POV Valterra Unok’Davaas
Valterra hummed to himself as his mice led the rats in their journey to the garden. He didn’t know if they would be able to accomplish the task he had set out for them, but he was confident they would at least give it their best shot. With a final hum, Valterra turned his attention to his System notifications. While he had been spending time claiming land, creating a new Framework, and bringing it to the brink of Ascension, other creatures had been doing their best to reach higher heights.
A number of them had succeeded, and now it was time to give them their reward.
Your “Feral Mouse” is ready to Ascend!
Please choose from among the following stages:
Mouse Gorger (Rank E - Bronze)
No longer merely feral, this mouse has Ascended into a larger and more fearsome form. Showing a tendency to fight and devour anything it comes across, this beast has passed into the realms of the monstrous. Often found in lower-stage dungeons as lieutenants of Feral Mouse swarms, they use their greater size to seize the choicest morsels for themselves, both mundane and Aetheric.
Swarming Nestkin (Rank E - Bronze)
Nestkin are voracious and repugnant little vermin, gaining increased intelligence with every successive Ascension but never truly achieving Sapience, only survivalistic cunning. The Swarming Nestkin is at the very bottom of that totem pole, running in hordes in order to gain the sustenance they need to Ascend further and climb ranks within the nest.
Murid Stonejaw (Rank E - Bronze)
A return to ancient savagery, the Murid Stonejaw is one of the ancestors from which all mice and rats Ascended. This Framework has remained alive through intensive use by other dungeons. With an elemental affinity for Earth, this creature enhances its already impressive bite by enveloping it in a casing of Earth, earning it its name. A burrower by nature, it makes sure to have a plentiful supply of soil and rock nearby for defensive and offensive uses.
The first case was a large female Feral Mouse that had claimed a decent amount of territory on the first floor for herself. She must have taken over during the chaos of shifting floors because her control of the area was almost tyrannical. Valterra was surprised to find she wasn’t alone.
He was reminded of the description of the Feral Mouse as he watched her squeak commands to her brood. There were eight of them, and though they outnumbered her, it was obvious that they treated her with a kind of deferential respect. That she ruled them was something that was never in doubt, and her control was so fierce that they remained unnassailable by the surrounding creatures.
Her tyranny had provided her with a gluttony of Aether from successful hunting, and the shining light of Ascension heralded her success. Valterra poured over the options with barely contained excitement. Valterra looked over the options and felt a surge of glee fill his Core. He had forgotten how much this side of being a dungeon core thrilled him. Each choice held tantalizing aspects that drew him toward it.
The Mouse Gorger was a simple upgrade to the former Feral Mouse, giving it more weight to throw around both physically and among its Ascensions, which made it a strong choice for this particular mouse. Thinking about how it might fit into the rest of his Dungeon brought his new Emergent Lord of the Red Tide to mind. Such a large specimen and a small horde of its lesser kin would make for a solid foundation for the lord to begin growing its numbers.
The Swarming Nestkin was also very intriguing. The image Valterra received from the Framework was of a small, hunched-over rat man with beady, evil eyes. They were almost like his rats and mice, but not really, as if they were entirely separate. Valterra scoffed at himself. Well, according to their paths, they were. Properly savage little things that apparently made large nests from which they set forth to find sustenance in hordes.
The Murid Stonejaw was a curiosity for sure, but it didn’t have the same draw. In fact, the only thing that made it stand out to Valterra was the elemental affinity. Something tickled in the back of his mind, perhaps a use in the newest room he was creating, but without the room furnished and complete, it would be a waste of an opportunity to bank it all on that. Besides, while the beast was interesting, it would completely separate the mouse from her brood by turning her into a separate species, and that wasn’t something Valterra wanted.
No, the only proper choice was the Mouse Gorger. It would allow her to remain a mouse and would enhance the aspects of her nature that had led to her success. Valterra chose the option and watched as her brood closed ranks around her as she went to sleep. He did have to soothe some of them, as their thought drifted awfully close toward ending her tyranny as she slept, and he couldn’t have that. As mean as she was, he needed defenders.
