CONQUEST: The Dungeon Core Gambit Book One

by Antony W. F. Chow

  The dungeon keeper whistled in appreciation. That's pretty nasty. The dungeon explorers will see the core in the alcove and think that the coast is clear. When they try to take the core, then the two elementals will appear to attack the would-be thieves.

  "That's the plan," Jessica grinned.

  What about the levels in between?

  The faery wagged her finger. "Patience."

  Jessica flew around Level 6 to reinspect the floor. In particular, she checked to ensure that it was still physically possible for the adventurers to jump over the gaps to reach the end of the floor. After all, she wanted to give them a fair chance to beat the floor.

  Once she was satisfied, she flew up to Level 5. Again, she created a door sealing Level 6 shut and added a long, winding staircase between the two levels. For Level 5, the dungeon helper decided to favor the Water element. She sensed an underwater stream and dug her way to reach it. She diverted the flow of water until the majority of Level 5 was flooded. She also caught some fish. Then she sealed the breach.

  Jessica turned the floor into a waterlogged maze. But only one mile long this time. She summoned a half-dozen Minor Water Elementals as wandering monsters. In addition, she used Water Work to enhance the physical size of the fish until all four of them were each the length of a human adult.

  As Markos watched his helper strengthen the fish, he heard the "Jaws" music in his mind and chuckled at the thought. That's a lot of wandering monsters.

  "Well, it IS Level 5. We have to make our dungeon more challenging," she grinned. Jessica waited for another moment to see if her master had any more thoughts.

  But he kept silent.

  The faery finalized the dungeon by placing the exit to the very far end of the floor.

  That is mean.

  Jessica chuckled. "You can offer adventurers incentives to search every nook and cranny of this maze by placing treasure chests," she suggested.

  That's a great idea! The dungeon keeper activated the Create minor objects ability and added a few treasure chests. Each chest, which was trapped, held between 200 to 500 gold coins. For the very last chest, Markos placed it next to the exit. The content? Two Potions of Fire Resistance.

  The faery pouted. "You are too kind-hearted, master."

  Like you said, I want to give adventurers a fair chance to beat our dungeon.

  Shaking her head, Jessica flew up to Level 4. Since the level above was a dark and lonely labyrinth and the level before was a watery cave, the designer wanted a different feel for Level 4. The solution? Plants.

  Jessica created a Minor Earth Elemental to return to the surface. Once there, she commanded the minion to grab samples of plants, seeds, grass, shrubs, mushrooms, etc. When the helper was satisfied with her haul, she ordered the elemental to come back to Level 4 and set the precious samples on the ground.

  Using a combination of Earth and Water Works, she coaxed the plants to grow until every inch of the floor was covered with plants. She made a large chamber at the entrance and filled the chamber with Valerian flowers. The white and light pink flowers emitted a sweet and intoxicating scent that cause sleepiness. She strengthened the effect of the scent. On the walls, she added luminous stones of violent color to disguise the color of the flowers to prevent easy identification.

  Intermingled with these plants were Man-Eaters, carnivorous plants which used its vines to grab animals and pull them into the plants' mouths and then used special enzymes to digest their prey. Jessica wanted to have a one-two punch of using the Valerians to knock out the adventurers and then allowing the Man-Eaters to finish them off. Finally, Jessica added Hide Beetles to clean up the floor. Hide beetles were scavengers which ate both animal and plant matter. These beetles were suitable to clean the aftermath.

  The end of this special chamber led to a narrow passageway which branched off into three separate tunnels. The left tunnel was filled with Poison Ivy shrubs along the ground that stood chest high with no way to walk around them. Jessica enhanced the potency of the rash-inducing plants so that anyone seeking passage through this tunnel will pay a very heavy price.

  The middle tunnel was filled with Kava plants. The roots of this broad, green leafed plant were known to have sedative properties. The faery changed the plant slightly by making the Kava emit an odorless scent with this sedative property. The goal was to convince weak-minded adventurers to become relaxed and comfortable and stay there. Preferably for the rest of their lives.

