Underworld - Sanctuary: A LitRPG Series, page 4
When we reached the Master Chamber I stopped short when I saw Richard. Our communications expert was decked out in Russ’s old overly large platemail, doing jump squats as he watched the dungeon’s map.
“Uh. Hi, Richard,” was all I could manage.
As he turned to meet us, he waved with a steel buckler in each hand. Ridiculous as he looked, he was taking both of his talents seriously. With all of us grouped, his Communication talent was getting a workout, so to speak. Working out in platemail must have been good for his Defense talent?
“How’s the power leveling going?” I asked.
“Good. I have Armor and Shield masteries that are separate from my stats and abilities. Just moving around like a crazy person has gotten me into the high mid-levels,” he jabbered.
“Hey. Do what you gotta do.”
I healed him as a gesture of encouragement.
“Thanks, man. That’s better than a bucket of caffeine,” he said.
“No prob. Take a break and get something to eat.”
He threw his arms up in a stretch. “You got it, boss.”
We watched him go. When I was sure it was only the three of us, not counting Khun who hadn’t bothered to appear above the pedestal, I turned to Travis. I assumed Khun was still listening. I just didn’t think he really cared about any of our personal issues.
I look down at Travis without masking my concern until he was compelled to look me in the eye.
As soon as he met my glare, his eyes fell to the floor.
“What’s wrong, man?” I inquired softly.
“I’ll go,” Aeris said, turning to leave.
“Don’t,” he said, struggling to lift his eyes to look at us. “You both need to hear this.”
Looked from one of us to the other, he searched for a way he might proceed. Finally, he imparted to us what was bothering him. “Here, just have a look at this. It’s probably the easiest way to explain it.”
He brought up a notification and turned it around, so that we could look at it.
Bite of the Werewolf
You have been infected with lycanthropy. If the cure is not found in a specified period of time the disease will overtake you and become permanent. When this happens, you will change into a Werewolf forcibly every night. If you survive long enough to level up, you will gain mastery over when you transform and how often.
Time to find a cure: 28 days remain.
The memory of Travis being held up off his feet in the jaws of the Werewolf Pack Leader flooded into my mind. I suddenly found it hard to breathe.
Aeris pulled him into a hug.
Grabbing his shoulder, I used it to hold myself up as much as gain his attention.
“I’m so sorry, man!” I heaved in a full breath. “If it is in my power, I’ll cure you. Whatever it takes.”
“Well, I was thinking,” he said. “Since you can shapeshift into a Werewolf… what is it like?”
My eyes went wide in understanding.
“You’re seriously considering becoming a Werewolf?” Aeris scolded.
“Yeah…” he mumbled, his eyes once again dropping to the floor.
“Oh.”
Chapter 3 – Gathering Information
When I finished explaining the Intelligence and Wisdom debuffs that came along with the Werewolf form and the mind-clouding rage, Travis stared off into space for a long while. There were a number of positives, including the nice physical buffs and regeneration, but there was also the problem that we didn’t know how similar my Shapeshifting Form was to becoming a true Werewolf. Also, the forced nightly change could be a deal breaker.
“Do you think you could cure me?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” I replied. “And once it becomes permanent, I doubt it.”
“I see.”
“You might ask Lydia,” Aeris mentioned suddenly.
“That’s a good idea,” I agreed. “And speak to Zorik. He still knows far more about this world than we do.”
“Okay, great,” he said.
“Let’s meet later and discuss it some more. Do you mind if I tell the council members? Or better yet, do you mind if we discuss it at the meeting? You’re going to be there anyway, right…”
His mouth flattened into a line, but eventually he shook his head. “Do it. I’ll be there.”
“Also, be sure to let me know if you start to feel different.”
He smacked me on the shoulder and gave me a firm nod. “Thanks, man.”
I almost didn’t notice Khun appear above the pedestal in the middle of the room as Travis left. “His transformation could greatly increase your group's power, master.”
