Dungeon Crawler Carl
by Matt Dinniman
Contents
Chapter 10
Overview
Carl’s party enters what looks like the Colón Cemetery and discovers it is actually a locked, corrupted Medium Ghommid Settlement with a compulsory quest to eradicate the source of the rot. Paz’s Santero presence enrages the unsettled dead, triggering a massive horde amid dangerous Spirit Box traps that can lead to possession.
They fight through swarming, non-corporeal undead and escape to a saferoom via Donut’s teleport, but Carl spots a far stronger level-130 figure likely tied to the corruption. The chapter ends with the hostile boss unexpectedly stepping into the saferoom, undermining the group’s assumption that it is inviolable.
Summary
On the way to a “park” that turns out to be the Colón Cemetery, Carl’s group compares other crawlers’ early deck-combat opponents and realizes the dungeon’s monsters can be drawn from pop culture as well as myth. Sister Ines grows openly furious about the dungeon’s blasphemous repurposing of sacred stories, while Carl privately notes other crawlers’ hunts (including a dragon quest) and the widening scope of what this floor is doing.
At the cemetery’s massive gated entrance, Donut scouts a dense field of red dots and a central chapel she can’t read, suggesting a major encounter. Sister Ines, Anton, and Paz nearly force an immediate entry, but they agree to circle first. Carl prepares anti-undead tools (holy grenades, potion-infused smoke curtains, and spider automatons), then uses a levitate potion and a test healing-potion attack to confirm the enemies are low-XP and killable.
Crossing the gate triggers an instance: Medium Ghommid Settlement, a compulsory quest called Pueblo de los Olvidados. The town is “corrupted,” meaning it can’t function until the source of the rot is eradicated, after which the settlement may reactivate and award a Silver Quest Box. Carl notices the quest text contains missing “AI self-talk” lines when he copies it, hinting that certain commentary is being filtered from records.
Immediately, Paz’s Santero class aggravates the unsettled dead, causing a massive screeching response; his holy armor draws their aggro, while he and Sister Ines gain temporary strength boosts when unsettled are killed. The gate locks and a ceiling effect prevents flying out. Carl spots and begins disarming Spirit Box traps that root targets, reduce spirit resistance, and summon a non-corporeal entity to possess or kill them, but the first wave arrives before he can clear the area.
Combat erupts against varied, grotesque level-30 unsettled ghommids; Carl learns they are non-corporeal as they dissolve into dust when killed. A summoned owl-like spirit freezes and drains Carl’s arm, nearly shattering it before Mongo bites the creature apart and Sister Ines dispels the freeze. With a growing horde closing in and Donut’s psionic attacks failing on the spirits, the team pushes toward the saferoom using Wall of Fire, clockwork Mongo constructs, holy gooper grenades, and smoke curtains, then Donut uses Puddle Jump to teleport everyone to safety.
Outside the saferoom crypt labeled “The Yellow Zone,” Carl glimpses a calm, non-shuffling figure—likely the true boss—walking through the fog with black tendrils crackling underfoot; Carl estimates it at level 130. After combat resets inside the pub-like saferoom, Sister Ines urges Carl to open the door, expecting the boss can’t enter. Instead, the monster appears at the threshold, corrects Carl’s “Christ” with “Not quite,” and steps directly into the saferoom while still marked hostile.
Who Appears
- CarlLeads scouting and prep, disarms Spirit Box traps, fights through horde, spots the level-130 boss.
- Princess DonutScouts enemy dots, uses fire spells and clockwork Mongos, and teleports the team to the saferoom.
- PazSantero whose presence enrages unsettled; holy armor draws aggro while he helps fight toward safety.
- Sister InesAngry cleric; blasts undead, dispels Carl’s freeze, and pushes to confront the boss directly.
- AntonFights with a monkey crossbow and follows Sister Ines; helps hold the line during the retreat.
- MongoDonut’s dinosaur mount; kills a draining owl-spirit and helps carve a path through the horde.
- Level-130 boss (unidentified)Straw-headdressed corruption source; approaches calmly and then enters the saferoom while still hostile.
- Bopca bartenderRuns the saferoom pub counter while the party regroups and resets after combat.