“Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate your faith in me; though I’m afraid that faith is misplaced. With what you can do, you could become so much more than if you were to stick with me. Heck, if one of the guilds got wind of your abilities, they’d snatch you up in a heartbeat; if that were to happen, you’d reach your goal of becoming more powerful even faster. Don’t let me hold you back – I’m just dead weight holding you down.”
What she said made logical sense and was entirely accurate; with the help of higher-Rated Adventurers, they could help him become so powerful so fast that he’d probably be able to accomplish his wish to interrogate a dungeon core before the month was out. However, that also meant that he’d have to share his abilities with more than one person – he was risking everything already by telling Eisa. If more people knew, Fred feared it wouldn’t take long for them to connect his abilities with what a dungeon core could do; he shuddered to think what would happen if they discovered his origins.
His parents told tales of humans long ago, before dungeon cores were the dominant species in the world. Everything was more primitive back then – including dungeon defense and construction – and many dungeon cores were lost to the insatiable destructive tendencies of the humans that tended to want to destroy anything they considered a threat. Every core was on their own against the humans and very few cores lived long enough to create dungeons large and defended enough to survive for more than a few centuries – and even that was rare.
It was only when the different elements grouped together to create factions – such as the Fire and Water ones his parents originally belonged to before they went into hiding – that they were able to properly mount a defense. Whenever a dungeon core would be destroyed – or even taken from their dungeon against their will – whichever faction they belonged to would invest a significant portion of their available Mana into their strongest dungeon defenders and send them to attack the humans nearby, wiping out entire villages, towns, or even small cities in their retaliation.
Of course, that was apparently so long ago that very few if any dungeon cores still existed from that time, but the stories told of a veritable war with the humans that lasted nearly a century before the cores claimed victory by sending the human population into hiding. After that was a time of slow growth and slow expansion of territories; it was only after the humans were sent running that the remaining dungeon cores realized that they had relied heavily on the mana they acquired from the humans invading them to grow rapidly. Without them there, they could still grow – but the growth was very, very slow.
And that was when they developed the process of adding loot to their dungeons to entice the hesitant humans back, which worked extraordinarily well. Over time, of course, they had to “reinforce” the ban on core-harassment quite a few times, until it rarely (if ever) happened any more. From what Fred understood of what his parents had taught him about humans, they were thought more of as a precious resource than anything else; though they were dangerous, they provided much more in the way of mana growth than what the cores had to provide for rewards and loot. The humans had either learned their lesson or were too greedy to upset the balance again.
Either way, maybe I can take advantage of that greed to help us both.
“We can talk about that later, Eisa. For now, I’ll stick with you; however, if you don’t mind, I’d like to learn a little bit more about these ‘guilds’ you were talking about…”
Part IV – Gatecross
Chapter 29
Apparently, most Dungeon Adventurer Syndicate buildings doubly acted as a part-time inn in addition to the business already conducted there. Syndicate members who were just starting out (or were exceptionally frugal) could stay on the upper floors at a much-reduced rate when compared to the other inns in the town or city they were located within.
Gatecross was no exception, though the DAS building was smaller than most – which Eisa assured him was because the northern town of Gatecross was considered to be out in the middle of nowhere and didn’t have an enormous Syndicate presence, unlike most other towns and cities in the Craytion Kingdom. As a result, there was only a second floor that contained a dozen rooms, only half of which were ever used for long.
Instead of making Fred Create more coinage to pay for it, Eisa volunteered to pay the next three months’ rent for him, which totaled a whopping 12 silver for the privilege. Well, that was easily covered by the extra gold piece I gave her on the way back. He argued at first, since he could always get more, but she refused.
“It’s the least I could do – plus, you can spend all that you conjure on whatever plan you’re cooking up.” Fred wasn’t sure exactly what cooking had to do with it, but he understood what she was trying to say, nevertheless.
It was surprisingly only a little past midday by the time they got back; with everything that had happened over the last day, it felt like it had been days or even weeks. Despite having had a massive breakfast that morning of mana-formed food just outside the town, Fred felt ravenous. Eisa seemed to feel the same way.
“Let’s go to the tavern down the street and get some early dinner, then I’m probably going to turn in for the night. My treat.”
Fred had never been to a tavern before; Northend didn’t have much other than log houses for its residents. So, or course, he agreed.
The Frigid Barmaid was a wide, one-story building that looked a bit weathered, dirty, and rundown on the outside – which Fred didn’t think looked overly enticing for a place that served food; however, when they walked inside, he was surprised at the clean, well-lit, open, and inviting atmosphere. At least, it appeared that way until he saw the disgusted expressions on the faces of the dozen or so people sitting around a few tables. He recognized most of them from the DAS building earlier in the day – it was hard to forget the ones that had (in some cases) so harshly shut down any hope of help from them.
Fortunately (or unfortunately), the disgust wasn’t aimed toward him; Eisa had preceded him into the room and had drawn the attention of everyone in there. A hush fell over the crowd as she proceeded to an empty table on the opposite side of the room from everyone else; she ignored the stares and looks with what appeared to be practiced obliviousness, though her straight-backed walk was evidence enough that she saw it – and was still affected by it.
