Dungeons

In the realm of Guildia, dungeons are among the most enigmatic and feared phenomena known to civilization. These structures do not appear to be built, unearthed, or summoned—they simply form. A tranquil forest, an abandoned field, or a lonely cliffside may one day be utterly mundane, and the next, twisted into the threshold of something far more sinister. There is no known pattern to their emergence, and no arcane method or divine insight has been able to accurately predict their appearance. They are, by every measure, unnatural.   Each dungeon is wholly unique. Some spiral downward like serpentine tombs; others rise like shattered towers from the earth, or stretch endlessly like frozen deserts beneath the surface. What lies within them can range from cursed relics and slumbering horrors to forgotten civilizations suspended in time. While some dungeons share structural or thematic elements—allowing experienced explorers to prepare for what they might face—the vast majority operate under no known blueprint. Even dungeons that appear familiar may conceal entirely different dangers within. This chaotic variance has earned dungeons a dual reputation: they are both a gateway to fortune and a promise of death.   Despite their unpredictability, dungeons are broadly categorized by difficulty—though this system is increasingly challenged by the theory that dungeons possess a form of reactive intelligence. Many explorers speak of a phenomenon they call the Dungeon Mind—a hive-like awareness that observes and adjusts in response to those who enter. If a renowned dungeoneer with overwhelming strength repeatedly clears low-tier dungeons, reports show that those dungeons may suddenly shift in form, increase in deadliness, or trap intruders in endlessly looping chambers. This phenomenon is known as randomcy mode.   In randomcy mode, the very entrance to the dungeon may shift or close behind those who enter. Gravity may invert. Reality may bend. The air grows thick with unseen malice. Some believe this is the dungeon punishing hubris, or maintaining balance—an evolutionary defense mechanism against exploitation. Others whisper that the dungeons are merely testing those who dare challenge them, escalating difficulty to match potential. In either case, the result is the same: even the most skilled dungeoneers can be swallowed by a dungeon that no longer plays by familiar rules.   To help mitigate risk, dungeons are classified by their presumed danger level. While these tiers are not foolproof—especially in the presence of randomcy—they serve as a loose guide to what might await.  

Dungeon Difficulty Tiers

 

Dormant (Gray Rank)

These are freshly formed or long-abandoned dungeons showing minimal activity. They may contain minor creatures, diluted curses, or unstable structures. Often used for training novice adventurers, though even these can prove fatal if underestimated.  

Stirring (Green Rank)

A step above Dormant, these dungeons exhibit signs of life—animated guardians, low-tier magical traps, or primitive ecosystems. Explorers may find minor relics or enchanted items here. Caution is advised.  

Awakened (Blue Rank)

At this level, dungeons become much more structured and deliberate in their design. Stronger foes patrol their halls, and environmental hazards grow more complex. These dungeons often house a core or “heart” that sustains their existence.  

Malevolent (Red Rank)

Highly dangerous and rarely tackled without coordinated teams. These dungeons teem with advanced traps, elite monsters, and potentially sentient constructs. Many display erratic architecture and hints of randomcy even before activation.  

Cursed (Black Rank)

These dungeons are so warped that reality itself begins to bend. Time may move strangely, voices may echo from unseen mouths, and travelers may find themselves lost in memories that aren’t their own. Survival is uncertain; rewards are legendary.  

Sovereign (Gold Rank)

A rare and terrifying classification, Sovereign dungeons are believed to be ancient powers manifesting through spatial anomalies. They often resist entry altogether, requiring specific keys, rituals, or planetary alignments. Only a few have ever been documented—none without great loss.  

Cataclysmic (Unknown Rank)

Not officially recognized, but spoken of in hushed tones by broken survivors. These dungeons are theorized to reshape the land around them and possibly link to one another across space. Some believe these are remnants of Guildia’s forgotten wars—or precursors of a greater, hidden will. If such dungeons truly exist, they remain far beyond mortal control.   In a world as unstable and arcane as Guildia, dungeons stand as both promise and peril. They offer power, wealth, and revelation—but always at a cost. For those brave or foolish enough to enter, one truth remains: the dungeon is always watching.  

