some hyper famous artists like Van Gogh transcend overratedness and become underrated because they're so normalized. Like I'll look at a van Gogh and I'm like wait this really is amazing you guys don't get it
Tuesday Tip - Beat Boards / Storyboards
It can be a daunting task to just “start storyboarding”. Because there’s so many things to think about when storyboarding, we all need a roadmap to know where we are going. Beat boards are not even the first step to creating a story, but it’s often the clearest way to pitch an early concept to someone. It’s also very useful to plan out the larger beats of a large physical sequence (action, chase, etc.). This way, you don’t have to go on a limb for a week or two and have to redo it all if it doesn’t work. They’re sort of like your Key Poses in animation, but put on a story scale. Does that make sense? Message me if you have any questions or suggestions about future posts.
Norm
anxiety is telling me in entering my flop era(less engagement in posts across all social media platforms) but I need to remember that people are actively trying to be less online and algorithms kill artists. also I can never be a flop if I believe in myself :0)
also anxiety about “not being as funny” as I was like 4-5 years ago which is NUTS to even worry about because back then I was profoundly miserable!!! and now I am happy and fulfilled and feel like I’m actually living. that is much better than being funny online. WHICH I STILL AM so no I am NOT a flop I am a beautiful lotus blossom 🪷
while my mom was pregnant with me, she was delivering chinese food on bike in new orleans. i like to think that the music she heard in the streets made me the way i am now.
You were found as a newborn, clutched in the arms of your dead mother at the base of a tree. No family came to claim you, but the men who came to your rescue adopted you as their own and became the only parents you’ve ever known. Growing up in the village of Stonebrook, you never want for much, until the day you first fall ill. Life plagues you with a mysterious condition that no one can diagnose or cure. You never know when it will strike or if it will eventually kill you. Living between fear and hope as you age, you try to come into your own as an adult with the ever-looming threat above you. As years pass, your condition seems to improve, until a mysterious mark appears on your body and opens up new questions.
It appears that you’re marked for death with no answers as to why, and your only chance to survive is to go out and seek them.
Journey through the land of Iroda, a fantasy world where the gods have abandoned their people and magic no longer prevails as it once did. Something is brewing that may change this world forever, and you’re in the middle of it, though your role is a mystery you must solve. Wanted dead by some and alive for mysterious purposes by others, you just want to survive. With the help of a few friends, find the answers that you need, and make your choices.
Customize your character’s looks, gender, sexuality, and personality. Choose to pursue someone in romance, friendship, or as simply a means to an end.
For those aged 18+ only.
Potential triggers/topics of sensitivity include, but are not limited to:
Swearing and adult language
Violence
Blood, possible gore
Injury, sometimes severe/life-threatening to the MC
Animal death (natural) and in reference to self-defense and food
Optional sexual content (explicitly detailed)
Nudity
Touching (non-sexual) without specific consent (this work is not written with specific touch-aversions in mind)
Chronic illness with severe symptomatic episodes
Childbirth with complications resulting in death and allusions thereof
References to pregnancy for side-characters and MC’s birth mother
Death (human, unnatural, accidental)
Abduction of MC (possible feelings of helplessness and fear)
Religious trauma
Cults
Depression/Anxiety/Panic
Nightmares
Disparaging thoughts
Substance use and references/use of alcohol
Canines, some aggressive
This story will have four main love-interests, detailed below, and one “mystery” romantic option. In addition, for readers that wish, there will be optional physical-only encounters that can occur with two of the ROs and a couple characters that your MC will encounter in the world. Should your MC wish to woo one of the love-interests, they will eventually be locked into that relationship. There will be no poly options for this story.
In the world of God-Cursed, MCs will be free to explore all relationships to a certain extent before making any permanent choice. Until then, flirting is regarded as simply another aspect of socialization. If your MC is the flirtatious type, they will not be “punished” for it. A couple of the ROs may be a bit anxious about your MC’s interactions with others if feelings are stirring, but it will not do permanent damage to the relationship you’ve built.
Your MC will not only be able to flirt with ROs either. Regular characters that you come across may have flirt options that will not lead to any sort of relationship, but might be useful in flattering your way into their good graces. Perhaps your MC may earn a permanent discount with a merchant or pull a secret from a cult member after making them blush from flattering speech. Or, your MC may irritate someone who doesn’t appreciate the advances, making your task more difficult.
Three of the ROs are gender-selectable (and will be cisgendered to your choice). The remaining two (including the mysterious suitor) are locked into male.
