by Rainbringer
After dying in an accident while performing field research, a senior archaeologist is transported to a fantasy world and reborn as a new dungeon core on an ancient sky island. Struggling to figure out how to live as dungeon with a novel set of challenges, he progresses his new dungeon by expanding through archaeological levels of his new home. Periods of dungeon engineering and archaeological exploration are interspersed with interactions with a variety of visitors - starting with an invading ground squirrel and ranging up to the dragon that currently dominates the island, representatives of the Adventuring Guild, and the Church of the God of All Dungeons. At the same time, he is learning about the previous occupants of the sky island, his new world more generally, and teasing out hints about his divinely-appointed mission. This is a fairly slow growth progression story with episodes of exploration and combat with a focus on world-building and character development/dungeon engineering. There is, in the current plan, no sex or romance, limited violence/gore, and some minimal swearing. **This story is a first effort by a new writer and a participant in the Spring 2025 Royal Road Writathon. You have been warned. ** Cover art is temporary, and I apologize for the low-resolution, AI-generated art involved.
| # | Title | Words |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chapter 1: Waking Up In a New World – What Now? Day 1 | 0 |
| 2 | Chapter 2 - Discovering the Status Interface – Day 1 | 0 |
| 3 | Chapter 3 - Some Basic Mechanics (part 1 – Stats) Day 1 | 0 |
| 4 | Chapter 4 - Basic Mechanics (part 2 – Skills) Day 1 | 0 |
| 5 | Chapter 5 – Basic Mechanics (part 3 – Traits and Titles) - Day 1 | 0 |
| 6 | Chapter 6 - Struggling with dungeon instincts. Damn, I want to kill something! - Day 1 | 0 |
| 7 | Chapter 7 – Where the Hell am I, anyways? Day 1 | 0 |
| 8 | Chapter 8 - First Views of the Outside World – Day 1 to Day 3 | 0 |
| 9 | Chapter 9 - Interlude 1 - The Dungeon Inspector | 0 |
| 10 | Chapter 10 - Interludes 2 and 3 - The Dragon Stirs and the Dungeon Fairy Moves | 0 |
| 11 | Chapter 11 - Interlude 4 - The Dwarven Airmage Rumbles Into Action | 0 |
| 12 | Chapter 12 - Claiming New Territory – Day 4 to Day 7 | 0 |
| 13 | Chapter 13 - A Stampede of Ground Squirrels - Day 7 | 0 |
| 14 | Chapter 14 - On the Edge of Eternity - Day 8 to Day 14 | 0 |
| 15 | Chapter 15 – Arrival of the Dungeon Fairy – Consulting the Overbooked Advisor. Day 14 | 0 |
| 16 | Chapter 16 - Extra Attention Because You’re New. And Sapient. And Not a Jerk. - Day 14 | 0 |
| 17 | Chapter 17 - Living, Learning, and Making Some Basic Plans - Day 14 | 0 |
| 18 | Chapter 18 - Do I Have to Have a Theme? Seems Restrictive - Day 14 | 0 |
| 19 | Chapter 19 – Digging In and Setting Defenses. Day 14-16 | 0 |
| 20 | Chapter 20 - First Defense (That I Plan To Admit To, Anyways). Day 17-21 | 0 |
| 21 | Chapter 21 – PDA - Post-defense analysis – Day 21 | 0 |
| 22 | Chapter 22 - Building Out the First Floor and Doing Quests - Day 21-28 | 0 |
| 23 | Chapter 23 – Scouting for Ruins, Day 29-35 | 0 |
| 24 | Chapter 24 – Arrival of the Dungeon Inspector. Day 34 | 0 |
| 25 | Chapter 25 - First inspection by adventurers’ guild (Part 1). Day 35 | 0 |
| 26 | Chapter 26 – Dungeon Inspection continues - Taking the tour. Day 35 | 0 |
| 27 | Chapter 27 – Dungeon Inspection, Part III – Welcome to the core. Still Day 35 | 0 |
