Wander West, In Shad

CoverartdonebyTofuyi!BOOK1COMPLETED!Thelongpathstartshere.Ajourneythroughlandshauntedbydemons,fae,andtheghostsofthepast.Fordecades,thelandsofAurumlivedinfearbeneaththethreatofthewickedWhiteQueen.Acruelsorceress,sheworkedtheArtofmagictobringdownfreezingblizzardsandruinuponthosewhoopposedher.Hermadambitionswallowedanentiregenerationinflameandhorror,anditseemedthatallwouldbesweptupinthebloodytyrannyofherrule.Foratime.Thatsallinthepast,now.Yearsback,theWhiteQueenwasslain,herambitionsbroken,hererstwhilekingdomshattered.Thebonesofherkinsmenscatteredintotheearth,somuchdust,allfornaught.Soitgoes.ThoughtheQueensWarisnothingbutamemorynow,thelandsaretired,broken,bleddry.Charredruinsliewherebustlingtownsoncestood,andquietshadowssettlewherefolkmadetheirhomes,theirlives,notsolongago.Wherehumanityhasretreated,darkpowerssuchasfaeanddemonshavecreptforth.Eventhegodsseemexhausted.Somewonderifthingswilleverberightagain.ItisintothesescarredandshatteredlandsthattheyoungwizardMartimeos,nowofage,takeshisfirststeps.SuchisthenatureoftheArt;thoseitembracesaredrivenforthtowander,toseethelands,nomatterthedarknessthatliesacrosstheirpath.Butunlikemost,hehasagoal:HisolderbrotherlefttofightagainsttheWhiteQueen,butneverreturned,leavingbehindonlytalesofwhathehaddone.Martimeosdoesnotholdontothehopethathisbrothermaylive,oreventhathellfindhisbones,buttolearnofwhathappenedtohim,tohisfriends?Thatisworthknowing.Andsohefollowsafadingtrail,chasingechoesofthepastandhauntedbyhismemoriesofthewarshorror.Itwillbealongjourney,andalongthewayMartimeoswilluncoversecrets,talesofhisbrothersheroismanddeeds.Hewillbegintowonderwhatsortofmanhisbrotherwas,andwhetherornotthewarhadchangedhim.Intime,thesequestionswillcarryhimwest,farwest;deepintothemysteriesoftheArtandtheworlditself.FortunehasitsplansforMartimeos,andthosewhowouldtravelwithhim-whetherhewouldlikeitornot.Butitallstartshere,inadarkforest,andachancemeetingwiththemysteriousswamp-witch,Elyse,whoseeasysmilesandcharmhidesecretsdarkerthanMartimeossuspects.Here,withaquietshadefromhispastthathauntshim,andstrange,cruelthornsthatchokethelandandhisverydreams.Here,withthecursedvillageofSilverfish,anditstaleofwoe,andtheregretsandsorrowsofitsfolk,withdemonsanddefeatedmenandatragedythathasgoneonforfar,fartoolong.Theworldasitoncewasmightneverreturn,butthereisalwaysthechoice:todowhatonecantomakeitbetter,orsettleintotheshadowyourself.TheArtwillsnareyouandFortunecastyoutothewindtotellthetaleitwants.Comealongandseehowitbegins.Wanderwestwithus,ifyouwould.WANDERWEST,INSHADOWisaslow-paced,classicadventuretalethattakesplaceinadarkfantasyworldoffadedkingdomsandlosthistory,withnolitrpgelements.Magicinthissettingislesspowerfulthaninmanyotherfictions,especiallywhenElyseandMartimeosarefirststartingouttheirjourney:discretionisthebetterpartofvalor,anditisoftenbettertorunthanitistostandandfight.Ifyouareinterestedinalongstoryfullofdangerandmysteryandsomedarkerthemes,wheretheprotagonistsgraduallybecomestronger,thismaybetheseriesforyou!