An Introduction to Magic and Mana.

There are eight elements available to the aspiring mage and they are taught in magic schools across Tironia.

The basic elements require less mana to cast and have shorter chants. They are:

Fire

Wind

Water

Earth

After these come the more advanced elements. These contain harder chants, require more mana and possess longer cast times. Because of this, they are much stronger than the basic elements:

Light

Darkness

Time

Space

Most people are capable of mastering a single element in their lifetime, depending on their mana pool. People that are naturally attuned to mana have a larger pool and should be capable of more. Depending on your talent, and the amount of mana you possess, you could master more than one. Not many people can handle more than two elements and you will be known as a prodigy if you can.

In the rarest of scenarios, there have been a handful of people who were capable of mastering more than three elements. Only three of these have actually been recorded throughout the entire history of Tironia though.

For the aspiring mage, logic dictates that you should set your sights on one of the four basic elements to start with. Earning mastery over one and expanding your mana pool before attempting a second element.

Magic schools generally take applicants between the ages of 8 and 16 and conduct a mana test upon entrance. Consult your local branch for more specific information regarding application criteria and fees. All schools are subject to a yearly review by the governing area's local lord, or two separate reviews over two 6 month periods whichever has been decided upon by the lord in power, and the LMA. Local Magic Association.

A pamphlet titled, An Introduction to Magic and Mana. Created by the Mages Association then distributed to all major cities and towns across Tironia, 1934.

Where do I even begin?

Stockpile?

The Black Slime?

Multiple level ups?

Or the fact that Dropper and Light manage to kill a Level 19 human Warrior?

Overwhelmed by curiosity, I use Examine to view the status of my two Rogues.

It shows a few discrepancies between skills and level, but that could be attributed to the difference in monster that they each brought back on their first outing.

Overall, they're both looking pretty good.

Rogue:

Dropper

Level 10

1/20 XP until next level

Skills:

Assassinate: Level 1

Pierce: Level 1

Silent Feet: Level 3

Shadow Step: Level 1

Rogue:

Light

Level 9

8/20 until next level

Skills:

Pierce: Level 2

Silent Feet: Level 2

Dodge: Level 1

They seem to have made great progress in such a short time. Dropper is the same level as me for gods sake.

It seems unfair in a way, but I'll let her off because I created her.

I'll have to have a look at what skills the other Rogues have later, especially Talia! I know that she earned some new skills when she became the hostess of the Tavern, but I never got around to looking at them.

I'll definitely remember to do that later because right now, I have a something completely different to find out.

Willing my monsters to explain the details of how they managed to kill a swordsman when his level is as high as both of theirs combined, they begin to explain how lady luck fell into their lap as they were returning home empty-handed.

Tallon the Defiler, which is a horrible title by the way, was covered in wounds when they came upon him. He was in a thin section of forest, about a mile west of my dungeon. Unable to miss, mainly due to the horrowing sounds of despair crying out, blood and entrails stained every tree in a 50-foot radius.

As they made a stealthy approach to the bone-chilling scene, the scumbag of a subject was doing as his title suggests to the only survivor of his massacre. Caught up in his own sadistic game, Talon was covered in multiple burns and cuts. Invested in his prey, he'd not even bothered to heal himself.

You could never understand what's going on inside the mind of someone who is clearly insane.

Treading cautiously around the forest of bisected people, Light and Dropper moved closer to the only-two living people left in the area. They went easily unnoticed as their targets attention was maniacally focused on his victim. Moving into position, they waited for the perfect moment. As soon as it came, Light sprung out from behind a tree drawing the naked man's attention during his moment of interrupted euphoria.

The horribly-titled Defiler, found himself caught off-guard and in such a compromising position too. Given his level though, he could have still put up a good fight against my Rogue. Even naked! Unfortunately for him, being caught with literal wood by Light's sudden arrival was the worse situation he could have found himself in. All eyes forward, in a furious state of dis-arousal, he completely failed to notice Dropper creeping up from behind and Talon's throat was slit ending their story.

Brutal.

Great coordination and teamwork from these two superstars, but brutal nonetheless.

