The Bee Dungeon

After wrapping things up with Henilett, Belissar received word the First of the Fifth had new bees to show him. He made his way to her Bee Apartment in the Apiary and was treated to three colorful workers hovering in front of the First of the Fifth. Belissar smiled.

“These are the new bees?”

The First of the Fifth danced a salute and Belissar leaned in to take a closer look. The first bee looked like a medicinal worker but with purple-tinted chitin.

Painkiller Monster Bee Worker

Vitality: Minimal

Strength: Minimal

Speed: Average

Magic: Minimal+

Defense: Minimal

Special: Minor

Notable Skills: Painkiller Shot, Poison Sting, Brood Offspring, Brood Tender

Description: A monster bee worker raised on the nectar of healing herbs and the pollen of poisonous flowers with intoxicating venom. It produces healing compounds that also numb and dilute pain and its stinger is optimized to deploy them. Note that its compounds come with side effects including confusion, difficulty focusing, and in excessive doses paralysis. Like other medicinal bees it is poor, though not entirely incapable, at combat, though the side effects of its healing compounds have combat applications in a pinch.

It appeared this one was raised on the herbs and flowers that resulted in medicinal and maddening bees, respectively, resulting in a bee that not only healed wounds, but also reduced pain in the process. Belissar nodded along as he read the description, painkillers would certainly be useful for treating any wounded from now on. A great addition to the hive of hives indeed, and one he imagined the Second of Sixth would be interested in.

Belissar ended up tilting his head.

“Huh…do you think the Second of the Sixth would be able to raise these? Her hive only has medicinal and now healing bees…but this is kind of like a type of medicinal bee so maybe she could?”

The First of the Fifth froze…and then burst out into as rapid flight as her current body allowed.

“Amazing! Incredible! King is best king! King’s idea is amazing! Will see if can!”

Belissar made a self-conscious smile at that. He couldn’t help but admit it felt good for the First of the Fifth, the bee most experienced at discovering new types, to praise his idea. And here he had just been casually wondering about the Second of the Sixth’s medicinal hive…

In any case, he decided to deal with the ticklish feelings by moving on to the next bee. This worker bee had bright yellow hairs and a sleek, almost smooth body. Little yellow pulses seemed to shimmer on her wings, making streaks of yellow light as she beat them. The First of the Fifth settled down from her happy dance to elaborate.

“Tried dangerous one’s recipe for this one, got to work.”

Belissar nodded and took a closer look.

Swift Monster Bee Worker

Vitality: Minimal

Strength: Minimal

Speed: Good

Magic: Minimal+

Defense: Minimal

Resistance: Minimal+

Special: Minor

Notable Skills: Acceleration, Poison Sting, Lightning Resistance, Sacrificial Strike, Brood Offspring

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Description: A monster bee worker raised on honey with calming compounds and Lightning attribute pollen. It focuses its lightning within its body, using it to boost its speed and reflexes beyond the norm. The compounds used to endure this strain also grant it improved resistance to lightning attacks. It can occasionally use its mana to empower this effect, boosting its speed even further. Note that all of its special abilities are focused inward, and so beyond its speed it is no different from base monster bees.

Belissar was grinning by the end of the description. Speed and mobility had ever been the bees’ greatest defense, now they had a bee who made speed their main focus. He didn’t need to think particularly hard on what the benefits of such a bee would be. He could only imagine what a swift lancer might be capable of. Maybe next time they faced cat or bird shades, the bees could keep up with them in a direct race.

“Definitely let the battle meadow queens know about this one…”

The First of the Fifth saluted, and also mentioned she’d check if sedative bees could raise swift bees. Belissar would’ve thought the Fourth of the Eighth and her shocking hive might be able to…but that question was answered with the next bee. This worker looked largely like a shocking bee, except that their yellow hairs had white tips, and their lightning appeared a bit lighter in color.

