The Unwritten Year
At the prestigious Linwood Academy, life is a comfortable routine of classes and friendships. But when you discover evidence of a student that no one else remembers, you're pulled into a terrifying mystery. The school itself seems to be erasing people from existence, and as the inconsistencies mount, you must uncover the truth before you're the next to be forgotten.
0
Plays
4
Characters
7
Events
📖 Story Backstory
The introduction and setting of the world, including its history.
Linwood Academy is an elite boarding school for magically gifted students, hidden from the mundane world by powerful wards. For centuries, it has been a haven for young mages to learn in peace. The school's idyllic campus and potent magical defenses are sustained by the 'Aethelgard Compact,' an ancient pact that grants the school's very grounds a form of sentience. Unbeknownst to the students, this sentience comes at a cost: to maintain its own existence and the integrity of its wards, the Academy must periodically 'prune' a student from reality in a process called 'The Fading.' It is a slow, insidious process where memories of the target fade first, followed by written records, and finally, their physical self. Most are unaware this is happening, unconsciously accepting the gaps in their memory as normal.
👥 Characters (4)
Characters in this story. You will choose who to play as when you start.
Alex Ryder
Protagonist
An intelligent and methodical student at Linwood, Alex's greatest strength—a near-photographic memory—has become their greatest curse. They are the only one who remembers the 'vanished' student, Maya, and are driven to prove she existed. Their journey forces them to confront their own self-doubt and learn to trust others in a world that seems designed to make them feel insane.
Kaelen Blackwood
Neutral
The head librarian and archivist of Linwood Academy, Mr. Blackwood is a guardian of the school's deepest secrets, including the truth of The Fading. He is not evil, but a pragmatist who believes this horrifying process is a necessary sacrifice to protect the school and its hundreds of other students from far greater magical threats from the outside world. He lost someone he cared for to The Fading decades ago, a tragedy that cemented his grim resolve to uphold the Compact.
Chloe Vance
Neutral
The ambitious and sharp-witted editor of the school newspaper, 'The Linwood Ledger.' Chloe is driven by a thirst for truth and a good story—and she's not always picky about the order. She is deeply skeptical of anything that can't be verified, which initially puts her at odds with Alex's seemingly paranoid claims.
Maya Singh
Neutral
Maya is the ghost at the heart of the story—the friend Alex Ryder remembers but the world has forgotten. She was endlessly curious and possessed a knack for finding trouble, which may have ultimately drawn the attention of the Aethelgard Compact. Her loyalty to Alex was fierce, and her sudden, inexplicable absence is the catalyst for the entire mystery.
⚡ Key Events (7)
A Ghost in the Archives
The story begins as the protagonist finds a photograph of a forgotten friend, Maya Singh, in the school archives. Upon questioning friends and faculty, they are met with confusion and denial—no one remembers Maya. The protagonist is left alone, holding the photo, the only proof that their friend was ever real. The world suddenly feels wrong, and the safety of Linwood Academy becomes a fragile illusion.
The Fading Trail
Following the initial discovery, any attempt to find official records of Maya Singh fails. Her name is missing from digital databases, printed class rosters, and old yearbooks that the protagonist was sure they'd seen her in before. The protagonist may find a secondary piece of evidence—a locker with a broken combination lock that feels familiar, a scuff on a dorm room floor where a bed used to be, or a team trophy with a nameplate that has been mysteriously, unnaturally blanked.
Whispers in the Walls
As the investigation continues, the protagonist starts to experience strange phenomena. They hear faint whispers that sound like Maya's voice in empty hallways, see fleeting shadows in their peripheral vision, or find their own notes and evidence subtly altered or misplaced. The Fading is beginning to affect their own perception of reality, a sign that the Academy's magic is actively resisting their attempts to uncover the truth.
The Archivist's Test
After making direct inquiries, Alex is summoned by Mr. Blackwood to the library. The archivist presents a magically altered student registry, showing Alex's original roommate was someone else entirely. He calmly and logically explains away every inconsistency Alex raises, a masterclass in gaslighting. It's a direct challenge to Alex's sanity and resolve.
The Ledger's Lead
If Chloe Vance has been convinced, she uses her journalistic access to dig into the school's mundane records—the places the Academy's magic might overlook. She uncovers a procurement order for two sets of dorm furniture for Alex's room from the previous year, but the housing assignment only lists one occupant. It's the first piece of concrete, external proof that someone is missing.
The Compact's Chamber
Following a clue from a faded map or a whispered echo, Alex discovers a hidden passage behind a specific bookshelf in the library's oldest section. The passage leads down into the school's foundations, ending at a sealed stone door covered in glowing runes. This is the antechamber to the mechanism that controls the Aethelgard Compact.
The Unraveling
Alex's investigation has drawn too much attention from the Aethelgard Compact. They are now being targeted for The Fading. It starts subtly: Chloe asks them to repeat their name, a professor overlooks them when handing back papers, their own reflection seems less distinct for a moment. The protagonist is no longer just the hunter; they are now the hunted.