Name

Rank

F

Level

3

200/500

Deity

Death

AC

25

HP

650

MP

80

Strength

20

Dexterity

18

Constitution

20

Wisdom

23

Charisma

14

Luck

21

Unused points

3

Blessings

Death's Favor

chance to spawn undead version of any living creature that dies

Life's favor

Increase blueprint for each living thing that dies

Increase blueprint for each living thing over time

Fate's gambit

Chance to create 2 objects instead of one

chance for creatures to respawn immediately on death

Skills

Excavate

Remove underground material

150 ft per MP

Lv 3 150/150

Creature Creation

Create living and/or undead creatures. Higher levels lover the cost of creation and increase the creatures stats

Lv 2 20/100

Item Creation

Create non-living things. Higher levels, decease the cost and increase the chance of creating higher quality items

Lv3 110/150

Meditation

Boosts mana regain and mental recovery

Lv1 30/50

“Well that explains it. More mana and leveled up skills.”

“The mana increase has been there since you leveled up. But the skill increase is making the difference. Before you ask I don’t know why skill levels don’t get pop ups. But I do know that a skills level can not be higher than your level. Now you should use the points before making any changes.”

I put the points in dexterity, constitution and luck. Then saw my health go to 660. Though charisma is my lowest stat, I don’t really care what anyone thinks of me or want to influence others, so I wasn’t going to waste an attribute point there.

“Alright. Skills checked, points used and new mental map forming. Anything else I should do before making renovations?”

She just smiled at me and shook her head. “Have fun, just remember you only have 100DP to use.”

“12 points stocked the first room so at 4 kobolds each that will be over 8 rooms. As I only plan on 7 rooms I should be fine. Well 6 and a boss room which I’m sure has special rules.”

Arizo looked like she was going to say something.

“Later please.” I countered gently. “I am really excited to design some of the rooms and don’t want to get distracted.” She nodded and settled down.

The first change was the entryway. When I had burst through the surface the opening was jaggad and small.

I widened and deepened the entrance. Adding some large blocks of stone made it look like the entrance to some old ruins. I wondered if it was possible to change things out in the open. I’d love to add some collapsing old buildings and maybe some standing stones.

Getting back to the job at hand The entry became a nice rectangle with a set of spiral steps that made only one turn before connecting to the ramps that made up the dungeon. A bunk room for the kobolds was added onto the first room.

The 2nd and 3rd rooms were now at either end of a T intersection. To the left was a 20x10 rectangle was a triangle point on the end. I planned it to look like a cathedral or some other room of worship. Inside the triangle I placed a deep well. The other side of the T was another 20x10 room, only this one was filled with raised beds that would house flowers and other plants once I had the soil needed for them to grow.

As I was finishing the garden room, the sun rose.

I looked in on the kobolds. 3 of them were in their new room resting while the male with a spade was guarding the first room. I would have to let them know when someone was coming down the entrance hall so they didn’t expose the optical illusion that hid their room.

Right now I alerted them it was day and they could venture out. Since I needed some time to recover mana before enlarging room 4 I watched them get ready. Experimenting I was able to see the world though the lead female’s eyes. It was very disorienting.

All 4 headed toward the entrance. The female I was piggybacking looked around at the now 4ft wide and 12ft tall hall. There were alcoves with lanterns spaced every 5 feet. Making the hall well lit, contrasting with the very dim room at its end.

I was filled with excitement as the kobold I was looking through started ascending the steps. Remembering my ally I showed what I was seeing to Arizo.

“You’ve learned how to control your creatures?” she asked in surprise.

“I guess I could control her but I don’t want to. Maybe with the chickens or bats but it seems wrong to control the kobolds that think so highly of me.” I replied, losing some of my enthusiasm.

“I didn’t mean to upset you.” Arizo apologised. She then remained quiet as we watched the kobold.

Soon I was seeing the surface of this world for the first time. We were deep in a forested area. The trees near my entrance were massively tall. They seemed to be from several different species. There were shrubs, ferns and all kinds of plants under the canopy. My mind supplied the term, old-growth temperate forest to the area around my entrance.

I could feel the kobolds grow weaker as they passed out of my dungeon. I felt kinda bad for asking them to do this for me. But I was also selfish. I wanted to unlock all of my memories. To know what was still hidden behind that barrier in my mind. I was also hoping to find a purpose. Something more than being a living filter.

“Get me a sample of every plant you can.” I asked the kobold.

She jerked in surprise. “Your will be done.” She stated, putting her clawed hand to her chest before ordering the other 2 to begin cutting and digging up plants.

