《The Lurking Lair - An Adventurer Series Short Story [A tabletop mechanics LitRPG]》 Introduction Charlie jumped in their seat as Sophie slapped them across the back. ¡°Way to crush the last few lines of code on the Elysium server. The rapid evolution process should finish up any day now. What are you planning on doing with your bonus once it goes live?¡± Brushing tangled hair out of their eyes, Charlie spun the chair to face their too-cheerful assailant. Glowering and narrowing their eyes before responding. ¡°You know full well the team pulled too many all-nighters getting everything right. This world is the most ambitious we have ever put together. Separate continents devoted to cultures, gods, and environments. We had to get everything right before we pushed the button. We can¡¯t control any of it now, just keep the wheels on.¡± Sophie ruffled her co-worker¡¯s hair and grinned. ¡°You are such a worry wort. Always fretting over every little thing. You did an amazing job, you and the rest of the team.¡± She stood on her tip toes peering over the cubicle walls. ¡°I know you¡¯re here Jason. I came to get both of you. The pre-release party wouldn¡¯t be the same without you. You know I won¡¯t take no for an answer and I will pester you relentlessly until you give in. So just do as I command and cave already.¡± Jason had started filling his backpack during the monologue and was standing next to Sophie¡¯s side before she had finished speaking. He towered over both of them, his dusty brown hair brushing some of the hanging decorations that littered the office. ¡°Charlie, you know she is right. Don¡¯t make me carry you.¡± Charlie would have preferred to scour the information coming off of the evolution file, just to make sure. However, Charlie knew which battles to fight, and this wasn¡¯t one of them. Poking Sophie in the stomach, they relented. ¡°Okay, okay. You win. Give me a few minutes to shut everything down. If I am going to the party, I am going to party. No coming back to work tonight.¡± ¡°¡­ I am planning on putting the money away. Maintaining everything is so much easier than getting it going in the first place.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. A nameless employee was explaining to one of the others gathered in conference room. Half of a destroyed sheet cake, bottles of warming beer, and other assorted celebratory foods occupied the large table. Small cliques of company employees spread throughout the room making small talk. Charlie pressed themselves back against the wall towards one of the rear corners. Sophie was busy chatting with a gaggle of folks from the HR department. It never felt comfortable having to engage in these social niceties, at least not until a good buzz was achieved. Polishing off the remainder of the bottle of domestic was a chore. The least Nextlife could have done was spring for enough ice to keep the beer cold. Until more of the programmers who, like Charlie, for the most part kept to themselves arrived, this was purgatory. Soon, that wouldn¡¯t be an issue ever again. Elysium just had to go live and none of this would be an issue. Jason stepped up next to Charlie and sipped at a soda, he typically didn¡¯t drink. ¡°I can stand here next to you. That way, no one else will try to talk with you while you drink. These things are about as much fun as a barrel full of monkeys.¡± Grinning, Charlie gave the taller coder a nudge with their elbow. ¡°Thanks. I don¡¯t mind taking you up on that. Small talk always seems¡­ so pointless.¡± Tipping back their bottle, Charlie polished off their second beer and moved on to a third. ¡°So, now that I have you cornered, I never promised I wouldn¡¯t talk to you. What are your plans for your bonus? Which option did you go for?¡± Jason grinned, he had obviously waited for Charlie to start drinking the next beer before asking his query. Narrowing their eyes, Charlie nudged Jason harder. ¡°That was a dirty trick. Besides, I thought you would have figured it out by now based on my commitment to this particular project.¡± Jason held up his hands defensively, a mock hurt expression on his face. ¡°Not a dirty trick, just a trick. Besides, how else was I going to get the answer out of you. There have been whole weeks when I never saw you speak to anyone in the office. If Sophie didn¡¯t come around and drag you off to lord knows where, I would have suspected you slept in one of the closets.¡± Nursing the start of this beer morphed into aggressively drinking; Charlie¡¯s buzz needed to progress if they were going to start talking about this in public. Charlie went for the red herring and decided teasing Jason was the best strategy. ¡°You know I live with Sophie. She isn¡¯t dragging me anywhere, she¡¯s my ride, we carpool. If you want, I can get you invited to our weeklyAdventurergame. I have seen you eyeing her for the last few months. I may not talk much, but I do watch.¡± Hunching over, the tall man seemed to shrink and cower against the wall. ¡°I thought I was being less obvious than that. Did she say something? Wait¡­ can you tell me if I should ask her out? Think she would say yes?¡± By the end of of his series of questions he had grown close and a hopeful spark shone in his eyes. Charlie almost felt bad for getting his hopes up, it was a bad idea to have baited him. Might as well give him the best shot he could ever get and answer his first question at the same time. ¡°Sorry Jason. I don¡¯t know, you should, and once again I don¡¯t know. I can make sure you get invited to the next game session though, that would be a good way to get to know her. It¡¯s going to be my going away party.¡± Chapter 1: One Last Game Charlie spent the next week packing up the meager remains of their belongings. For the most part they had found appropriate people to bestow gifts upon, donated items to the needy, or thrown out the things no one would want. I won¡¯t be able to bring anything with me, best that it goes to people who will appreciate it. Laying in their bed, Charlie relaxed after doing a last bit of cleaning. Sophie would be happy that she wouldn¡¯t have to do much before renting out the room again. Finally, Charlie wouldn¡¯t have to worry about everything that had plagued them. Finances aside, this world was cruel in a way that could be easily remedied now. Charlie had never felt comfortable in their own body. It went beyond a general displeasure with their physical appearance. Something had always felt wrong. The process of uploading, at least the test program they had experienced, had been liberating. Charlie had immediately known that for the bonus in their contract they would select the unlimited upload option. Now that Elysium was up and running, Charlie could finally become someone beyond the limitations of sex, gender, or even a body. The call had come in earlier this week and the initial uploads had all been scheduled, Charlie¡¯s included. Toying with their last remaining personal possession, Charlie let the spiky edges of the crystal poke into their palms. Sophie, and the group of folks she had introduced Charlie to, represented the majority of their regret. Charlie knew that Sophie didn¡¯t like the decision, but understood. Perhaps we will meet again in Elysium? It was possible, albeit unlikely. The bubbly roommate bustled around downstairs setting up the house for this evenings game, making plenty of racket. It would be nice to wrap up any remaining loose ends, say goodbyes, and put a nice shiny bow on this chunk of life. Muffled by the door, a shout for assistance echoed up the stairwell. ¡°Get down here and help setup! The snacks won¡¯t put themselves into bowls.¡± Trudging down the stairs and into the kitchen, Charlie tugged on the bottom of their sweater to adjust it properly. ¡°They might, you just need to leave things out long enough. Pretty sure I saw something you left in the fridge too long grow legs and scamper out one time when I opened the door late at night.¡± Sophie scowled and put her hands on her hips. ¡°You are hardly one to talk. The number of times I have had to skulk into your room to hunt down dirty dishes with lord knows what on them are countless.¡± Both of them stood like that for a moment, silence invading the space between them. Sophie started sniffling, then she bear hugged Charlie as the tears fell from her eyes. ¡°I am going to miss you, you know?¡± Catching Sophie and squeezing, Charlie tried to squeeze their love into the tiny woman without breaking her. ¡°You will just have to come find me. I know you will be in the world once the player portal opens up. There may not be a player to player communication option, not really much in the way of player support at all, but you stand a better chance than most of tracking me down.¡± Releasing the hug and leaning back, Charlie gave their roommate a quick smile. ¡°If you do, I promise to give you some hefty prizes. Just think of it as an optional quest, with a disproportionate reward.¡± Chiming through the cavernous abode the doorbell interrupted them. Sophie wiped her tears quickly and grinned, changing her appearance and emotions on a dime. ¡°Damn right I am going to track you down. Better believe I will hold you to that promise. I am already starting to make a list.¡± Then she turned and bounded from the kitchen to answer the door. Charlie could hear a deep voice when the door opened, John must be here. The lore master always arrived early to set up, and tonight was no different. Striding into the living room and piling various role playing accouterments onto the broad table, John and his wife, Cindy, greeted Charlie with a broad smile. ¡°I have a real doozy of an evening planned for your last time questing with us. I hope you¡¯re ready!¡± ¡°Ready as I always am, which is to say I am still considering running upstairs and bolting the door.¡± Charlie winked and moved to the table to help setup the map. ¡°You trying to tell me that there will be plenty of ¡®you sure you want to do that?¡¯ and less ¡®hold on a sec¡­ let me check¡¯ than normal?¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°I¡¯m not that stereotypical am I? Besides, like you are one to talk. You have one of the most complicated home brewed characters I have ever seen. You know how many special rules I have to keep track of? Now, it¡¯s your night. Want to pull any pranks on the others?¡± Cindy stared at the map distractedly arranging a few figurines, notably changing the atmosphere in the room as she added her piece. ¡°Have you worked out who Asphodel, paladin of Athena, will be passing on their items to?¡± John poked his wife playfully in the side. ¡°Cin, bad form. Let Charlie reveal that. Don¡¯t ruin the mystery before the story has even begun.¡± Amused and jealous of the couple¡¯s easy interaction, Charlie addressed the previous questions and brushed past Cindy¡¯s faux pas. ¡°You¡¯re great John, I was just teasing. Pranks on friends aren¡¯t really my thing. Why, did you have something in mind? Don¡¯t tell me you wanted to tease the new girl. She¡¯s obviously not used to socializing. She only opens up after we start role playing.¡± Sophie arrived with a piping hot over baked pizza and placed it with the rest of the snacks. ¡°No teasing Ashley. I had to work forever to get her to actually come to her first game. She had a player¡¯s handbook, dice, and figurines all over her cubicle, but she had never played before. She is just starting to get comfortable, don¡¯t ruin this for her¡­ or else." Distracting themselves with small talk, the group finished prepping for the evening while waiting on their tardy participant. Interrupting their idle chit-chat and hesitant knock sounded from the foyer. Sophie bounded up from her chair and whipped the door open. ¡°You made it! We were all getting a bit worried there. John already has the game setup, get your move on girl!!¡± Running slender fingers through her hair, Ashley fixed her appearance hastily. A loose fitting hoodie, baggy jeans, and messenger bag completed the guests outfit. With spindly arms she encircled Sophie in a hug. ¡°Ahh, sure. Sorry.¡± Sophie smirked. ¡°Riiiight. Now, get that sexy butt moving. No embarrassing the hostess.¡± Sophie twisted so Ashley was inside the house and pushed her further in upon releasing. Jolted forward, the new arrival used the momentum to continue on into the living room, where she greeted those gathered with a wave and sheepish smile. ¡°Great! Everyone is here. Cindy and I were about to send out a search party. The ¡®za was getting cold.¡± John spread his thick arms out in a welcoming gesture and then pat back of the chair to his right. ¡°Tonight we go back into a world of adventure, to explore the Dungeon of the Shrouded Veil, prepare yourselves.¡± ¡°Now I don¡¯t have any other in game items to give away, but I do have one last present. Sophie, put that cake down and clean your hands.¡± Charlie took out the small gift bag housing a crystal gifted by someone lost, but not forgotten. Clenching the possession briefly, Charlie bundled up all of their pain, doubts, and resentment releasing them with a soft exhale. ¡°Sophie, ever since I bumped into you at one of the lame company mixers, I have never been able to escape. I mean that in the best way possible. You insisted that I move in to your spare room, introduced me to everyone here, and have been the best thing that happened to me¡­ probably ever.¡± Charlie passed the gift bag over to Sophie and smiled. ¡°Thank you for encouraging me to open up and understanding my goal. I want you to have this to remember me by. Maybe, break it out at a gaming session sometime.¡± John¡¯s eye¡¯s twinkled as he saw Sophie unwrap the lavender colored crystal. ¡°I am sure I can work up a deep dark campaign that would work great in! Ohhhh! A crystal cavern guarded by a legion of undead.¡± The new owner of the crystal swatted John playfully on the arm. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! This belongs in a elven queen¡¯s palace or as the locus of power for a pocket dimension. Something elegant and refined, not as a crystal in some cavern. Thank you very much Charlie, it¡¯s beautiful. I will always think of you when I look at it.¡± Charlie felt a true pang of regret looking around at the acquaintances and friends around the table. ¡°You are welcome. It means a lot to me that someone who will treasure it takes care of it.¡± Perhaps Sophie knew, perhaps she didn¡¯t, but Charlie had poured hopes and dreams into that crystal. It represented something that Charlie had always believed impossible, but come tomorrow they would shed this skin and receive a fresh start. ¡°Now, no moping about everyone. Like I told Sophie earlier today, the player portal will open soon. I expect you all to come and find me. Besides, now Ashley won¡¯t be late anymore now that she is taking over my old room. That¡¯s a net gain for the group, think of how many hours you will all get back.¡± Charlie winked at the now blushing woman, free to tease a bit now that they would no longer be part of the group. Now that Sophie would have essentially unlimited time to work on Ashley, she stood no chance of staying introverted for much longer. ¡°Also, even though Jason couldn¡¯t be here tonight, he practically begged to join in. Give him a warm welcome for me. We spent a lot of nights living on energy drinks and adrenaline together. He should fit right in.¡± Stories of previous campaigns, outrageous dice rolls, and John¡¯s extensive practical jokes consumed the dwindling hours of the night. Charlie was certain that John was already planning a devious greeting for Jason at the next session. It would be a coin flip if the prank would be in game or out. Early morning hours approached and the tumbling of plastic ceased. Ashley left last out of the invited guests for once, after getting a brief tour of her new room. Once Sophie had gone to bed, Charlie used the silence to ponder the wonders this next step would bring. What is it like to talk with a god? Chapter 2: A Second Beginning Sitting in the waiting room at the upload facility, Charlie signed what they hoped would be the final document. Charlie had allowed this hope to bloom on previous occasions that morning, only to have it crushed by yet another stack of papers. It was understood that the company had to take significant legal protections regarding this process, but it was still annoying to go through. Charlie just wanted this part of their life to be done with. This is worse than the DMV, let¡¯s get on with it already! Walking into the room and collecting the papers, the nurse smiled warmly. ¡°That¡¯s the last of them. Ready to be one of the first to enter Elysium? You cleared the upload trial and signed all the paperwork, nothing left but plugging you in. Do you have any questions before we start?¡± Standing and shaking their head, Charlie¡¯s heart beat in exhilaration. ¡°None that I can think of. I have sort of been planning this for a while, so I would prefer to get it done with.¡± Guiding Charlie through a series of hallways as they chatted the nurse cheerfully made a series of inquiries. ¡°You have been planning it for a while? So, you are not one of the test cases. Mmmmm, no offense, but you don¡¯t strike me as a priority customer. How did you manage to be so early in line?¡± Charlie tried to keep the annoyance off their face, did this nurse know any of the HIPAA laws? Let alone professional behavior? I have to remember that this is new for him, he is probably as excited as I am. ¡°Employee, one of the programmers. I took this as my bonus.¡± Thinking about it, Charlie was a bit curious as well. ¡°Am I the first? Employee to upload that is?¡± ¡°Ohhh, that¡¯s so cool. It¡¯s nice to meet you. Everyone around here has been talking about how much has been put in to this world, sounds amazing. Yeah, your the first employee I have met so far. Everyone else has had priority for test purposes, medical need, or financial capacity¡­ I think. Some people don¡¯t open up much.¡± Scrunching up into a sour expression, the nurse¡¯s face conveyed more information than explanation alone could. He had already had to interact with a rather disagreeable patient it appeared. Rounding the last corner, the pair went through a decontamination area before entering a large room. In the center of the space was something akin to a bed, but with a cavity in the shape of a human body. ¡°Please remove your clothes behind the privacy screen and then lay down on the device. Cover yourself with the blanket and let me know when you are settled. It might be a bit ¡®refreshing,¡¯ they haven¡¯t installed the warming device yet.¡± Charlie stripped down, shivering for reasons outside of the temperature, and climbed into the machine. Once readied they called out enthusiastically. ¡°Let¡¯s get this show on the road.¡± Returning while rubbing their hands together to warm them up, the nurse started attaching various wires attached to suction cups along Charlie¡¯s shaved scalp. ¡°You are pretty psyched to get in and see the world you helped make aren¡¯t you?¡± Charlie winked, but tried to keep their head still while the nurse was preparing everything. ¡°You could you tell? I was pretty sure it was painfully obvious. Every day Elysium has come closer to completion, I have found myself daydreaming longer about being there. I have no way of knowing what the finished product will look like, but I have a general idea of what sorts of things to expect.¡± ¡°More so than most, it sounds like, on both counts. I will go get the doctor and then we will have you transported to Elysium in no time.¡± Stepping back from the machine the nurse walked out of the room, leaving Charlie alone. Charlie could feel their pulse racing and started taking in long, slow breaths through their nose and exhaling through their mouth in an attempt to calm down. This was really happening. Charlie¡¯s heart threatened to jump out of their chest, then the door opened again. Leading the nurse, a female doctor with blonde hair and glasses appeared at Charlie¡¯s side. In a professional tone the physician made several inquiries while checking over the wires and then pressing several buttons on the device. ¡°You are fully aware of the risks associated with the uploading process? You have put all of your earthly affairs in order and protected yourself legally? You are giving consent free of any coercion or pressure?¡± With each answer to the affirmative Charlie¡¯s enthusiasm was tempered by increasing nerves. This is all safe right? Charlie had looked into all of the information available, there was a 99.8% success rate for the process. Seemed like a .2% failure rate was high enough to make sure they covered their butts eight ways til Sunday. With the final ¡®yes,¡¯ the Doctor pressed a few more buttons and then leaned over to look into Charlie¡¯s eyes. ¡°The process has started, you will fall asleep shortly. When you wake, you will be in Elysium.¡± Calling out from behind the doctor, the nurse provided a last piece of encouragement. ¡°Good luck! Have an amazing adventure!!¡± Charlie hadn¡¯t noticed falling asleep, but that was a seldom occurring experience. Upon waking, Charlie¡¯s mind was clear and refreshed. It felt like being fully rested and well fed, but without the lethargy of having a full belly. Charlie was laying on an odd stone slab, upon sitting up, they could see a room decorated wall to wall with bookcases stuffed full. While observing the walls distractedly, Charlie heard someone clear their throat. Jumping a bit in surprise, Charlie calmed themselves, this had been expected. Looking up, Charlie could see a distinguished looking gentlemen sitting at a large desk with his arms spread out in a gesture of greeting, a warm smile on his face. ¡°Welcome to Elysium! It is a pleasure to meet one of the creators, so few have entered.¡± He pushed his chair back and stood moving over to Charlie and helping them up to their feet. ¡°Even fewer have uploaded themselves. As a creator and having gone through the upload trials you are allowed to skip the tutorial and retain all of your memories starting on your first day, is that how you would like to proceed?¡± Charlie blinked a bit and smiled at the warm welcome while taking their feet. This was not exactly what they had expected, but it was pleasant. ¡°Yes, thank you. I do plan on skipping the tutorial and jumping right in. My name is Charlie, you are?¡± ¡°Ahhh yes, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Charon, the ferryman of souls and god of this realm between Elysium and Erebus, Hades¡¯ home. In this incarnation I guide those who are transferring from Earth into our world. "We will create your new body together, attributes and all. Then once you are satisfied with your choices I will pick a location suitable for your arrival. After that, it¡¯s up to you. You will only see me again under specific circumstances or if I would like to meet.¡± Charon moved around the room, taking a book from one of the shelves and placing it on his desk. ¡°Do you have any questions or would you like to get started?¡± He sat back down in his high-backed chair. Charlie very much wanted to get started immediately, but it was probably a good idea to get on Charon¡¯s good side. Charlie had the feeling that once the god had gone through this process a few hundred times that the appeal of conversation would tarnish. This was a golden opportunity, best not to waste it. What sort of information can I gain? I didn¡¯t plan for this at all. ¡°I have a few questions, do you have time for a conversation or would be that intruding?¡± Charlie sat down in the chair across from Charon and read the title of the book that the god had selected, The Odyssey by Homer. That made Charlie¡¯s eyebrow¡¯s raise. Elysium had been constructed giving the gods full control, relative awareness of their circumstances, and extensive information from Earth. However, Charlie had not expected, for whatever reason, that they would be interested in the philosophy, poetry, and mythology as written by human authors. Interesting, I know the world is based on Adventurer rules and various mythological pantheons, but I am even more curious to see what the world looks like now. Seems like the Greek continent unlocked first. I was really hoping for the Japanese & Chinese module, but at least it¡¯s not the Norse area. I¡¯ve never liked Vikings. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be intruding at all, I can always duplicate myself if there is another upload concurrently. I had hoped that you didn¡¯t want to immediately make your new body, I have several questions for you as well.¡± Charon affably leaned back and took a relaxed conversational position. ¡°How about you start, you are a guest in my home after all.¡± Charlie¡¯s mind went blank momentarily, then they blurted out the first thing that came to mind based on the conversation so far. ¡°If you are a ferryman, where is the river? Your boat? I¡¯m sorry, this just isn¡¯t what I expected. It feels like we are in a library.¡± Laughter echoed through the small room, Charon spoke through a huge grin. ¡°I ferry souls, there is no river Styx flowing under your feet that you have to cross. I teleport you to a neutral starting location, I don¡¯t take you there by water. Hence, I have no need of a boat. Is that really what you wanted to ask?¡± Charlie blushed as the god explained, that probably wasn¡¯t the best question to start with. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t. Sorry, I was curious and it was the first thing that came to mind. I am actually a little stumped now that I have been given the opportunity. Perhaps it is best to start with your questions.¡± ¡°Fantastic, I only have one, but it may take a bit of explaining it is rather all encompassing. Why? Why did you create this world? Why give control to our pantheon and not one of the others? Why not keep it for yourselves?¡± Charon leaned back, not giving away much with his facial expressions as he studied Charlie, waiting for an answer.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Charlie¡¯s mouth hung open a little at the god¡¯s cheerfully phrased question. It was akin to asking what the meaning of life was, at least for him. Had any of the other programmers stopped to have a chat? Or am I the first person to be asked that question? How do I answer something like that? I don¡¯t want to tell him his world is based on a game, do I? Wait, he obviously knows that. How much information does he know? How much do I want to give him? Closing their mouth slowly, Charlie tried to work through how to best phrase everything. It was probably a bad idea to get on the wrong side of Charon. Head tilting to the side, Charlie pondered whether they had the right to even give an answer to the questions. I was one of many programmers, I didn¡¯t even make those sorts of decisions. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t make most of those choices. I am not entirely sure that we did make all of those choices to be honest. I didn¡¯t know which pantheon would be in control. We couldn¡¯t keep control of the world ourselves, Elysium is too large, too complex. There are some worlds that do not have any gods, we control everything there.¡± Charlie paused and took a breath. ¡°I helped create Elysium because of reasons that are¡­ personal. I would prefer not to get in to it very much, but suffice it to say that Earth does not have the opportunities presented here. I have always wanted to live in a world of magic and wonder. A place where I can choose who I am, not have it decided for me based on biology.¡± Charon had started to nod a bit towards the end, when Charlie had spoken of their own desires he actually smiled. ¡°You seek free will and self determination it seems. Perhaps that answers more than you think. Plato, Socrates, and Euripides all have many opinions on fate. When you say that Elysium is too complex to control what do you mean?¡± Charlie could follow Charon¡¯s line of thinking, these weren¡¯t exactly concepts that people would consider related, but Charon wasn¡¯t thinking about this from a typical perspective. ¡°I mean that Elysium is an entire world, constructed from the foundation up. There are too many variables at any given time for us to be able to change one part of the world or another. It is rooted in the creation process. We can set a framework, but there have been terrible consequences when we have tried to change even a small piece of a world built this way. "The worlds and realms that we can alter and change are relatively simple in comparison to this place. When we change something it is easier to alter everything effected by that change. If a world is too complex, making a single small change will cascade through everything, often corrupting it beyond recovery.¡± Scribbling on a notepad on his desk, Charon actually took notes and then nodded as Charlie finished. ¡°Thank you for explaining and for providing the information you have. Did you think of anything you wanted to ask me before we start the creation process?¡± Charlie did want to ask more questions, but the anticipation was also starting to become rather unbearable. ¡°If I think of something I will make sure to ask, but yeah, I would like to get started. How does it work?¡± Charon opened a drawer on his desk and took out a wooden box with no lid and a velvet inlay. Inside of the box there were five dice, each six sided. Charlie grinned and then couldn¡¯t help themselves, they started chuckling. This is perfect! Just like rolling for a character. Arching an eyebrow, as only an older gentlemen could, Charon eyed Charlie. ¡°What is so amusing? You are about to roll for your stats, I would take this seriously, it can have significant long term repercussions.¡± Fixing their face to hide their outward amusement, Charlie did their best to give this occasion the gravity it deserved. Charon was right, this wasn¡¯t making a character, this was creating Charlie¡¯s new body. ¡°Sorry about that, I just found it amusing that you stuck to using actual dice. I just thought you would use a random number generator, that¡¯s all.¡± Waving his hand back and forth dismissively, Charon responded agreeably. ¡°Ahhh, I understand. Yes, I thought that those of you who transfer and are familiar with this tradition would find it appealing. I can have your stats selected at random if you would like, but where''s the fun in that?¡± Charlie nodded profusely, getting excited, this was best part. ¡°I completely agree. The dice are zero through five correct? I roll five for each stat, in order, and I get to remove the lowest die roll each time? Is the order Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Spirit, Charisma, and Luck? Or do you do it differently?¡± Pushing the ornate rolling box to Charlie¡¯s side of his desk, Charon nodded. ¡°Indeed, you seem to have a rather intricate understanding of the Adventurer rules. The others have needed more instruction. You should be familiar with what comes after your stat allocation, but just in case I will go over it. "You use your creation points to select your race, starting skills, starting items, or to adjust stat points. As a creator, instead of the normal one hundred points, you have double that amount at two hundred. Take the dice and roll when you are ready.¡± Charlie scooted forward to the edge of the chair and scooped up the dice out of the box. ¡°I already have a plan for how I am going to spend the points, but things could change in the moment. This is one of the best parts.¡± Clasping all of the dice in one hand, Charlie gave them a good blow for luck and then released them. Bouncing around off the edges, when the small pieces of wood finally came to a rest the number¡¯s on each side glowed. Then five shining numbers appeared in the air above the box, representing each of the dice. Magic is going to be fun. Charlie¡¯s intrigue was dulled by the results of the first roll, upturned corners of their mouth reversing to a frown. After throwing out one of the zero¡¯s, the total of the remaining dice only came to eight. Not the most auspicious start, hopefully my luck gets better. Charlie continued the rolling process to fill out each of the stat categories. As the last set of dice were thrown, and the lowest score tossed out, a glowing chart appeared above the box showing the results of all the throws.
