As of the Tenth of March 2020, all chapters have been edited to be up to my current bar of quality! If you are reading after this date or simply do not care, you can skip this announcement.
They're mostly minor grammatical and punctuation fixes, such as fixing an old mistake I had with speaking where I would do this:
"Hi." said the imaginary construct who exists for the sole purpose of this example.
When the correct usage is this:
"Hi," said the imaginary construct who will cease to exist once you pass this sentence.
Where the correct usage is to use a comma as opposed to a full stop. Anyways, that's all fixed!
Also went back and added epigraphs to every chapter, as taxing as that was on my creativity bucket. More details will be below in the spoiler things but you can skip them.
This probably won't get a big reaction from most of you but screw it, for there is glory not just in raising bridges but also on maintaining their infrastructure!
Edit List
Spoiler: Spoiler
Edited 0.1, Minor grammatical fixes, extra characterisation for Matt, added epigraph
Edited 0.2, Minor grammatical fixes, shortened invite message, added epigraph
Edited 0.3, Minor grammatical fixes, added epigraph
Edited 0.4, Minor grammatical fixes, more internal commentary of Declan's thoughts, extra Declan characterisation and added epigraph
Edited 1.1, Minor grammatical fixes, added epigraph, fixed several mistakes
Edited 1.2, Minor grammatical fixes, added epigraph, removed the god awful table
Edited 1.3, Minor fixes, added epigraph, replaced blue box
Edited 1.4, Minor Fixes, added epigraph, removed last paragraph for irrelevancy
Edited 1.5-1.9, Minor gixes, add epigraph
Edited 2.0, minor fixes, added epigraph, reworked some dialogue and Declans reactions to be more true to his personality
Edited Felinology, minor fixes, added epigraph
Edited 2.1-2.8, minor fixes, added epigraph
Edited Interlude Eve.Say("Hello World");, added epigraph
Edited 3.0, added extra discussion and worldbuilding for Paths, minor fixes, added epigraph,
Add 3.05 to explain Paths
Edited 3.1, added explanation for two of the new skills, epigraph, minor fixes
Edited 1.8, better epigraph
Edited 3.2, added epigraph, minor fixes
Edited 3.3-3.4, minor fixes
Edited 3.5, changed epigraph a bit, minor fixes
Edited 3.6-3.14, all minor fixes
Epigraph List
Spoiler: Spoiler
0.1: "I do not stand alone at the abyss, for I am humanity. Brutal, savage, hateful, helping, loving, civil. The Apocalypse has passed and yet we stand." - Isaac Kramer, Prominent Political Leader during the Second Renaissance.
0.2: "And if you gaze long enough into the abyss, the abyss will gaze back at you." - Frederick Nietzsche.
0.3: "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." - Unknown origin.
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0.4: "I believe there is no deep difference between what can be achieved by a biological brain and what can be achieved by a computer. It, therefore, follows that computers can, in theory, emulate human intelligence — and exceed it." - Stephen Hawking.
1.1: "Log 5819: Bone Dragon flight very limited. Seek alternative flying harbingers of doom." - Personal Memoirs of the Revenant King.
1.2: "Wizards go to college, sorcerors are born rich and warlocks get a sugar daddy! I don't know why this is so hard to understand! And don't even get me started on bards!" - Unknown, explaining the difference between spellcasters.
1.3: "The first spell a mage acolyte learns is lesser combustion through Mana components, in other words, a simple Spark spell. This may seem basic and harmless, but the lives consumed by this spell is immeasurable." - Magus Ackuaz, rumoured pyrophobe.
1.4: "It's dangerous to go alone. Take this for the small, small price of only one-eighteenth of your soul!" - Demon Marketer from a store in Var’Ah’Bwek.
1.5: "If a baby can't even strangle a grown man right after being born then what's the point in having one?" - Madelyn the Skull Rain giving important life lessons.
1.6: "Ah, utility spells. Honestly the only reason why we're still alive." - Unknown mercenary.
1.7: “Behold! My ascent to greatness!” - last words of the True Vampire Kars, moments after being convinced by Astrologist Joseph that the light of the Moon was the reflection of the Sun, therefore he should be immune to sunlight.
1.8: Look out! Look out!
Under the bush!
Behind the trees!
Those short and green,
But very mean!
They swarm like wasps,
And hurt much more!
- A song sang by an unknown minstrel in the taverns of Lua.
1.9: "By the gods. How has anyone lived to adulthood if all kids are so fucking dumb?" - High Bishop Jackov's of the Church of Light after working a day at the local orphanage.
2.0: "When facing a superior adversary, say, completely hypothetically; a dragon. Do something unexpected," - Bardus Maximus, father of Ten-Thousand Dragonkin.
