^^ Anitra the Storm, Portrait ^^

— Arcata, Dungeon Entrance (Laura) —

My eyes opened slowly, painfully; my entire body felt like a bruise that had been scraped with a cheese grater, and my eyes were no exception, apparently. Breathing was no easier, but it was a necessity, so the task was completed, no matter how difficult. The collision of a panicked-looking guardsman into her body did her no favors, and her pained groan was enough to shock him back a step. "She's alive!!! Get the Healers, she's alive!!!"

"Your voice clearly can wake the dead, you brainless child." A woman's hand made a ringing sound as it whipped the side of the guardsman's helm, and she knelt beside me, revealing long bronze hair much like my own and a glowing hand which brought with it soothing relief to the many wounds across my body. "You'll be alright, Ani, I'm here, now. You had a close call with that Dungeon Spawning so close to your room, do you remember?"

I shook my head, truthfully denying knowledge of the event; I had been given a brief overview of the knowledge of my body's previous life, but I lacked most of her memories; luckily, or I suppose sadly, everyone who had actually known her personally had been picked off and assassinated over the year or three prior to this event, due to a Succession War. Oh yeah, right, because Muradin decided to make me- "Duchess Anitra? How are you feeling?" The guardsman asked again, having returned back to my side from his previous retreat from the healer's fearsome slap to his skull.

The healer's fearsome slaps came back into play as she swatted at him several times, shooing him away. "I've just begun healing her, you Oaf!!! Dedicate some Stat Points to your fucking Int Stat before you die from forgetting to breathe!!!"

"Well that's just rude, Lady Dana; I would have you know that my Int is almost 50!" The guard struck a pose triumphantly, but it didn't last very long with her withering response swift to strike him down.

"You mean the standard value of the average Tier One Cleric or Scribe? Aren't you Tier Three, Guardsman?"

"W-well..."

"Enough... my head hurts and your childish flirting is truly painful to listen to. Either kiss or shut up, both of you." I sat up slowly, cracking my back and trying to wobble my way to my feet, feeling much better from the healing I'd been given. 'A percentage heal, huh? Must be... definitely not a set numerical heal, in this world where there's different HP in every person.'

"Well, someone is feeling better, if they can make sarcastic remarks... how's your balance?" The bronze-colored mage tapped my back gently, pushing me forward to see if I could respond; to my credit, I did not topple over, but I did have to take a step forward due to her strength stat completely overpowering mine. "Mm, good, that shows there's likely no brain damage... you'd need a better healer if there was damage to your Brain and Organs. Now- who goes there?!?" The healer shoved me behind her, drawing a longsword from behind her hip and brandishing it at a group of heavily armored people approaching with a glowing crystal carried between them in a jury-rigged sling.

"The God of Stone and Ore has ordered his Inquisitors to gift this Core to one Anitra the Younger, Chosen Champion of Muradin, God of Magic, as sign of our remorse for the passing of Anitra the Storm, the Proselytic Paragon of Muradin and the Order of Mana. Remove yourself from our path, or you will be removed. You will not receive another warning, Mage or no."

"Move, I'm expecting them." I placed a hand on her hip, moving her out of the way slowly while I wobbled forward towards the crystal. "Stone Eye said it would take a few hours for you to clear the dungeon, even with all your strength... clearly you exceeded his expectations. Most impressive, Inquisitors."

The leader, who had spoken before, knelt in a smooth movement, placing one armored knee onto the cracked stone pavement and one fist over his chest. "We live only to serve the God of Stone and Ore; your compliment, however, is well received. As useless as we may be for you right now, we do mourn for your loss. Lady Anitra was a kind, solid soul."

"Mm... and I will honor her legacy with this as the foundation." My hands made contact with the core, which was around the size of a basketball, and my world became a riot of color as a Screen appeared before my eyes and the core seemingly dissolved into nothing.

