âOn the 18th of November 2026, this world will die.â
The interviewer laughs incredulously, eyes turning to the camera as if to say âget a load of this.â âOh? and how can you be so sure of that?â
A smile slashes across the Creatureâs lips as the interviewerâs skull suddenly caves in untouched. It turns to the camera, ignoring the screaming that starts up around it.
âBecause Iâm going to end it.â
You are the last of a family of elite slayers.
You are a Van Helsing.
In fact, you were the most formidable foe that Dracula ever facedâŚover 130 years ago.
No one knows how you gained immortality, least of all you. It was a gradual thing, noticing that you no longer aged. You refused to let a single year go to waste though, creating the Helsing Institute where agents were taught to hunt those that deserved it and protect those that needed it.
So, when an ancient Entity reveals to the world that itâs going to destroy Earth in four months, you are tasked with hunting the Creature down and slaying it before it gets the chance.
However, you and this Creature are far more entwined than you could ever realise.
Will you remain the indomitable Van Helsing of legends or will this finally be your breaking point?
[Based on Bram Stokerâs Dracula, Van Helsing is an 18+ interactive work of fiction coded in Twine. Content warnings include death, murder, mentions of past child death, xenophobia, blood, gore, explicit language, explicit sexual content (optional), mentions of past self harm and attempted suicide, violence, mental illness and unhealthy coping mechanisms, grief, body horror, and harassment.]
FEATURES
-> play as Professor Van Helsing (MALE/FEMALE/NONBINARY).
-> customise your Van Helsing: appearance (both now and in flashbacks), gender, personality (kind of SEMI-SET: see FAQ), relationships, hunting style, etc.
-> romance four(?) love interests.
-> poly routes: the count(ess) & the ex-spouse | the count(ess) & the wolf.
-> locate and destroy the end of the world (or romance it).
-> hunt monsters or try to befriend them and give them a home and a purpose at the Helsing Institute.
PAST CHARACTERS | OTHER CHARACTERS
LOVE INTERESTS
THE COUNT(ESS) [M/F] - Miron | Miruna Dracula
[Hungarian | Vampire | 400+ | 6â4ft]
Your (im)mortal enemy turned frenemy and consultant for all things supernatural. You never managed to slay Dracula all those years ago, but you were the only one that came close enough that they actually feared for their life. Unfortunately for you, you gained their respect because of it and in turn, ended up with a very powerful, very clingy vampire following you around like a lost puppy for over a hundred years.
Considered the most powerful vampire in existence, Draculaâs attitude can reflect that. The Count(ess) is charming, graceful, and calculating, with an edge of arrogance. However, you donât have to know what they are to know how deadly they are - it just seems to radiate off of them. Not that thatâs ever really bothered you, much to their eternal delight. Once your sworn enemy, they now offer advice and guidance if needed and their company, even if itâs really not needed.
As a Werewolf that was born rather than turned, Osyka is a rarity these days, and a powerful one at that. They and their small pack joined the Helsing Institute after they were rescued from overzealous slayers by you and your agents over fifty years ago. Theyâve become one of your best agents, so much so, that youâve recently promoted them to your second-in-command. A role theyâve fallen into with ease.
Osyka is quiet, commanding, and dependable. Theyâve been the steadfast leader of their pack for many years and that has translated well into them becoming your right hand. Theyâre the one that keeps a level head in times of chaos and everyone respects them for it. You and Osyka have developed a strong bond over the years and they show immense loyalty to you - theyâre probably the closest thing youâve had to a best friend since Jonathan and Mina.
THE EX-SPOUSE [M/F] - Elijah | Eliza De Boer
[Dutch/Irish | Banshee | 160 | 5â10ft]
Your childhood sweetheart and once beloved spouse, your marriage and Eliâs mind fell apart after the murder of your son, Coen. Itâs been years since youâve seen them, and now theyâve turned up at the institute, hardened and as beautiful as the day you married them. Theyâre extremely evasive about where theyâve been the past one hundred odd years, and their arrival seems to bring more questions than answers.
