Tarl’s dramatic exit is a bit ruined when he comes back to the manor to turn in the quest. I’ve been trying to convince the aranea that socks should come in twos, but the idea of giving two items for completing one quest is utterly anathema to them. I’m not too upset, though. I find it kinda adorable that they have a primitive sense of fairness.

The spider lair has spawned a few more, and while a couple have taken up places in the tunnels, it seems like the new ones are focusing more on delivering stuff from the warehouse. My ratlings still aren’t great at smithing, but knives and little shields have joined the potential quest rewards. I’ve even seen a few rough gems get handed out.

I’ve also discovered where the leather came from. It’s from my ratkin. It seems like making leather is a lot simpler here than back home. Here, you basically just skin a thing and get thing leather. On Earth, tanning is a lengthy and disgusting process, so I’m not exactly going to be crying about how easy leather is to get.

As for how I got it, since my ratkin dwellers are their own thing? They’ve set up a little… I guess offering area? It’s not far from their enclave, and they just place part of whatever they make or hunt or gather there. And my aranea pick up whatever they like, though I think ‘like’ is a bit strong. I watched what they decided to take, and what they decided to leave in exchange, and it seems almost more like osmosis than any actual barter system. High-concentration gets taken to a low-concentration area until they’re roughly equal.

Which works for me. I think the ratkin will figure out how it works eventually, and probably try to tailor their offerings to what it looks like my warehouse needs. I even had Teemo tell them it’s not required, but it is appreciated.

I’ve also realized something else: I haven’t looked at my traps in a while. Like a while. I think the last time I even thought about traps, I didn’t even take up the entire house. I have a lot more options in there now.

There’s the expected pit traps, spike traps, rockfalls, even quicksand. None of which are really interesting to me. There’s also things that are more mechanical than I used to have access to; things like poison gas, darts, blades, trapdoors, and the like. Then there’s, of course, the magical traps that Thing has been working on. He finally got a breakthrough with the spatial magics from examining the bag of holding, so he’s been experimenting a lot to see what he can come up with.

I’ve asked him and Queen both to try to figure out something for sleep traps, alchemical or magical would be fine, or even both. I think it could be an interesting thing to keep delvers on their toes with. Instant death things are boring, but that doesn’t mean other dungeons won’t try to spring them, so I need something to emulate that. I think sleep will do well for it.

I’ve also been getting an idea with looking at the various traps. I wonder if I could do a ninja warrior thing, or emulate one of those embarrassing gauntlet shows that always have annoying voiceovers on tv. Could be another good non-combat thing for people to do. I tell Coda the basic plan for something like that, and point out what I think will be a good area to dig to set something like that up. It’ll take a while, but Coda and the ratlings are both getting a lot better at digging.

They need a new digging goal, now that they’ve broken through to the mausoleum. The undead flood out at first, fungal zombies and green skeletons sweeping through the crypt complex, but the place is big enough that they soon thin out enough to not be a deathtrap. A few aranea even set up in the tunnels and the graveyard to hand out quests to go beat them up, too.

As I sketch plans in the secret library, I feel familiar feet, and unfamiliar feet at the graveyard gate. I see Rhonda with Lucas riding her hat, and for a moment, I think Larx is with her. Only for a moment, though. While Larx almost seems to be playing at being old, this guy is definitely old. His robes are thick, with pockets everywhere, and he leans heavily on his staff. Something about the way he moves, though, makes me think of a certain king earthbender. I hope he’s not here to start anything. He’s with Rhonda, though, so it’s probably fine.

His eyes look over the cemetery, just taking everything in as he speaks up. “So, this is what’s become of Neverrest?”

Rhonda thinks for a moment, then gives a slow nod. She’s been learning to not move her head around too quickly. Lucas doesn’t like having to suddenly hang on for dear life. “Kinda, Master. Fourdock Dungeon subsumed it, and is in charge now. The church has even been bringing bodies to be buried properly!” I get the feeling Freddie’s happiness at them getting proper interment has rubbed off a bit on his friend.

