Being a wolf was... disturbing. My poochie brain initially thanked the moon god for saving her from the griffin, then looked around at the room we arrived in and went back to quaking in terror. There were statues, statues everywhere of giant ominous figures looming over us. I initially kept our doggy head low and walked, then we saw the heads all turn at once and me and my crack team of bugs and a floating ball of fire took off all at once. We did not want to know what those things were, we understood very well that they were entirely capable of stomping us flat without the system giving them a rank thank you very much. So we ran as fast as our fuzzy, sharp and non-existent legs could carry us all the way over to the next floor until we were finally away to relative safety. At the end of the massive hallway was a door, on that door was a #2. Me and my dog both blinked stupidly. Thinking about this in rational terms, not all of the statues we just ran past looked similar to each other. Quite the opposite in fact, I think each statue was of a different being, some had animal heads, other human, some had multiple heads, others had monster bits where their arms and legs should be, some didn't even have a human figure at all. My poochie body walked back to one of the statues and looked up at it in recognition and howled. Short dog ears were sticking out of the side of their head, so then this was the Moon God Igaluk, our instinctive doggy instincts told us. Then all of these statues were of different gods? Lithilas turned his entire first floor into a shrine to all of the different gods that he's gotten the blessing from, who the hell do you dedicate a floor like that to? I didn't see a XXL Statue among the XL sized statues to indicate a god king lording over the rest. If there was anything out of place here then it would be the little squirrels with messenger packages that were wandering around.
"Ello there gov. You must be the new Dungeon the boss said to train up." The Squirrel greeted lightly. I blinked stupidly at the little creature. "Now now don't be like that you got yourself a lotta grinding to do after all." The Squirrel hopped onto our head as if a rider commanding a mount. "Hop hop, pick up the pace gov. The Hall of the Gods is all fine and dandy but you're only here for a limited time after all." Under the Squirrel's guidance we went back to the door that led to the second floor. "I'll keep an eye on yah's from above for you." The Squirrel hopped into a little pathway that looked to have been made exclusively for creatures of its size. "I'll point out what you do wrong against the critters that you're gonna run into, if you get it wrong a second time then you'll be crushed mercilessly" Crushed? When did crushing come into this? "Don't worry about the gargoyles, they only act like decoration all day but they were made in the image of the gods so it's only natural that they'd be B-Rank." Oh yeah, now I feel spectacular! "Try and think about your monsters abilities for a bit, and arrange formations for them appropriately."
Huu... There's a bunch of tanky Millipedes, a fast and somewhat agile wolf with a predisposition to begging for mercy from the gods and a ghostly wisp that shoots fire. Wisp can go up in the air, Millipedes form a circle formation, Wolf can stay in the middle. As we were walking along we had our first encounter, a goblin in armour was standing guard while holding a spear. He looked at my group eyes judging before he got ready with his spear to go on the offensive. Millipedes you guys go first! Three of my Millipedes swarmed at once, the goblin swung his spear around and accurately clocked the three of them in their heads with his weapon. The three giant insects knocked back the goblin used his spear to accurately aim at the gap between two armoured plates of one of the Millipedes and thrust forward with his spear, the tip of the metal weapon poking out the back of the millipede's body, which was then followed up by twisting the weapon around and popping the head of my Millipede off. I and my wolf blinked stupidly for a few moments.
[F-Ranked Monster: Goblin-Corrupted Descendants of the Fey known as Brownies by the God of Conquest these miserable creatures live their lives as slaves being forced to raid nearby settlements for materials to sacrifice to their dark god]
How the hell is this thing a F-Rank? Did I screw up not picking goblin as my first monster? Is the Egg this OP?
"Yeah. Humanoid types usually have the advantage of getting to use weapons, as far as force multipliers so they're pretty potent!" The Squirrel chimed in at this point. "Flanking a spear wielder isn't going to do you any good, not as long as he can sweep you with area of affect attacks. Instead focus on closing the distance, the spear is for medium range attacks so instead get into close quarters attacks!" The goblin grumbled annoyed at the squirrel as he got into position to keep fighting my monsters. My wisp circled over head firing searing rays of fire down at the Goblin's head while the goblin himself kept fighting my monsters, either nimbly dodging out of the way of the attacks, or using the spear to intercept and bat away the offending ball of fire, a point was made, that being skill. Not only did this creature have a weapon but he was taught how to use it. My Millipedes were massacred one after another until only the Wisp and the Wolf were left over, and both of us opted for a hasty retreat.
