A fantasy adventure game about music, magic, and romance. Art by @diasy/Das Hutchings PLAY HERE -> https://dashingdon.com/go/5973 Tags: #a bard's tale, #abardstale, #a bard's tale cog
A Bard’s Tale is a fantasy adventure interactive novel with a prominent romance component.
It takes place on the fictional continent of Amaran, a high fantasy setting based on Asian and Pacific Islander cultures as opposed to traditional Eurocentric high fantasy.
In the wake of a terrible war, you are a young bard just starting your journey. Will you answer the call to adventure and embark to rouse the sleeping gods?
FEATURES:
Six different playable fantasy races, with a total of seventeen unique character origins.
Options to be male, female, or nonbinary, and the option to choose pronouns separate from gender identity.
Two Romance Options that are romanceable by any gender of player characters.
Single-player RPG elements - stat building phases and stat check phases/puzzle and combat elements
Opt-in 18+ sexual content. Players must agree to see such content in each instance, and opting out does not affect the story or gameplay.
PLAY HERE -> https://dashingdon.com/go/5973
COG Forum Thread -> https://forum.choiceofgames.com/t/a-bards-tale-wip/85970
I stumbled upon the Bard’s Tale by chance, breezed through it in one sitting and now can’t help but hit here hitting F5 with a “is it here yet??” about the update? The story-building is brilliant, the characters are lovable and the whole text reads without any hitch!! Please tell me there’s going to be an update? Pretty please??
Hi, thank you for reading! I'm glad you've enjoyed the story. In response to this question, I'll refer you to an answer I recently gave on my personal blog: https://biracialaymeric.tumblr.com/post/676003157481062400/hi-so-im-extremely-new-to-your-page-and-i-just
i read through a huge chunk of my half-finished manuscript for song of the ancients last night and got hit full force once again by how much i fucking love prince edinorael laefe regent of the ruling seat of mahar'il even tho hes 100% a character that i made up that lives in my head and in my computer files
what’s this?? an entire fic-length scene from my manuscript that absolutely no one asked for?? with han AND edin AND aspen AND faya AND the mysterious fifth member of the love pentagon??
Warnings & A/N: hints at nsft, past trauma and loss. Had this idea in my head for a while now and started writing it, finally finished it. Not completely happy with it but happy enough. And I’m learning that enough is good.
They lay in bed, a tangled of limbs and sheets. Last night a pleasant memory in the morning light. Vantala smiling contentedly on this chest as Aspen traced light circles across his back.
“Good morning, gorgeous,” Vantala smirks as Aspen smiles back his own shy good morning.
It had taken them - no it had taken him - long enough to get them here. To get over the fears and give into the longing. To embrace the love they clearly shared for each other in such a way and now that they are here, he knew there was no turning back.
Might as well embrace it, Aspen thought.
He was tired of denying what he felt, tired of the almost, the never quite. Sure there was still a lot unspoken between them, things Aspen would have to share at some point but that day was not today. Today he wished nothing more than to remain here in bed discovering each and every inch of Vantala.
Pulling the sheet down off his shoulder blades, Aspen traced the tattoos on his shoulders, the ones that spread from his arms up across his shoulders and down his back. How far did they go, he wondered?
In their haste last night, in the dark lit only by the few lights glowing from the roof outside his room, he hadn’t had a chance to discover those parts of him. There had been times when he had noticed them sure. But he had always averted his eyes when Vantala’s shirt came off. Now here in the light of day with everything laid out before him and all their feelings (well most of them) laid bare the night before, it seemed the perfect time to discover those things he had denied discovery for so long.
“This one, here,” he traced the figure on his right shoulder, “what’s this one of? And this one beside it?” his fingers tread over the stylized face. “And here,” he touched the one that trailed from those to his left shoulder.
“They are the stories set in the stars by my people. The stories of creations and disasters and the heroes that shape this world,” Vantala explained as he lay, eyes closed, and enjoyed the sensation of Aspen’s fingers upon him in this intimate way.
