Shardfall
Centuries after 'The Glitch' shattered civilization, the world is a graveyard of forgotten technology haunted by crystalline anomalies. As a Scrapper living on the fringes, a chance discovery awakens a latent power within, putting the protagonist in the crosshairs of the oppressive Consortium. To survive, they must learn to wield the strange, magic-like energies of the Shard-Code, forge alliances in the wastes, and fight for a sliver of freedom in a world determined to control them.
0
Plays
4
Characters
7
Events
📖 Story Backstory
The introduction and setting of the world, including its history.
Centuries ago, humanity was on the verge of utopia, managed by a global terraforming and augmentation network called the 'Nexus'. A cataclysmic event known as 'The Glitch' caused the Nexus to fracture. Its programming shattered, it began erratically rewriting the planet's biology and physics, creating beautiful and monstrous anomalies. These remnants of the Nexus are now known as 'Shard-Code', crystalline fragments of raw power that litter the landscape. In the aftermath, the 'Consortium' rose from the ashes. A technocratic oligarchy, they control the last bastions of stable civilization and pre-Glitch technology. They rule with an iron fist, promising safety in exchange for absolute obedience. Their greatest fear is the 'Codeweavers'—rare individuals who can interface with the Shard-Code to produce effects that resemble magic. The Consortium hunts them relentlessly, either to be 'sanitized' or weaponized. Outside the Consortium's gleaming citadels lie the 'Wastes'—a vast, untamed world of ruined megacities, crystalline forests, and mutated creatures. It is here that true freedom lies, for those strong and clever enough to survive it.
👥 Characters (4)
Characters in this story. You will choose who to play as when you start.
Kaelen
Protagonist
A cynical and resourceful Scrapper born and raised in the shadow of the Consortium's walls. Kaelen's life has been one of survival, picking through the bones of the old world to make a living. They dream of finding 'Evergreen', a mythical sanctuary untouched by The Glitch, but have buried that hope under a thick layer of pragmatism. The discovery of their Codeweaver abilities shatters their carefully constructed world, forcing them to confront the dangers they've always tried to outrun.
Riona
A former elite enforcer for the Consortium, Riona is now a renegade operating in the Wastes. She is on a desperate quest to find a cure for Data-Corruption, which afflicts her younger brother. She is pragmatic and ruthless, willing to do whatever it takes to achieve her goal. Her knowledge of Consortium tactics and technology makes her an invaluable, if dangerous, ally.
Silas
An eccentric and powerful Codeweaver who lives in a hidden sanctuary within the Wastes. Silas views the Shard-Code not as broken tech, but as the birth of a new, sentient world-mind. He acts as a hermit and a scholar, seeking to understand and protect the Code from those who would exploit or destroy it, particularly the Consortium. He can be a powerful mentor, but his goals may not align with the protagonist's.
Jax
Neutral
The pragmatic and gruff leader of Rusthaven, the largest independent Scrapper settlement in the Sprawl. Jax carved Rusthaven out of a derelict industrial park with sheer force of will. He operates under one principle: the survival of the settlement above all else. He is deeply suspicious of anything that could draw the Consortium's attention, especially Codeweavers, after a previous incident nearly got his people wiped out.
⚡ Key Events (7)
The Spark in the Glass
The story begins. The protagonist, Kaelen, is scavenging in the Glass Spire, a perilous ruin in the Sprawl. They discover a unique, pulsating crystal—a potent Data-Shard. Upon touching it, their latent Codeweaver abilities are unlocked in a brilliant flash of light. The energy burst alerts a nearby Consortium patrol, and a dropship appears overhead. The event concludes as enforcers surround Kaelen, demanding surrender.
Flight Through the Rust
Following the confrontation in the Glass Spire, Kaelen must escape the Consortium's grasp. This involves a desperate chase through the decaying urban canyons of the Sprawl. They must use their wits, agility, and fledgling powers to evade drones, patrols, and environmental hazards. The goal is to reach the relative safety of 'Rusthaven', a small, independent settlement of Scrappers on the edge of the Wastes.
A Dangerous Bargain
Kaelen arrives at Rusthaven, but their newfound powers make them an object of fear and suspicion among the other Scrappers. Before the situation can escalate, Riona arrives, having tracked the energy signature. She confronts Kaelen, offering a deal: help her with her own quest, and she'll help Kaelen escape the Consortium and understand their new powers.
Whispers in the Code
Upon reaching Silas's hidden sanctuary, the old hermit offers to teach Kaelen the basics of controlling their new powers. This is a period of training and exposition, where Kaelen learns about the nature of the Shard-Code, the risks of Data-Corruption, and the history of the Glitch from Silas's unique perspective. Riona remains impatient, pushing to move on.
The Corrupted Grove
Silas directs the party to a 'grove' where the Shard-Code has run wild, twisting flora and fauna into crystalline hybrids. The goal is to find a 'Nexus Node', a stable source of pre-Glitch code that can help Kaelen gain control. The area is beautiful but extremely dangerous, teeming with corrupted creatures and pockets of raw, unstable energy.
Consortium Echo
While returning from the Corrupted Grove, the party is intercepted. Not by a simple patrol, but by Commander Valerius, a high-ranking officer from the Consortium's 'Sanitization Corps'. Valerius doesn't attack immediately. Instead, they offer Kaelen a different choice: join the Consortium. Valerius argues that the Shard-Code is a disease and the Consortium is the only cure, offering stability and power under their control.
The Rusthaven Dilemma
Kaelen returns to the Sprawl to find Rusthaven in crisis. A vital water purifier has broken down, and the only replacement part is deep inside a drone-patrolled Consortium depot. Simultaneously, Jax has learned that a Codeweaver is traveling with Kaelen and is threatening to exile them to appease the Consortium. Kaelen must choose how to act: help the settlement that fears them, or abandon it to its fate.