| 28 | Chapter 28 – The Inspection wraps up – Day 35 | 0 |
| 29 | Chapter 29 – Starting the Second Floor Day 36-40 | 0 |
| 30 | Chapter 30 -- The Dragon Visits – Day 40 | 0 |
| 31 | Chapter 31 - A Short Break, Interrupted – Day 40-41 | 0 |
| 32 | Chapter 32 – Every Scholar Needs a Library - Day 42 - 44 | 0 |
| 33 | Chapter 33 –The Dungeon Priests begin to move; Avian Scout hits the skies (Day 44) | 0 |
| 34 | Chapter 34 – Excavations begin (Day 44-50) | 0 |
| 35 | Chapter 35 – Hit rock bottom and continue to dig (Day 51-55) | 0 |
| 36 | Chapter 36– Aven Returns – and Answers Some Questions (Day 56-58) | 0 |
| 37 | Chapter 37 – Books, Survey, Excavation, and Expansion - Plus an Annoyed Librarian (Day 59-65) | 0 |
| 38 | Chapter 38 - Expansion plans – Up and Out or In and Down? (Day 66-72) | 0 |
| 39 | Chapter 39– Documenting the Neighborhood—Exploring the Surface and Initial Deep Finds (Day 72) | 0 |
| 40 | Chapter 40 – The Airmage and the Second Inspector (Day 72) | 0 |
| 41 | Chapter 41 -- Second Inspection Begins (Day 72-73) | 0 |
| 42 | Chapter 42 -- The Ceremonial Giving of Gifts! (Day 73) | 0 |
| 43 | Chapter 43 – Negotiations Begin - for Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness (Day 73) | 0 |
| 44 | Chapter 44 – Dungeon Priests Arrive (Day 73) | 0 |
| 45 | Chapter 45 – More Introductions – This Time with Squirrel Pantomimes. (Day 73) | 0 |
| 46 | Chapter 46 -- The Dragon Has Some Thoughts - (Day 73 – Turning into a very long day) | 0 |
| 47 | Chapter 47 – Dungeon Lore with the Priests (Day 74) | 0 |
| 48 | Chapter 48 – Dealing with the Dwarf Airmage (Day 74) | 0 |
| 49 | Chapter 49 – Further Developments and the Return of the Goblins (Day 74) | 0 |
| 50 | Chapter 50 – I Was Worried About Goblins? - Day 74-75 | 0 |
| 51 | Chapter 51 – More Questions, More Answers - Fun for All (Day 75) | 0 |
| 52 | Chapter 52 – Knowledge is Passed, Progress is Made. Sort of? Day 76 | 0 |
| 53 | Chapter 53 -- What Lovely Parting Gifts Do We Have For Our Dungeon Today? Day 76 | 0 |
| 54 | Chapter 54 -- Preparing for Guests (Day 76-79) | 0 |
| 55 | Chapter 55 -- A Good Old Fashioned Barn Raising - (Day 80) | 0 |
| 56 | Chapter 56 – Finishing the Second Floor and Arrival of the First Redcrests (Day 80-81) | 0 |
| 57 | Chapter 57 – Moving the Core, a Visit From the Dragon, and the Dungeon Fairy Returns (Day 82) | 0 |
| 58 | Chapter 58 -- Checking in with Aven, Test Chamber Construction, Consultations (Day 82-83) | 0 |
| 59 | Chapter 59 -- Exploration of the Gnomish City Continues (Day 83) | 0 |
| 60 | Chapter 60-- Gnomish City, Test Chamber Trial, Surface Structures (Day 84) | 0 |
| 61 | Chapter 61 -- Gnomish Archaeology, History, and Religion (Day 84-85) | 0 |
| 62 | Chapter 62 -- Redcrest Move-In Day (Day 85) | 0 |
| 63 | Chapter 63 -- Archaeologist by Night, Landlord by Day (Day 85-86) | 0 |
| 64 | Chapter 64 -- Immediate Concerns (Day 86) | 0 |
| 65 | Chapter 65 -- A Librarian Pushed to the Edge (Day 86-89) | 0 |
| 66 | Chapter 66 -- Work Continues and the Librarian Arrives (Days 87-89) | 0 |
| 67 | Chapter 67 -- Messing with the Librarian. Personality Conflicts Included. (Day 89) | 0 |
| 68 | Chapter 68 -- Negotiations for Knowledge (Day 89 –90) | 0 |
| 69 | Chapter 69: Closing the Book on the Librarian (Day 90) | 0 |
| 70 | Chapter 70: Checking Out – Books and Quest Progress (Day 90-91) | 0 |
| 71 | Chapter 71: Expansion Plans – Seeking and Finding (Day 91 – 94) | 0 |
| 72 | Chapter 72: Down We Go – Prospecting for Magic (Day 94) | 0 |
