Camelot Dungeon: An Arthurian LitRPG

by Galen Wolf

  'But we got the xp from the death adventurers, right?'

  'Of course. But a dungeon where you get killed as soon as you step in is bad for business. People give up.'

  I nod. He's right. I don't mind him moving the paladin. I see Peter the Silent enter behind him. He puts up his hand to say hi. Fitheach turns round .'Yeah, Peter helped too.'

  Peter smiles shyly. 'I hope you like the new trap.'

  Fitheach grins. 'We both worked on it.'

  I hadn't noticed a new trap, but then I wasn't looking for one and it wouldn't trigger for me anyway. 'What is it?' I ask.

  'It's a Ghost Voice trap.'

  'Sounds interesting.'

  Fitheach explains. 'As part of my holy skill set I can summon ghosts. They don't do physical damage, but they sap enemy stats. You can get different ghosts to hit different stats. We didn't want to make it too powerful, but we put a ghost voice trap in the Ruined Chapel room.'

  'What does it do?'

  Peter says, 'It's a Level 2 trap mechanism for disarming purposes, but when they trigger it a ghost bursts out of a mirror, it's a neat effect and this one saps their to-hit by 10.'

  That could be nasty for a Level 1.

  'Mostly they don't realize anything's amiss until they try to hit something...'

  'Like the carrion crawler in that room?'

  'Exactly. And miss. They just end up waving their swords about wondering what's the matter.'

  'How do they cure it?'

  'It's a timed debuff so a minute per level, so for us now only 2 minutes. It'll get longer. Or they can take a cure potion.'

  'We should stash a cure potion somewhere as loot. I'll ask Bernard to make one.' I have a thought. 'What's your skill at now? I guess you are levelling by making these traps.'

  Peter says, 'Level 3 now. I can make the basic trap mechanisms that saints like St Fitheach or wizards can use to put their charms and spells in. But as for free standing traps, I can now make pit trap, poison needle and a basic snare wire that trips them and damages for 5 health per level of the dungeon.'

  'Sounds good. We don't want to overstock the dungeon with traps though. Not every step.'

  'We need to extend it. We need more rooms,' Fitheach says. 'But you know that.'

  'I do. As soon as we break out and set up our farms and fields in the Secret Valley, extending the dungeon is my next priority.'

  I'm on my own reading the Camelot game forums to learn more about dungeons when I see a red blip, blinking outside the dungeon entrance. Of course he can't get in. I put on Observation Mode and hurry through, hoping to open the door before the adventurer goes away.

  When I get to the dungeon front door, I can hear him battering at it. Then there's a whoosh and a blast of heat almost singes my eyebrows off. The door catches fire. Whoever it is is about to fireball the door again, when I step forward and unlock it with my brass key.

  I retreat into the shadows and the adventurer steps in, looking around him. He's a Level 3 wizard called Tye. I see he's wearing a midnight blue robe embroidered with golden astrological symbols. He has a mop of flaming orange-yellow hair. He doesn't belong to any guild as far as I can tell. In fact, I'm not sure he's even allied with the Evil armies at all. That's weird, because if he's not on their side he's either very brave or very stupid to be wandering this far inside their zone of control.

  I step back and watch. He seems very confident. As he comes inside the gloom of the dungeon, he clicks his finger and a sprite of white appears, casting bright light and dark shadows. He cautiously looks around then steps into the Ruined Chapel. He triggers the Carrion Crawler which scuttles towards him, rearing up the front part of its body and clicking at him with its pincers. Fire spurts out from his fingers and hits the Carrion Crawler which expires with a hiss and an escape of superheated gas from its ruptured carapace. He also triggers the Ghost Voice trap. He leaps back in alarm as the translucent skull head bursts through him. He's got two minutes of -10 to hit, but he's a wizard, so it won't bother him anyway.

  That was easy for him. He roots around and gets the loot. Fitheach must have restocked it. I see a blue health potion and a gold ring go into the wizard's inventory.

  He then walks down the entrance corridor to the dead end, triggering the slime which he fries with another firebolt. He gets that loot. I don't see what it is, but from the chinking it's coins and a sword or a dagger.