After a few moments of watching them work I turned away focusing on the core room.

I sighed and looked at her. “Arizo, I’m sorry I snapped earlier. I don’t want to be a murder pit and I don’t want to rule my dungeon with an iron fist. I want my intelligent creatures to have some freedom. To make their own choices, to have lives. Not just be a cushion between me and any threats. And I honestly don’t know what to do with myself.”

Arizo smiled at me. She flew over and laid her hand on my crystal. “You are a rare kind of dungeon. You don’t have to be a murder pit, as you put it. Gabolax is a massive labyrinth. He doesn’t use very many creatures and the ones he does are more annoying than deadly. People come in to map his ever changing tunnels. Anexxyia is filled with puzzles that get harder and more dangerous the deeper you go. Hashya befriended the gnomes that live nearby and have helped them build a thriving city of wonders. While most dungeons CHOOSE To kill and eat things you don’t have to.”

She was silent for a moment and I could tell from her face that she was deciding something so I remained quiet.

“I know the rules say I shouldn’t try to influence a young dungeon but I think you need to know. There has never been a dungeon in the Lost Forest. Over 1000 years ago an evil mage came here and began horrible experiments. Dangerous experiments, using massive amounts of mana. Most of this valley was destroyed and the gods had to intervene. One of the abominations killed the mage and damaged some power crystals that could have destroyed the world. A massive amount of corrupted mana was released making this area difficult to live in. Most creatures that call this forest home live shorter lives than normal and magic doesn’t always behave as it should.”

I looked at her in shock. “You think I was placed here to bring this forest back. To clean it up and restore it.”

She nodded. “Yes I do. The moment I knew where we were I was hoping you would choose to make this forest great again. It will still be hard to reach for sentients due to the swamp and bay, Not to mention the Egles River that ends in a massive delta and the Stampeding River. On either side.”

“The mage chose this place because of its natural fortifications.” Arizo nodded. “But there are people that live here.” Another nod. “And that big explosion of pure mana will be even more noticeable with the corrupted mana in the area.”

She was silent for a moment. “I hadn’t thought of that. But you are right. Now all you need to do is get the first floor looking how you want and decide what kind of dungeon you want to be.”

___________________

I thought about what Arizo said as I focused on enlarging the 4th room. I planned for it to be a bat cave. Their swooping and screeching should drive people…. Batty. I snickered at my lame joke.

Just as I was finishing the room there was another popup and it felt like my brain was being stretched.

Natural cave found. Contents being assimilated.

Blueprint Unlocked: Cave Fish

Blueprint Unlocked: Cave Shrimp

Blueprint Unlocked: Fish Fillet

Blueprint Unlocked: Fish scales

Blueprint Unlocked: Fresh Water

Blueprint Unlocked: Goblin's Gold

Blueprint Unlocked: Lilac Bonnet

Blueprint Unlocked:Phantom Shell

Blueprint Unlocked: Phantom Snail

Blueprint Unlocked:Poison sac

Blueprint Unlocked:Salt

Blueprint Unlocked:Slate

Fish Fillet: eatable side of fish. Size and quality of the meat depend on the fish

Fish scales: scales of a fish. Size, color and use depend on the fish they are from.

Fresh Water: Clean water good for drinking

Goblin's Gold: Type of moss that has adapted to live in lowlight or no light. They often thrive on mana rich waters and organic matter in the area.

Lilac Bonnet: A bell shaped light purple mushroom that is toxic if eaten. The higher

the mana purity the richer the color. Can glow in the dark.

Phantom Shell: Small shell that can be used in invisibility potions or charms.

Poison sac: sac of poison or venom from a creature. Poison inside varies depending on the creature it was taken from

Salt: Used as a seasoning

Slate: rock that is often dark grey and breaks into sheets. Used for roofing and flooring

“Wow” Was all Arizo could say when I showed her this great find. “12 new blueprints! You must have hit one of the underground caves. Mount Peleter, as a dormant volcano, has several. Who knows what you might find in more of these.” She added excitedly.

I pulled up my blueprint page. “That’s 3 more creatures, 2 plants and several items. I know slate can be beautiful and would make some nice decorations. And that getting salt out of the ground and purified for use is a difficult process. That would be a nice reward.” The mischievous side also came into play. “Salt and slate both can be weak and brittle. Great covers for a pit trap or a ramp that leads people into a challenge room.”

“So You want to be a trap and puzzle dungeon?”

