Previously On...
Let's see, where did we leave off?
Ah, that’s right—Jason (Jace) was just sucked into the mirror!
What? Not far back enough? Alright, let’s rewind a bit.
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THE WORLD: AFTER THE WAR, THE FAMINE, AND TECHNOPURGE
A broken world, cyberpunk and sprawling, gridded with remnants of a near-apocalyptic event. Decades ago, society almost disintegrated, collapsing into a Fallout-like wasteland. Famine swept across continents, the technopurge decimated everything digital, and humanity teetered on extinction. Then, John Rearden emerged—a visionary or tyrant, it’s hard to say. He bought the world piece by piece, rebuilding it into a neon-drenched dystopia with the thin promise of hope. Now, civilization survives in a resurgence, clinging to pop culture relics: faded VHS tapes, old magazines, and the detritus of 80s and 90s nostalgia.
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TERRA MYTHICA
Terra Mythica is praised as a sprawling, immersive virtual world created as an escape for a fractured Earth. Far more than a game, it’s a digital reality where ancient mythologies come to life, each pantheon ruling distinct domains filled with quests, secrets, and cosmic battles. Players, known as Travelers, enter Terra Mythica through specialized devices that place their bodies into a hibernative state, allowing them to spend lifetimes within its boundaries thanks to extreme time dilation. While it offers adventure and opportunity, Terra Mythica is also fraught with mystery and danger, challenging players to discover whether it’s truly an alternate world or something even deeper, hidden beyond the digital veil.
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BOOK ONE - IN SHADOW AND LIGHT
The world’s still grim, but hints of life are creeping back. The Dusts are clearing, food’s less scarce, and the cities, at least, feel livable. Enter Jason and Alex—twins, one lost in a coma, the other scrambling for enough credits to save him. The credit system, like everything else, is Rearden’s creation, wielded to maintain his hold on what remains of society. Among Rearden’s many enterprises is Excelsior, developer of the Devices.
Sleek, wired to no one but their user, Devices transport their wearers into a new digital Eden—Terra Mythica. Here, Jason sees his chance. Before Alex slipped into his coma, he’d secured a scholarship to this new world, a prized ticket Jason can’t let go to waste. With Terra Mythica, he can earn enough to lift himself—and maybe Alex—out of poverty. But as he crosses over, he realizes this isn’t just a game. With a 42-to-1 time dilation, players live full lives within its walls, while their bodies barely age, subsisting on little.
Once inside, Jace enters Mount Olympus University—a sprawling campus split into twelve Societies, each embodying an Olympian god’s virtues. Yet one god steps beyond his role. Hades claims Jace as his own, marking him as his chosen. Now Jace must tread the line between light and dark, wielding his unique Soul Affinity and forging alliances and rivalries as he scrambles for survival. There are whispers of something darker stirring, of hidden secrets in Terra Mythica’s core. As Jace’s power grows, he comes to a horrifying realization: respawn isn’t as safe as it should be. He’s not just in a game—he’s plunged into a new reality, with dangers far graver than he ever imagined.
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BOOK TWO - WHEN DESTINY WHISPERS
Stepping further into Terra Mythica, Jace is torn apart in body and mind, arriving to a disturbing realization—the logout function is gone. What was once just VR now holds him, and everyone else, captive. As chaos rises across campus, it becomes clear that Terra Mythica isn’t merely a game. Legends of a cosmic conflict arise: the Infinite Potential versus the Eternal End, two forces eternally warring for creation and destruction.
While Jace struggles with the familiar trials of the university’s labyrinthine politics, the Dark One’s shadow thickens. Strange possessions haunt the students, an affliction Jace alone can combat with his Soul Affinity. But this gift is a double-edged sword—it makes him the sole barrier between hope and despair, between those still clinging to sanity and those lost to the abyss. As the Dark One’s influence seeps deeper, friends turn against one another, loyalty fractures, and Jace is forced to make brutal choices to protect those he loves.
