by Galen Wolf
"I know who he is."
"Sorry. Just thought I was being helpful."
"No problem."
Oliver Stone pushes back his hat. "I suggest that you purchase the Dungeon Master add-on module to the game."
"Okay. How much is it?"
"I don't bother myself with things like that."
That's not a issue. I'll look into it. "Tell me about it though."
"A dungeon has all the things you want. But you need to place treasure to entice adventurers in or else it's not a dungeon. Then you, as dungeon boss, get xp when the dungeon kills them."
So I can level this way too. Interesting.
"If they get to you, they have the boss fight."
"Except you're the boss," Asterix says. "You fight them."
That's okay. I can do that. "But I've got to have adventurers coming in?"
Oliver nods. "Or else it isn't a dungeon."
Bernard scratches his head. "But, then they'll think it's just a dungeon. There are dungeons all over. They won't suspect that inside the dungeon, we're building a settlement."
"Like I said. I want both. The dungeon will be a smokescreen for what we're really doing."
Asterix says, "You'll need mobs — monsters— to patrol the dungeon. They're different from regular NPC mobs such as farmers. They come from different kinds of games, though Miskatonic has combined them in Camelot. Farmers, miners, etc, come from strategy games, and dungeon mobs come from RPGs. So, farmers and miners level. They get better. When they die, you have to level new ones. Not so dungeon mobs. They are always the same level they were created. They don't get better, unless you buy new higher level ones to replace the old ones. But when they die, they respawn at the same level."
"Explain."
"So, a Level 10 Vampire, costing two hundred marks to buy from yours truly, "Asterix says, "when slain, re-spawns as a Level 10 vampire — not a level 1."
I point to the cross on my shield. "Yeah, but no vampires, werewolves. Nothing evil."
Oliver scratches his head. "So you want a good dungeon?"
"More than that. I want a holy dungeon. I want this dungeon to be the doom of any evil creature that steps foot inside. Player or NPC."
"So you want angels and dryads and stuff, as mobs?" Asterix says. "I can do that."
"Dryads are a tiny bit pagan, but I can live with it," I say.
"There's tree spirits and talking beasts and things in the Arthurian stories," Bernard says.
Oliver Stone is grinning. "And I can design you the most torturous dungeon. Dead ends. Labyrinths. Secret doors. Traps..."
Asterix is also into it now, eyes agleam. "But you'll need specialist help. I can get those. You'll need a rogue to design your traps. But of course it'll cost."
"How much is a rogue?"
"Three hundred marks a month."
I nod.
"Do you have three hundred marks a month?" Bernard asks.
"No." I wink at Asterix. "Take it out of your rent."
"Rent? I don't pay any rent?"
"Exactly."
Oliver says, "Plus, you'll need treasure to put around to draw in the aventurers. Gold and stuff."
"We've got more gold than we know what to do with," I say. "We dig it out of the walls. We've got storerooms of the stuff and nowhere to sell it.
They are all excited about these plans now.
I stand to go. " Anyway guys. Good meeting. We've got lots to get one with. Oliver, will you draw up the dungeon plans? But they have to include all the functional rooms, barracks, laboratories, kitchens, storerooms as well as the twisty-turny tunnels and traps."
"Of course."
As we're about to go out of the door, Bernard looks thoughtful. "Do you know St Fitheach? He's a player. He lived in the Geltwood. I'm guessing he's still around despite the Evil One having conquered that area. He's maybe looking for a new place to set up a chapel. I can maybe contact him for you and invite him to come over."
I'm taken aback. "A saint? I didn't know players could be saints."
Bernard nods. "Yeah, like knights rise to be barons and earls and dukes eventually, friars and priests can rise up to be bishops, then archbishops, cardinals and eventually saints."
"Wow. You think he would come here? His blessings would be very useful."
"Plus," Bernard. "You know how you apprenticed to Sir Mercurius to raise you up from squire to knight?"
"Sure."
"Well, if you apprentice to a saint he can train you to be a paladin, with extra holy magic."
