Lewd Dungeon, Chapter 243

Chapter 243 – Arena

This was a new team, one that hadn’t made it to me before. Actually, they were entirely new to the dungeon. Looking quickly through my records, I saw that they came through the newly established portal in Moscow. That was oddly fitting, considering what I saw when I looked at them.

Loseva Askinya Rustemovna

Human Female

Level   40 Battledancer / Entertainer

Titles:   Slave

Market   Value: 60000 gp

The first of the Russian team was a very leggy lady with long brown hair. She looked like the kind of lady who would get sent to trap James Bond in one of the older, Connery-era films. Femme Fatale. In her hands were a pair of chakrams, which I thought were pretty interesting, and really pretty rare, since the weapons were hard to use effectively. Even more so when dealing with dual-wielding. She must have gone down an exotic weapon progression to the Battledancer class.

Loseva Karolina   Rustemovna

Human   Female

Level   40 Ninja / Alchemist

Titles:   Slave

Market   Value: 55000 gp

The second woman was dressed in clothes that were quite practical, and well-suited for quick movement, while at the same time being close-fitting enough that they left little to the imagination, despite the fact that most of her skin was covered, since they were primarily made of spandex. Her face was hidden behind a cloth hood and mask which left only her eyes uncovered. Twin daggers were in her gloved hands, and she looked to be very quick on her feet. She would be a problematic opponent, to be sure.

Loseva Jelena   Rustemovna

Human   Female

Level   40 Priestess of Kuronoth / Enchantress

Titles:   Slave

Market   Value: 45000

The third, who looked like a slightly younger version of the Battledancer, was actually wearing a priestess’s robes, and carrying a large staff, with my symbol at the top of it. Having followers of mine in the dungeon was always interesting, especially when they were priestesses or clerics. And it wasn’t even that odd to see one of my priestesses enslaved, honestly. I was, after all, the god of Domination and Pleasure. Many of those who did not have the skill for domination focused on pleasure, and drawing out the dominant nature of others.

Loseva  Rustem Danilovich

Human Wearbear   Male

Level   40 Blood Warlock / Slave Master

Titles:   Executioner, Kinslaver

Market   Value: 42050 gp

And finally, there was the lone male in the group. He was a hulking beast of a man, even in his human form. Honestly, the first thing I thought of when I saw him was Bluto from the old Popeye cartoons. What made things weird was that he was such a physical guy, and yet he had a class like Warlock, which was more suited for curses and magical blasting. There was even more dissonance, since his armor and the massive slab of steel pretending to be a greatsword he had over his shoulder made me think of someone who had read too many issues of Berserk. None of it made any sense!

As the three girls finally wore down my Atlantean champion, I rose from my throne and clapped, congratulating them for their victory. “Well fought, adventurers. Well fought, indeed. You have worked hard to get here, and I will not take up too much of your time before the final battle. However, as is my habit, I would like to know what boons you are seeking in my halls?”

The massive man stepped forward. When he spoke, his accent was thick and heavy. “What purpose does asking zis serve?”

“Ah,” I smiled, “that is simple. Whenever I have someone new reach me on their first time in my dungeon, I wish to honor them with a special reward, if it is within my power. Name your desire, and, should you win the coming battle, I will offer it to you. However, keep in mind that the greater the boon, the greater the difficulty the fight will pose. Even if you are followers of mine in the mortal realms, there are rules under the System that even I can only bend so far. So, tell me what boons you seek, travelers from afar.”

The man nodded, and said, “I am Rustem, and I speak for ze people of Kamyzny, in Siberia. We have lived there since before Stalin, before ze Tsars. zey did not bother us, because our little valley was hard to get to, and zere were no resources worth ze trouble. We did not hear of ze fall of ze Union and ze rise of zis Federation until later that year, when one of our own made the trek to the nearest town, so that we could get ze news of who won in ze games in Barcelona.”

I nodded slowly. An isolated town in Siberia, hmm? If they were up in the mountains, then accessing them could be difficult, even at the best of times. So long as they didn’t cause trouble, then it was easy to figure why the Soviets might leave them alone.

“I imagine it was a hard life, but a good one. That kind of living, I am told, breeds hardy men and women, used to weathering whatever is thrown at them. What could trouble such a proud people?”

Rustem smiled, and said, “We are proud, yes. But we also know that zere are times when you must work together, to do things that you could not on your own. Sometimes, our own strength, it is not enough, and so we must look to outsiders, and get their help.”

He sighed. “Ze only thing ze Soviets did for us, is zey gave us a power plant, yes? And later, when ze Federation figured out we were here, some company decided to do a satellite link, so we could be connected, yes? Zey only did it so that we could pay our bills to ze power company more easily, yes? But it still gave us a view on ze outside world.

