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Bobby Ward Author
The Shattered Court
A Guide to The Realm
Before you step into the shadows, explore the secrets of the realm: the tropes that shape its magic, the souls who walk its roads, how their names are spoken, and what dangers linger in the dark.
Magic may weave the story, but familiar threads guide the heart. These are the beloved tropes stitched into the tapestry of the tale — the sparks, the tension, and the chaos that awaits.
Tropes of The Realm
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Romance Themes
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Enemies-to-Lovers
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Opposites Attract
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Fated Mates
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Slow Burn
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Forced Proximity
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Love-Hate Dynamic
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Lovers in Denial
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But We Can’t Be Together
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It Will Never Work
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Sworn Off Relationships
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Different Worlds
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Social Class Divide
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Size Difference Romance
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Immortal Falls for Mortal
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Destructive Romance
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Not-So-Happy Ending
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Fantasy & Supernatural Elements
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Magic
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Magic With a Price
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Portal Fantasy
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Faes
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Shape-Shifters
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Demons
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Reaper
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Monster Romance
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Eternal Torment
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Lover Trapped in Another Realm
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Inconvenient Prophecies
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Action, Adventure & High Stakes
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Quest / Journey
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Political Intrigue
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Royalty
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Warrior Archetypes
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Combat & Battles
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Weapons (Daggers, Swords, etc.)
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Peril
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Chase Scenes
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Captivity
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Revenge / Vengeance
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Interrogation
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Dark & Emotional Trauma
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Tortured Hero / Tortured Souls
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Dark Past
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Dark Secret
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Emotional Scars
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Damaged / Broken Character
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“Who Hurt You?”
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Violence
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Death
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Murder
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Depression
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Manipulation
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Dark Romance & Kink Elements (Reader Discretion)
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Primal Alpha Energy
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Punishment
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Bloodletting
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Tied Up / Restraint
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Locked Away
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Public Play
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Character Backstories & Internal Struggles
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Scars (Emotional & Physical)
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Orphan
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Loner
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Abusive or Controlling Parent
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Parental Neglect
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Sleep Deprivation
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Addiction / Alcohol Abuse
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Poverty
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“Not Good Enough” Mindset
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Identity & Representation
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MF Romance
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MM Romance
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Bisexual Representation
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Setting & World Texture
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Ye Olde Tavern
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Darkness & Shadows
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Bargains
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Romantic Moments & Tension
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Found Family
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Self-Sacrifice
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Romantic Rain / Caught in the Rain
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Stranded Together
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Jealousy
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Kissing
Every realm has its shadows. Here lie the cautions for those who tread tenderly, so you may step safely through the darker paths this story dares to explore.
Warnings of The Realm
This story contains mature and potentially distressing themes. Please take care while reading.
Sex & Sexual Violence
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Dubious consent
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Sexual violence and coercion
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Abuse & Harmful Relationships
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Child abuse
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Domestic abuse and violence
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Emotional abuse
Mental Health & Suicide
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Addiction
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Alcoholism
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Anxiety and panic attacks
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Depression
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Phobias
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Post-traumatic stress
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Sleep disorders
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Suicide and attempted suicide
Alcohol & Substance Use
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Alcohol consumption and abuse
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Overdose
Pregnancy, Birth & Children
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Infertility
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Stillbirth
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Traumatic childbirth
Blood, Injury & Medical Content
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Blood and gore
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Physical injuries
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Scars
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Dead bodies and body parts
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Decapitation
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Dismemberment
Death & Bereavement
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Death of a parent
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Death of a spouse
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Grief and loss
Violence & Crime
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Asphyxia, strangulation, and suffocation
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Captivity and confinement
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Disappearance of loved ones
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Knife, sword & axe violence
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Physical assault
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Murder and attempted murder
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Scalping
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Torture
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A Note of Care
This list is not exhaustive. I am only human, and despite best efforts, something may have been missed.
If you encounter a sensitive topic within the story that is not listed here and you feel it should be, please feel free to contact us so we can update this page.
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The tongues of distant kingdoms often twist upon mortal lips. Here you’ll find guidance to speak the names and places of this realm as they were meant to be heard. A small piece of magic to carry on your journey.​
Pronunciations
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Abbadon — Ab-bah-don — Creature from the Trial of Grief
Aerian Uldreath — Air-re-on Ul-dree-th — The last of the ancients
Azrah — Az-rah — Free city in the Wild Fae Lands
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Brelowen — Bree-loh-en — Unseelie hamlet
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Caer Amharach — Ky-eh Am-ra-ach — Fortress of Fate
Callista — Cal-lis-stah — Goddess of Kindness
Carthienne — Cah-thee-en — Monstrous spirits
Coill-an-Fhola — Koy-an-Tho-lah — Forest of Blood
Corvan Lysheart — Cor-van Lee-s-art — Fae author
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Draegus — Dray-gus — Seelie General, Sworn Hand of the Crown
Drielle — Dree-el — Fae healer
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Finloren — Fin-lor-ren — Royal House, now ruins
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Glaithmara — Glay-th-mah-ra — Kingdom of Shadows and Storm
Gorthaine — Gor-fay-n — Maw beast
Gorvanok — Gor-vah-noch — Region near the Trial of Fear
Greiva — Gray-vah — Troll species
Grimordeus — Grim-mor-dee-os — Creature
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Isorm — Iy-sor-m — God of Fairness
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Hravayn — Rah-veen — Human
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Lex Primora Noctae — Lek-s Pree-mor-rah Noch-tay — The ancient law of the First Night
Loeck — Low-ech — Demon
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Maelvryns Grasp — Mal-ver-rins Grasp — Trial of Fear
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Nocthraen — Noch-thray-en — Nightvein
Noctareth — Noch-ta-reth — Temple ruins
Noctvael — Noch-vay-el — Shadows
Nytherax — Nith-thir-rax — Forest creatures
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Olaryn — Oh-lar-in — Place of the Trial of Endurance
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Prythnell — Prith-nel — Wraith — Trial of Fear
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Rah Veins — Rah — Mystical vessels of power
Rohan — Rowe-han — Fae
Run Dorcha — Roon Dor-cha — The Secret Court
Ryndor — Rin-dor — Fae
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Sois Faradh — Shee-us Far-ugh — Catacombs beneath the Secret Court
Solaris — Soh-lah-ris — The City of Light
Solas — Soh-las — The Province of Light
Soraxis Sisters — Saw-rach-sis — Fae creatures of the Trials
• Mirixia — Mih-rich-see-ah
• Melixia — Mel-ich-see-ah
Sylthwin — Sil-swih-n — Village where Rohan and Greylin live
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Techduin Mountains — Tech-doo-in — “The Lost Soul” mountains
Thalassa — Thal-lass-ah — Goddess of Justice
Thalyth Nohr — Thal-ith-nor — Underground tunnels
Tierahegain — Teer-eh-gay-n — The Wastelands
Tir na Sgail — Terr-na-skah-l — Forest of Shadows
Tirithmere — Teer-rith-meer — Trial of Reason tunnels
Torran Mor — Tor-an More — Gold mines
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Umbraithe — Um-bray-th — Wraiths
Ususa Kin — Oo-su-sah-kin — Wraith kin
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Velkarinth — Vel-ka-rin-th — City of the Shattered Court
Velithra — Vel-lee-thrah — The Haruspex
The destiny of this world lies in the hands of those who dare to shape it. Meet the warriors and wanderers, the rulers and rebels. Each have a story that could save their realm… or doom it.
Characters of The Realm
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