Dungeon Lord Quest #2

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Even at this distance, you march through the snow, your footfalls in time with the pulse of your Dungeon Heart.

Your heart was kept in a warm cave, beyond a heavily trapped tunnel in the depths of an active volcano. Despite the miles of distance between you and your Heart, you feel the warmth of your mountainous home. It is a warmth even the chill winds you trudged against could not hope to drive away.

The frozen village of Winterwind lay in the distance, as unassuming as you have ever glimpsed it. You briefly wonder if you should buy a cart. Surely walking to Winterwind would get tedious if you planned on making it a common occurence. Once again, you wear the guise of a simple merchant as you pass into the town. The difference being that this time, your pockets were heavy with gold.

You'd decided that your first stop was to establish a trade deal with the local fishermen. Your underlings didn't consist of much, but your Obsidian Ooze would require much food if it was to grow and become powerful. As of yet you were certain that it's killing ability was limited to frozen birds and small rodents.

>Breena had mentioned the Whitehook family and their charity. Perhaps I should repay their kindness. Giving them first bid on a fishing contract would be a good way to encourage good deeds toward my underlings.

>I run a Dungeon, not a charity. I will visit the local market and the Whitehooks will get a fair chance to bid just like any other fishermen. Settling for less than an optimal deal is not how I want to run a dungeon.

>>1779772
I thought the Apothecary was first?

>Breena had mentioned the Whitehook family and their charity. Perhaps I should repay their kindness. Giving them first bid on a fishing contract would be a good way to encourage good deeds toward my underlings.

>>1779772
>Breena had mentioned the Whitehook family and their charity. Perhaps I should repay their kindness. Giving them first bid on a fishing contract would be a good way to encourage good deeds toward my underlings.

>>1779835
Unless I botched the count, it was 4-2 for fish first.

>>1779772
>Breena had mentioned the Whitehook family and their charity. Perhaps I should repay their kindness. Giving them first bid on a fishing contract would be a good way to encourage good deeds toward my underlings.

>>1779772
>>Breena had mentioned the Whitehook family and their charity. Perhaps I should repay their kindness. Giving them first bid on a fishing contract would be a good way to encourage good deeds toward my underlings.

I'm getting the feeling that we're kind of a "new school" Overlord that values a connection to the local community. What better way to foster that connection than nepotism by proxy?

>>1779772
Whitehook

>>1779868
It doesn't really matter

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You decide to visit the Whitehook family Breena had mentioned. The blacksmith's daughter had mentioned the family always gave her extra fish, the implication being that their charity had helped Bartholomew and Breena make ends meet. The blacksmith's eccentricities had no doubt been the responsibility for his ostracism.

It isn't hard to find the family's home. You asked the first local you saw at the docks, and he immediately knew the family you spoke of. He pointed you in the right direction and you came upon a fishing shack. In keeping with your experiences thus far, this building was quite in line with the aesthetic of the town. That is, run down and barely cobbled together. Still, apparently the structure was sturdy enough to support more than one floor. This was probably by necessity since the bottom floor seemed mostly a store front. Well, if you could call a counter at a window a store front.

There was a young boy sitting at the counter, and you approached. "Boy," you said, "I am looking for the Whitefish family."

"You found it, sir." the youth answered. Well, good. Apparently this one was taught manners.

"I aim to do business with whoever is in charge of your fishing operation."

"That would be dad." the boy replied. "He's out fishing for now, but I've been left in charge of the shop!"

You inwardly roll your eyes. Of course the child was left...
"And when will he be back?" you ask.

"Evening time, mister. I have plenty of stock for sale, though!" the boy says, eagerly.

"I am actually looking to place a bulk order." you say.

"We got plenty!" the boy says, leaning to the side of the window, allowing you to look inside. Apparently the bottom floor of the shop was entirely stocked with barrels. Well, this would certainly be a good start to your stores.

"And we deliver, good sir!" the boy says.

>Place an order now.
>Wait for the dad to return and do business with him.

>>1780061
>Wait for the dad to return and do business with him.

>>1780061
Wait for dad. We do big boy business.

>Wait for the dad to return and do business with him.

Only because there is a chance he might take offense and that would ruin the deal. If we honestly believe we could get a better deal without him present then it would stand to reason he would feel swindled.

Writing!

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>>1780061
You decide that business was best kept for the Whitehook father. You wonder if it was a moral high ground, or simply your pride that if you were going to swindle someone into a deal, it would not be an eight year old. Not to mention that if you deigned to do business with these peasants for long, you did not want the reputation of someone who would con a child. Especially the child of an apparently charitable family.

Your wait is not long, thankfully. Your perception of time is... malleable. The rest of the world's day went about while you withdrew inwardly. Finding a bench to wait on, the beating of your Dungeon Heart rose in pitch until the waking world was a fast forward motion. You were a still rock in a vast stream until time seemed to slow down again. You come out of your waiting when you notice a cart being pulled up the street. You noticed this cart before it was this close, it had been loaded with cargo off of one of the larger fishing boats.

A middle-aged man with a full beard walked the beraggled horse up the pathway. It seems facial hair was a common way to try and keep the chill out. You wondered if you should grow one.

"The patron Whitehook, I presume?" you say as he stops in front of the Whitehook building.

He turns to look at you, nodding. "I am. How can I help ya, stranger?" he says affably.

"I am looking to establish a trade agreement." you say, withdrawing the pouch full of your gold.

"What kind of trade agreement?" the man asks.

"The profitable kind." you say, opening the bag enough so that the glint of gold twinkles in the sunlight.

>Offer a generous deal
>Offer a fair deal
>Offer a cheap deal
>Write in

>>1780248
>Offer a fair deal but leaning a little bit towards generous

tell them that the smith family is now employed by us and that you gave a extra fish to them so i decided to buy from you

>>1780248
Fair deal.

Also mention Breena and her father at some point.

Actually. Can we do a one time generous deal and then continue being fair?

>>1780248
>Offer a fair deal

>>1780272
You can!

>>1780271
Yeah, this works

>>1780272

Thirding

>>1780305
I guess we want to do a fair deal with just a little bit of extra. Just a bit.

>>1780271
Also voting this. This is all we have for now. When we can afford to lose a deal, we can take the risk of pushing a harder bargain.

i change my vote to
>>1780248
>Offer a fair deal but first payment is generous then we continue being fair
>Also mention Breena and her father at some point

writing!

>>1780337
I believe this represents a valid consensus of the discussion.

>>1780337
Supporting this for the record.

good night

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You decide that you were going to be generous with your bargaining... at least this once.
"I want to make you an offer first. It seems you have been charitable in the past. I think your family deserves a reward."

"Charitable?" the man asks, looking puzzled. You decide to elaborate.

"I have taken the blacksmith, Bartholomew, into my employ. It seems his daughter, Breena, has had some dealings with your business. She said you always gave her some extra fish."

The man's eyes go wider with realization. "Oh, little Breena. Well, you know what they say. Be kind to your neighbor. I always give her the little ones. The ones that I can't legally sell."

You raise your eyebrow. "Can't legally sell?" you ask, wondering if perhaps this fishmonger sold Breena bad fish.

The man nods. "The ones too small. Law says fish have to be over a certain weight on the scale, else they're no good to sell. Says selling them in cheating, since their weight is mostly bone. But you can still eat 'em. Used to give 'em to the dogs. But Breena always looked thin as you can be. Wife said the neighborly thing to do was help. Specially having a father like that..."

>Ignore this slight against Bartholomew
>Inquire further. Perhaps the man knows something...
>Write in

>ignore the slight against bartholemew

>>1780426
>>Ignore this slight against Bartholomew

>Don't forget it, though.

I mean, giving her smaller fish you can't sell anyway but can still eat isn't necessarily a bad thing.

>>1780426
>Inquire further. Perhaps the man knows something...
>if you dont want the bony fish i can give them to my pets

>>1780450
>Offer a deal for the fish.
>"It wouldn't be selling me the fish, you'd be paying me for disposal."
>"I'll actually take all of the organic waste you have."
>"It's for something like chicken feed."

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>>1780426
You decide to ignore this slight against Bartholomew. His mysterious nature was almost entirely the reason you ended up hiring him. Let the locals have their superstitions.

"Well, your neighborly tendency is about to be rewarded." You say. "I have come to buy ten barrels of fish at thirty silver per barrel." The man's eye light up at these sums, given that you just offered him three times the going price for his fish.