[Would You like to end the Dungeon Raid? Yes/No]
[Yes]
I returned to my own Dungeon breathing out a sigh, not willing to risk the lost of the only actual E-Rank that I had under my control, not against a creature which was so quick to make light of a group of F-Ranks like that.
[Lithilas: Having problems?]
[Dungeon Keeper: I'm thinking that I lost out on not picking out Goblins or Kobolds as my first Schema]
[Lithilas: Not all Goblins are like mine, I spend the time and effort to have them trained]
Makes sense.
[Lithilas: If you regret it that badly, I have a few Goblin skeletons lying around my second floor that you can come and try to steal]
[Dungeon Keeper: I selected 'Monster Egg' as my first Schema] I suspected I knew what he was going to say next but I felt it relevant to ask anyway.
[Lithilas: That's a... interesting choice. You're basically asking for the system to give you a random monster from E to A Rank, and it's going to take years before you cash in on that investment]
[Dungeon Keeper: I've made a nest already. How do I accelerate the hatching schedule, and how do I increase the rank of the critter that's going to come out of the egg]
[Lithilas: For the first, find a monster to nurse the egg for you. For the latter, level up the egg by having it kill monsters for you]
Of course.
[Dungeon Keeper: Earlier I named a monster. What does that do and what does it cost me?]
[Lithilas: Named monsters retain a unique identity, because of this they can be revived even after dying in a raid on another dungeon. As for cost, a infusion of mana from your own reserves in order to establish the contract]
[Dungeon Keeper: I've been reviving the same monsters over and over again ever since the Griffin got here]
[Lithilas: Let me guess. The Griffin has been constantly eating the same monsters over and over and spitting the bones back out which is what you've been reanimating in the same way that you reanimated their fossils? In that case you're not actually reviving them but rather manufacturing new monsters. Which is a good thing, as they would build up unimaginable resentment about being killed over and over again and inevitably try to kill you in order to suicide themselves]
Got it, don't name the fish.
[Dungeon Keeper: But the eggs and the bugs are fair game right?]
[Lithilas: Your wolf and Undead too.]
Alright everyone! Line up!
[Mana 300/300]
Names are a coming! Bone hand you're Thing. Will-o-wisp, you're Blue. Wolf You're Luna. Dragon Flies, Buzz 1, Buzz 2, Buzz, 3, Buzz 4, Buzz 5! Isn't that too lazy? Deal with it! Millipedes, You're Tiny 1, Tiny 2... After 3 hours worth of giving out names to every monster under my command my mana finally dropped down to the double digits. My mana dropped after the last raid killed my monsters, I need the Griffin to leave before I can replenish their numbers. For now though.
[Would you like to launch a Raid against Lithilas? Yes/No?]
[Yes]
I went through the formalities of the usual dungeon raid process, though this time I was doing things a little differently. For one thing I brought along porters. Without fear of losing my named monsters I in the wolf's body charged at the goblin howling, and was nearly skewered by the Goblin's spear as my reward. This time though I was accompanied by a squadron of swooping Dragon Flies buzzing in the goblins face, and a group of Millipedes who gladly used their mandibles to hook on the goblin's weapon to try and wrestle it out of his hands.
"Oh my a gang fight? This is interesting." The Squirrel was back again with it's commentary, or maybe it didn't leave. The Goblin was struggling with my wolf and Millipedes, and so it didn't realise that my Will-o-wisp was floating next to it's head, and a heat ray was punched clean through it's skull before falling over, dead. "Ah yes the good ol monster rush, over whelm the enemy from all sides with monsters so that they cannot fight back. A classic but effective. Against boss monsters that is" I prepared to have one of the hundreds of honey bees I had tag along with me take it back to the dungeon but the Goblin's corpse suddenly vanished. Left his spear behind though. "Did you think it would be easy? Of course not. You're following advice that Master Lithilas has given you and assuming that he hasn't followed that same advice much better and for much longer than you have."
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Which means that if I want schema's from Lithilas, I have to work for them, I have to earn them just like he said. Alright fine if you wanna be like that! Bee Porter Squadron! You are now Bee Scout Squadron! Spread out through the dungeon! Grab anything that looks like's dead or isn't nailed down! Let's see if I still can't get any schema's now! I had my bees go down the hallways, my consciousness jumping from Luna into Port 327 as she led the scout squadron down the hallway. We arrived inside of what can generously be described as a goblin camp, the walls were fortified with spikes, and a crude balista made from several sticks of repurposed adventurer long bows were sticking out to ward off unwelcomed intruders. But were they prepared for my swarm of bees?