  The right tunnel was filled with Wolfsbane. The purple hanging plants were known to cause numbness and burning sensation on contact with the skin, and Jessica enhanced this poisonous effect many folds.

  Jessica toyed with the idea of putting Man-Eaters in these three tunnels but ultimately, she decided that it would be too tacky to add the same monsters in another area of the dungeon. The goal of these tunnels was simply to harass visitors. Besides, she did not REALLY want the adventurers to die in the tunnels if they were strong enough to pass through the opening chamber.

  All three tunnels lead to one large chamber. At the center was a Horse-Chestnut tree which Jessica poured mana into and made the tree gigantic in size. The exit from this chamber could only be reached by climbing the paralysis-inducing tree. Jessica enhanced this property by making the flowers induce muscle twitches on mere skin contact alone. Of course, the exit was located some forty feet above the ground and falling to the ground due to the onset of paralysis was a real danger. Hence, the evil mastermind decided not to add monsters to attack either the climbers or the fallen.

  Markos decided to intervene and make the exit lead directly to a staircase connecting to Level 5. He didn't want to add more challenges to this floor. The sadistic faery had made the floor miserable enough for adventurers and he didn't want to make them lose heart and turn back. As an inducement to encourage visitors to press forward, the dungeon keeper added a treasure chest containing 400 gold coins and a Potion of Cure Poison.

  When Jessica saw what her master did, she pouted again. "Aw, you're no fun! Hmph!"

  The dungeon core smiled to himself. We want to challenge adventurers, not kill them.

  "You're such a softie, master," the faery mumbled to herself.

  Chapter 17

  The Bulddinger Clan

  While the primary core was busy expanding his dungeon, the Hivemind tasked Sibalt with leading the Yellow Sky Clan to the mountains which loomed above the dungeon. The dungeon core had sensed life within the mountains and wanted to investigate further in search of possible allies.

  "Deet, we have decided to start a human town at the entrance of the dungeon. However, your territory will be too close to the town and we need to move your clan to another location," the human avatar of Markos said when the ogresses awoke.

  The clan felt anger and dismay at the announcement. This land belonged to their ancestors and they were adamant about keeping their land!

  Markos saw that they were upset and he tried to calm them down. He pointed at the mountain, which was starting to cast a shadow over them as the sun rose in the sky. "That mountain is casting a shadow over your ancestral land. I want to claim that mountain and then you can cast a shadow over the humans who will live here."

  The ogresses looked up at the mountains and pondered his words. Soon, they became excited by the idea for a simple reason: The concept of dominance and control was a key part of the ogressian culture. This was why the clan readily accepted the dungeon core as their leader when Jeez, the former clan leader, was defeated. The weak must yield to the strong. If the master keeps his promise, then the Yellow Sky Clan situated in the mountains will surely dominate the humans in the tiny town below them.

  Deet stood in front of the human avatar and got down on one knee. "The Yellow Sky Clan will obey and move its home to the mountain."

  Sibalt smiled. "Let's get going."

  The four ogresses took a diamond formation around Sibalt, Yozka, and the Earth Elemental with Deet taking the point. The wolf pack, led by Fast Ru
nner, served as scouts and ran ahead to chase away other animals that may threaten her extended pack.

  When the group had moved far enough from the former clan home, the human avatar stopped and turned around. Tapping into the heat energy, Markos created an earthquake and flattened all the huts. Then he moved the earth more gently to complete bury the sticks and leaves. "Keeping moving," he ordered.

  While Sibalt created the earthquake, Yozka kept a lookout for any rocks that threaten to drop from the mountain and hit the group. Thankfully, she didn't need to create a dome of stone to protect the group from harm.

  The ogresses were shocked at the powers of the master and his mistress. To them, the couple was the gods themselves!

  Under the dungeon core's guidance, the group continued moving up the mountain trail until the footing became tricky. "Hold!" Markos ordered with a raised hand. As his followers watched, the dungeon core used his Earth Work to carve steps into the mountain. By this time, the followers were no longer surprised by his divine ability to reshape the earth. The wolf pack ran up the stairs and Deet slowly climbed after them.