Part of him worried if he moved or explained too much the moment would end, the spell would break, and he would wake from this dream. And a dream it was to finally be here like this together after so much struggling and heartache.
“They’re unique. I’ve never seen any quite like them,” Aspen smiled tracing further down Vantala’s back and taking more of the sheet with him.
“If you look you can see the constellations set in those figures.” He shivered as Aspen got closer and his warm breath ghosted across his exposed skin. “On my island there is an elder that weaves the tales and imbues the markings with the memories of those figures. Each of us that chooses to undergo that ceremony is said to be granted the virtues those heroes embodied.”
“Why is this spot blank?” Aspen asked tracing Vantala’s lower left back.
“It’s for the stories yet untold. The ones we make. The ones we write.”
“That is a-“ his breath came to a shuttering stop as his finger traced over the story and figure just above this blank spot. His fingers remembering the shape of her face and the feel of her under his touch.
Vantala rolled over and propped himself up on his elbow to look at Aspen. He sat up quickly when he saw his face blanche and his hands shaking as his body stiffened.
“What is it? What’s wrong, ma’asoama?” he reached to cup Aspen’s face in his hands and couldn’t help the shocked and hurt gasp that escaped him when Aspen backed up and jumped out of the bed.
“Aspen? Talk to me,” Vantala knelt before him, still on the bed, pleading to understand but not daring to reach out and touch until he did.
“I-“ Aspen’s stuttered breath and words continued a moment before Vantala made the connection.
“Han.”
It wasn’t a question, more just a statement of fact, or dawning realization, and understanding. Vantala stood up and quickly pulled Apsen into his arms. Not daring to let him go as the sobs escaped Apsen and he clung tighter to his lover.
“We pick our markings. We pick the stories we wish to carry with us. The ones we wish to remember and see live on through our own actions.”
Vantala paused considering his words. How do you tell the love of your life that the love of his was the hero you needed? Sure she did great things for this world but she meant something to you, a person that had never met her, a nobody from a small forgotten island in the Amber Isles. How do you explain that you want a part of her to live on through you, through your actions, through what little kindness and healing you could bring a small part of this world?
“Her’s was my favorite story.” The words came out slowly, hesitantly. “She was the bravery and healing I wished to bring into the world. Everyone knows her. Everyone knows her story. The big one. The ones sung of in the tales we weave with our magic. But I wanted the quiet bravery, the soft understanding of the hurt in this world to be remembered. The bravery and sacrifice that comes when one sets aside their dreams so that the dreams of others can be. So I picked her at home, with her wife, her family, when their future lay before them as a promise. As a reminder of the kindness that exists in people like her. Those that sacrifice everything for those they don’t know.”
He backed away as Aspen loosened his grip and stepped one step back to look at him. Tears staining his eyes.
Vantala rubbed the back of his neck, genuinely nervous for probably the first time in his life.
“Don’t know if that makes any sense. And, hells, she may have been nothing like what I imagine her to have been. It just felt, well, it made her feel real to me, made it seem that I had someone I could relate to. Someone I could be. Someone that-“
The kiss that cut him off was soft. Salty from the tears still laying upon Aspen’s lips and sweet with the emotion that lay behind them.
“So yeah,” Vantala chuckled sheepishly as they broke apart.
“Just promise to end your story differently than her’s,” Aspen pleaded.
“Manamea, you know I can’t promise you that. But know I’ll do my damndest to ensure we all have that future she wished. And that I sure plan on us getting to share in that future together. That I can and will promise you.”
The Rejection! Sorry, friends. I'm one of those types who puts their ocs through hell.
Note: Sorry, I don't think I mentioned this on my recent fics, but these do follow events directly from the demo's timeline. So if you don't want spoilers to events or hints at the choices I selected, then you might want to wait until after you finish the demo!
Music: “The Whispering Woods” by Nicholas Williams
~ 690 words
****
Kip couldn’t believe it. Even as Aspen half-fondled, half-carried her up the stairs, she was in shock. He wanted her in his room? His room? With him... tonight?
