Foxmoor Fiction

Life Stuff

Turns out I have one of the rare side-effects of ADHD, hyperfocus. So ridiculously focused on something right now, probably take another few days if the focus lasts.

Didn't even know hyperfocus was a thing, though I have definately dealt with it before. I think my medication makes it worse, but fortunately it is still rare.

Made a change to last chapter, added this paragraph, if you read this before 06/04/2022:

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The question was… when would ...

SSD 4.19 - Where the Wild Things Are

Things were a little hectic, had to deal with a few computer things, but I managed to get a chapter in.

“To plunder, to slaughter, to steal, these things they misname empire; and where they make a wilderness, they call it peace.”
-Tacitus

==Zidaun==

We ran into the other party on our way out. We only talked with them briefly. They indicated that they should be done with the tests by the evening, and we agreed to meet them after our delve. Our business done, we reente...

SSD 4.18 - Breakfast Meeting

Here is the chapter. Nothing too interesting to report. Going to be going to pride this coming weekend. I am quite looking forward to it.

Companions, in misery and worse, that is what we all are, and to try to change this substantially avails us nothing.
--Franz Liszt

==Zidaun==

The next morning came quickly, sleep barely leaving a hint of memory. Whatever dreams I might have dreamt vanished like fog, burned away by the light of awakening. The dungeon was no l...

SSD 4.17 - Interlude Continued - In the Water

The interlude continues. It ended up plenty longer enough, so that was good.

If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.

-Loren Eiseley

==Exsan==

Exsan was lost in meditation. The thoughts had come sweeping in, faster and faster. He had found himself adrift between icebergs of thought. He had sunk into the sea, drifting below the surface. He could feel the thoughts crystallizing over head. A new landscape forming a new perspective. For now he waited for...

SSD 4.16 - Interlude - No Pain, No Gain

Sorry this took a few days. There have been innumerable distractions and issues over the last few days. To name a few: incessant pounding as people replaced the roof, a migraine, lack of sleep (due to people starting work on the roof at 7 am), etc...

Depending on the length of the next section, it may end up combined with this interlude.

“He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair,...

SSD 4.15 - A Tempest in a Teapot

Had a review that only gave me 2.5 stars on Royal Road. I have been trying not to let it get to me, but it still bugs me. Anyway, if you guys can do your own reviews, or go vote on the reviews that are already there, that would be appreciated, Upvoting positive reviews is just as important and downvoting the negative ones.

Yesterday was my rest day, but I made an extra long chapter today at almost 4300 words. It would have been easy enough to split into two chapters, but I am trying not...

SSD 4.14 - The Alloyed Truth

Feeling much better today. So here is a little bit longer chapter. Taking me longer to get through the details of runes and emblems, but hopefully it doesn't bore anyone.

Do not consider that to be wealth which is hoarded away, for how is it better than sand gathered from the nearest heap? Nor that which comes in from men who groan at their taxes: for the gold that is wrung from tears is of base alloy and black.

-Apollonius Of Tyana

I live in the angle of...

Migraine

Have a migraine today. I get them occasionally, and they suck. They are family thing, we get tension migraines, and our back just tense up for no good reason.

So no writing from me today. 

Tomorrow will be a busy day for me, but I will try to get some writing in.

Talk to you guys later.

SSD 4.13 - Simply Enchanting

Next chapter still needs to deal with runes and emblems more, but I enjoyed what I was able to do here. Hope you all enjoy it as well. Feel free to critique the system I use for enchantments. I have put a decent amount of thought into it, but it can always use more tweaks.

It was octarine, the colour of magic. It was alive and glowing and vibrant and it was the undisputed pigment of the imagination, because wherever it appeared it was a sign that mere matter was a servant of ...

SSD 4.12 - Assessing the Gravity of the Situation

A few people guessed some of the things I was going to talk about in this chapter, so good for you guys!

“I like the cover," he said. "Don't Panic. It's the first helpful or intelligible thing anybody's said to me all day.”
―Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

==Caden==

To the south, the mountains glistened in snowy splendor. From my position, high atop the mountain I called home, I looked down at the other peaks, all at l...

SSD 4.11 - A History Writ in Stone and Fire

Here you go guys and gals. Hope you enjoy. Watch out for the cliff.

“The Deccan Traps volcanoes spilled as much as a half million cubic miles of basalt over an area equal to half of present-day India. In places, the basalt lies more than a mile deep.”
―Greg Breining, Super Volcano: The Ticking Time Bomb Beneath Yellowstone National Park

==Caden==

One of the nicest things about being a dungeon was the ability to focus on multiple perspect...

Taking a break once a week

Had a few people express some concerns about me burning out. So I decided I am going to schedule in a single day of break a week. So I am going to do that today.

I would expect most of my breaks to be Saturday, Sunday, or Monday.

I will return tomorrow.

SSD 4.10 - Spiraling Down

This chapter is about 3000 words, so it took a little longer to write. Still, here it is.

I would like to metamorphose into a mouse-mountain.
-Walter Benjamin

==Zidaun==

With the conclusion of lunch I disassembled the stone barrier, and we continued deeper down the tunnel.

