Rolland POV
After about an hour’s walk from town and into the southern woods, we arrive at the entrance to the dungeon.
“Wow, you weren’t kidding when you said it was covered in glowing symbols. Any idea what it means?” (Liam) asks, staring at the door.
I step closer to the massive door, examining the red glowing runes and letters covering the archway.
“No idea. I know it’s some kind of writing, but when I cast [Identify], it just says my spell is too low-ranked to learn anything.”(Rolland)
As I continue studying the runes, scribbling them into my small notebook, May approaches me.
“Is that even how [Identify] works? I thought it was only supposed to show the status window of whatever creature you cast it on,” (May) asks, her brow furrowed.
Closing my notebook and tucking it back into my belt, I turn to her.
“Well, that’s the normal use, yeah. But if you study enough magic theory, you can push the spell’s limits and sometimes even create entirely new spells. Plus, there are a bunch of offshoots for [Identify]. I’ve even heard that skilled linguists and other specialized classes can get unique versions of it.”(Rolland)
After chatting a bit more, we gathered in front of the stone doors. I open my status window and review it one last time before we begin our delve into the dungeon.
Name: Rolland
Type: Humanoid (Human)
Rank: Common
Level: 10
HP: 200 / 200
MP: 525 / 525
Equipment:
Arcane Staff:
- A wooden staff infused with magical runes, used to channel spells.
Spellcasting Bonus: +10% MP efficiency
Wizard’s Robes:
- Lightweight robes enchanted to offer minimal protection while boosting magical power.
Defense Bonus: +2
MP Regeneration: +1 MP per second (out of combat)
Spellbook:
- A notebook containing knowledge of spells, allowing the wizard to memorize and cast a variety of arcane magic.
Abilities/Spells:
Arcane Bolt (Basic Attack):
- Fires a concentrated bolt of raw arcane energy at a target.
MP Cost: 20
Cooldown: None
Identify:
- Allows the wizard to instantly identify the properties of an item, creature, or magical effect, revealing its abilities, weaknesses, and rarity.
MP Cost: 10
Cooldown: None
Magic Missile:
- Launches three homing projectiles that automatically seek out enemies.
MP Cost: 30
Cooldown: 10 seconds
Arcane Shield:
- A barrier of magical force surrounds the wizard, absorbing damage for 5 seconds.
MP Cost: 25
Cooldown: 20 seconds
Fireball (Lesser):
- Hurls a small ball of fire that explodes on impact, dealing fire damage in a small area.
MP Cost: 20
Cooldown: 10 seconds
Mana Regen (Passive):
- The wizard regenerates MP while out of combat, allowing them to maintain a steady flow of spells.
Arcane Mastery (Passive):
- Increases the damage of all arcane-based spells by 10%.
Resistances:
- Magic Resistance (Low)
- Arcane Magic (Moderate)
“Come on, let’s go!” (Leah) calls out.
As we enter the dungeon, May takes the lead as the scout, followed by Leah, with Liam and me bringing up the rear. We’ve packed enough supplies for a day or two, though we don’t plan on staying that long. Liam carries our food and gear in a magic bag we all pitched in to buy a few months ago. The bag was worth it—it holds all our supplies so we don’t have to worry about lugging them around during combat.
Everyone stays alert; Leah and I briefed the others on what to expect, so we advanced carefully, watching for any creatures, especially armed ones. Following May, we move through the forest, encountering some standard monsters like wolves and deer. While not overly challenging, they’re still a good source of pelts and experience for leveling up.
A few hours pass as we progress through the forest, while I draft a simple map of the area. No sign of the armed rabbits yet, but they’ll likely appear as we go deeper. After a few more encounters with standard monsters, we decide to venture further into the dungeon floor, hoping to find a tougher challenge—or perhaps even the boss.
So far, it’s been smooth sailing; no one’s been seriously injured, so Liam hasn’t needed to cast any healing spells. We continue, everyone on the lookout for any enemies nearby. Suddenly, May halts and pulls an arrow from her waist quiver, nocking it to her bow. Seeing this, everyone else gets ready; Liam and I begin preparing our spells, while Leah readies her greatsword.
A group of five armed rabbits emerges from the brush, each wielding a spear. May looses her arrow, striking the first rabbit and kicking off the battle. I fire an [Arcane Bolt] at another, but it dodges, ducking under the bolt and charging forward with its spear. The other rabbits follow, with the injured one lagging but still pressing on.
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Liam casts [Shield of Faith] on Leah, who steps up to take the front line and intercepts the spear-wielding rabbits. The spell, a simple holy incantation, boosts her defense. Luckily, it can be cast on others, unlike my [Arcane Shield]. As the rabbits close in, Liam and I launch basic attack spells to try thinning their numbers before Leah engages them in close combat.
