I’m impressed by how the four children, including Justin’s daughter Justice, and Donnie and Sarah’s daughter Harper, have taken to the fresh horrors of the world. Like with most things, the kids ignore the problem, and what they can’t ignore they turn into a game. Another of the kids, a teenager named Jackson, keeps count of goblin kills. Harper and Justice documented all the various monsters we’ve encountered, putting decent drawings of them up in the kitchen. Mason, the latest addition from the gas station, keeps to himself mostly, but enjoys playing an old guitar.
The adults are taking their new reality in less constructive ways.
Many retreat into solitude, barely speaking, while others are aggressive, lashing out for the smallest reason. With the Shop open, people turn in whatever random items they can to purchase alcohol (luckily there are no drugs…yet). The low value of the scavenge, and System enhancements to metabolism, prevents it from becoming too much of a problem. So that’s good.
Now that we have better gear and defenses, I send out exploratory teams to see what’s left and gather supplies.
Randy Johnson, the person who owns a building within Carcosa’s CZ, is as surly as he is a stereotype. It’s anyone’s guess how the old redneck is still alive, but he’s adamant about not leaving his home. Randy’s informed he’s welcome to come to the ranch house and sent a few helpful documents via the menu system.
The rest of houses in the CZ are stripped, with lots of useful tools and supplies recovered. With Credits being tight, anything we don’t have to buy is a bonus. Over the course of two days, the explorer teams bring back three sets of basic construction tools, lots of art supplies, almost a hundred pounds of non-perishable food, and a large quantity of magazines and books.
Seven more people arrive, bringing us to thirty-one, and fulfilling our minimum Settlement population requirements.
None of these people are from Springfield proper, instead coming from the outlying rural areas. Comprising four combat classes, two crafters, and one child, they’re a welcome addition. The group’s leader, a tall, athletic man named Will, mentions there are a lot more holdouts in the rural areas.
We find Rose Hill Cemetery, near the southern borders of the CZ, is turning into a dungeon. One team found a shimmering barrier around its perimeter. When they made it to the site’s entrance, a floating text box gave them a bit of information.
+This area is designated as a dungeon. Conversion is underway and will finish in five (5) days. Until that time, access to this area is restricted.+
The same goes for the Clark County Fairgrounds. It’ll be a dungeon in two weeks.
After three days of administrative activities, I’m champing at the bit for some action. System guides explain people are altered in such ways as to want to do what their class is designed for: create or fight. This explains why people are so edgy.
Monsters don’t spawn in the Control Zone. Coupled with the fact we’re 500 feet off the road in the middle of a gigantic field, there’s been little in the way of attacks. Sure, the occasional creature wanders in, but our lookouts spot them with ease. If we want to farm some XP, it’s up to us to find it.
I gather Brian, Justin, Jennifer, and Sarah, and the five of us leave in the early morning. Our goal is a combination of stress relief and scouting. Because of the lack of combat classes, and the worry of a concentrated monster attack, our scouting parties are small and short-lived. Not this time. We’re spending the entire day looking for survivors, proactively attacking monsters, and seeing what’s left in the area.
Deciding not to risk the fairgrounds, we head east on Rt. 40. The road is sprinkled with abandoned cars, some of which still have their former passengers. We find little on the bodies because of the previous scouting parties, so we keep going.
After searching ten houses already picked through, I make a mental note to tell the scouting parties to mark where they’ve been. The five of us are very annoyed by the redundant effort.
Three miles down the road, we get to where the scouts haven’t been. We find a decent amount of loot, from canned foods to weapons of various sorts. One homeowner was the proud collector of coins. Unfortunately for him, he died via evisceration. Messy, messy, evisceration.
Rotting corpses, both human and monster, are strewn about a two story brick house. Though we find no survivors, it’s clear they put up a good fight. As a rural area in Ohio, most of the people out here own weapons. Until the guns stopped working, they put them to effective use, with one family having killed over thirty creatures.
We check the monster corpses. There are goblins, a robertcat, two giant groundhogs, a bird that de-evolved into a tiny raptor looking thing, and several breeds of monstrous dogs. We take the corpses, storing them in our inventory to be skinned later.
