[Day 1]
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#o#
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image [https://imgur.com/tgOQ61O.jpg]
[status, Day 1, mana 1/1*, Size 1, core 7, floor progress: 7%]
Well, that is one way to wake up I suppose. It is a bit startling to go from nothing to fully alert in an instant.
But after that, my first sensation is the paradoxical feeling of being both exposed and confined. So, I look around and I can tell two things: it is dark and I am in some sort of box. Or perhaps I am the box, hard to tell, but I can't see anything outside the box, and the only things in the box are a pedestal, perhaps one tenth of a box-width in diameter and one fifth of a box-width in height, in what seems to be the center of the square box. On the pedestal, the part of the box that feels the most 'me' is a partially translucent ball perhaps half as wide as the pedestal that is sort of glowing but not casting any light around it.
Well, that's me, so let's see what would make me feel less exposed.
[Rat summoned]
Ok, cool, I've got a rat and now I feel a lot less exposed. Now let's see what I can do about that confinement.
Rat, go dig at the wall! Nothing.
I focus on the intent to reach out and break open the side of my box, and get rewarded with the sensation of something hard and some bits of wall falling to the floor before evaporating. So not blunt force, perhaps something more like the claws of the rat. Reaching out again, I focus on big rat-like claws cutting into the damaged wall, getting rewarded by more and more of the wall crumbling before my might!
Ok, so not so much a box as an unfinished room with dirt walls, well, I know how to dig now, so let's get digging!
After digging more than a full room-length, the passage started feeling tight and constraining, so I widened it, and once the dug-out area was as big as my starting area, I had an impulse to fill it up. I gave in to the impulse and felt myself rushing into the newer area, suddenly the floor smoothed out and I felt a little less constrained as my awareness spread to encompass this larger area.
Well, ok, I guess that makes my starting area some sort of 'minimum unit area' or some such, and now I have two of them.
Makes me wonder at their significance.
[status, Day 1, mana 1/1*, Size 2, core 7, floor progress: 13%
Defenders: Rat
Traps: Pit, Spikes
Features: Rebirth, Nest]
Oh, that's handy.
Well, since my rat is trying to sleep on the floor, it would probably appreciate a nest now that I have the space for it. Then I can see about digging out some more space.
[Day 2]
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#r.###
#no. #
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image [https://imgur.com/Pw3CGFf.jpg]
[status, Day 2, mana 2/2*, Size 5, floor progress: 33%]
Woah! I just started digging a new two-by-two room and that took a whole day? I did not even have a chance to expand into the area and the day was already over! Wait, where did my rat go? Oh, it went to the nest. Shouldn't I have noticed when that happened? Hmm, would I even notice if I fell asleep as fast as I woke up? I never felt tired, but perhaps if I watch my status more closely I can get a better idea of what is going on.
Ok, then we finish up the new room.
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#r.#..#
#no...#
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image [https://imgur.com/ccM7YiS.jpg]
[status, Day 2, mana 4/4, size 9, floor progress 60%]
Looks like my max mana is perhaps half my size, does growing give more mana too? I need to keep an eye on that while I dig out a third room, if I can.
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#r.#..#.#
#no.....#
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image [https://imgur.com/nxWz6CI.jpg]
[status, Day 2, mana 1/6, size 12, floor progress 80%]
Seems that digging out cost me a mana, but expanding, not so much. Still need to finish that room and perhaps a bit more, but I only have mana for one more space. I wonder if running out of mana is why I got surprised by Day 2. Time to find out.
[Day 3]
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#r.#..#.##
#no..... #
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image [https://imgur.com/NmH7jJq.jpg]
[status, Day 3, mana 6/6*, size 12, floor progress 80%]
Yep, using up my mana seems to end the day, or perhaps put me to sleep. Something to watch for. On the plus side, I should be able to get big enough to create a new floor today. Pretty simple so far, but I also seem to only be a few days old, so perhaps that is ok for now.
