A Living Dungeon

by Allan Joyal

  “He’s right,” the woman said. “We don’t know, and the path is definitely going to be far less effort than scaling this wall. Was this here when your friend from the Kindred visited?”

  The leader looked up the wall. “No,” he admitted. “He said that it was a rather easy walk to the slab where they were supposed to make the trade. But how can it have changed so much?”

  “We saw the massive pile of soil down at the base of the mountain. It looked as if it had been washed from the slope. The granite wall might have just been under that,” the woman said. “It would have taken little mana to change the landscape to be nearly impassable.”

  “Why?” the leader asked.

  “You want to ask a dungeon that question?” a short, squat bearded man asked. Faestari realized that the man was a dwarf.

  The leader just looked as the woman and the other two males, who had yet to speak, turned to follow the young blond man. His expression was torn, but then he shouldered his pickaxe with a loud curse. “Wait for me,” he shouted.

  The sextet of adventurers marched along the path with a purpose that Faestari found surprising. She increased the mana flow so she could hear the conversations going on. The order had changed and the blond man was in the lead with the woman wearing the hooded robes directly behind him. They were engaged in a surprisingly lively debate.

  “So what do you want?” the blond man said.

  “Want?” the woman responded. “I want to have a nice little tower where I can research my spells and perhaps train a couple of young apprentices.”

  “Not that, I mean from the dungeon,” the blond man said.

  “You know I’ve never been in one. I just finished my training at Fardiem Wizard’s School,” the woman said. She turned her head to the side. “And they have serious problems teaching women,” she muttered softly.

  Faestari figured the blond man had not heard or understood the comment. That belief was reinforced when the man continued. “Look, you’re the first wizard I’ve ever worked with. And I thought your school taught wizards about dungeons.”

  “Basic information,” the woman said. “But you have to understand that the teachers don’t know much about dungeons. From what I understand no one has managed to discover what causes some mundane dungeons to change. And this one makes less sense. The history of dungeons I learned does not have any that just appear in a mountain.”

  “What does that mean?” the man asked. He sounded honestly inquisitive.

  “It means that the knowledge we have may be wrong. I was taught that dungeons are fed by the mana generated by the fights and deaths that occur within their tunnels. If that’s true how did a new dungeon form here? There was no source of mana to wake it,” the wizard said.

  “Like I’d know. I’ve been in one dungeon and it was a rough adventure. The place was filled with giant rats and even more massive cats,” the man said.

  “Rats and cats? That doesn’t sound too bad, Gee’if,” the man walking behind the wizard said.

  “Some of these rats were bigger than a sheep,” the blond man named Gee’if said. “I even saw one adventurer who lost his arm after being bitten by one of the rats. The flesh on his arm turned blue and then dripped off the bone.”

  “Couldn’t magic save him,” the man who had mentioned it not sounding bad replied.

  “Possibly,” Gee’if replied. “It saved his life, but he didn’t know he needed magical healing until it was too late.”

  “Don’t worry Hal’vik,” the wizard said. “I’ll make sure we just cut your arm off right away should a rat bite you.”

  “If it’s rats,” Gee’if said. “One of the adventurers I met while testing my mettle at the Yellowrock dungeon said that each one is different. That’s why I was asking what you wanted. I was wondering what you hoped to find inside.”

  “Great treasure,” Hal’vik said. “That’s why we are doing this.”

  “Gee’if, stop trying to scare everyone. You don’t know any more than I do about dungeons,” the leader shouted from the end of the line.

  Gee’if just shook his head. The group was making its way through the granite debris from Faestari’s excavations on the south side of the dungeon. They were just passing the last of the massive blocks of granite when Gee’if stopped.

  “What?” the leader shouted. “Why did you stop?”

  Gee’if knelt down to look at the path Faestari had created leading up to the entrance to the mountain. He pulled out a dagger and poked the packed dirt a couple of times before standing back up.

  “There is a path. It leads up the side of the mountain,” Gee’if said.

