grimdark lore

Author: Donald Firesmith is the prize-winning author of speculative fiction including The Secrets of Hawthorne House (teen paranormal urban fantasy), the Hell Holes series (alien invasion science fiction), and Magical Wands: A Cornucopia of Wand Lore (fantasy). Named a Distinguished Engineer by the Association of Computing Machinery, he is also the author of 7 technical books in system and software engineering. In his spare time, he crafts one-of-a-kind jeweled magic wands. It was only an old book that the professor found while traveling by train through Scotland. A scholar of medieval history, Professor George Smith was on sabbatical studying Scottish legends and myths when he chanced to meet an aged Scotsman and his granddaughter on their way to her new boarding school in the Isles of Skye. The young girl had accidentally left her book behind, and the professor picked it up meaning to send it on to her. But then he looked inside and discovered it was no ordinary book. It was a school textbook on magic. Could it be real? Could it have actually been left by accident and found by chance? Or was it all an elaborate hoax played on the unsuspecting professor? Did he ever find the secret Isles of Skye School of Magick? Did he ever discover the hidden world of wizards and witches implied by the book's very existence? Or did they find him? The professor vanished soon afterwards, and the answers are unknown. Read the book and decide for yourself. Magical Wands: A Cornucopia of Wand Lore is that textbook from The Isles of Skye School of Magick. The first chapter begins with a basic overview of magic wands followed by an introduction to magical theory including the four planes of existence (Astral, Spectral, Physical, and Daemonic), the five metaphysical elementals (Quintessence, Air, Fire, Earth, and Water), and the three preternatural phases of Light, Twilight, and Darkness. It also contains sets of the commonly used spells associated with each of these elementals and phases. The first chapter then describes the different types of wands, their components, how they are crafted, and how they are used to cast spells. Chapter two teaches the 17 principles of wand making. Chapters three through six comprehensively cover the materials used to make magic wands including magical creatures (both beings and beasts), magical woods, mystical crystals, and mystical metals. Chapter seven documents 26 famous and infamous witches and wizards, their wands, and how well their wands suited their needs. Chapter eight concludes the textbook by nicely summarizing the contents of the entire textbook. Each of the chapters ends with student exercises, the answers of which are included in the back of the textbook which also includes a glossary, references, and afterword by the editor. If you have ever wondered what young witches and wizards actually study in their hidden magic schools, then this book is for you.

At the beginning of time, the goddess Rylenta found a patch of primordial void. She cultivated it into a vast world devoid of life and emotion. Her seven breaths created life as we know it, and the myriad races ushered into existence like tiny moths chasing the light. She lived with her children happily, treasuring them more than anything else. Time passed like fine faery wine, and her world entered the age of blossoming. However, one day, she vanished without leaving as much as a trace behind, plunging the world into perpetual darkness. Thousands of years later, the world is scarred, and the end seemed to be nigh. Children looked to the empty sky and could no longer see the stars in their dreams. In search of light, fate extended its mysterious hands on a group of humans in a foreign world. They were called many names; The Anointed Ones, Travellers, Players, Angels of the Goddess… However, will they be successful in their fated mission? And what happens when the most unfit person, Seth Ravenswood, gets chosen to take part in this cruel mission?

In the infantile state of a new universe were many creatures in their starting phase, one of which was a juice pouch and straw that would challenge any vegetables from the cabbage patch to a round of fisticuffs, ultimately overcoming them and absorbing their power, thus, it became formidable and left behind an entire and complete heritage behind. This being was later known to be none other but...The Succ Sage. The self named Genius Gang, a group of intellectuals with knowledge far beyond the norm of this infantile universe then began to rise and found this heritage, allowing them to begin their ascent to the higher realms. The Scrummy Bummy Lore is an incomprehensive, shortened archive of the real events that the Genius Gang went through on their path. Translator's Note: As the best translator in the world, it is easy to assume that my translation will be complely on point, however, the Scrummy Bummy Lore, being written in the language of the Gods, was far too complex for even a genius like I to translate fully, as I, just like you, am a mere mortal. Please do read this novel with an open mind, keeping in mind that not only are there multiple meanings that we do not understand, but also many that can eventually be understood through comprehensive thought. I myself feel as though I have matured as not just a person, but as an entity in this vast universe that we call our home after reading this novel. In short, I must say that if the human race ever evolves to the point where we can incorporate the Scrummy Bummy Lore into our national curriculum as the most significant subject, I can die knowing that humanity shall live on to achieve great things.

