Chapter Eleven: The Third Inspection
Alright, so, good news: Delvers have returned! Herbalists can handle the occasional low level thing, so I go fairly easy on them, especially since they tend to wander in solo. The bad news, though, is that nobody wants to try the hedge maze. Its grown enough that they cant directly see Tiny, but they can see the trees and webbing around his nest. Hes even been working on putting a web roof over the whole maze. Good thinking, Tiny. Dont need cheaters in my maze.
Also good news: Queen was able to identify what goes into a healing potion! Also bad news: I need actual equipment to let her do her work. Ive upgraded the secret lab a few times, and Im pretty sure its allowed to have equipment now, but Im having trouble getting it.
I havent been able to afford carpenter ants yet, but I might need to get on that. Ive been trying to make at least some equipment for the lab, and it hasnt outright failed, at least? If I had fire ants, it might be simpler, but I dont. I have lightning ants. Ive been sending crows out on expeditions to try to get me some iron wire, but nobody has had any success yet.
With some iron wire, I could have the lightning majors zap it to make a heating element, and use the empty potion bottle for the various processing that it looks like Queen will have to do.
The kids have come back, too. Theyre the closest anyone has come to checking out the maze. They looked inside from the entrance, but I think Lucas spotted one of the rat thieves, and the kids decided against looking inside. Im pretty sure theyve gained a level now, too. Low-level things arent slowing them down hardly at all anymore. They even handled a regular dire rat on their own.
The gate opens, and I expect itll be the kids again, but its elf guy! Heya elf guy! Long time no see! He glares at Poe as every single bird makes noise at him, and if I could, Id give him a shit-eating grin.
Dungeon clearly recognizes me. Avians making a racket. Not alerting other denizens, just making noise at me. No unusual staring. Theres that mention of staring again. It must have been from when I moved the core and had everything on high alert. Thats the only time Ive done much different.
Still no obvious rooms. I see alchemical creatures, though, so it must have a secret lab somewhere He looks around before looking up to the belfry. Perhaps in the belfry tower. Still no chests or anything up there. Acknowledged, investigating.
Oh, elf guy is actually taking things seriously now. Doesnt mean I have to, though I do still have my dignity as a dungeon. I toss some various moderate encounters at him as he explores the house. He manages to trip one of the rotten floorboards to the basement, and decides he doesnt need to get a closer look. Yeah, that level 6 lightning venom swarm is quite a thing. Pretty sure he could take it, but hes all business right now, no pleasure.
He obliterates the rat swarm in the attic, and I can visibly see him pause to ensure he gets his boss experience before he opens the chest. Im not even sure he notices what he actually gets from the chest, he just stuffs it in a bag that should not be able to hold all of that.
On roof. Raven scion is observing me, but not making any moves. Bats appear specialized for fruit bats, which helps explain why all the herbalist nodes. He watches as a trio of crows land on the roof, one carrying a bit of iron wire. Oh hey! Good job, guys! Recover a bit, then head out to see if you can find anything else interesting.
Heading in. Yes! I just wish I could give a quest involving the maze. Thatd be cool. Maybe one of the rooms would allow that? Ill need to check that later. For now, I watch elf guy as he stalks the maze. He can definitely tell where the chests and nodes are, but looks like he doesnt know the floorplan of the maze, which is good.
One of my rat thieves darts from the hedge, but elf guy has damn good reflexes. It doesnt get very close before a knife finishes it with a single stab. Dire rats are rat thieves. Dont appear to be interested in combat. Spider scion appears to be slowly tracking me, but not in any particular hurry.
Come into my maze, said the spider to the elf guy. Tiny was the best scion to put in here, since he can actually help change the maze layout a bit. If he webs an opening and tears down a different web, the whole maze basically shifts. And thats what Tiny is doing. I dont think he forgave elf guy like I have.
While Tiny slowly weaves his trap, elf guy explores the maze, gathering chests and nodes along the way. None of the thieves even get close to taking any of his stuff, and I feel like elf guy is starting to understand the maze a bit better. Bramble is a different style of encounter than previously observed. Appears to be more of a race than a simple battle. Collect as much stuff as you can before the spider scion gets you, and before the thieves pick you clean.
As Tiny closes the drawstring and traps the elf guy, he seems to notice. Wait somethings changed. He frowns as he looks around, before realizing whats happened. Ive lost this race. Extracting!
Thats what you think, elf guy. Tinys webs arent going to be phased by your daggers, so no going up and over. Good luck trying to go through the hedges, too. I dunno exactly how much damage they do, but I dont think you have that many hp, my friend.
Tiny finally rounds a bend in the maze, the two able to lay eyes directly on the other now. Elf guy dons his serious face and draws his daggers as Tiny simply slowly approaches. I can see his spinnerets slowly working on a web, too. Yeah, he definitely still holds a grudge from when elf guy killed him.
Sorry big guy. You look too big for me to play around with now. Shadow Blade! As elf guy melts into shadow, Tiny curls in a bit on himself, clearly remembering the attack that ended him last time. Several long gashes appear in his carapace, though not over anything particularly vital. As the attack comes to an end, though, Tiny tosses his web.
Fu-! is all elf guy gets out before the web envelopes him. Tiny! You never told me you had a brain! I guess you really did remember the attack that ended you, and remembered when and where elf guy is when he finishes it. Whos a good spider? You are! Yes you are!
As Tiny approaches elf guy, I remind the big lug about how the maze works. He deflates a little, but he did still win. Elf guy looks terrified, though. Dont worry, my dude. Good effort with the first run of the maze, though! Tiny moves one of his massive pedipalps over the delver, and elf guy closes his eyes, expecting a bite to finish him off. Instead, Tiny takes what Im pretty sure is a bag of holding. He quickly weaves a larger bag, webbing elf guy up more in the process, and empties the magical bag into the more mundane one. He drops the bag on the floor and one of my rat thieves zips by to pick it up, and I can see the indignation in elf guys eyes.
With that, Tiny hauls him and his loot up and takes him outside the maze, depositing him unceremoniously just outside the entrance. Elf guy gets to stew for a few minutes before Fluffles can come by and levitate him outside the gates. Hah! I only wish I could see the reactions from everyone!
Hey! Birbs! Expedition!
