The cards, the cards have fallen

A writing blog for my in-progress IF, The Book of Broken Candles, a slice-of-life, eldritch horror, romance set in a fictional 1920s. N.S.F.W. tag: NotSafe INBOX STATUS: empty (send asks!)

[bookofbrokencandles]

Hello, new followers - What newcomers should know

This blog's follower count has shot up since the preview was posted and I really didn't expect that to happen lol. I honestly thought this would remain pretty unknown until I finish chapter one and post it up on the cog forum, and it would stay pretty contained to mostly people who followed me from my old blogs. For that reason, I wasn't prepared with a comprehensive post of what the game is and what people can expect. So, here's a temporary post (which is pinned) of what the game is about, complete with links to other information posts. I'll make a better, more proper post, when chapter one is ready for release.

In short: (rest of post under the cut)

The Book of Broken Candles is a slice-of-life, eldritch horror, romance game set in a fictional 1920s. The MC has broken a grave law by stealing and reading a protected book containing Forbidden Knowledge. Rather than being executed, however, their affluential mother has pulled enough strings to get them exiled to the former prison city of Vodon. This game will follow their new life in Vodon over the course of 13 months. They'll have the choice between 3 jobs to works, and 5 ROs to get close to (3 male and 2 female. All ROs are queer and available regardless of MC's gender, currently one poly route is confirmed), and there are multiple storylines to find and follow depending on your choices.

You can find Day One's preview here.

RO information here.

RO art here (and a bonus character item here)

Information on the Vulk species here. (All ROs are Vulks in this game)

Information on the available jobs here and here (including some stat explanations)

Confirmed trigger warnings here. (Please heed these warnings. This is a mature game, I'd say 17+, and while I will handle all subject matter as delicately as possible, it will not shy away from dark and potentially triggering themes. Stay safe out there.)

I think that's it for now. I will use this blog to keep everyone up to date as I work. Thank you for following!

[loveforsundown]

Hi guys. My life fell apart and I've had to face long-buried trauma I quite literally never thought I'd have to deal with again, so suffice to say that's been hard. And in all that I forgot about moving over my game demos. I'll either get to it tomorrow or on my next day off if I don't have the energy yet. Sorry about that.

[loveforsundown]

Hello everyone. I'm still here. Sorry for the silence. My job is physically exhausting and on top of that I've been having health problems I need to start figuring out. I've got health insurance for the first time, so I'll be able to start seeing a doctor, thankfully. And then maybe things will become easier.

Anyway, the real reason I'm making this post is I just found out dashingdon will be shut down and everything deleted by the end of this month. This is really saddening news when I think of all the beloved, dead WIPs that may now be lost forever if no one initiates some kind of recovery effort.

For those that may be worried about my works in particular, there's no need. I have all of my files, so I can move the games over to the latest hosting site (I believe it's now cogdemos.ink?) whenever. And I'm making this post on my LfS blog because Love For Sundown will be the first time I make sure I do. It's a completed game, so you can say I'm more motivated to hold it up as an example of my works haha. So I'll make sure people can keep playing it as soon as possible. If you're wondering about HoF... I'll think about it. But all my other demos will make their way over eventually as well. I don't know how eager people are about my work anymore, though, so I might be slow about it.

That's all for now, though. I hope to get back to writing eventually. I just wish life were easier to live right now.

[bookofbrokencandles]

Hey guys. So, I finally got a new job. I've already worked a couple weeks, but I'm still getting used to it and all the new aches and pains it's giving me. But otherwise, I'm happy with it.

That's all I have to update on, really. I hope working will get easier as I adjust and once I start getting my paychecks, I hope I'll feel less stressed and can finally get back to writing.

[bookofbrokencandles]

I know this story is slow to go, but I’m holding out hope for the sole fact that MC can use a cane.

Thank you for your patience, Anon!

I know I fell inactive for a while now. I was told I'd start training for my new job this month, so I'm hoping for that, and I know it'll be hard for a bit, but it will ultimately make my life better. And I think once that part of my life improves, my ability and desire to write will return and I'll be able to relax enough to get back to this game and keep going.

[godsamael]

The LfS anthology now has an official blog

I decided to separate LfS into its own blog because my main is a mess lmao. But I will be able to tag more consistently over there so things should be easier to find.