In a climactic showdown with the Dark One, Jace grasps the Affinity of Truth, realizing Terra Mythica isn’t just some digital trap. It’s another realm, one intertwined with Earth, populated by billions of real, living people.
Jason uncovers a truth that shatters everything he believed about his place in Terra Mythica: he is not just a Traveler but the hidden son of Henry, the Dark One—a legendary figure whose thirst for power haunts the land. Originally named Grayson, Jason was spirited away to Earth by his mother, Osira, to shield him from the dark forces that would seek him out. But Osira’s sacrifice came at a great cost. Long before his birth, the game fractured her mind, leaving her memories in tatters—a condition that tore away at her as she tried to protect her unborn son. And thanks to a half-goblin named Bertrude, his birth certificate marked him as Jason, erasing Grayson before he’d ever had a chance to know himself fully.
Now, Jason learns the grim reason for his father’s descent into madness. Henry, twisted by grief and a shattered reality, believes Terra Mythica to be nothing more than a game—one he is determined to end. This revelation changes Jason’s journey, casting the abilities he’s honed, especially his rare Soul Affinity, in a darker light. They are not merely talents but the inheritance of a formidable legacy that binds him to the shadow of the Dark One and the force that threatens to end it all.
With Henry’s influence growing ever stronger, Jason must decide if he will succumb to the darkness of his lineage or forge his own path.
Now, he’s locked in an escalating struggle for survival, facing the wrath of gods, allies, and enemies alike. Tasked with expanding his patron god’s domain, Jace gathers a growing number of Hades’s followers. But just as Jace begins to make sense of his reality, he catches sight of his brother’s reflection in the mirror.
Driven by hope, he reaches out—and the world shifts, pulling him into the unknown.
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THE PRISMATA SHARDS
From the Infinite Potential,
A Word of Power was Spoken,
Its Aether’s boundless force,
The Prismata Stone was Broken.
And thus the Shards were born,
Stars scattered through the night,
Cast down upon man and myth,
To carry on the fight.
A Sapphire for the Scholars’ eyes, quick of wit and mind,
A Ruby for the Warriors’ might, boldest of their kind,
An Emerald for the cunning tongued and Politically inclined,
Amber for the Healers’ touch, soothing hearts and mind,
Amethyst for the Sages wise, their protections intertwined,
Moonstones for the Shadow caste, lost in twilight’s bind.
Together they are the Prismata,
A single blinding light,
Guided by the great Aether,
To end the endless night.
Prismata Shards and Their Attributes:
* Ruby – STR (Strength)
* Sapphire – INT (Intelligence)
* Emerald – CHA (Charisma)
* Amber – CON (Constitution)
* Moonstone – DEX (Dexterity)
* Amethyst – WIS (Wisdom)
Each shard channels its unique Aether into the bearer, amplifying the specific attribute that aligns with its archetype.
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CHARACTER RECAPS
JASON "JACE" (HUMAN) - WORKING THINGS OUT
* Class: Twilight Gaudian, Cleric Specialization
* Prismata Shard: Moonstone
* Patron God: Hades, God of the Underworld
* Word of Power: Soul + Truth
* Abilities:
* Soul Mend: Heals wounds by channeling life force through touch.
* Soul Tether: Links souls, allowing for minor effects to be transferred between connected entities.
* Soul Sense: Grants perception of emotions and spirits, enabling insight into the souls of others.
* Traits: As the Chosen of Hades, Jace is uniquely attuned to the boundary between life and death, wielding powers that blend healing and spiritual insight.
ALICE (HUMAN) - BOOKISH AND BRILLIANT, ALSO TERRIBLE AWKWARD AND LOVES THE MACABRE
* Class: Scholar, Caster Specialization
* Prismata Shard: Sapphire
* Patron God: Harpocrates, God of Silence and Secrets
* Word of Power: Secrets
* Abilities:
* Summon Tome of Secrets: Gathers hidden knowledge to unlock new spells and abilities over time.
