As word spread through the land about the war between a Dungeon and the former Noble, Lord Ricard Motvilea, the actions of the Dungeon. The gruesome execution and death sentence that was put forth, and the challenge to all others who wanted to exert dominance, the adventurers guild placed several new contracts for the Dungeon of the Dead. No one had truly decided on a good name for it, nothing was known about it outside of what it called itself, which was mind-blowing in its own right, or what the people called it. Some of the job requests said to explore the Dungeon of the Reaper, others wanted information on the Dungeon of the Victor and others still wanted the same information as the previous two on the Dungeon of the Invader. Regardless what you called it, the adventurers all called it the same thing. The Dungeon of everlasting wealth. Not for the fact they'd ever been there, or it was overflowing with money, but all of the jobs posted for the Dungeon had payouts five times higher than what was normal.
Information on traps, and description of the mechanism, Fifty gold pieces, and with each faction of the Kingdom offering their own bounties that is one hundred and fifty gold pieces for finding one trap and setting it off. One gold piece could last an adventurer at least a week, and that's if they felt enticed to go get drunk every night. What spurred the boom of adventurers arriving to the island of the dead was that the Dungeon had a voice. Turning history and what was thought to be facts on its head. Allowing people to surrender and carrying them up to safety at the cost of one piece of equipment. More than just that, but after the first few people gave up on the Dungeon, the Dungeon itself offered a bounty. The prize - a wish, within reason, to whoever, or whichever group got to the room listed as the Lower Tomb.
No one could explain why a dungeon would offer a reward for Delvers to enter and reach a location, and no one understood why a dungeon would willingly spare a person for a piece of gear, when it could just kill them and keep all their stuff. When asked, Lady Erifis simply said, "One of the tasks of Dungeons is to improve the people that enter them, and the dead don't improve. Those who survive will come back stronger and more wise. As for the bounty offered by the Dungeon Core itself, he wants people to see what he's made. Like an artist wants their work to be appreciated, I'll say that I've seen it all- at times it's serene and beautiful, designed to look like the ruin of an old civilization. There is very little magic there but what is enchanted is done so to a degree I feel like I don't have words for."
"Think not on our Dungeon as a horrendous foul entity, lacking emotions, or care for the living as others do, think of him like a friend, a mentor, a colleague, a doting father who just wants all the children in the world to succeed at what they do, to be the best version of themselves and to not step on others as they climb up." When asked about what she meant when she said she'd seen it all she seemed a bit embarrassed at first, then elaborated for our readers.
"Every room, every chamber, every brick was placed carefully and carved almost like it was by hand, grooves were added and flawless pillars of stone were artificially aged. Seeds were planted and spread throughout to make it seem like they've taken root over hundreds of years, but it's only been here for seven. There's some things down there that are so beautiful I could see the nobility of the land, perhaps even the King fighting eachother for a chance to claim them. I've seen the Core as well. A beautiful black diamond, specks of white visible under the scarred surface, like stars in the night sky. The plinth it sits on has things the Dungeon cares about engraved on it. Things that I'll tell you no other Dungeon would care about. Other Cores had things like Power, Strength, and Growth on them - ours here, he doesn't want me to tell you all of it but I'll reveal the first three." She smiled while saying this, the Reaper floating in the room we did the interview for this article in didn't look pleased crossing it's arms and glaring at Lady Erifis.
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"The biggest engraving on the plinth, and the one above all the others is Justice. This can be seen here on the island aboveground too. By being here on the island you agree to the laws, and any violations to those laws comes with an equal punishment from the Reaper, sometimes you just get dropped in the ocean, other times..... let's just say it is comparable to the crime... The second biggest engraving is Compassion, again it can be seen here on the surface too. As people arrive houses are summoned forth from the aether of nothingness, food is provided and water is as well. A couple of elderly citizens here were talking the other day about how this is a paradise, where they haven't had to work for anything except for specialty goods. It's visible when you look at me and realize I was a servant for half my life, now I'm essentially the mayor of the island, because I'm the only one here that can understand him." As she said that and pointed at the Reaper floating in the corner of the room it waved it's hand at us and let out groaning noises, which Lady Erifis quickly assured us was a Hello, and an offer to join them for a song later.
"Funny enough, that leads into the third engraving, the only one that I don't think fits but, the Dungeon argues otherwise. It is Music, our resident spirit is very good at playing the piano, very very good, and the entire time I've been here on the island I haven't missed a performance. That said he needs to work on his singing, and he performs songs in the church at the highest natural point on the island, in fact a crowd is likely gathering there now and it's probably why he looks so impatient." She laughed and led our team to the church to enjoy the music put on by the strangest Dungeon we've ever done a report on. We hope to entertain our readers next week as we have decided to attempt to earn that wish.
Erifis hated how Thomas wanted her to sound teasing and to poke fun at him for the interview. It hurt to be mean, even playfully so - to the being that had given her so much. He was indeed a being, a soul from another plane of existence cut short in the prime of it's life. She had found out the whole story, Thomas wasn't one to lie, as there was no point in it from his perspective. She had asked and he had answered, being his voice came with newfound respect from the citizens of the Island. She didn't want to be treated like a Noble, everyone here is equal. It was her favorite thing about the Island.
They had sat on a bench of stone with a big black gecko demanding head pats like a puppy, staring out at the ocean floor through the biggest and most beautiful crystal wall for hours. Then they went to the Core room, after Erifis had asked to see it of course. The description she gave to the news team was one she considered would be accurate to Thomas maybe. Her description would have been more..... Everything. Take all of the stars in the sky and add the blues purples and blacks from the deepest nights when the clouds are gone. Sprinkle over the surface glitter so that it shines and then coat it in ice. Light that ice on fire and scratch it up a bit , and that is just the start of how she would describe it. It was large, the gem itself would be big enough to fit a person inside of it. The pedestal was more like a large marble block. Covered in hundreds of words, every word singing to her soul that she has made the right decision. She was happy. Thomas was too, tomorrow his hidden artwork of beauty would have people to witness it at last, and on his Seventh birthday no less.