Tiny Dungeon

60%

Valterra stared at the screen in his Core in shock. Just making additional entrances into his Dungeon and learning how to absorb Aether from them at the same time had given him a jump of 15% toward evolution. If the pattern with his Floors continued then he would reach his next evolution by Floor Six. That was without any other unexpected upgrades that he achieved along the way.

He knew it was just a manner of time before his newly enlarged Third Floor began to give him Schemas. He would have to be present of course but he figured he would be able to do that soon. After planning out his Fifth Floor that is.

He didn’t know exactly what he wanted yet but he had figured something out while working on his other Floors. He wanted them all to connect in some way. It wasn’t just that he wanted his Aether circulation to be better so that it would hit all his Floors, he also wanted them to work together so that invaders would have little idea of just how many Floors he actually had. Combined with his multiple entrances Valterra was certain that this would prove to be devastating to anyone who might wish him harm.

He turned to what had once been the kitchen. Gradually an image took shape in his mind but he needed something first. He went looking and immediately found what he was looking for claiming what he needed.

New Schema Acquired!

Wind-Blown Moss (No Rarity)

A plentiful moss that forms a dense cushion upon rocks, soil, and logs. Using wind to disperse itself far and wide this moss can be found anywhere it can grow effectively.

It hadn’t taken very long for Valterra to find where the now Mouse Squire had acquired the moss he had used to clean his First Floor guardian’s needle. He was interested to discover that the moss was used by other Dungeons as he didn’t get the option of modifying it freely. Thinking through this though he realized it wasn’t that farfetched. Most Dungeons probably had a simple cave as their First Floor with Moss and other such plants as the basic environment.

It didn’t matter as much now. If he truly wanted to modify the Schema he could use his Divine Potential, for now though, it would suffice for what he wanted it to do. Directing the Aether that was coming into the kitchen from the rest of his Dungeon he began to create stone out of it by activating his Authority. Using the stone he created ledges and cemented them to the interior wooden walls. Then going once more to his borrowed memories he built “bridges” out of stone to connect the various slabs that sat on top of the “cabinetry.” Tall folk were weird. He then shortened the steps leading down to the basement so that smaller creatures could climb up and down.

Next, he began to spread his moss everywhere that he could, using Aether to make sure it would grow properly. While he was at it he spread his Aether-Dew Mold as well, creating little wet out of the way areas where it could thrive. In between the cabinets, he fashioned large five foot pillars that he anchored to the floor. Going below to the ceiling of the Fourth Floor he was reinforcing it when he had an idea. Chuckling to himself mischievously he began creating what his memories called a “trapdoor.” Apparently, other Dungeons had them.

They would seemingly look just like any other bit of floor until someone triggered the trap and then the person who triggered it would find the floor suddenly falling away beneath them. Valterra figured it would be the perfect way to make sure that invaders wouldn’t be able to avoid his Fourth Floor once they realized it was all aquatic.

Having finished all of that Valterra still felt as though something was missing even as he sealed the top half of the big kitchen from the bottom creating a ceiling of rock that was supported by his five foot pillars. He now had a large cavern, though still much smaller than one of the tall folk might find comfortable which was all to the good as far as Valterra was concerned.

What was he missing?

He knew he still needed creatures but that wasn’t all of it. The large entrance into the living room hadn’t been sealed off yet but it wasn’t that. He shut it temporarily making sure to leave holes so that his Aether circulation wouldn’t be ruined again. The last thing he wanted was for Aether to pool up on the Fifth Floor without reaching his Core.

As he was finishing up he realized what he needed. He needed conflict. He only had one major predator in mind and it wouldn’t be enough for the kind of ecosystem he wanted to build, one based on the struggle to evolve. Contemplating this he looked through his various creatures. He wanted something that would fit the wooden cave aesthetic he was going for and yet also smart enough to trigger his traps for him.

When the solution finally dawned on him he mentally berated himself. He went to the bottom of the basement stairs and began forming an impressive citadel right on the edge of the waters.

And then he populated it.

With Mouse Guards.

He had completely forgotten that when his Mouse Guard had evolved for the first time he had acquired the Schema for the creature. He could’ve just been making Mouse Guards this whole time. After throwing a little mental tantrum Valterra calmed down enough to realize that what he had done was probably a good thing. This was his Fifth Floor after all. The Aether content on the Third and First Floor probably wouldn’t be enough to sustain a large population of higher evolved creatures but the Fifth Floor certainly could. What’s more the environment and the ensuing conflicts would help these mice evolve quicker into what he wanted them to be.

Now he just had to make their competition.

He started by summoning some Savage Minks and releasing them onto the floor. They immediately began competing for the choicest spots of moss so he figured they would be fine until he finished with the rest of the Floor.

Moving quickly Valterra went to his Deeplight Belchers and dived into the Schema looking for some way he could use them. They were integral to the Fourth Floor and he wondered if there was some way he could manipulate the Schema so that they could be a part of his Fifth Floor as well.

He ended up settling on making a variant. It wasn’t even that hard. He rid them of their paddles and shrunk them a little to make them around 18 inches long and 9 inches high. They retained their inner lighting and ability to spew superheated, highly nutritious liquid.

He also sharpened their front pair of limbs to make them fearsome weapons in their own right and kept their need to lay eggs in water. He planned that they would need to head down to the water of the Fourth Floor to lay their eggs where they would then have to fight the Mice and their cousins to do so. As he released the Schema he was pleased to see a variant separate from the original only to frown as the line went down rather than sideways or up.

New Evolutionary path synthesized from an existing Schema! The Schema “Deeplight Belcher” may now be automatically devolved into the following Schema:

Deeplight Stalker (Unique Variant - Uncommon)

A Unique Variant of the Deeplight Belcher these insectoids have been fashioned to live on land yet remain tied to the underwater layers of their cousins. Unlike their underwater cousins, this variant is even more dangerous after it has spewed its caustic load although they sacrifice control to affect a larger area. Having done so it makes use of its dimmed interior to pounce on prey once they have been blinded or scalded by the liquid.

‘Huh. I devolved a creature. I didn’t even know I could do that.” Valterra thought to himself. He felt a presence descend and heard a voice he identified as Qual’Dorn.

“Hmm, yes you did. It is most likely because you didn’t add anything new other than making their front legs extra sharp. Mostly you simply took things away. Evolution is all about growth so if you wanted something extra powerful you would have had to add things in addition to what you already have. I can’t say much else but I figured you might want some answers.”

‘Yeah, that helps a lot! Thanks, Uncle Dorn!’ Valterra said cheerfully as he went back to work unaware of the effect he had on the divinity in question.

*********

“Huh. Valterra just called me Uncle Dorn.” The other high spirits looked at Qual’Dorn in confusion.

“He…what?” Tal’Irieth asked.

“He called me his Uncle?”

“Well, we did kind of adopt him,” Krat’Imos stated calmly. “It figures he would take it literally. You all keep forgetting he is like a kid.”

“I kind of like it,” Qual’Dorn said with a smile.

“Of course, you would,” Trik’Weri said with a smirk.

“What is that supposed to mean?!”