Immersion Breakers is a TikTok series created by the user bigfatsocialist. It centers on a Dungeons & Dragons party in what seems to be a typical campaign, having been told that they are the prophesied Chosen Ones who will defeat the Lich King who has threatened the world for centuries...
...Until the wizard wonders why five powerful adventurers are doing this alone rather than using their influence and abilities to raise armies against the Lich King... and proceed to do exactly that, in the process uncovering an ancient conspiracy while making deeply disturbing discoveries about their world.
The series can be watched on TikTok
and YouTube.
This work provides examples of:
- The Alliance: The Concordat of Fuck the Lich King.
- Always Chaotic Evil: Averted by the goblins and lycanthropes, much to the chagrin of the Paladin.
- Ancient Conspiracy: The Lich King is running one.
- The Berserker: The Monarch is in fact a barbarian (in terms of her class).
- The Chosen Many: Zig-zagged. The Chosen Ones were prophesied to defeat the Lich King. However, the (corrupt) Pontiff of the Temple of Light had interpreted the prophecy as cyclical, and had sent dozens of previous adventurers to fight the Lich King (and die in the process). Ultimately played straight as the Cleric uncovers the original prophecies which point to the Chosen Ones (including the Warlock)actually being the ones destined to defeat the Lich King.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: Pretty much everybody in the Guild of Merchants, even the ones who aren't working for the Lich King.
- Everyone Has Standards: The Rogue is willing to cross many lines but not the picket line.
- Evilly Affable: The Lich King is incredibly evil, but also quite friendly to his favored minions, particularly Creepy Henchperson and Spooky Messenger.
- Fantasy Counterpart Culture: The nation the heroes inhabit is a typical medieval European-style kingdom. Other kingdoms that the heroes recruit to aid them seem to be based off of the Aztec Empire, medieval China, the Haudenosaunee Confederation, feudal Japan, the Empire of Mali, and the Norse.
- Framing Device: The story is explicitly framed as D&D game, occasionally cutting to the players and Dungeon Master.
- The Good Chancellor: The Royal Spymaster.
- The Good King: The Monarch genuinely cares about her people and takes the threat of the Lich King very seriously.
- Let's Get Dangerous!: A heavily downplayed example. After hearing that the Guild of Merchants refused the Chosen Ones' request for a loan to the crown, the Monarch goes to personally persuade them. Normally, this wouldn't be an example, except the Monarch's methods of persuasion rely not just on her status as monarch, but on their Intimidating Rage ability, revealing that she is in fact a high level barbarian who is presumably quite capable in combat in their own right.
- Mistreatment-Induced Betrayal: The Warlock turns on the Lich King after the latter throws him into the Nine Hells.
- Rags to Riches: The Rogue was born into poverty but is now a wealthy high level adventurer.
- Rags to Royalty: The Monarch was born into the lower classes. It is unclear how she ended up on the throne, but it presumably had to do with her adventuring exploits with the Royal Spymaster and the Dean.
- Retired Badass: The Monarch, the Royal Spymaster, and the Dean are all former adventurers.
- Royals Who Actually Do Something: In addition to taking an active role in governing the country, the Monarch is not afraid to get her hands dirty, up to and including personally overseeing food relief efforts and bitchslapping the Guild of Merchants.
- Sealed Good in a Can: The Solar, who is trapped in an Iron Flask until the Bard frees her. Turns out the Dean of the Bardic College trapped her there.
- Sinister Minister: The Pontiff of the Temple of Light, who turns out to be an agent of the Lich King.
- The Spymaster: Each kingdom has its own. The Realm's is simply the Royal Spymaster. The others are the Jarl's Housecarl, the Shogun's Chief Ninja, the Watcher for the Western Door, the Tlatoani's Shadow, the Mansa's Herald, and the 'Tailor' to the Empress.
- To Be Lawful or Good: The Paladin has this crisis multiple times while recruiting the Goblins, Lycanthropes, and Vampires.
- Token Evil Teammate: The vampires are straight-up evil, but they're still tolerated largely because they are bringing a large force of vampiric heavy cavalry to the fight.
- Warrior Prince: The Monarch is a former adventurer - more specifically, she's a high level barbarian.
- You Are in Command Now: The Solar proclaims the Cleric to be the new Pontiff of the Temple of Light.
- You Have Failed Me: After the Warlock panics and sends the Vampire Mage Assassins after the Chosen Ones, thus confirming that their suspicions about the Lich King are true, the Lich King throws the Warlock into the Nine Hells. This leads to the Warlock betraying the Lich King for real and joining the Chosen Ones.
