The Tower in the Shadows

Just when something interesting happens, I am interrupted. Today's first group is a Tin group that goes through the first floor. The Guardian puts up a good showing, wounding two of the five, but is overwhelmed.

As this happens, I am talking to my new Fourth Floor Guardian about itself as I inspect its status sheet.

Name

4th Floor Guardian

Level/Class

Floor 4 Boss

Race

Shadow Touched Spider (Queen)

Essence

0%

Health

200/200

Mana

120/120

Stamina

200/200

Corruption

0%

STR

16

16 Damage base

DEX

10

AGL

15

END

20

-2 DAM from attacks

VIT

20

+5% Poison Resistance

PER

12

INT

12

WIL

12

LUCK

10

Skills:

Charge: 1 – 0% (12 meters. END + 6 impact damage) Cost: 10 Samina.

Spiderling Swarm: 1 – 0%. Cost: 10 Stamina.

Spells:

Shadow Arms – Cost: 10 Mana (Duration: 45 seconds)

Equipment:

Bite: 9 DAM + STR

Perks/Restrictions:

Creates Webs: +45% Chance of being caught and immobilised.

Shadow Touched: +25% to surprise attacks chance to hit and -25% to ranged attacks when in Shadow.

Produces Shadow infused Spider Silk (Uncommon).

Hardened Shell. -5 Damage from attacks.

Vulnerable to Light: +8 Damage for Light sources. May cause Fear in the minion.

"So, you instinctively understand all your skills and spells?"

"Yes. I understand them and how to use them when the time is required."

"Well, that's interesting. Let's start with Spiderling Swarm. What is it?"

"This allows me to awaken my hatchlings to aid in my defence. I cannot use it at the moment as I have not laid any eggs."

"Oh right, please do what you need to do. The other spiders quickly webbed their spaces."

I was barely controlling myself. I was having my first proper conversation in three years. If I still had my body, I would be giddy with excitement and crying from sheer joy! The Guardian nodded and began moving around the room, producing web fluid to create webs. I still had things that needed to be done before I could ask more questions.

The first Adventure group was leaving and I now had a short window of opportunity.

I approved the Fourth-floor respawn costs and opened the following alert.

Loot Assignment.

The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing the 4th Floor Guardian.

Cythian Copper coins x60 and Spider Silk (uncommon) 0.5 kg (Chance – 50%)

Cythian Copper coins x80 and Spider Silk (uncommon) 0.75 kg (Chance – 40%)

Cythian Silver coins X3 and Spider Silk (uncommon) 1 kg (Chance – 10%)

The odds and types of rewards may be set manually, but this will add to the overall support cost of the room respawn.

Do you wish to alter the rewards: Yes or No?

"Yes."

A wall of screens appeared, asking me what changes I wished to make. This made me think about the options being presented. I had no idea of the scale of what I could do- so many choices!

"Right, what to do? I could do that….. or that. Ohhhh, I could do that."

I was looking through the screens and the wonderful options that were mine to use. Time was against me and I made my decision.

Loot Assignment.

The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing the 4th Floor Guardian.

Cythian Copper coins x60 and Spider Silk (uncommon) 0.5 kg (Chance – 50%)

Cythian Copper coins x80 and Spider Silk (uncommon) 0.75 kg (Chance – 40%)

Cythian Silver coins X3 and Spider Silk (uncommon) 1 kg (Chance – 9%)

Cythian Gold coins X1 and Spider Silk (uncommon) 1 kg (Chance – 1%)

The odds and types of rewards have been set manually, but this will add to the overall support cost of the room respawn by 1 CP.

Do you wish to accept the rewards: Yes or No?

"Yes"

It was a small change, but one I felt was worth making to understand the alternative options. I now have new options to consider for all my minions going forward.

Before I could return my full attention to my new floor guardian, another group entered the Dungeon. I look them over and note another Tin group without a mentor consisting of six Adventurers—another group I have seen before and has a good mix of people working towards their Classes.

I return my attention to the fourth floor as the Queen is webbing the cave she has been assigned to. Looking around, I see the moss growing in and across the rest of the floor. The Shadow Spiders have settled into ambush points in their rooms.

All is well.

The last thing that will need to be done tonight is moving my Core to this floor.

I force myself not to speak as the Queen works. The need builds in me like an explosive pressure force, taking all my willpower not to babble out a thousand things.

