Vlad was observing the latest group of adventurers to venture into his domain. He was getting considerably more from them, in terms of energy, than previously. He felt a distinct sense of satisfaction as he eavesdropped on their conversation.
They were advancing cautiously down the stairs to his second level. From their grumbling Vlad figured he’d better move everything down a level. The goat girls were now being seen as too powerful for a first level.
Vlad realised he had the cat to thank for it, the traps and ambushes had greatly improved the efficiency of his goat girls, and allowing them to fall back after a fight made things too difficult for the weaker adventurers.
Vlad watched the adventurers as they forged their way through his second level. He concluded that his second level was easier than his first, despite his dragonsnails being far more powerful individually than the goat girls.
He observed his guests as they looked in on his heart chamber and decided to leave without challenging his champion. As they were making their way out of his dungeon, Vlad looked round for his exasperating feline guest, not surprisingly, he found him curled up in front of the fire.
Vlad summoned up a bowl of cream and a plate with some strong smelling fish he had found on a failed adventurer. He woke his guest by placing these two items near his nose.
Vlad waited for the cat to loose interest then he addressed him.
« Your suggestions for the first floor were excellent. Have you any for my other floors? »
The cat blinked lazily and washed is front paw.
« The snail things are too big and slow for hunting. Put in more of them or just add some of the girls with bows and slings. »
* * *
Over the coming days Vlad added a new level above his current first floor. He created a simple looping maze so as to be able to maintain his current first floor with as few changes as possible. He contemplated his stock of potential guardians and was startled at the variety of small creatures he had available. It didn’t take him long to realize that these consisted of his feline guest’s ‘toys’.
So, finally biting the bullet, Vlad sealed his dungeon and replaced his entrance with an upward sloping twisty passage giving onto his new first level. He then added a new spiral stair giving onto the short passage that used to lead outside.
To Vlad’s exasperation his guest loved the new first level, populated as it was by cat toys and feline snacks. It also showed Vlad that he really had to ramp up the challenge.
It was while he was considering this problem that Vlad sensed a vaguely familiar whiff of the infernal. He returned his attention to his home cavern and saw two unpleasant looking male imps. They were hovering about as far away from his biggest Cliff Toad as they could, Vlad sensed his toad’s frustration at having missed one of the imps with his tongue.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
That being the case Vlad wondered why the other guardians in his cave were just standing there.
“Nice dungeon you have here buddy,” said the red skinned one.
“Yup, what happened to your old companion, the luscious curvy one?” asked the purple skinned one.
“Yeah, we heard about her from da boss. Hey ya wanna new companion huh?” stated Red.
“Yup, we both got top marks in companion training. But I was better,” informed Purple.
“Liar, best wus me. You doing great buddy, but I can helpya be better,” said Red.
“Yeah buddy, we know lots you need ta know. How about bonding wit me?” asked Purple.
“Nope. Wit me,” stated Red.
« No thanks. Armalor wouldn’t like it. He severed the link and ran Jasper off. I don’t know where she went. »
“Dat wuss. Hey partner me little dungeon core. With my advice...” Red stared only to be cut off by Purple who just chanted; “Me! Me! Me!”
Vlad watched the two bickering imps. He slowly realized that they had invoked a truce by offering to become his companion.
« Cat, will you partner me? You’ve given me better advice than the imps. »
The two imps froze in shock while the cat twitched an ear while the tip of his tail flicked slowly from side to side.
« What’s in it for me? »
« Fire, bed, fish, cream, toys... »
« Partners – that means you don’t get to boss me around? »
« Nor you me. »
« Hah! But fine. Your home is mine from now on. »
« I thought you already considered it yours. »
« Yes well... it was. »
Ting – « Done. I now pronounce you Dungeon and Cat. Congratulations. »
The two imps looked at each other appalled, then they noticed Vlad’s guardians begin to stir and move towards them. With a wail of outrage they fled.
Vlad watched them go with a feeling of satisfaction. He observed the cat, who seemed a bit disgruntled.
« I can’t keep calling you cat. What’s your name? »
« I’ve been called Mittens and Ginger. Choose one or give me another. But nothing too energetic please. »
« Ginger it is then. What’s the problem? »
« I’ve just been gifted with a massive amount of information about dungeons and companions. It means I will actually have to work. Well, for a few hours every day anyway. »
Vlad felt very virtuous at having been able to suppress his laughter.
* * *
The two imps managed to escape the dungeon in short order. Once outside, driven by curiosity as to Jasper and her charms, they cast about and found a very faint trail that tasted of the infernal. Bickering and bemoaning their fates the two brothers followed it.
« (Vaspedian) »
Vaspedian looked across his desk at the leader of the Stinging Nettles. The woman had just come from the newly reopened dungeon.
“So Vestapia, what’s changed with the Goat’s Den? I believe that’s the new name everyone is using.”
Vestapia nodded, “Yes – Goat’s Den. The Ossuary no longer fits. Even the centaurs have renamed their fort.
“As for what’s changed, well there is a new first level, nine caves carpeted with a variant plains grass and inhabited with evolved vermin. The floor boss is a donkey sized three headed goat with a long venomous snake for a tail.
“Should suit the novices that the goat women prevented from delving. The other levels remain much the same. The challenge has been increased on the former second and third levels.”
Vaspedian took the purse out of the drawer and passed over the reward for being the first to successfully challenge the dungeon after it had changed. Vestapia grinned as she rose and picked up the purse.
Vaspedian watched her leave and placed a new sheet of paper in front of himself. He stated to write yet another report.