NOVEL WEB Chapter 17
"Okay, time for something a bit different."
The floors above had a corridor heading east as the starting point into the floor. This time, I went west. The ground I was now taking control of was rock, as I was pretty far underground now.
"That will confuse them."
I laugh to myself as the corridor takes shape. The stonework creation took me only a few minutes to form and have in place. The doorway leading to the floor is on the northern side, and the southern exit will be the boss room exit.
"Right, there are no corridors on this floor. There are wide spaces for the boars….. Idiot! I have not even checked their minion sheet!"
Calling it up only takes one command now.
"Status screen. Dungeon Minion. Black Boar."
Name
Black Boar
Level/Class
1 - Dungeon Minion
Race
Boar
Essence
0%
Health
120/120
Mana
20/20
Stamina
120/120
Corruption
0%
STR
12
12 Damage Base
DEX
6
AGL
8
END
12
VIT
12
PER
6
INT
2
WIL
4
LUCK
2
Skills:
Charge: 1 – 0% (10 meters. END + 6 impact damage + Tusks) Cost: 10 Stamina
Equipment:
Boar Tusks: Dam 6 + STR
Perks/Restrictions:
Fury (When health reaches 20%): + 4 Dam.
Tough Hide: - 3 Dam from attacks
"Bloody Hell! No wonder one of them was so tough!"
The stats alone were more than enough to overwhelm several toads.
"Are my first and second-floor minions really that weak, or is the boar overpowered?"
There was no way I could resolve this question. My experiences so far against live enemies were ambushes. But Damn! This boar was not just a step up but two.
This led to my next question.
"Is the boar too much?.......... Who am I kidding? Of course not!"
Then I saw the CP cost of 15 per boar.
If I could, I would have spent the next few minutes crying.
The next room takes shape as I absorb the rock and dirt. It is enormous; there has to be room for the boar that will be placed here to move around. I started to make my map with references.
"This will be 3B as the corridor will be 3A."
Looking around, one boar will be enough, but what environment?
"Grass? Yes, grass….. maybe a mud pit?"
The walls and ceiling are altered to the stonework like the upper floors. The ground is covered with dirt mixed with donkey shit. Grass seeds are the last added.
"It's looking good. There's no mud pit in this one. No, I will have a pit in all of them."
The boars will be added last to allow the grass to grow. The next room north was going to be even bigger. The rock and dirt are absorbed as I turn the room east. The room I cut out is twice the size of the first.
"Right, 3C, what will we do with you?"
The walls and ceiling were finished first. The "enriched" soil was next with grass seeds. But I did not cover the whole floor; I cut out a wide area about five inches deep. I made the exposed area stone and filled it with water, creating a shallow pond, knowing the boars would turn it into a mud pit.
East was the direction I continued, but I turned south. The room received the same treatment as the last, with another pond added. I placed it close to the southern wall and covered nearly the whole space, about 40% of the floor.
"One boar in room 3D."
Looking at the pond, I got to thinking. Deeper?
The depth increased to two meters after a short distance. Anyone could walk into the pond a few steps, then a sudden drop. Petty, yes. But it's funny as hell.
I continue to move south, creating another room. Then, another after that, but then, the room turned west. That was E and F finished. Moving to G, I continue moving west. When the basic room was finished, I moved on to H.
"Now, will this be the boss room, or will I create two rooms?"
The other rooms were all rectangular in shape. If I were to make the boss room, I would break this trend.
"No two rooms."
I got to work creating the first turning north. When finished, the last room was mainly parallel to the entry corridor. For my entertainment, I placed the water/mud pit next to the door as you enter, making it harder for anyone to fight the floor boss. The exit and the one-way entrance were added, as were the finishing touches of the stonework, water pool, and grass.
"Looking good."
I said to myself, travelling through the new rooms. My CP regeneration rate has increased to 2.9 an hour. This made me happy, but what would happen next was not. I decided to wait until my CP returned to a total of 217 points.
"Time to make the boars."
I wish I could cry. I really felt like crying.