  “What? I wasn’t told about this!” the leader shouted.

  “Did the Kindred even look around the mountain?” the dwarf asked. “Usually, they spend all their time at the edge of the dungeon’s domain casting their useless spells and trying to con adventurers out of their gold.”

  “They didn’t con me!” the leader shouted.

  “No? I thought you said you paid thirty silver coins for the information about this dungeon. And once they took the money all they told you was that it existed because that was all they knew,” the wizard said.

  “Quiet,” Gee’if said. “Let’s not argue. The path leads up the mountain. It’s even relatively flat.”

  “How?” the leader asked.

  “It follows the shape of the mountain. We’ll probably end up changing directions a few times, but it climbs the mountain. And someone created this. It’s too regular to be natural,” Gee’if said.

  “Can a dungeon do that?” the leader asked worriedly.

  “I was taught that they had a great deal of control over their caverns. There is evidence that they can manipulate the creatures inside,” the wizard said.

  “What do you mean Betrixy?” the leader asked.

  “I doubt that the rats in Yellowrock dungeon were always the size they are now. They probably were normal rats long ago, but once the dungeon awakened, it changed them. At least that is the sort of changes that we’re taught dungeons are capable of,” the wizard responded.

  “It won’t matter,” the leader said. “We’ll have no trouble cutting our way through any creatures in the dungeon.”

  “I hope you are right,” Gee’if said as they reached the first switchback. “Because there are no alchemists or temples nearby if someone is hurt or killed.”

  “Are those common?” the fourth man in line asked.

  “People hurt or alchemists?” Betrixy asked. “You need to be a bit more clear Jyxton.”

  “Alchemists,” the man replied. “I’ve never heard of them just being available.”

  “There is a small town just a short distance from the entrance to Wynterhold dungeon,” Betrixy said. “Several adventuring groups have halls there. I believe there are three or four alchemists and four temples.”

  “Five,” the dwarf said. “A new temple to Drogor, the fierce hammer, opened there two years ago.”

  “And the temples can survive?” Jyxton asked.

  “It’s part of the magic of a living dungeon,” Gee’if said. “They have ways to replenish the monsters and treasures found within. Some adventurers who can make it to the end of a dungeon become fabulously wealthy. The towns offer goods and services to the adventurers who are trying to reach the end.”

  “I don’t see a town,” Jyxton said sullenly. “I don’t even see a dungeon.”

  “Some dungeons don’t exactly advertise,” Gee’if said. “Yellowrock is called that because the entrance is just a small cave opening behind a large yellow colored rock. If you did not see the village and then ask around, you’d never find it. And as for a village, remember that this dungeon is supposedly just awakened. So no village has grown up to serve adventurers.”

  “So try not to get hurt,” Betrixy said. “I have learned some healing magic, but Fardiem concentrates more on detection and protection spells.”

  “If there is a dungeon,” the leader said. “Now
that I look around I have to wonder.”

  They had reached the last switchback before reaching the landing and the entrance to the dungeon. Faestari paused her watching to look around. She could see that the group was the only humans within a day’s journey of the mountain, but some movement in the forest to the north got her attention. Whatever was there was not willing to come into the sunlight, but it appeared very interested in the mountainside.

  “I see something,” Gee’if called out. “Avcrod, that Kindred member might have sold you good information.”

  “You mean he didn’t waste our money again,” Jyxton said. “And this might be safer than guarding caravans across the Sand Wastes?”

  “It might not be safer,” Betrixy said. “But I can say I don’t want to face those sand worms. Didn’t they kill two members of your group on your last trip?”

  “Namtrol and Poulder,” the leader said. “We hired you partly because Namtrol died. He was the spellcaster for our group.”

  “So I heard,” Betrixy said. She sounded peeved by the comment.

  “Quiet,” Gee’if said as his head rose up high enough to see the landing. “I can see a stone archway. It’s clearly not natural.”

  “So there is something?” Avcrod asked.