——————————————————————————
Name: Anitra Arcata
Age: 12
Tier: 1
Level: 1(0%)
Class: Champion of Muradin
Health: 170/170
Mana: 210/210
Strength: 16
Dexterity: 14
Constitution: 16
Intelligence: 20
Perception: 14
Charisma: 20
Stat Points: 10
—Skills—
Mana Sense Lvl 1
Mana Manipulation Lvl 1
Light Armor Mastery Lvl 1
Heavy Armor Mastery Lvl 1
Shield Mastery Lvl 1
Blunt Weapon Mastery Lvl 1
Staff/Spear Mastery Lvl 1
—Granted Spells—
Mana Drain
Mana Arrow
Mana Shield
Mana Grasp
Lesser Purify
Healing Hands
—Unique Skills—
Muradin's Blessing (XP, Stat Points x 200%)
Gestalt Magic
Demiplane
Dungeon Maker
Draconic Enchantment
Draconic Crafting
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The riot of colors disappeared after a moment, alongside the screen that I waved away, leaving me standing in a group of heavy plate-armored clerics and inquisitors, all starting at me expectantly. "Ah, right, I was told a phrase to tell you by Stone Eye... was it... ah! 'Shallow is the Quarry that breathes for Stone'?"

Immediately they responded with a shout, in unison, saluting to their deity. "Deep is the Heart that Bleeds for Ore!"

"Uhm... yep, that's the one... your mission has been successfully carried out, then, Clerics of Stone Eye, god of Stone and Ore, and even better than could've been asked of you. I personally appreciate your assistance, as without it, I would've had to go into that dungeon myself to take that Core for Muradin, and I am only Level 1, so that would've been... unwise."

The leader nodded, standing up carefully while one of their allies fixed the harness back into its previous shape. "We simply bleed for Ore, Lady Anitra. The Dungeons are our second home. Clearing one of its filth and returning it to its pure state is as simple as sweeping the kitchen floors."

"Ha! I like you, you're cocky. You're welcome in my Guild anytime. Well, anyway, I look forward to your presence in this city, cleaning up its more vicious elements. I have a bit of that ahead myself, I think; my siblings have been secretly murdering my servants for the past three years, but now I have a class and the support of Muradin themself; now is the time of Anitra the Younger."

The leader laughed and patted my head with one massive gauntleted hand. "Good luck with that, Young Duchess; if you ever require my assistance, you may seek me out at the Temple of Stone and Ore; simply ask after one Inquisitor Avesta, and I will hear your plea. Good day, your Grace." Done with their business here, the group marched away from the clearing as one, leaving only the large black door and a large bloody leather sack in front of it.

"Ah, there it is..." I nodded and approached the bag, only to be blocked by the bronzed woman who had healed me. "I have business with this dying dungeon, lady healer, and I have limited time to do it in; I advise you to move out of my way."

"Dungeons are dangerous, Duchess, especially to people who are only newly awakened! I cannot allow-"

"Hence why your permission was never requested? Move, please." My wobbly path strengthened with each step, my health returning and my balance restoring itself fully by the fifth step, and I reached the bag and the gate behind it with no falls, which I counted as a win. "Now to fulfill a prophecy and see what happens next..." the bag was too heavy to lift fully, but I could still open it and reach a hand in, activating a Skill with a whispered command of 'Gestalt'.

The healer and guard were both silenced as the bag seemed to dissolve, just like the Dungeon Core had before it, and left behind was a new sphere of glowing crystal, finishing its formation and landing in my palms, instantly weighing me down as it weighed two-thirds of the entire bag I'd struggled to lift. Still, I had enough strength to knock it against the Gate, which had been slowly breaking down without a Core to power it. "And another Gestalt, please... I hope you've got your end ready, Muradin..." the core in my hand disappeared, in answer, and the black door turned platinum, reshaping itself into a full set of French doors, around two meters wide and tall, exactly two-thirds the size of the previous set.

