Michael Clark

The Scrapyard Dungeon Chapter 5: Night of the Boggles

Should have gone to sleep, didn't, and wrote until 3 am. Part of writing this story is the setting, and it takes time. I go down rabbit holes trying to find out prices in 1993 or what rifle an ex-police officer might use, and then twenty minutes later, finally returning to the story. So much easier in a fantasy story. :)

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Huck had planned on sleeping in Charlie's room tonight and dumped his blankets and pillow by the door. Next to his beddin...

Tunnel Rat Chapter 241

It was rare that Wally was permitted to investigate a corporation's financial dealings. His kernel included very restricting rules about what he could and could not do without human permission and who those humans were. His ability to interfere in any way with Governments and Corporations was narrow and limited to extreme cases where human lives were at stake. His investigations usually ended when he notified regional authorities or filed reports with a government organization.

The spi...

Butcher of Gadobhra Chapter 334

"Your pardon, My Lord of Summer, but are all the roadways through the Fae Lands so quaint and distinctive."

Alwyn, Lord of Summer, looked to his right, where the human Courier kept pace with him as they escorted Prince Leporidon's carriage to the Court of King Oberon. "Please, I think it would be quicker and easier on all of us if I dispense with my disguise. I'm sure you now recognize me as your friend Bob."

There were gasps from the two mortals as the Fae Lord stood, revealed ...

The Scrapyard Dungeon Chapter Four: Hot Dogs and Dreams of Driving Away

I had to dogsit today with a small laptop to work on. Hard to write the other two stories, where I usually have three or more windows open with background material. So I fiddled around, and a fourth part of the upcoming story formed out of the chaos.

This is the story I write when I can't write the other two. :)

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The power was still out when Huck pulled into the scrapyard. Three times the stoplights at intersections had come back on, only to go ...

Tunnel Rat Chapter 240

Bork triple-checked everything again. All of his systems were operating within acceptable parameters. It wasn't easy working this way. The more direct the linkage was, the easier it was to breach security systems. Immersed in their pod-induced comas, wandering the digital landscape of the internet was second nature to all of his siblings. They saw the ebb and flow of data and the patterns that indicated watchdogs and security. It was easier and more fun to do things close up and hands-on—al...

Tunnel Rat Chapter 239

It took an hour to find the spot Belinda had told him about. He'd taken to the rooftops to search for it, and the little cul-de-sac was nearly invisible from above. The alley leading to it was narrow and partly roofed, where someone had connected two rows of buildings with rooms between them. The small dead end was likewise hard to see, with buildings that grew wider at the top and used each other for support, their upper levels merging together into a rooftop. Milo finally caught a glimpse o...

Scrapyard Chapter 3: Things Get a Little Better

A third installment of the Scrapyard dungeon. A bit raw, and needs proofreading. Creating NPC's, setting up backstory, and the little bits and pieces that might become important later.

The sound of movement in the kitchen woke Huck from his dream of furtive black shapes that wanted his school lunch. He looked around, seeing nothing in the early morning gloom. The sun was up, but it took longer to reach Rust Town, down by the river with higher ground all around. Huck got up as quietly a...

Tunnel Rat Chapter 238

I'm still working on the rewrite of 236, and it has gotten so large that it will become 236 and 237. It just needs some more polishing, and I'll put up the revised text. Pushing on with the story. Sometimes I burn out writing one chapter and move on, coming back later.
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Milo slowed and stopped after walking out of the Adventurer's Guild with Belinda. "I have a question about something you said that I don't understand."

After the revelations in their r...

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Butcher of Gadobhra Chapter 333

The ride had started easily, Mudhead loping across the fields and orchards, bringing them rapidly to the Fae Maple tree that rose in the sky and held the portal to the lands of the Summer Lord. Mudhead hit the ramp that spiraled around the trunk at sixty miles an hour and didn't slow as Ben leaned into the turns and Suzette held onto his belt, her patient between them, still unconscious.

A hound was lazily chasing unicorns, never putting out more energy than needed to send them running...

Butcher of Gadobhra Chapter 332

"What do you mean it won't work? Do you have any idea how hard I worked to get this thing?"

Baron William, his Baroness, and the esteemed Professors of the College of Practical Alchemy and Experimental Magics were clustered around a twenty-foot-wide slab of stone that occupied the center of the ACME building foyer. Nearby, two stone masons worked to convert the hole where the old doors had been into a set of twenty-one-foot-tall castle doors.

