Chapter Sixteen: Howe
Howe thanked the barmaid with a slap on the arse before reaching for his ale. She scowled before schooling her expression into one of fawning delight. That hint of displeasure only lasted for a split second but he caught it. Howe absentmindedly tossed a few extra gold her way and noted how that fake smile grew into a real grin. He wasn't even surprised when she reached towards him under the pretence of cleaning a few spilt drops on the table, leaning over so her ...
2023-02-27 01:45:35 +0000 UTC
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The results of the last poll are in. The wilderness drafts will not be this month's sidestory. As such, we need a new subject for this month's side story and I have taken the liberty to add some options below.
If you're not aware, The Victory Conditions (TVC) was TDL's contender for the place of main story project narrowly losing out in a poll before public release. It is an RTS style litRPG progression fantasy. You can find it on 2023-02-24 20:16:10 +0000 UTC
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Chapter Fifteen: Burdens
A series of sharp knocks at his bedroom door tore Dunstan from the dungeon space.
"What is it and why can't it wait?" he yelled in annoyance.
He was so close. Another half hour or two and he would have finalised his first dungeon. Understandably pissed off at this development, Dunstan watched Melqart barge into his room, his childhood friend having taken his words as an invitation to enter.
"And if I was busy or with someone?" he asked with a...
2023-02-23 23:05:19 +0000 UTC
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Chapter Twenty-six: Ulak Durnspear
Guillaume Spiritsorrow, Amaren Kerstead, Ulak Durnspear Nunaira, Thorn Clearwing and Sarod Elaedar, The Heroes of the Grey Reaches, a legendary band of adventurers who saved a northern province of the empire from a necromantic threat that threatened to snuff out all life in the area and rule it in undeath. For this, their names were recorded in history and their statues and deeds were extolled in many a guildhall so that others might be inspired to b...
2023-02-23 01:28:07 +0000 UTC
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Chapter Five: Unchained Spirit
Valerian delighted in his transformation. Only in this form did he truly feel complete. It wasn't just his body that changed. His aura did so as well. He became one befitting the title of Monarch of the Heavens. He was the conqueror who rewarded his followers and slaughtered his enemies. He was king of everything that fell under the shadow of his wings. He was the Great Raptor, The Wind Lord, The Golden Winged Sovereign and his ...
2023-02-22 01:22:46 +0000 UTC
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Chapter Fourteen: Monster Creation
[The fame of your dungeon grows! +1 AP]
[Error! Dungeon incomplete!]
[Achievement invalid!]
[The fame of your dungeon grows! +1 AP]
[Error! Dungeon incomplete!]
[Achievement invalid!]
[The fame of your dungeon grows! +1 AP]
[Error! Dungeon incomplete!]
2023-02-19 23:45:18 +0000 UTC
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Chapter Thirteen: Necessary Steps
Dunstan watched as the second block of stone was lowered onto the prepared platform with utmost care. The elder levitating it was sweating nervously. She honestly believed this was essential for the establishment of the portal. He wished he could tell the woman that she could relax but he couldn't. She was not the only one. The other elders watched just as nervously from the sidelines. The 2.34 metre-tall block of sky stone was worth at least 21 milli...
2023-02-16 22:00:02 +0000 UTC
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Chapter Twenty-five: ... Once Heroes
In ages past, the narrow strip of land between The Battlehammer Mountains and the Galronde Forest was left unaligned at the request of the Golden Throne. Dwarves with their stoic and stern demeanours seldom made friends with the mercurial fae and so it was thought wise to leave a buffer between their respective lands. It was never forbidden by law to roam these lands but all thought it wise to avoid them. The dwarves were notorious for protecting t...
2023-02-16 00:52:53 +0000 UTC
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Chapter Four: Secrets Out
“A steel monolith!?” Valerian repeated in amazement.
Within him, his phantasm stirred intrigued by the thought that they’d be facing one of their kind soon.
“How?” Valerian asked, pushing up on the butler in a daze.
Steel monoliths were rare. Valerian wasn’t sure how rare but he knew enough to say that there probably weren’t any in Bathar. If there were his family would know. Besides, only second-tier daemons were suitable for ...
2023-02-15 02:12:37 +0000 UTC
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Chapter Three: The Ties that Bind
Valerian grabbed another large book off the shelf, this one was a summarised account of the life of Array Master Taevan Alexius, the legendary figure who invented the three-tier enchantment system and the Onthed glyph script. Placing, his former reading material back, he resigned himself to yet another night of reading. Already the book was large enough that he needed both hands to comfortably hold it. That boded il...
