### The Story

An excerpt from Beethro's diary...

Sensuary 19, 147

Just got back from a quick trip into Vonnifa's basement to get some more meat for the Grill. It's going okay, lots of customers coming in for some of old Beethro's home cooking as interpreted by decent chefs, but I'm a bit worried. Some burly men came in to the restaurant the other day demanding money for some bill or another that hasn't been paid. I had enough in the safe to make them go away, but I need to find the Grill's bills and financials and stuff so I don't get any more visits. I'm sure it's somewhere in the house.

Novender 36, 147

Vonnifa wants to convince Halph not to become an exterminator like I did, and figures that I'll talk some sense into him. You spend ya whole life making dungeons safe, getting the roaches out (and cooking them up afterwards, yum), and what do you have to show for it at the end? A whole bunch of scars and a sister that wants to make sure her son doesn't make the same mistake. Sigh. King Dugan wants to talk with me as well. He's convinced that I didn't do a proper job cleaning up his dungeon and left roaches in there to breed. I did no such thing, but there was one door I couldn't get through. There's a guy I've heard of that can get me through that door. I'll have a look around in there, make sure it's empty. No way they could get through without someone opening the door anyway, right?

Onsuary 1st, 148

I went down to talk with a Dungeon Architect I was told about named Mobley Inufgot today, down in the Low Spaces. The guy's working on this Universal Song, something that sounds good no matter how much culture you've got. Me, I'm more of a fan of Jumbo Krood and his boys, but what's he's got isn't bad. Needs some work, sure, but it's not bad. We made a deal: I'll send some of the nephews to go and wind his clockweight so he can keep composing instead of having to wind his organ the entire time, and he'll make me an orb that can crack open that door in Dugan's dungeon. Did some more cleaning today, got half the kitchen clear of stuff. Haven't seen any bills yet.

Onsuary 6th, 148

One of my nephews came to the house with Mobley's portable orb all done. Dugan's sent another messenger, so I think I'd best make my move in case the next visitors are guards. I'll take Halph along, kid could do with some hard lessons about being an exterminator. I'll shut the restaurant while I'm down, not much tourist traffic around this time anyways. Can't come to any harm.

Onsuary 8th, 148

Headed into one of the old tunnels of Dugan's dungeon, pretty close to the tenth level, I reckon. Found the DAA seal - I thought it was odd last time I was here that I didn't find one. Most of the level's collapsed, as well. Guess Dugan stopped paying for maintenance. Halph ran off as soon as I told him to stay, darn kid. The orb worked like a treat, though, and I was right: there's another infestation behind the door, and I guess they managed to get through somehow. Cleaned them right up.

Onsuary 10th, 148

I'm not the only one down here. There's some woman who calls herself 'the Negotiator', yammering on about something or other. I got bored with her pretty quick, which is when she threatened me. Apparently she's going to call a 'slayer'. Nothing I can't handle, I'm sure. Halph's running around, but funnily enough he doesn't get noticed by the roaches. They don't respond to him at all. I think he's enjoying himself, though, which kinda means that my plan backfired. Oh well. I'll have plenty of time to convince him to consider some other career.

Onsuary 11th, 148

Met the 'slayer'. Kook. Easy to trick, as well, trusts far too much in the little wisps that mark out his path.

Onsuary still, pretty sure, 148

Progressing fairly well, I think, down around the sixth level, but I'm a little worried at just how much there is back behind this door. It looks like a whole new dungeon, and I can guarantee that Dugan didn't pay for it. Who built it? The same people who pay this slayer guy? Halph's continuing to get into places there's no way he should be able to get into. There's a fair few people down here as well. I don't like it, I don't like it at all.

Still Onsuary, 148

Some guy in a pit started talking to me while I was clearing out some evil eyes, telling me to 'embrace the Mothingness' or something like that. Definitely started with an M. He, or maybe it, was in love with the sound of its own voice, so I just let it talk. Living in a pit does strange things to you. The floods would have started by now. Mobley's house would have been caught in it. Poor fella. Hope he got out in time.

Onsuary or Twisuary, 148

Apparently there's this whole Empire down here doing something suspicious. It worries me. They're so secretive, and they've got new words for everything, probably just to confuse people. I'm sure they're up to something, and they don't want me to find out, which is why they keep sending this Slayer guy after me. I gotta find out what it is!

Definitely Twisuary, 148

Got caught in a trap. Some goblin calling himself the Goblin King started talking to me about making me pay for the destruction of... Neatherville I think it was. Was that in King Dugan's Dungeon? I think it was. If they didn't want to be treated like an infestation then maybe they shouldn't have built their town in a dungeon, is what I say. They captured Halph, which is better than I've been able to do, and won't give him back until I pay a ransom, which is apparently on the next floor down.

Twisuary, 148

Well, turns out the ransom wasn't down there. I think it was supposed to be another trap, which is a bit odd considering the goblins had me trapped good a couple of days ago. Oh well, guess I'll head back and break Halph out of jail. I cooked up some of the new kind of tar they had down there - wasn't bad, not quite as tough as the blue kind.

Twisuary, 148

Halph wasn't pleased to see me. He wasn't happy that I killed the goblins outside his cell. I tried to tell the kid that the only reason they were friendly was that he was on the other side of the door, but Halph wouldn't have any of it. I also solved a mystery: the Goblin King told me when I cornered him that the Empire built that new mud level just to trap me, which explains why he didn't kill me as soon as he got me in that trap. Huh. I always enjoy it when someone builds a trap to try and kill me. Makes me feel special.

Thrisuary, 148

The guy in the pit turned up again. This time he says that they've burned down the Grill because Dugan's got a beef with me. That guy, what a joker. I'll believe it when I see it.

Thrisuary, 148

Halph's still upset over those goblins. Been muttering that the Empire contacted him regarding a job. I think it's Sudgard Syndrome, you know, where a prisoner starts thinking like their captor. Well, at least it's not exterminating, but I doubt Vonny will think it's an improvement. Saw the Slayer a couple more times. Running out of leaf juice. I always hate it when that happens.

148, maybe around Quarsuary

Whoops, been neglecting my diary. Halph's still upset, and apparently the Slayer's been told about this job offer because the two of them were talking about it. I don't think I can rely on Halph for much longer.

148

Looks like the Empire's decided to bring out the big guns. They've called these buffoons called the Poppy Brigade out to try and stop me from getting through to the Empire's territory. Border troops. Pfft. I doubt they've got the same experience at smiting that I do, although I figure they've got the same experience I have at fighting people with swords, basically none.

148

Oh man. This ain't good. There's a DAA seal all the way down here as well. This can only mean one thing: the same guys that built Dugan's dungeon are the ones that built this tunnel down to the Empire. They gotta be working together!

148

The Poppy Brigade is dead. Slayer's dead. Halph's run off to join the Empire. I don't want to go into the details, and I can't see any lights or anything ahead. I think it's going to be a long walk, couple of months, maybe. Well, Beethro, chin up. Sure, Halph thinks you're a scumbag, but you've been in plenty of tough situations before. You just gotta think clearly, and take things one step at a time. And that's how you're going to get to the bottom of what this Empire's doing, and how you're going to get Halph back, and how you're going to walk this path. One step at a time.

148

My feet hurt.

149

Still walking the High Path. Saw a rock today.

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Note that this text was designed to catch you up on a sizable amount of story content, and ruthless compression was employed to make that possible. If you aren't feeling terribly rushed, I'd recommend you also have a look at the "Stories" section on DROD.CaravelGames.com to learn more about the events leading up to the beginning of The City Beneath.

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