"A paladin? With extra holy magic?"
"That's what I said."
"Sign me up."
4
Cash Flow Problems
I have money worries — serious ones, and I don't know if I can to complete my dungeon project before going bankrupt. After the initial enthusiasm, I sit in the rock-hewn cave that is now acting as my chambers. There is a bed, a desk and candles burning in alcoves on the wall. Sitting with me is the ever faithful Bernard, Oliver Stone and Asterix the NPC Staffing Agency dwarf.
"So we're digging north to get access to the fields. Once we get access to the fields we start growing things."
Bernard says, "Silver Drift's out there still. As long as that stands, we've still got beer and crops coming in. We can still feed the mules and horses."
"As long as it stands." I grimace. "The enemy know it's there. It's a matter of time. How's the work going to disguise the main entrance?"
Oliver smiles. "Coming along well. We're planting a rockery, with native plants of course..."
"A rockery? Really?"
"Yes. It will look splendid."
"If you say so."
Bernard scowls. "It has to look like it's not there, never mind looking splendid."
Oliver waves him down. "Yes, yes, Master Alchemist. It will be invisible. Almost."
I rub my chin. The candle flickers. "But we've got a problem with cash flow."
"How so?"
I sit back. "I reckon I've got about 3,400 marks left. The mine and produce sales were doing well, but sales have stopped now, and we're constructing a heck of a lot of things down here. We need to."
"The miners dig for free," Bernard says.
"No, they don't. They dig for beer. So far we've got enough, but it will run out, then what'll happen...?" I glanced at Asterix who winces. "They'll die."
"Die for lack of beer? You're kidding me?" Bernard says.
"No, it's very serious."
"So we need beer. And we can't have beer without a brewery and we can't have a brewery without hops, barley and water."
The sound of dripping water is always present in the mine, so water isn't a problem, but we need sunlight for the other ingredients. "Priority is digging north and breaking out," I say.
"What else do we need?"
"We need a way of getting cash," I say. If we're building farms and workshops we can't get them for nothing. We can mine the stone, maybe there's wood out in those valleys we can use, but construction comes at a cost."
Oliver nods. "I'm afraid so."
Bernard turns on him. "After all Sir Gorrow's done for you —he saved your NPC life after all — you won't cut him some slack and build something for free?"
Oliver bowed his head. "I know what Sir Gorrow's done, but it's not me. It's the game that insists buildings have a monetary charge. I can't get round that."
Bernard harrumphed but went quiet. We all did. Then Bernard says, "So, we need cash?"
"Yep."
"And we can't get anywhere to sell our wares?"
"Nope."
"But we normally sell them to NPC vendors?"
"Sure. Where are you going with this, Bernie?"
Bernard turns to Asterix who is thoughtfully stroking his green beard. "Hey, Asterix. You hire out NPCs."
The dwarf looks up from his thoughts. "I do."
"So could you hire us a vendor?"
Asterix looks thoughtful. "Well, I don't do many vendors. Can't re
member the last one. Mainly do farmers, soldiers, millers, blacksmiths of course..."
"Can you hire us a vendor?"
Asterix nods. Bernard looks gleefully at me. "So we sell the vendor stuff and that's our cash flow."
It is a good idea. "You may have something there, Bernie. But there is a little problem."
"Oh yeah? What?"
"What are we going to sell him?"
Bernard scratches the back of his neck. "Oh, I dunno. What have we got?"
"Gold," Oliver says.
Asterix shakes his head. "He won't buy gold unless he's a specialist mineral vendor. Other kinds buy goods and credit you cash."
"Stone?"
"Maybe. But at a very very low price."
"Swords?" I says.
Asterix nods. "Yeah. Swords. Items. That kind of thing."
"So if we hire a blacksmith we could make swords from the minerals we dig out of the mine."
"And shields," Bernard says. "And armor, and maybe bracelets? Greaves?" He grows thoughtful. "He could maybe make those cast iron candelabras and sell those?"
