Arrielle handles it, with style!

You've barely been hammering for an hour when you feel it - a sudden rush of... experience? No, that isn't right. It's like that, but continuous, a constant tingling running up and down your spine. You open up your character sheet anyway, hunting for a change of some kind, but nothing seems to be different in either the main tab or your inventory. Perhaps you gained some fame? That can't be right, can it? You'd never felt that sensation in the past when you gained it.

Maybe, you muse after opening up the tab, that was because you'd never gained this much before. Barely an hour had passed since you'd last checked it, but your fame now read well over a hundred more than previously, and it was still rising at a rapid rate, quickly surpassing the sum total of all the other fame you'd collected in the past. Entranced, you watch as the number rises, first above 200, then 300, before finally beggining to slow at around 370. Still, it keeps rising slowly before your eyes. What the hell could have given you that much fame in barely a few minutes?

Fame: 373
People are talking about you! + 213
Defeated a party + 21 (Expanded)
You defeated a party of 4! + 13 (3 + 3 + 3 + 4)
TPK! + 4
Non-lethal takedowns! + 4
Defeated by a minion! - 5
Shamed a party + 122 (Expanded)
Respawned naked! + 12 (4 x 3)
Respawned restrained! + 12 (4 x 3)
Respawned while orgasming! + 10 (2 x 5)
Seen by 93 people! + 93
Shamed by a minion! - 5

Now that looks like an interesting story, one you'll definetely be having Arrielle regail you with the details of. It also seems that having your minions do things in your name also brings you fame, which you suspected but weren't 100% sure on. Once she gets back, you'll definetely be making her your champion; if this is any indication, she's a woman after your own heart, when she needs to be at least, and it's not like you have any better options. In the meantime, you decide to invest elsewhere - starting with two more levels of Elemental Liegelord.

Elemental Liegelord (3/10) - 80
Your innate majesty has started to sway the local monster population to your banner. Each day, there is a small chance that local air elementals or creatures attuned to the element of air will spontaneously convert to your side and ask to join you, and a tiny chance that other elementals will do the same. You may also receive gifts from monsters seeking to stave off your wrath or gain your favour.

Somewhat disappointing on the air elementals front, but the ability to recruit other kinds without using fame certainly seems interesting. Given that the price is increasing exponenetially, you hope that the rewards will too. Next up is more workers. Arrielle's recent actions, while very profitable in terms of fame, will no doubt cause even more adventurers to start looking for you, and you'd rather be able to funnel them through a single point - the bottom of your dungeon - than **** them to find your ledge and potentially get the drop on you from above. You'll also need a ground entrance if you want to bring in any non-air elementals anyway.

However, when you go to purchase the new minions, you see that the tab has changed.

Summon Minion (2/15)
Summons an elemental of varying form to work for you. This elemental cannot leave your claimed land unless you elect it as one of your champions, and will respawn at dawn every morning if it died the previous day. A higher Elemental Liegelord level will allow you to summon a greater variety of more powerful elementals.
Select Minion
Worker (Earth Mite) - 50
Forager (Air Mite) - 50
Fighter (Fire Mite) - 50

You already have an abundance of foragers, so instead you select another worker and a fighter, for added security. Aarakocra are good fighters when working in a pack, but you only have one, which won't prove too useful, and neither you nor the earth mite are particularly good at combat, so it makes sense to bring a dedicated warrior into the fold. Once you're finished, you close the popup, and spot the new earth elemental forming as before. Its the fire mite's formation that really catches your eye though; tendrils of flame stretch out from two torches on opposite sides of the hall, wiggling and flailing wildly in the air, until they meet roughly in the middle, and begin to weave around and through each other, gradually forming a floating orb of fire, about 2ft across. Tentacles form from its underside as it gradually lowers towards the floor, the tethers of flame connecting it to the sconces flaring out as it does so. Once it reaches the ground, it nestles in among its tendrils, tilting its head up at you expectantly.

"I need you to guard that ledge," you say, pointing over your shoulder with an arrow of dust taken off the floor, before continuing, "make sure to watch both above and below you, and keep an eye out for adventurers in particular. There'll be a blue-skinned girl coming shortly - she's on her side, so let her in. Any other monsters should wait in my room, for me to speak to them. Got it?"

It nods eagerly, then slithers along the cobbled floor and out onto the ledge. You quickly instruct the earth mite to join its brother, then take a peak at its character sheet.

Level 2 Fire Mite
Elemental, Mite
Experience to level up – 200
Attributes
Strength 25 Dexterity 27 Endurance 22 Charisma 10 Manipulation 8 Appearance 12 Perception 18 Intelligence 12 Wits 13
Skill
Brawling 5
Arcane 15
Feats
Fire Elemental - As a being of pure fire, you are extremely **** to slashing or water attacks, and take greatly reduced damage from piercing or air attacks.
Natural Fighter - You deal 25% more damage.
Firebolt - Deal Arcane fire damage to a creature within 20 feet (Lvl x 10)

With your base now defended, you settle in alongside your minions for another long day's work pounding at a wall. From the looks of things, the new mite is really helping, and you'll have it finished within a day or two.