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#r.#..#..##
#no.......#
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image [https://imgur.com/ntWTAho.jpg]
[status, Day 3, mana 4/7, size 15, New Floor designation available]
Let's see what happens if I tell it to put the stairs in that newest hallway, speaking of stairs, I probably need a bigger monster or else everything will be stuck on the floor they start on.
[Floor Designated, New Defender: Giant Rat]
Whoa, I was not expecting that!
Everything seems turned around all of the sudden. Now instead of having my rat nest right next to me, it is on the far side of my dungeon. I can also feel that this one alcove where I had intended to put my new stairs is instead the entirety of my new floor. So I guess it is good to know that I can move. Also, that did not make me a set of stairs as I expected, so I guess that is something I do myself.
Well, I guess I can create a new stair-alcove near the nest and build some stairs there.
[Day 4]
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#vr.#..#..##
##n.......o#
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#^#
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image [https://imgur.com/lHbdmJE.jpg]
[status, Day 4, mana 8/8, size 17, floor progress: 13%]
Looks like the stairs took my last couple mana.
Also, my mana is without that star. If I add it all up, I think that might be more than I spent on previous days? Depends on the cost of the new level, but the new things I did yesterday were designate a new floor and build stairs.
I should probably try summoning the new giant rat so this floor seems less empty and more defended. Don't want someone breaking in and smashing me because I neglected my defenders after all. Also, floor progress suggests that the next floor needs roughly the same amount of space this one took.
Looks like the giant rat took a mana and is a good three times as long as the original rat, meaning it probably weighs almost ten times as much. That makes me feel a lot safer.
I think I have enough mana to dig out the next room and add a defender for each room thus far.
[Day 5]
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#vr.#.R#R.##
##n.......o#
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#^R.###
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image [https://imgur.com/OS0ynJT.jpg]
[status, Day 5, mana 8/11, size 23, floor progress: 53%]
It looks like I got the same amount of mana as yesterday and not even full. I think I am going to try to rush the new stairs and see if that gets me additional mana per day, or if I need to designate new floors for that. It also looks like all four of my current rats are happy to curl up in the nest together. My original rat looks almost like a baby compared to the other three, kind of cute.
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#v..#.R#R.##
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#^R.########
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#^#
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image [https://imgur.com/tbbidBr.jpg]
[status, Day 5, mana 1/14, size 28, floor progress: 87%]
So far so good, now to end the day by digging out part of oe of those rooms and see if I have 8 or 9 mana when I wake up!
[Day 6]
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#^R.#.######
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#^#
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image [https://imgur.com/yQKHIwn.jpg]
[status, Day 6, mana 8/14, size 29, floor progress: 93%]
Nope, as expected it is the new floor that gave me the bump in mana per day, and I think I can reach that point today.
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#^R.#..#..##
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#^#
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image [https://imgur.com/ruWOJxs.jpg]
[status, Day 6, mana 5/15, size 33, New Floor designation available]
Yes! new floor time! Let's see what my new defender is like.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
[Floor Designated, New Defender: Goblin]
Oof, that took a chunk of mana, and it stretched my third floor up the steps. Guess I forgot to put an open area on the bottom floor for my core. Well, I'll do better next time, at least I was able to get my core off of that first level.
Let's see if my last mana is enough to summon a goblin to protect me on this floor.
Nope! felt like something was trying to suck out my insides for a moment there, so I'll finish off the day with a second rat here on my second level and try again for the goblin tomorrow.
[Day 7]
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#^R.#R.#.o##
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image [https://imgur.com/GZFwlH9.jpg]
[status, Day 7, mana 9/16, size 33, Core 9, floor progress: 20%]
Good to get verification that mana per day is the same as Core and goes up with each floor.
Now let's check out my new defender.
Looks like the goblin would be about four rats long if it layed on the ground, a bit less tall than that with the hunch. It has hands, so it would probably be more effective with a weapon, but the only thing that came with it is a loincloth. I'll need to see if I can find something suitable for it.
Took three mana though, so I probably need a source of weapons for it to be cost-effective to summon more.
