Desideratum: Blood Bonds
Desideratum: Blood Bonds (D:BB) is one of the massive novels written by American author, Brandon Somerville. It is the 6th released novel, and the fourth of the timeline. It takes place, as all the novels do, in the fictional universe known as the Anaxverse. The story mode is now available, and the game mode is in active development.
Contents
Title and Publication
Mr. Somerville originally published D:BB as an interactive novel with adult elements. In the future, he will be writing all the novels as ebooks. In the original versions, they are written in a second-person perspective as the author felt it worked best in a "choose your own adventure" setting. However, in the ebook form, the novels will be written in the third person allowing for far more insight and exposition. While other interactive novels have gameplay elements, this interactive novel marks the first major venture into a gamelike experience.
Plot Summary
The Anaxverse series of novels can be read in any order, even though they follow a certain chronology. But, because the novels overlap and the stories are all interconnected in meaningful ways, it does not matter the order they are read. This novel is composed of the main plotline, with supporting monster hunts added to enrich the story. These can be in the form of a novel through the Story Mode, or through interactive fights in the Game Mode. Detailings of the hunts can be found after the plot summary.
Brone's Perspective
Brone's story starts with him in the same room as a vampire lord, Ivor. Ivor has stated that a descendant of an ancient enemy is in the area, and Brone needs to capture her. This is at the beheast of Eleanora Blackwood, a character we learn has caused Brone issues throughout his life and undeath. We are given his background, including his employment to Anaximanes Ravenhurst. After Ravenhurst's death, Brone had traveled to Oregon, where he was turned into a nosferatu by Ivor. We cut to meeting Clover Riley, who is a prisoner of Ivor's and seems to be a descendant of an ancestor that helped Brone while he was alive. With Brone having been the one that was ordered to originally capture Clover, he feels responsible for her well-being. He eventually leaves to find his target, and does so at a bar. Absinthe Van Gothen brawls with him, before she runs off towards the park. Brone gives chase. He finds her under the clutches of a rusalka, and is able to save her. After she agrees to hear his offer out, he explains his want to empower Abby to be able to overpower Ivor. He brings her to a shed where he has hid a relic he acquired from Ravenhurst Manor. Given that Abby's ancestor originally locked the relic, he gives it to her. She opens it up, revealing blood. The blood latches onto her, encompassing her, and equipping her with the Blood Suit. She discusses the presence of Vlad the Impaler, and is told to now avoid sunlight. She leaves with Brone, being escorted to Hobs House of Haggle and The Sanctuary.
Brone returns to Ivor's lair. He meets with Clover, mentioning that he thinks he found the way to stop Ivor. When he reports his failing to capture Abby to Ivor, Ivor sends his elite assassins to find her and her band mates and capture them. Brone goes to the Sanctuary as quickly as he can to tell Abby. After doing so, she rushes off. By the time he gets to her, he finds she has just barely survived the encounter, but the assassins left with her friends. He returns to Ivor's lair, and discovers a new slew of vampires, necromancers, and other nefarious creatures. He meets the countess Elizabeth Báthory, whom seems to hold quite a bit of power. He discovers the holding cell of the band members, before speaking with Clover and going to rest.
Brone later is summoned by Ivor, and is told to retrieve the Book of Thoth from the Portland Museum. There is conjecture this is a very important artifact, but Ivor does as he is bid. He infiltrates the museum, subverting guards and researchers inside. Finding the book, he comes face to face with assassins, as well as Rasputin and Anastasia. They further mention the importance of the book, and fend off the assassins as Brone flees. He next comes face to face with The Reaper, who states she has been ordered for his death. He escapes her too, flying away. He delivers the book to Ivor, then briefly visits the band members, and Clover. He is then visited by Elizabeth, whom states Ivor's wish is to summon an ancient Egyptian goddess, Nuit. After meeting with Abby, he decides its even more imperative to prevent Ivor from carrying out his plan. He asks Clover to act enthralled to find out more information. She states that she heard screams coming from the band mates. When Brone goes to find them, he discovers they are gone. He rushes to warn Abby. He arrives too late, as Abby had to slay her friends.
