Your orders from the local lord were simple:Reclaim the wasteland and turn it into a productive farm.
Your task became much easier, though your life became much more complicated, upon discovering the long-forgotten dungeon of the Dark Lord's castle which lies beneath your farmyard.Aided by the long-lived Dark Folk who still dwell inside (and outside) the dungeon, the Dark Lord's throne which heals your injuries, the Dark Lord's ring which grants you rule over lesser monsters, and the Dark Lord's crown which enables you to commune with your tamed monsters at a distance, you've expanded and improved your fields, made many friends, and seized for yourself the Dark Hoe, forged by the Dark Lord a thousand years ago.You have not been unopposed.The Dark Folk Ponz, claiming the title of Dark Lord, seeks the ring and crown, and the Dark Lord's armor as well. Through his minions, he has set in motion both death and suffering in his quest for the Dark Lord's raiment.https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Dungeon+Farmer
With your fields fully sown and two weeks remaining before the harvest festival in nearby Glynton, you've taken an Earth Mule-drawn cart along with your loyal Smart Crow Korr, the Wind Mule colt, and your fiery Dragon Dryad past the southern edge of the wasteland to explore the unfamiliar land, as well as to provide your young monsters with experience of the world beyond your farmyard walls.Southeast of the valley pass, on the edge of a vast body of saltwater, lies the town of Shawport. Though the town storehouse has unwittingly set out priceless Dragon Dryad seeds for sale, the seeds remain out of reach, for you have only 182g in hand.This would be enough for two pouches, but in the past week prices in Shawport have inflated tenfold, ever since sea monsters began attacking boats for their cargo.Such a strange occurrence seems like the kind of evil deed brought about by Ponz.
The men of Shawport still seem to view you with suspicion for your menagerie of monsters, though their ire is lessened when you pay the full 180g for a room at the Shawport inn.As the sun rises, you hitch the Earth Mule to the cart and set out from Shawport, to return your young monsters and the Earth Mule to your farm and employ the Water Mule in its stead. The Earth Mule trots along the shoreline as the Wind Mule colt leaps up in the back of the cart and brays at the receding town walls, its hooves kicking as it floats above the cart. As the cart begins to move out from underneath it, the colt brays in surprise and churns the air with its hooves, struggling to turn around in midair.The Dragon Dryad shrinks down on the seatboard next to you and Korr, hunching its shoulders and scowling at the expanse of water shining in the morning sunlight.The touch of autumn has not yet reached this southern land, and as the sun rises you quickly become warm beneath your Leather Coat.Suddenly, Korr flaps its wings and flies off the backboard into the air, and a pair of huge citrus fruits bob up from beneath the water and tumble onto the beach toward you! The Earth Mule rears up on its back hooves, sending the Wind Mule colt and the Dragon Dryad tumbling out of the cart. The colt brays fiercely at the two sunlight crops, but then the Feral Lemon bares its jagged teeth and the Wind Mule colt brays in surprise and stumbles backward.The Dragon Dryad giggles at the Wind Mule colt and then turns toward the approaching Feral Lime and scowls."Flare!"A rush of wavering air billows around the Dragon Dryad and ignites into a roiling cloud across the beach. The Feral Lime lunges forward out of the fire with an angry hiss, its waxy rind unscathed by the flames.The Dragon Dryad turns to flee but the Feral Lime is quicker and the Dragon Dryad looks up at you on the cart seat with pleading eyes."Daddy!">Harvest the sunlight crops to take home>Let your monsters fight the sunlight crops
Welcome back to Dungeon Farmer!
>>6465981>Let your monsters fight the sunlight crops
>>6465981>Harvest the sunlight crops to take homeI can't say no to eyes like that :(
>>6465981>Harvest the sunlight crops to take homeCan't we just take out one of them and let the kids try to take the other?
>>6465981>>Harvest the sunlight crops to take home
>>6465979>the Dark Lord's throne which heals your injuriesWait, the throne is the source of our healing?>the Dark Lord's crown which enables you to commune with your tamed monsters at a distanceWait, the crown works at range?>>6465980That's a lot of water.>>6465981>Harvest the sunlight crops to take homeNormally I'd let them get a taste of combat, but we've never seen these types before. Don't want to accidentally get them in over their head.Welcome Back!
The bravado of the two young monsters is insufficient armament, and so you leap down from the cart, the Dark Hoe gripped in both hands, and strike its blade down upon the Feral Lime.Its companion pivots on the sand at your sudden approach, and the Wind Mule colt snaps its jaws at the Feral Lemon's rind, only to immediately lunge its head away, tongue lolling as it shakes its head and brays unhappily at the sour taste.Before the Feral Lemon can spin back around, the Dragon Dryad rakes its fingertips across the rind, filling the air with a tangy scent, and the colt kicks out its back hooves with force enough to crush the side of the Feral Lemon's rind. The sunlight crop wobbles and the Dragon Dryad slashes again, tearing it to pieces.A lump of gold glistens inside the pulpy mess between them. The Dragon Dryad's hand and the Wind Mule colt's mouth both lunge forward toward the 8g lump when suddenly Korr swoops down and snatches the gold in its beak with a muffled caw.The Wind Mule colt brays as it watches Korr flap back up into the sky and the Dragon Dryad shouts up at the Smart Crow."Korr!"You bring the Dark Hoe's blade down on the Feral Lime a second time, cleaving open its tough rind until you hear the clink of gold. When you reach inside, you extract a 9g lump and wipe it against your tunic and then you pocket the gold and toss the Feral Lime up into the back of the cart.Perhaps Byep and Snaz will enjoy a new type of sunlight crop.
You arrive at your farm just as the sun sinks below the farmyard walls. The Iron Bars are cool to the touch as you open the gate and drive the Earth Mule toward the barn and then unhitch the elemental mule and lift the Feral Lime along with your well-wrapped Ancient Armor from the back of the cart. The Wind Mule colt clambers up over the sideboard and leaps down out of the cart and the Dragon Dryad climbs down, smiling as it looks around the familiar farmyard.Your Leather Coat is hung on the wall with your collection of hoes and coats, and you don your Ancient Armor and then your bed is pulled aside, revealing the trapdoor down into the dungeon of the Dark Lord.With the Feral Lime tied to your belt, you climb down the old wooden ladder and venture into the dungeon, past the docile Blind Onions and Brainfruits, through the stairwell down to the second level of the dungeon where Byep's shop awaits.Byep and Snaz look up as your Ancient Armor scrapes through the narrow gap and into the open room. Byep sniffs. "What's that smell?""Oh, my! A Feral Lime?" Snaz turns from the sunlight crop, his eyes half-closed. "Drim used to brew Magic Potions with a Feral Lime, a Feral Lemon, and a piece of enchanted gold..." He blinks and looks around the room, aware again of you and Byep and then Snaz scratches his nose and glances away. "Er, that is... You'll excuse me." He quickly steps back from the counter and turns to hurry toward the stairwell down to the third level, leaving you and Byep grinning at one another as she takes another bite of Feral Lime.By the time you finally finish chatting with Byep, the hour has grown late and the Feral Lime's rind has been picked clean. The thought of Dragon Dryad seeds slipping beyond your grasp weighs on you, and so you wave to Byep and hurry to the lower levels to harvest Sharp Peas until you have 715g in hand.As you pocket the last lump of gold, you feel the 20e given to you by Snaz. Until now, your only use for enchanted gold was in the transforming of Rotten Fruits into Angel Fruits to use as Angel Fertilizer.
The next day, you rise and don your Leather Coat and the Dark Lord's crown, and then you carry your Ancient Armor, wrapped in cloth sacks, outside toward one of the carts.As you concentrate your thoughts around the Water Mule, you suddenly see in your mind the spring of freshwater outside the farmyard wall lit by the rising sun. The Water Mule silently brays inside your mind as it hears your thoughts.In an instant, the Water Mule turns and gallops atop the irrigation ditch and then leaps over the high stone wall into the farmyard and trots toward you and the cart.You set your Ancient Armor in the back of the cart but then you feel the weight of the cart shift. The Wind Mule colt and the Dragon Dryad are on the cart before you can stop them. You reach for the colt and nudge it out of the cart, prompting a smug giggle from the Dragon Dryad before you turn and shoo it down from the cart as well. The Wind Mule colt brays at the Dragon Dryad as the fiery maiden crosses its arms and pouts its lips toward the colt and then the two young monsters watch as you toss your Ancient Armor into the back of the cart and climb onto the seatboard.Korr flaps down next to the Dark Hoe propped against the backboard, and caws up at the tower."Volunteers?"You look up at the tower full of Smart Crows, but as you do, all of them step back away from the windows and peek down at you from the shadows. As your gaze moves higher to the top of the tower, you see the King Crow's gold beak reflect the morning sun for an instant before it quickly hops back out of sight.It seems only Korr and the Water Mule will be accompanying you on this journey.
You drive the Water Mule from your farm and southeast through the wasteland until you see the familiar valley full of trees spreading out before you, and you descend downward into the forest toward Mirkham and the ruins of Murklore.The air is chilled under the canopy of trees. The low sun's light barely reaches you, and only by the time you've reached Murklore do you finally warm.Inside the "Grand Dungeon of the Dark Lord" beneath the ruins, you find the enchanted doors are still in place, just as securely locked as they were after your battle with Ponz. It takes but a few minutes and you are sure that your adventurer friends are nowhere to be found among the ruins.The sun is already behind the trees again when you step from the dungeon. You reach the walls of Mirkham an hour later, just as the woodsmen are returning to their homes. Inside the storehouse, Chuk is polishing an Old Saw when he looks up from across the countertop at you."The farmer from Glynton! Haven't seen you since the business with that, uh..." Chuk glances at a group of woodsmen walking past the storehouse doorway and whispers. "Dark Lord." When you ask about Grif, Flam, and Lark, the storehouse keeper nods and smiles. "Are you friends with those adventurers?" Chuk's nod turns to a head shake. "Those adventurers were looking around the ruins a few days ago, but I think they've gone somewhere east." Chuk scratches his head and thinks for a moment and then nods again. "That wizard mentioned something about Magic Keys...">Continue searching for the adventurers>Return to Shawport without them
>>6466443>"Drim used to brew Magic Potions with a Feral Lime, a Feral Lemon, and a piece of enchanted gold..."Ohh, that's a good tip. I wonder what sorts of potions she can make.>>6466444>As you concentrate your thoughts around the Water Mule, [...] The Water Mule silently brays inside your mind as it hears your thoughts.That must be the crown in action. Sweet!>The Wind Mule colt brays at the Dragon Dryad as the fiery maiden crosses its arms and pouts its lips toward the coltHeh. The Colt might not care, but the Dryad would really not like where we're going.>You look up at the tower full of Smart Crows, but as you do, all of them step back away from the windows and peek down at you from the shadows.Pfft. Smart Crows are a little too smart sometimes. Ah well, the Water Mule is still a powerful ally, and Korr can still provide overwatch and attacks of opportunity as per usual.>>6466445>"Those adventurers were looking around the ruins a few days ago, but I think they've gone somewhere east."Drat.>Return to Shawport without themIt's the Dryad seeds I'm most worried about, honestly. Otherwise I'd be willing to hunt down the adventurers.
>>6466445>Return to Shawport without themTell Chuk to let them know we're going to Shawport and might need their help!
You recall Daro's claim that sometimes a harvested Shadowfruit will contain a Magic Key rather than a lump of gold. Perhaps the adventurers know of a dungeon where Shadowfruits may be encountered.For the time being, you must hurry back to Shawport and the white Dragon Dryad seeds, and so you give Chuk a quick wave and quickly walk out of town and climb onto your cart and then you drive the Water Mule through the night until you rise up out of the forest valley and toward the mountain pass.There on the hillside, under the cool night sky, you make camp next to your cart, the Water Mule shimmering with moonlight.The valley pass is just as choked with Killer Tomatoes and Soggy Fruits when you set out the next morning, though you are more prepared and by the following afternoon you arrive in Shawport with more gold in your pocket and a pile of Killer Tomatoes and Soggy Fruits in the cart. The men are less surprised to see your second elemental mule, and you climb from the cart inside the town gate and hurry toward the storehouse.Boyd looks up and grins as he recognizes you and then nods at your attempt to calmly ask about Mystery seeds. "Oh, those seeds? Sure, I've still got them. But..." He nods and grins again as you begin to count out 500g and then Boyd hands you one of the pouches of white Dragon Dryad seeds.With 343g left in hand, more Dragon Dryad seeds will have to wait, but when you step from the storehouse you see again the shops on either side of the road.The larger shop next to the storehouse is manned by one of the sailors you met before. "Welcome! I'm Hoyl, owner of the Shawport weapons shop." He sees you looking at the selection of clubs, and other clubs, and then grins. "Most people around here can equip Clubs."Your attention is drawn to the Gold Club behind the counter as soon as you enter. Such a weapon would make a fine present to give to Thud during the winter festival, if only it weren't so expensive.
Across the road, the small stone building reeks of fish, and inside you see the old man who quelled the crowd when you first came to Shawport. "Oh? That farmer with the tame monsters?" The old man hobbles around the counter and looks over it at you. "By the way, my name is Went. I run the bait shop."A long strand of iron fishhooks is strung above the counter, though hanging on the wall is a golden hook that burns with the same cool white fire as your enchanted gold. Went sees you looking and nods as his head turns toward it. "Ah, the Magic Hook? That's only for the serious fisherman." Went turns back to you and places both hands on the countertop. "But then, you're probably here for something else."The old man nods as you gesture toward the Water Mule and then he walks back outside with you.While you unhitch the Water Mule from the cart, Went calls some of the other men to gather around the two of you and then looks around at the gathering crowd. "This farmer is willing to help us with the sea monsters."The sailors mutter to one another as they look the Water Mule over. "What good is that monster?"Without turning your gaze from the men, you point toward the docks and in your mind the Water Mule brays as it hears your wishes.The crowd of men shouts as they leap to clear a path for the galloping Water Mule and then it springs from the edge of the dock and trots around the surface, braying and prancing as the sailors gawk."It can really walk on water!""There's no way you'd drown with that monster around!"
Boyd glances at the other men as they whisper to one another and then he looks at you and nods. "Alright, we'll let you have the last boat." He turns as Went hobbles to the front of the crowd."We'll put some empty barrels in the boat as bait, but..." The old man looks at Boyd. "Someone needs to go with the farmer to steer the boat.""Uh..." Boyd glances at you and then smiles at Went. "I mean... I have to mind the storehouse!"Hoyl swallows when the old man looks toward him and then Hoyl scratches the back of his head as he looks away. "The thing is... I was going to spend the afternoon rearranging my Used Clubs!"Went nods his head. "Well then, I suppose I'll have to steer the boat.""You, old man?" Boyd crosses his arms. "You're too old for something like this."Hoyl nods at Went. "Yeah, there's no way you could face sea monsters by yourself.""I suppose you're right." Went nods and grins at Hoyl and Boyd as the two men grin at one another. "Well then, you'll both have to come with me."The two men suddenly stop grinning."Come on." The old man hobbles through the parting crowd. "Let's get those barrels loaded."
Your cart is unloaded into the storehouse and the door locked, and then you and Boyd walk toward the docks where the Water Mule waits along with Hoyl, Went, and the other men standing at the dock above the last boat in Shawport.The Water Mule leaps down from the dock onto the boat's deck and you climb onto the boat along with Went, Boyd, and Hoyl. From the dock, the other men toss empty barrels down to Boyd and Hoyl until the deck is enticingly full.The Water Mule kneels down on the deck and then lies down fully. From outside the boat, the huge elemental mule seems nearly concealed by the stacks of empty barrels.Beneath your unsteady feet, the boat rocks and a strange sense of falling overtakes you as the boat drifts away from the dock and into open water. The other men standing on the dock wave and call out encouragement as they swiftly grow more distant.Went nods once and then looks at you and gestures toward the barrels. "You should stay out of sight for now."Boyd and Hoyl raise the sails and the boat begins to bounce and then the voyage becomes smoother and the docks of Shawport soon vanish around the coastline.Just as you move to shift position and stretch your cramped legs, Korr caws from atop the rigging and you hear the three men shouting.As you stand, a submerged boat rises up from the water, the anchor swinging wildly, but then from within the overturned hull gleam a pair of eyes in the shadows and two enormous pincer claws emerge reaching toward the boat!The Hull Crab smashes its claws against the side of the boat, clumsily knocking the barrels aside, and the Water Mule snorts an angry cloud of mist as it shifts itself to leap out from behind the pile.>Fight the Hull Crab with the Water Mule>Stay hidden for now
>>6466886>Stay hidden for now
>>6466882>With 343g left in hand, more Dragon Dryad seeds will have to waitThank goodness. We know from our current Dryad that you only need a single pouch of seeds per Dryad, so we've secured one. But hopefully we can pick up more seed bags later.>Such a weapon would make a fine present to give to Thud during the winter festival, if only it weren't so expensive.Couldn't have said it better myself. Yeouch that's spendy.>>6466883>5 MILLION goldoh. ok.wow.At what point does the sheer quantity of gold become a logistics problem? Simply storing and transporting that much gold would be considerable pain.>>6466885"I suppose you're right." Went nods and grins at Hoyl and Boyd as the two men grin at one another. "Well then, you'll both have to come with me."Heh. I like this guy,>>6466886>Your cart is unloaded into the storehouse and the door locked,Good thought. Especially with the generally unfriendlyness of the townsfolk here.>>6466886>Just as you move to shift position and stretch your cramped legs,That was fast. They must be actively blockading the port to be intercepting us this fast. That speaks to intentional action.>Fight the Hull Crab with the Water MuleHandling monsters like these is why we're out here, so there's no point in holding back.
>>6466886>Fight the Hull Crab with the Water Mulelooks like a big mean bastard with a nasty attitude, don't want our mule or these guys to get seriously hurt if there's something we can do about it
>>6466883>5 milThis economy is bizarre>>6466886>Fight the Hull Crab with the Water Mule
>>6466886>Fight the Hull Crab with the Water MuleOne of my favorite sprites you've posted so far, this guy is awesome.
