Belissar, Tarwantrad, and Chief Rohsuak were all sitting around as the celebration wore on. Belissar nervously picked at his food, eating just enough that the bees wouldn’t stop to check on him. He was trying to enjoy the taste of the honey, but he could not help his worry. The God of Bees said it was handled and he trusted her but he still really wished he knew what was going on. He’d probably remain anxious until Tarwantrad could speak with the Oracle of Flowers and hear from one of the directly involved parties…
Suddenly, a wave of hot mana surged through his Tower, and a wave of messages surged across his vision.
New mission received: Help one bee queen receive a full blessing from the God of Fire
New mission received: Share a monster bee queen with a dungeon patronized by the God of Flowers
The God of Flowers wishes to offer you a quest. Accept?
Belissar blinked repeatedly. He glanced over at Tarwantrad and found she had stiffened and was gaping at the air.
Chief Rohsuak looked at him with concern.
“Tower Keeper? If I’m not mistaken, that was the power of the God of Fire, was it not? Has something occurred?”
Special: Above Average
Notable Skills: Poison Sting, Adaptive Nesting, Brood Coordination
Spawner Upkeep: 15 (8 with Blessing of Bees)
Description: A reed bee that has accumulated enough mana to become something more. More individually capable than monster bees, they can act independently, form small communal nests, or gather into eusocial hives as environmental resources permit. Forming burrows in plants, preferably fern trees, they raise their young in one communal chamber where the larvae compete for food. The strongest of the young are therefore more capable and likely to evolve than their siblings as they grow, though at the expense of the weaker.
Individual monster reed bees are generally more capable than their monster bee counterparts, though they do not produce honey or wax. While as a casteless species they cannot raised evolved monster bee types, adult reed bees may evolve into available bee types as suits the individual.
This one had Belissar tilting his head. They weren’t a brood species like the monster bees or monster bumblebees, but also weren’t a completely separate species like the carpenters. They didn’t produce wax or honey, but were apparently stronger…and apparently competed as larvae? Belissar wasn’t sure what to make it all. Maybe they were better for battle or something?
The bees were more subdued about a new species as usual, though he could see the battle meadow queens discussing the same ideas he had been thinking of. He turned to Tarwantrad to see if she knew of this bee type. He found her staring with sparkling eyes.
“Amazing, I’ve never heard of this species before! I’ll have to check if there’s any mention of it in the house of lore…”
Well, apparently Tarwantrad didn’t have an answer for him this time, and definitely didn’t have access to the species herself if she hadn’t even heard of it. But Belissar wasn’t really evaluating the choice, so he didn’t find it a priority to fully understand what it did this time. He’d definitely be interested if Tarwantrad did learn anything more about it, though. In any case, he moved on to the next option.
Vitality: Below Average
Notable Skills: Poison Thrust, Death Blow, Harden Chitin, Brood Offspring
Evolves From: Monster Bee Soldier, Monster Bee Lancer
Spawner Upkeep: 40 (20 with Blessing of Bees)
Description: A monster bee lancer evolution. This lancer is no longer content with purely hit and run attacks, and so has evolved to stay in the fight. Tougher chitin, larger size, and greater vitality allow it to take blows other bees cannot, while strengthened muscles allow for powerful thrusts even from up close. These characteristics also make it no less capable at the powerful dives its ancestors utilize, though its heavier body does take more time to move.
Belissar furrowed his brow. He regretted reading this one, because now he wanted it. He really wanted it. An even bigger lancer with tough, heavy chitin plates? One specifically built for durability while still retaining the powerful stingers of the lancers…that they could even use up close? These bees would be perfect to both shore up the bee army’s defenses while also improving its ability to fight back…
That the battle meadow queens immediately ceased all discussion on the reed bees and were now buzzing their wings and spinning about in circles did not help.
But, with a great effort of will, Belissar tore his eyes away from the description and the beautiful preview the Tower tempted him with. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, slowly unleashing it in a dramatic sigh.
“I’m sorry everyone but…we need the butcher bees for the Death room.”
In an effort to distract himself from what he was giving up, he read out the butcher bee description.
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.
The effort worked…partially. Belissar groaned. He shouldn’t have read the monster bee knight description. He really wanted them, and had it not been for recent circumstances probably would have chosen them.
But…he needed butcher bees to deal with the rabbits and get a Death room going, lest he let Hesfalle’s advice and boons all go to waste. The alternative was to let his regular monster bees face the dangers of Death mana and suffer the casualties that would result, rather than the bees built for killing and scavenging. Not only that, the God of Bees had gone out of her way to give him this option specifically. If he did not choose it now, who knew how long it would take before it showed up again? He hadn’t seen bloodsucking bee queens or stingless bee queens ever since passing them up.