Alexander looked towards the bolt of rainbow hued magic as it crossed the space of the room, kobolds and riders alike wanted to intercept it but in a heart beat it was before the Dungeon Lord. Lifting his hand, almost as if to physically intercept the energy he muttered a simple chant, "Rot for me." The energy sputtered, the bolt unravelling as it spiralled out of the mages control and veered past Alexander's head by mere inches. Alexander lowered his hand and resisted the urge to keel over, as Jansea had warned he didn't have the stamina to rot even a piece of fruit, yet now he had destabilized a magical attack?
Alexander felt as if everything below his chest had emptied, gritting his teeth he waved away the windows that advised his proficiency increase and the warning that he was almost void of stamina. Looking around at the shocked gazes he forced his grit teeth apart and attempted to order his minions, but even speaking was now a laborious task! Instead he gave a cold grunt, "Go!"
His forces surged over the invading force with even greater fevor, Alexander's luck seemed to top out again as no further mystical or physical arrows came his way. Rooted to the spot like a tree he stood there feigning superiority watching the fight wind down as the invading force were cut down slowly one after another. The spellcasters would see a nice rise in his merits as would the dead knights. Staggering a bit he turned and slowly made his way from the chamber.
A second invasion message popped up but he no longer had the strength to make another appearance, a stiff breeze would lay him low at this point. Leaning on the wall he staggered along, forcing one foot in front of the other, using the sturdy wall to hold his body somewhat upright as he returned down the familiar passage ways. Reaching the undead area, he had one of the skeletal warriors brace him, half carrying him into the core where Jansea took over, escorting him to his chamber, "I warned you Master, over taxing your spellcasting is not something you should do Master. Burning what you dont have will ultimately kill you as your vital essence is what will ultimately be used when your mystical energy is gone."
Alexander waved away his demonic mother hen. While rotting a spell had been dangerous it had made him appear undaunted before his troops, significantly boosting their morale. Now while he rested his forces would be able to fight on without losing ground. Half dragged, half carried, when Alexander reached his bed he fell forward dropping amongst sheets and pillows, once more pulling the one that had the faint lingering scent of Thersea upon it close as a sleep devoid of deathly messenger involvement claimed his senses.
Some time later Alexander pushed himself up off the bed and straightened his robes, his mind was foggy, even for such a deep slumber his brain felt like he was wading through mud, every movement took focused effort lest his body not respond swiftly to his demands. Shaking his head he staggered slowly back into the core chamber, practically tripping over his feet like a drunken sailor as he made his way to the stability of his throne. Once he was settled and chewing a piece of fruit he glanced to the amused looking succubus. "Report."
Jansea giggled listening to the soft slur of her Master's word her dark lips parting wide, "Yes my Master, I hope in future you will better heed when I warn you not to over tax yourself."
Alexander cursed gripping his forehead, usually her honeyed words were like silk upon his ears but today his head throbbed, his brain feeling three sizes too big for its container, "Just the report Jansea." He gritted out trying to keep the giant using his skull as a drum from increasing its tempo.
Jansea giggled, "Very well Master, after the initial invasion we repelled two more, with one escaping the dungeon. Since then we've repelled two more incursions of greater strength each about five hours apart."
Alexander held up his hand as one piece of information stabbed his mind more than the fact the Empire seemed to be ramping up its attacks. "Five hours apart? How long did I sleep Jansea?"
"According to the dark dwarves who are maintaining the finished keep it's been about five years out side."
Alexander gripped his head, "I've been unconcious for over two days?"
The succubus nodded slowly, "Yes Master, draining your vitality through spellcasting takes its toll on the body, you could have stayed asleep much longer had you forced yourself further."
Alexander sat in his throne limp, his eyes staring straight ahead unseeing of the core around him. Eight years since his initial claiming of the title of dungeon Lord. Or was it four days? The time distinction made the ache behind his forehead even greater as he gave a soft gasp of pain.
Jansea cleared her throat, "We have lost some minions over this time but I have been replacing them with the influx of merits. The goblin bred slaves have given birth twice and have all expired, we will need to replace them in the near future if you wish to continue naturally enhancing your goblin or orc forces. A second barracks has been completed to house the slaves away from your minions. The unused fourth wing of the labrynth has been used as a dumping grounds for the corpses of the invaders."
Alexander listened as the report went on, Jansea proved quite a capable second in command in his absence, but that was somewhat to be expected given that she was the dungeons guardian. Still, for him to be out of commission for two days and to only have lost a few low tier minions was worthy of note. Glancing up from the observation windows he turned his attention to the demoness, "Something else happened didn't it?"
Jansea smiled, "Yes Master, a delegation from the other town tried to reclaim the rebuilt keep. We managed to capture all but one of the soldiers. The escapee returned to town and now from last reported a large force was marching on the keep."
Alexander sighed, "So our plans to trickle in mercenaries has to be scrapped doesn't it?"
Jansea nodded briskly, "I'm afraid so Master, they firmly believe a monster tribe has taken control of the keep but by the same token they're not sure who rebuilt it so they are moving on masse in case the danger is greater than they believed I think. For now, I recalled our support troops and have the dozen or so new born goblins holding the keep."