"Furthermore, I will pay ten silver per barrel for orders of no less than twenty per month. There will likely be increase in orders further down the line, at no penalty for orders unable to be filled. This, however, comes with the stipulation that if you are unable to meet an order due to its size or a lack of fish in the waters, I am able to freely take my business elsewhere, at the same price and only until you can continue to meet my orders."

Your tone is clinical and detached, but you can see the fishmonger almost reeling as the numbers danced through his head. Your money would go a long way to making him the richest fishmonger in the land. The notion that this was probably his highest aspiration in life was almost apalling to your sensibilities.

"Furthermore," you say, snapping the patron Whitehook out of his trance, "I will also buy your waste fish at one silver per barrel. Organic waste of any manner, really. My chickens are not picky when it comes to their feed. Bones go a long way to making sure their shells are healthy."

"I..." says Whitehook at length. "I don't know what to say."

"Say yes." you answer.

(1/2)

op why are you kill? do you need another reply? or someone to change their vote?

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>>1780551
Half an hour later, your coinage jingles lighter in your pocket, muffled by the thick reciept Whitehook had given you. He was all too eager to accept your proposal. Peasants. They'd agree to pretty much anything after seeing the flash of coin. They asked very little questions. Not that you minded, the less they asked, the better.

You make your way off to the outskirts of town. The directions Breena had given you took you to the edge of town opposite of Bartholomew's shop. The hovel you come upon actually manages to take you aback. It was a quaint little affair, but not exactly falling apart at the hinges. It was of a decent construction, and you start wondering who put it together.

You approach the door, and move to knock. Even a Dungeon Lord wasn't foolish enough to barge into a suspected Witch's hut. Witches could make themselves quite troublesome for Dungeon Lords who did not show the proper respect. Sure, you could more than handle your average hedge witch, but there were far more powerful entities scattered to the four winds. You felt it best not to tread on the toes of someone with the potential power to curse you.

Right before you knock, however, you hear something.
Chk... chk... chk...
A metallic cutting sound resounds from around back of the hovel.

>Investigate this strange sound.
>Knock and announce my presence. It's none of my business.
>write in

>>1780552
lol as soon as i post...nvm

>>1780556
>Investigate these strange sounds
my guess woods a choppin

>>1780563
Supporting

>>1780556
>Investigate this strange sound.
>Be as quiet as possible.

>>1780623
oh yeah, be quiet

If we're gonna sneak around, Ima need some 1d100 rolls for stealth!

Rolled 57 (1d100)

>>1780642

Rolled 48 (1d100)

>>1780642

Rolled 53 (1d100)

>>1780642

Rolled 49 (1d100)

Writing!

>>1780684
dammit

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>>1780556
You decide to sneak around and investigate the strange noise around the back of the hovel. Luckily, your low profile aids you in this venture as you edge around the building. You come upon a strange scene of greenery, as what looks like a short girl in a blue dress tends to a small grove of plantlife. Whereas you have seen nothing overly remarkable in the lands around Winterwind, you see a number of unique plantlife growing in this small garden.

Blue robes and a wide, blue pointed hat adorn the girl, who currently has her back to you. You assume she has not detected you as she uses a pair of shears to prune a rather modestly sized tree in the center of the grove. The plants seem to be less prone to the chill, bearing only a thin layer of frost as opposed to a healthy coating of snow. You reach out and sense a definite magic in the air. A small dweomer, you presume to keep out the worst of the cold. You can't name most of the plants in the garden, but you are certain they were either rare medicines or spell reagents.

The steady chk chk chk of the witch's shears is the only sound that disturbs the silence, and cuttings fall around her as she seems to be shaping the tree into something.

>Make your presence known
>Stay hidden
>Write in

>>1780742
>Wait and stand there.

>>1780742
>>Make your presence known

>>1780742
>Make your presence known
>Make a small coughing sound.
>"I know you are not a normal human, and you may have guessed I am not human."
>"However, I have a proposition for you."

>>1780744
same, don't want to disturb a witch in her duties as if it is a spell it could backlash and kill us both if we interrupt her but also its polite to let someone finish what they're doing

>>1780753
Don't tell her you're not human, bro not a good sentence starter

>>1780764
Fair enough.

Switching to this.
>>1780744

Writing!

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>>1780742
You decide to stay hidden, watching the girl work. You were familiar with magical rituals, and while you did not know what this one in particular did, you have heard tale of the dire consequences of botched casting.

Watching the witch allows you to come to some understanding of her little ritual. With each cut, she shapes the tree more into some figure. It takes you a bit of time, but eventually you see her cut the tree into the shape of a tiger. You feel the magic in the air grow at a steady pace the more her project seems to near completion. At this distance, when the air is still, you think you can probably even hear muttering. No doubt the chanting of some spell or other.

At the last snip of the witch's shears, the hedge seems to slowly animate. The tree tiger uproots itself and gives a loud, lazy yawn.
Remarkable. A plant animation. While not a complicated spell for a high-level witch, it was certainly the impressive work for a low-ranking one. Given that this one had worked her spell to completion without any indication of detecting you, you could only surmise she hadn't grown into too much power. No self-respecting witch allowed strangers this close to their home without a network of spells for both protection and detection.

>The construct may very well detect me, I should introduce myself now to seem less suspicious.
>I should sneak back to the front door. No need for her to know what I have seen.
>Write in

>Introduce yourself to not seem suspect while complimenting her work

>>1780873
>Keep waiting, she'll notice you eventually. And if she didn't notice you, I doubt the tiger will.

>>1780873
Just watch.

writing!

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>>1780873
You decide that while you would not make yourself more conspicuous, you would not interrupt the witch's work. With her ritual completed, she sets to inspecting her animated plant construct. She seems to be satisfied with how it came out, the floral tiger stretching it's limbs and pacing around. It is only as the witch starts picking up the cuts of tree she had pruned does she finally notice you standing there. It gives her a start as she catches you lurking.

"Who's there?" she calls.

"A merchant." you say, plainly. You see this does not assauge her suspicions. Still, she seems to have no fear of you as she approaches. This is likely, though, to be largely in part to the hedge tiger that paces by her side as she comes to stand before you at the edge of her little garden.

"Do you have an appointment?" she asks with a tone that says she clearly knows you don't. Perhaps she is testing you to see if you are a liar? Hmm...

"I don't." you say. No point in falling into an obvious trap.

"Well, do you need medicine, then?" she asks.

"I don't at the moment, no." you answer. Imps don't get sick. You weren't sure if oozes did. Did plague even survive at temperatures such as inside an obsidian ooze? This question suddenly floats through your mind, and arouses your curiosity. You shake your head. As far as you knew, the humans were in good health. And Dungeon Lords did not fall plague to the same ailments that befell mortals.

"Then why are you here?" she asks.

>Inform her that you might have need of a witch.
>Tell her that Breena sent you.
>Write in

>I might have need of a witch bitch

>>1780985
>I believe that I may have a use for some of your more unique skills.
>Point at the tiger.

>>1780985
>Inform her that you might have need of her skills and services.

Writing!

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>>1780985
"I do believe I may have a need for someone of your more... unique skills." you say, gesturing to the rather animated tiger by her side.

She looks to the tiger, and then back to you. You can almost swear that she jumps a little. "T-This is actually the first time I've done something like that..." she says nervously.

"Oh?" you say. It was certainly interesting. You look over the garden, and you can see the truth in her words. Likely she has been preparing that tree for animation since it was a seed.

"Y-Yeah." she says, her head hanging a bit. You almost fear that her large hat would fall off.

"Well no matter." you say, "I still have someone in need of your talents."

"Like what?" she asks, the curiosity evident in her voice.

>She clearly is able to animate constructs. If she can grow me guardians for my Dungeon to protect what is mine, that is certainly worth any cost she might charge.
>I see many rare plants in her garden. Perhaps she can grow the mushrooms I need. Her apparent green thumb could serve me best in a Fungal Garden.
>Write in

>>1781070
>It depends on what your offering and how much it costs, You clearly have the skill to animate constructs and I do see rare plants with a rather fine garden.

>>1781086

Writing!

>>1781086

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>>1781070
"W-Well, I am an Apothecary, so I sell medicines and elixirs." she says, some confidence returning to her voice.
"Burn salves, cough serums, peptus salix, you know. Standard remedies. People often get sick in the wintertime. They come to me for medicines... and stuff."

