Two weeks, and the points for the getting the rest of the Demon foundation set up have finally been acquired! Yay! It had taken a lot of time, and we had needed to use a great deal of points in training.
I had managed to help by having some training that was not available done after researching what others do, for the Imps speed I actually just had them fly back and forth over and over while holding heavier rocks, it helped grow their strength as well, which was nice.
We had also managed to further the Hell Hounds training, and had upgraded Nurture to Pack Mentality. The result of that had increased the coordination training a great deal. They were closer within the pack as well. The size of the Pack itself had reached the 160 mark a few days after I had purchased it, and it had almost been decimated. Leo told me a large pack of Wolves had struck out against the Hell Hounds, and the only reason they survived at all was Fluffy, and the coordination training, along with the ambush techniques we had purchased a few days after the population increase.
But it had decimated the numbers, Fluffy’s Mommy had died in the fighting, and he led the Hell Hounds now. I had cried when she died, I had liked her, and Fluffy moped around for a day after she had died.
The following morning after he stopped moping though, Leo informed me he had gone out and begun scouting with a small number of Hell Hounds, the area, apparently Fluffy did not like having Wolf packs so close, once the numbers replenished, he had taken out three of the smaller packs utterly within the area, and along with the base increase in size for the Hell Hound Pack,
the ground surrounding the now Burrow, it had been increased by Fluffy and his Pack, was corrupted further. The Demonic energy of so many of the Hell Hounds had turned the trees into husks of what they were within the few yards outside the den. They became gnarled, and twisted with red veins running through the bark, and from the few times I looked at it when I controlled Fluffy it looked like black rock was under the bark.
The Imps Settlement had increased in base improvements. Not through methods of upgrading without points, but because they had reached 800 in population. The energy the Imps gave off was incredibly small, and apparently took numbers to create any real change within their area, along with time spent there.
The Settlement had changed, the rocks were more jagged, and the lava tubes beneath the rock had flowed into a few of the sunken in areas within the rocky crag. The Common Imps seemed to die from the heat, but the Hell Fire Imps, Red and the other growing population, seemed to enjoy playing in it, and could survive the extreme heat.
The proximity of the Lava seemed to increase their affinity with fire as well, it had been really fun to watch how they played in the lava, for some reason Leo changed the image once Red tackled one of the younger female Hell Fire Imps though, and refused to tell me why.
I had pouted, I’d wanted to watch them play, and he had displayed an error each time I brought it up. I was still pouting about him not telling me after all this time as well. He had even begun limited when I could control Red using the censorship as the means to cut the connection during odd occurrences within the Imp Settlement involving a few Males rushing me, or the occasional Hell Fire Imp adolescent.
Added to that, the walls that had recently been built had undergone a change, the rocks used had begun growing slightly black in color, with great red lines shooting in zagging fashion all along it. The wood has sort of, melded, into the stone as well. The heat hardening it and creating a kind of fossil, according to Leo. It was something complicated and I did not fully understand it, but the result was the wood base growing a kind of spike like addition that hedged outward creating a kind of bramble barrier. It was really neat looking!
The Towers seemed to meld in areas, and the top had grown points, almost like a small little spire. The rocky crag had also begun growing black in coloration, and the Lava tubes looked like they had risen some, the pools aside, red lines of heat could be seen all throughout the settlement, and all the Imps adored the heat increase.
The Hell Hound Den had experienced a minor temperature increase as well. Fluffy seemed to not mind it, perhaps because his Variant was ‘Liquid Flame’? I wasn’t sure, but each of the current Demons I had seemed to enjoy and love the heat a great deal.
It seemed to actually make them stronger, at least a little, the more the area they dwelled within grew corrupted. The Imps would only grow more corrupted with both Numbers, and the addition of stronger Demons with greater Demon Energy to the area.
The Hell Hounds were strong, and exuded it on a large natural scale, actively. The Imps seemed to passively do this. The Succubii, and Husks would add another foundation of learning to this process, once I unlocked them.
Which was the goal for today! I could hardly wait, I had been saving up my points for these two weeks to ensure that I could manage which was done in what order it needed done. I would start with the most expensive Evolution, Obviously, otherwise is would double once I gained the Husks. Following that, I would unlock the Ruins, and watch them rise, because from what I have seen with Jessica’s Ghoul Pits, it was interesting watching them form. Then i would begin population increases.
