Location: In the waters of Boiling Bay near the island of Waponikanoo

Prince Japon called out orders as Sailors and Marines began their work to sow the sails and drop the anchor. Planks were brought out along with pulleys to make ready the long boats. They were in the natural bay of the active volcanic island, Waponikanoo. Everyone was carefully looking over their shoulders at the big volcano, as the last time the volcano had erupted had been when Prince Japon was five. For a full day ash poured out of the volcano and made the day as dark as night, and the kingdom had called it the dark day. During that day lava had poured out of the volcano and created the natural bay that they were sitting in.

The bay they were anchored in was called the Boiling Bay by the kingdom. Active lava vents deep in the bay turned the normal cool ocean waters in hot bubbling froth killing all sea life. Ships that ventured into the bay could not send more than a day in the waters as the ship would spring leaks and tar repairs would not hold more than three hours. The price of repair to the three ships that Prince Japon led here would not be cheap, but Farin had verified young Jeralal work and showed that a dungeon was being created on this island. The dungeon could be a boon or a curse to the kingdom and no matter the expense the Royal Family needed to know.

Men were placing gear and food supplies on the long boats making them ready to be placed in the bay and rolled ashore. Keil and Japon had worked on choosing 20 men to do the initial assessment of the island and dungeon; amongst them was the young mage that found the dungeon and Keil himself. The crew of 20 would set ashore for a month and take magical readings to figure out where the dungeon started, if the dungeon was expanding outward trying to take over the precious land mass of the kingdom, and perhaps do an initial scout of its borders. Japon watched Keil and Jeralal be lowered down in the long boat with three other men and watched as the other boats did the same. The transfer of supplies would take them another couple of hours, as Japon watched the men lower the longboat down into the froth. Once the ships returned to harbor for repair, the procedure was send a fast packet ship back to the island to anchor in safe waters watching the camp. The ships only purpose was to rescue the men and report back the dire information if needed. Otherwise, it was to wait till the men had gathered enough information to make a report. With a fist of anxiety in his stomach, Japon waited for as the crew watch the men on the long boats row to shore.

Location: Alistair Pocket Dimension

Herma, Callum, Helga, Alistair, and Toji read the prompt. Herma stood there looking at Alistair with an arm around Helga. Toji sat and watch Joshin run up to the fountain being chased by puppy dogs. Biting his lip Alistair looked up to Herma then Callum and said, “I should choose the Research through Destruction option, right?”

Herma nodded her head as she spoke, “Yes, currently your dungeon has lots of elements to destroy objects. The Fire Salamanders, the Magma Elemental, some of the traps in the final room. Not to mention the Slime wondering the cave systems. Though the choice doesn’t have a direct benefit as of right now, Adventurers are going to die more then get stones or want to get a pet. Besides there is nothing to draw Adventurers in, nor is there anything to keep them coming.”

Toji coughed at the last statement, “Actually that is not true, Herma. Since connecting with the dungeon I can tell we are in the Archipelago Kingdom of Waponikash and that metals are extremely rare. The copper veins that are growing will help the kingdom as they can make simple basic tools instead of having to import them. Of course, as the dungeon goes deeper and deeper copper veins will turn into iron, gold, maybe even mithril or platinum ore veins. Of course, that’s assuming that Alistair performs a great work on the second level and closes the lava vents in the bay. Otherwise, we will be left alone until we present a danger to the kingdom or we our loot has something valuable. I would even venture that a pet like a Magma Elemental would be helpful in attracting Adventurers. I know from experience that in Undead Tombs and Ice Caverns, Adventurers will not go in there without a fire pet. Besides we can shape it into a puppy and teach it to start camp fires. If I work with Alistair on it, the pet could look like a rock element puppy with cracks of lava, that way it acts as a light source as well without burning down a forest or city. Of course, the decision is ultimately up to Alistair.”

Alistair looked at Toji for a moment and asked him how he knew where the dungeon was located. Toji’s caterpillar eyes brows seemed to dance on his forehead for a moment and then spoke. “Well, since I have been helping dungeons out for many years, I have gain a skill much like a Dungeon Demon’s Vision. Tell me, what is your current level in it?” Alistair put his eyes down and said his skill level was 2. Toji simply nodded, “In about three levels, you will advance enough to see outside of the dungeon. In the more advance levels it will become a scrying device to help with research and attacking other dungeons.”

Alistair looking at Herma and seeing her bite her lip in frustration. Alistair really thought about his options. The stones were a two edge sword; the attributes stones would help him become powerful over the thousands of years that he would be alive, but that was in the future. While the ability stones would help his creatures become more powerful, but once again he would have to wait for them to develop. Alistair loved the idea of a Pet Magma Monster, so few dungeon’s dropped pets and there was small group of Adventurers that would farm a dungeon till a pet dropped to sell to the general public. There was even talk that some of the best blacksmith bought the pets to inhabit their forges allowing fire elementals to heat up the forge to specific temperatures. His heart wanted the pet so much, but his head kept telling him to choose the loot by destruction method. Knowing it was the smart choice, Alistair choose the loot by destruction and the prompt disappeared.

Another prompt popped up.

Event!Heavy is the Head that wears the Crown!The Universe has felt your desire to have a pet for your loot tables and instead you chose to embrace the logical choice. When growing your dungeon, sometimes it’s important to put aside your desires and think what is best for everyone. Know this! A leader still must live with his heart, and take its advice once in a while to find their own path in this world.Reward: +1 to Wisdom and Intelligence

Alistair dismissing the prompt, as he looked up at everyone. “I chose the Research by Destruction.” Herma gave him a shy smile as he continued. “However, I really did want that pet, and when the circle levels again I will be getting it. I think that Toji was right, that if we had a useful loot item, we will draw people to the dungeon, but if all they do is farm for that one item, we will be spending a great deal of mana for very little return.” Toji nodded at Alistair. “Now, I believe I promised to fix someone house and build a new one. Herma I know you are busy, but if you can find the time, please go to the General Knowledge Hut and talk about your life. I believe that is how we can gain more knowledge of dungeon making and you have helped me quite a bit.” Herma nodded though there was a small spark of anger in her eye at the idea of Alistair ordering her. It was calmed by the fact that Alistair had asked nicely and even ended with a bit of flattery. “Callum, after I am done would you meet me at the farm.” Callum agreed and the meeting broke up.

