Khenal

Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Six

My ratkin and spiderkin enclaves have peeked in on the magmyrm as they work, but there’s not a whole lot of new progress to be had there yet.  They haven’t progressed enough that I’m able to notice much in the way of physical changes yet, either.  They’re still pretty low slung and have graspers more akin to scorpion claws than hands, though now that I look closer, I think they’re starting to get proper fingers and thumbs.  They’re not super dexterous with them yet,...

Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Five

Teemo returns and tells Violet the good news about the sewer expansion, and he gets roped into helping her get proper access to what’s underneath Fourdock.  I can feel how much he wants to be nowhere near the sewers, but Violet’s scions are more than happy to hit him with puppydog eyes so he can’t just leave.  Coda helps keep things on track, though, so I’m confident my protege will have her expansion area soon.

I can also feel her poking at her mana and at the ally po...

Peek: Q&A Number... The Next One!

It's been a while, so lets get right into the Q&A session!

Once more, the Guy Who Asks has several questions: Are tsuchinokos an option out of the snake spawner? A quick search shows they're the think the pokemon dunsparse is based on, for those like me who didn't know. They're an option, though I don't seen any list of abilities for them in my quick search.

He also asks about fossilized undead. They do exist, but are incredibly rare, as they would be an option for a skeletal...

Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Four

Teemo and most of my dwellers return home, and my enclaves erupt in celebration!  They mourn the lost and celebrate the hard-earned victory, giving me not only a bit more mana as their prayers used to, but also giving me a bit more of that divine energy I still don’t have a good term for.  I also don’t have much idea how to use it, either, but giving little slivers to Aranya and the other priests and priestesses seems to work pretty well.

I’ll need to experiment with the...

Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Three

As easy as it is to focus on a shiny new expansion, I can’t go forgetting everything else I've built up.  As my friends and denizens make their way back home, I take the time to ensure I haven’t let anything fall apart while I was distracted with the Maw.

The Manor is still running like a dream, with encounters designed for newer delvers.  I think I’ve raised the average level of Fourdock quite a bit since I’ve come here, since it seems like even the dedicated craftspe...

Peek: Trade Routes

It's surprising how much difference a winter can make, muses Elaina SIlverwheat, leader of the Merchant's Guild in Fourdock. After Hullbreak attacked the town, she wasn't certain how lucrative her business would be. Attacks tend to make investors nervous, and though a hands-off mayor is good in peaceful times, investors feel better when the local authorities take a more active role in ensuring a volatile situation is defused. Even if an active government can be a hamper to business with regul...

Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Two

I think pretty much everyone is eager to return home, but we also know things could just collapse if we all just leave.  There’s a lot of little things to hammer down before letting the Silverveiners take the reins back.

Tarl is going to be staying, since there’s not really anyone else around who is experienced with new dungeons.  I think he did a pretty good job with me, so I’m not worried about the little dungeon going nuts, especially with the Southwood mentoring it.&...

Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-One

The feeling of Teemo’s concern pulls me out of my exploration of my menus, and once I realize what has him feeling like that, I understand.

A new dungeon?

“Welcome to the fun, Boss.  Yeah.”

You, Yvonne, and Tarl had a kid?  I didn’t even know Yvonne was pregnant!

Teemo does his best to give me a flat look.  “That’s not how it works, and you know it, Boss.”

Yeah, I know.  But it’s fun to joke.  You know just how many more I...

Peek: A Meeting of Gods

Despite his initial misgivings, Order has to admit Thedeim isn't all bad. The Mobius Trap was an interesting design, and even inspired his current fractal prison for the Harbinger. Oh, the former scion certainly tried to snap and bite at Order once he opened the trap, but draining it of the Maw's mana cowed it properly. It tried to flee to find a place to hide in the new fractal enclosure Order made for it, before the weight of comprehension of its status made it curl up and try not to think....

Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy

___________

Teemo

___________

The Voice of Thedeim smiles as he feels his Boss settle in to dig through his options.  He’s been a bit on edge with the whole Maw situation, and it just feels right for him to get back into planning.  Just because the Boss can orchestrate the destruction of a dangerous dungeon and capture a crazy scion, doesn’t mean it’s something he actually enjoys doing.