You raise your eyebrows. "And what?" you inquired.

She rubs the back of her neck. "Well, you know. Potions and mixtures for personal care. Ginger and longpepper for stamina. Snowberry and frostleaf tea for fertility. Different mixtures for different things."

You hold up a hand, not needing to know more. Yes, certainly that's what peasants would be after. Something to heal them when they're sick, and other things to help them breed. Like rabbits, they were. At least humans were not as bad as goblins. Less... vermin like. Still, nothing she said could help you. Well, at least until someone in your dungeon. Surely her salves and treatments could be of aid if you ever had a population big enough. More than one dungeon had been brought down because of plague. You didn't intend for it to happen to you.

Still, it looks like you would have to press her if you wanted more than the standard services. As far as she was concerned, she thought you just another customer in search of longpepper extract and frostleaf tea.

"I also have reagents if you need them." she says as you think on her words. "There's not many of a magical aptitude around here, but I sell them if you know of anyone with a need."

If you were a Warlock, you certainly would have need. But, that was not the path you chose.

"How much would it cost to animate a construct for me?" you ask as her evident skill at animation was preening itself to your side.

"O-Oh, I'm not sure I could do that. Like I said, it was my first time. I don't even have the reagents for another one... I mean, I can get them. But they are expensive, and business isn't great right now. Took me forever to save up for just one. I needed something to look after the garden while I was away. Things come sniffing after the magic plants."

>I will keep her words in mind, but clearly she is a simple witch. I have no need of a simpleton. Bid her farewell and come back when you have need of medicines.

>Offer to pay for the reagents yourself. You would pay for the supplies and pay her for her labor. Then you get to keep the constructs.

>Wait, things? What things?

>Write in

And that's it for tonight, folks! It's getting late, but I'll be back tomorrow around the same time!

>>1781191
>Money is not an issue if you can pull of wonders like that, along with your medical knowledge... which would be useful.
>Tell me what things however come around? Tiss not good for the local garden clearly

Butter her up and get her eating out of our hands.

>>1781194
Thanks for the run mate

>"What I am here to propose is more akin to a sponsorship."
>"I will help fund you and your studies, and you can still sell your remedies to the citizens of Winterwind, however, in return for this you will be selling with me as an intermediary."
>"Another requirement would be that you will be required to live in my facility. Although, I may allow you to bring your things and offer visits to the village."
>"So in return for selling through me, and offering up these constructs of yours, you would get great wealth and herbs and plants beyond your wildest dreams."
>"This may all be hyperbole, or it may not."
>"So what say you?"

And for dramatic flair possibly,

>"Are you willing to make a deal with a devil?"

>>1781225
We can add that we will construct accommodations for her to her specifications.

Growing a loyal powerful Witch is a good investment.

>>1781194
Thanks for running

>>1781191


>>1781225
>>1781346
support


>>1781194
thanks for running

>>1781191
>>1781225
supporting.

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"Money is not an issue if you can pull off wonders like that." you say. "Coupled with your medical knowledge, I have a proposal." you say, elaborating to the young witch. "It's something of a sponsorship. I will fund you and your studies, and you will still be able to sell your remedies to the local citizens. The main stipulation is that you would be required to live in my facility so that your services do not require a trip to the next town. Of course, frequent visits to Winterwind would be your prerogative. So in return for selling through me as an intermediary, and offering these constructs of yours, you would be paid quite handsomely. It is your chance to amass a great wealth of coin beyond your wildest dreams, not to mention growing your already impressive collection of herbs and plants."

The witch looks at you uncertainly, clearly suspicious at such an offer. "W-Why would you offer something like that to me?"

You shrug, offering a small, aloof smile. "Well it all may or may not be hyperbole. I have need of the services of a witch and I am willing to pay handsomely for it." you say, jingling your coin pouch for dramatic effect. "So what say you?"

"Are you willing to make a deal with the devil?"

The uncertainty in her face is palpable, but you can see the allure of coin in her eyes. She gives a wary look at her floral tiger, which continues to preen itself nonchalantly. Seeing no answer within its foliage, she looks back to you. The silence becomes almost oppressive.

>Offer some startup coin to sweeten the deal
>Mention Breena
>Demand her answer now
>Write in

>>1783512
>Mention Breena

>"She said you were always kind to her, so just consider this karma."
>"I could offer you some extra coin if this isn't enough."

>>1783512
>Mention Breena

Writing!

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>>1783512
You can see the witch is on the fence regarding your proposal. Of course, it was to be expected. Even in your disguise, a strange proposing riches and power for working for them is suspicious even in the best of circumstances. The devil line was probably a bit too over the top, especially since a Witch should be wary of the dangers in dealing with spirits.

"Perhaps I can assauge your suspicions," you say, "By saying that my lucrative offer stems from your friendship with a certain blacksmith's daughter." You see the witch's eyes go a bit wider, and you nod. "Yes, I have hired Bartholomew to be my resident blacksmith. His daughter Breena stays in the compound, and told me of your relationship. She said you always helped with medicines when Bartholomew fell ill."

"Pneumonia." the witch says, nodding slowly. "He is very prone to pneumonia. It's because he overworks himself in the winter..."

You let the witch's mind play out, and then she nods after what seems like a shorter silence than the first.

"Okay!" she says. "I'll do it! If Breena's there, it can't be a dangerous place." she says with a rather peculiar air. From her tone, you infer that perhaps she does not believe you entirey, yet the fact that Breena is there likely merits an investigation. Surely once the witch comes and sees Breena happily working, her worries will be assauged.

"You have a week to prepare your things. I shall ensure quarters are prepared for you." you say, reaching out your hand. The young witch heasitates for a moment, then reaches out and shakes with a nod of her head. "Okay. I'll be ready, then!"

With that business settled, a thought occurs...

>Ask about the things coming for her garden
>Ask her about books. Breena mentioned she would like some books.
>Write in

>>1783636
>Ask about the things coming for her garden
>Ask her about books. Breena mentioned she would like some books.

>>1783644
Also, give her a few coins to buy some things she wanted but never could buy.

>>1783636

>Ask about the things coming for her garden
>Ask her about books. Breena mentioned she would like some books.
>Give her some coin upfront now

writing!

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>>1783636
You decide to ask the witch about the things plaguing her garden.

"W-Well. It's more like, one thing." she says. "It comes when I'm away from the garden, and eats the rare plants! I grew the tree tiger to protect the plants while I'm away! It never comes while I'm here. I think it avoids people."

You ponder this for a little while. A creature that avoids civilization and eats magical plants. It could describe any number of things. Perhaps you should look into it. Another monster could be useful, and it would serve the dual purpose of doing the witch a favor.

Suddenly it dawns on you that you have been mentally referring to her as "the witch." You'd already resolved to be a different class of Dungeon Lord. "What is your name?" you ask. It woud be handy to have a name to put to her face.

"Regana Woods." she says, venturing a bright, youthful smile.

Regana Woods. Well, at least you didn't have to just call her witch all the time.

>I should investigate this monster. It could be of use in my dungeon.
>Breena asked for books. I should procure some while I am in town.
>Write in

>>1783790
>I should investigate this monster. It could be of use in my dungeon.

>>1783790
>I should investigate this monster. It could be of use in my dungeon.

>>1783790
>>Breena asked for books. I should procure some while I am in town.

Writing!

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>>1783790
"Well, Regana Woods." you say. "Another little favor I'd like to do for you is ridding you of your little pest problem for the time being."

Regana looks at you curiously. "What?"

"Just tell me where the creature goes off to. I'm quite adept at handling monsters." you say.

"You don't look like a monster slayer." Regana says, looking you over. Certainly you did not cut an impressive visage in your merchant outfit. No matter. "I mean are you sure it's a good idea."

"Just point me in the right direction and I will handle it." you say, your patience growing thin. TO think, she was concerned for you. As if anything in the paltry wilderness could do you any measure of permanent harm. Perhaps she was just worried that you would perish in the attempt and she wouldn't get paid. You shake your head. Sometimes altruism was a hard concept to understand. It was almost an alien feeling as far as Dungeon Lords were concerned.

"Well, it comes out of the forest from the west." Regana says. It takes only a few moments for her to point you in the right direction.

