by Naro97
His grove burned. His people died. The sword should have killed him too, instead it did something far worse. Bound to the cursed blade Nemain, the very weapon that destroyed his people, he wanders a world where monsters roam the roads, kingdoms struggle to survive, and ancient powers stir beneath forgotten ruins. The sword whispers. It hungers and every life he takes strengthens something far older than himself. When fate hands him a handful of refugees struggling to survive as the village of Blackthorn burns, Kaelen is given a choice: Remain a wandering survivor or plant new roots. What begins as a refuge in the wilderness slowly becomes a grove, a community, and perhaps the first home he has known since the night everything burned. But monsters gather in the forests, politics threaten from within the city, and the darkness bound to Nemain waits patiently for its chance. A slow-burn, Grimdark, progression fantasy featuring: Druid magic and nature powers A cursed sentient weapon Settlement and community building Found Family Meaningful character relationships Politics and leadership Monsters, ancient ruins, and exploration Gradual progression and earned power A hopeful story in a dark world Nature answers. Nemain whispers. He endures.
