Luck of the Dice (A Former Dungeon-Master's LITRPG)

The forest had grown denser as Miles followed the smoke plume in the distance. His newfound skill, Basic Tracking, highlighted subtle clues along the way: broken twigs, trampled grass, and faint trails that seemed to point him toward civilization.

The prospect of finding a village filled Miles with hope. A village meant people, food, shelter, and most importantly, information about this strange world. But with every step, an uneasy feeling gnawed at him.

"Come on, Miles. You're doing fine," he muttered, clutching his dice pouch. The small jingles it made with each step were oddly comforting.

The system chimed, pulling his attention away from his worries.

Quest Update: Track Down the Smoke Source

Roll for Directional Accuracy.

Miles took a deep breath, pulling out the dice. The glowing objects seemed to pulse faintly, as if alive with anticipation.

"Okay, let's see if my luck holds up," he said, tossing them onto a nearby rock.

The dice spun and clattered, landing on a 6 and a 5.

Critical Success: Trail Identified. Proceed with confidence.

A glowing line appeared in his vision, marking a path through the trees. It wasn't straight, weaving erratically like a twisting river, but it seemed reliable.

Miles grinned, rolling the dice back into their pouch. "See? Luck's finally on my side!"

He stepped forward, determination in his stride.

The path took him through increasingly unfamiliar terrain. The trees grew larger and gnarled, their twisted roots snaking above the ground like ancient serpents. The air turned cooler, carrying the faint scent of damp earth and moss.

"Doesn't exactly scream village," Miles muttered, but the glowing line in his vision didn't waver. "The system says it's right. Just keep going."

He passed over a ridge, his boots crunching on loose stones. The sound of running water reached his ears—a small creek, babbling as it wound its way through the forest. The line led him across it, over a makeshift bridge of fallen logs.

Miles paused on the other side, kneeling to drink from the creek. The water was icy and refreshing, rejuvenating him after the long trek.

The system chimed again:

Stamina Restored: +10

"Nice," Miles said, wiping his mouth. He stood, stretching before continuing along the glowing trail.

The further he walked, the more unnatural the forest felt. The towering trees formed an almost impenetrable canopy, plunging the ground into shadow. The air grew heavier, and strange noises echoed through the woods—scratching, distant whispers, the occasional rustle of leaves when there was no wind.

Miles slowed his pace, unease prickling at the back of his neck. "This... doesn't feel like a village."

The glowing line in his vision remained steadfast, urging him onward. He glanced at it, debating whether to trust the system.

"Critical success, right?" he said aloud, trying to reassure himself. "The dice wouldn't lie to me."

But as he took another step, the ground beneath his foot gave way with a loud crack.

"Whoa!" Miles shouted, stumbling as the earth crumbled.

Before he could react, the forest floor collapsed, sending him plummeting into darkness.

Miles landed hard, the wind knocked from his lungs. He groaned, rolling onto his side and blinking against the sudden dim light. His surroundings were vastly different from the forest above.

He was in a large, cavernous chamber, its walls lined with glowing blue crystals. The air was damp, and the sound of dripping water echoed eerily. Strange markings were etched into the stone floor, forming intricate patterns that pulsed faintly with a light of their own.

The system chimed:

New Area Discovered: Hidden Dungeon — Forgotten Catacombs

Difficulty: Unknown

Warning: High-Risk Zone. Proceed with caution.

Miles sat up, wincing as he rubbed his shoulder. "A dungeon? Great. Just great. I was trying to find a village, not a death trap."

He looked around, his eyes adjusting to the low light. The room he was in seemed empty, save for the glowing crystals and strange markings. A single, narrow passageway led deeper into the dungeon.

The system prompted him again:

Quest Update: Explore the Hidden Dungeon

Objective: Survive and uncover its secrets.

Reward: 200 EXP, Unique Item.

"Of course," Miles muttered, standing and brushing dirt off his pants. "Can't just climb back out, can I?"

He glanced up at the hole he'd fallen through. It was far above, the jagged edges of the opening silhouetted against the faint light of the forest.

Roll for Environmental Analysis, the system prompted.

Miles sighed, pulling out his dice. He tossed them onto the stone floor.

The dice rolled and landed on a 5 and a 6.

Critical Success: Exit Found. Marked on Map.

A translucent map appeared in his vision, highlighting the layout of the dungeon. A glowing marker indicated an exit, though it was far from where he stood.

"Guess I'm going deeper," Miles said, gripping his dice pouch tightly.

The narrow passageway led into another chamber, this one filled with more of the glowing crystals. In the center of the room stood a pedestal, and atop it rested a small, ornately carved box.

Miles approached cautiously. The system chimed again:

Roll for Trap Detection.

He rolled the dice, watching them spin before landing on a 4 and a 5.

Success: Trap Detected. Disarming Options Available.

The system highlighted a series of pressure plates surrounding the pedestal, barely visible beneath the dust and grime.

Miles knelt, studying the plates. "Okay, let's not trigger anything, shall we?"

The system offered a disarming roll, and he tossed the dice again. This time, they landed on a 6 and a 3.

Success: Trap Disarmed.

The plates shifted slightly before locking into place, the faint sound of gears clicking beneath the floor.

Miles exhaled in relief, stepping forward to claim the box. As soon as his fingers touched it, the system flashed another notification:

Loot Acquired: Rune-Carved Lockbox

Description: A mysterious box sealed with magical runes. Requires a key to open.

"Well, that's cryptic," Miles said, tucking the box into his inventory.

As he prepared to leave the chamber, the dungeon rumbled faintly, and a low growl echoed from the passage ahead. Miles froze, his grip tightening on the Beginner's Blade.

The system flashed a warning:

Hostile Entities Detected: Lesser Wraiths (x3)

Shadows began to coalesce at the far end of the room, taking on vaguely humanoid forms with glowing red eyes.

Miles rolled his dice instinctively, landing a 6 and a 5.

Critical Success: Surprise Attack Advantage.

Before the wraiths could fully materialize, Miles lunged forward, his blade glowing faintly as he activated Cleave Strike.

The attack struck true, slicing through the wraiths with a burst of energy. Two of them dissipated immediately, their forms unraveling into wisps of black smoke. The third wraith hissed, retreating momentarily.

The system chimed:

Damage Dealt: 80 HP

Enemy HP Remaining: 20/100

Miles didn't wait for the wraith to recover. He rolled again, landing a 5 and a 4, and followed up with a precise strike that finished it off.

The system congratulated him:

Enemies Defeated: 3 Lesser Wraiths.

EXP Gained: +90.

Breathing heavily, Miles glanced around the now-silent chamber. The adrenaline coursing through his veins slowly ebbed as he realized just how dangerous this place could be.

"Next time," he muttered, "I'm sticking to villages."

He glanced at the glowing map in his vision, noting the exit marker. Despite the danger, a flicker of curiosity burned in him. This dungeon was full of secrets—and Miles had always been lucky when it came to rolling the dice.

With renewed determination, he stepped forward, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.