Strength Dexterity Constitution Intelligence Spirit Charisma Luck
Results: 8 14 9 16 16 11 13
Charlie clucked their tongue looking over the stats. Not bad, not bad at all. Nothing too high, nothing too low. I would have preferred one or two higher scores. It all depends on how I use my creation points, but these stats may make me reconsider once I see the racial modifiers. I doubt it though. Charon moved the box to the side of his desk. ¡°Good. Now that you have completed that step, how would you like to select your next options? I can provide any number of interfaces. It is best that you consider this carefully, but I imagine you are more aware of that than most.¡± ¡°I am. I have put a lot of time into planning this. Perhaps you should walk me through it though. I wouldn¡¯t want to make a mistake now. Can you make the creation process display like the stats did?¡± Charlie had settled back into the chair a bit, not needing to roll the dice any longer. Charon waved a hand over the center of his desk and another glowing chart appeared, burned into the air.
Creation Cost Table
Uncommon Rare Legendary Divine
Race 10 pts 25 pts 45 pts 90 pts
Skills 10 pts 25 pts 50 pts 100 pts
Items 25 pts 50 pts 75 pts 100 pts
Stats +1 pt to any stat category costs 10 pts. Transferring 1 stat pt from one category to another is 5 pts.
Multi-racial It cost 10 pts to select multiple races, including their initial creation point cost.
Looking over the glowing numbers and letters made Charlie grin, it was all as it should be. Charon had really made this enjoyable so far. Hopefully this next part would go to plan. ¡°So¡­ I know that I have two hundred points compared to the normal one hundred, but do I have any options that most folks don¡¯t to spend them?¡± Charon actually started chuckling and then clapped his hands together. ¡°Yes, indeed! You have access to the godly races, skills, and items. I have to warn you though, it would take your entire allocation of points. If you select anything from the god tier it will take two hundred points and you will have nothing left over. "The item, as I am sure you are aware, is only guaranteed to be usable by you and suitable. You do not get to select a specific one. It is the same with skills, except that you are assured to have a natural aptitude for whichever skill you end up with. The races are of course a different story. Did you have a particular selection in mind?¡± Charlie nodded again.¡°Well, as you have already noticed, I have a fairly good background with the rules. So I know what sort of modifiers are associated with most races, even the divine ones. Not the godly ones though. Can you give me a few examples of what the godly races look like before I tell you which one I am specifically interested in?¡± Waving his had over his desk again, Charon shifted the creation cost table to the side and produced a new set of information. ¡°Easily. Remember, you will start at level 0, no matter the race.¡±
Race Primary Modifiers Additional Modifiers & Abilities
Red Dragon +10 to Strength +10 to Constitution +1 Ability Point per level +1 Martial Skill Point per level Huge Creature: -50% to Dexterity, -50% to Charisma, +75% to Strength, +50% to HP, and +50% to Constitution. God Tier Abilities ¨C Starting Options: 1. Fire Breath Attack 2. Divine Shapechange 3. Manipulate Fire 4. Aura of Terror 5. Wing Buffet
Siren +10 to Charisma +10 to Intelligence +1 Ability Point per level +1 Skill Point per level Large Creature: -50% to Luck, -25% Strength, +50% to Charisma, +25% to HP, +25% to Constitution. God Tier Abilities ¨C Starting Options: 1. Divine Glamour 2. Song of Anguish 3. Song of Desire 4. Divine Shapechange 5. Mind Blank
Cyclops +10 to Strength +5 to Constitution +2 Ability Point per level +1 Crafting Skill Point per level Large Creature: -25% to Dexterity, -50% Charisma, +50% to Strength, +25% to HP, +25% to Constitution. God Tier Abilities ¨C Starting Options: 1. Forge Living Lightning 2. Rage of the Sea 3. Manipulate Stone 4. Divine Vengeance 5. Summon Flock
Wow, just wow! The primary modifiers alone are easily double, if not triple, the divine racial bonuses. Maybe this is going to be harder than I thought¡­ Chapter 3: Several Decisions Shaking their head violently, Charlie put their hands up in front of the glowing table showing the tempting racial options. Stick to the plan Charlie, stick to the plan. ¡°Thank you Charon, but can you actually take that down? I don¡¯t want to be tempted away from something I have spent years dreaming and planning for. Can you show me the information on the dungeon race?¡± Ever since Charlie had gotten their first lore master¡¯s guide and they had noticed this small detail they had dreamed about this. Dungeons in the world of Adventurer, and now Elysium, were a race that operated under the same rules as all of the others. Of course, John had never wanted to lore master a game where Charlie would be able to play as a dungeon, and Charlie didn¡¯t blame him. How boring would it have been to make the entire party stay in one place for a whole campaign? How would it even work? That would be the most restrictive Adventurer game of all time. Charon leaned forward, genuinely intrigued by Charlie¡¯s request. Moving his hands across the desk in a now familiar motion caused the previous racial table to wink out, and a new shimmering table to coalesce. ¡°You want to become a dungeon? You are a curious person Charlie, even I wouldn¡¯t have guessed that. As you know, they have a fair amount of restrictions that most would find unappealing.¡±
Race Primary Modifiers Additional Modifiers & Abilities
Dungeon +10 to Intelligence +10 to Spirit +1 Ability Point per level +1 Arcane Skill Point per level Magical Construct - Dungeon Stone: Strength, Dexterity, and Movement Speed set to 0. Constitution stat x100 becomes starting durability score. 90% Physical Resistance, 90% Magic Resistance, and 100% Mental Resistance. Starting Skill(s): Creation Magic (All dungeon school spells will be automatically acquired as skill levels increase.) Level 0 Spells - 1. Summon Dungeon Monster 2. Summon Dungeon Familiar God Tier Abilities ¨C Starting Options: 1. Bind 2. Consume 3. Assimilate 4. Mana Osmosis 5. Influence Infusion
Charlie¡¯s eyes glazed over as they looked over the information, Charon¡¯s question and comment going largely unregistered. It¡¯s exactly the same as I hoped it would be. All the dreaming, all the planning, and all the time I spent on this. Yes! Yes! Yes!!!You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°¡­ Charlie? Is something wrong? Was there a mistake?¡± Charon looked concerned and was standing out of his chair, hands braced on the desk, leaning towards Charlie. Blinking through tears, Charlie jumped back when they realized how close Charon was. Quickly moving an arm across their eyes to dry them, Charlie smiled. ¡°No Charon, nothing¡¯s wrong. Everything is perfect! Sorry, I¡¯m just so happy. I didn¡¯t expect to get so emotional.¡± Charon sat back and studied his guest, he opened his mouth to speak and then closed it, appearing at a loss for words. Charlie almost chuckled, but caught themself. His reaction makes sense, I am overjoyed to become a living rock. He probably has no frame of reference for my decision. It¡¯s probably hard to understand why someone would give up all the perceived pleasures of a body, let alone the ability to talk and walk. He has never had to live in constant, intractable pain without hope. Give him a bit of a break Charlie. ¡°Charon, you remember that I told you that I helped make Elysium for personal reasons? Well, my life so far has not been easy. I am not running from difficulty though, I can overcome challenges. Becoming a dungeon will give me the chance to define myself, my environment, and the world in a way I never could in any other form. This means¡­ everything to me.¡± Looking contemplative, Charon nodded, taking his time and giving a measured approach. ¡°This is often the function I served in your mythology, guiding someone from the pain and trials of a mortal life to the rewards of the next. I am honor-bound by my pantheon to be impartial with your fate. However, I am pleased to serve this role for you, Charlie.¡± Charlie moved past their emotional outburst awkwardly, trying to shift the conversation. ¡°Of course, an impartial lore master is the best kind to have. So, now that I have stats, once I select my race what happens?¡± ¡°You would normally get a chance to select the general characteristics given to your new body. In this circumstance though, you will simply go to sleep. When you wake up, you will be in an appropriate location to begin your adventure as a dungeon.¡± Charon paused, and then a sly smile crept onto his lips. ¡°Is there any type of environment that you would prefer to start in? A forest? A mountain cave? The ocean?¡± Charlie immediately realized what sort of benefit Charon was offering. His actions were still neutral, but he was giving Charlie the ability to push the variables of their starting location. So, if I want to start someplace isolated I could pick a desert beginning, but if I want a location teeming with life I could always go with the ocean. Charlie considered the implications that this choice would have on how they had planned to go about establishing themself. My main goals are to make sure that I am strong enough to defend myself, power level to a class upgrade, and have a great time learning about my new world. What type of environment gives me the best chance to accomplish those goals? Charlie snapped their fingers. Got it. ¡°I would like to start in a jungle or rain forest, preferably one near a beach if possible. I think I would enjoy what those places have to offer.¡± Charlie understood that it was best to phrase things politically, and not to openly acknowledge that they would like to start in those areas for the advantages they presented. Both areas would be relatively isolated, yet packed with plants and animals ¨C part of a dungeon¡¯s complete breakfast. Charlie had a smile to match their generous host¡¯s. ¡°That is something that I can do for you. I know just the place, it is quite lovely. Now, take a moment to make sure that this is what you want. Once you tell me that this is your selection, our discussion will be complete.¡± Looking around again, Charlie took in Charon¡¯s study again. This will probably be the last time I get a chance to talk with him for a while. I better just ask him. ¡°Charon, this may seem silly, but why do you have all of these ancient Greek books around us? I don¡¯t want to make assumptions, but I realized that I had already been making them. I presumed that I could put myself in your place and empathize, which is rather ignorant and arrogant.¡± Charlie ducked their head a bit, embarrassed by their error and attempting to demonstrate appropriate shame with their apology. It was Charon¡¯s turn to take a moment for thought and contemplation. The god looked pensive as he sat, still and silent as an abandoned graveyard. However, the sound of Charon¡¯s mental gears whirring was deafening. It seems like I asked a very right¡­ or a very wrong question. ¡°I will answer your question with one of my own. If you could study the words of your creators forefathers would you? I do not think that you are as unable to empathize with me as you may think. However, it is best that we finish our conversation here. Perhaps we will talk again at length on a future occasion.¡± Charlie looked up, knowing a rhetorical question ¨C and a dismissal ¨C when they heard one. Best not to push my luck any further. ¡°Thank you, Charon. The talk was very enjoyable and informative. I would be pleased to speak with you again if you wish it. I believe that I am ready, I will select dungeon as my race.¡± Slumping in their chair, Charlie was asleep the instant the last words left their lips. Charon stood and watched Charlie¡¯s sleeping form for a while. Then with a wave of his hands, Charlie¡¯s form winked out and disappeared from the room in a flash, the glowing tables hovering above his desk followed suit. Charon surveyed his study for a moment and then nodded. A thick gray fog started billowing into the room from an unseen source, shrouding the bookcases in a roiling curtain. The center of the room, around the desk and two chairs, remained clear of the fog. The light of a single flickering oil lamp flared, casting shadows to dance in the mist. Chapter 4: Go Forth, Young Dungeon! The small lavender crystal shimmered with iridescence in the morning light. It wobbled slightly in the soft bed of moss at the entrance to a small cave nestled in dense foliage. A symphony of birdsong, ape calls, insect trilling, and gentle breaking surf on a distant coastline serenaded this world¡¯s newest arrival. Charlie didn¡¯t rouse from slumber in any normal sense. One moment they were asleep and the next they were wide awake. Everything felt alien, turned upside down. Charlie tried to ¡°look¡± one direction and their mind was assaulted by hundreds of images. Sensations rushed through Charlie¡¯s consciousness unfiltered by sensory organs, haltingly nostalgic, yet dramatically unfamiliar. If Charlie had still possessed a stomach its contents would have been spread out over the moss they were resting in. Unable to physically react to the spinning world in a physical manner, a wave of disassociation crashed against Charlie¡¯s psyche. Charlie attempted to let everything in, attempted to not be overwhelmed, but they had no natural mechanism to halt the torrent of information streaming into their mind. Charlie rode waves of images, sounds, scents, and everything in between. Charlie sorted the images and forced that stream of information into one portion of their mind. The other sensations followed suit, adding one flow of after another as Charlie rebuilt their sense of perception. It was discombobulating. Not only could Charlie sense everything in their sphere of influence in every way imaginable, but they had no orientation or modulation. Sounds came from all directions in every pitch and volume. Images floated in Charlie¡¯s mind¡¯s eye, flipping, rotating, and twisting without a horizon or even sense of dimension. Scents and tastes co-mingled evoking strong memories from Charlie¡¯s past. This is my mind. I will bring order to this chaos. This is unacceptable! Charlie did not know how long it took, but they managed to marshal their discipline and enforce their will upon the data. Everything became oriented around the focal point of their mind. Charlie learned how to focus their attention on a particular area within their influence. Charlie turned off the tactile, taste, and scent inputs. Sound and sight would be enough to get a start. Charlie finally found the notification queue and focused on it, arranging all of the starting notifications so they could make appropriate decisions. Informative notifications could simply be absorbed, like the many streams of sensation, they existed as data that could be parsed. However, notifications that required action were best dealt with through contemplation and consideration, not instinct. The first notification was one that Charlie had been expecting. They already had the perfect name picked out. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _? Charlie focused on the blinking series of dashes. I am the Lurking Lair. I will be a dungeon unlike any other. The blinking name field shrunk down and was replaced by Charlie¡¯s status sheet, with the name filled in. Charlie took a moment to pour over the information. It didn¡¯t exactly feel like reading, but it was a fair approximation.
Biographical Information: Name: Lurking Lair Level: 0 Experience: 0 Race: Dungeon Class: Unavailable ¨C Requirements not met Alignment: Neutral Languages: Common
Stats: Influence: 1,000 ft. radius Durability: 900/900 Mana: 24/24 Strength: 0 Dexterity: 0 Intelligence: 26 Spirit: 26 Charisma: 11 Luck: 13 Movement Speed: 0 Resistances: 100% Mental Resistance 90% Magic Resistance 90% Physical Resistance Aspects: None
Skills: Creation Magic 1, Natural
Spells: Level 0: Summon Dungeon Monster:Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. - Type: Instantaneous - School: Creation - Sub-school: Dungeon - Mana Cost: 5+ 10 per level of caster - Casting Time: 1 minute - Duration: N/A - Range: Sphere of Influence - Components: None - Effect: Summon a monster, restricted to your sphere of influence, related to your current terrain, alignment, and class. This monster will be summoned at the same level as the dungeon, but can progress independently. This monster will be entirely under the influence of the dungeon that summons it and can be directed by the dungeon at will. If a monster¡¯s full lore is known the dungeon can elect to summon a monster of that type, if not the summon will be random. Summon Dungeon Familiar: - Type:Ritual - School: Creation - Sub-school: Dungeon - Mana Cost: Entire Mana Pool - Casting Time: 1 Hour - Duration: N/A - Range: Sphere of Influence + 1 mile - Components: Concentration - Effect: Summon or Re-summon a dungeon familiar related to your terrain and alignment. This familiar will be within 5 levels of the dungeons level, but can progress independently. This creature will be Bound and will follow the Bind ability rules, regardless of the ability that has been selected. Upon completion of casting, you will be required to select the class type of the familiar. At initiate level in Creation Magic you may select one of the following options: 1. Warrior: Focused on physical attack and defense. High Strength and Constitution, low Intelligence and Charisma stats. 2. Caster: Focused on magical attack and defense. High Intelligence and Spirit, low Strength and Constitution stats. 3. Rogue: Focused on sneak attacks, infiltration and evasion. High Dexterity and Luck, low Spirit and Strength stats. 4. Support: Focused on altering combat and non-combat circumstances through buffs and debuffs. High Luck and High Spirit, low Constitution and Dexterity.
Abilities: Select 3 starting abilities to activate them. 1. Bind: Create an inviolable bond with any living creature. This bond allows for mind-to-mind communication within one mile and will allow you to resurrect the creature if it dies. This bond allows compulsion of the creature with a successful willpower check. These creatures will be free to exit your sphere of influence. This bond cannot be broken once established. 2. Consume: Devour deceased or helpless creatures within your influence to gain their strength. Gain 10% of the creatures experience, a 25% chance to gain a skill the creature possessed, and basic lore on the creature consumed. 3. Assimilate: Devour deceased or helpless creatures within your influence to gain their strength. Gain 1% of the creatures experience, 2.5% chance to gain a skill the creature possessed, and full lore regarding the creature. This will allow you to summon an approximation of the creature with an appropriate level spell. 4. Mana Osmosis: Dungeon influence will spread with the expenditure of mana and mana recovery will increase by 1% of total radial feet of influence per hour. For every 1000 points of mana spent on spells, the radius of the dungeon¡¯s influence will increase by 1 foot. 5. Influence Infusion: Directly infuse influence into terrain, vegetation, and creatures. Infusing objects within the dungeons sphere of influence will have a 10% chance to awaken a dungeon monster, bound upon birth. Influence infusion directly increases the radius of the dungeons influence when used on terrain. This ability can only be used once per day. Traits: Magical Construct: Strength, Dexterity, and Movement Speed set to 0. Constitution stat x100 becomes starting durability score. 90% Physical Resistance, 90% Magic Resistance, and 100% Mental Resistance. Dungeon Loremaster: Can gain any skill, but can only use dungeon appropriate skills, i.e. magic and knowledge-based skills. Non-dungeon appropriate skills will be gained with no level or aptitude, but can be taught to creatures with high enough levels of aptitude. Sphere of Influence: Dungeons have mana sense and can perceive all elements within their influence throughout the sensory spectrum. Dungeon influence naturally expands at a rate of 1 radial foot per day.
