Two days later Doorman found himself faced with his first set of door-to-door missionaries, or at least that would be the impression he gathered from their appearance. While nearly every party that came by had a Cleric of This or a Priestess of That among their number, this was the first time an entire party came by wearing religious iconography somewhere on their equipment. What made it even odder was that only two of them were fully garbed as being church members - one priestess and a heavily-armored woman wearing holy armor so thick, the only part of her that showed was a pair of horns sticking out of the top of her helmet and a long braid of green hair that dangled behind it. The other three dressed themselves as more traditional adventurers, yet they also had patches sewn on to their sleeves marked with the same church symbols that were so prominent on the equipment of the other two. So, there was no doubt - door-to-door missionaries they were.
"Greetings! While I would bid you welcome, I feel the need to warn you that the Master of Worthy Dungeon has asked me to inform visitors that we're not in the market for any other deities these days, thank you."
The dwarven woman near the front of the party snorts in laughter. "Pfft, I'm glad to see that you're so devout with your chosen patron, then, but do ya not recognize who it is we represent?"
Doorman peers closer at the symbol they all wear. "Is that...an egg sprouting wheat stalks? Honestly, I have no idea what sort of chickens it is you worship, but I don't think we'd be terribly interested."
The elven priestess behind the dwarf gasps in shock. "Do you not recognize the symbol of the Church of Bounty? But we serve the same masters!"
"Sorry, I've never been much of a church-goer. Or an anywhere-goer, you know how it is. If you also serve the Master of Worthy Dungeon though, I'm sure she'd be glad to hear it."
The dwarf points up at a rune marking the dungeon entrance above Doorman's head. "No, ye daft door, she's talking about Kahlia! You got her rune right there! The Church of Bounty serves Kahlia and Palain both, y'never heard of us?"
"Sorry, afraid not. So...you're not here to try and convert anybody, then?"
The tall warrior standing in the middle of the party laughs, the sound echoing from her helmet. "Ha, if anything, you're the one that's been doing the converting for us! I don't think we've ever seen so much interest from Challengers before we came to Grassbrook."
Doorman finds himself both a little surprised and pleased by the compliment. "Ah, well, we do our best to maintain a good reputation with the community, you know. So what is it I can help you all with this fine morning?"
The dwarf speaks again for the party. "Well, if at all possible we'd like to talk with the dungeon itself, learn a bit more about its relationship with the Goddess of Fertility and such. The Association's had such meetings before, aye? I don't know if there's a formal way to request a meeting though, you'll have to forgive me, never done one of these dungeon intrusions before meself."
This time Doorman sucks in a breath through his teeth before answering. "Ffhhtt, I don't know. We value our relationship with the local Association agents, certainly, but I don't know that the mistress would care to be summoned by just any party that comes by, you know? I mean, you're all Worthy Dungeon newbies, too! We're not in the business of just handing out free passes down to the core chamber just for asking."
The woman nods. "Aye, aye, didn't expect as much. If we intrude the place and prove ourselves then, might that earn us an audience?"
"Hmm, one moment." The carved face tilts to one side as if he were listening to an inaudible voice for a few moments, before turning back. "How's this: you make your way to the Floor Two boss, and you'll earn yourself a few questions. You want anything more than that though and you'll need to make your way past the Floor Four boss - which no one's actually managed, I ought to warn you. Feeling up for it?"
The dwarf looks back at her party, particularly the warrior more than twice her size, and smiles before facing the door once again. "I like the sound of a challenge, aye - maybe this Challenger bullshit ain't so much bullshit after all. Daresay we're up for it."
"Excellent! Then we shall start with a riddle. ...What kind of chicken lays an egg that sprouts wheat stalks? Really, that's been bugging me this entire time."
The dwarf narrows her eyes. "...None! It's a metaphor for fertility, ya wooden-headed knocker!"
"Oh! Well, I suppose that makes a lot more sense. ...Little unnecessarily rude there, but I suppose you've answered the riddle. Enjoy your stay!"
As the party's designated heavy Sable took the lead on the first floor, but that soon transformed into the woman soloing the entire floor on her own while the others watched. Not that they didn't want to help, of course, but the quarter-demon clearly didn't need it and equally clearly enjoyed putting on a show. The Barkbirds and slimes were easily slain by her blade, and her Holy Smite spells allowed her to destroy the hidden skeleton archers without even needing ranged weaponry. When it came time for the boss fight the others simply waited by the doorway as to not get in the way, and were treated to an entertaining demonstration of swordplay as the Paladin took BB apart piece by piece - in a literal and bloody sense - ending the fight in no more than twenty seconds.
