Khenal
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Chapter Three-Hundred Six
🕑 Added 2024-11-08 02:52:42 +0000 UTCThankfully, it doesn’t take Tula too long to wake back up, but she still seems pretty overwhelmed. She doesn’t give an answer yet, but I think once she gets a chance to calm down, she’ll take Rhonda up on her offer. They escort her out, which thanks to a Teemo shortcut means it’s only a couple minutes, and then they head for the lava labyrinth.
I shamelessly look over the map they have while they go. I’ve been wondering if there’ll be people who speedrun the maze daily to try to get an accurate map of that day’s maze, but it looks like most people are going with a more generic map, with the changing sections written in different colors and leaving it up to the adventurers to figure out the layout on their own.
I think it’d be a bit more difficult for those going really deep, but the melting pot area with the crucible ants isn’t that far into the maze. They have to backtrack a couple times, but once you get the hang of reading the map, it’s not hard to navigate. They fight a few encounters and Rhonda practices her telekinesis as she can. For a lot of the denizens in the maze, she has a pretty good combo of stealing the heat from the different encounters, converting it to kinetic energy, and slamming the critters with a solid attack. The others need to keep up their guards and help, of course. One on one, Rhonda could probably handle anything in there, but I’m not going to send a single denizen against the group.
In the melting pot, the damanascus is getting pretty popular among my crucible ants. At first, it was just the one hill, but now there’s a good half-dozen to pick from. They go for a smaller one and don’t hold back much in their attack. I smile when I see them work together to haul off the chunks Larrez breaks off, glad to see them plan ahead and not go for something they wouldn’t have actually been able to carry off.
They’re all pretty weighed down, but they have enough gas in the tank to fight through a couple more encounters and eventually head home. I hope they make some cool stuff out of the damanascus. It should work pretty well as armor, and should be easy to enchant for weapons. I just don’t know how well it will hold an edge. It’s been getting popular among the ants because it’s popular among the delvers, but nobody has come back in with anything made from it, or at least I haven’t noticed. Armoring and enchanting take a while, so I’m not surprised nobody has anything yet. The crafters need to learn how to work it too, I’m sure.
Speaking of things that need work, I sit in with Teemo to hear what the nerd squad thinks of possible improvements for the composite armor. I’m surprised to see Poppy contributing, too, but Teemo’s translations makes it pretty obvious why. The resin is from trees, and they might be able to use a treated wooden core for the armor to help with rigidity. It also could give another surface for the easy layering of enchantments.
They still need something to fix the delamination problem, though. It’ll be partially fixed by weaving the layers more properly. The first pass was barely more than taking two silk shirts and some mail, then gluing them together with resin. I probably shouldn’t be surprised they tend to come apart.
Coda points out the design issue without me needing to talk through Teemo, and they brainstorm ways to work around that. They really like the metal honeycomb, but I think it’s just not going to be especially practical, at least on the scale of people. I’m pretty sure honeycomb is more for vehicle armor rather than personal. While it could work for breastplates, weaving the spidersilk through normal chainmail would be more practical, but I think there’s an even better way.
If we use a thin wooden core, we should be able to perforate it and weave the silk through it without much issue. Metal wire should be theoretically an option, but we have an easier method than trying to get tension on metal without breaking the wood: the metal transmutation elixir. As far as I can tell, it makes ordinary steel, which should be a good way to add strength to the armor, and hopefully keep the whole thing thin enough that it can be made into wearable armor.
In the future, I’d love to weave orichalcum and mythril instead, but I think transmuting some of the silk will be the easier option. The nerds like the sound of the magical metals, but they also think we should try the easier method first. The transmuting process will give them time to apply enchantments, too, so it shouldn’t make the process take too much longer.
Poppy commits to dedicating a small patch of her garden to a few trees for better resin and stronger wood, and also talks about the progress she’s been able to make on the central tree with the help of Thing, Honey, and especially Queen. It sounds like a true hybrid is going to be off the table, which is a little sad, but her progress on plan B is very encouraging.
She had been trying to get the two separate trees to not interfere with each other too much, but Queen and Honey both suggested she try active symbiosis instead of simply the two tolerating each other. Suddenly, the problem of roots for them both became a non-issue. If she gives the yew an over-engineered root system, the willow vine can tap into it for soil nutrients and water. If she cuts back on yew leaves and encourages the willow, it can handle the photosynthesis for them both and share with the yew. Shore up the yew branches a bit to be able to handle the load of willow vine, and have the willow really lean into the vine potion to have a good tensile strength, and the two separate plants should be able to survive while actively needing the help of and helping the other.
