by Galen Wolf
The billowing creature of flame, rears up and attacks. The warrior rushes forward and hacks at it. His sword slices through the flame, doing some damage, but the heat from its fiery limbs forces him back.
Bernard: There's a fire resist potion hidden against the far wall, under that rubble.
Me: They haven't found it yet.
The fire elemental envelops the warrior and he screams. I see his hand go to a health potion and he sips and hacks. The rogue guy attempts a backstab, but that skill doesn't work against elementals. I see the Heretic mutter blasphemous words and a bolt of black energy shoots out of her hand and hits the elemental. That does damage. I can see the poor thing almost wilting.
Tye: It's at 50%
Then the Rogue darts across to the rubble pile. He's seen the stashed potions — he’s probably used some rogue enhanced search skill. Realizing what they are, he yanks out the crystal stopper and glugs back a mouthful of the fire resist potion. He's also picked up a blue potion.
Me: You gave them a health potion as well?
Bernard: I'm over generous.
Tye: Don't be. Focus on killing them.
Bernard: I'm the loot guy; you're the killer.
Tye: You know me well. But you can help.
The rogue tosses the fire resist potion to the warrior, who takes a quick sip. He's now got 35% fire resist. He stumbles back, on fire. The Heretic blasts the elemental, which whimpers and dies like a doused camp fire. They take a minute to heal up then get a good look round the room. The rogue shows what he's found. 'Health Potion 100, Fire Resist Potion 35%, a Gold Key, a Hymn Book. I don't know what that's for yet, but it's clearly a plot item.'
The heretic has been rummaging too. She pulls up a golden ring, a leather pouch of coins and a ruby as big as a plum. 'Good loot in here.'
'Let's keep it to ourselves,' The warrior says, apparently now fully healed up. 'We can come back and loot again.'
Tye: Only after you're dead.
They get themselves together and move on. They fight the fire slime and beat it on their way through to the tapestry room. They are arranged in an arrowhead formation with the rogue on point. They're going slow and steady like they actually know what they're doing.
'Salamander!' The rogue yells and hits Hide. I see him roll right. He's still visible to me in Observation Mode, though he's edged in the blue fuzz effect of Hiding. The Salamander snaps at the Heretic, who's knocked back. The warrior swings his black sword and catches it heavily in the back.
I hover over it.
Name: Salamander
Type: Elemental
Level: Three
Health: 280/400
Dodge: 300
Armor: 200
To Hit: 150
Damage: 50
Special: Fire (50)
It's hurt. It hisses in rage and its forked tongue darts from its fanged mouth. With its needle tipped forearms it rakes the Heretic. She falls back to heal but the Salamander breathes a gout of fire and the damage is too much for her and she dies.
Tye: Nice.
Bernard: Dungeon's levelled!
Tye: Rogue's still hiding. The coward. Leaving his buddies to do the fighting for him.
Me: Nah, he's stalking.
The warrior looks dazed at the death of the healer. The salamander turns and rushes him, but he holds up his shield and blocks its frenzied attack. He slashes right and hits it, finally getting himself together. It ducks under his shield sinuous as a snake and bites up at him. He falls back, grabbing desperately for his health potion.
Tye: It's got him.
But the rogue appears from the shadows and stabs the Salamander in the back getting a backstab with a crit. The lizard dies with a scream.
The two of them stand looking ashen.
'Liz is dead. We've got no healing,' the warrior says.
'We got that potion.'
'Want to go on?'
The rogue nods.
As they move off I see the dungeon has cloned some of ElizabethBathory's gear. I'm hoping for some choice gem, but I'm out of luck. It's low level stuff — a mace and a Cloak of Hiding +10 to Hide Skill. I don't need any of that. Why a Heretic had a Cloak of Hiding who knows, but I remember that when you're low level you end up carrying around all sorts of class inappropriate gear because you've got nothing else.
