The Dungeon Master of the Iron Redoubt identified himself as Dagar.
He did not provide a family name, race, or country. He offered a map showing the public portion of his dungeon instead.
The map contained three fortified courtyards, a trade hall, an arrival chamber, and a road leading toward deeper defenses. Thick walls divided each space. Every route could be closed from two positions.
No homes appeared.
Max asked where the dungeon's residents lived.
[Beyond the third wall. Visitors do not require the location.]
The answer protected useful information without pretending residents did not exist.
Merrit of the Thousand Works sent a different introduction. His message included drawings of adjustable training mechanisms, repair tools, and modular traps designed to be rebuilt instead of replaced. His public territory contained workshops, testing halls, and a market where crafters competed for dungeon contracts.