I love it.

Light carried the warrior home whilst Dropper brought back his gear. They left the distraught lady alone. They didn't see the need to kill her as they already had their hands full.

Accepting their story, I consider the fact that they were extremely lucky. The high-levelled Warrior was injured and distracted from being a sadist douchebag, but it won't always be that way. Life's not a picnic with unicorns that pop over for tea and shit-out DP.

We need to have a serious discussion about who is and isn't killable very soon, but right now I have a lot of points to spend.

I send Light and Dropper off to Talia's Tavern to relax. They did awesome and deserve a good rest.

Getting easier every time I use it, I will my own status up next.

Status.

Dungeon Core Abi Level 10:

96/110 XP until next level

2 Floors

14 Rooms

14 Tunnels

22 Monster

34 Traps

300/200 DP Available

Hehehe.

I've come a long way from one room and 20 DP.

With the new and improved 80% upgrade from Stockpile, I can hold an extra 160DP. I should definitely be able to handle a large drop-off from one of my monsters now. Unless I'm already full, but then it will just go to levelling the skill. Stockpile is even more beneficial than I originally pegged it to be.

There's still a bit of time before Ali's meal will be ready. Once everyone's gathered, I've got a great surprise for them. I can't wait! I've got to make sure that Colin, Barry and everyone else is there too.

For now, though. I need more!

Much, much more. After my fast-paced level-ups, I have an almost crazy desire to spend points.

My first purchase is the Tavern's Second Floor. This is the only unnecessary DP I'm going to part with. I'm calling it unnecessary because my Rogues already have somewhere to sleep but I figure their comfort will improve performance if some of them sleep here. It probably won't, and 80DP is a lot to fork out, but after rereading the description, it stated that I specifically need the second floor before I can purchase the next upgrade for the building itself.

So there, it's over and done with. I'll get over it.

Tavern 2nd Floor completed:

8 XP Awarded.

New features available:

Average Bed: 5DP

The Cracked Cauldron: 20DP

The Cracked Cauldron?

I know I'm glossing over the fact that a human died and it appears as though I haven't given it a second thought, but to be honest the notification keeps playing through my mind.

I was kind-of expecting seeing as how I'm a Dungeon Core now, but everything seems to be happening really fast and I'm still unsure of my feelings on a certain matters.

I mean, people die every day in dungeons. What difference does it make if that dungeon's me?

I know he didn't exactly die inside my dungeon, but I did absorb him.

It's almost the same thing.

Plus, he was a Defiler. I know monsters don't have the best of reputations, but I can personally guarantee you that none of them have been out defiling people.

The Tavern doubles in height and expands out further into the room, leaving even less space in Rogues' Corner than there was before. The windows on the top are not broken but they are all blacked out to keep prying eyes out. Inside the Taverns newly-formed second floor, eight guest rooms all sit on the outer walls. Each one has the bare essentials of a room for lodging. A dressing table, a small bedside table and a double bed are all that's inside. Outside the rooms, a railing runs from one stairway to the other where the ground floor can be seen.

I could upgrade the Tavern again. I suspect the next level will bring me even better features, but I can't keep concentrating on the same building. Plus, I already said it was the only unnecessary purchase I was going to make.

I decided a while ago to move Trixie and her pack, so that's what I'm doing next. First though I need to alter the room they're going to be moving in to.

I start by trying to turn the room into a Large Forest Room, but am stopped by a new error this time.

Error:

Unable to change the dimensions of this room

The diameters of the room will not fit between the two previously placed tunnels

Okay, so that didn't work.

I suppose I'll use the free cave feature to make a new room. I should create a forest floor specifically for them as well, they don't seem half as scary now that I've gotten used to them. I bet they would love the open space too. Not to mention that Trixie is a total babe with her gorgeous-white fur and those beautiful-golden eyes. Adventurers will stand no chance against her, they'll be paralysed by her beauty and the power of attraction the moment they lay eyes on her.

I feel a little ashamed that I can't provide a more suitable location for my wolves, as I already have done for my Rogues. I inform the whole pack that the Wolves' Den has been moved and it is now in the tenth room, just before the third corner. I also tell them not to get comfortable there as I'm going to be making a floor just for them.