So many options! Time to make some choices. Which starting abilities do I want? Which ones will work the best with my plan? If I hadn¡¯t thought this through, it¡¯d probably take a while. The Lurking Lair spent the next few minutes looking over the abilities. It was fun to extrapolate what types of growth paths they would offer and what environments each ability would perform best in. The spells took care of basic monsters to populate the environs of a dungeon. If the Lair¡¯s starting location had been near a city, Bind, Influence Infusion, and Mana Osmosis would have been perfect. It would be invaluable to lay in wait and slowly grow in strength before revealing the dungeon¡¯s existence to an unsuspecting populace. Alternatively, a spawn location in a desert where low level creatures would be rare and high level threats the norm would require entirely different starting abilities, more along the lines of Consume, Assimilate, and Influence Infusion. The Lair had asked for rainforest or jungle start to facilitate their designs with ability selection in mind. An odd ability combination was part of the Lair¡¯s plan. Picking Bind, Consume, and Assimilate, the dungeon radiated satisfaction. You don¡¯t need to focus on influence expansion if you¡¯re going to be mobile from the start. Time to move onto the next part of the plan. Looking around their meager sphere of influence, the Lair checked to assure that there were no immediate threats in the small cave. A 360-degree view of everything within the sphere leaped into life around the center of the Lair¡¯s mind. Where the influence ceased all information abruptly halted. It was an odd feeling, but no less so than adjusting to the data in the first place. The cave was small, moist, and filled with vegetation. Insects crawled over rocks, along the moss, and in between the bats hanging from the ceiling. Lush ferns and tangled vines covered most of the entrance to the small hideaway from view. A wonderful interweaving of wild animal sounds made its way into the Lairs senses, but nothing had stepped a foot across the threshold. Nothing stirred. No immediate threats, I am good to move on to phase two. I wonder if I get experience for killing the bats and insects? If I do, maybe I should summon a monster right away? Nah. Stick to the plan and get this out of the way. The Lair focused its attention upon the summon dungeon familiar spell and began to concentrate. While concentrating, the rest of the world dropped away and only the clear, perfect focus of a singular mind devoted to a task enveloped the Lair. This was the peace that they had been seeking. The opportunity to devote themselves wholly to a task, to self-betterment. Once the hour was up, only noticeably apparent from the notification requesting the class selection of the familiar, the Lair felt revitalized and clear headed. I would have preferred a familiar that I could reasonably hope could carry on a decent conversation, but that isn¡¯t in the cards today. The Lair selected ¡°warrior¡± and released the spell, watching the representation of their mana pool, a small beaker filled with opaque blue liquid, drain completely. There was no corresponding sensation, which was unexpected; the Lair had assumed that using mana would produce a feedback. The Lair waited patiently for their mana to recover and their new familiar to arrive. The Lair knew that a typically being recovered at the rate of 5 mana per hour, all of the other rules had held true up ¡®til this point and the Lair had no reason to suspect otherwise. However, the dungeon race bonuses and the Lair¡¯s lucky roll on the Spirit stat would vastly improve their mana regen rate. The Spirit stat increased mana regeneration by 1 for every point of Spirit above 10. In the Lair¡¯s case, this meant a rather incredible 21 mana per hour. It is a good assumption that dungeons need the bonuses they get in order to defend themselves, so it¡¯s not a dramatic rate for other dungeons, just compared to other races. The 0 movement speed would a real punch in the gut if I couldn¡¯t think outside the box. The Lair didn¡¯t feel the ground shaking, but they heard the birds spook and burst from the trees heralding the approach of something large. Branches on the forest floor snapped and a terrible crashing echoed from the dense brush. Something was coming. Chapter 5: Quintessential Companion The sounds had given the Lair warning, but it was difficult to prepare for the invasion of a foreign mind. A tiny, glowing, teal ball of energy began to form in the heart of the Lair¡¯s crystal. As the ball grew in solidity, it began to slowly orbit the center of the crystal, where the spark of the Lair¡¯s mind resided. Ahhhh, this represents my familiar. It¡¯s greenish, I wonder what type of creature it will be? Breaking into the clearing directly opposite from the cave ambled a bizarre-looking tree. Large, bulbous, and covered in thick sharp looking spikes, the trunk served as a sort of abdomen. Clumps of roots twisted into legs without feet that took long, writhing, and heavy steps. A canopy of bright green leaves rustled with the movement of the walking tree. It wasn¡¯t until the creature stopped a few feet from the Lair that they could make out what looked like a face hidden within the thorns and limbs. The Lair waited patiently observing the newcomer, and then snapped a pair of mental fingers. Focusing on the glowing ball of energy circling their mind, they found the data representing this formidable familiar.
Biographical Information: Name: Grumblebark Level: 4 Experience: 13,842 Race: Meliae (Sentient Flora) ¨C Ceiba Speciosa Class: Unavailable ¨C Requirements not met Alignment: Stoic (+3 to Orderly) Languages: Dryadic, Elvish, Fae Common, Common
Stats: Health: 85/85 Mana: 19/19 Armor: 18 Strength: 25 Dexterity: 6 Constitution: 19 Intelligence: 7 Spirit: 11 Charisma: 6 Luck: 14 Resistances: 50% Physical Resistance 50% Nature Resistance -50% Fire Resistance Aspects: Sturdy Surly
Skills: Martial Combat, 12 Natural Sub-skill: Brawling, 5 Significant Philosophy, 17 Natural Sub-skill: Ethics, 13, Natural Sub-skill: Aesthetics, 6 Significant Astronomy, 9 Average Forestry, 31 Natural Sub-skill: Horticulture, 8 Natural Herbalism, 10 Natural Lore, 36 General Sub-skill: Woods & Forests, 22 Natural Sub-skill: Rainforests & Jungles, 34 Natural Sub-skill: Fae, 9 Significant Abilities: Root (2): Twice per day can implant themself into soil. While rooted the meliae triples natural health and mana regeneration rates, gains +2 to all non-movement based actions, and can make themself indistinguishable from a regular tree. Flail (3): Can use adult limbs in an attacking maelstrom 3 times per day. Each limb does 1d8+3 piercing & bludgeoning damage. Meliae typically have one adult branch per level. Traits: Verdant Defenses: Melee attackers have a 25% chance to take 1d6 piercing damage in response when landing a hit on the meliae. Base attack is 1d8 piercing and bludgeoning damage. Creature of the Woods: +1 to all actions in natural environments that are predominately forested.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Large Creature: -25% to Dexterity, -50% Intelligence, +50% to Constitution, +25% to HP, +25% to Strength.
A rough, grating noise carried from the meliae down to the crystal, laboriously slow. ¡°A rude newborn dungeon¡­ wanted to host a dryad¡­ Have you learned to speak?¡± The Lair¡¯s mouth would have been hanging wide open at this greeting from their familiar. Focusing on the meliae the Lair sent their response to the audible words as a mental burst of information, trying to move past the abrupt negative first impression. ¡°I can speak common and understand you just fine. My apologies for being rude. I am the Lurking Lair, it is a pleasure to meet you.¡± The roots at the base of the meliae began worming their way into the topsoil, stabilizing the swaying tree. ¡°You should know¡­ my name¡­ looked at my status¡­ before speaking.¡± Huh. So it was rude to go looking at Grumblebark¡¯s status page before introducing myself, more importantly he can tell when I do. Makes sense. ¡°You¡¯re right Grumblebark, I¡¯m sorry about that. I am new here, I didn¡¯t know any better.¡± Settling in the place, now mostly rooted, the meliae stood rigid, shading the entrance to the cave with its bountiful umbrella. No reply was forthcoming. So, not much of a talker. I shouldn¡¯t expect too much. He is a warrior type, I hope I don¡¯t regret not summoning a mage or rogue type. I bet they bring lots of wit to the conversation. ¡°So, Grumblebark, I have a bit of a different plan to get going than most dungeons. You may find it exciting. Let me run you through it and you tell me if you have any questions or suggestions along the way.¡± As expected, the meliae simply blinked its eyes a few times and then waved its lowest branch in a ponderous motion to continue. ¡°I am planning on going to the monsters and adventurers, not waiting for them to come to me. I summoned you, a warrior type familiar, so that you could provide the foundation. I hadn¡¯t expected you to be a meliae, but it will work out, I think. We just won¡¯t be able to travel all that fast. Mind picking me up and putting me somewhere safe? You seem to be rather well protected.¡± A loud creaking groan emanated from the meliae¡¯s crevasse-like mouth. ¡°Lair wants to move¡­ everyday?¡± There was a distinct emotion of displeasure emanating from the glowing sphere orbiting the Lair¡¯s mind. Hmmmm, time to sell it. If I had a higher Charisma score, this would probably go easier. What on Elysium would interest a walking, talking tree? The Lair looked over their status sheet and then back over Grumblebark¡¯s, searching for an answer. There had to be something that the Lair could use as a carrot before turning to the whip of compulsion. There was no reason to sour the relationship from the start. The Lair¡¯s core brightened and pulsed as they got an idea. ¡°Grumblebark, I couldn¡¯t help but notice that you have some rather eclectic skills. Philosophy and Astronomy are probably fields of study that you don¡¯t find all that often in the forest. As a dungeon, I will be gaining a lot of skills. I have an ability that will let me teach them to you. Since you are going to be my familiar it would benefit me as well if you are more able.¡± It might have been a strong gust, or the tree could be swaying with thought, the Lair couldn¡¯t be too sure. They waited¡­ and waited¡­ and waited. Finally, after what felt like eons, but was in reality probably only a few minutes, Grumblebark creaked out a reply. ¡°For a baby¡­ you have peculiar... ideas if I do not¡­ tire of you¡­ I accept.¡± Thick thorn covered branches reached down and entangled around the crystal, the Lair was thankful they had kept the tactile sense turned off. The crystal was deposited in the crux of two branches in the middle of canopy, fully obscured from view. Several small branches and leaves sprouted and wrapped themselves around the crystal, covering it entirely and securing it in place. ¡°Where¡­ are we going?¡± The meliae began to pull its roots up, the trunk raising into the air and the leaves shaking. The Lair pulsed again, washing the smaller orbiting sphere with approving light. This time, the Lair received a small return pulse with an emotion akin to satisfaction. The Lair quirked a mental eyebrow at the response. This will take some getting used to. Grumblebark agreed to it pretty quick though, so that¡¯s a good sign. I think I¡¯m starting to get a read on the biggun. ¡°Well, if you happen to know any areas teeming with level 0 ¨C 3 creatures that need to be cleared out that would be nice. I am open to suggestions. If not, head towards the coast, preferably some tide pools and tell me what you know about the area that we are in. I haven¡¯t got a clue.¡± The lair checked their influence briefly, noting that they couldn¡¯t sense the back of the cave any longer now that they were in the air. It would be a bit tricky getting used to their area of influence physically moving, but with the input currently limited, the Lair figured they stood a good chance of being able to adapt. Grumblebark¡¯s reply came a bit quicker this time, whether because the tree was motivated or because moving around made its sap flow with more haste. ¡°I cannot say that I¡­. know of any places like¡­ that but I can take¡­ you to the coast.¡± Following the last set of words, what the Lair was now mentally referring to as ¡®Grumble speak,¡¯ the first of many large lumbering steps began to carry the Lair and their newly-acquired companion to the shore. Terrified animals broke from cover and fled in the wake of their cacophonous approach. ¡°...I was telling my¡­ best mossy tree joke¡­ I had been telling¡­ it to the grove¡­ for the last¡­ few years or so.¡± Grumblebark had been regaling the Lair with relatively mundane tales of their life as a sentient tree. Suffice it to say that there were plenty of reasons that the familiar was only level 4 while counting its age in decades. ¡°Ahhh, well that explains why you were so grumpy to be summoned. I wouldn¡¯t have wanted to be interrupted right before the punchline of my joke either.¡± The Lair had been paying attention, but there had been a lot of new information streaming to them while they made their way through the forest, and Grumblebark was not the most captivating speaker. Perhaps some specific coaching is in order. ¡°So, I think I have a good idea about where you come from in the forest. How about you tell me how big it is, what types of creatures are in it, and where the closest cities are?¡± While the walking tree moved through the forest and they talked, the Lair had been practicing opening up their senses. They had been able to catch glimpses of some of the wildlife. Mainly tropical multi-colored birds, dangerous looking snakes, and every sort of creepy crawler imaginable. It wasn¡¯t like the animals lit up with a fairy glow of red for enemies and green for friendlies. The Lair had learned that the best way to track the various animals was actually through feel. Once they had toggled their sense of touch back on, many more critters skittered across their perception. Birds and flying insets felt like brushes of wind across a forearm. Insects walking along leaves or the forest floor tickled at first, but after a few adjustments it they felt more like pressing a pen tip to a fingernail. One of the strangest and most amazing revelations was the plants. The Lair could feel them moving, imperceptibly slow. Of course, the Lair knew that plants moved on Earth due to photo taxis, or following the sun. However, this was the first time they had been able to feel something so minuscule. The Lair had been seeing and hearing with beyond-human ability for the better part of the morning, but this truly blew them away. Huh, I wonder what sort of secrets I can discover through super sensing. Okay Lair, don¡¯t get distracted. I am pretty sure that Grumblebark can tell, he hasn¡¯t even tried to answer yet. ¡°So, Grumble, can you tell me a bit about the area outside of your grove?¡± Wheezing and whistling, an odd snorting sound erupted from below the crystal. ¡°I can tell you¡­ a lot about this area¡­ but I doubt¡­ much would be¡­ of use to¡­ you.¡± The meliae rounded a vine curtained bend and outstretched before them was a glistening aquamarine ocean. A white sand beach curved beyond sight in each direction. Palms rocked in a strong breeze. Persistent caws from seagulls rode the gusts seeking out tidal tidbits. The Lair was left dumbstruck as they looked upon the island paradise that was now their home, at least what they could perceive of it. ¡°I will take your word on it for now, but I want you to think about it for the rest of the day. Go ahead and root us here on at the edge of the sand. My influence extends out into the water for a decent ways, it¡¯s a pretty shallow beach. Perfect place to go fishing.¡± Chapter 6: A Half Dozen Claws The Lair rested in their perch. It had taken a little bit to the hang of timing things properly, but after a bit of practice they were reeling in the take. The Lair would summon a dungeon monster for 15 mana and then again every 45 minutes or so once their mana pool filled up enough to re-cast the spell. After a little over 3 hours, the Lair had a small horde of 6 ocean dwelling level 0 monsters. A single gigantic lobster postured in the lapping surf, its two pincers raised high in a challenge to all comers. It was a beautiful animal, covered in blues and oranges, nothing like the Maine lobsters the Lair had eaten in their previous incarnation. Two of the sea beasts were large coconut crabs that prowled around the base of Grumblebark. They appeared to be considering climbing up his trunk, but the thorns were giving them second thoughts. The last three summons were common seagulls. All three of them were roosting in Grumblebark¡¯s hair, chatting up a storm. It sounded like a runaway cocktail party. I am glad that I can turn the volume down, or this may end up unbearable. For their part, the meliae simple did their best impression of a tree, appearing to not care about the presence of the new monsters. The flickering ball of teal was orbiting faster, belying the truth of the matter. The Lair made a mental note to avoid avian summons when they had the option, unless Grumblebark stated a preference. Perhaps there is a songbird that he prefers? He does have the Aesthetic philosophy sub-skill, he may appreciate that sort of thing. Okay, enough wondering, get to the fishing. Shifting their attention they pulled up the status sheets for their new minions and gave them a quick review.
Biographical Information: Name: Stonefruit Crab Level: 0 Experience: 0 Race: Crustacean (dungeon summon) Class: Unavailable ¨C Requirements not met Alignment: Neutral Languages: None
Stats: Health: 11 Mana: 1 Armor: 16 Strength: 8 Dexterity: 8 Constitution: 16 Intelligence: 4 Spirit: 14 Charisma: 7 Luck: 10 Resistances: 50% Water Resistance -50% Fire Resistance
Ability: Cleave: Once per day can use extreme crushing force in the crabs primary claw to sever a limb or cut through a similar object, 1d8 (Slashing, Crushing) damage. Traits: Beach Fauna: Climb speed 2x greater than calculated movement speed. Suffers no penalties for fighting while in water. Natural Offenses: Claws ¨C 2d3 (Slashing, Crushing) damage Small Creature: -25% Strength, +25% to Constitution, Strength score capped at 10.
Biographical Information: Name: Bellerian Seagull Level: 0 Experience: 0 Race: Avian (dungeon summon) Class: Unavailable ¨C Requirements not met Alignment: Neutral Languages: None
Stats: Health: 5 Mana: 1 Armor: 0 Strength: 3 Dexterity: 18 Constitution: 8 Intelligence: 6 Spirit: 14 Charisma: 12 Luck: 12 Resistances: 50% Wind Resistance -50% Earth Resistance
Skills: None Traits: Birds of a Feather: Flight speed 2x greater than calculated movement speed. Suffers no penalties for fighting while aloft. Natural Offenses: Beak ¨C 1d3 (Piercing) damage, Talons ¨C 2d1 (Slashing) damage Small Creature: -25% Strength, +25% to Dexterity, Strength score capped at 10.
Biographical Information: Name: Dire Rainbow Spiny Lobster Level: 0 Experience: 0 Race: Crustacean (dungeon summon) Class: Unavailable ¨C Requirements not met Alignment: Neutral Languages: None
Stats: Health: 10 Mana: 1 Armor: 14 Strength: 8 Dexterity: 12 Constitution: 14 Intelligence: 4 Spirit: 14 Charisma: 16 Luck: 10 Resistances: 50% Water Resistance -50% Fire Resistance Aspects: Territorial
Ability: Cleave: Twice per day can use extreme crushing force to sever a limb or cut through a similar object, 1d8 (Slashing, Crushing) damage. Traits: Oceanic Fauna: Swim speed 2x greater than calculated movement speed, can breathe underwater, suffers no penalties for fighting in water. Suffers -1 to all actions while not in water, must return to water once each hour.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Natural Offenses: Claws ¨C 1d6+1 (Slashing, Crushing) damage, Spiny Antenna Whips ¨C 2d3 (Piercing) damage Small Creature: -25% Strength, +25% to Constitution, Strength score capped at 10.
No predators, all basic animals. Well, I shouldn¡¯t have gotten my hopes up. I am still level 0. The Lair focused on the crabs and sent instructions for them to position themselves near the edge of the water. Then they shifted focus to the three seagulls and had them prepare to make hit and run attacks. Finally it was time to direct the lobster. The Lair gave explicit directions telling the lobster to wade into the water, make as much motion as possible and then run to the waiting crabs. Then it could turn and fight with the rest of the summons. Before putting the plan into action the Lair thought of something rather important. ¡°Hey Grumblebark, mind keeping an eye out for danger? I will be focused on fighting and I still can¡¯t see very far.¡± The Lair received no words, simply a sharp pulse of affirmation from their link. With a lookout set, it was time to play reverse lifeguard. The only question before starting this slog was whether to Assimilate or Consume the majority of the bodies. I think the best strategy is simply to consume the common monsters and if anything unusual pops up, Assimilate it and add its lore to my repertoire. Time to bait the hook. The Lair instructed the summons to begin following their instructions and waited, patience was a requirement for a dungeon. The Lair had sped up the process of growth for a dungeon, they hoped, not eliminated it. The Lair focused on scanning the area of their influence, taking in the feel that the nuances of sand and water could provide. As Charlie they had never liked fishing, it felt a little purposeless since all they had ever done was catch and release. Charlie had not been particular to the taste of fish. Waiting now though, felt like sitting on a pair of pocket queens or kings in a no-limit hold ¡¯em game. Not quite a guaranteed winner, but their anticipation was palpable. Dashing out of the water on bug-like legs, the lobster made a beeline for the other crustaceans. Each of the coconut crabs flanked the lobster like bodyguards as it scuttled between them. Then the Lair could feel the predator, at least part of it. This wasn¡¯t a scavenger or easy morsel. Tentacles lashed from the water like self-propelled whips. Long sweeping arcs of the appendages grasped for the animal that had garnered its attention. The majority of the beast¡¯s body was still beyond the Lair¡¯s influence, but this seemed bad. One of the tentacles encircled a crab and dragged it under the surface of the water. It may have gotten off a single attack, but the Lair couldn¡¯t be sure. Suddenly, all awareness of the crab disappeared as its hit points dropped to zero. Sending quick instructions, the Lair tried to salvage the situation. This thing was probably way too high level to defeat with level 0 monsters. Time to run away! The dungeon halted the seagulls mid-dive and redirected them with a burst of emotion signaling ¡®retreat!¡¯ The same message was sent to the lobster and the remaining crab, but only the coconut-loving crustacean followed the directions. It scuttled back to the base of Grumblebark as the lobster fearlessly charged the tentacle monster. It¡¯s claws clicked and clacked in defiance before diving into the water. It died futilely, entering the surf. Okay, as far as first tests go, that was pretty bad. Note to self, the ocean is a high level area. At least I have a general idea of what the territorial aspect does though. That lobster wouldn¡¯t back down. I still have some critters too, so not an overall loss. Time to summon and cycle for a bit. Then in the morning I can go find some tide pools or something. There have to be some low level mobs to farm around here. The Lairs musing was abruptly interrupted as a tentacle snapped around Grumblebark¡¯s trunk. It seemed to ignore the spikes as it tightened and then shook the tree violently. ¡°Ahhhh! Why is it attacking us, Grumblebark?!?¡± A rough creaking sound followed the slow movement of the meliae¡¯s limb. Grumblebark plucked the remaining coconut crab from the ground. Then it tossed the crab into the ocean where the roiling water held their attacker. The tentacle released and slithered back into the surf. Grumblebark answered in a decidedly annoyed tone, for a tree. ¡°It was not¡­ attacking us¡­ it was looking for more¡­ crab. I do not know¡­ what that was¡­ but you should give¡­ more consideration to your¡­ actions baby dungeon.¡± Surly indeed! I had not expected to get lip from my familiar on the first day. I suppose Grumbles is right though. I charged in here thinking having a group of mobs would let me take down whatever I could find and banked on the spiky tree as an insurance policy. I should grind out more monsters and find something they can handle. The Lair sent a pulse of apology to the orbiting teal globe and followed it up with a verbal affirmation. ¡°You¡¯re right Grumblebark, I shouldn¡¯t have just blindly run in here. If that tentacled thing had dragged us into the water it could have gone very badly. Did you happen to think of any areas that would be more suitable?¡± The meliae¡¯s canopy rustled a bit with the breeze and the seagulls hunkered down, keeping silent after their recent brush with death. ¡°Small stream west of¡­ here empties into the¡­ sea rich soil along the¡­ banks.¡± Grumblebark went silent after speaking, apparently thinking he had imparted all of the information necessary for the Lair to make a decision. The Lair tried not to let any sense of frustration emanate from their mind, but Grumblebark still answered with a creaking Santa Claus-like chuckle. ¡°Grumblebark, I am not a tree. Can you please tell me what that means? How does rich soil help?¡± ¡°Rich soil and water¡­ are good for plants¡­ plants with fruit and¡­ things come to eat¡­ fruit.¡± Bubbles of humor popped around the teal orb, but Grumblebark did not audibly chuckle, simply adding, ¡°Baby Dungeon.¡± The Lair ached for a body in this instant, not so that they could revel in pleasure, but so that they could properly scowl at Grumblebark. Then the Lair mentally grinned, payback would be good: he didn¡¯t like moving after all. ¡°That all makes sense. That is the sort of information that I meant when I asked you about things outside of your grove. Well, no time like the present. Uproot yourself and let¡¯s get going.¡± With clear displeasure demonstrated in the meliae¡¯s movements and tone, it started to follow the instructions. Roots tore up through the soil and the trunk shook violently as it took its first slow step. ¡°I have not used¡­ my rooting ability twice¡­ in a day before¡­ I will have to¡­ wait until tomorrow now.¡± The Lair continued to be amused at Grumblebark¡¯s annoyance and decided to play the meliae¡¯s game by not responding. Instead, the Lair focused on summoning minions to replace the ones they had lost. They summoned them in the branches of the tree, not wanting to lose any if they got left behind and outside of their influence. The Lair lost themselves in the process of summoning, waiting for mana to regenerate, and then summoning again. It was easy to get lost gazing at all of the new flowers, trees, and insects. By the time the Lair exited the fugue of summoning, inspecting, and cataloging all of the new things they were encountering darkness had fallen. Ominous growls and shrill insect trills carried out of the deeper parts of the forest. They were stopped at the edge of a small brook terminated in the waves along the coast. Lush growth choked the banks of the water and grew over the stream, creating a shrouded tunnel inland. ¡°Hey Grumblebark, how long have we been here? I kind of just ¡®woke¡¯ up.¡± Focusing on a singular task and limiting their attention to only curious inspections had instilled a sleep-like fogginess. The Lair poked around their influence counting and inspecting the various summons that perched, sat, or crawled on Grumblebark. ¡°I was wondering how¡­ long it would take¡­ you to notice we had¡­ stopped it has been¡­ a while the tide¡­ came in.¡± Intermediate pulses of irritation radiated off Grumblebark. Better get the horde off of him before he starts throwing them into the water. The Lair sent directions for everything but the birds to get down onto the bank of the stream. Overall, twelve new summons started moving with the three remaining seagulls. Two new birds, both parrots with similar stats to the seagulls, spread out in the boughs once the other animals cleared out. Four new stonefruit crabs clambered down Grumblebark¡¯s thorns. Two large monitor lizards followed the crabs with far more grace and after them came four pythons. The pythons more or less dropped from their hiding places in the meliae¡¯s branches, startling a pair of the crabs and received snaps of warning in reaction. Hmmmm, potential trap idea there. I bet just about anything would be freaked out by a bunch of snakes falling on them. The Lair looked over the stat pages of the new arrivals to get a good idea of what they were working with.