There are no upgrades, just boars. The first one came into existence in room 3B. The motes of light gathered as my CP total dropped. It appeared and began wondering about its new room. I checked the notification that came with it.
Loot Assignment.
The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing a Black Boar.
Cythian Copper coins x5 and Boar Meat 1kg (Chance – 40%)
Cythian Copper coins x5 and Boar Hide x1 (Chance – 40%)
Cythian Copper coins X10 and Boar Tusks x2 (Chance – 20%)
The odds and types of rewards may be set manually, but this will add to the overall support cost of the minion respawn.
Do you wish to alter the rewards: Yes or No?
"Okay. That's new. No."
As the screen closed, I pondered this new turn of events and then asked the question.
"What are these new boar rewards in the loot assignment?"
Surprisingly, I got an answer.
Loot Assignment Upgrades.
When a dungeon minion passes the ten CP mark for creation, new options become available for the loot drop table. Creatures must also be assigned loot individually and not by room.
Boar Meat – Rich in protein and tasty, this is a favourite for all meat eaters everywhere.
Boar Hide – Tough leather that can be used to craft armour.
Boar Tusks – Alchemists use these in their creations.
"Errr.. thanks?"
I closed the screen, thinking about what I had just learned. I set the respawn ability and winced as the cost was deducted from my total. Another 15 CP was permanently lost from my total unless I changed my floors.
Then I got angry.
"Why the fuck was this not in the wiki that…."
I ranted for some time.
Eventually, I calmed down and went back to work.
Room 3C was the most extended room on the floor. Hating to do it, I took the hit and created three boars in this room. After the creation, agreeing to loot and setting the respawn costs, my CP was down to 157 points.
"I will need to rethink this."
I planned to have two boars in each room until the boss room. There was no way I would be able to afford this.
"It's times like these; I hate maths!"
The only upside was that my grass was growing well. Oh, the boars were also enjoying the ponds, which were fast becoming mud pits. I thought about my CP issues while watching the three new boars as they frolicked in the mud pit.
My CP was ticking up and was soon back to full. Four rooms got four boars. My CP has fallen below 97 points now. I have 67 to use, but I must wait for that number to rise again to full.
"I was doing so well. Now look at me!"
Larry was still upstairs, so I was talking to one of the boars I had just created.
"I had well over two hundred CP before this floor. Now I am almost totally tapped out."
The boar was not paying attention, finding the grass and mud far more interesting. It wandered around, grunting merrily as it sniffed and investigated its room.
"I still have two more boars planned. Then the floor boss! At this rate, I will have nothing left!"
It turns out boars are not great conversationalists or even listeners. Who would have thought?
Two more boars were added to the final non-boss room. This left me with a grand total of 67 points to use after they had regenerated.
"Okay, what to do with the boss?"
"Go big? Or. Think prudent?"
"I have a maximum of sixty points to spend. I will need the last few. Or, just make a slightly improved boar and have a reserve in case of emergencies."
These thoughts warred within my mind as my CP number slowly went back up. I am so torn! I could just press on, but the CP recovery gave me a great excuse to procrastinate.
In the end, I made the choice to……
"Go big, baby!"
Why? If anyone made it this far, they would have to face something truly dangerous, so an impressive floor guardian was required.
"Right fifteen base cost with an additional fifteen upgrade…….. Should I add mana?"
Now, that was a thought!
"Illusion and Shadow. Illusion is working towards full at 23.4 and Shadow is full. Options, options."
"Hold on! If this is right, I have been at this for ten days!"
Going through my memoirs, I felt the sun on the external building multiple times since I started on this floor. Yes. Today was the tenth day.
This disturbs me. I am becoming disassociated with time and that was not a good thing. Was this a sign of my mind beginning to fracture?
"Got to stay focused. Make floor guardian."
"Right back to the original question. Mana or no?"
"Let's risk it. Mana. Shadow, that's what we will use."
I felt Illusion was interesting but did not go with the boar. Shadow Mana was plentiful and was sorta my dungeon vibe.
"Right, fifteen base cost with ten CP and ten Shadow mana. That sounds good. Let's see what happens."