The rogue and warrior have cautiously gone over to entrance of the Creepy Tunnel. I see the rogue put up his hand. 'Trap.' He fiddles with the mechanism and disarms the Fire Pit.
Tye: Shoot. I wish it would have got them.
Bernard: There's more. Be patient.
Tye: Patience isn't not my thing.
Bernard: I noticed.
They go along the corridor and trigger the fire mephits. The fiery bats swoop down from the ceiling, raking at them with steaming black claws. The little things flutter around their faces, biting and scratching. Each attack does only a little damage, but they attack so fast, it mounts up. The rogue slashes with his daggers, one in each hand. I see him bring down a mephit and the warrior finally gets another with his sword. They kill all five, but they've been hurt bad. They sip health potion and then wait for the cool down to end before sipping again.
'On?' The warrior asks.
'Yeah. Just a little more.'
'It's tough.'
'Good loot. Just see what's down this corridor.'
The rogue goes forward and I see him trip and stumble.
Me: What's that? I didn't notice a trip wire there.
Tye: You should look harder. It was about a quarter inch off the floor. You probably stepped over it.
Then jets of fire explode from the tunnel walls.
Tye: Firewall trap.
Me: How do they get back through that?
Tye: Timer. It dies out after three minutes.
We go through the firewall unharmed. The rogue and the warrior looks dismayed at the intense wall of flames that blocks their retreat.
'Why didn't you disarm that?' The warrior says.
'Didn't see it.'
'Not much of a rogue, are you?'
'Easy, pal. I got the others.'
'The easy ones. One hard one and you miss it. How the heck are we going to get out alive?'
'Quit whining. Let's go on.'
They advance a short way until they get to the alcove. The rogue motions for the warrior to stop. He half steps into the alcove.
Tye: Fingers crossed.
'What's there?' The warrior calls forward.
'Wait.'
'I bet it's loot and you're going to pocket the best for yourself.' He steps forward and in his haste, pushes the rogue into the alcove. The rogue steps on the pressure pad and I hear a soft click. Neither of them notice.
'A key?' The warrior says.
'Probably important later.'
Slowly and silently, the walls are closing in on them slant-ways. They're so intent on the key and lectern they haven't noticed.
'Get it.'
'It's locked down.'
'Unlock it.'
'I can't see the mechanism.'
'No way I'm going in a dungeon with you again. You're useless.'
Quietly the rogue reaches for his dagger. I think he's going to stab the warrior, but he sees the walls grinding silently together. 'Hey! The walls.' He pushes past the warrior but the walls are already so close together he can't squeeze out. I hear a grunt then a pop as the walls shut tight.
Then there's a further scream and a pop.
The crush trap relaxes and we see the bloody mess it's made of the two adventurers. Their ghosts vanish, leaving their crushed bones.
Bernard: I wonder who Skullface1 was?
20
FIREBALL
The Forgotten Chapel Dungeon is sitting at 1200xp and we need 2000 for Level 4. With each level we get a 5% increase in chance to clone gear items. Most of it is trash and we've been leaving it but I ask Simon to do me a favor and go round and pick up the stuff that's not worth having and then process it and put the cash into the bank.
Some more adventurers come in. I don't recognize them; they're more of Satanus's minions though so I don't shed a tear when the crush trap gets them. That trap has a high conversion rate. As more adventurers come into the dungeon it kills more than any other trap. I think it's something psychological — the little alcove to draw them in then the shiny key with its platinum wire, they're so enthralled by the thought of getting something valuable via that key that they don't notice the soft click and slow crush until they are just bone jelly on the stone walls. The graphics don't keep the blood stains which is both a good thing and a bad thing. It' s good because it means we don't have to clean up, but bad because a few gore spots would add to the atmosphere. They'd probably give away the traps on second thoughts too.