What’d they say the name of her master was? Old… something? I know she and Freddie have mentioned him several times, but I don’t remember what his name actually is. Whatever his name, he seems satisfied with looking around the graveyard, and smirks as he spots the mausoleum with the sign on it.

“Don’t Open, Undead Inside. Direct and to the point. Now then, Rhonda. Where did you say this hand was?”

She points towards the mausoleum that leads to the complex. “That leads to a lot of tunnels, and he’s in there somewhere. Or at least his workshop is. That’s also where the nasty traps are.”

The old ratkin nods and waves that off. “That’s fine. If the dungeon wants to be rid of those traps, I’ll be more than happy to clear them out as we go. Maybe get some good will from it and it’d be more willing to talk about that reagent you saw.” I can see his eyes twinkle as he mentions the reagent, but I don’t know what he’s talking about. Thing, have you been making unobtanium without telling me?

Well, either way, you’re going to be having guests soon, looks like. Teemo, would you come meet these two in the complex? The ratkin seems pretty confident he can handle the magical traps, but I’d like you there to make sure they don’t get in over their heads.

The wizened ratkin takes his time walking and seems to enjoy the peace of the graveyard. “It’s nice to see it like this again. I had actually seen it before Neverrest took it over, you know.” I can believe it. He looks old enough to have had a pet dinosaur as a kid. Huh… I wonder if dinosaurs were a thing in this world. Maybe they’re even still a thing in this world.

“Now, Rhonda. I don’t want you getting near the magical traps, but I do want you to pay attention while I work. You may be more ice aligned than metamagic like myself, but you can still learn to spot the weaknesses in a spell. I’ll be picking those apart to let the spell collapse in on itself. If you don’t know what you’re doing, trying that can just set it off, or even focus all that energy on yourself. So I expect you to take careful notes!”

“Yes Master!” she says with a gleam in her own eye. She grips the straps for her pack a bit tighter, and I’m sure she has a bunch of magical stuff in there, as well as her little notebook and charcoal stick. The two get into the complex without any issue, and Teemo gets to them well before they get to any of the traps.

“Hello Rhonda. Who’s your friend? No, not you, Lucas. I know who you are.”

“Eep!” eeps Rhonda when Teemo speaks, and she looks around in surprise. Her master gives a wary eye as well, but neither can see Teemo. After a few moments, the young goblin speaks.

“U-um… this is my Master? Old Staiven?” Staiven! Right! Teemo steps out of the shortcut and stands in the tunnel for the two to see.

“Ah, so you’re her teacher. Thedeim says you’re doing a good job with her.” Rhonda fights a blush while she also fights confusion at the talking rat, and I think she’s losing both battles. Her teacher, though, looks at Teemo calculatingly.

“The Voice? The dungeon is called Thedeim, then.” He takes a few moments more to think, before giving a smirk. “Tell Thedeim he’s doing a good job with the cemetery.” Heh, I think this guy is going to be tough to impress.

Teemo returns the smirk, before nodding behind himself. “The Boss says you’re here to get rid of the traps, and talk with Thing? You’re sure you can handle them? Neverrest had a lot of nasty stuff enchanted down here.”

Old Staiven nods with the confidence of someone who is a master of their craft. “If they were fresh and actively upkept, I might have some problems, but I can see the fraying of the spellcraft from here. If they weren’t so dangerous, I’d have Rhonda practice on a couple.”

Rhonda looks nervous at that idea, but her master ignores her as he continues. “Thedeim is fine with me dispelling them?”

Teemo nods. “He is, if it can be done safely. He doesn’t like aggressive traps like these.”

With that, Old Staiven gets to work. Rhonda takes notes as he talks about spellcraft and rune design and all kinds of technical things. I take notes in the secret library, and even copy Rhonda’s notes, too. Thing’s going to have a field day with this stuff. The first couple he takes his time with, making sure Rhonda understands what he’s doing, and he even has her try to explain how to unravel one, before he does so himself.