Once gentle and soft-hearted, Eli has seemingly done a complete 180 since you last saw them. Now far colder and willing to say and do the things that most shy away from, Eli is not the spouse that you remember. The brutal murder of your son and the fact that they sensed it, but still couldnât save him, broke something inside them. The wariness in their eyes when they look at you hurts, but you canât begrudge them for their grief - the only comfort is that sometimes, you catch glimpses of the person they once were and that brings hope that you havenât completely lost them.
THE DOCTOR [NB!M/NB!F] - Victor | Victoria Frankenstein
[Swiss | Cambion | 79 | 5â7ft]
The quirky doctor and grandchild of Victor Frankenstein, creator of Frankensteinâs Monster. Theyâre the current guardian of the Monster and they work for you at the Helsing Institute. You arenât entirely sure how to take Vic at times, especially considering you vaguely knew their grandfather and didnât like him, but their intelligence and inventions are vital to your goal.
Quirky and abrasive, Vic can be difficult to get along with at the best of times. Itâs taken some time for you to wrap your head around talking to the genius, but after 20 years, you like to think you know them quite well these days. They can still drive you up the wall, but you wouldnât trade them for the worldâŚor thatâs what they tell you. Youâre not so convinced when they blow up the lab for the fourth time in a weekâŚat least the Monster is polite and genuinely helpful.
??? [???]
âMy pretty, little fireheart,â the entity purrs as it drags a claw down your cheek. âCease fighting the inevitable and embrace the chaos of a life at my side.â
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Hope you are doing well on whatever stage you are, be it game dev or just life. Just wanted to say thanks for the little joys so far.
hello and thank you for your lovely message!
sorry for the unexpected absence! i got really sick and am only just starting to recover. sadly, this does mean that i havenât been able to write much so iâm much further behind than i wanted to be.
iâm not going to give a date for chapter one just yet because i still have bad days and donât want to set expectations that i canât meet right now. i also donât know how active iâll be on tumblr either, but iâll try to pop in and keep you guys updated on progress/answer some asks.
whatâs the difference between a love triangle and a love angle?
this is a love triangle:
mc has feelings for ro 1, but ro 1 has feelings for ro 2, but ro 2 has feelings for mc. it's a bit of a lose-lose-lose situation for all parties involved (until it's resolved) which can make it rather angsty/dramatic.
this is a love angle:
ro 1 and ro 2 both have feelings for mc, and mc has feelings for both of them. mc is often indecisive as hell and probably ruins a perfectly good relationship between the roâs.
it's a super common mistake throughout media, but i'm pretty sure love angles came about for those who wanted all three characters to be straight bc in a love triangle, someone is obviously always going to be queer.
Will there be any love triangles? The angst of starting a romance with dracula only for eli who helsing still has feelings for to come back would be so good đ¤
no i wonât be doing a love angle or triangle because iâm not an enjoyer of them đ
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The Ballad of the Young Gods is a dark academia interactive fiction story, with dark fantasy and psychological thriller themes. Some of the romances also contain tropes and storylines which may be disturbing to some readers.
It is rated 18+ for depictions of swearing, sexual themes, gore, violence, and death.
Getting into an Ivy League school is a dream that thousands of American students nurse from a young age. Luckily for you, that dream is your reality. Four years of continuous hard work and pressure have made you a proud freshman at Yale University. And as if that wasnât enough, you have been handpicked to attend Rathore College, whose selection process is revered across all the nationâs top educational institutions. But you shouldâve known this stroke of luck came with a catch.
Yale is a crucible of power, where secret societies wield arcane magic and the dead are far from silent. The illustrious House of Styx wants you and this is a situation that not even your money can get you out of.
They are powerful, elite, and most of all, controlling beyond recognition. They are also the heart of the eight secret societies that attach themselves to Yale. From the White House to Hollywoodâs most acclaimed stars, their influence reaches farther than anyone can dare to imagine.
