As an ecstatic ball of gelatin, Shimmer really enjoyed her new role as the dungeon’s protector. The very heart of creation was at her center because Vault had trusted her just that much!
Obviously, she used this time to take the Creator on a tour around their dungeon, showing them all the sights. They didn’t get out much, so never got to see what they made.
It reminded her of the good old days. Back when she was the first and only monster in the dungeon. Days when she didn’t have many friends, and she hunted the plants she now grows. A lot had changed since then, and yet it felt like almost nothing changed at all.
Even now, three years later, she patrolled the dungeon to collect mana to feed the Creator. Soil full of plants, microbes, insects. So much had grown since those early days, but that was alright. Change could be scary, but that’s why she needed to wake up the Creator. Everyone counted on them - on her.
As she basked in the sun and let the warmth flow through her, she thought about how much mana was in the dungeon this time. This would be so much easier than the first time! Those early days were slow. They were good times she didn’t miss.
The sunlight warmed her and made the algae that grew in her body tingle as it converted the energy into… well, energy, but this energy was for the dungeon crystal. She could pass on the warmth of the light to her Creator. She could make them feel the same happiness they brought her. It was a good day.
A good several days.
Several days that became a week as the tour of the dungeon continued. They started with the early morning song of the birds coughing, to move on and meet that day’s ant queen, and spent the rest of the afternoon under the sun. From where they would take their naps together, many monsters stopped by to help in whatever way they could. They all cared for the Creator.
A love and care that stirred something deep in the dungeon. The crystal had warmed up, mana flowed through Shimmer as it circulated through the dungeon, originating from the stone at her center.
Her brother’s plan had worked. The dungeon was awake!
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Wet, slimy, tired, and hungry.
All worthless feelings. Dungeon not supposed to feel like this. Dungeon supposed to be full of food and mana…
Why is Shimmer hugging crystal?
Crystal not food for Shimmer! Crystal is dungeon, not food! Shimmer get food for dungeon, not eat it!!
“But happy!”
No, no happy or hug, dungeon is not food.
> System booting….
> Understanding Increased: MISTAKE - Never do that again
Big words are loud and useless. Dungeon survive. Lots of mana around to eat, dungeon no longer hungry. Wait, why dungeon not hungry? Mana is everywhere, plenty to eat!!
> Analysis: Mana has saturated environment.
> Arcane Race passive effect ‘Arcane Manipulation’ - As mana density rises, so does control over your domain. Threshold met to no longer require mana to enter crystal to manipulate.
Dungeon…. Not hungry? But food everywhere, that means eat!
Words useless, stop making dungeon feel weird. Dungeon not like.
Dungeon feel really weird…. crystal hurt? Strained, hollow… slimy. Why is Shimmer still hugging crystal???
Return crystal to center of dungeon, to lair! Yes, good, move. Why is Shimmer moving slower? Slime can move faster. Dungeon crystal need to be underground.
> Answer: Core has undergone a rapid change through adversity. Intelligence and mana manipulation have significantly increased.
> Slime Race Title Attained: Arcane Instincts - Due to several members of the species’ proximity to mana stones, they have learned to feed on pure mana. Species can understand of the flow of will in the universe.
Dungeon is smart. Dungeon learns a lot. Dungeon knows these words are useless.
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Dungeon not feel bigger or stronger. Slimes not look stronger. Words are not helpful. Words are lying.
> Understanding Not Increased: Lying - without the understanding of language or purpose, requirements for deceit are unfulfilled.
Dungeon knows about plants and animals that look weird. They look like other things. Spiders look like shadow. Ants look like rocks. They lie.
> ……
> Anyways….
> Adaptation of slime species unlocked: spell slime
> Adaptation unavailable - dungeon lacks a slime spawner
> Would you like to designate a slime spawner? [Y/N] [Costs 500 ‘ant points’]
Evolution into stronger slime possible? Evolution makes good, dungeon chooses yes!
