The Bee Dungeon

Tarwantrad bounced in place, staring at him with sparkling eyes as Belissar announced he had taken the monster choice. Belissar smiled and wasted no time checking the options.

Please select a monster:

- Beeswax Golem (Rarity: Uncommon, Type: Bee, Construct)

- Monster Leafcutter Bee (Rarity: Common, Type: Bee, Nature)

- Butcher Bee Queen (Rarity: Rare, Type: Bee)

Belissar couldn’t help but grin. An uncommon and a rare, one of which was a queen! This looked like it’d be a good one already. Tarwantrad seemed to agree, given how her bouncing sped up.

Beeswax Golem

Vitality: Below Average

Strength: Average

Magic: Minimal

Defense: Below Average

Resistance: Below Average

Special: Minor

Notable Skills: Construct, Brood Carrier, Internal Storage

Spawner Upkeep: 20 (10 with Blessing of Bees)

Description: A golem formed from beeswax. While its material makes it weaker and less resilient than more traditional golems, it is also correspondingly lighter and faster. Its honeycomb interior allows it to carry Bee-type monsters and honey protected within itself, which may be deployed for various effects with clever design.

As a construct, its exact attributes and skills may be altered depending on design and materials used. Spawners can be provided with compatible materials to produce different variants. If wax producing Bee-type monsters are available, they will be able to construct Beeswax Golems.

Belissar’s eyes widened as he read over the description. For the first time, he was offered a Bee-type monster that wasn’t a bee. The Tower’s preview in his mind showed him what appeared as a humanoid sculpture made of beeswax that could move on its own or as directed by its creator. It was dotted with holes across its body that bees could fly in and out of, and he caught glimpses of glistening honeycomb within.

“Golems, huh?”

He frowned for a moment. He didn’t have a high opinion of golems, monstrosities built by mad mages that were said to go on rampages at the slightest provocation. But then he remembered that was just what the Tower Lords had told him and probably mostly lies. Neither Chief Rohsuak nor Tarwantrad seemed to be particularly disturbed by the idea so he was thinking golems were probably much safer than he had been led to believe.

“Either of you know anything about golems?”

Chief Rohsuak shrugged.

“Only how to destroy them. They’re tough and strong but inflexible, so once you have a handle on them they aren’t hard to outmaneuver.”

She glanced around and smirked.

“That is, if they aren’t being supported by an army of flying monsters, though.”

Tarwantrad nodded.

“I am told as much regarding facing them as an opponent. As a dungeon defender, construct type monsters are a good way to make use of surplus resources, particularly for dungeons led by or home to expert crafters. Some of the Circle masters make heavy use of them for that reason.”

Then she grinned as she glanced towards the queens.

“It sounds as if you have plenty of both resources and crafters for this particular construct.”

Belissar tried to keep his expression neutral as he looked to see how his bees were responding, though a small smile broke out on his face regardless. He saw the Apiary bees dancing about. The First of the Fifth noticed his attention and directed her dance to him.

“Make wax alive? Make fight for king?”

Belissar slowly nodded.

“I think so.”

The Apiary bees’ dances intensified at that. Belissar found himself nodding along as they discussed what this could possibly mean among themselves. Right now, he only used beeswax in the candles, so they had quite the abundance of the material. A greater surplus than honey, even. Those stockpiles could become a powerful resource for the tower if they could be converted into additional defenders. It would also enable the Apiary hives to directly contribute to the bee army.

And the more he thought about it, the more he liked it. A key feature was that these were constructs, not living creatures. They could be repaired if destroyed or replaced as necessary…and so they could take blows that the bees and the karnuq could not. They would provide Belissar’s Tower with a defender that he wouldn’t mind placing in harm’s way and so would reduce the risk to both the bees and the karnuq.

That made them appealing indeed. But they were but the first option offered, so Belissar moved on.

Monster Leafcutter Bee

Vitality: Minimal

Strength: Minimal+

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Speed: Average

Magic: Minimal

Defense: Minimal

Resistance: Minimal

Special: Minimal

Notable Skills: Poison Sting, Bite

Spawner Upkeep: 1

Description: A leafcutter bee that has accumulated enough Nature mana to become something more. Its sharp mandibles can give painful bites along with its stings. Its habit of creating nests with Nature-mana imbued leaves can increase the Nature-mana density of an area.

Belissar rubbed his chin. Another common bee monster that lacked brood mother or brood offspring, so would be separate from the monster bee hives, like the carpenter bees. This one didn’t seem to have an obvious use for battle or crafting like the carpenter bees did, so he wasn’t sure what to make of it. There was that part about increasing Nature mana, though, so perhaps that would be impactful somehow?

He was about to ask about it when he saw Tarwantrad smirking.

“Let’s just say I recommend you hold off on this one for now, Belissar.”

Belissar nodded. He probably wouldn’t have chosen it anyways, unless it had turned out that Nature mana thing was particularly important. None of his bees were particularly interested since it wouldn’t interact with their own hives…save the Fourth of the Seventh who seemed to dance happily whenever he read any option. In any case, he decided to trust Tarwantrad and moved on to the final choice.

Another queen.

Butcher Bee Queen

Vitality: Minimal

Strength: Minor

Speed: Average

Magic: Minor

Defense: Minimal

Resistance: Minimal

Special: Minor

Notable Skills: Bite, Brood Mother, Command Offspring

Spawner Upkeep: 20 (10 with Blessing of Bees)

Description: A vulture bee that has accumulated enough mana to become something more. No longer content with scavenging the dead, this bee’s sharp mandibles shred through living flesh to gather sustenance for the hive. A swarm can pick a body clean in minutes…whether dead or alive. This one is a queen, and capable of building a hive of butcher bees.