A sinister conspiracy brews under Styxâs watchful gaze, one that threatens to unravel the fragile balance between the living and the dead. But in a graveyard of secrets, you and your accomplices are the ones with the shovels. Youâre now in a world where the past is never truly dead, and the lines between life and death blur with each passing day.
But some secrets are better left buried, and some prophecies are destined to drag you to hell.
As the heir to the Lacroix fortune, C is every bit as arrogant as their bloodline demands them to be. Even after the messy divorce of their parents which further led to their disownment by their father, Alain Lacroix, they refuse to give up on their dignity. Theyâve vowed to destroy him one day and take whatâs rightful theirs, brick by brick. The world bent to Câs whims, what money couldn't buy them, those pale green eyes probably did.
There is nothing that they canât have, especially if they set their mind to that. That is until you came along and stayed one step ahead of them every time in everything that mattered. It wasnât just the fortune or the legacy at stake; it was the bruising of their pride, the constant reminder that someoneâanyoneâcould outmaneuver them. But beneath the layers of resentment and anger, thereâs something moreâsomething darker, even more dangerous.
An obsession takes root, one that blurs the line between hatred and fascination. And they vow to spend their whole life despising you for everything.
Romance trope: Enemies / Academic Rivals to Lovers.
Raised under the oppressive influence of a rigid, fire-and-brimstone faith in a Danish Catholic orphanage, they were taught to see demons in every shadow and sin in every touch. Forever haunted by the visions provided by a wrathful God they can neither fully grasp their mind around nor escape from, their only reprieve came on the day they got adopted at the age of six and diagnosed with schizophrenia. But the truth of their âpsychosisâ may be far more sinister than any medical diagnosis could account for.
As the tides become even stormier and their medications become ineffective when they arrive at Yale, all V can do is hold on to the last threads of control over their lives. Your first meeting almost makes them teeter over the edge.
Now that theyâre your roommate, theyâre bound to you by fate or folly, but whether theyâll be a stable ally remains to be seen.
Romance trope: Roommate Romance.
Wilhelm Johann Ostendorf / Wilhelmine Johanna Ostendorf (M/F)
Exhausted. Abandoned. Lost.
What does the world think of you when youâre a product of brilliance and neglect at the same time? With an Oscar-winning filmmaker for a father and a mother ensconced on the American board of directors at the Louvre, their pedigree is undeniable, yet it is a legacy more hollow than it appears. While their parents sculpted their careers into masterpieces and amassed accolades, they left W to be raised by their paternal aunt and uncle. A sizeable trust fund and periodic checks served as their parentsâ only gestures of care, a shallow substitute for the love and attention their only child so desperately craved.
The only times they had felt more than someone who was deeply unlovable were the summers you spent on rusty swingsets and fast bicycles with training wheels. But the swingsets have long been dismantled, and the bicycles have been traded for cars.
The only questions remainâare you the same kid who saw them, really saw them, beyond the reality of being unwanted and the suffocating looks filled with pity that came with their name? Or will this reunion only serve to confirm their deepest fearâthat they are, and always have been, truly alone?
Romance trope: Forgotten Childhood Friends to Lovers.
Dumitru Constantin Diaconu / Dumitra Constantina Diaconu (M/F)
Charismatic. Reckless. Guarded.
Dâs name is the one that comes up in almost every conversation about Yaleâs wildest parties. A natural-born rockstar charmer with a magnetic presence, they effortlessly draw people into their orbit, collecting hearts and bodies with the ease of someone whoâs always been in the center of the gold rush. Despite the countless admirers and the trail of broken hearts left in their wake, youâll always find them with a Marlboro between their lips and a new person in their arms to warm their bed at night. Their smile is a promise, and their laughter a siren call. In the haze of flashing lights and the thrum of bass that pulses through the walls, they are a heartbreaker in every sense of the word.
Feelings are a complication they donât allow, a line they never cross. Theyâve perfected the art of detachment, of keeping their connections strictly no-strings, because to let someone in would be to risk the vulnerability theyâve long since sworn off.
