Chrysalis

Many a recruit has been lost to the Demons of the third strata, despite the Legion's best efforts to prepare them. It provides some comfort that Delvers who belong to the Mercenary Union fall at a higher rate, which means our training does have some effect. Independents have it the worst. Without prior knowledge, or the proper mental preparations, their chances of success in that burning hell are almost nil.

Records indicate that the earliest expeditions launched by the Legionem Abyssi had similar expectations of the dangers they would confront there that most delvers hold today. The Dungeon is a place of violence and death, the first and second strata offer no comforts, every living thing, plant or animal, is a potential threat. It stands to reason the deeper you go, the more violent and merciless the strata would become.

And that is indeed, a true inclination. The third strata is far more deadly than the second, but in a much different way. The Dungeon is as cunning as it is brutal and as brutal as it is cunning. The lesser demons of the third strata swarm the plains, feasting and warring in roving bands of mindless beasts. Like swarms of vermin, they fight and kill endlessly, the spawn rate absurdly high for such a powerful class of monster.

But once they reach a high enough tier, they rise above the rabble. Above the plains tower the fortress cities of the Demon aristocracy, palaces of intrigue, wealth and guile that have entrapped so many a gullible soldier. If a Demon tells you something, it's probably true, just never in the way that you expect.

-Abyssal Legion training manual review - dated 640 AR.

Leaving the golgari Shapers to their business, I wander a few doors down to check on the newest of our additions. Not wanting to intimidate them, I leave Tiny and Invidia in the corridor. Crinis, predictably, doesn't want to peel herself off my carapace, so I give her direct instructions not to terrify the two humanoids.

[How am I supposed to know what scares them, Master?] she asks, genuinely interested.

a human may be hilarious to these fur-people. Crinis has horrifying fangs, perhaps they do too? I didn't get a great look at the tooth situation, so I'm not sure how much maw they'd be

it that Crinis does that's scary? The way she moves is pretty creepy, with the slithering, tentacles and inky flesh that's black as the depths of evil. I mean, the mouths are surely out, right? Unless these people are descended from sharks, which seems unlikely, given the fur, then I can't imagine they'd be pleased to see that trio of horrendous, all-consuming portals of death. The tentacles are likewise out. Tentacles in general

as still as possible and don't do anything. I can't imagine anything you might do that wouldn't be scary to

[Thank you, Master!]

skyrocketed since that time, and she's only become more fear inducing. The memory of that horrific scream she unleashed in Rylleh pops into my head. That was something to see/hear. It didn't have that much of an effect on me, I assume allies aren't affected, but the people in the city who heard it didn't look too flash

represent the Colony

making themselves known. A team of mages are still present, of course, to sense

interesting happen?" I

tentative communication attempts were made by Coolant, but not much came of it. They've remained very quiet, haven't

and have a chat, see if we

door with a mandible before pushing it open. The ants on duty haven't bothered to lock it. Honestly, what would be the point? If someone can escape from the middle of a nest

bulky castes of ant to fit through, even so, it's a bit of a squeeze for me.

chambers. Wherever the ants have taken their interior decorating tips from (I suspect Enid), they've really taken the style to heart. As I enter the rooms in which our not-quite-willing guests

are currently seated on the floor, thankfully better dressed than they were the last time I saw them. Their position seems rather unusual, seated on