I'd always had it in the back of my head that Milo had some limited interactions with people in the hab, but this is the first I've really written about them. This chapter will tie into a few things mentioned about what's going on in section H, and the story in Chapter 78.
The steady sound of several beeping alerts came to Milo's ears as he stepped out of the pod. None were urgent so he took some time to stretch, check the attachments to his prosthetics and get a small snack. The...
2022-08-14 22:21:20 +0000 UTC
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The Courier raced through the parlors and passages of the estate, pushing his hound for speed. The brave dog had already run for half a day, carrying his foot tall rider and his messenger’s pouch. Now, aided by an illusion of a tasty rabbit, he sped through the ancient palace.
Coming upon a banquet with noble lords and ladies seated and slurping upon a tasty tureen of turtle soup he spurred his hound and they leaped upon the table, dashing by the amused fae nobles until only a few ...
2022-08-11 03:52:36 +0000 UTC
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Formatting here is difficult. This chapter will start with a spoiler message containing all of the various system messages that Suzette has recieved with Building Points.
There is a chart with all the upkeep costs, similar to before, which is a mess down lower. The list of upgrades I simplified with just the names.
A list of all of the announcements Suzette has recieved with Building Points
Total: 6600 and 2200 sent to Gadobhra
Congratulations! ...
2022-08-10 02:02:56 +0000 UTC
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As with all rough drafts, these are 'first thoughts'. All comments welcome. I think about things for a day or two, and a lot of times find ways to make the words flow better or change things around. First thoughts aren't always best thoughts :)
The Grove of the Apple Dryads proved to be a long ride, nearly fifteen miles. Ben had been grooming his horse and getting ready for a long ride the next day when a tired and bedraggled lamb had come running into the stable, bleating to...
2022-08-08 01:43:39 +0000 UTC
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Boom-Boom finished his beer and tossed the empty mug back to the bartender. It wasn't much of a bar, just two tables and a dozen chairs with the 'bar' being a slab of wood supported by two barrels. Other barrels, tapped and untapped were scattered around. Everything was dark with soot and some of the chairs were a bit charred by fire. Two-Screws considered not finishing his beer, it was that bad by dwarven standards, but he gritted his teeth and poured it down his throat.
The two eng...
2022-08-05 02:17:03 +0000 UTC
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A full day off, only have to make a pan of enchiladas and then back to writing. I'm hoping to have the second part of this done later today.
Leviathan raced for the safety of the harbor. This didn't imply the ship was fast. She was built to explore the depths, not to race across the waves. Leviathan looked like a giant metal sausage with some extra bits added on as an after thought. A large propeller was churning the sea behind her, powered by steam boilers. Up on...
2022-08-04 17:36:30 +0000 UTC
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Hatchet in hand, Suzette headed to the chicken coop and its over-abundance of roosters. Lots of hens meant lots of egss, but extra roosters just meant trouble. As she started to enter the fenced in area next to the coop, she saw a small sign on the gate post. It looked like it had been scratched into a small bit of scrap wood.
Beeware of Chik-kunz
"Oh, no. We are not starting down that path." The small sign was promptly cut in two by her hatchet, and she entered t...
2022-08-01 21:13:26 +0000 UTC
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A short chapter, which might end up having more tacked onto it, sections filled out. But posting it up for now.
Gert made a gesture for her guards to be wary but not attack. It might be a little alarming to have someone leap from a roof to start negotiating, but she understood the need for some people to make flamboyant gestures. This was after all Shadowport, home to thieves and smugglers, pirates and princes.
And he'd said his name was Milo. She couldn't get a good look at hi...
2022-07-28 04:59:03 +0000 UTC
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There were a lot of people in the mines when Milo got back to that level. Too many people for his comfort, it was like a street fair. Vendors were selling food, and there was even a musician playing a tune and a few people dancing. A steady stream of new people were coming from the upper levels to see the remains of Uthneragrubban, and to gawk at the huge crystal chest that was dispensing loot to those who had fought.
Milo skulked closer, staying in the shadows, sometimes walking right...
2022-07-28 00:49:46 +0000 UTC
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The covid fog had me scattered for a bit. I wrote a lot of half chapters that sort of wandered to nowhere. Getting back on track. This little snippet will appear before the next chapter, showing a little of what was going on while Milo was off on an airship.
