Chapter 165: Building for blockheads

Excerpt from the book “Dungeons and Diving” By the veteran diver Duncan

Now, let me tell you about the weakest dungeon I ever dived. A tree dungeon! You heard me, a tree dungeon. I am not pulling your leg, it was a dungeon, in a tree.

And yes, it had all the weaknesses you are thinking about. I literally dug into the side of it.

You will be surprised to hear, they are scarily common. And just as easy.

Admittedly, they aren’t all bad. Some actually have a challenge to them. Others have valuable rewards. One had a sapling that could speed up time around it. Really livened up my mini-waterfall.

Others were a little weaker. Found a small one once on top of a redwood, gave me a few sticks. Which I used to play with Ralph, my Spriga Spanial. Sadly, the branches were enchanted. He grew to 10 times his size overnight. Given he was already tiny, it wasn’t as much as you would imagine, but still. He was a pain to feed from that point on. The vet couldn’t shrink him back down.

This is how I came to possess my famous mount. The battle hound I rode into the war of Vora. Ralph the spider slayer they called him. Had his jaws fitted with diamond. He was stronger than me.

I know, hard to believe.

It's funny; a day prior, I was working on a mega-construct. Yet, here I am, wood as my only resource, am set on erecting a wooden home. No, home is not what I would call this. The base is far more apt for the situation.

My first step is to break some of the logs I have into wooden planks. It gives the illusion of variety. While doing so, some stairs, slabs, and fences are also created.

Quickly heading to the closest body of water, I collect some sand. Bringing it back and smelting it into glass. As much as clear glass would be preferred, this is by no means a permanent base.

When I started playing Minecraft, I built homes. At some point, everything just became a base. Did Minecraft lose its spark at that moment, or did my fanaticism over the game reach new peaks?

Laughing slightly at the question. “I don’t know,” shaking my head in amusement.

Having already cleared a space for the building, I get to work. Smelting some stone as well, since we have stored a sizable amount.

Starting by creating a guideline. An L shape with a small piece hanging out of the large side of the L. Each corner was made out of logs, as that is the most standard and aesthetically pleasing style.

Next, the pillars of oak logs are connected at the top and bottom. This created a skeletal frame to work from. The entire structure is 6 blocks tall with a 4 block cavity between the top and bottom.

Next, I use planks one block inwards to create the actual walls. Making the frame stand out, allowing for a more interesting decorum. Using wooden stairs, turned sideways, something Minecraft had lacked, I place them on the sides of the oak frame. This allows them to look less angular.

With that done, using a combination of slabs and stairs, the inset walls are decorated to look more complex.

On the outside, dirt and trapdoors make small flower gardens around the outside of the build. Using stairs around the corner gave the decorations a cleaner finish. Using slabs staggered at different heights, I added little overhangs on top of the flowers.

At this point, I cut out a few choice windows. Adding a mixture of plain glass with small red glass windows for warm light.

Outside of the house, I create a pathway of stone brick. Creating a sturdy walkway around the building. A few choice trees are planted around the house, surrounded by a brick ring.

Back to the building, the floor is made with a mixture of wood and stone brick. Creating intricate decorations on the floor. Using the same design to seal off the first floor with a flat roof.

At this point, I select which part I want to create into a second floor. Using the upper part of the T, leaving the lower for the entrance. Using the same style, I add a second floor.

With some slabs, I create a low-hanging roof that peaks tall over the entrance of the building. I’ve made better, but roofs have always been a weakness of mine. On the upper floor, I create a far more common-design roof. Triangle shaped, using primarily stairs. The hardest part was getting a clean finish with the tall peaking roof on the lower floor. Having taken the majority of my time.

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With that done, the final task is the internal floor division, room decoration, and external decoration.

Opting to divide the rooms as my task, I start with the entrance. Turning that into a chest area with furnaces and crafting tables. One of the furnaces was turned into an auto-furnace with some of my iron used for hoppers. The next room, made up of the entire remaining first floor, is designated as storage.

A large number of chests are placed lengthwise with neat signs for the organization. Making sure to include a dump chest. If I get the time, I will change this into a simple storage network.

I should have used one when I first came to this world. In some ways, I prefer it over a ME system. It had slipped my mind at the time, but it allows for you to place chests and interconnect them with cables into a master device. Opening the master device gives you a UI startlingly similar to a ME systems UI.

If only I had made it when I was forced to use chests like a poor man. Hindsight is 2020, after all.

Admittedly, the ME is far more versatile. Allowing for auto-crafting within the system and a lot of utility. But if you were to compare the cost to the utility, the simple system comes out on top, no question.

Getting off track; finishing off the storage area, it's time to make the stairs. Creating a simple staircase heading up, allowing for access to the second floor. Nothing too fancy, just oak stairs with a bring barrier and fences. The torches are mounted atop wall fences for the aesthetics of it.

