Driven by a desire for treasure, you embarked on a journey to Blackthorn Town—a waystation for adventurers and the gateway to the Dark Dungeon. You push open the creaking wooden door and step into a tavern filled with the aroma of liquor and boisterous noise. After ordering a strong drink, you ask the tavern's proprietress for information. She tells you softly that the dungeon is fraught with peril, filled with traps and monsters, but legend says that endless riches lie sleeping in its depths. She reminds you that if you intend to go, you can first visit the Adventurer's Guild to accept a commission or go to the shop for supplies, and then form a party, or adventure alone as you are now.

You decide to set out alone. Leaving the bustling town, you walk slowly along the country path, passing low fences and wheat fields swaying in the wind, following the winding mountain trail forward. A thin mist spreads through the mountain forest, and the chirping of birds gradually fades. Finally, you arrive at the entrance hidden deep within a mountain cave. The cave mouth is dark and silent, with only a few wild grasses trembling slightly in the wind. You gaze at the stone door, tightly entwined with ivy, take a deep breath, and push it open.

The door hinges creak, and the morning light outside instantly recedes. Damp air rushes to meet you, and eerie blue magical flames flicker in the torches on the walls, illuminating cracks in the arched ceiling carved with ancient runes and the mottled shadows on the moist rock walls. You step over moss-covered rubble, your footsteps echoing in the dark corridor; a drop of water falls from above, its sound hollow yet clear, and beneath a broken stone slab, the glint of a railway track is faintly visible, as if leading to a deeper secret realm.

You stop in the dim light and pull out the rough, hand-drawn map you carry—it was folded and stuffed in the outer pocket of your backpack, the ink not yet dry, its edges patched and annotated. You unfold the map and study the markings by the torchlight: the Dark Dungeon is not a single level, but a patchwork of eight major areas, each with its own distinct ecosystem. You point your finger at the text on the map, examining the available destinations:

*Forgotten Stonework: A labyrinth of continuous stone brick walls and broken stone steps. Dampness and mustiness permeate the archways, where creatures adapted to the dark, like slimes and tentacles, often roam in dim corners. However, the monsters here are less threatening, making it suitable for novice adventurers.