Fifteen years ago, after the Binding War shattered the world, children washed ashore on Cael Morren, silent, storm-tossed, half of them twins. No one knew where they came from. No one knew why they lived. But when they held each other, something beautiful, and frightening, became clear.
They were bound.
Not by blood or oath or law, but by something deeper. A bond that would later be called the Glamourbond.
They were raised, trained, and guarded by the Academy. They are grown now, and the storm that birthed them is rising again.
They are the Tidebound.
The Three Bond Types
Every Tidebound bond falls into one of three forms — but only one of these can ever occur between two Tidebound.
Twin Bond
- Rare, innate, born not chosen.
- No ceremony, no discovery — they arrive already complete.
- The deepest, earliest bond known.
Only one twin pair exists among The Six, but other Tidebound twin pairs exist throughout the world.
Lover Bond
- Soul-recognition that matures into romance.
- Not physical or hormonal — foundational and lifelong.
- A Tidebound may only form a Lover bond with a non-Tidebound partner, except in one case.
Companion Bond
- Not romantic — a life-pairing built on reliance, trust, and balance.
- Deep loyalty, shared purpose, steady devotion.
- Like Lover bonds, these too normally form only between a Tidebound and a non-Tidebound partner.
Where The Six Break the Pattern
Among the entire Tidebound generation, only three exceptions exist:
- One pair of Tidebound twins
- One pair who bonded as Companions on the beach
- One pair who later grew into a Lover bond
These three pairs are collectively known as The Six.
No Tidebound outside The Six has ever bonded to another Tidebound.
Every other Lover or Companion bond forms with an outsider, a soldier, a scholar, a villager, a farmer, a stranger yet unseen.
Many Tidebound still wait for theirs. For them, the story hasn’t happened yet.
The Six
The Six are:
- One set of twins.
- One set of companions.
- One set of lovers.
Among The Six are the only Tidebound pairs where both partners (excluding Twins) are Tidebound. That alone sets them apart, but not above.
Where most Tidebound protect Tidebound first, The Six look outward. They treat all people as kin. They are the bridge between Tidebound and the world.
Two of The Six are always you, the player pair. The other two pairs remain in the world as they would have been had you chosen differently.
They do not lead by authority.
They lead by example.
And all Tidebound revere them not from hierarchy, but from heart.
Bound Hero — You Are Two, Not One
In Bound Wars, character creation does not stop with you.
After forging your character, you forge your Bondmate, your Bound Hero.
You choose:
- Sex
- Class
- Traits, appearance & personality
- And most importantly, bond type: Twin, Lover, Companion
You control your character directly. You build the skillbar for both. Your Bound Hero fights beside you under AI.
They are not a follower, they are the second half of you.
Some content cannot be entered without both present.
The story is written for a pair, always.
Heroes — Many Paths to Stand Beside You
Every hero in Bound Wars has a story.
Some are core to the main plot. Some live in the world, waiting for you to cross their path.
Some unlock only after you witness, or influence, a moment in their life.
Others are found in ruins, storms, mountains, cities, or through kindness no mechanic can track.
There are four kinds of hero-like party members:
Story Heroes — Central characters in the Binding War narrative.
Tidebound Heroes — Other bonded children grown to adulthood, walking alongside you in mission and fate. If one is added to a party, so too is the other.
Hidden Heroes — Discovered through exploration, choices, or quiet involvement in their unseen story.
Academy Heroes & Henchmen — Skilled fighters not bound by Glamourbond — equal in strength, different in soul.
You may assemble a full party of eight:
You + Bound Hero + six more from any source.