Barrels explode above your head as you hurriedly unwrap and don your Ancient Armor.The three sailors strike their Iron Clubs against the enormous pincers larger than barrels, the men shouting in angry terror all the while, but when the Hull Crab turns and grasps for them, all three fall back.It seizes an empty barrel and lifts it from the deck, but then crushes the barrel and reaches for another and finds it empty as well.Across the deck, the Water Mule vaults over the boat's broken edge and lands atop the churning water next to the Hull Crab. The Water Mule turns and kicks up with its back hooves, jarring the Hull Crab and sending the dangling anchor precariously close to crushing you, but then you swing the Dark Hoe down upon its other pincer and chip a piece of salt-encrusted shell that spins across the tilting deck and off the edge.The Hull Crab silently turns and lifts its other huge pincer claw away from the sailors and sweeps it across the deck toward where you stand. You raise the Dark Hoe but the Hull Crab's other claw surrounds you from behind and its razor-serrated pincers grind over the surface of your Ancient Armor.Your feet are suddenly dangling as the Hull Crab lifts you off the deck and carries you closer to the blinking shadow inside the briny boat hull. You swing down with the Dark Hoe and chip another piece of its shell, and another, but the monster draws you closer and now you smell rotted meat and hear the chaotic clatter of its jaws from inside the shadow.You strike again and the pincer-claw around you spasms opens enough for you to slip through, snapping closed just above your head as you fall into the cold water.From under the surface you see the Hull Crab pivot and begin to swim away, and you sink lower into the dark choking cold, for you cannot swim.The sunlight seems to pulse as it recedes, but then a muffled braying passes by all around and now the Water Mule is underneath you, carrying you upon its back as it canters upward through the water and you arise coughing into the sunlight.Korr caws from above and the sailors give happy shouts when they see you're still alive.The Water Mule turns at your thoughts and gallops away from the boat in the same direction the Hull Crab swam.Your hair is still wet when you see a large cove. As the Water Mule draws closer to land, you see the beach is strewn with broken barrels and tracks of monsters leading up into the hills. Beyond the hills, the hazy shape of tall mountains can be seen above the horizon.*flap flap*Korr flaps down onto a piece of wood jutting from the sand and ruffles its feathers, panting from the long flight.
With the Water Mule, the hills are easily crossed, and by mid-afternoon you catch sight of a doorway carved around a cavern at the base of the mountains at the top of the furthest hill.As you draw closer, a figure appears in the doorway, though before you can notice more than the movement, the figure retreats inside and vanishes from sight.The ground outside the stone doorway is covered in footsteps and monster tracks.The entrance is too small for the Water Mule. Korr watches from atop a nearby boulder as you slowly walk further inside, your grip around the Dark Hoe's handle growing tighter with each step.*klump**klump*Your heart pounds at the familiar noise, for the near-constant approach of ravenous Deep Onions haunted your sleep and your travels through the Dark Lord's mine.The first Deep Onion hops from the gloom toward you with its maw widening enough to gobble up the second to appear.Both are suddenly knocked tumbling aside by the legs of an enormous shiny monster like the Iron Locusts faced in the forest around Mirkham. You leap backward away from its snapping jaws. The monster lunges forward again and you strike at it when its head is low. Though it seems as mindless as the Iron Locusts, you find it holds one quality that sets it apart.The Gold Locust's shell is less easily broken by the Dark Hoe.You strike at the Gold Locust and it swipes its claws over your Ancient Armor, but then the Gold Locust suddenly turns and seizes one of the Deep Onions in its jaws and quickly gobbles up the hapless dungeon crop!Its vigor renewed, the Gold Locust skitters across the cavern floor toward you, slashing its limbs and snapping its jaws. You turn to flee but the other Deep Onion leaps at you and the blade of the Dark Hoe chops it open to its center but then behind you the Gold Locust is upon you, slashing at your flesh through the gaps in your Ancient Armor.When at last the battle is over, you haltingly pry the 6g lump from the Deep Onion and turn with a grunt of effort to the fallen Gold Locust.Inside its head is a mass of gold worth 40g.*klump**klump*>Press forward>Retreat for now
>>6467227>Press forward
>>6467226>and you sink lower into the dark choking cold, for you cannot swim.Ah. Oops.Though admittedly even if we could swim, trying to do so while weighed down by a full set of armor, weapons, and other equipment would be extremely difficult.>>6467227>Press forwardWe might want to take a short rest first. We're pretty bushwhacked from the Crab fight, and the Locust fight was uncomfortably close.Still, our equipment is as good as it can be for a while, so if we want to get to the bottom of these monster attacks we need to keep moving.
Next update will definitely be tomorrow!
A heavy breath is enough to fill your lungs and you run forward, the Dark Hoe raised, bringing it down upon the first of the Deep Onions that surround you. With the Dark Hoe in hand and your Ancient Armor, the dungeon crops on their own are more easily managed than when you delved the Dark Lord's mine.Though you still consider it prudent to flee from the next batch of Deep Onions you encounter.You hurry forward, feeling a split in the hallway, and soon come to a blind dead end.The Gold Locust surprises you from behind.It skitters backward halfway up the stone wall to lower its gnashing branch-like jaws to the level of your face and you strike at it with the Dark Hoe and then try to flee beyond its gleaming shell but the huge monster is quick as well and slashes downward with its claws, knocking you to the ground with one arm pinned beneath and then its enormous head descends, jaws clattering.The Gold Locust lurches upward rigidly and trembles as you chant the spell of Pain.Its head grazes the carved stone ceiling and then it shudders once more and sags and creaks above you but it moves no more.Your hands are trembling as you finally work the 40g lump from its severed head.The other hallway leads to a stairwell down, and when you descend you find beyond the landing is an open chamber and a high pedestal altar surrounded by four huge pillars at the corners of the room.A young woman wearing a hood fashioned from the scalp of a beast hurries toward the altar, her back to you, and you quickly hide out of sight. You peer around the corner into the altar chamber again, as the young woman calls out. "Mister Dark Lord!"An unsettling feeling sinks into your stomach, and then you see Ponz appear on the far side of the altar."You said if I got you this gold, you'd help me get Fuzzy back!"Ponz wags a finger. "This is hardly enough. I expect at least 500000g.""But there aren't any more boats!""Then attack that fishing village and take their gold! Use that Hull Crab if you have to.""The Hull Crab ran away. And some man riding a Water Mule came up from the beach. That's what I was going to tell you.""A man riding a Water Mule..." Ponz turns and the two of you lock eyes and your heart pounds as you realize you've been seen. "You!" He points toward where you stand, his other hand reaching up to touch the bruise from Shug's unexpected punch quivering below one eye. "Get that crown and that ring!"The young woman looks across the altar at you and blinks. "Oh, it's you!" She tilts her head toward Ponz. "Who's he?""Never mind who that farmer is!" Ponz clenches his fists as he takes a step back. "Get him... or else!"
The young woman blinks at you again, but then you suddenly grip the Dark Hoe with both hands, for behind her the shadows gleam and a pair of Gold Locusts silently creep forward until they loom over the unsuspecting woman, poised to set upon her!"Huh?" She looks up at the Gold Locusts and smiles. "I suppose you'll have to do!" She turns and touches their heads and both Gold Locusts crouch down at her feet and then she looks over her shoulder at you with a guilty grimace. "Sorry, mister!"The Gold Locusts leap past the woman and skitter over the altar toward you.>Fight the Gold Locusts>Run away for now
>>6468390>Fight the Gold LocustsDon't know any other way to be
>>6468390>Run away for nowNuts. I hate to do it, but we are exhausted, and struggled against single Gold Locusts. TWO of them with multiple mages supporting is a bridge too far without allies ourselves.
>>6468390>Run away for now
>>6468390>Run away for nowFucking Ponz, that snake. Atleast we know why the boats are going missing
>>6468390>Run away for nowFuzzy, huh... The villagers might know more about this creature!
You begin to turn and flee but the first Gold Locust is already upon you. Its razor claws scrape over the Ancient Armor and you stumble as you break into a run with the staccato clattering of metal against stone skittering at your back. The pillared stairwell landing is in sight and you race up the stairs but the Gold Locusts are quicker and you grit your teeth in anticipation of their terrible jaws when suddenly a blur of white fire emerges from out of the shadows!The Gold Locust flails its limbs as the glowing Magic Sword pierces its shell below the neck, and then the second Gold Locust is upon you.You swing the Dark Hoe frantically, your grip weakened from your wounds, and the monster swats the blade of the Dark Hoe away and then lunges down, but Nort is there with his Magic Sword to strike again. The Gold Locust skitters backward from the cold white flames running up and down Nort's sword and the paladin glances toward you.The Gold Locust lunges forward, and this time your aim is true. The Dark Hoe embeds itself in the monster's shiny skull and Nort leaps onto its back and plunges the blade of his Magic Sword through the back of its neck. There is a sudden burst of white light and the Gold Locust's head clangs against the stone floor.Your grip around the handle of the Dark Hoe falters, and you sink to one knee. Nort rides the decapitated Gold Locust down and steps toward you with one hand outward. "Heal."At once your cuts begin to close and you feel your vigor restored in a pleasant wash of energy.You rise and thank Nort and he nods as his eyes dart about the dark hallway."When those sailors mentioned a farmer, I knew it had to be you. That Smart Crow of yours led me straight here." Nort frowns as you retell your latest encounter with Ponz. "That woman with him may be a Tamer. They command monsters."
Both the woman and Ponz are gone when you return to the altar with Nort.Your path through the dungeon is eased with the presence of this paladin. On the far side of the altar chamber you find a corridor that twists into a stairwell leading up, and above it a strange room with a strange glowing symbol carved into the floor and surrounded by four tightly-spaced pillars."A magic circle." Nort glances about the room and you both see the enchanted doors beyond the pillars. "If you step into it, you'll be transported to somewhere else." He ventures a step closer and looks down at the carved floor. "Anything could be on the other side."A peek through the keyhole of the enchanted doors reveals a room full of chests and barrels, though you have no Magic Keys with which to open them.>Step into the magic circle>Go back to Shawport for now
>>6468834Woof, we cut it pretty close there.>>6468837>A peek through the keyhole of the enchanted doors reveals a room full of chests and barrels, though you have no Magic Keys with which to open them.We have got to get a source of Keys at some point.>Step into the magic circleIt's risky, but I'm feeling a lot more confident with Nort here.
I decided to give Ponz a black eye at the last second before I posted and now I can't stop laughing at it.
>>6468837>Step into the magic circlethis could backfire, but considering how much of a snake Ponz is, I bet he's more focused on retreating than fortifying his defenses. When cornered, I don't doubt that he'd leave his "partner" for dead. Still think this circle's a trap, though.>>6468853he deserves it. As for the stunt he's pulling now, I hope he gets his arm in a sling
>>6468837>Step into the magic circle
Nort sees the determined gleam in your eye and nods and unsheathes his Magic Sword as you grip the handle of the Dark Hoe, and then you step into the magic circle.Immediately the air around you glows and the room shifts and vanishes into the light and as it fades you find yourself standing on the same magic circle, though the chamber around you is different now, but the room is empty and nothing awaits you except darkness and the crackling of the magic circle. An instant later Nort appears next to you, already poised for battle.The paladin glances at the magic circle at your feet. "This works, at least."The dark and unfamiliar halls are twisting, and you find yourself at a long dead-end, and then again.Torchlight flickers at the far end of the corridor.Nort grips his Magic Sword and the two of you watch the flickering for a moment before the firelight bounces up the hallway toward you, lighting the stone walls, and you see a huge tumbling potato, its skin burned open in a skull-like grimace leaking fire from within.The Hot Potato rolls faster, its grinning gaze flickering at you maniacally over and over as the crooked lump tumbles across the dungeon floor. Nort swings his Magic Sword but the Hot Potato bounces above the strike.It rolls around you and you quickly turn and raise the Dark Hoe to split it open when the Hot Potato suddenly comes to a stop facing you and opens its mouth wider.The Hot Potato is breathing fire.Your Ancient Armor protects you from claw and sword, and even the spell of Paralyze, but against fire even the strongest armor can but ward off a portion of the flames.The heat rolls over your face and you blindly swing the Dark Hoe into the Hot Potato's side, a line of flame tempering the darkmetal as the blade of the Dark Hoe punctures its skin.The Hot Potato lunges itself free from the Dark Hoe's blade and tumbles chaotically around the dungeon floor and then suddenly bounds upward to bite at you.The melodic clink of gold rings out as you split the Hot Potato to its steaming core.No sooner is the still-hot 10g lump in your hand when Nort raises his Magic Sword again and a flickering mob of firelight gathers at the far end of the corridor.
"If this dungeon is too deep, I may run out of magic power."You swing the Dark Hoe into one of the Hot Potatoes and immediately the handle sags to the stone floor, your shaking arms too overburdened to hold it aloft. With a clumsy lunge sideways you finally pull the blade of the Dark Hoe from the still-burning dungeon crop and flee up the stairwell ahead of the paladin.Around the corner is another huge altar chamber. The stairwell behind you glows and the first Hot Potato tumbles up into sight and across the room, leaving a smudge on the altar surface, and behind it the stairwell rumbles and glows brightly.Nort turns and raises his Magic Sword as you stumble past and then around the hallway corner is another stairwell leading upward.Weak light greets you from above.The cloistered passage at the top of the stairwell leads through a gap and out of a wall between crumbling bookshelves and then you and Nort find yourselves standing in an ancient monastery, long-abandoned and covered in dust."Look."You follow Nort's gaze down to the monastery floor where two sets of footprints in the dust lead out ahead of you.From the reception hall and the wide entrance, you can see the setting sun overlooking a forested mountain valley.Nort glances back toward the library and the sprung secret passage from which you emerged and sheathes his Magic Sword as the cool autumn breeze blows over you both. "It doesn't seem like those Hot Potatoes are following us. We may as well make camp here." He looks out at the sun slowly sinking toward the unfamiliar mountains beyond the forest. "No sense trying to find our way at night."You and Nort gather some firewood and then by the light of the fire above an unknown land, you and Nort eat the Hot Potato you managed to harvest before the mob appeared.
The next morning, Nort looks up in surprise as you return from beyond the monastery's library with a pair of harvested Hot Potatoes on your belt."It's impressive how deftly you harvest dungeon crops." Nort blows on a steaming piece of his Hot Potato breakfast and bites off the corner. He gestures with an imaginary sword, his mouth contorting around the heat. "They always end up sliced to bits when I encounter them."With your wounds healed and your stomachs full again, your spirits have risen and you set out from the ancient monastery and down into the forested mountain valley. Your way is funneled through a narrow pass and then before you is an expanse of densely forested plains stretching far to the west and north."That magic circle took us quite a distance." Nort points toward the northeast where the horizon is full of jagged mountain peaks. "We've come out on the west side of the Cloudcutter Mountains."Beyond the valley pass, the immense forest seems to hold nothing more dangerous than Jumbo Bees and Iron Locusts."As I recall, there's a large road somewhere through this forest." Nort looks upward at the trees passing by, one hand on the hilt of his Magic Sword.The autumn sun goes down quickly, and you and Nort find yourself hurrying to make camp as a chill descends over the shaded forest floor.The next morning, you split the last Hot Potato in half and pass it across the flickering coals toward Nort. Your own still-steaming breakfast warms your bones and then you and Nort set out again walking north through the forest.By mid-afternoon, you catch sight of a town wall through the trees.
A paved road extends beyond the town wall, and the manicured grove to your right as you enter the town draws your attention before you look beyond the town square and the ancient but well-maintained fountain toward a huge fortress-like building at the far end of town."This is the town of Hazeley."You glance back at Nort already conversing with a villager. "This is a major trading town because it's on the only road around the poison swamp. But, uh, just between you and me..." The man looks past you and Nort and then lowers his voice as he leans inward. "Nobody does business here unless the boss allows it."Nort gives the man a slight wave and turns toward you as the villager walks away. "Perhaps we should meet this boss."Past the shops, the gated entrance to the huge mansion is well-guarded. As you and Nort approach, the paladin gestures for you to stop and leads you to a small open field around the corner of the courtyard wall. On the other end of the field is the town watchtower and a sturdy-looking jail."The boss has been meeting with some weird people lately.""Yeah. That really weird guy sold the boss a big monster a couple weeks ago.""What do you think the boss is doing with all those monsters?""I heard there's an arena underneath the mansion." The second guard notices you and steps around the corner. "Hey, what are you sneakin' around for?""The boss?" The first guard nods and smiles at you when you ask about the boss. "Sure, you can meet the boss."The second guard steps in front of the gate. "But if you don't have an appointment, it'll cost you 5000g."You turn your back to the guards and glance at Nort and then reach into your pocket and count out your 539g and glance at Nort again, but the paladin shakes his head. "That's all the gold we have.""In that case, get outta here!" The two guards put their hands on their sword hilts.You and Nort walk away from the mansion before the guards do more than threaten, and then stop at the far edge of the fountain facing the town gate and the entrance to the Hazeley tavern with the water glittering sunlight over your backs.>Return to your farm for now>Try to sneak into the mansion>Search around the area for Ponz>Grind for bribe money (4461g)
>>6468853Oh, that's what that mark was? Pfft.>>6469248>The Hot Potato rolls faster, its grinning gaze flickering at you maniacally over and over as the crooked lump tumbles across the dungeon floor.That's kinda intimidating, honestly.>The Hot Potato is breathing fire.Oh no.>>6469249>From the reception hall and the wide entrance, you can see the setting sun overlooking a forested mountain valley.Hmm. I don't remember us knowing about such terrain. I wonder where we are?>>6469250>"We've come out on the west side of the Cloudcutter Mountains."Oh wow, we are a long way from home.>>6469252>"This is the town of Hazeley."Whole town looks like a fortress. Very organized and dense.>>6469252>Return to your farm for nowI'm tempted to poke around, but we're pretty far from our usual support, so if we mange to get ourselves in trouble with the locals we're going to be up a creek.Also, we left Water Mule, Korr, and the cart back by the cave. We might want to collect them and let them know we didn't die in that cave.
>>6469252>>6469267Support!
