In a twisted version of the Old West, where Native American fables come to life, the land is teeming with blight and cessation. Skinwalkers, Bakwas, Urayuli, and even the dreaded Wendigo roam freely, constantly terrorizing humanity. In this unforgiving landscape, survival becomes the supreme dream, luxury an impossibility.
But hope lies in Ether, an eccentric substance that defies reason, and Sigils, granting individuals extraordinary abilities. So, as men and women from the burgeoning East venture into the treacherous West, they must navigate the nightmares that lurk within the wilderness and the horrors from above, below, and within.
Survival becomes a battle for the mind, body, and soul. Each step must be taken lightly, lest they fall prey to a grim fate—a forgotten corpse, a demon's feast, or the plaything of ancient and incomprehensible beings.
Fools tread where angels fear to gaze, yet not all fools let themselves crumble. Some are simply too stubborn to break.
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What to expect
Fights - This world is a violent one, so expect gore, killing, and plenty of combat. But that's not all there is.
Adventure - A vast world that is centered on the Wild West and that period of technology mixed with the supernatural in every aspect from guns to the government.
Progression - Both character-wise and power-wise throughout the story. This does not apply to just the MC. Anyone can grow. Even enemies.
Power System - I've tried my best to make a unique system with a bit of mystery to it. It takes effort, introspection, and experience to grow. And... a little murder. Powers are complex, vast, and have their own restrictions. Oh, and Gods might as well be eldritch abominations for the most part.
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Also, in case any are curious, most creatures, monsters, demons, and the like are based on native American and just American folklore/mythology in general. If you are ever curious about where something comes from, just ask in the comments, and I'll let you know.
This is crossposted on RR, link here, and I will be posting 3 Chapters a day, one every 8 hours or so, until it is caught up with RR at ~150 Chapters with ~500,000 words. Once caught up, Updates will be Mon-Fri just like RR.
Main cover by Fulminaire
Link to RR, in case you want to read ahead to catch up there.
https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/60315/tread-lightly-among-hearts-and-haunts
Cowboys meet Lovecraft
Tread Lightly is an interesting take on an apocalypse, drawn out over many years as humanity slowly loses the war against a variety of powerful and unique demons. The author takes elements of coming-of-age novels, throw in a dash of Western, a sprinkle of eldritch horror, and we're left with this work of art. The "magic" system is also very interesting, moving away from a lot of the overused tropes that are commonplace in this genre of books.
Overall this is definitely worth reading. The magic / progression is really interesting and isn't laden with system messages and blue boxes like many other stories.
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