When it came to the elevator portion of Floor Two, she did graciously allow for the former Challengers in the party to get in on the fun and earn some of their pay. The Geomancer Podge handled the ambushing skeletons by telekinetically ripping stone blocks out of the wall to pummel them with, while the Thornwood Tracker Renter managed the less-threatening but more-numerous spiders and bats with an impressive little display of skill. While the man carried a crossbow strapped to his back, he never needed to draw it, instead pulling on nature magic for the task. With flicks of his wrist, long, poison-coated thorns would suddenly appear in his hands before being flung away with impressive accuracy, each of them unerringly impaling a target.
As the Verdant Priestess Lilly Fullblossom watched on with more than a bit of concern, the Bountiful Mother herself was getting quite the kick out of the display. "Haha, come on now Renter, tell me that ain't just showing off!"
Adjusting his ragged hat, the man shrugs. "Hey, it's just efficiency, yeah? Why waste a good crossbow bolt on something the size of your boot, and why muss up your boots by stompin' on the critters? Won't lie to a Mother, though - I may have perfected the skill by showin' off in taverns a time or two. Occasionally at darts, occasionally when one of the basement rats would get particularly bold, heheh."
With a rather less impressed look on her face, Elance looks up at the elf Priestess standing next to her. "Hmm, and what's got you all jumpy about now, though? I thought you had some Challenger experience, lass? You even got that official Association rank - what was it, level twenty-seven? You didn't earn that planting crops, now."
Clearing her throat, the taller woman tries to add some confidence to her voice. "I've worked with Challengers - by providing healing after the fact, and occasionally providing Challengers with training in nature and holy magic. I've never gone in a dungeon though! Not to say I don't have combat experience, I've fought many a wild beast...but I'm used to having a bit more space, is all. And some soil under my feet, rather than stone and gears."
As the platform comes to a stop at the bottom of the floor, Elance tries not to facepalm. "Why didn't you tell me you were a dungeon virgin, lass? Bad enough that I'm a novice to these myself - do you think you'll be able to handle yourself down here?"
"If Kahlia can show an interest in dungeons, so can Palain! And yes, although many of my spells are more effective when there's flora already present, I can work without it. And also, you've heard the rumors about the fourth floor! If you really do intend on us being the first party to make it through, you'll need my abilities!"
"True, true, just worried about the getting there first, is all. Anyhow, ought to be the second boss ahead, and sounds like we get to ask at least a question or two before we need to get all stabby. Let me do the talking, aye?"
After nods and affirmations from the rest of the party, they walk through the arena door to find the now somewhat-famous Lollyp waiting for them at the other end - the first woman to ever be reincarnated as a dungeon boss. While the slime does greet them with a smile, her tone sounds a little annoyed. "So, you're the Bountiful ones, eh? You know, you're getting a bit of a freebie here even before we get to the talking bit, given that now I don't get to ambush you and give you a bit of an acid bath."
Lilly clenches her teeth as she looks at a nearby chemical pool, but Elance keeps a grin on her face. "Ah, there she is in the flesh - or whatever it is you slimes got, anyhow! Slime Elementalist Lollyp, aye? My name's Bountiful Mother Elance Hammerdown - call me Elance - and I've been looking forward to meeting you."
"Glad to know I've got a fanbase, though I was never big on the gods before, I gotta admit. Anyhow, boss told me you get a few free questions, just to get us off on the right foot, so shoot - whatcha got?"
Elance calms herself a little before asking - if they only get a few, she wouldn't want to mess this up. "I would like to ask about how it is you came to the dungeon, but if you are a Domain soldier as they say, I'm guessin' that ain't something you'd want to talk about?"
The slime nods. "Yup. Technically, dying might have freed me from my oaths of service, but I do still consider myself something of a patriot, you know? I'll talk about some dungeon stuff maybe, but not that."
"Alright, then. So...they say one of the rules is, you had to consent to this. I don't know what you were expecting at the time, but would you say it was, y'know...worth it? Livin' in the dungeon and all that, as a second go-around."
