16
Dangerous Dealings
As I shook Shale's hand, his grin remained slightly off. He hadn't directly said anything dangerous, but he made several implications and had a look of relaxed confidence. The sort of look someone wore when they knew the rest of the moves in the game, they knew they had won, and were only still at the table to watch the impotent struggles of the defeated.
He spoke, "So... As I said, I’ve never met a speaking dungeon. I only know what I have heard. What can you offer me, and what do you need?”
I hadn't been planning on it playing out like this. What did I need from the humans? More materials, and maybe their criminals for the Tier Up requirements—was there anything else? Probably. I was only at the second Tier, so this ‘kill one human' thing was probably only the start of the tricky requirements.
And what did I have to offer? That was easier; I could mass-produce any material I had access to. The only cost to me was material weight and mana coins. There was a lot of potential when it came to working with outsiders to ‘cheat' the system. That was probably what happened with these other intelligent dungeons. Find a loophole that allows the dungeon to grow rapidly and make things for the humans in trade. Both sides would benefit in the extreme.
The balance of power was delicate though, dangerously so. If done incorrectly, any trade deal could go sour, and either the humans or the dungeon could crush the other. Civil wars within single giant cities between the strongest entities in the kingdom. It would be a game of subtle advantages and quiet betrayals, right up until one side eclipsed the other in power.
If we were to be in a deal like that with this village, this Shale, then we would be starting already disadvantaged. Shale was level one hundred one. If human strength grew with their levels at anything like the rate of monsters’ levels, we wouldn't be able to handle Shale for a long, long time, if ever.
I decided to play dumb; hopefully he didn't know how much we could offer, “Not sure what you need that we have; we might be able to deal with any criminals you have. We could use some supplies though.”
It was a risky gamble, making it sound like dealing with their criminals for them would be a service for them. Shale wasn’t fooled.
He pondered for a moment before making his offer, “Criminals? What could you want with people... Aha, undead! You intend to grow your numbers by turning humans... That might just work.
And supplies… So you can't create anything you want at any time...
Very well. My offer is this: we will deliver materials that you may use to build your dungeon. Stone, wood, metals, that sort of thing. As for living bodies, we might be able to work something out.
In return, I assume you will be able to supply dungeon loot? Enchanted items, coins, and other such valuables.
How does this work for you?”
Shale's insight was off slightly, and it was clear he really didn't know exactly what dungeons could provide, but he was close enough. Enchanted items would be a problem. I hadn’t worked out how, or if, that was possible yet.
I spoke mentally with Lilith, “Can we make enchantments? How?”
“Yes, but... it's complicated. It's best to think of enchantments as just another material. If you want a fire-enchanted sword, you need the metal, the leather, and even the oils for the blade. AND you need the specific fire magic enchantment.
Every enchantment is very specific, and even small changes would be an entirely new ‘material' that needs to be unlocked.
They are very expensive to unlock without a sample as well. Very expensive.”
I had to word my reply to Shale very carefully; we needed to minimize the information we gave him, “I can do coins and probably gems and jewelry, but enchanted items will take some time.”
Shale ran his fingers through his beard as he thought on my counteroffer.
Finally, he nodded, “Acceptable, I will have Hunter here escort a group of woodsmen as they clear a path between the village and your dungeon. We can work out the specific prices for each material and how much you will need over the next few days.”
With that Shale spun on his heel, robes billowing out dramatically, and returned the way they had come. Hunter and Cynthia scurried off after him barely having been acknowledged during the tense meeting.
“Well… that’s boring... I wanted to burn the trench.” Gale moped.
I shrugged, “It was a good idea. We need to get money flowing so I can make some more of your traps. And... the workshop, the forge I promised to Gregory, apparently enchanted items, and probably a dozen other things.”
Geoff looked confused and asked, “Why didn't you ask for more expensive stuff from the humans? Metal might be good, but stone and wood aren’t worth much, right?”
I nodded, “We won't get as much as we could, but it will still be valuable, and they don’t know we will be turning it into money; they think we are actually building with it.”
As we walked back to the dungeon deep in conversation, Squirrely McSquirrel came scurrying back into the clearing, startling us.
He chattered angrily.
With a sigh, I targeted the little menace with the amulet.
“…ry up and target me already. I don’t have all day, you simpleton!”
