I stopped perusing my loot long enough to get the thanks of Kali’s undead slaves, at least the ones that were present here, and at their request, I executed them, so they could return to being actual Drow, instead of undead, and go back to playing the game their way. And hey, I got XP from it, so bonus!
But now I had to make decisions on what to do next. Of course, we would continue clearing out the rest of the dungeon and looting everything we could find, that was obvious. But my next steps were uncertain. With a route to the underdark at my fingertips, this was a potential for exploration. On the other hand, I still needed to move my guild into the castle over the Depraved Pits, and claim it as my own. Having our own base of operations would be a huge boon. The third option was to follow up on my promise to visit Shagar and her tribe of orcs. That would give us new allies, and whole new questing opportunities. Finally, I could go to Duskhaven, and see about calming Mirelth down. Sure, I wasn’t exactly in a level range where I could accomplish any tasks she might set me yet, but I was her consort, and perhaps the only person who had high enough reputation with her ‘faction’ to end the crisis.
Tough decisions, right?
Chapter 47 – Gates of the Underdark
Of course, decisions would have to be put off until the dungeon was clear. Sure, we’d killed Kali, but we skipped several floors, and all those enemies. Not to mention all that loot and XP. Whatever options we came up with, higher levels, more coin, and better gear were all good things to have, and would make taking the next step that much easier.
Of course, since we were deep in the fortress, the decision became whether we headed back up, or whether we found the Underdark passage first. That was actually a rather simple decision. I did not like the idea of an open passage to the Underdark at our backs, allowing who knows what to slip through so they could hit us from behind. So we began heading down.
There were more Drow blocking our path, but the girls and I were a solid team. Adding Hrozne and my new pets to the mix increased our effectiveness quite a bit. Sure, it would have been easier if we had someone with some AoE magic to blast shit, but once it became a melee, we were able to plow through several patrols. It wasn’t easy, since the fighters here were all several levels above us, but by this point we had equal numbers, if not an advantage in numbers in a couple cases. Plus, as always, I cheated. Severa and I moved in stealth ahead of the party, disarming traps and alerting everyone of planned ambushes. Of course, the soldiers here weren’t set up to defend against those seeking to enter the Underdark, but against enemies that might come from the Underdark. Their ambushes would have been extremely effective… if they were facing the right way.
As it was, we defeated forty drow on this level, mostly in groups of five to eight. Most of them were killed outright, but I made sure to slip slave collars on the women, so I now had five more slaves in my train. They, like Vashti and Enania, were none too pleased with that turn of events, but there was nothing they could do about it.
After I caught the last one, a window popped up.
New Title gained!
Leash Lord
Everywhere you go, you force people into bondage for your amusement. The more proud and beautiful the foe, the more likely they are to become a plaything of your will.
+200 Fame
+400 Infamy
Basic Slave collar now works on all humanoid creatures, regardless of level. Other creature types (such as undead, demons, fae, etc.) may require special collars.
All slaves under your control gain +100 to Defense.
Current attribute gains from Master Chainmaker permanently locked in.
Master Chainmaker will no longer add to your attributes when capturing slaves of the following types: Humanoid.
New slaves receive the stat boost from Master Chainmaker, regardless of type.
Ah well. What I was doing was, technically, an exploit, so I couldn’t complain too much, but it looked like I couldn’t get infinite stats any more for just enslaving a town. Too bad, but probably better in the long run. Relying on a cheat like that would probably keep me from seeing obvious solutions.
Finally, we reached the last room of the dungeon. It was a wide, open space, obviously meant to be the first point of battle against enemies should they attack from below, as we had to descend some stairs, passing three tiers on either side, with low walls at the edge. If this place had been manned with archers behind the walls, and soldiers to hold the stairs, they could have easily held off a force many times their number, even with magic involved. But the room was empty now, save for a monstrous creature standing before a pair of large, twenty-foot-tall stone doors, richly engraved, and inlaid with silver to produce a picture of the Elven pantheon.
The creature’s lower body was like that of a spider the size of a light truck, but his upper body was that of a drow, though larger than an elf’s torso would be. He was clearly strong, but radiated an aura of magic, as well. I knew without checking that I was facing my first Drider. Fuck.
Jasaam the Forsaken
Drider Male
Level 50 Dark Knight (Fighter) / Evoker
Titles: Forsaken One, Thrall, Elfslayer
OK, so this was clearly the final boss for the dungeon. Kali may have been a bitch, but she was merely passing through, or something like that. This guy, however, looked like he’d be a juggernaut. Especially since someone had found plate armor that would fit on a fucking drider. Must be a custom job.
Still, that ‘Evoker’ class had me more worried than his Fighter – Dark Knight bit. Evoker meant magic, and not the helpful sort. This was probably a class that focused on elemental magics, but without the singular focus of a ‘Flame Sorcerer’, or the like. Slightly less powerful, maybe, but much more flexible. I didn’t like that kind of thing in my enemies.
