbinger will want to be with the least, but considering how much more effective they are when its around, thats probably a safe bet.


    Teemo grimaces as Leo continues. The risky betes with the Redcap. It could be stationed anywhere. If we force the Maw onto the backfoot by assaulting from multiple directions, itll probably have the Redcap protect either the core or the enve, with the Harbinger at the other. The worst case scenario would be them both at once ce, probably the core. Rocky and Fluffles should be able to take them, especially with shs help, but thatd require correctly guessing where theyll be. Rocky should be able to deal with the Harbinger on his own, but even he isnt sure he could handle the Redcap solo. Hes a Conduit, after all, so its hard to put a number on how strong the Redcap is.


    Can we draw them to us? asks the Stag. If you reveal those three scions making a line for the core, the Maw would have to consolidate or be subsumed.


    Leo wuffs and looks unhappy, and I dont me him as Teemo trantes. Probably, but if either is stationed around the enve, theyll probably kill the kobolds for mana before making for the core. Weve got some heavy hitters, but the Maw has a lot of easy ways to dy us. If we make it clear were going to reach the core, the Maw will probably have time to eat the enve for the boost.


    Everyone frowns at that information, and takes a few seconds to digest it. Keeping the Maw upied probably wont be too difficult, and would probably keep the scions at or near where we expect them to be. But if we make any actual progress towards the enve or the core, itll copse its forces without us being able to do much, and probably kill the kobolds, too. Attacking the enve might make it fight to protect them, or it might just kill them and turn the entire thing into a trap for us.


    I have a vague idea, and though Teemo doesnt look like he likes it too much, he voices it to all gathered. Do you think Nova and I could sneak into the enve and evacuate them before the Maw notices? Ill need an enchantment from Thing to handle the heat from her magma, but I should be able to make a shortcut even through the rock.


    Leo and Honey consider it, and Aranya speaks up. Ill need toe with you. They will probably be suspicious of just you and Nova, but theyll know me. Theyll listen to me.


    Leo borks and Honey buzzes, and Teemo trantes. Well have to try to move them quickly, they say. The Maw will probably notice if their numbers start falling, so we wont have long before it responds. Well have to gather everyone before taking the shortcut, and hope we dont take so long the Maw notices us.


    So we siege the Maw on all sides as a diversion, while Teemo, Nova, and Aranya make for the enve. Once the kobolds are secure, Rocky, Fluffles, and sh make for the core, summarizes the Stag, earning nods from my Warden and Librarian, with a minor correction from Teemo.


    Well start the siege with Fluffles new trick. Hell probably need all of the Boss scions to helpbo to make it work, too. Even if hell be the main caster for it, me, sh, Rocky, Thing, Nova, and Queen should help. Its an incredibly powerful concept from the Boss, so itll need a lot of power to make it properly manifest.


    I think the dwellers and I can help, too. Its powerful, but not especiallyplicated, if Im hearing Him right. I think we can help channel our faith to aid in it, follows Aranya, her hand moving to the amulet at her neck.


    Even with me still feeling a bit ufortable about being a focus for faith, Im willing to take all the help I can get with this. Thest thing I need is to fall to the very concept Im hoping to hit the Maw with.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty

    Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty


    I look through the eyes of my scions at everyone gathered, and cant help but feel humbled. Having everyone gathered puts the uing battle into perspective. Theres a lot of people willing to risk everything for this, and that only counts the ones actively here for this ceremony.


    Every single one of my wayward dwellers is here, from support tobatants, but theyre not the only ones. Theres a surprising number of adventurers joining in this, too. I didnt realize any had converted. Or maybe I didnt want to think about that. Probably the second option. Id probably be trying to discourage them, if I didnt want to get every iota of help for this that I can.


    Everyone is gathered in arge cavern well outside the Maws territory, with Aranya and my scions in a loose circle in the center. I can even feel Violet, Hullbreak, and the Southwood paying close attention to the various bonds with me, each lending their support in their own way.


    Support isnt even limited to the people here, either. Even with the adventurers guild waiting in the tunnels for their chance to join the fighting, there are plenty of other delvers back home. Theyre not exactly masterbatants, but my denizens understand how to set a proper difficulty curve by now.


    Rer even has his guards helping escort crafting groups, with Rhonda and Freddie joining his Larrez disguise to give more support. Those three are currently tearing through thevabyrinth, dealing with traps and encounters, generally having fun and helping to keep my mana flowing.


    Its intimidating, if Im honest, having everyone raring to go. But its way toote to get cold feet for this. Teemo? Lets do it.


    My Voice nods from Aranyas shoulder, and speaks. Butterfly Effect. My gathered scions echo him in their ways, using the same skill as my High Priestess opens her eyes and looks up at everyone gathered around her.


    In an ancient tale, a single nail leads to the downfall of a kingdom.


    A lot of people take the butterfly effect to be a time travel thing. If you go back into the past and step on a butterfly, oops, humanity never existed. I always likened it to the myth of a butterfly pping its wings on one side of the globe and causing hurricanes on the other side. Whatever the origin, the basic principle is the same: small causes can have big effects.


    Butterfly Effect, repeats Teemo, my scions following up with their own uses of the skill.


    A cksmith runs out of nails for horseshoes, and so the shoe is not as secure as it would need to be.


    Combination skills are powerful. Ive seen all kinds of groups bring attacks together to decisively end a fight in a spectacr way. I even wonder if Rocky isboing with himself sometimes with his advanced moves. Teemos Butterfly Effect is a weird skill, though, in that I think itbos with itself. With just one person, it takes a bit of setup. When multiple people contribute to the setup, though


    Butterfly Effect.


    The horse throws the shoe at the worst possible time, creating a gap in a charge.


    I can feel the air tingle with power already, though its mostly through Things senses. He can feel not only the mana from my scions, but also the faith of the gathered dwellers and adventurers. They know vaguely that were doing something big, but I didnt give out the details of it just yet.


    Butterfly Effect.


    With the charge broken, the tide of battle is turned. Its only a matter of time before the army is routed.


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    The tension in the gathered believers slowly turns to confidence, as even they can feel that <em>something</em> is happening. Fluffles can feel the energy swirling, and taps into his <strong>Conduit</strong> title to ensure he can manage the flow properly. My mana dips as he draws on it. Its just a drop in the bucket right now, but I dont think its going to stay like that.


    Butterfly Effect.


    With no army to protect it, a vital supply route is captured.


    Rocky reaches and helps Fluffles with the flow of energy. He might not be an expert in Fate affinity, but hes only been getting better and better at tranting the stability of his boxing stance into stability in his magic. Fluffles must be the foundation of this, but Rocky helps ensure the growing structure can float like a butterfly before delivering a sting stronger than any bee. Nova pitches in at this point, too, adding her burgeoning sense of art to Rockys established martial sense, bringing a unique kind of structure and stability to the effort. The structure takes a bite out of my stockpiled mana, instead of just a nibble. Its only going to get more expensive from here.


    Butterfly Effect.


    With the supply line lost, other armies find themselves wanting for far more than just nails. The whole front is unsustainable.


    Queen and Thing assist now, each intimately familiar withplex magical constructs. They are used to working with physical media to impart their magical effect, but Rocky, Nova and Fluffles are all more than willing to follow their guidance and hold the threads as they form. The threads thicken to ropes and cables as my mana rushes through them, intermingling with the faith of those gathered.


    Butterfly Effect.


    The front is a loss, and the cities of the kingdom fall, one by one until only the capital remains.


    The floodgates open as Honey, sh, and Leo add their efforts to the brewing spell. sh knows how to sense the earth and air, the vibrations of life echoing through each. Its so much information, far too much for Fluffles to handle on his own, but Honey is up to the task. Its sorted, categorized, and organized for Fluffles to understand. While Honey is the mistress of understanding what is, Leo is amander and understands how things will react. The thick cables of mana fray to tiny threads, spreading over the area and beyond, slowly epassing the Maw and its territory in a delicate of possibilities.


    Surrounded on all sides, the capital has no chance. When the fighting is over, its razed to the ground.


    Butterfly Effect!


    Aranyas eyes glow orange as she helps direct the faith of the gathered dwellers and adventurers, and Fluffles eyes do the same as he spreads his wings wide. My mana plummets from the draw, but its toote to slow down now, let alone stop. I draw from the ally pool as my own mana almost bottoms out. I can <em>feel</em> the threads pulse in time with the flow from the shared pool.


    Violet tries to contribute to the cause, her mana a trickle among raging rapids, but every mote matters. Hullbreak follows right behind her, his own flow not enough to stem the tide, but at least enough to slow it, if only just. The Southwood opens his own mana holds, the initial influx actually enough to fight back the drain for a few moments, before it too is swallowed by the ravenous spell were casting.


    I nervously watch as the shared mana drains away, uncertain what Ill do if all thats left is Violets college fund. Thats hers, not mine! The demarcation has really only been in my head, but I still cant go taking that from her!


    And yet the stores dip and dip, wane and wane, until finally stopping. It took everything except for Violets college fund. If this wasnt a major Fate magic, Id be suspicious about that. I dont really have a chance to focus on that, though, as the magic finally stabilizes. I realize all my scions have glowing orange eyes for a few moments, before Aranya speaks up once more.


    Small causes can have big effects. Small mistakes can topple kingdoms. A single stroke of bad luck can devastate even the strongest foe. What can go wrong, will go wrong.


    The threads burst into orange motes with the deration, settling into everything in I dont even know how big of an area. Combination skills seem to be more than the sum of their parts, and we had a <em>lot</em> of parts in this one. Each of my scions, contributions from each of my dungeon friends, and thebined faith of probably a hundred people. It all seems to just barely be enough, or maybe the effect is proportional to how much effort we put into it. Considering when the drain stopped, thats a distinct possibility. I feel the name of the attack before Teemo can utter it, and Im equally relieved it worked, and worried about what weve just unleashed.


    Teemos voice seems to reverberate through reality itself as he deres thebination attack finished.


    Murphys Law.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty-One

    Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty-One


    <strong>The Maw</strong>


    For once, the Maw is d it has no mouth. It can only imagine how much it would be drooling at the prospect of whats happening. The surface alliance is finally making their move, and in the Maws opinion, theyre already making mistakes.


    Even if the Harbinger hadnt suborned the rockslides around its territory, the surfacers are either ignoring the town or underestimating the impact they could have, as the Harbinger has found no other signs of surveince. The Maw would have liked to station least in torpor around the small city, but the odd denizens are too unpredictable to leave in that state around the delvers. While it could get it an influx of mana from the kills, it would lose out on mana in the long run. Better to keep them near the Harbinger, where it can easily control them.


    There are a few handfuls of lessers now, and though they are very good at organizing the least, their influence doesnt extend especially far, only a hundred feet or so. More lessers would easily nket a full army in their control, but the Maw just doesnt have that many of them. For now, it stations them nearby the ambush sites, so they can rip apart whatever surface forces try to im the false targets of opportunity.


    Theyll have their hands caught in the cookie jar and bitten clean off.


    The Harbinger itself is stationed with the clergy, prepared to defend its core against whatever feeble attack the surfacers have nned. Its other scion is stationed at the primary entrance to the Maw. The Redcap could probably eliminate the approaching foes all on his own, but any true chef should have subordinates to mind the details of the meal. The Maw intends to feed the surface invaders a bitter feast of defeat.


    Its forces move and the Maw considers the powerful magic it felt wash over itself. It was an impressive disy, but they must have spent themselves casting it. It doesnt appear to be any sort of subtle poison or a massive scry, and theck of effect has the Maw wondering if they actually failed toplete whatever they were trying to create. If so, theyll probably retreat and regroup.


    It wishes its denizens were as sneaky as the rockslides which it now technically owns, actually. Its far toote to make a spawner for them and get any use out of it, but the Maw can move them out to try to find the surface forces! It gleefully spends the mana to order them to do just that, eagerly awaiting what news they would have to give.


    With things still quiet after the spell, the Maw takes a few moments to focus on its beloved pantry, and the delicious kobolds within. They are such a wonderful variety, ranging from staunchly loyal to it, to those young rebellious ones who think it doesnt know their little ns for escape. The older ones keep the younger in check, mostly, not letting their youthful exuberance earn them a ce on the Maws te. Honestly, those are the ones least likely to catch one of the Maw''s cravings. They are still delicious, as all kobolds are, but the mature kobolds are... nd isn''t the right word. Just... the same. So little variety. Even the tastiest treat will grate without variety. Speaking of treats; it should treat itself after this battle. The creamy caramel of a loyal one or two, or the spicy crunchiness of a few rebels?


    Both, it decides. Definitely both. Theyll pair perfectly together, a fitting dessert after the feast of consuming these invaders. Ah, and here theye!


    They focus on the two main entrances to the Maw, as expected. The other entrances are too secret and too small to move any real forces into. Sliverstorms and desprites turn the entrances into a flensing field of destruction for any invaders that try to press forward, with the living caltrops making it impossible to try to sprint through. The Maw is saddened that only a few invaders are minced before the others hang back, outside of the killing field.


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    Then a needleslink reports back from expedition, from the town. Something is happening. Ah, surface delvers are attacking from that direction. An interesting idea, but having the Harbinger in the temple makes it simple to send it forth to sweep through the twisting tunnels of the settlement.


    Oh? More than just the surface invaders are making their move. It shouldnt be surprised that dissidents in the poption are trying to take this chance to make their own move, but the Harbinger and a flood of least can sweep them aside just as easily.


    The Maw prepares to spend the mana to order a counter, before more reports start pouring in. The rockslides have found something concerning. There is something tunneling through the rock! A lot of something! They''rerge enough to leave room for other invaders behind! It demands more information, taking advantage of themunication chain the slides naturally form, but the leading edge is now silent. Further demands for information only reveals more and more of the small spies are unable to respond anymore.


    One manages to get a name through, shortly before there is a development at the main entrances.


    The surface has a <em>dragon</em> spawner?! It has wyrms <em>and</em> basilisks! Its d it has no mouth for a different reason now, as it would be clenching its teeth so hard they may shatter as the information continues toe in. The rockslides are wiped out by wyrms, and the Maw can only guess what mischief those invaders will get up to now. At the main entrances, basilisks are spewing magma at the first line of defense, encasing or melting the sliverstorms, desprites, and caltrops!


    It needs to do something about the rapid change in the battle, but what? The lessers are outside its reach now theyre on expedition to the ambush sites! And those tunnelers could let the surface dwellers make their own entrances into the Maw, wherever they like! From thest of the reports from the rockslides, it seemed the tunnelers were aiming to pierce the Maws demesne from practically every angle!


    A chill runs through the Maw as it realizes its delicious koblds could even be a major target! Even if they dont know exactly where the enve is, with all the potential breaches, <em>one</em> of them will stumble over it by pure luck!


    It orders the Redcap to protect the enve and leave the main entrances to the denizens to hold. Keeping them would be helpful, but if the tunnelers get through, the intended entrances wont matter!


    It orders the Harbinger to tell the clergy to secure the town, then orders it to respond to the tunnelers. The least are probably its best option to counter them, either by copsing the tunnels, or meeting them with their own tunnels and forcingbat. It moves its other denizens around, securing its own tunnels and passages as best it can. The iron maidens will work best around the enve, where the Redcap can easily force invaders into the traps. Lodewisps will have to try to sense metal as the tunnelers get near, giving warning to other denizens so they can attack. Rust elementals are released into the town, to counter the foreign delvers and traitor townsfolk at once.


    The Maws mood is thoroughly soured as it is forced to react to theplex attack of the surface. Its forced to spend mana on extensive expeditions of needleslinks and desprites, trying to get information about whats happening! It needs to know if the ambushes are going off properly, or if theyve vanished like the rockslides, probably even to the same infernal wyrms!


    The Harbinger seems to echo the Maws apprehension about the attack, and the Maw can feel it trying to figure out what was that spell that seemed to be the signal to start. Perhaps thats all the spell was; a signal? Something like that would not be as expensive as an actual attack, and would exin how coordinated the attacks are.


    Yes it must have been a signal. That would exin so much! The Maws mood shifts from reflecting the Harbinger to reflecting the quiet confidence of its Voice. The attack is well nned, but the Maws defenses should be more than enough to repel them. It will be messier than it had expected, but some meals are all the better for how much of a mess they make.


    Its clergy and the Maws own delvers will repel the foreign delvers and subdue what townsfolk are foolish enough to try to take the opportunity to rebel. The tunnels will be annoying to deal with, but shouldnt prove anything worse than that. Theyll be natural chokepoints, allowing its denizens to deal with the intruders with as much backup as the Maw can spawn! And with the Harbinger organizing the response with the least and some lessers, the invaders can be on the receiving end of a few coordinated attacks!


    Let the invaders eat their fill of the simple bread of the Maws denizens! It knows this meal will have many courses, and it will be fully prepared and hungry for when the entree arrives.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty-Two

    Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty-Two


    <strong>Vnarl</strong>


    The troll reflects on the events of thest couple months, and not for the first time, has to admit getting captured by Thedeim was probably the best thing thats ever happened to him and his party. In the moment, it was painful and humiliating, but looking back, it really helped recenter them all.


    They started out so idealistic, wanting to help people. It didnt take long for the politics of arge guild to grind that notion away. It was all just for the money, and power was all that really mattered. Even Mlynda and Hark were growing colder, more callous. Much as hed like to throw the me at the feet of the old guild, he has to shoulder at least some of the me, as the leader.


    Going through the punitive gauntlet was a reforging,ing back to basics, gaining perspective, all of the things that make people take a step back and examine what theyve been doing, and realize how far theyve fallen.


    His party his <em>friends</em> are still cocky, confident, and rough, but theres a happiness and satisfaction in doing guild jobs now. And <em>right</em> now, all three of them are looking forward to this particr quest. Thedeim has been an amazing ce to delve, but he still doesnt have any areas really designed for the really strong to let loose. This fight with the Maw, though they can go nuts. Well, within reason.


    The dungeon is smart to not try to order the adventurers what to do, and instead give points of interest and set them free. Vnarls group is staying well away from the town, at least for the moment. Theyll need toe back to hit the templeplex, but that cane after they spring a couple of the ambush sites. He and his friends might not be as bad around civilians as they used to be, but none of them are stupid enough to think theyre good with PR. Better to leave the Crystal Shield to that, while he and hispanions have some fun getting messy.


    And oh, do they intend to make a mess. While most of the adventurers had to refit quickly to not be vulnerable to the metal affinity monsters and foes, Vnarls group doesnt use much in the way of metal. The most significant metal was his swords, but a pair of unique wooden clubs from Thedeims dwellers solved that easily. He heard the Voice call them cricket bats, though he doesnt see anything about crickets or bats about them. Just another one of the weird things about Thedeim.


    Whatever the reason for the names, they feel good in his hands, enough that he might keep them around as a backup.


    How close are we? whispers Hark, drawing Vnarl from his reflections.


    Close, answers Mlynda, her eyes on the map.


    Vnarl smiles and shifts his grip on the bats. Well go hard on this one. Thedeim wasnt sure just how tough things would be in here. Id rather have this first target be boring than have to test out those weird ant healers.


    Hark shrugs. Theyre probably really good.


    Mlynda nods and puts away the map. Probably, but time spent healing is time not spent fighting. If the clergy is as tough as theyre expecting, we wont want to miss any of that.


    Vnarl nods at that as they near what should be thest corner. Keep an eye out. Those least are supposed to be pretty nasty, and theres rumors of stronger versions. I bet if we can kill one without too much damage, the guild and the dungeon both will reward us for the body.


    Mlynda nods and acts casual, but uses hand signs to convey what she senses.


    *Danger in walls, ambush around corner. Hark focus on foes in open down the tunnel, Vnarl on the ones that burst out.*


    Vnarl grins again. Sounds like a n to me. Who doesnt love getting credit for a quest twice?


    Hark hefts a boomerang as they near the corner, and gets the ambush started in a way uniquely suited to himself: he arcs it around the bend. The trio hurries forward, rounding the corner as they hear the impact of the heavy throwing weapon. Their particr style ofbat should work best if they can get ahead of the enemies in the wall, letting Vnarl handle one side and Hark the other, with Mlynda providing support as needed.


    Around the corner, they see a group of five armored people, a mix of dwarf and elf, as well as a pair of thinlinks and a forgemaster. One of the elves looks to be out cold from the opening attack, and Hark seamlessly catches and throws the returning boomerang, before following up with a few more. Behind Vnarl, the des of the least stab through the wall, starting to tear it down as they try to salvage their ambush.


    The troll grins andys into the exposed des with the clubs, striking at the sides and the few joints he can see, working to make it difficult for the concealed enemies toe out to join the frey.


    Harks projectiles bounce off shields or are swatted out of the air by the thinlinks, but his skill and choice of weapon make it simple for him to guide them back to beunched again. Fighting Hark is like fighting a deranged juggling act, and thats without Mlynda interfering.


    Strangle grasp! she shouts, mming her staff into the cave floor, and rapidly enhancing the growth of the fungus all around. Vnarl would have thought shed have a harder time using fungi instead of normal nts, but from the tendrils of mycellia trying to tie up the thinlinks, it doesnt seem like shes having too much trouble.


    Vnarl isnt having too much trouble just yet either. He pulps the first disturbing head of a least that tries to get through the wall, but all that does it make it difficult for the thing to see. Hell probably have to crack legs to incapacitate the least, if he remembers the information about them right. Vitals mostly in the torso. Without a good stab, hes not going to get at them easily, but break all the limbs and the things cant do anything anyway. Mlyndas work with the fungus also seems to be holding the wall together, further slowing the leasts progress.


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    He smashes another de, and is pretty sure hes basically aplished that with at least one of the monsters. That sure looks like four legs from one in the wall, with a smashed head, too. Thats going to be a nice impediment or not. The least suddenly vanishes, before it bursts through the wall. He sidesteps and prepares to counter, but the thing looks like it was used as a ram to batter through, and now he has a breach in the wall to keep him upied.


    His batssh out, crippling and cracking limbs and crushing the disgusting heads of the least. Busy as he is, he doesnt miss when another stuck least is ripped from the wall, and his bats dont miss cracking its carapace as a tentacle hurls it through the opening. For a moment, hes worried theyve managed to get the Harbingers attention, but this tentacle seems to have pretty defined form, for a tentacle.


    Mlynda! I think I just found a lesser! In the wall!


    On it! Sporeburst! The glowing fungi in the tunnel release countless fluorescing spores, lighting the breach for Vnarl, but he also knows they give Mlynda a lot more information than just sight.


    You good, Hark? the troll shouts to his teammate, ncing over his shoulder. The enemy team is having trouble dealing with Harks barrage, especially with Mlyndas mycelium tendrils impeding them. The frontliners are kept at bay by theshing fungi, while the ranged attackers cant get a moments respite to actually aim at the moving forest elf. Even worse for the foes, their thinlinks are slowly but surely getting tangled by the strangling grasp of the halflings spell.


    Honestly, in Vnarls opinion, the only reason theyre still going is the forgemaster working to keep armors from deforming too far, keeping des straight and sharp, and even seeming to have some kind of fire attack to burn away some of the mycelia. Its not a very reliable attack, but its probably the biggest thing keeping the forces of the Maw from being overwhelmed.


    Vnarl focuses back on his own fight, ducking a tentacle as he brings both bats down on the back of a least. The carapace shatters and the thing goes limp as Mlynda finally gets a good look at the lesser.


    Its like a huge centipede! Sharp legs like the least, thicker carapace, segments look like they can break away. Each has a pair of legs and one tentacleing out of the top. No head! Eyes on each segment!


    Vnarl curses at the information. Those tentacles arent going to care much about his clubs, unless he can somehow catch it between them. He needs something sharp to deal with those, but he doesnt have any metal!


    He catches a stab from a least on the t side of the bat and twists, snapping the leg off at the joint before he follows up with a strike to the body. The least might be designed to take punishment, but theres only so much the things can do against blunt force trauma.


    Fungal Tendrils! deres Mlynda, and Vnarl suppresses a groan at whatsing. Spores dig into the flesh of his arms, and though painful, its not whats making him groan. The vine whips are easy to control, its like having longer limbs. Fungi are a bit moreplex, though. Mlynda tried to exin it to him once, but it went well over his head. All he knows is the tendrils act like an extra set of limbsing out of his elbows.


    No matter how weird it feels, hes not going to pretend like its not a very potent enhancement, especially right now. Disarm! he shouts, as the tendrils dart forward and wrap around the forelegs of the next least, his bats crashing down on edge to neatly sever the limbs. He wanted something sharp, and now he has it. He uses the bats more like shields as heys into the least with their own sharp limbs, and he even smiles in triumph as he severs a tentacle that tries to slip through in the chaos.


    Speaking of chaos, this battle is the epitome of it, just how Vnarl and his team like it. You keep an enemy guessing, and they wont know what to react to! Ricochet! shouts Hark, and Vnarl hardly has to think as he follows up.


    Guard Slip! His bats and des feint and slip past the raised weapons of the least, the bats smashing into carapace as the des fly towards the lesser behind them.


    Fluorescing Burst! finishes Mlynda, the glowing spores suddenly strobing brightly as the three easily flow into the team attack.


    Blink and Youll Miss It!


    Harks boomerangs swerve and bounce around the entire tunnel, striking the dwellers from impossible angles. The thinlinks are overwhelmed by a surge of fungal growth, immobilizing the tricky monsters. The forgemaster is pummeled to dented scrap under the assault, sounding like someone threw a suit of armor down a tall flight of stairs.


    Vnarls tendrils, armed with least scythes, strike where the segments meet on the lesser, slicing through repeatedly and spilling ichor in the ambush space. He would have expected more of a mess from dicing apart a monster like that, and he''d also expect the segments to simply copse. Instead, they stay upright, though the coordination is severelycking now. His bats crack the carapace of the least still nearby, the sheer force sending them barreling back into their hiding ce.


    Mlyndas spores settle on the foes, growing quickly and incapacitating them. Whatever makes the lesser somehow able to handle being severed like that, it doesn''t help it against the invasive spores. The strobing stops and the trio takes a few moments to take in the aftermath of the fight. Vnarl shakes off the tendrils, though he slips the least des into his belt for useter.


    Anyone hurt? asks Mlynda, with both of the other two shaking their heads.


    I got cut up a bit, but Ill be fine, says the troll.


    I dont think theyre used to throwers. They didnt manage tond a hit. Might have gone worse if I didnt get lucky and hit what Im pretty sure was their mage first.


    Survivors? follows up the halfling, going down the quick checklist for after every battle.


    None on my end, looks like. The least and lesser are hard to put down without outright killing them.


    Hard to say. Hits to the head can be a bit weird, admits Hark as he looks over the fallen dwellers. Looks like theyre all breathing, at least.


    Check for loot and leave them. We dont have room for prisoners. If Thedeim wants them, he can send the ant healers for them, says Vnarl, and gets no argument. Theyre not going to feel bad if any of the ambushers die before getting medical help, but they also dont want to go executing people after the fact. As long as theyre not getting back up any time soon, thats fine by them.


    Besides, they have more important things to do than worry about the health of people who attacked them. For example: hitting as many ambushes before its time to converge on the temple. Not only is this a chance to really let loose, but theyll also be helping out. It looks like Vnarls group can handle the ambushes without too much problem, so taking more of them means less danger for their guildmates. And removing more danger here and now means less things toe and try to get them at the temple.


    As fun as the ambush was, things will only get more difficult as they close in on the Maw.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty-Three

    Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty-Three


    <strong>Vernew</strong>


    If she wasnt already devout towards the Weaver, watching that miracle be cast would have done it. His presence has always had a quiet power to it, a subtle surety of safety, making it easy to forget He is more than able to take a more proactive stance in protecting those He cares about.


    Shes not exactly a mage, able to analyze magic, but even she could tell that was something <em>significant</em>. While watching and being a part of that spell made her want to go charging into the depths of the Maw, Leo and Teemo are still sticking to the basics of the n. The concept of an actual Murphy may be a bit tongue in cheek, but the idea is clear.


    Just because weve turned Murphys attention on the Maw, doesnt mean hes going to fully ignore us. Keep careful, keep safe, said Teemo, and though Vernew still chafes at not getting to run rampant, the Voice has a point.


    And so she sticks with the Crystal Shield followers as they enter the outskirts of Silvervein. Jen is with her, as well as most of the other dwellers, and even some of the healing magmyrm at the back. Its a pretty intimidating army, in her opinion, even if its spread through several tunnels right now. The bulk is moving for the main passage, the one that goes through the settlements center. Thats the one that will have the most resistance, most likely. Her group is heading for the cheesemaker, to see what he can do about ensuring as few of the citizenry resists as possible.


    So far, its going very well, but Vernew refuses to let that lull her intocency. The worm farm is the official outskirts of the town, and the worm ranchers look on with nervous curiosity as she and therge group enter the cavern.


    Stay on the path, orders the lead pdin, a grizzled wolfkin in shining te named Unsil. The others easily follow the order, marching by the farm and only sparing the farmers enough attention to ensure they donte running at the group with pitchforks, or whatever a worm rancher would use as a weapon. A manure fork? Do worms make manure, or is it topsoil?


    Whatever they make, its not important right now. Jen currently looks like a pale dwarf, and she moves towards the fence when she recognizes one of the ranchers. She shouts and waves him forward, which he nervously does.


    Uh Jen? Whats going on?


    You felt that magic, yeah?


    I wouldnt be surprised if the dead felt it. What <em>was</em> that?! he almost yells, but reigns himself in as he looks over the gathered army.


    It was aimed at the Maw and its forces. Just hunker down and stay safe. The Maws going to be gone before the days out.


    Gone? he asks incredulously, and eyes the fighters for a few moments, before shrugging. Well, if youre going after the Great Maw, and if you cast that thing, its not like I can warn them any more than theyve already been. Get a move on, before someone shows up and your fighting makes a mess of my field!


    Jen chuckles before running back to rejoin us, and the rancher goes to gather his people and his worms.


    It sounded like theyre staying out of it? asks Unsil, and Jen nods.


    Yeah, I think they will. Anti-Maw sentiment is probably the biggest in this area, thanks to my contact. Once we get to him, he should be able to get us some more locals to help give us legitimacy for not wanting to attack the townsfolk.


    Then lets go. The sooner we can get his help, the sooner we can start securing the town.


    Vernew keeps her eyes open on the way to the cheesemaker, though she still doesnt spot any of the Maws forces. Are they focused elsewhere? Maybe they dont really care too much about the outskirts like this? Maybe the tunnelers are making the Maw pull back to deal with them? Or maybe the Maw was just not ready for a wide attack like this?


    Whatever the reason, shes d that things are going so smoothly, even as she grows more nervous about theck of response. The cheesemaker is actually standing outside his cheesery, looking nervous as Vernews group approaches.


    Serd, these are some of my allies! assures Jen, though Serd still looks a bit jumpy. Vernew cant me him. He probably doesnt have abat ss, so any kind of fight would be new to him.


    Did they do whatever that was?


    Jen grins. Some of them. That was the opening move of Thedeim. It targets the Maw and its forces. The ordinary people wont have anything to worry about from it.


    I hope not. That was he trails off before shaking his head. Sorry. Uh you want to get to taking over the town, right? Lets get to the bar. We should be able to get more of my friends there, and they can go with you to prove youre not after the townsfolk.


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    They hurry down the tunnel for the bar, and finally make contact with some of the Maws forces. At least, Vernew is pretty sure the group outside the bar are working for the Maw. They spot the group and rush inside before anyone can stop them.


    Inquisitors?! gasps Serd, confirming Vernews hunch.


    Vernew, Jen, slip in the side. Well go through the front and keep their attention. If the patrons are still alive, theyre probably hostages now. I need you two to keep them safe, if its not toote.


    Jen and Vernew both nod, with Jens features shifting back to her changeling form. She ces a hand on Vernews shoulder. Id say this will be weird, but its not too far from one of Teemos shortcuts. Shadow Step!


    It really does feel like going through one of Teemos shortcuts, except she cant see anything. Thankfully, they soon emerge in an unused bedroom. Though theres no lights in the room, its still somehow brighter than the shortcut was. Jen gives a nod before melting into the shadows, leaving Vernew a few moments to ready herself.


    She can do this. Its another hunt. Dont get spotted before its time to strike. She quietly opens the door and slinks out and down the hall, where she can hear raised voices.


    Invaders! What do we do!


    Quiet! Theyre clearly working with these <em>sympathizers</em>. Theyll try to negotiate for their allies. We just have to buy time for more people to arrive and catch them by surprise! Get them lined up!


    Vernew carefully makes her way into the main bar area, where she sees a good dozen inquisitors, and a good dozen or so civilians, too. A guy with a lumpy red hat stands centered behind the civilians, and Vernew thinks it must be the Redcap! A few seconds of observation put that fear aside, thankfully. The hat is definitely made of fabric not people. And he looks more like a dwarf than a tall fey.


    That doesnt make him any less dangerous. He has a holy symbol in his hands, an oval with triangles lining the interior, a toothy maw. It softly glows silver, along with a multitude of des, each floating at the necks of the hostages.


    The door to the outside slowly opens, and Unsils voice carries through. Forces of the Maw! Lay down your arms, and blood will not have to be shed today!


    The Maw priest sneers. Blood feeds the Great Maw, and we shall see it feast! If you enter, youll get to watch it consume these traitors before it consumes you!


    A helmed head peers past the doorway before vanishing, and Vernew would bet her best spear theyre trying to figure out what to do. She doesnt have much in the way of ideas, either. She could probably skewer the priest before he notices, but she doesnt know if she can kill him before he can mortally wound the civilians!


    Maybe she can take her own hostage? She discards that idea quickly. Even if it did work, its just add anotheryer to the standoff, except without her being able to act freely like she can now.


    Act freely? She hasnt used that on a person before, but it should work. Its gotten a few of her newer hunters out of a jam before. Its not like she has any better ideas right now.


    Lone Hunt she whispers, and feels the magic take hold of her and the priest. Judging by the way he tenses, he feels it, too. The des move, but find no purchase on the victims.


    Move! The priest is mine! shouts Vernew, and havoc erupts in the bar. The shield followers burst in as a de of shadow swipes at the priests neck, but it has no effect, either. She <em>said</em> the priest is hers, and she wasnt kidding. She doesnt bother trying to dodge a mace that swings at her as she slips forward, letting it skid along her cheek as her magic enforces her skill. Everyone else can have a brawl, but her and the priest are the only ones who can harm the other, now.


    Unfortunately for the priest, he doesnt know that just yet, and hes still trying to attack the civilians. She doesnt trust her obsidian spearhead to pierce his body armor, but she has skills for taking down a strong opponent.


    Hamstring! she shouts as she stabs the back of his leg, and though the head shatters, it does so <em>after</em> piercing the armor. The priest yelps and falls over, screaming in rage and pain, before his eyesnd on the spider.


    Maw Consume You! he bellows, his symbol ring and ripping the des away from the civilians tosh at Vernew. She scurries away, jumping over and off of the various Maw loyalists in her effort to escape the des. She might not be able to harm them, but she can distract them, and the forces of the Shield take advantage of any openings they can get.


    She uses one pair of arms to change the spear head as her other works with some silk, trying to ignore the shes of pain when the des find the gaps in her armor and chitin. She powers through it, though she suffers a few more deeper gashes when she has to close back in on the priest.


    She gets a loop over the foot of his injured leg before leaping straight up, momentarily avoiding the levitating des as she takes an angle he wasnt expecting. Hes quickly in an angle he wasnt expecting, too, as Vernew hops over a crossbeam in the rafters, where lights were hung. Snare! is the priests only clue as to what happened, as his world goes upside-down and his leg explodes in pain.


    Piercing Fangs! he manages to gasp out, two of therger des darting towards Vernew. She drops the silk as she feels the two impacts, as well as two sharp pains in her chest.


    She grunts, but stays stable on the crossbeam for the moment, focusing on the priest and trying to ignore the damage he just did. Cornered Beast, she manages as she hops down from the rafters, putting all her momentum behind the move designed to return at least as much injury as was sustained.


    The priest cant dodge, and cant even maneuver his des to intercept her before the obsidian spearhead pierces his armor and his heart. He gasps, trying to hold on for a few more moments, his des wavering in the air as he tries onest attack, but the light leaves his eyes before he can manage anything.


    Vernew slumps to her side, wondering if her armor was always so slick inside, before remembering the two des stuck in her chest. She looks around the room at the fight, and is d to see not only the civilians are alright, but the Shields people are finishing off thest of the Maws.


    She closes her eyes, so tired, only barely registering Jens shout.


    Medic!

 Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty-Four

    Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty-Four


    <strong>Queen</strong>


    The ant scion wonders if maybe she should step out of herb more often. Working with the catkin on the way gave her so much information to work with! If only she could have another month to really iterate on the armor designs¡­ but no, the Emperor was right in striking now.


    Prepare too much, and opportunity will pass you by. Jumping too quickly is just as dangerous, but she suspects the Emperor was closer to the former than thetter. But oh, how that preparation has borne fruit!


    She had been aware for some time that Fluffles was working on a variation of the Voice¡¯s Butterfly Effect, but even she couldn¡¯t have guessed at theplexity of the final product! Helpingmand the vast energies was, in some ways, likemanding her personal ants, and in other ways it was so much <em>more</em>.


    She would love nothing more than to explore the technique and new possibilities, but there is more pressing business to attend to. The Emperor wages war, so she can¡¯t just sit in her mobileb and tease out the secrets of reality. She needs to contribute, even if he doesn¡¯t demand it. <em>Especially because</em> he doesn¡¯t demand it!


    She and Thing work in tandem with the Magmyrm, working to keep alive whoever the volcanic ants bring back from the battle. She still isn¡¯t so sure about healing the enemy, but the Emperor was clear, even without the Voice needing to spell it out: Any who are brought in will be healed. If you can¡¯tmit to that, get out of the medics area. It¡¯s rare for him to be so vehement with something, so she is willing to bow to his unusual wisdom. It¡¯s shown itself invaluable before, so she has no reason to doubt it will show its worth again by the end of all this.


    Pheromones fly through the air as treatments are administered, some giving diagnoses, and some giving information of the battle. Honey has her bees everywhere, and while they asionally get conscripted to help with a particrly-difficult injury, they are mostly here to get information about how the battles are going.


    Despite how busy the medical ward is, the fighting is going well. If Queen hadn¡¯t been part of that spell, she would say it¡¯s going impossibly well. The delvers are outnumbered approximately three to one, even with the defecting townsfolk on their side. The counter-ambushes went exceptionally well, with the delvers either handling the attacks on their own, or with the help of the wyrms.


    The fighting in the town is the messiest, and she wonders just how bad it would be without Murphy¡¯s Law aimed at their foe. While it is not a perfect protection, the misfortunes of battle are certainly weighing more on the enemies than her allies.Though that doesn¡¯t mean her allies are immune to it. The magmyrm have brought in over a dozen bodies now, along with tales of their own misfortunes. That Crystal Shield acolyte was distracted and never saw the flying de that took his life. This adventurer spotted an ambush early enough to warn her allies, but not early enough to save herself. The dwellers, though, hurt Queen the most. This ratkin was too good with thepound bow, and the Maw¡¯s clergy decided to destroy him, even at the cost of their lives. That tarantkin held a narrow tunnel while civilians could escape, buying time for backup to keep them safe and avenge her.


    Her only sce is that the dead were brought in dead. So far, not a single living delver or dweller has entered her ward and been lost. But the fighting is still ongoing, and growing more brutal as the Maw¡¯s forces grow desperate.


    She puts her musings aside as more magmyrm rush in, pheromones thick with rm. Their charge is alive, but they don¡¯t know how much longer that will be the case. She directs them to her personal station, and freezes for a moment when she sees who it is.


    Vernew.


    The spiderkin is usually so brash and vibrant, it seems so¡­ so <em>wrong</em> to see her so still, even without her having two jagged des in her chest. Another thick wave of pheromones kicks her out of her thoughts, and she replies with her own. Emperor as her witness, she will <em>not</em> lose her friend this day!


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    She embraces her titles, for she is not simply an <strong>Alchemist</strong>, but also the <strong>Wielder of Secret Knowledge</strong>. Let Honey horde information, Queen will set each grain of truth as a scalpel for her ants to bear. A bee hordes, an ant uses. She knows spiderkin anatomy. Herpound eyes take in every detail as she orders ants and hands alike.


    One lung is certainly punctured, with the other de being dangerously close to Vernew¡¯s heart. Her ants swarm around the offending weapons, carefully digging away the armor without allowing the des to move. They¡¯re jagged, serrated. If not removed carefully, they¡¯ll do more damage on the way out. They are also restricting bleeding, so removing them now would be a mistake.


    The hands release thetches of theposite mshell, freeing the two pieces. The holes are wide enough now, allowing the hands to carefully levitate the chestpiece free.


    <em>So much ichor</em>. She pushes the thought aside, needing to focus. If Vernew had a true exoskeleton, she¡¯d already be dead. But having actual bones allows for a proper circtory system, which helps minimize bleeding, no matter how much it might look otherwise.


    She orders resin and bandages, as well as potions. This is beyond what a simple healing slime can help with. Her ants carefully enter the wound, her metal-mandibled majors working to blunt the sharp serrations. Her smaller alchemical ants transport potion exactly where it needs to go, carefully bringing vessels back together, knitting lung tissue whole.


    The de near her heart is the easier task, more needing to prevent further damage than actively repair anything. While there are a lot of vessels in and around the beating muscle, her ants are able to navigate far more nimbly than something sorge and crude as a scalpel.


    The intrusion near her heart is removed first, and even with her ants managing the blood vessels, they could only get to so many of them with the de still in the wound. She does her best to ignore the splurt of precious fluid, and instead orders the ants back as the hands bring forward the bandage.


    She pauses for a brief moment when she sees the bandage, immediately able to tell it¡¯s no ordinary one. She never made special bandages! What is¡­


    Her mandibles twitch in an ant smile as she realizes what it is. She orders it applied to the wound, and resin applied as well, even as the events of the bandage¡¯s existence y through her mind.


    She and Thing were not the only ones working on the medical supplies, back in the safety of the Emperor''s territory. At the time, she thought Grim was simply helping in a more mundane manner. His size and simply having hands were already an immense help in making bandages. His sanitized scythe made cutting them easier, and he could seal them in wax without worrying about burning his fingers.


    But of course the Groundsreaper would help in his own subtle way. Queen wonders if other healers would apply a bandage so suffused with death magic, even with all the fate and life magic in it, too. Other healers don¡¯t truly understand what infections are, and so wouldn¡¯t understand how important a little bit of death is to ensure proper life.


    Other healers probably wouldn¡¯t apply resin overtop a bandage, but other healers don¡¯t often work with spiderkin. Even if her chitin isn¡¯t a true exoskeleton like Queen¡¯s, it will still provide an excellent surface to seal with resin, without little things like hairs to make removing itter difficult.


    Other healers might not know how a lung is put together, and other healers certainly wouldn¡¯t have the delicate and precise mandibles of her ants to align everything properly. Other healers might be able to just brute force health with raw magic power, but Queen doesn¡¯t have the luxury of having life affinity.


    But she has her secret knowledge, and as the Emperor likes to say: knowledge is power. And power is more than just the ability to destroy dangers, but the ability to protect. Her power can save and improve lives, not just end them.


    The work is painstaking, but she can¡¯t afford to just ther her friend in healing potions, nor just toss her into a healing slime. The slimes are effective, but they really need all the important pieces to be roughly where they should be, in order to work. The potions are effective, but she only has so much of a supply, even with her ants brewing more as she works. She needs to be efficient.


    The de in Vernew¡¯s lung is finally removed and another bandage applied and resined in ce, and a dose of healing potion is administered to help stabilize her friend. Queen would like to do more, but she can¡¯t waste materials. She can already scent more emergency pheromones from magmyrm outside.


    Vernew is not going to be the only dire case she deals with today. While she can¡¯t do anything for the ones that arrive toote, she <em>will</em> do her best to not let any slip away that make it to her in time.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty-Five

    Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty-Five


    <strong>Aranya</strong>


    The red kobold can¡¯t help but keep a hand at her pendant as she, Ragnar, Ara, and Yvonne follow Teemo and Nova. She should be confident, especially after that miracle from Lord Thedeim and his scions, but she can¡¯t keep her nerves fully in check.


    Should she have tried to insist her friends stay behind? What if they get hurt because of her? Not for the first time, she crushes that line of thought. Not only is it pointless to worry about that now, it¡¯s also insulting to her friends to even consider taking credit for their agency. No, they chose toe along, and if she¡¯s honest with herself, she¡¯s d they did.


    Even if she worries for their safety. She does her best to set that cart on a quiet path in the back of her mind. Their safety is her concern, she <em>is</em> their primary support now, but she can¡¯t make their choices for them.


    She turns her attention to the shortcut they¡¯re currently in, both to try to calm herself, but also to appreciate just how skilled Teemo¡¯s be. The trail feelsfortably spacious, but she¡¯s pretty sure a more ordinary worm would make more of a disturbance than thebined efforts of Teemo and Nova. The Voice hurries alongside the wyrm, manipting distance as she melts through the rock.


    Aranya even suspects he¡¯s manipting the space around Nova, too, as she watches the shy scion slowly add more and more magma to her form. She¡¯s pretty sure Nova is mimicking more advanced forms of dragon, currently what she would consider a drake with four legs and a tail. She suspects Teemo is shrinking her, because she¡¯s seen little ripples in the magma construct, hinting at Nova moving underneath. She doesn¡¯t know how significantly space ispressed there, but she¡¯s confident Nova wouldn¡¯t fit through any of those legs if they¡¯re actually the size they look to be.


    ¡°Nervous?¡± asks Ragnar at her side, looking more serious before this fight than usual.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she admits, turning her head to look at her other twopanions. ¡°I don¡¯t know which of the scions would be worse to face.¡±


    ¡°Th¡¯ Redcap,¡± answers Ragnar without hesitation, earning confused looks all around.¡°The Redcap?¡± repeats Ara. ¡°I would have thought you¡¯d be more concerned about facing the Harbinger.¡±


    Ragnar shakes his head. ¡°Nah. It¡¯ll be nasty, aye, bu¡¯ I c¡¯n handle a headache. A Conduit¡¯s a whole other vein t¡¯ mine.¡±


    ¡°Even without your usual armor?¡± asks Yvonne, earning augh from the dwarf.


    ¡°Are y¡¯ daft, woman? It¡¯s no cragte, but it¡¯ll take as good a beatin¡¯ fer a while, and weighs nothin¡¯!¡±


    ¡°What about your shield? Isn¡¯t it dangerous?¡± asks Aranya, still a little confused about why he kept it.


    Ragnar smiles and reaches to pat the shield slung on his back. ¡°Even a Conduit¡¯ll ¡®ave a ¡®ard time takin¡¯ m¡¯ shield. It¡¯s an heirloom an¡¯ ¡®as th¡¯ weight a mountains. Tha¡¯ Redcap <em>could</em> take it, but he¡¯d bottom out th¡¯ Maw t¡¯ do it.¡±


    ¡°But your axe would have been easier?¡± points out Ara, nodding at the weighty stone hammer at Ragnar¡¯s hip, instead of his usual weapon.


    ¡°Aye. B¡¯sides, I figure we could do interestin¡¯ things together wi¡¯ an earth mage an¡¯ an earth hammer!¡±


    ¡°Personally, I hope we all stay bored and beneath notice the entire time,¡± admits Aranya, her mind focusing on what they¡¯re really here for: the kobolds.


    ¡°It¡¯d be nice,¡± affirms Yvonne. ¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll take to convince them toe with us?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll even be <em>able</em> to. A lot of them worship the Maw, and as far as I can tell, it¡¯s genuine. But a lot of them try to oppose it, too. But mostly¡­ I think most people will just be scared of changing the status quo. It¡¯s not a good life, but it¡¯s still <em>life</em>, and change doesn¡¯t guarantee anything better.¡±


    ¡°What do we do about the ones that don¡¯t want to leave? Will they try to fight us?¡± asks Ara with a small frown.


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    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ possible. The Maw fanatics might justugh and watch, expecting the Maw to immediately stop us, or drag us back in a couple hours. That¡¯s how most escape attempts would go. But with two scions and us¡­ they might try something.¡±


    Nobody looks happy at that, but before anyone can reply, Teemo speaks up.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there. Aranya, you¡¯re up. Nova says she can feel arge cavern ahead, with a lot of smaller tunnels that don¡¯t meet up with the mess of a maze we¡¯re sneaking through. She doesn¡¯t feel anything that doesn¡¯t seem to be a kobold, but there¡¯s no way at least one of the scions isn¡¯t here. How do you want to do this?¡±


    ¡°Surface in the cavern. The tunnels are to the sleeping areas. Most of the people should be in the cavern, and anyone who isn¡¯t, should get there pretty quickly.¡± She takes a moments to touch her holy symbol once again, her other hand resting on the hilt of the scythemaw de Lord Thediem gave her. She¡¯s still no expert with it, but she should at least be able to avoid embarrassing herself with it, should she need to use it.


    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll poke my head up to see if we¡¯re expected, then let you all in if we¡¯re good. If we¡¯re not good¡­ we run.¡±


    Aranya winces at that, but doesn¡¯t argue. A significant part of this n hinges on being able to make progress before having to fight. Starting with a fight would go poorly. And if they¡¯re toote¡­ she¡¯d rather not see the remains of the enve after the Maw decided to consume everyone.


    Teemo pops his head through a tiny crack in the ceiling, and soon pulls back with a smile. ¡°Looks good. We¡¯ll head on up. Nova, if you want, you can leave the magma here so you can sneak through the rock, or wait here until we need you to throw your weight around.¡±


    Nova rumbles from somewhere inside the magma drake, which soon copses into a pile of molten stone. The magma itself vanishes as Teemo twists space around it, muttering ¡°Spatial Thermos,¡± as he does. The others look confused at the wording, with Ara giving their curiosity words.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s one of Lord Thedeim¡¯s concepts, a powerful one, despite it having such a mundane use,¡± exins Aranya. ¡°It¡¯s a kind of wineskin that keeps the contents at the temperature you put them in. It¡¯s surrounded by nothingness, only having a thin lip around the spout that gives the heat or cold any chance to escape.¡±


    Teemo nods at that. ¡°And this is a spatial version of that. There¡¯s only one way in or out of there right now, and it opens to solid rock¡­ well, more magma, since Nova went through. Either way, the heat has nowhere to escape.¡±


    ¡°Think ye¡¯ c¡¯n get a scion intae one?¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but the way out would be pretty obvious. It looks pretty weird in there, with the only normal bit being the exit. Anyhow, let¡¯s do this, yeah?¡±


    Aranya inhales and nods as the floor slopes up to the crack in the ceiling, where Teemo waves her forward. He even hops on her shoulder as she steps through into a familiar nightmare.


    The air is thick with the scent of bodies, thankfully the scent of living bodies, at least. Breath, waste, and shed scales fill her nostrils as the sight of confused kobolds greet her. Most have ragged clothes, with only the Maw fanatics having anything clean. Even their chains are clean, which is much more than can be said of the others. While the fanatics have thin, practically decorative chains, the ordinary ones have thicker manacles and bindings. Despite them being loose enough to let a kobold move around, the chains serve two purposes. The first is a reminder of their ce. They breathe only because the Maw allows it. The second is so there is an easy source of metal to punish any kobold who gets too uppity.


    The gathered kobolds murmur before a fanatic cautiously approaches Aranya. ¡°Who are you?!¡± he demands, relying on the threat of the Maw to see an answer, rather than any weapon to give his question weight.


    Oddly, her nerves seem to melt away, instead of spiking. This is the time for action, not for second guesses. She speaks loudly and clearly as she steps aside, letting her friends join her from seeming nowhere.


    ¡°I am Aranya, Resident and High Priestess of Lord Thedeim. He hase to free our people.¡±


    The fanatic sneers even as he seems to rx. ¡°What makes you think you can stand before the Great Maw?¡±


    ¡°Jello¡¯s Embrace,¡± she answers, a wave of orange engulfing the fanatic and holding him still. She directs the magic toward other fanatics, with Ara soon bringing her own magic to Entomb fanatics up to their necks. Themotion draws the eyes of everyone in the enve, with even the tunnels filling with curious and nervous eyes.


    She inhales to repeat herself, but is interrupted by a wizened old kobold with dusty red scales, leaning on a cane as he steps toward her. ¡°Aranya? Is it truly you?¡±


    She smiles and rushes forward, embracing him. ¡°It¡¯s me, Grandfather! I¡¯m back, and I¡¯vee to bring everyone with me.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ how?¡± he asks with wonder, his eyes wandering over herpanions and eventuallynding on Teemo, still sitting on her shoulder.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of hows in that one question, hmm?¡± he answers, only making her Grandfather even more confused.


    ¡°There¡¯s too much to exin right now, Grandfather. Just please, get everyone here so we can go. Teemo here has made a shortcut for us all. We need to take it, before the Maw notices.¡±


    ¡°How would it not notice?¡± he asks, before a crash of metal on metal sounds from just behind Aranya. She quickly turns, seeing Ragnar in a full defensive stance, staring at the entrance to the Enve¡­ at the Redcap.


    ¡°So, the Master was right. You thieves wanted the Master¡¯s precious kobolds.¡± Thenky fey slowly stands to his full height in the tall cavern, his blue eyes looking disinterested as he takes in the scene. ¡°I should thank you, I suppose. I haven¡¯t had a chance to make a fresh hat in a while.¡±

 Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty-Six

    Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty-Six


    <strong>The Redcap</strong>


    Thenky fey takes in the details of the central kobold chamber, not especially concerned about the invaders currently in it. The Pantry has been breached, but the kobolds are still safe. He can see the loyal ones incapacitated in several ways, but they¡¯re in no danger. If they¡¯re lucky, the Redcap will be allowed to make one of them a hat, thoughe to think of it, he has plenty of material in the invaders.


    A dwarf, an elf, some strange fluffy biped, apparently an escaped kobold, and a rat. Not exactly the most intimidating group, even if he can tell the rat is a Voice. What kind of pathetic dungeon has an ordinary rat as their Voice?


    They all wear a strange make of armor, and though the Redcap can feel metal inside it, there¡¯s not enough to get a grip on. He probably <em>could</em>, if he really tried, but it¡¯d be like trying to grab a fistful of water. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the dwarf¡¯s shield sings to him of strength and durability. He lets his affinity caress it, and is surprised to discover how staunchly it ignores him.


    He doesn¡¯t know what kind of magic could do that, and he even tests it carefully as he stares at the invaders. He could im it, but he would cost the Great Maw too much for it to be worthwhile, especially with the interesting swords at the hips of the kobold and fluffy thing.


    The scimitars are oddly thick, with deep serrations on the back. What kind of swords are those? They are interesting, different from the other des the Redcap has forged himself. He wills the swords to himself, and frowns as they fail to react at all.


    He can inly <em>see</em> they¡¯re metal, but his affinity finds no purchase in them? ¡°What interesting swords. I¡¯ll have to take a good look at themter.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯d let the kobolds go?¡± asks the rat, and the Redcap considers just ignoring it. However, the Great Maw is spending more mana than it¡¯s recovering, so a windfall would be nice.


    ¡°No,¡± he answers simply, a hand flicking as he releases a long sharp needle to sail through the air towards the enemy scion. That one was inspired by an old elf he once saw. He doesn¡¯t know why hers were so dull, or covered in thread, but he feels he¡¯s improved on the design significantly.The rat doesn¡¯t even blink as the needle drifts to the side, missing both it and the kobold it''s perched on, eventually embedding itself in the wall some distance behind them. The Redcap frowns as the rat smirks. He guided the needle perfectly straight, yet it drifted? If he had hurled a stone, he might believe he was mistaken, but he could feel the trajectory of the needle. It flew straight, it should have impaled the smiling rodent lengthwise.


    He frowns as he is forced to shift his estimation of the invaders. They¡¯re trickier than they appear. ¡°Return to your burrows, kobolds,¡± he orders, his mind going over his armory of des. Which to summon first?


    His musing is interrupted by the enemy Voice. ¡°Nova, now!¡±


    The Redcap is already moving, expecting some strange attack from the rat Voice, but the dangeres from the very cave beneath his feet. Heat! So much heat! He calls forth a spiked chain, inspired by the thinlinks, and harpoons the nearest wall, letting him yank himself to safety. He would have tried attacking one of the invaders, but he doesn¡¯t want to have his escape thwarted by the same thing that ruined his opening attack.


    The floor he once stood upon explodes into heat and magma, causing the gathered kobolds to finally remember he ordered them to their hovels. They quickly flee as magma floods into the chamber, and the Redcap wonders if the invaders simply intend topletely fill it to kill the kobolds, and probably himself, too.


    It¡¯s not that simple, it seems, as the magma starts to mound up and form into a long and powerful shape. Four limbs lift a hulking body, two more limbs spread wide above it, one more whips around behind it. A long and thick neck takes shape, a head sprouting details as the Redcap watches in rapt attention. It roars like a volcano, and the Redcap is stunned by the realization of what it is.


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    It¡¯s the mystery sculptor! It works in magma, not stone, so perhaps he should call it a molder instead? He ducks under a swipe from a wing, his eyes wide instead of half-closed with disinterest.


    ¡°You¡¯re the sculptor. I have your small kobold statuette. It looks like you¡¯ve improved since you made that.¡± A flicker of motion has him summon a kite shield, just in time to intercept an obsidian-headed arrow. It shatters on the shield, though he can feel the weight of the skill behind it.


    He¡¯ll need to admire the dragon¡¯s workter, it seems. The other invaders require his attention. He summons and releases a wide fan of knives, once again feeling the trajectories differ from what his eyes see. Some illusion, perhaps? Illusion affinity can be so bothersome, though it would exin the metal swords that ignore him. Why create them, though? Surely an illusionist would make them look like something other than what the Redcap has mastery over.


    He may need to take this fight seriously. Unfortunately, the Great Maw doesn¡¯t have the mana for him to <em>truly</em> take the fight seriously. It needs mana for orders, for spawning, for a multitude of things. It may be able to consume some nodes or possibly even a spawner, but such desperate moves should be beneath the Great Maw.


    Fine. He shall test these illusions, starting with what may be an attempt to mask the metal in the dwarf¡¯s armor. That he¡¯s charging with a stone hammer held high makes no difference. He can feel the traces of metal in the odd armor he¡¯s wearing, trusting more in his ability to direct his affinity than in his eyes, and pulls more of the Great Maw¡¯s mana to attempt to crush the cackling dwarf.


    He can feel the metal shear under hismand, confirming it exists. Unfortunately, the metalcks the strength to actually hamper the invader. As it nears him, he summons his own hammer, leveraging it around in a brutal and powerful arc¡­ an arc that somehow feels longer than it should. His bnce is off, and the head seems smaller than it should, but his attack still stops the dwarf cold. Of course, it should have smeared the bearded nuisance across the floor. Wild eyes gaze from over the shield as the stone hammer crashes into the Redcap¡¯s hand. It stings, but isn¡¯t seriously damaging. In fact, he would say the words from the dwarf¡¯s mouth are more painful.


    ¡°An¡¯ ¡®ere I ¡®eard scions were scary!¡±


    Blue eyes in the ckness under a grisly hat narrow for a moment, before the Redcap recognizes an unexpected affinity. The dwarf clearly wants the Redcap¡¯s attention, and even if that would be ying into the annoyance¡¯s hand, he doesn¡¯t have much other option. He has some resistance to mental attacks, thanks to the Harbinger, but he can¡¯t let this dwarf build up an offense with that variety of magic.


    ¡°I will carve a masterpiece of pain into you, dwarf.¡± He doesn¡¯t usually like abstract concept art, but for this opponent, he¡¯s willing to make an exception. He summons a ded chain, all the better to hinder and dice the armored beardy thing, and swings it in a few loops before bringing it down on his foe.


    ¡°y.¡±


    The dwarf calmly steps back as a curtain of magma intercepts the chain. It digs deep into the sudden intrusion, and the Redcap can even feel it grab and pull at his weapon! He can feel the metal melt beyond his control as it sinks into the wing of the magma dragon, and he¡¯s soon forced to relinquish the weapon so he won''t be sucked in, too.


    Even worse, a glowing orange arrow seems to simply sprout from his shoulder, pain echoing through his arm as a cry of ¡°Trick Shot!¡± echoes around the chamber. He frowns at the arrow before pulling it free and snapping it. These invaders are much more difficult than he first thought. In his defense, he didn¡¯t first think they¡¯d have a dragon with them, nor that it would be the mysterious creator of the kobold statuette.


    Hmm. The kobolds. He could win this battle if he drew deep on the Great Maw¡¯s mana, but that may end up costing it the war. Though, if he loses, the Great Maw may lose, too.


    ¡°Great Maw, I need mana.¡± The dungeon is offended for a moment, before grudging understanding washes through it. A wide, jagged smile splits the darkness below the Redcap¡¯s blue eyes as he nods.


    ¡°Of course, Great Maw. I¡¯ll leave a breeding poption. I¡¯ll even make sure to return this wayward one to you, either to carry on her line, or for you to savor after we win.¡±


    He feels for the nearby kobolds, for their chains. Most of them are down the tunnels and beyond his reach, but there are some with their hovels close enough for him to find them. He¡¯d like to take his time, give each kobold his individual attention, but the invaders are already moving to press their attack.


    They know precisely how precious the kobolds are. They¡¯re here to steal them away, after all.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty-Seven

    Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty-Seven


    <strong>Nova</strong>


    Nova isn¡¯t so sure she¡¯s cut out for fighting, no matter how potent her name is. Voice Teemo smoothly deflected the Redcap¡¯s opening attack like it was nothing, and he¡¯s supposed to be bad in a fight! When he called for her, she rushed to help, but only made a mess, at least at first.


    A lot of magma would keep the Redcp at bay, right? But he didn¡¯t sound worried, didn¡¯t stagger back or gasp in surprise. He just calmly watched. She needed to do more than just mound a bunch of magma if she wanted to achieve anything!


    Her first idea seemed silly, but she didn¡¯t see anything else to do. So she shaped the magma like she had in the shortcut. She hadn¡¯t expected to bring a sculpture to battle, but the approval from the Guide encouraged her. It¡¯s unorthodox, and the Guide embraces the unorthodox!


    She loomed dramatically, only for the Redcap topliment her kobold statuette? What was he even talking about? Whatever his intention, he still didn¡¯t seem intimidated! Then Ragnar charged, and the scion produced some wicked looking chain, and she had to intercept it!


    With her and Ragnar acting as distractions, Voice Teemo, Aranya, and Yvonne were even able to team up for an attack. It even hit home! When he pulled out the arrow and stepped back, she thought the Redcap was on the ropes as Rocky might put it. But Rocky always warned about a situation like that. A foe could be about to lose, or they could be preparing something nasty. A Rope-a-Dope, if she remembers right. Then the Redcap spoke, and now she knows he¡¯s up to something nasty. She can hear a rattle of chains from one of the nearby little kobold homes, which seems odd. The kobolds should be staying still. Then a snap. Then a thud. Then stillness.


    It takes her a moment to realize what¡¯s happened, and Teemo can hear her cry. What can she do?


    ¡°Nova, push him back! We need to keep him away from the kobolds!¡± shouts Voice Teemo to her as the delvers withdraw, having to leave the fight to her if they¡¯re going to save anyone.


    Her?! She can¡¯t face the Redcap! She barely has her first title, and what¡¯s an <strong>Artist</strong> supposed to do against a <strong>Conduit</strong>?!


    ¡°Y¡¯ got this,ss,¡± encourages Ragnar as he withdraws, and she can feel even the Guide¡¯s warmth trying to give her hope. But what¡­


    <em>rattle</em>


    <em>snap!</em>


    <em>thud</em>


    Another one! Indecision and uncertainty gue her as she tries toe up with something to stop the Redcap.


    <em>rattle</em>


    <em>snap!</em>


    <em>thud</em>


    Do <em>something</em>! Anything is better than nothing! She¡¯s just d she doesn¡¯t actually have knees to knock together in fear as she charges her magma sculpture forward. Heat pours off her from her fear, but that at least gives her easier ess to more magma! She opens her wings wide, physically blocking the enemy scion from advancing, and tries to ignore the gruesome cadence ying out in the hidey holes nearby.


    The redcap shifts his weight, and she can hear something heavy and metallic scrape the floor before a huge axe takes off one of her sculpture¡¯s forelegs! She manages to keep it together and stumble forward, instead of just copsing into a loose flow again. The axe swings again, removing the other foreleg and dropping the thick neck of her creation near the metal fey.


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    She gets an idea as her sculpture falls, and when the axe follows with it like a guillotine, it¡¯s the Redcap who is at a loss. She could melt that wicked chain and im it, so why not this axe? And whoever said her sculpture had to be static in form? The neck almost catches the axe, deforming and slowing it until it sticks, instead of letting it slice cleanly through.


    She regathers the removed magma limbs, reforming her creation and standing tall once more.


    The Redcap chuckles. ¡°A very impressive piece. But you are not the only artist here. Let me show you some of my work.¡±


    Two swords plunge into the eyes of her effigy, and though she jumps in surprise, Nova is quick enough to engulf the weapons. Then more start plunging into her, and she swims through her work. She¡¯s pretty sure the Redcap can¡¯t sense where she is, but a moving target is probably better than just sitting still, right?


    ¡°I know you¡¯re in there somewhere. I just need to find you.¡± Morerge des sh, opening brief fissures in the magma effigy before Nova closes them. She does her best to catch the weapons, and she makes sure to spread their melted remains around. The redcap hasn¡¯t shown any ability to manipte molten metal yet, but she''s not going to let it pool and give him a chance to try.


    Then the weapons cease. Has she won? The hope is dashed as she feels a weight of mana descend on her, and she realizes the Redcap has fully embraced his <strong>Conduit</strong> title. Even with that, her bond with the Guide still feels hopeful. He actually seems <em>happy</em> the Redcap is going all out! Nova is not! Nova is the <em>opposite</em> of happy!


    The onught resumes, with the metallic implements piercing deeper before they melt fully. He might actually hit her! She can¡¯t just stand there and take his attacks. She needs to attack back, somehow! She only has one idea, and it doesn¡¯t seem like a good one, but nothing else ising to mind right now!


    Her creation leaps at the Redcap, the head scraping against the ceiling as she tries to get away from the probing attacks. He darts back, flinging more dangerous metal into her effigy as itnds, and she lets it copse into a formless flow. The dragon sculpture is interesting, but the magma is easier to manipte like this.


    Now there¡¯s no defined form, there¡¯s a lot more ces she can hide, and it¡¯s a lot more difficult for the Redcap to try to dig to them! Not that he¡¯s against trying.


    ¡°Desperation, perhaps? Did I manage to hit you in there? It¡¯s difficult to tell, you know. I hope I can make a hat of you, Sculptor. It seems I¡¯ll need to learn magma as a medium for that. No time like the present to learn¡­¡±


    New weapons appear, though hardly traditional ones. As far as she can tell, he¡¯s summoned some kind of sharpened shovels, or maybe even wider axes? Whatever they are, he¡¯s able to scoop out a piece of magma and fling it aside, sttering the walls and quickly cooling.


    ¡°Heavy and hot. Do you know how long it will take me to remake the des I¡¯m using for you? But I think you¡¯ll be worth the effort, Sculptor.¡±


    She redoubles her efforts, moving the magma faster, more desperately, trying to somehow corner the Redcap so she can actually hit him! But he¡¯s incredibly quick, dodging any tentacles she tries to make, avoiding any surges, and slipping past any blobs she might throw at him.


    She¡¯s losing magma, and starting to get low on mana, too. Onest chance¡­ she hurls onest blob of magma, and the Redcap doesn¡¯t even need to step back as it falls short. She can practically hear him smile as he stands there, his attention squarely on herstrge blob of magma.


    ¡°Nowhere else to hide, Sculptor. You weren¡¯t easy to best, I will give you that. I shall make a glorious hat of this battle, either from you, or from yourpanions. Perhaps from that oddly-furred one. I haven¡¯t seen something like her before. Good bye, Sculptor.¡±


    Nova feels the magma part around three huge des, or possibly just one moving incredibly fast. Herst hiding ce is sliced into eight even pieces. A few more des are summoned to further dice and separate the magma as the Redcap looks for his prize.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ were you a slime, instead of a dragon? I¡¯m not sure if that would be more impressive, or less. Agh!?¡±


    Nova grins to herself as her supposedly-failed projectile finally hits its mark. With his attention on therger pile, she could slowly inch it closer until there was no way for him to dodge! The smaller blob pounces on the Redcap¡¯s feet, encasing them and holding him fast. She bursts from the ceiling where she had hidden, having escaped through the head when it scraped. The Guide likened her to a strange flying bomb when he first saw her hit a fire elemental like this. They never see iting, and she¡¯s pretty sure the Redcap is the same.


    The Redcap can¡¯t move his des in time, and Nova hears hisst word before her jaws close around his head, her momentum dragging them both through the floor as she melts the rock around them.


    ¡°Beautiful¡­¡±

 Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty-Eight

    Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty-Eight


    <strong>The Harbinger</strong>


    Things have been going poorly, and the Harbinger would bet all its mana on that Fate spell being the culprit. When it first washed over it and the Maw, the Harbinger was concerned, and that concern only grew as nothing continued to happen. It hasn¡¯t seen Fate workings in¡­ so very long, but it remembers that the more subtle a work, the more dangerous.


    Then the surface dwellers made their move. It had to be the surfacers, who else would attack the Maw like this? The Harbinger actually felt the Maw using the rockslides as scouts was clever, at least until they were all destroyed by the tunnelers of the surface. Once the wyrms and basilisks became known, it was easy to exin what destroyed them.


    It wasn¡¯t happy news, but it did at least exin. Wyrms also exined how the surfacers were able to turn the ambushes around on the least and lessers. That particr failing galled the Harbinger. Either the surface dwellers were much stronger than expected, or the Fate spell had something to do with it. The least, backed by a lesser, should have been organized and clever enough to obliterate a dozen or more surfacers! Yet even the modrity of the lessers didn¡¯t seem to slow down their opponents for long.


    The Harbinger mes the invaders being well prepared for the unexpected difficulties. des really only slow down the lessers, as the severed segments can still mentally link together and guide the least. But their foes were clever and changed from metallic des to more crude crushing and impaling weapons, things that can be made without metal. Standards could have withstood such an improvised change of attacks, but the lessers seemed like they could only be crushed and stabbed to uselessness.


    And speaking of useless, the emancipated enves could only dream of merely being useless in this fight! No, so many of the dwellers are actively <em>helping</em> the attackers! Even with the clergy moving in force, the tide of numbers is turning against the Harbinger and the Maw. Only now are they close enough for the Harbinger to guide the least, now they¡¯re close to breaching the templeplex.


    But as it loses more and more least to the attackers, the Harbinger grows more and more concerned. It segments its mind, leaving the portion with the bond to worry, and freeing most of itself to consider what to actually do.


    The surfacers are strong, even stronger than in the battle on the surface! Could they actually be victorious? The notion should be ludicrous, but with the Maw¡¯s forces consistently being pushed back, it¡¯s not outside the realm of possibility. And, loath as the Harbinger is to put that possibility on the table, it must acknowledge it and be prepared.


    It can¡¯t fall here. If the Maw is subsumed, the Harbinger would be destroyed along with it. It must prepare to escape, but the options for escape are dwindling rapidly. And if it faces that lich once again¡­ escape will not be an option. And if it stays here, it will very likely face the lich. Information is difficult to obtain, but a strong group of scions is not easy to hide.


    Which isn¡¯t to say it¡¯s impossible. The invaders have somehow gotten three scions to the entrance of theplex without being spotted, and the lich is among them. There is also an odd earth elemental with a hat and axe, and a quatl that positively radiates mana. The Harbinger just hopes if the winged serpent is a conduit, it will be low on mana after that Fate working earlier.


    More invaders are gathering there, too, though it¡¯s difficult to get scouts in the area, and they¡¯re still too far away for the Harbinger to be able to get much of a read on them yet. More information won¡¯t help the harbinger at this point, however. That lich obliterated it on the surface, and the Harbinger very much doubts a second fight would go any better for it. If they move in, the Harbinger will need to mo-


    Its thoughts are interrupted by abject panic from the Maw, and a hammerblow of mana ordering it to protect its core. That¡¯s what it¡¯s pretending to do right now! What is it so¡­ where is the Redcap? It can usually feel that smug scion through their mutual bond with the Maw, but its not reacting properly. It¡¯s almost as if¡­ oh.


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    The Redcap has been defeated and is respawning. Was it the lich?! No¡­ the lich is still outside, as far as the scouts can tell. That must mean the surfacers were able to sneak even more strong scions into the enve to kill the Redcap. It¡¯s no longer possible the Maw will be subsumed, but <em>likely</em>. That changes things, almost as much as the group outside the templeplex making their move.


    The Harbinger¡¯s course is clear. It extrudes a thin part of itself near the core as the rest heaves forward.


    <em>Seal the Core Chamber</em>, it orders the gathered priests, even moving some of its mass to help close the thick metal doors. It¡¯s not a perfect seal, but the Harbinger can fix that with its own mass. And none too soon, as the Harbinger can feel another significant working of mana beginning. But, instead of Fate this time, it¡¯s¡­ Thunder?


    A simple series of notes seems toe from every surface outside the Core Chamber, impossible to ignore as they set the tempo for the battle through theplex. Heavy beats soon follow, the entireplex seeming to vibrate at the whim of whatever enemy scion is doing this. The Harbinger fears it may be toote, that the entireplex may copse, but the rumblings don¡¯t seek to tear theplex asunder.


    A harsher melody barges into the budding song, and the Harbinger finally realizes it <em>is</em> a song. A Bardic working? With the power behind the music, the Harbinger can only imagine how the enemy scions are wreaking havoc through theplex. It can feel them getting closer, but once it springs its n, it should be well able to handle the lich and itspanions.


    It shields the minds of the nearby clergy as the harsh notes continue to build, and is d it did as a thrum of <em>intent</em> bears down through the music. <strong>Say Your Prayers, Little One</strong>, a challenge, a deration of how feeble the faith of the Maw¡¯s followers are. Even the Harbinger is surprised at the weight of the intent. It¡¯s not enough to break its protection, but it is enough to make the Harbinger worry that, perhaps, the lich is not the only powerful scioning for it.


    It bolsters the will of the clergy as they call on their faith, preparing their most potent spells to unleash on the invaders when they show their faces. It¡¯s no longer a question of if, but that realization doesn¡¯t phase the priesthood of the Maw. The High Priest stands tall, chanting in defiance of the imposing music.


    The Harbinger maneuvers tentacles into position tosh at anything thates through the door to the Sanctum. The song continues to build as the scions get closer, promising doom and despair for the Maw and its forces. The Harbinger is surprised once again as it¡¯s forced to allow some of the intent through the shielding of the clergy, so it can keep enough energy for itself.


    If it gets much stronger, the Harbinger will have to make its move earlier than it wishes. The music reaches a crescendo as the doors are flung open. For a terrible moment, The Harbinger and the clergy can see what they are up against. The lich has strange wrappings on its fists now, its staffying on the floor at its feet, along with its ck robe. It has something between its teeth, and bright shorts around its hips. One fist is forward, as if the lich had simply <em>punched</em> the doors open! If it weren¡¯t for the intense magical energy around it, the Harbinger would think it a different scion, but it will never forget that signature.


    Behind it, a long silver serpent floats, iridescent wings spread wide as it gazes into the room. Where the lich¡¯s energy isplex, the Serpent¡¯s is like an ocean. The Harbinger suspects it doesn¡¯t have as much mana at it could have, but it still has the undeniable feel of a <strong>Conduit</strong>.


    Behind them both is the earth elemental scion and the source of the intense song. Lightning shes around its strange hat, and it holds the axe oddly. It¡¯s some kind of instrument, from what the Harbinger can tell of how it¡¯s holding the device.


    Then the moment is gone, and the spells fly and tentaclessh. Iron teeth, steel biting jaws, howls of hunger, dissolving acid, and more descend on the trio of scions. Lightning and thunder re, fire and ice erupt, and raw telekic might meet the iing onught. The variety of affinities is more than enough to dismantle each varied attack. The Harbinger can even feel its tentacles being <em>parried</em> somehow, but its attention is elsewhere.


    As it is, there is no defeating those scions. Even its n contains some risk in fighting those three, but it has little other option. In the worst case, it should at least be able to force its way past them and flee with only a wounded pride to show for it. Confusiones through the bond with the Maw before the Harbinger grins with many mouths and finally ends the charade.


    <strong>Abandon Dungeon? Y/N?</strong>


    The Maw¡¯s rm is cut off as the connection is severed. The Harbinger, now an invader instead of a scion, engulfs the Maw¡¯s core.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty-Nine

    Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty-Nine


    <strong>Rocky</strong>


    He hadn¡¯t expected it to feel so <em>right</em> to be back in his boxing gear. He does feel a little bad about just dropping the nice staff Thing made, but it¡¯s overwhelmed by finally not having to pretend. Coach said this room would probably be to the Sanctum, and from the cultists and Harbinger inside, Rocky would say he was right on the money.


    Working together with Fluffles and sh is also going to be something he¡¯ll probably relish and look back on with happiness. Fluffles is incredibly precise with his mana, with <em>Coach¡¯s</em> mana, spending exactly what¡¯s needed to counter the iing attacks. Rocky, on the other hand, likes to put out a good chunk of his mana at the start of a fight, and use what he has left to manipte and transform it as needed, making it look like his reserves are almost as deep.


    And sh¡­ well, Rocky isn¡¯t sure his heart can technically get pumping to the beat, but he¡¯s definitely buoyed by the music. He remembers the boss music from his fight with the young party, and this song is even more inspiring!


    Which makes it all the more disappointing when the harbinger turns tail and flees through a set of even heavier doors to what can only be the core room. He¡¯ll have to give chase soon, but there¡¯s the small issue of the clergy of the Maw in the way, first.


    ¡°Quickly,¡± hisses Fluffles, and Rocky grunts in agreement. They¡¯ll need a moment to recover from that barrage, so he, Fluffles, and sh need to deal with them before they can take a second swing.


    Sharp icicles andpressed fireballs form, des of wind and crackles of lightning tell of a building of their own attacks, but before they can fly, the clergy of the Maw look shocked, before they start screaming and falling to their knees.


    Even Coach Thediem seems confused, before rm spikes through the bond with a concept so clear that none of the Scions need to be a Voice to understand what has Coach so shocked: <em>Consumed</em>.


    Fluffles tastes the mana flow, and Rocky can feel it now, too. It¡¯s all being drawn into the core room! <em>Something</em> is draining the mana of the Maw, and Rocky can feel a pressure starting to build behind his eyes. He mentally ducks, relieved that he¡¯s got it right still. The pressure lessens, but doesn¡¯t vanish, and he turns his attention to his fellow scions.A little p gets them both to focus, and sh takes a few seconds to choose a new song. Rocky can feel Coach¡¯s approval as it starts, a song of not only fighting back the hordes of evil, but chasing them to their twisted homes and ensuring they understand they are not indestructible.


    Still, the gates of this particr doom are well and truly closed. For now. Rocky and the others hurry past the fallen clergy, some already gone, and some wishing they were so lucky. Even the High Priest can only whimper from the floor as they pass, and Rocky starts working on the door.


    Fluffles starts circting the air around the door as he works with Rocky, the <strong>Conduit</strong> trusting the <strong>Affinity Savant</strong>. The doors are thick, but they¡¯re still metal. No matter how thick, no matter how strong, metal eventually sumbs to cold. Melting instead of freezing would be an option, in theory, but it¡¯d take a lot of energy to melt the doors. No, this way, Rocky and Fluffles can gain energy as they work, instead of expend it. Rocky grabs the heat within the door and brings it towards him, letting Fluffles¡¯ moving air steal away the energy. It¡¯s a lot easier to let convection do the final job of removing the heat from the door. Once it¡¯s under Fluffles¡¯ control, he passes it back to Rocky to hold, at least for now.


    Ice tries to form, but Rocky denies it, not letting it inste the door from Fluffles¡¯ ruthless convection. Almost there¡­ now.


    Fluffles halts the air as Rocky brings a fist forward, carrying all the heat stolen. He¡¯s not aiming to melt the door, no. He has a more destructive option at hand. The heat rushes back into the thick metal doors, and they squeal as the metal warps, before a deafening bang signals its structural failure. A jagged diagonal crack leads from the center of the door upwards, and Fluffles seizes the freed metal in his telekinesis and hurls it into the room, hopefully injuring the Harbinger.


    With the doorpromised, Rocky gives it a kick, and grunts as pressure builds behind his eyes much more quickly this time. He moves on instinct, ducking even as his gloved fists sh out, dodging the attack on himself and parrying the mental onught aimed at hispanions.


    The rush of mana around them finally ceases as insaneughter echoes through the former Sanctuary. The Harbinger¡¯s mass has increased significantly, hardly able to fit inside the room the Maw¡¯s core once resided in. The three scions dart back as toothed tentaclessh out, needing more room to maneuver to avoid getting hit.


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    Distantly, Rocky can feel Coach reassure him that backup is on the way, but he keeps his attention more on the supercharged Harbinger. He¡¯s still confident his group can deal with the monster, but having help is never a bad thing.


    He grunts and harmonizes with sh, flexing his sonic affinity as he dashes forward. The Harbinger will have a different frequency now, but he¡¯s confident he and sh can find it together, especially with Fluffles starting to build up a good and proper storm.


    Lightning zaps at tentacles as they try to exit the core chamber, singing and charring, but not fully forcing them back as the Harbinger seeks to gain more room for itself, all the better to crush them. Rocky and sh aren¡¯t just going to <em>let</em> it, though! Thebination attack builds as Rocky and sh prepare an even stronger Resonance Cascade for the beast, before three tentacles suddenlysh out.


    Each scion is forced to drop thebination to try to defend themselves. Though none are wrapped by a tentacle, each bears a painfulsh as unsettlingughter fills the room. The scions frown and pick up their attack again, trying a different tack this time.


    Fluffles focuses on rain, gathering it in his telekinesis near sh. The earth elemental increases the tempo of his already fast-paced music, arcs of lightning engulfing the boiling water. But Rocky can feel the heat, orck thereof. He keeps his eyes on the Harbinger, sh-freezing any tentacles that try to hinder the new team attack, letting him grow an inferno at the tip of one of his boxing gloves.


    His eyes widen as he¡¯s forced to dodge, same as the other two, as three massive tentacles spear forward, once more interrupting thebined effort and injuring the three scions further. Fluffles is having to rely more on his wind to keep him aloft, thanks to the hole in his right wing. sh is forced to stop ying as he reattaches his severed arm, his earth elemental body a bit better able to handle such an injury than most. Even Rocky has a new nasty gash in his side. He¡¯s d he doesn¡¯t need that kidney.


    Unfortunately, he can¡¯t take the time to properly recover, as the Harbinger surges into the Sanctuary proper, fanged mouths grinning, eyes sparkling with sadistic glee at the injured scions around it. It takes its time gathering three more masses of its amorphous flesh, preparing three bigger tentacle spears to finish off the three fighters.


    They don¡¯t just wait for the end, of course. If the monster is going to interrupt theirbinations, they¡¯ll just have to attack on their own! des of wind, concussive bursts of sound andnces of lightning fly at the Harbinger, even as it summons sacrificial tentacles from its writhing mass, letting the attacks impact those instead of what will be the killshots. Rocky dashes forward, his fists flying as he wades through a thickening bramble ofshing tentacles. He freezes, burns, and vibrates apart each in turn, but there are two more eager to take the ce of each fallen tentacle.


    He tries to increase his pace, tries to speed up, but he can see he¡¯s out of time. The Harbinger¡¯s many mouths open wide in mad glee as the tentacles spear towards the beleaguered scions, only to go silent in shock as all three somehow miss.


    A Voice speaks up from the doorway to the Sanctum. ¡°Whew, just in time.¡±


    Rocky grunts for Teemo to run as a tentacleshes at the rodent, only for Coach¡¯s Voice to vanish down a shortcut and appear several feet away. ¡°Eugh, that¡¯s a nasty one.¡±


    Rocky can feel the pressure behind his eyes spike as a mental attack barrels down on the Voice, and he¡¯s powerless to stop it. He¡¯s too far away to deflect it!


    He¡¯s not the only one surprised as he feels what should have been a tsunami of mental power have all the effect of a light breeze on the mind of Teemo.


    The Harbinger locks up for a moment, and Teemo tilts his head at the amorphous monstrosity. ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡±


    The Harbinger roils in rage as itunches a stronger mental attack at the Voice, Rocky getting a headache just from being near the powerful mental force. Teemo simply blinks as it hits.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got nothing on the Boss, bud.¡± Teemo strolls forward, asionally darting through a shortcut as tentacles try tosh out at him. Rocky can feel a different mental attack brewing, and this time when it hits, Teemo actually pauses for a moment.


    ¡°Oh, hello. That¡¯s cute, you want to go mind to mind with me? Nah, I don¡¯t have mental affinity. I¡¯m just used to some pretty gnarly concepts, thanks to the Boss. Here, try one on for size. Astronomical Unit.¡±


    The word doesn¡¯t make much sense to Rocky, but from the way the entire Harbinger flinches, he¡¯d wager having the full understanding of it is something significant.


    ¡°Yeah, big doesn¡¯t evene close to doing it justice, hmm? Here, have one on the other end of the scale. Angstrom.¡±


    The Harbinger shrieks and starts to back away from Teemo, sliming itself toward a corner of the Sanctuary.


    ¡°I actually really like that one. I think it just sounds cool. It was a lot to take in the first time, though. Kinda ironic, isn¡¯t it?¡± Teemo continues to walk forward, eyes on the undting mass of flesh, mouths and eyes looking frightened rather than confident before a simple rat. ¡°You¡¯re starting to get it now, hmm? I¡¯m not trapped in here with you. You¡¯re trapped in here with me, and those doors are your only escape,¡± speaks the <strong>Voice of Thedeim</strong>, gesturing over his shoulder as he continues to menace towards the huge Harbinger. ¡°Here, let me give you one that still gives even <em>me</em> a headache. Quant-¡±


    With an unearthly shriek, the Harbinger bolts for the door, tentacles tearing up the room as it dashes for escape in a blind panic. Teemo vanishes down another shortcut tond on Rocky¡¯s shoulder, grinning as he watches the Harbinger flee.


    ¡°Sucker. Mobius Trap.¡± He closes a fist as the doorway <em>twists</em> just behind thest of the Harbinger, and the cacophonous shrieks of the former scion cut off. Teemo slumps on Rocky¡¯s shoulder, and the zombie scion is quick to take him into his gloved hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m ok¡­ just tired. Gimme¡­ a few minutes. Boss says the fighting¡¯s basically done. Now¡¯s the clean up.¡±

 Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty

    Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty


    That went better than I was afraid of, but worse than I had hoped. Of course, my hopes were pretty unreasonable. I was hoping to somehow not even need to fight and get the kobolds out without any issue and even have another ally after all was said and done. Not exactly a realistic hope, but it still counts!


    If I keep to my actual expectations for how things went, trying to be reasonable, it¡¯s hard to think of a way it could have genuinely gone better. We still lost people, which still hurts. Even if I don¡¯t know the names of them all just yet, I intend to give them all a special ce in the empty mausoleum, unless they have some special burial wishes. I¡¯ll need to make a memorial or something for them, too.


    But even being able to fit everyone into the mausoleum is a sign that there were a lot fewer casualties than there probably should have been. There were quite a few close calls, like with Vernew, but everyone that made it to the field hospital is expected to pull through, even the former followers of the Maw.


    I didn¡¯t have any scions to spare to keep an eye on the takeover of the town, but reports are that they only had a few spots of hard opposition left by the time the Harbinger ate the Maw. When that happened, the worshipers basically all started screaming and fell down. Queen wants to do an autopsy, and Honey is right with her on that one. I¡¯m pretty sure it was some kind of aneurysm, or something else indicating a mental attack.


    I don¡¯t know exactly how closely connected the cultists were to the Maw, but it¡¯s not difficult to imagine the Harbinger being able to attack through it while consuming the dungeon. As it is, most of the cultists are incapacitated, one way or the other. The living are mostly looking lost, though a few are raging and attacking as well as they can. Considering most of them were using faith magic, and now their object of faith is gone, that mostly means punching, kicking, and biting, at least for now.


    Most of those are tied up now, though a few more died while people tried to apprehend them. If someone is determined to fight and die trying, there¡¯s only so much that can be done sometimes. Cultists aside, we¡¯re upying Silvervein for now, with the Shield¡¯s people keeping things stable while the rebels slowlye to terms with the fact they don¡¯t have to stay hidden anymore.


    The ultimate n is to get them back on their feet, maybe set up some trade convoys or something to the surface. It¡¯s a pretty long trek to the surface, but the Southwood is right there. His resources will help keep things stable down there, and get him a lot of mana in the process, too.


    Before I get too lost in thought of the future, I want to take a little more time to try to digest everything that happened. It¡¯s been pretty eventful. First came Murphy¡¯s Law, which worked even better than I could have hoped. We still had misfortunes, but the scales were definitely skewed against the Maw and its ilk.


    Tripping the ambushes worked like a charm, and though nobody was able to capture a live lesser, lots of people brought back pieces. Queen and Honey want to dissect them after the autopsies, and I¡¯m all for it. These things are nasty, and if we ever have to fight them again, I want all the information we can get.The battle for the town itself was messy and is where most of the casualties came from, which isn¡¯t surprising. Everywhere else was mostly denizens and scions, with people mostly in the town. Still, ording to the Shield¡¯s people, it went rtively smoothly, so I¡¯m willing to take their word for it, and hope I never have to organize something like this again. If this was a <em>smooth</em> urban fight, I don¡¯t want to see a rough one.


    The battles in the Maw were mostly as expected. My denizens did a great job of distracting the Maw and keeping it from focusing where it should, which let Aranya¡¯s party, along with Teemo and Nova, sneak into the kobold enve. Which is where things got a bit pear-shaped. We knew one of the scions would be there, but I honestly don¡¯t know if the Redcap or the Harbinger would have been better. Ragnar seemed pretty confident he could go toe to tentacle with the Harbinger, but if it could keep interruptingbination attacks like with my scions, I think we would have had trouble finishing the thing off.


    And I think it might have been better able to kill the kobolds if it got desperate. Teemo did his best to warp space to try to keep the kobolds out of the Redcap¡¯s metallic reach, but even he could only do so much. Aranya¡¯s Grandpa is fine, but a couple dozen were lost before Nova was able to strike the mad fey down. The zealot kobolds were left alone, so at least the Redcap spared its allies, but they¡¯re suffering the same bacsh the cultists are. Aranya and her grandpa are trying to get everyone used to their new reality, and working to get those chains off them.


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    The Adventurer¡¯s Guild is in pretty high spirits, even after the farewell toast they had to the fallen. Many levels have been gained, and though loot was a bit limited with the Maw getting eaten like that, there¡¯s still plenty of monster bits to field dress and take back as either trophies or things to sell or make into gear.


    I haven¡¯t heard much yet from Tarl and Berdol, so I was starting to worry. Thankfully, a couple adventurers confirmed to Leo and Honey that they had seen the duo after the Maw copsed. They¡¯re poking around where the Maw used to be, looking for clues about the specifics of how it worked. They¡¯re especially interested in finding where the spawner for the least and such was. I¡¯m sure, once things stabilize a bit more, Honey and Queen will send out whatever denizens they can convince to scour the Maw¡¯s territory for information, which we¡¯ll definitely share with the ODA.


    It¡­ it feels a bit weird, but we did it. The nning, the prep, everyone¡¯s hard work¡­ it all paid off. The kobolds are being freed as I watch, well, listen though Nova. Her senses are still weird, but snapping chains, cors, and bands are pretty distinctive, and a lot easier on the ears when there¡¯s no snapping of bones, not to mention the sounds of desperate gratitude and relief instead of deafening silence. It¡¯s slow going, but it¡¯s progress.


    I think that leaves just dealing with the Harbinger now. Teemo says it¡¯s still running through the mobius trap. It¡¯s realized it¡¯s looping through the same space continuously, but it hasn¡¯t been able to find a way out yet.


    ¡°And it wont, not until I open it up. Trust me on this one, Boss. It took a bit of prep before revealing myself, but once it ran in, all I had to do was twist it and connect it.¡±


    And you can open it up whenever you want?


    ¡°Yeah, that shouldn¡¯t be hard. I figure we can just gather everyone up for a big attack andunch it as I open the way. It¡¯s not going to be able to interrupt anything this time.¡±


    How many people do you think it¡¯ll take to build up a strong enough attack?


    Teemo shrugs. ¡°I think me, Nova, Rocky, Fluffles, and sh should be enough.¡±


    I want overkill on this one. How many do you think can physically fit to contribute to the attack?


    Teemo taps his chin while resting on Rocky¡¯s shoulder, who is rxing in the former core chamber of the Maw. ¡°Probably¡­ quite a few, especially if I concentrate on giving people plenty of room to contribute. Leo, Honey, Thing, and Queen should be able to lend a hand, and definitely Aranya¡¯s party, too. It¡¯ll be moreplicated than Murphy¡¯s Law, though. That was basically all fate, with a little of a few other affinities thrown into the mix. This will be¡­ a lot moreplicated with so many affinities.¡±


    Take some time to meet up and n with everyone then. Not only is the Harbinger incredibly dangerous, it¡¯s got a stupid amount of mana right now. Getting that will go a long way towards paying back my fellow dungeons for their participation in the ritual.


    ¡°I bet Queen and Thing are making a ton of mana, too, with their hospital. I dunno if saving a delver gives as much mana as killing one, but it¡¯s gotta at least be close, right?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes even more.¡±


    Poe? How did you get here? You should be¡­ you <em>are</em> still in your nest by the chimney, organizing expeditions.


    ¡°Boss? What about Poe?¡±


    I thought he was there in the core room with you, but he¡¯s back home still.


    ¡°Why do you think he¡¯s here? I don¡¯t see anything?¡±


    How can you not see the huge¡­ raven? If I still had eyes, they''d be wide as saucers right now. All my scions tense up as concern floods across the bonds.


    The bird tilts his head in an avian smirk at me and nods, before shaking it and making an unhappy sound and poofing out his feathers. He focuses on something or someone I can¡¯t see before speaking. ¡°You¡¯re right, I shouldn¡¯t intrude on your domain. My apologies. I rarely get the chance to do this, and was overeager.¡± He pauses once more, letting his feathers settle as he nods. ¡°Thank you. Now, it¡¯s time I tend to <em>my</em> domain.¡±


    Are you the Raven?


    ¡°The <em>what?!</em>¡±es Teemo¡¯s shocked reply, though the mysterious bird doesn¡¯t seem to acknowledge my question.


    ¡°Bring your Voice to your hospital, Thedeim. I will allow him to see me. We have much to discuss.¡±


    Am¡­ am I about to die again?

 Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-One

    Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-One


    ¡°Is everything ok, Boss?¡± tensely asks Teemo from Rocky¡¯s shoulder, even as I watch the Raven glide off through the wall without even a ripple. It¡¯s a bit weird seeing through their eyes, especially since they don¡¯t seem able to notice the big bird.


    I¡­ maybe? I think he wants to just talk? I think if he was here to take me, he wouldn¡¯t really bother with a chat first, or ask to meet at the field hospital.


    ¡°The field hospital? Why?¡± echoes Teemo, and Rocky puts up his dukes.


    I don¡¯t think he¡¯s here for a fight, and I think a fight would go pretty poorly for us. The more I think about it, the more I think he just wants to talk. Maybe about Murphy¡¯s Law? I imagine there¡¯s a lot fewer deaths today than he was expecting.


    I can still feel Teemo¡¯s uncertainty at that, but he epts and pats Rocky¡¯s ear. ¡°Easy, Rock. I think the Boss is right. If the Raven wanted a fight, we¡¯d know it by now. You guys check on the cultists and make sure they can¡¯t cause any trouble, alright? I¡¯m gonna go meet the VIP.¡±


    Rocky grunts unhappily, but doesn¡¯t argue as Teemo makes a shortcut. ¡°How bad do you think it¡¯ll be, Boss?¡±


    I honestly don¡¯t know. He didn¡¯t seem upset. He might have even been happy? He started talking to me before someone I couldn¡¯t see seemed to get mad he wasn¡¯t talking to you instead.


    ¡°Why would he talk to me?¡± asks my Voice, and my mental smirk gets him to put two and two together without me needing to spell it out. He facepalms once he gets it. ¡°Right, talking for you is kinda my job. I didn¡¯t think even the Raven would have to stick to that.¡±


    I mentally shrug. I guess even gods have to follow the rules.¡°Speaking of gods, what are you going to do about him? You¡¯ve been pretty set on keeping a polite distance with even the Shield.¡±


    Oh. Uh¡­ do you think it¡¯s toote to ask him to make an appointment for ater date?


    This time Teemo gets to smirk. ¡°You want an official appointment with death?¡± I nch at the idea, and Teemo chuckles as we near the hospital.


    Think we could just sneak away?


    ¡°I seriously doubt it, Boss. Also: are you actually more worried about him being a god than being death?¡±


    Would you be surprised if I said yes?


    Teemo shakes his head at me as he pops back into ordinary space, just outside the field hospital. The Magmyrm are still busily bringing in the wounded and asionally the deceased, but Teemo has no trouble maneuvering between all the moving legs. He waves at Queen and Thing, but I don¡¯t know if they even notice him, since they both seem to be busy with the business of saving lives. It¡¯s not difficult for Teemo to spot the Raven, as he¡¯s perched on a cot at the head of a covered body.


    ¡°He really does look a lot like Poe, huh,¡±ments Teemo before scurrying over to perch at the opposite end of the cot. He meets the Raven¡¯s eyes for a few moments as tension builds, before my Voice shrugs and holds out a hand. ¡°I¡¯m Teemo, Voice of Thedeim. He said you wanted to talk?¡±


    The Raven quietly caws in a chuckle and holds out a wing, bringing a primary feather in reach for Teemo to shake. ¡°I¡¯m d I¡¯m not the only one uncertain how to start.¡±


    Teemo shrugs again. ¡°The Boss likes me to try to keep him grounded, so I don¡¯t really do pomp and circumstance.¡±


    ¡°It is refreshing,¡± admits the avianication of death. He preens for a moment, looking like he¡¯s gathering his thoughts, before he speaks again. ¡°Do you know what it is to be a god?¡±


    I¡¯ve been trying very hard to not think about it.


    Teemo snorts. ¡°He¡¯s been trying to stay out of that kind of thing.¡±


    The Raven caws a shortugh at my expense. ¡°For someone trying to avoid it, he¡¯s been checking off the list at a remarkable pace!¡±


    There¡¯s a list?


    ¡°There¡¯s a list?¡± echoes Teemo, just as confused as I am.


    The Raven nods. ¡°There is, though it¡¯s not one that¡¯s been explicitly stated. We¡¯ve simplye to recognize certainmonalities as the pantheons grow and shrink.¡±


    ¡°And you said the Boss is checking them off?¡±


    He nods again. ¡°He has. A certain level of power is simple enough, though the threshold seems to be lower than most would expect. Having followers is another, though they don¡¯t need to be so organized as to have a High Priestess. Many leaders qualify for that prerequisite, as their followers believe in them and their ideals, even if they don¡¯t necessarily deify the leader. There are other requirements besides, but they¡¯re simple enough that many mortals can qualify for them. But you¡¯ve also ticked a few boxes that are not so simple.¡±


    Teemo nces to the side as we try to share a look, the Raven giving us a moment to consider the implications. ¡°...like what?¡±


    ¡°A great working of mana in your name, for one. You may have literally given the name to someone else, but Murphey¡¯s Law is all Thedeim. The vague concept has existed for as long as conflicts have, but none have understood and wielded it as you have before. You have also necessitated divine intervention, no matter how unintentional or minor.¡±


    The Raven chuckles and nces to empty space. ¡°No, I¡¯m not putting your work down. You¡¯ve admitted it was a simple fix.¡±


    ¡°A fix?¡± asks Teemo, the Raven fixing a considering eye on him before speaking.


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    ¡°Using libraries as signs tomunicate before having a Voice. Not deliberately disruptive, and not difficult to fix, but it still seems to have counted.¡±


    ¡°Why ¡®seems to¡¯? And¡­ I mean, not to be rude, but why you? Why now? Yvonne says you¡¯re usually pretty busy, way too busy to have a chat with a weird dungeon with a rat for a Voice.¡±


    ¡°No objections to being called weird?¡± asks the Raven, and I can feel him somehow meeting my gaze through Teemo. ¡°Hmm. Well, to rify: yes, I usually am far too busy to simply have a chat, as you put it. However, I was expecting a lot more work to be had here today.¡± He pauses and nibbles at the bridge of a wing for a moment. ¡°Maybe that counted, instead of the libraries?¡± He shakes his head and returns his focus to Teemo.


    ¡°Either way, now is a time where I find I have less work than expected. As for why me¡­ well, it¡¯s my work that requires this conversation.¡±


    ¡°...Boss says he¡¯s sorry about messing with your quotas, but he¡¯s not sorry about saving people.¡±


    The Raven caws inughter again. ¡°No, I imagine you¡¯re not! Tell me, are you aware of what my duties entail?¡±


    You¡¯re the Reaper¡­ you guide the dead where they need to go.


    ¡°You take the dead to where they¡¯re supposed to be.¡±


    The Raven nods. ¡°I do. Across the pantheons, I deliver the souls of the departed where they must go: to their afterlife. Do you know what that entails?¡±


    Uh¡­


    ¡°Not really?¡±


    The Raven tilts his head in a smile. ¡°Most mortals focus on what the experience of their promised afterlife will be. The Goldenplume, for example, promises to warm and protect the eggs that are her followers until they hatch. She will feed them what bitter truths they can handle, that they can grow, until they must be pushed from her nest. They will either take flight to whatever lies beyond, or fall back to the cycle of life and death, to gain more perspective, more understanding, more ability to ept the truths she offers and grow from them¡±


    Reincarnation, but also with an out?


    Teemo seems thoughtful before responding. ¡°What lies beyond?¡±


    The Raven stares right at me for a few moments before answering. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m the god of death, not of the dead. Once they are where they should be, I have little power over them. So, where do you think I took the followers of the Maw, Thedeim and Teemo?¡±


    ¡°To the Maw?¡±


    They certainly worshiped it, and with all the weirdness of the least and the Harbinger, I bet it qualified for those other checkboxes.


    The Raven shakes his head. ¡°No. The Mawcked a single requirement, as I understand them. You alsock a single requirement, Thedeim, though a different one.¡±


    Wait, what? <em>What?!</em>


    ¡°What requirement did the Mawck?¡± asks Teemo, taking the situation a bit better than I am.