Dungeon make big cauldron full of sap and slime. Spell slimes pop out and fill dungeon. They must become strong.
> Spell Slime Spawner ‘Cauldron’ created. Upgrades available:
* Physique Upgrade: Increase size, density, and acid potency for all slimes; cost 56 ‘ant points’
* Efficiency Enhancement: Slime generation costs less mana: costs 11 ‘AP’
* Racial Paragon - already owned (Shimmer and Vault)
* Racial Specialty: Apply titles owned by paragons to the entire population: costs 333 ‘AP’
* Programmable biology - owned; may further alter habits for 10 ‘AP’ each
* Variation in Mitosis - unlocks cell division and mutation in the species: costs 2020 ‘AP’
* Warning: Needs plenty of space for the population to grow.
* Anarchy Adaptation: Fusion of Aphid’s amber to help resist structure in blooming population. Costs: 5000 ‘AP’
* New: Provide Loot Upon Death - Costs 115 ‘AP’
Yes. Yes to all upgrades. Make slimes strong. Aphids hurt delver, so that makes them strongest. Aphids will make slimes even more stronger!!
Wait…. What is loot?
> Understanding Increased: Reward and Loot - Prize for delvers who accomplish their goals in the dungeon. Learned when the previous delver collected mana stones from ants.
Reward? Prize? No, that all bad. Dungeon not here to give reward.
> *Sigh….*
> Understanding Increased: Loot - bait for people
Dungeon really likes loot. Dungeon needs lots of rewards for all people. This is good idea dungeon had.
Thinking… dungeon needs more things like loot, but not rewards. How can dungeon get bait to attract all people?
> Information: Dungeons are not just zones full of monsters to kill people, but can adapt to any challenge in a multitude of ways by combining several aspects-
Dungeon thinking. Not care for useless words. Need place for people….
> Would you like to designate a safe zone? [Y/N]
> Safe zones can populate a dungeon to increase both passive and active mana assimilation based upon their use by-
Yes, dungeon likes food. More mana is good. Make safe zone!!
Dungeon needs a small campfire directly above crystal lair. That way food is close to center, which is good. Now dungeon just needs monsters to go into safe zone and make food!
> Dungeon Monsters can not enter safe zone.
What?
> Dungeon safe zones provide a space to rest for delvers (but not invaders) where no monsters can hunt them. While the area is in use, mana assimilation increases by fifty ‘AP’ per hour, or by five ‘AP’ while inactive. Limited to two due to size.
Words are very useless.
And stupid.
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A tall hill, another tall hill. One after another.
Baros walked past another patch of grass. He knew it was the dungeon’s influence on the landscape, but that its own border did not extend this far. It had grown since he was last here.
The thought worried him. How much had it grown stronger? He had trained and had more enchanted items, but would it be enough? Was he too late? Had he missed his chance?
His mind slipped into overthinking every possibility. To distract himself, he counted things as he walked past. One patch of grass, two, four, a patch of moss, another one, a pile of feathers….. That made him take a double take.
On closer inspection, a dungeon monster had escaped the borders that confined it.
With his eyes staying firmly on the sky, he trekked ever closer to the dungeon. The only thing he could do was pray that he was prepared.
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Race: Spell Slime
Name: slime-1
Spawner: Anarchy Couldren
Speed: 2
Strength: 7
Int: 4
HP: 15
Emotion: --
Diet: Omnivore (Magic preference)
Racial Ability: (Spell Slime)
Magic Consumption
10% of magical effects are converted to healing
Paragon Effect:
Solar Thread
[See below]
* Solar Thread is a modifier caused by the titles and abilities of paragons that affect the species as a whole. The membrane of each member has been replaced with a woven net of silk (result of Overseer), which is capable of catching light (result of mana-photosynthesis) to allow temperature control within their body. These threads do not hamper their ability to eat things smaller than themselves. At this time the threads can not be hardened into a crystal structure (due to effects of anarchy amber), but provide further resistance to harmful spells.