They were led in to the same room Jay had been to numerous times by now. The room had two doors, one across from the other, and most of the room was taken up by a large table with enough chairs for a full group and a few extra people.

“You made it!” Brother Orin said with a wide smile as the group entered and took a seat. “Sit, sit!” He made no motion to get up other than to smooth his robe when Jay and his friends entered the room. The man in the funny hat left right away. The hallway had been busy when they had been escorted in.

“Should I give you your briefing now or wait for your fifth member?” Orin asked.

M'redith shook her head, “Let's wait. I don't want you to have to start over again.”

“Oh, I wouldn't.” Orin said with a grin. “Perks of being in charge.”

“Hello everyone. Thank you for waiting for me.” Carly said in a businesslike tone as she glided in to the room. She wore a pale green robe and an expensive looking belt. She carried a gnarled looking staff. Her curly red hair bounced as she walked to one of the remaining seats and sat down as she set her pack behind her.

M'redith nodded but didn't say anything.

Orin watched the two for a moment before he began. “Thank you for taking this job. It means a great deal to the Church but possibly an even larger deal for myself. I'm at my wits end with all the applications for Kagan's Dome. We're booking dates going out years! It's too much. Ok. Enough of the why. On to the what!”

Carly adjusted her robe and checked the pouches hanging off of her belt. As she moved she sent a wave of sweet smelling perfume across the table.

M'redith looked a bit aghast. Who wears perfume to a dungeon run? Carly does, that's who.

Finding that her belongings were safely stowed and attached to her person she gave Brother Orin her undivided attention.

“Today you will be going to the Landlocked Lighthouse. It's a lighthouse and an old one. Its been around for at least hundreds if not thousands of years. Multiple floors, something at the top to fight. The interesting part is that it's in the middle of nowhere surrounded by land. Not an ocean within hundreds of miles.” Orin said as he scratched at his ear.

Aiden looked like he was about to say something before Brother Orin cut him off.

“And no, it's not just a tower. It's absolutely a lighthouse.” Brother Orin insisted.

Aiden listened attentively.

“It has that rotating light on top as well. Every now and then it gets some attention from a group of adventurers but they always come back with useless armor. It's a strange dungeon.” Orin said as his eyes went up and to the left and he became momentarily lost in thought.

M'redith cleared her throat after it had become clear that Brother Orin was not going to snap out of his thoughts on his own.

“Right. Sorry. It's just such a fascinating puzzle. There has to be a reason for the loot that drops in that dungeon. It drives me crazy not knowing.” Orin said, his attention wandering. “Anyway. There's nothing around the Lighthouse, no nearby settlements, no safe spot to use. So you're going in blind. You'll be ported to within at the most a day's walk of the Lighthouse.”

“The portal mage in the next room will provide M'redith with the devices needed to find the Lighthouse as well as a device to notify Portal House for pickup when you've all finished. With me so far?” he asked with a grin.

Everyone nodded.

Brother Orin continued after they had made it clear they understood him. “Next subject: Let's make it clear. M'redith is in charge for this run. She's the registered leader of Glimmerhide Group – who have been hired for this run. And you,” he said and turned to face Carly, singling her out. “You are joining Glimmerhide Group for a run. Your first I take it?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Carly nodded, “I've come prepared. I'll listen to M'redith.”

“You had better do more than listen,” Brother Orin replied with a sardonic look on his face. “You'll follow her directions to the letter. Agreed? I'll have your verbal agreement in front of everyone here please.” he insisted when Carly only gave a nod.

“Yes. I will follow her directions.” Carly replied a bit exasperated.

Not a great start, Jay thought to himself but didn't say anything.

“M'redith, even though the loot is historically useless you should still set up a default loot policy. What would you like to use?” Brother Orin asked.

M'redith didn't even pause, “Need before Greed. If no one needs then we sell it. Otherwise we roll the dice.” She grinned. She looked excited.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“Great. Any problems with that? If so say it now.” Brother Orin asked. No one had a problem with it. Even Carly looked fine with it.

“Next item. Your mission. Normally it would be to beat the dungeon but not today. Your primary mission is to locate and retrieve whatever item it is that the Church used to use to improve their dungeons – mainly to make it so they are instanced.” Brother Orin tried to explain but only made things more confusing.

Norri looked hesitant but finally found her courage and raised her hand. “Um. What does instanced mean again?”

