Dungeon Crawler Carl
by Matt Dinniman
Contents
Chapter 19
Overview
Katia reveals her new purple tiara links to a celestial lock box she has secretly carried since the sixth floor, and the prize inside could let her escape the crawl by becoming a Celestial Attendant on the 12th floor. She admits Eileithyia’s sponsorship is tied to Huanxin Jinx’s broader Ascendency-game scheming and to resurrecting Yemaya as a retainer, raising the stakes of trusting that help. To open the box’s final seal, Katia and Carl must use the Guild of Suffering to complete an assassination: killing Astrid, the Desperado Club’s powerful assistant manager.
Summary
Katia suddenly manifests a purple tiara, revealing Eva placed it on her just before dying. Katia blames herself for hesitating, and Donut panics because the show has a history of forcing friends into deadly matchups; Katia promises she will never fight Donut, even if it kills her.
Katia produces a long-hidden celestial prize: the Engaged Lock Box of the Night Wyrm, containing the Orchid of Eileithyia’s Grace. Eating the orchid would leave the user unconscious and nearly dead for an hour, but surviving grants one of three permanent boons: tripled Constitution, becoming a Celestial Attendant transferred to the 12th floor, or reverting to birth race and becoming pregnant, which would eject the recipient from the dungeon.
The lock box can only be completed by Katia, and it opens only after three seal-tasks. Two are already done: Katia killed a current/former party member (Eva) and killed a boss (Imogen). Katia explains she only recently worshipped Eileithyia after using a sponsor-box scroll from Princess Formidable, which expanded the boon descriptions and revealed Eileithyia is sponsored by Huanxin Jinx.
Katia recounts Huanxin Jinx’s message: Carl had to restore Yemaya’s shrine so Huanxin could use Yemaya as Eileithyia’s “retainer” for the Ascendency games on the 12th floor, and in exchange Huanxin promised to help ensure Katia and Donut could both survive. Despite worries from Bautista and Mordecai that the 12th floor is a dangerous political viper den, Katia decides she wants the Celestial Attendant boon rather than the pregnancy exit.
With only the final seal left, Katia reveals she has already found the Guild of Suffering entrance: the Desperado Club’s top-floor “Penis Parade,” tied to NPC stripper Damascus Steel’s spiderweb tattoo. Katia has already accepted an assassination contract, and when Carl reads the skin-slip through his guild access, the target is revealed: Astrid, a level 125 Bloodlust Sprite and assistant manager of the Desperado Club. Carl realizes killing Astrid is nearly impossible, but failing means Donut and Katia may be forced into conflict.
Who Appears
- Katia GrimReveals tiara and Night Wyrm lock box; chooses Attendant plan; holds Astrid assassination contract.
- Princess DonutReacts to Katia’s tiara and threat of forced conflict; supports plan to avoid fighting.
- CarlReads lock box and guild contract via spiderweb tattoo; realizes Astrid assassination difficulty.
- MordecaiExplains Ascendency politics, retainers, and Huanxin Jinx; warns 12th floor is dangerous.
- BautistaVoices concern about Katia becoming an attendant; quietly determined despite fear.
- Huanxin JinxSponsor orchestrating Eileithyia/Yemaya retainer setup; promises protection in exchange for 12th-floor help.
- EileithyiaGoddess offering orchid boons; her sponsorship and survival affect the lock box’s benefits.
- AstridLevel 125 Bloodlust Sprite; Desperado Club assistant manager; assassination target for final seal.
- EvaDead crawler who placed Katia’s tiara; her death fulfilled one lock-box seal requirement.
- Princess FormidableSent Katia a worship scroll sponsor box that triggered Katia’s worship of Eileithyia.
- Damascus SteelNPC stripper linked to Desperado Club; his tattoo helps reveal the Guild of Suffering entrance.