You have entered sector 106 of the Endless Dungeon. This sector is level 2 of 5 of the Guardian Tower.
I spilled out of the portal into darkness.
Dropping into a crouch, I extended my senses. The ground beneath was hard, cold, and rough-hewn, while above, I could feel a weight of rock pressing down. And the air… it tasted of rock, soil, and dirt.
I’m deep underground, I realized.
Pivoting about in a slow circle, I scanned the surroundings....
2022-09-08 13:56:59 +0000 UTC
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A few minutes later, my body was fully restored, the last of its injuries washed away by soothing waves of chi heal.
Opening my eyes, I found myself looking out on the molten lake and repressed a shudder. The journey across had been harrowing and was not an experience I cared to repeat. Don’t die, I told myself grimly, and you won’t have to.
Reminded of the task before me, I rose into a crouch and peeked around the boulder. The edge of the red dome hung a few...
2022-09-07 14:17:00 +0000 UTC
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My suspicion proved correct. The savants couldn’t heal themselves.
It was a dire weakness and one I was ruthless in exploiting. Time and again, I charmed the fire slugs and sent them against the savant mage, and despite my foe repeatedly wresting back control of the creatures, I was able to inflict an infinitesimal amount of damage each time.
Inevitably, he fell.
Your minions have killed a savant mage.
You have reached level 105!
...
2022-09-06 12:17:27 +0000 UTC
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A few minutes later, I had a plan.
My primary goal was to get to the exit portal and to do that, I needed to defeat the savant acolyte and the magma elementals. Given their positioning, it was clear they guarded the exit.
Still, it would be foolish for me to descend into the basin just yet. Better to whittle down my foes’ numbers from above first, I thought.
My gaze fixed on one of the savants. He would be my first target. Given the fire slugs’ low levels, I for...
2022-09-05 03:47:02 +0000 UTC
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I didn’t bother checking the eastern and western exits of the plague quarter.
If the mantises had gone through the trouble of blocking one gate out of the quarter, I was certain they’d done the same to the other two. And besides, it was not like I would be allowed into the Light or Dark quarters either.
There was no getting around it. Until I dealt with the mantises, I was stuck.
Of course, I could just attack the assassins, earning myself a sure death and a quick passag...
2022-09-01 03:01:00 +0000 UTC
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When I reached the foyer, I found Richter, Orlon, and three other knights waiting.
At my appearance, one of the knights—Teg, I noted—swung around to face the knight-captain. “Him? Really? We have to pretend he is a knight.”
The second knight snorted. “He’ll be spotted as a fake from a mile away.”
“This is a bad idea,” the third added.
“Enough,” Orlon snapped. “It’s been decided. The Triumvirate themselves have given their approval.”...
2022-08-31 03:01:01 +0000 UTC
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“Get me out of the citadel.”
I’d thought about asking for access to the minotaur maze, but that would’ve still left me in the knights’ sphere of control and when the Triumvirate’s order to hand me over did come through—I no more doubted it would than Orlon—it would leave me vulnerable and exposed.
And besides, I didn’t think the knight-captain would let me in the dungeon anyway. No, the best approach was to get as far away as I could from the Triumvirate...
2022-08-30 03:01:00 +0000 UTC
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Day Five
I awoke to a loud bang.
Sitting up, but making no move to leave the warmth of the bed, I rubbed my eyes. What time was it? Checking the state of my mental concealment ward, I saw that little over six hours had passed.
It’s too damn early, that’s what, I thought grouchily.
A fist hammered on the door again.
Who is disturbing me at this hour?
“Open up!” a voice barked. “If you don’t unlock this door right this...
2022-08-29 03:01:00 +0000 UTC
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I entered the Triumvirate castle without fuss. Constable Richter was absent but showing the guards my citadel room key sufficed to gain me entry, and no questions were asked as I slipped into keep.
Before heading to my room and the sleep that beckoned, I stopped by Kesh’s offices.
“Hello, Cara,” I said, stifling a yawn as I entered the shop.
“Michael,” Cara greeted, looking up. She studied me for a moment. “You’ve been out late again, I see.”
“A...
2022-08-25 08:36:44 +0000 UTC
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The first thing I noticed was that the notes on the saltmarsh dungeon were untitled. It appeared that the dungeon had no name, at least none known to the gnomes.
I didn’t let that daunt me, though, and began reading.
Little is known about the dungeon in the saltmarsh. Even its name has been lost over time. But despite this, rumors of the dungeon persist to this day. Some of these tales have no doubt sprung from ancient texts on the subject. Many older historical accounts mak...