Main Companions (romanceable):
Oswin Twinflower
[AKA: Yarrow] (he/him – gender locked)
A childhood friend who’s just not the same anymore. Once a free-spirited softie with a perpetual smile and a penchant for mischief, Oswin has grown into a dour adult. After he came of age, he slowly distanced himself from you. In the ten years since, interactions between you have been awkward or downright hostile with no in-between. He doesn’t joke anymore. He doesn’t smile anymore. There’s something lost about his eyes these days…
-Personality: despite that furrow in his brow that says ‘stay away,’ Oswin actually prefers being in the company of others, as he cares deeply for friends and family. He’s organized and thorough – valuing the predictable and structured, and being driven to always improve upon his skills. Oswin can also be self-conscious, hard on himself, and a bit insecure.
-Appearance: standing around 6'2"/188cm with athletic build, Oswin has black hair that is slightly wavy and kept to his ears, bright-green hooded eyes, and brown skin with bronze undertones. He has a firm squared jaw, which is often prickled with light scruff. Oswin most often scowls, even when he doesn’t necessarily intend to. He dresses in simple tunics with leather armor and boots, and isn’t one for frivolities save for a special tattoo & necklace hidden under his clothing. A few notable scars mar his flesh, each telling a story. His sword is always kept at his hip.
-Occupation: Oswin makes his living as a sort of mercenary (though, he’d insist on being called a “hired hand”), mostly escorting wealthy merchants from town to town. He also helps as a local guard and is very popular among the villagers. Having trained with one of your fathers in the arts of sword and bow, he’s renowned as a formidable combatant.
-Fun fact: loves honey – is terrified of hates bees.
Zahn
(gender selectable)
A sweet and fun soul whom you meet along your journey. Zahn is just trying to fulfill their duty to their faith. They seek to help you in anyway they can, though there’s something torn behind their smile. Where did this fun-loving acolyte come from, and why do they look so sad when they think no one is looking?
-Personality: social and sweet, Zahn is enthusiastic and open-minded about most things. They’re incredibly flexible (in mind and body) and see possibilities in everything, being highly adaptable and skilled at improvising. Casual, warm, and always friendly and willing to lend a hand, they can make a very trustworthy companion.
-Appearance: about 5'5"/165cm tall with a petite build, wild blond hair and round blue eyes, Zahn has fawn colored skin with a rosy hue, and a dusting of light freckles with a touch too much wind and sun across their cheeks and nose. They appear a bit tired with slightly sunken eyes and a mite too thin with the lines of their jaw and neck a bit too pronounced – evidence of years of difficult living. If they grace you with a toothy smile, you may be lucky enough to see the slight gap in their front teeth. Zahn dresses in rough linen tunics, usually with layers to make up for how thin and hole-filled they are. They have a particularly ratty cloak that they seem to cherish. Portrait Link.
-Occupation: acolyte of Din
-Fun fact: They may be a bit malnourished on the small side, but that doesn’t stop them from wielding a bow with scary strength and precision.
Duri’naan
[AKA: Duri] (gender selectable)
A demigod to whom you owe a debt, they seem quite curious about you.
-Personality: charming and laid-back, Duri prefers their own company most of the time but readily embraces tight friendships, of which they never tire – though it is all or nothing for them, no surface-level relationship will work for long. They are perpetually curious and casual, having an air of cool confidence and a love for teasing, which can sometimes make them appear disinterested or cold. They are always paying attention, even if it doesn’t seem like it, and often understand others more than themselves. They can stress easily – especially when things stop being fun, be a bit competitive and too independent for their own good.
-Appearance: standing approximately at 5'9"/175cm with a lithe but toned build, Duri’naan has long and straight grey hair, and honey-brown upturned eyes. Their skin is a warm beige, lit up with a bright smile that sometimes shows off a little sharp snaggle-tooth. They bear a strange scar on the back of their neck and are missing a bit from the upper part of one ear. Duri wears simple clothing made from a single and very long swath of blue-grey linen, wrapped around them in such a way that you’re not quite sure how it stays up. They also hate shoes for some reason and are always barefoot.
-Occupation: just takin’ the air, you know, not fishing.
-Fun fact: Duri’naan has a hobby of stealing miscellaneous things from others just to watch how they react (they always return what they take, leaving the items in strange places).
Rūndis Lyreheart
[AKA: Rune] (gender selectable)
A serious and powerful mage with an oddly fervent dedication to the God of Destruction, Casimir. Though they are capable of wielding great power, Rune prefers to spend their days as a traveling bard – in part for the purpose of angering their mother. They might have you thinking they would not care about your plight, yet it couldn't be further from the truth. Below Rune's cool confidence that teases indifference, they have a nurturing spirit.
-Personality: Rūndis is an introverted day-dreamer who is curious and in search of deeper meanings at all times. Though they dream, they also have a rational side that comes with a penchant for efficiency and decisiveness. They tend to be calm and analytical, but are prone to anxiety especially in close relationships, making them seem a bit aloof or combative.
