Summary
No one is really certain if there is only just 'one', but most every civilization across
Veltrona has run into Bahbarkan. So called as the 'wandering dungeon', Bahbarkan is an entire complex unto itself, fashioned out of regional appropriate stones, masonry, carpentry, and more. It can appear suddenly as a castle or other building on the surface, or a great, vaulting gateway in a cliffside, or even a stairwell leading into the veltron deep below. Much like the outside, the inside 'dungeon' itself can be radically different as well. A seemingly endless array of rooms, traps, and puzzles await those who end up inside, no two configurations exactly alike.
Ever more terrifying is Bahbarkan's habit of 'eating' whatever it comes across. Whole groups of animals, people, or otherwise are swallowed up by its powerful 'mouth', which become apart of its ever changing design. None can escape. There is seemingly some intent behind this, as people often land at the 'starting' point of the dungeon. The end is defined, typically, by an extremely powerful creature. Whether created by Bahbarkan itself or some earlier victim, this dungeon boss is horrendously malevolent and far beyond whatever creature it used to be. Those who can defeat it, however, complete the dungeon and find themselves violently spat out by Bahbarkan.
The wandering dungeon seemingly vanishes then, and those who escaped wake up surrounded by riches from throughout the ages. It is from these lucky groups that some heroines have emerged, and entire nations have sprung up with unimaginable wealth. Throughout time, ever bolder groups of adventurers have sought out Bahbarkan, but it is not easy to find. Decades can pass before anyone reports back having completed its trials, leaving many to wonder. Is it that rare to encounter? Or simply that difficult to survive?
No one knows for certain.
Unlike many of
Veltrona's other exotic lifeforms, it is otherwise completely non-intrusive. Bahbarkan has never attacked a settlement or city, and so it is often considered a random encounter out in the wilds. Scholars the world over are vastly intrigued of its nature; is it a magical animal? Some leftover magi-tech construction? A divine being come to judge the unworthy? There isn't any agreement on what it may be, and there isn't much to discover from those who have passed the dungeon trial.
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