As Nort frowns, you close your eyes and push your mind over the Cloudcutter Mountains to the cove north of Shawport.Your vision blurs and the streets of Hazeley become a view of the Water Mule from above the carved stone entrance on the hillside overlooking the beach.In your mind, Korr caws happily as the Smart Crow notices your presence."Alive!"You realize Nort is speaking to you, and blink as he repeats himself. "This may require more help."For now, you and Nort leave Hazeley and return southward through the forest, and again you make camp beneath the trees and stars.The next day, you reach the ancient monastery and venture down into the burning abyss of Hot Potatoes.On the other side of the magic circle are more Gold Locusts.When at last you emerge from the carved cavern entrance to the hills overlooking the beach with eight Hot Potatoes on your belt, Korr flaps around in a circle as the Water Mule rears up and brays happily, and then you and Nort ride on the Water Mule's back as it races down through the hills to where Boyd, Hoyl, and Went wait on their boat beyond the beach."You found the farmer!" Hoyl slaps your back and Nort's back at the same time and grins from Nort to you. "We were pretty worried, you know!"The three sailors take you and your party back to Shawport. When you arrive at the docks, you hurry ahead of Boyd and shift from foot to foot impatiently as he unlocks the storehouse and then you count out 500g to buy another pouch of white Dragon Dryad seeds.With only 189g in hand, you can afford little else besides 180g for a night at the Shawport inn.
A crowd of men are gathered around Went and Hoyl when you step from the storehouse."There shouldn't be any more sea monster attacks on the boats." The old man nods at you and Nort. "Thanks to the farmer and this paladin."That night, someone else pays for your beer and your room.The next day, you hitch the Water Mule to the cart and with Nort's help you load the Killer Tomatoes and Soggy Fruits from the storehouse into the cart."I will remain in Shawport for now." Nort shakes his head when you ask about returning to your farm. "If we meet again, I will assist you in defeating Ponz."You untie one of the Hot Potatoes from your belt and hand it to Nort and then wave as you climb onto your cart.By sundown, the walls of your farmyard are in sight."Hot Potatoes? Very generous, my lord!" Saff gathers up the Hot Potatoes in her withered arms without flinching. "Five Hot Potatoes will make a meal for all ten of your servants."The number seems impossibly high, though as you look around at the others gathering toward the smell of Saff and Lenk preparing Hot Potato casserole, you count Thud, Daro, Aldy, Fisk, Lorn, Jack, Saul, Nels, Saff, and Lenk.With the last two Hot Potatoes still on your belt, you descend down through the trapdoor beneath your bed and into the dungeon of the Dark Lord toward Byep's shop.>Ask Korr to fly toward Murklore and look for your adventurer friends>Ask Daro to join your party and return to Hazeley>Ask your Dragon Dryad to join your party and return to Hazeley
>>6469252>Return to your farm for nowFeels like valuable information to relay to our adventurer friends and other allies. Don't think we'll get much out of poking around here until we stock up
>>6469278>Ask Korr to fly toward Murklore and look for your adventurer friends
>>6469282guess I'm stupid and didn't see that there was already an update, anyway>>6469278>Ask Korr to fly toward Murklore and look for your adventurer friendsIf this is Ponz's lair, we need to put him down here and now with all the support we can get. He's causing too much trouble for too many people.
>>6469285I wasn't expecting an update that quickly either!
>>6469277>As Nort frowns, you close your eyes and push your mind over the Cloudcutter Mountains to the cove north of Shawport.Man that's going to take some getting used to.>you hurry ahead of Boyd and shift from foot to foot impatiently as he unlocks the storehouse and then you count out 500g to buy another pouch of white Dragon Dryad seeds.Excellent.>>6469278>"There shouldn't be any more sea monster attacks on the boats."Here's hoping. We drove the Hull Crab off, but it's not dead, nor is the Tamer.>"Five Hot Potatoes will make a meal for all ten of your servants."We got a lotta heads around here there days. At this rate, we're going to turn into an actual Lord.>Ask Korr to fly toward Murklore and look for your adventurer friendsThey've been gone for some time now. That's not unheard of (we've been away for over a week on more than one occasion), but is it still unusual.I'm not against bringing the Colt and the Dryad out, but monsters they may be, they're still young'uns, and should get their feet wet in a known environment first.
>>6469278>Ask Korr to fly toward Murklore and look for your adventurer friendswe should consider asking the villagers at Hazeley about this "Fuzzy" thing... any recent monster captures that could fit?
"Hot Potatoes!" Byep takes one of the Hot Potatoes from you and quickly passes it from hand to hand and then sets it on the countertop between you. "I've only eaten a Hot Potato once before!" She carefully pinches a small piece and tosses it into her mouth, grimacing as she purses her lips and draws in a breath. "Hot!" As she chews her face relaxes into a smile. "Even though it's just a dungeon crop, it's delicious!" She breaks off another steaming piece and looks up at you. "Where did you find these?"Byep blows on the piece of Hot Potato and listens wide-eyed and eagerly as you retell your travels with the Wind Mule colt and the Dragon Dryad south to Shawport, and your battle against the Hull Crab, and the strange altar chambers and even stranger magic circles that brought you beyond the Cloudcutter Mountains and back again."Do I smell Hot Potatoes?"You and Byep both turn to see Snaz at the edge of the room, drawn up from the third level of the dungeon by the wafting steam of Byep's Hot Potato. When you hold out the final Hot Potato toward him, Snaz grins with delight and quickly walks toward Byep's shop.Byep licks her fingers. "He got them from beyond a magic circle in the south!""That must be Siltrun." Snaz breaks his Hot Potato in half and sniffs the steam, eyes closed in a satisfied smile. "That group was allied with the Dark Lord, though they were more hangers-on than anything." Snaz puffs his breath to cool the piece of Hot Potato on his tongue and then swallows it as he breaks off another piece. "They were concerned primarily with the summoning of demons. Quite devout too, as I recall.""Show Snaz those seeds!" Byep grins at you and nods at Snaz as he watches with interest while you untie your second pouch of white Mystery seeds."Ah, Dragon Dryad seeds." Snaz nods as he holds another piece of Hot Potato and blows on it. "I never seemed to have a talent for such things, but I always enjoyed seeing what the Dark Lord would raise." He licks his fingers and points toward the pouch on the countertop. "These were the strain which taught the Dark Lord to chant the spells of Whirl and Home."
That night, when you climb back up through the trapdoor into your shack, you step out into the cool autumn air and call Korr's name.*flap flap*A dozen Smart Crows flutter down in front of you, curious and eager, as you hold out 100g to Korr and ask it to search the lands around Murklore for your three adventurer friends.Korr takes the 100g in its beak and then suddenly tilts its head toward the onlooking Smart Crows as the others quickly avert their eyes. Korr turns the other direction as the other half of the jealous Smart Crows all look aside, and then Korr gobbles the 100g and flaps its wings as it flies up into the dark sky cawing."Lark!""Grif!""Flam!"The next day is spent idly picking weeds in your fields. That evening, as you lie in your bed and concentrate, you see Korr has already found the adventurers as they camp on the rise at the edge of the Mirkham forest."A Smart Crow!" Grif looks up as your vision circles above them. "Is that...""It's Korr!" Lark squints upward toward you as Korr circles again and then your vision flaps down and settles near the fire.Flam the wizard leans closer. "Have you sought us out?"Korr caws in your mind and aloud."Invited!"Two days after Korr's proclamation, the Smart Crows about the farmyard watchtower suddenly begin to caw and soon after you see York's cart rolling across the wasteland as it carries Grif, Flam, and Lark toward your farm."Thud, my friend!" Grif hops down from York's cart and embraces the barbarian. "What a story we have for you.""Oh? Guests?" Saff hobbles around the corner of the barn and pokes Thud's arm. "This calls for some of that Rotten Fruit liquor."York clears his throat. "That wasteland dust really leaves you parched..."
Everyone gathers in the farmyard pavilion as Grif the warrior begins their tale."After speaking with the storehouse tender in Mirkham, we set out for the dungeon southwest of Fulden. There, you can sometimes glimpse a Shadowfruit in the deepest levels. It seemed the simplest way to acquire two Magic Keys.""Of course, not every Shadowfruit contains a key." Flam sips his cup of Rotten Fruit liquor. "Most of them simply have a lump of gold inside, like any other monster." The wizard takes another sip and sets his cup on the table. "Perhaps one in twenty has a Magic Key inside of it, rather than gold.""It seems like one in a hundred!" Lark is well on her way through her second cup. "One in two... no, three hundred! But the best part is that after we found two Magic Keys... oh, I forgot to say that."Grif waves dismissively at the priestess as he looks around at you and the others. "The very first Shadowfruit we encountered bore a Magic Key. We marveled at how lucky we were. But then our luck turned. It took several days and all our gold, but we finally found a second Magic Key. We couldn't believe it. Our task was finally at an end." He leans in, grinning broadly. "And then-""We found a third Magic Key!" Lark hiccups. "Just like that!""With the two Magic Keys, we unlocked both sets of enchanted doors in the ruins near Mirkham." Flam picks up his cup. "Inside, we recovered much of what those bandits and that Dark Folk stole, though it's no comfort to their victims.""And so we wish to share our fortune." Grif reaches into his pocket and places a Magic Key before you.The wizard and the warrior frown as you recall your most recent encounter with the Dark Folk Ponz in the dungeon near Shawport and the young woman who commanded monsters."That does sound like a Tamer." Flam scratches his beard. "That's a very rare class. Only people raised by monsters can become Tamers.""Of course we will help." Grif glances toward the priestess.Lark drowses, her chin resting on her chest.Flam clears his throat. "We should get back to the Glynton inn."York waves as Grif and Flam lift Lark into the back of the cart. "Thanks for the drink!"With the others gone, your attention is drawn again to the Magic Key.Though Snaz can't remember what's held inside the chest locked behind enchanted doors on the fifth level of the dungeon beneath your farm, the artificer was certain it's something the Dark Lord meant to keep safe if the need arose for it.According to Snaz, the other set of enchanted doors deeper inside the dungeon were put there at the request of the room's current inhabitant, Stox.You know of one other set of enchanted doors: in the strange room with the magic circle. No doubt the room is full of cargo and gold stolen from the boats around Shawport.>Use the Magic Key in your dungeon>Use the Magic Key in Siltrun>Keep the Magic Key for now
>>6469939>Use the Magic Key in your dungeonI'd like to use em on the home front until we have the whole thing figured out.
>>6469939>Use the Magic Key in your dungeon
>>6469936>"These were the strain which taught the Dark Lord to chant the spells of Whirl and Home."Ohh. Home in particular sounds promising.I wonder what the criteria is for them teaching us? Our current Dryad hasn't taught us anything, though she's still young.>>6469938>the onlooking Smart Crows as the others quickly avert their eyes.The Crows are turning out to be real cowards, eh? Korr is the only one out of the entire murder that seems willing to do anything.>>6469939>we set out for the dungeon southwest of Fulden. There, you can sometimes glimpse a Shadowfruit in the deepest levels.We're going to need to spend some time out there at some point.>>6469939>>Use the Magic Key in SiltrunI'm strongly tempted to use it at home, but as we've just seen, the adventurers will eventually open any Enchanted Doors they know of if we don't get to them first.
>>6469939>Use the Magic Key in Siltrun
>>6469939>Use the Magic Key in SiltrunOur dungeon is secure, everywhere else is not.
Whatever treasure has waited a thousand years will surely wait until you've found more Magic Keys, and so you leave the enchanted doors far beneath you as they are and the next day drive the Water Mule toward Glynton, the Dark Hoe and Korr riding next to you and your Ancient Armor wrapped in cloth sacks and tucked behind the backboard.From there, you and your three adventurer friends ride south to Shawport.Nort the paladin has gone when you arrive."The paladin?" Went shakes his head. "I haven't seen him around since yesterday." The old man's eyes light up when you show him your Magic Key. He listens as you retell your discovery of the enchanted doors in the dungeon above the cove. When he hears of the chests and barrels held on the other side, Went quickly shuffles outside and whistles for Boyd and Hoyl.Your cart and Water Mule are soon aboard the boat, along with Grif, Flam, and Lark, and then the sails are unfurled and the three sailors quickly steer northeast along the rocky coast. When you reach the cove, the cart is unloaded onto the beach and the Water Mule pulls it up the hills toward the carved cavern entrance overlooking the cove.You don your Ancient Armor as the adventurers peer inside and then the four of you step forth into the dungeon of Siltrun.*flap flap*Korr flaps down onto the ground at the entrance to the dungeon and tilts its beak up at you and hops forward into the darkness alongside you.The Gold Locusts are more easily defeated with a full party, and the Deep Onions less harrying. You and the three adventurers battle your way through the dungeon and at last step into the room with the strange magic circle carved into the stone floor."Hmm." Flam nods as he inspects the magic circle. "This magic circle is at least 1000 years old.""Oh!" Lark sees the enchanted doors and watches as you push the Magic Key into the lock. As you turn the large golden key, it glows with starlight that consumes the gold into a sparkling cloud of glitter that quickly vanishes and then the enchanted doors crack open, their magic broken."Let's see what's in here." Grif wedges his Gold Sword under the lid of the closest barrel and pries it open as you and Lark both look over Grif's shoulders at the barrel packed full of Normal seeds.*flap flap*Korr pecks at a chest and flaps away again as Flam opens the lid and the wizard nods. "This one's full of Gold Clubs."You and Grif slowly carry all the chests and barrels back out the dungeon and load your cart. When your task is finally finished you drive the Water Mule back down through the hills to the shore and onto the boat.Hoyl's eyes widen as he looks into your cart. "I recognize that chest!"
The sun has nearly set by the time Shawport is in sight. "I've never been to this town before." Lark squints into the reddening sun as she stands next to you against the recently mended railing and then the priestess looks back at Grif and Flam. "We should look around before we go to the inn!" She turns to you and grins. "Want to come with?""Thanks again for helping out with those sea monsters." Boyd smiles at Lark and then shakes his head at you. "Those Mystery seeds? We only had a few pouches. I think you bought the last one."Though there are no more Dragon Dryad seeds in stock, you see Boyd's seed prices have returned to normal. "The Exotic seeds?" He nods as you point toward the cloth pouch now marked 200g. "I think those came from Cataland."The adventurers watch with idle curiosity as you count out 200g and Boyd sets a pouch of Exotic seeds on the counter.
Next door to the Shawport storehouse, Hoyl's weapon shop has the Gold Club now priced at a much more reasonable 16000g."Now that everything is getting back to normal, we'll start building more boats." Hoyl polishes the Gold Club in his hands and sets it carefully in the chest with the rest of his Gold Clubs.
Across the street, the Iron Hooks in Went's bait shop are priced at 50g, and the Magic Hook hanging on the wall behind the old man's back is only 500000g."Good work with that Hull Crab." Went grins from you to the adventurers admiring the Magic Hook.The Shawport inn, thankfully, is only 18g per night.
You and the adventurers rise with the sun and then you don your Ancient Armor and climb atop the Water Mule along with Lark, Flam, and Grif.The Water Mule leaps from the dock onto the surface of the water and trots away from the sailors as they wave, and then the Water Mule begins to gallop out into the open sunrise-dappled water, Korr casting a tiny shadow from overhead.When you reach the carved entrance you leave the Water Mule and step inside once more, the Dark Hoe gripped in both hands, your adventurer friends at your side and Korr riding on the shoulder of your Ancient Armor."A monastery?" Grif looks around the library as you exit through the secret passageway with eight Hot Potatoes tied to your belt and 155g in hand."I'm not so sure." Lark looks in a slow circle around the room. "It doesn't seem quite right."Flam picks up one of the books and pages through it. "Demon Summoning IV, Demon Summoning V, Choosing the Best Name for Your Demon..."The next day, you reach Hazeley.The four of you gather near one of the shops and peer around the corner toward the mansion."Is that where the monsters are?" Lark looks over her shoulder at you and the others. "I don't think I can put all those guards to sleep at once.""They wouldn't take the monsters in through the courtyard." Grif peers between you and Lark. "There's probably another entrance somewhere out of sight.""Let's check that area near the back of the jail." Flam gestures toward the northwest corner of the mansion. You follow Grif as Lark and Flam cautiously look around and then follow behind you toward the narrow wooded space between the jail and the mansion.*click*"Oh?" Grif pushes a section of the outer wall away. "Looks like Flam was right.""But how do they get into the mansion?" Lark feels along the mansion wall and then suddenly the wall swings open and the priestess falls forward. Lark grabs for you and then you tumble down the stairs after her into a narrow stone passageway.Grif and Flam hurry down into the dark after you and then the four of you peer up the narrow corridor and silently nod to one another."It's some kind of menagerie," whispers Lark as you turn the corner and see a long row of caged rooms sealed with Iron Bars. On the far side of the bars, something enormous growls from the shadows as you pass by to the next cell.Grif peers through the Iron Bars into the darkness as something huge slithers back and forth. "I don't think these are just for show.""Oh? Who's this?" Suddenly, a man emerges from around the corner at the far end of the hallway. "Intruders?"The man unlocks the Iron Bars in front of him and pulls them open with a grin."Heh, heh... Get 'em, Shiny!"
Inside the cage something like glass scrapes against itself and then an enormous Iron Locust with a shell of glittering crystal like ice filled with starlight unfolds itself through the doorway.The Crystal Locust tilts its head downward at you and then skitters forward up the hallway toward you as the man turns to flee back around the corner.>Fight alongside the adventurers>Split up and give chase
>>6470711>Split up and give chaseCan't have him warn anyone
>>6470706>as you and Lark both look over Grif's shoulders at the barrel packed full of Normal seeds.I hope they haven't been here too long. Seeds do have an expiration date.>Flam opens the lid and the wizard nods. "This one's full of Gold Clubs."Wow that's a lot of dough.>Hoyl polishes the Gold Club in his hands and sets it carefully in the chest with the rest of his Gold Clubs.Aww. I was hoping we could take one to give to Thud.Overall, an unfortunately underwhelming reward or a Magic Key. Can't win'm all.>only 500000g.>ONLY 500,000gMuch better than it was, but that's still eye-wateringly spendy.>something like glass scrapes against itself I can hear that and I don't like it.>>6470711>Fight alongside the adventurersWe brought them all the way out here, and we're all as fresh as we can be. The Dark Hoe struggled a little with the Gold Locusts, so I figure it will have more trouble here. But it was the Dark Lord's personal weapon of choice, so there's gotta be a lot more mileage to get out of it yet.
Crystal Locusts were mentioned in the first thread:https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2026/6420481/#p6459919
And I just realized I never marked the secret entrance on the Hazeley map.
>>6471052>"It used to be full of Crystal Locusts." Saff grins wistfully and then cackles. "Even the Dark Lord found them troublesome."Ah. this is going to be interesting.
>>6470711>Split up and give chaseHark!!!
