Dale, a failed artist, dies while crossing the street. His corpulent body lasted long enough to allow him to know of his humiliation. Transported through the aether, his soul was captured in a fantasy land by an experiment to recreate dungeon cores. Gem-like stones which are the gateways for unlimited mana to enter the new world he finds himself in.
His escape from the magical experiment results in the death of an unnamed assistant as well as the kingdom's strongest human magician. A strong supporter of the [Rebel King] dying in such an unusual manner, one the inquisitor could only determine was a dry run for the King's own head, left the King unnerved and irrational.
Gaining magical space distorting power brought the attention of the gods, and one small little scary god, Denda: Goddess of Fate, [Thieves], and Cunning. Being the god of Fate, Denda could see an extended twisting plan to profit off this newest pawn to the board. Offering gifts and help to Dale in exchange for him becoming Coldona's [High Priest] and representation of challenge to the mortals. This plan was designed to save Coldona from shifting domains and becoming more monstrous and eventually evil as well as a secret plan for Denda and the rest of her family.
Sending Dale off to visit the Dwarves gave time for the [Rebel King] to become more unnerved while Dale gained essential training in the ways of ordered and calm dungeon delvers. Dale's visit to the Lizard people, the Kobolds, showed him what tricky trap builders could do when delving in his dungeon while also providing a lovely bit of entertainment he called 'the Lizard Love Triangle.' This triangle was between 'Romeo,' 'Lady Lizard,' and 'Shortstop,' the heir apparent to the tribe and her two guards.
After disrupting the Kobolds by providing prizes and Achievements, language training orbs, and spell orbs, Dale changed directions and headed into a town near the capital of the kingdom. Dale's return to the kingdom triggered the King's skill for detecting rebellions (of which Dale unwittingly took part because of his unlawful escape from lawful imprisonment). The King's increasingly erratic behavior upset the nobles and had them eyeing the King for future political opportunities.
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While Dale did his dungeon thing in a small town, the King and his soldiers rode to destroy the city and the budding 'rebellion' it contained. Before the King arrived Dale moved on to the capital, leaving the King further unhinged and upset. After Denda warned the King not to attack the dungeon, the King requested assistance from the temple of Vetta. A religious order outlawed from the kingdom because of its previous evil actions. The temple used this as an excuse to return to the nation, the apparent unstable nature of the kingdom now exposed. As a thin fig leaf of respectability, they send a paladin to destroy the dungeon to fulfill the King's deal.
When Yargo, the young paladin, reaches the dungeon she teams up with a dimensional magician to enter the dungeon and destroy Dale! Though secretly, the dimensional mage is working on behalf of his god per Denda's plan. Yargo is defeated while drawing power directly from her goddess while in a direct contest with another god's representative in a challenge. Dale winning this conflict, against a much more powerful Goddess' representation, was enough power to allow Coldona to start the Pantheon of the Grey. This new Pantheon provided a home for her family; the gods and goddesses of a less kind disposition compared to the rest of the previous Pantheon.
Denda had also set up a secret which had to follow mysterious and convoluted rules that could be discovered only under extraordinary conditions. These secrets, exposed in the right way at the right time and without even the guardian (Dale) knowing of the secret that they were guarding. This revelation allowed for Denda and her boyfriend to be married and have their daughter, Siv the goddess of Whispers.
Vetta Goddess of Order and Light, strongest of the gods, visited Dale, informing him that he was required to provide her one challenge specifically designed for determining the worth of a future champion, as payment for harming her reputation.
The Gods
Goddess Coldona, Mother of Monsters, Birther of Dungeons, Goddess of Challenges.
Welden, the God of Wealth, Fame, and Magic.
Telden, the God of Travel, [Merchants], and Trade.
Hamndel, the God of Orphans, [Whores], and Slaves.
Vetta, the Goddess of Order and Light.
Denda, Goddess of Fate, [Thieves], and Cunning
Beld, the God of Secrets and Shadows
Siv, the Goddess of Whispers