Showing results by author "Dakota Krout" in All Categories

Joe the Ritualist has finally found a true community in Vanaheim at the Tower of Ritualists. To his delight, he’s greeted by Masters of his craft, a Grandmaster on the brink of ascension, and a method to fix his most glaring flaws.

Dakota Krout presents the second book in The Completionist Chronicles series.

The decision to start a new life is never an easy one, but for Joe the transition was far from figurative. Becoming a permanent addition to a game world, it doesn't take long to learn that people with his abilities are actively hunted. In fact, if the wrong people gained knowledge of what he was capable of, assassins would appear in droves.

After his town is put to the sword and the children are taken to replace the fallen, an old man is out for revenge. He’s ready to fail at the most difficult challenge in the world: cultivation. Too corrupted to even take the first steps, the sly old elder simply agreed with those who told him that it was impossible. Then he quietly ignored them, rubbed his hands together, and started anyway.

Joe and the Dwarves are doing more than surviving in the harsh climate of Jotunheim: they’re thriving. The Ritualist’s improvements to their defenses are paying dividends; and he’s hailed as a genius for ending threats before they come into striking distance of the burgeoning City. Every day, the Town expands further, allowing for more facilities, a larger population, and drawing in ever-more monsters.

Joe the Ritualist and the town of Novusheim have survived their first major battle, at the cost of leaving most of the settlement a smoking crater. Only most of it. The core of the town survived, and permanent casualties were low. Now that the survivors have a better understanding of what to expect, they go on a reconstruction spree...but why stop there? Every inch of their upgraded defenses will be more potent, durable, and deadlier than ever before.

Joe has started to draw attention to himself and his abilities. While some of the attention is good and allows for personal growth, most of it is from various organizations that feel threatened by the sudden upswing of power that Joe's guild - The Wanderers - is attaining. As the threat to Earth begins to reach its peak, all of humanity has a choice: flee to Eternium, or stay for an uncertain future. Some stay, some go, some don't make the choice quickly enough.

Rebecca Punzel grew up as an orphan in the slums, only daring to dream small by providing for her found family. In a kingdom where might makes right, and combat skills rule, her first class is practically a curse: golden locks of hair which require no care. Though she's in a hairy situation, she works tirelessly to build a modest life for the other orphans. At fourteen, every valuable in reach seems to get tangled into her curls. Practically overnight, she's blacklisted from working at any reputable business.

Enemies emerge everywhere. Stagnation starts seeming standard. Results require Ruthlessness. Joe has been moving deeper into his study of ritual magic and further away from his combat team. He's learning more and more, but more often than not needs to choose between his research and squad leadership. Improving the town is a huge help to the guild, and they have been pushing to increase their power. Their rapid increases have not gone unnoticed. The guild receives an ultimatum, delivered by assassins and signed with blood.

Joe takes his first step into exile, and is promptly unable to breathe. This new Zone has a higher concentration of power, magnitudes denser. His first task is to survive, but mere survival is the least of his concerns. The Zone he has landed on has been in a state of constant war for thousands of years, a tug of war between the Elven and Dwarven societies. Not choosing a side is the same as declaring both to be your personal enemy. Though he is resistant, Joe reluctantly decides to go with the group he thinks will help him grow the most.

Artorian has survived his encounter at the Ziggurat, but at a sharp cost. However, the powers in the world are moving and there is no time to rest. Even if Artorian doesn’t realize his part in it, the next stage of the great plan is set in motion.

Joe’s candidacy was successful beyond his wildest dreams. Between driving the elves out of dwarven sovereign territory, utterly destroying an army of thousands, and using resources he could have used for himself to bring back the fallen on his own side...his reputation begins to precede him once more. The human was so successful that many people even within the dwarven faction have decided that they need to step forward to stop him. Realizing that he’s been in the public eye too long, Joe decides that it’s time to step out of fighting the war.

Snow Weiss was born to lead, her silver tongue a perfect counterpoint to her twin sister Rose's raw emotional power. Together, they were destined to bring prosperity to their kingdom as neighboring queens. On vacation at their summer home, the twins rescue a prince cursed into bear form. He makes a childhood promise to wed Snow that Rose scoffs at, knowing they may never meet again.

Joe and humanity as a whole messed up pretty badly, managing to get some of the most important people from both the Elven and Dwarven races killed. Now the war is escalating to unprecedented levels, and only one side needs to worry about being slain. With the attackers knowing they can get right back up after dying, they are throwing themselves against their centuries-long foe without caring for the consequences. As the death toll rises, there’s still hope for Joe and the people that he chose to align himself with.

Artorian has decided to live, all in order to save his lost village children. His recent battle against a simple raider captain has proven that if he tries to charge ahead...he'll die. With the help of his captors, who quickly turn into close friends, Artorian takes the first steps onto the path of a true cultivator. Finesse, skill, fine-tuned cultivation techniques, and more is within his grasp. Artorian is more than willing to learn; after all, that's his specialty!

Powerful necromancers are on the move, and the dungeon has become a battleground. Without his faithful Wisp, Cal's mind slips - he begins creating traps and monsters that go against his already loose morals. A direct threat from an unexpected force causes Cal's mind to stabilize, but he doesn't know for how long. Using every resource at his disposal, he works to keep his mind clear while he funds a search for his lost companion.

Joe the Ritualist fled Alfheim with the remnants of the Dwarven Oligarchy at his side. Though the hairy warriors number in the tens of thousands, they stand at the brink of extinction; and the new world they landed on isn’t pulling any punches. Jotunheim is a winter wonderland featuring a vast array of monsters: the least of which are hulking lizard-ape Hoardlings, and carnivorous penguins standing a dozen feet tall.

Lily Red, known as "Little Red", has trained her entire life to become a system-acknowledged scout under her Grandmother's guidance. Hunting, tracking, and trap-making—she's a master of her craft. But her dreams of joining the elite Scout forces are repeatedly blocked by a leader of the Wyld with a grudge against Grandmother. When Lily uncovers an impending invasion by Wolf Warband, brutal raiders from the frozen north, a deadly challenge offered by their war leader sets her pulse racing.

For eons, conquering dungeons has been the most efficient way to become a strong adventurer. Although not everything is as straightforward as it seems. Several questions have always plagued the minds of those who enter these mythical places of power: why are there so many monsters? Where do the amazing weaponry and heavy gold coins come from? Why does the very air fill with life-giving energies? Cal has all of the answers to these age-old questions, for a very simple reason. He is a Dungeon Heart.

After his town is put to the sword and the children are taken to replace the fallen, an old man is out for revenge. He’s ready to fail at the most difficult challenge in the world: cultivation. Too corrupted to even take the first steps, the sly old elder simply agreed with those who told him that it was impossible. Then, he quietly ignored them, rubbed his hands together, and started anyway. He had always failed in what he did. The only thing that had never failed him was his sharp mind and philosophy. He would cultivate...no matter what it cost him.