Messages in the Dark

Settled upon his throne, Grashok fixed his gaze on the glowing Demesne Menu brimming with options. Among the myriad choices, three stood out: Domain, Create Champion, and Send Messages. Intrigued, he selected Send Messages.

A new prompt materialised: "Send message to..." Yet, no recipients were listed. After a moment's thought, Grashok decided to test the feature by targeting the Goblin Elder. As if in response to his intent, another popup appeared: "Accepted, what is the message?" Unsure how specific to be, he formed a simple command in his mind: for the Elder to confirm receipt. The menu displayed a brief flash of "Accepted" before fading into a single line of text: "Have you received this message?" Moments later, the words vanished.

Shifting his focus from the menu, Grashok noticed a flicker of movement in the cavern ceiling above. His sharp eyes tracked a small shape descending rapidly toward the Goblin Elder. The creature hovered briefly over the elder’s head, drawing Grashok’s attention. A popup blinked into view:

Batling, Level 1, Monster.

Meanwhile, the elder’s face contorted in astonishment. A translucent vision of Grashok appeared before him—visible only to the elder. Confused and shaken, the goblin darted his gaze between the spectral image and the throne, uncertain which was real. Trembling, he finally stammered, “Yes, O Big Boss, I received your message.”

As soon as the words were spoken, the bat-like creature retreated, flitting back to its perch in the shadows above. Grashok leaned back in satisfaction, pondering the power he had just uncovered. From this throne, I can order my minions throughout my dungeon, he thought to himself. But could I send orders outside the dungeon?

He leaned back further in his chair and scanned the roof of the cavern, seeking out the Batlings. Finding one, he focused on it, but no additional information appeared. Turning back to the Goblin Elder, he asked, “Elder, what do you know about Batlings?”

A glazed expression overtook the elder’s eyes, and he began speaking in a detached tone, as if reciting from a prepared text.

“Batlings: Small, bat-like creatures that are not only excellent fliers but also have an acute sense of echolocation. They can easily navigate through pitch-black dungeons, and their small size allows them to avoid larger threats. Batlings can be enchanted to understand specific routes, ensuring that they deliver messages to the correct destination.”

Grashok looked at the elder with a mix of surprise and concern. “Elder, are you okay? You seemed very distant when you said that,” he asked.

“Apologies, Big Boss,” the elder replied. “I once told you that I was a Quest Giver in a distant patch. Sometimes, if a question is asked that relates to information stored from that time, it bubbles back to the surface. I recall adventurers referring to it as a ‘Datadump script,’ though I have no idea what that could mean. Unfortunately, I can neither control nor direct it. It can only be triggered by the correct question.”

Grashok continued to watch the elder but, seeing that he appeared unconcerned, decided to let the matter rest. It was just another mystery he would likely never solve. “It is the will of the Gods,” he stated.

Standing from his throne, he decided to stretch his legs and work out his muscles. Realising he had been neglecting his combat skills, he made his way to the training area.