The Guild Core: The Complete Saga Boxset: A LitRPG Dungeon Adventure

by TJ Reynolds

  Attached to the wall, growing from an expansive network of fungus, too-familiar black plates moved to face them.

  In the center of each was a single eye.

  Kai wished he could ignore the unconscious warning the pangolin had delivered. It hadn’t been the only one of its kind nor the strongest. The fungus growing below terrified him. How long did they have until it plagued the Sunken Keep?

  With little else to do, Kai and Rhona returned to the surface. Though the return journey was long, neither complained or slackened their pace.

  Both wanted to be as far from the wretched hole as possible.

  There was no way to cave in such a massive chasm, so no doubt their little guild would have a lot to consider in the days to come. Kai would, if given the choice, prefer to face the problem face on. Whether that meant descending the chasm or waiting till they were invaded a second time would be a prime topic of conversation.

  Back at their dinner table, the two chatted idly, discussed what might or might not be done about the problem. Rhona appeared hesitant to give much insight, and this worried Kai.

  Risking the casual mood of the night, he asked, “What are your plans though, Rhona. Will you head off to find Tembar or pay a visit to the courts of Hintar? Surely, your grand schemes are not over.”

  The monk smiled, taking a sip of wine. “I wouldn’t call anything I do a scheme, Kai. But no, I don’t plan on leaving at all. Isn’t this my home too?”

  Kai nodded quickly, his own sense of relief keeping his mouth shut.

  Rhona leaned forward and touched Kai on the shoulder. Their eyes met, and Kai felt his stomach plummet. “Besides,” Rhona continued, a spark of mischief in her eyes. “Don’t we have more Earth Cores to awaken?”

  Epilogue: Echos from Times Past

  First Fist of Anvar

  The path was long but the hills gracious, the appearance of large swaths of Winterbloom marking the master’s progress.

  He enjoyed such things. Only a fool could witness the frosted glory of a hillside covered in Winterbloom flowers and not be moved. Or perhaps over time I have become the fool. Oh well, the old man mused. Such will be my fate then.

  He’d departed the day after the transformation. Such an event could be heard all throughout the land. Most hadn’t noticed, but the old man had been waiting for decades.

  Packing a single pouch fit to carry two weeks of rations and little else, the old man departed.

  The Mirin Swamps were degrading further, the blight rising up and ruining entire swaths of plant and animal life.

  That had caused the old man some grief for he remembered when the swamp was alive and thriving. Green, brown, and sodden, sure, but the Mirin Swamps were once lush and bountiful. They’d truly become a sort of dead lands.

  When crossing into Hintar, the old man received an even more disturbing revelation.

  No rangers called down from the tree tops. He wasn’t threatened at bowpoint or brought in for questioning.

  The rangers of old never would have allowed this, he mused as he walked through the border unchecked. I fear what must have happened to them to have forsaken their duties so.

  The grasslands and rolling meadows of southern Hintar were a balm to the old man’s soul though. Cold as the weather had become, he felt his heart warm as he studied the rolling landscape from atop a particularly tall hill.

  A stream ran below, one that the old man planned on bathing in. He’d drink his fill and top off his waterskins. Who knows, maybe Briga will bless me with a fish as well. Wouldn’t that be a treat?

  The sound of horses approaching brought an end to his thoughts, and the old man turned round and waited beside the trail until the riders were upon him.

  Seven chargers blasted up the hill, riding so quickly they nearly passed the old man by without notice. A tall Hintari man at the head of the column swung round at the last minute and called for the group to halt.

  Catching his breath, the horseman glared at the old man, wide-eyed. “What’s your business in Hintar? Are you a Brintoshi dog or are you just foolishly traveling near the border?”

  “Are those my only two choices?” the old man asked with merry eyes.

  “State your business or be bound and gagged. And be quick, old one. We haven’t time for games.”

  Turning his palms up, the old man surrendered. “I’ll excuse your haste on account of youth. For now, know that yes I come from Brintosh, but no, I am not from that country. Hintar was my home long ago, and I have finally returned.”

