Worthy Core

Grizza sighs as he looks around at the Lucky Bastard's public room. "I don't understand. We've been advertising our availability for a few days now, and there's been no interest? I may only be Advanced-level, but that's surely still sufficient for a few runs."

Roxxy shrugs from her seat. "Maybe they don't like elementals? I could go back to the house while you find work. Or, you know...you could put on the ears."

The young drider frowns at the suggestion. "I'm not going to try and look sexy just for dungeoneering work! That would imply an entirely different career field altogether."

"Ah." The earth elemental pauses for a moment. "Would an ears-related career bring in more money?"

Grizza's mouth opens and closes a few times, as he searches for an answer. "...Disturbingly, probably yes. But still...matters aren't yet that dire."

As he passes by their table, the Association's Thornwoods Tracker, Renter, comes to a halt. After lifting his worn leather hat a bit, he looks the pair over. "You two looking for mercenary work?"

The Arcanist tries not to look too eager, and fails. "Yes! You work for the Association's field team, don't you? Is the Association hiring?"

"Nah, but what, ain't you two get the memo?" After seeing the blank looks on their faces - not that Roxxy's face is ever particularly expressive - he explains further. "Teams ain't looking for mercs around here anymore. Most of the freelancers moved on up to the dungeon tavern. If they are down here, they're probably taking a break day or handling other business. So, teams don't bother checking in here that much, they just head on up to the dungeon."

The drider winces. "I'd heard about the new tavern, and I knew that a lot of the traffic had moved up there, but I didn't realize that was being done as a business stratagem. I...suppose we could try the same, though I'd hate to climb all that way for nothing."

Roxxy offers a suggestion. "Well, might be a little late for today, but maybe tomorrow? Maybe we could team up with - " The elemental is interrupted by the sounds of a noisy Paladin making her way over to the table.

"Hey, Renter, there you are! Not that I'm complaining, but are you making this place your official office, or what? You got the Challenger profile on that new guy, yet?" Sable comes to a halt as she gets a better look at the pair Renter was speaking with, and her eyes go wide at the sight of Roxxy. "Oh, dang! Is this another elemental dating couple? Is that catching on now? Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt, though! Don't mind me!"

As Roxxy grows confused, Grizza's eyes grow wide. "Dating!? No, no, not at all - Roxxy and I are simply coworkers, that's all!"

"And friends, of course!" Roxxy adds on an important detail, and Grizza nods.

"Of course, I didn't meant to leave that out."

"He was briefly my father figure, but he says calling him daddy makes him uncomfortable."

"...It does, Roxxy, yes, thank you for remembering."

As Sable grins at the exchange, Roxxy does think of a question of her own. "Oh, but wait, you said 'another'? Is there another elemental in town?"

This time it's Sable's turn to be surprised. "What, you don't know? Zappy's been down here with her girlfriend once or twice now, I think. You know Zappy?" As Roxxy shakes her head, Sable frowns. "Aren't all of you from the same community though? You're not from the dungeon? Or, you know...the neighborhood up there?"

Recognizing the name, Grizza's eyes narrow in thought. "I don't actually speak much with Alchemist Tinsel or her team, but I do recall mentions of her going on a date with a Zappy. I thought that was just one of those colorful Challenger nicknames, though. Zappy is an elemental?"

Roxxy leans forward, very intrigued herself. "Wait, they found other elementals in the old dungeon?"

"You didn't know? ...I guess other than Zappy, they haven't exactly been making a lot of public appearances. But yeah, there's a couple of waters, and then...I dunno, a dozen or two earths and fires? Or magmas now or something, I guess."

Roxxy turns to face Grizza, and although there's no eyes in her head, there's a strong impression of intent in her gaze. "We are definitely going up there tomorrow."

 

---

 

Across the room, the Perlin expedition is sitting at a table and feeling much more glum. They'd begun getting uncomfortable looks both here and up at Worthy Inn, though the ones here at least were slightly more tolerable. The rabbit-staff of the dungeon had started rather noticeably mock-whispering to each other, referring to the Perlins as 'the cheater's table', and would make a point of telling them that they didn't qualify for Floor Seven-quality offerings every time they came by to take an order. The ones who had begun to get friendly with Deylia were perhaps the worst, perhaps because they blamed the Perlins for leading their colleague into sins against the dungeon master.

The stares from fellow Challengers on the other hand tended to be less accusatory and more mocking, although it was difficult to say whether that was better or worse. The Challengers community certainly had its own list of grievous sins, most of them involving harming other Challengers - one did hear occasional stories of thieves and murderers attempting to use dungeon dives as a cover for their crimes. As long as you didn't hurt anyone else though, or straight-up lie about your accomplishments, 'cheating' wasn't really a word in the Challenger vocabulary. It was generally expected that Challengers would use every advantage they could get, including hoarding and trading any secrets about dungeons that they could discover. In fact, some of their adventurer colleagues were actually impressed that the nobles had managed to plant an inside source within the dungeon, intentionally or not.

That said, they certainly didn't fail to notice how Worthy Dungeon was treating the Perlins, and seeing nobles in particular being slighted or insulted to their faces? Well, that was just funny.

Raylin sighs as he swirls the drink in his mug. "It would be nice to find out what trick the kobolds apparently used to defeat the Wandering Boss so easily with, as I've heard them claim. If we can just defeat Sharptongue's team without being injured in return, I'm certain we can clear the floor without difficulty. We basically did it once before!"