Brother Orin yawned. “Excuse me. Instanced means that every time a group of five adventurers enter the dungeon they get their very own copy of the dungeon to run. Other groups won't run in to them and the opposite would be true as well. It lets multiple groups run a dungeon at the same time.”

Aiden pursed his lips before making a pop sound with them. “How many groups at once?”

Brother Orin looked at him and shrugged. “How should I know? We don't even know what the item is let alone how it works.”

No one had any questions. They were to search for a way to get an item that upgraded a dungeon. Without any idea of how to do so or what the item might look like. Easy.

Carly looked a little shocked, “So we're not fighting to the last boss?”

M'redith shook her head, “He didn't say that. Our priority is just on retrieving the dungeon upgrade item. We only skip a boss if it creates a conflict with getting that item.”

Carly nodded slightly and made a hmm noise.

Jay reached over and gave M'redith's thigh a light pat under the table. She looked over at him and laughed. “I'm not even being snarky!” she said in a low voice to him so no one would overhear.

Jay smiled but didn't reply.

Brother Orin sighed, “I know it sounds daunting, finding something you know nothing about, but you've an advantage over every other recorded group that has run that dungeon. You're a Traveler. So work with that. Scour the dungeon for anything Traveler related, anything that treats Travelers differently. Chances are that is where you'll find what we're looking for.”

Jay tilted his head to the side as he thought about it before he nodded in agreement. “That makes sense, thanks Brother. Should I call you Brother?”

Brother Orin laughed and his large frame shook when he did so. “Orin, Brother, whatever. If you find this thing for me you can call me whatever you want.”

The rest of the group laughed except for Carly who barely smiled but nodded.

“Anything else?” Brother Orin asked himself more than anyone else. “Money. I know you are being paid 1 gold each. The Church doesn't spend a lot the way your friend Walter does. Does everyone agree to the payment?” He asked. They had already agreed or Walter would never have sent them over but Brother Orin believed in making sure of it.

Everyone nodded.

“A gold is still a lot.” Norri said. She gave a shy smile when the others turned to her. Judging by Carly's facial expression she didn't seem to agree with Norri but didn't say anything.

“Ok then, that is it. You are all set with your main briefing. Why don't you run over your equipment one last time and then head in to the next room. M'redith, a word please?” Brother Orin asked as he got up and stepped away from the rest of the group.

Jay, Aiden, Norri, and Carly all got up and went over each other's equipment. They made sure it was securely fastened and would not rattle about while marching to the dungeon. They helped each other cinch their packs securely so that they would be more comfortable to carry. Finally they moved in to the second room. Jay gave a look behind him as he did so before M'redith lost him from sight.

“M'redith,” Brother Orin said a bit intensely but it worked because it got her attention. “be careful. This time you don't know what you're facing. There's no map. No guide. So be careful, and if things look overwhelming – come home. There is no shame in returning and recommending a stronger group make another attempt later. Ok?”

M'redith smiled and nodded. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome. Now go. The portal mage is waiting for you.” Brother Orin said with a smile as M'redith nodded and stepped in to the adjoining room. The door closed behind her with a snick.

“There you are,” said a portal mage that looked a bit stressed out. “Have you ever led a run before?” she asked as she looked at M'redith with a serious stare.

“No.” M'redith answered simply but couldn't help smiling. It was exciting. Norri was grinning too. Aiden looked bored and Carly looked put-out as if she had been dragged along on a family vacation she wasn't sure she wanted to be on.

“Ok. Here is your tracker,” the mage said and handed her a square device with a half circle screen. “Activates on its own. Follow the red blip and it will lead you to the Lighthouse. Easy, right?”

M'redith looked closely at the device before shrugging. It seemed easy enough.

“Second device – you've seen one of these in use before I take it?” the portal mage asked as she handed M'redith a device about the size of a baseball. “When you're ready to come home and in a safe spot press there,” she said while pointing to a gray button. “This one here,” she said while pointing to a red button, “will let us know you're in a dangerous spot. Press the button again to turn it off.”

“The device takes time to link up with Portal House, how long is impossible to estimate. So try to make sure you're well hidden before using it.” the portal mage insisted.

M'redith nodded.

“That's it. Looks like the portal is ready. If no one has any questions? No? Well then good luck and we'll see you soon!” the portal mage said with a smile.

A second portal mage was handling the actual portal and Jay's group stepped up to a swirling oval hovering in the air.

“Let's go!” M'redith said a bit loudly as she ran through the portal and her group followed her. Carly went last.