Everything was moving so fast. Was her glamour still up? Kip tried to look down to check, but Aspen’s finger interrupted her chin and lifted her head. Her spine bumped against the wall as he pushed more against her. She sighed into the pressure of his strong stomach. She marked the way the muscles underneath the layer of soft flesh tensed up with every breathless kiss they shared.
Aspen moaned Kip’s name against her jaw. She couldn’t help letting go of a squeaky breath as he took a handful of her ass. She wanted more of that, but… what would happen if he felt the fluff in her tail? How would she keep him from seeing the white speckles cresting up and down her legs? The glamour only went so far. Most of the time, the brain told the body to feel whatever it was seeing. But the longer Kip stayed so close to Aspen and the more he touched her, the less of an effect the glamour would have on him.
They were in his room now. He had kicked the door shut behind him. The way it slammed was so loud and thunderous, it made Kip shiver with excitement.
Her reaction made Aspen react too.
“Sorry.” He wheezed good-naturedly. “Usually I don’t come home so… violently.”
Kip snatched a kiss from him, her skin on fire from his eager hands and his proximity. “Don’t apologize. You’ve done nothing wrong so far.”
He seemed to like the way she stole kisses from him. He laughed gently.
“Neither have you. You looked so cute bending over the bar earlier. And that song you played. I can’t stop thinking about it. Kip–” He gave in for a moment, gently nipping her bottom lip and following it up with a lick to soothe her just in case. “You’re sweeter than I thought, but,” he groaned a little, “gods you’re so feisty too. I like it.”
They both plopped onto the bed as one. Kip couldn’t take much more of this. Her whole body burned to have Aspen closer. She went for his shirt. It came off with ease and she bit back the urge to start stealing kisses against his neck. The strong muscles in his arms and chest were tempting and teasing her to show them some attention. Instead, she went for his belt buckle, paying close attention to the way his stomach expanded and contracted as his pants got closer and closer to coming undone.
And then…
“Wait.”
Aspen’s rough brown hands folded over Kip’s slender blue ones.
“Kip, I… I can’t.” Aspen wore a look of shame and guilt as he rolled off the bed. Kip leaned back on her elbows, dazed and bewildered while the bartender shrugged his shirt back on, but didn’t bother tying it at the waist.
“You can make yourself comfortable. There’s a water closet in the back. It should have everything you need.”
Once again, Kip couldn’t believe this.
“Aspen, I’m sorry. Was it something that I…. Did I do something wrong?”
Once again, that tight pain clouded his features.
“No, no. Kip, it’s...” He turned away from her. “It’s complicated. Goodnight.”
Then he was gone.
Kip was alone. It was like all of the flame from her body had gone right out the door with him. She didn’t want to think about what they had almost done. Sure, she could have left and found someone else to have a good time with. There were plenty of bars around here, but the thought of chasing something she could only see happening with Aspen in that moment made her mouth go sour.
Up to this moment, part of Kip had done nothing but worry that she would mess things up somehow. And maybe this wasn’t her fault, but it still felt messed up.
She liked Aspen Wishbourne. Probably too much. Definitely too fast.
The bard groaned her frustration into the pillow and tried to sleep off the embarrassment.
Kaspen's first kiss! I said I was going to write it so… here it is!
Music: "Claiming Breath" by John Two-Hawks
~ 370 words
****
Everyone was gone from the bar.
From where he polished the wooden counter just a few feet away, Aspen kept looking up from his work, shooting glances in Kip’s direction. His face was unreadable, but his movements were unhurried and relaxed. As if he wouldn’t mind being interrupted.
Kip wished there wasn’t so much counter space in the way. She was thankful for her traveling shorts as she worked her knees under her and balanced on the barstool so she could stretch over the counter a little better.
Aspen’s eyebrows went up at her shift in body language.
Oh no. Did she look too eager? Too desperate for his attention?