They sat down and another woman came up to their table with the same look of disgust on her face, though it faded a bit when she caught sight of Fred. She was wearing a stained, plain brown dress and appeared rushed; he wasn’t sure why she was there – but that question was answered within moments.
“Can I take your order?” she asked in a hurried tone.
“Yes, we’ll take some of your delicious stew and some of your fresh-baked bread. And two ales, please,” Eisa added in a polite, enthusiastic voice before Fred could say anything.
Eisa’s polite tone must’ve been different from what she normally heard, because her attitude changed…slightly. She didn’t smile, but her disgust was mostly gone from her face as she left them, saying that their food would be out soon.
When the woman who had taken their order was gone, Eisa turned to Fred. “It’s unfair that even non-Adventurers see me in a bad light; I can’t blame them, however, as they get all their information from the members of the Syndicate – they don’t know any better. I try to treat everyone with the respect that I’d like to see, though it usually falls on deaf ears. Sometimes it works…”
She seems like she’s a genuinely nice person – it’s a shame that this all happened to her.
“I may not completely agree with your decision to share so much information about yourself, but I have to admit that this woman is probably the best-case scenario. If she tells anyone about us, it seems like no one would believe her; despite my reservations, I think you made a good choice.”
Deecy was still in Fred’s bag, slung over the back of his chair. He had to agree with her assessment, though he was beginning to like her for her. Granted
, Eisa – and anyone else he managed to convince to help him – were a means to an end, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t sympathize with their own plights.
He had begun his journey of answer-seeking and revenge almost two years ago with the thought that it was only him against the world; the more time he spent amongst the humans, however, he realized that it wasn’t just him that the dungeon cores had affected so deeply. True, Fred’s case was different and probably unique, but the death of loved ones and friends seemed to be a common theme amongst the human population.
In a curious symmetry with his own situation, though, was the fact that they didn’t care as much when the cores ended up killing them – only when they thought that another human had caused their deaths; if his parents had been killed by humans, he would still be angry and, truthfully, would want to get his revenge on those who did the deed – but it would make more sense to him. However, as they were killed by other dungeon cores – and apparently by those within their own elemental faction – it left him highly confused and betrayed. It felt like they had been killed by their own family, and not just some random strangers.
“I can now see what you were talking about; believe me, I can understand what being an outcast feels like and how it feels not quite fitting in.”
Eisa didn’t look like she believed him, but he was being truthful – he did know what it felt like, probably better than anyone else. Before they could talk any more, however, the woman from before came back with the two glass mugs filled with some sort of amber-colored liquid. Realizing that he was extremely thirsty after the long walk back from the dungeon, he took a big drink and downed almost half of the mug – and almost spit it out. What is this disgusting liquid?!
“Whoa, no need to drink so fast – especially on an empty stomach. The food will be here soon and then it won’t affect you so much.” Eisa smiled at his perceived eagerness.
Fred wasn’t sure what she meant, but within moments he could feel a tingling in his stomach and a loosening of his muscles as his body processed what he had just ingested. It felt good…until his Mana went to work clearing out the toxin that he had just drunk. Less than a minute later, the feeling was gone.
“What is this? It doesn’t taste like any water I’ve had before.”
The smile from her face faded as she instead looked shocked. “Are you telling me you’ve never had ale before?”
“No, I’ve never had this ‘ale’ before – I think I’d prefer some water,” he replied truthfully. And that was the truth – it tasted like dirty water (which he’d had the occasion to drink back when he was staying with Regnark) and he’d rather not drink it if he didn’t have to.
“O…kay. We can get you some water when the food comes.” Eisa looked confused, but that confusion was replaced by the licking of her lips as their food finally arrived.
It was as delicious as Eisa had told the woman; the stew was filled with hearty chunks of vegetables and meat, and the “bread” – which he had never had before – was a hunk of soft, warm, and fluffy goodness that complemented the stew remarkably well. Before he knew it, he was done and asking for seconds – as well as some water.
While they were waiting for their second helping (Eisa put hers away almost as swiftly as he did), Fred decided he needed some information – namely, about which class he should choose. He had a general understanding of what they were based upon Eisa’s own classes, but he didn’t know what exactly they did and what he had to choose from.
“Your class, huh? Well, most people learn about them from a young age, which means that by the time they’re 8 or 9 years old – and desire to be an Adventurer, which most do at that age – they already have their whole class progression picked out ahead of time. As you’re obviously not like most people—” she looked sideways at him with a small smile tugging at her mouth— “I’ll try to give you a quick history and rundown of them.”
She cleared her throat like she needed to gather her thoughts. “Before the Sub-dermal Interface Artifacts were created, Adventurers delving into dungeons haphazardly collected Essence and it was infused into different parts of their body usually without their control. Over time, however, most were able to influence where they want the ‘juice’ to be used – either to improve a certain physical characteristic, or to develop an affinity for certain spells. Of course, it was all mostly random what kinds of abilities people would learn depending upon a lot of different factors.