Don't know how this quest slipped my mind, anywho>>6470711>Split up and give chasegotta brain the fucker before he sounds the alarm.
"A Crystal Locust!" Grif holds his Gold Sword in front of him with both hands as Flam and Lark retreat behind the warrior.Flam peeks over Grif's shoulder. "I thought they were extinct!""S-Sleep!" Lark holds her trembling hands up as she chants the spell, but the gleaming shell of the Crystal Locust flashes for an instant and the monster lunges closer, for the spell does not work."Flare!"As the explosion of Flam's spell lights the hallway, the Crystal Locust's attention turns toward the three adventurers and you slip past its notice and give chase to the monster's keeper.The man looks over his shoulder and gasps as you catch up to him, one eye widening as the other remains half-closed beneath a long gouge that mars his face.Suddenly you hear a terrible braying noise from deeper into the dungeon.The man turns toward you and sees the Dark Hoe in your hands. "A farmer?" The handle of the Gold Scourge clenched in his fist creaks as his grip tightens and the scarred man grins at you cruelly. "In this place, everything fears the scourge of Lowe the Beastwhip!""Lowe, what's all this commotion?"Another man appears behind the beastwhip, and you see the newcomer is dressed in the shining gold and white garb of a paladin! For an instant you feel hope but then the man turns his gaze to you and you see his eyes are as cruel as those of the beastwhip."Sorry, boss!" Lowe raises his Gold Scourge. "Some vermin got into the monster pens!""I'm not paying you to stand around chatting with trespassers.""Daa-h! Making me look bad in front of the boss! I'll feed you to these monsters!" Lowe stuffs the handle of his Gold Scourge into his belt and fumbles for the key in his pocket and then you hear the clank of the Iron Bars opening. "He's all yours, Slimy!"
A huge drooping eyeball, milky-white, extends out into the hallway.The beastwhip raises his Gold Scourge and strikes the eye and it slowly blinks and turns toward you, and behind it an enormous foul-smelling slug oozes out through the doorway and rises up until its slippery eyestalks scrape dripping trails along the corridor's stone ceiling.From the far side of its bulk you see Lowe and the other man disappear around the corner but then the Zombie Snail is upon you!The Dark Hoe is in your hands. You strike at the monster's flesh, and again, stepping backward as it continues its slow slide toward you, unimpeded by the wounds."Grif!""Heal!"The sounds of battle from behind you draw your attention from the slowly encroaching mass filling the hallway.Grif raises his Gold Sword in one hand, his other arm hanging limp at his side, and the warrior falters when the Crystal Locust's claws strike out and knock Grif's sword aside and then its head tilts and it sets upon Lark the priestess.>Fight the Zombie Snail by yourself>Retreat and rejoin the adventurers
>>6472102>you see the newcomer is dressed in the shining gold and white garb of a paladin! For an instant you feel hope but then the man turns his gaze to you and you see his eyes are as cruel as those of the beastwhip.That's not good. We'll have to mention this to Nort next time we see him.>>6472103>but then the Zombie Snail is upon you!That thing sounds huge, specially in this hallway.>Retreat and rejoin the adventurersThey're struggling, and this thing like is likely pretty vulnerable to fire (undead usually have a fire weakness, and snails tend to be damp creatures by nature).
>>6472103>Retreat and rejoin the adventurersok, these guys need our help. Shouting "I thought they were extinct!" and being told from before that Crystal Locusts made the DARK LORD work up a sweat exterminating them means that they're no joke. These people are a lot more dangerous than I thought.
Lark grimaces but then the sound of crystal striking darkmetal jars her eyes open and the priestess looks up with a gasp at the Dark Hoe's handle quaking just beyond her face.The blade of Grif's Gold Sword slashes down against the Crystal Locust's skull and you swing the Dark Hoe against the monster's side, knocking it hard enough for a musical clink to resound throughout the hallway."Thanks for coming back to the fight." Grif looks past you and grins. "And you brought company!"The Crystal Locust's head suddenly rotates and it skitters clumsily around in the narrow corridor, turning its back to you to face the Zombie Snail oozing up the hallway."Maybe they'll keep each other busy!" Lark rises and hurries to kneel next to Grif beneath the back legs of the huge Crystal Locust with her hands above his limp arm. "Heal!"The Crystal Locust plunges its claws and snapping pincer jaws into the Zombie Snail's dead flesh and tears out the lump of gold inside. The gold is crushed in its jaws and at once the scrapes and scuffs on its crystal shell begin to vanish until its surface appears freshly polished.You and Grif raise your weapons, Lark and Flam behind you, and the four of you all look upward to the Crystal Locust as its huge head swivels back around.Its shell twists in place and it skitters forth.Grif's Gold Sword stops its charge with a resounding clang but the warrior's feet are pushed back and Grif's balance begins to shift."Flare!"Behind Grif, Flam holds out his hands and the air roils and warps and blasts a column of fire across Grif's shoulder. The Crystal Locust stumbles at the impact and you run at it with the Dark Hoe swinging overhead.The blade of the Dark Hoe strikes perfectly against the Crystal Locust's shell and scrapes away glittering dust. Enraged, the monster lunges sideways and slams its claws against you.Ancient Armor or not, the blow knocks you reeling backward against Flam. Sweat clings to the wizard's brow as you both rise.Its long clawed forearm suddenly lashes out and sends you hurtling into the stone wall. You hear Grif's Gold Sword strike against crystal and when you open your eyes and struggle to your feet Grif blocks its claws and thrusts his blade up under its neck but the Gold Sword skids across the monster's armored throat and it seizes the warrior in its jaws.Your eyes close again.
"Oh? You're finally awake?"The voice comes down from somewhere above you. Grif clambers to his feet next to you and then Flam lifts up his head and reaches for his tall pointed hat as Lark stirs and sits up.The four of you blink as you look around the large circular room and the Iron Bars on either side of the large open space and then you look up to the paladin as he gazes down at you and the others from the high vantage point behind the stone barrier."Welcome to the Hazeley arena. My name is Walt, though everyone here addresses me as the boss."Flam adjusts his hat and scowls up at the man. "Are you truly a paladin?""Of course!" Walt rests his hands on the stone in front of him as he looks from you to Grif and Lark and then to Flam. "Who do you think saved your lives?"Lark rises to her feet and jabs an accusing finger upward. "You're a terrible paladin!""On the contrary. I always help those who ask me to defeat monsters." Walt grins down at the priestess. "I use that beastwhip to subdue the most powerful monsters. Wealthy people pay me a lot of money to watch these monsters fight."From beyond the Iron Bars, you hear the terrible braying noise echoing through the stone corridors, louder than before. Lark grips at your arm, her hand gone clumsy with terror, for you feel your own mind shudder and nearly become unmoored. Only in the presence of the voice from the broken cell in the darkness beneath your shack have you felt such helpless fear."Lately, they've become bored with my stable of monsters."The terrible braying noise is closer, and in its wake you hear Lowe the beastwhip shouting and cursing.Walt settles himself into a chair. "You and your friends can help me find out if this new monster is worth what I paid for it. Of course..." The paladin reclines back with his hands behind his head."I won't be chanting the spell of Heal after this fight."
The Iron Bars at the edge of the arena rattle from the noise and then the bars are thrown open and through them charges an enormous horselike monster with snapping jaws and stomping hooves.Its huge head lowers, its skull alone nearly as tall as a man, and when it snorts a cloud of miasma that rolls outward over the floor its eyes sear trails across the haze until it casts its baleful glowing glare upon you and the three adventurers, and it snorts again."S-stay close together!" Flam's voice quavers behind you.Grif's blade trembles in front of his face. "That's a..."Lark cries out as she cowers behind Grif. "A demon!"The Demon Mule raises its head and in the center of your mind you hear its loud hateful command."Die!">Defend Flam and Lark>Attack with the Dark Hoe>Chant the spell of Pain
>>6472236I am deeply glad we decided to rejoin this fight. This would have gone so much worse otherwise.I know we aren't flush with weapon type choices, but I've an inkling that either a blunt or piercing weapons would work best on this thing.In terms of what we can actually field ourselves, I think it would have to be a consumable, or some sort of magic.As far as magic affinity, I'd pin it as earth-aligned maybe?I'm stumped on how we could handle something like this as we are now. We'll need to ask the Scholar about them next time we're in town.>you hear the terrible braying noise...I have a bad feeling about this.>The Demon Mule raises its headAh hell.I don't think we know anything about demons?Is it bad that I still want to capture it?Not that that's practical in this situation.>>6472239>Attack with the Dark HoeThis is more about gathering info about our foe than a serious attempt right out of the gate. Recon by fire seem like the more reliable way to see what we can see.I have a suspicion the Pain spell will either do nothing, or backfire, considering this is an actual demon.
>>6472239>Attack with the Dark HoeWell, this is a big mess we've gotten into. Did anybody die while we were in la-la land? I'm surprised we didn't get looted.
>>6472239>Defend Flam and Lark
>>6472239>Attack with the Dark HoeLet's get his ass.
>>6472239>Defend Flam and LarkI get the feeling we're in over out heads and should embrace the grindset for a while after this.
>>6472239>Defend Flam and LarkI expect it to be really aggressive, so let's play defense for a bit and try to tire it out...
"It's... It's just a monster!" Grif clenches the handle of his Gold Sword and wills himself to step forward, and then he breaks into a charge as he bellows with fright. Your tightly-strung nerve snaps and you find yourself lunging forward with the Dark Hoe swinging overhead, driven to panicked fight by the warrior's cry.The Demon Mule makes no attempt to dodge your attack, but when the Dark Hoe's blade strikes its hide, the Demon Mule brays in surprise and its enormous head turns, the monster's glowing eyes leaving burning trails through the foggy air. When it sees the Dark Hoe, the Demon Mule snorts an angry cloud of miasma and canters back a step, its head turning between you and Grif.You swing the Dark Hoe again, and the Demon Mule brays as it looks again at the Dark Hoe in your hands and then suddenly the Demon Mule turns its head to look behind it at Grif and kicks its huge hoof back at him.Grif's blade is raised to block the strike but the Demon Mule's strength surpasses even the great giant Wind Mule you battled atop the highest peak of the Cloudcutter Mountains, and the warrior is knocked tumbling to the ground."Heal!"No sooner does the priestess chant the spell of Heal when the Demon Mule's head looks toward her and it lurches forward.You raise the Dark Hoe again, and again the Demon Mule halts and canters back away from you and turns toward Grif once more.Grif raises his Gold Sword and takes a step back and his armor clinks against the wall. He glances over his shoulder and then frantically toward the wizard. "Flam! Chant the spell of Flare!"Behind you, Flam crouches lower. "I don't want to make the demon angry!"Grif's eyes are wide with terror as the Demon Mule snaps its jaws at the Gold Sword. "Flam!""F-Flare!"The blast of fire lances out across the arena at the Demon Mule and it brays angrily amid the blooming cloud of fire and then it leaps out of the flames and through the air toward you and the wizard.You raise the Dark Hoe again, but the Demon Mule brings its hooves down upon your Ancient Armor, and you are driven to the stone floor. The Demon Mule rears up on its hind legs to trample you and you squeeze your eyes shut in anticipation of your demise when suddenly a familiar voice calls out."Fuzzy!"Above you, the Demon Mule pauses with its hooves raised, and then you turn your head to the side and beyond the Iron Bars is the young woman you saw pleading with Ponz in Siltrun.The Demon Mule brings its hooves down on either side of your head and trots over to the Iron Bars, uninterested in you or the adventurers.The tamer reaches her arms between the Iron Bars and cradles the Demon Mule's head, stroking its muzzle tenderly. "Are you alright, Fuzzy?"
In the center of your mind, the Demon Mule's voice speaks again. "Of course. Mere mortals could never injure a powerful demon such as myself." The Demon Mule looks at you and the adventurers and then glares and angrily snorts another cloud of miasma as you look away.The sounds of battle above your head draw your attention but then the tamer speaks again."Can you get out?""Stand aside." The tamer moves aside and the Demon Mule turns its back to the Iron Bars and kicks at them, rattling the room and then it kicks again, and with the third kick the Iron Bars are knocked free from their anchors and resound against the far wall."Fuzzy!" The young woman gleefully embraces the Demon Mule's neck and then turns her head. "Your Smart Crow showed us where you were!" She lets go of the Demon Mule and looks away toward the corner of the room. "Sorry about before." She looks up again with a guilty smile. "I'm Rush, by the way."The adventurers move past Rush and the Demon Mule out into the hallway. As you follow them, you see Lowe the beastwhip at the far end of the hallway running in the direction of the monster pens.From beyond the still-secured Iron Bars of a nearby doorway come the sounds of battle.You and the adventurers and Rush all crowd around one another to watch through the Iron Bars as Nort and Walt duel in the small room beyond.The two paladins face one another, Nort's face illuminated in the cold white flames of his Magic Sword, when Grif gasps at the sight of the sparkling blade of starlight-filled crystal in Walt's hand."A Crystal Sword!" Grif's fists grip the Iron Bars as he greedily eyes the weapon.Nort strikes out and Walt parries and strikes with the Crystal Sword, slowly driving Nort back. Walt slams the Crystal Sword down again and again against Nort's Magic Sword, and the other paladin is forced to one knee as Walt glowers above him. The two men strain as Walt presses the Crystal Sword down further still, closing the gap between its blade and Nort's throat.Suddenly, Nort surges upward, knocking the Crystal Sword's blade aside! Walt snarls and stumbles backward as Nort swings again, his Magic Sword forcing the other paladin into a series of parries. As the two men battle, Walt trips against the staircase in the corner of the room and a key falls from his pocket onto the ground.Walt gives an angry shout and lunges toward Nort, swinging the Crystal Sword with all his might, and the adventurers all gasp but Nort strikes the Crystal Sword away and in one smooth stroke brings the point of his Magic Sword to Walt's throat.The other paladin grimaces at the blade and then grins at Nort and you hear Flam the wizard shout."Look out!"A Crystal Shard is suddenly in Walt's hand and as Walt crushes it in his fist, Nort is enveloped in a ghostly glow and then Nort struggles in place, unable to move from the unsealed spell of Paralyze!Walt stabs Nort with the Crystal Sword.
From the far end of the hallway, the roaring of monsters is suddenly followed by the stone floor beneath your feet beginning to shake. Walt grins at the sound and then turns and runs up the stairs.Flam turns toward the far end of the hallway and looks over his shoulder at you and the others. "That beastwhip set loose all the monsters!"Lark gasps. "They'll destroy Hazeley!""Let's go!" Grif charges past Flam and then Flam and Lark look at one another and follow after the warrior.Rush watches the adventurers and looks up at the Demon Mule. "Should we help those people?"The Demon Mule snorts. "Forget about them. I'm getting you out of this place.""But we're the ones who rescued you!"The Demon Mule snorts with annoyance and kneels down. "Let's go."Rush climbs onto its back and glances at you and then the Demon Mule leaps forward, galloping down the hall after the adventurers.On the other side of the Iron Bars, Nort grunts and sags to one knee as at last the spell of Paralysis breaks. The paladin grabs the key lying near his feet and tosses it through the Iron Bars to you.GOT HAZELEY ARENA KEY!Nort turns and limps up the stairs after Walt.>Follow Nort>Follow the adventurers
Rolled 2 (1d2)Rolling to decide what to do1 >Follow Nort2 >Follow the adventurers
Certainly a turn of events. Tamers are BUSTED in this setting.>>6472551>Follow NortHe got stabbed and he's still going after the bastard. I think between the adventurers and Lord Fuzzy, Destroyer of Worlds, they can handle what might be going on in their direction. It's bad enough that Ponz's scheming is causing so many problems even when he isn't physically present, I don't want this guy to crawl away and be a pain in the ass later.
>>6472551>Follow NortWe owe him that much...
>>6472551>1Seems like he needs the help more.
>>6472551>>Follow NortYup
>>6472547>Demon Mule uses Aura of Terror!>It's super effective!Do Demon Mules imply the existence of Angel Mules?>The Demon Mule rears up on its hind legs to trample you There would have been a good deal of irony if that was how we went out.>>6472549>"Your Smart Crow showed us where you were!"We are gonna run out of fingers to count how many times that bird has saved our bacon.>as Nort and Walt duel in the small room beyond.I see we no longer need to inform Nort about Walt.>"A Crystal Sword!" Grif's fists grip the Iron Bars as he greedily eyes the weapon.He's not the only one.>and a key falls from his pocket onto the ground.Shiney!>>6472551>Follow NortHe's in a bad way, and could certainly use the help. Plus, while he's a little stiff, he's a good egg.I wish we could get him a quick heal, but looks like that ship has sailed.I hope we see more of Mr. Grumpy and his friend, though. If nothing else I'd like to hear the story of how they wound up together.>>6472625>Tamers are BUSTED in this setting.Absolutely. we're basically multiclassing as one, which helps a little, but still.
>>6472625>>6472772You've gotten a couple hints about Rush's past so far:>>6469936>>6469939
Next update will be tomorrow!
>>6472909
The Iron Bars are hurriedly unlocked and you follow the spatter of Nort's blood up the stairs to the main level. The trail leads straight ahead down a long hallway to another stairwell at the far end of the hall. Beyond the dining room doorway, the servants and guards are fleeing in panic.At the top of the stairs, the trail dwindles to a few staggered drips across a wide hallway between the study and bedchamber. The study and the pantry are empty, the bedchamber doors locked, a single smear of blood along the wall at the base of the stairs.You race upward into the sound of battle.At the edge of the upper balcony overlooking the forest beyond the town wall, Nort and Walt are locked in combat. Nort blocks a swing from the Crystal Sword and stumbles as his legs begin to falter. The other paladin presses forward, striking again and again with the Crystal Sword until Nort is driven downward to one knee.Walt looms above Nort, grinning as the other paladin pants and grimaces. "You should have stayed in the dungeon." Walt raises the Crystal Sword in both hands and swings it downward.The sound of crystal against darkmetal shakes the room. Your hands are numbed by the blow and your grip upon the Dark Hoe's thrumming handle loosens as you fumble to keep it in your grasp.Walt sneers as he raises the Crystal Sword and looks between you and the kneeling paladin but then Nort coughs and begins to rise to his feet."How..." Walt takes a step back, gripping the Crystal Sword in both hands as he looks again between you and Nort as Nort raises his Magic Sword and you raise the Dark Hoe.
