Centurion Marcus Aurelius waited until the supply wagons were a mile down the road from the village before he motioned for Legionnaire Gustuvus to move up to where he was walking a dozen yards in front of the lead wagon. "I owe you an apology Gustuvus. I really hadn't thought that any village could supply this much meat to the Legion."

Gustuvus just nodded. "They certainly are taking their contract seriously, sir. "

"That they are. It was refreshing to talk to people dedicated to their work. The overseer, William, was actually quite eager to add the wheat and corn we need to his contract."

Probably hoping to look good in the eyes of his patron, Lord Vernon. While any overseer would do his patron's wishes and carry out his orders, it was a rare one that gladly took on extra work. Most likely hoping for a large bonus at the holidays.

The amount of bread it took to feed a legion was massive. Rowan Keep’s force was only a fourth part of a century. Each of the keep's 25 soldiers would require a bushel of wheat each month. To the 300 bushels of wheat for the soldier's diet was added an additional 200 more to feed couriers, traveling auxiliaries plus keeping up a supply for emergencies. Roughly two crops a year and 10 acres of good land were required to grow that much grain.

"And already expanding their operation. The old barn wasn't even three weeks old and they are putting up a new one already." Gustuvus had seen workers hoisting beams he'd need three men to carry.

"I was quite surprised at how they went about it. As it was explained by the artisan running their slaughterhouse, the current barn and smokehouse were too small. Novel idea just to burn them down and cure all the meat and hides at once. I'd heard of pit curing, but not seen it before."

Gustuvus agreed, "Novel, but you can't argue with results. He supplied us with a hundred well cured carcasses that taste mighty fine and will store for a couple of years. The hides surprised me though. The black colored ones are hard as a rock. Good boot and strap leather. But the red hides are supple and smooth - and tough. I tested to make sure the heat hadn't ruined them - they didn't tear and resisted cutting when I took my dagger to them. Have you seen that type of hide before?"

"Oh, yes. It's highly sought after by officers in the south. Not only is it exceptional quality leather, but it has innate resistance to fire and rot. It's very hard to come by though. Needs to come from animals grazing in a high mana area, then needs to be cured with special ingredients and methods.

"Obviously the artisan, Ozimandias, I think his name was, wouldn't divulge the method. He just shrugged when I asked and said, 'Enough wood, enough heat.' But I did distinctly smell the odor of dwarven whiskey. That may be one of the components. "

Gustuvus ventured a comment. "I see that you asked him for a thousand bushels of wheat and another of corn; plus, an equal amount of groats for feeding horses. Should I arrange for more wagons to move the surplus out to other keeps?"

Marcus considered. It was a fair question, and the answer would reveal things beyond the pay grade of a common soldier. "How long have you been with the Emperor's Legion, Gustuvus? How does it suit you?"

"Seven years and a bit sir. Just signed up for another seven-year hitch."

That pleased Marcus. This one was young enough he wouldn't be retiring soon, dedicated enough that he re-enlisted, and smart enough that he was already being assigned work beyond a common soldier. "Good to hear. When we get back, upgrade your gear to Optio. I'm promoting you and moving you to my staff."

"Thank you, sir. I'm thinking that means you need some work done."

"It certainly does, Optio Gustuvus. Duke Carl has asked for the northern border to be reinforced. I'll be staying on at Rowan and calling for the rest of my century. I already have an architect working on plans for the expansion. Your job is to source the local area for workers, stone, lumber, and anything else we need. So, let’s hear your thoughts on that?"

Gustuvus just nodded slightly. The reward in the legion for a job well done was generally getting assigned a bigger job. But bigger jobs came with promotions. He'd suspected bigger jobs were coming.

"Road first, sir. You saw the quality of the road they were building north to their lumbering operations. I'll convince them to put a branch to the quarry they are starting and then expand it the ten miles between Sedgewick and Rowan. Normally you can only move heavily laden wagons about 5 months out of the year. With a proper road, we can work all year long with no problems resupplying from this area."

"Next we’ll need foundation stones and heavy beams. I'll work with the architect to get storerooms built first. Extra troops can be put in tents, but food needs proper storage. That's basics, but we'll need a lot more. What we can't get locally, I'll requisition from the Wulfsburg supply depot."

"Good. You have a handle on the job. Get started. Give me a short daily report each morning, but otherwise I'll leave you to your job." Marcus felt a bit of relief from the pressure he normally carried like a yoke on his shoulders. He'd be back and forth between Rowan and Wulfsburg this next month. Having someone to start the expansion would go a long way towards making his life easier.

================================================================

"That is one ugly rat critter." Ozzy was looking at the dead rat-kin in the tavern's basement.

Aliester was looking at the thing's claws and knife. "The claws would have a hard time getting through armor. And the knife is of shoddy workmanship. Dangerous, especially against a lone human. I'm sorry that Suzette was the one attacked, but actually better than Derek. I doubt he would have survived."

Ozzy scowled; he hadn't thought of it that way. Clearing 10 rats was a joke quest for new players, but for the average person living in the village, this thing was a real threat. So were those big rats in the other room. "I'm hauling these things out and feeding them to the pigs, then we'll go through the whole basement looking for a crack in the wall or some way these things get in."