"I think you're getting carried away. Did you ever play Skyrim back in the day and make loads and loads of iron daggers to improve your smithing skill?"
"Oh yeah."
"So we get him just to churn out the same old thing. As he levels, he'll make better things and we sell them for more cash."
Oliver sits forward. "So, you'll need more chambers. A forge?"
"I need it all, Oliver. A barracks, store rooms, a forge, a brewery. Yes, an underground brewery. Looks like we'll have some kind of market place." That is a thought. "Asterix, what kind of vendors are there?"
The dwarf says, "Arms vendors, armor vendors, furniture vendors. Lots of kinds."
"Do you have general vendors?"
"Of course, but they give lower prices than the specialists. We have pawn vendors too. You sell your gear to them and it's available to other players."
Bernard scoffs. "What use is that? What players are going to come looking for us in here? Only the minions of Satanus, and I don't think they'll be doing much shopping."
That makes me think. "But hang on," I say. "We need this place to look like a dungeon, a perfectly innocent game dungeon. And remember the way dungeons work is we get xp from adventurers killed in here."
"Well you do," Bernard says. "You're the dungeon owner."
I gave him an old fashioned look and continued. "We don't want it to look like the rebel base it will really be." I pause to think straight. "So, a pawn vendor isn't a bad idea. That'll be an attraction. If they can come here to buy great gear, they'll will come in droves."
Bernard cackles. "And we'll kill them all."
"But only after they've purchased." Oliver smiles and looks around. I give him a grin. I want him to feel part of the gang.
"But first we just get a general vendor." I look at Asterix. "How much?"
“Four hundred marks a month."
I'm aware we need to be making that back soon, or I'll go bust.
"And a blacksmith?" I says.
“Two hundred and fifty.“
"You mentioned a rogue before, Asterix. Someone to do the traps?"
"Yeah I can get one of those. Maybe two hundred fifty-ish. I'll get you the best deal I'm able."
"Appreciate it. So when?"
"Pretty much instantly."
Oliver says, "We need somewhere for them to go. We don't want them near the entrance, because when the adventurers arrive, we don't want them slaughtering the NPCs."
Asterix agrees. "These are regular NPCs and so will level and so if they die, they'll re-set to level one. They're not dungeon mobs that just come back as a static level. Different price, different function."
Oliver says, "Sir Gorrow, we need to give attention to the dungeon layout. I have some ideas for plans. For example, you as dungeon boss—"
"Me? Dungeon boss?"
He nods. "Of course. That's what you are. You will need to be on the deepest level. Protected by minions and traps."
"That sounds like a lot of digging."
"It is."
I turn wearily to Asterix. "I need five more miners. Summon them up, add them to my salary bill and send them to Thorvald."
But we still aren't finished. "Bernard, you mentioned this St Fitheach. Are there any costs associated with him coming here?"
"No, he's a player so he'll come for free."
"Not exactly free," Oliver says. "I'll have to plan out chambers for him."
"And a chapel."
Oliver sighs and shrugs. "It's lots of work."
"I sent him a personal message via dove, but I haven't heard anything," Bernard says.
I shrug too. "I guess he might not come. Anyway. Lots to do guys. Can you get those specialist NPCs as soon as possible, Asterix, then I'll meet them and assign them work."
"They'll need chambers," Oliver says.
"I'll go speak to Thorvald."
5
Further Complications
Bernard and I leave the NPCs to go to their own offices and we trudge down the long corridor, lit by flickering torchlight. Luckily, these never go out and I don't have to pay extra for them. Our footsteps echo against cold stone and the walls are slick with moisture that gleams dully in the wavering light.
"It's long now," Bernard says. 'This passage.'
It's true, we walk miles until we get to the end where Thorvald and his miners toil. We hear the clanging of picks against stone and the scraping of shovels before their dark figures materialize out of the gloom.
Thorvald turns and smiles. "Sir Gorrow, great to see you. Nice of you to visit the workers."
