Why are the monsters of the third strata called demons? This is a question frequently asked of me by those unfamiliar with that particular strata, or less well read on monsters in general. It's a general misconception that it was the civilised races of Pangera that designated the monsters of the third strata as 'demons', as a response to the particular intelligent cruelty inherent in the more highly evolved monsters encountered there. This simply isn't so. It was, in fact, the System itse...
2021-03-03 09:29:16 +0000 UTC
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Down and down into the depths we plunge, battling the furious monsters of the wave every step. The number of cold undead creatures we encounter continues to rise as we progress, and I can't believe the sheer variety of shapes the shadow monsters can take. I understand that their shadow flesh makes them basically formless, squishy and mouldable things that they are, but some of them are just weird.
Tiny battled a disgusting beast who resembled a slug fused with a seahorse that f...
2021-03-02 07:05:25 +0000 UTC
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I've been actually overwhelmed by the support shown this month and the number of new patrons is out of control. Thank you so much to all who have joined and to those who have stuck with me over the months. Things are happening behind the scenes right now, I'm reaching out to get art commissioned, which is always painful and stressful for me, and editing is getting underway again to get volume one of Chysalis ready for Amazon. Whoo!
"Dammit, Vibrant! Get...
2021-02-28 03:10:18 +0000 UTC
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This talk of 'ancients', mysterious creatures of supreme power that supposedly rule in the depths of our world is naught but superstitious nonsense. As a scholar, how can I put my faith in hearsay, tattered records and stories passed down over centuries? I need evidence. I need facts, verified by firsthand accounts. When we actually sit down and try to prove the existence of these monsters, what do we actually have?
Almost no written records survived the Rending, certainly ...
2021-02-27 07:58:32 +0000 UTC
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To be honest, I'm both overwhelmed, and a little sad about my new stats. It's an incredible improvement over my last evolution, the gains to each of my stats is more than double, a feat which required the immense bonuses provided by the Mature Paragon evolution as well as a massive chunk of my evolutionary energy. It was necessary though. My stats had been lagging behind where they needed to be as I invested a lot of energy over the last few evolutions in expensive organs. Even though the gai...
2021-02-26 10:23:38 +0000 UTC
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Status?!?!
The demons are powerful monsters, no doubt about it. It should have been a given, seeing as how strong Invidia is, but I thought he was an exceptional case. He was hand crafted and raised by a team of Shapers who supposedly knew what they were doing, whereas the monsters of the third strata that I've run into so far are purely wild. Even so, the natural advantages they have seem to far outstrip those of the natives to the second strata. Incredible,...
2021-02-24 06:58:17 +0000 UTC
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Took a day off after the seven day posting spree. Five chapters this week so my stockpile continues to expand. Enjoy!
Turns out that the Colony had already begun to invest a significant amount of time and energy into the wave farming project. As I exit the nest and make my way out into the tunnels, I see the vast wheels of ant industry turning on a grand scale. Tens of thousands of carvers, each and every one of them an Earth Mage, shifting impossible amounts...
2021-02-23 03:04:43 +0000 UTC
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Seven chapters in a week, you never thought you'd see it.
Back to work then. No rest for the wicked, so they say. Not that I'm wicked. Whatever. Leaving the egg-laying chamber and embracing the rush of mana that comes once I leave the dungeon vein free zone in the heart of the nest, I try to get my bearings and work out exactly what I should be doing next. Quite honestly, there's a lot on my list. I could talk to Granin and the crew, get my bearings on what t...
2021-02-21 04:40:41 +0000 UTC
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I enter the egg-laying chamber to find a Sarah rubbing the top of her giant bear head with one paw whilst mother looms over her, clearly irritated. A nearby mage spins together a mind bridge and I allow it to connect to me without complaint. It seems that mother wants Sarah to be able to listen in on the conversation. Makes sense, excluding her and using pheromone language would be quite rude in these circumstances.
[Was this your idea?] Mother demands with less than her usual patience....
2021-02-20 20:34:11 +0000 UTC
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Eager to begin my tickling spree, I rush into the chambers only to pull up when I notice someone rather unexpected in the room. Reacting quickly, I spin together a mind construct, marvelling at how powerful my mind feels handling the mana.
[Hey there, Sarah! How's things?]
The giant bear sits in the centre of the chamber, grubs and brood tenders swarming around her as she reaches out to roll the larvae around with her big paws.
[Oh, hey Anthony,] she says, turning toward me,...
