[D'sP] To The Wall - Chapter 436

Trap after trap is disarmed, one at a time. Progress is made, one patrol after another. Ruby looks at one of the group’s maps of the floor.

She sighs, “I think we’re about halfway to the lake at this point. None of the previous delves has taken this long to get this far.”

Jim shrugs, “And none of the previous delves bothered with actually clearing a path. Since we plan to go all the way, it is better to keep our retreat open. We don’t know how powerful things get.”

Jeremy, “Well, the kobold encounters have slowed down by a hair, so we should pick up speed.”

Jay shakes his head, “I’d rather they kept going at the same pace. The lake has always had a bunch of kobolds hanging out which will make for a touch fight. Better clear as many as possible now.”

Jeremy, “They weren’t ever going to send out too many kobolds. Not only would a regular community not do that, but this is a dungeon. We’re just fighting the monsters set to patrol or wander.”

Jay sighs, “Fair.”

And they focus back on clearing the next group of kobolds. This steady progress continues until the team is close to the lake.

Ruby stops frowns at the map, “I don’t think we should continue farther, but I don’t really know what that means for us. Like, we should really take a break.”

Jim, “Hmm, maybe we took a little too long?”

Doctor shakes his head, “We took the time we needed. Maybe next time we can reach the lake first, but I don’t suspect that’ll be the case. For now, we need to rest up for the fight.”

Jay, “Blarg, first floor we have to rest partway through. Not even like it has taken all that long. Sure, it took some time, but I don’t know about you all, I’m more mentally tired from being on the lookout than physically tired.”

Jeremy nods, “That about covers it. And we can’t exactly retreat or all our work will be undone.”

Jay frowns, “What stops them from setting traps behind us as it is?”

Jeremy shrugs, “No clue, they just don’t. Me and my wife have staked out the floor a couple times to try and they never have no matter how good we hide ourselves.”

Jim, “Whatever the case, we need to bunker down for a rest stop. I want a trap free perimeter two trees deep all around us. We won’t be free of encounters, but some mindless bashing of monsters should be fine.”

Over in the core room, Doyle turns to Ally, but she already knows what he is about to ask.

Ally brings up the kobold pattern and points to their skills. “The kobolds have the skill Improvise Trap. A common enough skill for all those who are out in the wilds and unable to manufacture the more specialized bits and bobs needed for fancy traps. The skill tops out at using a sheet, some string, or a rope.

“It is also a skill that does not magically make components pop up out of nowhere. You know, like the kobolds do. The trick of it is, there are some skills which work differently for dungeon monsters, after all, there is a limited number of traps a kobold can have and that isn’t a part of the skill.

“The way kobolds generate their traps is literally using some of your world energy that was spent to make them to generate said traps. Thus the limit because if they make anymore, they die from lack of said energy. All monsters have this pool that can be pulled on, but not all monsters will have skills that make use of it. However, the catch is the fact it is basically using your ability to generate the stuff. So since you can’t create things while delvers are on a floor, they can’t either.”

Doyle, “And as dungeon monsters, they aren’t allowed to just make traps. I’m guessing though, this is because of the system trying to keep things fair?”

Ally nods, “Without a system, while dungeons need to use the same points used on monsters to place their own traps. There is nothing stopping them having a single kobold that just keeps placing trap after trap.”

Doyle, “Wait a second, would they generate more complex parts it they had a better trap skill?”

Ally raises an eyebrow, “To finish my last thought, the limit without a system tends to be materials and time to set it all back up. But yeah, give them a regular trap making skill and they’re have other supplies.

“I won’t say better. Sometimes, a vine trip wire works better, if only because of the environment. However, sometimes proper metal parts is just needed for some things. Nevermind getting an even better trap making skill that allows them to mess with gears and such.”

Doyle, ‘I’ll have to look into it for the future, especially if I ever make a more civilized floor. Metal gears don’t exactly fit in with a forest floor.’

Back with Jim’s party, they aren’t getting as much rest as they would want. Not that the kobolds are showing up any more frequently. It is just that by staying in place; it gives the kobolds a chance to sneak up on them.

Sure, the Barrais and Jim are more than able to spot them in time. However, having to keep a lookout isn’t giving the three of them a chance to rest.

Susan sighs, “This isn’t working. What should we do?”

Ruby shrugs, “Well, at least half the party is getting a break.”

Doctor shakes his head, “But it isn’t sustainable. We need to change something.”

Jim looks around, “I think we need to retreat to a wall. That will take time, but it will at least put a wall to our back.”

Susan sighs, “This is going to be an overnight ordeal.”

Jim nods, “That does seem to be the case. Well, let’s move out!”

There isn’t much for them to pack up. Though they do take down some earthen barriers that they had put up. Mostly so they don’t get used against them on the way back through.