“Yes,” I said, turning to face the ethereal purple face of the dungeon spirit. “It could also make my friend a danger to himself and others.”
Khun bowed his head to cede the point. “It is possible for him to gain control. Xenos had cages built for his were-slaves. Once they reached an Advanced Rank they were greeted as greater beings and given their own quarters.”
“I know you’re trying to help, but humans aren’t fond of caging other humans…” I asserted, but since he seemed to have some knowledge of the subject, I probed a little further. “Does that mean that when they transform at the lowest ranks they lose complete control?”
“Most do, but I’m afraid I don’t know what will happen to your friend. There are those that are born were-creatures and those that are made. Each race reacts differently if I recall correctly. The imp, Zorik, may know more.”
“Thank you, Khun,” I said. He and I would probably never see eye to eye on a lot of things, but there was no reason our working relationship had to have any more tension than necessary. “We have a lot to discuss. It’s time to start planning Sanctuary’s development.”
“I’m thrilled to hear that, master,” he affirmed with a bow of his head. I didn’t miss the upturned corners of his mouth.
Turning to Aeris, I found her deep in thought. Placing my hand in hers bought me her attention.
She smiled up at me. “I’m ready. Where do we start?”
Looking from Aeris to Khun, I unloaded my thoughts. “There are three things I think we need to focus on. Defense is primary, then Survival and Growth. Defense includes getting a handle on the available traps, doors, and anything that might help keep us alive when we’re attacked again. Survival is a close second, including things like food, which we’re sorely lacking. This also encompasses creature comforts like beds and pillows, which would be nice, and the basics like toiletries. Growth can probably be considered a subcategory of Defense. In the long term, we want to improve Sanctuary as much as we can but also find a way for us to all continue to progress our personal skills, magic, and levels.”
Quickly, I made a mental list of what we had already learned. Typical doors cost 1,000 DP for stone, 2,500 for steel and 4,000 for enchanted. The bigger doors were 4,000 DP each for those massive stone slabs. Traps started at 5,000 DP on the low end, but most of them were large and powerful, like the receding floor that dropped baddies into a pit of spikes. Then there were the mobs we could summon to help with defense. Lesser Elementals went for 1,000 DP each, Greater Elementals for 5,000 and Master Elementals for 25,000. We had access to Ice, Wind and Nature Elementals because of the makeup of the dungeon, and Dark ones because of the Dark Orb that was bringing the dungeon to life. If the Master Elementals were anything like Rock Hard, then they were seriously worth considering.
I faced Khun and began to query him. “I need to better understand how dungeons work in general. How is it that you have access to Ice, Wind and Nature elements?”
“Very well.” He cleared his nonexistent throat before beginning to divulge. “All matter is made up of energy. Different kinds of matter have different magical properties naturally. It is because of the surrounding area’s makeup, or the different minerals and substances, that makes these elements available.”
“Then why do you need an orb in order to appear?”
“For the same reason monsters possess an orb. Everything needs a spark of power to give it life. Putting an orb on my pedestal allows me to access the energy in the orb and focus the energy from the matter inside my borders.”
“Why isn’t the energy in the rock around us turned into DP?”
He stopped and looked at me, shaking his head as if to say, ‘Nice try, human.’ “Just like any creature, my basic structure needs energy to hold itself together. Without it, the rooms and halls inside of me would collapse. When a room is created, I don’t just clear a large space and leave it at that. The best rooms are designed with a limited ability to refine mana and keep their original shape. They’re self-sustaining to a point. Therefore, the more advanced rooms in the Middle and Inner Perimeter aren’t falling apart like the rooms of the Outer Perimeter.”
“I see…”
An excited squeeze of my hand prompted me to look at Aeris. Her eyes were wide with possibility.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” she asked with a glint in her eye.
“Self-repairing grill?” I said, taking a guess.
“What? No! Don’t you think about anything but food?”
