Haroona’s Friends & Foes: Luther

Unknown 9: Awakening’s Haroona is on a lengthy journey that isn’t hers alone. Along the way, she crosses valued allies and dangerous enemies, each with their own motivations. Follow along as we introduce you to our tenacious heroine’s friends and foes to better understand who you’ll be fighting alongside and against.

Unknown 9: Awakening’s unlikely believer.

Captured on the American prairie and raised by the Lakota people, Luther is far from your typical gunslinger.

For one, he’s as comfortable wielding a six-shooter as he is exploring his spirituality. And though he lived by the pistol for many years, he chose to give up that life in favor of returning to the legends of his childhood—tales of the mysterious Unknown 9 and the Fold.

A Leap Year Society evangelist.

Luther’s connection to the spiritual realm, familiarity with the legends of the 9, and voracious appetite for learning and travel led him to connect with other likeminded truth seekers. Together, they formed the Leap Year Society—a secret organization dedicated to the pursuit of hidden knowledge. It maintains that the best way for humanity to reach enlightenment is through slow and steady progress.

In the years leading up to the LYS’ first worldwide gathering on February 29, 1888, Luther traveled the world recruiting potential Quaestors who seemed like they would be a good fit with the organization. A familiar face across society ranks, nearly everyone linked to the LYS knew of him and deeply respected him for his gregarious nature and dedication to the cause.

A deepening rift.

Since the LYS’ inception, the group’s officials have never been ones to rush any breakthroughs. What’s more, they’ve also always been wary of sending anyone too deep into the Fold…much to the chagrin of one of the society’s fastest rising stars, Vincent Lichter.

While Luther worked tirelessly to expand the LYS’ Quaestor network, Vincent’s fascination with the Fold hit fever pitch. Although those in the society’s upper ranks as well as his former teacher, Reika, cautioned restraint when it came to exploring the depths of this other dimension, Vincent’s obsession could not be tamed.

Whatever he and his team (who had started dubbing themselves the Ascendants) had found down there was leading them further and further astray from the LYS’ core principles and muddying their faith in the 9.

A new doctrine—devised by Vincent himself—began to spread quickly. Forget pragmatism! Humanity could only reach its true potential through strict perseverance and great sacrifice, even it involved significant loss of life.

A grave betrayal.

Troubled by reports he’d received concerning the Ascendants’ project, Luther dispatched his mentee and close friend to get the inside story. She never returned.

Won over by Vincent’s heroic narratives and the military-style structure he had envisioned for the Ascendants; she was quick to hang Luther out to dry.

Come the Leap Day gathering of 1908, Vincent decreed the Ascendants as the only true branch of the LYS, declaring war on all those unwilling to join his cause. With battle lines drawn and a splinter faction ready and willing to fight to the bitter end, so began the Great Divide. This period, in which the LYS was stripped of its inherent unity and glory, left Luther to witness the desecration of all he had worked so hard to build—a global network of bright minds working together for the betterment of humanity.

As for his mentee, her true colors revealed themselves when the two faced off in battle and she left him for dead.

The road to retribution

The Great Divide had taken its toll on what remained of the once-sprawling LYS. The society was forced to retreat even deeper into the shadows for years.

But now that Vincent’s plan of forcefully ushering in a new era of advancement was coming closer to fruition, Luther had no choice but to act.

His first move: head to India—the port of Chamiri to be exact—where he first meets Haroona; an encounter that will mark the start of a budding friendship, strong partnership, and an exhilarating adventure.

Can you help Luther achieve the seemingly impossible feat of thwarting Vincent’s plan? Add Unknown 9: Awakening to your Wishlist and be one of the first to know in the fall 2024.