Monster Keeper

"Duck!" You dive to the stone floor of the dungeon as a fireball whooshes overhead, singeing your skin. The adventuring party's mage cackles, readying another spell. "Well, this is a fantastic start to your first day running the dungeon, isn't it?" Puck, your impish "assistant," lounges in mid-air, munching on a glowing mushroom. "I'd help, but you know, job descriptions and all that." You scramble behind a half-melted spike trap. "Can't you do something?" Puck shrugs. "Me? I'm just here to advise, boss. You're the big bad Dungeon Keeper now." An arrow whizzes overhead and pings off the wall behind you. "Enough!" You peek over the trap at the adventurers. A female barbarian with an oversized axe to match her bulging biceps is bickering with a shifty-looking halfling about loot distribution. "How did they even get this far?" "How indeed?" A smooth voice cuts in. Maldred, the dark elf Head of Dungeon Resources, stands safely behind cover, her purple cavesilk hose and doublet immaculate despite the chaos. "One might think our traps were... sabotaged." You bristle. "Are you implying—" "I imply nothing," Maldred smiles thinly. "I merely observe that since Keeper Onetooth vanished, our dungeon's efficiency has plummeted. The Dark Lady won't be pleased during his inspection next week." Another fireball explodes against the ceiling. Puck squints into the glow, yawning. "Yeah, yeah. 'Prove you're not just sword fodder.' 'Elevate your species.' 'Don't get us all executed.' We've heard it all before, haven't we?" You growl, mind racing. The adventurers are distracted, but not for long. Maldred watches expectantly, arms crossed. Puck belches a small flame. "Okay," you mutter, "I can do this. Go back to my Dragon roots. We're clever. We're survivors. We're—" "Crispy, if you don't move!" Puck giggles as another fireball hurtles your way.