Khenal
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Chapter Three-Hundred Seventeen
🕑 Added 2024-12-20 03:44:08 +0000 UTCIt’s looking like I’ll need to expand downward in the forest once everything is ready. I have a little bit of depth available in there right now, I’ve been able to dig a pretty shallow couple of caves, but my claims basically stop once we hit rock. I’ve been paying attention to Leo’s scouting efforts, and it’s looking like the area under the forest is pretty solid, so that’ll be good, even if I’ll need to spend more than expected to make room for roots.
Thankfully, the fight between Olander and Rocky has helped shore up my mana reserves. I’ve taken to trying to keep a decent surplus, even after keeping a steady flow into the ally emergency fund. Zorro didn’t need to worry about my current income and mana usage, but it’s never a bad idea to keep enough around to handle emergencies.
Interestingly enough, while the fight itself was a pretty good boon of mana, all the attendant stuff made even more. People selling things, buying things, I’m pretty sure even the wagering helped make me mana. We’re going to need to do more exhibition matches in the future, definitely.
It looks like everyone else is doing well with their mana, too. Violet has a steady trickle going into the pool thanks to her sewer stuff. Who knew waste management could be so lucrative? She’s slowly upgrading her spawners, and Onyx has been trying to get advice for what to do next from Teemo. For now, all I can really suggest is to continue working through the backlog of sewer stuff, and maybe have Coda take a look around once things are as clean as they can reasonably get. I’ve heard most cities build their sewers with dungeons in mind, but I dunno how that actually works.
Hullbreak is also steadily contributing. People have been itching to delve him, and now the weather’s warming up, I think he actually has more mana than he knows what to do with. He’s spending it on his seacave expansion, and Coda and I both have been resisting going to give him advice without him asking. The progress is slow, but I think that’s more like normal pacing for most dungeons. He’s definitely taking a lot of inspiration from the Lighthouse for the sections above water, roughly carving the walls to look like brickwork. I think it’ll be a great delving spot once he’s finished with it.
Southwood, too, is thriving in spring and storing mana in the ally pool. He’s experimenting with a few combat encounters using his current denizens. Most aren’t really good for a fight, but I think he’s aiming for a more casual combat than the steady ramping of training that I do. I can also see the uptick when the nomadic orcs come to visit him, which is cool. I bet they’re going to enjoy having a more stable Southwood as well as a new place to trade with in Silvervein.
Closer to home, Zorro is cutting his teeth on exploring. I don’t know if it’s quite what he wants to do, but he’s giving it a solid try, which is all I can ask for. He’s also started sneaking out into Fourdock, using his illusions to appear like a random stray as he wanders the city. Teemo says Leo and Poe are testing him to try being an Explorer like Nose, but I wonder if I could use an extra set of eyes and ears in and around Fourdock. Much as I try to ignore it, there’s no denying that I’m getting a lot of attention from the kingdom and from several different gods.
I might actually need to dirty my nonexistent hands with… politics. If I’m going to deal with that, I’ll need to know what the movers and shakers are actually up to. I swing my focus to Teemo to suggest he have a talk with Zorro, only to see he wants my attention, too.
“Oh, hey Boss. Good timing.” He gives me a few seconds to parse what’s going on, with Larx and a kobold waiting. It looks like they’re in Larx’ home in the enclave, and judging by the tea and little biscuits, the ratkin elder has been entertaining the kobold.
So what’s up?
“Parm here has something he wants to ask you,” he answers, gesturing at the kobold who looks like he’s going to have a nervous breakdown. He looks like he wants to bolt, or curl up in his chair until I go away, but soon words flow like he’s afraid they’ll never come out if he stops now.
“I need to talk to Queen, please! I saw the healing she was practicing when you… when you l-liberated us, and it was like nothing I’d ever seen before! Please, I’ll do anything to learn!”
If I could, I’d raise an eyebrow at his outburst. He seems pretty timid and unsure of himself, like a lot of the kobolds. Most are adjusting pretty well, but some are having a bit of a crisis as they figure out how to do things without being told to. If I had to guess, I’d say he’s in the group having trouble. I don’t want to rain on his parade, but…
Teemo nods along to my thoughts before he speaks for me. “Alright, I’ve got good news and bad news for you, Parm. The bad news is: I’m not going to take you to Queen. Her style of healing is pretty revolutionary, as far as I can tell, but I refuse to sit and translate for her for the actual months or years it’d take for her to explain everything, not to mention doing the same for Thing and Honey. If you want to learn from her, you’ll have to wait until the Boss’ speaker project is finished… and I don’t think we’ve even had a chance to start on it.”
Parm looks devastated at that news, pulling his legs up and hugging them, prompting Teemo to quickly continue. “However! The good news is Queen isn’t the only one who knows that kind of healing, and I think they’ll be more than happy to teach you.”
The pain of having his hope dashed is waylaid by confusion as he looks at my Voice. “What? But I thought… who?”
Larx smiles as he realizes exactly who, and Teemo spells it out only a moment later. “The antkin. They have a lot of different castes, and one is a medic caste. Their method of healing is directly inspired by Queen and the Boss, focusing on knowing exactly what to fix and how, rather than just throwing mana at the problem. That’s the kind of healing you’re interested in, right?”
