* * * PARTHIA – BLUE LAGOON * * *

« Hey Trish I need your help. »

Trish promptly stopped studying the electricity wielding barracuda, and used her dungeon gained ability to teleport to Mary’s core. She sighed. Mary’s core was still barely buried in the sand at the bottom of the lagoon despite the fact that it had grown considerably.

“What do you need Mary?” asked Trisha.

« Ocidon just informed me that a party of sea folk adventurers are on their way an' asked me to play nice ’cause they’re standard delvers. So how do I set rewards, an’ what will they expect? »

« If I don’t meddle then they will meet small groups of defenders, guess that’s standard ain’t it? »

Trisha couldn’t help smiling. This was more like it. If she could only get Mary to act more like a dungeon!

“Well, you have to decide what one of your monsters is worth, and attach treasure to them. You know copper and silver coins, maybe even gold. So that when they are defeated the treasure drops, and the adventurers can collect it. Individually, I think only the electric barracuda merit gold at the moment.”

« Erm... Trish have you checked out the stingrays I have guarding me? »

Trisha blinked, looked and shuddered. The giant stingrays hiding under the sand could each pump out half again more electricity than the barracudas, and their poison was truly potent. They all had monster cores!

“Um, yes, they are nasty!”

« Don’ really want to drop coinage, metal is kinda hard to make, how ’bout I drop the occasional pearl. After all, I ’spect most of my creations could be useful for alchemists an’ the like. »

“Well, coins are just low value treasure, pearls are too valuable. Why don’t we exchange a few pearls for ingots of copper and silver and possibly gold, then all you’ll have to do is make the coins with them.”

« Good idea for the future, not much help now. ’K I’ll make a few copper coins and if they defeat one of my combined patrols I’ll let them have a pearl or two. »

* * *

They conferred and hashed out several plans to avoid simply killing the approaching intruders. It ran counter to Mary’s instincts. But Trisha knew her well, and was able to make her happier with the idea. She even used the opportunity to get Mary to agree to creating a set of caverns, selling the idea as a unique environment for specialised creatures. Trisha reluctantly accepted that they wouldn’t be ready in time, suspecting that they would never get created.

Somewhat reluctantly, Mary reorganised her ocean patrols. Either creating or hurrying the growth of new guardians and scouts, and developing an unusual amount of intelligence and cooperation in her creations, however being fish intelligence was most decidedly relative.

Then as was her custom, she was sidetracked. The intelligence thing had sparked one of her memories from earth. She recalled a TV program praising the intelligence of octopi, so she went searching and found several species living in her domain. Then she was lost in study and experimentation.

Trisha was frustrated; it had happened again, her dungeon had disappeared into one of her obsessive trances. She was also getting worried, ‘At least she did implement most of our ideas. But I can’t help worrying, she is just too... too prone to... to consider killing as the solution of choice. Even for a dungeon she is too... ruthless. I need more information...’

* * * PARTHIA – SHARK’S BANE PARTY * * *

Sildanus, the merman leader of the Shark’s Bane adventurers party relaxed as he saw the extinct underwater volcano in the distance. The journey from Tarasand had been tedious. Happily there had been no adventures. And he was glad he had remembered this place, it would make an ideal base for their upcoming adventure.

The group of friends and partners quickly made camp with the ease of long experience. The mostly circular, flattish top of the underwater mountain was covered with a thick bed of sea grass. They were able to supplement their rations by catching several creatures that made the mountain their home.

As they rested after their meal they went over what they knew about the new dungeon. Sildanus had learned about it while he was visiting the dryside Guild office in Tarasand. The news that the Stinging Hornets had met their fate at the hands of an Oceanic Dungeon had sparked his interest.

Blue Lagoon was the first of its kind. All the other dungeons that they knew about that incorporated aquatic environments, used underwater cave systems. They had all been a bit sarcastic about the landlubbers and their classification. Still, the Guild classifications often tended to become self fulfilling prophecies as the System reacted. So the fact that Blue Lagoon was classified Elite+ did make them wary.

“Ha! So what if the surface dwellers classified her as Elite+, they can’t handle the ocean...” said Froomar as always.

“We have to be ready to withdraw at once. If she is as bloodthirsty as rumours suggest...” and that was Drixia their cleric. Ironically enough she was Froomar’s wife, cautious where he was reckless.

