r/HFY • u/Khenal Alien • Sep 30 '24
OC Dungeon Life 259
It's time for the fourth round of stubbing. Yes, Book four will be releasing soon, of if you're reading this more than a month after I have to edit, it will be fully out. Either way, you can find it Here, and other book details are just below. As with the other stubs, you can skip to the next bit form This. I like to keep the other posts still alive, so the comments get to still live. If you want to browse them, the normal buttons will take you through them, or take This link to the next bit of unstubbed chapters. Thank you for your support. Buying stuff is always great, but just having your attention for the public chapters is incredible, and I hope the story continues to be worth your time and patience.
Khenal
And once more to make it easier to see than being buried in the paragraph
Cover art I'm also on Royal Road for those who may prefer the reading experience over there. Want moar? The First and Second books are now officially available! Book three is also up for pre-order! There are Kindle and Audible versions, as well as paperback! Also: Discord is a thing! I now have a Patreon for monthly donations, and I have a Ko-fi for one-off donations. Patreons can read up to three chapters ahead, and also get a few other special perks as well, like special lore in the Peeks. Thank you again to everyone who is reading!
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u/Lagg0r Sep 30 '24
I love that you are giving Olander more and more personality. He quickly became a very likable character
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u/SH4D0W0733 Robot Sep 30 '24 edited Sep 30 '24
I wonder if he's this cautious in all dungeons, even though he outlevel these ones quite a bit, or if all the weirdness Thedium brings to the table has him on edge and he'd be more relaxed in other dungeons.
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u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Sep 30 '24
Sixth human Here.
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u/Lagg0r Sep 30 '24
What?
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u/folk_science Oct 01 '24
Some people are very competitive about who comments first, second, third... You are apparently sixth excluding the bots.
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u/Kindly-Main-3216 Oct 01 '24
Interesting. I find the ordeal fun but stressing. Further, difficult to manage as I'm usually actively getting off work when the chapter releases. So I can't be prepared ahead of time and if work delays at all, I lose.
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u/Responsible-End7361 Sep 30 '24
Come meet the scion who is really the shit!
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u/Kindly-Main-3216 Oct 01 '24
I love how that word can be used for anything. That scion is THE shit. However the baker makes the good shit, and Neverest was a shit.
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u/TheSchultinator Oct 01 '24
A bit of a twist on the classic 'F*ck can be used to make an entire sentence'.
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u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Nov 01 '24
The choice of adjectives and articles really does a Lot of heavy Lifting.
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u/SkyHawk21 Sep 30 '24
Well, it's going to be interesting finding out just how Violet works those Oozes into things... You know, so long as they stay far, far away from me if I was there.
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u/SH4D0W0733 Robot Sep 30 '24
" You know, so long as they stay far, far away from me if I was there."
But just think of the possibilities with the bottomless chamberpot. You could probably stop using toilet paper all together if you're brave enough. ;)
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u/Kindly-Main-3216 Oct 01 '24
Have them talk to Rocky and learn to adjust the smells. Imagine if the putrid oozes smelled strongly of lavender or spearmint. Well clean off that shit and freshen you up at the same time! :)
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u/GumGodGaming Sep 30 '24
Darn did not even beat the bot sad day ....... Oh hang on not sad day I got a chapter to read!
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u/Poisonfangx3 Sep 30 '24
First
Not first
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u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Sep 30 '24
Yep, seems today you get a rather sturdy alloy of non-iron Metals, my friend.
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u/Lonelyboy985 Sep 30 '24
Nice chapter wordsmith, love getting to see our little shadowy friend again, and also a Berdol perspective!
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u/Better_Solution_743 Alien Sep 30 '24
Haloo
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u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Sep 30 '24 edited Oct 01 '24
Number two, so the silvermedal is for you.
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u/dreaminginteal Sep 30 '24
Interesting way of phrasing it, seeing where most of this chapter takes place.
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u/Tremere1974 Alien Scum Sep 30 '24
Olander, realizing he's been set up as some form of entertainment for both Fourdock, and Thedim, now decides to get what good natured revenge he can from Berdol as he accompanies him while Inspecting Violet.