Opening the required screens, I assigned the resources and created my new boss. The motes of different grey lights gathered as the creature was shaped. The size of the boar was impressive as it formed.
I felt the forces tugging and pulling in its creation. I stayed focused on keeping the process going; it was more intensive than any other. The other two were easy and I could cruise through. This time, I was being forced to pay attention. The whirlwind of dust and motes was thick and spun fast.
With a sudden pop and flash, it was done.
Congratulations!
You have created an improved minion.
Shadow Touched Boar created!
……………
This minion can be assigned to this room as the floor guardian.
Do you wish this to happen: Yes or No?
"Holy Shit! Yes!"
My new floor boss was the biggest creature I had. He (I checked and they were all he, but this was the only one I was addressing as one) was far larger than his brother boars. Mean and tough-looking, he was everything I was hoping for.
"Let's see what we have."
I opened its status screen.
Name
3rd Floor Guardian
Level/Class
Floor 3 Boss
Race
Shadow Touched Greater Boar
Essence
0%
Health
170/170
Mana
20/20
Stamina
150/150
Corruption
0%
STR
15
15 Damage Base
DEX
7
AGL
10
END
15
VIT
17
PER
7
INT
2
WIL
4
LUCK
2
Skills:
Charge: 1 – 0% (12 meters. END + 6 impact damage) Cost: 10 Samina
Equipment:
Boar Tusks: Dam 8 + STR
Perks/Restrictions:
Fury (When health reaches 20%): + 8 Dam.
Tough Hide: - 5 Dam from attacks.
Shadow Touched: +15% to surprise attacks chance to hit and -15% to ranged attacks when in Shadow.
"Fuck me!"
This new guardian was scary. His hide was tougher and his tusks were more pronounced. He was more challenging, more robust, and healthier, with a shadow-touched bonus.
"You're my boy!"
The boar was looking around and began exploring its room. I wanted to check him out more, but I needed to assign loot and set up his respawn costs.
Loot Assignment.
The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing the 3rd Floor Guardian.
Cythian Copper coins x40 and Boar Meat 2 kg (Chance – 40%)
Cythian Copper coins x40 and Boar Hide x2 (Chance – 40%)
Cythian Silver coins X2 and Boar Tusks x2 (Chance – 20%)
The odds and types of rewards may be set manually, but this will add to the overall support cost of the room respawn.
Do you wish to alter the rewards: Yes or No?
"Okay, that's a lot."
I thought about it but made no changes. If the system thought this was fair, I decided to leave the table as it was. The rewards looked fine. However, as I did not have a reference point, I had to work with what I had.
He began walking around his space like the others, exploring. Looking around the room, I felt that something was missing. But what?
I went to the stairwell and "ran" the dungeon floor. I went through the first rooms. I stopped at 3C.
"Three boars too many this early?"
This was outside the floor guardian, the most dangerous room on the floor. Was being in the second room a problem? I thought for a while about this.
"Nah. Leave it as it is. Got to make them work for it on this floor."
I continued travelling the rooms. The boars were wandering around doing their thing, sniffing the ground or playing in the mud pits. The deep one was not as muddy as the boar knew it was deeper than the others.
I made it back to the floor boss room. Looking around, I still felt I should add something else to it. I opened my menus, looking for inspiration. Moving through them, I stopped on the plants I could create.
"Flowers?"
Thinking about that reminded me of how the flowers I had placed on the second floor had attracted the boar in the first place. Maybe some new ones on this floor? Looking around, I thought about how to add one new type to this floor.
"Which one? I have the healing one upstairs. What about…. Spring Daisy, the stamina plant. That sounds right."
I cross to the western wall and look north to the exit door. Should I create a flower bed that follows the whole wall? Creating the beds will not be much hassle and will naturally allow the flowers to grow.
"Right, here we go."
My CP total dropped a little as I sprinkled Spring Daisy seeds. It will take a few hours or days, but they will soon grow. This was the end of this floor. I felt it was complete.
"Now, what am I going to do?"