[D'sP] A Mural - Chapter 448

On the seventh floor, Doyle is in a creative frenzy. For a while now, he has slowly been carving the next addition to his rock sphere. Ever since the first Wolfkin had shown up, the concept had been at the back of his mind and now it was fully formed.

His first carving, not a picture, but the borders within which future art would be contained. Though as this work comes together, such restrictions loosen.

It only makes sense, when dealing with spatial warping, the space inside a square isn’t set. If a mural needed to be wider? The square could be wider.

Not that Doyle is the one making these alterations. Rather, the frames put in place? Their intent was to display his art as best they can. This concept tapped into his own spatial mastery within his dungeon and caused the effect to happen. Caused the sphere to react to his art.

It has been weeks since the festival and Doyle hasn’t stopped since the revelation struck. Harmony! The sapients outside his dungeon had looked past species in a way humans hadn’t even been able to do among themselves.

So what better event to celebrate! To preserve?

And so on the sphere images of humans, wolfkin, deerkin, and raccoonkin stand together. A town suggested at by the image of buildings. A community suggested at by those living in it.

Broad strokes spread the figures. Details filled in those figures with life. And then those figures came together in harmony. A festival! The laughter and joy. Yet behind it the proof that they had worked for it.

Tools hung up with wear and tear. Worn clothes, yet not worn in the sense of threadbare, but lived in. The suggestion of use through soft corners.

Doyle had dabbled in art as a human. Knew some of the theory. This though? The oldest way to learn. Practice.

The mural would almost be completed, only for entire sections to be wiped smooth with a thought. Not that Doyle was looking for perfection. He simply wanted to embody his feelings on the event.

And with practice, came changes. No longer a flat carving, the depth and angle began to bring the image into the third dimension. Not literally beyond the addition of depth of stroke. Rather, a depth found in some of the art he had seen.

That which caused a painting to appear as if a window into a scene. With time, Doyle was embodying this within his mural. Though as time passes, the world continues to change outside.

The excitement of new people joining the inner circle dies down. There are, of course, those who raged against it. Though in the end most who spoke up are shown to simply want it for themselves than any actual care about inequality. Not that those worries didn’t exist. It was just understood that for the moment; the world is kind of crazy.

Besides the human element, nature advanced as well. More earthquakes happened, just like around the new year. Once again, nothing came of it, though it certainly made Ace worry that they are on a fault line or some such.

Besides that, some of the first truly mystical herbs began to come in. Not just a sprig of mint with some extra Mana. Rather, plants that could not exist without Mana, no matter what their base was originally. Though such finds are so small in number that Ace didn’t manage to acquire any of them.

In fact, they didn’t seem to be growing around any of the settlements. The best guess is that either the local population used too much of the world energy or the system itself was limiting energy dense beings from forming within a certain radius. Either is possible.

This meant that to find the stuff required one to venture deep into the wilds. A trek that both the Barrais and Jim wanted to make. Though only “wanted”, because for the moment, their responsibility needed them specifically.

There were also rumors of magical trees. Though Jim highly doubted such reports. They always seemed to come from those trading tales for drink. Because, of course, by this point, alcohol had made its return.

The dungeon is actually to thank for this, though not because of the wheat. On the very first floor, there is a beehive. Now, there isn’t much honey in a single natural hive. Except it is in a dungeon and so could be raided for that honey infinitely.

So yes, mead is very much on the menu. It actually came as a surprise too much of the town. Everyone had been focused on stuff like beer or ciders. Then, all of the sudden, some guy was selling barrels of mead.

It seems he had seen the potential right from the start and secretly started harvesting the honey. No one had questioned it at the time as honey is the only sweetener so enough people had been raiding it to begin with. And now? Even though many started to follow in his footsteps, they were behind and it isn’t like he had reduced how much honey he was harvesting.

Though that didn’t mean people aren’t looking forward to the other stuff coming down the line. Mead was more like a wine, which not everyone is partial to, and not even the berry mead using berries from the bushes near the hive was enough for some.

All the while, Doyle carved and soon, it would be completed. Not perfect, but rather comfortable. With each new stroke, the scene felt more like being next to a fireplace on a cold winter morning, all wrapped up and reading an old book you love. Or maybe it was like the warmth of a bonfire as you sit nearby toasting a marshmallow while an uncle is down by the lake, setting off small fireworks that are more flash than bang?

Whatever the case, Doyle felt close. Reposition a wolfkin’s arm so the gesture is softer. Re-carve a raccoonkin’s eyes for what felt like the hundredth time to get the right feeling of familial love as they glance down at a child.

Then Doyle felt it. Lines shifted on their own. The carved frame seemed to retreat away across the stone sphere and new lines expanded. Doyle’s carving seemed to expand outward, as if the entire sphere was taken up by this harmonious community.

