I think Leo could watch the terrible trio fail at the gauntlet all day. They’ve actually started getting a couple stones through it, but haven’t managed to clear all of them. I don’t think it’ll be too long before they get through that first challenge, though. Probably tomorrow, after they rest up a bit.

I impress upon Leo the need for him to send a few of the lesser wolves down the ratkin’s hunting tunnel. At first, I thought the lesser wolves were cubs or something, but they seem fully aware and mobile. They’re just more sized like coyotes than wolves. I guess that’s why they’re called lesser?

Whatever the reason or relation to actual wolves, Leo starts heading to the roof, wanting to talk to Poe. Makes sense to me. Poe has been in charge of everything sent outside, so it’d be a good idea to get tips and tricks from him.

He takes a shortcut without much haste, and I notice a familiar person enter from the gates. My birds all make a racket, and I smile to myself as Elf Guy just shakes his head at the greeting. He walks up to the bulletin board and speaks to it.

“Dungeon Thedeim, please bring forth your Voice. The Dungeoneer’s Guild wishes to discuss a matter,” he says formally, and I poke Teemo to go see what he needs. It doesn’t take my Voice long to get there.

“What’s with the formality, Elf Guy?” greets Teemo with a smirk.

Tarl can only chuckle. “The guild prefers it.”

“Well, me and the Boss don’t. Knock it off and just talk normal.”

The Inspector smiles at that. “Fair enough, heh. Each individual dungeon has to be dealt with differently. Which is why I’m here, actually. The Southwood is another dungeon, one the guild classifies as a toybox. It has few denizens and none specialized towards combat.”

“Ah, that’s why those knuckleheads were talking about a toybox. I thought they were just trying to insult the Boss.”

Tarl snorts at that. “They might have been. Anyway, The Southwood allows the guild to check up on the core on a condition: that it be given information on the various other known dungeons in the general area.”

Teemo perks up at that. “Yeah? Does it know about us?”

“A bit. It knows you’re a manor in the city and had a conflict with Neverrest, but my information was out of date even when I talked to it. Its Voice actually told me that you may have destroyed Neverrest. It felt the wasp invaders lessen with your victory.”

“Huh.”

Tarl nods and continues. “So I wanted to know what information you’re comfortable with sharing with the Southwood. Ordinarily, we’d simply give it the basics, but it has specifically asked for information about you, and offered information about the Green Sea in return.”

“What’s the Green Sea?” asks Teemo as he absently scratches his ear.

“It’s a massive forest to the north of here. The Southwood is actually named that because it’s the southernmost tip of it. There are theories that it’s a massive dungeon, or even a network of dungeons, but it’s so remote and the trip so arduous that none have actually been able to confirm anything. And the Southwood implied something is happening there.”

“Which could be a big pain in the rear for all of us. So… you want to know what to tell it? Will you tell us about it in exchange?”

Tarl nods. “The Southwood likes to keep tabs on other dungeons, but isn’t too concerned about other dungeons knowing too much about it. The only real restriction is on information about its core, but every dungeon is at least a little cagey about the details of their core.”

Teemo and I huddle up to discuss what to give out, and he focuses on Tarl after a few minutes.

“The basics should be fine: where we are, how big we are, spawners and monsters and stuff. You can even tell it about the punitive gauntlet if you want.” He holds up a tiny hand to stop Tarl before he can even say how bad an idea that could be. “The Boss says it has diminishing returns. The group woke up this morning, and the mana they’re making is already down to a trickle. He says other dungeons have probably designed themselves to send adventurers over the same trap multiple times before, too. He says the extra mana is nice, but not exceptional.”

Elf Guy actually pulls out his little note rock and repeats that information before looking back to Teemo. “Then that should be more than enough to satisfy the Southwood. I don’t think I’ll tell it about the gauntlet, mostly because I don’t think it’s really feasible for it to try something similar.”

Teemo perks up as he remembers something. “Oh, we also have a wolf spawner now, too.”

Tarl looks confused at that. “Did you expand out past the cemetery?”

Teemo shakes his head. “Nah. That druid halfling had enthralled a wolf from somewhere, and when she got knocked out, the spell broke. The wolf didn’t want to go back to her, so Thedeim offered to let him stay here. And then made him a scion, which then also let him make a wolf spawner.”

The Inspector looks fascinated by that. “I’ve heard of dungeons being able to produce spawners without expansion, but the details are always sparse.”

Teemo nods. “The Boss says maybe keep that fact from the Southwood. He says turning invaders into spawners could be a dangerous thing to let get out… though he doesn’t know if all dungeons have access to a jail.”

