The Tower in the Shadows

Mid-summer was pleasant in the valleys they were travelling through. Once again, he was travelling up the river from Tyboon.

Ranus was still riding an emotional high.

The last few months had been more rewarding than he ever expected. The route was now open along the Shadow Way River. His trading expedition was a greater success than he had planned and he sold the path to others as an additional source of income.

His father and mother were amazed. They talked him up to all their friends, much to the frustration of his brothers. The only thing from his family was his father had admonished him over selling the route and not trying to hold it longer.

The message he had sent proved to be the hardest to get going. There was disbelief, condescension and a few truth spells, but it had been acted upon.

And now, the journey's true success stood on his ship's deck.

There was a group of six people. Five were Adventurers from their dress and mannerisms. The sixth was the most important: an Adventure Guild assessor.

Dusk was the only other person who knew why they were on board. The cargo hold was filled with supplies to establish a base camp. They had not requested them, but he had bought them himself, so sure he was of his find.

He was again standing on the bow, looking ahead.

"How soon until we arrive?"

The voice surprised him as he had not heard anyone approach. Turning, he found the Assessor there.

"See the bend ahead? It is just beyond that. We will moor along the flood plain and await further instructions."

She nodded and turned, returning to the adventures that made up her escort.

"Soon."

Ranus said to himself as his dreams were finally in reach.

## ## ## ## ##

Gran and his team were standing on a small trader heading to what many thought was a fool's errand.

"A new Dungeon on Kyber. Do you believe it?"

Nilus, the group's archer, asked him. The crew were far from them, not wanting to attract their attention. They were a registered Copper grade team and their likes were only seen when there was trouble.

"We all know these lands have not seen a new Dungeon in over three hundred years. But we all know we cannot be sure until we have checked. The trader was convincing enough to get an assessor assigned to check."

He looked over his team: leader and a fighter good with a blade. Tobar is a giant of a man with a tower shield and mace. Nilus their archer. Kimor, the group rogue and finally, Mags healer/priestess. They were missing a dedicated magic user and they were being held back for it. They just have not found anyone that works with the group dynamics.

His group nodded at this, knowing that getting an assessor assigned to anything outside of a large town, let alone a guild building, was a significant feat.

The Assessor was returning from talking to the trader.

"Leader Gran. The trader has informed me that we should see the building in question shortly as it is around the bend ahead."

"Understood Assessor Woodland."

Gran was polite and formal. In the structure of the Guild, assessors were not to be trifled with. She was different from the rest. She appeared in her mid-thirties with pale skin and light brown hair. This, combined with emerald green eyes, hints she was from further west, deeper in the continent. She was dressed in a leather armour set with more pouches and bags attached to her by belts and a bandolier than practical. On her back was a large pack. The quality of everything was good and in excellent condition.

She was a stark contrast to his team. They were dressed in a wide assortment of gear and armour. It was well maintained but showed it had been used by years of activity.

They all looked past the bow of the ship. They were now just at the river bend. The wind was with them and they quickly turned it.

"There it is."

Nilus and his good eyes spotted it first.

"Definitely a Cythian Empire-era watch tower."

Assessor Woodland noted.

"Nilus, what's its condition?"

Gran and his team were now alert. Things may be about to become interesting.

"Looks intact. No major structural collapse."

That was a major red flag to them. Sure, the building might have been occupied over the years and been maintained. But all the reports were clear: the valley had been abandoned as far as anyone was concerned since before the fall of the Old Empire.

"Standard approach. Check the building exterior, then we go in."

They all nod and get their equipment together. The Assessor was competent as she did not interfere with Gran running his team. To this, Gran was grateful.

The ship moored and they disembarked. They had to wade the last few meters to shore. There was a lot of grumbling about water-logged boots. The floodplain was not that big and it was crossed quickly.

The group was standing inspecting the building. Assessor Woodland had pulled out a voice crystal and began speaking into it.