Micro-Titraptor (Level 10)
HP - 0/20
Abilities - Hamstring, Haste, Miniscule, Tackle
Dire Hound (Level 12)
HP - 0/200
Abilities - Emboldening Howl, Pack Mentality, Strong Bite
Sarah, crouching over one dog, purses her lips and looks up at the rest of us. “We should really think about taming some of these animals. Jordan, you can do that as a Druid, right?”
I bring up the System menu and check my class progression tree. “Well, I get the Class Ability Befriend Animal at fifth level. Only 200 XP to go until then.”
“Oh man, do I get one?” Brian brings up his menu, frowning after a few seconds. “Damn, I need to buy a class guide to see what I get further down the line.”
Justin searches his menu. “Hell yes! I can get a bonded mount once I hit tenth level.”
The large Asian Fighter in full plate, Jennifer, huffs in approval. “I get one at fifteenth.”
A fist bump between Jennifer and Justin draws a look of displeasure from Brian.
“Now, the real question is, how do you go about taming a literal monster?” I cross my arms and look around at the various dead things. “I’m assuming we have to trap it first, then maybe feed it? I’m guessing there's a guide in the Shop.”
We all jump to the ready as the sound of a snarling beast echoes through the house. With weapons drawn, we spread out, waiting to defend against attack. Peeking out a window, I see one of the dire hounds chasing a deer through the backyard. It doesn’t take long for the powerful beast to run down the animal. The dire hound, much to our surprise, doesn’t start eating. It grabs the deer by the neck and walks off.
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Sarah gives us a big smile. “I bet it’s got a lair somewhere. We should follow it.”
“Smart.” Brian tosses his sledgehammer over a shoulder.
Justin and Jennifer agree, so we start after it. Having the Druidic Senses Talent, it’s quite easy for me to follow the beast’s trail. Not that it would be that hard to do.
The dire hound, leaving a trail of blood from the fresh kill, doesn’t hide its movements. Its destination is a copse of trees in the middle of a field.
We hang back, waiting to see what happens. Shadows, at least three, move around inside the underbrush.
“How many more do you think there are?” Jennifer, lying down on her stomach, looks through a pair of binoculars.
Justin takes them and watches for a moment. “I can’t see shit.”
Snatching the binoculars from Justin, Brian huffs in disdain and looks. “There’s five, two of which are smaller.”
“Damn, a week since shit went down and they’re already procreating.” Sarah shakes her head in disbelief.
Having used much of my administration time reading, I chime in. “From what the System guides say, every living thing’s ability to procreate is cranked up to almost 100%. Same with growth rates, no matter the conditions.
“Plants will grow, to start, at 100%, gaining additional increases from things like fertilizer and preferable weather. If we can get a greenhouse started, we can hit almost 200%, not including regional zone bonuses.
“With animals, which I guess are all technically monsters now, they have a massively reduced juvenile period. The rate of maturation depends on the particular species of monster, of course.”
Someone speaks under their breath. “Of course…”
We watch the hounds for a little while longer and see only five shadows, so we decide to risk it and take out the pack. Because of the large distance across the open field, we dispose of all subtlety.
It takes the dire hounds some time to notice us jogging towards them, but once they do, howls fill the air. Their eyes are red and their mouths are full of frothing foam as the monsters rush us. As we close with one another, roars sound out. One roar, much louder than the others, sends a wave over our group.
Fear debuff resisted!
Though it doesn’t affect me, Brian and Sarah stop in their tracks. They don’t run away, but they’re not moving either. Ten seconds later, each is tackled by a dire hound. The third, larger figure is coming straight towards me. Just my luck, it’s an alpha.
Alpha Dire Hound (Level 20)
HP - 500/500
Abilities - Pack Mentality, Paralyzing Howl, Rending Bite, Thick Hide
Conditions - Emboldened, Pack Mentality
The other dire hounds look like a cross between a Doberman and a wolf, and make a St. Bernard look small. The alpha is a much larger version.
Six feet tall, and coming in at a muscular 230lbs, I’m by no means a small guy. The alpha barreling towards me makes me feel tiny.