This time the mage has a grin on her face as she answers. "Well, now that's a good question. I will say I wasn't exactly expecting this - I was the first, you know? Even kind of took the boss by surprise a little. I suppose to start with the personal reasons though - I was old, growing weaker and softer by the day. Literally, you know, it gets harder for a slime to hold together as we age. Now? I'm better than I was in my prime. I never felt this good in my life. And I'm not even a high-tier boss, believe it or not! I literally dream sometimes about when we get to the A, or the S-rank slimes..." She trails off for a moment before refocusing. "But then, you don't really care that much about my personal reasons, do you? You wanna know if it'd be a good deal for other people to want to try and get in."
The dwarf chuckles a little. "Yeah, seen right through me. Already been getting questions, you know? Folks back home come to us asking for advice - should we try and prove ourselves to that new dungeon they got down south? Is it worth it? Is living in a dungeon forever actually a reward from the divine? And how the hells am I supposed to answer something like that? I've never even set foot in one of these bloody places til today. So tell me - what would you have me tell folks?"
Lollyp finds herself actually thinking for a short while before she answers this one. "Suppose before I answer, I gotta be honest about one thing - don't try and sell folks on it too much, you know? We only got so many boss slots in a dungeon, and while we could technically start stuffing people in any random dungeon monster...that wouldn't be nearly the sweet afterlife gig. If a hundred folks come in here expecting a spot, they're not going to like what they end up with - if they get anything at all."
This time the towering Paladin behind the Mother nods and speaks. "Yeah, I was wondering about that. You got like, try-outs planned or something for when that starts happening?"
The floor boss twirls a wand as she responds. "I think we'd rather that didn't happen at all. But to finish off the answer - if you don't mind staying inside all day, don't mind hacking folks to bits, and can make up your own downtime fun, it's not so bad. We don't sleep, you know, so you gotta come up with ways to entertain yourself. I lived in a dungeon even before I came here, so I got no regrets. Personal experience may vary, though. Bit curious though - any of you personally interested? How about the Paladin there, you single? I know we got folks interested in the tall, strong, and heavily-armored type..."
The Paladin in question laughs. "Asking me if I'm ready to die has to be the weirdest come-on I've ever gotten. I ain't planning on settling down anytime soon, no, but one day...who knows? Definitely want to see what else this place has to offer first, though."
"Fair enough, and with that said - I think question time is over." Gripping her wand a little more firmly, the slime moves into an attack stance. "Play time starts now."
DaScoot
Strap in, it's time for another dungeon run!
Enjoy!
Two days later Doorman found himself faced with his first set of door-to-door missionaries, or at least that would be the impression he gathered from their appearance. While nearly every party that came by had a Cleric of This or a Priestess of That among their number, this was the first time an entire party came by wearing religious iconography somewhere on their equipment. What made it even odder was that only two of them were fully garbed as being church members - one priestess and a heavily-armored woman wearing holy armor so thick, the only part of her that showed was a pair of horns sticking out of the top of her helmet and a long braid of green hair that dangled behind it. The other three dressed themselves as more traditional adventurers, yet they also had patches sewn on to their sleeves marked with the same church symbols that were so prominent on the equipment of the other two. So, there was no doubt - door-to-door missionaries they were.
"Greetings! While I would bid you welcome, I feel the need to warn you that the Master of Worthy Dungeon has asked me to inform visitors that we're not in the market for any other deities these days, thank you."
The dwarven woman near the front of the party snorts in laughter. "Pfft, I'm glad to see that you're so devout with your chosen patron, then, but do ya not recognize who it is we represent?"
Doorman peers closer at the symbol they all wear. "Is that...an egg sprouting wheat stalks? Honestly, I have no idea what sort of chickens it is you worship, but I don't think we'd be terribly interested."
The elven priestess behind the dwarf gasps in shock. "Do you not recognize the symbol of the Church of Bounty? But we serve the same masters!"
"Sorry, I've never been much of a church-goer. Or an anywhere-goer, you know how it is. If you also serve the Master of Worthy Dungeon though, I'm sure she'd be glad to hear it."
The dwarf points up at a rune marking the dungeon entrance above Doorman's head. "No, ye daft door, she's talking about Kahlia! You got her rune right there! The Church of Bounty serves Kahlia and Palain both, y'never heard of us?"
"Sorry, afraid not. So...you're not here to try and convert anybody, then?"
The tall warrior standing in the middle of the party laughs, the sound echoing from her helmet. "Ha, if anything, you're the one that's been doing the converting for us! I don't think we've ever seen so much interest from Challengers before we came to Grassbrook."
Doorman finds himself both a little surprised and pleased by the compliment. "Ah, well, we do our best to maintain a good reputation with the community, you know. So what is it I can help you all with this fine morning?"
