Shadows of Elysium, an interactive adventure.
Many years ago, black mists showed up on the shores of Elysia, a kingdom of elves. Steeped in magic already, it wasn't long before the wizards of Elysia figured out what the mists were: Gateways to a realm known as the void. There was no air, heat, gravity, or even light in the void, but the wizards were able to use magic to travel there and come back. There, floating amid the eternal blackness, they reported seeing a source of light- portals in the void that lead to another world.
It's unclear why Elysia invaded the other world, or if it was Elysia who even started it, but at the end of the wars, the King of Elysia was king of both worlds. The name Elysia went from defining a group of islands in the mists of a cold ocean to a group of ports in the eternal black and all the lands on the other side of them. Humans, dwarves, halflings, goblins, hobgoblins, bugbears, and even the orcs fell to the elven invaders.
Elysia, however, was only a small part of the Black Lit Sea, a piece of the eternal black that many others already mapped out.
Pirates from the 'beast folk' found the fledgling kingdom and preyed on their ships. The response was immediate and devastating. The pirates were captured and magically interrogated until they died, then bound their soul to the mortal realm so the interrogations could continue. With little effort, Elysia mapped out the Black Lit Sea and its important parts. They increased the size of their fleets, issued orders to their captains, and created patrols along the trade routes they used so that none could prey on their vessels again.
Some of the other more established kingdoms felt this was a sign they were preparing for war, and demanded Elysia reduce the size of their fleets. Elysia considered the attempt at disarmament to be a preempt to war, and they bolstered the size of their fleets. They attacked Elysia. Elysia, lead by its ageless generals, destroyed the fighting forces of these kingdoms and absorbed their lands into its government. Those countries allies attacked in response, and before long, Elysia was fighting the entire Black Lit Sea.
Elysia won.
The empire of the misty shores spread to seventeen other worlds. In each of them, the 'beast folk' enjoyed mixed citizenship. Some were held as equals for their valor in battle. Others, less so. While citizen races were granted full rights, subject races were seen as tax producers. Slave races were those seen as an absolute menace that the king decided to have mercy on. Though the king suspected these races of being the most treacherous, it was his own family who killed him.
After the successful assassination, the factions turned on each other. Before long, the government had no functioning monarchy. Many of the navies from the other worlds refused to sail under a king who murdered his way to the top, and the navy, now comprised mostly of foreign vessels, fell apart. Unable to fight and control the navies trained in the way of Elysian warfare, the kingdom's control collapsed. The conspirators were blamed, and they were all hanged and burned.
Now, the empire lives in a state of steady unrest. The name Elysia still carries weight in the Black Lit Sea, though not everybody likes it. While the generals and nobles across the void try to figure out who it is that will take crown, the rest of the sea lives in relative peace, trading with each other and building relationships that may one day transcend the kingdom itself.
Shadows of Elysium
By WildWiredWeasel and The Readers. (That's you!)
What this is: This is a Choose Your Own Adventure, an interactive adventure story where the readers and author work together to control the direction of the story.
Disclaimers and Rules
This work is directly inspired by the author https://gideon-kalve-jarvis.sofurry.com/ and his work https://www.sofurry.com/view/674093 , including the format of these disclaimers and the rules of the story. I make no claims to originality in how I run this interactive adventure. I build on the ideas of the giants before me.
The basic rules for this interactive adventure are as follows:
1) This is an adult-rated adventure. This work will contain adult content, and can easily contain torture, character death, rape, impregnation, consensual sex, BDSM, slavery, prostitution, many deviant behaviors, violence, and other unpleasant subject matter. As such, minors should not view this. The exact content of the story is left to the interaction between me and readers, and so all readers should be aware of this open-ended nature.
2) All votes on what happens next will count the responses made in the first 72 hours (this number may increase or decrease based on reader interest), or until a majority in the case of tie decisions. I will post those responses at the start of the next entry, and the story will proceed based on those results. I aim to post an entry once a week, likely sometime late Saturday or early Sunday. I will post schedule conflicts as I become aware of them. Remember: Your votes will be recorded at the top of the next entry. If you don't want your vote listed, PM me your vote and notify me. Otherwise, your words may be posted as a part of the next entry in this series. Writing anything beyond a basic vote gives me permission to repost what you have written. If you don't want this, please, use the PM system. Though I will make several choices, reader choices are not limited to these options, and readers should feel free to propose their own choices. You are also free to vote for multiple things, but try to keep it to a reasonable number. (voting for 3 options you prefer out of 5 is fine.) I reserve the right to veto any reader requests, but will try to keep these to a minimum, generally invoking them only in the case of content that causes me to "squick," including but not limited to: vore, scat, necrophilia, or guro. Votes for these will be ignored not out of anger or irritation, but because it churns my stomach to contemplate. I don't like mixing death, feces, or sex.