The pigs weren't picky. They ate nearly anything and got all the leftovers from the tavern and a lot of the garbage generated in the village. Derek added some grain now and then. Suzette always had the adventurers that completed the quest toss the rats to them. These were just bigger rats as far as he was concerned. He did help out by chopping all three corpses up a bit with his cleaver. As he started dumping the parts into their trough, the pigs came thundering out of the little covered pen where they slept.

Squealing and pushing their snouts into the trough they argued about who got the most. The argument was ended by the last arrival. The sow was four times bigger than the other pigs and probably weighed close to a half ton. She looked at the rapidly emptying trough and the rat-kin corpse Ozzy was about to cut up. She snorted and started pawing the ground. Ozzy agreed to a quick compromise - the sow got the whole rat-kin thrown to her, and she didn't try to jump the fence. Both sides thought this was a good idea.

Aliester was in the sub-basement looking at the stacked barrels in one corner. "I think there is something behind these barrels." Ozzy got to work tossing them aside.

A set of stairs started about six feet from the wall, leading downward through an arch. Ten feet down a short tunnel was a sturdy rectangular oak door measuring 7'x5'. Ornate but rusty hinges held it in the stone frame. It was bound in iron with a latch but no lock. Above the door was a piece of crystal the color of blood.

"Well, that explains things. You have a dungeon down here Ozzy. Imagine that." Aliester took out a notebook and started sketching the stairs, door, and hinges. "I'm going to take some notes for reference, but this seems to be a common entrance theme. No real clues as to the dungeon’s nature. It could have almost anything inside."

"Oh, just a common dungeon...Aliester, why the fething hell do we have a dungeon in the basement, and how did it get here?"

Aliester shrugged. "We may never know...or there may be a book inside that explains the origin. Dungeons don't always give answers for why they show up. But the most common reason is an excess of magic. It has to go somewhere, and often the world reacts by taking all that magic and creating a dungeon."

Ozzy slammed his palm against him forehead. "And Suzette said she saw a black river of dark mana pouring down the road, and the Daemon was using it to feed. Guess we know where the rest went. So, what so we do? Block it off?"

"I would not advise that at all." Aliester put away his book and lit his pipe, sitting on one of the barrels. "Dungeons form part of a cycle. The dungeon absorbs excess mana that gets pushed into the world from various places. Dark is the worst. Not only is it powerful, but it's thick and heavy. It's prone to flowing down and pooling underground until it creates a dungeon or other effect. If you block it off, it will just create another exit."

"But that's not the worst thing. A dungeon that fills completely can do worse things. The first is to burst and expel all the occupants out into the world. Imagine the fun of hundreds of giant rats and ratkins appearing all at once. Towns are killed this way and the Emperor's Legion must clear the area and send in teams to weaken the dungeon."

"The dungeon can also evolve and get stronger. This is in some ways worse than a burst. After an evolution it can fill again with mana. And when it bursts even stronger creatures will venture out. This is how we think the powerful dungeons of legend came to be. They formed in out of the way places, evolving over and over until they were ancient and terrible. Their surroundings full of creatures that had been cast out of the dungeon."

Ozzy pondered that. "Ok, how can we tell? Do we have to go in?"

"We should, but a full group would be better. I can tell the state of the dungeon by putting my hand on the crystal on the door." Aliester walked down the stairs and reaching up, put his hand on the crystal after removing his glove. Ozzy stood down the hall. At least he'd come expecting to have to fight rats. He was wearing his apron and heavy gloves over his normal clothes. And in one hand he had his new barbeque tongs.

Ancient Billhook of Entwined Fates

Crafted by Algwyn Aelfbane, a dark dwarven smith of deep iron.

This weapon is of high quality and enchanted to channel spells. Any wizard may use it as a spell focus similar to a staff.

Materials: Deep Iron, True Silver, Blackroot

Quality: Ancient (+10% to hit, +10 damage). Applies both to melee attacks and spell attacks.

Base Chance to hit: 40%, base damage 130 points.

You are not yet skilled with this weapon. Practice or kill foes to gain basic skill.

He'd brought it for poking in rat holes. Maybe this was just a bigger hole?

Aliester said something very colorful and foul as Ozzy got a message about the dungeon.

You have discovered the Lair of the Under-Rodent 99%

"It's about to burst. We have to go in and buy some time for other adventurers to arrive." Aliester tossed his robe aside. Underneath he wore light leather clothing that covered all of his skin. He slung a bandolier of potions around one shoulder, pulled down his goggles over his eyes, and pulled out a thick metal wand. "Ready when you are. I have healing and stamina potions of course, but also a nice assortment of explosions and buffs. Plus, I can supply quite a bit of damage with this blasting wand."

"Ok, let me go first. I can probably take a hit better than you." Ozzy went forward and grasped the handle. There was a bit of disorientation, and then he was at the start of a long hallway - a large hallway! The floor was of some dark slate, and the walls made of huge blocks of stone. The hallway was 12' high and the ceiling was arched and at least 16' high. Of more immediate importance, three humanoid rats were standing in front of him. Two more ratkin were laying on the ground, burned and moaning.