I pat the bonds with them all, glad to see what looks like a very viable plan to me! It’ll still take Poppy some time to get the trees into shape, but I think we have a workable goal to aim for now! I keep with them through the night, troubleshooting potential issues with the tree and the armor with Teemo translating. He even offers to lend his spatial expertise in the construction of the armor, which could be really cool. No need to worry about clearance for tools when you have a smart-aleck rat that can bend the fabric of reality.
The sun rises as we look over a bunch of different thin planks of wood I have available. I don’t think it’s technically ebony, but I have a very dense and dark wood that I like for the core. It might be a bit too dense to be easily worked. There’s a couple oaks that are looking like a good generalist candidate, though. My scions are leaning toward oak. Teemo’s in the middle of letting them know that’s fine by me, when I feel two familiar presences enter my domain.
Teemo pauses for a moment before quickly finishing. “So yeah, use whatever you guys think will be best. I gotta go!” He zips through a shortcut to catch up to my focus on the two familiar delvers strolling up to the house. My Voice hops up on the railing for the porch and waves as he raises his voice.
“Berdol! Olander! Time flies, eh? You two ready for the inspection, and the fight?”
Berdol nods, wearing his typical delving gear and looking eager, probably both for the fight and the inspection. “Definitely!”
Olander nods as well, wearing better gear than usual. His old stuff wasn’t exactly bad, but his armor and glaive both have the look and feel of gear an experienced delver would wear. His armor is pretty heavy looking, though you wouldn’t know it from how he moves. Before, he had basically been wearing chainmail, but now he has heavier splint mail over the top, and a solid breastplate. The mail reminds me of samurai armor with the armored drapes over the shoulders and thighs. He doesn’t have a helmet, but he does have a thick circlet that makes me think of a metal sweatband, and I can practically taste the enchantments on it. The rest is also enchanted, but I think he splurged on the circlet to be able to have maximum visibility.
His glaive is different from the simple steel one he’d been carrying around, too. This one is a black metal, or maybe a black finish? Either way, there’s very little in the way of decoration on it, making it look and feel like the weapon of war it is. In addition to his glaive, he has a large pack on his back, probably for whatever adventuring gear he likes to have. Potions, rations, and the like. Probably to be able to carry back anything that catches his eye, too. I don’t think it’ll help him too much against Rocky, but I could be wrong. Or he’s just wearing it as part of his full kit to show he’s taking it seriously.
“I am. I’m looking forward to it, in fact. I’ve done what research I can on Rocky, and I think I’m as prepared as I can get.”
“Awesome,” replies Teemo, giving a thumbs up. “Are you guys going to do the full inspection first?”
“I want to at least try,” speaks up Berdol. “I don’t think it should take too long, at least? Most of your various sections are pretty stable. The lava labyrinth will take the longest, I expect.”
“The forest might take a while, too, depending on how in-depth you want to look around. It’s a lot of area.”
“I’d like to get as close of a look as I can, please.”
Teemo smiles. “That should be fine. It’s still a work in progress, but the Boss doesn’t have any problem with letting you see how things get made. We actually just finalized the plan for the big central tree, in fact.”
“Oh?” asks Berdol, with Olander looking curious as well.
Teemo nods and slips through a shortcut to sit atop Olander’s pack. “Yeah. I’ll explain while you guys start. The manor is pretty much the same it’s always been: a good place for the newbies to start with. You should be able to examine while I chat about the tree, yeah?”
Olander chuckles and shifts his pack slightly to sit better. “I think so. If Berdol is too distracted, I’ll at least be listening. I’ve heard rumor the new forest is supposed to be for very experienced delvers, so you definitely have my attention with it.”
The elf chuckles as Berdol smacks him with his floating metal clipboard for insinuating he can’t take notes and listen at the same time. Still, he smiles at the good-natured ribbing. “Then let’s get this inspection underway! The sooner we get started, the sooner I can watch Rocky knock you around some!”
Comments
AssumedPseudonym
…I can only wonder what Berdol would think if he realized that was the Crown Inspector he just swatted with a clipboard… ^.^
Ben Bass
TYFTC! I love the teamwork and ‘skunk works’ Thediem has now. It is so great to see his scions working together as a team and readily accepting the newest scions without missing a beat. I can’t wait for the Rocky Olander bout, that is going to be great, especially with Olander taking this so seriously. No matter how it plays out, the spar and inspection will definitely put Thediem on the map for the king and kingdom at large.
Lord-Siver
Thank you for the meal! I am looking forward to the next chapters! It looks like either the next or the one after the next will finally be the fight between Rocky and Olander! I am so excited!
Anthony Felscher
I'd place money on at least two if not three more chapters before the fight. One for each new area. I absolutely love the story and the world building is amazing. But Khenal really shines with the actual dungeon building as well. We haven't seen anything in depth with the dungeon in a while.