For now, they're to head to the Tavern with everyone else.

I call Colin and Barry up as well and continue my purchases whilst they arrive at Talia's. Her food is almost ready and I use the last-few minutes to spend a little more DP before I unveil my surprise.

I'm definitely becoming a boss at imposing my will.

Moving to my ninth room, just in front of the Wolves' Den temporary location, I browse my list to see what's next. This time, I purchase the newly-obtained Box of Worship for the cheap-cheap price of 20DP. I place the feature on the southern wall and watch as a small-box forms into existence after confirming my choice.

Box of Worship:

A place for people to offer prayers to the many different Gods of Tironia

Requires two Acolytes to function correctly

A new Monster has been unlocked:

Acolyte: 10DP

New loot unlocked:

Acolyte's Robes: 2DP

2 XP Awarded

Unlocking exactly what I need, I summon two of the Acolytes to man the box correctly. Aptly named, it is exactly what it said it was. A small, dirty-brown, box. It's about as large as a cupboard and has a door on the front that doesn't close properly. It said I needed two people to man it but it only looks like it will fit one and wouldn't that be the person praying?

Who the hell is going to want to pray in that thing?

The Acolytes at least look the part. A male and female are standing before me. They're both wearing simple-grey robes with string tying them shut.

Feeling lucky, I name the male Zen and the female Ang. Zen is completely hairless all over and he has dark-brown eyes. He actually reminds me of a monk. For Ang, I was going to go with Angela, but didn't think it was very Acolyte-ish. She has dark-brown hair and the same dark-brown eyes as Zen. She is also blessed with a bosom shaped by the Gods themselves. I'm sure if she were dressed in anything other than these robes she would be a heart breaker.

Because of the box of worship and the Acolytes, I'll call this room the Prayer Room to make it unique. The Acolytes look just as human and just as good looking as my Rogues. Before they can get acquainted with their home, I send the last minute additions off to Talia's to see if Ali is ready with the food.

Waiting to spring my surprise is killing me, I haven't even used it once.

How great is my determination!?

I move on to the next room just after the Wolves Den. The third corner room. I place 30 Pitfall traps. The traps are left open so that there are holes all around the room in random locations and the monsters that I am about to add can fill them in or cover them up.

Opening my monsters list, I already know what I want and I select 10 Baby Spiders.

A new Monster has been unlocked:

Sticky Spider: 6DP

New loot unlocked:

Silk: 3DP

Even for small spiders, they're rather large. Grey and black hair cover each one of the eight-legged monsters and a sea of 80 fear-inducing eyes stare right at me.

If I was still a human, I may have wet myself a little bit at the sight. As it turns out, the fear over the creepy-legged Arachnids is not as strong as it once was. Feeling a little relieved, I summon a Sticky Spider because I'm brave.

This time, once the summoning light has vanished, a grey and white spider remains. It has long-bristly legs and is larger than the other ten. This one has black eyes that run down its face in symmetrical lines.

It is most certainly a far cry from cute.

Optional Mini-Boss is now Unlocked:

Set Sticky Spider as a Mini-Boss for the first floor

Yes/No?

Me, how many Mini-Bosses am I allowed on a floor?

Any monster over the first rank of evolution can be a Mini-Boss on the first floor as it is always a dungeon's weakest level. Most first floors are never that big so they don't usually have more than one before the main boss.

Fair enough. In that case, why not?

Yes, please.

Confirming my choice, I name the new scary-looking-Sticky-Spider Webster and I confirm his status as the first floor's second official Mini-Boss. I also name the ten Baby Spiders this time and decide to call them all William because they all look the same.

I add the web feature to this room for no cost and hope it improves the aesthetics and defence. Hopefully, any potential adventurers that manage to make it past the Rogues will get more than their share of fear upon arrival.

I'll name this one, 'The Wonderful Womb of Web'.

That said what do I want to do with the Rogues. I'm kind of doing what I want and yet I expect them to defend me if I get invaded. Why would they do that?