“I did just get you a new puppy.”
“Don’t remind me,” she said, cringing. “No, an eternal hot tub!”
Twisting my head to the side, I blinked as the idea registered. “That’s almost as good as food,” I admitted.
“Better!”
“I hate to inform you, master, but even the best-designed room is not eternal. Over time, it’ll break down,” Khun informed us, lowering his head.
“What kind of time are we talking about?” Aeris wondered.
“Oh, two to three centuries.”
We both beamed at one another like we were about to get away with something… mischievous.
Turning back to the topic at hand, I asked Khun, “Will you ever run out of energy to sustain yourself?”
“It is possible, but not likely. I may lose form, but there are trillions of pounds of earth above our heads. Even Dungeons with cities on the Cavern Level above them have a great deal of weight bearing down on them to produce more energy. I’m lucky to have nothing but earth above me. The gravitational pull causes constant pressure which fills me and the rest of the Underworld with power. It is this pressure that gives me a steady supply of energy, allowing me to keep my shape and recharge the Orbs inserted into the facets on my podium.”
“That’s incredible,” Aeris said out loud, to no one in particular.
I had to agree with her. At least how this insane place could exist made a little more sense now. It was also a relief to know there wasn’t anyone or anything above us that could randomly invade at any moment.
“As I level up, I’m able to better filter this energy and restore DP to my orbs and myself at a quicker rate,” Khun stated.
“You can level up?” I asked in astonishment.
“Oh yes. I’ll bring up my Dungeon Rank on the status screen.” He said, nodding toward the wall that held our dungeon name and dungeon points. The information filled in below what was already there.
Sanctuary
DP: 50,000
Dungeon Rank - F
Power – F
Reach – C
Technology – D
Utilization – F
“As you can see, ranks are measured with an alpha grading scale. G is the lowest, then it climbs to the most advanced as follows: F, E, D, C, B, A, and S. There is even said to be a rank higher than S, but if they exist there are probably only a few of them in the entire Underworld. Dungeon Rank is dependent upon every other rating. So, even though my Technology Rating is D and my Reach is C, my low Power and Utilization is greatly limiting what I’m capable of.”
Even though I thought I heard a hint of an accusation in his voice, I couldn’t be sure. He continued, “Reach is graded on how far my borders extend and the quality of chambers that I possess. You greatly benefit from what past Dungeon Masters were able to accomplish. Even before Xenos, long ago, all of my doors stood proudly, my traps sat in wait and my rooms were filled with dungeon monsters.”
He wore his pride on his shoulder. He didn’t stop there.
“Technology speaks of how advanced my kitchens, crafting stations, furnishings and my Building ability are. It is a sub-skill that has reached rank D. I have many schematics memorized, but you would have to provide new ones for me to create something I haven’t built before or design the layout yourself.
“Power is probably the most obvious. It speaks of the available DP and my Mana Refinement ability. Although my Mana Refinement is rank E, the current Utilization is dragging the rank down. At rank E Mana Refinement, I can refine 20,000 DP every 5 days, or 4,000 each day.
“Utilization is made up of Mana Refinement’s rank, how much of my Reach is in good repair and what rooms are in use. To be blunt, I’m scandalously in need.
“Now, what you can do about it. To level up, the easiest thing to do is to spend DP. Acquiring more Orbs to increase my Power rank will also be helpful and necessary. In the long term, increasing my Abilities, Technology and Reach will increase my Dungeon Level even more.”
There was suddenly so much information to consider. It was clear leveling up our dungeon was a priority, but I had to be careful that I didn’t put it before our basic necessities and our personal growth.
A few questions came to mind immediately. “Is there a danger in leveling you, or the dungeon, too quickly? As an example, will it attract stronger monsters to attack us?”