Parm leans forward in his chair, looking desperate once more. “Yes. Yes! I’m… I’m not cut out for the kind of situations where fast healing is needed. Back in… back then, and I guess now… I’m an Apothecary. I treat the more ordinary pains, illnesses, and problems people have in their lives. I want to be able to do that even better, and Queen’s method just… felt right.”
Teemo smiles at that. “Perfect. It’s not going to be quick, just so you know. There’s a lot to know about how the body works, and that's without getting into the differences between, say, an elf and a spiderkin.”
Parm nods easily to that. “I know. Even pale elves and pale dwarves will have different reactions to different mixtures, and some will be allergic. I… I can learn,” he insists, even as he rubs his wrists at some memory.
“Well, I think the antkin will be better teachers than what you used to have. Let’s go get you introduced then. Are you ready to go see Dean Tam?”
“Um… right now?”
Teemo nods and slips through a shortcut to land on Parm’s shoulder. “No time like the present, right? Unless you had something else you need to do?”
He looks over to Larx for advice, who simply smiles and starts cleaning up. “If you want more of the tea biscuits, you know where to find me, Parm.”
With Larx refusing to be his excuse, Parm swallows heavily and nods. “Alright. How do we get there?”
“We’ll just take a left through Larx’s pantry, hang a Q through a shortcut, and then it’s a hop, skip, and a jump to the medical college.” I laugh as Parm tries to make sense of that, and Teemo smiles. “I’ll guide you, don’t worry. See you later, Larx!”
“Do visit again, you two and Lord Thedeim as well.” He chuckles as the other head for the shortcut, and like Teemo promised, they soon are standing outside the medical college. It honestly looks a bit intimidating, despite how clean and peaceful it looks. It’s probably because of that, honestly. Hospitals can try to hide it all they want, but nobody is there for happy reasons. Well, maybe the maternity ward, but everyone else is there because something is wrong.
Teemo continues to guide Parm through the complex, not giving him a chance to lose his nerve. Medical ants give them curious looks as they pass, but nobody tries to stop them. Teemo is pretty recognizable, and none of them want to mess with official business, even if I rarely think of it that way.
Oddly to me, Parm seems to relax more and more as they travel. If he’s used to healing the sick and injured, he’s probably pretty used to this kind of atmosphere, even if the medical college hasn’t really seen any outside patients yet. He even has a peaceful smile by the time they find Dean Tam’s office, and Teemo announces them.
“Hey Tam! Are you busy?”
Parm’s nervousness returns in full force as Tam looks up from her slate. Her mandibles and antennae twitch in a smile as she sees her guests. “Ah, Voice Teemo and… a friend. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Are you accepting enrollment yet?” asks my Voice, earning a surprised stare from the Dean.
“Enrollment?”
“You’re a college, you need to teach, right? Hard to teach without enrolling students. Parm here wants to sign up.”
Tam and Parm both look a bit lost, though the antkin recovers quickly enough. “I… suppose that’s true. Parm, was it? You’re interested in learning?”
“Ah… yes? I saw Queen’s work in uh, the field hospital, and I wanted to be able to do the same she did. T-Teemo said she’s unavailable, though…”
Tam nods. “And he and Lord Thedeim suggested us. We do focus on similar methods of healing, though it’s much slower and more involved than most magical methods.”
“That’s, that’s fine. I’m an Apothecary, so I’m used to the slower, steady pace that most people need to heal.”
Tam’s eyes brighten at that. “Ah, an Apothecary? Then I think I know how you can pay your tuition, too. We have a lot of alchemical methods available, and though they’re good for preventing any unwanted infections, we don’t know much about treating diseases especially. If you are willing to teach us, we will be more than happy to teach you what we know in turn.”
Parm blinks at that. “T-teach you? But…”
Tam laughs, bright and happy. “We don’t know everything, Parm. We really do have a significant hole in our knowledge, and you could be a step in filling it, if you’re willing?”
Lost, Parm looks to Teemo, who shrugs. “It’s up to you, but if you want to learn, this is probably your best option.”
The kobold still looks uncertain, but he turns his attention back to Tam and gives a small nod. “I guess? If you really want to listen to a sl- a former slave.”
Tam nods and stands, moving around her desk to hold out her hand to shake. “Saving lives is too important to worry about pride, titles, and standing. As far as anyone here cares, your position as an Apothecary makes you someone to listen to, no matter your past.”
Parm stares at her for a few awkward seconds before Teemo flicks his ear. “Pst, shake her hand.”
“Oh! Uh, yes!” He fumbles for her hand to shake. “Saving lives… just helping people be healthy again, is all I want to do.”
Tam’s mandibles pinch in a happy grin. “Then you’ll fit right in! Let me introduce you to some people and let you get settled in, then I need to go over a curriculum. I don’t think any of us was expecting anyone to want to come learn even before we finished officially becoming dwellers!”
Teemo quietly makes his exit through a shortcut as Tam leads Parm away, the kobold still looking nervous, but also growing more and more eager to start this chapter of his life. While I doubt it’ll be easy, I don’t doubt that it’ll be satisfying.