There are a lot of unanswered questions in the life of a Dungeon Core.

Like, why are all the buildings that I create so damaged and rundown? Their poor descriptions don't do them any favours either.

I've already asked Me, but he doesn't know and he gets a little grouchy when I ask him a question he doesn't have the answer to.

He can tell me why I'm a dungeon, how dungeons are created, who created them and the reason behind said creation, but he can't tell me what comes after the vagabond because it depends on me?

Whatever, if I want to build a Bandit village or a Rogue village then that's exactly what I'll do. It should be fine. I'm lucky that dungeon monsters don't attack each other. No matter what, they're safe from friendly attacks. Unlike some of the human cities. Its not so lucky for any adventurers that might stumble upon me out here in the middle of nowhere though. These guys will all work as one unit without argument or complaint.

As a former adventurer, I may be willing to let others enter my dungeon. I'm not really behind the about the idea of them killing my monsters though, I feel as though I'm growing attached to these guys. If a Defiler or two manages to go missing whilst staying on the sacred grounds of Talia's reputable establishment, no one would mind, right?

It's a tricky choice but it's one that I'm contemplating. I don't want to forsake my humanity and succumb to eating people but I'll do it if I'm forced to, or if one of my cute monsters are killed.

This is actually hard. Maybe my dungeon could be a fun dungeon, where you don't kill the monsters?

Or is that me just being stupid again?

Potentially.

Potentially what?

Exactly.

Don't do that to me, Me. It's not funny when you do it.

Exactly.

Point taken.

It sounded stupid.

Ignoring my own stupidity, I finish off the the rest of the rooms that don't have any light. Except for rooms that are meant to be dark and every one of my tunnels, my dungeon now has sufficient lighting.

If adventurers see my Rogue babes they may actually want to keep quiet about me. They might not want other people to know about the strange dungeon full of beautiful women. They could even bring gifts which I can absorb. That would be awesome!

In a way, that kind of sounds like owning a brothel. Would I really want a place like that in my dungeon and could I honestly do that to my creations. Then again, for all I know, I could already own one. What if the Box of Worship upgrades into...

I'll stop that thought right there. Hopefully that doesn't happen, but there's another problem with my idea. Now that I've placed my lights, people will see how handsome my male monsters are. There aren't as many female adventurers out there as there are males. What if my men make the adventurers jealous causing them to report me out of spite, petty and jealosy?

Damn!

I suppose it doesn't really matter if they're seen. It will either go one way or the other.

I placed Light Clusters above each tunnel at the Watch House, the Camping Grounds and the Rogues' Corner. That's the first third of my dungeon finished that will have Rogues set to it after Ali's meal and a good rest.

That wasn't it though.

I also put Light Clusters in the Prayer Room for my Acolytes, keeping to the trend of placing them just above the tunnels, before placing one-extremely-Large Light Cluster in the centre of Veris's roof. The cluster makes it bright in the centre but keeps the edges of the room shrouded in darkness. It also gives off an eerie vibe that the room is bigger than it actually is. In total, this cost another 30DP but anyone that enters should clearly see my Monsters' human-like appearances now.

I spend a small amount of DP increasing the length of time people will have to spend travelling through my dungeon to reach my core, if they got past my monsters that is.

I add a new tunnel to my second floor heading east from the last. At the end, I add the smallest room I can create, which only costs me 2 DP, and it's just as wide as the tunnel itself. From there I add another tunnel heading north but this time on a declining angle heading deeper into the earth. I can make it as steep as a 200-foot but going that far down is not my purpose or intention. I set the north end of the tunnel to be 20 foot below the start and confirm the purchase. Once set, I add another tunnel onto the end of the last one and set it to head west, with the western end dropping another 20 foot.

I place another tunnel running in the same direction as the last but I straighten out the incline before confirming it. This tunnel ends underneath where I first started and I finish up by placing one more small room. The reason I'm placing these is because Me said that I need a certain number of tunnels and rooms for the next floor to unlock. After all that building, I move my Core to the bottom and watch it reemerge in its next temporary home. I wonder how long it will take me to create an actual Core Room that doesn't change location every few hours?

