I can make Gobbos now. Sounds interesting. Jaws had no reaction. Must be something new to him too.

“Well… we can work with those. I could clean up that little survey team myself even,” Jaws sighed, his tone much less enthusiastic than his normal, “but we need to get you started with something.”

‘Some creatures of my own are exciting,’ Elran focused on himself to bring up the creature menu and quickly navigated to make 4 gobbos at 5 points each. Simultaneously, around where Elran was in the center of the room, four little spheres of smoke rapidly popped from the ground with a hiss. When the smoke cleared 4 little green creatures were standing around Elran. The gobbos had a small, barrel-like structure, standing on two feet. They reached a little over the height of Jaws’s knees, were bald, and green. The gobbos dominating feature was their large, arrow tip nose and their tiny arms and legs. Checking his map, Elran noticed the gobbos generated points too, 0.01 points an hour.

‘These guys don’t have orders yet, so lets try it out.’ Elran mentally commanded the gobbos to assemble before him. With a waddle, the 4 creatures stood in a line, gazing up at Elran with large, shiny black eyes.

Jaws, I’ve noticed I’m not at ground level, but I can’t sense below myself very well. What is there?

Staring down at the gobbos, mumbling, “he didn’t do any enhancements. They’ll be good entrance room fodder but…”

Jaws.

“Sorry, Lord Elran. You are centered on a flat top of a stalagmite. You might want to arm the gobbos. Maybe the humans had a knife you absorbed? And in my wisdom, make an enhanced gobbo to bestow the honor of being your first servant.” Jaws smiled for the last line. ‘He doesn’t seem impressed with my little gobbo squad, but he’s proud one will be my first servant, I’d bet on it.’

‘Enhance, huh? Sage, how do I enhance a creature?’

*You can focus on a creature or group of creatures to do some limited customization. Before making the creature you can change its abilities or skills. This will be based on your dungeon accomplishments, minion known skills, creatures that died in your dungeon, or a number or other things. Costs will change based on your choices. This applies to spawners you place as well.*

Spawners?

*It would be tiresome to have to micromanage your dungeon by placing every creature, trap, and treasure. Even on a small scale when you have no need for a Manager. Traps can re-arm, creature spawns can be set, and hidden treasures can be made to appear at intervals. Just do the usual and focus on your intent.* Eldran could hear the hint of a smile on that last item.

‘So I can focus on a group, interesting.’ Focusing on the four little gobbos still admiring Elran, a parchment page appeared, titled Equipment. Grek and Jib didn’t drop a lot of equipment to add to Elran’s list. Linen clothing wouldn’t really be a defensive upgrade from the gobbos’ rags. Pickaxes and shovels would have to be small enough to be no danger for their little hands. At the bottom of the equipment list was a crude iron dagger. It would only cost 4 points to equip all four with a dagger and 1 point for belts with sheathes.

Elran confirmed the selection and little puffs of smoke popped around the gobbos, clearing up to reveal their new belts with knives. The gobbos pulled out the knives and smiled with their overly large mouths and long pointed teeth. ‘They could probably do some damage with those teeth. Not that it would probably be very effective.’

“Now that’s looking better,” Jaws said, pulling his dagger from its sheath, “I’ll show ‘em how to use it.” Jaws walked away to get some room. Elran willed the gobbos to follow Jaws’s lead. ‘Not a lot of initiative there.’

While Jaws was talking and swinging his dagger around lecturing the gobbos, Elran turned back to the creature list. Focusing on his one creature, Gobbo a parchment page appeared with a list and image of the expected creature:

Gobbo Cusotmization

Equipment

Status

Skills

Appearance

Elran browsed the Equipment page. It was the same as when he looked at the group of Gobbos that were now happily swinging their knives around. ‘I want this one to be better, he’s going to be bestowed as my first servant.’ Elran put him in linen clothes with a belt and boots. Elren added the knife as it was the best offensive option. ‘Maybe two would be even better,’ adding a second knife with a sheath. The point cost at the bottom of the page updated to 8.

With a ping sound, HER voice called out in the growingly familiar deadpan way *Gobbo has learned knife skills level 1. Skill list updated* Elran switched to the Skills page. There were a few options here: Mining Skills, Intimidation, Knife Skills, Vocal talent. They all had percentages next to them. Elran added all of the skills. To Elran’s surprise, Intimidation could be set at level 2. The Gobbos cost was now 12. ‘I can see how creature costs can get a lot more expensive this way. ‘The standard Gobbo look should be fine. He’ll have the clothes for me to tell him apart.’ Eldran confirmed his selection, creating the creature.

