No Need for a Core?

Mordecai had barely finished settling Sarcomaag in as the first of their new raid bosses when Moriko told them that Kazue's other-self had just been attacked by a gang of thieves. That had pretty much put an end to fleshing out the new details of the dungeon for the evening; it was not the sort of thing that should be done while distracted.

But that had all turned out rather well in the end and it was the dawn of a new day. So it was time to turn back to the task of filling out their boss nodes. First he checked in with the fungal lord to see how Sarcomaag was adapting. The upgrade to raid boss had sped up his reaction and communication speed, and had enabled him to act freely in any part of their territory, including creating his mushroom 'trees'. He was also integrating the non individualistic fungal creatures that he was encountering as he fully incorporated the sewer's territory, and there was no telling what tricks he would learn from them.

Now for a second raid boss. Upgrading more floor bosses seemed like an appealing option with Klastoria and Ryohoho on the top of that list, but it was also limiting. It would be better for the dungeon over all to have someone who could go anywhere at any time rather than having duties attached to a specific floor.

Creativity was important for a healthy dungeon. It was easy to fall into a rut or rely too much on raw strength. So he allowed his focus to wander through the dungeon and simply started cataloging vague ideas without developing any of those thoughts too far, while his avatar took some time to contemplate possibilities while brewing some tea. The practice could be meditative when done right.

Mordecai poured off the ritual 'first cup' for Cimbu from the brewing process and then paused as an idea came to him. It would be a tiny bit tricky but there would be no better time to pull it off than when creating a raid boss. "Enki, I'm going to need your help with this one. But could you also ask the planar contractors to come here a moment?" He set the teapot down without pouring himself a cup yet.

His query got Kazue's attention and she turned her focus to where his avatar was. "What are you thinking of doing? Wait, are you serious?" The question came when she saw what his avatar was looking at.

"Yes," he replied out loud, "unless you object to giving life to a favored pet?" He was slightly amused that she had figured out his idea so fast, she was getting a good grasp on how he thought. She had plenty of time to mull the thought over while he moved Cimbu to a better spot for this process. The arena had plenty of room. After a moment of further thought he sent a request to Fuyuko and Bellona to gather their guests as well. If he was going to do this, why not call on every resource available? It was overkill, but it could bring about something unexpected and thus better.

While she did not have any immediate objections, she did have a question. "Why is this going to be trickier than Biblios or the bookwyrms and biting words?"

"They started as constructs and were given souls by the process of your blessing of sapience. And from having souls, they gained life, but they are still constructs. Even if they were to do the construction themselves, the making of a new bookwyrm is an act of crafting to create something animated that then comes to life. There is not a continuity of life like with organic creatures and some other forms of life."

Creating true life from scratch was always the hardest thing for a dungeon to do, and somewhat risky. Which was why he was going to need help from Enki. It did help that the clay tea pet had collected a tiny bit of spiritual energy from the attention and personification lavished upon him. Over a sufficient period of time this could even give rise to a true spirit, but that was not Mordecai's goal here.

Once everyone was assembled, Mordecai explained what he wanted of them. "I wish to bring Cimbu to life as our newest raid boss. Enki will be providing me with a template of living elemental earth energy, and we can probably do this with his help alone, but I think this will be more interesting and simply better if you were willing to give your blessings."

He pointed at the three einherjar first. "You love Cimbu as much as Kazue does, and also clash with her over the proper 'raising' of our tea pet, as she does not approve of the use of alcohol to feed Cimbu. Conflict is part of life, affection is part of a healthy life, and he will need to be a warrior. How can I not ask for your blessings?"

Next was their guardian archon friend. "The type of warrior he is to be is a defender, a guardian of the dungeon. Your blessing would be more than appropriate."

Mordecai smiled at the skeptically curious zuhra. "All true djinni have some access to reality-altering powers. A sincere wish for life and strength, with a focus on a manifestation of various metals that often lie hidden inside of clay. Your payment is to have an influence in the outcome of this creation, the opportunity to see what happens because of it, and to participate in something that I am pretty certain no other zuhra can say to have done." The contract that had been made between the dungeon and the metal djinni prevented the zuhra from twisting things in a malicious way, but that certainly didn't mean he couldn't be creative. So there was room for some amusing mischief and it would give him some bragging rights back home if he spun it right.

Their final contractor from other realms did not fit in quite as neatly, but he also didn't conflict. "I would ask for your blessing to help guide his way through life and to ensure a kind heart survives even amidst the conflict and combat that is part of a dungeon creature's life." Which might also offset trickiness from the zuhra.

On to their more mundane contractors and guests. "Bellona, I ask for your prayers. Fuyuko, I also ask for yours but I want you to focus on your feelings when you've participated in feeding Cimbu." The girl blushed at having had that bit of her stoic facade seen through. Mordecai grinned at her and then looked at Shizoku and Derek. "I think you've enjoyed Cimbu as much as the others. Derek, opening yourself to elemental earth and working with Enki should help greatly. The volume of energy is not a concern, the dungeon can provide that easily. Emotions and concepts are much more important for your part. Shizoku, I am hoping you might be able to commune with your patron even a little bit, but even without her help a gift of your mana infused with your emotions would be very welcome." Mordecai couldn't find an honest use for her alchemy here and he wouldn't lie to make her feel more useful.

"Orchid, Paltira, Xarlug. Steadfast royalty and nobility have a subtle power that can sometimes manifest with sincere prayer and wishes, and how could I not want to ask for a touch of life energy from contrasting nephilim?" Technically he could sort of provide both, but his aura was also a unique blend and would not be a perfect fit. Plus it wouldn't have the symbology of both of them providing their prayers. "Kansif, you are a knight with a special blessing and have been imbued with the vitality and traits of a shifter clan. I can't say what impact your prayers would have, but I have no doubt that they would help."