Biographical Information: Name: Bellerian Monitor Level: 0 Experience: 0 Race: Lizard (dungeon summon) Class: Unavailable ¨C Requirements not met Alignment: Neutral Languages: None
Stats: Health: 7 Mana: 1 Armor: 10 Strength: 7 Dexterity: 16 Constitution: 10 Intelligence: 5 Spirit: 14 Charisma: 10 Luck: 12 Resistances: 50% Earth Resistance -50% Fire Resistance
Ability: None Traits: Jungle Fauna: Climb speed 2x greater than calculated movement speed, suffers no penalties for fighting in dense vegetation. Bacterial Bloom: Monitors host naturally poisonous bacteria in their mouths and their bite adds the Poisoned effect. Natural Offenses: Claws ¨C 2d4 (Slashing) damage, Bite ¨C 1d6 (Piercing) damage + 10 poison damage over 1 minute. Small Creature: -25% Strength, +25% to Dexterity Strength score capped at 10.
Biographical Information: Name: Bellerian Python Level: 0 Experience: 0 Race: Snake (dungeon summon) Class: Unavailable ¨C Requirements not met Alignment: Neutral Languages: None
Stats: Health: 6 Mana: 1 Armor: 6 Strength: 6 Dexterity: 19 Constitution: 10 Intelligence: 5 Spirit: 14 Charisma: 10 Luck: 14 Resistances: 50% Earth Resistance -50% Fire Resistance
Ability: Constrict: Instead of an attack can coil around their prey and cause 1d4 crushing damage per minute while hindering the mobility of the target. Upon a failed Dexterity save target creature will become immobilized if small sized or less. If target is larger they will recieve -1 to all actions while the python remains constricted or until a successful Dexterity save. Traits: Jungle Fauna: Climb speed 2x greater than calculated movement speed, suffers no penalties for fighting in dense vegetation. Natural Offenses: Bite ¨C 1d4 (Piercing) damage Small Creature: -25% Strength, +25% to Dexterity Strength score capped at 10.
¡°Okay Grumblebark, looks like we actually have some decent summons to work with and a good amount of them. Can you tell me what the fruit trees look like? Are we near any?¡± The Lair had decided that making decisions with the meliae was probably the best route to actually getting the tree as an advocate, versus a begrudging participant. To that end, they sent a wave of curiosity outwards. ¡°On the far bank¡­ large spiky ball fruit¡­ often dumb animals look¡­ for the fruit on me¡­ it looks similar.¡± Rustling leaves brushed over the top of the crystal''s nest as Grumblebark used a branch to point at a clump of the fruit bearing treasures. Moving their focus to the stand of trees, the Lair inspected and looked over the fruit. Just as Grumblebark had described it was covered in thorns and a little larger than a coconut. Whatever it is, I am glad that I don¡¯t have to eat anymore. Can¡¯t be easy to get into. ¡°Found em. Thank you for suggesting this Grumblebark. If anything gets too close to use feel free to smash it to pulp, but for the most part let the summons fight. I don¡¯t know if your level will reduce the amount of experience we get.¡± As was becoming usual, Grumblebark simply stood ridged offering neither approval or further input. The Lair turned it¡¯s attention to the summons and started organizing them to ambush whatever unsuspecting hungry prey would walk into their midst. The Lair fell back into their previous habit of summoning, studying, and waiting. By the time the first creature seeking out fruit arrived the Lair had managed to summon another two mobs to add to the battle, one more monitor and parrot. All of the Lair¡¯s minions waited for a signal to engage, keeping as quiet and still as possible. Biting into one of the fruits the large animal looked akin to a rhino. This beast had extra horns, spikes, and defenses when compared to a rhino on Earth, but all of the other pieces were still there. Hrmmmm. Not the best, but I should be able to overwhelm it with numbers and down it by attrition. If it gets across the stream Grumbles can always lend a branch. The Lair sent a signal of attack and prepared to direct the melee. Dangling like vines, the pythons dropped onto the rhino and coiled around its limbs. The flock of parrots and seagulls dive bombed the now panicking animal. Their beaks and small talons did little damage, but they distracted. Crabs and monitor lizards dashed for legs and latched on. The crabs wickedly tearing out chunks of flesh and cutting tendons. The lizards carefully darted in to bite the bucking, roaring monster. Leaving their poison to do it¡¯s work, they repeatedly left small wounds where they could bite without being trampled. Thrashing from side to side the Rhino knocked several birds out of the sky. Their bones popping and snapping as they were thrown to the ground or into the fruit trees. A stonefruit crab was trampled and burst apart, one of it¡¯s claws flying over the stream and landing at Grumblebark¡¯s base. Don¡¯t let up! Go for the kill! The Lair sent out more commands directing the next strike. The dungeon summons all tore into the rhino in a coordinated strike aimed at it¡¯s legs. The rhino teetered for a moment, before falling over on it¡¯s side. It squashed fruit and attackers alike with a loud thud. The Lair sent an abrupt command to have all of the summons cease their attack, most were wounded or dead at this point anyways. The lavender glow of the Lair¡¯s core pulsed with anticipation. Focusing on their Consume ability they began to absorb the dying, immobilized rhino. Stomach turning bleats choked from the beasts mouth as it was devoured alive, one piece at a time. The Lair¡¯s pulsing winced and fluttered for a moment, but then continued in a steady strobe. I am of this world. I am a dungeon. I will grow. Chapter 7: Lucky Number Chatting with its only remaining companion, a colorful parrot perched in Grumblebark¡¯s branches. The birdsong and waves helped bring normalcy back to the moonlight night. A monitor gnawed on one of the durian fruits, its flesh exposed and accessible after being squished open. Coiled in the lower branches of surrounding trees a few pythons waited for more unsuspecting prey. The Lair let its minions enjoy some time being simple animals and looked over the results of their first successful hunt. Bellerian Spiny Rhinoceros¡ªLevel 8 has died. You receive 3,942 experience points. You have gained 3,942 experience from Consume against Level 8 Bellerian Spiny Rhinoceros. You have gained access to basic lore regarding the creature Bellerian Spiny Rhinoceros.
Biographical Information: Name: Bellerian Spiny Rhinoceros Level: 8 Experience: 39,420 Race: Rhinoceros
Stats: Health: 144 Mana: 8 Armor: 18 Strength: 16 Dexterity: 9 Constitution: 17 Intelligence: 6 Spirit: 12 Charisma: 7 Luck: 9 Resistances: 50% Earth Resistance 25% Nature Resistance -50% Wind Resistance
You have gained a new skill from Consume: Foraging (Common) ¡°Nature is wont to hide herself¡± - Heraclitus At initiate rank, creatures have a 5% chance to find a random resource related to their environment, while actively searching. Adequate lore skill level must be possessed for the environment to utilize this skill. You have gained a new skill: Combat Tactics (Rare) ¡°I do not steal victory.¡± - Alexander the Great At initiate rank, you no longer suffer a penalty for directing troops, minions, henchmen, multiple summons, party members, etc. Combat Tactics grants access to coordinated attack strategies and implementation. Skill level up! You have reached level 2 in Creation Magic. Levels 1, 2, & 3 Acquired!
Received per level Points
Health & Mana Points You receive 5 ¨C 10 hit points per level + constitution modifier (0) You receive 5 ¨C 10 mana points per level + intelligence modifier (16) N/A 71
Skill Points You currently receive one skill point per level. 3
Ability Points You currently receive two ability points per level. 6
Racial Bonus You receive an additional skill point per level that is restricted to an arcane skill of your choice. 3
Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit. That¡¯s 10% of the Rhino¡¯s experience for the kill and another 10% from using Consume. I got to Level 3 from one large animal. If I keep this up, I¡¯ll get to select my class in a jiffy. In fact, I will probably need to power level skills for a couple of days to balance everything out, but it shouldn¡¯t be too bad. Easier to level skills with more mana after all. Now, what to do with the points? Classic newbie mistake and spend the skill points immediately or save them up for important breakpoints? ¡°Hey Grumblebark, I just jumped a few levels from downing that rhino. I am thinking about what to do with the points from leveling. Have you spent your skill points or are you saving them?¡± The Lair sent an inquisitive pulse to their familiar. Creaking out a yawn, Grumblebark blinked his wooden eyes. ¡°Hmph¡­ gained a few levels in¡­ a single night and I¡­ thought you were going to¡­ die and release me of¡­ this bond baby dungeon your¡­ idea may not be as¡­ stupid as I thought.¡± He was sleeping? He is rather ambivalent regarding my survival. I was assuming he would back me up without having to give him clear directions. I need to be clear with him and not just take him for granted. Besides, he actually gave me a backhanded compliment for the first time. Maybe it¡¯s an olive branch? The Lair sent a pulse of humor along their link, wanting to encourage this new development. ¡°Glad you¡¯re coming around on the idea Grumblebuddy. So, back to my question, what did you do with your skill points when you leveled? Also, do you have any idea of how quick dungeons tend to level? I should have asked that earlier.¡± Leaves rustled and the birds squawked their protest. Grumblebark didn¡¯t seem to approve of the nickname. ¡°I still have them¡­ seemed prudent to hold¡­ for an appropriate time¡­ elders of the grove convinced¡­ me how would I know¡­ how fast dungeons level?¡± If the Lair still had eyes to roll, they would have. ¡°Got it, thanks, Grumblebark. Here is the first skill we talked about.¡± Focusing on the Foraging skill, the dungeon pushed the information towards the teal orb. The small stream of data was absorbed by the sphere and then the new skill flared into existence on Grumblebark¡¯s status page. A pulse of curiosity, tinged with gratitude flowed back to the Lair from their familiar. Maybe we can make this work after all. At least he isn¡¯t boring. Anyways, let¡¯s get to the fun part. The Lair pulled up the ability point selection chart, settling on saving the skill points for the right time.
Ability Level Points to upgrade
Bind: Create an inviolable bond with any living creature. This bond allows for mind-to-mind communication within one mile and will allow you to resurrect the creature if it dies. This bond allows compulsion of the creature with a successful willpower check. These creatures will be free to exit your sphere of influence. This bond cannot be broken once established. 1 1
Consume: Devour deceased or helpless creatures within your influence to gain their strength. You gain 10% of the creature¡¯s experience, a 25% chance to gain a skill the creature possessed, and basic lore on the creature consumed.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. 1 1
Assimilate: Devour deceased or helpless creatures within your influence to gain their strength. You gain 1% of the creature¡¯s experience, 2.5% chance to gain a skill the creature possessed, and full lore regarding the creature. This will allow you to summon an approximation of the creature with an appropriate level spell. 1 1
Hrmmmmm. What to level? It takes 1 point for level one, two points for level two etc. So, I could level each skill once and then one of them another time or I could bring two abilities up to level three and leave the other as it is. Well¡­ I am a hungry, hungry dungeon. The Lair pushed Consume and Assimilate up to level three and reviewed the boosts. You have chosen to increase your ability: Consume to level 3. You gain 10% of the creature¡¯s experience, a 35% chance to gain a skill the creature possessed, 30% of the creatures mana, and basic lore on the creature consumed. You have chosen to increase your ability: Assimilate to level 3. You gain 3% of the creature¡¯s experience, 7.5% chance to gain a skill the creature possessed, and full lore regarding the creature. This will allow you to summon an approximation of the creature with an appropriate level spell. This creature will retain skills of the assimilated creature.
Biographical Information: Name: Lurking Lair Level: 3 Experience: 7,884 Race: Dungeon Class: Unavailable ¨C Requirements not met Alignment: Neutral Languages: Common
Stats: Influence: 1,001 ft. radius Durability: 900/900 Mana: 87/95 Strength: 0 Dexterity: 0 Intelligence: 26 Spirit: 26 Charisma: 11 Luck: 13 Movement Speed: 0 Resistances: 100% Mental Resistance 90% Magic Resistance 90% Physical Resistance Aspects: None
Skills: Creation Magic 2, Natural Combat Tactics 1, Natural Dungeon Loremaster Skills: Foraging
Spells: Level 0: Summon Dungeon Monster Summon Dungeon Familiar
Abilities: Dungeon Core: Bind (1), Consume (3), Assimilate (3) Traits: Magical Construct: Strength, Dexterity, and Movement Speed set to 0. Constitution stat x100 becomes starting durability score. 90% Physical Resistance, 90% Magic Resistance, and 100% Mental Resistance. Dungeon Loremaster: Can gain any skill, but can only use dungeon appropriate skills, i.e. magic and knowledge-based skills. Non-dungeon appropriate skills will be gained with no level or aptitude, but can be taught to creatures with high enough levels of aptitude. Sphere of Influence: Dungeons have mana sense and can perceive all elements within their influence throughout the sensory spectrum. Dungeon influence naturally expands at a rate of 1 radial foot per day.
Very nice. Now I have a way to regenerate mana instead of just waiting for my basic regeneration. Each critter I eat equals more monsters in my horde. It¡¯s also pretty shiny that I¡¯ll be able to spawn assimilated creatures with skills built in. Increased quality should equal better survivability. Okay Lair, enough dilly dallying, mana is back to full. Time to grind out another army. The Lair sunk into their well of focus, summoning, inspecting, and waiting for their mana to replenish. It would have been boring if there weren¡¯t so many new things to look at, but eventually they had looked over everything in their still limited sphere of influence. With nothing else to distract themself with, they attempted to strike up another conversation with the meliae. ¡°What was it like? Growing up in the grove? Did you have a mother and father?¡± Intermittent wobbly pulses came off of the teal orb in the Lairs crystal, Grumblebark appeared to be considering their response. ¡°It was a slow process¡­ meliae come to awareness over¡­ years and saplings are not¡­ recognized by the grove until¡­ they can participate in the¡­ conversation the grove takes care¡­ of all the saplings together¡­ my guardian is Swiftleaf but¡­ my pollen and seed came¡­ from others Swiftleaf is like¡­ my parent but not.¡± I did just rip him away from his home. I hadn¡¯t really thought about that until now. The Lair sent a reassuring glow Grumblebark¡¯s way. ¡°Would it be alright to go and visit your grove after a bit more hunting? Or am I not welcome?¡± Swirling emotion, unreadable and thick shrouded Grumblebark¡¯s core. Its teal color shifted from blue to purple to green. It was terrifyingly gorgeous, but the Lair was concerned. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did I say something wrong? Are you alright?¡± Grumblebark¡¯s orb shook and then slowly the teal color pushed the other colors out of the sphere and shone brightly. ¡°I am fine baby dungeon¡­ you are full of surprises¡­. my departure from the grove¡­ was contentious I thought that¡­ I would never be returning¡­ once I felt the summoning¡­ so I was not polite¡­ when I said my goodbyes¡­ it would be unwise to¡­ return.¡± The tree remained settled, at some point in the morning the meliae had rooted itself again. With no more conversation offered, the Lair settled back into their routine of summoning. Letting their mind relax and settle into casual experimentation with their senses. After trying to open scent data again, the Lair had to immediately shut it off. Whatever those fruits are, they smell like hot garbage. After I get a few more levels I will change locations. By midmorning, the Lair¡¯s horde had multiplied and there was now a decent sized flock of various jungle birds, snakes, lizards, and even a few large, brightly-colored tree frogs mingled with prowling coconut crabs. The ripe, pungent fruit warmed up with the sun and lured several lower level animals to their doom. The first came swinging in on the branches of the tree and dropped cautiously onto the smashed fruit. The Lair was not familiar with many of the animals they had encountered so far, at least outside of zoos, and this one was no exception. It was the first orangutan that the Lair had gotten to look at up close. Its features were strikingly human, down to its scraggly beard and wise expression. While it had been easy to overwhelm with numbers, it was unpleasant to absorb. A small pack of pig-like animals with long, elephantine snouts nervously circled the fruit for about an hour by the time they began to eat. The Lair waited patiently for all of their herd to gather and begin eating. The summons had begun to grow restless by the time the Lair ordered them to attack. It was a bloodbath. In comparison to the rhino and even the orangutan, their struggle amounted to little. A few of the summons managed kills, unable to stop themselves in the heat of battle. Regardless, the Lair continued to steadily grow. By the time the moon hung low in the sky, casting eerie reflections off the stream, the Lair had steadily advanced. Prey had begun to taper off as the fruit was eaten, dried up, and the lingering smell of death permeated the air. Several hours went by with nothing new entering the area. The Lair took a break from the monotony of grinding out summons to finally survey the progress they had made. Bellerian Orangutan¡ªLevel 2 has died. You receive 229 experience points. Bellerian Tapir x 5¡ªLevel¡¯s 0-3 have died. You receive 776 experience points. You have gained 458 experience from Consume against Level 2 Bellerian Orangutan. You have gained 1553 experience from Consume against x5 Level 0-3 Bellerian Tapirs. You have gained access to basic lore regarding the creature Bellerian Tapir. Levels 4 Acquired! Skill level up! You have reached level 3 in Creation Magic. Skill level up! You have reached level 2 in Combat Tactics.