Stunning Monster Bee Worker

Vitality: Minimal

Strength: Minimal

Speed: Average

Magic: Minor

Defense: Minimal

Resistance: Minimal+

Special: Below Average

Notable Skills: Stunning Poison Sting, Lightning Resistance, Sacrificial Strike, Brood Offspring

Description: A monster bee worker raised on honey infused with Lightning attribute mana and pollen from a flower with calming compounds. Lightning infuses both its body and its venom, boosting both its ability to gather pollen and to defend itself. Stings carry lightning that targets the nervous system and forcibly relaxes the target, which may cause momentary incapacitation.

The First of the Fifth explained for this one as well.

“Reversed dangerous one’s recipe, used quickblossom honey and sleepy chamomile pollen.”

Belissar chuckled.

“Oh, this one seems good. Definitely let the battle meadow queens and the Fourth of the Eighth know about this one too.”

The First of the Fifth danced a salute.

“Will! And will try more! Tried others but bees were regular, will need to keep trying.”

Belissar smiled and reached down to brush her back.

“You did great, this is amazing. You always come up with great ideas for new bees and honey, First of the Fifth, and you always work your hardest. I’m really grateful to you.”

The First of the Fifth froze but Belissar had seen it happen enough to know that she was just too happy to respond. He chuckled and brushed the new worker bees, then gave the frozen hive some space.

For this day’s purification, Belissar returned the rooms to their normal placement. This resulted in a turtle shade that again got itself stuck in a Pit Trap. Belissar turned to Wardmaster Varilold, who was observing again today.

“Sorry, looks like you won’t see this one fight…”

But Wardmaster Varilold shook her head.

“Not at all, Tower Keeper. Every purification is instructive, and you should never apologize for success against the Hunger. Indeed, traps are even easier to combine with wards than an army, I can think of several complementary wards we could implement immediately if you wish.”

Belissar smiled at that. He then invited the wardmaster not only to the victory celebration, but to the post-celebration council meeting. Today, he had something to discuss with them all.

“This is Wardmaster Varilold, who will help set up some defenses for the Tower in the future.”

The wardmaster inclined her head.

“Varilold, Wardmaster of the Calwaskon Compact and protector of the land of the fair. I look forward to defending our homes together.”

The bees, karnuq, humans, and spiderkin all greeted her in turn. Wardmaster Varilold cracked a wry smile when greeted by the latter three, but she returned all of their individual greetings. Once they had finished, Belissar brought up tonight’s issue.

“Everyone, I think it’s time for another expansion purification. Our deal with Queen Vanieskon asked us to continue expanding, we might need more rooms for visitors from the Compact, the Tower Lords are coming, and I think we’ve grown a lot since the last one. What does everyone think?”

The bee queens all saluted immediately. The battle meadow queens were buzzing their wings and crawling about, so they seemed to enthusiastically support the idea. Chief Rohsuak nodded along.

“We are at your call, Tower Keeper. I do think we should warn the sigmaka ahead of time, however, so that they can withhold their challengers that day.”

Belissar nodded and checked with the humans and spiderkin. Hirkolos just saluted and Sehfitis deferred to his judgement. The First Spiderkin Queen, on the other hand? She made a grin full of sharp teeth, clacked her mandibles together, and spread the claws tipping her hands.

“Fight for King!”

Well, Belissar wasn’t actually planning to have the young spiderkin participate in this one just yet, but he’d tell her that later. For now, it was enough that none of his Tower’s residents had any objections. He then turned to Wardmaster Varilold, who returned his gaze with a serious expression.

“Understood. I will defer to your judgement on dungeon and purification matters, Tower Keeper, but I do ask for at least a day at minimum to arrange the defenses of the nexus door. Longer if you’d like us to provide reinforcements for the battle proper. You may also request assistance from the Circle and the Compact if you wish, I’d recommend you inform Queen Vanieskon specifically if you can afford the delay.”

Belissar nodded.

“That should be fine. How about we plan for three days from now, depending on what Queen Vanieskon says? Any reinforcements we can get would be helpful.”

Wardmaster Varilold placed one hand on the hilt of the sword at her side, extended one hand towards Belissar, and then bent her torso forward and her head down.

“Then, it will be our honor to do battle against the Hunger with you, Tower Keeper. Let’s cut down those monsters together.”

Belissar found himself smiling despite the dangerous affair to come.