Chapter One-Hundred Thirty

Chapter One-Hundred Thirty

Alright, so: what first? I really want to get delving going with Hullbreak, but I really should give him a bit more time before I start trying to give quests to fish in there. Itd probably be a good idea to let Tarl inspect before I try that anyhow.

Violet is probably a good place to start. All I need to do to encourage her to expand is to give her a quest to do it. While my income isnt as far out ahead of my expenses as Id prefer, I still have plenty saved up to pass a quest through the bond. I can feel her taking her time to examine and consider what she should do with it, and leave her to it. Im not trying to shove her out of the nest, I just want to give her the little nudge she needs to do a bit more.

I also tell the aranea to start occasionally giving a quest to do something in Violet: hunt a rabbit, pluck a mushroom, something like that. With the maws done, delvers should be able to delve her properly, without needing to worry about getting eaten.

Next up get Rockys ring made. I had been putting it off to try to get the flooring just right, but the whole thing seems like its more complex than I expected. Or maybe Im overthinking it. What if boxing rings really are just a wooden floor with a thick cloth over it? At least the turnbuckles and ropes shouldnt be too difficult to make. I spend a little time drawing up some basic plans, before giving them to Coda. Its not quite in his wheelhouse, but he seems to like building stuff, and his ratlings are only getting more and more sure in their craft. Most of their craft was digging and carving, but theres still the smithing ones he can get help from, so Im not too worried.

Now, the snake spawner. I havent been paying it the attention it deserves, even with my Conduit calling it home. I have normal little bitey snakes, venomous little bitey snakes, bigger venomous bitey snakes, and spitting cobras that are not technically cobras I think. I specialized them for venom a while ago, and looking at it closer, it seems to be a variety of magic specialization. So whatever else I get will probably be things you dont want to bite you, and maybe things that will be able to cast actual stuff at you, too.

Welp, might as well spend the mana and see what we get! I pour the required amount into the spawner, and watch with excitement as I wait for what itll make! And it makes two snakes at once? Thats it? More spawn speed? Not the worst upgrade but oh, Im wrong. Thats a single snake, two heads. They(?) look around a little before taking a shortcut down towards the cavern layer, and I take a moment to get a better look at what they are.

A Twinsnake. Fair enough, I suppose. Thats an interesting little critter, and I think they is the right term, since each head apparently has a different job. Its like someone stapled a classic fighter to a classic wizard. And made them both snakes. One head has kinetic affinity and the other has poison affinity. I wonder if they differentiate between venom and poison affinities here? I hope not. If youre venomous, its bad when you bite someone. If youre poisonous, its bad if someone bites you, and it seems like the kinetic head is all about avoiding that.

I watch as they stalk a small swarm of dire mosquitoes, and am glad to see the poison head is definitely able to be offensive with its affinity. The kinetic head can be a bit offensive, too, as it starts telekinetically grabbing and smashing the invaders. The poison head launches little poison projectiles venom projectiles? I feel like the distinction falls apart a bit when the nasty stuff is being thrown around. Whatever the technical term, the doublenoodle has no trouble dealing with the small swarm, so Im calling it a win.

I watch my new denizens as they start to spread out in my domain, enjoying the new little bit of weirdness they bring.

Karn

The thin orc cant help but smile as he slips into the Mayors manor after sunset. Used to be, if he was doing this, he was going to be taking as many valuables as he could unreasonably hold. This time, though, he hopes to drop something off, and maybe even leave with something valuable that he cant actually hold.

Is is the dungeon actually on board with this?

Karn nods. Thedeim is. He is fully willing to apologize and pretend plans had been in the works, and you just needed funding from the kingdom at large to implement. His rapid development has put you in an awkward spot, but also gives you an opportunity.

The elf starts looking more uncertain, now that his future is not certainly ruined, and looks back at the papers. Yes thats in the draft of a speech for me to give, too. But why? Why not try to oust me and prepare Fourdock to be taken as an enclave?

Karn shrugs. Because he doesnt want to. Politics, at large, seems to repulse him.

Lord Rezlar sighs at that. At least he gets a choice in it, he states quietly, before speaking up a bit. But what do you get out of it?

Karn grins like a teacher whose student has aced a test. I get a stable town for my adventurers to recuperate in, and a stable dungeon for them to delve three stable dungeons for them to delve, in fact.

The Lord Mayor considers that for a few seconds, before his face lights up. Ah, Miller! There you are!

Karns blood runs cold as he hears a polite voice from behind him. I was making tea for the Young Master and his guest. A silver tray with two steaming cups of tea make themselves known in his periphery, supported by a spotless white glove. Its attached to an immaculate black sleeve, which is in turn supported by an older elf with gray skin and short slicked white hair. If there was a butler affinity dungeon, this elf would be its scion and Voice.

Sirs is the cup nearest him, offers Miller, and Karn slowly accepts it. He doesnt drink as the elf moves to offer Lord Rezlar his own cup.

Ah, thank you, Miller. My friend here, uh

Karn, fills in the orc, still trying to process whats going on. There was nobody else in the room. As the young lord starts to explain to Miller what Karns proposal is, Karn absently takes a sip of the tea, and locks up again. He knows this blend. He knows the spicy honey in it. Its his own blend that he dabbles with, something more for energy than taste. The spicy honey is the only thing hes found that makes it palatable.

Miller meets Karns eyes and his mouth tilts upward just a hair as Karn swallows his sip heavily. Those guards arent the only ones in here trying to deal with something outside their pay grade.