To this date Kevin has written two published works: his own novel, The Accursed Realm: the Blood Gem and a short story in a horror anthology, From the Shadows Check out the info on the News page
In the world of fantasy or dreams there are many realms. Imagine a realm that exists where nightmarish creatures or creatures of darkness are born and thrive.
Welcome to the Accursed Realm where creatures of the night thrive when the sun is down. Darkness is their friend and for the humans living becomes survival. Some night creatures live in harmony with humans while others are constantly trying to tip the balance of power. Have no fear for all of the dark brethren are weak, slumbering, or hiding when the sun rises. With the creatures of the night a constant threat to the humans, bounty hunters, slayers, and other vigilantes, whether lawful or not, hunt them from every corner.
In the beginning humans thrived in the world and practically conquered everything. Technology had advanced to the point of space travel and possible colonization of other habitable planets. At that time mankind decided to work for the benefit of all. Wars began to dwindle to the point of very small skirmishes that were dealt with so quickly that they were soon forgotten. It was a new age of excellence and complacency was spreading among them like a cancer. It seemed all challenges in the world to excel had been met. Every known disease had a cure and life spans had been expanded to the point that a person could live for two hundred years. Genetic defects had been virtually eliminated from the gene pool of humanity. Humans marveled at their scientific and medical accomplishments. They began to think of themselves as gods, the source of all the answers to problems. Their creator frowned upon such arrogance. Soon afterwards most of society relied on itself and had forsaken its creator.
Although most of the world had been civilized and charted at this time, there were still remote areas to explore. A very large island was discovered at this time. This uncharted island was virtually invisible to present technological scanning equipment for unexplainable reasons. Some theorized that it could have been Atlantis, the lost continent. This uncharted area of the world was named Genesha, a place untouched by the hand of man until now. Like any uncharted area, humans began to develop it and vast civilizations where spawned. Researchers of all kinds and fortune hunters flocked to the island to discover its many treasures. One of its treasures was a mysterious box of unknown origin. There were no designs or distinguishable markings except for an inscription on the lid of the box. The inscription was written in an ancient language, possibly from biblical times. The inscription was translated and read: Misfortune awaits all who seek it.
The founders contemplated on whether they should do a more in-depth study of the box or venture on opening it. Humans, being the arrogant creatures that they were at this point, decided to open it. Once the box was opened, the fate of the island’s inhabitants was sealed. Thus, the change of the island began and the outside world will never know the horror that took place.
All of the scientists who were at the excavation site of the box were forever changed by the dark mysterious power that was unleashed. The land area surrounding the site was destroyed and an unexplainable chain reaction began. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods and violent storms manifested all over the island. The disasters happened too frequently for the inhabitants to react fast enough. All major metropolitan areas and surrounding cities were leveled like an arrangement of dominoes. Dark clouds filled the skies, creating a perpetual darkness over the island. Several sightings of strange beasts were reported attacking anyone they came into contact with and devouring their flesh. Corpses were coming out of their graves and the dead walked among the living. Crazed humans started attacking people and draining them of their blood. Fiery creatures appeared from out of the shadows terrorizing the innocent. War broke out for the first time in a millennium, but this time it was not a war between nations. It was a war between the humans and these dark creatures that appeared when the night fell and soon would not end. Perpetual darkness covered the island at this time of great despair. Many tried to leave the island, while others attempted to call for aid. It seemed the island would not let anyone come in or leave at this point. Violent storms at sea sunk ships, while thunderous clouds grounded aircraft. Mist surrounded the island as the island simply vanished from the outside world. Mankind was on the verge of being eradicated or enslaved by the night creatures, a wretched ending to the highest life form in the world. Many believed the island was cursed at this point, doomed to face darkness with the gates of hell wide open for demons of all kinds to roam free. The island was then considered a totally different place, a realm shut off from the rest of the world. Little did they know the island disappeared from the real world and became a world or realm of its own, a realm of nightmares or the Accursed Realm.