  I sigh so loud I think he must hear me, but I've got observation on so he clearly doesn't. He's got a look of fierce concentration on his face as he peers all around. He finds the entrance to the tapestry room and goes through. There's a pile of loot cloned from one of the adventurers who must have died while I was away. It's low level stuff. He prods around in it and pulls up some leather armor and some copper greaves. He puts them in his inventory and then he finds the poor quality stuff dropped by Drakhnar on his death. It's so low in value he actually leaves it.

  Then the Cave Bear triggers. It's Level 2 now so this should be more of a challenge. It's also got the Death Hug skill, which I've never seen in action. I'm looking forward to it.

  The wizard steps back and an aura of dancing flame appears around him. I guess this will burn the bear when he makes contact. He seems like a knowledgeable player, he must know cave bears attempt to squeeze you to death. Then a fireball blasts out from both his hands and slams into the bear causing it to scream. The stink of burned fur and bear meat fills the room. It's not dead and it lunges at him and swipes him hard.

  I'm pleased to see Tye take some damage. Seems he's not invulnerable after all. He falls back and sips a health potion and he's about to fire another spell but the bear connects and squeezes him. Whatever damage the bear is doing to Tye doesn't seem as much as his Fire Aura is doing to the bear and I see the bear die light up and then die as the flames burn away its life.

  Poor old bear. I really need to do something to beef it up. Tye switches off his fire aura. It must burn up mana or something.

  Next he goes down the creepy corridor. I admire the guy for his skills, but this will be a test. And it's a test he fails. He plunges into the pit trap. I go and tip-toe at the edge of the pit. He's hurt but he didn't die. I see him slurping at his health potion. He then looks around for a toe-hold, but there is none. He'll struggle to get out of there. WarEagle's lacquered armor and the Health 10 potion is at the bottom of the pit. He picks up both of them, probably to sell as vendor trash later. But he still hasn't found any way out. Then as if he's cursing himself for being an idiot, I see him click his fingers. He slowly floats up from the pit and bobs up to the ceiling. He fends it off with his hands and then pulls his way back towards the Tapestry Room. If he gets into there he'll float up to the ceiling and if he switches off his Levitation spell he'll fall and break his neck. But he's careful to remain in the passage. I watch him switch off the Levitation and drop heavily ten feet to the stone floor. That's hurt him too. He goes to sip his health potion, but it must still be on cool-down because he waits and then after a few more seconds takes a gulp. He even wipes his lips.

  Tye the wizard makes his way along the south wall of the Tapestry Room until he comes to the connecting corridor. I'm not worried about him getting through to the settlement. This should be interesting as he walks down the corridor. The Paladin is down there. It's the highest level mob in the dungeon and it's one level higher than Tye, while the others had been one level lower.

  He's about halfway down when the Paladin triggers and moves towards him. Its holy sword bathes the stone walls in a shifting light as it stalks rapidly towards the wizard. Tye lets off a Flame Ray and it hits the paladin full on but hardly slows it. I check its health.

  <175/200>

  It can take a bit more. Tye doesn't fire again immediately, I guess his flame ray is on cool-down. Instead he lets blast another fireball which rockets down the corridor lighting everything up and knocking the paladin off his feet.

  It gets up again and advances on the wizard.

  The pala
din's health is now <100/200>

  Tye would be foolish to go toe to toe with a fully armored paladin, after all he's only wearing a robe.

  He dodges back into the Tapestry Room and I see him go behind the wall and wait. A second later the paladin emerges and goes straight on. It seems the dungeon mob AI isn't as advanced as my regular NPCs. As it goes by, Tye blasts it with another Flame Ray. It sees him turns and swings at his head. I am pleased to see it hit him. Its wielding a greatsword two handed and it clobbers Tye. He puts his hand up to defend himself but can't protect himself from the tip of the greatsword. He sips his health potion but that allows the paladin to slice down again. Tye looks badly hurt. I'm almost sorry.

  Then he lights up his Fire Aura. The paladin is burned and staggers back. Tye blasts it with a fireball and knocks it backwards. He must be neglecting his own healing in order to press his attack and I think that if the paladin hits him again, he's gone. But the paladin is off balance, and Tye fires a Flaming Ray. That's it. He's killed the paladin.