Biographical Information: Name: Bellerian Tapir Level: 2 Experience: 4,554 Race: Tapir
Stats: Health: 32/32 Mana: 2 Armor: 6 Strength: 10 Dexterity: 11 Constitution: 14 Intelligence: 6 Spirit: 14 Charisma: 16 Luck: 10 Resistances: 50% Earth Resistance -50% Fire Resistance
You have gained a new skill from Consume: Grazing (Common) ¡°Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.¡± - Aristotle At initiate rank, creatures that consume plant material can spend a four hour period eating to fully replenish their hit points, mana, and per day skills or abilities. On top of leveling again, the skill increases, and the outright skill gain; the Lair had managed to preserve most of their army. Counting the summons that had survived the rhino battle, the Lair had a swelling force. Twenty-six various animals prowled around the stream banks, tree branches, and in the water. Most were of the summons the Lair already had information on, but there were a couple of new ones. The piranha-style fish were barely worth mentioning; when the Lair changed locations they wouldn¡¯t be able to follow. A pair of noisy monkeys swung through the trees. The area of the Lair¡¯s influence was getting rather crowded. Perhaps neglecting Mana Osmosis wasn¡¯t the best idea. It¡¯s going to be a bit of a mad house until I open up the spell that lets me increase my influence radius. Just as the Lair was about to move on to reviewing their status, new visitors appeared on their doorstep. All of the minions went silent, sensing danger. Upon first glance the Lair had assumed more wild animals had come poking around, but it didn¡¯t take long to reveal that these were no mere beasts driven by instinct. Scaled reptilian skin slid over the jungle floor and into the Lair¡¯s full senses. Hissing sounds carried from one member of the yuan-ti party to the next. Taking point was a half-man, half snake slithering carefully and tasting the air with quick flicks of its tongue. It held a spear in its two hands and armor covered its torso, but its scaled and fanged head remained bare. The next pair followed just as cautiously. They walked on two legs and carried large packs, each with a shield strapped in place. Finally, behind the front guard came four serpents clothed in long, dark robes with almost fully human faces. This last group was chanting in a rhythmic song. When the whole group had crossed over the threshold of the Lair¡¯s influence, the singing reached a crescendo and ceased abruptly. Silence washed over the forest, the night creatures wary of these new arrivals. The party approached the remains of the smashed fruit, holding spears and scimitars at the ready. The Lair looked over each of their guests with trepidation. They had not expected to have an adventuring group so early, even if it was obviously denizens of the jungle. Is it best to lay low? I have no idea what level they are or even what they are saying. Sending a soft whispered message to the meliae the Lair sought out advice. ¡°Grumblebark, are you familiar with these guys? They look pretty tough. Do you think we should just let them pass through or should we try to eat them?¡± The teal orb sent a pulse of amusement, and for the first time Grumblebark¡¯s voice pulsed internally. ¡°Baby dungeon why do you¡­ whisper they cannot hear you¡­ talking to me inside your¡­ own head they are serpents¡­ of the jungle and worshipers¡­ of Phobos god of fear¡­ and blood I only know¡­ that their temple is deeper¡­ inland and far from the¡­ grove I do not know¡­ if they taste good.¡± During the Lair¡¯s conversation the yuan-ti party had done a full circuit of the durian trees. They now stood, with their backs together, conversing through a series of hissing and hand signals. While the Lair was debating their course of action, something rather unexpected happened. The four robed serpents circled around the spear wielder and began chanting again. Then after a short moment they all dropped to their knees. Each took out a curved dagger and plunged it into the snake-man. Oddly, he remained standing and did not strike back at any of his attackers. The daggers stuck in and out with wet sucking sounds, until at last the victim fell lifeless in the middle of the group. The remaining yuan-ti held their positions, but began hissing in their unnerving conversation. Then they wiped blood from the corpse and smeared it over their faces. The Lair was a bit stunned, but also curious. There was only one way to sate their curiosity and it was a gamble. The Lair decided to roll the dice, they had a feeling they were right about this. Consuming the deceased yuan-ti did not take long, the scales and muscles broke down and appeared to sink into the soil. The remaining party members silenced their hissing when the dungeon started eating, but as the Lair had predicted, they didn¡¯t move. As the body disappeared, the Lair received what they had presumed the yuan-ti had meant to give as a gift, even if their method was rather harsh. You have gained a new skill from Consume: Language¡ªSerpent Tongue (General) ¡°The snake would change its skin but it would not change its mindset.¡± - Aesop You will now be able to comprehend and speak the Serpent Tongue. Slowly the hissing sounds morphed into comprehensible syllables and syntax. The group was essentially repeating the same message, apparently looking for a sign. ¡°Ssssss¡­Dungeon, we offer you thisss sssacrifice ssso that you may grow. We will return to grow ourselvesss...¡± For a moment, the Lair wanted to play a practical joke on the group and drop snakes on them, but it didn¡¯t feel right. There was something about this that demanded an appropriate response. The lair sent a communication to all of their summons, except their familiar, to look in the direction of the yuan-ti at the same time and utter a single sound. The reflections bouncing off all the hungry eyes and the staccato of clacks, bites, hisses, and squawks cut off as quickly as they began. The snake-like humanoids showed no fear. They simply bowed their heads and backed out of the area. Leaving the Lair with a lot to ruminate on. Chapter 8: Not an Octopus The scene of the yuan-ti being repeatedly stabbed had replayed several times in the Lair¡¯s mind. It seemed that the increased Intelligence score and being a dungeon came with near-perfect recall. The memory was an unwelcome gift, as was the sacrifice, until the Lair discovered they could block the memory from replaying and file it away, in a manner of speaking. ¡°Well¡­ that was sure unsettling. They also know where we are. I¡¯m not too keen on sticking around here. It also doesn¡¯t seem like a good idea to head inland. I don¡¯t want to get any closer to those snake-people than I have to. Do you know what is further up the coast? I know that your grove is somewhere back down the coast from where we came.¡± Grumblebark¡¯s leaves shuddered, aggravating some of the flock. ¡°I am afraid that I¡­ do not know specifics I¡­ just have a general idea¡­ of where things are on¡­ the island I agree that¡­ we should avoid the serpents¡­ they cannot be trusted.¡± ¡°On that, we are completely simpatico, my fair familiar. No matter what sort of gifts they gave me, I would rather not run into them again anytime soon. They gave me the heebie jeebies. I suppose that settles it, we head up the coast. I¡¯ll have the summons gather up. I also need to make an allocation or two. Mind pinging me if we get to something interesting or at about noon?¡± The Lair didn¡¯t receive a verbal response, but a rapid pulse of affirmation from Grumblebark and a ponderous first step was agreement enough. Diving into the center of their awareness, the Lair pulled up the status update from their recent level gain.
Received per level Points
Health & Mana Points You receive 5 ¨C 10 hit points per level + constitution modifier (0) You receive 5 ¨C 10 mana points per level + intelligence modifier (16) N/A 24
Skill Points You currently receive one skill point per level. 4
Ability Points You currently receive two ability points per level. 2
Racial Bonus You receive an additional skill point per level that is restricted to an arcane skill of your choice. 4
You have gained 1,512 experience from Consume against Level 5 yuan-ti Scout. You have gained access to basic lore regarding the creature yuan-ti Scout.
Biographical Information: Name: Hasshsithhh Level: 5 Experience: 15,124 Race: Yuan-ti
Stats: Health: 53 Mana: 29 Armor: Strength: 15 Dexterity: 12 Constitution: 13 Intelligence: 10 Spirit: 13 Charisma: 8 Luck: 13 Resistances: Immune to Fear, Confusion, & Panic 50% Earth Resistance -50% Fire Resistance
Each of the abilities pertinent to the current circumstances couldn¡¯t be leveled with only two ability points. Since the only creatures worth Binding so far had been creepy serpent-people and a single rhino, it seemed sensible to simply hold onto the points for the time being. It was a boring level gain, but it would still mean more powerful summons. The Lair gave their status sheet a quick scan before moving on to their summoning and cataloging routine. Level four mobs should be more interesting. I¡¯m keeping my fingers crossed.
Biographical Information: Name: Lurking Lair Level: 4 Experience: 12,412 Race: Dungeon Class: Unavailable ¨C Requirements not met Alignment: Neutral Languages: Common, Serpent Tongue
Stats: Influence: 1,002 ft. radius Durability: 900/900 Mana: 119/119 Strength: 0 Dexterity: 0 Intelligence: 26 Spirit: 26 Charisma: 11 Luck: 13 Movement Speed: 0 Resistances: 100% Mental Resistance 90% Magic Resistance 90% Physical Resistance Aspects: None
Skills: Creation Magic 3, Natural Combat Tactics 2, Natural Dungeon Loremaster Skills: Foraging Grazing
Spells: Level 0: Summon Dungeon Monster Summon Dungeon Familiar
Abilities: Dungeon Essentials: Bind (1), Consume (3), Assimilate (3) Traits: Magical Construct: Strength, Dexterity, and Movement Speed set to 0. Constitution stat x100 becomes starting durability score. 90% Physical Resistance, 90% Magic Resistance, and 100% Mental Resistance.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Dungeon Loremaster: Can gain any skill, but can only use dungeon appropriate skills, i.e. magic and knowledge-based skills. Non-dungeon appropriate skills will be gained with no level or aptitude, but can be taught to creatures with high enough levels of aptitude. Sphere of Influence: Dungeons have mana sense and can perceive all elements within their influence throughout the sensory spectrum. Dungeon influence naturally expands at a rate of 1 radial foot per day.
A slow twinge of awareness poked at the Lair, rousing them from their dream-like state. Grumblebark had stopped at the edge of a shimmering iridescent lagoon. The aquamarine water was so clear that they could see the fish darting around the shallow water and sea grass. At the far end of the lagoon, beyond the Lair¡¯s sight, lay the channel that let ocean water into the inlet. Low tide made this channel impassable and trapped the sea life behind. The warm waters of this pool were abundant with all types of life. Sensing the Lair¡¯s awareness, Grumblebark let out a creaking ¡®hurumph¡¯. ¡°It is about time you... finally responded to me I¡­ have been trying to get¡­ your attention for a while¡­ now we have arrived at¡­ a suitable location and it¡­ is past noon.¡± The Lair felt groggy from so much continued mana use and focus, Grumblebark¡¯s rude awakening was not helping. ¡°Got it. Sorry about that. I wanted to make sure we are ready if the yuan-ti find us. I bet they have a few tricks up their sleeves. Also, I have no idea how many of them there actually are. How far up the coast were we able to get?¡± The meliae started moving its roots into the sandy earth below them, assuming this would be the spot they would stop at. ¡°We have been moving all¡­ day and we are further¡­ away from the grove than¡­ I have ever been before¡­ we have gone so far that¡­ the trees have changed and¡­ the climate is colder.¡± Ack. That¡¯s not the most accurate gauge of distance, I shouldn¡¯t have expected him to have a good reference point. I need to remember that he thinks in completely different terms. It would have to do. Grumblebark obviously didn¡¯t seem keen on moving again anytime soon. This was as a good a place as any. The Lair counted up their summons and gave the new arrivals an inspection. Overall, they had an impressive thirty-two minions, not counting the meliae. Most of the troops consisted of the animals that had followed from the stream. Some of those summons had managed to gain a level or two during the engagements with the orangutan and tapirs. The real prizes were the two new creature types: all of these were level four thanks to the Lair¡¯s recent gains.
Biographical Information: Name: Catoblepas Level: 4 Experience: 0 Race: Bovine (dungeon summon) Class: Unavailable ¨C Requirements not met Alignment: Neutral Languages: None
Stats: Health: 55 Mana: 23 Armor: 16 Strength: 14 Dexterity: 8 Constitution: 16 Intelligence: 7 Spirit: 12 Charisma: 6 Luck: 11 Resistances: 50% Earth Resistance 10% Physical Resistance -50% Fire Resistance Aspects: Stalwart
Ability: Breath Attack: Upon a failed Constitution save, target creature will become sick and unable to take any action except movement for 1d4 turns. Traits: Wretched Stench: All creatures within a 5¡¯ radius of the catoblepas must make a successful save against poison or take 1d4 damage. Natural Offenses: Bite ¨C 1d6 (Piercing) damage, Tail ¨C 1d8 (Bludgeoning) damage [can only be used in open spaces] Large Creature: (coming soon)
Biographical Information: Name: Stymphalian Bird Level: 4 Experience: 0 Race: Cockatrice (dungeon summon) Class: Unavailable ¨C Requirements not met Alignment: Neutral Languages: None
Stats: Health: 13 Mana: 12 Armor: 10 Strength: 6 Dexterity: 17 Constitution: 6 Intelligence: 6 Spirit: 14 Charisma: 16 Luck: 16 Resistances: Immune to Poison 50% Wind Resistance -50% Earth Resistance
Ability: Gaze: Upon a failed Spirit save, target creature will become stunned and unable to act for 1d4 turns. Traits: Birds of a Feather: Flight speed 2x greater than calculated movement speed. Suffers no penalties for fighting while aloft. Natural Offenses: Beak ¨C 1d3 (Piercing) damage, Talons ¨C 2d1 (Slashing) damage Small Creature: -25% Strength, +25% to Dexterity, Strength score capped at 10.
These are the first real magic-touched beasts. Well, beyond the fact that everything has been a summon. Up until now it¡¯s all been animals. This gives me some real options when I get into the thick of things. I have multiple ways to lock prey down, but I still don¡¯t have much damage. Unless I bring in Grumblebark, but I like to think of him as my ace in the hole. The catoblepas looked about as mean as its stats and abilities suggested. It looked kind of like a cross between a cow and a stegosaurus. Thick fur coated every inch of the beast except its face. Sturdy bone ridges, spikes, and plates covered its head and tail. Given the catoblepas¡¯ ability to effect an area and soak damage, they had just filled in the missing tank niche. Taking over as the apex avian, the stymphalian birds had bullied the others out of the upper branches of Grumblebark¡¯s canopy. Lilting and haunting, the melody of these new singers felt out of place on the sunny beach. Copper and gold feathers highlighted bronze plumage as the birds spread out their wings and groomed each other. Okay, let¡¯s give fishing another try. If something from the forest shows up then I can always redirect summons or have Grumbles deal with it. I¡¯ll just make sure to have multiple waves of attackers if I run into something like the rhino, since I won¡¯t have the element of surprise. The Lair organized the various summons and had them line up on the beach or get ready from their perches. Stonefruit crabs would act as the bait ¨C the Lair hadn¡¯t gotten anything else aquatic related during the travel through the forest. Next was the small herd of catoblepas. There were three of them in total, but they took up a lot of space. The flock would be mobile harassers from the air, but for the moment they perched where they could find room. Behind the frontline troops prowled the reptiles, uneasy near the pacing musky catoblepas. ¡°Hey Grumblebark, I am planning on fishing again. Can you see anything in the lagoon that would be a threat to us? Any suggestions on how to do this? I¡¯m just planning on luring whatever is in there to the shore, dragging it out of the water, and then overwhelming it.¡± Blowing across the water, a stiff breeze pushed Grumblebark¡¯s foliage back away from the shore. The catoblepas bellowed, a deep lowing mixing with the rustling leaves. The meliae¡¯s creaking voice mingled with the symphony of nature. ¡°I have only seen sea¡­ birds fish for small food¡­ I do not think that¡­ is relevant.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­ may be better information than you think. I hadn¡¯t been thinking of using the birds that way. The seagulls and parrots don¡¯t really have much in the way of offense. If we use them as bait, they probably stand a better chance of surviving than the crabs and that frees up the crabs to attack. Good idea, Grumbles.¡± Pulsing out from the meliae¡¯s teal orb a wave of bewilderment and agreement washed over the Lair¡¯s core. Grumblebark remained silent as always, but his reaction to this last ¡°conversation¡± was markedly different than upon previous inquiries. The Lair wanted to press their familiar to explain the reaction, but that felt inappropriate. Well, it¡¯s time to bait the hook. Shifting positions, the stonefruit crabs submerged themselves in the surf and remained motionless. Seagulls and parrots flew down and onto the surface of the water, bobbing with the ebb and flow of the waves. The stymphalian birds were far to valuable to use as bait, so they stayed in more defensible locations. Lapping waves counted away the hours as the Lair proceeded to clear out the Lagoon of anything worth eating. The process turned out to be simple and much of the planning turned out to be unnecessary. With the pure number of summons, anything that got dragged onto shore didn¡¯t have much of a chance. If the Lair had not been consuming all of the fish, crabs, sea urchins, sea anemones, and other tide pool fauna, the beach would have been littered with rotting seafood. None of the fighting was particularly interesting or dangerous. A couple of the birds got eaten before they could make it out of the water. One of the crabs got too close to a catoblepas and crunched into pieces. Eventually nothing was in the Lair¡¯s influence that could be snacked on and nothing left in the lagoon was willing to try and eat one of the flopping birds. Letting Grumblebark have some stationary time was probably a good idea with how much the two of them had been moving around. The Lair looked over their growth, filing away the Consume information from the minor kills to review during their summoning fugue. Not quite to level 5 yet, a couple of thousand experience away. Level 0 and 1 critters just don¡¯t pack the same punch as that rhino did. I sure got lucky. I might as well replenish the ranks and see if this place restocks somewhat in a few hours as well. Diving into the center of their crystal, the Lair began to summon. Lost somewhere between looking over details on the minor animals they had slain and enjoying the feeling of the waves, a shocking pulse of danger snapped the Lair from its relaxation. All of their summons had just reacted to something entering the lagoon. Fear spread through each of the animals to the Lair¡¯s core and was reinforced by Grumblebark¡¯s words. ¡°It did not just want¡­ crabs.¡± Tentacles whipped into the Lair¡¯s influence from beyond their sight. Birds and crabs were dragged away and died. The catoblepas¡¯ bucked and bellowed loudly, unable to see their enemy or attack it. The reptiles retreated from the fighting, trying to avoid being trampled. The meliae started to spread and coil its branches, readying to strike. ¡°I do not know what¡­ it is but it has¡­ five serpent heads on top¡­ of tentacles.¡± The Lair had not been expecting whatever this thing was to find them again so soon. However, this time they stood a much better chance. With no physical manifestations of panic to reinforce their initial reaction, the Lair was able to steady themselves and ready for a counter attack. ¡°Got it. We need to get it to shore and into my influence. I am going to sacrifice the catoblepas, at least a couple of them. Help out where you can.¡± Sending quick directions, the Lair rallied their army and bolstered its flagging morale. The bovines thundered into the water, mostly submerging themselves. Their heads, normally low to the ground, were raised just above the surface of the water as they strained to breath. Spreading from their fur, a milky yellow oil began clouding the water around them. Stymphalian birds flew down and took position on the backs of the beasts. All of the weaker summons waited along the coastline, getting picked off by tentacles or making small attacks of opportunities. Several catoblepas were ensnared, but they were able to use their bulk to maintain their positions. More tentacles suctioned around the animals and then the monster entered the Lair¡¯s sight. Grumblebark had done a good job describing it ¨C there wasn¡¯t much more to this thing than flailing snake heads, tentacles, and scales. Subtle flashes of blue-green magic shimmered in its numerous eyes. It was like a hydra had combined with an octopus and grown an immensely violent disposition. Two heads lunged and ripped chunks out of one of the catoblepas, and it collapsed in the water. One of the other catoblepas was pulled under the water entirely. Feathers burst in a confetti shower as maws ate birds whole. Squirming at the sight of the chaos, monitors and pythons paced in sand, unable to attack. Floating to the surface, the dead bovine hulk was at least providing cover for the remaining birds. One of the cockatrices miraculously got off a gaze against a thrashing snake head, and it fell limp into the water. The two heads that had bitten the cow-beast had slowed, its natural toxins hampering the monster¡¯s actions. Small gashes and wounds began appearing on tentacles. Scales were cracked and bleeding. The animal turned to flee. The Lair threw everything at the beast before it could get away. A blender of salt water, blood, entrails, feathers, and leaves churned in a whirlpool of death. Grumblebark¡¯s limbs smashed into the serpent and summons indiscriminately. Combat ceased and was replaced by the dependable crash of waves. Not wanting their prize to be swept out to sea, the Lair directed their few mobile summons and the meliae to hold the monster in place as they Consumed it. It would have been great to use Assimilate for the first time, but this thing was bound to catalyze another good jump in experience. The Lair couldn¡¯t pass up the chance. Bubbling and oozing, the scylla dissolved and became part of the dungeon. Once the Lair learned what they had slain, it was more understandable why it had been such a challenge.
Biographical Information: Name: Juvenile Scylla Level: 12 Experience: (Coming Soon) Race: Kraken Class: Rogue Languages: None
Stats: Health: 138 Mana: 86 Armor: 18 Strength: 12 Dexterity: 15 Constitution: 14 Intelligence: 12 Spirit: 14 Charisma: 6 Luck: 14 Resistances: 90% Water Resistance 50% Earth Resistance 50% Magic Resistance -50% Fire Resistance -25% Wind Resistance
Holy crap! That certainly explains why this thing was so hard to kill. Not why it tracked me down necessarily, but this thing wasn¡¯t some mindless animal. Although, it may not have even been the same one. I don¡¯t think I should stick around the ocean¡­ Chapter 9: Benign Poison Poignantly ignoring the notifications and allocations the Lair centered themselves after that last engagement. It had been taxing in more ways than one and it was time for a break. The Lair turned to their only companion who could really converse in an intelligent manner, Grumblebark, to bleed off their nerves. ¡°Well, we probably shouldn¡¯t stay here. Lots of dead dungeon mobs that I can¡¯t absorb. If we move they should dissipate, but the longer we stay the riskier it is. Given our luck with the ocean so far, I am thinking we should head inland. Do you have any thoughts Grumblebark? I am still getting things figured out. Ohhh, I hadn¡¯t thought about this until now, but several of my summons have ¡®Bellerian¡¯ in their names. Is that the island we are on?¡± Roots began unraveling and uprooting themselves as the meliae shook with movement. ¡°That is likely a wise¡­ consideration dungeon perhaps we should¡­ find a place that is¡­ more peaceful for a time.¡± Grumblebark rumbled and creaked, shaking sand from his trunk. ¡°I believe that is the¡­ name for the island in¡­ common but it has been¡­ a long time since I¡­ have had reason to speak¡­ that language if I recall¡­ correctly it is Belleria.¡± The Lair pulled the paltry remaining force of summons to the base of their familiar and then had them take up position in its limbs, except the lumbering beast. One stymphalian bird, a couple of pythons and monitors, and a single catoblepas gathered together. It felt odd after having had such a large group to organize. The bovine was limping, it had still not fully recovered. The Lair slapped itself mentally on the forehead and quickly transferred the grazing skill to the summon. While they were at it, the Lair gave foraging to the others. I need to remember to give my summons skills, they tend to be born without any. ¡°Thank you Grumblebark. That¡¯s good to know, the name of the island that is. I also agree. I think we have grown enough for me only being three days old. I know you don¡¯t know the area, but do you think you could find a place we could hole up safely for a few days? I could use the time to restock the troops. Ohh yeah, mind keeping pace with the cato¡­ the stinky cow monster? It¡¯s still a bit injured and I don¡¯t want it to get left behind.¡± The meliae pulsed with a now familiar feeling of assent and curiosity before offering up an actual agreement. ¡°I will do so.¡± That¡¯s new, and welcome. The Lair smiled internally and sent a similar sensation back to Grumblebark. Then they dove into their core to evaluate what all the heck had just happened after the days work. The first notifications waiting for them were the most startling.
Quest Title: Gobbling Globs of Goodness Conditions: Use your Consume ability on 20 or more creatures. (Hidden Quest) Rewards: Experience Penalty for failure or refusal of Quest: None Do you Accept? Automatic
Quest Title: Culling Critters on the Coast Conditions: Slay 10 or more creatures. (Hidden Quest) Rewards: Experience Penalty for failure or refusal of Quest: None Do you Accept? Automatic
You have received 1,000 experience for Gobbling Globs of Goodness. You have received 1,000 experience for Culling Critters on the Coast.