Ten minutes worth of effort and I'm down to 75 DP. I've done a good bit and it's the perfect time to stop. I teleport Veris to Talia's as Ali has just brought out an extra-large pot of food for the hungry mouths waiting within the Tavern.

Talia doesn't seem too bothered about stopping them from getting too riled, but I suppose the majority are Rogues. Almost half are wolves and underneath the surface, every single one of them is a monster. All the way down to the auspicious chest, covered in its own saliva, sat on the counter.

Barry is outside with Trixie as they are a bit too large to fit inside. It's not a sad scene, they most certainly have no need for any type of sustenance that Ali can provide. And honesty, Barry looks as though he's itching to dig, playing in my dirt with his large finger.

He's like a mana junkie.

I'm sorry, Barry. I just have a quick surprise to show everyone, then you can go back to what you want to do. Ok?

Feeling my compassion flow through my will, the loveable Mythril-Golem bows before me.

What a guy.

Trixie is also too large to fit in the building and is laid beside the window looking inside.

Don't worry, I'll make sure they bring you some food out Trix. Even if you don't need it.

My snow-white wolf yips in reply and I give them both a sneak peek of what's to come. This way Barry can go back to work and I can go inside and knock everyone's socks off.

Once I'm done, I have to contain myself and calm down. I feel as though I impressed myself more than my two monsters though as neither of them understand the significance of what just happened.

After Barry leaves, I move inside to the balcony on the second floor.

Beneath me, bowls are spread out everywhere. Even though the tables for human type monsters are on the left and the right side of the room is covered in wolves, everyone's getting along superbly. My loveable Mimic is on the bar with its long pink tongue slopped inside Ali's pot of food and he's happily sipping away. The two recent additions, Zen and Ang, are seated on a table by the door enjoying their meal thoroughly.

Dropper and the other four-unnamed females Rogues are all laughing happily. Talia is refilling the Empty glasses of anyone who finishes whilst Tweedledum and Tweedledee have an eating competion at the bar.

The wolves that have taken up the right half of the floor are sloppily howling between mouthfuls adding to the merry atmosphere surrounding them. The noise from the Tavern is the loudest that I've heard in my dungeon before. It honestly feels likes a happy place and I could mistake it for a Guildhall, even with the wolves.

Veris is sat on the balcony railing above the room. Steadily kicking her feet, she childishly slurps her broth in joyful peace. Light has already fallen asleep on top of one of the tables below us and Talia collects his glass.

She's everywhere.

Either he can't hold his liquor or the fact that he has been awake for over 27 hours has finally taken its toll on him. Speaking of, Ali also has heavy-looking eyes and it seems as though she could drop at any moment too. Especially now her belly's full.

The room before me is full of beautiful faces who all share a similar bond. Me.

It's now or never, Abi. Steel those nerves.

Looking out next to Veris on top the balcony, it's a little more daunting than I thought it would be but I smile inwardly at everyone here which gives me the courage I need. Using all the strength I can muster, to be as loud as possible, I activate my new skill.

"Hey guys!" I burst into existence at my spot on the balcony as a tiny bright-ball of light. Jade Green like my Core and no bigger than the flame of the Weak Wooden Torchs hanging in my dungeon. Small and insignificant, however, my voice is insanely loud.

I scare the crap out of Veris, who falls off the balcony, dropping her food on Talia in the process who instantly turns furious. Veris lands on one side of the sleeping Rogue's table and sends poor Light flying through the air, instantly awakening him. He knocks Colin and the pot of food off the bar, covering Dropper and her friends, in the process. The pot and Mimic don't stop Light either as the momentum from Veris carries him forward into Dum and Dee's eating contest hitting every one of the empty bowls beside them.

Falling off the bar after his strike, Light lands amongst the Wolves who jump away in futility. Almost everyone here is now covered in the remains of someone's meal after the five-second disaster comes to an end.

Everyone stops to look at the person, or the ball of light in this case, who managed to cause such a disturbance.

To look at me.

"Oops. Surprise."