The dwarf speaks again for the party. "Well, if at all possible we'd like to talk with the dungeon itself, learn a bit more about its relationship with the Goddess of Fertility and such. The Association's had such meetings before, aye? I don't know if there's a formal way to request a meeting though, you'll have to forgive me, never done one of these dungeon intrusions before meself."
This time Doorman sucks in a breath through his teeth before answering. "Ffhhtt, I don't know. We value our relationship with the local Association agents, certainly, but I don't know that the mistress would care to be summoned by just any party that comes by, you know? I mean, you're all Worthy Dungeon newbies, too! We're not in the business of just handing out free passes down to the core chamber just for asking."
The woman nods. "Aye, aye, didn't expect as much. If we intrude the place and prove ourselves then, might that earn us an audience?"
"Hmm, one moment." The carved face tilts to one side as if he were listening to an inaudible voice for a few moments, before turning back. "How's this: you make your way to the Floor Two boss, and you'll earn yourself a few questions. You want anything more than that though and you'll need to make your way past the Floor Four boss - which no one's actually managed, I ought to warn you. Feeling up for it?"
The dwarf looks back at her party, particularly the warrior more than twice her size, and smiles before facing the door once again. "I like the sound of a challenge, aye - maybe this Challenger bullshit ain't so much bullshit after all. Daresay we're up for it."
"Excellent! Then we shall start with a riddle. ...What kind of chicken lays an egg that sprouts wheat stalks? Really, that's been bugging me this entire time."
The dwarf narrows her eyes. "...None! It's a metaphor for fertility, ya wooden-headed knocker!"
"Oh! Well, I suppose that makes a lot more sense. ...Little unnecessarily rude there, but I suppose you've answered the riddle. Enjoy your stay!"
As the party's designated heavy Sable took the lead on the first floor, but that soon transformed into the woman soloing the entire floor on her own while the others watched. Not that they didn't want to help, of course, but the quarter-demon clearly didn't need it and equally clearly enjoyed putting on a show. The Barkbirds and slimes were easily slain by her blade, and her Holy Smite spells allowed her to destroy the hidden skeleton archers without even needing ranged weaponry. When it came time for the boss fight the others simply waited by the doorway as to not get in the way, and were treated to an entertaining demonstration of swordplay as the Paladin took BB apart piece by piece - in a literal and bloody sense - ending the fight in no more than twenty seconds.
When it came to the elevator portion of Floor Two, she did graciously allow for the former Challengers in the party to get in on the fun and earn some of their pay. The Geomancer Podge handled the ambushing skeletons by telekinetically ripping stone blocks out of the wall to pummel them with, while the Thornwood Tracker Renter managed the less-threatening but more-numerous spiders and bats with an impressive little display of skill. While the man carried a crossbow strapped to his back, he never needed to draw it, instead pulling on nature magic for the task. With flicks of his wrist, long, poison-coated thorns would suddenly appear in his hands before being flung away with impressive accuracy, each of them unerringly impaling a target.
As the Verdant Priestess Lilly Fullblossom watched on with more than a bit of concern, the Bountiful Mother herself was getting quite the kick out of the display. "Haha, come on now Renter, tell me that ain't just showing off!"
Adjusting his ragged hat, the man shrugs. "Hey, it's just efficiency, yeah? Why waste a good crossbow bolt on something the size of your boot, and why muss up your boots by stompin' on the critters? Won't lie to a Mother, though - I may have perfected the skill by showin' off in taverns a time or two. Occasionally at darts, occasionally when one of the basement rats would get particularly bold, heheh."
With a rather less impressed look on her face, Elance looks up at the elf Priestess standing next to her. "Hmm, and what's got you all jumpy about now, though? I thought you had some Challenger experience, lass? You even got that official Association rank - what was it, level twenty-seven? You didn't earn that planting crops, now."
Clearing her throat, the taller woman tries to add some confidence to her voice. "I've worked with Challengers - by providing healing after the fact, and occasionally providing Challengers with training in nature and holy magic. I've never gone in a dungeon though! Not to say I don't have combat experience, I've fought many a wild beast...but I'm used to having a bit more space, is all. And some soil under my feet, rather than stone and gears."
As the platform comes to a stop at the bottom of the floor, Elance tries not to facepalm. "Why didn't you tell me you were a dungeon virgin, lass? Bad enough that I'm a novice to these myself - do you think you'll be able to handle yourself down here?"