Well, I¡¯ll be damned. I didn¡¯t realize I would be getting quests. It makes sense though, one of the cornerstones of the Adventurer system is that every race is playable. I bet these are just the start too. I should talk about this with Grumblebark. I wonder if he has any quests that he is working on, maybe I could help him out. The Lair moved past these notifications with this latest thought nestled into the back of their mind. Various Bellerian Fish x 9¡ªLevel¡¯s 0-1 have died. You receive 205 experience points. You have gained 683 experience from Consume against 9 Levels 0-1 Various Bellerian Fish. You have gained access to basic lore regarding the creatures Various Bellerian Fish. Seagulls x 6¡ªLevel¡¯s 0-2 have died. You receive 222 experience points. You have gained 1,112 experience from Consume against 6 Level 0-1 Seagulls. You have gained access to basic lore regarding the creature Seagulls. Bellerian Bull Shark x 1¡ªLevel 2 have died. You receive 126 experience points. You have gained 423 experience from Consume against Level 2 Bellerian Bull Shark. You have gained access to basic lore regarding the creature Bellerian Bull Shark. You have gained 7,974 experience from Consume against Level 12 Juvenile Scylla. You have gained access to basic lore regarding the creature Juvenile Scylla. Another huge jump, even better than the rhino, but a lot scarier. I also lost almost all of my summons. Days worth of minions gone, poof. At least it was worth it. Time to go lick my wounds. None of the lore was really worth spending time on, except the scylla. That monster had been class upgraded as a Rogue. That explained how it had gotten the jump on the Lair each time. It most likely had some form of stealth and sneak attack abilities. Getting to the level 10 break point and pushing my skills high enough to open a class upgrade has to be a priority. Any class would make me much more powerful. Okay, did I get any good skills or just minion basics? You have gained a new skill from Consume: Feeding (Common) ¡°Keep a healthy mind in a healthy body.¡± - Aristides At initiate rank, creatures can spend a four hour period eating to fully replenish their hit points, mana, and per day skills or abilities. You have gained a new skill from Consume: Construction (Uncommon) ¡°Great undertakings require great preparations.¡± - Heliodorus At initiate rank you will be able to acquire appropriate sub-skills. You have gained a new sub-skill from Consume: Simple Structures (Uncommon) ¡°If you add little to little, and do so repeatedly, it will very quickly become much.¡± - Hesiod At initiate rank you will be able to construct simple structures without penalties. Skill level up! You have reached level 5 in Creation Magic. Skill level up! You have reached level 4 in Combat Tactics. You have gained your first Aspect! You are Gluttonous! Your recent actions have defined a core element of your personality. You have chosen to devour anything and everything in your path, leaving a void of life in your wake. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Effects: +1 to Chaotic Alignment, +1 to Bad Alignment, and each time you consume a creature there is a small chance that you permanently gain health or mana points. Levels 5 & 6 Acquired!
Received per level Points
Health & Mana Points You receive 5 ¨C 10 hit points per level + constitution modifier (0) You receive 5 ¨C 10 mana points per level + intelligence modifier (16) N/A 49
Skill Points You currently receive one skill point per level. 6
Ability Points You currently receive two ability points per level. 6
Racial Bonus You receive an additional skill point per level that is restricted to an arcane skill of your choice. 6
Biographical Information: Name: Lurking Lair Level: 6 Experience: 25,157 Race: Dungeon Class: Unavailable ¨C Requirements not met Alignment: Neutral (+1 to Chaotic, +1 to Bad) Languages: Common, Serpent Tongue
Stats: Influence: 1,003 ft. radius Durability: 900/900 Mana: 168/168 Strength: 0 Dexterity: 0 Intelligence: 26 Spirit: 26 Charisma: 11 Luck: 13 Movement Speed: 0 Resistances: 100% Mental Resistance 90% Magic Resistance 90% Physical Resistance Aspects: Gluttonous
Skills: Creation Magic 5, Natural Combat Tactics 4, Natural Feeding 1, Natural Construction 1, Significant Sub-skill: Simple Structures 1, Significant Dungeon Loremaster Skills: Foraging Grazing
Spells: Level 0: Summon Dungeon Monster Summon Dungeon Familiar
Abilities: Dungeon Essentials: Bind (1), Consume (3), Assimilate (3) Traits: Magical Construct: Strength, Dexterity, and Movement Speed set to 0. Constitution stat x100 becomes starting durability score. 90% Physical Resistance, 90% Magic Resistance, and 100% Mental Resistance. Dungeon Loremaster: Can gain any skill, but can only use dungeon appropriate skills, i.e. magic and knowledge-based skills. Non-dungeon appropriate skills will be gained with no level or aptitude, but can be taught to creatures with high enough levels of aptitude. Sphere of Influence: Dungeons have mana sense and can perceive all elements within their influence throughout the sensory spectrum. Dungeon influence naturally expands at a rate of 1 radial foot per day.
Okay, I was having a bit of a pity party. That was more than worth it. I mean, I have gained more than a level per day since I got here. That¡¯s stupid fast. Spending years coming up with this plan is really starting to pay off. The new Aspect synergizes perfectly with my build and new skill too. It does highlight how disruptive to the natural ecosystem I have been though. I should probably hunker down and grind some skills for a while instead of eating everything in sight Looking around as the meliae lumbered through the forest, the Lair noticed that the environment was changing. Around the traveling menagerie lush vegetation had given way to spread out trees. The group was moving up a slight incline, the air growing colder with each step. It felt like they had made good distance. Having been lost in their typical summoning fugue, the Lair was tempted to take a break as the differences of the area became more pronounced. ¡°Hey there Grumblebark. How long have we been traveling? Any clues to where we might be?¡± Ponderously weaving through underbrush and ducking for limbs, the meliae still created quite a wake in its travel. ¡°We are nearing the spine¡­ of the island where the¡­ peaks rise tall marking the¡­ end of the western plateau¡­ I never thought I would¡­ travel so far it has¡­ been over a day.¡± ¡°That explains the changes I noticed. You haven¡¯t found a good spot to hunker down yet? I don¡¯t want us to be in an area that is too cold for you. Don¡¯t you need to be back in the jungle? It feels like we are leaving it.¡± Rumbling and creaking, the meliae¡¯s laughter split through the surrounding glade, causing a few local birds to take flight. ¡°I am no normal tree¡­ baby dungeon you should know¡­ that by now I can¡­ take energy from the sun¡­ and the soil but magic¡­ sustains me and my kin¡­ it is also apparent by¡­ this point that you are¡­ no normal dungeon.¡± Grumblebark paused, seeming to consider before asking the next question, but continuing none the less. ¡°Why are you so driven¡­ so focused and how do¡­ you have such plans and¡­ knowledge while such a young¡­ dungeon? Where did you come¡­ from?¡± Charlotte ran down the sidewalk with tears streaking down her cheeks. The flowering dogwoods canopied this way home and muted her crying from attracting others. Flapping in the breeze behind her, streamed tatters of her flannel shirt. Holding the remains closely to her chest, barely keeping her torn jeans held up with her other hand, she rounded the corner to the dirt driveway of home. Scrambling up the front porch, Charlotte cried out for help. ¡°Mama! Mama!!¡± Rushing from the kitchen, clad in a stereotypical checked apron and yellow blouse, her mother scooped her up into a hug. Squeezing tightly, Constance pet her daughter¡¯s long hair and consoled her. After crying eased and snot had been wiped away, she questioned her daughter. ¡°Heavens to Betsy Charlotte, what¡¯s wrong? What happened to your brother¡¯s clothes?¡± Charlotte sniffled and couldn¡¯t hide the hurt feelings from crossing over her face. However, she buried her face in her hands and emptied her heart. ¡°Mama, the other kids chased me away from the playground. Billy said I couldn¡¯t wear pants and tried to take them! They called me ¡®faggot¡¯ and threw tanbark at me!¡± Cooing gently and still tenderly stroking Charlotte¡¯s hair, Constance sighed. ¡°Darling, I told you not to try and wear Justin¡¯s clothes. Even if he gave them to you. What will the other families think? This was probably for the best Charlotte, don¡¯t you think?¡± Charlotte curled up, becoming as small as they possibly could, and wept. Wracking sobs shook her small frame, surrounded by warmth that could never comfort. Continuing in their gradual assent towards the spine, the Lair roused from their daymare to reply. ¡°My past is pretty complicated Grumblebark, I would prefer not to get into the specifics. Maybe, when it¡¯s an almost forgotten part of my past. Suffice it to say that I am so focused because I have been vulnerable. I want to become strong enough to dictate my circumstances, not have them decided for me.¡± Pausing the Lair contemplated how much information to share with their familiar. ¡°I came from another realm. I had the choice to become a dungeon, and I made it with full knowledge of the consequences. So, while I am a young dungeon, I am not a young mind. Well, still pretty young compared to you, but I imagine nothing like a typical young dungeon. Not what you were expecting?¡± Wood popped and snapped, the meliae halted their walk. ¡°No not what I was¡­ expecting but it does explain¡­ why you are so different¡­ most dungeons do not talk¡­ as much or have much¡­ personality.¡± ¡°I can see why you weren¡¯t all that excited to be bonded with one given those prospects. Is there a reason we stopped? Or do you need to rest?¡± The Lair poked around with their sight, noting that they were on the edge of a cliff. The drop came upon them abruptly, but of course, the Lair could not see the horizon. The Lair filed away that Grumblebark was letting on that they knew more about dungeons than they had initially let on. Perhaps he just didn¡¯t want to share before he got to know me better. ¡°There is a small valley¡­ before us I think it¡­ would be a good spot¡­ for us to ¡°hunker down¡±¡­ it should only take a¡­ little while to get to¡­ the valley floor I was¡­ looking for the best way¡­ down.¡± The meliae let out a crunching ¡®hurumph¡¯ and started tromping down the hillside. ¡°Dryad¡¯s are exciting and adventurous... they all bond to a¡­ specific meliae for like and¡­ they heavily influence the meliae¡¯s¡­ growth I had always wanted¡­ to leave the grove for¡­ a life beyond endless conversation.¡± The Lair smiled internally, this explained a lot about Grumblebark. Their familiar had shared an important personal fact with them. On top of that they had used ¡°us¡± to describe the actions of the two of them. Pulsing involuntarily with a soft pink light, the Lair radiated affection for their linked meliae. ¡°Well Grumbles, this whole plan of moving around and going to the creatures wouldn¡¯t work without you. We are partners in this. I need you¡¯re help if I am going to succeed.¡± Roots grasping at stones, tree trunks, and driving into the mountainside steadied Grumblebark as the meliae traversed down an incline far too steep for any human to descend. Crackling chuckles carried on the wind once more. ¡°Most dungeons take years to¡­ gain their first levels they... have reached journeyman or higher¡­ in creation magic you have... done things entirely backwards you... are such an odd dungeon.¡± A large stride propelled the meliae into a rushing stream of water, splashing up and onto its trunk, water disturbed the roosting flock. ¡°It is a unique strategy¡­ so far it has been¡­ fun.¡± Grumblebark stopped, wrapping his branches somewhat violently around a set of jutting rocks. Then he plucked a long hanging moss off of a nearby pine and wrapped it around the branch. ¡°Dragon¡¯s Beard lichen rare valuable¡­ and I have always wanted¡­ some for decoration the Foraging¡­ skill has been interesting this¡­ looks like a good spot.¡± Caught up in raptly listening to Grumblebark the Lair poked around their influence, scanning the area. The meliae obviously had more facets to their personality than upon first blush. The group of summons were gathering around the bank of a large pool. Several catoblepas had already started sucking down big gulps of water. Birds flew to nearby branches hanging lazily over the pond. A small waterfall tumbled down broken rocks and produced a small bubbling at the far end of the clearing. ¡°From what I can see, this does seem like a pretty good place for us to spend some time. What can you see around us that is outside of my influence?¡± The meliae swung from side to side, branches swishing with the movement. ¡°We are at the bottom¡­ of the valley near a¡­ small waterfall and in a¡­ stand of pine and fir.¡± The Lair chuckled, that was the sort of description that had started to expect from Grumblebark. ¡°Sounds like this will be home for a while, go ahead and get comfortable.¡± Chapter 10: Monster Decathlon The Lair and Grumblebark set about creating a comfortable space over the next week. The relationship between the two of them had improved considerably. As with most things in Elysium, a notification heralded the official change. However, the gradual differences in how they had been interacting had been more proof of the shift. You have gained +2,322 Relationship Points with Grumblebark. Your relationship with Grumblebark has improved from Suspicious to Friendly. By the time the sun had set on the evening of the fourth day, a significant event heralded the next stage of the Lair¡¯s evolution. It couldn¡¯t have been achieved without their singular focus at re-stocking their forces. After completing their most recent summoning, golden lines shimmered along the surface of the Lair¡¯s crystal. Gleaming as they wrapped around the surface of the gem, the glow winked out as a series of runes etched into the dungeon core. You have become a Runic Bonding Stone (Population). You are the leader of an established group of creatures of at least 50 population. You are now Ruler over The Lurking Lair. Your tribe is Level 0. At level 0 you will be able to issue a single edict per day. You now have access to basic edicts and can select a tribal benefit.
Level 0 Edicts -
Edict Effect
1. Rally +1 to all attacks for the duration of combat in which the edict was used.
2. Production Boost +1 to all resource gathering attempts by members of the tribe for the day.
3. Hero Target creature, within the tribe, gains +2 to all stats and +25% HP while designated ¡®Hero¡¯. At your current level you can only select 1 creature. This designation continues beyond the day it was used.
The Lair had planned to reach this point earlier ¨C the edicts would have helped tremendously in the fight with the scylla ¨C but each time the dungeon population had gotten close, it had been culled. Selecting a benefit for the clan had been relatively easy as well. Since the Lair was not focused on any of the things a typical population group would need, like economic or social concerns, they had simply selected the ¡®robust health¡¯ option. This added a 10% bonus to the hit points of all members of the tribe. I would say that this calls for a celebration! ¡°Hey Grumbles! We just became a tribe. I was thinking about having a festival to mark the occasion. Give the summons something fun to do. A few of the more intelligent species seem a bit bored in the grotto.¡± Gurgles from the waterfall nearby punctuated the silence to this announcement. Several bird calls sounded and a catoblepas bellowed softly. Grumblebark¡¯s rustling chuckles followed, as if he had been talking to the bovine and not the Lair. ¡°Ohhh the mighty Lair has¡­ accomplished yet another goal in¡­ an unexpected amount of time¡­ we should indeed mark the¡­ occasion.¡± The Lair sent a quick poking sensation through the bond with their familiar. ¡°Enough teasing, I know that you have been enjoying the new skills. You¡¯re practically draped in new moss, lichens, and plants. You even have orchids in your limbs. I think it¡¯s time that the others get in on the fun.¡± ¡°True you have me there¡­ the myrmekes have been digging¡­ tunnels for a while now¡­ and the baby griffin nest... in the pine stand is¡­ complete what did you have¡­ in mind?¡± These two new additions to the Lair¡¯s arsenal were a good match to the terrain and level they had reached. The myrmekes were giant ants, ranging from the size of a dog to a bear. Since they started with a Digging skill and the Lair could give them the Construction skill, they had been the primary laborers for the past few days. The small griffins had not gotten along with the stymphalian birds, nor the sole remaining parrot. Hence, they had been separated and situated in the pine trees across the small pool of water from Grumblebark and the main flock. ¡°Well¡­ I was thinking of having a little competition between the summons. They all tend to group up by type when I am not directing the group. If I put them on mixed teams and give them tasks to accomplish they should improve their skills and overall teamwork at the same time.¡± ¡°Not a bad idea did¡­ you have a particular task¡­ in mind for me or¡­ will I be joining a¡­ team?¡± One of Grumblebark¡¯s leaves lazily fell in the wind and landed in the pool. ¡°I am glad you approve. If you joined a team it would be really off-balanced. Since you gained those levels from killing the scylla you have gotten rather formidable. I was actually thinking you would make a good referee, a judge of sorts. I want you to award the points and declare the winner.¡± A stymphalian bird warbled and crooned, swooping out of Grumblebark¡¯s branches and snagging a minnow from the bubbling brook streaming from the idyllic clearing. ¡°As long as you tell¡­ me generally how to score¡­ the games I can do¡­ that what sorts of events¡­ are you thinking of having?¡± The Lair grinned inwardly, sometimes it was easier to just borrow from the classics. ¡°Well, to fit with Elysium I figured we would have our own set of house games. Since we have six catoblepas we will form a team around each one of them. Let¡¯s name each one of them after Greek letters. So, Alpha Betas, Omega Mu, Rho Rho Rho, Pi Delta Pi, Eta Beta, and Lambda Lambda Lambda. ¡°The events need to be skill and teamwork oriented. So, I was thinking a feat of strength or two, a construction project, a race, and to finish it all off, an eating contest! For the most part it should be beneficial and fun.¡± The meliae had been true to its name and grumbled at the unnecessary complexity that the Lair had orchestrated. However, the big spiky tree eventually gave in, even calling each team by their new moniker. It took a while to wrangle the summons into the various ¡°houses¡±. Each team consisted of a single catoblepas, three to four fliers, and three myrmekes. A python was mixed in with a few of the teams, but there weren¡¯t enough for each group. The Lair broadcast a general message to their summons. ¡°Welcome to the first annual Lair Games! We are an official tribe today. So the prize for the winning team will be naming one of the team members ¡®Hero¡¯ for the tribe. The tribe¡¯s champion will gain strength and a new name.¡± Communication with the summons wasn¡¯t as refined as speech for the animals and beasts with low intelligence. However, pulses of emotion and intention radiated from the Lair¡¯s minions. These were far less complex than the messages Grumblebark could send, but they were adequate for basic exchanges. With feedback received from the clan, it was time to kick things off. The inaugural game was a simple tug of war utilizing ivy vines anchored to each team¡¯s bovine. The small stream disappearing into the forest away from the pool was used as the midpoint. Once a giant ant or bird that was pulling on the vine from the front was pulled across, or got wet, the other team was declared the winner by the meliae. The team with the sole remaining parrot, Rho Rho Rho, managed to eke out a victory. The Lair had begun referring to this summon as ¡®Polly¡¯ in their mind, but hadn¡¯t officially named them that. They couldn¡¯t be sure, but the Lair thought they had heard the colorful bird asking for a cracker. One of the reasons that the squawker¡¯s team had won had to have been the incessant cheering and jeering. Perhaps naming the summons would help me keep track of them. It would probably make me more attached as well. That might not be a bad thing. I have been basically treating them as disposable resources. Well, except Grumbles. ¡°Okay folks. For the next game we are going to have a relay race of sorts. Each member of the team will make a circuit of the grotto one at a time starting at Grumblebark. Once you get back, you have to drink a gulp of water, eat some small prey, or a mouthful of grass. Then you touch a teammate and they will make a loop. This continues until every member of the team has gone around twice.¡± The meliae creaked a bit as a branch re-arranged some drooping moss. ¡°Why do you want the¡­ creatures to eat in between¡­ the laps that seems odd¡­ and unnecessary if there will¡­ already be an eating competition.¡± ¡°I suppose it is pretty odd without context. I modeled this competition off a story from where I came from. It¡¯s kind of hard to figure out where to start explaining without knowing more about you though. I remember you said Swiftleaf was your mentor? Teacher? What sort of education did you have when you were young Grumbles?