“I don’t know. I think I just want to have fun and try different things. Maybe once I have a wider selection of items and ideas I’ll settle on one theme but for now I want to try everything.”

Her shine grew brighter. “A great idea. Why do we have to be boring and predictable? Every floor could be a new adventure. Or even every hall. Why restrict yourself?”

The enthusiasm was infectious. “If you have any ideas or see anything you want to add let me know. This is your home too!” I told her, getting even more excited.

“Let’s finish up the first floor and add some traps and puzzles!” I cheered

Arizo laughed, zipping around in excitement. “When you get ready to design a puzzle let me know. There are things you need to do so that you gain experience every time someone attempts it.”

I left the 4th room as it was. A big square with one corner opening into the natural cave stone. Then I moved onto the next room, which also grew in size and I added 5x5 notches to each corner of the room. My 6th room stayed the 10x10 that it was but I made several twisting and turning walls inside making it a miniature labyrinth. The 7th and final room before my core was enlarged to a massive 30x30 cube. This was to give whatever boss I made plenty of room to fight. And I could add hiding places or whatever later once I knew what would go in the room.

__________

I had just turned my full attention back to the core room when the kobolds returned and dropped their bounty.

Blueprint Unlocked: Athelas

Blueprint Unlocked: Fireweed

Blueprint Unlocked: Monkshood

Blueprint Unlocked:Mandrake

Blueprint Unlocked: Mandrake Petals

Blueprint Unlocked: Mandrake Leaves

Blueprint Unlocked: Mandrake root

Blueprint Unlocked:Honeysuckle

Blueprint Unlocked: Vine

Blueprint Unlocked: Soil

Blueprint Unlocked: Wood Fern

Blueprint Unlocked: Yarrow

Blueprint Unlocked: White-tail Deer

Blueprint Unlocked: Large Bone

Blueprint Unlocked: Antler

Blueprint Unlocked: Deer Pelt

Antler: bony growths that many deer make a shed each year. shape and size vary by deer species.

Athelas: Though many mistake it for a weed it can be a powerful healing herb. When dried and crushed in hot water, it is refreshing, clears, calms the mind and strengthens those smelling the scent.

Deer Pelt: the hide of a deer. Useless until processed. Used as decoration or turned into leather.

Fireweed: Also known as heartleaf nettle, this plant is notorious for causing a burning sensation when it makes contact with bare skin. Contact with this nettle results in burning, agonizing pain, red, raised welts that persist for several hours.

Honeysuckle: Some consider this bush/vine to be an invasive nuisance. The flowers, nectar, leaves and seeds can be eaten. The vines are flexible with many uses.

Large Bone: very hard, long bone, of a large animal. Has many uses.

Mandrake Leaves: leaves of a mandrake. Used to make potions and teas. can be toxic and cause hallucinations.

Mandrake Petals: petals of a mandrake. hard to find they are used in soap and potions making. Can cause hallucinations

Mandrake Root: Dead mandrake body. Has many uses in potions and alchemy. Hard to find and deadly if not used properly.

Monkshood: Bright purple flowers. Many uses in potions and poisons. Every part of this plant is toxic and should only be used by experts.

Soil: plain common earth found in most places. The exact mixture of nutrients varies by location.

Vine: flexible plant tendrils with many uses

Wood Fern: One of the most common forest ferns. This plant is edible though bitter when eaten raw. After cooking they are said to develop a rich, sweet flavor

Yarrow: Has many small facited flowers. It is as useful as it is pleasing to look at. Often used to treat wounds, in healing and burn salves. There are said to be as many uses for this plant as it has petals.

____________

Adding so many new items along with 2 new creatures was more than I expected for the short time the kobolds were out. I looked in on them to make sure they were safe before dealing with the experience and level up boxes.

The male’s right arm hung limp and the female with the saw was bleeding from her ears. They all looked battered and bruised.

Part of me wanted to tell them to be more careful and not take chances but another part stayed my hand. Looking at them bruised and bleeding I could also see they were happy. The male was already boasting to the one left behind about his fight with the deer. I didn’t fully understand but I knew these creatures wanted to fight and hunt and prove themselves. I could feel it from them as I watched. They and I are very different and I was going to need to learn not to smother my creatures with too much care.

Seeing that they had all 4 retired to their room I turned my attention back to the core room and Arizo.

“Boo!” I said startling her. Seeing her jump in alarm and sparkle I couldn’t help but laugh.

She shook her head and chuckled at me. “What has you in such a good mood?”

“Well the first floor plan is set. All we need to do is add traps and decorate. The kobolds also returned and they brought presents.” I cheered