Elf Guy taps his note rock against his chin as he thinks. “Jails are fairly rare to find in a dungeon, though secret jails may be more common. I think most dungeons are just not smart enough to use a jail when they’re young, and don’t really need it when they’re older and have the mana to just straight-out pay for a new spawner. Still, I’ll keep how you got a wolf scion and spawner quiet. It’s not something I think the Southwood would actually try to do anyway.”

Leo

Watching the group fail to get across the least of the challenges of the Alpha fills Leo with a deep sense of happiness. The Voice called it schadenfreude, which is a strange word… but not an inaccurate one. Still, the duties of his new title gnaw at his tail like a teething pup, so he can’t just enjoy the show forever.

Alpha Thedeim wishes him to ensure the safety of the lands and people outside his borders, and that job belongs to Leo now. The Alpha wishes him to cut his teeth on some simpler expeditions down in the tunnels in aid of the dwellers, and Leo is happy to have something simple to build his understanding on.

He’s just a little confused as to why he’s expected to do it, rather than Poe. The Marshal has had command of expeditions above and below the ground for quite some time, so why would the Alpha set his newest scion such a similar task? He could go and ask. The Voice is happy enough to explain what needs explaining, but Leo has a different target in mind.

You send a new pup with an experienced hunter for their first hunt. So he should go see the experienced expedition leader for advice, and see if he knows why Leo has this duty instead of him.

Taking a shortcut is an interesting experience. His old dungeon never had a Scout, and so only had a few actual secret passages, and they were all fully mundane. These, though, let him squeeze into a crack even a mouse should have difficulty with, and then walk with ease towards a different one to slip out of. Honestly, these things are probably why the Alpha doesn’t worry about crowding delvers. If there’s too many denizens in an area, they can easily move without just rolling over any delvers, and if there are too few denizens, more can be easily moved into position.

He hops off that particular train of thought as he exits the shortcut to the roof, and makes his way towards Poe. He tucks his tail in submission to the large bird, who immediately waves it off.

“That is not needed, Warden Leo. We both serve Lord Thedeim, and so need not bow and scrape to each other.”

“That’s easy for you to say after having a go at my belly,” grumps Leo as he remembers how the fight went.

Poe just nods. “If not for Lord Thedeim, I would have happily sunk my beak and talons into your belly, but he urged mercy, and his wisdom in doing so now stands on the roof with me. He has a new scion and a new spawner because of you. You should not think lesser of yourself for the method it was achieved.”

Leo shakes his head. His new Alpha has some weird Betas. “The Alpha has asked me to mount some expeditions, but I don’t know why. And… I don’t really know how. I was just a regular wolf at my old dungeon, I never had to be in charge of anything.”

Poe nods at that as well. “While only Voice Teemo actually knows the thoughts of our Lord Thedeim, he has a reason for treating us as he does. As for the expeditions… while my flocks can detail the maps with ease, they can’t detail what lives on those maps. On the wing, there is little care about those moving along on the ground, be they mice or bears. I’ve tried to get them to understand the need to pay attention but… it is difficult.”

Leo sits and lets his tail idly swish back and forth as he absorbs that. “So… you know the land, but the Alpha also wants to know the life.”

Poe fluffs his feathers in happiness at that. “Indeed! There is far more to understanding the surroundings than in simple topography. As for expedition advice… I’d suggest making sure your denizens know to flee rather than fight, should the need arise. Lord Thedeim does not wish undue death nor harm to anyone. The expeditions we send beyond his borders should follow this as well.”

That makes sense. Why change policy drastically when outside rather than in? Though that also reminds him of something else. “Why does the Alpha have so many scions? How does he have so many?”

Poe caws in laughter before turning amused eyes on the wolf. “I can only guess as to Lord Thedeim’s secrets, but I do have an idea for that. Your old dungeon; did it give you direct orders to do things?”

Leo nods. “Of course. Denizens would get all kinds of orders to do things.”

“How many times has Lord Thedeim given you an order?”

Leo opens his muzzle to answer, but slowly closes it as he thinks. “...being made a Warden was the closest thing to an order he’s given me.”

Poe fluffs his feathers again. “I believe that is why Lord Thedeim can support so many of us. I’m honestly uncertain if he’s noticed our upkeep costs, partially because I’d expect they pale in comparison to what he spends his mana on.”

“Like the gauntlet.”

“Indeed. So he gives us directions and lets us pursue them as we see fit, trusting we will do the job to the best of our abilities. He doesn’t need to constantly spend mana to give us orders. He challenges us to grow, and so he grows with us, and us with him.”

Leo is quiet as he thinks about that as well. He never thought being a scion would involve so much thinking! His old dungeon just had them be strong and fight, after all. His old dungeon also progressed a lot slower. Even in the short time he’s been here, he’s seen more change than in a month at the old dungeon.

Poe interrupts his thoughts as he speaks up again. “Now then, as to how to actually run an expedition, I should be able to help with that. Let me see, where to start…”