Earth – World of The Misplaced Dungeon.
{Timeline: May 2019 – MD Ch.97 to 98 – ToRB Ch.9 to 10}
* * * EARTH * * *
Jake examined the envelope in his hand as he sipped his first cup of coffee for the day. To his bemusement it was addressed to: Guild Master the honourable Jacob Hennessy, C/O Adventurer’s Guild followed by his address.
Jake used his butter knife to open the envelope.
“Dear Jacob,
Congratulations on having founded the Adventurer’s Guild here on Earth. I’m sure you will soon have access to lots of pertinent information thanks to The System.
My friend, the intelligence behind Alligator Haven has enjoyed your forays into his dungeon and speaks well of you.
Just to let you know that you are not yet up to venturing into Winter Wolf. The intelligence behind Winter Wolf is not forgiving.
I suspect you would enjoy Dinosaur Caves but the authorities are currently monopolizing him, and forbidding anyone not cleared by them access.
There are a further three named, functioning dungeons present on Earth besides myself. I do not feel free to divulge their names, as they have not, as yet, been located.
Then there are eighteen beings currently transiting. These eighteen if they survive long enough will inevitably set down roots and become functioning dungeons.
There will be more, after all one never knows when or if someone might just choose “dungeon” as his or her race.
I have taken the liberty of informing the heads of the Adventurer’s Guild on the worlds of Parthia and Tarifax, and I have offered to forward any communication from them to yourselves.
Wishing you a long life and success in your chosen career,
Blue Lagoon, dungeon.”
Jake set the letter aside with a snort, poured milk over his cereal and ate his breakfast, got ready and went to work. After the early rush he settled down behind the counter of the 7-Eleven he worked at and out of curiosity checked with the System. To his shock he had a message acknowledging him as guild master and what looked like endless options with reams of information regarding duties, powers and obligations.
Jake got through the rest of his shift on autopilot.
* * * PARTHIA * * *
Saranas the Assistant Guild Master for the Garonmouth branch of the Adventurer’s Guild was catching up with her correspondences. She picked up yet another letter, looked at the wax seal holding it closed and stiffened. ‘Well it was inevitable that the drow would be contacting us in regards to their new goddess. Must be from the Balancer’s church.’
She carefully eased a knife behind the seal that showed a coiled whip with a leaping dolphin superimposed. This was the first seal she had seen with this design so it would be going into the guild’s collection in the vaults.
She slid out the letter and scanned it. Really it was almost rude in the way it skipped all the usual flowery greetings and expressions of esteem. Then she read it and then she started again. Finally she finished reading the rather abrupt letter addressed to the guild master of the Adventurers Guild in Garonmouth.
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She shoved her chair back abruptly and made her way to the office of Sofos Ironfist. She barely paused at the door, knocking and entering without waiting for a reply.
Sofos looked up at her abrupt entrance and his shaggy eyebrows rose. “Problems Saranas?”
Saranas shrugged helplessly, “You tell me Sofos,” she answered even as she placed the envelope and letter carefully on his desk.
Sofos picked up the envelope first, he hummed in approval. On turning it over he looked up at his assistant to be met with an understanding nod.
Sofos opened the letter, “Mmm, they’re very abrupt. Straight down to business, very dwarven, I approve.”
“To his Excellency the most honourable guild master Sofos Ironfist,
Sir,
I wish to solicit your assistance for a new foundation of the Adventurer’s Guild.
As I am sure you are aware several of the dungeons seeded by Azurea in this last year hail from a peculiar world. The world is called Earth or Terra by its inhabitants.
I wish to inform you that several of us retain links to our former homeworld through our alter egos. I for instance am now the proud owner of powerful dungeons on three worlds and hope to expand onto at least one more world.”
Sofos looked up at his assistant, his eyes wild. He licked his lips and returned his attention to the letter in his hands.
“Earth was, until Azurea’s meddling, a world almost totally devoid of magic. Science and technology ruled, as in fact they still do. The System is now establishing itself on my former homeworld and it is changing rapidly.
One of the first true adventurers on Earth; a Mr. Jacob Hennessy has established the first branch of the Adventurer’s Guild on Earth. He and his Assistant Guild Master, a Mr. Carlos Mendez are in need of knowledgeable assistance. I have informed them of the information available through the System but as you are no doubt aware, it is badly organised and worse explained.
If you wish to help this new and no doubt struggling guild master I will be happy to deliver to him anything you wish to send to Earth along with an appropriate language skill crystal.
Wishing you a long life and success,
Mary Silvestre and Trisha, Blue Lagoon.”
Trembling Sofos placed the letter in his out tray. “Three worlds, three Blue Lagoon dungeons. It’s three times larger than we thought even in our worst nightmares.”
“What are we going to do about that?” Saranas asked pointing at the letter.
“We kick it upstairs to the world council. And we prepare a pack, you know, everything we would send to a new branch office. I’ll dictate a letter. Then we can wait a couple of days before handing it all in to the temple of Ocidon.”
“To allow the council time to stop it, right.”
“Yes.”
* * * TARIFAX * * *
“To the most excellent lady, guild master prime of the adventurer’s guild Gardenia Stracanis,
Dear Lady,
I wish to solicit your assistance for a new foundation of the Adventurer’s Guild.
As I am sure you are aware several of the dungeons seeded by Azurea in this last year hail from a peculiar world. The world is called Earth or Terra by its inhabitants.
I wish to inform you that several of those dungeons retain links to their former homeworld through their alter egos. I was able to game those links to expand my influence into your world, and am now the proud owner of powerful dungeons on three worlds. I have every intention of expanding onto at least one more world.
Earth was, until Azurea’s meddling, a world almost totally devoid of magic. Science and technology ruled, as in fact they still do. The System is now establishing itself on my former homeworld and it is causing Earth to change rapidly.
Earth is far more advanced, in a technological way than Tarifax, and thanks to a differing format of technological advancement it is not hindered by the acid fogs that so beset your world. We learnt how to avoid that trap and how to fix the damage that had been caused.
One of the first true adventurers on Earth; a Mr. Jacob Hennessy has established the first branch of the Adventurer’s Guild on Earth. He and his Assistant Guild Master, a Mr. Carlos Mendez are in need of knowledgeable assistance. I have informed them of the information available through the System but as you are no doubt aware, it is badly organised and worse explained.
If you wish to help this new and no doubt struggling guild master I will be happy to deliver to him anything you wish to send to Earth along with an appropriate language skill crystal.
Please send any help you deem useful to Guild Master the honourable Jacob Hennessy, C/O Blue Lagoon at the Queen of Hearts Inn in Conimbriga.
Wishing you a long and prosperous life,
Blue Lagoon, dungeon.”
Gardenia Stracanis laid this missive carefully on her desk, she examined the green flecked blue wax seal carefully. Her finger rubbed the design of a coiled whip ovelayed by a leaping dolphin and stared into the distance.
Gardenia bellowed for her assistant and almost immediately Folssana Mirabilis poked her head round the door. “Yes guild master?”
“Prepare a pack with everything a major guild office would need, see if you can get a reasonably senior and intelligent volunteer willing to venture into another world. Make them aware that this might be a trap but allow them to read a copy of this letter.”