  The horseman’s gaze softened. “You should be careful, grandfather. Haven’t you heard that war is coming from the Phoenix and the Tiger?”

  “Tidings of war are as common as blue jays, young man. Do not worry yourself though. I do not plan to take part in any squabbles among men. I am but a humble teacher.”

  One of the riders called out to the leader, “Come on, Copper. Tembar expects us within the hour.”

  Waving his companion off, Copper leaned down and peered into the old man’s eyes. “A teacher, huh? Somehow I think you’re using modesty as a shield. You have a right to your privacy though. Tell me this at least, what is your name?”

  The old man smiled and bowed with his head. “You may call me Jakodi. May the sun warm your back, Copper.”

  Copper shook Jakodi’s hand and bid him farewell before tearing off down the road with his fellow horsemen.

  Jakodi laughed, feeling some of the heaviness in his heart lift. So, the Hintari Rangers live on. Thank the gods themselves. Anvar would be less for their absence.

  He headed down the slope then, careful with each step he took.

  Refreshed by the bountiful spring, the old man had one more reason to rejoice. Briga had indeed chosen to bless his evening, rewarding him with not one but two fat trout.

  As the fish crackled over Jakodi’s fire, he chuckled to himself.

  One trout to represent each, he thought. And I’ll need all the strength I can get if I’m to make a dragon and a monk my last disciples.

  Anecdotes and Archival Particulars - Expanded

  ~Additions Have Been Bolded~

  Appendix: Anecdotes and Archival Particulars from the Dungeon Wars Period

  -As Curated by Arch Maester Reihnhold III

  Relevant Historical Figures:

  Kaius Unterinan (Kai)

  A man-dragon halfling who walked the liminal spaces between worlds. Son of Triel Unterinan and Athol Bremenburr. Brought up by an aunt and uncle who resented the fertile womb of his mother, Kai was nurtured by his caretakers yet was never truly accepted. Before he took up the glaive and imbued his core with Spell Scales, Kai knew more about how to fight aphids than men or monsters.

  The boy grew up with modest Intelligence, but had the rare benefit of an informal education. He and his uncle read dozens of books on various topics, some dramas written in courtly fashion, others on the variegated manifestations of fungus in the Pinua Forest. Nothing he read prepared him for the adventure he found after meeting Bancroft.

  Rhona Bloodspar

  The woman, the myth, the lion-hearted warrior who upset so many expectations by refusing her father’s legacy. Though lacking her progenitor’s stature, she excelled at the primal art of killing. Once, when faced by a challenge from a rival, she accepted with a single condition: the man had to choose two others to stand at his side. In a two-minute bout, she thrashed her challenges, and afterwards, made friends of each.

  Though the adventurer grew to become much more than a simple soldier, and served the most elusive of the gods directly, she remained humble in many aspects. One such aspect of her personality that most historians neglect to highlight was her simple and profound love of canning.

  Bancroft Dungeon (Ban)

  A stuffy and cordial Earth Core whose mannerisms and unwavering social etiquette were forged by his couth dragon. Though Ban learned to enjoy the thrill and glory of battle, he much preferred a lengthy conversation with an enlightened peer. Crafting too, of cou
rse, sustained the dungeon’s soul like almost nothing else.

  Yorick Shreefire

  The dragon companion of Bancroft Dungeon before and during The War of Dragons.

  Imogen Dungeon

  Earth Core companion of the dragon Inal, Imogen was the second dungeon healed by the Core Mender and hero Kaius Unterinan.

  Colonel Hastings

  Born into an old and prominent military family, the officer served as head of The Vermillion Guard for two years before the Dungeon Wars began. Though some refuse to acknowledge the technology, other scholars claim this man gained much of his power by absorbing Earth Cores through a device crafted by a dungeon enslaved by the king of Brintosh.