Your “Mouse Wylder” is ready to Ascend!
Please choose from among the following stages:
Mouse Savage (Unique, Rank E - Bronze)
A mouse that has gone anthropomorphic in the most violent of ways, using tools to cause greater mayhem to go along with its greater intelligence. This Framework is the unique creation of Ata’Laya and has been designed to work within the bounds of a tribal system, where many such mice work together to upset the natural order.
Wyld Wise-Mouse (Unique, Rank E - Bronze)
A mouse that has deepened its connection to the Wyld, that mystical natural order that pervades the world and the domain of Qual’Dorn. With enhanced intelligence and greater Aether affinity for the Wyld, this unique Framework is designed to serve as the spiritual head of a tribal system, guiding and protecting those under its care. This includes helping to corral Mouse Savages in helpful directions while curtailing their more violent tendencies until they are needed to protect the tribe.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Swarming Nestkin (Rank E - Bronze)
Nestkin are voracious and repugnant little vermin, gaining increased intelligence with every successive Ascension but never truly achieving Sapience, only survivalistic cunning. The Swarming Nestkin is at the very bottom of that totem pole, running in hordes in order to gain the sustenance they need to Ascend further and climb ranks within the nest.
Your “Dire Wolf Spider” is ready to Ascend!
Please choose from among the following stages:
Goliath Wolf Spider (Rank E - Bronze)
Fully trading in its former life as an ambusher, this wolf spider has grown to an even greater size. Aether has infused its entire anatomy in an all-around heightening of function. An apex predator, this creature moves much faster than its size would indicate, and its potential for growth is high.
Wyld-Attuned Spider (Rank E - Bronze)
By living around a being or location attuned to the natural order of the world, this wolf spider has become something entirely different. While not unique to the world at large, this Framework is an uncommon occurrence. With a barely understood affinity, these spiders are confusing foes, though small enough that most humanoids consider them fascinating rather than dangerous.
Lesser Webling (Rank E - Bronze)
Considered a pest by the world at large, Weblings are part of a greater Path of Ascension referred to by the Magisterium Collegium as The Great Web. Weblings are considered an extremely tiny part of that web, and Lesser Weblings are the smallest of them. Barely sentient, Lesser Weblings are tiny but effective predators, quickly carving out territory within which they hunt.
The next two creatures ready for Ascension were familiar, in a hazy, inconsistent way. It took a bit, but Valterra was able to recollect that he had seen System messages notifying him of their Ascension. They had been among those who had finished Ascension while he was going through his. They must have been working hard if they were ready to Ascend again so soon.
Regardless, the mouse and spider combo’s hunting spree had evidently migrated to the Second Floor, where their final hunt had concluded. The mouse was a right savage looking thing, with a rope of grass coiled around her chest and a stick of wood she had sharpened to a wicked point. How she had done that, Valterra didn’t know, but he suspected it was with her teeth.
Hmm, I wonder if she spied on the Mouse Rangers for that inspiration. Then again, her current Framework probably has some instincts tied to making use of her surroundings. That would explain the options I got for her.
The spider had numerous battle scars all along his flanks, with a missing eye and half of a middle leg. Whatever fighting they had been doing was evidently focused on the spider, with the mouse being some form of support. They had also reached the next stage of Ascension together, which was a clear indication of their partnership. Valterra turned his gaze back to their options and contemplated his choices.
The third option for the mouse was a no-go. He already had the ability to obtain Swarming Nestkin through his Feral Mice, and he was certain that there would be more of them Ascending in the future. There was also the matter of turning a Unique creature into a normal one, and that didn’t sit right with the core. The first two options, though, were interesting even if he already knew which one he would pick.