-Appearance: standing around 5'7"/173cm, Rune has shoulder-length curly hair that is all black except for a flash of purple on one side. They have almond-shaped purple eyes that are a testament to the magic that flows easily through them, and a beauty mark just under their right eye. They have a strong build and brown skin, wearing a stoic and serious expression that you wouldn’t expect from a bard. Rune favors fine robes and cloaks in colors that match their eyes, but only when they choose to stand out, otherwise they prefer common clothing. Tattooed upon their chest as a sign of devotion is the sigil of Casimir. They also adorn themselves with different types of jewelry.
-Occupation: traveling bard (primarily)
-Fun fact: Rune can play about any instrument you put in their hands, but their favorite is the lyre, which they play so well that many audiences have been left in tears.
Other Characters:
-Your Parents-
Dov Northbreaker [Papa]
Your loving papa is a mighty woodsman with an even mightier heart. The typical gentle giant, Dov has raised you with love and care since you were a babe. He’s deadly with an axe, though he only uses them on trees.
Dov is soft-spoken, very introverted, and shy. He has an affinity for animals and carpentry. He loves to create and fix anything and everything especially for his child or husband. Dov is also a very deep feeler and, though the quiet type, wears his heart on his sleeve – easily tearing up when moved.
Your papa is extremely tall and has very wide shoulders with massive muscles built by chopping trees down by hand for many years. His skin is tan, his eyes are brown, as is his shaggy hair, but his beard has patches with dark red running through it.
Kip Northbreaker [Da]
Your fiery da and spouse to your papa, he’s as quick to sass you as he is to shoot a bow. This lovable clown understood absolutely nothing about children, but adopted you regardless when you needed a home. He loves you with his whole being, even if he never lets you win at darts. He works as a huntsman and fisherman, and though his skill is unmatched, his looks and demeanor never seemed to fit his choice in work.
Kip may be the compete opposite of his husband, being extroverted and, often, loud. He tends to be the life of a party, and seeks to make everyone laugh. You grew up with him pranking you as often as possible without doing too much psychological damage.
Your da is above average in height and has an agile build with a good amount of muscle from wielding a bow regularly. He has fawn colored skin, short and wispy brown hair, and hazel eyes. He keeps his beard cropped short and always seems to be smiling. He has a love for expensive clothing and pops of bold color.
-Emre Twinflower [AKA: Aster]-
Your best friend since childhood, Emre is an affectionate soul who would never hurt a fly – though he’d give it a stern talking-to. Being sickly as a child, you were brought together a great deal, especially since his parents are the town healers. You were practically joined at the hip, enough that people believed you were siblings.
Emre is sweet and gentle all around. Taking after his father, he loves to help others and is skilled in medicine. He’s a soft sort and a little bit gullible, which his sisters frequently took advantage of growing up. He was always closest with his big brother, Oswin, and you. He takes what he perceives as failure very hard, so he strives to do things perfectly.
As an adult, your friend is fair-skinned, with wild curly blond hair that reaches his shoulders. Being almost average in height, his frame is quite lean and wiry from his years as a sickly kid. He has deep brown eyes, cannot grow a beard for anything, though he has tried about every tonic combination to encourage one.
Customize your MC
Play as male, female, or non-binary
Pick your character's physical appearance (including tattoos)
Choose a main hobby/skill/career your MC excels at
Get a cool scar with an interesting or embarrassing story attached
Buy 1 of 4 nameable mounts to ride and feed treats to
Shape your characters personality throughout the story (no “personality checks”)
Romance some people or don’t
Create a steady and enduring love with 1 of 5 suitors
Make some life-long friends
Enjoy some aromantic physical encounters with 2 ROs and/or NPCs you meet in the world
Enjoy some romantic physical encounters with all 5 ROs at some point in the story (some ROs will require a locked-in [committed] romantic relationship before you get to this point)
Go on a quest for answers and survival
Meet some gods
Find some demons
See the magic that still lingers in the world
Get the shit kicked out of you and have a few mental breakdowns totally fun times
Demo:
https://wings-of-ink.itch.io/god-cursed
Early Access & Extras (+NSFW): Patreon and Ko-fi
Error Report Form:
Report bugs, typos, grammatical issues, or potential issues with continuity within the story of God-Cursed.
Last Update: Sept 2025
Anticipated next installment: end 2025 - start 2026
Content: short prologue and Chapters 1 - 6
Current Word Count: approx. 703k (with code, which adds at least 10 pounds)
Twine Template:
https://vahnya.itch.io/
Pinterest:
https://pin.it/5LOcQlPq1
Music: (not my playlist, but highly recommend it)
ASK GUIDELINES Link:
For the sake of streamlining my inbox, please follow the guidelines below when submitting Asks. I appreciate all your questions, but I simpl
jacobvanloon
gummygunk
titsay
izzy806
vaporwave
turnnoffyourmind