With a puff of smoke, the new Gobbo appeared in front of Elran exactly as pictured in the parchment. Focusing on it to bestow the Cabryn matrix. A parchment note popped into view *Bestow Gobbo with the Cabryn persona?* I guess it’s called a persona when actually putting it in.. or is it on a creature. Elran confirmed the bestowal.

A soft glow surrounded the gobbo and a shine grew in the Gobbo’s eyes. With a smooth baritone voice, startling for the gobbo’s size, Cabryn spoke, “My Lord Elran, I offer you my most heartfelt thanks and devotion. I, Cabryn, shall bring death to your enemies. I will cultivate powerful skills to strengthen your creatures. I will hunt down rare and valuable materials to power your creations.” With a possible attempt to bow, the gobbo’s body may not have a waist to bow with, Cabryn dropped to his knees, “I swear my loyalty, no matter the hardships or deaths I experience.”

“Lord Elran,” Jaws jogged over followed by the knife gobbos, “what a fine servant you have made.” Jaws smiled, looking Cabryn over. “My great name is Jaws. I am here as an ally from the Great Core Ric’art to provide protection until Lord Elran has gotten his dungeon in good order. Good to meet you, Cabryn.”

Cabryn stood up and faced Jaws, “Good to meet you, Jaws. I look forward to learning from you.” Cabryn smiled wide.

“Looking to learn skills and techniques so quickly. You will be a good servant to Lord Elran.” Jaws returned his own toothy smile before turning towards Elran. “Lord Elran, I think I have a good plan for some quick growth. Put Cabryn in charge of these knife gobbos, make 4 more regular ones, and if you could make a command trap in that second room I sensed you make.”

Sure, let’s see what you’ve got, Jaws. Elran made four extra gobbos for another 20 points and sent them to the first room, ordered the knife gobbos to follow Cabryn’s orders, and switched to his map to look at the second room. Selecting the traps option, Elran considered some of his options. ‘I could do a little flame spout, but the fear of fire affecting my dungeon reputation is common sense here. The only other options I have are some arrows from the wall or spikes from the ground. Jaws said he has a plan and wanted a command trap. Spikes from the floor should fit well for that.’

‘Sage, I have some memory command traps exist from that memory cube, but what are they?’

*Command traps are typically the cheapest form of traps as they need a command from a core or servant to activate. They have no trigger to activate on their own. Further, traps draw on the ambient dungeon energy to activate, so it is possible to put more manual traps into a room then you can with an automatic one.*

‘Dungeon Energy?’

*Dungeons are made by dungeon cores. Their walls, floors, and ceilings are like the physical parts of the dungeon core’s body. The core itself being the brain and heart. The complexity of a gem fuels that body. With more complexity comes more energy to use. This energy keeps your traps running, spawners spawning, and basically everything functional. It’s also how the dungeon won’t collapse the bigger it grows.*

‘Good to know.’ Elran looked back at the room on his map. ‘This map isn’t really a great way to view my rooms.’ Mentally sighing, Elran chose a spike trap, customizing it to work by command. Elran dragged the trap around the room. Too close to a doorway and the blueprint on his map would turn red, not allowing him to confirm placement. Elran decided placing as close to the entrance door as possible would give it the best chance of catching someone early. The manual spike trap only cost 10 points. Not bad for a permanent feature to the room. The gobbos cost 5 and will be gone when they die. But the gobbos can earn skills.

Watching the map, Elran could see the blue dots for his minions spread out between the two other rooms. Jaws’s dot was in the entrance room, standing in the middle. The gobbo dots with him split up into the back corners of the room and he left the dungeon.

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‘With a trap, creatures, and several rooms I’d say this is an official dungeon. Although, I should try to figure out my dungeon functions without the framework. My status might be easy. The key to everything seems to be focus.’ Elran tried turning his focus onto himself. Easily enough, Elran’s status popped up, but as letters in his perception:

Dungeon Core Elran

Complexity: Simple

Passive Point Income (PPI): 2 points per hour

Current Points: 25

Dungeon Costs: increased

Focusing on complexity a note popped into Elran’s vision *Upgrade complexity for 20 points?* Elran confirmed the upgrade and waited for the little rumble. The rumble came and was slightly ticklish for a few seconds. The rumble lasted slightly longer than the last time. I’m probably becoming a more impressive gem as I upgrade complexity too. I got a message the last time it finished. Kind of wish I had an idea how long it takes.

