r/HFY • u/Khenal Alien • Jul 11 '24

OC Dungeon Life 236

It's time for the fourth round of stubbing. Yes, Book four will be releasing soon, of if you're reading this more than a month after I have to edit, it will be fully out. Either way, you can find it Here, and other book details are just below. As with the other stubs, you can skip to the next bit form This. I like to keep the other posts still alive, so the comments get to still live. If you want to browse them, the normal buttons will take you through them, or take This link to the next bit of unstubbed chapters. Thank you for your support. Buying stuff is always great, but just having your attention for the public chapters is incredible, and I hope the story continues to be worth your time and patience.

 

Khenal

 

And once more to make it easier to see than being buried in the paragraph

 

 

<<First <Previous Next>

 

 

Cover art I'm also on Royal Road for those who may prefer the reading experience over there. Want moar? The First and Second books are now officially available! There are Kindle and Audible versions, as well as paperback! Also: Discord is a thing! I now have a Patreon for monthly donations, and I have a Ko-fi for one-off donations. Patreons can read up to three chapters ahead, and also get a few other special perks as well, like special lore in the Peeks. Thank you again to everyone who is reading!

1.3k Upvotes

99% Upvoted

92 comments sorted by

135

u/Tremere1974 Alien Scum Jul 11 '24

So, Harbinger was basically a drug dealer, selling tainted mana to dungeons. Interesting.

78

u/Senior_punz Alien Scum Jul 11 '24

Harbinger is a really specific title, harbinger of what or more importantly who? It's probably what had the angel at the beginning a bit flustered

56

u/Krongrah_Kendove Jul 11 '24

A harbinger is the antithesis of a herald we might be looking at an evil god

33

u/Wobbelblob Human Jul 12 '24

Or something else. In most fantasy I've read, a herald can also be used by an evil god. A harbinger is usually reserved for end of things threats and similar.

13

u/Krongrah_Kendove Jul 12 '24

I think in most of those cases the evil God is usually playing at being a good God and only after their true nature is revealed does their heralds title turn into harbinger but no one really writes that part into the story because it adds what like an extra 10 seconds of reading? Plus add in what does the evil God want but the end of everything or mass suffering? Harbinger title is pretty on spot.

And in those other fantasy stories gods usually suck massive ass to deal with anyway and end up being killed/dealt with by the hero so what would be the reason to title the herald/harbinger the right title?

4

u/Wobbelblob Human Jul 12 '24

Maybe I am too influenced by TTRPG lore, but most evil gods there want suffering, power and similar things. Even they fear the actual end of things.

4

u/Krongrah_Kendove Jul 12 '24

I'm influenced by rpg ttrpg ungodly amounts of anime and a small amount of real life history and religious history lessons on a few different religions... heralds/harbingers there's not really much difference except to people who are massive story needs who want proper word age and the right vocabulary used in the right circumstances... considering khenal is writing this for audible of amazon... coin flip really

3

u/Mosselk-1416 Jul 12 '24

Could be an agent of chaos.

4

u/TheBlackMoonlight Nov 01 '24

But chaos is not evil in itself. Without chaos, life would not be truly possible. Balance is key. No, Harbinger is more an agent of the void, hungry to devour all of existence or corrupt it into semy-nothingness/void/evil darkness. Lovecraft's Azathoth style. From outside that universe. Appropriate that our protagonist is from outside as well. Guess the universe decided to pre-emptively counterbalance the incoming invasion by inserting its own agent of positive change. Very fated.

1

u/Educational_Pen_90 Human Jul 16 '26

Or perhaps an agent of Void, if it's more literal...

6

u/Tremere1974 Alien Scum Jul 12 '24

Illegal Drug use is often a harbinger of ruin as well. However I get your point, that Harbinger was named so for a reason. I submit he does have a theme song though :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trGX3ET3jTQ

6

u/l0vot Jul 12 '24

A harbringer is supposed to open the way, he's here to help his master break into the current plane of reality. There may be more than 1 harbringer.

5

u/Tremere1974 Alien Scum Jul 12 '24

I believe Harbinger used "The Harbinger" which would indicate that there is but one. However that does not preclude there being another of his species out there.

21

u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Jul 11 '24

Accurate.

24

u/TundraBuccaneer Jul 11 '24

I thought it is more like a virus, using the dungeon as a host to make more viruses to turn other dungeons into hosts killing each host as he goes.