“But zen ze Apocalypse happened, with ze orange durakbeing stupid, yes? We did not have all ze deaths that other places did, but we did need to fight and get stronger, in order to survive. We all did what we needed to in order to live.”

“And then someone decided they wanted something from you?”

“Yes. Stupid corporations, zey are worse than ze Soviets! At least zey would tell you to your face what zey wanted, instead of being sneaky thieves. Zey found some rare magic metal in ze ground. Kamyzny is sitting on great amounts of it, yes? So ze mining companies, they want to buy Kamyzny!”

“And you didn’t want to sell your homes.”

“Hah! We did not go for ze Tsars. We did not go for Stalin. Mining company will not make us go. But zey have many friends, many people, many weapons. We are strong, but we are few, yes? We look for help, to keep Kamyzny ours.”

“I understand your plight, Rustem Danilovich. And there are three things I can do to help you. Two are easier than last, but they are less reliable, unfortunately. Understand me, though, whatever path you choose, Kamyzny will change. It cannot exist as it had, before the Apocalypse. This is no threat of mine, understand, but simple truth. Kamyzny has avoided the changes so far due to its isolation, but that will no longer protect you. Knowing this, will you hear what I can offer you?”

Rustem looked at the three women, and took a deep breath. Turning to face me, he said, “I will listen.”

“Good. The first option is to create a great barrier around Kamyzny, using magic. Like the folk tales of Kitezh, Kamyzny would vanish from the world. But this would only last so long as the barrier did. If natural disaster, sabotage, or clumsiness damaged the anchors of the barrier, then it would fall. And a sufficiently determined foe might still find it through sheer determination, throwing enough bodies at it until they found the hidden village.”

“I am not liking zis one so much. Zis is one of ze easier options you mentioned, zen?”

“Yes. And it is one of the ones that I could offer you without some kind of contract, should you defeat me in combat. But that would only get you so far.”

“What are ze rest?”

“The second option would be to create for you powerful weapons and armor, allowing you to destroy any conventional foe that came to try and force you out. But that runs the risk of escalation. You would be painting an even larger target upon your town than before, to the point where the military may be forced to step in.”

Rustem spat on the ground. “No! A thousand times no to that one! I will not be responsible for bringing death to Kamyzny like that!”

“In that case, the third option may be the one that suits you best. As you know, I am linked to this dungeon. I can give you an item that you can plant in the center of your town. It will allow me to spread the dungeon’s influence throughout your valley. Your town would become like Swamptown is, a group of people living within my domain, and, ultimately, subject more to my authority than that of the government.

“Your homes and your churches would be your own. I will not dictate the faith of any of your people, or do the slightest to harm or discourage any of you who have other beliefs. But the public areas and the lands around the village? Those would be mine, the same as your fist belongs to you.

“In return, I will give you all a contract to sign, or rather a pair of contracts. One will apply to those aged ten to eighteen, and the other those eighteen and older. Both will define rights and responsibilities of those in the town, and make those who sign immune to the laws I’ll put in place, laws which would prevent any outsider from being able to harm those inside the town, but would still allow you to defend yourselves from monsters and wild animals that may wander through.”

“Why ze two contracts? Why not just ze one?”

“Because I do not wish for anyone to say that I am taking advantage of the youth. The dungeon laws will apply to all those older than ten years and a day. The child’s contract can be signed on their tenth birthday. This will keep them protected, until they grow to be an adult.

“However, once they are eighteen years and a day old, they will need to sign the much larger contract covering the adults. They’ll have those eight years under the provisional contract to decide whether they wish to become full citizens of Kamyzny or not. This choice, they’ll be able to make freely, but if they choose to leave, or not to sign, then they will be treated as any other ‘guest’ to the village.”

“And what will it cost us for this protection?”

“Mostly? Your isolation. You will be my ambassadors to Russia, and Kamyzny will become a haven for those who wish to avoid ‘entanglements’ with the Russian government, so long as they can follow the rules. These rules will focus first on keeping the people of Kamyzny safe, naturally. The day-to-day running of Kamyzny will be left to you, and your people, to do as they see fit, so long as they don’t break faith with me.

“Finally, there will be a tithe. You will not pay taxes to the Russian government, but to me. One tenth of what your town produces, whether it be in coin or in goods. If you should decide to start mining, and dig up the ‘magic metal’, then one tenth of that, too. In return, you will be protected, you will be fed, even when crops fail and game is scarce, and you will have warmth and shelter available to you, even in the fiercest Siberian winter.”

Rustem breathed deeply. “Zis is a lot to take in. More than I ever thought possible. I will have to speak with my people before accepting such a deal.”

I nodded once, and stepped into shadows, reappearing in the ring, armed and ready. “Then let us have a quick bout, to observe the rules, and then I shall send you home, with the crystal, so that you can speak with your people, and decide your fate.”

The big Russian just smiled, and hefted his sword. “Dah, zis is good.”