"Well, I thank you for your help. I shall see you in a week so you can come to the facility." you say. Regana nods, and you bid the little witch fare well.

You decide to head out into the wilderness, searching for this creature.


>I'm gonna need everyone to roll 1d100!

Rolled 19 (1d100)

>>1783879
ded

Rolled 82 (1d100)

>>1783879

>>1783879

Rolled 21 (1d100)

>>1783879

Writing!

Rolled 5 (1d100)

>>1783879

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You start wandering in the direction Regana had indicated. However, it isn't long into your trek that you notice something amiss. You notice the sound of footsteps that aren't your own. You realize you are being followed as the sound of crunching snow gets louder. The footfalls come more numerous and you soon discern that you have been followed by a number of individuals.

You turn to look behind you at their approach, and you count half a dozen shapes approaching. You hold your ground, offering a calm, cool "Can I help you?" as you find yourself facing six men in the middle of the wilderness.

"Oh yes." says one. "You can hand over the gold and we might decide to let you keep your hide."

You look the man over, a mousey figure and the apparent leader. The absurdity of the situation almost makes you laugh. A group of common thugs threatening a Dungeon Lord. The thought of it. Alas, as an Overlord, you did not have the magical or martial might to take on these thugs directly. If only you had hired a bodyguard, or found a monster more easily summonable. As of yet, you didn't have enough power to directly call monsters to your aid, so it left you to do a bit of thinking. Sure, they couldn't kill you. Your Dungeon Heart was miles away. But they could destroy your physical body. That might be unpleasant. Perhaps you coud sway them, but then again, they did threaten you.

>Hand over the gold. It's a paltry amount and I have already paid the fishmonger and the witch.
>I will not. They will have to cut me down before I deign to relinquish what is mine to common thugs.
>Maybe there is a deal to be struck here. Clearly these are men who lack a moral compass.

>>1783985
>I will not. They will have to cut me down before I deign to relinquish what is mine to common thugs.

>>1783985
>Maybe there is a deal to be struck here. Clearly these are men who lack a moral compass.

>>1783985
>Maybe there is a deal to be struck here. Clearly these are men who lack a moral compass.
>"I have more gold you know?"
>"Wouldn't you rather have that?"
>"No, I won't give you all of it, if that was what you were hoping for."
>"But you seem like men in dire straits."
>"Whether fools, incompetent, or put here by circumstance I can make you an offer."
>"I happen to be in pursuit of something, and if you aid me in retrieving it, I could put you under my employ and pay you."

>>1783985
>>Maybe there is a deal to be struck here. Clearly these are men who lack a moral compass.
tell them about a cave thats fullo f gold

Writing!

File: thief_2014_garret_lovets_vorov_general_arbalet_99227_200x300.jpg (23KB, 200x300px) Image search: [Google]

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You shake your head. Mortals. Always chasing the glint of coin like magpies. Luckily, this affiliation meant that such men could be lead around like horses chasing a carrot on a stick. You pull out the bag of coins, and heft it into your hand.
"Well, this is certainly a handy development." you say, calmly. You look at the one who might be called their leader, and affix him with an undaunted stare. "I was actually looking for some fellows to give this to."

Your words and apparent lack of fear seem to set some unease in the group.
"What are you on about?" you hear one of them say.
"You're not gonna talk your way out of this one, stranger." you hear another one chime.

"I'm actually in pursuit of something. If you fine lads care to offer some assistance, then the gold is yours." you say. Perhaps some live bait was in order if you want to hunt down a monster. Sure, Regana said that it avoided civilization, but even a docile animal could be quite dangerous when cornered.

"Yeah? And what's stopping us from just gutting you and taking the gold?" says their excuse for a leader.

You shrug. "Nothing, really. But there's only a couple coins left in here. You can gut me and take them, or you can help me and I'll pay you five times as much as in here." you say, jingling the pouch to emphasize how empty it was comparatively.

"And how are we to be sure if you're telling the truth?" the lead one says.

You shrug again. "You don't, but if I don't pay up, can't you just gut me then, anyway?"

Your logic seems to be simple enough for even these lowlives to understand.

"...All right." he says after a lengthy silence spent weighing pros and cons. "Give us the gold, and we might decide to follow you to the rest of it. Any funny business, and we gut ya like a fish and leave you bleeding in the snow."

"How dreadful." you say dispassionately. You toss over the gold, and there is an immediate clammor to be the first one to get their cut. You don't even look back as you venture further on into the forest.

>Roll 1d100 again!

Rolled 41 (1d100)

>>1784113

Rolled 49 (1d100)

>>1784113

Rolled 67 (1d100)

>>1784113

Writing!

Rolled 49 (1d100)

>>1784113

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>>1784113
You walk onward, starting to feel the presence of a monster deep in the forest. You can't get a good read on it at first, but you soon discover the telltale signs in the surrounding wilderness. Large tracks appear in the snow, tracks leading in the direction of Regana's hovel. You are certainly on the right track.
"So what are we looking for?" comes a voice behind you. A voice you pay no heed.
"It's getting cold. I'm just gotta gut 'im and head home. Not worth freezing to death on a wild goose chase."

"Silence." you say, holding up your hand. You see it in the distance, and you know it immediately.

A thoctar. A creature known for its strength, endurance, and it's affinity for magical plants. It loves to eat them, and the magic it absorbs boosts its physical prowess. From what you can see, this was quite the healthy specimen. Its armored plates featured impressive horns, and its bear-like body rippled with muscular power.

"What the fuck is that?" you hear someone say behind you. Fools.

The thoctar looks up, and stares you down. You can almost see it glare at you, before it narrows its eyes. You see its back legs dig into the ground threateningly. These subtle clues are lost on your new... employees. They see the monster and immediately start tensing behind you.

"What the fuck is that thing?"
"I'm not waiting around to find out."

You know the Thoctar will charge a sudden move, but you contemplate keeping this juicy piece of information to yourself. They did threaten to kill you, after all.

>Let them run
>Tell them to stay still
>Write in

>>1784214
>Let them rune, It will clearly be better off once fed.

>>1784214
>Let them run

>>1784214
>Let them run

Writing!

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>>1784214
You decide to keep silent as the thoctar's gaze falls on your fidgeting "employees." You smile inwardly, enjoying their unease as their muttering reaches a crescendo. The thoctar takes a single step toward your group, and chaos breaks loose.
"Fuck THAT!" cries one of them, you really aren't sure who. Not that it mattered.

The thieves break rank, each one clamoring to be the first in front as they flee. You notice the big, lumbering lurch the thoctar gives before it's bulk breaks out into a run. Like a charging bull, its mass gets up to an impressive speed, right at you. Luckily, it wasn't aiming for you, and you sidestep its charge effortlessly. The thoctar's momentum carries it forward, running down the fleeing theives amidst a chorus of screams.

There follows a gruesome set of sounds. The bellowing of the thoctar, the screaming of the thieves. The sound of snapping bone and tearing flesh as the beast falls upon its hapless victims. Never once does it turn its wrath upon you, but you make a very pointed effort in not moving a muscle. Again, inwardly you retreat, the sound of your Dungeon Heart beating in your ears as you rejoin the world after the beast has had a healthy meal.

You walk toward it, slowly and deliberately. Amdist the blood-covered snow, the only word that you can find in your head that adequately describes the scene is "visceral." You walk up to the beast, who had just lain down amidst the snow, full after its feast.

The thoctar pays you no mind, as it shouldn't. You weren't a threat. You probably didn't even smell like meat to it. Your body was a construct of spiritual energy. You weren't even sure what would happen to it if you were killed. You expected you might dissolve, or simply fade away. Whatever the case, you were certain that you weren't made of meat. A fact that was clearly not lost on the Thoctar.

"Hello, beastie." you say, reaching out to touch it. This gives it a little start, the creature craning its neck over to see you. Its red eyes follow you suscpiciously, clearly unsure of what to make of you. You weren't food, clearly. It seemed to be making up its mind if it should shred you to pieces anyway.

>Attempt to establish a mental link with the creature. You aren't certain you have gathered enough influence to conscript a wild thoctar, but no matter. The consequences of failure was that it would be less likely to accept you in the future, and it would likely tear you to bits. Fortune favors the bold.
>Leave it be for now. You will return when you are certain you have enough influence. Surely it has fed enough to not be a bother for some time.
>Write in

>>1784274
>Leave it be for now. You will return when you are certain you have enough influence. Surely it has fed enough to not be a bother for some time.

