Dungeon Crawler Carl

Carl goes down a staircase, where it is much warmer. When he gets to the bottom, he wonders an information box appears in front of him, as if he is in a game. Donut bites him, and he drops her, so she runs down a hallway. The door slams closed behind Carl, and a voice speaks. A timer with a countdown appears in his vision. Like a video game, Carl begins to earn achievements. Carl does not know how to access his achievements, so he goes toward a neon sign. As he reaches it, he earns a new achievement, labeled “Fall into an obvious trap” (18). Three goblins on a makeshift tractor race after him, and he runs.

Carl finds the tutorial guide, which is chained by a rat creature named Mordecai. Mordecai refuses to open the guide with a goblin mob so close. Carl beats one of the goblins to death. The other two goblins are driving the tractor. Donut slips into the tutorial room, and Mordecai reluctantly lets Carl into the tutorial room as well.

The tutorial guild hall is a safe zone; the goblins are waiting outside the room and will be joined by the entire family in an hour. Carl leaves the room and kills one of the goblins. The last goblin’s level is two notches higher than Carl’s. The goblin pulls a blade. Carl hits him and throws him off the tractor, then jumps on him, noting, “The effect […] was like someone smashing a fat jelly donut with a sledgehammer. The little dude didn’t have a chance” (29). Carl returns to the tutorial room. He asks Mordecai questions, and Mordecai explains he was once a dungeon crawler who made it to Level 11. After Level 10, crawlers are given opportunities to leave the dungeon; the deals improve as they descend further into the dungeon. Mordecai explains that the dungeons are based on the local world.

Mordecai explains that there are six starter species that a governing board called the Syndicate has put onto a “compatible” world. After a couple thousand years, the Syndicate reveals itself to the largest group. As long as there is some form of government, this “first contact” is allowed. Then, in a couple thousand more years, they return and strip the planet.

Mordecai is a guild master who arrived on Earth in 1964 to prepare for the current games. While the Borant Corporation makes some profit on mining, the real money is on the game within the dungeon. The dungeon crawl is broadcast to all the citizens of the Syndicate.

Mordecai begins the tutorial. Carl is shown a map that reveals areas he has already been. He learns how to open and adjust the map and other screens in his vision. Mordecai also shows Carl his “stats.” He will get stat points from each level, but they cannot be distributed until he picks a “race” and a class at level three. Carl grumbles that his intelligence is only three, but Mordecai tells him that this stat is only important if he chooses a magic class.

Mordecai tells him that the most important screen is the ratings screen, which shows how many views, followers, favorites, and patrons he has. Carl’s life depends on these numbers. Level 1 is off-limits to live viewers, so those stats will not change until Level 2. Carl must kill with style and excitement to accumulate followers and patrons. If many viewers “favorite” Carl, this will allow him to obtain patrons, which are usually corporations. The patrons purchase boxes for the crawler, and each box has a quality tier. These benefactor boxes have useful items, which are better than any box that a crawler could find in the dungeon. If a crawler makes disparaging comments toward either the interstellar government or the organization sponsoring the current crawl, their experience will be “accelerated.”

The host voice announces that the dungeon doors have closed; although 13 million people entered the dungeon, 3 million died within the hour. Mordecai says that this is his last tour before he becomes a full citizen. Carl asks if he will return to his home world, but Mordecai says he will not. Carl reminds him that whoever made it to Level 18 of his home world would be in charge. Mordecai tells him that no one has ever made it past Level 13.

Carl’s inventory has unlimited storage, as long as he can hold the object for at least four seconds. In his inventory, food does not go bad. Mordecai is impressed that Carl has a legendary box. Carl opens his boxes and gets a variety of prizes, such as weapons. The legendary box reveals an enhanced pet biscuit. Donut jumps onto him and eats the treat from his hand. She is immediately transformed into a “wet mass of flesh. She splattered like a hunk of hairy, jellied water,” (56). Carl must wait 5 to 10 minutes for her to transform into something else.

As Carl waits for Princess Donut to turn into something, he examines his loot. He has a goblin pass tattoo, which allows him to pass through goblin territory. He has a cloak that increases his constitution (endurance) and a troll-skin shirt that increases his regeneration. Mordecai is particularly impressed by the shirt. As Carl puts on his new gear, he earns achievements.

The enchanted toe ring increases his strength, which when combined with his other gear makes him, “almost as strong as any human who has ever lived” (60). Carl explores his other skills, and a new female voice interrupts. He expects to find someone “dressed like a medieval princess” (61), and instead finds Donut.

Carl is bewildered that Donut can now speak. She is stronger and more intelligent than him, and her charisma is now 25. She has the enhanced growth buff and will gain four stat points per level instead of three. Donut refers to Carl as her manservant. She also has loot boxes; in one, she learns the magic missile spell, and another grants her something an enchanted crown. Although Mordecai warns her that the crown is dangerous, Donut immediately dons it. The crown is powerful, but it places her in the royal line of succession for the Blood Sultanate on the ninth floor of the world dungeon. Royal members must slay the Sultan and all members of the royal family before they can go to the 10th floor.

Donut now has higher stats than Carl, so she is considered the party leader. She renames Carl her royal bodyguard. Mordecai tells Carl that Donut is more powerful than him, and he should stay with her until Level 9. After they reach Level 9, Carl could leave because Donut is the one wearing the crown.

Carl and Donut leave the guild. Mordecai tells them that they can return whenever they need to because he is their registered guide. Carl and Mordecai wish each other luck in the world. Mordecai whispers, “It’s not worth it, no matter what they tell you. Not until floor 12, and even then, negotiate as much as you can” (68). As they walk down the hallway, Donut insults Carl. At the junction, Carl tells Donut that they should split up and that he would rather be killed than deal with her mean comments. Donut hurriedly apologizes.

She explains that she can reflect on her past existence as a house cat. She used to enjoy watching Carl play Call of Duty. Carl asks, “So, what are you saying? That you’re not a crazy, stuck-up, asshole princess?” (70). Donut reaffirms she is a princess but promises to try to be nicer. She admits to seeing Carl looking for apartments that allowed cats and notes that although he could have returned Donut, he kept her instead. Now, Carl and Donut stay together and keep walking. Donut reminds Carl they would both be dead if she hadn’t jumped out the window.

They are interrupted by a Level 3 llama who spits lava. Donut shoots it with a magic missile and Carl kills it, after which they loot the corpse. They go down a smaller hallway in hopes of avoiding dangerous mobs. After a few hours, Carl is fatigued. They fight a group of Level 2 rats, and by the time they find a safe room, they have survived 10 skirmishes. Carl gains the “Foot Soldier” trait.