BE a Mimic Core. With a pedestal base and floating crystal as the monster's core, with the floor actually being tentacles that will sprout up to distract and spear them. And while they're distracted they'll get their legs chomped off. Since the core of the monster looks like a dungeon core, they'll be less likely to smash it. (Of course if they do manage to kill it the monster will just break apart and will just drop out from underneath them, right into some spikes, beCause the penalty for killing our Mimicore is you don't get a floor.)
+1 (Wait do we even have the energy reserves to pull this off?)
Nooope.
TURNTURNTURN
A brilliant, flawless, foolproof plan- if you had more energy. You do what you can with what you have.
[4] The adventurers encounter your faux-core. They are briefly excited, but quickly realise the deception, on account of the core being a piece of glass- a fact which is obvious from a considerable distance. They toss a rock at it, which sets off the mimic-
deadly tentacles feeble tendrils emerging from the ground, grasping at nothing in an attempt to ensnare the intruders. The bemused adventurers destroy the 'core' from a distance, which causes the floor to collapse- into a pit about a foot deep, the spike budget being spent on half a dozen around the location of where the core was.
The adventurers are unhappy, but not in the sense that they are suffering, just mildly peeved. Their emotions wouldn't even make for an appetizer. (+0)
After stepping out of the pit, the adventurers continue onwards. As you have no more energy, you can only watch as they delve deeper. They continue on through the empty corridor and barren rooms for quite some time, actually- the mages certain that the real core must be around the next corner. Eventually, however, even the mages give up. They leave dissatisfied, with not even a good story to share at the bar- the epic fight versus the feeble mimic is not going to be one for the history books. At least their stay is long enough for you to gather a bit more energy from them. (+2)
You should probably recycle the faux-core. But technically you could keep it around.
A: Get rid of it. (+2)
B: No, no, this can be salvaged, really. This isn't gambler's fallacy.
And after that, there's the question of how or if to salvage your reputation. If the only thing you're considered good for is farming kobolds and gathering meagre coinage, you're not going to be able to extract much from visitors- there's not much emotion in routine extermination and treasure-gathering. What to do?
A: Add a somewhat powerful monster. (-4)
B: More weak monsters- a bit of variety would make you less monotonous. (-4)
C: Boost the deadliness of the spike traps. (-3)
D: More treasure. (-3)
E: Seal the entrance and slumber for a few years. Start fresh-ish.
Note that you cannot afford any of the above suggestions without recycling, except for E obviously. But other suggestions are always possible- just try to keep your energy reserves in mind, yeah?
ENERGY RESERVE: 2
KILL COUNT: 3
REPUTATION: Worthless Near Empty Dungeon
DUNGEON DETAILS
LAYOUT (Applies to entire dungeon): Corners & Alcoves.
ENTRY: Modest but intriguing.
FIRST SEGMENT:
Inhabited By: Matt, Kobolds
Traps: Spikey
Features: None
SECOND SEGMENT:
Inhabited By: Kobolds
Traps: Spikey
Features: Spinning Maze
THIRD SEGMENT:
Inhabited By: Faux-Core Mimic
FURTHER SEGMENTS: Unexplored and unmodified.
Author
Topic: You Are A FRACTAL DUNGEON! (Read 8882 times)