I seem to be a little ahead of the curve on space, and as I wanted to carve out a place for my core before allocating the next floor, I think I should rush the stairs again.
Interesting, my goblin came down to watch me dig, collecting several fist-sized rocks from the floor before they disappeared. I guess it can find some weapons after all. Hopefully it will be effective in supporting my rats. It would still be nice if there was a way for me to give it weapons though.
[Day 8]
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image [https://imgur.com/ENvzJtr.jpg]
[status, Day 8, mana 9/20, size 41, floor progress: 73%]
Yep, looks like I'll hit 100% before I even dig out my new core space, and I should have just enough for the four mana to create the next floor. Things seem to be speeding up!
Also, since yesterday, it looks like the goblin managed to sharpen one of its rocks, so at least it has a sort-of knife now.
Up to size 46 with four mana left and a couple oof open areas on the next floor, so let's designate!
Oof, clearly four mana is not enough. I guess for now I'll put that mana into the bits I skipped.
[Day 9]
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#^.#
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image [https://imgur.com/0BeOFY9.jpg]
[status, Day 9, mana 9/23, size 57, New Floor designation available]
Well, nine should be plenty of mana for a new level, so let's start with that and see if I have enough to try out the new defender after that.
[Floor Designated, New Defender: Orc]
[Day 10]
What? it took more than twice as much just for the new floor? It'll probably take like twenty for the next floor at this rate.
I really need to find a way to get more mana per day if this is going to continue. One full days worth of mana for the last level, probably two full days worth for the next level, then what, three days, four? I think it was roughly half of a days worth of mana for the second level, and probably about half of that for the first one, so, yea, probably four days worth of mana just to get the next defender and another mana per day. At least the floor size should not be as much of a problem... I hope.
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#^.#
##o#
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image [https://imgur.com/B51MDer.jpg]
[status, Day 10, mana 10/23, size 57, Core 10, floor progress: 10%]
That would have been 13% progress last time, so floors are needing to get bigger as well. That is probably needed just so that the mana needed for a new floor is not higher than the max mana when ready to make the new floor. That will likely start doubling as well just to keep up.
Well, let's see how much an Orc costs then.
Four mana is not too bad, and it certainly looks bigger and meaner than the goblin. Perhaps half again as tall? Probably about two giant rats in length. Still has the same problem as the goblin though.
I wonder if I could send them out to go get real weapons. I have a fair bit of defensive in depth going on here, and it will only be made better if I can properly equip my bigger minions. Even a stout tree branch should be good enough to start with, so I guess I am ready to open up and try to send out my goblin to make better weapons.
The original stair alcove that I finally managed to pull my core out of seems like the logical entrance.
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#vr.#.R#.R##
##n.......^#
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image [https://imgur.com/MM9Vy0S.jpg]
Now let's see if I can get this right. (Go out. Make Weapons. Bring Back)
Good, it's moving. And that seemed to take a mana, so good to know I have the option, but probably bot cost-effective to use very often.
Everyone has been up and patrolling for a while, hope it comes back soon. I would not want to spend the rest of my mana on another attempt.
Seems like a fair bit of light is coming down those new stairs, so there must be something out there.
Looks like a shadow, perhaps a visitor? Oh, looks like the goblin is back, but now with a bunch of stuff.
A spear with its knife as the tip, a club stuck through its loincloth, some sort of furry pouch for stones, more stones, and some sort of string-pouch combination that calls forth the name 'Sling'. Should make it much more effective, I think.
That worked well. I can send that orc out for equipment and give it a bit more living space.
[Day 11]
That seemed to work pretty well, the orc has a stack of spears, a shield and a spare, and a stone axe stuck through its loincloth. I wonder if it is hinting that it would be more effective with a partner. Worth a try. That still leaves me enough to finish up my third level like the second, including sending out the new goblin to make some weapons.
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[Jeremy, Year 11, Day 23]
One day I'm going to be a world renowned hero, leading grand armies and slaying demons and dragons with a single blow! Take that Mr, dragon, and that and That!