“You can refer to me or the dungeon. We’re one and the same. To answer your question though, my Dungeon Aura is what attracts or dissuades visitors. It currently only affects low-level creatures though. If a stronger creature does stumble across me and sees a higher Dungeon Rank, only then might it make a difference. A higher rank might pique a stronger creature’s interest. My Dungeon Aura would have to rank up considerably before I could attract greater or master level mobs.”
Aeris and I shared a look of astonishment. Holding up my free hand, I rolled it into a fist.
She crushed it, her knuckles meeting mine. There was no doubt that she realized we might have just figured out a way to continue increasing our levels and maybe even attract food.
“What is your Dungeon Aura rank and what is its current setting?” I asked.
“It’s rank F. It’s currently set to repel creatures, but it only affects those level 200 and under,” Khun informed us.
“What kind of creatures can you attract?”
“Those at the same level of 200 and below. Although, I must warn you. Any pack creature will likely bring higher level creatures with it, and certain creatures, like wererats, seem to be unaffected by my aura.”
Looking to Aeris, I inclined a brow.
“That’s perfect,” she agreed. “Can you summon different types of creatures and how exactly do you attract them?”
“I won’t be able to distinguish until higher ranks, I think. To attract creatures, it works like a magic beacon. I rotate between the different schools of magic available to me and send out a pulse of magic that mimics a dying creature. When something is dying, they bleed mana,” Khun replied.
It made perfect sense. It also reminded me of the Blue Magic: Mating Call that I’d learned recently. Perhaps it could help me attract different kinds of creatures to our dungeon as well.
“How much DP will it take to level up your Dungeon Aura?” Aeris asked.
“40,000 DP for rank E and 80,000 more for rank D. At E I should be able to attract those under level 500 and D level 1,000.”
Aeris looked to me tentatively.
“I’m thinking rank E might be worth it eventually, but we still have Mistress Nava and Captain Waldemar to worry about. It looks like we have growth figured out, at least for ourselves,” I said, giving her a wink. There goes one of our biggest hurdles.
She hugged my arm in a joyful squeeze.
“Do not forget,” Khun said, “to increase your own level you can also attempt to conquer other dungeons. Besides more Mana Orbs, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you the experience and treasure you can find in them.”
He was right. I also had a number of Magic Compasses that could be used to locate different nodes or places of power. We could learn new schools of magic from them. I also had a book with directions to different creatures I could steal Blue Magic from. Not to mention Lord Darius’s ring…
Most of our other decisions, like whether to spend our DP and for what purpose seemed rather straightforward. A plan was starting to form in my mind. One that would hopefully make this place inhabitable and keep us safe. The council meeting was only a few hours away. I’d put it forward then.
Chapter 4 – Dungeon Planning
Aeris had gone to get us some breakfast and to remind the others about the council meeting, so I was left alone with Khun. We had mostly finished our interrogation of the Dungeon Spirit and he had been more than happy to participate, if not a little impatient as he was waiting for us to spend our Dungeon Points.
Lifting my hands, I compared the two, even though they were both covered in bone plate armor. There was little to no difference in size and shape despite my left one being made up of magma. Already, Primordial Cat Form had leveled up once in the last hour during our conversation with Khun.
Primordial Cat Form
Level: 7
Cost: 94,600 Mana Per Second (18,920 with buffs)
HP: NA (See Magma Manipulation.)
Strength: +5,300, +7% Strength
Dexterity: +5,300, +7% Dexterity
Being in this state—Magma Fist, as I had named it—gave me little to no stat bonuses, or if it did, it didn’t show up on my overall Character Sheet. It was possible that the bonuses were only applied to my hand and wouldn’t register because my Character Sheet was incapable of distinguishing between body parts. All I could do was test it when I got the chance.
Since I hadn’t had the chance yet, I decided to play around with it a bit as I waited. Pulling back my Skeletal Armor, I purposely left my wrist and forearm solidified and only willed my hand to heat up. Almost immediately from under the dark crust of my igneous flesh it started to glow orange. With the heat, my joints loosened up but also started increasing the temperature of the air around me.
