Dungeon Crawler Carl, #6
The Eye of the Bedlam Bride
by Matt Dinniman
Contents
Chapter 19
Overview
Katia reveals that Eva’s final act crowned her, setting up the dungeon’s intended conflict between Katia and Donut. She also reveals a possible escape: a locked Eileithyia prize whose boons could remove Katia from the conflict, but only if she completes the final seal.
The final requirement leads Carl and Katia into the Guild of Suffering and an assassination job against Astrid, a powerful Desperado Club figure. The chapter shifts the immediate stakes from emotional fallout to an almost impossible murder mission that may be the only way to save both Katia and Donut.
Summary
Katia reveals that Eva placed the purple crown on Katia at the last moment before Eva died. Donut immediately understands the danger: the dungeon wants Donut and Katia to fight, and only one of them can leave the next floor under the crown’s rules. Katia promises Donut that she will never fight her and says she has been working toward a way out.
Katia produces the prize she received for opening the Gate of the Feral Gods and flooding Larracos: the Engaged Lock Box of the Night Wyrm. Inside is the Orchid of Eileithyia’s Grace, which can grant one of three permanent boons if consumed and survived: tripled Constitution, transfer to the twelfth floor as a Celestial Attendant, or pregnancy and disqualification to a surface Kinder Facility. Katia explains that before worshipping Eileithyia she did not know the full consequences, but the crown made the issue urgent.
Katia says she came to worship Eileithyia through a sponsor box from Princess Formidable. Afterward, Huanxin Jinx contacted Katia and pushed her to convince Carl to repair Yemaya’s shrine, promising help that could save both Katia and Donut. Mordecai explains that Huanxin is a wealthy, ruthless Ascendency player with a history of manipulation, and he distrusts her because his brother died after someone refused Huanxin’s wishes.
To open the lock box, Katia has already broken two seals by killing Eva, a former party member, and Imogen, a country or level boss. The final seal requires Katia to complete an assassination quest from the Guild of Suffering. Katia has already located the guild through the Penis Parade, the strip club at the top of the Desperado Club, which is connected to Damascus Steel and secretly fronts for the guild.
Katia gives Carl the guild job, warning that only guild members can read it and that saying the target’s name aloud will cancel the contract. Carl reads the skin-like contract and learns the target is Astrid, a level 125 Bloodlust Sprite, assistant manager of the Desperado Club and owner of the Naughty Boys Employment Agency. Carl realizes killing Astrid will be nearly impossible and dangerous, but also that failure would leave Donut and Katia trapped in the forced confrontation the dungeon has engineered.
Who Appears
- Katia GrimReveals Eva crowned her and explains her risky plan to avoid fighting Donut.
- Princess DonutRealizes Katia’s crown endangers them both and fears being forced to fight Katia.
- CarlReads Katia’s locked prize and guild contract, recognizing the assassination’s danger.
- MordecaiExplains Ascendency politics, Celestial Attendants, and Huanxin Jinx’s dangerous reputation.
- BautistaQuietly supports Katia while voicing concern over Huanxin’s promised protection.
- Huanxin JinxManipulative Ascendency player who influenced Katia through Eileithyia and Yemaya’s shrine.
- EileithyiaGoddess tied to Katia’s orchid prize and the boons that may save her.
- AstridLevel 125 Bloodlust Sprite and Desperado Club assistant manager targeted by the guild job.
- Damascus SteelNPC stripper whose connection helps reveal the Guild of Suffering’s hidden entrance.
- Princess FormidableSent Katia the worship scroll that made Katia a follower of Eileithyia.