I just finished it, and I've reblogged the most relevant posts to it. You can find the blog here: @loveforsundown

Note that I'm considering the entire blog Not Safe For Work so anything explicitly that will not be specially tagged.

Also if you sent an ask I never got around to answering (I don't ignore my asks, they just get lost, I promise) you can feel free to resend it to that blog.

[bookofbrokencandles]

If anyone here likes erotica and monster boys and wants to know what my side project is, I now have a blog dedicated entirely to it. This has the first game release and will also be used to announce the second game's release once it's ready.

[bookofbrokencandles]

So, Day isn't interested in anything sexual outside of his romance with MC (because trauma and MC being the only one he trusts with his body) and I've been playing with the idea of an asexual MC inspiring him to identify as asexual, because if he's not having sex with them then he's just not having sex and that's fine by him.

And so I'm reading a post on here that really relates to that potential journey for Day. And I'm thinking, Day (as a general character of mine) has always known he's pan because that's really normalized in Vulk culture, but now I'm thinking maybe he would identify as demisexual because he doesn't have or rejects any sexual inclinations outside of MC.

Then I follow that thought trail to, oh, perhaps demiromantic might also fit him because he has no interest in relationships outside of MC, too.

THEN I think, now giggling fruitily to myself, "He's aplatonic. He doesn't want any friends."

[bookofbrokencandles]

You have another game? Is there a blog for it on here?

I don't remember what I've said on this blog that you could be referring to, so I'm going to assume it's Love for Sundown which was mentioned in the last ask.

Love for Sundown is a game anthology that I don't have a specific blog for so all LfS stuff is hosted on my main @godsamael you can find the post for the first game (which is the only one released rn) here but be warned it's a very explicit erotic game. The second LfS game (named Cybernecrosis) is currently in active development.

If that's not what you mean, I have two other games that are currently on hold while I work on Candles so I won't link their blogs right now.

[bookofbrokencandles]

Hi! Hope you're doing well today! I just wanted to swing in and say I'm very excited about this WIP~ Love For Sundown is one of my favorite IFs, I absolutely love your writing style and Harlem and all the options present, and I'm so glad I'll get to know new characters of yours and at a larger scale~ once I'm more familiar with the ROs I'd love to hit you up for a commission as long as they're still open. Annnd a character ask, what's everyone's favorite dessert? Do they have favorite ice cream flavors? Wishing you a fantastic week :3

I am, thank you! And 🥰thank you!! I'm glad you like my writing! LfS 2 has had my attention recently so I haven't done much with Candles, but I hope to get chapter 1 finished quickly once I can focus on it again.

I decided not to do ice cream flavors, cuz I could lose my whole day to looking up ice cream flavors present today and in the 1920s lol. But desserts, I can do.

Day: Will eat literally any dessert you wanna give him as long as it has a sufficient amount of sugar in it, so I can't really call any his favorite. His go-to on a daily basis, however, are simple pastries.

Night: He doesn't like sweets and doesn't eat dessert, at all.

Bat: Pineapple upside down cake. It's been a comfort food for him since childhood.

Myra: Whipped cream. Any recipe that contains a lot of whipped cream, that's her favorite.

Dominya: Doesn't eat dessert often, but probably favors a simple trifle.

I hope you have a good week, too!

[bookofbrokencandles]

NSFW asks: What are the ROs preferences in bed? And what are their kinks?

I decided to be abnormal today, so big NSFW answers

Preferences:

Day is a Top and prefers being dominant. Prefers positions that don't involve anyone on top of him.

Night is a Top and prefers being dominant or having no D/S dynamics.

Bat is a Top and prefers no D/S dynamics, but if MC wants some light D/S elements, he's generally okay with whichever.

Myra leans towards being dominant, if anything.

Dominya finds no D/S dynamics or leaning submissive to be easier due to her lack of experience, but does not actually have a personal preference and is okay with either.

Kinks:

(A reminder: None of (or almost none of?) these will be present in the game so these ultimately do not matter and you will never have to engage in a kink you don't want to. If you see a kink you're not into beside an RO you are into, you can choose to ignore the kink. It has no bearing on their romances.) Also not an exhaustive list, I just decided to pick a few interesting ones to name.

