The World of Astoria
These stories take place in the same universe and are tied together. However, they can be read separately.
The Dungeon Master
Book 1 – It’s a Magical World
“Hey. Wanna buy a dungeon?”
Kai looked up at the human salesman. He looked down at himself. At the salesman. At himself. At the salesman. In a tone that clearly asked, ‘Are you stupid?, he stated, “I’m a gremlin.”
“Don’t you worry, sir. This here is a contract for purchase with payments deferred, with annual sums owing as a percentage of revenue. A starter plan for the discerning gentleman dungeon master.”
Torn from a boring and unfulfilling human life on Earth, Kai was mysteriously sent to a new world and transformed into a gremlin for…reasons. He hasn’t figured that part out yet, but he sure as heck is going to punch whoever’s responsible in the frickin’ face one day. He’s also going to do just about whatever it takes to become human again.
When a super shady salesman appears out of nowhere, offering to sell him a magical dungeon core with no down payment and no money upfront, a deal seemingly too good to be true, he’s starving at the time and more interested in the edible signing bonus. But when he finally gets around to planting the core, he truly is the proud new owner of a dungeon. Well, the start of one. He’s gonna have to level the puck out of it. If he gets it to 100 floors, the gods will grant any wish.
Follow Kai as he builds the coolest, deadliest, most fun dungeon ever, with traps and treasures, monsters and mayhem. Even more importantly, filling it with a ragtag community of misfits and outsiders who come together to support each other and thrive.
WHAT TO EXPECT
- Gamelit (levelling unlocks more dungeon and abilities, but no personal stats)
- Non-OP protagonist who starts weak but occasionally kicks ass
- Some dark humour
- Bad guys getting what’s coming to them
- The power of friendship!
The Merchant
Hadiin is one of many not-quite-slaves working in a dreary warehouse owned by a monopolistic company that he calls Scamazon. Every day, he plugs away at his boring, unfulfilling job in a room devoid of real light and happiness. While he’s unappreciated and paid barely enough to live on, he watches while company owners and execs live stupid-rich lives — and hates it.
So when a goddess unexpectedly pops by and asks him if he’d like to try life in a whole other world, one of magic, he’s completely up for it. Seeing the possibilities of this medieval fantasy world, he makes a resolution. He will no longer be one of many underlings. He’ll be one of those on top, getting rich and laughing all the way to the bank. He already has one of those long, thin villain mustaches that he loves to twirl. Now he just needs lots and lots of gold!
Cue evil laugh: Muahahaha!
He sets about his personal quest, finding a partner who’s also from Earth with her own dreams: becoming a dragonic sorcerer. Together, they develop the region’s first ice cream from cold slimes, and the money begins to roll in. He earns the attention of the rich and powerful in this world, and not in a good way. In a way that nearly gets him killed. That would not be a profitable turn of events at all.
He makes friends, his partner tugs at his heartstrings, and he empathizes with the poor and downtrodden of this world. He realizes that being one of those rich jerks isn’t who he actually wants to be after all. He wants to do things differently.
Unfortunately, he might get himself murdered before he has the chance.