Just as I am about to speak, something catches my attention. The group cleared the first floor and moved down the stairs from the second to the third floor.

"What are you all doing, I wonder?"

Turning my full attention to them, I listen in on their conversation. This is their first trip into my Dungeon without a mentor. Who, by the way, would be yelling at them right now? Their leader had convinced the others to travel to the third to see one of the boars but not do anything else.

"Yeah, right. As soon as they are there, he will try to get them to engage the boar."

I watch them and realise something.

"They are about to find the route to the fourth is open!"

Now, this was interesting. What would they do?

The group was hesitant, but with some cajoling, they went to the third. When they reached it, the lead Adventure, who I suspect was trying to get the rogue class, stopped dead, causing the others to walk into him. This almost caused them to fall over. Almost.

There was yelling and swearing at the lead guy, who pointed mutely at the continuing stairs heading down. That got their attention.

They huddled and, in loud whispers, argued about what to do. The group leader wanted to go deeper and see what was there. The others came together and overruled the leader, deciding to leave the Dungeon and report the existence of the new floor. They went with their leader trailing behind, sulking at the group's refusal to advance any further.

Before leaving, they returned to the surface and put their winter outer layers back on. I ignore them as they go.

Back to the fourth floor.

The Queen had created a cluster of eggs at the top of the cave and was covering the rest of the space with webbing. The moss was growing in and slowly lighting the room up.

"I see you are settling in."

The Queen continued to work as she replied.

"Yes. The cave suits my needs well. I have one request."

"What is it?"

"May I have more of the light-producing moss, as my webs are thicker than the others of my kind?"

"Sure, I will add more."

My CP was limited to twelve. I could create another six patches of moss. The stream was helping to grow more moss. I looked around the cave for dark spots that needed more light. Five areas were identified, and I placed more moss patches in order to light them.

"Right, there is more moss growing. The new patches should be ready in a day and the rest will be fully grown tonight."

"Thank you. This should be enough illumination to allow me to use my abilities fully."

The Queen was very agile for her size as she (and yes, her voice was feminine when she spoke but odd) was climbing up walls and webbing different locations. I was hungry for more conversation and knowledge.

"Continuing where we left off, what is your spell Shadow Arms?"

"This allows me to create tentacles of shadow that can attack or snare my opponents."

"Wow. That is interesting!"

That was the best I could come up with, as part of me was screaming. Show me! Show me now!

I controlled myself as I recognised the need for the Queen to finish what she was doing. I knew that we would be getting more company very soon.

## ## ## ## ##

"So, as you see, this is an enlarged Grey Strip Wasp. I need to do more testing, but not much can be used from the body outside what has already been discovered."

Comus Drum was in full explanation mode as he worked on the corpse of the first-floor guardian. It was partly disassembled on a wooden table in his first and temporary laboratory.

Gran had managed to get himself invited along as he knew that anything that was found to be valuable would be important information. Him finding out first would give his team a temporary but hopefully profitable advantage.

Lord Goldwind and Adventure Guild Leader Woodland were also present.

Gran looked around the room and shuddered, not from the cold but from the dangerous alchemic compounds he had already identified. A brazier was burning in one corner, heating the room and every wall had shelves covered in bottles, boxes and pouches with a few more tables. One mishap and explosive were the least of the results.

He stood very still, away from as much of the room's content as possible.

"Then there is no need for a bounty on parts?" Woodland asked.

"Not yet, but that might change with more experimentation." Comus was glowing with happiness as he was in his element. Goldwind just nodded, looking at the monster before him.

"How soon will you send another group to acquire the next Guardian?" Comus was inspecting a wing he had picked up when he asked.

"Tomorrow. The second floor is not a popular destination at the moment due to the weather." Woodland told him.

Well, that was an understatement, Gran thought. Several groups had run the floor and then returned to the town, catching the flux as the watery conditions on the floor froze them as they crossed the wintery ground. Most were reluctant to go there until spring.

"That's fine. I will be handing the rest of the investigation of this beauty to my assistants. They will…"

He was interrupted by an insistent knocking at his laboratory door. He walked over and opened it. One of his assistants was standing there.

"Well?" Comus asked. His mood was unchanged, showing no annoyance at the interruption.

"Apologies, Guild Leader! A message from the Adventure's Guild: the Dungeon has opened its fourth floor!" The young girl squeaked out.