He corrects her a few times when she works through it, but he does soon collapse it like she suggested. It makes a loud snap, instead of the quiet whump when he does it himself, but she is still a novice.

After that, though, he starts unraveling them much faster. If he took his time to explain with each of them, they’d be here all day. Watching him work, I doubt Neverrest could have done much to stop him strolling around however he pleased down here, aside from burying him in undead. I’m just glad for the mana, and for the place getting cleared out. If I can give him whatever reagent he’s after, I’ll probably do it. The complex is basically ready for business now he’s cleared the traps.

Teemo leads them to the enchanting lab, and Thing is there, patiently waiting. Old Staiven’s eyes immediately settle on the disembodied hand, before he lets them wander the room.

“That’s quite the impressive enchanting lab. Especially that lens array.” He looks ready to get lost in exploring the shop of a fellow magic user when Rhonda gently tugs on his robe to get him focused.

“Ah, yes. Business before pleasure. My young apprentice here noticed an odd reagent the last time she was here. A yellow liquid.” Yellow liquid? I peer through the various cupboards as Thing taps a finger in thought. I’m seeing a lot of yellow liquids, and while I technically know what they all are, I have no idea what they all do, no more than I’d know what a shelf of chemicals in a more traditional lab would do, despite being able to read the labels.

Thing waves himself to try to get him to give more details, and Teemo speaks up. “What kind of yellow liquid? There’s a lot in here.”

The enchanter holds out his hand and Rhonda places her notebook into it. “Let me see… ah, yes. Judging by the other reagents, it has properties pertaining to movement?” he says, looking to Thing and Teemo to see if they can confirm. Thing thinks for a few more seconds before snapping, seeming to know what it is. He hops off the counter to get it. Oh, you’ve been keeping some bottled lightning in here? I probably should have figured it’d be something that could be useful in enchanting, instead of just something to give my stuff lightning affinity.

Thing levitates it to the table, before hopping up himself, and he immediately has the Ratkin’s full attention. “What is that?” he says like a kid who’s seen a candybar for the first time. As my Voice, it’s on Teemo to respond.

“The Boss calls it Bottled Lightning.”

“How do you make it?” comes the immediate response. “I’ve never seen anything quite like it before.”

“Queen, the ant scion and alchemist, makes it.”

“Can I meet her?”

Teemo grimaces and shakes his head. “No. Her domain is the secret alchemy lab.”

Staiven still stares at the small bottle. “I’d almost pledge myself as a Resident just to get to talk to her… but that wouldn’t be reasonable,” he says as he tears his eyes from the vial with visible effort. Hmm.

Hey Thing, Queen. Do you two think it’d be a bad idea to let him have a small sample? I don’t think it will work the same on delvers as it does on us, but you two are the experts. Unfortunately, neither of them seem to have any actual advice to give. Well, I’m pretty sure it’s something that can only be made in a dungeon, possibly even only made by a dungeon, via scions and such. It wasn’t exactly a complicated recipe or used anything especially rare to make. Pretty sure I made the first bit in a literal hole in the dirt with a couple ants just chewing and spitting.

Alright Thing. Prepare a little sample vial for him. I really do want to thank him for clearing out those magical traps. Teemo speaks up as Thing gets working on what I asked.

“Thedeim says you can have a small sample, as a thanks for clearing the traps. He’s not sure what it’ll do to you guys, but you look like you know what you’re doing.”

Elsewhere

A small purple light forms atop a mat of mycelia. Something primal tells the fungus to protect the tiny shard. Soon, wide-capped mushrooms block it from sight, and spores get produced in more quantity. Usually, the fungus would be happy to let spores travel, or even get lucky and kill a small insect well away from the main biomass… but now it’s different. Working that slowly could endanger the purple source of light. It can’t have that.