It hadn’t, not literally. Or maybe it did? There is a deep magic sleeping within the work. All Doyle knew is that now the mural is back to what he had carved. Except, there was a certain depth to the carving that hadn’t been there before.

This didn’t have to be something magical, mind you. Doyle himself felt it could simply be the picture becoming more than the sum of its parts. However, whatever the case may be, the system certainly saw something in the carving.

{

Historic Mural complete

A nameless mural of a community. There is a feeling of warmth and harmony despite and because of the variety of people living there.

The nearest town, if it accepts the foreign and strange into their community, will find communication easier and words less likely to be misconstrued. This is a psionic effect and can be blocked, but not used actively.

Varied groups will find their teamwork smoother. This is a psionic effect and can be blocked or boosted.

[Harmony] and [Community] aligned Paths gained while within the effects of this mural will have boosted rewards.

Groups working against such harmony in the nearest town will find Luck turn against them based on the Luck of the town’s leadership.

Those who view this mural gain a minor effect based on their affinity with the portrayed scene.

}

Doyle’s core settles on his plinth. Time had passed him by and he isn’t certain how much. The only thing he is sure of? Nothing serious had gone down. Well, at least nothing serious that needed his direct action or immediate knowledge.

It was worth it.

And so he stayed like that for a little over an hour before Ally noticed. ‘Oh, hey! You’re done? Mind sharing the screen with me?’

Doyle nods his core and sends it over.

Ally looks it over and smiles, “Well that’s nice! Though maybe for the next mural, you try and aim for something that will help us?’

Doyle tilts back, ‘I don’t think I can aim this.’

Ally, ‘That’s fair. Not every creative type decides on what they make. There is a reason for the whole “muse” concept. The idea of an outside source gifting inspiration. And of course the corollary of writer’s block and such.’

Doyle, ‘Eh, to each their own. Though I never liked the writer’s block thing. Not that you can’t be blocked! But rather the idea that being blocked means you stop creating.

‘My experience is that the best way past the block is to keep creating. It won’t always be good. It might be something silly. But what was always important is that you create. It doesn’t even have to be the same medium.

‘Not sure what to draw? Doodle nonsense, even if it sucks. Can’t even manage that? Try writing something or maybe getting up and moving around rhythmically. Any creation to get your mind off what is blocking you.

‘Though once again, to each their own. I only know my own experience. If someone is legitimately blocked and can’t manage any sort of creation? Well, they know themselves. Still, the idea of getting your mind off of what is blocking you is a good one. Though instead of creating, maybe try consuming. Watching a movie, reading a book, or what have you.’

Ally shrugs, ‘I can see that. Now, do you want an update on what’s going on?’

Doyle takes a glance through his floors, ‘I don’t see any party that is dangerously deep or anything. Have they even entered the 18th floor?’

Ally, ‘Nope! Though that is mostly because they’re focused on getting their new people up to snuff. Darren, in particular needed a lot of help. He spent his way to power and so his actual combat skills were underdeveloped.’

Doyle’s core darkens, ‘They’re falling behind?’

Ally shakes her head, ‘That isn’t the only stuff going on. There’s been an increase in beast attacks and general diplomacy is picking up. It seems Ace accepting the two into the inner circle made everyone realize that was a possibility. Nevermind all the outsiders trying to take advantage of the new guys.

‘Though they are not stagnating, despite not pushing deeper. Quantity has a quality of its own and so they’re now fighting large groups of kobolds. I actually think this is the smart decision on their part.

‘The first genuine dangers they’re likely to face from the forest are herds, packs, and worst of all, swarms. So, getting used to fighting while outnumbered is a good play. Admittedly, I’d suggest they head down to Bird Mountain and try to get them to swarm.’

Doyle, ‘Except they won’t swarm? At least not like what you mean. No, if they want to fight a bunch of enemies at once, 17 is the correct floor for that.’

Ally frowns, ‘Huh, maybe you should change up the hexku on that floor?’

Doyle shakes his core, ‘The concept is endurance or speed. I don’t want to swarm people out of nowhere. Besides, the hexku aren’t meant to be a death flock sort of monster. At least, I don’t want them to be.’

Ally shrugs, ‘Eh, fair enough.’

Doyle, ‘Besides, I bet they’re about to delve deeper once again.’

Ally raises an eyebrow, ‘How can you even know that? You’ve literally been sequestered for weeks!’

Doyle laughs, ‘I cheated! Ace is literally talking about it right now. Seems they noticed the murals effect. Anyway, I expect them to walk through the 18th, sadly.’

Ally laughs, ‘Well, that’s one way to be more informed in the town than me. Distract me and then watch them. Though besides all that, I do have one question.’

Doyle tilts to the side, ‘What?’

Ally shrugs, ‘Are you going to let them see the mural?’

Doyle pauses, ‘That is a good question. I think I’ll let the sphere freely rotate now. They noticed the effect, so best let them find the cause.’

Expanding The Circle - Chapter 447

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