I charged down the steps, my blades in hand. “Close combat! We can’t afford to let him start casting spells!” As I charged, I attempted to use Dark Tentacles to restrain Jasaam, or at least limit his movement, but for the first time I was shocked to see someone resisting the spell. Jasaam was too strong for the tentacles to lock him down completely!
Still, it hindered him enough. The swing of his massive greatsword was slow due to the tentacles holding his arm, his aim off due to one gripping at his throat, his footwork foiled by tentacles lashing at his eight spider legs. I could dodge it.
Munsuraisa slashed across the man’s torso, but couldn’t get a purchase through his armor. If I was alone, this would be a very unfavorable fight. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case. Two arrows landed in the drider’s eyes, as two of the new slaves I’d taken used their skills with a bow to great effect, blinding the bastard! Then Nithroel used that hammer of hers to slam the sides of the spider body, causing a sickening crunch. Plate armor is great against slashing weapons, but even magic armor reacts badly when magic warhammers come crashing down on them.
I rolled under another swipe of the bastard’s sword, my actions carrying me under the drider’s body. With both blades, I lashed out, and managed to sever two of the four legs on the right side. The tentacles ripped the remaining two legs out from under Jasaam, even as he tried to launch a gout of flame towards my archers. But between his blindness, pain, and the fact that he was tipping over now, his shot went wide, leaving a nasty scorch mark on the stone that promised it would do far, far worse any of us it hit.
Jasaam crashed to the floor, unable to right himself from laying on his side thanks to the wounds I had inflicted, and the tentacles that kept trying to restrain him. Severa appeared by my side, her twin daggers carving large gashes in the drider’s (relatively) soft underbelly. The rest of us joined in, unabashedly attacking Jasaam while he was down. It was Nithroel, however, who managed to get the kill shot, her hammer coming down upon Jasaam’s head like it was a watermelon. The drider’s body twitched, and then lay still.
Breathing hard after what had been our most dangerous fight yet, I realized that I had become too used to fighting humanoid o
pponents. Humanoid opponents moved a certain way, and were easier to restrain than monstrous ones. I’d been punching above my weight class partly because of my cheat stats, but mainly because I’d exploited the ‘realism’ of this game. It would work against the monsters I’d fought so far, but against other creature types...
I shook my head. I’d gained a couple levels in the fighting to this point, and now had gained several more, thanks to the high level difference between our group and the boss. From the looks of things, by the time we cleared the dungeon out, we’d be at least level 40, which would allow us to grab our first advanced classes. That was something to look forward to.
First thing I did was check the loot. There was a good bit of coin, and some decent crafting materials once I sectioned the spider-body for parts, but a couple items caught my eye.
Darkheart, Blood Blade of Desecration
Type
Sword (Greatsword)
Rank
Legendary
Damage
260 – 330
Damage Type
Slashing
Forged in the depths of the Underdark and quenched with the blood of dwarves, this legendary blade is the source of many legends throughout the Underdark. Those who wield this blade possess great and terrible power, and often are the source of great tragedies. The tales of this cursed blade are many, but all agree that a wielder of Darkheart is a force to be reckoned with in a fair fight.
+100 Attack
+1000 HP
+50 STR, +50 CON, -50 WIS
Vampiric – Regain 100% of damage dealt in HP.
Enchanted: Desecration – All divine spells 50% less effective within 50’ radius. All spells cost 50% more MP within 50’ radius. Does not affect wielder.
Cursed: Curse of the Forsaken – All races and factions turn to Hostile. Gain Forsaken title. Transformed into monstrous creature. All effects are permanent until the curse is removed. May not equip another weapon until the curse is removed. If curse is removed, it is reapplied the next time the wielder equips this weapon.
Legendary Weapon: This weapon is a Legendary weapon, and may display other abilities based on the wielder’s abilities and level. Damage increases with wielder’s level.
Tormented Battleplate of the Knight
Type
Heavy Armor Set
Rank
Rare
This armor has been created especially for Driders, and is impossible for any other creature to wear it. The armor was forged to protect a valued servant, but to keep them in check at the same time.
Requires: Race – Drider
Requires: Level 40
+500 Defense
+50 STR, -25 DEX, -100 Luck
Fortified – 50% reduction in Critical Hits
Cursed: Torment – Pain from all attacks +50%. This armor cannot be unequipped.
Adamantine Gate Key
Type
Key
Rank
Rare
This key is required to open the ancient Gates of the Underdark. Without it, while locked the gates will only open for dragonkind.
Can open Gates of the Underworld while this is in your possession.
Bond of the Forsaken
Type
Collar
Rank
Rare
This collar is like a Slave’s Collar, but instead of enslaving the creature wearing it, this item turns the wearer into a Thrall of the creature keyed to this item. While this leaves the potential of rebellion, it also allows the wearer to use their full abilities and act on their own initiative, something slave collars often prohibit when conflicting orders are relayed.