  Realizing his victory, Tye gives a low laugh. Then looks at his bloody robes and grimaces. 'Nearly,' he says. Then he takes a gulp of his healing potion.

  He turns to leave the Tapestry Room, maybe thinking he doesn't have the resources to go further into what he might think is a huge dungeon. I follow him out. He gets to the entrance corridor and turns towards the door. I can see the glint of daylight through the holes in the scorched entrance door.

  He goes to the door, turns and gives the dungeon and affectionate wave and is about to leave, possibly forever, when I come out of Observation Mode and shout, 'Hey.'

  Tye stops, puzzled. 'Who's that?'

  I step into the daylight let in by the open door.

  'A green knight?' He says. 'Are you a player?'

  'Yes.'

  'Okay. An adventurer? I didn't see you in there...'

  'No. I'm not exactly an adventurer. I own this place.'

  He smiles. 'Ah cool. Good dungeon. How can I help?'

  I pause and then say, 'Do you want a job?'

  14

  The Secret Valley

  The flame-haired wizard scratches his head. 'A job? You're offering me a job?'

  'That's right.'

  'And who are you, mysterious Green Knight?'

  'That will be revealed later. You're under no obligation to take the job.' Then I hesitate. 'You're not one of Satanus's goons, are you?'

  The wizard, Tye, laughs out loud. 'No, you can rest easy on that count. I killed a few of them, though, if that helps.'

  I smile. 'That does help.' There's something about the guy I trust instantly, but he may just be good at deceiving me. I say, 'Should we step into the light?'

  'So you can get a better look at me? Make sure I'm what I say I am?'

  'No, of course not.' I just wanted some fresh air, but I can also take a scan around to see if he had anybody else backing him up outside. We stand on the crag below the entrance to the Forgotten Chapel Mine, the thorn tree shakes in the breeze. The blackened, scarred door gaped open behind us revealing the mouth of the dark tunnel beyond. I had to admit it looked pretty cool. I'd want to go adventure in there.

  I say, 'I was wondering maybe if you'd agree to meet some of my friends who help me plan and run the dungeon?'

  'What, like a job interview? Do you want a resume.'

  I give a laugh. 'Not really, but I would like to know a little about you.'

  Tye shrugs and pulls his blue and gold robes straight. 'I haven't been playing long. I like the game though. I like the setting. I always wanted to be Merlin, really.'

  'I think Merlin is with the king. He and Arthur were two of the first players when the game was set up.'

  'Yeah, but they're far to the south now. Anyway, I was born in Camelot but was off adventuring with my guide when the city fell. I thought it prudent not to return to the newly renamed city of Stygia.'

  'Why didn't you go south with King Arthur's army?'

  'They'd all left by the time I got back. Truth is, I saw the smoke on the horizon and a retreating player, a knight called Sir Luc, he told me not to go back.'

  'I know Sir Luc.'

  'Ah yes, you being a knight too. The Green Knight.'

  I actually liked the idea of being the Green Knight. Of course he features in the Arthurian legends. He's even got a chapel, and my dungeon is called The Forgotten Chapel.

  Tye goes on with his story. 'But I've never been south. Anyway, I don't like being pushed around and told what to do, so I stayed in the north. Which led to some encounters, which led to some xp and so I'm now Level Three.'

  'You play pretty well for a noob, if you don't mind me saying.'

  He smiles. 'I've played tons of games like this. I played The Greenwood for ages. You know it?'

  I know of it, but I've never played it.

  'I was a ranger called Griffin. I still play sometimes, but I'm more into Camelot now.'

  'So, you're a sworn enemy of Satanus and loyal to King Arthur?'

  He reaches out his left hand. 'Pinky promise.'

  'Good. Why don't we go see the gang?'

  I lead Tye through the dungeon towards the connecting door to the Silver Drift Mine. He looks around. 'There's more to it than this though?'

  I wince. 'Not yet. There will be. We've got other priorities currently.' I do trust him, I don't know why, but even so I don't want to reveal everything about our plans for creating a center of resistance at Silver Drift.

  As I lead him through to the area where we have our chambers. I smell the whiff of some concoction from Bernard's lab. 'Hey, come meet, Tye.'

  Bernard steps out, rubbing down his hands on his brown smock. He looks at Tye suspiciously. 'Who's this and what's he doing here?'

