Dungeon

The Dungeon is the underground world of monsters below the world known as Pangera. It is a series of tunnels and caverns of physics breaking size. There is much about the Dungeon that can be learned, even when it doesn't want you to. It's also possible to work against the interests of the Dungeon, once it's intentions are known. Once a species has been deemed 'successful' the Dungeon will want to see more of it, therefore spawn rates will go up and new varieties will be tried. There's also a chance a shadow variant will show up on the second strata, or further down different variants can appear. It is known that many civilizations and societies are situated here because of the vast resources it has.

A brief overview of the first four are provided in an excerpt.

> *The first stratum is filled with beasts of all kinds. Vicious growls and the sounds of battle ring constantly here, in this, the weakest area of the Dungeon.*
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> *The second is filled with shadow and cold and death. A place of darkness where creatures of spun shadow swim and crawl through an endless maze where light is quiet.*
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> *The third is a realm of fire, smoke and ash. Demons abound and theirs is an alien and savage existence.*
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> *But in the fourth, the impossible begins to become possible. The concentration of mana is such that the rules of the world, of life, of the existence as we know it become skewed. The realm of Myth. To enter this layer of the Dungeon is to step onto the precipice of a different universe. **-*** **Excerpt from 'A treatise on the concentration of mana and its effect on the laws of physics'**
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## First Strata

The first strata, known as the beast strata, is the smallest and contains the weakest monsters. It extends from the surface to 50 kilometers. It's filled with mutated and more powerful versions of surface creatures like lions, tigers, pigs centipedes and also plant type monsters. The mana here is of low concentration and is unable to support the more advanced monster types that can be found deeper.

There are two main components to the first strata, expanses and tunnels. The tunnels connect the expanses to each other and act as veins for mana and monsters to go between the expanses. The tunnels are a never ending maze with constant twists and dead ends. In these tunnels you can more easily find the mana veins which glow. These tunnels while manly composed of rock, do have patches of dirt.

The expanses are huge open spaces which are filled with monster spawn points and are the target of large monsters and humans for the denser mana and valuable material mainly found in them.

### Expanses

#### Forest Expanse

Located under the kingdom of Liria, it is small for a expanses but since it is located relatively high in the dungeon Liria was built on top of it. Named for the forest of trees that is in it, however no plant type monsters have been found in it. This is the first expanse the Anthony found and explored.

#### Marsh Expanse

Located south of Liria, under the ants new nest in the wilds. Significantly larger then the Forest Expanse, about twice the size in fact and deeper. Its thick swamp is full of plant monsters and pig like monsters. When found by Anthony it was ruled over by a Garralosh Commander, who is among the oldest of Garralosh' children. An aphid type monster was also found here.

#### Red Woods Expanse

Not much else is known about this expanse other than that it is one of the four original conquered expanses after Anthony had returned. It was easy for the colony to take over with a initial crew of 1000 and were able to subdue it in 2 hours.

## Second Strata

The Shadow Sea, due to its nature, is far more threatening the the first layer, despite being only slightly deeper into the dungeon. The darkness, cold and high concentration of death mana can create many unique monster types that can prove fatal to the unprepared. It has been noted by many that this layer holds special affinity to stealth skills and types, proving the perfect hunting and training ground for those who specialize in such builds. Like the first layer, it is full of expanses connected by tunnels. The tunnels have tiny corals and vegetation inside of them.

### Expanses

#### Shadow sea expanse

It's ceiling rises impossibly high and a vast, open space filled with incredibly dense shadow mana like an underwater ocean. At the bottom of the sear is a giant, grey coral reef and massive versions of the tiny corals and vegetation that are in the tunnels outside. These corals climb almost a hundred metres into the open air above, rising from the dark soil of the expanse floor. There are also thick and tall fronds that wave to the movement of a wind or current that only they can feel. Enormous corals tower taller than trees and form an elaborate maze of tangled stone that looks impossible to navigate. The leaves are dark, almost black and the corals are muted whites, as if bleached.

## Third Strata

The Red Plateau. The world of the demons and the playground of Arconidem's subjects. The mana here behaves in such peculiar ways that it isn't easy to assign a single affinity to the entire layer, but fire is certainly a persistent, and violent affinity that is found here. The Demon society, such that it is, is the one that has adapted to this environment (or perhaps created it?) and certainly those monsters themselves are by far the greatest danger. Those that rule over that place are worse tyrants than any that has sat on a throne of the surface. This is also the lowest level of a indented city to exist in. There is an independant city that the legion has a presence in.

Instead of the previous tunnels, the plateau consists of entirely open layers with indestructible pillars supporting the ceiling, with relatively small amounts of magma and tunnels sandwiched between them. Demonic cities are built on the pillars, while the plains between them are filled with spawn points for larval demons, which cover them like a carpet.