None of them were looking at Ozzy; their attention taken up by something to the side. He used that to his advantage and tried to swing the heavy pole weapon sideways like an ax, using the sharpened edge of the curved bill. The polearm swung in a huge arc, taking the first rat totally by surprise, breaking it's back and nearly cutting it in half.

The other two turned, cursing him. "More humans, more! Kill them!" But before they or Ozzy could swing or move, a small red ball trailing sparks hit the ground and exploded. Ozzy stumbled back from the explosion. The two ratkin lying on the ground were flung and bounced. They wouldn't be getting back up.

Shaking their heads to clear them, the two ratkin charged Ozzy. With his huge reach he tried to chop down at one of them but missed, imbedding the weapon between two blocks of stone in the floor. The rat took advantage of the stuck weapon and ran up the haft at him. "HAHA! And now you die, weaponless man-kin." The rat brought its rusty sword down on Ozzy's unprotected head, slamming hard into his skull. It hurt, but not much. Looking at how the rat-kin held the weapon he realized it had used the flat and not the edge of the blade, its unsteady perch on the haft of his axe ruining its aim.

Aliester had appeared near the door of the dungeon and tossed a vial at the other rat’s feet. An explosion of spider-web like material engulfed it to its knees, immobilizing it. It tried to hack and tear at the webbing, but only succeeded in snaring both its arms.

Ozzy let go of the axe with one hand and punched the rat standing on his polearm in the place a human male was most vulnerable. It seemed to work for ratkin warriors as well. The rat-kin fell off the weapon haft and curled into a ball, moaning in pain. Ozzy pulled his weapon out of the crack in the stone and brought it down on the creature, putting it out of its misery.

Ozzy turned as he heard noise behind him. He saw a humanoid creature about 10' up the wall and wedged into a crevice in the rock. It quickly jumped down to the floor. Ozzy noticed the similarities to Aliester's outfit: worn leather covering the entire body, goggles, and leather helmet. This person also sported a cloth mask worn over the lower face.

Zephyr invites you to join her party. This means you will share all EP and treasure from the last battle.

Y/N?

"Hi, daddy! Aren't you proud? I killed two of them before you got here!" She pulled down her facemask and smiled hopefully at him.

Aliester was paralyzed for a moment before raising his voice. "Proud? Of you sneaking off to a dungeon and killing rat-kin on your own?"

Ozzy crossed his arms, staying out of this conversation. Luckily, others had opinions to add: "HA! Should be proud of whelpling! Sneaky is good. Asking of permissions silly! Still, you should slap her silly, bad girl for dropping bombs on poor welcoming committee sent to honor first humans in dungeon."

Aliester sputtered at the captured rat-kin. "I won't slap my daughter for that."

The rat pondered the statement "Oooh, scared to get close. The young move quick and can be vicious at that age. As one of your oldest friends, I offer to help. Big one can hold her and I slap while you watch! Is good plan you make!"

Zephyr looked at her father. "See, Daddy, they are horrible! The dungeon was ready to burst. I had to come inside and start relieving the pressure. I saw that crevice, and climbed up where I could ambush them with bombs. "

Aliester pointed to the doorway. "You are going out of this dungeon, right now. You didn't even ask me first? What have I said about this?"

Zephyr crossed her arms and turned her back on him. "Depends. You tell me to always ask first. But when you get caught, you always tell mom that it's better to beg forgiveness than ask permission."

The rat thought this over. "The whelpling is wise! Is always better. And this rat is so sorry for this little mis-understanding. I begs all the forgiveness. You let me go now, we all go home, tell funny stories, be friends forever."

Zephyr nodded her head affirmative. "See, Daddy? Even the stinking little rat that said he'd kill me and eat my toes thinks I did good. That's two votes to one."

Ozzy was quick to hold up his hands. "Sorry, Aliester, staying neutral here."

The rat suddenly managed to free his arm holding his sword, and went to throw it at Aliester. "Ha, fool you!" Zephyr brought her staff down on the creature’s arm, breaking it and making it drop the sword. "Ah, so sorry. Hit not again...will let you kill bad Daddy, yes?"

Zephyr's next hit was to his head and he slumped forward dead.

Aliester said, "Well, I wanted to try to interrogate him, but based on what little conversation we had there, I’m guessing he wasn't worth the time. Fine, fine, at least I get to go with you on your first adventure."

You have joined Zephyr's party.

Aliester has joined Zephyr's party.

You have killed 5 Rat-kin warriors, level 2.

You have earned 25 EP towards learning the tertiary weapon skill Billhook.

The party has gained 10 copper.

Aliester replaced a couple of potions in his bandolier from a pouch on his hip. Then he shrugged and smiled at Zephyr in a way that made her very nervous. He was using 'That Smile'. The one only Dad's have and they bring out to torture their teen-aged daughters.

"Very well, Party Leader Zephyr. You're in an un-explored dungeon with a group consisting of a Butcher and two Battle Alchemists. You need to kill dungeon creatures to lower the mana level and prevent the dungeon from bursting."

"What's are your orders?"

Zephyr hated that smile.