"Oh, it has. Well, thank you for telling us. Off with you now." Comus told the girl, who promptly vanished. "Well, Elian, it seems you will be busy." He said, turning around.

"Yes, I will be. Gran, I am commissioning your team to accompany me as we explore the new floor."

"Understood Guild Leader. I will gather my team. Lord Goldwind. Guild Leader Drum." He nodded to the others as he said their names and left the room.

Upon leaving the Alchemy Guild, he walked along a muddy path to the town's largest tavern, Shadows Rest.

It was just finished when he was last here, but as he approached, he could see the extension added just before the winter snows had arrived. His team had left before then but had been called back to support the Guild Leader due to the influx of new and established groups. He also knew that even more were on their way.

He had even heard rumours of non-human groups coming.

Gods, he hoped not to be around if they did show up.

Entering the tavern, he looked around and spotted most of his team in a corner, holding down a table with a good view of the room. The room was mostly filled with Iron grade Adventures and buzzing with conversation. He knew what was driving them all—the fourth floor.

"Gran, you heard?" Gran nodded. He knew. "They have stopped groups entering because of the new floor." Nilus spoke as he approached. Only Mags and their newest member, Hena, were not present.

"Get everyone together. We are going in with Guild Leader Woodland. Mapping job." Gran told them. There was some groaning, but they were all soon moving. The room was far quieter now. Gran knew the others were listening in and as the highest-graded team in the town, they would be sent in to explore it first.

Gran went with them to their shared large bunk room and began getting his gear together. Mags and Hena were already there and quickly caught up.

Hena was a Mage and was testing to join them. A short and plump woman with a lighter shade of black skin. She was dressed in brightly coloured robes favoured by the people of the southern part of the continent. Her hair was braided with equally brilliantly coloured ribbons. Many underestimated her from her appearance, but Gran knew she was a Copper-graded Adventure and was no pushover.

"How was the floor discovered?" Mags asked.

"No clue. I was with Woodland when the messenger arrived from the Adventures Guild." Gran replied.

"That means we are walking in blind." Nilus whined.

"Are the rumours about this Dungeon true, then?" Hena asked. She had a soft-spoken voice most of the time, but this changed when she was in combat when she barked like a recruit trainer in the army.

"Which ones?" Nilus quipped.

"That this Dungeon has no fixed affinity and each floor is different."

"That's all true." Mags told her. "We will have no idea what we will find on the new floor."

With a typical Dungeon, they would have a good idea of what they would be encountering, but here it was. They would not know until they got there. Gran found it both frustrating and exhilarating at the same time.

"We are meeting Woodland at the palisade gate. Make sure you have everything." Gran and his team had been compensated handsomely for the first mapping expedition and picked up some new gear when they were in Tyboon.

They were soon packed and out the door. As they left the tavern, more Adventures were in the common room and on the street. Word had spread and they were here to witness the group's departure.

They were all wearing extra layers on top of their armour to hold the cold mountain winter conditions away. He knew they were still feeling it, but most were far enough along their Paths to ignore it for now.

They waited at the gate, and Nilus chatted with the town watchmen on duty. He told dirty jokes that had several people laughing. He might be an idiot sometimes, but he knew how to diffuse the tension before they entered a Dungeon.

Woodland appeared a short time later dressed like his group. She nodded at him when she arrived.

"Let's go." He called out.

Woodland was a professional who knew how things were done. She might be the Guild Leader, but when in the Dungeon, he was in charge, and she followed orders. The gates were opened and they walked towards the watch tower across the flood plain.

The journey was uneventful as they followed the track to the building door. The compacted snow made the ground frozen and the track icy. It was slightly slower going, but they arrived.

The doors swung open and they all got in, quickly closing them as soon as they entered. Their outer layers were soon being removed.

"Are we under threat of being attacked here?" Hena asked, looking around the room.

"No, the surface building is safe, apart from a bottle of wine in that cupboard over there," Mags said, pointing to it.

"Why?" She asked.

"Poisoned."

"Ah."

They were soon free of the outer winter clothes and had piled them on the table.

"Gran, there is something in the rafters." Hena said to him.

"It's a Sharoon. A local low-level monster no threat to us."

"Is it a Dungeon minion?"

"We think so, but it has never attacked, so most leave it alone." He told her. She was confused. "Do not worry; we will point out everything as we move down to the fourth floor."

They went to the stairs and moved into position.

"Lead us down, Kimor."

They began to descend.