Velua WatchfulBronze sat with bated breath far from the edge of the dungeon’s perimeter. From what they could tell it seemed to be actively purifying the area around it. A sixty foot radius around the dungeon had splotches and marks of green amongst the dangerous leech grass. Her crew had all of course worn their dwarven greaves since they entered the swamp, since there were plenty of things that could kill a man without him even realizing it.

She looked away from the direction of the dungeon, contemplating the way that Elbur had died. He was a young dwarf, even younger than Primmy or Belda; no older than twenty she would assume. He was so close to her when it happened, there should have been some way that she could reach out her hand and save him. She shook herself out of the thought, trying to focus on her mission.

She had Dle looking around the perimeter to make sure that this wasn’t some kind of trick, or if there was a trap in the front of the dungeon. She glanced at the other three left of her little group. Molin had somehow survived, the old bastard showing that he didn’t get to such an advanced age by luck alone. The remaining of the MeltBlaze brothers were not speaking to each other, clearly whatever fight they had been having still persisted. She didn’t know what about anymore, and she didn’t care so long as the work got done today.

“Your ladiness, looks like there’s only two beasties outside the dungeon. A couple of sparkly beetles hangin out on the porch.” Dle said loudly as he approached, the oaf having not learned that silence was a virtue in this place. How it was he persisted and not the silent Elbur must have been one of those cruel jokes only gods delivered upon the unfortunate. That seemed to be all the brothers were, some kind of divine punishment that all of Igdolith had to deal with.

“Shut yer mouth if ya aren’t going to be quiet 'bout it!” She snarled at him as she bared her fangs like a feral beast, clearly not playing anymore games with these fools. “Those are most likely guardians. Some dungeons have them to protect the entrance. Don’t know much 'bout dungeons in this area, but guardians ain’t always aggressive. So, we will all approach calm like, make sure they don’t see us as a threat.” She said firmly, the lot of them all giving polite nods in agreement. She was inexperienced in many things, but no one questioned the greatest delver of the mountain.

“You lot. Behind me.” She said firmly as she had them fall in line behind her as she marched towards the unassuming shack. The moment she passed the border from the regular world into the dungeon’s domain she got the distinct feeling of eyes upon her. She had felt it rarely when she was within Whispering Stone, since the core often did not have time for visitors such as herself. This dungeon must not get visitors often, and was curious about what they had to offer.

She could hear the MeltBlazes grunt when the feeling of the dungeon’s eyes passed over them. Few dwarves saw the benefit of delving into dungeons beyond training one’s physical prowess, but Velua knew better than that. They were places of great intelligence, with wise beings watching over them. The building they were approaching, it may seem like a run-down building that was better off knocked over, but it wasn’t. Within was a whole other world of strange possibilities, and adventures to be had. The question was how the hammer got here, and if they would be able to pry it from whatever boss the dungeon had waiting for them.

“Well hey dere’ adventurers! Welcome to the Red dungeon!” Chittered one of the strange golden beetle creatures said happily as it waved a hand at them. The voice was masculine, and the accent was something that Velua had never heard before. It was very in the cheek but at the same a warm tone that had a certain friendliness ingrained. The one who spoke was the smaller of the two, wearing a strange blue outfit that covered its form, and a bristly patch of fur under its horn.

“Thank you, door guardian. We seek to enter the dungeon for the sake of our people. Seers tell us that this dungeon may be home to the lost hammer of our king.” She explained before a frown crossed her lips, both of the guardians flinching as if they had just heard an abrupt and startling noise. She had no idea what it was, but there was a good chance that the dungeon core had said something to them.

“The dungeon is… excited to see you. He says welcome to his home, but be mindful of signs. Rules of signs are absolute. Ignoring them is to put yourself at risk.” The larger of the two announced, a female in clothing made of leaves and grasses from the local area. The female had a different accent, more guttural and clearly different from her compatriot. Velua didn’t know what to make of them, since she had never in her life heard of monsters or minions like these two.

“Alright, we will keep an eye out for any signs ‘n make sure to read ‘em.” She said with a nod, accepting the terms that the door guardians gave, glad that there were not a load of rules that were put down all at once. She had heard there was a dungeon to the east where someone had to sign twenty pages of rules otherwise the doors wouldn’t budge no matter how hard you pushed on them.

“Then welcome! To the Red Dungeon!” They both announced before the door of the dungeon opened up for the group, a bright light nearly blinding them in the overcast day that the swamp was experiencing. Velua stepped forward as her eyes began to adjust, realizing that it was a bright sunny day on the other side of the dungeon’s entrance. What a strange name, the Red dungeon, when everything was such beautiful colors apart from the namesake. The five of them stepped into the dungeon, and found that they were still outside. A pleasant blue sky was nearly blocked out by a towering tree bigger than any of them had seen in their lives.

Their noses twitched, rot and decay no longer around them, and instead filled with flowers and blooming grasses as they walked into what seemed to be a massive palatial garden. Bees buzzed along as they performed their dance from one flower to another, but with those gentle black and yellow creatures was something else. Every once in a while a glowing sphere shining amongst the flowers that were tended to so perfectly.

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“Fairies… this floor is of the fey. That means no one should share their names, and don’t trust anything that is told to you.” Molin whispered to the group as they watched a glowing orange light in a nearby bush flitter away, the outline of a humanoid within the light.

