To the Hilt

Swords, sorcery, and seduction. Fight for glory on the world stage, and find love nestled deep in the mountains. Do you choose the duke? The prince? The mercenary? The dragon or the loner? To the Hilt: Passion Unsheathed is a 300,000-word interactive novel by Raven de Hart. It's entirely text-based, without graphics or sound effects, and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination. The Thirteen-Year Tournament is Hexian’s answer to preventing the destruction of the world. The strongest fighters on Hexian can fell mountains or cleave through the sky with only the slightest effort. To let them fight would be catastrophe. Instead, every thirteen years, the factions come together to display the skill of their young generation, to show the others what power is waiting should they cross a line. But of course, the tournament is also an excuse for the five factions to come together. They trade, they quarrel, and more than a few relationships are forged in the heat of the arena. You are the son of a disgraced Margrave of the Sendrin Empire, and no one is under any delusions about why you’re at the Thirteen-Year Tournament. Your generation has few passable fighters, so you’re in by default. No one expects much of you, and so long as you don’t embarrass the empire, it will be a resounding success. However, this is not merely a chance to represent the Sendrin Empire, but a chance to make a name for yourself, to repair your family legacy, and to build your coffers. Treasures about at the tournament, flowing almost as freely as gossip for those who know how to gather them. Yet the most valuable treasure may be the relationships. With so many young fighters under so much pressure, it’s only natural that romance—and lust—will bloom. Do you fall back in with Prince Kidran, your former love? Errgaul, a wandering green dragon? Tlekk, a mercenary who enjoys his work? Chier, a brooding, mysterious figure from the Eagle Archipelago? Hainn, the archduke of a jungle kingdom? · Build your character to fight as you see fit. · Woo one of five romance options from all around the world. · Explore the magic and mysteries of an entirely new land. · Gain treasures, wealth, and reputation. · Uncover the mysteries that Hexian would rather keep hidden. The tournament will carry forward, even as tension grows beneath the surface. It was never going to be a rollicking time in your fights to the death, but there’s a more sinister edge undercutting the tournament. What it is, you can’t say, but you’ll need to be ready when it cuts out at you. But don’t worry about hurt feelings. After all, what’s a little swordplay between lovers?