The Dungeon of Stories
John Stovall
Will is the first rank four dungeon ever born—higher than any dungeon before him. Spawned alongside seven other dungeons due to a magical disaster caused by the Voidbringers who seek to conquer the world, Will is immediately hunted by their returning corruption that can turn dungeons into nightmares. With his dungeon fairy Amber and the adventuring party of Gar Adamant, displaced prince of the kingdom the Voidbringers destroyed, Will must grow his dungeon, cultivate his nearby town, and defend against corrupted cores, aggressive neighbors, and delving adventurers. Across four books, Will expands floors, evolves monsters, and pursues new magics while Gar levels up to protect his barony.
Progression: Explicit, dual-track Dungeon Core + LitRPG progression is central. Dungeons have numeric ranks (Rank 1→2→3→4); Will is born Rank Four, the first ever, and advancement is measured in floors expanded, mana capacity, monster tiers evolved, magics unlocked (trial for third magic), and dungeon fairy dependencies. Parallel adventurer progression: Gar Adamant and his party gain levels, stats, and skills via combat and delving. Each volume tracks Will absorbing dead cores, allying or protecting neighboring cores, and undergoing trials, while Gar levels to defend his barony against House Dapplelight and Voidbringers. Rank + level + magic system drives plot—dungeon growth and human leveling are quantified engines, not background.
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