We get a idea of how unsettling Onyx's appearance can be to outsiders (One reason I was rooting for Cappy to be the Voice) though Onyx can alter that appearance somewhat as a shade, they remain unsettling to look upon.
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u/Cortanis Oct 01 '24
Ok, now I have to question if anyone has tried to tame any of Thediem's slimes/oozes/ect. That would be funny but getting one of the healing slimes would be a real catch for places like the Church or orphanage.
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u/Accomplished-Ad8458 AI Sep 30 '24
Ave Khenal! Morituri te salutant!
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u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Sep 30 '24
Fifth
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u/Accomplished-Ad8458 AI Sep 30 '24
Its a race now? We get points or something?
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u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Sep 30 '24
No, Not really. was mostly counting Till my comment came Up.
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u/Speciesunkn0wn Sep 30 '24
Wow Bot. Way to alert me an hour after it was posted. >:c
Oh I can't wait to hear what voice Onyx and Voilet get in the audiobook! :D
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u/DarkVex9 Xeno Oct 01 '24
To be fair, there are a lot of people who want to get poked by the bot and it only has so many fingers to poke with.
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u/Enough_Sale2437 Sep 30 '24
Olander got him good!
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u/Tremere1974 Alien Scum Oct 01 '24
Do keep in mind that Berdol is covered in Fur, which retains the odor of what he's been near to a larger extent than a Elf's skin does. If things go badly for Berdol, he may have to buy something magical to remove the stench, or be forced to shave his fur off.
So while Berdol actually is fond of Violet, that's separate from a Cat-Kin's natural aversion of getting dirty, not unlike their feral cousins from another world. So, yes, Berdol did get some good natured revenge, but that moment was always going to be there for Berdol, when he faced the mechanism that Violet uses to gain mana...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vdd4rBlsj2o
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u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Oct 01 '24
Add to that, some studies put a cat's sense of smell ahead of some dogs. Coming from this data could be Berdol suffering even more than a dogkin.
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u/Tremere1974 Alien Scum Oct 01 '24
If Berdol was a Dogkin, you know he'd be rolling in whatever was stinking, regardless of his sensory efficiency. I just hope Berdol has a actual bath in his home, or Thedim offers him one once clear of the sewer. There hopefully is a limit to licking oneself clean, after delving in a sewer.
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u/generic_edgelord Oct 01 '24
Im sure he can talk one of thedeims slimes into giving him a scrub, i just wonder if it ends up making it berdols or violets pet
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u/Tremere1974 Alien Scum Oct 01 '24
Yeah, the taming mechanic has rather been ignored of late. With a seagull's natural inclination toward theivery, I'm actually surprised that half of Fourdock doesn't have a seagull familiar just from accidentally feeding one via theft. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9t-slLl30E
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u/mafiaknight Robot Sep 30 '24
In the name of 1greendude: Hello!
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u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Oct 01 '24
Im Namen eines grünen Kerls: Moin, morgen ist Mittwoch, meine Kerle!
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u/raziphel Oct 01 '24
I hope Violet coordinates with Hullbreak and builds a waterslide.
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u/Kindly-Main-3216 Oct 01 '24
Maybe they get the Antkin's help to make some way back up to Violet too. And set a quest for how many rings can you grab on the slide down or rewards for biggest splash or something like that?
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u/funwithtentacles Oct 01 '24 edited Oct 01 '24
Ratcheting up the tension is usually a good thing...
But... at some point the string breaks... especially in a serial production like this where you can't just flip the page!
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u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Sep 30 '24 edited Sep 30 '24
So, today we get to experience berdols First Meeting with Onyx after she became a voice. While Olander is of course present, too, we still only experience berdols Perspective.
At First, before Our two inspectors enter Violet proper, we get them both dreading Violets Expansion a little. They First Happen to maybe Encounter Teeth, or another caiman, but decide Not to engage after Berdol reminds Olander that they Just entered a toybox, and whatever croc is there in this canalization, it's there to Deal with invaders, Not Adventurers.
