So there have been a few changes due to the rapid expansion. It's taken a bit to actually get everything back in control.
The first difference would be actually having a connection to the outdoors. It's a forest out there in case you were wondering. Makes sense considering what my troops have managed to scrounge up.
This brings me to my next point, I got a notification when that happened. Got lost in the confusion so only noticed it later. Apparently I'm now an official dungeon. Dungeons must have an entrance/exit to the outdoors, and be of a minimum size to actually qualify. The system sent me a little congratulatory message along with a gift which I find in the shop.
-Newt: amphibian with toxin secreting skin.
They look pretty cool so I buy a few. If my next invader gets food poisoning that's all the better for me.
Moving on, there are indeed goblins next door. It's confirmed. Ever since I turned off the auto melt feature I've been steadily advancing into their storage room. It's not big, just a 1m by 1.5m rectangle. Oh and it's technically mine now, as I've expanded to contain the whole space.
The few times the goblins come in to dump some loot or grab some coins to gamble with I've earned a stream of DP from the "invaders". Not a bad setup, so long as they don't notice anything, I can slowly mooch off of them. Got no idea how many there are or how far their territory goes, so slow and steady it is from now on.
A lot of my critters look a little stronger after the mana overload. Seems they helped ease the pressure by absorbing some. There are also a whole lot more bugs than before. Now even my new space is getting decently populated.
As traumatic as the incident may have been, RIP bat-4 you will probably be missed, I can't deny the benefits. Unfortunately those mana containing crystals were the only ones in the treasury.
With extra land comes the need for more protection and more production. I buy more spiders and have them go to town on the main entrance. I want a lot of webbing up along the walls and at the middle height of the passage. I leave the top open for my bats to use, and the bottom foot or so open for my non flying critters.
Thankfully the entrance isn't big and seems to be hidden behind some trees so I don't have to worry about large enemies finding it.
Considering that the outside seems to be a forest, I send out another batch of spiders to spin webs among the branches.
It's been a while since my last major battle. Something which brought me a lot of progress in the form of a magic core and a new creature more powerful than any I had before. As much as I'd like to unlock goblins, a single goblin with a club or knife could destroy most of my property and army single handedly.
For now I need something halfway. Something that can take on a goblin as a group, but alone can be defeated by my troops. I'll need to put in some effort preparing for their visit though.
Yes... Now that I'm an official establishment, I can consider enticing some new customers, and I know just the thing to use!
Bunnyrats! As the largest creatures I have apart from Batson, they are still pretty small. About the size of a shoe. Now I need something bigger and more dangerous than a berry eating rodent. Something with fangs and claws! Something that could and would hunt a bunnyrat.
I know there is one of these predators out there. I'm missing at least 1 of my rodents. Though it could also just as well have ended up in a goblin stew.
As I'm plotting and planning my next encounter, Batson comes flying back into the dungeon. He crashes through some webbing and eventually hits the ground before tumbling and rolling. Dazed, he looks around before hobbling over to his Gem Berry.
I would normally overlook such nonsense but I notice my loyal soldier is covered in wounds and bleeding. Oh, and I spot something small near the landing site that is twitching.
Well done soldier. I'll take it from here. Ants! Charge!
The foreign creature is quickly dispatched and brought to the melt zone. Soon I have another shop item.
-Mouse: A small rodent. Known to like cheese and peanut butter.
Well done Batson! I buy around 10 and settle them near the blueberries, before sending half of them out to work. They are roughly a third of the size of my bunnyrats, no bigger than a child's fist.
I'm still confused about the cause of Batson's wounds, though it look like it was some kind of bird. I cover him with some mana while he chows down on berries.
As a dungeon I can't just rely on my little critters. Something that I figured out while fighting ratface the berry thief. Traps are a common feature that should be made use of.
Pit traps, spike traps, poison, fire, acid, arrows, darts, and boulders. Can't really make many of those at the moment. Maybe once I've got some goblins. A thought for later.
For now, I buy some more shredder worms as they are best for digging. Then I get all my diggers to get to work carving some ditches and holes all along the entrance passageway.
That will take a while, but when I'm done this cave will feel more like a proper dungeon.