Emerald City:
The Rise Of Eros

Produced by Justin Nguyen

A cinematic sci-fi/fantasy audio drama set on a planet called Riftera.

This project tells the story of a warlock arriving in Emerald City, the last known human stronghold against monstrous beasts. As he builds his reputation, will he join the political power struggle—or become the hero who saves the city from Population loss.

Goals and Plot

This project explores mental health through its characters’ real-world struggles. By showing their challenges and growth, the story aims to offer listeners understanding, hope, and practical wisdom they can apply to their own mental well-being.

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Emerald City: The Rise of Eros

Story Plot

Riftera is a magically dense planet that has enhanced all life forms that evolve on it. Due to the increase in magic, the planet requires an outlet by opening portals and pushing magic down the magic sea.

Scientist of emerald city wish to use this phenomenon in order to pull more individuals from other worlds in order to keep the city alive. Emerald City is surrounded by deadly threats such as insect-like Hord swarms, large beasts, and powerful Titans. These creatures view humans as nothing more than prey, placing the city in a constant state of defense and causing its population to shrink quickly. The narrative starts with Sophia Starlight, a skilled adventurer who joins the scientist in the new rift technology. Her journey takes a personal turn when she discovers her ex, Ethan Sage, is one of the lead scientists behind the project. Sophia takes a moment to talk about their past and attempt to rebuild trust. Their efforts are further complicated when Eros, a powerful warlock, is pulled into the city through one of the rifts. With his mind-control abilities and unpredictable motives, Eros becomes a key figure in the city's battle for survival—blurring the line between hero and villain.

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World Building

Art, Factions, Character Design

Find Your Faction Quiz!

https://uquiz.com/jDGrRv

Bringing the world to life

Despite being an audio drama, I understand the importance of custom, hand drawn. Its the only direction I want this project to go in.

In my work, I expand into individual character personality profiles, factions, monsters, armor, magical weapons and items, and a fixed plot web. I also design city layouts, transportation systems, local slang, holiday traditions, and how different regions interact with magic. Everything is built to feel alive—so artists and collaborators have a full world to draw from, not just a script.

Districts/Factions

Each distract has their own city structure and army. Each specializing in different styles of combat for different types of monsters.

Explorer's Company

Military: The Explorer’s Company is best known for their versatility. Most of their units are self-made survivors, trained to keep small parties alive no matter the conditions.

Strategy: To maintain high survival rates by focusing on individual combat skills and specializing in scouting, stealthy retreats, extractions, transportation, and recovery teams. Still, many explorers take pride in competing with other factions by completing high-risk missions and eliminating monsters in the region.

Generally most individuals from other factions recruit many individuals from the Explorer's company's basic training.

District: This district has the most traffic as a it has become the general area for distribution. Restaurants, shopping malls, weapons, armor, street vendors, new inventions, freshest fruits, street performers, and more! Everything you'll need is generally in the Explorer's distract.

"We find a way"

White Crimsons

Military: The White Crimsons rely on strength in numbers, studying monster weaknesses and using a wide range of battlefield tactics. They focus heavily on coordinated strikes, positional advantage, and counterattacks to overwhelm enemies.

Strategy: Their soldiers are highly educated in formation tactics and equipped with specialized weapons. The White Crimsons also study monster anatomy to find weaknesses. This makes them one of the most prepared factions to face any threat—especially large-scale enemies like The Horde. Units are trained to flank, weaken, and immobilize foes through precise attacks. When isolated, they carry durable metal shields and swords, trained to hold the line until reinforcements arrive.

District: The White Crimsons live under a formal hierarchy inspired by medieval nobility. They take pride in refinement—favoring luxury goods, ornate jewelry, and elegant living. In their culture, intelligence, wealth, and status define one's worth. Courtship often centers around leadership potential, income, and physical presentation.

"We hold the line because no one else can"

Wildfire Company

Military: The Wildfire Company accepts only the most battle-hardened veterans and promising elites—soldiers who can wield devastating weaponry with elegance and precision. With refined brutality and knowledge gathered from other factions, their units carry a legacy of conquest, using monstrous takedowns to fuel their wealth and dominance.

Strategy: Their strength lies in seduction and superiority. By aggressively recruiting rare magical humanoids -they are know to use strong magic to command the battlefield. Every mission is a performance of raw, unrelenting power wrapped in finesse.

District: Lined with beauty salons, luxury boutiques, and the city's most infamous Red Light District. Love is found, sold, and savored one irresistible night at a time. It draws in the beautiful, the powerful, and the dangerously ambitious -Elvish, exotic beast-kin, and magical humanoids of every kind chasing fortune, fame, or fleeting pleasure in a place where desire and wealth go hand in hand.

