The art of runesmithing died long ago. Once legendary runeswords have been reduced to mere decorations, their powers made irrelevant by the discovery of ethereal spirits. Techniques were forgotten, and any remaining runesmiths were ridiculed and shunned. Vivian is one such runesmith. Born as an orphan and adopted into a smithery, she and her adoptive Grandpa persist with a dream. They wish to prove that runeswords are once again worthy of fighting monsters in the lands below. What Vivian never expected was for herself to be the one fighting. Alone in the underground with a crazed spirit that seeks to profit and grow from every monster in their wake. Below the earth awaits a subterranean labyrinth of monsters and demons, where ethereal storms ensure nothing stays dead for long… Author's own words: The Ethersmith started as a fun runesmithing and dungeon exploration story that quickly grew into faction wars and prison breakouts. Expect vast world building and harsh situations that the MC has to overcome with limited tools. Kingdom building elements will be introduced later on. Act 0: Introduction Act 1: Prison of Zand (ongoing) Cover art by iBoobee