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Dungeon Mythos
14. Moving Forward with New Friends

14. Moving Forward with New Friends

Looking back maybe using my max Mana for creating a template was not a great idea. But this was going to be the hope of making a sapient species, and maybe getting a way to make tools and such. But either way I waited for both my Mana pool and my own Mana to fill up before I did so. While I did I could feel Mana build up elsewhere in my cavern. Focusing in on it brought me to my centipede, a glow surrounding its body as it evolved. It almost reminded me of a popular Earth game but decided not to think too hard on it. As the glow faded, my centipede was revealed in all its glory.

Guardian Giant Centipede

Most centipedes are territorial, hunting and killing any that would dare challenge the place it calls home. But a few choose instead to cooperate with those who share its dwelling, defending the place it calls home from those who would destroy it. These centipedes are even worshiped in some areas, as they are known for their loyalty and courage in defending that which they care for. But do not take this as weakness, for those who have something to lose, will fight all the harder to keep it safe.

Average – Rare

Chances to Evolve - Low

Name

No name

Species

Guardian Giant Centipede (Ice)

Level

1/10

Family

Scolopendridae

Life Points(LP)

20/20

Mana

8/8

Skills

Frozen sting, Regeneration, Frost shield, Parry blow

So it would seem my centipede had evolved in an unsuspecting way. Though that was not a bad thing. In fact, it being more of a defender was the best possible outcome I could have hoped for. I had planned on making a creature that was more for defending and had been given one instead. I was a little surprised of the Ice in its name, as I wasn’t expecting it to gain any kind of elemental powers from just ¾ of a core. But I wasn’t going to complain either. Focusing on the Ice in its name let me know that it wasn’t a full Ice creature, just a variant.

The bonus from this was getting the template for the Guardian Giant Centipede. It cost 24 Mana for a single one, but it was only the basic form. Any other centipedes I made would have the Ice variation, so their skills wouldn’t have the extra elemental effect. They also would be spawned with less health and less Mana, as those were bonuses my centipede got with the Ice aligned core. Overall I was very happy with this outcome, as even though I definitely had plans on making more monster templates, I could focus on building first.

The Ice variation not only gave it extra stats but it also changed the color of its shell as well. Instead of a glossy dark brown shell, it was now a dark stormy blue, with its legs looking almost like ice, being near colorless. This made it hard to see the front two legs it used to inject venom, making its mandibles more visible. In fact, the colorless legs made it look like it was a long shelled worm or snake, slightly floating in the air.

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It was also now as long as the skink had been tailless, sitting at 2 feet in length and about 3 inches in width, not counting its legs. The legs were an inch long themselves, meaning that my new centipede would be able to grab the skink and hold in place with ease now. It also meant it was extremely cramped in its little mouse nest it had taken over in the beginning. I could fell it being sad at that, so I sent it a message that I would enlarge it when I resumed building. Hearing that caused it to hiss, casing all the lesser creatures currently in my main cave to freeze in instinctual fear. Letting it know about the new cave, it left its nest and went out.

As my centipede went to explore, I decided to create my first Lesser Kobold. Using all the Mana I had, I pulled the Lesser Kobold template out and created a new life. As it formed I used my Mana to choose its coloration, giving it a dark brown coat with black specks mottled into its coat. Using the shadows, my hope was that these creatures would be great for ambush tactics, especially seeing how they were only slightly larger the stalagmites in my caves if they hunched over.

Their dark-vision would allow them to see effortlessly in the cave, no matter the light level, and the fact their feet were padded like a dogs were, would mean their steps would be much quieter. The claws may cause some sounds, as I had only made the hand claws retractable, but I can only imagine the fear it would cause instead. Hearing the light tip taps of claw on stone, but being unable to see the creatures that were stalking you, would cause anything invading my cave to constantly be on edge. That would allow my other creatures to sneak in and cause chaos, which in turn would give my Lesser Kobolds the chance to strike themselves.

But first I focused in on my Lesser Kobold I had just created. Standing tall my Lesser Kobold would be 2 – 2½ feet tall, with a dark brown and black spotted coat. It was slightly hunched over instead, its muzzle slightly open as it looked around with big amber eyes. Its arms hung down to its sides, with its paws having slightly elongated fingers in order to be able to grab things.

The dewclaw that would normally be on the back of the paw, was more to its side, acting more like a thumb than the stabilizer it normally would. Its legs had the backward bend that most animals did when they stood, but its feet were also slightly larger than normal. The dewclaw there was enlarged to look more like a heel, while the paw was flattened out to look more like a human foot.

It was still not complete flat footed, causing a slight bounce to its gait as it began to move around. Its tail was thin and only half a foot long, coming up into a slight curl towards the end. It was using it to help keep its balance, having more control over it more like a cat than a dog.

I decided to get a look at its stats, and as I focused on it, it turned to face me.

Name

No name (female)

Species

Lesser Kobold

Level

1/10

Family

Canidae

Life Points(LP)

18/18

Mana

4/4

Skills

Stealth, Dark-Vision, Harden Claw

I only glanced at the stats briefly, as I could feel the curiosity coming from my newest creature. It stared at my core, but unlike the hungry stare of the skink, I could feel something different. Anytime my creatures looked at me I could feel the emotions they sent me. My bats sent care, guidance, and safety. My Mouse was dedication, protection and willpower. My centipede before and after evolution was strength, defense, and power.

But my new Kobold sent something different. I felt the love from the others, a willingness to keep me safe. But from her I felt that plus something else. It took me a moment to finally grasp it and though it filled me with happiness, it was also a little terrifying. Devotion, nearly blind and unlimited devotion and familial love. This didn’t just see me as its dungeon core to protect, it saw me like a father, a God, which had brought it to life. And for the briefest moment that feeling almost overwhelmed me, making me feel like a true God. Then it was gone, replaced by my knowledge of what the true God was actually like.

It was a feeling indescribable, but then a realization hit me. What were other dungeons like, if they got that same feeling given to them when they created their first almost sapient life? I realized that if I hadn’t remembered my time being reincarnated, didn’t remember what a true God actually was, would that have taken over my sense of self? I knew nothing of what the outside world was like, what the other sapient creatures were like. Did they have their own civilizations, were they more or less advanced then the world I had left behind. Did they have their own religions and gods the worshiped?

Looking at my little Lesser Kobold, feeling the love and devotion she sent as she felt me focus on her, was the last kick needed. It was time to stop dawdling around and focus on what I wanted. This world could be full of its own myths and legends, some tat were similar to my own, others completely new. But what I wanted was to bring the legends I knew to life. To bring forth creatures I was only able to see in my imagination as I read their stories.

No more sitting, or floating, around. It was time to make a dungeon.