*Upgrade complete. PPI increased. Point costs adjusted. Framework updated. Favor Increased. Dungeon Sense Improved.*

Always good to hear HER voice. It must be the voice of good news. Elran opened his map and focused on his room. Focusing intently on himself. ‘Laying flat on a pedestal lacks presence.’ *Unlock ‘floating in place’ personal skill for 5 points?* Exactly what I had in mind. Elran confirmed the purchase and his view immediately shifted. His vantage point in the room was higher, and his vision was clear all around him now. I can see the pedestal now!

Moments later, Cabryn came running in, “Lord Elran, I heard you shout…” Cabryn’s eyes grew round. “Lord Elran, you are floating now. And you look more dazzling than ever.”

Elran could feel the happiness inside his gem, “Yes, I needed a better posture to really oversee things.”

“My master, it suits you wonderfully,” Cabryn inclined his head as best he could.

Elran felt a presence enter his dungeon and quickly flipped to the map. Looks like it’s Jaws. “Jaws has returned. As you were.”

“Of course,” Cabryn bobbed his head again and pitter-pattered back to his position.

‘I really need to see how upgrading his form works.’

*That’s easy. He can evolve his current monster form, unlocking a new creature for you. If he dies you can put his persona into a new form, or just absorb his current form back and create a new one for him. He will retain all of his skills he has learned or inherited for his form. Mind you, not all skills work in all forms.*

‘His persona, is that like his soul?’

*Yes. It will be the same being, no matter the form it’s in.*

‘Thank you, Sage. So my servants are immortal as long as I am safe.’

*They can outlive you actually. They can form bonds with new cores if their bond with you is shattered. You can also banish or kill the persona. Though they may be born feeling loyalty towards you, they can become dissatisfied. This can result in them refusing commands, running away, or through a great amount of effort, they can break the bond. Though while a bond is active, they will never willingly harm you.*

‘I hadn’t even thought of that, but good to know. I guess the keyword there is willingly.’

Jaws came striding into the room, looking very pleased, “I have lured the other miners this way. This will be good work for your minions and some points to add for improvements.”

They won’t kill Cabryn, will they? ‘Even if I could bring him back, dying probably hurts.’

“With his skills, equipment, backup, and the spike trap, he should be fine. There’s only four more miners. I’ll wait here. There will be no danger to the dungeon.” Jaws looked confident. “By the way, the floating is very regal.”

‘I shouldn’t worry then.’ Thank you, Jaws.

Elran noticed a tickling sensation in the edge of his perception. Elran pulled up his map to double check on his creatures. Four additional dots entered from outside the map. They had a pinkish-red coloring.

“Lord Elran, I can sense you have intruders.”

Yes, I just sensed them, Jaws. The pink dots, slowly entered into Elran’s dungeon. When they reached the center, the four gobbos’s dots rushed towards the pink ones. One dot had been closer to the corner and disappeared. *Goblin learned Savage Bite* The other two gobbo dots almost immediately disappeared as they approached the center. I wish I could see what’s happening. Elran focused hard on the map. Feeling a pull on, Elran’s vision zoomed towards the map.

Elran’s sight was projected from the top of a room now. ‘Is this the entrance room?’ Elran could feel his vision pan as he willed. Seeing his dead gobbos in the room, which annoyed him.

“Those bastards killed Jortz.” There were 3 men standing in the room. Two were in linen clothes and holding shovels. One had a large scar across his jawline. The third was bigger than the other two, had on a leather shirt and pants, and was holding a sword. ‘I want that sword.’

“Acre, Jiran, look! The bodies are disappearing,” the other scrawny guy called out.

The big man in the leather looked around and sighed. “That idiot Grek dragged Jib into a dungeon. Jiran, Boscoe, checked where those little buggers died.”

The two other men moved to check where my gobbos had been before they were re-absorbed. “Acre, there’s bronze coins here” The two men scrambled to gather all the coins on the ground.

‘Why are they dropping coins?’

*That’s because they will automatically seed a reward they drop upon death. You can set ranges of items, or specific items. But with too little or no direction, creatures will drop something of appropriate value decided on what you have available.*

‘Why is that?’

*Feel free to call it a natural law of dungeon creatures.*

The big man and two other guys had still been talking. Acre, the smaller men had called him, pulled out some daggers and handed them to the other two. “Jortz had the prospector skill. So no more finding new deposits. But we can loot some treasure and build ourselves up a bit.”

“But, Acre, aren’t dungeons dangerous?” One of the other men said.