    The Raven smirks. ¡°It was not where the souls of its followers belonged. It probably would have tried to eat them. Of all the requirements, this is the one I understand the least. I understand the truth of where souls belong, but I don¡¯t know exactly how it¡¯s determined.¡±


    I start to calm down a little at that as Teemo voices my reasoning. ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re telling the Boss he¡¯s not where his followers belong yet? I guess to try to help him be better?¡±


    The Raven caws in a chuckle and shakes his head. Teemo¡¯s eyes widen as wisps of orange slowly take shape around us. They start as just little clouds, but eventually resolve into the forms of¡­ of my fallen dwellers. ¡°No. That¡¯s not the requisite he¡¯s missing. They belong with him. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen this not be the final step, but it does seem to be one that truly starts apotheosis.¡±


    My calming concern shoots right up just shy of blind panic at that. My fallen dwellers look d to hear they belong with me, and though that gives me a nice warm fuzzy feeling, the weight of that responsibility threatens to crush it and me.


    The voice of the Raven feels like it pierces my very soul as he continues. ¡°The prerequisite you are missing¡­ is to define yourself. The Maw was insatiable. The Shield is a protector. The Goldenplume is a loving parent. I am a courier. What are you?¡±


    His gaze and his question leave me¡­ I¡¯m not sure how to describe it. I can still feel the panic, the pressure, even the warm fuzziness, but it¡¯s all a bit muted as his question demands an answer.


    What am I?


    Honestly, it¡¯s a question I never really bothered to ask, even back on Earth. I never really saw the point, because I never could ept a singr answer. But it¡¯s a pretty big question. I¡¯m pretty sure midlife and existential crises stem from trying to find an answer to it. There¡¯s been answers that sometimes seemed to fit, but never for long. I was a kid. I was a grown-up. I was lonely. I was a friend. I was a student. I was an engineer. I was a gamer. I was a nerd. I¡¯m a Christian. That¡¯s a lot, but that¡¯s still not quite <em>me</em>.


    Am I a drifter? I tend to roll with the punches pretty well. But I¡¯m also a dungeon now, and a dungeon drifter just sounds wrong. What else am I? Am I potential? If I imed that, I think I¡¯d also have to be pretentious. I look at my emotions, taking advantage of the weird disconnect the Raven has me in right now, wondering if answers mighty there.


    Am I scared? Well yeah. I¡¯m a lot of things, but I like to think stupid isn¡¯t one of them. I¡¯ve never minded being a group leader, but it was always as a first among peers at most. Now I¡¯m supposed to help prepare these people, these people who trust me deep enough that the Raven says I¡¯m where they belong? I don¡¯t know how to prepare them! I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m supposed to prepare them <em>for</em>!


    Who else?


    Even with the disconnect I¡¯m feeling right now, the thought hits me hard. I remember Teemo being worried about negotiating with the Southwood, not wanting to mess it up. There¡¯s been a lot of times where that simple question has helped cut away the nonsense, the fluff, all the unnecessary things and reveal the simple truth: who else?


    When faced with a difficulty, who else is going to deal with it? From a spilled drink to a wrecked car, am I going to just foist the unpleasant situation on someone else? Who else was going to help Hullbreak? Who else was going to stop the Maw? Maybe someone else, I can¡¯t know everything, but I didn¡¯t see anyone else able to step up.


    And¡­ after seeing my fallen dwellers, who else would I trust to try to help them? I can think of one, but He might already be on it. When asking why He doesn¡¯t do something, consider the possibility He already did, by making you.


    That doesn¡¯t exactly relieve the pressure¡­ but I tend to do pretty well under it. So¡­ what am I? Well, I¡¯m feeling a bit better about all this, but that¡¯s a how, not a what. I keep trying to figure it out, but I¡¯m drawing a nk!


    Alright¡­ get out of your head and look around you. What am I? What does everyone say I am? Well, weird. I¡¯ve never taken being called weird as an insult. It beats being boring, right? What else? Well, I¡¯ve definitely flipped the table on a lot of peoples¡¯ understanding of a lot of things.


    Am I chaos? It could certainly fit. Human history is full of chaos: wars, assassinations, genocides, famines, gues, disasters¡­


    But it doesn¡¯t feel right. Some people thrive in chaos, but I just don¡¯t ept that as humanity¡¯s natural state. But¡­ what <em>is</em>, then?


    I realize it just as I feel <em>something</em> happening, the realization feeding into it, and the apotheosis feeding into the realization. Whatever the Raven was doing to muffle my emotions fades quickly, and though I¡¯m still nervous about what¡¯s happening, I try to embrace it. It¡¯s weird. It¡¯s new. It¡¯s scary! It¡¯s all that, and so much more.


    There¡¯s only one constant in life. It¡¯s not going to be easy, but that¡¯s also life, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s not easy, but it¡¯s less difficult once you ept it.


    I am what all humans are. I am change.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Two

    Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Two


    Things go orange and go even more orange, quickly intensifying to a blinding white. I try to blink it away, hoping to clear my vision, before I remember that¡¯s not how my sight works anymore. I¡¯m¡­ in some kind of white void. It¡¯s weird how a white void can feel even emptier than a ck one like space. It also feels more inviting, like a nk canvas just waiting for a painter¡¯s brush.


    I look around in confusion, before a thought hits me: Did I get isekai¡¯d in my isekai?! Thankfully, it only takes a moment to reaffirm my connection to my scions, my territory, and even a thinner connection to¡­ well, my followers, I guess. Outside of this white void, time seems to be slowed to a crawl¡­ or time is weird inside here.


    However wibbly-wobbly the time is acting, the connection to my dwellers and the few outside followers helps remind me what the Raven said about afterlifes. Looking around, I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be a bad one, as it is, but it¡¯s definitely boring. So¡­ what should I do?


    When all you have is a hammer, your problems tend to look like nails, and when you¡¯ve been a dungeon for almost a year now, empty spaces demand to be filled with interesting things. Should I just make a dungeon to adventure in for their afterlife? It¡¯ll be more interesting than this void, but that doesn¡¯t feel right. I want my followers to have a more peaceful afterlife than that.


    I look around for a while, the endless possibilities making it difficult for me to even get started. I mentally shake my head andtch onto a simple idea I¡¯ve seen work out countless times: rolling grassy hills. Will I keep the entire void like this? Probably not, but maybe so. Either way, it gives me <em>something</em> to work from. Blue sky, yellow sun, a few drifting clouds, a river there¡­


    Before I know it, I have an area that looks like the starting area in every survival crafting game ever. That realization also gives me a good idea for what to make this afterlife be, and the goal for it. I start sprinkling around nodes for all sorts of resources, from things like stone, y, or metals, to organics like fibers and wood, and more besides.


    The cements are a bit all over the ce, but from what the Raven was saying, it sounded like people need to put in a bit of effort to be properly prepared for what lies beyond. I start poking around, looking for animal nodes, when I hear a collective gasp and realize my fallen dwellers are here now.


    At the moment, they¡¯re all just gazing around, eyes wide at the peaceful scenery around them. It doesn¡¯t take them long to notice me, and they start falling to their knees (or closest approximation), looks of reverence on their faces.


    ¡°Woah, easy there. You don¡¯t need to do that!¡±They don¡¯t really listen, so I reach out with¡­ I¡¯m not sure what, actually, and help them to their feet. ¡°Come on, you guys know I¡¯m not looking for that sort of thing.¡±


    The ratkin and spiderkin slowly rise, all still looking a bit overwhelmed by everything, many with tears of joy wetting their cheeks. A ratkin steps forward, and I know his name is Emarlo before he opens his mouth. He dips like he intends to take a knee, before remembering I just said I didn¡¯t want that sort of thing.


    ¡°L-Lord Thedeim. It¡¯s¡­¡± He struggles to find the words, so I pat him on the shoulder to try to helpfort him. In fact, I pat everyone, they all look like they could use a bit of guidance right now.


    ¡°Hello everyone. I¡­ well, let me first apologize for¡­¡± I trail off and mentally shake my head, chuckling. ¡°No, I can¡¯t really apologize, can I? You all knew the risks of joining this battle. I won¡¯t downy your struggles by trying to take credit with an apology. We all did our best, and we all knew some might not make it back home. So instead, let me say thank you. Thank you all for fighting for what you believe in, and for being willing to pay the price for it.¡±


    For a few seconds, the gathered dwellers keep it together, before Cerli, an orb weaver spiderkin near the back of the crowd slips free a sob. Then Nird, a ratkin, fails to stifle his own emotions. After that, the dam breaks, and I worry for a moment I¡¯ve messed things up royally.


    But they¡¯re not tears of regret. Every single one of them is crying tears of relief, the kind of breakdown of epting that yes, things were bad, but things can also be better. I do my best tofort them all, even as I feel a bit awkward doing it. I never feel like I know what to do when someone is crying, but sometimes, just being a shoulder for them to do it on is all they need.


    It might have taken hours, or maybe not even a moment, thanks to how weird time feels in here, but eventually everyone mostly processes everything, or at least enough to be functional again. I smile at them all, d to see that even dying hasn¡¯t broken them. ¡°It¡¯s a bit overwhelming, hmm?¡± I ask, earning a few quiet chuckles at the understatement, before I take a step back and bring their attention to their surroundings.


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    ¡°This is¡­ well, the afterlife. The one you get with me, at least. Take a good look around, because it¡¯s not going to stay like this for long, I expect. If I¡¯m change, I can¡¯t have my afterlife be something static, can I? And I think it¡¯s going to be on all of you to effect that change.¡±


    I motion for them to follow and they do, rubbernecking around at all the scenery and the nodes around. ¡°The most positive of changeses from people who nt trees whose shade they¡¯ll never sit under. You won¡¯t stay here forever, the Raven made that pretty clear. So, you¡¯ll make something here. Maybe you¡¯ll make a house, or a road, or a mine, or a pick, a sewing needle, a loom, a cart, a <em>something</em>. You¡¯ll make your change, probably only able to guess at the impact it will actually have. You all saw today how small things can have great consequences. You¡¯ll pour some of yourself into what you make, leaving behind something and gaining even more. When you¡¯re done, you¡¯ll either be ready to go into the beyond, or be eager to head back into life and experience more.¡±


    They all look excited at that, which is a relief. I¡¯m not quite sure <em>how</em> what I said will work, but I somehow know it <em>will</em>, in fact, work.


    ¡°Work in groups, or one huge team, or individually, whatever feels most appropriate. And do more than just work. Take some time to reflect, to chat, to rx. I¡¯m not running a hell here, heh. Take your time and enjoy creating something, and appreciate that you¡¯ll have more at the end than what you hold in your hands.¡±


    It takes them a few moments after that to start wandering around, exploring the area, and I wonder if I should make various workshops, or allow them to make them on their own. I mull over the benefits of each for a while, before a voice grabs my attention.


    ¡°Lord Thedeim?¡±


    I focus on the same ratkin who spoke up first, earlier. ¡°What¡¯s up, Emarlo?¡±


    He resists the urge to kneel once more before answering. ¡°Um¡­ what should we make?¡± he asks, and I see most of the dwellers around him also looking like they would like some guidance.


    I smile at them before speaking. ¡°Anything,¡± I speak, leaving it hanging in the air for a few moments, before continuing. ¡°I know, it can be difficult to pick something with so many possibilities around. When you have everything to choose from, it¡¯s almost impossible to choose anything. I¡¯m not going to make you make anything specific, that goes against the whole point. You can change your mind and make something elseter, too, if you get a good idea. But if you want a suggestion¡­¡±


    I gesture at the peaceful surroundings. ¡°I would note a distinctck of chairs around here.¡±


    ¡°Chairs?¡± echoes Emarlo, looking confused.


    I nod. ¡°Chairs. While there¡¯s also ack of rooms to put them in, everyone appreciates having afortable ce to sit. Grass and rocks can only get sofortable.¡±


    Emarlo still looks a bit confused, but the dwellers around him start talking about what to make, soon drawing him in. I listen to them discuss as I watch the others explore and poke at the nodes, unsurprised as most seem to want to make something other than a chair. While I wasn¡¯t joking about theck of ces to sit, I¡¯m hardly upset about most of them wanting to make something else. There¡¯s a lot of things that could make the afterlife a bit better, chairs are not specifically the point. It just helps ground their ideas, gives them a point to start from, a way to look around for something to change for the better.


    I pull my attention back to the world in time to see the wave of orange wash out from my core and through my territory. It also spreads out from Teemo over the hospital, and I know it¡¯s going to continue until it washes over probably all of Silvervein. I can feel my followers as the wave passes over and through them, bolstering them a little and reaffirming our victory.


    Aranya feels like a beacon when the wave reaches her, and I can feel our connection strengthen considerably. I try to gently point her attention back to the kobolds around her, since they¡¯re probably going to need as much help as they can get. Their world has been pretty thoroughly turned upside-down, and they¡¯ll need her to help right it once more.


    In the hospital, everyone not one of my denizens is staring at Teemo, even the people from Silvervein. I guess the kobolds aren¡¯t the only ones who might appreciate a hand and an exnation. The building realization of what happened is soon shattered as Teemo waves a hand in front of his nose.


    ¡°Whew, Boss! Really? Right in the hospital? You find some magic beans or something?¡±


    I stare for a few moments beforeughing. Magic beans make beanstalks, not orange waves!


    ¡°If you say so, Boss. Anyway, everyone,¡± Teemo pauses to look over everyone in the hospital. ¡°Yeah, jokes aside, you all know what happened. For the people from Silvervein, the Boss isn¡¯t big on ceremony. Besides, there¡¯s a big mess to clean up, so let''s focus on that, yeah? So if you¡¯re in bed, focus on recovering. If you¡¯re walking around, focus on helping. That¡¯s what the Boss and I are gonna do.¡±


    I smile as Teemo slips into a shortcut, and watch through the eyes of my scions as they help put back together the mess we made of Silvervein. It¡¯s going to be a lot different from how we found it, but that was kinda the point. Different doesn¡¯t always mean better, but I¡¯m going to give it my best shot. When I look at my territory, and even peek into the little slice of afterlife I control, and see how things are going, I can¡¯t help but feel confident that better isn¡¯t beyond reach.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Three

    Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Three


    Alright, let me see¡­ most of Silvervein is kinda handling itself as far as clean up goes. I should probably ask Teemo to thank the Shield followers for how well they dealt with securing the town with minimal coteral damage. A few of the¡­ are they technically buildings if they¡¯re carved into the rock with tunnels connecting them? Having windows and¡­ I dunno, exterior walls seem like a pretty big requirement for a building. Whatever they are, while a few have copsed from the fighting, it¡¯s way fewer than if they were actual free-standing buildings.


    Structural stability is not the only metric to measure a fight like this in, and I think they¡¯ll be cleaning up for a while. Broken things, stains, scorches, gouges and more show that it wasn¡¯t a peaceful transition of power. From what information Leo and Honey are getting, the townsfolk are still trying to figure out where to go from here. Most of the people who were high in the Maw¡¯s clergy died when the Harbinger ate the Maw, so a lot of people are trying to figure out where they stand.


    It¡¯s looking like sentiment for their clergy is unfavorable, to be polite, and I expect any of them who aren¡¯t dead will want to vanish off into the tunnels elsewhere before they get vanished by angry citizens. Silvervein isn¡¯t the only group of people needing to figure out what they¡¯re going to do, either.


    Teemo heads back to Aranya and her party, looking to help sort out the kobolds who are definitely going to need a lot of help. They¡¯ve basically gone from being livestock to being actual free people, and that¡¯s a lot to try to take in. He pops in at what sounds like the tail end of Aranya exining what happened since they all saw herst, with her grandpa sitting near her, and the other kobolds seated around her in therge central chamber. Ara, Yvonne, and Ragnar are working to get the chains off the rest of the kobolds, with the freed ones joining in the circle around Aranya as she speaks.


    ¡°-nned to attack the Maw and liberate us all, and not only has He done so, but He¡¯s been recognized as a true deity now! You all felt the energy of His apotheosis!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna make the Boss blush, talking about him like that, Aranya,¡± quips my favorite rat, and Aranya smiles brightly at him.


    ¡°Well, it <em>is</em> my job to talk him up, Teemo.¡± The other kobolds put two and two together and shift to start bowing to Teemo, but he sticks a couple fingers in his mouth and gives a piercing whistle.


    ¡°No bowing! I know it¡¯s a lot different than what you¡¯re used to, but please. I¡¯m just a normal rat.¡±


    Aranyaughs brightly. ¡°No normal rat is a <strong>Herald</strong>, Teemo.¡±Teemo looks as confused at that as I am, and I can feel him checking his status as I do the same. Just like she said, he¡¯s not only my Voice, but also my Herald, as well as the <strong>Opener of Ways</strong>. When¡¯d you get thatst one, anyway?


    ¡°I think from trapping the Harbinger? But I want to know what¡¯s with the Herald title.¡±


    ¡°You speak for Lord Thedeim, so of course you¡¯re his Herald,¡± points out Aranya.


    Teemo shakes his head. ¡°I should have known you¡¯d get some of that apotheosis on me, Boss. Gross. At least it seems like it¡¯s the same job as being your Voice.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s to be of us?¡± interrupts Aranya¡¯s grandfather, getting to his feet with the help of his cane. ¡°Aranya has said so much of you, but¡­ it¡¯s difficult to believe, after having been at the mercy of the Maw for so long.¡±


    Many of the kobolds gasp, with those nearest him quickly scooting away from the aged kobold, not wanting to be caught up in whatever violence he brings down upon himself. Their fear starts to slip to confusion as he continues to not be smote.


    Teemo shrugs. ¡°What bes of you depends on you. The Boss wanted to free you, so now you¡¯re free. You can stay here, or head out to the caverns, or join Silvervein, or Fourdock. The Boss could even make an enve for you¡­ maybe? Can you do that, Boss?¡±


    Uh¡­ maybe? I don¡¯t have any options for it yet, but a lot of things don¡¯t really show up until it bes relevant. If enough of theme back with Aranya, I¡¯ll probably be able to?


    ¡°I think you should alle with us,¡± suggests Aranya. ¡°It was difficult for me to believe at first, too, but Lord Thedeim is a Sanctuary in the truest sense. Even if you don¡¯t decide to form an enve with him, Fourdock would be a good town to settle in. Even with the people of Silvervein trying to find their feet after all this, it will take some time before they will see us as equals.¡±


    Her grandfather peers at her. ¡°Are you truly equal with the people of Fourdock? Our legends say the surface is not any kinder to us than the deeps.¡±


    Aranya nods. ¡°When Lord Thedeim found me, I was half starved and wore rags. He fed me as well as he could, he clothed me, he armed me, he showed me the surface is not just a ce of terror. I made friends. I even joined the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡± She pulls out her badge to show, which helps dete the elder.


    ¡°I can see you¡¯re healthier than when you left. It¡¯s just¡­ difficult to trust. It all just seems so unbelievable.¡±


    Teemo chuckles before slipping through a shortcut to perch on Aranya¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Unbelievable is basically the Boss in a nutshell, pops. I get that it sounds too good to be true, but if we were like the Maw, would we have bothered to get those chains off you? Would we be taking the time to try to convince you, instead of just marching you off? The Boss likes to say actions speak louder than words, so what do our actions say about us and our intentions?¡±


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    The wizened kobold contemtes for a few long seconds before sighing. ¡°Are we to be your followers, then?¡±


    Teemo shrugs. ¡°That¡¯s also up to you. The Boss didn¡¯t do this for followers. He didn¡¯t even know he¡¯d be in a position to get more until not long ago. He¡¯s not here to put new shackles on your people, of any variety. You really are free to follow whatever path you think is best. You could all walk out into the tunnels and the Boss wouldn¡¯t stop you, even if Aranya went with you. He¡¯d be sad to see you all go, but it¡¯s your choice.¡±


    Aranya¡¯s grandfather inhales to reply, but Teemo interrupts him. ¡°You don¡¯t even need to make that choice right now. In fact, you probably shouldn¡¯t. The Boss will probably be keeping a lot of his forces around here for a while so Silvervein can stabilize. If you want to try to get a look for yourselves about what¡¯s going on out there, this is probably your best chance to do it. Go see for yourselves how Silvervein has changed, and see if you want in on the kind of change the Boss likes to bring.¡±


    Aranya smiles as the kobolds start talking amongst themselves, some clearly wanting to explore, some worried about what they should do. She pats Teemo as she lets them figure out what they¡¯re going to do first. ¡°See? You¡¯re already a good Herald, Teemo.¡±


    He sticks out his tongue, though he doesn¡¯t resist the pats. ¡°Yeah, well, don¡¯t get used to it. I fully intend to leave that sort of thing mostly to you, thank you very much.¡±


    My High Priestess smirks. ¡°But you¡¯re developing your own mystique with it, Teemo. Isn¡¯t that what you wanted?¡±


    Teemo grumbles at that and I chuckle before turning my attention to thest major thing that will need to be dealt with here: the Harbinger. Teemo¡¯s confident it can¡¯t wiggle out of the Mobius Trap, and though I believe in him, I don¡¯t like the idea of just sealing away ancient evils. They tend to escape after a millennium or two and get right back to wreaking havoc.


    And the thing has a veritable ocean of mana after eating the Maw. It¡¯d be a shame to let that all go to waste. As I prepare to start poking my scions to gather up to discuss how toy a beating on the thing, I get a new popup. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve gotten one, and I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ve gotten this one before.


    <strong>Quest Received!</strong>


    <em>Deliver the Harbinger to an agent of Order</em>


    <strong>Reward</strong>: <em>Mana, Fast Tracking</em>


    ¡°Fast Tracking?¡± asks Teemo, which knocks me out of my thoughts.


    You can see that?


    ¡°Yeah. Have you gotten a quest before?¡±


    I don¡¯t think I have? I¡¯ve given a few, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve gotten one before.


    ¡°What¡¯s an agent of Order?¡±


    <strong>A follower of Order, generally a Head Priest or greater in rank.</strong>


    Teemo and I both squint at the new popup. ¡°...what¡¯s Order?¡±


    <strong>The god of order, overseer of the system.</strong>


    ¡°Boss, I think you might need to build a guest room if you¡¯re going to keep getting visitors like this.¡±


    At least the Shield has a ce close enough to not need to couch surf. Teemo chuckles at that as I consider the quest being offered. On the one hand, I would like to try to stay neutral and out of any dealing with the gods. On the other hand, that¡¯s looking less and less viable by the minute. I¡¯m not against the quest, not by a long shot. I remember the weirdness of the Harbinger¡¯s actual name, or actual title, or whatever that was. That weirdness is why I don¡¯t want to take any chances with destroying the overpowered shoggoth.


    Making it be someone else¡¯s problem is pretty appealing though, especially since this specific someone else is probably a lot more qualified to not only end the Harbinger, but also understand what shenanigans were involved with it. From all ounts, the Harbinger joined the Maw at some point, it wasn¡¯t a natural spawn like the Redcap. It doesn¡¯t take a genius to suspect more at work than meets the eye here.


    The only reason to refuse would be if I don¡¯t trust the quest here, and the popup messages. I let my paranoia chew on the possibilities for a few moments, but there¡¯s not a lot of meat on the bone for it. If the messages aren¡¯t from a god of order, and are trying to trick me, why wait until now? Sewing confusion might have kept the Harbinger free if it happened earlier. It could be the Harbinger itself, somehow using its mental affinity to mess with me, but that doesn¡¯t hold water either. It practically left a yellow trail behind it when it fled from Teemo tossing around a few concepts. If it was peeking in on my mind, I think it¡¯d probably be dead.


    Not to mention that something like that seems to be against the rules. From what I¡¯ve seen, anyone can talk to me, but if they want me to talk back, they need to do it through Teemo. The Harbinger possibly sending these messages seems like that would be breaking that rule. So paranoia doesn¡¯t get to win the day on this one. So now to just make sure I¡¯m making a good deal here.


    ¡°It says mana and fast tracking. How much mana, and what¡¯s fast tracking?¡±


    <strong>Mana reward equivalent to the mana the Harbinger is carrying, plus triple the amount its defeat would usually bestow.</strong>


    That sounds like a lot of mana. Rocky brought back a pretty big pile thest time he defeated it, though it might have been inted from the Harbinger killing Honey and Leo. Worst case, it¡¯ll be the amount Rocky came back with, on top of the worth of the Maw.


    ¡°And fast tracking?¡±


    <strong>eleration of dungeon options gained from age.</strong>


    That gets my attention, and gets a raised eyebrow from Teemo. ¡°Yeah? Like what?¡±


    <strong>eleration of dungeon options gained from age.</strong>


    Teemo squints at that, but I¡¯m not too bothered. He¡¯s probably restricted from detailing them by some other rule. Or he just wants it to be a surprise. Or he might not really like me. The Raven said I made him patch the library signs, remember? Besides, I¡¯m fine with that part being a bit muddy. It¡¯s a positive on top of a bunch of mana, so I¡¯m not going to look this gift horse in the mouth.


    ¡°Alright Order. The Boss is willing to give you the Harbinger, but I can¡¯t just pick up the Mobius Trap and walk off with it. Just making it was about as much as I could manage.¡±


    <strong>An agent of Order has been dispatched. Thank you for your cooperation.</strong>


    ¡°When will they get here?¡±


    <strong>An agent of Order has been dispatched.</strong>


    Teemo grumbles at that, but I mentally shrug. It shouldn¡¯t take that agent long to get here. I imagine Order is chomping at the bit to get the Harbinger, and he said agents were priests. If he tells a priest to haul rear here to get a thingy, I imagine they¡¯ll make all haste.


    So now all I need to do is start rotating out my denizens and scions. We don¡¯t have mana from subsuming the Maw, but there were still a lot of denizens beaten up, and delvers saved. I doubt it¡¯ll be enough to pay my friends back, but it should be enough to make sure they know I appreciate their help with Murphy¡¯s Law.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Four

    Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Four


    The next couple days are¡­ is it wrong to call them rxing? Silvervein is working on rebuilding and figuring out what they¡¯re going to do, so it feels a bit wrong to be sitting back. I guess I¡¯m kinda back to my problem of not really being able to do much directly outside my territory.


    I¡¯m starting to wonder how urate that is going to be, going forward. I haven¡¯t exactly been doing nothing thesest few days. I¡¯ve been tweaking and tuning things back home, feeling like I finally have the time and attention to spare for the home front. Everyone is doing fine, which isn¡¯t a surprise. My scions are all amazing and ensure things keep running smoothly, but there¡¯s always little tweaks that can be done, and little decisions that are really only on my shoulders.


    I¡¯m also running on scarcity spending at the moment, as most of my mana is going towards paying everyone back. I know they didn¡¯t do it expecting to get a return on their investment, but they still contributed a lot to this victory, so I¡¯m not going to stiff them on the rewards.


    And speaking of getting stiffed on rewards, when is that agent of order supposed to show up?! Fluffles has alreadye back to drop off his mana, as have a lot of my other denizens. They might not have credit for the Maw or the Harbinger, but lots of little prizes add up quickly. I think once Nova gets back, we¡¯ll be close to being back in the ck for mana. And if I¡¯m estimating that correctly, this quest for the Harbinger should give me a staggering amount of mana, enough that I¡¯d probably want to share it anyway.


    I¡¯m sure the forest of four seasons that I want to make could probably drink it all in at once, but I like to let my new areas develop a bit slower. It helps them feel a bit more organic. And I can adjust if things aren¡¯t working quite how they should.


    And for adjusting to new things¡­ I¡¯m starting to try to give some thought to what the Raven said when he asked me what it is to be a god. Because right now, I still don¡¯t have too much of an idea. I¡¯ve been trying to figure things out thest couple days, but I still feel well out of my depth. It makes me wonder if the agent is taking his sweet time on purpose.


    The afterlife seems like it¡¯s going incredibly well, which is a great relief. I¡¯d hate to have tried my hand at heaven and only produced purgatory. Time is <em>definitely</em> weird in there, and I can sometimes see multiples of the same person walking around in different states of progress on a single project. Still, weird as it is, everything seems to be going smoothly.


    Most of my fallen dwellers made some simple tools before organizing to make a proper workshop. The tools feel kinda ephemeral, a step towards a goal rather than the goal itself. It¡¯s hard to describe, but contrasting it with the workshop makes it pretty clear. It¡¯s fairly simple in construction, but simple doesn¡¯t mean shoddy. They¡¯re basically making a huge log cabin, trying to make sure it has room for whatever projects anyone whoes after might want to make.


    It¡¯s kinda funny, but everyone who¡¯s not specifically working on the building itself are working on chairs. Seeing all the different ways they go about it is really interesting, too. One is carving theirs from a singlerge log, while another is piecing theirs together from worked branches, someone else is weaving one from wicker, and there¡¯s even a ratkin who is following a simr design to the spiderkin working with branches, but he¡¯s forging rods of steel, then heating, bending, and welding them together.I can also see the changes in everyone as they work, bing more¡­ <em>them</em>. I don¡¯t know how else to describe it. Some of them is refined and purified as they work, and some of them just falls away like sawdust, or forge scale, or scrap fabric, or¡­ something. The rules of reality here are definitely different from outside. Either way, the bits that are discarded are drawn to me, and gathering them up feels like holding sunshine in my hands.


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    I don¡¯t know what it is, but I can feel a lot of potential in it, kinda how I can feel how much mana I need to do an upgrade or a spawn. Is it simr to how dungeons work? After a few moments, I reject the idea and invert it. I think the dungeon system is at least partially inspired by whatever this is. If Order is in charge of the system, why not crib notes from how the gods work?


    Which then begs the question: can I make a spawner as a god? I seriously doubt it. My gut says it would be, at best, a bad idea. Maybe I can do magic with it instead? That feels closer, close enough that my gut corrects the semantics and wants to call it miracles instead of magic. Bleh, miracles feels way too grandiose for what I think I¡¯m currently capable of. I¡¯ma call it magic for now and you can¡¯t stop me, gut.


    I haven¡¯t tried doing anything specific with it yet, and have instead been giving Aranya a tiny sliver each time she does her own magic. It¡¯s definitely been making the kobolds more inclined to listen and trust I¡¯m not going to just stuff them into new cages once they lower their guard. Her magic feels more impactful, more real, like there¡¯s more weight behind what she¡¯s doing. It¡¯s kinda weird to have that kind of effect, but it¡¯s also pretty cool.


    She¡¯s been splitting her time between talking with the kobolds and helping in the hospital, with asional breaks to give a sermon or two to my dwellers. It still makes me ufortable to be the topic of those sermons, as well as seeing more and more people who aren¡¯t my dwellers attending, but the message is still on point, so I try to just suck it up and deal. Still focusing on love, on helping, and now with positive change being thrown in the mix, too.


    I probably shouldn¡¯t be surprised, but Aranya has also somehow learned at least the basics of what kind of afterlife I¡¯m offering, and Vernew seems pretty excited by the prospect. Not the kind of excited that has me worried she might try to take the express route there, but the kind of excited that has her doing far more productive things like organizing crafting get-togethers. Thing and Queen oftene to either watch or participate, and though I¡¯m still ufortable being the theoretical reason behind it all, the camaraderie is great to see.


    They¡¯re even hoping to get a few of the people of Silvervein to give presentations on some of their food processing techniques. Things like making wine, making cheese, smoking meats, and such. It seems like a lot of people focus either onbat or on crafting, but very few people explore both options. Since my dwellers at Silvervein are mostly fighters, there¡¯s a lot of interest in creative skills now. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if, once Aranya gets back home, the more craft-focused dwellers will start to dabble more in martial things, too.


    A lot of kobolds are attending the sermons and gatherings, especially the younger ones. They were clearly chafing under the oppression, and now they can actually get out and do things, they¡¯re soaking up all the freedom they can. The older ones are a bit more reserved, a bit more jaded, but even Aranya¡¯s grandfather is looking cautiously hopeful.


    It makes me cautiously hopeful they¡¯lle to Fourdock. I get the feeling they¡¯re not going to want to join a new enve, but a new town might be just what they need. They¡¯ve been trying to integrate into Silvervein, and while a lot of people are trying to be weing, there¡¯s a hanging cloud of awkwardness to the interactions that I¡¯ve been able to see through my scions.


    I think, in the end, there¡¯s just too much baggage for the kobolds to want to stay here, and too much baggage for Silvervein to properly integrate them, too. I don¡¯t see much lingering animosity from the pale elves and dwarves, but there is definitely a bit from the kobolds. Combine that with the guilt a lot of the Silvervein people feel about having not stopped how the Maw treated them¡­ I put pretty low odds on the kobolds sticking around here.


    And as for me sticking around here, I¡¯m looking forward to getting everyone back home. Silvervein¡¯s power vacuum is being filled with talks of a town council, and with all us outsiders making no moves to try to muscle in, the potential powderkeg is defused before it could ever be lit. Honestly, we¡¯re just sticking around to ensure nothing can jump in and cause a disaster until they can get on their feet, and waiting for the agent of order to show up.


    It might not be the worst idea to have them give Silvervein a hand, too, after they deal with the Harbinger. Things might have technically been ordered here before, with the Maw in charge, but I¡¯m hoping to go from one order to a new one, rather than letting the ce descend into chaos. Change might not <em>always</em> be for the better, but I intend to get as close to always as possible.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Five

    Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Five


    <strong>Kennith Ridgeward</strong>


    It¡¯s difficult to keep himself focused as he travels. He¡¯s usually very aware of what he should do next, as his home in the Holds is delightfully stable and secure. Gnomes aren¡¯t especiallymon in the holds, but as a Head Priest of Order, he enjoys a much-needed role in writing and enforcing contracts. In the Holds, it¡¯s easy to keep abreast of what is brewing, and so be prepared to enforce order so whatever happens does so smoothly.


    Which only made the dream vision all the more strange. While he enjoys gazing upon his Lord¡¯s tesseract form, his spatial affinity allowing him to appreciate it better than most, it was still a surprise to receive His direct attention.


    ¡°Go to the dungeon called Southwood, and from there continue underground to the town of Silvervein. There, you will find the agent of a fledgling god, as well as a trapped being that is of interest to me. The fledgling has agreed to give me the being, though he is unable to deliver it himself. Finalize the deal.¡±


    As with the rare other asions he¡¯s been able to meet his Lord directly, the meeting was short and to the point. When he awoke, a quick visit to the local Dungeoneers got him the location of the Southwood. While he is positive Order has priests closer, it seems he¡¯s the closest with spatial affinity, as the trapped being implies a need for such.


    The journey will not be a simple one, but at least he knows ways to make it lessplex. With winter quickly waning, normal travel is picking back up, but there are precious few routes to the Southwood, it would seem. He could trek through the Principalities and then through the Wandends, but going by road through the two nations can be tricky at best. The Principalities are often the least stable at the end of winter and beginning of spring, with the factions probing and maneuvering, acting on ns forged in the cold of winter. The orcs of the Wandends are usually a friendly lot, but there are always a few tribes who failed to prepare properly for the cold months and look to make their mistake someone else¡¯s problem.


    The more stable route is close to twice the distance, however. He could follow the Whitefall River past Meeting and up the Gofnar River, across Lake Gofnar, and up the Also-Gofnar River, but such a trip will be slow and expensive. His Lord may be patient, but Kennith would prefer not to test said patience.


    Well, what sort of spatial affinity wielder would he be if he didn¡¯t have methods of getting where he needs to? For a journey such as this, he has just the answer. He really should try to reconnect with Syertly one of these days. The pair of boots they made together really are a wonder, even if the elf doesn¡¯t much care for Order. Nobody is perfect, and he has a unique sense of humor that Kennith sometimes misses.


    Perhaps he can swing by the elven capital after this mission is over. If it goes smoothly, he should be able to spend almost a week there before he¡¯ll need toe back and bless any contracts. The dwarves prefer to prepare contracts over winter and sign in the spring, which should line up nicely.The Leaguestride Boots do as the name implies: greatly lengthen the stride of the wearer. For many, it¡¯s an impractical enchantment, as the change in distance can easily throw people off. But Kennith is a master of space and can easily adjust. What¡¯s more, his affinity makes it possible for him to stand firmly on the ground while still well up in the air, making any ground obstacles meaningless to him.


    The speed,bined with elevation, lets him easily take the straight path through the Principalities and Wandends without worry of interference. By the time anyone can notice him, he¡¯s already well past them and vanishing in the distance.


    Unfortunately, the view from above gets rather boring after a while, even for someone who most would say thrives in boring conditions. Which is why his mind wanders as he travels, thinking about the details of what he will need to do.


    From the Dungeoneer packet on the Southwood, it¡¯s a toybox that is rather friendly, so long as one gives the Voice proper respect. It also has a ratherrge territory, which is surely why Lord Order sent him there, first. It will be a simplendmark to find, and he may even be able to get additional information from the Voice. If Lord Order has an interest nearby, the Southwood is likely to be at least vaguely aware of it.


    Especially if a fledgling god is involved. Such a thing is usually far more important than the almost casual way his Lord spoke, possibly implying how much more important the trapped being is than the new god. He finds it difficult to imagine something like that, but it¡¯s the only thing that makes sense.


    He finds his thoughts wander to the mystery as he travels, often being thest thing he remembers before falling asleep, and the first thing in his head when he wakes in the mornings. As he nears the Southwood, he senses something that shoves aside his musings on the situation, something that might give him an actual clue as to what¡¯s happening: he senses a working of spatial affinity.


    He¡¯s d he noticed it, too, as his thoughts had absorbed him enough he was actually off course to find the Southwood! He has drifted southward, and would have missed the dungeon entirely if he hadn¡¯t found the interesting construct of space.


    The working itself is simple, just a contraction of space to lessen the distance between points. The size of it, however, is impressive. He can also tell there was a mind towards concealment in its design. It would easily be unnoticed by most, but to someone with Spatial affinity, it¡¯s rather obvious.


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    He checks his map and sees it should take him right to the Southwood, so he decides to swap to a pair of more ordinary boots and sample the path to the dungeon. He has to make his own entrance, but he is courteous enough to close it up behind him. Whoever made it didn¡¯t want people to just barge in, so it would be rude to let others follow in Kennith¡¯s footsteps.


    The path is pleasant and well made, and while thepression could be improved, the vast distance it spans makes it difficult to critique too harshly. In only half an hour, he reaches the end, and is surprised to find a bevy of activity awaiting him in normal space. A train of wagons sits just inside the border of the Southwood, with dozens of people milling around. Ratkin and spiderkin abound, though there is also a healthy representation of elves, dwarves, and a smattering of other races.


    Perhaps more surprising are the throngs of dungeon denizens milling around, too. The Dungeoneers didn¡¯t mention even half of the varieties present in the Southwood information. If it weren¡¯t for how casual everyone is being, Kennith would be worried. He¡¯s still wary, but the order of the gathering helps put him at ease. It could certainly be more organized, but an effort is being made, at least.


    A fellow gnome notices Kennith and waves him forward with a smile, so he moves to see what information he can glean. As he nears, the other gnome speaks up.


    ¡°Hey! I hope you¡¯re not from the Guild! You missed all the fun, snail!¡±


    ¡°Fun?¡± Kennith asks.


    ¡°Yeah! We beat the Maw like a week ago! You can still delve the Southwood if you want, but there¡¯s not a whole lot else to do now.¡±


    "The Maw? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not here for any Maw. Do you happen to know the way to Silvervein?¡±


    The other gnome gives Kennith a confused look. ¡°You want to go to Silvervein, but don¡¯t know about the Maw?¡±


    There is clearly more going on than Lord Order said. ¡°I¡¯ve been sent by Lord Order to meet with a fledgeling god and receive a delivery. I don¡¯t know much about the situation, other than I should get to Silvervein.¡±


    The gnome whistles at that. ¡°Order himself? Thedeim attracts a lot of attention. Well, the short version is there was a nasty dungeon deep in a hole past the Southwood, and Thedeim decided to help out and get rid of it. There¡¯s a town down there, too, SIlvervein, and the Shieldies are helping the people there get used to doing things without an overbearing crazy dungeon breathing down their necks.¡±


    ¡°Can you guide me to Silvervein?¡±


    The gnome shakes his head. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m headed back to Fourdock for some rxation after all this. You can probably find Rocky around somewhere, though. He can probably help. He¡¯s one of Thedeim¡¯s scions, can¡¯t miss him: zombie in bright shorts with big padded gloves.¡±


    Kennith furrows his brows at that. ¡°A zombie scion? And nobody is concerned about that?¡±


    He shrugs. ¡°Nah, Rocky¡¯s a great guy. You¡¯ll see.¡± He inhales before speaking loudly enough for everyone nearby to hear. ¡°Hey, anyone know where Rocky is? This guy needs help getting to Silvervein!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s talking with the Stag! That way!¡±es a voice from beyond where Kennith can see, but the pointing is copied by various people close by, giving him a heading. He nods and raises his own voice.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    He heads deeper into the dungeon, and soon hears the gentle chiming of bells in the breeze, and a voice at a casual volume. He speaks up before he can understand what¡¯s being said, not wanting to appear to be spying.


    ¡°Excuse me! Is¡­ is Rocky there? I was told he could help me get to Silvervein!¡±


    The bells take on a harsher tone for a few moments before they calm, and Kennith can hear footsteps through the trees, nearing him. Soon, he sees the Stag, Voice of the Southwood, as well as what must be Rocky.


    Despite being told about the zombie in bright shorts, his mental image could hardly have been further off. This zombie is no slow shambling corpse. Instead of the usual emaciated form of a zombie, this one it fit and toned even with the obvious signs of being undead. It doesn¡¯t shamble, but rather walks with a lightness that speaks of mobility, and rather than empty milky eyes, the ones peering at Kennith are full of intelligence, and oddly empty of malice.


    The same can¡¯t be said of the eyes of the Stag, who seems unhappy at being interrupted. ¡°What business do you have of Sir Rocky?¡±


    It takes Kennith a moment to get over the contrast of the two scions, before he answers. ¡°I have been sent by Lord Order to retrieve something from Silvervein.¡±


    The Stag squints at him, but Rocky¡¯s eyes widen before he pats the Stag¡¯s withers with a gloved hand and grunts.


    ¡°He is expected?¡±


    Rocky grunts again, and the Stag shakes his head.


    ¡°Allow me, then. I understand that the main tunnel isrge enough for even my horns to pass without issue. You can take that mana back, and I can expedition to see what has transpired for my Lord to see personally.¡±


    Rocky grunts once more, and the Stag nods with a smile. ¡°I am sure. You and lord Thedeim have helped my Lord immensely. Guiding him is the least I can do.¡±


    Rocky grunts onest time and pats his withers once more, before casually walking past Kennith, who is still trying toprehend what he just witnessed. The Southwood should be hostile towards any undead, let alone a scion from another dungeon! Yet it seems genuinely fond of the scion, and appreciative of its master.


    Kennith shakes his head and offers the Stag a bow. ¡°I apologize for interrupting your discussion, but Lord Order personally asked me to do this, so I am anxious to see it done.¡±


    The Stag eyes him for a few moments before exhaling and nodding. ¡°I understand. When my Lord gives me a task, I pursue it with all haste. While I would prefer to talk more with Rocky, I will doubtlessly see him again. I may even get to visit him at lord Thedeim¡¯s territory soon.¡± The Stag looks wistful for a few moments before refocusing on the gnome before him.


    ¡°For now, let us go. How quickly can you travel, gnome?¡±


    ¡°Give me a moment to put on different boots, and I am certain I can keep up.¡±


    The Stag smiles at that. ¡°Excellent. If we make haste, we should arrive at the tunnel entrance in less than an hour. If you fall behind, I will return for you. Let me know when you are ready.¡±


    Despite himself, Kennith smiles as well. He really does need to get in touch with Syertly after all this, even if only to let him know how the bootspare to a powerful dungeon scion.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Six

    Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Six


    Finally, the agent¡¯s here! Waiting for him was like waiting for a repairguy to show up. At least he can¡¯t show up while I¡¯m gone, seeing as I can¡¯t really move. Teemo and Aranya both head off to meet him as soon as he leaves with the Stag, and I try to listen in through the Southwood¡¯s bond with him.


    It doesn¡¯t work very well. I mostly get the feeling the Stag doesn¡¯t care for him much, but that doesn¡¯t really tell me a lot. The Stag is kinda grumpy and doesn¡¯t seem to like many people much.


    Anyway, Teemo starts forging a shortcut at the outskirts of SIlvervein, now we don¡¯t need to worry about hostiles being able to take it. It¡¯ll also help the locals be able to dive the Southwood easier and just make things a bit smoother all around.


    ¡°You seem a lot less nervous about this guy than usual, Boss. He¡¯s an Agent of Order, ording to that quest. Feeling less nervous about dealing with deities?¡± asks Teemo as he and Aranya walk the shortcut. He¡¯s rushing it, and I can feel his dissatisfaction with his work, but he¡¯s as eager to get the Harbinger dealt with as I am. He can take the time to smooth the shortcut out after the agent is done.


    I think technically being one has kinda worn away a lot of the mystique. Lower-case g¡¯s seem to be closer in power to what I was expecting of an angel, and not even an archangel at that.


    Teemo pauses and scratches at his ear for a second before replying. ¡°An agent of a god and a¡­ strong agent of a god? Those two feel a bit fuzzy around the edges, Boss.¡±


    Probably for the best. Comprehending those fully would probably be way worse for your health than even the craziest scientific theories.


    ¡°If you say so. How do you think the meeting will go, then?¡±


    I dunno. I¡¯d expect him to be pretty eager to get the Harbinger, but I don¡¯t know what that¡¯ll actually entail. If he has to actually bring it somewhere, he¡¯ll probably just grab the thing and leave.¡°Probably, yeah. What do you think, Aranya?¡± he asks, looking over his shoulder at my High Priestess as she follows in through the shortcut.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. As part of my duties, I had been looking into the other gods well before I ever left Fourdock, but there¡¯s not a lot of information to be had on Order,¡± she admits. ¡°He may be even less interested in empty ceremony than Lord Thedeim. He has a main temple in the elven capital, but it¡¯s supposed to be rather small and could be easily mistaken for an ounting firm or something simr. His adherents worship him through ensuring order in their daily lives and in keeping things stable. A lot of bureaucrats follow him, even though few bother proiming it. There¡¯s even a rumor the king himself is a follower.¡±


    Ugh, I hope we don¡¯t get a humorless paper pusher. Sure, that kind of efficiency is good when paperwork is absolutely required, but I don¡¯t want to have to submit a greeting in triplicate before he¡¯ll even acknowledge us.


    Teemo snorts at that image. ¡°Lots of boring soulless ink slingers, then?¡±


    Aranya shakes her head for a moment, before reconsidering. ¡°There¡¯s probably some, but the ones that are more clear about their devotion are supposed to be friendly enough, if often awkward around more ordinary people.¡±


    Sounds like introverts instead of misanthropes, so that¡¯ll be good. I¡¯ll take awkward friendliness over rigid regtion every day of the week.


    The conversation drifts as they keep walking, since we don¡¯t really have a lot of information to go on. Teemo¡¯s looking forward to meeting someone else with spatial affinity, while Aranya is looking forward to meeting a representative of a god. I guess they both want to talk some shop, in their own ways. While I¡¯m pretty sure the guy isn¡¯t a High Priest like Aranya, he¡¯s still pretty highly positioned in a bigger and more organized institution. Even if I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be running things anything like Order, getting a peek behind the curtain should help keep things from going sideways.


    Even with having to go uphill, and the distance, Teemo and Aranya are zing through the tunnels towards the surface. It was a good two or three day march down, but they meet the agent at around sunset, as useful as that measurement is underground.


    Putting that Opener of Ways title to work, eh Teemo?


    Teemo nods as the two groups approach, with the Stag giving a bow to my Voice and my High Priestess, and the gnome beside him offering one of his own before the Voice of the Southwood speaks.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the vition.


    ¡°Voice Teemo, Lady Aranya. My Lord has asked me to witness what has transpired with my own eyes. I hope that¡¯s agreeable?¡±


    Teemo pshaws and waves a hand. ¡°Of course, Stag. The Boss is hoping you and Silvervein will get along well so you can get some extra mana, and they can have some stable food and dungeon ess while they get things figured out.¡±


    The Stag straightens and nods. ¡°That would be most agreeable to my Lord. Your shortcuts to both Fourdock and Silvervein will be most helpful. He also hopes it¡¯s not presumptuous to suggest one to the orcish Wandends at some point as well?¡±


    Teemo taps his chin as he thinks about that. ¡°It¡¯ll probably be a while for that. The Boss has ns for his part of the Harbinger¡¯s mana, and those¡¯ll keep me busy for quite a bit.¡±


    The Stag nods once more. ¡°My Lord understands, Voice Teemo. He wished to raise the possibility, rather than demand anything.¡±


    ¡°The Boss has added it to the list. Now, about yourpanion,¡± Teemo turns his attention to the gnome, who despite wearing what looks like a traveling robe, the cut makes me think of a business suit.


    ¡°My name is Kennith Ridgeward, and I will be acting as Lord Order¡¯s representative. I have to admit, I didn¡¯t expect the fledgeling god to be a dungeon.¡± He peers at Teemo for a few moments before realizing how undiplomatic that statement is. ¡°Er, not to insinuate-¡±


    He¡¯s cut off by a giggle from Aranya. ¡°The truth won¡¯t offend Lord Thedeim. He fully epts he¡¯s new to this. I think he¡¯s doing very well, though I may be a bit biased,¡± she says with a wink, and the gnome rxes slightly.


    ¡°Ah, thank you. I¡¯m more used to dealing with dwarves and contracts than with greeting new gods. Not that I think there are many out there used to something like that.¡± Aranya nods as Teemo steps into the conversation.


    ¡°So you¡¯re going to take the Harbinger andplete the quest the Boss got?¡±


    Kennith nods. ¡°I am, though I think that may have to wait until tomorrow. Even with this spatial working, I fear I¡¯d be exhausted before ever reaching Silvervein. You¡¯re the one responsible for these shortcuts?¡± he asks my Voice, who nods.


    ¡°Yeah, I am, and yeah, I think we should rx and head back after some rest. I¡¯m Teemo, no fancy titles needed. The Boss likes me to try to keep people grounded, especially himself. So, how¡¯s this going to work, anyway?¡±


    The gnome pats a pocket of his robe. ¡°I have the supplies for writing up a contract with me. Once I can confirm the entity and its imprisonment, I can formalize the exchange. The specifics will depend on the details, which I won¡¯t be able to get until I can see the situation with my own eyes. My Lord was rather sparse on details, and only said you have a being He is interested in, that you had agreed to transfer it, and that I would finalize the deal. You being a dungeon mayplicate matters, though.¡±


    ¡°Oh? How?¡± asks Teemo as he hops onto Aranya¡¯s shoulder, and the group looks for a good spot to set up camp for the night.


    ¡°Dungeons are more tightly restrained by the system than people are, so there may be more things to consider than usual. I could give the details if you want, but there are shelves of tomes of the minutiae that could potentially be relevant, depending on the specifics.¡±


    Teemo and I both nch at that, much to the amusement of Aranya. ¡°I believe Lord Thedeim is content to wait and see what the actualplications will be, rather than listen to an exhaustive list of potentials.¡±


    The gnome smirks and nods. ¡°I had suspected, but didn¡¯t want to presume. And speaking of presumptions: will the shortcuts stay stable indefinitely?¡±


    Teemo shrugs. ¡°Probably not <em>indefinitely</em>, but they don¡¯t seem to require much more maintenance than a normal road. I have a shortcut all the way from the Southwood to Fourdock, and just pped together this one to Silvervein. Then there¡¯s the Mobius Trap I have the Harbinger in. They¡¯re all pretty stable.¡±


    ¡°Even for a ¡®pped together¡¯ work, this shortcut is impressive. Most spatial magic is used to make internalized spacesrger, but you seem to focus on making distances shorter?¡±


    Teemo nods. ¡°Yeah. I started as a Scout for the Boss, making shortcuts around his territory for his denizens to get to wherever they needed to get to.¡±


    Kennith looks thoughtful before he replies. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of simr sses among Rangers, though they call theirs trails. I¡¯ve never had a chance to study them, though. I¡¯m usually busy with contracts. Seeingpression on such a scale is very interesting, especially whenbined with the warping inside to make it feel like level ground.¡±


    Teemo smirks. ¡°If you like the warping, wait until you see the Mobius Trap!¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡± he asks, looking intrigued.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ well, it¡¯splicated. It¡¯ll probably be simpler to show you. If you¡¯re experienced with spatial stuff, you should be able to handle it without any issues.¡±


    That earns a raised eyebrow from the gnome. ¡°It¡¯s aplicated spatial working, then?¡±


    Teemo smirks as they find a small water streaming from a wall, and so can begin making camp. ¡°It is, and it isn¡¯t. I haven¡¯t seen anyone else talk about something like it, other than the Boss. I haven¡¯t met many others with spatial affinity, though, so I couldn¡¯t tell you how unusual it is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to seeing it then. Once we get camp set up, I should show you my leaguestride boots. It¡¯s not often spatial casters canpare notes.¡±


    I smile at Teemo¡¯s eagerness to get a look at those boots, and settle back to doodle some basic designs and budget for my uing forest of four seasons. I do my best to keep my thoughts out of Teemo¡¯s ear so he can focus more on geeking out about spatial magic. He doesn¡¯t get a chance to rx too often, so I want to let him enjoy it as much as possible when the opportunity arises.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Seven

    Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Seven


    They all have a nice night camping, and I have a nice night roughing out where to put my ant enve, and how to get started on the forest of four seasons. The ant enve is easier to actually prepare for, and I even get some tunnelbores working to dig out an area near the exit from thebyrinth to the volcanic region outside. I¡¯m pretty confident they¡¯ll have both the desire to explore out there, and the ability to handle the temperatures involved, too.


    My notes for the forest are a lot messier, and I don¡¯t bother much with cleaning them up, at least not yet. I can already tell I¡¯m going to need to upgrade my spawners to popte it properly, and depending on what I get with the expansion(s) required for thend, I might need to take up the Southwood¡¯s offer of a denizen or two. I can already think of uses for his foxes and bears.


    I¡¯m looking forward to getting into the weeds of proper nning for the forest, but I want to get that quest finished first, so I¡¯ll have an idea of what I¡¯ll have to work with. Not only will I get a bunch of mana, but I¡¯m also curious what the fast tracking will give me. I know the Southwood has more options than I do, so I can¡¯t wait to get a chance to browse them for myself!


    Even just the rough outline takes the night, so I focus back on the group as they resume their journey. Teemo opts to hitch a ride on the Stag for this leg of the trip, letting Mr Kennith and Aranya chat about their respective faiths as they walk.


    ¡°So, even before apotheosis, he¡¯s been a catalyst for change?¡±


    Aranya nods. ¡°He very rarely does what people expect, though it¡¯s hardly out of spite. He likes to approach problems from different angles, and is very good at predicting possibleplications. I think the Scythemaw migration was a good example of that.¡±


    ¡°Scythemaws?¡±


    Aranya nods. ¡°That¡¯s what Lord Thedeim calls them. Tunnel horror is the moremon name.¡±


    Kennith jerks to attention at that name for them. ¡°Ah, horrors! I¡¯ve only ever heard tales of them from the dwarves. You say there was a migration?¡±Aranya nods. ¡°Right through Lord Thedeim¡¯s cavernyer, his spiderkin enve, and his protege.¡±


    The gnome winces at that. ¡°I imagine that was an unpleasant mess and a brutal fight.¡±


    My High Priestess shakes her head and snickers. ¡°That¡¯s what most were expecting, but Lord Thedeim had a different n. From what I¡¯ve heard from Yvonne and other rangers, His hesitancy to simply fight them was wise, and not simply because they are difficult tobat. They are an apex predator, so culling them from the area could have had countless unknowable ramifications on the underswamps and aquiferke habitats.¡±


    Kennith looks conflicted at that. ¡°I understand that, but what about the impact on his dwellers, his protege, and his own territory?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t as severe as you might expect. The spiderkin were able to move off the floor of the caverns with little difficulty, and couldrgely continue their lives above the scythemaws. They count as delvers, not invaders, so Lord Thedeim was able to send ordinary encounters at them to continue getting mana for that section, and with a door erected outside her cavern, even Lord Thedeim¡¯s protege was kept safe. She even got quite a boon of manater, after they had left and she expanded outside. The scythemawsid their eggs, and she got a significant sum of mana from it.¡±


    Kennith looks impressed. ¡°So rather than a chaotic and costly fight against the horrors, he was able to take advantage in his own way, with minimal disturbance to the bnce of nature.¡±


    Aranya beams, and if I could, I¡¯d be sporting a bashful blush. It really did go smoothly, way more smooth than it had any right to, especially considering how worried about it I was at the time.


    ¡°Is he interested in joining any pantheons?¡± Kennith asks, and my High Priestess politely shakes her head.


    ¡°He isn¡¯t against cooperating, but He prefers to minimize His dealings with other deities. I believe he¡¯d like to secure his position before considering expanding it. His dungeon territory works simrly, with Him taking his time to carefully craft and utilize each section before moving on to another.¡±


    Kennith nods at that. ¡°Understandable. The pantheons have been stable for quite some time now, but legends say that hasn¡¯t always been the case. A new deity is probably wise toe more into their own before trying to deal with divine politics.¡±


    Teemo retches all the way over from the Stag¡¯s head at that, earning augh from Aranya, and a confused look from Kennith. ¡°And I thought the Boss¡¯ idea of waste processing was disgusting! I can¡¯t imagine anything he¡¯d want to stay further from than <em>divine politics</em>!¡±


    My High Priestess nods. ¡°I think He likes to stay away from those topics because He knows how chaotic changing them can be. Now that change is officially part of His portfolio, the potential for chaos only increases.¡±


    It¡¯s Kennith¡¯s turn to look ufortable at that, and he quickly nods. ¡°Yes, I see. There is wisdom in staying out of things that one knows could lead to disaster.¡±


    Aranya titters and nods. ¡°Though I think he¡¯s going a remarkable job of keeping Silvervein stable, even if the Shield is helping.¡±


    ¡°What happened in SIlvervein? An adventurer mentioned a Maw and arge battle, but was sparse on details.¡±


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Aranya sighs and takes a few moments to gather her thoughts. ¡°I escaped the Maw and eventually found my way to Lord Thedeim many months ago now. Near the end of Fall, the Southwood asked Lord Thediem for help with strange invaders, and He investigated, eventually discovering the hostile dungeon was the one I hailed from. He allied with the Southwood and fought the Harbinger back, then fought the Maw itself. He knew about Silvervein, a town of emancipated dwellers from the Maw, and took steps to minimize the damage to the town and its people, with the help of a group from the Crystal Shield. In the fight, the Harbinger consumed the Maw, and Teemo was able to trap it afterward.¡±


    Kennith frowns in thought. ¡°What <em>is</em> the Harbinger? And the strange invaders? I¡¯ve not dealt with dungeons much, though I¡¯m familiar with the required contracts involving them.¡±


    Teemo speaks up from the Stag¡¯s head. ¡°The Harbinger and the invaders are definitely what Order wants to get a better look at. The invader¡¯s type is¡­ weirdly wrong. The Boss calls it a corruption or an error, but there¡¯s connotations I don¡¯t know how to exin. The Harbinger has a title with simr weirdness.¡±


    Kennith looks concerned. ¡°Would I be able to negotiate for information on those as well? If there is more to concern Lord Order than just the Harbinger, I would like to bring it to Him.¡±


    Teemo shrugs. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not. Honey would be happy to share her notes, and I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a lot of bits and pieces of the invaders around.¡±


    Yeah, we got a couple diced up lessers and a few whole leasts from the group of scouts. They apparently have a really high level field dresser. I don¡¯t know how a whole corpse counts as being dressed, but they haven¡¯t dissolved into background mana yet.


    ¡°Yeah, we can share, and the Boss is happy to. He thinks there¡¯s more to all this than we know, and if anyone can figure out why it¡¯s causing system weirdness, it¡¯ll be Order.¡±


    Kennith looks relieved and nods as they round thest bend in the shortcut, and are soon deposited back into normal space, not far from the milkworm fields. ¡°That would be appreciated, thank you. Are we now in Silvervein? Can we go to where this Harbinger is being held?¡±


    Teemo nods before focusing on the Stag. ¡°You wannae with us to see it, Stag? Or do you want to wander around a bit, first?¡±


    His ears flick as he listens for Southwood¡¯s answer. ¡°My Lord would have a look at the Harbinger, if possible.¡±


    ¡°I would also like to go,¡± speaks up Aranya. ¡°As Lord Thedeim¡¯s High Priestess, I should offer my help in negotiations, if He would have it?¡±


    Teemo snorts. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯d like your help. Sounds like we¡¯re all going, then. We¡¯ll take the normal way, it¡¯s not far. The main tunnel is that way, and we can take it all the way to the Harbinger.¡±


    They make their way to the main tunnel, drawing some looks, and sometimes being ignored as the people focus on restoring their disrupted lives. A lot more looks are hopeful instead of fearful, so I can¡¯t help but be happy with how everything has gone so far. As they near the Maw¡¯s temple, a wolfkin pdin approaches, and Teemo waves at him.


    ¡°Hey Unsil! The Boss is thrilled with how your guys have been keeping the peace around here.¡±


    The grizzled wolfkin raises his shield in salute before smiling. ¡°I think he can take at least a little of the credit with that spell of his. This whole situation could have been a catastrophe, but it went better than it had any right to.¡± His smile slips a little when he notices the gnome, and he looks a bit uneasy as he continues.


    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re all going to the Harbinger, then?¡±


    Teemo nods. ¡°Yeah. Is something wrong?¡±


    Unsil shakes his head. ¡°Not <em>wrong</em>, but¡­ may Ie with you?¡±


    Teemo gives him a confused look. ¡°I mean, the Boss isn¡¯t opposed, but it¡¯s a dangerous thing to get close to for idle curiosity.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­ but it¡¯s not idle curiosity. The Shield itself appeared to me in a dream and wants me to get whatever information I can.¡±


    Kennith gives him a suspicious look. ¡°Is the Crystal Shield wishing to dispute Lord Order¡¯s im on the Harbinger?¡±


    Unsil quickly shakes his head again. ¡°No! It doesn¡¯t want to interfere, It just wants a better idea what we¡¯re dealing with. It can¡¯t protect people if It doesn¡¯t know what to protect them from.¡±


    Kennith still looks suspicious. ¡°So long as you don¡¯t intend to interfere, I don¡¯t object.¡±


    ¡°Cool. You might want his help too, Kennith. If you want to get a look at the Harbinger, it¡¯s going to try to hit you with a mental attack. Having a pdin keep your mind safe is probably a good idea.¡±


    The gnome looks even less happy about that, but relents as everyone gets moving again. ¡°I haven¡¯t had much opportunity to test my mental defenses. I canprehend a lot, but there¡¯s no point in taking risks just for my pride.¡±


    There¡¯s not much other conversation as Teemo guides them to the Maw¡¯s former Sanctuary, or rather to the corridor just outside it. Once they get close, Kennith starts looking all around like a tourist. Teemo¡¯s feeling of satisfaction makes it pretty clear why he¡¯s rubbernecking, even before the gnome opens his mouth.


    ¡°Fascinating! You¡¯ve folded a three-dimensional space down to two, before twisting it onto itself to form a subspace!¡±


    Teemo smiles wide. ¡°I sure did!¡±


    ¡°How?!¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy, I can tell you that. The Boss has some math for it, but it¡¯s the kind of stuff to test your mental defenses, heh. I do more by feel than by math.¡±


    ¡°Remarkable¡­¡± absently mumbles Kennith as he peers at the Mobius Trap. With normal vision, it looks like he¡¯s just staring at the hall, but with Teemo¡¯s spacial sense, I can feel the twisting that is the Harbinger¡¯s prison.


    ¡°Ready to take a look at the thing inside?¡± Teemo asks, pulling Kennith from his inspection.


    ¡°Oh! Uh, yes, if the kind pdin is ready to keep my mind from being shattered?¡±


    Ustil nods. ¡°Crystal Shield, please offer your bulwark to this gnome to keep him safe in this task.¡±


    ¡°Probably be quick as you can taking a peek, Kennith,¡± warns Teemo. ¡°It has the mana of a whole huge dungeon behind it, so you don¡¯t want to give it a chance to do anything too strong.¡±


    Kennith nods and stands straight, and I can feel him carefully bringing his affinity to bear on the Harbinger¡¯s prison. He pierces a pinprick hole into it to see, before mming it shut. He and Ustil both stagger back, with the gnome sporting a fresh nosebleed and the pdin looking like he got his bell rung good.


    ¡°Queen¡¯s Balm,¡± chants Aranya, and I give her a sliver of power to enhance the effect as orange mist settles on their heads. The two afflicted sigh in relief as they straighten, and Kennith quickly puts on his business face.


    ¡°Thank you for your help, Shield and Thedeim. That¡­ that <em>thing</em> is absolutely what Lord Order is after, and I can only guess the danger it truly poses. Please give me a few minutes to recover, then I shall write a contract to seal its fate.¡±

 Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Eight

    Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Eight


    Everyone sits around for a few minutes while Kennith and Unsil catch their breath, before Teemo nces over at the Stag. ¡°Did you still want to get a direct look at it?¡±


    The Stag pales as his ear flicks, and sighs in relief after a few moments. ¡°My Lord is satisfied with simply knowing the Harbinger will no longer be a threat, and that all possible is being done to ensure that threat ends here. If you don¡¯t mind, I think I will take a look around Silvervein. My Lord would like to get a better understanding of what they might wish from delving him.¡±


    Teemo smirks. ¡°Fair. It looks like the Harbinger is being more than a little rowdy right now. Can¡¯t imagine why it¡¯s so upset, heh.¡± The Stag chuckles, but doesn¡¯t have any other reply to that, giving Aranya a chance to speak up with her own curiosity as he goes, though at Kennith instead of the other Voice.


    ¡°So, what will the contract negotiations entail? I understand Lord Thedeim already has a quest. I wanted to be involved if there are negotiations to be had, but will they even be necessary?¡±


    Kennith fiddles with the sleeve of his robe as he thinks. ¡°Ordinarily, I don¡¯t think it would be necessary. The few times I¡¯ve been involved in something like this, I¡¯m basically just notarizing thepletion of a quest. With this monstrosity, though, I¡¯d like to be as official as possible. Can you bring a table and some chairs, someone? This could be awkward trying to work on the floor.¡±


    Teemo looks around the room for a few moments before agreeing. ¡°Yeah, it looks like this ce was decently furnished, but the fighting wasn¡¯t kind to the furniture.¡±


    Unsil speaks up. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can find. There should be a lot of my fellow followers nearby I can ask to help.¡±


    ¡°A medium table and three chairs would be perfect, but even just a single table or a podium would be better than trying to sign on the floor,¡± suggests Kennith, and with that, Unsil heads out to find some help and some office equipment.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s official Order business entail, then? I think thest time someone tried to get fancy, it involved incense, chants, and maybe some holy water, back when that one guy tried to consecrate the cemetery.¡±Kennith smiles and shakes his head. ¡°Lord Order prefers parchment, ink, and signatures. I¡¯ll need¡­ let me see¡­¡± He starts looking through the pockets of his robe, and from what Teemo can see, it¡¯s like he has a filing cab inside each one.


    ¡°Notarization of apleted quest, official transfer of¡­ I think prisoner is most appropriate, witnessed authority to transport said prisoner¡­¡± He looks up to Teemo and Aranya. ¡°You said the local authority is in flux at the moment?¡± At their nod, he resumes looking through his pockets and thinking out loud. ¡°Can¡¯t appeal to the local government for any permits to strengthen anything¡­¡±


    ¡°Is all that really needed?¡± asks Teemo


    Kennith nods absently as he continues looking through his pockets, even pulling out a tome with a title of ¡®Cross-Pantheon Agreements¡¯ as he answers. ¡°In more ordinary circumstances, I would probably simply write you a signed receipt for the Harbinger, but as I said; I want to do this by the book. The more order that can be imposed on this, the more likely Lord Order will be to keep anything unfortunate from happening.¡± He pauses to squint at the page, clearly reading some regtion or another, before shaking his head and putting the book away.


    ¡°I think those three are the most I can do. Thankfully, I should be able to transfer the Harbinger directly to Lord Order, thanks to my affinity, so there should be minimal chance for it to escape in transit.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s that work?¡± asks Teemo, curious about how someone else works with spatial affinity. I¡¯m curious, too. I can guess, but with him there, I don¡¯t need to.


    Kennith looks like he¡¯s about to go into a long-winded exnation, before he pauses and smiles. ¡°Right, you¡¯re spatial affinity, and rather strong with it. The deities that have fully ascended exist in higher dimensions than we do. Even with my affinity, the specifics areplex, but the end effect is simr to one of your shortcuts, allowing me to connect and even move the space the Harbinger upies into a space chosen by Lord Order.¡±


    Aranya looks a bit lost, but Teemo exins it. ¡°It¡¯s like how a piece of paper is basically just length and width, but no real height. If all you could sense was that paper, you¡¯d never know when someone picks it up, because you can¡¯t sense up in that case. I basically put the Harbinger on its own piece of paper, and it sounds like Kennith will¡­ basically be a courier to deliver it. None of us can really feel the paper moving around, so we don¡¯t notice anything besides the Harbinger being gone.¡±


    Kennith nods. ¡°There are details that don¡¯t really trante well to our reality, but that¡¯s the gist of it. To extend the metaphor, I¡¯ll be sealing the Harbinger in a scrollcase to ensure it can¡¯t somehow break free, and cing a wax seal to not only further keep it contained, but also to allow Lord Order to ept the delivery. The extra contracts help strengthen those.¡±


    Aranya ponders that, and I can feel Teemo chewing on the metaphor to try to glean some more insights while Kennith seems to be checking for parchments and inks in his pockets now, too. I bet he has fancier ones than normal, too. A contract written in pink ink on normal binder paper is probably still binding, but I bet something like proper vellum and some kind of magical ink will lend it even more weight.


    It takes a few more minutes before Unsil returns, looking a bit embarrassed by what he¡¯s managed to find. ¡°All I could dig up is what I think was a food or drink cart. The wheels can lock and it¡¯s nice and stable, but that¡¯s all I could find.¡±


    Kennith smiles and waves for him to bring it over. ¡°That will do just fine. There¡¯s a rise in the floor here I can use to ess the top easily enough. There are three... oh, receipt!" He smiles to himself before continuing. "Four contracts I wish to invoke for this: A notarized witness of the other three contracts, a recognition of my authority to transport the prisoner, an official transfer of prisoner, and receipt of prisoner. Thankfully, as the Harbinger is not in the territory of any dungeon, the contracts can be deity to deity, and thus be transactional. If it was in a dungeon¡¯s territory, I believe a pact would be required with the dungeon.¡±


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    Teemo smiles as he feels my relief at that. ¡°That all sounds good to the Boss. He¡¯s trying to avoid any pacts.¡±


    Kennith nods at that. ¡°As am I. Theye with a whole slew of obligations and responsibilities that I don¡¯t think Lord Order is interested in at this time. First: the witness agreement. Do you, High Priestess Aranya and you, Pdin Unsil, agree to act as witnesses to these contracts and verify that all parties involved freely agree to all terms involved?¡±


    Unsil nods, and Aranya mirrors him after a few moments of consideration. Kennith produces what I¡¯m pretty sure is magical vellum, because I can feel a weight to it through Teemo¡¯s senses, just as I can feel weight behind the ink and quill the Head priest of Order produces next.


    ¡°Then please go over the wording here, and sign directly underneath it to show your agreement. I will name each other contract as we proceed, and you will sign again for each witnessed as freely epted.¡±


    They sign, and quiet power thrums in just the witness agreement thing. I¡¯m not usually one for this kind of legal formality, but it¡¯s pretty clear he wasn¡¯t kidding about Order being able to effect his power through the contracts. If that''ll keep the Harbinger secure, I''m not gonnain.


    ¡°This is the Recognition of Authorty to Transfer a Prisoner. By signing this, I assert my authority to transport this prisoner, and Thedeim recognizes that authority.¡± He ces it on the food trolley and signs, then turns it for Teemo to read. For a ¡®contract¡¯ it¡¯s very brief, with only a few more words than what Kennith said. It looks legit to me, Teemo. Please sign it for me.


    Teemo steps forward and pauses for a moment. ¡°Do I sign my name, or the Boss¡¯?¡±


    Kennith smiles and shakes his head at himself. ¡°Ah, of course. Sign it as ¡®your name, representative of who you are representing''. I¡¯ll be signing as ¡®Kennith Ridgeward, representative of Lord Order¡¯ for the final notarization of thepletion of your quest.¡±


    Teemo nods, and is pleasantly surprised when the quill shrinks in his hand. I get the feeling spatial affinity is surprisingly useful in this kind of situation as he signs, not only for the quill being easily held in his hands, but his writingndingrge enough on the page to make it easily legible. Once signed, Aranya and Unsil sign the witness agreement, and I can feel the two pieces of parchment resonating with each other.


    ¡°This is the Transfer of Prisoner Authorization, dependent on thepletion of the quest Lord Order gave Thedeim. Please double check that all is in order, and sign if it is.¡± Once again, the contract is refreshingly simple, making me wonder if legalese makes things more or less legitimate to Order. I¡¯m pretty sure Aranya said he¡¯s even less concerned with ceremony than I am, so simplernguage is probably more binding thanplex. Teemo signs it again, Unsil and Aranya sign the witness form once more, and I can even start to feel the harmony of the contracts all the way by the field hospital, where Honey and Queen are organizing a dissection of the least and lessers.


    ¡°This is the Official Receipt of Prisoner,¡± Kennith deres, and even though he doesn¡¯t raise his voice, it feels like it reverberates through the room. For a third time, the contract is straightforward, and signatures are added to it and the witness form. Kennith gathers up the contracts and goes over them onest time.


    ¡°All parties dere they are aware of the stiptions of the agreements and will abide by the terms fully?¡± At the nods of everyone, he continues. ¡°Then, as an Official Agent of Order, I dere these contracts in effect and ask Lord Order to invoke them to their fullest extent.¡±


    For a brief moment, nothing happens. Then I get a popup.


    <strong>Quest Complete! ept Reward? Y/N?</strong>


    Of course, I ept, and suddenly I¡¯m drowning in mana! Teemo grunts for me as I shunt almost all of it into the ally pool. I take a moment to try to recover from all that and the confirmation that, though there doesn¡¯t seem to be a hard cap to how much mana I can have, it definitely gets ufortable if I have too much. I can feel surprise from the Southwood, Hullbreak, and Violet at the ocean of mana in the ally pool. There¡¯s definitely more in there than I want to hog to myself, and I trust them all to not just empty it out before we can all discuss what to do with it.


    I can also feel there¡¯s more in my options, but for now, there¡¯s onest thing I¡¯d like to discuss with Kennith.


    ¡°Whoof, that quest wasn¡¯t kidding about the mana gain. How soon do you need to get going, Kennith?¡± asks Teemo for me. The gnome hums as he considers, putting away the contracts into a pocket of his robe.


    ¡°I should probably leave soon, possibly tomorrow. Why?¡±


    ¡°Can you stick around for a while?¡±


    Kennith looks confused at that, as do Aranya and Unsil. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Because the Boss wants to make sure Silvervein gets their political structure sorted without any major pitfalls, and you <em>are</em> an Agent of Order, right?¡±


    The gnome looks uncertain. ¡°Yes, though I do have obligations back at Holdhome to attend to.¡±


    ¡°Can your boss have someone else handle it? The Boss isn¡¯t going to ask for your help for nothing, of course. You still want the information on the least and lessers, right? I think Tarl of the Dungeoneers is also investigating. If you stick around, we can give you a copy of what we figure out, and probably a corpse or two for Order to look at himself.¡±


    Kennith looks conflicted for a few moments, before his eyes widen. ¡°I¡­ I believe Lord Order would want me to stay. I just received a quest to secure this additional information. There are others in Holdhome who can tend to my duties there, if they must.¡±


    Teemo grins. ¡°Great! Sounds like you¡¯ll be sticking around here for a while, then. There¡¯s a couple inns and such around, so you can get yourself a room, and head to the field hospital once you¡¯re ready. If Tarl finds anything, that¡¯s probably where he¡¯ll go to let us know, and that¡¯s where Honey and Queen are, too.¡±


    Unsil smiles and ps Kennith on the back, nearly sending the gnome flying. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure he gets settled in, Teemo.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯lle with you,¡± offers Aranya. ¡°I believe Ragnar and Ara are at one of the taverns, with thetter trying to keep the former out of trouble, and I think Yvonne is also searching for any clues as to the mystery spawner.¡±


    ¡°You guys have fun! I¡¯ll probably go hang out with Queen and Honey for a while, maybe get at least one of them to help with the search. See you guyster!¡±


    I smile as everyone heads off to do their thing, and while Teemo checks in on my two eusocial scions, I¡¯m going to see about plotting out a bit more for the Forest of Four Seasons. With that windfall from the quest, there¡¯s a lot I can do, even with splitting the reward.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Nine

    Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Nine


    Once Teemo gets to Queen and Honey, they promptly kick him out of the hospital and tell him to go bother Leo. The two of us probably should have expected them to want to dig around in the invaders and extract as much information as possible, so we have a good chuckle as Teemo heads to where Leo is.


    He¡¯s using what was the scouting base, before weunched the attack, as hismand center for now. His current focus is on scouting the local area for other potential hostiles. While it seems like the Maw kept things pretty clean around here, at least as far as potential hostiles go, nobody wants to be caught by surprise by something sneaky. I¡¯ll eventually have to pull back everyone, so we need to be sure Silvervein can handle whatever threats might wander in.


    Honestly, it¡¯s basically busywork for Leo, but it does keep him upied. Even better, with his scouts stilling and going, he has a good idea of where Tarl and Berdol are. They¡¯re investigating what they think is the remains of the spawner for the Harbinger and its ilk, though the scouts don¡¯t have much extra information. But with a location, it¡¯s not difficult for Teemo to head over and have a chat directly with them.


    He takes a bit of a scenic route there, the two of us poking around a bit to try to get our own sense for how the Maw built his territory. Big, mean, and ugly as the dungeon was, it was undeniably sessful. I¡¯m hardly going to go eating people, but I might be able to glean a few interesting ideas. Even just seeing what an ¡®average¡¯ sessful dungeon builds like could be good to know.


    While I have to guess a lot, considering all the denizens, traps, nodes, and such are gone, the indistinct picture the information is painting isn¡¯t looking all that interesting. Where I tend towards open yet distinct areas, it feels like the Maw mostly just had a single theme to its territory. There are a few distinct sections, like the kobold enve and quite a few kitchen areas, but it was mostly aplex series of rough-hewn stone rooms.


    In fact, after getting a better look through Teemo¡¯s eyes, I¡¯m pretty sure the templeplex was based off the design, just a bit more organized and more skillfully worked. I¡¯m pretty sure we even find where a spawner was, but I don¡¯t know if it was a fey or elemental spawner. It looks like a pile of g or maybe forge scale, but I don¡¯t know what differences there would be between a fey or elemental spawner, or if those differences would even be apparent in this destroyed state.


    When we eventually find Tarl and Berdol, it¡¯s not difficult to understand why they think this is the abomination spawner. The whole area feels unsettling, and the group of holes in the wall only add to it. They¡¯re hauntingly uniform and disturbingly dark, enough to make me wish I could remember what the term is for the fear of holes.


    The two dungeoneers are examining the holes, and jump a bit when Teemo speaks up. ¡°So, you think those creepy holes are the remains of the Harbinger¡¯s spawner?¡±


    Tarl nces back at the holes before nodding. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t stake my reputation on specifically that, but there was definitely something here. An unknown spawner is the simplest exnation right now.¡±¡°Can you tell anything about it? I found what the Boss and I are pretty sure was a different spawner on the way, but aside from it being something metal, we don¡¯t know if it¡¯s fey or elemental.¡±


    ¡°The elemental ones will look like a copsed forge, while the fey will be a heap of scrap. With this, though¡­ there¡¯s not a lot of information to be had. The most powerful spawn avable will usually have the greatest impact on the spawner. That¡¯s why the elemental spawners look like dpidated forges; forgemasters were the strongest spawn,¡± exins the elf.


    Berdol nods and waves his floating clipboard. ¡°We examined those first, and they looked almost exactly like the diagrams from the book. These holes could be from a cluster of nodes, but¡­¡±


    He trails off and Tarl picks back up. ¡°If the Maw had nodes that would leave behind neat holes like this, we should have seen some. These are the only ones we¡¯ve found this whole time. We haven¡¯t been here long enough for me to say definitively, but I seriously doubt they were part of nodes.¡±


    Teemo nods and peeks down a hole while I try not to imagine some horror reaching out and snatching him up. ¡°So what <em>can</em> you say about these things?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t metal affinity, for starters,¡± deres Tarl with a tone of certainty. ¡°That¡¯s strange, but not impossible. Scions will inherit a dungeon¡¯s affinity, but spawners don¡¯t always. The lingering unease points towards mental affinity for it, which would be in line with the Harbinger.¡±


    ¡°And the creepy holes,¡± adds Berdol. ¡°We saw a couple of the invaders, and they look <em>wrong</em> somehow. Even without them having the same holes as the spawner, I¡¯d bet they¡¯re rted.¡±


    Teemo leans back and looks around. ¡°The mana here also feels weird. It feels thin in most of the territory, but here it¡¯s¡­¡±


    He trails off as I take a look at the mana flow. It takes me a few seconds to realize why it looks so weird.


    Teemo squints as he confirms what I¡¯m seeing, even though it doesn¡¯t make much sense. ¡°The mana¡¯s wrong because it¡¯s not moving.¡±


    Berdol looks confused, but Tarl looks <em>concerned</em>. ¡°Are you certain?¡±


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    Teemo looks around a few more seconds before nodding. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s slowly flowing in the territory I came through, but it¡¯spletely still around these holes.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ that¡¯s not how dungeons work, right?¡± asks Berdol.


    Tarl nods with a deep frown. ¡°It¡¯s not how they¡¯re supposed to work, no.¡±


    <em>Supposed</em> to?


    ¡°How <em>are</em> they supposed to work, anyway? I know the Boss does a good job as a dungeon, but that¡¯s mostly because he just focuses on keeping delvers busy.¡±


    Tarl chuckles and motions at Berdol, letting his apprentice solidify his knowledge by teaching. The catkin just looks confused at the question for a moment, before shaking his head.


    ¡°No wonder you guys are always calling him weird. I thought he was kinda weird before, but I get it now. Uh, anyway¡­ while there are a lot of mana affinities, there are basically three mana states: turbulent,mer, and stagnant. Turbulent mana is¡­ basically mana after someone uses it. It¡¯s excited and energetic, chaotic, and can make it difficult to keep using. Stagnant mana is still, and though it¡¯s pretty easy for people to use, it also makes wild monsters and invaders.¡± He pauses and looks at Tarl.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been shown how that works just yet, though.¡±


    Tarl shrugs. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of theories on the specifics, but stagnant mana seems to almost crystalize into invaders and other nasty things, like salt crystalizes from brine.¡±


    Berdol flips his papers to note that down, before picking up where he left off from. ¡°Lamer flows smoothly, and it''s what dungeons do. They calm down the turbulent mana, and energize the stagnant to get it moving.¡±


    Teemo frowns at that and looks back to the holes. ¡°So, if dungeons are all aboutmer flow¡­ what¡¯s stagnant mana doing here?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what has me worried.¡±


    No wonder Order wanted the Harbinger.


    ¡°What do you mean, Boss?¡±


    The Harbinger, the least, and lessers all seemed to have glitches in them, or at least in the status we could identify. What if the errors aren¡¯t just in the disy? If they¡¯re somehow inverting how a dungeon is supposed to work, it¡¯d exin why Order was so keen to get the Harbinger, and to get whatever other information we can give Kennith.


    Teemo¡¯s eyes widen at that, before he focuses back on the two Dungeoneers, who look interested in him exining. ¡°Boss thinks the Harbinger and its spawner were somehow making stagnant mana.¡±


    Berdol looks confused again, and Tarl looks like he doesn¡¯t like what he¡¯s hearing, but can¡¯t offer much rebuttal. ¡°I hope he¡¯s wrong, but that¡¯s what things are pointing towards. I already miss the days when Thedeim was the weirdest dungeon I¡¯ve dealt with.¡±


    Teemo chuckles at that. ¡°Can you two get as much information as you can, and give a copy to Kennith?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s Kennith?¡± asks Berdol, flipping through his notes as if they might hold the answer.


    ¡°He¡¯s the priest of Order who came to get the Harbinger. The Boss got a quest to hand it over in exchange for a bunch of mana and Fast Tracking, whatever that is.¡±


    Oh yeah! With all the mana, I forgot that was a thing! I start poking through my options as Tarl replies.


    ¡°Fast Tracking?¡±


    Teemo nods. ¡°Yeah. It said it would elerate things gained for dungeon age, but didn¡¯t say what they are.¡±


    Tarl and Berdol both look confused for a few moments, before Tarl smacks his forehead. ¡°Right, it¡¯s easy to forget Thedeim isn¡¯t even a year old yet! Considering what he¡¯s managed, I thought he had the enhanced control already.¡±


    ¡°Enhanced control?¡± asks Teemo as I pay more attention. I can tell there¡¯s differences, but I¡¯m not quite sure what they actually mean just yet.


    Tarl nods. ¡°It seems to be limitations on what a dungeon can do at first, to help young dungeons keep away from making huge mistakes. Rooms are severely limited, expansion options are predefined, and even spawners and their cement are already decided.¡±


    That helps exin why my expansion option is asking me to define an area, instead of just giving me a selection to choose from. I also notice a few more rooms, but they don¡¯t immediately catch my attention considering my expanded spawner options.


    ¡°For normal dungeons, they seem to get ess to another room roughly each year. They also seem to get the ability to ce additional spawners after five years, and after ten, their expansions be more focused.¡±


    I y around with spawners and expansions, not actually purchasing anything, but seeing how they differ. One obvious change is how much cheaper expansions seem now.


    ¡°Why are the expansions cheaper now? The Boss is toying around with the options now, but it looks like even if he designates a section he could have expanded into before, there¡¯s a pretty big discount.¡±


    Tarl nods. ¡°That¡¯s because they don¡¯te with spawners anymore. The first couple expansionse with two, to help get a dungeon on its feet. Very few dungeons expand enough to start getting single spawners until after they unlock the ability to create their own. After a decade, expansions don¡¯t include a spawner at all, allowing for more freedom to customize an expansion, but also more opportunity to make a mistake. If Violet, for example, were to be able to expand without also getting spawners, she could suddenly have huge swaths of territory she can¡¯t actually do anything with. With so much area but no spawners, she could be vulnerable.


    ¡°But an experienced dungeon will already have a n for an expansion, even if they don¡¯t have the mana to fully realize it immediately. They can expand and ce a spawner or two, and use the new area to increase their ie and pay for the rest of whatever the dungeon wants to do.¡±


    Cool. That should make the forest of four seasons a lot easier to n for! I won¡¯t have to hope I get appropriate spawners for it, at least. I can just buy what I want. I can probably even get a good discount if I trade for some of the Southwood¡¯s denizens and make them scions. Oh, and I¡¯ll need to trade for the climate control feature, too.


    I hear Teemo chuckle as I prepare to dig into more nning for it. ¡°Welp, we¡¯ve lost the Boss to his new toys. He¡¯s not buying anything yet, I think he wants to talk to the other dungeons first. Hey Boss! Anything you need done, before you go nning?¡±


    Hmm? Oh, uh¡­ just to make sure Kennith gets the information he needs from everyone. If the Harbinger really is an agent of someone messing with the system, I want to give Order all the help we can.


    Teemo nods. ¡°Got it, Boss. Try not to have too much fun, yeah?¡±


    I hum at him in reply as I start looking at my options and let the possibilities carry me away.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy

    Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy


    <strong>Teemo</strong>


    The Voice of Thedeim smiles as he feels his Boss settle in to dig through his options. He¡¯s been a bit on edge with the whole Maw situation, and it just feels right for him to get back into nning. Just because the Boss <em>can</em> orchestrate the destruction of a dangerous dungeon and capture a crazy scion, doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s something he actually enjoys doing.


    He sets aside what Thedeim is doing for the moment, and refocuses his attention on Tarl and Berdol. ¡°Do you guys need any other help here?¡±


    Tarl shakes his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯m going to take the time to detail things a bit more, but I think we¡¯re about done here.¡±


    ¡°Would you like a second opinion from a Ranger?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t turn it down. They¡¯re much more experienced with stagnant mana than I am. Did you have one in mind?¡±


    Teemo nods. ¡°Yeah, Yvonne. I dunno how much experience she has with stagnant mana specifically, but she should know at least a little. I¡¯m pretty sure she gave me and the Boss a brief primer on the mana cycle you exined a while ago, but I think we were missing the context to make it stick, you know?¡±


    This time Tarl nods. ¡°If she¡¯s avable, I¡¯d love to have her perspective on this. Maybe she knows what these unsettling holes are from. I haven¡¯t encountered anything like them as a dungeoneer, but maybe a Ranger has.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be back in¡­ I dunno, an hour?¡±Tarl nods and waves Teemo off as he motions for Berdol toe take a closer look at something. ¡°Make sure you sketch this knot here carefully.¡±


    Teemo dives into a fresh shortcut as Berdol moves toply, and the rat scion revels in how easy they¡¯re bing. Usually, temporary shortcuts need to stay pretty short and small or else they take too long or cost too much. But now he feels like he can dash through minute cracks in the rock as easily as the tunnels everyone takes.


    It¡¯s also nice to get confirmation that he¡¯s doing a good job with his spatial affinity. The Boss has always been impressed, but he has a unique perspective that makes it hard to tell just how well he¡¯s doing. But after getting to talk with Kennith, and seeing him so impressed with the Mobius Trap, Teemo can¡¯t help but feel a deep sense of aplishment.


    It¡¯s always easy to try topare himself to Rocky or Fluffles, and find himself severelycking. But now he has an independent opinion that he is, in fact, aplished in his niche. He doesn¡¯t need to try to expand his affinities like those two scions, but knowing his hard work is paying off in its own way is more than a small relief.


    It even has him wondering if he <em>should</em> try to expand his affinities, too. While he¡¯s pretty confident he understands what the Boss was trying to say now about how pressure, volume, and temperature are linked, he doesn¡¯t know if he wants to expand into the obviously linked affinities. Temperature would open up ice and fire, and those two seem pretty linked to kic. Pressure might open up wind affinity? As cool as Fluffles and Rocky look slinging those around, they don¡¯t quite feel within Teemo¡¯s grasp just yet.


    What <em>does</em> feel within his grasp is something he¡¯s heard the Boss deliberately try not to think too hard about where Teemo can hear. Not because he¡¯s trying to keep it a secret, but because he doesn¡¯t want to force the rat in a particr direction. While Teemo appreciates that, the possible affinity is intriguing.


    The only issue is he¡¯s not certain if it¡¯s an actual affinity. He¡¯s not even sure anyone else has realized the concept yet. Still, with how Fundamental-with-a-capital-F the Boss says it is, Teemo can¡¯t see any way gravity <em>isn¡¯t</em> an affinity. It might just end up being kic affinity, but the rat¡¯s gut insists that, no matter how simr they might look in effect, the two should achieve the same thing very differently.


    Fluffles could pick up something and move it around, where a gravity affinity would make the thing fall upward, and fall in whatever other direction it needs to go, before negating gravitic effect to allow the object to float. He¡¯s already been teasing at manipting gravity inside his shortcuts, which is why he feels like he could break through. Sure, it¡¯s just a matter of defining a different ¡®down¡¯ inside a shortcut, but if he understands the Boss right, bending space basically creates gravity.


    He¡¯ll need to toy with itter, probably after getting back home and meeting with the other dungeons. Boss will want to talk with them about how to distribute all that mana, and probably want to offer suggestions to everyone for what to spend their shares on. A scion or two for Southwood is an easy guess, and a beach expansion for Hullbreak is also pretty obvious. The only uncertainty is with Violet. Having her designate a Voice is a no-brainer, but does she even have the option yet? Just another thing to bring up at a meeting of dungeons.


    He sets aside the idea of a meeting for now as he pops out of a crack in the tunnel leading to thest bar he knew Ragnar and Ara were at. Even if Yvonne isn¡¯t with them, they should know where she is. Thankfully, not only does it look like they haven¡¯t gone to a new tavern yet, it also looks like the birdwoman is enjoying the spectacle of Ragnar participating in a drinking contest with probably a dozen or so pale dwarves.


    With everyone focused on the carousing, jeering, and ribbing shouts of the participants, Teemo easily slips over to Yvonne¡¯s table, where she and Ara are idly chatting.


    ¡°-and the milk from the worms is¡­ oh, hello Teemo.¡± Ara smiles at Teemo as she notices him, the elven woman looking dainty and even posh, even with the pint of ale near her.


    ¡°Heya Ara, Yvonne. I hope I¡¯m not interrupting?¡±


    Yvonne shakes her hawklike head. ¡°No, we were just talking about the milkworms. They¡¯re one of the biggest types of worms I¡¯ve ever seen, and Ara says their milk is at least as good for skincare as it is for making cheese.¡±


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    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    Ara nods. ¡°I¡¯ve found a few balms that use it, and they¡¯re lovely. They keep very well, too! I¡¯m going to get plenty before we make our way back to Fourdock.¡±


    ¡°Not today, I hope?¡± inquires the rat, and Ara titters and shakes her head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be leaving for at least another week. The earth here is more resilient than I¡¯m used to, so it¡¯ll be good to train my affinity. And Ragnar hasn¡¯t had a proper drinkingpetition since he left his hold, I think.¡±


    ¡°Cool, because I¡¯d like to borrow Yvonne, if you don¡¯t mind me stealing away half your conversation?¡±


    Yvonne smiles. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. I¡¯ve been exploring around a little, but the mana flows are difficult to sort out after the Maw vanished. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if a new dungeon spawns somewhere nearby soon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s part of the reason I want to have you look at something, Yvonne. The mana is weird. Tarl¡¯s been investigating a particr spot, and we both think you might have some new insights to offer on it.¡±


    Yvonne tilts her head in curiosity. ¡°Oh? No offense, Ara, but that sounds more intriguing than worm balm.¡±


    Araughs and takes a drink of her ale. ¡°None taken! Don¡¯t think you can escape me so easily, though. You may need to care more for feathers than skin, but that just means I¡¯ll get to experiment to find you something that will keep your feathers in the peak of health!¡±


    Yvonne smiles as Teemo hops onto her shoulder. ¡°I look forward to it. I don¡¯t usually care too much about that sort of thing, but a girl <em>does</em> sometimes want to feel soft and fluffy when not on a delve.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit! You two have fun!¡± Ara waves as Teemo opens another shortcut, and the two vanish down it.


    ¡°So, what did Tarl find?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s notpletely sure. The Boss thinks it could be something dangerous. Well, something that implies something dangerous. The thing itself is pretty much inert, but if there are others, it could be bad. I¡¯ll let you take a look before I give you the Boss¡¯ take on it.¡±


    ¡°Thedeim thinks it could be dangerous? That¡¯s concerning¡­ though he is often more creative with things than most. Just because he can think of something dangerous for something, doesn¡¯t mean anyone else would. Still¡­ I get the feeling it has something to do with the Harbinger.¡±


    ¡°Got it in one. I guess it¡¯s not much of a spoiler if I tell you Tarl is pretty sure he found the remains of the Harbinger¡¯s spawner, which also makes it the remains of the least and lesser spawner.¡±


    Yvonne quirks an eyebrow at that and increases her pace. ¡°Oh? I would like to look at that even without a vague warning from Thedeim.¡±


    The two focus more on speed than conversation after that, and soon pop back into the chamber with the ruined spawner. Yvonne immediately frowns as she looks around.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ unnatural,¡± she confirms, her eyes settling on the unsettling holes near Tarl and Berdol.


    ¡°I thought as much,¡± speaks up the elf, ¡°but I wanted a Ranger to confirm. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s stagnant. Even more¡­ there¡¯s a <em>snarl</em> of stagnation.¡±


    ¡°Is that the weird mess of stagnant mana?¡± asks Berdol, showing his sketch. Yvonne takes a closer look at his notes before nodding.


    ¡°That¡¯s a snarl of stagnation. It¡¯s¡­ how do I put it¡­ it¡¯s like a spawner, but for stagnation monsters. While the smaller ones can simply coalesce in deep stagnation areas, there are asionally these snarls that will give rise to stronger monsters.¡±


    ¡°Can it be undone?¡± asks Teemo, eyeing the jumble of mana. When hest saw it, it just seemed like a mass of stationary mana, but looking closer, it really does look like someone tied it in a multitude of messy knots. The only question is if it was deliberate. Considering it¡¯s where the spawner was, it¡¯s difficult to chalk it up to coincidence.


    Yvonne nods and examines the tangle. ¡°It¡¯s a Ranger technique. Some can slice through it, but I have a knack for untying them. It¡¯s like a beaver¡¯s dam, in that if it¡¯s weakened enough, the natural flow can sweep it away. I¡¯ve never dealt with one like this, though. I think it will unravel on its own eventually, since it¡¯s not deep in stagnation, but I don''t see any reason we shouldn¡¯t try to speed it along.


    Tarl looks thoughtful. ¡°Can we help?¡±


    Yvonne ponders as she continues examining the stagnation. ¡°Ordinarily, I¡¯d need to be guarded from the stagnation monsters while I work. Disturbing stagnant mana often triggers monsters to spawn. But with just this snarl¡­ I¡¯d like you to guard me, but it might not be required.¡±


    Tarl nods and draws his daggers, with Berdol levitating his des a heartbeatter. ¡°I think standing watch is a small price to pay to get to see something like this.¡±


    The birdwoman nods and starts drawing on her affinity, leaning on her Fate to find the weakest thread to start with. Teemo assists with Butterfly Effect, letting it guide him as he asionally plucks at a strand. He loses track of time as they work, the meticulous job keeping his focus without being too much of a strain.


    After what feels like maybe a few hours, Yvonne finally steps back with a smile at the weakened snarl. To Teemo, it looks like it¡¯s barely holding together, which Yvonne soon confirms.


    ¡°It¡¯s ready now. Tarl, Berdol, would you please use some mana? All it needs is a bit of turbulence to copse.¡±


    Tarl nods and steps into Berdol¡¯s shadow as the catkin starts weaving his des inplex patterns. Teemo watches as the mana around them starts bubbling from the use, and once the turbulence touches the snarl, the snarl implodes.


    The rat scion smiles for a moment before he hears a gasp from both Yvonne and Tarl, and it only takes him a moment to realize why. He can see the stagnant threads, the turbulent bubbles, and theminar flow are all interacting! He can hardlyprehend the process, but the effect is pretty clear.


    As the four watch, a tiny chip of jet crystalizes into reality on the floor in front of the holes, and Teemo can feel a tiny curious and frightened presence from it. He, Yvonne, and Berdol all stare for a few moments, before Tarl stomps on a beetle scurrying towards the vulnerable little core.


    ¡°Defend it,¡± he orders, and everyone scrambles to obey.


    ¡°I think it has spawners in the holes. Hide inside, little one,¡± gently suggests Teemo, and though he can still feel fear from it, he can also feel it struggling to follow his suggestion. Teemo quickly dispatches any invaders that manage to slip past Tarl, Berdol, or Yvonne, all the while a little worm wriggles from a hole, the dungeon¡¯s first denizen and scion, moving to secure the core. Once it reaches it, the worm coils around it, while at the same time, a small brass disk with four small limbs stumbles from a different hole.


    Teemo watches the other denizen awkwardly gather the worm and core atop the te, before it bumbles back to a hole and into it with a series of nks that indicate it simply fell in. Teemo can still feel the little dungeon is still alive, still frightened, but feeling much more secure now as denizens start slowly milling around the holes.


    Teemo¡¯s still trying to process what they all just saw as Tarl pulls out his note stone. ¡°Nascent dungeon coalescence witnessed. Unnamed dungeon, shadow affinity. Worm and construct spawners, worm scion.¡±

 Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-One

    Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-One


    The feeling of Teemo¡¯s concern pulls me out of my exploration of my menus, and once I realize what has him feeling like that, I understand.


    A new dungeon?


    ¡°Wee to the fun, Boss. Yeah.¡±


    You, Yvonne, and Tarl had a kid? I didn¡¯t even know Yvonne was pregnant!


    Teemo does his best to give me a t look. ¡°That¡¯s not how it works, and you know it, Boss.¡±


    Yeah, I know. But it¡¯s fun to joke. You know just how many more I have ready to go, but we should probably figure out what to do before I make more gags at your expense.


    Tarl and Yvonne eye Teemo, with Berdol scribbling whatever notes he cane up with. Yvonne speaks up before my favorite dungeon inspector can. ¡°Thediem has noticed, then?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and he¡¯s mostly done making jokes about the situation now. So¡­ what do we do?¡±


    ¡°Can he just take it as another protege?¡± asks Berdol, and I¡¯m pretty doubtful. It seemed like the system was pretty adamant about me only having one at a time. Still, the fast tracking might have given me room for another?<strong>Release Protege? Y/N?</strong>


    Nope.


    ¡°Looks like he¡¯s still stuck with just one, and he¡¯s not ready to turn Violet loose yet.¡±


    Tarl nods at that. ¡°I¡¯ve only ever heard of dungeons having one at a time, but you never know with Thedeim.¡± He taps his foot as he eyes the holes in the wall and floor, the little denizens swarming to keep any invaders at bay. ¡°I¡¯ll probably need to stay here and keep an eye on it, and write a report of my own for Tr, too. The theory of dungeons forming from an interaction between mana states has been long epted, but I don¡¯t know if anyone else has ever actually witnessed it! The way it went was different from the theory, but I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s how they always go, or if that¡¯s just how this one in specific went.¡±


    Tarl starts muttering to his stone about mana flows and whatnot, giving the others a chance to add their opinion, which Yvonne leaps on. ¡°So¡­ what do we do about it? Should you just subsume it, then?¡±


    Teemo shakes his head and rys my reply. ¡°That¡¯s being a bit hasty, especially if Tarl is going to be here to try to help guide it. The Boss also has an idea to help it along, too. I just need to go find the Stag. The Boss can¡¯t take another protege, but the Southwood doesn¡¯t have one. He can ask the Boss for any advice if he wants it, too.¡±


    ¡°Do you know where the Stag is?¡± asks my birdwoman Resident, and Teemo shakes his head.


    ¡°Not right this moment, but I doubt he¡¯ll be difficult to track down. It¡¯s not like there¡¯s two elk stags with crystalline antlers wandering around here. Anyone want toe help me look for him?¡±


    Tarl speaks up from his stone. ¡°Actually, if Yvonne doesn¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like her help with a few small pieces of training for the nascent dungeon. It will be helpful for it to learn to recognize a delving party and understand a proper delve can give it a lot of mana, even with the loss of a few denizens.¡±


    Yvonne smiles. ¡°I was hoping to just stay and observe, but I¡¯d be happy to help the hatchling along.¡±


    Teemo nods and prepares a shortcut. ¡°Then you two have fun being its parents. I¡¯m gonna go find it an uncle to care for it more directly.¡± The looks on their faces has both of usughing as Teemo head back to Silvervein proper, and our mood doesn¡¯t fade as he asks around for the Stag.