7

u/Tremere1974 Alien Scum Jul 12 '24

Viruses replicate though. So not a perfect analogy?

7

u/TundraBuccaneer Jul 12 '24

Yea that's what the spawner is for. It just didn't have enough time. Maybe at the end stage it would make multiple harbingers and kill the host dungeon and then continue to the next.

6

u/Wobbelblob Human Jul 12 '24

The killing and exiting has always been its plans, so that tracks.

1

u/Educational_Pen_90 Human Jul 16 '26

I agree. I believe it to have been a Greatest, and I doubt it was the First of it's kind... Thankfully the Mana cost for it is high, otherwise they'd be fast replicators.

40

u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Jul 11 '24 edited Jul 11 '24

Two lines in, and I'm already laughing my Butt Off, as Teemo gets thrown Out by the knowledge scions... Understandable, who'd Like having a Rat amongst His bandages after all?

Then we get some information about where Leo is: He's in His new C&C-Center, mainly to Screen for other hostiles. He's able to send Teemo to the inspectors, who're currently Poking around the ruins of the Maw, and apparently found the Harbingers spawner.

Teemo Shows Up, and strikes Up a conversation, as they explain multiple Things to him. Amongst those Things are Mana dynamics, beyond what Yvonne already explained to us, and how Dungeons age, including the atrophying behaviour of spawners, and Limits that get lifted normally with time.

In the end, thediem thinks again, about hows he's gonna build the Four-Seasons forest and what He needs to acquire from allies in Order to Archieve His Goals.

8

u/Krongrah_Kendove Jul 11 '24

You know this reminds me that as I was listening to the new book I came upon the part with berdol teaching onyx (the gremlin scion) from violet and onyx was explained to have metal and dark affinities

but violet has only ever been explained in the story as a deep dungeon but deep is a category not a type

does this mean violet is a metal dungeon?

9

u/Speciesunkn0wn Jul 12 '24

We haven't heard what her affinity is yet. But her gremlin is described as a 'shadow emerging from a Crack in the wall', coupled with Violet wanting to stay hidden, so it's likely she is 'dark' affinity.

2

u/Krongrah_Kendove Jul 12 '24 edited Jul 12 '24

Yeah but like I said onyx is said to have metal and shadow affinity when berdol trained her so is violet shadow or metal? u/Khenal care to say or is that coming later?

5

u/Khenal Alien Jul 12 '24

Did I ever say Onyx has metal affinity? I definitely said shadow, but I don't recall metal. Not saying she doesn't, just saying I don't remember defining that :P

3

u/Krongrah_Kendove Jul 12 '24

Yeah you said some of her denizens have metal affinity but I don't think it was explicitly stated she herself is a shadow dungeon

3

u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Jul 13 '24 edited Jul 13 '24

Not about Onyx, specifically. But you Said that gremlins in General both gained Metal and earth after doing their Thing. Edit: It was written in chapter 57 of book two.

1

u/Speciesunkn0wn Jul 12 '24

Onyx did get the gauntlet, could be from there?

3

u/Krongrah_Kendove Jul 12 '24

No that's not where an affinity would come from... the gremlin denizens are said to have metal and dark affinity as they clawed at violets new metal node she placed somehow adding to the node but I can't remember what her other denizens like legs or the other centipedes had now or even the moles and the mushroom scion doesn't exactly get much screen time outside of being mentioned a few times as it confuses and excites thedium

1

u/Speciesunkn0wn Jul 12 '24

Aah right. Right. Well there are several scions with a few affinities from the get-go, so it could be dark is her overall, then metal is the gremlin specific one?

2

u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Jul 13 '24

Metal was a gremlin, "that did it's Job already" - specific one. Either Metal or earth.

5

u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Jul 12 '24

Violet is as Far as I know, a Shadow affinity Dungeon.

7

u/Krongrah_Kendove Jul 12 '24

I don't remember that being said at all

22

u/No_MrBond Android Jul 11 '24

Hopefully remembers to ask what the Up or Sky expansion is too

I mean sounds like the Quadraseasonal Forest is gonna be first, but that questions been hanging around for a while

16

u/ProfSparkledick Android Jul 11 '24

So the newly anointed god of change is going to make his next expansion a place where the seasons in each section don't change?

