This Used to Be About Dungeons
Alexander Wales
This Used to Be About Dungeons is a cozy progression fantasy by rational-fiction author Alexander Wales (Worth the Candle). The series follows a found-family adventuring party as they delve systematically through tiered dungeons where each descent tests tactics, magic, and teamwork. What begins as dungeon-centric exploration expands into character-driven growth, worldbuilding, and escalating dungeon threats. Originally serialized on Royal Road, the series blends dungeon fantasy with emotional intelligence and slice-of-life progression, verified via Goodreads series 380539 and volume descriptions noting dungeon delving and party advancement.
Progression: Dungeon-tier progression central to the LitRPG structure. (1) Dungeon Levels: The world contains stratified dungeons with increasing difficulty; parties must clear lower tiers to access higher ones, with each dungeon introducing new mechanics, monsters, and rewards. (2) Party & Skill Growth: Protagonists advance through practical dungeon experience — combat tactics, spellcraft, and coordination — leveling from novice delvers to seasoned dungeon experts across volumes. (3) Found-Family & World Tiers: Progression includes recruiting and developing party members, managing inter-personal growth alongside dungeon conquest, and confronting overarching dungeon ecology. Verified via Goodreads series description and book titles 'Volume 1', 'Volume 3' indicating sequential dungeon advancement; tags include dungeon, progression-fantasy, and LitRPG on work genres.
Goodreads