| 73 | Chapter 73: Making Connections and Building Burning Bridges (Day 94-95) | 0 |
| 74 | Chapter 74: Additional Interludes – Librarian, Dungeon Inspector, and Adventurers (Day 95-96) | 0 |
| 75 | Chapter 75: Hakdrilda and the Mana Gathering Array (Day 95) | 0 |
| 76 | Chapter 76: Taking the Low Road (Day 95-96) | 0 |
| 77 | Chapter 77: Sticking to Schedule (Day 96-97) | 0 |
| 78 | Chapter 78: Disturbing Discussion with the Dwarf (Day 97) | 0 |
| 79 | Chapter 79: The Bat, the Cat, and the Dracolisk (Day 97-98) | 0 |
| 80 | Chapter 80: Curiosity Nearly Kills the Cat (Day 98) | 0 |
| 81 | Chapter 81: Metaphorical Nose to the Archaeological Grindstone (Day 98-99) | 0 |
| 82 | Chapter 82: Dealing With Dracolisks and an Interlude (Day 99) | 0 |
| 83 | Chapter 83: Interlude with a Librarian (Day 99) | 0 |
| 84 | Chapter 84: Who’s Afraid of the Dark? (Day 99-100) | 0 |
| 85 | Chapter 85: Dungeon Expansion and Following Up with the Dwarven Airmage (Day 100-101) | 0 |
| 86 | Chapter 86: Hunting for a Library (Day 101) | 0 |
| 87 | Chapter 87: Dwarven Ingenuity and Gnomish Secrets (Day 101-102) | 0 |
| 88 | Chapter 88: Some Light Reading and an Interlude (Day 102) | 0 |
| 89 | Chapter 89: Expedition on the Move (Day 103) | 0 |
| 90 | Chapter 90: Orcs and the Start of the Third Floor (Day 103-104) | 0 |
| 91 | Chapter 91: Delving Orcs - Part 1 (Day 104) | 0 |
| 92 | Chapter 92: Delving Orcs Part 2 (Day 104) | 0 |
| 93 | Chapter 93: Delving Orcs Part 3 (Day 104) | 0 |
| 94 | Chapter 94: Gnomequest Part 1 – (Day 104) | 0 |
| 95 | Chapter 95: Delving Orcs Part 4 (Day 104) | 0 |
| 96 | Chapter 96: Gnomequest Part 2 - Sommelier of Evil (Day 104) | 0 |
| 97 | Chapter 97: Gnomequest Part 3 - Maid Service (Day 104 –105) | 0 |
| 98 | Chapter 98: Delving Orcs Part 5 (Day 104-105) | 0 |
| 99 | Chapter 99: Orcs and Gnome Reunited – Let Sleeping Gnomes Lie (Day 105) | 0 |
| 100 | Chapter 100: Almost to the End of the Dungeon (Day 105) | 0 |
| 101 | Chapter 101: End of the Delve and a Meeting with the Airmage (Day 105) | 0 |
| 102 | Chapter 102: Conversation and Compensation (Day 105) | 0 |
| 103 | Chapter 103: Speaking with the Inspector (Day 105-106) | 0 |
| 104 | Chapter 104: Taking Care of Business – Inspection Business (Day 106) | 0 |
| 105 | Chapter 105: Advice and Offerings - (Day 106) | 0 |
| 106 | Chapter 106: Wrapping Up the Inspection (Day 106) | 0 |
| 107 | Chapter 107: Making Plans (Day 106-107) | 0 |
| 108 | Chapter 108: Quest Clearance and Final Tests (Day 107) | 0 |
| 109 | Chapter 109: Surface Work (Day 107) | 0 |
| 110 | Chapter 110: Scholarly Work and an Interlude (Day 107-108) | 0 |
| 111 | Chapter 111: Hangar Time and More Interludes (Day 108) | 0 |
| 112 | Chapter 112: Lunch Date Interludes (Day 108) | 0 |
| 113 | Chapter 113: Further Expansions – Of Dungeons and Social Circles (Day 108-109) | 0 |
| 114 | Chapter 114: Books and Voices - Day 109 | 0 |
| 115 | Chapter 115: Whispers and Speaking Voices (Day 109) | 0 |
| 116 | Chapter 116: It’s A Trap! (Day 109) | 0 |
| 117 | Chapter 117: Digging Into the Third Floor (Day 109-110) | 0 |
| 118 | Chapter 118: No Man is an (Sky)Island (Day 110) | 0 |
| 119 | Chapter 119: Plans About to be Enacted (Day 110-111) | 0 |
| 120 | Chapter 120: Standing on the Shoulders of Giants... well, Gnomes (Day 111) | 0 |
| 121 | Chapter 121: Dracolisk Deals (Day 111) | 0 |
| 122 | Chapter 122: Clearing the Air at Last (Day 112) | 0 |