3) Though voting on what actions take place next is the primary determiner of what direction the story takes, I will also add a random factor to the story's events to add uncertainty, and therefore excitement. Certain choices will have a percentage next to them indicating the possibility of succeeding in that attempt. I will then roll physical percentile dice to determine success or failure, and progress the story appropriately.
4) This interactive story will continue until the end of a chosen plotline, or until reader or my interest wanes. I will tell you when a plotline is over. “Bad ends" are possible, especially in the case of total party incapacitation or death, though these sorts of endings will generally also be accompanied by a vote for the readers about whether to continue the adventure with a fresh party until a "good end" is reached, or to really end there. All reader choices that will lead to a "bad end" result will be clearly labeled as such, so there will be no ambiguity.
Now that the technical stuff is out of the way, on to the introduction!
INTRODUCTION
This is the shadow of Elysia, former empire over the Black-lit Sea. A series of ports extend into dark mists that fall out of the world and into the void. The portion of the void Elysia resides in is called the Black-Lit Sea, and until thirty years ago, was a single empire. Those with connections to the void use magic ships to trade with each other, though some turn to piracy.
Our adventure begins in the port city of the spiders, Pedion, the largest trade port of the former empire. Here, anyone may find their fortune, though those who refuse to take a chance will find only disappointment. Its laws are so threadbare that none can be excluded. Races from all worlds can be found here, and as long as murder and theft is kept off the street, the city runs smoothly.
Character Selection
Now it is time to choose our starting character. To vote, choose the character you most want to see be the main character of the story, and then what class you want them to be. If you have multiple that you like, put your votes in order of preference.
There are 2 of each sex: Male, Female, Herm, and Androgynous. Each of them have a bit of backstory and certain abilities, but no details are mentioned on which skills it is that they possess. Any character may have any class, since I can warp the traditional idea of a class until it fits.
THE PEOPLE
Males
M1: Domori Moriele the Jaguar
Domori is a typical Jaguar. He's somewhat short at 5 foot 2 inches, but has thick, well toned muscles. His fur is a tawny brown with brown rings covering his body, except for his neck, belly and privates, which are all covered in white fur. His eyes are an emerald green, and he keeps no hair on his head. He is on the run from home, where a family cartel expects him to step into his role as firstborn son to lead the mob. He's not stupid, though- at least three of his other siblings want him dead. As such, he is always on the alert, and always appears just a little tired- and a little ready to kill.
As a Jaguar, he possesses the ability to see in the dark and claims a bonus on his acrobatics check. Because he can never be sure of who his siblings might have hired to kill him, he has difficulty getting long-term tasks accomplished. However, he always remembers faces, names, smells, voices, and anything else that can identify someone. Because Jaguars are a former citizen race, he possesses a wealth of knowledge about many things.
M2. Marco Dominguez the Bull
Marco is a large bull of simple tastes. He's tall and has broad shoulders, and his body is covered in brown and white fur. He likes wine, he likes good bed company, and he likes good music. There's a reason he isn't sitting happily in a large house on a plantation, however. He was raised poor, raised to be obedient, and raised to fall in line when his father told him to. He has done none of these. He left the charcoal factory for a life of mercenary riches and mercenary risks. He believes the odds of death are well balanced by the life of liberty he seeks. Obviously, he has no problem cutting off connections with his family or anyone else he meets. He uses people for what they're worth to him, and when they are no longer worth anything to him, will happily leave them to pursue other interests.
Marco is a bull. As such, he is stronger than most people and has horns and hooves he can use to break bones and stab people. He is well equipped for the mercenary life, even in his outlook on life. Because he doesn't suffer from a guilty conscience, he has no problem lying to people, and claims a bonus on socialize checks. However, his callous, arrogant attitude leads him to make hasty decisions that he comes to regret later. Because he grew up on a production settlement, he is skilled in crafting things.
Females
F1. Jamie Williams the Tiger Shark.
