LupineKing

[Patreon Announcement] I have taken you for granted

The title says it all, really.

I have not been good to you, my patrons, this is especially true when you consider the fact that you guys are the one supporting my work. That's the clinker. You're not just supporting me, but also my work and let's call a spade a spade. I have not been working, let's not even talk about the patreon rewards.

I wish there was something I could say. Some reason I could give that wouldn't ring hollow. As much as my life has be...

DC/RH BK I, CH 32: Dungeon Plan

Chapter Thirty-two: Dungeon Plan

The plan was simple. He was a dungeon, a living mystic realm that lured in creatures with the intention of devouring them or adding them to his ranks. His growth depended entirely on his prey. So, why not up their calibre? Instead of letting every Tom, Dick and Harry into his dungeon why not make it so only individuals with a certain tier of power would dare. Quantity was a quality of its own, true, but it was no excuse to not seek better th...

DC/RH BK I, CH 31: Defenders, Elite and Guardians

Chapter Thirty-one: Defenders, Elite and Guardians

Brandr had been staring at his Dungeon Management interface for a long time, his mind deliberating the merits of several different plans. Dungeon creatures, he had learned, were dived into three different categories; defenders, elite defenders and floor guardians. At least, that was what his blue panels said. Thorn, however, was telling him something different. From what he knew, the dungeon monsters were divided thusly; or...

HoGW BK IV, CH 17: Lady Bloodworth's Gamble

Chapter Seventeen: Lady Bloodworth's Gamble

Lillian Bloodworth flew slowly through the air, her old form an insignificant speck in a sky set aflame by the setting of the sun. She sighed at its beauty. It was a sight that never got old. The reds, oranges and golds that dyed the sky and clouds were like an expansive flame. As someone who had drawn from this very phenomenon for her techniques, the Queen of Flames felt very connected to it. 

It was a strange habit bu...

DC/RH BK I, CH 30: Progress Report

Chapter Thirty: Progress Report

Dungeon sickness. That's what adventurers called it. A more apt term would be dungeon corruption or mana contamination. A dungeon was a living domain, yes. However, it was also everything in that domain; mana, creatures, features and items. The mana of the world did not exist within a dungeon, only its own. All foreign creature or substances had to withstand this invasive mana or their own reserves would end up contaminated and their bodies c...

DC/RH BK I, CH 29: Home and Haven

Chapter Twenty-nine: Home and Haven

The sprites were gathered around their new home. The faerythorn stood tall and beautiful in front of them. The tree was magnificent. It stood eight metres tall with branches that stretched out to make it broader than it was tall. As such, the crown was huge, starting only three metres from the bottom. This made the trunk look relatively short albeit thick. Already, it flowered sprouting spotless white flowers and bright red berries.  ...

HoGW BK IV, CH 16: Pointed Questions

Chapter Sixteen: Pointed Questions

"Five", Valerian repeated, struggling to wrap his head around the revelation. How could there be five? A legacy apprentice was a final apprentice. The person you left your arts, belongings and dreams to. The legacy apprentice was the person to inherit his or her master's cultivation. How could there be five?

"What is going on?" he asked Sweetrot. His suddenly sharp.

"How am I supposed to know?" the dark youth said with a small ...

DC/RH BK I, CH 28: The Faeryhaven

Chapter Twenty-eight: The Faeryhaven

Lindrea's eyes bugged out as she stared at the dungeon core. 

"You did this?" she asked. "Why?"

The normally placid faery maid was beside herself in worry and confusion. She could not imagine why anyone would do such a thing. Faerythorns were not like other plants. They needed special care and attention. If they were not grown right they would never sync well with the magics of the fae who lived in them. The faerie charm...

BK II: Nestling Update II

Hello everyone!

Here's another update on BK II's cover. Honestly, I think the artist has done a fantastic job. Valerian looks so imposing. 

Of course, I'll have him lighten it a bit but I'm not too sure about the hands. Should I have him reduce the clawed look (size) and instead impose a golden out...

Patreon Update II

Sorry about that last flake. I sort of jumped the gun a bit last time (how unlike me). My hardwon success in writing that one chapter and my eagerness to get back to work might have gotten the better of me at the time. I should have seen that coming. So I took a few steps back and put some work in. Took my time to rebuild a good enough stock of chapters too. Then, I put out a call for proofreaders. Yeah...old sinisterSonnet can no longer spare the time. 

