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Bannerlord's 5 Great Calamity

KramfersOfTHIGHS
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The average realized release rate over the past 30 days is 14 chs / week.
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Synopsis
In 2035, Mount & Blade: Bannerlord releases its long-awaited co-op campaign update, promising unmatched realism and immersion. Five friends, Jade, Nathaniel, Numerius, Yuzon, and Mataranas, jump in, ready to spend the night building their own empire. But after an intense gaming session, something strange happens. When they wake up, they’re no longer in their rooms. The air smells of dirt and smoke, their clothes are rough tunics, and the world around them looks all too familiar. What begins as confusion quickly turns into survival as they’re forced to adapt to a world that feels exactly like the one they’d only ever seen on a screen. Struggling to make sense of their situation, the group must rely on each other to navigate danger, strange locals, and the harsh reality of a place that follows no modern rules. What started as a game has become something far more real and escaping it might mean facing truths they never expected.
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Chapter 1 - Into the Unknown

It was the year 2035, and Mount & Blade: Bannerlord had just released its final update, a massive overhaul that sent shockwaves through its loyal fanbase. After years of clamoring, TaleWorlds had delivered the holy grail, a multiplayer co-op campaign. But the update didn't stop there. New content flooded the game, sprawling castles, intricate trade systems, and battle mechanics so polished that they felt like an entirely new game. The graphics, powered by cutting-edge technology no one quite understood, looked almost too real, as if you could step into Calradia and smell the dust of its plains.

The NPC AI was the real game-changer. Characters moved with lifelike expressions, their voices carrying emotion so convincing it was hard to believe they weren't real. Veteran Bannerlord players flooded forums, stunned at how immersive their favorite game had become, even on PC.

Jade sat in his cluttered bedroom, his gaming rig humming like that of a spaceship. Fantasy posters and sci-fi ships plastered the walls, and empty soda cans littered his desk. He adjusted his headset, the monitor's glow lighting up his face. At twenty-two, Jade was the group's unofficial leader, thanks to his knack for strategy. In Bannerlord, he planned ambushes and managed their warband's supplies. His sword style, fast and precise, made him a force in close combat, and his friends relied on him to keep their campaigns running smoothly.

"Yo, Jade, we going all night or what?" Nathaniel's voice crackled through the headset. Nathaniel was the group's smooth-talker, always bargaining with in-game merchants for better deals on armor or horses. In real life, he was a business major with a grin that could charm anyone, though it sometimes got him into trouble.

"Let's see how long we last," Jade said, grinning as he loaded Bannerlord. The new main menu popped up, sleek and vivid, showing Calradia's snowy peaks and sun-scorched plains. "Co-op campaign's here. We're building an empire tonight."

"The forums are losing it," Numerius said, his voice booming as usual. Numerius was the group's wildcard, big, loud, and a bit of an airhead, but his combat skills were no joke. He played a hulking two-handed warrior, charging into fights without hesitation. "People say the new AI makes lords hold grudges and make smart decisions to counter you. Raid their village, and they'll hunt you for weeks."

"That's gonna mess you up, Num," Yuzon teased. Yuzon was the quiet one, a computer science student who loved crunching numbers. In-game, he was their tactician, setting up archer formations and upgrading villages. His bow skills were pinpoint, often turning battles with a single shot. "You can't loot every caravan and expect them to just shrug."

"I'll smash their grudges," Numerius said, laughing.

"Focus, guys," Mataranas rumbled. Mataranas was their tank, both in Bannerlord and in real life, where he played linebacker on their college football team. Slow to talk and occasionally distracted, he was a wall in combat, soaking up hits with his massive shield. "Co-op campaign's the real deal. Let's start strong."

The five friends dove into the game, their avatars spawning as lowly adventurers in a dusty village. For twelve hours straight, they raided bandit camps, bargained with merchants, and clashed with rival warbands. The new AI made every NPC feel alive, merchants haggled with sly grins, and enemy soldiers flinched when Jade's swords came too close. The group laughed and shouted, lost in the thrill of building their warband from scratch. By the time they paused, their eyes were bleary, and their energy drinks were empty.

"Man, I'm wiped," Jade said, rubbing his face. His clock read 3 a.m., but it felt like they'd been playing for days.

"Same," Yuzon groaned, leaning back in his chair. "I forgot what sunlight looks like."

Numerius chuckled, his voice hoarse. "Yo, imagine if we were sucked into Calradia for real. I'd be swinging my axe, ruling some castle, flirting with noble ladies." He struck a dramatic pose, though no one could see it over voice chat.

"Keep dreaming, Num," Nathaniel said with a laugh. "You'd trip over your own ego and get skewered by a peasant."

Mataranas yawned. "Let's call it. My brain's mush."

