Peek: Up

Ah, the rolling plains.  The sky always seems so much bigger here, deep in the Wanderlands.  It reminds me of a dungeon I once delved.  Let's get these tents up and the cookfire going, then I'll tell you the tale.

Now, let me see... I suppose the dungeon liked the look of the skies.  It's far to the south, near the southernmost tip of the elven kingdom, in a dungeon situated in a swamp.  With a swamp around, I can't really blame it for wanting to expand up.  Expanding out would just be more swamp.  Expanding down would be awkward with the aforementioned swamp, too.

Honestly, it's not bad, as far as swamps go.  Lots of mangroves, a lot less stagnant water than might be expected.  It was a small dungeon, at least at first.  I chatted with the local dungeoneers and they mentioned that, as far as they could tell, it never claimed any land after its borders stabilized from its foundation.

It's first denizens were frogs and squirrels, so it certainly could have expanded outward with no problems.  But the little dungeon must have been able to look up, and see that big sky calling to it.  The dungeoneers didn't know it at first, of course.  It didn't have a Voice, and it still didn't have one when I delved it.  All the dungeoneers knew was it seemed to be stagnating.  Almost a decade from its formation, and it still hadn't expanded!

It wasn't from a lack of delving.  The denizens were decent enough challenges for newer adventurers, and while the swampy terrain wasn't exactly easy to cross, the dungeon seemed to have no interest in impeding shallow boats and the like.  The dungeoneers were actually getting concerned something was wrong with the small dungeon, before it finally expanded.  When it did, they didn't know what was happening.

Out of nowhere, clouds seemed to roll in, and fierce winds started to blow.  The dungeoneers thought the small dungeon was going to be wrecked by this freak storm, and their fears seemed to be realized when the swirling clouds started to descend in a tornado, directly over the small dungeon!  They watched with concern as it touched down, observing from a safe distance as debris made it impossible to see the dungeon itself.

After a minute, something seemed off.  After five minutes, it was clear something weird was happening.  Tornadoes don't just sit there.  Time continued to march on, and the situation continued to grow more strange, as tornadoes definitely don't just sit there for over an hour.  The local guild had to call in an outside inspector, who understood what was happening immediately.

"It expanded up."

Yes, up is an option for dungeons!  I've been in a few others that have taken it, but none who took it with such dramatic effect!  Most of them will just grow something like a tree, sometimes a rock spire.  Occasionally, one will spawn a portal that seems to lead into open air.  This small dungeon spawned a stable tornado that would carry delvers up unto the clouds!  Once the inspector did his job, it became a bit obvious why something like that would happen: it was a wind affinity dungeon.

When I visited, the clouds were white and fluffy, though they sometimes turn grey and angry.  Riding a tornado is an experience even I find difficult to describe!  It's terrifying, certainly, to see the ground fall away, to know you're only kept aloft by strong winds.  But there's also a certain thrill to it, to have a brief glimpse at what it's like to not be tethered to the ground.  From talking with a few birdkin, it's the closest someone like you or I will ever get to flying.

I admit, I spent most of my delve simply riding the tornado up and down.  When I was done, I went to the local dungeoneers to ask about it, and they laughed.

"That's how most delvers are their first time!  There's a few who do little else!  At least the dungeon seems to get mana from it."  I'd like to return to that dungeon some day.  I hear tale it's managed a waterspout as well.  The area can be very warm in the summer, and the only way I can imagine making the experience more fun would be to make it refreshing at the same time.

-Onthar, Orc Bard Historian

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Inspired by Raufgar, who wanted to see what a dungeon expanding upwards might look like.