>>1784274
>Attempt to establish a mental link with the creature. You aren't certain you have gathered enough influence to conscript a wild thoctar, but no matter. The consequences of failure was that it would be less likely to accept you in the future, and it would likely tear you to bits. Fortune favors the bold.

>>1784274
>Attempt to establish a mental link with the creature. You aren't certain you have gathered enough influence to conscript a wild thoctar, but no matter. The consequences of failure was that it would be less likely to accept you in the future, and it would likely tear you to bits. Fortune favors the bold.

>>1784274

>Attempt to establish a mental link with the creature. You aren't certain you have gathered enough influence to conscript a wild thoctar, but no matter. The consequences of failure was that it would be less likely to accept you in the future, and it would likely tear you to bits. Fortune favors the bold.

>>1784274
>>Leave it be for now. You will return when you are certain you have enough influence. Surely it has fed enough to not be a bother for some time.

Writing!

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You decide that timidity did not suit a Dungeon Lord. The thoctar was full and as close to docile as it would possibly get. You reach out with a hand, the sound of the Dungeon Heart pounding in your ears as you summon every last bit of influence you had to try and reach out and mentally connect with this beast. The thoctar seems alarmed at first as you grab onto it, but soon you both are locked in a mental battle for domination, the rest of the world falling away.

>Roll 1d100s!
>Sorry, should have told you guys to go ahead and do this

Rolled 55 (1d100)

>>1784319

Rolled 37 (1d100)

>>1784319
If it succeeds we can play up the "you have bested me" card and try recruiting it that way.

Rolled 71 (1d100)

>>1784319
ded

Rolled 14 (1d100)

>>1784319

Rolled 43 (1d100)

>>1784319

Writing!

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Your mind clashes with the thoctar's instinct. It did not have much of a conciousness, but it was driven by an indomitable willpower and primal instinct that almost floors you as soon as you make contact. Thankfully, its instincts are slaked and its mind is dull with a belly full of blood and meat. It seems its meal has occupied most of its thoughts, and now it wanted nothing more than to rest. Its thick fur meant that even in this snowy landscape, the thoctar was not hindered by the cold. It was more than content to enjoy a nap exposed to the elements as it was.

This proved to be your advantage, and luckily you were able to wrest it from its mental defenses and soon you drive your influence directly into its mind.

>The Thoctar will now follow you!

You break the connection, returning to the physical world as you withdraw from the beast's inner conciousness. It looks at you with its red eyes, now burning with a deep understanding. You were its Lord, and it would obey you.

>Order it to go to your Dungeon and await you.
>I'm going to ride it now
>Write in

>>1784364
>I'm going to ride it now
Find the witch.
"Told you I would tame it."

>>1784364
>I'm going to ride it now

And that's all the time for I have tonight, guys! Unfortunately I won't be able to run tomorrow, or saturday. Sunday is looking like it's a green light, but as always, updates are posted on the twitter:
https://twitter.com/DungeonLordQM

I'll be sure to keep you guys posted there and here, so be sure to check back! So unless something changes, I'll catch you crazy cats this sunday, and I hope you've all had as much fun as I have running Dungeon Lord Quest!

>>1784364
>I'm going to ride it now
>Ride back to the witch.
>"I have many skills."
>"This so happens to be one of them."

>>1784364
>>I'm going to ride it now

>>1784397
Support.

>>1784397
Then ask her about books.

Speaking of which. If we can hire headhunters to search for personnel, can't we hire some agency which acquires items. Or even commission a library with basic books?

>>1784477
We need magical books if we wanna lure mages to our service. Corpses will be needed if want necromancers and others who like the dead. Ordinary books wont be very useful. That is what libraries are for and the like. I mean they are helpful yes but not exactly good in terms of acquiring minions.

Now what is going to be a real bitch to acquire is tomes of forbidden knowledge. Dungeon lords apparently of a source for them so hopefully we'll be able to find out what it is.

Alters would probably help lure in cultists and with some tinkering we might even be able to use the things to summon or bestow blessings/curses with the right offerings/sacrifices. Cultists would make for very easy recruitment pickings. With some investing we could even whip them into zealots and magi. Truly a worthwhile investment.

Eh I am wondering if it would be possible to summon merchants who have goods to sell. Would be mighty helpful in acquiring certain materials and goodies that would otherwise be very difficult to acquire.

Guise lets pick up the gold tho that we gave the thugs. No use leaving it there

>>1784364
>I'm going to ride it now
>pick up the gold

>>1784364

I shall support
>>1786590

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>>1784373
I am excite. Updoot when

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Bumping with hopeful art of our Obsidian Slimes future growth

>>1792478
Never

Imexcited:)

No thread today.

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>>1784364
Ego was perhaps a defining trait of Dungeon Lords. Given to thematic decoration and boisterous boasting, it is no wonder why your kind were the forefront of things that inevitably become cliches for the villains of the world. Like the monologue. Plenty of Dungeon Lords engaged in the well aged practice of monologuing. To prisoners, to heroes, to allies right after you betray them. There were those that held a good, well-delivered monologue could be the pinnacle of a good run through your Dungeon. At least, if done correctly. Little indulgences like this paint the Dungeon Lords as creatures of hubris. You had initially set out to be a different breed, but even you fell prey to your nature sometimes. It was because of this that as soon as you were certain that the thoctar was under your influence, a creature brimming with ferocious power and predatory intellect that could shred you without a thought in your squishy Overlord body, that you decided it was a good idea to ride it.

Despite the uneasy, confused sensation that you feel from its mind as you move into position, you grab hold of one of its horns, and you heft yourself up to the creature's back. Its an easy enough maneuver at first, but the creature starts moving immediately after and you realize why saddles were invented. You manage to hang on without immediately falling off, but it takes some getting used to. Using your Influence, you manage to implant the desire for the creature to go back to Regana's hovel. Surely you could not be begrudged a little gloating?

The thoctar understands your desire, and starts lazily lumbering off in the direction you came from. The journey is a little uncomfortable, the armored plates on its back were clearly not meant to bear a rider. You briefly contemplate on making the creature a mount, but decide that if it was going to be a regular occurence, you probably should have some saddle made for it.

Another thought occurs to you as you ride back. Should you give this creature a name?

>Mount or monster, this creature is now a part of my dungeon and I will give it a proper name.
>Monsters have no use for names. The thoctar will suffice if I need to discuss it, and my mental link is more than sufficient to call it when I need to.
>Perhaps I should try to use the link to see if it has any preference for referring to itself. I'm not sure how intelligent this creature is, but I'm sure it is self-aware.
>Write in

My apologies to everyone for being unable to run yesterday. Life, as they say, happened. Luckily tonight's thread is green to go!

>>1796848
>Perhaps I should try to use the link to see if it has any preference for referring to itself. I'm not sure how intelligent this creature is, but I'm sure it is self-aware.

>>1796848
>Perhaps I should try to use the link to see if it has any preference for referring to itself. I'm not sure how intelligent this creature is, but I'm sure it is self-aware.

Oh wow that took a while. I thought it was gonna be a dead day. Writing!

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You decide there there isn't any sense in giving a name to a creature that already has one. Thoctars were cunning, intelligent predators. Beasts, yes, but even beasts were self aware. You use the quiet journey back to test your mental link with your new companion. Your mind ventured into a world of primal instinct. Food, warmth, sleep, and mates. Little else mattered to the mind of a Thoctar. You explore this primitive state of being, and you feel connected to the thoctar in a quite intimate way. You feel the rush of the hunt as you prowl through the snowbanks, the scent of prey, the sensation of flesh rent beneath your mighty claws, and the taste of blood dripping between your teeth. You were fury made flesh.

Then you were back atop your newest underling, reeling from the experience. It had almost seemed so... pure. As the trappings of responsibility and potential settle over you like a dusty old coat, you experience something you had never had to experience before. Regret. It lasts but a moment, a fleeting remnant of your connection with the beast as your mind reasserts itself into the present reality, but you almost long for a life so simple. That all the things you surround yourself in as a Dungeon Lord seem almost superfluous. You shake your head. No. Not superfluous. simplicity leads to obscurity, and obscurity was death to a Dungeon Lord. No, not superfluous. Necessary.

