Monster Breeder

85. Day 5: Choices, Choices

I feel like my loadout is good. Very good. The marks I’m holding in reserve are situational, depending on whether I decide to hit harder, swim, fly, or eat potentially poisonous food (looking at you, Goblin Gut).

And yet… Bruke and the Wolf Lord are gearing up for war. Elder Grand Claw could return at any time (realistically at least one week to several). I have a Mountain of Harpies to feed. I’m not sure how to handle any of these challenges.

I need to get stronger. Much stronger.

Okay, time to mentally take a step back. I have a lot to do, but one solution could resolve multiple problems. Tackle things one by one.

Elder Grand Claw is an existential threat, but more of a ticking clock than an immediate problem. His claws completely shredded me last time. I bumped my defense with Lizardman Scales and Ogre Toughness, but I need better armor. Kani is where I got mine, and she’s a second-tier monster. With some work, and help from the Book of Monsters, I can find a third-tier evolution for her that also improves my gear.

I mentally sigh. That damn bird’s attack was so strong! If I can’t upgrade my armor by the time Elder Grand Claw returns, I’m dead. Simple enough.

Relax.

On the topic of aquatic traversal, visiting Ariella could net me some new marks while exploring the sea with Mermaid Gills. Wasn’t her evolution supposed to be tool-using? I could get a weapon upgrade on top of an ovipositor upgrade. Fuck, I miss that girl’s dick. I have so many new wives to introduce her to!

The war between Ogre Fen and Kennel Hills is serious business, but I don’t have any reason to believe it’s happening today. Wait.

“Dura, any idea when Bruke’s raid starts?”

The Ogress grins wide. “Dura know dis! T’ree days!”

I frown in confusion. “Is that three days from now, or three days from yesterday?”

This time, she frowns. Dura holds up her fingers and starts counting. Then recounts them. Then she hits herself on the head hard enough to make a *Thunk!* sound. She’s totally unharmed thanks to her toughness. “Bruke say fight in three sleeps!”

So, three days from yesterday. I have today and tomorrow to prepare for the battle.

That said, what can I do about it? Well, Aello isn’t the equal of Bruke or the Wolf Lord, but I could bring all the Harpies from the Mountain to the battle and tip the scales in favor of one side over the other. Except, I don’t want either of them to win.

Could I support the losing side to make sure they destroy each other…? No, not only might that backfire on me, but that scenario would be the greatest loss of life. Lots of Gale’s siblings would die, Gabby’s clansmen would die, and Suka’s packmates would die. None of my girls would be happy with me.

On top of that, the three major predator groups in my region would be crippled. That’s practically an invitation for an Incursion from a neighboring region looking to expand.

What I need to do is defeat either Bruke or the Wolf Lord (or both) to put a stop to the fighting and make it clear to them that my Hometown has a protector!

Here’s a thought… I could return to the Warren, kick Peter’s ass again, and make him join me and Aello in stopping the war! The smallfolk aren’t much of an army, but my summoned weapons and armor last for an entire day. If I take Bunny Stature and conjure a ton of armor sets and spears, I could outfit and train a hundred fluffy butts by sundown.

If I bop Aello until she agrees as well, that’d give me two armies to work with in one day. I’d have tomorrow to find a third army or upgrade myself.

Actually, let’s not forget feeding the Harpies is one of my top three problems! Even assuming my body has the endurance, if I’m stuck getting milked all day I won’t ever be able to get anything else done.

Hmm, when thinking of places where vegetarian food can be found, one thing in particular comes to mind. I bet there’s a monster or a mark in the Charlatan Forest that can feed large groups. Plants make food, like berries and tubers, and Harpies are omnivorous like humans. That makes sense, right?!?

On top of that, evolving Gabby to a Goblin Herbalist would probably increase her battle prowess some. I don’t expect a challenge from the locals; it’d be more of a foraging mission. I’d probably bring my whole crew, except Aello (she needs to keep the Harpies on the Mountain in line). I’m sure there are other evolutions of Treefolk for me to farm for marks. And, if there’s a third-tier Treefolk we can beat, it might be enough to qualify Gabby for a rank-up to Goblin Matron—Goblins being one of the few monster types that benefit from multiple evolutionary branches simultaneously.

Then there’s Opal. She’s got to be in the Eastern Desert by now. I can’t lose track of a woman bearing my child according to my personal code. I can put it off, but I have to track her down eventually. On the plus side, I’m sure we can find monsters in the desert for new marks.

Another thought occurs to me. The lizard-folk refugees might be persuaded to help in my battle. That Lizard-trans-man appeared to be their leader. If he survived, he owes me one.

Next on my list is the Misty Grove. Having more Slime cores on hand would be nice, but the main draw is looking for the hidden dungeon. Searching the library supposedly inside could shed light on my tattoo’s origins. There might even be resources there I can use in the war efforts. Also, I have a weird feeling there’s something I’m not seeing hidden beyond the mists.

I already spoke with Spindle and Gabby about Dark Magic. Talk about a powerful weapon that could turn the tide of battle! We have three potential wielders and the key to using it lies somewhere under Harpy Mountain. It's just a matter of fighting our way past an army of Servitors, Weblings, and Spindle's likely third-tier spider momma. This might be the hardest path, but may yield a commensurate reward. No way to know for sure, of course. 

Lastly… I could go home. Mom, Dad, all my little brothers and sisters… Julia and Jenny… I could finally see them again…

Ahem, I’m not crying, you’re crying! What? I’m talking to myself? Whatever.

Yeah, there’s a strong emotional pull there because they probably think I’m dead or captured by a Harpy, but there’s a logical argument as well. While by no means a great army, the town militia are better trained and comprised of stronger monsters than I could muster from the Warren in a day. If I can convince the elders and the mayor to help, they’re a force to be reckoned with.

Knowing when the battle takes place is a huge boon, but my time is limited.

I have to make a decision.