I awoke in complete and utter darkness. There was no faint trace of light, no slight glimmer to break the wall of dark. For a long moment I just stood there, mind blank. Well, considering that I don’t have legs, perhaps stood isn’t the right word. In fact, now that I looked, I didn’t seem to have a body. Or anything really. Panic began to set in as a total lack of information and the suddenness of my existence combined to produce a feeling shared by all sentient creatures, a fear of death.
I sat for a long, long time, afraid to think too loudly for fear of the unknown threats that might hear me. But nothing came, and I still had no idea of where or who I was. Finally, I ever so carefully reached out to the darkness. It was an instinctual thing, something no mortal could ever accomplish. Something unique to beings such as me, but I did not know that at the time. All I knew was that suddenly, I could see.
And I saw… rock. Specifically, quartz. It was hard to gauge the depth of the rock, but what I could see was pure, solid quartz, with no pockets. For a while I looked around, examining the quartz while looking for… something. Anything to tell me anything at all. My knowledge deficit was truly astounding. I had no memories of who I was or why I was here, or even what I was. All I knew was that I was.
After a while, I began to wonder what exactly I should do. As part of my basic sentience package, I knew I was not the only sentient being in existence, that there were others out there. But I had no idea how, or if, I should contact them. However, what I did know was that simply existing in this space would accomplish nothing. So, for the first time in my admittedly short existence, I reached out and pushed. As I focused my will to expand and meet other beings, the stone began to shift. It was only a small movement, just a lessening of the quartz density in an area, but it was enough to prove to myself that there was a way to reach the world. Another first came immediately afterwards, a sense of hope and purpose.
And then, I felt something. I had no body I could sense with, just a core of existence in a sea of stone. But if I did have a body, it would have been similar to a shiver down my spine. A presence, so much greater than me I was a pebble in comparison, swept over me. It did not seem hostile, nor did it feel welcoming. The feeling I got was that of pure impassivity, a complete lack of care for my life or death. It was not cruelty, the being simply did not care… and then the presence was gone, leaving me alone and mentally shivering as I struggled to comprehend what had just happened.
The presence faded, my usual complete solitude returning like a familiar blanket.
Almost.
A small light tickled at the edge of my senses. It was nothing like the terrifying presence or the stone around me. It exuded a warmth entirely separate from the physical. For a while I just looked at it, trying to understand this addition to my universe.
“Hey you!” A voice called from the light, scaring the living daylights out of me. The quartz around me fractured in response to my surprise, shocking me even more. After I had calmed down, I responded, more than a little uncertain.
“Uh… hey?”
“You mind if I stare at you for a while?” The being was practically buzzing with excitement. I did the equivalent of staring at, what was definitely, a her.
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“Sure... what's your name?”
“Ryia Amelia Gisela Cordelia. My friends call me Ryia. You have a name yet?”
“No.” I replied slowly. I hadn’t thought about a name, or even noticed I didn’t have one. There had been no need.
“Alright, I'll give you one. Now let's see… you live in quartz… you're not crazy… and you're willing to talk to me. How about Granite?”
“Uh, ok?” I said uncertainty.
“Great! Now, before I forget, I’m supposed to go through this introduction.”
“Ok…” I felt like I had been saying that a lot.
“Welcome to the world.” Her voice lost its pep and slipped into the tone of a particularly boring rehearsed speech. “You're probably confused and wondering who and where you are. Not to fear, the World Core has information to help people in your situation.
“Firstly, you are a Dungeon Core. While there are many means for a Dungeon Core to be created, the most common is a formation of rock, almost always of high magical conductivity, that has been influenced by the magic around it to the point it has gained a baseline sentience. The World Core then steps in and imparts the information and habits associated with more complex thought. While the World Core has granted you this information, it leaves most cores free to pursue whatever tasks they wish.
“There are, however, three rules that must be followed for the good of all cores. Firstly, no combat with other cores. Secondly, a core must always keep its word. Finally,” she said this part with particular emphasis, although her wording made me pretty sure she was paraphrasing, “No messing with the Dungeon Whisps. That’s me. Beyond this, any actions are permissible, as the World Core acknowledges the ability of every core to make its own decisions.”
She fell silent, giving me time to process what I had just been told. I didn’t quite know how to feel. On one hand, I definitely wanted to be alive. But on the other, the idea that a World Core, whatever that was, had just instilled the basis for my entire sentience was… disconcerting.
“What’s a World Core?” I asked.
“The World Core is… well, it's hard to explain. It was, and I suppose still is, a core like you. Unlike you, there was no one to give it all the information that sentient beings possess. It had to figure out everything on its own. Nobody knows how long it has lived or what it does, only that it gives sentience to new cores and ensures those rules are followed.”
“Ok. I don’t mean to be rude, but why are you here?”
“I’m... a guide. I’m here to help you figure out how the world works, and help you be the best Dungeon Core you can be. Now I know this is a lot to take in, but we're burning time here. Do you know what you want to do yet?”
“No. Honestly, I don’t know what I can do yet.”
“There are plenty of things for a Dungeon Core to do. Some build their own civilization deep underground, so deep even the dwarves can’t reach them. Some experiment, trying to seek out knowledge. Others create kill zones where nobody who goes in ever comes out again. Just between you and me, those guys are a little crazy.” She said that last part in a stage whisper. I suddenly realized we weren’t talking. At least, not vocally. I was still encased in solid quartz, but I could understand her just fine.
“However, the most common thing for a Core to do is to create a dungeon. This is sort of a deal with the other sentients. You create a place that will try to kill them, but if they survive you give them treasure.”
“That sounds horrible.” I replied, appalled.
“It’s not as bad as it sounds,” She sounded like she was holding back giggles at the very idea of a dungeon. “In fact, if there isn’t a dungeon in the area the people there will do their best to bring one in. A dungeon brings wealth and prosperity to those who live around it. Dungeons are my favorite.”
I thought about it for a long time. While I didn’t see the appeal of a dungeon, it wasn’t like I had a better idea. On top of that, I had the feeling I would be seeing a lot of Ryia, and doing something she liked seemed like a good idea.
“How do we start?”