Though I attempt to dodge the attack, I’m caught by an outstretched paw. It knocks the wind out of my lungs and sends me tumbling through the field. At least three of my ribs are broken, and that’s with my 5% passive damage reduction.
Brian and Sarah are tackled, rolling end over end as a hound mauls them. Jennifer and Justin engage the pups (ninety pound pups, mind you).
As the alpha skids to a halt, I’m gasping for air. I can feel my ribs resetting themselves, which is a terrible experience. I look up to see thick, viscous ropes of saliva dripping out of a jagged toothed mouth. The alpha circles me, growling in a low tone.
I don’t dare look to see how my compatriots are doing. I can hear distinct sounds of combat, so they’re alive at least. With a hatchet in one hand, I pull a dagger from my waistband. It’s not much, but anything extra will help. My ribs finish healing themselves and I try to delay and gain back as many hit points as possible.
The alpha gives me ten seconds and then rushes. It’s fast, but I’m expecting it. Another doge, and this time I manage to get a solid hatchet strike in. This repeats two more times before I get cocky.
Figuring this thing for a large, but otherwise ignorant, creature, I learn my mistake when the alpha jukes me. It side steps ever so slightly, then launches itself at me with a gigantic open mouth. My right arm and hatchet disappear down its throat. I scream as the monster thrashes its head back and forth, tearing through flesh and muscle. Teeth grate against the bones in my arm as I stab my knife repeatedly into the creature’s neck. My arm comes free at the elbow and I collapse to the ground, screaming even more. I go into shock as I watch the alpha swallow my arm.
The alpha licks its lips as hunger fills the creature’s eyes. It walks towards me. Still in shock, I do nothing but stare. I watch passively as Jennifer and Sarah leap onto the thing’s back. Brian and Justin join in on the fun.
With a powerful jerking motion, both women go flying as the beast gets to its feet. Brian’s sledge slams into the alpha’s ribs, knocking the beast back down. Recovering in seconds, Sarah runs over to me and casts a healing spell. Jennifer, wearing her full suit of Swiss armor, takes longer to stand, but when she does, the woman delivers a Hail Mary downward strike onto the alpha, cleaving its skull in two.
Sarah sends out waves of healing magic on our group, knitting wounds and reshaping flesh. Though System provided passive regeneration will fix it all in short order, we don’t know what attention we may have drawn from the fight.
We breathe a sigh of relief when nothing else arrives. Checking our notices, everyone’s gained a level, making it to fifth. The alpha provided five times as much as the regular dire hounds, while the pups gave one quarter. I put my ability point into Resilient, bumping my damage reduction to 10%. My new Class Ability, Befriend Animal, seems useful.
Befriend Animal (Basic Class Ability)
Animals of all kinds, including predators, can be coerced into a friendly relationship. If the Druid possesses the ability to speak to animals, Befriend Animal is far more useful. While there is no upper limit on the number of animals that can be befriended, maintaining those relationships takes time and effort.
It’s hard to say what sort of monetary value their pelts and meat will have, so we each put one beast into our inventory. I find it weird how the massive alpha only takes one slot. Same as any other single item. Though it weighs hundreds of pounds, and almost maxes out my carry weight, I can carry more. Checking with the others and comparing strength stats, we all have the same number of slots, but those with higher strengths can carry more weight. We all make a mental note to test out carrying capacities when we’re back at the ranch house. With the hound den in the copse of trees ahead, we approach with caution.
My hatchet is down the dead alpha’s stomach, so I wield my knife. Sarah and Brian are to my left, while Justin and Jennifer are on the right. It takes what seems like an eternity to clear the area. My Druidic Senses are on overdrive the whole time. We clear the area without incident and explore the hound’s den.
Dug into the base of a massive oak tree, there is little in the way of loot. The remains of various animals are littered about, and everyone takes some bones. Crafting materials are crafting materials, after all.
As we stand around discussing what to do next, Justin notices it’s getting late. We’re nearly four miles from the ranch house, and it’ll take a couple of hours to get back, so we decide to return. Nastier monsters come out at night, and no one is eager to get into another big fight: Brian’s makeshift pelt armor is in shambles; Jennifer’s plate armor is rent in several places; what clothing and armor scraps the rest of us have is ruined.