Forgotten Lives - A collection of Practice Short Stories

World Building Through Short Stories

These short stories serve as both writing practice and a testing ground for the world I'm crafting for my upcoming LitRPG novel. Set 20-200 years before the main narrative, they focus on characters often overlooked in the genre: the everyday people whose lives add depth and texture to the world.As an author, I value realism and consistency, even within a fantasy system. My approach includes:

A detailed combat system running behind every encounter

Meaningful character progression and leveling

Realistic economics governing prices, rewards, and trade

Characters with authentic motivations independent of the protagonist

To achieve this depth, I've developed custom AI simulations to test combat scenarios and economic models. While these tools help me verify the internal logic of the world, they don't generate any content that appears in the stories themselves. This approach ensures that when you read about a character facing overwhelming odds or trying to make their fortune, the outcomes reflect the genuine possibilities within the world's rules.The main novel will eventually follow a consistent publishing schedule, but these short stories will appear more sporadically. Think of them as appetizers before the main course. They're an opportunity for me to refine my craft and for you to glimpse the world taking shape.Feel free to discuss world building elements in the comments. While I won't reveal the mathematical details of the combat system (characters in the story don't see the numbers, and neither should readers), I'm happy to share insights about the world itself.I hope these stories of "little people" bring this world to life for you as much as they do for me!