My current point count was was 20,125 after two weeks of saving the points from the hunts, and the deaths of the common Imp, along with increasing my knowledge, both Leo and I observing and gaining new understanding within both Species of Demons earning us a passive point gain. The fact the Hell Hounds had been actively assaulted, regardless of my limited where they hunted, and how far they went, I decided to allow them to hunt as they wished within their territory, avoiding the Boss Monster areas. This added a great deal of points, along with Fluffy going on a crusade against the wolves themselves. I had a feeling it would not be long before he felt the need to challenge the Wolf Boss Monster and try to wipe them out within his hunting grounds.
The Pack Mentality there had increased the desire to kill anything that harms the Pack, not just the ones responsible.
But after adding the points cost up, it was around 17,800 to purchase each upgrade. That was the cheapest method as well, the Imp population would also rise a great deal higher than the needed 2000. It would be exactly 3,200, which meant the Swarm would be split in half at 1,600 Imps/Hell Fire Imps going to the new locations once it occurred, where I would begin evolving a few of the Hell Fire Imps, Red first, into succubii, and several Common within each of the separate areas into Husks. The cost of the Succubii Evolutions was an unknown, but we knew that each Husk evolution would cost around 50 Points. This was because they had been a starting option.
The largest downside would occur after the main purchases. Each area of purchase would double in price, and I would need roughly this much points just to increase anything that I could not work toward by directly controlling one of my adorable Demons. That made me want to pout a bit, but it would be worth it. I will have set up a proper foundation, at last, for my Demons, and with the Ruin unlock thrown some new naturally occurring monsters into the Dungeon World, I was unsure what kind yet though. We would have to discover it slowly, Leo and I.
I could really begin working toward creating a coherent point earning system between the three groups, and hunts, while working with ones within each group to build them up, and advance them where I needed to.
It meant I would need to read a lot more though. I frowned at that, I had already been reading about how to make tools, and small easy weapons to advance the Imps a bit, and to be used by the Husks. I had not really done well with it. I just was not very good at it, Leo helped where he could, but the most we could do together was make a wooden shield way to big for the Imps, but might work with the Husks, and a spear with chipped stone tied to it that we had managed to make Imp sized. I had even begun teaching them to throw the little spears.
The result had improved their hunting methods a great deal, though they still tended to swarm the enemy they were fighting, losing countless in the fight. It gave points, and allowed the quick breeding Imps to keep the birthing cycle going, but I did not like knowing the cute little ones were being hurt like that.
“Leo, are you ready?”
Yes, sidnie. I have the purchase list prepared for you now, in the order you wished. Also showing the point increase after each purchase.
Succubii Tier 2 evolution - 6000 Points
Imp Population Increase to 1600 - 2,400 points
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Imp Population increased to 3,200 - 4,800 points
Ruin Unlock (also unlocks artifacts of power to be found) - 4000 Points
Husk Evolution - 600 points.
This will total 17,800 points spent. Shall I purchase them now in their order?
“Yes please~!” I said enthusiastically. I was so excited for this. No immediate change would occur of course, not yet at least. We would also not be able to split the Imp Population for two days while the newborns grew to adult size.
The main thing that occurred and showed an instant change, aside from the very sharp decrease in my Point count, were the Ruins coming from the ground. Leo showed a blown up image of the one closest to the Forest, and the Imp and Hell Hound regions, though it was still at least ten miles away from either in the Dungeon Worlds distance.
From the ground rose two twin spires first, ancient and decaying looking, as it rose the Ruin took the shape of a large stone keep, or castle. Parts of the outer walls, all stone, were broken and crumbling in disrepair, it showed a huge courtyard within the walled area, along with the Keep/Castle being at least six stories high with who knew how many rooms.
The walls, all along the length, had towers built into the wall, going up at regular distances, though many were collapsed, and had no doubt caused the main damage to the walls in those areas.
The main door was decayed wood, and half gone, the windows long since shattered. Leo mentioned it being like an outpost he had seen once, a border fortress used as the first line of defense against invading forces.
That was really amazing! I loved it, and felt the Imps would have a lot of fun playing within the Ruins. Of course, after they formed, movement appeared within, one of the figures, blown up in the image, came into view. A Skeleton, an advanced Skeleton at that. It had leather armor, and wielded a sword. My Imps could kill it, when we took the area, but no doubt more would be there.
I frowned at that, it would be a struggle to take it, and I needed that one, because it was the closest and fit my plans best.
“Leo, how much to upgrade the Hell Fire Imps to Succubii, and the Common Imps to Husks?”
The Succubii, using Red as a base as she is our only level 10 Hell Fire at this time, though the others are nearing that cusp it says it will cost 500 Points per Evolution.