¡± The Lair made sure to send a pulse of warm inquisitiveness to the big tree so their words wouldn¡¯t be misinterpreted. A ¡®hmmm¡¯ like creaking pulsed back to the Lair along their shared bond before the spiky familiar responded. ¡°Swiftleaf is also a Ceiba¡­ as are most of the¡­ grove a Pentandra whereas I¡­ am a Speciosa and therefore¡­ have many more roots than¡­ I will ever grow but¡­ Swiftleaf does not have thorns¡­ we often had long debates¡­ about which was more¡­ useful beautiful and so forth¡­ he was my guardian not¡­ my mentor but he did¡­ teach me much.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Blown from the meliae¡¯s mouth a seemingly unnecessary gust of wind startled Polly as the explanation continued. ¡°I awoke slowly for one¡­ of my kind it took¡­ a couple of decades before... I was aware of the... others in the grove.¡± If a tree could look wistful, that would be an apt description for the familiar. The Lair had gotten wrapped up in listening to Grumblebark. The new companion seldom strung so many words together, particularly about their past. Mentally blinking, they spoke and pulsed the next game to the various teams. The dungeon had taken to giving primary instructions to a ¡®captain¡¯ in each squad, normally a flier. ¡°Sorry Grumbles, I wanted to get the teams set up and get the game started. I would love it if you continued once they are moving.¡± All of the teams lined up, some had selected to have the slowest member go first and others had their speedier members selected. The Lair took note that each of the small bands had started to adopt different strategies. It was an interesting development and something to track. There were starting to be a plethora of things to track. With a burst of intention and words, the Lair signaled the started. ¡°Ready¡­ steady¡­ Go!¡± Crashing with its first running step, a particularly noisy catoblepas bullied into a lead on the ground with a myrmekes or two skittering to each side. That big ole guy may just end up with the name ¡®Ogre¡¯ or ¡®Booger¡¯ with the way he behaves. Internally chuckling, they shifted their attention back to a bemused Grumblebark. ¡°Sorry about that Grumbles, now that they¡¯re going, let¡¯s talk while we watch. You were talking about Swiftleaf and the grove.¡± A hollow snort sounded through the meliae¡¯s trunk, but Grumblebark continued in an amiable tone. ¡°Swiftleaf was the first to¡­ talk with me had worked... a root over to me... and I could hear a¡­ voice besides my own and¡­ the occasional visitor that was¡­ when I finally had perspective. ¡°The stars and insects and¡­ plants and animals and rhythm¡­ of the forest are a¡­ lot to be part of¡­ I was not pleased to¡­ be awoken and it took¡­ Swiftleaf a while to teach¡­ me the value of not¡­ being lost in the web¡­ of life.¡± Screeching a battle cry, one of the Griffin chicks from Eta Beta darted away from the relay point. The python on its team had finished eating a rather chubby field mouse upon completing a circuit of the dungeon¡¯s influence. The Lair looked over the information on the disruptive brown and white feathered beastie. Hmmmm¡­ she will need a good name too. Far too much character to not stick out. Grumblebark had completely ignored the ruckus and kept talking. Hence, the dungeon had to piece together what they had missed, thankfully, it wasn¡¯t too hard. ¡°¡­ so after he described the¡­ forest to me and how¡­ the essence of magic flowed¡­ through all life that I¡­ became comfortable with being awake¡­ it was only the grove¡­ was visited by a dryad¡­ that I was excited to¡­ be an active part of¡­ everything.¡± Zipping past the pair, a stymphalian bird crowed in delight as it wove through the air. The Lair pulsed with a soft glowing satisfaction, it was nice to see the critters having fun. Even if they had been summoned from the ether they were real now, they deserved to enjoy this world as much as the Lair was. ¡°Grumblebark, what was the dryad like? What happens when a meliae joins with one?¡± The big tree¡¯s soul sphere pulsed with a lush green hue, the energy washing over the Lair¡¯s center and then words followed. ¡°The marriage of a dryad¡­ to one of my kind¡­ is very similar in nature¡­ to how I have bonded¡­ with you it is why¡­ meliae are sometimes summoned by¡­ dungeons in the appropriate locations¡­ it is just far less¡­ common the dryad who came¡­ to the grove had sought¡­ out their companion the bond¡­ between a dryad and their¡­ meliae is close and lifelong.¡± Grumblebark seemed to be considering before continuing, a branch absently twisted and moved a piece of hanging moss, much like an old man stroking his beard. ¡°He was the most beautiful¡­ being I had ever seen¡­ flowers bloomed where he stepped¡­ you could see the mana¡­ flowing from him into the¡­ forest around him and when¡­ he joined the conversation of¡­ the grove it was a¡­ indescribable experience the elders were¡­ giddy with excitement and spoke¡­ faster than I had ever¡­ heard before he was one¡­ of our kin but one¡­ who had traveled the world¡­ when he bonded with one¡­ of us we no longer¡­ spent our days talking of¡­ only what we could see. ¡°Antheia awoke near the fae¡­ settlement of Gearspoke to the¡­ south of the grove and¡­ he spent time with many¡­ different races and had seen¡­ so much that it made¡­ me yearn for more than¡­ what the grove could provide.¡± The Lair had been watching the race, which was proving to take much longer than anticipated, and listening to their familiar¡¯s tale. It was nice to learn so much about their companion, and they could only assume that reciprocity would be appreciated. Grumbles had asked where they had come from, where Charlie was from. The loyal, if gruff, big guy deserved more of an answer than they had given. ¡°I understand now why you were disappointed when I wasn¡¯t a dryad. A young, undeveloped dungeon in the same area as the grove probably didn¡¯t present exciting prospects. Glad I could disappoint on those accounts at least. Things have been pretty lively for the first week.¡± The Lair paused, as if taking a deep breath, and then decided to trust. ¡°We are more alike than you would think. The world I come from had plenty of mysteries and wonders, but it didn¡¯t have magic. It didn¡¯t have a way for someone to become what they want to be, what they know they are, but not as they were created. That¡¯s why I came here, to Elysium.¡± The pair was silent for a moment as they watched a pair of myrmekes tear into a pile of vegetation, completing their feeding portion of the relay race. Grinding and snapping sounds emanated from the pile of twigs as their mandibles stripped leaves from branches. The giant ant-like creatures were really starting remind the Lair of dogs, at least with how they were behaving. Tugging back and forth over a branch with particularly juicy leaves. Secretly, the dungeon was hoping for the Tri-lamb team to win this whole thing. Old biases were hard to shake. The Lair imagined themselves shaking their head to clear it and re-focused on the conversation. ¡°I had more opportunity than most, like I said before. I chose to become a dungeon. This world, all of the life in it, and the powers I possess now are all so much more than where I was before. I had some friends, they were recent additions to my life. I met them after I started working in the company I was with before. I was a human. I don¡¯t know if I told you that or not. ¡°There will be more, like me, who come to this place. I hope that some of the friends I made will join me. But I had this dream before I met them, and I couldn¡¯t give up a chance at true fulfillment.¡± The Lair paused, considering how to put this in words. ¡°In my world, many know of Elysium, but coming to this realm is difficult. I had been dreaming since I was a child to live here. To learn everything about this place by experiencing it, not just reading about it. Does that make any sense?¡± ¡°It makes some sense baby¡­ dungeon.¡± The familiar sent a wobbling bubble of amusement through their bond. ¡°It makes more sense than¡­ me telling Strongbranch to go¡­ root himself in the ocean¡­ when I left the grove.¡± The Lair couldn¡¯t really describe what meliae laughter sounded like. However, the ribbons of mirth linking the two soul spheres was glorious to behold. For a solid few minutes the Lair was lost in a kaleidoscope of emotion; regardless of relationship points, or abilities, now the two of them had truly bonded. Adding Feeding to the relay race had added far more time to the event than the Lair had expected. By the time the last team crossed the finish line, the Alpha Betas, the sun was starting to set. All of the Lair¡¯s creatures could operate in the darkness, but twilight was a time for predators and fear, and few of the dungeon minions felt comfortable in the open. The Lair decided to have the construction project as the last event and skip the eating contest, as fun as the image of giant ants eating pies would be¡­ if there were pies. The teams were instructed to work together to make the grotto as defensible as possible. Each group had a specific smaller project that would help reinforce the whole. Scooping earth into mounds around the outside of the dungeon¡¯s influence, the Tri-Lambs created a broken terrain suitable for most of the summons to fight in. The Alpha Betas and Tri-Rhos combined their efforts of moving plants, a few had berries with rather sharp thorns, and brush onto the mounds to disguise the earth moving. Omega Mu, one of the teams with the most fliers, worked on creating hide spots in the trees where the summons could wait in ambush or escape to. Pi Delta Pi created simple pit traps in-between the mounds, covering them with thin branches and leaves, making the terrain around the small pool at the center a maze. Finally, Eta Beta started linking the myrmekes¡¯ tunnels to locations in between various mounds, making bolt holes and escape routes for wounded summons. Once the various creatures were scurrying around, Polly called out nonsensical orders and a few catoblepas bellowed lowly in disagreement, the dungeon focused their attention again to their familiar. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought to ask before, my apologies for that, but I didn¡¯t consider using any games in the competition that you know. What sort of games do meliae play?¡± ¡°The grove I matured in¡­ did not indulge in games¡­ per se but we did¡­ have plenty of debates and¡­ discussions regarding the nature of¡­ the world and morality what¡­ was and was not of¡­ importance we also loved to¡­ tell jokes but a meliae¡­ joke is seldom comparable¡­ to those told by other¡­ races they tend to be¡­ a bit long and involved.¡± ¡°Hmmm, doesn¡¯t seem like a joke telling competition would have been much of a success. No one but Polly can really say anything.¡± Raising an eyebrow-like bark ridge, Grumble made the obvious inquiry. ¡°Who is Polly?¡± ¡°Ohhh, yeah. I didn¡¯t tell you. I am giving some of the summons names. Polly is the parrot. It¡¯s a common name for parrots from my home. The largest and stinkiest catoblepas I named ¡®Ogre,¡¯ that¡¯s also a name from my home. Well, not really a name, but it was used in a story. Huh, I hadn¡¯t thought about it, but are there any ogres in the area?¡± Grumblebark made an exaggerated motion of looking side to side, popping and snapping wood echoed through the glade. ¡°Not that I can see¡­¡± Chuckling after a moment the big tree continued, ¡°I have never heard of¡­ any ogre in this forest¡­ that does not mean that¡­ there are not any.¡± ¡°Hmph, good one Grumblebuddy.¡± The Lair sent a pulse meant to impart a joking scowl. ¡°After a few more hours of work let¡¯s give everyone a break. During the break, you judge which project is the winner. Considering we have had different teams win the first two events you could decide which group wins the whole thing or if we have a three way tie.¡± Taking a well-deserved break, the Lair inspected the bounds of their domain. Opening all their senses, besides touch, the dungeon swept over the secluded grotto. All things appeared to be shaping up well. Broken terrain and a plethora of vegetation camouflaged a small warren of tunnels, hides, and rudimentary traps. Throughout the tree canopy flitted the various flying creatures, the stymphalian birds¡¯ dirge clashed with the energetic griffin chirps. Bovine giants grazed lazily at the water¡¯s edge, taking long drinks to quench their thirst from the days activities. It¡¯s been a good day, heck, it¡¯s been one great start overall. A few bumps here and there, but more than I could have hoped for. Grumbles¡¯ coming around, my skills are growing, and I¡¯m starting to amass a force to be reckoned with. Sooner than later I can start moving again. Only thing left to do before a summoning cycle is to name the hero and celebrate a bit. Cutting in with a slow creaking comment, the meliae gave a report of the last event. ¡°It appears that Eta Betas not... only won the relay race... but they finished the construction... project fastest and in my¡­ opinion did the best job¡­ completing their task the tunnels¡­ and hiding spots are excellent.¡± Inwardly grinning, the dungeon knew exactly what to do next. Sending out a pulse to gather the odd family together at the base of Grumblebark¡¯s roots and in his branches, the Lair prepared themself for a small speech. It was important to set the right tone after the day¡¯s activities, but even if this didn¡¯t feel like true public speaking, it was still uncomfortable. ¡°Members of the Lurking Lair, I know that when you were first summoned, a few of you even earlier today, it didn¡¯t seem like we had much going for us besides mobility. However, today we became more. We are a tribe.¡± The dungeon sent a pulse of intention to Polly, Ogre, and the rambunctious griffin on team Eta Beta, ushering them to come front and center. ¡°These three have distinguished themselves, for good reasons and others. Our loud, colorful friend will now be named ¡®Polly,¡¯ the opinionated catoblepas is ¡®Ogre,¡¯ and in honor of team Eta Beta winning the competition the griffin will be named ¡®Hero.¡¯ Hero will also be named Hero of the Lair by edict.¡± Pulling up the Edicts tab, the dungeon selected the newly minted champion and issued the corresponding edict. A soft lavender glow pulsed from the dungeon core and linked with the Hero. After a few moments, the light shimmered and winked out, leaving the grotto in darkness once more. However, all present could see that the dungeon¡¯s ability had done far more than shine upon the juvenile griffin with pretty lights. Chapter 11: Prime Problems Shining brightly overhead, sunlight streamed through the conifers shading the Lair¡¯s hidden grotto. Beams illuminated the shallow pool at the center of the glade, sending reflections across ferns and tree trunks. Breaking the quiet like a toddler stubbing a toe, Polly began squawking in panic and flying circles around Grumblebark¡¯s canopy. She even managed a broken ¡°He-Heeeelp!¡± and ¡°Chas-ing me!¡± Snapping out of a fugue of introspection at the screams of panic, the Lair hurriedly focused their attention on the commotion. Before they could focus in on what was really happening, the exuberant caws and chirps of small griffins in pursuit calmed any encroaching anxiousness. The playful group circled Grumblebark a few times, undoubtedly trying to rile the denizens of his foliage, but went back to weaving in between the pines near the griffin nest. Over the last couple of weeks, this clearing had become comfortable and familiar. The temporary shelter was transformed into a defensible home through the efforts of the tribe. Scurrying about in an extensive tunnel network that reached to the boundaries of the Lair¡¯s domain downwards, the huge ants stockpiled leaves and other edibles. Almost every tree had groups of birds, griffins, and climbing creepy-crawlies. Dominating the center of the clearing resting at the edge of the pond, lowing and snoring, the catoblepas basked in the mid-day warmth. Joining these familiar creatures were a few new additions to the family, only one of which appeared to have decent long term prospects. In between summoning countless small fish, insects, squirrels, rabbits, and other small forest dwellers came a truly remarkable addition:myrmidons. On first glance, the Lair had simply assumed that more myrmekes had joined their forces, based on the reaction of the giant ants. Practically erupting from their tunnels, the insects piled over the fresh arrivals. Black-brown carapaces roiled in a mass at the main entrance to the lower levels. Antennae, legs, and pincers flailed in all directions until gradually the myrmekes backed away and gave the new pair of summons some space. Standing finally to their full height, the myrmidons dumbfounded the Lair for a moment. The Lair hadn¡¯t truly expected to create any truly sentient beings for some time, however a spark of understanding shone clearly in the beady black eyes of the myrmidons. Each stood roughly at the height of an adult human being. Gracefully stroking her long black hair, the female quickly braided the strands and stretched languidly. That was when the Lair took note of her form. A myrmidon was the combination of dwarf and ant in the same manner that a centaur was a combination of human and horse. Beginning at their torsos, each of the myrmidons had an impressive humanoid physique, their bodies toned and sturdy. The male sported a shock of thick auburn hair and beard, in comparison to the female¡¯s ravenesque locks. Unsurprisingly, the pair was completely nude. Fluidly merging with the upright torso was a horizontal myrmekes like body, undoubtedly containing the same strength as their kin. Four legs sprouted from a single dark brown bulbous carapace. On the top of their heads, each of the myrmidons had antennae that were twitching as they spoke with their cousins in a soft rhythmic buzzing sound. The speech was rapid paced, and while the Lair could not understand the words, they could make out the intent and information communicated by the sound. ¡°You should come see the tunnels!¡± and ¡°Finally you will be able to tell the big tree to keep roots out of our bedroom!¡± were two of the most common, but plenty of the lair¡¯s subterranean summons were intrigued by the myrmidon¡¯s hair and appearance as well. It was all rather curious to witness for the dungeon. A blinking notification finally caught the Lair¡¯s attention, the information contained within helping to explain these new advanced members of the clan.
Quest Title: Peerless Pursuit Conditions: Focus on ranking up a singular skill for an undisclosed period of time. (Hidden Quest) Rewards: 2 Skill Levels in focused skill Penalty for failure or refusal of Quest: None Do you Accept? Automatic
You have received 2 skill levels in Creation Magic for the completion of Peerless Pursuit.
Skill level up! You have reached level 10 in Creation Magic. You have gained access to new spells!
Spells: Creation Magic (Dungeon) Level 1: Summon Trap: - Type: Instantaneous - School: Creation - Sub-school: Dungeon - Mana Cost: 5 + 10 per level of caster - Casting Time: 5 minute - Duration: N/A - Range: Sphere of Influence, will remain after area of influence is removed - Components: Local Resources - Effect: Summon a trap related to your current terrain, alignment, and class. You will be unable to select specifics of this trap and it will be chosen at random. This trap will do damage equal to 1d6 per the caster¡¯s spell level in creation magic when created, i.e. at spell level 3 (skill level 20 ¨C 39) the trap will do 3d6 damage if it successfully hits. Some traps may have additional effects or be inferior to the baseline damage based on chance. Summon Loot: - Type: Instantaneous - School: Creation - Sub-school: Dungeon - Mana Cost: 5 + 10 per level of caster - Casting Time: 5 minute - Duration: N/A - Range: Sphere of Influence, can be removed from area of influence - Components: Local Resources - Effect: Summon loot related to your current terrain, alignment, and class. You will not be able to select the type or specifics of this loot, it will be chosen at random. The value of this treasure will be determined by the caster¡¯s current spell level.
You have gained an Aspect! You are Diligent! Your recent actions have defined a core element of your personality. You have chosen to earnestly apply yourself to a goal with singular devotion and focus. Effects: +1 to Orderly Alignment and you receive an additional two hours of skill experience leveling per day before the diminishing returns penalty applies.
Biographical Information: Name: Lurking Lair Level: 6 Experience: 25,157 Race: Dungeon Class: Unavailable ¨C Requirements not met Alignment: Neutral (+1 to Chaotic, +1 to Bad, +1 Orderly) Languages: Common, Serpent Tongue
Stats: Influence: 1,028 ft. radius Durability: 900/900 Mana: 168/168 Strength: 0 Dexterity: 0 Intelligence: 26 Spirit: 26 Charisma: 11 Luck: 13 Movement Speed: 0 Resistances: 100% Mental Resistance 90% Magic ResistanceTaken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. 90% Physical Resistance Aspects: Gluttonous Diligent
Skills: Creation Magic 10, Natural Combat Tactics 5, Natural Feeding 1, Natural Construction 4, Significant Sub-skill: Simple Structures 4, Significant Dungeon Loremaster Skills: Foraging Grazing
Spells: Level 0: Summon Dungeon Monster Summon Dungeon Familiar Level 1: Summon Trap Summon Loot
Abilities: Dungeon Essentials: Bind (1), Consume (3), Assimilate (3) Traits: Magical Construct: Strength, Dexterity, and Movement Speed set to 0. Constitution stat x100 becomes starting durability score. 90% Physical Resistance, 90% Magic Resistance, and 100% Mental Resistance. Dungeon Loremaster: Can gain any skill, but can only use dungeon appropriate skills, i.e. magic and knowledge-based skills. Non-dungeon appropriate skills will be gained with no level or aptitude, but can be taught to creatures with high enough levels of aptitude. Sphere of Influence: Dungeons have mana sense and can perceive all elements within their influence throughout the sensory spectrum. Dungeon influence naturally expands at a rate of 1 radial foot per day.
