Titan Termination Series by Andrew Karevik

When I climbed out to the surface this morning, to scavenge some food for my village, I knew the odds were severely stacked against me. A mere nurse, I had no business going out into the sun where all kinds of monstrosities roamed. But what other choice did I have? All our scouts had already perished on previous surface runs, leaving us few other options. It was either take the gamble or let my people die of hunger... moreWhen I climbed out to the surface this morning, to scavenge some food for my village, I knew the odds were severely stacked against me. A mere nurse, I had no business going out into the sun where all kinds of monstrosities roamed. But what other choice did I have? All our scouts had already perished on previous surface runs, leaving us few other options. It was either take the gamble or let my people die of hunger.As if to prove my fears right, I was only out in the open for a few minutes when a pack of Kinru spotted me. Standing absolutely no chance, I started to run for my life but was quickly cornered by one of the fearsome beasts.In a last desperate attempt to defend myself, I managed to hurt one in the face…right before the creature was snatched by an even bigger monster that turned it into a snack. Then everything became a blur.When I came to, I wasn’t the same anymore. As it turns out, wounding the Kinru had earned me some mystical energy called “Bloodpoints” which gave me access to the “Hunter’s Sight.” Now, wherever I look, I have strange words floating before my eyes urging me to assign those Bloodpoints to gain incredible skills and abilities. Moreover, if I manage to kill a monster in the future, it would seem that I could use its bones to craft powerful talismans and its organs to brew magical potions.As I’ll learn, there’s a name for people like me who’ve unlocked the Hunter’s Sight: Venators. But if those new talents give me a chance to survive on the surface, I still am very much a green and weak Venator. I will need to keep hunting monsters if I want to increase my points and provide for my people. Who knows, someday, I might even grow strong enough to reclaim the surface from those foul beasts and the worst of them all: the Titans, the dreaded giants which drove humanity underground in the first place… less

I’m not alone anymore.Since that day I injured a Kinru and absorbed the Bloodpoints that turned me into a Venator, I had been doing every darn thing on my own. From tracking monsters to setting traps or even having to figure this whole craziness out, I could count on no one but myself.Luckily, things have changed... moreI’m not alone anymore.Since that day I injured a Kinru and absorbed the Bloodpoints that turned me into a Venator, I had been doing every darn thing on my own. From tracking monsters to setting traps or even having to figure this whole craziness out, I could count on no one but myself.Luckily, things have changed. With the creation of the first Lodge in centuries, I now have recruits to follow in my footsteps, recruits who will—once blessed by the power of Bloodpoints—each have their own special class and abilities, depending on their personality and natural talents. Yes, I finally have people to watch my back.Still, that doesn’t mean that I can slack off in the least, oh no! The Zinoss Jungle is still far from a safe place. There are myriad other monsters roaming the surface…and Mulrand, the worst of them all, the terrifying Titan who’s reigning over this particular region.If we want to have a chance to defeat him and bring the villagers to the surface, we need to grow our ranks and power. Thankfully, as I push further into the jungle than I’ve ever been before, I stumble upon a few new villages that might give us that edge that we lacked: new technology, miners, metal, engineers, as well as a few more recruits…But if I’m not alone in this anymore, I might not feel entirely like myself these days. The more I hunt down those monsters, the more I can feel the malicious effects of the Hunter’s Stare, that condition known to drive a Venator slowly insane until he turns into a Dread Beast. I will need to find answers to that sentence, especially now that I have other fellow hunters who could fall victim to it. less

We did it! Mulrand has been defeated. Together with my fellow Venators, we have finally managed to take back the surface and install a Fort for all the new recruits to train and get elevated.But that doesn’t mean that life is any easier now, oh no. Killing that Titan was only the first step in colonizing that strange world up there that remains as deadly and as mysterious as ever... moreWe did it! Mulrand has been defeated. Together with my fellow Venators, we have finally managed to take back the surface and install a Fort for all the new recruits to train and get elevated.But that doesn’t mean that life is any easier now, oh no. Killing that Titan was only the first step in colonizing that strange world up there that remains as deadly and as mysterious as ever. In fact, while I still recover from the ferocious battle of Gloriana Valley, I get the disturbing report that a team of Venators—more than a dozen strong—has been killed in action while scouting the area surrounding Mt. Hessua.It is now up to me, the Huntmaster, to investigate. Accompanied by Lily-Verna—the split personality of Elder Verna, possessed by an ancient spirit—I make the journey to the top of the mountain. On the way, we make contact with a horrific beast, but also strange creatures that might hold secrets to help us. On the way, we stumble upon an old armory containing Legacy Weapons that used to belong to the former generation of Venators. Maybe that’s the edge we so desperately needed and that will help us in our mission…But it’s a big world out there, much bigger than the Zinoss Jungle we claimed as our own. And if we want to expand our territory and make it truly safe for the villagers still living underground, we will have to hunt down to the last monster. Titans included. less