  When the group reached a plateau high up on the mountain, a group of dwarves sudden burst from a wall and blocked their way!

  Markos examined the newcomers closely. The dwarves stood at around his mid-chest. Their hairstyles varied from ponytails to bundles to untied. Otherwise, they had no facial hair. Some wore heavy armor made from various ores including platinum! They all favored double-bladed axes and some carried shields while others carried small hand axes, which could be thrown. Most importantly, the dwarves were all females.

  Finally, one elderly looking dwarfess pushed her way to the front. While her skin was ravaged by time, she exuded strength and wisdom. Unlike the others, she wore a dark brown robe. Her dark brown eyes stared at Sibalt. "Why have you come to the Bulddinger Mountains, Man-ling?" she asked. Her voice was surprisingly strong and clear despite her advanced age.

  Sibalt stepped forward and bowed slightly. "Greetings. My name is Sibalt and I serve Markos Turloch. He has ordered us to create a fortress on top of this mountain," the avatar said.

  "Is your master a human?" the elder asked.

  "No, he is a dungeon core," Sibalt answered honestly.

  "I assume that he can see through you?" she asked.

  "Correct," the human emissary nodded.

  "I am Iyelda Nowrins Galgot, the Earth Singer of the Bulddinger Clan for which this mountain is named after. This is our ancestral home and we have no intention to leave it," she announced.

  Markos took direct control of Sibalt. He smirked at her. "You have witnessed my mastery over the Earth. Your home is within these mountains. I can collapse the tunnels and destroy your home if I choose. You can sense my servant's overwhelming power. Why do you insist on denying my wish?" he asked coldly.

  "What insolence!" "Kill them!" "Kill them all!" The dwarfesses behind her became enraged at his threats.

  Iyelda held up a hand for silence. "It is as you say, oh mighty dungeon core. My mastery of the Earth element as the clan's Earth Singer is weak compared to yours. But we dwarves are a proud race. We will defend our homes to the last of our clan if we must."

  Markos smiled. "You misunderstand my intentions. I have no desire to claim the area within the mountain itself. I am seeking a place for my followers. Ogres and wolves don't live in caverns. They need an open sky to live under. Certainly, you don't have homes on the mountaintop, too?"

  Iyelda shook her head. "We dwarves prefer the warmth of the Earthmother. We have no use for the open sky nor claim over it."

  "Then we can simply become neighbors. Good neighbors, in fact. You can remain in your home within the mountain while we take over the mountaintop. Surely, that's a reasonable arrangement?" the dungeon core asked.

  "Your offer is intriguing, Man-ling. However, we dwarves are territorial. We cannot simply let you take even a portion of our mountain without compensation. What can you offer us as, shall we say, rent? Would you be offering to stud this sweet Man-ling to our brethren?" she chuckled.

  Markos shook his avatar's head. "Dwarves are known for their stamina and passion, no? I fear that my servant cannot physically handle such duties with all the dwarfesses gathered here."

  The dwarves laughed at the statement.

  The dungeon core quickly raised his hand. "But I think there is something I can offer of interest to you."

  "What's that?" the clan elder asked.

  "I have access to a magma chamber. I can direct a portion of the lava flow to your furnace. Imagine possessing an everlasting, hot raging fire for your forge," he suggested.

  The dwarves' jaws dropped in unison. As a clan of smiths, the forge was their pride and joy. The thought of improving their forge by making it even hotter was a great temptation to the clan.

  Iyelda quickly regained her composure. "I was not aware that our den is anywhere near a magma chamber," she replied calmly.

  "It's not. The chamber is approximately 80 miles underground. But I have tapped into it to create my dungeon. I can utilize my Earth Work to direct the magma flow to your furnace," he explained.

  The elder shook her head in disbelief. "I can't imagine extending control of the Earth over such a long distance! Your mastery is godly."

  "I am a dungeon core," Markos reminded her. "I am practically a god in my domain. So, is this arrangement acceptable to your clan?" he pressed her for an answer.

