The Ballad of the Young Gods

Wealth. Power. Death.

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 based on media like “Ninth House” by Leigh Bardugo, “The Secret History” by Donna Tart, “Masters of Death” by Olivie Blake, and SYFY’s “Deadly Class”.

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 wasn't enough, you have been handpicked to attend Rathore College, whose selection process is revered across all the nation's top educational institutions. But you should've 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 Hollywood's most acclaimed stars, their influence reaches farther than anyone can dare to imagine.

A sinister conspiracy brews under Styx's 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. You're 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.

Cédric Armand Lacroix / Céline Armelle Lacroix

Vindictive. Conniving. Ruthless.

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. They've vowed to destroy him one day and claim their rightful place as the heir apparent. The world bent to C's whims, what money couldn't buy them, those pale green eyes probably did.

There is nothing that they can't 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 wasn't just the fortune or the legacy at stake; it was the bruising of their pride, the constant reminder that someone—anyone—could outmaneuver them. But beneath the layers of resentment and anger, there's something more—something 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.

Characteristics

• Ethnicity: French / Swiss
• Zodiac: Capricorn 
• MBTI: ENTJ 
• Major: Economics and Mathematics 
• Year: Freshman
• Eyes: Piercing and pale green like a pair of chalcedony stones, their intensity marred by a streak of arrogance.
• Hair: Dark brown and straight. Cédric has short, neatly styled hair, while Céline sports long, straight hair often styled in sophisticated updos or sleek, professional looks with not a hair out of place.
• Skin: Fair with a clear, marble-like complexion and no visible imperfections.
• Height: 6'2" (188 cm) / 5'10" (178 cm)
• Build: Tall and athletic, with a strong, commanding presence.
• Clothing Aesthetic: Preppy.
• SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

Vance Kasper Næsholm / Vanessa Karina Næsholm

Pious. Haunted. Disillusioned.

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 ‘psychosis’ 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, but now that they’re your roommate, they’re bound to you by fate or folly, but whether they’ll be a stable ally remains to be seen.

Characteristics

• Ethnicity: Danish / Jamaican
  
• Zodiac: Cancer 
• MBTI: INFP
• Major: Classics (Greek Literature)
• Year: Freshman
• Eyes: Deep brown the color of a strong cup of tea, with an expressive and contemplative gaze that hints at a profound inner world inside their head.
• Hair: Curly and black, often styled in a relaxed, natural manner. Vance prefers a short and slightly carefree look, while Vanessa usually opts for a more structured style for her chest-length hair, styled with subtle waves over her shoulders.
• Skin: Warm brown complexion with a slight bronze glow of dawn, a little vertical scar on the left chin being lighter than its surroundings.
• Height: 6'1" (186 cm) / 5'9" (176 cm)
• Build: Lanky but lithe, with a natural grace and agility.
• Clothing Aesthetic: Dark academia.
• SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

Wilhelm Johann Ostendorf / Wilhelmine Johanna Ostendorf

Exhausted. Abandoned. Lost.

What does the world think of you when you're 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 parents' 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 remain—are 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 fear—that they are, and always have been, truly alone?

Characteristics

• Ethnicity: German
  
• Zodiac: Aquarius 
• MBTI: INFJ
• Major: Film and Media Studies
• Year: Freshman
• Eyes: Vibrant and intense sapphire blue, a bit droopy, hinting at their constant state of sleep deprivation. 
• Hair: Dirty blonde and slightly wavy, often appearing tousled and unkempt. Wilhelm keeps his hair ear-length and messy, while Wilhelmine has chest-length hair that she often wears loosely or in a casual bun. 
• Skin: Fair, with a subtle, natural glow despite their tired appearance. Light freckles dust the area around their nose but it’s only visible up close. 
• Height:  5'11" (181 cm) / 5'7" (171 cm) 
• Build: Slender and lanky, with a slight awkwardness to their movements. They possess a natural carefree grace that contrasts with their often weary demeanor. 
• Clothing Aesthetic: Casual classic.
• SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

Dumitru Constantin Diaconu / Dumitra Constantina Diaconu

Charismatic. Reckless. Guarded.

