Dakota Krout

Dennis Vanderkerken

A town put to the sword. The young forcibly recruited. An old man out for revenge. 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: he lost his way from the academy, his command was devastated by a Mage, he lost his town, and now his last hopes for the future had been stolen by a group of raiders. The only thing that had never failed him was his sharp mind and philosophy. He would cultivate... no matter what it cost him. A lifetime of failure can dull and dampen a soul. A reason to live, a goal, can change that in an instant. It is always darkest just before the dawn.

Axiom: A Divine Dungeon Series

An academy that scrapes the sky. Blight that fills the earth. Two codgers duking it out. 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! This knowledge has strings attached. After meeting the ancient enemy of his trainers, Artorian returns to the place he first studied his true passion of philosophy: the Skyspear. It's under new management, and the alumni have very different ideas about how the students should be trained.

A Divine Dungeon Series

Alumni

A whole new world. Well, the framework. Surely nothing will go wrong. Artorian shrugged off moonfall and war like it was a gentle rain, and must now face new trials. Specifically: life in the world created by the Dungeon Core, Cal. Unfortunately, Cal has only put together the most bare-bones of systems. He's no stranger to solving near impossible problems; how difficult could it be to smooth out the slew of angry Mages with bitter rivalries, uncountable hidden secrets, a complete inability to cultivate, and a Dungeon creating messes at full speed? One way or another, it is up to Artorian to pick up the pieces. He's ready to roll up his sleeves and administrate. There are some very serious holes in this world, and the old academic is determined to fix them.

Acme: A Divine Dungeon Series

New world. Old problems. Even gods must die. 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. Nothing like trauma to fuel personal growth! Nasty creatures Artorian thought were gone forever have begun appearing in the dark corners of the world, smiling at him with too many teeth. 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.

Anima

Caltopia is right through the door. Ancient oaths are knocking. A thunderous new vocabulary for answering. Artorian wakes on a brand new planet, refreshed and ready to make some mischief now that he's back in Cal's soul space! Eternium is old news; in fact, now that Barry is completely forked, the curtains on Eternia's Alpha have closed. Being awake has its upsides, but there are a few... concerns. Cal, even unconscious, is pushing the boundaries of the double-S ranks. With oaths and promises in peril should he breach that rank before letting people live their lives, Artorian will hustle and bustle to lay the groundwork for mass-decanting. Surely nothing will go wrong. Artorian must learn how to be a Mage again, and find his legs. There's more running to do.

Acyrologia: A Divine Dungeon Series

Asgard

Accords

An end of the world. The start of a new one. A thousand places to be. 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. In a place of mountains and dales, the old scholar must seek new information in order to puzzle out the last pieces and gather victory with his own two hands. For his loved ones, his humanity may need to be left behind. Yet, becoming something else is a small price to pay for an old man on a mission. Life comes at a price, but success comes with Ascension. War and Moonfall loom on the horizon. It matters little. Artorian will build his arsenal.

Arsenal

Only one man can cheat to create change in the dungeon of Order. Old evils lurk within. Love will smite them. Artorian gave up his administrator privileges only to be thrust into a new role. The Law he is bound to allows him to slip past Eternium's ironclad rules and break things once thought immutable. For his family, for all of their futures, he must boldly go where few in Cal like to venture: the game world of Eternia. Most of the people that have come to test this world hate being here: dying in days and returning home in disarray. Artorian agrees with them: a body based entirely on hard numbers and increasingly potent limiters is a stark difference from the intent-based Essence user he has always been. Eternia is no final product, riddled with more holes than a wheel of dire cheese. This wireframe of a world is seemingly held together with glue, tape, and moody pylons. He vows to dig into the construction, finding and fixing where it went wrong. Yet, why meander through scaffolding when one can parkour through the rafters? It's speedrun time!

Algorithm

Precious D.E. points. Staunch believers. One cantankerous beaver. Artorian has seen better days. Chased by demons, hunted by the Red Inkquisition, on the run as a fugitive... and he's spent barely any time in Eternia. Stuck as a tiny noodle dragon and formed into a crown to decorate the heads of Nobility, he is forced to rely on his friends instead of fixing the issues of the world himself. Luckily for everyone else, the plucky grandfather does not know how to quit. If all Artorian can do is wiggle, then he will wiggle fiercely! By unearthing the secrets of the deity system, he'll find what it takes to make the true tools of victory. Other deities make mere weapons... Artorian makes Artifacts!

Artifact: A Divine Dungeon Series

Headmaster. Exile. Gladiator. Backed into a corner, Artorian must play fast and loose with the laws of the land. To gather what he needs to progress, he will need to sacrifice what he's gained in order to get this far. With his new school and friends facing their most deadly challenges yet, Artorian finds an opportunity to keep them safe. The cost of it may be access to the new home he's built, but that was never intended to be for him. When he can ensure their safety, Artorian will begin pursuit of his grandchildren once more. If he finds them, will they want to be saved... or will they have found a taste for the darker powers they have accrued? It's time to make the hard choices. Death or graduation.

Dennis Vanderkerken

Books

Your next favorite book is out there