The Husks will cost 50 Points. How would you like to proceed?
I thought about it a moment. We had a large enough population that I could safely evolve 50 of the Current Imps, 25 male, 25 female, and they would not do much in the form of aggression with a powerful Demon like a Succubii hammering out the power structure for the time being. But I needed Red to be that, and to have at least a day to do what she needs to do to retain that before evolving the Imps.
“Let’s spend the points to have Red Evolve, and see what we can do from there.”
I saw 500 Points disappear, and an image of Red flying around outside the Lava pools, some females looking exhausted just on the outside, before Leo moved in closer to keep me from seeing clearly. Meanie.
Red fell to the floor, her Screech made audible showing shock, fear, and pain. Her body elongated, she grew to about the size of those older girls from highschool I saw, the teenagers, she grew shoulder length wavy black hair, and her eyes seemed to shrink, when it was her head that had grown to fit the large baby doll like eyes. Her arms lengthened, she gained muscle in areas that showed she was a young woman, curves like what Franny was starting to show!
Her skin remained red, and had infact gained a scale looking texture, and rags had formed out of air, 5 points also went away from the pool of reserves. Leo said she needs cloths now and I agreed.
Her hands had armored like gloves, but it was just her hands being larger than the rest of her body, each finger ending in a long 4 inch long talon.
Her feet were small and dainty, aside from the talons that were the same length as her hands clicking against the stone. Her lips, once thin and childlike looked full and pretty, though i still saw a lot of sharp teeth when she screeched as her wings grew a bit, moving to just below her shoulder blades, and seemed to be stuck in a half folded state.
She had tried flapping them to fly away in shock once the pain went away, but had only managed a hop. Red could not fly anymore. That made me said, she was cute when she flew. But she was really, REALLY, pretty now. She looked kind of like Mommy did in the old pictures Daddy had shown me of highschool, without the red skin, and the fangs, and talons. Though it bared a really close resemblance to Mommy when she caught Daddy showing me. Apparently she wanted to forget high school. I had heard Daddy apologizing a lot that night. It had been really funny.
I saw the other Hell fire Imps rush toward her, pulling up short and fluttering around nervously. It took Red all of four seconds to start making sure no one felt she was weak. Before the fight could start, I wanted to see, Leo cut the connection.
Red has almost a full 50% fire affinity now, with the evolution, and from what little information the book has unlocked for us to read shows the promise of learning shadow based magic if taught. Though how we will do that, I do not know.
Would you like to evolve the Husks now, or wait until Red has finished ensuring her role as a leader is secured?
“Let’s wait, Meanie!” Leo ignored the last comment. I huffed at him. We had finally reached the main goal! Succubii, a tier 2 evolution, and as a result, from the points I saw, all other Tier 2 evolutions that are known are now between 12,000, and 20,000. Staggering amounts, all of which that had taken me two weeks to save, and it would only grow from there. But I did not need to worry about more Evolutions for now, I needed to focus on the current affairs within the Dungeon World.
I spent a little time watching Fluffy, I liked to watch him run through the woods, it was fun! I had started taking control and doing that with him and his Pack some nights. It had actually become a naturally occurring thing, a habit for the Hell Hounds to run through their territory, marking the boundary and fighting off incursion every two days because of it.
I smiled, the only reason I could afford the purchases this time of course was because we had just finished the second hunt of the day, and it was just about bedtime for me. Mommy had caught me staying up late once, and had made sure I didn’t do it again. Mommy was really scary when she lectured. But I still got a big hug when it was done!
I laid down to sleep, snuggling up with the skeleton doll Jessica had given me for my birthday, and told Leo goodnight, he responded with the normal method. I looked forward to seeing what Red had done tomorrow!
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Here you are my lovelies, a two week skip, an sadly not as long as I wanted. Decided I'd spread it out over a few days. From here on out points will be used for advancing, and improving the Demons, not evolutions, aside from the Husks.
We are going to see some new Variants, a few rare, and uncommon ones being unlocked as somewhat common appeared. Also, all the the points will rise as normal, but with the price increases, we are talking nearly weeks at this point between advancements. Muwhahahah! Let the farming macro management begin!
Also, I am saying this know. For those that feel that Demons were the wrong choice, I have my reasons. Secondly, to the one who is constantly stating I should never have done it, the first time was enough to state your opinion, you know who you are. The more you say it matters not, it will not change a thing. It simply grows annoying, either accept it, and move on while enjoying the story and it's progress, or stop reading. It is really that simple.
Rant finished. As always, much lover and cookies