Alexander cursed under his breath and decided to get some tasks out of the way while he thought how best to salvage the keep, if it was under siege he could never claim it as his base of operations. Shaking his head he called up the overview screen to see just how much the merits had grown, then he'd decide what to do.
===============================
Dungeon One
Owner: Alexander Cowens, Deaths Chosen
Guide: Jansea, Tier 5 Demon (Succubus)
Levels: One
Terrain: Extended Cavern Labrynth, Demonic Core, Royal Bedchamber
Population: 90 + 18
Special Features: Starter Copper Mine, Hero Core
Available Dungeon Merits: 23,750
===============================
Alexander blinked. His merits had more than doubled from the time he last checked, it stood as a testimony of how much the Empire had thrown at him after his little jaunt home, and to think that total was after the Empire had a troop manage to escape Jansea's encirclement as well. Turning his attention to a different screen he looked for the option that had properly been out of reach.
===================
DUNGEON BUILDERS INC.
Level One Layouts ▪︎ 10,000 Merits
▪︎ Labrynth (Purchased & Upgraded) - A simple maze layout that has paths leading to a central choke point, then paths leading back to other rooms
▪︎ Large Cavern - A sizable hollowed out room with a high ceiling.
▪︎ Multi Room - A main corridor with branching side corridors leading to other medium sized rooms.
Level One Rooms ▪︎ 10,000 merits
▪︎ Core Chamber (Purchased) - Define your dungeon core room in a multitude of styles.
▪︎ Lords Bed Chamber (Purchased) - Define the bedroom of the Dungeon Lord in a multitude of styles.
▪︎ Minion Barracks (x2) - Basic living quarters, houses fifty minions comfortably.
▪︎ Minion Food Pit (Purchased) - Basic food source, supports one hundred minions.
▪︎ Workshop Tier One - Basic equipment provider, uses special resources.
▪︎ Graveyard Tier One - Supplied with corpses can produce Tier One Undead.
Level One Ammenities ▪︎ 5,000 Merits
▪︎ Tier One Equipment - Gear twenty five of your monsters with stone age equipment.
▪︎ Tier One Traps - Provides ten basic pit traps and ten basic spiked pit traps.
▪︎ Tier One Support - Create one hundred pounds of bronze ingots, for use with workshop.
Upgrades ▪︎ Varied
▪︎ Level Two - Create an additional floor above or below the first. (50,000 Merits)
▪︎ Floor Boss - Based on existing minions creates a floor plus two tiered boss minion. (25,000 merits)
▪︎ Mini Boss - Based on existing minions creates a floor plus one tiered boss minion. (10,000 merits)
▪︎ Special Encounter - Randomly spawn a minion, event or puzzle. May or may not be stronger than current floors strongest minion (5,000 Merits)
===================
Frowning his hopes died down a bit, in his foggy headedness he had briefly thought he could level up his dungeon, sadly he was only half way there. What he WAS close to was getting a floor boss. Still that wasn't that important now, purchasing a floor boss would net him a Tier Three minion but he already had twelve equivalent. Between his orc warriors, goblin knights, and skeletal hoplite, any of them was qualified to become a floor boss for this level, and he had almost half a dozen of both the first two.
Even more insane was the Goblin Commander whom due to his iron armor, mount and training put him at a Tier just below Jansea herself. Alexander sighed, no wonder the dungeon had warned of potential rebellion when the gear leveled up all those units, they were in essence nobles living amongst commoners. Growling in frustration he was quickly nearing the cap for his floors population as looking at the barracks option revealed that while he had purchased one and his dwarves had built a second, the option was grayed out. While he COULD have the dwarves dig more if he reached level two would the second level only fit a few monsters lording over a sea of weak beasts?
Running a hand through his hair, Alexander wanted to curse out in frustration, he'd need a bigger dungeon to lay siege to the Empire and protect his holdings but to get that level up he had to sit back and be their punching bag? It wasn't a good or inspiring feeling, he wanted to take the fight to them but without extra fighting power for not only attack but also defense he was stuck performing the latter. Gritting his teeth he shook away the depression building in the recesses of his mind.
Looking to the bottom option he sighed, would lady luck bring him what he needed? Glancing to the fairy that typically waited in this room he motioned the fiery little sprite to him, "Have my minions slay five of the slaves, go." With his word the fairy rushed out to convey the execution order. As he waited he considered the other options, he could perhaps buy a mini boss for the dungeon but buying a Tier two mini boss when compared to the general host being that level seemed a huge waste.
Looking up as the fairy returned he reached out to buy his third special option, crossing his fingers as he did. Hopefully lady luck would grant the upgrade he needed where merits didn't match.
=========
A SPECIAL EVENT HAS OCCURRED
Lady Luck has heard the Dungeon Lord's request and bestowed him her favor. Dungeon Lord level has increased to level five. Dungeon Lord Shop, Dungeon Builder Shop, Dungeon Minion Recruitment systems increased to level three. Guardian tier increased by one.
=========
Alexander felt an energy ripple through his body as a few of his open management windows shone. Glancing aside Jansea had curled up on herself as she stifled her voice but before long a throaty moan escaped her full lips as her body grew a little taller, her breasts strained against her catsuit a little more dangerously and even her horns grew more fuller. Turning he opened his personal window to see what becoming level five did for him.