  I need someone like Bernard to have my back when I'm too trusting, but I still think Tye is okay. I explain who he is. Tye nods at Bernard but Bernard doesn't nod back.

  St Fitheach enters the room in his white robe. Tye raises both his eyebrows. 'A saint. I didn't...'

  '...Know players could be saints,' Fitheach finishes. 'I hear that a lot. But they can, I know 'cause I am one.'

  Tye laughs. 'Of course. Sure. Nice to meet you.' They shake hands. I explain how Tye has just gone through the dungeon like a boss. I say, 'We plan to deepen the dungeon and we wanted to have a different boss experience on each level.'

  Bernard says gruffly, 'A mini-boss technically, Gorrow is the dungeon boss.'

  'Gorrow?' Tye smiles.

  I grin at Bernard. 'You've blown my cover.'

  Tye shrugs apologetically. 'The name doesn't mean anything to me, sorry.'

  Bernard growls. 'Sir Gorrow of the Bloody Field is a Knight of the Round Table, tutored by Sir Mercurius of the Isle and knighted outside Camelot on the battlefield by King Arthur himself for his courage and distinction in combat.'

  I blush. 'Hey, Bernard. You're making my head swell.'

  Tye gives Bernard and encouraging grin. 'Thanks for enlightening me. I didn't know I was in the company of a war hero.'

  I nod. 'As far as the world is concerned, I'm the Green Knight. And I don't live here. I've nothing to do with the Forgotten Chapel Dungeon and certainly not with this place here.'

  'Which is?'

  'Never you mind,' Bernard says. 'You ask a lot of questions.'

  Tye is trying to be nice to Bernard but Bernard won't have it. Fitheach is more welcoming. 'Apparently, I'm going to be min-boss of Level Three and, Bernard of Level Two. Sir Gorrow is at the bottom in Level Four...'

  'Unless my arithmetic is faulty, that leaves Level One. Is that the job opening, you're offering me?'

  'We wanted a wizard,' Bernard says. 'Any would do. You're not special. Or irreplaceable.'

  Tye says, 'Well it sounds interesting actually. Do I get to design my own level?'

  'No,' Bernard says.

  'Yes,' I say. 'At least you get input.'

  'When do we start?'

  Bernard scowls. 'We've got other things to do first.
It'll be a while.'

  Truth is it may be a while. We need to do stuff here at Silver Drift Mine.

  Tye smiles. 'I am definitely interested, though. What will you do when you're ready? PM me?'

  I nod. 'I'll send you a dove. I saw how you cleaned up the dungeon. You'll be an asset. Plus, I'm guessing you could use your skills with spells to infuse some traps and even enchant some gear we could use as loot.'

  'Of course. For my part, I think the dungeon mastering bit is really interesting. I couldn't afford to build a dungeon myself yet, so this is a way of learning. Also, can I have a chamber down here away from any enemies? This place looks really secure. If I'm right it's locked off from the dungeon proper.'

  'That's right. I think we can get you a chamber.'

  Tye says, 'It will be helpful for me to have a secure place to leave my loot and stuff away from any thieves or enemies. Can I bind down here? I'm bound miles away and if I get killed, I've got a long walk.'

  Bernard shakes his head grumpily. 'You can't bind down here.'

  'Is that I'm not able to, or I'm not allowed to?'

  'Not able to. Yet. But soon.' I smile reassuringly.

  Tye grins. 'Okay, guys. I think I'll get on adventuring. Nice to meet you all and let me know when you're ready for me to move in.' He bows and says, 'Someone will need to show me out.'

  I nod. 'Of course,' And I take him to the dungeon entrance. I watch him walk away. No one joins him and he strolls off alone towards the west until he disappears below the low arm of a hill.

  When I get back Bernard says, 'You can't trust that guy. I can't believe you just brought him into our home.'

  I sigh. 'I think you're over dramatizing this, Bernard. He's straight. He's not one of them.'

  'You don't know that, and after all you've said about security.'

  We walk in an awkward silence and then I decide I need to be big enough to admit he has a right to raise points I don't agree with.

  'Thank you.'

  'Absolutely, right, but I still think Tye is okay. I've got an instinct for things like this.'