Dungeon Life

Chapter Sixty-Four: Party Up

It feels kinda weird to watch through Teemos eyes while he talks with the ODA lady. Ive gotten so used to just knowing whats going on around me that just having the directed senses of a rat is strange to me now.

The Boss is pretty sure its a dungeon, at least, says my Voice. The expedition can taste it, but its really small. The Boss was most of the entire manor when he started, but the little cavern this one is in is barely bigger than the main entrance room.

The ladys eyes widen slightly at that. You really did find a nascent dungeon, seems like. What have you done with it so far? What do you plan to do with it?

Well the Boss isnt sure yet. He doesnt want to just eat it like Neverrest, but he doesnt know if thats even an option. And if peace can happen, he has no idea how to start.

She nods and starts digging through her desk. Dungeons can peacefully coexist, though its usually more a matter of them being too far apart for attacks to be viable. I know Ive heard of ones coexisting, but I dont know if I have any of those records handy

Cool, so we can give peace a chance. But how? Im almost positive any denizens I send in will be labeled as invaders, and probably wont make the dungeon trust me much. And sending a scion could be even more dangerous. Teemo might be alright, a Voice is for talking, after all. But sending someone like Fluffles would probably be a declaration of war.

I dont even know if my dwellers would count as neutral parties, or as delvers for the little dungeon.

Teemo listens to me thinking to myself while the lady digs through her stuff, and speaks up. Would the ratkin be fine to send inside? The Boss hasnt asked anyone to go in yet. In fact, hes been pretty explicit that everyone stay out.

She nods as she digs through a cabinet. Good. Dwellers count as invaders in other dungeons, as they are at least implicitly on the side of a foreign dungeon. Keeping everyone out of it is a good idea for now. Ideally, wed wait for Inspector Tarl to return, but hes likely to be gone for at least two weeks, more likely closer to three.

Yeah, thats a lot of time to just let the thing sit on the Boss doorstep.

She sighs as she seems to accept she doesnt have the references shes been looking for, and she sits back in her chair. Well need to get some delvers to go take a look.

How about Rhonda and Freddie? They seem to be pretty interested in dungeon stuff, and that one seems pretty weak, so they shouldnt be in much danger, suggests Teemo.

The elf considers that for a few seconds. That could work. If I give them a quest to check it out, that should keep them listed as delvers, even if you help them get down there. Theyll need to check it often, every few days at the worst, daily if they can manage.

Alright. You make the quest, Ill go see if theyre interested. With that, my Voice hops off his perch and heads out. He doesnt make any shortcuts while outside my borders, though. That was one of the first things he tried, and while he can, theyre a lot harder for him to keep hidden outside. I dont think my outside friends will appreciate shortcuts into their homes, so its the long way for us.

Thankfully, Teemo is still a rat, so its not exactly difficult for him to move around unnoticed, even without him actually using his various stealth tricks. Closest to the ODA is Old Staivens shop, so he heads there first to check in on the nerdy little goblin.

Is the dungeon doing some delving of its own now? asks Staiven with a grin as Teemo enters. My Voice is a bit surprised the old ratkin noticed him, but he probably shouldnt have been. I bet Staiven has enough wards and stuff on his shop that hed even notice a fly that enters without his explicit permission.

Actually, the Boss wants to talk with Rhonda. We found something and the dungeon guild people thinks she and Freddie might be a good fit to check it out.

Ah, interesting. Rhonda and Freddie have taken quite the interest in dungeons Shes down in the lab right now, taking inventory. Theres a few things in there she probably hasnt seen yet, so it was going to be a bit of a test, but it can wait for her to look into this thing for you.

Er itll probably be a daily thing for her to look into, informs Teemo, but Staiven just waves that off.

If its something dungeon, she can do it on her off time each day. Goodness knows shell make any excuse to go delving in her free time anyway. He inhales and raises his voice. Rhonda! Upstairs! You have a visitor!

A muffled Coming! comes from the open hatch behind the counter, and soon comes the goblin herself, hat and spider on her head. She looks around the shop, confused for a few seconds, before she speaks up. Wheres Freddie?

Staiven just smiles at his apprentice. I didnt say it was Freddie. The dungeons Voice is here for you.

She gasps at that and looks around, and Teemo takes mercy by hopping up on the counter and squeaking at her.

Right here, kiddo. Thedeim found a nascent dungeon in the deep tunnels, and wants to make peaceful contact. The dungeon folk say that pretty much anything he tries to send would be treated as an invader, though, so he needs delvers to do it, and suggested you and Freddie.

Rhondas eyes shine with curiosity at that. A nascent dungeon?! Why us? Shouldnt Mr Tarl be sent for that?

Hes off to go do a quest for the Southwood, so hes going to be a while. So, you want the job?

Yes! she shouts, before blushing and calming herself. I mean, uh Master? May I?

He rolls his eyes and chuckles at the goblin. Thats fine with me, Rhonda. This will be on your own time, though. Ill not have you skipping your lessons to go gallivanting down dangerous tunnels.