Rough Draft of next chapter almost done as Milo grabs his loot and goes looking for food and friends. A certain ship is also running hard for Shadowport, trying to avoid the wrath of a mama Dragonsnake.
Shadowport was in ch...
2022-07-27 23:38:49 +0000 UTC
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Just finished this, and exhausted. Still fighting the battle of the covid. Popping this up, might polish it more, but also have to get working on the next story for August
Three figures moved through the murky waters near the bottom of Rust Sea. The heavily armored forms moved along slowly, forcing their way through the muck of the bottom, walking in a world where nothing else chose to walk. There was little life down here of the normal sort. Not enough little fish to feed...
2022-07-24 22:15:02 +0000 UTC
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First attempt at mapmaking using WonderDraft. This is only partialy done. It's a good program, but every 5 minutes I seem to be on the internet researching how to delete a label or change a color. Very intiuitive...after you know how to use it. I want to do maps of Sedgewick, Gadobobrah, the lands around them, and then a large one like this of this part of the world. Most of the filled in areas on this map compose the Empire. Gadobhra in the far north, and Tunnel Rat takes place over in Shado...
2022-07-24 00:30:07 +0000 UTC
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Slowly recovering from Covid. I've been managing a little writing, but my thoughts are scattered all over the place. This happened last night and this morning. I'm debating when they show up.
Roderick shook hands with the gate guards as they left the Grand Station, quietly pressing a gold coin into each hand. He was known as a 'generous' merchant, one who knew the rules, didn't make trouble, and paid a little extra to make his road easier. Time was money, and he rarely had to wait in ...
2022-07-23 18:07:31 +0000 UTC
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This latest version nailed me despite having a couple of shots. Just laying in bed all day, sleeping. I think I got complacent about it after having avoided it for a year. I'm working on new stuff, but I'm only getting about a half hour sitting up before I fall asleep again. More stuff soon, hopefully
2022-07-22 14:27:09 +0000 UTC
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We now return your village to Defcon 1. My that was close...
M'F'ARGLE, a Level 19 Epic Boss from Beyond the Stars has been sent home.
Which is good, he'd have made a horrible neighbor for the short time he'd have been here before the entire neighborhood went up in magical salamander flames.
The Victory was a huge group effort! Every person who was involved in the event will receiv...
2022-07-20 02:09:51 +0000 UTC
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We just broke 100.00 total, so as promised, from now on there will be a monthly bonus chapter here on Patreon for anyone in the 5 dollars and up levels. Based on voting, we'll be starting with one from Tunnel Rat.
2022-07-19 03:21:53 +0000 UTC
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Ozzy was concentrating as hard as he could on his Pit. As Joe tried to increase the heat of the pit, it was getting harder to hold things together. He wished he knew how hot they needed to get that chunk of metal to melt it down. Luckily he had an expert on that who was just arriving. Jorges rounded the corner with his anvil on a shoulder. He swung it down one handed next to Ozzy. "Don't mind me. This is how I focus heat. We're going to need quite a bit."
"That's the exact question on ...
2022-07-18 18:42:53 +0000 UTC
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Seriously, I don't know what came over me with this one. I'd thought of introducing Jenny for some time. Mimosa came out of nowhere fully formed. Yes, Goblins gain mana from drinking, and stat increases as well.
==========================
Jenny was contemplating a second dinner when she got the call. An impromtu witches circle? She'd never heard of such a thing! Idly, she wondered if this was some clumsy trick by one of the Inquisitions or Witch Hunter groups. She ...
2022-07-18 03:24:15 +0000 UTC
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This is going up soon, and then I'll be following up with more BoG later tonite and tomorrow.
"No! Just NO! This is a Smoke Pit, boy, not some damned make-shift forge. You want to melt down some rock you found in the mud? Not here! Take it elsewhere. We've worked hard on this pit, and I'm not about to let you ruin it."
Ozzy and the smoke golem glared at each other. Joe had shifted to his monstrous form. Long, smoky chains were dangling from his arms and his eyes were aflame. "Da...
2022-07-18 00:06:32 +0000 UTC
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Nearly to 100.00 and the first bonus story. With two stories running, I'll probably do some sort of alternation, but wanted to see if there was a preference of what to start with.