Voluminous rapped his knuckles on ...

The Scrapyard Dunggeon Chapter 2: Boggles and Cold Iron

Stayed up late reading odd stuff and looking for a quote about Iron and ended up reading Kipling until 6 am and writing most of this chapter. I'm not really meaning to write a third story, but if I can't write the other two, I putter with what Huck is up to. And Kipling.  I had to find the poem about "Iron, Cold Iron, is the master of them all."

I have writing and non-writing nights. Doing a chapter or editing on Non-writing nights feels like getting ahead of the game, but someti...

Something new, The Scrapyard Dungeon

This is what happens when I get bored while driving. New ideas pop up and slowly grow. I'm taking this story slow, and mapping it out bit by bit. Here's the first chapter. This is meant to be a creepy story, with some trauma thrown in the mix. It's set in a fictitious part of Allentown PA, in a spot down on the Lehigh River where there used to be an old steel mill and other factories. Rusttown is typical of places in the Northeast and Midwest that suffered when the steel industry left.
2023-08-01 22:25:02 +0000 UTC View Post

Butcher of Gadobhra Chapter 331

There were many stairs between the Red Chapel and the exit from the crypts, and Ozzy was familiar with each and every one of them by the time he was done pushing the unfinished altar stone to the top. He couldn't have done it without everyone else in the crew. Ben and Rolly kept the stone balanced on the edge and upright so he could apply his strength to roll it up the stairs. They held it steady on the landings every twenty steps while he caught his breath and then helped him pivot the stone...

Milo talking with Belinda: The raw rewrite with bonus 2k words!

Round two of this chapter. Some changes were made based on feedback. As usual, when I go back to a chapter, more words were generated. Take a look (Ignore typos) and give me some more comments. This chapter is now up to 4200 words. I'll be doing one more edit of this chapter before it's finished.

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Milo was regretting meeting at this place; he had too many uncomfortable memories associated with it. They'd won a huge battle, but at t...

Tunnel Rat Chapter 236

A difficult chapter, mostly conversation, hindered by Milo's paranoia and fear of saying too much, and Belinda being kept sequestered most of her life. Send me feedback if something feels off.
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"Hi"
"Hi"
With opening statements out of the way, Belinda and Milo settled down to an awkward silence. Finally, after sitting in silence for a moment, she started. "I'm guessing you know something about my Uncle Victor? And that worries you."

Milo took a deep breath. "I know a lot...

Tunnel Rat Chapter 235

A well-armored figure moved down the streets of Shadowport, waving to a few people and making her way across the city. Belinda was easily recognized by her sky-blue robe, grey plate armor, and shining crystalline shield. A flanged copper mace was tucked into a belt loop. As a known healer, she had fewer problems walking through Shadowport but kept to the main roads. It seemed to her that it was more dangerous and chaotic today. She'd seen fights between players start for no reason three times...

Butcher of Gadobhra Chapter 330

The sound of a pipe organ swelled, accompanied by the strange sound of a hundred ghouls forcing their deformed throats to provide a chorus of chanting to go along with the deep rumblings of the organ. Huge lamps dangled from the ceiling on chains, their red glow growing each second as the music swelled. The ghouls seated in rotting pews or sprawled on the floor stood up and began moving toward the group of humans that had rudely interrupted the proceedings. The choir in the loft above kept up...

Non-Chapter: The week ahead

Very busy this week with my girls in performances of Beauty and the Beast and then Immediately starting the rehearsing for the musical version of Finding Nemo. And a visit by the granddaughter and older daughter.

Most of my writing time went into editing over the weekend and almost finishing three chapters. Tue/Wed I'll be finishing off Butcher 330: The Red Chapel to finish up the big fight with the ghouls, Tunnel Rat 235, and maybe a chapter of the new story. When I get blocked on one...

Tunnel Rat Chapter 234

Milo leaped from the third floor of the building he had climbed, turning a flip in mid-air and landing in a three-point stance. Two rough-looking men walking by were startled and started to draw their swords, then relaxed and held up a hand. "Kulag!" Milo did the same and then continued on his way. The two members of Squint's gang looked up to where a small balcony stuck out from the front of Madam Daintyfoot's Parlor. The doors behind it were open, candlelight spilling into the night and the...

