Walking through the east gate of Ell, I was treated to a sight I had expected and could almost swear I had seen before, if not for the certain knowledge of this being my first time in this city. The road was lined with numerous ins, stables and warehouses catering to the merchants and farmers who undoubtedly frequent this side of the city. The buildings themselves were made up of an eclectic mixture of wood, stone and brick, though wood seemed to be the most prevalent building material here.

As there was plenty of time left in the day, I decided I’d head to the Dungeon. It’s not like I had any money left for shopping, and what little I had would hopefully be enough for a room somewhere cheap. I inspected my money pouch, finding yet more stones. After finally switching my stone and coin pouches around I checked what was now definitely my coin pouch. What greeted me was a bare handful of pennies, a couple of coppers and a bent and disfigured mass that could generously be called a silver coin.

While my financial situation was pitiable, I also had a solution. The Great Dungeon that shared its name with the city built around it was famous for its magical treasures and was a favorite destination for anyone seeking fame and riches. Marvin was sure a quick visit would sort out his money troubles and kick start his journey to becoming a great and mighty figure, the kind of which he heard of in stories as a child.

But to initiate his grand plan he must first find The great dungeon. Luckily he had just the right skill for this situation. His knack for magic told him that there was something very magical deeper into the city. While the exact direction was vague, Marvin was sure he'd recognize the entrance easily enough. Thus, with a vague sense of direction and unbreakable confidence born of years ignoring reality, Marvin headed deeper into the city.

While the walk was long, Marvin was used to it, having walked to the center of the western continent from the far fringes of its eastern coast. As I made my way deeper into the city, the buildings started to be more Brickwork and stone and the people looked to be more affluent than the peasants who toiled outside the walls. As he neared the magical signature he was locked onto, he started to notice more people openly carrying weapons and wearing all sorts of armor.

Being the deepest dungeon on the western continent, the Great Dungeon of Ell attracted adventurers, nobles and dungeon divers from all over the continent and from all the races present on it. During his walk Marvin noticed many elves, dwarves, humans and other races he couldn't even name. The crowds were predominantly raphs, due to them being the majority population of the surrounding area.

The magical signature grew more muddled when Marvin reached what he suspected to be the central square. The was massive and open, probably for the sake of some event or another. The square was lined with expensive looking shops catering to the noble and the wealthy alongside opulent governmental buildings lined with statues of heroes and rulers. The western side of the square was dominated by the cathedral of St Bernard, which was apparently a popular pilgrimage destination among the faithful. All the shops, ministries and guild headquarters around the square were filled with so many magical things that it all blended together, making his skill totally useless in the area.

Despite this, Marvin's assumption that the Dungeon would be easy to spot proved to be true. On the eastern side of the square, there rose a wide set of stairs. At the top there was a large building that looked like an ancient temple. Its massive bronze doors hung open, as if daring anyone brave enough to enter. If that wasn't the Great Dungeon, Marvin vowed to eat his own shoes. A mighty vow indeed, for he had walked many a span with these boots and his feet were sweaty.

Marvin's feet carried him to the bottom of the stairs, and without hesitation he began to ascend. He was surrounded by many types on his ascent to the gate. Ragtag groups of adventurers cavorted and joked around, Professional looking groups of dungeon divers discussed plans and routes in hushed tones. Preening nobles strutted cockily followed by bodyguards and nervous looking servants carrying equipment. Workers of all kinds traveled surrounded by guards and soldiers. Even the destitute and the drifters walked up the steps, huddled in small groups or alone, so Marvin's own travel-worn attire and lack of traveling partners was hardly unordinary.

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There were people going down as well. Most of them seemed dirty and tired, but some were downright jubilant, strutting down the steps while bragging about their great and mighty accomplishments to anyone within earshot. Some trudged down lifelessly, their eyes devoid of life, as if what they had seen had killed them in spirit despite it failing to do so in body. This last grouping of people gave Marvin some pause. It's not like I hadn't known the Great Dungeon was dangerous, but the sight of the broken and defeated made the danger seem closer.

It wouldn’t stop him of course, but maybe I should be a bit cautious. I could handle myself in a scrap of course and it's not like the first few floors would be that much more dangerous than some of the more untamed patches of wilderness he had stumbled across on his journey here.

As I reach the top of the stairs, I marvel at the massive ornate doorway in front of me. Some truly massive things could be brought in through these doors. Or come out, as the people of the age of chaos found out when the first dungeons breached the surface.

As I was about to make my way through the massive doorway, I was stopped by a guardsman. “Whoa there buddy, not so fast. You must be new, I can tell by the way your eyes are darting around. You'll need to show me your a-card before charging in.”

The guardsman who rapidly fired these lines at me was wearing armor similar to the guardsmen at the gate, though he had blue livery and his helmet didn't have horn holes for he possessed none. The guard was an elf, his race given away by his large green eyes and green hair poking out of his helmet. Elves were mostly known for their long ears, but another distinguishing feature was their hair and eyes, which could be almost any color imaginable,

“A-card?” I asked the overly friendly guardsman.

“Aah a total newbie i see, sped straight here without even visiting the Dungeon divers association. The a-card is the associations membership card, it’s practically mandatory and most definitely recommended to get it, especially for a new diver like you. I'm Jax by the way, a retired diver and now a guard working for the association. what do you go by newbie?”

I took a bit to parse the deluge of words the Guard, Jax, attempted to drown me in. An association, yeah that makes sense. But memberships always cost money and I don't have any. Let's make sure.

“Marvin. Membership?” There, that would do. The few times pops spoke he said that words were precious and that anything a man could say could be conveyed through grunts, subtle head movements and body language. Though I'm committed to my fathers ideals, I'm quite fond of people and sometimes blab a bit when I'm excited. Like just now for instance.

“Marvin! What a splendid name you have there young Marv, can i call you Marv. Of course i can, we’re good friends already aren't we newbie, though you seem to be a man of few words. Not to worry my friend, I shall speak for the both of us. The membership costs five silver initially and one silver a month after that. Now hold on there, I see that look in your eyes, you’re in a bit of money trouble aren't you. Don’t be hasty now, while there is a two copper entrance fee for non members, i would really recommend a newbie like you to gather money for a membership. The association has programs for new divers just like you that really increase the survival rate of new divers.”

The longer this conversation goes on the more Jax's speed ramps up. Even if I were more talkative, I don’t think I could insert any words between his rapid fire sentences. As for slowly accumulating money and then joining some newbie program, while that would be safer, I simply lack the time. I'm still level 1 despite unlocking two years ago. Other people the same age as me are probably already well on their way to reaching the second tier. Anyone who’s still level 1 at this point is practically a joke in my home village.

Coming to a decision, I pull my last two coppers from my pouch and hand them over to Jax.

The veteran guardsman sighs but accepts my coin anyways. “I guess I can't stop you newbie, but be careful in there. Even veteran divers die all the time.” He says as he waves me through.

What a talkative fellow, I muse as I enter the temple-like building. The inside is more austere than the opulent outside. It may have once felt like almost a holy place. What it was now could be described as pandemonium. The whole place was packed with people and many areas of the expansive hall had been sectioned off as merchant stalls and first-aid stations.

What captured Marvin's attention however, was the large spiral staircase in the middle of the room. Ignoring the noisy crowds and hawking merchants, Marvin stepped onto the steps leading down into the first layer of the dungeon, a mixture of anticipation and just a hint of trepidation churning in his gut.