Dungeon Core: Bugged Ascension

Nothing about this place makes sense, this isn’t how dungeons work. If it weren’t for the names listed in the quest text itself, I’d be forcing an evacuation rather than let the party make a {Contract} in these strange woods. But it’s kind of hard to argue that Life, Scion of DNA the |Disease Dungeon| of |Thermal Spring Mountain| wouldn’t be likely to be able to handle the magical affliction Bond picked up the last time we were in this area months ago.

Still, if some of the rules or standards are bent or broken for this place, maybe others are too. So, I stay on alert.

A short while later, as we are leaving the place, there aren’t any more ‘encounters’ and many in the party are more relaxed. Bond especially, since he can breathe easier and comfortably for the first time in months. During the negotiations, there was an official confirmation that one of the current scions was responsible for his infection and the plague upon his existence.

Life’s response after being confronted with that accusation by Ruby, “~You are welcome.~”

She gave a sputtering reply and was going to escalate the interaction when a new voice joined the proceedings, “We remember you. You were weak, slow, reactionary, and imprecise with your magic. Yet earlier today you were able to burn out Spark-Flint Mice on one side of an ambush without damaging the nearby foliage. And him? Even while debilitated, he was able to feel the minute flows of Mako connecting the pups to the Brood Mice to aid your hunter in finding them before they fled.

“Your healer has shaped astoundingly complex structures to strengthen, cleanse, and compensate for such a chronic infection. Had they possessed such skill initially, it could never have taken root. Yes. You are welcome for the Challenge I gave him. You should be proud of how much you have grown in what we’re told is a short amount of time for you people.”

Learning afterword that one of the Scions here has such a sophisticated sensory ability was daunting. Because I never felt any eyes on us, but to catch such minute details of our mental link, much less someone else’s awareness of tiny Mako streams. All of that and being able to correlate information transference while never giving someone with either of our senses the feeling of being observed? This place is terrifying.

And yet… We only fought manageable swarms of mice or small packs of rats. If this ‘Thing’ had the level of observational prowess indicated by their speech. Had they wanted to, we could have been easily overwhelmed. Even just by what we fought if they were coordinated slightly differently.

That’s also ignoring the birds that never attacked as well. I’m not much for bird watching, beyond what can be hunted there never seemed much of a point. So, while I noticed some similarities in some of the smaller birds that were along our path, it was only during the more relaxed exodus that Ruby pointed some of them out, “Those two are dungeon mobs. The fluffy looking ones, the blue and white crested one there and then the orange and black on the other branch nearby? The first is a Powder Puffbird, and the second is an Ash Puffbird. Both are male, and each are antagonistic both towards those of opposing elements, and especially towards other males.”

“There have been a lot of those along our path. Both ways, come to think of it.”

“Lots as in you’ve seen groups of them, or have you just seen a couple of them many different times and places?”

I think on that for a few moments, “I don’t think I’ve seen more than a few of the blue ones at a time, and the orange I’m pretty sure I’ve only ever seen one of in any given scene. Far less commonly at least. Though, if you’re saying that colorful birds are dungeon mobs there have been plenty of larger ones with bigger beaks and a speckled green sort of feather. Hmm, yeah, there’s one over there. There’ve been several of those around.”

She takes a bit to spot it, “That’s a Picidae of some kind. Bond, does it have mana patterns that cycle from its wings before bouncing-“ She trails off when there is a distinct hammering noise on the tree as the bird in question strikes at its post repeatedly, “Never mind. Definitely an Awoken of some kind. Mako puts a certain echo in their calls that you can train yourself to recognize. The females tend to have a lesser attunement and while many prefer their own element, will defer to a grander display on occasion.”

Alex calls out from the back, “Hey, Sid. How many of those types did you say there were?”

Before I can answer there is a series of those same noises from all around us, some close, some farther away. I give a few seconds pause after the cacophony settles down to answer her, “About that many. More or less. Sorry for not recognizing the threat. They just seemed like a common bird for the area, and they never did anything when we were passing through.”

Garn grunts to clear his throat, “Swarmhost. Phoenix Patron. Life.”

Bond speaks up, “I think the big guy is right. Honestly, I’m grateful that I’m the only one that got hit by this place’s initial mob, whatever it was. Mostly though, I’m just excited for whenever it manages to advance as a Divine dungeon. Being able to delve something this close by, and with a bunch of the guild fees waved because we’ve got its Pioneer perk? The waiting list for a Disease dungeon isn’t going to be nearly as full as the others too, so we’ll be able to grow quickly with this place.”

Alex pipes up, “You’re half right Bond. I agree that if, if this place advances as a Divine dungeon there won’t be as many takers for it. But that’s not going to be just because of its theme giving it a bad reputation. I’ve cleansed this party more than a dozen times of at least seven different infections since our ‘delve’ began. Sorry, Sid. I didn’t say anything because I felt if Aurora Hephaestus sent us this way, we needed to try, and I didn’t know if you’d put it off for later if I told you. When his condition flared up and nothing I could do would even alleviate it, I just knew we had to make it to the tree.”

She shifts her conciliatory look from me before continuing, “But basically, yeah. This place is going to require an advanced healer to make a successful delve, Divine Protection or no. Us crazy adventurers would rather be torn apart by claws than be stuck puking our guts out and shitting in our armor. As I’ve been working on the research side for some of my healing, I can recognize the afflictions that have those effects. This place has got plenty of them.”