Then it was Harmanus’ turn, “All know of their incompetence in the sea, even the Stinging Hornets proved no different.”

“I hear they tended to an overreliance on magic,” joked Froomar.

“Stop joking you big lunk,” grumbled Massina, their mage. “What about Blue Lagoon’s ability to sink ships? Doesn’t that show she is strange?”

The discussion wound down, and after checking their equipment, and making sure they had eveything ready for the next day, they settled in for the night. Early the following morning the Shark’s Bane set off on the latest round of their quest in search of experience and treasure.

* * * PARTHIA – ADVENTURER’S GUILD – GARONMOUTH * * *

The altar of Hel-Arlizzy had been relocated – with all due ceremony – from a dusty corner of the cellars in the Garonmouth Adventurers Guild building, to a small out of the way inner room on the second floor. Currently the shrine was being carefully tended by one of the few adventurers who had remained faithful to Hel-Arlizzy.

Now Sofos Ironfist and his number two Sarannas were in the shrine seeking knowledge, they wanted to know why so many new dungeons were appearing now, the guild had news of twelve so far, just this year. And they feared that they would have to petition Azurea. However, they preferred to avoid that, as the goddesses had an uncertain temper, and was prone to erratic behaviour.

Estgadon whose class had recently changed from Rogue to Priest was officiating, and the god deigned to reply. Whether this was good or bad only time would tell. The message imparted was brief.

« Rejoice! The new Gods have overreached and are in trouble. Five months ago Azurea seeded twenty-five new dungeons, and a further six have spawned as a consequence of her actions. Six of the twenty-five retain soul links with other worlds. »

And then, just for his new priest, « Well done Estgadon, I am well pleased with you. »

Nothing further was forthcoming. Sofos retired to the comfort of his own office with Sarannas. They summoned Taron the Ravager and Ustina the Quick to join them.

The meeting resulted in the bringing forward of the annual scry for new dungeons, as according to Hel-Arlizzy they had nineteen new dungeons to find. It was also quickly and unanimously decided to keep out of the affairs of the gods a much as possible, as he of the scaly tail had virtually confirmed that a period of turbulence if not outright hostilities was starting amongst the gods.

A lengthy and wordy document was produced, all due care was taken to include all the standard elaborate and portentous prefaces and addenda, so as to maintain Guild dignity while containing their findings and decisions. Thanking the gods for magic copiers, the Guild secretary produced ten copies and arranged for their immediate delivery to the ten most important Adventurers Guild offices on Parthia.

* * * PARTHIA – DUNGEON COMPANIONS’ LEAGUE * * *

In her private office, which consisted of two in her apartment at the bottom of the godlike dungeon Hell Pit, Marigold was feeling much put upon. She decided that the System was – unsurprisingly – to blame.

“Another one!” she squinted at the pale blue messages and listened to the System’s voice. The damn thing was actually sounding apologetic. “Hold on isn’t that where I sent that poor deluded Wisp on Azurea’s orders. The one that was to partner with – ANS 48 – wasn’t it. The poor sod found Hell’s Mouth. I’m not sending one of mine to feed Hell’s Mouth.”

« No, this is a new dungeon core. She will require a cunning partner, as she already has one dangerous enemy, and a very uncertain and potentially treacherous ally. »

« As for ANS 48, she rejected that appellation. Outfoxed Azurea, not that difficult after all, and tricked ME! Mary’s currently quite happy driving her Sea Sprite partner up the wall. The Guild have classified her Elite+. »

“Sea Sprite! I don’t have any Sea Sprites on the books. Oh very well, I’ll find someone, but it will be difficult, it’s out in the middle of a damn desert after all!”

And if that wasn’t enough, she now had this wordy pompous document to figure out.

Marigold fluttered her wings in irritation; it was moments like this that both made life worth living, while being totally annoying, and exasperating. First Azurea had dumped twenty-five new dungeons in her lap, and handpicked their companions to boot, and then the system had rubbed her nose in the fact that she wasn’t keeping up with her duties. Now this, one of her sympathisers in the Adventurers Guild had managed to get her this five page document that said the Old Gods were scenting blood and were stirring. Hel-Arlizzy was back and Ocidon the Earthshaker had snatched one of the new dungeons from under Azurea’s nose. And a further SIX new dungeons! She knew of Hell’s Mouth and the system told of one other but that still left four to find.