| 123 | Chapter 123: Catching Up With Old Acquaintances (Day 112) | 0 |
| 124 | Chapter 124: One Question Leads to Another (Day 112) | 0 |
| 125 | Chapter 125: All The Bells and Whistles (Day 112-113) | 0 |
| 126 | Chapter 126: Letters and an Excursion (Day 113) | 0 |
| 127 | Chapter 127: Forest Reserve Part 1 (Day 113) | 0 |
| 128 | Chapter 128: Forest Reserve Part 2 (Day 113) | 0 |
| 129 | Chapter 129: Back From the Woods and Answering Mail (Day 113) | 0 |
| 130 | Chapter 130: Correspondence and Herbology (Day 114) | 0 |
| 131 | Chapter 131: Herbology, Runic Magic, and Responses (Day 114) | 0 |
| 132 | Chapter 132: Responses and Considerations (Day 114) | 0 |
| 133 | Chapter 133: Maneuvering in Asmeria (Day 114) | 0 |
| 134 | Chapter 134: Research in the Wee Hours (Day 115) | 0 |
| 135 | Chapter 135: Shopping Trips - Part 1 (Day 115) | 0 |
| 136 | Chapter 136: Shopping Trips – Part 2 (Day 115) | 0 |
| 137 | Chapter 137: Herbology, Alchemy, and Answers (Day 115) | 0 |
| 138 | Chapter 138: Final Preparations (Day 115 -116) | 0 |
| 139 | Chapter 139: Late Night/Early Morning Philosophy (Day 116) | 0 |
| 140 | Chapter 140: Setting Traps for the Expedition (Day 116-117) | 0 |
| 141 | Chapter 141: Putting Plans Into Motion (Day 117) | 0 |
| 142 | Chapter 142: The New Arrivals - Part 1 (Day 117) | 0 |
| 143 | Chapter 143: The New Arrivals – Part 2 (Day 117-118) | 0 |
| 144 | Chapter 144: Finally... Some Action (Day 118) | 0 |
| 145 | Chapter 145: Moving Right Along (Day 118) | 0 |
| 146 | Chapter 146: Finishing the First Floor (Day 118) | 0 |
| 147 | Chapter 147: Onward and Downward – the Second Floor (Day 118) | 0 |
| 148 | Chapter 148: Exploring the Manor Grounds (Day 118) | 0 |
| 149 | Not A Chapter: Author Announcement | 0 |
| 150 | Chapter 149: The Manor House (Day 118) | 0 |
| 151 | Chapter 150: Back to Delving on the Second Floor (Day 118) | 0 |
| 152 | Chapter 151: Continuing the Second Floor (Day 118) | 0 |
| 153 | Chapter 152: Thank You, Cleaning Cantrip - (Day 118) | 0 |
| 154 | Chapter 153: Finishing the Second Floor (Day 118) | 0 |
| 155 | Chapter 154: Delve Rewards and Party Separation (Day 118) | 0 |
| 156 | Chapter 155: Checking Out The Third Floor (Day 118) | 0 |
| 157 | Chapter 156: Inspecting the Gnome City of the Third Floor (Day 118) | 0 |
| 158 | Chapter 157: Winding Down the First Day of Delving (Day 118) | 0 |
| 159 | Chapter 158: The End of a Very Long Day (Day 118-119) | 0 |
| 160 | Chapter 159: Overnight Adjustments and Gifts (Day 119) | 0 |
| 161 | Chapter 160: The Second Day of Delving (Day 119) | 0 |
| 162 | Chapter 161: The Formal Assessment Begins (Day 119) | 0 |
| 163 | Chapter 162: The Formal Assessment Wraps Up and an Exchange of Gifts Begins (Day 119) | 0 |
| 164 | Chapter 163: Gifts and More Gifts (Day 119) | 0 |
| 165 | Chapter 164: The Good Stuff (Day 119) | 0 |
| 166 | Chapter 165: The Good Stuff – Part 2 (Day 119) | — |
| 167 | Chapter 166: Lunch Takes a Sudden Turn (Day 119) | — |
| 168 | Chapter 167: Aftermath (Day 119-120) | — |
| 169 | Chapter 168: Continuing Aftermath (Day 119-120) | — |
| 170 | Chapter 169: Aftershocks (Day 120) | — |
| 171 | Chapter 170: Damage Control (Day 120) | — |
| 172 | Chapter 171: Emergency Quest Planning (Day 120) | — |
| 173 | Chapter 172: Making Common Cause (Day 120) | — |
| 174 | Chapter 173: Notifying Concerned Parties (Day 120-121) | — |
| 175 | Chapter 174: Entering the Void Village (Day 121) | — |
| 176 | Chapter 175: Mushrooms and the Void (Day 121) | — |