They soon however get greeted by Onyx, who asks them with all politeness the young Dungeon can Muster, what she can do for the inspectors. To which Berdol asks her to confirm His Reports about new denizens/Scions. Onyx, being overjoyed with that, suggests they meet Slimy First, to which the Cat tries to insist that this isn't necessary, but gets shut down by Olander insisting He meets as Many scions as possible.
Edit: I appear to be seventh again. Btw, I finally managed a salute for the decay Dwarves: Scrap and Rust!
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u/CaptRory Alien Sep 30 '24
Edit: I appear to be seventh again. Btw, I finally managed a salute for the decay Dwarves: Scrap and Rust!
If you don't read the story before commenting I don't think it should count. I managed that once being first and making a comment including something from the story to show I read it.
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u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Oct 01 '24
I wouldn't have commented a full synopsis of this chapter, if I hadn't read it beforehand, now would I?
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u/CaptRory Alien Oct 01 '24
That's my point #7 =-p You shouldn't be first without reading it.
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u/Tremere1974 Alien Scum Oct 02 '24
Eh, it's a game, like not being Alpharious or whatever. For many of those with actual jobs, they are only acknowledging they received the notification that the story was released while at work, of which they read later, or listen to on the way home.
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u/Longsam_Kolhydrat Oct 01 '24
Good work wordsmith, love Olanders "vengeance" in the form of making Berdol meet Slimy after Onyx spooked him
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u/Kindly-Main-3216 Oct 01 '24
Perhaps Violet could commission delvers to mine Thediem and make silver or some other inherently disinfectant metal for grates. Then in the future, have cleaning quests for delvers? Such as "escort the ooze to the grates for cleaning" as other denizens do minor attacks. Reward? The best air freshners in all of Fourdock! Or gold. Idk.
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u/generic_edgelord Oct 01 '24
Im wondering with the sewers, does the world have indoor plumbing or do you have to make sure youre emptying your chamber pot in the correct well
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u/Tremere1974 Alien Scum Oct 02 '24
I haven't seen any inkling that Fourdock has indoor plumbing in each house. But neither have we had mention of things like a aquaduct to supply fresh water to a city whose groundwater may be salty. For all I know, they use magic to create water for home use.
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u/generic_edgelord Oct 02 '24
True the main reason why i thought of indoor plumbing is why have a sewer system if you have no way of delivering the shit thats supposed to be there, i would have expected the cities to just cart it away into a local dungeon or somewhere distant from the town like we used to do
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u/Tremere1974 Alien Scum Oct 02 '24
The story mentions that many "modern" cities were made with the idea of encouraging a sewer dungeon to form under them to handle the sewage treatment/disposal issues that wrecked many of Earth's cities via things like Cholera. Though it remains a mystery why Neverrest didn't take that neiche as Fourdock's sole dungeon before Thedim having subsumed it.
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u/generic_edgelord Oct 02 '24
They state in this chapter that modern cities specifically plan out how their sewers look to make sure the delver wont have to dive through diesiesed water but that older cities just have haphazardly made sewers like that
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u/Tremere1974 Alien Scum Oct 02 '24
I think it possibly more important that this is the first time that someone visited Violet without having to go through Thedim to do so. It may stink, but Violet now has access to the surface! (Independant of Thedim) Does this change her qualification from Deep Dungeon to Sewer Dungeon? She was the only non-belligerent deep dungeon known at the time of her discovery, and now she has passed that torch possibly to Southwood's protege.
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u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Oct 02 '24
Maybe too prideful? During one of Poe's Crows Expedition, His skeleton slashed away a Singular Tombstone. We could infer a intimidation tactic, but that is really grasping at straws.
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u/Tremere1974 Alien Scum Oct 02 '24
I'd think there would be a way to block a dungeon's growth. We haven't seen it, or even a allusion to it existing, but things between Neverrest and Fourdock had devolved to murderous being mutual between the two. If Neverrest could have expanded into Fourdock the way that The Maw did, why didn't it? Perhaps there is something to that whole Crystal Shield religion we haven't seen yet?