God did not create this world. Physics did. And I am here to fix the bugs. Li was a brilliant engineer until a catastrophic experiment destroyed his world. He died in the blast, only to wake up in a filthy medieval dungeon, scheduled for execution at dawn. He has no magic, no system, and no cheat skills. His assets? A handmade kerosene lighter, a mechanical watch, and a brain filled with centuries of industrial standards. From selling "Crystal Glass" to nobles, to slaughtering knights with "Flying Thunder" cannons. From a pile of coal to a steam-powered fortress that defies the gods. Li will drag this dark, feudal world into the Industrial Age, kicking and screaming. He is not a hero; he is a necessary evil, an Engineer of Civilization. But he is not the only one. The shadow from his past has returned. Gareth, the mad scientist who caused the apocalypse, arrived in this world two years earlier. While Li forges Steel, Gareth mutates Flesh. While Li builds Order, Gareth breeds Chaos. Gareth wants to evolve humanity into a new biological hive mind. Li intends to burn that "paradise" to the ground with napalm and artillery. The war between The Industrial Tyrant and The Bio-God has begun.

Cassius Crimson, the founder of the Crimson family, one of The Great Three vampire powers, has been awakened from his slumber after 500 years. By whom? A mere boy! The future of the once great Crimson family has declined. Seeking power and guidance, Vesper-the young Crimson lord turned to his ancestors for help, never did he imagine that he would manage to wake the actual founder. As Cassius adjusts to life in a futuristic 21st century, he’s aided by his loyal retainer Estefan. Tackling daily campus life, an insecure apprentice, revenge on his family's honour, he experiences all sorts of new occurrences as humans have evolved into more than just food. All while Cassius battles the urge to sink his teeth into the most delicious human he has ever smelt. This lust for blood turns into an irresistible passionate romance. A Tale of sensual vampire love unravels as he discovers new feelings that were hidden eons ago

The year is 2077, and life revolves around the massive Full Immersion VRMMORPG, Aethelgard. For Ethan Bellwether, this new reality has only magnified the crushing burden of his life: a staggering $1.5 Million debt. Bankrupt and blacklisted, the disgraced former photographer has one last, desperate hope: to find a fortune in Aethelgard. But when he enters the game, Ethan is assigned a ludicrous, non-combat role and a camera, gaining the unique [EX-Tier] System's Witness class. His progression is unprecedented: he gains levels, power, and wealth not by fighting, but by capturing virally popular images (Public Visibility) of the game’s deepest secrets and deadliest creatures. Armed only with extreme Perception and the forbidden Temporal Shutter skill, Ethan must turn the most lethal fantasy world into his exclusive, high-stakes photography portfolio. He is the weakest player on the field, yet his camera is the ultimate weapon. When his EX-Tier Lens captures the impossible breaking ten years of established lore about Mythical entities.Ethan becomes a target of powerful guilds and System Administrators alike. To clear his massive debt, survive the players hunting his secrets, and expose the truth behind Aethelgard, Ethan must make his photos the most disruptive force in the world.

Osias wanted nothing more than to… live. Was such a wish too audacious to desire? Were the blood-born destined to live such tragic tales? Why, why did it feel as though he was forced to either bleed himself or spill the blood of others to live? Enough… he had enough. A pair of blood-born brothers were all that was left from the fallen Band of the Red Sky. Detestable blood-borns, vile spawn who were to be eradicated off the face of the Wailing Chain. So the Three Factions put aside their feuds in order to slaughter them all. Yet Osias and Kiran still live despite this — they still move forward to escape, fight, and survive as they are pursued. Alone, these two ghosts of a dreadful Band of blood born that flooded the south in blood will bide their time as they carry on the Path of Blood, inheriting all that was entrusted to them. The Wailing Chain was theirs for the taking. The Three Factions will suffer for what they’ve done to them. Armies will spill enough blood to raise a sea in the wake of the brothers' resentment. But not yet. The world wouldn’t bleed until Osias and Kiran obtained the strength required to do so. ----------------- What to expect: • Blood Powers • Dark Fantasy-esque • Wars, Armies, Power Progression • No System • Cruel, Grim World (First Chapter is enough…) • Smidges of romance • Anti-Hero Prog (Spoiler - nears villain) *The world of BTTVE has A LOT of secrets and plans that are not made available to the reader upfront. Try to enjoy the path to the answers - there's going to be a lot that you don't understand at first because there's a lot Osias doesn't know about the new world he's in! Also sorry for the POV changes in the first few chapters… the setting calls for it, there isn’t much to the beginning if we read it entirely from a cripple’s perspective.