Wait, what was that noise? Mom said there were wolves in these woods, I sure hope it is not wolves, but I had better check.
Looks like some sort of gnarled green thing, no taller than I am and it is looking for something. I think it is heading towards Mrs. Jones chicken coop.
This is my chance!
Jeremy eagerly runs back home and digs out the helmet, spear and shield from when his grandfather came back from the last great war. It is a little tricky to strap on since he is smaller than his grandfather was, but he gets everything more or less attached as he rushes out the door to rescue the chickens from the fearsome monster.
When he spots it, it seems to be banging together some rocks, and Jeremy manages to sneak up on it and run it through with his spear, just like a great hero! Sure the great hero might not have tripped at the last moment, but he managed to hold on to his spear and poke the goblin through the belly as he fell. The monster tried to throw rocks at him, but he hid behind his shield, and kept jiggling the spear trying to get it free until the rocks and squeals stopped and the spear finally came loose.
Feeling like a brave hero(with only slightly soiled pants), Jeremy watched as the goblin evaporated into sparkles that seemed to be blowing up-wind until they faded out.
Jeremy had paid attention to the stories and he knew that meant this goblin was part of a raiding party from a dungeon. A real life Dungeon! If he could find it he could use it for training instead of stupid trees, and then once he was ready to set out and find his fortune, he could sell the location to the exterminator guild for enough to get all the weapons and armor he would need to be the best hero ever!
He just had to follow where the sparks had pointed and he would have everything he needed!
It was further than he expected, almost halfway to the next village, but that was all for the good as that meant no one else would find it and destroy it before he was done with it. Sure dungeons were dangerous and killed people, but Jeremy was a hero in training, and he could handle it. He even killed that goblin without a single wound! He would not even keep it forever, just long enough to become a great warrior, then he could let the exterminators get rid of it when he was done!
It could not even be a very old dungeon or else it would already have been found and destroyed, so he would be fine, right?
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[Intruder Detected]
Wait, what?
How are my defenses? Orcs are good, Rats are good, only one goblin though, so the other must still be out, if it is still alive.
It looks like a human adolescent, no taller than my goblins, but it seems to have a bit of armor with a crest and a nice spear, so it might be just a scouting party.
Seems fairly clumsy, but it still manages to kill both of my giant rats on the first level without injury. Seems to have tired it out though, and the normal rat managed to sneak up and bite it on the heel, making it stumble and fall.
Looks like the human can't stand without using its spear as a crutch, but it seems to be leaving. Not good, I can't let word get back to the rest of them. I do not know if this will work, but (Everyone! attack and kill the interloper!) Most of them seem to be moving, which is good. The giant rats make it to the top of the stairs about the same time as the goblin coming up from behind them, and manage to tackle the human to the ground with its shield and spear trapped under it. It did not take them long to end the threat, but I am sure I will need more defenses as soon as I can get them.
Huh, now that it has stopped bleeding and everyone went back to where they came from, the human seems to be turning into sparkles. I feel invigorated. I wonder why.
[Status, Day 11, Mana 26/26]
Woah, full mana just like that? Perhaps invaders are not so bad.
I want more defenses though.
First replace the second floor defenses but replacing the rat with another goblin, then add an orc to the third floor.
Add some more space to that last level, and finish with a couple more orcs to reinforce that last level and act as reserves.
Finally, send out the orc with the axe to make gear for the new orcs and goblin.
[Day 12]
Looks like the scavenger orc came back. Looks like all the Orcs now have shields and the goblin now has a couple of wooden spears.
That feels pretty effective, especially all those orcs guarding my core. I think I want to move behind them however. I think the next level requirement is only three of four more spaces, so digging out the next core nook should take nearly half of my mana. I am not sure why I ended up getting an extra mana today, might be because of my kill count, or perhaps the surface-entrance lets mana in more easily.
Six mana is unlikely to be enough for the next floor since the last one took nine, but it does not hurt much to check. Oof, Nope, not enough. Hopefully tomorrow then.