You shake your head again, as if to cast the thoctar's residual mentality off of you like the snowflakes that fell on your shoulders. Despite the creature's opinions, you feel that your bond was stronger. Thoctars did not have names, but they did have identities. It was complicated, almost too complicated for you to put clearly into words, but your new underling thought of itself as the sound of snow crunching underfoot as it chased down prey, and the taste of blood upon its tongue. Well, at least you had a start.

You look down as the thoctar carries you steadily onward, "I shall call you..."

>Snowprowler
>Hoarfang
>Bloodfrost
>Rimeclaw
>Write in

>>1797076
>Bloodfrost.

Well, gentlemen. Looks like tonight was a bust. It's probably because I only updated the twitter. I'll try to be more vigilant about dropping the info in the thread, too. Well, thanks to the two of you that came out tonight, but I think we'll just hold off on the festivities until wednesday's thread.

>>1797076
>Nor'easter
>>1797158
Ah shucks OP. I was too late tonight, if it mattered anyways.

>>1797158
I'd say keep going because

>A. I'm selfish like that.
>B. Might just be a slow day, they happen.

>>1797076
Rimeclaw

Looks like we didn't pick up the gold. Probably wasn't that much anyway

>>1797076
>Bloodfrost

OP, you should have continued with just the one or two guys you had...

>>1797246
Support

>>1797076
>Gorebane. Ancestor of Oinkbane

>>1797076
Fuzzy the destroyer of men.

>>1797076
>Bloodfrost

I like the idea of our dungeon having a fire/ice duality to it. Since we have access to both elements, it seems like it'd be a waste not to use them as hazards. The name seems... apropos.

>>1797076
>Bloodfrost
or
>Nor'easter

And I wouldn't be surprised if the eclipse had something to do with it being slow. I personally was on the road going home until about 45 minutes after DLQM called it last night, based on eclipes traffic.

Also being a monday night, I guess.

>>1798185
I went to see the eclipse. The trip back from where I saw it usually takes 5 hours, it took 12.

>>1797076
>Bloodfrost

>>1798291
My 3.5 turned into 9, so I feel you.

>>1797076
Mittens

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"...Bloodfrost." you say.

It sounded good. A powerful, evocative name. A name that would certainly strike fear into those who stood before it. Images of your thoctar cutting open adventurers on the doorstep of your Dungeon played through your mind's eye and you couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement. You weren't sure if Bloodfrost was able to understand your speech. Sure, the beast understood your will well enough, but speech was sort of uncertain.

"You shall be called Bloodfrost." you say again. You aren't sure if it's merely fanciful thinking, but you can't help but feel a twinge of approval along the mental link. Perhaps the thoctar approved of your simplificiation of it's self identity. Bloodfrost it was.

Your journey back through the snow is uneventful. You think of the coins you had paid the thugs who accosted you, and wonder if you should have spent more time combing the bloody shreds of meat for them. Likely not. Surely they were clinking somewhere in the belly of Bloodfrost. YOu didn't know if thoctar digestion was powerful enough to break down coins. Sure, they digested most any magical plant, but you weren't sure if that translated into stomaching gold. Oh well. Even if your coins survived, you certainly weren't going to waste the effort sifting through the incidental muck that rested in steaming heaps at the end of Bloodfrost's digestive tract. You had a thoctar at your disposal, their sacrifice was well worth the trade.

It isn't too much longer before you come upon the witch Regana's hut. You feel a disturbance in the ambient magical field, and notice the hedgeline start to grow restless.

>Continue advancing, surely the hedge construct wouldn't attack you. Even if it did, Bloodfrost would make short work of it.
>Stop here and wait for Regana to come out, it's the polite thing to do.
>Write in

>>1802437
>Stop here and wait for Regana to come out, it's the polite thing to do.

>>1802437
>Stop here and wait for Regana to come out, it's the polite thing to do.

Writing!

>>1802437
>Stop here and wait for Regana to come out, it's the polite thing to do.

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>>1802437
You stop at the edge of the hovel's perimeter. You weren't sure how far out her hedge tiger was set to guard, but you didn't want to test it. It certainly wasn't as if you were afraid for Bloodfrost. Sure you had no doubt to the witch's talents, but you get the inkling that perhaps Regana did not know the full extent of her garden intruder. Unless Regana was vastly more powerful than you gave her credit for, her herborous guardian was no match for the might of a thoctar.

It is with some smug satisfaction that you sit atop Bloodfrost and wait for the witch to come inspect the disturbance at her gate. You do not wait long. The young witch walks out of her door with an expression of slight annoyance. Perhaps she had been busy. Her gaze go wide with fear as she sees Bloodfrost standing idly a short distance from her doorstep. Her gaze goes from fear to shock when she realizes that it is you sitting atop the mighty beast.

"Consider the problem dealt with." you say boisterously. Today had been a good day. "Bloodfrost here will riffle through your garden no longer."

Regana mouths unformed words as she is stunned into silence.

>Bid her good day and ride off.
>Stay and watch the witch's reaction when she comes to her senses.
>Write in

>>1802529
>Bid her good day and ride off.

We're a cool guy.

>>1802529
>Bid her good day and ride off.

>>1802529
>Stay and watch the witch's reaction when she comes to her senses.
>"Now when you've picked up your jaw from the floor, perhaps we can move onto different matters."
>"Little Breena happens to be a little bookworm, and I hope you won't mind helping me pick out a couple works for her to read."

Writing!

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>>1802529
You decide to bid the stunned witch a good day. What use was there in being a Dungeon Lord if you couldn't flaunt it a little? Leaving Regana to think on things, you trudge back away from the hovel and toward your Dungeon. You knew that riding a thoctar within the city limits was likely to bring the sort of attention you didn't need to deal with at the moment. You'd spent so much time cultivating subtlety, there was no sense in blowing the proverbial lid wide open with such a showy display.

The ride back to your dungeon is uncomfortable at best. By the time the entrance comes into view, you resolve that if you are going to ride Bloodfrost again, you probably want to get some sort of saddle made. Maybe there was a leatherworker somewhere in town...

Meq, Hak, Gok, and Lav are immediately torn from their duties to greet you at the entrance. Their excited chittering blurs into intelligible praise as you all but ignore them. Their awe over Bloodfrost is more than apparent as you start to think.

>The imps should build Bloodfrost a Lair. He is going to be an invaluable addition to my Dungeon.
>Bloodfrost will prowl my lands and keep watch for intruders. Besides, thoctars prefer the outdoors anyway.
>Write in

>>1802637
>Bloodfrost will prowl my lands and keep watch for intruders. Besides, thoctars prefer the outdoors anyway.

A happy thoctar is a good thoctar.

>>1802637
>Bloodfrost will prowl my lands and keep watch for intruders. Besides, thoctars prefer the outdoors anyway.

Give him some autonomy.

>>1802637

>Bloodfrost will prowl my lands and keep watch for intruders. Besides, thoctars prefer the outdoors anyway.
May as well allow the beast to act more or less as it would naturally, seems as though it's likely to be more effective that way.

>>1802637
>>Bloodfrost will prowl my lands and keep watch for intruders. Besides, thoctars prefer the outdoors anyway.

We don't want any un-invited visitors at this stage and an angry Thoctar roaming around is just the thing un-invited visitors dislike.

Writing!

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>>1802637
You decide to let Bloodfrost roam. A hungry thoctar was as good as a deterrent as any when it came to meddlesome You communicate this freedom to him through your mental link. The hulking creature then slowly turns around and lumbers off. No doubt Bloodfrost wishes to inspect his new hunting grounds. Sure, there was no guarantee that adventurers would run into him, but certainly any that were unlucky enough to do so were going to meet a messy end. At least, in theory. Your obsidian ooze was not the only creature in need of feeding and growing in power. One thoctar was not going to prove much against some of the more skilled adventuring parties, but that was a problem for another day. Bloodfrost would be more than enough to handle anyone that came snooping around for the time being.

You enter the warm caves of your Dungeon, breathing easier now that you were once again in the immediate vicinity of your Heart. Being away from it always felt colder. You turn your mind once again to the matters of your Dungeon. You had taken your rest. It was not back to work.