An abundance of rich materials make this strata a constant battlefield for the treasures within.

*"Fire iron. Magma crystals. Ash shards. Pyrestone. Along with cores of the demons themselves, these make up just a few of the precious resources that make the third stratum such a hotbed of conflict. For as long as the powers of the world have known of the demon layer, they have fought over it. Territory secured here has always been precious, especially in those areas where the mana flows thick, and the treasures are abundant. Due to a number of factors, such as the difficult of coexistence with the demons and managing the fallout of their endless battles, securing a safe holding is a constant drain on whoever should attempt to do so. The borders between the various powers are thus in a constant state of flux, rich mining grounds changing hands on a weekly basis. Though the rewards are well worth it.*

*Fire iron. The precious ore can be found within the stone between layers, or indeed in molten pools mixed with lava. Filled to the brim with fire attuned mana, the weapons forged from this material can become so hot that there are reports of them melting the armour of the foes they were used on while there were men inside it. When properly utilised, it's even possible to forge a suit that would allow a being to dive into molten rock and come out unscathed.*

*Magma crystals are far rarer. An infused form of quartz, these crystals are so dense with concentrated mana that they can spew forth a flow of lava for hours at a time without needing to be recharged. It was the Legionem Abyssi who were the first to learn how to safely carve slivers of from the gems and apply them to the tips of arrows, a trick that might have been better had it never been learned at all.*

*Ash shards. A grim material that skirts the edges of the forbidden. The power of ash is a breath away from that of disintegration and annihilation. Capable of dissolving a person whole, it is by far the deadliest substance that can be mined in this stratum.*

*Pyrestone is the one building material that allows a permanent structure to be formed in the land of fire and ash. Without it, putting one brick on top of another and expecting it to be there the next day would be all but impossible. Resistant to heat and seemingly immune to the degrading power of ash, even at the deeper layers where it becomes more potent, Pyrestone is the bedrock of civilised existence within the world of demons. " -* Excerpt from 'The third stratum: a primer' by Mallin the educator

## Fourth Strata

Mythic Realm. it is in the fourth layer that what mages like to class as the 'higher mana' affinities begin to appear, those that are beyond the basic elemental types. The monsters here draw power from many sources and are as varied as the environments that can be found. It is certainly worth noting that this layer is home to the highest concentration of many rare minerals that are prized highly by the sapient races making territory here among the most fiercely sought after.

It is likely that the heart of the legion might be on this level.

> *"The fourth stratum is considered by many to be the true world of Pangera. An incredible land of abundant mana, rich resources and verdant forests. Those strong enough to contest with the powerful monsters that spawn here can live an incredible life of infinite possibilities. For this reason, territory on the fourth is desperately sought and fiercely protected. Many of the great powers of the world have established their centre of government in this layer, their surface kingdoms existing merely to funnel people and resources to this, more important battleground...The other consideration, is that the best place in the Dungeon to establish a powerbase to launch expeditions deeper is the fourth. The closer you can establish your safe zone to the fifth, the more likely you are to be able to push through and reach the sixth." -* **Excerpt from 'The great dividing line: The fifth stratum' by Elric**
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## Fifth Strata

Fields of decay. A troublesome place to say the least, the fifth strata is almost inhospitable to life. filled with mana of decay, decomposition and rot, few powers seek to fight for control over these lands and contest against the almost indestructible monsters that roam through it. According to the earliest records the tower has access to, the first Delvers to reach this place found remnants of a different environment and traces of mana with attributes that no longer exist there. It is theorized by many that Theorazzn(one of the 19 Ancients) somehow tainted this entire layer upon ascent, changing it into what it has now become.

Little is know about this floor besides Titus mentioning there is an empire existing on floating islands in the fifth strata and suggesting some Legion influence there.

> "*There is a great deal of focus on the positive qualities of the fourth, but in reality the inhospitable wasteland that is the fifth is a major reason why the fourth is so populated. First, it means an entire stratum is completely unsuitable for habitation, which puts a premium on land within the fourth. Unlike the third, which is merely unpleasant to live in, the fifth is completely hostile to life to an almost absurd degree." - **Excerpt from 'The great dividing line: The fifth stratum' by Elric***
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## Sixth Strata

Little is know about this strata besides that the ancients might resides here.

## Trivia

* The air inside the First Strata tunnels is stale.

## References

1. ↑ Chapter 911 - The realm of myth
2. ↑ Chapter 649
3. ↑ Chapter 554
4. ↑ Chapter 649
5. ↑ Chapter 462
6. ↑ CHapter 861 - Assault on Orpule 3
7. ↑ Chapter 649
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Chapter 922 - Realms of Myth
9. ↑ Chapter 649
10. ↑ Chapter 462