The Shattered Fang (Outlander Mercenaries)
Jon Va'ul
Role & Core Gift: Perfect Mimicry
Description: The reluctant leader. His rare gift allows him to perfectly copy and retain the Blood Gifts of anyone he touches. Unbeknownst to him, this power links him to a terrifying, buried lineage.
Isabel Korva
Role & Core Gift: Primal Dominion
Description: The fierce protector. In her human form, she is defined by her autonomous, whip-like spike tail. She can transform into a seven-foot, cobalt-skinned Primal Beast Form of immense strength.
Holst Durren
Role & Core Gift: Earthsmith
Description: The grounded pragmatist. A master of defensive and siege tactics, he can manipulate and shape earth and stone into weapons or fortifications. Wields the Stone's Kiss crossbow.
Mercy Korva
Role & Core Gift: Plasmacore (manifests as the plasma blade "vipers tongue")
Description: The captured sister and the prophet. A natural-born master of Green Plasma, a rare anomaly that led to her kidnapping and indoctrination by the zealous House Orsaan.
Echo
Role & Core Gift: Sonar/Echolocation
Description: A swift, independent mercenary and scout. Known for his flirty arrogance and effective, high-frequency scouting gift.
Echo's Dad
Role & Core Gift: Indestructibility
Description: A massive, silent man who serves as the group's simple, unyielding shield. His gift makes him immune to nearly all physical and energy damage.
The Great Houses & Key Figures
Korrath
Leader: Gorath the shatterer/ King Dainar the Hollow-Eyed
Gift & Culture: Bone Shaping. Rulers of death and primal strength. Currently initiating war against Orsaan.
Orsaan
Leader: High Priest Ignarion
Gift & Culture: Plasmacore. Fanatical zealots who wield controlled fire. They believe their tyranny is a divine act of cleansing.
Syndri
Leader: Magnus Aurelian
Gift & Culture: Telepathy & Midas Touch. The merchant-oligarchy, specializing in information and commerce.
Veythari
Leader: House Veythari IX (Veyros)
Gift & Culture: Shadow Step. Masters of stealth, poison, and assassination who rule from an Obsidian Castle.
Tarrith
Leader: Old Blade Arrock
Gift & Culture: Shape-shifting. The oldest, most disciplined military power, now governed by a council of retired warlords.
Valthorn
Leader: The Immortal
Gift & Culture: Agelessness and Five Stolen Gifts. The founder of the extremist Eclipse Order.
✨ Glossary of Gifts & Lore
Blood Gifts (The Source of Power)
Blood Gift
Definition: The unique, inheritable supernatural power possessed by an individual.
Context in the Story: Outlanders have varied, often unstable gifts. House members have standardized, superior Sacred Gifts.
The Source
Definition: The shared, finite reservoir of raw, stable energy that feeds the Sacred Gifts of the Five Houses.
Context in the Story: The location is known only to the oldest Houses (guarded by Tarrith). Its monopoly justifies the Houses' tyranny.
Sacred Gifts
Definition: The five superior, uniform powers possessed by the Houses (Bone, Plasma, Telepathy, Shadow, Shape).
Context in the Story: These powers ensure the Houses' dominance and were deliberately chosen to enforce control over the chaos of the old world.
Perfect Mimicry
Definition: Jon Va'ul's unique gift; the ability to perfectly copy and retain any Blood Gift experienced or touched.
Context in the Story: This power links him to the suppressed Trueborn lineage, making him an anomaly and a target for all factions.
Major Factions & Concepts
The Age of Tumult
Definition: The era before the Houses, characterized by relentless anarchy where reckless humans used random, unstable gifts for constant warfare.
Context in the Story: Valthorn remembers this age and believes the Houses' tyranny is necessary to prevent its return.
Eclipse Order
Definition: A fanatical cult led by the immortal Valthorn. They are dedicated to brutally enforcing the established tyranny of the Houses.
Context in the Story: Natural enemies of the Hollow Legion. They specialize in kidnapping and brainwashing with powers Valthorn has stolen from the Houses.
Hollow Legion
Definition: The secret, revolutionary army founded by the heroic Dain Trueborn. Now led by his deranged descendant Varian, who experiments on recruits to create "monsters."
Context in the Story: They are the only political lineage whose Gifts are naturally capable of disrupting the bloodgifts of others
Trial by Requital
Definition: The ancient Korrath law invoked when a Tribunal verdict is divided. It demands a duel between champions to determine the final, binding judgment.
Blood moon 🌕
Description: an festival celebrated throughout the world which marks the manifestation of bloodgifts along the youth.
Government Systems of the Five Blood Houses
Syndri: Merchant Oligarchy
Description: Rule by a small group of powerful and wealthy merchant families (like the Aurelians). Decisions are based on economic advantage, trade routes, and profit. They control through commerce, information, and financial leverage.
Orsaan: Theocracy
Description: Rule by religious leaders (like High Priest Ignarion) who claim divine authority. Laws and policies are derived from religious doctrine, and dissent is viewed as heresy. Control is maintained through faith, fear, and "purification."
Korrath: Warrior Monarchy
Description: Rule by a king (like King Dainar) whose authority is based on martial prowess, strength, and the ability to command loyal warriors. Loyalty is earned through displays of power and a reverence for a brutal, often death-worshipping, warrior code. Succession may involve trials of combat or displays of dominance.
Veythari: Shadow Hegemony
Description: Rule by a dominant, often secretive, elite (the Veythari family/House Veythari IX) who maintain power through unseen influence, espionage, assassination, and the control of crucial information or resources. Their control is absolute but operates from the shadows, making it difficult for outsiders to understand or challenge. It's a system where the puppet masters are rarely seen.
Tarrith: Martial Council (The Seven Old Blades)
Description: Rule by a council of the most venerable and experienced (retired) warriors, "The Seven Old Blades." While technically a council, their decisions are rooted in military strategy, honor, and ancient traditions of warfare. They prefer decisive action and strategic positioning over complex politics, often acting as a highly disciplined, collective military command.
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author's note: I was so scared to actually put this out there, came up with this story one midnight and I've been improving on it since then. just like most of my works I didn't expect it to see the light of day, but I'm in a position where I just have to put this out there, still anxious, still scared of how this may be received but it's coming from my heart and I hope you all enjoy it.
BLOOD GIFT COMING SOON!!!