Lewd Dungeon, Chapter 311 (Patreon)

Chapter 311 – Pioneers

It was just after breakfast when they came.

After spending several hours learning as much as they could about my dungeon (and, in turn, answering many questions from the crowd of interested adventurers who had gathered in my cathedral), Bargulg and his pets returned to their ship to sleep the night. The half-dragn orkad played it smart. He knew that he was a major attraction, or distraction, given how he was one of the few people from off-planet on Earth at this time. Staying at the inn would only cause trouble.

Oh, it wasn’t like he was worried about the people potentially killing him, or anything like that. At his current level, he could probably take out anyone in Swamptown, even without his weapons and armor, and his slaves were all the same way, for the most part. No, that wasn’t the reason he returned, but more a case of putting the cookie jar out of reach, rather than just hoping the kids wouldn’t try and sneak one, and make him punish them.

Likewise, the idea that he wanted somewhere that he could plan with his pets on how best to tackle the dungeon without my hearing was laughable. Everyone in Swamptown knew that I could listen in on their conversations if I wanted to, but also knew that I didn’t do so, unless they did something that caught my attention. That I purposefully didn’t do that, to keep the experience of managing my dungeon from getting dull. Besides, now that I was paying attention, I could sense a small shrine on their ship, dedicated to me. As a god, I would have no problem popping in to listen to them, if I wished.

That didn’t mean, however, that I wasn’t interested in them. These were the first pilgrims who had made their way to me on their own. Yes, some of my new disciples from Bluemountain beat them here, but that was because I’d opened a portal, allowing travel between the two planets. Coming here under their own power was impressive, especially since it seemed that they had needed six months to make the journey.

I wasn’t listening in on them, but I did pay attention when the pilgrims left their ship, and started heading towards the dungeon entrance, still with the weapons and armor that they had been sporting yesterday. This started me thinking. Would they be the first to deliberately challenge my Guns Allowed course?

With their levels, obvious battle experience, and gear, I was fairly confident that, so long as they didn’t run into the worst luck, or get overconfident, they would be the first to complete the desert levels, and I would finally have the excuse I needed to continue developing the dungeon. With them being followers of mine, and Bargulg quoting from my book in my own cathedral, I doubted that they would get so disrespectful that they would get cocky enough for my monsters to overwhelm them. But could they be the first to do it, and on the harder track?

The idea was exciting in the extreme. The adventurers of Swamptown were not resting on their laurels, exactly, but they were not exactly driving full speed ahead to try and clear my dungeon. Their caution was warranted, given the dangers, and the fact that resurrection magic was a pain in the ass to deal with, at the best of times, especially since it did not take away the pain and shock of dying. If you even had a healer who could cast those magics, or you managed to drag enough of their corpse to a healer who could do the job in time for the spells to actually be effective.

For most people, dying was the end. Sure, some got a ‘second chance’ through priests and different types of undeath, but those were the exception, not the rule. So, it only made sense that the adventurers, those who were putting life and limb on the line every time they took up their weapons, would try to emphasize safety and caution. After all, the ones who didn’t, who sought glory or other heroics quickly found that the world did not care about your ideals, and would take everything from you in an instant, just because it could. They rarely survived the experience, but their stories did survive their deaths, to warn the newer adventurers on the perils of rash behavior.

Even though they were the center of attention, and clearly the highest-leveled people in town, Bargulg did not try to take advantage of this. Instead, he and his moved to the line of people who had not yet signed the Dungeon Contract or who needed to purchase Escape Charms. There was always a bit of a line, at this time of day, as people went about their preparations, but it was never too long.

One group offered to let the higher-leveled adventurers go ahead of them, but Balgurg shook his head, no. Simply said that they were adventurers here to delve the dungeon, same as the rest. Then, he went on to say that every dungeon is different, with different dangers, and that they had not yet proven themselves against this dungeon, so they deserved no special treatment.

Even if he hadn’t been one of my followers, I would have found new respect for the half-dragon with that statement. Honest humility was essential for true Domination, after all. Not the performative humility that those trying to signal virtue while fishing for compliments might make, which was a sign of insecurity and weakness, and not the self-effacing humility of those who lack self-esteem or self-worth, either. Those were obviously counter to Domination.

Pride and Ego might make one think Domination was above something like honest humility, but they were wrong. Pride and Ego blinded themselves to the truth, and, in so doing, set themselves up for failure, thinking that they could not be beaten, despite having fatal weaknesses. That was what happened to Iahab, leading to his destruction, and Freedomland had also decided that he could fuck around, but was now in the process of finding out why that was not the true path to Domination.