Alistair stared at Herma’s house and saw how much fire damage had been done. Biting his lip, he began to summon mana from his fountain and slowly walked around the building. Wooden beams began to reform, cracked stones welded themselves back together, and even dark ash burns began to disappear as Alistair continued to work. It took his several hours of concentration, but the house was put back together and cleaned of all previous damage. Helga and Joshin had decided to adopt some of the puppy dogs and were carrying them to Helga house bundled in their arms. The puppy dogs had their noses out from the two children’s arms and were sniffing the world.

Toji can up to him and smiled. “Some things never change do they, thousands of years later and an innocent child with an innocent pup still warms the heart.” Alistair had to agree with the gnome. “Well, My Lord, would you be as kind as to take my advice on how to build my home?” Alistair nodded and they sat down talking about the design of the gnome burrow. It took Alistair and Toji hours of walking back and forth from the fountain to the burrow home that Alistair built inside a hill. Toji had wanted his home like the early days of his people. Dug in the side of a hill, with wooden beams supporting the dirt above one’s head. The layout and polished beam support didn’t bother Alistair at all, but Toji had to describe how to make plaster walls, putting small wooden slates between the beams and then coating it with a white glue and plant fiber. The home looked amazing and Toji even asked for his living room to have an open ceiling so that he could plant a tree in it. Apparently, the elves have taught the gnomes how to work with nature and that a living room was a place to celebrate family life. As such the elves did it around a tree. Gnomes therefore dug a hole in the ceiling to the outside world and planted a tree in the dirt floor for a fruit tree. Bowing, as the last polished wood plank was paced in the floor, Toji thanked Alistair and moved into his home.

Alistair walked over to the Farm see that Callum was at one of the monster pens. All Alistair wanted to do was stop and start working on one of the many quests that he had. However, he needed to talk with Callum and understand how he could evolve an animal into a dire animal or plant a crop of ingredients. Walking over, Alistair saw that the Callum was next to the pen with the Air and Fire wisps. The Fire Wisp seemed to be bloated with energy as it sparked and sputtered about. While the air wisp seemed to be cloud of mist that floated lazily in the wood pen. “I know you have been working on the evolving the Fire Wisp Callum, any progress?” Alistair asked.

Callum let out a heavy sigh, “No, My Lord. If you like, please open a Dungeon Window and I will show you the problem.” Alistair did so and with Callum’s guidance changed the Window to mana view. The window had chosen a fire wisp to hovered over that sparked and sputtered like the Wisp in front of them. When switching to the mana view, the wisp could be seen almost as a big tangle of red and brown threads. Callum pointed at the window as he talked. “See how it looks like a bundle of threads. Well, normally a wisp has a great deal less mana threads inside of it, but when evolving a creature you began channeling specific mana into it. As I channel mana into it knots and tangles keep forming in its mana matrix. I told you about how I was switching over to feeding it energies from the Blue Dream Mushrooms we have in the cave. Well that seems to help untangle or unknot some of the energies but then they just get tangled up again somewhere else, here take a look for yourself.”

What Alistair saw was two threads of mana that had red fluid racing through them, but as they neared one another the fluid would slow down and try to travel in a different direction. The threads would then began to twist and turn, trying to accommodate the new flow of the fluid, but in the end it would just entangle more and more, causing a bigger knot. Callum picked up a Blue Dream Mushroom and shook it towards the fire wisp. Purple pollen slowly floated over to the wisp, but in the window soft purple light began to surround the red threads and slowly the knot began to work itself out. When finally the knot was undone, the threads seemed to weave themselves into position. Amazed, Alistair looked around the matrix to see several other spots where this had been done.

“Callum, how many times have you done this?” Alistair asked. Callum replied that he had done two or three times. “Well it seems that we might need more Blue Dream Mushroom energy. I think the purple energy coming from the mushroom is keeping the matrix from tangling up and if I shake enough energy at the wisp you can channel the greater amount of fire energy it will evolve. Besides making more mushrooms would fit with a quest that I am doing as well.” Excited Alistair took the time to explain the quest about feeding the Kobolds to Callum.

Callum held his head down for a moment and then spoke, “Lord Alistair the Blue Dream Mushroom grows only in enriched damp locations. We may have five square feet of it, to make an acre of it we would have to increase the bat population in the tunnels, and set up a massive chamber in the tunnels. It would have to have small steps and shelves for the bat droppings to accumulate and it would have to be close to the entrance as some of the bats leave at night to feed off of the local insect population outside. As for the dire animal, my lord, well we would need life and earth energies. Currently we don’t have a lot of either one of those mana types in the dungeon.”

Alistair thought about the problem for a moment and simply shrugged. “Callum, we have to keep working on the dungeon, and I think the best way for us to evolve the Fire Wisp is to gather more Blue Dream Mushrooms. So if that means I have to fight the Bat Swarm and create a Giant chamber then that’s what I am going to do, but I am going to fight smart. I will summon the Magma Elemental and then I am going to possess it and fight the slime and swarm. Since the Magma Elemental is stronger than either one of the mana monster, can you think of anything that would go wrong with the plan?”

Callum was quiet for a moment and then shook his head, the only thing that could go wrong with the plan was the unexpected.