2023-02-15 02:12:01 +0000 UTC
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Chapter Two: Talk of Advancement
“If you fail this project then you have failed this course!” Elder Theoren announced to the class.
A soft muttering filled the class at the news. Each of the sixteen students sat in front of an expansive array circle that they slowly filled in with glyphs. Their goal was to master it; correctly deploying and employing it in under three minutes. Extra credits would be given for constructive modifications and more specialised a...
2023-02-15 02:09:53 +0000 UTC
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Chapter One: Progress
The sun rose high in the sky, beating down on those beneath it with all the fury of summer. The clear skies, though beautiful, did not help. It was fortunate then that Marrbissi was the premier academy of the mystic arts in the Kingdom of Bathar. A simple charm went a long way in this heat especially if you had to train in this heat.
Valerian braced himself, even so, the blow sent him skidding across the stone floor. The pave s...
2023-02-15 02:06:27 +0000 UTC
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Chapter Twelve: The Elder Council
"...as we mourn and prepare for Anthony's funeral, let us take comfort in the fact that he would want us to..."
Unable to listen to this nonsense with a straight face, Dunstan tuned the Sixth Preceptor out. That they had to cover up the traitor's deeds did not sit right with him but he agreed with the old man that the sect needed to put up a strong united front. The two of them knew the truth and so did Anthony's co-conspirators but the vast maj...
2023-02-12 22:58:16 +0000 UTC
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In the first draft of TDL, the wilderness arc took longer than 6 chapters (it took 8). Scenes were cut in order to preserve the urgency of Dunstan's quest to get back to his sect as well as drive to the meat and plot of the story. Do you want these deleted scenes to be polished and posted as this month's side story?
Note that patrons at the $25 tier and above get to suggest their own options
2023-02-10 15:02:28 +0000 UTC
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Chapter Twenty-four: Additional Measures
"We have to retaliate!" Proudsprout was yelling. "We can't just let this go unanswered."
Other faeries murmured their approval but before this proposal could gather momentum, Thorn jumped in.
"No! That is the last thing we should do!" he argued. “I believed we would have more time. At this time of the year, Duke Galronde is usually off in the Fae realms. By the time he returned, we would have grown enough that the Empir...
2023-02-10 00:05:09 +0000 UTC
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Chapter Eleven: Design Choices
One of the most prosperous cities in the Eastern Province was the aptly named Eastern Jewel Citadel. A major reason for this was the fact that it was the headquarters of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, the most successful merchant guild in the province. Dunstan could still remember his first visit to their main branch and how it took his breath away. A sprawling complex consisting of eight floors, each with more items, artefacts, materials and ...
2023-02-09 23:07:24 +0000 UTC
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Chapter Twenty-three: Deliberations
"Yond decision falls to the crown", the Duke answered lazily as he ate from a platter of conjured grapes. "Mine concern is the fae within its depths."
The emperor stared at him with suspicion. "Are you considering letting them have their own court?"
The handsome figure reclined on his settee gave a decidedly unbecoming snort that conveyed his thoughts on the matter. "To be fair, their claim is not completely without merit", he announced ...
2023-02-09 00:12:54 +0000 UTC
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Chapter Twenty-two: Confrontation
Duke Galronde and his company whirled around to face the newcomer and found nothing!
“I have spent much of my life listening to tales of the mighty Duke Galronde, greatest Faerie Lord in the Empire. I had childhood dreams of one day meeting you and serving in your court. Now, confronted with the real thing, I am left disappointed. Dreams seldom compare favourably with real life.”
Again, the voice came from behind them. They turned agai...
2023-02-09 00:11:39 +0000 UTC
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Chapter Ten: Dungeon Building
Locked in his room, the first thing Dunstan did was dive into a meditative state. Then, he reached for Felix's memories. Holding his past life in his mind made him all the more aware of how incredible this all was. Meditation existed on Felix's earth but nothing like this. Even here, in a world filled to the brim with magic, it was not easy. It was crazy how far he had come. As a child, getting into a proper mental state had been difficult. In many ways, ...
2023-02-05 16:08:00 +0000 UTC
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In Chapter Ten of TDL, it is revealed that in his past life as the game designer Felix Dupont, Dunstan worked himself to death. Should this be changed?
Felix's death is a done deal. This choice will affect Dunstan's backstory and characterisation.
2023-02-05 16:00:25 +0000 UTC
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Important Continuity change: Dunstan's childhood friend's name is being changed from Elil to Melqart. I will try to make the changes reflect across all posts.