Interlude: Felinology: "As of
2.1: "Don't you know that wearing hats indoors is rude?" - Madelyn the Skull Rain before scalping her guests.
2.2: "Good thing these rebels only form into groups of five or I might actually have a problem." - The Revenant King, known for getting his empire upended by bands of plucky adolescents.
2.3: "And when the Princess sang, the forest rallied under her. To defeat the most filthy of dishes and clean the most nookiest of crannies." - Excerpt from 'The First Princess'
2.4: "With her song, the First Princess proved that magically enchanted animals make far better servants, thus, all the original servants tasked with menial work around the castle were laid off for requiring a salary." - Excerpt from ‘The First Princess’
2.5: "During the Hundred Year War, the Alliance of Underdark Cities was broken when then Great Drow Cithian opened the gates of Untuit, allowing the Revenant King's armies to enter and destroy the former Dwarven Capital." - Excerpt from 'The Historia'
2.6: "Unorthodox display of hubris but very well!" - The god Challenge upon hearing Balfar the Gourmet declare he can eat the weight of the moon in food.
2.7: "To defeat the Revenant King we have to work together!" - Imamu the Lone Swordsmen, known for disbanding and joining a new party every other day.
2.8: "I yield! I yield!" - the most common response to Vafruther the Song Warrior opening his mouth.
Interlude: Eve.Say(“Hello World”);
"It's fine to dream Eve... Not of the world, but of what you want it to be." - Giles Cooper, Memory File 29/11/2121
3.0: "A thousand Paths, a thousand steps tread,
A thousand tears, a thousand drops bled
Once I arrive at the end,
I may finally ascend."
- 'A Thousand Paths', original author unknown.
3.1: “They grow up so fast.” - High King Edwards the Oft Overthrown.
3.2: “We offer insurance!” - Excerpt from an employment ad found in Var’Ah’Bwek, this particular ad seemed to be for recruiting Warlocks of Eternal Madness, Unknowable Horror, and Mayonnaise.
3.3: “Meowr meow meow. Meow meow mao. Meow.” - Zoe, on the complex geopolitical situation of the Middle Kingdoms, or the recent inflation of fish prices.
3.4: "Thirty-three. When killing a Traveler make sure they know it is all in ‘good fun’. But just in case have at least five new identities prepared.
Addendum: In the case of a particularly spiteful Traveler, two dozen and fake your death properly this time." - Excerpt from Elric’s Enchiridion of Encounters.
3.5: “Wait… How am I back here again?” - Adventurer Giridin after travelling in a straight line.
3.6: "Twenty-six. Be kind to wildlife whenever you can, you never know whether or not that stinkbug you just threw off is actually an Archdruid in disguise and you need to apologise fast before the nearby trees turn into clusters of venomous snakes and a chipmunk starts shooting bees out of its eyeballs." - Excerpt from Edward’s Enchiridion of Encounters
3.7: "Fourteen great gifts were presented at the Princess’s naming ceremony. The First Gift was the gift of Hindsight granted by the Spring Court. Which she later realised probably wasn’t as good as the pseudodragon or even the good sense of direction." - Excerpt from The First Princess
3.8: “The art of fair commerce is the act of selling something you don’t want, to someone who doesn’t need it, whilst having both parties profit.” - Thomas Fairplay, current head of the Fairplay Merchant’s Guild.
3.9: “This surgery business is highly suspect, you mean to tell me one can cure a stab wound by stabbing them again? Bah. Mortal injuries are nothing that prayer and faith can’t fix.” High Bishop Jackov’s of the Church of Light.
3.10: “Go back to retail!” - Common insult in popular MMO games.
3.11: “Oh Lord Goddess, I beseech you to aid us in solving our vexations. What was that? QUIET DOWN EVERYONE I CAN HEAR HER! Oh, Dear Goddess, mind you repeat that?” - Priestess Cordelia receiving divine insight, leading her to write ‘Fireproof Heretics and you. Why you don’t need to give up on traditional execution.’
3.12: “Even if it sometimes feels like you’re repeatedly hitting a brick wall, don’t underestimate the hardness of the human skull.” - Madelyn the Skull Rain giving an inspirational speech before breaking through the walls of Helmsdeep, earning her namesake and beginning Conquest.
3.13: “Calling my students unrefined gems is a bit misleading. It’s more like they’re pieces of shit which I had to throw into several volcanoes until we got a suitably shiny pebble out of it.” - Unimakras the Sage of the West
3.14: “What are they gonna do, kill me again?” - The Revenant King on the Revolutionary Forces outside his palace.