"Lahire." A single goblin with a stick of burnt wood pointed his weapon of choice at the swarm of bees and released flame, my bees bursting in a chain reaction as they were scorched from existence. Evidently they were rather prepared for my bees.
My Consciousness ended up in Blue next. Fire Ball versus fire ball! My ball of fire zipped over to the goblin camp looking to avenge my bees and immediately proceeded to the wooden barricade where it proceeded to attempt to burn a hole through it. Attempt mind you, but whatever this wood was made out of it was a lot tougher then a E Rank Slime, or just fire proof.
"Lahire." And then the goblin with a stick scorched my wisp from existence, consuming a much more substantial ball of fire all the oxygen died out in that moment and the tiny flame that was my being was suffocated from existence.
How the hell do you suffocate a undead fire ball? Am I here to grind or is Lithilas grinding off of my monsters instead!? No, no, remain calm, Lithilas says that his humans or whatever that means come down here to grind. These things aren't invincible, but I don't know the method to beat them. For now I'll just leave Luna here to figure out how to get by the Goblins...
"Waiting there and staring isn't going to do you any favours you know." The Squirrel once again spoke up to my growing annoyance with the creature. "Instancing. Ever heard of it? Yeah, turns out after a certain point Dungeons just start compartmentalising the flow of people coming inside into these neat little packages to make dealing with them easier. You and your monsters are one package, the humans you're hoping to steal tactics from are another." Luna and I shared a deep pit of displeasure. We can't kill these monsters. We can't steal Schema's. And we can't learn tactics worth a damn. Why the hell are we here?
[Would You like to end the Dungeon Raid? Yes/No]
[Yes]
Returning to my own dungeon I breathed deeply, and then I scream. The Wind in my Dungeon howled, my monsters quaked in fear and even the griffin opened an eye in notice.
Why the hell is this so gods damned hard!? Apparently Dungeons that don't have half of what I do trip into the correct solutions! Where are the adventurers that were supposed to be knocking down my door in masse!? Do I have to toggle a bright neon sign that says "Come here and offer your experience!" because so far the only thing raiding is giving me is Schema's that I can't use and one lousy spear!
[Dungeon Keeper: Why haven't people come to my dungeon yet?]
[Graves: I find it odd too. Even newborn dungeons have at least one group stumble over them in a week or so]
[Dungeon Keeper: What do I have to do put big neon billboard outside that says dungeon!?]
[Graves: What's a billboard?]
[Dungeon Keeper: How do I talk to animals? I need to convince this big birdie hanging out on my first floor to do some work for me]
[Graves: Did you try making a contract with it?]
[Dungeon Keeper: Jewel already told me how to do that. Didn't work]
[Graves: I don't got a monster for talking to other monsters. Jewel might have one]
Who was now suspiciously absent.
[Dungeon Keeper: I'll come back later then]
I went back to the nest, to the bird that is squatting inside of my cave. The last time I got into a angry rant at her and told her to do something to earn all the food that I keep giving her she flew off for a little bit and brought back a wolf Carcass for me to reanimate, lets see what happens if I just talk to her.
I need your help.
The Griffin looked at me with contemptuous eyes, perhaps expecting me to get angry at her and mouth off again.
I am angry. I am frustrated. Everyone around me is doing so much better than me and all that I can do is next to nothing. I am trapped in a body I do not understand wielding power I have no comprehension of and I have no idea of who or what I used to be. I need help. I need creatures from outside that I can actually defeat in order to grow strong enough to actually defend myself. Please, help me! The Griffin's head rose, for a moment I felt her looking directly into my eyes. Stretching out like a big cat that overslept the Griffin yawned and turned around to face the entrance before taking off again.
Archie and Thing came up to me, perhaps happy now that the Squatter was gone so that they could work again they attempted to lead me away to whatever needed doing right now.
...Just do whatever you guys want. Ask the other monsters what kinds of rooms they want and make them for them.
Perhaps not knowing what to do with what was essentially a blank check the door of them mad another of the crude doors similar to the one that bars my core room and were making preparations to install it into the entrance into the dungeon. You two one request, have the door swing outwards to open, make it a draw bridge. The addition of a door did nothing to expand my awareness of the outside world, but I remembered the description for the Griffin. She likes to nest in places that are high up and unstable, the entrance to the dungeon must be a considerable amount of distance up into the air. Maybe she'll like having the extra room to work with. Who knows. The door completed and secured with rope made from the bark of the red wood Archie and thing left to go do their own work. I got a vague feeling of my mana dropping as Archie and Thing went about doing their work, setting up whatever defences they felt needed to be done, filling out the rooms according to the requirements of the monsters that were living here. I had a vague feeling of my monsters re-spawning from the failed raid on Lithilas, did that mean it had been hours that I just spent here waiting for her to come back? It was around when I felt the last of the mana on the verge of drying out that some one came into the dungeon, having a head on collision with the top of the doorway as it did with enough force to crush a regular dungeon mob's head. I turned around to see a large vaguely fish like creature floundering around the far side of the nest.