I'm learning all the time. I figure as we get deeper in, we can have a tunnel with mega loot at the end. I'll get Geraint to lay out some nice shinies, shinier than Las Vegas slots to entice them down a tunnel, then wham! Or maybe whoosh! Or even a little slice and dice. I'll ask Peter to come up with something fresh.
Thorvald and the guys are busy digging out the last rooms on this level — creating the boss room for Tye. I heard him discussing it with Oliver — he wants silks and satins and four poster beds as well as a magic room with all sorts of arcane symbols on the floor where he can lurk and can act all surprised when they come in. Tye's room is in the middle of the Fire Dwarf workshop and living area. I believe Asterix has placed a few mobs around there now. I haven't seen it yet because I've had other things on my mind.
Like Reza the Cruel. The fact he killed me smarts. I realize I only just killed him the first time, and as the every honest, if it's true Blodeuwedd says, he's got a good chance of beating me next time we meet unless I improve. And I can't improve unless I level and I can't level while I'm down here. When I am finally installed as boss way down on Level 4 of this dungeon, I will get the xp for all adventurers killed on my level. That's a duplicate xp win, because the Dungeon will get it too, but that's how it works. Level 4 isn't even designed yet, neither is Level 3 or Level 2, so xp looks way off for me.
That's an issue I need to think creatively about. I still have ambitions to be the mysterious Green Knight, so I could go out raiding. I'll speak to Bernard about that.
First, I need some fresh air. In a bizarre way I also want to see Blodeuwedd to see if she's got any ideas, and she won't come underground, so I'll go out to her.
I walk down the Long Corridor. When I get to the sloping passage up, I see the doors are closed and there are two guards there I don't recognize. They notice me and salute.
'Easy guys. Much going on?'
'No, Sir Gorrow, sir. All is well.'
'As you were.'
They open the door smartly for me and the open sky and air are like a tonic. I love my dungeon, but it's so nice to see the clouds. I see eagles soaring above the far ridge line. I check my HUD and I see we have a unit of fifteen eagles. While I'm there I check the other numbers.
We have managed to recruit some more troops, and troop availability is based on settlement population. I take a look.
Military
Eagles 15
Light Archers: 12
Yeomen Halberdiers: 10
Not Counted in Population
Civilians
Farmers: Adults, 5; Children 2
Friars: 4
Miners: Adults 22, Children 7
Key NPCs: 8
Silver Drift Population: 48
Wow! While I've been busy in the dungeon, my NPCs have been breeding. Some of the kids have even grown into adults while I've been preoccupied with Tye and his fires. Just 52 more and we get our village milestone. I look up at the black and red haze that pollutes the air over Silver Drift. We're still in an enemy zone of control until we get our milestone. Then of course, their haze will vanish. The sharp eyed of them will notice that. The only consolation is Silver Drift will be so small that its friendly zone of control won't extend outside the valley for a while.
Armand sees me standing there staring at my HUD.
'Sir Gorrow, lovely to see you. I thought you'd abandoned us!'
That must be a joke. NPCs making jokes. Nobody tell me they aren't people.
'Nice to see you Armand. How's it going?'
He looks embarrassed. 'Forgive me for not keeping you up to date with everything. I thought I'd report when I saw you, and I didn't see you...'
I nod back the way I came. 'The Dungeon. You should come and look, see what they've done with it. It's pretty impressive.'
'I shall; I've just been busy.'
I point at the black dots of eagles floating on the updrafts, circling up, ever watchful. He sees me looking.
'Any enemies?'
'The eagles took down a cockatrice. They're bigger than the eagles, but we put a full flight against it. It didn't live to tell the tale.'
'You think it was a scout?'
Armand shakes his head. 'Just a wandering monster. There were some beastmen in the woods too, but again, no deliberate scouting was going on. The enemy doesn't know we're here, doesn't even know that "here" exists.'
'The beastmen didn't survive?'
He gives a cold smile.
'Good.'
'How's the building?'