---

Finally, having completed the debriefing at the guild, everyone is ready to just sit back and relax for a few days to unwind in their own ways. As we’re regrouped in the tavern, making plans for when we’ll next get together, there’s an intrusion.

“%Excuse me… Sorry for interrupting. I, uhh, I don’t mean to be rude or creepy or anything, but I’ve earned enough credits with the Guildmaster so that I would be made aware of potential specific circumstances that may arise. Sorry, again. You are the group that found Life, yes?%” The strange reverberating woman’s voice comes from a hunched over and heavily cloaked individual that approached our table.

It’s difficult to get a good impression on their size with how many layers they’re wearing but with that sort of distinct voice and their apparent shyness in displaying any of their body, I recognize them as one of the Mu’Reign. There was a war that ended just twenty years ago, far from this place in parts of the nation that our region pays homage to, against their kind.

Of all the non-human races to join the greater Gestalt Kingdoms, the Mu’Reigns are the most unique. Usually, after a war, there is a great deal of friction involved in integrating the differing peoples. But the way the war concluded had such a profound effect on those insectoid hiveminds that their default body development radically changed. Instead of growing into large warbeasts or dispersed swarms, their hives now shift and fuse into emulating the human form. Even if they are ever so obviously not human.

The treaty signed with the high queen of their species, who herself had transformed from titan of violence on the battlefield, into a tall and voluptuous imitation of a woman explained it, “%Humans won. Human form best.%”

I catch Alex’s attention as she responds to our guest, using hand signs to have her ask for name, profession, and age. As I know that the Mu’Reign place value on success achieved, and all three of those help them understand how to evaluate other people.

“%Ah, yes. Most apologies,%” after being acknowledged and officially invited into the conversation, she pulls back her hood and sits down, “%I am named Ruth’Moor, after my mercy shown spared me in battles past. I am a Warbeast Trainer and am 57 cycles of age. I was part of the group tasked with slaying your Mako Bear… and was outvoted on being allowed to try capturing it as a food source.%”

We each gave our own introductions before Alex confirmed that we were the group that found Life. All of us are curious about the woman sharing our table, or at least her purpose in contacting us, “%Excellent. The name alone was not sufficient to scry for their location, a supplementary confirmation of them belonging to a Wild dungeon as not even a local area was able to be inferred. I would like to purchase a map or route to reach them as I feel they may be a potential candidate to aid my species in having and raising children. As you have already formed {Contracts} with them, they could be open to negotiation. And for those that assist us in this manner, we are authorized to be very generous with our compensation.%”

The mention of compensation certainly perks up our interest, but I can see the wariness that each of us has about sharing those sorts of details with a stranger. Especially one powerful enough to be on the squadron sent after the Mako Bear. Alex continues the conversation, getting more information, learning more about a potential business partner, but it is during a lull that Garn actually asks a really important question, “Garnet not challenge you. Why?”

“%Ah, yes. You are one of those types. Poor dear. Mu’Reign are still more beast, more bug than man, despite our shift towards your forms,%” she shifts around her cloaks to reveal an arm and shoulder. “%We are also not just one creature, despite being one mind,%” her arm looks like it starts detaching from itself, as if every bone or muscle were its own creature that can flex and move on its own and just has chosen to stay in a recognizable shape.

“%The Garnet curse only ever calls to the individual, never the swarm. That’s not to say that we cannot trigger that effect from others, but my profession, my class isn’t about the power of this body. This body is my hand, my Voice, my ear. And much like how in battle you do not fight solely with your fingers, but your arms, shoulder, back, armor, and axe- my weapon self is across town in the stables I rent for them.%”

She calls back the various insects that were buzzing, flying, and crawling about around the impressionist sculpture that her arm had become until it once more resembles a humanoid arm, “%Basically, I’m an old, unarmed lady to your Garnet curse. So even if you knew of my deeds, without my armor and weapons nearby it doesn’t recognize me as a test. In a similar way that Healers don’t trigger the curse as well. Garnet seeks to be dominant, not to dominate. You humans are fascinating in how your minds adapt to the way Mana lenses through those crystals of yours. Not channeling Mako from the resonance of my various carapaces is such a strange thought to fathom.%”

Of course, the topic shifting towards Mana and Mako transformation fully pulled Bond into the conversation. I withdraw from the discussion and shrug my indifference to Alex on the initial proposition. Keeping it secret or spreading the word aren’t really at stake here. This will be more of a negotiation for how much protection we want to exercise over DNA. As Pioneers who first reported it, we have some leverage to spend should foul play be suspected from those with access to restricted information.

So, Ruth’Moor is really just looking to have some sort of agreement on the books to protect herself if something goes awry. It seems unlikely that she had a full synopsis of our report, or she might not be as lavish with her proposed rewards. DNA isn’t a stable dungeon, regardless of Life’s assurances that they seek the path of Divine, it’s also still a Wild one for the moment. Whatever instability is responsible for its bizarre status and aura don’t make our bargaining position all that strong on the official reports should a collapse occur.

I bid my team a good day and head back home. My team knows that I live on the outskirts of the city. They’ll find me if they need me, and considering Ruby’s indulgence in how Bond is engrossed in dialogue with the hive woman, they’ll be here a while longer. Time better spent with my wife now that the drama is over.