Liscern Pinniard, Guild Master of Lorthalt, watched as adventurer’s went about their new tasks of guarding the entrance of a dungeon. Groups that had previously been running the dungeon, doing what adventurer’s do, were now sitting around the hastily built earthen walls that had been placed around the entrance. Liscern watched as her assistant and partner, Lorekeeper Ophelia Memori, wrangled more of the men and women to continue work on building up defenses outside of the dungeon. Who knew being an over qualified historian would include knowledge of siege tactics?
As had happened many times before, Liscern’s eyes ended up on the statue that had lifted from the ground three days ago. Made from a stone meant to mimic a bright green jade, the serpent headed man seemed to stand guard over the entrance to the dungeon. Many of the Guild’s members who had any kind of historical knowledge had poured over the statue and entrance, or entrances. Where there had been one open cave like hole leading into the dungeon, were now three closed gates.
The largest, at around twelve feet tall, was set under the statue of the serpent man. To each side were smaller gates, standing around eight feet tall. Petroglyphs were carved into the walls, showing multiple scenes of snake people. The one that had caught all the would-be historian's eyes, was the one depicting a woman being served by others.
She was brought out of her contemplations as a slightly taller woman stepped up beside her. Wearing the robes of a priestess of the goddess of the sun, she was younger than Liscern by more than two decades. Dark brown hair was hidden within the hood of her robes, and just as dark brown eyes looked almost pleadingly at her.
Turning her head slightly, Liscern looked at the other woman and waited. And waited more, as the younger woman started to fidget. Rolling her eyes, Liscern turned back to watch the activities before her.
“Well, Delava, am I going to get an explanation for your arrival now?” she asked. “I mean, not even a full day and you and the rest of the Sunsworn arrive babbling cryptic words from your goddess. I would have thought your mother taught you better than to engage in the politics of the temples… at least, with family.”
The young woman winced, looking down at her feet before speaking. “I’m sorry, Aunt Liscern,” she started. “Brother Hadock is rather… intense, in his piety.”
“Ha, intense? Child, priests like him give the rest of you a bad name. Now, get to the point. Why are you here and how did you know to come here?”
Delava inhaled deeply before speaking, picking her words carefully. “Several of the temple's elders received a visitation from servants of Anderis. A simple message, really,” she began, her voice taking on a different tone as she repeated the message. “My sister desires assistance, go to the reborn dungeon south of Acantid.”
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She looked at the older woman, giving an apologetic shrug. “That’s it. That’s all that was told. I was chosen to come, because of the bonds of our family.”
Liscern sighed, shaking her head. It had been longer than this girl had been alive since she’d last partied with the warrior Thren and the priestess Emadra. They’d parted ways after a near disastrous run through a dungeon, with only a handful of visits over the years. “I know your mother, girl, she doesn’t like using family to play temple politics.”
“I know, she wasn’t happy that I was being sent here for this reason. She did say though I should take the opportunity to run the dungeon, maybe get taken along by my two aunties?” Delava tried, a small hopeful smile that she’d survive another day.
Her response was a snort from the older woman. Liscern shook her head, not trying to keep her amusement from her face. “Sure, as soon as the dungeon opens…”
She’d started to say more, when sounds of approaching horsemen reached her ears. “What now?” she said, turning to face the direction of the commotion.
Lightly armored men and women rode towards the two, wearing the colors of the Barony of Acantid. The riders stopped a short distance from them, one dismounting and removing a helm to reveal an older man near Liscern’s age. His short black hair was speckled with grey, only adding to the air of authority he seemed to carry. “Lissie!” he cried out, a grin upon his lips. “Tell me what you’ve done with my dungeon!”
“Your dungeon? Come now, Baron. We both know the Empire has decreed all dungeons are the purview of the Adventurer’s Guild.” She had a matching grin on her face as the man walked over, reaching out to clasp arms with him. “Didn’t expect you here until tomorrow, Berav.”
The man had the decency to look sheepish, giving a quick glance to the men and women who were dismounting and taking the horses away. “I got Annea to take over some of the more onerous duties so I could come out. As much as I needed a break away from all that, this is something rather important. A dungeon rebuilding itself? No longer just a cave on a hillside but what looks to be a temple or something?”
He was looking at the statue, having moved towards the bulwarks in place before it. “And a Core Guardian coming to the surface, speaking to people and giving instructions? This is all unheard of, Lissie. The Emperor has been spending coins left and right getting messages back and forth wanting to know what’s going on.”
She sighed, which she had been doing a lot of lately, shaking her head. “Oh, it gets better. My lord Baron Acantid, this is Delava Thrensdotter. She is a sword of Anderis. Who, by the way, sent some of her Sunsworn out, apparently before this all started happening.”
The Baron blinked, looking at the young woman in question, who had the grace to blush as she gave a bow. “My lord, it is a pleasure to meet you.”
“I’m sure it is,” he said with a frown. “I can understand the temples getting involved with all of this, it is happening in other parts of the Empire and world in general if all the messages are true.”
“What?” Delava asked, looking to the Guild Master, who’s eyes had widened and mouth had dropped a little.
“Where, Berav? What other dungeons? All of them?” Liscern asked.
The man started to answer, but stopped and turned towards the left, smaller gate. Sounds of stone on stone were breaking through the din of noise around the dungeon.
“Well… Maybe some of your questions will get answered soon, Lissie.”