"Dodge left!" exclaimed a bearded man.
His shout reached the ears of a warrior within the attack range of the monster they faced.
Deep in the dungeon known as the Pitch Deep, located in the land of Karrow, to the south of Grokken, in the elven domain. The Pitch Deep wasn't the best-lit or driest dungeon. As far as any adventurer knew, it was a nightmare to navigate. A puddle couldn't be trusted; it could be more than 2 meters deep or home to a specific monster. Sharp rocks and valuable crystals adorned the walls, yet these adventurers sought none of those. The specific monster was the most valuable encounter they could stumble upon because they sought only one thing, and for that, they'd delve into any nightmarish, uncomfortable dungeon or cave.
The monster had an odd shape, with a pointed head resembling a snake or lizard. Discovered several months prior, it tore through other adventurers. The only information survivors shared was that it was slithery like a snake and emerged from puddles on the dungeon floor. They all confirmed these qualities and noted it wasn't listed in the index. The sound of an unknown monster would naturally deter adventurers, but these adventurers were different.
The average adventurer rarely ventured alone, usually operating in parties of 3 to 5, or even 10 on certain occasions, reporting to the nearest guild. The Golden Claw Adventurers were distinct; they functioned as an organization or clan with hundreds of members, consisting of no particular race. Their success was astronomical compared to any other party, as they didn't approach quests or missions like typical adventurers.
Every 10 to 20 years, The Golden Claw Adventurers released a popular book titled "The Index." It served as Grinfall's premier resource for information on monsters, races, and demons. Covering everything from common weaknesses to vulnerabilities and buffs to strengths, the index, established long ago, recently promised updates every 10-20 years or as needed.
The dodge the warrior executed was successful and saved his life. The bearded man, serving as the healer, support, and brains for the small party of Golden Claw Adventurers in the dungeon, let out a sigh of relief.
Several hours later, the party emerged from the dungeon entrance, relieved and exhausted. The group comprised 10 men, including the bearded human, Angrod Figmond. The rest exhibited a mix of races.
"Phew, feisty little sucker, wasn't he, pops? You saved my hide back there, thank you," remarked the orc warrior Gyor.
"No need to give thanks, Gyor. But I should thank all of you; now I have enough info on that monster to add it to the index. Just 27 more to go," declared Angrod Figmond.
"No need for thanks. How about that, Angrod? Who knew that a blade coated with saltwater or attacking the body when submerged would be its biggest weaknesses," added Gyor.
"Perhaps its outer skin hardens when exposed to the atmosphere, and saltwater is toxic because it's a freshwater monster. Maybe splashing regular water over its body would un-harden its shell."
"That brain of yours is something else," complimented an elf mage in the party to Angrod.
"I don't get it? Why? Oangus could've easily cut through that skin without needing any weaknesses!" questioned Kelvin, a new member.
Oangus, another orc warrior, laughed in response. "You must be the new boy… Kelvin, right?" Angrod responded.
"Yes, but I have plenty of experience raiding dungeons and fighting," Kelvin replied.
"He's with me, Angrod," added Vigor, a human warrior.
"Ah, I see, Vigor. Well, boy, if you are to be part of the Golden Claw, you have to know one important thing about us. Our goal isn't to kill or clear the way for another adventuring group. You are aware that we are responsible for completing the Index, right? When we encounter a monster like today, we ask ourselves: wouldn't it be a better idea to teach every person in the world about the unknown? If knowing your enemy saves lives, then why not know all enemies? You see, the goal isn't to kill but to study. If tomorrow a party raids this dungeon first, they would seek out any knowledge on it and any possible unique monsters they should worry about. Yes, of course, Oangus could even kill that monster merely by strangling it to death with his strength alone, but not everyone has the strength of such a fine warrior. In battle, knowledge is also key to victory," proclaimed Angrod.
"I… I guess I've never thought of it like that… of course! The index was the number one thing every party I was a part of referenced!"
"Haha, boy, I already explained this to you on the way to this dungeon!" Vigor laughed.
"Your explanation wasn't even understandable!" Kelvin screamed.
The group chuckled in unison. After a long day of uncovering the unknown, they dropped their gear and supplies, resting near a small fire. Laughs and drinks were shared.
—
Months passed after that day, and the remaining 27 monsters to discover dwindled to zero. Nestled in a kingdom within the land of Grokenn was one of the Golden Claw's buildings, arguably the most crucial. This particular building served as a guild hall and the location for printing the next index. Printing presses lined a designated area inside, while the main room functioned as a large, cozy office. The wooden room was adorned with a chaotic mess of papers strewn across the floor and walls. The first index was to be written with a pen and then mass-produced via the printing press.
