Somewhere underground, a curious young creature begins to stir. Known to most of the world as a dungeon core, little is known of them beyond the fact that they are sentient, sapient even in some cases, gems in control of cave networks, underground springs, and even entire pocket dimensions in the later stages. How they propagate is unknown. How they wind up in the areas they do is unknown. How or why they exist is unknown.

The focus of our attention is a small piece of aquamarine, to those more knowledgeable, a young dungeon with a higher than average water affinity. What they wouldn’t realize is that aquamarine is an example of what would be known as a High-Dungeon, an uncommon variant born with sapience. As time passes, the gem begins to stir, until the moment this self-awareness finally kicks in.

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Though still far too young to know language, thoughts and ideas begin to race, until finally a single concept becomes louder than the rest.

“what?”

A simple word, applied to the confusion the being is dealing with. And then, the answer.

Hello, little dungeon core, and welcome to the world!