A loud buzzing sound swells from the forest beyond the town wall and Walt smirks as he backs out onto the edge of the balcony, holding the Crystal Sword pointed toward you.From the forest Lowe the beastwhip appears, riding atop a Jumbo Bee.The beastwhip strikes the Jumbo Bee's rump with his Gold Scourge and the monster swoops down toward the balcony to grab Walt and then lifts the paladin off the balcony floor and into the air!Nort slumps against the wall and sinks down to the floor inside the balcony doorway.*flap flap*
Korr lands on the balcony rail and looks from you to Nort.With a thought, the Smart Crow flaps up into the air again.Through the power of the Dark Lord's crown you see through Korr's eyes, high above the forest and gliding northeast behind the Jumbo Bee as it flies toward a vast sunken spread of ruinous swampland.Nort's coughing interrupts your vision. At once you drop the Dark Hoe and blink away the sight of the swampland, but as you kneel beside the paladin, Nort shakes his head. "I'll be alright." Nort begins to cough again. "We need to... follow that Jumbo Bee. Before..."The paladin's eyes are already closed.From outside the balcony come the screams and shouts of villagers, and then the tremendous crash of stone falling.
Your own magic is limited to chanting the spell of Pain, and so you ease Nort's body to the floor and then rise and hurry back down the stairs and across the wide hall and then down the stairs to the main level.The mansion, devoid of servants and guards, is eerily quiet but then the rumble of collapsing stone shakes the floor and the crockery in the kitchen beyond.As you race out through the courtyard and past the Iron Bars, the town of Hazeley is in ruin.Dust rises like smoke from the shattered shops, and beyond the panicked villagers, the three adventurers face an enormous Hot Potato easily the size of the Zombie Snail and burning brightly from within.Suddenly, the Crystal Locust scurries forth out of the cloud, its gleaming shell coated with dust from the shop rubble, and creeps toward the three adventurers alongside the King Potato.Before the King Potato can turn, the Crystal Locust suddenly seizes the other monster and tears it open, gnawing out the lump of gold inside.Lark glances toward you as you step forth among them with the Dark Hoe gripped in one hand. "You made it!"Grif's eyes widen when he sees the Crystal Sword in your other hand. "The Crystal Sword!""Does that mean..." Flam looks toward the mansion.>Ask Lark to attend to Nort>Fight the Crystal Locust with Grif, Flam, and Lark
>>6473216>gliding northeastWhoops, should be 'northwest'
>>6473217How did we get the crystal sword? Walt had it when the Jumbo Bee grabbed him>Ask Lark to attend to Nort
>>6473211I see we made the right choice>>6473214>You haven't seen the last of me!>gliding northeast behind the Jumbo Bee as it flies toward a vast sunken spread of ruinous swampland.I hope we can find someone that sell antidotes for the inevitable poison we'll have to deal with out there.>>6473217>As you race out through the courtyard and past the Iron Bars, the town of Hazeley is in ruin.What on earth happened?Oh, the monsters got all the way out and are trashing the place, I see.>Grif's eyes widen when he sees the Crystal Sword in your other hand. "The Crystal Sword!"Oh wow, that is a fine prize.>"Does that mean..." Flam looks toward the mansion.If only it was that simple. Alas, no Flam, he's still at large.>Ask Lark to attend to NortHe's in pretty bad shape. He doesn't necessarily need fully healed, just triaged and stabilized. We don't want him slipping away while we duke it out.>>6473218If I'm reading the map right, isn't northwest from Hazeley that mountain range and the monastery with the magic circle to that ocean cave? Pic related.
>>6473300I did a terrible job proofreading this update. That's supposed to be MAGIC SWORD, not CRYSTAL SWORD. As in, you borrowed Nort's sword on behalf of Grif.>isn't northwest from Hazeley that mountain range and the monastery with the magic circle to that ocean caveThe monastery entrance is the cave southeast of Hazeley. The swamp in the northwest is unknown to you.
Now with labels!
>>6473343>>6473505Ah, that makes more sense.The map labels help a bunch.Thanks for the clarifications!
>>6473216thats a big map, gonna have to look back to the previous thread and label landmarks for personal use later>>6473217>Ask Lark to attend to NortBrother lost consciousness. He may be a stickler and quick to judge but he risked his life to thawrt the forces of evil. >>6473343>CRYSTAL SWORD was a typoAww. I wanted to see how busted that thing was. Maybe one day, we can find a CRYSTAL HOE..?
>>6473505how in the hell did I not see this
>>6473727>Maybe one day, we can find a CRYSTAL HOE..?Snaz has crystal equipment for sale. It's just horribly expensive.>>6428157>Crystal Chisel 90,000g>Crystal Saw 120,000g>Crystal Hoe 300,000g
>>6473727Is crystal better than dark metal though? I thought we already had the best hoe
>>6474006Maybe? Weapon upgrades have been pretty straightforward in this quest so far. Previous weapons that were ineffective against stronger monsters are replaced with stronger ones that cleave through their hides like butter. And we barely scratched the Crystal Locust with the DARK HOE. Then again, locusts in this setting might just be busted and their body armor upscales the materials they're made of. Like an IRON SWORD might be ineffective against an Iron Locust or something.
>>6474006>>6474007It's been implied that Crystal is better the Dark (one of the dungeon denizens talked about it iirc), but Dark is unique in that we've not seen hide nor hair of anything else made with Dark metal.
Lark's face pales when you plead for her to aid Nort and she shakes her head. "I can't leave you three!""Better do what the farmer says!" Grif catches the handle of the Magic Sword as you toss it to him and then sheathes his Gold Sword. "It's just one Crystal Locust!"The warrior's boast is cut short as the Crystal Locust lunges forward at him, and the Magic Sword is barely raised in time to block the enormous scissors of its jaws.Lark takes a step back as she frantically looks between the Crystal Locust and the mansion and then the priestess nods and flees toward the courtyard as you step in front of Flam."Iron Locusts aren't particularly intelligent." Flam raises his hands behind your shoulder as the air around you grows hotter. "Flare!"A long gout of flame sprays out in front of the wizard and bathes the Crystal Locust in fire and then the Crystal Locust leaps upward and forward over you, snatching Flam in its jaws before you can move to strike it."Flam!" Grif turns as you raise the Dark Hoe and you strike the Crystal Locust as the wizard shrieks in pain and terror above your head.Grif charges toward the monster as its skull lifts higher but the Crystal Locust's claws are faster and slash at Grif, knocking him to the side. The warrior groans and lurches to his feet, clutching at his side while the Magic Sword's blade is dragged across the grass. He grimaces and grabs the handle with both hands and swings it in an upward slash against the Crystal Locust's throat.Flam tumbles from the monster's jaws and collapses motionless on the ground at Grif's feet. The warrior can only spare a glance down at the wizard and then Grif is stumbling against your side and coughs with the Magic Sword held in a still-firm grip. "I need you to keep it busy until I can get on top of its back." He glances at you with steely confidence beneath his wide terrified eyes. "I think we can still win this fight."You nod and steel your own will and then you raise the Dark Hoe and step away from Grif. The Crystal Locust tilts its head toward Grif and the Magic Sword in his hands but when you strike its leg with the Dark Hoe, the blade chips off another dusting of glittering crystal and the monster turns its gaze to you.The Crystal Locust skitters forward, its gait unnervingly quick, and it seizes your Ancient Armor in its jaws and nearly slices off your arm at the shoulder before you can finally strike the blade of the Dark Hoe against its skull. You drop to the ground and look across the space beneath its underside at the still-unmoving wizard and then you look up as Grif clutches a protrusion on the Crystal Locust's neck!Grif aims the blade of the Magic Sword downward and plunges it into the Crystal Locust's neck. The warrior gives a shout of triumph but his joy is cut short as the Crystal Locust lurches and flails its claws, still very much alive.
Grif grunts with the effort as he pushes the Magic Sword in further and grunts again as the Crystal Locust rears up and Grif's feet soar free of its back. His hold loosens upon the Magic Sword's handle and Grif lands in front of the monster as its claws come down upon him.The Crystal Locust, half-dead, has gone into a frenzy.It skitters forward unexpectedly and you strike its neck with the blade of the Dark Hoe. It spins and spasms, knocking you to the grass, and suddenly you find yourself completely pinned beneath its colossal weight as one sharp segmented leg stabs downward, the stiletto tip of crystal pressing against the breast of your creaking Ancient Armor.You swing the Dark Hoe against its neck again, and again, a glittering rainbow of starlight dust wafting down over your sweating grimacing face from each strike of the Dark Hoe's blade against its crystal surface, until at last you hack off its head and you are freed of its weight as the Crystal Locust's body skitters backward with the blade of Nort's Magic Sword still half-embedded behind the back of its skull and crashes through the wall of a shop.The huge monster thrashes in its death throes amid the rising cloud of dust while you lie panting and insensate on the ground on the other side of the street.The next day, Grif and Flam still lie in the servants' beds."Chanting the spell of Heal can only do so much." Lark glances over her shoulder at the two men while you and the priestess walk out of the bedchamber and toward the mansion's dining room. "For now, all we can do is let them rest."Nort has seemingly made a full recovery. He looks up from his place at the head of the table as you and Lark enter the dining room. The Magic Sword is back at his side. The paladin glances at the priestess as the two of you sit down at the table and then he turns his attention to you."Lark informed me about the battle. Someday I'd like to hear how a farmer acquired so much darkmetal." Nort watches you for a moment and then grins. "Right now, I have other concerns. Walt, and that Dark Folk." Nort's grin fades. "The one called Ponz. I would pursue them, but..."The paladin nods as he listens intently to your description of what you saw through Korr's eyes. "Your Smart Crow is very smart indeed to be able to tell you all this." Nort rises from the head of the table and nods at you and Lark. "You've helped me a great deal. I'll be leaving now.""You can't mean to go there by yourself!" Lark looks up at Nort.Nort looks from you to Lark and back to you as you and the priestess both stand. When you pull the Dark Hoe from your belt and stand before Nort with Lark at your side, the paladin grins again. "Very well. I will welcome the company." He glances at you and mumbles as he wipes his mouth. "If we encounter any dungeon crops, I will leave them to you."
The faces of Lark and Nort are grim as you pass through the courtyard and into the rubble left by the monsters' rampage, for it's clear both paladin and priestess wish their duty allowed them to remain and render aid.That evening you arrive at the edge of the swamp. Half an hour before you reach the edge, the smell has already become nearly unbearable. The ground between you and the swamp is empty. No trees can grow any closer.The landscape has been stripped to the sharp bare rock. Ahead of you, tall jagged stone pierces upward out of the sea of sludge like ribs of the earth laid open as far as you can see.The very air burns your lungs."It really is poison!" Lark coughs and wipes her eyes as she blinks toward Nort. "Even with both of us chanting the spell of Heal, we can't cross this swamp!""See, Fuzzy? I told you they could use some help."Your vision blurs and clears and out of the dark you see the tamer Rush riding atop the enormous Demon Mule. "I convinced Fuzzy we should do something to pay you back." The young woman grins. "Climb up on Fuzzy's back!"The Demon Mule glares at you and snorts a cloud of miasma and then finally it kneels down and allows you to climb onto its back. "This is only for revenge."Lark and Nort glance at one another and then the paladin and priestess cautiously climb onto the Demon Mule's back."Thanks, Fuzzy!" Rush hugs the Demon Mule's neck as it bounds from island to island across the poison swamp. "Do you know where you're going?"The Demon Mule snorts. "There's a village of mortals ahead. They're probably hiding there."Lark glances at you and Nort. "A village?"Nort leans forward and whispers. "They say there was once a town called Tremere that was destroyed by the Dark Lord."Out of the poison fog, tall stone walls suddenly loom into sight and the Demon Mule slows to a canter and then picks its way through a narrow path of dry ground, for the Demon Mule cannot walk on water, even poisoned water."There really is a town!" Lark looks from side to side at the slumping crooked buildings surrounding you like a mouth of rotten teeth."Let's take a look around." Nort climbs down from the Demon Mule's back and turns toward the submerged shop faces as he draws his Magic Sword. "Be on your guard."The Demon Mule stands in the town square and watches silently as you and the other three pick your way between the rotted-out pools of poison.The hearth in the inn is as dead and cold as the ground outside.You find the town watchtower and jail, the tower tipping precariously. Through the Iron Bars you can see the back wall of the jail has fallen open and sunk into the swamp, though without a Gold Saw or a Skeleton Key the bars will remain locked."Oh!"Everyone converges into the town square at the sound of Rush's voice and then the young woman's head emerges from the doorway of a shop. "There's a path here!"
"Um, Rush, I've been meaning to ask you about something." Lark glances at the Demon Mule standing near the poisoned well as you and Nort approach the doorway. "You and Fuzzy seem close, but Fuzzy is too big to fit inside most buildings. Does that mean you've been sleeping outside a lot?""Huh?" Rush turns her head to look at the Demon Mule and then grins at Lark. "Oh, Fuzzy can transform into another shape!" Rush waves at the Demon Mule. "Come on, Fuzzy!"The Demon Mule slowly walks toward the shop entrance and then stops before it reaches the tamer. "Perhaps you and I should stay here and keep watch instead."Rush plants her fists against her sides and looks up at the Demon Mule. "Fuzzy!" The Demon Mule glances toward you and Lark and Nort and then closes its eyes."If you insist."The Demon Mule is suddenly replaced by a puff of miasma that dissipates to reveal a tiny colt with a midnight-blue mane, no bigger than the Wind Mule colt!Lark clutches her hands together and squeals in delight at the sight of the Mini Demu but then silences herself with a hand over her mouth when the Mini Demu glares angrily up at her.It squirms in surprise as Rush grabs it from behind and picks it up."Come on, through here!" Rush carries the Mini Demu through the doorway. The path winds through the broken shop and into the open side of the town storehouse.In the back corner of the storehouse, you find a stairwell leading down underneath the poisoned ground.Nort glances at you and then the two of you nod at one another and Nort raises his Magic Sword and you raise the Dark Hoe as you step down into the darkness with Lark at your back and Rush the tamer carrying the Mini Demu in her arms.Rush looks up at the ceiling as she follows Lark down the long narrow corridor beyond the base of the stairwell. "Have you been here before, Fuzzy?""Of course." To your left is a chamber full of cells closed with Iron Bars and then the way winds past a short hallway and the Mini Demu nods toward the large open cell. "The last time I was here, a princess was locked in that cell."Rush looks into the cell, long emptied of anything but an old rotting chest. "What was she a princess of?""I don't know, that's just what the other mortals called her."
Past another long corridor, the way becomes partially flooded. "Careful." Nort walks ahead of you and Lark. "The bricks are starting to come loose."You and the others creep up the half-flooded hallway and then Nort raises a hand and glances back over his shoulder to silence and still you, and soon you hear voices echoing from the chamber beyond."Hey, boss! How long do we have to wait for that Dark Lord?" The voice of Lowe the beastwhip carries through the reeking air."He'll be here soon." Nort's grip upon the handle of his Magic Sword tightens at the sound of the other paladin's voice and then you hear Walt's voice again. "It seems the uninvited guests followed us here. I'll have to take care of them before he arrives."You and Nort glance at one another and then Nort steps out into the wide altar chamber.In the center of the four huge pillars, beneath the high ceiling, Walt and Lowe stand next to the stone altar.Walt raises the Crystal Sword and points it toward Nort. "You must enjoy being bested."The Mini Demu is gone, in its place the Demon Mule suddenly filling the chamber, but then Lowe the beastwhip snaps his Gold Scourge and the Demon Mule canters back a step."Oh? You brought the Demon Mule?" Walt sidesteps closer to Lowe. "But with a beastwhip here, the Demon Mule is as helpless as any other monster.""Then we will remove the beastwhip." Nort raises his Magic Sword and steps toward them."I'm afraid I can't let you do that. After all, I have great plans for him."Ponz steps from the shadows at the base of the pillar behind Lowe.Walt glances over his shoulder at Ponz and grins. "Of course, as long as you're willing to meet my fee.""Huh?" Ponz scowls at Walt. "I'm talking about this beastwhip, not you!""Lowe?" Walt takes a step backward as he grips the Crystal Sword in front of him and glances back at Ponz again. "What do you mean, you have plans for-""Paralyze."Ponz grabs the handle of the Crystal Sword from out of Lowe's trembling hand. "And I'll be taking this."At the same moment you and Nort rush forward and you raise the Dark Hoe but Ponz retreats behind the swaying paladin."Come on, you." With the Crystal Sword in one hand, Ponz grabs Lowe's arm. "Home!"A flash of light blinds you for an instant and then Ponz and Lowe are gone.Walt stands empty-handed in front of the altar and looks from you to Nort to the Demon Mule. He takes a step back and bumps against the altar and then gives a sheepish grin and lunges to one side, intent on fleeing, but the blade of Nort's Magic Sword is suddenly at Walt's throat!Lark raises a hand. "This man should be taken to the church in Clarston to be tried for his crimes.""Clarston is a long way from here. There are plenty of chances for him to escape." Nort raises the blade closer to the other paladin's neck as Walt grimaces. "It would be safer to end things here." Nort glances at you.>Kill him>Help Nort escort him to the church in Clarston>Let him go
>>6474085> until at last you hack off its headThat was uncomfortably close.Maybe keeping Lark in the fight would have helped, but the risk of losing Nort entirely...I hope we can wring a crystal lining out of this cloud by getting some valuable Crystal from the corpse.>The next day, Grif and Flam still lie in the servants' beds. "Chanting the spell of Heal can only do so much."Crap.>>6474086>The Demon Mule glares at you and snorts a cloud of miasmaEyy, it's that guy!>>6474087>to reveal a tiny colt with a midnight-blue mane, no bigger than the Wind Mule colt!I look forward to Fuzzy someday getting to meet our Mules, especially the Wind Colt in his tiny form. He'll be miserable, but the Colt will have a great time!>"The last time I was here, a princess was locked in that cell."You're on a path in the woods...>>6474089>Kill himHonestly I think the right thing to do is to see him tried, but Nort is right, and Walt is a textbook traitor.And Ponz constantly slipping through our fingers strong encouragement to proactively solve problems.
>>6474089>Kill himSmite this blackguard
>>6474089>Help Nort escort him to the church in ClarstonWe can probably extract some intel from him...