    He¡¯s not hard to track down, as suspected, and Teemo finds him in the underground equivalent of a park, rxing atop some long moss, with pale dwarven and elven children milling around him. Getting closer, Teemo and I can hear the peaceful chiming of his antlers as the children y, running around and generally being kids. A few are leaning against him, doodling in the moss or looking like they¡¯re going to take a short nap.


    ¡°You never said you were good with kids, Stag!¡± uses Teemo with a smile as he nears, drawing the attention of the more sedate children. The other scion chuckles and shakes his head, more contented chimesing from his antlers.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve ever interacted with them before. It¡¯s easier to understand how protective parents can be, now. They¡¯re so innocent, so curious, even with how harsh things down here seemed to be.¡±


    ¡°Did their parents dump them on you?¡±


    The Stag shakes his head once more. ¡°No, at least not specifically. I found this ce and decided to rx, only to discover that the various parents of these children told them to go out and y, and this is their preferred spot. They gathered around and asked questions, before deciding to y their games instead. The most curious ones are napping, else I would expect they¡¯d have questions for you, too.¡±


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Teemo smirks at that. ¡°I bet. So, have you learned what the Southwood wanted you to, about Silvervein?¡±


    ¡°Yes, or at least enough to understand he won¡¯t need to dramatically change anything within his territory to amodate their needs. Some metal or stone nodes would not go amiss, but he expects they will be very interested in harvesting food from him.¡±


    Teemo nods at that as a dwarvend with a stubbly beard flops himself over the Stag¡¯s back, and asks a question. ¡°Why¡¯re you so small?¡±


    My Voice smirks. ¡°Because I¡¯m a rat!¡±


    ¡°But you talk! That means you¡¯re a Voice like the Stag, right? He said he¡¯s so big because he¡¯s a Voice!¡±


    Teemo chuckles at that. ¡°I¡¯m Thedeim¡¯s Voice. I¡¯m so small because he doesn¡¯t do a lot of things most people say he should.¡±


    The child looks hopeful as he responds. ¡°Does that mean he doesn¡¯t eat his veggies?¡±


    Iugh as Teemo gives my reply. ¡°He does! But he also likes them.¡±


    The dwarven child sticks out his tongue in disgust. ¡°That¡¯s not how that¡¯s supposed to work!¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Confusion ys across the child¡¯s face before he shrugs and slides off the Stag to rejoin in whatever game of chase or tag they¡¯re all up to, letting Teemo return his attention to the other scion. ¡°So¡­ do you want one?¡±


    The Stag gives me Voice a look of concern and confusion. ¡°I believe the city atrge would object to that.¡±


    Teemo waves it off like it¡¯s not a big deal. ¡°I don¡¯t mean one of these kids. I don¡¯t know if you could feel it from here, but a new dungeon just appeared in the Maw¡¯s old territory. The Boss can¡¯t take a second protege¡­ so does the Southwood want one?¡±


    The Stag stares at him for several long seconds, before his ears twitch. He blinks at what he hears, before realizing he should say something. ¡°Uh¡­ my Lord is interested, but wishes to know more.¡±


    ¡°Then you should probablye take a look.¡±


    The Stag nods and gently prods the dozing kids with his antlers to wake them up, and a few already don¡¯t want him to go, even after only knowing him for maybe an hour. Still, he needs to go, and the awoken kids organize their own game as he slips through a shortcut with Teemo.


    ¡°Is there anything my Lord should know about this nascent dungeon?¡±


    Teemo shrugs from atop the Stag¡¯s head. ¡°Probably, but we don¡¯t know too much about it. The little guy seems pretty healthy so far, but the circumstances of its birth are a bit concerning.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The Maw had somehow broken a spawner so that it made or maybe worked with stagnant mana. Yvonne said it made a stagnation snarl, something usually only found deep in stagnant mana areas, but she knew how to take apart since that¡¯s basically what Rangers do. Anyhow, she unraveled it, and thebination of that stagnant mana, the turbulence from her, Tarl and Berdol, and possibly even a bit ofminar from me reacted and condensed a little chip of a dungeon core made of jet. We fought off the initial invaders while the little thing took refuge in a hole in the floor, and now I think it¡¯s just trying to get its bearings.¡±


    The Stag hums at that as he thinks, his ear flicking asionally as the Southwood voices his opinion. ¡°That there was stagnant mana is concerning, but if the nascent dungeon is shaping the flows properly, my Lord doesn¡¯t see any reason to be concerned. What spawners does it have?¡±


    ¡°Worms and constructs, and it¡¯s shadow affinity.¡±


    The Stag nods as they near the exit, and soon he gets toy eyes on the young dungeon himself. Tarl, Yvonne, and Berdol are carefully picking off a few denizens, and I watch as several of the defenders sally forth from the numbers milling around the holes, clearly engaging them deliberately. The delvers don¡¯t even use any skills to deal with the attack, before moving back from the holes to let the dungeon consider what it should do.


    Tarl waves at the two scions as the groups meet. ¡°So, what do you think, Stag?¡±


    The Stag looks around with a measuring eye, before nodding. ¡°The flows are poor, but already improving. Teemo told me of what you all found, and my Lord believes the new dungeon is performing normally, without any untoward strangeness.¡±


    The inspector nods at that. ¡°That¡¯s what I think, too. I¡¯m d to have a second opinion. Are you going to make it a protege?¡±


    The Stag looks a bit uncertain, but still nods. ¡°My Lord wishes to offer it the opportunity, yes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let us stop you, then,¡± replies Yvonne, stepping to the side to give the Stag an easier path. He nods at the group as he passes by, and Teemo hops off his head so he can greet the new little dungeon as he sees fit.


    When he enters the territory, the denizens all go still, even as the Stagys down just barely inside its area of control. ¡°Hello, little one. I represent the Southwood, a powerful dungeon far from here¡­ or not so far from here, thanks to the shortcuts.¡±


    A slightlyrger worm exits a hole and crawls out where it can easily be seen, though it doesn¡¯t make the long trek to where the Stag is. The Southwood¡¯s scion tilts his head as he listens. ¡°Where are the protectors? They are safe. They are¡­ my friends. They asked me to help protect you, too.¡±


    The worm wiggles more and the Stag shakes his head. ¡°They cannot always be here, and they don¡¯t have the ability to properly guide you. But my Lord can, if you will allow him. He would like to take you as his protege, to guide and nurture you until you can protect not only yourself, but possibly even others, as well.¡±


    The worm slowly undtes before I feel the dungeon ept the offer. While I don¡¯t get any notice or anything like that, I <em>can</em> feel the cautious little presence be added to my allies, just like how Violet counts as one because of being my protege.


    The Stag smiles and stands, giving the worm a formal bow. ¡°Thank you. For now, simply grow, young one, and be vignt for any nodes you can spawn. You will probably get stone, gems, or metals. They will draw new invaders, so be prepared to repel them, but the delvers will also be drawn to them, and so generate mana for you.¡±


    The worm wiggles back to the hole as the Stag steps back, a peaceful smile on his face. I wonder if the Southwood was also a bit lonely, way out here? If he was, I don¡¯t think he is any more.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Two

    Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Two


    I think pretty much everyone is eager to return home, but we also know things could just copse if we all just leave. There¡¯s a lot of little things to hammer down before letting the Silverveiners take the reins back.


    Tarl is going to be staying, since there¡¯s not really anyone else around who is experienced with new dungeons. I think he did a pretty good job with me, so I¡¯m not worried about the little dungeon going nuts, especially with the Southwood mentoring it. I¡¯ve started thinking of the little guy as Vanta, because I think it¡¯s cool. Teemo let it slip to the Stag, who asked the dungeon if it liked that name. I think it¡¯s still deciding. I¡¯ll probably still call it Vanta, even if only as a nickname, but we¡¯ll have to see.


    For now, its borders are still expanding, and Tarl expects it to solidify and stabilize at the size of the chamber there. In rted news, Silvervein has learned of it. It seems like there were still a few devoted Maw followers who assumed it was the Maw¡¯s reincarnation, but between Tarl and the Stag, any issues were dealt with before any of my scions could even get on the scene. I think Vanta is confused about the hubbub, but I¡¯ll leave it to the Southwood to decide when and what to tell it. He asked my opinion, and I could only suggest trying to dumb it down as much as possible. Bad people exist just as much as good people do. Try to help the good and stop the bad. Yeah, nuance is gone in that, but Vanta is too young to understand nuance right now. It might be too young to understand good and bad in all but the most basic of ways, even.


    Still, while Silvervein is nervous about a new dungeon, especially one where Vanta is, they¡¯re willing to trust us all on this one. I think it¡¯s in no small part to Unsil and Kennith working to help get people back on track. The Crystal Shield guys make rebuilding look easy, especially with Kennith handling the building of their new civic structure. The Shielders give hope for right now, and Kennith gives hope that things will be normal again soon, even if it¡¯s a new kind of normal. I think Unsil is going to be sticking around for at least a while. He¡¯s gotten a lot of converts to the Shield, which isn¡¯t especially surprising. He¡¯s a great example of a pdin, and I hope Freddie has been able to learn from him.


    Kennith is always busy, but even when he¡¯s dragging his feet in exhaustion, he has a satisfied smile on his face. Between meeting with Queen and Honey, with Teemo interpreting, and meeting with the burgeoning town council, he hardly has any time to sleep. It makes me wonder if I can make a stronger tea, or somehow get ahold of coffee. Even with my new options to spend mana, I don¡¯t see anything too promising yet. Still a bit of honey from Honey¡¯s bees helps him keep going long enough to make it to a bed to pass out most of the time.


    Aranya is pretty busy, too, along with Vernew. The Shield wasn¡¯t the only one to get converts, which is still a strange thing to think about. The two, along with my other dwellers still here, are doing their best to help rebuild and encourage people, and it even looks like a few of my dwellers will be staying here to form a little satellite church. I even peek in and check on the afterlife for my fallen dwellers, and they¡¯re getting along great. Theyugh and talk while they work, they argue over designs and what¡¯s the best way to make something, and take the time to rx and just enjoy existence together.


    I think I want to introduce some kind of challenge or even hostile mobs or something, but for now, I¡¯m not going to shake things up too much. Change keeps things interesting, but I don¡¯t want to make things overwhelming. Maybe once the workshop is more established, I¡¯ll introduce some moreplex resources that will require them to ovee something. For now, I think all my fallen dwellers want peace more than excitement.


    As for making challenges for those still living, I still need to figure out what to do with all the mana from the Harbinger. Teemo manages to get a few minutes to ask the Stag about it, and he tly refuses a simple 25% split across the board. He said he would not take so much of the gains, and even after I point out how much he gave for Murphy¡¯s Law, he only capittes to epting twice what he paid in raw mana. I am able to badger him into epting paying the cost for a scion or two out of the ally pool, but that¡¯s as far as he¡¯s willing to go.


    Though Hullbreak and Violet don¡¯t exactly have Voices here to participate, I know they can get the gist of the negotiations through the bond, and I get the feeling they are going to want simr terms as the Southwood. I¡¯d happily pay them more, but I think twice their contribution and a couple purchases from the ally pool is as far as they¡¯ll be willing to go. For Hullbreak, I¡¯ll definitely suggest he expand to try to im a beach, or even some rocky cliffs; anything that will let delvers stay dry while still giving him mana. My suggestion for Violet is also easy, even if I don¡¯t know if she qualifies for one yet: get a Voice. She could probably also stand to expand again, but considering how much a Voice ispared to her mana pool, I doubt she¡¯ll ept both. She could probably use her college fund for an expansion, if she wants it. Or maybe for her Voice?Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Hmm¡­ see, this is why I want to talk with them about the mana. Hullbreak and Violet both will probably have tons of options to spend on, and though I¡¯ll leave the final decision with them, I¡¯m not going to blow off the responsibility of taking care of my vassal and my protege.


    I¡¯m also not going to shirk in my own development. Poe is running extra expeditions to the forest past the cemetery, and Coda is already nning where to install a fresh set of gates to lead outside. We¡¯ve just been climbing a makeshift staircase over the wall! It¡¯s time for a serious, long-term solution, because I want to expand out that way.


    There¡¯s plenty of woond before the surrounding mountains start making an earnest climb for the heavens, so I should have plenty of space to build out there to my heart¡¯s content. With more detailed expeditions, I get a nice discount on the expansion. And if Rer builds the nned emergency Hold in the mountains, it¡¯ll be easier to provide some kind of covert way for them to still delve even if the town is forced to evacuate there. I¡¯ll probably need to expand underground to really do that, but the forest is still in the right direction to make that easier.


    I think the hardest decision will be to figure out what kind of scale to build in. The Manor is pretty big for a building, but it¡¯s still basically a house. The hedge maze is pretty bigpared to that, but the tunnels have <em>way</em> more floor space, and the caverns have more again! Thevabyrinth is evenrger, too! Do I keep scaling up, or do I try topact things? The price isn¡¯t really a problem, but I don¡¯t want to buy a square mile only for maybe a dozen people to get regr use out of it.


    I can squeeze a lot of use out of not a lot of space, thanks to Teemo, too. I want to achieve a bit of a dungeon crawl by having clearings connected by winding trails, which would traditionally take up a lot of space to be used for the winding paths between the rooms. But with Teemo¡¯s help, I could basically make longcuts and ce the clearings a lot closer together, using the space more efficiently.


    I¡¯ll run the idea by him once he gets back home and talks with Violet and Hullbreak. There¡¯s tons of forest out there, and I have plenty of mana to buy and use the space normally. If I want to do spatial shenanigans, it¡¯ll take more of Teemo¡¯s time, and he¡¯ll need to maintain it, too. I keep him pretty busy already just with talking to people and making what long shortcuts he¡¯s already done. I wouldn¡¯t want to take the rest of his time for something I have the resources to handle without bothering him.


    I also need to consider what spawners and spawns I want to use for the forest. I think I can move the wolf spawner after I expand and finally give them a proper ce to run around, instead of trying to have quiet encounters at the back of the graveyard. The weaker wolves will still be mostly for expeditions I think, but they can also be used in encounters basically in the entire forest. Theter wolves are a shoe-in for winter


    I also want to buy the foxes and bears from the Southwood. I think the foxes would be a good fit for the fall section, and the bears might be good for winter? Or maybe summer, since the wolves will be well suited for the winter. For spring, I have two ideas. One is to move some of my green undead in and give people besides the Shield followers a good chance to y with them. The other is to get a fey spawner. I¡¯m pretty sure I could even give them life affinity, which would be incredibly fitting.


    I also could use a nt spawner, or maybe even several, depending on how much space I actually use.


    Hmm¡­ that gives me an idea. For a long time, I¡¯ve had the option to expand upward, but I never tried it. After the earthquake from me expanding down, I didn¡¯t want to risk identally destroying Fourdock with something going up. Best case, The manor could expand up in a crazy mishmash maze of a tower. Worst case, a real hurricane settles overtop Fourdock and I¡¯m supposed to build on the cloud.


    But out in the forest, there¡¯s a lot less chance for a catastrophe. It¡¯s wild woond, nobody is going to really be inconvenienced if a chunk of it decides it wants to float now. But I think the option for an upward expansion in the middle of a forest is a pretty obvious one: a huge tree. It¡¯d even give me a good ce to set a final boss: right in the canopy, or even deep in the roots! The branches will even give me extra space to work with!


    While I don¡¯t want to count my chickens before they hatch, I can feel my Fate affinity resonating with the idea. I don¡¯t n specifically for a tree as I start making sketches in my secret library, but I do make sure to leave a space in the center of the seasons for an upward expansion. Even if it¡¯s something more vtile, it¡¯ll still make a cool centerpiece for the forest of four seasons.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Three

    Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Three


    As easy as it is to focus on a shiny new expansion, I can¡¯t go forgetting everything else I''ve built up. As my friends and denizens make their way back home, I take the time to ensure I haven¡¯t let anything fall apart while I was distracted with the Maw.


    The Manor is still running like a dream, with encounters designed for newer delvers. I think I¡¯ve raised the average level of Fourdock quite a bit since I¡¯vee here, since it seems like even the dedicated craftspeople don¡¯t have too much trouble with the Manor encounters. It¡¯s a little tempting to try to mix things up, maybe make the attic encounter tougher or even add in a rooftop boss before they can get to the belfry garden, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s really needed. The encounters are my easiest, but the loot there is also the simplest. Besides, it still makes me a tidy sum of mana.


    Simrly, the manor grounds are pretty easy, with the Hedgemaze being the standout attraction for the area. While I¡¯ve opened up a bit of it for more lumber nodes, I might absorb it into the maze again once I expand into the forest. I¡¯ll have plenty of room for lumber nodes out there. On the other hand, I could leave the industrial lumber production to the Southwood. I¡¯m pretty sure he has those kinds of nodes, and with the shortcut getting shorter every time Teemo travels it, people should have a pretty easy time going there to stock up.


    The tunnels underneath the Manor might could use some love, now I look at them. They¡¯re not really a maze, but they¡¯re also not exactly simple to navigate. While I have the two challenge Gauntlets in there to help draw delvers, the tunnels are really more to get people to other sections, rather than being their own ce for encounters. I have a lot of stronger spiders, snakes, and sometimes bats to fight down there, as well as some metal and gem nodes, but with the caverns and thevabyrinth, I should try to brainstorm some better ways to use the space.


    I wonder if I could dig out ssrooms or something? Thing, Honey, Queen, and Coda all have pretty big brains, and I don''t doubt that people would love to learn from them. I have a lecture hall room from the fast tracking, along with a few other ones I don¡¯t know what to do with yet like a kitchen and a gallery. The main problem with them teaching is that they¡¯d need Teemo to interpret¡­ right? Considering I¡¯d be using a lecture hall instead of a normal room for it, maybe it will actually let them lecture? Who knows. I¡¯ll let that one percte for a bit more before I try it. The tunnels do their job well enough for now, and it¡¯s not like basically having an underground roadway to my other sections is a bad thing.


    The caverns are another section where things are fairly simple, but I don¡¯t n to change much with them, at least for now. The huge caverns have plenty of room for stronger encounters, not to mention my limestone quarry. I might put in a couple ore veins instead of just the scattered nodes, too. The tunnels have nodes, but the caverns should be able to support mining on a more industrial rather than individual scale. I¡¯ll float the idea to Rer once Teemo gets home. After the disruption the nodes in thebyrinth made, I want to make sure I don¡¯t go crashing the steel market or something with a rich iron vein.


    I might make a smaller iron vein even if he doesn¡¯t want it for the town, just for my dwellers. The caverns are near the spiderkin, but my ratkin still frequent my ore nodes for their own crafting, and the two enves have been working very well together. The threat of the Maw got them even more coordinated than before, and with the threat in the past, they don¡¯t seem to see any reason to cease or even slow down that cooperation.


    Past the spiderkin envey the underswamps, which I haven¡¯t expanded into yet. When we first found them, I was going to mostly ignore them, since the spiderkin like to hunt there. But Coda dug out what was supposed to be a bypass tunnel for the scythemaws when we were worried about their mating migration. The crazy reptiles never took the thing, but it could give me a good route to expand a bit into the underswamps without messing up the hunting of my spiderkin. Maybe I¡¯ll look into it after the forest of four seasons is done. I want to do some stuff on the surface for a change.


    Back to the tunnels, they also lead toward Violet, though my territory ends well before hers. They additionally lead to the cryptplex where my ratkin live in their enve. My library and enchantingb are in there, too, as well as my various undead encounters. My zombies and skeletons are both specialized for resources, which for them makes them walking herbalism nodes, with the skeletons having more normal herbs and my zombies taking a fungal theme. The Shield followers love to fight them, since they¡¯re apparently pretty resistant to typical turning methods, and my undead are behaved enough that failing to defeat them doesn¡¯t mean joining the undead legions.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the vition.


    Theplex then leads up to the surface, where the cemetery is, and where Grim keeps it quiet and peaceful. The peace is a little strained at the back of the graveyard, where the wolf spawner is. My awoos need a bit of room, and even the most respectful delver will have a hard time resisting a fight against them. I¡¯ll definitely be moving them out into the forest, probably before I do anything else with it. Whatever section I put them in will be the winter one, which I should probably put far away from town¡­ or maybe closer to it? Could I even have each section go through the seasons, just on their own time? I¡¯m going to need to y with the climate control option a lot once I buy it from the Southwood.


    And onest backtrack to the tunnels allows for the entrance to thevabyrinth! My newest section definitely has my strongest encounters yet, both with denizens and with traps! The entrance is pretty peaceful, with it looking more and more like a mall or a bazaar as I make adjustments. Jello¡¯s new metalworks is there, and it looks like she¡¯s even been included in the quests from the aranea kiosk. It¡¯s a bit bigger than most kiosks, and probably has a different design than most¡­ I just think of it as a kiosk because kiosk is fun to say and is always used mostly to give out information.


    Anyway, kiosks aside, Jello is where a lot of gathering quests in thebyrinth are getting turned in now, with the aplished delvers sometimes getting silken wear from the aranea, or some metal doodad from Jello. It looks like she¡¯s working with the aranea to give some of the shirts and pants some snap buttons to make them easier to put on, as well.


    The true entrance to thebyrinth is a sculpted entrance that looks like a huge wyrm with an open mouth, all three mandibles open wide to let delvers walk down its throat. I¡¯d like to make it open and close some day, but it¡¯s pretty far down the list, honestly. Inside, delvers have to deal with more modest-sized wyrms and soon my basilisks will be able to wander the ce, instead of all being sent off to fight the Maw. I should probably look into diversifying the encounters a bit more, too.


    The traps are working out as I hoped, but I don¡¯t want to make solving thebyrinth as simple as a good fire resist potion. I wonder if I could get my twinsnakes in here, possibly with a couple winter wolves to help regte the heat. Cold-blooded critters need help to warm up, but they also need help to cool down. I wouldn¡¯t want my noodles to cook before they can y with the delvers.


    I¡¯ll probably need to upgrade the snake spawner to get enough numbers for the twinsnakes, though. And I¡¯ll need Queen to get settled back into herb at home if I want to give them the metal scales and lightning affinity, too. Yeah, lightning, fire, and ice should be a good mix to lower the chances of delvers cheesing things. There¡¯s probably a more general elemental resist potion they could take, but I¡¯d expect the effects on each element to be diminished versus a single specialized potion. I just need to make sure the puppers and the sneks can operate down there without too much trouble.


    Oh, I could also upgrade the earth elemental spawner for some more fun things to fight in there! Some of the spawns already frequent it, but more variety will definitely be better.


    I spend a little mana to move a couple groups of snakes and wolves there as a test, before turning my eyes to a currently-empty section of thebyrinth. I¡¯ve been wanting to do this one for a while now, too. My ant spawner is maxed out, and the siren song of a new enve has been in the background since before the fight with the Maw. Like my spider and rat spawners, the final spawn straddles the gap between denizen and delver. They¡¯re smarter and have maniptors, and the final denizen for my ants are the magmyrm.


    They did a great job as my own version of the red cross during the battle with the Maw, and I¡¯m looking forward to establishing an enve and seeing what an antkin looks like, or whatever the technical term is. I¡¯ll wait until they get back home, though. If the past is any indication, when I designate an enve, a portion of the final spawn will get progress bars and get to work making their home. I don¡¯t know exactly how much they remember from being my denizens, but I want to reward my hard workers as much as I can. I want to make sure they have the chance to be the first generation of my ant dwellers.


    I think I¡¯ll set the groundwork for the forest of four seasons, then designate the ant enve. My other two enves grew up with me working on projects, too, so I don¡¯t think that will harm their development. They¡¯ll also have my ratkin and spiderkin to help them along, not to mention Aranya. There¡¯s no worry about them being neglected, even with a big project going on. In fact, if my ratkin and spiderkin are any indication, having a project is likely to help inspire them for their own ambitions.


    Imagining my established enves working together with Aranya to guide the new one gives me a good feeling about the whole thing.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Four

    Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Four


    Teemo and most of my dwellers return home, and my enves erupt in celebration! They mourn the lost and celebrate the hard-earned victory, giving me not only a bit more mana as their prayers used to, but also giving me a bit more of that divine energy I still don¡¯t have a good term for. I also don¡¯t have much idea how to use it, either, but giving little slivers to Aranya and the other priests and priestesses seems to work pretty well.


    I¡¯ll need to experiment with the stuffter, because I have dungeon things to be doing! Teemo touches base with Hullbreak first, and as expected, he refuses any deal more generous than what the Stag got. I suggest taking an expansion from the ally pool, which he¡¯s amenable to. He¡¯s going to take a couple days to look at his options, both for the expansion and for upgrading what he already has. Fishing is definitely going to pick up with winter finally pushed back by spring, so upgrading his fish spawner could be a great investment.


    He¡¯s also considering upgrading his m nodes for pearls and his corals. I do my best not to be a backseat dungeon and let him make his own decisions, though I do encourage him to invest in what he already has before working on an expansion. I think he¡¯s feeling a lot more confident in taking risks and encouraging delvers now. He doesn¡¯t have to face things alone, and his merfolk have been flourishing ever since I had to force him to loosen his grip on them.


    Violet, however, seems to be a bit more obstinate. Teemo talks with Onyx inside her secret sanctuary in the ceiling, which is looking much more refined than thest time I saw it. Back when she was just a little chip of a core, she was huddled in a shortcut in the ceiling. But now, the shortcut has faded and she has a proper Sanctum dug out, probably thanks to Legs and Nose, if I had to guess.


    Her little square cut amethyst of a core is also not so little any more. She¡¯s gone from a chip to about the size of a dinner te. Onyx could probably move her around if she needs to, but honestly, her secret sanctum in the ceiling has plenty of room for expansion.


    Anyway, interior design appreciation aside, both Onyx and Violet are being stubborn.


    Teemo¡¯s resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose as he tries to get through the two of them. ¡°No, the college fund doesn¡¯t count! That¡¯s yours already, not a normal part of the ally pool. You got it from the scythemaws hatching, and the Boss shifted it there for safe keeping so you wouldn¡¯t feel bloated from it. You get that, twice what you contributed to Murphy¡¯sw, and some otherrge purchase, probably either an expansion or a Voice.¡±


    I can feel Violet¡¯s opinion that¡¯s not fair through the bond, and I imagine Onyx is trying to argue the same. Teemo doesn¡¯t bother tranting most of what they¡¯re saying, but he does give them a curious look as they continue to argue.


    ¡°So she <em>does</em> have her eye on an expansion? Where¡¯s she want to go?¡±Onyx covers her her mouth with her ws like she identally said something she shouldn¡¯t, and I can feel a bit of guilt from Violet.


    ¡°Hey, no need to act like that, you two. I told you, the college fund is already yours. You don¡¯t need to feel guilty about spending it and also getting something else on top. You earned them both. Boss isn¡¯t just spoiling you, ok? So go on, where does Violet want to expand?¡±


    The direction is so simple I don¡¯t even need Teemo to trante what I feel from the bond, though there are other potential problems with it.


    ¡°Up? Are you sure? Fourdock isn¡¯t all <em>that</em> far away, and if you expand up, you might cause even more of a quake than the Boss did when he expanded <em>down</em>.¡±


    Onyx shakes her head and this time I will need Teemo to trante, as I just get a chaotic mix of dim images and concepts. Teemo listens attentively, even as I feel growing concern from my favorite rat. He sighs when they finish, then speaks.


    ¡°So, apparently Nose got a title while we were busy with the Maw: Explorer. It¡¯s simr to a Marshal, but involves going out on expedition a lot yourself, too. He¡¯s been spreading Cappy¡¯s spores around, and the two have been getting a lot of information. Nose found what he says are some wet tunnels underneath Fourdock. He¡¯s also been listening in at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild and heard talk about sewer dungeons.¡±


    Sewer dungeons? You mean generally the worst dungeon in any game?


    Teemo tries to suppress augh at that. ¡°Don¡¯t let Violet hear you say that. Besides, sewer dungeons seem to work a lot differently to what you¡¯re thinking. They don¡¯t usually have encounters, for starters. Adventurers might be willing to go to all sorts of unpleasant ces, but even the most curious ones are going to balk at traipsing through a sewer.¡±


    Then why were the adventurers talking about it?


    Teemo shrugs. ¡°Apparently, sewer dungeons are reallymon, and it¡¯s kinda weird that Fourdock doesn¡¯t have one. Neverrest probably ate them when they¡¯d show up, before anyone could discover them. Anyway, Violet¡¯s affinity should make her a perfect fit, even if I don¡¯t want to think about it very hard. I still remember you talking about treatment nts, bleh.¡±


    Her affinity? How does her affinity of¡­ her affinity of, uh¡­


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    Huh. What¡¯s her affinity?


    Teemo can¡¯t suppress hisugh this time, even as I feel a bit of nervousness from Violet. He calms down pretty quickly and smiles at her core. ¡°Nah, he¡¯s not going to be upset about it. I never realized he didn¡¯t know! Doesn¡¯t it say in her information or something?¡±


    Well¡­ probably. It just never seemed important, and a bit of a vition of her privacy to look.


    Teemoughs again and shakes his head. ¡°See, Violet? Affinity isn¡¯t important to him, he just wants to help you out. And, not to be mean, but you didn¡¯t really have any chances to capitalize on your particr affinity until now anyway. She¡¯s decay affinity, Boss.¡±


    I take a few seconds to chew on that, and make sure to pat the bond with encouragement when I feel her nervousness again. Decay is important to clean things up, ironically. I probably should have guessed, with the mushroom and centipede spawners, heh. So, she wants to be the sewers for Fourdock? How does that work?


    Teemo shrugs. ¡°She was hoping you¡¯d know.¡±


    Hmm. She should probably hold off on that for now, then. We wouldn¡¯t want to make another earthquake for Fourdock right now.


    Teemo repeats my suggestion, only to get a shake of Onyx¡¯s head and an exnation I can¡¯t hear.


    ¡°Really? That might work. Onyx says Nose has dug into the sewers and is working on widening his little tunnel to be a proper ess path for an expansion. Violet can¡¯t quite feel the details for the expansion yet, but just like how you get details and a discount for sending expeditions, so does she. Once she gets a better idea of it, she wants to take the expansion.¡±


    That sounds fine to me. I¡¯ll get Coda and maybe sh to help out with the ess tunnel, and maybe you can go chat with Tr about how this works? Oh, and does Violet have ess to assigning a Voice yet?


    ¡°Can you make a Voice yet, Violet?¡± Teemo listens for a moment before nodding. ¡°It sounds like, but she doesn¡¯t know who to designate.¡±


    It¡¯s a pretty big decision. I remember needing a bit of time to decide, too. Just tell her to think about it, and remind her she doesn¡¯t even need to do it before expanding. Teemo nods.


    ¡°No rush on designating one, Violet. You might even decide to make a new scion after your expansion and have them be your Voice. Boss is gonna send Coda toe check Nose¡¯s path, and maybe have sh help too, if it¡¯s needed. I¡¯ma go see if Tr has any advice on you taking over the sewers, unless you need anything else?¡±


    Onyx shakes her head, and I feel Violet already deep in thought, probably about who to make her Voice. I pat the bond with more encouragement, feeling like a dad tussling his daughter¡¯s hair as she focuses on her homework.


    Teemo heads for the surface and soon pops atop a bookshelf in the Office of Dungeon Affairs, or as it¡¯s actually known: the Dungeoneer¡¯s Guild. It looks like she and Berdol are already deep in paperwork for all the happenings with the Maw, so it¡¯s the perfect time to shovel even more work onto the two!


    ¡°Heya Tr! I hope you¡¯re not too busy?¡±


    The elven woman sighs and looks up to Teemo. ¡°I am, thanks to you, and I get the feeling I¡¯m about to get busier.¡± For all her grumpy demeanor, there¡¯s still a brightness to her eyes, like she¡¯s never happier than when she has a dozen forms to update, cote, and file.


    Teemo smirks. ¡°Probably not too much more busy. The Boss wants to know about sewer dungeons. Violet wants to expand up and take them over. Is there anything we should be careful about with that?¡±


    Berdol looks up from his own papers with interest as Tr sheathes her quill in her ink pot.


    ¡°Sewer dungeons are one of the few types I¡¯m familiar with, since they¡¯re more administrative than adventurous. I believe Fourdock¡¯s sewer system is a bit outdatedpared to some, but they should still be perfectly suitable for her to expand into. She¡¯ll need proper ess before expanding, or else she may take over the town proper, or cause an even worse quake than Thedeim with his downward expansion.¡±


    Teemo nods at that, so she continues. ¡°As for how they work, it¡¯s rather simple. The sewers are designed to allow easy ess by the townsfolk, either via ces to dump chamberpots, or proper restroom facilities. A sewer dungeon will take the¡­ <em>contributions</em>, and deal with them in its own way. Some will turn the waste fully to mana for the dungeon, others will break it down before allowing the nutrients to wash out downstream, or to the ocean as would be the case here. I¡¯ve even heard of one that uses the processed waste to enhance herbalism nodes in its territory.¡±


    ¡°And there¡¯s no problem with the local authorities about a dungeon taking over the sewers?¡±


    Tr smiles and shakes her head. ¡°Of course not. Most cities actively try to encourage sewer dungeons to spawn with their sewer design. Arge enclosed space close to active mana use is an excellent way to get a dungeon to spawn, even if the specific mechanics are still debated.¡± She smirks over towards Berdol. ¡°Though now there¡¯s a few eye witnesses to grill for details, even if it¡¯s likely the situation was unusual.¡± She shakes her head and focuses back on Teemo.


    ¡°Regardless, there will be no issue with her expanding to the sewers. In fact, the Lord Mayor will be actively incentivized to keep her happy and safe as the sewer. Whatever method she chooses to deal with the waste, it will help prevent disease and keep the harbor and docks clean.¡±


    ¡°Cool. Boss has Coda helping with an ess path. Violet found the sewers on her own, and even heard about sewer dungeons from listening in on the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Once she has a path, she¡¯ll probably expand up that way then. Oh, she also will probably get a Voice sometime soon, too. Boss is sharing the wealth after the mess with the Maw.¡±


    Tr nods and nces at the shelf with the scrolls on the active dungeons in the area. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. If there¡¯s nothing else, please have a good day. Berdol and I need topile the information on the Maw and its unusual spawner, clean up Tarl¡¯s request for a new guild branch in Silvervein, and start the file for the new dungeon there, too.¡±


    Teemo whistles at that. ¡°Don¡¯t let me keep you, then. And don¡¯t work Berdol too hard, either. Tarl¡¯s gonna need him back once he returns.¡±


    Tr simply smiles. ¡°He¡¯s a good worker, and thanks to his affinity, he¡¯s the perfect assistant for copying forms.¡±


    Berdol snorts from his desk, and Teemo looks to see several othersid out around him, parchment secured as metal quills hover over them. ¡°It¡¯s not too bad when they¡¯re all the same thing. I never thought I¡¯d be able to use my affinity for something like this.¡± It¡¯s difficult to tell if he has a newfound respect for what goes into administrative work, or disdain. I¡¯d wager both.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Five

    Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Five


    Teemo returns and tells Violet the good news about the sewer expansion, and he gets roped into helping her get proper ess to what¡¯s underneath Fourdock. I can feel how much he wants to be nowhere near the sewers, but Violet¡¯s scions are more than happy to hit him with puppydog eyes so he can¡¯t just leave. Coda helps keep things on track, though, so I¡¯m confident my protege will have her expansion area soon.


    I can also feel her poking at her mana and at the ally pool, trying to decide how she wants to pay for the uing expansion. I feel like I¡¯m watching a kid counting their coins, trying to figure out the best way to get the most candy. Tempting as it is to try to give her free reign over the ally pool, it¡¯ll be good for her to learn to budget and understand the value of a dor. Er, of a mana.


    With her distracted with that, it¡¯s time for me to tend to my own distraction. I¡¯ve been holding off on making my antkin enve forever. I think it¡¯s finally time to pull that lever. My tunnelbores have been working diligently to make a separate section off thevabyrinth for me to put them, and though I think I¡¯d like some extra shortcuts between their enve and my others, it¡¯s not anything that would require me to dy any further. And, with my magmyrm returned from the war, they can get their reward in the opportunity to advance to antkin.


    I spend the mana, and the progress bars pop in over about a third of my magmyrm. As a ratio, it¡¯s a bit lower than my other enves, but I have more magmyrm than I had ratlings or aranea at the time I gave them an enve.


    They start gathering a lot of random things, which draws my curiosity. One group starts gathering from the underground herbalism nodes in and around thebyrinth, which isn¡¯t too surprising. I¡¯m sure they can grow something to eat from them. Maybe not from the fool¡¯s coal, but there¡¯s plenty of other things they could eat.


    Two other groups head to my Sanctum and start copying down the basics of enchanting and alchemy from Thing and Queen¡¯sbs, respectively. Though the two scions are still in Silvervein, I¡¯m happy to see they won¡¯t need to worry about theirbs beingpletely ransacked. Designs are meticulously copied to parchment, as well as recipes for the basics.


    A fourth group even heads to Jello¡¯s metalworks to learn from her, too. They can¡¯t exactly hydraulic press things into shape like she can, but with their natural heat, they can hot work things like most others could only dream. Jello is happy to teach what she can, and I let my attention wander to the enve itself as those groups gather.


    Because in the enve itself, the rest of the magmyrm are working on making the ce a home. At first, it looks like they¡¯re all just milling around, uncertain what to do. It only takes a couple minutes to start seeing what they¡¯re up to, though. They start melting shallow lines along every surface, and it looks to me like they¡¯re nning where to put everything and everyone!


    They draw a winding path through the main entrance cavern and leading to the other tunnels, leaving severalrge sections unmarked for the moment. Then they all descend on one of therger tunnels, and work to expand it. They embrace their magma and scoop into the rock, liquifying it before carrying it back to the main tunnel, where they make arge pile, for now.As the other groups return from their gathering, they set their gains in their own piles, each in their own separate little clear spot, before either heading back out to get more, or joining with the group to dig out the main tunnel. The whole design reminds me a lot of the kobold enve. I wonder if they liked the design they saw, or if it¡¯s just a simple and efficient way to make a space for an enve. At the minimum, I expect my antkin will be much morefortable than the kobolds were.


    The gatherers return once more, this time with a few of my denizens instead of information and basic resources. They have a couple rockslides they¡¯re herding toward one of the side tunnels, as well as a tunnelbore ant that a few are riding! That one also heads for the tunnel with the rockslides, where they start widening it out a bit, too.


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    With everyone settling in to work on the enve proper, things are starting to take discernible shape, too. I think the main tunnel is going to either be their working area, or their residential. It¡¯s difficult to say just yet. Whatever they choose, they¡¯re clearly nning for plenty of foot traffic. If Coda wasn¡¯t already upied, he¡¯d probably like to take notes.


    The entrance cavern is also seeing a lot more work, too, with the magmyrm starting to not only tunnel into the floor, but to also use the material they excavate to start shaping buildings, too! It makes me imagine how adobe houses might get made, though I think those usually had some kind of woven fiber core for the walls? No fiber interior for these walls, though. While I¡¯m pretty sure I have some kind of nt around that could be used for that with the magma they¡¯re scooping and shaping, I definitely don¡¯t have enough to build a small town.


    As the temperature starts to rise from all the magma they¡¯re slinging around, they seem to realize the issue with the scrolls and such they¡¯re gathered. The ones in the entrance chamber have a bit of a freak out, before one just starts copying the information onto the floor. Nobody else seems to have any better idea, and before long, the interior floors of the budding buildings are covered in the hastily copied notes. Man, and I thought my handwriting was terrible. They seem to be able to understand what they wrote, or at least aren¡¯t acting like anything was lost.


    In fact, the magmyrm look pretty satisfied with themselves, and a few even head for the exit, where they start carving the floor of the ¡®road¡¯ with a mural. It¡¯s a bit rough, like their writing, but it quickly shows what looks like my core with countless ants moving about. They move on to the next section and I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s Queen helping direct them, or maybe trying to protect my core like I had first nned for her to do? Nova they are not, so it¡¯s difficult to tell exactly what they¡¯re trying to portray, even if I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯re going for a brief history of their spawner.


    It looks like the ants are intending to entertain plenty of guests, but if they do, they¡¯re going to need to figure out a way to cool things down a <em>lot</em>. I wonder if Teemo could teach them how to make pumice? I think that¡¯s a volcanic stone. And even if it¡¯s technically not, they just need to make the magma form a sponge and let it cool, right? It should give some nice instion, though it might be a bit brittle for that. Stone with lots of tiny holes isn¡¯t exactly a good building material. I could try to suggest asbestos, but I¡¯d rather not give my dwellers cancer, thank you. There might be a magical alternative? I should have Teemo ask sh some time.


    What else will my ants need if they want guests¡­ softer furniture is easy to suggest, but it¡¯s a bit early to do so just yet. They don¡¯t even have full walls up yet! Furniture can wait. Water will be a big thing they¡¯ll need, which is also a good way to sink some heat. I might be able to engineer some kind of aqueduct from the aquiferkes, but then what to do with all the hot water after? We could try to vent it into the ocean, but I don¡¯t know that I want to potentially drain thekes for that. Getting water <em>from</em> the ocean could work, but then the antkin would need to have some way to deal with salt build up in the cooling pipes, probably.


    I don¡¯t know too much about salt water, but I do know it¡¯s a pain to try to actually make do work. It loves to corrode metals, and though it¡¯s an even better heat sink than fresh water, the salt could just decide to start crystalizing wherever it pleases. And that doesn¡¯t even take into ount the fact the enve is well below sea level. If something breaks, the whole enve could flood. Heck, half of <em>me</em> could flood. I bet the First Mate from Hullbreak could help out, but it¡¯s probably a better idea to simply not do that.


    I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll think of something. There¡¯s plenty of time for them to figure it out, too. Heck, with the alchemy information, they could just make some kind of heat affinity potion, simr to the aqua affinity potion Old Staiven sells for people who want to explore Hullbreak properly. Or they could do something with enchanting. Or abination.


    It¡¯s definitely too early to worry about how my ants will socialize, considering they still don¡¯t have buildings set up yet. I bet Aranya will have advice for them once she gets back, too. She wasn¡¯t quite able toe back with Teemo and my forces, since she wanted to make sure the satellite church in Silvervein was properly established, first.


    Until she gets back, it¡¯ll be on Larx of my ratkin, and Vernew, Frn, and Norloke of the spiderkin to help smooth any bumps in my antkin¡¯s road to independence. Larx especially has experience in guiding, thanks to the spiderkin, and with their help, the antkin should be able to hit the ground running.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Six

    Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Six


    My ratkin and spiderkin enves have peeked in on the magmyrm as they work, but there¡¯s not a whole lot of new progress to be had there yet. They haven¡¯t progressed enough that I¡¯m able to notice much in the way of physical changes yet, either. They¡¯re still pretty low slung and have graspers more akin to scorpion ws than hands, though now that I look closer, I think they¡¯re starting to get proper fingers and thumbs. They¡¯re not super dexterous with them yet, but I know they¡¯ll manage.


    Which means I can take some time to get started with my forest of four seasons. I¡¯m not going to buy the entire thing all at once. While I probably could, I don¡¯t want to drain the ally pool like that. And I want to take a bit of time to set things up properly. I¡¯m nning to go really big here, too. I think the footprint will be close to a square mile once I¡¯m done, and if the tree works how I think it will, it¡¯ll probably be close to a cubic mile of room, which is nuts.


    The true upward expansion for the tree will probablye at or near the end. As with a lot of other expansions, a bit of prep work will make things a lot less expensive. I don¡¯t <em>need</em> a mile-tall tree right this instant, so I can pay a bit of time to nurture one for the role. I might even use multiple trees and wind them together. From the outside, it¡¯ll look like one huge tree, but if I can technically have it be four different ones, it¡¯ll be easier to specialize them for their specific season.


    I had considered having the seasons rotate around, but I¡¯m ditching that idea now. I don¡¯t want to have to keep moving spawners to stay in their season, and though I could use shortcuts to get the denizens where they need to go, it¡¯ll just be more hassle that doesn¡¯t aplish anything but look cool. And¡­ I mean it <em>would</em> look cool, but it¡¯ll be too annoying to be worth it.


    I plot out my first section for the forest of four seasons, which I¡¯ll be splitting into thirds. I¡¯ll have one wedge running along the cemetery wall and iming a lot of the area just outside Fourdock, with the tip pointing out into the forest. I¡¯ll also take arge circr area from the tip of the wedge, before extending out another wedge. The whole huge section looks like a two-de propeller from a ne from above. The far section will be winter, with summer being the one closer to Fourdock. In the circr section, I¡¯ll start growing the tree. But what kind of tree?


    When nning out a huge tree, it¡¯s easy to think of something like Yggdrysil, but I don¡¯t think I want a world tree. For starters, I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be big enough to hold worlds in the branches, nor would I want it to be, even if that was an option. For more mundane huge trees, a giant sequoia would certainly fit the bill, but they tend to grow straight and tall, where I want something that will be branching and kinda bushy. I want my delvers to have a chance to run around in the canopy, and a sequoia just won¡¯t fit that.


    Thankfully, magic should help bridge that gap. I think it¡¯ll be much more feasible for me to take a bushy tree and scale it up, rather than try to make a sequoia have the kind of wide reach I want. Oaks and such are pretty bushy, but I feel like I can do better. I go through the different seeds I got from the Southwood, wondering if any of them would work for this.


    Most of them are not for trees, and most of the ones that are, aren¡¯t very inspiring. There are two that stand out, though: yew, and willow. They both have nice wide canopies that should be able to utilize the full space. The yew has great twisting branches that I can easily picture delvers running along, while the willow has the long drooping branches that remind me of vines. The drooping branches could be a great way to give ess to the canopy without forcing everyone to use the main trunk.


    The yew also grows slowly, while the willow is quick, and though the yew is an evergreen, the willow seems to like cold climates, and is one of thest trees to drop its leavese winter, and the first to bloom in the spring.So which to go with? Could I try twining them together? With the difference in growth rates, probably not. Can I make a hybrid? I¡¯m pretty sure a suggestion like that would get meughed at back on Earth, but with magic, maybe it can happen? The problem is that Coda and Queen have moved a bit away from just dealing in nts. But if they aren¡¯t really cut out for that, who would be? I¡¯ll probably need a new scion¡­ but they also might not have to figure it all out on their own. Those two might have drifted away from tending nts, but Grim definitely enjoys a bit of gardening. I think making a hybrid would be beyond him, but he could definitely be a helping hand for a new scion to work with.


    The more I think about it, the more I like the idea. My Groundsreaper helping with the central tree in my Forest of Four Seasons just feels right. I can feel Grim¡¯s curiosity as my intentions percte through the bond, and though he probably doesn¡¯t get the full picture just yet, he seems pretty interested with what he can get through the bond.


    That¡¯s good enough for me. I solidify my intended area in my mind and spend the mana for it, taking a good chunk from the ally pool as I do. The new area feels¡­ fresh and clean, a brand new canvas to work with! My first order of business is to move the wolf spawner to the far section. It costs a little mana to move it, but nothing too bad. The stranded wolves in the cemetery jump the fence and make their way toward the far wedge, and I take a close look at the other two sections and consider what spawners I want to put in.


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    While I definitely want foxes and bears from the Southwood, the summer and tree sections are practically begging for different things. Or it might just be all the shiny new options dazzling me. There are just <em>so</em> many cool things to choose from! I stop myself before I can get lost swimming through the options, and remind myself of my goals: big tree, dungeon crawl.


    I¡¯m definitely going to need some kind of life affinity scion to help with the tree. Sure, Grim has it, but he¡¯s more about it being a bnce or cycle. I think I¡¯ll need one who¡¯s all in on life for this to work out. Hmm¡­ maybe even <em>two</em> who are all in on life. I have summer and the tree section, why settle for only one scion?


    That doesn¡¯t really help me narrow down the choices, though. So¡­ what should be disqualified? I think I¡¯ll start with eliminating all the other beast choices. I have a lot of beasts, and I¡¯ll be getting two more with the foxes and bears. I don¡¯t care how tempting the skunks are! Maybe if I expand somewhere beyond the forest eventually, but not for this. Second¡­ I should reject the dragons. They¡¯re even more tempting than the skunks, but the magma dragon spawner is a ridiculous mana hog! I don¡¯t need another one that will happily drink in all my mana, even if they¡¯re cool.


    Elementals I won''t fully cross off the list, but a lot of them areplete non-starters. Fate elementals sound cool, but I suspect that would be even more of a mana sink than dragons. Life elementals could be cool, or maybe water or wind, so I¡¯ll keep them in mind. Primal spirits could be neat, especially if they¡¯re aspected for life, too. There¡¯s two other categories that are pretty hard to ignore, though.


    First is the fey. I could get little bark pixies for a life affinity spawner, and if I don¡¯t get dryads from that eventually, I¡¯ll have to lodge a formalint with Order! The other major type I¡¯m considering is nt. There¡¯s a lot of interesting things, but I¡¯m liking the living vines the most. They have a lot of options, seems like, and though I¡¯m probably going to specialize the nts and fey for resources once they¡¯re upgraded enough, I think they both have the versatility that I can give thembat specializations if I find I need to, once the timees.


    Yeah, I think fey and nts are the way to go. I set my fey spawner about in the center of the summer wedge, and the nt spawner just slightly offset from the center of the forest as a whole. I think my nts are going to want to stick close to the growing tree, at least for the foreseeable future.


    And, of course, I spend the mana to make two new scions. The first one out is my new pixie scion, who has a lot less bark than the normal bark pixies. She and her brethren all flit around, curiously poking at everything they find, often breaking off into other groups to explore or y. The bark pixies look like tiny wood carvings with a flower on their head, instead of hair, and butterfly wings. My new scion, though, has more ordinary skin, with bark at her hands and feet, which also coils up her limbs to cover her indecency. Instead of a flower on her head, she has vines thin enough to look like grass, and innocent pink irises in herrge eyes, andrge pointed ears at the side of her head.


    I watch her and the others flit around as I consider what to name her. Calling her Tink would just be asking for trouble, same with Puck or Mab. Man, most pixies are little terrors,e to think of it. Mine looks a lot more innocent, or she¡¯s already a good actor. Considering I feel mostly joy and wonder through the bond, she¡¯d have to be a <em>really</em> good actor. Are there any other good fey names I could pick, hopefully with less mischievous baggage? Well¡­ yes. I¡¯m a bit hesitant, after seeing Novabor under the weight of her name, but I think she¡¯se into her own now and isn¡¯t so worried about trying to live up to it. I¡¯ll have to trust my pixie is just as strong.


    Have fun ying for now, Titania. Grim will be by soon to help you and your sister with a major project I have. Don¡¯t worry, I know you can handle it. I can feel a little uncertainty through the bond, but then she spots something and is off to explore before it can settle in. I smile and turn my attention to the other spawner, where my living vines are starting to spread out.


    They¡¯re really weird as they don¡¯t seem to have normal roots. Instead, they burrow around like a mix of snake and mole, with little tendrils that seem just as good at climbing as digging. For now, most of them are climbing the nearby trees to get at the sunlight, but my vine scion herself is situated near the spawner, with only a little bud above the surface.


    Already protective, hmm? I think you¡¯ll like what I have nned, little one. I can feel happiness through the bond as her bud expands into what I think is a little orange poppy. A couple other potential names for her drift through my mind, but I think Poppy will fit her just fine. She also makes me very optimistic about the chances of making some kind of willow/yew hybrid. I¡¯m pretty sure poppies are not grown on little vines.


    I let my attention wander to check in on the wolves, and they all seem to be having a good time settling in, too. The winter wolves are rxing their control over their ice mana, lowering the temperature already in the area. They won¡¯t be enough to make the whole wedge feel truly wintery, but they¡¯ll probably help out with the maintenance for the area after I get the climate control.


    I sit back and take a few minutes to just watch my denizens and scions in the new expansion, all of them settling in in their own ways. Soon they¡¯ll be busy as I put in resource nodes and get the interesting seeds nted, but for now, I let them just take everything in. The forest is nice and peaceful for now, and even though I intend to make it a good ce for a dungeon crawl, I think I¡¯ll have enough room here to keep some of that tranquility, too. It¡¯ll be difficult to bnce, but bnce is a big part of the theme I¡¯m going for. The cycle of seasons has a lot of change, but there¡¯s also a sturdiness to the bnce of it. It¡¯s like a spinning top, where the bnce looks delicate and precarious, but the constant motion is precisely why it¡¯s so stable. All I¡¯ll have to do is make sure I can keep it spinning.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Seven

    Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Seven


    <strong>nder Widede</strong>


    The Crown Inspector does his best to keep his frustration in check. The king asked him to inspect the new dungeon in Fourdock, though the crown only became aware of it thanks to the fall tax reports. His highness may not expect anything untilte spring, but nder had hoped to get there and back before the end of the year!


    It¡¯s his own fault for getting his hopes up. Winter started so mild, it wasn¡¯t unreasonable for him to think he could make it. But, almost as if deliberately thwarting his ns, winter seemed to condense its entire season into a month, leaving the roads and passes piled thick with snow, and leaving him stranded in a small town near Lake Gofnar.


    While the town has a couple smaller dungeons, they¡¯re just no challenge to the tall elf. Denizen or scion, none could stand before his wide-ded ive. At least the dungeons got some good mana for it.


    For thest month, all he¡¯s had to distract himself with has been the easy delving, and what reports he could get of the new dungeon in Fourdock, or as it prefers to call itself: Thedeim. If it adopted the name from someone else, that¡¯d be one thing, but by all ounts, it named <em>itself</em>! Most dungeons need several years to be that self aware, but this Thedeim did it after only a few months!


    If that were the only oddity, he wouldn¡¯t even bother leaving the capitol, but that¡¯s probably the least of the strange things in the reports he was able to obtain. Many scions, close to a dozen by the time the official report was filed. If it keeps that pace, it should easily have over a dozen by now, and nder wonders just how it can afford them all. Subsuming Neverrest would have given it a lot of mana, but it also imed the territory, so should have had to spend everything to maintain it.


    The only thing he can think of to exin the discrepancies is how active the scions are. There¡¯s hardly a delver ount of the dungeon that doesn¡¯t mention directly meeting one or more scions. They can be seen working all around the dungeon, instead of either staying hidden or being bosses guarding lucrative rewards. Thedeim seems to really only have a single scion that fits that description, and even that one stays in arge maze of shrubberies, hunting delvers and delivering them outside should he capture them.


    Yes: capture. Despite all thebat encounters, there is not a single death attributed to the dungeon. There¡¯s even a report of a group actively being saved from a tunnel horror by the skeleton scion. nder suspects they must have missed something in the fight, as they don¡¯t describe a <em>fight</em> at all! Instead, the charging monster seemed to simply copse at the feet of the skeleton.


    Even considering how wounded the delvers were, they should have been able to see some kind of attack. Even with the skeleton having ess to life, death, and fate affinities, they should have noticed <em>something</em>. The power implied by them missing it makes him eager to square off against the scion. What a fight that would be!Though the other reports indicate it could simply refuse to engage with him. Despite its clear strength, the skeleton apparently prefers to keep the cemetery, tending to the graves and the grass. There is a mention of a zombie scion that the dungeon seems to be grooming to be a true boss encounter, but the details are sparse with the reports so old.


    He doesn¡¯t have much hope for a zombie scion to give him a good fight, but it could be possible. With the speed Thedeim was growing, even a slow shambling zombie could get tough enough to resist him for a time!


    Most of the rest of the reports aren¡¯t especially concerning, aside from the speed. An enve of ratkin would be more fitting for a dungeon at least a decade old, if not a century, but fits with the level of advancement. A Resident isn¡¯t surprising, either, though a kobold is rare.


    One thing that <em>is</em> concerning is the report of an <em>undead</em> Resident. It¡¯s being quietly kept out of the public records, and though there are rumors, the very idea is so insane that people are usually well into their cups before they entertain it. But the official record is resolute: undead. She even paid taxes! As he understands it, there was a bit of tomfoolery in iming her old worth as an inheritance, naming herself as her next of kin, but nothing egregious aside from rampant abuse of loopholes. He¡¯s no tax elf, so he¡¯ll take the word of the ones who are.


    He wants to speak with her and get more detail, for himself and for the crown. And with the roads finally dered open, he will soon get to ask his burning questions. He meets with the merchant caravan as they prepare to set north, and finds there are far more people than he would have expected to just move cargo. He has his traveling ive and ordinary armor on, rather than the more opulent trappings of his office, so as to easily be hired on as yet another guard. It¡¯s not muchpared to his sry, but he¡¯ll take a bit more coin along the way.


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    The number of people is exined by just a little listening: there are a lot of craftspeople heading for Fourdock. That, in and of itself, already answers one of the questions of the king. The increased taxes from Fourdock don¡¯t seem to have been from any extra tax burden, but from a genuine boom triggered by the new dungeon. Considering the number of smiths and shipwrights, nder will definitely need to get the updated reports before he does his own inspection.


    He meets with the caravan master and is told to simply keep alert. The roads are rather safe, but it never hurts to be careful. He doesn¡¯t see a need to assign specific watches or positions around the caravan, instead trusting the guards to handle that. nder decides he¡¯ll be walking along one side of the caravan, letting him stretch his legs a bit when he goes alongside, and rest his legs a bit as he lets it pass him once more. He starts his patrol as everyone else get their final preparations, and in doing so, he meets an elf who sticks out among the gnomes and dwarves and beastkin.


    She doesn¡¯t look like a crafter, not even an enchanter or alchemist. Instead, she looks like a librarian separated from her tomes. Or perhaps a scribe, she looks rather young. Her robes are simple grays and her hair is set in a neat bun. She wears thick spectacles, and overall looks quiet and mousy. It¡¯s not until he gets closer to the wagon she¡¯s sitting on that he notices the simple wooden holy symbol around her neck: the open hands of Laermali, matriarch of the elven pantheon and goddess of magic.


    He probably should have pegged her as a follower from her robes. While hers are much simpler, the goddess is said to enjoy the color and style for easy movement, casting, and reading of tomes. Book dust doesn¡¯t show very easily on such a color. Still, her faith doesn¡¯t exin why she would be part of the caravan. He dons his best friendly smile and speaks up as he gets near.


    ¡°Hello ma¡¯am.¡±


    She starts when addressed, surprised to be spoken to. ¡°Oh! Uh¡­ hello? You¡¯re one of the guards for the trip?¡±


    He nods, still smiling. ¡°That I am. I couldn¡¯t help but notice you¡¯re a bit of an outlierpared to the others riding the wagons?¡± She stammers as he continues. ¡°Not to be rude, mind you. You just caught my eye, is all. You don¡¯t look like a smith or a shipwright.¡±


    The exnation seems to calm her down a little, and she shakes her head. ¡°Oh, uh¡­ no, I¡¯m not. I¡­ I guess I¡¯m on a pilgrimage?¡±


    That earns her a raised eyebrow of curiosity. ¡°A pilgrimage? I didn¡¯t know the Great Mother had any holy sites this far north. And you only guess? I¡¯m not exactly devout, so please excuse my ignorance, but don¡¯t most people <em>know</em> if they¡¯re on one?¡±


    She stammers a bit before sheepishly nodding. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what else to call it, I guess? I heard the Great Mother¡¯s voice, telling me to go north and seek the Ice Sage, but that¡¯s all. I don¡¯t know what She wants. I¡¯m barely an acolyte¡­¡±


    nder¡¯s smile returns as he nods. ¡°Ah, that makes more sense. I¡¯d probably be confused about what I¡¯m doing, too, if She told me that. What¡¯s an Ice Sage?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But this was the first caravan north after winter. If they¡¯re rted to ice, I should probably try to get north as soon as possible, right?¡± she asks, hoping for a bit of reassurance, which nder is happy to give.


    ¡°Makes sense to me. I imagine you¡¯d know Her better than I do, but it seems reasonable. She didn¡¯t give you any other advice?¡±


    She shakes her head. ¡°No, she didn¡¯t. Which is why I¡¯m not sure if I should even call it a pilgrimage. She might just be trying to help me get somewhere I should be, to have a better life. After hearing all the crafters talk, it sounds like Fourdock is going to be bustling soon.¡±


    The male elf nods. ¡°That¡¯s what I hear. I¡¯ll be staying there for a bit after the caravan arrives, too. The new dungeon is supposed to be pretty interesting. Oh! I never introduced myself. Please, call me nder.¡± He offers his hand to shake as she eyes the de over his shoulder, and he has to suppress the chuckle at such a familiar sight. His weapon is well-known, as is his name. How many nders can there be, using a ive? On the other hand, what are the odds of actually meeting the Crown Inspector, especially so far outside the capitol?


    She jumps as she realizes she¡¯s been leaving him hanging, and epts his hand to shake. ¡°Sorry! Uh, I¡¯m T. Pleased to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Likewise, T. I¡¯m going to get back to my patrol, but would you be unhappy if I seek you out once we stop for the night? I don¡¯t know anyone in the caravan, and I¡¯d wager you¡¯re in the same boat?¡±


    She titters and nods. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind. The crafters seem friendly enough, but I think they¡¯ll be a bit loud for me to want to join their groups in camp.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see youter, then! Gotta go make sure everyone¡¯s safe, and stays that way,¡± he finishes with a wink and resumes walking down the line of wagons. His earlier frustration already feels so far in the past. Soon, he¡¯ll be able to get to work, and he¡¯ll even have some friendlypany along the way. He has no idea what an Ice Sage is, but he¡¯ll try to keep an eye out for one. Just because he¡¯s not devout, doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯d try to impede a follower of the Great Mother. Besides, it could put another pretty smile on T¡¯s face. They may have only just met, and may not meet for long, but pretty things are all the prettier when fleeting.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Eight

    Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Eight


    I¡¯m not the only one around here doing some renovations. Violet, Hullbreak, and the Southwood all get working on their own projects as I let the forest of four seasons get settled. Southwood designates a bear scion and offers me a trade, which I¡¯m surprised to see. I thought I¡¯d need to send Teemo to talk to the Stag, or at least Leo or Honey, but it seems that allies make trading things a lot simpler.


    He wants some extra mana to make sure he won¡¯t have troubles paying for his bear, and trading me the climate control ability will definitely get that for him. I take the climate control, but I still don¡¯t trade for a bear of my own yet, nor a fox, but they¡¯re near the top of my list. I think once Leo, Honey, and Thing head back, I¡¯ll do the trade then so they can all travel home together. I¡¯m pretty sure the Stag is still hanging out with little Vanta, who seems to have epted the name now he¡¯s had some time to chew on it. So yeah, once they¡¯re ready to head home, they can check in with the Stag and have the trade waiting for once they pass through the Southwood.


    As for the Southwood¡¯s bear scion, he¡¯s still getting used to the new responsibilities, but I can feel the Southwood getting more information about beyond his borders now, so it looks like it¡¯ll be slow and steady. I bet the Stag is going to ask Leo and Honey details about scouting, probably once Vanta¡¯s borders stabilize. There¡¯s also more of the Southwood¡¯s denizens wandering around Silvervein, ensuring the Shield followers won¡¯t be the only line of defense if anything nasty shows up.


    Closer to the homefront, Violet has her expansion going now, too. Coda and sh helped make what I¡¯m thinking of as a water main from the sewers down to her territory, though they put it pretty high up. It¡¯s not like sewer water will help her bunnies or ore nodes. But it gives her a proper expansion path, which she eagerly takes. Her new denizens are interesting, too.


    The first is an alligator spawner, or crocodile? I think she technically only has caimans, right now, which I¡¯m pretty sure are their own thing separate from crocs and gators. I wouldin, but I still remember how I changed Neverrest¡¯s wasp spawner to bees, despite how much difference there is between the two bugs. Either way, she has moderately-sized bitey lizards wandering the sewers now.


    I think Nose and Legs are already looking for ways to make the water main a bit more essible so the things can possiblye popte the rest of Violet¡¯s territory, but it¡¯s not a big rush. I¡¯m kinda d there¡¯s not a lot of ways to travel down to Violet from the sewers, thanks to her other spawner: decay elementals.


    The fresh spawns are called putrid oozes, and they look like a slime mold made from sewage. Yeah¡­ not difficult to see why adventurers tend to stay out of sewers. As much as I don¡¯t really like looking at the things, they¡¯re shooting Violet¡¯s mana up quick. Right now, I think she¡¯s turning the sewage straight into mana, but I can also feel her poking through her own options and thinking about the other things she could do with it. I even manage to give her a quest to decide what to do with the sewage.


    And she¡¯s also still following my lead and making new scions for each spawner. Her names for them are still pretty simple, but Teeth for the small crocodile and Slimy for the elemental gets the point across. Slimy is taking to the sewers well and is more than happy to deal with the new flies and rat invaders in the sewers. The caimans can help out with the rats, too, but I think Teeth wants to get down into Violet¡¯s territory for delving and sink her teeth into the stoats that go after the bunny nodes. Violet deals with them well enough for now, but a few teethy things couldn¡¯t hurt.


    And how could I almost forget she¡¯s chosen her Voice? I was kinda hoping for Cappy to be her Voice. The potential for jumpscares alone would have been amazing. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t be able to go out and talk to people and dungeons far away, so I can¡¯t really me her for not choosing him. Nose wouldn¡¯t have been <em>terrible</em>, but he¡¯s out on expedition so often now that he¡¯d rarely have the chance to talk to anyone. Legs is more of a homebody, but he¡¯s also probably the least social of her scions. So yeah, it¡¯s not really much of a surprise that she¡¯s chosen Onyx to be her voice. The little shadow spirit is already in the spawner, ascension bar ticking up. I wonder if she¡¯ll have arge change like Fluffles gaining wings, or if she¡¯ll be basically unchanged, like Teemo.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Not to be outdone, Hullbreak got his expansion, too. I think if he stretched, he could have gotten all the way to the stony beach I invaded him from, so long ago, but he wouldn¡¯t have had much leftover to actually build with. Instead, he¡¯s imed some cliffs not too far away. It¡¯ll take some work to make them a ce to actually delve, but he¡¯s already testing those waters. His crabs are having a go at the cliffs below the waterline, and even after he upgrades the spawner to get more of them, I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to quite be cut out for the job. They¡¯re making some progress, but it¡¯ll take a long time before they have anything suitable for people to delve in.


    He¡¯s old enough to not get the free spawner or two, so I think he¡¯s mulling over a new spawner and maybe a new scion to help with it, but he hasn¡¯t made any decision on it just yet. Personally, I think he should use water elementals. He <em>has</em> to have ess to them by now, and they should be pretty easily able to dig out a cool oceanside cave. Still, he hasn¡¯t asked for advice, so I¡¯ll refrain from giving it, even if I really <em>really</em> want to. He¡¯s a smart dungeon, I know he¡¯ll figure something out.


    He also has new invaders, which seem to be evil seagulls. They try to snatch up catches from the fishermen, or snap up fish and denizens that get too close to the surface. They can¡¯t take anything big, but they are very annoying. The Quartermaster is marshaling the troops to counter them, so I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be too much of a problem for much longer.


    My own new invaders have shown themselves, and they¡¯re rather insidious, especially considering what I want to do with the big tree. I¡¯m getting boring bark beetles. I don¡¯t mean boring as in uninteresting. I mean boring as in holes. Holes are not good for trees, generally speaking. Thankfully, my chosen spawners are perfectly suited to thwarting the things. My bark pixies might look cute, but so dodybugs, and just as thedybugs have a voracious appetite for aphids, my pixies have an unquenchable desire to eradicate the bark beetles.


    The living vines, on the other hand, help heal the trees and plug up the wounds, ensuring nothing happens to the lumber. I¡¯m definitely going to want to make a lumber nodeter. For now, I¡¯ll leave it alone until I can talk with the Southwood about what kinds he wants, and what kinds I should use. I think I might focus more on firewood and wood for making charcoal, and he can have the more structural timbers, but we¡¯ll have to hash that outter.


    My new scions are stepping up, too. With the climate control option, I designate both summer and winter quadrants, and Titania and Poppy leap at the chance to get the bounty of fancy wild seeds into the ground. The little pixie even startsmandeering my fruitbats to ensure they grow healthy and cost me just a song to officially designate. Poppy also gets a few fruitbats, but she¡¯s more interested in wrangling a couple ratlings to help her n out the central tree. Thumbs and garden tools are going to be a big help for her project. I don¡¯t know if she managed to hear me musing between willow and yew, or if that¡¯s just the actual best choice, but either way, she¡¯s growing a few small saplings of each in the central area.


    I mean, even sapling is a bit grandiose for what they are right now, but they¡¯re growing quickly, even the yew. I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s going to hybridize them or maybe graft, but either way will need her to grow them a bit first. I really hope she can somehow magically hybridize them, giving the elegant beauty of a willow and the twisting branches of the yew. I bet if she can¡¯t on her own, Thing and Queen will be more than happy to help with alchemy or enchanting.


    Even with Poppy boosting the growth of the little trees, she has plenty of time to promote growth elsewhere, too. I think she¡¯s taken some inspiration from the hedge maze, and wants to make the sections of the forest simr to that, but on a much grander scale. I think that¡¯ll work perfectly, too. There won¡¯t be Tiny hunting people in the forest of four seasons, but that just means they can focus a bit more on the encounters.


    I need to work on the encounters more, too. It¡¯d be easy for me to make the whole ce a wonderful little hiking trail with nodes and such, but I can¡¯t forget that I want to make a dungeon crawl for the stronger delvers around here. I think it¡¯s time to take a good hard look at my spawners and see what I can to do give the people the fights they crave.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Nine

    Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Nine


    So.


    I need some denizens that are fun to fight. I need ones that will make the delvers shout ¡°Oh, yes!¡± rather than ¡°Oh, no¡­¡± I have some pretty strong ones, sure. I couldn¡¯t have beaten the Maw otherwise, but there was also a bit of a tactical outmaneuvering in that victory, too.


    So, can I adjust any of my current denizens to fit the bill of a good fight? My dragons are certainly qualified for that. In thevabyrinth, the delvers seem to love fighting the wyrms and the basilisks, even with the significant burns they can inflict. The problem is I don¡¯t know how good of an idea it will be to have those magma affinity dragons cutting loose in the forest. While I¡¯m pretty sure Titania and Poppy can keep congrations to a minimum, I don¡¯t want one mistake to set the whole forest aze. I might let a couple into winter, but I think, for the most part, my dragons are going to be staying in thebyrinth.


    My other good potential for a good fight are the twinsnakes. The default variety has a goodbo with the poison magic head and kic other head, and it gets even better when upgraded with the metal transmutation and electric affinity potion. I bet they¡¯ll be able to wander three of the four seasons without much difficulty, and the tree shouldn¡¯t be a problem for them, either.


    The only real problem is they¡¯re slow to spawn, and the alchemically boosted ones are even slower. They keep some of the buffs between spawns, but need pretty regr maintenance to keep everything going. I¡¯ll probably try to encourage Queen to step up production of alchemy soon, which I doubt she¡¯ll be upset about. I can also upgrade the spawner to speed up the twinsnake rate, and maybe even get whatever¡¯s next! I think I still have a type before the semi-intelligent capstone denizen, too. I¡¯ll wait to upgrade the spawner until I get the tree growing or grown, I think. I want to make sure there¡¯s more than enough room for them to wander around.


    Unfortunately, I don¡¯t think snakes are going to do it for the entire forest. They¡¯ll be good anywhere except winter, but I want a bit more variety. Bears will be the bruisers for their season, probably fall or maybe spring. Maybe even both. They could be a big presence on the ground with my noodles more in the tree. Wolves will also be big on the ground, I expect, and especially prevalent in Winter. In fact, I take a moment to upgrade the wolf spawner to get more tundra wolves to fill the ce out a bit.


    Let me see¡­ can I do anything with my other established spawners? It¡¯s kinda tempting to buy more, but I shouldn¡¯t buy some fancy shiny new thing when I already have something that can do the job.


    Let me see¡­ rats? No. Spiders? No. Or¡­ maybe? They¡¯ve been living in the tunnels and caverns, but they could certainly have a good ce in the forest, on the ground and in the canopy. They¡¯re not tough enough to be full frontline fighters, but they should be good for ambushes and skirmishes. I might even get them to weave safetys so delvers don¡¯t plummet to the ground from the branches.


    What else? Snakes? Just did that. Birds? Hm¡­ it <em>has</em> been a while. I think the bird spawner has two new denizens before the capstone. They¡¯re specialized towards resources, so they probably won¡¯t be the best fights. On the other hand, there should be rewards for the best fights, too. They go on the list to upgrade once the tree is up.Ants? Leafcutters will help, otherwise it''s maxed already. That does remind me to take a look at the enve, and they¡¯re starting to change a <em>lot</em> now. I think their earlierck of change was just ack of <em>obvious </em>change. I think they were rearranging their innards, as they¡¯re starting to stand up. I¡¯d call them bipeds now, but they still walk on four legs, with one set of arms with their crude hands. They keep the two legs on each side pretty close most of the time, only really spreading their stance out if they need stability or leverage for something heavy.


    That aside, they¡¯re still building their enve out, and asionally chatting with the leaders of my other enves. It¡¯s good to see them all working together like that. It makes me feel better about focusing on the forest, knowing they¡¯re all fine.


    Other spawners to check on¡­ my three undeads? The skeletons and zombies will fit right in with spring, thanks to their verdant and fungal natures, respectively. It¡¯ll be good to let them y with people besides just the Shield followers. They¡¯re not the only ones who need experience with the undead. Sure, anyone can head into the cryptplex to rumble, but the Shield definitely has a strong presence in there. In the forest, I think there will be a bit less of a monopoly.


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    The hands will probably spend a little time in the forest, but I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to be a major force there. My slimes? Nah, they can stay in the underground, helping my nodes and veins. In fact, I should upgrade them and see if there are bigger ones that can significantly boost the limestone quarry.


    Wolves? Already nning on using them. Dragons? Already nning on <em>not</em> using them. Earth elementals? Hmm¡­ maybe. When preparing for the Maw, I was considering upgrading them to be heavies to plop on the front line and really mess with whatever it might do, but I ended up using the basilisks for that instead, and never did upgrade or specialize them. Those would be easy to slot in as good tough opponents, and they should be able to handle any of the seasons, too. I keep them in mind as I continue down my list.


    Bats? Already specialized for resources, though I should probably upgrade the spawner. The forest is going to be gigantic, so I¡¯m going to want plenty of fruitbats to keep things running smoothly for herbalism nodes. Their spawner is also pretty woefully out of date. I basically specialized it and forgot about it. But even that is better than what I¡¯ve been doing with my bees.


    When I took Neverrest¡¯s territory, I immediately swapped the wasp spawner he had over to bees, made Honey my scion, then¡­ never touched it again. Maybe an upgrade or two, but it¡¯s not even specialized! They make honey just because that¡¯s what they do, but they¡¯re not actually specialized towards resources at all!


    I could change that right now¡­ or I could try something. I don¡¯t want to move them away from making their honey, but that doesn¡¯t mean they can¡¯t be specialized towards fighting, too. I could even specialize them towards magic, and as fun as it would be to have spelling bees, the idea of fighting bees is growing on me the more I think about it.


    And I can¡¯t forget my two newest spawners. If I upgrade the fruitbats, they might be able to handle all the nodes out there with the help of the leafcutter ants, leaving my fey to potentially be specialized towards fighting or magic, and simr with the vines. I think it¡¯s too early to n ahead for them just yet, though. They¡¯re going to be major parts of the forest, but I don¡¯t need to cram them into a niche just yet. For now, I¡¯ll wait and see how they develop, and fill the gaps with my other spawners.


    Alrighty¡­ sneks and birbs are on the list for upgrades, but need to wait for the tree. I can let some of the twinsnakes migrate to the forest, along with probably most of the widow spiders, too. Undead for spring, but that can wait until I actually buy thend for spring. Earth elementals, bats, and bees, however¡­ are all on the short list for upgrades. Earth elementals are ssic tanks for a reason, and even if I specialize the spawner for bruisers, I should still get plenty of my sneaky little rockslides to scout out any other things like the Maw, that might need to be dealt with.


    I take a closer look at the spawner to see if there¡¯s anything that catches my eye for options on that path, and see something interesting: soil elementals. While they don¡¯t have the raw defense of their rockier cousins, they seem to have a lot of regeneration and gain life affinity, too. The more I look at them, the more I like them. Rockier elementals basically require things like hammers or picks, and are a hard counter to any kind of de. These, though, can take a good beating no matter the weapon.


    I smile to myself and spend the mana, before watching a soil elemental flow out of the earth elemental spawner like it just emptied a wheelbarrow. It mounds itself up and starts wandering the caverns for now, and I let it find its bearings. I¡¯d poke Titania and Poppy toe take a look, but I¡¯m not done upgrading yet!


    I pump mana into the bat spawner, too, upgrading it until it gives me a new spawn as well: a rainbat. It looks a lot like the flying foxes I already have, but a dull blue color. It also seems to like the day more than they do, and it takes off from the belfry, leaving a faint colorful trail behind it. My new bat has water affinity, which is cool, and it¡¯s not difficult to guess what it will do with that. It starts with a circuit of the manor, watering the herbalism nodes and perking them up, before it makes its way towards the forest. Good bat, you know what you¡¯re doing. Keep it up!


    And for myst trick for now, I specialize the bee spawner for fighting, and upgrade it until I get a new bee, too: the bumblebee. Back on Earth, they don¡¯t even get as big as a thumb, but my bumbles are about the size of a fist¡­ and also have the kinda derpy adorability bumblebees entail. They start meandering around the cemetery as I finally nudge Titania and Poppy toe take a look at the new friends for their forest.


    Titania radiates excitement as she rushes to meet the new bees, and I can already picture the pixies riding them into battle. Poppy works her way toward the caverns, quickly digging her way toward the soil elementals with great interest. I watch them both as they go, wondering if I might specialize their own spawners to harmonize with the bees and elementals.


    My two new scions make it to the denizens quicker than I would have expected, but watching them makes it easy to see why they were so eager. Poppy starts digging through the soil elemental once she gets there, which doesn¡¯t seem to harm it, while Titania is trying to help the bumblebees find good ces to make their own little hives. I hum to myself as I watch them all, enjoying how life sometimes can just¡­ fit together.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Eighty

    Chapter Two-Hundred Eighty


    <strong>Berdol</strong>


    This has probably been the busiest winter of Berdol¡¯s life. Usually, the tabby catkin spends the snowy months in and around the Adventurer¡¯s Guildhall, enjoying the warm hearth, good drink, and loudpany. If he¡¯s ambitious, he¡¯dmission a new de or armor or something else, but in general, the winter months are a time to rx.


    Of course, life rarely lets a good routine like that continue for long. He had expected to be busier this winter, thanks to apprenticing to Tarl and joining the Dungeoneer¡¯s Guild, but that business was supposed to be spent learning, reading information on dungeons, maybe taking the inspector exam or filling out forms; the kind of business that can be satisfying, but not exciting.


    But then Thedeim dered war on a distant dungeon the Dungeoneers didn¡¯t know about. And he formed a formal alliance between himself and the Southwood, which is a status the guild vaguely knew about, but has basically been a legend until now. And that doesn¡¯t take into ount his apparent <em>apotheosis</em>! He and Tarl could hardly miss the orange wave that signified Thedeim¡¯s true ascendance, though the catkin was perplexed when the elf didn¡¯t even note it with his voice stone.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to note that?¡± he asked, which earned him an immediate shake of the head from the elf.


    ¡°Nope. The Guild doesn¡¯t have any regtions for this. Dungeons are often worshiped by their dwellers, and sometimes even get a following among delvers, but there¡¯s no guides for what to do if one achieves true divinity.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we tell them, though? It seems important,¡± he insisted to the shrugging elf.


    ¡°If it were a different dungeon, maybe. But I don¡¯t think Thedeim will really change much because of it. His changes for getting all the mana from the Maw will have a more direct impact on the guild. You can note it if you want, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll really do much.¡±


    Berdol did, but after seeing the aftermath of the subsumation of the Maw, and learning the convoluted nature of how it actually fell, and the efforts put into building up Silvervein, he has to admit Tarl was probably right.Even if it feels weird that the guild would be more interested in his ount of the creation of that little shadow dungeon than a dungeon achieving godhood. If he had the kind of mana sense Tarl or Yvonne do, he¡¯d have something useful to put to parchment. Instead, he¡¯s putting to parchment duplicate reports to send back to the main guild. It¡¯ll probably be fall before they need to be sent, but better to get on it now, rather than let it all build up over the year.


    He sighs as he sets aside the iron quills, his affinity letting him easily make as many copies at once as he can get quills. He stretches and groans as his joints pop, before sighing in relief this time and looking over to Tr.


    Even with him being able to fill multiple forms at once, the elven woman¡¯s efficiency lets her far outpace him in administrative work. He had heard Tarl use her of being a bureaucramancer, and seeing her stack of finished formspared to his, he¡¯s inclined to believe his mentor. ¡°I think that¡¯s all the reports from the winter delvers you wanted me to copy?¡±


    Winter saw the creation and expansion of the section Thedeim dubs the Lava Labyrinth, a twisting multi-level maze with transportation traps mixed in with more ordinary traps, though they are all designed to mimic the typical death traps of other dungeons, usually using a sleeping effect to incapacitate delvers.


    Tr looks up from her tea and nods. ¡°Take a break for now, Berdol. I think copying the new reports can wait until after lunch.¡±


    ¡°Do you, uh¡­ still want me to start running the inspections on Monday?¡± he asks, still uncertain about taking that kind of responsibility. He¡¯s still an apprentice, after all. On the other hand, Tarl is still busy with Silvervein and establishing not only a new guild office there, but also gently guiding the little dungeon he, Tarl, Yvonne, and Teemo got to see coalesce.


    Tr nods over her cup. ¡°I do. With Tarl indisposed, the responsibility falls to you.¡± She smirks at him before continuing. ¡°At least all the local dungeons are friendly. Inspecting Neverrest was especially stressful for me, hoping his stealth would be enough to return safely.¡±


    Berdol shudders at the memory of the murderous dungeon that used to inhabit the cemetery, before Thedeim subsumed it. He never had a chance to delve it before the guild sealed it off, but the stories of the ones who did were generally the kind to earn drinks of sympathy rather than celebration at the guild.


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    Thinking of how the dungeons around here have changed since Thedeim happened, makes him feel a lot better, though Tr happily shatters that feeling with her next words.


    ¡°You do realize you¡¯ll need to delve the sewers if Violet has imed them, right? I already have a few reports from delvers that say she has new denizens.¡±


    The very idea of delving a sewer makes Berdol very d that cat<em>kin</em> don¡¯t share in their ancestors¡¯ aversion to water baths. ¡°At least Violet probably won¡¯t deliberately throw anything at me in there.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. I¡¯m also getting reports her gremlin scion has gone missing. She may have a Voice for you to speak with, too.¡±


    ¡°Onyx? She¡¯d make a good Voice, yeah. And it¡¯ll make it easier to teach her how to fight, if she still wants tips with that.¡±


    ¡°She may advance to a shade or shadow from the new title, or she may stay a gremlin. Teemo didn¡¯t advance his form, so it¡¯s difficult to say. I¡¯d imagine a shade wouldn¡¯t be able to learn too much more from you.¡±


    Berdol chuckles and nods. ¡°Probably not. At that point, she¡¯d probably be able to spar with Rocky though, so she¡¯s not going to stagnate.¡±


    Tr nods before continuing. ¡°I also have reports of Hullbreak expanding to epass the Overlook Cliffs. He seems to be moving slower than Violet, but you should expect at least one new variety of denizen when you inspect him.¡±


    ¡°I need to make sure I get a fresh aqua affinity potion from Staiven, then. I think I have an old one from the start of winter, but I never got a chance to go delve before everything happened. I dunno if it¡¯s still fresh.¡±


    The elven woman shrugs. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. Make sure to get a receipt from him for your delving potions used for inspections. Those will be Guild expenses, not yours.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose the Guild would pay for my new des, too?¡± he asks with a smirk, knowing the answer before she even opens her lips.


    ¡°Only if you only use them when on an inspection,¡± she replies with a smile, ying along. ¡°Though we <em>will</em> reimburse you for damage done to them on an inspection, provided you don¡¯t deliberately damage them to take advantage of the situation.¡±


    Berdol nods at that. ¡°I forgot about the damage reimbursement, actually. I¡¯ll keep in mind to have my stuff appraised before I go inspect then. Thedeim especially can be rough on gear.¡±


    Tr finishes her tea before standing and organizing the scrolls on her desk. ¡°Speaking of him, I¡¯m also getting reports he¡¯s expanded beyond the cemetery and created two new spawners, along with two new scions. Estimates have the expansion at close to a mile long.¡±


    Berdol gives a low whistle. ¡°He¡¯s not wasting time, is he? At least I can talk to Teemo and hopefully not get blindsided by whatever he¡¯s cooking up in there. Any hints for the new denizens and scions?¡±


    ¡°I have an ount of a colorful new variety of bat seen leaving the manor, as well as new,rger bees buzzing over the cemetery walls. I only have a report on one of the new scions: a bark pixie, so he has at least a fey spawner now. There are also a few sightings of strange things moving just under the ground, but nothing confirmed yet.¡±


    The catkin taps a finger against one of the double-ended des at his belt as he considers. ¡°Bark pixies should be life affinity fey, I think. The new bat means he¡¯s upgraded that spawner, and it also sounds like he¡¯s upgraded the bees, too. With bees big enough to mention, I don¡¯t think he specialized them for resources, but I don¡¯t know what he would have done with them. The underground has me stumped, though. He might have picked up worms to go along with his wyrms, or maybe Violet upgraded her moles. I¡¯ll have to ask when I go inspect.¡±


    Tr idly nods as he speaks, organizing the scrolls before pausing at one. ¡°Ah, I almost forgot. I have a few secondhand ounts that Thedeim has established a third enve, this time using his ant spawner. A few traders with the established enves overheard them talking about the soon-to-be antkin.¡±


    That gets the catkin¡¯s attention. ¡°Antkin? I don¡¯t know that I¡¯ve ever met one before.¡±


    ¡°Neither have I. I believe the Principalities have a poption of them, but they seem to be reclusive, or at least don¡¯t trust those outside the Principalities. Either way, it would be a good idea to try to get a look in the enve, if Thedeim doesn¡¯t object.¡±


    Berdol shrugs. ¡°I doubt he will, but I¡¯ll ask before doing anything. Anyway, where should we eat?¡± he asks as he stands, and goes around the desks capping the inkwells.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of a new cafe by the docks that¡¯s supposed to be good. Seaspray Cafe. They¡¯re supposed to serve a lot of fish from Hullbreak there.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that sounds good! I tried a little fishing, but I don¡¯t have much of a knack for it, so I haven¡¯t had any dungeon fish before. I might need to hire a fisherman to help me with delving Hullbreak next week,e to think of it.¡±


    Tr smiles and leads the way out of the guild, and sets a sign to let everyone know they¡¯re out to lunch. ¡°You should consider officially pursuing it as a skill, especially if you end up enjoying the meal. I understand most adventurers try to have at least one crafting or gathering skill.¡±


    He nods as they start walking. ¡°Yeah, I can do a bit of mining, but that¡¯s mostly because of my affinity, rather than any real desire to mine. Fishing could be nice, though. Rxing on a boat, reading something while I wait for something to take the bait.¡±


    The two idly chat as they walk to the docks, where the fish is even better than they could have hoped. Even the bustle of the boats doesn¡¯t distract them from their meal, no matter how excited the workers are to soon have new sailors and wrights. The caravan bearing more should arrive any day now.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Eighty-One

    Chapter Two-Hundred Eighty-One


    <strong>nder</strong>


    The tall elf hums as he walks down the street, taking in what meager sights Fourdock has to offer. It¡¯s hardly a run-down slum of a town, but it doesn¡¯tpare well against the Capital, unfair as theparison may be. He might find the town more interesting if he was still with T, but the two had to part ways at the town gate. She had her pilgrimage to get to, and he technically needed to follow the caravan to their destination in the town.


    At least he was able to let her know he¡¯ll probably be found at the adventurer¡¯s guild, if he¡¯s not actively delving. He got his pay as a guard, and is now making his way to the guild he knows the way to: The Dungeoneer¡¯s Guild.


    Not only does he need to touch base and get the full up to date packet on Thedeim, but he also should make them aware he¡¯s in the area. He¡¯s technically retired, and they should have no reason to be unhappy at him delving, but he finds it better to let whoever is in charge at the local guild know he¡¯s there and who he is, even if he¡¯s intending to keep a low profile. It tends to keep misunderstandings to a minimum.


    And he <em>does</em> intend to keep a low profile for this mission. The presence of the Crown Inspector can make dungeoneers and adventurers nervous, nevermind the ordinary townsfolk. It¡¯s best to keep things subtle when he still has a duty to perform. If he feels the need, he can reveal himself and show off after, give some flowery speech about how good or bad a job everyone is doing, h h.


    But that¡¯s putting the experience before the fight. For now, he focuses on the sign down the road, proiming the Dungeoneer¡¯s Guild¡¯s presence. He always finds the sign says a lot about the interior, and the sign is already speaking well of the local guild. The paint is a bit worn and dulled from the sun, but the sign is clean and hung straight. They could probably use more funding, but they still take pride in their work.


    A bell rings as he opens the door, and the elven woman at the desk speaks before looking up, putting thest couple lines on whatever paperwork she¡¯s doing. ¡°Wee to the Dungeoneer¡¯s Guild. How may I¡­¡±


    She trails off when she looks up, clearly recognizing him even without his trappings of office. That makes it easier, at least. He smiles and steps forward.


    ¡°Hello ma¡¯am. Please, just nder. I¡¯m hoping to not make too much noise about my mission here.¡± He offers his hand to shake, yet the woman continues to simply stare at him. He might even say she¡¯s starting to re before she finally replies.¡°Then you can call me Tr. I¡¯m the leader of this branch of the Dungeoneers. How can I help you?¡± she asks, setting aside her quill and capping her inkwell. She must have a powerful ice affinity to be acting so coldly. It makes business easier than being fawned over, though it¡¯s been long enough since he¡¯s had that kind of reception that he¡¯s a bit thrown for a few moments.


    He retracts his hand and awkwardly scratches the back of his head. ¡°Well, I¡¯m here to get as much information on the dungeon called Thedeim as possible, Miss Tr. The ie for the town as a whole seems to be up sharply with the dungeon getting the credit. If it really is an economic powerhouse, the Crown will want to invest in the town and the roads. If it¡¯s not, then it¡¯d be a waste to do all that.¡±


    She gives a short nod at that. ¡°Understandable. If I hadn¡¯t been here to witness it, I¡¯d be suspicious of the growth, too. Standard price for the in-depth packet, which includes unverified updates if you¡¯re so inclined.¡±


    ¡°Unverified?¡± he echoes as he pulls out the requisite coinage, to which she nods.


    ¡°Thedeim¡¯s growth makes it difficult to keep the packet fully up to date, especially with him seeming to be starting a major project right now.¡± She epts the money and hands over more of a booklet than a pamphlet, which earns nder¡¯s curiosity.


    ¡°So much to know? It¡¯s not even a year old yet, is it?¡±


    ¡°As far as we can tell, he¡¯s about a year old now, yes.¡±


    He nods at the official line. Getting a proper age for a cloistered dungeon like Thedeim seems to be is difficult. And if the Dungeoneer¡¯s Chief Archivist¡¯s hunch is correct, it¡¯s even more difficult to properly date a lost dungeon. Either way, it¡¯s easier to simply give a date since discovery. He takes a moment to check the overview, and gives a low whistle at the number of scions.


    ¡°It really has so many scions?¡±


    Tr nods. ¡°There are also reports of a pixie scion. If he continues the pattern, he probably has a living vine scion as well, though I haven¡¯t gotten any reports of one yet.¡±


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    ¡°He, huh? He¡¯s already advanced enough to think soplexly?¡± He skims the nodes and territory features as he talks, feeling like he¡¯s scouting a dungeon that¡¯s closer to a hundred years old, rather than one.


    ¡°He was capable of rudimentarymunication even before getting a Voice. He was able to coordinate with a group of adventurers to aid in attacking Neverrest, subsuming it before it could subsume him.¡±


    nder nods at that. ¡°Hence him being considered Cloistered. He¡¯d need to be at least a decade old to be that coordinated. Just quietly hiding in that manor, then?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the simplest exnation, yes.¡±


    He finishes skimming the overview and closes the booklet for the moment. ¡°Where is Inspector Tarl? I¡¯d like to ask his opinion on the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Inspector Tarl is currently indisposed.¡±


    ¡°Is he hurt?¡±


    Tr smirks and shakes her head. ¡°No. He is currently establishing a Dungeoneer¡¯s Outpost in the subterranean town of Silvervein. It had a murderous dungeon that called itself the Maw, and was worshiped by the emancipated dwellers that make up the town. It was making hostile moves against the Southwood, a different dungeon just barely within the jurisdiction of my branch. Thedeim was approached by the Southwood and they allied to stop and eventually subsume the Maw. Not long afterward, a new dungeon coalesced, so Inspector Tarl is tending to it in the hopes of steering it towards a more beneficial attitude.¡±


    nder frowns at that. ¡°He didn¡¯t just subsume the new dungeon, too?¡±


    Tr smirks again and shakes her head. ¡°No. That¡¯s not how he operates. Besides, it¡¯d be exceptionally rude to subsume his ally¡¯s new protege.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t want his own protege?¡±


    ¡°He already has one.¡±


    That earns a surprised look from nder, who reopens the booklet to examine it closer. ¡°A protege <em>and</em> a vassal?¡± He squints in suspicion as he continues to read. ¡°And a recognized ally. Not just a temporary arrangement? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen that before.¡±


    Tr¡¯s smirk turns predatory. ¡°I would rmend getting the full packet on the other local dungeons, too. Thedeim has a close rtionship with all of them.¡±


    Before nder can contemte the damage to his wallet or business stipend, the bell dings again as a catkin enters.


    ¡°Alright Tr! I got everything apr- oh! Uh¡­ hello?¡± The catkin quiets as he steps in properly, more like an employee who doesn¡¯t want to interrupt his boss, rather than someone recognizing who nder is. The elf smiles and offers his hand to shake.


    ¡°Ah, hello! Are you one of the inspectors? I¡¯m nder.¡±


    The catkin takes the offered hand. ¡°I¡¯m Berdol, and I¡¯m just a junior inspector, apprenticed to Tarl.¡±


    Tr speaks up from her desk, looking calcting as she does so. ¡°Mister nder here is a retired Inspector, and I believe he¡¯s looking to do a bit of dungeon tourism. If he agrees to be your subordinate on the uing inspections, I can waive his fee for information.¡±


    The Crown Inspector doesn¡¯t know what to say, which gives the junior ample time to offer his own input. ¡°Oh, that¡¯d be great! An outsider¡¯s perspective will help me make sure I¡¯m not missing anything, and if he¡¯s strong enough to retire, he should be able to put the dungeons through their proper paces better than I can!¡±


    Now wait just a moment! He raises a finger to start listing his objections, but falters in the face of Tr¡¯s utterly unpped gaze. He supposed to just be looking into Thedeim, not all the other dungeons around here!


    But¡­ what about his cover? He doesn¡¯t want to draw any attention, and if he contradicts Tr on this, it will definitelye out that he¡¯s the Crown Inspector. Then he¡¯ll be crushed under the need to make appearances, give speeches, and generally have to be a public figure! He res at Tr as she sips from her cup of tea. Where did she even get that?


    He¡¯s experienced enough in a fight to know when he¡¯s beaten, and tries not to sag as he turns back to Berdol. ¡°That sounds like just the thing to help me knock the rust off. What¡¯re your ns?¡±


    Berdol smiles with excitement. ¡°Then lets get your gear appraised! And how are you at fishing?¡±


    nder gives him a confused look at the nonsequetous response. ¡°Fishing?¡±


    Berdol nods as he leads the way towards the exit, while nder can feel Tr¡¯s eyes on his back. ¡°Yeah. Hullbreak has a lot of fishing nodes, but I¡¯m a terrible angler. If you can fish, that¡¯ll make it a lot easier to delve him.¡±


    ¡°...isn¡¯t Hullbreak a rather nasty belligerent?¡± he tries, ncing back to the elven woman sitting at her desk, looking like a lioness watching her cub take down a wounded gazelle.


    ¡°Berdol will fill you in on the details, Mr. nder. I¡¯ll have your reimbursement prepared by the time you return.¡±


    He lets Berdol drag him out, and feels less and less abused by Tr¡¯s maniption as information pours from the eager catkin. Thedeim basically rehabilitated Hullbreak, even after it threatened to wipe Fourdock off the map? Not only that, but his conduit somehow redirected the energy of the hurricane back onto the scion that summoned it, before Thedeim vassalized the older dungeon.


    That kind of cunning and creativity is beyond a cloistered dungeon, even a fate affinity. Maybe the Chief Archivist wasn¡¯t insane by entertaining the theory of Thedeim being an ancient lost dungeon. Communicating before a voice, forming a recognized alliance, and wielding magic like that¡­ there is definitely more to this than he was expecting. He hopes he and Berdol delve Thedeimst. He¡¯d like to have a bit of time to try to n how to handle him, and delving the other dungeons should help with that.


    As long as his influence isn¡¯t <em>too</em> impactful on the other dungeons. He gets the feeling he won¡¯t be that lucky.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Eighty-Two

    Chapter Two-Hundred Eighty-Two


    <strong>T</strong>


    Here she is: Fourdock. The trip here was thankfully quiet and peaceful, possibly because of Mr nder. He looks a lot like what the Crown Inspector is supposed to look like, but she finds it difficult to imagine someone as prestigious as that taking a job as a simple caravan guard to such a distant town. While fun to imagine she spent her evenings chatting around a fire with someone who personally knows the King, such a thing definitely belongs in the imagination rather than reality.


    And the reality is that he¡¯s just a nice and handsome elf and the trip was better for having met him, if a bit chilly. She¡¯ll need to get used to chilly, if this is where the Great Mother thinks she should be for a while, possibly even her entire life. And if this is where she can find an Ice Sage, she¡¯ll <em>definitely</em> need to get used to being cold.


    At least she¡¯ll get to have a warming spring and all of summer to try to prepare for a cold fall and colder winter. But¡­ how should she prepare? She didn¡¯t really have much of a n besides getting here. She has a bit of coin saved up from living with her parents, but she doesn¡¯t know how long that willst her. It¡¯s too bad there¡¯s probably no library here for her to assist with.


    Maybe there is? She doesn¡¯t have any better ns right now than to try to ask a few of the locals. She starts following the flow of traffic toward the center of town, taking a few moments to ask the passersby if there¡¯s a library that needs scribes. Most of the townsfolk shake their head at her, but a rather burly minotaur man seems to be better informed than most.


    ¡°No real public library, I¡¯m afraid. There¡¯s a scroll and book store a couple blocks that way; the Tattered Scroll. I think they do more enchanting and magic stuff and cater to adventurers. I¡¯ve never looked inside, honestly. The Church of the Crystal Shield has their historical archives, but that¡¯s probably not what you¡¯re after either,¡± he says with a chuckle, ncing at her holy symbol.


    She shakes her head politely. ¡°No, probably not. While the Shield and the Great Mother get along well, I¡¯d imagine their own acolytes are more than able to tend to their histories.¡±


    He nods at that, reaching a hand up to pick at the tip of one of his horns as he thinks. ¡°Well¡­ the various guilds have their collections. The Dungeoneers probably won¡¯t let you at their knowledge without joining, or paying them handsomely for the privilege. Hmm. You might try the local Adventurer¡¯s Guild: Slim Chance. I hear their collection of monster knowledge could use a dedicated hand. Yvonne tends it as best she can, but she¡¯s an active adventurer, too.¡±


    T considers the options and smiles at the minotaur, giving him a small bow of respect. ¡°Thank you, sir. You¡¯ve been most helpful.¡±¡°Any time, littledy. If you ever need flour,e find me at my mill. It¡¯s the only one well inside town, since I can mill by hand!¡± He smiles jovially before taking his leave, letting T chew over the options as she continues to follow the traffic.


    The shop could be a good ce to try, but she is very likely to be unqualified. Even as a follower of the Mother of Magic, her enchanting ability is¡­cking, to say the least. Such a shop would want her to enchant scrolls, not copy ancient tomes. Should she try the adventurer¡¯s guild, then?


    The idea of her joining such a guild makes her smirk at the absurdity. She¡¯s no adventurer. Although, if the kind miller minotaur is correct, they might specifically <em>not</em> want an adventurer to tend their library. She should probably stop by there eventually anyway, to see about the price of creating a quest to find an Ice Sage.


    Her musings are interrupted by the realization that the traffic is growing thicker as she approaches the center of town, with much of it seeming to flow toward arge, creepy looking manor. Is that the dungeon everyone is so excited about? She can¡¯t imagine any other reason for so many people to be headed that way, though the type of people are not what she would usually expect from adventurers.


    While she can pick out a few individuals and small groups that look like seasoned veterans, most of the people look like ordinary townsfolk or maybe crafters of varying professions. She slips out of the flow and into the calm of an outdoor eating area, just outside of a bakery of some kind. The wondrous scentsing from inside call her to enter, but she resists for now, choosing instead to try to listen for any details.


    She¡¯s heard of active dungeons in the center of towns before, but this is the first she¡¯s ever seen. Most are at the outskirts or maybe in the sewers, but this one seems almost in the dead center of town! That implies it used to belong to a local lord, possibly a founder. They must have been deposed in disgrace at some point, if the new lord decided to not move in.


    The questions as to the origin of the manor urge her to try to find the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Surely they would have information on a location that became a dungeon! The temptation of knowledge makes her drool a little, or maybe it¡¯s the bakery she¡¯s standing outside of. A rumble from her stomach confirms the cause, so she gets in line to purchase something.


    Inside, she finds a very rotund troll woman tending the ovens, while a tall and thin troll man works the counter. Most people are getting what¡¯s apparently called cobble bread, with the option of cheese or no. It looks like a bunch of small rolls baked in too small a pan and fused together, which seems like an odd choice to T, until she sees someone enjoying it. The little rolls can be easily pulled from the whole, giving a nice bite-sized morsel to enjoy.


    She is so getting some with cheese.


    When she reaches the counter, the troll smiles at her with a twinkle in his eyes. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re new! Gonna have some lunch then delve Thedeim?¡±


    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the tform they originally published on.


    ¡°Um¡­ Thedeim?¡± she asks, knocked from her thoughts by the question.


    His smile simply gets bigger. ¡°Ah, <em>very</em> new then! Wee to Fourdock, miss. If you¡¯re delving, we rmend the fortified cobblebread. Guaranteed to help you tough out a hard fight! If not, the normal cobblebread is just as tasty, minus the buff and markup, heh.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh, no delving for me, no. I wouldn¡¯t know what to do in a fight. Normal cobblebread please. Uh, with cheese!¡± she quickly adds.


