Showing results by author "Dakota Krout" in All Categories

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.

Luke is an apprentice leather worker, training with his family to one day take over the business. He and his friends Andre, Taylor, and Zed have known each other forever, and swear that nothing will ever tear apart their friendship. Then the Royal Decree comes. With the Dynasty of Dogs invading, and strange monsters appearing in the Hollow Kingdom, a draft has been implemented. Everyone 17 or older is required to be tested for "Potential". If they have it, they will join the mysterious and renowned Ascender Corps. If not, they will be drafted into the Legion as a forced recruit.

Conquering dungeons and using them to grow has long been the most efficient way to become a powerful adventurer. The only thing keeping the process from being easy is the Beasts that inhabit these places. Questions plague those entering this particular place of power: Where do the ‘rewards’ of weapons, armor, and heavy gold coins come from? Why is a fluffy bunny charging at me? For abyss-sake, why are there so many monsters? Cal has all of the answers to these age-old questions for a very simple reason. He is a Dungeon Core, a soul forced against his will into a magical stone.

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.

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.

The dungeon—Cal—knows exactly how much their power has increased and is working daily to become exponentially more powerful. His schemes are becoming more complex and his dungeon—his body—more deadly. Dale works to subvert the plans of the dungeon, but his opponent is onto him. Hearing a voice in his head distracts him in critical moments requiring him to fight his mind even as he battles deadly creatures. Unbeknownst to both, their fight is not with each other—it’s for the continuation of their lives.

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 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.

Round one of the Eternia Beta run ends with the Task Manager getting disabled by the Administrator. Without the Task Manager’s nefarious influences, Eternia comes to life as warm hugs and sweet sunshine beat back The Pale.

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.

Recent college grad Sam King was hoping for a backpacking trip across Europe as a graduation present. Instead, he’s going to get a different kind of trip: a three-month stint in the ultimate immersive gaming experience. As a lifelong geek, gamer, and outsider, it’s a better gift then he’d ever dreamed.

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

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.

Nacho had zero intentions to make friends. He certainly had no plans to be put in the unenviable position of being the leader of a guild. But if there’s one thing that he excels at, it certainly isn’t cooking. No, he’s far better at rolling with the punches and making sure the people around him survive. When literal monsters are everywhere, that’s the kind of person you want in charge. But this world isn’t what he’s been expecting. Things are different. He is different. By succeeding so much, so fast, humanity has unlocked the next stage of the Juxtaposition, years before they’re ready for it.

Artorian has been given the lovely opportunity to run a realm and sort out all of its inherent issues. Not only does he get to chase around people with world-shattering abilities and force them into hibernation, he gets to break up his days by living through the worst portions of his life all over again. Between constant battles, Cal’s newfound love for math and pylons, the early stages of a world-spanning game system, and grumpy supervisors who refuse their bedtime…the sunny administrator has his now-tiny hands full. Exactly how he likes it.

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.

The necromantic armies are on the warpath and nowhere is safe—even the sanctuary of the flying dungeon has been threatened. The leadership of nearly all the sentient races has been wiped out, and only the people most suited to repelling the advancing darkness have an intact monarchy. Cal learns quickly that the primary threat is not the far-off war, but the actions of those entrusted with protecting the population. As it turns out, the idea of using a flying dungeon as a war machine is very tempting indeed.

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 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.

Luke has found a great way to move directly from combat to combat. While his team is working hard to increase their knowledge, train their skills, and grow a paradise, the Murderhobo steps into a Descender portal for five minutes, pops out, jumping straight into Murder World—fists leading the way. Life is good.