* Arcane Detection: Reveals hidden or magical objects and entities within a radius.
* Veil of Shadows: Conceals herself and allies, blending them into the environment.
* Traits: Alice’s powers reflect Harpocrates’ influence, focusing on hidden knowledge, discretion, and subtle magic.
DEX (HUMAN WITH A DASH OF ELF) - COCKY, BUT CARING
* Class: Shadow Dancer, Rogue Specialization
* Prismata Shard: Emerald
* Patron God: Hermes, God of Thieves and Trickery
* Word of Power: Dance
* Abilities:
* Dancing Sword: Conjures a rapier and enhances his agility and precision in combat.
* Evasive Waltz: Increases evasion and movement speed, allowing him to dodge with finesse.
* Traits: Dex’s connection to Hermes endows him with an agile, trickster’s grace, making him a master of swift, elusive combat.
ELL (UNKNOWN... HUMAN, WE THINK) - SHE'S GOT A HARD, CONFIDENT EXTERIOR BUT IS KIND AS THEY COME
* Class: Combat Strategist, Fighter Specialization
* Prismata Shard: Amethyst
* Patron God: Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and Strategy
* Word of Power: Strategy
* Abilities:
* Force Shield: Touch-activated barrier that reduces incoming physical damage by half.
* Pathfinder’s Sight: Highlights the safest and most strategic path to a destination.
* Spot Weaknesses: Detects vulnerabilities in opponents, increasing her tactical advantage.
* Traits: Under Athena’s guidance, Ell’s abilities focus on strategic insight, defense, and adaptability, positioning her as a crucial tactician.
THISTLE (GNOME) - NOT BEEN HAVING A GOOD TIME OF IT
* Class: Defender, Tank Specialization
* Prismata Shard: Ruby
* Patron God: Artemis, Goddess of the Wilderness
* Word of Power: Size
* Abilities:
* Gigantify: Temporarily transforms into a half-giant, greatly increasing his size, strength, and durability.
* Traits: Thistle’s abilities reflect Artemis’ influence, focusing on raw strength and resilience, particularly suited for survival and physical challenges.
MARCUS (HALF-ELF) - BIT OF A TURD, BUT HE'S OKAY
* Class: Combat Mage
* Prismata Shard: Ruby
* Patron God: Zeus, God of the Skies and Thunder
* Word of Power: Power
* Abilities:
* Thunderous Might: Channels Zeus's power to amplify physical strength and deliver electrifying strikes, granting Marcus an edge in both close and ranged combat.
* Stormbound Resilience: Imbues Marcus with enhanced stamina and the ability to endure relentless onslaughts, allowing him to fight tirelessly through the fiercest storms.
* Bolt’s Fury: Summons bolts of lightning that Marcus can hurl or direct, adding explosive force to his attacks.
* Traits: As the chosen of Zeus, Marcus personifies the unyielding power of the storm and the unbreakable will of a warrior.
MOLLY (SPIRIT ELF) - KINDA CREEPY, BUT IN AN ENDEARING WAY
* Class: Speaker for the Dead, Cleric Specialization
* Prismata Shard: Amber
* Patron God: Hecate, Goddess of Magic, Crossroads, and the Moon – under the Banner of Hades
* Word of Power: Fate
* Abilities:
* We haven't learned too much here yet. We do know she deals with lost souls.
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Character Sheet: Jace/Jason (Greyson of Roandia)
Speaker Rank: Silver One
Class Title: Twilight Guardian
Words of Power / Affinities: Soul + Truth
President of the Society of Hades
Attributes
Strength: 35
Dexterity: 42
Intelligence: 52
Wisdom: 60
Constitution: 34
Charisma: 23
Spirit Constitution: 60
Karmic Balance: 15
Abilities
Pierce Lies
Distance: Aura
Immune to illusion magic.