"Investigation target reached. As reported, it is a Cythian Empire-era watch tower. The initial external search is about to commence."

Gran nodded to his team and three broke off and went around the building. Leaving Mags, their team Priestess, with him and the Assessor.

"The building is overgrown with vegetation apart from the windows and main door. The overall structure appears sound, with no identifying signs of elemental decay."

The Assessor continued her examination.

The others circled the building, returning quickly. Nilus shook his head negatively.

"No signs of occupation at all?"

"Nothing, Gran, apart from a few ancient grave markers."

"Very well. We enter."

Gran faced the door. Tobar moved to block anything that might leap out, the others spread out, weapons ready. They had all become more tense as the strangeness of the situation continued to grow on them.

Gran had not drawn his sword, but his shield was strapped to his arm. He gripped the door handle and looked to Tobar. The big man nodded to say he was ready. Gran swung the door open.

The group tensed, ready for action, but nothing happened.

Gran drew his sword and looked inside. It was dark.

"Kimor, you're up."

The group's rogue moved forward and began inspecting the door frame. She pulled out and lit an oil lantern. They would not risk the mage lanterns yet.

"The frame's clear. So is the entranceway."

Kimor relayed the finds and the Assessor recorded them from the back.

"Advance!"

Gran's team went into the room, covering all possible angles.

"Clear!"

The rest of the team echoed his call.

"Assessor Woodland, you can enter."

She entered the room and looked about. She placed her pack on the table and pulled out a mage lantern. Once lit, they could see the room better—still no signs of any dangers. Gran walked over to her. She pulled another item from a pocket at her belt.

"Now we find out."

In her hand was an aura-sensing crystal. She focused a little mana into it, and it lit up. Within a few heartbeats, it turned purple. Gran noticed the voice crystal in her collar was still recording.

"Dungeon aura confirmed. The size and threat level of Dungeon are still to be determined."

Gran called to his team. Things now were severe. They were all excited as this was a new, undelved Dungeon. Who knows what they could find?

Woodland pulled a sheet of parchment from her pack and placed it on the table with an inkwell and quill. Gran knew what was going to happen.

"Tobar, guard that door. Kimor, search the room. We are mapping the Dungeon. You two call out anything odd."

The group sprang into action at his orders. Gran moved to stand next to Woodland as she worked. She was drawing a basic outline of the room. The Guild held dungeon maps, which were worth a shocking amount of money.

"Found something."

Kimor pulled out a small chest box from a cupboard and placed it on the other end of the table. After inspecting it, she seemed happy and opened it. Looking at the contents, she told them what was there.

"A bottle of wine and a bag of copper coins."

"Step away and allow inspection."

Kimor stepped away and Woodland moved around and took her place. Woodland was holding a wand handle with a slot in the top to swap out crystals. She pulled a green-tinted one from a pouch and slotted it into the wand.

It started to glow softly. She spilled the coins over the table. Waving the wand over them, she seemed happy, so she picked one up and inspected it.

"Cythian Empire copper coins. Four in total."

Gran's group looked at each other. This was a promising sign. Woodland moved to the bottle. Here, the crystal flares a sickly green. She picked up the bottle and inspected it.

"Cythian wine bottle. It's a good vintage and maker. Poisoned with a strong toxin. Type unknown."

That was a concern. This was not how Gran's team had encountered a dungeon entry before. Woodland was back at the parchment, making notes. Nilus walked over to Gran and whispered loud enough so both could hear him.

"There's something in the rafters."

"Do you know what?"

"Hard to say, Gran. But I think it's a sharoon."

"Dungeon minion?"

"Most likely Assessor Woodland."

"It has not attacked. An ambusher then?"

"Good chance of that."

It was hard, but Gran did not look up. Bringing attention that it was there might trigger it to attack. This was another odd thing about the Dungeon Woodland and he was noting.

"Your choice Leader Gran."

Another sign that Woodland was competent at her job was that she knew when to step aside and let him do his job.

"Kill it."

