The Secrets of Soward's Mansion

Trish | contemporary | Complete

[Psychological Thriller] Soward's mansion was once a beautiful, historic example of Victorian architecture, but time has an ironic sense of humor. It's now an eyesore and magnet for crime and vagabonds. I know I'm not the ideal person to restore her, but this is an opportunity to do one last great deed for my town before time finds it funny to ruin me too. What's the worst that could happen? [Winner of the Royal Road Writathon challenge] The Secrets of Soward's Mansionhas been exclusively published on RoyalRoad. All other sites have stolen the story. If you find this title anywhere else, please PM me on RoyalRoad or email me at [email protected]. Thank you!

31.56 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:03

I Summoned You

Adelaide West | contemporary | Complete

Julia wanted revenge, but she didn't imagine she'd get a demon to help her with it. Three girls worked together to cast a ritual, and summoned a demon to grant their wishes. Whether its peace of mind, the confidence to not be bullied, or revenge, the demon is willing to please. What matters afterward is the price that has to be paid. Not only by the summoners, but by the ones who have wronged them. --- Cover photo by Mallory Johndrow on Unsplash.com --- [participant in the NaNoWriMo Royal Road challenge]

26.72 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:03

Warhund - A Mind-bending Cyberpunk Noir Thriller

TheDeliciousMeats | drama | Complete

Cyberpunk meets alternative history in this dark mind bending story about an enhanced canine cop with nothing to lose. Warhund explores identity, family, love, loss, rage, and what it means to be alive when technology blurs the lines between life and death. Kerner Braverhund was used to being the underdog. After the Second Continental War ended Kerner decided to put his life as a Jagdkommando behind him and leave his homeland of D鯾i. It was an adjustment, going from being an elite soldier to an anonymous beat cop, but he managed. He hid his past and his anger, tried to integrate, tried to forget. Years later when a chance run-in with the mob ends in a bloody shootout Kerner knows that his days are numbered and he can't hide who he is anymore. So if he's going to die, he's going to go out on his own terms with his head held high. The mob might have numbers in their favor and the police in their pocket. But Kerner is a warhund with a head full of cutting-edge military hardware, unresolved anger issues, and nothing to lose. Whoever said that all dogs go to heaven probably never saw Kerner use a flamethrower. He's not a good boy, he's not dead yet, and he's going to make that everyone else's problem. COMPLETE What to expect: An enhanced canine anti-hero and his psychotic body-jumping war criminal father fighting an uphill battle. Explorations of Identity, purpose, morality and family. Also dog jokes. So many dog jokes. This book was originally called Death by Chocolate but it was later changed to Warhund because it conveyed the idea and tone much better.

46.17 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:13

One Hell Of A Vacation

Wave Of Wire | drama | Complete

Joseph had been given a pretty rough hand in life. Barely able to hold down a job, relationship history that he would rather not think about, and now his year-long vacation ended prematurely when his cruise across the stars was met with a bang.Stranded on a planet of yellow flora and delicious rocks, he finds himself using the opportunity to make something that he has always wanted: Family. Galactic Government conspiracies, abandoned soldiers, and mysterious insectoids all stand between Joseph and a peaceful realization of his efforts to make a home. - Story is a mix of perspectives starting at Chapter 10, focusing on our Human lead until then. - This story is my first attempt at writing, and as such, improves greatly as chapters progress. I would appreciate if you would power through the first 9 or so chapters where i'm still learning how i want to write.

467.03 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:26

The Soul Engine - (Isekai/Fantasy)

Cambrian | drama | Complete

Summary: Being summoned to another world is supposed to be fun. Or at least exciting. Either you find yourself in a Church being given a divine mission, or you wake up in a forest and have to survive off of the land. And if you're lucky, you get some sort of System as well, or at least a handy Cheat/Power-Up. Waking up in a prison cell with nothing but a pair of pants to your name is NOT the way things usually go. Unfortunately, nothing about Mikael's adventure in another world is going to be 'normal'. An attempt at taking a bunch of well-trodden tropes and ideas and putting my own special twist on them that will hopefully be engaging and exciting! Warning: This story has erotic scenes sprinkled throughout it. Based on feedback I received, each lewd chapter will be marked as such going forward. Update Schedule will be every weekday MONDAY-FRIDAY, with Saturdays and Sundays off!