  Tela Sendas

  Raised in rural Hintar, the adventurous girl soon grew to be a burden. Her family could only tolerate so much stealing and mischief. When she was ten years old, the girl was sent to train with Hemba, an old and retired ranger who lived nearby. Though the woman she grew up to become still had a temper, Tela gained a reputation as a keen fighter.

  Kotsi of the Ruby Kobolds

  The aging war chief was once a great artisan. His painted murals inspired his entire clan. But when the fungus took their spider mounts, one at a time, he began to lose hope. With the help of the Crimson Spears and Cobalt Axes, he fought the encroaching spiders. Each day, more ground was lost until his own mate died in a raid. Ever since Renra’s death, the war chief took up the pitiable habit of drinking his sorrow away.

  Tessra of the Ruby Kobolds

  As chieftain of the Ruby Kobolds, Tessra did everything she could to guide the tribe away from ultimate desolation. Having never married herself, whispers spread among the kobolds suggesting that she and Kotsi formed a romantic union. Revived from the victory against the contaminated spider queen, the two found solace in one another’s company. Only their advanced age prevented them from producing several clutches of eggs.

  Jakodi ‘The Chipped Fang’ Realta

  Much of the old monk’s past has been lost to time and the ravenous maw of several major wars. His previous role as a court wizard is well known. Jakodi spent at least three decades in Creshon, aiding young Brintoshi soldiers with their progression. Before that, some speculate Jakodi fought in the Pintean Invasion, defending a still-growing Brintosh. Many modern historians scoff at such a notion as the invasion took place over one hundred and thirty years before The War of Dragons. Upon first meeting Kai, the old man hoped his suspicion was true. Long had he waited for the return of the Fundamental Dragon. And long had it been since he’d dined with the late Unterinan lord, high in his dungeon in the Southern Zargan Mountains.

  Vital Terminology:

  AE: Available Ether, a term used to describe the pool of ether that humans, dragons, and dungeons rely on to utilize skills, spells, and create/craft, respectively.

  Progression: The units of ether accumulated through combat that allow all creatures of Anvar to gain levels and ascend.

  Etheric Interface: The visual system that allows creatures to observe their progress, allocate Attribute Points, and otherwise access their core.

  Ascension: Unlike leveling, ascension requires a transformation of a creature’s core, creating a more dense and powerful core signature. It is both time-consuming, dangerous, and painful.

  BM: Basic Material, the most common material type available to dungeons that form the basis of their many creations.

  IM: Intermediate Material, a more dense and diverse material type available to dungeons.

  AM: Advanced Material, the most advanced material type dungeons use to form their many creations.

  Cren: A slang word with many uses that refers to excrement.

  Shivving: A vile slang word used by thugs and uncultured youths to describe the act of copulation. Also used to describe breaking, killing, and destroying in any fashion as well as a general curse.

  Shivvered: Refers to the manner in which Earth Cores are most commonly destroyed. A shivvered dungeon is not dead, but broken, like a man who’s lost his mind yet manages to draw breath.

  Spell Scales: Spell-infused scales shed by a dragon for the purpose of passing on knowledge and power to offspring or allies. They are a sacred form of inheritance that dragons value above gold or even gemstones.

  Crystal Mind: a mental cultivation technique in which clarity of mind is sought through visualization. By erecting a crystalline pillar around one’s core, one may gain insight into the shape and structure of their Mandala. The Crystal Mind technique was first discovered by Brintoshi monks shortly after the reign of Sesthrum the Gold, a most violent and oppressive leader of the dragons.

  Iron Mind: a mental cultivation technique in which protection and consolidation of the mind is sought through visualization. By forging plates of iron, and shrouding the vulnerable center of their mind, one may protect themselves from malicious adversaries. Though simple in design, if one’s will power is great, no technique can shatter this defense.

  Gold Mind: a mental cultivation technique in which absolute understanding of the mind is sought through surrender and deep focus. When the Gold Mind realm is accessed, many practitioners have reportedly lost their will to walk further on their given path. It isn’t a boredom or despair that takes them but a pervasive contentment.