D's name is the one that comes up in almost every conversation about Yale’s 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 who’s always been in the center of the gold rush. Despite the countless admirers and the trail of broken hearts left in their wake, you'll 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 don’t allow, a line they never cross. They’ve perfected the art of detachment, of keeping their connections strictly no-strings, because to let someone in would be to risk the vulnerability they’ve 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?

Characteristics

• Ethnicity: Romanian
  
• Zodiac: Scorpio 
• MBTI: ESTP
• Major: Music
• Year: Sophomore
• Eyes: Sharp, swirling shade of gunmetal gray that embodies the meaning of 'bedroom eyes.' Their gaze is intense, often accompanied by a smirk or playful glint. 
• Hair: Chestnut brown and wavy, typically left in a state of permanent bedhead. Dumitru has his hair cut up to his chin in relaxed waves. Dumitra often styles her shoulder-length hair in loose, carefree waves or occasionally tied back in a messy half-bun. 
• Skin: Pale and slightly rosy porcelain which looks surprisingly delicate in contrast to their roguish personality.
• Height:  6'0" (184 cm) / 5'8" (174 cm)
• Build: Slender and lanky, with a certain elegance to their movements. They possess a natural carefree grace that contrasts with their often weary demeanor. 
• Clothing Aesthetic: Punk.
• SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

Maxwell Edmund Whitlock-Singh / Maxine Edythe Whitlock-Singh

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 “Paragon of Styx,” M is a modern Plato, someone who finds as much solace in philosophical debates as in the classical texts they’ve 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 existence—a 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?

Characteristics

• Ethnicity: British / Indian
  
• Zodiac: Virgo 
• MBTI: ENTP
• Major: Philosophy + Global Affairs
• Year: Sophomore
• Eyes: Fierce, umber brown eyes that exude an unspoken sort of self-assurance and a Machiavellian aspect. 
• Hair: Thick and wavy jet-black hair that they often styled in a windswept manner and well-groomed. Maxwell keeps his ear-length, and Maxine keeps hers long and waist-length.
• Skin: Tawny brown with a golden undertone, sharp cheekbones also accentuate their facial features and demand more attention to them. 
• Height: 6'4" (193 cm) / 6'0" (183 cm) 
• Build: Lanky but with wiry muscles being the result of them playing tennis from a young age. 
• Clothing Aesthetic: Old money.
• SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

• 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 Yale’s 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.
• W̶̗͖̝͆h̷͕̲̑̎̓̍̄̎͠͝a̵̢̛̫̾̓͗t̴̙̫͛̐͆̾̀̓̔̊͝ ̴̪́́̈́͛̂̉̀͒̊́ạ̸̗̯̲̘̬͗̀ͅr̸̢̪̜̭̼̠̟̜͚̂̈́͋͋̅͑̉́̎͝e̸̩̯͉̿̊̔͛̃̎͝ͅ ̵̢̹̜̤͍͙̩̬̰̜̏̃͝͠y̷̢̨͇̘͍̌́͐̍̆̓̑̐ǫ̶̢̧̡̛̥̤͉͎̟̃̏̍̓̒ͅu̷̓̂̾̇̇͜͝,̸͎̖̮̲̳̻̱̬̎̒͑͝ ̸̡̛̰̌͐c̶̛̪̗̰̻̜̲̘̺͗͊h̴̡͔̦̘̤̖͊̿̓̇i̵͉̘͙̥͍̼̜̐̐̄̅͝͝ĺ̶̡̧̧̼̦̦̗̰̝̼̓̊̀d̸̡͎͔͔̰̖̿̐̈́̓͊̌̃̓͜?̷̩̗̲̫̮͕̍̈́́̽͜͝͝

• pinterest
• spotify
• original tumblr // back-up tumblr

WRITTEN BY: AXEL (he/him)

CODED BY: ALBY (they/them)

This goes without saying but if you're not being civil on either itch.io or tumblr, you'll automatically be banned/blocked. I'm writing a story as a hobby and possibly a source of income in the future, not signing up to babysit people with no decency or basic manners.