“What do you want?”
“Finally! Open the portal to the market again.” He said.
“I thought you were out of money. What do you want to go to the market for?”
“Just do it; I'm in a hurry.”
I looked at the fluffy rodent skeptically, “I don't know. It says you’re a representative of the dungeon when you're in there. I don’t think I want you representing me in anything… You're kind of an asshole.”
With his paws on tiny hips, the squirrel’s glare was far less intimidating than he probably intended, “You want me to go to the market. Just like last time, it’s for your benefit. I swear by every god and every ascended Master Dungeon that I will Tier you up so I can speak to the mistress directly. No matter how hard you try to screw it up.”
The mistress again. He was talking about Lilith, but what was their relationship? She said she didn't remember him. One thing was sure though: the squirrel HAD been helpful so far, even if he was a misguided little psycho.
“Alright, fine. But hurry it up, will you?”
I didn't need him to hurry, but the less time the squirrel spent doing shady stuff, the better I would feel.
I also sent out Gabby and Gabe on another gathering mission. Once the dungeon had more Tiers, I could expand our gathering operations, but for now, the limit of the power I could field at one time was the two of them.
Dungeon Minion detected leaving area of influence
Dungeon wave event started
Maximum cumulative level of minions in dungeon wave: 6
Cumulative level of minions in wave: 6
A short time later I opened the magic doorway into another city street, but it was clearly a different one than the last time. I wondered if the doors were random or if there was some pattern to them. If thousands of doorways popped up randomly in the streets, it would become an issue pretty quickly.
I couldn't close the door while someone was in the city, and presumably, the other dungeons had a similar restriction. Each person in the crowded city would have a randomly floating door somewhere. It must have been very common too, because monsters flowed around the portal on either side, like a stream parting around a rock. None of them even hesitated or looked surprised at the roadblock in their path.
I noted that it was dark on the other side of the portal, just like last time. I couldn’t see a moon or stars, so it followed that there wouldn’t be a sun. Where they got heat and energy from... or if they even actually needed that sort of thing with magic being a reality, I couldn't say. I tried to identify some of the passing monsters, but it didn’t work. Either it wouldn’t work in this other dimension or I couldn’t use the ability through portals.
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Squirrely was even quicker this time than the last, only taking a few minutes at most. As he left the portal, he didn’t stop by me, instead rushing back out of the room and up the stairs to the outside. I was slow in following because I had to close the door, and when I made it back outside, the squirrel was nowhere in sight.
The little bastard didn't even say anything; he just took off as soon as he had returned.
With a shrug, I moved on to find Gale and Gregg. The Gabe and Gabby nicknames were working well for me, so I was going to shorten all of the longer names now; Gregory was now Gregg in my head. With Gale and Gregg’s help, we planned out the rooms I had promised them. I didn't have the money right now, but at least we could make plans.
The major issue with the promised rooms was that they were plural. I had two rooms promised to the goblins, a workshop, and a forge, but I had used five of the maximum of six rooms I could build at this Tier. The rock fall room, the bunk room, the boss chamber, the stairs to the lower floor, and the cable trap boss key room.
The solution was the same as we had used for the bunk room. Shared space.
That being said, there were a few issues with that still. The forge room wouldn't be able to share a space with any other room; there would be too much noise and heat. Similarly, the rock fall and cable trap rooms were dangerous to everyone and everything within, so they couldn’t be shared.
The three of us drew up a map and talked through the problems and some solutions, eventually coming to a satisfying conclusion.
When we got the money, hopefully soon, the boss chamber would become the forge. No one used that room normally, save for Gina mixing her potions and poisons, but she could just clear out the bunk room for that.
The stair room connecting the floors, which was technically the first room on the second floor, was very small, unnecessarily so. We could expand that room and make it into something of its own later. Gale didn’t want to use it as her workshop though because it was too readily accessible from the surface. Any invaders would visit the stair room second, right after the rock fall, and all of her tools and projects would be out in the open for vandals or thieves.
Instead, she insisted on being given the last room I had available. With that in mind, I penciled in a workshop room behind the cable room with a locked door between. I ‘penciled’ it in with the tip of my finger in the dirt map we had made, a fact that Gale pointed out before demanding paper and ink again.
