Chapter Three-Hundred Forty-Eight

With the hold preceding apace, I take the time to work on the details of the Forest of Four Seasons, as well as the Tree of Cycles.  I’ve been wanting to make the entire area be a place for high level adventurers to delve, but I think I should change things slightly.

A realization hit me while watching another group of delvers struggle through the encounters on the forest floor.  It seemed weird for spirits to still be so high, considering the injuries the group suffered, at least at first.  Delvers are used to fighting for their lives, taking risks, riding the razor’s edge of risk and reward.  With how I have the forest set up right now, they can basically power level themselves.  I’ve put too wide a gap between the combat challenge from the forest and the rest of me.

Right now, the adventurers are happy to take the beating if it means more experience for them, both in the sense of ‘learning how to handle things’ definition, and the ‘get enough and automatically get stronger’ senses of the word.  But if I want to help Captain Ross and his people get stronger, they’re going to probably need a smoother leveling curve.

That, and Grim has been more active in the forest than in the cemetery lately.  If he’s working that hard to keep my record going, I should definitely try to smooth things out a bit.  Thankfully, I don’t think it’ll be too difficult.

I have plenty of spawns that should make a decent curve, I just don’t have them laid out to provide it.  I spend a little mana to start shifting assignments on the forest floor, and Titania and Goldilocks pick up quickly and start ordering around my denizens without any further input.  I’ll make the floor among the seasons a good area for mid level delvers.  I just need to thin out the spawns a little, moving the extras up into the tree itself, or down into the roots.

That should hopefully keep the delvers from getting their butts kicked for easy experience.  And, to make sure they don’t just move their current tactic up into the tree, I set a few very strong encounters at the various paths up to the branches, with orders to quickly subdue delvers that are too weak.  Giving the delvers extra experience is nice for them in the short run, but that’s the sort of bad habit that will get them quickly killed in a different dungeon.  Best to remind them that, though risk comes with reward, there are some battles that should simply be avoided.

I also start guiding my tunnelbore ants to weave around the roots under the tree, though I don’t direct them too deeply without Coda’s OK.  The roots might be strong and deep, but that on its own won’t keep me from accidentally destroying the foundation if I’m not careful.  I want to give my dragons a good place to hang out and have actual fights with the delvers, and tunnels in the earth should be a good place for it.

And I’m not going to forget my dragon scion, either.  Nova’s work is only getting better, and it makes me want to give her a place to show off her work that accentuates her, instead of showing off me in my upcoming Sanctum.  Luckily for her, the old Sanctum will still be there, and I think could be a great secret room for the delvers to discover.  I have a gallery room I haven’t designated yet, and the old Secret Sanctum could be perfect for it.

A special space for Nova also makes me want to get a special space for Fluffles, though his will be a lot different than hers.  He and Rocky have been sparring every chance they get, and though Rocky is a natural in a fight, Fluffles has the raw power to really make a go at being a raid boss.  I’ll probably set up an encounter in each season which unlocks something in the branches, which unlocks something in the roots, which gives access to the canopy where Fluffles will accept their challenge.  The unlock should be long enough that Fluffles isn’t constantly fighting, but short enough that delvers still feel motivated to try.

There’s a lot of prep still to be done for something like that, though.  I still need to figure out what I even want the unlocks to be, let alone place them.  And if there’s going to be a lot of fighting in the canopy, I absolutely need to have my proper solution for falling delvers.  The improvisation of spider silk and vines is working for now.  The dire ravens are keeping an eye on climbing delvers, too, ensuring they can snag any that manage to slip the net.  All it takes is the raven bringing along a dreambloom to KO the delver and I get mana, and they get to try again later.

But that still relies on my ravens not slipping, not missing a catch, not getting attacked by a reckless delver who wants to keep their run going.  I think it’s time I give my plants the spatial affinity.  Not only should that upgrade make it practically impossible for delvers to slip away once they fall, but it’ll also help with other spatial things.  Teemo’s been incredibly busy lately, tending to the shortcuts he’s already made as well as making new ones throughout the forest.  A single shortcut doesn’t need too much attention to keep working, but with the raw number he’s made, he’s approaching the limit of what he can keep up with.