Angrod Figmond, the writer, scratched his large gray beard and sighed. The deadline approached, and despite knowing this was the easiest part, he found himself behind.
"I hate being behind, but I guess that's the price you pay when most of your time is spent adventuring. They did offer me an assistant to do most of that work, but… ugh, I just love adventuring. That's the very reason I became a part of the Golden Claw. I'm nearing my retiring age, and that is how I want to spend the rest of my time… alas, I am stuck as the writer," he frustratingly expressed.
While he was content to write and assist those in need, what truly made his heart skip a beat was encountering the unknown monsters lurking in the hidden corners of Grinfall. He longed for something to pull him out of his chair and into an adventure that made him feel alive.
Leaning back in his chair with a smile, he put his hands behind his head, stretching away the ache in his lower back.
"What I would give for something to pull me out of this chair… ahh, but."
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door.
"Yes?"
The door creaked open, revealing a young lacertian (lizard-man) lady in formal clothing. Her expression sparked excitement in the old man.
"Guess what, Sir Angrod! You remember that strange but grand dungeon discovered on the small island off the coast of Minrow?"
"Ah, yes! I've been waiting for something to come of that discovery. What are the news?" Excitement emanated from his expression.
"It's the talk of every guild due to its rarity. Within the dungeon, it was discovered to hold large amounts of treasure. But here's the kicker… upon further delving, parties reached a massive door the size of large gates, and guarding them, imps."
"Imps? What?" He replied in confusion.
"Yes, imps!"
"Forest, snow, or sand imps?"
"None… only imps, twice the size of a regular person, standing patiently, waiting for any trespasser to get near them."
"Imps twice the size of a man! But they are usually half the size of a man; that is unbelievable! What else, Jajiki!" He threw out with excitement.
"They appear to be the same in appearance, only with a few features such as black hair and skin."
"I'll get my coat and assemble a raiding party! Time is of the essence, I… ugh, I" he hesitated, stopping short of putting on his coat after excitedly jumping off his chair.
"Sir Angrod, I know there is no stopping you. Besides, I knew what would happen once I gave you the news," she smiled.
"Thanks, Jajiki, but you're right. Besides, there are people who need saving!" He ran up to her, kissed her on the cheek, and ran out, excited and feeling alive once again.
Jajiki stood still by the door, blushing as she grabbed her cheek, remembering the kiss Angrod gave her. She knew it was out of generosity, and although Angrod was human and old, he had no problem showing affection towards another race, and that's what she loved.
"Here we are, after weeks of traveling and sailing," Angrod remarked while riding inside a horse-drawn carriage.
"Yo! Pops! You're here!" a familiar voice screamed from outside.
Angrod pulled the curtain aside and stepped out of the carriage. "Gyor, how are you doing?" he greeted and then waved.
"We're ready to go in whenever you are. We just need to hike up a little to the foot of this mountain, and then the entrance is around there," Gyor explained.
"The others?" Angrod inquired.
"They are waiting near the entrance," Gyor added, assisting Angrod with carrying any supplies he needed as they hiked up towards the entrance.
"Ah, how are you all?" Angrod shouted as they neared the party.
"Angrod, it's been a while! Four months already if I'm not mistaken," Vigor said.
Along with Vigor stood Kelvin, Oangus, and almost every other face that was present that day in the uncomfortable dungeon.
"Kelvin, right? I hope you remember well what I told you that day," Angrod addressed him.
"Yes, sir Angrod. I apologize for how foolish I was back then, but I can assure you I've undertaken plenty of these types of missions since then," Kelvin replied.
Angrod threw a smile. "That's great! Well, if you all are ready, so am I. But if the rumors are true about these two imps, we need to have all of our heads screwed on right," Angrod shouted.
"Is that why you brought... him along?" asked a dark elf warrior, pointing at a man sitting on a rock, waiting for the raid to begin.
The man was known as Robertus Greater Briar, the only human to transcend all racial boundaries. Known far and wide around all of Grinfall as the strongest human alive.
"Well, when I asked those who made it out, they said that before them, a lot of parties met their doom trying to face them. The only reason they left with their lives was merely being there to observe from a distance and report to the outside if the situation went south. He is our insurance, quite an expensive fee he charges, but for this... he said no payment was necessary," Angrod explained.
"You don't say... well, shall we get started?" Oagnus added.