Day: Collars and manhandling. Mild petplay.

Night: What isn't his kink? Honestly, just give him a strong argument and he'll decide to take on most anything as a kink. But to list some: Public sex, Daddy, Cum, Hole, Dirty talk (more like Cursed talk from him, tho), Masturbation, Genderplay, Anything that can be viably fucked, Mouths... I shan't elaborate about any of these, btw. He will, of course. Unasked.

Bat: Lingerie and public sex. And breeding.

Myra: Face riding and beatdown sex.

Dominya: Edging and exhibitionism.

[bookofbrokencandles]

Commissions open for all my works

So, my mom had to leave one of her jobs last week. She's trying to get a new one, but of course that takes time. I just got back from my trip, so my funds are currently depleted and I'm not back to work yet (I have one day next week, but that's as far as I know atm) so I don't have the money to help out right now. We're not in terrible shape yet, but I want to be sure we can actually afford to eat before someone gets back to her about a job.

So, this is all I can do.

My ko-fi for anyone who wants to donate

$5 for 500 words

$10 for 1000 words

Please message me if you're interested. I will do these as quickly as I am able. Currently, unlimited slots.

[bookofbrokencandles]

Commissions open for all my works

So, my mom had to leave one of her jobs last week. She's trying to get a new one, but of course that takes time. I just got back from my trip, so my funds are currently depleted and I'm not back to work yet (I have one day next week, but that's as far as I know atm) so I don't have the money to help out right now. We're not in terrible shape yet, but I want to be sure we can actually afford to eat before someone gets back to her about a job.

So, this is all I can do.

My ko-fi for anyone who wants to donate

$5 for 500 words

$10 for 1000 words

Please message me if you're interested. I will do these as quickly as I am able. Currently, unlimited slots.

[bookofbrokencandles]

Commissions open for all my works

So, my mom had to leave one of her jobs last week. She's trying to get a new one, but of course that takes time. I just got back from my trip, so my funds are currently depleted and I'm not back to work yet (I have one day next week, but that's as far as I know atm) so I don't have the money to help out right now. We're not in terrible shape yet, but I want to be sure we can actually afford to eat before someone gets back to her about a job.

So, this is all I can do.

My ko-fi for anyone who wants to donate

$5 for 500 words

$10 for 1000 words

Please message me if you're interested. I will do these as quickly as I am able. Currently, unlimited slots.

[bookofbrokencandles]

I'm back from my trip and my feet have fallen off, but I will get better. Need a little more time to recover, then hopefully I will have the energy to write again.

[bookofbrokencandles]

Happy Birthday to Night

he will be getting up to his Aries behavior today and he cannot be stopped :)

[bookofbrokencandles]

Night's birthday is tomorrow and I haven't had time to prepare anything in advance, but if anyone wants to send some asks, I'll answer them tomorrow.

Also, commissions still open. All slots are open. I leave for my trip in a little less than ten days, so that's how long you all have to get something from me.

[bookofbrokencandles]

Managed to make a little progress so far this week. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I hadn't made any progress on Dominya and Myra's introduction for the longest time. I got some other stuff done in the meantime, but I was seriously stuck. Finally I decided to take a different approach and that seems to be making things run more smoothly. I've been more sensitive to sensory overload lately, however, and when I get overwhelmed it totally pulls me out of my writing mood (I can feel it happening as I write this post, even) so I'd really appreciate if that stopped happening so I can get some damn work done.

Other than that, I'm working on some lore for the Gods tonight. I've been going back and forth on if I want to reuse the Gods from the same work Day and the Vulks came from, but I have ultimately decided on entirely new Gods for this new universe. In the Day One preview, MCs who felt a certain way at the start of their exile make a prayer to the God of Mercy, so some players have already got a taste of that decision. I can't promise any focus on or interaction with the Gods in the game, but the new God of Death, the one who damned the Vulks personally, is already seeming much more formidable than His old incarnation.

And in other news, I fear there's a risk I may end up not working at all this month and that kind of scares me. So I'd appreciate if people would commission me, per my last post. Please message me if you're interested. I will work as quickly as I can.