Seeing the charging rabbits, Liam and I begin casting simple attack spells to thin them out before Leah engages. We manage to take down two of the rabbits before Leah clashes with the remaining three.
May pulls out a small dagger she had hidden somewhere and circles behind the group of rabbits as Liam and I continue casting spells in support. The rabbits are too focused on dodging magic and watching Leah to notice May slip behind them. She quickly strikes the injured rabbit from earlier, sinking her dagger into its neck. The rabbit dies instantly, dissolving into light particles.
After that, May flanks the other two rabbits while Leah keeps them busy from the front. The battle wraps up quickly, leaving everyone unscathed. We collect the dropped items and continue across the dungeon floor, facing a few more groups of rabbits over the next two hours.
“Alright, I think we’re about done for today. We’ve picked up a bunch of dungeon drops, and I’m pretty sure we all leveled up at least once. No wonder everyone dives into dungeons—it really speeds up leveling,” I say, looking over at the group. (Rolland)
Everyone agrees, so we start making our way toward the dungeon entrance, inspecting the items we collected along the way. But just as we’re getting into it, May suddenly stops and starts glancing around.
“There’s something hidden around here, but I can’t tell exactly what it is.” (May)
“What do you mean, hidden? Is it a monster?” (Leah) asks, eyes narrowing.
“No… at least, I don’t think so. My skill says there’s some kind of hidden entrance nearby.” (May)
We spend about 30 minutes searching but come up empty-handed. Finding nothing, I mark the location on my map, and we start heading for the exit. Just as we’re walking away, my foot suddenly slips, and I fall, tumbling down a jagged slope. I hit the bottom with a soft groan and sit up slowly, rubbing my head.
Looking around, I realize I’ve landed at the base of a hidden staircase, partially concealed by an illusion spell, leading into what looks like a dilapidated ruin.
“Rolland! Where are you?” I hear Leah shout from above.
“I’m fine!” I call back, climbing back up the stairs and popping my head out of the hidden entrance. “It’s an illusion spell hiding some ruins. This is probably what May’s skill was picking up!” (Rolland)
Waving the rest of the group into the ruins, we come across an archway with a heavy stone door, much like the entrance to the dungeon.
“Okay, May, you lead the way. This ruin might be trapped.” (Rolland)
With a short nod, May moves to the front of the party. She struggles to open the door alone, so Leah steps up to help pry it open. As they manage to get it just wide enough for us to enter, Liam casts a spell. I watch as a small ball of light appears above the party, casting a warm glow to light our way through the dark, damp ruins.
As we move through the ruins, May finds a few spiked pitfall traps that we all easily avoid, thanks to her detection abilities. While May keeps looking for traps, I start inspecting the cracked and deteriorating walls of the ruins.
Looking closer at the walls, I spot faint traces of ancient petroglyphs and sparse runes carved into the stone. I cast [Identify] on the runes and petroglyphs, but once again, I get no results. The system tells me that my spell is too low-level to glean any meaningful information. I ask Liam if he has any idea what the symbols mean, but he just shakes his head, much like he did at the dungeon entrance.
I continue studying the markings as we quietly move deeper into the ruins. A few minutes pass when I hear a soft click ahead. I look up just in time to see May jump back as a hidden dart shoots from the wall toward her.
She's a moment too slow as the dart lodges in her left arm. She retreats a short distance, clutching her arm, and quickly pulls out the dart. After seeing no other traps activate, Liam rushes up to May and examines her injury.
He gently takes her arm and assesses the wound before casting a healing spell.
“From the look of it, the dart wasn’t poisoned, and your leather armor absorbed most of the damage, so it shouldn’t be too hard to heal.” (Liam)
He finishes casting the spell, and a warm, golden light envelops May's arm, closing the wound. The only evidence left is a patch of bloodstained cloth and leather.
“Thanks, Liam. I should’ve been more careful. I guess I let my guard down since no one’s been seriously hurt yet.” (May)
“It’s okay, May. We all make mistakes sometimes!” (Leah)
With that, we continue moving through the ancient halls. May, now with renewed resolve, leads the party, guiding us past the remaining traps. All the traps are different—pitfalls and darts, varying in how well-hidden they are. Some seem to have broken down from lack of maintenance.
Finally, we reach what looks like the end of the ruin. The group enters a large room, mostly intact, with an elevated pedestal holding a small stone tablet on the far side. The walls are covered in a large mural, each wall depicting what looks like a single cohesive story, with more writing along the bottom.
After May confirms that there are no traps in the room, we approach the raised pedestal. I move to the front of the group to get a better look at the ancient stone tablet.