2022-08-24 05:57:22 +0000 UTC
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Before I could respond, Cyren disappeared into the back office, only to reemerge a few minutes later with a sheaf of papers. He laid the documents on the counter. “This is what five hundred gold buys you on the three dungeons.”
I made no move to pick up the papers. “And the fourth dungeon?”
Cyren laid another parchment atop the others. “This is everything our archives hold on that one.” His eyes glinted. “It’s worth considerably more than five hundred gold...
2022-08-24 05:53:23 +0000 UTC
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The players were still muttering amongst themselves as they drew to a halt in a ragged line before me. Fingers were pointed, and the epithet ‘scav’ was thrown around more than once.
Saying nothing, I waited for someone to address me first.
Toff and the same elf who’d accompanied him outside the dungeon stomped forward. “Who the blazes are you?” the ogre growled.
I’d not had the opportunity to again assume the facial disguise I’d worn when I first met the pair, ...
2022-08-22 03:00:02 +0000 UTC
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Turning about, I fled down the passage.
The other three images of Gintalush had vanished with his death, and with no other target to hold their attention, the undead charged straight for me. But unhampered by injuries, I was able to easily outrun them, and after a few random turns, I concealed myself in the shadows.
Panting for breath, I reflected on the battle. It came as no surprise that the Gintalush was a sworn servant of a Dark Power. Menaq, I repeated, tasting the n...
2022-08-18 13:54:53 +0000 UTC
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Wrapped in shadow, I sat in vigil at the intersection of four of the dungeon corridors. It had taken me five minutes of breathless and silent running to get here.
Behind me, I heard nothing.
Either Toff’s party had chosen to pursue Wengulax instead, or they’d abandoned the chase altogether. I didn’t care much which. Going at the hunt alone suited me just fine—this way less would be left to chance.
I was under no misapprehension, though. Gintalush would not be an easy...
2022-08-17 06:26:33 +0000 UTC
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Before moving onwards, I cast my buffs and renewed my protections.
You have cast reaction buff, increasing your Dexterity by +4 ranks for 20 minutes.
You have cast lighten load, reducing your total armor penalties to 0% for 20 minutes. Net effect: +2 Dexterity and +1 Magic.
You have cast mind shield.
You have activated a disease protection crystal.
You have activated a scent protection cr...
2022-08-17 06:22:43 +0000 UTC
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The Haunted Catacombs dungeon will respawn in 5 seconds. All keys, doors, and traps will be reset, and the dungeon’s denizens repopulated.
I opened my eyes at the Game message. I’d fallen into a light trance while I waited and hadn’t noticed the passage of time. Dropping down into a crouch, I gripped the hilts of my swords.
Four…
Three…
Two…
The dungeon reset has been complete...
2022-08-15 06:54:10 +0000 UTC
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It took me nearly two hours to explore the first sector and memorize its layout. My scouting took me through a dizzying array of barren corridors and rooms, all empty of loot or living creatures.
The level had been thoroughly cleansed.
There were plenty of dead monsters, though, and I inspected each one I came across, and slowly the dungeon’s design became clear. The first sector of the haunted catacombs was infested by rank twelve undead—zombies, ghouls, wights, skeletons, an...
2022-08-10 13:30:09 +0000 UTC
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Before leaving the safety of the shadows, I activated a scent ward, wrapped my mind in a shield, and cast lesser imitate, transforming myself into the likeness of a Triumvirate knight. A moment later, I strode boldly into the bailey.
The crowds parted for me, instinctively making way for one of the citadel’s custodians, and I reached the citadel’s southern wall without incident. As I drew closer to the gate positioned there, my steps slowed.
The crowds were thin at this end of...
2022-08-10 11:35:15 +0000 UTC
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Day Four
Six hours later, I woke up rested and refreshed.
Rising quickly, I exited my room, sealing the door behind me. The first rays of sunlight had appeared on the horizon, and I had to hurry if I wanted to join Genmark and his fellows before they entered the dungeon.
I dashed through the citadel’s corridors, my mind full of plans for the day. Yesterday’s skill gains had been particularly pleasing, yet they had transpired less by design and more by happenstance, and I...
2022-08-04 12:38:29 +0000 UTC
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I slipped into the shadows at the first opportunity.
Nestled in darkness, I crept towards the safe zone’s south gate. As I traveled, I reflected on the assassins and their ongoing hunt.
As disconcerting as I found the mantises’ persistence, the day’s events had given me a better grasp of their abilities. Both the scent enchantment ward and my own facial disguise spell had defeated their hunter eyes. And while that reassured me, there was still the question of how the pair ha...