>>6474089>Help Nort escort him to the church in ClarstonNow, I'm really not liking this guy at all, but considering how he's been both disarmed and left for dead by his benefactor, he may be more than willing to spill the beans, not out of any remorse but to fuck over Ponz. At the same time though, I *really* wish we had some sturdy rope to haul him all the way to the slammer.
>>6474089>Help Nort escort him to the church in ClarstonHe lost his crystal sword and can be stripped of his armor, not much more of an escape risk after that.>>6474013I remember it was said that crystal was made as an attempt to surpass dark metal, but never that it was a successful attempt.
The Demon Mule's huge head suddenly looms out of the shadows above the disarmed paladin and its voice growls inside your mind. "I'd rather eat him.""Wait!" Rush grabs the Demon Mule's neck with both arms. "I don't want anyone else to get hurt. I didn't like having to hurt people to get you freed, you know!"The Demon Mule glances away and flicks its tail.Nort's face remains composed when you raise one hand and volunteer to help escort Walt. "Clarston is some distance southeast of Mirkham."A glance at Walt's stony face chills your stomach and your mind leaps unbidden to the thought of the crafty paladin escaping.Nort turns at your nod and sheathes his Magic Sword. "Very well." He grabs Walt's arm and turns the other man to bind Walt's wrists."I want to go with!" You and Nort and Walt and Lark all turn to look at Rush as the young woman excitedly smiles between you and Nort and Walt. "I can help with fighting monsters! And I know how to make a fire. And Fuzzy always tells me that I don't know anything about the world of mortals. And I've always wanted to-"The Demon Mule snorts a cloud of miasma downward into the center of the group, driving everyone backward away from the altar, and its voice flares inside your mind. "Absolutely not." Suddenly, the Demon Mule's head dips down and it seizes Walt in its jaws and lifts the bound man up off the stone floor. "Let's go."Walt swings precariously above the burbling poison swamp, his wrists bound behind him, as the Demon Mule leaps from rock to rock. At the edge of the swamp the Demon Mule flings the paladin down into the weeds and snorts another roiling cloud of miasma as it shakes you and Nort and Lark loose.Korr circles high above you."See you later!" Rush waves and the Demon Mule leaps away and gallops southeast into the forest.Above you, Korr caws and you look toward the poison swamp and the pair of Brainfruits floating toward you. As they draw near you raise the Dark Hoe to harvest them but then see their color is darker than a Brainfruit just as one of them puckers its mouth and spits a stream of purple juice toward you.The spray coats your Ancient Armor and you blink in surprise and then raise the Dark Hoe once more when a terrible sensation wracks your muscles. The Poison Fruit's juice seeps through the gaps in your Ancient Armor, its passage unhindered by the darkmetal.The second Poison Fruit slowly rotates toward Lark. The priestess raises her arms in reflexive disgust when the Poison Fruit's vacant bulging eyes suddenly focus on her and its mouth forms a word."Pain."Your own torment continues unabated by time. Your breathing is heavy and the handle of the Dark Hoe nearly slips from your hands before you are able to strike the Poison Fruit. Lark is chanting the spell of Heal against your back but your skin is burning, your bones turned to ice, teeth grinding. The Poison Fruit is finally harvested and now Nort is chanting the spell of Heal above you.
The shaking in your limbs finally subsides, and you wipe the sweat from your eyes and look at the harvested Poison Fruit in front of you and the other Poison Fruit sliced to bits by Nort's Magic Sword and then rise from your knees.Inside the harvested Poison Fruit is a lump of gold worth 10g.The poison sickness ends nearly as quickly as it began, and you can't help wondering if the Dark Folk could eat Poison Fruits."Are you really taking that with?" Lark watches you tie the harvested Poison Fruit to your belt. "They're poisonous, you know."The three of you look toward Walt as the bound man stumbles across the ground and lurches to a stop as more Poison Fruits begin to encircle him.The sun is down when you return with Lark and Nort and Walt to the mansion in Hazeley.One of the housemaids looks out the door as you enter the courtyard and Lark waves at the other woman. "Rose! How are Grif and Flam doing?"The housemaid nods excitedly. "They just woke up!"Walt glances at the woman as Nort leads him past.When she sees Walt, the housemaid glares at him and then smiles at Lark. "Did you want me to put this guy in the monster pens?"Lark hurries into the mansion and you follow behind to the servants' bedchamber where Grif and Flam both sit up in their beds.Grif coughs and grins at you. "We missed the harvest festival in Glynton yesterday."The two men listen as you tell them your decision to go with Nort to Clarston and then Flam the wizard nods. "We would help, but..."Lark nods and looks up from Grif toward you. "I'm going to stay in Hazeley until these two are back on their feet."Grif leans over to look at Nort at Walt standing in the doorway. "Why not lock him up here until we can accompany you?"Nort shakes his head. "No doubt he has plenty of means to escape from this place. We'll be leaving at first light."The next morning, the housemaid Rose stops you in the courtyard as you follow behind Nort and Walt."I found this while we were cleaning up." Rose reaches into her apron. "Lady Lark said I should give it to you."In her hand is a tiny glittering crystal.GOT CRYSTAL SHARD!
You thank Rose and wave goodbye and hurry after Nort. The Crystal Shard goes into your pocket along with the other two Crystal Shards scraped from the vein of crystal in the Dark Lord's mine.From what you know of Crystal Shards and the chanting of spells, you need only chant the spell of Pain into the Crystal Shard and the spell will be stored there until you call upon it.Perhaps you could ask Nort to chant the spell of Heal into them, though once the spell is released, the Crystal Shard is forever destroyed.You and Nort and Walt march all day through the forest, Walt in the lead with his hands still tightly bound behind him.The familiar landscape of the narrow valley pass rises up from the forest just as the sky begins to redden, and the open doorway of the ancient monastery waits out the sunset just as it has for a thousand years or more.Suddenly there is a flickering in the corner of your vision and a gout of flame splits the air between the two paladins.A pair of Hot Potatoes have blundered their way up from the dungeons beyond the long-sprung secret exit!You raise the Dark Hoe and Nort unsheathes his Magic Sword as the Hot Potatoes careen and tumble about the library, knocking against one another and bouncing over your heads.The Dark Hoe chops one of them to its golden core and then Nort sheathes his Magic Sword and you both look up just as Walt disappears between the crumbling bookshelves.Without a word, Nort leaps into a run and follows, and you follow behind Nort through the narrow corridor and down the stairs, catching sight of Walt's trailing cape around the corner but then the stone around you trembles and you find Walt sprawled on his backside beneath the Demon Mule's flaring nostrils and in your mind you hear its voice."I still wouldn't mind eating this mortal."Rush leans out from behind the Demon Mule and smiles at you. "I thought we'd see you again! After all, this is the only way to get back to where you came from, right?"That night, you and Nort share a meal of Hot Potatoes across the fire from Rush at the bottom of the dungeon as the young woman chatters excitedly, a half-eaten Hot Potato in hand, beneath the unblinking gaze of the Demon Mule.Your own Water Mule is waiting at the carved cavern entrance when you emerge the next day. The Water Mule snorts and steps back as you emerge, unwilling to approach the Demon Mule still inside the cavern.*flap flap*Korr flies out of the entrance and lands on a boulder next to the Water Mule.At a thought, the Water Mule grabs Walt in its jaws and lifts him off the ground and then you and Nort climb up the boulder and onto its back."Once we reach Shawport and retrieve your cart, we'll head north and then through the pass toward Mirkham.">Visit your farm before you set out>Follow Nort's directions>Leave your cart in Shawport and ride the Water Mule toward Mirkham
>>6475010>then raise the Dark Hoe once more when a terrible sensation wracks your muscles. The Poison Fruit's juice seeps through the gaps in your Ancient Armor, its passage unhindered by the darkmetal.>Lark is chanting the spell of Heal against your back but your skin is burning, your bones turned to ice, teeth grinding.This sounds like sheer misery. Note to self: don't get hit by poison. Also make sure we bring someone that knows heal anytime we come out here. Or see if anyone knows how to make an antidote or a salve or something.>GOT CRYSTAL SHARD!Ohhh, shiney.>Perhaps you could ask Nort to chant the spell of Heal into them,I'm willing to consider it, though I'd prefer looking for mundane (and much more readily available) solutions first. If we do start loading the Shards, I'd want to keep at least one empty for if we stumble across someone that can cast more powerful/exotic spells.>>6475013>Leave your cart in Shawport and ride the Water Mule toward MirkhamI really want to pick up the cart, but I want to be rid of Walt even more. The cart + overland route is both a lot longer, and easier to escape from (vs the open ocean).If we're going to make a habit of water travel via the Water Mule, we need to rig up a small towable raft or dinghy or something so we're not limited to what fits on it's back.I'm tempted to try and use the crown to coordinate having one of our now many people (is it too early to be calling them retainers?) to pick up the cart via one of the mules. But while the mule would understand easily enough, trying to get someone with actual hands to understand what's going on would be a lot harder.
>>6475013>Follow Nort's directionsDon’t want Walt knowing the location of our farm. After that hot potato escape we need to tie his feet or something.
>>6475013>Follow Nort's directionsI'd like to go and ride directly to Mirkham, but the cart might be useful for a multiple-day trip...
>>6475013>Follow Nort's directions
>>6475013>Follow Nort's directionsOnly choosing this option because the ocean is pretty treacherous and we want to bring this guy to Mirkham alive. Probably should've killed him but we don't operate on a "kill first, ask later" protocol. However, there will be no second chances. Those deserting bandits had to learn that the hard way...
Rush waves and calls goodbye from the carved cavern entrance as the Water Mule gallops down the hillside toward the distant beach. You manage a quick glance back and an even quicker wave and then Rush is out of sight.When the Water Mule reaches the shoreline of the cove it leaps across the wet sand and then atop the crests of the rough waves.You arrive at the Shawport docks at midday, eight Hot Potatoes tied to your belt and Walt pale and shaken from the voyage. The sailors wave as the Water Mule leaps up onto the docks and trots up the street toward the storehouse and your waiting cart. Walt is dropped to the ground and lies groaning while you retrieve your Leather Coat from Boyd the storehouse manager, along with a length of rope.Walt's feet are bound and then you and Nort toss the other paladin into the back of your cart.Nort climbs up one of the cart's Spiked Wheels and sits next to you with the Dark Hoe leaning on the seat between you. Korr lands on the Dark Hoe and looks down at Walt bound in the back of the cart next to your Leather coat.The Smart Crow flaps back up into the air as the cart rolls forward through the town gate.From Shawport, you drive the cart north through the hilly mountain pass. That night you and Nort camp on the edge of the lake. Beyond the dwindling campfire, the lake surface glimmers in the moonlight, and you think again on your idea to somehow divert the headwaters eastward into the wasteland.The next day you continue past the lake, to the edge of the wasteland, and then southeast to the heights overlooking the vast forests of Mirkham. Now that you've been west of the Cloudcutter Mountains, the woods below seem somehow more mundane.The sun is already getting low again by the time you arrive in Mirkham with 20g from a pair of Iron Locusts encountered along the way added to the 245g in your pocket. A few woodsmen near the storehouse all stop their talking to watch as your cart rolls to a stop in front of the storehouse.
Nort climbs down from the cart and a few moments later walks out of the storehouse with Chuk behind him. You and Nort carry Walt off the back of the cart as Chuk unlocks the Iron Bars of the jail cell next to the storehouse. Nort unties Walt's hands and then locks the Iron Bars again. Nort holds up the key in front of Chuk. "Is this the only key for these Iron Bars?"Chuk nods at Nort. "That's right." He glances at the other paladin inside the cell. "Go ahead and hold onto it until you leave."Nort gives the storehouse keeper a quick nod and looks at you. "This will be the last time we can rest so peacefully until we reach Clarston."Walt sulks silently behind the Iron Bars as you and Nort walk out of the jail and across the street to the Mirkham inn."Oh, it's you again! The adventurer!"The few other men in the tavern turn at the proclamation of Dove the innkeeper and stare at you and Nort for a moment before returning to their own cups of beer and low chatter.You and Nort sit at the closest table and Dove hurries across the floor with a cup of beer in each hand. When she places the cup in front of you she smiles. "You got your armor back!"Nort glances at you from over the lip of his own cup and the innkeeper continues."I saw you had a man on your cart that got locked up in the jail! He must be really dangerous." Dove looks from you to Nort and smiles at you again. "If I ever see my son again, maybe I can ask you to give him some wisdom about being an adventurer!"Nort coughs and takes another sip of his beer as you hurriedly count out 42g and hand it to Dove.Dove pockets the gold into her apron and smiles again. "I'll go get your rooms ready.">Tell her Daro is on your farm>Keep quiet for now
>>6475222>The sun is already getting low again by the time you arrive in MirkhamA thankfully uneventful trip. So far so good.>>6475224>>Keep quiet for nowCriminal he may have been, Daro has been good about his rehabilitation. I don't want to break his mom's heart.Next time we're back on the farm, we should mention his mother's been asking about him, see if he wants us to tell her where he's been.
>>6475224>Keep quiet for nowWe should leave it up to him to contact her, but in the meantime just do what she suggests, and give him our advice as an adventurer (farmer).
>>6475224>Keep quiet for nownot our place to break that kind of news. When Daro is good and ready.
For now it seems wisest to remain silent, and so you bear Nort's curious glance and avert your gaze to watch Dove's back as the woman crosses the tavern toward the stairs.That night as you lie on the bed, you turn the Dark Lord's crown over in your hands and wonder if your Dragon Dryad would be able to convey your wishes to the humans on your farm.Korr is waiting on the edge of the inn's roof when you step into the morning sun and follow Nort across the street to the jail. The Iron Bars clang open and Korr watches Nort bind Walt's hands and feet again. You and Nort lift the other man into the back of your cart and then Nort hands the key back to Chuk the storehouse keeper, and you and Nort set out toward Clarston.The ride is quiet as you leave Mirkham behind. Nort is content to sit in silence and Walt as well, but then the Water Mule snorts and rears up as an Iron Locust crashes out of the trees.Nort stands up and steps one foot onto the Spiked Wheel as he draws his Magic Sword and leaps toward the Iron Locust.Another Iron Locust clambers over the fallen timbers. Its head rotates back and forth and then it sights your cart and skitters closer.Walt thrashes about in the back of the cart. "Cut me loose!"You leap over the bound paladin and off the back of the cart, the Dark Hoe swinging in an overhead arc above your head, and strike the Iron Locust atop its skull. Behind you, Nort gives a grunt of effort and the first Iron Locust falls to the forest floor with a clatter of metal. Again the Dark Hoe is brought down on the second Iron Locust, and with the third strike it falls in a tangle of sharp iron-shelled legs.*flap flap*Walt hops away from the cart and looks back over his shoulder just as Korr swoops down and knocks Walt off-balance. With a surprised yelp Walt stumbles and lands face-down over a broken tree trunk and Korr flutters down atop the man's backside.Nort sheathes his Magic Sword and strides across the path. "Your Smart Crow is quite helpful." Korr preens itself and then flaps away as Nort grabs Walt's collar and lifts him upright, gasping and struggling, and marches the other paladin back to the cart.The land east of Mirkham is unknown to you, though the forest seems unchanging around you until mid-afternoon and then your cart rolls out of the woods and into the open. The late autumn sun has warmed the air outside the shadowed forest and ahead of you is a sturdy bridge spanning over a huge river.As you approach the bridge, three Soggy Fruits rise up from the water and drift through the air toward you, gurgling and mumbling.Nort looks up as you stand and grip the Dark Hoe and then he nods and turns his attention to Walt, leaving the sunlight crops to you. "I'll take the next batch."
Beyond the bridge, the landscape softens. The peaks of mountains rise and fall beyond the treetops, but not to the grand heights of the Cloudcutter Mountains. The ground beneath your cart's Spiked Wheels has flattened out into a plain, and the Water Mule gallops unhindered across the wide prairie.The sky has turned red when Nort points toward the wide valley plain between the mountain ranges. "To the north is Fulden."The name is familiar to you, for you recall your three adventurer friends went to a dungeon near Fulden to search for Magic Keys.Dusk turns to twilight and Nort shakes his head and you drive the cart faster and at last you see lights ahead of you and a high stone wall sketches itself into view against the darkening sky."A monster!""It's a Water Mule!"The cart rolls to a stop and Nort stands and unsheathes his Magic Sword and holds it up. The cold white flames dance over the blade's gold surface, lighting up the ground around the cart's dark shadow, and the guards are suddenly silenced and then one of them blinks and steps into the flickering white firelight."It's Nort!""Nort! Did you slay that Dark Lord?"Nort glances from the two guards to the Water Mule and then to you when one of the guards looks into the back of the cart."It's Walt!""Why's he tied up like this?"Walt slumps over sideways and grins at the guards. "If you could just untie me..."Nort sheathes his Magic Sword and rushes to stop the guards and then leads them back around the cart as you hastily wrap your Ancient Armor in cloth sacks and tuck it into the corner of your cart.One of the guards looks up at you as you pull your arm through the sleeve of your Leather Coat. "Who's this?""This farmer has helped a great deal." Nort glances back at you as he leads the two guards toward the town gate, one arm around each guard's shoulders. "Please tell the head priest we need to be seen at once.""Nort, my boy!"