The stone rests on an ancient pedestal, its surface cracked and weathered by time. Faint blue runes—once vibrant—now glow weakly, casting an eerie light across the surrounding area. The stone itself is chipped, as though it has survived countless centuries. Yet, the glowing symbols pulse with an unsettling rhythm, as if the magic within it is still alive—just barely. I take out my notebook and cast [Identify] on the stone tablet.
Cracked Rune Stone
Type: Magic Artifact
Grade: Rare
- Glimmer of Insight (Active): Grants brief insight into ancient symbols or languages, allowing the user to decipher simple magical inscriptions on walls or items.
Cooldown: 1 hour
- Decay: This artifact’s power will degrade over time, slightly reducing effectiveness with each use until repaired.
- Weakened: The stone’s cracked nature makes it vulnerable to intense magic, which could shatter it if exposed to high-level spells.
Description: The Cracked Rune Stone is a small, weathered tablet with faded symbols carved into its surface. It emits a faint, pulsing glow, revealing that some magical essence remains, though the artifact has lost much of its original potency. This rune stone was likely part of a larger set of relics used in ancient rituals, but it has long since been separated from its companions and weakened with time.
“It’s some kind of ancient tablet used to help translate symbols, languages, and magical inscriptions,” I explain. “But it’s damaged. I should be able to take it to a skilled enchanter for repairs.” (Rolland)
“Wouldn’t that be expensive? It looks pretty damaged.” (Leah)
“Well, yeah… but with the dungeon around, we’ll eventually get enough money to fix it.” (Rolland)
“So, want to use that tablet to take a look at the walls?” (Liam)
“Sure, I might as well.” (Rolland)
I pick up the magical tablet and activate its ability. Its dim runes flare up for a moment, and I feel a faint tingle at the back of my mind, like an itch. Moving toward what looks like the beginning of the mural, the tingle pulses slightly as the runes look… familiar.
It’s as if I’ve seen them before, in some book I’ve read. I start studying the faded drawings and runes, trying to understand what they’re showing me.
The story seems to depict the history of a lost civilization. It begins with a group of people wandering across vast distances. They eventually settle and build a small town that grows into a prosperous city. However, the city becomes too large and can’t support all of its citizens. People begin to starve, and the city starts to eye the vast forests surrounding it. They hunt the wildlife relentlessly, and eventually, the animals begin to fight back.
Led by a strange creature—some sort of rabbit monster, I assume—the animals gather and siege the city. From what I can tell, the battle rages for years. When the humans are on the brink of destruction, their greatest mages gather and create six powerful tablets in a desperate attempt to seal the leader of the woodland creatures. But, from the looks of it, they failed. The final part of the mural depicts the city’s fall, the last of the mages scattering and fleeing, each taking a different tablet.
As I reach the end of the murals, the tingling in the back of my mind starts to fade. I hear a distinct crack from the tablet in my hands, and flakes of chipped stone fall, scattering to the ground as the tablet becomes even more broken.
Seeing this, I pull some cloth from my bag and carefully wrap the rune stone. I tell everyone what I’ve learned from the murals, and after a short discussion, we decide to leave the ruins. As we exit the dungeon, I turn to Liam.
“Hey, Liam, we never checked out the loot we got, right?” (Rolland)
“You’re right. You guys want to check out the drops before we head back to town?” (Liam)
With everyone nodding, Liam takes the magical pouch from his belt and places all the loot on the ground in front of us. We sift through the dungeon drops and divide the useful items among the group.
May takes a slightly magical dagger that’s in decent condition, Leah grabs a rough-looking iron band that should improve her defense slightly, and Liam and I don’t find anything useful, so we begin returning the rest of the items to the pouch.
“Hey, what’s this?” (Leah)
I watch as Leah pulls a small rabbit’s foot from the remaining loot. From the aura, I can tell it’s magical, so I ask her to hand it to me and cast [Identify].
Lucky Rabbit’s Foot
Type: Magic Trinket
Grade: Rare
Abilities:
- Fortunate Favor (Passive): Increases the holder’s luck, granting a slight boost to finding items, avoiding traps, and succeeding in skill-based tasks.
- Serendipity (Passive): Occasionally shields the holder from minor misfortunes, redirecting slight failures into neutral outcomes. (Cooldown: 1 day)
Special Condition:
- Marked by Fate: Whoever holds this trinket risks attracting the attention of the dungeon’s first-floor boss, who may ambush them unexpectedly.
Description: This small, white rabbit’s foot is soft to the touch, exuding a faint aura of luck and charm. Once an accessory of old adventurers, it’s said to bring luck to its bearer. However, some rumors suggest it’s cursed to attract powerful foes looking to reclaim it.
should I keep the names of whoever is speaking at the end of there dialog?