[D Rank Monster: Great White Shark-A large shark monster capable of manipulating water around it to attack coastal sea side towns]
There's no water here for you! Kill it! The nearest room flew open, a swarm of centipedes, scorpions and Will-o-wisps that were in the previous room swarmed in, slicing with mandibles, stabbing with stingers and attacking with flames. The Griffin arrived moments later, her own wounds from fighting against the beast still fresh. Eggs! Come over here and use your healing magic! Quickly the Two eggs that were in the nest rolled over and healed the Griffin's injuries as they glowed with bright magical lights.
I want that bastard dead! Now! In it's natural element, surrounded by water, this thing was a D Rank threat. In here? In my dungeon? Bone Dry and full of my monsters to gang up and tear you apart? You're fish food!
The Shark floundered, it even struck a few of my monsters with his tail hard enough to kill them. But so what? I have all the monsters I need to kill this damned shark. One of the Millipedes climbed inside of it's mouth, the shark chewed on it, one of my eggs rolled over and healed the Millipede. Sharp mandibles scythed through organs, sharp legs stabbed into the sides leaving countless bleeding wounds. What you're the victim here? You were just minding your own business when my roommate attacked you? So what? No one here cares about you.
[Achievement Unlocked: Giant Slayer]
All of my monsters gathered around the Griffin as she was healed a few moments she stood up, looking over the nest, over the part of my body that she had been living in, my monsters who I have been feeding her, the eggs she's been helping tend and who have healed her after she received a life threatening injury. She gave me a pondering look as if debating the pros and cons of some decision, following me around as I changed my line of sight to check on her injuries.
[Griffin Unnamed has offered you a Contract. Yes/No]
Does this mean what I think it means? Can I check the terms to make sure?
[Terms: Food, Healing, Shelter Exchange: Experience, aid in growing stronger.]
That was what I was offering you from the start.
[Yes]
----------------------------------------
Squirrels are Servants of Ratatoskr, the god of messengers, the only god small small and fast enough to climb and cross the world tree unnoticed, as such when a Dungeon had the foresite to dedicate their first floor to Ratatoskr and turn it into a place to facilitate communication between over a hundred gods of course Ratatoskr gave it the right to directly summon and command his servants as the reward. These days they tend to act as guides, whether to the humans that are living within the dungeon's city or to the newborn dungeons that the master has been nurturing with sacrificial raids and now feels confident enough to have them attempt to grow in far less pleasant conditions. Much better than sending the humans out on sacrificial raids if you ask his opinion, they get so darn testy about it too. Still that last one was pathetic, dungeons usually have at least a D-Rank monster under their command, but the strongest monster that last one had was only at E Rank, a mere wolf. A hoard of monsters might be strong enough to ambush a lone solitary Goblin out on patrol but this fortress has been tested by raids from Conquerete. Sure sometimes it's too much and they would be overwhelmed, but it's not the job of the goblins to protect the fortress from the real threats, there are after all over a hundred B Ranks on the first floor, and he pities the fools that think that those are the worst this dungeon has to offer.
The door leading into the second floor snapped open, a spike of raw power coming through.
"I recognise that smell anywhere." The Squirrel made a show of taking a long inhale of the air around him as he looked at the creature that just came into the second floor. "D Rank Mana." A Griffin was walking slowly through the dungeon, Hawk like eyes studying the surroundings and four paws thudding lightly with each step. "Now this is what I expect to see from an established core!" The Squirrel cried out joyfully. "You're in the right category of power but you made a poor choice in what kind of monster you deployed, after all you are supposed to be an 'underground' structure after all. There's not going to be much room for this one to fly around in!"
It wasn't long before we made our way to the goblin camp, already the goblins were getting ready, loaded up with a mass of arrows to rain down hell on the hapless fool that dared to invade the master's domain.
I'll leave the goblins to you, Apas. Apas the Griffin Screeched. The Shark was proof, getting fat off of dungeon mobs served up to her on a silver platter has made her hunting instincts grow dull, the time has come to correct this severe oversight. With a vengeance.