159 Underground Fores (1/2)
To reach the Underground Forest, which was the group's destination, they had to circle the city's entrance and walk up a path on the side of a large wall. On top of there, a tunnel with moss ground around it would signal the dungeon's entrance. It took around one hour to arrive but just 30 to 40 minutes to go back. The climb was very long and steep, making most groups stop by the entrance before heading in.
There was a small procession of people climbing the path. In the platform above, several benches were carved from the stone walls where people were resting before entering the dungeon. Even though most people in this room worked in the mines or the forges, there was still a considerable amount going for the dungeons.
According to Tom, the Flood was the most popular dungeon. Since it was very straightforward and with a few strong earth spells, it was easy to complete the quest with minimal effort by just blocking out the area they had to protect. Then it was the Underground Forest. People didn't run it so much because of the difficulty of hitting the small spirits.
The secret tunnel was the less populated dungeon, despite being the one with the best rewards. Since people would appear randomly inside the labyrinth, anyone who challenged it would need to be prepared to sleep inside the dungeon and to face something unpredictable right from the start. At the same time, it was the favorite place for people who liked to gamble. If they got lucky, they could appear right by the entrance, allowing them to finish the quest in minutes. The unlucky ones could be stuck inside the labyrinth for days.
”Is there anything else we need to know before going inside?” Hera asked.
”I do not believe so. The monsters we are about to face are not much of a threat. Just watch out for the tendrils. In the moments where other information becomes relevant, we shall stop and discuss strategy,” Tom explained. They nodded and headed inside the moss-covered tunnel.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Underground Forest Entrance
Area type: Dungeon
A tunnel leading to the underground mushroom forest.
The extreme elemental forces inside the forest destroyed all the flora inside, which allowed the fungi to grow with the elements.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Before stepping inside, Tom turned around, ”I need to confirm one thing. Is there someone prone to seizures among us?”
As they stepped outside the tunnel, Hera saw an enormous expanse filled with mushrooms. Their sizes varied wildly, from small ones that could fit on her hand to massive ones going up five meters and only stopping at the ceiling. The most strange thing about them was that all the mushrooms glowed in different colors. Some had a static hue, while others would shift slowly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You have discovered a mutation triggered by elemental forces.
Dungeon Quest:
The Fungi around the forest have mutated and acquired bioluminescence proprieties. This effect has disturbed ancient elemental spirits that were resting in the forest.
Appease the spirits and return them to their slumber.
First completion rewards:
Rewards: 7 000 gold, Elemental Accessory
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
”Tom, what kind of accessory we get here?” Hera asked after seeing the rewards. It was the first time the system was giving an actual piece of equipment.
”The system allows us to choose the type of adornment we want, but the element is restricted to those we see inside the dungeon,” Tom explained.
”Ok, but what it does?”
”It allows your spells or attacks to be imbued with damage that matches the element.”
”So. What element did you get?” Runir asked.
”I chose the light element, for a shining knight is a beacon of hope. Alas, it was but a foolish endeavor. While chasing the icon of a knight blessed by the light, I overlooked the basics of knighthood and became too reliant on its power. To correct my misgivings, I sold the amulet and trained my fundamentals,” Tom looked away while he spoke.
”Hold up. Why did you sell that? Couldn't you keep it around until you trained enough?” Blue asked.
Thomas gave Blue a sad smile, ”An addict will always relapse while its stash is around.”
Hera and Alex looked at each other, Runir seemed not to be bothered by the comment, but it was clearly a sore spot for Thomas.
”Ok, so what type of monster can we expect here? And these mushrooms, are they edible? Do we need to be careful with spores or something?” Alex tried to change the subject.
”The denizens of the forest are the small elemental spirits, called sprites. They are small light globes with wings. Not all are aggressive. However, they are easily disturbed. A change in the color of a mushroom or a loud noise can send them into a frenzy. I suggest that we first conclude our mission and, on a subsequent attempt, we chase your quests,” Tom gestured to both Hera and Alex. It was a good idea. Not only would they be able to understand how the dungeon worked but also they would have the accessory after completing the quest.
”The fungi present in this forest are not proper for consumption. Spores are not an existing issue, but I recommend a check-up when we return, just as a way to calm our minds,” Tom concluded before the group headed deeper into the forest.
Entering the mushroom forest was a bizarre experience. It was easy to see why people called this the rave dungeon. All the colors had a neon hue, while the only difference was their intensity. Hera felt lucky her gear didn't have any bright colors. At least she wouldn't be a beacon in the middle of this area. Alex's cloak was having trouble adjusting to the surroundings. Instead of triggering a chameleon's camouflage effect, the colors started to mix, creating a kaleidoscope on her back.
Blue triggered her shoulder guards, creating the white smoke around her arms. The lights made it look like her arms were clouds from an alien planet. Even Tom was having fun with the lights, moving his new rapier around, making it shine in different hues. Walking around, they went deeper into the forest, still not seeing anything aside from glowing mushrooms until the forest started to open more, now showing three different tunnels for them to go through.
”Where to now?” Runir asked.
”The quickest path would be to the right. But the one where we face the least trials is the one through the middle. However, the route will be longer,” Tom said.
”Should we go to the middle then? Since it's about seeing how this works.” Alex suggested.
”If we want to see how this works, wouldn't it be better to go to the left then? So we can explore everything,” Blue walked towards the left tunnel.
”It's better if we make sure we can finish the entire dungeon before exploring other branches. That way, even if we can't beat everything, we can at least complete the quest,” Hera replied.
”Why worry? The monsters in the room are easy. We can beat them without even getting hurt,” Blue scoffed.
”Yeah, it's not like a frog could headbutt you and make you fall to the ground. Right?” Alex replied, rolling her eyes.
”That was during the rampage! I'm much better now,” Blue protested.
”I admire your bravery, Blue. But do not allow your hubris to be your downfall. Monsters are dangerous creatures. It doesn't matter if you are strong or used to fighting them. We must always stay vigilant,” Tom said.
The entire group was staring at Blue with a serious expression. Even with the improvement, they all understood the dangers of fighting these creatures.
”I think you guys are overreacting, but fine. We can do it the safe way.”
Hera sighed as they walked towards the middle tunnel. Blue was already showing some signals of being careless since the rampage, but Hera didn't have a chance to talk to her about it. Hopefully, it won't be long before Hera could speak to her friend about that.
According to Thomas, the right path would take around 25 to 40 minutes, but there would be many monsters and twisting paths. It had been some time since he attempted this dungeon, and he didn't remember the correct route to arrive at the boss. The middle path would take about one hour to cross, but the walk would have fewer creatures, and they would be less clumped together, allowing the group to fight with more ease.