"If Kahlia can show an interest in dungeons, so can Palain! And yes, although many of my spells are more effective when there's flora already present, I can work without it. And also, you've heard the rumors about the fourth floor! If you really do intend on us being the first party to make it through, you'll need my abilities!"
"True, true, just worried about the getting there first, is all. Anyhow, ought to be the second boss ahead, and sounds like we get to ask at least a question or two before we need to get all stabby. Let me do the talking, aye?"
After nods and affirmations from the rest of the party, they walk through the arena door to find the now somewhat-famous Lollyp waiting for them at the other end - the first woman to ever be reincarnated as a dungeon boss. While the slime does greet them with a smile, her tone sounds a little annoyed. "So, you're the Bountiful ones, eh? You know, you're getting a bit of a freebie here even before we get to the talking bit, given that now I don't get to ambush you and give you a bit of an acid bath."
Lilly clenches her teeth as she looks at a nearby chemical pool, but Elance keeps a grin on her face. "Ah, there she is in the flesh - or whatever it is you slimes got, anyhow! Slime Elementalist Lollyp, aye? My name's Bountiful Mother Elance Hammerdown - call me Elance - and I've been looking forward to meeting you."
"Glad to know I've got a fanbase, though I was never big on the gods before, I gotta admit. Anyhow, boss told me you get a few free questions, just to get us off on the right foot, so shoot - whatcha got?"
Elance calms herself a little before asking - if they only get a few, she wouldn't want to mess this up. "I would like to ask about how it is you came to the dungeon, but if you are a Domain soldier as they say, I'm guessin' that ain't something you'd want to talk about?"
The slime nods. "Yup. Technically, dying might have freed me from my oaths of service, but I do still consider myself something of a patriot, you know? I'll talk about some dungeon stuff maybe, but not that."
"Alright, then. So...they say one of the rules is, you had to consent to this. I don't know what you were expecting at the time, but would you say it was, y'know...worth it? Livin' in the dungeon and all that, as a second go-around."
This time the mage has a grin on her face as she answers. "Well, now that's a good question. I will say I wasn't exactly expecting this - I was the first, you know? Even kind of took the boss by surprise a little. I suppose to start with the personal reasons though - I was old, growing weaker and softer by the day. Literally, you know, it gets harder for a slime to hold together as we age. Now? I'm better than I was in my prime. I never felt this good in my life. And I'm not even a high-tier boss, believe it or not! I literally dream sometimes about when we get to the A, or the S-rank slimes..." She trails off for a moment before refocusing. "But then, you don't really care that much about my personal reasons, do you? You wanna know if it'd be a good deal for other people to want to try and get in."
The dwarf chuckles a little. "Yeah, seen right through me. Already been getting questions, you know? Folks back home come to us asking for advice - should we try and prove ourselves to that new dungeon they got down south? Is it worth it? Is living in a dungeon forever actually a reward from the divine? And how the hells am I supposed to answer something like that? I've never even set foot in one of these bloody places til today. So tell me - what would you have me tell folks?"
Lollyp finds herself actually thinking for a short while before she answers this one. "Suppose before I answer, I gotta be honest about one thing - don't try and sell folks on it too much, you know? We only got so many boss slots in a dungeon, and while we could technically start stuffing people in any random dungeon monster...that wouldn't be nearly the sweet afterlife gig. If a hundred folks come in here expecting a spot, they're not going to like what they end up with - if they get anything at all."
This time the towering Paladin behind the Mother nods and speaks. "Yeah, I was wondering about that. You got like, try-outs planned or something for when that starts happening?"
The floor boss twirls a wand as she responds. "I think we'd rather that didn't happen at all. But to finish off the answer - if you don't mind staying inside all day, don't mind hacking folks to bits, and can make up your own downtime fun, it's not so bad. We don't sleep, you know, so you gotta come up with ways to entertain yourself. I lived in a dungeon even before I came here, so I got no regrets. Personal experience may vary, though. Bit curious though - any of you personally interested? How about the Paladin there, you single? I know we got folks interested in the tall, strong, and heavily-armored type..."
The Paladin in question laughs. "Asking me if I'm ready to die has to be the weirdest come-on I've ever gotten. I ain't planning on settling down anytime soon, no, but one day...who knows? Definitely want to see what else this place has to offer first, though."
"Fair enough, and with that said - I think question time is over." Gripping her wand a little more firmly, the slime moves into an attack stance. "Play time starts now."
DaScoot
Strap in, it's time for another dungeon run!
Enjoy!