The inhabitants began to look again to a higher power. Prayers for deliverance from this nightmare sought after their creator. The creator felt pity on them and decided to give a helping hand. When all hope seemed lost, the balance of power started to shift as the oppressors, named creatures of the night, started to fight each other. Soon, the demons where cast out of the area little by little. The darkness over the realm receded and daylight was seen once more. Sunlight repelled all the creatures of the night and literally killed some directly. Some of the humans were then blessed with gifts that gave them an edge in fighting the forces of darkness. The gifted or destined ones fought back and reclaimed their freedom from the tyranny of the night creatures. Complacency and arrogance of the humankind was over. Survival was now a new priority, since they were not alone in the realm anymore.
It was a new dark age and the creatures of the night were driven back to a stand still. Civilization was utterly destroyed, since all technology was fragmented, reduced to ashes, or forgotten. The complexity of civilization would recover, but it was going to take centuries to start from scratch. In essence the realm was wiped clean like a slate. Since the balance of power was shifted again, the humans now outnumbered the creatures of the night. Most of the night-bred kept to themselves and had few encounters with the inhabitants.
As centuries past technology slowly advanced, society gradually rebuilt itself, and the night-bred learned to coexist with the humans within the shadows of the day and only being active at night. With the change of time treaties with creatures of the night and people were signed, behind closed doors and unofficially.
The mysterious box that supposedly caused all these catastrophes was never found. Theories have been noted that the box could have been the infamous Pandora’s box. Others believe it could have been the Arc of the Covenant. Some would go so far as to say that aliens placed the box to be found. Regardless as to what the answer is vampiric, were-kind, demonic, and other night-bred now exist in this realm and not all of them will share the realm without a fight. Hopefully, mankind will avoid being arrogant, highly regard their creator, and maintain a sense of harmony with the night-bred. Only time will tell.
Three major areas help define the Accursed realm; they are magic, technology and civilization.
Magic by definition is the use of a special object containing properties for casting of spells or casting specific spells under one’s own power. A magic caster can casts spells under his own power without the use of a magical object. It is estimated that half of the humans and creatures of the night use magical items or have the ability to casts spells. Magic use is partially accepted, but still feared among ordinary humans and weaker creatures of the night.
Technology by definition consists of the complexity of humans and creatures of the night using machines to do everyday things. It is further broken down into three general areas: transportation, weapons, and medicine. Every household commonly has appliances and electrical power. Automobiles, planes, ships, and other related vehicles are widely used. Weapons consist of all kinds of metal blades, various batons, firearms, cannons, bombs and missiles. The firearms can fire bullets, grenades, stakes, and shot shells. Most blades and ammunition is silver based, since most creatures of the night have a weakness toward it. The practice of medicine is moderately advanced. Surgery is commonplace, but is limited to organ transplants, blood transfusions, and foreign-object extraction.
Civilization by definition is the complexity of how society in the realm lives together. It is further sectioned into three general areas: government, law enforcement, and military. Several major metropolises now exist, connected together with a vast network of subways, highways, railways and airplane routes. The government regulates everything. Every human has a living record registered with the government. Nocturnal activities are not something the government can regulate, since most of those activities happen in the shadows of society. An elected president governs the vast city areas. The law is enforced by an elite multitask force. Since human law enforcement is beyond the scope of nocturnal activities, mercenaries, like bounty hunters and slayers, are hired to eradicate certain creatures of the night. Creatures of the night, who are involved in a crime against humans, are not brought to trial or imprisoned. They are exterminated. Suspected humans are brought to trial and cross-examined by a psychic. Lawyers are found to be obsolete in this type of system. The guilty are punished by a predetermined assignment to the crime committed. A human with a history of three offenses is sentenced to death. There are not appeals or exceptions, unless the president of the city area pardons them. The military is a specialized security force, consisting of soldiers and attack vehicles to defend the major city areas from outside invaders. Bounty hunters and others defend the inner part of the city. Bodyguards such as slayers, casters, and constructs or a combination of the three defend the inner core of the city.