Khenal
patreon
Chapter Fifty-Five
🕑 Added 2022-06-06 18:23:47 +0000 UTCI consider Tarl’s suggestion on making the punitive gauntlet secret. On the one hand, I want to be able to humiliate these delvers for being jerks. But on the other hand, especially if this works, other dungeons could cause a lot of trouble with this. Imagining Neverrest having a mana farm is just… no.
I sigh and get working on hiding the entrance to the jail and gauntlet. At least I didn’t make the exit for the gauntlet yet, so that can be hidden from the start. I get working on trying to disguise the entrance, and it looks like Coda can help with that, which is great! Him and the ratlings have been progressing quickly with the mining or stonework or masonry or whatever it technically is. All I know is I can get them to work on it, and it’ll probably be better than what I can make.
It’s not like I can make another eggsack-covered rock to hide behind. It’d be kinda obvious. I think Coda is looking into some kind of sliding wall, or maybe a hinge. He’s the Architect, so I leave him to it.
Which leaves me with two more things to handle with this mess. One: I need to talk to Yvonne about what happened. Two: I need to talk with that wolf, if I can. Thankfully, Yvonne doesn’t seem too shaken by the ordeal, and is back to helping the ratlings gather some materials. Looks like she’s going to try mining some iron, now that I’ve used some steel on the jail, and might be using some on the secret gauntlet.
I know Teemo wants to go talk to her, too, but I think talking to this wolf is the priority. Tarl has left, or at least returned to the Enclave to make a better farewell. I’m not the only one going to be busy from this incident, after all.
I tell the healing ants to get ready to heal the wolf enough to awaken, but don’t have them actually do it yet. Teemo, you can talk to the wolf, right? He looks uncertain before replying.
“I think so? It sounded like he came from another dungeon somewhere, so I should be able to talk.”
Cool, I just wanted to make sure before healing it… or him, I suppose, to consciousness. It takes a few minutes for the ants to get the wolf looking healthy enough to just be asleep, rather than in a coma. Teemo starts tossing little pebbles through the bars to wake him up. It takes him aiming one right into a nostril and forcing a sneeze before the wolf stirs.
He slowly looks around, regaining his senses, before it looks like the fight comes rushing back to him. He jumps to his feet and backs into a corner, growling and looking around.
“Easy there,” says Teemo, trying to calm the wolf down. “You’re safe, from the birds and that halfling. Enthrall doesn’t sound like a fun thing to deal with.” The wolf locks eyes on Teemo through the bars, and while he calms slightly, he doesn’t stop growling, nor does he lower his hackles.
Teemo winces and nods. “Yeah, that’s about what I thought. She’s not dead,” he starts, which makes the wolf back and gnash his teeth, getting a good frothing rage going. Teemo sticks a few little rat fingers in his mouth and whistles, high-pitched and loud, to get the wolf to focus.
“Thedeim’s not going to let her enthrall you again, don’t worry. Heh, and she’s not getting off easy, either. The Boss is-” I mentally clear what passes for my throat and remind Teemo that’s knowledge to keep away from dungeons that aren’t me. Yeah, the wolf isn’t a dungeon, but he’s from one, it seems. In fact… what’s he listed as?
I look and see he’s an invader, which is interesting. I’m pretty sure he wasn’t that when he was enthralled, but I didn’t think to look at his status before Poe had to lay a beatdown. Teemo talking draws my attention before it can wander too much further.
“Well, let’s just say the Boss might be getting more out of leaving her alive.” The wolf still doesn’t look happy, but he’s not looking rabid anymore, which is a good start. He growls a bit more, and Teemo replies.
“Uh… that’s a good question. Hey, Boss? What’re you gonna do with him?”
Um… does he have any suggestions? I don’t think I can make him a Resident. Teemo relays that, and listens to the ensuing growls.
“Huh. He says a jail is usually used to try to get information out of invaders, or even try to turn them. His home dungeon is leagues away, so information on it probably won't do much. So I guess you can try to turn him to your side?”
How’s that work? I don’t want to try to break him or something like that. The wolf growls before Teemo can ask, and I get a popup.
Transfer Request: Wolf.
Accept? Yes/no
Oh. That’s simple enough. It costs a decent bit of mana, but not enough to put much of a dent in anything.
New Denizen Type Found
Designate Scion?
Oh? That’s what it tells me when I get a new spawner. It costs about the same as it did to turn him, so I might as well, right? What to name him, though. Big Bad? Nah. Lobo? Nah. Lupine? Nah, I only have one of him anyway. Moon-Moon? Heh, nah. Let me see… try more obtuse. Sparta was big into wolves, I think, so I could call him Leonidas. That’s a bit of a mouthful, though. Shortening it would be… yes.
Leo. The wolf named lion.
I watch his name change from Wolf to Leo, and I can feel his confusion. Heh, get used to that feeling, Leo. You’re under new management, and I get the feeling I run my dungeon differently to others.
Wolf Scion Found
Wolf Spawner Not Found
Designate Wolf Spawner
You’re just causing all kinds of alerts, Leo. I hope you’re proud. I actually hope you’re proud: new spawner! I can actually place it, too! Where, though? The manor grounds are kinda spoken for. I might be able to squeeze the spawner in at the side of the maze, but that would be a bad spot for it. It’s not like I need more encounters in the yard.
The cemetery has a fair bit of space, though I don’t want encounters in there. Looking around, I see a good spot, actually. Back behind the mausoleums, near the outer wall could work. The graveyard's north wall has wilderness on the other side, not more town. The ratkin might be able to domesticate some of the wolves, too, to help them with their underground hunting.
I might even be able to send some wolves on expedition, too. The crows and ravens can get a literal bird’s-eye view, but the wolves have the endurance to go way further out. Or at least they should. Part of why man and dog are such a good pair is that dogs can actually keep up with moving all day long. Most everything else tires out.
I nod to myself and place the spawner near the wall. I’ll see about having Coda or maybe Grim make a staircase or something for over there later. For now, however, I unlock Leo’s cell, and ask Teemo to give him the tour. My voice hops on Leo’s back and the two set off, and I tell Teemo to ask him about what job I’d like him to do around here.
I need someone to keep an eye on the prisoners, and also someone to manage any future wolf expeditions out into the wilderness. They might sound unrelated, but I think a Warden can handle both.
