Cores are the beating heart of any wealthy and powerful nation, allowing their magi to create everything from living fortresses and war golems to autonomous magical items. These Cores are somewhere between sentient and not, capable of self modifying, to a degree, to better fulfill their roles, but lack true will and motive, though some with quirks are often said to have a 'personality', as much as anything without a soul could have a personality. Further, extremely powerful magical creatures, such as dragons and demons, are even said to have one in place of a heart.

In a malicious ritual performed by power-hungry cultists, Lycoris Raven Ashborn is torn from their body at the moment of their death and forced into one of these Cores, a special one, purpose built to house and bind a soul. Fortunately, before the bindings could be activated, the cultists are interrupted by a raid on the ritual site by witch hunters seeking to stop them, as even if they did not succeed in creating a sapient Core, a feat thought impossible, their experiments and rituals sow discord and death in the surrounding areas.

Now, the kingdom is faced with a decision: normally, Cores found in the wild are destroyed or taken to be used to create new fortresses, or else bolster existing ones, before they can create their own dungeons, but Lycoris is sapient, a person, though they lack a mobile vessel...

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Demonheart is, despite the tags and warnings, meant to be a relatively light-hearted dungeon-builder while Lycoris learns about their new world, and attempts to find their place in it. At least, I don't mean for it to dark or disturbing... But, as a huge horror and dark fantasy fan, it may creep in. It's also my first webnovel, original or not, in over a decade. Also also not too sure about the title yet. I like it, but it feels like it's missing something.

Updates may be irregular and sparse. Cover is a placeholder WIP until I can finish rendering it.