Dungeon Growth and Escalation

  Dungeons are not static phenomena—they are living anomalies, and if left unchecked, they evolve.   From the moment a dungeon manifests, it begins to grow. At first, this growth is subtle: the walls expand, new chambers form, unfamiliar creatures begin to appear. But over time, the dungeon’s internal systems become more intricate, its guardians stronger, and its influence over the surrounding land more pronounced. It is a slow but relentless process—like rot beneath the surface of the world.   If a dungeon is not cleared in time, it will escalate. This natural escalation results in the dungeon promoting itself to the next highest difficulty tier. What was once a Stirring dungeon may become Awakened, and with it comes deadlier monsters, more complex traps, and increasingly unstable magic. Entire environments may shift. Forests may wither around a dungeon’s perimeter, and unnatural weather may begin to plague the region.   Some scholars call this the Ascension Cycle, and warn that a dungeon allowed to persist long enough may reach a point where it becomes virtually impossible to conquer—especially if it transitions into randomcy mode. In this state, the dungeon becomes not only sentient but malicious, adapting aggressively to all threats in real time. At this point, entire adventuring parties may vanish without a trace.   Even worse, a dungeon’s growth does not always remain confined to its own space. As it climbs in rank, a dungeon may begin to leech into surrounding land—distorting geography, poisoning rivers, or corrupting nearby creatures. Some dungeons have even been known to spawn lesser “sub-dungeons” in their vicinity, functioning like malignant tumors of the original core.   Thus, dungeon clearance is not merely a matter of greed or exploration—it is a matter of containment.   The guilds of Guildia, along with the city-states of the western continent, treat dungeons as ticking arcane bombs. Adventuring contracts, reward bounties, and emergency calls to arms are issued the moment a dungeon begins to stir. Failure to respond in time has, in the past, resulted in the destruction of entire towns, and in one historic instance—The Black Hole Tragedy—a dungeon grew unchecked for nine years before it fully awakened, unleashing a Sovereign-class collapse that left a scar in the continent still visible from mountaintops.   Because of this, dungeon management has become a central pillar of Guildia’s economy, politics, and survival. The brave, the desperate, and the foolhardy all descend into these ever-growing abysses not just for glory, but to hold the line against the chaos that threatens to consume the world.  

Mega Dungeons

  While individual dungeons pose great danger on their own, there exists a far rarer and far more catastrophic phenomenon—the formation of Mega Dungeons.   A Mega Dungeon is the result of two or more growing dungeons fusing together, typically after they have been left to escalate for too long without being cleared. When dungeons grow unchecked, their inner realms begin to seek out other anomalies like themselves—often across vast distances. In rare cases, two dungeons of significant power will breach the veil separating their respective spaces and establish a link, merging into a single, titanic anomaly.   This fusion is not a simple expansion—it is a transformation. The rules that governed each individual dungeon begin to unravel and intertwine, forming a space of compounded chaos, where physics, time, and logic bend under the strain of layered anomalies. Enemies from one dungeon may now co-exist—and even combine—with those of another. Architecture collides violently, forming impossible geography, shifting mazes, floating towers, and endless chasms. These spaces are not just dangerous—they are warped, living, and often impossible to map.   Thankfully, the people of Guildia have grown highly effective at monitoring dungeon growth. Guild Watchtowers, Arcane Seers, and even regional contracts ensure that dungeon escalation is rapidly identified and contained. Due to these efforts, Mega Dungeons are extremely rare. But when they do form, they become high-priority targets for Guildia’s elite forces and national armies.   Only a handful of Mega Dungeons are known to have ever existed—and most are now sealed, uncharted, or still active deep within no-man’s lands.  

Ranks of Mega Dungeons

  To face a Mega Dungeon is to walk willingly into the gullet of annihilation. As such, these monstrous anomalies are categorized into special ranks:  

Conflux-Class

The least severe form of a Mega Dungeon. Typically formed from two recently established dungeons that merged before either had reached full maturity. While deadly, Conflux dungeons are sometimes used by elite guilds as proving grounds for highly specialized teams. Still, the interior is wildly unstable, and sudden shifts in environment are common.  

Apex-Class

These Mega Dungeons are created when two or more mature dungeons—usually Awakened or higher—intertwine. The result is a battleground of conflicting dungeon cores, sentient traps, and fused ecosystems. Apex dungeons are known to "reset" themselves, reforming new layouts and enemies with each passing week. No two expeditions are ever the same. These are rarely cleared and often require long campaigns to destabilize.  

Sovereign-Link Class

The fusion of at least one Sovereign-ranked dungeon into a Mega Dungeon results in a Sovereign-Link. These dungeons often display signs of dimensional collapse, such as infinite rooms, recursive stairwells, and hostile echoes of long-dead adventurers. The magic inside becomes self-aware, often crafting illusions, fabricating memories, or rewriting local reality. Teams that enter rarely return intact—if at all.  

World-Ender Class (Theoretical)

Only whispered about in ancient texts and prophetic dreams, the World-Ender is a theoretical classification for a Mega Dungeon so vast and powerful that it becomes a self-sustaining realm—capable of expanding indefinitely, even across continents. Some legends claim that the formation of such a dungeon once led to the collapse of an entire pre-Guildian civilization. If such a dungeon exists—or ever forms again—it may spell the end of the world as it is known.   The existence of Mega Dungeons serves as a dire reminder: dungeons are not simply tests for adventurers, but symptoms of a greater force—one that may be ancient, reactive, and possibly intelligent. And if that force is allowed to gather... it does not just consume land.   It consumes reality.