1.14 Have you ever tried to pet a Bee?

What is a Dungeon one might ask? In its most basic form, a Dungeon is a System created bandage that protects the wider Realm from either a Source of Corruption, or an unusual high Essence Density. In Triquetra, a Dungeon is always a separate pocket dimensional space capable of “Spawning” its own creatures and items like a mystical three d photocopier. Castle basements used to store prisoners are known as ‘Gaols’, the homes of non-Dungeon Monsters are called ‘Lairs’. Dungeon creations are not truly “real” and rapidly sublimate into Aethyr when removed from a Dungeon Zone. More than anything Dungeon Creations are a way to store excess Essence in a pseudo material form. Dungeon Creatures do not have Souls, and their Minds are more or less routine behavioral programs. They are not able to truly learn and grow. Separated from their home Dungeon, they can not long survive. They can still do a lot of damage before fading away.

That doesn’t mean people can’t extract usable resources from a Dungeon. Dungeon conjured Items and Creatures can be stabilized, effectively turning them ‘Real’. Such Items are known as Dungeon Treasures. It is these Treasures that make control of a Dungeon so important to the economy and status of many communities.

Then there is the phenomena of Experience Farming. Not only does the higher Essence Levels speed Recovery, but increases Experience gains. Dungeons are functional more like Video Games, where Dungeons Reward victors of battles and challenges with Dungeon Experience. Although Dungeons can be used to speed level Classers, it has drawbacks. Dungeon Experience is addictive, and contains Spiritual Impurities that can interfere with future growth. As a general rule, one must spend 6-24 hours outside of a Dungeon Zone for every hour inside in order to fully process the Dungeon Experience. Some Dungeon Addicts actual lose part of themselves, becoming bound to the Dungeon as if turning into a Dungeon Creature. The Delver subclass primarily improves the Classers ability to process Dungeon Experience without side effects.

Unlike Controlled (also known as Tamed or Cultivated) Dungeons, Wild Dungeons sometimes create Monster Waves. Much like the spill gate of a damn, these Waves allow the Wild Dungeon to expel the build up of Wild Essence, and prevent the Dungeon from permanent Breach. Even worse are Corrupt or Vile Dungeons, whose connection with the System has been corrupted by some outside power. Vile Dungeons actively seek to spread their influence, to corrupt the Realm.

I had found a Wild Dungeon, formed far from the controls of civilisation. Without Classers regularly harvesting resources, the Essence build up had allowed the Dungeon to Evolve. While the Tier represented the highest Level Creature the dungeon could Spawn, the Rank addressed the relative degree of danger it represented. A Level15 Wolf is a bigger threat than a Level 15 Sheep. Frankly, I wasn’t even sure I qualified as an Iron Rank threat myself, Bronze was way out of my league. There was no way I could even imagine challenging even the first Floor of the Dungeon by myself. Luckily, that was something I could change.

Companions! What is the big deal about being a Companion?

1. Companions are treated as having pre-Consented for Spells, meaning a Caster has an easier Difficulty even when the subject is unconscious, restrained, or otherwise unable to Consent. Without Consent all Spells, even beneficial ones,must succeed a Spell Attack in order to work.

2. There are many Companion specific Spells and Feats, that allow greater Communication, Healing, Locating, or other types of help, but only for Companions.

3. Often the most useful benefit is that Companions are able to share System Rewards between themselves. This means a high Level Classer can help speed Level a lower Level Companion.

Anyone could take advantage of the general Companion Mechanique, all that was required is that all involved parties Swear a System Recognized Vow of Companionship. The Vow did require non-compulsory and informed consent, so normally only Person Type Creatures that shared a common language could form Companionships. Children, Slaves, Foreigners, Animals, Plants, and Minerals were often excluded as being unable to either truly understand or consent to the Vow. There were ways around those limitations.

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Over time, and with much effort, a bond may grow between Pet and Owner sufficient enough that the System may recognise as Consent. This is far easier to accomplish with Animals, than with Plant or Mineral Types, but given a thousand years or so and an Elf could conceivably form a Companion Bond with a tree. There are rumors of a Race Evolution for Dwarves that gives them Companion Rocks. Cavaliers, Heralds,and Riders form Companion Bonds with their Mounts, Falconers form Bonds with their Birds, and Hunters with their Hounds. Then come the Rangers.

{Favored Companion} grants Communication and Social Interaction bonuses to a single Creature type. These bonuses permit the forming of Companion Bonds with individuals of that Type. They still have freewill, they can choose whether or not to Consent, but the Class Feature itself informs the potential Companion all it needs to know in order to Consent. It isn’t Slavery, poor treament can break the Bond, resulting in Backlash, Level Depletion, and loss of the Feature itself. At first Level the Ranger can only choose between the three common domesticated hunting Companions: Hawks, Horses, and Hounds. By having positive encounters with other Creatures Types, more possibilities are added to the list. Because the Class Feature only grants one choice every ten Levels, it is not unusual for Rangers to wait a few Levels to Choose, giving them more options. Especially because they can only Choose either a {Favored Companion} or a {Favored Enemy}, without spending Skill Points.

I had not chosen either option as yet due to limited choices. The unlocking of the Eagle subclass gave me several additional choices: Lynx, Wolf, Bear, Lion, and Eagle. Those were Creatures I had a much better chance of finding there in the Wild. I knew there were Bears around, although I was pretty sure Smokey would reject a Companion Bond. Animals of a lower Tier but equal or higher Level could actually Evolve as a result of Consenting to the Bond, a decent carrot for future Companions. There was a limit on the total number of Companions a single individual could have, based on Class, Race, Presence, and Tier. My Class Feature would allow one free Companion per Chosen Creature Type before using up those slots.

For a moment I thought of trying to befriend a bee, and adding to my list. As a Swarm Type, I didn’t think being nice to a single bee would work, and I didn’t want to get closer to the Dungeon without backup.

Then there was my Familiar. Unlike Companions, who must be actual living Creatures, Familiars are Spirits granted temporary physical form by either Spell or Feature. The physical manifestation is limited in power by the Summoners effective Level. So even if was a 30th Level Spirit, the manifestation would only be Level 5. It would only take me one hour to Summon, and would last for five days, but trying something like that right next to a Wild Dungeon Zone filled with oversized bees, even I wasn’t quite that reckless.

Carefully, oh so carefully I backed away from the clearing. I would be back, when I was ready. Rather than head straight back to the Glade, I decided to explore in the direction of the last Obstruction. [Sanctuary] would only last for another 18 hours and I wanted to maximise that before heading back. I would summon once I returned as was fully rested.

The next several hours were uneventful, not even a squirrel or rabbit. I found evidence of other large animals, if none so big as Smokey, but they all seemed to have disappeared. I was working myself into a fit before I realized it was the [Sanctuary] effect. I made notes on my map of where I found evidence of wolves and an other location with large cats. It was just as the sun began to set that I gave up. This part of Briarwood was becoming swampy. There was more fungus and moss, oaks had replaced pines, and the ground squeaked underneath. The scent of rot and decay was drowning out the cloves. Whatever was in here, wasn’t something I wanted to deal with in the dark.