Chapter One Hundred and Seventy-Two. First Recruitment.

Chapter One Hundred and Seventy-Two. First Recruitment.

"You're all probably wondering why I've gathered you here today," Dave's voice boomed out over the crowd.

"We're not all named Josh!" A voice called out from the crowd.

"No," Dave laughed, "but every single one of you has either played Dungeons and Dragons at our table, or you play with someone who has."

He was standing on the bed of one of the military trucks. Talima was running the grill parked next to it, and the heavenly smell of Bar-B-Que was drifting over the entire area. They'd arranged tables and chairs, setting them up so that each group had its own space.

"Now, I know everyone is hungry," Dave said, "and some of you would love a drink," he paused as the crowd roared its approval at that statement.

"But before we get started on dinner, you'll find a dice bag has been cunningly hidden in front of you, by means of being taped under the table," Dave grinned, "as it doesn't look like anyone has found them, to the Rogues amongst us, shame on you! Always check for traps!"

Amanda stepped forward and swatted at Dave's arm. "They aren't trapped; ignore Dave," she called out.

"She's right, of course," Dave smiled at her, then turned back to the crowd. "They aren't traps; they're an invitation. If you'll investigate the dice bags, you'll find that they are actually bags of holding. Take your time, scrutinize them, and I really shouldn't have to tell you this," he made a production of shaking his head and sighing, "don't put the bag of holding inside the bag of holding."

Laughter rippled through the crowd. "They won't blow up," Dave assured them, "but only the person who enchanted them can get the one you put inside back out."

"So, the meat is ready; please thank our lovely Talima for all of her hard work on that," he gestured to Talima, who received a light round of applause. "The kegs are cold and tapped, and Amanda and I will be available to discuss the bags of holding one group at a time."

Dave climbed down off the truck and was immediately accosted by the group from the closest table as they sprinted over. Well, two of them ran, one strode, and three of them lumbered. The rest of the crowd had surged towards them as well, but most paused and then shifted their attention toward dinner. Two full groups arranged themselves in a preemptive line.

The two men who had arrived first spoke in unison. "What the fuck!" "How the fuck!"

Dave raised his hands in surrender. "Woah, Woah, hold up guys, I can only answer one question at a time, no matter how similar they might be," he grinned, "and we should wait for the rest of your group to show up."

"We're always reminding them about rule one, cardio, but do they listen?" The sprinter on the left shook his head.

"We listen, but some of us possess that rare quality known as 'Dignity,'" said a man both Amanda and Dave recognized.

"Jason," Dave reached out to shake his hand, only to be pulled into a powerful hug.

"What about me?" Amanda pouted, only to giggle as Jason pulled her into the hug, making it a three-way affair.

"It is lovely to see you two again," Jason said as he released the hug and stepped back. "I'd wondered what had prompted this extended reunion, but your party favors," he nodded to dice bag in his hand, "make that rather clear."

"Do they?" Amanda asked teasingly, causing Dave to kiss her on the cheek. He knew that she'd go all sorts of lengths to hear Jason talk. Despite having moved to California over a decade prior to attending UCLA, he still spoke with a British accent.

"Bags of holding?" Jason shook his head as the rest of his group arrived, "you've clearly either coated the chairs and tables with LSD, in which case," he delivered a mock glare, "I shall be most put out with you, or against all of our preconceptions, you have somehow stumbled across real sorcery."

One of the sprinters had his arm stuffed into the bag all the way up to his shoulder. "Seems pretty fuckin' real to me, boss," he said to Jason.

"More like magic sent us an email, asking for a spot at the gaming table," Amanda grinned wickedly as she wrapped an arm through Dave's.

Jason raised an eyebrow elegantly, his expression unchanging. Dave had no idea how he did that. The rest of the group arrived and arrayed themselves in a semi-circle with Jason at the center.

"Some people have families," Jason mused, "surely monster hunting isn't; what would you call it? A 'Family Friendly' activity?"

