May you find your worth in the waking world.
The Doll
Nearly two years ago, I launched a Dungeons & Dragons campaign for a group of friends that was set in the Bloodborne universe. Among those friends, only one had a deep understanding of the setting and the lore from the original game, so I decided to craft a story that would inform my players of the world as they explored it, but also offer some surprises for those who already knew a thing or two about the PlayStation 4 title. Blood of Five Nations is a prosaic reimagining of this campaign and is written in much the same spirit. In short, it’s Bloodborne fan-fiction. Even if you are completely unfamiliar with Bloodborne, you should be able to enjoy this story.
This is not a retelling of the 2015 video game’s plot. Instead, it’s a continuation and exploration of the world established by Bloodborne, albeit with sometimes generous liberties. Although I’ve done my best to play within the confines of the game’s lore, there are some areas where my interpretations may run contrary to someone else’s. If you find something egregiously out of line, it’s likely because I have a personal understanding of how it fits into the world. I’m not trying to break or skirt the rules. With the game’s infamous ambiguity and focused plot, the politics, geography, and greater history of the world had to be crafted from nothing, and sometimes that meant considering the original lore in new ways to make it fit. It’s Bloodborne fan-fiction, after all. It had to be done.
You’ll also find that the world outside of Yharnam has been filled beyond the original game’s scope. I allowed my players to craft their character’s country of origin and choose a race/class based on Dungeons & Dragons 5e. This resulted in some more diversity and ability than gamers will recall from the original Bloodborne, but mostly within reason. I like to think there is a larger fantasy realm outside the confines of the original game, and this embraces that in some ways.
With all of that said, I want to repeat that the Dungeons & Dragons campaign for Blood of Five Nations was always meant to be enjoyable for hunters old and new, and that will continue to be true in its prose form. There are plenty of surprises ahead of you. I hope it’s something you enjoy.
0 thoughts on “What is Blood of Five Nations”