2022-08-03 06:41:15 +0000 UTC
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The sandworm went down easily.
Given the manner in which we’d met, I didn't expect Genmark’s party to be any good. But they surprised me, and under the gnome’s leadership, they seamlessly coordinated their attacks and spells with my own.
I ran circles around our prey, keeping it focused on me while the party assaulted it from afar. Throughout the fight, I kept one eye on my foe and the other on my allies, wary not so much of betrayal but of friendly fire.
The party sur...
2022-07-31 08:05:06 +0000 UTC
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“Hey you, hold up!”
In no mood to chatter to the fools who’d stolen my kill, I almost didn’t look up. But the cry had come from up ahead, not behind me.
Glancing up, I saw that not all the players from the uninvited party had rushed to the scorpion’s corpse. A smaller company remained atop the hill. A gnome there was hailing me, his arms swinging wildly as he tried to gain my attention.
My lips thinned. Now, what does he want? But I wasn’t interested eno...
2022-07-30 05:25:26 +0000 UTC
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Stepping back, I dropped into a crouch.
The stygian sword was in my right hand, my buffs were cast, and my face was concealed by an illusion. I was as ready as I could be. For a moment, I contemplated drawing ebonheart, but the blade was too distinctive and, in the crowded dungeon, would attract the wrong kind of attention.
A presence swam across the boundary of my mindsight.
My foe.
Reaching out with my will, I analyzed it.
The target is a level 128 gian...
2022-07-28 07:05:13 +0000 UTC
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Edit made to previous chapter: he uses facial disguise instead of lesser imitate. Following text added:
"I’d chosen to conceal my identity with facial disguise instead of lesser imitate because, as I’d learned already, the lesser imitate spell unraveled when I took damage.
Facial disguise was a less complete illusion—it would not change my body shape nor alter my voice—but it would stay in place even if I was struck, and considering I planned on entering...
2022-07-25 06:12:30 +0000 UTC
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Day Three
Eight hours later, I woke up rested and restored. From the light filtering in between the gaps in the shuttered windows, I could see that the sky was just beginning to turn gray.
Dawn had arrived.
Rolling off the bed, I gathered my possessions, readied myself, and hurried out of the room. My first destination was Kesh’s agent.
Even at this early hour, the keep’s corridors were busy, and not unexpectedly, the doors to the emporium's offices were open. I du...
2022-07-21 18:36:51 +0000 UTC
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After the others disappeared from view, I followed in their footsteps, retracing my steps back to the room with Kesh’s agent.
My wolf senses led me true, and after only a few missteps and wrong turns, I found the Kesh Emporium outlet. The day was growing late, but the shop remained open. Peering inside, I saw there were no other customers.
“Hello,” I greeted, approaching the red-cloaked figure sitting idle behind the desk in the room’s center.
“Good afternoon,” t...
2022-07-20 15:29:02 +0000 UTC
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Hi all,
This is the draft art for the next book in the Grand Game series. I'm not quite convinced by the cover. Any comments/feedback to improve it are welcome.
Note, the above artwork is still B&W and needs to be colored.
2022-07-19 04:40:22 +0000 UTC
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We passed through the citadel’s main doors and entered a foyer. An elegantly attired, if overweight, human stood waiting there to greet. By his garb, I marked him as a civilian.
Simone strolled across the checkered tiles of the foyer. “Constable Richter, it’s good to see you again.”
“Simone,” Richter replied, opening his arms in welcome. “As always, it's a pleasure to have you and your party visiting with us. What can I do for you today?”
“Is Trexton in his...
2022-07-18 10:01:44 +0000 UTC
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The citadel that Simone spoke of was the Triumvirate castle in the center of the quarter. According to Jasiah, it was close by.
Once we set out, I turned my focus inwards and saw to my player progression. I’d gained seven attribute points in the battle. Before spending them, I pondered over my performance in the rift.
I had done well in melee combat, and my thieving skills had not let me down either, but it was my Mind skills that had made all the difference. If not for charm, s...
2022-07-17 11:56:01 +0000 UTC
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Alas, the other two serpents did not keep fighting.
Moments after I grabbed the seed and fled, the two flying snakes disentangled themselves from each other and, taking to the air, gave chase. The threat of losing the seed, it seemed, was enough to spur them to set aside their own conflict.
Once aloft, both serpents’ jaws yawned open to emit piercing hissing whistles. At first, I didn’t understand the sounds’ purpose, but when I heard a responding cry from the left—the dir...
2022-07-13 07:18:43 +0000 UTC
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