By Building a Witch's Tower

Simply being a cave witch at the end of the swamp maze isn't going to bring you much fame, but being the witch of a tower that rests in the center of Bruja Swamp, that could get you somewhere. But you're going to need materials. A whole lot of materials. Thankfully, Bruja Swamp has never been lacking for materials. Plus, being this deep in the swamp, all the better materials at your fingertips. Licking your lips, to exit your cave and into the swamp.

A thick mist covers the swamp, like it always has. The limited visibility is likely for the benefit of the players; having unlimited visibility in a swamp maze filled with mobs that can fling projectiles wouldn't be sound game design. Arguably daytime is worse than nighttime because the fireballs the witches cast can be seen from a distance at night.

Walking down the narrow path that leads to your cave, you soon find the last clearing a player encounters before reaching your cave. It looks a bit different from the last time you saw it, though. For starters, in the far corner there are three onyx resource nodes, one with glowing gemstones on it. In the other corner are three sparkling daffodils. The two Bruja's that usually inhabit it are still here, only they're kicking around a large cacao pod. That's strange, you've never seen one of those before.

"Hey you two, where did you find that?" You ask the Bruja. They point over the edge of the clearing, opposite the path through the swamp. The remains of a collapsed bridge rests in the water, something that certainly hadn't been there before. When you walk over to it, you are treated to a new popup display.

Repair Bridge: 75 wood
Accept?

Well that's something to consider if you ever get your hands on some wood. To think they added more to your swamp with that last update. If the gods had made changes this close to your cave, what are the odds they simply overlooked the Claimant Crystal in your inventory?

Putting that thought aside for the time being, you turn to the resource nodes. The black onyx ones share the same readout.

Resource node
Uncommon, Onyx
Drops: ????, ????, ????, ????

The one with the glowing gems on it reads slightly different.

Resource node
Rare, Gemstone
Drops: ????, ????, ????, ????, ???

"Hey gals, do you mind mining these nodes for me?" You call out to the two Bruja kicking the pod around. You certainly don't intend to punch this thing with your bare fists. That sounds like it would hurt.

"What's in it for us?" The one with the pod asks. She rests her foot on it and rolls it under her bare foot, her toes tapping on it as she waits for a response.

"Well, how about I invite you to my lair and you two can be my minions?" You offer them. You had slept outside in the cold fog for much of your existence, you know how unpleasant it can be.

The two Bruja look to each other, and then walk over and start whispering. They huddle close, the two Bruja looking so similar to each they could be twins. Then again, they are similar enough to you that they could be your daughters. Strange, you've never really felt a familial connection to them in spite of that.

"Okay! We'll accept your offer on one condition. We get to use your cauldron." They reply. You take a step back and cover your mouth. Your prized cauldron? The one that was gifted to you along with your cave?

Accept Bruja into your lair?

"Eh? Sure. Why not. Mi casa es su casa." You reply, a Spanish phrase you picked up somewhere that means my home is your home, or something to that effect. As soon as you accept them into your lair, you get a new popup display as well as a fanfare and confetti.

Minion Fame Abilities Unlocked!

Right then! With the Bruja now tucked away to your side, they leave the pod on the ground and start for resource nods, punching them with their bare hands to begin collecting materials. With your minions busy working, you decide to head down the path through the swamp, to see if you can invite more minions.

Two hours later you're back at your cave. You managed to invite 3 more minions before reaching your lair's capacity, as well as discover more resource nodes and shining plantlife, including a single yew tree which is probably your only source of wood for now. You're currently looking at your lair menu.

Available resources:
80 Stone; 32 Onyx, 1 Ruby, 1 Sapphire, 1 Topaz, 2 Emerald, 24 Plant Fiber, 15 Wood,
Remodel Bruja_Swamp_Witch_Cave_Location_5 into Witch's Tower for 50 Stone, 20 Onyx?

This is working out better than you could have imagined. Clicking yes, the earth suddenly rumbles around your feet. The air around your glimmers and shines before the cave dissolves into the base of a circular stone tower. However, your lair is now a bit dark, with the light beneath your cauldron not being enough to light the room anymore.

In the far side of the room, a new piece of furniture has appeared, a Crafting Table. Heading over to it, you pull up your crafting menu to see what you can do to alleviate this darkness.

Stone Sconce
1 Wood, 3 Stone

You craft 5 of them to light up the place a bit more. You use the menu to place them around your lair, brightening up the place a bit. Then you take a gander back into your crafting menu.

Straw Bed
5 Wood, 7 Plant Fibre

You decide to craft two more beds, and set them and your original straw bed in the back of the room. You'll need a couple more for the rest of your minions, but for now you're out of wood.

As you contemplate what to build next, a sweet smell starts to fill the room. Turning around, you see one of the Bruja at your cauldron. Walking over to it, you spy her mixing up a brown concoction.

"That smells delicious. What are you making?" You ask the girl. You've used the cauldron to make health and mana potions before, but they always fill the room with a bitter medicine stench. This smells much too sweet.

"Chocolate confectioneries, ma'am." She says, while stirring the pot. Honestly, you'd never even thought about cooking anything in your super special witch's cauldron. You'd almost be angry at the nerve of her if it wasn't so sweet smelling.

"How about I call you Candy?" You suggest, causing her to smile at you. You see a popup in front of her, although you can't read what it says as it's backwards. A moment later a fanfare plays from her. You check her status.

Candy, level 10 Bruja
Monster, Minion, Bruja, Explicit
Experience to level up – 0/1000
Attributes
Strength 20 Dexterity 20 Endurance 20
Charisma 25 Manipulation 25 Appearance 30
Perception 20 Intelligence 25 Wits 25
Skills
Lore 15
Occult 15
Stealth 15
Dodge 15
Cooking 10
Feats
Fireball - Cast to throw a mid range fireball that explodes on impact, dealing fire damage to the target and all units adjacent to the target. Causes knockback.
Fireproof - Immune to all fire damage.
Lavawalking - Walk on lava like it's ground. Can walk vertically up lavafalls.
Liege – You have chosen another monster to be your Liege. It is harder for you to lie to or work against your Liege. Your Liege may choose to impart a number of benefits to you.

"Well Candy, carry on with your confectionary making." You tell her, before wandering back outside. She gives you a smile, before continuing her stirring of the pot.

Heading back outside, you travel the path back down to where you had found the broken bridge. If this is where that cacao pod was from, it must have drifted on from the other side. You don't currently have wood at the moment, but you should theoretically be able to cross at a quarter your regular movement speed. Really, this would have been much simpler to check for the Gust Witch or the Aqua Witch, but you'll make due for now.

Hopping into the water with a splash, you begin to carefully trudge your way through the swamp water, feeling a grimy feeling as the fetid water reaches up to your belly button. Ick! You idly wonder if your cauldron can also be used as a bath as you begin trudging across the murky swamp waters, hopping there are no nasty surprises in store.