Comments
ForNatureOfPredatorsStories4837
You can head cannot it however you want, but I imagine that you can do things through pure un-structured magic, or soft magic you could call it, but I imagine some god at some point made skills a thing, which I imagine, once you know how to do a specific one, is easier than free-style casting it, or at least takes less mental focus
Blue Trooper
ID cards that alert the dungeon that you're a student. As long as you have your card, they won't attack you on the offical traveling route. Off that route though, you're fair game. Must be worn around ones neck like a landyard
Blue Trooper
Omg lol (star trek)
Juno Tubolino
Tyftc! I'd love to see how Parm here gets to settling in once Spring is fully sprung!
Aerowarrier
“Hang a Q through a shortcut” Teemo now you’re just being intentionally confusing xD
Herakilla
Thanks for the chapter!
Ben Bass
TYFTC! I love the directions that Teemo gave, now how much of that was truth and how much was him being funny I wonder. It is good to see that Parm was able to speak with Larx, and then with Teemo and the dean. He has the honor of being the first student at the Medical College, which is pretty sweet!
Rick Delallata
Fair enough, it's your story. I was just curious
Khenal
I could make an in-universe reason, but the honest answer is rule of cool
mage
Sounding insane has never stopped Thediem before, why would that start now?
mage
Go round a circle, then go out the entrance you came in by, except that it's going a different direction now because spacetime shenanigans, was my interpretation. It may have been a bit of jest -- but more likely, Teemo was just using technical lingo for an operation that has no natural language description.
Anthony Felscher
Grim "one touching" a scythemaw early in Thediem's existence means he's likely only become stronger since. Probably helps that he's modeled after a version of Death incarnate.
Anthony Felscher
Similar to post Grad work on a PhD.
Andar Drethnok
It could be that spells require some sort of verbal component to channel the magic in a consistent manner. Or it could be that Khenal takes alot of inspiration from Shonen anime when writing combat focused scenes.
Andar Drethnok
I just interpreted it as Teemo messing with Parm with something nonsensical.
Lord-Siver
or a Joke that implies killing a Q from Star Trek :P
Shawn Rehm
I feel the Hippocratic oath would sound insane to a delver. Especially as they would be taking the oath the the heart of a dungeon. Idk it might make it's way in there eventually but I think it should be considered much later.
Shawn Rehm
I think he is implying a direction other than the normal 3 dimensions we have access to.
architectural engineer
what does "hang a Q" mean?
Demonlord
I think rocky and the other scions in combination will be nearly unstoppable... And as a last resort he'll always have grim to defend or make the necessary "cuts"
Demonlord
Hungry for knowledge XD
Demonlord
Another wholesome chapter😊 thank you very much for your hard work and awesome story 😊
Robothaus
can't wait for the some people to graduate and get the "Emdee" title
Tsume Eiranis
Thank you for the chapter Love the interaction with and growth of one of the little 'bolds
Robothaus
Luring in college students could also count as a food source
King Jerkera
Great chapter but no mention of medical oaths is a bit sadness. However Parm is definitely in the right place now. Alas I also want to see what’s Zorro getting up to in town to warrant a comment from the DM.
Micah Metroka
I know that it's been stated that the Antkin are taking awhile to fill their bars because they don't have a food source. But, wouldn't it be interesting if it's actually because they lack students? Since they're a much more advanced enclave, as a college, that's their purpose after all.
Rick Delallata
A little off topic for this chapter but it's been bugging me for a while. Seeing as how this magic system seems to be much softer than most LitRPG stories why do the characters say their attack/skill names? Is it because this story is actually more structured or can spells and skills be made up in the moment and it just feels right to call it that. It just feels odd, especially with combination attacks
Danny R.
Love Parmesan cheese! I hope that we keep seeing our cheese kolbolt!
Ethan Barrow
TFTC!! I love that he is technically pre-enrolled as a student and guest lecture.
you wish
Lets be honest, if any of them step up, he will have to knock them down. Oleander beat Rocky, but Rocky was nowhere near the strongest. I dont think we have seen his full strength yet, no one has been strong enough to force that card....yet.
you wish
Enclave for War (Spiderkin), enclave for religion and commerce (Ratkin) and enclave for knowledge (Antkin). Yeah i know they do other things, but thats their strongest section.
Jacob
Also how are students gonna stay there? Would there even be room for potential Dwellers? I would love to become a Resident as a way to go to college. For one thing it would make studying stuff like alchemy extremely easy since one could gather without dealing with encounters every five minutes and having powerful sources of magic nearby with the scions.
Jacob
I'm intrigued as to what other knowledge will be made available. Like chemistry is a Massive subject in everything. Same with physics. And the stuff with electricity could go nearly any direction. Very fun. I look forward to it.
Matthew Frasier
Right!! Sadly I think he can only kick that can so far down the road though... Rezlar’s dad is coming the goddess of magic wants information and I'm sure the kingdom will get more involved. I feel sorry for our favorite dungeon
Devon
Thank you. Something about these chapters feels so fulfilling tbh ✨
Brandon C
Anything to delay the politics