An old man in the white hood of a priest shuffles out of the dark gateway. "Back so soon?" The old man looks over the edge of your cart at Walt and then looks up at Nort. "I can't wait to hear all about it." For an instant the priest's eyes are on the Dark Hoe tucked in your belt and then back to Nort. "Did you bring someone to tend the church gardens?""This farmer has..." Nort closes his mouth and glances at you and then looks to the old man. "He is my friend.""Oh? High praise, coming from you."Nort holds out a hand toward the old man. "This is Rhys, the head priest of the Clarston church."The priest nods at you and tilts his head at the pair of guards. "Take Walt downstairs for now."Inside the church library, Rhys listens as you and Nort recall your battles in the monster pens and the arena beneath Walt's mansion."Walt always was a bit reckless. To think he got his hands on a Crystal Locust. And a Crystal Sword. And this Dark Folk calling himself the Dark Lord..." He glances at you. "Ponz, was it?" The head priest rises and looks across the table at you. "It will take several days for the other judges to arrive. You're both free to do as you like until then."Nort rises and bows. "I will remain here in the church to guard Walt.">Visit Fulden>Remain in Clarston
>>6476119>Visit FuldenNort's got it handled. I wanna see what this place is like though
>>6476119>Visit Fulden
>>6476114>and wonder if your Dragon Dryad would be able to convey your wishes to the humans on your farm.Oh right, I'd forgotten the Dryad can outright talk. Her ability to convey what we transmitted would another matter though.>Korr flutters down atop the man's backside.heh.>"Your Smart Crow is quite helpful." You have no idea how many times Korr has been our deus ex machina saving grace. I don't think he has much in the way of worldly wants, but if he does have something he desires we'd be honor-bound to give it to him.>The land east of Mirkham is unknown to you,The map grows.>you recall your three adventurer friends went to a dungeon near Fulden to search for Magic Keys.Given the opportunity, we should ask around a bit, see if anyone knows where that dungeon is. It would be nice to have the option to do some key hunting ourselves.>The cart rolls to a stop and Nort stands and unsheathes his Magic Sword and holds it up.We need to remember to travel with someone that can vouch for us when bringing Mules into a new town. It seem to go a long ways to smoothing over the first impressions.>For an instant the priest's eyes are on the Dark Hoe tucked in your belt and then back to Nort.Ah. Hmm. Hopefully our use of Darkmetal isn't a problem. We may wield some of the Dark Lord's toys, but we've been acting in good faith.>>6476119>Remain in ClarstonI'm happy to explore either city, but I think we'll have a slightly easier time getting ourselves acquainted with the townsfolk here while our association with Nort is still fresh. Plus if needed we can come this way later with the adventurers to ease our first impressions in Fulden.
The head priest gestures for you and Nort to follow and then Rhys shuffles from the room. You and Nort walk out of the church library and down the hall past a row of tiny open bedchambers. Rhys holds out a hand at one of the doorways. "The church has room if you need somewhere to stay."Your Ancient Armor, still wrapped in cloth sacks, is stowed in the corner of one of the tiny rooms, and the head priest bids you goodnight as he shuffles up the hall to his own bed.Nort has already gone to guard Walt.The next morning, Rhys greets you in the hallway and shuffles next to you as you walk toward the front doors of the church. The old man nods as you mention traveling to Fulden. "Most travelers don't go up that way."When you reach the front doors, Rhys waves and turns back inside and you walk toward your cart and the Water Mule.You begin to hitch the Water Mule to your cart when you suddenly stop, for in the corner of your vision you see someone standing behind the inn watching you.The figure disappears as you look up from the cartpole in your hands, though you are certain of what you saw.Your cart is quickly hitched and you drive it from Clarston, Korr riding atop the backboard and your Ancient Armor tucked behind you.The day is warm, and the open plain is pleasantly sunny despite the autumn dampness churned up by your cart's Spiked Wheels as you ride northBy midday the walls of a small village can be seen across the plain.
"Yes, this is Fulden." The man behind the counter of the general store nods. "I'm Zeke, the owner of this shop."Fulden is smaller than Glynton, and the largest shop in this place seems to sell only Leather Sacks for 800g and Used Chisels for 2000g."We don't get many farmers up here." Zeke glances at the Dark Hoe tucked into your belt as you examine one of the Used Chisels. "Most of my customers are miners or hunters."The Leather Sacks are more expensive than those sold by Brug in the Glynton tannery, but this is the first merchant you've seen selling Chisels since you met Snaz in the dungeon beneath your farmyard. You recall the cost of an Iron Chisel was 10000g, but unlike Snaz's wares, the Used Chisel is relatively affordable. With several Used Chisels your sharecroppers could easily undertake large-scale stoneworking projects.With only 267g in hand, however, such projects will have to wait.Instead, you ask the shopkeeper about your other reason for visiting this place."Magic Keys?" Zeke points up the path toward a tiny shop. "You'll have to talk to Oslo about those."
"Magic Keys! They will unlock any enchanted doors!" The bald man nods eagerly as you look around the cramped room and the Magic Keys behind the counter. "I'm Oslo the Warrior. Or at least, that's what they used to call me."You glance at the price card tied to one of the Magic Keys and then look again as you count the numbers.Oslo grins when you finally raise your eyes from the price card. "I collected these myself from Shadowfruits back when I was an adventurer." He picks up one of the large golden keys and sets it back down. "They say the dungeon southwest of here was even darker than the Dark Lord's dungeon. That's where I got these."At the mention of your adventurer friends, Oslo turns from the Magic Keys and leans on the countertop. "Sure, I remember those three. They stopped through a week or two ago. They left without buying anything."Oslo continues to smile silently as you back out of the doorway and stumble back into the street.>Visit the dungeon southwest of Fulden>Return to Clarston
>>6476587>Visit the dungeon southwest of Fulden
>>6476587>Visit the dungeon southwest of FuldenY'all got any more of them magic keys??
>>6476587> With several Used Chisels your sharecroppers could easily undertake large-scale stoneworking projects.A good idea. One of these days we won't be perpetually short on cash.>You glance at the price card tied to one of the Magic KeysOuch. At least we can buy from him if we get really desperate.>>Visit the dungeon southwest of FuldenI doubt we'll be lucky enough to get a Key this time, but we can get to grips with these legendary Shadowfruits.
"Oh? You're going to that dungeon?" Zeke looks out the doorway of the general store as you walk past. "Oslo once told me there are holes in the floor, but you can't see them because it's so dark."You wave to Zeke and then turn and walk through the village gate to your cart, though you can't help glancing over one shoulder and then the other, unable to ignore the feeling that something is creeping up behind you.*flap flap*With a thought, Korr flaps its wings and glides through the air above the cart as you stand with your head down watching through the Smart Crow's eyes, but you see only the village.Korr circles once more and lands on the backboard, watching you as you finish hitching the cartpoles.This land is less broken than the western domains, and your cart rides smoothly over the plain as you travel southwest toward the small forest hemmed in on all sides by mountain peaks.The forest is dense, filled with a chill low fog despite the low midday sun glimpsed through the trees. The narrow pass is choked with trees, and the ground slopes down into the cold forested valley shaded like twilight.In front of you, the Water Mule suddenly snorts and lurches to a stop and then you hear a slithering noise not unlike that of the Zombie Snail you faced in the Hazeley arena. The breaking of trees soon fills the air and an enormous snail oozes from the shadows, massive enough to swallow your entire cart.The Big Snail stretches forward and slides over the ground, closing the distance between itself and the cart as you hurriedly climb down.Your Ancient Armor still lies wrapped in cloth sacks in the back of the cart. You spare the sideboard a single glance, for you're unsure the darkmetal armor would be of help inside the Big Snail's stomach.Instead, you raise the Dark Hoe and bring it down with all your might upon the Big Snail as the huge monster begins to encircle your cart.The Big Snail stretches out faster than you can strike, and the air rings with the sound of the Dark Hoe's blade striking a chip from the Big Snail's shell. The monster flattens and squirms, folding on itself to bring its head around to you. A billowing acidic vapor seeps from its flabby toothless maw.The Big Snail lunges its head forward to devour you whole.
You fling yourself backward onto the ground and look up as its mouth puckers over a Spiked Wheel. One of the monster's bulging eyestalks turns toward you and blinks as the Big Snail suckles upon the Spiked Wheel and then it raises its head from the cart, pulling away a long thick strand of pale green slime.At once you climb to your feet and circle the Big Snail as its head twists to follow you and then it contorts and lunges out toward you again!The Big Snail's shell is hard enough to block the Dark Hoe.Its flesh, however, is not.Soft as it is, the slimy body oozes around the blade of the Dark Hoe, seemingly unscathed, and it stretches and slaps its puckered face against the ground at your retreating feet. You strike again and again, until at last the monster shivers and twists, enveloping you in its slimy mass, but then you feel the weight around you begin to sag and you stand panting as its boneless form slowly retreats into its shell, stopping halfway.Beneath the peeled-up shell's slimy underside you find a lump of gold worth 13g.The ground is slippery by the time you emerge from the Big Snail's carcass and wipe yourself with the cloth sacks and then don your Ancient Armor.For an hour or more you slowly drive the Water Mule back and forth through the woods, until you finally see a darker area within the shadowed overhang of a cliff face.Korr flaps up into the air as you climb from the cart. The Water Mule is unhitched and you approach close enough to touch the ancient carved cavern doorway framing the blackness inside but then the Water Mule snorts irritably.Head bowed, you watch through Korr's eyes as the Smart Crow looks down from a high branch at a cloaked figure lurking in the shadow behind a tree.>Continue delving the dungeon>Try to hide inside the entrance>Set your monsters upon the cloaked figure
>>6476962>Set your monsters upon the cloaked figureLook guys look, a PLOT HOOK. GET 'IM!!!
>>6476962>Set your monsters upon the cloaked figure
>>6476962>but you see only the village.worrying.>Soft as it is, the slimy body oozes around the blade of the Dark Hoe, seemingly unscathed,I can't tell if we're due for another upgrade, or if we just need to git gud. We are entirely self-taught in the combat arts of the humble farmer's hoe, after all. Maybe we can source a book, or if we're really lucky, a fellow war farmer for training?Or maybe we're just approaching the limits of our ability as a non-combat class.>Set your monsters upon the cloaked figureEven odds this guy is hostile, but lurking and sneaking like that isn't polite, so he'll get what's coming to him.
>>6476962>Set your monsters upon the cloaked figurePonz you fucking shit we have you now
>>6477016The hoe seems to work well against crops but not so well against most monsters.
>>6477023It's the weapon we've got. According to the QM we'd just get a debuff if we tried whipping out crossbows and swords since we're a Farmer class. What we need are some offensive spells and mana for the weird elemental creatures and other less physically solid enemies out there. Or maybe we need to stop getting into so many fights.
>>6477024We probably should do some actual farming instead of running around the world chasing every lead, but herding cats and all.
>>6477016> Or maybe we're just approaching the limits of our ability as a non-combat class.I think this is it, we do way better against monster crops than monster animals.Might need to hire some adventurers full time.
Inside the vision within your mind, the hooded head raises and swells in size, dizzying you until the figure unsheathes a Gold Sword from its scabbard and Korr swoops up and away from its reach. You see with your own eyes the brown cloak edge raise and billow out of hiding beyond the trunk at the Smart Crow's feint and then the Water Mule is galloping toward the tree, braying all the while.The cloaked figure breaks from the shadows and flees, but Korr swoops down again, driving the figure off-balance to one side. The hood turns and as the looming Water Mule rears up on its back hooves and brays mightily, the cloak is cast open as the figure stumbles and falls backward, revealing a young woman in the gleaming armor of a paladin!The blade of the Gold Sword in her hands cuts the air between them and the Water Mule's forehooves wave and then crash down as the huge monster circles her warily.Korr swoops down again, drawing a cry of surprise as the Smart Crow knocks the back of her head with one wing.She grips the handle of her Gold Sword tightly and steps back to better brace herself for her swing but then she sees you walking through the trees, the Dark Hoe in hand, and the Gold Sword's blade wavers between the Water Mule and your approach."Call off your monsters! There's no need for us to fight!"Her Gold Sword continues to pivot between you and the Water Mule but then you tuck the handle of the Dark Hoe into your belt. With a thought, the Water Mule crashes down against the forest floor.She glances back over her shoulder at the Water Mule circling behind her through the trees and then nods at you and slowly sheathes her Gold Sword. The hilt clicks against the scabbard and she gives you a quick guilty grin."My name is Gale. Rhys asked me to follow you after you left the church."Korr flutters and caws from the branch above your head and she flinches and grabs the handle of her Gold Sword and then her eyes flit toward your Ancient Armor."You know, most farmers don't have any darkmetal! But then I saw you put on that darkmetal armor. And you have a hoe made of darkmetal. And there's that darkmetal circlet you're wearing." She looks over her shoulder at the Water Mule and glances back at you as she mumbles "And I'm certain that ring is also made of darkmetal." Gale looks up at Korr. "And these monsters are obviously following you around even though you don't seem like you're a sorcerer or a beastwhip or a tamer. Rhys thought you might be a Dark Folk in disguise." She grins at you again. "It doesn't seem like that's true either."Gale leans sideways to look past you at the dungeon entrance. "Are you really going into Moldewol by yourself?"When you repeat the unfamiliar word, the young woman looks back to you."Oh, that's the original name of this place. Most people just call it the dungeon southwest of Fulden.">Invite Gale to join your expedition>Ignore her and enter the dungeon>Return to the church in Clarston
>>6477203>Invite Gale to join your expeditionWe make friends here
>>6477203>Invite Gale to join your expeditionFriendship!
>>6477203>You know, most farmers don't have any darkmetal! [...] And I'm certain that ring is also made of darkmetal.Hmm. Most people don't know what Darkmetal looks like, so we've never had this issue before. We can't really disguise the Hoe (unless we coat it in something? but that wouldn't last a fight), nor the armor. but we could wear a hat and gloves to cover up the crown and ring, respectively, at least around some types of folk.>>Invite Gale to join your expeditionI don't think she'd give us grief if we blew her off, but this both gives us an extra sword arm and let's us "prove" ourselves to her openly.
>>6477203>Invite Gale to join your expeditionNeed fighta
Your nod is met with an apprehensive grin. "I'm supposed to follow you..." The apprehension fades as you eagerly welcome her to come along into the dungeon and she hurries to follow you through the entrance.Inside, a narrow passage cuts into the wall on your left. Ahead is a large open room but as you step through the doorway you realize that there is no floor in front of you and you quickly draw your foot back and feel along the wall.The hallways are twisting, full of Sharp Peas and Deep Onions and dead ends, but simply laid, and you soon blunder into a stairwell trailing down further into the earth."I've never seen anyone fight a Big Snail with a hoe before." Gale slowly walks down the stairs ahead of you. "Have you ever thought about using a scourge instead of a hoe in combat?" Silence follows for another step and then the young woman speaks again. "Farmers can equip scourges, you know."You recall Lowe the beastwhip carried a Gold Scourge, though you are wholly unschooled in the art of combat. "At least, that's what my uncle the scholar once told me. He lives in a village near the Cloudcutter Mountains."The name is out before you realize you've spoken and her foot scrapes the stone steps as she stops and turns."You know Uncle Hans?"Cool air wafts over you and you feel the room open around you as you finally reach the stairwell landing."Radiant."Your eyes have become accustomed to the blackness and clench closed, until slowly the gleaming light lessens to a pale yellow glow surrounding Gale, just enough for you to see her face."Most dungeons glow slightly because of the magic energy. Moldewol is so dark, even chanting the spell of Radiant isn't enough to make much light."You blink again and then stumble back, startled at what lies before you.Beyond the stairwell is an enormous void in the dungeon floor, too deep to be called a pit. The entire level is open. The unseen edge of the void is dauntingly distant, and your voices travel without echo.Just as Zeke said, the floor is full of gaps, sending you backtracking again and again until you finally discover a route across the vast open blackness to another staircase leading down the edge of the void.A Gold Locust skitters out of the blackness chasing a pair of Deep Onions.
Gale draws her Gold Sword and raises it toward the Gold Locust.Before the Gold Locust can devour the dungeon crops, you raise the Dark Hoe and harvest the first of the Deep Onions. The Gold Locust's head pivots toward you as the handle of the Dark Hoe blocks the second Deep Onion's chattering jaws, but then Gale strikes the Gold Locust again.The Deep Onion hangs heavily on the Dark Hoe as you slam it against the stone floor to loosen its bite and then you swing the Dark Hoe up into the black air and chop the dungeon crop in half to the lump of gold embedded in its center.With both the Deep Onions harvested, you turn at last to join Gale in facing the Gold Locust. The Dark Hoe and the paladin's Gold Sword strike it over and over until you and Gale hack off the monster's head."That was a good idea to defeat the Deep Onions right away." Gale's face tilts down and you hear her Gold Sword sliding into its scabbard. "Have you fought a lot of Gold Locusts before?"Again you find yourself before the void, though the breadth across the cavern is lessened with each level you cross, as you slowly creep across the ground and down again, until the void is scarcely larger than the stairwell, and you step down the stairs, your feet moving slower and slower, for the blackness is disorienting.The light has faded completely from Gale's face. You hear her chant the spell of Radiant once more, but the dim glow is gone at once.At the bottom of Moldewol, there is only inescapable dark.The nothingness surrounds you, and you feel at once that you stand in the center of the void. Beneath the spearpoint shaft above you, the stone has opened up all around into a maddening expanse of empty space.Gale draws her Gold Sword, and a moment later the air moves slightly and you catch the scent of something sweet and then you hear quiet muttering.The paladin grunts as she swings with all her might. In your mind you see the Shadowfruit sliced to pieces but instead you hear the unseen dungeon crop whisper."Sleep."The sound of Gale slumping to the stone floor is muffled by the vast open blackness.
Gale lies unmoving. In the instant your gaze is turned down to the paladin, your sense of the Shadowfruit vanishes. You swing the Dark Hoe blindly, flinching as you step back in a tight circle, afraid of what gaps may lie beneath your unsure footsteps, and a quiet voice whispers in your ear."Sleep."At once a wave of tiredness overtakes you but your terror of being left helpless in this black void remains, for the spell does not work.Before the Shadowfruit can drift away you raise the Dark Hoe once more and then feel the blade of darkmetal chop through as you strike it down to its golden center.The clink of gold strikes against the stone floor and you slowly sink to your knees and feel around until you find a 10g lump. Your hands scrape over the floor all around the spot where you found the gold lump, searching for the Shadowfruit, and then you hear Gale stir as she wakes."You can't harvest Shadowfruits in the dark."Moldewol's strange reputation as the darkest dungeon in the land seems to have been borne out upon this expedition. The unsettling sensation of floating in an abyss continues to rise in the pit of your stomach, and so you and Gale carefully pick your way back to the stairwell and then up and up through the broken levels surrounding the void.It's past nightfall when you finally emerge from the dungeon, 520g in hand and eight Deep Onions tied to your belt. The forest around the dungeon entrance was dim even at midday. At midnight, the woods are nearly as dark as Moldewol itself."Um..." Gale reaches a hand out to feel for the closest tree. "I'll collect some firewood."That night, the fire is brighter than you remember.The flickering campfire warms your knees, though the cool autumn air has turned cold. You split one of the Deep Onions in two and pass one of the halves across the fire to the paladin.Gale reaches out and takes it and then turns her head with a guilty twitch and glances down and then away. "I wasn't supposed to let you know that I was watching you." She chews on a corner of the Deep Onion and glances at you and then quickly looks away again. "It'll be at least a week until Walt's trial is held."It seems this paladin will be a member of your party for the next few days.>Visit Glynton and buy a Leather Sack (500g)>Return to the church in Clarston>Return to Moldewol and grind for Magic Keys
>>6478112>"Farmers can equip scourges, you know."I'm all for giving ourselves more options. It's worth experimenting with.>"You know Uncle Hans?"Oh hey, cool. It might be worth checking what else we could equip. I don't expect a wealth of options, but a little flexibility can go a long way.>Beyond the stairwell is an enormous void in the dungeon floor, too deep to be called a pit.Yeah, sheesh, just looking at the map is intimidating.>In your mind you see the Shadowfruit sliced to pieces but instead you hear the unseen dungeon crop whisper.Oh no.>but your terror of being left helpless in this black void remainsYeah me too buddy. I'm sure it's already been tried, but we need to see about bringing more powerful light sources down here next time. >>6478115>Return to Moldewol and grind for Magic KeysIt's incredibly creepy, but we're already here. Might as well see if we can get lucky.