Their trip back towards the entrance is relatively peaceful. Without having to worry about traps, they set a decent pace. That meant fewer kobold encounters until they reach the entrance gate.

At that point, they’re back to disarming traps. Though being so far from the lake did mean the kobold encounters come slower. After all, the patrols are expecting the party to be near the lake.

So in practically no time at all, they have made it to the wall. Their speed was assisted by the fact that the kobolds put down fewer traps in that direction. After all, why bother when there isn’t anything out there?

Jim glances around at his team, “So, optimally, we would find a corner, but we’re clearly not up for that. None of you seem tired, but I personally am past the point of quickly recovering my resources. Let’s get some defenses up and see if we can get some naps in.”

Ruby begins to pull up the earth into walls. “We won’t be able to hide out here. The floors wall and relatively flat terrain makes that a difficult proposition.”

Jim nods, “Since we’ll be here for a while, we should probably make a few more radical changes. Hey Jay, you think you can chop down a bunch of trees? I’ll take this side.”

Jay taps the butt of his poleaxe in the ground. “Well, my weapon isn’t exactly made to chop trees, but I should be able to manage. How are you going to manage?”

Jim puts his backpack on the ground, opens it up, and pulls out a short handle axe. “Before the system, this little toy would have sucked to use. Not enough leverage. Well, still sucks, but I have enough muscle power to ignore how much it sucks.”

Jay raises an eyebrow, “Not exactly the most restful tool to use.”

Jim shrugs, “A safe place to rest in the long run is what we need. Besides, I’m good physically. My brain is just a bit fried from having to keep watch for so long.”

Jay nods, “Fair enough. Now let’s cut down these trees. Won’t need to watch as hard if there isn’t anywhere to hide.”

Of course, while Jay’s poleaxe isn’t designed for cutting trees, it is much better at the task and Jay ends up cutting down three-fourths of the trees. And with the trees taken care of with only a minimal amount of kobold encounters, the group is ready to settle in for a long rest.

Jeremy, “So uh, who has the first watch? All our scouty types need a good long rest at the moment, myself included.”

Jim, “I’ll take the first watch. You two not only had to be alert, but also disarm the traps. Spending a few more hours watching for kobolds won’t drag me down. Besides me, I want you–”, and he points at Ruby, “–To accompany me. The kobolds have done a good job of getting close to the party and so you’ve had less of a workload.”

Ruby nods, “I can handle it.”

Jim turns to the rest, “Okay, with that decided, you all can go and get some shut eye. We aren’t quite going for a full night’s sleep, but a nap is more than needed.”

And then nothing happens. Oh, sure, there are kobolds that stumble across the group and are beaten down. That is inevitable, though the kobolds aren’t too overly focused on trying to find the group. At least, not to the point of sending out large groups of kobolds too far from the lake.

Even the switch over from Jim and Ruby to the Barrais goes down without a hitch. Though once it is the Barrais keeping watch, the kobold encounters do require that Jay get awakened. Without Ruby to clear the numbers, an actual tank becomes necessary.

While their rest passes them by, Doyle sits in the core purposefully, not watching.

Doyle sighs, ‘As a dungeon core, I feel like I should be watching them closely. As a person who was once human, I very much do not want to do that.’

Ally laughs, ‘I can watch them for you. As a fey, I don’t exactly have the same sort of mental hold ups.’

Doyle, ‘Well, I normally don’t have a problem with it. My problem here is the fact they’re asleep. Feels creeptacular to watch them like that.’

Ally nods, ‘I get you. Though I feel you’ll get over that with time. Delvers are as a breed, light sleepers.’

Doyle tilts to the side, ‘Are they actually light sleepers or is it a matter of self selection and survival? Just because the ones that get to the point of staying in dungeons long enough to sleep are all light sleepers might just means those who aren’t either adapt or die.’

Ally shrugs, ‘But of a moot point. I’m sure there are some heavy sleepers out there. We just won’t see them this deep.’

Doyle nods, ‘Fair enough.’

And back with the team, the rest of their rest passes by quickly and now they’re all up and preparing a meal.

Ruby, ‘So, do you want me to take down the walls?’

Jim shakes his head, ‘I don’t know if we’ll need this place again or not, but you shouldn’t waste your Mana on it. Me and Jay will just knock the walls down so the Kobolds can’t use it against us.’

Jay nods, ‘While sturdy, our makeshift shelter isn’t exactly designed to be sturdy from the inside.’

Ruby shrugs, ‘It is just about the opposite. I set it up so that if something needed all of us to respond at once, we can burst out. The walls should fall over easily enough. Just make sure you break up the sides or the kobolds could put them back up. Not the end of the world, but would defeat the purpose of knocking them down in the first place.”

Already Jacking Alcohol - Chapter 435

Tired Of Traps - Chapter 437