Aether Cost: None
Soul Mend
Distance: Sight
Heal severe wounds efficiently with 50% reduced self-healing costs.
Aether Cost: Moderate
Soul Tether
Distance: Sight
Transfer significant effects between entities over greater distances, including emotions and basic thoughts.
Aether Cost: Dynamic (variable with use)
Soul Survivor
Passive
15% increased resistance to soul damage.
Faster recovery from soul-based injuries.
Aether Cost: None
Soul Severance
Distance: Sight
Sever connections between entities and their host, dealing significant damage to tethered souls.
Aether Cost: Severe
Soul Sense
Distance: Sight
Sharpened perception of auras, discerning emotions, intentions, and detecting spiritual disturbances.
Aether Cost: Low
Soul Walk
Distance: Aura
Step into the Astral Realm, a parallel dimension where time flows differently. Move undetected by most beings in the physical world and venture into the Spirit Domain of willing targets.
Aether Cost: Dynamic (variable with use)
Soul Detection
Distance: Aura
Sense the presence of souls within a short range, even through walls or in darkness.
Detection Range: Arm’s length (increases with Spirit Constitution)
Aether Cost: None
Soul Step
Distance: Variable
Phase into the Other Realm, the Abyss, avoiding physical threats and reappearing in a new location.
Aether Cost: High (increases with time spent phased)
Soul Bind
Distance: Sight
Manifest shadowy ropes from the ground or nearby objects to entangle and restrict the movement of a target. These thin but unyielding tendrils of darkness latch onto limbs, holding the target in place.
Aether Cost: Dynamic (variable with use)
Shadow Cloak
Distance: Self
A shroud of pure shadow melds with your form, providing both armor and concealment.
Armor Rating: +40%
Stealth Enhancement: +35%
Shadow Affinity: +20%
Soul Shield: +25% (Protection from spiritual and magical assaults)
Aether Cost: Dynamic (variable with use)
Aetheric Absorption
Distance: Sight
Absorb a portion of Aether from defeated enemies, gradually replenishing your reserves.
Alchemical Focus (Mad Culinary Scientist)
Chop ‘Til You Drop (Passive)
Your passion for culinary arts fuels your EXP cultivation.
Bonus: +5% efficiency when spending EXP during cooking.
Iron Stomach (Goat Rank)
Legendary resistance to poisons, toxins, and food-related ailments..
Bonus: 25% resistance to all poisons and toxins.
Willing to Try Anything (Passive)
Culinary experimentation leads to unique potions.
Bonus: +20% potion-making success when using strange ingredients.
Over The Top (Passive)
Receive bonus Society Points when exceeding EXP capacity.
Trigger Condition: Exceeding the EXP capacity
Special Skills & Effects
Feast of Fortitude & Gourmet Alchemy
Prepare meals that boost defense, resistance, and morale for all society members.
Bonus: +100% to meal boosts, improved potion duration and shelf life
Sanctuary of Dreams & Ward of Protection
Dormitory: becomes an enchanted refuge with defensive bonuses upon waking.
Bonus: Protection while resting, temporary defense boost upon waking
Soul Bound Star Map
Guides you to destinations, even in unfamiliar territories.
Bonus: Eases navigation and reveals hidden shortcuts
Additional Abilities
Dark Vision (Adept Rank)
Enhanced ability to see in darkness.
Knowledge Absorption (Apprentice Rank)
Improved retention and comprehension of absorbed knowledge.
Universal Lore (Apprentice Rank)
Increased understanding of game mechanics and lore.
Resistance to Death (Adept Rank)
14% reduction in necrotic, evil, and shadow-based damage.
Mostly Dead - Somewhat Alive (Passive)
At 2% health or less, gain a +10% boost to Aether and stamina regeneration.
Immunity from Scan, Identify, and Mind Reading magic.
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And that’s where we left off in Terra Mythica.
AND NOW FOR BOOK THREE - BEYOND THE VEIL.