They logged off, promising to pick up tomorrow. Jade powered down his rig, the hum fading to silence. He collapsed onto his bed, too tired to even kick off his shoes. As his eyes drifted shut, a faint hum buzzed in his ears, like a static in the air. Then, a flash of light swallowed his room.

*****

Jade woke to the smell of dirt and sweat. His head throbbed, and his back ached as if he'd slept on stone. He blinked, expecting his bedroom ceiling, but instead saw a gray sky smudged with clouds. He was lying on a straw mat in what looked like a muddy alley. Rough stone walls loomed around him, and the air carried the scent of smoke and livestock. Voices, gruff, hurried, and unfamiliar echoed nearby.

"What the…" Jade sat up, his heart racing. His gaming headset was gone, replaced by a scratchy wool tunic that clung to his skin. His sneakers were missing, swapped for worn leather boots caked in mud. He patted his sides, finding a rusty dagger strapped to his belt. This wasn't his room. This wasn't even close.

"Guys?" he called, his voice shaky.

A groan answered him. Nearby, Nathaniel was sprawled in the dirt, his usually neat hair a mess. Numerius slumped against a wall, rubbing his eyes. Mataranas sat up slowly, looking dazed, while Yuzon stood frozen, staring blankly at the muddy ground.

"Where are we?" Nathaniel said, his voice high with panic. He scrambled to his feet, checking his pockets like he expected to find his phone. "This… this isn't right. Were we drugged? Kidnapped? Oh man, what if this is some organ-harvesting thing?" His eyes widened. "Or maybe I'm hallucinating! Twelve hours of Bannerlord fried my brain!"

Numerius snorted, hauling himself up. "You're not hallucinating, genius." He smacked Nathaniel's shoulder—hard enough to make him stumble. "Feel that? Real enough."

Nathaniel rubbed his arm, glaring. "Ow! Yeah, real. And so's this headache I'm getting from you."

"Stop freaking out," Numerius said, though his usual playful smirk was gone. He looked around the alley. "This place looks like… I dunno, some medieval reenactment gone wrong."

Jade stood, his legs wobbly. The alley was narrow, bordered by crumbling stone houses with thatched roofs. A cart rumbled past, pulled by a bony mule. People in rough tunics and cloaks moved through the street, their faces weathered and suspicious. One man, carrying a basket of turnips, shot them a dirty look as he passed.

"This isn't a reenactment," Yuzon said quietly, his eyes scanning the surroundings. His usual calm was cracked, his hands trembled slightly. "Look at the buildings. The tools. That's… hand-forged iron. This is real."

"Real?" Nathaniel's voice pitched up. "Like we time-traveled? Or got teleported? Come on, Yuzon, get a grip!"

"Then explain it," Yuzon said, his voice flat. He pointed at a wooden sign hanging above a nearby building, its letters crude and faded. "That's not English. It's… some kind of runic script."

Jade didn't want to admit it, but the details were too vivid for a dream. The air felt heavy, the ground uneven. His dagger's handle was worn smooth, as if it had been used for years. He glanced at his friends, all dressed in similarly ragged clothes, their modern gear gone. Mataranas was testing the weight of a makeshift wooden plank, tied together to resemble a shield, in his hand—his face blank with confusion.

"Okay, let's think," Jade said, trying to sound steady. "We were playing Bannerlord, we slept. Now we're… somewhere else. Maybe a prank? A VR setup?"

"VR doesn't make you smell like a barnyard," Numerius muttered, sniffing his sleeve. "This is nuts."

Mataranas lumbered over to a nearby wall, touching the rough stone. "It's solid, not a hallucination." His slow voice carried a rare edge of worry.

"Then what?" Nathaniel snapped, pacing. "We're in some fantasy world? Or a cult's cosplay village? I'm not buying it!"

Yuzon crouched, picking up a handful of dirt. He let it sift through his fingers. "The soil's different, the air's too clean. No pollution and no planes overhead."

Jade's mind raced. The village, the clothes, the weapons, it all felt familiar, like a scene from something. Like from Bannerlord. But that was impossible. Games didn't suck you in. Did they? He opened his mouth to speak, but a loud voice cut him off.

"Jade! You and your lazy friends fooling around again?" A burly man stormed toward them, his face red with anger. He wore a patched tunic and gripped a gnarled stick. "It's harvesting season, you idiots! Get to the fields!"

Jade froze, his heart pounding. "Who are you?" he asked, stepping back.

The man's eyes bulged. "Who am I? I'm your father, for God's sake!" He swung the stick, smacking Jade's arm. The sting was sharp and real. "You think you can slack off because you're my son? Move it!"

The group stared, dumbfounded, as the man raised the stick again, ready to swing.