'Silicon dioxide, feldspar, kaolinite, illite, montmorillonite, calcite, mica, dolomite, gypsum, iron oxide,' I thought, touching the ground beneath Archwizard Roman's feet. 'Separate.'
A massive ripple shot from my hands, creating a wave through the ground. The dirt came alive as it shifted like a gold pan, pushing the silicon dioxide—t...
2023-07-10 18:21:15 +0000 UTC
View Post
I'm going to write a character dev chapter in the near future. Please vote on what you'd like!
Note: Depending on the story, there will likely be an Unfiltered version, as subtle things happen (or don't happen) between the two versions, so the story must reflect that.
2023-07-09 16:00:08 +0000 UTC
View Post
A/N: Siege warfare: in medieval warfare, the fight ends if an army cannot breach a fortress’ walls. There’s literally nothing for soldiers to do except wait for a retreat. Range: Cannons can shoot 450 to 900 meters (1,800 for siege cannons), and ballista can shoot ~300 meters. The Goldenspire troops are just over 200 meters away. ]
-
2023-07-09 16:00:08 +0000 UTC
View Post
[Disclaimer: This book is a work of fiction. Any depiction of chemical processes or materials is purely fictional and should not be attempted in real life. The author does not endorse or promote the creation or use of dangerous substances or illegal activities. Readers are advised to consult appropriate experts and follow legal guidelines regard...
2023-07-08 16:01:01 +0000 UTC
View Post
For the next week, I imported ballistae, steel swords, axes, shields, and spears into Silverbrook. Carter and Timothy arrived, mass-producing waterwheels and blast furnaces before teaching people how to make steel and ballistae.
I silently annexed Silverbrook. With their consent, it became an independent kingdom known as a "vassal state." ...
2023-07-08 07:51:12 +0000 UTC
View Post
After Thea's birthday, we loaded a skywhale with key people and various pelts, food, specialty soaps, and steel supplies and headed to Silverbrook. When we got there, all hell broke loose.
"Lord Everwood!" a panicked redhead exclaimed, rushing over with a mad sprint.
"Is everything alright?" I asked. "Please communicate quickly and c...
2023-07-08 07:49:28 +0000 UTC
View Post
The trip back to Valeria wasn't that exciting. Once we reached Leeshmar, commerce was king, and everyone began wheeling and dealing with us. However, we didn't trade our wares unless Thea or I wanted something, which was almost always books.
I traded anything I had for books and amassed a small collection, despite how much I spent on even ...
2023-07-08 07:44:13 +0000 UTC
View Post
After a good night's sleep, I walked out to the fields where we would make chocolate that day. The early morning air hung heavy with the intoxicating scent of cocoa, filled with the earthy perfume of ripening cocoa pods. The sky was a watercolor canvas just being touched by the brush of dawn, hues of pink and gold interweaving seamlessly, reflec...
2023-07-08 07:42:48 +0000 UTC
View Post
It was a hot morning with humidity that made me feel like my clothing was constantly sticking to me, despite being loose. Before me was a large bowl of shea paste, which I had emulsified the night before by mixing the ground shea kernels with water and stirring.
"Now it's time to extract the butter," I said, placing a small pan into a larg...
2023-07-08 07:41:37 +0000 UTC
View Post
It was chilly when I walked outside, overlooking our small village. While it wasn't technically a kingdom, it might as well have been. After all, we were self-sufficient and had adequate trade, and Valeria could not invade us.
My father exited his house and stretched his arms as my mom swarmed me, pinching my cheeks and praising me.
...
2023-07-08 07:40:13 +0000 UTC
View Post
In King Redfield's audience chamber, Chamberlain Rockwell kneeled with a strained expression before the king. "Speak," the king commanded. "It's been a year. What is the progress of Baron Everwood in Elderthorn?"
"Right away, Your Majesty," Chamberlain Rockwell swallowed. "While I'm not sure how, the barren land in Elderthorn has become fe...
2023-07-08 07:39:20 +0000 UTC
View Post
A barony is a territory that a king grants to high-ranking nobles. Far from being an empty plot of land, the territory has farms, towns, and often cities on it that the baron must manage.
Despite being the lowest rank of the governing nobility, barons had to govern the territory, collect taxes, resolve disputes, maintain law and order, and...
2023-07-08 07:38:22 +0000 UTC
View Post
Two weeks passed by in a flash, and the production improved smoothly.
The first 5,000 bars of soap were scented with the essential oils and VOCs I gathered from common flowers and colored using the dyes that came from grinding and boiling the petals.
Since Peggy already owned the Silverbrook Soapmakers Guild, the largest soap-making ...
2023-07-08 07:37:23 +0000 UTC
View Post
Dark clouds hung over the bustling city of Silverbrook. While everyone was out and about, they spoke in whispers when they saw new people, reflecting the fear of the recent sickness.
"Thankfully, it hasn't spread far," I noted, observing a quarantined slum that had been barricaded off. "We have to ensure that people start washing their han...
2023-07-08 07:36:10 +0000 UTC
View Post
On my tenth birthday, the banquet hall bustled with guests, its ancient architecture glowing under candle-lit chandeliers. The king, amidst a feast, held court at a grand table.
Fawning nobles praised my achievements and commerce promises until a disturbing conversation seized my attention.
