Dungeon:

:ETHER[INTRA]:

:ETHER[INTER]:

How the heck is it even still alive…?

The Ogre had lost a comically lethal amount of flesh and blood. And yet, there it was. Still inching its way forward, still gushing… or only leaking blood…?

The Core watched, intrigued, as the remnant Ether in the room began behaving strangely. Instead of resting passively throughout the space, it had shifted to congeal around the injured Ogre. It wasn’t infusing it, transforming into Mana, or whatever happened during the summoning.

It was acting as a director. Forcibly rearranging the internal energies of the Ogre, the once unresponsive Ether dragged them out into the creature’s injuries. Injuries which were healing at an astounding pace.

Right up until the Ogre began to leave the room. Still searching for the Ogrillon, the gluttonous creature let out a pained grunt as soon as it entered the tunnel. The Ether had violently abandoned it, eliciting further moaning as the Ogre’s internal organs once again attempted to become external.

The Core took note of the increased gore surrounding the previous room’s exit.

Stupid? Stubborn? Both?

Let’s go with ‘Impressive.’

Yet as impressive as it was, the Creature was still on a collision course with the Ogrillon. An expensive Ogrillon.

Not on my watch.

~ENHANCEMENT~SELECTION~>>

OGRE[NOVICE]:

SUPPORT

Ogres normally procure a variety of resources for their own use. Provided some of those resources, unnatural Ogres will find their own use for them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NOVICE Ogres struggle to modify resources, often using them in the most basic fashion.

Selecting the SUPPORT option, the Dungeon spent several harried moments searching through an extensive list of suppliable resources. Rocks, logs, plant fibers, full plants, hides, a “water feature,” creature skulls, humanoid skulls, and finally…

Aha! Giant Deer Carcass!

The Ogre paused for a moment. With a confused look momentarily flashing across its grimacing face, it shuddered upon the floor before a familiar ethereal light surrounded it. In a near repeat of its earlier summoning, the energy solidified before vanishing into the floor.

Looking exhausted, the Ogre panted heavily as a rock formation rose beside it. The subsequent giant deer corpse barely had time to flop down before jagged teeth began tearing into it with a manic fervor.

Wow. Second wind, huh?

With a few, well actually a lot of commands the Core was able to lead the Ogre away from its prior prey. It perked up immediately once it began healing again, and did so again when the deer corpse began regenerating as well!

As the feast continued, the Core took a closer look at this “carcass.” It seemed to contain the same energies as the Ogre… the Ogre which was currently devouring it.

Cannibalism!?!

Well it is an Ogre.

The Dungeon watched, fascinated, as even bones began to reform when the Ogre either swallowed them or tossed them aside.

That bit of clutter did not appear to be healing… Or going anywhere.

That might be a problem…

As a few became many, the Core was relieved to see that the couple bones which managed to leave the room dissolved into the Dungeon Stone making up the floor.

Ok then, bone flood averted. And I’m sure it’ll clean up after itself if the room ever becomes overfull.

The Ogre continued to gorge itself on the endless deer carcass. It was covered in blood… most of it belonging to the deer.

Maybe not…

Mystiq: ~WORSHIPER~MANAGEMENT~>>

MORTALS

0

CONSTRUCTS

1

Mystiq had been in a lot of difficult situations throughout the eons. But never one like this…

The New Gods had hit her where it hurt, her source of income.

Whelp. It’s been a good run.

While not fully conceptual, the once Elder Goddess of Magic still required the same thing every Deity did: faith.

Without anchors to the mortal realms, a Deity was simply an idea. A lever without a fulcrum, a pulley without a rope, a Deity untethered in such a manner could have all the power in existence. Yet… lacking the leverage of faith would doom any Deity to an unceremonious death.

One I should have faced already…

~WORSHIPER~MANAGEMENT~>>

MORTALS

0

CONSTRUCTS

1

Mystiq glared at her one remaining construct. Her one remaining source of worship.

~WORSHIPER~MANAGEMENT~>>

MORTALS

0

CONSTRUCTS

1

And yet the New Gods did not destroy it.

Cannot? Or will not…?