    The troll nods and offers her a clump, as well as a small sweetroll. ¡°No charge for the roll, miss. It always pays to give a new customer a little something extra. Anyway, if you¡¯re going to be in the area for a while, you should try delving Thedeim at least once. He¡¯s a dungeon unlike any other!¡±


    T smiles awkwardly and nods as she pays. ¡°I¡¯ll uh¡­ keep that in mind. Oh¡­ do you know where the adventurer¡¯s guild is? I¡¯ve heard their book collection is in need of a practiced hand,¡± she exins, not wanting to give the impression that she¡¯s interested in delving after all.


    The troll simplyughs away her awkward exnation before responding. ¡°The Slim Chance is about five blocks away. Just turn left and fight the flow, you¡¯ll eventually find the guild at the headwaters of the peopleing to delve, heh.¡±


    ¡°Thank you sir, for the directions and dessert!¡± She grabs a simple wooden te and takes a seat outside to enjoy her bread and roll as she tries to get over her social awkwardness. At least the people of the town are friendly. Usually, if a town is having a boom, there are some who resent outsiders, not wanting their own slice of the pie to be thinned to make room. From the attitudes she¡¯s seen so far, the prevailing opinion is there¡¯s plenty for everyone.


    From how many people she watches enter the dungeon as she eats, it¡¯s probably because of the dungeon. Plenty of people enter, and most of the people leaving seem to be in high spirits, even the ones nursing injuries. She shakes her head as she watches an elf with a broken armugh with hispanions. Only adventurers could be so se with their lives. How many enter those gates and never get the chance to walk back out? She can only guess.


    Her mncholic mood onlysts as long as it takes her to reach her sweetroll. The honeyed treat knocks such dour thoughts clean out of her head and lets her simply enjoy the treat. The adventurers know how dangerous their line of work is, she supposes. They would probably balk at the idea of organizing a messy shelf of books just as she would balk at the idea of facing some vering monstrosity. To each their own.


    She feels much better with a full stomach as she returns the wooden te, then follows the directions to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. It looks like the stream is fading, making her imagine she witnessed a change of shifts in the dungeon, as ridiculous as the notion sounds to her. Inside, the guild looks much like a tavern, though with one wall upied with quest notices, and the space behind the bar full of trophies as well as bottles of liquor. Also behind the bar is a thin orc, clearing away a few dishes.


    His eyesnd on her and he nods before turning to his sink, silently acknowledging her presence and letting her know there¡¯s no rush. He¡¯ll be washing dishes until she needs him. She dly takes the time to try to gather her thoughts and look over some of the posted quests. Over half of them are for something in Thedeim. It looks like there¡¯s a lot more to that dungeon than just the abandoned manor. Most of the other quests are for other dungeons, with a few not specifying which dungeon to delve at all. There are also bounties for criminals, requests for scouts, requests for more mundane help like getting firewood, and more.


    Seeing the variety helps her feel more confident in the odd request she¡¯ll be making. While most of the quests are in dungeons, it¡¯s not a requirement. Her Ice Sage may be a special encounter in a dungeon, or it may be something else. Either way, she makes her way to the bar, where the orc is already drying his hands, waiting for her.


    ¡°Hello miss. Are you here to sign up, or are you looking to post a quest?¡± he asks with a smooth confidence.


    ¡°...a bit of both, I think? I¡¯ve heard you have a library in need of a scribe or even librarian?¡±


    He chuckles at that and nods. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be a terrible thing to have someone else working on it. Yvonne does a good job when she¡¯s here, but she can¡¯t always be here. I can probably afford to hire an actual librarian. You also had a quest to give, yeah?¡±


    Her confidence at tending books wavers in the face of needing to exin her quest, but it needs to be done. She takes a moment before exining. ¡°The Great Mother sent me north to seek the Ice Sage, but I don¡¯t know what that is. I¡¯d like to set a quest for help, but I don¡¯t know how much I can pay.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ an Ice Sage? Haven¡¯t heard of that one. If it¡¯s a monster, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s in my books. If you¡¯re gonna be the librarian, you¡¯ll soon know better than I will, though. If it¡¯s not in there, I¡¯ll take your quest, personally. I know a few people who know things. We can discuss payment if they turn anything up.¡±


    T gives him a confused look. ¡°The bartender will take my quest?¡±


    He mirrors her look of confusion beforeughing. ¡°I¡¯m not just the bartender! I¡¯m Karn the Slight, master of the Slim Chance guild!¡±


    She pales at the revtion, worried she insulted who she was hoping would be her boss. ¡°I¡­ guess that¡¯s my odds of getting the librarian job, then?¡±


    Heughs again and shakes his head. ¡°Our motto is to defy the odds, young miss¡­¡± he trails off, and she btedly realizes she never told him her name.


    ¡°T! T, Mr. Karn.¡±


    ¡°Well miss T, I think you¡¯ll be a fine fit for a librarian. It won¡¯t pay as much as adventuring, but there¡¯s a small office off the library you can use as a room, if you need one. Do you have anything you¡¯d need to move in?¡±


    She fights a blush of embarrassment and shakes her head. ¡°Oh¡­ no. I have some coin to purchase what I need, but nothing else. I thought it best to travel light.¡±


    ¡°Probably a good idea, yeah. Well, let¡¯s get you settled.¡± He steps out from behind the bar and motions for her to follow him up the stairs and to the library. Honestly, she¡¯s seen worse. Although¡­


    ¡°Are those bees?¡±


    He smirks and nods. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll exinter. Just shoo them out of the way if you need to. They¡¯re friendly enough. Anyway, you can get a look at the library, and I¡¯ll see if my contacts know about this Ice Sage of yours.¡±


    She nods absently as she traces the source of bees to a corner that looks like a mouse or maybe a rat chewed a small hole near the ceiling. She can¡¯t imagine why bees would be in here, but if the guildmaster isn¡¯t concerned, she should try to listen and not bother them too much. Instead, she heads to the catalogue, hoping to get a better idea of how the collection is organized, and what improvements she can make.


    It doesn¡¯t take her long to hope she gets to meet this Yvonne in person soon. The methodology of organization is fascinating, one she hasn¡¯t seen before. She¡¯d love to talk with whoever came up with it.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Eighty-Three

    Chapter Two-Hundred Eighty-Three


    Today is looking to be pretty busy. Onyx should being out of her spawner soon, Hullbreak seems to have decided what spawner he¡¯s going to add to his new cliff-side section, my own new section is starting to see curious delvers go deeper and deeper, and it even looks like Berdol is getting ready to inspect Hullbreak. He even has a new friend, if the expedition reports are to be believed.


    And that¡¯s just on the home front. Vanta¡¯s borders have stabilized now, so the Southwood is giving the little guy some more advice on how to set up nodes and trying to give advice for encounters. Vanta loves numbers, and never sends one of his little denizens when he could instead send a swarm. I doubt he¡¯s able to specialize his spawners yet, but I bet he¡¯ll be aiming for every swarm variation he can get.


    The idea of swarms has even had me digging through theplex web of options for my spawners, wondering if I could do anything interesting. My bees are probably the best suited for that, but I don¡¯t know if I want swarms of them, at least not yet. The bumbles have had a few fights with the more curious delvers, but I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d call a swarm of them a fun fight. Honestly, once I get the next tier of spawn, I¡¯ll probably have the bumbles join the rotation in the manor and on the grounds.


    It¡¯s difficult to keep focused on my own things right now, though. I kinda want to tag along on the inspection for Hullbreak, but I also don¡¯t want to miss Onyx emerging and possibly saying Violet¡¯s first words! Thankfully, though I can¡¯t personally be in multiple ces at once, I have scions who can do it for me!


    ¡°I¡¯ll go hang out with Berdol and his new friend, Boss. I¡¯ve been meaning to ask the First Mate if there¡¯s anything her Captain needs for the lighthouse. Light, probably, but you know what I mean,¡± he finishes with a smirk as hezes not far from my core. If my core keeps getting bigger, I¡¯m going to need to ask him to expand the space in the Secret Sanctum. Or just dig out more area.


    ¡°And I think Rocky¡¯ll be more than happy to wait to greet Onyx. She¡¯s been kinda looking up to him, and once she¡¯s a Voice proper, they¡¯ll have all sorts of things to talk about, I''m sure.¡±


    Works for me. I poke Rocky with the idea and feel eagerness, even as he winds down his training. I dunno if a cooldown is required for scions or for undead, but the routine seems to be working pretty well for Rocky, so I¡¯m not going to force him to speed it up. There¡¯s enough room on Onyx¡¯ progress bar that he can afford to take a bit of time.


    Oh, and make sure to ask if Hullbreak needs anything elsewhere, too. It¡¯s good for him to be fully in charge of his new expansion, but there¡¯s nothing wrong with getting some help.


    Teemo just waves me off. ¡°I¡¯ll ask him, but I doubt he¡¯ll take it. You have your own expansion to n, don¡¯t go taking on nning his, too.¡±I grumble and Teemo chuckles before darting through a shortcut. How dare he be reasonable, and even worse: right! Still, goofing around aside, I should make sure I¡¯m not mistaking procrastination for patience. I focus on the¡­ I dunno, line of two seasons? Propeller of two seasons? Whatever my half-a-forest is.


    Titania and Poppy are working hard, as are my denizens. I upgrade the spawners while I¡¯m at it, upping the spawn rate but not going so far as to get a new tier of denizen yet. While I can see a lot of work still to be done, I don¡¯t want to rush it and ruin the whole project. The pixies are settling into their niche of defenders against the boring beetles, while the living vines are spearheading the efforts to nt new herbalism nodes.


    They¡¯re spreading and growing quickly, and though only a couple of the new nodes are ready for harvesting yet, the more adventurous delvers are definitely jotting down every patch they can find forter. I¡¯m not too worried about them potentially mapping out the section. Thevabyrinth is the section designed to test their pathfinding, the forest is going to be a test of their martial and magical might. I don¡¯t mind parties plotting a route to hit whatever nodes they need. The challenges will be in getting there, not in navigating there.


    I make sure to pat Titania and Poppy¡¯s bonds with plenty of encouragement and happiness at their progress. They¡¯re both doing a bang-up job already, and Poppy even tries to draw my attention to the yew/willow project. Poppy has a whole pile of seeds for what should be true hybrids that she wants to test, and I give her my blessing to see what they have to offer. I don¡¯t know if any of them are viable yet,and judging from how it looks like she¡¯s still working on cross-pollinating, I don¡¯t think she quite knows yet, either. Still, it¡¯ll be interesting to see if any of them will sprout, let alone hybridize into the kind of tree I¡¯m looking for.


    If they don¡¯t, there¡¯s already a pretty strong contender among the experiments in growing the trees together. There¡¯s several variations on grafting, but the process seems a bitbor intensive and doesn''t quite give the look I want. One that looks very promising is a tree where Poppy is coaxing the willow to grow almost more like a vine than a tree, winding around the yew as a base. Above the ground, it¡¯s very promising. The roots might be an issue, though.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition.


    Poppy has a handful of vines constantly tending the roots of the two trees, ensuring one doesn¡¯t crowd out the other. I think it¡¯ll still work at scale, even if I have to upgrade the vine spawner to have the numbers for it, but I¡¯m not ready tomit to it yet. It¡¯ll be a solid n B while Poppy experiments with the hybrid seeds.


    The sudden chill of Teemo diving into the ocean derails my train of thought, and I feel his smug satisfaction as I focus on him. ¡°Ah, the Boss is paying attention now! Done ying with nts for the moment?¡± he asks. While Queen¡¯s version of a water-breathing potion makes it a bit awkward to speak underwater, Teemo is still a Voice, so it¡¯s easy not only for me to understand, but the others as well.


    Said others are Berdol, who is looking like he¡¯s trying to stay professional and notugh, and a tall elf who looks mildly ufortable about the whole situation.


    ¡°So, the new guy is nder, Boss. He says he¡¯s a pretty experienced delver, and the ODA hired him to help Berdol with the spring inspections.¡±


    The elf looks more confused at that, and is easier able to express it thanks to the aqua affinity potion he must have gotten from Old Staiven. ¡°ODA? The Dungeoneer¡¯s Guild contracted me.¡±


    Teemo waves him off. ¡°That¡¯s just what the Boss likes to call you guys. He came up with it before anyone ever told him the real name, so he tends to still use it because he thinks it¡¯s funny.¡±


    The elf looks more confused, while Berdol abandons his professional demeanor for a moment andughs. ¡°That¡¯s just Thedeim. He¡¯s a bit odd, but easy to get along with.¡± nder still doesn¡¯t look like he gets it, but he doesn¡¯t try to bbor the point. Berdol takes a few more seconds topose himself, before addressing Teemo with a more business-like tone.


    ¡°Voice Teemo, would you be willing to ask the Voice of Hullbreak if she would like to apany us on the inspection? She seemed inclined to, once we were done fishing.¡± I can feel a ping from Hullbreak, which Teemo interprets before I can really process it.


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s on her way. You can get started on the nodes until she gets here?¡±


    Berdol nods and checks his clipboard, making me wonder just how Staiven¡¯s aqua affinity potion actually works. There¡¯s a lot ofplex things that have to be going on to allow paper and even <em>ink</em> to function properly. Queen probably would know, but I don¡¯t think I could torture Teemo with having to sit through her trying to exin it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get a sample of the corals first, then. It looks like most of the seaweed and mbeds have defenders. So we¡¯ll chip off a few pieces while we wait for her.¡± He looks over to the elf, who nods with a faint smirk as he replies.


    ¡°You¡¯re the boss on this one. I¡¯m the hired muscle, heh.¡± nder pulls a pick from his bag while Berdol produces just a pick head, and everyone swims down toward the nearest coral. The elf quickly slices off a chunk, while Berdol spots one of the sea cucumbers and makes a note, which Teemo shamelessly swims up to read.


    ¡°The sea cucumbers appear unchanged and are still specialized for resources, helping the corals grow. Coral nodes appear to be slightly richer sincest inspection, so are likely upgraded. No new varieties spotted as of yet.¡±


    Berdol yanked away his notes as soon at Teemo started reading, but my Voice continued from memory until done, and even blows a raspberry at Berdol for the fruitless effort. ¡°Still verbose. Tarl would have probably said ¡®cucumbers unchanged, coral nodes upgraded, no new nodes¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I like to take more detailed notes, so I don¡¯t forget anything,¡± counters Berdol on the defensive.


    Teemo eases up a bit and smiles. ¡°Fair enough. You wouldn¡¯t believe the notes the Boss takes sometimes to try to not forget something. Then he forgets where he put the note, or even that he made it in the first ce, and makes a fresh one.¡±


    Hey!


    Berdol cheers up at that, while nder still seems a bit confused by a dungeon having banter with an inspector.


    A shadow passes over the group as the First Mate appears, smiling at the good-natured ribbing. ¡°The Admiral seems like he has so many things bouncing around the hold of his mind, I¡¯m surprised he hasn¡¯t capsized. Still, it works. The Captain is doing better as his vassal than he has in a long time.¡±


    Teemo grins and nods. ¡°That¡¯s why he has all us scions, to keep things stable! I can¡¯t imagine what would happen if he tried to do all this on his own.¡±


    Neither can I.


    Teemo¡¯s cheeky smile falters and the First Mateughs as I turn the tables on him.


    ¡°No fair agreeing with me, Boss! How am I supposed to talk smack now?¡±


    You¡¯re not.


    Teemo sputters for a few moments while I do my best to grin at him, before he changes the subject. ¡°Anyway, you wanted to tag along for the inspection?¡±


    The First Mate bobs up and down in the water in a sharky nod. ¡°I do. The Captain also invites the inspector to his Sanctum once he¡¯s done.¡± Her eyes manage to twinkle with mischief as she nces at Teemo. ¡°I suppose you cane, too.¡±


    ¡°No respect¡­¡± gripes Teemo for a few moments before he can¡¯t hold the charade any longer, and bursts out with augh. ¡°Alright, enough shenanigans! Berdol has an inspection to do, he doesn¡¯t need colormentary from us in the peanut gallery. That includes you, Boss.¡±


    Hey!


    ¡°I¡¯ll m up and let you guys get to it. I¡¯ll let you know if anything interesting happens, Boss. It feels like Rocky is trying to get your attention.¡±


    I curiously turn my attention to Rocky, and Teemo¡¯s right. Rocky is right outside the crack that hides the shadow spirit spawner, and it looks like Onyx¡¯ progress bar is about finished filling. Time to hear what my protege has to say!

 Chapter Two-Hundred Eighty-Four

    Chapter Two-Hundred Eighty-Four


    <strong>Onyx</strong>


    Being chosen as Voice filled Onyx with conflicting emotions. On the one hand, being chosen is an incredible honor. On the other hand, it¡¯s an honor she would have expected to go to Legs or Cappy. They¡¯ve been with Violet from the start, whereas she and Nose came after her first expansion. She feels a little guilty getting the title over them. Or she would have, if they didn¡¯t seem to be fully onboard with her receiving it.


    Legs is much happier tending to his metalworks, creating things for the denizens and delvers. She can¡¯t forget the wonderful metallic w gauntlets he made for her, and she hopes they¡¯ll still fit once she finishes adapting to her title.


    Cappy seemed interested in the title, but he¡¯s enough of a thinker to point out the obvious w with giving it to him: he can¡¯t easily leave. They¡¯ve all seen Teemo go on long expeditions to negotiate for Mentor Thedeim, and though Cappy could probably manage to spread himself to the points of interest inside Fourdock, something like a trip to the Southwood would be beyond him.


    She even asked Nose if he might have wanted the title, but he seems to have his ws full with just being an Explorer now. He¡¯s more interested in going out and looking at all the interesting things around. While that would make it easy for him to go on long expeditions to other dungeons, it would make it harder for him tomunicate with the delvers and Mentor Thedeim.


    While Onyx is still uncertain about the decision, Violet seems happy, even <em>excited</em> to see the gremlin be her voice. With her new expansion, Violet will sure have a lot to say to the world atrge, and maybe even need Onyx to exin to the two new scions how things will work in detail. She¡¯s tempted to dy her ascension to meet the two new scions properly, but she can feel the <em>need</em> to return to the spawner. She doesn¡¯t know what will happen if she doesn¡¯t, but she¡¯s not sure she even <em>could</em> resist for much longer.


    She settles for trying to greet them through the mutual bond they all have with Violet, hoping Teeth and Slimy won¡¯t feel snubbed, as she enters the crack in the wall that holds her spawner.


    She hasn¡¯t been here since herst lesson with Berdol, and she¡¯s looking forward to learning more from him once she emerges. Inside the spawner is so much different than outside, like some peacefully-dark version of one of Teemo¡¯s shortcuts. Reality works differently here, in ways she can¡¯t describe.


    She settles in, though she can¡¯t quite wrap her mind around how, and feels her thoughts start to drift. She can feel herself changing, feel her <em>senses</em> changing. It could be terrifying if not for the bond with Violet slowly growing more and more clear, her happiness and excitement providing a stable bedrock for her shifting form and perceptions.She wonders how Teemo sees Mentor Thedeim, as his Voice. She and the other scions know Violet is much simpler than he is. She¡¯s so much younger, so it makes sense. She can already tell she¡¯ll need to interpret a lot more than Teemo probably does. The swirl of emotions she senses from her dungeon is growing clearer, not moreplicated. Delvers are fun, invaders are painful, sewage is¡­ tasty?


    Even in whatever state she¡¯s in, Onyx shudders at that thought. It¡¯s good for Violet to have a stable source of mana, but it just feels <em>wrong</em> for her to think about it like that. She¡¯ll try to exin it to her once she emerges, maybe. Should she potentially deprive her dungeon of a good source of mana, just because she personally doesn¡¯t like its source?


    ¡­ she won¡¯t try to make Violet reject the sewage mana, but she can hopefully get her thinking in terms of it being useful instead of tasty. Time seems to pass in a haze as she tries to think of a way to do that, until a question drifts through the bond, quiet as smoke and as easy to miss as a shadow.


    <em>What should I say first?</em>


    It¡¯s not said in so many words, but rather a swirling mix of impressions and memories. Mentor Thedeim is eager to hear her say something, and Rocky is even waiting outside the spawner to greet her once she¡¯s done. They expect something, but what should Violet say?


    The expectation seems to trigger a slow anxiety in her dungeon, which Onyx is quick to try to address before it can get out of hand, even with her still in the spawner, her ascension not fullyplete.


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    ¡°What would you like to express that you couldn¡¯t before?¡± she asks in her mind, the concept moving through the bond with only slight resistance. The anxiety is waid as Violet tries to think, more memories and emotions spilling out of the bond as her ascension nearspletion.


    First is a memory of fear, of great things beyond Violet¡¯s power, prowling just outside her territory. Freddie and Rhonda, the orc and goblin that Violet still likes to think of as mushrooms sometimes, her first delvers. First, she thought them overwhelming invaders, but they created mana from fighting her denizens, rather than stealing it away. Invaders, but not? Then Teemo, and Aranya. The terror of first seeing them is so at odds with how Violet sees them now, and Onyx can feel more a bit of shame from her dungeon at how she first perceived them.


    Then the offer of mentorship, and the gratefulness of Mentor Thedeim¡¯s guidance. He protected her from the scythemaws, encouraged her with her nodes and spawners, even helped teach Onyx how to fight! Fighting is still scary to Violet, but a little bit of challenge isn¡¯t <em>too</em> bad.


    Onyx sends her own feeling of relief through the bond at that. She knew her desire to fight was something Violet wasn¡¯tfortable with, at least at first, but it seems she¡¯sing to ept it, in moderation.


    She¡¯s alsoe to see the necessity of fighting at times. She was ted to see Hullbreak alsoe to learn from Mentor Thedeim, even if she¡¯s having trouble understanding the difference between protege and vassal. All she knows is her Mentor is helping a dungeon much older than she is. Even old dungeons can learn, so they both should learn as much as possible from Mentor Thedeim.


    Then came the problem with the Southwood. While she was happy to see an ally, even if she still doesn¡¯t quite understand the distinction, the new invaders were absolutely terrifying! Violet knew she couldn¡¯t fight them directly, but when Mentor Thedeim started that big fate spell, she saw a way she could finally contribute!


    The happiness at helping sticks with Onyx as she finishes ascending, and makes her way out of the spawner. Her movement is different now. While she could always slip through tiny cracks, she feels like she has to slip <em>everywhere</em> now! Her sensese into focus and she takes the time to examine herself, and the extensive changes she¡¯s undergone.


    Gremlins are small shadows, but need to mostly retain their shape. But now she¡¯s a shade, able to freely change her form, to be a darkness clinging to surfaces, or to be a figure standing wherever she pleases. She explores the ability before suddenly needing to check something.


    Her gauntlets areying just outside the crack, and she¡¯s relieved to see she can form her hands inside them and move the gifts from Legs around freely. She even takes the time to copy something she¡¯s seen some shadow affinity delvers do, and encases the ws in shadow, allowing her to easily move them wherever she pleases.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good trick, Onyx.¡±


    She jerks against the wall in surprise, holding her ws up defensively, before she realizes it¡¯s just Rocky. She detes and reaches a w toward him, before thinking better of it and swapping to a hand without a weapon. ¡°Hello Rocky.¡±


    He grins and bumps her fist. ¡°A shade now. You¡¯re going to make the delvers jumpy, especially if I start teaching you how to fight properly.¡±


    Onyx is utterly unaware of how creepy her grin at that idea looks, especially with Rocky looking just as eager to start training. Before he can lead her to a better ce for it, though, he pauses and nods. ¡°Right, Coach wanted me to watch for you toe out, in case Violet had anything she wanted to say to him. Teemo would be here, but there¡¯s a new inspector or something that Coach wants him to keep an eye on. So, anything to say?¡±


    The anxiety from Violet starts creeping back in, but Onyx smiles as she speaks up. ¡°Yes. I think, most of all, Violet wants to say ¡®thank you¡¯. Things are still confusing for her, and she wants your help to understand it, and she also greatly appreciates everything. I do mean <em>everything</em>, too. She knows there¡¯s been a lot of things you¡¯ve protected her from, dangers she could vaguely see, but had no idea how tobat. You¡¯ve kept her from the overwhelming things, and let her grow with the challenges she can handle. So thank you.¡±


    Rocky is quiet for a few seconds, before he dons a small smile. ¡°I don¡¯t need to be a Voice to know the Coach is happy to hear that. He worries about a lot of things, but now maybe he has one less thing to worry about. Or one more thing, heh.¡±


    Onyx smiles as she feels Violet¡¯s happiness settle over her like a warm nket, though the new Voice isn¡¯t without her own concerns. ¡°That reminds me, though. I want to train, but I should probably try to exin to Violet the difference between tastiness and usefulness.¡±


    Rocky looks confused at that, making Onyx sigh and continue. ¡°Sewage. It¡¯s good mana, but¡­¡±


    She trails off as Rocky snorts in amusement. ¡°Fair enough. I¡¯ll be in the Coach¡¯s caverns for a while, or at the arena. Come find meter, yeah?¡±


    Onyx nods. ¡°Yeah. See you around, Rocky.¡± She waves as he takes his leave, then melts into a pool of ckness to more easily make her way to the Sanctum. She can feel Violet¡¯s curiosity about what she wants to talk about, and tries to organize her thoughts. Sparring with Rocky would probably be easier than exining this, but it needs to be done.


    ¡°Alright, Violet. Uh¡­¡±

 Chapter Two-Hundred Eighty-Five

    Chapter Two-Hundred Eighty-Five


    <strong>Teemo</strong>


    He may have promised to keep quiet for Berdol¡¯s inspection, but a Voice has more ways tomunicate than just with sound. He watches Berdol go about his duties, with nder following his instructions, trying to figure out what the elf is up to.


    <em>What do you think of that guy?</em> he asks the First Mate, using bodynguage and a strange something else that seems to be a major part of shark speak. It¡¯s not harder than pheromoning back at Queen when they talk, but it is another odd form ofmunication.


    <em>He¡¯s suspicious</em>, agrees the First Mate, her own eyes watching nder¡¯s every move.


    <em>Don¡¯t stare</em>, he directs her with a smirk. <em>He might think you hate him, or even worse, that you like him!</em>


    He chortles as she res at him, but at least she¡¯s being more subtle with her observations now. <em>He¡¯s very high level. I can¡¯t get a better read than that.</em>


    The rat scion absently nods. <em>Yeah, same. He seems friendly enough, but he¡¯s definitely slumming it out here. So why?</em>


    The First Mate bobs in a shrug. <em>Who knows. Delvers are even moreplicated to predict than the Admiral.</em>


    Teemo nods to that as Berdol and nder engage a small group of fighter crabs, which nder dispatches with a single attack.¡°Parting Thrust!¡± Teemo¡¯s pretty sure ives aren¡¯t really built for thrusting, but this guy didn¡¯t get the memo. The motion looks like a thrust, but it sends a tall de of force through the salty water that easily bisects the two crabs. The Voice can¡¯t help but whistle, impressed.


    Berdol seems to feel the same way, as he turns to the experienced elf. ¡°That was strong! Are you used to fighting underwater?¡±


    The elf smirks and shrugs. ¡°Not exactly ¡®used¡¯ to it, but I¡¯ve done it before. Nobody ever expects a ive thrust, so it¡¯s be a staple of my style. A good control of kic affinity lets me project and focus the energy without needing a spike to do it for me.¡±


    Berdol nods at that, flipping his notes to a new page to jot that down for his own use, before returning to his inspection notes.


    ¡°How different is it from thest inspection?¡± asks nder, looking at the floating clipboard.


    ¡°Tarl inspected Hullbreak not long after Thedeim vassalized him. Thedeim got him back up and running, but most of the nodes and spawners were pretty basic in thest inspection. The kelp nodes were a lot less bountiful, for example.¡±


    nder nods, looking unaware of Teemo and the First Mate subtly observing him. ¡°And the crabs?¡±


    Berdol takes a moment to check the notes before responding. ¡°I think you¡¯re stronger than Tarl, so it¡¯s hard to gauge the difference, but I think they¡¯ve only had one, maybe two upgrades. Or he¡¯s using the basic crabs for the nodes and keeping higher ones for the lighthouse.¡±


    The Elf hums at that. ¡°It really wasn¡¯t there in the fall?¡±


    Berdol shakes his head as he gathers a few samples of kelp. ¡°Nope. Thedeim was preparing construction, but I believe it wasn¡¯t started by then. It¡¯s not quite finished yet, but it should be operational. Right?¡± He turns to look at the First Mate at that, who quickly nods.


    ¡°Aye. The Captain is still tuning the encounters, but I doubt they¡¯ll prove much of a challenge to Mr. nder.¡±


    He tries to wave off her confidence in him. ¡°If it¡¯s cramped, I¡¯ll have a lot more trouble than even under the waves. The de makes a good rudder, but I still need room to bring it about. Just because I <em>can</em> thrust with it, doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s the best way to use it.¡±


    Teemo¡¯s not convinced, but doesn¡¯t see any point in arguing, nor does the First Mate. ¡°Then I hope you don¡¯t mind if the Captain sends a few sharks to defend the m beds. I don¡¯t think he was able to send any at Tarl in thest inspection.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯d be very helpful, if you don¡¯t mind?¡± adds Berdol. ¡°We only have an estimate of the strength of the shark denizens. I think the only delver to deliberately challenge them was a dwarven ship captain who wanted to fish them.¡±


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    The First Mate rumbles in mirth at the memory. ¡°I hope hees back soon. I haven¡¯t had a personal challenge from a delver before. He took the loss well, and I can¡¯t wait to see what he ns to do better.¡±


    nder gives her a bit of side-eye before shrugging. ¡°I should be able to handle a shark or two. Any specializations I should worry about?¡±


    ¡°Not especially. We¡¯re focused for fighting, not for any real trickery.¡±


    ¡°Boss should see if Queen can make some go-juice for you guys. Or your eels. Both would fit,¡±ments Teemo.


    ¡°Go-Juice?¡± asks nder, prompting Berdol to exin.


    ¡°It¡¯s what Thedeim calls the lightning affinity serum his Alchemist can produce. In delvers, it behaves much like a hastening potion. For denizens, however, it grants lightning affinity. I think it needs to be reapplied between spawns, but it¡¯s verymon to see lightning denizens in and around the manor.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡± nder seems to chew on that information as the inspection continues toward the m beds, with his focus returning as a pair of tiger sharks move to intercept him and Berdol. Where he seemed pretty rxed against the crabs, he¡¯s focused on the sharks. He interposes himself between the catkin and the iing fish, ive held ready.


    The sharks don¡¯t seem impressed as they part, moving to circle the two in opposite directions. nder moves decisively as they approach, as if he knew exactly how they would position themselves. He wasn''t kidding about the de making a good rudder, as he shes it upward toward the one shark, before turning his grip and letting him push against the weapon to position himself properly to bring it down at the other.


    ¡°Twin Crescents!¡± he shouts, two des of force hurtling toward the sleek predators. The first is cleaved through before it can do much, but the other manages to twist and lose only a portion of its tail.


    It may have avoided the fatal blow, but with the loss of maneuverability, it can¡¯t get out of the way of Berdol¡¯s flying des. ¡°Lacerate!¡± The catkin doesn¡¯t have the raw force behind his attack to finish off the wounded shark, but its remaining fins are disabled, allowing nder to swim up and casually behead the denizen. He brings the trophy back to Berdol, who works to remove as many teeth as he can before the rest disperses back into mana.


    ¡°I think you could handle more than just a couple sharks, my guy,¡±ments Teemo, which only gets another shrug from nder.


    ¡°On my own, sure. While you don¡¯t seem the type to try to sneak in and get Berdol, I should still keep on my toes.¡±


    Berdol manages to extract an even dozen teeth before the shark disperses, and speaks as he moves to gather a few ms. ¡°I think I¡¯m with them, nder. You¡¯d probably have to fight the Quartermaster or First Mate to have a challenge.¡±


    The elf looks very interested in that notion, and turns his attention to Teemo¡¯s current ride. ¡°Would you be interested in a fight, First Mate?¡±


    She shakes her head. ¡°No. I¡¯m strong, but I¡¯m not especially interested in fighting delvers. Nor is the Quartermaster, I¡¯d wager. The Admiral knocked the desire to fight out of him very effectively.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Teemo nods. ¡°Yeah. When the Boss vassalized Hullbreak, it wasn¡¯t as smooth as he would have liked. Hullbreak pulled a desperate gambit, selling off basically everything to make an albatros scion: the Quartermaster. He¡¯s storm affinity, and pretty good at it, too.¡± Berdol leads the group toward the lighthouse as Teemo continues.


    ¡°It was a pretty clever n, for how desperate it was. He was going to attack Fourdock directly with the scion and a bunch of gulls if we didn¡¯t back off, leaving them both to starve. Of course, the Boss isn¡¯t that easy to outmaneuver. He sent Poe to stop him. He was doing a good job, until the Quartermaster dug deep and created a hurricane.¡±


    nder frowns at that. ¡°How did you rebuild so quickly?¡±


    Berdol snorts as Teemo grins. ¡°What, you think the Boss can¡¯t stop something little like a hurricane? He sent Fluffles, his Conduit. He ate the storm and obliterated the Quartermaster with it, and got a title to boot. Storm Eater.¡±


    nder¡¯s frown deepens at that. ¡°Storm Eater? Did he not have storm affinity before?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± Teemo grins wide, refusing to borate, much to the unhappiness of the experienced elf.


    ¡°We got a lot of reports from the incident,¡± offers Berdol. ¡°There were more than a few adventurers with storm affinity in the area, and they all said the same thing: that Fluffles somehow stole the energy of the hurricane and turned it back on the Quartermaster.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not how that works¡­¡± grumbles nder, only further cementing Teemo¡¯s grin. The elf is deep in thought until they get to the lighthouse, where Teemo has to part ways with the First Mate.


    ¡°Let me know if the Captain needs anything for the cliffs, yeah? Boss says you¡¯re in charge of it, but that doesn¡¯t mean you have to do everything without help.¡±


    The shark scions nods. ¡°I¡¯ll pass on anything he might wish to ask. I think he wants to give the new eels the chance to carve them, but he might ask for guidance with his spawners. The lighthouse will be limited to crabs and gulls for now. He wants to see what the delvers think of the encounters before adding anything else.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. We¡¯ll meet back up after they finish with this part?¡±


    She nods, and the three continue into the lighthouse. Teemo thinks Coda really outdid himself with the design, and can only imagine how much the delver masons learned in the project. He doesn''t let himself get too distracted, though, and keeps an eye on nder as they climb through the battles with the crabs and gulls.


    The elf is distracted, and Teemo doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s with the architecture. He¡¯s not even using any skills to quickly dismantle the encounters. While the demonstration of skill is more than a little intimidating, he can¡¯t help but be encouraged by how thrown the elf seems to be. He might be experienced, but he still hasn¡¯t seen everything. When ites to the Boss, he hasn¡¯t seen <em>anything</em>! If one of Fluffles¡¯ titles has him thrown off this badly, Teemo can¡¯t wait to see his reaction to some of the other things the Boss has done.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Eighty-Six

    Chapter Two-Hundred Eighty-Six


    The rest of the inspection of Hullbreak goes pretty well. I might have missed a couple details while listening in on Onyx trying to exin why sewage is not tasty. As amusing as it is to listen to, it¡¯s also very heartening for Hullbreak to invite the inspectors to his Sanctum.


    He¡¯s told the merfolk about it, as they are working on a temple for it, hidden in the kelp cave. They¡¯re still working on carving the walls, but the pedestal for his core is pretty nice. It¡¯s a triangr column fit for his size, though they¡¯ll need to expand it soon, or find some other way to disy it. It¡¯se a long way from being able to fit in the First Mate¡¯s mouth. It¡¯s¡­ about a yard on each edge, now? It¡¯ll be difficult for them to make a pedestal for something like that.


    Oh, they could make a recess in the pedestal and disy it point down. I dunno if his core has a designated up or not. My sphere doesn¡¯t, because that¡¯s kinda the point (orck thereof) in a sphere. I¡¯d have Teemo ask, but I don¡¯t want to interrupt the little ceremony. Showing your core is a big deal, and Berdol and nder understand that. Hullbreak is pretty nervous about it, but I also can feel resolve and relief in putting that kind of trust out there. He¡¯s not going to be holding guided tours of his Sancum to the ordinary delvers, but this should go a long way towards repairing rtions with the guild proper.


    I also consider Teemo¡¯s suspicion of nder. He¡¯s easily the strongest person I¡¯ve seen. Miller, Rer¡¯s butler, gives me strong vibes, too, but nothing as clear as with nder. Even if Miller is stronger, he¡¯s not going to delve me, so I¡¯m more than happy to chew on the problem that could actually <em>be</em> a problem.


    While I don¡¯t exactly expect he¡¯ll be like the trio when they first showed up, trying to attack residents and scions without a care, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to give him a delve he wants. At least not yet.


    I want to make the forest hard enough for him to need to pay attention, though I don¡¯t want to be strong enough to be a challenge for him yet. That kind of level of encounters would be <em>way</em> more than the other delvers can handle. He might have some fun with the gauntlet, or ying with the traps in thevabyrinth, but as far asbat encounters go, I think I only have one that could interest him: Rocky.


    If any of my scions are going to give him a proper encounter, it¡¯ll be Rocky. Just thinking about it has my zombie boxer looking excited, his fists a blur as he shadowboxes. He taps into his affinities as he has a proper workout, blending and transforming his known affinities in all sorts of interesting ways. Losing to the empowered Harbinger did nothing to dampen his spirit, and I¡¯d wager he¡¯s already working on techniques to counter thebo breaker moves it liked to do.


    Hmm¡­ I should make a thing of this. Like a <em>whole</em> thing. Rocky¡¯s bouts with the delvers have been pretty impromptu, spur of the moment affairs. What if we publicize it a bit? I can already feel Teemo¡¯s approval, even as he keeps quiet in the tail end of Hullbreak¡¯s inspection.


    What will we need? What does any good prize fight need? We need the fighters, sure, but we also need spectators. There¡¯s plenty of seats, but I think they can be improved on. It¡¯s been a while since it was put in properly. The stone benches aren¡¯t terrible, but I think we can do more. In addition to seating, we also need concession stands! The smiths and smelters have been making me some good mana working in the mall area outside thebyrinth. If it works for that, it should work for people making food, right?I even could put in that kitchen I picked up. I poke around the arena, looking for ces to put in a few amenities until Teemo, Berdol, and nder get back to Fourdock proper.


    Teemo easily rides Berdol¡¯s shoulder as they walk back to their guild, and speaks up as they get close.


    ¡°So, you guys are going to delve Violet next?¡±


    Berdol nods. ¡°Yep, probably in a day or two. Tr will want to update Hullbreak¡¯s packet, and that usually takes a couple days.¡±


    ¡°Cool. You know Violet imed the sewers, yeah? And she got her Voice, too?¡±


    Berdol looks happy, while nder looks rmed at the news. The elf can¡¯t get his thoughts in order before the catkin replies. ¡°That¡¯s great to hear! Well, not about her taking the sewers, but about the Voice. Who did she pick?¡±


    ¡°Onyx. Legs isn¡¯t very sociable, Nose is usually off on expedition, and Cappy isn¡¯t exactly mobile. Her other two scions are still getting settled, so she didn¡¯t want to overburden them.¡±


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    ¡°How many scions does she have?¡± asks nder, looking concerned. Teemo smirks at him, having fun teasing the high-level elf.


    ¡°Six. They grow up so fast.¡±


    ¡°But how? The upkeep¡­¡± He trails off as he runs the numbers, which only increases Teemo¡¯s smile.


    ¡°She¡¯s learning from the Boss. And she hasn¡¯t upgraded them too much yet, so there¡¯s not too much in the way of upkeep anyway. But I wanted to ask about after Violet¡¯s inspection. The Boss will be after, yeah?¡±


    Berdol nods while nder still looks distracted, but Teemo gets his attention quickly.


    ¡°Then the Boss would like to invite nder there to a prize fight. I can tell you¡¯re strong, and Rocky¡¯s just <em>itching</em> to fight someone as strong as you.¡±


    nder looks very guarded at that invitation. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°Why not? You¡¯d probably give Rocky the best challenge he¡¯s ever had from a delver!¡± exims Berdol, to the frown of nder.


    ¡°That¡¯s the zombie, right? I¡¯ve faced a few zombie scions before. They can be pretty good at taking a hit, but they¡¯re always so slow.¡±


    Teemo snorts as Berdol smiles. ¡°Trust me, he¡¯s not slow. He¡¯s a strange sort of fist fighter with a mastery of a wide range of affinities. What ones does he have now, Teemo? I think the official pamphlet is a bit out of date.¡±


    Teemo takes a moment to gather his thoughts, and totally not to increase the dramatic reveal. ¡°Let me see¡­ well, fate, but that hardly counts. Kic, fire, ice, sonic or thunder, if you prefer, and mental.¡±


    nder stares in disbelief as Berdol simply makes a note. ¡°Mental?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he picked it up from defending against the Harbinger. So far, it¡¯s all defense, so no worry about him messing with anyone¡¯s mind.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ how¡­ <em>picked up</em>?!¡± sputters nder. ¡°That¡¯s <em>not</em> how that works!¡±


    Teemo shrugs. ¡°Rocky has the title <strong>Affinity Savant</strong>. Argue with the title, if you want. Anyway, are you in?¡±


    ¡°In?¡±


    ¡°For the prize fight. I¡¯m sure Grim himself will be there to make sure nothing too bad happens. He takes the Boss¡¯ reputation for safety seriously. So, are you in?¡±


    nder looks like he wants to argue a couple points with Order, but he takes a minute or two to pace a bit and calm himself down before answering. ¡°So¡­ a challenge from the dungeon itself?¡± He looks to Berdol. ¡°Would the Dungeoneer¡¯s have any problem with this?¡±


    The catkin shrugs. ¡°I doubt it. Most of Thedeim¡¯s scions aren¡¯t really meant to fight, but Rocky is a major exception. There¡¯s even an arena in the tunnels specifically for fighting Rocky. The closest ones to winning so far were Freddie, Rhonda, and Larrez. Rocky still knocked all three of them out, but they dug the deepest and were rewarded. Most of the other challengers either thought they could get an easy win, or have been using the bouts as a test for new skills.¡±


    ¡°Are there any rules?¡±


    ¡°Mostly, just stay in the ring, stop if the bell rings. There¡¯s specifics for groups, but if you¡¯re solo, that¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°So I can use a weapon and my affinity? Armor?¡±


    Teemo nods. ¡°That¡¯s all fine. Rocky is training to be able to handle things like that. The Boss made him to be a proper boss fight, and Rocky has been having fun with it the entire time.¡±


    nder folds his arms, considering. It¡¯s not difficult to tell he¡¯s very cautious about epting a fight with my scion. I think he¡¯s been in more than a couple dungeons before, so I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if other ones might use something like this as a trap. On the other hand, you don¡¯t get as many levels as he has by avoiding challenges. I dunno if even Rocky can give him a good fight, but even the prospect has the elf sorely tempted.


    Eventually he sighs and straightens up. ¡°I ept.¡±


    Teemo and Berdol both smile wide, though I imagine for different reasons. Berdol will get to see one heck of an exhibition batch, where Teemo may have just secured me a big pile of mana. ¡°Great! Swing by the manor when you get the chance then. One of Boss¡¯ aranea should have a quest que for you. You can even do a bit of normal delving, if you want. The Boss has a lot of stuff to interest a delver.¡±


    nder looks ufortable once more when Teemo mentions a quest, but he¡¯s not backing down. ¡°I just might. I hear a lot about him, but I haven¡¯t had a chance to delve yet. That won¡¯t be a problem, right?¡±


    Berdol shakes his head. ¡°That¡¯ll be fine. The Dungeoneers are pretty friendly with the local dungeons, so I can¡¯t imagine you doing anything to change that. Heh, just take the time to read that booklet you got from Tr. Thedeim does a lot of things differently. If you¡¯re used to belligerents, it¡¯ll be a pretty significant shift.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do that, and probably stick around the guild to ask questions, too. There¡¯s a lot of things I haven¡¯t seen before.¡± He looks thoughtful as he and Berdol head inside the guild, and Teemo hops into a shortcut back home.


    None too soon, honestly. Onyx has gotten through to Violet about how sewage isn¡¯t delicious, but now she seems to beparing the delvers to sewage. It¡¯s in the nicest way possible, she likes them both, but Onyx could probably use a hand straightening that out.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Eighty-Seven

    Chapter Two-Hundred Eighty-Seven


    <strong>Aranya</strong>


    It¡¯s times like these that make her appreciate just how much work Larx, Vernew, Frn, and Norloke do. She likes to think she¡¯s been doing an admirable job of learning to delegate without just beingzy, but she¡¯s had precious few to delegate to with regards to her people.


    At least Lord Thedeim¡¯s second church is going smoothly. The ratkin and spiderkin priests have been providing a wonderful example to inspire the townsfolk, and thanks to how well they get along with the Shield, the people of Silvervein don¡¯t feel the need to be concerned about any power struggles between the churches.


    The Shield has been getting the greater share of new followers, which Aranya fully understands. It has no connection with a dungeon, and after getting out from under one, most of the pale elves and dwarves are wary about joining up with another. She wonders if they would have been driven out of town if not for the clear wave of divinity released from Lord Thedeim¡¯s ascension.


    Curiosity about that event got many feet through the door, and His message of love and self-improvement kept many there. From what she¡¯s been able to tell, the Shield has been gathering those possessing more of a martial bent, while Lord Thedeim is attracting those more inclined toward crafting of differing types. Here in Silvervein, that mostly means a variety of cooks, though many are starting to branch out now.


    And though Lord Thedeim¡¯s influence is growing smoothly, her own people are having a much more difficult time adjusting. A few kobolds have decided to follow Him, but a great many more are having difficulties deciding <em>anything</em>!


    Right now, they¡¯re still trying to figure out what to do without the Maw. A few stubbornly want to stay in Silvervein, but the vast majority are in favor of a clean break, a chance to direct their own path. Unfortunately, it seems like <em>everyone</em> has their own idea for what path they should all take!


    Some of the more rebellious youth think they should try to take over Silvervein, which at least nobody else is taking seriously. No, the real discord is over where to go and what to do once there. She, of course, argues they shoulde to Fourdock and join one or more of Lord Thedeim¡¯s enves. Unsurprisingly, there¡¯s resistance to that idea.


    Much like the rest of Silvervein, the kobolds are not eager to bind themselves to another dungeon. Most of the elder kobolds seem interested, recognizing how different Lord Thedeim is from the Maw, but her own grandfather is among the voices that dissent from the idea. Aranya is starting to wonder if he just likes being contrary, as he doesn¡¯t have any other suggestions for where to go, recognizing theck of other options.They could go to Fourdock and attempt to formally immigrate, but considering how closely they work with Him, the kobolds atrge don¡¯t see much distinction between Fourdock and an enve. But what else can they do? Just wander off into the Deeps?


    They know how poorly they get treated out there. Her grandfather was among the first kobolds born under the Maw, and he knows well the tales of how much worse the outside was for kobolds. Many others would have simply killed the group of kobolds, instead of keeping them in captivity. The youth argue what is worse, while the older ones ept that a sliver of hope is better than nothing at all.


    Aranya sighs as she sits in the kobold enve, watching them mostly go about their lives. They¡¯re stuck, without understanding how much better things are beyond the rut they live in. They¡¯ve survived there for so long, leaving it is still frightening, even with the opportunities at their fingertips.


    She spots Tarl enter the enve, but can¡¯t even muster the energy to wave as he approaches. Trying to convince her people has just been so frustrating.


    ¡°Hey Aranya. Looks like you¡¯re doing well,¡± he greets with a sarcastic smile before sitting against the wall next to her. ¡°Still no progress?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she sighs again. ¡°Everyone has their own ideas for what to do, but it feels like there¡¯s no desire to actually follow through on them! They¡¯d rather have the stability of misery than risk what little they have on hope.¡±


    Tarl nods at that. ¡°Sounds about right. I¡¯ve seen delvers consistentlye back from delves with broken bones, but refuse suggestions to do something different. ¡®I know how to deal with a broken arm. Trying something else could be even worse.¡¯¡±


    Aranya perks up slightly, as Tarl at least understands how she feels in this. ¡°Do they ever change?¡±


    He thinks for a few moments before shaking his head. ¡°Not often. They think it works, as much as that kind of pain is ¡®working¡¯. Usually it takes something forcing them out of the habit. The shop being out of potions, or maybe a delve goes wrong and shows them how thin their margin of victory was, or any number of other things that force them to change.¡±


    The kobold leans her head back against the wall, her eyes closed. ¡°I don¡¯t like the idea of forcing them, but I¡¯m not sure what else to do. How can I force them without making the decision for them?¡±


    This narrative has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Tarl snorts, earning a brief re from her as he replies. ¡°You really are fit to be Thedeim¡¯s priest. You both can miss the obvious sometimes. Give them a deadline.¡±


    ¡°A deadline?¡± she echoes, not liking the idea of that kind of ultimatum.


    He nods. ¡°They know your offer, but there¡¯s no urgency to it, so they can keep doing whatever they¡¯re doing. Give them a deadline to decide on whatever they want to decide on, then go home.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t want to abandon them!¡±


    ¡°I know, but you also don¡¯t want to force them, right? You¡¯ve shown them the chest and exined there¡¯s no traps. Now it¡¯s on them to open it and get the rewards, or abandon it for fear of repercussions.¡±


    ¡°But what if they decide to stay? Or leave into the tunnels?¡±


    Tarl shrugs. ¡°Would you stay with them?¡±


    She opens her mouth to say of course she would, but realization draws her up short. Would she abandon her friends to try to help her people, especially when they would refuse to <em>be</em> helped? Would she never see Yvonne or Ara or Ragnar? Never get to see Freddie and Rhonda grow stronger? Never see Lord Thedeim¡¯s new expansions?


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Tarl smiles at her. ¡°It¡¯s not really a fair choice, but I wouldn¡¯t worry about it being a choice at all, honestly. They¡¯lle with you, even if theyin every step of the way. They¡¯re smart enough to see their best option is with Thedeim and Fourdock.¡±


    ¡°And if they don¡¯t?¡±


    He shrugs again. ¡°Then they¡¯re opening the chest you told them is full of traps. Best you can do at that point is make sure you¡¯re not in range.¡±


    She sighs again and leans forward slightly, sitting up rather than lounging against the wall as she opens her eyes. He¡¯s right, even though she doesn¡¯t like it. Leaving them to their fate seems cruel, but would she aplish anything by letting them destroy her, too? A spark of resolve lights within her, and she nods.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ve made Lord Thedeim¡¯s case, and they¡¯re not stupid. They¡¯re just scared. Most times, it¡¯s good tofort someone in their fears, but therees a time to confront it. Do you need me to take anything back to Fourdock?¡±


    The elf nods. ¡°I have a few reports to send back to the guild, if you don¡¯t mind waiting for me to do them. Kennith should have the structure of the town government stabilized soon, too, and I know they want the Dungeoneers to keep an eye on their new dungeon. The Stag should probably head back to the Southwood soon, and Honey and Leo are probably ready to go home, too. Maybe a week to tie up all the loose ends?¡±


    ¡°A week.¡± She nods at that as she stands, her orange pendant giving off a warm illumination that echoes her rising mood. ¡°That should be plenty of time for them to get ready to move. I¡¯ll let them know I¡¯ll be leaving in a week, with or without them. Hopefully with. I¡­ I don¡¯t want to lose them again.¡±


    Tarl smiles and stands, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t think they want to lose you, either. You¡¯ve shown them things can change, and despite how much I bet they¡¯llin about it, they don¡¯t want to miss out.¡±


    She smiles at him before taking her leave, the elf returning to rxing against the wall and letting her do her duty to her people. Thankfully, it¡¯s not difficult to find who she needs to give the message to.


    Her grandfather is still in his small dug out hovel, sitting on a basin of gravel as the mostfortable thing he has. With scales, it¡¯s not bad, but her friends were not impressed with it before they headed out to explore outside for a couple days. The aged kobold looks up from his own contemtions and smiles warmly for her.


    ¡°Ah, Granddaughter. I was worried the others had badgered you clear out of the enve after thest meeting. I hope you¡¯re not too discouraged,¡± he probes as he reaches a hand up for her to help him to his feet.


    She shakes her head as she pulls him up. ¡°At first, but they¡¯ve made things clear to me.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    She nods. ¡°I won¡¯t make the choice for the entire enve, but I <em>will</em> make them <em>make</em> a choice. I¡¯m leaving in a week, along with the rest of Lord Thedeim¡¯s scions. I want you all toe with me, though you are all free to stay here, or go somewhere else, if you wish.¡±


    Her grandfather¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°A week? Surely you can give us more time?¡±


    ¡°No, grandfather. I¡¯ve given you all time, given you all the information I have to give. It¡¯s on you now, to act on it.¡±


    ¡°But only a week¡­¡± he tries, before getting shut down.


    ¡°We¡¯ve had more than long enough to discuss it, and you know it.¡± Her hard look softens as she meets his eyes. ¡°I know how uncertain everything is if you alle with me. But can you honestly tell me you¡¯d rather stay here where the ghost of the Maw shades every memory? Don¡¯t you want to see something new, something <em>better</em>?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d be on our own out there¡­¡± he quietly replies, echoing the hardships told of the times before the Maw.


    ¡°We <em>wouldn¡¯t</em>, that¡¯s the whole point. I¡¯ll be there. My friends will be there. Lord Thedeim will be there. We don¡¯t have to be isted.¡±


    He puts shaking arms around her and holds onto his granddaughter for support. ¡°It¡¯s all so much¡­ so many horror stories of outside. Even you had a harrowing journey after escaping the Maw, only barely surviving¡­¡±


    She wraps her arms around him, supporting andforting him. ¡°I know¡­ but you know what I think the most important thing to learn from that is? Alone, I was miserable. Together, things improved. Lord Thedeim found me, fed me, saved me. Yvonne, Ara, and Ragnar gave me friendship. Fourdock in general gave me eptance. We can¡¯t close ourselves off from others, even when we make a mistake in who to trust. I¡¯ve found people to trust. Now you all need to learn to trust <em>yourselves</em> enough to ept help, without fear of misjudging once again.¡±


    She kneels with him as the tears flow, a lifetime of hardship and dashed hopes pouring out of her grandfather. She holds him close as he clings to her, desperately holds onto the hope she offers, and she supports him the whole while. Even if his grip should falter, he doesn¡¯t need to be the only one holding on. Her own strength won¡¯t be enough to drag him up to a better tomorrow, but she knows what he¡¯s struggling to ept: they¡¯re not alone.


    Not anymore.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Eighty-Eight

    Chapter Two-Hundred Eighty-Eight


    Looks like everyone will be home in about a week. Well, probably not Tarl, but everyone else. I¡¯m looking forward to it. Leo and Honey haven¡¯t been home in forever, feels like, and Queen and Thing seem pretty eager to get back to their homebs, even if theirtest titles suggest they should be out and about, saving lives.


    Personally, I¡¯d love to see those titles gather dust, but I¡¯ll probably need their medical talents again eventually. I even have projects that will hopefully not involve surgery and triage, and not just for my Enchanter and Alchemist. Those two I want to have look into theposite armor more, and see just how much they can enchant it, especially with full ess to my nodes and plenty of time.


    Leo, I want to organize more expeditions to keep an eye on the forests and mountains around me. Seeing the Southwood get to patrolling his borders makes me realize the fog of war has probably crept back in around my own territory. Poe does a great job still, but having them work together gets me so much more information.


    And speaking of information, Honey is going to have a field day when she gets back. She apparently gave some of her bees standing orders to keep an eye on the library and report to Poe if anything happens, and it looks like something has happened. There¡¯s a new librarian! She looks every bit the shy nerdy scribe ording to the reports, and also looks good enough at tending books to not just go and reorganize everything on the first day.


    In fact, she seems gearing up to do the opposite. Yvonne has been working to implement a version of the dewey decimal system and impose order, which has been slow going, but effective. I don¡¯t remember the specifics of all the categories, but the basic concept of organizing by categories and using numbers to make it theoretically infinitely expandable is easy enough to remember. Actually putting the numbers on the books is a bit more difficult, but Honey¡¯s bees are able to write clearly at a small scale. It¡¯s notminated printer quality, but it¡¯ll definitely work.


    While I don¡¯t exactly have projects for Aranya, Yvonne, Ragnar, and Ara, they¡¯re still intending oning home at the same time, and bringing the kobolds with them. If those four aren¡¯t careful, maybe I <em>will</em> be able to rope them into something to help out the kobolds. Or maybe my antkin,e to think of it.


    The kobolds are still arguing a lot about what they specifically want to do, but Aranya is feeling pretty confident they¡¯ll want to join with the ratkin or spiderkin, with only a few expected to want to live on the surface. Sure, they¡¯d like freedom, but the surface is so open and scary! Underground might also be scary, but at least it¡¯s a scary they understand. So yeah, with the kick in the pants of having a deadline, it looks like most of them are deciding to give me a chance.


    I wonder if they¡¯ll want to help with the antkin, or maybe feel special kinship with them. My newest enve is still trying to find its proper ce, with the progress bars stagnating at about the 25% point. I¡¯m pretty surprised about that. They seemed pretty on the ball to me, but that¡¯s way earlier than the spiderkin were having problems.


    It¡¯s not too difficult to see why, though. My ratkin and spiderkin seemed to have a pretty good idea of what they were when advancing, but the antkin are having a bit of an identity crisis. While they seem pretty interested in the idea of interacting with outsiders, they are all over the map on how to actually do it.They¡¯ve basically split into factions, though I haven¡¯t been able to identify any leaders among them. Maybe that¡¯s why they¡¯re having troubles? The leaders of my other enves don¡¯t seem too worried, but I still think I should see if there¡¯s anything that can be done, so I ask Teemo to pop in and see if he can figure out if anything is wrong, or if I¡¯m reading the room wrong.


    ¡°At least it¡¯s cooled off in there a bit by now,¡±ments Teemo as he makes his way to the enve. After their initial construction blitz with forming magma, they¡¯ve eased off a lot on building, letting the heat slowly dissipate. I wonder if they¡¯ll try to tame a couple tundra wolves or something. I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯d be a solution that flies in the face of thews of thermodynamics, but what is magic for if not at least mocking the naturalws behind their back?


    Whatever long term solution theye up with, they don¡¯t seem to have one yet, or at least not one Teemo notices as he starts wandering the enve. Therger central receiving room is a lot less busy than it was, with most of the magmyrm having split into tunnels for their own little factions.


    There¡¯s a ranching faction who seem to be mostly concerned with domesticating¡­ basically every denizen they can get their little pincer-hands on. The tunnelbore ants aren¡¯t a surprise, they were using those from day one to expand and shape the colony, but they¡¯ve also picked up several slimes, a pair of wyrms, and what looks like a swarm of spiders. I imagine they were using the wyrms to help with construction, but I don¡¯t know what they have nned for the slimes. The spiders are easy enough, at least: they¡¯re also after silk.


    I doubt they¡¯re going to be able topete with my spiderkin. In fact, judging by the simple toga-like robe they¡¯re wearing, I¡¯d say the spiderkin have already been by to clothe them in the basics. Still, more clothing manufactury is not a bad idea.


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    They might not be looking to make clothes, though. The next faction Teemo looks in on are clearly the ones from my medical brigade. My antkin seem inclined to make their own bandages and trade for clothing. I also see what the ranchers might want the slimes for, as the medics definitely have a few domesticated healing slimes tucked away in little alcoves, idly bubbling in contentment.


    They also have surgical tools, which I¡¯d bet they got from the ratkin. We still don¡¯t have medical grade steel, but a little bit of magic does the trick to close that particr gap. They also have a lot of carvings on their walls, ceilings, and floors. Teemo even spots a room with what amount to rows of shelves detailing the anatomies of my dwellers, as well as the moremon delvers.


    While the medics look like they want to take a scientific approach to healing, the alchemy faction is looking to blend it with magic, a lot like Queen runs her ownb. They also have carved shelves, but this time full of alchemical forme or diagrams of nts and critters, and how to extract whatever bits they need.


    They are probably the ones most using their affinity, at least so far. They¡¯ve made little bunsen burner things that simply have a small blob of rock instead of a burning me. They use their magic to turn it to magma, and have all the heat they could ask for. It looks like they¡¯re studying the go juice right now. It works differently on delvers and denizens, so they¡¯re probably taking advantage of their transitional state to see if they can get anything interesting to happen. Nobody seems to have exploded, so at least they seem to be following goodb safety guidelines.


    From the fusion over to pure magic, there¡¯s an enchanting faction, too. They¡¯re definitely taking more after Thing¡¯s lessons than Queen¡¯s. They¡¯re also the only ones I¡¯ve seen that are using carved tablets to store information, instead of leaving it immobile on whatever surface is convenient.


    That¡¯s probably because they¡¯re also carving their runes into other tablets, and realized they could make their text mobile. From what Teemo can understand, they¡¯re working on a cooling enchantment, and a different form of a durability enchantment that would be good for roads. I guess they must have been hanging out with Coda some, too.


    Which leads me to thest faction: the engineers. They¡¯re working on defenses, and it looks like they remember helping set up thevabyrinth. At the moment, they¡¯re working on prototyping axles, gears, and other assemblies, making sure they¡¯ll handle the loads of whatever they need them for. I bug Teemo to look over their designs, and though he can¡¯t make heads nor tails of it, it looks like they want to use a lot of resetting pit traps with a drawbridge to secure the entrance to the enve.


    It reminds me of some of my designs for defenses in Dwarf Fortress, though they¡¯re missing therge serrated disks. Probably for the best, honestly. Those kinds of traps are pretty messy in the game, and I don¡¯t imagine they¡¯d be any less so in real life. I¡¯d rather not have to deal with invaders being sttered all over every surface. Besides, pit traps are a lot less lethal, and I imagine the medic faction would have a problem with the more lethal options.


    Unfortunately, while the factions themselves seem pretty stable, the memberships are constantly changing. I don¡¯t think anyone is trying to specifically be a part of all of them at once, but there¡¯s definitely a lot of turnover between them. The medics seem the most stable, but also get the fewest recruits. Medical knowledge is a lot to take in, so a lot of the magmyrm never even make a serious attempt at it.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a mess.¡±


    Yeah. And you didn¡¯t see any leaders for the factions? I could have missed them.


    Teemo shakes his head. ¡°Nah, Boss. You think leadership¡¯s holding them back?¡±


    It seems like the most obvious answer, right?


    ¡°Sure, but what¡¯s the obvious solution? There¡¯s a lot of groups wanting to do their own thing, so we probably shouldn¡¯t just put one of them in charge, right?¡±


    I chew over the situation, feeling like something about it is familiar. Is there an overarching theme the antkin can unite behind? On the surface, there¡¯s not a whole lot to go on. Ranching, Medicine, Alchemy, Enchanting, Engineering. Some will make things, but not all. Some are more of a service, some are more magical, others more scientific¡­


    Hmm.


    ¡°Feels like you¡¯ve got something. Care to share with the rest of the ss?¡±


    Pft, you already know what I¡¯m thinking of if you¡¯re putting it that way. They¡¯re all trying to learn in their own fields. It¡¯s like a big disorganized school. Well, a disorganized college. Some have already chosen their majors, others are still trying to figure it out.


    Teemo nods at my train of thought. ¡°So organize them like a big school?¡±


    Couldn¡¯t hurt. Five colleges, each headed by a Dean, with a sixth acting as Headmaster. Probably pull that one from the undecided, so nobody gets too much power. It¡¯d allow for ties, but that¡¯ll just mean they need to argue it out more.


    Teemo hums as he processes the basic idea. ¡°That sounds like something they can work with. And if it doesn¡¯t work, Aranya¡¯ll be back before too long anyway.¡± He heads off to suggest it to the ants, and they¡¯re pretty eager to try it. They¡¯re all smart enough to see <em>something</em> needed to change, but couldn¡¯t think of anything that would still let them have their burgeoning identity.


    I chuckle to myself as they get to work, jokingly calling it Antpimple Academy in my mind. Teemo perks up at that, making me quickly respond.


    Don¡¯t you <em>dare</em> suggest that name to them!


    My Voice chuckles. ¡°Who, me? I¡¯d never! That¡¯s a terrible name anyway. It should definitely be Ratblister instead.¡±

 Chapter Two-Hundred Eighty-Nine

    Chapter Two-Hundred Eighty-Nine


    <strong>nder</strong>


    He hasn¡¯t felt this apprehensive about a delve in a long time. On paper, he should have nothing to worry about. Looking around his suite and all the notes, though¡­ that¡¯s a <em>lot</em> of paper trying to reassure him.


    He shakes his head, trying to clear it as he prepares his pack. Knowing each and every piece of gear he¡¯s bringing helps him focus on what has him so ufortable with delving Thedeim. He¡¯s not worried about dying, at least. Even if the dungeon has been ying some kind of long game, even if it turns murderous on him, he¡¯s confident he¡¯ll be able to get out.


    It¡¯s the rest of the town that he¡¯d need to worry about. Thankfully, while his gut is telling him to be wary, it¡¯s not screaming at him about danger. Ironically, those are the situations he does the worst in. If some dungeon just needs to be knocked down a couple pegs and quarantined, that¡¯s a simple, if dangerous, task. In a murderous dungeon, if he were to somehow fall, someone else would be able to take his ce, or a group of people. Either way, the threat <em>will</em> be handled.


    The upheaval from Thedeim isn¡¯t that kind of situation, unfortunately. He can¡¯t sh and fight his way out of identally destroying the local economy if he upsets the dungeon. ¡°Just a normal delve,¡± he tries calming himself, going over the myriad of reasons that won¡¯t happen. He¡¯s hardly inexperienced with dealing with dungeons, even if most of his experience is with belligerent and murderous ones. He won¡¯t identally upset it by fighting. The dungeon even <em>wants</em> to fight him, wants him to face the zombie Rocky.


    He spent some time going over the detailed report on the zombie scion, and he¡¯s very d he did. With any luck, he¡¯ll get to watch a few adventurers have a match with him, so he can get a feel for what he¡¯ll be up against. No matter how many reports he reads, they won¡¯tpare to getting to see the scion fight with his own eyes. A lich that fights with its fists is a difficult concept to wrap his head around, but there¡¯s far too many reports for him to ignore it.


    He could go to the local Adventurer¡¯s Guild and ask them directly, but why not go to the dungeon itself? Which is why he¡¯s preparing his adventuring kit. He¡¯s not bringing his full kit, much as he¡¯s tempted. His cover as an experienced adventurer will let him bring a lot of things, but his best armor and weapon will be dead giveaways for his identity, as well as some of his more potent trinkets. No, better to bring his well-used things, the sort of stuff that bears the marks of use, wear, and repair.


    The memories thate with them will also sell his cover, as well as help calm his nerves as hees close to finishing his preparation. He could go to the guild, maybe interview a few of the members before he delves, but that¡¯d just be putting it off. He has a mountain of notes scattered around and over the desk in his room. No, the time for the ounts of others is over. If he wants more, he¡¯s going to need to get some firsthand experience with the dungeon Thedeim.


    He¡¯ll probably still visit the guild after his delve, though. That kind of rowdy atmosphere is just the thing to help him cool down after a good delve. He smiles at the rising sun as he exits the inn, enjoying the cool sea breeze. The morning still has a bit of a bite to it, but the locals don¡¯t let it slow them as they go about their jobs.There is onest temptation to face before he enters the dungeon, and he is not strong enough to resist it today. That troll definitely knew what he was doing when he gave nder a sweet roll with his order the other day. The thought of sweet cobble bread has been bouncing around his mind ever since, and it¡¯ll be just the thing to give him the energy to have a productive delve!


    He gets it fortified, of course. One doesn¡¯t turn down a good buff, no matter how overleveled they might be for a dungeon. He¡¯s had stronger buffs, but he can¡¯t offhand remember having a better breakfast. Hopefully the baker continues to level. Considering the line as he leaves for the dungeon, there¡¯s no fear of her stagnating.


    He enjoys the treat as he enters through the gates of the manor, mentally noting the subtle change in the air that denotes a dungeon¡¯s territory. It¡¯s only his training and experience as an Inspector that keeps his stride steady as he feels the attention of the dungeon settle upon him.


    He¡¯s felt malevolence, felt cold calction, emotionless weighing of how much mana he¡¯ll make. He¡¯s felt the joy of a toybox, the hunger of a murderous, but never something like this. Warmth is the simplest way to describe it, with a strong undercurrent of curiosity. Other dungeons always seem to wonder how much mana he¡¯ll give them, but this one feels like it wants to see his <em>reaction</em> to what¡¯s in store.


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    He tries not to swallow his current bite too heavily, but can¡¯t hide the look of caution as the Voice crawls out from under the porch, making a direct line towards him.


    ¡°Ah, nder! Come to officially ept the quest? From that pack, looks like you¡¯re here to do more, too.¡±


    He slowly nods, trying to find his footing with the Voice. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve heard a lot of things about delving you, so I figured I should get a look around before joining Berdol for the official inspection.¡±


    ¡°Cool. You want a guided tour?¡±


    nder eyes the rat cautiously. ¡°Is that¡­ normal?¡±


    Teemo shakes his head. ¡°Nah, but you¡¯re not normal either. I don¡¯t know exactly how strong you are, but the Boss says he doesn¡¯t have much that could challenge you. He figures the best way to keep you from being bored is to show you around a bit.¡±


    He fights the urge to squint at the rat, suspicious of how self-aware the dungeon is. ¡°What would that involve, exactly?¡±


    Teemo shrugs. ¡°Mostly me following you around, pointing out things the Boss thinks are cool. Oh, and helping you get around. The Boss has a lot of territory, so it¡¯s easy to miss things if you don¡¯t know what to look for.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve read the packet¡­ though they did say it might be out of date. That¡¯s the whole point of doing the official inspections, right?¡±


    Teemo smirks and nods. ¡°That¡¯s what they tell me, yeah. So, is there anything in particr you want to see?¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯d most like to meet as many scions as possible. The packet says over a dozen scions, but¡­¡± he trails off as Teemo nods.


    ¡°Yep, Boss has a lot of them, though a few are still out on expedition. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be difficult to meet the ones still here, though. I¡¯d suggest starting with either Poe or Tiny, since they¡¯re the closest.¡±


    nder takes a moment to recall the information on the scions. ¡°That¡¯s the raven and spider scions, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Tiny is over in the hedge maze, while Poe is just up on the roof.¡± Teemo points, and nder can see Poe peering over the edge at him. The cold calction that¡¯s missing in the presence of the dungeon itself is there in full in the look the raven scion is giving him.


    ¡°...I don¡¯t think he likes me much.¡±


    Teemo just scoffs and waves off his concern. ¡°He¡¯s not nearly as mean as he looks. I¡¯ll head on up and meet you there? You can have some fun with the encounters in the manor, or head straight for the attic. There¡¯ll be a boss there, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll have much trouble with it.¡±


    He heads for the porch before stopping and turning back to nder. ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t forget to take the quest from the porch! I know you said you ept, but the aranea are making it an official quest. If any others catch your eyes, feel free to ept them, too. Just take the nk with you. Simple.¡± he parts ways with nder with one more wave before vanishing under the porch, leaving nder alone with only a few other early delvers.


    With little else to do, he approaches the porch, letting him read what¡¯s on the multitude of hanging signs. A subtle nce upward lets him see the aranea stationed in the rafters. A few are looking through peep holes to see the gates and approaching delvers, while others tend to the dangling threads holding up the ques like strange decorations. He browses them for a couple minutes, surprised to see ones even suggesting delves in Hullbreak or Violet. None catch his eye, until one drops down to dangle right in front of him.


    <em>Prize Fight Rocky</em>


    That¡¯s the one. He stares at it for a few long moments, wondering if he should ept or not. He <em>wants</em> to, no doubt about that, but he¡¯s walked into enough traps over the years to be suspicious of something he wants so badly. Because if Rocky is as strong as the locals believe, nder the retired adventurer might not be victorious. He could take the loss without worrying for his life, in theory, but could he personally ept that?


    Could he let a challenge like that pass him by, let a chance to truly cut loose slip through his fingers just to try to avoid politics? He takes the que, already knowing the truth inside himself. Blowing his cover is worth it to have a real fight, to have to try, to <em>strive</em> for victory. epting the quest pop-up is hardly an afterthought as he pockets the little piece of wood. It looks like he has a little over a week before he¡¯ll get a chance to really get the measure of this dungeon.


    Until then, there¡¯s delving to do. He can¡¯t keep the smile off his lips as he explores the manor, even with how massively outssed the denizens are. Even with the vast disparity in power, they manage to keep his interest. Though the first encounter could have been straight out of the Dungeoneer¡¯s handbook, they quickly step it up with the encounters constantlying from new, unexpected angles. He doesn¡¯t need to use any skills to deal with them, yet if he were to slow, he¡¯d start taking hits.


    This dungeon knows how to <em>challenge</em> someone! If this is what the lowest of the dungeon has to offer, what about the scion made to fight? He eyes the timer as he climbs thedder to the attic, wondering if he¡¯ll be able to wait that long. The anticipation is already more painful than any delve he¡¯s had in a long while.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Ninety

    Chapter Two-Hundred Ny


    If I were still limited to just the manor, I¡¯d probably be concerned with how nder is tearing through my encounters. But, having more than a bit of experience with delvers now, I¡¯m smiling right along with the elf as he rampages through my denizens.


    I¡¯m pretty impressed with them, too. Yeah, they¡¯re getting cut down in droves, but they¡¯re taking advantage of all those shortcuts Teemo¡¯s sprinkled around to really keep nder on his toes. I think it¡¯s a point of personal pride for him to not use any skills on them, which only makes him have to lean on his innate talent with his ive all the more.


    Hollywood wishes they could manage this kind of fight choreography. With my denizens able to pop in from basically any angle, nder is constantly moving to intercept them all. He flows seamlessly from spear-like forms, stabbing and shing at his full reach, before shifting his grip and spinning the weapon like a staff, striking with the de and butt in equal measure. He¡¯s even forced to add in the asional sweeping kick as he dances through the manor.


    I think he¡¯s produced more mana for me in there than the ce has generated in any single day so far. He actually looks a little disappointed when he finishes off the trio of electric direrats in the attic, before realizing he¡¯s cleared this section and earned a nice chest to loot. He dumps it all into a bag of holding without looking too closely. I¡¯d be annoyed if I thought there was anything in there he might actually be interested in.


    He¡¯s looking much more rxed as he exits onto the roof,pared to when he first entered my territory, and it doesn¡¯t take him long to spot Poe and Teemo over by the chimney. My Voice waves from beside therge corvid and speaks up as nder gets near.


    ¡°Boss says it looks like you were having fun in there!¡±


    nder nods. ¡°I was, actually! Most dungeons don¡¯t bother sending low-level encounters at me after I clear a few, but the denizens were determined to give me a proper warm-up. Just how many shortcuts have you made?¡±


    Teemo chuckles as Poe watches the two. ¡°One or two, here and there. I was a Scout before the Voice, so I had plenty of time to make sure the denizens could get where they need, when they need.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± He takes a few moments to simply look around the roof before speaking up again. ¡°So the roof is a bit of a cooldown area, then?¡±Poe nods as Teemo exins. ¡°Yeah. Fighting up here is a bit tricky. We wouldn¡¯t want delvers falling off and breaking their necks or something. Besides, the only thing of interest up here besides Poe is the belfry garden.¡±


    ¡°Does he get challenged often?¡± inquires the elf, turning his attention on my Marshal.


    ¡°Not really. He <em>can</em> fight, but he prefers to direct the expeditions and keep the local map urate.¡±


    ¡°I heard he has a pair of titles that make him quite the challenge?¡±


    Teemo snorts and nods. ¡°Marshal of Murders and Lord of Unkindnesses. He wiped the floor with a trio of delvers who were being annoyances. Boss even imprisoned them and created the gauntlets to wring a bit more mana out of them as they worked to earn their freedom.¡±


    ¡°Oh? How strong were they?¡±


    Teemo shrugs. ¡°Before you, they were easily the strongest delvers we¡¯ve had. Vnarl, Mlynda, and Hark. They were getting more than a little cocky, so the Boss knocked them down a couple pegs. But the punitive gauntlet gave them the attitude adjustment they needed, and they¡¯re regrs around here now.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. So easily forgiven?¡±


    Poe caws in mirth as Teemo grins. ¡°Easily? You should go ask them if getting free was easy, heh. Boss is willing to let bygones be bygones if people show improvement.¡±


    nder looks thoughtful about that for a few moments before refocusing on Poe. ¡°Do you have death affinity? Every other raven scion I¡¯ve seen has it, but you are a lot subtler with it than them.¡±


    Poe shakes his head and caws, which Teemo trantes. ¡°No. He doesn¡¯t have much interest in it, honestly. He prefers to observe the delvers and manage the expeditions. Between him and Leo, there¡¯s not a lot going on that the Boss doesn¡¯t know about.¡±


    ¡°So a friendly battle would be out of the question?¡± he presses, which Poe nods to.


    ¡°Yeah, he says no thanks. If you tear through the crows and ravens like the manor denizens, he won¡¯t have anyone left to send out.¡±


    nder looks disappointed in that, but doesn¡¯t press further. ¡°Then who is the next scion I should meet?¡±


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    Teemo points off the roof to therge tangle of greenery and webbing that is the hedge maze. ¡°Tiny, definitely. Do you want to meet him properly, or run the maze?¡±


    nder rubs his chin in thought as his eyes follow Teemo¡¯s finger. ¡°What would be the difference?¡±


    ¡°If you run the maze, you search for chests and try to avoid Tiny as he stalks you, and avoid the thieving direrats. If Tiny catches you, he¡¯ll web you up, lighten your load, and dump you outside the maze. I dunno if he could get the better of you, though.¡±


    nger hums in reply, still thinking. ¡°And if I just want to meet him?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let him know and guide you to hisir. He doesn''t get many visitors, honestly. Mostly Vernew or sometimes Rhonda, Freddie, and Larrez.¡±


    It takes nder a few more seconds of thought before he nods to himself. ¡°I think I¡¯d like to simply meet him, if I can. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever had the chance to just talk to a spider scion before.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go let him know and pause the runners. Shouldn¡¯t take me long. You can have some more fun in the manor or wander the grounds if you want? I dunno if you do much herbalism.¡± At nder¡¯s head shake, Teemo nods. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you at the maze entrance then!¡± With that, he vanishes through a shortcut as nder gives Poe a measuring look.


    ¡°Vnarl and party, hmm? I should try to talk to themter. You¡¯re sure you don¡¯t want a scrap?¡±


    Poe briefly embraces his titles and caws, the sound echoing unnaturally as every crow and raven on the roof stops what they¡¯re doing to stare at the elf. Rather than looking cowed, he looks excited, but he pushes it aside and holds his hands up.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to force it, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re a formidable fight, but I wouldn¡¯t want to strain rtions with your dungeon. It might make Berdol¡¯s inspection more than a little awkward. Still, let me know if you change your mind? Commander titles are rare and powerful. I¡¯d love to see them in action.¡±


    Poe seems a bit uncertain what to make of nder as the elf hops off the roof andnds with no more impact than if it was a simple step down. That elf has some serious kic affinity. Rocky¡¯s gonna have quite a fight on his hands.


    I watch nder wander to the maze, the yard denizens mostly ignoring him. They¡¯ve proved their point with the swarm ambush tactics. In fact¡­ I wonder if I could do something like that as another attraction. I likened his fighting to dancing, but what if it was actually put to music? I bet sh could do something cool with that if he works and practices with the denizens.


    I doodle in my library a couple notes and potential routes through my different sections, imagining delvers basically doing a rhythm game through my territory. Yeah, I definitely need to run this by sh and see if he¡¯s interested.


    For now, though, I turn my attention back to Teemo and nder as they go through the maze. It looks like they didn¡¯t need to wait too long for the runners to finish, so now they¡¯re taking the short route through to Tiny¡¯sir.


    Even the experienced nder pauses when he sees Tiny rxing just outside his personal silken home. No matter how tough and fearless you are, a spider approaching the size of a bus is going to tickle a couple instincts. nder loosens slightly as Teemo calls to myrgest scion.


    ¡°Tiny, I brought a guest! Don¡¯t eat this one, yeah?¡±


    Tiny chitters more quietly than his size would indicate, fixing Teemo with enough eyes for at least two full sets of res.


    ¡°Aw, you¡¯re no fun. I¡¯ll ask him, though.¡±


    nder is still looking wary as Teemo addresses him. ¡°So, I¡¯m sure you know the Boss is fate affinity. Tiny here is the one of us who¡¯s most been delving into that. The spiderkin even call him the Reader of the Web, and he has a title for it, too. He wants to know if you¡¯d let him read you.¡±


    The elf looks taken aback at that, even as Tiny settles in. I think the elf was expecting a tricky scion full of malice and deception, instead of a big fuzzy friendly fortune teller. ¡°What would he be looking for?¡±


    Teemo shrugs. ¡°I dunno. The only fate stuff I¡¯ve messed with is ying around with chance. Fluffles has a good grip on the affinity as a whole, but Tiny here is the undisputed master of actually looking into what could be. I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll look too far or deep, though. He says looking too hard tends to change things, though if there¡¯s anything in specific you¡¯d like him to check on, I don¡¯t think he¡¯d mind.¡±


    nder looks equally cautious and curious, clearly wanting to hear what Tiny might see, but also uncertain he wants to let the big spider poke into whatever secrets he might have. It looks to me like curiosity is winning out in his head as his look shifts to one of figuring out a puzzle. After over a minute, he finally speaks.


    ¡°Will I find what I seek?¡±


    Teemo smiles like he justnded a big sucker, but Tiny looks much more serene as he reaches two of his legs forward. A gentle orange glow emanates from them as he waves them slowly around nder, seeming to draw thin orange gossamer into reality for him to examine. The gargantuan spider works in silence, with nder staying still to not interrupt, and Teemo sent into silent appreciation of watching a master at work.


    Just as it seems like the threads are starting to make some kind of odd sense, TIny waves a leg and wipes them back from whence they came, and he chitters with an amused glint to his many eyes.


    ¡°He says you seek a lot, some for yourself, some on the behalf of others. The things you think are important are easy to find, if you know where to look. It¡¯s the things you¡¯ve given up on and forgotten that are truly important. Pay attention, and you might find a few of them, too.¡±


    nder listens quietly, though he¡¯s frowning by the end. Teemo gives him a couple seconds to process it before he smirks and continues. ¡°They never give a definitive answer, eh?¡±


    nder snorts as Tiny mocks looking offended. ¡°He gave a better show of it than others, at least. Why don¡¯t they ever speak it in?¡±


    Teemo shrugs. ¡°Fate stuff, I dunno how else to exin it. Boss and Tiny both say looking too close can change it, just by looking. Anyway, you want to go see the next scion? I could probably get Coda to meet us at the maze entrance.¡±


    nder nods absently as he muses over what Tiny had to say. I dunno how good of a read he got on nder, but I think it¡¯s good advice, no matter who you are.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Ninety-One

    Chapter Two-Hundred Ny-One


    nder meets with Coda at the manor porch, but they don¡¯t have all that much to talk about. My nerd bat isn¡¯t exactly a powerhouse in a fight, and I think the elf is still a bit distracted thinking over what Tiny had to say. Coda isn¡¯t bothered too much, though. He¡¯s been taking trips down to the ant enve ever since they started organizing like a college, interacting with the engineer caste of antkin. nder goes ahead and cuts his delve short for today, freeing Coda to go hang out with his fellow nerds, and giving me a chance to take a closer look at how they¡¯re all doing.


    Their progress bars are moving once again, which is great to see. They all are happy about it, and now they¡¯re progressing again, I¡¯m able to see them going through more physical changes. Much like a normal anthill will have castes like worker, major, etc, my antkin are literally growing into their chosen specialties.


    The undecided make me think of worker ants, a bit smaller than most of the other castes, but versatile to do whatever needs doing. Their hands are bulkier than most of the other antkin now, but I think that¡¯s more because several of the other castes focus more on very fine maniption than grip strength, where the worker antkin are jacks-of-all-trades.


    The other easyparison to make to normal ants are the rancher caste. They¡¯re a lot like majors, significantly bigger and bulkier than the other ants so they can handle whatever critters that need it. They also have onerge hand and one normal one, reminding me more of crabs than ants in that respect. Therge hand still has fingers, though they are definitely specialized more for gripping than maniption.


    Interestingly, their right hands are therger ones, making the ranchers what I would consider to be left handed. They¡¯re not going to be writing with their rights, that¡¯s for sure. They definitely look strange right now, but I¡¯m expecting they¡¯ll get better as the changes solidify. Teens are often awkward, and my growing antkin are no different.


    The medical ants are probably closer in look to teens, in thatnky, stretched-out way they sometimes are. They¡¯re also changing the color of their carapaces, which is interesting to me. While they¡¯re all looking less like they¡¯re made of magma these days, the medical ants are growing more and more pale, and I think they¡¯re soon going to shift from looking washed out to looking actively white. Probably to make it easier for them to tell if they need to scrub up better.


    Theirnkiness is also aimed toward their medical profession, with the thinness extending to their hands as well. The joints in their hands are weird, looking more like the ball and socket of a shoulder than the simpler hinge of a finger. It¡¯s like not only are their thumbs opposable, but each individual joint in their hands, too! They¡¯re definitely the undisputed kings and queens of manual dexterity among my ants, and I¡¯d imagine among the people of the world, too.


    The alchemical ants have their own unique adaptations as well. Their proportions are closer to the worker ants, but they all have big gasters, making me imagine them as the ant equivalent of having beer guts. They need those bigger gasters, too, because they hold several individual¡­ I forget the term for ant stomachs. Ants usually have two: one for themselves, and one for sharing. These guys have several more, each connected to their own proboscis thing in the ant¡¯s mouth.


    I don¡¯t know why the ant mouth doesn¡¯t disturb me as much as the spiderkin ones do. Maybe they¡¯re just too alien, where the spiderkin mouths nestle firmly in the uncanny valley. Whatever the reason, I stick around for a full checkup on one of the alchemist ants by a medic, and see multiple tubes poke out as they make sure everything is working correctly.I¡¯d be a bit nervous about storing alchemical things in my body, but the alchemist ants clearly don¡¯t share my unease. Seeing them in theirb would make ab tech back on Earth either faint or have a fit, but after watching for a while, the only thing that looks unsafe is them constantly swigging and spitting out liquids. If I ignore the specifics of where they put everything, they keep everything organized and meticulously measured. I¡¯ll probably need to just chalk it up to magic ensuring the alchemists will be fine, and try not to twitch too much about the antkin drinking things most people definitely shouldn¡¯t.


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    The enchanting ants probably have the most subtle changes from the worker caste, though time will tell if they stay subtle. Where the medics are changing to have white carapaces, the enchanters are tending towards cks with subtle dark greys. I think they¡¯re either naturally forming runes, or carefully engraving them when I¡¯m not looking. However they¡¯re getting there, they are helping the ants manipte the flows of mana as they ply their trade.


    Aside from the coloration, they are physically almost identical to the workers. If I only had a silhouette to judge on, I wouldn¡¯t be able to tell the difference.


    Andstly, but not leastly, are the engineer ants. Their hands are probably the weirdest, evenpared to the medics, because they have two thumbs on each hand, with the second where the pinkie would normally be. The pointer and ring fingers have the simr opposable weirdness that the medic fingers do, but the middle has a few extra joints and is definitely specialized for grip rather than maniption.


    It¡¯s a really weird configuration, but wow is it effective for tinkering. They practically have two hands on each hand, letting them fiddle with something while checking the design notes, or really go to town when they bring both hands to bear on a project. As for the rest of the ant, they¡¯re a bit bulkier than a worker, but nothing like the ranchers. The heavy things an engineer has to wrangle generally don¡¯t fight back, I suppose.


    None of the castes have leaders yet, but that¡¯s because of how they¡¯re going to choose them. It¡¯s looking like a kind of democratic meritocracy, which is interesting. Every ant in the specialized castes is working on a project in their field, which looks like it¡¯ll be judged by the others. Whoever does the best thing will get to be in charge, though I can¡¯t tell for how long just yet.


    A few projects catch my attention, like the rancher trying to domesticate a couple of Violet¡¯s gremlins. I don¡¯t know what they intend to use them for, which is what has me take a closer look. I still can¡¯t figure it out, and I think there¡¯s a non-zero chance of them simply being pets, but I dunno.


    Most of the medic projects are over my head, simr with the alchemy and enchanting, but the engineers are right up my alley. I think my personal favorite is a simple quick release and lock for the pit traps. It¡¯s a self-resetting mechanism that uses a counterweight to close it up and be ready for the next unfortunate to wander by. I like it because it¡¯s the kind of mechanism that will be useful in a lot more than just pitfall traps. Time will tell if the ants recognize how useful it is.


    The worker ant projects are looking a lot different than the specialized ones, though. While they focus on individual efforts, the workers are redoubling their efforts on the enve itself. Infrastructure, architecture, even art; if it¡¯s something that would generally be considered public property, the worker ants arepeting to make their own little parts of it the best they can be.


    The whole thing is organized chaos, and I enjoy watching them work. There¡¯s a renewed sense of purpose to them as they finally have a direction to follow to meet their goal. It¡¯s not difficult to imagine them feeling a bit discouraged when their bars stalled out. Being the earliest to have progress issues isn¡¯t an aplishment to generally brag about.


    On the other hand, zing a new trail is definitely something to brag about. Sometimes you end up only having taken the scenic route, sometimes you discover somethingpletely new. Either way, you get a journey to appreciate, each step leading to the next, building on thest.


    I¡¯m not worried for them, and I hope they¡¯re feeling more confident for the task ahead. They¡¯ll hit other roadblocks, before or after their bars fill, and I know they¡¯ll handle those, too. Not only because they have the tenacity and drive of their tiny brethren, but because they will have the support of friends.


    Normal ants generally don¡¯t y well with others, but my antkin have been working from the ground up to make friends outside their own enve, and outside my other enves, too. Ordinary ants might crave sugar, but my antkin understand that friendship is so much sweeter.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Ninety-Two

    Chapter Two-Hundred Ny-Two


    <strong>Berdol</strong>


    He¡¯s been looking forward to this inspection


    Inspecting Thedeim is still intimidating to the catkin, and he¡¯s not certain he¡¯ll be able to do it justice, but the dungeon¡¯s protege is another story. He¡¯s had fun sparring with Onyx, and now she¡¯s apparently the Voice, he can¡¯t wait to be able to hold an actual conversation with her.


    And, with the paperwork finally sorted with the inspection of Hullbreak, he¡¯s ready to check on the youngest dungeon in the area. He¡¯s not so sure he can say the same thing about nder, though. If Violet wasn¡¯t a toybox, he¡¯d be concerned about how distracted the elf is. If he¡¯s supposed to be a bodyguard, he should probably pay a bit more attention.


    He can guess as to why, at least. The elf had been very apprehensive about Thedeim, even nning to do a solo delve or two before Teemo waid him with the suggestion to fight Rocky. He did his first solo delve the other day, and there¡¯s probably only a handful of people in all of Fourdock who don¡¯t know he epted the quest.


    A lot more people probably don¡¯t know that he actually got a reading from Tiny, though. Berdol didn¡¯t even know that was a thing! He was vaguely aware that people with strong Fate affinity could do something like that, as he was aware Tiny was supposed to be the scion with the most fate expertise. He just never put those two threads together.


    He eyes nder as the two make for the sewer outlet to the sea, wondering what¡¯s going on in the elf¡¯s head. There¡¯s probably no harm in asking, right?


    ¡°Worried about fighting Rocky?¡± Berdol would be, even if it were an ordinary challenge. He¡¯s read the reports of other challengers, and has no idea how someone is even supposed to fight the crazy zombie.


    At least the question seems to knock nder out of his own head, earning a confused sound before he processes the question. ¡°Not worried. More¡­ intrigued. I¡¯ve faced a lot of scions from other dungeons, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard one talked up as much as Rocky. With the average level of Thedeim¡¯s denizens, it¡¯d be easy to think the townsfolkck perspective on how strong scions can get¡­ but with how odd Thedeim behaves, underestimating Rocky would be a fast way to lose.¡±Berdol nods at that as they near the shoreline. The sewer outlet isn¡¯t exactly by the docks, but the geography makes it simplest to have the outlet near there. Thankfully, not near enough for the smell to travel far. ¡°Yeah, if you don¡¯t take the fight seriously, he¡¯ll knock you out without much preamble. I get the feeling he¡¯ll want to make a show of the fight with you, especially with the notice on the board about it.¡±


    nder snorts. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a dungeon <em>advertise</em>! Sure, more people wille to watch, but how did he evene up with something like that?¡±


    Berdol echoes his snort as the outletes into view. ¡°That¡¯s a question I hear around the guild a lot. We don¡¯t really have an answer, and I think both Tarl and Tr have given up on finding it.¡±


    ¡°How about you? Do you have any ideas, or hopes of figuring him out?¡±


    The catkin shrugs. ¡°Not really. I don¡¯t think it really needs an answer, and the surprise is part of the fun of delving him.¡±


    ¡°I understand that, at least. Teemo mentioned Thedeim wanted me to not be bored, but I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be able to give me any kind of a challenge. Then he chained encounters at me throughout the entire manor, keeping me constantly moving. I¡¯ve never had so much fun against denizens I so outssed.¡±


    Berdol nods absently as he levitates out the key and unlocks the grating, though he pauses as he notices something. He levitates his notes as nder gives the air a few tentative sniffs.


    ¡°I don¡¯t smell much sewage. Either there¡¯s a clog, or Violet is already working hard in there.¡±


    Berdol hums as he makes his notes, agreeing. ¡°Yep. Her expanding is all but official in our records, so part of this inspection will be in making it <em>actually</em> official.¡± With his note made, he uses his affinity to open the grate, rather than touching it directly. Violet doesn¡¯t seem to own the sewers all the way to here, and even if she did, it¡¯d take more time to clean it enough for him to touch.


    ¡°I¡¯m d towns started designing with sewer dungeons in mind,¡±ments nder as they enter, the elf lighting a torch so they can easily see.


    ¡°Oh? Haven¡¯t they been doing that for a long time?¡±


    nder nods as he looks around. ¡°Yeah, but some of the really old cities have sewers that weren¡¯t designed like that. When the dungeon gets subsumed, they upgrade, but the really old sewer dungeons don¡¯t like delvers trying to reshape their territory. I think most town leaders would rather have an upset murderous dungeon than an unhappy sewer, so they don¡¯t bother pressing the issue. I was an escort in one where we had to have aqua affinity potions as well as disease and poison protection, too.¡±


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    The catkin shudders at the idea, and even the elf looks haunted by the memories for a moment before he continues. ¡°At least this one has plenty of headroom.¡±


    Berdol makes a note to get some disease protection potions the next time he has to do a sewer inspection. He doubts he¡¯ll need them for this one¡­ hopefully. The air isn¡¯t exactly pleasant, but considering they still haven¡¯t found Violet¡¯s borders, it could be a lot worse. If she wasn¡¯t actively cleaning things in her area, the stench would probably be much worse.


    He pauses as he feels the change that signals entering a dungeon, and looks back at the exit with a measuring eye. ¡°What would you say? About¡­ a hundred feet from the outlet?¡±


    nder nces back before nodding. ¡°About there, yeah. What sorts of spawns is she supposed to have? Do you know?¡±


    ¡°Teemo mentioned putrid oozes and caiman, but nobody was crazy enough to try toe in here to verify on their own.¡±


    ¡°That morous duty is all yours,¡± replies nder with a smirk as they continue walking, both appreciating how quickly the air is clearing. He bars Berdol¡¯s path with the blunt end of his ive when he spots movement in the mostly-clear water. ¡°Looks like a caiman to me. How do you want to handle it?¡±


    Berdol makes a note of the denizen as he considers, then gently pushes the offending haft down and out of his way. ¡°For now, we¡¯ll leave it alone. If it follows her usual methods, it¡¯s mostly there for invaders. If it attacks, deal with it, but otherwise let it do its job.¡±


    nder tenses for a moment as Berdol moves his spear, before releasing his breath and shaking his head with a smile. ¡°Right, toybox.¡±


    The catkin smirks as they walk past the denizen, letting itzily swim along its patrol. ¡°Do they even make belligerent sewer dungeons? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen any examples in the books yet.¡±


    ¡°Eh, a couple, but you¡¯re right. They¡¯re mostly cooperative. Some are just more¡­ <em>cooperative</em> than others.¡± He doesn¡¯t get a chance to borate as they round the corner and seem to hit a wall of stench. The source is obvious as arge stagnant pool can be seen ahead of them, writhing with movement.


    Berdol shudders at the sight, making a note as hements. ¡°They don¡¯t call them putrid oozes for nothing.¡±


    nder shrugs, seeming to only be bothered by the smell. ¡°I dunno. I think the slimes are kinda cute. I had a friend when I was a kid who had a domesticated one as a pet.¡±


    ¡°A domesticated putrid ooze?!¡± Berdol recoils at the image of what kind of parent would allow that, with the image only getting more ridiculous as nderughs.


    ¡°Not a putrid one! A normal one. We liked to go out and gather a bunch of flowers to feed it to change its color. We got in a lot of trouble one time when we took some flowers that weren¡¯t wild, heh.¡± The elf chuckles at the memory even as Berdol tries to usher them away from the wriggling pool.


    His eyes twinkle in mischief as he continues. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of adventurers sometimes keeping putrid oozes, though. Just put it in a box or other container and have a bottomless chamberpot!¡±


    Berdol gags at the idea, much to the mirth of nder. A second voice joins the echoingughter as the sewer tunnel darkens, cutting off the elf as he raises his ive.


    ¡°A portable ooze! I wonder if I could get Violet to send them on expeditions like that, somehow.¡± The shadows lengthen as the elf takes a defensive position, though Berdol¡¯sughter cracks his focus for a moment.


    ¡°Rx, nder! It¡¯s Onyx!¡±


    nder does anything but rx as he keeps his eyes on his surroundings. ¡°That¡¯s not a gremlin.¡±


    ¡°Not anymore I¡¯m not, no. I¡¯m a shade now. It¡¯s a lot easier to get around like this.¡± She slowly steps away from the wall in front of nder, respecting the distance he can easily reach with his weapon. Where she used to hardly reach Berdol¡¯s waist, now she¡¯s noticeably taller than him! Two holes in the darkness mark her eyes, letting the two delvers see the tunnel beyond her, and a mouth cuts through the shadows when she speaks.


    ¡°It feels like it¡¯s been a while, Berdol! Too busy toe give me more fighting tips?¡±


    He chuckles and nods. ¡°A bit, actually. There¡¯s a lot that goes into learning to be an inspector, and your mentor causing mischief doesn¡¯t help things.¡±


    Onyx¡¯s grin stretches her face, making nder tense up again, but Berdol ignores him and simply steps up to get a closer look at his friend and scion as she replies. ¡°Mischief is part of the fun!¡± Her smile slips a bit for a moment, before she sighs and lets the smile shrink back to more ordinary proportions. ¡°Violet says it¡¯s only sometimes fun. Are you going to be ok? She was worried you might freak out if I kept teasing,¡± she asks nder, who slowly lowers his ive. He takes a few moments before replying.


    ¡°Sorry. I haven¡¯t had good experiences with shades before.¡±


    Onyx slumps a little. ¡°Ah, sorry about that. I¡¯m still getting used to being a shade. There¡¯s just so much more I can do now!¡±


    ¡°On top of being a Voice,¡± points out Berdol, earning a happy nod.


    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s actually why I¡¯m here. Violet knows the Mentor usually has his Voice along for inspections, so I¡¯m here! Is there anything I can help with?¡±


    Berdol nods and consults his notes. ¡°I have a whole list of things, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± She smiles at that, urging him to continue. ¡°Well, to start with, are there any new scions?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Slimy and Teeth! They¡¯re both a bit busy, but Slimy is just back that way, dealing with a pool. Let me introduce you¡±!


    Berdol starts to protest, but is cut off by a smirking nder. ¡°He¡¯d love to! It¡¯s his duty as an inspector to personally meet as many scions in a dungeon as he can, after all.¡± Berdol¡¯s look of betrayal earns another peal ofughter from the elf, who follows along as Onyx leads the way.


    Being an inspector is not always easy.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Ninety-Three

    Chapter Two-Hundred Ny-Three


    <strong>Aranya</strong>


    It will be good to get back home. Not only is she looking forward to getting back to what hase to feel like her proper ce in the world, but being able to bring her people there as well makes all the difficulties of thest week worth it and more. It makes the difficulties of the past atrge worth it as well, but the more recent trials are simply more fresh in her mind.


    Despite her resolve when she delivered the ultimatum, she questioned the decision countless times over the ensuing days. The heart to heart with her grandfather tipped the bnce to get the kobolds moving, but after being stuck in their situation for so long, getting moving is an arduous process.


    Honestly, if she didn¡¯t give the deadline, they would have found some other reason to drag their feet. But with her grandfather¡¯s support, too many are going now for the reluctant to want to stay behind on their own. She received more than a few irate visitors the first day or two, but after that, everyone was simply too busy to waste timeining to her in specific.


    She¡¯s been helping them pack what meager belongings they have, and get what food they can for the journey. She had expected food to be difficult to acquire, but if anything, there was more than they could reasonably carry! While the local industry is finally shifting away from mostly food production, the people of Silvervein are still very aplished in it, and leapt at the chance to provide some kind of aid to the kobolds they ignored for so long.


    She¡¯d be more bitter about it if the food weren¡¯t so good.


    And so now, she looks at the throng of kobolds and legion of Lord Thedeim¡¯s denizens, standing beside Leo and Honey, along with her friends, as the fewst-minute things are done. The Stag, Tarl, Kennith, and Serd are there to see them off, with the pale elf being the official representative of Silvervein in this.


    Everyone can feel the subtle shift in the atmosphere that signals the time to go, where there really is nothing left to do but get moving, so Aranya approaches those who are staying and smiles at them.


    ¡°It looks like it¡¯s time for us to get going.¡±¡°My Lord should offer Lord Thedeim the trade as you all pass through. He has a bear and a fox ready for you, and is eager to see more of the odd forest you¡¯re cultivating.¡±


    Honey buzzes and Leo gives a wolfy grunt in reply, to which the Stag nods. ¡°I¡¯ll be returning to my Lord soon, but not quite yet. Tarl has asked that I help guide Vanta directly for a little while longer. The Bear is doing¡­ well enough in his duties that I should be able to stay here for a few more days, and I enjoy helping the young one. Give your lord my and my Lord¡¯s regards.¡±


    His piece said, Tarl steps forward and hands Aranya a leather bound ledger. ¡°This should be everything the guild needs to establish a branch here. The Southwood was already a long trip, but Silvervein and Vanta are way too far away for me to properly inspect regrly. They might even move Southwood to the jurisdiction here.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, but I hope you¡¯ll still delve my Lord on asion, Tarl. You always have the most interesting news to share,¡±ments the Stag.