She whoops and thanks him, and Teemo speaks up after she calms down a bit. Alright, lets go talk with Freddie, then, and see if he can go, too.

She nods vigorously, and her hat doesnt move as much as Id expect. Lucas, her spider, is looking happy with himself, so I think hes webbed it to her head. Doesnt seem like she minds, at least.

Teemo hops on and nods to Lucas, who gives him a little bow in return. Alright, to the Church of the Crystal Shield!

It actually takes a few minutes before they can go, as Rhonda needs to mark her spot in the inventory process. Once Staiven is satisfied shell be able to pick up where she left off, he lets them all go. Its much faster riding Rhonda than Teemo walking on his own. A rat on his own needs to be stealthy. A rat on a girls hat, who she is actively talking with, is just another curiosity that the townsfolk just chalk up to the dungeon being weird.

At the church, Rhonda walks up to one of the priests thats simply sweeping the steps, and asks if her friend is available. It seems Freddie is in the barracks behind the church, doing some training. She thanks him and heads there.

Inside, Freddie has his shirt off and has a wooden axe and training shield and is facing off against one of those spinning wooden dummies. Hell hit one of the arms of the thing and itll spin, so he has to put his shield up to block the counter. Rhonda takes a few seconds to enjoy the show before Teemo speaks up.

Hey, Freddie! You busy?

The orc stops and steps back and looks over his shoulder at the trio in confusion for a moment, before recognizing his friend. His look of confusion returns quickly, though, as he doesnt spot my Voice. Did you learn a new spell to change your voice, Rhonda? he asks. She giggles and shakes her head, and points to the rat on her hat.

Nope! Teemos here! He has a quest for us!

Actually, I dont. Technically, if me or the Boss gave you the quest, itd mess the whole thing up.

Freddie just looks a bit lost. You have a not-quest for us?

Teemo chuckles as Rhonda walks to her friend, who is moving to towel himself off and have some water thanks to the break in his workout. The Boss found a nascent dungeon, which is like a baby, or something. Teemo shrugs. He wants to try peace with it, but anything hed send would be an invader. So he needs delvers, and they need to be not technically working for him. The lady at the guild says shell make a quest for it.

Why not send Mr Tarl? Isnt that his job? asks Freddie as his own spider descends from the ceiling and plucks Lucus from Rhondas hat. The kids don't seem concerned about that, so I guess the two spiders will just do spidery things together when their masters hang out.

Hes off to the Southwood, or we would leave it to him, but the dungeon is too close to just let it grow on its own.

Hmm. Let me check with the High Priest. Id be happy to explore, but I want to make sure it wont mess with my training. Rhonda and Teemo both nod at that, and Freddie gets his shirt back on while Teemo hops back onto the hat. It looks like the spiders are busy chatting or playing, so they get left to their own devices in the rafters.

Getting to the High Priest is pretty simple. He runs a pretty chill ship, seems like, and nobody tries to stop the group from knocking on his door. Maybe they just know Freddie and Rhonda well enough to know they wouldnt bother him for something silly.

I cant help but smile to myself as theyre let in and I see the battered shield above the gnomes desk, and he smiles warmly at the two over some paperwork he had been working on. A bit of surprise crosses his expression as he notices Teemo on Rhondas hat.

Rhonda and Freddie, howre you two doing? And the dungeons Voice, too? he asks jovially, glancing above himself at the shield with its new chip.

Freddie takes the lead. Well sir, Thedeim has found a nascent dungeon, and the Dungeoneers Guild would like us to check it out and keep an eye on it. Mr Tarl is out on business, so he cant do it.

Itll pretty much be a daily thing, too, adds Rhonda.

High Priest Torlon nods at that. Ah, I see. He taps a finger against his desk as he thinks, then continues. I dont see any problem with that. You go delving often enough in your free time, so I dont think itll interfere with your training, Freddie. Itll need to be on your free time, though.

The young orc nods at that. Yes sir. Id like to try this, sir. Dungeoneering is interesting.

Torlon smiles at that. Good! Maybe you and Rhonda will be able to join the Dungeoneers instead of the Adventurers guild when your apprenticeships are done. Paladins are encouraged to go out into the world and spread the word, rather than sit in the temple all day and do paperwork, he says with a wink, before waving the two off. Away with you two, unless theres something else? This sounds like a great opportunity for you two, so no sense delaying.

The kids nod and bid their farewells, and get a quick blessing from him as well, before making their way back to the barracks to collect their spiders, then to the ODA. Inside, its changed slightly. Instead of only the ladys desk, theres now two smaller ones pulled out as well. The kids exchange a glance before the guildmistress speaks up.

Have a seat, you two. I dont mind sending you two off to investigate the dungeon, but I refuse to send you two off without at least some basic training.

Rhonda eagerly takes a seat and pulls out her notebook and charcoal stick. Freddie whispers to her and she giggles before giving him a few loose pieces of paper and his own writing implement. I wonder if theyd have been so interested if they knew theyd be in school for a bit before getting to go look at the shiny new dungeon.

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