2021-02-19 08:05:54 +0000 UTC
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The voices are back again. In fact, I'd say they're even stronger than before. There's so damn many of them! When hundreds of thousands of voices are whispering at you, it's no longer a quiet sound, it’s a roar, powerful enough to drown out my own thoughts if I'm not careful. Each entity, each soul, is like a single drop of water, a coalesced of Will that slips through the ether and into the Vestibule in a way that I don't understand. From there they sink deep into my consciousness, running...
2021-02-18 09:19:02 +0000 UTC
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And here it is, the last of the side chapters! I think the next time I do a side story poll, I'll make sure to put a wide gap between them. I can understand people getting frustrated going for weeks without an update on the main plot.
Have a good day everyone!
The larval sea, that's what I started to call it. I don't know how large that endless plain of black rock is, but I haven't seen a single inch of it that wasn't covered in d...
2021-02-17 05:48:28 +0000 UTC
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Name: Odin Malum
Level: 4 (I)
Might: 45
Toughness: 36
Cunning: 31
Will: 32
HP: 58/72
MP: 0/0
Skills:
Demonic Convergence (I) level 1; Penetrating Bite (II) Level 2; Advanced Demon Claw (II) Level 3; Crawl (I) Level 1; Mana Sense (I) Level 2; Leaping Strike (I) Level 3;
Mutations:
Demon Eyes + 1; Infernal Claw +5; Purgation Maw +5; Tar Hide + 1; Pocket Stomach +3;
Species: Initial Demon Larva
Skill points: 1
Bi...
2021-02-16 06:42:34 +0000 UTC
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In order to move the content along a bit I'm going to publish a full 7 chapters this week. That'll help finish the last of the side content faster and get us back to Anthony and crew a bit faster. It'll be the first full week of publishing for over a year, what a milestone! Have a good week all. My goals are the same as last week, so I hope to hit those targets this time.
I wolf down the remains of the creature as quickly as possible, not willing to leave myself vulnera...
2021-02-15 03:20:15 +0000 UTC
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Sorry, meant to publish this yesterday. Didn't quite hit my goals this week, but I went close. Hopefully next week is a little better.
Back into lockdown for five days here in Victoria. Hope everyone out there is staying safe!
My body was… strange. Certainly far from ideal for my purposes. I still possess the normal senses he would expect, sight, smell, sound, touch and taste, perhaps even better than I'd experienced as a human, b...
2021-02-13 02:01:36 +0000 UTC
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Now the third side story! I'm never letting you guys get away with this again...
Dead, huh. Can't say I'm surprised, rather, if I was any less skillful then I wouldn't have lasted nearly as long as I did. To think that the greatest assassin the underground have ever known would go out in such a fashion. It hurts my pride to even think about it. Had I been too focused on the target? I must have been if an ice-cream van had rounded the corner without me even no...
2021-02-11 07:24:48 +0000 UTC
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Enid wasn't sure if the three gigantic ants were just humouring her or were in fact genuinely interested in the tea. She'd brought it along for herself, a long conversation, even a mental one, needed a good cup of tea in order to keep the thoughts flowing smoothly. They were quite the curious trio however, so she had brought a few extra cups, the largest that she had, in the event that they might want some. Even so, she was most surprised when the Queen took up her offer, quickly fol...
2021-02-10 09:52:14 +0000 UTC
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This one's only a two parter due to the vote manipulation shenanigan's.
Enid once again checked her appearance in the polished brass mirror that the Colony had provided for her room. It normally wasn't something she would bother with, but today's appointment was something special, after all. She knew the Queen, first of her kind amongst the Colony wasn't exactly royalty in the technical sense, but the giant ant did command a certain aura that demanded res...
2021-02-09 09:43:43 +0000 UTC
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The last installment!
Goals for the week:
10 Chapters Written
5 Chapters published
5 Early Chapters heavy edit.
Wish me luck!
"Where you followed?"
"I don't think so…"
"You THINK? THINKING isn't good enough!"
"Cool it! Your scent it spreading too far. Are you trying to bring them down on our heads?"
"… I'm so...
2021-02-08 10:01:16 +0000 UTC
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Hey there!
For those who don't know, I have been able to shift my work hours down this year which has left me with more time to write, and starting this week that schedule came into effect. Have to admit, having a full day to just sit and write felt so damn good, and I was able to get a ton of writing done.
This has only been possible thanks to the support of all of you on patreon. I really can't thank you enough.
In terms of scheduling, my goal is to use this time to ...