Jason's been out with Oliver Stone. As you see the barracks is finished. It's only Level 1 at the moment, but as we get more population we can improve it.'
I look over. The barracks is functional but small and plain looking. Still, it gives me a strange sense of pride to see it. There are now three farms and the fields have multiplied too. We now have cows and sheep and pigs.
'You're looking at the livestock? Asterix produced some animals for us and they'll breed now. Different kinds of food and resources — wool, bone meal as a fertilizer, skins.'
'We'll need a tannery.'
'Where? Well in the real world, the tanneries are always a long way from the settlements because of the smell. I don't want it in the mine, it'll stink us out.'
'Tanneries can make leather armor and saddles. Should I ask Oliver to arrange one up here?'
'Yes.'
Armand pauses. 'Sir Gorrow...'
'Yes?'
'I hope you don't mind us automating this. We discussed it...'
'Who's we?'
'The NPCs.'
'Ah right. Go on.'
'And we wanted to take as much work from you as possible. We know you've got a lot on your plate.'
'That's fine. Just bring the big decisions to me. And if you spot any enemy troops, you let me know at once?'
'Of course.'
Then I see Spirit grazing. The sun suddenly breaks through the clouds and I stroll over to him. He whinnies when he sees me and comes to the stone wall around the field. I stroke his nose. Seeing him makes me want to go raiding all the more. He's sharing the field with the mules. I recognize Henry. The mule lifts his head and runs over. Seems he's happy to see me too.
'Hey, Gorrow, how's you?'
I think about reminding him it's 'Sir' Gorrow, but he doesn't mean any disrespect by it. He's just a mule without many manners, a rough diamond.
'I'm good, Henry. Yourself? Thought you guys were hauling stone for Thorvald?'
He shows me his big yellow teeth. 'Day off. You can't expect a mule to work all the hours God sends.'
'No, of course.' It hadn't occurred to me NPC mules would need a day off.
; 'Anyway, Gorrow. I've got some big news.'
I wonder what's coming. 'Really?' I say. 'Spill the beans.'
'We're getting married. Me and Bessie. She wants to have foals.'
I knew the animals did reproduce, but the fact they got married was news.
'Yeah,' he continues. 'We want you to be best man. You brought us together.'
'I bought you both, I guess.'
'That's what brought us together.'
I think that whoever coded this game is laughing at me. NPC mules getting married and inviting me to be the best man. It's beyond bizarre. 'We'll...'
'Say you will, say you will.'
'Sure. Of course.'
'Good.' He throws back his head and gives a donkey bray of rejoicing. Spirit glances at the mule before glancing back at me.
'Gorrow,' Henry says. 'One more thing.'
I cock my head. 'What?'
'Have you seen Bernard?'
'Yeah, he's in the mine.'
'He hasn't been to see me.'
'Sorry, I'll tell him you miss him.'
'I don't miss him.'
'Right. Then what...?' I scratch my cheek.
'I miss fighting! I want to go out and kill some bad guys. Can we go soon, please? Can we?'
I laugh out loud. The crazy mule is saying what I'm thinking. We need to strike fear. We've been gone too long. I need to get skill points so I can dominate Reza and kill him every time. Then I'll take his boss Maligon.
I stroke Spirit and tickle Henry's big ears then return into the mine. The guards knock the heels of their spears against the ground as a salute. I acknowledge them and pass within.
A quick look at my dungeon schematic shows how much it has grown. Yellow dots of loot and green dots of mobs now litter the extensive first floor plan. I can see the cluster of chambers that make up the Fire Dwarf section and beyond that the interconnecting rooms of Tye's lair.
I also see we have two groups of adventurers playing at the moment. There's a four and a five. They seem spread out so I don't think they are the same group. I hover over the group nearest the door, the five. They're Level 2s with one Level 3. I'm guessing they haven't been in long. Peter's traps are going to blow them to kingdom come at that level. All very nice for the dungeon xp.