Another queen that put the monster in monster bee. Belissar pursed his lips. So…there were apparently bees that ate meat, even before becoming monsters judging by the description. These were what happened when said bees became monster bees.

Well, frightening though they may be, Belissar did not doubt they could strengthen the Tower’s defenses, particularly as they were a type of queen. Even the workers had scary-looking mandibles specifically for cutting into flesh, so Belissar could only imagine what a butcher bee soldier might look like. Since the bumblebees had raised soldiers, he knew at least that option should apply to these as well, though he wasn’t sure about the others as the bumblebees hadn’t raised any other variants just yet.

Of course, like the bloodsucking bees he had once seen, there was the all important question of how he would feed meat-eating bees. The karnuq were hunting in the Underway on occasion to supplement their diet, but otherwise the Tower had no innate supplies of meat. Unless he sent the butcher bees out to hunt? Would that prove sufficient?

“Belissar, are you concerned about the food supply?”

He was brought out of his thoughts by Tarwantrad’s question.

“Forgive me for assuming but I did not recall seeing any animals besides bees during the tour.”

He nodded.

“You’re right, the karnuq hunt the Underway a bit but I don’t know if that would be enough to feed entire carnivorous hives…”

She smiled at him.

“In that case, please be aware that we can assist with that. If you decide to choose these bees and need a food source, let me know and I’ll arrange an appropriate boon for you. Ah, to be clear, that goes for the other choice as well. As I mentioned, there are Circle masters with an interest in constructs who would likely want to take a look at those golems, so if you select those they may have boons and knowledge that would go well with them.”

Belissar smiled.

“Thanks, that helps a lot.”

Indeed, it did. If Tarwantrad and the Circle could provide a food supply, then he could consider the butcher bees as a real option. The only question was, then, which of the options would help his Tower most?

Before deciding, however, there was one final choice to consider. Belissar brought up the perk choice.

Please select a perk:

- Enhanced Toxins (Rarity: Common)

- Hardened Wax (Rarity: Common)

- Alluring Honey (Rarity: Uncommon)

Belissar pursed his lips again. All repeat options, this time, and all fairly straightforward, though he read the descriptions for Tarwantrad and any queens that weren’t there the last time he saw them. In addition…they had new monsters and features to go along with them this time. Hardened Wax, for example, didn’t have much use previously besides strengthening the hives…which no shade would reach unless the Tower’s defenses had already been defeated. Now, though, there was an obvious benefit if he selected the beeswax golem, as he imagined said perk would make them tougher.

Enhanced toxins had even more to recommend it. Not only did all his bees have their stingers, his Tower had recently received several new sources of poison. Juosiutik was now producing deathcap poison for the karnuq hunters, a new type of especially venomous bee had evolved from said deathcaps, and the flowers from Urubran and Nenavann released toxic smoke and mist respectively. Plus, said feat would potentially make his Sticky Honey Traps and the Beeswax Candles more effective as well. Now that he thought about it, almost every defense he had would be improved by this perk.

Belissar turned it over to the others as he thought.

“What do you think?”

The Firstborn replied first.

“Enhanced Toxins…help all bees fight?”

Belissar nodded and she saluted. She danced no more but Belissar could tell she was interested from the way her legs kept twitching.

Belissar glanced to the Apiary queens and found them having another dance off. He was a bit surprised at how many of them liked Enhanced Toxins, given their earlier interest in the wax golems. In the end, the First of the Fifth simply saluted.

“Whatever King decides!”

Well, this time she had danced that after in-depth consideration by the queens, so Belissar could only nod and accept it. He turned to Chief Rohsuak, who had her expected “you pick” smile. She did shrug and speak up this time, however.

“You know which one Juosiutik would like. She’d probably be interested in the wax golems too, if just to store more honey.”

Belissar made an amused smile at that. Finally, he turned to Tarwantrad.

“Any advice?”

Tarwantrad furrowed her brow for a bit.

“In the end each dungeon is unique so please consider your own circumstances first and foremost. That said, your and my dungeon both make heavy use of toxins in our defense, so that perk would maximize the benefits you would receive from our exchanges. I would select that one, were I in your position.”

Belissar nodded.

“I was thinking that too. Thanks for the advice.”

Tarwantrad smiled at him. Then, Belissar made his choices.

Beeswax golem spawner is now available. Wax producing Bee-type monsters may now construct beeswax golems.

Enhanced Toxins selected.

A new queen type was tempting now that he knew he could feed them, but that would just add another type of hive to the Tower. Beeswax golems, on the other hand, added an entirely different type of defender, as well as another method by which all of his existing hives could fight. It felt to him like the more impactful option, and the one his bees were more interested in to boot. Plus, a defender that Belissar could put in harm's way in place of the bees or the karnuq was not one he could give up.

He considered Hardened Wax to go with them, but Enhanced Toxins was just too good to pass up this time. Tarwantrad’s recommendation was the final assurance he needed that he was making the right choice. Besides, even if Enhanced Toxins wouldn’t help the golems, he figured they wouldn’t be hurt by poison either, so he could use them to fight around the Vapor Hemlock or beeswax candles.

He smiled as all the bees broke out into happy dances…and then blinked as Tarwantrad did as well.

“Your bees are going to build golems! That’s…that’s…that’s going to be adorable! You must let me know when they start!”

Belissar smiled again. He was looking forward to that one, too.

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