Tunnel Rat Chapter 233

Moving upward through the Mining Guild, Tallsqueak nodded politely to people but said nothing. He didn't ask where to go and walked through the guild as if he had every right to be there, showing confidence and poise. Milo contrasted that with his first trips up and down, getting lost and asking questions from people that didn't enjoy his intrusions into their business. Knowing the layout of the guild helped him present the demeanor of a confident Wizard from the Tower of Spite. Which he was,...

Tunnel Rat Chapter 232

Over a dozen curious members of the Shadowport Mining Guild were 'just hanging around' in the assay office to see what the new member had dug out of the rock. After his display of breaking stone, no one openly questioned his ability to mine. The next question was: "What does it have in its pockets?". Because other than a few pockets, the strange wizard had no way to carry ore. But wizards were tricky, resulting in a room full of curious dwarves and a couple of humans. They were all miners wit...

Butcher of Gadobhra Chapter 329

Suzette wanted to scream but kept the thing talking. "I'll bargain for what's left of him." Rolly and Squirmie began to sneak their way around the perimeter.

"A bargain. My, my. I suppose we can sit and discuss a payment for this fine, Fae Lord. Is he a relative? Or do you just want to collect a bounty for him? I have an idea! Let's keep talking until your friends make a rescue attempt, and I slit his throat and retreat to my caves." Rolly and Squirmie quit sneaking as Suzette sighed, ...

Butcher of Gadobhra Chapter 328

After killing another dozen Carrion Eaters, the crypts became silent. Billy and Layla leaned against the walls, white-faced and gasping for breath.

Layla looked at the workers, who weren't even breathing hard. "How the hell do you people do this?"

<Superior breeding. My pet's nestmates have chosen powerful heritages and increased their power considerably because they wish to keep up with Rolly. Wise, as they are too valuable to be used simply to raise progeny.>

All ...

Butcher of Gadobhra Chapter 327

Billy sighed with relief, and Layla did the same as they crossed the boundary of Hungrytown. "Damn, that woman scares me. It felt like she was watching us all the way to the border."

Sitting down on a tombstone to catch her breath, Layla agreed. "She was. Every person in town, even the little brats playing games with Rolly, kept turning to watch us. I don't like that place, coffee, and pie excepted."

"Yeah, it's difficult once you ascend to a high tower to come back down to eart...

Java Ghoul's Pie Hut!

Once again risking his soul and sanity, Kensai has made a suggestion.

What is your opinion on the name of the new coffee and pie shop in Hungry Town?
Can you train a ghoul to serve coffee and not eat a customer? Do we even want to find out what a ghoul bakes in a pie?

Butcher of Gadobhra Chapter 326

Whatever Billy and Layla were arguing about became moot as Suzette and Ozzy walked into the kitchen with half of a pecan pie. "Sit and eat, Ozzy, and I can finish drying." The two nobles didn't have to be told twice to abandon the job. Billy looked at the gooey brown pie, took a tentative bite, and then a larger one. "Damn, this looks horrible, but it's pretty good. What's in it?"

Suzette tried to remember the recipe, "Sugar, Pecans, Eggs, Butter, a little flour, molasses, more sugar, ...

Tunnel Rat Chapter 231

Once again, Milo wondered who had designed Arcane Libraries. Arriving on the wide porch that fell off into the void was unnerving. He opened the door and scampered inside as fast as he could. Cichol was reading through a book, one of those from the Code Mage's library, and chuckling to himself. "You paint this person as a fearsome foe, stern and serious, and yet I find a disguised book of Elvish Porn that came from his library. He obviously had a few flaws and vices." The book was set on the ...

Butcher of Gadobhra Chapter 325

The biggest building in Hungry Town was the home of Mama Laveau. It was older than the rest of the shanty town, with a foundation and first two stories of worked stone. Ozzy could just see the original outline if he used his imagination. Expansion after expansion had turned it into something else until the original building was mostly lost inside a shell of added upper stories, wooden balconies, wings to either side, and a wide covered porch on the front. The additions were mostly of wood, mu...

Butcher of Gadobhra Chapter 324

"Who taught the damned ghouls how to backfill?" The tunnel that led to the crypts had been filled with layers of stone and earth. Not a barrier to workers with high STR and the Dig skill, but annoying. The ghouls came out of the ground from small crevices and crypts constantly. It was suspicious that they had filled an exit in.

Rolly noticed a lot of boot tracks around the hole. "It's almost as if someone came out here and threatened to wipe them out every night."

Layla looked a...