Brone confronts Elizabeth Báthory the next morning. She gains control of the confrontation, in the process realizing Brone’s affection for Abby as well as blackmailing Brone with his treason against Ivor. Brone is dismissed and instantly is approached by Eleanora Blackwood, who reveals her assistance in allowing Brone to attempt to overthrow Ivor. They are interrupted by Sangwen Darkblood, a blood witch who would be able to control Abby through the blood suit. Brone leaves the two to their bickering, and visits Clover, whom has begun to fall under Ivor’s influence. Over the next couple days, he sees her falling further and further, and is told her transformation will be complete on the night Ivor summons Nuit. Brone is later blackmailed by Eleanora to find the Scepter of Osiris. This would provide command over the undead, and while Brone does not want it in the hands of Eleanora, he knows he must keep it out of the hands of Ivor. As he arrives at the museum, he finds it has already been encompassed in a purple mist. He arrives just in time to save Abby from the Anax and Evelyn Addams. Brone and Anaximanes converse over lost time, and the two groups agree to partner up to stop Ivor. While Abby takes Anax and Eve back to the Sanctuary, Brone goes back to the Shanghai Tunnels to look after Clover.
When Brone awakes the next day, he is shackled to a wall. He is scorned by Eleanora for not returning the scepter, then left to Báthory. Elizabeth reveals it was her that told Ivor of Brone’s treason, and that she blamed the conversion of the bandmates on Brone. She leaves him alone, until he is visited by Ivor and Clover. The two taunt him, reveal they know about the Night Stalkers, then leave him as well.
From Absinthe’s chapter and the hunt, Abby vanquishes many of the Nightbred, and even Nuit herself. While she loses track of Evelyn, Eleanora, and Elizabeth, she and Brone do manage to slay Ivor. When they return to the Sanctuary, the Night Stalkers are enlisted into the BDA.
Absinthe's Perspective
Absinthe's story begins with her bandmates. We discover she is in a punk rock band, and has a bit of an attitude problem. She is sexually active with her girlfriend Scarlett, much to the dismay of a member that has had a crush on her, Tobias. She leaves her band members to smoke, and meets Brone Lorcan. She brawls briefly with him, before running to the park. There she finds a corpse in the water, but turns her back on it as Brone arrives. She is ambushed by the rusalka, but shortly later is saved by Brone. She discovers he is a vampire, and agrees to hear his offer out. After going with Brone and acquiring the Blood Suit, Abby heads with Brone to the House of Haggle. This is a shop of magical items run by the hobgoblin, Hobs. She acquires the Babr-e Bayan. From there, she is lead to The Sanctuary, the headquarters of The Night Stalkers. She surprises them and has to fight the lot, before being grudgingly accepted into their ranks.
After her first hunt, Abby awakens to find Brone by her bed. Brone tells her Ivor has sent his assassins, and Abby rashly rushes out to go help her band members. She arrives too late, with her friends being hypnotized. She fights against one of the assassins, and nearly perishes, before being saved by two of the Night Stalkers, Jacques Lombar and Roy McCoy. The assassins, and her friends, had left during the chaos. They head back to the sanctuary to come up with a game plan. Abby has a nightmare, where she relives a moment where she was likely molested by her adoptive father. As she starts to give in to the feelings, Brone wakes her up. She discovers he arrived at the end of the fight, and lashes out at him for not helping. He leaves as she mulls over her anger.
After her fight, Abby has a dream about failing to help her friends. She is reminded of how she mistreated Brone, and then her adoptive stepfather comes back. She fights against him, before her morphs into Vlad Țepeș. He hypnotizes her, and is about to bite into her neck, when she is awakened by Brone yet again. He discusses his retrieval of the Book of Thoth, when Katerina comes out and attacks. The situation calms, and Katerina explains her expertise. Nuit, the goddess of night, created the first vampire. It took the power of another god, Ra, to restore balance to the land. He equips the vampire with the Sunstone, and helps purify her corruption. Other vampires had to flee. The three decide to do more research. Abby takes a break to go on a hunt, but the next day, she awakens feeling more sure of herself. She goes outside to smoke, and is confronted with vampired versions of her band mates. They discuss their wish to take her to Elizabeth, and she reluctantly kills them. Vlad exploits the moment of weakness, boiling her anger. With the arrival of Brone, she gets her emotions under control, and swears vengeance on Ivor and Elizabeth.
That night, Abby dreams of a meeting with Vlad. He shows her visions of his past, including the war his kingdom was in, how he came to be a vampire, and how he used that power to rule his kingdom. That all came to an end when he was slain by Abby’s ancestors and their companions, in part through treason by Ivor. Vlad wants control of Abby to slay Ivor, but she notes his desperation and refuses, keeping control of her body with newfound realizations that she and Vlad want similar things. She goes to Katerina and they both meet Rasputin and Anastasia. The two mention not all vampires are evil, and some will avoid fighting, or even actively help. Abby leaves them to plan with Katerina, and notes that Molly’s condition from a previous hunt has worsened. She heads to Hawthorne Asylum to grab an antidote. While there, she meets the lycanthrope king Lycaon. The two rescue Siri Solen from Dr. Demented, along with a xenopox strain to cure Molly.