He had to be a little more careful with one guest. "Deidre. I offer you the chance to observe an event of emotional importance to me and mine, and that you may find interesting. I ask nothing of you, your situation here would make that inappropriate, but neither would I refuse any offering you made, if there was enough sincerity to it." She inclined her head in acknowledgment but said nothing further. On her shoulder sat a fairy that had not left her since her delve yesterday. Mordecai had a suspicion he knew where this might lead, but this was the sort of thing to let develop on its own.

While all took time to solemnly consider their parts in this, all of those he asked agreed to give their blessings.

For his part, Mordecai partially shifted to enable him to find a scale to pull free. He deliberately chose one that was still well-rooted and ignored the pain involved. The blood that came with it was part of the point. It would be a foolish thing for many scaled creatures to do, but his natural regeneration would fix even a damaged root.

The bloodied scale he pressed up against the body of the clay dragon and began channeling a mixture of his personal mana and a prayer to Ozuran for his aid. Enki pushed a small portion of his elemental energy toward the tiny clay construct, which Derek fortified with his own connection to elemental earth. This provided the seed of living earth from which Cimbu could be born.

To this swirl of energy and potential, the cores delicately connected a strand of mana that led to the open raid boss node. Cimbu's form began to twitch with the first stirrings of life and the others present for this ceremony began offering their prayers, blessings, energy, and emotions.

Mordecai shaped this maelstrom and restrained its potential outcomes by anchoring a few key ideas to it and providing the framework for specific abilities he wanted Cimbu to have. But he did not constrain it more than he needed to ensure a coherent and healthy outcome for their raid boss.

Kazue now touched the forming creation and fed into it her dreams of a happy life and all the love she had for her little tea pet dragon, plus a few small, specific touches of her own.

Then, at nearly the last possible moment to have influence, came what he could only call a prayer; an offering of mana filled with desperate hope and a longing for freedom. The mana surged and spiritual energy condensed as a brand new mind and soul were formed for a brand new living creature.

In the center of the arena now lay a large clay dragon, the largest inhabitant of the dungeon other than Sarcomaag. If she'd had a body here or an illusion up, Kazue's squeal would have been ear-piercing.

Cimbu stirred slowly, then rose to sit back on his haunches with his tail wrapped around his feet in a cat-like manner as he examined everyone present with glowing eyes of golden crystal. While there was no pupil, the crystal shifted and swirled with the movement of his gaze in an almost liquid-like manner. After a long moment, he spoke hesitantly in a soft but deep voice, "I do not fully understand my creation, no, my birth, yet. But I know I have all of you to thank for my life and who I am. And I remember the love that has been bestowed upon me since the moment I was first 'fed' by Kazue's hand. So, I thank you all."

As the giant dragon bowed his head in thanks, Mordecai leaned in to hug Cimbu's head as best he could, and soon almost everyone had gathered close enough to at least gently touch the newborn dragon.

After a few minutes of conversation and people greeting and congratulating the newborn, they began to disperse. Almost everyone had other tasks they needed to attend to after all. Mordecai gave Cimbu another pat on the nose before stepping back. "Alright, you should rest here for a little while longer and gather your energy. Your body is sound, but forging a fully formed soul of such power means you are still gathering and generating spiritual energy, which will leave you weakened until you have a full spirit protecting your soul. When you feel up to it, you can explore and perhaps go topside to find enough aerial room to really practice flying."

The way Cimbu cocked his head to the side made him look a little like a fox or cat, but the motion was a little more refined and controlled, which made Mordecai think of Princess Orchid, and perhaps a little touch of Deidre. "Hmm. I think someone is hoping to show off that his home has a shiny new defender. This is something I would be happy to help arrange for you."

Huh. Cimbu looked to become their most formal inhabitant to date. Well, it was his own fault for inviting in so many influences. "I admit that I wouldn't mind that either. But your happiness and well-being are important too, so rest first and take the time to get to know some of your fellows. Oh, and you will need to take on a smaller form to get upstairs. Enki's ability to move through any sort of stone is powerful, and part of the trade-off for your own abilities is that you can only move through earthen terrain where clay could be found." Enki was also always going to be a lot harder and tougher, and stronger in any purely physical match-up. "Now get some rest."

With Cimbu resting, Mordecai turned his attention to Deidre. "First, I would like to say thank you. I can't say I know what traits will manifest because of your blessing, but I truly appreciate it."

The woman's face wasn't showing much, but her emotional mask was not so rigid as it had been. "I am glad to have helped in this creation, but I must admit it was also a test of sorts. Everything there was sincere, but I also traced my mana for as long as possible before it was incorporated." She hesitated before continuing, "It would not have assimilated so well if it didn't resonate to some extent. It's not everything I need, but it helps."

Mordecai nodded. "I am glad it helps. This brings me to my second subject. I would like you to continue your delve, and rotate in more escorts. For now, Bellona and Betty will alternate, but in a couple of days I think I would like to add Fuyuko to the list, and possibly some others who have different relationships to us. When you are done, I think it will be time for us to talk. This may take several days, even with the modifications Kazue is making to accommodate your situation. I am looking to have you learn enough to help you understand us, so certain aspects of the difficulties a normal delver would face only need to be presented rather than overcome."

Deidre replied, "I think this will be enlightening, so I agree to continue this delve to the best of my ability."

Excellent. Now they just had to finish filling all the new boss nodes, lay claim to every life form they could in the sewers, evolve a new set of inhabitants for this third route and eliminate any hostile organisms that might remain, and to fill out their new zone.

Pacing was going to be important here. It would be very easy to burn out mentally, and they didn't have enough mana to get everything done at once anyway. But everything around the sewers could wait, his future plans for that route did not need to become available quickly.