“It’s not my fault,” a drunken noble ...
2023-07-08 07:34:59 +0000 UTC
View Post
There was an awkward banquet after the audience, followed by an introduction to the suitor’s competition, about which I couldn't care less. I wanted results, and so long as the kingdom gave me access to what I wanted, I didn’t mind if I married the princess.
After all, I didn’t dislike a noble society where everything was structured....
2023-07-08 07:32:12 +0000 UTC
View Post
After creating the soap, I confirmed via pigeon messenger that I was interested in becoming a suitor for the crown, provided I could receive lessons in magic. A reply informed me that King Redfield aimed to find the strongest candidate, with a tournament to be held for all suitors aged fifteen or older to compete for the position. Therefore, lea...
2023-07-08 07:29:12 +0000 UTC
View Post
The events that succeeded the dire wolf incident were as follows:
Rema spent two days with us, watching me in the courtyard, practicing sword fighting with my father, interacting with other nobles, manipulating the shit out of people—you know, proper noble stuff. Obligated by my father, I displayed my violin skills, recited poetic verses...
2023-07-08 07:28:09 +0000 UTC
View Post
The nobility conducted most hunting expeditions on horseback, a much more agreeable method than hiking for the corpulent nobles who rode with us. Most aristocrats were not warrior mages like my father; they preferred to be surrounded by skilled mages and knights who would protect them from beasts and monsters while they hunted foxes, rabbits, an...
2023-07-08 07:27:18 +0000 UTC
View Post
It was a beautiful night. The stars streaked across the sky, piercing through the light pollution of Seattle, Washington, a city usually shrouded in clouds. Even though the recent drizzle—refreshing but slightly depressing—left a misty taste in the city air, the stars lent an air of perfection to the scene.
I had just left an undergrou...
2023-07-08 07:26:15 +0000 UTC
View Post
A few weeks later, the day had finally come. I looked at the water tower we had built with a slight smile. "Such a simple structure, with such remarkable benefits."
Imagine a large orange water cooler. The water inside shoots out of the nozzle when a person twists it, allowing them to fill a water bottle or cup. Gravity drives the water do...
2023-07-07 15:00:08 +0000 UTC
View Post
Here's a map of the political boundaries. I'm not a map maker, and there's not a tool on this software to do this, so it's a bit shoddy. Still, it's helpful to visualize.
It's important to remember this map isn't to scale. Valeria is far larger than it appears here, and Everwood Territory, as a margrave territory, is far thinner. Once agai...
2023-07-05 22:29:07 +0000 UTC
View Post
A few days later, Carter and his workers begrudgingly returned to work, building the pipes and creating new piercing rods and lathes to handle the necessary work. Each pipe had threading that allowed the two pipes to screw together before applying a sealant. It was time-consuming work, but it gradually sped up until they started producing a hund...
2023-07-05 16:00:11 +0000 UTC
View Post
While awaiting Priest Aelius' response to the attack on Duke Revington, I focused on my two primary objectives. First, I would build a library before my infallible memory. My memory would still be strong, but strong isn’t the same as perfect. Doing this would enhance my education system and serve me for a lifetime.
Second, I needed to wo...
2023-07-03 16:00:10 +0000 UTC
View Post
Sundell Capital. This map isn't to scale and doesn't represent realistic city planning. It's just to visualize the city and where things are as it's being built.
I'm not an artist. I make these things and provide periodic images just to help with immersion. Oh, and if you zoom in, you can see cannons and ballistae. :]
2023-07-02 19:33:25 +0000 UTC
View Post
After an extra day celebrating Dragon’s Peak’s partnership with the Everwood Kingdom, Thea, Zenith, my guards, and I returned to Sundell with 2,000 low-quality ball bearings and other parts I had ordered, including bushings and die-cutting tools.
It was time to trigger an industrial revolution. The goal: interchangeable parts.
In...
2023-06-29 23:56:04 +0000 UTC
View Post
[Warning: This chapter has mild sexual themes and insight into Thea's hormonal, yandere-like mind. It has great character development and a good way to gauge whether you'll like unfiltered. Thea's 19 and loves Ryker. I don't think that's very controversial, but some people do. If you're amongst them, just enjoy the regular story. Reader Discreti...
2023-06-28 05:35:50 +0000 UTC
View Post
[Disclaimer: Read the announcements on Unfiltered chapters before drawing conclusions on them. This chapter is 6k+ words. The Unfiltered is 9k+ words and has slower pacing. You're not losing anything by reading the main story.]
-
When people think of fantasy dwarves, they think of mining, blacksmithing, and alcohol distilling. And, o...
2023-06-28 04:11:49 +0000 UTC
View Post
The Unfiltered chapters are not fan service. Sexual themes are exclusive to Unfiltered, but Unfiltered isn't necessarily sexual. It contains the quality humor, character development, and sexual themes I cut from the story to ensure it remains enjoyable for most readers.
Sexual content and humor are notorio...
2023-06-28 03:51:08 +0000 UTC
View Post
It was now springtime, and Sundell's construction was underway. During the previous fall, I had people working around the clock to dig ditches for plumbing pipes and future sewer drains. It was time to create the equipment necessary to bring everything to life.
Plumbing is a remarkably simple concept.
Imagine a water cooler. There's ...
2023-06-25 23:22:09 +0000 UTC
View Post