Chrysalis

There was a time when some considered the Mother Tree to perhaps be an offshoot of Lerrewyn, the Grasping Tree itself. The only plant-type ancient, Lerrewyn is a creature of immense power and age who tormented the swamplands of the west during the Rending. There aren't any precise descriptions of her that survive that I can determine. In fact what accounts I do have are almost contradictory in nature. Some describe it as a ghostly tree of nightmare, a spirit that extends its roots into the dreams of its victims, draining their life force away as they sleep. Others describe it as less a tree than a mass of innumerable roots, each as thick as a man, that crawls across the landscape, pulling in and devouring everything that it finds.

Despite the obvious similarities of the two monsters, sharing the same base type, there is no other supporting evidence to suggest they are affiliated in any way. Indeed, the path and direction the Mother Tree has taken is the greatest proof anyone could ask for. In choosing to create and succour her own race of children, she has effectively cut herself off from descending any further into the Dungeon, ensuring that she is of no use to those elder monsters. Despite this, should she turn, the damage she could unleash on Pangera would be immense.

• Excerpt from 'The nature of the Tree' by Loremaster Alberton of the Legion.

After Vibrant are her crew sprint off down the tunnels the rest of us are left with the unenviable task of cleaning up the mess. And what a mess. I'm standing on a heap of Biomass three or four termites deep and it sure isn't going to eat itself. What's more, when I throw on my mana sight it becomes clear that quite a few of these termites have cores. Now, they aren't anything like fully developed cores, not even close. In fact, they don't come close to the cores my siblings in the Colony have, despite most of them being a long way from maxed.

Scanning the battlefield, I would guess that roughly half of the termites have cores, which explains why, despite their relatively high tier, they are close to matching up to us one on one. No, it seems that the kaarmodo have decided to embrace the swarm strategy at its most pure. Not a bad idea, since they have the natural advantage of being born deeper in the Dungeon, with more advanced body parts that we have, they don't need strong evolutions to be dangerous. It's also possible that their soul devouring organ provides the extra juice they need, giving them experience or empowering their evolution in some way? It bears more investigation.

"Report back to the wall! We need a casualty check and debrief! Move! Move! Move!"

tucked straight into the food. Things are bit more organised now, what with the accounting the generals do to keep track

there's probably others I need to see to," the healer strapped to the

"Oh, right. Of course."

line along with the others and we climb back to the top of the wall where the generals check over every single member of the ten thousand strong expeditionary force and lay out the plan to clear the battlefield so the work crews can get back to the more important task of fortifying our position. It's impossible to walk away from this sort of conflict with no casualties, and

problem hoping it would go away, a sign of impatience or overconfidence. If they'd taken the time to prepare a diversionary tunnel, or strike in more than one place, or any number of tactics they didn't try, we would have

not sure if this is a

a nearby general, "what am I supposed to be

just fought a battle no doubt dragging them down. Heck, I'm tired and I

an antenna over the slate she

I suppose that you're supposed to do your own

I stare.

off and do whatever?

she shrugs.

mean… I suppose