  "Yes, it is."

  "Let's shake on the deal." Markos extended his hand and received a strong grip that made him wince.

  Mercifully, Iyelda released him a moment later.

  "Before you go, I would like to propose an official alliance with your clan. Since I'm building my fortress on top of the mountain, enemies seeking to invade us will have to pass through your territory. We ask that you come to our aid in our defense when the time comes," he suggested.

  The elder looked at him for a moment. "Do you have enemies?"

  "A dungeon core is highly sought after. I plan to put a portion of my core on the mountaintop in order to gain access to the wind," he explained.

  She looked at him with confusion. "Why would you want that? You specialize in Earth element. Air is the fundamental opposing element of Earth."

  "Ah, but I CAN use Air magic, too," he smirked.

  "Prove it!"

  Markos invoked Air Work to create a gentle gust of wind over the dwarves. The air movement was strong enough to push some of them a step back.

  "Can you use Fire and Water magic as well?" Iyelda asked hesitantly.

  He nodded.

  "An Archmage!" she gasped in disbelief. She shook her head and stepped forward. "I will agree to your proposed alliance."

  He held up a finger. "Um, I need to use a certain ability on you to cement this alliance. It will allow me to communicate with you telepathically. Will you permit me to use this ability?" he asked respectfully. Markos was mindful of the dozens of dwarves standing behind Iyelda. He did NOT want them to reach a misunderstanding.

  The elder looked at him for a moment. "I will give you permission in exchange for compensation."

  "What do you want?"

  "I want you and your Man-ling to marry one dwarfess of my choosing."

  Markos was flustered by the request and the dwarves laughed at his silly expression. He thought for a moment. Rulers often used political marriages to cement alliances and he assumed this was what the elder was seeking to achieve as well. He sighed aloud. "Fine. But I have several conditions. One, it cannot be you. Two, my emissary, Sibalt, can have more than one wife. Three, I have the right of refusal and then you have to choose an alternate."

  "That's fine," Iyelda chuckled.

  "Deal." After they shook hands, Markos activated the Befriend creature ability.

  The elder agreed.

  "Befriended: Iyelda Nowrins Galgot, Level 20." Markos nodded at her. "I need to continue climbing the mountain. I will return in a few hours; please choose your candi
date by then."

  She nodded back.

  The dwarves parted and Markos continued climbing the mountain.

  Chapter 18

  Mountaintop

  Yozka continued to walk behind Sibalt in silence. She was perplexed by the behavior of the dwarves because they were a reclusive race and usually wouldn't confront mere passersby on their mountains. Yet, the dwarves chose to confront and challenge Sibalt directly. It was a miracle that the encounter did not lead to bloodshed.

  However, being in the presence of Iyelda, the elder of the Bulddinger Clan, gave the witch valuable insight into the dwarf's true intention for this confrontation: to learn if Sibalt was friendly or hostile to the dwarves.

  Iyelda was a fairly strong spellcaster in her own right and her mana pool was easily double the size of Yozka's before the witch received an infusion of Mana via the piece of dungeon core embedded within her body. Yet, the merged Sibalt's magic power dwarfed even the elder's (pun intended).

  If Sibalt truly wanted, he had the ability to level the mountain and destroy the clan's subterranean home. Thus, Iyelda made a gambit by appearing with an overwhelming show of force. Yet, the force was truly just a mirage and the elder knew that Sibalt could easily wipe them out. Thus, the encounter between the clan and her group was a pretext to negotiate a peaceful surrender to the dungeon core.

  The Hivemind read her thoughts and evaluated them carefully. Markos was glad that Yozka was in the fold because her experience and insight were proving to be highly invaluable.

  Since Markos was just an internal auditor at a small bank back on Earth, he never really got involved in office politics, notwithstanding his dealings with that accursed Bobbi Nox, of course. Thus, this encounter with the Bulddinger Clan was a power play that he was not comfortable with. Therefore, Markos will need to lean on Yozka's past experiences to navigate these issues.