    Tarl snorts at that, the corners of his mouth hinting at a smile. ¡°It¡¯ll be nice toe do a more casual delve every so often. The official ones take so <em>long</em> with all your territory. But with Teemo¡¯s shortcuts, it¡¯ll be a lot easier to swing by for a respite from Thedeim¡¯s nonsense.¡±


    Most smirk, fully understanding Tarl''s joke, but Kennith and Serd don¡¯t join in the humor, both still a bit removed from Him to know the kind of things He gets up to. The gnome speaks up next, offering his hand to shake to Aranya.


    ¡°It¡¯s been an interesting experience,ing here and meeting all of you. I¡¯ll still be sticking around to ensure the council understand their duties, before going back to Holdhome, I think. Lord Order may have more in n for Silvervein, but I don¡¯t think His potential ns involve me. I¡¯m looking forward to getting back to the more boring matters back there.¡±


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    Aranya shakes his hand and nods at that. ¡°That¡¯s fair, and thank you again for your help with the Harbinger. Lord Thedeim was more than happy with thepensation, and even happier still to know that beast is well and truly handled.¡±


    Serd steps up to shake her hand next. ¡°We¡¯re in Thedeim¡¯s debt for all he¡¯s done for us, Priestess. I wish we could help your people more, but after so long, distance is probably best for everyone.¡±


    ¡°I think we mostly need some time toe to terms with everything. We¡¯ve <em>all</em> been freed, and I think we¡¯ll all need a bit of time and space to figure out what they really means. Once things are calmed here, definitely send some traders to Fourdock. They¡¯re good people, and I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be happy to engage in a bit ofmerce.¡±


    The Stag interjects before Serd can respond. ¡°There are also the wandering orcs to the south. They only have a single true settlement, but they¡¯re some of my Lord¡¯s moremon delvers. A bazaar would certainly get their attention, and get my Lord more mana.¡±


    Serd looks thoughtful about that. ¡°I¡¯ll float the idea of establishing caravans once things are stable enough for that. A lot of people are curious about what the surface has to offer, and the surface is apparently interested in the goods we have to offer, too. In fact, there¡¯ll probably be unofficial caravans before long. Merchants always follow coin, even if they¡¯re not alwayspletely ready for the trip.¡±


    Aranya nods as a few snickers are had at the expense of overeager business types. ¡°Sometimes, being <empletely</em> ready is just an excuse to dy. While there¡¯s probably more we could do to prepare for the trip, I think dying would do us no good. May Lord Thediem smile upon Silvervein and see it prosper, and keep us all safe on this journey.¡± Her pendant glows a soft orange as she feels a small sliver of Lord Thedeim¡¯s might empower her prayer. High Priestess or not, it¡¯s still humbling to be entrusted with that kind of responsibility.


    ¡°Warm meals and cool tunnels to you,¡± replies Serd in farewell as Ragnar whistles for the attention of the kobolds.


    ¡°sh¡¯ Projection,¡± mutters the kobold in a quick prayer, enabling her voice to carry to all involved without her needing to even raise her voice. ¡°It is time for us to go. We will have the protection of Lord Thedeim¡¯s denizens for our exodus, and that includes for more than simply against bandits or monsters. If anyone is having troubles with the journey itself, please let one of the denizens know. They¡¯ll inform Leo or Honey, and they¡¯ll inform me. We¡¯ll be utilizing shortcuts the entire way, and though they are odd at first, they will shorten the trek significantly. I¡¯ll call for halts as needed.¡±


    She pauses for a moment before continuing. ¡°And thank you all for joining us. I know it¡¯s a difficult decision and the road ahead is full of uncertainty, but this is a change we all desperately needed. It can be scary, I know, but please believe that each step along this path is one towards a better tomorrow.¡±


    She smiles at the scattered cheers she gets for her impromptu speech. Most of the kobolds are still apprehensive, but quite a few are optimistic about the future now. Even <em>scattered</em> cheers are better than scattered jeers, so she¡¯ll take this reaction with a smile. It¡¯s difficult to make people happy about a long march on foot.


    She waves her goodbyes before joining her brethren in their walking, her friends at her side.


    ¡°Did you practice that?¡± asks Ara, earning augh from the red kobold.


    ¡°No! If I did, it probably would have been a lot longer and a lot more boring.¡±


    Yvonne nods sagely at that. ¡°Indeed. Practicing speeches is a good way to stumble down the path to bing a noble.¡±


    Ragnar shudders at that, only exaggerating his disdain for politicians slightly. ¡°Yer already walkin¡¯ a narrow road wi¡¯ bein¡¯ a High Priestess.¡±


    Ara shrugs before Aranya can respond. ¡°You met Kennith and he¡¯s fine. And that pdin from the Shield. Most of the shield people are pretty good.¡±


    ¡°S¡¯a fair point,¡± concedes Ragnar.


    ¡°I intend to keep things as casual as possible, at least as long as I¡¯m the High Priestess. He¡¯s not big on ceremony, and after having seen Kennith channeling Order and talking with him about their hierarchy, I¡¯m confident in keeping at least empty pomp to a minimum.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re doing a good job so far,¡±pliments Yvonne with the smiling agreement of Ragnar and Ara. They let her writhe under the praise for a few moments before Ragnar changes the subject.


    ¡°So, where¡¯re they gonna go?¡±


    ¡°I think most of them are hoping to settle with the ratkin. Some want to join with the spiderkin enve, or Fourdock proper, but the majority favor the ratkin.¡±


    ¡°How did they make such a good impression on the kobolds?¡± asks Yvonne.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s more that the spiderkin can look a bit intimidating if you¡¯re not used to them, especially therge tarantkin.¡±


    ¡°Aye. ¡®ave y¡¯ seen Frn¡¯s Axe? I bet it¡¯s ¡®eavier ¡®n me!¡± Theyugh and chat as they walk, settling in to debate which enve they would join if they had the need. Ragnar and Ara prefer the ratkin, while Yvonne would join the spiderkin. Aranya can¡¯t bring herself to choose, and the conversation wanders as the day marches on.


    The first break is calledter than Aranya had intended, thanks to the happy distraction of talking with her friends.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Ninety-Four

    Chapter Two-Hundred Ny-Four


    I have a bit of fun at Berdol¡¯s expense as I watch him meet Violet¡¯s other scions, and do the rest of the inspection. nder looks like he¡¯s mostly having fun, too, but I don¡¯t miss the fact that he always keeps Onyx within his line of sight. He might have found Slimy to be cute, but Violet¡¯s shade definitely puts him on edge.


    As the inspection winds down, I think nder is looking forward to being done, but Berdol and Onyx seem oblivious to his unease. Thest thing Berdol does for the official inspection is check the hatching chambers for the scythemaws. They¡¯ve long since cleared out, but they¡¯re still an interesting thing to look into.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s it, Onyx. From what I can see, Violet is a thriving toybox and will only get better as she gets used to the sewers.¡±


    ¡°Great! Mentor Thedeim seemed pretty confident, but it¡¯s good to hear she¡¯s doing well by delver standards, too.¡± Her confidence and happiness at hearing the report slip a bit as she continues. ¡°So¡­ that¡¯s it for official inspection things?¡±


    Berdol nods. ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°Then do you want to spar some? I really want to see what I can do now!¡±


    nder¡¯s eyes bug out, where Berdol only looks a bit ufortable. ¡°I mean, sure, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be a good spar for you anymore. I can try to give you a couple more pointers, but I don¡¯t know how much they¡¯ll help you.¡±


    Onyx slumps a little at that. ¡°I was kinda afraid of that, yeah. Maybe it¡¯d help you out, though?¡±


    Berdolughs. ¡°Maybe some, but I think I¡¯ll need to do some more regr delving to close the gap enough to really make a difference. Maybe you could spar with nder?¡±Onyx turns begging eyes upon the experienced elf, but he¡¯s having none of it. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Aw, why not!¡±es the reply from both Onyx and Berdol, earning an exasperated sigh from him.


    ¡°I already told you: I¡¯ve had bad experiences with shades. If I fight her, it¡¯ll be a <em>fight</em>, and one I intend to finish quickly.¡±


    Onyx tries to turn up the charm with a big wobbling lip, but Berdol has a better idea.


    ¡°What about Rocky?¡±


    nder raises an eyebrow at the tabby catkin. ¡°There¡¯s still several days before the prize fight.¡±


    Berdol shakes his head. ¡°I don¡¯t mean you. Her!¡± He points at Onyx, who is looking surprised as well. ¡°If anyone can keep up with her, it¡¯ll be Rocky, and you can get an idea of what fighting him will be like if we get to watch.¡± He turns his focus to the friendly shade. ¡°We¡¯ll get to watch, right?¡±


    ¡°Er¡­ maybe? Mentor Thedeim has a secret training room in the caverns, but I don¡¯t know if delvers are allowed to see.¡±


    I can feel her trying to feel my opinion through Violet¡¯s bond, and though I don¡¯t mind her and Rocky showing off, I don¡¯t want to show them any of the established shortcuts. Thankfully, that¡¯s an easy fix. I hardly need to think of the solution before Teemo is on his way. I think he¡¯s looking forward to a bit of an exhibition between Onyx and Rocky.


    ¡°I think Teemo¡¯s on the way? His reaction isn¡¯t exactly negative, but there¡¯s more to it than just a yes.¡±


    Berdol nods at that while I think nder is trying to contain his eagerness. No matter how strong the elf is, only a fool would pass up the chance to size up an opponent before a fight, and I doubt fools get the chance to be semi-retired adventurers. They don¡¯t need to wait long before Teemo pops up, seeming to emerge right from the shadows that make up Onyx¡¯s right shoulder.


    ¡°Alrighty, Boss says you guys want to watch an exhibition match between Onyx and Rocky?¡± All three nod, despite Onyx wanting to participate, which makes Teemo smile. ¡°Yeah, I think we can use the training room. It¡¯ll be more of a spar and coaching than a match, but I still think you¡¯ll all have fun with it. The Boss wanted me to make a temporary shortcut there, instead of using the established ones. Gotta keep things secure, you know?¡±


    Berdol nods again, while nder looks suspicious of me understanding security measures like that. He doesn¡¯t speak his thoughts, though, and soon the three are heading through a simple shortcut to the training area.


    Rocky¡¯s already there. While he often likes to train in the ring when on his own, he bolted here as soon as he got an inkling of what¡¯s nned. He seemed pretty eager to teach her a few things after she ascended, and now he not only gets a chance to do so, but also show off a bit to who will certainly be his biggest challenger yet!


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    He grunts and waves in greetings as the others arrive, and I can see the disappointment in the faces of the delvers. The ¡®training room¡¯ isn¡¯t an official room¡­ I should see if I can trade for one with the Southwood,e to think of it. Anyway, the room is mostly just an empty cave with a circle carved into the floor. It¡¯s used equal parts as a ce to test attacks and to spar between my scions, so there¡¯s not a lot of room for things like weights, punching bags, or target dummies. The walls should be able to handle whatever attacks my scionse up with without breaking, and the ring gives them a good field to stay within for their fights.


    Teemo makes his way to an outcropping in the wall to watch as Onyx heads for my zombie boxer.


    ¡°Thanks in advance, Rocky! I¡¯ve been wanting to ask you for tips, too, but didn¡¯t know the best time.¡± Rocky grunts and she giggles, nder looking like he¡¯s desperately trying to process the dissonance in his mind at a <em>shade</em> giggling. ¡°You <em>did</em> say any time is a good time, but I¡¯ve also been busy. Anyway, please teach me!¡±


    Berdol goes and leans against the wall next to Teemo, with nder btedly following, still trying to sort out his feelings about this situation. He gets a bit of time to process as Rocky grunts and Onyx listens, even donning her spiked gauntlets.


    ¡°Looks like he wants her to shadow box a little, so he can get a feel for where she¡¯s at, first,¡±ments Teemo for the benefit of our guests. Berdol levitates his clipboard with a fresh bit of paper, probably hoping to glean a few pointers himself as Onyx begins.


    She starts off pretty simple with a few shes, a few stabs, before she starts to lookfortable. She leans back, lunges forward, slips to the side, parries imagined attacks and counters, all while mostly keeping her form stable. She soon starts lengthening her limbs and even sends them on impossible arcs to harry her invisible foes, finally finishing with a series of strikesunched from the shadows in the room,ing at angles that would surely catch any delver off guard.


    Judging by nder¡¯s look, that¡¯s how a lot of shades fight. I imagine that, while it looks cool when a friend does it, it¡¯d be terrifying to try to actually fight a foe like that. I¡¯m not the only one who notices, either, as Berdol looks over at him.


    ¡°Is that¡­ how shades usually fight? I don¡¯t think I¡¯d do very well against one.¡±


    The elf nods. ¡°She still has a long way to go, but yeah. When fighting a shade, it¡¯s always the attack you don¡¯t seeing that gets you. And with a strong shade, there¡¯s <em>always</em> unseen attacks.¡±


    Rocky nods at his assessment and grunts an exnation that Teemo only partially trantes.


    ¡°He says she¡¯s not bad, but she needs to get more used to her shadow affinity. Leo can give her some tips on that once he gets back. For now, he thinks he can give her a good spar to get her thinking about how to better attack and defend.¡±


    nder looks doubtful. ¡°He¡¯s going to teach <em>her</em>? I¡¯ve read the reports, but still¡­ a shade should have no problem at all dealing with a zombie.¡±


    Rocky¡¯sugh is echoed by Onyx, the two each making it sound way creepier than I think they mean to. ¡°Are you kidding? Rocky¡¯d wipe the floor with me if this wasn¡¯t a friendly spar.¡±


    Even Berdol chuckles and nods at that. ¡°Just watch, nder. You¡¯ll see.¡±


    He still looks doubtful, but the elf quiets to focus on the spar. Rocky sets his mouthguard and takes his stance, looking light on his feet and ready to rumble. Onyx tries to mimic him, but he grunts a negative at her. While I think she could adapt a boxing stance to work with her ws, she should use what skill she already has, rather than trying to improvise on the basics.


    Her stance makes me think more karate than boxing, with her hands at different levels, slightly open. It¡¯s a versatile stance for attacking, blocking, or parrying, but I think the boxing stance is better for absorbing blows or ducking around them. Onyx takes a moment to focus herself beforeunching forward with a diagonal sh of her ws.


    Rocky easily steps back before stepping in and catching her off guard with several body blows, before he steps back out. She tries a couple more shes before she figures out what my zombie is telling her with the pulled punches, and she starts letting her shadowy form shift to try to avoid the attacks.


    She looks awkward doing it, but Rocky nods in approval. Getting the idea is often the hard part. The rest is just practice. He grunts and she changes from shes to stabs, which he easily parries with his raised dukes, letting the gauntlet sail just past his head, or ducks and weaves tounch counters.


    She gets plenty of practice with her own dodging, but she doesn¡¯t seem to get any ideas for how to tighten her form with the stabs. In frustration, she tries to grab his raised hands, only to get a firm rebuke in the guise of a headbut that sends her staggering back a couple paces. Rocky grunts as she recovers, and Teemo once more gives nder and Berdol the gist.


    ¡°He says it¡¯s a bad idea to grab someone if you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing. He might try to teach her a couple techniques that could work well for her, but a lot of it will require her to figure it out on her own. The Boss calls it judo. He only understands the basics, but the basics were all Rocky needed to build his boxing style. Now he wants her to do that shadowy strike, the one thates from weird angles.¡±


    Onyx looks a bit winded, but the determined smile on her face makes it in she¡¯s having the time of her life, even if she hasn¡¯tnded a solid hit yet. ¡°Here ites!¡±


    Her gauntleted hands vanish into her body as the shadows seem to lengthen, casting the room in an eerie umbra. The attackse without warning nor shout, two spiked hands: one from behind and above, one directly from the side.


    nder and Berdol¡¯s breath fogs as the temperature in the room plummets, Onyx¡¯s shadowy limbs freezing solid as Rocky flexes his affinities. A heartbeatter, light and heat wash over the area, the shadows beaten back. The temperature and lighting quickly normalizes, revealing Rocky standing before Onyx, a glove with a lick of me not even an inch from her face. She stares at it for a few moments, needing the time to process what just happened, before she smiles wide. ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡±


    Berdol looks like he agrees, but nder looks bbergasted.


    ¡°But¡­ that¡¯s-¡±


    ¡°Not how that works?¡± interrupts Teemo with a knowing grin. ¡°Trust me. That¡¯s <em>precisely</em> how that works.¡±

 Chapter Two-Hundred Ninety-Five

    Chapter Two-Hundred Ny-Five


    <strong>nder</strong>


    Back in his suite, the elf pores over his notes, trying to make sense of what he saw from Rocky. Never in his wildest dreams did he think the zombie scion could do what he witnessed. He¡¯s never seen <em>liches</em> do something like that!


    His thoughts are even more jumbled than his workspace, though the mess of ink and papers is making a valiant effort to keep up. He looks mad as he scribbles, writing at a pace to make any trained scribe jealous as he records his thoughts. He calms as he goes, letting the questions remain on the paper he ced them, to be taken in turn without worry of forgetting anything.


    He sighs as he finally puts the quill away, and gets to organizing. Much of his scribblings are either oundish worries or wild theories, and can be easily put aside forter. In fact, looking over his thoughts now, he sees only two immediately important things: Thedeim provided the seed for Rocky¡¯s fighting style, and Rocky¡¯s affinity prowess is unheard of. Put side by side like that, it¡¯s not much of a leap to guess that Thedeim has a deep understanding of affinities, too.


    It lends all the more credence to the insane theory he is somehow a Lost dungeon, sealed away and only recently opened to the outside world once more. It¡¯s a crazy idea, that he would be somehow trapped beneath Fourdock for ages, but he can¡¯t imagine any other exnation for not only his growth, but the power of his scions.


    Power he seems to be willing to share with his protege. He doesn¡¯t know what judo is, but if it¡¯s as strong as Rocky¡¯s boxing, Onyx is going to be the strongest scion from a toybox ever recorded. Her being a shade already makes her rare, and even if she genuinely seems friendly and a little innocent, she¡¯ll be a true nightmare to anyone unfortunate enough to earn the ire of her or her dungeon.


    He jots that thought down and turns to his notes on Rocky¡¯s fighting style, recalling how the zombie moved. His dexterity rivals the nimble fey, while his raw power is at the level of the strongest beast, and his magic¡­


    It¡¯s hard not to be in awe of it, even after all nder has seen. On the other hand, it¡¯s so impressive <em>because</em> of all he¡¯s seen. Among scions, he¡¯s only seen archliches wield opposing affinities with any amount of control and skill, and only a handful of mages can do the same. He recognizes the difference between Arcane affinity tricks and actual opposing forces, and Rocky was using the real deals.


    Even more, he wove and utilized them like they were the same affinity! Teemo¡¯s teasing words echo in his mind, but he can¡¯t ept them. That is <em>not</em> how fire and ice work. He¡¯s fought alongside enough friends and against enough foes with those affinities to know how they¡¯re used. And, if the pamphlet from the Dungeoneers is correct, that¡¯s not all of his affinities.How can a single zombie have more affinities on his own than most entire parties?! A <em>zombie</em>, of all things! If he was a lich, it¡¯d make at least a little sense, but no. He grumbles and stands, beginning to pace and try to burn off some energy.


    He hasn¡¯t felt this apprehensive since his final trial to be Crown Inspector. And just like back then, though there is some fear, there is a lot of eagerness, too. Sure, Rocky could cause untold devastation if he decided to, but any Conduit could probably do even more. Even more important to nder, however, is the <em>challenge</em> Rocky can give.


    The way he moves, the way he uses his affinities! There¡¯s going to be a lot of people trying to mimic him in theing years, nder is certain of it. A fighting style like that should be trantable to delvers with minimal issue. If he wasn¡¯t so used to his ive, he might even try to dabble. Unfortunately, from everything he saw in that fight, the style is almost exclusively punches, with the asional headbutt thrown in for good measure. nder needs both hands on his ive to use it properly.


    He stops pacing as he remembers something. It doesn¡¯t take him long to find the paper in his notes, and he nods at the forethought of his past self. He <em>should</em> interview some of the adventurers. They¡¯ll have a different perspective on Thedeim, but also should have better details about Rocky. He¡¯s supposed to ept challenges, so getting to talk to them could give him a better understanding of how to get the most out of his impending fight with the surprising zombie.


    He cleans himself up a bit before heading for the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Looking fresh from a delve is one thing among adventurers, but showing up covered in ink rather than blood sends a certain message, no matter the ive at his back. It doesn¡¯t take him long to look presentable as a semi-retired adventurer, enjoying a bit of down time, and soon he walks through the doors of the guild.


    He gets a few curious nces, but most don¡¯t pay him much mind. The thin orc at the bar watches him for a few moments longer than the others, before returning to preparing drinks and food for the rxing adventurers. nder is moderately certain Karn the Slight knows who he is, but the rogue is polite enough to not go spreading that around.


    As much as he¡¯d like to leave the guildmaster to his business, he really does need some advice for who to ask about advice against Rocky. He takes a seat at the bar next to some variety of birdkin with a smoking pipe. An eaglekin, perhaps? He¡¯s never been good at differentiating the birds of prey. He¡¯s smoking an interesting blend, which makes the wait more pleasant than he expected, until Karn stands before him.


    ¡°nder, yeah? I hear you¡¯re helping out the Dungeoneers?¡±


    The elf nods casually. ¡°I am. I also have a quest in the local dungeon.¡±


    Karn grins at the understatement. ¡°Oh really? I¡¯ve heard a couple rumors, but I¡®m definitely not running a betting pool on how it¡¯ll go.¡±


    nder snorts at that. ¡°Well, who would I talk to to improve my odds? I got my first hint of what he¡¯s capable of yesterday, and I¡¯m hoping to learn a bit more.¡±


    ¡°You can ask pretty much anyone, really. I think only Ara¡¯s and Vnarl¡¯s groups have resisted the urge to go a round with him. If you want my advice, though¡­ I think it¡¯ll take a different nder with a ive to beat him, and even that wouldn¡¯t be a guarantee.¡±


    The smoking birdkin chuckles at the absurdity of the Crown Inspector visiting Fourdock, and nods at the sentiment. nder raises an eyebrow at that, and addresses him.


    ¡°Really? Have you faced Rocky then, friend?¡±


    He nods and takes a drag from his pipe, savoring it before exhaling and borating. ¡°I thought I could handle him once. I have both wind and fire affinities, and I¡¯ve never seen an undead withstand my congration spell.¡± He chuckles at himself, taking another drag before continuing. ¡°I felt like a fledgeling again. What portions he didn¡¯t simply dodge, he suborned to his own use. He danced through the spell, gathering what portions he wanted, before darting forward with a punch. I barely knew it wasing before I woke up in a healing slime. The spectators tell me I wasunched clear out of the ring and into the strange denizen.¡±


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    He smiles at the memory, tapping out his pipe onto a provided tray. ¡°It¡¯s good to be reminded there are still greater heights to soar to.¡± nder eyes the birdkin as he talks, getting a feel for his level. He¡¯s certainly not new to adventuring.


    ¡°Just one hit?¡± he asks for rity, and the birdkin nods.


    ¡°One hit. Many of his fights are decided in one, though he¡¯ll sometimes take the time to soften people up before going for the finish. His fight with Rhonda, Freddie, and Larrez is one everyone remembers.¡±


    ¡°A party? Did they win?¡±


    He squawks in augh. ¡°Goodness no! But they put up a spectacr fight. You should try to get them to share the tale themselves.¡± He turns to look out into the rest of the guild. ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re here right now, though.¡±


    ¡°Do you know where I can find them?¡±


    ¡°Respect their privacy, Jirt,¡± interjects Karn, and the birdkin nods.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll bump into them around town. A goblin mage of a sort, an orcish pdin, and an elven swordfighter. They¡¯re young and more casual than most of the adventurers here, so they don¡¯t really want publicity just yet. But mark my words, they¡¯re going ces.¡±


    Karn nods at that description, and nder does his best tomit that to memory. ¡°What about the groups that haven¡¯t fought him yet?¡±


    Karn nods at Jirt before walking off to tend to other adventurers, leaving the two to chat. ¡°Both groups have their reasons, though I can only guess.¡±


    ¡°What do you guess?¡± asks nder, quietly cing a coin next to the adventurer¡¯s pipe. He casually scoops both up and starts idly packing the pipe as he thinks.


    ¡°Well, for Ara¡¯s group, it¡¯d be a bit of a conflict of interests, I think. Aranya and Yvonne are both Residents. I¡¯m hardly a Dungeoneer, but I understand those with close ties to a dungeon don¡¯t generate as much mana as those unfettered? They get plenty of adventuring out in the wilds, scouting or dealing with Ranger business. As for Vnarl¡¯s group¡­¡±


    He pauses, using a finger to create the me for his pipe. ¡°I think they¡¯ve had enough of Thedeim¡¯s scions. They provoked Poe to a fight by threatening Yvonne. After knocking them out, Thedeim imprisoned them until they could escape through the gauntlet. Their rtionship is warmed now, but I think they¡¯ve had their fill of fighting his scions.¡±


    ¡°Are they here?¡± asks nder, eager to hear their side of the battle. Jirt looks out over the guild once more and nods.


    ¡°They¡¯re in the middle there, the troll, halfling, and wood elf.¡± nder follows his gaze and nods before standing.


    ¡°Thanks. Enjoy your pipe.¡± The birdkin nods and settles in as nder approaches the group, earning a squint from Vnarl as he gets near.


    ¡°Do I know you? You seem familiar.¡±


    ¡°Probably not. I¡¯ve been mostly around the capital for years now.¡±


    Vnarl¡¯s squint intensifies before he shrugs. ¡°So were we. We probably bumped shoulders somewhere. Anyway, you need something?¡±


    ¡°Well, I have a quest to fight Rocky, and I hear you¡¯ve tangled with some of Thedeim¡¯s other scions? I¡¯m trying to get a better feel for what I¡¯m up against.¡±


    The halfling snorts where the other elf looks a bit sympathetic. For his part, Vnarl just grins. ¡°Hah! Maybe that¡¯s where I know you from then! Thedeim has your face stered everywhere he can put those notices!¡±


    ¡°So can you help me?¡±


    The troll shrugs and motions for him to take a seat. ¡°I probably shouldn''t, I bet on Rocky, but I¡¯ll do what I can. We¡¯ve steered clear of Thedeim¡¯s scions after Poe.¡±


    nder gratefully takes a seat. ¡°I heard a little about that, but would you like to exin? Oh, I¡¯m nder, by the way.¡± He offers his hand and they shake it in turn, introducing themselves.


    With that out the way, Mlynda speaks up first. ¡°We were stupid and thought we could take on the world. If we took the time to gather info like you, we¡¯d probably still be in our old guild.¡±


    Hark chuckles and elbows her. ¡°At least that worked out well for us. Slim Chance is a way better guild.¡±


    Vnarl nods. ¡°And Thedeim¡¯s a way better delve than anything in the capital, too. Anyway, there¡¯s not all that much to tell about the fight, honestly. We had the bad luck to discover Poe¡¯s titles. Even before he embraced them, he took Hark out of the fight.¡±


    Hark winces at the memory and nods. ¡°He swooped down from the roof, grabbed me, and bounced me off it, a tree, I think a second tree, and then the ground.¡±


    Mlynda continues. ¡°He directed the crows and ravens around to attack us, and even with abination attack, Vnarl and I were pretty beat up by the time we dealt with the other birds. Then the expeditions returned. We never stood a chance.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you haven¡¯t challenged Rocky?¡±


    All threeugh, with Vnarl exining. ¡°A bit, yeah. Mostly though, we¡¯ve seen him fight. Whenever someone gets the idea to challenge him, we try to be there to watch.¡±


    Hark finishes the thought. ¡°I don¡¯t know if we¡¯d even lose in an interesting way. We¡¯re kinda midrange specialists. Even without the ring keeping things close, I think he¡¯d close the gap no matter what we do.¡±


    nder hums and nods at that, recalling what Jirt said about Rocky dancing through his congration. ¡°Any other advice?¡±


    The group shrugs as Mlynda speaks up. ¡°You could try the guild library, if Karn doesn¡¯t mind. It has a lot of ounts of delves in Thedeim, and pretty much everyone writes about their bout with Rocky.¡±


    nder nods at that and stands. ¡°I think I will, and I¡¯ll pay for your next round, too.¡±


    The trio grin at that and raise their mugs in a salute as he goes, and it¡¯s not difficult to get Karn¡¯s attention once back at the bar. ¡°The next round at Vnarl¡¯s table is on me, ok? And can I check out your library?¡±


    Karn nods at the first, and after a few second¡¯s consideration, nods at the second. ¡°That should be fine. Just try not to get in the librarian¡¯s way. She¡¯s been busy organizing, and I don¡¯t want you to mess her up. It¡¯s just up the stairs, can¡¯t miss it.¡±


    He nods and ces a few coins on the counter before following the directions, and is surprised to see a familiar face among the tomes. ¡°T! I didn¡¯t expect to see you here! How goes your search?¡±


    She brightens and smiles, cing her books on a counter so she can greet him properly. ¡°nder! I still haven¡¯t found whatever an ice sage is, but this library makes up for it! The organization is¡­¡± she trails off and blushes a bit, realizing he probably doesn¡¯t understand the intricacies of handling books. ¡°Well, it¡¯s novel and incredible, but I won¡¯t bore you with the details.¡±


    Heughs. ¡°Well, I¡¯m d you¡¯re enjoying yourself! Hang on, you have a fly in your hair. Let me¡­¡± He reaches toward her, only for her to flinch away and stop his hand.


    ¡°No! She¡¯s¡­ well, they¡¯re all assistants, I guess?¡±


    nder gives her a confused look. ¡°Assistants?¡±


    She nods. ¡°I think the local dungeon is into books! I¡¯ve tried asking around, and apparently he has a bee scion, and these are some of her helpers. They¡¯re very polite.¡±


    nder still looks confused, but now that he looks over the small library, he can see a small hive developing in one of the high corners. ¡°If you say so. Heh, Karn said to not mess with your system, so I¡¯ll trust you. Do you have the book on the fights with Rocky? I¡¯m doing a bit of research of my own.¡±


    T is more than eager to show him where it is, and he lets her guide him. In a dungeon, he may be king, but this is T¡¯s domain. He¡¯ll follow her lead.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Ninety-Six

    Chapter Two-Hundred Ny-Six


    Aranya and everyone should be getting to the Southwood soon, so I should make sure I¡¯m ready to ept the trade once they¡¯re there. Poppy and Titania have been working hard on the sections of the forest I¡¯ve purchased, and I think they¡¯re about ready for me to purchase the rest.


    I¡¯ll hold off on expanding upward there just yet, though. While Poppy is having some good sess with a yew as a base with the willow growing like a vine, she seems convinced she¡¯s close to a breakthrough with hybridizing the two. She¡¯s been getting more viable crossbreedstely, and though they don¡¯t have the qualities I¡¯m looking for, they¡¯re a good proof of concept for the work she¡¯s doing. She just needs to select for the traits I want, and we¡¯ll be golden!


    She¡¯smandeered more than a few of the small bees to help keep track of everything, and whenbined with the leafcutter ants and her own magic, not to mention the rainbats, she gets through a generation of nts a day! A couple of the more outdoorsy adventurers have wandered into herb/farm, and they seemed pretty confused at everything going on. Poppy bullied them out pretty quickly, though, not wanting them to disturb her experiments.


    It was interesting to see the soil elementals in action with the living vines. The basic style and challenge is pretty simr to the wyrms, except the wyrms can only really target a single delver. With the vines and the elementals, though, they practically be living AoE attacks. They don¡¯t do the most damage yet, but they make it practically impossible to have firm footing and move how you might want. The buzz of iing bumble bees was what made the delvers decide to get while the getting was good, and I got a bit of mana for defeating the delvers.


    While Poppy is taking to a research and support role, Titania is more on the path of a warrior queen. I¡¯d call her a warrior princess, but I wouldn¡¯t know where to even begin with making a chakram. Jello probably could, but unless Titania expands into metal affinity, I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll get much use out of it.


    I¡¯m sure she¡¯d try, though. She¡¯s been going through the various denizens and testing how they¡¯d do in the forest, and most seem to do very well! The crows and ravens are more than happy to hide shinies all over the ce, same with the packrats. I should sprinkle around some chests once I have a better idea of theyout for the forest as a whole, too. I think it¡¯ll really help incentivize delvers toe have a look. Most of the denizens that have been working out haven¡¯t been a surprise, but there is one that I didn¡¯t expect to be able to contribute as much, but is already opening up some interesting opportunities: the tunnelbore ants.


    They need a bit of help from the vines and earth elementals to stabilize things, but Titania is already making an interesting tunnel system through the forest. It almost makes me want to ask Violet about trading for moles or gremlins¡­ or centipedes or mushrooms. There¡¯s a lot of potential for them there, but I¡¯ll hold off. I don¡¯t want to go stealing her niche. Even more than making tunnels, Titania is using the tunnelbores tondscape a lot, too. There¡¯s a couple creeks and such running through, and I think she has a n in mind with diverting them.


    Rerouting waterways can be tricky business, but she and Poppy both are confident, so I let them work on their project without me interfering. Coda even stops by asionally to give his own opinions. While the two are definitely going for a more natural look, it¡¯s never a bad idea to have a better understanding of fluid dynamics when dealing with water flow.


    I think it¡¯s time to buy the rest of the forest now. It¡¯s another big chunk of what I got for the Harbinger, but this is what I¡¯ve been nning for, so it¡¯s not exactly a surprise. Titania and Poppy are both excited with the new area, and I think d they didn¡¯t have to try to manage the entire thing all at once. It¡¯s good to take things in steps to avoid getting overwhelmed.They¡¯ve mostly worked out the kinks with the first section, so now they take to the second section with gusto! I upgrade their spawners a bit, too. I don¡¯t go far enough to get a new spawn yet, but faster production for the pixies and vines will ensure they don¡¯t get stretched too thin.


    Grim is helping out, too. He nods at the expansion and heads to the spawning crypt, opening the doors to lead arge group of fungal zombies and verdant skeletons to what will be the spring section. A handful have been out to help Titania and Poppy before, but with the new room, might as well get them used to filtered daylight and open spaces.


    Some of the people in the cemetery give the procession curious looks, but they¡¯re not bothering anyone, so the delvers leave the undead to whatever it is they¡¯re doing.


    Time gets away from me as I watch everyone work, spending a bit of mana to put in some nodes or spawn some more denizens, and before I know it, I can feel Leo and Honey both trying to get my attention. Looking through their eyes, I can see the border of the Southwood not far ahead, and I can hear and smell my denizens and the kobolds behind, too.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Right, I need to make sure everyone is ready for them, also. Larx is aware of a lot of them wanting to join the enve, so the ratkin have been working to ensure there¡¯s room, as have the spiderkin Triumvirate. They¡¯re not getting quite as many, but they¡¯re just as excited to have new neighbors as my ratkin. I haven¡¯t looked as hard at Fourdock¡¯s preparations, but all they really need is a couple spare houses, which are pretty easy to find, and they¡¯ll be ready to rock.


    Speaking of being ready to rock, The Southwood seems pretty eager to trade with me, and I suspect the pile of mana he¡¯ll be getting is only part of it. Now I have the entire footprint for the Forest of Four Seasons, it just needs the climate control upgrade to make the name fit. The central tree will be important, too, but it¡¯ll be this upgrade that really sets the area apart and gives it the theme I want.


    And soon, I won¡¯t need to just imagine what it¡¯ll all look like. Leo¡¯s tail wags in anticipation, and Aranya pats his head as they all get closer.


    ¡°Lord Thedeim is looking forward to the transaction, I can tell. Not only a special upgrade, but two more scions as well. You¡¯ll make sure to help them adjust, right Leo? You know how it feels to transfer to a new sanctuary.¡±


    His tail wags harder in agreement. I think Leo has adjusted well to my nonsense, though he also wasn¡¯t exactly happy under Mlynda¡¯s control. Still, they¡¯ve both grown, and he didn¡¯t even growl at her on the asions they met during the attack on the Maw!


    I¡¯m curious about the two new denizens and scions I¡¯ll be getting, too. I wonder what it¡¯s like for a denizen to be upgraded to a scion? Do they suddenly haveplete thoughts? Did they not before? Is it more gradual? Or have they always been as smart as a scion, but just never had the drive or other reason to actively make decisions?


    I¡¯d ask, but I¡¯m even less of a psychologist than I am a biologist. Leo, Honey, and Aranya enter the Southwood¡¯s territory, with the throng of kobolds following behind, and Yvonne and her party bringing up the rear. As they gather, my scions break away from the group to meet with the Southwood¡¯s other scion: the Bear.


    I think he¡¯s a grizzly, but I also think he¡¯s closer in size to a pr bear. Despite his size, he seems more rxed than threatening, and easily takes a seat before making bear noises at Leo and Honey. Whatever he¡¯s saying has them feeling amused, which I think can only be a good sign. They exchange some pleasantries before another bear and a fox step out from behind him.


    They make their own noises and they all chat as I get the much-awaited popup for the trade. The window is pretty simple, and though I think I can expand it to make a counter offer and maybe try to get a training room, too, I¡¯ll save that forter. Maybe the Stag cane visit and I can ask about it then. EIther way, he¡¯s offering the Climate Control upgrade, as well as a fox and a bear denizen in exchange for mana.


    By the raw numbers, it¡¯s a pretty hefty sum, but I get the feeling he asking as little as he can get away with by the system. I briefly consider countering with more, but simply ept. I feel like trying to pay more would be like arguing about the bill at a restaurant. Best to ept the first offer, rather than start unneeded drama about who will pay what.


    Besides, I don¡¯t think either of us is getting screwed with this deal. He gets a nice injection for his projects, and I get what I need to finish mytest one. It¡¯s win/win!


    I ept and upgrade the fox and bear to scions, only to meet a hurdle.


    <strong>Denizen must be within territory to ascend to Scion</strong>


    I pout at that, but have to begrudgingly admit it makes sense. Otherwise, some crazy dungeon that¡¯s definitely not me could spend the piles of mana I definitely don¡¯t have to just upgrade denizens on expedition and ambush someone with a huge threat!


    Fine, Order, ruin my fun. Or dy it, I guess. I pat the bonds with Leo and Honey, and they move forward to greet thetest additions to my growing menagerie, with Honey doing a little dance of greeting on the nose of the bear, and Leo licking the top of the fox¡¯s head. That¡¯ll have to do until I can upgrade them and pat them more directly.


    I¡¯m already looking forward to getting them to their new home, and not just for the new spawners. Soon they¡¯ll get to meet everyone, make new friends, ande to the realization that I do things a <em>lot</em> differently than the Southwood. I¡¯m pretty sure they volunteered for this, so really, they¡¯ll only have themselves to me for the chaos ahead.


    But they¡¯re not the only thing I¡¯ve gotten! I let Leo and Honey wee my new denizens as I return my attention to the Forest of Four Seasons, preparing to make it live up to the name I¡¯ve been giving it the entire time.


    I select the entire forest for the upgrade, and take my time to adjust everything how I want it, and I¡¯m d I did. I could brute force it to make the sections fit their seasons, but even I wince at the upkeep that would take. But, If I adjust the flows, moving the heat around instead of just deleting it, the price plummets.


    I even see why Titania and Poppy were having Coda advise on the redirection of the waterways in the territory. Water is a great ce to sink heat. I think I¡¯ll need to change where they¡¯re moving the creeks and streams a bit, but with putting the excess heat into them, I also get a discount on adjusting the humidity, too! I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll need to have Fluffles or maybe even the Quartermaster swing by to help guide everything and fine tune it, probably at the direction of Poppy or Titania, but the discount will definitely be worth it!


    I look over the adjustments once more before paying the cost, and smile as the denizens and scions in the forest pause to see the mana flows start working. Sure, I could have gotten a dramatic sweeping change all at once, but that¡¯d be the brute force option. Slow and steady is the clock of the seasons, and I see no reason to rush it.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Ninety-Seven

    Chapter Two-Hundred Ny-Seven


    With the return of everyone only a day away, things are busy as everyone tries to finish somest minute bit of prep to wee them home. As if thisst week wasn¡¯t already a busy one.


    My enves are a flurry of activity, with everyst dweller either preparing to wee the kobolds in general, or wee home Aranya in specific. The ratkin have been digging out their area of the cryptplex, expanding their enve to ensure there¡¯s room not only for the kobolds, but for the first wave of true births among my dwellers, too. There¡¯s still months before anyone expects to give birth, but expectant mothers are starting to show, encouraging the fathers to ensure there¡¯s enough room forrger families.


    As far as I can tell, the spiderkin aren¡¯t that far along just yet. I do my best to give them their privacy, but gossip is easy to hear. Things are more focused on who is courting who, rather than when someone is supposed to be due. I wonder if the spiderkin have life birth, or do some kind of egg sack or something? I guess I¡¯ll learn eventually.


    The only enve not preparing for the return is the antkin enve, though they still need to fill their bars. They¡¯ve certainly heard of the return, and I think they¡¯re dying picking their leaders until everyone is back. Or they¡¯re taking the time to fully examine each project presented. The resettingtch has gotten some buzz, but the most popr among the engineer ants looks to be a Stirling engine. It¡¯s mostly a proof of concept, but considering the ambient temperature of the enve, it makes sense to explore it.


    My scions are also working diligently to ensure everything is prepared for the triumphant return of everyone who¡¯s been out on expedition for so long. Fluffles is helping the bees organize and file their current projects away to make room for the vast swaths of knowledge Honey will surely have them working on. Poe is tending to the war room, ensuring he¡¯ll have everything he needs to get Leo up to speed on the situation on the homefront.


    Tiny is even helping out in the Forest of Four Seasons, tidying things up and providing moral support for Titania and Poppy. They¡¯re going to have two more scions expected to work closely together, so they need to make sure they¡¯re ready to contribute and to help them adjust! My pixie scion is practically a blur as she rushes to and fro, while Poppy is nervously churning the ground enough to possibly endanger some of her experiments!


    The big guy doesn¡¯t have any trouble snaring Titania in a web, nor in plucking Poppy out of the ground, and gently sets the two on his back as he starts meandering the forest. I can¡¯t hear anything, but the manic energy I can feel from the bond with my two newest scions starts to settle and calm to something more manageable. When he finally lets them down, their movements are a lot more confident.


    My denizens pitch in as they can, with most in the forest following themand of the two sister scions. The only set that really are doing their own thing are the tundra wolves. With the climate control option, they¡¯re eagerly working to make the winter section match its season quickly. I imagine they¡¯d change what they¡¯re doing if asked, but Poppy and Titania are more concerned with setting a solid baseline for the seasons right now. At the moment, they only intrude into the winter section to direct the cement of the appropriate herbalism nodes.


    Spring is also seeing quite the transformation, probably because it¡¯s¡­ actually spring right now. Fruitbats, rainbats, verdant undead, leafcutter ants, and more swarm over the section, making it already bloom with vibrant life. In fact, seeing all the denizens reminds me that I should upgrade a couple spawners to keep with the idea of making the forest a challenging delve!I still expect my foxes and bears will y a pivotal role in that, but they¡¯re not the onlybatants I expect to have. I start with upgrading the nt spawner, which pushes up a little sprout that a bumblebee quickly scoops up and flies off with to nt somewhere. The menu calls it a dreambloom, and from what I can gather, it¡¯s no surprise the bumblebee was interested in it. It grows into a huge blue and white flower with a shape simr to a sunflower, but the central head is supposed to mimic the phase of the moon. Bumblebees are a primary pollinator, and are able to use the nt¡¯s unique property to help them out in a fight, too. It¡¯s not called a dreambloom because of the flower, but because of the pollen. It can be a pretty strong sedative, and I think it¡¯d be a cool challenge to have the asional patch of them the delvers have to get through. Sure, I want them to mostly need to fight, but a good environmental hazard can make the fights more interesting.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the vition.


    Upgrading the bees will probably also make things more interesting, so I do that until the bee spawner starts spitting out rumblebees. It looks like these ones are kinda solitary, more like carpenter bees than others. And they¡¯re big, about the size of a cat? They¡¯re also clearly made for fighting. Each one is different from thest, with some having longer stingers, others having clubs at the end of their limbs, or small ws, or spikes, or¡­ it¡¯s like they got into a random pile of weapons and each one fused with something different. Those are definitely going to make fighting interesting. Melee delvers are going to be important to have around to keep these guys off the ranged fighters and casters.


    Where the bumbles seem to prefer the spring section, I think the rumbles like the summer more. That, or they aren¡¯t as good at tending to the nodes as the others. It¡¯d make sense. They¡¯re specialized for fighting, not resources. I imagine all bees will have at least a bit of proficiency in tending herbalism nodes, but these guys are definitely ready to rumble.


    Andstly, but certainly not leastly, I upgrade the fey spawner until I get a new one: a sprig. They look like a slightly-ampormophorphic stickbug, with a few leaves sprouting at random joints. They have big eyes that stick out from their narrow head, and I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯re adorable or creepy. They¡¯re also a fair bit bigger than the pixies, about two feet tall if they¡¯re not bending over or anything. They move slow, and I watch as one moves to a tree and seems to just merge into it.


    I can tell it¡¯s moving around, but there¡¯s no indication on the surface until it opens its big eyes. This one soon spots a boring beetle, and slowly extends a limb out from the bark, with the invader not noticing until the sprig strikes. It cleanly impales the beetle, holding it to the trunk of the tree as a second limb extends from the surface. I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s a proboscis, though only after it, too, impales the beetle and makes little slurping sounds.


    That¡¯s¡­ really effective against the invaders, at least. I don¡¯t know if I want to see them attacking any of the delvers, though. It finishes drinking the beetle and flicks the corpse away, letting the empty shell disperse into mana as it uses what it drank to nurture the tree. Creepy as the sprigs are, I can already see the use in having them around the central tree. Poppy has noticed, too, and she calls the sprig out of the tree to probably talk about the specifics of what it does.


    I don¡¯t doubt she¡¯ll be recruiting more than a couple of them to help with her botanical experiments. They might even be a key in solving the root problem with the climbing willow around a yew. That¡¯s still n B for the tree, but it¡¯s good to see the backup n stabilizing. A good backup gives the more ambitious n room to experiment and take risks. Even if Poppy can¡¯t get a hybrid just right, the big central tree can still happen.


    The sun soon sets, and I get the chance to appreciate the dreamblooms in their natural glory. I think they¡¯ll be mostmon in the spring and fall sections. They seem to like it cool, but not cold, and definitely don¡¯t like hot. Every single one the bumbles have nted have been in cooler, shaded spots. The little buds dimly glow, seeming more like hidden little stars than representations of the moon.


    I think it inspires my packrats, because they change how they start hiding things. Instead of in ces people would have to deliberately look, they hide some things under leaves and in the shade, making the forest at night twinkle like the sky. Teemo even takes the time to take in the scene, looking up through the trees topare.


    I don¡¯t notice any familiar constetions, and though I do see a single moon, it¡¯s more blue than white. It looks smooth, too, so maybe it¡¯s fully submerged? With magic, it might even be literally a ball of water, all the way through. What better thing tomand the tides than water, right?


    Teemo chuckles at my thoughts, but doesn¡¯t voice his own. Instead, we both just take in the night and all the things around us, from denizens to delvers. So many points of brightness, so much change over a single year. Tomorrow will be another day full of people, but for right now, it¡¯s nice to sit back, rx, and reflect.

 Chapter Two-Hundred Ninety-Eight

    Chapter Two-Hundred Ny-Eight


    The sun rises with Teemo and I still kinda chilling. It¡¯s kinda weird to think that I can¡¯t see the sky unless I¡¯m looking through the eyes of my scions, but Teemo¡¯s cool enough to give me a good view of the sunrise.


    Aranya and everyone are only a couple miles out right now. They were tempted to push on to get herest night, but decided it¡¯d be better to keep to the camp schedule and wake up fresh and have basically the full day to try to settle in, instead of trying to stay upte marching further, then stay up eventer trying to get settled. Probably the right decision, all things considered.


    It also gives my dwellers just that much more time to have their breakfast and prepare to wee everyone. Their path will have them enter the Forest of Four Seasons, so Teemo ensures my enves know the shortcuts to get there. He waits on a branch while my other dwellers mill around, eager and anxious to do what they can to help make the kobolds feel wee. I didn¡¯t even realize how anxious I was about everyone getting back safe until I see Aranya and my scions leading the march. My High Priestess¡¯ eyes brighten as she notices Teemo and everyone, and she waves alongside a happy howl from Leo.


    ¡°Wee back!¡± greets Teemo and the gathered ratkin and spiderkin, my Voice soon hopping onto Aranya¡¯s shoulder as she finally reenters my territory. Leo and Honey soon follow, as well as Queen and Thing, each having a good pile of mana saved up for me, and I embrace the bonds to let them know I¡¯m d they¡¯re back.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to finally be back. I can tell Lord Thedeim is happy to see us all return, too. He hasn¡¯t been idle either. This expansion looks¡­ big.¡±


    Teemoughs at that, but doesn¡¯t get much of a chance toment. Much as it¡¯d be nice to just sit and chat, there¡¯s a lot of people who need to get settled, and a lot of denizens to sort out. Thetter are the easiest to deal with, excepting my new fox and bear. Aside from those two, they all know where to go, and head off to their respective territories with minimal guidance. The kobolds need a lot more help, though.


    Larx and Frn are good at directing people, and soon there¡¯s a stream of nervous kobolds and plodding wagons making for the shortcuts to my enves. The ones that are nning to live in Fourdock proper are sticking near Aranya and Teemo for now. They¡¯ve got a few valuables they intend to trade for some temporary lodging, before they find some kind of job.


    It looks like they¡¯re mostly young adults that are interested in independence, so I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they want to try adventuring. I certainly wouldn¡¯t mind the mana. For the ones staying in my enves, my denizens already know to leave them alone. My more dangerous ones get a few concerned looks as they pass, but the kobolds don¡¯t get too much of a chance to dwell on it. My dwellers are eagerly chatting away as they guide everyone, lending the processions a vibe like a big school field trip, rather than a careful walk past dangerous beasts.


    They¡¯re only technically dangerous, it¡¯s fine, I promise.Since they seem to have everything well in hand, I turn my attention to my two new denizens, getting a better look at them before I make them scions. They both look a bit out of their depth, which is fair enough. The Southwood doesn¡¯t often deal with this many people all at once, and though I think the forest should feel familiar to them, I¡¯m also pretty sure they can¡¯t forget how different it is from their former home.


    The fox is a male with an orange and white coat, ck tips on his ears, and white feet. His fur is pretty fluffy right now, but I expect he¡¯ll be shedding soon now that spring is sprung. Or he¡¯ll hang out in the winter section. Either way.


    The bear is a female ck bear, and though she looks a bit more stoic than her foxpanion, her nervousness is given away by her ears and nose all wiggling and taking in as much information as possible. Leo and Honey are sticking close to them, trying to help them feel at ease, but I think it might be time to take them somewhere a bit more private before making them scions. Teemo, if you would?


    ¡°Sure thing, Boss. I¡¯ll be back in a couple minutes, Aranya. The new recruits are looking a bit overwhelmed.¡±


    The kobold smiles at that and nods, reaching up to rub a finger under his chin. ¡°Alright. I expect Yvonne, Ara, and Ragnar will be here by the time you¡¯re back, so you can greet them as well.¡±


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    He nods at that before hopping down and scurrying over to my gathered scions and soon-to-be scions. ¡°Let¡¯s head to Poppy¡¯s garden, guys. It should be quiet enough that we can talk without having to dodge any feet.¡±


    Thing, Honey, and Queen trip over each other as they try to respond, which earns augh from Teemo. ¡°You guys can head off if you want, sure, but I think you¡¯ll want to meet Poppy. Titania¡¯s around, too, but I think Poppy¡¯s current project will get your attention.¡±


    Leo chuffs in a chuckle as the three brainy scions look interested in their own ways, and they and the two new denizens follow Teemo through a shortcut to the garden. It looks like Poppy is in the middle of organizing thetest set of seeds, which quickly earns the attention of Queen and Honey, and Thing¡¯s curiosity. Teemo smirks and waves for them to go.


    ¡°Go ahead and y, guys. Poppy will love to have some people to talk to about this project who will actually be able to keep up. A lot of it goes over my head. Talk shop and see if you can offer her any help.¡±


    They eagerly do just that, leaving Teemo and Leo with the new recruits. My Voice turns to my Warden before speaking. ¡°So, have you tried to give them an idea of what¡¯s in store for them? You¡¯ve been through this before.¡±


    Leo nods and wuffs.


    ¡°Ah, good. Now, for you two, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s difficult to understand all he¡¯s tried to impart, but there¡¯s onest thing the Boss wants before he makes you scions. Are you sure you want it? No hard feelings if you two want to go back. The Boss wants new spawners and scions, but you don¡¯t have to be how he gets them.¡±


    The two look surprised at that, and exchange a look before the bear grunts and the fox squeaks their reply, earning a smile from Teemo.


    ¡°Great! Now when the Boss shows you something crazy, you can¡¯t me anyone but yourselves!¡± Leo lets his tongue loll out of his mouth in a quiet wolfyugh as the two denizens try to look brave, despite their apprehension. Welp, they¡¯d better get used to change, because herees the first hit of it!


    I spend the mana to make them scions, which doesn¡¯t actually have much external change on them just yet. I¡¯m pretty sure Leo had to spend a bit of time in the spawner to get everything to stick, so they probably need that, too. Now, where to put their new spawners¡­


    ¡°Do you two have any preference on a season? Summer and Fall are fully open, but if you¡¯re set on them, I¡¯m sure the Boss can make room in Winter or Spring for you.¡±


    I don¡¯t need Teemo to trante the confused looks on their faces at the offer, and he gives them time to recover and give an answer. They both look nervous as they reply, like the teacher just asked a trick question yet still demands someone answer it.


    ¡°The bear is interested in summer and the fox likes Fall.¡±


    Works for me. I settle the bear spawner in a nice new dug out cave in the Summer section, and get the fox spawner in a smaller cavework in Fall. The two new scions look surprised to feel their spawners in the area they requested, and I intend to surprise them at least once more before they head to their new homes to let the new title solidify.


    ¡°Alright, now for names¡­¡±


    The two look stumped and dumbfounded at the same time, which is fine. I like figuring out names for my scions. They¡¯ll be a challenge, too. All the bears I can think of have been guys! I could call her Mamma, but that just feels weird to me. It does, however, lead me to a tangent that could work. She¡¯s hardly a blond, but I like the name Goldilocks for the bear. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll fit in just right.


    The fox is even more of a challenge. If he was a vixen, I¡¯d have no shortage of names to pick from. The only guy fox I can think of is Nick, which doesn¡¯t quite feel right. I could go for the homonym and call him Guy Fawkes, but I get the feeling that, if anyone is going to introduce my concept of explosives to this world, it¡¯ll be Queen who does it. What other foxes could I name him for?


    Hmm¡­ oh! He¡¯s not a fox, but he¡¯s definitely named for one. It might be like naming a dragon Draco, or a bit meta for naming him after a guy named after a fox, but I think Zorro will be a perfect fit for him!


    Teemo shakes his head at me. ¡°Youe up with the weirdest names, Boss. Goldilocks. Zorro.¡± He points at the two, smiling at the look of surprise at their names. ¡°Yeah, theye with a bit of history attached, but don¡¯t worry about it too much. For now, just head to your spawners and get some rest. Once you¡¯re done, I¡¯ll give you the grand tour. Things can get pretty hectic around here, but we¡¯re all in this together. If you need any help with anything, just ask someone. Now, go get settled, ok?¡±


    They both still look a bit lost, but perk up when Leo grunts and motions for them to follow, making more wolfy sounds along the way. I pat the new bonds with encouragement as they go, Leo giving them more advice as they vanish into the undergrowth.


    I take a look at the new spawners to see what my options are, but I don¡¯t get further than seeing the basic bear and fox spawns before Teemo urgently demands my attention. I focus on him and see Poppy, Queen, Thing, and Honey all looking eager about something, but Teemo is trying to contain his panic.


    ¡°Boss! Please tell them you were joking about the explosives!¡±

 Chapter Two-Hundred Ninety-Nine

    Chapter Two-Hundred Ny-Nine


    <strong>Rhonda</strong>


    The goblin girl scrutinizes her spell as she cycles it, ensuring everyst detail is correct. On the cluttered table nearby, her familiar, Lucas the jumping spider, stands ready with a bit of charcoal to take any notes she needs. He watches the spell as well, interested in what his master has created.


    Rhonda tries to slow the spell further, which has been the truly difficult part of studying it. In theory, it¡¯s a pretty simple spell, at least for her. In the entire world, maybe only she and Thedeim¡¯s scions understand the principles behind it, but once you get them, it¡¯s not difficult to apply. The spell is a cycling hot explosion/cold implosion, the small fireball transitioning to shards of ice as it dissipates. The shards converge back to the origin point, where the low temperaturesbine back to a hot temperature, and then just a lick of mana is all it takes to reignite.


    The efficiency still surprises her, even after having seen Rocky weave fire and ice together effortlessly. She feels like she¡¯s getting closer to that now, thanks to the advice of Vieds, the changeling pyromancer. Ice has alwayse naturally to her, but with the examples he¡¯s given her on the few delves she and Freddie have been able to tag along with his group, fire is feeling more and more natural, too.


    Even better, she can feel something else, some secret in the explosive force fire can sometimes produce. Is this how Rocky expands his affinities? She¡¯s still missing something, but the more she watches the mana cycle in her spell, the more she feels like there¡¯s something <em>important</em> there, if only she can figure it out.


    ¡°Ah, my prize apprentice, stuck,¡±es the voice of her mentor, Old Staiven. The wizened ratkin smirks at her as he descends into the basementb, her pout at his words only egging him on. ¡°Such potential, and she¡¯s wasting it in the basement.¡±


    ¡°Master Staiven, this is important!¡± she protests, only for him to grin.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure it is. But how long have you been staring at that spell? It¡¯s been doing wonders for your control, which is why I haven¡¯t tried to stop you, but you¡¯re at a wall, I think.¡±


    Rhonda winces at that, and the old ratkin¡¯s smile softens as he moves to put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°It happens to all of us eventually. You¡¯ll get through it, I¡¯m sure. But not down here.¡± He waves a hand through her spell, disrupting her concentrating and ending the cycle. ¡°You need a break. Go get your friends and do something fun, get your mind off this. You¡¯lle back refreshed and ready to try something new.¡±She brightens at the thought of hanging out with Freddie and Larrez. It really has been a while since they were able to hang out and maybe go on a more casual delve together. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll be avable?¡±


    Old Staiven waves off her concern as he moves to his shelf of alchemy recipes. With the new forest expansion from Thedeim, the ingredients for some of his old favorites might finally be avable once more! ¡°Torlon won¡¯t begrudge thed of a break, I¡¯m sure. Larrez might be a different story, but you can at least go ask. Maybe you three can go pester Rocky about his uing fight.¡±


    ¡°Uing fight?¡± she asks, looking to see if Lucas knows what he¡¯s talking about. Her familiar gives her a couple shrugs all at once while Old Staivenughs.


    ¡°You really have been down here too long! Focusing on your studies is all well and good, but you can¡¯t let the world pass you by, Rhonda! The Dungeoneers have contracted a semi-retired adventurer to help with the spring delves, and Thedeim has officially challenged him to fight Rocky.¡± He eyes sparkle like he knows something she doesn¡¯t. Which he probably does, the wily old rat. ¡°I think he¡¯ll be Rocky¡¯s biggest challenge yet. You¡¯d do well to make sure you watch the fight, Rhonda. Getting to see him go all out can only help your studies.¡±


    Her eyes widen at the idea of Rocky being able to go all out, especially against a delver! Thedeim doesn¡¯t kill, but it¡¯s difficult to imagine anyone strong enough to go toe to toe with him at his full strength. ¡°When is it?!¡±


    ¡°In a day or two. There¡¯s fliers all over Thedeim¡¯s territory with the details. Go get your gear and your friends and see for yourself. Ah, this one should do.¡± He smiles as he plucks a book from the shelf. ¡°I¡¯ll be going over some old recipes while tending the shop today. If you can get any information on what will be in the new forest expansion, it¡¯ll help me decide what new forme to dust off.¡±


    She nods as Lucas hops into her head, forgoing any hat while in the basement. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best! You know how his new expansions can be, though.¡±


    He nods and waves for her to head up thedder. ¡°Yes yes, I know. Have fun and make sure Freddie brings any new monster pieces by once you¡¯re all done. I¡¯m sure thed would like the extra coin, and I¡¯m always looking for fresh ingredients.¡±


    With that, she scampers up thedder, then up the stairs to the living area over the shop. Her adventuring robes and hat are looking a little worn, and the robes are looking a bit small now, but they¡¯ll be fine for this. ¡°Lucas, please make a note to look into getting some new robes. I wonder if Miss Norloke would help make a new set¡­¡± She trails off before Lucas holds up her notebook with the words ¡®New Robes¡¯, along with two underlines. ¡°Two extra times? I really have been distractedtely. Hopefully the others won¡¯t mind us taking a trip down to the spiderkin enve, then.¡±


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    Lucas chitters from her wide-brimmed wizard hat, taking a few moments to ensure his little foci are all still where he left them, before settling down as she dons the hat. ¡°Alright, quick check before we go. Foci?¡±


    Lucas chitters an affirmative as she holds up her own staff, the red and blue gems sparkling as she sends just a trickle of mana through them. ¡°Check! Potions?¡±


    She pats her belt and checks the pouches, frowning at the color of one of the potions. ¡°Hmm¡­ the lightning resist potion is starting to wash out. I¡¯ll make sure to use it today, and receter. Check! Pack?¡±


    Lucas chitters once more in the positive as Rhonda gives it a quick look, before slipping the straps over her shoulders. ¡°The rations are <em>still</em> good? I know they¡¯re supposed tost for a long time, but wow. Then I think we¡¯re ready!¡±


    With a spring in her step, she heads down the stairs, waving at her mentor as she nears the door. He doesn¡¯t look up from his book as he waves back. ¡°Have fun! Keep her out of trouble, Lucas!¡±


    The goblin giggles at that before leaving the shop, stepping out into the wonderful spring day. She takes a deep breath and smiles as she starts walking. ¡°Definitely was too focused for too long.¡±


    She nods at people as she walks for the temple of the Shield, noting that there¡¯s more people around than usual. Well, with spring here, it¡¯s not really a surprise that people would want to immigrate. She even spots a group of kobolds walking around, too! She nods at them with a smile as they pass, and soon she¡¯s at the steps of the church of the Shield.


    The older wolfkin who is usually sweeping the steps isn¡¯t there, and instead a young elfd is doing the job. They nod at each other as she enters, the boy needing to focus a lot more on sweeping than the experienced wolfkin, and she makes her way through the church. She greets priests, clerics, acolytes, and more as she makes her way to Freddie¡¯s room, before a dwarven scribe points her towards the archives to find her friend.


    As she rounds the corner to get there, she spots Torlon, who smiles and waves at her. ¡°Ah, Rhonda! I was about to suggest Freddie go get you and go delve or something. He¡¯s been going over tactics a lottely and focusing on his prayers. Improving himself is all well and good, but he can¡¯t forget the people around him who he should be doing that for.¡±


    Lucas makes spidery noises as Rhonda nods. ¡°Master Staiven basically told me the same thing. I¡¯ll drag Freddie and Fiona out to get Larrez, and we¡¯ll go delve. Is there anything you need in there?¡±


    He shakes his head as he opens the door for her. ¡°Not especially, no. I might ask Freddie to wee High Priestess Aranya back for me, but that¡¯s all. The Shield is very interested in a closer rtionship with Thedeim, and that begins with a proper friendship with his High Priestess. Truly, It gives me the heaviest burdens to bear,¡± he jokes, Rhonda fully aware how well he and Aranya get along together.


    They walk infortable silence through the archives, until Lucas spots Freddie, hunched over a book and looking enthralled. Fiona, his ownrger spiderpanion, spots the group and waves as Lucas darts forward, jumping over benches, tables, and acolytes. Fiona¡¯s mandibles twitch in a smile as he dashes across the book Freddie is reading, causing him to jerk back in surprise, then have to lean back further as Fiona gives chase.


    ¡°What the- Rhonda! Head Priest!¡± He smiles and stands, epting a hug from his friend. ¡°What are you guys doing here? Er, you and Lucas, I mean. Torlon can be here if he wants without a reason.¡±


    The gnome chuckles. ¡°I came here to get you to head outside, get some fresh air, maybe delve, and let High Priestess Aranya know the Shield is d to see her safely home once more.¡±


    ¡°Old Staiven said I should get out of the basement and do some delving, too, so here I am! Get your armor!¡±


    Torlon smirks even as Freddie looks reluctant. ¡°You heard the littledy,d. It¡¯ll do you some good to get out of these walls.¡± Before Freddie can respond, Lucas bounces in, ricocheting off him and Torlon before Rhonda grabs him out of the air. Fiona isn¡¯t far behind, a web raised in several of her legs as she gives chase.


    The young orcughs as he scoops Fiona into his arms, the ogre-faced spider pretending to re at her elusive friend. ¡°I think it¡¯d do Fiona some good, too. Alright, let me go get my armor, and we can go see if Larrez is avable.¡±


    Torlon waves at the group as they exit the archives, and Rhonda waits outside Freddie¡¯s room as he changes. ¡°How¡¯s your armor doing, by the way? My robes are getting a bit small, so I¡¯d imagine your armor is the same? You¡¯re not only getting taller, you¡¯re getting all buff from training, too.¡±


    She can hear Freddie snort at that from inside his room. ¡°I think ¡®buff¡¯ is a bit far, but¡­ yeah, my armor is getting kinda tight. I should try tomission some chainmail or maybe splint mail? Chain will probably be slower to grow out of, but splint is definitely better protection.¡±


    ¡°Do they not have any here in your size?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­ they do, but some of them are pretty old. And if I buy some and grow out of it, that¡¯ll just be a new set for the next pdin in training, right?¡±


    Rhonda nods at that, despite the door between them. ¡°That makes sense. Do you think the ratkin might be able to help you with that? I want to ask the spiderkin for some help with new robes. Maybe even Thing will want to help me with the runes.¡±


    Freddie grunts, either in agreement or just in trying to get into his armor. ¡°Maybe. Oh, Jello might be willing to help me,e to think of it. She¡¯s a metalworker now, apparently. That¡¯s not an armorsmith, but if we can get her the materials ourselves, she¡¯ll definitely be more affordable.¡±


    ¡°Mmm! If she¡¯s anything like the aranea, we¡¯ll probably need to do a couple quests to pay for it, and maybe a couple to pay Thing, too! Do you think Larrez needs any new gear, also?¡±


    Freddie opens the door, fiddling with onest strap as he answers. ¡°I don¡¯t think so? He¡¯s a bit older, so he doesn¡¯t have as much growing to do. We can always ask, though. Even if he doesn¡¯t, he¡¯ll probably get some good experience just mining Thedeim¡¯s more exotic ore nodes for materials.¡±


    Rhonda nods as Fiona helps Freddie with thatst strap. ¡°Then you¡¯re ready to go?¡±


    He nods, patting his Simple Hatchet and shifting his shoulders to ensure his shield won¡¯t fall from his back. ¡°Ready! Let¡¯s go get Larrez!¡±

 Chapter Three-Hundred

    Chapter Three-Hundred


    <strong>Freddie</strong>


    The young orc pdin hums a quiet hymn as he walks down the street with Rhonda, both of their minds more on the uing delve than in making conversation right now. Of course, that doesn¡¯t extend to Fiona and Lucas, and the two spiders constantly chitter at each other as they ride their masters.


    Honestly, he prefers Fiona chatting with Lucas to constantly fussing over his shield. She seems to have decided that the bottom half will feature one of her webs, and aside from the asional check to ensure it¡¯s in pristine condition, she doesn¡¯t fiddle with it as she rides his back.


    As they near the Mayor¡¯s manor, the guards out front spot them and wave. With their frequent visits to their friend, the other guards all recognize them on sight. Not that Freddie imagines that would be difficult. He, Rhonda, Fiona, and Lucas are a pretty unique group, after all.


    As they get closer, Mr. Miller steps out to talk with the guards, who head inside before the group can get there. The ashen elf cuts an imposing figure, and a lot of the adults are clearly intimidated by the man, but Freddie can see the glint of amusement in his eyes with every interaction. He¡¯s definitely more than just a butler, but what¡¯s the point in calling him out on it? He¡¯s some special guard for the Lord Mayor, and he¡¯s certainly not evil, so there¡¯s no point in starting drama over something he can¡¯t even prove in the first ce.


    ¡°Hello, Mr. Miller!¡± greets Rhonda, and Freddie echoes her a moment after. The elf smiles at them and their spiders before speaking.


    ¡°Ah,e to steal away one of the young master¡¯s guards once more?¡±


    Freddie smiles and nods with zero shame. ¡°Yes. If he¡¯s avable, at least?¡±


    Mr. Miller gives a small smile and motions for them toe through the gates. ¡°His shift will be over shortly. Would you mind apanying me while he finishes up?¡±Freddie doesn¡¯t mind, and a nce at Rhonda shows she¡¯s not opposed, either. Returning his attention to the tall elf, he nods. ¡°That¡¯s fine with us. Did you need anything, Mr. Miller?¡±


    His eyes sparkle with mischief as he gives a small nod. ¡°Just to talk, young sir and miss. At my age, an elf often finds himself wanting to hear the sound of his own voice, and is generally discouraged from simply talking to the mirror.¡±


    Rhonda giggles as Freddie nods, and the two fall in behind Mr. Miller as he leads them around the grounds of the manor.


    ¡°Thank you two for indulging me. I wanted to thank you two, actually, and now I get the chance to be verbose about it.¡±


    ¡°Thank us?¡± asks Freddie, with Rhonda looking just as confused. Mr. Miller takes their confusion in stride as he nods, still walking.


    ¡°Indeed. Though the young master is taking a more active role in the management of the town, it¡¯s my personal duty to see to the management of his household, and that includes the guards. Most are rather rough and tumble, you see, the sort that I would think would intimidate young Larrez. He¡¯s skilled and observant, but you two know how quiet he can be around those he doesn¡¯t know.¡±


    Freddie nods at that, as does Rhonda, with the goblin finding her reply before he can. ¡°And high-strung! When we first met him, he was so jumpy and nervous!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he was usually pretty focused in a fight, but after, he¡¯d be jumping at shadows and stammering whenever we¡¯d try to talk with him.¡±


    Mr. Miller nods at that with a fond smile. ¡°Indeed. But thanks to you two, he¡¯s be much more confident in himself. He¡¯s taken to his duties with aplomb, and is much happier for it. Not to mention how well you five all work together while delving. I used to worry he¡¯d have a nervous breakdown and never leave his cot in the barracks, but now I find myself wondering if he¡¯ll simply take up the mantle of an adventurer full-time!¡± he jokes, before letting his mirth fade.


    ¡°You two really have been a great help to him, and through him, to the young master. While I know you two befriended him simply because that¡¯s who you are, I find myself still in your debts.¡± He holds up a hand as the two try to protest, the ghost of a smirk at a corner of his mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t do something so extravagant as gifts, and I think young Larrez would perish from embarrassment if I were to offer something like that besides. Still, I have my own honor.¡±


    He stops and turns, meeting their gaze with an air of authority and significance. ¡°If there is anything you two ever need, ask me, and it will be yours.¡± The sudden shift in mood vanishes like smoke in the wind as he smirks at the two. ¡°Within reason, of course. But you two are reasonable, so I¡¯m sure there won¡¯t be any issue. I¡¯d offer the same to your two arachnidpanions, but spiderspeak was never my forte, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    He turns and resumes walking, with the two rushing to catch up after trying to figure out what just happened. ¡°Oh, and please don¡¯t mention this to him. Young Larrez would feel awkward about this at best, you understand.¡±


    The two nod, able to process at least that easily. Larrez always looks ufortable whenever they¡¯d offer to cover his meal or get him some potion or other thing that might help him. Freddie thinks he doesn¡¯t like having debts, maybe from living on the streets or some other harsh upbringing. A gift from a friend isn¡¯t a debt, but that¡¯s all Freddie can think of for why Larrez always looks guilty for epting help like that.


    Larrez doesn¡¯t talk about his past much.


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    Freddie doesn¡¯t get to specte much either, as he soon sees the wood elf hurry out the door to the gardens. Shock, then happiness, then more shock sh across his face before he heads for the group.


    ¡°Miller! Uh, sir! I hope my friends haven¡¯t been bothering you? I wouldn¡¯t want to throw off your schedule.¡±


    Mr. Miller chuckles and shakes his head. ¡°Think nothing of it, young Larrez. I can show them the winter tulips while making my own rounds. They are most agreeablepany, as I¡¯m sure you¡¯d agree.¡±


    ¡°Then uh¡­ interior patrol concluded, nothing out of the ordinary, sir.¡± Larrez stands at attention, and Mr. Miller runs an appraising eye over him before speaking.


    ¡°<em>Nothing</em>?¡±


    Larrez slowly nods. ¡°Yes?¡±


    The older elf frowns for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°Ah, that was rescheduled to 7. You¡¯re dismissed. Go have fun, and don¡¯t mention that to the others.¡±


    Larrez looks concerned about whatever is going to happen at 7, but Freddie steps up to help distract him, easily greeting his friend. ¡°You heard him, let¡¯s go! I hope your shift wasn¡¯t too strenuous?¡±


    Larrez shakes his head as he lets his friends lead him toward the front of the manor and the gate. ¡°No, not really. There¡¯s a few auditors from the capital, but they¡¯re polite¡­ almost to the point of boredom.¡± he admits.


    ¡°Better than then being jerks, right?¡± asks Rhonda, but Larrez doesn¡¯t look so sure.


    ¡°Maybe, but shouldn¡¯t they be at least a little hostile? The Crown doesn¡¯t call an audit as a favor to whoever¡¯s getting audited.¡±


    Freddie shrugs. ¡°Maybe they just don¡¯t see any point in making the process more painful than it needs to be. And it¡¯s probably a good sign that they haven¡¯t found anything. If they did, they¡¯d probably act like it at least a little?¡±


    Larrez sighs. ¡°Maybe. Either way, I shouldn''t worry about it, right? Anything wrong will be on the Mayor, not me.¡±


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯d try to sneak anything through the ledgers?¡± asks Rhonda, earning a quick shake of the head from Larrez.


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing to worry about,¡± points out Freddie. ¡°Anyway, if you¡¯re not too tired from your patrols, we were going to go do some delving.¡±


    Larrez brightens at that. ¡°That does sound nice. Can we stop by the guild hall, first? I¡¯d like to rx and maybe eat something first.¡± The two are fine with that, and Larrez continues as they exit the manor. ¡°So, are you two excited for Rocky¡¯s challenger?¡±


    Freddie gives him a confused look as Rhonda brightens at the reminder. ¡°Oh yes! Master Staiven suggested I go talk to him! I¡¯m feelingfortable with fire now, and I can feel there¡¯s something I¡¯m close to¡­¡±


    ¡°Someone is challenging Rocky?¡± asks Freddie, apparently the only one not in the loop. Reading the histories in the archives is interesting, but he guesses it¡¯s easy to miss out on things happening now if he stays down there.


    Larrez nods. ¡°There¡¯s a big retired adventurer helping the Dungeoneers with their spring delves. He¡¯s supposed to be really strong, stronger than the other adventurers, so Thedeim challenged him to fight Rocky. There¡¯s even a betting pool at the guild.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡± Freddie has trouble imagining someone who could actually fight Rocky. The zombie is just too good! ¡°What¡¯re the odds like?¡±


    Larrez shrugs. ¡°I haven¡¯t been keeping track too much, but I think they¡¯re an even split. Everyone knows how strong Rocky is, but nder is supposed to be one of the strongest delvers toe through Fourdock in a while. They say he¡¯s more used to belligerents around the capital, so to be from there and be able to basically retire¡­¡±


    He leaves it unsaid as Freddie and Rhonda both nod. You don¡¯t get to retire from adventuring by being weak. Some people even say adventurers only retire once they run out of things to challenge them! If there¡¯s nothing topete with him in the capital, can Rocky step up to provide it?


    ¡°If any dungeon can give him a challenge, it¡¯s Thedeim, and if anyone can give <em>Rocky</em> a challenge, it¡¯d be someone who can handle the dungeons around the capital,¡±ments Freddie to the nods of his friends.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll check the challenge book while we eat, see what tricks he¡¯s picked up since west saw him.¡±


    Freddie nods as they enter the guild, and find it pretty quiet at this time of day. The most active delvers are already off to Thedeim or the other dungeons by now, with only a few stragglers rxing in themon area. Guildmaster Karn waves at the group as they enter, smiling and motioning for them to have a seat at the bar.


    ¡°Hey strangers! You three finally found room in your schedules toe do a delve?¡±


    Freddie chuckles as they all three nod. ¡°Yeah. Rhonda and I have been busy with our studies. But you know, keep a de at the wheel too long and you¡¯ll have nothing, so we¡¯re taking a break.¡±


    ¡°Winter is a good time for extra training and drills at the manor, too,¡± offers Larrez, which Karn epts withoutment.


    ¡°So, you three looking for a quest before going?¡±


    ¡°Lunch, actually,¡± corrects Freddie, earning a wide smile from the Guildmaster.


    ¡°Ah, of course! You two are probably eating your mentors into the poorhouse, heh. Well, the evening stew is still morning soup, but there is one upside to getting here at this time.¡± He pauses for dramatic effect before turning and reaching into a basket behind him, then revealing what he has with a flourish.


    ¡°It¡¯s not hot and steaming, but it¡¯s still a long way from stale! Even stale, I¡¯d take a Cobble Bread roll over any of my cooking, heh. Three soups and three rolls, then?¡±


    The group all nod before Rhonda makes to hop off her stool. ¡°I¡¯ma check the library before we tuck in.¡±


    ¡°Hold up a second, Rhonda,¡± says Karn, much less jovial than before. Rhonda awkwardly tries to get back onto the stool properly as Karn motions for the three to lean in, where he lowers his voice. ¡°There¡¯s a new librarian, and she¡¯s looking for you.¡±


    Rhonda and Larrez look confused, but Freddie frowns, his protective instincts already kicking him into gear. ¡°Why?¡±


    Karn shakes his head. ¡°I can guess, but I won¡¯t say it out loud. She doesn¡¯t know she¡¯s looking for Rhonda, though. She¡¯s a follower of the Great Mother, who told her to seek the Ice Sage.¡±


    Rhonda¡¯s eyes widen at that, and Freddie fights the urge to draw his hatchet. Even Larrez has to consciously move his hand away from the hilt of his rapier. Karn nods at their reactions before continuing.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know what it is, and doesn¡¯t know about you. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s bad news, but it¡¯s on you how to handle this. Heh, just without violence. She¡¯s a good librarian. You¡¯d probably all get along with her. Just making sure you know.¡±


    With that, he quickly gets their meals in front of them, though they all eat slower than usual as they think. A follower of the goddess of magic? Freddie doesn¡¯t understand the specifics of Rhonda¡¯s ss, but he¡¯s not surprised a deity like that would be interested in his friend. He nces at her as they all eat, trying to figure out what she wants to do about this.


    Whatever she decides, he¡¯ll be there for her.

 Chapter Three-Hundred One

    Chapter Three-Hundred One


    <strong>Rhonda</strong>


    The goblin¡¯s mind races as she slowly eats the soup, and even the nice bread with it can¡¯t distract her from her thoughts right now. How does that new person know about her? About her being an Ice Sage? As far as even old Staiven knows, hers is apletely new ss!


    She¡¯s seen how the church of the Shield has treated Freddie and his unique ss: with friendly interest and a desire to help guide him, but she doesn¡¯t have that kind of supportwork. It''s enough to tempt her¡­ but the acolyte life just isn¡¯t for her. So she only has her mentor¡¯s advice to go on: be careful who you share with.


    Karn doesn¡¯t seem to be too worried about what she might do, which is a relief at least. If Rhonda knows anyone who can get a good read on a person, it¡¯s the retired rogue leading the guild. Still, while the librarian herself might be friendly, she¡¯s apparently a follower of the Great Mother. Is she looking to recruit Rhonda? It¡¯s not difficult to imagine the goddess of magic would be interested in her ss, just like how the Shield is interested in Freddie¡¯s.


    While the Great Mother isn¡¯t as actively helpful as the Shield, she¡¯s not exactly the most actively benevolent deity out there. She¡¯s hardly a gue on thend, but her priesthood seems more interested in pushing the bounds of magic, without worrying too much about the consequences. Some of the most amazing and most terrible magical developments can beid at their feet, and so at the feet of the Great Mother.


    Does she even have the option to try to avoid her? Could she somehow take away Rhonda¡¯s magic? That concerning thought is easily quashed, at least. Taking someone¡¯s magic, if it¡¯s even something she can do, would only diminish her own power. More people doing magic strengthens her domain, right? She might need to ask Freddie about thatter, but the logic seems pretty sound to her.


    The more she thinks about trying toy low, the more she thinks the goddess is deliberately trying to give her that option. She clearly knows Rhonda is here and she must know the only Ice Sage is a goblin, at least. But ording to Karn, the librarian doesn¡¯t even know Ice Sage is a ss, let alone one belonging to a goblin girl.


    The neer¡¯s presence feels more like an invitation rather than a demand. She can reveal herself, or keep her secret. So which will it be? The shy part of her from before she got her ss thinks she should keep quiet. Better to not attract attention. But she¡¯s grown a lot since she got her ss¡­ and keeping it secret forever would be hindering her. She¡¯s a student <em>and</em> a teacher. She helps master Staiven as she can, of course, but even he admits he¡¯s a bit too stuck in his ways for her suggestions to be much more than interesting theories for him to experiment with against his own established knowledge. If the new librarian is still inexperienced, she might be able to teach someone from the beginning!


    And if she¡¯s making a mistake in trusting the outsider, she has plenty of friends to ensure nothing too bad will happen. She nods to herself as she finishes the soup, her mind made up.¡°I¡¯m telling her.¡±


    Freddie and Larrez both give her surprised looks. ¡°Just like that?¡± asks Freddie, with Larrez following up.


    ¡°Are you going to just go up there and introduce yourself and your ss, directly?¡±


    Rhonda¡¯s resolve shakes at that question, but doesn¡¯t crumble. ¡°Well, maybe not quite like <em>that</em>, but I do want to tell her. I think by not giving her much information, the Great Mother is kinda letting me decide how and when to share, or even <em>if</em> to share at all.¡±


    Freddie considers that, slowly nodding. ¡°She should know more than what she apparently told the librarian. If she wanted to force the issue, she has a <em>lot</em> of followers in the kingdom. That she sent apparently a single acolyte with sparse information does point at her trying to be diplomatic.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s not actually that interested?¡± suggests Larrez, earning a shake of the head from Freddie.


    ¡°She¡¯d have delegated the message through a priest, but Karn didn¡¯t mention anything like that. If she appeared directly to the librarian, it¡¯s important to have her personal attention, important enough to attempt subtlety instead of being direct.¡±


    Rhonda nods. ¡°I¡¯m d, too. If her High Priest or something was wandering around asking about me, I¡¯d never leave the shop again!¡± Larrez makes a face at the idea of being sought out like that, and Freddie snickers and nods.


    ¡°So, how are you going to go about it? Should we all go up there and chat with her?¡±


    Rhonda thumbs the jewels on her staff as she thinks. ¡°I think I¡¯ll go up there on my own and more or less do what I originally wanted: check out the book on Rocky¡¯s fights. If she really is a follower of the Great Mother, it shouldn¡¯t be hard to pique her interest with his fighting style. I might try to invite her along for our delve, if you two don¡¯t mind?¡±


    Freddie smiles and Larres shrugs. ¡°I don¡¯t have any problem with it. Thedeim is pretty good about not overwhelming new delvers, so we should be able to escort her without issues.¡±


    Rhonda smiles at her friends and stands. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be back before too long! You guys can check the quests for anything interesting while I¡¯m at the library, if you want?¡±


    Larrez and Freddie nod at that and stand, the two gathering the dishes as they do so. ¡°I need to ask Karn if he knows any craftsmen who are avable formissions, too.¡±


    ¡°The Mayor¡¯s estate has a couple good armorers on retainer, if you want me to ask themter,¡± offers the elf.


    ¡°Do they work with rare metals? I was thinking of trying to gather some today, and offset the cost.¡± The two chat about gear as they head off, and Rhonda heads up the stairs to the library, Lucas rxing on her hat.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Once inside, the quiet hum of bees fills the air, lending an oddly-calming atmosphere to the ce of learning. The new librarian isn¡¯t difficult to spot, the elf in dust-colored robes is sitting at a table, reading a book. It looks like she¡¯s deep in her studies, too, and Rhonda wonders if that¡¯s how she herself looks when in the middle of something interesting.


    If it were any other day, she might let her keep reading, but the ice needs to be broken. She raps the end of her staff on the floor, not loud enough to be disturbing, but enough to get her attention in the quiet room full of books and bees. The elf moves a finger to mark her spot as she looks at Rhonda, clearly used to being interrupted in her studies.


    Instead of looking sour at being interrupted, she smiles and stands. ¡°Ah, sorry. I was engrossed in my study. How can I help you?¡±


    Rhonda¡¯s shyness tries to surge once more, but she forces it down as she speaks. ¡°Uh, I¡¯m looking for the book on Rocky¡¯s fights? I want to ce a bet with Karn, but I want to make sure I¡¯m up on his techniques, first.¡±


    The librarian looks confused before turning her attention to the bees. ¡°Rocky¡¯s fights?¡± The bees buzz and several mill around in the air over one of the shelves. ¡°Ah, delving logs. Is he a strong delver?¡± she asks as she leads the way, with Rhonda following along behind her.


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s very strong, but he¡¯s not a delver. He¡¯s one of Thedeim¡¯s scions.¡±


    That draws the librarian up short. ¡°The Guildmaster bets on people¡¯s lives?¡± she asks, sounding like she can¡¯t believe it. Rhonda giggles and shakes her head.


    ¡°Lives? Nah. Rocky is undefeated, but he hasn¡¯t killed anyone. None of Thedeims scions do. In fact, there¡¯s no recorded deaths at all. He works pretty hard to keep it that way, too.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ wait, undefeated?¡± the elf asks, trying to process what she¡¯s hearing. Rhonda clearly isn¡¯t the only one who¡¯s been hitting the books too hard to keep up with the local goings on. She nods as the librarian remembers she¡¯s supposed to get getting a book, and they chat as they go.


    ¡°Undefeated, yeah. He¡¯s Thedeim¡¯s zombie scion, and he fights like nothing else. His mastery of affinities is second to none.¡±


    ¡°Affinities¡­ in a <em>zombie</em>? Not a lich?¡±


    Rhondaughs at themon confusion. ¡°Not a lich! He likes to punch things, but he infuses them with his affinities with skill and precision. My friends and I have even fought him a couple times, though only once for real.¡± The goblin snorts at the memory. ¡°He knocked us out with ease once we stopped holding back, but it¡¯s good to have something to aspire to.¡±


    The librarian doesn¡¯t look like she shares that opinion. ¡°If you say so? I¡¯ve never tried adventuring. It seems too dangerous, even for all the benefits it can bring.¡±


    ¡°You should give Thediem a try, then. The manor and grounds are designed for new delvers.¡±


    The elf shakes her head, smiling at the absurdity of the idea. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s for me.¡±


    ¡°Are you at least going to go see nder and Rocky fight?¡±


    The elf¡¯s hand freezes in the middle of taking the book from the shelf, her eyes wide with concern. ¡°<em>nder</em>?¡±


    Rhonda raises an eyebrow at her and nods. ¡°Yeah? The retired elf adventurer with the ive who¡¯s been helping the Dungeoneers? Why, do you know him?¡±


    She takes a deep breath before pulling the book down and handing it to Rhonda. ¡°He¡¯s a friend of mine. We met on the way here. He was a caravan guard.¡±


    Rhonda nods at that as she leads the way back. ¡°That makes sense. He¡¯s supposed to be really strong. That¡¯s why Thedeim offered him a challenge.¡±


    The librarian pauses and ps her palm against her forehead. ¡°<em>That¡¯s</em> why the book sounded familiar! He wanted to look into it, too!¡±


    ¡°Did you go over it with him?¡±


    She sighs and shakes her head. ¡°No, I thought he was checking on a local legendary monster from the past, not something he was getting ready to fight himself!¡±


    ¡°Well, want to go over it with me, then? Your friend will be safe, no matter what we see in here, so don¡¯t worry about that. We could even go and meet Rocky directly so you can see how friendly he is. My friends and I are pretty good at delving.¡±


    Rhonda watches the conflict reflect on the elf¡¯s face as she tries to make a decision. It¡¯s not difficult to follow her thought process. If Rhonda didn¡¯t know anything about Thedeim, she¡¯d be really worried about Freddie challenging an undefeated scion, too! She¡¯s not sure which way the elf will decide, so maybe she should bait the trap a bit more.


    ¡°You¡¯re a follower of the Great Mother, right? Your robes are in that style.¡±


    The surprise question knocks the wagon of her thoughts off the trail, and she nods. ¡°Yes, but-¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll definitely want to hear about how Rocky fights. My mentor says he shouldn¡¯t be able to do half the things he does with his magic, and he¡¯s the smartest person I know!¡±


    The allure of a magical oddity tips the scales in the elf¡¯s mind, and she agrees. ¡°I¡­ suppose? I haven¡¯t been making any headway in my studies, and I <em>would</em> like to know what nder will be up against.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡± With that, they arrive back at the front and move aside the book she had been reading, and Rhonda realizes she hasn¡¯t introduced herself yet. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m Rhonda, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Oh! I¡¯m T! I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t introduce myself earlier. I¡¯ve been a bit frazzled with my studiestely, you see.¡±


    Rhonda waves off her apology and takes a seat, opening the book. She takes a few moments to find a fight she¡¯s not familiar with, and turns to the page as she chats. ¡°I know how easy it is to get distracted with research, and to be frustrated when you can¡¯t make progress.¡±


    Thankfully, the details of the fights makes it easy to ignore past frustrations as T and Rhonda go over Rocky¡¯s record. He¡¯s gotten a <em>lot</em> better after tangling with the Maw, and Rhonda is feeling confident in cing her bet on the scion. For T, what started out as simply listening turns into furious note-taking as she tries toprehend how Rocky does what he does. By the time they reach thest fight, she¡¯s taken more notes than she had taken on her other research project!


    She goes over the notes as Rhonda smiles in triumph, knowing she¡¯s got the librarian right where she wants her. ¡°So, you want to go meet Rocky? I promise it¡¯ll be safe, and he might even be willing to give you a demonstration, if you ask nicely.¡±


    T¡¯s instinctual refusal dies before it ever reaches her lips, a burning curiosity making its move. She¡¯s still uncertain, but despite how brutal each fight was, the difference in penmanship gives credence to the fact of them all being first-hand ounts from the challengers. So much power, wielded perfectly to defeat but not kill.


    ¡°If¡­ you¡¯re sure your party won¡¯t mind?¡±


    The goblin smiles wide. ¡°They¡¯ll love to! Do you have any focus or anything like that? Just because Thediem is safe, doesn¡¯t mean he won¡¯t make you work for it!¡±


    She reaches into the neck of her robes and produces her wooden holy symbol. ¡°I have this?¡±


    ¡°That should work fine. Let¡¯s go get you introduced to Freddie and Larrez!¡± She takes T¡¯s hand and makes for the door, the elf resisting only a little as she looks back to the safety of the books and shelves. The bees swarm together and swing side to side, waving goodbye as the Ice Sage drags the invitation off to adventure.

 Chapter Three-Hundred Two

    Chapter Three-Hundred Two


    It took a bit of convincing, but my nerd squad is finally willing to leave the topic of kaboom forter. Thing, Honey, Queen, and Poppy are back to working on how to help with the tree now, and acting like it¡¯s just a coincidence they¡¯re looking into fertilizers.


    Well, joke¡¯s on them. I don¡¯t know much about what goes into making proper boom. Honestly, I don¡¯t think that part of Teemo¡¯s exnation held too much water for them. But the safety concerns did get through their eager heads that it should be something to exploreter, and in <em>very</em> small scale. Because it¡¯s not difficult at all to make something that explodes. The trick is in making it only explode when you want it to.


    Still, I¡¯m content to let everyone pretend nobody knows about any ulterior motives. Unless they get into the <em>really</em> big booms, I think magic¡¯s existence will make them more parlor tricks than weapons. Fireworks could be cool, though.


    Anyway, I¡¯m just d they¡¯re back on track, and Teemo is relieved to have headed that particr disaster off at the pass.


    My new scions are settled into their spawners, letting their new scion status settle in. I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to change too much, at least on the outside. Leo didn¡¯t. Teemo didn¡¯t. Fluffles is the outlier, honestly. Though speaking of scions that might change, I take a moment to track down Nova to see what she¡¯s up to. She¡¯s not in her spawner, but rather deep in thebyrinth, toying with some magma.


    I still don¡¯t know why she didn¡¯t get a title for beating the Redcap. He was a Conduit, and she beat him! That should earn a title, right? It seems unfair to me, but maybe the real credit went to the Harbinger, since it subsumed the Maw? Either way, I might be indignant about it, but Nova isn¡¯t. A mix of concentration and happiness bubbles from her bond with me as she works the magma like a sculptor might work y.


    I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s gotten fire affinity, and a quick peek at her stats confirms that. I would have expected earth first, but from what I can tell, she¡¯s focusing on controlling the heat to only let the magma solidify exactly where she wants, instead of letting it solidify mostly in ce and use earth affinity to add the finishing touches.


    She¡¯s probably not far from making that leap, though. She¡¯s working on little figurines of the other scions, and though she¡¯s getting a lot of detail into them, it¡¯d probably be more urate to call them statuettes. I think she¡¯s limited in what kind of scale she can manage until she can start manipting the solidified stone directly. Still, they look great. If she keeps this up, I¡¯m going to start decorating thebyrinth and beyond with her work.


    She pauses as she feels that idea, but pushes her worry aside as she continues working. Her small Tiny is her most intricate yet, so she can¡¯t afford to let distractions keep her from making it just right. I pat the bond with encouragement before turning my attention to my High Priestess as she works with the antkin.Right now, she¡¯s meeting with the newly-selected leaders of the enve. The antkin were waiting for her input before they chose, but she had to admit most of the thesis projects were beyond her. She did at least encourage them that it seemed like a fine way to choose leadership to her. They still wrangled her into being the one to read the names of the winners.


    The rest of the enve is partying, with my other enves mingling and chatting, too. The leaders and Aranya are gathered in the city hall, which the new Worker Dean and Headmaster worked on. It¡¯s not the only city hall candidate, but the others will be used for things like a library, a school, a church, and so on. His name¡¯s Ed, and I think most of the antkin have single-syble names. Ed sits at the front of the table with Aranya, with the former looking like he maybe should have thought about what being the Headmaster meant before volunteering for the role.


    And though I say head of the table, it¡¯s a hexagon, so each of the Deans could be considered to be sitting at their own head. Going around clockwise is Tam the medical Dean, Jeb the Ranching Dean, Nik the Engineering Dean, Zac the alchemy Dean, and Liv the Enchanting Dean. Jeb, Nik, and Zak are guys, along with Ed of course, while Tam and Liv aredies. They¡¯re a little bigger than the guys, but not nearly like I was expecting. The spiderkin have a way more pronounced size difference between the sexes, and I don¡¯t think the antkin are going to be changing much more. While they¡¯ve all filled in a bit, the only real obvious change has been in the enchanter ants.


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    The subtle runes now dimly pulse with power, and I think the color corrtes to their affinity. Magma is still the mostmon, but there¡¯s still a lot of others represented. I¡¯d examine everyone closer, but Ed decides it¡¯s time to start.


    ¡°Well, wee to city hall, Deans. Is there any business we need to discuss right now?¡±


    ¡°Food,¡± says Jeb simply, and Aranya nods at that.


    ¡°Now you have your leadership sorted, you need to be self-sufficient toplete the transition from denizen to dweller.¡±


    ¡°Can we just eat the things you ranch?¡± asks Nik, probing the obvious solution.


    Jeb thinks for a few moments before shaking his head. ¡°Some of ¡®em are good eating, but I don¡¯t think we have the space to scale up ranching for food.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps as a supplement, then?¡± suggests Tam. ¡°Having a variety of food sources will make it easier to deal with anything unfortunate in a single method.¡±


    ¡°Some kind of farm, then?¡± mentions Zak. ¡°We have some small gardens for reagents, but we also don¡¯t have the room to scale up to feed everyone.¡±


    ¡°We should consider hunting, too,¡± suggests Liv. ¡°The other enves hunt outside for food and other interesting things. While we appear to be losing some of our heat resistance, we should still be able to hunt deeper, especially with some proper enchantments.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to learn the construction of the bows and spears Lord Thediem showed the other enves. It¡¯d give us a good starting point for things beyond defensive traps,¡± adds Nik.


    Ed nods at the suggestions and carves a few notes on a te. ¡°I think the workers can easily expand the ranching and gardening areas to include some food production. I imagine the Alchemists would like us to handle that portion of the growing?¡± At Zac¡¯s nod, Ed turns to Jeb. ¡°And the Ranchers?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I think we could use a hand with some of it, but I think we¡¯ll be able to handle being in charge of livestock. Some of the more exotic beasts are a handful. Livestock should be easier to handle for the ones still learning, and for the more experienced to be able to rx with.¡±


    Ed nods and jots down a few numbers. ¡°Who will handle the hunting?


    The antkin look conflicted as they weigh their individual faction¡¯s ability, even Ed. Aranya steps in and speaks up with an encouraging smile. ¡°If there¡¯s no clear choice, tryparing notes.¡±


    They nod to that, and Ed organizes his thoughts first. ¡°I think the workers <em>could</em> do it. We¡¯re very versatile, but I don¡¯t know if we¡¯d have what it takes to be proficient hunters.¡±


    Tam speaks next. ¡°The medics prefer not to shed blood, but I think we would be able to identify weaknesses in potential prey. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t know if we¡¯d actually be able to take something down.¡±


    ¡°The Ranchers should be able to handle anything out there,¡± proims Jeb. ¡°But we¡¯re not exactly stealthy. I¡¯m pretty sure anything we could take would see using, and make themselves scarce.¡±


    Nik takes a few more seconds to think before answering in turn. ¡°I think we could make something to make hunting easier, but most of the engineers will probably be preupied in our workshops, and only be able to go out to hunt when testing a prototype.¡±


    Zac and Liv both nod at that, with the former speaking up first. ¡°The alchemists will be the same, and by the look on Liv¡¯s face, the enchanters are simr?¡±


    She nods. ¡°Indeed. We could outfit someone very well, but time spent hunting would be time not spent creating improvements.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you should try small, mixed teams?¡± suggests Aranya. ¡°A Worker, a Rancher, and a Medic, equipped with gear from the other three factions.¡± The ants seem to like the sound of that, so Aranya continues. ¡°After the meeting, you should talk with the other enves, especially Vernew. If anyone can help you figure out hunting, it¡¯ll be her.¡±


    Ed nods and speaks up. ¡°Then I think that¡¯s all we need for the moment, unless anyone has anything else to bring up?¡± Heads shake, so he continues. ¡°Then meeting adjourned. Jeb, Tam. Let¡¯s go see if we can find Vernew in the celebration. Crafters, please bring up the need for hunting with your factions tomorrow. Otherwise, let¡¯s go have some fun.¡±


    The antkin and Aranya cheer that, though she stays behind for a moment as they head out to join the revelry. ¡°I¡¯m d I was able to get back for this. It¡¯s so fulfilling to see them grow into themselves.¡± She smiles towards my core, not caring about the distance and caves and such between her and it. ¡°No wonder You do things the way You do.¡±

 Chapter Three-Hundred Three

    Chapter Three-Hundred Three


    While my enves are having a nice social gathering/party, the delvers are having their own kind of fun. In fact, I notice a particr group has just arrived, and they have an extra friend along this time. Rhonda, Freddie, and Larrez, along with Lucas and Fiona of course, are also leading along an elven girl probably about Larrez¡¯s age who looks like a scribe who got lost.


    It¡¯s pretty apparent she knows she¡¯s in a dungeon by the way she looks around even just the yard with wide, nervous eyes. Teemo heads there as the group takes their time, chatting and trying to put the scribe at ease.


    ¡°See?¡± says Freddie, gesturing at the calmness that is the walkway to the manor, and the front yard. ¡°No crazy traps or brutal denizens. Thedeim likes to let adventurers choose just how much adventure they want.¡±


    The elvendy doesn¡¯t look too convinced, but she¡¯s at least following everyone to the porch. She doesn¡¯t step onto it, though, as she spots the aranea and freezes in her tracks as she stares. Teemo picks that moment to pop out of a shortcut behind her and speak up.


    ¡°Never seen a questboard before?¡± he asks, startling the poor thing as she whips around, but can¡¯t find the speaker. ¡°Down here,¡± he helpfully provides. She fearfully nces down, probably expecting some horror, but looks confused when all she sees is Teemo.


    ¡°A talking rat?¡±


    Teemo puffs himself up and stands on his hind legs. ¡°I¡¯m <em>the</em> talking rat,dy.¡±


    The scribe only looks more confused as the othersugh at Teemo¡¯s antics. ¡°T, that¡¯s Teemo. He¡¯s Thedeim¡¯s Voice,¡± informs Rhonda. I can practically hear T¡¯s train of thought derail multiple times as she tries to process that.


    ¡°The dungeon? The same dungeon that¡¯s supposed to have an undefeated scion? Has a rat for a Voice?¡±Teemo nods before slipping through a shortcut tond on her shoulder. ¡°Yep, there¡¯s only one Thedeim, thankfully. I don¡¯t think the world could handle two of him, heh. First time in a dungeon, hmm?¡±


    T nods at that, still trying to process what she¡¯s learning as Rhonda takes her hand and guides her onto the porch. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt yourself trying to figure him out, T. I¡¯m pretty sure even Mr. Tarl has given up on that, and he¡¯s an Inspector!¡±


    Freddie and Larrez chuckle as T absently moves a finger to rub Teemo¡¯s chin, who epts the tribute with zero grace and leans into it. ¡°That¡¯s the stuff.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s so¡­ cute! How can a dungeon have a cute little rat for a Voice and also have some crazy powerful zombie scion, too?¡±


    Teemo pulls himself away from the pets with visible effort to answer her. ¡°The Boss doesn¡¯t standardize us. I¡¯m his Voice, so I¡¯m good with people and I tell it like it is. Rocky is his fighting scion, so he¡¯s a monster in a fight, and a good teacher for anyone else looking to learn their way aroundbat. Pretty much all of us have our own niches, and the Boss lets us be ourselves.¡±


    T resumes petting Teemo as she thinks, earning a happy squeak from him as the others look over the quests.


