Gildedgrimoires - Under Construction

babygirl your enormous eyebags and just barely noticeable tremor have captivated me

“Find me a house where no one can ever come. I like talking to you, but to no one else in the whole world.”

— Virginia Woolf, from a letter to Lytton Strachey wr. c. September 1925 

TO THE BONE IS A 16+ THRILLER/SUPERNATURAL/ROMANCE IF WIP. IT IS THE FIRST BOOK IN THE "HUNTING SEASON" DUOLOGY INSPIRED BY AND BASED ON THE SHOW "YELLOWJACKETS".

When a chartered plane taking you and your classmates along with your teachers to your senior year trip crashes deep in the Canadian wilderness, you and the other survivors find yourselves isolated and without any means of communication with the outside world. As the initial shock subsides, the group of students with vastly diverse personalities, some of which have never even talked with each other before, must band together to find food, water, and shelter while hoping they'll be rescued. Sooner rather than later.

But days turn into nights, and the boundaries between reality and nightmare blur. The isolation plays on all of your fears, desires, and insecurities. The strange symbols you find all around the woods and the weird noises you hear at night are making you all question if the woods are as abandoned as you thought. The passing weeks with no sign of rescue laced with constant dread and uncertainty make you wonder if any of you will even survive this ordeal. Or if there’s something else out there trying very hard to keep you in the woods.

Stranded in a remote and unforgiving landscape, the teens must confront not only the challenges of their surroundings but also the darker aspects of human nature that emerge as they struggle for survival. Unexplainable events start unfolding, and you quickly realize that your relationships and personal conflicts could be just as deadly as the ominous wilderness itself as winter leaves you cold and tired.

And hungry. So, so terribly hungry.

Play as a disturbed teenager who finds themself stranded in the middle of nowhere with their classmates and two teachers.

Fully customize your character including: pronouns, gender, physical appearance, personality, sexuality, and more.

Romance 1 out of 3 classmates turned love interests (1 female, 1 male and 1 genderfluid). Or not.

Will you try your best to co-operate with the rest of the group, or is only your survival the top priority for you?

Learn more about your forgotten past through flashbacks and blurry memories.

There is something in the woods. And it doesn’t want you to leave.

Gaslight. Gatekeep. Girlboss.

I̴͓͓̖͕͖̗̾̓̎̐̾̉̕T̶̢̞͚̼̎̀̃͂̈́̎̍̽̕ͅ ̴̛̳͚̰̪̆̉͊̐̐͊͊̓̌͜W̷̭̐̏̆̅͠Ở̸̰̹̝̜̰͉̇̏̒̔͛͂́̿͜Ǹ̷̢̧̙̫̦̠̣̔̀̏'̵̧̳̹̦̓̏̓͐͌Ţ̶͖̜͚͙̻̣̥͙͆͗͆̍̕͠͝ ̵̛͙͈͊̈́́L̸̢̺̪͉̠̍̉̇͗͒Ĕ̶͈̬͍̺̺͈̹̖̃̏̊̕T̸̨͔͚̗͚̐̅̕ ̵͍̼̝̜̗̳̅̄̂̐̊̿̅̔Ý̶̡͇̜͈̯̠̩̤̫̫̃́͑̌̈̃͒̿O̴̘̻͇̩̫͎̦͕͎͑̀̈̐ͅƯ̸̢̧̢̡̙̦̥̠̜̘̅̈͘͝ ̶̲̲͎̟͖͔̖͈͑̂̈͗̀̅̕͠͠ͅG̷̗̹̺̯̖̰͖̜̀͌̌̓̀̆̾̈́͝ͅÖ̵̫̳́̓̍

The Best Friend - Sage Romero has been by your side ever since freshmen year, taking you under their wing even though they were just starting highschool themselves. They're eccentric and artsy, running around the hallways in the most colourful and unconventional clothes you've ever seen, all sewn and patched up together. Their brown hair has dyed green tips, and if you didn't know any better you'd think they're splashes of paint like the ones their hands are constantly covered in. Sage has always had your back no matter what, even if they might not completely agree with you. That's what best friends do, right? Even when they get stuck isolated in the wilderness together. (RO, they/them)