He sets aside what Thedeim is...

Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Nine

Once Teemo gets to Queen and Honey, they promptly kick him out of the hospital and tell him to go bother Leo.  The two of us probably should have expected them to want to dig around in the invaders and extract as much information as possible, so we have a good chuckle as Teemo heads to where Leo is.

He’s using what was the scouting base, before we launched the attack, as his command center for now.  His current focus is  on scouting the local area for other potential ho...

Nudge for Freedom!

With the 4th of July approaching, I realize it's been a while since I made a fresh nudge! I keep checking on nudges even as they age, but putting up a fresh one helps remind everyone and energize them to contribute. So ask questions for a potential Q&A and/or suggest peeks you'd like to see! Thank you again for all your support!

Khenal

Peek: Follow Your Nose

The small mole scion fusses about with his large model with the help of Cappy. When he first started this project, he wasn't sure it would work at all, but with it nearing completion, he feels he will have made a significant contribution to Mistress Violet. It has been a project long in the making.

It started when he was sent to the meeting where the Mentor explained what was happening so far away. He has to admit, he didn't pay too much attention to what was said, partially because ...

Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Eight

Everyone sits around for a few minutes while Kennith and Unsil catch their breath, before Teemo glances over at the Stag.  “Did you still want to get a direct look at it?”

The Stag pales as his ear flicks, and sighs in relief after a few moments.  “My Lord is satisfied with simply knowing the Harbinger will no longer be a threat, and that all possible is being done to ensure that threat ends here.  If you don’t mind, I think I will take a look around Silver...

Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Seven

They all have a nice night camping, and I have a nice night roughing out where to put my ant enclave, and how to get started on the forest of four seasons.  The ant enclave is easier to actually prepare for, and I even get some tunnelbores working to dig out an area near the exit from the labyrinth to the volcanic region outside.  I’m pretty confident they’ll have both the desire to explore out there, and the ability to handle the temperatures involved, too.

My note...

Peek: The Dungeoneer's Primer on Dungeon Thedeim

Official Dungeoneer Guild Primer

Dungeon name: Thedeim

Affinity: Fate

Classification: Cooperative

Spawners: Rats (resource), Spiders (phyical), Ants (resource), Bats (resource), Birds[corvids] (resource), Snakes (magic), Undead[fleshy] (resource), Undead[hands] (magic), Undead[skeletal] (resource), Bees (unspecialized), Elementals[earth] (unspecialized), Slimes (resource), Wolves (magic)

Scions: Teemo (rat, Voice), Tiny (spider), Queen (ant), Coda ...

Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Six

Finally, the agent’s here!  Waiting for him was like waiting for a repairguy to show up.  At least he can’t show up while I’m gone, seeing as I can’t really move.  Teemo and Aranya both head off to meet him as soon as he leaves with the Stag, and I try to listen in through the Southwood’s bond with him.

It doesn’t work very well.  I mostly get the feeling the Stag doesn’t care for him much, but that doesn’t really tell me a lot.  The Stag is kind...

Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Five

___________________

Kennith Ridgeward

___________________

It’s difficult to keep himself focused as he travels.  He’s usually very aware of what he should do next, as his home in the Holds is delightfully stable and secure.  Gnomes aren’t especially common in the holds, but as a Head Priest of Order, he enjoys a much-needed role in writing and enforcing contracts.  In the Holds, it’s easy to keep abreast of what is brewing, and ...

Peek: Updated Scion Roundup

Thedeim's Scions

Fate

Teemo

Type: Rat

Affinity: Spatial

Title(s): Scout, Voice, Herald, Opener of Ways

Notes: Friendly, sarcastic, sees it as his duty to keep people grounded.

Tiny

Type: Spider

Affinity: Kinetic

Title(s): Guardian, Reader of the Web

Notes: Quiet, wise, philosopher.  Focuses more on Fate affinity than kinetic, sees himself as a guide. Has been taking ...

Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Four

The next couple days are… is it wrong to call them relaxing?  Silvervein is working on rebuilding and  figuring out what they’re going to do, so it feels a bit wrong to be sitting back.  I guess I’m kinda back to my problem of not really being able to do much directly outside my territory.