>Order the imps to begin construction on quarters for your incoming Jeweler
>Bloodfrost and the oooze are a start, but my Dungeon requires more denizens!
>Pitfalls and precariously balanced rocks are hazards for only the most novice adventurers. I need an expert to design some really nasty machinations.
>Books. I had been thinking about books. I should think about building a Library. Nothing attracts mages more than libraries full of hidden knowledge.
>Write in

>>1802731
>Order the imps to begin construction on quarters for your incoming Jeweler
Let's continue to expand the dungeon

>Bloodfrost and the ooze are a start, but my Dungeon requires more denizens!
Anything is fine, but some kind of elemental would fit thematically with our dungeon if we could summon it.

>>1802731
>>expand the dungeon and plan a "human quarters" within our dungeon.

We need more space for our human workforce and it's important to keep them isolated from the future monsters inhabiting our dungeon.

We should also look for a water supply, be it lava heated glacier ice or an underground stream.

Writing!

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You summon your imps to your side and order them to expand Bartholomew and Breena's living quarters into an entire human wing. You expect the jeweler the Headhunters were bringing would be a human, and you had a feeling that the number of humans in your employ would not start there. Your underlings, with much adoration, compliment you on your foresight and set off to expand the wing. Perhaps you should instruct Bartholomew and Breena to not mind the imps. You weren't sure the humans had yet set eyes upon them. Imps were among the less monstrous of Dungeon denizens, but it was not as if a three foot red humanoid creature was a common sight. At least in this part of the world.

Thinking on the humans, you made a mental checklist of what they needed. With the fish contract established, they would have food. With your imps working on their quarters, they would have shelter. You think for a moment on what else a human coud need, then you realize. Water. Humans drank water. Luckily for you, there was an abundance of it around.

The thought of water gets you thinking, and you see two solutions before you. There was ice, which could be melted in the hot lava floes. You'd already addressed this a little in the forge. The quenching water was melted ice. Of course, you had previously thought of setting up a steam cave for growing fungi. Using the heat of the lava to melt the ice, you could knock out two birds with one stone.

Of course, the prospect of an underground river was nothing to scoff at. Rivers could be used to generate mechanical energy if you ever decided you wanted machinery in your Dungeon that wasn't run on magic. Traps and levers and various nefarious devices could be made to run on a power that didn't fizzle out to any low level dispell magic. Of course, you would have to have an engineer for that.

The prospects were endless, but you had to decide which to pursue.

>Building a steam cave serves me a dual purpose. I will pursue this avenue.
>I should have the imps mine deeper into the aquifer. Perhaps there is an ungerground river that can serve my advantage.
>Write in

>>1802831
>Building a steam cave serves me a dual purpose. I will pursue this avenue.

>>1802831
>I should have the imps mine deeper into the aquifer. Perhaps there is an underground river that can serve my advantage.

>>1802831

>Building a steam cave serves me a dual purpose. I will pursue this avenue.
I still want them fungi.

>>1802831
>Build an underground river that splits into a water reservoir and a steam room.

>>1802910
Why not both?

Writing!

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You decide that fish was well and good, but a Fungal Farm would serve you better. At least for now. You divide your imps to send Meq and Jav digging around the lava vents. Surely somewhere there is a natural vent that you could turn into a steam vent. After finding that, it would be a simple matter of stocking the vent with ice. The vent would melt the ice into steam and water, and then you would have drinkable water for your humans, and the humidity in the vent would be conducive to growing fungi. Perhaps later you could turn your attention to the possibility of an underground river.

Your foresight in having the imps construct a human wing to your Dungeon means you do not have to worry about ensuring Regana will have living space. Your imps would ensure the human quarters was well ready for accepting human guests. A Fungal Farm was good news indeed, for Regana's herbal expertise would be of use if you were to grow rare reagents and magical herbs. Surely these could be used to lure in adventurers versed in the magic arts.

The pulsing of your Dungeon Heart grew stronger as the days go by, and you're certain you are gathering Influence. Soon the call of your Heart would ring out to adventurers willing to brave your Dungeon in search of gold and loot. Your location is remote, unfortunately this likely means that the adventurers gunning for your Heart will likely be stronger simply for having made the arduous journey. You must be ready.

>I will be ready. My influence is strong enough that I shall invoke the Summoning Circle to ensure any interlopers do not find my halls empty. It will cost my influence, but the creature I bind to my will should be worth the effort. Anyone trying for my Heart is only to find death at the hands of the first of many horrors bound to my will.
>Those criminals and thugs gave me an idea. They were paltry fodder for Bloodfrost, but With the amount of gold at my disposal, I could easily hire mercenaries. Sellswords might not be stronger than monsters I can summon, but any brigand worth their salt is more than a match for any adventurer. Quantity over quality, as they say.
>Write In

>>1802971

>I will be ready. My influence is strong enough that I shall invoke the Summoning Circle to ensure any interlopers do not find my halls empty. It will cost my influence, but the creature I bind to my will should be worth the effort. Anyone trying for my Heart is only to find death at the hands of the first of many horrors bound to my will.
Humans are all well and good as craftsmen and artisans, but they're too soft, to prone to mercy and cowardice to be our best line of defense. For that, we need something less mutable, something wrought from ash and blood, something truly monstrous.

>>1802980
Seconding, preference to elementals

>>1802983
Seconding Elementals.

Oh! How about some sort of demonkin that can work with tools. Or if it's not too much of a stretch dwarves, spriggans, and the like.

>>1802971
>>1802980
>I will be ready. My influence is strong enough that I shall invoke the Summoning Circle to ensure any interlopers do not find my halls empty. It will cost my influence, but the creature I bind to my will should be worth the effort. Anyone trying for my Heart is only to find death at the hands of the first of many horrors bound to my will.

No preference to exactly what, but definitely this. I'm not really interested in having mercenaries, desu. Humans are for steady employment, not fodder for adventurers.

Writing!

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You cast aside the thought of mercenaries. You ran a Dungeon, not a bandit hideout. No, you needed something fearsome. Even more than Bloodfrost, you needed a creature that would stand vigil inside your Dungeon, protecting your Heart and your treasures and your valuable underlings.

For this, you turned to the tool of Dungeon Lords everywhere. The Summoning Circle. It takes a few days to prepare, for on a similar mindset as you had when you saw Regana work her magic, an ill-prepared Summoning Circle could spell doom for your Heart from the off. A rushed Summoning could summon paltry, insignificant creatures. This was a best case scenario. There were more than a few cautionary tales regarding the Summoning Circle, stories of beasts who were beyond the Lord's influence to control and so they rampaged throughout the Dungeon. Tearing the Heart from its pedestal and feasting upon it before returning to the aether. You would not make this mistake.

The Aether, a primordial energy that births the very worlds themselves. From this energy you will bring forth a creature borne of your very willpower, suited to your Dungeon and ready to do your bidding... at least, in theory.

You had used the last spare room your imps had dug when you first settled. It seemed almost longer than it had been. You chalk this up to your duties. You had been a very busy Dungeon Lord. With the hour close at hand you wonder what sort of creature you wanted to bring forth. A voice in your head strongly suggested that you should tap into the elements.... but that left the question of which one.

You look over your Summoning Circle, and begin to work the magic...

>The icy fields and freezing snow will lend their power to a being of ice. I shall summon an ice elemental!
>The molten core of the very planet rages beneath me. A being of fire will be unstoppable!
>The winds howl unabated in this barren northland. I shall bend the very air to my service!
>My will is indomitable, and so my creature will be. I call upon the strength of earth and stone!

[Pick 2 and roll 2d100!]

Looks like that's all the time I have for tonight, good people. I'll be back tomorrow to continue!

Rolled 23, 59 = 82 (2d100)

>>1803055
>The icy fields and freezing snow will lend their power to a being of ice. I shall summon an ice elemental!
>The molten core of the very planet rages beneath me. A being of fire will be unstoppable!

Thanks for running OP.

Rolled 53, 19 = 72 (2d100)

>>1803055
>>The icy fields and freezing snow will lend their power to a being of ice. I shall summon an ice elemental!
>>The molten core of the very planet rages beneath me. A being of fire will be unstoppable!

Rolled 7, 31 = 38 (2d100)

>>1803055
>>The icy fields and freezing snow will lend their power to a being of ice. I shall summon an ice elemental!
>>The molten core of the very planet rages beneath me. A being of fire will be unstoppable!

No preference between the two, it was just easier to copy/paste this way.