Immune to Charm effects.
Thrall - +5 to all stats. Servant of the one keyed to the collar.
Cursed: This collar cannot be removed except by the creature keyed to it.
Soulprison Ring
Type
Ring
Rank
Legendary
Many are the tales of magic items possessing the soul of a dead warrior. While such things can happen by accident, they are usually quite deliberate. Rings such as this one are able to strip the soul from a victim and store it inside the ring, for later use as ‘material’ when enchanting. A soul trapped in this way cannot be raised, reincarnated, or otherwise manipulated unless freed from the ring, or the item they are Enchanted into is destroyed.
Requires: Enchanting – Advanced or higher.
Can capture the soul of a living creature.
May store a single soul.
Current Soul: Chareva (Succubus, Level 40 Seductress (Beguiler) / Rogue
OK, so most of those items I was in no way going to keep. The auction house could have them, and the funds would help secure the guild, since we didn’t have a vault to throw things in, yet. But the Thrall-creating collar gave me new ideas on how to increase my forces without gaining a ton of slaves. Thralls might be more likely to rebel (in that it was physically possible for them), but they had more flexibility in carrying out their orders. It was like indoctrinating or brainwashing the person into my loyal servant. Loyalty was always a good thing.
The ring, however, I immediately slipped into my inventory. I wasn’t far from Advanced in Enchanting, so once I got that, I could see what this succubus in the ring had to offer. I’m sure there was a story behind how she got trapped there.
But now, I had to finish clearing out this dungeon.
Chapter 48 – The Next Step
It was a couple hours later (and almost nightfall) by the time we finally fought our way up to the surface again, clearing out the dungeon. Along the way, I picked up several more slaves. Most were females, for obvious reasons, but there were a few males in the group, two spellcasters, a fighter, and a ranger. The ranger I picked primarily for his underdark knowledge, and to give as a gift to Lexichan. The fighter I was going to give to Aravae as a gift (and as protection), since last time I’d gotten something for Esyae. All told, my ‘train’ had swollen to thirty, in addition to myself.
Considering our options, I decided that we would make camp tonight here at the entrance to the dungeon, and then we would take the portal to Mylenoris in the morning. That would allow us to make a suitable entrance, no doubt. Of course, the members of my party and my slaves would be fine, but there was one person here who might be in trouble if he walked the streets of Mylenoris, especially after recent events.
Looking over to Hrozne, I said, “So, what are your plans now that Kali isn’t going to be a problem any more? Will you return to the Underdark, or are you going to start exploring the surface?”
Hrozne shrugged. “The light bothers my eyes, but I heard on the forums that there was a way to adjust for that. There really isn’t anything for me back in the Underdark. Kali pretty well poisoned things for me, so I’d like to explore the surface for a while, at least until things settle down a bit.”
I laughed, “Well, I don’t know if you’ve been keeping track, but the surface isn’t too ‘settled’ at the moment, either. Seems that some crazy guy unleashed a dragon goddess and she went off to make the humans miserable until she got revenge on the heirs of the people who enslaved her.”
Hrozne snorted in amusement. “I’d heard about that. Guess things will be interesting, no matter where I go.”
I nodded. “Then come with us. You’re good in a fight, and we could use some more magic at our side. Plus, if you join our guild, your chances of not getting skewered the moment you step into any surface elf city goes up drastically. I’ve got a bit of pull around here, you see.”
“Of course you do. But then, you used to be Torgan, so why am I not surprised? Sure, I’ll join your guild. If you’re around, things are bound to be fun.”
I nodded as Hrozne accepted the guild invite, and opened up the guild chat.
Zayn: Hey guys, want you all to welcome a new member. Hrozne here is one of those crazy people that chose to start as a Drow in the Underdark, rather than on the surface like Lexi
chan.
Lexichan: Oh, really? Glad to have another drow around. I stick out quite a bit.
Cookie: I’ll prepare a welcome banquet tomorrow night!
Hrozne: Thank you for the welcome.
Lexichan: BTW, Zayn, we’ve hunted down all the zombies from Ullelone. There are guards stationed in the nearby villages, just in case, but I think we escaped the worst case scenario.
Zayn: Good. We shouldn’t have to worry about anything like that again for a long time.
Lexichan: No kidding, after you spanked her in the Demon’s Duel. Also, we’ve had a messenger from the King come and ask for you, once you get back to town.
Zayn: Oh, what’s this about?
Lexichan: A reward, apparently. Seems that the King understands that you’ve wiped out two big threats recently (the demons and the drow), so a reward is in order. I’m pretty sure he also wants some way to at least keep tabs on you, if not tie you down to Wyrmwood.
Zayn: So… land and title?
Lexichan: Probably.
Zayn: That works. We need a ‘home base’ for the guild, anyways. If we can get a good location, and get the defenses set up…
Rules-Free VRMMO Life: Volume IV: To the Deeps Page 8