Arlon has to disagree with his cousin. "I've...been having my doubts. Not about your analysis of the problem, Raylin, but more about whether or not that will correct the larger issue. Does anyone truly believe that Worthy Dungeon will begin to treat us better just because we clear Floor Seven a second time? 'Cheating' or not?"

Sansie furrows her brow. "You think it will refuse to recognize us even after we improve our behavior? I don't know how one properly argues their case with a dungeon, but I feel like we'd have cleared our record at that point."

Her cousin shakes his head, though. "It might clear our record as far as having completed the floor goes, yes. But...there's still the matter of Deylia. I'm not certain what the dungeon's perspective is on the matter exactly, but if it imagines that we planted a spy on its staff intentionally? As I've heard some around here suggest? Or that we somehow pressured or bribed her or something? First off, that would surely earn us extra ire from the dungeon for having done so. Secondly...even if we've been reassured that poor Deylia is in no physical danger, I don't like the idea that she may be suffering from her desire to help us."

The Noble Elementalist considers that. "That's...a fair point. But how do we settle that

score, then? A payment for damages? That would likely fall afoul of 'anti-feeding' regulations. A very heartfelt apology? Flowers?"

Before her cousins can add their thoughts, the nobles are interrupted by the arrival of their competitors. Gilda Highbranch steps up to their table - alongside Silva, looking rather different. Her missing right eye had been replaced by a prosthetic, but it was clearly no simple glass eye. The core of it is some metal, perhaps bronze, but a golden crystal lit by a dim magical light serves as its iris. On top of that, Raylin would swear that he notes small additional glowing lines around the edge of her eyelids, perhaps runes of some sort written along the sides of the eye. His attention is drawn back to Gilda however as the silver-haired half-elf greets the table.

"Greetings, Lord Perlin, Honorable Perlin and Forlin. If this isn't a bad time, may we join you for a moment? We have matters we'd care to discuss."

Arlon takes charge of welcoming them to the table. "Certainly, by all means, have a seat, my Ladies Highbranch. May I add, I hope you're doing well, Lady Silva? You seem to have recovered from your injury?"

Silva smiles as she sits down, her wound apparently doing little to mar her easy-going nature. "In a manner of speaking, yes, thank you. My new eye is something of a joint project between my sister and I, we've spent the last few days pouring each of our talents into it."

Raylin raises an eyebrow at that. "Sounds like the creation of a minor artifact, knowing your classes as Diviner and Enchantress. I assume there's more to it than simple, mundane vision?"

If Silva was about to answer that, Gilda interrupts her by answering first. "You may assume that, yes - but the matter is not your concern. I thank you for your concern over my sister's health, but we aren't here today to discuss enchantments."

Arlon gives a curt nod. "Of course, I imagine there's weightier matters on your mind. Dungeon-related however, I presume?"

"Indeed." Gilda eyes the opposing nobles before she continues. "We would like negotiate for House Perlin abandoning its claim to these lands, and putting your support behind our own."

Arlon and Raylin's faces both turn sour, but Sansie outright scoffs at that suggestion. "Are you serious? House Highbranch hasn't even cleared the dungeon yet! What makes you think your claim is stronger than ours?"

Gilda's immediate biting response is held back as Silva plants a hand on her sister's wrist, answering instead. "Word has reached us of your...conflict with the dungeon and its take on your performance. Personally, I don't think less of you for trying to use what advantages you can. However, it is clear that you've lost the dungeon's favor. I don't need to tell you that this would be a disastrous start to a relationship, particularly when the dungeon is as intelligent and social as Worthy Dungeon appears to be. This could be a relationship that lasts for centuries, and dungeons can have very long memories. Your house taking stewardship now would be building on an unsteady foundation."

The Noble Vanguard frowns as he considers his response. "We're not...blind to those concerns, Lady Silva, in fact I was just discussing matters along those lines myself. But if we have dishonored ourselves in the eyes of the dungeon, it would be even more dishonorable for us to simply abandon our efforts and leave things as they are. At the very least, I believe we should attempt to make amends with the dungeon spirit."

Gilda raises an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Oh? And how exactly do you intend to do that?"

"...We're still considering our options."

"Of course. I'll admit though, I do respect your stance, though I doubt your results. Allow me to make a proposal, then. You may attempt to gain your way back into the dungeon's good graces. If you fail, however, would you enter into good-faith negotiations with us concerning the claim for these lands?"

Arlon looks at his cousins, but ultimately the decision rests on him. "...I suppose if we fail to appease the dungeon, we risk failure outright, and perhaps a negotiated settlement would be preferable. Is there a timeline on your offer? As I said, we were still discussing our next move."

Silva gives him a comforting smile, although the slight glow of her right eye gives her expression a rather otherworldly effect. "Not a precise timeline, no. However, we are planning to return to the dungeon ourselves quite soon, to see if we can clear Floor Seven ourselves. If we succeed, you understand our position will strengthen."

"I imagine it would. Still, we will need a few days, I think. Either way, I do wish you luck with your future attempts, Lady Silva."

"And we you. Until next time, Lord Perlin."

After the sisters make their exits, Raylin sighs and turns to his cousins. "...Okay. As if we didn't have enough motivation, now we have additional political pressure on our backs. Do you have any bright ideas?"

He looks to Arlon...who then looks to Sansie. With a sigh and then a scoff of her own, Sansie smirks. "Ah, you hopeless boys. Okay, let me see what I can think of..."