Dungeon Cores

Dungeon Cores are a rare type of sentient Constructs, with incredible potential for power.

## Origins

Dungeon Cores are thought to be a creation of the **Companions**, in particular, **The Betrayer**. This is a common misconception, but partially true. Dungeon Cores were created at the dawn of all life, and were, initially, exceedingly rare to the point of mythological. Most Dungeons were formations as a result of monstrous inhabitation or created by humanoids and then later inhabited by monsters. The first recorded Dungeon Core was discovered by the Betrayer, in a party with several other Companions, who noted that the core was sentient, evil, and incredibly powerful.

When they destroyed it, it broke apart into most useless shards, except for one piece, which was classed as a 'Dungeon Shard', and had a remarkable amount of useful effects, able to replicate the power of a Flask Shard, a minor Artifact. Upon discovering this, the Betrayer sought out a Dungeon Core in her search for power and weapons, and eventually discovered how to replicate Dungeon Cores. Although these replicated Dungeon Cores were initially not as powerful as their 'natural' counterparts, they had all the potential of equal amounts of growth, and seemed to generally have similar powers and abilities. Thus, resulting in more regular Dungeon Cores, although still quite rare.

## Ecology

Dungeon Cores are as varied as humanoids, although all of them physiologically take the same shape - that of a rounded orb, with varying colors. Although little is known about Dungeon Cores, it is known that when a Dungeon Core is created it is able to choose a singular type of creature traditionally associated with 'Monsters', and to create these Monsters, Dungeon Cores are able to absorb the ambient mana that is in the air, albeit at a slow rate. alternatively, Dungeons can absorb the mana from slain creatures. They then use this mana to create creatures of their own that serve as minions. Dungeons are also able to use their mana to construct various objects, and typically have access to some abilities related to the Creation aspects of Magic, creating permanent walls, tunnels, and more.

Initially, Dungeon Cores are of little threat, and typically go entirely unnoticed. Barely the size of a pebble, the ambient mana in the environment is more than enough to sustain them, and in this form, Dungeon Cores are little more than a concentrated ball of instincts, and their entire existence is focused on gaining more mana. As they gain more mana, they gain more strength, size, and their abilities grow. When a Dungeon Core achieves power equal to roughly a Steel ranked Adventurer, they become fully sentient, and become significantly more dangerous at this stage. Before this stage, their intelligence level is on the same level as most animals, but upon reaching this Stage, they gain the ability to learn on par with most humans, and have more range of growth for their own intelligence.

At this point, Dungeon Cores have the ability to learn from their mistakes with ease, and can create far more creative traps, as well as provide Magic to their creatures, raising the intelligence of their minions as well, which adds further threat.

However, as a Dungeon Core grows, so does their value as well as their threat. Some towns, such as **Lightreach**, are created around a particularly powerful Dungeon Core, living in a sort of symbiotic relationship with the denizens, who regularly send in Adventurers to quell the Monster population, and any adventurers that die go on to feed the dungeon. Particularly clever cities can use the dungeons as a method of boosting their own economy, tourism, and strength, but with it comes the dangers of monsters escaping.