I started writing a grimdark fantasy based in DnD (Dungeons and Dragons) in Forgotten Realms, where some outcomes are left to a dice roll. I have never written a poem or a book, but I got lost in the topic and building this character.

.

I see grimdark being about moral ambiguity, a gruesome world where there are no good choices or endings. This started as a freeform poem from the protagonist’s perspective, which led to a tragic ballad-like structure.

-Quatrain

-AABB rhyme pattern

-8 or 9 syllables per line

.

The protagonist, “Aaneu”, is a rogue/warlock who lost his past life. In the desperation, he made a pact with a trickster patron without realizing the extent of the contract. The ones Aaneu knew in the past, but they don’t know him anymore. But they live.

If Aaneu were to defy the pact, he and his past would perish. Aaneu is tasked with cruel deeds, while his past is kept as a hostage. His sheer will and loyalty drive him forward regardless. Selfish acts for a selfless cause.

.

In this new life,

Aaneu is part of a collective “The Veiled Accord” that he is a loyal member and enforcer by choice. The few groups and individuals he’s close with, he trusts by life. It’s a story about betrayal, longing, and isolation, with contrasting themes about loyalty, nostalgia, and conflicting romance of “green scales”.

In mental breakdown, either due to the deeds he did or surfacing memories, he falls into an apathetic state, reciting parts of the poem in tears. Trying to process, what is it that he is after?

.

This is just the surface of the character. You can call it edgy or cliche, but I’m really enjoying the theme.