Worth Their Salt [Inhuman Cozy Romantasy]

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Most summonings of heroes result in errors -- the casting circle written incorrectly, a mage stumbling over an incantation. It usually works out fine in the end; the books balance one way or another. A hundred years ago, three heroes were summoned to defend the Kingdom of Kovatelli. Two normal, one.... simply vanished. No one noticed the metal Jack O' Lantern on the ground, except the blacksmith who was forcibly occupying it. Stuck as a [soulbound artifact] instead of a human hero with human problems, our blacksmith must fight for the right to bear -- and have -- arms. And legs. After a century of moldering in the woods, maybe they can forge companionship and smelt a few hearts along the way.

- slow burn, cozy romantasy- future polyamory & spice (monster romance / intimacy)- queer & lgbt themes- litRPG / gamelit with rule of cool- low stakes city building- lovechild of Calcifer / the Scarecrow (Howl's Moving Castle) and those Elden Ring Too-Many-Arms enemies- charming horror like Over the Garden Wall

Content Warnings are current expectations, not guarantees.

Sibling fiction toThe 5th Hero is a Beast

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2024
Author: SgaireRookily

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.9/ 5.0
Followers: 261
Views: 30,309

Chapters(17 total)

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(4)

AshtaFelixRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I'm loving this weird jack o lantern construct and the world they've fallen into. It's cosy, funny, and the romance plot is beginning to slowly emerge. I also deeply appreciate the fact that it has lovely queer representation. It warms my heart to see it. I can't wait to read more.
JasonILTGRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
(or lack thereof)
I'm a sucker for stories that explore what it means to be human, or to be a person. Worth Their Salt does that in a very compelling and cozy manner. I love the intensely queer story of someone who has been broken down and literally dehumanized figuring out how to once again connect with people.
And as I detailed in my longer review of another of the author's works (Eccentric Adoration), I absolutely love how the author writes characters, and that is no different here. A fairly small cast (at least so far), but that only gives each of them even more chance to shine.
MeercatWhisperer112Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Overall: theres no lie in descriptor 'cosy'. This fic has become a part of my Sunday morning routine, a light lil nugget that's especially delightful as the weather gets colder. If you ever feel like a gentle hug from a possessed entity with eight arms, give it a go- it won't disappoint!
Style: the style is light but descriptive, set in a fully fleshed world with an I retesting cast of characters. The story has a nice balance of the mundane and the enchanting, giving it the same feeling as a long Minecraft session with friends.
Story: the saltsmith is just a lil guy doing their best to be helpful and appreciated in the new world they've found themselves in. It's a gentle plot, of learning the new world and trying to find their place in it, especially when the magic that brought them over seems to have made a mistake in the delivery vessel. There are currently no character antagonists, which is a nice departure from the more standard RR fare.
Characters: the saltsmith is sweetly sympathetic. I really like that, unlike many isekaiis, their past life is actually relevant to the choices in this new world, and their motivations are reasoning are clear (if a bit socially fraught...) The rest of the camp has a large-ish cast, and while we've only seen glimpses so far into the rest of them they're interesting and distinct, with clear personal dynamics and opinions of their own.
Grammer: no comments are good comments.
Conclusion: if you want some cosy reading with a (probably neurodivergent) NB icon, click this fic now
SAH_AuthorRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
A quick early review at chapter two. I'll update it as the story progresses.
Normally I would not review so early, but I'm a fan of Rookily's The 5th Hero is a Beast story, so I know the writing and imagination will be there! Plus, this story is set in the same world, so I know the world and system are solid.
The premise is fun and different from the usual reincarnation story. Very curious to see how it interacts with 5th Hero. I enjoyed the skill building in chapter 2 quite a bit - so simple but clearly lots of thought went into it.
I found the description of the dragon and it's gold delightfully playful. I know that's a small piece, but it's an example of how Rookily uses small dynamics to draw the reader into the world and show personality.
I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes!