by Allan Joyal
“We plan on overnighting at Fall’s Pond,” Dared said.
The woman nodded. “You could do that, but that means I can only offer some warm bread, fresh from my ovens and a few cold slices of roast. We cooked one up this morning so it is still good.”
“This morning?” Jerisa asked.
“For the farmers,” the woman in the doorway responded. “They don’t really have time to eat a midday meal, so a large morning offering is preferred. I survive by cooking for many of the farmers around here.”
“Lots of unmarried young men?” Roquel asked.
The woman nodded again. “They come here because they are second or even third sons. Most find that they need to prove the farm successful before they can attract a wife.”
Dared nodded. “Well, if you are willing, I think some warm bread and a few slices of roast will work. Do you have any cheese or ale?”
“Oh, can we please get some wine?” Jerisa asked plaintively. “That brewer you convinced to take over the adventurer’s tavern is good, but I haven’t had a wine since I left Fairview.”
Dared frowned. “If there is a wine, I can spare the coin for a bottle,” he said carefully. “I’ll have to talk to the matriarch of the family in our north forest.”
“Who?” Jerisa asked.
“We have a family who worships Verdina. As I remember her worshippers were once known for an excellent berry wine they offered,” Dared said.
“Verdina gold,” Roquel said. “I haven’t had a bottle of that in years. If they know how to make it you could have another trade good.”
“I’d purchase that,” the woman said. Her eyes sparkled with interest. “The farmers here would definitely enjoy it. However, I don’t have any. Right now, I can only offer a sharp red wine that comes from Zathmorlu. I do have a very good hard cheese. Some of the farmers set up on the east side of the forest make it from the goats they raise.”
“Two silvers for the three of us?” Dared offered.
The woman shook her head. “I’d feel like I was stealing from you. One silver would pay for everything and leave me with a solid profit for the day.”
“Two it is then,” Dared said as he lifted his saddlebags from his horse. “We’ll go inside and sit while you prepare our meals.”
The woman looked extremely puzzled as Dared led Jerisa and Roquel into the building. The room they entered was a bit cramped due to the three long rectangular tables set up, but there were no other patrons so the trio found seats at the first table. Dared took time to pull three tankards from the saddlebags as he sat down.
“I do have my own,” Roquel said as he passed one of the tankards to her.
“I just figured this would be easier,” Dared responded unapologetically.
Roquel nodded. “It works. So, are you going to answer your wife?”
“What about?” Dared responded.
“Trade,” Jerisa said firmly. “You said the valleys around here would fill with farmers and just said that trade would be the reason.”
“Montgar is going to attract more merchants,” Dared said. “You’ll have luxury good merchants coming to sell to you and to see if they can interest any of the adventurers. In fact, we’ll have to watch to be sure that none of the merchants tries to sell slaves.”
Roquel nodded as Jerisa gasped and raised a hand to cover her mouth. “Sadly, he’s right. The groups that visited Faestari this year have all been patient, but many adventurers who have grown rich like having others do the work around their camps. More than a few groups are known for purchasing slaves.”
“And its allowed?” Jerisa asked.
“Not all dungeons are right next to a village or town. Most exist for years before the town becomes established and more than a few towns are built by the adventurers themselves, so they make sure its legal,” Roquel said with sadness in her voice.
“Its wrong,” Jerisa said.
“Girl,” the innkeeper said as she set a platter down on the table. There were several breadrolls, a large wheel of cheese and a fist-sized roast set around a bottle of wine. “There are men in this village who would make slavery legal in a moment if they could.”
“And Fairview does allow a form of debt slavery. If you owe too much money, you can be forced to work for the man who you are in debt to,” Dared said.
“That’s what happened to my Jericy. He made some bad trades for copper and then couldn’t sell it. One of the merchants of the council bought up all his debt and then tried to force him to turn over our warehouse here, along with all the copper,” the innkeeper said sadly.
“But from what you said, he didn’t?” Jerisa asked.
“A widow can’t be forced to cover her husband’s debts. I miss Jericy, but he did what he had to so save our son,” the innkeeper said.
The woman used a towel to wipe tears from her eyes and then turned and walked away from the table.
“Can we do anything?” Jerisa asked.
Dared shook his head as he set a pair of silver coins on the table. “No. Anything we do will only make her a target for Berkins or the merchant from Fairview who bankrupted her husband. The only thing that might work would be to purchase the copper from her.”
Roquel nodded. “I hate local politics.”
“Even ours?” Dared asked with a smile as he began distributing slices of cheese to the two women.
Chapter 9: Dungeon Spirits
About the time that Dared and his companions were enjoying their meal in Oersteglen, Faestari was watching as Gee’if and his companions headed back down the mountain. They had reached the dwarf fortress and challenged the strange bug-headed beings that lived there, but turned back after clearing the courtyard.
Faestari was not concerned with Gee’if and his friends. Even without Hal’vik the four adventurers proved capable of taking on the kobolds and orcs without too much trouble and the one acid-spitting beetle they encountered had fallen to one of Betrixy’s spells.
The bug-headed humanoids were a larger concern. They had fought well, but they were using fungus leather armor and stone weapons. The young dungeon spirit watched until she was sure that Gee’if’s group was ascending to the surface and then opened her stairway up to the lair she had set for the monsters in the dwarven fortress.
The leader of the humanoids noticed her entry and came over to kneel in front of her. “How can the Kodak Stag Tribe assist you?” it asked in the sibilant tone the creatures used.
Faestari looked over at the room of the lair. The monsters had set up several barriers made out of fungal leather. The open area was clear of obstacles and a pair of the creatures stood by the passage leading to the hidden stairway exiting the lair.
“I actually came to see if I can help you,” Faestari said. “I watched your fight. I’m sorry for your losses.”
The leader clacked his mandibles together. “They fought well, fought with honor. Both have younglings. Those younglings will be raised to know that they come from warriors.”
Faestari looked around. The bug-like heads of the monsters made it hard to decipher any facial expressions, but the two guards stood at rigid attention as the rest of the room grew silent.
“I don’t wish to diminish their deeds,” Faestari responded. “I was just wondering if your people knew metal work. I know I could open up some copper veins and a pair of pockets of tin. You would be able to smelt bronze and forge it into better weapons and armor.”
The leader looked up at Faestari. “We are not to mine. No dungeon allows mining. All People know this.”
“I’m not like any other dungeon,” Faestari said. “And if you don’t mine beyond the veins I provide, I will be happy. I’ll even replenish the veins occasionally so that you always have a supply of bronze.”
“Need heat, to melt copper and tin,” the leader protested.
Faestari thought. “No fungus will work as a source of fuel?” she asked.
“None that are safe,” the bug-headed humanoid said. “Spores dangerous.
”
“I could include coal, but that will appear in the outside passages. You’ll have to send teams out to mine it. And the rules would be the same. Don’t mine where there are no veins,” Faestari said.
Faestari could feel a new presence in her home chamber. It felt like another dungeon was visiting.
“I must go,” she said. “The material should start appearing soon.”
The leader lowered his torso and head until his mandibles touched the floor. “Kodak Stag Tribe appreciates you. Will always protect your tunnels.”
Faestari turned and walked to the alcove hiding her passage to her home chamber. She tried to appear unhurried, but once she was out of sight and the alcove was sealed up she rushed down to her home chamber.
She walked onto the lush grass growing there to see the Wynterhold avatar arguing with Aylia.
“I’m telling you, your dungeon’s carelessness will allow a wizard to contract you,” the avatar said. “I can protect you.”
“Your dungeon is a place of ice and wind,” Aylia said. “Faestari has two floors and more than a dozen chambers devoted to underground streams and ponds.”
“But she can’t prevent a wizard from capturing you once she is destroyed,” Wynterhold said.
“She’s not going to be destroyed,” Aylia said confidently. “No adventurer on the village is interested in causing a problem. They want the treasures she provides.”
“Treasures run out,” Wynterhold said firmly.
“Fungus and alchemical treasures found by harvesting things like spider eyes don’t run out unless so many adventurers come that my monsters can’t breed enough replacements. And I’ve made sure they can breed very quickly,” Faestari said as she openly entered the room.
“So, you are still around. Where did you go this time?” Wynterhold asked. He sounded much more annoyed than usual.
Faestari took a step back. The open hostility from the other dungeon avatar was a surprise. “I was meeting with the leader of one of the humanoid tribes in my dungeon. I wanted to see if I could improve their weapons and give them a reason to move around and have some more pride in who they are.”
“What?” Wynterhold asked. “That makes no sense.”
“It does to me,” Faestari said. “My father sat with me one day long ago. Mother, father and I had spent the day helping several of the villagers in putting up a new barn for Keztral. He pointed to a couple of Keztral’s sons. The young men had fought participating, but once the work was done there were huge smiles on their faces. Father said that the men would value the barn more because they had helped in building it rather than having it built for them.”
“And how did that work out for them?” Wynterhold asked sarcastically.
“No one can be completely prepared for the actions of others,” Faestari replied quietly as she looked the dungeon avatar in the eye. “Now why are you here?”
“A new dungeon emerged around here,” Wynterhold said.
“I know,” Faestari said. “And received a large influx of mana shortly after awakening. I could feel that much. But I haven’t investigated. I have my own dungeon to manage, and…”
Faestari stood quietly as the Wynterhold avatar stared at her. “What?” the ugly dwarf finally said.
“I figured that I’m too young to be the first to greet a new dungeon,” Faestari responded.
“Oh, that’s so diplomatic,” Aylia said acting as if she might swoon.
Wynterhold’s avatar snorted. “More like you are afraid of the reaction of other dungeons. But at least none can fault you for this problem.”
Faestari wanted to respond, but a loud atonal cackling started to echo in the chamber. A corner of the pool began to swirl upward like some upside-down whirlpool. The spinning water turned brown and then a misshapen kobold stepped out of the water and onto the shore.
The kobold continued cackling as the water splashed down into the pool. “I felt magic,” it said. “Mana is strong here. I want. I need. Give it to me.”
“What is that?” Aylia asked. “And how could it control the water.”