“Aspen, I…”
Kip left her words hanging in the air like a question. Aspen’s gaze lingered just a tad longer than she expected before he dropped his cleaning rag off in the sink and drifted down the length of the bar.
He lifted a dark, curious brow as he approached. “Yes?”
Despite the innocence in his expression, he walked right into her personal space. Kip noticed how much closer he was now compared to when he was drawing the map for her.
The bartender’s gaze was soft, expectant.
Kip trusted her instincts. She closed her firefly eyes and bridged the short gap.
Aspen’s lips felt just as warm and generous as they looked. More so, even. Kip took it easy at first… but that didn’t last very long when Aspen started kissing her back and making her blush with sounds that rumbled in the back of his throat.
So she hadn’t imagined it, Kip realized. Aspen was drawn to her just as much as she was to him. It made her so happy that one of her hands floated up off the bar and became entangled in his dark roots. Aspen parted his lips at her bold move, letting her experience more of his warmth and his husky wet breaths.
Kip scrunched Aspen’s curls between her fingers as she fought to hold back somewhat. As always, she didn’t want to take too much. She didn’t want to ask for more than the bartender could give.
But Aspen surprised her again when he whispered his request in the quiet space between just the two of them.
“The apple trees in Mahar’il don’t grow as tall as the ones on the farm, but… I like this one the best.”
Check out Faun!Kipling in the gorgeous universe of Amaran from A Bard’s Tale. (Everyone should go play the demo right now!) As soon as I found out that Aspen grew up on an apple farm, of course I had to make it his and Kip’s “thing”. This piece is going to inspire so, so many Kaspen fics going forward. Hiro @hirodraga you’re honestly my hero and I cannot thank you enough 💖
*Check under the cut for the rest of the drabble!*
🍎🍎🍎🍎
Kipling admired the tree with Aspen, taking in the range of colors in the apples – polished gem greens, speckled autumn reds, and crisp, starchy yellows. It didn’t take long for them to inspire a song. Aspen offered Kip an apple that he had picked while she was gazing overhead and tuning her lute.
“Try this one, Kip.”
The bard paused to taste the fresh apple. When the sparkling crumbles gathered at the corners of her mouth and Aspen used his thumb to brush them away, Kipling blushed, but she didn’t pull back. In fact, she wondered if maybe she should lean in enough to close the gap. That way she could properly thank Aspen for showing her the only apple orchard for miles and miles around.
Making my way through my favorite prompts from this list. Feel free to send in any on there that you want to see for Kaspen!
~ 570 words
When King Edin invites his companions over for a friendly afternoon potluck, Kipling and Aspen hit the marketplace in the center of Mahar'il to purchase ingredients for their dish...
****
This was probably the most crowded marketplace Kip had ever stepped foot inside of. True, Puapua had outdoor markets much like this one, but none of them came anywhere close to the sheer size of Mahar’il’s Central Bazaar.
Aspen, who walked alongside Kip, was no stranger to the fact that his new companion hadn’t traveled outside of Puapua until a few weeks ago. However, this didn’t stop Kip from feeling self-conscious in the moment. She was terrified of looking too out of place. She felt like at any moment she was going to run into someone or miss an important sign. Kip tried to take confident strides and browse the stands without getting in anyone’s way, which was damn near impossible.
And then there was Aspen, a warm, tall presence beside her that she wished she could draw a lot closer to. But the market was so public and Kip had no idea if Aspen would welcome that sort of closeness in a place like this.
“On your left!”
Kip heard the shout and immediately knew that she was in someone’s way. Still, she froze on the spot. She watched in horror as the sea of people around her parted. She felt the air behind her rush as whoever was about to collide with her sped closer and closer.
“Oh!”
Kip stumbled a little to the right into something warm and solid.
“S’okay. I’ve got you.”
The flutist felt her face burn and her ears flatten against her skull as she processed the fact that Aspen had to literally pull her out of the way of incoming traffic.
But when the faun looked up at the former bard, she could find no traces of annoyance in his expression. If anything, she saw only fondness and the gentlest of amusement.