To truly Dominate, one had to know themselves. Not just their strengths, but their weaknesses as well. You had to know them, acknowledge them, and be honest about their size and scope. Only then, could you overcome them, and guard against them being used against you. Once you accepted every facet of yourself, and came to terms with it, then you could walk the path of Domination, and see it to the end.

That was why I spent so much time focusing on my weaknesses, and covering for them. That was why I made deals, instead of demands. That was why I did not just assume that I could destroy all who came against me. That was why I prepared contingencies, in case of failure. Because, in order to be a God of Domination, I had to actually Dominate those who stood against me. I could not simply Conquer them, and I could not lose sight of reality, and allow them to destroy me.

I had put all those thoughts into the Tome of Kuronoth when I wrote it, among others. The fact that this pilgrim from a distant star actually took it to heart, and tried to live by its words made me glad to be a god. I really would have to figure out some way to appropriately reward him, once they came to the end of their dungeon run.

Finally, they made their way to the desk. And, thankfully, the newly installed barrier keeping minors away did not react to them. I wasn’t expecting it to, but you could never be sure when dealing with people from nonhuman races. Still, dodged a bullet there. It would have been most unfortunate if my first pilgrims had been turned away because they were kids.

The dungeon human behind the desk smiled at the group, and said, “New faces, hmm? Excellent. Would you like to sign the Dungeon Contract? And perhaps buy Escape Charms, so that you can safely flee the dungeon, should there be a problem beyond your abilities?”

Balgurg nodded, once. “Yes. I will sign the contract, with my slaves bound by it under me, for so long as they remain my property. Tell me, what are the differences between the standard contract, and the one which allows the use of guns and other advanced weaponry?”

“Of course, sir. As slaves are not property, they cannot sign contracts, unless they have been empowered to do so by their Master. As for your question, the primary difference is the removal of certain limits in the dungeon. Monsters that were considered rare spawns, or were kept out of the dungeon entirely, will be there, as will weapons in the hands of those monsters who can wield them that exceed what is allowed in the standard course. This increases the lethality and danger of the dungeon on all floors, but especially those floors where the monsters are intelligent enough to use weapons.

“However, unlike the restrictions on Nightmare Difficulty, your HP and MP regeneration will be unaffected, among other things. So, while the dungeon will take a more active part in trying to defeat you, it is not yet at the point where everything is being done to ensure that your party is destroyed, as the contract still prohibits any attempts to destroy or intentionally damage the dungeon in any way.”

“What is the furthest any groups have gone with the expanded contract?”

“Regrettably, there have been no groups who have signed the expanded contract. The furthest any group has gotten in the normal mode of the dungeon without using their escape charms to flee is the fourteenth floor out of fifteen. The furthest any group in the Nightmare Difficulty mode has gotten is Floor 12, before the current expansion of the dungeon to fifteen floors. That group was lost completely.”

If they hadn’t been the center of attention before, thanks to being off-worlders wearing weapons and armor that looked as though they had been ripped straight out of science fiction, then they would have been now. No one had even asked about the expanded contract since it had been implemented. The only people who had fought against gun-wielding enemies in my dungeon had died horribly, or were some of the few survivors of the Pofmisian host that entered my dungeon, most of whom were still enjoying the ‘hospitality’ of the Breeding Halls, with only a few managing to escape after one of their own forsook her vows, turned to my worship, and enslaved her team.

Idly, I wondered what had become of her. She’d left the system after that, heading somewhere that she wouldn’t stand out as much. I could tell by my connection to her that she was still alive, and still worshipping me, but without any prayers including a plea for aid, I couldn’t really know what was going on with her until she entered one of my shrines. Most of the prayers from her were thanks for her good fortune and second chance at life, so I saw no reason to go intruding on a whim, not when I had a lot of other things on my mind.

Back in the entrance hall of the dungeon, Balgurg nodded. “Then let it be known that the Claws of Taldrem shall be the first to challenge the Forbidden Chambers of Exotic Pleasures dungeon under the expanded contract! We will tread where none have gone before us, and, in the name of our Lord, Kuronoth, we will prove ourselves worthy of our names being remembered! So say I, Balgurg Parod, scion of the great dragon Taldrem!”

There was a cheer from the adventurers listening in as he made that speech. After all, he’d acted humbly before, but now spoke with confidence, so that must mean he was sure of himself, and his team, right? And someone willingly tackling the harder course, when no one had even completed the dungeon’s current floors on the normal mode? On their first time into the dungeon? Yeah, it was the kind of declaration that couldn’t help but get someone fired up, if they were at all an adventuresome sort. And people who weren’t like that didn’t make their way out to Swamptown unless they were pure crafters.

With a nod to the crowd, Balgurg signed the expanded contract, and paid for six Escape Charms, which he handed out to his party. Confident, but not foolishly so. Good. I was looking forward to a very entertaining delve from this group.