"Definitely not," Dave shook his head, "in fact, it was pretty traumatizing at first."

"I suppose the state of the world after this apocalypse will be such that people's objections regarding leaving their homes and their careers behind them will be rendered irrelevant?" Jason asked.

"Who needs a doctor when you have regenerate? Or a mechanic when you have a repair spell? The world is going to change on a fundamental level, and society will have to change along with it," Dave stated firmly. "Bob managed to fall into a group of combat wounded marines, and they've embraced the whole thing with remarkable enthusiasm, no doubt inspired by regaining their missing limbs."

"He came to us first, though, because he knew that we would be amongst those best able to see how events would proceed to their final conclusion," Dave smiled down at Amanda. "We're not asking anyone to leave their families behind. You'll be living roughly, but you'll also be getting a head start. Much like the games we all love so much, there are levels, attributes, spells, and skills."

"Power, real power, is held by individuals who are driven enough to work hard to gather it," Amanda said softly, then gestured, summoning Vera, her wolf.

Vera had grown quite a bit. Amanda was level nine, eagerly awaiting Bob's completion of the tenth floor. She had her beautiful, savage pupper fully leveled, and at level twenty-three, she was something to see. She and Dave both planned on having saddles made. Vera stood six feet at her shoulders, her head nearly at seven feet as she sat back on her haunches, her tongue lolling out as she looked around for a monster.

"I'm level nine, and this is my Summoned Monster, Vera, who does the fighting and bleeding for me," Amanda explained as the semi-circle contracted slightly at the sight of the massive predator.

"If she's that big, how big are the fucking monsters," one of the group muttered.

"So far, the only monster larger than her current size is the Oxcipines on the sixth floor of the Dungeon," Amanda replied. "She was a slightly undersized wolf when she was level one, but as I've increased the level of the spell and my mastery of the spell school, she's grown larger."

"An Oxcipine?" Jason wasn't able to restrain his curiosity.

"The unholy love child of an Ox, and a Porcupine, coupled with the temper of a Wolverine," Dave grumbled. "Think of an Ox, with the teeth of a carnivore, a whip-like tail, all covered in nine-inch long quills which it can launch away from its body, likely towards yours, with tremendous force."

An eager look crossed Jason's face. Dave remembered that the man had absolutely loved the details of the Monsters in Dungeons and Dragons. He suspected that fascination was part of the reason why he'd become a Dungeon Master in the first place.

"Do you have to fight monsters to level up?" The question came from a slender man who had moved ponderously, despite his lithe form.

"You level up by absorbing mana crystals, and for the first five levels, before you choose your class, you can use mana crystals from anywhere," Amanda explained, "although, after that, you have to use mana crystals from monsters that you've helped defeat."

"Although that's only recommended if you're not interested in a combat class at all," Dave added, "as your skills and masteries gain experience from fighting monsters, and if you try to fight a level five monster at level five, without having leveled up those skills, you're going to be in real trouble."

"How many people have died in the Dungeon?" The same man asked.

"None?" Dave replied, looking at Amanda.

"We have over a thousand Marines delving the Dungeon in eight-hour shifts, and our group does eight hours a day as well," Amanda offered, "and while the first few days are rough because you don't have any skills, once you have them and you've leveled them up, it becomes laughably easy."

"If you were to be hurt, and I was," Dave explained, "Bob will heal you back up. They call it shepherding, where a high-level person watches over a group of lowbies, teaching them how to delve safely and pulling their asses out of the fire if they fuck up."

"I'd think you were mad," Jason said, "were it not for the evidence in my hands and before my eyes."

"It's all real," Dave promised, "and you'll have a chance to see it for yourself tomorrow morning, as we will be taking a little trip to the other side for the day."

"For now, hold onto your questions, write them down, work together to make a list," Amanda said, "we have twenty groups to get through, and I'd like to eat at some point tonight."nove(l)bi(n.)com