    ¡°Did you want to get a quest, T?¡± asks Freddie, eyeing a couple kill quests.


    ¡°Um¡­ no? I¡¯ve never done much fighting, and I don¡¯t really do gathering, either¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you know any runework?¡± asks Larrez as he peruses the mining quests. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of ways to get reagents for it here.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ can do scrolls and other inscriptions, but I haven¡¯t really practiced it,¡± she admits, earning a smile from Rhonda.


    ¡°Herbalism is probably the best way to get ingredients for magical ink and dyes. I¡¯ll show you the basics, if you want?¡±


    T still looks uncertain, but she doesn¡¯t refuse, so Rhonda points her at a quest to gather some ochredill. ¡°Ochredill is a staple, great for neutral bases for all kinds of things, and easy to gather, too.¡±


    The elven woman cautiously reaches for the indicated nk, and finds it easy to pull down and im for herself. ¡°Are you going to gather anything, Rhonda?¡± she asks.


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    ¡°Nah. I need to talk with Rocky and probably Norloke, Freddie needs to visit Aranya for a couple minutes, and looks like Larrez wants to do some mining.¡±


    The indicated elf absently nods as he continues looking over the mining quests. ¡°Freddie mentioned having a piece of an odd anthill from in thebyrinth,yered with steel and orichalcum. I think if we can get more, I can convince the mayor¡¯s armorer to try to do something with it.¡± He pauses as he spots a nk that sticks out. ¡°Hmm¡­ damanascus? Is that what it¡¯s called?¡±


    Freddie shrugs. ¡°I dunno. I don¡¯t have enough right now for anything, so I didn¡¯t bother taking it to a smith.¡±


    Larrez shrugs and takes the nk. ¡°If it¡¯s the wrong thing, we can sell it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s what you¡¯re after,¡± supplies Teemo from T¡¯s shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s from one of the crucible anthills in thebyrinth. Anyway, what brings you all here today? Just showing your new friend the fun of adventuring?¡±


    Rhonda shakes her head. ¡°That too, but we¡¯ve been cooped up all winter and they said we should get out and have some fun. And I need to get some new robes.¡±


    ¡°The ones Rocky gave you already don¡¯t fit anymore?¡± asks Teemo, giving her a look over. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s grown <em>that</em> much, has she?


    Freddie perks up at the mention of that robe. ¡°Oh yeah! That robe looked cool. It¡¯s too small already?¡±


    Rhonda looks bashful before replying. ¡°I uh¡­ haven¡¯t really checked. They just look so good! I wouldn¡¯t want to ruin them on a delve!¡±


    Teemo hops to her shoulder as Lucas moves to the other, and both flick her ears. ¡°They¡¯re made for delving, Rhonda, just like Freddie¡¯s hatchet. You should go grab them. If they fit properly, great. If they are a little small, I¡¯m sure Norloke can let them out a bit, especially if Thing and Queene help.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of the other scions, how¡¯s Jello with armor?¡± asks Freddie. ¡°I¡¯m outgrowing mine, which is why I¡¯m looking for materials and a smith.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, guys. I¡¯ll get my robes,¡± interjects Rhonda before she rushes off while everyone else keeps talking.


    Teemo smoothly transitions over to Larrez¡¯s shoulder before answering. ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯d like a new project. I think Queen and Thing are going to have her upied, though. The Boss has a new kind of armor that they¡¯re still prototyping. It worked well enough against the Maw, but it has issues withsting longer than a couple battles still. You could help test if you want, but I¡¯d probably stick with the guy Larrez knows if you want something reliable.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I could do both? Gather materials for a traditional set of armor, and volunteer to test whatever you¡¯re making. How is he making special armor, though? I¡¯ve seen the weird bows. Is he going to put a bunch of ropes and pulleys on the armor, too?¡±


    I briefly wonder if I could do something with that for mechanical advantage, like a medieval power armor, but Teemoughs and shakes his head. ¡°Nah, the Boss is just making it out of weird stuff. I¡¯ll see if I can¡¯t get a sample for you to look atter. How about you, T? Anything you were hoping to get done in here today?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I want to meet Rocky,¡± she admits, surprising me and Teemo both.


    ¡°Yeah? You want to learn to punch things?¡±


    She shakes her head. ¡°No. It¡¯s¡­ his magic is strange. From the ounts I read, it¡¯s like he can switch affinities on the fly. It should be impossible, but there¡¯s way too many reports for people to just be making things up. If I could figure it out, I¡¯m sure the Great Mother would be happy with me.¡±


    ¡°Great Mother?¡± echoes Teemo.


    She nods, and pulls out a little pendant of open hands from her robe. ¡°Laermali, the Great Mother of magic.¡±


    Oh? Oh. Ooohhhhh¡­


    Teemo has a better pokerface than I do. ¡°Ah, makes sense. Did she send you to talk to the Boss?¡±


    T looks confused. ¡°No? Why would She?¡±


    ¡°Because the Boss showed Rocky how to do it. He showed all of us, really. It¡¯s just that Rocky is really good at it.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ how¡­?¡± stammers T, trying to wrap her head around how a dungeon of all things could start breaking magic like I have. Then Teemo goes in for the kill.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I thought you would be here to talk to the Boss. She sounds like she¡¯d be too busy toe chat with her newest coworker herself, so sending an acolyte would be the obvious step.¡±


    T looks equally confused and offended, and Larrez interrupts. ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t think Thedeim counts as a¡­ ¡®coworker¡¯? The enves revere him, sure, but he¡¯s not-¡±


    ¡°He is,¡± corrects Teemo, to the confusion of the elves. Freddie, though, looks like he¡¯s figured it out. ¡°He apotheosed and everything after the Maw. The Raven himself visited and we had a chat, the Boss went a bit sideways and I exploded in orange.¡± He smirks at the reaction to his description of events. ¡°I got better, but the Boss is stuck with being fully fledged now. Poor guy.¡±


    T and Larrez stare, jaws ck, while Freddie chuckles and shakes his head. ¡°No wonder Torlon wanted me to wee Aranya back. I bet the Shield wants to make sure everything is still fine between you two.¡±


    Teemo nods at that. ¡°Oh yeah. While the Boss wants to officially keep a bit of daylight between himself and any other gods, the Shield has good people working under it. He¡¯s happy to continue working together like that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure Torlon hears that.¡± Freddie smiles as the elves continue to stare, not even reacting as Rhonda bursts through the gates with her robe in her arms. She hurries to the group, oblivious to the bombshell Teemo dropped.


    ¡°Whew, I¡¯m back! The robes might be a <em>little</em> tight in the chest or shoulders? I¡¯ll definitely want to ask Norloke to check the fit. Anyway, what¡¯d I miss?¡±

 Chapter Three-Hundred Four

    Chapter Three-Hundred Four


    Rhonda looks at T and Larrez with curious eyes, wondering why they look so shocked. Freddie rescues them from saying it themselves, even if that probably only reinforces reality for them. It kinda does for me, too. It¡¯s still weird to think about.


    ¡°Thedeim¡¯s a god.¡±


    Rhonda tilts her head in confusion. ¡°Hasn¡¯t he been for a while? Aranya and the enves have been worshiping him.¡±


    The orc chuckles and shakes his head. ¡°Being worshiped doesn¡¯t make someone a god, even if someone¡¯s faith is strong enough to focus their magic through them.¡±


    Larrez¡¯s mind finally seems to grind into gear, though he¡¯s still clearly trying to process things. ¡°I asked Torlon about that a while ago. I just¡­ never expected to see the difference be moot.¡±


    That gets Freddie¡¯s curiosity. ¡°Oh? What were you two talking about?¡±


    ¡°It was not long after I first met Aranya. Teemo said Thedeim didn¡¯t worry too much about it and said he was pretty sure he wasn¡¯t a god. I asked Torlon, and he exined the difference between gods and focuses of faith. For people like us, the difference seems a bit¡­ academic.¡±


    That seems to help get T on track, too. ¡°There¡¯s¡­ a lot of arguments about it, but¡­ that seems right. Actual deities have more power and can thusly empower their worshipers directly, but even that is usually reserved for people like Prophets or High Priests. But for him to be an actual deity¡­¡±


    T and Larrez look haunted, while Rhonda and Freddie seem pretty nonchnt about the whole thing. Teemo speaks into the quiet, hoping to keep any worries to a minimum. ¡°He¡¯s just Thedeim to you guys, so don¡¯t worry about it. I think you all are more worried about his status than he is. He tries to mostly just keep doing what he¡¯s been doing. You wanted to learn about Rocky¡¯s affinity stuff, right T?¡±¡°Er¡­ I wouldn¡¯t want to impose on-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no imposition. The big lug is eager to show off and hear opinions for some of histest tricks. Don¡¯t go trying to make things all formal. If Laermali wants to make something official, she can send someone with a more direct line. If <em>you</em> want to learn, all you have to do is get to him.¡± My Voice smiles at the gathered party. ¡°And it looks to me like you have a good party to do that. So, where are you guys gonna go first?¡±


    Freddie looks over the group before answering. ¡°I think T and Larrez are still recovering, so maybe it¡¯d be best if we visit the spiderkin first? Unless Miss Aranya is closer?¡±


    Teemo shakes his head. ¡°Nah, she¡¯s still in the ant enve, helping them adjust. They¡¯ve finally sorted their leadership, so now they need to secure food for themselves. I¡¯m sure I could get her toe meet you at the training room, though. She¡¯d like to see you guys again, and I bet she¡¯d like to get a preview of what the fight will be like, too.¡±


    Rhonda nods at that. ¡°That sounds perfect! I don¡¯t think I should be too long with Norloke. I can give her the robes and see what she thinks of the fit, and leave it to her to adjust.¡± She pauses as she realizes something. ¡°Uh¡­ what should I pay her? Do you think she¡¯d ept potions in trade?¡±


    Teemo shrugs. ¡°Probably, but you¡¯d have to ask her. I think she¡¯d normally not charge you anything for it, but the spiderkin are sewing up a storm after their deal with that cloth merchant. I think they want to try their hands at the newposite armor, too. I¡¯ll get you that sample so you can check it out while she ys dress-up, Freddie. You guys want a shortcut?¡±


    Freddie shakes his head. ¡°No, but thanks. I think we could use some time to process, or to let a couple encounters take our minds off of things.¡± Larrez looks relieved at that suggestion, though T still looks nervous about the whole thing.


    ¡°Alright. You guys have fun. I¡¯ll go get that sample and let Norloke know to expect you guys soon.¡± He gives them a wave before slipping through another shortcut, but I keep watching, curious to see how they do. It¡¯ll be an interesting challenge to give them fun encounters without scaring T to death. It¡¯s always difficult to n encounters when there¡¯s a big level disparity in a party.


    ¡°Um¡­ maybe I should go¡­¡± quietly suggests T, earning the focus of the group.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± assures Rhonda. ¡°He didn¡¯t tell you to leave or anything, and we can keep you safe, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°It just¡­ feels a lot bigger than what I should be sticking my nose into. I thought I¡¯d be looking at a weird scion, which is already something really big! But now that weird scion is working for a new god?¡± She shudders. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to mess this up. It sounds like something the Great Mother should have sent a proper priest for at least, not just a little scribe¡­¡±


    Freddie rests a hand on her shoulder. ¡°She didn¡¯t. She sent you. She thinks you¡¯re the right person for the job.¡± His gentle smile shifts to a humorous one. ¡°Besides, someone with actual authority would be thest person to send to Thedeim. He likes things informal. You¡¯ll do fine.¡±


    T looks encouraged, but not enough that she¡¯s going to just go charging in. ¡°I¡­ you think so? You think She sent me for this?¡±


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    Freddie shrugs. ¡°I follow the Shield, not her, so I won¡¯t try to say what she¡¯d do. It just seems to me that she <em>could</em> have sent her High Priest, but didn¡¯t. I think it was a deliberate decision.¡±


    ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t think you could make a worse first impression than the Shield did,¡± points out Larrez with a grin, earning augh from Freddie and a confused look from T.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the story while we move. Let¡¯s take the ess shaft,¡± suggest Freddie, and soon they¡¯re moving. I go ahead and send a stronger probing encounter than usual: an electric dire rat and a spitting viper. T gulps when she sees them, though Rhonda hands her a potion.


    ¡°Drink that. It should help with the lightning attack.¡±


    ¡°Lightning?!¡± T stares at the potion before chugging it, and Freddie and Larrez get into position to keep the denizens at bay.


    ¡°Anyway, the story,¡± starts Freddie, taking his stance with Fiona and Larrez at his side. ¡°There used to be a murderous dungeon in town called Neverrest. It was in the cemetery. It started encroaching on Thedeim, so he fought, beat it, and subsumed it, making the graveyard avable again.¡±


    The viper and rat attack at once, with the viper spitting at Freddie and the rat whipping its tail to sling electricity at Larrez, and hoping to arc into the others using him as the base. Freddie raises his shield without hardly missing a beat in the story, while Larrez maneuvers his sword and watery duplicate to intercept the bolt. ¡°Levee parry!¡±


    Much like a levee helps guide rivers, his rapier and waterbine to channel the lightning to the ground, stopping the attack in its tracks, much to the disappointment of the rat.


    ¡°Attack the tail!¡± suggests T, even as Freddie keeps telling the story while he and Fiona keep the viper upied.


    ¡°With the cemetery free, it just needed to be consecrated again before people could be buried again. I still didn¡¯t have my ss at the time, but I¡¯ve delved with Rhonda a few times, so I was sent along to help keep everyone safe during the ritual.¡±


    Rhonda looks like she¡¯s trying to keep her magic more subtle than usual, and she quietly heats Freddie¡¯s hatchet as she summons several icicles to hurl at the rat, aiming for the tail like T suggested. It¡¯s not an easy target to hit, but with Larrez attacking, she manages to hit it right at the base. Sparks fly as it loses control of the current, giving Larrez plenty of time to pierce it through the eye, cleanly finishing it off.


    ¡°So the acolyte in charge tried to consecrate the cemetery in the name of the Shield, but was rebuffed. I didn¡¯t know it at the time, but doing it like that tries to form a pact between the dungeon and the deity. There¡¯s a generic version that the acolyte was supposed to do, but he didn¡¯t. Searing sh!¡±


    He interrupts his own story to step forward and swing at the viper just after Fiona gets a web onto it. It wouldn¡¯t hold the viper for long, but his buffed attack lets him quickly decapitate the dangernoodle and finish the encounter.


    T looks relieved when the fighting is over, and takes a few moments to process both the encounter and the story Freddie was telling. ¡°Wait, a pact? And the dungeon rejected it? But I thought Teemo said Thedeim liked the Shield?¡±


    Freddie shrugs as he inspects the head, seeing if he can get the venom nds out without too much damage. ¡°He did and he does, but he didn¡¯t want to make a pact. Then the acolyte tried to <em>exorcise</em> Thedeim.¡±


    T¡¯s eyes widen at that, but Freddie¡¯s not done with the story just yet. ¡°So Larx, the elder of the ratkin enve, consecrated the cemetery instead, while the acolyte was preparing a stronger ritual to exorcise him. He made a big ruckus shouting at Larx, so Grim, Thedeim¡¯s skeleton scion came over to investigate. Then he tried to turn Grim, but the magic had no effect on him at all. And you know what Grim did?¡±


    T looks nervous as she replies. ¡°Attack? I mean, it sounded like the acolyte was doing everything in his power to anger the dungeon.¡±


    Freddie smiles and shakes his head. ¡°Nope. He shushed the acolyte. After that, we left before he could embarrass himself any more, heh.¡±


    Larrez chuckles at the story and looks at T. ¡°So see? I can¡¯t picture you doing anything worse than that.¡±


    She titters at that, looking relieved to know I¡¯m not going to just sic my scions on her for an idental insult, or even a deliberate one. ¡°That does make me feel better, at least.¡±


    Freddie returns to the viper head and pulls out a small knife to try to dress it for the nds, giving Rhonda a chance to speak up.


    ¡°So, how¡¯d you know about the tail? We¡¯ve fought them a few times, but mostly just use potions to deal with the lightning. Good parry by the way, Larrez!¡±


    He smiles at thepliment. ¡°Thank you. I got the idea from the lightning rod at the mayor¡¯s manor. I had to clean it with Mr. Miller¡¯s guidance, and he talked about how lightning always seeks the ground. I¡¯m curious about how you knew about the tail, too, T.¡±


    She looks bashful at the attention, but doesn¡¯t keep the secret for too long. ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t really do adventuring much because I have knowledge affinity. Can¡¯t really hit harder with it, but I can analyze and find weaknesses. Not that I can usually take advantage of them, but still.¡±


    ¡°Sounds useful,¡±ments Freddie as he works on the nds. I think he¡¯s going to manage it, too. They¡¯re pretty tricky to get out, but he¡¯s taking his time and doing it right.


    Rhonda and Larrez both nod their agreement. ¡°Maybe we can get you toe adventure with us more often, then?¡± asks the elf. ¡°We¡¯re pretty good at adapting to whatever attackse our way, but having a better idea of what to expect would make things easier.¡±


    ¡°...maybe? That was still frightening, but¡­ was it really useful?¡±


    ¡°Definitely,¡± assures Rhonda. ¡°In fact, if we fight another one, I think I¡¯ll try to avoid the tail and see if Freddie can get it off in one piece. I bet Master Staiven can use it for lightning resist potions at the least! Oh, that reminds me!¡± Rhonda turns back to the house and points at the herbalism nodes growing along the back.


    ¡°You need some ochredill! Let¡¯s grab that before we head to the enve.¡±


    Freddie stands, knife cleaned and put away, and nds securely in a vial in a pouch now. ¡°Works for me. I hope we get to fight another electric dire rat, just for the look on Old Staiven¡¯s face when I m a big rat butt on his counter and ask for money.¡±


    Theyugh at the image as they head for the nodes and I smile to myself, d to see them making friends.

 Chapter Three-Hundred Five

    Chapter Three-Hundred Five


    I keep watching as they delve, carefully picking what denizens to send their way. If they were doing a more ordinary delve, I think they¡¯d get overwhelmed. T does her best, but there really is a significant gulf in her powerpared to the others, and I don¡¯t know that they¡¯d be able to pick up the ck if I treated them like arger party adventuring in the cavernyer.


    Luckily for them, they¡¯re headed for the enve, so I make sure the denizens take it easy on them. They still need to pay the toll, but I have no intention of cutting my spiderkin off from the surface. By the time they reach the enve, T is looking a bit haggard, but at least not traumatized.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you all do that for fun¡­¡± she grumbles, much to the amusement of the others.


    ¡°Aw, it wasn¡¯t that bad, was it?¡± asks Freddie, forcing T to sigh and admit the truth.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t as bad as I feared, but¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯ming back without all of you, or maybe nder.¡±


    ¡°Hard to argue with the experience, too,¡± adds Larrez, earning another grudging nod from the scribe.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go find Norloke. The enve is as safe as Fourdock, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Rhonda nods at the guards as the group enter the enve, giving T her first sight of my spiderkin industriously going about their day. Right now, they¡¯re focused on ensuring their capture baskets are properly repaired for the harvest. The cave lobsters are about ready to be culled and distributed to the live wells of the residents, making room for the next generation of tasty little pinchers.


    Larrez is the first to notice the reason, or at least the first to voice it as they head for Norloke¡¯s home. ¡°It looks like they¡¯re getting ready to harvest their lobsters. Have you guys had them before?¡±


    The others shake their heads, with Rhonda replying first. ¡°I hear they used to be a prettymon food back before Hullbreak went nuts, but they¡¯ve been too rare for orphans like us to try.¡±¡°I¡¯ve had crayfish, but there¡¯s no lobsters where I used to live,¡± adds T.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had them before,¡± admits Larrez. ¡°They¡¯re alright. Well, sea lobsters. I haven¡¯t tried the cave ones. They¡¯re supposed to be pretty easy to cook.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we shoulde backter to see if they have any extra to sell,¡± suggests Freddie. ¡°The spiderkin seem to really like them, so they can¡¯t be terrible.¡±


    Rhonda looks uncertain about that. ¡°They look weird. But I guess a plucked chicken looks weird, too. I¡¯d be willing to give it a try, at least.¡±


    ¡°I wonder why they always leave the head feathers on¡­¡± muses Freddie as they arrive, and Rhonda knocks on the door to the ground level of Norloke¡¯s borate home. While many spiderkin are starting to take to making stone or brick homes on the floor, Norloke and the others weavers especially still like to weave their homes up near the ceiling of the cave. Of course, they still have guests, so they have at least a small room or two built on the ground floor, and generally keep their live wells there.


    The knocking gets the spiderkin¡¯s attention and she pokes her head out from her silken abode in the ceiling, smiling and waving as she recognizes who¡¯se to call.


    ¡°Ah, Freddie, Rhonda, and Larrez! And Lucas and Fiona, too! Oh, and a new friend? Give me a moment to get thesest few stitches and I¡¯ll be right down!¡±


    They oblige, with T looking around the enve at the busy spiderkin. ¡°I¡¯ve never been in an enve before. I¡¯m not sure what I was expecting,¡± she admits.


    ¡°I wonder if they could make you some silk robes,¡± ponders Freddie. ¡°Rhonda¡¯s going to be asking about some, so you could, too. I don¡¯t think them dying it would be a problem, either.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I could afford it. These work well enough.¡±


    ¡°No harm in asking,¡± points out Rhonda. T shrugs in defeat at that as Norloke exits her silken room, nimbly climbing down to greet the group.


    ¡°Thank you all for waiting! Now, to what do I owe the pleasure?¡± she asks with a smile as she opens the door, ushering them all in. The room itself may be made of stone and bricks, but the weaver has covered practically every surface in soft silks, lending it an elegant, almost ephemeral atmosphere. She waves a hand for them to all take a seat as she takes her own, eagerly awaiting their answer.


    ¡°Well, we wanted to visit and catch up some,¡± starts Rhonda, before pulling out the nice robe Rocky had made for her. Norloke¡¯s eyes twinkle in recognition as the goblin continues. ¡°And to ask if you can do adjustments on this? I¡¯m kinda outgrowing my current robes. I was going to ask for something new, but Teemo reminded me of this. It was just too nice to wear for ordinary delving, but¡­¡±


    Norlokeughs brightly as she holds out her arms for the robe. ¡°Oh, it is a very nice robe. I remember when they were presented to you! I hope you weren¡¯t worried about ruining them somehow? Rocky had these made specifically for delving, just like Freddie¡¯s hatchet and Larrez¡¯ rapier.¡±


    ¡°Did you help him make the robe?¡± asks Freddie, and Norloke shakes her head.


    ¡°No, he kept it a secret until the reveal. We probably should have realized he was up to something when the aranea started watching us for a while, same with the ratlings at the ratkin forges.¡± She chuckles in hindsight as Rhonda hands it over, and starts examining them.


    ¡°Oh my, they even used widow silk! Remarkable. I hope Jeb domesticates some of them soon, their silk is remarkably strong.¡± Her fingers flow over the garment as she observes out loud, her attention moving from the guests to the piece of clothing. ¡°Oh, you can feel Thing¡¯s runework, too. Clever, I think he used some of the metal transmutation elixir to reinforce the threads as well. Hmm¡­¡± She pulls and pushes on the fabric before nodding. ¡°I think I can let it out some without disrupting anything.¡±


    She turns her attention to Rhonda, her hands measuring on the fabric as she analyzes the goblin girl. Rhonda speaks up as she watches her work.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°How much will it be? And how much to get some simpler silk robes for T here?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it shouldn¡¯t be too much for either. We can talk about the details while I get your measurements. Freddie, Larrez? Do you two know the way to the armory? Teemo stopped by and asked about the newposite armor. Frn is in charge of that, or at least our part in it. I believe she wants to get some pieces to Rocky so he can put them through their paces. Honey had a whole book of things she wanted tested.¡±


    Freddie and Larrezugh about that. ¡°Sounds like Honey,¡±ments Freddie as he stands. ¡°Do we take them to Rocky¡¯s arena, then?¡±


    ¡°I think Teemo wants them down in the secret training room. He should be waiting in the armory for you, though, so he¡¯ll tell you there.¡±


    Larrez nods and stands as well. ¡°Then I guess we¡¯ll meet you two there once you¡¯re done?¡±


    Norloke nods. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take us too long. You boys help move the armor and they should be along by the time you¡¯re done.¡±


    The guys nod at that and go, and I follow them, giving the girls a bit of space to themselves. At the armory, Teemo meets with the guys and shows them the armor suits, and they get to work without muchint. Freddie is pretty incredulous about how light they are, but Larrez just chuckles about more of my nonsense.


    The harder part is in moving a few dummies in to put the armor on, but once Rocky sees everyone hauling things around, he lends a hand. True to Norloke¡¯s word, Rhonda and T arrive as the guys are getting thest of the armor set up. The elven woman looks curious, but Rhonda is the one who gets to voice her curiosity first.


    ¡°Is that the armor? Is it dipped in ss or something?¡± she asks, poking a set designed for a ratkin. Rocky snorts in amusement as Freddie shakes his head.


    ¡°Teemo says it¡¯s some kind ofcquer?¡± He looks to my Voice who shrugs.


    ¡°Resin, but I¡¯m still a bit fuzzy on the actual difference. It¡¯s tough, but it doesn¡¯t dent like metal does. Go ahead and give it a few attacks, you¡¯ll see.¡±


    Freddie smiles and pulls up his hatchet. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to give them a test since I picked up the first piece. Ordinarily, I¡¯d expect to chop through it easily, but there¡¯s definitely some Thedeim weirdness going on. Hyah!¡±


    Despite his words, he doesn¡¯t seem to put any special skill into the attack as he swings for the chestpiece. The hatchet digs in slightly, leaving a good scratch in the finish as he pulls away. The orc shakes his head before taking a closer look. ¡°How¡¯s it do that? It almost felt like wood, but it took a hit that should have dented normal armor at least.¡±


    Curious, Larrez gives a testing jab with his rapier and finds that, though he can make a pinhole in the outeryer, he can¡¯t get much deeper without using a skill. Teemo borates as the guys give the armor a couple other experimental whacks, stabs, and slices.


    ¡°The Boss calls itposite armor. It¡¯s like, you know how silk is supposed to be really strong, but is too flexible to make a good te out of? The resin makes it stiff, and you can embed a bunch of other stuff, too. He says that, if done right, each material adds its own strength to the whole. The design is prettyplicated considering how in the end, it looks to me like they just paint the resin onto a very impractical robe or even a bedsheet.¡±


    ¡°It seems pretty effective to me. Why does Thediem want to test it more?¡± asks Freddie, looking like he¡¯s already ready for a suit of his own.


    ¡°Mostly, it¡¯s in the maintenance. Metal can be bent back into shape, but this can¡¯t. It umtes the dings and scratches until something finally gets through, or theyerse apart and the whole thing bes useless. It also doesn¡¯t handle most affinities too well. Things like kic and metal are pretty easy to stop, but fire, ice, lightning and such are still a problem.¡±


    ¡°Is¡­ is that why you have Rocky here?¡± timidly asks T, eyeing my zombie scion and clearly thinking about his long list of affinities. He grunts and nods, then gestures to Rhonda with a questioning look.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to help too, if that''s alright? I really want to see you work with kic first, if you don¡¯t mind? I¡¯m close to a breakthrough, I can feel it.¡±


    T looks confused where Freddie and Larrez are trying to look casual.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± asks Teemo, ncing to T as Rhonda nods.


    ¡°Yeah. Please?¡±


    Rocky grunts with a smile and sets his mouthpiece before stepping up to a dummy, motioning for Rhonda to step up to another one.


    ¡°Why is she¡­¡± quietly asks T, and Freddie answers.


    ¡°Just watch. Trust me.¡±


    Confused, she looks to Larrez, who nods and points as Rocky and Rhonda start. My boxer summons an orb each of fire and ice as he starts punching the armor, going slow and not using too much force just yet. T gasps at the disy, and gasps again as Rhonda follows suit. She raises her staff and calls forth her own orbs, and lets them float to either side as she hits the staff¡¯s head against the armor.


    Rocky grunts and nods, keeping a steady rhythm even as he increases the force of his hits. Rhonda sounds frustrated as she tries to focus and hit harder with her staff. ¡°I can¡¯t hit as hard as you!¡± sheins, much to the amusement of Rocky. He grunts again, getting Rhonda¡¯s focus as he starts hitting much harder.


    She¡¯s the first to notice, but as Rocky continues, the others can see the ball of me slowly growing with each hit. ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± her eyes widen as she seems to understand, though she doesn¡¯t have the words to exin her epiphany. Rocky grins around his mouthguard as he merges the orbs, ending with a smaller ball of fire for a few moments, before he consumed the energy and puts it into his punch, sending the armor smashing against the cave wall.


    Rhonda doesn¡¯t have his mastery, but she¡¯s got the idea now. She lets the orb of ice fall to the ground as she focuses on the fire. ¡°Like an explosion¡­¡± she mutters to herself before the fireballs winks out of existence. A heartbeatter her dummy crashes into the wall next to Rocky¡¯s, and the goblin slumps to the ground, spent.


    Freddie quickly moves to help her, while T stares at the scene. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s¡­¡± she stammers as she points an using finger at Rocky. ¡°First you¡­ then <em>she</em>...?!¡± Her finger alternates between them for several cycles before she makes a decision and points it back to Rocky.


    ¡°How¡¯d you <em>do</em> that?! Why fire <em>and</em> ice?¡± she demands, much less demure now.


    ¡°To show me,¡± grunts Rhonda as she gets to her feet with Freddie¡¯s help. She smiles at him, resting a hand on his before he steps away. She leans on her staff slightly, and is distracted by the head for a moment. ¡°Kic definitely needs a diamond¡­¡± she mutters to herself before turning her attention back to T.


    ¡°And probably show you, too. Don¡¯t let him fool you, his brain is anything but rotten. This is why I wanted you toe meet Rocky, T. Karn told me about your quest.¡±


    ¡°<em>He¡¯s</em> an Ice Sage? It¡¯s a type of undead?¡±


    Rhonda shakes her head. ¡°It¡¯s a ss. <em>My</em> ss. Inspired by how Rocky fights and uses his affinities, and shaped by the trials Thedeim made for us. It¡¯s a ss all about learning <em>and</em> teaching. Each new understanding gives a greater insight into not just magic, but how <em>everything</em> works. I had ice affinity innately, and gained fire affinity through an epiphany¡­ and now kic, too.¡±


    She raises her staff and lets it go, making it float for a few moments as frost creeps along it. She doesn¡¯t keep it up for long, though, and soon grabs it to lean on again. ¡°Whew, still not easy, but I¡¯ve definitely got it. Anyway, T.¡± She focuses back on the elf, who looks utterly dumbfounded at what she¡¯s seeing and hearing.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to teach you, if you¡¯re interested. I think that¡¯s why Laermali sent you, instead of a high priest or something. My mentor tries to learn, but he¡¯s pretty set in his ways. I think we could help each other. I¡¯m not sure that Sages should bemon, if that¡¯s even what Laermali wants, but I¡¯m willing to at least teach <em>you</em>, T. If you want to learn?¡±


    She smiles and holds out her hand to the elf. T stares at her, eyes wide, before the elf faints.

 Chapter Three-Hundred Six

    Chapter Three-Hundred Six


    Thankfully, it doesn¡¯t take T too long to wake back up, but she still seems pretty overwhelmed. She doesn¡¯t give an answer yet, but I think once she gets a chance to calm down, she¡¯ll take Rhonda up on her offer. They escort her out, which thanks to a Teemo shortcut means it¡¯s only a couple minutes, and then they head for thevabyrinth.


    I shamelessly look over the map they have while they go. I¡¯ve been wondering if there¡¯ll be people who speedrun the maze daily to try to get an urate map of that day¡¯s maze, but it looks like most people are going with a more generic map, with the changing sections written in different colors and leaving it up to the adventurers to figure out theyout on their own.


    I think it¡¯d be a bit more difficult for those going really deep, but the melting pot area with the crucible ants isn¡¯t <em>that</em> far into the maze. They have to backtrack a couple times, but once you get the hang of reading the map, it¡¯s not hard to navigate. They fight a few encounters and Rhonda practices her telekinesis as she can. For a lot of the denizens in the maze, she has a pretty goodbo of stealing the heat from the different encounters, converting it to kic energy, and mming the critters with a solid attack. The others need to keep up their guards and help, of course. One on one, Rhonda could probably handle anything in there, but I¡¯m not going to send a single denizen against the group.


    In the melting pot, the damanascus is getting pretty popr among my crucible ants. At first, it was just the one hill, but now there¡¯s a good half-dozen to pick from. They go for a smaller one and don¡¯t hold back much in their attack. I smile when I see them work together to haul off the chunks Larrez breaks off, d to see them n ahead and not go for something they wouldn¡¯t have actually been able to carry off.


    They¡¯re all pretty weighed down, but they have enough gas in the tank to fight through a couple more encounters and eventually head home. I hope they make some cool stuff out of the damanascus. It should work pretty well as armor, and should be easy to enchant for weapons. I just don¡¯t know how well it will hold an edge. It¡¯s been getting popr among the ants because it¡¯s popr among the delvers, but nobody hase back in with anything made from it, or at least I haven¡¯t noticed. Armoring and enchanting take a while, so I¡¯m not surprised nobody has anything yet. The crafters need to learn how to work it too, I¡¯m sure.


    Speaking of things that need work, I sit in with Teemo to hear what the nerd squad thinks of possible improvements for theposite armor. I¡¯m surprised to see Poppy contributing, too, but Teemo¡¯s trantions makes it pretty obvious why. The resin is from trees, and they might be able to use a treated wooden core for the armor to help with rigidity. It also could give another surface for the easyyering of enchantments.


    They still need something to fix the dmination problem, though. It¡¯ll be partially fixed by weaving theyers more properly. The first pass was barely more than taking two silk shirts and some mail, then gluing them together with resin. I probably shouldn¡¯t be surprised they tend toe apart.


    Coda points out the design issue without me needing to talk through Teemo, and they brainstorm ways to work around that. They really like the metal honeb, but I think it¡¯s just not going to be especially practical, at least on the scale of people. I¡¯m pretty sure honeb is more for vehicle armor rather than personal. While it could work for breasttes, weaving the spidersilk through normal chainmail would be more practical, but I think there¡¯s an even better way.


    If we use a thin wooden core, we should be able to perforate it and weave the silk through it without much issue. Metal wire should be theoretically an option, but we have an easier method than trying to get tension on metal without breaking the wood: the metal transmutation elixir. As far as I can tell, it makes ordinary steel, which should be a good way to add strength to the armor, and hopefully keep the whole thing thin enough that it can be made into something wearable.In the future, I¡¯d love to weave orichalcum and mythril instead, but I think transmuting some of the silk will be the easier option. The nerds like the sound of the magical metals, but they also think we should try the easier method first. The transmuting process will give them time to apply enchantments, too, so it shouldn¡¯t make the process take too much longer.


    Poppymits to dedicating a small patch of her garden to a few trees for better resin and stronger wood, and also talks about the progress she¡¯s been able to make on the central tree with the help of Thing, Honey, and especially Queen. It sounds like a true hybrid is going to be off the table, which is a little sad, but her progress on n B is very encouraging.


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    She had been trying to get the two separate trees to not interfere with each other too much, but Queen and Honey both suggested she try active symbiosis instead of simply the two tolerating each other. Suddenly, the problem of roots for them both became a non-issue. If she gives the yew an over-engineered root system, the willow vine can tap into it for soil nutrients and water. If she cuts back on yew leaves and encourages the willow, it can handle the photosynthesis for them both and share with the yew. Shore up the yew branches a bit to be able to handle the load of willow vine, and have the willow really lean into the vine potion to have a good tensile strength, and the two separate nts should be able to survive while actively needing the help of and help<em>ing</em> the other.


    I pat the bonds with them all, d to see what looks like a very viable n to me! It¡¯ll still take Poppy some time to get the trees into shape, but I think we have a workable goal to aim for now! I keep with them through the night, troubleshooting potential issues with the tree and the armor with Teemo tranting. He even offers to lend his spatial expertise in the construction of the armor, which could be really cool. No need to worry about clearance for tools when you have a smart-aleck rat that can bend the fabric of reality.


    The sun rises as we look over a bunch of different thin nks of wood I have avable. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s technically ebony, but I have a very dense and dark wood that I like for the core. It might be a bit <em>too</em> dense to be easily worked. There¡¯s a couple oaks that are looking like a good generalist candidate, though. My scions are leaning toward oak. Teemo¡¯s in the middle of letting them know that¡¯s fine by me, when I feel two familiar presences enter my domain.


    Teemo pauses for a moment before quickly finishing. ¡°So yeah, use whatever you guys think will be best. I gotta go!¡± He zips through a shortcut to catch up to my focus on the two familiar delvers strolling up to the house. My Voice hops up on the railing for the porch and waves as he raises his voice.


    ¡°Berdol! nder! Time flies, eh? You two ready for the inspection, and the fight?¡±


    Berdol nods, wearing his typical delving gear and looking eager, probably both for the fight and the inspection. ¡°Definitely!¡±


    nder nods as well, wearing better gear than usual. His old stuff wasn¡¯t exactly bad, but his armor and ive both have the look and feel of gear an experienced delver would wear. His armor is pretty heavy looking, though you wouldn¡¯t know it from how he moves. Before, he had basically been wearing chainmail, but now he has heavier splint mail over the top, and a solid breastte. The mail reminds me of samurai armor with the armored drapes over the shoulders and thighs. He doesn¡¯t have a helmet, but he does have a thick circlet that makes me think of a metal sweatband, and I can practically taste the enchantments on it. The rest is also enchanted, but I think he splurged on the circlet to be able to have maximum visibility.


    His ive is different from the simple steel one he¡¯d been carrying around, too. This one is a ck metal, or maybe a ck finish? Either way, there¡¯s very little in the way of decoration on it, making it look and feel like the weapon of war it is. In addition to his ive, he has arge pack on his back, probably for whatever adventuring gear he likes to have. Potions, rations, and the like. Probably to be able to carry back anything that catches his eye, too. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll help him too much against Rocky, but I could be wrong. Or he¡¯s just wearing it as part of his full kit to show he¡¯s taking it seriously.


    ¡°I am. I¡¯m looking forward to it, in fact. I¡¯ve done what research I can on Rocky, and I think I¡¯m as prepared as I can get.¡±


    ¡°Awesome,¡± replies Teemo, giving a thumbs up. ¡°Are you guys going to do the full inspection first?¡±


    ¡°I want to at least try,¡± speaks up Berdol. ¡°I don¡¯t think it should take too long, at least? Most of your various sections are pretty stable. Thevabyrinth will take the longest, I expect.¡±


    ¡°The forest might take a while, too, depending on how in-depth you want to look around. It¡¯s a lot of area.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to get as close of a look as I can, please.¡±


    Teemo smiles. ¡°That should be fine. It¡¯s still a work in progress, but the Boss doesn¡¯t have any problem with letting you see how things get made. We actually just finalized the n for the big central tree, in fact.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± asks Berdol, with nder looking curious as well.


    Teemo nods and slips through a shortcut to sit atop nder¡¯s pack. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll exin while you guys start. The manor is pretty much the same it¡¯s always been: a good ce for the newbies to start with. You should be able to examine while I chat about the tree, yeah?¡±


    nder chuckles and shifts his pack slightly to sit better. ¡°I think so. If Berdol is too distracted, I¡¯ll at least be listening. I¡¯ve heard rumor the new forest is supposed to be for very experienced delvers, so you definitely have my attention with it.¡±


    The elf chuckles as Berdol smacks him with his floating metal clipboard for insinuating he can¡¯t take notes and listen at the same time. Still, he smiles at the good-natured ribbing. ¡°Then let¡¯s get this inspection underway! The sooner we get started, the sooner I can watch Rocky knock you around some!¡±

 Chapter Three-Hundred Seven

    Chapter Three-Hundred Seven


    I leave Teemo in charge of the inspection, trusting my denizens to know how these things go by now. I¡¯ll check back in on them when they get to the forest, but for now, I turn my attention to the arena. Rocky is doing a littlest minute practicing with his affinities, but nothing especially strenuous. No, what I¡¯m here to watch is everyone else getting ready.


    I¡¯ve been treating this a lot like a big sporting event, and what¡¯s a sporting event without souvenirs and a concession stand or five? No bookies, though. I understand that angle is already covered by Karn of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, and probably shadier people, too. My enves have enough to do without trying to figure out the odds for the oue.


    The spiderkin have been making a lot of hats and shirts. I¡¯m not quite sure where they got the patterns for baseball hats and t-shirts, but I bet they¡¯re going to make a killing on them. They¡¯re mostly pretty simple solid colors. Yellow and Blue seem to be the easiest with what we have avable. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ve figured out how to do silk screen printing yet, but they still have Rocky and nder¡¯s names clearly written on basically everything.


    Not to be outdone, my ratkin have made noisemakers. Thankfully, a vuvuz needs stic, or Teemo kept that particr abomination under his hat. That didn¡¯t stop him from exining the ratcheting ckers the ratkin are selling. They also have bells, chimes, and other metal noisemakers to sell, too.


    Anyone not actually in the arena is still going to be able to hear when the fighting starts, if my ratkin have anything to say about it. Them and the spiderkin are both also selling all sorts of food. It looks like the bakery across the street even got ahold of a stall. The troll woman is incredibly round, but she moves around the kitchen like she was born in it. She doesn¡¯t look too impressed with the ovens avable, but she¡¯s clearly a pro and starts adjusting them for some good bread making, instead of a more general baking setup.


    For my dwellers, griddlecakes are probably going to be a big hit, as well as cavelobster on a stick. It doesn¡¯t look like they¡¯ve quite figured out how to batter and deep fry everything like at a fair, but I think the food on offer would make any carnie proud. It makes me wish I could have a taste, and makes me debate if I should unleash the true potential of oil frying things.


    Maybeter, once someone shows a substitute for powdered sugar, or actual powdered sugar. It just wouldn¡¯t be fried anything without the option to bury it under powdered sugar.


    The antkin are helping with the seating for now. They didn¡¯t really have a chance to prepare much, what with getting their leadership established. They also don¡¯t have their food sorted, so they can¡¯t really run any concessions, either. They¡¯re making up for lost time, though, with a bunch working on sculpting seats better than boring t benches.


    Nova is helping them out, too, ensuring they have plenty of magma to sculpt with and adding her own touches as they make more ergonomic seating like seen in a lot of modern sportsplexes. Stone might be harder than stic, but stic isn¡¯t exactly known for its give, either. With a good shape, they should befortable.They even make sure to put in that hole in the lower back like a lot of those seats have. I think they¡¯re usually for air flow, but the position and size is perfect for anyone with a tail. For the nonstandard body types, like my spiderkin and snakekin and others like that, they have to settle for a t area of gravel to sit in. Nova and sh work together to make sure there are no sharp pieces in there, and though I think it could be better, I don¡¯t think we nned far enough ahead to <em>get</em> better.


    At least not yet. I¡¯m pretty sure we can get some kind of fungus that grows like grass to help soften things for people who don¡¯t fit into normal seats. The gravel was actually the kobolds¡¯ idea. They¡¯re still adjusting and pretty wary around anyone not in an enve, and even most in the enves, too.


    Still, they saw the need for a solution, and suggested the gravel. Apparently, it was amon thing for them back in the Maw. It¡¯s tempting to just ditch the idea for the inspiration, but I have to imagine it¡¯ll be morefortable than regr rock. There¡¯s even a couple wyrms moving around under that section, keeping the gravel warm. The kobolds really like it, with more than a couple groups of them opting to get early seats in the gravel section rather than the molded chairs.


    Townsfolk are starting to funnel in, too, and the flow only increases as the day continues. Rocky epts a few challenges, giving the people a good chance to see what he can do, and to whet their appetites for the main event, too. The fights aren¡¯t especially strenuous, with the challengers forfeiting before Rocky needs to knock them out. I think they mostly want something to do, or to show off a bit.


    Soon, Berdol and nder get to the forest, where my newest scions are waiting for them. Poppy and Titania look excited to meet the two inspectors, while Zorro and Goldilocks are a bit more subdued. I think they¡¯re still under the impression that my scions are dignified, like the Stag. Tiny and Poe are probably the only ones that evene close. They¡¯ll learn, I¡¯m sure.


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    Berdol takes notes as nder and Teemo watch, the catkin noting each scion down before introducing himself. ¡°So a pixie, a living vine, a fox, and a bear?¡± He points at each, and they nod in their ways before he offers a hand to each.


    ¡°I¡¯m Berdol! The other scions have probably mentioned Tarl as the usual inspector, but he¡¯s busy with the new dungeon in Silvervein. Do any of you have any titles yet?¡± he asks as Titania shakes his finger, and Poppy extends a few thin tendrils to shake his hand as well. Zorro looks uncertain, but raises his paw to shake also. Goldilocks offers hers, and it¡¯s Berdol¡¯s turn to struggle with the size difference as he does his best to shake hers, too.


    ¡°Nah, no titles yet,¡± supplies Teemo. ¡°I think Poppy is probably on the way to one. They¡¯re all working hard, but hers is a kind of work I don¡¯t think dungeons do a lot of. That seems to be a good way to get a title.¡±


    Berdol jots that down as nder nods. ¡°It¡¯s partially why so many scions don¡¯t gain additional titles. Even the different boss titles are usually only gained after killing a number of delvers.¡±


    Teemo snorts at that. ¡°Hopefully we¡¯ll continue not picking up any of those, then.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully, yeah. With the danger of your new expansion, it¡¯ll only get harder to keep that streak going, you know,¡± points out nder.


    ¡°Yeah, but with everyone working on it, and my shortcuts, anything not instantly fatal should be able to be handled. What do you think of the potential with the spawners the Boss has nned so far, nder? He thinks there¡¯s a lot of potential, but you¡¯re the one with experience in high-level fighting.¡±


    He takes his time to formte his answer, following Berdol as he wanders the forest. While there¡¯s still a lot to be done to really solidify the seasons, there¡¯s still a definite contrast to the different sections.


    ¡°The fighting bees are unusual, but should be a good baseline encounter, especially whenbined with theter fey and nts. Rumblebees are good for mid-tier groups, but the Armory Bees thate next can be a real threat to delvers who don¡¯t know what they¡¯re doing. They are among the most tactically-minded denizens I¡¯ve met in dungeons, despite their rtive individual weakness. When backed up with stronger denizens, I think you should be able to push even someone like me to keep on his toes.¡±


    ¡°Cool. Any suggestions for the bears or foxes? I know the Boss likes the idea of magic for the foxes, but he¡¯s open to suggestions.¡±


    ¡°Foxes almost always go with illusion magic, which can be a real force multiplier for your denizens. In a fair fight, I could probably handle any encounter here without much problem. But with the Armory Bees and illusion foxes, fair fights should be basically off the table, not to mention the vines and elementals. I¡¯d suggest making the bears fighters. Most of the other denizens you¡¯re nning for aren¡¯t really made for the front line. The elementals can do it somewhat, but they¡¯re usually better for harrying attacks, instead of wading in and trading blows.¡± nder shakes his head, chuckling. ¡°It¡¯ll be like fighting a full party, or several full parties, depending on how many you send. That kind of coordination will push the delvers to their limits and force them to improve.¡±


    Teemo nods at that. ¡°That¡¯s basically the Boss¡¯ n, yeah. Let me show you guys the garden and the nned central tree, then we can head for the arena.¡±


    Berdol nods at that, and nder tries to hide his excitement at the prospect of finally getting to square off against Rocky. ¡°What kind of tree are you going with? You¡¯ve been having trouble getting one just right, right?¡± asks Berdol, and Teemo nods as he leads them down a shortcut.


    ¡°Yeah, the Boss has a specific look and structure in mind, and we haven¡¯t been able to find a tree that matches all the needs.¡±


    ¡°Until now,¡±ments nder, making Teemo smirk and shake his head.


    ¡°Not really. It¡¯ll technically be two trees, but they¡¯ll be so deep in symbiosis they might as well be one. Yew will be the base, with its twisting branches and reinforced roots. Willow will be changed to more of a vine, seeping water and soil nutrients from the yew, and giving back the fruits of photosynthesis.¡±


    Berdol notes all that down as nder considers that. ¡°It sounds workable to me, but I¡¯m no druid. I bet you¡¯ll have more than a few want toe look, if it works,¡± the elf eventuallyments as they exit the shortcut to Poppy¡¯s garden. It doesn¡¯t take them too long to look around, and I pat the bond with my vine scion to make sure she doesn¡¯t feel dejected about them not seeming that impressed. I don¡¯t think either of them are really into nts. Don¡¯t worry, Poppy. I¡¯m plenty impressed to make up for it.


    They might also be distracted with wanting to finish up and head to the arena, which I don¡¯t me them for. It feels like the entire town would be down here if I had room. There¡¯s even a rivalry building between people supporting Rocky and those supporting nder. So far, it still seems to be healthy, instead of one that will lead to a riot no matter who wins. Berdol officially calls the inspection done, and he and nder waste no time following Teemo through a shortcut and to the arena.


    A guitar riff quiets the crowd as sh spots them, and he holds out a finger for Aranya to speak into, amplifying her voice for all to hear. ¡°And here¡¯s the challenger nder! Let¡¯s give him a warm wee and a few minutes to prepare! Because soon he¡¯ll face Rocky, Lord Thedeim¡¯s fighting scion! Will the delver give Rocky his first defeat? Or will Rocky¡¯s streak only grow! We¡¯ll soon see!¡±

 Chapter Three-Hundred Eight

    Chapter Three-Hundred Eight


    nder looks taken aback for a few moments before he smiles wide at the crowd and the reception. Noise makers make it practically impossible for anyone to say or hear anything intelligible, but the energy of the arena is infectious. Teemo points Berdol to the ringside seats before he directs nder into a small side room.


    They have to pass a lot of spectators to get there, with everyone loudly cheering for theing spectacle. Once inside the smaller room with the doors closed, they can finally hear themselves think, and Teemo speaks up first.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re ready to give them a good show!¡±


    nder nods with a smile. ¡°Absolutely. I¡¯ve seen a few adventurer tournaments, so I know vaguely what to expect. I didn¡¯t expect that much enthusiasm, though!¡±


    Teemoughs at that. ¡°People have only gotten to see little peeks at what Rocky can do. With you here, not only will they get to see a lot more, but they might even get to see him lose! Of course they¡¯re going to want to see, no matter the oue!¡±


    nder shakes his head, chuckling. ¡°I see that now, heh.¡±


    ¡°And if you don¡¯t mind, the Boss has a suggestion to help pump up the crowd even more.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± asks nder, looking vaguely suspicious. ¡°I hope he¡¯s not going to ask me to throw, or something like that.¡±


    Teemoughs again. ¡°Are you nuts? Rocky would never forgive him if he did that! He just says you should put on a bit of a show when you walk out there. Rocky wille out with his music and some fancy magic, and you should do the same. The Boss can cover the pyrotechnics if you want. And the music, too,e to think of it. Anything in particr you¡¯d like?¡±nder mulls it over for a few seconds before shrugging. ¡°No musices to mind. I¡¯m told your sh is pretty good at picking, though.¡±


    My Voice nods at that. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s got good taste. So when the music changes, that¡¯ll be your cue toe strutting to the arena. Then it¡¯ll be on you two. Just listen for the bell and stop when it rings.¡±


    nder nods and opens the door to listen for his cue, and does some warmups as he waits. On the other side of the arena, Rocky is bouncing on his toes and keeping himself limber and ready. I can practically taste the excitement boiling off the bond with him, and soon his music starts ying.


    The crowd slowly quiets as a single note is strummed in a steady rhythm. What other song is <em>Rocky</em> supposed to walk out to, hmm? He grins wide, taking his first steps in time with the powerchords as he enters the arena proper, his fists high as he encourages the crowd.


    He handles his own pyrotechnics, and cryotechnics and¡­ whatever the word would be for his other affinities. An arc of me follows in a right hook, then an icy mirror from a left, followed by a thundercrack punctuating an uppercut. He grins and points across the arena at nder before he climbs into the arena, folding his arms as he leans against the turnbuckle in his corner. The champ is here waiting, ready and eager for the challenger.


    sh¡¯s choice for nder is an unusual one, but I agree with it. Good, bad, or ugly doesn¡¯t matter here, just skill. And it sounds really cool on an electric guitar, too. The tall elf exits the waiting room, marching without any rush, his head held high. Nova handles his special effects, mming ives of magma out of the ground as he passes, in time with his steps and the beat of the song.


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    nder¡¯s somber facade breaks as the tempo increases for the song, and he rushes the stage, ive held in a wide grip for a heavy sh. He smoothly shucks his pack as he nears the ring, dropping it just outside before he leaps in,nding steady and pointing his ive across the way at Rocky. The two stand there, eyeing each other as the ssic refrain ys.


    sh finishes with a flourish and the twobatants take their stances, each more than eager to get started as Aranya¡¯s voice carries over the shouting crowd. ¡°It¡¯s finally time! nder versus Rocky! Shake hands, gentlemen! Just because this is a fight, doesn¡¯t mean there will be any hard feelings!¡±


    The two smirk and step forward, each offering their dominant hand to shake. A single pump before the two step back to their corners, each taking their own stance. ¡°You both know the rules! May the best win! Fight!¡±


    The two quickly step forward, though neither taps into their affinities just yet. Though Rocky is nimble, nder has the advantage of reach, so my zombie has to weather the storm of shes and stabs just to get in. nder sets his feet wide, giving him plenty of leverage to sh, stab, and swing the wide de of his ive in whatever angle he needs to keep Rocky away.


    My boxer¡¯s feet are light as he dances, dodges, and weaves, avoiding the steel as he probes for an opening. nder slowly steps forward, pressing Rocky back as he seeks an opportunity to get inside the elf¡¯s reach, and he eventually finds it. He takes a half step back to avoid a wide swing, and bats at the de as it passes, disrupting nder¡¯s rhythm. It¡¯s only for a moment, but that¡¯s all Rocky needs to get in.


    My zombie rains punches upon the elf, who steps back and adjusts his grip from one suited to a polearm to one more for a staff, letting him spin and block in close quarters. It¡¯s nder¡¯s turn to slowly give ground as he avoids epting any solid blows. Straights are parried to the side with the haft of his ive, hooks blocked with the t of his de, uppercuts sidestepped, and jabs epted and deflected with his armor and long practice of using it.


    But he can only remain on the defensive for so long. He¡¯s slowly but surely being driven back to his corner. If he lets Rocky cut off his maneuverability, the fight will be all but over! Of course, he knows that, and he¡¯s not going to just let it happen.


    He misses parrying a straight and gets a new dent in his armor for it, but it also gives him a chance to counter. Rocky gets his dukes back up just as the wide de shes toward his face, and he gets driven back several steps with a solid gash across both forearms.


    He takes another step back to assess the damage, and nder takes a moment to do the same. If his heart were still beating, Rocky would probably be bleeding pretty well right now. The cut isn¡¯t to the bone, or even through much of his muscle, but the crowd still cheers at the most damage they¡¯ve seen him take before!


    nder is earning simr cheers as he rolls his shoulders, getting used to how differently his armor sits now, with that dent in the middle of the chest. I think it might barely affect his breathing, but much like Rocky, it¡¯s not going to be something to slow him down too much.


    The two grin and rush back at each other, the flow of the fight rapidly shifting back and forth now they¡¯re gotten a feel for their foe. They still don¡¯t use their affinities, instead relying on their raw skill than any special abilities. The ive head swipes at Rocky who blocks, then blocks the followup from the other end of the weapon, before he steps in and hammers nder¡¯s stomach with several body blows.


    A low sweep of nder¡¯s weapon forces Rocky to jump to avoid it, only to line himself up for a heavy kick that sends him back several paces. Each foe leans out of the way of devastating attacks, letting them miss by millimeters, each leans in to give extra weight to a blow that can¡¯t be avoided. Their stances constantly shift as the battle does, light to move in, solid to defend, light to dodge, solid to hit.


    Rocky brings a brutal left hook to bear as nder spins the butt end of his weapon up, and each freezes as the bell rings, their attack a hair¡¯s breadth from impacting the temple of the other. They hold for a few seconds, each grinning like madmen who have finally found a proper challenge, before they each straighten up and back to their corners.


    Aranya¡¯s voice is difficult to hear over the roaring crowd, but she doesn¡¯t let that stop her. ¡°What a first round! Even without using their affinities, how many could stand up to that kind of attack? That was clearly just the warm up, everyone! I think I need a couple minutes to recover more than they do! Soon it¡¯ll be round two, and I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve seen anything yet!¡±

 Chapter Three-Hundred Nine

    Chapter Three-Hundred Nine


    <strong>Rocky</strong>


    The zombie fidgets in his corner as he looks across the ring at nder. From the elf¡¯s own fidgeting, he might be more eager to get back out there than even Rocky! He smiles around his mouthguard as the first round reys in his mind, savoring and analyzing every moment of the fight.


    nder is at a disadvantage if Rocky can get inside his reach, but his experience with that ive gives him very few chances to <em>do</em> that. He feels like he has a better handle on nder¡¯s fighting style, now, but he doesn¡¯t let that inte his confidence. Not only will nder have a better idea of the zombie¡¯s style, but adding in affinities will surely change a lot in how the next round will go.


    If nder¡¯s affinity usage is anything like how he fights, it¡¯ll be simple yet brutally effective and efficient. No movement was wasted in their first sh, every attack and counter, every block and parry, was done with precision. He¡¯ll eat his gloves if nder doesn¡¯t wield his kic affinity simrly.


    He can¡¯t wait to see how the elf handles mixed affinities. He looks eager, not worried, so he has to have <em>some</em> way of dealing with them. Rocky sets his mouthguard as the bell rings, putting up his dukes to see just what nder has in mind for this round.


    The two circle for a few moments, channeling their affinities and looking for any weakness in their foe. Neither finds one, so nder initiates with the advantage of his reach. Rocky can feel the kic energy in the de rapidly spike as nder does a deceptively-simple swipe.


    His first instinct is to steal the energy, but his gut says that¡¯d be a fool¡¯s gambit. With that much experience, and seemingly just the one affinity, there¡¯s no way Rocky is wrenching control away that easily from the elf.


    But that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s without options.


    His right moves in an uppercut as he channels his own kic affinity, creating a de of raw force to counteract the attack. He hardly hears the cheer of the crowd as the forces meet and send a shower of sparks up into the air. Most would take it as the energy being neutralized, but energy doesn''t vanish.It just changes form.


    Kic loves to make heat, and that¡¯s exactly what Rocky wants. He seizes the energy with his fire affinity, bolstering it as he forms ice around a fist, and brings the ming attack down on nder!


    The elf subtly shifts his stance and smoothly transitions his horizontal sh into an upward one, shing into the heat before he flexes his kic affinity, scattering the energy to the sides. Rocky can¡¯t get a grip on it before it dissipates, but he still has his icy fist, and nder is out of position with that defense!


    He darts forward and ms the frozen fist into nder¡¯s side, earning a grunt before he has to dance back to avoid the whirling ive. The elf doesn¡¯t look discouraged by giving up the first hit, and instead presses forward, his ive still held short and letting him present a dangerous whirling obstacle to anything Rocky might wish to do. The zombie is forced back, and additionally forced to move quickly as nder pours on more kic control, increasing his speed and putting Rocky on the back foot.


    He¡¯s forced into a circr retreat, taking cuts on his arms and stomach as he tries to find an opening. He can see the pattern of nder¡¯s movement, but the elf is just too fast for him to take advantage of the momentary openings!


    Perfect. This is the kind of fight Rocky¡¯s been wanting! Something to push him! He steps heavier as he continues to retreat, tapping into his sonic affinity to keep him in the right rhythm. He can see the w in nder¡¯s current strategy. Sure, he¡¯s fast, but he¡¯s going faster than he can react right now. It¡¯s difficult to imagine the kind of training to let him move himself so quickly, but his own retreat is the proof of how effective it is.


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    But at that kind of speed, even a little disruption can throw it all off bnce. Rocky stomps once more and this time steps forward, feeling the floor of the ring moving just how he needs it to now. Ordinarily, it wouldn¡¯t be too much for someone to adjust to, and ordinarily the opening he¡¯s making wouldn¡¯t be enough to take much advantage of.


    But this is no ordinary fight. Moments are eternities against a foe like nder. The elf¡¯s eyes widen as he feels something is wrong, but by then, it¡¯s toote. Rocky doesn¡¯t go for anything too fancy, and instead falls back on the tried and true fire hand/ice hand.


    Left, right, jab, uppercut, haymaker! He slips past nder¡¯s guard tond blow after blow on his armor, embracing four of his affinities to allow him to make each hit count the most. Fire and ice alternate, ruining the temper of the armor. Kic impacts seek to dent and rend, while sonic affinity ensures he times his hit perfectly to resonate and reinforce the energy of each blow!


    A st of raw force sends Rocky stumbling back from his onught on the elf, who looks significantly worse for wear after just a few seconds of pummeling. While he may be bruised, he doesn¡¯t look upset about it. He stands tall, his armor bent and dented, and levels his ive at Rocky.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been this pressed in ages!¡± he exims, full of adrenaline and excitement. Rocky knows that feeling, and grins as he ms his gloved fists together, conjuring his favorite orbs of fire and ice. nder once again initiates, darting forward with blinding speed once more.


    And though Rocky can tell he¡¯s still going through some kind of kata, it¡¯s much moreplex, and much more deadly. The kic force is no longer concentrated in the ive. Crescents and spikes of force manifest for the briefest of moments, just long enough for an attack, before they¡¯re withdrawn back to nder tosh out with again.


    Rocky is forced on the defensive once again, this time using his ice as armor. He learned long ago from sparring with Fluffles: telekinesis is hard to parry, so use armor. Ice is great for how well it absorbs energy, and though nder is very efficient, he¡¯s not perfect. Rocky can slowly siphon energy from him, but does he have the time to take to wear the elf down, before he gets sliced into an undead ice sculpture?


    He doubts it, so he steps up his own offense. They trade blows, nder¡¯s armor collecting more dents and scratches, but still holding. Rocky¡¯s ice gets chipped away, but his fiery attacks let him siphon more heat away to make more. It¡¯s quickly apparent to Rocky that this is not a winning strategy. nder¡¯s armor is not doing well, but the elf himself seems just as full of energy as ever! If Rocky is going to do something, he needs to do it soon.


    He taps into his mental affinity, still not very practiced with it, but he doesn¡¯t need to attack with it. He needs toe up with something. And he gets an idea. He redoubles his efforts, subtly shifting his attacks. He still uses primarily fire, but a bit of kic gives him a bit more punch, just not where nder seems to be expecting it.


    Each time Rocky is blocked by the spinning haft of nder¡¯s ive is another step towards victory for the zombie. He has to go slowly, or the elf might notice. He listens to the hum of the ive as he keeps attacking, the low sound slowly getting louder and louder with each hit, each small pulse of kic force vibrating along the entire weapon, raw kic giving way to harmonious sonic, singing the sound of victory.


    Rocky drops his dukes just a hair, giving nder an opening that the elf can¡¯t help but take advantage of. He¡¯s already shifted to a thrust empowered with kic force before he realizes his weapon doesn¡¯t feel quite right. But by then, it¡¯s toote.


    One handes up from underneath the ive, hitting it right behind the head and striking with the building resonance before the other handes down. He hits right at the middle of the haft, staying in tune to the beat of the weapon¡¯s vibration, and a snap rings across the arena just before the bell does.


    He grins in triumph and holds out half of nder¡¯s ive to the elf, who looks shocked.


    ¡°Is that victory for Rocky?!¡± exims Aranya to the roar of the crowd.


    The elf¡¯s confusion quickly gives way to augh as he epts the rest of his weapon. ¡°Not on your life!¡± he shouts as he turns to walk back to his corner and starts digging through his bag.


    ¡°Can I get a longer break between rounds this time? I need to put on my <em>best</em> for this! I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d need to, but I¡¯m d to be wrong!¡±


    Rocky grins at that and nods before strutting to his own corner to watch whatever nder has cooking. If he¡¯s bringing out his best, maybe Rocky can, too.

 Chapter Three-Hundred Ten

    Chapter Three-Hundred Ten


    <strong>nder</strong>


    He hopes he can get his armor and ive repaired after this. They were both what he used before he got promoted, and he never imagined anything less than a Conduit would be able to damage them like Rocky has. The armor damage is one thing. It¡¯s designed to break so he doesn¡¯t, but snapping the haft on his ive was truly shocking.


    He chuckles as he stows away the two pieces of his old weapon. He let himself underestimate the zombie <em>again</em>. After his show against Onyx, nder knew he was strong, but he should have realized the undead boxer has a lot going on upstairs, too. He might look like a zombie, but he needs to be treated like a dragon for how strong and clever he is.


    The fight reys as he takes off his battered armor, tossing each piece into his Travel Bag and letting it sort and store each piece properly as he thinks. Be wary of consecutive hits. He¡¯s seen singers break ss with their voice, and their exnation feels a lot like how Rocky is using his thunder affinity. He needs to remember his kic defenses, not just offense.


    The fire and ice also y a role in the zombie¡¯sbination attacks. Even if his old armor wasn¡¯t covered in dents, he would bet the temper is ruined as well. It might be time to finally hang the old suit up as a memento. He grunts as he gets his chest te off, relieved to be able to breathe easily again, and looks at the damage for a moment before it joins itspanions in his bag.


    It¡¯s definitely going to only be fit for decoration after this. Maybe he <em>won¡¯t</em> repair the ive,e to think of it. It¡¯d look pretty good hung on the wall, both pieces angled over the head of his old suit.


    He shakes his head as he removes thest of his armor, pulling the chain undershirt over his head to toss into his bag. This is not the time to get distracted. He still has a fight to win.


    And a cover to burn. He hopes T won¡¯t be too mad with him once she realizes. He also hopes Berdol won¡¯t treat him too differently. Their reactions were pretty high on his list of reasons to not go all out. But now he <em>truly</em> has a proper challenge before him, he has to just hope the dynamic with them won¡¯t be shattered along with the identity of ordinary retired nder.


    He pulls his ive from the bag, d to have dimensional storage for his really good stuff. Where his old ive was a dark and dangerous thing with no frills, his Widede ive is covered from tip to tang and beyond in intricate engravings. The haft looks like solid gold with the de gleaming silver, but nder knows it¡¯s all a single piece. Even his title as Crown Inspector couldn¡¯t get the mastersmith to reveal the details, just that it¡¯s an alloy of mythril and orichalcum with a few other interesting things, and that the coloration difference was because of a difference in treatment.Scattered gaspse from the crowd, but nder does his best to ignore them as he props his weapon against the turnbuckle. He needs to get his armor on. Said armor is of the same alloy with the golden treatment, and he doesn¡¯t rush putting it on. Murmurs travel through the crowd as those who recognize his armor tell those who don¡¯t. He ignores them, and instead focuses on his preparations. The defensive enchantments are second to none on his armor, but his personal favorite feature is the automatic fitting. He only has to slip his foot into the sabaton for it to tighten itself. Thenes the greave, which he only needs to close around his calf before the enchantment takes over.


    Each piece of armor goes on easily and connects seamlessly like a second skin. He always thought it made him look like a partial spiderkin, or other race with an exoskeleton, and he wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the mastersmith took them as inspiration. He finishes with changing out his circlet for an intricate gold-colored one. He never could get used to full helmets, even with special sight enchantments. He trusts his eyes and ears more than anything he¡¯s seen enchanters manage.


    He takes his ive and stands, the crowd murmuring and trying to figure out what his true identity means for the fight. He levels his ive at Rocky with one arm, the zombie looking eager, and speaks up.


    ¡°I am nder Widede, Inspector to the Crown! I have been charged with bringing King Horlon himself information about this dungeon! Are you prepared?¡±


    The crowd goes silent as Rocky shakes his head, and for a brief terrible moment, nder fears the zombie may forfeit. Instead, he starts embracing his titles.


    <strong>Boxer</strong> is expected, and nder only wonders how much better the zombie¡¯s form will get with that title embraced. <strong>Affinity Savant</strong> gets nder¡¯s blood pumping. He¡¯s already seen the undead pull off insane elementalbinations, what will that title mean for theing round? He can only try to imagine, and try to contain his eagerness.


    Rocky¡¯s grin echoes his own as the boxer starts ucing his gloves, tossing one over his shoulder, then the other, before embracing his third title: <strong>No Kid Gloves</strong>. He meets nder¡¯s eyes and hits a fist into his palm, nodding to show that <em>now</em> he¡¯s ready.


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    nderughs. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not a Conduit, too? No?¡±


    Rocky grunts and shakes his head as Aranya¡¯s voice carries over the crowd.


    ¡°Neither is holding back for this round! nder the retired adventurer is none other than nder Widede, Crown Inspector and I¡¯m told one of the strongest delvers in thend! It looks like they¡¯re both ready, too. Let the third round begin!¡±


    The bell rings and energetic music fills the arena as sh does his part to ensure both fighters are at the top of their games. If Rocky is going all out, how can nder not do the same? He taps into his Fate affinity as Rocky¡¯s mana floods the ring.


    The elf grips his ive properly and takes a defensive stance as the attack bears down on him. Like a lot of the zombie¡¯s other attacks, it¡¯s a buildingbination, but nder is watching carefully now. He can feel his armor trying to shake itself apart, cold creeping to try to embrittle it, and heat waiting just out of contact to obliterate anything that snaps off.


    He doesn¡¯t let the vibrations build, and dampens it with his kic affinity like a hand might stop the ringing of a bell. After a few moments, the energy recedes and he can see Rocky with a manic smile, ted that nder could counter such an attack. The boxer rushes in, and nder eagerly follows suit.


    The two sh in great gouts of mana, booms echoing through the arena, columns of me and spears of ice flying to the ceiling, yet eachbatant still in control enough that the crowd is in no danger. It may have not been explicitly stated in the rules, but even a speck of active mananding among the crowd would be seen by either fighter as a loss. nder shes, blocks, and stabs while Rocky, weaves, counters, and adapts, each testing their own limits as well as those of their foe. nder taps his Fate affinity deeper, moving through his fast technique of the spinning ive. Without his second affinity, it was only half the technique it can be, and though he feels Rocky disrupting his footing like in the previous round, he lets his instinct guide him through all the attempted disruption.


    He follows how he should move, subtly disrupting Rocky¡¯s own attempts to attack, ducking a crescent of me, sidestepping a patch of ice, deflecting a hammerblow upward, and riding the flow of the fight. It takes longer than usual, but he finally feels the time to strike, and channels his affinity as he brings the de of his ive around.


    He¡¯s not called Widede just for the odd shape of his weapon. Sure, it gives his attacks more force, but that¡¯s a bonus for his signature weapon. The ive head almost appears to morph into a hammer, but even that is a trick of the eyes. He multiplies the cutting edge of his weapon more times than he can count, and what¡¯s worse for his foes, getting hit by a single one is the same as getting hit by all!


    ¡°Inescapable Demise!¡± he shouts as the de swings up to slice into Rocky¡¯s side. And then fate twists.


    <em>Defiance!</em> pulses through the arena, the refusal carried by Rocky¡¯s mastery of thunder affinity, and an explosion erupts from the boxer¡¯s fist. Instead of overwhelming nder, however, the force sends Rocky flying back and out of the reach of the attack that shouldn¡¯t be <em>able</em> to miss!


    He doesn¡¯t get the time to dere that¡¯s not how that works as Rocky hits the ropes and rebounds toward him, the chill and weight of a cier in one fist and an inferno in the other. He reinforces the haft of his weapon and blocks both fists, nting his feet and not letting the attack overwhelm him. His instinct whispers a n, and he moves before he¡¯s even aware of it, knowing to trust in the quiet pull of his affinity. A swift empowered kick sends Rocky up into the air, and sets up nder for another Widede technique to catch the undead as he plummets.


    ¡°Destined to Fall!¡±


    And once again, destiny twists as Rocky shouts his refusal to ept fate. nder feels the kic energy for but a moment, and he quickly shatters it, but it¡¯s still enough for Rocky to gain footing in the air and leap back.


    The elf takes a moment to examine his foe, and he can feel the diminished energies around the zombie now. Whatever he did to deny those two attacks, it took a lot out of him. nder is also drained from those attacks, but still far from spent. Rocky rushes forward, the potency of his affinities concentrated into small points on his fists, and nder knows he needs to avoid them.


    He spins his ive once more as he gives ground, parrying at the wrist instead of shing directly against his attacks. His affinity whispers a n, and for the first time in a long time, he doesn¡¯t immediately follow. It¡¯s reckless, even for him. But with Rocky putting his all into his onught, it¡¯s his best chance.


    He drops his guard for just a moment, the de of his ive just a hair out of ce. But just like he had to take Rocky¡¯s openingst round, the boxer has to take this one. He can feel the scion¡¯s fate affinity resonating with what¡¯s about to happen, and nder tries to ignore the iing fist as he brings the butt of his ive up. He angles his head just slightly to ept the pulsating orb of kic energy, knowing it¡¯s his best bet to handle the iing force.


    He¡¯s not sure if it¡¯s his own move, or Rocky¡¯s, or somehow abination attack, but the words and concept solidify just before fist and haft make contact. ¡°Cross Counter!¡±


    nder is driven to the mat by the impact of Rocky¡¯s technique, his mind reeling from the impact. The only coherent thought is that the zombie somehow adapted his own Widede technique to work over different affinities. All the other energies converted to kic for that punch! Affinity Savant indeed! He shakes his head and stands, his bnce still uneven, but a wide smile on his face.


    Rocky hits the floor a few momentster, thrown out of the ring by the force of nder¡¯s contribution. The crowd roars as Aranya¡¯s voice carries over it.


    ¡°Winner by ringout! nder!¡±

 Chapter Three-Hundred Eleven

    Chapter Three-Hundred Eleven


    Rocky and I both need to pick our jaws up off the floor after that fight, though him more literally than me. I don¡¯t have mine anymore, and Rocky¡¯snded just out of his reach. Once he gets it back on, it¡¯s in danger of falling off again for how wide he¡¯s smiling. He¡¯s a bit slow to get up after that roughnding. nder definitely did a number on my boxer for that W.


    The elf is posing for the crowd as they go nuts, savoring the victory and praise as Rocky digs under the ring for the reward he¡¯s been wanting to be able to give out for a while now. Instead of a chest, he pulls out a wide, t wooden box, and nder looks on curiously as the former champion gets back into the ring. He tucks the box under his arm before approaching nder, and holds the elf¡¯s hand up high, making the victory official.


    ¡°And there it is!¡±es Aranya¡¯s voice over the crowd, thanks to sh. ¡°nder is officially the victor in this bout, and what a fight it was! He¡¯s not the Crown Inspector for nothing, clearly!¡±


    Rocky takes a step back and holds the box out for nder to open, which he does with curious eyes. I don¡¯t think anything I¡¯ve had to offer has been powerful enough for him to be interested in as an adventurer, but I think this particr trophy will stick with him, if only for how unique it is.


    I¡¯ve seen the awards Karn¡¯s guild has gotten, usually a que or a scroll, maybe a banner. I¡¯ve got my own ostentatious wall-hanger to offer. Or hip-hanger, if you¡¯re feeling ambitious.


    nder looks confused at the huge belt, and Teemo¡¯s voice echoes around the arena as he exins from Aranya¡¯s shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s the Champion¡¯s Belt. Hold it up so everyone can get a look at it! Far away, there¡¯s a long tradition of belts like this being fought over by only the best fighters of their discipline. There¡¯s only one. The Boss won¡¯t be making another like it. Though you can bet Rocky will be challenging you to get the title back eventually!¡±


    nder picks up therge belt and holds it high, letting everyone see therge orange circle representing my core. It sits square in the middle of the word Champion, the two halves continuing along the belt, with smaller lettering above and below the core dering it to belong to the Champion of Rocky¡¯s Arena.


    Eventually, he slings it over his shoulder, letting it rest there, and he notices a second, more ordinary belt still in the box. ¡°That second belt is yours, too. Rocky says no champ should go down to a cheap shot, and that belt will help protect you. I doubt you¡¯ll recognize the enchant, though I see Old Staiven in attendance! You shoulde take a look, if nder doesn¡¯t mind, and bring your apprentice, too!¡±


    Old Staiven is indeed in the audience, as well as Rhonda, Freddie, and T. Rer is here, too, but he¡¯s not going incognito, so he¡¯s not able to sit next to his friends. nder looks up to the announcer¡¯s section and nods, making Teemo and Aranya smile, before my High Priestess continues.¡°Then if you don¡¯t mind, Rocky will show you to the waiting room, and we¡¯ll do a short interview, before letting the master enchanter take a look at your prize.¡±


    As they all head for the side room, some people get up and leave, while others settle in to chat about the fight. The shop stalls certainly aren¡¯t going toin about people taking their time in leaving. It just gives them more of a chance to sell them something!


    Rocky and nder get to the room first, and the two rx as they wait. ¡°I can¡¯t believe how hard you hit, Rocky. No wonder people were confident in you. I need to ask Teemo how you do it. You throw around a <em>lot</em> of mana for a scion that¡¯s not a Conduit.¡±


    My boxer grunts and nods as nder examines therge belt, taking in the details and savoring the victory. Aranya, Teemo, and sh arrive not too long after. ¡°Staiven and the kids¡¯ll be a few more minutes,¡± exins Teemo. ¡°They want to get some souvenirs before they sell out. Ready for that interview?¡±


    Both nder and Rocky nod, so Aranya begins. ¡°We¡¯re in the recovery room with nder and Rocky. That was an amazing fight, you two! Any initial thoughts you want to share about it?¡±


    They both nod, with nder expounding first. ¡°In a real fight, don¡¯t make the mistakes I did. Even after that first round, I <em>still</em> underestimated Rocky in the second, and he broke my ive for it. That¡¯s why you always have a backup weapon.¡±


    Aranya nods and turns to Rocky, who grunts and Teemo trantes. ¡°Rocky says it¡¯s a good example to not rest on yoururels. There¡¯s always someone stronger, and he met that someone today. He¡¯s looking forward to trying again some day, too.¡±


    Aranya smiles. ¡°Do you expect you¡¯ll ept his challenge when he makes it, nder?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. Rocky isn¡¯t the only one who¡¯s feeling inspired after that fight. He¡¯ll need to step up his training, because I don¡¯t intend to ck off on mine!¡±


    My boxer grins at the challenge as Aranya continues the interview. ¡°So, you¡¯re the Inspector for the King? I¡¯ve seen inspectors from the guild, but I don¡¯t know what the difference is.¡±


    nder shrugs. ¡°The biggest difference is who I report to. Instead of the Dungeoneer¡¯s Guild, I report to the crown directly. It¡¯s not an easy position to earn or keep, so only the best of the best will hold it.¡±


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    ¡°As you proved here today! Why the subterfuge, though? Why act like an ordinary retired adventurer instead of in an official capacity? And why drop the charade now?¡±


    nder winces at that before answering. ¡°I often go undercover for missions. It¡¯s easier for a retired adventurer to go look at a dungeon than someone with the weight and backing of the crown. People will try to put things in the best light for the Crown Inspector, but they won¡¯t care one way or the other about the opinion of a random retired adventurer, even if he¡¯s strong.


    ¡°As for why to drop it now¡­ I would have liked to keep my cover, but Rocky here is too good for me to be able to hold back like that. I already have the information I need for the King. I hope the friends I¡¯ve made here can forgive me for keeping quiet about this, too,¡± he admits.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll forgive you,¡± reassures Aranya.


    ¡°I hope so.¡±


    Aranya gives him an encouraging smile before continuing. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, what will you be telling the King about Lord Thedeim?¡±


    ¡°Well, the specifics are for him only, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯d be a betrayal to say I¡¯ve got a pretty positive opinion on not only Thedeim, but Fourdock, too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone is happy to hear that! I¡¯ll let you rx now. Congrattions on the victory, and I hope we¡¯ll see you in the arena again, Champion!¡± sh lowers his finger and leans against the wall, rxing as Teemo speaks up.


    ¡°Boss says Staiven should be here soon. Do you want to let in just him, or the others, too?¡±


    ¡°Which others?¡± replies nder. It looks to me like he doesn¡¯t want to have a crowd, but he probably remembers Teemo telling Staiven to bring his apprentice.


    ¡°Rhonda and Freddie, and their friend T.¡±


    ¡°T¡¯s with them?¡±


    Teemo nods. ¡°Yeah, them and Larrez brought her through on a delve just the other day. You know her?¡±


    nder slowly nods. ¡°She¡¯s one of the friends I mentioned.¡±


    ¡°Berdol, too?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s waiting outside, too. Do you want everyone, or just Staiven?¡±


    nder tries to hide his nervousness as he thinks it over, before steeling himself and answering. ¡°All of them are fine. If they forgive me, it¡¯ll be good to clear the air quickly. If they don¡¯t¡­ I¡¯d rather not dy knowing.¡±


    Teemo nods as Aranya goes and opens the door, letting the group into the small room. It¡¯srge enough for everyone to have a seat, but not many more people would fit. They barely get inside before Berdol shouts at nder.


    ¡°That was amazing! I''ve never seen kic used like that before!¡±


    nder winces at the volume, but his professional countenance starts to melt as he processes what the catkin said.


    ¡°What kind of belt did you get?¡± asks T curiously, looking at the more ordinary belt over nder¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°You¡­ both don¡¯t care that I kept it from you? That I¡¯m the Crown Inspector?¡±


    Berdol shakes his head and speaks up first. ¡°Not really? It feels even weirder now that I know who you are, yet still you¡¯re supposed to listen to me on an inspection, but that¡¯s it. I might ask you more about dungeonster, though. Tarl has been teaching me a lot, but I bet you know even more!¡±


    T shakes her head as well. ¡°It makes a lot more sense why you¡¯re here. I just hope you won¡¯t forget about us when you head back to the capital. Can I write you?¡±


    nder sags in relief and smiles at the two. ¡°I¡¯m not heading back just yet. I¡¯ll write up my report and send it. The King doesn¡¯t need me there in person. If he does, he can send for me. And if he has anything else for me to do, he can send for that, too.¡±


    T smiles with just a hint of blush, and nder¡¯s cheeks get a tinge of pink before Old Staiven decides to interrupt. ¡°With that out of the way, what say we answer the youngdy¡¯s question about your new belt, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Oh! Uh, yes. Here.¡± nder hands over the belt and everyone watches as Staiven examines it. It¡¯s not long before he¡¯s thinking out loud about what he¡¯s seeing.


    ¡°What a strange enchantment. Scoot over, Freddie, I want toy this on the bench to get a better look.¡± The young orc quickly moves, and Staiven resumes examining, waving Rhonda closer to show her Thing¡¯s masterwork.


    ¡°The protection array is pretty standard for a reactionary defense. You usually see this for things that are either difficult to maintain, or that just don¡¯t need to be up all the time. The triggered runes are very unusual¡­¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± asks nder, earning a raised eyebrow from Staiven.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ you probably know the basics, I¡¯d imagine. The runes are death and life runes, so I¡¯d ordinarily say it¡¯s a protection from death magics, but theyout is all wrong. It¡¯sid out more like lightning or maybe thunder runes. I can¡¯t make heads or tails of it.¡±


    Rhonda furrows her brow at the description, peering closer before she gasps in recognition. ¡°I know what it is!¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t keep us in suspense, my apprentice,¡± remarks Staiven, looking a little grumpy, but I can see the proud glint in his eyes as she exins.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen this before, when I got my ss! Thing was working on the axe and I was trying to help. I don¡¯t remember what I said, but he froze for a second before practically throwing the axe runework off the table and starting another array. For <em>lifedrinking</em>.¡±


    nder looks concerned as T gasps, but Rhonda barrels on and continues. ¡°Then he <em>countered</em> it! I remember at the time thinking that the formation was all wrong for the runes, but then the lifedrinking spell simply vanished! It¡¯s a protection from lifedrinking belt!¡±


    ¡°Is that even possible?¡± asks T, looking at the belt with suspicion.


    ¡°Yep,¡± answers Teemo while Staiven continues to examine the enchantment. ¡°Thing cracked it a while ago, but there hasn¡¯t been much demand for it. When Rocky started working on the rewards for the arena, the two belts were among the first things he wanted made.¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯s right,¡± confirms Old Staiven, a finger tracing the runes. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen this technique in counterspelling before, but I think it¡¯ll work. I¡¯m not eager to test it out though,¡± he adds with a smirk before giving nder the belt back.


    ¡°Protection from Lifedrinking¡­¡± mutters the elf, and I have to give Rocky a pat on the back through the bond. I think he finally managed to give the Crown Inspector a piece of loot he¡¯s actually impressed with.


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 Chapter Three-Hundred Twelve

    Chapter Three-Hundred Twelve


    The way nder holds the protection belt reminds me of a few little facts, and a few options I have, too. Teemo nods at the budding idea and speaks up for me.


    ¡°So, are you sending that belt off to the king, too? The Boss knows how nasty lifedrinking can be, but he doesn¡¯t know how wide-spread it is. Is it a big concern when delving elsewhere?¡±


    nder takes a few seconds to weigh the answer, with the others giving him time to think without their input, before he responds. ¡°I probably <em>should</em> send the belt with my report. Not many dungeons make much use of it, but past a certain level, it does be a lot moremon.¡±


    ¡°Then how about, instead of giving up your hard-won loot, you send them a sample with some notes from Honey and Thing?¡±


    nder blinks a few times as he processes that. ¡°Would that be alright?¡±


    Teemo smirks and nods. ¡°It¡¯s the Boss¡¯ idea to do just that. It¡¯s not for free, though.¡±


    nder¡¯s look steels. ¡°What do I need to do?¡±


    ¡°Tell the King¡¯s best nerds toe visit if they want a better exnation than the sample and notes. The Boss has a Lecture Hall room that he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d ever have a reason to use, but he¡¯s getting enough scions with big brains that he figures they might like to try their appendages at teaching.¡±


    nder¡¯s resolve is stopped in its tracks at the offer, though most of the others around smile, more used to how I tend to do things. ¡°That¡¯s it? And he¡¯d use a Lecture Hall for that? It¡¯s usually for training denizens or imparting knowledge to dwellers.¡±Teemo nods. ¡°He¡¯d be happy to share. Just make sure the nerds know their tuition costs will involve them doing a bit of delving. No free rides here.¡±


    nder snorts at that and nods. ¡°I think the King might find his greatest minds fighting each other toe.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll certainly be attending,¡± speaks up Staiven, with Rhonda looking eager as well. T looks interested, too, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯s as eager to delve as the others just yet. She does seem to have something to say, though.


    ¡°Would followers of the Great Mother Laermali be allowed to attend, too?¡±


    Teemo shrugs. ¡°If theye to learn, sure. I hope we won¡¯t be stepping on your toes with that, Rhonda?¡± he asks the goblin with a wink, who is quick to shake her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem! I want to learn as much as you have to offer, too, so I can¡¯tin about T or anyone else trying to get the information from you instead!¡±


    Old Staiven smirks at his young apprentice. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll be able to give a guest lecture or two of your own. You¡¯ll probably be easier to understand than most of the scions.¡±


    Teemo¡¯s look sours for a moment, before a few ideas of mine make him brighten back up. ¡°I¡¯m not looking forward to trying to trante for everyone, but Boss has a couple ideas to fix that.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±es the obvious reply from most gathered.


    ¡°A modification of the axe and hat that sh uses. He says it can produce more than just notes, like sh showed with the voice amplification he was doing for Aranya in the match.¡± All eyes turn to my earth elemental, who simply nods before making his exit.


    ¡°Looks like he¡¯s gonna go tell the nerd brigade they have a new project. Honey and Thing will want to write the notes on lifedrinking and make a simple array to send off, and he and Queen can go over how they made his stuff. I¡¯ll need to stop byter to exin what to do to make a voice without a mouth, but it hopefully won¡¯t be too hard to exin¡­¡± Teemo doesn¡¯t look too confident in that, but Aranya pats his head with a finger to help encourage him.


    ¡°Speaking of exining,¡± pipes up nder, ¡°How does Rocky have so much mana to use? He puts so much behind each attack, but I don¡¯t understand how he has that much to spend like that.¡±


    My boxer grunts with a smile, and Teemo trantes. ¡°Moldybrain here isn¡¯t called a savant for nothing. He puts out about half his mana with his first attack usually, and uses the rest to redirect the energies. With his range of affinities, he can grab most of what would usually just be considered lost, and repurpose it for his next attack.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s what he did¡­¡± mutters nder as he folds his arms, thinking over pieces of the fight.


    ¡°Can you do that, Rhonda?¡± asks T.


    ¡°I¡­ not yet? I know how to use fire to easily make more ice, but I haven¡¯t had a chance to practice with kic too much. Seeing how Rocky fought, though¡­ I really want to try.¡±


    ¡°We should go see Larrez and try to get a time for us all to delve again. And give him a souvenir. He¡¯s gonna be so sad he missed the fight, but I guess they can¡¯t just leave the manor empty. <em>Someone</em> had to stay behind to make sure nobody could sneak in.¡±


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    Teemo smirks at that but doesn¡¯t say anything about it, and instead changes the subject. ¡°Then it sounds like a good time for me to head to the forest and exin things to the nerds. Congrats again on the victory, nder. Hopefully you¡¯ll give Rocky a chance to get the belt back before too long.¡±


    The Crown Inspector grins wide. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it! But duty calls, and I really do need to finalize my report. When can I get the notes and sample?¡±


    Teemo shrugs. ¡°In a couple days, probably. Honey has pretty high standards when ites to sharing information, and I¡¯m sure Thing will want to share his breakthrough. Juste check in on us when you¡¯re done with your part,¡± he suggests, and nder nods and stands.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go and meet with the Lord Mayor before I get to the paperwork. With my presence being public knowledge now, I wouldn¡¯t want to snub him.¡±


    My Voice sticks out his tongue. ¡°Bleh, politics. Welp, I¡¯m not gonna keep you any longer.¡± He dips into a shortcut as the others make small talk, nobody quite ready to fully partpany just yet. I leave them to it, and redirect Teemo to the Sanctum instead of the forest. Sure, the nerds are usually there, but no way was anyone going to miss this fight! It only takes a couple nudges to get everyone else going to the Sanctum, and I¡¯m d Coda has been working to continue to slowly expand it.


    Though I think much more and it¡¯ll need Teemo to give it the old Tardis treatment. Or I could move shop once again. My core is way bigger than it was thest time we moved, but between everyone, I¡¯m sure we can figure out something if we need to. With all the space Tiny takes up, it¡¯s not a bad idea. But with howfortable the smaller scions look just sitting on him, I don¡¯t think anyone is too concerned.


    Anyway, time for a staff meeting!


    ¡°Alright, everyone good? Then meeting started. Boss wants to try to do this more often than¡­ just this one time,e to think of it. He doesn¡¯t have anything in specific in mind to bring up, but he wants to take a sec to make sure everyone is on the same page and see if anyone has any suggestions. So I¡¯ll go first: the Sanctum is definitely getting a bit cramped, even without Tiny in here.¡± He smiles at myrgest scion before continuing.


    ¡°So, he was wondering about me making the space in here bigger than outside. I can do it, but I think it¡¯d be a temporary solution. With all the stuff he¡¯s working on, I think we should look into a real Sanctum Complex.¡±


    Aplex? I chew on the idea as my scions do the same, with Coda seeming to be the first to ask a question. ¡°He asks where we would put it,¡± trantes Teemo.


    Hmm. Expanding is an option, but that¡¯d probably bring another invader to deal with, and doesn¡¯t guarantee the space would be good for something like that. If I use space we already have¡­ it¡¯d have to be in the Forest of Four Seasons somewhere. Could the trunk of the tree handle being hollowed out enough for something like that?


    Teemo rys my question, and I don¡¯t need a trantion to see Coda and Poppy both look nervous about that idea. ¡°They say it might work, but it¡¯d take a lot of reinforcing.¡±


    Let¡¯s not then. I really don¡¯t want the tree to crack in half with the first strong breeze. What about in the roots?


    This time, my scions look thoughtful before answering. ¡°It¡¯d be difficult to get started, but should be doable. Roots naturally like to coil around big rocks and stuff for stability. Poppy says the tree will probably bore into the bedrock, but she can¡¯t know exactly what it¡¯ll do before you use the expansion to grow it.¡±


    I nod to myself about that and consider the options. We can¡¯t really start just yet, but if Poppy can help guide the roots to encourage it to leaverge voids between the roots, we should be able to n out modrly. Hopefully the area under the forest won¡¯t be quite so dense with tunnels and such. In fact¡­ we should get the rockslides to survey the area. I¡¯d hate to learn the whole expansion is over a sinkhole, but I¡¯d hate it even more to find out only when the tree falls in.


    Teemo nods at that and turns to Leo. ¡°Leo, get the rockslides and wyrms to survey under the forest, especially where the tree will be going. If we <em>are</em> going to set up aplex down there, it¡¯d be good to know there¡¯s nothing already sitting in the space.¡±


    Leo wuffs in acknowledgement before Teemo continues. ¡°Coda, draw up some preliminary designs, but nothing too detailed. We can¡¯t n that surely until it¡¯s grown. Poppy, can you encourage the tree to have roots that spread out, giving us room to build between them?¡±


    She nods with her frontmost flower, and Teemo nods as well. ¡°Then I think that¡¯s a good enough n for the moment. Anyone have anything to add?¡±


    Most of the scions indicate no, but Zorro and Goldilocks look like they want to say something. ¡°Go ahead, you two. If you have a need, or think you see a problem, speak up.¡±


    They share a nce before Zorro makes fox noises. Teemo waits for him to finish before smiling. ¡°The cost won¡¯t be an issue. We can put in work to reduce it, and Boss still has a good wad of mana from the Maw to spend, too. Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s not going to starve himself.¡±


    Zorro still looks worried, so I pat the bond with him, and with Goldilocks for good measure. I¡¯m d you¡¯re thinking about me, but you don¡¯t need to worry about this, bud. I can still feel concern through the bond, but at least not as much. He¡¯ll just have to wait and see.


    ¡°Alright, anyone have any other business? Anything to ask for or make sure the Boss knows about?¡±


    Thing, Honey, and Queen all vie for Teemo¡¯s attention, and he chuckles as he listens. ¡°They¡¯re talking over each other, but all three of them are looking forward to using the Lecture Hall once you designate it. For now, one of the rooms in the manor would probably be the easiest ce to put it.¡±


    My three schrly scions put on their best begging poses. I don¡¯t know how Honey and Queen manage to make puppy eyes withpound lenses, but they manage. Even Thing gets it on it with plucking and doodling a finger through Tiny¡¯s fuzz like a kid sitting in the grass who wants something, but doesn¡¯t want to actually ask.


    Fine. Fine! I¡¯ll designate it! You three will have to share for now, though. I think the Sanctum will make a good lecture hall proper once we move. I spend the money and turn a room that I think was a study into a lecture hall, though it looks more like a cramped ssroom right now with a handful of small desks and a new chipped chalkboard on the wall.


    The three celebrate while Teemoughs. ¡°Now don¡¯t forget about the notes nder needs, too!¡± They all three nod before they startmunicating amongst themselves, and Teemo leaves them to it.


    ¡°Alright, anything else?¡±


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 Chapter Three-Hundred Thirteen

    Chapter Three-Hundred Thirteen


    <strong>Zorro</strong>


    Being a scion is a lot to get used to. He¡¯s still trying to adjust, not only to the increase in intelligence, but also to how differently Thedeim runs things. Take the meeting, for example.


    The Southwood would never have a meeting like this of his scions¡­ not that he had enough to even allow for a meeting until very recently. He wouldmand it, and it¡¯d be done as hemanded.


    With Thedeim, things are suggested and prepared, but it''s on the scions to follow through. The entire forest is a great example of that in action. He actually let Goldilocks and himself pick where their spawners go, and named the two on top of that! At least the other scions¡¯ reactions to his incredulity helped him not feel insane.


    But though his spawner is in the Autumn section, he still doesn¡¯t feel like he has a <em>ce</em>. That apprehension is why he spoke up about his concerns about the cost of the new areas. Even with the influx from the Maw and the arena match, can his new home afford to spend that much at once? Teemo reassured him, and he could even feel the warmth of the dungeon on his fur as he tried tofort the vulpine, but he still worries.


    The meeting soon adjourns with nobody else seeming to have too much to discuss, at least as one big group. The attention of Thedeim wanders, and Zorro watches as some of the scions chat amongst themselves, while others head off to do whatever it is they need to do. It¡¯s a surprise to him when one turns to him and speaks.


    ¡°Walk with me, pup,¡± speaks Leo, and Zorro is quick to heed him. They might both be scions and have simr status, but the wolf is not one Zorro intends to slight. Even if he wasn¡¯t more physically powerful than Zorro, he still remembers the strategic acumen disyed to protect the Southwood.


    ¡°What do you need, Warden Leo?¡± he asks as he hurries to his side, earning a chuckle from the wolf as he leads the way through a shortcut into the woods.


    ¡°Just Leo is fine, pup. I mostly wanted to talk. You and Goldilocks are still adjusting, and I wanted to make sure you¡¯re doing alright. I remember when I first joined and had to find my own ce in this pack.¡±Zorro tries to minimize his difort as he answers. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a lot to take in, but I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll live up to Thedeim¡¯s expectations of me in time.¡±


    Therge wolf smirks. ¡°Ah, you really <em>are</em> having a bit of difficulty adjusting. Goldilocks seems to be settling in and starting to work with Titania and Poppy, but you¡¯re still following a meandering scent in circles, pup.¡±


    Zorro lowers his tail and whimpers before getting poked in the side by the Warden. ¡°I¡¯m not tearing you down, just pointing out the facts. A lot of his other scions took a lot longer than you are to find their ce. Jello, for example, only recently found her passion with metalworking, and Coda tried a lot of different things before being inspired to build. If you want to try something, I have something you can try.¡±


    ¡°You do?¡± Zorro quickly replies, not needing to think about the offer. He can¡¯t imagine anything around that actually needs doing. Despite the chaos andck of orders, things really do seem to run smoothly in the dungeon.


    Leo nods and sits down. ¡°Let me call some of your potential coworkers, then I¡¯ll exin.¡± Zorro watches in confusion as Leo throws his head back and howls, the sound carrying through the forest and probably beyond. Before Zorro can even ask what is going on, Poe wings through the trees andnds beside the two. He eyes Zorro for a moment before nodding to Leo.


    ¡°Warden. Have you exined it to him yet?¡± asks the raven, looking formal and intimidating to the fox scion.


    ¡°Not yet, but we can do that while the denizens gather.¡± He turns his attention to the fox before continuing. ¡°Poe and I are in charge of a lot of things outside the Alpha¡¯s borders. He handles reconnaissance from the air, while I coordinate with our ground forces. If the Alpha ever expands to the ocean, I¡¯d bet he¡¯ll want one for under the waves, too.¡±


    Poe nods and picks up the thought to continue. ¡°However, most of our efforts are close to Lord Thedeim¡¯s borders. Patrols are one thing, but the Warden and I both have felt something has been missing for some time. Young Violet¡¯s scion Nose, however, was who finally showed us what we were missing.¡±


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    Zorro tilts his head at that. ¡°Nose? That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s the mole, right? I haven¡¯t had much of a chance to meet her scions yet¡­¡±


    The two don¡¯t berate him for hisck of knowledge, and instead nod as Leo continues. ¡°That¡¯s the one. He got a title that I think could be very useful to the Alpha: Explorer. It¡¯ll involve a lot of going on expeditions.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a request either of us makes lightly, Zorro. You¡¯ve hardly found stability here, yet we would be tasking you with venturing beyond the borders to investigate and explore,¡± adds Poe, looking apologetic at asking so much from the new scion. For Zorro, however, the idea has some appeal.


    ¡°I¡­ wouldn¡¯t mind exploring, but I don¡¯t feel very prepared to go far beyond the borders just yet. I¡¯m¡­ not very strong,¡± he admits, but the two experienced scions don¡¯t look bothered by that limitation at all.


    ¡°The best way to get stronger is to do,¡± points out Leo. ¡°And an explorer is supposed to look, not fight. With your illusions, you should be able to get into ces and out of them without even being noticed, and easily give others the slip if you <em>are</em> discovered.¡±


    ¡°And you will not be alone,¡± follows up Poe, as a few smaller ravens and crowsnd nearby. A couple beatster, a wyrm pokes its head out of the earth, and a rockslide quietly breaches the surface, too. ¡°Lord Thedeim has many denizens experienced in gathering information from outside. The Warden and I would ask that you work with them, join them on their patrols and gain the knowledge and experience to advance. Once you have a firmer grip on yourself and your abilities, you can use them to seek whatever discoveries Lord Thedeim may require.¡±


    The denizens greet Zorro as he tries to process the opportunity being given to him. He¡¯d have to go on expeditions a lot¡­ but he¡¯d be lying to himself if the idea of seeing more of the outside wasn¡¯t tempting to him. It¡¯s part of the reason he volunteered to even join Thedeim in the first ce!


    ¡°I want to try,¡± he answers, trying not to let his nerves show.


    ¡°Great!¡± Leo smiles at the smaller scion, his tail wagging. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to Poe for your first expedition, then. I need to organize the wyrms and rockslides to check the foundation of the forest. Be nice to him, Poe.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always polite and professional,¡± replies therge corvid, before turning his attention on Zorro. ¡°Do you know the path to the war room?¡±


    Zorro thinks, trying to recall thebyrinthine tangle of shortcuts Teemo has made, but he¡¯s apparently too slow for Poe¡¯s liking. Without a word, therge raven takes flight, grabbing Zorro up in his talons before smoothly entering a shortcut.


    ¡°It may be prudent to have you get more familiar with the shortcut system before sending you on expedition, but I really would appreciate a scion¡¯s eyes on this one.¡±


    Zorro can¡¯t even think to scream as he¡¯s carried through the strange space, and soon he¡¯s deposited atop the table in the war room. He takes a few minutes to gather himself, wondering if he may have gotten in over his head, but Poe doesn¡¯t rush him now that he¡¯s here. Once he looks around, he sees the dy might not just be for his sake, as Poe is looking through the drawers for a specific map. He gives a small caw of triumph once he finds it, and quickly spreads it over the table for Zorro to see, and taps a talon on it.


