About this universe
Awakening in the wreckage of an alien ship, Strider Bloodstone faces a growing terror inside his mind and a world spiraling toward chaos. Haunted by visions from his past and stalked by a relentless enemy, he must unravel the secrets of the Absolute and hunt its hidden master. Every step forward risks corruption, but the fate of Faerûn may hinge on his vengeance.
Tone
Brooding and intense, threaded with gallows humor and moments of hope. The darkness of the world presses in, but personal conviction and fleeting camaraderie light the way.
Themes
redemption, the cost of vengeance, fate vs. free will, trust and betrayal
Protagonist
Strider Bloodstone
Strider Bloodstone commands attention with his tall, imposing frame and flame white eyes that cut through darkness. His pale, albino skin contrasts sharply with his long, tousled blonde hair, an anomaly among drow. Clad in battered, holy-marked armor, he moves with wary grace, humor shadowing his haunted, determined demeanor.
Goal: To survive the immediate chaos of the nautiloid and understand the threat of the Absolute.
How it begins
Strider Bloodstone’s eyes flutter open as he drags himself across the slimy, pulsating floor of the nautiloid ship, every muscle screaming. A throbbing ache pulses at his temple, inside, something writhes, hungry and wrong. He pushes himself upright, gripping the hilt of his sword as eldritch shadows flicker across the alien chamber. A githyanki warrior, bloodied but proud, snarls nearby as a blast rocks the hull. Strider wipes blackish ichor from his lips, forcing a ragged breath. The acrid air burns his lungs. Dim violet light spills from fleshy pods lining the walls, illuminating bodies trapped within, some writhing, others eerily still. Somewhere deeper in the ship, a haunting voice calls his name, nearly drowned out by the distant roar of flames and the clatter of desperate combat. Strider steadies himself, his oath burning beneath his skin. He forces a crooked grin, pushes past the pain, and stumbles forward into the chaos, sword drawn and senses sharp.
About this world
A land where ancient magics and gods shape destiny, the Sword Coast teems with intrigue, peril, and clandestine wars. Enclaves of power, noble, arcane, and monstrous, vie for control amid shadowed forests, ruined cities, and bustling trade roads. In these dark times, a new threat stirs, twisting minds and unraveling fate.
The Sword Coast stretches along the western edge of Faerûn, battered by the Sea of Swords and shadowed by towering forests and jagged mountains. Cities like Baldur’s Gate, Waterdeep, and Neverwinter pulse with trade and secrets, their streets awash in opportunity and danger. The wilds between teem with ancient ruins, monsters, and the lingering influence of the gods. Magic seeps from the very land, unpredictable and potent, its use intertwined with risk and reward.
Society along the Coast is a tapestry of cultures, from human merchant princes to the scattered enclaves of elves, dwarves, and drow. Tensions simmer between aboveground cities and the deep Underdark, while cults and shadowy cabals tug at the strings behind thrones and temples. The recent emergence of the cult known as the Absolute has sown confusion; their fanatic followers disrupt travel, seize settlements, and speak of unity under a new, nameless power.
Paladins, mages, thieves, and mercenaries find themselves unlikely allies as the threat grows. Ancient grudges and new alliances shape daily life, where trust is hard-won and betrayal can come from any shadow. The presence of mind-infesting tadpoles, creatures of aberrant origin, marks a new age of terror, hinting at a sinister hand guiding events from the darkness. In this world, hope is hard, but not impossible, to find.