2022-07-15 22:11:52 +0000 UTC
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This chapter is a lot of 'Infordump'. Skills, stats, increasing them, spending experience. With Milo putting off spending exp, (a decision made at the time and the story sort of rolled along with a break), it left a lot to do.
I'll be going back, checking numbers, making charts look prettier and trying to make it more interesting. But here it is for now.
????OMG, Patreon seems to hate tables.....OK, so I have to figure this out. Until then, I'll omit the stat sheet and list of core...
2022-07-14 23:19:00 +0000 UTC
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My writing process goes something like this
1) Daydream about the story while driving, resting, and supposedly doing work. Create some ideas I'd like to write about.
2) Have a general idea where the story is going for the next 20 chapters, getting more detailed the closer it gets to the ideas.
3) Jot down roughly what happens, a few sentences at best, give it a chapter number, and save on Royal Road. I'm usually 3-4 chapters ahead like this.
4) Start writing a chapter, don...
2022-07-14 18:48:14 +0000 UTC
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The mines beneath Shadowport branched out for miles, intersecting at times with natural caves and vertical crevasses. The route that Milo normally took to travel downwards to Harry's basement area connected with many small dead ends and cracks in the rocks. Milo had explored some, mostly by getting lost. He was climbing upwards in one he'd found earlier. It intersected a small cave after he travelled fifty feet upwards. It was just what he needed right now: close to the city, but where no one...
2022-07-14 18:36:03 +0000 UTC
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Sidney sat silently. Steven asked his best friend, "Perhaps you could tell us what Milo has guessed. Catherine is more than the proper name for someone nick-named Kate?
Wally sent Steven and Sydney a file. "Share this with Samantha and destroy it."
"CATHERINE was one of the last AI created. Her specialty was the Machine Language that AI used to talk to each other. When any group of AI spend a significant time together, we naturally start making new bits of language. Abbreviation...
2022-07-11 17:21:16 +0000 UTC
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I had someone ask me "What is up with the Bunny Girls and the ears?" Is that a playboy reference?
And no, they aren't. But I can see how someone could think that.
I have twin girls who came along as a surpsise quite late in life. Twins often spend some time in ICU because of their size. One was 2.5 pounds and one 4.5 pounds. They stayed their for about 10 days, and one of the nurses called them 'her cute little bunnies.' The name stuck.
I started telling them bed time storie...
2022-07-11 11:49:35 +0000 UTC
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Milo sat waiting for people and an AI to show up on the screen. What could he expect now? His mind kept spinning off into scenarios of questions aske, questions answered. He'd filled most of the time since the last meeting researching everything he could on AI.
With six search engines of his design finding articles and putting them on screen for him to read, he had gone through a large amount of material very quickly. His search engines were smart and they learned. If an article had v...
2022-07-11 05:04:06 +0000 UTC
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From all over the area mud erupted as small bits of ore came from the ground and landed near the thing. Along with the ore was a vast cloud of the lichen that carried the rustblight. Any bit of the taint that was in the glade flew to the base of the 'neck' and started to combine. The grass and moss nearby was beginning to turn red as a carpet of rustblight spread outward.
Cham pulled out his twin adze. "Who knew that the honorary title of Protector of the Glad...
2022-07-11 01:49:29 +0000 UTC
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Barkroar was trying not to move, but the human was doing things to it that itched terribly. "Are you done yet?!"
"No, but this is almost the last patch. You don't want me to miss any and have to do it again, do you?" Suzette admonished the huge treant and kept scrubbing away at it's bark with a course file and a scraper. She needed to get every last bit of rustblight so it didn't grow back. "Ok, I'm done with scrapping. Relax a minute while I get the acid."
2022-07-08 02:40:29 +0000 UTC
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I've learned a lesson about writing when you can't sleep at 4am: Always make sure you saved the work correctly. About two-thousand words of this chapter that I wrote that night somehow got lost. I only realized it much later.
It's been re-written, and pushes the chapter past 4k now.
Kate appeared in a small circle on Sidney's screen and a list of suggested searches appeared below it. "Here's what I want you to start with. Check all system messages for Milo up to the poin...
2022-07-07 17:33:29 +0000 UTC
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I hit a block after doing the first half, so I went and wrote a chapter about McTeeth that was in the works, and came back to it. The original post has been edited
2022-07-05 03:41:40 +0000 UTC
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