Ooo! Shiny new toys! I can¡¯t wait to start littering the area with all sorts of spiky things. Finally something to summon that won¡¯t crowd the grotto. It has been getting pretty cozy in here. Not to mention that cycling one spell has been boring as all hell. I could do without the ability to summon treasure, but I get why it¡¯s an early spell. ¡°Beg your pardon¡­ dungeon, would you like us to engage in any particular task?¡± The male myrmidon made an opening gesture, stretching his dark brown arm out languidly, while speaking towards the where the Lair¡¯s gem, nestled between Grumblebark¡¯s branches. The Lair ¡®blinked,¡¯ shocked out of their musings, attention immediately drawn to the speaker. Up until this moment, no one besides Grumblebark and the serpent folk had addressed the Lair directly without coaching. Well, I was impressed with myself when I made sentient humanoids, I should have expected them to act like it. ¡°Ummm¡­ Hi. I am the dungeon, you can call me the Lurking Lair, or just Lair for short. The big ol¡¯ lug of a tree here is Grumblebark, my familiar. I suppose what would be best is if you start to get to know the other members of the tribe. Do you have names? What should I call you?¡± The Lair sent a pulse of warmth and friendly feelings along with the words. Almost in unison the pair responded. ¡°We have no names, Lair. As our sire, it is up to you as to what we will be named.¡± Each of their antennae seemed to twitch as they looked around the glade. ¡°Gotchya. I was just curious if you had any preferences or not. Since it seems like you don¡¯t, how about Queenie and...¡± The Lair was about to state the obvious next title, but everything went sideways in a hurry. Whistling as they flew, amorphous greenish-yellow blobs began splattering across various parts of the glade. Rushing through the glade, a thick cloud of pestilence effervesced from the impact sites of the projectiles, coating vegetation and animals alike. Then came the storm of arrows, dripping with purple liquid and tipped with heavy barbed heads they pierced hides, chitin, and feathers. Wails of pain, high pitched screams, and a deafening growl echoed through the trees. Hero bolted from his roost above the griffin nest glimmering in the sunlight.The miasma seared on contact with the champion¡¯s glittering iridescent feathers, but he would not be deterred. Snatching a pair of stymphalian birds from the back of a catoblepas they had been grooming with his impressive talons, Hero bounded in a pounce to the shore of the small pool and released them into the water. The Lair¡¯s disbelief only lasted for a fraction of a second, time seemed to slow as tendrils of information poured into the dungeon¡¯s center. Dispassionate, rational reactions will get you through this. Stay centered, stay calm. It turned out to be simpler than the Lair had thought; there was no rush of adrenaline, increased heartbeat, or rapid breathing to escalate a physical reaction. Sweeping over their influence, they scanned for everything that was out of order and all of the information that they could take in during the span of a heartbeat. Charging into the range of the Lair¡¯s senses from all sides were the leading edge of the worshipers of Phobos, serpent kin. Hissing and slitheringcut through the tribe¡¯s cries of pain. Various shades of green scales covered their bodies and tails. Like before, some had four limbs, others only two. However, each had a viper¡¯s head and tail. There were too many to count. Most of the attackers had long spears, wickedly barbed and mounted on long shafts. Interspersed among the spear wielders were sword carriers and shield bearers, but they were far fewer in number. Once they established a perimeter, they suddenly stopped ¨C spears braced. Spreading from the center of the glade, the sickly fog continued tobubblefrom the blobs. No more arrows followed the first volley. Only a minuscule number of summons had been wounded outright. However, the fog was burning and stinging everything it touched, instilling a contagious panic. The catoblepas whose natural immunity was holding up, were the few unaffected. Reverberating from the center of the Lair¡¯s pulsing lavender core, a crashing wave of intent, strategic information, and hurried instructions washed over the tribe. This was a full-out assault. The Lair didn¡¯t know what the opposition¡¯s plan was, but it wasn¡¯t to simply do a ¡®dungeon run¡¯ and leave. Everyone form up in the teams from the competition. Defend the tribe! Flashes of direction brought the fliers down from their perches rapidly. Myrmekes dashed into bolt holes, several preparing their modest traps. The chaos of being attacked quickly changing into readiness. Grumble, take my core and throw me into the center of the pond, quick! The Lurking Lair has mobilized the tribe and issued the edict: Rally Buff granted to all members ¨C Rallied: +1 to all attacks for the duration of combat. For once the sturdy familiar moved with haste, uncoiling the bundle of branches that held the purple gem, grabbing it with a branch, and hurling it into the shallow pool. Everything pitched and tumbled, the Lair came to rest in the sandy bottom at the base of the waterfall ¨C the whole world turned upside down. Shattering branches, eerie slithering, and blood chilling hissing sounded from every direction as the serpents began their charge. A lone catoblepas near the edge, with no hope of grouping in the center, was slaughtered outright as the wicked spears tore massive chunks from it¡¯s body. Searing jets of magic flew from behind the scaled warriors and the bovine exploded. Blood and flesh splattered against leaves and dirt. A thundering bellow sounded from Ogre, the alpha bovine, as he hurtled towards the attacking mass. Upon nearing the snake-folk bursts of color flew from the lumbering beast, a pair of Stymphalian birds and Polly streaked over the heads of the invaders. Ineffective as they were, Polly¡¯s beak and claws still managed to distract as she wove in between spear-heads and sword blades. Darting to cover Ogre¡¯s flanks, the Stymphalians fired off their gaze abilities before circling back for another pass. Swinging his long neck back and forth to build up momentum, Ogre lumbered with impressive speed towards the attackers. Grotesque and revolting a massive belch of green vapor streamed from the catoblepas¡¯ mouth as he let loose his breath attack on a particularly unlucky serpent. Horns collided with blades and scales sending splatters of blood to the ground. Ogre¡¯s tail whipped to his other side lashing against armored legs and torsos. His flying companions had finished rounding from their first volley and dove to cover their leader. Iridescent feathers shimmered in the fading sunlight as the flock erupted in magical explosions. A plethora of radiant multi-colored balls unerringly connected with each of the fliers. When all was said and done, there was nothing left in the air except fizzling motes of energy. Reigning in a sense of equilibrium had been next to impossible while sinking to the silty bottom of the pond. Everything spun and pitched. Sound inside the water was muted, but the Lair¡¯s sense beyond the pool was being battered by screams, bleats, and whimpers. I have to get control! I can¡¯t lose everything I have worked for! Pull it together Charlie!! Resting in the muddy silt, the core ceased moving. Panic and purpose enveloped the Lair¡¯s consciousness. No quick heartbeat or rapid breathing reinforced the surging emotion, but they didn¡¯t need to. The Lair cobbled together their control, closing off all input but sight and information from their troops. Sudden realization at the loss of two of the named summons almost made the Lair waiver. Perhaps if there had been a greater bond through time and discussion it would have stung worse. Instead the Lair harnessed the loss as fury. ¡°Grumblebark, don¡¯t you dare move a leaf. You¡¯re my ace in the hole. Either my final strike or my only lifeline.¡± Rage and frustration bucked against the command, the pale teal orb seeming to wrench out of alignment. The mental rebuke was harsh and quick, none of the meliae¡¯s ponderous nature tinting the words. ¡°I will not stand by as my grove is assaulted! My seeds and saplings are being destroyed!¡± The Lair wanted to explain, butthere was no time. Calculated regret washed over the core in a disgusting yellow sheen. Cracking from the dungeon center, a shock of compulsion froze the hulking familiar. I¡¯m sorry Grumblebark, I never wanted to use this ability on you. After the battle, one way or the other, please forgive me. Reassessing the situation with a scan of the perimeter, the Lair committed to a strategy for counterattack. Charging in recklessly had already proven unsuccessful, but at least Ogre and Polly had bought them time. Suffused with determination and buoyed by hope, the commands rippled from the core outwards. Immediately the screeches and bleats of the disorganized rout silenced. Myrmekes scurried into the tunnels, using the slowly dissipating gas in the glade as cover. Hero guided the remaining fliers high into the trees with an echoing chirp. Skulking through the underbrush, a small band of monitors, which remained from the Lair¡¯s first days, inched towards the attackers. Sliding through the trees, coils smoothly running over bark, pythons shadowedthe lizards overhead. Pawing angrily at the dusty ground, the catoblepas took position in a half circle around the pond. Tightening, the circle of serpents inched forward, spears and blades glinting malevolently. No roars, yells, or battle cries sounded. Unsettling hissing wove through the trees, alien and dreadful. ¡°Sssss¡­ the dungeon ran from usss. We gave it a great ssscrifissse and it provided usss nothing! All who fall will be offeringsss of blood. Ssslaughter everything, ssseize the core. For Phobosss!¡± Cold as an arctic breeze, the command froze the dungeon. It was the same speaker from the previous encounter. The snakefolk acolyte¡¯s words confirmed the Lair¡¯s worst fears, this was all or nothing. Tense silence answered for the Lair¡¯s tribe, holding resolutely to their orders and new positions. Everyone had pulled back into the tunnels or was holding guard at the pond. Skittering nervously along a branch, Hero relayed the first good news the Lair had received during the battle. So far as the griffin could tell, the line of encirclement was only two layers deep. No massive reserve force was ranging outside of the Lair¡¯s sense of influence. ¡°Everyone hold until Hero gives the signal, then attack with everything you have.¡± Now that the scope of the challenge was presented, they had a chance, albeit a small one. Overall, there were an equal number of combatants on each side. The Lair had been on a summoning spree after all. However, the serpents undoubtedly presented greater threats pound for pound. They were higher level, more skilled, and vastly better equipped. The Lair had to rely on the last resort of the underdog: surprise. Advancing cautiously, the noose of assailants constricted. Weaving through the trees, the enemy closed the gap between them and the defenders. All too rapidly, only the dirt mounds surrounding the pond separated the two forces, thirty feet of relatively open space. Hanging back in the foliage, the second line of attackers aimed bows and brandished glowing staves. Tension sparked and filled the space. Pawing at the ground, a catoblepas lurched and bellowed. Clumped on the small sandy bank, the meager force presented little threat. ¡°Hold! Wait for the signal. We only get one shot at this. We will defend our tribe!¡± Whistling through the air, more arrows and magical exploding missles sailed overhead of a surging onslaught. The enemy closed with alacrity, only twenty feet of no man¡¯s land remained. Then ten. Grooves sliced through the soft dirt left in the wake of the serpents¡¯ advance. Bleating nervously, a catoblepas broke into a panic. Eyes crazed and thrashing chaotically, the sudden disruption nearly broke the defenses¡¯ resolve. Bucking with wild abandon, it was quickly separated from the group. Isolated, it was cut down. Only five feet. The Lair waited, just as the serpents were about to close the final gap, they screamed the command into each summons mind, ¡°Now!¡± Myrmekes sprung from tunnels, tossing aside branch and leaf coverings. Chittering with rage, the giant ants poured over surprised warriors. With a deafening round of ¡°Moos!¡± catoblepas thundered outward, thrashing with their low-slung horns and followed by their stink. Striking against the back lines, the Lair¡¯s own reptiles went to work, biting at the mages and archers. Diving from the pines, Hero led the aerial contingent in deft harassing maneuvers. Fighting for their survival, the tribe surged as one. Caught off guard, for the first time the snakefolk¡¯s organized line splintered into chaotic pockets of battle. On the ridge, Hero harried two mages with beak and talons, disrupting their casting. Arming themselves with weapons from fallen attackers, the myrmidons waged into battle with ferocity. A quarter of the serpents fell in the brawl. Organization was an afterthought as the Lair¡¯s attention was pulled in all directions. On the northern front a gap opened in the line. Summons pushed almost to the boundary of the dungeon¡¯s influence and started in on the snakefolk¡¯s flanks. Opposite the breakout, a pack of myrmekes and a catoblepas pushed a band of the attackers back. Shrill sounds, like barking coughs, screamed from the snakes as they fell into a deep pit filled with sharpened stakes. Parallel to the ridge, on the east, in the tall grass hit and run tactics kept the fight at a stalemate. Overall the fight had turned in the dungeon¡¯s favor. The invasion transformed from a pitched assault to a free-for-all. More accustomed to the terrain of the Lair, the defenders were able to give back more than they took. We can do this. They¡¯ll break. Just a bit more and I can let Grumble free. I have to know we are going to be victorious. Hope is a dangerous thing, however. It stirs the heart, providing the ability to do more than one thought possible. However, it crushes that same organ when overwhelmed by a stronger force. Trumpeting from above, a griffin¡¯s call carried ominous news. A clear transmission of terror was relayed to the core. The flier couldn¡¯t count, but it wouldn¡¯t have mattered. Reinforcements had arrived. It wasn¡¯t exactly clear what happened next, but the results of the barrage spoke for themselves. Family and foe alike were torn asunder. Severing one of the meliae¡¯s largest branches, a thunderbolt etched a path of destruction through the glad. Before the chunk of once-animated wood hit the ground, more than half of the combatants were reduced to a sizzling heap of corpses. Bolts continued to rain down for what felt like minutes, but had to have been only a flash. Small fires caught here and there. Blackened myrmekes carapaces littered the ground, strewn in between broken catoblepas pieces and shimmering feathers. Even most of the tunnels collapsed during the strike. Nothing remained of what the Lair built. Gliding in amongst the carnage, three to four times the amount of snakefolk entered the battlefield to survey their work. Four dressed in long flowing robes, garnered a large berth from the others. Hissing gutterally, one of the priests spoke a loud order in their tongue. ¡°Sssss¡­ we gave the brood a chansssse. They failed and became sssacrifisssesss to our god. Sssethisss¡¯ offssspring are never good warriorsss. Sssshe isss from the priessstsss line. Now get the core ssso we can leave thisss playsss.¡± Holding their staves before them the commanders began a rasping chant. Upon reaching a hair raising crescendo thin orange strands reached out from their weapons. Weaving through the air like gossamer tentacles, they spread out to search. They found the core in a matter of minutes. Not long after the magical thread wove around the gem that a scaled claw latched onto it. The Lair¡¯s world twisted and turned again. They didn¡¯t know what method of capture that the snakes were going to employ, but instinctively Charlie knew there would only be one more message to send. Sorrow and regret filled the dungeon. They had ripped Grumblebark from their grove and left nothing but destruction in their wake. No grand artifice, no amazing summoned monsters, and no friends. ¡°Grumblebark, I am sorry. Please, please forgive me for everything. Go find help, if you can. You¡¯re my only lifeline. If you find anyone else from-¡± Pure darkness surrounded the Lair. Every direction their senses could reach was empty and barren. Trapped in a senseless void. Alone. Epilogue: Arithmetic of a Tree Struggling against the restraint put on Grumblebark by the dungeon proved fruitless time and again. No matter how much strength was mustered, the meliae couldn¡¯t even twitch a leaf. Standing torturous witness to the complete destruction of his new grove still haunted the lumbering familiar. A day? Week? It was some time until the meliae had uprooted to begin venturing southward. Trees are known for their patience, but not their attention to detail. Sealed with a sticky resin, the stout flora¡¯s broken branch no longer leaked sap. Tromping through the brush was becoming difficult as the forest shifted to jungle. While the climate was more comfortable, it made for slow going. Putrid and earthy scents of decomposition wafted from nearby bogs. ¡°Headstrong, prideful dungeon! We needed to keep moving. Or we could have found a cave or abandoned building. We had to go trekking across the whole island!¡± Even as the words echoed to no one, they could only be heard by others linked by the dungeon after all, Grumblebark knew that they were hollow. It had been an enjoyable adventure until the serpents had arrived. The willful, stubborn meliae had gotten swept up in the excitement. Besides, it wasn¡¯t like the traditional defensible locations of a dungeon¡¯s infancy had appealed in the least to Grumblebark. Although unexpected and odd, the Lair had rapidly become one of the few friends the meliae could count. ¡°Hmph. Ridiculous dungeon.¡± The Lair had advanced much more rapidly than any core that the meliae had ever heard of before. However, it had been captured and stuffed into a bag of holding to contain it. Grumblebark could admit that the bag was a clever bit of thinking. If any summons had been hiding or playing dead, they wouldn¡¯t have survived the core being transported to a pocket plane. All of that added up to one simple fact, as undesirable as it was: Grumblebark was truly the Lair¡¯s only chance at liberation.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Where should I even go for help? Who would help rescue a newborn core from the worshipers of Phobos?¡± Many lengths of the longest roots separated the traveler from respite. ¡°Somewhere south beyond the jungle is home to the Shadowed Forest. I remember Swiftleaf¡¯s tales of dryads and elves having a home there. That¡¯s probably about the same travel time as Gearspoke. I doubt any of the other meliae at the grove would help a dungeon, but the Fae can probably be convinced.¡± Plodding along in anything but a straight line, there was ample time to consider the decision. Eventually the meliae would come across the only river on this part of the island, Naiad¡¯s Run. Down river it emptied into Oceanus right next to the Fae city. Once the river was crossed it would take too long to backtrack. Algae and other various forms of stinking muck hung off the once-beautifully decorated trunk of the mobile tree. Mudsplashed roots rhythmically churned through boggy earth. Sun and moonlight flowed overhead like sap. Rushing and splashing echoed through the rainforest long before Grumblebark laid sight on the water. It came down to a fifty-fifty proposition. Roots whipped and coiled, driving through the clay bank. The wrong decision may be the end of the dungeon. Would that be Grumblebark¡¯s end as well? The thorny giant wasn¡¯t sure, but it didn¡¯t seem like a prudent risk to take. Dryads didn¡¯t last long without the meliae they bonded to; familiars probably withered away without their dungeons. Whatever the case may be, a decision had to be made. Perhaps a short rest on the lush banks of the run would help? Gazing into the vast night sky, Grumblebark became lost in dower contemplation. ¡°Stupid baby dungeon, will anyone be even willing to help us?¡± Unanswering, silent sky replied with wondrous song of constellations sweeping the ecliptic. Grumblebark knew the tales of their formation well and sought refuge there. If only one of the stories held an answer to his dilemma, it would be a blessing. Sprouting rapidly from a single branch, dozens of bright pink blossoms bloomed, radiant in the moonlight. With a rather unceremonious shake the meliae sent the flowers gliding to the soil. ¡°Dionysus, please accept my offering and grant me wisdom.¡± Responding from the woods, insects and various animals of the night were the only reply. Troubling through his choice, the past few weeks, and the many paths ahead, Grumblebark was left alone with the ghost of memories. Tables & Charts
Creation Cost Table
Uncommon Rare Legendary Divine
Race 10 pts 25 pts 45 pts 90 pts
Skills 10 pts 25 pts 50 pts 100 pts
Items 25 pts 50 pts 75 pts 100 pts
Stats +1 pt to any stat category costs 10 pts. Transferring 1 stat pt from one category to another is 5 pts.
Multi-racial It cost 10 pts to select multiple races, including their initial creation point cost.
Experience Gain Rate:
Base Modifier
Creatures 5% of creatures total experience. +/- 1% for each level within 3 of the slayer. Max experience gain of 10%.
Activity 100 Skill Experience per hour for the first 8 hours. Sub-skills or related skills gain experience at 50% the rate of the main skill being used. -10% (cumulative) Skill Experience penalty each hour after 8 hour threshold. Combat Skill Experience gain +100%.
Questing Situational Situational
Skill Advancement Each skill tier advancement grants 1,000 experience points. I.E. - Initiate to Adept. Increases by 1,000 experience points by tier.
Biographical Information: Name: Level: Experience: Race: Class: Alignment: Languages:
Stats: Health: Mana: Strength: Dexterity: Constitution: Intelligence: Spirit: Charisma: Luck: Resistances: Aspects:
Skills: Abilities: Traits:
Spells:
Inventory:
Leveling Experience and Point Scale:
1 ¨C 1000 exp 2 ¨C 3000 exp 3 ¨C 6000 exp 4 ¨C 10,000 exp 5 ¨C 15,000 exp 6 ¨C 21,000 exp 7 ¨C 28,000 exp 8 ¨C 36,000 exp 9 ¨C 45,000 exp 10 ¨C 55,000 exp ¡­ HP per level: 5-10 + constitution and other modifiers Mana per level: 5-10 + intelligence and other modifiers Skill Points: 1 SP per level + racial modifiers. *Class Upgrade available once an individual reaches level 10 depending on race, stats, skills, abilities, and traits.
Item Rarity Scale:If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Common ¨C These items can be found throughout Elysium and are readily available for crafters of all kinds. Uncommon ¨C Items that take some searching, hunting, or skill to acquire, but are still found in common places in Elysium. Rare ¨C Items that are harder to find than most either due to location, paucity, or need a significantly high skill to harvest. Legendary ¨C Objects that are imbued with a high level of ambient mana, constructed by masters, or exist due to a confluence of extremely rare natural events. Divine ¨C Scarce and incalculable in value, items that have been directly influenced by one of Elysium¡¯s gods should be handled with care.
Item Quality Scale: Poor: Rudimentary productions that often carry a penalty to crafting or collection skills. Average: Basic level of quality that is utilized for the majority of recipes, items, and gear. Professional: Items of this level typically have bonuses that reinforce their construction. Expert: Instruments produced by a higher level of skill often confers bonuses to the wielders skills. Masterwork: The height of quality for any object in Elysium.
Aptitude Scale: None: Certain skills require no aptitude to learn and are generally available. However, if you have no aptitude for a skill you still have a small chance to learn it through repetition or special circumstances. Limited: Someone with this level of aptitude will have a challenge to learn the given skill and will only be able to rise an adept level of mastery. Average: Most sentient people of Elysium at this proficiency with a skill can reach professional level. Hence, this is the per-requisite level to achieve any sort of comfortable living at a profession. Significant: Someone with this level of aptitude will pick up their skill with above average quickness and has the ability to rise to truly great heights within their chosen focus. Natural: 100% Synergy with a given skill and the ability to become a true Master, only those with Natural aptitude can rise to the highest proficiency in a given skill.
Skill Progression Scale: Initiate: Apprentice: Journeyman: Specialist: Expert: Master:
Relationship Scale: Love: 9,000+ points Affection: 6,000 points Fondness: 3,500 points Friendly: 1,500 points Neutral: 0 points Suspicion: -1,500 points Dislike: -3,500 points Anger: -6,000 points Enmity: -9,000+ points Relationship points acquired with a person, clan, tribe, party, territory, hamlet, village, town, city, nation, or god etc. are an important element of many interactions within Elysium. It is NOT the end all be all of personal interactions with other individuals or groups. A host of complex factors and personal predilections truly define any relationship. However, a given relationship level with a party is useful to determine how they will most likely act towards you.
Schools of Magic: Fire: Often the most common school of magic to be invoked and used to attack one¡¯s opponents. Naturally opposed to the water school. Focused on offense, destruction, and mining. Water: Typically defense oriented, water magic can be used offensively as with any type of magic, but it is best suited to creating barriers or altering terrain. Focused on defense, alteration, and farming. Earth: Magic that is foundation of construction, settlement, and resource gathering. Earth can be used for defense and offense, like every school of magic, but the spells are intricate and often take significant cast time so they are not preferred. Wind: Focused on speed, control, and time. Not the most potent school for combat, but often can provide boosts to allies or hinder opponents. Holy: Magic that is formed through a direct connection with the gods of Elysium. The type of magic that the wielder is blessed with is often associated with the specific deity of the follower. Life: Healing, growth, and amplification are the domain of life magic. Life spell casters provide the backbone of any settlements health. Infernal: Those who form a direct connection with members of planes outside of our own are practitioners of infernal magic. This includes, but is not limited to, demons, devils, and demigods. Death: Members of the school of death magic work with necrotic, rot, and disease. They are the most advanced school in soul based magic. Advanced Schools: There are countless numbers of advanced schools of magic which are made of up of complex variations of basic schools. For example, Nature Magic is a combination of all elemental types with an emphasis on earth and water.
Basics of Stats, Skills, Abilities, Traits, & Aspects: The core stats that govern beings in Elysium are health, mana, armor, strength, dexterity, constitution, intelligence, spirit, charisma, and luck. Each has a significant bearing on how an individual is able to grow, evolve, and walk their path through life. Health: Most adult humanoids at level 10 have 50 ¨C 100 hit points, not counting racial or constitution modifiers. If 50% or more of an individuals hit points are lost in a single attack that person will be rendered helpless. If an individual has less than 10% of their hit points remaining they are considered critically injured and must attend to their wounds or succumb. Mana: Most adult humanoids at level 10 have 50 ¨C 100 mana points, not counting racial or intelligence modifiers. If 50% or more of an individuals mana points are used in a single spell that person will be rendered helpless. Spirit modifies the rate at which an individuals mana replenishes throughout their body for spell usage. Armor: For every 1 point of armor that an individual is equipped with it will deflect up to 1 point of damage per. attack. However, armor only covers certain parts of any humanoids body, beware relying upon your armor rating. Strength: is the primary stat that effects damage and carrying capacity. For every 1 point of strength an individual can carry 10 lbs of weight without being encumbered. For every 10 lbs of weight over a person¡¯s carrying capacity they will be slowed by 10% in their movement and actions. For every 1 point above 10 an individual will have +1 damage per attack. For every 1 point below 10 an individual will do 1 less damage per attack. Dexterity: is the stat that governs speed of movement and coordination. On average individuals can move 5 ft per second. For every point of dexterity above 10 a person will be able to move roughly .5 ft per second faster and have +1 to their chance to hit a target. As with most stats for every point under 10 an individual will be that much slower and less likely to hit. Constitution: is the prime modifier of an individuals health total, physical resistance, strength based skill aptitude, and intimidation based skills. For every point of constitution above 10 an individual will gain 1 additional health point per level. For every point under 10 the opposite effect will take place. Intelligence: is the prime modifier of an individuals mana pool, mental resistance, spell aptitude, and mental based skills. For every point of intelligence above 10 an individual will gain 1 additional mana per level and have +1 to spell effects. For every point under 10 the opposite effect will take place. Spirit: effects skills based on an individuals strength of will, focus, and concentration. Spirit replenishes both an individuals mana and health throughout their body. For every 1 point above 10 an individual receives an additional point per hour to their health and mana regeneration rates. Racial modifiers effect these rates. Charisma: is the main stat tied to physical beauty, mental persuasion, and empathic abilities. For every 1 point of charisma above 10 an individual is likely to receive a 5% discount on items or goods from a typical shopkeeper. The inverse is also true. This can be modified based on familiarity, race, circumstances, and other intangible factors. Many elements of this trait do not exhibit tangible effects. Luck: traditionally does not directly modify any specific ability, stat, or skill (except those correlating to chance). An individual¡¯s luck stat modifies their chance to collect resources, items, and skills. It is a point of contention whether or not the luck stat has an impact on other elements of an individuals life. I.E. - does the luck stat effect ones fortune with love? It is unknown. Skills: are the basis of how one uses their stats to impact the world. Many skills are effected by stat modifiers and many skills can over time impact a practitioners stats. Every profession, hobby, talent, and activity has one or more associated skills. Skills can be acquired by chance while performing an action that an individual has aptitude in, being taught by someone of higher skill level, and being imparted the knowledge through powerful items or beings. Abilities: can be innate to an individual due to their race, circumstances, or training. Most abilities are gained due to either skill proficiency or class. When an individual gains an ability they will start to accrue ability points during their level progression at the same rate as skill points. Traits: often are tied to an individuals background, experience, or heritage. Most individuals are born with traits related to their parents. They can be gained through extensive knowledge or involvement with particular places, people, or magic. Aspects: are are inherent elements of an individuals personality demonstrated through either extreme or continued action. They often provide a long term boon or hindrance to an individual based on the nature of the aspect. They are not gained whimsically and should be nurtured if beneficial and quickly remedied if not.
Understanding Alignment:
Good: Acts of benevolence, kindness, and altruism. Righteous: Focused on purity, piety, rectitude, morality and virtue. Orderly: Centered on enforcing laws, rules, and regulating behavior to ensure stability through proper authority. Neutral: Impartial and unbiased. Not a state in which any being naturally resides. Chaotic: Predisposed to tumult, turmoil, disarray and confusion. Evil: Base, malevolent, corrupt, sinister, and hurtful for the sake of causing anguish to others above all else. Bad: Focused on oneself at the sake of all others. One whose actions are often detrimental, inappropriate, adverse, and disagreeable to the majority of others. Alignment is not a straightforward calculation or mechanic within our world. It is an amalgamation of choices, both conscious and subconscious, throughout one¡¯s life. However, it continues to be a useful tool to classify, understand, and interpret the motives of those in Elysium. It takes at least two points to distinguish a dominant alignment or combination alignment.