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—System Message—
Disciple of Muradin, Anitra the Younger, has Founded the First Human-Made Dungeon in the city of Arcata, the Fallen Mageocracy!!!
(((The Dungeon Merchant awaits their first customers...)))
—
Title Awarded: Dungeon Master
Effects: Dungeons you make are far more profitable, and contain a storefront for the Dungeon Merchant, an extra dimensional merchant who buys exclusively from the Disciples of Muradin, and sells their goods to anyone who is willing to brave your dungeon and pay their steep prices.
—
Dungeon Item Trade and Upgrade System unlocked: Items can be given to the Dimensional Merchant, alongside payment in the form of Mana Crystals, and an upgraded version will be received in return, empowered in ratio to the Mana Crystals given.
—
The Dungeon Merchant will now accept requests from non-disciples of Muradin to process all remaining Monster Corpses within the dungeon, post-clearing, for a Fee of 50% Mana Regeneration Rate for two days or a Tier Four Mana Crystal!!!
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(((—Divine Message (Muradin)—
That was rather dramatic, wasn't it? I expected you to wait until tomorrow at the earliest, but thankfully I was ready anyway... and it does make it easier to use a dying dungeon to make a new one... I wonder what would happen if we did that with an Active Dungeon? )))
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Mission Succeeded: Create a Dungeon!
Mission Reward: +500% XP,(x2) +1 Dungeon Management Tab, +6 Spells (Magic Butcher, Magic Warehouse, Magic Appraisal, Acid Arrow, Fire Arrow, Ice Arrow.)
——————————————————————————
Level Up +10!!!
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"Oh dear... there goes a target on my back... but hey, Fame isn't easy, right?" I chuckled, opening the grimoire that had appeared on my hip when I'd gotten the Class just now and using it as a focus for my ideas. "Now, let's get this place fixed up; this is my first place of business, after all, can't have it looking like trash... let's see if I can actually cast this spell properly. First magic cast of my life, let's go~oooo!!!" The Fabricate Spell came from the pages to my mind as easily as a basic algebraic equation, and then appeared over my hand in a small disk of light, the details of the spell building as I watched. It was technically using the Dungeon Core inside of my body to direct the surroundings as if they were the Interior of a Dungeon, but I was channeling it through the spell to simplify it for myself. Also so I could cast a magical spell, of course. "Awesome..." the disk flew away from my hand in a blur of movement, landing in the rubble all around us and starting to dissolve the broken stones into usable bricks, swiftly and surely building a stone wall all around the ruined square, then a roof followed just as swiftly.

The second floor built itself around the central open area, and soon a full-blown tavern and inn made all of stone was settling into its foundation, with only seven people standing within. Two of them were known to me, obviously the guard and the healer, while the other five were a mixture of more guard, a woman in a baker's apron, and two people dressed like bar-maids, all staring at me wide-eyed and open-mouthed.

"Well!!! That was certainly exciting, wasn't it? Luckily, girls, I still need a chef and bar-maids, so you remain employed, if you'd like the job, but most of our customers will now be adventuring types, so if you don't want to handle a rougher clientele, there's the door, no hard feelings!" The door opened on cue, not due to any magic hand-waving on my part, but due to an influx of curious people, all armed to the teeth and eying the glowing silver door warily.

One of them, a young-looking man wearing leather armor and wielding a pair of long daggers on his hips, spoke out to the healer, gesturing at the Gate. "Is that dungeon still... active? What's a Human-made dungeon like? And who's the Dungeon Merchant?"

While the healer simply stared at me with her mouth hanging open, I took my place behind the bar, standing on a box to be fully within view and smiling at the potential customers in front of me wolfishly. "Your questions will be answered if you patronize my establishment; entry into my dungeon is also limited to paying customers. Payment in Coins is accepted, payment in Mana Crystals is preferred. My name is Anitra the Dungeon Master, Duchess of Arcata, Chosen Champion of Muradin, and you are standing in my new Guildhall."

The crowd focused on me, now, instead of the flabbergasted healer, and more than a few of them scoffed at me and strode towards the Gate, not noticing my smirk at the predictable action.

