Chase had it all planned out. Do a little time in one of the emperor's jails, say a four-year stretch, for getting rid of some trash that no one would miss, and when he got out, the path to leadership would be wide open. Unfortunately, his bastard of a father, the same one who left his mother to die in poverty and him to run wild on the streets, took an interest. Seeing him sitting on the bench when his case went to court was a shock. But not as big a shock as being sentenced to ten years in the Imperial Navy.

When they hanged mage Baron Homburg and his family for treason, they missed one of his sons. The fourth son, ten-year-old Dale, witnessed the execution of his family, and something inside him broke. Two things happened that day: one, Dale became a borderline sociopath, and two, his mage abilities manifested at almost full strength, especially his wood or forest magic. That night he used his new wood magic to hang the earl who ordered the killing of his family.

Magelord Alexander Mason has ruled Northridge for eighty years, his unique offworld magic crushing his enemies and bringing prosperity to his lands. His Firstborn son, Malkin, has long been the heir apparent, with every intention of succeeding his father. To Devon, fifth generation greatson of Lord Mason, such politics are far removed—until he unexpectedly summons the interdimensional Veils of Chaos, threatening the claim of Malkin to the throne.

Verdan Blacke is an Imperial Wizard, a researcher by preference but soldier by necessity. Surviving an intense battle, Verdan is cursed by a hex witch in her final moments. Without any good options, Verdan escapes the ever-increasing pain the curse inflicts by performing a self-made stasis ritual.

Larek Holsten is different from most people living in the Kingdom of Androthe, where his seven-foot-tall frame is looked at with suspicion and anger from its shorter residents; but as long as it helps him become the best Logger he can be, he doesn’t let it bother him all that much. He and his best friend, an axe with a powerful Fusion that causes it to become sharper and stronger than a normal tool, are feared by the trees in the magical forest north of his home, as he can fell the quickly growing monoliths faster than anyone else in the community.

Ian and Vic are brothers. Their lives are simple, and while they might long for excitement, happiness can be found in a hard day's work, a sunny day, or the smile from a pretty girl. Their lives are turned on end when their village is attacked and they are taken as slaves, destined to labor under the watchful eye of their captors. The strife that had long dominated much of the world had found them. Things would never be the same.

All Ole wanted to do was become an adventurer like his brother. He wanted to romance his childhood sweetheart and bring her with on his adventures. Together they would rise in the world and take the fight to the Ashen that threaten humanity. Monsters that create portals and break into his world to feast on humans.

Growing up, she was the girl down the street. Even then, I knew she was different. She was tough, rough, and had the strength to stop a speeding car with her bare hands. We were as thick as thieves, sharing every adventure. Then one day she revealed a secret. She wasn't from Earth. She was from a distant place called the Arcadia Multiverse. Her people lived under the rule of a god-like entity known as the System. That System had its gaze fixed on Earth. And it was only a matter of time before it came for us.

Five years in the prime of his life, wasted. And now finally, after so long, he was returning to society, ready to resume his life. And this time he wouldn't make the same mistakes. This time, he would do it right. Yet just as he was about to gain his freedom...everything changed. He found himself in a new world without explanation, a world of magic and possibilities beyond his wildest dreams. Orc, elf, ogre…hundreds of possible races. Blacksmith, fighter, rogue…thousands of possible classes. And each of them with tens of thousands of possible skills.

Wrongfully accused of treason, veteran Kingsman Elohl seeks the truth of a betrayal that caused the Kingsmen to vanish a decade ago. Inked with the Blackmark and despised for it, Elohl uncovers the truth and exposes ancient enemies. Now, he must give everything to shatter the hidden sect that usurps power from the throne. A bloody war will be reaped in the shadows that will burn nations and bring kings to their knees.

Kris Chambers is a nobody. A 24-year-old man with a dead-end job and no prospects—and, to top it off, a heart condition that forever keeps him on his toes—he spends his life trapped between apathy, self-doubt, and mortal fear. As he walks down an unfamiliar alleyway, he stumbles upon the lifeless body of a stranger. Unbeknownst to him, this grisly discovery marks the beginning of an entirely new chapter in his life. Upon mysteriously awakening in the hospital, he learns that his heart now functions flawlessly, and he feels… different.

In the shadow of Eryispek—a mountain said to have no summit—a dark power is stirring. Storms rage in the frozen heights. Unexplained disappearances shake the kingdom below. And old enemies are sharpening their swords.

While his home rebuilds, Valian finds himself in chains, headed to the imperial capital, Soltar. There, he's to either die in the sands of the arena or stand trial for the death of an imperial princess. Not all is as it seems, though. A dark shadow moves while corruption eats away at the heart of the greatest city in the empire. Can Valian escape the dark machinations in which he finds himself surrounded, or will he become the tool by which the empire falls?

A nearby lightning strike triggers an ancient stone portal, whisking Alex away to a mysterious alien world teeming with magic and danger. Elves, Orcs, monsters, and fantastic beasts abound in this realm of endless adventure and limitless potential. And as Alex discovers, he possesses a powerful gift that sets him apart from the rest. With his newfound strength coursing through his body, Alex embarks on a perilous journey to carve out his place in this strange new world.

Nathan Cheng, known professionally as Nil, is anything but ordinary. With his fourth consecutive game jam win in the bag, he has a lot of big ideas for his own game studio, though he lacks the resources to make them real. Even if he did, the gaping hole in his heart from the untimely death of his sister last year has left him angry and bitter. If only he could have been there.