The Mean Girl - Aurora Corrigan is popular for having straight A’s in all her subjects (including the AP ones) and for her typical mean girl attitude. She makes it obvious how much she dislikes you every time you pass by, her bossy attitude and scrunched up nose a constant whenever you're around. She's always focused on her academics, trying hard to make her parents proud while strutting around the school with her posse and donning perfectly-styled blonde hair falling perfectly on her back, covered from head to toe in perfectly fitting clothes. Everything about her screams “preppy” and “old Money”, and she'll do anything to make sure no one stains that reputation. (RO, she/her)

The Skater Boy - Laid-back and rebellious, River Rockwell is well known around the school for being joined at the hip with his skateboard and skipping classes as often as he can. The self-proclaimed ‘misunderstood loner’ was the only one bummed about the class trip, thinking he won't be able to sneak in all the booze and weed he wanted to bring. But he seemed to change his mind really quick after finding out you'd be going. Weird, right? But you're sure it's nothing to worry about even as you catch his brown eyes following you wherever you go, fists clenched and jaw tight. Yeah, absolutely nothing to worry about at all. (RO, he/him)

The Goth - In the midst of the chaos and uncertainty that envelops the group of survivors, Sabrina Dyer stands out as a figure of quiet strength and unyielding resolve. With her striking gothic appearance—dark makeup and clothing, and an air of mystery—Sabrina and her intense gaze might initially deter people, but those who get to know her discover a steadfast ally and a protector. Her friendship is unwavering, and she often demonstrates her affection through actions rather than words. But what lengths will she go to in order to ensure the safety of her newfound friends? (she/they)

The Jock - Finneas O'Connell, known affectionately as Finn, is a ray of sunshine even in the darkest of times. With his infectious smile and easygoing nature, he's the kind of person who can make friends with anyone he meets. Standing at a solid 6’3, Finn's build speaks of his athletic prowess; his strong shoulders and muscular build are a testament to his dedication to football. He's always the first to encourage others, whether it's on the football field or within the group’s makeshift camp in the Canadian wilderness. But one has to wonder when his boundless optimism and helpfulness encroach on the territory of naivety. There is a fine line between them after all. (he/him)

spotify || axel — @whatlovelybones-if , @thesecrimsonstrings-if , @songofvalhalla-if || venus — @acourtofserpents

The important things have passed, the post apocalypse concept is simply a fun world building thing at this moment thankfully. But man the, those dragons... I don't know why I became such a dragon lover in the past few months. I've been sleeping on em for years wtf. But I don't need another if idea, or any creative project by any means.

Wanting to make a story about dragons and another post apocalypse story. Why must my brain come up with ideas when I'm supposed to be doing important things, I must focus plss

very busy. i have to pace in circles for 6 hours. you understand

Update #3

So I'm really getting into the swing of things on the writing front. The prologue will be a touch longer than planned, not insanely so but I'm padding stuff out.

Also revamping the lire of the setting, which doesn't matter too much but I thought I'd mention it.

Final thing: I have decided on the types of magic the mc can have. You have both a primary and secondary affinity, primary will be shadow magic no matter what and you can choose the secondary.

Secondary affinity choices will be ice, fire, and poison. Keeping it simple, but I'm definitely open to any suggestions you may have!

For the very first time in years, you’re met with the scent of fresh air. No antiseptic, no lingering smell of blood, still so thick you can practically taste it at just the memory of it. You’re not going back if it kills you. Which it very well might.

DEMO: TBA

Nemesi is an 18+ modern horror/low-fantasy interactive novel WIP. Play as a customizable MC, who’s on the run from Vicelie Labs.

The struggle between cosmic deities — now worshiped (or abhorred) as gods — tore its way into your planet not long before you were born. Unlucky for you, you were one of the first generations to be born exposed to Excinate, the name given to the radioactive-like sickness that comes from being exposed to magic not of your world. As you've built up a bit of an immunity to the more dire consequences, you were promptly ripped from your family after a doctor's visit when the Excinate got a bit too close to your childhood home. Since then, you’ve been shipped around and transported from facility to facility to be poked and prodded at. 

Until now. No, now you’re free.

Aside from that lingering hunger for flesh you’ve had since becoming infected, of course. Just a little side effect from the radiation, along with a mouthful of jagged teeth and a jaw that can unhinge like a snake. 

THE CAST:

Felix (he/she, bigender + bisexual): Curt, blunt, and too tired to deal with this mess, Felix really had no reason to suspect the lab next to gas station they work night shifts at had anything to hide. It’s not like the screams he heard coming from that direction were anything more than some kids messing around late at night, right? Besides, she'd met some of the employees of Vicelie Labs, and aside from the occasional lingering scent of blood, they seemed like just fine people. 