Jamie has a slender, well toned figure. She's a medium-short height, but exudes an aura of being in control. Her skin is light brown with horizontal brown stripes going down her back. Like all sharks, she has two arms, two legs, a tail, and fins. Her eyes are a pleasant golden color, and despite the scars on her face that betray her lifestyle, she has a nice demeanor. She plays well with other people, and is good at figuring out where people come from. She isn't a guard inside a peaceful town, though. She's an adventurer, someone who seeks high risks and high rewards. The few times she is unable to bring a solution to the table through diplomacy, she destroys her enemy with the merciless ferocity her people are known for.
As a tiger shark, she has a strong spirit and the ability to detect lifeforms in a close proximity to her. Because she is so good at understanding people's viewpoints, she is usually able to achieve peaceful solutions. However, it can also makes her outlook mutable. She is more easy than others to persuade that she is wrong about something, which will prevent her from using unethical solutions to fix problems, even at risk to herself. Since she's a member of a former slave race, she is more aware of her surroundings than many people.
F2. Cheki Tara Toriah the Mongoose
Cheki is short, skinny, and has brown and tan fur. She has short hair that's longest in the front where her bangs cut to just above her blue eyes, but despite her overall cute appearance, many men aren't sure how to deal with her energy and cut-throat mentality. She speaks fast, thinks fast, and moves fast. She was given a general education, but her furious work ethic brought her to surpass her classmates in short order. After graduating the public education system, she left her home- which she considers to be a slow moving backwater world- in search for a place where she can truly fit in. Until then, though, she needs a job to get her money. She is possibly the youngest legal adventurer in the Black Lit Sea.
As a mongoose, she has a bonus to acrobatics and instantly wins all ties on dodge checks. Because she can learn so quickly, she has a wide assortment of skills. But because of her impatient nature, she naturally suffers when she deals with other people. Because she is a member of a former citizen race, she has a rich depth of knowledge many others don't have the privilege of.
Hermaphrodites
H1. Elmyre the Kinkajou
Elmyre is large and has enormous everything. She has enormous breasts, enormous muscles, and an enormous dick she likes to taunt males with. She has yellow fur, and her honey brown eyes are dwarfed only by her round ears. A muscley tail with full dextrous ability hangs off her rear end, and the tip has found its way up many a person's clothes and into other holes. It is perhaps for this reason she is not allowed in several dozen bars. She didn't used to be such a deviant- she was raised to be a normal girl in an elven production camp, but when she hit puberty, her parents were unable to deal with their doubly hormonal child. She ran away from home after they tried to surgically alter her, and hasn't looked back since.
As a kinkajou, she is stronger than many people and has a dextrous tail that benefits from that muscle strength. She enjoys getting people drunk and sleeping with them, especially if they appear disgusted by her while they're sober. As a former resident of a production camp, she knows how to craft many things.
H2. Mountain Face the Gorilla
Mou is as tall as any male gorilla, but obviously has female parts. She has short black fur on her shoulders and head, but gray fur on her stomach. As far as gorillas go, she has a pretty typical build- bipedal, large arms, and strong legs. With her natural proportions, it was no surprise that people viewed her as a normal member of their society. Ironically, it was her community's acceptance of her that drove her away. The males saw her as a male only, and none would mate with her. The same is true of the females- they accepted her as a sister, but didn't see her as a possible mate. The constant stoic relationships drove her to lonliness even among her closest friends, so she left her mountain village. One thing lead to another, and before she knew it, she was an adventurer.
Traits: As a gorilla, she is much stronger than most other people. However, as a member of a former representative race, she has also been taught to be polite to people. Her adage is to speak softly and carry a big stick, and she does a very good job of it. She's rather eager to get in relationships, which may leave her vulnerable, but her devotion to those she loves brings a strong camaraderie out in her team mates.
Andro (Never developed secondary sexual characteristics. Have vaginas. By a weird quirk, they lay eggs.)
A1. Moria Elier the Mouse
Moria is a small mouse. Often confused as a young teenager, her white fur and pink nose are considered cute in many cultures. She wears a sleeveless, bellyless shirt under a skin-tight leather vest and skin-tight shorts so her clothes don't snag on hooks common in the storage areas. She used to be much more than a ship-mouse, though. Her parents were nobles killed in a coup, but rather than kill her, they sold her to a trader who was willing to pay good money for a young girl. Moria escaped her captors before the transaction, though, and sought out work among the docks so she could escape. Some thought she was a young boy, and some thought she was a young girl, but she addressed issues so quickly and intelligently that the dock workers adopted her into their ranks.