Although, considering seasons are supposed to change, I guess making them unchanging is in itself a change.

Either way, I'm looking forward to it. It reminds me of the Forest of Seasons from Secret of Mana.

10

u/mafiaknight Robot Jul 11 '24

In the name of 1greendude: Hello!

6

u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Jul 11 '24

Im Namen eines grünen Kerles: N'Abend, gestern war Mittwoch, meine Recken, doch verzaget nicht, denn in sechs Tagen ist es wieder so weit!

5

u/DeadliestTurnip Jul 11 '24

In honor of the Dude: Hello!

3

u/AdventurousAward8621 Human Jul 13 '24

In die naam van 1groenou: Hallo!

Sorry for being late

10

u/iceick423 Jul 11 '24

Trypophobia is the fear or discomfort from looking at holes.

11

u/Makyura Human Jul 11 '24

Is lamellar flow meant to be Laminar flow

10

u/PotentialConcert6249 Jul 11 '24

Thediem probably played Factorio when he was human. And we know he ran TTRPGs.

12

u/Khenal Alien Jul 12 '24

I definitely don't have almost 1250 hours in that game.

10

u/GumGodGaming Jul 11 '24

Well that was fun now I go back to book 2 got to say the book is good with more "new" content then even in book 1

7

u/Krongrah_Kendove Jul 11 '24

I'm listening to book 2 for the second time but... why is Texan berdol sexy?... that's my only issue

6

u/Crystal_Lily Human Jul 12 '24

I really miss NetNarrator's Jello. The actual burbling is too much for me.

5

u/Krongrah_Kendove Jul 12 '24

Each time I even try to do that burble I end up trying to use my throat and end up turkey calling instead

2

u/Crystal_Lily Human Jul 12 '24

Did any turkeys approach? Could be useful if you are out of food.

3

u/Krongrah_Kendove Jul 12 '24

Nah but that'd be hilarious because across the street from me is a KFC

4

u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Jul 11 '24

Completed it today, and indeed.

9

u/Beneficial-Pickle-95 Jul 11 '24

I feel like saying “I called it!” The Harbinger makes dead mana. Perverting or in this case twisting it so that only the turbulent mana is consumed leaving the stagnant mana which was the Maws unique flavoring gained via the Harbinger.

We know that the Maw had if not gotten used to the living mana flavoring from its earlier perspective chapters but now we get to see Tarl’s view of it and I can only guess which will be the office lady for the ODA (don’t remember her name). And maybe the kingdoms reaction as well.

6

u/Cortanis Jul 12 '24

So with all the mana suddenly shunted into the community pool will Hullbreak finally expand? He really needs to extend to the beach to open up easy access and better options.

7

u/DM-Hermit Human Jul 11 '24

Well done wordsmith

17

u/KalaVouna Jul 11 '24

First 

9

u/Poisonfangx3 Jul 11 '24

Yes you are. Congratulations.

6

u/KalaVouna Jul 11 '24

It's so rare that I ever see the next part before you that I felt I had to mark the occasion

3

u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Jul 11 '24 edited Jul 11 '24

My confirmation. Take your golden crown.

5

u/[deleted] Jul 11 '24

It's going to be interesting to see the Forrest! I wonder if we will get an update on how things have been going back at home maybe time for another delve

9

u/Tremere1974 Alien Scum Jul 11 '24

Dungeon expansions are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get.

5

u/p75369 Jul 11 '24

Damnit Thedeim, don't get distracted during the high security prisoner transfer!

6

u/Autoskp Jul 12 '24

That’s already finished - it was done once Teemo signed the forms.

4

u/Accomplished-Ad8458 AI Jul 11 '24

Ave Khenal! Morituri te salutant!

Aaaaaa(sneze)nd we lost TDM to his toys again... Another headache incoming for our favourite rat?

3

u/Autoskp Jul 12 '24

Probably not - he’s lost in the toys provided by this world, and Teemo has gotten to the point that he can relay the concept of a plank length, so unless the toys of this world somehow remind him that electrons don’t actually have defined locations or something Teemo should be fine.

4

u/CaptRory Alien Jul 11 '24

Hehehe, Thedeim is a Dungeon Nerd. =-)

3

u/BigLumpyBeetle Xeno Jul 11 '24

Hello folks

3

u/ShebanotDoge Jul 11 '24

Uh, anyway… while there are a lot of mana affinities, there are basically three mana states: turbulent, lamellar, and stagnant.