There were a few things that would need testing to make sure it would work before I built the changes in. Like ventilation. The forge would need solid ventilation to keep it from becoming another quick way to end zombie lives.
Geoff joined the brainstorming session at one point and gave some suggestions and requests that the other goblins had made. On his suggestion, I would also be adding partitions to the bunk room. That would separate the spaces but not count as additional rooms.
Gerald wanted a rec room for games, socializing, and basically everything that the bunk room hosted now, but away from the sleeping area. Gina wanted a proper area to work with medicines and poisons in peace, and Gary wanted a training room outfitted with padded floors and walls, training dummies, wooden weapons, and a bunch of other probably expensive things.
The partitions made the short list of upgrades, but most of the other changes he suggested would have to wait for now. They were luxuries, not necessities, not yet anyway.
The planning took most of the day and only concluded just before the herb-gathering siblings returned.
Dungeon wave complete
Calculating results…
Adventurers slain: 0
Monsters slain: 0
Damage taken: 0
Damage dealt: 0
Minions slain: 0
Loot lost: none
Loot gained: 13 Stinkweed stalks, 22 oz. of Death’s Kiss berries, 35 oz. Hunter's rest berries, 3 Raven's eggs, 5 oz. Bear scat, 1 Gilded Truffle
Wave duration: 7:10:35
Wave reward: 5 copper 5 tin
Loot value: 32 silver 2 copper 23 tin
Convert Loot to mana coins?
The amount they had brought back was surprising—far more than before. Even considering that, the value was too high. One of the new things must have been expensive. It didn’t take a genius to figure out it was the Gilded Truffle thing. Leaving the prompt hanging for the moment, I gathered Gina and Geoff, the two who knew most about the area's plants, and met the returnees outside.
I immediately realized how they had managed to carry so much more this time. Someone had fashioned sacks and satchels from animal skins. I winced as I remembered adding those to my list of things to make, but never actually doing so. No one had brought it up, instead just solving the problem themselves. It was good they were working and solving problems themselves, but I had noticed and decided to fix the problem, and totally forgot. I needed to do better.
Gabby smiled wide as she opened her bag to show what must've been the Gilded Truffle resting on top. Gina didn't speak; she snarled and lunged at the bag. I was too shocked to stop her, and Gabby only smiled wider as the bag was torn from her hands.
“What the hell is it?” I asked.
Gina shot me a glare before turning back to cradle her prize.
Geoff answered for her, “Golden mushroom, very rare. Hmmm… how best to explain…” He looked around thoughtfully for a moment before continuing, “Remember Terry? Before he joined us.”
He made a gesture and splat noise. Geoff was talking about when Terry had been smashed in two pieces and then proceeded to grow new legs while his legs grew a new body.
“Well, if something like that happens to a goblin... or any monster besides a troll, really, a small bite of a Golden Mushroom would bring them back, like Terry. Well, almost. You won't be making more goblins, but they will heal from just about anything.”
Troll regeneration, even for regular monsters...
I went into the construction interface and absorbed the Truffle immediately.
When I returned time to normal, Gina shrieked. Right... probably would have been better to warn her.
“Relax! I absorbed it, so I can make more now.”
That declaration shocked all of the goblins.
“R… Really?” Gabby whispered.
I nodded, and Gina, still making strange animal noises, grabbed my shirt and started shaking me, “SHOW ME!”
I rolled my eyes and did as she asked, plonking out a new truffle on top of her head, but before confirming, I noted the cost... I couldn't afford it.
Until now I hadn't paid any attention to how the value of foraged loot matched up with the cost of reproducing it. The still hovering loot prompt had changed when I absorbed the truffle, indicating it was worth twenty silver on its own; the cost to remake it was triple that.
When I returned empty-handed, I cleared my throat, "I, uh… I can't afford it right now, maybe later… but I CAN make it, I promise.”
Gina had murder in her eyes, but Geoff rolled his own and pried her away.
Now that I was thinking about it, there was another possible mystery in this new load. The eggs. If the eggs were viable, then could I recreate them and make more eggs that could hatch into ravens?
Before anyone could try to strangle me again, I quickly absorbed one of the eggs and replaced it with one of my own making. If this worked, I could test a bunch of ideas about how monsters and minions worked. I had no idea how long raven eggs had to incubate for, nor how to do so safely, but it was worth a shot.