Faestari closed her eyes and used her other senses. The strange kobold had a strange mana signature. It was as if several strands of mana had been wrapped together. She could see a couple loose strands reaching out towards both her and Aylia. She quickly called up shields to protect against the strands and opened her eyes.
“Its an avatar, but…” Faestari whispered.
“So are you the new dungeon?” Wynterhold asked.
“Dungeon, kobold, duergar, death. Much death. Kill for food. Kill for power,” the kobold said.
“No,” Wynterhold said in a whisper. “You don’t kill willfully.”
“Kill,” the kobold avatar said. It raised its hands. Faestari could feel mana gathering and called on her heart stone to drain the mana before any spell could be cast.
There was a single bright flash of light. Silence fell over the chamber. The kobold stood quietly and then looked at its empty hands.
“What did it do?” Wynterhold asked.
“I don’t know, but I drained the mana before the spell could be completed. I didn’t want to see what might happen otherwise,” Faestari said.
“You!” the kobold said. It rushed towards Faestari. The dog-like face was twisted into a hateful guise as it charged.
Aylia screamed in fear. Faestari just opened up a mana conduct and the charging avatar ended up rushing outside of her domain as it stepped through the portal she had created.
“What?” Aylia asked.
“I believe we’ve met the new dungeon,” Faestari said quietly. “And I’m not sure I want to meet him again.”
Aylia turned to look at the Wynterhold avatar. “What was that? I never heard of dungeons attacking each other. What was that monster trying to do?”
Wynterhold’s ugly dwarf avatar was staring at the closing portal. “What about it returning to try again?”
“I’m temporarily blocking all mana from outside except for yours,” Faestari said. “I didn’t want you to feel like I was attacking you.”
Wynterhold frowned. “You blocking all mana might not be a good idea. I’m sure other dungeons have sensed the mana flares.”
It was Faestari’s turn to frown. She relaxed the mana barrier and immediately felt a new flow of mana. A new avatar appeared. This one had the undersized legs and mouthless face of the old dungeon.
“You!” it roared. “What have you done?”
“Hold!” Wynterhold said. “Faestari was merely defending her domain. A new dungeon woke. I was here when it came and attempted to steal her mana.”
“How?” the old dungeon asked in its booming voice.
“I’m not sure,” Wynterhold said. “The new dungeon arrived and seemed unable to really communicate or to understand what it was. It just wanted to gather mana and was willing to kill to gain it.”
“Where is this dungeon?” the old avatar asked.
Faestari pointed in the direction she felt the dungeon emerge in. “I felt it appear in that direction a few days ago. Less than a day later I felt a huge flare of mana as if dozens of creatures had died within its domain.”
The faceless avatar turned to face that direction. “I feel the dungeon. You are right, it has power. There must have been a huge battle that helped it awaken.”
“I’m going to ask the villagers and adventurers what they can find out,” Faestari said. “I’ve been attacked once already, so I don’t want to visit the dungeon.”
“You are a dungeon,” Aylia said playfully. “Isn’t that a false statement?”
Wynterhold laughed. “Don’t worry. We’ll need to contact other dungeons before we try to bring this new one under control.”
Faestari nodded. “I understand.”
The old dungeon turned its eyes to Faestari. “And how is your dungeon doing?”
“Fairly well,” Faestari answered carefully. “One of the regular groups that was accepting my challenge has depa
rted. They lost the expedition organizer and are returning to their primary base. I expect them to return next summer.”
“You killed an expedition leader, but not the whole group?” the dungeon asked.
“No,” Faestari said. “It occurred outside my dungeon when a wizard attempted to use magic to force his way to my heart chamber so he could use a specially prepared gemstone to possess my spirit. Bezztol stepped up to try to stop the wizard and was killed by some of his guards. The other Flame Vultures don’t blame me. I avenged their leader by killing the wizard and his followers.”
“All of them?” the old dungeon asked.
“All of the ones here. She even ripped a mephit apart with her magic,” Aylia said. “I’ve listened to some of the talk the adventurers have had since then and if anything, they respect her more for standing up against the wizard.”
Faestari looked down at the ground. “I haven’t really done anything other than protect myself.”
Wynterhold just stared for a moment. The ugly dwarf turned to look at the old dungeon’s avatar. “She’s doing the best she can. And I have to say every time I visit she has plenty of mana and seems to have adventurers that respect her challenges.”
“I actually was just talking to some of my humanoids. I noticed they were using stone weapons and offered them the opportunity to mine and smelt copper and tin into bronze,” Faestari said.
“How did you know that would work?” the old dungeon asked.
“I don’t know,” Faestari said. “I just realized that bronze is a mix of copper and tin. Or at least that copper and tin would work for the humanoids.”
“It does work,” the old dungeon said. “And bronze is a fairly good metal for lower level monsters. Heroes will likely not realize how good the weapons made from it can be.”
“I haven’t offered to magic them,” Faestari said. “Although I might if I find they are getting defeated too easy. But so far the Impaled Cats have used my dungeon to train new adventurers. Once their adventurers can reach the dwarf fortress three times, they stop entering. The other main team appears to be content to visit only occasionally. They did reach the dwarf fortress earlier today.”