Stickboy172
Please please please make Olander do the gauntlet
architectural engineer
thank you! I totally forgot. :P
mly85lc
Having that upper boby composition armor layerd whit enchantment for all three part. Helmet... thous are usally about two to three layering parts so copying that maybe best... Metal Arm-jacks and gauntlets since one wants keep theyry limps unburden and proper mobile gauntlets required some detail small scale metal work. Then Thous ammunition legs armor designed (though having something as attachment points might be tricky) some reforced boots and it's full set.. sure not at protective as later period full ceasing metal armor. But still quite protective.
mly85lc
Ps maybe have go some variation of that ammunition legs armor or resins form on link https://m.youtube.com/shorts/Jn8fB3CS1ho
mly85lc
Oh and that third under layer should also be segment.. or having groves that acts as joints to vacillating moments.. mayde copy and paste later style plate armor designed whit add additionas/modifications on user autonomy. That way its "foam/jelly" dont block bobys moments. And the suffer towards mail should be slicks so unconnected mail has room to slice/jingle.. or maybe have mail be boht conettion by treads on all links that make mail (quite bit more work) and have premade recess on under layer it rest. Though on that case surfers between mail and outer resis brigantine should be as frictionless as possible as not get stuck between each ohter and there for blocking the movement of the user.. or maybe they'll could make on fully conetion units that is layers same way boht inside and outside? Whit inner foam setting the linnes that boht mail and reverse brigantine follows?
mly85lc
Field repairs on wild would be focusing to replace outer layers reasing plates either by replacing them on pre made plates and silk threads. Or pouring premade mixture on resins powder that baloney to fill the molding. Leting I hardened. Remove broken plate and but new on placse. I hit have broken trought all they way. So long as it's not say more three plants wide. Make resins patches on two part whit some fabrics on midel to ensure stability. For full repair or maintenance. First. Remove the armor form person. Second Zip open inner layer overlapping back slaps. Third. Start undoing string that conet it to mail and resins brigantine. Until they're three separate pieces. Four. Then start makeing adjustment to them. Be it new plates or mail rings. Or more ..jello? Five. Oil but pack together and ensure that enchantment ailing.
mly85lc
Plus Since its segment plate on top linked mail ammor on midel and mold of jelly/foam on bottom, it can also be modified to fit most of MC denecis boby shapes.
mly85lc
So for composite armor. How about still making it on three parts and for outside part, Made form overlapping resins plates, copying brigantine paterns armor pattern. While reversing the brigantine plate attachment/conetion points by placing stubs -normally on outside in brigantine contacted to outside fabrics- now conetions to "silk shirt" that I turn boht presses inside of mail armor beneath. As we'll as conettion on it and trought it to third inner layer. Mail armor whis wire or silk woven to caps would still make midel layer. And behind it two layering of soft jelly like substance outside to buffer and speard blunt blows and lastly firm body forming foam like substance act as finally layer resting agest cloth. That approach in setup would take care upper boby shoulders and mid-thigh if you go whit hauberk leaght giving users Roman style thinner plate skirt in mid-tight. You probably want make mail sleeves Detachable by strings as to ensure they keep full mobility. Add some resins A gorget to ensure neck is protected. And some form of helmet And that pretty good bacis armor cover.
Typhoonator
I feel sorry for the animators of the future having to animate all of teemo's shortcuts from the outside when this is eventually turned into a movie or tv series
Demonlord
Thanks for the nice chapter 😊 I'm excited about the inspection of the new territory and the fight between Rocky and Olander
Tsume Eiranis
thank you for the chapter :)
Herakilla
Thanks for the chapter! The excitement continues to build!
Ethan Barrow
TFTC! This story has so much life breathed into it, always an awesome read.
Emma Baker
Yes, indeed, we’re in the part of the fight where the combatants are powering up while screaming ‘aahhhh’ at each other and restating the purpose of the fight for 3 more episodes.
Jacob
FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT
Austin Miller
I feel like we've been watching Goku power up for five episodes and now we're ready for the actual fight. You have me excited like no other for the next chapter.
Austin Miller
It's Da-mana-scus because it's made from magical materials.
chris Bell
It's finally here omg fight fight fight... wait delve delve delve first but then fight fight fight haha can't wait for both tbh
architectural engineer
i bet the fight will happen either next thursday or the following monday
Juno Tubolino
Oh I am so excited for next week already, great chapter!
architectural engineer
is it supposed to be damascus or is the mana in "damanascus" supposed to be there
Munirah Hutchinson
Tftc! I'm excited for the inspection and the fight 😁
Daniel
Thank you for the chapter! I can’t wait to see the dive and Rocky fight!
Kia Vaderkit
Love the chapter!