Whilst potentially a trap, Mystiq knew she had no choice but to bet everything on her final worshiper. A fresh young Dungeon, not even two floors old.

Remove all restrictions, void all locks… and subsequent errors…

Activate the experimental features… Even the Dungeon Guide… Hmm…

What would make for a trustworthy guide? It would need to be small, but knowledgeable. Something able to command instant respect from the young gem… Something that would not betray me the moment it had the chance… oh.

Mystiq made sure she had done all she could for her final Dungeon before selecting herself as its guide.

In a poof of smoke and light, she was gone.

Dungeon:

:ETHER[INTRA]:

:ETHER[INTER]:

The Core was quite pleased with all it had done.

Having discovered that yes, the deer had not counted toward its Ether spending, it had gone on to SUPPORT the Ogrillon. The list of resources had been quite different, with many of the objects having a much smaller scope.

The best it could do for another carcass was a pheasant. Not even a giant one…

It was picked at by the Ogrillon, but it had not consumed much of it. It had mostly begun harvesting the “dead bird” for feathers and bones, making a few neat piles nearby.

It was that smidgen of sophistication that decided the next creature.

Summoning a second Ogrillon had been simple enough: spend Ether get creature.

Sneaking it past the Ogre had gotten a bit… dicey.

The Ogre’s room now had a near full carpet of deer bones, most of them picked clean. It had even scattered out a number of antlers, each acting as a primitive caltrop.

At least… the Dungeon had assumed they were placed with purpose. The constant eating seemed to have brought a semblance of rationality to the Ogre. But… it was still an Ogre.

Luckily, this second Ogrillon was a bit slimmer and faster than the previous. It snuck as far as it could before the snap of a crushed bone alerted the behemoth.

At that point it had become a race, with the occasional stunning command to halt the lunging Ogre.

It took a bit to return the Ogre to its carcass after it lost, but once the feast resumed it settled down just fine.

The Ogrillons were having a staring contest when it was finally able to check on them. The original won after casually taking a large bite from its pheasant and spitting it at the new guy. Not to be deterred, the slugfest that followed began with a tackle and ended with chipped tusks.

Mentally chuckling at their antics, the Core began the process of enhancing the lighter Ogrillon.

~ENHANCEMENT~SELECTION~>>

OGRILLON[NOVICE]:

ENVIRONMENTAL

[EARTH]

Ogrillons can naturally attain a variety of affinities, including one for Earth Mana.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NOVICE Ogrillons have, at best, an undeveloped affinity. If fueled by an infusion of Earth Mana, it could result in remarkable abilities. Or a statue.

EQUIPMENT

Ogrillons naturally live amongst their Orcish tribe as either curiosities or powerful brutes. In either case, it is not uncommon for an Ogrillon to become well-equipped by their tribesmen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NOVICE Ogrillons can utilize most weapons or armors without significant penalties, but do best with bludgeoning weapons and light armor.

SUPPORT

Ogrillons normally procure a variety of resources for their tribe's use. Unnatural Ogrillon will find their own use for them, tribe or otherwise.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NOVICE Ogrillons will attempt to utilize their resources to their fullest physical potential. They are often more successful with a tribe.

Choosing to stick with what it knew, the Dungeon was surprised to discover a variety of new SUPPORT options. It seemed having two Ogrillons, even when they were both novices, had done something to improve its potential choices.

There were a number of things that looked interesting. But it decided on a campfire, hoping the minor intelligence of the Ogrillon would be able to make good use of it.

Another summoning later, and the original was curiously prodding the merry fire while its sibling recovered.

:ETHER[INTER]:

It seems intrigued, at least.

Now… I wonder what other options I could get with a second Ogre…

Before it could act on that thought, a new burst of information flashed through its mind:

~EMERGENCY~>>

YOU AND %NULL_ERROR% OTHER DUNGEONS ARE THE LAST OF YOUR KIND.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

YOUR CREATOR: MYSTIQ

BLESSES YOU IN HOPES OF YOUR CONTINUED SURVIVAL

What the… Error? Last? Mystiq?

Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

Or in this case, think of an Elder Goddess and her little finger will show up next to you with a puff of smoke.