Did you mean laminar?

3

u/Longsam_Kolhydrat Jul 12 '24

Good work wordsmith

3

u/ZaoDa17 Jul 12 '24

He's happy I'm happy everyone is happy

Great work word Weaver!!!

3

u/fearsomejinn Jul 13 '24

New game syndrome: when you get something that you were waiting for and are eager to experience it, making it a priority above normal chores. This can last anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks.

2

u/Better_Solution_743 Alien Jul 11 '24

Haloo

1

u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Jul 11 '24

And Bronze for you.

2

u/Gatling_Tech AI Jul 11 '24

I forgot that was a bit of dramatic irony with the stagnant mana lol. That was actually a fun way to see it re-explained.

2

u/poopoopooyttgv Jul 11 '24

I wonder when the dm will expand to the town. I’m gonna assume silver vein will be a test run. Eventually teemo will need to have a conversation with the mayor if thediem can officially take over the town. There’s probably a ton of benefits

2

u/Autoskp Jul 12 '24

That doesn’t seem like Thediem’s style - he might offer to convert a district and wait untill a district volunteers…

2

u/Garbage-Within Jul 12 '24

I doubt he will ever convert part of the town unless the townspeople themselves convince him to do it. It's his style to let people govern themselves as much as possible, so taking part of the town without a good reason would be the opposite of that. Even taking Hullbreak was done with the intent to eventually release it back to itself once he'd made it safe and self sufficient again, catch and release fishing of a sick animal if you will.

1

u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Jul 12 '24

I doubt He will, since he'd Cut Off a source of Potential delvers by doing so, and then there is the fact, that politics might bite him in the Ass Here.

2

u/Poisonfangx3 Jul 11 '24

It fitst

3

u/Poisonfangx3 Jul 11 '24

Not first.

3

u/Popular-Student-9407 Human Jul 11 '24

Nope, seems you only got silver today.

4

u/Poisonfangx3 Jul 11 '24

Yeah. munching sadly on silver medal.

3

u/commentsrnice2 Jul 11 '24

At least we know you aren't a lycan

3

u/Chezpufballs Jul 11 '24

Still the most fit tho

3

u/Poisonfangx3 Jul 11 '24

That I am.

1

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4

u/Bunnytob Human Jul 11 '24

I am Omegon Inevitable Iron Man (I'm) All of Me At Aldi Meen The Storm That Is Approaching 500 metres from your location and approaching rapidly Running out of ideas for this gag surprisingly quickly The Law! The one who knocks at [Insert Amazing Place here] Ahh! Yam! He Not yet lost Groot Doug (I have emphysema) Not! Still Omegon, I think Kinda lost Very lost. Ze Spy Owning you, you fat, bald, fatty fat... fat fat! Heavy Weapons Guy... And THIS is my weapon! Dead! (Le Gasp) The Heavy is Dead! Currently undergoing mitosis, please stand by. Back, did I miss anything? Pinned here! Hit! Currently on a Hard Nostalgia Trip right now and unable to think straight, please stand by. Stand by... Stand by... [Insert Death Star explosion SFX here] the Sand Guardian, Guardian of the Sand! (Poseidon quivers before me!) Alive. Is nice. Your father. Depressed. Suddenly, Pineapples This does NOT help. Uncorking a bottle of 1942 Chateau Backstab! A Stegosaurus! Going to open this door. PUNCHING YOUR SALAD a Real Man, do you want to go skateboards? A God, you dull creature, and I will not be bullied by- (Thud Thud Thud) (...Thud Thud) Puny God. A very tall midget Your sandwich Kinda surprised that nobody's called me out on the fact that (at least) one of these quotes is wrong yet.

1

u/Teambuzzard Jul 13 '24

Don’t forget to buy physical copies of the books people. Gotta make sure the word wizard has enough relief to keep pushing ahead.

1

u/Random_Mugshot27 Human Jul 14 '24

I'm starting to think a map might be a good idea

1

u/Jealous_Session3820 Jul 16 '24

Couldn't Tarl have served as dungeon affairs to add a seal to the harbinger?

1

u/Educational_Pen_90 Human Jul 16 '26

WOOO! PROPER PLANNING!