The entrance to the dungeon was rather peculiar, a man-sized hole in the ground at a 45-degree angle above the floor, resembling more of a monster's nest. The outside was surrounded by grass, and the entrance looked as if it were dug out, with dirt poured around it. One by one, the party of 18 adventurers crawled in. The hole was quite long, testing the comfort of everyone but Robertus, who went by Ro for short. Ro was notably quiet and composed; he volunteered to lead the way through the small hole, and no one objected. As they delved deeper into the tunnel, the hole gradually shrank. The only person who showed signs of panic was Kelvin, feeling slightly claustrophobic, but he tried his best to push through, knowing it was only the entrance. Finally, after crawling through a shrunken hole just big enough to squirm through, the party made it inside.
A massive hall was the best way to describe where they had reached. The detail and craftsmanship of the hall were unlike anything any of them had ever seen before. Torches were lit, but upon inspection, they weren't ordinary; they were crystals emitting a bright red and orange flame, spinning freely and levitating within their housing.
"Definitely a greater dungeon; there have been similar ones, but none with this level of detail," an elf, the oldest in the party, mentioned. Completely absorbed by the hall, not one soul noticed the hole was closed behind them until someone turned around. They tried not to panic, attributing it to potential dungeon traps or illusions, and simply turned back to continue walking. In what felt like the longest hall they had ever seen, it seemed like it had no end. Undead creatures sprang up from pockets within the walls, but they were so irrelevant and weak that they were more of an annoyance. Finally, after walking for close to several kilometers, a throne sprung up from the ground. An undead mage wearing a robe and a crown decorated with jewels remained seated, then got up. The warriors readied themselves, and the mages cast a barrier. Skilled members of the party already knew this type of monster, its weaknesses, and attacks.
A rather easy foe to defeat, but the party knew that deeper lay the greater challenge. Once a combo from two warriors put it to rest, the undead fell, and a rather interesting event caught everyone's eye. Copper and silver coins, not many but still hefty, began to leak from within its body, as if cutting open a bag full of coins and watching them all pour out.
Upon walking further, the party saw a square hole on the floor. The closer they got, the bigger the hole became, revealing grand stairs that led down.
"This must be..."
"A second floor," the oldest elf announced. Each floor had its own boss, and each one got harder and harder. The first was an undead mage, and the rest included a two-headed tiger, stone golem, hordes of wolves, small wyvern, massive-legged snake, a hydra, and slightly the hardest, an elder lich at the eighth floor, all nothing the adventurers hadn't seen before. The ninth was different. Instead of stairs leading lower, a rectangular light blue portal stood in its place. Strange and peculiar, it was something none of them had ever seen before, at least not in a dungeon.
Entering slowly one by one, none but Kelvin was nervous.
"Magnificent. In a dungeon, this is unheard of. Definitely something I'll have to document," Angrod announced. The other side was nothing like the first massive halls. It was a tight corridor with moss and grass growing on the edges, dirty and in need of a touch-up. 'More walking,' they all thought frustratingly. Until they reached a more massive cave, they had been mostly bored and optimistic about what lay ahead, and now they gleamed with smiles and battle-ready faces.
Two imps lined up outside massive and grand dark doors. They were both in a resting state, taking a knee, one on the left and the other on the right side of the door.
"There they are, boys," a archer announced.
"Okay, all of you! Settle down; this is it. Let's huddle up and devise a strategy since they're in a resting state" Angrod ordered.
"Yes."
"They are both twice our size. We have the men, but I'd rather not take the risk of fighting both at the same time" Angrod added.
"I could immobilize one of them, but my enchanted vine spell wouldn't be as strong in this rocky area."
"No worries. I can cast a Stone Prison, and you can cast Deprived Senses to keep him in his sleep state."
"I was hoping it didn't come to that; I could only use it once per day, and once cast, it only lasts 10 minutes."
"What is a stone prison?" Kelvin asked.
"It's a spell that morphs the earth around the target to trap it. Stone forms around the target's legs or whatever is touching the ground; it's a pretty tough spell," Angrod explained.
"Okay, then it's settled. We have 10 minutes to dance with the imp. Now, let's see, a regular imp is keen and light on their feet. They exhibit strength three times as strong as a normal human. Their speed is pretty notable as well, so we should send in Fahiri; his agility would come in handy. So first, you two cast your spells to keep one of the imps immobilized. Famiria, right after, you shoot an arrow at the imp to the opposite side. Once he wakes and charges, we send in Fahiri with his agility. We'll rate the imp's speed, then Oangus to test out its skin. Archers, shoot carefully at any possible weak points. Mages, cast protection spells and boost agility. I'll keep two mages focusing on testing elemental magic on him. Kelvin, Vigor, Gyor, and Ro, you will observe and, with your expertise, look for any weaknesses, but also step in if things get too dicey. Okay, does everyone understand?" He waited for everyone to nod in response to understanding the orders he gave. They all nodded with haste and readied themselves for the go-ahead.
"On my mark... now!" He shouted.