"I wouldn't advise that... the Silver Gate will take its Toll, either willingly... or not. You can deal with me, or you can deal with the wrath of Muradin, as you attempt to lay hands on their Gate. It's your choice."

A few of them stopped, eying the door and me warily, but three of them simply kept going, opening the door and stepping into the cobbled stone tunnel beyond the Gate... for around three steps, before they fell over, drying up in moments like mummies. Their bodies were absorbed into the dungeon a few seconds later, and the doors slammed closed on their own, leaving a room of pale people all carefully considering their next actions.

"Welp... that was a waste of three Tier Three Adventurers. Anyone else interested in entering without paying the Toll? Anyone?" I picked up a bottle from behind the bar, one of the ten that I currently had due to the entire tavern being utterly demolished less than twelve hours ago, and began pouring a drink into a slightly chipped mug. "No, I imagine not. Drink, anyone?"

The chef was the first to move, dragging the two barmaids into the back room behind the bar with a stern efficiency, and from the sounds of banging and clanging that began to emanate from within, she was examining the kitchen to make sure it fit her standards. The normal sounds broke the tension slightly, and the Rogue-looking fellow approached the bar, sitting in front of me and eying the bottle of alcohol in my hands. "Alright... how much for a drink?"

"How much is the information you want worth to you? The booze and food is a complement of the Guild, if you buy information, pay to enter the Dungeon, or rent a room." I shrugged, scooting the mug towards him.

He placed a single golden coin onto the bar slowly, watching my face for signs, and flinched when my eyes glowed, my Appraisal skill scanning the coin.

——————————————————————————
Coin; Gold. Value: 1 G/100 S/1000 C/10,000 B
(((Muradin's Note: One Tier Three Crystal.)))
——————————————————————————

"Mm, a Tier Three Crystal? Cheapskate... but I suppose I don't have much credibility, yet, it's not like the System itself stated that I was the leader and creator of the Dungeon Merchant Guild, y'know, a world-wide message or something like that..." I spun the coin on the bar slowly, keeping lazy eye contact with the rogue the whole time.

"What's one gold worth, as information?" He replied stubbornly.

"Sigh... well, for a first tribute, I'll accept it..." a flick of my hand cast the Silence Spell around us, and made our conversation private. That done, the coin disappeared mid-spin, and I gave my best customer-service smile to my first customer. "The Toll to enter the Dungeon is one Tier Two Crystal or similar coinage. It is a Tier Two Dungeon, and the main enemies are Imps, Bone Devils, and Lesser Vampires. Imps are small flying humanoids, like evil Fairies, that throw fireballs and fire arrows. Bone devils are melee combatants that are covered in poisonous bone spikes; any wounds caused by them Rot instantly, requiring a Cleric to Purify them before they can be Healed with Health Potions. They are both Demonic Creatures. Lesser vampires are also called Ghouls, and they are essentially vampires, but they eat the flesh of their victims, instead of drinking their blood. Getting killed by one of them turns your corpse into an undead; very nasty death, and if a Cleric doesn't purify your wounds, you'll eventually become an undead even if you destroy them all. The Boss is an Incubus, a Demon who can cast Charm Magic that requires a strong Intelligence and Perception stat to resist, and will drink the blood of those affected, killing them and turning them into its vampiric servants. The boss is weak to Divine Magic, like the others, and is mostly immune to Fire. A Cleric is pivotal to the Dungeon Clear. After you kill the Boss, a Door will appear to a Dungeon Shop, wherein you can pay to have the corpses in the dungeon butchered magically, or you can buy and sell Magical Materials, amongst other things. The prices will be a about a third above market value, due to the location, but the selection will be rather interesting. Worth the tax, I imagine. That, sir rogue, is what your Gold Coin is worth." The film of silence spell around us disappeared, and he darted his gaze at it as it retreated, clearly capable of tracking the lightning-quick movement. My gaze, however, turned to everyone else in the room. "Any other Customers? First-day grand opening special, only one gold coin for all the information you need about the Dungeon!"