  “We have a stone landing. It’s large enough that we’ll all be able to get our weapons out. The archway isn’t huge, just a bit bigger than a regular doorway. It’s dark inside, so I recommend we get torches out,” Gee’if said.

  “I thought dungeons had natural light?” Avcrod said.

  “They have whatever light they want to have,” Betrixy replied. “If the monsters don’t need light, why have it?”

  “It would make things easier for us,” Avcrod said as he took his pack off. He reached into a long pouch along one side and pulled out a thin metal tube. The end was covered with some cloth that appeared to have been soaked in an amber sap.

  “What is that?” Jyxton asked as he removed a wooden torch from his own pouch. The young man also unsheathed a short sword before closing the pack and putting it back on. “And shouldn’t we leave the packs behind?”

  “There is no safe place to leave them,” Avcrod said. “Let’s keep this run short. We’ll turn back after ten rooms or so.”

  Gee’if was holding his own short sword. The dwarf had pulled out a large hammer with a spike on the back of the head. Betrixy was holding a short stick that looked like a thin club. She seemed more than a bit uncomfortable as she swung it back and forth a couple of times. The final member of the group, Hal’vik, had pulled out a strange curved sword. He also held a torch in his left hand.

  “I still haven’t heard what Avcrod is holding,” Jyxton complained as the leader pulled flints from a pouch at his belt.

  “It’s another toy he picked up from the Kindred three, or was it four years ago. The metal rod holds a torch head. It’s supposed to be reusable,” the dwarf said sarcastically.

  “Is it?” Jyxton asked.

  “We’ll find out later,” Hal’vik said. “He’s never used it before.”

  Avcrod set his pick down on the stone ground and then propped up the torch between his knees. He struck the flint several times until a spark landed on the wadded cloth at the head of the torch. Smoke started to pour from the cloth.

  “Useless,” the dwarf muttered as Avcrod slipped the flint into a pouch at his waist. The smoke turned into flames that quickly spread out until the head of the torch was burning brightly.

  Avcrod picked up his pickaxe with his right hand. He took the torch in his left and held it out towards Jyxton. “Let’s get your torches lit and head inside.”

  Jyxton and Hal’vik touched their torches to the flames. As soon as all three torches were ignited Avcrod turned to look at the entrance. “Let’s get started. The torches will only burn for a short time.”

  “We have more,” Jyxton said.

  Avcrod started to march to the entrance. He moved with confidence, holding the torch high as he passed through the archway.

  Faestari had watched all of this. She was surprised to find that she could sense as each of the adventurers passed through the archway. It was as if the act of entering the dungeon linked them to her. She could feel their life energy as they walked down the short entrance passage.

  They came to the crossing where the two empty rooms branched off. Avcrod turned to head left. The dwarf and Hal’vik immediately moved to follow him.

  Gee’if paused. “Should we check the other branches?” he called out.

  Faestari smiled, as the passages were quite short. As she expected Avcrod started cursing.

  “A dead end! The room is just an empty dead end!” he shouted. “What kind of dungeon has empty rooms.”

  Gee’if looked surprised. “Betrixy can you feel the dungeon?”

  “I do feel something. I can’t describe it well. The mana here flows strangely,” she replied.

  “Go into the room and see if you still feel it,” Gee’if said.

  “What?” Avcrod shouted. “What are you talking about?”

  “Yellowrock has a couple of empty rooms,” Gee’if replied. “I remember visiting one. We ran into another party of adventurers there. They were resting after a nasty fight. Their wizard said that the dungeon had twisted the mana flows so that the room was safe. This might be a similar room.”

  “I can’t feel the mana,” Betrixy called out. “It’s like this room isn’t part of the dungeon.”

  “Why here?” Jyxton asked.

  “I could see a merchant taking over the room and offering goods that adventurers might need,” the dwarf said. “But that makes me wonder about this dungeon. Thought was put into having a room like this at the entrance.”

