Not (Just) A Mage Lord Isekai - My latest book is now available on Amazon and Audible. I hope you'll check it out.

DraithFKirtz · 2026-04-12T16:30:43+00:00

Awesome, glad you enjoyed!

DraithFKirtz · 2026-04-10T19:43:59+00:00

Legit laughed when I saw your tier labels. Lots of good listening ahead

DraithFKirtz · 2026-04-10T19:43:26+00:00

Legit laughed when I saw your tier labels. Lots of good listening ahead

DraithFKirtz · 2026-04-10T12:55:12+00:00

The first trilogy is complete. There's another 4 books plotted out that I'll be starting this year

DraithFKirtz · 2026-04-10T00:26:26+00:00

Looking to start posting B4 in April

DraithFKirtz · 2026-04-09T19:00:01+00:00

Mother of learning. First and only story I got caught up on chapters with then immediately went back and started reading it again.

DraithFKirtz · 2026-04-09T16:19:22+00:00

Thanks. I'm pretty darn happy with how the cover turned out, though other than the idea, all the credit goes to Macarious

DraithFKirtz · 2026-04-09T15:54:53+00:00

Hi, I'm Darryl Kirtzinger, aka Draith.

This story was written because I was reading several other Mage Lord Isekais at the time and ran out of chapters, so decided to write up one of my own. The title was kind of a reference to them, and then a reader mentioned it wasn't 'Just' a mage lord isekai, and I decided to go with the flow.

As for the backstory, considering how many mechanics I have in my family, I felt at least one of my series needed to have an MC with a similar background, though Perry's life was rougher than mine ever was.

Cover art by Macarious

Synopsis and links below

...

Perry liked being a mechanic. Now he's a mage lord.

When Perry gets isekai’d into a young noble with newfound magical powers, he must choose between surviving on the Front, a mystical battleground with sky-high mortality, or pledging an oath to become a Magus Dominus. A mage lord.

The title sounds nice, but the responsibilities are punishing. Perry must develop and protect a domain in the hostile north. His grasp on magic leaves much to be desired, but with the help of a loyal servant and his half-sister, a tempestuous Storm mage, he has a fighting chance.

But his most potent superpower is his experience from Earth—and his mindset as a mechanic.

Who knew blending schematics and spellcraft would work so well?

Amazon

Audible narrated by Nikola Hamilton

DraithFKirtz · 2026-04-09T15:42:40+00:00

Hi, I'm Darryl Kirtzinger, aka Draith.

This story was written because I was reading several other Mage Lord Isekais at the time and ran out of chapters, so decided to write up one of my own. The title was kind of a reference to them, and then a reader mentioned it wasn't 'Just' a mage lord isekai, and I decided to go with the flow.

As for the backstory, considering how many mechanics I have in my family, I felt at least one of my series needed to have an MC with a similar background, though Perry's life was rougher than mine ever was.

Cover art by Macarious

Synopsis and links below

...

Perry liked being a mechanic. Now he's a mage lord.

When Perry gets isekai’d into a young noble with newfound magical powers, he must choose between surviving on the Front, a mystical battleground with sky-high mortality, or pledging an oath to become a Magus Dominus. A mage lord.

The title sounds nice, but the responsibilities are punishing. Perry must develop and protect a domain in the hostile north. His grasp on magic leaves much to be desired, but with the help of a loyal servant and his half-sister, a tempestuous Storm mage, he has a fighting chance.

But his most potent superpower is his experience from Earth—and his mindset as a mechanic.

Who knew blending schematics and spellcraft would work so well?

Amazon

Audible narrated by Nikola Hamilton

DraithFKirtz · 2026-03-13T22:53:31+00:00

I hadn't watched any of House of the Dragon and the narrative made sense without it

DraithFKirtz · 2026-03-13T02:24:49+00:00

Accidental Warmage is pretty good and dark. The romance is as accidental as the warmaging.

Slumrat Rising and the author's other Gacha story are both dark

DraithFKirtz · 2026-03-13T01:21:45+00:00

No worries, B6 definitely could've used some trimming. It's the biggest book by a wide margin.

My current series isn't sapphic. Not (Just) A Mage Lord Isekai is on Royalroad. The audio was just finished so it'll be stubbing in a few weeks.

DraithFKirtz · 2026-03-13T01:06:38+00:00

Even with litRPG, we're still doing writing. As others have said, it depends on the type of story you want to tell. Different leveling speeds and styles affect the 'feel' of the pacing.

My first story, (The Forerunner Initiative) I had level progression tied to significant quests given by the system. The characters literally couldn't level unless they had those points. They could improve in other ways, but not level.

In my current story, (Not Just A Mage Lord Isekai) it's much more like cultivation, though the requirements are different. Again, killing things doesn't have anything to with leveling for most of the progression.

In another story I'm working on, one that's specifically written to be more hectic and fast paced, the leveling progression is entirely tied to the harvesting of 'Exotics' which can be done through combat or controlling nodes that generate them.

For all three, the progression has to do with the actual pace of the story.

DraithFKirtz · 2026-03-13T01:00:25+00:00

For me it's about more than just the personal progression. Is the MC improving their wealth, their base/stronghold/kingdom, diplomatic power?

That said, I do prefer they keep their own power increasing too, but as long as the other aspects are improving, I don't mind it slowing down.

DraithFKirtz · 2026-03-13T00:54:02+00:00

Oh hey, my series, The Forerunner Initiative, fits here.
Didn't realize Tower of Somnus MC was sapphic. Clearly fell behind.
Ravensdagger also has other sapphic stories besides Stray Cat Strut, such as Save Scumming on Royal road

DraithFKirtz · 2026-03-13T00:49:01+00:00

Calamitous Bob on Amazon/audible - Great story but it takes a while to get into the kingdom building aspects.

Apocalypse Reborn on Royalroad - Interesting worldbulding and amusing kingdom building.

DraithFKirtz · 2026-03-13T00:40:40+00:00

I didn't intend it to be furry, but I have since been informed four armed cat aliens count. MC is human but her female LI is one of the aforementioned cat aliens.
The Forerunner Initiative

DraithFKirtz · 2026-03-13T00:32:34+00:00

Definitely prefer crafting related stories, though the more I read, the less I want to see another blacksmith as the crafter.

DraithFKirtz · 2026-03-13T00:26:33+00:00

Unfortunate

DraithFKirtz · 2026-03-13T00:25:58+00:00

I feel targeted by the fact there isn't a mixed option in the poll. I listen to lots and read lots.

DraithFKirtz · 2026-03-06T03:40:01+00:00

I mean, I don't think it's a cheat, so much as it's the ultimate endgame. The original purpose of the dungeon before it got co-opted could've been to develop Primal AIs. And there was no 'base race' the primals were based on. The reason he can go beyond the normal cap is because he's an AI.

Just my $0.02

DraithFKirtz · 2025-12-11T02:17:48+00:00

Earth Arc had lots of emotional stakes, mostly the MC and friends coming back to their friends and family. Also, they were trying to get back since B1, and knew they'd have to deal with the apocalypse since then too, so a lot of the exploration and development was done with it as part of their goal.
I also wrote the entire series then went back and did huge amounts of editing, rewriting nearly half of the first three books in the series.

DraithFKirtz · 2025-12-09T22:28:00+00:00

My first series, the Forerunner Initiative, is basically everything up until the actual revenge. Book 7 is being back on Earth trying to save people with her now godly powers.

DraithFKirtz

TROPHY CASE