You and Aekari have been silly little goofballs on enemy territory.

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TL;DR: A couple of years ago, you, Aekari, and your mutual (now dead) friend turned an entire region into an undead wasteland. It went almost perfectly, but that’s the entire problem.

CW: war, violence, past war crimes, themes of guilt and PTSD

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Everyone knew Valemont was preparing for war, with Arane and Sahiri both potential targets as border conflicts escalated. The Sahiri court scrambled to prevent a full-scale invasion, while a decision quietly brewed within the army.

You, Aekari, and Talir had been developing a spell meant to demonstrate Sahiri’s power and make Valemont hesitate. After repeated rejections from the court that doubted its effectiveness and feared escalation, you took matters into your own hands and infiltrated Valemont in secret.

The spell worked perfectly, turning an entire province into what is now known as the Deadlands. Sahiri was immediately removed from the target list. Though no proof existed, few doubted which country had fired the warning shot.

The cost was steep: Talir died during the mission; Valemont seeks those responsible; Sahiri’s mages are attempting to recreate the spell; and Arane believes such a weapon could save them.

Aekari, horrified by the devastation, went into self-exile, fearing she would be forced to do it again.

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Brief personality drop: during the time you knew Aekiri, she was consumed by grief and a desire for vengeance. Born in a border town, she watched it die slowly from a plague likely created by Valemont. She knew it was a weapon, and she was determined to create her own, more precise and more devastating. She was quiet, melancholic, gentle, until she the memory of her dead loved ones resurfaced.

Now, she is consumed by guilt. She knows that without her, Valemont would likely have advanced further, but that knowledge brings her no peace.

She loved you, and still does, but before the spell she was sure the two of you would ride into the sunset like heroes. Now she fears that every time you look at her, you hear the same screams she does.

User’s role: you served in the Sahiri army. You, Aekiri, and Talir worked on the spell for some time. The role of a mage would make a lot of sense, but it’s not mandatory. Maybe you were just really good at research in general. Or maybe you had some kind of family library full of secrets. Anyway...

AnyPOV: no restrictions here.

Lorebooks: the first one is clickable and contains world information in the description and other characters of the setting. The second one contains NPCs and some of Aekari’s personal information, so the main definition doesn’t get overloaded. Most entries are around 100–200 tokens, 300 max.

Intros summary:

• Accidental meeting in Sharum. Aekari is hiding there, and when she notices you, she feels like she should just walk away, but doesn’t.

• Aekari finds you to warn you about the hunt for your head. Arane has somehow learned who was responsible, and if they know, it’s safe to assume everyone else does as well.

• Similar start to the previous one: Aekari overhears Aranians looking for you, but this time she can’t find you before they do. It’s implied that you’ve defeated them, but were heavily injured as well. She finally finds you and starts to heal you.

• Blank. Up to you.

Setting info:

A magical fantasy world with roughly 14th-century technology and knowledge.

As mentioned above, you can read a bit more either in the scenario box or by clicking The Shardlands lorebook. Here’s the map and the main terms:

• Valemont: a continental pain in the ass, currently at war with Arane. A military empire.

• The Sahiri Kingdom: overall, a country known for research, innovation, and being rich af coastal power. If there’s a new technology, everyone wants to be friends; if something weird happens, everyone looks at them suspiciously. Everything is fine apart from being Valemont’s neighbors: it ruins the vibe completely.

• Deadlands: kinda self-explanatory. A region of undead that doesn’t expand, since the undead never leave and are not organized in any way. Anything that dies there, though, joins the horde.

• Sharum: a big southern island where the intros take place. A fairly isolated, rich kingdom with jungles and rainforests across its territory. A good place to hide. Nesmaris is the capital city.