"A riddle locked Demon wakes up to find humans are under attack. Abyssals; monsters from another world are beginning to invade the once peaceful land of Renset. As humans find themselves in a war with an unbeatable force, It falls to the morally grey demons to become the heroes humanity so desperately needs. It's up to Tahzu, the only Demon in Renset with a soft spot for humans, to teach his fellow Kin some humanity."
Pages 1-36
Chapter 2 coming soon!
Concept art
In-depth descriptions of the various places in Southern Renset
Kaid’s Larder: the trade path to the neighboring kingdom of Kaid- led by the Prince of Kaid who charges exorbitant taxes so that he might not invade. Kept clean and orderly the pathway trades only material goods and foodstuffs, never a drop of dragonblood or currency.
Haikyte Garrison: Fort made from skull of Riddenkong, His eye socket is still used as a projector for a energy shield on the Captial
Writsliven; the Steadfast Captial: the capital of southern Renset. One of the 3 great capitals. Once foot is set in these hallowed walls one must enter contract with the dragon, as it’s halls are made with the still twitching flesh of a Riddenkong. A curse links the muscular systems of all inhabitants, simply by being there you take “damage”. The residents and government take advantage of this and are trained on mass by a martial arts master who “broadcasts” his training. Entering the city gives you the opportunity to be stronger, but you must work relentlessly for the capital. Most who endure this “college of strength” become barbarians or soldiers afterwards. They are “beset by a ferocious power” after 4 years of training. The maximum anyone has ever endured was 23.
Viceloan Key: a republic of the wealthy upper-class who live by a loose interpretation of the “Purity” concept that results in ascension to the Fey bespoke Cathedral of Vicelock. In the Key however the noble's scholars and elite practice a lesser form of ascension by “trading” their flaws to others for resources or money. this lesser form does create the illusion of perfection but at the cost of sanity or unbalance of the soul. The “sinless” often find a new sin or keep erasing the “transgressions” they feel they comit.
Vicelock Cathedral: A robust desire for creating sustainable magic turned tight and rigid after additional military advancements of Kaid. Southern Renset has a powerful army but at times it is divided and eventually will be outnumbered. Vicelock Cathedral was founded to secure a more sustainable and heretical method of magic beyond use of dragon salvage. Their pursuit of power eventually turned into a religious zealous that many deemed unnatural or unlawful, but evidence is thin. Accepting only those most naturally attuned to the arts of sorcery they feed the final burning flame of Riddenkong and hide in the steam and smoke produced by it.
Rustworth:
Gustbred Park:
Frosthaven:
The bowels of Riddenkong: built from the meat and guts of the fallen dragon the citizens of this city were those most focused on the potential of the dragon’s heart. They carted the bowels of the beast though the land that is now the molten thicket, enriching the soil with excess blood. Using the Diaphragm and skin they constructed a city guarded from the prying eyes of Vicelock. They act as a bank for dragonblood. The print out money stained with a drop of dragonblood. Currency that is more richly stained is at a higher value. White paper with half a splatter is worth least, a circle is called a drop, pink slips of paper are called “spills” red line horizonal across the center is called a “cut”, full stained paper is called a “wound”, and finally there are bills that are “double-dipped” with added designs called a “spill”. Solid bars of dragon blood (similar to wax when hardened) are called “deaths”.
Inkwell Keep: A castaway island veined entrenched and pulsing with malice. Used as a prison- those who are convicted of crimes must “swear on inkwell” that they are innocent. If they lie and are put to test by a measure of blood the keeper of Inkwell is summoned- a beast brought to life by the nerves of the Dragon and bodied by his eye, claw, and scale. He can see into the mind of all and cannot be lied to. Those who are brough to Inkwell are kept eternal. Only by offering half their physical or magical power can they receive “a sentence” of some years proportional to the amount of people effected by their lie. You can use your time at Inkwell to gain more power to balance what you lost or trade more for a lighter sentence. It is possible to give up ALL your power to be released immediately, but the chances of recovering from “the drain” is slim. So they might survive Inkwell pulls fresh water from the sea and prisoners can eat the gulls, fish, and seaweed about caverns. Little is known about how Inkwell was founded.
Devora’s Doubt: A stretch of sea considered ill fated, and for good reason. More than half the ships that traverse these waters sink and vanish. Named after the sailor Devora famously sailed through eastern Renset to Haikyte rather than cut the waters by Inkwell.
The Ravenous Shoals: Near the mysterious waters of Devora’s doubt lies the nursey of death; the ravenous shoals. The swamp life there is extremely aggressive and oversized.
Galeglance Cove: Survivor of countless storms the coastal city possessing the most affluent Navy in the whole of Renset fell in under a fortnight by mysterious force. The few early reports of conflict spoke of “Abyssal” who rose from deep water thirsty for blood.
The Ashlaid convent: Those who fall to the madness of accession or other kind make their way lamely to the Ashlaid Covent. This colony practices deep focus on the present and teaches pointlessness of the future. A thoughtless ethos and sobering hand that aims to restrict the human mind back to the natural order. Their home is barren and magicless as it lays scorched by the last flame of Riddenkong.
Gore Gorge: A shattered plate of rock and rubble with a few towns and homesteads. This is the very place the dragon Riddenkong was killed- the first recorded death of a dragon. It has an eerie aura that oozes about the deep caves and cliffs.
The Molten Thicket: Grown from the purest vein of pooled dragon blood the Molten Thicket is alive with energy and creature. The life there grew fat and often rampages outward, only stopped by the curse of the Orchard.
Cruxcurse Orchard: The only order within the thicket those who live in the orchard die there, trapped by curse and study. Their research and findings escape by luck, balance, and bounty; Only when the population booms is it safe for a human resident to escape. “Are we due for a report from Cruxcurse?” their findings often have an air of uncertainty to them as it is only one or two who give such reports.
Versedue Sanctuary: the Shining port of dreams. it is the aspiration of many to devote their lives to the freedom and culture within the Sanctuary. A pure democracy it is often last to decide on action but first to help or extend a hand; as it is a believe that ALL are citizens of Versedue- they simply haven't visited yet.
Keenokin port: built on the dream of the ever-suspicious Devora her family still run the port as a strict and concerned outpost for the more relaxed Versedue: a city with no army.
Bilerye roost: Built from the long jaw and horns of the dragon thrown to waste and now serves as the mercenary outpost of the Winged things, who revel in the murderous energy that whistles though the hollow jaws. It sends out flying marauders to bounty hunt, assassinate, and spy with no objective but coin and carnage.
Northern renset boarder: A wall built by Kaid to keep an eye on the “backwards southerners” but in reality a way to keep them locked away as he waits for a chance to strike and loot the land of it’s dragon corpse.
The plundered wood: once the garden of the fey, until Kaid and his Razorblack blades ripped it to pieces. Some of them still haunt the forest while Kaid himself took hostage the fairy queen and became all powerful.
