Dungeon Life

Chapter Seven: Moving Day

Ah, those crazy kids. After Freddie found himself with a new animal companion, 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-classing 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 she netted 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 theyll come back for some more shenanigans. For now, though, I have an experiment in the lab 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 place 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 to come 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 am 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 that much mana, and didnt give me that much extra floor space. It more gave delvers roof access 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 glad 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.

Mana Gained

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 income 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 glad 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 your lair, too. Youre about the size of a small dog now. If anything says Dungeon closed for renovations, its a spider big enough to play 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 the lab 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, but later.

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 plan? 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 place had been almost welcoming, today it is not. People can see the ravens staring at them as they walk by, and can hear the occasional 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 occasionally twitching as she works. Suddenly, the mood seems to change like someone flipped a switch. The ravens caw and relax, 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.