Fantasy: Grimdark - Atrocity's Shadow

Atrocity's Shadow: Oaths and Alliances Shatter Under the Weight of Necessity

Story Dossier + Outline

Premise:

Bound by a fractured vow in a fantasy empire crumbling from internal rot, a weary mercenary captains a doomed campaign where supposed necessities lead to mass civilian slaughter, culminating in a hollow victory that cements a tyrannical new order.

✨ Genre: Grimdark Fantasy

✨ Tropes/Themes: Cynical mercenary bound by broken oath, Atrocity mistaken for strategic necessity, Enemy defeated at catastrophic civilian cost, “Peace” entrenches a worse regime, Haunted ruins, Fractured loyalties, Propaganda as weapon, Descent into madness

✨ POV & Structure: Third-person past tense from multiple unreliable narrators, structured as a Hero's Journey with an initial refusal of the call, transformative trials, and an open-ended return that suggests no true resolution.

✨ Vibe: A pervasive sense of dread and ethical erosion permeates the tale, with raw depictions of violence and psychological unraveling. The vibe is oppressively dark, focusing on the banality of evil in a world where survival demands compromise. Plot-centric with intense grimness, steering clear of romance.

✨ Book Size: Novel (60,000-100,000 words)

✨ Chapter Count: 48 Chapters

✨ Word Count: target 2000-2500 per chapter

✨ Heat Level: No Romance (plot-focused, no romantic elements)

What you get:

✅ Complete Premise with core concepts and Narrative Physics Architecture

✅ Complete Story Dossier — including detailed characters, relationship arcs, locations and objects, world rules and histories, multiple subplots, and market researched genre and style guides.

✅ A detailed 48 chapter outline.