  Dungeon Core Rules and Procedural Restrictions:

  1- An Earth Core is forbidden to manipulate or modify their dungeon while a being other than a minion or their dragon is present.

  2- An Earth Core cannot seal off its dungeon from the outside world unless their dragon is present within.

  3- Once an Earth Core’s Champion is defeated, it must wait 12 hours before summoning a replacement.

  4- All loot produced by an Earth Core’s minions is randomly assigned.

  5- An Earth Core may be moved from its dungeon and relocated to form a new dungeon. However, it may only retain its current ascension. All levels gained above ascension rank as well as acquired ether and resources, shall be lost upon departure.

  The Nine Gods and Their Relevant Elements:

  1st - Andag: Once a favored god of Brintosh. The father, the caretaker, the god of the hearth, of mead, and fertility. Those who serve Andag receive the blessing of the Earth Element.

  2nd - Briga: Once a favored god of Brintosh. The mother, the sage, the god of wisdom, healing, and regrowth. Those who serve Briga receive the blessing of the Water Element.

  3rd - Yugos: The favored god of Brintosh. The warrior, the face of death, the god of war, courage, and destruction. Those who serve Yugos receive the blessing of the Fire Element.

  4th - Shu: A god favored by the Rangers of Hintar. The seasons, the storm, the unbridled gale herself. Those who serve Shu receive the blessing of the Air Element.

  5th - Anlil: The god worshipped by Hintari royalty. The sun, the stars, the purifying flame of holy light. Those who serve Anlil receive the blessing of the Holy Element.

  6th - Angut: The god worshipped by the kingdom of Kaltan. The moon, the night, the bottomless black of death itself. Those who serve Angut receive the blessing of the Abyss Element.

  7th - Niama: A god favored by the priests of the Sunken Keep. The heart, the passion and endless ambition of man, the soul within. Those who serve Niama receive the blessing of the Soul Element.

  8th - Sheerda: A god unknown to most peoples of the world. The past, the future, the cycle of the ages. Sheerda claims only a single servant at a time who receives the blessing of the Temporal Element.

  9th - The Fundament: The godhead supreme, the amalgam of all other gods. The Fundamental Dragon serves the Fundament, and is blessed with Lumen, the Element that combines all Elements.

  Progression Needed for Ascension

  Crimson 1: 100

  Crimson 2: 125

  Crimson 3: 150

  Amber 1: 300

  Amber 2: 450

  Amber 3: 675

  Golden 1: 1,350

  Golden 2: 2,700

  Golden 3: 5,400

  Emer
ald 1: 10,800

  Emerald 2: 21,600

  Emerald 3: 43,200

  Viridian 1: 86,400

  Viridian 2: 172,800

  Viridian 3: 345,600

  Cobalt 1: 691,200

  Cobalt 2: 1,382,400

  Indigo 1: 2,764,800

  Indigo 2: 5,529,600

  Violet: 11,059,200

  Lumen: ?

  Select Examples of Dragonkind: Excerpts from - Descended from a Star: a Brief History and Classification of the Various Descendants of Kevir the Mighty

  “The Azure Dragon of South Hintar: a divine beast without peer regarding its splendid wingspan. Though not nearly so robust in frame as the indomitable Zargan Red, the largest Azure Dragon measured was over 30 cana long, or in a more modern unit, 135 feet. Most often aligned with the ever-gracious Briga, the Azure Dragons tend also to be bound to that Goddess’ elemental affinity, water.”

  “The Bale Dragon of the Nalidi desert is known and named for its puissant use of bale fire. Given to worshiping Yugos, this dragon possesses a strong affinity for the fire element. Not known to be either patient or inclusive, the Nalidi Bale Dragon tends to avoid society but for the few times a year when the fire element is strongest. Gathering in small groups, the Bale Dragons spend days at a time reveling in the splendor of their significant powers as they melt and shape stone structures in the desert.