Dungeons. A dungeon unless of specific circumstances cannot lay claim on on the surface. On average the dungeon starts a foot below the surface. Dungeon can claim the surface when creating an entrance. Just to give the most common example of surface claiming.

In the land above Jade’s dungeon was a virgin forest, untouched for several hundred years, full of life and death in a balanced cycle. However, in the time since Jade’s birth/rebirth? It has grown to an ancient forest and surpassed that to a relic forest.

The average forest is 1 to 5 times the average density of mana. A old forest is 5 to 10 times the average mana density. A virgin forest is 10 to 20 times, while an ancient forest is 20 to 30 times. A relic forest is 40 to 50 times the average density. With this change of mana density the trees have changed with all the life in the woods. In the center of the forest, on top or close to the edge of the dungeon, the trees have grown to 1600 meters in height. With the trees growing smaller as the mana density lowers.

Over a hundred and fifty miles away there is a small village, in the southwest. The village was founded over 150 years ago. They have seen the large virgin forest grow to ancient forest to the now relic forest. There are many stories they tell their children about the woods towering over mountains in the distance. There is an ancient treasure from the gods left in the woods. There is an ancient elf village. Some ancient mages tomb is in the center of the woods and only recently uncovered in the last 100 years. Never go into those woods. Rare herbs and maybe legendary treasures might be found but so are man eating monsters in those woods who know the place better than any man could ever.

Today in the woods is a portly man walking. He had been walking for over a week. Standing at somewhat shy of 2 meters tall, what was once fine clothes are near rags, and his large belly is rapidly shrinking.

“FUCK THESE WOODS. FUCK THOSE ASSHOLES THAT LEFT ME IN THE WOODS!!!” the portly man screamed in a mildly deep voice.

He had joined an adventuring party to gather some rare herbs in the mountains to the west, but was ditched for various reasons, like highborn attitude, lecherous comments to the female party members and poor combat skills. As he got ready to go set up camp for the night, he cast a wind blade at a squirrel on a nearby tree.

The wind blade was stronger and quicker than yesterday. Not paying mind to that, thinking it was his ability. He collected the squirrel head and body. Casting an alarm spell again quicker than normal. It was again him thinking that this was just his ability getting better after being in the woods and practicing for so long, and it was to a point. One flame touch and waterball later with a cleaned squirrel and wild herbs dinner was served. If there was one good thing to say about the portly mage it was that he knew his herbs. The man began to meditate and attune to mana and the elements after eating.

‘I knew I was close to an increase in skill level. I can feel the mana much clearer today. Even in these old woods I am great… No it is just the mana that is easier to gather, the elements are not gathering quickly, instead gathering normally. Am I in an old forest? An old forest!’

The man got out of meditation and began casting a spell. The spell was just a low level mana density spell. It would use black for under average, blue for average going to teal, green, yellow green to yellow to orange to red. It was a bright red.

“10 times the average mana density! This forest must have some rare herbs. Damn it I don’t have the supplies” the portly mage laments.

A week past, the portly mage almost not so portly anymore was walking up a hill. At the top of the hill he found a logging trail.

“I’m saved. Civilization. I can use money and live like a human again!” the mage cried out.

It was another two days trekking the logging trails to get to the village that made them.

The village had the population of 300 people. It had been growing with the fields being abnormally fertile for the region. Still many villager’s children would go to the cities or look for other places to begin a farm. The forest was a blight, every year foolish children would challenge each other to go to the woods and never return. Even hunters would often come back injured or not at all.

The portly mage was quite the sight in the small village. Covered in rags coming from the forest. Some grieving families were hoping it was their long lost child only to be disappointed. The portly man went to the only inn in the village. Opening the door to the inn, there was a bar section while the rooms looked to be upstairs.

Walking up to the waitress on duty the portly mage asked “Hello, I am in need of a room and some food and wine.”

“We do not serve beggars here” the Waitress replied

“What the F…” the portly mage looked at his sleeves to see them cut up and dirty. Shamefully the mage suppressed his anger, grinding his teeth and said to her pulling out a small silver coin “I can pay.”

“Well you can. I will get you a room on the second floor, one bed. Bath will be extra. If you want I can get you a seamstress to get you some new cloths, breakfast comes with the room, anything else will cost extra.” The waitress said looking at the small silver coin.

Currency was between small and large coins. 5 small copper coins for 1 large copper coin. 25 large copper coins for 1 small silver coins. 10 small silver coins for 1 large silver coin. 45 large silver coins for 1 small gold coin. 8 small gold coins for 1 large gold coin. The inn made less that a large silver coin a year and maybe 1 large and 5 small silver coins their best year, before taxes and after paying their bills. A family in the city could live off a large copper coin a day for food and another for shelter.

“Lead me to my room please and knock when you can get my bath ready. After my bath I will need something to eat” the portly mage told her

“Understood sir” the waitress said, leading him up to the upper floor.

Sometime later, a knock occurred and the waitress came in with a man carrying a barrel of hot water.

“Your bath water sir. Your food is cooking and will be ready in a half hour.” the waitress told him, getting ready to leave him to his bath

“Excellent. Can you tell me about the woods up north?” The mage asked

“Only the stories that parents tell the children of the village to keep them out. If you want a real answer you would have to talk to the hunters.” the waitress tells him.

The night passes, the portly mage eat like a king. The next morning was taken to the seamstress to get some clothes. The clothes a great deal rougher than he would have liked, but had no choice but to choose rags or rough clothes. In his rough clothes he went to the hunter’s hall.

A man approached him as he enter the hall. “You managed to go into those woods and come out. What do you want here?”

“I want to know more about them” the mage told him

“Then I will take you to the current champion hunter of the village, his family was the first hunter family in this village and know more about those woods than anyone else in this hall. Not that there is many of us left.” the man said

Looking around it was true. There looked to be 8 men in the hall that could fit easily 50 to 60. The man took him over to one of those men. It was a young man only 25 years old.

“What can I help you with. Name is Greg.” the young man Greg gave his hand to shake.

“The name is Martin Von Huttese” the portly mage gave his name.

“Well sir Huttese what do you need help with? And thanks for escorting him to me Bruce” Greg told the man

“I need to know more about those woods.” Martin told him

“What can I say. The woods were there since my great great great grandfather’s time. According to my grandfather before he went and died in the woods, his grandfather saw the woods grow from old trees to abnormal trees, 800 meters tall, and in his time he saw them reach their current height.” Greg tells him

“What they are that tall?” Martin exclaims

“You didn’t take a look back at the woods you left?” Greg asked

“I didn’t I was just happy to get out of the woods” Martin tells him honestly.

“Let's go outside, we can see the Multan mountains in the distance.” Greg said and led them to the roof.

On the roof was a platform, where one could see the forest and the nearby farms.

Martin looked out. The trees towered past the hill and the Multan mountains in the east. Martin realized why no one ever saw the trees, because the Multan mountains blocked the view and on the other side you would be in the Jares woods.

Not that there was much past the Multan mountains with three dungeons. A life dungeon focusing on fire, a normal dungeon with goblinoids, and lastly a abnormal dungeon with ice. The east was filled with monsters and little materials was the normal and correct assumption.

“So any more questions about the cursed woods?” Greg asked

Martin looked Greg in the eyes and said “I want to hire you to take me to the center of the forest.”