There is No Epic Loot Here, Only Puns

66: Tending the Moon

Delta sat neatly on the bar stool near the end of the smoothed down the wooden surface that took up almost the entire side of the room. Her orange glowing figure looked ghostly as the cracking hearth behind her forgot to cast her shadow.

Delta idly ran her finger over a glass as she pretended the ringing noise was sounding from the glass and not her own lips.

"Ya walked into the room and I just knew ya were trouble," the goblin tending the bar muttered as she downed the amber liquor herself. Delta gave her best mysterious smile as the bar had taken in some of her love for old 60's detective movies. The bartender especially seemed to enjoy being the gruff goblin with a curious nose for trouble.

A fresh glass was poured and Delta almost giggled at the useless but kind gesture.If I'm such trouble, why have you not asked me to leave?" she teased and the bartender sniffed.

"Guess I got a weak spot for the strays," she rubbed the wooden surface with an old rag. Clean but well used and well-loved despite only being hours old. Delta leaned forward and peered at her newest resident.

Goblins did not have genders but... something with the last few monsters had become screwy; Delta decided she didn't mind the change in control or even the unpredictable outcome. The resulting Guardian of her new room was spectacular. The slightly slender form was not exactly more human or even more beautiful than the 'masculine' goblins. Instead of squat faces or strong features, this goblin looked more like a bird of prey.

Her long sharp nose curved down and her beady eyes were slitted with a deep gaze that seemed to gauge a person the moment she laid eyes on them. The hair was thin and cut loosely into a messy tail of black hair. The only soft feature was her lips which were full and curved more than any of the other goblins and her chest left... no illusions as to which way her body had grown in some areas, and definitely made 'her' the correct word.

Her own fine control when making monsters was getting worse, Delta had to admit to herself. But, like her impulse to make an inn, Delta felt no urge to fret over the outcome. She was slowly coming to terms about the simple facts of her being. Ruli... Quiss... Nu...

They had all let slip exactly what she was. A Dungeon Core. A being with no dying cells or limits to her growth. Why not have fun? The idea of fretting over every choice she made every day made her want to curl up and never do anything. Impulsive creation and new ideas would keep her going as her family grew.

The Swarthy Hog was a place of comfy rest and a bit of gruffness. It didn't try to hide the simple yet solid tables or the cheaply carved candle holders on the wall. The Inn was more like the goblins themselves. Created cheaply but improved with skill and care.

The straw and sand on the floor and furs that lined the wall made the place gain a huntsman feel but Delta felt like a lady would enjoy the complex drinks made from mushrooms, apples, berries, fish oil, boar hair, Golden Fish scales, and well, Fera had a real knack for making up drinks when she got bored.

Fera the Goblin Innkeeper. What a gal.

Delta liked her the moment she kicked Cois' ass into gear and made him light the room's candles. Each of the goblins seemed confused on how to treat their new family member, but respect was always somewhere in the mix.

"You look like you want to tell this tender a secret, hm?" Fera mused and Delta gave a slight smile.

"Not really a secret, but I think this is one of the better things I made," she winked and Fera looked unimpressed.

"Doesn't take a genius to see that, darling," she nodded and poured herself more amber liquid from the tap. Delta hoped she didn't get so sloshed that she started handing out freebies. She'd hate to sack a good goblin for addiction.

She ignored Cois cackling down the hall as the shadows of dancing fire roared out. Addiction came in many forms and levels of intensity.

Billy laughed demonically as Numb yelled a challenge.

Many... forms.

"What's the plan, Momma?" Fera asked as she rubbed the spotless counter over and over as her tip jar remained empty except the single berry from the spiders as they came to the party in the corner of the ceiling, a single thimble of the Durence brew making all of them drunk and slightly catty.

Delta mused on the question.

"Got some Frogs to check on and... well, some overdue upgrades to the fort room. It's outdated," she said as Fera lightly tapped the mushroom cap near the back of the bar.

"Maestro, gonna need something slow. Don't want the boys rushing in," she grumbled as Maestro slowly let a soft guitar resound throughout the room. A soft man's voice called out as he sang. Something about leaving in the morning.

Delta stood and almost swayed to the song as Nu's box slowly appeared next to her.