Traits: Moria is a mouse, which means she's smart and possesses a dextrous tail. Her upbringing makes her good at handling people, but she never holds herself to be above the people she's listening to. It is her down to earth nature and her rapid responses that make her valued by those she's in charge of. When she doesn't know the answer to a solution right away, however, she is subject to analysis paralysis, and may spend far too much time thinking about something.
A2.Meitai the Megaeops bat
Meitai is a grayish white furred bat. She's short, even by Megae standards, standing in at about four feet and six inches. Like other Megae, she is thin, her eyes are black and slanted, and her hair is short, whispy, and black. She was raised as a former slave race, but raised with pride. Her family told her that there was no future in staying there, so she left. She plans on returning home, but not until she has done her duty to get rich and bring her wealth back home.
Traits: As a Megaeops, she is smart and knows how to fly. She takes a lot of pride in her people, and dislikes representative races for being the descendants of her people's oppressors. However, she enjoys the company of citizen races since she can learn so much from being near them. Beyond a thirst for knowledge, though, she comes off as almost secretive. She's always there when she's needed, but nobody's quite sure when she needs help, if ever she does.
Classes
Warriors: Purely martial adepts, these people are any who focus on martial skill. They are everything from barbarians to town guards and everything in between.
Rogues: Rogues consist of all those whose feats of acrobatics, technical know-how, and never-say-die mentality lets them get through obstacles great and small.
Mages: People who study and use magic are mages. While there are many different kinds of magic, a mage describes a person who studies its basic forms.
Clerics: These are any people who converse with spirits, good or evil, great or small. While druids and priests might balk at being put in the same category, their function is largely the same.
Scout: These sneaky fighters take the fight to the enemy before they know the fight exists, and are often the first and last line of defense against ambushes.
Tinkerer: These guys and gals are notorious for their 'black market magic,' which isn't magic at all- just alchemy, traps, and other devices which use ammunition to kill people.
Warlock: A catchall term for any person who draws power from spirits in order to fuel arcane spells, these people can be dangerous for the same reason using lightning to charge your phone is dangerous.
Paladin: These people fight for codes, creeds, gods, demons, and every other entity who lacks a physical body with which to exert its own will on the universe.
Spellblade: They study martial arts in order to cast magic in the midst of swordfight, turning what would normally be a harmless nick into a fatal blow.
Monk: A term for any who study martial arts as part of their attempt to attain understanding of the universe around them, they have access to the energy of the soul, Ki.
The groups: There are different groups of adventurers heading off to solve problems all the time! Some of them are good, some of them are bad, and some of them are downright rotten. Going with a group can be the difference between a lot of riches, some riches, or death. Choose well.
The canine brothers: They're not brothers at all. One's a fox, one's a dog, one's a jackal, and one's a wolf, but they seem cheery enough. Certainly friendly, if nothing else.
The sky patrol: Nothing more than a couple of birds of prey. Two hawks and an owl who claim to be expert problem solvers stuck in a rut of bad luck. The hawks are obviously related, possibly even from the same clutch, but the owl seems out of place- she's fat, she's always shouting about something, and she calls the shots.
Wen, Gen, and Dyn and Lyn: Wen is a weasel. Gen is a jumping spider. Dyn is a black bear, and Lyn is a great white shark. They don't seem to have much in common- Wen, Gen, and Dyn are males, and Lyn is either a Herm or just a big woman. They tend to come in, do business, and leave without ever talking to anyone else.
Big Jim: Big Jim isn't named for his height- the rat is only five feet tall. He seems to work alone, but it wouldn't hurt to team up for a mission.
Finally, the jobs in question available on the board.
Missing scientists: Some college-type folk have gone missing in an old ruins site. Anyone who can confirm their status will be paid moderately well.
Self-proclaimed bandit queen Basyl the black bear has stolen another 2000 tons of honey, and is selling it on the black market and making a lot of money. Anyone who can put a stop to her shenanigans will be paid handsomely by the honey companies.
Delivery to Gertpeak: A mage has a concoction he has to send to one of his colleagues, but the typical trade routes don't head that way because it's too dangerous and there's not enough civilization out there. It's in the spider world.
Blood in the trees: Another person has been murdered in their home in the sleepy town of Doryldell, a village of rabbits. Local authorities are offering a bounty on any who can solve the crimes.
And that's it! Choose your votes, post what you'd like to see, and I'll see you all later!