    ¡°This is the location Fourdock wishes to build their Hold, in case something happens that requires the town to evacuate. As far as I¡¯m aware, they have done their own surveys, but I don¡¯t know how detailed they are. The snows should have receded enough to make the trip possible, though it will likely still be arduous. I intend to send you along with a wyrm, several rockslides, and a flock of ravens as support. The rockslides should be able to ensure their namesake doesn¡¯t ur and injure anyone, while the wyrm can provide warmth and quicker reconnaissance of the underground area. The ravens will be able to see if anything else has happened in the area over the winter, while you will help direct them all in detail while there.


    ¡°Lord Thedeim supports the idea of this hold, and Coda especially is looking forward to aiding in its construction. I want you to make sure this location will be suitable, as far as you can ascertain. The mountain must be stable here, water must be avable, and if the path leading to the site is unstable or unsuitable, I want you to chart a better one.¡±


    He stops speaking and looks at Zorro, finally noticing how overwhelmed he looks. Instead of frustration at the inexperienced scion, Poe¡¯s demeanor instead softens slightly.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s a lot, but please, just try your best. I don¡¯t expect perfection from you, especially not for your first expedition. There will be multiple follow ups as ns progress, so don¡¯t think you¡¯ll need to spot every potential issue that could arise. Just focus on the obvious ones. Coda will likely apany you onter expeditions, and <em>that</em> is when the two of you will focus on the details. For now, just try to learn. I can forgive mistakes, but I will not forgive refusing to learn from them.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ what if I make a lot of mistakes? A lot of <em>big</em> mistakes?¡±


    Poe tilts his head in a smile,ying a wing over the smaller scion. ¡°Then you simply have a lot to learn. We all started knowing nothing of our purpose, Zorro. Before you know it, you¡¯ll be helping a different new scion, wondering what you did to make it seem like you may have any answers, let alone <em>all</em> of them. You¡¯ll do fine, Zorro. And if this isn¡¯t your purpose, you¡¯ll simply have to keep looking. You¡¯ll find it eventually.¡±


    Zorro looks at the map, wondering if it¡¯s his purpose. There¡¯s pressure to do well, of course, but Poe¡¯s encouragement strikes a chord in him. Exploring may or may not be his purpose, but sitting around doing nothing definitely is <em>not</em> it. He¡¯ll take those risks, make those mistakes, and learn those lessons.


    ¡°When do we start?¡±


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 Chapter Three-Hundred Fourteen

    Chapter Three-Hundred Fourteen


    While there¡¯s still a lot of prep to be done for the upward expansion in the forest, there¡¯s still a lot of other small things to do, and things for Thing to do, too. The anti-lifedrinking enchantment is simple enough to make once you know what you¡¯re doing, so it¡¯s not a big deal for Thing to make two copies of it: one for nder to give the king, and one for the enchanter caste of my antkin.


    I expect I¡¯ll have it be rtivelymon to find in the forest once it¡¯s up and running properly, but until then, I think the best way to start distribution will be with my antkin. And it¡¯ll give them a leg up on having a valuable export. Even if it eventually bes moremon, they¡¯ll still have the chance to establish themselves as quality craftsmen.


    In fact, I should check how they¡¯re doing. Their progress to dwellership has been a bit longer than others, but they¡¯re also going for a lot moreplex society than my other two enves. My ratkin remind me a lot of medieval monks with a pretty quiet life, while my spiderkin feel a lot like a tribal vige. The antkin college is going to have a lot more structure, which isn¡¯t surprising considering how social ants are.


    Their bars are about 90% full and holding, and I think the physical changes are basically done. There¡¯s only been small little additions since Ist looked, basically everyone just filling in a bit and looking less like awkward teens. Now they just need to secure their food, and they should be golden.


    It didn¡¯t take them long at all to expand their nned fields to grow food crops. Right now, I think they¡¯re going simple with the same mushrooms my ratkin use as a version of a staple grain. There¡¯s a few smaller plots with experimental patches of more exotic nts found in the volcanic zone, but I don¡¯t know if they want to use them for food, or as ingredients for alchemy and enchanting.


    The prep for hunting is also proceeding apace. Jello is even helping the engineer caste with their design and prototyping. They love thepound bows, and though the engineers don¡¯t have much to add, the enchanters are testing all sorts of different enchants while the alchemists toy with specialized heads. My original flexible spearhead is still tooplex to really be usable, but the quick change allows for a lot of interesting options.


    Alchemical arrowheads are the big thing the alchemists want to toy with. In an ordinary quiver, a syringe style delivery system could easily leak, and a shattering one could break. But with a few headless arrows, alchemical options can be stored in a pouch or even bandolier, and quickly attached before firing. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be a good option for in the middle of a fight, but on a hunt, the first arrow should be a surprise, and give them all the time they need to pick and affix whatever the situation calls for.


    Poisons are an obvious choice, but also are obviously not the best thing to use on something you intend to eat. Venom milked from my vipers can theoretically be neutralized by cooking, or simply eaten and digested, but that¡¯s the kind of theoretical that doesn¡¯t have many people volunteering.


    There is some interesting potential in the kind of things I¡¯d consider a control effect. Blinds are a big one, as are hallucinogens. Basically any powder in the eyes can effectively blind something momentarily, and with all the mushrooms my dwellers have ess to, I¡¯m sure they have their pick of hallucinogenic spores to test. A couple were experimenting with something that was acting a lot like mustard gas is supposed to, but I¡¯m d that particr research was closed before too long, without me needing to ask them to stop.There may not be any conventions here to make it a war crime, but it¡¯s also just not a good weapon. A proper weapon destroys only when and what you want, but something like a corrosive gas is difficult to aim and to keep from going off early. The heads would have to be designed to break, and while a bit of blinding or hallucinating powder in a pouch would be annoying, a bit of mustard gas in a pouch would eat through it and probably whoever is wearing it.


    Still, the other two are testing pretty well. The blinds are temporary, as are the hallucinations, and they lose potency pretty quickly if in open air. They¡¯re also experimenting with explosive heads, as well as impeding ones, but those are a lot harder to pull off.


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    Just like with a chemical, explosives also need to only explode when you want them to. C4 is used in practically every military thing because, despite how much boom it has, it¡¯s incredibly stable. I¡¯ve heard of people setting the stuff on fire and hitting it with hammers to no ill effect. I dunno if that¡¯s true, but that¡¯s still the kind of standard to strive for in an explosive. It¡¯s hard to do, though, since stable things don¡¯t tend to explode.


    The ssic, and one I¡¯m pretty sure even ancient Romans had ess to, is what amounts to a little pot full of oil with a rag attached. Light the rag, fire, and whatever you hit bursts into mes. Not the most energetic, but I¡¯m willing to call that the lowest level of explosion. It¡¯s also one that very few things my antkin are hunting would even notice. They are interested in the volcanic area, where ¡®on fire¡¯ is practically the default.


    So, much like Rhonda, they need to learn to trante the heat into actual m. That project is going to take them a while, I imagine, but if they manage to make something stable and potent, I might get to introduce the glory of the 2nd Amendment to my dwellers. Magic makes it kinda moot, and I dunno if archery skills would trante, but it¡¯d still be cool, even if I wouldn¡¯t hold my breath on that development.


    For impeding arrows, they¡¯re looking into sticky things, and various ways to tie things up at a distance. I doubt they¡¯ll have much luck with sticky, but alchemy doesn¡¯t seem to follow <em>all</em> the rules of chemistry, so maybe they can manage to make something that will make a big ssh and harden to be strong enough to stop something before it can get away. My money is on the enchanters needing to tackle that one, once they get done with the anti-lifedrinking.


    Tying things up, though, has potential. Spidersilk opens up a lot of options with how strong and light it is. There¡¯s an experimental arrow, which looks a lot like a cattail reed with fletching. The head is a carefully wrapped around a spring-loaded core. The eleration of being fired activates a mechanical fuse, causing it to expand out while in flight, with small weights ringing the circr. It looks really cool in action, but they¡¯re having trouble getting the fuse to be fully reliable, and even once they fix that, it¡¯ll have a very specific range that it¡¯ll be best used in.


    The other leader in tying-things-up-at-a-distance technology is the lovechild of arrows and bs. It¡¯s pretty simple: tie two weighted arrows together and you have some bs you can probably shoot further than you could throw. Maybe. I don¡¯t know how far people can actually throw them. Ordinarily, nocking two arrows would be silly at best, as you¡¯d have a hard time getting even one on target, let alone two, but that works in the bs¡¯ favor. They <em>want</em> to fly away from each other, at least to an extent, so they can wrap around anything that is caught in the joining line of spider silk.


    Their prototypes still need some work, and I¡¯m sure the hunters will need a lot of practice to make it function, but I think it¡¯ll be doable. The medics are very interested in the modified arrows, too, so I expect a lot of them will prefer to focus on that, disabling and hindering instead of actually taking lives themselves.


    All three enves are working together to iterate on theposite armor, too. Each new version returns from testing utterly destroyed, but good data is being gathered. My spiderkin are experimenting with new weaves of silk, the ratkin test how well different thicknesses of metal work in the whole, while the antkin alchemists work to improve the resin used to hold everything together.


    My scions are doing their part, too, with Jello working on a particrly-clever bit of metalworking. She clearly was interested in the metal honeb that I thought would be impossible to recreate, and though she¡¯d not at true honeb, she¡¯s managed something very simr. She takes two thin sheets and puts long cuts about halfway down each sheet, simr to how you can notch two pieces of paper to make a + and have it stand on its own. It¡¯s just that she has a lot more notches in these sheets. Once she has them all notched together, it looks like aplicated way to not aplish much, but then she bends it. It¡¯ll be <em>very</em> difficult for the smiths to mimic, since she just does it inside herself, but she can crimp each long tab along the middle, leaving her with a long chain of hollow diamond shapes! She¡¯s ying around with trying to forge weld the notches back together, or patching it with things like y and then using the transmutation elixir, but I think she¡¯s managed a very good facsimile of honeb!


    If she bent it twice, I think she¡¯d be there, but I don¡¯t know if that¡¯ll help much, with them only being connected at the corner. It might need two more sheets connected along the edges like corrugated cardboard, but just this is a lot more than I expected to be possible to make!


    I pat the bond with her as I watch her work, proud of her dedication. She even pulls another innovation as I watch, setting a sheet down for the crucible ants to swarm on and through. With their heat and propensity to carry around a bit of metal in their bellies, they can act like little welders, sealing up the seams under Jello¡¯s careful watch.


    Looking good, Jello. Looking real good.

 Chapter Three-Hundred Fifteen

    Chapter Three-Hundred Fifteen


    <strong>Rer</strong>


    The young Lord Mayor does his best to not fidget as he sits at hisrge dining table. The fight between Rocky and nder was beyond his wildest expectations, even <em>with</em> Miller quietly making him aware of who nder was well beforehand. It really makes him appreciate the fight he and his friends had with the boxer, and see just how much further they can all grow.


    He¡¯s still not cut out for actually being an adventurer, but it¡¯s still fun to grow in strength together, and to just hang out. He gets precious little time to do either, and with all the happenings over winter and into spring, he doubts he¡¯ll have an excess of time to spend with them. This dinner is a prime example of that, in fact.


    With nder making his presence officially known, there¡¯s no avoiding an official meeting,plete with all the trappings of ceremony. At least Fourdock is remote enough that he doesn¡¯t have any other nobility nearby enough to get to the meeting in time. So he does his best to suck it up and put on a polite face as he nods to Miller, signalling for him to let nder Widede into the dining hall for a shared dinner.


    The ashen elf smoothly moves to the grand doors and opens them, speaking clearly as he does. ¡°Announcing the Crown Inspector, nder Widede, newly-acimed Champion of Rocky¡¯s Arena.¡±


    Said champion is fully decked out in his attire of office, armor gleaming and ive on his back. Rer notices the simpler enchanted belt around his hips, as well as the wooden box containing the official Champion¡¯s Belt under the tall elf¡¯s arm. He gives a nod that just technically reaches the threshold for a bow, acknowledging his host while also ensuring his own station is recognized, before his eyes dart around the room for a few moments. He smiles to himself as he strides forward.


    ¡°I hope I¡¯m not being presumptuous in guessing you¡¯d prefer not to stand on ceremony, Lord Mayor?¡±


    Rer does his best to school his surprise, but he can tell nder is fooled not at all. He sighs and slumps slightly, waving a hand at the seat to his right. ¡°You would be correct, Crown Inspector.¡±


    ¡°Just nder, if we¡¯re going to forgo formalities,¡± he replies as Miller pulls out the chair for him, and he smoothly takes his seat.¡°Then just Rer for me as well.¡±


    Miller exits to get the first course, leaving Rer to try to figure out how to talk to nder. What can he even say? Thankfully, the adventurer kicks off the conversation.


    ¡°I hope the auditors aren¡¯t proving too onerous?¡±


    Rer smiles at that and shakes his head. ¡°They¡¯re no problem at all. I was honestly expecting some form of audit once they processed the tax report. Thedeim has been great for almost every industry in Fourdock, and once the ships are built, we¡¯ll be a bustling trade hub, I think.¡±


    nder nods at that. ¡°That¡¯s what it seems like to me, yeah. I¡¯m better at hitting things than in trading, but even I know a thriving dungeon is more of a gold mine than a literal gold mine!¡± He chuckles at his own joke as Miller brings in a few ky pastries filled with a vegetable and cheese mix.


    ¡°Indeed. I hope the Crown will improve the roads to Fourdock soon, too. I think we¡¯ll have a lot of sea andnd trading to do, especially with the shortcuts to the Southwood. I haven¡¯t had a chance to meet any of the orcish nomads yet, but the dungeon seems like it gets a lot of them as delvers. It could be a good way to get some of their more exotic goods, too.¡±


    nder finishes a bite of pastry with an appreciative sound. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good. And trade with the orcs would be good, too. Most goods from the Wandends goes through Meeting, and the city-state makes sure they get their share of whatever goes through.¡± He smirks as he lifts another forkful of pastry. ¡°Do you think you could manage something simr with the dwarven holds?¡±


    Rer snickers at the idea around his own mouthful, and swallows before answering. ¡°I doubt it, but you can never tell with Thedeim around. That kind of unpredictability is why we¡¯re looking to build a hold of our own in the mountains, in case anything happens and the town needs to evacuate.¡±


    nder quirks an eyebrow at that as Miller takes away their tes. ¡°Are you worried about Thedeim?¡± he asks, clearly doubtful. Rerughs and shakes his head before exining.


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    ¡°When he vassalized Hullbreak, the dungeon tried to send a scion to wipe out the town, threatening them both with starvation if Thedeim didn¡¯t back down. His conduit dealt with both the storm and the scion, and Thedeim was sessful in bringing Hullbreak to heel, but it was still a concerning time for the citizenry. It¡¯s going to be a joint project between Fourdock and Thedeim. I think there will be more than one breakthrough in the construction.¡±


    nder nods at that. ¡°Ah, that makes sense. I had heard a few scattered ounts of ¡®Fluffles the Stormeater¡¯, but never got the chance to get details beyond a dungeoneer report.¡±


    Rer nods as well. ¡°It was also what spurred me to¡­ well, take my lordship more seriously. I was basically absent, letting the local merchant guilds keep the town running smoothly. I didn¡¯t want to make a mistake and destroy everything. But I didn¡¯t have any contingencies for an emergency like that, and the townsfolk were rightfully wondering why not. So now we have a n, and I¡¯m taking a more direct role in the governance of Fourdock. Even if a lot of it is just approving the ns of the different guilds.¡±


    nder chuckles at that. ¡°It seems to be working, at least. And it beats forcing everyone to do things your way and making them hate you for it. When you havepetent lieutenants, apetent <emmander</em> just orders them to do what they were getting ready to do anyway.¡±


    They chat more as the meal progresses, about scandals and triumphs in the capital, about delving, about life in general. Rer finds himself more and more at ease around the other elf, d he¡¯s neither too pompous nor intimidating. He certainly has a presence, and some of his delving tales reinforce for Rer that it¡¯s not a career for him, but he¡¯s also easy to talk to.


    As dessert is served, Rer wonders if he could ask him for some advice. Miller has given his own input, and though Rer trusts his butler fully, he¡¯s not going to pretend he¡¯s unbiased. But nder doesn¡¯t have any attachment to cloud his judgement, and no reason to try to manipte his decision. He¡¯s quiet through the final course, trying to find a way to be subtle about it, and it¡¯s only after he sets his fork down does he realize nder has been quietly waiting for him to say something.


    If subtlety will be seen right through, be direct then. ¡°nder.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± he replies, leaning back in his chair, satisfied with the meal.


    ¡°How did¡­ how did your friends take you revealing your position?¡±


    nder tilts his head in confusion before giving a warm smile. ¡°Ah. They took it very well. A lot better than most others have before, if I¡¯m honest.¡±


    Rer winces at that as nder continues. ¡°A lot of times, people will want to use your position for their own gain, though some are more direct about it than others. It takes a bit of experience to recognize when someone will put their ambitions ahead of a friendship, and those times¡­ are painful, don¡¯t doubt that.¡± The older elf pauses for a few seconds, aplex look on his face as he relives a few memories.


    ¡°But it¡¯s not a guarantee. I¡¯ve madesting friendships while undercover, just as I¡¯ve had crushing disappointments. In the end, I think it¡¯s better to tell them the truth, if it¡¯s possible. It¡¯s good to have people you don¡¯t need to pretend around, and if they turn out to not be those kinds of people, it¡¯s better to know early thante.¡±


    Rer considers that as Miller clears the table of the dishes, leaving their drinks as he thinks. His eyes follow the ashen elf as he considers. Miller seems pretty confident Freddie and Rhonda will handle the truth well, but he¡¯s still worried about what might happen if they don¡¯t.


    He¡¯s knocked from his thoughts as nder speaks up. ¡°Rer.¡±


    He shakes himself and looks at the older elf, wearing a serious face as he speaks to the younger now. ¡°I know it¡¯s not easy. Sometimes I¡¯d rather fight a murderous dungeon on my own than face something like that. But just like facing down a monster will make you stronger, facing this with the truth will do the same. Even if the worst happens, there¡¯ll be others for you to learn to lean on and trust. Even if it¡¯s a disaster, don¡¯t let it cut you off from others. Because when it goes well, it¡¯s worth all the other pains.¡±


    ¡°Well said, sir,¡± replies Miller, and Rer doesn¡¯t even jump at his sudden appearance. He¡¯s simply too used to the suddenings and goings of his butler. ¡°I¡¯ve given the young master simr advice myself, but sometimes one needs to hear from one not so invested.¡±


    nder snorts at that. ¡°And listen to your butler. I¡¯m pretty sure giving good advice is one of the main subjects at butling school.¡±


    Miller dons a small smirk at that. ¡°Ah, have you had a chance to listen to many of my colleagues? Perhaps you might enjoy the profession, once you¡¯re done being the Crown Inspector?¡±


    nder shakes his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m the type. I¡¯m more the sort to make messes, rather than clean them up.¡±


    ¡°Ah, but sir, a proper butler keeps the messes from happening in the first ce.¡±


    The two banter back and forth as Rer thinks over the advice. He really does want to tell them. It¡¯s mostly been the fear of them taking it poorly that has kept him from it. But the more he thinks about it, the more he thinks nder is right about it making him stronger. He¡¯s had people he thought were friends betray him, before he came here. Sure, they were the treasons of children and petty in scope, but it still sticks with him. He really <em>did</em> let them iste him from people in general.


    But¡­ he doesn¡¯t <em>want</em> to be alone! He nods to himself, resolve firm. He¡¯ll tell them. Now he just needs to figure out how, and when.


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 Chapter Three-Hundred Sixteen

    Chapter Three-Hundred Sixteen


    <strong>Parm</strong>


    In the ratkin enve, many of the disced kobolds havee to settle. For some, it seemed the most quiet ce to call home. Others thought it would be a good ce to stay to try to be close to Aranya. To call her an inspiration would be an understatement, and though they¡¯ve since learned she splits her time evenly among the enves, the initial assumption was that she would spend most of her time with the ratkin.


    Parm considers himself mostly in the first group, hoping for some quiet peace to try toe to terms with everything. This morning, heys in bed, still trying to do just that. It felt like one day, he was tending to a pale elf and dwarf after a training incident, and the next he was suddenly free. He still sometimes reaches for the ornamental bands and chains he no longer has, reaching for something to keep his hands busy as he thinks.


    He hates that he misses them sometimes. Most kobolds who had the chains were true believers in the Maw, but Parm simply never saw the point in trying to resist. You do what you¡¯re told the first time, or you do it the second time with a new bruise at best. Even his ss was something he was told to take. He doesn¡¯t know why he was told to be an Apothecary instead of a Healer or even Alchemist, he just knew asking was a good way to earn attention, and earning attention never goes well.


    He doesn¡¯t hate being an Apothecary, and he even understands the difference between his ss and a lot of the other options. Healers are excellent for recovery in a battle, patching up wounds so the warriors can continue to fight. Alchemists serve a simr role, with the addition of buffing abilities. They need to n ahead, but a proper n and a few potions can turn the tide of a fight.


    On the other hand, an Apothecary focuses on keeping the more ordinary people healthy, mixing salves and balms for more mundane aches and pains, and medicines for illnesses. Very few Healers can treat a disease, and though an Alchemist could probably brew a potion to do it, they tend to focus on muchrger volume, enough that making a single potion simply isn¡¯t worth their time.


    When Thedeim¡¯s forces attacked Silvervein, Parm didn¡¯t know what to do. He was supposed to go to the medical ward, so he went, even as soldiers and clergy ran to their posts to try to stop the invaders. He tended his patients, and when the foreign soldiers entered, he thought he¡¯d die. He thought his <em>patients</em> would die.


    Instead, the elf with the gleaming shield on his back removed his chains. He must have had metal affinity, as he snapped the bands with a wave of his hand, gathered all the chains into a ball with a clenched fist, and let the scrap fall to the ground with a thud. Then he asked what Parm wanted to do.


    ¡°Do?¡± He still remembers the confusion he felt. He still feels it even today, whenever he needs to make a decision for all but the most basic things. The elf smiled at him and asked if he liked healing. Numbly, he had nodded, and the elf offered to take him to the field hospital where he could help.When he saw the hospital, he thought he understood. A foreign dungeon was taking over, and he would be its thrall now instead. Following orders there felt natural, though not being berated for his pace seemed odd. Still, he wrapped wounds and produced painkillers as needed, trying not to think about the fates of the people being swarmed over with ants. Noticing things was also a good way to gain unwanted attention.


    After it was all over, he patiently waited to be dismissed, or told where he could try to get some sleep. Instead, a ratkin noticed him and asked what he was doing.


    ¡°Waiting to be dismissed or told where to go,¡± he quietly answered, his gaze on the floor. A few seconds passed before the ratkin responded.


    ¡°How long have you been here?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ all day?¡± he uncertainly answered. He really wasn¡¯t sure how long it had been. He was hungry at that point, but he had long learned not to try to use that as an excuse. It would usually work well with members of the maw¡¯s clergy, but most of the others would only begrudgingly let him eat, and then pile on as much work as possible to make up for lost time. It was easier to just sometimes go hungry.


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    He had to suppress a flinch when the ratkin took his hand, but the voice only confused him more. No pity, nor malice¡­ just maybe a bit of annoyance at someone else. ¡°They didn¡¯t make you take a break to eat something? Healers, I swear¡­ well, let¡¯s get you something to eat, then probably back home? I don¡¯t know what all the kobolds are doing, butst I heard, they were grouping up at their enve.¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m supposed to go there, I¡¯ll just go. You don¡¯t need to concern yourself with me,¡± he tried, only to be waved off.


    ¡°I dunno about <em>supposed to</em>, but that¡¯s what I hear most of you guys are doing after being freed. Some just bolted, I guess they saw a chance at freedom and took it, without thinking ahead for things like food and water and protection.¡±


    Parm had nodded along, taking a few moments to process exactly what he was hearing. ¡°...freed?¡±


    The ratkin stopped and gave him a confused look. ¡°Yeah. Didn¡¯t anyone exin it to you?¡±


    He subconsciously reached for his wrist chains to fiddle with, finding their absence oddly jarring as he slowly shook his head. ¡°They¡­ an elf removed my chains a-and asked what I wanted to do. I-I was working in the medical ward¡­ he suggested Ie here, so I let him bring me.¡±


    The ratkin nodded at that. ¡°Ah, yeah, a lot of the Shield guys were pretty busy, and we didn¡¯t have the enve secured for a while. The hospital was probably the safest ce for you, and you probably saved more than one life while there, too. Uh¡­ you ok?¡±


    Parm definitely was not, and sometimes, he¡¯s still not sure. The following hours passed in a daze, with only sparse details sticking in his mind. The rolled pancakes were a little overdone, and the tastes unfamiliar, if pleasant. The cool wall of the cave tunnel as he curled up against it, trying to process everything. Someone carrying him though a ce of impossible geometry¡­ then the familiar enve, with signs of a fierce battle.


    He wanted to help the injured, but was quietly reassured and told to rx. He couldn¡¯t rx, but being told to helped relieve him of the burden of needing to panic. Then he was brought to see Aranya.


    The red kobold looked stunning in her white robe, and looked dangerous with that strange sword at her hip, even with her trying to lookforting. Her orange pendant stood out as well, seeming to radiate a gentle warmth and soothing power.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    He wanted to say yes. All his life, the only eptable answer to that question was yes. Sometimes he could sidestep it by pointing out an injury, but even then came the implied answer that he could still do whatever they wanted him to do. But he couldn¡¯t bring himself to speak that lie again. He struggled, tried to force it, but he just couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°...no¡­¡± he whispered, and soon felt arms around him. Not to harm him, but to support him. He couldn¡¯t open his eyes as the tears flowed, not that he could have seen through them anyway. He still doesn¡¯t know how long she held him like that, and from what he¡¯s heard, he¡¯s not the only one to break down and need her support that day.


    Ever since, he¡¯s been trying to cope with everything, and he¡¯s not the only one. In a way, it¡¯s afort to know he¡¯s not the only one feeling lost, not the only one who sometimes locks up when asked what he wants for breakfast or other simple decisions. He¡¯s getting better, as are a lot of others, but he still feels fragile at times.


    Like right now. Heys in his cot, feeling a building pressure. Not to get out of it, no. He¡¯ll get out eventually. That choice isn¡¯t the one weighing on him right now. He can feel a big decision looming behind him, or perhaps before him. Whichever direction it is, he can¡¯t ignore it much longer.


    He needs to talk to one of the scions. At the time, he may have pretended not to notice what the ants were doing to people. There was a lot of blood, and so many ants¡­ he was certain he didn¡¯t <em>want</em> to know. But after talking with some of the people who were operated on, the truth became clear. Now he wishes he had paid more attention. Whatever they were doing¡­ he wants to learn. Seeing how the people recovered, it reminded him a lot of how his patients would recover with the help of his balms and salves, a slower healing that¡¯s no less appreciated than the quicker offered by Healers and others.


    He wants to learn. He doesn¡¯t know if he would have be an Apothecary if he had been given the choice¡­ and now he has the choice to be something more. He¡¯s no fighter, but he can still make a difference in people¡¯s lives without lifting a weapon. There may be a little bloodshed involved still, but he can handle a bit of blood on his hands if it saves a patient.@@novelbin@@


    His resolve shudders as he sits up, the fear of upsetting his delicate stability trying to remove what could upend everything once again, but he refuses to let it falter this time. He needs this, even if it terrifies him. He gets up and gets dressed, preferring a simple robe to the pants and shirts the ratkin are embracing, and heads for Larx¡¯ residence.


    He doesn¡¯t know how to get in contact with Queen, but he bets the ratkin elder does.

 Chapter Three-Hundred Seventeen

    Chapter Three-Hundred Seventeen


    It¡¯s looking like I¡¯ll need to expand downward in the forest once everything is ready. I have a little bit of depth avable in there right now, I¡¯ve been able to dig a pretty shallow couple of caves, but my ims basically stop once we hit rock. I¡¯ve been paying attention to Leo¡¯s scouting efforts, and it¡¯s looking like the area under the forest is pretty solid, so that¡¯ll be good, even if I¡¯ll need to spend more than expected to make room for roots.


    Thankfully, the fight between nder and Rocky has helped shore up my mana reserves. I¡¯ve taken to trying to keep a decent surplus, even after keeping a steady flow into the ally emergency fund. Zorro didn¡¯t need to worry about my current ie and mana usage, but it¡¯s never a bad idea to keep enough around to handle emergencies.


    Interestingly enough, while the fight itself was a pretty good boon of mana, all the attendant stuff made even more. People selling things, buying things, I¡¯m pretty sure even the wagering helped make me mana. We¡¯re going to need to do more exhibition matches in the future, definitely.


    It looks like everyone else is doing well with their mana, too. Violet has a steady trickle going into the pool thanks to her sewer stuff. Who knew waste management could be so lucrative? She¡¯s slowly upgrading her spawners, and Onyx has been trying to get advice for what to do next from Teemo. For now, all I can really suggest is to continue working through the backlog of sewer stuff, and maybe have Coda take a look around once things are as clean as they can reasonably get. I¡¯ve heard most cities build their sewers with dungeons in mind, but I dunno how that actually works.


    Hullbreak is also steadily contributing. People have been itching to delve him, and now the weather¡¯s warming up, I think he actually has more mana than he knows what to do with. He¡¯s spending it on his seacave expansion, and Coda and I both have been resisting going to give him advice without him asking. The progress is slow, but I think that¡¯s more like normal pacing for most dungeons. He¡¯s definitely taking a lot of inspiration from the Lighthouse for the sections above water, roughly carving the walls to look like brickwork. I think it¡¯ll be a great delving spot once he¡¯s finished with it.


    Southwood, too, is thriving in spring and storing mana in the ally pool. He¡¯s experimenting with a fewbat encounters using his current denizens. Most aren¡¯t really good for a fight, but I think he¡¯s aiming for a more casualbat than the steady ramping of training that I do. I can also see the uptick when the nomadic orcse to visit him, which is cool. I bet they¡¯re going to enjoy having a more stable Southwood as well as a new ce to trade with in Silvervein.


    Closer to home, Zorro is cutting his teeth on exploring. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s quite what he wants to do, but he¡¯s giving it a solid try, which is all I can ask for. He¡¯s also started sneaking out into Fourdock, using his illusions to appear like a random stray as he wanders the city. Teemo says Leo and Poe are testing him to try being an Explorer like Nose, but I wonder if I could use an extra set of eyes and ears in and around Fourdock. Much as I try to ignore it, there¡¯s no denying that I¡¯m getting a lot of attention from the kingdom and from several different gods.


    I might actually need to dirty my nonexistent hands with¡­ <em>politics</em>. If I¡¯m going to deal with <em>that</em>, I¡¯ll need to know what the movers and shakers are actually up to. I swing my focus to Teemo to suggest he have a talk with Zorro, only to see he wants my attention, too.


    ¡°Oh, hey Boss. Good timing.¡± He gives me a few seconds to parse what¡¯s going on, with Larx and a kobold waiting. It looks like they¡¯re in Larx¡¯ home in the enve, and judging by the tea and little biscuits, the ratkin elder has been entertaining the kobold.So what¡¯s up?


    ¡°Parm here has something he wants to ask you,¡± he answers, gesturing at the kobold who looks like he¡¯s going to have a nervous breakdown. He looks like he wants to bolt, or curl up in his chair until I go away, but soon words flow like he¡¯s afraid they¡¯ll nevere out if he stops now.


    ¡°I need to talk to Queen, please! I saw the healing she was practicing when you¡­ when you l-liberated us, and it was like nothing I¡¯d ever seen before! Please, I¡¯ll do anything to learn!¡±


    If I could, I¡¯d raise an eyebrow at his outburst. He seems pretty timid and unsure of himself, like a lot of the kobolds. Most are adjusting pretty well, but some are having a bit of a crisis as they figure out how to do things without being told to. If I had to guess, I¡¯d say he¡¯s in the group having trouble. I don¡¯t want to rain on his parade, but¡­


    Teemo nods along to my thoughts before he speaks for me. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve got good news and bad news for you, Parm. The bad news is: I¡¯m not going to take you to Queen. Her style of healing is pretty revolutionary, as far as I can tell, but I refuse to sit and trante for her for the actual months or years it¡¯d take for her to exin everything, not to mention doing the same for Thing and Honey. If you want to learn from her, you¡¯ll have to wait until the Boss¡¯ speaker project is finished¡­ and I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve even had a chance to <em>start</em> on it.¡±


    Parm looks devastated at that news, pulling his legs up and hugging them, prompting Teemo to quickly continue. ¡°However! The <em>good</em> news is Queen isn¡¯t the only one who knows that kind of healing, and I think they¡¯ll be more than happy to teach you.¡±


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The pain of having his hope dashed is waid by confusion as he looks at my Voice. ¡°What? But I thought¡­ who?¡±


    Larx smiles as he realizes exactly who, and Teemo spells it out only a momentter. ¡°The antkin. They have a lot of different castes, and one is a medic caste. Their method of healing is directly inspired by Queen and the Boss, focusing on knowing exactly what to fix and how, rather than just throwing mana at the problem. That¡¯s the kind of healing you¡¯re interested in, right?¡±


    Parm leans forward in his chair, looking desperate once more. ¡°Yes. Yes! I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m not cut out for the kind of situations where fast healing is needed. Back in¡­ back then, and I guess now¡­ I¡¯m an Apothecary. I treat the more ordinary pains, illnesses, and problems people have in their lives. I want to be able to do that even better, and Queen¡¯s method just¡­ felt <em>right</em>.¡±


    Teemo smiles at that. ¡°Perfect. It¡¯s not going to be quick, just so you know. There¡¯s a <em>lot</em> to know about how the body works, and that''s without getting into the differences between, say, an elf and a spiderkin.¡±


    Parm nods easily to that. ¡°I know. Even pale elves and pale dwarves will have different reactions to different mixtures, and some will be allergic. I¡­ I can learn,¡± he insists, even as he rubs his wrists at some memory.


    ¡°Well, I think the antkin will be better teachers than what you used to have. Let¡¯s go get you introduced then. Are you ready to go see Dean Tam?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ right now?¡±@@novelbin@@


    Teemo nods and slips through a shortcut tond on Parm¡¯s shoulder. ¡°No time like the present, right? Unless you had something else you need to do?¡±


    He looks over to Larx for advice, who simply smiles and starts cleaning up. ¡°If you want more of the tea biscuits, you know where to find me, Parm.¡±


    With Larx refusing to be his excuse, Parm swallows heavily and nods. ¡°Alright. How do we get there?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll just take a left through Larx¡¯s pantry, hang a Q through a shortcut, and then it¡¯s a hop, skip, and a jump to the medical college.¡± Iugh as Parm tries to make sense of that, and Teemo smiles. ¡°I¡¯ll guide you, don¡¯t worry. See youter, Larx!¡±


    ¡°Do visit again, you two and Lord Thedeim as well.¡± He chuckles as the other head for the shortcut, and like Teemo promised, they soon are standing outside the medical college. It honestly looks a bit intimidating, despite how clean and peaceful it looks. It¡¯s probably because of that, honestly. Hospitals can try to hide it all they want, but nobody is there for happy reasons. Well, maybe the maternity ward, but everyone else is there because something is wrong.


    Teemo continues to guide Parm through theplex, not giving him a chance to lose his nerve. Medical ants give them curious looks as they pass, but nobody tries to stop them. Teemo is pretty recognizable, and none of them want to mess with official business, even if I rarely think of it that way.


    Oddly to me, Parm seems to rx more and more as they travel. If he¡¯s used to healing the sick and injured, he¡¯s probably pretty used to this kind of atmosphere, even if the medical college hasn¡¯t really seen any outside patients yet. He even has a peaceful smile by the time they find Dean Tam¡¯s office, and Teemo announces them.


    ¡°Hey Tam! Are you busy?¡±


    Parm¡¯s nervousness returns in full force as Tam looks up from her te. Her mandibles and antennae twitch in a smile as she sees her guests. ¡°Ah, Voice Teemo and¡­ a friend. To what do I owe the pleasure?¡±


    ¡°Are you epting enrollment yet?¡± asks my Voice, earning a surprised stare from the Dean.


    ¡°Enrollment?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a college, you need to teach, right? Hard to teach without enrolling students. Parm here wants to sign up.¡±


    Tam and Parm both look a bit lost, though the antkin recovers quickly enough. ¡°I¡­ suppose that¡¯s true. Parm, was it? You¡¯re interested in learning?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ yes? I saw Queen¡¯s work in uh, the field hospital, and I wanted to be able to do the same she did. T-Teemo said she¡¯s unavable, though¡­¡±


    Tam nods. ¡°And he and Lord Thedeim suggested us. We <em>do</em> focus on simr methods of healing, though it¡¯s much slower and more involved than most magical methods.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯m an Apothecary, so I¡¯m used to the slower, steady pace that most people need to heal.¡±


    Tam¡¯s eyes brighten at that. ¡°Ah, an Apothecary? Then I think I know how you can pay your tuition, too. We have a lot of alchemical methods avable, and though they¡¯re good for preventing any unwanted infections, we don¡¯t know much about treating diseases especially. If you are willing to teach us, we will be more than happy to teach you what we know in turn.¡±


    Parm blinks at that. ¡°T-teach you? But¡­¡±


    Tamughs, bright and happy. ¡°We don¡¯t know everything, Parm. We really do have a significant hole in our knowledge, and you could be a step in filling it, if you¡¯re willing?¡±


    Lost, Parm looks to Teemo, who shrugs. ¡°It¡¯s up to you, but if you want to learn, this is probably your best option.¡±


    The kobold still looks uncertain, but he turns his attention back to Tam and gives a small nod. ¡°I guess? If you really want to listen to a sl- a <em>former</em> ve.¡±


    Tam nods and stands, moving around her desk to hold out her hand to shake. ¡°Saving lives is too important to worry about pride, titles, and standing. As far as anyone here cares, your position as an Apothecary makes you someone to listen to, no matter your past.¡±


    Parm stares at her for a few awkward seconds before Teemo flicks his ear. ¡°Pst, shake her hand.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Uh, yes!¡± He fumbles for her hand to shake. ¡°Saving lives¡­ just helping people be healthy again, is all I want to do.¡±


    Tam¡¯s mandibles pinch in a happy grin. ¡°Then you¡¯ll fit right in! Let me introduce you to some people and let you get settled in, then I need to go over a curriculum. I don¡¯t think any of us was expecting anyone to want toe learn even before we finished officially bing dwellers!¡±


    Teemo quietly makes his exit through a shortcut as Tam leads Parm away, the kobold still looking nervous, but also growing more and more eager to start this chapter of his life. While I doubt it¡¯ll be easy, I don¡¯t doubt that it¡¯ll be satisfying.

 Chapter Three-Hundred Eighteen

    Chapter Three-Hundred Eighteen


    ¡°Right, what were you wanting to talk about, before I told you about Parm?¡± asks Teemo as he heads back to the Sanctum to rx a bit. I dunno how much rxing he¡¯s going to get to do once I tell him about the need for¡­ <em>politics</em>!


    Teemo shudders at that. ¡°Is it toote to volunteer to interpret for everyone in the lecture hall, ever?¡±


    Yes. Luckily for you, I don¡¯t intend to just jump into those uncharted waters without some prep. If we¡¯re lucky, you won¡¯t even have to get too much of it on you.


    ¡°That¡¯d be a good trick. What¡¯s your idea?¡± he asks as he pops out of a shortcut and onto Yvonne¡¯s hammock, making himselffortable while she¡¯s away doing Ranger stuff.


    The first part is to adjust where Poe and Leo send Zorro. If he¡¯s not a fan of the new assignment, we¡¯ll offload it to the other foxes¡­ and we¡¯ll probably need to send some of them out too, just to keep track of everything. I want him and the others to scout out Fourdock and possibly the other ces around. I need eyes and ears to keep informed on what the major powers are up to.


    Teemo looks grumpy at that idea. ¡°Better them than me, at least, but I still don¡¯t like the idea of spying on everyone.¡±


    I¡¯m not exactly a fan of it either, but we¡¯re just drawing too much attention from powerful groups to not. So far, those groups have been the ones that are confident in their own position, so they don¡¯t need to do anything sneaky to get some of what we have. But the vultures will start circling, if they aren¡¯t already, and I need to know what they¡¯re up to if I¡¯m going to head them off.


    My Voice heaves a sigh, neither of us really happy with the situation, but both epting that we can¡¯t just ignore it and hope it¡¯ll go away. ¡°I¡¯ll bring it up to Leo, Poe, and Zorro, then. You¡¯ll probably want to upgrade the fox spawner if you¡¯re intending to send some out on expedition like that, too.¡±


    Yep. You might need to head out on expedition more than a few times, as well. We probably don¡¯t need many shortcuts in and around Fourdock, but I¡¯d like the spywork to eventually epass the kingdom, if not further. Teemo gives a low whistle at that. ¡°You n big, Boss.¡±


    It won¡¯t be all at once, but if we keep growing, we¡¯re going to keep attracting attention. At least we have a good method for extending our influence. We¡¯ll set up small outposts like we did on the way to the Southwood, and probably use bees and/or bats to deliver messages down the line and back here.


    ¡°Do you want to try using the rockslides to listen in on things?¡±


    Maybe once we have specific locations to keep an ear on? For now, I think the foxes will be plenty. They¡¯ll just use subtle illusions to make themselves look like stray cats or dogs, and hopefully be able to listen in on what we need to hear.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ do you want to try bees or maybe fey? The living vines could be good to hide in gardens, too.¡±


    Maybe? We can certainly give them a test run around Fourdock to see if they pan out, though the vines will probably only work for some of the year.


    ¡°You should definitely buy gremlins from Violet at some point, too. They¡¯ll make great observers.¡±


    Yep, once the tree is in, that¡¯s one of the things I want to add. I also might try to splurge and get something with spatial affinity, too.


    Teemo gives an exaggerated gasp and points an usatory finger at my core. ¡°You¡¯re <em>recing</em> me?!¡±


    Yes. Heh, of course not. I just don¡¯t want to take up all your time with maintaining the shortcuts everywhere, especially once we get thework up and running.


    Teemo snickers and drops the act before pointing something out. ¡°It might not be a good idea to make a vastwork of shortcuts outside. Remember how Kennith entered the shortcuts to the Southwood? I wasn¡¯t too careful with hiding them, but it sounded to me like he probably would have spotted it even if I was.¡±


    Hmm¡­ that could be a problem, yeah. He¡¯s probably a master of spatial affinity, but he¡¯s also probably not the only one out there. It¡¯d only take one for people to start investigating. In fact¡­ we might be boned for using illusion foxes, too. What if illusionists can spot them at a nce, too?


    Teemo sits up and folds his arms, considering. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯d give the whole game away. We could still make do with rockslides and a few flying denizens, but that¡¯ll take a lot longer to set up.¡± He pauses and smirks at my core. ¡°Unless you think the wyrms can sneak them into ces without getting noticed.¡±


    I chuckle at the idea of my wyrms melting their way though the ground being something any town wouldn¡¯t raise an rm about. Well, I think we have a master illusionist we can ask, at least.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± asks Teemo, and I¡¯m surprised he doesn¡¯t remember.


    Torlon, the Head Priest of the local Church of the Crystal Shield. The illusions he used to run the maze and beat Tiny were top notch. I bet we could ask him.


    My Voice smacks his forehead. ¡°Ah, right! He¡¯d definitely know if illusions are easy to spot. Do you think he¡¯d be suspicious why we¡¯re asking?¡±


    Maybe? The Shield certainly has some kind of spywork of its own, even if it¡¯s just followers reporting through prayer or something.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try that, too?¡±


    I¡­ don¡¯t think I have enough followers for that. And it feels weird to try to send them out specifically for that purpose. Starting off on a bad foot, you know?


    He nods. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fair. You are starting to get a bit of a following here, though.¡±


    Why do you have to remind me of something <em>else</em> I¡¯m trying not to think too hard about?


    ¡°Because ignoring it won¡¯t make it go away, and I¡¯m supposed to keep you from letting things like that get out of hand.¡±


    I mentally sigh and rail against his logic for a few seconds, but I can only drag my feet for so long. I shift my attention to the little afterlife I''ve set up, and I can feel things there are going pretty smoothly, at least it seems like it. A few people have finished with their project by now, though time is pretty weird between there and here. The Workshop is finished, as are more than a few chairs, and everyone who¡¯s finished has opted for reincarnation, eager to see what else there is to see, and I hope they¡¯ll be in a position toe back eventually.


    The happy chatter and the sound of tools at work helps calm my nerves. I still don¡¯t think I¡¯m cut out for this sort of thing, but at least I¡¯m not making a hash of it. It helps encourage me to pay attention to the little motes of warmth that are my followers that are still breathing, even if their numbers feel overwhelming if I focus on them.


    The glow from my enves isn¡¯t too surprising, and I¡¯m more used to that, at least. I never asked it of them, but it¡¯s not too surprising¡­ not anymore, at least. I¡¯ve had my panic attacks about it by now, and I¡¯m mostly adjusted. Kinda.


    ¡°You alright, Boss?¡±


    Yeah, sorry. Just¡­ taking stock, I guess. You¡¯re right that I can¡¯t ignore the whole godhood angle either. I just¡­ didn¡¯t expect to see so many outside the enves. I follow the little warm drafts of my followers, leading to somece a bit diagonal from normal reality. It feels like I¡¯ve fallen into the night sky, but the stars are more orange than anything else. It reminds me of when I first started looking around my dungeon domain, a floating viewpoint peering into dusty cabs and abandoned rooms.


    It feels like that, but I¡¯m zoomed much further out, and the physical building is as ephemeral as mist. I can pick out the points of warmth that are my followers, but very little besides. I can see the groups, and at a nce I recognize the enves. The antkin stick out a bit, as I feel a lot of potential, but they don¡¯t quite qualify just yet. That has to be because they haven¡¯t finished transitioning to dwellers yet.


    And my enves are not my only followers. I can feel the people of Silvervein who are following me, and it¡¯s more than I expected. It¡¯s maybe a hundred people, but even that¡¯s surprising. I can also feel several hundred more who don¡¯t follow me, yet still acknowledge me. I don''t get as much warmth from them as the others, but it¡¯s still noticeable. That¡¯s probably why deities tend to organize into patheons, I suppose. Even if someone only really worships one at a time, they still ept the others. And there are probably at least a few who try to honor the whole lot.@@novelbin@@


    I¡¯m still happy with being officially on my own, even if I think the Shield and I are pretty closely aligned. It¡¯s even easier to see when I look at Fourdock as a whole. I have more followers here than in Silvervein, but practically everyone acknowledges me. It¡¯s the kind of thing that makes me want to panic again, but I do my best to stamp that down. Freaking out about it doesn¡¯t help, and is probably an overreaction on top of that. If I still had a pulse, it¡¯d be racing, but at least I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m metaphorically hyperventting.


    I cross my somethings behind my back, before jumping at the realization that I have a form here, too. I know I have a form in my afterlife, but I didn¡¯t think I had one here. It¡¯s difficult to get a good look at myself, and it¡¯s not just because of theck of mirrors. I can look at my extremities, but I hesitate to call them arms and legs.


    Can a neb have hands? Because that¡¯s the closest to what I can describe what I look like. I look like a neb with a vaguely-humanoid void inside it. What¡¯s more, the shape is constantly shifting, and it¡¯s difficult to tell if it¡¯s an illusion, like looking at a reflection in water, or if the void is actually subtly flowing and changing the neb.


    Alright, stop staring at yourself and keep looking around. You need to get used to this stuff before you <em>actually</em> make a mess of something. I cross my limbs behind my back and resume looking around, careful not to touch anything as I look at the followers of the Shield. I can pretty easily spot the ones that acknowledge me, and see their devotion to the Shield instead, or the simr acknowledgement for the people who aren¡¯t too involved with that sort of thing.


    It¡¯s interesting to see their faith in the Shield, and more than a bit humbling to see my own followers have no less confidence in me. It makes me want to make sure their faith isn¡¯t misced, even if there are certainly better targets for it. Still, if they¡¯re going to give it to me, I¡¯m not going to squander it.


    ¡°Ah, I was hoping we could meet. We are, as the mortals would say, neighbors, correct?¡±


    I whip my focus around and hold up my limbs defensively, wondering who could be talking to me here, of all ces?! Looking at the answer, it seems obvious in hindsight. While I can feel a lot of acknowledgement of other deities among the popce of Fourdock, there¡¯s one who has the clear majority of followers.


    Floating among the sea of mortals with me is arge crystalline heater shield. As far as I can tell, it has no eyes or mouth or face¡­ but I guess I¡¯m not one to talk. Its voice is clear and jovial, like someone used to making fast friendships thatst a lifetime.


    ¡°I hope we can talk, Thedeim. There is much for us to talk about, after all.¡±

 Chapter Three-Hundred Nineteen

    Chapter Three-Hundred Neen


    I¡¯m at a bit of a loss as to what to do. It¡¯s like meeting a celebrity and they say they¡¯ve heard about <em>you</em>, not the other way around. The Shield¡¯s chimingughter sounds, and I wonder how long I¡¯ve just been staring at it.


    ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m¡­ still pretty new to all this,¡± I admit, and the Shield bobs in the air in understanding.


    ¡°It is no problem. I think most dungeon cores would have difficulty adjusting to divinity. Though I also think you are not like most dungeon cores.¡±


    I snort at that. ¡°That¡¯s what I hear, heh. I know I run things a lot differently than others.¡±


    The shield bobs in a nod. ¡°Yes, I hear of your strangeness from many of my believers in Fourdock. I also hear it from Order and the Raven, on the asions we get to meet. From them, I get the feeling that, as the mortals say, you are not from around here, yes?¡±


    I give it a wary look, though I don¡¯t know if that actually trantes with my weird void self. I¡¯d like to keep my origins a secret, just because it¡¯s the kind of thing that could set off disastrous change if not done right. I probably shouldn¡¯t be surprised Order and the Raven know at least the basics. From what I can tell, the Raven is supposed to know where souls belong, so he¡¯s gotta know my belonging here is temporary. Order, too, is basically in charge of the system, and it has to have some kind of g noting I¡¯m an anomaly of <em>some</em> vor.


    After a few more moment¡¯s thought, I decide to trust the Shield. Even if we¡¯ve only technically just met, we¡¯ve basically been working together for a while now. ¡°Yeah, pretty much. The details are more than what I wanna get into right now, though.¡±


    The Shield glows in excitement. ¡°Yes, I knew it! Are you from Beyond?¡± it eagerly asks, and I¡¯m not sure how to answer that.


    ¡°I¡­ maybe? I have a few guesses for where the Beyond leads, and back home is one of them, but I don¡¯t know for certain. I wasn¡¯t exactly party to the secrets of reality there.¡±¡°Ah, but you are! Or at least somewhat. I have heard Freddie¡¯s prayers for Rhonda¡¯s safety with her ss, so I know you are doing wondrous things with magic. I even suggested to Laermali that she send an acolyte instead of her High Priest!¡± The Shield glows in happiness at that as I chew on that fact.


    ¡°You sent her to me?¡± I ask, wondering why it would do something like that.


    ¡°She wasing, so I worked to Protect the peace of your meeting. She heads a pantheon, if you did not know, so she is used to being heeded. Even Order and the Raven suggested she listen to my advice, and I am d it has been working out!¡±


    ¡°What, did you guys have a meeting about me?¡±


    ¡°Meeting?¡± asks the Shield, the glow dimming for a moment as it processes the term, before the glow returns. ¡°Yes! A meeting is urate! Order wished to speak with the three of us about you after your ascension.¡±


    I sigh at that. ¡°I really <em>have</em> been drawing the gaze of some big eyes¡­¡±


    ¡°And you will draw more, I am sure! Change is such a tantalizing domain, tempting and yet dangerous. And you are aware of it!¡± The Shield¡¯s bright glow softens as a quiet chime of happinesses from it, tinged with bittersweet. ¡°I was not very aware of what Protection entailed when I ascended.¡±


    ¡°How did you, if you don¡¯t mind me asking? I¡¯ve heard a few snippets in passing, but the Shield followers¡­ er, your followers are usually more concerned with training against my undead than in discussing theology where I can hear.¡±


    The Shield bobs again in a nod and conjures a crystalline rack to rest on, even as we both float among the stars that are the people of Fourdock. ¡°I sometimes think the mortals know more of it than I do, even if they embellish. I think it is fitting, perhaps they get to Protect some of my own beginnings. I don¡¯t remember much of my early time with Jayna. I am told mortals do not remember their birth and early years, either. I started as an artifact created by a long forgotten dungeon. Some of my believers think I was forged from a dungeon core, but Order has repeatedly said that is not possible.¡±


    The Shield pauses, glowing warmly at some memory before it continues. ¡°My earliest memory is of her face, quietly singing a hymn as she polished me. I think she knew I was intelligent even before I did, and she did her best to instill in me her beliefs as a pdin. She did not have a deity at the time, and simply devoted herself to Protection, at least at first. Through many battles, I was her bulwark. I do not know when it happened, but her devotion slowly anchored to me. I knew so little at the time, and I did not understand what that meant. I still do not know why¡­¡±


    It trails off, dimming for a few moments before shaking itself and continuing. ¡°From there, the legends detail what she did in my name. It took a long time to ept that¡­¡± it trails off for a moment, and I get the distinct feeling it¡¯s giving me a knowing smirk before it continues. ¡°When she got old, she told me her time was limited, and the Raven woulde for her. I did not want that, so when I saw the Ravene for her, I tried to Protect her. I encased her in crystal, and identally transformed the gathered people¡¯s clothes to crystal, too. I saw the Raven fly in and perch on the encasement, then reach through like it was not there. And then he gave her to me.¡±


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Its glow dims for a while, and I wonder if it¡¯s done talking. I don¡¯t know what to say to something like that, even after my own experience with my fallen dwellers. We float there for a time, before it finally resumes speaking.


    ¡°She¡¯s Beyond, now. She said she had done everything here she could, and she knew I would keep everyone Protected.¡± It snorts with a sound like breaking ss. ¡°It took me a long time to realize how many people <em>everyone</em> is. I can not get them all¡­ but I try. And my believers do the same.¡±


    It shakes itself and absorbs the stand before resuming floating. ¡°I did not think I would talk to you of that. I wanted to talk of now and the future, not the past.¡±


    ¡°Well, the past is a good foundation to build on. I¡¯m still building mine here, and I don¡¯t know how much of before I should talk about. Or how much I even <em>can</em> talk about.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you have a lot of mystery as well. I can see there is a you inside that glow, but even here, I can not perceive it. I think it is something to do with the framework upon which Order¡¯s system is hung, but I do not know very much about it. He knows the most, but he says he knows almost nothing. Most of us simply ept when he says that is just how it works. Except, I think, you.¡±


    ¡°Like the affinities,¡± I offer, and the Shield bobs in a nod.


    ¡°Like those, yes. Laermali herself says they should be more intertwined, but never could figure out how. It seems you have.¡±


    ¡°More like Rocky has,¡± I try to deflect, before continuing. ¡°Yeah, I know, he gets it from me. I know a lot of stuff from before. A lot of the rules of existence are understood there, but magic basically doesn¡¯t exist. So I guess I¡¯m a fresh pair of eyes,ing at it from a whole new perspective and seeing things that most people here¡­ just haven¡¯t discovered, I suppose?¡±


    The Shield chimes in happiness once more. ¡°Like with the Legionnaire Pdin! I had been hoping to forge a ss like that for some time now, but had beencking some keystone concept for it. And then you were able to cultivate it in Freddie.¡± The Shield beams in happiness, and I give a bashful smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m d it worked out like that. I just wanted to help him and Rhonda be the best they could be, give them the tools to craft their futures.¡±@@novelbin@@


    The shield chimes louder. ¡°A Change to their best, a wee one indeed! While I can not speak for Rhonda, Freddie is thankful every night for how much his life has improved. A little Change can prepare someone to Protect themselves where they thought that to be impossible.¡±


    ¡°Heh, yeah, I guess we work pretty well together like that,¡± I admit.


    ¡°Perhaps we should work closer, then?¡±


    ¡°Like a pantheon? I think I should try to stay out of that, for a lot of reasons¡­¡±


    The Shield bobs in understanding. ¡°Yes. Not all of us join a pantheon. There are obligations involved.¡± It tilts itself in what is <em>definitely</em> a smirk. ¡°Including politics. I am told you try to avoid that as much as possible.¡±


    I nod at that, not even trying to deny it. ¡°I try, but I think at this point, I¡¯ve already stepped in it. I can either pretend otherwise and track it everywhere I go, or I can actually prepare and try to deal with it. I¡¯m actually just getting an informationwork off the ground to keep informed of whatever I need to keep informed on.¡±


    ¡°It is a good thing to get ahead of. Fewer inquisitions that way. Order and I had to learn that the hard way, as the mortals put it. It is good to learn from other¡¯s mistakes. Perhaps you can learn from another of ours, too.¡±


    ¡°Oh? I¡¯m always up to learn something, especially if it¡¯ll help me not mess something up.¡± I lean forward, interested to hear what advice it has to give.


    ¡°Order and I are not in a pantheon. It gives us more ability to deal with problems ourselves, but it also means we have to deal with them <em>ourselves</em>.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to be joining a pantheon any time soon. I¡¯m pretty good at dealing with problems, at least when I¡¯m not pretending they don¡¯t exist. I¡¯m happy to unofficially work together on things sometimes, but anything official is¡­ dodgy.¡±


    ¡°Dodgy?¡± asks the Shield, chewing on the word more than asking why working closer would be described as so. ¡°Perhaps. But I had an idea, and Order was not opposed to it. Instead of you joining a pantheon, you should <em>form</em> one. Order and I would be interested in joining.¡±


    I stare at it for a while, trying to wrap my head around the words that came out of its not-mouth. ¡°Is that¡­ <em>what</em>?!¡±


    It chimes inughter, and I rx, thinking it¡¯s a joke before it continues. ¡°You do not have to do it right now! Consider it for a few centuries, or even millenia. Just know that the help you have given the two of us already is beyond what some pantheon mates would do for each other. The Legionnaire Pdin merges the camaraderie and Protection that I have been striving to spread for a <em>long</em> time now, and your sending of the Harbinger to Order for investigation has made him aware of a weakness in his system to fix.¡±


    The Shield¡¯s warmth softens before it continues. ¡°Just consider it, and consider your domain. It would be a very big Change to how things are done. I think you would know best if it would be a positive or a negative one. Take all the time you need to think it over. Time is much less limited for you, now.¡±


    It floats a bit sideways, kinda like how someone going through a shortcut looks, and I can only assume it¡¯s headed to its own territory, maybe its afterlife to look over the people there? Maybe it¡¯s off to talk to its High priest or something. Either way, I¡¯m here, floating among the projections of the people of Fourdock, thinking about what the Shield had to say.


    It was nice to get to know it a bit more, and I get the feeling we¡¯ll be friends, if we aren¡¯t already. The talk of <em>making</em> a pantheon sounds crazy, but there¡¯s a certain amount of sense to it, and makes me wonder the implications if the others are supposed to answer to me. I only intend to answer to Him, but what happens if others answer to me? I think I really will need those couple centuries to think it over, though that brings me to thest thing it said.


    Actually having all the time in the world is another one of those things I was trying not to think too hard about.

 Chapter Three-Hundred Twenty

    Chapter Three-Hundred Twenty


    Ie back to normal reality to see Teemo perched atop my core. Was I out for long?


    He shakes his head at me. ¡°Nah, not too long. I moved here because it felt like you were further away than you¡¯ve ever been. Did you somehow pick up spatial affinity, Boss? It felt like you were about a mile sideways.¡±


    I¡¯m pretty sure it was a god thing. There¡¯s some kind of ne where I can sorta see people. It¡¯s difficult to exin. Did you hear any of the conversation I had with the Shield?


    Teemo quirks an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s what that was? I could feel something, but it felt like my Voice and Herald titles were fighting over it.¡±


    Heh, maybe we need to submit a bug report to Order.


    <strong>Anomaly Logged</strong>


    Oh. If only it was always so easy.


    ¡°What¡¯d you two talk about? I know there was some kind of deal offered, but I don¡¯t know what.¡±


    The Shield and Order suggested I found a pantheon, and said they¡¯d join if I did. I¡¯m gonna take my time to think that one over.Teemoughs at that. ¡°<em>They¡¯d</em> join <em>yours</em>? If you run a pantheon like you do a dungeon, you¡¯d probably identally absorb or overthrow all the others before long!¡±


    Which is why I¡¯m not going to do it for a while, if ever.


    ¡°Fair enough. Did you still want to talk to Torlon about illusions?¡± he asks, reminding me of what we were doing before I wandered off on a divine tangent.


    That¡¯d be great, yeah. Is Zorro around? If we¡¯re going to ask about illusions, he should probably be with us. Teemo and I both check the other scions, and see that Zorro is, in fact, home at the moment. He¡¯s currently down in the cavernyer, looking into a pool of water as he makes fine adjustments to his stray disguise. I give the bond a light tap with the request hee to the Sanctuary, and he drops his disguise in surprise at the attention.


    I let some mirth seep through the bond as he navigates the shortcuts to get here, d to see he¡¯s getting better at them, and soon he¡¯s standing before my core, tail tucked between his legs.


    ¡°You¡¯re not in trouble, Zorro, so get that tail up,¡± speaks Teemo, still sitting on my core. The vulpine scion forces his tail out from between his legs, but it¡¯s still not held at a confident angle. My Voice shrugs before continuing.


    ¡°Close enough. Anyway, Zorro, the Boss has something he¡¯d like you to do. He knows you¡¯ve been slipping out into Fourdock, and he¡¯d like you to do that more. Leo and Poe aren¡¯t wrong in that an Explorer wouldn¡¯t be bad to have, but what the Boss really feels like he needs is someone to keep an eye on the delvers when they¡¯re outside. He¡¯s getting a lot of important attention, so he wants to have some kind of forewarning about what that attention could entail. Are you willing to not only go keep your ear to the ground, but also teach the other foxes to do the same?¡±


    I feel an immediate eptance from him, but I push that aside, causing him to tuck his tail once more before Teemo exins.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to, you know that, right? He¡¯s not ordering, he¡¯s offering. There¡¯s a difference.¡±


    Zorro makes adorable fox sounds as he exins himself, his tail even wagging a little by the time he¡¯s done and Teemo rys what he had to say.


    ¡°He says he would really like that. He likes the delvers, thinks they¡¯re interesting, and thinks he could keep us informed on Fourdock, though he thinks he¡¯ll need better foxes to really aplish it.¡±


    I pat the bond with pride, d Zorro is genuinely interested, instead of just doing what I tell him. I upgrade the fox spawner until just before it spits out a new fox type as Teemo keeps talking.


    ¡°Alrighty, Boss¡¯ll upgrade that more once we get back from the Shield church. He wants us to ask Torlon about how easily illusions can be spotted, and see if he has any advice to offer, too.¡±


    Zorro¡¯s emotions are a bit jumbled at the news and the rapid pace now he¡¯s epted the new job, but I can feel his resolve building and attempting to organize the mess that is his mental state. Teemo slides down my core until he has to hop off at the equator, andnds right beside Zorro.


    ¡°Right, let''s get going.¡± He leads Zorro through a shortcut and through the maze of connections, the two chatting along the way. Teemo encourages and thanks him for me, but I lose track of the conversation as I get distracted when they officially get marked as being on a sojourn. Teemo¡¯s shortcuts are definitely using at least one extra dimension, but there¡¯s apparently a demarcation of my territory even there.


    It just seems strange to me, so I start tracing the boundaries as they go, like I¡¯m trying to wrangle some terrible wiring inside a pc. I swear I¡¯ve seen someck of cable management somehow use an extra dimension, too¡­


    I don¡¯t get to map it out too much before Teemo and Zorro are standing outside the church with a bemused and aged wolfkin looking down at the pair. ¡°Thedeim¡¯s Herald? And¡­ the fox scion, I think?¡± he says, one hand resting atop his broom while the other strokes his chin as he probes his memories.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°That¡¯s us! I¡¯m here as his Voice, not his Herald, though. He wants to ask Torlon about illusions and stuff.¡±


    The wolfkin gives a kindly smile at that. ¡°Ah, then wee! I don¡¯t think I¡¯m prepared to ept a divine delegation, but friends are much easier! Much less ceremony, fewer choirs to organize and all that,¡± he jokes as he opens the door for my two scions. ¡°I think he¡¯s at the martial hall, helping Freddie train.¡±


    Teemo and Zorro peer into the church as my Voice speaks up. ¡°Where¡¯s that? I haven¡¯t gone around poking shortcuts here, so I¡¯m not very familiar.¡±


    The wolfkin holds the door open as he points out a boring door about halfway down the interior. ¡°Just head through that door and down the hallway. The door at the end will open out into the courtyard, and you should be able to spot the training hall from there.¡±


    ¡°Cool. Thanks!¡± Teemo and Zorro head off as the old wolfkin chuckles at the unique experience of giving my scions directions. They have to ask someone to open the door for them to get into the hallway, and get the attention of someone else actually <em>in</em> the hallway to open the way outside, but it all goes pretty smoothly. I wonder if the people are used to the kind of weirdness that tends to happen around me, or if they¡¯re so used to guiding people through the temple that it barely registers that they¡¯re doing the same for a pair of scions.


    Whatever the reason, it¡¯s a lot easier to get into the training hall, as the door is propped open to help with air flow. It looks to me like today is a cardio day as Freddie and Fiona runps, with Torlon keeping track with a simple floating number disy. I can see Zorro¡¯s interest through the bond as Teemo shouts.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Hey Torlon! You busy?¡±


    The gnome looks up and smiles as he shakes his head. ¡°Freddie is just helping me count to twenty, and demonstrating what it looks like, too.¡±


    ¡°Eight,¡± demonstrates the orc as he passes Torlon, and the counter ticks up by one.


    ¡°Goodd, helping out his senile teacher like that,¡± snarks Teemo, and Torlon smirks.


    ¡°That he is. So, what are you and¡­ the fox scion doing here? I don¡¯t think you¡¯re looking to help me count, too?¡±


    ¡°Nope. The Boss wanted to pick your brain about illusions.¡±


    ¡°Then he¡¯se to the right brain. I might be losing my numbers, but I daresay there¡¯s few in Fourdock who knows more about illusions than I do.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the Boss and Tiny both still remember the things you pulled out when you ran Tiny¡¯s maze.¡±


    The gnome smiles at the memory. ¡°I really should challenge Tiny again some day. I hear he¡¯s refined his Fate affinity significantly since then. It¡¯s always a challenge to avoid tipping off people with that affinity.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± asks Teemo, Zorro taking a seat and looking up at the gnome as he exins.


    ¡°It¡¯s always the little things that give away an illusion, and fate has a way of magnifying the little inconsistencies even without the user consciously doing it. Anyway, what did you want to know about illusions?¡±


    ¡°Things like that, for starters. The Boss is making waves and big people are starting to notice, so he wants to make sure he can catch wind of what they might do before they show up to do it. He could lean on Fate to divine it, but Tiny always says that sort of thing is unreliable at best, so he wants to disguise Zorro and the other foxes to have eyes and ears on the streets.¡±


    ¡°Nine,¡±ments Freddie as he passes, and Torlon looks thoughtful as he processes that.


    ¡°And he can¡¯t use his believers for that because they¡¯re concentrated in his enves?¡±


    ¡°Not as much as you might think, but he also doesn¡¯t want to have a core t to be snitching.¡±


    Torlonughs at that. ¡°A fair point! Spy foxes, hmm¡­¡± He turns his attention from Teemo to Zorro. ¡°Can you turn invisible?¡±


    In answer, he does just that, though Torlon immediately waves him off. ¡°No, don¡¯t. Invisibility is very difficult. Staying still is easier, but moving is <em>incredibly</em> difficult.¡±


    Zorro reappears, looking dejected, as Teemo speaks up. ¡°But we saw you-¡±


    ¡°Ten,¡± interrupts Freddie, trying to hide his enjoyment at getting to mess with Teemo and having a good excuse. My Voice res at his back before continuing. ¡°We <em>didn¡¯t</em> see you when you did it. Even with his fancy dungeon senses, the Boss couldn¡¯t keep track of you when you were facing off against Tiny.¡±


    Torlon smiles. ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m not boasting when I say I¡¯m very good with illusions. And especially when infiltrating a ce, being invisible can make it harder for you. What if there¡¯s a door? What if someone bumps into you? Now you need to startyering more illusions to cover it up. It¡¯s much simpler to make something that shouldn¡¯t be there appear as something that does.¡±


    Zorro yips and dons his stray dog illusion, and Torlon kneels down to inspect him. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s <em>much</em> better. When you cloak yourself like that, you only need to know yourself, not what your surroundings should look like from every angle and perspective.¡± He reaches down and pets Zorro, and it looks almost like a graphical z fighting error as he does so. He nods as he stands.


    ¡°It¡¯s more difficult to maintain an illusion when someone is touching you, rustling your clothes or hair¡­ or fur,¡± hements with a smile, then chuckles at a memory. ¡°I had to learn that when I started disguising myself as an elven child for a while, before joining the Shield. People love ruffling the hair of urchins, and I¡¯d expect stray dogs to be the same.¡±


    ¡°So how-¡±


    ¡°Eleven.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me make theps longer, Freddie! I¡¯ll do it!¡± threatens my Voice as he gets interrupted by Freddie once more, who is the picture of innocence as he continues to jog.


    ¡°Take a rest, Freddie,¡± manages Torlon with a straight face. I bet he has a lot of experience with not giving away the gag like that. ¡°As for how to fix it, practice is the best method I¡¯ve found. Or shorter, rougher hair. You¡¯d need to actually trim it short and do something to make it more rough, but it¡¯ll be a lot easier to convincingly conceal, and discourage all but the friendliest of people from touching too much.¡±


    Zorro looks down at himself and I can feel him weighing his desire to do this against his desire to have soft floofy fur. Teemo gives him an understanding look, and even Torlon nods at his dilemma.


    ¡°Think of it as motivation. If you¡¯re going to try to look like a stray, the closer you look, feel, and <em>smell</em>, the easier it will be to convince people. If you¡¯re going to do this, you¡¯ll have to get good if you want to have your luxurious pelt back.¡±


    Zorro gives a long, forlorn foxy squeak, hanging his head and tail low in defeat. I pat the bond with him, trying to encourage him. Floof is the toll to pay for sneakiness.

 Chapter Three-Hundred Twenty-One

    Chapter Three-Hundred Twenty-One


    While I¡¯m pretty sure Zorro will need a trim if he¡¯s going to pass as a hungry stray, I don¡¯t rush him in getting it. He¡¯s practicing his illusions a lot, so I think it¡¯s only right if I upgrade the spawner and give him not only a bit of a boost from that, but also some more foxes to practice with.


    I still only have the basic foxes, though they did at leaste with illusion affinity. It costs a bit extra to set a specific affinity for a spawner, but it wasn¡¯t much to worry about at the time. Upgradingter gets pretty spendy, though. If I were to upgrade either of the rat spawners to have spatial affinity now they¡¯re maxed out, it¡¯d take a big bite out of the tree fund. I think I¡¯ll need to wait before getting anything with spatial affinity.


    Back to the foxes though, the normal model looks like a normal fox, and they mostly deal with either luring illusions, or with shes and pops to distract. They are definitely not set up for a real fight, and if I specialize them as casters like I expect I will, they¡¯ll still be a mostly support role. Anyhow, let¡¯s spend some mana and get the next tier of fox, before I keep getting distracted with the options.


    Out of the spawneres a fox with two tails,beled as a mischief fox. While the normal foxes are probably more suited to be ordinary encounters, maybe around the manor, the mischiefs look like they try to avoid direct fighting at all. They have a lot more magic at their disposal, and I watch as the first one explores the forest until it finds a small pile of coins under arge leaf in the spring section.


    It notes the location before darting off to grab a living vine, dragging it back in its mouth. The vine seems confused, but picks up on the idea as the mischief puts it by the coins and casts an illusion. The coins seem to double in number as the living vine burrows itself down, leaving just a flower above the ground. The mischief works on that, too, making it seem a bit bigger and like it¡¯s trying to hide the coins. Once satisfied, the mischief hides, sticking around to ensure the illusion doesn¡¯t drop.


    I chuckle at the trick, and hope it¡¯ll encourage more mana generation in the area. It seems pretty likely as I watch another mischief put its own spin on the trick, making the coins appear fewer instead. It looks like delvers here will need to either learn to spot illusions, or take a gamble when they spot the bright flowers. The point isn¡¯t in hiding the potential treasure, but rather in making delvers decide if it¡¯s worth rolling the dice.


    I further upgrade the fox spawner a couple times to get a few more mischiefs spawning, but I don¡¯t get near the next variety yet. I want to let them get a bit more used to things before I add more of them. I do nudge Zorro to guide some of the basic foxes to the manor house, where they should make a great addition to the encounters there.


    I¡¯m not done upgrading yet, though. I eye the other spawners in the forest, deciding what to upgrade next. The earth elemental spawner might not be in there, but it doesn¡¯t escape my consideration. The soil elementals are really cool, and I bet they¡¯ll synergize well with my vines as I keep upgrading them, but I think I¡¯ll leave them alone for now.


    The elementals, that is. The living vines are square in my sights for upgrading, and I get them going up to the next spawn. For a brief moment, I think the spawner itself is wandering off, but that¡¯s just what the new spawn looks like. It¡¯s a living bramble, and seems to more or less be a bigger, gnarlier version of the vines. I even watch one merge with one of the elementals, making it look a lot meaner. They¡¯re still two different denizens, and I watch as they get used to coordinating so closely together, but they look like they¡¯ll be a massive pain to fight. Not only does the bramble have some pretty nasty thorns, but when backed up with the mass of the elemental, people are going to need to have a good bit of armor between them and any hits.And for trying to attack back, neither denizen really has a set shape, so they can weave out of the way of a lot of attacks. I even spot a few vines investigating if there¡¯s enough room for them, too. I think the elemental is full with a single bramble, but I also wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the next elemental spawn will have more room.


    I eye giving them an affinity, and even look at the specialization options, but don¡¯t set anything yet. Spatial vines could be cool, but I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re the right choice for helping maintain the shortcuts just yet. The idea is growing on me, though.@@novelbin@@


    Especially if I specialize them for resources. They have a lot of herbalism synergy, not a surprise, but there¡¯s also a few more esoteric options. I could actually have some grow full-on potion fruits, or have buds made of precious metals or gems. One particrly interesting one is mana flowers. If I understand this right, they are basically a passive mana ie for me, drawing in stagnant and turbulent mana and smoothing it out directly. Individually, they don¡¯t do much, but if I had a bunch of them, it¡¯d add up quick. And if I give them spatial affinity before they get expensive enough to require a kidney or two, I might be able to have them siphon mana even outside my borders.


    If youe across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Definitely something to keep in mind, but I think that¡¯ll be a project forter. Maybe when I get working on the whole spywork thing. Why set up just onework when I can set up two at once? Three if the spatial stuff is an option and counts separately.


    Much like with the foxes, I give the vine spawner another level or two to boost the spawn rate, and let the denizens go find good ces to hang out.


    Or get told where to hang out. Looks like Titania is taking it upon herself to make sure the forest is running smoothly, and I see Goldilocks watching as she directs the new denizens. I pat the bond with both of them before getting back to work, appreciating their efforts even as I work on putting even more on their tes.


    I think I have two more spawners to upgrade before I let things settle again, and the first is going to be the bears. nder said they¡¯d be great as heavies, and now that I¡¯m getting a better feel for the encounters in the forest, I agree with him even more than when he said it. Before I go upgrading it, I spend the mana to give the bears kic affinity, too. Ordinarily, I¡¯d expect the fighting specialization to give that to them, but I can see an option for that path that will give them <em>life</em> affinity, too. Not only should they be able to give themselves some regeneration or heal other denizens, but they should also be able to keep anyone they hurt too bad alive until a more specialized denizen can get there and help. It¡¯ll probably be weird for the delvers to be saved by the same thing that put them in that sort of state in the first ce, but that¡¯s just the kind of dungeon I am.


    The basic bears are just ck bears, and they¡¯ve been mostly just wandering around and asionally attacking the delvers thate through. The bears tend not tost too long, what with the more experienced delvers being the ones toe check the area out. But with the new affinity and the upgrades, the spawner skips straight to coughing up grizzlies! That ought to get delvers¡¯ attention.


    I¡¯m not quite sure what to do with the ck bears, though. Maybe I¡¯ll ask Goldilocks to point them toward the cavernyer? They¡¯re a bit weak for the forest, but I think, especially with the added kic affinity, they should fit right in with the difficulty curve there.


    I¡¯ll poke herter. For now, I let the different bears explore and look for their niche in the changing forest.


    Lastly, but certainly not leastly, I¡¯m going to upgrade the bee spawner. nder mentioned armory bees when he came through with Berdol, and those sound really cool to me! It looks like they¡¯re thest spawn before I get the semi-intelligent denizen: Royals. The spawner isn¡¯t giving me much information besides the name yet, but it¡¯s not difficult to guess they¡¯re going to be leading all the other bees in the area. With something like that coordinating them, the armory bees could be a serious threat.


    It also gives me an idea for some more aranea quests, but that¡¯ll be a long ways off. I think I want to max out the snake spawner next. For now, I upgrade the bee spawner enough to get the armory bees, and they spawn in squads, looks like.


    While the rumble bees have specialized limbs, it looks like armory bees have simple graspers ande with their own variety of equipment. This particr squad is infantry and all have polearms. I think they¡¯re too short to technically be halberds, but the heads look right to me. They also have ck and yellow armor that seems to be some variety of steel. I dunno how well normal steel will fare against adventurers like nder, but it¡¯ll probably be better than chitin¡­ and having both is <em>definitely</em> better.


    They stand about four feet tall, though they hover an extra foot off the ground as they organize themselves before flying off in formation. I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re looking for, until they spot one of the living brambles and make a beeline for it. I expect them to just swoop in and rx, but they instead coordinate to pick it up and fly for a cluster of trees that have grown closer together than most. Then they start using the bramble to make their hive.


    The bramble isn¡¯t hurt, and in fact starts to grow little metallic tips on its thorns as the armory bees work. More squads spawn and start gathering brambles, too, and it looks to me like armory is a good name for them. They make their own honey, but it seems to work simr to the metal transmutation elixir, turning whatever they dunk into it into steel. Interestingly, it doesn¡¯t affect the bees themselves. If I had to guess, it doesn¡¯t work on anything alive, with the possible exception of the brambles? Maybe they just feed the honey to it and it works from there?


    However it works, I can already feel Queen wanting toe take a look, and I¡¯m not going to stop her. Honey ising to investigate, too, so I imagine the two will have the secrets of the armory honey solved before too long. They¡¯re wee to it. As for myself, I sit back and watch the bees work, as well as the other new denizens. I never expected there to be so much interaction between the denizens, though I probably should have. Most things in a forest interact at least a little over a year. With me having all four seasons at once, is it any surprise they¡¯re getting to it immediately?

 Chapter Three-Hundred Twenty-Two

    Chapter Three-Hundred Twenty-Two


    The next week or so goes by in a blink of an eye as I watch things settle from all the upgrades, and the delvers get used to having someone like nder around. He doesn¡¯t get a chance to delve in that time, probably dealing with all the political stuff he was trying to avoid, or maybe stealing time to just hang out with his friends.


    The forest is seeing a lot more adventurers now, even if it¡¯s still a work in progress. The basic format is settled, and the denizens are adjusting to their roles quickly, though there are some growing pains. The first couple days, I had to keep extra healing slimes in the area, and I think Grim was spending more time there than in the cemetery. Goldilocks and Titania have been diligently sticking close to him, learning all they can about making the encounters just right, and ironing out the details with some of the other denizens.


    A lot more delvers are getting injured in the forest than I was expecting, but I think that only reinforces the need for a more traditional crawl at a higher level. The manor fills that niche for the new delvers, but I really have wandered away from abat focus for most of my other sections. Sure, they¡¯re not <em>free</em> from a fight anywhere, but the tunnels are more like a highway than a ce to fight, the caverns are more for mining than fighting, the gauntlet is a challenge of skill, not martial prowess, and thebyrinth is a puzzle rather than something to hit really hard.@@novelbin@@


    I¡¯m d that, even battered and bruised, the delvers are generally in good spirits about the whole thing. They¡¯re enjoying pushing their limits, finding where they actually are in an environment where they won¡¯t have to die or lose a friend to find them. It¡¯s more than a bit reckless, but most are learning pretty quickly. A broken bone can be recovered at a good healer, but the loot tax for ¡®defeat¡¯ isn¡¯t so easily fixed. A couple groups have to learn a couple times that they aren¡¯t ready yet, but they¡¯re the exception, not the rule.


    Zorro has finally admitted defeat with his floof, and though I¡¯m sad to see him have to trim it down a lot, it¡¯s in to see how much easier it is for him to maintain his disguise with shorter fur. He¡¯s started going out on sojourns a lot, wandering Fourdock and getting to know people and how the town itself is faring. It¡¯s more than a bit embarrassing to learn how often people talk about me, but at least it¡¯s easy to rationalize why.


    Most aren¡¯t really talking about <em>me</em> so much as the dungeon. Sure, <em>I¡¯m</em> the dungeon, but there¡¯s a big difference. They talk about the challenges, rumors about certain sections, gossip about what the delvers are doing, or sometimes their own ns for delves. Those are actually fun to listen to, and informative, too. Delving is bing more and more of a hobby for a lot of people, and it¡¯s relieving to hear them talk about the little details that the more experienced delvers don¡¯t even notice anymore.


    Like the aranea quests. Sure, the guild people will just grab one on their way to whatever their actual quest is, but the more casual delvers really appreciate the guidance of the small quests. For them, the little ques <em>are</em> their quests, not just a little bonus. The rewards are also a big draw for the newer delvers, too.


    While the aranea still refuse to give out more than a single item, like the infamous lone sock, they are starting to diversify their rewards beyond silkcraft. The ratlings and magmyrm have been slowly refilling the warehouses I have with misceneous things, and the aranea finally seem to feel there¡¯s enough for them to start giving out as rewards.


    Now they sometimes give out a single mail gauntlet instead of a single silk sock. Gems are a prettymon alternative reward, along with the asional potion. I still don¡¯t know what criteria they use to determine what they give out, but the only disappointments I¡¯ve noticed so far is when a delver is rewarded with only one of an item that¡¯s usually paired.There¡¯s another project that¡¯s growing, though I haven¡¯t had to do much myself to help, aside from upgrade the limestone quarry again. I might need to upgrade the iron ore vein soon, too, but I¡¯ll see how things go before I do. Rer is serious about the hold in the nearby mountains, and word is finally getting out that miners of all varieties will be needed, as well as more masons to learn the new ways of concrete.


    Coda and sh have been working to slowly expand the ess shaft to the caverns. Every day, the miners work to bring up even more limestone, and my Civil Artificer is determined to ensure the traffic flows smoothly to and from the quarry, random encounters aside. I¡¯ve seen him sketch out a few highway intersections, a wing w tracing the flows as he figures things out. I¡¯ve only done a few intersections in some games, so I don¡¯t know the details of why certain ones work better than others. All I know is that having traffic cross is bad.


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    Coda understands a lot more than that, so I¡¯m happy to leave it to him after appreciating the geometry of his intersections. It''s enough to tempt me more to buy spatial affinity for something again, but I resist the siren song for now.


    The price tag is a big deterrent, that¡¯s for sure. I could afford it for the nt spawner, but it won¡¯t be cheap. Still, there¡¯s a lot of potential benefits for not only having spatial affinity, but having it for the nts. They certainly won''t get bored from maintaining shortcuts, for example. Honestly, I¡¯m holding off because I really like the idea of spatial affinity gremlins, after trading with Violet to get them.


    I just think it sounds cool, even if there¡¯s probably a better spawner to use for it. The more I think about it, though, the more I think that idea will probably go the way of my folding spear heads or Zorro¡¯s floof. I doubt I could make my gremlins have shadow <em>and</em> spatial affinities, at least not without breaking the bank. The initial spawner and affinity addition wouldn¡¯t be too bad, but I think the upgrades to the spawner willpete with the dragon spawner if I do that. The stronger things are usually more expensive. I haven¡¯t felt the pinch too bad with the forest spawners just yet, but I bet once I get the tree in and upgrade the spawners even further, they¡¯ll get more expensive than the dragons.


    Speaking of, I check in on them and am happy to see most of them in and around thebyrinth, eating the fire elemental invaders and challenging the delvers. I even spot a couple wyrms not far from the antkin enve. It looks like an ambitious rancher ant is trying to tempt them, but they¡¯re staying at a distance for now. Nova is helping out with scouting the foundations of the forest, and it seems like things are going to be stable in there for roots, thankfully. I¡¯m still waiting for the full survey report, but so far, it¡¯s looking very promising.


    Also looking promising are the antkin. I think they¡¯re just about ready to go hunt. They could probably prepare forever, but they¡¯re smart enough to recognize the diminishing returns. They¡¯ll have a lot of things to redesign as they get more action while out on a hunt, but right now, they¡¯re about as good as they¡¯re going to get.


    The ranchers are still figuring out exactly what they want to use to hunt, with the current forerunner being what amounts to a boar spear for the burly antkin. The head looks closer to a ive than a spearhead, but it should still stab easily.


    The workers look like they favor the ssic shield and shortspearbo, and are drilling in small formations. It looks like the enchanters even managed to make the shields able to link up somewhat, letting the protection magic shift to where it''s needed. The links are a bit tenuous, so we¡¯ll see if it holds up in an actual fight, but the sparring tests look promising.


    The medics are enjoying thepound bows, now the engineering caste knows how to make them. It looks like the alchemists actually were able to make an effective glue arrow, too. Considering I haven¡¯t seen any delvers use something simr, I think they¡¯ll have a good product to put onto the market once they finish up with their progress bars.


    All of them are wearing wyrmhide armor, with the ranchers having the heaviest versions and the medics with the lightest. I¡¯m still not sure how they even manage to make the stuff, but it seems like a decent midpoint between something like boiled leather and actual steel. There¡¯s still the faint lines of magma-like coloring running through the hide, and while it stands out in my territory and on the surface, the antkin seem pretty confident in it helping them stay unnoticed in the volcanic section they intend to hunt in.


    If nothing else, I doubt they have anything avable that would give them better protection from the heat and fiery attacks of whatever¡¯s in there. Right now, they¡¯re making their final preparations for their first hunt. As I understand it, they¡¯re not expecting to go especially deep. This will be as much a scouting trip as a hunting trip, though the antkin intend to give them all a hero¡¯s send-off.


    Aranya, Larx, and Frn are intending toe to see them off in the morning, and I get the feeling Queen wants to make her presence known, too. It¡¯ll be a big deal for the antkin to make this work. The hunters look nervous, but determined, which I take as a good sign. If they were strutting around and boasting, I¡¯d worry for their safety. But there¡¯s a healthy amount of caution in their movements as they prepare their kits, making sure they¡¯ll be readye morning. It¡¯s tempting to ask Nova to go with them and keep an eye on them, but I think that''d be doing them a disservice. They¡¯ve worked hard for this. I can¡¯t helicopter around them and fuss the whole time. They can do this, and I need to trust them enough to let them.

 Chapter Three-Hundred Twenty-Three

    Chapter Three-Hundred Twenty-Three


    <strong>Bem</strong>


    The worker antkin tries to keep his cool as he walks with his fellow hunters. The others have dug an easier ess tunnel to the volcanic area, where the Deans and the High Priestess are waiting to send them off. He nces at his fellow workers, Gim and Tob, and hopes they¡¯re dealing with nerves better than he is. At first nce, it¡¯d be easy to think they are, but Bem can see the rigidity in their posture and the tension in their mandibles.


    Looking to the other castes, it¡¯s actually a relief to see them both looking nervous as well. Ran, therge rancher caste, has her spear in her hands and is trying to look confident, but her strong hand is gripping the haft hard enough Bem swears he can see itpressing, while her weak hand is twitching, trying to fiddle away her nervous energy.


    Jin¡¯s apprehension is easier to spot, with her constantly patting her pouches and pockets, ensuring she has everything she needs. Herpound bow rests on her back next to the quiver, a selection of alchemical heads strung across her thorax in a bandolier. Her hands glide over each piece of equipment, her mandibles twitching as she confirms them in her head for the tenth time or more.


    Bem tries not to worry about going out into the wild volcanic region, remembering the assurances of the crafters about all their gear. The armor will protect from the heat, don¡¯t forget to link the shields if needed, keep your eyes peeled, and more advice all seem to merge into a half-remembered sludge. He just hopes he¡¯ll remember things clearly if anything goes wrong.


    Before he can start imagining the ways things <em>could</em> go wrong, his group rounds the bend and sees the Deans and the High Priestess, as well as Elder Larx and Warmistress Frn. The Deans are better at hiding their nervousness than Bem and hispanions, but the way they stand makes him think they¡¯re relying heavily on High Priestess Aranya and the leaders from the other enves to keep their semnce of confidence.


    The High Priestess lookspletely at ease, smiling easily as she spots the hunters. Elder Larx smiles as well, his eyes seeming to take in every detail in a few moments before shining with pride in his soon-to-be fellow dwellers. The Warmistress of the spiderkin looks more scrutinizing in her appraisal of the party, and when she gives a small nod of eptance, Bem feels much more confident in their ability to not just die out there. Huntsmistress Vernew would probably better know if they¡¯d be able to actually bring something back, but therge tarant woman¡¯s approval speaks well of their ability toe back in the first ce.


    There¡¯s no grand speech as the hunters reach the leaders, but rather a simple prayer invoked by the High Priestess. ¡°May Lord Thedeim bless this hunt to be fruitful and see you all return safely. If He sees fit to only grant one, let it be safety.¡± She finishes with a smile as aforting nket of orange descends over the antkin.


    The little joke at the end doesn¡¯t lift Bem¡¯s spirits much, but it does at least help him remember what should be their highest priority out there: don¡¯t die. He¡¯s not certain if he or the others would go to Lord Thedeim¡¯s afterlife or return to their spawner, but nobody is eager to find out. Either way, there¡¯s no reason to take wild risks. The crafters have been working to reduce the risk in their own way, while their training has been to reduce it further.He and the others stand straight, antennae crossed in a salute, before Bem replies. ¡°We¡¯ll be careful High Priestess, Deans. We¡¯ll bring back meat or knowledge, either will help the enve.¡±


    The gathered leaders nod and step aside to let them pass, nobody standing on ceremony. If all goes well, they¡¯ll have ceremony enough when they officially be dwellers. They march with purpose and dignity until they round a bend in the tunnel, finally letting them rx a little and release the tension they¡¯ve been holding.


    As a group, they all sag, each exhaling a long sigh.


    ¡°No pressure¡­¡± mutters Tob, earning a snort of amusement from Gim.


    ¡°Just the future of the enve, no big deal, right?¡± The nervousughter helps ease the tension further, and soon they all collect themselves. They don¡¯t need to talk as they continue down the tunnel, the temperature rising even as their armor keeps themfortable.


    ¡°Feels like the armor¡¯s working,¡±ments Jin as she takes her bow in hand, and the others nod, with Ran speaking the thought on everyone¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Hopefully it works as well against the beasts as the heat.¡±


    Soon, the tunnel opens up into arge cavern, arge magma flow winding through it and providing light. Tall mushrooms dot the subterraneanndscape, with smaller varieties much moremon. Lichen covers the floor like grass, with some acting like vines and clinging to the walls and ceiling, as well as draping over the tall mushrooms. Fiery bats flit about, too high to make tempting targets to hunt, at least just yet.


    ¡°How good do you think a bat is?¡± asks Gim, earning shrugs all around before Bem answers.


    ¡°I think we¡¯d need a lot to feed the enve. Lord Thedeim¡¯s bats don¡¯t seem to have too much meat on them.¡± That earns nods as the group spreads out some, still keeping everyone easily in sight, but letting them all get a closer look at the interesting growing things.


    Bem is interested in a vine hanging over a shorter mushroom, bearing little ck things that might be some kind of fruit. He tosses a rock to make sure it won¡¯t explode or something, and is d when the vine continues to act as a normal boring vine, even if it¡¯s ashen gray with ck teardrops on it. He manages to pluck one, but doesn¡¯t even try to bite into it yet. He doesn¡¯t know if it¡¯s ripe, or even if it¡¯s edible if it were! Better to bring a piece back for someone to take a closer look at. His nearest friend is Ran, who seems to be looking at something on the ground, but not bending down to get a closer look.


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    ¡°What¡¯d you find, Ran?¡± he asks as he nears her, and she holds up her strong hand to get him to stop.


    ¡°A big patty. Watch your step. I want to ask Jin if it would be worth hunting.¡± Bem looks down and sees therge st, and is d there doesn¡¯t seem to be any other ones around for him to step in.


    ¡°I¡¯ll gather everyone up.¡± Ran nods at that and starts looking around, probably to see if there¡¯s any signs of something eating the lichen or mushrooms. It doesn¡¯t take Bem long to gather the others. Gim found what looks like an edible mushroom to bring back, Tob found what looks like some kind of nut, but he thinks is a weird type of spore from the tall mushrooms, and Jin has a handful of bright yellow fern shoots that might be edible. Bem is inclined to think the ferns will be better for medicine or alchemy than eating, but it¡¯s still an interesting thing to bring back.


    ¡°Ran found a big poop patty and wants Jin¡¯s opinion on it.¡± The other two workers look disgusted at the idea, but Jin nods as she follows.


    ¡°I think Ran would be better able to tell what kind of thing would leave scat like that, but sure, I¡¯ll look.¡± Soon, everyone is around the final product of something¡¯s meal, with Ran and Jin poking it with a stick and the workers keeping an eye out.


    ¡°It looked pretty grassy to me, but I wanted you to take a look.¡±


    ¡°It does have a smell, doesn¡¯t it. I think it might have been eating the ferns I found. They probably have sulfur in them. I wonder if it¡¯s for nutrition, or as some way to encourage predators to leave, thinking there¡¯s another predator already in the area.¡±


    They poke the patty apart, looking for any other information, but it seems like it¡¯s pretty boring, as far as poop goes. ¡°I think it¡¯s some kind of bovine, maybe?¡± proims Jin, though that makes Ran frown.


    ¡°It looks like, but there¡¯s no other patties. They usually run in herds.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it got kicked out?¡± suggests Tob, still keeping an eye out.


    ¡°Or is solitary in the first ce,¡± offers Gim.


    ¡°Either way, it seems like a good target to track first. Any objections?¡± asks Bem, and nobody raises any. Unfortunately, deciding to track it is easier than actually tracking it. The lichen-covered floor is springy enough that tracks vanish quickly. They manage to find a scattered trail by following patches of nibbled lichen and eaten ferns. They spot a lot of other wildlife as they go, and even carefully detour around a fire elemental. As a group, they could probably take it, but nobody is going to eat a fire elemental, so why take the risk, especially if themotion could spook the actual target away.


    They hear their quarry before they see it, the loud crunching of nts and possibly even rocks as it chews without a care in the world. Once they <em>do</em> spot it, it¡¯s no surprise it doesn¡¯t feel the need to eat quietly. It¡¯s a massive bison with obsidian horns that stick out to the sides, as tall at the shoulder as Ran with a shaggy coat as ck as coal. The tip of its tail glows brightly, but the rest of it seems to be flesh. If it sees them, it doesn¡¯t pay them any attention, so the group backs up out of line of sight to discuss what to do.


    ¡°That¡¯s a <em>lot</em> of meat,¡± points out Teb.


    ¡°And a lot of critter to fight,¡± counters Ran.


    ¡°Do you think we can handle it?¡± asks Bem, and Ran considers.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°If it¡¯s on its own and doesn¡¯t seem bothered, it¡¯s probably meaner than most things around. The sides¡¯ll have thick hide, but that¡¯ll probably be easier to get through than that thick skull. Definitely watch for the horns, even from the side.¡±


    ¡°Do you think the glue will work?¡± asks Jin.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Ran and Bem peek out of cover to take a better look at the bison and the surroundings, before ducking back.


    ¡°I think I¡¯d try the sleeping spores instead,¡± suggests Bem, with a nod from the rancher.


    ¡°I think that thing¡¯ll be stronger than the glue, yeah.¡±


    Jin nods and affixes several sleeping heads to her arrow shafts. ¡°I¡¯ll pepper it as long as it stays at range, then switch to hunting heads.¡±


    ¡°Ran will take the left if it gets close, and we¡¯ll take the right,¡± says Bem, and that¡¯s all the nning that¡¯s needed. They learned long ago in training that trying to n something fancy was just a good way to tangle everyone up. It¡¯s better to have a basic n, and adjust on the fly as needed.


    As a group, they move back out, and Jin lets the first sleeping arrow fly. She hits it right in the side of the head, causing it to sneeze as it breathes in the spores, and shakes it head a few times before resuming eating. ¡°I hope it¡¯s not immune to these kind of spores¡­¡±ments Jin as she fires again.


    This time, it lifts its head and looks around, wondering what¡¯s going on. It eyes the group for a long minute, who all stay still, before it resumes eating. ¡°One more, and if that doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll have to do this the hard way.¡± Jin looses a third arrow and hits it right in the snout, triggering a violent sneezing fit from the bison before it looks around once more. Its gaze settles on the party again, and stays there longer than before as they wait for it to either go back to eating or fall asleep.


    Thankfully, its lids start to droop as the spores finally do their job. It staggers away, but is easy enough to follow by sound alone, so they let it think it¡¯s away from them as they follow it. Soon enough, the noises quiet, and they sneak closer to find it asleep, legs tucked underneath itself. They quickly coordinate then surround the sleeping bison, each one taking their own target.


    The crossbar for the boar spear is set too close to the head for Ran to really have a shot at reaching anything important from the side, but a good stab to the throat should work well enough. Bem, Gim, and Tob each prepare to go for the legs, looking to sever the tendons and minimize the potential thrashing. Jin stands at the head, ready to fire a hunting arrow into its eye and hopefully into the brain. They all prepare carefully, with Ran slowly maneuvering her spear closer and closer. They all tense as she touches its hide, but it doesn¡¯t wake. This lets the others ce their weapons exactly where they want, and the four melee hunters strike as one.


    They¡¯re forced back as heat blooms from the bison, its blood looking like magma as it flows from the beast. Luckily, the triple dose of sleeping spores keeps it asleep until it¡¯s asleep forever. They all sigh in relief once it no longer draws breath, and keep giving it space to let the fiery blood continue to drain.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s a sessful hunt, everyone. We¡¯ll let it drain as much as we can, gut it, then carry it home,¡± congrattes Bem, and they all give a cheer at that. Sure, they need to make sure nothinges by to steal their hunt, but after the sess of downing the bison, they feel confident in handling any scavengers who think they can get an easy meal.


    Happily, nothing shows up to try to contest it, and after an hour, they heft the bison to carry home.

 Chapter Three-Hundred Twenty-Four

    Chapter Three-Hundred Twenty-Four


    The atmosphere in the antkin enve is tense while they wait for the hunters to return. Aranya, Larx, and Frn stick around and try to ease everyone¡¯s nerves, but they can only do so much. It¡¯s a big risk they¡¯re taking, and vital for them to seed if they¡¯re going to finally fill those bars and be dwellers.@@novelbin@@


    The castes all try to keep themselves busy, trying to kill time with tasks that aren¡¯t too important, lest they cause a mess by working while so distracted. Even the Deans are nervous, each trying to distract themselves in their own ways. When the hunting party finally returns, relief washes over the entire enve before a cheer follows behind.


    They have some kind of weird buffalo thing with a coat a lot shaggier than I would have expected from something living in a volcanic region. They eventually drop it off with other workers for them to start butchering, before the hunters are called to the Deans to tell the tale of their hunt.


    They seem a bit embarrassed about how simple the hunt was, but I at least am d things went smoothly. Their exnation of the incredible body heat of the beast makes me wonder if the coat is actually a thermal conductor, letting the bison draw in the ambient heat and store it forter, probably to be used by the tail in some way.


    The gear did well, but there¡¯s a lot of room for improvement. It sounds like the sleeping spores could be a lot more potent, though that¡¯s going to be a fine line to ride between making them more effective and not making them so effective that friendly fire bes a big problem. The boar spear needs the guard lowered another foot or so, though Nik the Engineering Dean suggests utilizing the quick swap heads to be able to put on a longer de forrger foes. They¡¯ll probably test both options more in the future.


    More pouches are requested, too. There¡¯s apparently a lot of potential things to gather, yet everyone was only able to bring back one sample each. They all look interesting to me, though a quick scan of my warehouse shows my bats have already brought back those samples and more from their own expeditions. I should add a couple molten gardens or something to thebyrinth, see if I can get the herbalists as obsessed as the miners and smiths with the area.


    It takes them a couple hours to go over everything, and a couple hours for the workers to butcher the big bison for food. The butchery manages to finish first, and the bars tick up again, causing another cheer to echo through the enve. The bar isn¡¯t full just yet, but they¡¯re making progress once more! Emboldened, the other hunting groups are sent out, with either Aranya or Larx blessing each one. I give a drop of power to each just as I did with the first. I¡¯m not sure exactly how it¡¯ll help them, but I seriously doubt it¡¯ll hinder them, so I¡¯m more than fine with helping out like that.


    The hunters that aren¡¯t sent out redouble their training, while the crafting castes work on improving their equipment. As the hunting groups start returning, none have another big bison to show, but there¡¯s plenty of forage to bring back. One group even has arge serpent of some kind that they somehow fished out of ava flow! Apparently, they spotted something in theva and decided to test how well the suits inste against heat. They weren¡¯t crazy enough to try to dive in, but they were able to get close enough to get a better look, though they can¡¯t look into theva like they can with water.


    Still, they could see fins asionally breaching the surface, so it then became a matter of finding what ava fish might like to eat, and how to actually reel something like that in. They found a good candidate for bait in the ck teardrop fruit, noticing several mushrooms with the vines dangling over the pool. They tossed one in to check, and were happy to not only see it didn¡¯t immediately burst into mes, but also to see it sucked under the surface by something.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    A bit more testing showed that, though the vines will quickly burn in theva, the mushrooms seemed much more resistant. They took some time to carve a long and thick pole out of one, even managing to attach a few hunting arrowheads to the end as a kind of hook. It sounds like the pole was about as rigid as a pool noodle, but they didn¡¯t have much else to use. With the hook baited, they tapped the surface a few times before the serpent came to take the bait, and it became a tug of war. Even with how big the serpent is, it wasn¡¯t a match for the hunters, especially not after they glued one of the workers to the floor and to the pole, giving them an anchor the thing couldn¡¯t beat. Once it tired itself out, they hauled it to shore and quickly dispatched it, before freeing the worker anding home with one heck of a fish tale.


    After that, some of the crafters start focusing on trying to make better fishing gear, and the ranchers even start drawing up ns to create some kind of habitat to try to raiseva fish. I have no idea if it¡¯ll be easier or harder than the cave lobsters the spiderkin domesticated, but judging by how steadily the bars are progressing now, it seems to be just as viable an option.