Is this the first time I am spending all day without finishing my mana? Must be, as I did not realize days were this long. The orcs seem to be mostly sleeping in shifts, but the rats seem to spend the first part of the day asleep in that nest, then they come out and wander around their posts around the time light starts coming down the entrance.
[Day 13]
Seventeen mana, not quite twice the nine mana cost of the last floor, but enough for a test.
[Floor Designated, New Defender: Ogre]
Oh, that sounds nice, but my one remaining mana is not nearly enough to get one out by the feel of it when I try.
Looks like the next level will take a while, so I might as well start on that last room on my fourth floor.
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image [https://imgur.com/RAqxKAt.jpg]
[status, Day 13, mana 0/32, size 65, Core 11, next floor progress: 6%]
[Intruder Detected]
Oh, nice, I could really use the extra mana.
Wow, these intruders look really professional. They read as humans, but all I can see is a jointed metal skin with a white tabard over the torso with two halves of a black circle on either side of a lightning shaped cut-out from the circle. Perhaps a lightning bolt passing in front of an orb, but you cannot see the rest of the lightning because it matches the background?
In any case, they each have a sword on their hip with a big shield and a long spear in their hands. The six of them are formed up in two lines that fully take up the width of my corridor, fitted tightly enough that I doubt even my original rat could fit through, just a small cut-out for the spears with the second set of spears resting on the tops of the shields of the front row.
Yea, that first rat did not stand a chance, it had two spears through it before it could even get close, and now that those six are moving into the room, there are more invaders coming behind them. The next three have bows and only have heavy leather clothing, exposing their faces and parts of their hands.
Behind them come two people wearing lighter leather and carrying staves, followed by another metal covered guy with a sword out instead of a spear. Oddly enough, that last one seems to mostly be walking backwards.
The second rat fares no better than the first, and even though the goblin's spear is shorter than the length of the invader spears in front of their shields, it gets hit by two arrows to the chest and goes down.
Then one of the staff invaders holds up their staff and shoots the nest with something that quickly burns it to ashes.
Wow, these invaders really seem to know what they are doing.
On the second floor, the goblin with the sling manages to get off one shot before getting hit by three arrows, unfortunately, the stone just shattered against the wall of shields, not even leaving a mark.
On the third floor, the orc manages to catch two arrows on it's shield before taking a third arrow to the knee, only to be finished off by the spears that are so terribly efficient against the giant rats.
At least it looks like the arrows in the shield got damaged or something as they do not bother to pick them up as they pass.
Hopefully the four orcs making up my last line of defense can bottle-neck them at the stairs, making them give up and go home.
They do manage to bottle-neck them, but the staff intruder that burned down the nest comes forward and explodes the entire first room, with the metal armored invaders still in it.
It was a pretty big blast as it killed all four orcs and even seemed to injure the front shield holders.
Not for long though, as the other staff holder comes forward after the room is secured and covers them in a white light until even the scorch marks on their armor are gone.
When they get down to my core in the nook on the last floor, the sword invader in the back runs back to the entrance before coming back down with four more invaders carrying an ornate chest with sticks coming out of the front and back by holding the sticks on their shoulders.
That chest gives me a strong sense of foreboding. I am fairly certain that that chest has a large, ornate gold-colored hammer that I want nothing to do with. I don't know why I think that, and the only other thing that I can think of is that if that hammer touches me there will be a deep, soul-sucking agony.
Once the chest carriers put the chest down at the foot of the stairs, everyone but the swordsman retreats up the stairs before the swordsman opens up the chest, and I start feeling as if life is being sucked out of me.
When he lifts up the cursed hammer of my fears, the feeling intensifies, with cracks forming throughout my core.
When the invader turns to face my core with the hammer, I know with every fiber of my being that the closer that hammer gets, the worse it will be, and if it touches me again, there will be nothing left.
In a blind panic, I try desperately to flee from the on-coming hammer, letting go of all other considerations.
In my attempt to escape, I stop struggling to hold my core together against the cracks suffusing it, allowing it to fall to pieces as the invader holding the hammer takes its first step.