“Don’t just stand there and let them bite you. They’re small and weak. Didn’t you see how quickly I killed all four?”

“Ya, but, we’re weak.”

“I’ll take the lead, you two watch my sides. You just have to stab them with the daggers. It’s easy.” Acre harrumphed and walked towards the next room. The other two men hurried after him.

“Don’t leave us behind, Acre!” As they left the room, Elran pulled to rapidly absorb the fallen man.

*Creation Options updated* Elran mentally shoved that notice aside. ‘I’ll worry about that later.’ Concentrating, Elran jumped to the next room.

The sudden shift in perspective was slightly disorienting. ‘It’ll take me a little while to get used to this.’ Cabryn was standing in the center of the next room, two knife gobbos on either side. The other two knife gobbos were in each of the corners by the door, keeping low.

Acre strode confidently through the doorway, “More trash, this is easy money.” Acre laughed, lifted his sword and rushed at Cabryn. The other two men walked in, gripping their daggers tightly.

As Acre walked over the spike trap, Cabryn lifted his fist. Acre’s eyes looked to both sides at once as Cabyn’s arm moved. Acre immediately jumped to the side, but the edge of the trap pierced through the back of Acre’s heel. Despite the wound, Acre stayed on his feet.

While the trap was activating, the two gobbos in the corner launched themselves at the backs of the two other men. One went down immediately in a pile with the goobo. The man on the right was wounded and twisted to throw the gobbos off his back.

Cabyn approached Acre straight to his front, letting the gobbos attempt to get to Acre’s sides in order to flank him.

A gentle tone rang out in the back of Elran’s perception, but Elran was completely focused on the fight in his perception from the ceiling of the room.

The gobbos in the back were finishing off Acre’s last friend. Acre eyed the gobbos around him, holding his sword steady, blood starting to pool at his wounded foot. Reaching around his back, Acre pulled out a hand spade with his left hand. Cabryn dashed at Acre, the other two gobbos just a step behind. Acre planted his good foot and kicked Cabryn away and grunted as he shifted his weight to slash his sword at the gobbos on his right. The small creature took the slash through the face, spinning away. Acre shifted his weight quickly to his left, bringing the spade down hard into the last gobbo flanker’s head.

Cabryn rolled as he fell, stopping into a crouch a short distance from the fight. Cabryn grimaced as he saw the gobbos with him get taken down in one strike each. Acre had lost his spade and was breathing heavy. Behind Acre, one gobbo had survived the struggle with the other two men and was limping toward Acre from behind.

“What kind of fools couldn’t handle these little things? I have to do everything…” Acre was slowly rotating to keep Cabryn and the last knife gobbo in his sights. Acre eyed the limping gobbo and shifted towards Cabryn a little.

‘He shouldn’t underestimate my gobbos. Or maybe I should be happy that he is,’ Elran laughed to himself.

The last knife gobbo was limping bad, Cabryn eyed it for a second, but turned his focus back onto Acre. Cabryn breathed in deeply and sprinted at Acre. Acre brought his sword down in an overhead swing, which Cabryn parried with both knives. With their weapons locked, Cabryn was forced onto a knee. Acre pivoted on his good leg to bring his left fist around in a wide punch into Cabryn’s side. Cabryn barely managed to force Acre’s sword to the side and onto the ground after the hit. While favoring a leg, Acre dropped his knee. Cabryn flipped his knives on top of the sword to trap it against the floor and slid his knives up the sword while closing the distance with Acre. Acre kept throwing left hooks into Cabryn while pulling on his sword.

“Not going to work, worm!” Acre shouted as he let go the sword, causing Cabryn to stumble with the force he had been using to pin the sword down. Acre used his left hand to shove the knives and Cabryn down, while swinging his right up hard in an uppercut. The hit sent Cabryn into the air. Acre laughed, “I got you now.”

Acre reached down to pick his sword up, smiling as he stared at Cabyn. Cabryn had been knocked towards the back of the room, dazed and without weapons. The last knife gobbo took that opportunity to set forward from behind Acre and stab Acre in the neck. Acre bellowed and thrashed around hard, sending the knife gobbo against the wall hard. Acre collapsed onto the ground, slowly being pulled into the ground by the dungeon floor.

Elran willed himself back into the main room of his dungeon, It’s over. And it’s our win. Almost everyone died.

Jaws paused for a moment, “Dungeons will see many deaths. If you have a favorite, bestow it, then you’ll always be able to revive it. But this means a lot of points, it is a great victory.”