2021-02-06 09:03:35 +0000 UTC
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"Ensure you hit your targets, here, here and here. With these junctions secured, the digging teams will be able to move relatively unhindered. That's where the difficulty comes in. You'll need to make sure that the crossroads remained blocked and sweep out spawning monsters at the same time. I know that's going to be hard, but we can't spare the antpower to send another team. The diggers will help you, all you have to do is -"
The nameless one allowed the words to wash over her as she f...
2021-02-06 08:59:43 +0000 UTC
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The nameless one came back to herself precisely eight hours later, rested and refreshed. Truly the greatest experience of torpor could only be enjoyed here, on the fulcrum of eight amongst her fellow members of the order. As the rest of those on her shift came awake and began to move off their segment they greeted each other in the hidden language, signing with their antennae and exchanging plans for the day. As they passed the acolyte on the outer edge of the fulcrum they greeted her as she ...
2021-02-04 09:29:53 +0000 UTC
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Here it is! The first of THREE side stories (damn your shenanigan's), the sleep police! I hope you all enjoy!
The nameless one idled against the side of a tunnel for a brief moment, checking her surrounds. Activity had been furious within the nest ever since the siege had lifted and opportunities to enter the Dark Passage had been harder to come across. Thankfully, the Eldest blessed her and the tunnel was, for this brief window of time, empty. She leaned against ...
2021-02-03 00:05:25 +0000 UTC
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I look over my options one last time before I confirm everything. I have to say, the 'ol status sheet is looking pretty darn good. A massive boost in stats, my brains becoming mutable, a heck of a lot more physical power and the benefits of expanding my Vestibule setup to become even more of an enduring powerhouse. I can hardly wait! Not to mention the slow process of reforging my body into something better than what I started with is quite exciting. It may only be the antennae and Vestibule ...
2021-02-02 22:36:19 +0000 UTC
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First of all, these stats are insane. Look at these numbers! It wasn't as if the Juvenile Colony Paragon had bad bonuses to begin with, but this is taking it to another level. It feels like what Granin told me is true, but more than that, I can almost sense the System, the bearded one, urging me to stick a path and see the evolutions through. I wonder if there's another Paragon type evolution to follow after this one? If so, how far does it go?
Questions, questions.
Beyond the man...
2021-02-01 09:04:17 +0000 UTC
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I'm not trying to drag this out, I promise. This chapter is over 1500 words!
After discussing the various benefits of the Elemental Ant, which were impressive to say the least, I was read to move on. As cool as the evolution is, I'm not about to throw away my precious gravity mana. Powerful elemental spells? Sure, that'd be great and all, but would they really match up to what the Gravity Bomb can do? Can they match up to what the gravity bomb will be able to...
2021-01-30 03:26:55 +0000 UTC
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In the interests of expanding the Colony's knowledge of future evolution options, I take the time to explore the normal evolutions I've been offered and letting the eager triad document the stat gains, organ benefits and descriptions offered by the System. In truth, the stat gain for even these 'ordinary' evolutions was much higher than I expected and my hopes rose high for what the more delectable 'rare' choices would have to offer. With the first three options out of the way, I take the tim...
2021-01-29 07:57:35 +0000 UTC
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Awww snap! Evolution choices y'all!
It doesn't take long to make our way back to the chamber in which I force fed myself in order to afford those mutations. Despite the pain and discomfort, I'm super excited since each step is taking me closer to my next form. A new and more powerful me is on the horizon! Sadly, almost all of that enthusiasm drains out of me when I see what is waiting for me outside the chamber.
Filled with ire, I stalk up towards the m...
2021-01-28 04:11:34 +0000 UTC
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When the itch finally fades away I find myself on my back, my legs splayed in all directions and pinned down by the barbed tentacles of Crinis.
[Crinis? What happened?]
[You were flailing too much, Master. I thought it better to hold you down than have you slip out of my containment.]
That would be a disaster that increase my risk of being seen by at least three hundred percent! That cannot be allowed!
[You did the right thing Crinis. Well done. Any chance you can let ...
2021-01-28 00:39:23 +0000 UTC
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Sorry for the lack of updates! Hectic over here! Reduced schedule starts next week and I CANNOT WAIT. This chapter is a double length special and there will be more to come today. Enjoy!
Now, with my privacy secured, it's time to mutate. Time to dive once more into the depths of the menu lists and bring back only the finest mutations. It's time to begin where it all began: my eyeballs. It seems like a lifetime ago that I first mutated my eyes in order to impr...
2021-01-27 23:26:36 +0000 UTC
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