There was a certain disconnect that came with entering such a magical place after being in The Peninsula, as if they were in some kind of dream land. The group gently began to fan out from the entrance, their weapons drawn as they waited for the first trap. If this place was anything like Whispering Stone, then there would be a deadly trick right from the entrance. Velua was the farthest from the door, being the most experienced with dungeons meant that she knew the telltale signs of what the attitude was coming into a floor.

The first of the actual signs became apparent to her as she stepped towards more of the flowerbeds that sported so many beautiful things. It was a simple wooden sign with red paint upon it, she stared at it for a moment before the symbols changed into that of her native tongue. She was glad that the Language of Dungeons existed, otherwise the signs would be worthless to all who enter.

“Mind the flowerbeds, you never know what’s sleeping. Wake a Snap-Drake, and you’ll end up weeping?” She announced to the group as she tried to make sense of it, not knowing why it would rhyme or what a Snap-Drake was. She could only assume from the latter part of the name that it was something draconic, but normally dungeons weren’t supposed to have draconic enemies on the entrance floor.

“Well, that is certainly a strange warning. But the guardians spoke about the importance of signs. Perhaps it is a riddle? There seems to be a number of flowerbeds around here, and most of the plants I am seeing are rather poisonous.” Molin offered as he scratched his long gray beard, trying to understand what the sign could possibly mean.

“We’re wearin’ armor. Don’t got to worry ‘bout no poisonous plant.” Dum said with a grunt and a roll of the eyes before he began to stomp through the flowerbed that had the sign in it. His brothers quickly followed suit, ignoring the warning that had been put in place for them.

“Ya daft idjits! Stop ‘fore ya-” Velua was trying to get them to listen before suddenly there was a rush within the brush, and Dum was tossed up into the air.

“Fuck!” He shouted before he was suddenly between the jaws of a giant silver flower that was as big as the dwarf himself. As his brothers drew their weapons, they found themselves flung up into the air as well by similar plants. A blue one and a red one, but they were not the last of the horrors that emerged from the bushes. A full bouquet of baleful might rose like a hydra from the ground, their dwarven prey being shaken like a rat between a hunting dog’s jaws.

“Read the signs. Thas all the guardians told us to do! Now look at ya!” Velua said with a growl as she drew her sword, about to add a giant flower to the trophies that she would be bringing back to the Mountain to explain her journey. However the hand on her hilt was touched by another, Molin making a motion for her to keep her blade sheathed for the moment.

“Not all flowers need prunin', Velua. The boys are gettin roughed up, sure. But notice somethin’?” Molin gestured to the fact that while the MeltBlaze brothers were being tossed around like chew toys, none of the plants had gone for any more damage than was caused by gripping the dwarves between their petals. It seemed that the dungeon might be generous, giving these plants as a kind of warning to new adventurers. One could ignore the signs and live the hard way, or listen to the signs and avoid such peril.

Molin retrieved an aged copper flute from his pack, something that he had used to regale them with during their travels. Velua was not sure what he was going to do with that, but she was certain that it couldn’t be any less entertaining than watching the MeltBronzes be thrown around till they were green in the gills.

The elder dwarf began to play upon the flute a soft tune, something that Velua actually recognized from her childhood. She had never heard it played on a flute before, but it was the tune that her mother sang to her and each of her sisters while they were growing up. She pondered it for a second, trying to remember the name of the old dwarven melody. “Of Whisper and Wonder?” She spoke aloud, receiving a smiling glint in the eye of the older dwarf, clearly happy with her recognizing his tune.

He continued to play as the Snap-Drakes threw around their playthings, before the plants slowly began to lower towards the ground on their stems. The sound of rustling leaves and rub of branch against bark were the only thing the flowers had akin to snoring, but certainly enough that is what Velua heard. She was rather impressed, having never managed to see a bard throw around their magical might in such a way.

Twi, Dle, and Dum panted as they were on the ground, Dle even having to empty out his stomach from all the waving around he had experienced. At the very least it seemed that they would learn their lessons about the signs. However, Twi and Dum did something that Velua had not expected of them. They grabbed their weapons from the ground and began to dispatch the sleeping flowers that had assaulted them.

“What in the bloody hell are ya doin’?! They stopped attackin’, you lot provoked them!” She said in horror as she looked at the dwarves being so brutal despite the simple and even friendly nature of the plants that had been playing with them.

“Nothin’ in a dungeon ain’t a threat. Better kill ‘em off now than worry ‘bout it later. ‘Sides, no one makes fun of the MeltBronze brothers and gets away with it. Dumb plants.” Dum growled out with malice in his voice, punctuating his distaste for the plants with a spit on the shattered remains of the silver petals.

Velua grit her teeth, wanting to say so many foul curses against them for doing such a heinous act, before Molin yet again steadied her hand. “Don’t worry, Velua. They’re dungeon make, they’ll be back tomorrow. No sense weepin’ for what ain’t truly dead.” He said softly, giving her a pat on the shoulder as she glared at the brothers.

“Fine… but we stay out of the garden beds.” She insisted as she began to walk around the Snap-Drake bed, clearly upset as she stomped along. She side-eyed the brothers, noticing them glaring at her and whispering something as they always did. She wondered what it was this time, not that she actually cared about their opinions. She turned away and focused on her destination, deciding that the big tree was the best place to go first. Looking away just in time to miss Twi pointing at Molin, the other two giving a nod of agreement.