The Wyld Wise-Mouse, while interesting for its brand new affinity, was something that didn’t fit with the way his mouse thought. She was a hunter and actually enjoyed preying on his other Dungeon creatures with her spider companion. It was interesting that Ata’Laya had apparently sponsored the Mouse Savage option in clear opposition to Qual’Dorn. Yet, there was this complementary connection between the two options that would be fascinating to explore.
To that end, the choice for his spider was clear as well, even though it went against his own wishes on the matter. While getting a Wyld-Attuned Spider would be his preference for the access to the new affinity, his spider clearly had a role in their little partnership, and that was to act as the body shield for his partner. Valterra gave his approximation of a shrug and chose the Mouse Savage and the Goliath Wolf Spider as their new stages, watching the light envelop their forms.
His gaze lingered on the Lesser Webling option even as it faded from his view. While the Wyld-Attuned Spider would have been his first choice due to its more unique circumstances, the Lesser Webling Framework hadn’t gone unnoticed. The allusions to greater stages, and a long line of them at that, had caught his interest. While he wasn’t planning on making a full-on spider dungeon, he had to admit that any sign of increased intelligence was a mark in favor of an option.
Valterra didn’t doubt that he would be seeing it again. Back when the Dire Wolf Spider had first finished Ascending, he had seeded more of his kind elsewhere in his First and Second Floors unconsciously. The same thing had happened with the Mouse Wylder, so he was sure that at some point, others of their kind would Ascend and offer further options.
Your “Mouse Hoarder” is ready to Ascend!
Please choose from among the following stages:
Trinket Thief (Rank E - Bronze)
A Mouse Hoarder who has chosen the path of furtive pilfering in order to grow its hoard. The Aether its hoard provides is now tied to the trinkets it is able to pilfer from the surrounding area. Found in large cities, especially around the slums, Trinket Thieves are the cause behind the disappearances of a sizable amount of pretty junk.
Scribblepaw Critter (Rank E - Bronze)
This mouse has decided that its hoard is sufficient in size, but not in quality. It complements its hoard by decorating its nest with scribbles and scratches of a runic nature. Researchers of the Magisterium Collegium have deduced that these scribbles have little to do with actual runic script but are nonetheless an extremely crude magical formation of some kind.
Hoard Protector (Rank E - Bronze)
A stage of Ascension for the mouse completely satisfied with its hoard. Increasing in size and natural protections, this mouse stands guard over its treasures with the steadfastness of a dragon. Completely content to bask in the Aether of its trinkets and baubles, it will nonetheless fight savagely to defend its nest from all comers.
The last and final creature to Ascend was another one he hadn’t seen before, and from a Framework he hadn’t known he had. That was starting to become a problem, but Valterra could admit to himself that it was one he didn’t mind having. It was like discovering unexpected treasure buried in the backyard. In this case, the mouse in question was a furtive little creature that had built his nest in the old miniature cavern that had once housed Valterra’s core.
His ‘hoard’ was a clutter of various objects, most of them knick-knacks of various sorts. The mouse himself scurried from place to place, rearranging things and sniffing various articles. Valterra left him to his scurrying and turned his attention back to the System. Three options, each one tantalizing in the way it offered something new for his dungeon.
A thief, a primitive runic scribbler, and a protector. Valterra hummed to himself as he looked through the possible choices. While a thief would be nice, there wasn’t a whole lot to steal from the surrounding area except for Calamvor’s things, and Valterra hadn’t gone through all of it yet. There might be enough things in the kitchen for the little mouse to steal, but Valterra didn’t think it justified picking that option.
Frankly, the last two were just more appealing, and one was slightly more interesting than the other. Valterra chose the Scribblepaw Critter, watching as the light settled. It would be some time before he would know whether or not it was the right pick, but now that he knew he had the Mouse Hoarder Framework, there would soon be a lot more opportunities to choose the other ones. Satisfied, he began moving to the next notification, his tree seed, but something else grabbed his attention. His first guardian was waking up, and he wasn’t the only one.