"Strength for those who can’t"

Sunfire Renegade

Military: The Sunfire Renegade are most known for their individual strength. This faction focuses on relentless training and mastery of their weapons in order to survive. Many different cultures go to this faction as they can continue learning their passion for their weapons and passing down the knowledge to their students.

Strategy: The Sunfire Renegade specializes in coordinated combat, training relentlessly to deliver unrelenting combos alongside fellow masters. They excel in counterattacks—waiting for beasts to strike first, then rotating seamlessly to create openings for their allies. Their strength lies in knowing both the limits and advantages of their weapons, relying on teamwork to cover weaknesses and maximize impact.

District: The Sunfire Renegade thrives in a world of calm and curiosity. Their district, quieter than most, pulses with a love for peaceful living—filled with open fields for sport, silent halls for study, and labs where invention meets imagination. It’s a haven for scholars, athletes, and dreamers alike. Here, history is preserved, and the future is quietly built.

"Comfort in failure is confidence"

All Fighters Have A Story

Characters

Eros Win - Primary

Justin Nguyen - Casted 04/21/2024

Backstory: I was born into this world in a happy family. My father rose through the ranks and was able to be given a large piece of land to start a village. My mother was a herbalist, interested in raising fish and plants in the same ecosystem. Together they contributed a successful farm.

My insatiable hunger for dominance stems from a a riveling kingdom slaughtering my village. My father and mother executed during the raid, I begged for help, my cries answered by an entity and together we slaughtered the raiding party. I've since, only grew for more power as he desired. In my revenge, I destroyed a new kingdom from the inside, burned armies wishing to control the world, and made pacts with a visage of dragons that serve my god. I now settle down, as a mayor to build and continue my fathers legacy and my mothers work... Before I serve my god and build an army.

Eros Drop Shadow White Background_edited

Sophia Face - White Background_edited.jp

Sophia Starlight - Primary Character

Shykodah-Khi McGrath - 05/01/25

Backstory: I was actually born on Rifteria, I've been here my whole life just like many of the citizens! My family's kinda... Loud... Unstable... And they are harsh with words but that's okay I'm used to it. -Anyways I'm from the Wildfire company, my mom was known for her beauty and my dad was known for his strength and power in the army. He's impressed a lot of people before he retired but... That just makes everyone have high expectations for me...

When I was going through the academy I wasn't very good at magic but I was really good in physical activates. I met saw Ethan there and... He was cute... Like I'd drop my books around him so I could talk to him. Sometimes I'd listen in on their boy talks, but I just wanted to hear his voice. When got into a relationship after he really noticed me at the Udon shop and we hit it off pretty well! But a lot of things started happening in my life and even though I loved him, I was young and couldn't handle the workload to maintain everything... I never should of left him... Lets talk about something else. I have a combat career ahead of me! My dad says he can network me to become an Honor Guard, a freelance guard right under a royal guard! I want to make him proud.

Ethan Sage - Primary Character

Recasting

I was raised in the White Crimsons district. An area where education and formality was a big part of our culture. We naturally have to be comfortable with failure my parents instilled that into me at a young age.

When I first entered the academy, I focused a lot on science and sports. I’ve always had an interest in athletics and even competed in the Arcane Arenas—but those magic users were way too strong. Over time, I found myself spending more time with my professor who was a rifter. She spent a lot of time researching how to get home and I felt connected. I felt... distracted and strangely at peace. No more problems besides the focus on bringing someone home and that made me feel good... She's not doing well anymore -A new sense of urgency to let her see her kids one last time before she passes away. I battle with myself ever since I brought Eros into this world. I’ve been struggling ever since I brought Eros into this world. Am I doing the right thing? I’m tearing someone else from their home -just for a small chance to send someone back to theirs. What am I doing?

Lyra Silverwind - Secondary

Maganda Marie - Casted 5/01/2024

Backstory: I am Lyra Silverwind born on rifteria and niece of the White Crimson's Council Member. I excel in all learning environments epically if they're structured and organized. I never met my father but my mother has always been a excellent role model. She works very closely with my auntie at the top of the tower. They bug me once in a while to get a royal guard but they just keep flirting with me to get into a position of power. I'd rather have my cousin Orin Lioncrest protect me. He's a council member of the Explorer's company!

Due to my large capacity to learn, I've been able to be very disciplined in many fields of science but my true passion is in intelligence and strategy. I'm usually a very good consultant when it comes to political strategies which my auntie appreciates a lot. However that poses me as a dangerous threat and the puppet master at the wildfire company... Mr. Proxy... has tried to kidnap me a few times but we have a stronger intelligence team. My mother and my auntie, have requested I take up a hobby in Theoretical Physics and General Relativity, for normal people that's called "wormhole teleportation". So I'm helping Ethan until the wildfire company gives up. I think Eros will protect me as a Royal Guard if he likes my puns. They're so funny they're considered wea-puns of mass destruction. Oh yeah -he's going to love these