Chrysalis

The practice of Delving into the Dungeon is as old as the Rending. No sooner had the desperate struggle for survival begun than people were throwing themselves into the depths, desperate to find the tools they needed to fight back against the onslaught.

Most died, but some didn’t, and even fewer actually became good at plunging into the depths. Being able to descend, fight, gather materials, and return alive, was exceptionally valuable, and therefore lucrative.

Just like that, the practice of Dungeon Delving as an enterprise was born. At first it was largely unorganised and unregulated, but as the devastation of the Rending began to fade, and exploration became safer and more common, the delvers began to cooperate and merge, forming societies, organisations and guilds, to ensure they were treated fairly and to protect their interests from interlopers.

Over centuries, these groups gradually converged to form the major Delving associations that still exist in modern times. The Mercenary Guild remains the largest and most powerful, most who seek materials or wish to lay contracts against certain monsters will always post the task within their halls.

- Excerpt from “Society and the Dungeon” by Antuar

“Hoo boy,” Drake's eyes shot up as he beheld the new entry on the board.

His voice drew eyes, which led to further exclamations in turn, attracting yet more, until a crowd gathered, mercs discussing the new development.

Turning his back on the glowing bounty board, Drake made his way back to the table around which the rest of his crew sat.

“Not sure I appreciate that glint in your eye, mate,” Lacos drawled, the scaly-skinned Brathian’s eyes sharpening as he sensed a development.

“Contract just went up. Big one.”

The group turned in their seats to look at the crowd gathered around the board, now four people deep.

“Holy heck. Look at them go. This must be for huge money! How much is it? Wait, don’t tell me. Actually, tell me. No! Shut up! There’s no way it's worth the trouble.”

Drake smiled.

At least let me give you the information before you make

held up a hand, then thought better of it and raised both, for increased emphasis. “Big numbers have a detrimental effect on the merc mind. Ninety percent of deaths happen on big jobs at

you make up those

reward means big danger. We don’t need

began to squawk in

going to bring in a heck of a lot of eyes, and I think more than a few will go for it, but that doesn’t

Lacos stroked his scaled

job was posted by the Path. Seems they’ve detected some

tree?” Elly

“The tree,” Drake emphasised.

“Oh.”

pretty big, estimated

Monsters at that stage of evolution were a big deal. Deadly, hard to kill, but worth a fortune if you could pull

Lacos frowned.

“Mythic…. That’s dangerous.”

with the monster. If we can get to it before it wakes up, it’s free

times have we heard stories of delvers walking up to an evolving beast, only for the thing to wake up right before they stab it? Did

Drake shook

too dangerous,

second,” he said, “there’s more to it than just the big beast, although that’s the main prize. For whatever reason, this monster is being

Elly stared at him.