Worthy Core

12:30 PM

"Mrmm, this is good! Your menu's definitely been getting better lately, soon I bet people would be climbing up here just for the inn alone!" Sable licks her lips after slurping the meat off of a rib, to the amusement of Mother Hammerdown and Sincere as they watch on. The three were sitting in a new private room attached to the inn, along with an invisible Xenia, added on as a new meeting location after the shrine had started to get more occupied with its intended purpose.

"I'll be sure to pass on your compliments to the chef." Grinning, Sincere turns to his side. "Xenia, the latest reviews of your culinary prowess are quite complimentary."

Xenia rolls her eyes. "I'd hope so, considering I have to spend half an hour a day summoning shit to refresh the stocks. Damn, maybe Em's right, and we do need to consider hiring an actual chef or something. I don't know if I want to get to the point where I'm spending a couple hours a day summoning bowls of stew."

Raising an eyebrow, Sincere turns back towards the dungeon's guests. "I don't suppose this latest batch of applicants includes anyone with culinary talents?"

The dwarven cleric frowns. "Is that something we actually ought to be looking for? I can never tell with you lot. But no, I don't believe so, and even if they did it's a moot point. They're all crap." Elance slaps down a sheaf of papers onto the table, carefully avoiding any errant sauces despite her dismissive tone.

Xenia eyes the stack. "Shit, that's a lot. They all washed out?"

Before passing on the question, Sincere takes hold of the profiles and begins to flip through them himself. "I do see a few obvious declines here. Random farmers and fishermen, some youngsters who clearly ought to be finding better uses for their lives...but all of these? I see some with Challenger experience here."

Elance nods. "Yeah, allow me to give you the quick summary of that bunch. The human Mage? Wanted for experimentation on mortal prisoners, I've already passed along his name and had the monster picked up by the local garrison. The kobold lass? Thinks she's Kahlia and that becoming part of the dungeon will 'return her to her divine powers'. The gnoll 'prince'? ...Gnolls ain't got nobility. He's got a Challenger record but we can't confirm any of his actual background."

Sincere nods along as he flips through. "Hmm, here's a minotaur soldier? I'd say that a minotaur could be useful, although I suppose they wouldn't actually be a minotaur after they joined."

Sable shakes her head. "The man hates the Domain and anyone from there, or that he thinks is from there. The asshole almost started a fight with me just because I'm part demon. There's no way that guy gives Challengers a fair shot at getting stabbed if he joins in."

The dungeon master sighs as she reads along over Sincere's shoulder. "I guess I should be glad that we're not getting flooded with people offing themselves in here, and the filtering process seems to be working pretty well. But there's gotta be like twenty applicants here! I didn't want to rely on them, but we might start needing that applicant program the Highbranches were talking about after all."

Taking that as a prompt, Sincere poses a question to the Church of Bounty members. "Hmm, yes, have you had any contact with House Highbranch recently? Part of their arrangement for Xenia's support was that they would both support you, and assist in the applicant process."

Elance nods. "The financial support's already been coming in. I still don't know if we'll be starting construction on a new facility this year, but we will be getting some more staff in the next few months." A smile crosses her face. "A few of my own lads among them. None of them took to the priesthood, but a few are willing to take the gods' coin for their engineering skills and whatnot."

The Paladin handles the other half of the question. "I have heard rumors about House Highbranch talking up the dungeon, but it's a pretty targeted recruitment campaign so I don't know the specifics. Can't say when or if we'll get anyone on their recommendation."

"Well, guess we're not in too much rush for a new floor and boss, since Parker's still undefeated. Probably won't hold for long though with all this new traffic. Anyhow, I'll let you finish up here, Sin-man." Xenia turns her head and speaks to the air. "Hey Guy, what's next on the agenda? Someone wanted to talk with me this afternoon?"

The guide appears but Sincere answers the question before they can. "Ah, that would be myself and Trush, actually. We wanted to discuss our dungeon rewards going forward."

"Hrmm? Well, alright then. See you in a few hours down in the core chamber, enjoy your lunch meeting." With that said, Xenia pops out so she can have a little lunch break of her own, enjoying the sight of Taly kicking the ass of a new team of Experts on Floor Six.

4 PM

"So, what's this about? Something wrong with the loot drops? I haven't been noticing much in the way of complaints." Xenia raises an eyebrow at the demon Mage and rabbit Champion sitting across from her, as the statue containing her core looms behind her.

Trush shakes his head. "Nothing wrong, no. Not yet, anyhow. Before we get into it though Worthy, mind if we ask a question? How exactly does making a dungeon reward work for you? When you make, say, a sword or whatnot."

She shrugs. "It's a lot like making a monster, really. I can pick a type and a tier level, and set just how random I want it to be in appearance. Or I can design my own, or copy one I absorbed if it's within the tier limit we've unlocked. Why do you ask?"

Rather than answering, Sincere asks a follow-up. "Just out of curiosity, how many reward items do you have stockpiled right now?"

"Well, I try to burn down all of my mana before a daily reset, if I remember to. I've got a couple hundred rabbit luck charms for Floor One, those go fast. Piles and piles of coins. Bunch of potions too, and of course the ever-popular slime lube bottles. Other enchanted weapons, arrows, armor, and all that sort of depends on my mood at the time I guess. Is there something I ought to be focusing on?"