The next morning, she is woken by Brone while battling her inner demons. They share a moment of affection, something which Abby believes she does not deserve. She orders Brone away, and Vlad takes her anger and twists it. As she realizes she is losing control, she threatens to kill herself. This ceases Vlad’s manipulations, his self-preservation coming forward. Abby leaves with a newfound understanding with Vlad that she will remain in control, and sees that Molly has been cured.
The next day, Abby visits people at the Sanctuary, eventually learning about the Scepter of Osiris from Katerina. She further discovers the scepter has the power to control Nuit herself. As the rest of the Sanctuary sets up for a final onslaught against the vampires within the coming day, Absinthe ventures off to the museum to grab the scepter. Along the way she finds the Anax and Evelyn Addams, and ends up fighting them for the scepter. Brone saves her from defeat, and it is revealed he and the Anax are old friends. The two duos partner up, with Abby taking Eve and Anax back to the Sanctuary.
The next morning, Abby is preparing for the final attack. She checks on various members of the Night Stalkers, even learning that Roy and Molly are her direct family. As she rallies together all of the members, the Nightbred attack. They are held back by the Night Stalkers, but Abby realizes Ivor’s main forces are in the tunnels. She leaves with Eve, taking the fight to the Nightbred in the Shanghai tunnels.
From the Shanghai Tunnels hunt, we find that Abby vanquishes many of the Nightbred, and even Nuit herself. While she loses track of Evelyn, Eleanora, and Elizabeth, she and Brone do manage to slay Ivor. When they return to the Sanctuary, the Night Stalkers are enlisted into the BDA.
Epilogue
Kendra and Absinthe (now Deputy Agent Absinthe) are travelling on a boat to Ghost Nook Island. Abby gets mission details, and is told to find the vault underneath Ravenhurst Manor. Kendra stays in the boat, as Abby and Brone approach the manor. They find the furnace hiding the vault has been blown open, and a rune is left on the wall. They venture down, discovering an empty room, and Eleanora Blackwood. She tells them she did not take the artifacts, but her scrying reveals who did: MedUSA and Dagan Erebus. The novel ends at the implication.
Monster Hunts
In the novel, Absinthe can go on various monster hunts, helping other members of The Night Stalkers in their monster hunting pursuits.
Asylum
Chief Ally: Siri Solen
Boss Encounter: Dr. Demented, Karloff
Other Allies: Lycaon
Monster Encounters: Aberration, Biter, Blood Hound, Corpse, Gorer, Infected (Demented), Infector, Infested, Nurse (Demented), Psycho, Test Subject
As Abby arrives at the asylum, she is attacked by Lycaon, a lycanthrope king. They realize they are hunting the same person, Dr. Demented. They split up to scour the asylum. Abby fights a series of warped monstrosities, results of twisted strains of the xenopox that Dr. Demented is working on. By the time she reaches the doctor, she finds Lycaon caged and Siri held hostage. Abby attacks Dr. Demented, destroying his weapon in the process. She seemingly knocks him out cold, before moving to unlock Lycaon from the cage. By the time she turns back around, the doctor has disappeared. The three return to the Sanctuary, the xenopox strain in hand to cure a spider-bitten Molly.
Caverns
Chief Ally: Selena Santana
Boss Encounter: Stenhållare, Plant Monster
Monster Encounters: Bodach, Goblin, Goblin Shaman, Barghest, Hobgoblin, Spriggan, Kobold, Murder Mole, Bogart
This hunt starts with Abby riding with Selena to the caverns. They were going to explore a goblin menace, but Selena is captured by a troll. Abby fights her way through the caverns, solving puzzles, entering alternate dimensions, and cooling extreme elements. She eventually faces off against the troll, who has chained up Selena. She solves his riddle, fights him, and escapes with Selena. She then acquires an adder stone.
Docks
Chief Ally: Kendra Tallulah
Boss Encountered: Kraken, Captain Hendrik Van Der Decken
Other Allies: Dakuwanga
Monsters Encountered: Afanc, Ammonoid, Amphibiman, Cipactli, Cursed Treasure, Draugr, Grindylow, Krakenite, Leviathan, Marbendlar, Mermaid, Merman, Nymph, Pirate (Ghost), Sea Monster, Sea Serpent, Siren, Timingila, Ukupanipo, Undine, Vodyanoy
The hunt starts with Kendra and Abby deciding to go to the docks, planning on finding and confronting the Flying Dutchman. They steal a boat to travel to the next place the ghost ship should be sailing to. On the way, they are attacked by a kraken. Abby gets pulled under, deep into the water. She finds herself able to breathe thanks to the Seal of Solomon, and makes her way to the surface. Along the way, she blows up the kraken with some fire bombs, and gains the blessing of Dakuwanga along the way. At the surface, Abby lights an out of use lighthouse to clear away mists, revealing Kendra and the ghost ship. Abigail is able to board by the use of Gleipnir and the Blood Suit, leaving Kendra on shore. She faces off against Captain Hendrik Van Der Decken, and beating him, takes some of his Cursed Gold of Montezuma.