101.30 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:32

Other West: Diablero [Completed]

T E Branco | historical | Complete

A complete Otherwest novella. What if the life you want is taken from you? After surviving the brutal slaughter of his naval squadron, Van Bran believed he could escape the world of empires, war, and magic by forging a new life on the American frontier. As a rancher, Van's life was simple, quiet, and far more peaceful. But when Van and his drovers come face to face with an ancient evil vying for control of the New World, a life of peace may be forever outside his grasp. Unless Van can take up arms once more and face the terrors of his past, he and his friends will serve as spiritual hosts to demonic skinwalkers. Enter the Other West... Follow, read, and comment today! Thank you for reading.

26.99 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:29

Prometheus

H F J Ballard | historical | Complete

A loose retelling of the story of Prometheus. They say that with the wheel and money the greatest thing man got was fire. The god we got to steal this funny red-orange burning wood or (pot) was tired of being comfortable alone and cried for cold men down below, and so he stole the warm-lit red orange glow& or tried or did, but all he got, for his effort was caught.

21.63 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:34

Blood in the Wilderness

Octavius Minimus | historical | Complete

When a company hiking trip is hijacked for a mad scientist's experiment, things begin to turn strange when a hiker suddenly disappears and others begin to show remarkable new abilities. The search to discover the truth behind these events is complex...and dangerous.

35.36 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:42

My Gentle Alpha

LAJistics | historical | Complete

Alea was once a soldier. However her life came to a tragic end during a mission. Lying in the target's desolate hideout, her body broken and mangled looking at the corpses of her comrades. She wished she could have one more chance to live. It seems something answered her wish! But when Alea opened her eyes again she soon understood that she was no longer in her original world. Follow Alea along her journey in this new world, where she has some "big" changes to accept about herself. Though I'm sure that her fiance will help her accept these changes. https://ko-fi.com/lajistics patreon.com/LAJistics

16.25 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:42

The Saga of Geir Røshjert

Unraed | historical | Complete

"His name will never be sung, son. Skalds and bards like me will never tell his stories to the mass. But only us and us alone will keep telling his story, his actions, his saga. For he is the man who started all of this." This is a story no man in Lumenter will ever hear, no man except for an Arnesen, for his stories are dull and generic to the ears of the masses, except for us, because he is the very reason why our people traveled this far east, why kingdoms in Erisgi fell and rose, why I... even existed in the first place. He is Geir, son of Arne, called 'the Stranger' by the people. But what he truly is, is a fiery red heart that beats inside every Eyklandian, Arnesen, and me. R鴖hjert (My Submission for Royal Road's Writing Competition in June 2022)

10.97 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:40

Gonzo on Dead Air

deepfriedtails | historical | Complete

"All liars are angels and devils, and none quite fair as those under direct control of the puppeteer." Welcome to the Era of Progress! The turn of the century could not have been more grand. Prosperity has reached this corner of the world, and rapidly gaining steam as it builds into a world where every man a king, but no one wears a crown. Life for the everyman is great, family life is great, and everyone is happy! All for the good of a society. People all over the world are coming to this country to build better lives. After all, this country was built on the foundation of liberty and justice, and who wouldn't want the taste of the dream? "Tear down the old world, build a new world," as they say. Cover art - Disparate de miedo by Francisco Goya. Updates intermittently What to expect: A story about people running away.

15.05 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:41

Voracity - Book One

Camelboy | horror | Complete

NOT ACTUALLY COMPLETED Can't figure out how to remove the "Completed" tag :P Update 02/29/24: Working on chapter 12 Voracity - A low-fantasy romance steeped in pain, misery, and an internal hunger bent on consuming the most sane of us all. Thomas is a gentle person, too innocent for his own good. He's kind, thoughtful, and caring. Tragedy befalls the compassionate man and he's torn from his peace by the violent, strangling grip of anguish. Can he remain the kind-hearted man he's always been, or will he slip into dark depths occupied only by those with cracked minds and wicked thoughts as he embarks on the journey of a lifetime, or does he even have a choice? The story is a bit of a slow burn to start, but I promise you'll be rewarded for sticking around. I hope you enjoy Thomas's journey through the dark as he slips into madness.

28.11 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 18:23

No One Sees The Janitor

GhostImageArt | horror | Complete

Dave is not a happy man, But he is a man with a plan. After many years working as a Janitor in the College of Magic, he is finally ready to seize his destiny and become a mage. He has the knowledge he has overheard as he worked and a forbidden object as his focus... but that has to be enough. Who cares if his focus is a mirror? After all... Mirrors can't eat people.