I’m starting to wonder how accurate that is going to be, going forward.  I haven’t exactly been doing nothing these last few days.  I’ve been tweaking and tuning t...

Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Three

Alright, let me see… most of Silvervein is kinda handling itself as far as clean up goes.  I should probably ask Teemo to thank the Shield followers for how well they dealt with securing the town with minimal collateral damage.  A few of the… are they technically buildings if they’re carved into the rock with tunnels connecting them?  Having windows and… I dunno, exterior walls seem like a pretty big requirement for a building.  Whatever they are, while a few have ...

Peek: Inspecting the Maw

Berdol is pretty sure no other inspections have quite started like this one. He's also pretty sure that, when it comes to Thedeim, he should expect the unusual. There can't have been many inspections that started with following a group of a different dungeon's denizens and basically partying up with them for the duration, right?

He looks over at Tarl as they follow the tunnelbore ant, seeing his mentor looking calm and collected. It's only thanks to how much time they've spent togeth...

Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Two

Things go orange and go even more orange, quickly intensifying to a blinding white.  I try to blink it away, hoping to clear my vision, before I remember that’s not how my sight works anymore.  I’m… in some kind of white void.  It’s weird how a white void can feel even emptier than a black one like space.  It also feels more inviting, like a blank canvas just waiting for a painter’s brush.

I look around in confusion, before a thought hits me:  Did I ge...

Important Chapter Info! Please Read!

Stubbing for Book Two will be happening thursday/friday! That will mean removing chapters up to 161! Yes, that includes the chapters here, unfortunately. Kindle is rather strict on this kind of thing. I had hoped to give more warning, but notice was a bit tighter this time around, sorry about that :/ Additionally, there will be only one chapter this week, as I'll be attending my nephew's graduation.

Peek: The Museum of Oddities

The Dungeoneer's Guild deals with dungeons. Not exactly a surprise, is it? What can be surprising is just how many different things that entails. Information is a prime factor, but as any business, they also have finances. Dungeons are usually dangerous, so they have dedicated enchanting, smithing, armoring, alchemy, and research divisions as well.

And then there's the Office of Oddities.

It used to simply be an offshoot of the Archives, until an enterprising archivist wonder...

Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-One

“Is everything ok, Boss?” tensely asks Teemo from Rocky’s shoulder, even as I watch the Raven glide off through the wall without even a ripple.  It’s a bit weird seeing through their eyes, especially since they don’t seem able to notice the big bird.

I… maybe?  I think he wants to just talk?  I think if he was here to take me, he wouldn’t really bother with a chat first, or ask to meet at the field hospital.

“The field hospital?  Why?” echoes ...

Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty

That went better than I was afraid of, but worse than I had hoped.  Of course, my hopes were pretty unreasonable.  I was hoping to somehow not even need to fight and get the kobolds out without any issue and even have another ally after all was said and done.  Not exactly a realistic hope, but it still counts!

If I keep to my actual expectations for how things went, trying to be reasonable, it’s hard to think of a way it could have genuinely gone better.  We still ...

Peek: The Raven's Due

Emarlo's day is not going quite how he would have expected. For one: he died. The ratkin didn't think he was being quite so effective with his shots, but after the overwhelming series of attacks launched at him, he was able to see that what he thought was just a couple of the Maw's clergy he was keeping pinned, turned out to be a couple dozen!

And they weren't just pulling their people back to heal, either. From the number of bodies with arrows lodged in them, he could be responsible...

Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty-Nine

_________

Rocky

_________

He hadn’t expected it to feel so right to be back in his boxing gear.  He does feel a little bad about just dropping the nice staff Thing made, but it’s overwhelmed by finally not having to pretend.  Coach said this room would probably be to the Sanctum, and from the cultists and Harbinger inside, Rocky would say he was right on the money.

Working together with Fluffles and Slash is also goin...

Chapter Two-Hundred Fifty-Eight

_______________

The Harbinger

_______________

Things have been going poorly, and the Harbinger would bet all its mana on that Fate spell being the culprit.  When it first washed over it and the Maw, the Harbinger was concerned, and that concern only grew as nothing continued to happen.  It hasn’t seen Fate workings in… so very long, but it remembers that the more subtle a work, the more dangerous.

Then the surface dwellers made the...