Forest
Chief Ally: Katerina Mordova, Sani Lightfoot
Boss Encounter: Sani Lightfoot, Draeope, Katerina Mordova, Baba Yaga
Monster Encounters: Elf, Pixie, Gnome, Leshy, Werewolf, Rusalka, Dwarf, Fairy, Fire Elemental, Ogre, Satyr, Rock Golem, Witch, Yateveo
The hunt starts with Katerina discussing her want to kill Baba Yaga with Sani. Sani agrees to go with her, to help the corrupted forest. They see Abby and refuse to let her join, before leaving on their own. She follows behind, entering the forest. There is a barrier of light stopping her from venturing too far. Eventually finding a cairn, she communes with the goddess of the moon, Hecate. The goddess tells Abby to defeat her children of nature, earn the blessing of the queen of the fae folk, and put an end to Baba Yaga. Abby does so, but has to fight Sani and the dryad Draeope. Defeating them, Abby moves further in to help Katerina. She is stopped by a talking tree, asking her to obtain gems and to defeat the monsters of the tainted land. Once this is done, she confronts Baba Yaga, whom has taken Katerina under her spell. Fighting both, she causes Baba Yaga to retreat, and escapes with Katerina. From Draeope she acquires Gleipnir, and from Katerina she acquires the Talisman of Žemyna. Yulia Mordova is seen peeking from the shadows, as a plague witch.
Graveyard
Chief Ally: Ayana Bishop, Arion Bishop
Boss Encounter: Heloise Laveau, Catalina Castillo
Monster Encounters: Banshee, Ghost, Ghoul, Gjenganger, Nachzehrer, Pontianak, Revenant, Strigoi, Voodoo Doll, Voodoo Slave, Vulkodlak, Wraith, Zombie
At the sanctuary, Abby discovers Ayana and Arion have gone to Lone Fir Cemetery to confront Heloise Laveau. She chases after them, but as she arrives, she is intercepted by the BDA. She is told to stay away from them, so goes out of sight and hops over the wall. Inside the cemetery, Abby meets Baron Samedi. Samedi informs Abby that Heloise has trapped the Bishops within through a magical barrier, but he will help Abby if she slays some of the undead that were risen. Abby does so, along the way confronting a zombified version of the head of the BDA squad (Catalina Castillo). Slaying her, she confronts Heloise. She seems to be winning the fight, but at one point gets incapacitated by a shadow bolt. As Heloise is giving her monologue, she is stabbed in the back by the Bishops, whom have managed to escape their binds. Samedi appears, where he takes Heloise’s spirit back to the Outer Darkness.
Mountain
Chief Ally: Jacques Lombar
Boss Encounter: Adrasteia
Other Allies: Barbegazi
Monster Encounters: Frost Giant, Sasquatch, Mahaha, Cailleach, Yuki-Onna, Rock Elemental, Harpy
The hunt begins with Jacques having already left for the mountain. He mentions a dark elf that seems to be causing much of the issues. Absinthe fights her way up the mountain, encountering the barbegazi. They ask for assistance killing the angry spirits of the mountain. Once done, they help Abby into the cave at the top of the mountain, where Jacques is discovered encased in ice. Abby faces off against the Dark Elf Adrasteia, and using Dyrnwyn, she is able to free Jacques from the ice.
Museum
Chief Ally: Brone Lorcan
Boss Encounter: Khufu, The Anax, Evelyn Addams
Monster Encounters: Acrophobe, Arachnophobe, Automatonophobe, Autophobe, Claustrophobe, Coulrophobe, Gerascophobe, Horror (Shadowed), Mummy, Nosophobe, Odontophobe, Pediophobe, Pyrophobe, Scythe, Shadow Hound, Shadow Person, Shadow Queen, Shadow Slave, Shadow Wraith, Shadow Zombie, Skeleton, Skeleton T-Rex, Soul Eater, Soul Slicer, Trypophobe, Tyrannophobe
At the museum, Abby finds a squad of cops. She avoids them and enters through a back entrance into a security room. From there, she sees the Anax taking out the squad, alongside Evelyn Addams. Abby overhears Evelyn mention her interest in the Scepter of Osiris, so quickly proceeds through the museum, fighting Shadowed along the way. She eventually finds Eve and the Anax, and has to kill reanimated undead to reach them. As she arrives at the location of the scepter, Eve is already working on opening it. Abby fights the Anax, but is clearly outmatched. He disappears though, and as Abby turns, she sees Eve running from the pharaoh Khufu whom is holding the scepter. Abby slays Khufu, then turns to fight Eve. Having resummoned the Anax, Abby is once more outmatched until saved by Brone, finally arriving at the museum. The two sides converse, as it is revealed that Brone and Anaximanes had been great friends in the past. The hunt ends with Abby bringing the pair back to the Sanctuary.