Moving on to the second floor, which is a living area and bedroom area. The first being a warmly lit area with wooden chairs, a table, lots of torches, a skylight, and a brick fireplace. Using some of the string to make carpet, dyed red with poppy flowers. Dotting it around like small rugs; to make the place warm and cozy.

Moving onto the bedroom, I added wooden furniture, personal draws, and 1 bed for now. Need more string to add 2 more beds. A small bookshelf is attached to one wall; next to it, I opened the wall. Creating a small balcony with wood and fences; It’s nothing awe-inspiring but allows for a view and shelter from the rain.

With all that done, let’s finish up the building with a garden. Creating a backdoor exit into a backyard. A large area, fenced in. Using a hoe, I till the earth, planting, wheat, carrot, and potato seeds.

With the basic farm complete, the food shortage will be a thing of the past in a day or two. I say day, but it’s always day here. Next to the farm, a small shed is erected. Nothing grand, just a simple wooden structure with a glass skylight; it looks peaceful. Inside, a single chest lies, holding farming hoes, buckets of water, and the watering can; when I get round to making it.

“I think that should be enough. Let’s get my witchery started.”

Using a bucket to rapidly break seeds, getting the witchery seeds. “Gotta start with the basics,” I hum while getting the seeds.

Just outside the house, I create a large garden with witchery crops. I also create a side garden with more food crops; for the variety when generating power. I gather the saplings of all local trees, planting them around a pre-selected area near the house. Keeping a 6 block space for the altar. While enriching the local nature, some flowers are planted. A lack of bonemeal is staggering the ease in which this could be.

Using the 4 varieties of seeds and some iron, a witch cauldron is made. This marks the start of the mod here. Thankfully, I don’t require nearly as many foundations. Although, I will need diamonds….

“I found diamonds!” I hear from the hole Jengal has dug himself.

Shouting back, “enough for a divining rod!?”

“Hell yeah!” He says, shooting out of the crater with speed reminiscent of the flash. Mentally noting to make him a flash suit for the fun of it.

He throws the diamonds at me, panting for air. “Make divining rod!”

“Why don’t you do it?” I ask while picking the diamonds up off the floor.

“Crafting fatigue, duh.”

“You need to build a tolerance.” Walking over to the crafting table, making the divining rod.

Throwing the rod towards him, “I need diamonds quickly.”

He salutes me, “on it boss.” Before running away, chuckling maniacally.

“How old is he again?” I can’t help but ask myself. Returning to my natural wonderland.

Now, to actually make the brew, I need wool of bat. Not normally a rare commodity, given Hellbats are as common as dirt. Here? No hell bats, just normal ones. Need bats, guess I am going after Jengal; walking towards the sore of the earth. He went a little Diggy Diggy Hole mad, apparently. Hope he doesn’t get the deep crazies.

Walking down the poorly dug hole, trying not to trip on the dozen potholes. Eventually, I reach a dark area. How Jengal sees down here, I don’t know.

Walking for a while, it isn’t long before I hear ‘clang, clang,’ the sound of pickaxe striking something hard.

Following the side, I see Jengal trying to chisel through a wall of obsidian. “Jengal, what are you doing?”

“Getting diamonds.”

“Behind a wall of obsidian?”

“There is a ton behind it.”

Approaching him, hand on chin. “Pass me the rod.”

He does so, allowing me to see what he means. Behind the obsidian lies a small mountain of diamonds.

“How strange,” passing it back to him.

“Right! Damned annoyed. Blasted Nether obsidian,” he curses.

“Well, I will leave you to it. Hit any caves down here?”

“Yeah, head back down the tunnel, second right.”

“Thanks.”

Following the route, I am quickly lead to a large cave system. Intersecting caves connecting to a large angled elliptical cave. Mentally thanking my night vision as I trudge through the dark, damp cave.

The lack of monsters makes this cave a little more creepy. As much as it sounds silly, they really fill out the place; without them, it’s just a creepy cave. Guess the idea of monsters has become my normal.

Wandering through the echoing halls filled me with dread. Feeling only cold iron on my back made me feel naked. How people live with so little protection, I don’t know.

The only light piercing the darkness are the occasional glowing mushrooms, Redstone ore, and glittering rock. The latter of which I tripped over because it is as dull as sharpened sheet metal.

Nonetheless, after smashing it into powder, the shine became notably more visible.

I hear a growl suddenly, sending my heart into my mouth. Before realizing I am very hungry. My own stomach scared me.

After having walked for a few minutes, I came to a long tunnel. Following it, the width gradually expanded. Revealing a large ravine, and with that ravine, the tell tail “squeak” of bats.

“Come here little bats,” I say, stepping foot into the ravine.