The Bunny Knight finally gets to answering her question. "Not in terms of broad categories. However, word around the inn is that we're likely to start seeing some Masters show up this summer. Not just the odd one here and there, like that plains gnoll or Alizz, but teams of em. And here's the thing - Masters have, uh...high standards."

Sincere clarifies. "Not just speaking in terms of an item's 'tier level', although I'm sure that's important. What really gets the attention of high-level Challengers though is, well...shall we say, its artistry?"

The other man chuckles. "Or to use a term you've used once or twice - the dungeon's branding."

Xenia narrows her eyes. "Are you saying I've been handing out ugly swords? Look, I've been a fighter for centuries. A plain ol' blade will kill a dude just as dead as something with fancy jewels and shit, in fact, it'll probably last longer, too."

Trush waves a hand. "Oh, what we've been handing out is fine. And I'm not even suggesting you give every Master who shows up some crown with a dozen enchanted gems or some crap like that. How should I put it...what gets attention is equipment that is both unique, and unique to Worthy Dungeon. It becomes like a trophy, a badge, a..."

As he trails off, Xenia fills in his statement. "...A collector's item?"

He attempts to snap his fingers, struggling slightly with his thick, furry digits. "Exactly! Something they can show off to other high-ranking Challengers and go, 'I got this killing the Giant Evil Dicklord of Ballsack Dungeon, do you get down to Floor Twenty-Three often?', while waving their dicks around down at the Challenger bars. Dungeons that have easily-identifiable rewards are more popular because of shit like that."

"Huh." Xenia taps a finger against her chin. "So I should make...more bunny-themed gear?"

Sincere smirks. "Well, that is rather unique to Worthy Dungeon, as far as I'm aware. Of course, as you've noted, the slime lube rewards are one of our most popular, if only for their coin value. If you wanted to play up our, ah, association with fertility-related topics..."

The dungeon master's grin grows wide. "I don't know if every Challenger is up for showing off their giant dildo-shaped mace, no matter how good the enchantment on it is. But then, hey, some are. I'll give it some thought though, workshop some prototypes. Anything else you wanted to cover today?"

Trush shakes his head. "Not here. Although...if you do put some new items into my own rewards, how about we stick with the rabbit theme, eh Worthy?"

"Coward."

9 PM

"Oh gods, you have magic fingers."

"I mean, literally yes, but also I do have a lot of practice at this, you know." Xenia smirks as she massages the Banshee Queen's back, as the woman lays on her apartment bed. Her bare skin is a rather unhealthy-looking gray, but at least there's none of the open sores, patchy skin, or exposed bone that would come with various other sorts of undead monsters.

Taly moans happily as the dungeon master works her shoulders, her eyes closed against her pillow. "Let me guess, you spent a life as a masseuse, becoming one of the best in the nation before dying in an unfortunate oils-and-incense-related accident."

"Haha, no, never professionally, no. I have had a lot of girlfriends and boyfriends and others along the years though, you pick up a few tricks. Some people fall for my skills at lopping heads off of monsters with swords, but sometimes romance needs a few...magic fingers."

"Mrmm." Taly sighs again, but her tone shifts slightly before she speaks again. "Is, ah...that what this is? Romance?"

Xenia pauses in her efforts, a bit of concern crossing her face. "I'd...rather not put a label on it, to be honest. Is that what you're hoping for, here?"

"No, no! It's just, well...we get to wondering sometimes, when we're sharing a round at the inn. You seem particularly close to Lollyp, don't you? I feel a little bad for how much busier she is these days."

Xenia chews over her response in her mind for a few moments. "Close is an alright way of putting it, sure. Could even say we do little date night things sometimes, as much as you can without ever leaving this murder hole. Fuck, I'll say it, I don't mind calling her a girlfriend. Or you one for that matter, or Trush a boyfriend. But trying to get strict about things when we're gonna be here forever seems like a bad idea, you know? There'd inevitably be the breakups, and then the getting back together, and breaking up again...I expect it would get a lil old pretty damn quickly."

"Can't disagree." Taly chuckles as a thought occurs to her. "You know that DEATH is still preaching that 'Xencere ship', whatever that means."

"Oh, I know." Xenia smirks. "At this point I think Sin-man and I are staying hands-off just to fuck with the poor guy, not that we've ever said it out loud. Though as I said, we're here forever, so...we'll probably slip up eventually."

"DEATH'll probably throw a celebration when it finally happens. To be honest, it kind of surprises me how easily this comes for you, despite me being part of it. I never dated more than one person at a time before I died. Not as an ongoing thing, anyhow."

"Maybe death puts a little perspective into it? I dunno. I like seeing my people happy, though. Not that I try to pry, but when I just randomly happen to see you and Trush together - "

"Bullshit. You're probably watching us with one hand down your pants."

Xenia's jaw drops. "Hey! At least do me the courtesy of pretending I know how to be respectful. Anyhow, as I was saying, well...you two seem to enjoy each other's company, let's say. And if you're happy, then I'm happy."

"I am, surprisingly." Taly grips her pillow a little tighter as Xenia works her hands down Taly's back. "You're a pretty good dungeon master, Xenia. And...a good girlfriend. ...And really good with those fingers."

Xenia leans in closer, whispering into Taly's ear. "Thanks for the compliment. Think that's just upgraded you to the Girlfriend Special."

"What's the - oh, my gods!"

Later as the evening closes in and Xenia is laying back in the banshee's bed, a calming thought passes through her mind.

Today was a pretty good day.