Will you be the only person they'd let peel back the barbed wire surrounding their heart? Or will you be left with nothing but the faint scent of cinnamon and a tale that wasn't meant to be?
Romance trope: Friends with Benefits / Sex First, Feelings Later. [You will only be able to unlock their romance route through a hookup.]
Maxwell Edmund Whitlock-Singh / Maxine Edythe Whitlock-Singh (M/F)
Duty-bound. Noble. Untouchable.
Politeness and decorum are second nature to M. They are the embodiment of manners, a living testament to the art of subtlety in a world where spectacle often trumps substance. They are the sort of person who commands attention without seeking it, a product of both royal blood and rigorous self-discipline. Dubbed the âParagon of Styx,â M is a modern Plato, someone who finds as much solace in philosophical debates as in the classical texts theyâve devoured in multiple languages. As the second-born child of the Crown Princess of Wales, they have always understood that their life would be one of service with every action scrutinized, and every word weighed.
Their intellect is vast, but it is their passion for the esoteric that sets them apart. For all their convictions, there is a restlessness within M that even they cannot fully articulate. It is the paradox of their existenceâa life of privilege that feels at times like a gilded cage, a role that demands both reverence and obedience. Indeed, heavy is the head that wears the crown.
Will you make them realize that life is more than duties and expectations? Or will you become yet another figure in the background, another reminder of the golden cage they were born into?
Romance trope: Forbidden Royal Romance / Secret Relationship.
Step into the shadows as the wealthy heir apparent to a billion-dollar industry who is just starting at Yale University as a freshman.
Be a part of Yaleâs most enigmatic secret society, the House of Styx.
Fully customize your character including: pronouns, gender, physical appearance, personality, sexuality, and more.
Romance 1 out of 5 love interests (all of them are gender-selectable). Or not. Platonic relationships are valid too.
Study forbidden knowledge, practice dark magic, and try not to fail at your actual coursework.
Test your mind, body, and soul in rituals that blur the line between reality and nightmare.
Learn about the secrets that your mother took to her grave. Is she really the same woman you remember so fondly from your childhood?
Will you rise to navigate the sinister plans brewing under the nose of the House? Or will your actions drag you and your companions to the fiery depths of Hell.
Who would stitch Helsings wounds? Are they used to it? How about if Helsing has to take their shirt off for wound treatment, who would blush
the only people keeping helsing in one piece: osyka, xoese, eli, ren, frankie
would never trust them near helsingâs wounds: vic, dracula, leks
but if one of the roâs were treating helsingâŚi donât think any of them would blush honestly. osyka and eli would be too focused on cleaning and stitching the wound to think about anything else, dracula is definitely the type to say âgrossâ when they see a wound but in the way that sounds like theyâre fascinated by how gross it is, and youâd be too busy running away from vic and their hacksaw to take your shirt off in the first place.
altho there is a medical wing with genuine, professional medical teams so helsing doesnât need to worry too much and they probably are used to it by now, but that can be a choice youâll make in-game.
I feel like Vic would look scarier especially when the patient is screaming and Vic isn't reacting
vicâs also blasting death metal in the background so, to anyone who walks in, it looks like vic is trying to drown out the victimâs patientâs screams.
my answer: i quite like gender differences depending on the setting of the if, they can add quite a lot of nuance. personality is also pretty high on the list for me as well.
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Will we be able to decide if our Helsing is pretty in touch with the modern technology and language or if they are like a grandparent who struggles a bit? Or is the second option set in stone?
this is actually talked about in the faq! but no, nothing is set in stone. helsing is actually pretty keyed up on all the latest technology and how to use it, but if you want they can be a bit crotchety about it. ex. they know how to text on a modern phone but slang is a bit beyond them and autocorrect is the bane of their existence kind of thing.
Start your afterlife anew with new mechanics, expanded content, and deeper choices that will shape your MC's journey in the Abyss and beyond.
READ HERE
Whatâs New in 2.0?