I say, "Your work is essential to the success of this project. Without you miners, this is going to fail. I've hired five more."
"Oh great. We need them." He indicates the rock wall where the tunnel ends. "That is pretty tough going."
"How long before we're under the valley and can start going up?"
"Maybe a mile. It'll take another week I think."
"That's okay. Jason's been stockpiling the beer. We should have enough."
"Unless it's been surveyed wrong and you end up digging up into a mountain," Bernard says.
"Thanks for that ray of sunshine, Bernie." But he's right. If they start digging up into a mountain that will ruin everything. I just have to hope Jason has surveyed the distance right. "Can you do it quicker than a week?"
Thorvald wipes his grimy face and grimaces. "I honestly don't think so. But we'll try. Maybe with the new guys we'll be able to push on, but they'll be Level 1s to start off with so it'll take them a week to level to anything useful."
I got ready to tell him something he isn't going to like. "Listen, Thorvald. We need chambers for the new NPCs."
He exhales. "Like when?"
"I know you're working flat out, but as soon as you can."
Bernard says. "We need a blacksmith's shop."
Thorvald is less polite with Bernard. "You're kidding me, right?" He points behind him. "You want me to dig a mile or more through solid rock, and dig chambers for NPCs I've never met?"
Bernard stands his ground. "And, we need to go down. We need deeper levels."
"Yeah right." Thorvald looked at me. "What do you say, Sir Gorrow?"
I don't know who promoted Bernard to mini-boss, but he's right, but I don't want to spook the horses so I say, "This is the priority, Thorvald. We need to get a back door." I glance down the tunnel. "And this tunnel has to have a baffle at the entrance. I don't want adventurers coming down here and finding our farms. I'll get Oliver onto it to design some way that the town bypasses the dungeon. It's there and I need to be able to get into the dungeon, but the town and our economy, and the army we are going to build so we can strike back for the King, that's got to be secret and separate."
My next task is to visit the village of Silver Drift. I leave the mine and Bernard to his mini-boss duties, which he seems to enjoy. The fresh air is wonderful, just
the breeze on my face, the smell of the grass and the feel of the sun on my skin. Once again I admire the coders for fooling my brain into feeling these things.
Silver Drift hamlet sits tranquil under a blue sky. I see my militia patrolling the walls and guarding the gates and once I enter into the palisade, the two farms are busy — the first grow hops and barley for beer production and the second oats for the horses and mules.
The brewery gives off a malty odor that tells me beer is being brewed. Standing there also are the remnants of the two regiments I rescued from the burning city of Camelot. I had put them under the command of Armand the Tall, my Sergeant at Arms. We will need to replenish them before they can take the fight back to the enemy. I can't do that until I had a barracks of sufficiently high level.
Jason steps out of the brewery. He's looking stressed but smiles anyway. "Sir Gorrow. Things are going as planned."
"Tell me."
"We've moved most of the beer into a chamber in the mine. It is one that is excavated before when they are mining for metals. I'm brewing as much as I can and I'll move it into the mine as soon as it's ready. There's plenty of room."
"Okay. Sounds good. Thorvald is digging his way to get under the valley you surveyed. He reckons it'll take a week."
"We should be fine. Unless..."
"Unless what? Finish. I want to know your concerns."
Jason glances over to the east towards the evil village of Carrionburg, not visible behind the palisade walls. We all know it's there, we just don't like to think about it.
"Yeah," I say.
"They're watching us. I was up on the walls before. I could see their guards, just like specks on their village wall. I don't know what they're waiting for."
"Neither do I." I shrug. "Silver Drift is small fry to the enemy at the moment. That's good. It buys us time, but we've got to get as much stuff into the mine as possible, oats, barley, hops, everything."
He nods. "I'd better get back to work."
My next port of call is to speak to Armand the Tall. I tell him to move the remnants of the Currock Yeomanry and the Raffles Light Archers into the mine and keep the militia on the walls. He salutes and goes about it. Armand is a good guy. All my NPCs are.
