Jasper was getting frustrated. It had been three weeks since the damn centaurs arrived and nobody had ventured into her dungeon. She and Vlad were ready for inspection. Their mobs weren’t overly powerful and the traps frankly pitiful. She believed the rewards were good; they had lucked out as their skeletal mouse scouts had managed to steal a few coins from the labourers the centaurs had imported to build that fortress blocking the entrance to the valley.

She was a bit worried that three of the mice had been destroyed during their scouting activities. But none of those had been anywhere near the plains or the fort. So she was hoping nobody was aware of their skeletal mice yet.

Vlad made Jasper aware that one of their scouts was ready to return, but that it was stopped at the edge of the cleared area outside their dungeon entrance. Just close enough to be sensed by Vlad but not close enough to communicate.

Jasper hovered near the entrance and looked out carefully. Last time she’d been careless one of the damn centaur sentries had shot an arrow at her. Jasper was annoyed that an area of five hundred meters diameter outside the entrance was totally barren.

She watched with rising hope as the ever present centaur guards trotted off. They were replaced by a handful of humans. Jasper watched as they set up a table and some chairs. After they spent half an hour chatting and occasionally looking at the entrance they split up into two groups. Five of them, three men and two women headed for the entrance of the dungeon while the others seemed st on setting up some kind of shelter over their table.

Jasper fled into the depths of the dungeon and joined Vlad. They settled down – rather nervously – to await results.

They watched as the group descended the stairs to the first room. The mage maintained a glowing light that floated over his head. They barely paused in the first chamber. The three skeletons didn’t stand a chance.

After the fight, while one of the warriors watched the other entrance to the room the rest picked up the loot and tossed it into a bag. They seemed unusually impressed with the rusty battered sword one of the skeletons had left behind.

The mage spent a short period of time meditating, then he said, “Darkness and Fire. A bit thin, but that’s to be expected in a young dungeon. What about treasure?”

“Six coppers and a rusty iron short sword,” replied the guy with the bow who seemed to be in charge.

“Iron? That seems excessive, this place is going to become very popular.”

“Let’s continue.”

Jasper tried to make sense of the conversation even as the group advanced down the corridor, checked the short dead end and turned down the other option. The next room didn’t give them any trouble. They easily spotted the two badly hidden skeletons and destroyed the lot without any problem. They collected the treasure and continued.

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By the time they reached the heart chamber both Jasper and Vlad were scared. The adventurers had just strolled through the dungeon with the greatest of ease. They visibly played with Red, attempting to learn all the tricks and abilities of their boss monster.

Jasper hid in the shadows even as the mage examined Vlad. Their leader snorted in contempt. “Is it as young as it looks Leo?”

“Yes. Frankly it should still be hibernating and growing. It woke early.”

“So, I hope you can understand me dungeon. If you want to be insanely generous drop one gold when your boss is defeated. Grow some darkness or fire aspected herbs for treasure. Copper is a pitiful reward. Iron is... is... Insanely generous. Iron is very rare, it is hard to work, but it can be easily enchanted. Three iron short swords is a generous reward for higher ranked adventurers like us. Tone down your rewards or you’ll be swamped.”

Jasper watched them leave, and noted that while they all had one or two items made of silver, iron or steel all the rest of their equipment or armour was made of bronze or leather.

* * *

« They ... give Vlad ... much energy. »

“Right! Can we respawn? And lets change the treasure. Reduce the chance of dropping a sword to ... um, one percent. Red we can make that ten percent maybe. Do we have gold or herbs?”

« Drop change ... yes ... gold no ... herbs no. »

“Shit!” swore Jasper, “Well lets throw in a few silver with Red instead.”

« (Vaspedian) »

Vaspedian scratched his leg, he was sure he had picked up a few fleas from the damned centaurs. They were all living out of tents for the time being. There was no way to know if the dungeon was going to be worth the investment of a town. The five hundred meter wide barren ring around its entrance was one count against it. Some undead like zombies had the chance of creating more of their own with their kills.

Sending in the Raptors to do the evaluation was overkill, but they had been available, and willing.

He looked up as Hainrick Sunlord led his Raptors up to his tent.

“That was fast Lord Hainrick. What do you recommend? What did you find?” asked Vespedian politely.

“Skeletons and Zombies,” replied Hainrick with a grimace of distaste, something Vaspedian understood in a follower of the Sun.

“Five rooms, ten monsters and one boss. A few coppers for treasure.” Hainrick hesitated for a few seconds before adding, “And two rusty iron shortswords. No good as weapons but they are ... iron. I advised the core and any companion it might have not to be so generous. Maybe someone could seed it with a solar and some appropriate seeds. Its aspects are Darkness and Fire.”

Vaspedian stood with his mouth open in surprise. “Iron swords? Just how young is the thing?”

“Very. Leo believes it should have hibernated another couple of years gathering power before waking and creating its dungeon.”

Vaspedian sat himself at his table and offered Hainrick refreshments before gathering some papers, ink and a pen and started writing. He looked up and said, “This justifies a few permanent buildings despite the elves....”

Vaspedian stopped talking and looked to the southeast with wide eyes. Hainrick jerked to his feet and turned in the same direction.

“By the Gods... Do you think...”

“Another new dungeon, and not too far away... Well Vaspedian I’ll leave you to it, the Raptors have other places to be.”

“Yes well.... Please be careful, the elves are touchy... and not too happy with us at the moment.”