I've got one eager volunteer alrea...

DC/RH BK I, CH 27: Faerythorn

Chapter Twenty-seven: Faerythorn

Lindrea stared at the sprout and was pleased to feel it respond, trying to grow towards her and the nourishment she was providing. Smiling, she corrected it, making it grow upright. Beside her, Bellwhispers outlined his new grand design featuring far more artistic fancies than usual. Together, they created their new faery haven.

This faerythorn was unlike any she had ever worked with but then again this one had been 'enhanced' by their...

HoGW BK IV, CH 15: Meetings

Chapter Fifteen: Meetings

Hearing about Marrbisi did nothing to prepare you for seeing it. Valerian found himself leaning out of the window of his carriage, staring at the academy gates. Strapping's had a reputation for excellence but the stories surrounding Marrbissi were something else. They made the place seem all but mythical. It was the first ranked institution in the kingdom, better than the other top five combined. The birthplace of geniuses. The only school to recei...

HoGW BK II: Nestling [Update]

Hello guys,

Here's the first sketch of the cover of HoGW BL II: Nestling!

What do you think of it?

I think it's pretty good for a first sketch. Though, I'd rather the wings be bigger and that the spikes on Valerian's shoulders were three instead of one to better match the description in the book. The artist has noted this down and will make sure they feature in the next version.

If you got a similar gripe or simply have something to suggest let me know and I'll pass them on t...

[Announcement] Explanations for Hiatus

I have rewritten this a dozen times, even to the extent of having multiple versions of this at one point. All, as you might have guessed, to explain where I have been, what I have been up to and why the releases dried up.

Of course, the answers to these questions is something those of you on the discord server know most of this already. I went to my dad's place for Easter and ended up in a place without cell reception or internet access. That part was alright actually. It was only...

DC/RH BK I, CH 26: Unrestrained Thoughts

Chapter Twenty-six: Unrestrained Thoughts

Brandr scanned his skills carefully, constantly referring to his world link for clarification. [Dungeon Perception] was what let him sense and see anything that happened in his domain and [Terrain Management] was let him control and shape it. He had just figured out [Insight] and [Creation], as well as its sub-skills, were self-explanatory. [Ether-Mana Conversion] and Mana-manipulation were the same only he was unsure where or w...

DC/RH BK I, CH 25: Flavour Text and Skills

Chapter Twenty-five: Flavour Text and Skills

Ring of Celadhir | Rank C | Durability 12%

Faelord Celadhir was an oddity in life and a footnote in death. The son of a brownie king and a dryad, he was originally born a gille dubh. For a time, he was the defender of his father's woods but he tired of this and began to wander the wilds in search of adventure. His feats eventually numbered enough that he ascended to the rank of forest lord but soon afte...

DC/RH BK I, CH 24: Needs of the Fae

Chapter Twenty-four: Needs of the Fae

"Do you now understand why I had you stay back and leave it to them?" he asked the sprite lord beside him.

Thorn looked at his master. The dungeon core was growing rapidly. Already, it twenty centimetres. Even as he came up with an answer to the question, he wondered how much longer it would take before he surpassed him. 

"Yes! I think I do."

"You might have protected them but you also gave rise to a shadow in...

DC/RH BK I, CH 23: The Secret Ace

Chapter Twenty-three: The Secret Ace

The fire pit was filled with metre tall flames. It had been burning for an hour now, with its flames being constantly tended to by an entire commune of willing sprites. Every sprite would go to its edge and toss armfuls of tinder grass to feed the blaze. Brandr had already informed them that their adversary was dead. He had received the notification when it happened, however, they still continued. It was almost a kind of minor pilgri...

HoGW BK IV, Part II: Marrbissi Academy

Part II: Marrbissi Academy

Intro

A young Daemon went up to its mother. "Ma, why must I leave?" it asked.

Growling softly, its mother told it, "You have to leave, heart of mine. Verre is a big place and you must find your place in it. You can't do that if you remain here."

"Can't I do that here?" Her child asked.

"Not if you want the best" she informed it. "The mountain is ours, chil...