    Within just a few days, the bars are nearly full, which gives Teemo just enough time to exin to the spiderkin about a style of hat for the antkin, and get enough made for everyone. Because if my college of ants are going to graduate to antkin, they should get to wear the traditional mortarboards.


    They still prefer what are effectively togas to traditional robes, but I think they all look great as they gather before city hall, with the Deans standing at the doors, along with Aranya and Larx, as well as Frn, Norloke, and Vernew, too. My High Priestess steps forward and the murmuring of the crowd quiets as she starts to speak.


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy to have been able to help a third of Lord Thedeim¡¯s enves along their path, and to see the new and unique challenges you faced and overcame. As your castes show, you all have a wide range of talents and skills, but the thirst for knowledge is one of many things you all share. Please never lose that thirst. As Lord Thediem has shown, there is always something new to discover, some mystery to uncover, some new path to explore. I and the other enves are eager to have more friends to do all that and more with.¡±


    Polite apuse follows as she steps back, letting Headmaster Ede forward. ¡°The details of our time as Lord Thedeim¡¯s magmyrm have faded, but the lessons we learned are ingrained in our souls. Cooperation. Curiosity. Compassion. We could not have achieved this without working together, and I think our points of stagnation showed this. We struggled to find a way to organize our cooperation at the start, and at the end, we had to all work together, ying to our strengths, to be able to find a way to sustain ourselves and not starve.


    ¡°Our College is testament to our curiosity, our drive to figure out how things work and apply that knowledge to the betterment of all. Ranching, Engineering, Enchanting, Medicine, Alchemy; each to discover new wonders, and the Workers to apply it. Once again, we wouldn¡¯t aplish any of this without each other.


    ¡°And we must never forget ourpassion. Many would use vile methods to discover some secret, some new morsel of knowledge, excusing to themselves that they would help so many more with just that one sacrifice. A single ant may not matter to the colony, but we are <em>not</em> mere ants any longer.¡± He looks to the Deans to see if they have anything to add, but they each smile and shake their head in turn, letting the Headmaster attend the entire college, as is his duty.


    He reaches up to the tassel hanging from the schrly hat, swapping it from one side to the other, with all the antkin doing the same. The bars wink out once they finish, and the Headmaster smiles with his mandibles wide as he proims: ¡°We are antkin! We are dwellers! We will ever seek out the new and use it to improve for all!¡±


    Every new antkin cheers and throws their hats into the air, and I couldn¡¯t be prouder of their well-earned graduation. Some antkin pick up the hats, while others leave them be, more interested in mingling than in a souvenir. The other two enves soon join them and see about having a party fit for a college, too. There¡¯s also a smattering of kobolds in the crowd, enjoying the atmosphere of triumph, and I even spot Parm as he picks up one of the hats.


    I¡¯m looking forward to the day he can toss his own into the air to celebrate his graduation, too.

 Chapter Three-Hundred Twenty-Five

    Chapter Three-Hundred Twenty-Five


    <strong>Gerlfi</strong>


    The goblin summoner eyes the cemetery gates, his friends and party members at his side. He had been hoping for an opportunity like this, but once it actually became an option, he found himself scrambling to prepare! He¡¯s formed pacts with dungeon fey before. It¡¯s his specialty, in fact, so he knows he has to have something to offer that the fey actually want.


    But what could a scion want?


    It¡¯s a question at the forefront of his mind ever since he learned Thedeim got a fey spawner. The odd dungeon has its quirks, but he had no doubt that a fey spawner would mean a fey scion, even if it took almost a week for the Dungeoneers to officially announce her: Titania.@@novelbin@@


    Something about the name has <em>weight</em> to it. Bargaining with her will be no easy task. Luckily for him, Wold and Vieds both understand how significant it could be for him to form a pact with her. Wold, therge bearkin, knew without being told that a scion would need far more than milk and honey to agree to be summoned. Vieds, the changeling pyromancer, was even willing to check his mysterious contacts to see if they had any advice.


    What he could give was easy enough to guess the generals of, but the specifics will be daunting: a scion wants something to help their dungeon. But what could he offer a dungeon like Thedeim? A year old dungeon should be d to get maybe some piece of enchanted gear to examine, maybe a seed to grow, a potion to learn. But by all ounts, Thedeim is the one making new enchantments, new potions, even new <em>seeds</em> if he understands the rumors about a great tree correctly.


    The next obvious thing would be to offer him a new variety of denizen. Thedeim has quite a number of spawners, and seems to have no qualms about making even more. Histest expansion has him with fey, nts, bears, <em>and</em> foxes! And that doesn¡¯t even take into ount the other spawners getting upgrades! The difficult thing with getting a new denizen, however, is nobody in his party is a tamer of any sort. He¡¯s heard that some denizens can be tamed with little or no training, but to get one from a dungeon Thedeim doesn¡¯t already have close ties to would probably take a month to travel, delve, capture, and travel back.


    Then Veids had a simple suggestion, something that Gerlfi still isn¡¯t sure if it¡¯s genius or idiocy. Any other dungeon, he¡¯d never even entertain the idea. But with Thedeim, it might just be crazy enough to work.


    Ask Titania what she wants.Sure, it ruins the mystery, but it¡¯s difficult to solve one with so few clues! So now here he stands at the gates to the cemetery, his friends at his side, preparing to enter and go through to the Forest of Four Seasons beyond it.


    Wold moves first, ever willing to take the fore and guard his friends from the dangers lurking ahead. Gerlfi chuckles and shakes his head as he follows, quietlyughing at himself for being so dramatic. He mes the fey, though not anywhere they might hear.


    Veids brings up the rear, closing the gate behind the group before speaking softly, so as not to spoil the atmosphere of the cemetery. ¡°Do you think it¡¯ll work?¡±


    ¡°Ordinarily: no. But Thedeim isn¡¯t very ordinary.¡±


    Wold snorts at that and waves at Grim, the intimidating scion peacefully trimming the grass over the graves. The scion nods in reply, most of his attention on his duty. ¡°That¡¯s an understatement. I¡¯m looking forward to the encounters in the forest. I hear they¡¯re tough, but rewarding.¡±


    Vieds eagerly nods, and somehow manages to keep his voice down as he replies. ¡°I¡¯m definitely looking forward to it, even if Gerlfi can¡¯t form a pact! It¡¯s been a while since I had to worry about burning anything other than you two. It¡¯ll be good practice, if nothing else.¡±


    Wold rumbles a low chuckle as Gerlfi replies. ¡°You¡¯ve been doing well with thattely, too. Wold and I may actually need to see a barber soon, instead of simply letting you singe our hair to a more manageable length.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you appreciate my efforts for the good of the party. If you two would like me to give you a trim, I¡¯d be happy to oblige.¡±


    ¡°I prefer to let my winter coat shed naturally, thanks.¡± The three quietly banter and rib each other as they take the main path through the cemetery, and soon find themselves at the gates to the Forest of Four Seasons.


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    They head through with littlement, and once inside, the three keep their eyes peeled as they ponder which way to go. After a few seconds to consider, and consult his mental map, Gerlfi takes the lead.


    ¡°This way, I think. The Scion¡¯s name feels linked to summer, and I think it¡¯s in this direction.¡±


    Wold moves back into the lead as Vieds pulls out his tome, the changeling going over what kind of fire expertise to bring to bear in the woods. ¡°You guys heard about there being new denizens, yeah?¡±


    Gerlfi nods, a hand grazing over his linked crystals, trying to decide which would be best for this situation. ¡°The Dungeoneers haven¡¯t updated the packet officially yet, but brambles and armory bees are all the other Adventurers want to talk about.¡±


    ¡°And grizzlies,¡± adds Wold, earning a nod from both the others.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll focus on area attacks, Gerlfi, if you want to summon something to help Wold in melee?¡± Vieds snaps his book closed and stows it, his n now set, and the goblin turns to therge bearkin.


    ¡°Do you want something defensive, or offensive?¡±


    ¡°Offense. Forming a shield wall with Freddie and Fiona is all well and good, but sometimes I just want to tear foes apart with an ally looking for the same.¡±


    Gerlfi nods and pulls out a crystal. ¡°Then I think Vieds will need to take extra care with his fire today. It¡¯s been a while since I summoned Kelpie. It should be wet enough here she¡¯ll ept, but she definitely doesn¡¯t like fire.¡±


    Vieds shudders and nods. ¡°That horse terrifies me, but this does seem like a good ce for it, yeah. I¡¯ll be extra careful, so keep an eye out for things on the edges escaping.¡±


    Gerlfi nods and speaks into the crystal. ¡°Kelpie, I ask your aid. I offer you a new battleground that can give the variety of a year in only a day. I offer you untested foes to learn your fury. And I offer you a bottle of brandy once we get back to the guild.¡±


    Momentster, water gushes from the ground and a pale blue horse steps out and onto thend. Seaweed reces the hair of the mane and tail, and the eyes have a distinct predatory gleam to them. It looks around for a few moments before snorting, briefly revealing sharp teeth that don¡¯t belong in the mouth of any ordinary horse.


    Gerlfi does his best to hide his relief that Kelpie seems to approve of the forest. Kelpies are notoriously difficult to pact with, as their violent nature makes them difficult to tempt. But offer one a new battleground and new foes, sweeten the deal with some potent booze, and even the quintessential wild horse will deign to listen for at least a while.


    Calling Kelpie soon proves to be a good decision as a pair of grizzly bears spot the group through the dense woond of spring. Their challenging roar is echoed by Wold and Kelpie, leaving Gerlfi and Vieds to hurry to keep up with their charge.


    ¡°Lancing Orb!¡± cries Vieds as he weaves a sphere of fire to float over the battle. Wold and one grizzly sh, the denizen¡¯s paws mming against the bearkin¡¯s club while a swift kick from Kelpie momentarily dazes the other grizzly. Vieds¡¯ orb shows its name as lines of fire dart down to sear the bear Wold is fighting, the party mostly letting Kelpie have her fun with the other one.


    ¡°Impact,¡± casts Gerlfi, improving the strength of Kelpie¡¯s blows as she continues to kick and buck at the bear, pummeling the thing with the kind of viciousness her kind is known for. Wold¡¯s bear tries to disengage to somehow deal with the floating orb, but he shoves as it tries, knocking it to the ground before mming down his club to finish it off. Kelpie gets the hint and looks disappointed as her bear rears back to sh, only for her to dart forward and take a bite out of its neck.


    She happily trots in a circle, chewing as the bear quickly bleeds out, and Gerlfi just keeps repeating to himself that this was the most reasonable Kelpie he could find.


    They have several more encounters, one with a bramble fused with a soil elemental, and another with a group of armory bees. The first is handled by Kelpie washing out the elemental and Vieds burning the bramble, while the second is more of a ssic melee brawl. After the bees, they take a break to catch their breaths.


    ¡°The Guild wasn¡¯t joking about this area being tougher. It looks like even Kelpie is putting in effort,¡±ments Vieds, and Gerlfi nods at the sheen of sweat on the fey.


    ¡°Ordinarily, I¡¯d offer to give her a dirt rub down, but I think she¡¯d bite my hand off if I tried.¡± Kelpie nickers and nods at that, looking in high spirits despite being so sweaty. At least she won¡¯t have any arrows in her quiver to argue Gerlfi didn¡¯t deliver on his offerings.


    ¡°Any idea where Titania is?¡± asks Wold, looking around the warm woond.


    Gerlfi shrugs. ¡°I think we¡¯re in summer, but aside from that, I don¡¯t know. She might be around the garden in the center of the woods? I think the nt scion calls that area home, and a lot of Thedeim¡¯s scions group up.¡±


    Vieds nods at that. ¡°We don¡¯t have any other¡­ Kelpie¡¯s spotted something.¡± The other two look and see the watery horse staring off into the woods, teeth bared at something they can¡¯t see. But now they¡¯re paying attention, they can hear something¡­ a buzzing sound that¡¯s only growing louder.


    Though Kelpie is focused on one direction, Bumblebees descend all around them, each ridden by a bark pixie. The numbers actually dim the area slightly, the flying denizens blotting out the sun with their numbers. Suddenly, the buzzing goes silent as every branch, twig, and leaf nearby isnded on, the fey staring intently at the adventurers. Only one bee stays in the air, and it¡¯s not difficult to tell it must be Titania on her own steed, staring down Kelpie as she continues to buzz forward at a steady, regal pace.


    ¡°Please be gentle, Kelpie. I need to pact with her.¡±


    The summoned fey snorts and paws the ground, clearly looking for a fight. Gerlfi just hopes the dungeon understands it¡¯s <em>her</em> who wants a fight, not him.

 Chapter Three-Hundred Twenty-Six

    Chapter Three-Hundred Twenty-Six


    <strong>Gerlfi</strong>


    The goblin summoner nervously watches as Kelpie and Titania square off. With Kelpie, Gerlfi is well aware of what she¡¯s capable of. She¡¯s fast, strong, and devious, and only the promise of new and interesting foes was able to convince her to deal with him.


    Titania, however¡­ he doesn¡¯t have much to go on. He¡¯s pretty sure she¡¯s life affinity, but he has no idea how she might wield it, or if she has any other affinities besides fate to worry about. It seems Kelpie is determined to figure all that out and more.


    The watery horse growls, sounding more like a wolf, and earns herself a re from the small bark pixie atop the bee. It looks like Kelpie is trying to force Titania to surrender, which the smaller fey isn¡¯t going to entertain. Kelpie won¡¯t take such an insult lying down.


    She leaps into the air in a sh, determined to swallow the diminutive scion. Shends and starts stomping in rage, and it takes Gerlfi a few seconds to understand why. Not only does it look like Titania and the bee easily dodged the attack, but the pixie has produced a small sword that looks like it may have been plucked from a bramble and dipped in armory honey. And the tip is green with Kelpie¡¯s blood.


    Shocked, he focuses back on his summon, and sees a thin line along her cheek. ¡°...we should give them some room,¡± he cautions not only his friends, but the other pixies and nearby bees, too. He and his friends take several steps back, moving to the edge of the clearing as Kelpie turns her rage upon the scion that would dare injure her like that.


    Water gushes from the ground, roaring like a stormy sea as Kelpie directs a white-capped wave to crash upon the pixie. In response, she points her tiny sword like a baton, and the gathered pixies and bees spring into action. Each bark pixie takes arge leaf as a shield, and in a staggering disy of coordination, ovep and work together to stymie the rogue wave. Titania locks eyes with Kelpie as she wave crashes against her loyal denizens, daring the Kelpie to do better.


    Enraged, the summon charges forward, only to skid to a halt. It seems Titania is done ying and has embraced a title that Gerlfi didn¡¯t even know existed. The <strong>Fey Queen</strong> res down her nose at the upstart that is only just now beginning to understand her ce. Kelpie snarls and shapes the water into needles, but balks as Titania continues to re at her, the other pixies forming a defensive perimeter around her. The scion and the summon keep eye contact for several long seconds before Kelpie finally looks away, letting the watery needles ssh to the ground.


    Titania is magnanimous in victory, and shoos her away with a wave of her hand. Kelpie doesn¡¯t look happy about it, but sheys by a tree, where the other bark pixies swarm her. Some tend to her wound, but most are simply curious about the rare water fey.¡°She stared down Kelpie?¡± asks Vieds in awe, and Gerlfi is right there with him. Kelpies <em>love</em> fighting things, especially stronger things. For her to yield like that¡­


    ¡°Good luck forming a pact,¡± rumbles Wold, and the goblin has to re at hisrge friend.


    ¡°Yeah, thanks.¡± Much as it¡¯s cathartic to give his friend the stink eye, he probably shouldn¡¯t keep Titania waiting. She seems to be more rxed and has let her title fade for now, but themanding presence of that title is difficult to forget. He takes a few moments to gather himself, before turning and giving her a deep bow.


    ¡°Queen Titania. I had been hoping to ask an audience?¡±


    The scion urges her bee forward, looking amused at the turn of events, and motions for him to continue.


    ¡°As you may have surmised, I am a summoner, and I specialize in fey. I offer them pacts, and when I call on them through my crystals, I can bring forth a portion of them to work on my behalf. And of course, work implies payment. Other bark pixies, I might offer bread, milk, and honey to do something. Kelpie, for example, wanted new and interesting foes¡­ and a bottle of brandy.¡±


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    Tinkling chimes fill the air as Titaniaughs at the mundane bribe for such a powerful fey, even as her cohorts lick their lips at the idea of rich food and strong drink. Her eyes shine with amusement as she motions for him to continue, so far so good.


    ¡°I would like to pact with you as well¡­ though I admit I don¡¯t know what you would ask in return. I¡¯m an adventurer, so most of your summons would involvebat or dealing with traps, whichever you prefer, or even both if you so wish. If you are not interested in either, I thank you for listening.¡±


    Titania taps her chin as she considers. Gerlfi would expect she is not opposed to fighting. That bramble thorn at her hip shows her willingness, and the way she was able to draw first blood against Kelpie shows her ability with it as well. But what would she want in return?


    No Queen would be satisfied with merely milk and honey. Even a bottle of brandy wasughable to her. Maybe there isn¡¯t even anything she wants? That might be the most disappointing conclusion to trying to form a pact that he can imagine. Before he gets a change to try to imagine worse, he feels his affinity sing with a pact offer.


    Communication affinity is surprisinglymon, just not among adventurers. It takes a vastwork of them to quickly and efficiently carry messages across the kingdom and beyond, while others often find themselves writingws, writing news¡­ writing almost anything, really. The ability to clearly and concisely convey ideas is a much more useful thing than many first consider.


    The iing pact offer is unusual. He¡¯s never heard a pact demand a tithe of any other pact payments. If her time summoned oveps with the summon of any other fey, she demands her Queenly right to a portion. A tenth isn¡¯t much, but the symbolic fealty of the other fey will not go unnoticed. Still¡­ if Kelpie is willing to let the bark pixies start braiding her mane and tail, such a demand will probably not be a deal breaker.


    The other price is one he needs to carefully consider. She wants time for time. An hour of her time will be an hour of Gerlfi¡¯s, doing as she directs just as she would do what he directed. She looks pretty satisfied with herself for the offer, and Gerlfi finds himself very tempted.


    To have not only a scion, but a <em>titled</em> one would be no small increase in his power, especially since he gets the feeling her title significantly enhances friendly fey in her presence. Numerous as the pixies may have been, they should <em>not</em> have been able to stop that wave from Kelpie.


    ¡°A tithe from other summoned fey and an equal payment of time from me, correct?¡± he asks to confirm, and she nods, the binding powers of the crystals starting to flow between the two.


    ¡°A tithe from other fey and equal payment of time is the deal,¡± he repeats, Titania¡¯s confirmation strengthening the enchantment from the crystals.


    ¡°Then a tithe and time is the bargain struck and the pact forged,¡± he finalizes and she nods, the crystal¡¯s magic taking firm root in them both as the pact is agreed in triplicate and understood by all. Gerlfi can¡¯t help but pull out the crystal that now holds their pact, and Titania flies her mount closer for both to inspect it.


    Neither takes too long, and soon Titania hovers back a few feet to give Gerlfi room to bow to her once more. ¡°Thank you for the pact, Titania. May it prove fruitful for the both of us.¡±


    Her tinklingughter sounds once more before she motions for the other pixies to leave Kelpie alone, though the damage is done. Her mane and tail are both freshly brushed and braided with ribbons woven through. They¡¯ve even painted a heart formed from two crashing waves on what he would call the upper thighs of her, though he doesn¡¯t remember offhand what it¡¯s called on a horse. Kelpie herself, despite her makeover, looks absolutely miserable, and doesn¡¯t even nip at Gerlfi as he pats her withers.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here and get you that brandy, hmm? Looks like you need it.¡±


    ¡°And something for us, too,¡± insists Vieds as they make their way out of the forest. ¡°We need to toast your sess! I¡¯m pretty sure there aren¡¯t a lot of summoners who can im a <em>scion</em> in their arsenal!¡±


    ¡°And hopefully you haven¡¯t bitten off more than you can chew,¡± warns Wold, earning a sideways look from Gerlfi.


    ¡°You think I can¡¯t keep my end of the pact?¡±


    Wold smirks at him before replying. ¡°Ordinarily, I wouldn¡¯t doubt you. But you¡¯ve agreed to give your time to a scion of <em>Thedeim</em>. What kind of crazy things will she ask you to do?¡±@@novelbin@@


    Gerlfi¡¯s eyes widen at that as Viedsughs. ¡°Good luck with that!¡±


    Kelpie nuzzles the top of Gerlfi¡¯s head as they continue to make their exit,miserating with him and his mistake. Maybe he¡¯ll need a bottle of brandy, too.

 Chapter Three-Hundred Twenty-Seven

    Chapter Three-Hundred Twenty-Seven


    I¡¯m impressed with Gerlfi and Titania both. I knew he summons fey, but I just never connected the dots that he might like to summon <em>my</em> fey. I¡¯m also proud of Titania for her deal. She¡¯s going to be double dipping to make a ton of mana whenever she gets summoned, which is great for me, and she¡¯ll get to see more of the world, at least if Gerlfi and his party ever wander on to a new dungeon, heh.


    I¡¯m also d she didn¡¯t go for some of the nastier stuff out of fairy tales. No stealing someone¡¯s day of birth, or dooming them to die by pricking their finger on a spinner¡¯s wheel, or things like that. I mean, Gerlfi wouldn¡¯t take a deal like that, but I¡¯m still d she didn¡¯t even try.


    Fey fun aside, the forest ising together nicely. Titania and Goldilocks are working incredibly well together. The fey queen is great at keeping the denizens operating smoothly behind the scenes, and Goldilocks is developing a great eye for detail when ites to what delvers can handle. It¡¯s great that she¡¯s been stepping up in that role, too, giving Poppy more time to focus on the tree and her garden.


    I think she¡¯s putting the finishing touches on the one I¡¯ll use to expand. She¡¯s been carefully trimming and adjusting it like I¡¯d imagine someone with a bonsai tree. The roots are looking good and strong, the symbiosis between the yew and willow seems stable, and I can feel Poppy¡¯s pride in her aplishment, even as she worries something might go wrong when I do the expansion. I make sure to encourage her through the bond. I¡¯m feeling pretty confident in the design and in the smaller tree that¡¯s going to be the centerpiece of the forest soon.


    Right now, I¡¯m more waiting on thest results of the surveys, and to build up a bit more mana before I pull the trigger. If I was just expanding up, I¡¯d probably have enough to get some things going, but with the ns to go down, too, I¡¯m going to need more mana than what I have now. I could dip into the emergency fund, but no matter how much I want the tree up and running, it doesn¡¯t qualify as an emergency.


    Even if I <em>really</em> want it.


    I can be patient, though. Even with the forest running at basic capacity, the mana ie is pretty significant. With Titania and Goldilocks making adjustments, things are only getting more efficient, and it¡¯ll probably only get better as we go.


    The antkin enve is only getting better, too. With them now their own people, they¡¯re diving into working with my other enves and trading with Fourdock. As I understand it, merchants are technically supposed to wait until an official treaty to trade, but there are loopholes to be abused. There¡¯s still taxes getting paid, so I¡¯m not worried about causing a stink.


    The enchanters have Thing¡¯s anti-lifedrinking enchantment, and basically every armor creating crafter is begging them to enchant this or that with it. A lot of delvers are interested, too, but the ones nning to stick around probably don¡¯t see too much need to have it now. I bet the crafters are looking to make a mint selling the gear to someone elsewhere. I don¡¯t mind, especially since it should help the antkin build a reputation and the wealth to do even more.The alchemists seem like they¡¯re on the verge of a breakthrough with the go juice, too. When Queen¡¯s is used on a denizen, it just t out gives them a new affinity and a bit more speed. The version the antkin are trying to adapt for non-denizens looks like it adds electric damage to their attacks, and gives a good amount of lightning resist, too. The only problem with it right now is the duration.


    In their testing, they barely get enough time to deal or receive a single attack. I think their goal is for it tost simrly as long as the aqua affinity potions that Staiven makes. They have the formtion for it on a board while they talk shop, and though most of it goes over my head, that¡¯d be the obvious connection.


    The engineering caste is working closely with my ratkin as they do a joint venture to produce what people are starting to call dweller bows, thepound bows. The metalworking required is well within the ratkin¡¯s ability to do, while the engineers constantly work on improvements to the design. The worker caste helps as well, putting everything together and letting everyone focus on their specialty.


    It makes me worry a little about overspecializing and people thinking their particr part is the most important one, but they all seem to be getting long well and enjoying the camaraderie. The engineers are also working closely with the alchemists and the spiderkin to continue to refine theposite armor. They¡¯ve seen how Jello makes the metal honeb, so now they¡¯re trying to replicate it in their own way.


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    Working together, they¡¯ve even had limited sess with recreating it. While a lot of the antkin have lost their magma affinity for a variety of others after the bars winked out, there¡¯s still a lot with it. That,bined with the number of ratkin with metal affinity, lets them smoothly weld the sheets together. It¡¯s still a lot of work to cut and especially to shape, but I¡¯m confident they¡¯ll streamline the process as they get more used to it.


    I watch them all work together for a little bit before I feel Aranya and Teemo both wanting my attention. They¡¯re sitting in the public war room, and it takes me a moment to recognize the figure sitting with them as Rer. Where his Larrez persona is pretty inly a fencer, this outfit makes him look like a rogue of some variety. Instead of the tan of Larrez, he¡¯s sporting a skin tone more like the ash gray of Miller, who I am certain is around here somewhere.


    Before I can get distracted trying to find him, Teemo speaks up. ¡°Ah, the Boss¡¯s here.¡±


    Aranya nods with a happy smile. ¡°I feel Him too. Would you please repeat your question young¡­ sir,¡± Aranya says to Rer with a knowing smile, ying along with his disguise despite nobody else being around.


    Rer inhales to build his courage, then exins. ¡°I need to tell Freddie and Rhonda who I am, but I don¡¯t know how to do it.¡±


    ¡°Just tell them,¡± suggests Teemo before I can give an answer. Usually, I think that¡¯d be the best way, but something like this isn¡¯t so simple, I think. Just sitting down at a table and blurting it out is awkward and forced at best.@@novelbin@@


    Teemo shakes his head, but speaks up for me. ¡°That¡¯s not the Boss¡¯ advice though, just mine. He says it¡¯d usually be what he¡¯d suggest, too, but it¡¯s not the sort of revtion to just drop on someone out of nowhere.¡±


    Aranya nods before adding her own opinion. ¡°Perhaps you should invite them over and ease them into it?¡±


    Rer sighs. ¡°Have the lord mayor call them to a dinner? That feels like trying to impress them with status, or imply they¡¯ll have to acknowledge it.¡±


    Teemo winces at that idea, though it does give me one of my own. ¡°Why not have Larrez invite them to a guided tour or something? You could hang out, show them a couple cool things, and have lunch or something at a normal table, instead of the big one. Make an excuse to go help get the food from the kitchen, take off the disguise, ande back in with the food.¡±


    Aranya smiles at that idea. ¡°They¡¯re clever enough to probably realize, though if they don¡¯t, it¡¯d be reasonable enough to exin at that point.¡±


    Rer chews that over. ¡°No airs, just showing them around¡­ and bring in the food like a friend, instead of sitting at the table and having it brought to me like a lord. That¡­ I think that could work?¡±


    ¡°Definitely,¡± encourages Teemo. ¡°Especially with your butler around to make sure everything goes smoothly. There¡¯s probably a lot of moving parts in an idea like that, but he seems pretty good at making sure things mesh.¡±


    Rer looks more and more confident as he considers the idea, and soon gives my Voice and my High Priestess a thankful smile. ¡°Thank you Teemo, Aranya, and¡­ and Lord Thedeim.¡±


    Teemo quirks an eyebrow at him for me, even as Aranya beams with a bright smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to follow Him?¡± she asks, and Rer gives a nervous nod.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not sure what all it entails, but¡­ He¡¯s changed so much of my life for the better.¡±


    Teemo blows a raspberry, making Rer look worried while Aranya titters with controlledughter. ¡°That¡¯s fine, the Boss doesn¡¯t really know what following him entails, either. Just don¡¯t go bowing and scraping, please? It¡¯s embarrassing for him.¡±


    Rer¡¯s worry turns to confusion as Aranya speaks up, still trying to contain her mirth. ¡°Leave the bowing and scraping to the priests and priestesses. It¡¯s our job to embarrass Him at least a little. Just act with love and kindness, and be vignt for things to improve, and think through what improving them would entail. Knocking down a wall might seem like a path to freedom, but don¡¯t let the roof above copse on your head.¡±


    Rer looks relieved to hear that, and I feel a burst of energy from him as he dedicates himself to that sort of philosophy. I take a peek at his status, worried he might have changed ss to a cleric or something, but I¡¯m relieved to see he¡¯s still a kind of fencer.


    ¡°Though speaking of big changes, is He ready tomit His denizens to helping with the hold? The snows are melting and the trails are clearing. I believe the surveyors are still narrowing down the best sites, but we can get started on the road out of town at least.¡±


    I poke Coda toe, and even though he¡¯s rxing right now, the idea of nning a road has him grabbing his blueprinting stuff and flying for the war room. I leave them to it, still feeling a bit awkward about gaining another convert. It¡¯s nice to help take a bit of weight off his shoulders, but I worry about his faith being misced. I think all I can really do is try to live up to his expectations, as well as my other followers. It¡¯s a bit of weight on my own shoulders, but I have my own faith to keep me strong and hopefully walk this tightrope without falling.

 Chapter Three-Hundred Twenty-Eight

    Chapter Three-Hundred Twenty-Eight


    <strong>Rer</strong>


    He feels¡­ good. He would even go so far as to say he feels great! Thoughts of the future still make him nervous, but not the kind of paralyzing fear he used to feel. He thinks it might be because he actually feels like he can affect what will happen, now. For a long time, it seemed like the entire course of his life was plotted out by his father. It had seemed inevitable that he would effectively just be a puppet, enacting whateverws his father wished. Once he had learned the basics with Fourdock, he¡¯d be ced in charge of some other part of thend governed by the Earl if¡¯Gofnar.


    And then Thedeim¡­ <em>Lord</em> Thedeim appeared and started inadvertently knocking ns askew. He smiles at that thought as he waits at the entrance to his estate, his mind wandering as he awaits the arrival of his friends. It¡¯s the little changes that lead to thergest shifts, and though he¡¯s not dedicated enough to be any sort of divine ss, he still feels a warmfort in the knowledge that if you prepare for it, change can be steered instead of resisted. If resisted, it <em>will</em> eventually break through, but riding the change is like riding the tide, and things be much easier once you learn how to manage the ebb and flow.


    He even toys with the idea of advancing his ss in the divine direction, trying not tough at the idea of himself as a Pdin of Change. It¡¯s easy to imagine Freddie in shining armor, leading the charge against evil, but Rer just can¡¯t see himself in that kind of position. He expects he¡¯ll have his hands more than full with directing Fourdock toward prosperity, even with the help of Lord Thedeim and the other powerful individuals of the town.


    His battlefield is more likely to be in courts of nobility, wielding the bureaucracy with the same deftness he does his rapier. It¡¯s a much less morous battle than most, but still a necessary one. He may, one day, even need to do battle with his father, and though he dreads facing a foe as powerful as he is, Rer still has a spark of confidence that victory could be possible. Eventually.


    Before that niggling doubt can worm further into him, he smiles as he spots Freddie and Rhonda, along with their spiders. All four wave at him, and he resists the urge to wave back. He¡¯s Larrez right now, and even if he¡¯s stationed at the gate with one of the veterans who knows who he is, he still needs to maintain the proper procedures.


    That doesn¡¯t mean he can¡¯t smile widely at his friends as they near. ¡°Rhonda! Freddie! And Fiona and Lucas, of course! I¡¯m d you all could make it!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d we could make it, too!¡± replies Rhonda, looking eager to explore.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised the mayor approved of something like this. It seems like a security risk to me,¡±ments Freddie, though he looks very curious to get a good look around as well.¡°Miller says having a fresh set of eyes can reveal problems even someone like him could have overlooked,¡± excuses Rer, hoping they¡¯re not too suspicious.


    The guardsman at the gate chuckles at that. ¡°If you kids find something he managed to overlook, I¡¯ll eat my boots.¡± His subtleughter hitches for a moment as he nces around, before lowering his voice. ¡°Though if he did leave something for you to spot, could you pretend not to notice it? He¡¯s the sort to leave something like that just to challenge me to be true to my word.¡±


    Rer and the othersugh at that promise to try to not make him eat his footwear, and he soon smiles and straightens. ¡°Guardsman Larrez!¡±


    Rer stands at attention, and the veteran eyes his form before giving a nod of approval.


    ¡°You are relieved to guide this group about the manor at your discretion. Enjoy the tour,¡± he finishes, winking at Freddie and Rhonda, before turning his attention back to keeping an eye out at the entrance.


    Rer leads his friends out to the gardens first. Even though they¡¯ve been there before, he still likes them, and they¡¯re a good ce to decide where to go next. ¡°So¡­ these are the gardens. The groundskeeper does amazing work. The hardest part of patrolling here is not getting distracted by all the interesting nts.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me,¡±ments Rhonda, her hands drifting over the various nts as the group walks. ¡°Master Staiven never has much luck growing herbs himself, but the groundskeeper¡¯s gotta be really high level to be able to grow all this. Have they delved Thedeim to get any of the nts here?¡±


    Rer pauses at that. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know, actually. I¡¯m not really familiar with herbalism to know how difficult these were to get.¡±


    They wander around for a few more minutes, enjoying the sights, before Rer decides it¡¯s probably time to move on. ¡°So, what do you two want to see next?¡±


    ¡°I could probably spend all day just in the garden,¡± admits Rhonda.


    ¡°How about the library?¡± asks Freddie. ¡°I bet the mayor has all sorts of history books. The church mostly has records of church stuff, but it could be interesting to read about Fourdock itself, or the kingdom atrge.¡±


    Rer nods and leads the way, though the group takes their time to look at the paintings and other bits of art disyed along the walls. ¡°I think most of what the mayor has is boring political treatises, trade records, and ounting books. Oh, there are some records of the Gofnar War and the treaty with the orcs, though.¡±


    Freddie looks interested in that. ¡°I¡¯ve heard diplomacy with the orcs is pretty difficult, thanks to how loose their government is.¡±@@novelbin@@


    Rer snorts at the understatement as they reach the library. ¡°I¡¯ve heard people argue they don¡¯t really have a government at all. It seems to work pretty well for them, though.¡±


    Rhonda nods as she looks over a few maps on disy in the library, the tip of her staff tracing the Gofnar River back to Lake Gofnar, and the Also Gofnar River that feeds it from the mountains. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they called it the Also Gofnar River. Or that the orcs actually decided to honor it as part of the border!¡±


    Freddie chuckles as he looks over the map as well. ¡°The Wandends seem prettyckadaisical, but the orcs have their honor. They were kinda ying with the wording of the agreement when they started crossing the river there for raids. I¡¯ve read a couple ounts of Shield pdins protecting small settlements, and they said the spirit of the agreement was that the elves wouldn¡¯t have to worry about orcish incursions. At the time, they didn¡¯t have much of an idea of where the feeding river went. As they and the elves kept exploring, they found a lot morend than expected. The elves called it the North Horlon river for a time, before they say the king, in annoyance, dered it to be the Also Gofnar River.¡±


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Rer and Rhonda both snicker at the idea, doubly humorous for the simple fact that it seems a very usible way for it to get the name. Even Freddie smiles at the silliness before he continues. ¡°So the orcs honored the agreement and haven¡¯t done any raiding since. I¡¯ve heard the Beastkin Principalities tried to establish the Gofnar ins to give them the same protection, but the orcs only made that agreement with the elves, so the beastkin still get raided.¡±


    Rer nods at that. ¡°That¡¯s my understanding, too. I hear they don¡¯t get raided as often anymore, with the orcs finding it easier to trade the resources of their wandends for whatever they might want from the beastkin. Still, they sometimes still raid them, either in desperation from a harsh winter, or just to keep them on their toes.¡±


    ¡°Do you know much about the Principalities?¡± asks Freddie, and Rer shakes his head.


    ¡°Not really. I just know their government has a pretty chaotic reputation, with the best way to unite them being to try to actually attack. A quick raid is one thing, but trying to annex territory sees them put aside their differences and repel armies with gusto. The sheer variety of their people makes it almost impossible to defend against, and once a single avenue is opened, the rest can rush in and obliterate any hostile forces.¡±


    Freddie nods at his analysis. ¡°That¡¯s what the Shield histories indicate, too. I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s more detailed histories of Shield followers protecting the settlements of the Principalities, just not in the archives here.¡±


    They poke around the library for a little more, Rhonda and Freddie pulling out a book to nce into. What books might be interesting are simply too long to dig into on this kind of tour though, and soon they head back out into the manor atrge.


    ¡°Are you two hungry yet?¡±


    ¡°I can always eat,¡± answers Freddie with a smile, and Rhonda echoes him.


    ¡°Same! Magic takes just as much energy as holding up a shield!¡±


    Rer smiles at that, both d and nervous about the uing part of the n to reveal himself. ¡°There¡¯s a smaller staff dining room just off the kitchen, so we don¡¯t have to try to eat at the big table in the dining hall.¡±


    The group follows as Freddie speaks up. ¡°It¡¯d be kinda cool to eat at a fancy table like nobles,¡± he says with amusement, though Rer disagrees.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had to stand guard in there before at a dinner. <em>Everything</em> at a dinner like that is a political ploy, from the seating to the serving order¡­ even the menu! Serving some noble¡¯s hated dish is amon way of trying to leverage something.¡±


    Freddie¡¯s amusement sours at that, and Rhonda sticks out her tongue at the thought. ¡°Eating fancy would be nice, but without the side of intrigue, thanks.¡±


    Rer snorts inughter at that. ¡°I think the mayor would agree. Much better to have a meal with friends than something like that.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s for lunch?¡± asks Freddie as they enter the kitchen, where a stout halfling is pulling something from the oven.


    ¡°Ah, perfect timing! Thesemb rolls are just finished.¡±


    Even Fiona and Lucas look interested in the rolls, and Rer makes a mental note to make sure to bring tes for them as well. ¡°Those look great! I¡¯ll get them seated ande get them.¡±


    The head chef nods, giving Rer a thumb¡¯s up where the young noble¡¯s friends can¡¯t see. ¡°I¡¯ll take mine in the garden. You guys enjoy, there¡¯s plenty!¡±


    He makes his exit and they wave him farewell before Rer ushers them to the staff dining area. To Rer, it feels a lot like the tavern area in the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, just not as big, nor as crowded. It just feels¡­ friendly. He can¡¯t hide his nerves as he gets his friends seated and gets them some water, and he hopes they just take it as him trying to be hospitable, because that¡¯s partially what it is.


    He hurries back to the kitchen and tries to calm himself, running his mana in a fencing kata to help focus. He also needs the water to wash off his disguise, and he¡¯s d for the practice at quickly swapping clothing that Miller put him through. His water washes the disguise off quickly and he channels it down the sink, before he quickly changes into his most casual ¡®normal¡¯ clothes. He still feels overdressed to meet his friends, but it¡¯s toote now to change his mind. He grabs arge tray and enough tes for everyone, including the spiders, and plenty of themb rolls, too, before he makes his way for the door.


    ¡°I hope you guys are hungry! These rolls taste even better than they smell!¡±


    He sees their eager looks for the food quickly change to confusion, but he does his best to act like nothing is out of the ordinary as he sets the tray on the table and sets out the tes. He¡¯s relieved that Lucas and Fiona, at least, don¡¯t react at all to his change in attire andck of disguise. They probably don¡¯t really understand the difference between Larrez and Rer.


    Silence reigns as he sets out the tes, and takes a pair of rolls for himself before he sits down. He tries to y it cool, but he¡¯s starting to get nervous at their reactions so far.


    ¡°Larrez?¡± asks Rhonda, peering at him in confusion. Freddie, however, seems to understand as he shakes his head.


    ¡°Rer,¡± he corrects her, before turning his look to the elf. Rer swallows heavily before Freddie finally smiles.


    ¡°I <em>thought</em> I saw you meet with Torlon a while ago, but everyone said the only meeting he had was with the mayor that day!¡±


    ¡°The mayor?¡± echoes Rhonda, before it finally clicks. Rer can see her mind racing as she clearlyes up with questions and tries to organize which to ask first. Freddie beats her to it.


    ¡°Why us?¡± he asks, looking genuinely curious, which is better than usatory.


    ¡°Well¡­ at the time, I wanted to try to get more used to people, and to try to train myself some, so Miller suggested I join the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Karn wasn¡¯t too happy, but I think that was more the paperwork he¡¯d have to do, rather than in epting me. And he really did want me to invite you two because he wanted you in the guild.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡±ments Freddie before he takes a couple rolls himself, and sets an extra on Fiona¡¯s te, too. Rhonda hurries to give Lucas one as he finishes his first, and get one for herself, too, before she speaks up.


    ¡°So we¡¯ve been adventuring with the lord mayor? No wonder you¡¯re always weird when ites to money!¡±


    Rer gives them a bashful nod at that. ¡°Yeah I¡­ it always felt wrong to let you two pay for anything for me.¡±


    Freddie shrugs and swallows before answering. ¡°That¡¯s what friends do. Maybe now we can split the bill for food at the guild without needing to add it all up separately.¡±


    Rer smiles at them in relief. He was confident they¡¯d ept him, and he¡¯s d to see they¡¯re even more understanding than he would have dared hoped.


    The rest of the meal feels like they¡¯re at the guild, just talking about everything and nothing at all, the conversation andpanionshipsting longer than the food. They probably could have kept hanging out together until dinner, if not for Miller entering the room with a fresh jug of water, and a tray with a letter on it.


    ¡°Please pardon me, young master. I know you wished to not be interrupted, but you¡¯ve received a missive that should probably be perused with haste.¡±


    Rer fights down the annoyance at being interrupted, but if Miller himself is doing it, it¡¯s not going to be for anything trivial. He sighs, epting that the kingdom doesn¡¯t stop for the king¡¯s leisure, so why should it for his?


    ¡°Thank you, Miller,¡± he says, taking the letter from the tray, only to freeze as he recognizes the seal.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± asks Freddie in the same tone he¡¯d use to warn of danger while delving.


    ¡°Yes and no¡­¡± reluctantly answers Rer, starting to re at the seal like he could somehow change it. ¡°It¡¯s from my father, the Earl if¡¯Gofnar.¡±

 Chapter Three-Hundred Twenty-Nine

    Chapter Three-Hundred Twenty-Nine


    Spring is one of those seasons I often forget actually exists, probably because of where I used to live. North enough and high enough that winter would often muscle into the territory of the other seasons, and though I think Fourdock is definitely north enough, being close to the ocean makes it difficult for winter to really try to dig in its fingers and hang on.


    I also wasn¡¯t really involved in farming, so it¡¯s not like I had to pay attention to when crops were nted. But as I look over the expedition reports, I¡¯d say spring is solidly, unquestionably here. Winter has been beaten back and made to sit in the corner, and summer is still a ways off. So birds are singing, bees are buzzing, and delving is booming.


    I¡¯m not kidding, either. I thought the delvers over winter were just sticking through with their normal schedules, but that really was them taking it easy. I think most groups were doing a delve or two a week, now they¡¯re doing long delves, day after day, as long as they don¡¯t break anything, or get some other serious injury.


    They still happen, and though I¡¯d like to be able to stop it, I don¡¯t think it¡¯d help the delvers. Even the most brutal bootcamp doesn¡¯t <em>actually</em> shoot at you, so there¡¯s always a lot in a fight that can only be theoretical knowledge. But with letting them fight enough to get seriously hurt, they learn how to deal with that kind of situation, no matter how unpleasant it is.


    I really do want to make sure my delvers are ready to take on mean dungeons and be able to not only survive, but thrive. I would be concerned about how many seem to be specializing in dealing with me, if it weren¡¯t for the fact that so many of them probably wouldn¡¯t be delving me at all if it weren¡¯t for the effort I and my scions take to make sure people survive.


    There¡¯s a lot of casual delvers, and as I read the reportsing in from the foxes, it¡¯s not surprising to see why. Even here, people dream of what they think is impossible. Everyone wants to be that cool swordsman or wizard, the stealthy rogue, the valiant pdin, but most people have sses that definitely aren¡¯t made for fighting.


    That doesn¡¯t make them helpless though. A hammer strike designed to drive nails works just as well against monsters. It¡¯s just that nails don¡¯t often fight back. But with the safety of my territory, a lot of civilian sses like toe and test themselves. It makes me think of people who like to go paintballing or skydiving or things like that. A way to get a bit of excitement in a mostly safe way, and to keep in shape.


    Some professions are pretty simple to see applied to a delve. A carpenter knows a hammer, a lumberjack knows an axe, a tailor knows scissors. They might not sound like a weapon, but they¡¯re just two specialized des. Two short swords is apparently enough for at least a couple skills to trante, or maybe that one guy is just weird.


    Either way, watching the more casual delvers is probably even more fun than the pros. The experienced delvers are confident and look a lot cooler, but the casuals just have so much more to learn, and it¡¯s fun seeing them do it. That group didn¡¯t leave enough room in their packs, so now they can¡¯t carry what they want, this group over here has no idea if they can handle the Gauntlet, but trying sounds fun. This other group might be getting sent out in defeat after getting lost in the tunnels and low on healing supplies.I wonder how many more professionals there would be if they were able to cut their teeth on a dungeon like me? I don¡¯t know if <em>all</em> of the pros have lost people in their party, but I¡¯d bet they all had at least an acquaintance that didn¡¯t make it out of a different dungeon. That actually makes it easy to spot the new arrivals.


    With spring solidly in control, the roads are open and delvers seem to be flocking to me and to Fourdock. The ones freshly here all move carefully, suspiciously, even around the manor. Oddly, they seem to get even more on edge when the denizens avoid them. Maybe in other dungeons, the meaner things tend to keep the easier denizens away. I guess it¡¯d make sense. Sure, I still get mana for them killing the weaker denizens, but if I wanted to maximize the mana the delvers give me, their time would be better spent fighting the big things, rather than the small fry.


    I keep them away because there¡¯s no shortage of lower level delvers to have the easy denizens challenge instead. And it¡¯ll encourage the stronger delvers to go to the stronger areas. Even with the forest only at¡­ I dunno, 40%? Even with it clearly unfinished, delvers are already crawling all over it. The armory bees are a hit with the delvers almost always taking their weapons and looking joyous whenever they get some of the honey.


    From what Honey and Queen have been able to tell, it¡¯s a lot safer to handle than the metal elixir, and I¡¯ve seen a few delvers use it to patch up armor and sometimes weapons. Just smear a bit of mud or y on it, apply some armory honey, and you have an instant patch! I doubt it¡¯s as good as a professional job, but certainly better than just leaving damaged gear as it is.


    As far as defeating the stronger delvers, the most dangerousbo in the forest right now seems to actually be mischief foxes and dreamblooms. My delvers definitely are having trouble discerning illusions from reality, and when that kind of deception isbined with loot from the packrats and ravens, a lot of delvers are learning the hard way that, if it looks like free loot, it probably isn¡¯t.


    Which the mischiefs take advantage of, actually leaving a few piles of free loot in areas suspiciously free of denizens. The mindgames are great, and I¡¯m definitely going to need to spend to put some chests around the forest. Sure, their locations will eventually be mapped out, but the delvers will never know which is free for the taking, and which is a clever trap to knock them out and defeat them.


    I giggle to myself as I watch a group eye a pile of jewelryying in the middle of a little de packed full of dreamblooms. There¡¯s no illusion here, just a simple pile of bait and the implied question: do you dare?


    They bicker at the edge of the field of flowers, the three elves arguing about if any of it¡¯s real, if they should take an antidote and just charge out there, send just one, splitting up is bad and you are stupid, no <em>you¡¯re</em> stupid, your <em>face</em> is stupid, and so on. Before they make a decision, I feel Aranya trying to get my attention, so I shift my focus over to her.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    While all three enves have their own ces to¡­ worship me, I guess, the ratkin enve is working on arger ce. A cathedralpared to the shrines of the others. I¡¯d try to discourage them, but more and more people are showing up to get service, and I don¡¯t just mean attend a sermon¡­ though there¡¯s more that show up for that than I would have expected, too. Healing is very popr, and it looks like a couple of my clerics even offer rental services as support to parties who need it out in my territory.


    But that¡¯s not what Aranya is trying to get my attention for. Instead, she has another kobold next to her, her scales seafoam greenpared to Aranya¡¯s red, and she has an elf and a changeling standing nearby, looking nervous and hopeful as they wait. But herpanions and even her scales can¡¯t keep my attention away from the bow she has. It looks a lot like the ones my delvers make, but looking closer, it has a <em>lot</em> stronger draw than any of them, and the pulleys aren¡¯t quite optimized to leverage the mechanical advantage. Still, I wouldn¡¯t want to get shot by someone who can manage to draw it.


    ¡°Ah, Lord Thedeim is watching. Would you please repeat your request?¡± Aranya says with a smile, though the three gathered look even more nervous, especially thedy kobold. Seeing as she¡¯s almost certainly from the Maw, I can¡¯t me her. Still, she steels her resolve, and speaks.


    ¡°O-oh Great Lord Thedeim,¡± she begins, only to be interrupted by Aranya with an understanding smile.


    ¡°You can just call Him Thedeim if you wish. He tries to get me to do it all the time, in fact. Just be honest with Him, and I¡¯m sure He¡¯ll do what He can to help.¡±


    The pale green kobold nervously nods and starts again. ¡°Th-Thedeim¡­?¡± she starts, pausing to see if she gets smote. As she continues to be perfectly fine, she slowly continues. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m a hauler, but I don¡¯t want to be. I¡­ The Maw, it¡­¡± She stutters, trying to find the words, and Aranya pats her shoulders, encouraging the woman. After a few seconds, she gathers herself and continues. ¡°I want to advance my ss, but as far as I know, there <em>isn¡¯t</em> an advancement for a hauler. Can¡­ can you help me?¡±


    I consider her for a few moments before carefully touching her status. While I think I can take a peek without people noticing, it still feels a bit invasive to do, but if she wants my help, I think I need to get a closer look at what I¡¯d be working with. I don¡¯t know if I can do anything, but I¡¯m certainly willing to try. Her eyes widen when she feels me, and I can feel her flinch away for a moment before she deliberately and slowly leans into my request.


    I look over her status, and the first thing I notice is she has a <em>ton</em> of strength, and that doesn¡¯t even count her abilities to enhance her lifting and hauling ability. She also has a ton of endurance, which isn¡¯t a surprise either. What <em>is</em> a surprise is that I can feel two potential ways to nudge her.


    One is a concept I can feel is a pretty solid one that exists here already. It¡¯s a type of heavy archer that feels like it usuallyes from being a siege archer or simr that would stay mostly in towers or atop walls and guard whatever¡¯s inside. The closest trantion for whates after would be a sniper, which often advances further into a variety of assassin. I don¡¯t think she¡¯d want to go that far, but slow rate of fire, heavy hits, and some camouge ability would probably be a great thing if she wants to be an adventurer of some variety.


    The other one feels a lot more ephemeral, but I think I know what to solidify it into. Teamsters always make me think of the mafia, but they¡¯re not about breaking kneecaps and making offers people can¡¯t refuse. They¡¯re all about getting things from point A to point B. If you want it moved, a teamster should know how to move it. And though there are merchants and other people, I¡¯m sure, who move things around, I can feel a difference that I can¡¯t quite describe. Maybe if I knew more about the logistics of moving things, I would, but all I really need to know is there <em>is</em> a difference.


    I pull back from the kobold¡¯s status and see she looks shaken, though Aranya helps steady her. ¡°Easy there, Marle. His touch can be intense, but not harmful.¡± I feel a bit bad as she nods, tears in her eyes, and I just hope she¡¯s just trying to deal with emotions rather than pain from anything I did.


    ¡°I can feel He has found two paths for you as well.¡±


    Marle turns hope filled eyes on my High Priestess as she talks. ¡°The first is a siege archer, a rangedbat ss specializing in distance and devastating ranged attacks.¡± Marle looks uncertain at that, so Aranya continues. ¡°The other is an advancement for the hauler ss. No one would dare <em>demand</em> you move something. Rather they would ask or even beg, knowing you can get it where they need it, quickly and safely. Those are the paths before you.¡±


    Marle looks back at her friends, looking for guidance. Without looking at their status, it¡¯s still pretty easy to identify them as some kind of wood workers. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ up to you, Marle. You could be a real adventurer, if you want,¡± encourages the elf, though it¡¯s pretty clear he¡¯d be sad to see her go. A siege archer is a pretty advanced adventuring ss, and she¡¯d probably want to take on delves a lot tougher than they could handle.


    She closes her eyes and takes a shuddering breath before opening them. ¡°I want to advance my current ss. I don¡¯t <em>hate</em> hauling¡­ I just hated being <em>stuck</em>.¡±


    Aranya smiles and draws on her mana, and I give her a drop of my power to help this along. I hope I won¡¯t be stepping on Order¡¯s toes with this, but Marle really does need some help. I watch her status, and see the archer path is already gone. It probably vanished as soon as she made her decision, and it makes me wonder if this is how Order actually decides what ss to give people in the first ce. I back out as I feel the change start to work, not wanting to intrude on her privacy more than I already have.


    From the outside, it feels incredibly anti-climactic. Just a slow wave of orange sweeping across her, and it¡¯s done. Aranya catches her as she falls, her legs giving out as shees to terms with the fact that things really <em>have</em> changed for her. ¡°I¡¯m a Teamster¡­¡± she mutters, repeating herself as if she can¡¯t believe it. My High Priestess motions Marle¡¯s friends forward, letting them support the stunned kobold.


    ¡°Get her to a seat over there and just give her some time. She¡¯ll need friends to help her on her new path.¡± The two nod with determination and focus on Marle, gently guiding her to a seat as I get a popup.


    <strong>ss Change. Interesting. I should have known.</strong>


    Order doesn¡¯t borate with the message, but I get the feeling he¡¯s more shaking his head and chuckling than frowning and grumbling. I feel like, instead of stepping on his toes, I¡¯ve identally solved an issue he¡¯s been having. Either way, I don¡¯t get any other popups, and Aranya seems to have the situation in control here, so I let my attention wander back to the group at the dreambloom field.@@novelbin@@


    Looks like they decided the field was an illusion, and they¡¯re all taking a nice nap right now. I nudge Goldilocks to get a few denizens and deliver them to the gates, and resume watching the delvers do their thing, feeling nicely satisfied at how things are going. There¡¯ll be something on the horizon to try to shake things up some more eventually, but for now, I¡¯m happy to watch the delvers work to improve themselves, seeking challenge and the rewards thate with it.

 Chapter Three-Hundred Thirty

    Chapter Three-Hundred Thirty


    It looks like Coda¡¯s nning session with Rer went really well. As the surveying efforts under the forest wind down, Coda is more than happy to snatch up the denizens and point them at surveying and preparing the path for the road, as well as getting a better look inside the mountain Rer wants to build in. From what I can tell from the initial reports, the mountain itself seems pretty boring, as far as mountains go.


    There¡¯s enough soil for trees and bushes and stuff to grow in, but it¡¯s not especially deep. The top third or so is pretty barren, though I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s because of the thick snowcap, or if the winds at that kind of altitude keeps anything from finding purchase to grow. Either way, nature is pretty stable without anything really exceptional. Deeper into the mountain, it also seems prettyckluster.@@novelbin@@


    With it so close to what used to be a major trading hub before the disaster with Hullbreak, the mountain was pretty thoroughly prospected for ores and the like. Rer says the thing is basically just a solid chunk of granite, and so far, the expeditions are saying the same thing. There¡¯s the usual cracks and such, but the cave systems are pretty cramped and damp. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much risk of anything nasty hiding in there. Copses while digging out the hold are a potential problem, but that¡¯s what these deep surveys are for.


    To me, it looks like trying to build something in a pile of gravel, but Coda and Rer don¡¯t seem too worried. Mountains are usually a lot less solid than people expect, and there are ways to help support everything even without using earth affinity people to help fuse things back into whatever shape is needed for stability. A lot like mountains, big construction projects need to be a lot less solid than most people think, too.


    Where a mechanical engineer can either overengineer something to basically never break, or just decide to <em>let</em> something break if the user is determined to use it so wrong, a civil project deals in forces that can¡¯t really be stopped. If that earthquake decides to move these two pieces ofnd a centimeter apart, good luck trying to stop it. There¡¯s a shocking amount of flex built into even simple civil projects, with even the seams between blocks helping provide the buffer to let things move just a little withoutpromising the whole structure. It still feels like a house of cards to me, but with how the masons are drooling over even the preliminary designs, I¡¯m going to trust Coda on this one.


    Roads are a different matter, and I¡¯m not even going to try to pretend I understand how to keep them from turning into gravel over the course of a year. The slower speed of wagons and horses probably helps, but with the temperature difference over the year, it¡¯s probably still going to need a lot of maintenance. I wish I knew what asphalt was made of so I could try to exin it, but I honestly have no idea. I think tar is a majorponent, maybe?


    It¡¯s probably less of a bother here, though. On Earth, fixing a road takes a crew and a bunch of huge machinery. Here, an earth affinity person just needs to check every so often and patch things up. There¡¯s still going to be a big crew involved with this road, looks like. People grinding, mixing, moving, pouring, smoothing, and that¡¯s just the concrete itself. That doesn¡¯t even count the people clearing the way, smoothing the terrain, putting gravel or something beneath for drainage, and whatever other little details I¡¯m forgetting that all contribute to a true and proper road.


    And with Coda¡¯s lead, my denizens contribute as well. It¡¯s interesting to watch through his eyes as he works with Rer and his civil nners. The more martial of Fourdock¡¯s people might be spending a lot of their time with me, but a lot of the civilian popce is involved in this project. Between the road and the reinvigorated docks, Rer is really stepping up and showing he has the knowhow to not only keep Fourdock running, but to see it grow, too.


    I even catch glimpses of Rhonda and Freddie as they help out in their own ways. Rhonda¡¯s herbalism expertise helps the people clearing the way know the difference between things to either use as fuel or mulch, and things that alchemists and other crafters will be interested in. I might have the lion¡¯s share of cool nts in the area, but why waste what they find?Freddie is helping with processing the concrete, not only with physically helping crush and mix, but also to help encourage people and not let them get too tired. I don¡¯t know if he can do proper healing withying his hands, but he sure seems like he can help alleviate fatigue. He¡¯s also not a terrible singer, and a few catchy hymns makes the work feel a lot less like drudgery than it could.


    While they work on the road, I feel a familiar set of feet cross the threshold to the manor grounds, and I¡¯m d to see not only nder, but T as well! The crown inspector is wearing his more subdued gear, the stuff he was wearing when still undercover, which makes me suspect this is more of a casual visit than an official one. Still, Teemo makes his way to meet them at the porch.


    ¡°Hey you two! The Boss and I were starting to wonder if you didn¡¯t like us anymore!¡±


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    nderughs at that and shakes his head. ¡°After everything I had to put in the report, I¡¯d be right to! But now it¡¯s finally done, and T and I had a chance to rx a bit, I thought it¡¯d be a good idea toe chat. The King has a response.¡±


    Teemo quirks an eyebrow at that. ¡°Is it one we should go somewhere more private to talk about?¡±


    The tall elf shakes his head. ¡°Nothing to be worried about. With Fourdock firmly on the rise, his majesty wants to ensure nothing will hinder that, so he¡¯s going to be moving some of the regional garrison to be stationed here. I need to tell Rer, too, but for you, it should mean that quite a few of the kingdom¡¯s finest will be wanting to delve you.¡±


    ¡°The Boss isn¡¯t going to cry about new delvers, so long as they y nice. They don¡¯t get to im any area just for themselves. Even the Shield¡¯s people in the crypts know they can¡¯t discourage other people from exploring in there,¡± my Voice points out, which nder nods along with.


    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be a problem, especially with the vast area of your forest. An individual soldier would be no match for what you¡¯re working on in there, but squads should be able to find victory through their training and teamwork. I don¡¯t expect there¡¯ll be enough of them to even attempt to muscle out the ordinary delvers, and I¡¯d hope there are none foolish enough to consider it. Even without the usual power differential between experienced delvers and normal soldiers, they¡¯d run the risk of upsetting a <em>dungeon</em>.¡±


    Teemo snorts at that. ¡°Well, we can hope. And if there¡¯s a few who don¡¯t get the memo, the denizens will be happy to relieve them of their stuff and dump them at the gate. I¡¯d imagine their superiors would be pretty unhappy with them for losing kingdom property.¡±


    nderughs at that and nods. ¡°Indeed! I¡¯ll probably be here for a while longer, too, so if you have any troubles, don¡¯t think twice about asking me about anything. His highness seemed to be looking forward to a good working rtionship between you and the kingdom.¡±


    Before Teemo can reply, T elbows nder and gives him a significant look. ¡°Ah, I almost forgot.¡± He nces around before leaning forward and lowering his voice. ¡°Rer will probably know more than I do, but the Earl if¡¯Gofnar is expected to try to pull Fourdock tighter into his grasp. It¡¯s a part of his territory under the crown, but one he¡¯s been happy to let be quiet for some time now. With its burgeoning prosperity, he¡¯s probably going to want to take a more direct hand in its administration at some point.¡±


    Teemo frowns at that for me. ¡°Is he Rer¡¯s uncle?¡±


    T shakes her head and answers for nder. ¡°His father.¡±


    Teemo¡¯s frown deepens as I chew on that. It¡¯s not difficult to guess that Rer¡¯s distaste for nobility and politicses from his upbringing, which would certainly involve his father. Even if he was an absentee, an Earl doesn¡¯t let his son get bullied without knowing. ¡°I¡¯ll see what Rer wants to do about that, then.¡±


    nder gives a toothy smile at that. ¡°Do let him know I¡¯ll help as I can. With me being here officially, I¡¯m limited in what I can do, but I¡¯ll still contribute. The Earl if¡¯Gofnar is¡­ not the most favored by the Crown, even with his skill at deflecting potential scandals.¡±


    My Voice gives him an appreciative smile. ¡°The Boss and I appreciate that, and I¡¯m sure Rer will, too. Thedeim¡¯s working on figuring out how to politic, so he¡¯ll probably need all the help he can get, especially if this guy is as skilled as you¡¯re implying.¡±


    nder nods at that and straightens up. ¡°Still, we¡¯re not here just to deliver news.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± answers T, looking excited. ¡°I heard your antkin are officially dwellers now! I want to see if they¡¯ll teach me how the anti-lifedrinking enchantment works!¡±


    Teemo chuckles at her enthusiasm. ¡°I think they¡¯ll make you join their college if you want a trade secret like that. Still, no harm in asking.¡±


    nder nods. ¡°That¡¯s what I told her, but it¡¯s still an interesting enve to visit. I hear they¡¯re hunting in the volcanic region deep below? I want to see if they¡¯d be willing to pay for a few recipes I know for cooking volcanic creatures. The Holds have a volcanic dungeon that¡¯s quite the maze, so I¡¯ve picked up a few recipes that might be useful to the antkin. Good food is a good way to stay motivated on a long delve, you know.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? Well, if you know anything especially good, maybe you¡¯ll be able to trade it for some magic theory lessons. You two want a shortcut, or to head down on your own?¡±


    nder looks to T, who shrugs in return. ¡°Well, since T doesn¡¯t seem to have an opinion, I¡¯d like to make our own way down. After all the time writing that report, I¡¯m looking forward to stretching my legs and knocking the rust off my ive.¡±


    ¡°Then you two have fun! If you¡¯re feeling rusty, you¡¯ll probably have just enough time to get back up to speed before the Boss triggers the tree expansion. It¡¯s looking like a week, maybe two, to build up enough mana to expand and upgrade more spawners.¡±


    nder¡¯s eyes sparkle at that. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it! With an expansion like that, he¡¯ll have the eyes of the whole kingdom on him!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but he¡¯s going to do it anyway,¡± jokes Teemo. ¡°That¡¯s why he¡¯s dipping his toes into politics now, before he jumps in the deep end with the expansion.¡±


    ¡°Then I wish him luck! Now, if you¡¯ll excuse us, I think T and I should grab a quest before we get going.¡±


    ¡°Yep, don¡¯t let me keep you two. Have fun!¡± He waves before slipping down a shortcut to go chat with some of the antkin about theposite armor. For me, I keep an eye on nder and T, and try to keep from being too intrusive. I wouldn¡¯t want to spoil their date.

 Chapter Three-Hundred Thirty-One

    Chapter Three-Hundred Thirty-One


    nder and T have a nice little delve together, and I mostly let them do it without me constantly hovering. Tarl can sense when I¡¯m focused on him, so I don¡¯t doubt nder can, too. They visit the antkin, where T talks nerd with the enchanter caste, and nder gets to see the progress being made on theposite armor. He¡¯s deeply interested in it, of course, but even offering his advice doesn¡¯t keep him distracted from T for too long.


    In the end, he trades a few recipes to get T a te with the theory behind the enchantment, though it¡¯s general enough that I don¡¯t think she could reproduce it on her own. Honestly, I think the theory might be over her head, but with how happy she is to get it, she¡¯s probably looking forward to learning enough to understand it.


    Once they head home, I ask Teemo to pen an invitation to Rer to talk tomorrow. Ordinarily, he¡¯d just pop over and ask directly, but it''s fun sometimes to break out the fancy parchment and deliver a letter via raven to Rer. Poe gives the birb directions to wait for a reply, whiches around sunset.


    Teemo and I look over the letter together. ¡°Looks like he¡¯ll be herete in the morning, and he wants to bring Freddie, Rhonda, and the spiders. Looks like the reveal went off without a hitch.¡± My Voice smiles at the letter, and I agree.


    Good for them. They¡¯re all good friends, and with how important Freddie is to the Shield, and how Rhonda¡¯s ss is making waves, I don¡¯t think even his dad can raise a stink about any perceived difference in social ss. Or maybe he can. I¡¯ve never dealt with nobles, Rer doesn¡¯t count, but they can apparently be absolutely obsessed with status.


    ¡°You think the Earl is like that?¡±


    Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t have a lot to go on just yet, but I get the feeling he doesn¡¯t really see <em>anyone</em> as being on his level. Noble scion or orphan, all he cares about is what they can do for him.


    Teemo considers that before shrugging. ¡°From what little bits we know of Rer¡¯s upbringing and how the crown apparently doesn¡¯t really like him, he¡¯s probably power hungry and smart about it, yeah. Tensions about blood can be real easy to y on for some people.¡±


    Yerp. Can you ask Leo, Poe, and Zorro to get me a better map of the roads nearby? I don¡¯t exactly expect the Earl to try to siege the town, but if I wanted to be sneaky about messing with things, I¡¯d do it out on the roads, not within sight of Fourdock.Teemo nods at that. ¡°I¡¯ll see if Hullbreak can do the same with the sea. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s keeping an eye on things out there, but probably more for invaders than delver issues. I¡¯ll also check if Violet¡¯s heard anything. The Earl probably hasn¡¯t done much, if anything, yet, but there¡¯s no harm in checking.¡±


    Sounds good. I want to be at least a little prepared for the meeting with Rer tomorrow. In fact, invite at least Onyx toe attend. We might be able to figure out something to let the First Matee, too. Violet has an outlet to the sea, and with a bit of your spatial fun, Hullbreak¡¯s Voice should fit just about anywhere. We might need to flood a couple passages¡­ ask Coda if it¡¯s viable, yeah?


    Teemoughs and gives me a mocking salute. ¡°You¡¯re the boss, Boss. With the First Mate¡¯s water affinity, it¡¯ll probably be a lot less messy at least. We¡¯ll see if we can improvise something.¡±


    The night is pretty busy with prep, but it looks like we¡¯ll be able to let the First Mate attend, too. We have to dig out a prettyrge pool underneath the public war room, but that plus a hatch means Hullbreak can finally participate in affairs onnd. He still seems a bit reluctant to do so, but he¡¯s not required to say anything. I mostly just want to include him and not let him be a sea hermit.


    Violet and Onyx, on the other hand, are incredibly excited, even if my protege can¡¯t really understand everything that¡¯s going on. That¡¯s what a good Voice is for. The room is all set, and it looks like my enves intend to have a presence for this meeting, too. Aranya doesn¡¯t even pretend that she didn¡¯t tell them, and honestly, I can¡¯t even be mad. Someone potentially doing a power y on Fourdock will definitely impact them, so my enves <em>should</em> have a say in what¡¯s happening.


    Thankfully, not every single leader for the enves is here. Just Larx, Frn, and Ed. The antkin Headmaster looks a bit out of his league, but Larx and Frn encourage him that they felt the same way for their first diplomatic meeting, too.


    Right around the time I think fancier people would be having brunch, Rer steps into my territory with his usual entourage, with the addition of Freddie, Rhonda, Fiona, and Lucas. He and Miller bid his guards to delve while they go to the meeting, and Teemo personally escorts them all to the public war room so we can get this party started.


    ¡°Alright, quick introductions to make sure everyone¡¯s on the same page. We have Rer, Miller, Freddie, Rhonda, Lucas, Fiona, Ed, Larx, Frn, Aranya, Onyx, and The First Mate. If you don¡¯t know I¡¯m Teemo, you might want to talk to a healer,¡± he jokes as everyone gets settled, and takes his own spot at the table before continuing. ¡°I think it¡¯s on you to start us off, Rer. All we know so far is that an Earl ising, and that he¡¯s probably not going to be as cooperative as most of our other visitors.¡±


    Rer chuckles ruefully at that and nods. ¡°That¡¯s an understatement. Earl Paulte Heindarl Bulifinor Magnamtir if''Gofnar wants to be a Duke, maybe even marry his way into the line of session somewhere, so he¡¯s been working on a lot of ns. I don¡¯t know them specifically, but he¡¯ll practically be forced to monopolize Your output if he wants to keep those dreams alive.¡±


    All gathered frown as he exins. ¡°He¡¯s been slowly monopolizing certain herbal imports from the orcish nomads, and positioning himself to be a prime investor in an upstart mythril mine in the dwarven Holds. Between Your herbalism and mining nodes, you could topple his ns without even meaning to. He¡¯s going toe here and try to flex his power as Earl to levy significant taxes and probably found or sponsor his own gathering and mining parties to get as much as he can, trying to muscle out anypetition along the way.¡±


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    ¡°I think he¡¯s going to have a rude awakening,¡± snorts Onyx, and Rer smirks at that.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Probably, but he¡¯s also used to getting his way. He¡¯s probably monopolized more than a few dungeons, so he knows what he¡¯s doing. Unfortunately for him, Lord Thedeim isn¡¯t like other dungeons.¡±


    ¡°How do we discourage him?¡± asks Frn, looking thoughtful. ¡°Your kingdom probably wouldn¡¯t appreciate if we just remove him, so what do we do?¡±


    Rer nods. ¡°Attacking him directly would be a bad idea, at least at the start. Doing something like that unprovoked would probably force the Crown to lean on the Dungeoneers to ssify Lord Thedeim as belligerent, possibly even murderous. You¡¯ll probably be forced to be reactive instead of proactive when dealing with him.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± asks Ed. ¡°You are his underling. Won¡¯t you be forced to do as he says?¡±


    Rer sighs, though he perks up from the encouraging looks from his friends. ¡°I¡¯ll have to y politic with him for as long as I can. Even if we were at the same status, I don¡¯t think I could <em>stop</em> him, but I should be able to dy and hinder him by citing chain-ofmand and throwing everyst regtion I can in his way. Ordinarily, an Earl would just plow through that kind of tactic, but with nder here, he¡¯ll have to y by the rules or risk the attention of the Crown.¡±


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t he <em>here</em>, then?¡± asks Aranya, noting the inspector¡¯s distinct absence.


    ¡°Politics again,¡± answers Larx, who lets Rer exin.


    ¡°He has the right of it. If he were here, my father would learn about it, and could im bias or even a conspiracy to harm him from the Crown itself. nder staying away from any meetings gives him deniability and makes it a lot harder for the Earl to raise any sort of fuss.¡±


    ¡°When¡¯s he supposed to get here?¡± asks Teemo.


    ¡°In about a week and a half.¡±


    Teemo smiles at that news, and an idea it gives me. ¡°Sounds like good timing to maybe put him on the back foot.¡±


    Rer looks interested at that. ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s just about when the Boss expects to be able to grow the tree. I don¡¯t care how confident your dad is, he¡¯s going to second guess his ns at that kind of show of power, especially if the townsfolk don¡¯t seem all that worried or surprised about it.¡±


    Rer chews that over as Onyx speaks up. ¡°Does he have the mana for it?¡±


    ¡°He should. He technically could do it now, but he¡¯ll need a lot more to be able to ce and upgrade the spawners for it, too.¡±


    ¡°I think the Admiral might be underestimating how much those spawners will cost,¡± speaks up the First Mate, with Onyx looking worried. Teemo doesn¡¯t look too concerned, though.


    ¡°He¡¯s been pretty good with his pricing so far,¡± he points out, but the First Mate is insistent.


    ¡°He¡¯s used to dealing with t areas. That kind of volume is going to cost a <em>lot</em> to popte, even for the Admiral. Trust me, watching the Captain fill even the shallow harbor with enough denizens to make it not feel lifeless was a great teacher for how much it¡¯ll take. Even if he could nket the current forest with enough denizens for the delvers to walk across, it¡¯ll still feel sparse once the tree is up and they all spread out.¡±


    I frown at that as I go over my numbers, and start to worry she knows what she¡¯s talking about. Even in a ce like thebyrinth or the tunnels, ces with a lot of verticality, I can still work with simple square footage and n the density from there. With the forest, it feels about right for density right now, and I had been nning to roughly double the spawns once the tree goes up. But¡­ the more I look at it, the more I think I¡¯m vastly underestimating how much mana I¡¯ll need to fill the ce in, or to even make it not feel like a ghost town.


    ¡°But he has an easy solution to get things started,¡±ments the First Mate, looking satisfied now that I¡¯m getting a better understanding for just how much the upward expansion is going to increase the delveable area.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± asks Teemo for me, because I don¡¯t see much. Maybe run some more expedition matches? A rematch between nder and Rocky would certainly bring in the delvers, but it hasn¡¯t been long enough for much to change the expected oue.


    ¡°The ally pool,¡± points out Onyx. ¡°This sounds like a different kind of emergency than usual, but putting this Earl on the defensive sounds pretty important.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not get too hasty,¡± interjects Teemo. ¡°We can still do the tree and add what we can with what the Boss has avable at the time. It doesn¡¯t need to be running full tilt immediately.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotta raise your g proud and high, Admiral. He¡¯ll soon see an empty disy for what it is. If you want to make him think twice, he needs to think you can drop a proper expansion like that whenever you want.¡±


    Miller nods and speaks up. ¡°She¡¯s quite right. Were he only a passing threat, he might be cowed and move on, but the Earl cannot let Fourdock go. Any disys will need to be genuine, not a farce.¡±


    Teemo sighs for me. ¡°Alright, fine. Do you think getting the tree up and properly popted would force him to rethink his ns for the Boss, Rer?¡±


    The elf nods. ¡°I do. He¡¯s not the most experienced delver, but he should know what dungeons are usually capable of. With Your age and an expansion like that, he¡¯ll be forced to change his ns, and hopefully give me more time to dy.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then we¡¯ll dip into the ally fund to pay for the spawners. If he <em>does</em> bring along delvers to try to implement his n, they¡¯ll just be more mana to be able to pay it off. Do you need any help with the political side of things, Rer?¡±


    He starts to shake his head, before pausing and looking at the enve leaders. ¡°Actually¡­ can I impose on the enves? Rtions with enves are notoriously tenuous yet lucrative. If you string him along, while still being rather direct with me, it will give me a lot more leverage to remain in power, especially if you can dy him.¡±


    Larx smiles at that. ¡°I think we can manage that. Especially the antkin. Feign some bureaucratic bloat and force his people to spend more time walking around than talking, and I think you could cost him a lot of time.¡±


    Ed¡¯s mandibles twitch in a smile at that idea. ¡°I¡¯ll talk it over with the Deans, but I think they¡¯ll be happy to give them plenty of exercise.¡±


    Frn nods. ¡°The spiderkin can do simr, though we don¡¯t have as many leaders for them to juggle.¡±


    ¡°Then I think we have a n,¡± deres Teemo, to the nods of everyone. ¡°Now we just have to hope he gets the hint and leaves on his own, instead of forcing us to make him.¡±


    Rer nods, looking optimistic. ¡°He won¡¯t back down easily, and if he does, he¡¯ll hold a grudge for the rest of his life, but I think we can weather that storm. With any luck, I¡¯ll be able to convince him that leaving Fourdock to prosper in its own way will only help his ambitions. There are worse ways to angle for a Dukedom than to have somece like Fourdock to point at as one of his example townships.¡±


    Freddie and Rhonda look a little sour at the idea of the Earl getting to take any credit for Fourdock, but the older people in the room nod in understanding. Sometimes the best way to make someone take the L is to let them think they have a W.

 Chapter Three-Hundred Thirty-Two

    Chapter Three-Hundred Thirty-Two


    <strong>Earl Paulte Heindarl Bulifinor Magnamtir if''Gofnar</strong>


    What had at first seemed like it was going to practically be a vacation is quickly spiraling into a challenge. He hasn¡¯t evenid eyes on Fourdock in decades, and yet news of the town has him sailing in an emotional hurricane, his vessel riding waves high only to sink low and threaten to capsize, often in the course of a single update!


    While he had been keeping half an ear to the doings of Fourdock, he admits to only himself that he could have paid more attention. He sent little Rer there precisely <em>because</em> it¡¯s such a quiet, unimportant, out of the way ce. Thed simply doesn¡¯t have the stomach nor will for proper politics, despite his head for numbers. Sending him to a ce like this, practically an exile, would be seen as a punishment by many, but Rer was more than happy to get away from the games of the nobility.


    How was he supposed to know something like this dungeon Thedeim would hit the town? Some people insist the town is cursed when ites to dungeons, and sometimes the Earl wonders. A strong belligerent shuts down the harbor, and a true murderous dungeon springs up in the cemetery. He sometimes wonders if the disaster in the harbor was done deliberately by a rival, but they would have to be exceptionally subtle and patient if that¡¯s the case. None of his other trade ventures ever had a setback like that, and he would say they were <em>far</em> more fragile than the shipping through Fourdock.


    All that is to say Fourdock has a tradition of dungeons that make a greater impact than average. When his sources told him the murderous dungeon was subsumed, it barely qualified as trivia in his mind. A young dungeon got lucky, perhaps the town will be even more quiet and boring.


    Then the harbor was vassalized and reopened. Even more, the young dungeon protected the town. Others might be d to see an altruistic dungeon, especially for Fourdock, but Paulte is no fool. He¡¯s hardly an expert in dungeons, but a young upstart does <em>not</em> ovee an established power without someone pulling the strings. He refuses to believe a dungeon could get that lucky twice in such quick session.


    Combined with how its choices of nodes perfectly undermine his own efforts in herbalism and mining, he doesn¡¯t like how these winds are blowing. Could someone have figured out a way to groom the dungeon to do exactly what they want, grow the nodes and the town, exactly in a way to undermine him? It seems outrageous, but there are simply too many coincidences for him to ept. Even the dungeon supposedly having the fate affinity feels just a little too convenient to him.


    Someone is trying to cripple his ascension to Duke, but who? While his fellow Earls would of course love to sh his sails, he doubts any of them have the resources for something like this. He questions if even the <em>Crown</em> would have the resources for something like this! Or, to be more precise, the Crown would likely attack his more tenuous deals and topple them without needing to invest the kind of energy it would take to set up something like this dungeon Thedeim.


    The only group he can think of who even <em>might</em> try something like this would be the Dungeoneers, but they don¡¯t stand to gain much by snubbing him. Perhaps he personally insulted someone high up in the organization? While not impossible, he has very few dealings with them. He can¡¯t recall anything that would have given them cause to personally attack his interests.And even if they <em>were</em> attacking his interests, they¡¯re doing a poor job of it. He might not have any shellpanies to im ownership of the goods extracted from that dungeon, but Fourdock is prospering because of it, and in turn, so is he. It doesn''t hold a candle to his Port Gofnar right now, but the glory days of Fourdock were lucrative indeed. And if he wants to get even more money, he needs to get his fingers into the pie that is Thedeim.


    Sponsoring an Adventurer¡¯s Guild is amon thing for the nobility to do. Dungeons can be <em>very</em> lucrative, and some adventurers are more mercenary than actual mercenaries! Give them a bit of coin and point them at a dungeon, and they¡¯ll bring you back ten percent, and thank you for the privilege! And though it may be a bit uncouth to muscle in on the territory of an established guild,petition is a vital part of adventuring. If a few rival parties vanish inside the dungeon, that¡¯s just the cost of delving, sometimes.


    He doesn¡¯t doubt a tactic like that will work with Thedeim, either. The ridiculous im that nobody has died inside is such tant propaganda that he doesn¡¯t know how they get away with spreading it. It just means those that die get quietly vanished, which suits his goals just fine. That party clearly didn¡¯t die, they just left for greener pastures in some other dungeon. He wonders how many times he¡¯ll have to give that excuse before the local guild gets the hint and agrees to merge.


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    He idly looks out the window to his carriage, spotting a few of the adventurers ying guardsmen for him as he travels. The Calm Seas Guild has a good ring to it, and though Jondar Helmsplitter is the official guild leader, that didn¡¯t stop the stout elf from letting Earl Paulte pay for the charter. Still, it keeps the power bnce between them clear: the Earl is in charge. Jondar is shrewd enough to understand who he gets his gold from, otherwise Paulte wouldn¡¯t have chosen him for this.


    It will take some time to overtake the dungeon, but Paulte doesn¡¯t see that being much of an issue. Miners and herbalists don¡¯t care who they sell to, though the smiths and alchemists that gather their own materials will certainlyin about having to sell instead of use what they¡¯ve gathered. Such heavy-handed regtion would usually be frowned upon by the local mayor, but little Rer won¡¯t dare to resist him.


    Just a few words, maybe a disappointed nce or two, and he¡¯ll cave, letting his father do what¡¯s best. He probably won¡¯t even put up a fight if he uses thed as a target for the displeasure of themoners. Thed¡¯s butler is skilled enough to keep him out of any harm.


    He frowns at that thought. He still doesn¡¯t know how histe wife managed to secure a contract with someone like Miller. Even with all his contacts, he can¡¯t find anything concrete indicating he¡¯s anything more than a simple butler. But he¡¯s not foolish enough to believe that for a moment. Even his own Head Maid refuses to meddle in his affairs, which is all the confirmation he needs. He doesn¡¯t need to know Miller¡¯s exact skill to know he doesn¡¯t wish to upset the elf. Could <em>he</em> be the one behind the dungeon¡¯s actions?


    He could easily have the motivation. There is no love lost between the two of them, but would he dare to do something like this? The more he thinks, the more he suspects. If Miller somehow has the ear of the dungeon, he could prop up Rer while also thwarting the Earl¡¯s own ns. Ridiculous as it sounds¡­ if there¡¯s anyone who <em>could</em> aplish something like that, it¡¯d be someone like Miller.


    <em>That</em> will be a difficult obstacle to ovee. Removing someone as strong as he suspects Miller is¡­ will cost more than money. The assassin¡¯s guild will demand a favor if they even ept at all. He suppresses a shudder at the idea. Working with assassins is simple enough, but he¡¯s abused the promise of a favor enough to not want to give anyone that kind of power over him.@@novelbin@@


    Still, it¡¯s hardly more than a guess on his part that Miller is behind the dungeon somehow. He can wait to get more information before deciding how to act. He looks out from his carriage once more, enjoying the view as he rxes. Fourdock has plenty of room to expand into, both along and away from the coast. He idly imagines a sprawling city until Fourdock finallyes into view. He shouldmission a painting of this vista as a memento of Fourdock before it flourishes.


    Such idle thoughts are brought to a halt along with his carriage, the sudden stop earning a frown before he speaks up. ¡°Why have we stopped?¡± he demands before he feels it. He doesn¡¯t have the raw power of an adventurer of his level, but he can still sense the ebb and flow of mana. And right now, there is a swirling whirlpool over Fourdock!


    He leans out of his carriage as he peers at the immense energy, his guards looking nervous. He can¡¯t fathom what¡¯s happening, wondering if the town is somehow under attack, before he finally understands why it feels familiar. When a dungeon expands its borders, mana is used to transform the area into whatever it is that lets dungeons exist. He¡¯s seen a few expansions before¡­ but nothing like this. Even at this distance, he feels he should be holding his hat so it doesn¡¯t fly off, even though an expansion rarely has that sort of physical effect. Expansions are usually rather subtle in their changes.


    Usually.


    This one, it seems, is not going to be so. Beyond Fourdock, he can see a tree sprouting from the forest, the mana forcing it to grow far beyond what is natural or even <em>possible</em>! And yet it grows, thick twisting branches, long hanging leaves, and a distant rumble as roots force their way through the ground. He has theposure to keep his mouth shut, though many of his guards do not, as the tree grows and grows, until finally stopping at close to a mile in height!


    His mind races to exin what he just saw, before a thump from atop his carriage draws his attention. A raven is sitting there, not exactly an auspicious omen, and sets down a small scroll. It caws at him before taking off, leaving the scroll behind. He takes it, forcing his hand to be steady, and examines it for any magic or potential traps.


    ¡°Resume moving,¡± he orders before he sits down, pondering the message. He could throw it out, but that would probably be a very bad idea. He¡¯s pretty sure it¡¯s not from <em>The</em> Raven, but it¡¯s still a big risk to ignore something delivered by the deity¡¯s lesser kin. The scroll has a small seal of orange wax on it, depicting a circle with intricate swirls, which makes him even more suspicious of who the owner could be. He¡¯s never seen that seal before. What rabble is trying to im to have a <em>seal</em> to make themselves feel more important.


    Well, there¡¯s a simple way to find out. A small dagger breaks the seal and he reads the message. Though short and friendly, it makes his blood run cold. There is much more going on than he could have suspected.


    <em>Wee to Fourdock.</em>


    <em>Thedeim</em>

 Chapter Three-Hundred Thirty-Three

    Chapter Three-Hundred Thirty-Three


    The Tree of Cycles came out even better than I had hoped. I hadn¡¯t even been able to decide on a name, but now the huge thing is there, it has one all the same. I think Order might have done it, or maybe it¡¯s just something that happens. I dunno, and honestly, I don¡¯t think it matters. What matters is that it¡¯s there.


    And that I <em>vastly</em> underestimated how much it would cost to actually popte the entire area. The First Mate couldn¡¯t have been more right when she said I was off in my numbers. The raw surface area for delving is¡­ hard to exin. I can look and see I have literally billions of square feet of surface area, but numbers kinda stop having meaning at that sort of scale.


    I mean, I knew a cubic mile was big, but I definitely failed toprehend it. And that doesn¡¯t even count the area below for the roots. With the pre-drilled paths, the shaking wasn¡¯t too bad, but wow are those things deep. And they don¡¯t even go a quarter as deep as the tree goes high.


    With it finally there, though, it¡¯s all hands on deck to do everything that needs to be done. Teemo is running to and fro, rying orders and coordinating with Leo, Poe, and Goldilocks to get things up and running with minimal fuss. My Warden and Marshal help wrangle all the chaos, while Goldilocks is showing to have a natural talent for smoothing out the inevitable bumps in the road when ites to getting things done.


    So I need to make sure they actually know what needs to be done, which means <em>I</em> need to know what needs to be done! I¡¯ll definitely be upgrading a lot of spawners here very soon, but first, I make sure I have the four seasons properly organized.


    Spring is the first season most of the delvers will probably visit, since it¡¯s the one outside the cemetery gate. While I don¡¯t exactly have a fence around the Forest of Four Seasons, I do think most people will want to enter through there, or maybe head out and enter through Summer after a little trek through the woods outside Fourdock. Either way, I have my ns for Spring.


    My undead are going to be a major attraction in spring, though I need to upgrade the zombies and skeletons to keep up with the nned difficulty. Undead don¡¯t typically scream Spring to most people, but my undead are nice and green, with the zombies sporting plenty of mushrooms, and the skeletons having a good coating of moss and a few vines. I expect those themes will only grow stronger as I upgrade, too.


    Bees are going to be a big part of Spring, though I think they¡¯ll be more in the tree than on the ground. I¡¯m probably going to get the Royals soon, and let the spawner sit at max for a while longer than I have before. I¡¯m trying to keep the enves in rough order of me getting the spawner, so I really should get birdkin, snakekin and¡­ slimekin? Whateveres from a slime enve, first.


    Summer is going to be under the purview of my fey and my bears, though I also expect to have some of the soil elementals and living brambles, too. I wonder if the bigger fey will want to ride the bears like the smaller ones like to ride the bees.Fall is for the foxes and I think I want to redirect most of the snake spawns here, too. Spiders should work great here as well. The leaf litter makes it difficult for anything with legs to be sneaky, but slitherybois can slip through without a peep, and even the bigger ones can hide under a bit of detritus.


    Winter is the wolves¡¯ domain, and I think I¡¯ll let a few of the basilisks y there, too. I should also see if there¡¯s any good options for my birds, or maybe try to get some mittens for my arcane hands. The wolves are going to do great, but I want to make sure they have enough support to keep the delvers challenged.


    The dreamblooms will be a feature all over the forest, they seem to do fine even in the winter areas. The bees will probably also be all over the ce, especially the armory ones. The tree hasn¡¯t even been there an hour, and the different bees are already building their forts in ways to take advantage of the terrain and weather. Delvers are definitely going to have their hands full trying to deal with the different bees.


    But that¡¯s just not going to cut it for all my seasons. First thing I need to do¡­ I need to make some moreirs. The spiderir is great for numbers, but that¡¯s just one of my spawners. I¡¯m also probably going to move it into the root system, but that cer.@@novelbin@@


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    For now, I move the fey spawner into the canopy of the Tree of Cycles and upgrade it to air. Where it used to look like a little collection of miniature ye olde houses, the new one looks like a tiny elven city. I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll berger spots added as I keep upgrading it, and Titania is already having the fey work on making a proper castle for her, though made of living wood rather than stone. And with it upgraded to air, the numbers are growing quickly.


    Next up: ntir. Poppy probably deserved to get the upgrade first, but I¡¯m just going down the list. Her garden practically explodes in growth, though she still wrangles everything to give her plenty of room for her own experiments. I wonder if it¡¯ll ring the entire tree by the time I max it out?


    A beeir is next on the docket, and I set it against the trunk of the tree, right where a nice thick branch sticks out to give the huge hive all the support it¡¯ll need. It¡¯ll probably grow at least a bit once I get to the Royals, but probably not increase in size too much. I hope, at least.


    A wolfir is also needed, which expands from a couple caves into a smallplex, as well as a nice thicket for them to hang out in, too. The winter wolves aren¡¯t opposed to the cold, after all, so they¡¯ll need a bit of room on the surface.


    The new bear lear, er bairir, er <em>bearir</em> is mostly underground, and I¡¯m sure it¡¯s going to expand a lot as I keep upgrading. Maybe it¡¯ll make a little hill for the bears as it goes, instead of just going down. If the bears keep getting bigger, they¡¯re going to need a good way in and out, so more and bigger entrances are probably in the future.


    A foxir is a must, too. While the foxes will be mostly in fall, I don¡¯t doubt they¡¯ll want to y in the other seasons, too. Theirir is looking a lot like the wolf one, just on a smaller scale. I would call the wolves more majestic and the foxes more cute, but they both can be fun to watch then they think nobody¡¯s looking. Definitely going to need to upgrade the fox spawner more, but that will wait, I think. All theseirs are adding up in cost, and I¡¯m still not done with the ones I need.


    Like the snakes. They get the honor of being the first one I move into the roots of the tree, and I boost them into air also. It probably has the least obvious difference out of all of them. I guess snakes don¡¯t need a whole lot. ????¨°??¨¨?


    I hem and haw a bit on the nextir, but they really do need to both be upgraded if I want them to be prevalent in two ces at once. The mausoleum my skeletons and zombies are in grows as I make them both intoirs, gaining quite the crypt underground, and interestingly, spreading quite a bit of garden space through the open grass of the cemetery. Grim looks pretty satisfied with it, so that¡¯s nice. I wouldn¡¯t want to mess up anything in there. There¡¯s even a little crypt that pops up just outside the gates into spring, giving them easier ess to the forest.


    And¡­ I think that¡¯s all I should do, at least for now. The spawn rates are <em>way</em> up now, and they¡¯ll only go higher as I keep upgrading. I might need to make a couple moreirs, like the birds and bats, but I think I¡¯ve hogged enough of the ally pool for now. I¡¯ve taken quite the bite out of it, and though I think the denizen density will be lower than I¡¯d prefer, the whole forest shouldn¡¯t feel abandoned anymore.


    There¡¯s still a ton of work to be done, too, but I think it¡¯s work that can mostly wait. Probably the most urgent thing to tackle next, aside from the Earl showing up, is to try to get some kind of OSHApliance going with the branches. Sure, they¡¯re nice and thick, easy for several people to walk on side by side, but people will definitely still fall off. For now, I¡¯m moving the living vines into the treetop tosso anyone who slips, and probably set the widows there to catch people, too.


    The best answer might actually be to give the vines the spatial affinity like I¡¯ve been wanting, though I can¡¯t afford that right now. Still, it¡¯ll be a lot safer and not even mess up the aesthetic if my vines can effectively scoop falling delvers into a shortcut instead of just letting them plummet.


    For now, people will have to settle for being caught by a spider or a vine, and hopefully won¡¯t put up too much of a fuss when it happens. I expect the veterans to be the ones who make it up into the tree, and they shouldn¡¯t be freaking out, no matter <em>what</em> keeps them from falling.


    I hope Tarles back soon. While I know Berdol and nder can inspect the whole forest on their own, I feel like he¡¯d get a particr kick out of the new expansion. For now, though, I let things start to settle in the forest. I¡¯m going to need to do a lot more to get it up to my standards, and that doesn¡¯t even take into ount what I¡¯ll need to do to move my core. I like the little Sanctum under the manor, but I really do feel like I¡¯m outgrowing it. Queen and Thing¡¯sbs are pretty cramped, and Coda¡¯s workshop isn¡¯t even technically part of the littleplex!


    But once in the roots, we should have plenty of space to expand. Teemo¡¯s already plotting the route there and Coda is working to dig out the initial space we¡¯ll need. Once things settle a bit, I¡¯ll make the move. For now, I watch everyone work and encourage them as they go. Things are pretty hectic at the moment, but honestly, when are they not?

 Chapter Three-Hundred Thirty-Four

    Chapter Three-Hundred Thirty-Four


    <strong>Zorro</strong>


    The fox scion thanks his luck that he is spending his time outside rather than in right now. The tree is awe inspiring, but the amount of work involved makes him very d to be more involved with the subtler details of setting up an informationwork.


    He¡¯s even lucky enough to not need to try to figure it out all on his own. It seems odd to learn from a scion of Thedeim¡¯s protege, but the fungal spymaster absolutely knows his stuff. He¡¯s also more than a little unsettling, but Zorro hopes he¡¯s gotten over that in his efforts to learn from the other scion.


    And learn he has.


    There are broadly two methods to infiltrate a ce: be utterly unseen, or simply be unnoticed. They may seem to be simr or identical, but there are worlds of difference between them. Cappy is an expert in being unseen. He seeps his mycelia through the cracks and crevices, making his home in the dark ces nobody ever thinks to look into. Even a room magically warded to allow no sound to escape will still have furnishings to hide within. Magical sweeps for divination magics won¡¯t pick him up, since he¡¯s not using any magic. Even more mundane checks will have trouble spotting his mycelia as he withdraws them, not even hinting to the staff that they may have mold to worry about. His existence is known to the ODA, and though it would be a tenuous leap to guess he¡¯s spying, it¡¯s still a leap that could be taken.


    Being unnoticed, on the other hand, is what Zorro and his foxes will be doing. He¡¯s already had his fur cut short, a sacrifice he¡¯s d to know Thedeim appreciates, to make it easier for him to disguise himself to be a stray cat. His other foxes and mischeifs have had the same, and spent the week preceding the tree¡¯s creation inserting themselves into the town¡¯s alleys and other ces to build their credibility. The process went surprisingly smoothly, in his opinion.


    The cats that would be territorial and hostile quickly learned they were no match for the denizens of Thedeim, and so fled, while the more confident felines were content to let the foxes stay, so long as they don¡¯t try to im all the good scraps for themselves. He still assigns a couple foxes to y at being upstart rivals to the established rulers of the alleys, but even that is just to maintain the act. Cats are always trying to find new homes, im new territories. Some fit in, while others try to take over. It¡¯s just the natural flow of things, and will probably be good practice forter.


    Today, he might be pretending to be subservient to a scarred and confident tomcat, and in a decade he may be acting the quiet servant to some pompous noble. He understands they both have a simrmitment to their pride.


    So far, the infiltration seems to be going well, though it hasn¡¯t been without its hurdles. They had been hoping the Earl would stay at Rer¡¯s estate, and Cappy had been slowly worming his way through therge manor in preparation. Unfortunately, the Earl apparently doesn¡¯t like Miller, though he didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he made his excuses and said he didn¡¯t want to intrude, and would be using the old shipping hall not far from the docks, both as his temporary home, and the location of his new adventuring guild.That certainly threw them all off, though they¡¯re working to fix that problem. Zorro had over a dozen foxes already situated in the area, as it¡¯s the perfect ce for strays to congregate. Unfortunately, Cappy will need a lot more time to be able to send his own infiltration, so Zorro is on his own for now. Luckily for him, the Earl is a bit of a cat person. He¡¯s hardly adopting them all, but he lets them stick around, for the most part. He really doesn¡¯t seem to like rats. Zorro is pretty sure it¡¯s a seaman thing. Whatever the reason, there¡¯s plenty of ordinary strays around for him and his foxes to blend in.


    If only the Earl would <em>stay put</em>! Zorro feels like he¡¯s assigning foxes as quickly as they are spawned, and he¡¯s <em>still</em> falling behind on spying on the Earl! He¡¯s d he¡¯s been able to track his movements, but what business is being conducted, he can only guess. The Earl has visited the local merchant¡¯s guild, the shipwrights at the docks, the Rangers, the Church of the Crystal Shield, The Office of Dungeon Affairs, several other merchants including Old Staiven¡¯s shop, and more. And tonight, there¡¯s one more ce he¡¯s visiting.


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    With it being the Earl¡¯s apparent home base, Zorro is keeping his station around the new Calm Seas guildhall. He¡¯s keeping himself as an aloof cat, content to watch the silly people do whatever they¡¯re doing, without deigning to let them pet him. He almost misses the Earl sneak out, having been watching his carriage more than the elf himself. He¡¯s lucky enough to spot him leaving through the warehouse, recognizing the noble elf¡¯s shoes under the thick cloak.


    He notifies several other foxes to tail him as he stretches, pretending to take his time as he gets up to leave and surely do cat things. Instead, he slips out and darts through the alleys parallel to the Earl, asionally shifting his fur color as he slinks through the shadows. It takes him a couple minutes to realize something strange about where the Earl is headed: he has no foxes in the area. Even more, he doesn¡¯t see nor smell the signs of any cats, either.


    He <em>does</em> however, see a lot more signs of people. He slows and coordinates with his foxes, carefully probing the perimeter of the unusual dead zone. The people don¡¯t move quite right. Not like they¡¯re being controlled, but¡­ more like they¡¯re patrolling rather than simply strolling. Not that these people look like the type to stroll.


    Rough individuals abound, and though it¡¯s hardly surprising to see someone armed walking around normally, the weapons are cared for much better than their clothing. Zorro takes a seat by the wall in his alley, considering what his next move should be. Whatever the Earl is doing in there, it¡¯s not something good. The fox knows that, even with Fourdock on the rise, there are still going to be those who seek their opportunities at the expense of others, rather than rising together. Rer does a good job in minimizing crime, but outright eliminating it is simply impossible. Zorro had heard vaguely of a thieves guild¡­ is this where it is? It certainly seems like a good candidate to him. He can¡¯t think of anyone else who would keep such a close eye on things, nor any other reason for there to be almost no cats in the area.


    With magic, animals could be eyes and ears. That¡¯s the whole concept behind what he¡¯s doing, after all. The assumption had been that people would prefer to watch for magic rather than try to keep things outpletely. Within most of Fourdock, this has held true. It¡¯s a lot easier to sense and deal with divination magics than to try to police every living thing trying toe and go. So why the change here?@@novelbin@@


    Zorro studies the people as they move, keeping to his shadows and even casting a subtle illusion to help keep himself concealed. Invisibility while moving is difficult, but doing so while still is <em>much</em> easier. So¡­ why not simply keep a watch for magic, instead of keeping everything out? Could it be cheaper?


    Looking at all the people and their weapons, Zorro finds it difficult to ept. Runework isn¡¯t cheap, but surely it would cost less to do the enchantment and asionally maintain it,pared to keeping so many guards. Maybe the runework is easier to spot? He feels like he¡¯s closer with that, but still not quite there. He spotted the patrolls, so they¡¯re not being as subtle as they could be.


    Think, Zorro. Why wouldn¡¯t thieves trust in runework warding? The answeres quickly, and it seems so obvious once he realizes it. They¡¯re <em>thieves</em>. Their job is to get around just that sort of warding. Of course they wouldn¡¯t trust it to keep their stuff and themselves safe. So¡­ what does the Earl if¡¯Gofnar want with a bunch of thieves?


    He can only guess. It¡¯s not much of a stretch to imagine that they¡¯re not even just a thieves guild. They may just be a criminal guild in general. There¡¯s all kinds of things he might want them to do, from buying information to maybe even assassination. He simply doesn¡¯t have enough to go on to do anything more than wildly theorize. He tries not to grumble as he slinks back, putting a couple blocks worth of distance between him and the criminal area before he calls his foxes together.


    He needs to know what¡¯s going on in there. While he knows he¡¯s not getting much more tonight, he can still make ns for the future. For now, he charges his foxes with determining the exact perimeter, and to look for possible routes in from the surface. They are <em>not</em> to enter yet, however. He has two sources to check in with to see about other options.


    The first is Cappy and Violet, though mostly Cappy. He hasn¡¯t yet managed to spread himself through the entire sewers, but he should know theyout by now. The thieves may have blocked off their section of the sewer, or they may simply have sealed any entrances. Either way, he needs to know. The sewers could easily be the best way to get in and be able to listen to whatever nefarious deeds are going down in there.


    The other he needs to talk to will be Teemo. Not because the Voice would know anything. Not even because his shortcuts could possibly get them a route inside. No, he needs Teemo to talk to someone else. Thedeim trusts Karn, so Zorro will trust him, too. He needs to ask the retired rogue turned guild leader how <em>he</em> would secure an area, and how to get around those same precautions.


    Who better to get past a thief than a thief?


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