Ava Carter as a promising girl excelling in allayed finds herself in a compromising solution at just 19 years trys to escape her past and heal In the course of her healing she run all the way to London to escape her past. Promising her self not to feel and love she meets him _Dominic_And something just something shifts in her way of thinking Bit little does she know that stepping into this CEO's world cost alot And the past she supposedly ran away from just happens to find her....

What if Douluo Dalu had taken another path—one not soaked in blood and soul beast corpses but guided by the light of reason, sacrifice, and evolution? In this alternate version born from chaos, a mysterious figure rewrote the laws of cultivation. No longer do soul rings necessarily come from slaughter. Power is no longer monopolized by fate and divine favor but earned through resonance of body, energy, soul, & self. As realities intertwine, philosophies collide—every faction facing its counterpart in a battle not just of strength, but of belief. Shrek Academy, once untouchable, falters as the Sage Academy exposes its hypocrisy with truth and clarity. The brute pride of the Body Sect crumbles before the transcendent trials of True Essence Mountain. Scattered empires of the original world bow before the unity and structure of the Seven Divine Lineages. The parasitic horror of the Holy Spirit Church shatters before the Void Society, whose lawful chaos and ascetic terror showcase what true villainy looks like—cold, calculated, and cosmic. Even spirit beasts are not safe from the comparison, shedding primal rage for purpose. Enlightened races rise under shared systems—not through dominance, but through design. The prospects of myriad races contention left them gobsmacked as the This is not a mere divergence—it is a reckoning. A saga where two worlds converge, and only one version of the truth can survive. Even spirit beasts are not spared from comparison, shedding primal rage for purpose. Enlightened races rise under shared systems—not through dominance, but through design. The prospects of myriad races contending left them gobsmacked, as the balance of power rewrote itself in front of their eyes. ----Desclaimer---- If you’re looking for the usual “chosen one rises, beats all odds, and walks the well-trodden path of every main character ever”… this novel might not be for you. What I’m doing here is different. The story unfolds across two worlds— The original Douluo World, set during the era of the Peerless Tangs. An alternate version, crafted by me, running alongside yet apart from the first. This isn’t about a single hero’s journey. It’s about what happens when two worlds, with two completely different foundations, eventually clash. And yes, the “original” Douluo will find itself tested, suppressed, and perhaps even overshadowed by its stronger counterpart. If that sounds like your cup of tea, then welcome aboard. Let’s see where this clash takes us.

Bai Su, who transmigrated into a book set in the interstellar Beast World, has only one interest: making delicious food at the orphanage, raising children, and enjoying her hard-won new life. Future's great villains? The cubs are all super well-behaved in front of her! The Federation Leader comes to freeload a meal, and his disability is cured! The business emperor comes to freeload a meal, and his infertility is solved! The obese little female gets thinner the more she eats, gradually growing into the number one beauty of the Beast World. She also attracts the number one genius doctor of the interstellar era and the interstellar great captain. The villainous cubs, driving warships and controlling ten thousand beasts: "If you want to get close to our Mom, you'll have to withstand our cannon fire first!" The Federation Leader laughs in anger: "You dare to bomb my armory? Courting death!" The gloomy and bloodthirsty emperor: "A bunch of little trash! You think I'm afraid of you?" The doctor's face turns ashen: "Either give back my research results, or die!" The interstellar great captain dangerously shoulders a Barrett: "I see you're all dying to get locked up." Bai Su smiles and peeks her head out, holding a gleaming kitchen knife: "Time to eat! What are you all doing?" The big shots and the little villains, harmoniously putting their arms around each other's shoulders in a picture of fatherly love and filial piety: "Coming~~"