Peek: The Psionic Dunes (Patreon)

Aahh, it's nice when we stop by the Gofnar like this. Summer is warming up, and it's nice to be able to cool down some. It's not always an option, like in the Psionic dunes.

It's a dungeon far in the south of the Elven Kingdom, situated in a desert that sits square on a trade route. The dungeon itself is a few miles off, but getting to it is the first difficulty. I've heard scholars argue about the difference between mental and illusion affinities, and most of it goes well over my head. In my experience, an illusion is a trick, where mental compulsion is just something you do.

It's hard to explain if you haven't experienced both, honestly.

Anyway, the dungeon is a pretty passive belligerent, possibly even technically murderous, since it has hostile expeditions. While it certainly has it's fair share of dead adventurers, it's not exactly dangerous, or trying to kill anyone. Its denizens try to simply steer adventurers and invaders alike away, before they can even enter the dungeon.

It takes advantage of its location, too. We've all seen the heat shimmers that look like water, and we know they're not what they seem. But when trudging through the sand toward the Psionic Dunes, the denizens give you little mental nudges to go investigate. The mirage isn't that far away. Why not check it out, then continue on your path?

Once you get inside, there's another subtle shift. Alongside the of the draining heat of the desert, there's a constant mental drain. If you ever get the chance to visit it, bring mental protection, just like you'd bring fire protection for a desert dungeon.

And that's not taking into account the denizens. Scorpions and walking cactus denizens are the main threat, but there are also buzzards and snakes, too. All of them have their own mental attacks to offer on top of that, so don't go in thinking it'll be a simple exploration.

So why even go? It clearly doesn't want delvers, and mental attacks are difficult to protect against in the first place.

Well, for whatever reason, the dungeon has countless high-quality gemstone nodes, with gems that are perfect channels for mental mana. The Psionic Dunes are easy enough to deal with, once you know what you're doing and are prepared, but a lot of other mental affinity dungeons are much more vicious and dangerous. Adventurers are always going in to get more gems for protective gear for other dungeons, or to be able to boost their own mental affinity abilities.

Personally, I think it's a happy coincidence that the gems are so useful. I was lucky enough to join a group that entered before dawn, and I got to see the sun rise and refract through the gemstone nodes, like the night sky had landed on the dunes for a few brief moments. I think the dungeon makes the nodes for the view, not the useful materials.

Maybe I'm wrong, but who knows? Last I heard, the dunes still doesn't have a voice, which is odd for a dungeon its age. I think it lends credence to my theory. It doesn't want to talk, it just wants to work on its nodes and create a dazzling display for its own amusement.

A hermit dungeon working on its masterpiece. The idea sings to my bardic soul.

~Onthar, Orcish Bard Historian