Desideratum: Blood Bonds

Desideratum: Blood Bonds (D:BB) is one of the massive novels to be written by American author, Brandon Somerville. It will be 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. It is currently in active development.

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. 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, discussing 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, 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.

This is still a work in progress while the novel is being developed. It covers the plot up to Chapter 18.

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 feelings 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.

This is still a work in progress while the novel is being developed. It covers the plot up to Chapter 18.

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, Infector, Infested, Nurse, 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. She 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 Molly.

Caverns

Chief Ally: Selena Santana

Boss Encounter: Stenhållare

Monster Encounters: Goblin, Barghest, Plant Monster, Bodach, Spriggan, Mole, Kobold, Bogart, Troll

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: Captain Hendrik Van Der Decken

Other Allies: Dakuwanga

Monsters Encountered: Leviathan, Sea Serpent, Siren, Merman, Kraken, Cipactli, Mermaid, Vodyanoy, Ukupanipo, Amphibiman, Grindylow, Sea Monster, Afanc, Nymph, Merbendlar, Undine, Draugr, Ghost, Krakenite, Ammonite, Cursed Treasure

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

Other Allies: Draeope, Hecate

Monster Encounters: Gnome, Leshy, Pixie, Elf, Werewolf, Rusalka, Dryad, Ogre, Witch, Yateveo, Satyr, Dwarf, Rock Golem, Fairy, Fire Elemental

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.

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: Cailleach, Frost Giant, Mahaha, Sasquatch, Yuki-Onna, Rock Elemental, Dark Elf

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, and using Dyrnwyn, she is able to free Jacques from the ice.

Museum

This is still a work in progress while the novel is being developed.

Sewers

Chief Ally: Roy McCoy

Boss Encounters: Mushroom Master, Slime Lord, Gator Mutant, Broodmother, Filth Golem

Other Allies: Molly McCoy

Monster Encounters: Spored Spider, Mushwomb, Mushdoom, Slime, Slugged, Slime Girl, Rat Monster, Gator, Gator Monster, Rat Man, Spider (Creature), Bugged

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.