Chapter Nine: Thunderfist Melqart
‘Of fucking course!’ Dunstan cursed mentally as a shirtless Melqart opened the door.
"What do you want?" asked with a scowl.
"Can I come in first?" he asked. "Please!"
Perhaps sensing something in his tone, or maybe a rare good mood, Melq...
2023-02-04 15:25:07 +0000 UTC
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Chapter Eight: Who Can You Trust
Dunstan walked back to his room burdened by his thoughts. Talking with the Preceptor had not alleviated his worries like he had hoped but only magnified them. When he roamed the Desolate Fields, The ‘traitors’ and the danger they posed were nebulous and malicious. It was an indistinct faction that aimed to destroy everything he loved. The only face he could put on it was Elder Anthony. A man who had once watched over him and given him sword lessons...
2023-02-04 13:37:45 +0000 UTC
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Chapter Seven: Revelations
Alshiram looked down from the balcony watching the flying boat descending towards the sky dock over the Fair Sky Plaza. Next to him, Dorn breathed out a sigh of relief when Dunstan came into view. He could understand. The boy looked none the worse for wear, a miracle given what he no doubt went through.
As they alighted, his eyes narrowed, following an unnatural shape in Dunstan's left sleeve. A hidden cast. Clever. It would not do to broadcast how inj...
2023-02-04 13:18:09 +0000 UTC
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Major Changes to Pledges
All pledge tiers will be undergoing major changes. part of the reason for this is that some of the previous rewards were difficult to make work because they required a lot of back and forth between the patron and myself.
Also, people just weren't interested in naming or creating stuff for the stories. I get it. It's a lot of work trying to make something appropriate and unique and at the same time have it fit in well with the rest of the book/series. Tha...
2023-02-04 13:09:20 +0000 UTC
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Chapter Twenty-one: The Lord of Delirium
In all the ways that truly matter, the faerie are akin to nature spirits. Leonard Thurnstein, Court Mage, Magister of the Mages Guild and renowned authority on all things faerie describes the fae as truthful though sometimes distorted, reflections of the world around them. Sprites embody the features of their land. Pixies reflect its mana. Other fae, reflect the seasons and the passage of the times. While the ...
2023-02-02 00:47:11 +0000 UTC
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Chapter Three: Reflection
A five-year-old Aelius stood in front of a mirror, his father behind him, hands on his shoulders. Both were occupied by one thing; the reflection of his eyes. They shone with a bright white light that left momentary trails of cloudy dust when he moved. Honestly, their appearance was a surprise and for the last few days, young Aelius had to be confined to his bed chamber to avoid the things they showed him. His doting fa...
2023-02-02 00:44:46 +0000 UTC
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Chapter Two: A Testy Exchange
“Get up!” Titus told his son. “We’re going to spar!”
Aelius looked up at his father. The man had come with two treasured blades, one of which he was holding out to him. “Not now, please. Just…just go. Leave me be!”
“Stand!” his father said, his tone brokering no room for argument.
With a resigned grunt, Aelius forced himself to his feet. Immediately, his traitorous manservant packed up the lounge cha...
2023-02-02 00:41:57 +0000 UTC
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Chapter One: The Void Prince
There is a glaring nothingness in The Void, an emptiness so complete that not even darkness could exist. There was no light. No sound. No air. No essence. No time. The Void was as it is, as it was, as it will be, as it always. So empty that it even lacked vacuum. Then, things changed– Spontaneous creation.
Things began to be. Worlds were born, asserting themselves. They grew, they languished, and they reco...
2023-02-02 00:40:10 +0000 UTC
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Turn Two: Setting Out
“Are you sure you’re up to this?” I asked again.
Terv gave me an annoyed look that expressed just how happy he was to be asked the same question four times. I ignored it. I needed everyone on their A-game today and he was the weak link. Sooner or later people were going to learn of our disastrous defeat. Even if the caravan had not already mouthed off at every stop between here and Tappier folk would eventually...
2023-02-02 00:36:24 +0000 UTC
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Turn One: Greenmount Fortress
Name: Greenmount Fortress (Unfinished)
- Tier: 3 star
- Grade: 2 star
- Durability: 36%
- Type: Building/Fortification
- Stats: 10 836/ 30 000
- Description: When Thorin of the Willows seized this land, he imagined a great fortress on the adjoining mountain. It was to be the seat from ...
2023-02-02 00:34:13 +0000 UTC
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