“Eventually, Adventurers were categorized into 5 main categories, which are still used for the starting classes: Fighter, Scout, Healer, Mage, and Researcher. As they would improve and grow stronger, they would specialize into different areas – which led to the first Artificers who created the SDIA. They then organized the process of accumulating Essence, trapping it inside the Artifact inside your hand, and then allowing you to allocate it where you chose in an easy to understand process. Don’t ask me how they developed it, because I have no idea – I’m not an Artificer.
“Anyway, they evaluated thousands – possibly millions – of different Adventurers, breaking down and categorizing their spells and abilities; they then separated those into ‘classes’ – hundreds, maybe thousands of them – and placed them into the Artifact, allowing anyone to choose whatever they wanted. Most people are instinctively pulled in one direction or another, but the freedom to choose means that you could fulfill any role you desired. That doesn’t mean that you’ll be good at what you initially want to be, though; which was why they also provided a way for Adventurers to change their class to something that would work better.
“At the beginning, you can choose from the generic classes I told you about earlier: Fighter, Scout, Healer, Mage, and Researcher. A Fighter is self-explanatory: they are primarily the ones that are in the thick of the battle, holding back the dungeon monsters with their weapons and – usually – heavier armor for defense.
“They are essential to any group so that the rest of the members can use their spells and abilities without being overwhelmed; my reanimated bear kind of acted as our Fighter – or ‘Tank’ as they are affectionately called sometimes – though he wasn’t very good at keeping their attention, which normal Adventurer Fighters excel at. Some of the special traits and abilities they receive are based upon defense and enhancing their Vitality and Stamina based upon their Body and Brawn stats.
“A Scout is usually a ranged attacker, sort of like how you acted during the final dungeon room earlier today with your bow. They are also better at throwing objects – like throwing knives or other reusable projectiles – and determining the location of traps within the dungeon. Later, they also obtain the ability to deactivate those traps, but if I remember right, it is usually available to advanced Scout classes.
“Typically, for defense, they utilize leather or light-weight metal scraps so that they can move easily, which allows them to dodge many of the attacks headed their way. They are also the only class that obtains a Perception bonus stat, which is how they can see the traps so easily.
“Healers are also fairly self-explanatory, as they use their Power to heal the injuries of other group members. They can also cure things like poison, as well as ‘buffing’ other members of the group with temporary increases in their stats or even providing damage-nullifying shields. To defend themselves, healers – at least at higher Ratings – are able to employ spells that can damage monsters, though not nearly at the amount that a Mage can.
“In order for their spells to be able to flow more easily from their body, Healers normally wear non-constrictive clothing such as robes and dresses. When they try to wear anything with more protection, their spells tend to be less effective. Also, as a Healer, you would be able to store and access more Power based upon your Mind stat.
“Mages, although the opposite of Healers in that they inflict damage as opposed to healing it, are very similar. They wear the same type of non-constrictive clothing and are able to store and access more Power. The main difference is that their Pow
er is used to create non-elemental-based attacks that can inflict massive damage upon dungeon monsters. They also have a few utility spells for defense and temporarily nullifying large groups; most of those, however, are largely ineffective until the specializations are unlocked.
“Researchers are the last class you can choose, though it is essentially worthless except as a second class later in your career as an Adventurer – so don’t choose that,” Eisa finished her explanation without explaining it further.
I don’t know if any of those suit me. He immediately crossed Fighter off the list, as he was tired of getting hurt, and getting up close and personal with the dungeon defenders was something he’d like to avoid if possible. Barring the fact that he could heal from almost any injury – given enough time – the Fighter class didn’t really…feel right. I wonder if that is what she was talking about? Maybe I’m only suited to one class?
Healer was also out, since – again – he could heal himself and Eisa (given that she stayed grouped with him) was already a healer-type class. She did an awesome job before, even considering he was almost killed multiple times – though he put that down to his own inexperience and low Rating. If he had known what he was doing, he was sure the threat to his life would’ve been much less…or so he hoped.
Scout was tempting, but it was obvious already that he could barely hit anything he aimed at, even with a few months’ practice with Regnark in Northend. That, and he could already see the traps inside the dungeons with his Mana Sense dungeon core skill, so the advantage of the class would be wasted on him. The only thing that he saw as beneficial was being able to actually deactivate the traps that he saw, but even that wasn’t until later.
Being a Mage was the only thing left, and he thought it suited him alright; he already technically had access to some spells through his Adapted Abilities, but he lacked the Power needed to successfully use them at the moment. That, and staying out of the way of danger and being able to attack from afar appealed to him; he thought it was his innate dungeon core nature that thought that way. Since they employed traps and dungeon defenders to “attack from afar” and didn’t actually do any fighting themselves, it seemed like the perfect fit for someone like him.
Dungeon World: A Dungeon Core Experience Page 20