First the easy part, she had to get that Sea Sprite registered. She had to get that kind of talent on the books, managing to push a new dungeon into Elite+ ranking in a matter of months.

Marigold concentrated on the crystal block set into the wall of her office and muttered a well-worn spell. The surface of the crystal wavered and cleared, showing an expanse of sea, the view sharpened and a few green specks appeared in the centre of the image. Marigold started when she noted the scale in the corner, the domain was a perfect circle centred on the temple in the middle of the lagoon, and it had a diameter of twenty-five kilometres. She zoomed in on the islands seeking the dungeon itself.

Soon she found herself watching a pod of dolphins playing in the lagoon. It only took her a few seconds to realize that her spell was following the pale dolphin. She was looking at the dungeon’s avatar.

Sea sprite, seek the sea sprite. She soon located three, and as she knew she was looking for a female that only left one option so...

« Hello youngster, let me introduce myself, I am Marigold the current head of the Dungeon Companions’ League. »

Trisha started in surprise, she recognised the communication spell being used despite being unable to cast it herself. But she did know how to use it once it was in existence.

« Good afternoon Marigold, what can I do for you? »

A good half hour of frank discussion left both the participants partially satisfied. Trisha was on the books as an independent companion. Mary when dragged into the talks had been adamant that she, and thus by extension Trisha, were allied to Ocidon, and that was that, no others were going to have any control over her and hers. Marigold for her part got part of what she wanted and was able distance herself from at least one of the gods involved in this mess. Also, she now had a priceless memory stone showing the final few minutes of those dungeon killers the Stinging Hornets, from the moment of the attack on the Heron to the death of Torgan the Black. That was going to have pride of place in her trophy cabinet!

Marigold smiled ruefully to herself. Trisha had actually admitted to trying to hold her dungeon back. Mary Silvestre was overconfident, a wild headstrong tinkerer, Marigold made a mental note to keep a cautious eye on the pair.

Now she had to see what could be done for the other youngster. After looking things over carefully, Marigold decided to send young Darkmoon. He was one of the two who volunteered for the post, the other volunteer was Flicker, a wisp, and she wasn’t risking another wisp near Hell’s Mouth. She had a quick chat with Darkmoon, and considering the circumstances, let him in on some secrets that might save his life. She also shared her new memory crystal with him – after all his great uncle had died at the hands of Torgan’s band. Then reluctantly she dispatched him to meet his new partner.

Now she had to find the other four new dungeons.

* * * EARTH – MARY * * *

Mary examined the tickets she was holding in her hands. She grinned and thanked mama and Flip for the tickets to HawaiiCon, It was being held at The Mauna Lani Bay Hotel in September. All she could think was: ‘Oh wow! I’m going to the con and it is all paid for!’

As a reward for her advanced studies coup it was proving somewhat counterproductive.

A little later, her mother and brother watched as she dashed out of the door with her fishing gear, they looked at each other with resigned looks. They both knew what the other was thinking.

* * *

Mary was indulging herself with her favourite pastime. She was currently reeling in a fish, she was grinning, and by the feel of her rod, she had something decent on the hook.

Mary was feeling stunned: she had just reeled in her latest catch, and a dolphin playing on the other side of the breaking waves. It was joking with her, and she could understand him. The cheeky little so and so was trying to tell her she had stolen his lunch!

She couldn’t help it. She grinned, “’K you greedy thing, catch!” she said, even as she unhooked her catch, and threw it to the dolphin, who did indeed catch it.

And it replied, she just knew it replied, “Not greedy, just hungry. Cute accent girl!”

So she threw it her previous catch too even as she wondered how she was able to understand what he was saying.

Her new friend hung around until it was time for her to return home. Today she was bereft of fish, the jokester with dirty sense of humour ate everything she caught.

* * *

That night Mary’s dreams were full of tentacles. Octopi and squid paraded before her eyes, occasionally interspersed with barracuda.

She woke before the dawn and stared up at the ceiling. She was going to have to check the databases up at the uni; but she was willing to bet most of what she now knew was accurate. The ideas regarding DNA manipulation were – intriguing. She knew intellectually, that ideas of DNA manipulation and genetic engineering should be scary. Only, she wasn’t scared, she was intrigued. It would be fun to create those octopi.

Oh well, School, planning for the con and fishing. Maybe Flipper’s cousin would show up again with his dirty sense of humour. Some of those wicked jokes just had to translate.