Rolled 94, 52 = 146 (2d100)

>>1803055
>The icy fields and freezing snow will lend their power to a being of ice. I shall summon an ice elemental!
>The molten core of the very planet rages beneath me. A being of fire will be unstoppable!

Rolled 44, 18 = 62 (2d100)

>>1803055

>The icy fields and freezing snow will lend their power to a being of ice. I shall summon an ice elemental!
>My will is indomitable, and so my creature will be. I call upon the strength of earth and stone!

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You utter the last line of the Summoning Ritual and the room flares with magic. The sigils glow with magic and there is a surge of aetheric energy as your newest creature takes form. Motes of light surge from the runes and swirl as they coalesce into a form. You first notice it is a large form. This was good. The second thing you notice is just how cold the room gets. Permafrost appears along the rocky walls, but they seem to immediately melt away as the room paradoxially gets hotter.

The center of the circle erupts in white-blue flame as an almost humanoid being seems to claw its way from formlessness. Wreathed in those pale flames, the room burns with a cold you have never felt before. Or perhaps it was chilled with a heat you have never felt. The strange sensation of your newest underling vexes your senses as you call into being an elemental of both ice and fire.

The elemental was huge, taking up the bulk of the room and making it impossible for you to avoid feeling the chilling fire rolling off of it. It is almost too bright to look at directly as you stare into its glaring eyes.

"My Lord..." it says in a voice like crackling wind before it prostrates its massive bulk before you. You needn't exert your will over this one. It was bound to you as fast as any subjugated wild creature.

>Give your new underling a name
>Allow it to choose its own name
>Write in

>>1804896
>Allow it to choose its own name

>>1804896

>Allow it to choose its own name

Writing!

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>>1804896
"Tell me your name, underling." you say. You choose your words carefully. You didn't want to offend something you were going to set guarding your Dungeon. You make it clear that you are giving it the freedom to choose its own identity, but no matter what it chooses, it is your subordinate. The implication is clear even without the link you shared.

"...Retremor." the elemental says at length. "I am Retremor, and my rage is eternal."

You crack a smile. "Raging Retremor." you say. "It has a nice ring to it." Well, the sort of ring that adventurers love to talk about. You were almost certain this creature would be a centerpiece in your Dungeon. You didn't even have any treasure for Retremor to guard, but you were certain adventurers would come to test themselves against the frostfire elemental.

"Well, Retremor." you say, "I have a job for you."

The creature's elemental features nod, its burning eyes looking down at you unblinking.
"What is your bidding, Dungeon Lord?"

>Order him to guard the entrance. I want his mighty visage to be the first thing any aspiring adventurer would see.
>He will guard my Heart... at a distance. Retremor will be the last thing any adventurer sees if they try to attack my Dungeon Heart.
>write in

>>1804995
>>He will guard my Heart... at a distance. Retremor will be the last thing any adventurer sees if they try to attack my Dungeon Heart.

We have Mitten.. I mean Bloodfrost as the discouragement, also, what does this guy eat? Is he fine with chicken wings?

>>1804995

>He will guard my Heart... at a distance. Retremor will be the last thing any adventurer sees if they try to attack my Dungeon Heart.
We're still growing our dungeon. Putting something as powerful and visible as Retremor outside could draw more attention than we'd like.

>>1804995
>He will guard my Heart... at a distance. Retremor will be the last thing any adventurer sees if they try to attack my Dungeon Heart.
Good, we got some power in our dungeon now.

Writing!

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You decide that Retremor will serve you best guarding the entrance to your Heart. The energy coming off of the elemental is enough that you fear stationing him in the same room as your Heart. Dungeon Hearts were almost completely defenseless, and it was your job as the Dungeon Lord to ensure it was protected. Retremor seemed like a mighty underling, but you weren't comfortable letting him in the same room as the Heart. The last thing you needed was for him to accidentally catch it on fire. Or freeze it still.

You end up calling Meq to your side, and you instruct her to begin construction on a cavern just outside of the alcove holding your Heart. You order the alcove sealed and the new cavern to be a Lair for your elemental. Half lava and half ice. You even instruct them to hide the entrance to your Heart. No sense in leaving it so open if you're going to post a guardian.

>Stack gold in Retremor's Lair. Perhaps obvious piles of gold will help prevent any adventurers from looking for hidden doors.
>I will search elsewhere for more glamorous treasure. Mere gold will not slake the avarice of adventurers.
>write in

>>1805101
>Stack gold in Retremor's Lair. Perhaps obvious piles of gold will help prevent any adventurers from looking for hidden doors.
Gotta start somewhere.

>>1805101
>Stack gold in Retremor's Lair. Perhaps obvious piles of gold will help prevent any adventurers from looking for hidden doors.

Also, we should get some exquisite mundane weapons. Nothing attracts murderhobos like the idea of a cool magic weapon.

>>1805101
>>Stack gold in Retremor's Lair. Perhaps obvious piles of gold will help prevent any adventurers from looking for hidden doors.

But bear in mind that we can always add to this store of riches with things rarer than coin.

Writing!

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You order the imps to create a big pile of coins and stash them in Retremor's lair. You specify that the coins should be obvious, but not easy to access. Not to mention, the gold should be stored on the frost side of the Lair. Some adventurers may be greedy enough to cart off gold slag, but melted coins was not the sort of aesthetic your Dungeon was going for.

The imps acknowledge your request with minimal groveling. Luckily for you, it's not like Retremor would protect the treasure from his Dungeon Lord, so its not as if it costs you anything to pile your cold coins in his Lair.

Once all is said and done, you look over your Dungeon and breathe easy. The tunnels were trapped, you had some power inside and Bloodfrost patrolling the areas. The only thing missing was something to patrol the inside... Standard low-level creatures or mercenaries.

>Go without the small arms creatures
>My influence is spent, but perhaps there are some locals that can solve my problem... for the right price.
>Write in

>>1805188
>The conditions of my dungeon are rather extreme, perhaps populating it with unfeeling automatons is the best option.
What if we used the talents of Regana and Bart to get some animated armor in our dungeon?

>>1805188
>Small Loud creatures

Cheap and easy to acquire

They shall shout for Bloodfrost and Retremor for Heeeeeeelllpppp

>>1805253
Seconding this, great idea
There are enemies in Bitterblack Isle from Dragon's Dogma that are living suits of armor inhabited by spirits, the armor being immune to magic while the spirits are immune to physical meaning you need a well balanced team to defeat them. Perhaps something like that?

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>>1805567
Pic related. It would make more sense if we had an already magic-resistant metal like thorium to make the suit out of.

>>1805188

Yeah I'm gonna go ahead and support >>1805253
along with
>>1805567
if that's something that's possible/feasible.

Keep in mind, Bart has some of that ghost iron. We will also have access to that fire agate, once the gem-cutter refines it for us. I'm sure we will have interesting materials to forge some living armor from.

>>1805701
He only has the one bar, doesn't he?
That's not enough for a full suit.

>>1805715
I suppose it's time to press him on where he got it then, no?

>>1805719
We also don't know if it can be worked into alloys. A single bar did seem to be presented as a pretty big deal though, so either it can be alloyed or else I have a feeling that making a suit of armor out of it might not really be feasible anyway.

Where are you OP?

>>1805188
>>1805253
>The conditions of my dungeon are rather extreme, perhaps populating it with unfeeling automatons is the best option.

If this isn't too expensive, I like this the best. Once adventurers have come through, we can salvage some of our losses by taking all the parts that still work and cobbling them back together. If not living armor, then maybe even some simple golems? Golem technology also has the potential for applications outside simple dungeon patrolling, if we decide to go full bore on it. That would probably require expertise though, an engineer or something like that.

Absolutely loving the quest, but I'm a little bit lost on the exact layout of our dungeon.

If we had a map or blueprint of the dungeon we could plan out our patrols much more efficiently.

>>1806068
Sorry anons. I fell asleep waiting for replies yesterday. Then I had to work today.

At any rate, Dungeon Lord Quest will return next Wednesday! I hope to see you all then!

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>>1807839
This is what I imagine it as. Could be wrong, but the QM will probably tell me if I am.
I made this in 30 minutes while half asleep and using the trial version of Clip Studio Paint, so it's bound to be shit, but it's better than nothing.

>>1807839
>>1808763
I got you familia. I'll post before OP comes back. You can all scrutinize it later.