5.61 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 18:19

In the Service of Lady Scarlet (A psychological horror take on gamelit)

Lack of Poochline | horror | Complete

My dear friend, I have sent you a transcript of a most curious find I bought from a street peddler. In this package you may find a weird, dateless diary where the most lively and mad servant of "Lady Scarlet" details his day to day working in her impossible palace: organizing balls that have a gender, using valuable wine to water the garden, and in general being at her beck and call. But soon after he started writing, he began to notice foreign messages were being written in it by a vandal: "Pierce the heart with the sword of gold! Set it ablaze and sear the wound with the blade! Kill the dragon, Francisco! Kill the dragon before it gets you again, before it consumes you." Armed only with his holy sword and the magic he learned before becoming a butler, he sets out to find who this individual is, what he wants, and which dragon they refer to, as such beasts were seemingly not allowed into the realm of Lady Scarlet. I hope you enjoy this find, and even if you don't, appreciate my work transcribing the pages, molded, stained with, or written in, blood.(This story is a Writathon project.)

30.62 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:46

Liminal Radiance: Path Of Old Dreams

Felias | horror | Complete

"Bring your brother back alive." With these words, her family had sentenced their unwanted daughter to death. Frail and broken in more ways than one, she was ill-prepared to face the post-apocalyptic nightmares of the fallen capital. Yet legends are forged on the anvil of adversity. When the last heroes are dead and the powerful dance in madness, a chance encounter with an old friend set this tormented girl on a path to change destiny. Now the weak must become the strong as wit prevails. But sanity is a scarce commodity when the skies are ruled by a false star and primal entities awaken from slumber. [This is an action-horror story set in a gothic scenario. It includes some Yuri-Romance elements in a grimdark setting.] Please note: The first chapter includes a short tag overview at the end. If you like your author chatty, I'm always happy to reply. Each chapter also has a bit about my writing process. Check in, see what's there and if you like it, cool. If not, tell me how I can improve. This story is a proud participant in The Pledge. This means it won't be dropped and is guaranteed to get the intended ending. You can find more about my update schedule at the end of the first chapter and more info about The Pledge by clicking the banner.

113.74 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:47

Ants and Eldritch Horror

LittleCreepy | horror | Complete

If Cthulhu can be summoned by humans who are so far beneath it, why can´t humans be summoned by ants? The answer is, they should be. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- I´ve been wasting my time away on Tumblr and stumbled upon a nice Idea. This is the extrapolation of the question; how do ants see humans and how would you react to a bunch of ants chanting your name? Would you give them sugar if they ask nicely? Would you be a benevolent higher Power? Or something way darker and more sinister than you could imagen. As this is the first story, I have ever written, I could do with some feedback. Thanks The picture is from Ants Australia - YouTube. Just tell me if I should take another picture.

2.62 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:44

Direwolf

bamber_344 | horror | Complete

Roxanne Kindley is just a regular high-school girl. She has a few friends, a few people she'd rather avoid, and an infatuation with a girl she's never spoken to. Pretty typical. Things take a strange turn however, when Roxy helps a bizarrely intelligent wolf while on a walk through the woods behind her house. Not long after, a certain girl takes a sudden interest in her, and Roxy can only begin to wonder where this will lead as it seems her new friend holds a terrifying secret. If you enjoyed Direwolf, follow me on tumblr (www.tumblr.com/bamber344) for news about future projects! (cover art by the incredibly talented @themissakat, check them out!) (crossposted on Scribblehub)

211.93 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:49

Comfort Blanket

Astrille | horror | Complete

The only thing scarier than being alone in the dark, is not being alone in the dark. Alice had always been good at keeping secrets. However, when a young man mysteriously disappears, a catastrophic series of events are triggered, threatening to upend Alice's seemingly quiet life. Haunting memories of her past threaten to make themselves known. A childhood protector turns predator, threatening to defend her from all threats  No matter the cost. Can she navigate the dangers of the unpredictable present? More importantly, is her secret worth dying for?

21.53 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:48

Other-Terrestrial Episode 1 - "Leviathan"

NolanConrey | horror | Complete

The Sapient Union city-ship Craton, twenty-five light years out from Sol have an encounter with a terrifying life-form. The giant entity, known as a Leviathan, has been asleep for deep ages of time, but now . . . they may have woken it up. Other-Terrestrial is a hard sci-fi story with cosmic horror elements.

15.57 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:53

Ystets Lake

Illhark | horror | Complete

The water level of Ystets Lake is rising without explanation. Maxie the hydrologist and her thrill-seeking companion are out to investigate; they've come prepared for the man-eating aliens in the surrounding forest, but what they aren't ready for is the lake itself. Also in the AUU-16 universe: Soulless (Apparently)  The Departure  Night Game  Ystets Lake

7.83 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:53