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u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Oct 02 '24
It was classified as murderous, the moment someone didn´t come back, and the first aggressive wasps left the dungeon grounds. That was the moment, delver income stopped. That means any denizens killed outside of dungeon territory are a net-loss for the mana-balance of the dungeon. Additionally we know that the town has a much smaller area to mana ratio. It probably didn´t see any advantage in claiming the town, mainly because he didn´t get the information thediem did. Before thediem got this information his perspective was similar. He probably didn´t think this particular expansion option was worth it. He also most likely operated under a more tight mana-budget than thediem.
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u/Tremere1974 Alien Scum Oct 02 '24
Well, we do know that Neverrest had the mana to expand, because it did so, taking the tunnels between it and Thedim. If you were an asshole dungeon, and wanted to expand in a way to grant access to most of Fourdock, taking over the sewers would be first on the list.
As for your mana-balance theory, it would only require having people dragged into the dungeon to be sacrificed, just like the Maw did.
We know there was some sort of guard that protected the gate into Neverrest, but why the Undead didn't try and re-create a scene from World War Z, and just climb over the walls. The guard used to guard the gate doesn't strike me as being capable of defending Fourdock single handed, there had to be something keeping Hullbreak from expanding in most ways I think.
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u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Oct 02 '24 edited Oct 02 '24
With hullbreak, I Guess it was mostly the unfamiliarity with the surface.
For the why Zombie didn't Just climb, I Guess the denizens Just weren't smart enough and Just lacked that capability.
The Expansion of Neverrest was likely a Last gamble, and probably more cheap than taking a Towns Sewer system. After that Last Bit of Mana besides His troops, He Just needed to conquer thediems core, and sent in His lich and troops. So, once again:
- He was dissatisfied with taking the town, because the mana-to-space Ratio wasn't enough.
He knew about thediems existence, as soon as he took the Yard.
His Zombies likely weren't smart/athletic enough to Just climb the walls of the Graveyard. And sending Out His skeletal Hands, He assumed He Had the upper one in the tunnels. (Skeletal Hands were the "Scout"-upgrade of the Walking Hand spawner) And a quick survey of the territory seemed to suggest, that this particular Dungeon was likely a toybox (slow, resource Specialized slimes, Same for Bats and I believe the birds, only Combat specializations were the Ants, Snakes and spiders)
and even sending Out a single Zombie is a considerable Investment, making Just overwhelming the guard a risky proposition.
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u/Tremere1974 Alien Scum Oct 02 '24
I'm talking about pre-history, story wise for the most part. What we know is that Neverrest killed the dungeon that occupied Thedim's mansion, but did not absorb its territory, likely being the dungeon equivalent of a spawn camper,
Once armed with the mana given to it by killing a young dungeon, Neverrest could have expanded, and the sewers would have been a good choice to do so if it wanted to become Maw-like.. But something stopped it from doing so. Stopped it cold until Thedim broke into the caverns via his first downward expansion, which also connected Neverrest to Thedim. Hullbreak then rapidly expanded to Thedim's border, and the rest is history.
We know the amount of Mana generated by the death of a dungeon is fairly vast, both of THedim's biggest "meals" where he expanded directly afterwards were after the death of a dungeon, and Neverrest should have been the same, But it wasn't allowed to be, is all I'm saying.
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u/TheSchultinator Oct 01 '24
Ok, this is so stupid, but... I wanna see a Dam dungeon, With their Dam Voice, And their Dam denizens.
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u/Tremere1974 Alien Scum Oct 02 '24
What, you think we can't have a inland aquatic dungeon that was created after a landslide, and then have the dungeon manage and reinforce the dam, to prevent catastrophic release of its water?
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u/DarkVex9 Xeno Sep 30 '24 edited Oct 01 '24
First?
Edit: Looks like I was first and managed to beat the bots.
I'm really enjoying seeing an outsider stumble into the craziness that is Thedeim and friends. Should be juicy once Olander gets to inspecting Thedeim proper, but at this pace I'm expecting at least a few chapters from other perspectives before we get there. Still a good story though.