Okay, so maybe she did have a sneaking suspicion something was up. Not like he could do anything about it. Not until you show up, at least, crashing through the gas station door in such a tizzy you’d nearly run into it.

Tall and lanky, Felix often has a scowl spread across her face. He has tawny brown skin, dark brown eyes, and poorly bleached hair with quite a bit of jet black root growth. His hair is styled into a shaggy wolf cut, and of course one can’t forget the shitty stubble she’s refused to shave since it grew in. Felix has a body that might often be described as scrawny, or perhaps even gangly. A strong gust of wind could knock him over. Felix is most often seen in casual clothes; hoodies, band shirts, and jeans make up the majority of her wardrobe. Has several piercings; a bridge, septum, both nostrils, snake bites, and two eyebrow piercings side by side. She stands at 5’11” tall. Felix is trans no matter what. He will always use both he and she pronouns interchangeably. Please do not use they/them to refer to her.

Dr. Eden Neal (gender selectable, M/F/NB): Kind, but awkward. A doctor who didn’t know what they were getting into when applying for a job with Vicelie Labs. Fresh out of med school, the harsh reality of the labs was too much for them. They were assigned to examine you, and though it was hard to trust them at first (and even now) they were essential in your escape. 

While Eden seems to be a kind soul, your bitter side can’t help but wonder if their assistance in your escape was some cruel joke.

Combined with their soft, rounded features, Eden’s dark hair is in long braids, often pulled back out of their face into a ponytail. They have large golden brown eyes with thick eyelashes, and their skin is a deep brown, with a hint of a cool undertone. More soft than muscle, though they still have some tone and definition to their arms and back. It’s not easy work lifting and moving those heavy vats around the lab, after all. Eden is most typically seen in a lab coat, though they lean a bit more business casual once they start meeting up with you for check-ins after your escape. They stand at 5’4”, regardless of gender. Eden is black, with dark skin. I'm working on getting skintone refs for the characters together.

Sable (gender selectable, M/F/NB): A bit of an outcast, Sable is an extremely shy mortician, and one of your (limited) options for getting the flesh you so desperately crave. They spot you sneaking into the morgue one night, half lucid and drunk with the need for blood and flesh on your tongue. They offer to cut a deal with you — they’ll give you all the scraps and leftovers that they can get away with, so long as you give them any information you’ve picked up about the consequences of using cosmic magic. 

Are they seeking power, or just simply curious about the consequences of magic from a biological standpoint?

Sable is one of the tallest RO’s, standing at 6’2” regardless of gender. They have a bright shock of long, curly ginger hair, and their near ghostly pallor is covered in freckles and beauty marks. Most notably, they have beauty marks to the right of their bottom lip, as well as underneath their left eye. They have a long, roman nose with a prominent bridge. Their body is on the heavier side, with a soft stomach and thick thighs. Sable doesn’t dress to impress as they’re mostly surrounded by dead bodies, typically wearing neutral colored slacks and skirts. They occasionally spice things up with an interesting vest or tie, but are much too scared to stand out to do so often. They have circle glasses. Sable is plus size, with a pear shaped figure.

Eris (gender selectable, M/F/NB): A hired killer, and the only other option you have for sating your hunger besides Sable. You meet Eris as you’re hiding away from Vicelie Labs in an abandoned building, where you stumble upon them finishing up one of their “contracts”. It’s a mess of gore and blood, and you can’t stop yourself from indulging. After a moment of awareness, you go to turn tail and run, only to find Eris still there. They have an offer for you — they’ll kill for you, and you can have at their fresh meat. Certainly an offer that’s hard to pass up, considering your current predicament.

Perpetually masked, you’re actually not certain what Eris looks like behind it. From what you can see, they’re very sturdy. All you can see besides their build is their hair, occasionally peeking out from beneath their hood. It falls to Eris’ wide shoulders, and from what you’ve seen is a dark brown. They stand at 6'0" tall, regardless of gender.

???: You’ve only heard of them in passing at the lab — someone who goes after rogue assets, like you. According to Eden, they’re after you, and with a vengeance.

Good luck.

I'm already a slow writer but gonna be headed back to university soon, there goes what meager helpings of mental stability I've scrounged up since graduating. This will either make me write more as a means to avoid school work, or recook my burnt out brain all over again. Only time can tell :]