Dear Readers,
I sit down to write, I want to finish this story, but the words that flow from my fingers are not this story. I've been at it on and off again for over a year, and I got started with the part covering Jason and Rob, but .... Regardless of any excuses I make, to myself or to you, my readers, the fact remains that I'm not finishing any of the stories spinning through my mind.
I know that from the reader's side of things, having a story you're interested in just stop is pretty fruiting frustrating. I can say it's frustrating from the author side, too. Worse, there comes a point where the frustration becomes its own block, so instead of letting this farce of an attempt to keep writing continue on, I'm calling it, and changing the status to Dropped.
I very much appreciate all the kind thoughts and encoragement you've shown me. It means a lot to me, and I hope to cross paths with you in the comments sections of other stories here on RoyalRoad.
Stay Excellent, Gentle Readers!
P.S. Below is the proof that I at least know how I wanted this to end. If someone wants to come along and take over the writing, just send me a PM.
Last chance to stop reading.
The major point, for me at least, to writing Travelers was coming up with a reason for a lot of the dungeon core story tropes, so there are some comments to that effect in my plot notes.
* The crew determines that the constructs can be handed over to the cores to control, and given simple instructions. [checking off "dungon monster" genesis goal]
* constructs dissipate into mana when removed from dungeons unless!
* those that carry a soul gem embedded inside them are able to leave and over time can become "real" monsters [beast core genesis]
* More dungeon masters are recruited, contracted into an alliance under Lena's authority
* Most new DMs settle into the contract pretty happily and help Candy develop a dungeon communication protocol to trade patterns for defenders and loot [dungeon store genesis goal checked]
* A few attempt to exceed the limits of their contracts and get booted out of their dungeons. However, they've been changed enough that they don't go back to being regular versions of who they were and instead become empowered versions with a grudge.
* Adventuring Guilds and some smaller nations attempt to exert pressure on the new DM guild, setting off small scale hostilities. They align with a few of the empowered and manage to take down a few of the DM guild managed dungeons.
* ^ this was not completely unexpected and the fallen dungeons self destruct, destroying the raiders [dungeons crumbling when their core is destroyed genesis]
* Rhofhir tracks down Dibbs and sends off very diminished avatar to make contact.
* Avatar Rhofhir mentors Dibbs in the path to achieving immortality and the stages of Powers [general universe building]
* Tier 1: Mortal;
* Tier 2: fey (deliberately confusing, esentially tied to a material body, but a very, very durable one);
* Tier 3: Immortal (no longer requires physical being to maintain existence);
* Tier 4: Purpose Driven Immortal (Angels and Demons, oh my! Not necessarily able to moderate the drive to fulfill their Purpose);
* Tier 5: Divinity on a Planetary Scale (No longer able to sustain themselves by passively accumulating mana, they require some kind of active mana accumulator. Some choose to break down parts of themselves into a semblance of mortal life -- World Spirits -- while others barter miracles for prayers.
* everything after is basically just sizing up
* Avatar Rhofhir reports what the studio crew is doing with the dungeons, and Rhofhir decides to make it permanent, with a few stipulations:
* dungeons shouldn't just give away resources
* the challenges in a dungeon have to beatable, but the defenses of the core can be insane difficulty
* Time Skip Future Forward: Post Unraveling / Dawning of the 12th Age
* Most people have forgotten the origins modern dungeons
* Older dungeons have already secured companions for themselves, and newer dungeons have been given a means to attract companions that will support them [dungeon pixie genesis]
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.