>>6478115>Return to the church in ClarstonThat dungeon is terrifying and could easily kill us. We need a working light source.
>>6478115>Return to the church in ClarstonSpooky dungeon with no working light sources? No thanks. Being eaten alive in the deepest of darks is not on my bucket list
>>6478115>Visit Glynton and buy a Leather Sack (500g)
Your eyes drift from the fire to the mouth of Moldewol, unseen somewhere beyond your cart. The lightless dungeon seems too great a danger to face at present.Gale nods happily when you say as much. "My own magic power is quite limited. Perhaps with more magic power, the spell of Radiant may be enough to overcome the darkness."That night, as you and Gale lie across the fire from one another, you think on her words about harvesting Shadowfruits. Your experience with catching Rotten Fruits in Lily's cloth sacks has taught you that a durable material is necessary. With a Leather Sack, it seems possible to capture a Shadowfruit and harvest it in the light of day.Your eyes begin to close and you wonder if anyone else you'll ever meet will know how to chant the spell of Radiant.The sky is marginally lighter when you wake to the sound of a horse's whinny. Gale sits astride a tan spotted roan that steps nervously sideways and back through the low cold fog as the huge Water Mule rises from the far side of your cart.From the mouth of Moldewol you drive your cart northeast through the woods, and then south into the open plain toward Clarston. The late autumn sun soon begins to warm your back, and by mid-afternoon the walls of the church-town are in sight.Rhys the head priest looks up from the church doorway at Gale riding alongside your cart on your way through the town gates.Gale dismounts in front of the church and stands waiting for Rhys to shuffle across the bricks.You climb from your cart and begin to unhitch the cartpoles and look past the Water Mule at Gale's rigid face twitching beneath the old man's silent scrutiny. Gale swallows and glances toward you and then back to the head priest."Well, no matter." Rhys waves one hand in front of him. "This just means you can relieve Nort. He's been guarding Walt without sleep." Rhys looks up at you with a smile as you climb from your cart. "Care to help me harvest our Cowberries?"Rhys leads you through a small graveyard and around to the back side of the church. The plots are small but the soil obviously rich, and you cast an envious eye over the ripe Cowberries, much plumper than the ones you've raised on your farm."This will be the last harvest of the year." The old man slowly bends forward to grasp the closest stalk. "I hope Gale didn't cause you much trouble."He stops and looks up at you as you begin to recall your expedition to the bottom of Moldewol."A Shadowfruit?" Rhys nods. "When I was a boy, the innkeeper's wife had a secret recipe for Shadowfruit pie. They said even the local lord would visit in disguise to have a taste of it."The harvest of the church's small plots is quickly finished, and you walk with the head priest around the other side of the church and through a small grove back inside. Nort grins and composes himself as he meets you and Rhys in the hallway, your arms laden with Cowberries.
Four nights hence, as you ladle out a bowl of Deep Onion soup for Gale to take down to Nort in the small dungeon beneath the church, a knock upon the church doors echoes through the hall.The other priests have arrived sooner than expected.Rhys shuffles toward the door and you follow behind but then the doors are pushed open and a portly bald man in a fur-collared robe sniffs the air. "Do I smell Deep Onion soup?"Beside him stands another man, blinded eyes bound in a white cloth. "This must be the farmer with the tamed monsters."Rhys gestures at the blinded man and then to the bald man. "This is Egan the priest, and Rolf the priest."The next morning, Nort waits at the door to your room. "The priests would like you to wait here." Nort places a hand on the hilt of his Magic Sword. "I'm just about to bring Walt up from his cell."For three hours or more you sit on the small bed, until Gale knocks on the door and you follow her up the hall where the other priests sit before the altar.You glance at Nort as the paladin reenters the room and then Rhys clears his throat."Walt and Nort both spoke about a Dark Folk named Ponz." The old man turns toward Egan. "It seems Ponz is a powerful wizard."The blinded man nods. "And now this farmer has gotten involved. Walt mentioned him several times."Rolf turns his head to look at you. "Nort tells us you have many monsters living on your farm, and even a Dark Folk woman."A cold sinking feeling fills your stomach as you silently think of Byep and Snaz and the other Dark Folk in the dungeon beneath your farmyard.Suddenly Nort steps forward in front of you. As he does, the three priests all stop and look up at him."I will declare, this man always acts in a kind and noble manner." Nort glances at you and then back to the three seated priests. "He has been invaluable in capturing Walt."Rolf wipes the top of his head with the back of his hand. "The farmer's character isn't the issue."Egan nods. "I would like to hear his own words. What do you know of the Dark Folk named Ponz?"Your heart begins to race as you stand before the three priests, Nort on one side and Gale on your other, unsure what to reveal.>Tell them what they already know>Tell them Ponz is disliked by other Dark Folk>Tell them Ponz wants the Dark Lord's raiment
>>6479218>Tell them Ponz is disliked by other Dark FolkNobody likes this guy! He stinks!!!
>>6479218>Tell them Ponz is disliked by other Dark Folk
>>6479218>Tell them Ponz is disliked by other Dark FolkThis does indicate that we've talked to a least a few other Dark Folk, but we should be able to brush that off as chance encounters on our travels. It's partially true anyway, which helps.They seem to be functionally immortal (1000+ years old with no sign of slowing down in any of the ones we've seen), so there must be a decent amount of them scattered around if you know where to look.Stay away from mentioning the Rainment. Last thing we need is to add another faction to the hunt.
>>6479218>Tell them Ponz is disliked by other Dark FolkAlso the one on our farm is very helpful and doesn’t do evil deeds. Ponz is just an outlier and a huge jerk.
>>6479218>Tell them Ponz is disliked by other Dark FolkWonder what's the deal with Dark Folk. They've all been nice, welcoming people with the only unfortunate exception of Ponz and maybe Shug.
Though it may prove foolish, you feel cause to defend the Dark Folk you've met outside your dungeon from the poor reputation which Ponz has created.The three priests are silent for a moment before Egan raises his face toward you. "You speak of Dark Folk other than the one confined to your farm?"Drim and Shug are left unnamed but as you tell the blinded man that two other Dark Folk met in the Cloudcutter Mountains have told you such, you see Rolf's eyebrow raise."Why were you in the mountains?"The three priests cross their arms in disbelief as you recall your expedition to the Cloudcutter Mountains, but as you begin to describe the process of turning Angel Fruits into fertilizer and your journey with the priestess Lark along with the warrior Grif and the wizard Flam to the highest peak, the men lean forward in growing interest until your tale abruptly ends with you giving up on harvesting Angel Fruits.It seems unnecessary to mention that an Angel Fruit taught you to chant the spell of Pain.To mention that you later asked the priestess Lark to transform Rotten Fruits into Angel Fruits using enchanted gold would likewise invite uncomfortable questions.Rhys looks from side to side at Rolf and Egan and then the old man scratches his chin. "What do you two think?"Egan nods. "It's clear this man is an extraordinary farmer.""The lord of Langmede was wise to send him to turn the wasteland." Rolf looks to Nort standing at your side. "Your praise was not unfounded."As your head turns toward Nort, the paladin hastily glances away and sets his jaw."Whatever skill this farmer has, he doesn't seem to have had any dealings with either Walt or Ponz." Rhys looks at Egan. When the blinded man nods, Rhys looks to his other side at Rolf. The bald man glances from you to Nort once more and then looks at Rhys and nods.Rhys looks from one priest to the other again and then nods to himself. "I suppose that means we're done here."Rolf is the first to stand. "If there's no more Deep Onion soup, I'll be at the inn."Egan stands up and nods toward you. "I wouldn't mind visiting your farm someday." The blind man turns and follows Rolf up the aisle and out the room.When the other two priests have gone, the old man slowly rises and shuffles toward you and the two paladins standing before the altar. "You've been very accommodating."Nort rests a hand on the hilt of his Magic Sword. "I wish there was something I could do to repay your help."Gale nods. "Are you going back to your farm?">Return to your farm as soon as possible>Try to catch and harvest a Shadowfruit>Remain in Clarston for now
>>6479550>The lord of LangmedeFinally >Write-in>Travel to Langmede
>>6479550>Remain in Clarston for now
>>6479550A touch uncomfortable, but it still went better than I'd feared.>"The lord of Langmede was wise to send him to turn the wasteland."Interesting. >Return to your farm as soon as possibleWe need a sack and better light before going back into Moldewol, and while I'm not against hanging around Clarston, this seems like a natural breaking point. We've been spending quite a bit of time away from the farm.
>>6479550>Return to your farm as soon as possibleWe’ve been away for quite a while
>>6479550>Return to your farm as soon as possibleWe come back home to find like, giant locusts or something. It'd be SO helpful if this era had modern communication technology. Seriously though, the voyage was way too long. We gotta come back.
"Ah, that's too bad." Rhys nods and smiles. "I would have enjoyed seeing a Shadowfruit." The old man turns and begins to shuffle away but then stops and looks back at you. "Feel free to return to this church whenever you like."The next morning, you rise in the before-dawn twilight. Korr is waiting on the backboard and accepts a scratch on its head as you walk past to hitch the Water Mule.Gale and Nort appear in the church doorway when you climb up one of the Spiked Wheels and set yourself on the seatboard.Nort nods at your wave. "Safe travels.""It was nice adventuring with you!" Gale's wave abruptly stops at Nort's curious glance."Adventuring?"The Water Mule trots through the gateway and then begins to gallop. Tirelessly it speeds across the plain and into the great woods beyond the bridge, its hooves drumming wet dust while the Spiked Wheels blur on either side. Night has fallen when you pass through the gate of Mirkham, your cart piled high with Soggy Fruits harvested along the way. A fog wafts from your mouth with each breath.
On the afternoon of the first day of the eleventh month, you reach your farm.A new field has been plowed near the northwest corner of the farmyard wall, and beyond the field stands a neat pile of unearthed masonry. The new irrigation ditch running alongside the field's edge sparkles in the low sunshine.Your gaze turns to admire the new field as the Water Mule approaches the farmyard gate, but then you hear a high braying and look up at the Wind Mule colt stumbling downward through the air from the farmyard watchtower and you hear another familiar voice."Daddy!"The Dragon Dryad scrambles up the side of the cart, too excited to control its own flames as it leaves charred handprints up the sideboard and then the Wind Mule colt is braying in your ear and tugging your hair in its teeth.The walls are lined with Smart Crows cawing loudly.Thud stands in front of the stone barn and as the cart slows to a stop he looks at the pile of Soggy Fruits and shakes his head sadly. "Soggy Fruits are too watery to be distilled."All the fields are bare.Thud nods as the two of you walk toward the storehouse with the Water Mule pulling the cart behind. "The Cowberries and Pigeonberries were all harvested. And the Goatsbeard as well."You and Thud carry 20 Soggy Fruits from your cart into the nearly full building. The storehouse is well stocked for the winter, even with a dozen people and two horses to feed.Thud clears his throat. "There is one more matter."You quickly count out 40g for the past month of Thud's employment and then the barbarian nods. "Also, we're completely out of Rotten Fruit liquor.""Welcome back, my lord." Saff curtsies and wrings her hands to warm them. "The end of the year is coming soon."As you look past Saff toward the women's bunkhouse, the Dark Folk woman Lenk emerges just long enough to give a quick salute before disappearing again. The hag notices and chuckles. "Don't tell her I said so, but Lenk has been working on a present to gift to you during the winter festival."At the old woman's words you think again of the Gold Club sold in Shawport for 16000g. Such a price seems outrageous, but the dungeons of Siltrun are full of Gold Locusts and Hot Potatoes and it may yet be possible to acquire by year's end.
That evening, you pull your Ancient Armor from its wrappings and don it and then you lift up the trapdoor beneath your bed and climb down the old wooden ladder into the dungeon of the Dark Lord.The Blind Onions are as meek as ever and wobble back and forth, rooted to the stone floor by your presence. You come to a junction where a Brainfruit gently floats past, quietly muttering to itself.Byep covers her grin when she sees you emerge from the narrow corridor into her shop. "You're back!" She quickly crosses her arms and turns aside and then brushes a stray hair from her face. "I mean... you haven't been around for a while." As you approach, Byep leans forward and glances over the countertop. "Soggy Fruits!"You reach toward your belt to untie one of the sunlight crops but your hand is stilled when Byep makes a surprised gasp and points forward toward the breastplate of your Ancient Armor and the long scratch etched across its surface."What did this, a Crystal Locust?" When you look back up, Byep is gesturing with both hands. "Come on, take it off!"You hurriedly unbuckle the straps and pull the Ancient Armor away from your chest and Byep drags a stool closer to the shop counter. She rubs the scratch with a cloth and then scoffs and sits upon the stool and rubs more vigorously. "Did you go back to Siltrun?"Byep continues to polish the darkmetal as you recall the monsters fought in Walt's arena beneath Hazeley. She looks down at the Ancient Armor in her lap and then looks up at you and blinks. "You mean it really was a Crystal Locust?"Her rubbing slows as she listens more intently to your tale of your most recent encounter with Ponz."Speaking of crystal, Snaz has been working with that crystal you brought him." Byep resumes buffing the scratch on your Ancient Armor. "He hasn't left his shop since the last time you were here." She stops again and turns the breastplate from side to side, eyeing it closely and then she nods with a satisfied hum and holds it across the countertop at you. "There, all better!"As you run a finger over the darkmetal and the smoothly polished curvature, the clinking of cups draws your attention and you look up to see Byep set two ceramic cups on the countertop."The Dark Lord used Soggy Fruits to keep the gardens watered."You hold up one of the Soggy Fruits and pour the faintly sweet-smelling water from its open skull like the mouth of a wineskin into one cup and then the other.Byep picks up her cup of Soggy Fruit juice and raises it to you and then you both sip the faintly scented water in contented silence.
The next day, you wake to the sound of laughter with the sun already hanging over southern sky. A clattering of rock is followed by more laughter.As you step from your shack into the cold air, you see the other men are all gathered around a ring drawn into the farmyard ground and engaged in a rock-tossing contest.The blue Dragon Dryad sprouts have grown a second layer of leaves.While the Dragon Dryad sprouts seem healthy enough, for now until the beginning of the new year your fields will have to lie fallow.You stand up from the patch of Dragon Dryad sprouts and walk around the back of the storehouse, inspecting the building.Everything appears solidly built.The Novelty seeds in your test plots fertilized with Angel Fertilizer have grown into stunted stalks of Pigsqueak. You aren't certain if you'll be able to sell these at the winter festival, but nevertheless consider it a partial success, for you were unsure whether the Novelty seeds would even find purchase in the barren wasteland soil, Angel Fertilizer or not.The test plots can still be improved, both from use and with more Angel Fertilizer. The Pigsqueak, though stunted, seems hardy enough to leave in the soil for now.The Fire Mule looks up as you enter the warm barn.When you step back out of the barn the wind cuts over your face and you walk quickly across the cartpath and into the pavilion to take stock of all your tools and seeds:Old Hoe x2Used Hoe x2Iron Hoe x1Gold Hoe x1Dark Hoe x1Old Saw x5Iron Chisel x1Old Plow x1Leather Coat x1Iron Coat x1Thorn Coat x1Ancient Armor x1Dragon Dryad seeds x2Exotic seeds x1Crystal Shard x3Dark Lord's RingDark Lord's Crown636g20e>Grind for a Gold Club (15364g)>Visit Glynton>Remain on your farm for now
>>6480225>"Adventuring?"heh.>The walls are lined with Smart Crows cawing loudly.It's good to be home, even in winter.>At the old woman's words you think again of the Gold Club sold in Shawport for 16000g. Such a price seems outrageous, but the dungeons of Siltrun are full of Gold Locusts and Hot Potatoes and it may yet be possible to acquire by year's end.I'm not against trying. Thud has been incredibly good to us. He went from Barbarian to farming assistant to effectively a seneschal, and has never asked for more than his initial pay.>and points forward toward the breastplate of your Ancient Armor and the long scratch etched across its surface.We're lucky that's all we got away with, considering how badly that fight went.That a single scratch is all the damage the armor took in that fight is proof of how sturdy the stuff is.>you see the other men are all gathered around a ring drawn into the farmyard ground and engaged in a rock-tossing contest.Good to see the men in high spirits.We need to take Daro aside at some point and mention his mother's asking about him.>>6480228>Grind for a Gold Club (15364g)It will be difficult and take quite a bit of time, but hard work and loyalty should be rewarded.I doubt it's this easy, but seeing as it's just literal stick of gold, I wonder if it would be cheaper to have the smith forge us one out of gold harvested directly from monsters. Gold famously has a low melting point, and a club isn't a precision piece, so in theory it shouldn't be hard to forge.Time permitting, we should try to spend the downtime between cash runs with our motley farm crew. We've been spending more and more time away recently, and I worry we're going to become something of an always-absent "lord" instead of a proper Farmer if we're not careful.
>>6480228>Grind for a Gold Club (15364g)
>>6480228>Grind for a Gold Club (15364g)thanks for keeping things running smoothly, Thud.
>>6480228>Remain on your farm for nowEverybody wants to reward Thud with a gold club, but does he even want one? I thought he had retired from adventuring.
>>6480228>Remain on your farm for nowWe've been gone a while. We'll grind for the gold club for another occasion - maybe his birthday?