No one around them seemed to care or stop as Aspen helped Kip stand upright and steadied her with his hand on her lower back. She found herself squeezing his other hand harder than she meant to.
“You’d think I never been to a busy marketplace before today,” Kipling muttered, trying to joke away her embarrassment.
Aspen’s hand dropped from her spine. “No worries. It can get a little crazy out here.” He pulled her along, keeping his hand wrapped firmly around hers. Kip had no choice but to move with him. Her heart thumped carelessly against the inner walls of her chest as they walked together through the throng of shoppers. Suddenly, all of the scents and sounds of the bazaar became sharper to her.
“I’ve even been clipped by a courier a few times,” Aspen added, as if to ease the last bit of embarrassment that weighed Kip down.
It worked.
Kipling giggled softly at the thought of someone as solidly built as Aspen being knocked off his feet. It was then that she noticed how surely he held her hand, almost like he had no intentions of letting go.
Aspen’s comfort with holding her hand in public motivated her to flare her own fingers and thread them through his. Then she leaned a little into his side and used her other hand to squeeze his bicep, which earned her a bashful smirk from the bartender.
Kip said, “If you tell me all about it, I promise I won’t laugh.”
Aspen’s grin kept spreading as he flexed his fingers and chuckled, “Kip, as much as I want to believe you, I very much doubt that.”
Warnings & A/N: Implied references to nsft things if you squint so please be aware of that before reading. Follow up to this one based on Roo’s tags about needing Vantala’s perspective.
Just a little drabble of what was going through Kip's mind when she enters the Salty Dog and takes to the stage.
Music: "Summer Ritual" by Jessita Reyes, Ben Tavera King
~ 200 words
Kipling Brön, one of the fairfolk from Puapua, walks into the Salty Dog. Before she steps inside, she hesitates and throws on a quick glamour to mask her cloven feet and speckled ruminant legs. People in the city were already giving her strange looks, as if they've never seen fairfolk walking about in their natural skin before. So she covered up this time, not wanting to make anyone in this bar feel uncomfortable...
****
A human.
Kip tried not to stare. His curls were so layered and dark, she wanted to get lost in them. His skin reminded her of the warm molasses that she used to dip her breadrolls in. She tried to shake it off.
He's a person, Kip, not your breakfast.
Once upon a time, Kip was very self conscious about the fact that she couldn't sing. But she had grown out of that mindset a long time ago. Besides, she could play. She was a natural born lyricist who could improvise on the spot if needed. And what was more, she knew how to use that voice of hers. She had the cadence, the depth, the breadth to carry out long stretches of lyrics - she had everything except the ability to hold a note. That's what the instruments were for, right?
But there was something about the way Aspen Wishbourne watched her from his place at the bar. Or rather, the way he didn't watch her. Whatever it was about him was bringing back all those childhood insecurities.
Kipling rolled her shoulders in an attempt to rid herself of the nerves as she tuned her lute.
Once again, she would show the world that a bard didn't need to sing in order to touch someone with their song.
Hello, I hope your week is going well! 🥰 I'm wondering, are there any details about the character's appearances that are important to have included or that you'd like to see more of? A while ago I saw a post/posts in regards to skin tone and hair texture, but I wanted to ask about anything else this time before potentially commissioning some artwork!
Thank you! 💕
Hello! I appreciate you bringing up that particular answer <3 This is a long one with picture references so I'm gonna cut it!
Aside from hair/skin, one detail that I'm a bit of a stickler on is noses, especially for Aspen and Edin. Aspen has a low bridge, flat nose (but on the whole people have been good about including it):
And Edin has a larger, more aquiline nose:
I'm pulling examples from my own art only because who draws them truer, right? LOL
As for Tempest, while I love seeing her bobbies as much as the next wlw she actually tends to dress fairly modestly, favoring high collars and long sleeves:
(These are very old, from Tempest's first concepts) And this one is less of a thing, really, because Tempest herself doesn't have any real qualms about nudity or revealing clothing - she just likes the look.