  “I’ll check the branch to the right,” Gee’if said. “Jyxton watch the last branch.

  “Alone?” he asked.

  “We’re heading back there,” Avcrod shouted. “The passage wasn’t very long and the room wasn’t all that large. “I’m still surprised to see an empty room just inside the entrance.”

  “Two,” Gee’if called as he stepped into the other empty chamber. “And I’m guessing this is another safe room.”

  “If this dungeon is all safe rooms, I’ll be very upset,” Avcrod said. “I paid a lot for the information about this dungeons existence.”

  “We have one more branch,” Hal’vik said. “And the torches are still bright. Let’s continue.”

  “Eight rooms,” Avcrod said. “We’ll do eight rooms since the first two were empty.

  Chapter 11: The Adventurer’s First Delve

  Avcrod stepped around Jyxton and started down the final passageway. He held the torch high as he followed the twisted path towards the stairway. Faestari smiled to herself as the others hurried after him.

  “Avcrod, don’t get too far ahead. We have no idea what you might run into and in this small passage it would be hard to support you in a fight,” Hal’vik called out.

  Avcrod snorted. He stepped through a narrow bend in the passage and emerged in the first stairway chamber. “We have another… oh, we have a stairway. It’s like this level is nothing more than empty rooms.”

  “A stairway is hardly an empty room. Can you see down the stairway?” the dwarf asked.

  Faestari just shook her head. In order to maximize the height of the ceilings of the rooms below the levels were far apart. The stairway that Avcrod was looking down spiraled to the right with four right angled turns before ending in a turn to the left. It allowed her to set up the next floor as a series of rooms connected by passages that all bent slightly to the left. There was no way that Avcrod could see to the bottom of the stairway.

  “It turns,” Avcrod said. “We’ll have to walk down it.”

  “I should lead,” the dwarf said. “in case something ambushes us while we are on the stairs.”

  “We’ll be fine, this dungeon doesn’t appear to have any monsters,” Avcrod said confidently.

  Avcrod started down the stairs.
He moved with the same confidence he used entering the dungeon at the start. Faestari watched as he made the first four turns without incident. The others followed him closely. When Avcrod reached the final turn to the left he stepped on an almost invisible thread of spider silk that lay just above the step. As he pushed it to the floor, a number of round stones were released from the right wall, they tumbled down the stairs with a loud clatter.

  “What was that?” Jyxton asked in a panic.

  “Just some rocks,” Avcrod said confidently. “It means nothing. I can see a chamber up ahead.”

  “Just a chamber?” the dwarf asked. “Large or small? Is it made of rough stone? Mined stone? What?”

  Avcrod stopped two steps above the floor of the chamber. “It’s not like a room in a building. The walls are rounded where they join with the floor. The floor has a number of ripples. I can see a lot of loose stones laying on the floor.”

  “So it looks natural, but isn’t,” the dwarf said. “The stairway looks like one you’d find in a dwarven fortress, but led to a simple chamber. I don’t like this.”

  Avcrod started walking again. “What is there to like or dislike?”

  Faestari realized she could sense two kobolds entering the room through one of their passages. One was the shaman for the tribe. The other was the one she had watched spend hours carefully weaving a sling out of spider silk. The two moved so they could see the left side of the stairway.

  “I’ve never heard of a dungeon that combines different styles of room,” the dwarf said. “But that’s what we have here.”

  “So how do they deal with having more than one level?” Avcrod asked.

  “The only ones I know that have more than one started out as fortresses of some kind. They tend to have square or rectangular rooms. Not these rough shaped rooms,” the dwarf said.

  Avcrod stomped around the chamber. He noticed the exit and started moving towards it. The kobold armed with a sling held it over his head and started to spin it as the rest of the party joined Avcrod on the floor of the chamber.

  Betrixy and Gee’if were the last two to set foot on the floor. The wizard reached up and pushed the hood off her head. She ran a hand through thin brown hair and shook her head. “The mana is strong,” she said.