Now to test another question I had, how the system decided what was loot for converting. I declined the conversion prompt and separated the eggs out. Then had the goblins take the satchels back out of the area, hoping to get the loot notice, but the ‘loot' must have counted as ours now, and it wouldn't let me convert into mana coins when they brought it back.
So I had screwed myself out of a bunch of money, but at least I had unlocked some new stuff and answered a few questions. The main prizes were the unlocking of the truffle and the possible egg situation.
Dungeon Invaders detected
Invaders: 1
Dungeon construction interface locked during invasion
Dungeon entry and exit locked during invasion
Unassigned minions locked in stasis for duration of invasion
Moving minions to assigned rooms
Suddenly, I was inside the dark boss chamber. We were just outside… right in front of the dungeon entrance, surrounded by poisoned caltrops and a trench of grease. How was there an invader now?
A loud crash sounded somewhere in the dungeon, probably the rock trap. But no invasion-defeated notice popped up. Then another crash, followed by goblins screaming, and then a blood-chilling roar.
Lilith spoke, sounding confused, "That... someone... A monster just called my name in a demonic language?”
I finally gathered myself and stepped out into the bunk room. Waiting there was Squirrely McSquirrel, riding on the shoulder of a terrifying creature. The massive thing had scaled black skin that seemed to absorb the dim torchlight; ivory tusks jutted at odd angles from a lipless, toothy mouth, and claws as long as my hand sprouted from its own twisted, gnarly hands. A bipedal, scaled mutant pig. It stood hunched over because the ceiling, ten feet up, was too low for it.
Name: Derrick
Classification: Unaffiliated Monster
Race: Demon
Level: 63
Did the damn squirrel recruit help to get revenge on me? That didn't make sense. I thought it was trying to Tier me up. Also… a fucking Demon?! What the hell, man? How was I supposed to survive long enough to get stronger and defend myself if Demons and people like Shale were running around?
The toothy maw of the monster gaped, and spittle flew as it shook the walls with a roar.
Lilith spoke aloud, “Really? But how?”
“What?" I asked, but no one was paying me any attention.
Another roar sent me into a stumble.
Lilith responded, apparently talking to the demon and not translating for me, “Who? You? Is that possible?”
The next... Demon sentence? Was quieter, more like a growl, though it still shook my bones.
Lilith didn't answer right away.
The moment stretched, and I couldn't break the silence. Something was happening here, something important, and it felt dangerous to interrupt.
Finally, Lilith answered, and she seemed to speak at length, probably so I could understand a bit of the conversation I had just missed, "No... I think Rob is a good choice. I don't want to start over again; I want to keep my memories and stay with Rob.”
The demon stood perfectly still for a moment, not even breathing.
Then it spoke, it didn’t roar or growl like before, it spoke. In English. Not even humans spoke English in this world.
The words sounded in my mind and the room alike, dozens of voices, all slightly different from each other, overlapping and grating to hear, but still easily understood, "You... Rob. You get to live... by the grace of mistress Lilith, you get to live. Be grateful…”
The Demon chewed on the next words for a while before grunting out through gritted teeth, "I... will aid you, Rob. You cannot afford to pay for a minion like me, even if I would allow it. Instead... I will raise beasts for your army.”
Then the demon leaned forward, somehow not toppling over, right into my face, and growled in the Demon language again.
“What did he say?” I asked Lilith.
She didn't answer.
“Lilith?”
“He said… Now listen, HE said this, not me… don't hold his words against me…
He said, ‘Fail or betray the mistress, and I will not kill you. I will loot the boss chest over and over until you can't pay the cost. I will find the dungeon you are then enslaved to and pull you apart slowly until your tiny body fails. Then I will do it again... and again.. and again. The dungeon will thank me for the invasion reward, and you will never be able to pay the fee you need to escape.
Again, and again, and… again.”
With that, the Demon left, through the ceiling.
Invasion defeated
Calculating results…
Invaders slain: 0
Invaders retreated: 1
Damage taken: 0
Damage dealt: 0
Minions slain: 0
Loot lost: none
Loot gained: none
Invasion duration: 10:23
Invasion reward: 3 gold
Loot value: none
Dungeon damage has created an illegal second entrance, restoring dungeon to previous state…
Cost for repair: 23 tin