It was risky, but leaving it was a bigger one. Nilus was fast, notching an arrow and drawing the string in a few heartbeats. They all braced for violence. He aimed up tracking a target but did not loose the arrow.

"What's wrong?"

Gran asked.

"Lost the target."

Nilus was frowning as he eased from his firing position.

"Explain."

Woodland asked.

"It manipulated the shadows but disappeared on that rafter just above Tobar and the door."

Woodland frowned, picked up her lantern and walked, aiming it up.

"There's some form of hatch or flap."

Gran and Nilus joined her, looking up. They could see it now.

"Now that is odd."

Nilus said. An escape route for a dungeon minion?

"I will note it. Then, if there is nothing else, we move on."

Woodland's even tone was hinting at a note of confusion. This Dungeon was getting stranger by the minute.

Woodland pulled a board from her pack and attached the map she was creating to it. The inkwell is fitted to a holder in a corner. She picked it up once her pack was back on and nodded to Gran.

"Right, same again. The next room will be the tower base. According to the old plans, there are three doors. Stairs going up and down. Light your mage lanterns."

With Tobar leading the way, they moved to the next room. The other doors were closed. Each member of his team had their lanterns attached to their belts to allow them to have their hands free. This created issues, but they had trained to work around them.

"Clear!"

They all called again.

"No traps."

Kimor said after checking the room.

Woodland entered the base and began making notes on the map.

"Well, I expected a draft, but not this pronounced."

Mags commented. The hem of her robe was moving in the breeze.

"Well spotted Priestess Mags. It is not normal."

The air was cold and they would be shivering if they were not insulated by the layers they were wearing and stepping along the path.

"Tower and the wings first before we go down."

The three rooms and tower were empty of anything that interested the group. More flaps were discovered and their use was speculated on. But room by room, the confusion within the group only grew.

"Is it me, or is anyone finding this dungeon strange?"

Mags finally blurted out. No one disagreed with her, but they continued until they had to think about going into the basement.

"You have all gone over the plans. There should be four wings down there, matching the floor plan above. Keep aware we are descending."

They all nodded. Gran and Tobar walked down the stairs together. Two men should fit, no problem, but Tobar was much larger. The spiral stairs were open on the side, which helped. Coming down, they saw that the wings they expected were not present.

They reached the floor and stopped.

"What's wrong?"

Nilus asked from behind them.

"See for yourselves."

Tobar and Gran moved aside. The other four joined them, looking at the stairs that continued down.

"That's not right."

Mags said, looking around.

"Shouldn't this be after the floor guardian?"

Nilus was confused as they were all now. Woodland was writing frantically on the map while speaking.

"Dungeon has presented the survey team with, as far as I am aware, an unprecedented issue. It appears access to the next floor is not guarded by any form of minion or trap but is freely accessed."

Gran and his team looked at her and each other. They were all thinking the same thing: What should we do?

Gram thought and then looked at Woodland.

"Assessor Woodland, we will sweep the floor and then descend."

She looked up from her work and nodded, indicating that she understood. Again, Gran was glad she was competent and did not interfere with his leadership.

"Kimor, take the lead. Trust nothing, people. This place is… different"

Kimor was dressed in her dark clothing and had her hood up. They would never see her in the darkness down here if she had not lit her lantern, even with their improved senses.

She moved down the only route on the floor. The rest followed several steps behind. She reached the end and looked around.

"One door and one open doorway."

She told them.

"I can see into the room beyond somewhat no signs of danger."

"Can you open the door?"

Gran asked. The rest waited, knowing that it was best not to interfere. She went to the door and began inspecting it with her hands, eyes, and skills.

"The door is designed to open one way from the other side."

"We go through the doorway then."

Kimor was first through after checking the doorway for traps. His group were getting more agitated. Gran could tell. Nothing about this Dungeon was like the ones they had delved into before. Most of the time, the only sound was Woodland's quill scratching the parchment.

They entered the room wondering what this Dungeon had in store for them.