It’s not a cheap upgrade, but I think the specialization will be worth it.  I could theoretically make them focused on resources and also give them spatial affinity, but the two upgrades don’t really synergize well.  Or… looking more closely, they synergize too well and make it even more expensive.  Spatial fruits sound crazy, and I think if I get a bunch of plants with them, the alchemists will make the smiths' reaction to mythril and orichalcum pale in comparison.

The mana production would probably be worth it, but the price tag makes me hesitate, as does the current situation with the Earl and everything.  Having something that valuable could be enough to make him drop the act and make a direct move.  Things could get very messy if I tease a payday he can’t ignore like that.

Of course, I’m not going to let his potential reaction keep me from doing what I think would be best.  The more pertinent reason for me to not go for resources and spatial affinity, besides the cost, is that I don’t think they’d be up to the task of keeping the shortcuts running with minimal help from Teemo.  But if I focus them toward magic and give them the affinity, they will naturally want to keep working on the shortcuts just to practice their affinity.  Even better, they’ll still be good in a fight.  I don’t think tying reality in knots is a cost-effective way to wage a direct battle, but Teemo has shown how powerful the ability can be as support.

I nod to myself and spend the mana, and eagerly watch the spawner.  I technically didn’t upgrade it for any new spawns, so all I’m getting are some of the old ones with the addition of the new affinity.  The living vines, dreamblooms, and living brambles with the affinity come out with a slight purple tinge that’s easy to miss if you’re not looking.

That doesn’t keep my denizens from noticing and taking advantage.  My mischief foxes immediately compete to be the first to get a dreambloom into a patch of its brethren, where the flower denizen will be able to make it seem like the delvers have a bit more room before they hit the sleep-inducing pollen. The brambles get taken by the armory bees, who are starting to set up their fortresses at the paths up into the branches.  With a spatial bramble, they can make their little fortresses bigger inside and give any would-be delvers a harder time if they want to go play above the ground.

The vines themselves, though, are left alone to study Teemo’s shortcuts.  Said rat notices what I’m up to and chuckles as he moves to meet the new denizens.  “I hope you didn’t do all that for just me, Boss.”

And what if I did?

“You could find a better use for that mana, I bet.”

I don’t think so.  Now you can spend your time giving them pointers instead of always patching up the shortcuts.  Besides, I think having them in the shortcut to the Southwood would liven the place up a bit.  And, with them specialized toward magic, I now have some excellent support denizens to challenge delvers.  I remember some of the nonsense you pulled against the Stag, the Redcap, and even the Harbinger, Mr. Mobius Trap.

Teemo looks a bit embarrassed by that.  “Well… it’ll be a while before they can do their own Mobius Trap, if they ever manage it.  The later spawns might…” he adds, rubbing his chin in thought.

Do you think the vines will be good to maintain the shortcuts?

He nods.  “I think they’ll do great, Boss.  I’ll get them situated, don’t you worry.  I think I’ll start them with the shortcuts still inside you before letting them go afield.  We’ll need a lot of them for the shortcut to the Southwood anyway, so that’ll give them time to spawn.”

So what are you going to do with your free time?  Bug Poe to track down Yvonne, Ragnar, and Aelara and go visit her?

He chuckles and shakes his head.  “Nah, I shouldn't bother her at work.  They should be back before too long anyway.  Maybe if they’re late, I’ll try that, but she and them can handle themselves.  I might spend some time with Rocky or maybe Thing and Queen and Honey.  I want gravity affinity.”

Ah, I knew you were close, but I didn’t want to blab it.

“Yeah… when I asked you for a hint the other day, I was hoping you’d have a hint for how to get it, not what I was getting close to.  I know gravity and space are related, but I’m having trouble applying it.”

Are you?  You were making the shortcut feel downhill both ways, weren’t you?

“I mean… yeah, but…” he looks frustrated, my Voice having trouble finding the words.

My desire to smile doesn’t help his mood, so I quickly elaborate.  I think you’re trying too hard.

“What do you mean?  I know they’re linked, but I also know I’m missing something…”

They’re not just linked, they’re the same thing.  One coin, two sides.

Teemo’s eyes widen and I can actually feel it click for him, even as I see a trickle of blood leak from his nose, followed by him falling over and his respawn timer starts ticking.

What just happened?

New Domain: Gravity

Oh.  That answers one question, and begs about a thousand more.