It was common practice for Dungeons to have some kind of theme or gimmick that was repeated to the frustration of any Adventurer. Though what Remus found himself looking at was surprisingly pleasant. Yes, it was another outside environment, but it wasn't the same kind of rolling hills and murderous flowers. The garden he walked into wasn't threatening at all, but that made it all a little more unsettling as the human manor house before him. Dungeons never had anything more than crude structures or structure like shapes inside their walls, and he had travelled through a large number of the ones present in the Realms. Yet, this manor was well built and maintained. A cut, stone brick base with wood panels between cornerstones or supports. Everything looked like it was made from volcanic rock and oak wood so relatively dark, but there were even metal panels and engravings. He ran he hand across the finished wood curiously wondering at this new oddity, but looking out over the wide blue sky. He could see vast arches and pillars that seemed to hold up the cavern he found himself in, and when he touched the stone wall near the stairs it seemed of dense stone that he would have trouble using [Stone Walker] on.
"Just what are you Dungeon?" He asked to himself softly, while at the same time trying to reach out with a communication spell once again. Yet, just like every other time it just shattered against some resistance only a foot away from himself. Heaving a sigh he walked into the manor and entered a combat stance upon seeing a figure made of swirling air.
"It all began with the birth of a baby girl." It said, it's voice hollow and echoing. Though after it's words sounds of a baby crying filled the house, along with the various sounds of people moving around. Remus was confused, what in the Realms was going on. Meanwhile the figure began moving towards the front of the manor, so Remus followed carefully. Various spirits could be seen flitting around the rooms like humanoid figures following the routines of daily life. It was eerie, like the one time Remus had used [Spirit Memory] to look back on the people of a fallen village after the Kingdom of Varithfall had kidnapped it's people and burn the land.
"She was born looking like a monster, so her family hid the girl from the eyes of their kin." The figure continued, raising a hand to point towards a wispy figure huddled by the banner of the stairs far above. The other vague shapes seemed to ignore her, and Remus had a sudden feeling he had heard this story before.
"Until the day when she wasn't watched closely enough, and she made her escape into the wild woods." Suddenly the wispy figure looked more female, human, but still female. Then, it moved like a gust of wind through the slightly opened door, and Remus felt his blood run cold. He definitely knew this story though it was slightly different from the version he had been told when he was a child. It was the oldest story in the Realms, it was said at least. The figure turned to look at him, even with no eyes it was clear the intention, then it also blew out the door. Dungeons didn't do things like this, but this Dungeon had been so far from the normal so far it was just another strange thing. This story was something that unsettled him far more than the rest however. How much did the Dungeon know about this story? It was time to take it all seriously as he could given his current limitations.
"I will have to cast the limited buffs as I need them, and this is going to take a lot..." He muttered as he prepared himself. Usually, he would only do this much in a full battle against one of the Kingdoms or perhaps the Gates of Madness themselves. But, he was sure he was far out of time to be worrying about such things now. It wouldn't matter how it turned out now, but he would take a long time to recover from this. So he cast each of his long duration buffs [Blessing of Blood], [Forest's Boon], and [Shaman's Grace] all which boosted his stats by 25% from their current values.
Name: Remus Bloodshadow Race: Beastkin - Owl Age: 358 Years 1 Month Level: 100 (MAX) Strength: 200 (Average 10) Constitution: 200 (Average 10) Dexterity: 200 (Average 10) Intelligence: 200 (Average 10) Wisdom: 200 (Average 10) Charisma: 200 (Average 10)
His status was all maxed out now, and only his limit breaking buffs would push any of those over the edge from the maximum values. He once wondered about why there was a limit at all rather than a guide to power. It was all a plan of the Goddess and he had been given a fraction of it when he found the Faerun memory stone all those years ago. For she was of that lofty race, and the maker of the System and the ancient Imperials so long ago. Now he would have no trouble with the challenges of this Dungeon regardless of what it could throw at him.
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I watched the little man in growing boredom. He had seemed confused by my excellent story telling and use of air magic in that Law, but it seemed that he appreciated the warning it was giving never the less. Since he used some magic to increase his abilities a bit, but I was confused at the wasted energy I saw rolling off of him. Then again, he seemed to waste a lot of energy with his skills except the strange mana tendril he kept sending out. I had gotten a feeling of something like my own Status appearing before him too, and assumed it was the "Change". Perhaps it limited all life in certain ways? Dungeons seemed to be driven to expand themselves and dig deep into the mass of energy far below. Perhaps humans and beastkin were driven to do something similar? I shook those thoughts away as I watched him dash from the manor and into the woods.
He seemed to almost fly across the roads and soft grasses between the tall trees. Though he didn't even pause when the monsters I had made appeared to block his path. A single swipe of his hand split their wooden skin into splinters. Clearly he was doing his best to clear this floor quickly, and I found myself annoyed at him for ignoring the storytelling through the forest. Even my new child seemed annoyed when he was dashed past. Going as far as making waving arm motions at the rude beastkin, though the man was going in the right direction. Towards the large mountain and the tunnels leading to the fourth floor.
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Remus paused as he entered the mountain tunnel. In the story this is where the girl found the demon who tempted her with a wish if she freed him from his punishment. Though that would be after a few days of stumbling around in the dark. The Dungeon appeared to have illuminated these caves with several types of glowing mushrooms and lichens. Which made it a far better walk than he would have feared considering this was a retelling. Also, their were strange monsters made from rocks and water that he couldn't identify even if they tickled a memory somewhere in his head. As he approached a strangely tall tunnel the strange figure reappeared, with it's arms crossed this time.
"After walking the tunnels endlessly, the girl stumbled into a cavern deep within the Earth." It said, and glided into the next cavern. Remus was annoyed by the interruption, but knew that it would still be wise to take cautions if a Dungeon mechanic was talking to him in this place. The next cavern was a wonder for the eyes even if it didn't line up with the story he knew. A wide hole in the floor ringed by glowing rocks and a staircase leading deeper. The roof of the space was arched and detailed like a human church with pictures of dragons and long humanoid figures. He was certain if their had been light outside the walls would have been just thin enough to appear like glass. The fact that the Dungeon had yet another floor below was concerning to him, even if he had prepared himself for the possibility. It had the feel of a young Dungeon, but everything else screamed that it was a Dungeon dozens of years old if not a hundred years.
Looking down into the twisting steps of the staircase, he was surprised to see a pattern far below. A pattern that could only be seen from a place high above, and created for just that purpose. To most it would just be a swirling cloud around a sun and moon on opposite sides.
"The Faerun Court seal." He muttered, becoming certain that the Dungeon had found something extraordinary, and his plans to just leave fled.