50K+ Words of New Content added to previous chapters.
Choose Your Grief Path: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, or Acceptanceâselect the emotional journey that fits your MC and explore how it shapes their afterlife.
36 Career Backgrounds: Deepen your backstory with various career paths that unlock additional choices and provide unique perspectives on events unfolding around you.
A New And Improved Skill System!
Your Spirit Gift: Choose from six mythical artifacts that enhance your abilities and open new ways to approach challenges.
Detailed Death Choices: Define the circumstances of your characterâs deathâwas it a tragic accident, a deliberate act, or something darker?
Bug Fixes and Improvements: Enjoy a smoother reading experience with numerous bug fixes, text-flow improvements, and better formatting.
How You Can Help
Thank you for reading The Bar on the Abyss, Iâd love your thoughts on the new update!
Your feedback is more important than everâ suggestions for more choices, ideas for how your character should react, and thoughts on the latest content; Iâm all ears and eyes, like some biblically accurate angel!
Based on your feedback, this update will continue to evolve, with a few âpatchesâ while I work on the next chapter.
So donât be shyâI want to hear both the good and the bad!
Iâm so proud to have brought this update to life. This year has been so hard, but writing this game and connecting with all of you has been truly the best experience.
Thank you for reading The Bar on the Abyss and sharing this eternal journey with me. I wouldnât change a thing.
this is something that i came up with today. itâs a bit further into the future (maybe around chapter six/seven, i havenât quite decided yet) and when the helsing/osyka/drac poly is more established (if thatâs the route you take), but i thought it was a fun snippet to show a potential dynamic that will be available.
this is what those of you with a bolder helsing might see!
â$mName, please stop touching that,â Oskya says, reaching over to gently smack $mtheir hand away.
In a move too fast for human eyes to comprehend, Dracula catches Osykaâs hand in $mtheir own. Draculaâs lips curl into a smirk as $mthey leans down to brush a kiss against their knuckles, before pulling away to lean back against the lab bench.
âI could be persuadedâŚif you beg me,â you spot a mischievous glint in the vampireâs eyes and internally brace yourself for whatever $mName is about to say to Osyka. âPreferably on your knees.â
Eli seemingly chokes on $etheir own saliva, still unused to Draculaâs flirtatious manner towards the team.
You can see the flush that settles on Osykaâs cheeks, and youâre drawn in like predator to prey.
âI would enjoy watching that,â you remark, almost casually if not for the way your heart rate ticks up. A change you know both $mName and Osyka can hear. âYouâd put on a good show for us, wouldnât you?â
Osyka swallows, and you watch as their pupils dilate in response to the teasing. $mName winks at you, a feral smile replacing the smirk, giving you a flash of fangs.
Before you can continue, Vic pipes up, âyou guys better not have sex on my lab bench, I just disinfected it.â
Ren frowns in disbelief, signing, âyou cleaned?â
Frankie shakes his head and signs, âof course not, I do not even think Vic knows where the cleaning supplies are.â
OhâŚright, there are other people around.
Osykaâs walls of professionalism slam back up and theyâre careful not to look at you or Dracula, who just shrugs and goes back to touching things that $mtheyâs not supposed to touch.
Which is the exact moment that the device starts flashing and making rapid beeping noises. $mNameâs arms immediately shoot up in surrender, but no one pays any attention to $mthem, too busy staring at the device in concern.
âUhhâŚshould we, like, be running?â Leks asks, signing as well for Vic.
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Someday someone younger teaches Helsing some teenage slang words and everyone loses their mind when they say Yolo in a meeting
leks and helsing have full conversations in slang and ren is traumatised. vic tries to join in, but just ends up making up words (yet somehow leks gets it).
"The blond werewolf is laying upside down on the sofa, his legs hanging over the back of it. Part of you wants to ask why, but the smarter part of you warns you to not even acknowledge it." Bisexual/ADHD spotted
leksâ desk chair is definitely one of the bisexual/adhd variety.