Sewers
Chief Ally: Roy McCoy
Boss Encounters: Mushroom Master, Slime Lord, Grisly Gator, Broodmother, Filth Golem
Other Allies: Molly McCoy
Monster Encounters: Spored Spider, Mushwomb, Mushdoom, Slime, Slime Girl, Rat Monster, Rat Man, Gator, Gator Monster, GatorMan, Spider (Creature), Spider Slave, Slugged Slave
The hunt starts with Roy in a panic, since his daughter Molly ran off to a monster hunt in the sewers. Abby agrees to travel with Roy to assure her well being. The two split up to find her. Along the way, Abby has to fight several monsters to clear water valves, suspecting Molly being in the sealed up room. After facing several creatures, she finds that Molly has been started to be bugged. She knocks Molly out, and persuades Roy not to end Molly’s life, believing there can be a cure. Roy escorts Molly out, and as Abby leaves, she confronts one final enemy. A disciple of Nergal falls into the sewers, and emerges as a filth golem. Killing the creature, Abby leaves the sewers to check on Molly. She’s been locked in a cage, while a cure is being researched. Roy gives Abby the Seal of Solomon for convincing him not to give up on his daughter.
Tunnels
Chief Ally: Evelyn Addams
Boss Encounter: Zawisza, Ilihana, Sangwen Darkblood, Elizabeth Báthory, Jiang Shi, Eleanora Blackwood, Nuit, Ivor
Other Allies: Night Stalkers, The Anax
Monster Encounters: Abhartach, Acolyte (Nuit), Assassin (Nightbred), Blood Knight, Bone Forger, Bride (Nightbred), Dark Mage, Flesh Golem, Gashadokuro, Lich, Necromancer, Nosferatu, Penanggalan, Priestess (Nuit), Skeleton, Spectre, Starved, Vampire, Warlock, Warrior (Nightbred), Wight, Zombie
The hunt begins at an abandoned entrance to the tunnels, discovered from surveillance. As Evelyn begins to summon the Shadowed, Abby runs off alone. She comes face to face with Ivor’s and Báthory’s armies. As they attack, they are intercepted by Shadowed. Abby cuts a path into the tunnels, slaying Nightbred along the way. She fights through the Black Knight Zawisza, Chernobog’s necrolord Ilihana, and Sangwen Darkblood. Abby finds Elizabeth Báthory, but their fight ends in a draw as neither Vlad nor Elizabeth wish to harm the other. Abby continues forward, eventually finding Brone. In the room he is being kept, she faces off against Eleanora Blackwood. Eleanora incapacitates Abby with a spell, but is caught off guard by the Anax. Just before being defeated, she reveals her illusion, and appears again with the Scepter of Osiris in hand. She is able to command the Anax with it, and sends him after Abby. Evelyn arrives then, and banishes the Anax, as Eleanora summons Nuit. Abby faces off against Nuit as Eve fights Eleanora. Things are going south, until Eve shackles Eleanora with a spell, then uses the Scepter of Isis on her. It cleanses Eleanora’s vampirism, and the light magic hurts Nuit. The Outer Darkness begins to pull on Nuit, who grabs the Scepter of Isis from Eve’s hands before being dragged in. Brone and Abby leave an unconscious Eleanora and Eve, before rushing off to face Ivor. Ivor uses Clover as a shield, but Abby aims above her and shoots an arrow in his head. Brone restrains Clover, as Abby fights Ivor. He gets the better hand of her, but as she weakens, Vlad takes over. The two vanquish Ivor, and run to Brone. Clover breaks free, runs to Ivor, and starts to drain his body of blood. When Ivor fully dematerializes, Clover turns around and shows her transformation into full vampire has completed. She runs off to find her husband, Walter Riley. As Brone and Abby leave the tunnels, they find that both Eve and Eleanora have disappeared. The two return to the Sanctuary, where the BDA has arrived. Agent Getty offers their group a place in the BDA, which the group agrees to.