The cavern continued to twist back and forth, its descent almost imperceptible.

Waterfalls and streams of water added to the flow. The new water came in hot, the faint smell of m...

SSD 4.09 - Fish in the Water

These last few chapters have been my first opportunities to write action scenes. Not sure what people think of them, or how they are going. Hopefully you are all enjoying the fights.

“I fish to scratch the surface of those mysteries, for nearness to the beautiful, and to reassure myself the world remains.”

- Carl Safina.

==Zidaun==

The brick walkway ended shortly after it entered the cavern. Instead, we proceeded on a rough pathway that had been cut into...

SSD 4.08 - Social Grooming

And now we continue in the sewers.

“Sure, 'Les Miserables' can be melodramatic. And seeing the musical instead of reading the novel will save you some time and spare you the long part where Hugo goes on and on about the Parisian sewer system. But I would hate for the novel to lose that.”

— Garth Risk Hallberg

The gentle rise of the sewer continued and the density of the vines decreased again until we came to a large square room. The tunnel did not continue f...

SSD 4.07 - Long Green Vines

Just hit 100 patrons, which is both strange and wonderful. Thank you all for supporting my writing.

Had a little too much with the humor of this chapter. Also did some very obvious lamp-shading about the absurdly spacious sewers trope.

Iwata: Wow, I never knew sewer tunnels were so wide and spacious.
Watanabe: But what's strange is how nice it smells down here.

—Excel Saga

==Zidaun==

We followed Gurek do...

SSD 4.06 - Money is Power

Took a little pushing to get a chapter done today, but I am going to try and keep it up. Hopefully I can make a new habit out of it.

If money go before, all ways do lie open.”

—Ford, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act 2 Scene 2, William Shakespeare

==POV: Caden==

Since I was capable of replicating a working copy, there was no need to keep the original gate around anymore.

I started the process of dissolving it, carefully absorbing the...

SSD 4.05 - Dimensional Theory

I might be powering my writing by draining the luck from my roommates. Over the last two days, one's car caught fire, and the other had the wooden stairs in the back break while he was one them.

Just a theory. 

Or... the new medication that I am on and adjusting dosages with finally stabilized at a great point to let me function and write.

Guess we will see what happens tomorrow.

“There is some confusion as to what magic actually is. I think this can ...

SSD 4.04 - A Map for the Future

And now we continue our productivity adventure. Also, a shout out to bukvyrm for posting a review. I really do appreciate it.

“Maps are a way of organizing wonder.”

-Peter Steinhart

==POV: Caden==

I felt a little bad about laughing so hard when they opened up the door to the sewers, but their disgust was so obvious that I couldn’t help it. I only felt a little bad though, i...

SSD 4.3 - Day and Night

Made a slight alteration to chapter 4.1, and mentioned the last group fought before the end of the tower, and that they went through another dozen rooms or so.

A big shout out to everyone that has been leaving some awesome comments, they really do help me keep going.

Also, if you weren't that interested in the art, I asked people if they would be willing to rate my story, and even better, leave a review, on RoyalRoad. You can get to my story page 2022-05-10 03:37:43 +0000 UTC View Post

Art - Arc 3

First, a request. 

For anyone who hasn't taken the time to rate me on RoyalRoad, it would be very much appreciated. Also remember that if you rated the old version, I created a new page when I did the revision, so you might not have rated it yet. The novel's page is here. Obviously I would love 5 of 5 stars, but I appreciate any honest feedback. Anyone who wants to put the extra...

SSD 4.2 - Training Like a Boss

Surprise!

I was feeling great tonight, so I cranked out another chapter over the last few hours.

We seem to believe it is possible to ward off death by following rules of good grooming.

-Don DeLillo

==POV: Zidaun==

Gurek turned the handle and pulled the door open. Immediately a blur jumped in and attacked.

I saw it coming in my aura.

“Watch-”

The plate-mouse scratched ineffectually against his legs, not penetrating the barrier in ...

SSD 4.1 - Plate-Rodents of Unusual Size

I am glad I get to start showing you all the rest of the dungeon. Hope you enjoy it.

“Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.”

–Mark Twain

“‘Stuff your eyes with wonder,’ he said, ‘live as if you'd drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It's more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories.’”

-Ray Bradbury

==POV: Zidaun==

SSD 4.0 - Arc 4 – Into the Dungeon

This is the entry to Arc 4, hopefully it gives a little more context and worldbuilding that you enjoy.

Don't worry, I am guaranteeing at least one more chapter this month. Hopefully, two.

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“Humans are possessed, to some degree, with the power of foresight. Yet we so often learn things the hard way, through disaster.”

-David Grinspoon

“I know of few human nations that do not have arrangements of the Adar. That we are one of them is a disgrace. The Adar ha...

SSD 3.21 - Meetings

Had a little trouble with medication this month, since I am trying out something new. Seemed to really help a week or two after taking it, but then made things worse as the dosage stabilized at a higher level. I felt so disconnected from everything, and it took me a while to even process that fact.

I am likely one of the people who metabolizes the medication slowly, so it sticks around in my system. Lowered the dosage and hopefully that will help. (I think it is already helping, but I a...